Demon Taming: Start by synthesizing a Lantern Ghost with Divine and Demonic Talents

Chapter 127, Section 126: The Sea of ​​Black Lotus, the Black Lotus of a Turbid World
Winning the overall championship of the Mountain and Sea World Team Tournament brings incredibly rich rewards.

The first step is to accumulate countless merits.

Secondly, you have one chance to advance and forge a magic weapon: one Tier 1 magic weapon, three Tier 2 spiritual weapons, and five Xuan-level (mysterious) spell advancement stones.

Most importantly, he gained an opportunity for further study that would lead him directly to the Yang Shen Dao (a path to enlightenment).

For Li Chunfeng, this was the best opportunity to see the original text of the "Black Lotus Sutra in a Turbid World".

After the team matches, there will be exciting individual matches.

Li Chunfeng didn't pay much attention to it; he just glanced at the news about the individual competition in the Nine Provinces.

It has been discovered that Lu Yun'er has already caused quite a stir.

During the battle, she used the same 'Void Walking' escape technique as Li Chunfeng, which greatly enhanced her already formidable combat power. Although her escape technique is currently at a lower level and she cannot move as freely as Li Chunfeng, it is enough for her to display her power.

The battle is still ongoing, but Lu Yun'er has a very good chance of making it into the top ten.

In the Shan Hai Tian Xia region, the team competition rewards were quickly distributed.

A refined-looking middle-aged monk surnamed Dai negotiated with them and presented the awards.

As usual, Li Chunfeng divided the merits equally among himself and his followers.

In addition, he plans to transfer another three million merits to Yan Liguang.

When they first went to the Ghost Realm, they were penniless. It was Yan Liguang who personally contributed 10,000 merit points to help them out of their immediate predicament.

This level of Taoist skill seems insignificant in Li Chunfeng's hands now.

But Yan Liguang has so many students, and he sponsors quite a few impoverished students on a regular basis.

There weren't many ways to make money, and the spiritual energy from teaching alone wasn't much. His own cultivation was so limited that his strength had even declined. This wasn't due to laziness or negligence, but simply because circumstances didn't allow it.

Under those circumstances, Yan Liguang's ability to provide Li Chunfeng with 10,000 merit points was an immense favor.

Repaying kindness is Li's guiding principle.

Whatever Yan Liguang does with those three million merits is his own business, and Li Chunfeng will not interfere.

However, he decided to wait until after the big exam to make the transfer.

Li Chunfeng didn't tell anyone about this; it was just his personal action.

As for the rewards of magic weapon upgrade opportunities and magic weapon embryos, everyone was sensible and didn't mention them, only distributing them as spiritual artifacts, divine weapons, and spell upgrade stones.

Hu Yifei, possessing a Tier 3 Burning Heart Demon-Subduing Blade, looked down on Tier 2 divine weapons, thus giving his chance to others.

The remaining three pieces of equipment were divided among the three of them.

Li Chunfeng accepted the reward without hesitation, without bothering to play the polite game of deference with everyone.

Anyway, there's still the World Championship Finals, so who knows, we might be able to win first place again then.

Thus, Li Chunfeng now had three Xuan-rank spell advancement stones, and he decisively used one.

Upgrade the Yellow-rank max level 'Void Walk' to the Profound-rank level 1.

[Void Walking: Profound Rank, Level 1 (1/1000)]

He chose to reserve the opportunity to forge a magical artifact as a reward for the Primal Sword Embryo.

The Purple Clouds and Smoke Robe is a first-tier magic treasure containing nine layers of earthly restrictions. It is not far from being upgraded, so there is no need to waste such a precious opportunity.

"Little fellow, since you've chosen to upgrade your original sword embryo, do you have any sword techniques to practice?" the cultivator surnamed Dai asked.

The review results for Li Chunfeng's application for the "Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods and Demons Nourishing Mind Sword Technique" have been released, but he has no time to practice it.

"No. Senior, may I ask what the relationship is between cultivating sword techniques and advancing the sword embryo?"

"It's extremely important. If you want to cultivate the original sword embryo as your natal flying sword, the purer the flying sword remains, the greater its power will be. If you don't let the mixed sword intents taint the flying sword, it will be more likely to reach a higher level in the future. If you upgrade the flying sword rashly without cultivating a sword technique, it's fine if it matches the attribute of the sword technique you will cultivate in the future, but if it doesn't match, it will be a huge waste."

Li Chunfeng thought for a moment and said, "Senior, I plan to cultivate the Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods and Demons Nourishing Mind Sword Technique."

"You have a good eye. This sword-nurturing technique is comprehensive and powerful. Now that you have a direction for cultivation, we can give you two choices. First, we will provide you with twelve divine spirits and advancement materials, and you can slowly nurture and advance it yourself. This is done in accordance with the requirements for the improvement of your natal flying sword."

