I use myths to create immortality

Chapter 73: 72: Feast and Drink; Meeting Old Friends

As for what the treasure that suppresses the three disasters is, the head master remained tight-lipped. It seemed that he said nothing, but in fact he said everything.

The word "take it" points out the direction.

Ninety-nine percent of the time, this kind of treasure is the fruit of some kind of spiritual root.

"The editor of the Sutra Repository..." Thinking of this, Ji Yuan felt like he had betrayed himself.

If I remember correctly, the Sutra Repository is extremely large, with hundreds of millions of volumes of Buddhist scriptures; but it has always been the department with the fewest staff.

Moreover, the head monk had just issued a decree, ordering the elders in charge of the Sutra Repository to recopy the hundreds of thousands of volumes of geomancy atlases a thousand times.

My goodness, this is a huge workload for a monk.

But in other words.

A sect's deacon, especially one like the one at the Sutra Repository where the pay is high and the work is minimal, is definitely a task that ordinary disciples would scramble for.

Generally, people from poor families don’t even get a chance.

Only those from families that studied Taoism, who had to build relationships and spend countless efforts, could secure a position as a deacon.

If you can use your merit to get a position as a deacon, it’s worth it.

Deacons are ranked just below elders and belong to the management level. Some of them may have several subordinates who also receive monthly salaries.

Xuanwei Sect has hundreds of thousands of disciples; the normal development path is to be promoted to the inner sect, join the Dharma lineage, become a deacon's subordinate, serve as the head of an external academy, be promoted to deacon, chief deacon, inner sect elder, and chief elder of the cabinet.

Generally speaking, becoming a deacon is considered to be the top.

As for becoming an elder, it depends on whether the leader of the Dharma lineage that one has joined can be promoted to the true disciple and become the next supreme leader.

If the peak master becomes the next headmaster, he will definitely promote his acquaintances around him, so that they will have a chance to be promoted to elders.

Of course, there is another way.

That is, from the geniuses of the inner and outer courtyards in Zhongzhou and the domain, to the inner disciples, inner peak masters, true disciples, Tongxuan Zhenren, the first true disciple, Dao Miao Patriarch, and the tablets of the ancestors of all generations.

When Dao Miao passed away, there would be a memorial tablet and the head elder would give him a posthumous title, such as "Qian Qing Yi Qi" or "Taixu Miao You".

After Dao Miao's death, we can no longer call him by his name, but instead address him as Mr. So-and-so, "Mr. So-and-so the Immortal", or "So-and-so the Patriarch". This posthumous title of immortality represents a lifetime of achievements. His name will spread throughout the heavens and bring honor to the family.

The so-called aristocratic families of immortal studies; their ancestors all have Taoist ancestors, and the family rank is ranked according to the number of Taoist ancestors and their noble posthumous titles, which are called the nine ranks of immortal studies.

Xuanwei Sect has hundreds of thousands of disciples; 99% of them are from humble backgrounds, and they occupy less than 0.2% or 0.3% of the resources.

The aristocratic families of immortal studies monopolize more than 90% of the resources, positions, knowledge, secret techniques, mysterious skills, and great supernatural powers.

As for whether this will cause many talented people from poor families to be tarnished?

All the ancestors of the sect will say that you are overthinking it.

In fact, people who can practice cultivation are born with nine orifices. Once they enter the path, their cultivation speed is almost the same; at most, there are slight differences in their comprehension.

The Taoist scriptures say: Qigong practitioners absorb the Qi of heaven and earth, gather the essence of the sun and the moon, and work hard day and night. For every 365 days and nights, their innate essence will increase by one grain.

No matter how good one's aptitude is, even without taking drugs, it will take more than 360 days of hard practice to develop magical powers.

No matter how poor one's aptitude is, as long as one works hard day and night, after 365 days, or the number of days of the Zhoutian, one will definitely develop magical powers.

No matter how talented a poor man is, can he compare to the genius from a family of immortal learning, whose parents used all kinds of rare and precious medicines to build a superior foundation for him before he was born?
Who can compare with the genius from aristocratic family, who, when he was one year old, had already cultivated magical powers for three or four hundred years, practiced profound skills, and learned hundreds of inherited magical spells at will, and hired the ancestors Tongxuan and Daomiao for guidance and instruction at a huge expense?

