Feng Shui - Chapter 31
After a cultivator dissolves into a rogue immortal, they can no longer use magical artifacts from the cultivation world, nor can they use immortal artifacts; they can only forge their own. Therefore, Gui Eting wasn't worried that this lower-level immortal would covet the magical artifact that Feng Yileng had given to Venerable Hanzheng. However, because it was a magical artifact forged in ancient times, after being sealed for so long, the immortal spiritual energy here was still quite abundant. Therefore, the artifact itself had already developed sentience, gaining its own consciousness by absorbing immortal spiritual energy. Higher-level artifacts, like the demonic artifact "Releasing Dragon Plate," would even possess their own true form. Although they couldn't break the seal of the forger, they could move freely within the area set by the seal. The methods of setting up the sealing array for magical artifacts were also varied and unpredictable, not referring to a specific location, but rather the area set up. An entire mountain range might be within the restricted area of the sealing array, making it even more difficult to determine the location of the magical artifact.
Because it was crafted by Feng Yileng, who had already reached the "Wandering God" realm, the artifact's basic attributes would change according to the craftsman's realm. Therefore, this artifact could essentially be considered a "divine artifact." It was not something that someone of Gui E's cultivation level could easily find. Han Zheng had only given her a general location, and the exact location could only be determined by the intense aura emitted when the "divine artifact" emerged from seclusion.
However, time was of the essence. Gui Eting had to find the exact location of the "divine artifact" before other cultivators discovered it. To be on the safe side, Gui Eting sought out the local Ksitigarbha Immortal, hoping to obtain the correct clues from him.
“There are many magical artifacts sealed within Mount Emei, but ancient artifacts are extremely rare. I have cultivated in Mount Emei for nearly ten thousand years and have seen some cultivators who have attained immortality seal the magical artifacts they used during their cultivation in this realm within Mount Emei. However, what you are talking about are ancient artifacts. I estimate that they already possess sentience and are far beyond the reach of someone at my level of cultivation,” said the Dizang Loose Immortal with some difficulty.
"Well... alas, it seems everything is preordained. May I ask you another question, Immortal? Have any other cultivators from Emei come here recently?" Gui Eting asked.
"No, not really. However, recently many other cultivators have appeared in the Sichuan and Chongqing region, but you're the only one who's come to Mount Emei. The other cultivators haven't gone here. Oh, I forgot something very important. Recently, two extremely powerful auras of cultivators, which shouldn't belong to this realm, appeared at the Spirit Eye of Goddess Peak. I don't know who they are. But cultivators with that kind of aura shouldn't be in this realm at all. I think one of them might be the ancient artifact you're looking for. But you have to be careful. Those two auras are beyond your cultivation level to handle. One of them has mysteriously disappeared, and the other has hidden its aura. But even if it hides it, it still can't stop the unique feeling emanating from its cultivation level," said the Earthly Immortal excitedly.
"Is this true? Is the cultivator you mentioned who concealed his aura still on Goddess Peak?" Gui Eting asked excitedly.
"Hehe, little girl, what's the rush? I haven't finished yet. I don't know where the one who disappeared went, but I have a record of all the cultivators who have appeared within my territory. As for the other cultivator with an extremely strong aura, I've been tracking him. Let me check the records first..." said the Earthly Venerable Scattered Immortal smugly.
2004-12-08 22:59:00
Taking out a business mobile phone from his pocket, the Earthly Immortal began to browse. Gui Eting hadn't expected that an Earthly Immortal would be so trendy. With the power of an immortal, there was no need to use such worldly methods to store information. However, she had no idea of the difference in cultivation levels among immortals.
As wandering immortals, they can no longer cultivate upwards because they have already dissolved their physical bodies and can only live as spirits. However, the path of cultivation requires a physical body as its foundation. Therefore, wandering immortals can neither become immortals nor reincarnate to cultivate again; they can only live in this form for endless ages, unable to die, unable to be human. Consequently, these wandering immortals have developed a somewhat distorted mentality, and their worldview and values cannot be analyzed using normal thinking.
"Hahaha, found him, found him. He's here—at the 'Shunan Bamboo Sea' scenic area near Yibin City." Dizang Sanxian handed the PDA to Gui Eting and pointed to the location of the display screen.
"Thank you, Immortal. I'll take my leave now." Gui Eting returned the PDA to the Dizang Immortal and said gratefully.