"Second, using the Twelve Divine Fiends as the main material, place the original sword embryo in the sword-forging furnace to refine and nurture it until the magic weapon's grade is upgraded."

Li Chunfeng decisively replied, "Thank you for your guidance, senior. I choose the second option."

He has no plans to cultivate his natal flying sword for the time being.

A natal flying sword is more powerful, consumes less energy, and can be controlled at will, offering many advantages, but it also wastes more energy and cultivation resources. Even now, the primordial sword embryo is not yet his natal flying sword, but its appetite is already growing. It automatically absorbs soul power to nourish the sword embryo in Li Chunfeng's small inner world. Such a rate of consumption is not something an ordinary second-level cultivator can withstand.

If it were truly refined into a natal flying sword, the consumption would likely increase several times over.

This will inevitably affect Li Chunfeng's cultivation.

"Alright, hand over your original sword embryo. Do you need any first-tier magic weapons?"

"Senior, I would like to choose a magic treasure based on array formations, preferably one that can both trap enemies and provide protection. Is that alright?"

"You can do anything!"

The monk surnamed Dai smiled and presented the list according to his request.

After much deliberation, Li Chunfeng finally selected a first-tier Heavenly Gang Star River Array Flag.

It combines defense, trapping the enemy, and attack.

During his subsequent studies, he requested to see the original text of the "Black Lotus Sutra in a Turbid World".

The cultivator surnamed Dai simply nodded, noted down the request, and left.

That very night, Li Chunfeng was picked up by a mysterious flying boat and flew straight into the depths of the clouds.

Not long after it started flying, the airship suddenly shuddered, as if it had entered another mysterious space, and the light in front of it immediately became as bright as day.

Li Chunfeng keenly sensed that the spiritual energy of heaven and earth around him was incredibly rich.

We've arrived at Kunlun Mountain.

"Ahead lies Mount Kunlun, the foundation of the Imperial Academy. You can go up to the deck and see it for yourself."

"Yes."

The cultivator who greeted him appeared to be a young man, but his demeanor and mannerisms clearly indicated that he was not a young man, making it impossible to determine his exact age.

Li Chunfeng did not cause any trouble. The other party did not reveal their identity, and he did not even ask who the other party was.

But this person was very kind and well-mannered to him, saying, "You don't need to be reserved in front of me. If you choose to study at Kunlun Academy in the future, this will be your place of life and cultivation for many years to come."

Li Chunfeng respectfully cupped his hands in greeting, "Yes, I will seriously consider where I will study."

He walked out of the room and stood on the deck of the airship.

Looking out, one can see endless mountains with towering peaks everywhere, some as straight as arrows, others covered in blooming flowers and dotted with numerous palaces.

Countless waterfalls, some thousands of feet high, cascade down from the mountain peaks, resembling countless jade dragons.

It was clearly night outside, but in the blessed land of Kunlun Mountain, the sky remained clear and blue.

The sky was a clear, deep blue, like a crystal, without a single cloud. The sun shone brightly, its gentle, bright rays shining down, leaving the sky spotless.

On those hundreds and thousands of mountain peaks, pine trees with gnarled roots and twisted branches exude an ancient aura. And deep within those peaks, amidst the drifting clouds and mist, floating islands can be seen everywhere.

Each island is inhabited, some brightly lit, some nestled in bamboo groves, some with overlapping pavilions and towers, and there is a floating expanse of azure sea, contrasting beautifully with the blue sky above. Beyond the transparent water, one can clearly see the marine life swimming in the water.

Each floating island is different and has its own function.

Occasionally, flying boats or flying swords would appear, darting through the clouds, unlike anything in the human world.

Li Chunfeng was stunned by the breathtaking scene that resembled a heavenly palace.

A profound sense of awe welled up within me.

"The path to immortality! The path to immortality! This is what cultivation should be like!"

If Kunlun Imperial Academy is already like this, what magnificent sights must Dachan Temple Imperial Academy and Biyou Palace Imperial Academy be?

Li Chunfeng remained silent for a long time.

But his ambition to cultivate immortality was unknowingly further solidified and deepened.

The flying boat flew past a massive dragon gate and phoenix palace.

His understanding from online information was only partial; he knew that Kunlun Mountain actually had a hidden Kunlun Mountain corresponding to the manifest Kunlun Academy.

On the manifest Kunlun Mountain, the Nine Heavens Holy Capital was built, with each palace corresponding to one of the Nine Heavens' residences, which is the location of the Imperial Academy.

The hidden Kunlun Mountains are little known.

But the flying boat continued to fly further and further away, clearly having left the Kunlun Academy campus. It flew for an unknown amount of time until it stopped at the entrance to a ravine that was distinctly different from the surrounding scenery.

