Chapter 006: The Evil Face

In a state of distraction, I unknowingly found myself on the mountain path. Leaning against the trunk of a tree by the roadside, I traversed a distance, turned at a concealed fork, and arrived at the mountainside before a cliff. Unable to hold on any longer, I collapsed in front of the massive rock.

It is getting late, you should return early to avoid worrying your parents. After your injuries have healed, you may come back, and I will assist you in breaking through to the next level of the Dan realm.

Amidst the whispers and murmurs of the crowd, Lu Liangsheng, standing at the back, watched the figures rolling on the ground in agony. Just as he was about to step forward to say a few words, he suddenly pressed his hand to his forehead, feeling a bit dizzy and lightheaded, with the voices around him becoming somewhat blurred.

Upon witnessing the massive stones closing together and returning to their original form, and after no longer being able to see the master within, he respectfully performed a bow and proceeded down the mountain

A hoarse and deep whisper reverberates

Lu Liangsheng shook his head: "It's nothing, the sight of blood is a bit unsettling, I will take a walk around."

Lu Erlai, covered in feathers all over his body, is now trembling on the ground, bloodied, bowing his head to the mountain deity.

Putting down the porcelain bowl, the old man sat back down, and with a sweep of his robe's sleeve, the massive stone outside slowly opened.

... ...

Upon seeing Lu Liangsheng awaken, the elderly man silently took out an exquisite porcelain bowl and ladled some soup from the cauldron.

He glanced at the old man over there, hesitated for a moment, held his breath, and in one go drank down the bowl of medicinal soup. The bitter, fishy, and spicy liquid, warm in temperature, surged down his throat to his lower abdomen, almost making him vomit.

Bang

There are always blind eyes... Hey, are you looking for a fight

This rascal, indeed!

... ... everything was fine yesterday ... ...

Master

Regarding the few words spoken by the master, Lu Liangsheng found it difficult to comprehend in a moment. He respectfully bowed to the elder before slowly exiting the place

Bang

Alright ... ... it is time to gather some mountain essence and spiritual root supplements ... ... to combine them together ... ...

Oh

... ...

Half of the opening was exposed, and faintly, a figure seemed to emerge from within, walking towards oneself

Above the wide sleeves, there are black lumps on the wrists, which are instantly covered by the old man

Drink it

As a pair of footsteps approached his line of sight, Lu Liangsheng felt his body lighten, and he was engulfed in darkness. His spirit was fatigued and somewhat disordered, and he vaguely sensed being led by his master into the stone cave, where the massive stones rumbled back into their original positions

Save me

When I weakly shouted, I felt the ground tremble slightly. Crawling on the ground, I saw ahead as a massive stone was slowly displaced, pushing the soil to one side and carving out a trench.

After a while, I turned off the mountain road and got onto the muddy path leading back to the village. I noticed that there were very few farmers in the fields. Upon reaching the village entrance, I found only Old Man Lu still sitting there basking in the sun.

The old man rose and took the porcelain bowl from the youth's hands, finally displaying a hint of expression on his face, smiling: "There are two aspects to Qi cultivation: the lower is to open the elixir, the middle is to gather the fields, and the upper is to cultivate Qi. Beyond that, there are further stages such as foundation establishment, elixir formation, and primordial infant... Each realm has two minor realms. The path of cultivation is long and arduous, difficult for ordinary people to reach, and even those within the sect find it hard to pursue.

Lu Liangsheng sat there, holding a porcelain bowl, unable to express the bitterness in his mouth, and could only quietly listen as his master continued to speak

Your daughter has a face like a sesame cake, and at twenty, she still hasn't gotten married. Who would be blind enough to find her attractive...

At present, the weeds have been trampled neatly. When Lu Liangsheng arrived, more than forty villagers were gathered outside the temple, looking inside, with some climbing directly onto the earthen wall to get a better view.

Qi cultivation

However, your innate talent and foundation are quite remarkable. Within just a few days, you have already reached the initial stage of Qi training and opened your Dan. The medicinal soup I just provided you not only helps to alleviate your injuries but also assists you in breaking through the threshold to reach the Dan opening stage, which means you will have one foot in the door of cultivation.

In the temple

This fellow wanders around all day, secretly watching my daughter... If I didn't kill him, he must be quite lucky!

On the hillside half a mile from the village east road towards Fushun County, beyond several large trees that obscure the view, stands a dilapidated temple that has been abandoned for many years. The plaque inscribed with 'Mountain God Temple' is overgrown with withered vines, leaning against a collapsed half earthen wall. The surrounding area is overrun with weeds, and the statue of the mountain god inside the temple has a broken neck, its clay head tilted awkwardly.

It should be able to heal my old wounds

Perhaps it was a master; a few days ago, I seemed to have seen a wandering Taoist priest passing by

The torn collar was entirely a lush pale yellow. Lu Erlai rolled on the ground in agony, still incessantly tugging at it. Feathers floated gently in the air, and the villagers quickly stepped back, fearing they too would end up like him.

"Tai Gong, why is no one coming out to work today?"

The sky was nearing noon, and it seemed that he had been unconscious for no more than three or four hours. His parents at home probably would not be searching for him everywhere. However, thinking of his master, "He is injured, yet he can still save me..."

Please, help me find a doctor... I can't stand it, it's driving me crazy with the itching...

Could it be that you have truly caught a cold?

The massive stones closed in with a thunderous sound

A brief and simple conversation came to a halt, and his weak consciousness faded away. When he awoke again, a faintly bitter smell filled the air. Liang Sheng opened his eyes to find the cave illuminated by a warm yellow light. Two small bookshelves were placed on the stone bed where he lay, leaning against the wall. An old man sat on the stone bench opposite him, watching him intently, while a small cauldron nearby emitted bubbling sounds.

On ordinary days, villagers seldom come here, and the occasional eerie calls of certain birds from the woods create a rather sinister atmosphere

Lu Liangsheng propped himself up, his head still faintly aching, but he no longer felt so dazed. He took the porcelain bowl that was handed to him; the soup was dark and viscous, with bubbles breaking the surface as steam rose, accompanied by a nauseating odor

Is it because two minor spells were used? ... That's right ... ? ... The master once said that lacking deep cultivation and recklessly using spells could cause some harm to the body, could it be this kind of situation?

Old Master Lu slightly opened his eyes, his mouth, missing a few teeth, broke into a smile: "They have all gone to the dilapidated temple to see the disgraceful appearance of Lu Erlai."

At this moment, there is undoubtedly a warmth in my heart. My spirit has improved significantly, and as I look back at the direction obscured by the thicket, I see the smiling sunlight.

Weakly, I moved towards home under my younger sister's puzzled gaze. Upon reaching the gate of the courtyard, I stopped, leaning against the fence, and observed the ground gently spinning.

God could no longer tolerate it and cast a spell to punish him

Rumbling ... ...

Do not speak; you have only practiced for a few days and are recklessly using magic. Fortunately, I arrived in time; otherwise, your life would be in jeopardy.

The massive stone closed once again, and within the gradually obscured cave, the old man sitting over there suddenly grinned, a flash of crimson bursting forth before retracting.

"Brother, are you alright?" Lu Xiaoxian, who was beside him, noticed something unusual and asked with a raised little face.

Liang Sheng, your character is simple and your disposition is sufficient. Previously, I did not explain clearly to you that not everyone who practices spells or is a practitioner of the Dao is the same. Both cultivation and being a person have their distinctions, and there are levels among them. You are not even considered a beginner at this point.

"Who has feathers growing on them? It must be a divine punishment from the gods. Someone suggested to Lu Erlai to go to an abandoned temple to pray to the gods, saying that perhaps by begging for mercy, he would be fine. The others followed along to see the commotion."

The dilapidated temple? Lu Liangsheng furrowed his brows slightly, looking in the direction of the east of the village with some confusion

Blood oozes from the forehead

Master

He shook his head, suppressing his discomfort, and turned to walk towards the outskirts of the village. The sounds of the crowd and Lu Erlai's cries faintly echoed behind him. As he staggered along, Lu Liangsheng looked at the winding road beneath his feet leading to Qixia Mountain, his mind occupied with various thoughts