Pure Yang!

Chapter 493 Dragon Vein Inner Core! A Mirror in the Deep Mountains Reflects Three Corpses
An Wuyang, from Zhongnan Mountain, is known as "Little Chongyang" and is the sect's designated successor. He has always been regarded as a rival by Meng Qiwu.

She never expected that the helper Zhang Fan found for this expedition to the Tomb of the Living Dead would be this person.

"Junior Sister Meng, what a coincidence!" An Wuyang walked over, looked at the familiar face in front of her, and greeted her.

He was only one year younger than Meng Qiwu, but he had entered the sect much earlier than her.

"You he……"

Meng Qiwu looked at An Wuyang with a mixture of surprise and doubt, then at Zhang Fan.

“Brother An Dao and I have a very close relationship, so I asked him to help me this time,” Zhang Fan said casually.

"A close relationship?" Meng Qiwu was stunned.

Zhang Fan could count the number of times he had met An Wuyang on one hand.

Most importantly, she heard that several months ago, An Wuyang went to Maoshan to refine the magic seal, but Zhang Fan stole the peach, devouring all the incense and spiritual power of the two incomplete seals he had prepared, thus taking away the opportunity for the magic treasure to advance.

Such a "relationship" could easily turn them into mortal enemies, let alone friends.

Clearly, Zhang Fan's explanation failed to convince Meng Qiwu.

“I have long admired Brother An Dao,” Zhang Fan said with a light laugh.

"Alright, you don't need to know the secret between him and me. Now, get going."

Just then, An Wuyang interrupted their conversation and walked between them.

His bluntness left Zhang Fan somewhat at a loss.

"What secret do you have with him?" Meng Qiwu stared at Zhang Fan suspiciously and leaned closer to ask.

"Don't listen to his nonsense." Zhang Fan smiled awkwardly, then turned and chased after An Wuyang.

"Fellow Daoist, wait for me."

Watching the two figures gradually disappear into the distance, Meng Qiwu had no choice but to follow them.

The three traveled together, venturing deep into the Zhongnan Mountains.

……

At dusk, the sun sets in the west.

Luoying Mountain is right in front of us.

Legend has it that when Master Chongyang was alive, he planted peach trees on this mountain and often climbed it in his later years.

Last time, the Tomb of the Living Dead appeared, and Li Yishan fought a great battle with Luo Sen near this mountain.

"The Tomb of the Living Dead should be in the surrounding area," Zhang Fan murmured.

Although the general location was known, this kind of secret realm was like a blessed land, with mysterious and unpredictable surrounding energy. In modern terms, it had a special magnetic field with variable frequencies, making it difficult even for cultivators to find.

This is similar to an ordinary person going into a deep mountain; most of them will get lost.

"You two met once before!?" An Wuyang suddenly asked.

"Hmm, it's a pity I didn't get to go inside," Zhang Fan sighed.

The Tomb of the Living Dead is where Master Chongyang secluded himself in meditation. How could an ordinary person have such good fortune?
However, on that occasion, he heard Wu Qingnang mention the mysteries of the Tomb of the Living Dead.

The newly appointed president of the Jiangnan Provincial Dao Alliance said that the Tomb of the Living Dead is a "uterus" in the mountains and rivers, which is a woman's womb.

As the saying goes, the heavens have the sun and moon, and humans have yin and yang; all things in nature are reflected in the human body.

Mountains and rivers correspond to the meridians in the human body.

Muscles are like hills and valleys, internal organs contain the five elements, joy and anger are like the changing wind and rain, and voice is like the roar of thunder and lightning.

The uterus, hidden within the body of Yin, gathers Yang essence. When Yin and Yang are in harmony, creation is completed, and the state of man from nothing to something, from death to life, is achieved.

Living in death, and death hidden in life, the secret of defying life and death, and the understanding of the principles of Yin and Yang.

That is the Tomb of the Living Dead.

"The womb..."

After listening to Zhang Fan's description, An Wuyang pondered for a moment and then nodded: "Wu Qingnang's feng shui skills are indeed unique, but they are too petty."

"What do you mean?" Zhang Fan couldn't help but ask.

