My ordinary path to immortality shouldn't end here.

Chapter 77 The Uses of a Love-Obsessed Mind
Humans have five greed and five desires. The five greed resides in the heart, and so do the five desires. These include joy, anger, sorrow, happiness, worry, love, hate, fear, injury, and suffering. Desires are endless, and greed is inexhaustible. Once you climb a mountain, you want to go to a higher place.

After a full meal, one wants to eat well; after eating well, one wants to eat in luxury; having eaten in luxury, one wants to eat something different...

This applies to eating, clothing, transportation, and shelter as well.

Endless thoughts, endless greed, insatiable desires.

However, there's nothing inherently wrong with that. The only problem is going too far with greed. In this world, everything in excess is as bad as deficiency.

Greed is a choice.

Not being greedy is just one option.

Therefore, the chapter on greed in the "Puppet Show Sutra" is actually a method for self-cultivation.

Having understood this, Bai Chijing finally began to realize why the strange object on his body would produce such a "searching" result when he wanted to create a method that suited him.

He coveted longevity but wasn't particularly interested in fame or fortune.

He disliked conflict, but he was not afraid of trouble either.

This is being greedy yet not greedy, wanting yet not wanting—isn't this exactly what the "Great Way of Greed" is all about?

So, Bai Chijing returned to his cave.

He opened the scroll of scripture, and when he looked at it again, the splitting headache was gone. After Bai Chijing finished reading the scroll of scripture, he was able to begin practicing this method.

However, Bai Chijing gave up.

"With four faces and eight arms, though it takes the form of a Buddha, it practices the way of controlling people's hearts and souls..."

This is undoubtedly a scroll of extremely high quality.

When encountering an indifferent person, one can praise their way of dealing with people and things, and by using self-interest as a means to manipulate them, they become a puppet in one's grasp.

When you encounter an arrogant person, you should agree with everything they say and do. Over time, their heart will become clouded, and you can easily manipulate them into becoming a puppet on the line.

Encounter a great hero...

Humans have countless appearances, but this method transforms all these people into puppets in your palm.

It's extremely strange and domineering.

Because turning someone into one's own puppet, after entering the initial stage of cultivation, only requires a few words. Although it is not as powerful as a single sentence like "Fellow Daoist, please wait," it is not far off.

But this is not the most terrifying part of this scripture. The most terrifying part is that after one has just begun to cultivate, one's cultivation level will increase rapidly simply by constantly amplifying one's greed!

If one can master this method, attaining immortality within three days is not a pipe dream.

However, this method is not suitable for Shiraike Kei.

His greed was not yet strong enough to make offerings that would allow him to attain immortality.

Moreover... with such rapid cultivation, Bai Chijing felt that even if he could attain immortality through this, he would be unable to progress further after becoming an immortal.

The descriptions of cultivation after becoming an immortal are somewhat bizarre, and even a bit upside down.

It was as if I had become a puppet on strings, being manipulated by others.

Bai Chijing then put the scripture away again, put away his greedy thoughts, and walked out of the cave step by step, just like an ordinary person.

Bai Chijing was so shocked by the contents of this scripture that he decided to temper his temperament in the way of an ordinary person.

This is to cultivate oneself by applying the principle of being free from desires and wants from the greed chapter of the "Puppet Show Sutra".

From that day on, it was as if a mortal had appeared on Mount Tujian. However, no one truly regarded this mortal as just another mortal.

Whether they were disciples of the Tu Jian Shan sect at the Outer Material Realm or the Outer Appearance Realm, upon encountering Bai Chi Jing, they all bowed respectfully from a distance and dared not approach too closely.

By this time, Bai Chijing had already earned a thoroughly fearsome reputation.

The Bodhisattva Temple was confined within the Three Refuges City, but the other four temples flourished in all directions. Naturally, the five great dynasties would not refuse to welcome the disciples of these four branches of the Chanxin Buddhist sect.

After all, from the very beginning, what the five dynasties opposed was not the Chanxin Buddhist sect, but rather that the Chanxin Buddhist sect imitated the young Taoist boys in preaching and spreading the Dharma, resulting in more and more people among the independent cultivators receiving complete inheritance, which directly affected the fundamental interests of the ruling class of the five dynasties.

Now that they have seen that the Chanxin Buddhist Sect seems to have four people who are on par with Suitian Chan, the five great dynasties naturally will no longer care about the gains and losses in this regard.

The Zen Heart Buddhist sect is so popular that Bai Chijing, who once opposed it, was inevitably categorized as the "villain."

Thus, Bai Chijing's infamous reputation grew ever stronger.

