Cultivation: I Can Reincarnate Into Various Worlds-Chapter 63. Corpse Liberation Immortals (Request for additional reading)

Chapter 63: 63. Corpse Liberation Immortals (Request for additional reading)

Danyang...

It should be Ma Yu, the second-generation leader of Quanzhen Taoism, also known as Danyang Zi.

That is, Master Ma’s predecessor.

"I have also had some good fortune recently," Xu Xing said. "This is the ’Eight-Armed Vajra Sutra,’ an external Cultivation Method. If Master Ma doesn’t mind, please accept it as repayment for the opportunity you have given me..."

Xu Xing held the Token, hesitated for a moment, then took the copied ’Eight-Armed Vajra Sutra’ from his bosom and handed it to Master Ma.

With his current status, an obscure Cultivation Method wouldn’t pose much of a threat to him. A good Cultivation Method still required the right person to practice it. For example, even strong Warriors like Master Ma could still be threatened by foreign guns.

"Did you find this in Ancient Books again, Brother Xing?" Master Ma asked, flipping through the Scripture with a somewhat peculiar expression.

This stroke of luck was almost too good to be true, he thought. Could one truly obtain good martial arts techniques merely by casually flipping through books? Why...didn’t he have such luck? Ah, right. He himself didn’t read books. That explained it.

"A few days ago, I was browsing old books in a bookstore and accidentally found it in a copy of the Surangama Sutra. The store owner didn’t recognize its value, so I bought it," Xu Xing casually explained.

Though not a Gentleman, he didn’t want to be a scoundrel either. Gratitude must be repaid.

The ’Eight-Armed Vajra Sutra’ was the signature martial art of Xuanji Temple in Reality, its value immeasurable. If Monk Shang, in his capacity as Alliance Leader of the Eighteen Rebel Kings, hadn’t considered this rare scripture trivial to his grand ambitions and been as unconcerned with its loss as a profligate heir selling off ancestral lands, it would have been utterly unobtainable. Indeed, if one truly sought to purchase this Cultivation Method, it would be an exercise in futility—a treasure with a reputed price but no actual market.

Just one point highlighted the value of this Scripture: it allowed for the cultivation of both internal and external abilities! While practicing external skills, it could also promote the growth of internal energy. Although it didn’t accumulate internal energy as quickly as purely cultivating the Martial Dao of internal cultivation, in terms of improving one’s abilities, this Scripture far surpassed those of the Same Stage.

Other Warriors who dual-cultivated usually did so through a mixed approach; their internal and external cultivation methods often didn’t complement each other. However, with the ’Eight-Armed Vajra Sutra,’ both internal cultivation and external cultivation stemmed from the same system.

It was just that... Monk Shang had been cunning enough to remove the accompanying techniques—the Vajra Mudra—from the ’Eight-Armed Vajra Sutra,’ leaving only the Cultivation Method itself.

"What great fortune," Master Ma praised.

「The next day, early in the morning.」

Xu Xing rented a fine horse and hurried to Chang’an County.

Jingyang County and Chang’an County were both under the jurisdiction of Qin Province, and the distance between them wasn’t great. However, the Golden Immortal Temple was located in Ziwu Valley of Mount Zhongnan, which was quite a long way from Jingyang County’s town.

He reached Ziwu Town after about half a day’s travel.

The Golden Immortal Temple was also one of the famous Daoist sites near Qin Province. This temple had been built by Emperor Tang Ming, Li Longji, for his sister, Princess Jin Xian.

Many people might not be familiar with Princess Jin Xian. However, her sister, Princess Yu Zhen, was renowned during the High Tang Dynasty due to her connections with Li Bai and Wang Wei. Both sisters had renounced secular life to pursue Daoist Cultivation together.

When Xu Xing reached the entrance of the temple, he was stopped by a young Daoist Priest.

"Layman, if you wish to burn incense, please go that way—" the young Daoist Priest said, pointing to the nearby Doumu Hall and indicating for Xu Xing to go around.

The Golden Immortal Temple enjoyed a thriving incense trade in the area. At a glance, Xu Xing saw many pilgrims walking along the mountain path, accompanied by several Daoist Priests who exuded an air of immortal grace.

"I’m looking for Daoist Master Liu..." Xu Xing stated. "This is the Token."

He took a jade tablet from his sash and showed it to the young Daoist Priest.

"You must be Layman Xu," the young Daoist Priest said. After a brief moment of surprise, he recalled Daoist Master Liu’s instructions. He greeted Xu Xing with a Daoist bow and politely led the way, saying, "Please follow me, Layman Xu. Daoist Master Liu has been waiting for you for some time."

