Chapter 224: Chapter 172: The Ancient Saint Among the Flowers

“I still have a hundred and eighty years of life left, and twelve hundred years of spiritual cultivation.”

Zhang Fusheng silently sorted through the items in the contract, quietly walked out of the Eight Sceneries Palace, first observing the souls praying continuously,

then glanced at the Tao Scripture in the Five Mansions Temple, still closed, before finally arriving at the Bridge of Helplessness.

Squatting down, he continued to pluck the Other Shore flowers as usual, each one merging into his own Dead Man’s Bone, or perhaps the Other Shore Bone.

He could clearly sense the Other Shore Bone was gradually transforming, its eerie aura growing stronger—not just eerie.

On that bone, there even gradually arose the feeling of the ’Other Shore.’

As if it were the land of liberation, the end of all suffering.

“What exactly are the Other Shore flowers by the Yellow Springs River and the Bridge of Helplessness?”

Zhang Fusheng muttered to himself, sensing that the Other Shore Bone was already ’full,’ planning to pluck one last flower.

Reaching out, he grasped the stem and pulled.

It didn’t move.

The brilliantly glowing flower leaves abnormally pressed down, as if an invisible, unseen hand was pushing down on them.

Zhang Fusheng’s heart tightened—someone was there.

Not here.

But by the Yellow Springs River, in a different dimension, there was someone!

He had always thought the Yellow Springs River was a land without an owner.

In his contemplative state, crooked words appeared on the muddy ground by the river, where vast clusters of Other Shore flowers were planted.

[Who are you?]

[Touching the Void, are you a celestial human anchoring this place?]

“The handwriting is really ugly…”

Zhang Fusheng murmured, his mind heavy but not frightened—after all, the other party could not reach this place, nor even know who he was.

He thought for a moment, squatted down, reached out and wrote in the mud:

’Who are you then?’

The words on the muddy earth were wiped away, replaced by new, crooked writing.

[I am a god!!!]

Zhang Fusheng’s mouth twitched at the three exclamation marks…

The writing continued.

[Actually, I am an Ancient Saint, you can call me Tian Shu.]

Ancient Saint?

Zhang Fusheng raised an eyebrow, an Ancient Saint is also a kind of deity, specifically those occupying the celestial positions in Confucianism.

In Confucianism, there are seventy-two small celestial positions, all called Ancient Saints, and three great celestial positions, which are [True Saints].

As for the highest position of the Great Perfection Master?

As far as Zhang Fusheng knew, it seemed to still be vacant, similar to the [Tathagata Celestial Position] among Buddhist deities.

“But… why are the positions of the Three Pristine Ones all seated?”

“And even six deities are seated upon them.”

This thought flashed through Zhang Fusheng’s mind, and the words on the muddy earth twisted again.

[Can you help me with a divine descent?]

Zhang Fusheng squinted slightly; this deity was quite polite.

He thought for a moment and wrote down a line:

[What can I get?]

The mud remained still for a long time.

After a while,

illuminated by the swaying light of the Other Shore flowers,

[You can have whatever you want]

[I’ve been trapped here for many years, I want to get out]

[If you are not assured, you could just talk to me every day, I can teach you some marvelous techniques, immortal techniques or divine techniques]

Zhang Fusheng rubbed his nose, pondering. A Confucian Ancient Saint trapped by the Yellow Springs River?

He maintained a doubtful attitude.

Previously, he was almost deceived by the Ancestor of Land Immortals, and coupled with the suspected ’return method’ within the celestial skill [Strong Ox Demon Body],

Zhang Fusheng now dared not casually trust any cultivation techniques.

He wrote again:

[I do not trust you]

The writing on the mud was wiped again, and new words appeared.

[Are you worried I will harm you? Then you don’t need to assist in the divine descent, just talk to me.]

Paused for a moment, the deity in the different dimension seemed extremely perceptive and wrote again:

[If you are still worried about the marvelous techniques or immortal techniques being problematic, I can also teach you purely divine techniques]

Zhang Fusheng stroked his chin, this guy, his attitude was a bit excessively good.

The more so, the more vigilant Zhang Fusheng became.

After pondering for a while,

[Is that so, show me a divine technique?]

