Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 46 Refining Marrow and Fat, Transmitting Techniques, and Gaining Favor (4.4 thousand words)
The disciples were stunned, their expressions either awkward or gloomy, none of them looking good.

Especially Qin Min, she never expected that in her master's eyes, she could only take the three shortcuts of "human, tool, talent, and spirit".

Fang Shu, standing among the crowd, was also experiencing emotional turmoil.

Although after entering the market, due to what he saw and heard, he no longer had any naive illusions about the cultivation of immortals in this world, and even began to have doubts about the so-called immortal sects.

However, now that the owner of the guesthouse has revealed this so bluntly, he still feels a mix of emotions.

He glanced at the others and noticed that even the two disciples who seemed to come from good backgrounds had complicated expressions, suggesting that they shared the same feelings as him.

However, the distracting thoughts in Fang Shu's mind came and went quickly.

His mind quickly settled.

Even if it's just food for others, who knows who will eat whom when they actually start cultivating! Besides, he also has the Dao talisman as a help.

After speaking, the headmaster squinted her old eyes and looked at the faces of her disciples, taking in their expressions.

Two people in particular caught her attention: Qin Min and Fang Shu.

When she saw that Fang Shu's expression had recovered quickly, she couldn't help but take a few more glances at him.

After giving everyone ample time to process the information, the owner of the private residence smiled again, but this time it was no longer a forced smile.

She said, "Alright, stop making such a fuss. It's just helping people cultivate magical artifacts and nourish precious herbs. Everyone goes through the same thing; no one is any better than anyone else."

These words caused a stir in everyone's expressions, and they immediately went to listen.

The owner of the private club said:

"Not to mention you, there are also Qi Refining Immortals, Foundation Establishment Immortals, and even Core Formation Golden Immortals within the Immortal Sect, and Divine Refining Immortals throughout the world... (Note 1)"
Even the ancient sages and masters who established the framework of the nine disciplines of immortal cultivation were nothing more than medicine slaves more than 90,000 years ago. Our lineage of immortals has always followed this path; we've grown accustomed to it.

These words, which sounded both comforting and self-deprecating, left Fang Shu and the others even more astonished.

The owner of the guesthouse was still rambling on:
"And rest assured, our school and the Five Immortal Sects in Mount Lu are all legitimate lineages of immortal studies, with their own established rules and regulations."

They don't devour their disciples alive like demons; instead, they value making the best use of people and prioritize voluntary transactions.

Furthermore, according to the experience of our predecessors, those of the same kind should not eat each other. No matter how much the immortal sects favor you, they will not devour or refine you, otherwise they would be ruining their own future. Only evil cultivators would do such a thing.

Therefore, the precious medicines within your bodies are generally used to refine magical artifacts, raise spiritual herbs and beasts, and are not intended for human consumption.

However, after the old woman uttered these comforting words, Fang Shu and the others' expressions did not improve; instead, they all became gloomy again.

One of the disciples murmured:
"It's not that it's meant to be eaten by humans, you mean it's only meant to be eaten by other species, right..."

Upon hearing this, the owner of the guesthouse nodded calmly, a half-smile playing on her lips.

"What's wrong with humans eating demons and demons eating humans?"

Now, everyone fell silent.

"Alright, I've already told you the three shortcuts. Whether you believe them or not, whether you can do them or not, is entirely up to you."

"Hey, the Immortal Sect doesn't accept disciples through charity."

The owner of the independent building clapped his hands:

"Please be alert. Now that we've finished our idle chatter, I will explain the specific cultivation methods for the Refining Essence stage and teach the Insect Technique to the new disciples."

Fang Shu, come here.

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu immediately suppressed his thoughts, stepped forward respectfully, and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.
"Yes, Master."

The gazes of others also fell upon him, some quickly and some slowly.

next moment.

The owner of the private club tapped his ear, and a swarm of small red flying insects flew out of the other person's ear.

Fang Shu had seen these flying insects before.

