Immortality begins with meditation puppets

Inside the Su Mansion.

A group of cultivators lined up to give money to Tong Chang.

Su Qing wasn't sure if Li Kuishan had any untold wealth, but it was certain that Tong Chang had made a fortune before entering the secret realm. Because he was sensible, he secretly sent a message to Tong Chang offering him a share, and Tong Chang quietly waited on the side. After everyone had been tricked once, but had spent a thousand spirit stones to buy peace of mind, all the cultivators gave him a reply.

Apart from Niu Shisan needing to take care of his sister-in-law, Duan Tianai wanting to give the opportunity to her brother Duan Yang, and a few others who were unwilling to go, all the other cultivators were willing to go to the Abyss Secret Realm with him.

He had anticipated this and was not surprised. Nobody was stupid; everyone knew that a high-level secret realm was an immense opportunity. Since the decision had already been made, he felt it was necessary to give a few words of advice.

"Since you all trust me, Su Qing, and are willing to take this risk with me, then this matter is settled. As for when to set off, I think it's better to do it sooner rather than later."

Therefore, the secret realm lies on Penglai Immortal Island, which the people of Penglai have not yet discovered. But who can guarantee that they will never find it? To avoid any unforeseen complications, we should seize it as soon as possible and reap its benefits. This gathering of heroes has brought together many wise men. As the host, I cannot leave during the duration of this gathering. However, the gathering is about to end. After I see off the distinguished guests from all sects, I can set off. You can also take this time to make preparations and arrangements as needed. Don't rush and make mistakes later.

Furthermore, I must remind everyone that the main threats within this secret realm are ancient, ferocious spirits and underworld beasts. The possibility of demonic possession cannot be ruled out. If you wish to enter the secret realm, you must prepare necessities to counter these threats: talismans for warding off evil, exorcising puppets, and protective armor. Prepare these items carefully. Don't be stingy with spirit stones; even a large amount of spirit stones is useless if they aren't converted into combat power. This Heroes' Gathering has brought countless valuable items from various realms and sects. Take this opportunity to purchase one or two as needed. If you lack connections, you can ask me or Peach Blossom True Monarch to purchase them for you.”

After Su Qing finished speaking, all the cultivators wore bitter smiles, knowing that no matter what they gained in the secret realm this time, they would have to spend most of their resources before they even left.

"No, we need to buy things as soon as possible, lest everyone scramble for them, and you end up with money but no good goods, and good goods will skyrocket in price!"

Some cultivators realized what was happening, hurriedly cupped their hands in greeting to Su Qing, and then rushed out the door. The other cultivators also took their leave and went back to make preparations.

Just as they left, Su Qing was about to take advantage of the four women's presence to do some things he usually didn't have the chance to do when the gatekeeper announced that a large number of cultivators from various realms had gathered outside the mansion, wanting to pay a visit.

Su Qing was initially startled, thinking that these cultivators from all realms had some means to break through the layers of barriers of his Su family mansion, spy on the Su family mansion's true strength, and leak the news of the Abyss Secret Realm, so that they would come to his door to try to get a share of the spoils.

But then I thought that even if they knew, they wouldn't act so quickly.

"Could it be because of Fellow Daoist Shao? So many people gathered at your residence just now. Are the cultivators from all the heavens worried that we're causing trouble and might attack the Eastern King Sect?"

Liu Yun'er reminded him from the side, and Su Qing immediately understood that what she said was almost right. Just now, he and his old brothers and new friends were all preoccupied with the Abyss Secret Realm and had forgotten about obtaining the dragon.

Having figured things out, he calmed himself down, put on an angry face that showed he was still furious and wanted to kill someone, and didn't let the gatekeeper bring the people into the mansion. He stepped out of the mansion alone with his sword drawn, followed by three thousand elite lizard soldiers. Their armor clashed and their swords clashed, and a murderous aura rushed towards the cultivators outside the mansion.

The leader, Yuanshizong Guangxian Zhenjun, frowned upon seeing this setup, thinking that things were not good. He wondered how much Su Qing would extort from him today. But then he thought that he had only been invited by Dongwangzong to settle things. No matter how much Su Qing extorted, he would not have to pay for it. Why should he worry about it?

With a smile on his face, he took two steps forward, grasped Su Qing's hand, and gazed at him with sincere eyes.

"Master Su, please calm down. We all know about the grievances suffered by the Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom. Although swords and spears are indiscriminate and armor malfunctions, and the fault is not intentional, it is true that Fellow Daoist Shao's life or death is unknown. It is understandable that Master Su is angry, but there is no need to make such a big fuss, recruiting old subordinates and gathering troops to start a war with the Eastern King Sect!"

