Monster Chronicles: My Daoist Skill Comes from Mythology-Chapter 319 - 285: The Ceremony of Talented Individuals, The Blessed Land of Tianling Jungle_2
On the other side, Erlang God led the Seven Great Saints to collect materials while building a grass furnace nearby.
The life of alchemy is exceedingly dull.
After the departure of the golden cauldron, Song Lin, bored and with nothing to do, occasionally returned to the real world.
......
The real world.
"Who exactly is the golden cauldron?"
Song Lin murmured to himself.
He had never heard of this person before.
Their origins were mysterious, cultivation unknown, and they had never disclosed their name.
It wouldn’t be surprising if they turned out to be a Great Power.
"Well, who cares, as long as it benefits me."
Since he couldn’t figure it out, Song Lin decided not to dwell on it.
The Outer Pill Technique could never be the main path, but as an auxiliary method, it was undeniably a divine skill.
At his current cultivation speed, forming the second flower would require over three hundred years.
The lifespan of a Purple Mansion cultivator is two thousand years, which makes this timeline relatively short.
The path of Three Flowers Gathering at the Top was originally steady and low-risk, so advancing more slowly is normal.
With the addition of Qi Storage Golden Pill, this could shorten the process by one cycle of 60 years.
"I can start preparing for alchemy in the real world as well."
Song Lin thought to himself.
While conquering realms, alchemy could steadily increase his cultivation level.
The pace of this world was slow; over a month had passed without any remarkable events.
It’s likely the same would persist for hundreds of years.
"Oh, the Talent Ceremony!"
Song Lin slapped his forehead, nearly forgetting this matter.
Donghua Jungle.
At the mountain’s base, throngs of people gathered, each group of twenty ascending the Heart Inquiry Road in turn.
"Brother Nan!"
"Brother Luu! You’re here too?"
"Of course, I have come for immortal destiny!"
A young man with the presence of jade trees in shadow, wearing white jade on his forehead and a purple robe while wielding a white fan, spoke to a robust young man.
Both were accompanied by numerous guards, indicating noble backgrounds.
The elegant youth was Nan Changfeng, while the stocky youth, resembling a military commander, was Luu Yunsheng.
Both hailed from prominent Yunzhou families; Luu Yunsheng was the son of a general, while Nan Changfeng was of royal lineage.
They seemed amicable on the surface but secretly competed, harboring disdain for one another.
"Immortal destiny? It seems Mr. Nan has great confidence." Luu Yunsheng said with a faint smile.
"Indeed, my father once invited a master to evaluate me. I possess superior talent. To be honest, I’ve been cultivating for half a year and am about to break through the Qi Refinement stage."
"Impressive, indeed!"
Among the crowds were numerous aristocrats, Taoists from cultivation families, or loose cultivators hoping to apprentice themselves where they could.
Since Song Lin established his name and founded Donghua Jungle, his influence had begun attracting attention.
Thus, even more talent came seeking opportunities.
"Ah, how fleeting its rise!"
Among the crowd, a Taoist in plain clothes observed the scene intently.
Though absent the distinctive markings of tadpole-like text on his face, if Song Lin were here, he would immediately recognize this as Lu Mingyang, the Taoist Master of Tianling Jungle.
He had previously clashed with Song Lin but later made amends.
Lu Mingyang’s visit this time was for business; upon seeing the festivities of the Talent Ceremony, he couldn’t help but pause and watch.
As he examined the Heart Inquiry Road and its associated rules, Lu Mingyang fell silent.
After some observation, particularly noting the conversation between the two men, he turned to his Capital Manager.
"Qin Yang, who do you think will pass?"
"I believe both individuals will pass," Qin Yang said.
With outstanding talent like theirs, each had high potential, at least capable of establishing Divine Establishment, and possibly even Golden Core—there was no reason for them to fail unless Donghua Jungle were blind to their gifts.
"I bet Nan Changfeng will fail."
"Why?"
Qin Yang was surprised. Nan Changfeng had superior qualifications; even if unable to ascend the path, he should be accepted by exception.
Soon, as predicted, Nan Changfeng gave up halfway, losing his qualification and being thrown out after making a scene.
