Qiu Zu: From an apprentice in a medicine shop to an immortal ancestor.

Chapter 109: Mountain God's Seal, Heart-Ape Mind-Horse Tempering Method

The apprenticeship ceremony is traditionally a time for the disciple to give gifts to the master.

Sending heavy gold and lavish gifts to the master is more common in martial arts schools and various businesses, as it is considered a "teaching" business and not a true master-disciple relationship.

Generally speaking, in a proper apprenticeship, one offers the Six Etiquette gifts, not seeking extravagant treasures, but rather going through a process and having an apprenticeship ceremony.

An Jishi and Nan Zhiyi can be considered role models among masters, the 'workaholics'.

After the disciples offer the Six Etiquette gifts according to the rules, they will bestow treasures after accepting the disciples.

In the past, this was always the case.

Whether it was the Second Senior Brother Tong Yuncong or the Third Senior Sister Yu Lanyin, they had both received rewards from the master and mistress in the past, so they felt no jealousy, only curiosity.

“This treasure is likely to be very compatible with your youngest junior brother.”

Nan Zhiyi smiled slightly and clapped her hands.

Soon, a servant girl brought in a delicate wooden lacquer box with intricate patterns.

“Snap!”

With a crisp sound, the wooden lacquer box opened on its own.

There was no imagined burst of golden light or shimmering aura.

Inside the box, lay quietly an ancient bronze seal, two cun and four fen in size, with an image of a crouching tiger on the top, and mysterious thunder and cloud patterns engraved around the seal.

At first glance, it seemed nothing special.

An Huayu, always straightforward, said whatever was on her mind, even in front of her parents:

“Mom, why are you giving Junior Brother a common seal? It’s too biased. Second Senior Brother gave calligraphy from a master of the sword, Third Senior Sister gave a thousand-year-old treasure with three spiritual rings, and when it comes to Junior Brother, you give him this thing?”

“What do you know!”

An Jishi scolded unhappily:

“Having eyes but not recognizing jade inlaid in gold, uneducated.”

Everyone present, except An Huayu, was a Xiantian martial artist with keen senses, and they quickly sensed an ancient and desolate mysterious power emanating from the ancient bronze seal, which was captivating and made people dare not look directly at it.

At a glance, this item was extraordinary and not ordinary.

Second Senior Brother Tong Yuncong had traveled far and wide to hone his swordsmanship and had extraordinary knowledge. When he saw the ancient bronze seal, he vaguely guessed what it was:

“Master, could this bronze seal be the legendary Mountain God's Seal?”

“That's right, Yuncong is indeed knowledgeable.”

Nan Zhiyi smiled gently:

“Xiao Zhen, you seem to possess a great destiny, vaguely related to the [Mountain God Destiny]. This bronze seal is a genuine Mountain God's Seal, a relic of the gods, which our Nan family accidentally acquired many years ago. It has never been put to use, allowing a pearl to be covered in dust. Now, meeting you, it may have met its true master.”

Mountain God's Seal!

Qiu Zhen was secretly surprised, and four words appeared in his mind—"Earth God's Treasure."

He was well-read and knowledgeable, and understood what this thing was.

Speaking of the Mountain God's Seal, one must mention "Shinto."

In the ancient cultivation world, the Immortal Path and the Divine Path coexisted. If those who practiced the Dao could not achieve immortality and attain the Dao Fruit through the Immortal Path, they could accumulate merit and virtue and devote themselves to the "Divine Path."

They could ascend to the Heavenly Court and be granted the title of Immortal Official or Divine General;

They could enter the Nine Nether Hell and be granted the title of Underworld God or Ghost Official;

They could remain in the human world and be conferred the titles of City God, Mountain God, Water God, etc., enjoying human incense offerings.

Unfortunately, with the great changes in the cultivation world, the Heavenly Court disappeared, the Immortal Path changed drastically, and the Divine Path also declined.

