Chapter 613
The Great Sage Lives on a Kept Man
Chapter 613 The Great Sage Lives on a Kept Man
Qin Ming pondered that he, a grandmaster of his generation, was only in his early twenties and was also considered a poor relative who had sought refuge with a wealthy and powerful family.
The old man smiled faintly and said, "Young friend, you have come from afar, yet you are searching for the direct descendants of the Tushita Palace..."
He paused, his tone calm and devoid of any sarcasm, and said, "This place is more secluded and has stricter rules than ordinary mountain villages. The relationships here are more complex and intertwined."
Qin Ming raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking that with his sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and his heroic spirit, even if he was seen as a gigolo, he was still better off than this poor distant relative.
The old man's face was calm, and his eyes revealed a clear understanding of the ways of the world. He said, "I am just giving you a friendly reminder. The worst thing you can do here is to be unaware of the dangers and not cause trouble for the people you come to seek refuge with."
Qin Ming rose from humble beginnings, overcoming countless obstacles along the way. He had seen far too much coldness and condescending politeness. What was this slight aloofness compared to that? It was merely a gentle breeze, unable to stir even the slightest ripple.
He didn't speak, but listened quietly, and sensed something: there were others like him who had sought refuge here, and it seemed they had caused some trouble.
Seeing that he remained silent and composed, the old man couldn't help but glance at him a few more times and said, "You should change out of this exotic clothing as soon as possible."
Qin Ming nodded and said, "Father-in-law, is there anything else I need to pay attention to? Please give me some pointers."
The old man was slightly surprised and looked at the calm and composed young man in front of him again.
He immediately withdrew his gaze, his tone softening, and said, "At this juncture, some have come to visit relatives, while others have come to offer assistance. But what kind of place is this? The Supreme Daoist Temple hangs high above, filled with powerful figures; the waters run deep. How many of these 'relatives' truly have the strength to stir up trouble?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Ming's eyes cleared as he asked, "So, in the competition among the direct disciples of the Tushita Palace, some 'relatives' still have the power to lend a hand?"
The old man did not shy away from the topic, saying, "Of course, there will always be those with extraordinary backgrounds and even more powerful families who can provide assistance."
Qin Ming looked up and saw a super fire spring flowing in front of him, a magnificent city shining brightly, and even a celestial city floating in the night sky. Powerful forces stood in great numbers, suggesting that Qingyue had come from an outer realm and lacked support.
He asked, "In the competition among direct disciples, isn't it more important to consider one's own abilities?"
The old man said, "That is true, but if you have a famous person or a powerful family behind you, your connections will be different, and the resources you can obtain will be incomparable."
Qin Ming raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "Would the direct descendants of the Tushita Palace still worry about resources?"
The old man said, "There is no shortage of conventional resources, but rare treasures that can alter one's physical constitution and enhance one's innate talents are hard to find anywhere."
He stopped short of revealing the truth. At this crucial juncture, what ultimately matters among these direct disciples? Even a slight improvement in aptitude and potential can have a significant impact.
Qin Ming frowned and said, "Is the direct line of disciples here going to become fixed?"
The old man shook his head and said, "It's not that serious. The awl in the bag will reveal its tip soon enough. However, if the two direct disciples are very close in all aspects, who will ultimately win? That depends on the people and organizations behind them."
He smiled faintly and said, "Young friend, you are still too young and do not know how deep the water is now. In fact, for ordinary relatives of the emperor, it is enough to just keep to themselves, not cause trouble, and not make things worse."
Qin Ming said, "Really? It looks like something happened."
The old man nodded and said, "Yes, even a peerless genius who was as bright as the rising sun, when his father and brothers led the family's elite troops from afar to support him, ended up in a humiliating and embarrassing situation."
Although he did not say it explicitly, his meaning was clear.
A powerful force that reigns supreme in relatively remote outer regions is no match for the core territory under the jurisdiction of the Tushita Palace.
Compared to the Tushita Palace, those who sought refuge and provided assistance were actually vassals and poor relatives.
Upon hearing this, Qin Ming understood the current situation.
