A Night of Desperation

Chapter 297: Dao Artifacts Part 1

Qingchen Temple’s separate courtyard.

The vast Qingchen Temple has over a hundred disciples; naturally, it’s not possible to have only one Taoist Temple point. There are thirty-six different-sized separate courtyards in total, serving as both warehouses and research bases.

"Yes, you heard right, research bases." Inside the separate courtyard, Zheng Xia, who was responsible for guiding, explained somewhat irritably, "We are researching the improvements of the fundamental Technique Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique. As well as the optimization of the Daoist Skills Guanwu Skill."

She and Yu Hong were currently standing inside a separate courtyard near a small county town in Taizhou, visiting the research projects here.

Through the observation window, one could see old Taoists with white hair, holding scriptures and notebooks, operating various instruments in enclosed labs, testing volunteer disciples, and recording data, rapidly calculating something.

"It looks very impressive..." Yu Hong had not expected that Qingchen Temple was so progressive and sincerely admired it.

"Otherwise what did you think? That we took so much money just to enjoy ourselves? A significant reason is for the elders who were injured and couldn’t continue to eliminate malevolent spirits; without money, they wouldn’t receive proper care. Now with enough funds, not only do these elders receive excellent treatment with their injuries being healed to the greatest extent, but they can also fully utilize their experience to develop new technologies, materials, and methods beneficial for the entire Taoist Temple."

Zheng Xia spoke about this and stood straight with a proud look on her face.

"That makes sense." Yu Hong nodded in agreement, having only known that Qingchen Temple was eager for money, but he hadn’t realized such deep logic and reasons behind it.

"That’s right; therefore, everyone in the temple supports the current Temple Master taking charge of the situation," Zheng Xia sighed.

Seeing Yu Hong’s genuinely admiring look, she felt a little less resistant in her heart.

She felt this person was not as hypocritical as before.

"Let’s go, this time it’s specially instructed by the masters, to clear the way for all resources given to you. They spent a high price to purchase the raw materials and managed to refine a batch of Heart Changing Pills, three pills in a batch, this time they said they would give you one.... tsk tsk…" Zheng Xia didn’t know what else to say.

Just from a hint of minor news from her master, she understood that this disciple Ding Rou in front of her must have exceptional talent; otherwise, they wouldn’t allocate a Heart Changing Pill, which msters fight over every year, to him.

"Heart Changing Pill?" Yu Hong asked with curiosity, "What are the effects of this elixir?"

"It forcibly stabilizes your Daoist Realm, rapidly advancing your Daoist cultivation by one level. However, one can only consume one pill every two years, and it is ineffective for advancing to the Ninth Layer. Because the Daoist cultivation can regress, often these pills are used... you know." Zheng Xia explained.

"....." Yu Hong was shocked internally, Qingchen Temple looked unassuming, yet it housed such great items!?

"Shocked, aren’t you?" Zheng Xia smiled, "There are more surprises hidden in the future. Did you really think we people of Qingchen Temple are fools? Giving up fame and so much just for money? Money, aside from providing comfort, holds no purpose if it’s not spent properly, to produce the most top-tier effects."

"Then, doesn’t that mean there are many high-level Daoist practitioners in the temple? These could entirely be achieved with the aid of elixirs," Yu Hong asked.

"You think the masters wouldn’t want that? But it’s not possible because the materials needed for these elixirs are extremely rare and hard to come by, and the failure rate is also very high. This batch of elixirs was accumulated over many years and was only successfully refined into a few pills due to good luck; giving you one is already incredibly significant," Zheng Xia replied.

"So that’s how it is! Senior sister Zheng Xia knows a lot, I have learned much." Yu Hong sincerely performs a palm-to-palm salute.

"You don’t need to be this formal..." Zheng Xia blushed a bit from such a formal gesture, quickly turning her head away. "Daoist cultivation does not advance but regress; don’t depend on this pill forever. Once regression starts, it can happen within just a few days, even faster, in some extreme cases it can lead to immediate collapse of the Dao Heart, resulting in complete control loss over the Technique, suffering backlash. It’s exactly because of this, our Taoist Sect pursues a balanced and stable approach as the most important."

