Chapter 496 - 224: Golden Core Dao · Divine Three Flowers_6
"As for the next life and after death... to hell with paradise..."
"Haha..."
After he finished speaking, everyone around burst into laughter.
Zhao Tuan chuckled twice, then got up and greeted a few elders, taking Zhao Tianqiu with him as they left.
"Ah Die, how did you know that the people of Huangfeng Town wouldn’t believe Jianan Temple’s words?"
On the way back, Zhao Tianqiu was still puzzled.
Zhao Tuan’s eyes were deep, and he slowly said, "The common people of Huangfeng Town being loyal to the Shen Family is one reason, but it’s also because, back when Young Master Chongxuan established the academy, most of the people from the Huang Family were academy disciples."
"Although in the end, only a few of them embarked on the path of Literary Dao cultivation, the rest are well-read and not easily deceived."
"Next, we just need to watch a good show."
...
Yunshui City, Clan Court.
Shen Li sat quietly in the main hall of the Clan Court, perusing the confidential letter in her hand.
"Is the content of the letter true?"
A disciple of the Clan Court in front of her bowed and said, "All the content has been verified many times before it was given to Miss."
"Jianan Temple has moved south to preach, and Liu Jing, the Patriarch of the Xingyang Liu Family, secretly accepted a hundred Spirit Crystals from Jianan Temple as a benefit."
"He secretly dispatched two members of the direct lineage to assist those monks of Jianan Temple in preaching in the four towns east of Xingyang, such as Qi River and Luoshan."
"As a result, nearly two hundred thousand common people in the four towns now firmly believe in Jianan Temple’s doctrines of ’transcendence’ and ’paradise.’"
Upon hearing this, Shen Li’s gaze gradually grew cold.
With a slight tremble of her palm, she shattered the confidential letter and solemnly said:
"How is the investigation of the other matter?"
The other matter she referred to was the four direct lineage members secretly sent away by the Xingyang Liu Family years ago.
The Clan Court disciple, upon hearing this, hurriedly bowed and said, "Forgive me, Miss, it seems only a few people in the entire Liu Family know about that matter. I suspect that only Liu Jing and his son are aware."
After some contemplation, Shen Li said, "Order Commander Mu Chang to immediately take everyone from the Liu Family direct lineage and all the common people from the four towns east of Xingyang back to Yunshui City."
"For this journey, all sculptures, buildings, books, and such related to Jianan Temple in the four towns, destroy them completely!"
"Announce that anyone who discusses doctrines like ’transcendence’ and ’paradise’ shall be dealt with according to clan rules!"
Regarding the Xingyang Liu Family, she had wanted to take action since the matter with Shen Chongxu.
It’s just that her view on managing the Clan Court differed from Lu Zhiyuan’s.
A mere slap on the wrist wouldn’t work for these vassal families.
Her idea was to gather enough evidence to directly exterminate the clan!
This way, it would not only deter other vassal families but also root out the issues completely, leaving no future trouble!
Although they haven’t found those four from the Liu Family yet, she doesn’t intend to wait any longer.
"Yes!"
The Clan Court disciple accepted the order and hurriedly left the hall.
"What does Master plan to do with those blood... common people?"
In the hall, the Golden Toad spoke with some excitement, "Why not let the little demon swallow them all?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Li glanced at it.
"Are you thinking I’ve been too lenient with you recently?"
The Golden Toad shrank back in fear and its eyes shifted before saying, "Forgive me, Master, the little demon just thinks that killing them all would be such a waste..."
"The common people from the four towns and the Liu Family number over a hundred and twenty thousand."
"If the little demon were to consume them, it would surely reach the Late Stage of Fetal Breathing effortlessly."
Upon hearing this, Shen Li thought for a moment and then said, "The Liu Family will be handled by you and Xiao Yin."
"As for the common people, we should find a way to save them."
Though she had little affection for them, in the early years at the Black Water Pavilion, Shen Yuan often taught that the Shen Family should be kind to the people, unlike those Immortal Sects who didn’t regard the people under their rule as human.
"Master still doesn’t understand Jianan Temple."
After hesitating for a moment, the Golden Toad continued, "Those bald monks at Jianan Temple possess a secret skill called the ’Seed of Destiny Transformation Scripture.’