The young Daoist was not unobservant. Xu Xing wore a three-foot-long ribbon at his waist, a mark of someone with scholarly honor and status. For Common People to wear such an item casually would be a violation of the law. Therefore, once Xu Xing presented the Token, the young Daoist led him onward without hesitation.

Along the way, they passed Penglai Pavilion, the Golden Immortal Palace, Doumu Hall, Dragon and Tiger Hall, and the Hall of the Three Purities—until they turned into a side room in a western courtyard.

This courtyard was somewhat remote, built on the edge of a cliff, offering quiet and secluded scenery.

After stepping through the Moon Gate, Xu Xing didn’t see the Dragon Gate Sect Leader, Daoist Master Liu. Instead, he saw a young Daoist boy with his hair in a topknot, sitting in meditation within a pavilion.

"He has been frail and sickly since childhood," a voice said. "Without practicing this Vajra cultivation method, he would have faced an early death. However, Layman... you already possess Internal Power, so there’s no need for you to practice this method."

The door of the chamber slowly opened, and a lame Old Daoist priest walked out. He had white hair but a youthful complexion and a peaceful expression.

"I am Ming Cang, of the Liu family name. It is an honor to meet you, Layman Xu..." the Old Daoist said. He was dressed in Quanzhen attire: his hair in a coiled topknot secured with a wooden pin, covered by a flat, round Huanyuan cloth cap. He wore a loose, black, standing-collar robe and black Ten Direction shoes, exuding an air of transcendence and natural serenity. He greeted Xu Xing with a Daoist salutation and introduced himself.

"Greetings, Daoist Ming Cang," Xu Xing replied.

Xu Xing was secretly shocked. His Internal Power had reached the Storing Truth Realm and was extremely well-concealed; most people would be unable to perceive it. Furthermore, this Old Daoist moved without a sound, and his clothes were spotless...

Innate? he wondered, a suspicion forming in his mind.

"I have only focused on self-cultivation through meditation and have not learned any combat techniques," the Old Daoist said with a smile, as if sensing Xu Xing’s thoughts.

Before Xu Xing could speak again, the Old Daoist waved the horsetail whisk in his hand and said, "I already understand your purpose in coming. You seek a method for longevity, I presume. However, in this current era, the path of the Dao is in decline. Furthermore, you are a person of inferior aptitude, making it difficult to cultivate the methods of Ascending Immortal..."

Nine out of ten people who came to see him sought methods for longevity or to become immortals. He had grown accustomed to such requests.

"’A person of inferior aptitude...’" Xu Xing echoed, slightly surprised. "May I ask Daoist Ming Cang, how do you determine that I am a person of inferior aptitude?"

He had no great expectations for his own aptitude; he was just an ordinary person. His very aptitude for martial arts had been gradually established by the Taoist Fruits.

"Those who can illuminate their inherent nature, whose spiritual light is perfectly integrated, and whose three treasures of essence, qi, and spirit are abundant—when they cultivate the Dao, the toad light manifests spontaneously. This is termed supreme wisdom," the Old Daoist explained after a moment of contemplation. "Those who understand Kan and Li, who comprehend Yin and Yang, and whose flesh and bones are well-proportioned... are considered people of average wisdom."

"All others below these two are considered people of inferior aptitude," he continued. "I, too, am merely a person of inferior aptitude. Layman, please do not take offense," he added.

"’Supreme wisdom... average wisdom...’" Xu Xing mused. "Are there any known individuals who fit these descriptions?" his heart stirred as he asked.

"Those with supreme wisdom would include lineage-founding ancestors such as Purple Sun Daoist, Chongyang Daoist, and Fuyao Zi," the Old Daoist replied. "As for people of average wisdom..."

At this point, the Old Daoist fell silent.

Xu Xing saw this and understood. When discussing Daoist ancestors, if a junior were to describe an ancestor as merely having average wisdom rather than supreme wisdom, it would inevitably risk being seen as disrespectful. The Quanzhen sect, integrating the Three Teachings, understood the importance of showing deference to venerable figures. Thus, one could speak of supreme wisdom, but not readily classify revered figures as having average or inferior aptitude.

"What about immortals such as Lü Zu?" Xu Xing asked again.

"They are not in this classification," the Old Daoist replied, shaking his head.

"Daoist Ming Cang, for a person of inferior aptitude like myself, what methods should I cultivate?" Xu Xing finally asked, getting to his main reason for visiting the temple.

"Only the Corpse Liberation Method..." the Old Daoist stated. "Superior adepts elevate their forms into the void, becoming Heavenly Immortals. Middling adepts roam famous mountains, becoming Earth Immortals. Inferior adepts first die and then undergo a metamorphosis, becoming Corpse Liberation Immortals..."