SFS Chapter 28 Immortal Foundation as Spirit Platform
Chapter 28 Immortal Foundation as Spirit Platform
The human mind possesses a spiritual platform, a clear and tranquil inner landscape, originally without form or outline. When it senses the earth's veins, the spirit and vital energy interact and refine, thus transforming into a realm that manifests in the world.
This secluded valley is thus named – ancient trees reach for the sky, spiritual springs gurgle, exotic flowers and rare herbs vie for beauty, colorful butterflies flutter among them, and spirit birds chirp incessantly on the branches, truly a scene of a fairyland.
"Senior Brother Li and Senior Brother Zhang, your bodies have been thoroughly examined, and there are no traces of the 'Five Yin Demons'."
The speaker was a Taoist boy of about ten years old, with red lips and white teeth, wearing an apricot-yellow Taoist robe embroidered with cloud patterns.
He suppressed the divine light from the ancient bronze mirror in his hand and put it away.
Li Zhengyuan let out a long breath and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you, Junior Brother Ye."
Zhang Yuanqi also cupped his hands and said, "Junior Brother Ye's magical power has improved, and his control over the Evil-Revealing Mirror has become increasingly proficient."
Junior Brother Ye nodded slightly and said, "It's my duty."
Li Zhengyuan took a deep breath, inhaling the refreshing floral fragrance, and frowned, saying, "Junior Brother Ye, what exactly happened? The Tianyuan Nine Mountains Purification Formation is as solid as a rock, how could it suddenly collapse? Has there been any news from Uncle Xuanmu?"
Junior Brother Ye said, "Master has his own way..."
Before he could finish speaking, the sky suddenly changed color.
Just moments ago, the sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly, but in the blink of an eye, half of the sky was stained with a thick layer of blood red.
In the distance, the sounds of clashing swords and galloping horses could be faintly heard. Thousands of horses galloped, swords clashed, and battle cries shook the heavens, yet the sounds were elusive and elusive, seemingly real yet unreal.
As soon as the sound arrived, the creatures in the valley suffered. The seven-colored butterflies fell to the ground, their wings twitching a few times before they became still.
The bird on the branch flapped its wings, trying to fly away, but it fell headfirst to the ground, its feathers stained with blood.
The exotic flowers and plants withered, their petals turned black, their leaves curled, and they emitted a putrid smell.
Zhang Yuanqi's expression changed drastically, and he said, "This...this is Senior Uncle Xuange's 'Crimson Fiend Tribulation'!"
Before he finished speaking, another strange phenomenon occurred.
A beam of blue light shot into the sky, like an ancient tree reaching for the heavens, opening up a patch of blue sky.
Wherever the light touched, the crimson hue receded like a tide, and the stench of blood was dispelled by a refreshing scent of grass and trees.
The withered flowers and plants straightened their stems again, and the fallen petals flew back to the branches, returned to their original positions, and bloomed anew.
Li Zhengyuan exclaimed, "This is... Master Xuanmu's 'Azure Blossom'!"
hum!
The crimson light that filled the sky suddenly contracted, then expanded again, transforming into countless crimson swords that slashed towards the azure light.
The blood-red light and the blue light collided with a deafening roar, and the entire world trembled.
Rocks rolled down from the cliffs on both sides of the valley, splashing water several feet high into the spring.
The blue light was suppressed and dimmed, but only for a moment.
One after another, verdant vines shot out from the light, entangling, crushing, and devouring the blood-red weapons.
The blood-red light dispersed and regrouped, regrouped and dispersed again, and for a time, it was locked in a stalemate with the blue light.
Zhang Yuanqi asked his junior brother Ye, "Why are Senior Uncle Xuange and Senior Uncle Xuanmu fighting?"
Junior Brother Ye sighed and said, "Senior Sister Qi has entered Qi Garden Town."
Li Zhengyuan's expression changed drastically, and he said, "What? That 'Five Yin Demon'..."
Zhang Yuanqi said anxiously, "Uncle-Master Xuange, are you going to force your way in to rescue them? This—"
Junior Brother Ye shook his head and smiled, "This is Master's spiritual platform. Although Senior Uncle Xuan Ge's skill is high, he ultimately failed to obtain the 'Heavenly Slaughter Qi'."
As soon as he finished speaking, the sounds of clashing swords and galloping horses gradually faded away.
The crimson light receded, like the receding tide, shrinking inch by inch back into the sky, leaving only a sky full of dark red that lingered for a long time.
The emerald green light also subsided, transforming into the phantom of a towering ancient tree, standing quietly on the horizon, its branches and leaves swaying gently and rustling softly.
Li Zhengyuan gazed at the illusory image of the ancient tree, remained silent for a moment, and then whispered, "Junior Sister Qi..."
He didn't continue.
He simply shook his head and let out a long sigh.
Zhang Yuanqi was the same.
The valley returned to tranquility, with the babbling of the spirit spring and the delicate fragrance of flowers. But the spirit birds and beasts never returned.