The old man smiled and said, "I guess I couldn't control my tongue and spoke too frankly with someone I barely know."
Qin Ming said, "Father-in-law, is there anything else you'd like to remind me of?"
He felt that this old man was no ordinary person; he must be a member of the top lineage of the Tushita Heaven. This was a warning and reminder to the outsider, and also a subtle admonition.
He remained calm, which was his first encounter with local forces and gave him some clear understanding of their power, so there was no harm in it.
After a moment's thought, the old man said earnestly, "Be careful with your words and actions. Don't get yourself into a mess that you can't clear up for the people you've come to rely on. Protecting yourself is the greatest dignity you can have."
Qin Ming chuckled. The people in the Tushita Palace area certainly thought too highly of themselves.
The old man smiled and said, "Young friend, where are your clansmen? Did you come alone?"
Qin Ming smiled innocently and said, "There are a few more sworn brothers behind me. I came first. Well, I came early to live off my wife."
The old man remained silent, thinking to himself: "Have you no shame? You're just trying to live off a woman, aren't you?"
"Really?" he asked.
Qin Ming nodded and said, "Really!"
The old man pondered: Is this an old acquaintance of some female saint? Could it be that they had a deep connection in the past, and now that lingering feelings remain, she has come after him?
He said, "Young friend, you should be careful not to cause trouble by coming to visit relatives like this."
Since this young man said he wanted to live off a woman, his target must be extremely powerful, perhaps a female saint in the Grandmaster realm?
The old man quickly identified his target and felt heartbroken for the extraordinary woman who was suspected. How could there be such an inextricable connection with an old friend?
Qin Ming laughed loudly, his wide sleeves fluttering, and strode forward.
The old man's eyes were filled with divine patterns as he stared at the man's back. He hadn't paid any attention at first, but now his expression turned serious, and he muttered, "What's going on? Did I misjudge him?"
When he first looked at the man, he thought that apart from his good appearance, there was nothing unusual about him.
But when he looked at it again, he felt a sense of ethereal emptiness. He used his divine eyes to investigate, as if he were looking at a vast ocean in the mist, or an abyss in the night.
"It seems quite complicated; I can't even see through it." The old man was surprised. He was a true grandmaster, and only a hair's breadth away from becoming a great grandmaster.
As he snapped his fingers, a golden crane, no bigger than a fingernail, disappeared into the night sky.
The old man said, "Quickly go and find out if he really has brothers behind him, and what his background is."
"Huh?" The old man was taken aback. In the blink of an eye, the handsome young man vanished into thin air. The city ahead was brightly lit, but the man was nowhere to be seen.
His expression was solemn as he said, "He... only by intentionally revealing his aura at the end could I perceive his extraordinary nature. If he had kept it a secret, I would have been completely unaware."
The golden crane, unable to find its target, had no choice but to land.
The old man looked surprised and said, "My instincts tell me that he not only looks young, but he is also not old in real age. He is not an old man. He is really something. Could he be a dragon crossing the river?"
Under the vast darkness of night, Qin Ming gazed ahead and said, "The land of soaring dragons, a place where spiritual energy gathers."
At the horizon, there are several colossal cities, all magnificent and shrouded in auspicious energy, imbued with a rich spiritual aura. Nearby, there are also super-sized, colorful fire springs.
“Purple, silver… five-colored fire springs, quite extraordinary.”
Qin Ming was certain that beneath this land lay more than one super dragon vein, and even an ancestral dragon's lair, creating an extraordinary pure land where auspicious Daoist energy rose.
"I wonder where Wanlong Tuofen has gone. I reckon it doesn't dare to approach the core territory under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Daoist Temple."
Apart from the ground, the celestial cities in the sky cast dappled light above the clouds, some cities appearing hazy while others were clearly visible.
The so-called core territory includes both the ground and the night sky.
Further away, vast territories are occupied by the four great Earth Immortal dynasties, guarding and protecting this land.
Qin Ming strolled into a giant city with walls as thick as mountains. Every brick was engraved with immortal runes, ensuring that the city would be impregnable should an attack occur.