It was the blood flea that the innkeeper had given him to protect himself when he was about to go out last time.

But the other disciples, except for Du Yu'er, all looked surprised, as if it was the first time they had ever seen a blood flea.

Li Hou'er muttered to himself, "Why is the insect used to transmit the magic to Fang Shu different from the one I used last time?"

The owner of the guesthouse ignored their questions and simply explained:
"This is Master Flea."

Immediately, the owner of the inn moved around Fang Shu's left and right, tapping Fang Shu's body repeatedly, seemingly checking his quality.

A look of satisfaction appeared on her face: "The foundation is solid enough to withstand it."

She then pointed at Fang Shu and whispered, "Go!"

Buzz! The blood-red flying insects immediately swarmed towards Fang Shu.

But this time, instead of silently burrowing into Fang Shu's hair, they crawled all over his body, causing a stinging, itchy sensation.

It's as if these creatures aren't fleas, but mosquitoes.

The owner of the guesthouse instructed Fang Shu: "Take off your clothes, make sure you're completely naked."

Fang Shu endured the itching sensation and quickly stripped off his outer clothes, leaving only his underpants on.

All that could be seen on his body were blood fleas clinging to his skin, swelling up in a few breaths into blood sacs the size of soybeans, and continuing to suck the blood from Fang Shu's body, their bellies turning black and purple.

This horrifying scene caught the attention of Li Hou'er and his companions, but it didn't elicit much of a reaction, as if it were to be expected.

As the blood fleas fed on him, Fang Shu's blood and qi circulated spontaneously, and the nine secret runes on his body surface immediately appeared, transforming into insect faces.

Immediately, the master's fingers moved unpredictably, striking Fang Shu's body repeatedly, crushing the flea masters who had sucked his blood onto his body one by one.

Strands of blood appeared on Fang Shu's body, making the nine ghost faces on his body even more ferocious.

And what's amazing is that these bloodstains seemed to wriggle on their own, piecing together patterns.

It covers the existing nine insect face secrets, making them more complex and turning them into new secrets, or rather, forming a two-layer secret structure.

At this moment, the owner of the private club stopped and gestured to the others:

"Those who haven't mastered the insect technique yet, look closely. Such vivid and lifelike insect technique secrets are not something you can see every day."

Apart from Du Yu'er and Qin Min, the other disciples seized the opportunity to observe Fang Shu, this rare teaching tool, especially Li Hou'er.

Master Du gave instructions to the other disciples, then turned to Fang Shu and continued:
"Master Flea's head and mouthparts will remain on your body for about two months. Do not remove them yourself, otherwise your body's blood and qi will push out the insect's blood, causing the marrow-refining secret text on your body to disappear."

Fang Shu was feeling a burning sensation all over his body, as if his whole body was covered in chili peppers.

He listened silently, nodded, and then asked in a low voice:
"May I ask, Master, is the Marrow Refining Ceremony the second tribulation for immortals?"

The owner of the independent building nodded in reply:
"That's right. The second tribulation of immortals is called 'soft bones and tender flesh,' also known as 'cast in bronze and iron.'"

The bones and flesh of mortals are as fragile as mud and flaky cakes compared to bronze, iron, and stone. The energy of mortals is also limited compared to that of oxen, horses, and puppets.

This tribulation involves cultivating one's vital energy to the bone marrow, refining "precious marrow." This not only enhances the immortal's blood-producing function and strengthens their vital energy, but also hardens their bones and toughens their flesh, making them virtually indestructible, as if covered in a layer of armor.

She continued speaking eloquently: "If you survive this ordeal, you will still have the energy of a tiger, the muscles of a single body, be able to walk a hundred miles without getting tired, carry a thousand pounds of weight with ease, and even be able to walk on snow without leaving a trace and walk on water without sinking, without using any magic."

As Fang Shu listened to the owner's introduction, his mind began to wander, and he was immediately attracted by the benefits the owner mentioned.