"It's fate that we meet here. Your journey may be dangerous. I have three celestial talismans here, personally crafted by me, one each representing 'wind,' 'fire,' and 'thunder.' When you encounter the most dangerous situation, simply use your summoning technique to activate the attack array within the talisman. In this realm, unless you encounter an immortal and become their enemy, it should be enough to save your life. Consider this a gift from me. It's truly interesting to meet a medium again, hahaha." The Earthly Immortal generously presented Gui Eting with three celestial talismans, then turned and vanished again in a wisp of smoke.
Gui Eting respectfully bowed towards the spot where the Earthly Immortal had disappeared, then examined the three immortal talismans. These three 'Wind,' 'Fire,' and 'Thunder' talismans appeared identical on the outside, except that Gui Eting couldn't discern their materials. Similar to the talismans made by the Illusion Sect, they were square, with the creator infusing them with the desired attack array, followed by a simple restriction seal. To use them, one simply waved the talisman and used a special incantation to break the seal, activating the attack array within.
These three talismans were given by a wandering immortal. Compared with the talismans made by wandering immortals, the talismans made by cultivators in this world are simply not on the same level in terms of quality or effectiveness.
Gui Eting tried to probe the talisman with her spiritual sense to see what kind of attack array was set up inside. The first was the "Wind" talisman. The attack array inside resembled a hurricane environment from the American science fiction movie "Tornado." The hurricane within the array was overwhelming, as if it would tear the entire space apart in its relentless force. Terrified, Gui Eting quickly withdrew her spiritual sense, fearing it would be swept away by the hurricane and she would be doomed, her millennia of cultivation vanishing.
The hidden boundary array within this talisman is simply terrifying. If used within this realm, it could potentially create enough destructive power to annihilate nearly half a province. Talismans crafted by ordinary cultivators simply wouldn't possess such destructive power. Even the "Wind" talisman crafted by Han Zheng, who had already reached the "Ascension to Immortality" realm, would only create a typhoon of around level ten. But the attack boundary array within this "Wind" talisman is continuous, capable of destroying anything in its path—a super hurricane of nearly level eighteen.
After withdrawing her spiritual sense, Gui Eting gasped, thinking that these three immortal talismans could only be used when she was in the most danger. If used carelessly, the devastating harm they would cause would be quite astonishing.
Gui Eting dared not use her spiritual sense to examine the other two "fire" and "thunder" talismans, fearing that she might accidentally trigger the attack array within them. In that case, she wouldn't need to search for any ancient magical artifacts; she could simply go to the Netherworld and have tea with the King of Hell there. However, Gui Eting had no idea that there was no King of Hell in the Netherworld, only the Yellow Springs, even more terrifying than King of Hell.
Putting away the magic talisman, Gui Eting drew her longsword again and, like a white egret, soared into the air towards the "Shunan Bamboo Sea."
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Shunan Bamboo Sea.
Located in the southeast of Yibin City, it is a natural bamboo garden.
Here, the bamboo, as thick as a bowl, has roots and branches intertwined. Embracing lush greenery, it shades nearly 500 hills, covering a total area of tens of thousands of acres.
Shunan Bamboo Sea Scenic Area is a scenic spot featuring bamboo landscapes as its main attraction, also incorporating cultural relics and historical sites. The bamboo forests stretch as far as the eye can see, dense and verdant, with the sound of bamboo rustling in the wind. From a high vantage point, the vast expanse of bamboo resembles a green ocean, a truly magnificent sight and a rare sight both domestically and internationally. The bamboo sea boasts a pleasant climate, with streams crisscrossing the forest, waterfalls cascading down, lakes as smooth as mirrors, and springs with clear, sweet water. The air is fresh and fragrant, and winding paths lead visitors into a mysterious world.
In Fairy Lake of Shunan Bamboo Sea, Feng Shui rented a small boat and stood alone at the bow, admiring the beautiful scenery on both sides of the lake. At the stern, an old boatman who looked to be nearly fifty years old rowed the boat while smiling at Feng Shui at the bow, because he was attracted by the extraordinary aura emanating from Feng Shui.
"Young man, I've been rowing on Fairy Lake for over thirty years, and this is the first time I've encountered such a unique guest as you," the old boatman remarked to the feng shui of the bow of his boat.
"Hehe, what makes me different?" Feng Shui couldn't help but laugh when he heard the old boatman's words. He turned around and asked with a smile.
