“From Shrimp Whisker Grass to Dragon Fish Grass, and then to Fish Dragons, this process is quite lengthy and dependent on favorable conditions. Often, it can take decades, and searching across a thousand-mile radius may not yield a single example. The Twin Wood Spirit Gathering Decoction handed over to the Sun Light Sect forcibly accelerates this process, artificially creating Dragon Fish Grass. However, this method lacks the innate spiritual essence. Dragon Fish Grass produced this way loses the natural resonance with its kind and can never transform into a Fish Dragon. Similarly, if the transformation process from Dragon Fish Grass to Fish Dragon is interfered with, even if a Fish Dragon is eventually produced, it will be inherently deficient and difficult to continue growing.”
“It is a pity,” the old daoist continued, “that these Dragon Fish Grasses were harvested too early. If the ten or so Dragon Fish Grasses had been allowed to grow for several hundred more years, naturally resonating with the surrounding energy, the resulting Fish Dragons would have been true high-quality ones. Even without public announcements, simply offering them to the sect would have earned more than two thousand five hundred merit points… Of course, that is also a matter of chance.”
At this point, the old daoist’s meaning was clear. He looked at Jin Huan: “This is the principle of transforming Dragon Fish Grass into Fish Dragons. Sect Master Jin, what do you think?”
A lengthy silence filled the pavilion, both inside and outside. Everyone seemed as if carved from clay, with only the slender Fish Dragon freely swimming in the void, occasionally swishing its tail past Jin Huan’s eyes, adding an indescribable irony.
For Jin Huan, this was a direct humiliation. As the supreme leader of the Sun Light Sect, he had never been subjected to such indignity. At this moment, the two juniors outside the pavilion thought Jin Huan might become enraged, possibly even severing ties with the old daoist.
But the reality was not so simple.
After a long period of silence, Jin Huan finally spoke: “Brother Yu’s words are reasonable… I have been too simplistic in my thinking.”
Lu Yang remained calm, but the two young ones were stunned. They had never seen the staunch Sect Master Jin admit fault before.
To this, Yu Ci was not surprised at all. In fact, anyone who had witnessed the old daoist’s displayed abilities, as Yu had last night, would have similar expectations, especially considering the profound and enigmatic Rifting Earth Sect behind him!
However, while Jin Huan could not act recklessly in front of the old daoist, he would not forget the grudge against Yu Ci. The glance Jin Huan cast afterward made it clear to Yu Ci that once they were out of the Heart Prohibition Temple, the sect master would definitely take revenge.
From this moment on, Yu Ci had elevated from being a “prey” to an “enemy” in the eyes of the Sun Light Sect.
It was a significant upgrade!
Yu Ci smiled faintly and remained seated. Jin Huan stood up, bidding farewell to the old daoist: “Brother Yu, now that today’s matter is settled, I shall take my leave. As for these two children…”
“Follow the rules,” the old daoist said curtly.
This was less than courteous but more substantial than any promise.
Jin Huan nodded and left the pavilion, while the old daoist signaled the previously guiding daoist to lead Jin Chuan and Kuang Yanqi to their guest quarters. The disturbance caused by Yu Ci was thus raised high and gently set aside.
The older members were fine with this, but the young ones found it difficult to accept, especially Jin Chuan. To him, his uncle’s concession was an extreme dishonor. The old daoist was one thing, but what was Yu Ci—still comfortably sitting on his perch—worth?
The young ones kept glancing back as they followed the guiding daoist, trying to imprint the detestable daoist’s face in their memories.
Watching them leave the garden, Yu Ci sighed in relief.
At that moment, he heard the old daoist sigh once more, just as before.
“A person who has ruled a region for a hundred years, deciding the fate of millions with a single word, how could his youthful spirit not match up… What a pity!”
Uh, what would his youthful spirit have been like? Yu Ci did not ask this question.
The old daoist, having expressed his sentiment, turned his gaze back to Yu Ci: “What item do you wish to exchange for three hundred merit points?”
