Chapter 002: Heretical Practices

Wang Bo had originally intended to seek out that senior brother, but he hadn't expected the other to come to him of his own accord—this was perfect.

Wang Bo smiled slightly and said, “I was just about to pay my respects to the senior brother, but I didn't expect him to summon me. Please lead the way, senior brother; we mustn't keep him waiting.”

Li Changsheng nodded in agreement, but a trace of contempt flickered in his eyes.

In his view, this Zhang Hua, in order to curry favor with the senior brother, had utterly disgraced the face of a cultivator. Though he himself also obeyed the senior brother's every word, it was for the sake of the Taiyin True Art that he endured humiliation.

He was completely different from someone who flattered just to suck up.

Nevertheless, on the surface, Li Changsheng still smilingly praised Wang Bo and led him to see the senior brother.

Taiyin Zhenren, with his profound cultivation and mastery of numerous Daoist arts, enjoyed the deep trust of the current emperor. The bestowed National Teacher's mansion was astonishingly vast. Although Wang Bo and Li Changsheng were agile, it took them nearly ten minutes, passing through one courtyard after another, before they reached the senior brother's courtyard.

After the two passed a rockery, they entered a pavilion.

Inside the pavilion, the Three Pure Ones were enshrined.

A young Daoist wearing a veil was sitting in meditation before the Three Pure Ones, practicing his skills. Around him were piles of bamboo baskets, and inside these baskets were colorful venomous snakes.

The young Daoist formed hand seals, emitting waves of cold, yin energy from his body. His eyes flashed with sharp light, and strands of奇妙 power revolved, absorbing the essence, energy, and spirit of the venomous snakes in the surrounding baskets.

Wang Bo could clearly sense that as the essence, energy, and spirit of these snakes drained away, the奇妙 power around the young Daoist continuously strengthened.

Wang Bo immediately realized that this奇妙 power was likely the magical power cultivated from the Taiyin True Art.

But Wang Bo hadn't expected the young Daoist to use the essence, energy, and spirit of venomous snakes to train.

After losing a great deal of their essence, energy, and spirit, the snakes gradually became listless. Before long, some snakes had all their essence, energy, and spirit drained, ultimately dying unnatural deaths.

Wang Bo had read the introductory chapter of the Taiyin True Art. The introductory chapter was not profound, but it was upright and proper, emphasizing the absorption of the yin energy of the moon to condense magical power, ultimately cultivating the primordial spirit, accumulating sufficient magical power, overcoming the heavenly tribulation, and ascending to immortality in broad daylight.

But from the young Daoist's actions today, it was clear that his Taiyin True Art had taken a deviant path. Using venomous snakes to train, though not necessarily harmful to humans, was certainly not the righteous way.

It could even be described as heretical practices.

Moreover, stimulated by the scene before him, Wang Bo also recalled that it wasn't just the young Daoist who did this; even his master, Taiyin Zhenren, did the same.

Indeed, the young Daoist who looked very young was actually a disciple of Taiyin Zhenren and the senior brother among these Daoist boys. However, due to his profound cultivation and skill in preserving youth, this young Daoist, who had long passed the age of forty, looked no different from a youth of twenty.

After about half an hour, the young Daoist had absorbed all the essence, energy, and spirit of the venomous snakes in the baskets. His magical power greatly increased, his skin became even more crystalline and jade-like, and when his eyes opened and closed, sharp light seemed to shoot out.

Wang Bo understood that this was a manifestation of greatly increased magical power. After a few days of cultivation, when the young Daoist had fully integrated the magical power within his body, his divine light would naturally become restrained.

Seeing this, Li Changsheng quickly bowed and congratulated him, “Li Changsheng congratulates the senior brother on his further advancement in cultivation. May the senior brother soon achieve success, ascend to immortality in broad daylight, and join the ranks of the immortals.”

The young Daoist sighed, floated lightly up from the ground, and stood before the two. “Ascending to immortality in broad daylight is easier said than done. Even the master is stuck at this step, forced to remain in the mortal world. How much more so for me?”

Li Changsheng added, “The master's divine skill is unparalleled; ascending to immortality is only a matter of time. Once the master joins the immortals, the position of National Teacher will naturally fall to you, senior brother. Then, please take care of us.”

The young Daoist couldn't help but laugh. Everyone likes flattery, and he was no exception. “You talk too much.”

Li Changsheng smiled and was about to continue, but Wang Bo couldn't stand it anymore. He stepped forward and interrupted, “Brother Li said earlier that the senior brother had business with me. May I ask what important matter it is?”

The young Daoist glanced at Wang Bo, a faint light flickering in his eyes, and said slowly, “What happened to the magical power in your body? Why is it gone?”

Wang Bo was slightly surprised. Although he had taken the place of the Daoist boy, he had not obtained the magical power within the boy's body. He hadn't expected the young Daoist to notice.

“No,” the young Daoist exclaimed in shock. “Your magical power has disappeared, replaced by a vast, blazing true qi like the blazing sun. You're not a Daoist; you're a martial artist! You're not Zhang Hua. Who are you?”

Hearing this, Li Changsheng shuddered violently and looked at Wang Bo in disbelief.

The young Daoist's gaze turned exceptionally sharp. He waved his hands, and streaks of golden light shot forth, seemingly capable of piercing metal and jade.

Wang Bo flicked his fingers repeatedly, sending out streams of Nine Yang Sword Qi that sliced through the golden light.

“How dare you!” The young Daoist let out a long cry. With a sweep of his wide sleeves, golden butterflies flew out from the cuffs, dancing gracefully around the pavilion.

Fortunately, Wang Bo had already set up a barrier, so the young Daoist's cry did not alarm the National Teacher's mansion.

In an instant, the butterflies transformed into streaks of golden light, covering the sky and earth, densely shooting toward Wang Bo, sealing off every path of advance and retreat.

Wang Bo was not to be outdone. He wielded the Nine Yang Sword Qi, which cut metal and jade like thunder, swift and fierce. In an instant, it clashed with the漫天 golden light, producing a clanging sound of steel striking steel.

Sparks burst forth in all directions.

Wang Bo's Nine Yang Sword Qi was vigorous and indestructible, yet it failed to cut through the漫天 golden light at the first strike, forcing Wang Bo to marvel.

The Taiyin True Art was indeed remarkable, and this Daoist art was also remarkable.

It was certainly not inferior to the Nine Yang Divine Skill.

The漫天 golden light and the Nine Yang Sword Qi clashed, momentarily locked in a stalemate. The young Daoist was greatly startled. In his view, martial artists were crude, and although true qi had its merits, it was far inferior to magical power.

He hadn't expected that today, someone would use true qi to fight him to a draw. This left the young Daoist both humiliated and astonished.

It also strengthened his resolve to capture this person.

He wanted to see just what kind of crude martial artist this was, daring to trespass in the National Teacher's mansion.

Thus, the young Daoist did not hesitate to drive his magical power. The golden butterflies fluttered everywhere, transforming into streaks of golden light that pierced and shattered the Nine Yang Sword Qi.

The golden light darted freely through the void, with tricky angles, both soft and hard, and in an instant, trapped Wang Bo.

Seeing Wang Bo immobilized by the漫天 golden light, the young Daoist couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

But who would have thought that in the next second, Wang Bo would suddenly vanish from before his eyes without a trace.

“Not good!”