Under the influence of such a fearsome reputation, the name Bai Chijing is now feared not only by the cultivators of Tu Jian Mountain, but also by the disciples of Tu Jian Mountain.

Because Ling Yuxian's death was discovered, Tu Jianshan chose to let it go.

This attitude will remain for at least the next hundred years.

I won't hold a grudge against Bai Chijing!
However, because the method of being free from desire and wants in the greed chapter of the "Puppet Show Sutra" is so powerful, Bai Chijing, who has temporarily transformed himself into an ordinary person, is currently unaware of these things.

And so, eighty-one days later, Bai Chijing finally ended his mortal state.

At this moment, he had completely suppressed the influence of understanding that scripture. Once the thought arose, his heart would no longer be disturbed.

This is no easy task, because it requires not only self-deception but also genuine letting go.

Therefore, Bai Chijing, who was completely unaware of his current appearance, did the first thing after completing his transformation into a mortal: he rode on a sword rainbow to visit Su Chengwu at Su Kong Cave.

This was something that had been planned in advance.

Sword cultivators' sword escape techniques are naturally extremely fast, especially for someone at Bai Chijing's level. He was about thirty miles away from Su Kong's cave. Such a distance naturally wouldn't even take a single breath.

Bai Chijing's arrival naturally alerted Su Chengwu immediately. As the host of the area, Su Chengwu quickly led his men out to greet him.

The gates of Su Kong Cave opened, and cultivators filed out one after another.

Among them were disciples of the Outer Realm who had pledged allegiance to Su Chengwu, as well as members of the Su family.

At this moment, Bai Chijing only glanced at Su Chengwu before losing interest. This was because Su Chengwu showed no signs of calamity.

After all, they were fellow disciples, so Bai Chijing couldn't just turn around and leave. So his gaze fell on the cultivators who were filing out and lining up on both sides of Su Kong's cave.

One can only say that he truly deserves to be a servant in Su Chengwu's cave.

These people were dressed in very unusual clothes. Their black and white silk robes hung down to their feet, with faint traces of spiritual energy flowing around them. Above them, there were delicate embroidered patterns resembling pine and bamboo leaves floating on their sleeves. These were not ordinary silk threads, but rather threads that had been repeatedly refined by the spiritual fire magic of cultivators after condensing the essence of plants and trees from the mountain's spiritual mist.

While the sword path is supreme in the Yao Tian Realm, this does not mean that the crafting techniques for magical artifacts in this world are merely average.

At this moment, Su Chengwu had already arrived in front of Bai Chijing.

Without hesitation, Su Chengwu clasped his hands in a salute and said, "Congratulations, Junior Brother Bai, on your progress in cultivation. It seems you've taken another step closer to the Outer Heaven Realm." Su Chengwu didn't know Bai Chijing's cultivation progress, but when he encountered a cultivator who seemed to have been in seclusion for many days, as long as the other party didn't look unwell, then saying this was definitely the right thing to do.

This is a general discourse template.

The phrase "outer world realm" needs to be modified appropriately.

Even the attendants' attire was so extraordinary, Su Chengwu's attire was naturally even more unusual. However, Bai Chijing's gaze lingered for less than a second before turning to Huai Jinxin, who was not far behind Su Chengwu.

This beauty, who became famous in the Yao Tian Realm in her early years because of Su Chengwu and now because of Bai Chijing, is naturally beautiful and needs no further praise.

At this moment, Huai Jinxin's attire was different from usual.

Previously, due to her background, Huai Jinxin's attire tended to be that of a modest young lady. But now, she was wearing a high-waisted ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), its color a golden-purple, exuding a grand and majestic air. On her shoulders, a layer of smoky gauze draped over her shoulders, adorned with beautiful ornaments crafted from the true form of some kind of mortal demon.

That mortal demon is the "Jade Maiden of the Clams." After her death, her true form possesses dazzling colors and can nourish the bodies of those who cultivate immortality. Therefore, she is a rare and precious creature among cultivators in Yaotian.

At this moment, as Huai Jin took her lotus-like steps slowly, her skirt fluttered slightly, vaguely revealing three crimson halos around her ankles—a forbidden technique refined with the body of another human demon, "True Spirit Blood," mixed with millennia of profound cold energy, capable of preventing demons and evil spirits from getting close.

But what's most worth looking at is the string of twelve-inch bronze bells hanging from her waist.

This bell is named Jiutian (Nine Heavens).

It is silent when people walk on it, and it is also silent when it is shaken. Only when it is activated will it produce a faint ethereal sound.

This is a very famous magical artifact in the Yao Tian Realm.

Its value is naturally considerable.

