Pure Yang!

Chapter 428 The Great Primordial Spirit, An Unexpected Encounter! The Ancestor of Restoration

The thick white fog dissipated, and looking up, a crescent moon hung high in the sky.

The deep night blankets the Liangshan Mountains; I wonder what year it is beyond them.

"It's dark?"

Zhang Fan was in a daze, his primordial spirit subsided, and he broke free from the endless light and shadow just now.

He took out his phone and checked the time. It was 7:38 PM. When he and Zhang Wuming entered the mountain, it was around 8 or 9 AM. In the blink of an eye, most of the day had passed.

"This mountain is indeed strange!" Zhang Fan's expression turned slightly serious.

Before the natural world, even with his cultivation, he felt insignificant and ordinary. In the mountains, years passed indefinitely, and even with a primordial spirit as strong as Zhang Fan's, it was difficult to glimpse the fleeting time.

If even Zhang Fan is like this, then for ordinary people, these hidden realms of mountains and seas are simply dead ends.

Perhaps, if an ordinary person entered that eerie fog, by the time they "woke up," they would find themselves surrounded by a pile of bones in the mountains.

"Nameless...nameless..."

Zhang Fan called out loudly, his voice seemingly echoing in the empty valley, but apart from the sounds of birds and beasts in the distance, there was no response.

"Did they get separated?" Zhang Fan frowned.

He looked at the vast, deep mountains and strode forward. Before long, a gust of wind suddenly arose, carrying with it a bloody smell.

Zhang Fan stopped and looked around. He saw a striped tiger walking towards him from the dense forest, standing on a large blue stone, staring straight at him.

The clouds follow the dragon and the wind follows the tiger.

The giant worm's fur gleamed glistening in the moonlight, its eyes wide and menacing as it approached Zhang Fan step by step.

"A real tiger." Zhang Fan curled his lip. It was the first time he had ever seen a real tiger outside of a zoo.

However, places like Tongluo Mountain have been devoid of demons and monsters ever since they were slaughtered by the Three Corpse Taoist a hundred years ago.

The tiger in front of him was more than twice the size of the one Zhang Fan had seen in the zoo. Its fur rose and fell gently, as if it were breathing, and the bright moonlight seemed to seep into its fur.

Zhang Fan knew that this tiger was no ordinary creature. Its ability to gaze at the moon and breathe deeply indicated that it had developed some of the instincts of cultivation, although it was far from reaching the level of a spirit or monster. However, its blood energy, strength, and perception already surpassed those of ordinary mountain beasts.

Especially its long tail swaying in the air, though slowly, produced a series of sounds, like the lashing of a whip, its power like waves.

hum...

Just then, the giant worm suddenly stopped, stopping thirty paces away from Zhang Fan. Its sinister gaze swept over Zhang Fan, as if it had instinctively sensed a strange danger.

"Be cautious."

Zhang Fan chuckled. With his current cultivation level and realm, he was already extraordinary and saintly in the mortal world, comparable to those extraordinary people in ancient times. He was strong enough to lift a tripod and could naturally fight tigers and wolves and subdue dragons in the sea.

However, at this moment, he did not look at the large worm, but turned his gaze elsewhere.

Suddenly, the grass in the dense forest rustled.

Zhang Fan remained silent, simply watching quietly. After a short while, a young man emerged, dressed in a Taoist robe and white sneakers. He wasn't particularly handsome, but he had a rather refined appearance.

He was hiding in the shadows when Zhang Fan spotted him, and an embarrassed smile involuntarily appeared on his face.

"He seems very afraid of you."

The young man scratched his head and looked at the large worm, but the worm seemed not to see him at all. Its sinister eyes were fixed on Zhang Fan, as if it dared not relax its guard for even a moment.

"Which Taoist priest are you? How dare you enter Tongluo Mountain alone?" Zhang Fan looked at the young man and, for some reason, felt a strange sensation rising in his heart.

"And you? You don't seem to be an ordinary person either, a cultivator?" The young man asked instead of answering, showing extreme caution.

"Your primordial spirit has recovered, which shows that you are quite talented. Your aura is just like the authentic one, but it is floating in the air and not solid..." Zhang Fan looked at the young man and said with a smile.

"You haven't received the true teachings?"

Upon hearing this, the young man's expression changed drastically. He looked at Zhang Fan in surprise, never expecting that this man, who looked to be about the same age as him, could see through his true nature at a glance.

"Brother, you're amazing! You must be a master." The young man stared intently at Zhang Fan and couldn't help but say.

His title is quite interesting; it doesn't sound like that of a Taoist, as he still retains a worldly air.

"Brother, look at this tiger, it's almost become a spirit. Why don't we kill it?" The young man glanced at it out of the corner of his eye, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

Mountain spirits absorb the essence of the sun and moon, their bones and flesh becoming spiritually connected, making them ideal for Taoist methods of nourishing the body.

Roar……

As soon as he finished speaking, the worm seemed to understand and let out a startled roar.