Compared to the "freedom from illness and disease" after passing the first tribulation, the "cast in bronze and iron" of the second tribulation undoubtedly sounds more like an "immortal among men," with every move different from ordinary people.

Fang Shu pondered for a few moments, then immediately suppressed his anticipation, cupped his hands, and spoke:
"Thank you, Master, for transmitting the Dharma."

As soon as he bowed, the innkeeper's fingers, leaving afterimages, tapped him repeatedly, accompanied by a soft shout:
"The transmission of the Dharma is not yet finished. Stand still. Today, I will also impart to you the secret text of the third tribulation of fat refining."

These words surprised Fang Shu, and the other disciples who were staring at him were even more surprised.

Buzzing!
A group of fleas jumped onto Fang Shu's neck, scalp, forehead, cheeks, and other areas, and began to suck blood, forming blood cocoons.

This time, however, the owner did not swat the blood fleas directly onto Fang Shu's face and head. She carefully removed the blood fleas, leaving only their tiny mouthparts and heads on Fang Shu's head.

Then she crushed the blood flea's body with a snap, and using her fingers as a pen, she drew patterns on Fang Shu's body by hand.

When he stopped moving, the insect face secret patterns on Fang Shu's chest and abdomen had been connected into one, becoming a huge folded insect face, while the insect face secret patterns on his limbs became the tentacles and limbs of the huge insect face.

Compared to the first two layers of cryptic text, the complexity of this third layer is dazzling.

The disciples watching this scene all stared wide-eyed, but for a moment they didn't know which angle to look from.

Only Qin Min, with her piercing gaze fixed on Fang Shu, her blood and qi surging involuntarily, seemed to be trying to simulate the process of the Master of the Pavilion drawing the secret text.

Her unusual behavior attracted the attention of the other disciples.

"Why did Master teach me both the Marrow Refining Insect Technique and the Fat Refining Insect Technique all at once today?"

Someone muttered, "Could it be that Junior Sister Qin Min is about to break through to the second tribulation? So she's giving some pointers in advance so she can observe and learn?"

The senior disciples present were all speechless, their expressions quite interesting.

Hearing this, Fang Shu, who was feeling numb all over, couldn't help but slightly lift his eyelids.

However, he immediately focused his mind, ignoring everything else, and carefully felt the flow of qi and blood in his body.

The Daoist talisman in his mind was trembling, recording and storing every detail of the changes in his body.

Only after the master of the temple stopped moving and gave the order did Fang Shu's talisman tremble slightly and stop moving.

The owner of the pavilion said, "Alright, this is the secret text and cultivation route for the third tribulation of fat refining. This fat does not refer to flesh fat, but to brain fat."

The blood flea head on your head, though slightly unsightly, shouldn't be removed casually; it will fall off naturally in a maximum of two months.

Fang Shu quickly replied, "Yes, Master."

At the same time, new characters on the Taoist talisman appeared in his mind:
[Techniques: "The Secret Technique of Hundred Insects Refining Blood and Nourishing Body: Marrow Refining Chapter" (already included), "The Secret Technique of Hundred Insects Refining Blood and Nourishing Body: Fat Refining Chapter" (already included)]

Ordinary people need to learn the secret texts before they can fully memorize them, but Fang Shu, relying on the Taoist talisman, successfully memorized them on the spot.

Once successfully included, he can use the Taoist talisman to study the secret text at any time.

Even if he successfully absorbed the cultivation technique, Fang Shu would still strictly follow the instructions of the sect leader and keep the blood flea head on his body.

Because these insect marks on his body not only form cryptic characters, but they can also release medicinal effects, stimulate his blood circulation, assist his cultivation, and promote the Daoist talisman's interpretation of the cryptic characters.

At this moment, the owner of the guesthouse patted Fang Shu on the shoulder, finally indicating that he could move.

Then, the master of the pavilion used Fang Shu's body as an example to explain in detail the principles of refining marrow and fat.

These principles were probably already familiar to Li Hou'er and his ilk, so they were not surprising.

