Free Web NovelChapter 344: Chapter 73: Golden Body Six Techniques
In the small cavern plaza, Elder Wu stared at Wang Ping’s youthful face, slightly lost in thought. It felt like only an instant had passed, yet Wang Ping had already reached the Third Realm, a height Elder Wu himself might never attain in his lifetime.
This stirred a hint of regret within him. He, too, had taken a liking to Wang Ping back then and wanted him as a disciple, but he hadn’t wanted to lose face by competing with Yu Cheng Taoist.
Guangxuan was struck even more profoundly. He recalled that the first time he saw Wang Ping, the other was just a boy in the Qi Cultivation Stage. Back then, Qianmu Temple had to rely heavily on Sanhe Temple. Yet it felt as if he had only emerged from seclusion twice, and now Wang Ping had become one of the most powerful Cultivators in all of Nanlin Road.
As Wang Ping and Yue Ziyu chatted, three figures shot out from a nearby exit. One was seated atop a giant cauldron. It was, without a doubt, Yuan Zheng Taoist. He put the cauldron away the moment he landed.
Next was Le Yuan, dressed as a Daoist once again. In fact, many Monks in Zhongzhou neither shaved their heads nor wore Kasayas. He landed, placed one palm vertically against his chest, and said in a low voice, "May the Saint be merciful. Mr. Yue, it’s been a while. And Daoist Changqing, congratulations on ascending to the Third Realm."
"Congratulations."
Yuan Zheng Taoist offered a casual fist-and-palm salute, then turned and gestured to a man in snug black attire behind him. "Sun Shulin. You remember him, don’t you, Fellow Daoist?"
"I do!"
Wang Ping proactively returned the salute. "A hundred years have passed in a flash. Have you been well, Fellow Daoist?"
Sun Shulin, however, offered a much more formal fist-and-palm salute. "To answer you, Daoist, I have been in seclusion in Hu Mountain Country recently. My next step is to prepare a location for my ascension."
"You’ve gathered all the materials for your ascension?"
Wang Ping asked politely. An Artifact Cultivator’s ascension to the Third Realm required specific Demon Race bloodlines to build a Magical Artifact formation, and these bloodlines had to be compatible with one another. The difficulty of gathering the materials alone was comparable to the ascension itself.
"Not quite. I’m planning to take advantage of the worldly chaos to try my luck!"
Sun Shulin’s tone was polite, but his words were anything but.
Wang Ping let out a soft chuckle. ’This guy loves to bluff.’ He didn’t call him out on it, though. Instead, he looked toward the exit, from which a faint wave of heat was now emanating.
Wen Yang had arrived.
"Friend Wen Yang!" Wang Ping was the first to salute.
"Where’s your master?" Wen Yang asked, his eyes sweeping the area and not finding Yu Cheng Taoist. As he spoke, Yuan Zheng Taoist also turned to look at Wang Ping; he had been about to ask the same question.
"My master wants to rest for a while."
Wang Ping answered earnestly.
Elder Wu chimed in, "He certainly deserves to rest for a while. Now I have another place to go for drinks."
Wang Ping changed the subject, his gaze returning to the exit. Yang Ye of the Shangjing City Yang Family had arrived. He exuded an aura of unrivaled dominance, likely from having ascended recently and tempered himself in the military for a time.
"Yang Ye greets all you seniors!"
He bowed politely, then turned to Wang Ping, Yue Ziyu, and Wen Yang, offering them a separate Taoist fist-and-palm salute. "Greetings, Daoist Changqing, Mr. Yue, and Daoist Wen Yang."
After the three nodded in acknowledgment, Guangxuan seized the moment to announce, "Fellow Daoist Li Lin was unable to attend this gathering due to other commitments. Everyone is here now." He took two steps toward the pavilion in front of them. "This way, Fellow Daoists, please."
Another round of pleasantries followed. Ultimately, Wen Yang entered the pavilion first, followed by Yue Ziyu and Wang Ping.
