Chapter 274 - 250 Immortal Cultivation for Longevity_2
Now, there was a way to escape from fearsome beasts that could not be overcome.
"Next, let’s talk about the origin of Qi-Blood, which is related to the Demon Tribe of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. In those days..."
Zhou Yi spoke slowly, recounting his personal experiences. The will of the Golden Core True Monarch manifested slightly, allowing students to clearly envision the pioneering efforts of the ancients.
With ferocious beasts running rampant today, their situation was so similar to that of the ancients!
About half an hour later, he finally finished explaining the method to condense Blood Pills, and after a long silence in the classroom, applause erupted like thunder.
All students stood up, bowed deeply, and said in unison.
"We will remember the teachings of the True Monarch, we shall surely drive away the ferocious beasts and revitalize our human race!"
"..."
Aroused from his recollections by the sound, Zhou Yi remained silent for a moment, then spoke slowly, "Check the homework!"
Gu Chen had a lump in his throat but managed to suppress his excitement, retrieving a stack of homework books from the drawer.
This was a special requirement from Zhou Yi; the homework had to be handwritten, the rationale being that the handwriting contained the person’s essence and spirit.
He also instructed students to take good care of their homework books, so that in the future if they became a True Monarch, they could look back at their written aspirations to strengthen their Dao heart and dispel inner demons.
Zhou Yi flipped through the first volume from top to bottom.
"For the continuation of the human race, I cultivate!"
His fingers calculated; it was indeed his intention.
Subsequent volumes mostly shared the same theme—the purpose of cultivation was either to drive away ferocious beasts or to prosper the human race. Born in an era plagued by ferocious beasts, this was the mission for everyone.
The next most common goal was to become stronger, again to resist the ferocious beasts.
"Good!"
Zhou Yi glanced at the many students, nodded slightly, and waved his hand, causing several bottles of Elixir to fall on the monitor’s desk, "I’ve concocted a few batches of Elixirs these days, distribute them after class."
He then pulled out one of the books that read: Cultivate to seek immortality!
"Student Han Chao."
Zhou Yi looked toward a plain-looking student in the corner of the classroom. Cultivators were generally handsome or beautiful, so such an appearance was considered ugly, "Why are you so insistent on immortality?"
"To the True Monarch, this is the student’s true heart," Han Chao bowed deeply, not daring to conceal anything, "Listening to the teacher’s lectures, although the word ’immortality’ is not mentioned, every action, every magical divine ability, is for the sake of immortality!"
"Excellent!"
Zhou Yi waved his hand, and the corpse of a rat demon fell in front of Han Chao, "For this assignment, you’re ranked first."
Han Chao thanked him profusely; with such resources, he could improve his cultivation faster and take his chances at establishing his Foundation after reaching the peak of Qi Cultivation.
"The quest of cultivation is indeed for immortality," Zhou Yi said slowly, "When I first saw you, I could tell that the malevolent energy was too strong, not resembling the Orthodox path, but closer to the Demonic Path. With such cultivation, you will have no hope of establishing a Foundation in the future, and may even become a Demon Head!"
The students’ expressions changed upon the rebuke; some were resentful, others helpless.
"Teacher, it’s not that we are unaware of cultivating the heart, but the state of the world is dire, and we are compelled to cultivate more mana to slay more beasts on the battlefield," Gu Chen stood up and said, "On the battlefield, if one’s body and Dao perish, how can one fall into demonic ways?"
Zhou Yi certainly understood this reasoning. Yet, cultivation and cultivating the heart were inseparable. A strong mind and pure Dao heart could nourish the speed of cultivation and control mana effortlessly during battle.
Speaking empty words to the students was useless; they had to experience it themselves.
"I have selected fifty Dao scriptures, all the essence written by the sages, and have already sent them to your email. The class monitor will take care of the Jade Chime and must lead everyone in reciting scriptures and conducting morning classes daily!"
Morning classes had long been abolished in modern cultivation, as it was generally believed that the time spent reciting scriptures was better used for seated meditation and Qi cultivation.
Gu Chen bowed, "I will heed the teacher’s instructions."
"You are the elite of the human race, one in ten thousand. Your task now is to cultivate diligently in hopes of achieving the Golden Core one day. If but one person attains the Golden Core, the effect would be a hundred times more powerful than going to the battlefield!" n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Zhou Yi continued, "Regarding the ferocity of the beasts, you won’t be of help. When the great calamity arrives, there will be someone of higher powers to stand at the forefront!"
The students looked at each other, not understanding, and one of them couldn’t help but ask.
"True Monarch, who are the higher powers?"
"Kunlun!"
...
Kunlun Wonderland.
The Taoist temple.
Zhou Yi sat cross-legged on a cushion, looking at the two Dao boys in front of him.