The mud imprinted new words—[Alright].

Then, indeed a method for cultivating a divine technique was written down, engraved in the mud.

Zhang Fusheng looked closely, it was a minor divine technique called [Expel], as the name suggests, it could ’expel’ or ’drive away’ various affairs and objects, repelling them far away.

“What use is this?”

He curiously left words on the mud to ask.

[You ask this question, so you are not a celestial human?]

[You possess a flesh and blood divine body!]

Then, the deity in the different dimension personally explained to him.

Only then did Zhang Fusheng understand what divine techniques are.

The cultivation of this divine technique required a thousand-year refining spirit position as a prerequisite.

Upon examining it closely several times, there seemed to be no issues—at least Zhang Fusheng didn’t find any problems.

“Divine techniques…”

He murmured to himself, if the grandmaster realm cultivates the three furnaces of the human body, plus one furnace of heaven and earth,

then in the Innate Realm, as the flesh enters the [Sealing Furnace] stage, the physique strengthens every moment, while the spirit elevates, breaking limits, and can truly invoke the power of heaven and earth,

and can start to comprehend [Divine Techniques].

He may not have broken the spiritual limit nor harmonized with heaven and earth, but he already possessed the thousand-year refining spirit position,

in theory, he could start to comprehend divine techniques.

“According to this Ancient Saint, every matter under heaven has its order, which is the rule, and divine techniques are the keys to pry open the rules.”

He was amazed, the deity mentioned that [Expel] seems ordinary, but if one’s spirit is strong enough, and comprehension deep enough,

external matters can be expelled with a word, and even one’s own flaws can be expelled with a word!

The deity said that if the spirit reaches a certain level of strength, comprehending to the limit.

In theory, one could [expel] death.

This was truly bizarre.

“Some true divine techniques are already almost [conceptual] abilities, the keys to pry open the rules?”

Zhang Fusheng’s expression turned solemn, he sat cross-legged, communicating with the Ancient Saint while attempting to comprehend [Expel].

He originally held no hope.

But it was easier than he thought—at least, entry was easier than imagined.

In just a quarter of an hour, he had already entered.

He opened his eyes, turned his head, contemplated for a moment, his mind controlling the divine realm, creating a massive sandstorm, surging towards himself!

The thought communicates with the ancestral acupoint at the brow, leveraging the preliminary enlightenment of [Expel] to pry some incredible, massive entities.

Facing the sandstorm directly.

“Expel.”

He spoke in a low voice, like an emperor or a celestial god giving an order.

Although the sandstorm still raged, the part surging towards Zhang Fusheng rolled backwards uncontrollably, the wind direction, sand particles, and dust all followed suit!

This formed an extraordinary scene, with two counter-directional sandstorms simultaneously manifesting, two gusts of wind, one coming here, the other expelled to the other side!

“It’s not forcibly constraining the sandstorm with great power to change its direction…”

Zhang Fusheng marveled softly:

“It’s purely a natural shift; even the wind direction has changed, as if it should be this way!”

Divine techniques, divine techniques.

Thoughts churned and then settled.

“The current me, without utilizing the spirit realm, can completely unleash, coupled with the Nine Netherworlds Sin-Extinguishing Celestial Venerate’s Dharma Aspect, even if no match for the Qi Blood Furnace Fire, I can still wrestle a bit.”

Zhang Fusheng silently assessed his situation:

“And if I use the spirit realm, employ true intent and the Thousand-Year Position?”

“At the grandmaster level, beneath the spirit furnace fire, I can kill in an instant.”

“If facing spirit furnace fire, relying on divine realm suppression, I may not be able to handle him, but neither can he handle me.”

“As for the Heaven and Earth Furnace Fire… I would have to run swiftly.”

He roughly understood his situation, not necessarily entirely accurate, but based on the grandmasters currently encountered, it’s likely this way.

Invincible beneath spirit furnace fire.

At this moment, words continued to be drawn in the mud, the deity still chattering endlessly, as if with endless words to share, but Zhang Fusheng had no time to waste.

[I’m leaving] he wrote this line.

On the other end, the deity was silent for a moment.