Once everyone was seated, Guangxuan followed tradition by introducing Sun Shulin to the group, and in turn, introduced the people Sun Shulin didn’t know to him.
Then, an unavoidable silence fell over the room.
Yu Lian, coiled around Wang Ping’s left wrist, curiously sized up everyone present and relayed her observations to him in his Spirit Sea.
’That Yang Ye’s soul is stained with blood. He must have killed many people, but his mental state seems unaffected. His humanity remains neutral.’
’Sun Shulin’s qi signature is very weak, probably obscured by some Magical Artifact. The outer aspect of his humanity is largely chaotic, but his inner self stubbornly maintains neutrality.’
Yu Lian commented on each person at the gathering. With the exception of Yang Ye, who was truly neutral, the others were all in a state of chaotic adherence to order.
In fact, most Cultivators from the Five Profound Sects were in a similar state. They clung to their own internal code of conduct, yet could cast aside all kindness and compassion to become purely wicked for the sake of their ascension.
After a silence that lasted more than ten breaths, Le Yuan glanced around and became the first to speak. "I have completed all preparations for my ascension to the Third Realm. However, I doubt there is a spot for me to ascend within my sect. Therefore, I wish to try on my own."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over Yue Ziyu, Wen Yang, and Wang Ping. They were the only ones present who could provide him with the help he needed for his ascension.
"You secured a slot?" Wen Yang asked.
"I have a lead!"
Le Yuan’s reply was full of confidence, suggesting the matter was as good as settled.
Yue Ziyu spoke next. "I am currently unable to leave Shangjing City for extended periods, so I can’t offer any direct assistance. However, if you need certain Magical Artifacts or materials, I can provide leads. As a matter of fact, I have a clue about Demon Soldier ’Jia-Xia-06.’ It should be helpful for your ascension."
Le Yuan’s eyes lit up. "I’ve heard of it! It can draw upon the Golden Spirit Consciousness. With its help, I’m very confident I can pass the final ’Great Calamity’."
Both Vajra Temple and Lingshan Temple cultivated the "Golden Body Six Techniques." The information available to Wang Ping in the Daoist Scripture Hall detailed the first three calamities: the ’Elimination Calamity,’ the ’Middle Calamity,’ and the ’Great Calamity.’ These corresponded to the ’Spirit Channeling,’ ’Fortune Borrowing,’ and ’Heaven Reaching’ realms of the "Taiyan Talisman."
The ’Great Calamity’ involved a process of the physical body disintegrating and then re-forming. For most Cultivators, their bodies would literally tear apart. Those who ascended to the ’Great Calamity’ stage would gain an innate, powerful tearing ability. Wang Ping had already witnessed this heaven-and-earth-shattering power during Mingxin’s siege on Si Ran.
"If you’re interested, I’ll contact you in code after the gathering to make the introduction," Yue Ziyu said with a smile, then added, "I doubt the owner will sell it to you. The most they’ll do is help you one time."
"Of course. I wouldn’t dare dream of buying it," Le Yuan responded, cupping his fists.
Seeing that they had settled the matter, Wen Yang also made his position clear. "I can help, but it needs to be done discreetly, preferably outside of Zhongzhou. If it has to be within Zhongzhou, then we can only rely on Fellow Daoist Changqing to find a way."
Wang Ping wasn’t the least bit surprised by Wen Yang’s proposal. He replied at once, "Qianmu Temple will have its Barrier Formation deployed soon. With the added concealment from the Nine Extremes Array, and with me personally presiding over it, we should be able to mask an ascension to the Third Realm."
"Of everyone present, you’re the only one who can do it, Fellow Daoist. The rest of us either lack a suitable location or don’t have the final say!"
Yuan Zheng Taoist said this to Wang Ping, then turned to Le Yuan. "If you trust Fellow Daoist Changqing, Qianmu Temple is the best place for your ascension."
"Of course I trust Fellow Daoist Changqing." Le Yuan looked at Wang Ping. "What do I need to pay?"
A transaction, after all, requires discussing the price first.