The tiger roared through the mountains and forests, its powerful voice startling the wild animals and causing hundreds of birds to take flight.

The young man's expression changed drastically. He subconsciously looked up and saw that the big guy's gaze swept over him and locked onto him.

Rumble…

Suddenly, the giant worm moved, and cracks immediately appeared on the bluestone beneath its feet, as if it were enduring some terrifying power. With such an outburst, the distance of tens of meters seemed to be within reach.

A foul stench filled the air as a long tail swept across, its blade-like tip slicing through the air with deadly speed. If it landed on a person, half their head would be gone.

The young man's eyes widened in disbelief; he had never seen anything like this before and was frozen in fear.

hum...

Just then, his vision blurred, and he saw a figure moving.

Zhang Fan appeared like a ghost, blocking his way, and reached out with his right hand to grasp the heavy, powerful weapon.

Roar……

The giant worm let out a roar, its blood-red maw suddenly opening to reveal a set of menacing white teeth, like clashing steel blades.

Almost simultaneously, Zhang Fan gently slapped his other hand down on the tiger's head, causing it to lose its balance and slam into the ground.

A dull thud followed, sending up plumes of dust that soared into the sky.

The young man's throat bobbed as he stared in disbelief, his mind reeling.

He hadn't expected that the man in front of him, who was about the same age as him, possessed the ability to subdue dragons and tigers. With a simple gesture, he suppressed the giant insect that was about to become a demon.

"Brother, you're amazing!"

The young man recovered, swallowed hard, walked behind Zhang Fan, and stared at the large worm at his feet.

“These furs are all treasures, and tiger bones can be used to make medicine…” The young man’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Brother, I used to be an apprentice at a meat processing plant, so leave the knife work to me."

Upon hearing this, the large worm crawling on the ground let out a mournful howl, slightly raised its eyes, and no longer had its previous ferocity. The look it gave Zhang Fan was almost pleading.

"Its cultivation is not easy, don't harm its life," Zhang Fan whispered.

The young man was taken aback for a moment, looked at Zhang Fan, and quickly said, "My brother is the most merciful."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fan couldn't help but chuckle.

"It is not out of my compassion, but because the principles of Heaven are clear and this is the natural order."

Upon hearing this, the young man looked puzzled.

Zhang Fan did not explain, however, that everything in this world has a beginning and an end.

Every tribulation has its end, and every fortune will follow.

A hundred years ago, Tongluo Mountain suffered a great calamity, with demons and ghosts dying out and spirits being exterminated, leaving the mountain deserted for a century.

Now that the great calamity has passed, we should be thriving and recovering.

This is the creation of heaven and earth, and the law of the Great Dao. This great worm, hidden deep in the mountains, has been able to cultivate itself in this way, which shows that it has received a great destiny and gained the favor of heaven.

Zhang Fan's actions were not out of compassion, but rather in accordance with the Way of Heaven and in harmony with nature. With this thought, good fortune is bound to follow.

“A cultivator should know the will of Heaven and align himself with the true nature,” Zhang Fan said casually.

Upon hearing this, the young man remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.

Roar……

The giant worm seemed to hear Zhang Fan's words, let out a low growl, and actually prostrated itself on the ground, nodding repeatedly to Zhang Fan as if in worship.

"This thing is almost sentient; it's already become intelligent," the young man exclaimed in amazement.

No wonder he always heard that in ancient times, many great alchemists would enlighten spirits in the mountains, subdue dragons and tigers, and make them either mounts or guardian beasts. Now it seems that the legends are not unfounded.

“Brother, my name is Xu Jinian, and I am a disciple of Gezao Mountain.”

Just then, the young man finally introduced himself.

"Are you a disciple of Gezao Mountain?" Zhang Fan asked in surprise.

That can be considered a prestigious and renowned sect.

"I'm not officially a disciple yet," Xu Jinian said with a wry smile.

He came from a poor family in the mountains. He lost his mother when he was young. After finishing junior high school, he went out to work with his father. However, his father died in an accident at the construction site less than two years later.

Although he received a large sum of money in compensation, he was still young, and as a result, his grandfather and uncles took the money, saying they were keeping it for him.

Two years later, a fire broke out in his home, and his grandfather, uncle, and aunt all died in the fire. He had no relatives left and left his hometown alone.

"Everyone in the village says I'm a cursed lone star," Xu Jinian said with a wry smile.

"Tsk tsk, you have little connection with your family. You were born to cultivate the Dao." Zhang Fan exclaimed in amazement.

The world has yin and yang; any issue must be viewed dialectically.

Such people may seem to have a tragic past, but in reality, they have very weak ties to the mortal world, shallow family ties, and no attachments. They are born to cultivate the Tao.

"Later, I went out to work on my own." Xu Jinian can be considered a poor man's child who matured early.

I've slaughtered pigs, carried corpses, worked in factories tightening screws; I've rubbed backs, massaged oil, and performed monkey shows along the streets.

"I was hoping to save some money to get married and settle down, but my girlfriend of three years got into a car accident the day before we were supposed to get our marriage certificate..."