A person's clothing can often directly reflect their personality.

They have a straightforward personality and prioritize comfort in their clothing.

They are decisive and efficient in their work, and their clothing is simple.

They are laid-back and prefer comfortable and simple clothing.

But at this moment, Huai Jinxin's attire was not just a little different from before, it was a completely different world!
A person's personality cannot change so much in a short period of time!

Therefore, Bai Chijing asked Huai Qiaoqiao directly, "Junior sister, has your sister been acting differently lately?"

When Huai Qiaoqiao saw Bai Chijing talking to her, she couldn't help but smile happily. Then, without thinking much, she nodded in response.

Finally, he couldn't help but ask, "Senior brother, how did you tell? My sister's changes weren't obvious!"

Bai Chijing did not answer Huai Qiaoqiao, but looked at Huai Jinxin with a complicated look in his eyes, a mixture of surprise and apprehension.

"I wonder where this fellow Daoist comes from? Has he possessed my old acquaintance?" Bai Chijing asked directly.

Because Bai Chijing himself was a time traveler, he suspected that Huai Jinxin in front of him might also have been a time traveler.

After all, if he can do it, why can't others?

Bai Chijing never considered time travel as something that was exclusive to him, so he had always been very cautious in this regard.

At this moment, Bai Chijing's words undoubtedly caused a slight change in the expressions of everyone present. Su Chengwu, in particular, showed the most dramatic change in expression.

But it wasn't disbelief; rather, she looked at Huai Jinxin with a mixture of fear and trepidation, and angrily asked, "Who exactly are you?"

If Bai Chijing could see it, Su Chengwu certainly could too, and even earlier.

The original "soul similar to a ghost" still retained Huai Jinxin's memories and personality habits, but the one who descended to earth later did not retain much in this regard.

After all, she was the Daoist Master's disciple!
Therefore, after Huai Jinxin gave a perfunctory explanation, Su Chengwu no longer had any doubts.

There's no way around it, that's just how love-struck people are.

But things are different now. After Bai Chijing pointed it out, the doubts that had been suppressed by his love-struck mind resurfaced in Su Chengwu's mind.

At this moment, Huai Jinxin was also quite surprised. She hadn't bothered with any pretense, because there was no need, but how dare this mortal speak like that?
The mortal before me is naturally not referring to Su Chengwu.

It is the scenery of Baichi Pond.

"Then how about... you guess?" Huai Jinxin laughed and gave Bai Chijing this answer.

"I don't want to guess, so please speak frankly, fellow Daoist! I wonder if my junior sister Huai Jinxin is still alive?" Bai Chijing said casually, his tone exceptionally calm.

After all, Bai Chijing cared least about whether Huai Jinxin was alive or dead.

It doesn't matter if I live or die.

“I’m already here, so she’s obviously dead!” Upon hearing this, “Huai Jinxin” covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled softly.

She has a graceful posture and a pleasant voice.

However, to someone with a romantic mind, this scene was nothing short of horrific.

Before Su Chengwu, the love-struck fool, could fly into a rage and strike in anger, "Huai Jinxin" continued, "How about this, you come find me! If you find me, I'll tell you how she died. Hehehe!"

As soon as the words fell, one could see that the black hair of "Huai Jinxin" was fading from the ends, like light ink spreading on rough paper. Even the purple-gold dress and the gorgeous human-demon decorations began to fade away!
Then, those slender, delicate fingers, which were now turning into translucent wisps of green smoke inch by inch, vanished without a trace as they curled and swayed.

However, the bizarre and sarcastic smile on Huai Jinxin's lips remained frozen in time.

Finally, along with its shadow, it disappeared from the sight of everyone present.

"Ahhhhh! Ah..."

A scream of utter agony suddenly rang out.

That would naturally be Su Chengwu.

Only someone so love-struck would be so emotionally agitated at this moment. As for the others, Huai Qiaoqiao was shocked and heartbroken, while the others were simply too shocked to react.

This includes a certain Mr. Bai.

He was simply shocked.

Su Chengwu was nearly insane at this point. After a series of shouts and screams, he suddenly produced a magical artifact. Before Bai Chijing could even get a clear look at the artifact, he discovered that Su Chengwu had already activated it.

Then, suddenly, a thunderclap resounded throughout the world.

After the thunder, a somewhat hazy mountain silhouette appeared, and on this mountain silhouette were three grand halls.

At that very moment, Bai Chijing was surprised to find that the calamity energy he had long since lost its ability to guide him was now pointing at the young Taoist disciple of the small Taoist sect!

　I didn't sleep well last night, which made me feel bad today. I'll be up late tomorrow.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)