"He only said one thing, but not the other."

"Secondly?" Meng Qiwu couldn't help but ask.

“Looking at the feng shui of the Zhongnan Mountains, if the main ridge of the Zhongnan Mountains is a ‘Qian Dragon,’ also known as a Yang Dragon, then there must also be a ‘Hidden Dragon,’ also known as a Yin Dragon,” An Wuyang said solemnly.

Dragon veins are divided into yin and yang; yang dragons are associated with growth and development, while yin dragons are associated with storage and preservation.

“The Tomb of the Living Dead must be located in that place where the Yin Dragon's energy gathers,” An Wuyang analyzed.

"The mountains here are not necessarily high and steep, but the land is exceptionally deep and secluded. The undulating terrain resembles a dragon in hiding, with its vitality contained within, resulting in exceptionally lush vegetation. Moreover, it should be located in a valley or similar area."

"Amazing."

Zhang Fan's eyes lit up. The environment described by An Wuyang was extremely similar to the one when the Tomb of the Living Dead appeared.

"This can only determine the general location. The area where the burial site is located is too large, but there is only one vital point. If we want to find the main tomb, or even get inside, we will have to rely on you."

An Wuyang glanced at Zhang Fan and said meaningfully.

"Damn you!?" Meng Qiwu couldn't help but look at Zhang Fan.

"Let's go," An Wuyang urged.

The three continued their stealthy journey, following their previous instructions, crossing the south side of Luoying Mountain. As dusk fell, large stars appeared and a bright moon rose into the sky.

Suddenly, Zhang Fan stopped abruptly and saw that not far ahead, two mountain ridges embraced each other like a green dragon and a white tiger, with a valley in the middle shrouded in mist and an underground river flowing through the mountain stream.

Through spiritual observation, one could see white mist suddenly rising from the valley, spiraling upwards like swaying dragon whiskers, converging in the center of the valley to form a vortex seven zhang in diameter.

"That's it."

An Wuyang took a step forward, his figure as swift as the wind, and rushed towards the strange phenomenon in the empty valley.

Zhang Fan and Meng Qiwu exchanged a glance, and not wanting to be left behind, they followed.

A moment later, the three entered the deep valley and saw a cold pool where the white mist gathered. There, a round, ochre-colored boulder sat in the center of the whirlpool, and it gleamed like amber in the night.

The pool water was cold, yet its amber-like luster exuded a warmth that blended into the swaying, towering white mist.

“The Yin Dragon Holds a Pearl!” An Wuyang said solemnly.

"This is it!" Zhang Fan's eyes lit up.

Extraordinary places inevitably produce extraordinary sights.

Such a scene is rarely seen in ordinary mountains and rivers.

"The Yin Dragon holds a pearl in its mouth... This pearl is hidden in the dragon's mouth. Over time, it has absorbed enough of the earth's energy, which is equivalent to the inner elixir of Taoist cultivation."

Just then, Meng Qiwu couldn't help but speak up. She stared intently at the boulder at the center of the vortex, her gaze becoming intensely fervent.

Wherever there is a dragon vein, creation is bound to occur.

Just like the "pine cone" that Zhang Fan refined in Tongluo Mountain, it is just like the Taoist mud pill.

The bead before me is far more extraordinary than that pine cone. It is the essence of the Yin Dragon of Zhongnan Mountain, akin to the culmination of one's life force, its inner essence formed.

"This thing..."

Zhang Fan had a fleeting thought, but upon further reflection, he vaguely felt that something was amiss.

"Absolutely not!"

Just then, An Wuyang raised his hand and swiftly cut off their delusions.

"The Yin Dragon holding the pearl is just the finishing touch to the feng shui of this place. If you take this pearl, the world will immediately change, mountains will collapse in front of you, and the earth will crack below... Such natural disasters are only the present..." An Wuyang said in a deep voice.

"Disrupting the feng shui of this place will affect the entire Qinxi Province. Moreover, this dragon vein in Qinxi originates from the ancestral Kunlun..."

"A single hair can affect the whole body; you can't bear the consequences of such a cause and effect."

