Starting Cultivation During a Trip-Chapter 310 - 173: My Name Is Li Changgeng! He Also Bears the Surname Zhang_2
What they had always firmly believed in, what they had always stood unshaken by... at this moment can only serve as the backdrop to an endless darkness, with the mocking and ridicule of fate echoing throughout the heavens.
"Brother..."
"Brother..."
In the endless night, the voices of Qi Delong and Qi Dongqiang slowly emerge. They can no longer see each other, but can feel each other’s existence, just like when they were still fetuses in the womb. Looking at each other, devouring each other, finally leaving only this one body...
You in me, me in you, fear under destruction can only turn into numbness.
"No wonder... no wonder the Hai Pig fell into his hands..."
At this moment, Lin Jianyue seems to hear a voice echoing in her heart. She shudders, her mind nearly collapsing, as she sees an endless darkness that seems eternal. Yet she can feel that within this boundless night lies a colossal entity, gazing down at them indifferently from great heights.
This overlooking from above gives her an unprecedented sense of powerlessness.
"The grand momentum has taken shape!?" Lin Jianyue suddenly said in her heart.
The Zhang Fan before her is completely different from the Zhang Fan she received information about.
"Brother..."
In the distance, the Liu Brothers are like outsiders, yet they feel something different.
In their eyes, Zhang Fan stands unmoving on the Divine Altar, focused on the Divine Statue of [Three Corpses Daoist Monarch]. A moment ago Qi Delong and Lin Jianyue, who were so arrogant, are now kneeling at the side, as if paying homage to a deity, still and unmoving.
Their eyes are hollow, numb as if they’ve lost their soul.
Rumble...
At this moment, the cloud-like flames have long been collected by Zhang Fan, coiled within the Primordial Spirit Dantian.
In the deepest part of the Primordial Spirit Inner Scenery, mysterious waves surge more violently, like rivers and seas churning, with towering waves. A heavy chain shoots out from within, directly probing into the incense cloud, gradually wriggling and beginning to absorb.
Zhang Fan’s Primordial Spirit is moved, wanting to sever the connection between the two.
However, the incense cloud seems to have gained a spirit, instinctively flowing towards the Primordial Spirit Inner Scenery.
"The Divine Demon Holy Embryo, indeed mysterious, has not yet entered that realm but can extract grand thoughts as medicine..."
Suddenly, the mysterious voice comes from the deepest part of the Primordial Spirit Inner Scenery, carrying a hint of profundity and fatigue, as if absorbing the Power of Incense is particularly remarkable to it.
"It’s just that this power is still too early for you. Keep it, it will be of great use in the future..."
"Your future path will surely be filled with tribulations."
"Tribulation... that’s the Great Medicine of Longevity..."
The mysterious voice gradually falls silent, only absorbing half of the Power of Incense, leaving the other half for Zhang Fan.
The cloud-like flames have shrunk significantly, lying dormant in Zhang Fan’s Primordial Spirit Dantian, as if in slumber, yet still emanating unusual waves.
"Is it merely a consciousness that has sprouted?"
Zhang Fan’s Primordial Spirit gazes into the depths of the void Inner Scenery, lost in thought.
The actions of that consciousness leave him puzzled, for a sprouting awareness shouldn’t have any subjective behavior or judgment...
Chirp... Chirp... Chirp...
At this moment, a piercing cry suddenly resounds, echoing through the Imprisoned Immortal Temple, dominating Luoxia Mountain.
"That’s a crane’s cry!?"
Zhang Fan snaps awake, looking towards the depths of the Imprisoned Immortal Temple, a strong sense of anxiety rising in his heart...
It’s a crisis like never before, as if predestined.
"Jiang Lai..."
Rumble...
Zhang Fan’s eyes fall, taking a step forward, not even caring about Qi Delong and Lin Jianyue, nor the Liu Brothers...
At this moment, he faintly feels that something truly extraordinary has arrived at this Daoist Temple.
...
Imprisoned Immortal Temple, Infinite Hall.
This is the most inconspicuous side hall deep within the Imprisoned Immortal Temple.
Infinite, not meaning lawless.
In front of the hall, a stone tablet reads: All laws are originally non-existent, nature is infinite, infinite seeking law, what then is the law?
Inside the side hall, the candleholder on the wall glows with the light of twilight, illuminating the small side hall.
At this moment, a graceful figure stands beneath the topmost shrine. Her short hair rests on her shoulders, her aura ethereal; it is none other than the long-missing Jiang Lai.
The shrine holds an inconspicuous iron box, yet sealed with Talismans. On the wall hangs a painting, but it’s covered with yellow silk.
