Chapter 18: The Dao Ancestor Revitalizes the Cultivation World (18% Progress)
Outer disciples take on the vast majority of the hard and miscellaneous tasks in a sect, but lower-level disciples don't get the chance to train or show their abilities. They can only afford low-grade spirit talismans and have never even seen what a mid-grade spirit talisman looks like.
After obtaining a mid-grade spirit talisman, Xu Lingyou, like any other disciple who had never seen a high-grade spirit talisman before, carefully put it away and never doubted its authenticity.
When Lin Ming calmly said, "This talisman retains a trace of spiritual power to deceive people. Those who don't know much about talismans are easily fooled. His heart is truly malicious," Xu Lingyou couldn't express what he was thinking.
Was this how it was supposed to be? Was it expected? Was it disappointing? Or was it a relief, a weight lifted from my shoulders?
Wu Ji's expression was a little stiff.
His original intention was simply to let everyone see the true face of the sect, to sow discord in their hearts, and not to prevent those who wanted to leave from doing so.
Unexpectedly, the inner sect steward not only deceived them, but also tricked Xu Lingyou.
Even if they climb up step by step from the outer gate, in the eyes of the inner gate they are still insignificant dust.
However, Xu Lingyou was an upright and kind person. He had been buying groceries for many years and could recognize teleportation talismans. He would never abandon his companions and leave alone. He would definitely not use this talisman.
When he returns to the sect with the surviving outer disciples, he might even think that he owes the inner sect steward a debt of gratitude.
A fake talisman earned the gratitude of a stubborn young man; the abacus beads really make a sound.
Xu Lingyou's back slowly hunched over, and his long, black hair turned dull.
Lin Ming, the only one who was "unaware of the inside story," praised Wu Ji, revealing a hint of nostalgia in his words: "It is a good thing to be vigilant when traveling. If I had been more cautious back then, I wouldn't have been almost cheated out of everything as soon as I left home."
Huangfu Mian already knew what kind of people the sect was, so he sneered inwardly and quickly put the unpleasantness behind him, taking the initiative to lighten the mood: "Brother Lin has also been deceived before."
"Yes, when I first entered the mortal world, I met a strange cultivator who helped me out when I was accused of selling fake medicine. Little did I know that he was after my medicine. I was naive at the time, so it's normal to be deceived." Lin Ming felt a toothache thinking about the past.
He was only thirteen years old that year, having just formed his Golden Core and gained some confidence to travel outside. If he had known the treacherous dark side of the cultivation world earlier, he wouldn't have been targeted by a seemingly honest fellow cultivator when he first started out, and almost had his treasure stolen.
He learned from his mistakes and later he was the one who struck first and schemed against others.
The cultivation world is changing rapidly. Now, spiritual energy is abundant, and the cultivation environment is not as chaotic as before. These children in front of us are about fifteen or sixteen years old, and they are much more innocent than people in the past.
"It's outrageous! He even cheated on such a good person like you." Huangfu Mian spoke up for him.
It had been so long that Lin Ming no longer cared. Instead, he comforted the girl, saying, "It's all in the past. After I influenced him, he reformed."
After being influenced and baptized by the poison he painstakingly developed, that cultivator must have felt immense regret on his way to the underworld.
Huangfu Mian said resentfully, "Brother Lin is too kind-hearted."
The boys all thought to themselves, "Brother Lin is so gentle. How wonderful it would be if he were our fellow disciple."
Lin Ming played with his folding fan, his smile as gentle as a breeze and the bright moon.
He reminisced about the past.
After entering the mortal world, he discovered that everything in the cultivation world was expensive. In a situation where he was extremely short of money, he spent a small amount of money to buy books from street vendors and taught himself how to make talismans, refine weapons, and make medicine to sell for money.
Following the chaotic content, he spent all his savings to buy materials and accidentally concocted a bottle of highly poisonous potion, worth about three mid-grade spirit stones, enough for him to rent a spot in a small spiritual vein to cultivate for three days.
Unfortunately, the fool not only set a trap to deceive her but also wanted to eliminate her completely. In order to save her life, she had no choice but to test the drug's effects on the spot.
That was the first major setback he suffered. Whether it was dangerous or not was a minor matter; the key issue was that he lost three mid-grade spirit stones!
Three mid-grade spirit stones are nothing to him now, but back then, they were more painful than cutting off a piece of his own flesh. They were the potion he refined with all his savings, and even now, thinking about them still hurts. Later, he had no choice but to transform into Shennong, personally tasting hundreds of herbs and going into the mountains to collect them to sell and make money.
It's to the point where I still feel heartbroken and unable to sleep at night, even now.
Since then, he has finally understood what outsiders mean by "survival of the fittest".