What Guangxian Zhenjun said was exactly what all the cultivators behind him were worried about, especially Zhongze Zhenjun of the Dongwang Sect, who was so worried that he could hardly speak, "Su... Su Zhenren, there's no need, no, no... As for, didn't our Dongwang Sect already give you an explanation on the arena? If you're not satisfied with that explanation, you can bring it up again. If you don't bring it up, how do you know we can't afford it... Our Dongwang Sect is still very sincere, we really don't want to be opponents of the Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom!"

Their concerns are not unfounded.

Just moments ago, they received news that many cultivators in the Western City who were connected to the Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom and Su Qing, all swearing and acting aggressively, gathered at the Su residence. After staying there for a while, they made some decision, and when they came out, they all spent lavishly, buying combat supplies from various stalls in the Western City, looking like they were ready to fight.

Without Zhongze Zhenjun even needing to think, he already felt that the matter of obtaining the dragon had angered these people. Su Qing was preparing to bring his men and weapons to cause trouble for the Eastern King Sect again.

With his eyebrows in the air, Zhongze Zhenjun had no choice but to seek help from the Yuanshi Sect, Danyuan Sect, and other major sects in the heavens, asking them to help his Dongwang Sect ease the tensions with the Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom. It would be a stroke of luck if the crisis could be resolved without bloodshed, and they would be willing to bleed even more.

The major sects of the heavens, such as the Yuanshi Sect, did not want the Heroes' Gathering, which they had painstakingly organized to bridge the conflict between the cultivators of the heavens and the cultivators of the Heavenly Origin Sect, to become the fuse that ignited a conflict between the forces of the heavens and the Heavenly Origin Sect. After receiving a request for help from True Monarch Zhongze, the group rushed to the Su residence without stopping.

They told Su Qing to restrain himself and stay calm. Su Qing, who was already very calm and restrained, took the opportunity to hide his angry face. He didn't want to overact, lest De Long be exposed later and he would be implicated and made to take the blame, and be seen by these people as Su Qing helping De Long put on an act.

He smiled helplessly, broke free from Guangxian Zhenjun's large hand, and sighed, "I naturally know that the cultivators of the Eastern King Sect didn't do it on purpose and are quite reasonable. However, my Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom is far to the west, a barbarian land. The cultivators there are crude and easily angered. Upon hearing that Delong was in trouble, they disregarded the righteous cause of resisting demons and only wanted revenge. Even though I have been trying to appease them until now, it is difficult to quell their anger. I am preparing to send some puppets to keep an eye on them to prevent them from offending the fellow Daoists of the Eastern King Sect." Su Qing's words made Zhongze Zhenjun feel very comfortable. He secretly thought that the spirit stones he had given Su Qing on the arena earlier were not in vain. This True Man really did his job after receiving the money. He would have to give him some more spirit stones later. As long as there was no fighting, everything was negotiable. There was no need to wait. Zhongze Zhenjun quietly took out a large stack of large-denomination bearer spirit notes that he had just exchanged from Xiong Er's bank from his storage bag and gave the money on the spot.

Guangxian Zhenjun breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. As long as Su Qing didn't lead any trouble, his subordinates wouldn't be able to cause any real waves and wouldn't affect the relationship between the various heavenly forces and the Tianyuan forces.

Although both sides knew that as the forces of the heavens continued to entangle in the Tianyuan Realm, conflict with the local forces of Tianyuan was inevitable sooner or later, but that was a matter for the future. Right now, their Yuanshi Sect was preparing to unite internal and external forces to organize a large-scale operation against the Demon Buddha of Wufo Mountain. This was one of the reasons why they supported holding this Heroes' Assembly. They wanted to take this opportunity to unite the various sects and factions of the heavens and the local forces of Tianyuan, and organize their forces as quickly as possible to prevent the Demon Buddha or the Demon Lord of Time from continuing to develop.

Both sects seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and the disciples of the Peach Blossom Sect standing behind them also silently relaxed.

For some reason, their senior brother has been hanging out with people from the Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom lately. The sect instructed him to befriend Su Qing, but not to become as close as they are to each other. After returning, their senior brother not only made them hand over all the cultivation artifacts the sect brought to the competition in the Western City for safekeeping, but also borrowed a large sum of spirit stones from them to go on a shopping spree for high-end offensive and defensive items. This scared them, and they thought their senior brother was going to join the Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom in starting a war against the Eastern King Sect.

"Since it was all a misunderstanding, let's put this matter aside for now. With the Heroes' Gathering coming to an end and the rankings of the various forces becoming clear, and after the closing ceremony three days from now, Master Laosu will announce the things we discussed earlier. We need to get this demon-slaying done as soon as possible; we can't delay any longer!"

Guangxian Zhenjun spoke earnestly to Su Qing, appearing as if he carried the weight of all the heavens and myriad realms, and all living beings on his shoulders.