"I noticed you the moment you appeared on the shore. The extraordinary and aloof aura you exude is quite striking. Didn't you notice that the boatmen don't dare to look you in the eye?" The old boatman said with a sigh, his face etched with the marks of time.
"Hehe, am I that powerful?" Feng Shui said with a helpless wry smile.
“I have lived by Fairy Lake for so many years and have met countless people, but you are the first person who has inspired awe in me from the bottom of my heart. The aura you exude is completely unlike that of an ordinary person; you seem like an immortal,” the old boatman said with boundless reverence.
"It's not that exaggerated. I'm just an ordinary person. Maybe you're getting old and your eyesight is failing you, which is just an illusion," the feng shui master said with a smile.
Without speaking to the boatman again, Feng Shui turned back to admire the beautiful scenery of the lake, while the old boatman muttered to himself in confusion, "Could it really be that I'm seeing things? But that feeling is really strong...!"
The small boat had already circled Fairy Lake, slowly making its way towards the shore. Suddenly, a dazzling figure appeared on the distant horizon, rapidly flying towards Feng Shui. A beautiful, elegant young woman, dressed in a long blue robe and holding an ancient-looking longsword, landed ten meters in front of Feng Shui, floating on the water's surface, her eyes fixed intently on the bow of the boat. The boatman had never seen anything like it before—a young woman dressed in ancient attire, holding a longsword, standing on the water; it was like a scene from an ancient martial arts drama. The people on the shore were also startled by the woman's sudden appearance, all crowding around the bank to watch her curiously. Some tourists with cameras and camcorders had already begun filming the young woman.
The boatman carrying Feng Shui was so startled that he stopped the boat, climbed up behind Feng Shui, and stared in utter shock with his aged eyes at the fairy-like woman in front of him.
The feng shui master had already recognized who the visitor was, because the young woman was none other than Gui Eting.
"It seems that the person with extremely strong cultivation energy that the immortal was referring to is you." Gui Eting held her long sword, looked at the feng shui at the bow of the ship, and her beautiful eyes shone with excitement.
"Hehe, I've been waiting for you to come. I didn't expect you to appear here in this way. Long time no see. It seems you are still full of energy. Congratulations." Feng Shui said with a smile, looking at Gui Eting.
2004-12-08 23:00:00
"Huh? How did you know I was coming? Do you know me?" Gui Eting was taken aback and asked curiously.
"Hehe, I wonder how that chewing gum tastes?" Feng Shui said with a smile.
When Gui Eting heard the feng shui mention the word "chewing gum," she was startled, because in this world, only two people knew what this so-called "chewing gum" was. And only one person knew what this "chewing gum" meant to Gui Eting.
Gui Eting's hand holding the long sword began to tremble, and tears involuntarily welled up in her eyes. She didn't know whether to be happy or in pain. Her eyes were filled with deep affection as she looked at Feng Shui, completely at a loss for what to do.
Suddenly, Gui Eting remembered something and took out the "astrology chart" that Feng Shui had given her before. She stroked it back and forth in her hands as if it were a most treasured gem.
"You are...you are...?" Gui Eting asked, her voice trembling.
"Hehe, is this 'astrology chart' working well?" Feng Shui asked with a wry smile after seeing the item in Gui Eting's hand.
"It works so well, it works so well, I've always kept it close to my body... I didn't thank you properly back then, and I never had a chance to ask your name," Gui Eting asked even more excitedly.
"I know your name is Gui Eting, and my name is Fengshui," Fengshui introduced himself with a smile.
"Feng shui... a good name... How come you've changed so much? You're completely different from before?" Gui Eting asked, suppressing her excitement.
Gui Eting had already recognized Feng Shui as the person who had saved her during the "Forbidden Artifact" operation, and her longing for Feng Shui had always been buried deep in her heart. However, Han Zheng had carefully instructed her that once she had reached the "Peering into Immortality" realm, she should no longer be hindered by the demons of lust in her cultivation.
Although Gui Eting understood this, she still couldn't let go of it. Feelings aren't something you can just forget. After all, humans are emotional beings. No matter what level you reach, as long as you're still human, you can't be without feelings. Even Feng Shui, who had once cultivated to the point of godhood, couldn't escape the torment of lust. In the end, he was still nipped in the bud along with the Demon Butterfly.
