Starting Cultivation During a Trip

Thinking of this, Zhang Fan continued reading.

The reason Qingcheng Mountain is considered eerie is that its back mountain is said to be located at the convergence of the Yin and Yang realms. It’s often crossed by malicious ghosts from the Netherworld into the mortal world, and spirit monsters gather there for mystical cultivation.

Before the first mountain-breaking and temple-attacking incident, the back mountain of Qingcheng Mountain was also known as Ghost City Mountain.

Later, Zhang Daoling preached here, capturing the Dragon Qi of the Yangtze River to suppress the Five Heavens, Eight Divisions, and Six Celestial Ghosts and Gods, sealing the exit of the Netherworld.

Even so, the root cause was not eradicated. Qingcheng Mountain is not just a sacred place for Daoists; it’s also a blessed land for demonic ghosts.

Everyone has seen the Legend of the White Snake. Bai Suzhen was originally a thousand-year-old white python who cultivated at Qingcheng Mountain.

There’s even a song called Bai Suzhen Under Qingcheng Mountain.

To this day, in the Chuanshu region, near Qingcheng Mountain, there remains a special area dedicated to the resting and thriving of spirit monsters and demonic ghosts, known as the Land of Demons, or Demon Village.

It’s said that the spirit monsters and demonic ghosts there possess deep cultivation, some even being extremely rare. There are still many River Flood Dragons which are already rare outside.

A subtle balance has formed between Qingcheng Mountain’s Daoist sect and the Demon Village, allowing them to even harness the power of those demonic ghosts.

This is the most unique dharma lineage of the Qingcheng Mountain Daoists.

Back then, the previous generation Human Xiao...

At this point, Zhang Fan’s eyelid suddenly twitched.

The previous generation Human Xiao, wasn’t that his mother?

”The previous generation Human Xiao once went incognito, entered Qingcheng Mountain for mystical cultivation, and mastered the Technique of Taming Demons...”

Mountains and seas hide demonic ghosts, subdue and refine nine demons!

Demons are spirit monsters that take human form, and between the primordial spirit and the body, there is almost always a rejection reaction, especially in special environments, leading to a rampant nature, showing some original traits.

This is what’s known as ”revealing the true form.”

For example, in the Legend of the White Snake, Bai Suzhen transforms into a snake after one cup of realgar wine, which frightens Xu Xian to death, leading to the story of stealing the immortal grass.

Taming Demons can suppress the frenzy of demonic ghosts, halt the process of ”revealing the true form,” and unleash the potential within them. The Nine-Turned Demon Refining defies all rules.

”The previous generation Human Xiao not only mastered the Technique of Taming Demons but even entered the Demon Village and subdued five formidable great demons, collectively called...”

”Five Great Demon Lords!”

”Five Great Demon Lords...” Zhang Fan pondered silently.

He knows that Si Snake Bai Yujing is one of the Five Great Demon Lords. She entered the Thirteen Zodiacs with her demon body, a secret known only to him and Li Linglong.

”That’s precisely why Qingcheng Mountain holds a deep animosity towards the previous generation Human Xiao, regarding it as a great shame. Ten years ago, the Dragon Tiger Red Moon allegedly appeared...”

”It’s also for this reason that Qingcheng Mountain Daoists wield extremely unique and unconventional power, which must not be easily provoked...”

”Remember! Remember!”

The article abruptly stopped here.

Zhang Fan frowned deeply as he read.

”Who exactly is this Thousand-Year-Old Demon?” Zhang Fan grew increasingly puzzled.

He is extremely knowledgeable about the secret histories of various Daoist sects, even the many details concerning the previous generation Human Xiao and the Dragon Tiger Red Moon incident ten years ago.

This level of knowledge is quite unusual, even verging on the eerie.

”His cultivation shouldn’t be weak, and he must be quite old. I might have even met him before...”

Zhang Fan’s mind swiftly started piecing together an image of the Thousand-Year-Old Demon.

His curiosity about this person reached its peak, like a cloud of mystery shrouding his heart.

”Hmm!?”

Just then, the page of this post suddenly redirected, showing it had been lost.

Zhang Fan clicked on the details and was stunned.

”The post you were viewing has been reported and taken down, if you need...”

”It was reported?” Zhang Fan’s gaze sharpened, showing a peculiar expression of disbelief.

The post by the Thousand-Year-Old Demon hadn’t even been up for twenty minutes before being reported and taken down? Who would bother with that?

”Could it be the people from Qingcheng Mountain!?” Zhang Fan muttered.