"On the orders of the headmaster, Su Youfeng of the Imperial Academy brought Li Chunfeng to see Teacher Heiyuan Beiji."

So his name was Su Youfeng, Li Chunfeng thought.

Su Youfeng's voice wasn't loud, but it continuously flowed into the depths of the Black Abyss, revealing his extremely high level of cultivation.

Li Chunfeng also followed Su Youfeng's example and respectfully bowed towards the abyss.

"Why?"

A faint voice drifted out, as if struggling to convey its words from an extremely distant place. By the time it reached their ears, the words were already somewhat distorted.

Su Youfeng said, "Li Chunfeng, the champion of this year's Qingyun Ranking Competition, cultivates the 'Black Lotus Scripture of the Turbid World.' As a reward for the champion, he chose to read the original 'Black Lotus Scripture of the Turbid World.'"

After a moment of silence in the ravine, the voice came again, now very close, "He's just causing me trouble. What's so interesting about the Black Lotus? I'd advise him to give up this technique as soon as possible, lest he regret it more the deeper he cultivates it."

“Professor Beiji, this is his right.” Su Youfeng said neither humbly nor arrogantly, “The headmaster personally instructed us to do this.”

"Understood. Let him in, you stay." Only after the mountain chief was carried out did a reluctant voice echo from the ravine.

Su Youfeng smiled at Li Chunfeng, "You don't need to be afraid. Teacher Beiji is ordered to guard the Black Abyss and has the responsibility to do so. He won't make things difficult for you. Go in by yourself, and I will wait for you here."

"Thank you very much, Senior Su!"

Li Chunfeng cupped his hands in greeting and stepped into the Black Abyss.

This place is filled with a rich, dark spiritual energy, somewhat similar to the Dark Abyss Ruins in Abyss City, but with an even more abundant spiritual energy.

If this is your first time entering this place, you might feel a little uncomfortable.

But Li Chunfeng entered the Black Abyss with the ease of a fish in water. He vaguely sensed that something extremely familiar was calling to him from the depths of the Black Abyss.

Upon reaching the end of the abyss, they found that there was no way forward, only a bottomless, pitch-black abyss, blocking their path like a crack in the earth.

Just as I was wondering where to go, the head of a huge black-scaled serpent emerged from the abyss, hissing as it sat on me.

[Blackwater Serpent: A cultivator's natal demonic pet; realm and bloodline unknown!]

Li Chunfeng cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you, senior."

He immediately stepped onto the head of the Blackwater Serpent.

The black serpent instantly flew towards the bottom of the abyss, descending rapidly at an astonishing speed, covering a considerable period of time. After a quick calculation, Li Chunfeng realized that the depth of this black abyss far surpassed that of the Ghost Mist Canyon he had previously encountered.

As he went further down, Li Chunfeng could faintly hear the sound of waves and even smell the salty, damp scent of the sea.

Could it be an underground saltwater lake?

He guessed that he had been carried underground by the Black Water Serpent.

This place is not a saltwater lake at all; it is clearly a vast, boundless underground sea.

The seawater here is black, but the underground space is not completely dark.

Li Chunfeng had previously traveled to the Ghost Realm's underground world, and this place was quite similar to it. Many fluorescent creatures lived there, and glowing demonic fish frequently surfaced in the sea. Even the clouds in the sky emitted a radiant glow, like colorful sunset clouds.

Even more so, Li Chunfeng could vaguely see a faint purple light shimmering on the distant sea surface; that was the unique glow emitted by the blooming buds of the Black Lotus.

The black water serpent swam quickly on the surface of the water and soon approached the shore.

Several lanterns floated beside a cave-like platform on the shore. This was a simple hermitage for spiritual practice, where a thin old Taoist priest was fishing with a fishing rod in his hand.

The black snake put him down, and Li Chunfeng respectfully bowed, saying, "Li Chunfeng greets Senior!"

"You don't need to be so polite with me. You wish to see the original 'Black Lotus Scripture of the Turbid World,' but unfortunately, there isn't an original version. All the existing cultivation methods are those that later generations have discovered from the black lotus. There are many other versions of cultivation methods written by others in the cave, which you can look at at will. If you want to visualize the real black lotus, there are them everywhere in this sea. It's up to your ability to find a black lotus and visualize it for as long as you want, until you can't take it anymore. The Xuan Snake will lead the way for you. Don't disturb my peaceful cultivation, whether you need to or not."

Li Chunfeng was somewhat bewildered.

It turns out that the original text of the "Black Lotus Sutra in a Turbid World" had such an origin.

No wonder Headmaster Qi Qianxun made that suggestion to him.

If Li Chunfeng intends to continue cultivating the "Black Lotus Sutra of the Turbid World," he really needs to join the Kunlun Imperial Academy.

