In the mists above the Dragon Marsh Water Mansion, Tao Qian almost lost his composure.
Even racking his brains, he could never have imagined such a turn of events unfolding, and that moment of haziness was truly horrifying to him.
After leaving Southern Yue, no, in fact, after starting the cultivation of the Spirit Treasure Method, Tao Qian had almost completely forgotten about the "Immortal Fish Technique." This magic skill, in a way, allowed gains without the pains, but after receiving warnings from both Elder Bamboo Scroll and Xiao Hua Daoist, Tao Qian ceased to cultivate it.
Unexpectedly, after so long, Tao Qian encountered a cultivator who had practiced the Immortal Fish Technique.
Moreover, he was a fellow sect disciple and his senior uncle.
Just as Tao Qian was shocked, watching Daoist Alcohol and Meat cover his face in shame and flee,
the Record slowly sorted itself out in his mind.
His previous judgment was not mistaken; taking advantage of Li Changle's weakened state from a heavy blow, a simple touch allowed him to glimpse even more foundational information.
[Record Type: Cultivator.]
[Record: Once the former Emperor Yongchang of the Longevity Heavenly Dynasty, reigning for twenty-three years. During his reign, he diligently attended to state affairs, shunned the company of women, and lived thriftily like a common man, but he was born in unfavorable times. Further, due to a lack of governance skills, the nation suffered with wars throughout, rebellions surged like tides, and the common people endured great suffering, gradually branding him a dim-witted monarch. Thereafter he began to decay, indulging in pleasures, eventually being usurped by his own younger brother.]
[Note 1: Although Li Changle lost the throne, he managed to survive and wandered among the common people. He then began to seek the path of cultivation and, given his talent and opportunistic fortune, quickly stood out and eventually was accepted into the Spirit Treasure Mountain Gate.]
[Note 2: Because he harmed his Dao Foundation in his early years, even though he cultivated the "Spirit Treasure Great Desire Ultimate Happiness Sutra," his life would cease at the Cavernous Mystery Realm, with no possibility of breaking into the next realm... He should have reincarnated to cultivate anew, but due to his own bloodline and the "Immortal Fish Technique," he had already become entangled in karma with a vastly powerful existence, making reincarnation impossible.]
[Note 3: He is unable to pay the numerous cultivation prices and is on the brink of mutating and falling. In search of a glimmer of survival, he is ready to participate in the Ten Thousand Immortals Conference, fighting for that chance.]
[Note 4: He initially wanted to find someone to take on his karma to reincarnate and cultivate anew, but at the critical moment, he was thwarted by Duobao Daoist. Unable to make a deal, he suffered a backlash, and his timeline for falling into mutation drew even nearer.]
A virtually complete Record surfaced in Tao Qian's mind.
Not even Tao Qian himself thought he could glimpse so many secrets from his senior uncle Daoist Alcohol and Meat.
One can imagine how intense the fluctuations in his qi were just now.
Normally, Li Changle is a genuine Cavernous Mystery Realm cultivator. Even if Tao Qian had also entered the Foundation Establishment Realm, he couldn't have perceived details to such an extent.
Tao Qian didn't much care for Li Changle's life as an emperor. What truly caught his attention was Li Changle's predicament and the new term mentioned in the third note.
"Didn't expect that an elder within the Spirit Treasure Sect would face mutation and fall?"
"How many others are there like Li Changle?"
"And what exactly is this so-called Ten Thousand Immortals Conference? Something that can frighten a Cavernous Mystery Realm cultivator to that extent, to prefer reincarnating and cultivating anew rather than competing?"
While he glimpsed many secrets, Tao Qian also harbored many doubts in his heart.
"Thinking back, the first and second cultivation methods I received after my rebirth turned out to be huge pitfalls."
"That senior uncle Li Changle met me yesterday but didn't perceive anything until he encountered another cultivator from Southern Yue. Hearing that I had received the Human Dao Fortune, he came to investigate and found out I had also cultivated the 'Immortal Fish Technique,' saying that's enough to create confusion, to take on his karma?"
"Is the Human Dao Fortune because Li Changle was once an emperor of the Longevity Heavenly Dynasty?"
"With his cultivation, background, and status, he must be asking for a terribly dangerous favor in his desperation."
"And just now he was not able to explain fully because my master intervened from afar."
"Ever since my Foundation Establishment started, my master, aside from some standard instructions, never told me all the particulars and secrets. He just let me encounter them, guess at them, deal with them... The three demons of Miraculous Tree were like that, and now so is the Ten Thousand Immortals Conference."
"If I hadn't seen through it, wouldn't he have kept me in the dark until the end?"
"Is he too lazy? Or does he naturally have a bad temper, forcing me, his disciple, to go through each ordeal before explaining?"
Tao Qian silently complained inside, but outwardly, after pondering, he made a respectful bow towards the void and said, "Disciple thanks Master for your help!"
He had just finished speaking, not expecting any response,
But the next moment, he was proved wrong as a rough voice rang in his ear: "You sly disciple, your eyes lack sincerity when you give thanks, your manner is perfunctory, and right now, you must be badmouthing me in your heart, wrong yet also right."
Hearing this, Tao Qian was about to defend himself,
When immediately, Duobao Lord's voice transmitted again:
"Don't panic, don't panic, your talent is passable, your cultivation is weak. Although you are somewhat clever, you cannot yet see through the changing principles of the Heavenly Mechanism."
"I am clear about your thoughts, but if I were to meticulously explain everything to you, while it could spare you a lot of trouble, it would also cause you to miss many opportunities. Once you learn the Spirit Treasure Divination Technique, you might even blame me later."
"If you want it that way, you may go and bow to your Aunt Yunhua."
"I see you are quite good at winning the hearts of your aunts. If Xie Lingji was still around, perhaps Yunhua would even match you up with her."