Su Qing knew exactly what he was thinking, and quickly declined:
"On the leaderboard, your sect ranks first, and together with the Lingbao Sect, you are truly a top-tier power. The Anti-Demon Alliance will need your sect and the Lingbao Sect to lead it in the future. A hundred years from now, the matter of all realms, sects, races, and beings uniting to resist demons will still need to be announced by your sect. Only with your sect's prestige can you convince the masses and gain widespread support. I will not overstep my bounds and embarrass myself by taking the stage!"

"Since True Master Su is unwilling, then this sect will accept the offer without hesitation!" Whoever takes the lead in speaking is the leader. If the operation goes smoothly, both fortune and prestige will be greatly enhanced. True Lord Guangxian was extremely satisfied to see that Su Qing was so sensible.

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries, and before they turned to leave, Su Qing reminded Zhong Ze Zhenjun of the Dongwang Sect not to forget their agreement.

Zhongze Zhenjun was taken aback upon hearing this, not expecting that he and Su Qing had any dirty agreement. It was only after being reminded by the servant beside him that he remembered that he had invited Su Qing to the sect as a guest. It was just a polite remark, but he didn't expect that Su Qing would take it seriously. However, it didn't matter. As long as he dared to come to the Penglai Dongwang Sect's residence, the Dongwang Sect would not be so stingy as to not provide him with a meal.

"Rest assured, Master Su, whenever you have the time, please feel free to visit my sect. I and the entire sect will be waiting for your arrival!"

Zhongze Zhenjun politely reiterated his promise, which made Su Qing smile and clasp his hands in greeting. This trip to the Abyss Secret Realm would definitely include a visit to Penglai Immortal Island. Originally, he had planned to use the Zhao family's connections to see if that old man Zhao Zhengquan would give him face, but now there was no need. With Dongwangzong as a good friend, he would have a good reason to bring a group of brothers and friends to Penglai Immortal Island.

As Su Qing watched the dozens of cultivators from various realms depart, he was about to turn back to his residence when he glanced at the street and saw a desolate and sorrowful tiger walking towards the Su residence.

A cold wind swirled fallen leaves as the Blood Tiger dragged its wounded body, its body covered in wounds that looked as if it had been struck by a thousand swords, more numerous than its tiger stripes. The entire tiger exuded a desolate aura of physical and mental anguish and despair.

Su Qing took a closer look and realized, "Isn't this my Tiger Egg?!"

"How did things get like this? You got beaten up? Who did it! Who has the guts to do that! Even when beating a dog, you have to consider its owner. Don't you even know who's protecting this Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom? How dare you mess with me? Tiger Egg, just tell me. No matter which sect or faction he's from, even if he's a celestial being or an ancient Buddha, your master will deal with him today!"

From the day she created the tiger egg, when had the tiger egg ever suffered such injustice? Su Qing couldn't bear it, not even a little bit.

"Master, please don't be angry. The one who hit me and hurt me was the one who found me a good master, the Three Sheep True Lord. Today, I fought him on the arena to see who was better, and tested our swordsmanship. But I was severely taught a lesson by his master, who treated me like a disciple. I admit that I am not as good as him. I am also willing to follow your orders, Master, and become his disciple to learn some skills at the Lingbao Sect!"

Tiger Egg wasn't one to be stubborn or refuse to admit defeat. Having always been self-taught, it had previously resisted the master Su Qing had arranged for it. However, today, in the final round of the kendo competition, it was completely overwhelmed by Li Sanyang's skillful sword moves and magnificent swordsmanship. Only then did it realize that there are swords beyond swords and heavens beyond heavens, and it finally admitted defeat and was completely convinced.

Upon hearing that it was Li Sanyang who had done this, Su Qing didn't say much. In fact, it was he who sent a message to Li Sanyang, saying that Hu Dan was arrogant and that if he wanted to take him as a disciple, he would have to do some tough things to him. Now that the tough things had been done, and Hu Dan had indeed been subdued, Hu Dan wasn't angry, so Su Qing had even less reason to be angry.

"Since it is the Three Rams True Lord, then there is nothing to worry about. Tiger Egg, don't worry. This True Lord's abilities are renowned throughout the heavens. Your master has already investigated him. Otherwise, why would I entrust you to him? Your injuries are nothing to worry about. Come back to my residence with me, and I will repair you. I guarantee that you will be full of energy again after a good night's sleep!"

"Physical wounds heal easily, but who can mend the wounds in my heart? Master, Tiger Egg, my heart is full of bitterness!"

"Is it because you can't bear to part with me, your master? Thinking about it, it makes sense. You and I, master and servant, have shared life and death together until today. Our bond is as deep as the sea, and we've never been apart. It would be too cruel to ask you to leave me. Don't worry, I can visit you at the Lingbao Sect whenever I need to, and you can also come home anytime. If that doesn't work, you can also..."

"I'm dumped!"

"Ah, it's not that she can't bear to part with me, it's that Liu Yin has changed her mind and cheated on me!" (End of Chapter)