"He was hit and killed," Xu Jinian sighed.

"..."

"At that time, I was disheartened and wanted to become a monk."

"I had just registered and paid the fee when the abbot of the temple was investigated for embezzling temple property. I heard he also kept many mistresses and had many children..." Xu Jinian said helplessly.

"..."

The temple is a quiet place, and only Ferraris are parked in the courtyard.

Left with no other choice, he traveled a long and winding road, eventually ending up in Xijiang Province and climbing Mount Gezao.

“Who knew that these days, becoming a Taoist priest requires academic qualifications and background? I pay more than 20,000 yuan in tuition every year, and I’m still just an apprentice, not even a true disciple of Gezao Mountain,” Xu Jinian couldn’t help but say.

"Then who taught you your Taoist magic?" Zhang Fan couldn't help but ask.

He could tell that Xu Jinian's primordial spirit had been restored. Although his Taoist skills were rudimentary, he had obtained the authentic method, but had not received the true teachings.

“Read the book yourself,” Xu Jinian said solemnly.

After all, he had gone up the mountain and paid his tuition, so he was still able to browse through many of the classic texts and scriptures of Gezao Mountain.

However, many of the true teachings are secret words, which cannot be understood without a master. In addition, he was not well-educated to begin with, so when he encountered something he didn't understand, he would search online. After three years of exploration, he actually figured it out and became self-taught, awakening his primordial spirit.

"You really are a promising candidate for cultivation," Zhang Fan exclaimed in amazement.

Those who attain enlightenment and mastery of sexual function must possess exceptional natural talent.

This Xu Jinian is not highly skilled, but he has enormous potential.

"Then why did you come to Tongluo Mountain? Don't you know this place is dangerous?" Zhang Fan pressed.

“I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know exactly how dangerous it is…” Xu Jinian shook his head.

He was all alone on Gezao Mountain, so naturally no one told him these things.

"Not long ago, a lot of important figures came to the mountains. They seemed to be from the capital. Many of the senior brothers and sisters in the sect surrounded them and fawned over them. A couple of days ago, they all went into Tongluo Mountain together..."

"It seems there are also people from Sanqing Mountain."

"I was curious and wondered if there was some treasure here, so I followed them."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fan's expression hardened slightly. It seemed that Yu Xuanji was indeed here.

He was curious about what the experts from Baihe Temple in the capital were doing at Tongluo Mountain.
“Brother, there’s actually another reason why I went into the mountains…” Xu Jinian suddenly said.

"what?"

“When I was on the mountain before, I found a map in the lining of an ancient book. It marked that the predecessors of Gezao Mountain had once refined elixirs in Tongluo Mountain…” Xu Jinian said solemnly.

"I thought I'd come in and look around. If I could really find some kind of magic pill, wouldn't that be enough to ascend to the heavens in one step?"

"Alchemy!?" Zhang Fan's heart stirred slightly.

Gezao Mountain is the ancestral home of the Lingbao School. It is said that this lineage is extremely skilled in alchemy and possesses the ability to extract the essence of mountains and seas and refine external elixirs. They seal the energy of heaven and earth within the great elixir, and over time, they seize the power of the sun and moon, giving rise to unpredictable abilities.

For this reason, the external alchemy of Gezao Mountain is extremely terrifying, and there is even a method to achieve internal alchemy through external alchemy.

"Brother, how about we go together? If we find it, you can just share a sip of soup with me."

As he spoke, Xu Jinian pulled a piece of leather from his pocket without hesitation.

"You're really interesting," Zhang Fan chuckled.

Judging from his hiding place just now, it's clear that Xu Jinian, though seemingly rough around the edges, is actually meticulous and extremely cautious. He actually revealed his biggest secret to Zhang Fan at this moment.

"I know you're no ordinary person. I rarely get to see someone as important as you..."

"What's that saying again? 'A man may have lofty ambitions, but without good fortune, nothing can be accomplished.' I believe I'll be unlucky my whole life. I think, brother, you are my great fortune." Xu Jinian was extremely frank.

Sincerity is always the most irrefutable and powerful weapon. His lack of concealment left Zhang Fan with no room for argument.

"Brother, if you think I'm good enough for you, then let me come along. If you don't, I'll leave immediately and won't bother you at all," Xu Jinian said with utmost sincerity.

"Then you can come with me." Zhang Fan raised his hand and took the leather.

Xu Jinian was overjoyed, his eyes shining with a different kind of light: "Brother, I still don't know your name."

"My name is Zhao..."

Zhang Fan spoke softly, then paused slightly before looking up. Dark clouds stretched across the sky, revealing a bright moon that shone brightly over the vast expanse of heaven, casting its light above the two of them.

"My name is Zhang Fan!"

Zhang Fan felt a strange sensation and blurted it out without thinking.

"Lingbao Sect..."

"The founder of ZTE!?"

Almost at the same moment, deep within the misty mountains of Tongluo Mountain, a strange sound rose up, like a murmur from the mountains, echoing between heaven and earth.

(End of this chapter)