Yellow Court Daoist-Chapter 146 - 137: Taking Charge of the Soul Searching Temple [Vote for Monthly Pass!]
Lu Qingfeng flipped through the pages of a scroll, becoming deeply immersed in its content.
The Dao of arrays harnesses the forces of heaven and earth, employing the tactics of leveraging the strengths of the few against the many, achieving magnificence from the mundane.
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After the collapse of the Changqing Realm and the rebuilding of the Soul Searching Temple, ancestral masters of successive generations established restrictions and arrays at General Ridge. They warded off countless small-time intruders, enabling the Soul Searching Temple to weather numerous declines and persist through sheer tenacity.
Particularly, the Evil-Slaying Five Thunders Array at the base of Thunder Mountain, set up by mortals, could wield the might of nature itself. Any cultivator who did not understand arrays, even those in the Late-stage Fetal Breathing Realm, or the Middle Heaven Realm experts of the Changqing Realm, would find themselves trapped within.
Before the major upheavals of the world, everyone in the Changqing Realm was mortal, and this array was deemed invincible, impregnable.
Yet this was but a mere glimpse into the intricate art of arrays.
"I have ample time in the 'Primordial' to deduce the art of array formation restrictions. If I make headway, it will be greatly beneficial, whether I'm cultivating in seclusion or following the path of Artifact Refining in reality!"
Lu Qingfeng's eyes gleamed brightly.
He had already reached the Fourth Rank in the Dao of Alchemy and Artifact.
Advancing to the Fifth Rank wouldn't substantially impact his current situation. Crafting Fifth-order Elixir Pills or Fifth-Order Magical Artifacts demanded immensely of the Divine Soul and True Yuan.
Given that Lu Qingfeng was on the brink of breaking into the Foundation Establishment stage from the True Qi Realm, even if he reached the status of a Fifth-Order Alchemy and Artifact Master in the game, it would still be difficult to replicate such feats in reality.
As such, it was better to study other matters in addition to his cultivation.
The way of arrays could secure and sustain life. Seeking stability in the real world, Lu Qingfeng would often require spending extensive periods in one location.
Like Luoxia Sect's Silver Horn Mountain.
Barring unforeseen events, Lu Qingfeng would not leave there until he reached the Foundation Establishment Body Tempering Realm.
This could mean dwelling for as short as fifty to sixty years or as long as eighty to ninety. Should he master an array for protection, it would provide an additional layer of defense should accidents occur.
"The more skills, the better."
"With 'Primordial', where time for me is a hundredfold that of a common person, I need not master a hundred skills. Becoming proficient in three or five would suffice."
Lu Qingfeng stood and left the meditation chamber.
Soul Searching Temple was devoid of others, the incense fire had grown sparse in recent years.
Having just subdued the Five-colored Flying Phoenix and driven back forces from Seeking Immortal Que, Judge Star Sect, and Purple Mist Palace, Lu Qingfeng and Ren Changsheng had much to discuss.
Later, Lu Qingfeng transmitted the 'Hand Heart Thunder' while Ren Changsheng handed over the temple's two most crucial tomes to Lu Qingfeng for safekeeping and even offered him the position of temple master.
Ren Changsheng had a pure mind, solely focused on enhancing the Soul Searching Temple and fulfilling his master's wishes.
Yet his power was insufficient, and he agonized over his inability. The advent of 'Great Master Guang Yuan' was timely, as he could now shed the burden and concentrate solely on his cultivation and support.
Seeing Lu Qingfeng's adept skills, generosity, and noble character, Zhang Wenye, Chen Fengyu, and Ren Xiaoyao also encouraged him not to refuse.
Thus, Lu Qingfeng 'had no choice' but to accept.
Half an hour earlier, after the five sworn brothers paid homage to the ancestors, Lu Qingfeng officially took over as the twentieth temple master of the Soul Searching Temple.
Taking charge of the Soul Searching Temple sounded prestigious, but the reality was that within the vast General Ridge, the Soul Searching Temple had only the four of Ren Changsheng.
Counting Lu Qingfeng, there were only five.
The temple lacked occupants, and much work lay ahead to restore its glory.
Ren Changsheng and the others, newly acquainted with the Thunder Skills, were eager to try them out.
Lu Qingfeng, now the guardian of the temple's precious Magic Gates, also needed to sort them out, so off they each went to cultivate on their own.
Having now organized the two volumes, Lu Qingfeng saw no sign of the others.
Stepping out of the meditation chamber, he approached the Ancestor Hall. Looking up, he saw incense fire accumulated over the eons, an impressive sight.
This was the legacy of devotion from generations of the Soul Searching Temple, a lineage unbroken, an incense fire that never extinguished. Regrettably, in these waning days of Dharma, there was an abundance of incense fire but no means to harness it.