Cultivators living at the bottom of the cultivation world have lives as worthless as grass and must climb up.
With such a mindset, it's no wonder he became a savior. It's all thanks to the contrast with his peers; he was praised simply because he didn't actively kill or rob.
Huangfu Mian said expectantly, "Brother Lin's master must be very gentle, and the cultivation environment in the secluded academy must be very different from the outside world."
"There are some differences."
Huangfu Mian had already set his sights on Tianyan Academy, and asked more questions about the academy: "The academy has been hidden from the world for many years, so it must have been established even longer?"
"Yes, a long time." As long as seventy-two hours.
"Education should be provided to all without discrimination. I remember that this was first proposed by the Heavenly Dao Ancestor," Huangfu Mian said.
"I don't remember it being like that." Wu Ji wanted to help Xu Lingyou clear up his mind. "Senior Brother Xu, you are very knowledgeable, why don't you tell me?"
Xu Lingyou raised his head and saw that everyone's eyes were on him. He forced a smile and said, "It was first proposed by a cultivator surnamed Fang. That person was of bad character and soon faded into obscurity. Later, Dao Ancestor Tianyan mentioned this view in his notes, made an independent opinion, and received the support of the abbot of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Sect."
Lin Ming listened, completely stunned.
Is that true?
He conjured up a small group in his mind, gathering five brains to search for memories.
[Jun Huilian: Ah, I remember now. We have no disciples and no lineage. Before saving the world, we were afraid we would never return. I mentioned to that person from the Hehuan Sect that I wanted to write something like an autobiography to be passed down.]
[Rong Ling: That's true. We praised the Hehuan Sect Leader for her excellent writing skills, and she happily agreed, and actually actually compiled it.]
[Jun Huilian: You're reliable, Ayu!]
Wu Ji sighed, "If only the Heavenly Evolution Ancestor were still alive. It is said that the Heavenly Evolution Ancestor was a rogue cultivator and is recognized as the number one person in the cultivation world. Ten thousand years ago, she upheld the belief of 'education for all' and openly set up a lecture hall, engraving the cultivation techniques she created on stone tablets for people to learn and discussing the Dao with heroes. Under her influence, aristocratic families dared not monopolize resources, and everyone could enter the secret realm. In the following thousand years, many geniuses from rogue cultivator backgrounds emerged. It is a pity that her cultivation techniques have not survived to this day. I dare not even imagine how prosperous and peaceful the cultivation world would be if it were managed by the gentle and inclusive Heavenly Evolution Ancestor."
Huangfu Mian rolled her eyes at him: "What are you showing off for? Who didn't grow up listening to the legendary stories of the Heavenly Dao Ancestor?"
Wu Ji muttered indignantly, "Tch, you can show off but others aren't allowed to speak? I think you're just one of those 'aristocratic monopolies'."
"you!"
They were making a ruckus, and Lin Ming awkwardly touched his nose.
Um……
He opened the forum to publicly share his cultivation techniques in order to mock all those who looked down on his background as a rogue cultivator, telling them to go ahead and learn the techniques, and that he would consider it a loss if they could even pass the next hundred-year-old ascension tribulation. The so-called "discussion on the Dao" was just an excuse to call over those who had gloated in front of him to hurl insults at each other, until their Dao hearts were unstable and their realms were shaken.
Being vengeful is the true nature of the Heavenly Dao Ancestor.
Time is truly something that can beautify everything.
"It's a pity that after the Battle of the Demon Fall, the Heavenly Dao Ancestor achieved perfect merit and ascended directly, leaving no legacy behind," Wu Ji said regretfully.
"Not necessarily. What if no one has noticed?" Huangfu Mian said with great enthusiasm. "The Dao Ancestor, a deity with great love in his heart, might be watching us from the Immortal Realm. He might not be able to bear seeing the decline of the cultivation world and might come to save it once again."
"Don't even think about it. There's a barrier between the two realms. Even if the Dao Ancestor regrets it, he can't help because he's too far away. But many people have thought about the possibility you mentioned." Wu Ji said smugly, "Some people have even written it into a storybook. I bought it!"
"You, Wu Ji, you have something good but you don't share it with us!"
The atmosphere returned to normal, and Lin Ming took some pastries and shared them with them.
Before they established their foundation, they had not yet practiced fasting. Although they didn't say it, he noticed that several of them often clutched their stomachs.
After struggling for a long time, Xu Lingyou finally exhaled a breath of stale air, let go of his obsession, and whispered to Lin Ming, "Brother Lin, your esteemed residence is opening its gates, may I go?"
“Of course, you have a very good foundation.” Lin Ming nodded.