Gui Eting came to Sichuan to find Feng Yileng's magical artifact, never expecting Feng Shui to appear here. Moreover, that extremely strong cultivation aura must indeed be emanating from Feng Shui. However, her master Han Zheng and her immortal uncle Lian Linlan are investigating Feng Shui in the Netherworld; why is he here?
Gui Eting was completely baffled, but that no longer mattered. Deep down, she had been waiting for the chance to meet Feng Shui again. Now that she had, she didn't know what to do, so she changed the subject and talked about other things, suppressing her burgeoning desires.
“Hehe, none of that matters anymore. I know why you came here, and we have some kind of connection, which is why I’m staying here to wait for you,” Feng Shui said with a smile.
"You know?" Gui Eting asked in shock.
“Hehe, the divine artifact crafted by Feng Yileng is the only one of its kind in this realm. Although it has not yet been revealed to the world, I can still sense a bit of its aura,” Feng Shui said with a smile.
"How do you know Senior Feng?" Gui Eting asked, even more shocked.
“Hehe, in ancient times I once gave him some guidance on cultivation methods. He was still young then and had just started cultivating. I didn’t expect that this kid still couldn’t let go of the emotional entanglement in his heart. In the end, he could only dissolve his body. This may be fate. I’m the same, hehehe…” Feng Shui thought helplessly about his love with the Demon Butterfly and said with a sigh.
"No way...! You've already cultivated to become a god?" Gui Eting was completely dumbfounded because she couldn't imagine that Feng Shui was someone who had cultivated in ancient times, and she was even surprised to hear that he had taught Feng Yileng, who was now a "wandering god".
Therefore, one can imagine what level the cultivator who can teach "Wandering God" must have reached.
“Heh, no, I’ve already abandoned the path of cultivating divinity. Now I cultivate demonic arts.” Feng Shui’s eyes suddenly turned cold as he spoke.
Gui Eting was startled by Feng Shui's gaze and instinctively placed her longsword in front of her, assuming a defensive stance. Seeing Gui Eting's reaction, Feng Shui realized he had lost his composure and quickly regained his composure, giving Gui Eting a helpless smile.
Gui Eting also realized that her body's natural reaction was too aggressive, and embarrassed, she put away the longsword, not knowing what to say.
Actually, this isn't Gui Eting's fault. When Feng Shui mentioned the word "demon," he inadvertently released the demonic aura he carried, which is completely contrary to the aura of cultivation paths like spiritual cultivation. Therefore, due to the clash between Gui Eting's own cultivation-related aura and this aura, her body unconsciously assumed a defensive stance.
Feng Shui suddenly heard a splash behind him. The reason was that the old boatman who had been crawling behind Feng Shui couldn't withstand the demonic aura emanating from Feng Shui and had fainted from fright, falling into the water.
Feng Shui gave a helpless wry smile, reached out and grabbed at the spot where the boatman had fallen into the water. The boatman miraculously emerged from the water on his own and was caught in Feng Shui's hand. A gasp of surprise came from the shore, and only then did Feng Shui realize that there were many mortals watching. He shook his head helplessly.
"This place isn't suitable for us. Follow me," said the 'consciousness propagation entity' used by Feng Shui practitioners in Gui Eting's consciousness.
Gui Eting nodded, realizing how reckless she had been to use cultivation techniques in front of ordinary people in this realm—something forbidden in the cultivation world. Feng Shui moved without wind, its hands behind its back, one foot lightly touching the hull, yet the boat remained completely still as Feng Shui soared into the sky. Gui Eting drew her longsword, which she had just put away, and followed Feng Shui's trajectory on her sword.
The tourists on the shore gasped in astonishment again, for they had never seen anyone who could fly like this before. They all grabbed their cameras and camcorders to film. But just as they were filming, all the equipment suddenly emitted a plume of blue smoke—it had malfunctioned. Everyone was startled and remained stunned for a while. By then, Feng Shui and Gui Eting had vanished.
2004-12-08 23:03:00
Part Two: Cultivation Array
Chapter Ten: The Beginning God
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"Which do you want, fatty intestine noodles or hot and sour noodles?" Feng Shui asked Gui Eting, who was sitting next to him, as he held two bowls of Chengdu snacks in plastic bowls.
"This...this...do you really want to eat this?" Gui Eting asked hesitantly.
“Of course, you haven’t eaten all day. It’s dinner time now, so you should eat something. Besides, these two dishes are quite unique, so you must try them,” Feng Shui asked curiously.