Although the Great Zhou Dynasty has established itself as the ruler of the world, with the gathering of human luck, it is far inferior to the ancient Human Emperor era.

“Royal power does not extend to the countryside.” Currently, the Great Zhou Dynasty can only confer the title of "City God" and has lost absolute control over the mountains, rivers, and lakes outside the city.

Without the "conferral right" of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the "Mountain Gods" and "Water Gods" conferred by the ancient dynasties and the Heavenly Court became the absolute orthodox.

These [Mountain God's Seals] and [Water God's Seals] scattered everywhere became treasures for "conferring gods."

However, treasures like the Mountain God's Seal and Water God's Seal cannot be used by everyone. Only those with destiny can truly accept the "conferral," become a god in one fell swoop, break away from lewd sacrifices, wild temples, and grass-headed gods, and become a "proper" Earth God, receiving the strong support of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

If one does not have destiny, obtaining treasures like the [Mountain God's Seal] is useless.

This is why this Mountain God's Seal has been gathering dust in the Nan family.

Taking it out and giving it to someone who seems to possess the "Mountain God Destiny" and has a familiar relationship is considered making good use of it.

Qiu Zhen vaguely guessed the meaning of his master's wife, Nan Zhiyi, and the Nan family behind her, and he was not repulsed in his heart.

This is a win-win choice.

Helping me today, and if I succeed in the future, taking care of the Nan family or returning the favor would be a natural thing.

He dared to accept this bit of karma.

However, he knew his own affairs. His possession of destiny was a pretense he made to cover up his identity.

He could deceive outsiders, but he couldn't paralyze himself.

“Master, this is too precious, I…”

Qiu Zhen was about to decline, but An Jishi, who had been silent, smiled and said:

“What the elders bestow, one cannot refuse. Your master's wife gives it to you, so accept it without overthinking.”

After speaking, An Jishi added:

“You may not necessarily possess the Mountain God Destiny. Even if you have the Mountain God Destiny, it may not be compatible with this seal. All kinds of possibilities are normal. Accept this seal, don't have any ideas, play with it, and use it if it's useful.”

“If one day, you know your own destiny and this Mountain God's Seal is useless to you, you can return it to your master's wife. We are family, no need to be too formal, don't think too much!”

“Look at what you're saying, am I such a stingy person.”

Nan Zhiyi glared at An Jishi playfully and said to Qiu Zhen:

“This treasure is no different from scrap metal to those who don't have destiny. Just accept it with peace of mind, don't overthink it.”

“This…”

Seeing his master and mistress say this, Qiu Zhen knew it was not good to refuse.

Just as his master, An Jishi, said, if he really couldn't use it, he could return it to his mistress in the future, which was not a big deal.

“Thank you, Mistress!”

Qiu Zhen was not polite and took the ancient bronze seal from the wooden lacquer box in the maid's hand and held it in his palm.

In the next moment, a burst of light erupted from his hand.

“This…”

Everyone in the house took a deep breath, their faces filled with wonder.

Legend has it that divine objects hide themselves, but they shine brightly and sublimate when they meet their true master.

Could it be?

For a moment, everyone in the house looked at Qiu Zhen and the ancient bronze seal in his hand.

“Junior Brother, do you really have a connection? Has it recognized you as its master?”

“Cough, cough, no.”

Qiu Zhen smiled awkwardly: “I was a little excited, the True Yang Qi is running, it's not a feeling with the Mountain God's Seal.”

Everyone: “…”

That night, Qiu Zhen's valley.

“Bah, little bronze seal, having eyes but not recognizing jade inlaid in gold, not recognizing its master, if you don't recognize your master today, I'll make sure you can't reach us in the future.”

“Yes, yes, yes, following the young master, you'll eat delicious food and drink spicy drinks, little bronze seal, not knowing what's good for you!”

Baizhu and Xiao Zaozi surrounded the ancient bronze seal, criticizing it, muttering and chattering.

“Hehe!”