……
Fang Shi and Zhao Hu walked side by side in the alley.
As dusk settled, the last vestiges of crimson on the horizon were swallowed by the night.
The ruins on both sides of the alley looked like crouching giant beasts in the darkness.
People kept gathering from all directions, their faces filled with anxiety and their steps hurried.
A young, unaffiliated cultivator couldn't hold back any longer and shouted, "What's going on? Weren't we already registered during the day? What are we doing in this open space?"
An older man next to him immediately glared at him and said in a low voice, "You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? Sanpan Temple said so, just do as they say."
Then someone else said, "Don't you know? You can't get out of Qiyuan Town. All the roads are blocked! I just tried to go to Panshi to take a look, but a Taoist priest stopped me and said that I was not allowed to go in or out."
A commotion immediately broke out in the crowd.
Another rogue cultivator lowered his voice and chimed in, "It's not just Qiyuan Town; I heard Taoyuan Town, Qingshi Town, and Songyuan Town are also under lockdown. Even Panshi Market is closed, all the shops are shut down, and no one is allowed to open."
Upon hearing this, the several rogue cultivators exchanged glances, their faces filled with fear.
Some people cursed under their breath, some quickened their pace silently, and most simply walked forward with their heads down, saying nothing.
Zhao Hu transmitted his voice, "Brother Fang, something's not right here. I've lived for over forty years and have never seen Sanpan Temple seal off the entire Pan Market."
Fang Shi transmitted his voice, saying, "Don't worry too much. That Taoist priest from Sanpan Temple extinguished the soaring turbid energy with a single finger. What else could possibly stump them? Perhaps they are investigating the source of the turbid energy, or perhaps they are searching for something. In any case, they won't do anything to us rogue cultivators."
Zhao Hu sighed and transmitted his voice, "I'm just uneasy."
Fang Shi did not reply.
The two walked silently forward with the crowd. The surroundings became quieter and quieter, and no one spoke anymore.
Fang Shi could sense that the magical energy fluctuations around him were continuous—likely, they were also communicating with close friends and family.
The crowd finally reached the open space.
The open space was covered with luminous talismans, illuminating the entire area as bright as day, making even the sharp edges of the rubble on the ruins clearly visible.
The disciples of Sanpan Temple stood expressionless around the area, forming a human wall that completely surrounded the open space.
On the makeshift platform in the middle, a young Taoist priest shouted at the top of his lungs, "All rogue cultivators, listen up! Sit down where you are! Do not make a sound or move! You may move only after the temple manager has completed the inspection!"
Fang Shi found a corner and sat down cross-legged with Zhao Hu.
The surrounding area was full of people; some were resting with their eyes closed, some were talking in hushed tones, and some were holding their children and comforting them silently.
The night wind blew through the ruins, carrying a faint smell of burning.
Zhao Hu transmitted his voice again, a hint of anxiety in it: "Brother Fang, look at the way those Taoist priests are standing. They're forming a kind of array, as if they're afraid we'll run away. What do you think they're investigating?"
Fang Shi knew Zhao Hu was uneasy, which was why he kept asking questions. Not expecting an answer, he replied telepathically, "I don't know. But since we've been gathered here, it's better than being locked up in a room. Let's wait."
Zhao Hu sighed and stopped talking.
Soon, the stewards arrived.
All the newcomers were unfamiliar faces, dressed in uniform blue Taoist robes, with wooden plaques for the Sanpan Temple hanging from their waists.
Fang Shi sensed them briefly and knew that they were all at the mid-stage of Qi Refining or above. Their expressions were cold and they remained silent.
He knew in his heart that none of the original managers of Qiyuan Town, such as Zhao Xiuqi and Manager Tian, had survived the previous upheaval.
The stewards dispersed, each followed by a young Taoist boy holding a stack of slips of paper.
Fang Shi saw the steward at the front walk up to a rogue cultivator, take out a talisman from his sleeve, and stick it on the man's shoulder.
The talisman flashed with a magical light. The steward looked down at the patterns, nodded, and stepped back.
The young Taoist priest behind him immediately stepped forward, handed him a slip of paper, and whispered, "District B, number seventeen. Just go there to live as instructed."
The rogue cultivator took the note, thanked him repeatedly, and hurriedly walked towards one side of the open space.
The supervisors checked each one quickly, almost without stopping.
Some of the unaffiliated cultivators who had been investigated were assigned to Zone A, while others were assigned to Zone B. They all looked apprehensive, but none of them dared to ask a single question.
Fang Shi noticed that there were significantly more people assigned to Zone B.
Zhao Hu transmitted his voice, his tone clearly anxious, saying, "Brother Fang, wasn't it said that the reconstruction of the houses would be arranged in three days? What's going on now?"
Fang Shi thought to himself, "Luckily, I had already completely destroyed the cultivation room before I arrived."