This city is called Xuandu City, and it is even more magnificent than the central city of the Earth Immortal Dynasty.
Within the city, there are bustling areas with a constant flow of traffic, full of the warmth of everyday life, as well as magnificent palaces and ethereal mountain areas shrouded in white mist.
Of course, even though it is a bustling place with many cars and shops, it is by no means a scene seen in the mundane world.
For example, the chariots were pulled by high-level alien beings, often including mythical beasts like the Qilin and the Heavenly Horse. Some even used the Suanni as a means of transportation and the Black Gold Hou as a mount.
Some people are saying: "The core area, the giant city on the ground, is not necessarily inferior to the magnificent celestial city beyond the nine heavens. Some saints even live on the ground."
Qin Ming traversed Xuandu City, listening to people's discussions and learning the general situation.
The so-called core area, some huge cities on the surface, are actually decaying cave heavens that fell from the sky, and therefore far surpass the capital of the Earth Immortal Dynasty.
Currently, the following cave cities, ranging from the ground to the sky, are open to the public: Dao City, De City, Xuandu City, Bagua City, and Da Chitian City.
The Supreme Dojo has this kind of confidence; it is open and unobstructed, so who dares to attack?
Of course, there are also some strange immortal cities hidden deep in the misty sea above the clouds, which are not accessible to people who are not affiliated with any particular lineage.
As for the actual Tushita Palace, it hangs upside down in the heavens.
Like Yujing City, it is currently isolated from the outside world.
However, news has emerged that it is about to recover, and all seals will soon be lifted, allowing pilgrimages from all religions.
The reason why the direct disciples are competing and the core saints are vying for power is because a great opportunity awaits them.
Old Lu once told Qin Ming that in a year or two, the supreme and isolated Tushita Palace might begin to select disciples from outside.
Only a very few exceptional individuals are able to reach that place, and from then on, they truly transcend and ascend.
Qin Ming said, "I stayed at the Bodhisattva Temple for four months and was delayed on the road for three months. Well, it's not late. I arrived ahead of schedule."
He didn't arrive at the exact time because he valued the situation and wanted to provide assistance to Qingyue.
Qin Ming rode the wind, traveling between heaven and earth, leaving his footprints in Dao City, De City, Xuandu City, and other places, as he gained a detailed understanding of the local Daoist traditions and the power structure of major forces.
He muttered to himself, "There's nothing new under the sun."
The territory ruled by the Tushita Palace is roughly the same as that of the Jade Capital camp.
Within the core territory, numerous factions exist, maintaining a facade of harmony while harboring fierce competition that may even escalate into bloodshed.
“Some core disciples of major factions, in their thirties, have stepped into the Grandmaster realm and hold a dominant advantage.” Qin Ming frowned.
According to the information he had, Li Qingyue was keeping a low profile here.
"Qingyue was brought back by Lao Lu. She belongs to the core lineage and is almost treated like a saint. Even if she is not quite as good as him, she is not much worse."
The main problem is that her level of understanding isn't high enough; she can't compare to those people.
However, considering that she is only in her early twenties, it is normal that she cannot compare with those celebrities in terms of experience.
Like Li Qingyue, a direct descendant, and several other saints, there are more than a dozen people in total, all of whom are qualified to compete for the opportunity to enter the Tushita Palace.
At any time, one's realm and strength are important.
However, the inverted supreme dojo values potential even more.
Even the physical attributes mentioned above are not the first choice.
The Tushita Palace has its own unique criteria for selecting disciples. For example, if someone has strong enough comprehension but slightly lacks in innate talent, they can still be considered.
"The highest Daoist school focuses on the future and needs powerful pioneers. As for the so-called innate talent, it can be made up for after reaching a certain level. Obviously, the spirituality of enlightenment and pioneering is more important."
Because, throughout history, many "ordinary people" have achieved even greater heights.
Of course, the so-called mortal body is relative. How could someone who can reach the highest point be truly ordinary?
In addition, the Tushita Palace also values another indicator, which is the "gate" that may exist within the body.