"I haven't eaten for over two thousand years," Gui Eting said somewhat embarrassedly as she took the hot and sour noodles from Feng Shui's hand.
"It seems girls don't really like greasy things like pork intestines, hehe. Try it. When I was cultivating, I didn't eat anything at all, but later I found that the delicacies of the mortal world are still the most appealing." Feng Shui said with a smile while eating pork intestine noodles.
"Um...um...is it alright to eat here?" Gui Eting looked around at the surroundings and asked hesitantly.
“What’s wrong with it? It’s all the same everywhere.” Feng Shui said while eating.
“But this is the Ningzhen Temple,” Gui Eting said, still looking troubled.
"So what do you think? You can eat while watching the goddess statue, which means you can appreciate the goddess's beauty and eat at the same time. Isn't that the perfect interpretation of 'beauty is food for the eyes'?" Feng Shui joked.
"Isn't this a bit blasphemous to the goddess? It's not a good idea." Gui Eting was still uneasy.
"Don't worry, Yao Ji has already ascended to heaven and is no longer here. Rest assured, rest assured. Eat quickly, or it won't taste good when it gets cold," Feng Shui urged Gui Eting.
Gui Eting shook her head helplessly, watching Feng Shui devour his food. Then she looked at the hot and sour noodles in her hand and couldn't help but be attracted by the aroma emanating from them, so she unconsciously started eating them as well.
This is Wuxia Gorge, opposite Goddess Peak, at the Ningzhen Temple on Flying Phoenix Peak. Feng Shui brought Gui Eting here and never left, and the two waited until nightfall before entering the Ningzhen Temple.
It was already late at night, and the tourists and temple staff in the main hall had long since gone to bed. Only Feng Shui and Gui Eting were sitting in front of the goddess statue, eating fatty intestine noodles and hot and sour noodles respectively. It seemed that they had not come with the purpose of sightseeing.
"Delicious... I should have bought more bowls if I had known this was so good. How's yours?" Feng Shui put the empty plastic bowl on the ground, patted his slightly bulging belly, and asked Gui Eting, who hadn't finished her hot and sour noodles yet.
"Mmm... Ugh... It's been so long since I've had... worldly food. It's really good." Gui Eting had completely abandoned her ladylike demeanor, stammering as she ate.
"Hehe, in fact, although the path of cultivation can lead to the Great Dao, it also means losing many things worth remembering, such as food. Even with thousands or even tens of thousands of years of cultivation, one inadvertently loses a lot of joy, don't you think?" Feng Shui said with a sigh.
"Ah...? Ah...! That's true. Ever since I entered the 'Condensation' realm, I haven't eaten anything from the mortal world. It's been over two thousand years, and eating it now really brings back fond memories." Gui Eting finally finished her hot and sour noodles, took out a handkerchief from her sleeve to wipe her mouth, and said with the same emotion.
"Hehe, judging from your current aura, you should have already reached the late stage of 'Refining' by now," Feng Shui asked with a smile.
“That’s right. I reached the early stage of ‘Refining’ six hundred years ago, and then spent another three hundred years cultivating to the middle stage. Now I’ve basically reached the late stage. However, there are still some bottlenecks that I can’t break through,” Gui Eting said helplessly.
“Actually, the path of cultivation is divided into two realms: internal and external cultivation. If you focus too much on improving your external power and neglect cultivating your nascent soul, your cultivation progress will stagnate,” Feng Shui advised Gui Eting.
“I understand that too, but my nascent soul hasn’t fully broken through to the realm of cultivating with self-awareness yet. I spent nearly two hundred years in seclusion cultivating my nascent soul, but I couldn’t completely refine it and give it its own self-awareness. So even though I’ve reached the late stage of ‘refining,’ I still have no way to break through this barrier,” Gui Eting said with even more helplessness.
"Didn't your master teach you?" Feng Shui asked curiously.
"Of course I was taught, but as the saying goes, the master leads you through the door, but the cultivation is up to you. After I reached the 'Infant Soul' realm, I relied entirely on myself to cultivate. At that point, I no longer needed my master to personally guide me," Gui Eting said with some pride.
"Hehe, it seems your master isn't a good teacher either," Feng Shui said with amusement.
“My master is the person I respect most, please don’t speak ill of him,” Gui Eting said with a hint of anger.