However, for Fang Shulai, it was quite ingenious, and it also cleared up some of the doubts he had accumulated while practicing insect techniques.

The master of the private hall has finished transmitting his skills and giving his sermon.

She took the tea offered by Du Yu'er, slowly sipped it a few times, and finally said:
"Everyone, disperse."

"Yes, Master." The disciples all bowed and responded.

After paying his respects, Fang Shu finally put on his own cultivation robe, dressed neatly, and planned to leave with Li Hou'er, taking the opportunity to ask him some questions about cultivation.

But then, the owner of the guesthouse spoke again:
"Fang Shu, you stay."

These words attracted the attention of many people, but no one was too surprised. They just assumed that Fang Shu was a beginner, so the master of the school would give him extra instruction.

Only Du Yu'er's gaze shifted slightly, as if she had guessed something, and she looked Fang Shu over a few more times.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu immediately gave Li Hou'er a wink, then stepped forward and served the master of the Du Pavilion.

After a while, the old woman finished a cup of tea and then said to Fang Shu:
"Come with me."

Fang Shu bowed to Du Yu'er, who was serving tea, and then followed behind the owner of the inn, taking a step back.

The two did not head towards the council hall, but instead walked to the boundary between the front and back courtyards.

Soon, a python came into Fang Shu's view.

He had followed the master to the dungeon where his disciples kept their valuables.

This time, however, he did not linger on the outskirts of the dungeon, but followed the dungeon master straight inside, arriving at a steel chamber filled with talismans.

The secret room contained many boxes and chests, but what caught Fang Shu's attention the most was a bookshelf among them.

All sorts of books were placed on it, some made of paper, some of leather, some of jade, and some carved on metal, stone, or bone. They were all carefully preserved and covered with yellow paper talismans to prevent moisture and insects.

The owner of the bookstore came to the bookshelf and carefully took down a semi-transparent book. Its pages were slightly curled up and as thin as cicada wings, with no title on the surface.

The bookstore owner peeled off the protective yellow paper from the book, then turned around and handed it to Fang Shu.

Fang Shu accepted the book with clasped hands, and immediately felt that it was very light in his hands. The surface of the pages was rough, just like holding a cicada's wing.

He heard the owner of the brothel say in a hoarse voice:

"For the past ten years, all the disciples of this academy have had to take shortcuts in order to increase their chances of successfully joining the immortal sect and winning favor."

But Fang Shu, you are different.

Upon hearing these words, Fang Shu immediately turned his attention away from the leather book. His heart skipped a beat as he realized a possibility, and he stared intently at the owner of the pavilion.

The owner of the private club smiled slightly:
"You are the only one in this academy who may be able to study the nine disciplines of immortality ahead of time. Without any shortcuts, you can take this broad path to enter the immortal sect."

　Note 1: The immortals in this book are based on some real-world Taoist books, such as the "Collection of Transmissions of Zhong and Lü".
　　"There are five ranks of immortals: ghost immortals, human immortals, earth immortals, divine immortals, and heavenly immortals. All of them are immortals. Ghost immortals are not separate from ghosts, human immortals are not separate from humans, earth immortals are not separate from the earth, divine immortals are not separate from gods, and heavenly immortals are not separate from heaven."

　　Lü asked, "What is meant by 'human immortal'?"

　　Zhong said: "The Human Immortal is the second below the Five Immortals. A cultivator who does not understand the Great Dao obtains a method within the Dao, and an art within the method. With faith and perseverance, he remains steadfast throughout his life. The Qi of the Five Elements is misinterpreted and confused, and his physical form is solidified. The plagues of the Eight Evils cannot harm him. He is mostly at peace and rarely gets sick. This is called the Human Immortal."

　　Lü asked, "What are these so-called Earth Immortals?"

　　Zhong said: "Earthly immortals are those who are halfway between heaven and earth, possessing the talent of divine immortals. They do not comprehend the Great Dao, but only achieve minor success in certain methods. Their merits are not visible, but they live long and do not die in the human world."

　　
　
(End of this chapter)