"This technique is extremely insidious, unless one doesn’t believe their words from the start."
"Once doubt or a trace of belief arises in the heart, it becomes impossible to eradicate."
"Those ’enlightened’ beings, even if Jianan Temple lined them up to commit suicide one by one, would smile and have no resistance."
Upon hearing this, Shen Li’s face instantly darkened!
"Is this true?"
The Golden Toad nodded and replied, "If Master doesn’t believe, you can verify it yourself once the Clan Court disciples bring back the common people."
"The little demon guarantees that even with a knife to their throats, those common people won’t compromise."
What a bizarre method!
Shen Li narrowed her beautiful eyes, pondering in her heart...
...
After the situation in the Western Wilderness stabilized, Shen Chongming immediately gathered a large number of common people and cultivators to head to Flame Lake Ridge.
According to previous plans, the Shen Family aimed to build a giant city at Flame Lake Ridge, enclosing the entire magma lake within.
After discussing with a few of the family, they decided to model this Flame Lake City according to the specifications of Yunshui City.
Besides constructing Flame Lake City, Shen Chongming led people to survey the Spirit Fields and Spirit Ores within the Western Wilderness territory. Considering future plans, he decided to build another giant city and two small cities between Flame Lake City and Yunshui City.
In this way, ensuring the giant city could protect the two small cities, while the small cities could oversee the surrounding Spirit Fields and Spirit Ores.
Such an extensive plan was beyond what he could manage alone, so his father, Shen Wenxing, couldn’t bear to watch and decided to help.
Father and son busied themselves with matters of the Western Wilderness.
Meanwhile, Shen Wen’an chose to retreat into seclusion.
Since returning from Danzhou, his cultivation had reached the Fetal Breathing Perfection Realm, and this seclusion was in preparation for achieving the Golden Core Sword Immortal.
While in the Cyan Ruo Sword House, Shen Wen’an had asked Huang Lingshan many times about how to break through from Fetal Breathing Perfection to the Golden Core Sword Immortal Realm.
Huang Lingshan always spoke ambiguously, whether it was because "the Dao cannot be spoken" or for other reasons.
From what Shen Wen’an gathered, one step involved "Forging Gold Nature."
But this differed somewhat from what he had previously thought.
Back at Luoxia Mountain, Jiang Xiuqi retreated to break through to the Golden Core Realm, and he and a few from Chu Yuanfeng of the Cyan Ruo Sword House had personally witnessed the phenomena of a cultivator breaking through to the Golden Core at the mountain gate of Luoxia Mountain.
According to those phenomena, the most critical "Immortal Golden Nature" for a Golden Core Cultivator should be a gift from Heaven.
In other words, the cultivator needs to form the core first, then have Heaven bestow a wisp of "Immortal Golden Nature," allowing this nature to integrate into the Inner Core, achieving the Golden Core Dao.
This evidently contradicted "Forging Gold Nature."
Sitting cross-legged inside the cave mansion, Shen Wen’an pondered for months, eventually discarding all distracting thoughts, returning his Sword Heart to a state of clarity.
Sword Heart Clarity, pure and unblemished in thought.
The "Supreme Mysterious Sword Scripture" began to operate automatically.
As the "Sword Scripture" circulated, his body gradually emitted a pure, gentle, jade-like radiance.
This radiance, known as "Nature Light," was considered the opening of the door to the Golden Core Dao.
Shen Wen’an did not realize that his persistence in "Gently Wiping the Sword Heart" over the years played a crucial role at this critical moment.
Otherwise, the mere requirement of "pure and unblemished thoughts" was enough to stymie most cultivators of the Fetal Breathing Perfection Realm, making it impossible for them to cultivate "Nature Light" in their body.
With the appearance of "Nature Light" and the continuous circulation of the "Supreme Mysterious Sword Scripture," a moment of enlightenment finally dawned in Shen Wen’an’s heart.
It turns out the first step for a cultivator to break through to the Golden Core is to cultivate the "Divine Three Flowers" within oneself.
The Qi Flower condenses into a jade tree, the Essence Flower forms into a necklace of pearls, the Divine Flower manifests into a Golden Wheel...
