Who Let Him Cultivate Immortality

Before Lan Ting set up the Spirit Gathering Array, the three practiced their cultivation separately, constantly consolidating and enhancing their Foundation Establishment stage cultivation. After the Spirit Gathering Array was established on the second floor, the four of them practiced together. In their spare time, they exchanged cultivation insights, reaping substantial benefits.

For example, Lu Yang learned that Barbarian Bone wouldn’t practice horse stance while reciting the “Sage’s Words” believing it to be disrespectful to the sages. However, Barbarian Bone would recite the “Sage’s Words” while practicing horse stance.

For example, Barbarian Bone found out that Meng Jingzhou frequented brothels during the day to train his mental strength, listening to songs without engaging in other activities, which was admirable.

For instance, Meng Jingzhou learned that Lu Yang, when food got stuck in his teeth, would use ox hair infused with Sword Qi to pick it out, which was a whole new way of cultivation.

For example, Lan Ting learned that the central continent was once refined from stars.

“It’s actually like that.” Lan Ting was stunned, this revelation greatly impacting her and resolving some of her confusion.

“What confusion?”

Lan Ting thought for a moment, feeling it wasn’t something she couldn’t discuss: “You all know that the name of our Moon Laurel Immortal Palace has a dual meaning. One is that the sect is filled with laurel trees, and the other is that the sect believes the moon has a certain special significance.”

The Moon Laurel Immortal Palace was built on the summit of a snowy mountain to be closer to the moon, indicating the moon’s importance in the sect.

“When I joined the Moon Laurel Immortal Palace, I asked my master why the moon held special significance. What about the sun? What about other stars? Can we draw power from the stars, like the Big Dipper?”

“My master said the moon and the sun were originally one entity. As for the other stars, she just smiled meaningfully and didn’t say much.”

“However, my master always smiles like that when faced with things she doesn’t understand, so I didn’t dwell on it.”

“Listening to you all, I think she probably knows the truth about the stars.”

Lu Yang frowned: “The moon and the sun are one entity?”

Lan Ting nodded: “Originally, I also didn’t understand what this meant. Later, after a class, when two senior sisters were talking, they said, ‘After the sun extinguishes, it becomes the moon.’”

“After the sun extinguishes, it becomes the moon?” Lu Yang was surprised, as this was a statement he had never heard before.

Could it be that the myriad stars are illusions, and the sun and moon are the only real entities, and they are two sides of the same existence?

The sun burns during the day, and at night it extinguishes to become the moon?

The energy of the sun is terrifying; it’s said that the sun is the source of all life, and to this day, people practice cultivation using the sun, either through meditation or contemplation.

If the sun is the moon, then where does all that extinguished energy go? That must be a colossal amount of energy!

Does the sun at night retract this power, hiding it within, transforming into the moon?

“Speaking of which, why didn’t the ancient nameless entity refine the sun along with the myriad stars?” Lu Yang murmured.

Without the sun, the world would be dim, and countless beings would wither and die. According to Helmsman Chu, the ancient nameless entity regarded human life as worthless, so probably wouldn’t have spared the sun out of compassion.

Meng Jingzhou suddenly asked: “Do you know about the Solar Cult?”

“The Solar Cult, one of the four major demonic sects?” Lu Yang knew very little about it.

“Yes, the Solar Cult worships the sun, believing it holds some miraculous power. They claim that when the sun is revived, all things will perish. They advocate self-destruction before the sun’s revival, to go to a heavenly paradise.”

Meng Jingzhou continued: “I mean no offense to the sect, but if the sun and moon are one entity, then the views of the Solar Cult and the sect align in some ways, both acknowledging the sun and moon’s special existential significance and terrifying power.”

Lan Ting shook her head, not feeling that Meng Jingzhou was being offensive. There are such views within the sect, and even more radical ones.

Meng Jingzhou shared a speculation: “It’s possible that the ancient nameless entity is hidden within the sun. The sun has been hanging in the sky since ancient times, unchallenged, a blind spot in our thinking.”

Lu Yang offered another speculation: “Or perhaps the sun contains some immense power that even the ancient nameless entity was reluctant to touch.”

Regardless of which possibility, the sun and moon are far from the peaceful entities they appear to be.

“Let’s forget it; it’s rare to encounter the Spring Harvest Festival, let’s go out and have fun.” Meng Jingzhou gave up on pondering and called everyone to relax.

Instead of sitting here with all these thoughts, it might be better to go home and ask the elders.

Those people definitely know more than himself.

Like they knew he was a Single Spiritual Root but never told him, saying if he came to the Dao Seeking Sect, he would find out what type of spiritual root he was.

As the Spring Harvest Festival approached, the festive atmosphere thickened, with various shops launching activities to welcome a surge of customers. The barbecue shop also entered its preparatory phase, offering tofu masks when buying skewers, much to the delight of children.

The streets were adorned with colorful flags, a tradition in Yanjiang County organized by the government, meant to mimic the colors of spring and welcome the season.

It’s said that Prefect Li specifically instructed that the flags be placed quickly, not to disrupt the normal lives of the people, mobilizing many for this task.

In reality, the speed of flag placement wouldn’t affect people’s lives; it was just Prefect Li putting on a show for the public.

“With these flags up, it really feels like a festival.” Meng Jingzhou laughed, noting even the entrance to the barbecue shop was decorated with a red flag.

“Take a look, take a look, rare books you don’t see every day!” An old man with yellow teeth was selling books by the street, piquing the interest of the group.

“What books are you selling?”

“Martial arts secrets, out-of-print techniques, everything you could want.” The old man with yellow teeth said with a smile.

Meng Jingzhou casually flipped through and suddenly his eyes lit up, finding a martial arts secret manual: “Lu Yang, look at this. This book is perfect for you. If you’re willing to practice it, I guarantee you could reach the highest level.”

Lu Yang saw the cover, Toad Martial Arts.

“Get lost!”

Soon, Lu Yang also found a martial arts secret manual, suggesting Meng Jingzhou practice it: “This martial arts manual is tailor-made for you. If you’re willing to practice it, becoming a martial immortal in the future is not impossible!”

Meng Jingzhou saw the cover, Sunflower Manual.

The two exchanged glances and laughed, kindly purchasing the manuals for each other.

Barbarian Bone saw the first page of the Sunflower Manual read “To practice this technique, one must first be castrated,” and fell into thought: “Does this mean women can’t practice this martial art?”

Lan Ting didn’t hear Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou’s banter; she was engrossed in a serialized novel.

The novel was about a courtesan who sought to redeem herself and pursue true love, entrusting her life to a scholar. But the scholar was weak and selfish, truly in love with the courtesan but too embarrassed to marry a courtesan as his wife. Influenced by friends, he ultimately betrayed the courtesan, leading to her tragic suicide by drowning.

Lan Ting was moved to tears, feeling deep sympathy for the courtesan.

Lu Yang saw Lan Ting immersed in the story, stretching his neck to see, and found the story truly vivid and touching.

He leaned over to see the book’s title.

“Dream of the Red Chamber”

Lu Yang: “……”

He felt the book’s title gave off a particularly odd vibe.

(TL Note: Dream of the Red Chamber is a Chinese novel composed in the mid-18th century. One of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, it is known for its psychological scope and its observation of the worldview, aesthetics, lifestyles, and social relations of 18th-century China.)

(End of the chapter)