Now, it seemed, Lu Qingfeng would have the opportunity to benefit from it.
"Ancestral masters, please forgive me," Lu Qingfeng bowed and asked for pardon, "I will select a day to open the mountain gates widely, to enhance the Soul Searching Temple and gather the incense fire of thousands!"
With that, Lu Qingfeng seated himself in the hall, drawing upon the heavenly incense fire to refine it into drops of pure Heavenly Silver.
Amidst the spectral presence of the Zhu Rong Demon God, which shimmered in and out of view on his body, a head would occasionally poke out, gobble down a droplet of Heavenly Silver and then retract earnestly into his body to refine it, with his aura climbing steadily.
It had only been a little over three months since Lu Qingfeng arrived in this world, and the Zhu Rong Demon God had only been cultivated a month ago, its strength limited.
Now, with the acquisition of Heavenly Silver, it could finally be unrestrained in power enhancement, getting ever closer to Lu Qingfeng's own level of cultivation.
The incense fire accumulated by the Soul Searching Temple over a thousand years was indeed substantial. Lu Qingfeng spent almost half a day to completely refine it, obtaining seven maces of Heavenly Silver. Afterwards, he went to the General Temple, where he fully refined the temple's incense fire, obtaining another three taels of Heavenly Silver.
"I hadn't considered this before, that the Changqing Realm is devoid of spiritual energy, and the Divine Dao is neglected. The incense fire accumulated in the world's temples and Taoist temples remains untapped, representing a significant wealth."
From the modest Soul Searching Temple and General Temple alone, he acquired three taels and seven maces of Heavenly Silver, which if converted into Spirit Stones, would total three thousand seven hundred pieces.
If he were to sweep through all the temples in the entire Changqing Realm—
"No rush, no rush."
"Priority should be given to enhancing cultivation and comprehending the true meanings of the 'Heavenly Monarch's Array Dao.' Heavenly Silver, after all, is an external object, one must not forsake the essence for the peripherals."
Lu Qingfeng discarded this thought.
The Changqing Realm was at the dawn of a glorious era. If one wanted to reap substantial benefits in this great period, one's cultivation level had to be at the pinnacle among the tens of thousands of cultivators in the Changqing Realm.
"Before the Core Formation Stage, it should be no problem. With my talent, it's inevitable to be surpassed after reaching the Core Formation Stage."
"Open the sect's doors wide, recruit disciples in great numbers. After the Core Formation Stage, rely on the disciples to maintain the sect's reputation!"
Lu Qingfeng had a firm plan in mind.
Even as cultivation progressed beyond the Spirit Void Stage, his limited Root Bone became less of an issue. However, his own talent was quite mediocre. Up to the Spirit Void Stage, he had experience to follow, but beyond that, he'd have to rely on forging his own path.
Compared to the myriad prodigies of the Changqing Realm, Lu Qingfeng's advantage was confined to the time before core formation.
After converting the incense fire from the Soul Searching Temple and General Temple into Heavenly Silver and storing it, Lu Qingfeng went to find Ren Changsheng and the other four, entrusting them with several tasks.
A few days ago, Lu Qingfeng had demonstrated his divine might at the base of Thunder Mountain, and it wouldn't take long for the news to spread.
Open the sect for new disciples!
Support the mortal realm's princely powers!
All of these were prerequisites for gathering resources for array formation, artifact refining, alchemy, talisman making, and other aspects of cultivation.
Otherwise, with just the five of them at General Ridge, they wouldn't be able to create even the slightest ripple.
...
After delegating these minor tasks, Lu Qingfeng headed to the back mountain of Thunder Mountain.
"This must be the so-called Divine Object."
Lu Qingfeng looked ahead—
On the hillside, stood a cherry tree that glistened like polished jade.
In the pond, a multicolored lotus bloomed, swaying elegantly.
In the crevices of the rocks, a persistent bamboo grew with sword-like structure, faintly flickering with thunder.
[Spirit Plant: Heavenly Crystal Cherry Tree]
[Grade: Fifth-Order]
[Description: This cherry tree blooms every nine years, bears fruit every nine years, and ripens every nine years. It yields seventy-two Heavenly Crystal Cherry Fruits, which are Third-rank Spirit Medicine. Consuming directly can calm the spirit and increase breakthrough chances for cultivators below the Core Formation Stage. Can be used to refine Calming Spirit, Breakthrough Realm class elixirs.]
...
[Spiritual Medicine: Seven-Colored Lotus]
[Grade: Second-rank]
[Description: Upon consumption by mortals, it can bring the dead back to life and regenerate flesh from white bones. When cultivators consume it, it can greatly enhance their cultivation.]
...
[Spirit Plant: Green Thunder Bamboo]
[Grade: Third-rank]
[Description: A fine material for refining Thunder Attribute magic artifacts.]