Jiang Lai stands in front of the shrine, looking at the painting on the wall, as if in thought.
"If one can grasp the subtlety of Heaven and Earth, naturally divine techniques imprison immortals... Is this the Mystical Cultivation Land of the Three Corpses Daoist?"
At this moment, a gentle and leisurely voice came from behind, indistinguishable between male and female, neither angry nor joyful, naturally blending in like the sound of the wind, like the sound of the rain, inherently existing, harmoniously soothing, bringing joy to those who heard it.
Jiang Lai looked back and saw that at some unknown time, a stranger youth had appeared in this side hall.
His appearance was not particularly handsome, but his aura was transcendent, akin to that of an Exiled Immortal. Particularly, his bright eyes resembled the stars in the sky, capturing one’s gaze, making it impossible to look away.
His hair was tied up in a Daoist bun, dressed in plain clothing, resembling an ancient Profound Cultivator living in the mountains.
"Who are you?" Jiang Lai asked in a low voice.
"I’ve heard that back then, the Three Corpses Daoist secluded himself here, encountering great fortune, finally mastering the [Three Corpses Illuminating Fate]..." The youth spoke to himself, slowly walking up to the Divine Altar and standing beside Jiang Lai, also looking up at the painting on the wall covered by yellow silk.
"My name is Li Changgeng!!"
"I know you."
There was not a ripple on Jiang Lai’s face, but after a brief silence, she spoke softly with emphasis.
"You’ve mastered [Heaven and Earth Stealing Fortune], which makes you the protagonist of this era."
"Oh?" Li Changgeng, upon hearing this, couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Jiang Lai, finally scrutinizing her seriously.
"You know quite a bit."
"Fortune... fortune rises and falls, momentum has highs and lows, those who can seize the fortune of heaven and earth must bear the momentum of the universe..." Jiang Lai remarked lightly.
"Such a person is indeed the protagonist of this era."
"This trip was not in vain."
Li Changgeng looked at Jiang Lai, the brilliance in his bright eyes growing even more intense, like the brightest stars in the northern skies.
"There are no beings without a Primordial Spirit in this world, not in the past, not now, nor in the future..." Li Changgeng spoke softly.
"You are not human!"
"Are you insulting me?" Jiang Lai asked.
Li Changgeng shook his head, "You truly are not human."
"What does it mean to be human?" Jiang Lai countered.
"The Primordial Spirit is inherent, what is innate? Before the human form is complete, the Primordial Spirit already exists... cultivation is merely borrowing the false body to cultivate the true self..."
Saying this, Li Changgeng looked at Jiang Lai.
"Since you lack a Primordial Spirit, then who is the true self within this body of yours?"
Just this one statement, and one’s inner self is questioned.
Jiang Lai remained silent, looking at the painting on the wall covered by yellow silk, murmuring, "Cultivate the true self, and then what?"
As the words fell, Li Changgeng paused for a moment.
"Everyone cultivates, merely to not waste the only time they have," Jiang Lai spoke without any ripple on her face, as if she were talking to herself.
"They all know, no one can cultivate the so-called true self."
"The long cultivation is just waiting, waiting for the oil to run dry and the lamp to go out..."
As she spoke, an unusual hint of sadness appeared on Jiang Lai’s usually expressionless face, "I’ve also waited for a long time."
"You are indeed interesting, such things have been said before by someone." Li Changgeng said lightly.
"Who?" Jiang Lai inquired.
"The Three Corpses Daoist." Li Changgeng replied lightly.
As the leader of the Daoist Sect, perhaps none understood this former number one master of the world more than the White Crane Temple.
All traces of his existence in this world, all his words... have been regarded as taboo by the White Crane Temple, recorded and deeply hidden.
To the White Crane Temple, the Three Corpses Daoist was once a dream of the Daoist Sect, a nightmare.
Now, that nightmare has awoken.
"Three Corpses..."
The name seemed to touch Jiang Lai, causing a ripple to appear in her eyes that were like ancient wells, otherwise unperturbed.
"Idle chatter stops here, come with me."
Li Changgeng’s tone suddenly changed, what he said seemed naturally justified.
A woman without a Primordial Spirit held some value in Li Changgeng’s eyes, making his trip worthwhile.
"Go with you? Impossible..." Jiang Lai softly shook her head.
"There are no impossible things in this world..."
"Like no one would have thought, this former number one master of the world... also bore the surname Zhang!"
Li Changgeng’s eyes narrowed slightly, looking at the ancient hall, as a gentle breeze rose around him, lifting the plain clothes he wore.