He sent a telepathic message back, saying, "Don't panic. In my opinion, this is just a matter of resettling the disaster victims in batches. All the houses were destroyed after the earthquake. If we don't arrange accommodation in time, these scattered cultivators won't even have a place to shelter from the wind and rain. Wouldn't that lead to chaos? Sanpan Temple values order and won't make things difficult for us."
Zhao Hu felt a little relieved after hearing this, but he still couldn't help looking around aimlessly.
When it was Zhao Hu's turn, he stood up and respectfully bowed to the steward.
Upon inspection, his supervisor was a thin, tall middle-aged man in his forties with a fair complexion, a goatee, and a cultivation level of the fifth level of Qi Refining.
The steward took out a talisman from his sleeve, stuck it on Zhao Hu's chest, and the talisman flashed with light. He looked down at it, but still nodded expressionlessly.
The young Taoist priest behind him immediately handed him a slip of paper, saying, "District A, Number Seventeen. Just go there to live as instructed."
Zhao Hu took the note, bowed slightly, and stepped aside.
Next came the oath.
He stood up and bowed to the steward in return.
The steward then took out another talisman and, as usual, stuck it on his chest.
The talisman was placed on his chest, and it became slightly warm. A ray of spiritual light spilled out from the edge and circled around his body.
Fang Shi held his breath, his face remaining expressionless.
The steward looked down at the talisman, then looked up and nodded expressionlessly.
The young Taoist handed over a slip of paper and said, "District A, Number 18. Just go there to live as instructed."
Fang Shi took the note and looked down at it—it was stamped with a red seal and had the words "No. 18, Jia District" written on it.
He bowed and thanked him, then stepped back to Zhao Hu's side.
Zhao Hu leaned closer, glanced at the note in his hand, his eyes lit up, and he whispered, "Seventeen and eighteen, we're next to each other! Let's go to the Jia section—and grab a spot on the side."
Fang Shi nodded, put the note in his pocket, and followed Zhao Hu as instructed.
……
The tent was a temporary structure, a low shed made of coarse cloth, barely big enough for one person to sit or lie down.
Fang Shi and Zhao Hu discussed a few words in front of the tent, and then whispered a few words with a few other rogue cultivators about the current situation. No one could say for sure what the Three Plates Temple was going to do, and they dispersed as they talked.
Fang Shi bent down and crawled into his room, pulling the curtain shut to block out the bright, daylight-like talismanic light outside.
The tent was dimly lit, with only a few rays of light seeping through the gaps in the fabric, casting several hazy shadows on the ground.
The hay wasn't laid out thickly, and you could feel the coolness of the mud underneath when you sat on it.
Fang Shi sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes to feel the meridians in his body.
The fatigue in my meridians hasn't reached its limit yet, but the pure spiritual energy here is not as pristine as in the Spirit Locking Array, so even if I try to cultivate, it will be much less effective.
He thought for a moment, then turned his palm over, and a pale blue light condensed.
He made a living by drawing talismans and was reluctant to exhaust his meridians to cultivate the Lesser Water Cloud Seal. He relied on his control of magic power while drawing talismans and his progress in the Lesser Water Cloud Technique to gradually hone his skills.
It's now at 99 points, just 1 point away from being proficient.
With nothing else to do and my meridians not yet at their limit, I might as well give it a try.
We can't let today just pass by in vain.
He closed his eyes, and the pale blue light transformed into a water-ripple-like hand seal, repeatedly forming and closing the seal.
After practicing countless times, the blue light in his palm suddenly lit up, like a drop of dew falling into a still lake. The warm and dense halo spread out in circles, carrying a cool moisture that enveloped his entire palm.
[Small Watermark Proficiency -1]
[Small Watermark Proficiency -1]
……
[Small Water Cloud Seal Proficiency +1]
【Little Water Cloud Seal (Beginner): 100/100】
[Little Water Cloud Seal Level Up: Beginner → Proficient↑]
Fang Shi let out a long breath, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
Just as he was about to finish the hand seal, he suddenly heard a muffled thud from the next tent, as if something had fallen down.
"Brother Fang..."
The voice was low and deep, like a murmur.
Fang Shi quickly asked, "Brother Zhao, what's wrong?"
There was no further sound from next door.
Fang Shi waited a moment, listened intently, and then lowered his voice to ask, "Brother Zhao, is there something you need?"
Still no one answered.
The night wind howled, and the tent flaps gently pattered against the wooden stakes, making a monotonous pattering sound.
The smell of burning permeated the air, but everything seemed perfectly normal.
Perhaps Zhao Hu was just talking in his sleep, or perhaps the muffled sound was just the wind blowing something over.
Fang Shi shook his head self-deprecatingly, about to continue his cultivation—when a stench suddenly entered his nose.
It was very faint, just a trace, carried by the night breeze, almost imperceptible.
Fang Shi felt every hair on his body stand on end in that instant.
He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the tent flap.
The curtain was half-open, swaying slightly in the wind, revealing a pale, white talismanic light outside.
Under the light of the talisman, a dark figure stood there silently, like a withered tree trunk stuck in the ground, motionless.