Luu Yunsheng, on the other hand, passed without issue.
"Master Taoist, why is this?"
"Mental state. This test doesn’t focus on talent, only on mental state. Although he appears amiable on the outside, his inner self is vicious and fraudulent, carrying the lives of many—he must be prone to violence."
"That’s all? I thought the so-called Three Refuges and Nine Precepts were just a joke."
Qin Yang couldn’t comprehend. What does being violent matter? High cultivation strength should suffice—why be so particular?
"Perhaps this is why Donghua Jungle has rapidly risen," Lu Mingyang thought to himself.
Rejecting brilliant but unaligned individuals, no matter their aptitude.
"Is this how they attract talent?" Qin Yang remained baffled.
"Someone still passed, didn’t they?"
It’s better to recruit aligned individuals with slightly less talent than unstable prodigies.
Lu Mingyang had learned something.
Perhaps he could exchange insights one day?
After all, how did their Rampant Soldier Dao prove so powerful, while his Planting Beans into Soldiers Skill, though superior, fell short in effectiveness?
"Come, let’s meet... oh, Song Lin?"
Lu Mingyang turned, startled to find Song Lin suddenly behind him.
This was terrifying—how could he silently appear so close? And wasn’t Lu Mingyang himself a Purple Mansion cultivator!
"Master Lu? What brings you here?" Song Lin smiled warmly.
"I had planned to visit a fellow Taoist, but upon seeing the ceremony, I became engrossed—my apologies."
"No harm done, please, come to my humble abode."
Song Lin led Lu Mingyang into the jungle, traversing a long corridor until reaching the Master’s Hall.
Upon entry, it revealed a World in the Pot, with dozens of floating islands suspended in midair and three Divine Dragons circling the skies, intimidating Lu Mingyang.
After exchanging pleasantries, Lu Mingyang broached the subject: "I am here for some business."
"Oh? What sort of business?"
Song Lin inquired.
"Blessed land. Our Tianling Jungle recently discovered one."
The blessed land, called Mirage Blessed Land, greatly benefits those skilled in illusion techniques. Normally appearing as a cluster of white clouds, those entering Mirage Blessed Land unaware would fall into illusions.
After pondering briefly, Song Lin asked, "An outright purchase?"
"Indeed, two million for three hundred acres of Mirage Blessed Land."
"Alright, I agree," Song Lin nodded.
In Donghua Jungle, there were few specializing in illusion techniques, but Mirage Qi could be refined into magic artifacts or utilized as a Mountain Protection Array.
Being a perpetual blessed land, having it was better than not—if outsiders used it for cultivation, it could even bring revenue.
Soon, the two signed the contract, and within days Shi Yinhua would visit the Spirit Forbidden Mansion to arrange for the blessed land’s relocation to Donghua Jungle, distributing Mirage Qi across the jungle.
"Alright, I won’t intrude further; let’s meet another day."
Lu Mingyang rose to depart.
Song Lin escorted him to the door.
In recent days, many visitors had come. Those of ordinary status were received by Shi Yinhua; department directors and master Taoists were greeted by Song Lin himself.
"With higher status, the people around me have grown friendly, haven’t they?" Song Lin chuckled, shaking his head.
This world is simply pragmatic.
Once you show strength, everyone becomes kind.
"Ah, time for secluded cultivation!"
Song Lin slapped his forehead, nearly forgetting this matter.
It was time for a distant journey.
Staying at home and inexplicably attaining divine skills would only invite suspicion.
He could venture farther away—ideally out of Holy Might Taoist School’s influence—finding a deserted place to retreat.
If he went out discreetly but returned with visible progress, others wouldn’t question.
Even if he occasionally unveiled a new technique, doubt would not arise.
With this in mind, Song Lin sought out Shi Yinhua, delegating authority entirely.
He then took off, leaving the jungle.
Flying seven thousand miles, he found a cave mansion before entering the Dragon Mansion Jade Gourd.
He returned to the story world once again.
In the story world, another half-year passed.
Upon emerging, he discovered a figure appearing in Flame River.
...
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