Since the old Taoist priest didn't like being disturbed, Li Chunfeng readily agreed and asked the Blackwater Serpent to do the same.

He has extensive experience dealing with other people's natal spirit pets, and he feels more at ease when interacting with these spirit pets.

"I'll leave the rest to Senior Xuan She."

He bowed to the enormous black water serpent, then waved his hand, and a large pile of source stones appeared on a large stone slab on the shore.

The Blackwater Serpent's enormous vertical pupils contracted sharply, hissing.

With a flick of its forked tongue, the Originium fell into its mouth, making a crunching sound as it chewed.

After eating Li Chunfeng's food, the Black Water Serpent didn't show any particular reaction, but its divine sense clearly became much closer to him.

Li Chunfeng entered the cave and found that the bookshelves were filled with all kinds of martial arts manuals.

Moreover, they are all from the "Black Lotus Sutra of a Turbid World".

Even inside the cave, there are traces of the insights gained by predecessors, and even traces of sword energy and sword intent. I wonder what these predecessors have figured out.
Li Chunfeng wanted to read it, but reason told him that it was not the right time to try to understand other people's insights.

He's like a blank sheet of paper right now, with only a few basic points outlined. Once he's seen someone else's interpretation, he'll be immediately swayed.

Only by visualizing the black lotus with your own eyes can you have a deeper experience.

So they chose to go to sea.

"He who eats another's food is bound to do so," and so the Blackwater Serpent carried Li Chunfeng as they swam through this underground black sea.

After swimming for a short while, Li Chunfeng discovered several enormous black shadows following him beneath the surface of the water, seemingly heading towards him. If it weren't for the Black Water Serpent, he would likely have been devoured by the monsters the moment he stepped out of the sea.

The coordinates of the Black Lotus on the sea are very clear. The purple lights appear very faint from a distance, but the closer one gets, the more one realizes that the light is absolutely magnificent, reaching to the heavens and the earth.

Like lighthouses, they illuminate the vast Black Sea.

Before long, they arrived in front of a black lotus that was close to Xun.

This is a black lotus of the third grade.

The closer Li Chunfeng got to the black lotus, the more he felt the longing and temptation that came from the depths of his soul.

"A truly dangerous black lotus."

Li Chunfeng took a deep breath, silently recited a calming mantra, and forcefully suppressed the temptation that originated from the depths of his soul.

The effects of visualization and practice here will surely be excellent.

However, the resulting illusions will also increase.

"I hope I can handle it."

Li Chunfeng paused the soul fusion, summoned the Burning Lamp, and placed it above his head.

Enveloped in the light of the Heavenly Lamp, he sat cross-legged, quietly observing the true Black Lotus with his divine soul.

No detail should be overlooked; one must use one's divine sense to firmly imprint this third-grade black lotus into one's mind.

"Such an expression, such imposing presence, such tranquility, such elegance, such a refined demeanor..."

Li Chunfeng was already somewhat unable to tell whether this was a black lotus or a Taoist priest!
The first three chapters of the "Black Lotus Sutra of the Turbid World" flowed continuously through his mind. He unconsciously sat cross-legged, his hands forming a mudra, his expression serene.

Within the small inner world, the Undying Soul of the Black Lotus sat atop a third-grade black lotus, its hands forming a mysterious seal, its movements identical to those of its original form.

Unbeknownst to him, his progress in cultivating the Black Lotus Sutra of the Turbid World was also rapidly increasing.

[Black Lotus Sutra of a Turbid World - Second Level: Level 5 → Level 6 (123/6000)]

Characteristics: The Black Lotus Undying Soul, the Three Souls and Seven Spirits Combined, Divine Thought Transformed into Divine Consciousness, Condensing the Black Lotus Divine Embryo.

It is still improving rapidly.

When Li Chunfeng was thirsty, he would drink a sip of the spiritual wine given to him by Feng Yang; when he was hungry, he would eat a soldier's ration pill. When his energy was low, he would swallow some pills. He didn't know how much time had passed until his inner world suddenly trembled, and all the thoughts of the Black Lotus transformed into the shape of a Grade 3 Black Lotus.

From visualizing the twenty-four-petaled black lotus to the three-petaled black lotus, it seems like a downgrade.

In reality, the power of his spiritual energy was even greater than before.

At the same time, deep within his mind, the incomplete jade disc suddenly shone brightly.

A new category has emerged in the [Derived Dharma], namely the third-grade "Black Lotus Sutra of the Turbid World".

Since he was only a third-rank official, Li Chunfeng naturally did not make any calculations.

He patted the black serpent's large head and then swam towards the next location of the black lotus.

I'd like to ask for a monthly pass at the end of the month!
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(End of this chapter)