Can a country boy compare with the children of aristocratic families, who are born with rosy glow in the room, have immortal bodies, are born with double pupils, or are born with the energy of gods and immortals?
"I have the energy of Xuanhuang merit as my foundation, and my comprehension should be top-notch. I also have the wood marrow to change my tendons and bones, and my root bones and comprehension. If I can't be said to be a supreme prodigy, I am at least a first-rate genius." A thought flashed through Ji Yuan's mind.

Among them, the most precious one is the ray of mysterious and yellow merit energy, which can be called the top treasure.

In the past, Ji Yuan believed that so-called merit was to do good things for all living beings, and that one would be rewarded by heaven and earth.

But as his practice deepened, Ji Yuan had already realized that the way of heaven is selfless and regards all beings as equal; there is no difference between humans and pigs, dogs, plants, and trees.

Naturally, there is no such thing as a reward from heaven for merit.

Because the Xuanhuang Merit Qi is man-made, or in other words, it is a precious treasure that the Immortal Leader has refined using acquired materials to imitate the innate Tao Qi. Planting it into the soul has many benefits and can enhance one's understanding.

The immortal leaders, in imitating the Xuanhuang Qi, probably wanted to enclose a piece of land in the Nine Provinces of the domain for experimentation and to verify certain things.

After all, Taoists practice Taoism, immortals practice immortality, and immortals compete for luck and the Taoist tradition.

As for why it fell on him, Ji Yuan knew too little and was not clear at the moment. It was probably because he came from the outer sect of the Taoist temple, but was able to drive away the evil dragon.

There is a ban on flying in the Jinque Peak, so Ji Yuan walked down the stone steps.

As soon as I arrived near the Purple Extreme Hall, I heard someone calling from behind: "Brother Ji... is that Brother Ji?"

The voice seemed familiar, Ji Yuan looked over there.

In front of the Ziji Palace, there was a handsome, fair-skinned young man in brocade clothes, with a high nose bridge, sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes. He had obviously just completed the entry procedures and looked vaguely familiar.

He also looked at Ji Yuan. Ji Yuan was now about six feet tall, neither tall nor thin, and his face still had a bit of the childish heroic spirit of a young man.

"Is it Brother Ji Yuan?"

The handsome young man was more and more certain, his face full of joy of meeting his hometown again: "I am Chen Hai, from the Lanjiang Chen family, my family has a thousand hu treasure ship."

"Do you still remember the old friend who drank with me in front of the Five Phoenix Tower in Jingzhou four years ago?"

Vaguely, memories of the past are evoked.

Time goes back to Jingzhou City.

In front of the Five Phoenix Tower, there was a thin and handsome figure, holding a bare folding fan, a graceful young man, a fine gentleman in this troubled world, who paid for the wine for himself, watched the turmoil in the Lan River, talked about scriptures over wine, and pointed out the secrets of the immortal sect.

"It's you! Chen Hai, Master Chen!" Ji Yuan suddenly remembered, walked up to Chen Hai, held his hands, and looked him left and right.

“Senior Brother Ji, I’m already a senior scholar, so I don’t deserve to be addressed as Young Master by you. Please stop making fun of me.” Chen Hai also held his hand and laughed heartily.

In terms of age, Chen Hai is five years older than him, but Ji Yuan entered the headquarters first, so of course he is the senior brother.

Ji Yuan nodded: "Junior Brother Chen, you have really changed; you have become more handsome and extraordinary. I wonder how many beautiful women will be charmed by your quiet appearance."

I have no acquaintances or friends in this religion, and I feel quite lonely.

Chen Hai looked at Ji Yuan carefully and was surprised to find that Ji Yuan's aura was unfathomable and his cultivation was even higher than his own.

"I think my senior brother has really changed a lot. He was a commoner back then, but now he is ethereal and unfathomable, with the bearing of a master. He is totally different from what he was back then!"

"It's a pity that there is no hotel in Xianmen, otherwise it would be one of the four greatest joys in life, meeting an old friend in a foreign land. It would be a great honor to meet an old friend!" Ji Yuan chuckled and shook his head, saying a polite word.