[Alright]

[I’ll wait for you to return, to chat with me]

[I still have many divine power techniques here]

Zhang Fusheng frowned slightly, this ancient saint seemed to have indeed been imprisoned for a long time, in loneliness for too long.

Still, caution could not be abandoned.

He cast a deep gaze at the Other Shore Flower Cluster, slowly withdrawing from the divine realm.

……

Chu Family Manor, dungeon.

No one knows why the Chu family would build a colossal dungeon of several thousand square meters beneath the manor, equipped with all kinds of torture devices.

Jin Qiuyue panted, making yet another attempt to free herself from the shackles,

She tried calling to the newly-arrived one-eyed man, but he offered no response, only trembling continuously,

Seemingly constrained by something within his body.

“I must get out.”

“I surely can get out!”

Jin Qiuyue grit her teeth, her eyes bloodshot red, murderous intent billowing.

“How could I fall here!”

“How could it be!”

She struggled fiercely, the specially-made chains grinding against the shoulder blades, emitting a harsh scraping sound,

The intense pain continuously stimulating her brain, her temple veins throbbing violently.

Still unable to break free.

“Don’t bother.” A tired voice sounded, Jin Qiuyue looked up, it was the one-eyed man.

“You can talk?” She asked breathlessly.

“Yes.”

The Black Eye nodded with difficulty, a look of confusion and fear on his face:

“That means… he’s coming.”

Jin Qiuyue was stunned, suddenly hearing the dungeon door being pushed open, footsteps winding down the stairs.

She stared intently, seeing that young man she only met once, already a grandmaster, walking over.

“Zhang, Fu, Sheng!”

Jin Qiuyue nearly ground her teeth to pieces!

Zhang Fusheng glanced at the girl, focusing on her shoulders, covered in thick, dark dried blood.

The flesh was crushed to shreds by the chains, revealing stark white bones.

“So desperate to leave?”

He chuckled lightly twice, stepped forward, standing in front of the girl locked in the corner of the wall.

Jin Qiuyue glared at him.

Zhang Fusheng lifted a foot and gently kicked the chain, making it sway throughout her body, rubbing against her bones, she groaned, sweat dripping heavily from her forehead.

“Very tenacious.”

Zhang Fusheng said indifferently:

“You can’t get out, recent days aren’t good, in two days there’ll be a grand banquet, attended by some mandala lineage followers, then will be your time to appear.”

“Mandala lineage….. you betrayed the grandmaster?!” She grit her teeth: “What do you want to do with me?”

At these words, Jin Qiuyue saw the young man’s wicked smile as he spoke:

“Mandala lineage, always ’people-oriented’.”

“They delight in eating human flesh, using human skin and bones as dharma artifacts. A girl with your extraordinary talent is especially favored.”

“Moreover, from the Ling Mountain lineage?”

Jin Qiuyue trembled slightly, raising her head, staring intently at the young man, hearing him continue:

“At that time, you will serve as a main dish, the life force of a martial arts master is strong, after the meat is consumed, you still won’t die, can be used to make dharma artifacts…”

The girl felt a chilling dread surge throughout her body.

She trembled.

Zhang Fusheng didn’t continue to scare this little fellow, it was enough, the desire to survive would peak.

In this way,

[True Man] if he appears, buying her enlightenment would be much simpler.

Zhang Fusheng turned, looking at the dejected Black Eye, stepped forward, crouched.

“Have you thought about how to answer me now?”

“Or do you plan to keep resisting?”

Black Eye was drenched in sweat like rain.

True Intent Power lay hidden within his flesh, organs, and bones, destroying his flesh and eroding his bones each moment,

Healing his body when on the verge of death, then…

Repeating once more.

In this cycle, over half a day, he had been destroyed and healed numerous times, enduring tribulations more painful than slicing, dozens of times harder.

Black Eye lowered his gaze, weakly asked:

“What do you want to ask? I only hope, for a quick end.”

Zhang Fusheng nodded calmly:

“Your eye, where exactly does it come from? You must have seen, glimpsed.”

After a moment of silence, Black Eye whispered:

“Indeed, I have seen, looked.”

“I saw an old man, a past, a heaven and earth golden bridge.”

“A Yin Yang diagram.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep