Yinshan Record

Chapter 768 A difficult path leads to a bad feast
When it comes to advancing or retreating, one must reflect inwardly.

Su Che sat upright in the Lingyu Palace, taking a rare opportunity to re-examine his cultivation path.

I have never had a sincere desire for self-improvement; I am more pragmatic and ready to use whatever I can.

To put it nicely, it's called being inclusive; in reality, it's a case of indiscriminate inclusion.

My decision to pursue the path of sword cultivation upon entering Shanyin County was entirely due to the circumstances.

Having been fortunate enough to receive teachings from my master, I value the background of the Yellow Heaven Path more than the path itself of the "Zhou Jue Yin Tian Secret Manual".

The seed of Ruomu, a spiritual root of life and death, is passed down by the Black Emperor lineage of the Yin-Yang Dharma King. It is obtained from the Taiyu Abi Sword of the Northern Mang Ghost Ancestor, the true meaning of the Future Star Tribulation Sutra of Buddhism, and the Five Weapons Sword Gu which is inextricably linked to the Demonic Sect...

All those who can be used by me, regardless of their origin or background, will be incorporated into the foundation of the Way.

Any one of these principles, even if it doesn't directly lead to the path to immortality, is enough to allow the possessor to enter the Void Stepping Realm. And the contradictory and irreconcilable aspects within these principles are countless.

As these countless problems and contradictions accumulated, coupled with our own choices, they ultimately led to the current situation.

Over time, this accumulation has finally led to the shackles of my own making.

Therefore, today's misfortune can be considered as a blessing or a curse with no fixed gate, but rather something that people invite upon themselves.

This is tribulation, a hardship that practitioners must endure.

Calamities can be heavenly, demonic, or war-torn...

From a spiritual practice perspective, what I am facing is a tribulation of human relationships, which can be divided into two types: external and internal. External tribulations involve people becoming enemies and creating various obstacles to spiritual practice. Internal tribulations refer to my current situation.

This calamity is the result of all the causes and effects of past actions, now manifesting all at once.

What we need to do now is take a step forward and figure out how to break free from this predicament.

After careful consideration, Su Che came up with three strategies: superior, middle, and inferior.

The best course of action is to wait until later, when one returns to the Yellow Heaven, and ask one's mentor Yu Lizi or the Yellow Heaven Daoist leader to personally examine one's pulse and point out a clear path.

With their extraordinary abilities, these two must surely have a solution.

The only problem is that it's too slow.

Starting with Bailudong, the mastermind may even be involved with Xuandu Palace, and it's unknown how many powerful figures will be implicated.

I might not live to see that day.

The middle option is to follow the path of Buddhism.

With the true meaning of the Future Star Tribulation Sutra in hand, and the blessing of the Pure Lapis Lazuli Buddha Light, one of the nine fundamental Buddha lights, I might be able to try walking the path of Buddhism again. There is always a way to convert countless demons. And the best part is that I don't have to practice it myself; instead, I can use those few above Ruomu as intermediaries.

This method can certainly address the root cause, but it might take too much time and also carries the risk of using one enemy against another.

Originally, Ruomu had already connected with this Heavenly Demon Sea. If it were to attract various Buddhist forces, there might be other unforeseen events.

The worst-case scenario is to devise a way to restrain the Heavenly Demon Sea, given the current situation.

The Heavenly Demon Sea was vast and boundless, with countless celestial demons rising and falling within it, but ultimately, none of these myriad demons held a central command. Secondly, despite his years of arduous work within the Earthly Official Immortal Palace, and his ferocity, he was ultimately not much different from "medicinal dregs."

Most importantly, since they can be absorbed by Ruomu, it means that they are already within the control of the Law of Life and Death, and can be considered a special kind of being, only more numerous and more powerful.

If we can find a way, there is always a way to control it.

The downside is that this method doesn't address the root cause; it's merely a temporary fix. Moreover, finding a truly effective solution is uncertain and could take a very long time.

However, the one thing Su Che has plenty of right now is time.

Time is a great asset.

The longer one "disappears," the greater the destructive power one will have when one reappears.

We need to make good use of this time.

Since we've gone astray, let's find a way to get back on track.

Moreover, there is a famous saying in the cultivation world: "Great calamity brings great supernatural powers."

The greater the hardship, the richer the rewards after overcoming it.

Without much hesitation, Su Che began to peruse the various books left behind by Fa Kong, especially those related to the Changsheng Sect.

The lineage of the Longevity Sect originated from the Xuanmen (mysterious sect), and even from the lineage of the ancient Azure Emperor.