One wore a purple robe and the other a red robe; they were transformed from grapevines and jujube trees, whose original forms had been nurtured by spiritual energy for a thousand years, and had long since completed Foundation Establishment.
The only thing they lacked was the Heavenly Tribulation; without the baptism of heaven and earth, it was hard for them to become Demon Kings.
"I entrust you with a mission, to infiltrate the upper echelons of the demon race under the guise of tree demons," Zhou Yi said.
He pulled out two flying swords from his sleeve, which had been restored to top-level magic artifacts, one blue and one purple, perfectly matching the attributes of the two children.
"The primary objective is to determine whether there is a Golden Core Demon King among the demons, and secondly, to understand the demons’ whereabouts. Mark them down and I will personally visit each one."
"We will diligently follow the Immortal’s decree," they responded.
The purple-robed child, who went by the daoist name Clear Wind, bowed to receive the Purple Cloud Sword, a being of serious nature and few words.
The red-robed girl, who went by the daoist name Bright Moon, refined the Sky Blue Sword into her body and asked, "If there is no Golden Core Demon King among the demons, does the Immortal intend to take action?"
"Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One!" Zhou Yi said with a compassionate expression, "The demon race has already strayed from the right path, and it is necessary for me to launch a great slaughter to cleanse their source."
Would not taking action after exposure go against the cultivation practices of the era and raise suspicions among the old monsters? It can all be ascribed to the folklore of Kunlun Wonderland, a thousand-year-old lie that has become orthodox mythology!
When those old monsters awaken and hear of this, they might seek the secret of immortality and search for traces of Kunlun.
By then, Zhou Yi will have assumed a new identity, walking the world afresh. Who could imagine that the proud master of Kunlun would be a university professor?
"If there exists a Golden Core Demon King among the demons, regardless of whether they are normal, we will need to formulate a long-term plan," Zhou Yi continued.
"Back then, eighteen ghostly entities came to Kunlun, and after five hundred years, they have all perished. However, they might have left behind a Ghost Path force; you two should also investigate it."
Ghosts, compared to the demon race, are closer to humans and can be allied with.
Moreover, those ghostly entities originated from Kunlun, so they owe a debt to Zhou Yi and are rightfully expected to repay it!
Before the two children set off, Zhou Yi took out a bamboo cup and cast a minor divining spell.
The divining sticks fell to the ground.
They burst forth with dazzling light.
Demon Saint!
"A sign of utmost auspiciousness!"
Zhou Yi’s thoughts raced, the only matter related to the Demon Saint in the world was that of the Four Saints Temple of old.
"If that is the case, could it be that the Turtle Chancellor and the other two are about to emerge?"
The Turtle Chancellor and the other two demons had already completed Foundation Establishment before their retreat and received the legacy of a Demon Saint, possessing at least the combat power of a Golden Core. If they could take on these identities and unite the demon race, becoming the new Demon Emperor of the era.
"If the Demon Emperor is my spiritual pet, then the peril of the human race will be immediately resolved!"
...
Zhou Yi’s second lecture quickly spread, but the response was mixed.
Especially the part about cultivation for the quest for immortality stirred up resentment among the common people, who felt that "Master Tang Zhenren" was too aloof and failed to prioritize the rise and fall of the human race.
"With such virtue, how is he qualified to be a teacher?"
"If everyone acted this way, would there be any hope for the human race?"
"Master Tang Zhenren should go to the front lines to see the havoc wrought by fierce beasts, then reflect on his own words and actions..."
These were the milder comments; some impatient internet warriors had already branded Tang Zhenren with the label of "traitor," believing him to be a spy sent by the demons to undermine the human race!
The few praises that did exist concerned the origin of Qi-Blood, while even the Escape Skill and Talisman Technique were criticized as "escapeist doctrine."
Zhou Yi paid no regard to this, as no one can control public opinion or sway the merits and demerits - what mattered was doing his job well and not worrying about others’ opinions.
Centuries later, Zhou Yi was still alive in the world.
Those judging right from wrong were long buried, their graves overgrown with grass, without knowing if anyone still offered paper tributes.
"What does capturing Tang Zhenren have to do with me, Zhou Yi?"
Zhou Yi was currently immersed in the library, researching books on the principles, formulations, and processes of elixirs, starting from concocting zero-number elixirs and seeking new techniques.
Each era births its unique path.
Like the ancient Immortal Dao and witchcraft, and the Cultivation World now referred to as ancient, in a million years’ time, this era’s new elixir techniques will also be known as ancient methods.
Zhou Yi held no prejudices against any method; living through the long river of history, he would inevitably experience the rise and fall of different paths. His duty was to learn and record.
"Only by merging all methods can one transcend them all!"