"Is that alright?" Xu Lingyou was in a daze. "I am far inferior to the inner disciples. No matter how hard I try, I am still just a disciple with four spiritual roots."
Lin Mingdao said, "The academy looks at not only cultivation level, but also character, knowledge, skills and many other aspects. Spiritual roots can be changed through the Marrow Cleansing Pill, but a tenacious character is a rare and precious thing."
Xu Lingyou took it as him comforting him: "The Marrow Cleansing Pill, a precious treasure that can defy fate, is one of the most difficult types of pills to refine. It is rare in the world. How could it be my turn to use it? I heard that even the direct disciples of the sect cannot get one."
"Opportunities are hard to predict," Lin Ming smiled, a hint of something unreadable in his eyes. "I'll be waiting for you at the academy."
Having heard so much belittling and ridicule, Xu Lingyou hadn't received such affirmation and trust in a long time, and a surge of warm emotion flowed through his heart.
He nodded emphatically: "I will try my best."
Huangfu Mian had been keeping an eye on Lin Ming, and seeing this scene made her feel a pang of jealousy.
The academy has a threshold for Foundation Establishment stage, and she now has a goal to cultivate diligently.
Dai Kui saw the burning gaze in her friend's eyes and her expression became complicated.
"Xiao Mian, are you really planning to betray and leave the sect? Even if our sect is not good, it is still the Liuyun Sect. It may not be a first-class sect, but it is still considered average. If we leave, we will probably only be able to do menial work in a lower-class sect with our qualifications."
“How will you know if you don’t try?” Huangfu Mian tightened his grip on his friend’s hand slightly. “Xiao Kui, the Misty Butterfly forced out my true feelings. I’m not willing to die an old man in the outer sect. What’s the point of my cultivation path then? Besides, relying on a sect is about seeking protection. Have they protected us? I hope you come with me and use the time you used to spend doing chores to cultivate. Once you reach the Foundation Establishment stage and are at the threshold of entering the academy, you’ll have Brother Lin as a precedent…”
She didn't finish her sentence because she found it difficult to say the rest.
Dai Kui knew that she was proud and stubborn, and once she made up her mind, there was no turning back, which gave her a headache.
She met Huangfu Mian at the foot of the mountain gate and they both became disciples of the Liuyun Sect's outer sect five years ago.
Huangfu Mian knew that Dai Kui was cautious, so he gave her plenty of time to think.
She looked at Lin Ming with a slightly shy gaze, hesitated for a moment, then took the initiative to move forward and rejoin the discussion.
Lin Ming gave each of the interested individuals a jade pendant carved with a Pixiu as their examination certificate for the academy. On the day the mountain gate opened, they could activate it by inputting Foundation Establishment stage spiritual energy and obtain the academy's coordinates and navigation.
When Xu Lingyou asked how he knew about the academy's opening, Lin Ming simply said that they would know when the time came.
After chatting for a while, Lin Ming saw that it was almost time, and with a thought, a golden beam of light appeared in front of him.
He cleaved through the void, and Rong Ling's cold voice rang out.
"Come pick me up."
For the first time ever, Lin Ming let out a helpless smile, his eyes filled with boundless tenderness as he gazed at the dissipating golden light.
Huangfu Mian's smile froze.
Lin Ming naturally said goodbye: "My junior sister has returned from the mortal realm, and I'm going to pick her up."
When Huangfu Mian heard Rong Ling's voice and saw the doting look in his eyes, he had an unusually keen intuition.
She couldn't help but ask, "Brother Lin, was your fan a gift from this senior sister?"
Lin Ming reminisced, "Yes, she was a sword cultivator and didn't need the fan, so she gave it to me."
More than ten years ago, when they first set off separately, Curry got tired of seeing and playing with his treasures, so he followed his old habit of traveling to the four continents while searching for rare and exotic treasures. He was used to using a longsword, but he wanted to try something else. Just then, Rong Ling found a nice fan, which she refined and modified and gave to him. That's the one he's using now.
Huangfu Mian could not hide his disappointment, and after thinking for a while, he clenched his fist in resentment.
Goodbye, Brother Lin.
Lin Ming bid farewell to the boys one by one, and his figure disappeared from the spot in an instant.
Rong Ling didn't need him to pick her up; she was just looking for a suitable excuse to leave.
He returned to the depths of the forest and found several axes gathered together, slacking off.
"Ahem." He coughed.
The axe, which had been huddled together chatting away, scattered at the sound and each found a tree to pretend to swing it.
Lin Ming chuckled.
He opened his palm, and two orbs of light flew out from his palm.
"Xu Lingyou, Huangfu Mian, Wu Ji." He called out each name one by one, looking quite troubled. "Which one should I give them?"
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