Yu Ci pondered but did not respond immediately. Instead, he asked another question: “Regarding the merit points and information you mentioned earlier, what exactly are they?”
Old daoist Yu smiled upon hearing this: “You are asking about the merit points… You are indeed sharp. Very well, follow me.”
With that, the old daoist led the way out of the garden.
Yu Ci collected the Fish Dragon and followed him.
The journey from the Western Courtyard to the Central Courtyard did not take long. Yu Ci followed the old daoist through halls and courtyards, arriving at a small hall in the third section of the Central Hall. The foot traffic here was noticeably heavier than in other places, bustling with activity. Yu Ci looked up at the plaque on the hall:
“Hall of Collective Merit?”
The old daoist led him into the hall, where the interior was arranged in a rather peculiar manner. There were no divine statues, only a long scroll in the center with the words “Boundless Merit” hanging down. (G: 功德无量 [idiom] no end of virtuous achievements ; boundless merit.)
Behind it was a shadow wall, and the walls on either side were painted a pristine white, covered in densely packed characters and illustrations.
Upon closer inspection, these characters and images were not written but were composed of a layer of ever-shifting light flows projected onto the walls. Each character radiated a halo, making them exceptionally clear. The walls were divided into four sections. The first section on the left was labeled (征) “Collection”, the second section was (布) “Distribution”. The first section on the right was (法) “Law”, and the second was (物) “Item”.
Standing beneath the “Boundless Merit” scroll, the old daoist spoke solemnly:
“The path of immortality is vast and boundless, and it is difficult for one to walk alone. Those of us who pursue the Great Dao face numerous trials and tribulations, and it is rare to achieve great success. Besides self-cultivation and stabilizing one’s mind, one must strive to acquire all available resources to increase the chances of success. Resources such as wealth, companions, methods, and land are essential. However, given the vastness of the world, it is difficult for one person to gather sufficient resources within a lifetime. Therefore, the sect established this Hall of Collective Merit to facilitate resource allocation among sect members and even between the sect and outsiders. It is designed to use surplus resources from one to supplement the deficiencies of another, combining the strength of the entire sect to advance toward the Great Dao.”
“To make different types of resources easier to compare and trade, the sect quantifies all resources in terms of ‘merit points.’ Whether it is an item, a set of techniques, or a specific task, it can be converted into a certain number of merit points and displayed in the Hall of Collective Merit for the sect members to see.”
“These two sides have different functions. The ‘Collection’ section on the left lists merit point opportunities released by the sect for collecting resources and training disciples. These tasks have higher rewards but are also more difficult. The ‘Distribution’ section includes merit point opportunities posted by individuals within the sect, with varying rewards and difficulties. On the right, the ‘Law’ section is the exchange rate for various cultivation materials and merit points, while the ‘Item’ section lists the prices for various cultivation techniques.”
Yu Ci listened attentively and observed carefully, quickly understanding the system. He couldn’t help but marvel at how this seemingly ethereal cultivation sect had such a strong commercial aspect. He glanced back, and the old daoist gestured for him to examine the details.
Yu Ci was not polite and walked through all four sections, noting the general layout before stopping under the “Item” section to look at cultivation techniques.
During his time in Sky Rift Valley, the few days he spent with Ye Tu had provided him with substantial guidance, including the impressive “Concentric Circle Theory.” Besides that, the young man had advised him to seize the opportunity to find a superior “Longevity Arts,” which was the true path of cultivation.
Although Ye Tu’s imaginative proposal for him to join Half-Mountain Island did not materialize, Yu Ci remembered the young man’s advice. Especially half a month ago, when he unexpectedly converted all his vital energy into “Innate Qi” using the Divine Reflecting Bronze Mirror, he realized that Ye Tu’s advice was indeed the most pertinent.