The post by the Thousand-Year-Old Demon was all about Qingcheng Mountain, exposing many of its closed-door secrets, so it being reported seems quite reasonable.

”Just you wait, one day, I’ll uncover who you are.”

Zhang Fan took a deep look, the Thousand-Year-Old Demon had become a grayed-out avatar, he then closed the page of the ”Little Yellow Book” and immediately inserted the USB drive given by Sui Chunsheng, opening the special link inside, which automatically redirected to a standalone page, namely the Daoist Alliance’s internal marketplace.

”Treasure Division Rock!?”

Zhang Fan glanced at the name of the Daoist Alliance’s internal marketplace and couldn’t help but smile, as if it wasn’t going to cost him any money.

”If you’re a brother, come stab me with a knife...”

With a flick of Zhang Fan’s hand, an extremely noisy and glittering game page popped out.

”Why are there still ads...” Zhang Fan rolled his eyes.

He closed the advertisement page and generally browsed around, having to admit the Daoist Alliance’s internal marketplace was indeed all-encompassing, with every type of category available, from medicinal materials to exotic treasures, magical artifacts, and talismans...

However, the prices inside are often much higher than those in the black market.

For instance, the Brain Worm previously bought by Shi Shougong cost three thousand eight hundred on the black market, but at Treasure Division Rock it was five thousand two hundred. Even though Zhang Fan, due to his identity as a Demon Suppression Consultant, could enjoy a twenty-five percent discount, bringing it down to three thousand nine hundred.

Of course, Treasure Division Rock offers many more types. For instance, there’s also a substitute for the Brain Worm called Little Brain Worm, which costs only one thousand two hundred.

Furthermore, many treasures in Treasure Division Rock are much cheaper than in the black market.

For example, the Molten Rock Essence Gold necessary for forging a Magic Sword is only one hundred twenty-eight thousand per pound, which is thirty percent less expensive than in the black market.

This is mainly because the Daoist Alliance owns the mines, allowing for a fully integrated supply chain from mining to transportation, refining, and final product, greatly reducing costs.

After browsing for a bit, Zhang Fan had to acknowledge that being a Demon Suppression Consultant brought with it significant savings when buying some treasures at Treasure Division Rock with the twenty-five percent discount.

Additionally, Treasure Division Rock also offers a recycling service, purchasing talismans, magical artifacts, materials, and even broken pieces through on-site inspection and pricing.

”They even recycle fragments?”

Zhang Fan was stirred and couldn’t help but recall the metal fragment obtained with Fang Changle in the black market.

He took it out from his pocket, feeling its warm touch.

He only spent a little over a hundred yuan on this, thinking it looked like an antique, and played with it casually.

”I’ll have the people from Treasure Division Rock appraise it for me later to see what it truly is.”

Zhang Fan casually put the fragment back in his pocket and began calculating costs in his mind.

Black Rat had given him eight hundred thousand, his savings amounted to over one hundred twenty thousand, and after subtracting thirty-four thousand spent on purchasing the Fire Character Sticker and Centennial Ginseng King last time, he still had fifty-eight thousand left in his account.

”Good steel should be used on the blade. I need to budget wisely,” Zhang Fan thought thoughtfully.

He now needed treasures that could strengthen his primordial spirit, preferably with effects comparable to the Absorption of the Tiger’s Essence. Such treasures would allow him to aspire to the Mahasattva’s Skillful Realm.

”Let’s take another look.” Zhang Fan casually browsed around.

Rumble...

Just then, a rumbling thunder sounded from outside the window, and Zhang Fan instinctively looked up at the sky.

”The weather is changing,” Zhang Fan murmured softly, then turned and asked, ”Sister Wen, when will Old Yu return?”

”Sister Wen... Sister Wen...”

...

Yujing City High-speed Rail South Station.

A high-speed train slowly pulled into the station, and the doors slowly opened.

At the entrance of car seven, two men in Daoist robes stepped out, one with fair skin and delicate features, holding an oil paper umbrella, and the other tall and thin with a faint red scar at the center of his brow.

”Senior Brother, were those plainclothes Daoists just now? Why such a formation?” the tall and thin Daoist asked, tilting his head.

”Yujing City has been rather unsettled lately; let’s not meddle in others’ affairs.”

The fair-skinned Daoist whispered solemnly, his eyes flashing with a faint gleam of insight.

”Just take this opportunity to capture that Old Fish Demon and bring it back to Qingcheng Mountain!”