The higher-ups didn't say much about this, because even they found it very troublesome to investigate, and sometimes multiple tests wouldn't yield results.
This indicator can only be explored in depth after the Tushita Palace is restored.
"Among the group of fifteen people who are both direct descendants and saints, people like Qingyue occupy six spots, while the other nine people all have powerful backers."
Qin Ming looked up at the night sky. Looking at it this way, it must have been really tough for Qingyue after she changed her environment.
Although they received near-saint-level treatment, those six were known as "unaffiliated cultivators" within the group of fifteen.
How can a "rogue cultivator" compare to a peerless genius nurtured by a top-tier lineage above the Nine Heavens, or a saint who, though on the ground, is supported by a prestigious family?
Behind them, powerful family forces are also providing additional resources.
At this moment, in the night sky, within the Great Crimson Heaven City, in a grand dojo, the atmosphere was unusual, and several grandmasters who usually presided over various affairs were alarmed and came out.
"Yun Wangshu...did you once have a Daoist companion?"
"It's not certain yet, but it seems like someone is going to come and live off his wife."
"What's going on? This can't be real."
Several grandmasters showed expressions of doubt. Saint Yun Wangshu came from a relatively remote area, but he had long since shed his identity as a rogue cultivator and joined the Great Crimson Heaven Dojo. Now he was a renowned and unparalleled genius.
Women are fewer among the saints, making it easier to target them.
A beautiful maid rushed into the Taoist temple and cried out urgently, "Miss, something terrible has happened! Your past Taoist partner may have appeared."
Yun Wangshu was meditating, shrouded in white mist, her body hazy, with a faint celestial glow surrounding her. Upon hearing this, she suddenly opened her eyes, and two brilliant beams of light shot out.
"What are you saying?" Her fair face immediately darkened.
The maid spoke up timidly, saying, "This is... a rumor. The elders received a secret report that someone is trying to take advantage of you, Miss."
Yun Wangshu stared at her maid, wondering if she had been bribed by her rival. Was her maid appearing at a crucial juncture in her cultivation path, trying to disrupt her resolve?
The beautiful maid exclaimed in surprise, "Miss, why aren't you saying anything? Could it be...?"
Looking at her silly and cute face, Yun Wangshu was sure she was serious, and immediately scolded, "If you dare to talk nonsense again, I will immediately send you into the Eight Trigrams Furnace to be refined!"
The maid was taken aback, then realized what was going on and said, "Ah, is this a rumor? I knew it. Miss is so pure and innocent, how could she have a Daoist partner so early?"
Then she whispered, "I understand. That person must be related to Saint Zuo Qing. He came for her."
……
Qin Ming has returned to Xuandu City.
He once soared into the night sky, visiting many towering cities, and now he has returned to the earth.
Because Li Qingyue is in Xuandu City.
The city was incredibly spacious, with not only bustling streets but also clusters of sacred mountains. After all, it was a decaying grotto-heaven, so its natural atmosphere was extraordinary.
"That is the furnace palace."
Qin Ming walked forward, approaching a jade palace. This place did not belong to any "big mountain", but was a small palace left over from the original Tushita Palace.
The independent cultivators in the group of fifteen, though enjoying extremely high treatment, were not in those grand arenas, but rather in places like this.
And in the same city, there was a powerful sect—the Xuandu Sect.
Even the most decaying caverns are naturally guarded by powerful forces.
The furnace palace is rather deserted. It is full of spiritual energy and Daoist charm, making it an excellent place for cultivation, but it is rarely visited and no one is seen coming or going.
"Qingyue is right here." Qin Ming gazed at this magnificent palace. The conditions were not bad, but living here alone made him feel rather lonely.
At the gates of other top-tier dojos, there are many important visitors every day, and those who come and go are no ordinary people.
"Senior Furnace." Qin Ming transmitted his voice using resonance, as he could sense that the old furnace was inside.
With a flash, the old furnace appeared, not only the lid but also the body, the two combined, flowing with eight different golden lights, and filled with celestial mist.
"Mingzi, you've finally arrived." It split into a light rain, wrapped Qin Ming, and teleported back to the depths of the furnace palace.