Chen Hai was born into the Lanjiang Chen family, which is also a family of top-notch immortal studies. Naturally, he has extraordinary magical powers, and now he has magical powers of three hundred years.

"Haha, no problem. I brought some wine with me. If you don't mind, brother, let's find a secluded place and have a couple of drinks." Chen Hai patted the treasure bag on his waist.

Ji Yuan saw that Chen Hai wanted to make friends with him. It was just right. Being in the immortal sect and being a deacon, he would have to deal with the social world. Although he had supernatural powers and didn't need to give face to anyone, of course the more friends the better, and the fewer enemies the better.

After a moment's silence, he said with a smile, "Please, I'd like to try some of the Chen family's fine wine."

"please!"

Jinque Peak is very large. Although it is called a peak, it is actually like a mountain. It is high and wide, with towering peaks, old pines and ancient cypresses, flying cranes, and vague clouds and mist. The plank road carved out of the rocks on the cliff is even more winding and dangerous.

Walk along the cliff path, watch the misty clouds, pass several gurgling waterfalls, see flowing water under arch bridges, go around flower beds, and arrive at a pavilion several meters high on the edge of the cliff.

There happened to be a stone chessboard and a stone stool in the pavilion; it was usually the place where Taoists and immortals discussed scriptures and played chess.

Today was exceptionally quiet, with no visitors around; the fairy mountain was evergreen all year round, and the scenery was pleasant. The two of them entered the pavilion and sat on a stone pier.

Chen Hai lifted up his robe, sat on the stone stool, and took out two jade cups and a pot of wine from his treasure bag.

From the mouth of the exquisite jade wine pot, wisps of white mist condense, and the fragrance spreads for miles, refreshing the heart.

The wine was poured into the jade cup like strands of red threads. In the cup, it looked like deep red amber, glowing and drifting in the sunset glow.

"Good wine, not ordinary stuff." Ji Yuan picked it up, took a sip, and his eyes lit up.

A hint of coolness and spiciness enters the throat, and turns into gurgling essence. After a few moments, a slight warmth sweeps through the internal organs, making the blood flow smoothly and the body soft and healthy.

This wine is a spiritual object.

“Ha, this is indeed the secret elixir recipe of my Chen family, called the [Nine Clouds Cup]. Please drink more, brother!” Chen Hai also drank it all in one gulp and filled Ji Yuan’s glass again.

"Nine Clouds Cup?"

"This is a famous secret recipe of the immortals. It is brewed with the climate of the four seasons and 220 kinds of medicinal herbs and preserved fruits from Lingshan Mountain. It has also been brewed for two centuries with the essence of the sun and the moon. When poured into a cup, it can produce the light of the nine clouds. It can nourish the essence and alleviate the pain of our seclusion."

Reduce the suffering of seclusion; even ordinary Qigong practitioners have weak bodies, and although they can go without food and water, if they are in seclusion for a long time, their muscles will become weak and even stiff.

"Then I am lucky to be able to taste this fine wine."

"As long as you like it, Senior Brother, I'm sorry that I haven't prepared any dishes since I'm new here."

"Hahaha, there's wine but no food, that's not considered as neglect. Besides, it's not that difficult."

As he spoke, Ji Yuan took out four wooden boxes from the treasure bag in his sleeve.

When they opened them one by one, they found a box of green and red jade dates, a box of soapy fruits, a box of emerald green bamboo shoots, and a box of white white fungus.

They are all filled with luminous gas, and the medicine is at least hundreds of years old.

"Jade dates, soap pears, Yuan bamboo, and silver bait! Brother, you are so generous. These are all rare elixirs." Chen Hai was surprised.

"Please!" Ji Yuan picked up a thorny bamboo from the cliff, cut it into chopsticks with his hand, and handed it to Chen Hai.

Since Chen Hai is willing to give the family heirloom wine to Ji Yuan to drink.

Ji Yuan naturally reciprocated the favor and obtained a lot of spiritual medicine seeds in the spiritual realm. He picked out some delicious ones and took them out to eat as dishes, which tasted delicious.

"According to our local customs, we have to drink the wine and eat the food first before we can chat. I won't be polite, haha..." Chen Hai was not polite at all and he picked up the food and drank the wine.