Qiu Zhen smiled and didn't care.

The fact proved that he did not have the "Mountain God Destiny". The [Mountain God's Seal] in his hand showed no abnormality.

After he came back, he studied it carefully, dripping blood, using the power of his divine sense, the power of his Yuan Shen, all kinds of methods, but there was no reaction at all.

From all aspects, he did not have "destiny", was not a destined person, and had no connection with the Mountain God's Seal.

He was not disappointed by this, as it was not beyond his expectations.

The Mountain God's Seal in his hands was useless.

However, he had a blessed land, a good place to nurture the "Mountain God's Seal", and would not mistreat this thing.

He would find an opportunity to return it to his mistress, Nan Zhiyi, in the future, and the divine object would be full of spirituality, which would be considered proper preservation.

Compared to the ethereal Mountain God Destiny, the theory of destiny, Qiu Zhen was more concerned about his own cultivation.

While pondering, Qiu Zhen thought of something, and with a thought, his whole body emitted a rolling baleful aura.

Before long, a demonic ape divine general with black fur appeared beside him.

This was the "divine general" he had refined using the [Summoning Divine General Method].

It was condensed from the anger, resentment, and Yin Shen dregs in his heart, and was the manifestation of his "heart-ape."

Cultivation is about stripping away all Yin and transforming the body into pure Yang, and this divine general is the most Yin and baleful thing under the "stripping away all Yin", a method he had painstakingly created after countless deductions.

He called this method the "Heart-Ape Mind-Horse Tempering Method".

In cultivation, a restless heart and a wandering mind are not good signs.

If the "heart-ape" is not settled and the "mind-horse" wanders, it means that there is a problem with the cultivation of one's nature, the mind is impetuous, and it is difficult to suppress.

If not handled well, one will become possessed.

Previously, Qiu Zhen had painstakingly tried to "create a god", but after countless attempts, he could not find a way.

Later, he went against the grain, using his own "restless heart and wandering mind" to temper a general and suppress the baleful aura, taking the path of "planting a golden lotus in fire."

The path was very risky.

However, fortunately, he had succeeded.

Using the "Heart-Ape Mind-Horse Tempering Method" to temper a general and melt the baleful aura was better than the proper [Summoning Divine General Method], and even more powerful than martial arts melting the baleful aura.

During the day, his master, An Jishi, asked him if he had melted the five directions of baleful aura, east, west, north, south, and center, to condense the "demonic ape", and he readily agreed.

In fact, it was not the case. Using the [Heart-Ape Mind-Horse Tempering Method] to melt the baleful aura, all the baleful aura in the world was swallowed, which was the most baleful and Yin method in the world.

Having cultivated the [Heart-Ape Mind-Horse Tempering Method], one's body would be full of baleful aura, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that it was a baleful star descending to the world.

In the future, with this baleful aura, who would dare to say that he was a cultivator secretly practicing the Dao, a demon or evil spirit.

“Having cultivated this method, I can cultivate in peace for decades to come.”

Qiu Zhen was delighted in his heart.

It takes Xiantian martial artists at least ten or twenty years, or even decades, to complete their cultivation, and many Xiantian martial artists find it difficult to complete their refinement throughout their lives.

At his rate of cultivation, he would likely be able to enter the realm of "refining Qi into God" in less than a few decades, becoming a genuine "immortal old monster" in the eyes of outsiders.

At that time, the world would be vast and he could be free, without having to be as cautious as he is now.

“This method…”

Qiu Zhen couldn't help but think of Fairy Yunrou and Monk Zhenkong, and picked up the [Miro Palace] casually.

Coincidentally, as his divine sense probed into the [Miro Palace] and he was calculating in his heart, the [Miro Palace] sent a divine sense transmission.

“Qingwei, Zhenkong, I have returned from the mountains, the immortal opportunity is in hand, the harvest is great. It's a pity that you two didn't follow me into the mountains to seek the immortal opportunity…”