He was indeed lacking a genuine “Longevity Arts.” Not to mention the elusive “Refinement” method, even the daily impurities in his newly generated True Qi showed that the “Nine Palaces Moonlight True Art” he had practiced for over ten years was no longer suitable for his current stage.
Therefore, Yu Ci focused on the “Item” section first.
The top three rows of this section were written in golden characters, neatly arranged and very clear. The black characters below changed with the light flow, occasionally flipping. However, the top three rows had never shifted. Looking at the top line, the name of the technique was:
“Nine Paths of True Heavenly Mystery Scripture.”
Just seeing the name of this scripture made Yu Ci’s spirits lift. He then looked at the number of merit points required for exchange, but instead of numbers, what he saw were two large characters: “Boundless!”
Beneath the “Nine Paths of True Heavenly Mystery Scripture,” was the “Nine Paths of True Body Refinement Chapter,” which also had the suffix “Boundless.” The third entry was the “Concealed Heavenly Ascension Method,” which, instead of the despairing “Boundless,” had a more tangible number: 100,000 merit points!
Further down, the text turned to a more ordinary ink color. The top entry was the “Supreme Golden Core Attainment Manual,” priced at 10,000 merit points.
To Yu Ci, this was still an unreachable number. Below were various cores and methods, all priced around 10,000 or 8,000 merit points, representing the top tier in the ink-colored list.
Seeing these numbers and comparing them to his remaining 300 merit points, Yu Ci was uncertain how his expression looked, but he imagined it couldn’t be good.
“You seem very interested in these techniques. Do you wish for immortality?” The old daoist’s voice came from behind him.
Yu Ci, feeling rather dejected, simply responded with a “Yes.”
“Such ambition!” The old daoist praised him but then spoke in a calm tone, “But to seek an Longevity Art, these 300 merit points are far from enough.”
Yu Ci grimaced but had another question, “Are all these items Longevity Arts?”
The old daoist replied, “These are the fundamental techniques that our sect relies on to maintain its position in the world: The ‘Nine Paths of True Heavenly Mystery Scripture’ is the core manual of our sect’s cultivation, the ‘Nine Paths of True Body Refinement Chapter’ is the secret method for transcending tribulations, and the ‘Concealed Heavenly Ascension Method’ is a technique for ascending beyond the realms. Together with the core refinement and breath control techniques listed below, these constitute a complete set of Longevity Art. Practicing them will give you a chance to break free from mortal constraints and seek immortality.”
“Transcending tribulations? Ascension technique? Core Refinement?” Yu Ci recalled hearing about these from Ye Tu but couldn’t remember the details clearly.
The old daoist continued to explain:
“Core refinement refer to the methods for refining cores; the Ascension Technique allows a practitioner to cross beyond the Nine Heavens, shedding their mortal form; the Transcending Tribulations Secret Method enables a realized practitioner to overcome heavenly tribulations and achieve longevity. These three—core refinement, Ascension Technique, and Transcending Tribulations Secret Method—are all indispensable. Only when they are combined harmoniously does a complete Longevity Arts emerge.
“There is also a requirement for ‘self-consistency.’ The Ascension Technique must correspond to the refined core, and the Transcending Tribulations Secret Method must align with the divine powers of a realized practitioner. Just like in Buddhism, where the relics are akin to core refinement, but they are difficult to align with the Ascension Technique of the daoist school. This means that the cores, Ascension Technique, and Transcending Tribulations Secret Method must progress step by step and harmonize as one to follow the path of cultivation…”
The old daoist’s explanation was quite clear, but Yu Ci’s face darkened. According to him, acquiring a true Longevity Arts required obtaining all three components: cores, Ascension Technique, and Transcending Tribulations Secret Method. Just considering the price of the Transcending Tribulations Secret Method alone made it evident that such things were likely reserved for those with considerable resources, not for a loose cultivator like him.
Was it really this difficult to obtain a true Longevity Art?
The old daoist, observing Yu Ci’s reaction, said leisurely, “Do you understand how difficult immortality is to achieve?”
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