The two of them clinked glasses and in tacit understanding, one of them drank two pots of wine first, which was about three pounds each; then they started chatting.

This is the custom in Jingzhou; no matter whether they are powerful or from the countryside, they are all famous for their ability to drink and make wine. When entertaining guests, they have to drink five cups before they can talk.

"Brother, your skills are amazing. You were well-known in the Taoist temple back then. You killed Zhao Chengyin and whipped Qu Lingfeng. I only heard of your reputation later..." Chen Hai's face flushed and he staggered as he spoke this with some admiration.

Ji Yuan was also a little tipsy, and said with a wry smile: "My dear brother, you are too kind. They wanted to kill me, but I had no choice."

Even though they were Qigong practitioners and immortals with profound skills, after drinking two pots of such spiritual wine each, they both felt dizzy and were slightly tipsy or half drunk.

He called them all "brother" and "good brother".

"Eh... I understand. Those people relied on their family power to disregard the sect's rules and regulations and committed crimes at will. They deserve to be killed!" Chen Hai suddenly slammed the table, his eyes wide open in anger.

Fortunately, this place is quiet and no one cares about this guy's drunken behavior.

Chen Hai didn't notice that he was drunk and out of control, he said in a low voice.

"The Zhao family is deeply rooted in the sect and is a noble family of the highest rank. Brother's skills are amazing, but it is inevitable that two fists cannot beat four hands. You must be careful in the future."

"In the future...if you are at your wit's end and your horse is too short to stand on, you can come to Chen..."

Before he finished speaking, Ji Yuan changed the subject and interrupted: "I saved this; I wonder when did you come to Kunwu?"

Chen Hai wanted to tell Ji Yuan that if he was oppressed by the Zhao family in Kunwu, he could go to their Chen family to avoid disaster.

Chen Hai is a good person; he has no bad intentions. The Chen family is also considered a major family of immortal studies. Their ancestors once produced an old ancestor who was a Taoist master, but he has long since fallen into decline. The one with the highest level of cultivation in the family is an ancestor with the level of Tongxuan cultivation.

Compared with the Zhao family, which is at its peak and has more than a dozen knowledgeable people in the family and countless small vassal families, the family is far from impressive and is like an ant.

But no matter how powerful the Zhao family is, there is only one Taoist ancestor, Zhao Luanyang.

Since Zhao Luanyang didn't come out, Ji Yuan thought it wasn't a big problem.

"I won the second place in the Taoist Academy Competition. I just reported to the ancestral temple today and just finished the formalities. When I went out, I saw your back and your aura was very familiar!" Chen Hai repeated the reason.

The normal procedure for a Taoist temple to recommend outer courtyard disciples to enter the inner gate is a large competition held every five hundred years. The top three are selected from among thousands of outer courtyard disciples to enter the Kunwu inner gate.

People like Ji Yuan are recommended out of turn.

Because the head monk Linghe felt that he had nothing more to teach and could not control him, he made an exception and allowed him to enter the inner sect of the sect early.

Because they crossed the Lanjiang River together four years ago, and Chen Hai had already entered the Tao and achieved considerable cultivation at that time, so he remembered Ji Yuan's aura.

So even though Ji Yuan's appearance has changed a lot now and he is much taller and stronger, Chen Hai still recognized him just by looking at his back.

"Is Senior Brother Linghe okay?" Ji Yuan asked.

Linghe Zhenren was also a good senior, very Taoist, and he gave him guidance many times and taught him precious magic.

Now that we have the seniority in the study of immortality, it is natural to call him senior brother.

"He...has always been in seclusion and never leaves the Purple Qi Pavilion. But the old man is in good health. It shouldn't be a problem for him to live another thousand years."

As he spoke, Chen Hai praised: "Brother, your Dharma name is really good, majestic and grand, not inferior to my Dharma name."

Just now, Ji Yuan briefly talked about how he got started and naturally told him his Buddhist name as well.

"What is your Dharma name, Junior Brother?"

"Ling Kun." Chen Hai raised his head and nodded, waiting for praise, but saw Ji Yuan was stunned with a strange expression.

(End of this chapter)