Old Lu was quite satisfied because Qin Ming was not only punctual, but arrived well in advance.
"Senior, where is Qingyue?" Qin Ming asked, unable to sense Li Qingyue's aura in this cold and desolate jade palace.
The old furnace master told us, "She went to the Heavenly Fire Pool beyond the Nine Heavens to refine her form and spirit."
Qin Ming smiled and said, "Hmm, not bad. Being able to cultivate in a treasure land beyond the Nine Heavens is better than I expected."
Old Furnace smiled bitterly and said, "This is a choice we had no other option to make."
"What's going on?" Qin Ming sat down.
In the vast palace, there were only two maids, both quite young. One of them came to serve tea and curiously glanced at Qin Ming a few times.
Old Furnace said, "Some resources are distributed monthly, while some special opportunities require Qingyue to enter special secret realms and ruins to collect them personally."
However, among the group of fifteen, she was not a grandmaster and could not compete with the fifth-realm saints at all. Most of the time, she could only collect scraps.
Therefore, Li Qingyue often chooses to engage in ascetic practices, such as the Sun True Fire Cave, the Heavenly Fire Pool beyond the Nine Heavens, or even using the power of otherworldly poisonous fire to alter her innate fire body, accumulate cultivation, and slowly improve her endowment.
The Tushita Palace values potential, but at this stage, it also allows various competitions and contests to take place. If one's cultivation is insufficient, then one should endure hardship.
As a "rogue cultivator," it was quite difficult for Li Qingyue to compete for special resources, so she could only choose to cultivate diligently.
Qin Ming felt a pang of unease.
Old Lu went to great lengths to travel to Yezhou to deliver medicine to him; those medicines were all "rations" that Li Qingyue had saved up.
Qin Ming was unaware of these details earlier.
Now that he knew, his heart was in turmoil, first rippling, then surging.
"Qingyue, it's tough and difficult here!" He stood up.
The old furnace sighed, helpless. As a senior member, it couldn't step in to help collect the blessings of creation.
It shone brightly and said, "Now that you're here, things will be much easier."
Otherwise, if the grandmasters or even the founders of the various major sects were to personally intervene, everything would fall into chaos.
Qin Ming asked, "Can I participate?"
The lid of the old furnace kept being lifted, as if nodding, and said, "The group of fifteen, these competitors can send their followers to gather herbs and collect good fortune, provided that the people around them are not old guys."
Normally, a proud and arrogant genius would not follow anyone else.
But at this critical juncture, all competitors want to enter the Tushita Palace, so they spare no expense to find capable helpers and collect all kinds of secret medicines and divine substances that can change one's talents and enhance one's potential.
In these special circumstances, the saints who have powerful dojos and prestigious families behind them all have extraordinary experts by their side.
Often, everything is accomplished perfectly without even the saints needing to intervene.
Last time, when Lao Lu went to Yezhou to deliver medicine, he didn't want to tell Qin Ming about it. Firstly, Li Qingyue didn't want him to know, and secondly, Lao Lu was embarrassed to ask someone who was rising to become a future Great Sage to come here and help Li Qingyue gather herbs. It was a bit inappropriate.
Now that Qin Ming has come to his door, why would Lao Lu feel embarrassed? He can now confidently order him around.
Old Furnace said, "Collect more rare herbs; you can use them too."
Qin Ming frowned and said, "If you don't have a background, wouldn't it be difficult to 'make progress'?"
He suddenly felt that the territory ruled by the Tushita Palace was even greater than that of the Jade Capital.
Old Furnace said, "Not really. This place doesn't block all the paths to advancement. Although Qingyue's place of arduous cultivation is extremely agonizing and can be described as painful torture, it can indeed improve oneself."
In comparison, using the natural resources gathered from those secret realms and ruins to aid in cultivation is much more comfortable and efficient.
Qin Ming said, "Alright, I'll make a move next time!"
He asked when Qingyue would return.
Old Furnace said, "Judging from her cultivation pattern, she should be back in about five days."
Qin Ming nodded and then asked, "When will those secret realms and ruins open next?"