At this point, An Wuyang raised an eyebrow and looked at Zhang Fan: "Such a treasure, such a blessing, just taking it away will bring immense calamity."

"Besides, you can't take it away either."

“The Wang family must have come here more than once. They are a pure Yang family, and they must have their reasons for not taking the bead.” Zhang Fan seemed to understand.

If they were to move this bead, the valley would likely collapse immediately. Even those at the Zhai Shou realm would be no match for the immense power of nature.

“Those who cultivate the Tao seek externally, but it will all be like a mirage; they seek internally, and only then can they achieve complete fulfillment,” An Wuyang suddenly said.

Faced with this incredible stroke of luck, he remained unmoved, for he had already grasped the intricacies of fortune and misfortune. "You really managed to pull it off."

Zhang Fan pursed his lips and looked away from the bead.

"Let's go."

The three continued their trek into the deep valley. After walking for a short while, they saw three ancient cypress trees standing before them like hanging needles. They looked to be about a thousand years old. Their roots were exposed like dragon claws climbing rocks, while their crowns were covered with jade-colored flowers.

"A sign of the world turning upside down!?" Zhang Fan couldn't help but look up.

As day turns to night, the dew that condenses on the branches rises against the current, ascending vertically along the cracked lines of the bark, gathering at the treetops and transforming into a misty haze that, at first glance, resembles a canopy supporting the sky.

“This thing is not simple either; it reverses Yin and Yang,” An Wuyang said solemnly.

They also have a similar ancient cypress in Zhongnan Mountain. It is said that its annual rings show a Tai Chi double fish pattern. The wood on the sunny side is as cold as ice, while the wood on the shady side is as warm as fire. The reversal of Yin and Yang has achieved the true wonder of Taoist alchemy.

The patriarch said that practicing under this tree is like interacting with the heavens and man, and one can gain ineffable insights and experiences.

It is no exaggeration to say that this single extraordinary tree is comparable to a blessed land.

The three ancient cypress trees before me are no less impressive than the one on Zhongnan Mountain.

"Pity."

Zhang Fan watched with envy, his heart itching with longing.

If this treasure were unearthed and transplanted to Tongluo Mountain, how many talented people would emerge from it? It would greatly benefit even his cultivation.

"what are you thinking?"

Seeing Zhang Fan's unusual expression, Meng Qiwu couldn't help but ask.

"N-nothing... I was just marveling at the wonders of nature," Zhang Fan said with a dry laugh.

"You're just lamenting that you didn't bring an axe, aren't you?" Meng Qiwu said casually.

"..."

"Don't even think about it. This kind of spiritual root can't survive if it leaves this place."

An Wuyang shook his head, then suddenly turned around and looked at Zhang Fan.

"We're already at the Yin Dragon's lair. Now, finding the Tomb of the Living Dead depends on you."

After a moment's thought, Zhang Fan suddenly trembled, and a strange frequency slowly spread out.

"This is……"

Meng Qiwu's eyes widened suddenly as he saw Zhang Fan's clothes billowing without wind, and something seemed to be wriggling and undulating under his skin, much like the meridians of the human body.

At the same time, a golden light appeared in his dantian, and his inner core shone brightly, igniting what resembled meridians like a flame.

"His manhood!"

An Wuyang's gaze sharpened to a single line, and suddenly he saw that the "ignited" life-giving root shone with starlight. A wisp of smoke rose up, like incense, and shot up along Zhang Fan's back, floating in the air above his head, drifting towards a certain direction in the deep valley.

"Zhang Fan, you..."

Meng Qiwu's eyes shone with a strange light, and he saw that the flowers and plants under Zhang Fan's feet were constantly being born and dying, as if they were trapped in an endless cycle.

He exuded an extremely peculiar aura, like a newborn infant or a withered ghost.

"You...you also cultivated Jia Sheng Gui Si!?" Meng Qiwu looked at Zhang Fan in disbelief. When this thought arose, she was startled herself.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Of course not, let's go." Zhang Fan shook his head, offering no explanation.

He followed the guidance of that wisp of cloud and smoke, and under the strange aura, the scenery seen by everyone's primordial spirits seemed to become clearer, and the range of vision became larger and larger.