Since he has transitioned from Taoism to Buddhism, he must take both schools into account. His current problem lies in the Heavenly Demon's Defilement Sea. Could he find a solution from the Longevity Sect?

It may be unorthodox, but there are always some useful things about it.

With this in mind, Su Che adjusted his mood and began to reread the books inside.

With the foundation of a Core Formation cultivator still intact, Su Che's improved eyesight and spiritual growth allowed him to read ten lines at a glance and remember everything he saw.

Although there are many books in Lingyu Hall, with Su Che's current abilities, he can probably read through them in about half a month.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and Su Che did not hesitate to start reading.

After flipping through about two or three hundred books, Su Che managed to find a few that could be used as references. These were listed separately for later viewing.

He lay back in the armchair and began to observe slowly. Just as Su Che was beginning to understand, there was a knock on the door.

"who is it?"

"Uncle-Master, I am Wanying, a disciple of Master Jin. I have come here specifically to deliver your waist token."

This Jin Yunu is quite enthusiastic.

Su Che naturally understood that Jin Yunu was so enthusiastic for two reasons. First, she wanted to use him to curry favor with the Demon Lord in Hemp Robes. After all, who knew when the Longevity Sect might turn from the teacher's favorite student into his masterpiece?

Secondly, it may also be a way of probing one's own background.

No wonder you couldn't beat that Hua Gu; look how composed he is.

Su Che didn't act arrogantly, and said something very warmly to the outside.

"Please come in."

The door creaked open, and a graceful woman walked in, dressed in palace attire, with a slight smile on her face.

She held a plate in her jade-like hands, on which was placed a small jade plaque.

"Wanying greets her martial uncle."

Su Che looked her up and down, and realized that this woman was also a master of the Rejuvenation Pill.

That's right. According to the shabby rules of the Demonic Sect, seniority is determined by cultivation level. This woman may have joined the sect earlier than Jin Yunu, but now she can only be considered a "disciple"...

Ironically, these teachers and students, once exposed, are simply sticking together for mutual support due to shared interests.

No, this person might also be a talented alchemist.

"There's no need to mention the title 'Uncle-Master,' I'm merely a servant of the Demon Lord."

They hadn't exchanged more than a few words, but Su Che acted as if he held the Demon Lord in hemp robes in high esteem.

"Miss Wanying is truly accomplished."

Su Che put the wooden tray aside and raised the jade tablet in his hand.

"This is a token of the sect, with jade being the most prestigious, followed by gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Within a thousand miles of our sect, this jade token is as if a high-ranking master has personally arrived, signifying that you are a sect elder."

The elders of the Longevity Cult are worthless.

Su Che looked at the jade tablet. It had a ferocious beast head holding a jade tablet in its mouth. The front was inscribed with "Token of Longevity," while the back had the words "Yang Marrow."

This thing looks simple, not even a magic weapon, but when you sweep it with the sword intent of creation, you can see that it contains hidden wonders.

This thing was actually a naturally formed object. It didn't need to be refined; it naturally possessed certain effects. With just a glance, Su Che knew that this thing could calm the mind, suppress inner demons, and nourish the soul.

That's true. The top figures in the Longevity Sect are these Void Step cultivators, so they naturally don't need to consider practicality like ordinary disciples.

Instead, we look at the value and benefits.

Such an item would be highly sought after even in the East China Sea.

Su Che examined the jade pendant for a while.

Although the Longevity Sect also has Longevity Immortals, these demon lords are all busy improving their cultivation, and they often wander around the outer void or plot conspiracies. Naturally, the sect reveres Bu Xu.

It seems that my identity as a "Yang marrow" is actually a pleasant surprise.

However, the Demon Lord in Hemp Robes will emerge from seclusion in a few months.

If we really want to achieve something, we should take advantage of this old demon's recovery time to act quickly.

"Sister Jin invited you here, surely it wasn't just to deliver the token, was it?"

Su Che asked with a smile.

"Uncle Master..."

Na Wanying drawled, "My teacher has specially prepared a banquet to welcome my martial uncle back. I wonder if my martial uncle..."

"Of course I'm free."

Su Che put the jade pendant in his hand into his pocket.

"I'm just feeling a bit lazy today, so let's do it another day."

Su Che said, waving his hand gently.

"I'll rest now. If Miss Wanying has nothing else to do, why don't you sit with me a while longer?"

"I will naturally visit my master's side often, but I need to report back to my master first, and I will come to pay my respects to my master later."

"Hahaha, okay."

Su Che watched her sway as she left Lingyu Palace, then carefully closed the bronze door. His smiling face immediately darkened.

He then took out the jade tablet, flicked it lightly, and a shadowy figure flew out from it.

(End of this chapter)