Old Furnace said, "In two more days, there will be a good opportunity."
Qin Ming remained silent. Without a doubt, Qingyue had given up on this opportunity.
He asked in a deep voice, "Has someone targeted her?"
Old Lu mentioned in Yezhou that such a fight wouldn't be life-threatening, but if someone went too far, it would probably be unavoidable.
Qin Ming's eyes shot out beams of cold lightning, freezing the rising steam from the teacup and creating a layer of frost.
Old Furnace said, "Occasionally, some people act too aggressively. Currently, some special resources are almost monopolized by a few peerless geniuses, who take turns being in charge."
A saint once intervened and severely injured Qingyue, but it was within the bounds of the law.
Even Lao Lu was so angry that he personally went to their door to threaten them.
"Anything else outrageous?" Qin Ming asked further.
Old Furnace said in a deep voice: "At this stage, top saints no longer need to show themselves. Their people can collect rare medicines and strange substances. Some followers, relying on their age and higher level, often force back or injure their direct disciples, and shamelessly regard this as a moment of glory."
Some of those people were in their thirties or forties.
Qin Ming went to the window, looked at the night sky, and said, "You should have told me this when we were in Yezhou. If you had, I would have come earlier!"
He clenched his fist slightly, and the void seemed to distort.
Two days later, the clear sound of bells rang out in the distance, indicating that a certain secret realm was about to open, containing only one rare medicine—the Golden Flame Flower.
It takes root in the strange fire, its buds are almost illusory, yet they are real, and can enhance the talents of cultivators.
In fact, the current group of fifteen is mainly vying for something that can increase their potential.
"What's going on? In the past two days, I've heard that someone is trying to live off the core saints Yun Wangshu and Zuo Qing. Their childhood partners have arrived."
It must be said that the old furnace truly lives up to its name as the Bagua Furnace. Despite its great age, it remains quite gossipy, even showing interest in such rumors.
Qin Ming was taken aback. This... shouldn't have anything to do with him, right?
"I'm going to meet those people." He stood up, preparing to enter the secret realm.
Within the furnace, there is a special teleportation array that can take you directly to the vicinity of that secret realm.
Old Furnace said, "Take the jade token to prove you are qualified to enter the secret realm, and try to pick all the Golden Flame Flowers."
In fact, it also harbored resentment and wanted to avenge Qingyue, but its status was too high and it was being watched by all sides, preventing it from taking action.
Now that Qin Ming has arrived, Lao Lu is restless and hopes that he will "make a difference".
At the entrance to the secret realm, a large group of people had been waiting for a long time.
As the clear bell rang again, a rift in the void opened, and a rich spiritual energy rushed out.
Qin Ming followed a group of people inside. His first priority was to pick the Golden Flame Flowers, and everything else was temporarily put aside.
Therefore, as soon as he entered the secret realm, he rode the Primordial Golden Bridge and traversed to the end of the sky.
"Who is that? How could they be so fast?" someone exclaimed in surprise.
In the end, Qin Ming discovered clusters of strange flowers deep within the secret realm, swaying in the terrifying flames, imbued with Daoist charm, and carrying an irresistible spiritual essence.
In an instant, Qin Ming cut down the twenty-eight exotic flowers, sealed them in a special fire jade box, and picked them clean on the spot.
With a whoosh, he was transported out of the secret realm.
"I haven't even hit anyone yet!" Qin Ming was caught off guard, staring blankly, but there was nothing he could do. He had planned to take action on this trip to avenge Qingyue.
He wanted to re-enter the secret realm, but was stopped.
Old Lu was surprised. He hadn't expected Qin Ming to be so efficient. Hadn't he just left?
It noticed that Qin Ming was very unhappy, almost to the point of cursing.
Inside the secret realm, a group of people were in an uproar, especially the followers of several core saints, whose faces were extremely grim. They hadn't even picked a single petal; the place was cleaner than a dog had chewed.
"I hope the next secret realm opens soon!" Qin Ming was indignant, still seething with anger and very unhappy.
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(End of this chapter)