"No wonder it requires Jia to be born and Gui to die in order to enter the Tomb of the Living Dead. Otherwise, even if we find this place, we probably won't be able to find the entrance to the Tomb of the Living Dead!" Zhang Fan suddenly realized.

Suddenly, a thick fog rolled in ahead, mingling with the rising smoke from the [Life Root].

"Be careful, we've probably entered the Tomb of the Living Dead," An Wuyang warned.

The feeling of this mist is very similar to the smoke rising from the burning [Life Root].

The three remained silent, proceeding cautiously.

At this moment, they could even hear each other's heartbeats, and in between, the wind howled into the deep valley, like the roar of a dragon.

The sense of time becomes dulled in this place.

After an unknown amount of time, the surrounding fog slowly dissipated, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they watched the scenery gradually become clearer.

I thought I was going to encounter some danger, but since entering this place, everything has been peaceful and without any trouble.

This trip seems to have gone quite smoothly.

"Look."

Just then, Meng Qiwu suddenly pointed ahead and shouted.

Zhang Fan looked up and saw a stone tablet not far ahead. It was a sky-blue color and its surface was smooth and translucent, so much so that it could even reflect a person's image.

The three of them walked up to the monument, and there were words written on it.

“Judging from the appearance, this is not an ancient stele. The characters are very new, at most seventy or eighty years old,” An Wuyang identified.

Zhang Fan looked closely and saw two lines of characters written in a flamboyant, ghostly style.

The Way resides within your heart; do not seek it vainly. The dragon and tiger reside only in your mind.

Everyone has their own Dragon Tiger Mountain, but only those who cultivate themselves at the foot of Dragon Tiger Mountain should do so.

The signature is...

"Zhang Beiming!?" Zhang Fan's heart skipped a beat.

Zhang Beiming was the first ruler of the Northern Zhang clan.

The manuscript that Zhang Fan obtained was left behind by this person.

"He's been here before."

"That's it. This person followed Zhang Taixu as a guest in Zhongnan Mountain for three whole years." Zhang Fan suddenly realized.

He was the leader of the Northern Zhang, possessing extraordinary abilities. How could he not be tempted by the Tomb of the Living Dead? How could he not find this place?
Perhaps, that manuscript was left behind by him after he came out of the Tomb of the Living Dead.

"You...you all look, why are your shadows different from mine?"

Just then, Meng Qiwu suddenly exclaimed.

Zhang Fan's gaze sharpened to a single line, and he then realized that the reflections of the three people were all displayed on the smooth, mirror-like stone tablet.

Meng Qiwu's image actually consisted of three shadows that appeared in the Yuan Palace, Jiang Palace, and Xuan Palace, respectively, and were intertwined together, connected with his primordial spirit.

As for Zhang Fan and An Wuyang, their reflections were normal, without the three strange shadows.

"What is this shadow?" Meng Qiwu asked, puzzled.

"This is the Three Corpses..."

Zhang Fan's expression changed slightly, and he suddenly said.

He was very familiar with this thing. This stone tablet was no ordinary stone tablet; it could actually reflect the three corpses like a mirror.

He successfully merged with the divine, and his three corpses had already departed from the mortal world, so the empty mirror could not find his three corpses.

but……

"You didn't have any?"

Just then, Zhang Fan suddenly looked up at An Wuyang.

The stone tablet also doesn't reflect An Wuyang's shadow, so there are only two possibilities.

"Or perhaps An Wuyang also cultivated the Three Corpses Illumination Technique and successfully merged with the divine, thus encountering the Three Corpses Calamity."

This possibility is obviously almost non-existent; otherwise, Zhang Fan should have had some vague sense of it.

Besides, is the Three Corpses Illuminating Fate technique so easy to cultivate?

Reaching this level of cultivation is rare throughout history, let alone the fact that two people in the same era have achieved it.

Then, only one possibility remains.

The primordial spirit is incomplete; the disciple from Zhongnan Mountain before him is merely one of those three primordial spirits.

"You've cultivated the Divine Splitting Technique!?" Zhang Fan suddenly asked An Wuyang, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

(End of this chapter)