"I understand this point." Yu Hong nodded.

For a moment, the atmosphere became a bit awkward, and they both fell silent.

They passed through two small courtyards inside the separate courtyard and approached a three-story building at the far end.

A thin, elderly man with a goatee was already waiting at the door for a long time.

After some pleasantries, the elder took out a black box, already prepared earlier, and handed it to Zheng Xia.

Zheng Xia opened the box, checked it, then handed it over to Yu Hong.

Yu Hong took the box, inside was a pale golden pill about the size of a marble.

The pill was packed around with various bits of cotton, straw leaves, etc.

"Close it up, take it directly when needed. Next, I’ll take you to see a Dao Artifact," Zheng Xia glanced at the black bell on Yu Hong’s waist.

"The Dao Artifact, your Emperor Bell is just among the standard, considered superior. The master asked me to take you to the Inheritance Hall."

"Inheritance Hall?"

"Yes, that’s the most important place in our Qingchen Temple, where the personal Dao Artifacts of past temple elders are stored. Some Dao Artifacts, simply because they have been used for a long time, have a very strong aura imbued in them, and they can significantly enhance Daoist skills and techniques," Zheng Xia explained.

"That’s incredible!" Yu Hong exclaimed.

"Let’s go, I’ll take you to see."

Zheng Xia held her head high, leading Yu Hong away from this separate courtyard, toward the Inheritance Hall.

Inheritance Hall is located underground of a museum in the city area of Taizhou.

On the surface, it appears as an exhibition museum, but beneath lies another universe.

Before the two arrived here, Yu Mo and Temple Master Yu Hen, the Taoist, were already waiting.

On a sunny day, under the shade of trees, they stood side by side, watching various tourists coming in and out of the museum.

"If Yu Hong passes this test at the Inheritance Hall, he will henceforth be one of the mere three core disciples of Qingchen Temple, receiving treatment on par with Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying," the Temple Master said earnestly, without his usual frivolity.

"I do think there shouldn’t be any issue. However, isn’t this a bit too soon for Hong?" Yu Mo hesitated a little.

"It’s not too soon. Didn’t Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying also go through this at the same time? Moreover, if Yu Hong’s Daoist Skills are indeed at the Fifth Layer, then using Inheritance Hall to test him at the Sixth Layer will be ineffective," Yu Hen said sternly. "By using the Inheritance Dao Artifact’s ancestral spirits to check whether he holds malicious intentions and to verify whether his talents are as strong as he claims, this might be our only method."

"We could take him to deal with the resentful marks as a test," Yu Mo suggested.

"That could only show that his Daoist cultivation and Technique cultivation are strong, but it can’t reveal his true intentions. Enough about this, if Yu Hong harbors no ill intent, then the Inheritance Hall will be greatly beneficial for him. If he can obtain one or two Inheritance Dao Artifacts, he will possess a great self-defense against the resentful marks and the Black Disaster," Yu Hen smiled.

"That’s true," Yu Mo nodded.

Their conversation shifted to other affairs related to the temple’s industries.

Soon, the wide-open doors of the museum saw a white luxury car slowly pulling up.

The car door opened, and Zheng Xia escorted Yu Hong out, exchanged some greetings with the Taoist at the door, and then walked briskly towards them.

"Zheng Xia | Ding Rou, we greet the teacher and Temple Master," both of them bowed to Yu Mo and Yu Hen.

"Rise. This time, qualification for the Inheritance Hall is both a test for Ding Rou and a reward for you. All official disciples of the Dao Seed Class have been here, yet only Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying received recognition from the Inheritance Dao Artifacts and took one from here. So, if you can also take one, it will greatly aid your future," the benevolent Yu Hen smiled.

"Disciple understands." Yu Hong had already got the gist from Zheng Xia on the road here.

He was also very curious about this Inheritance Hall.

"Speaking of which, the Inheritance Hall was also neglected for a long time previously, its secrets undiscovered. Later, when the temple had funds, we repaired the ancestral spirit tablets and then discovered a whole new world. This could be considered a great gift left by our ancestors to our descendants, only that we were too poor before...." the Temple Master sighed deeply, leading them along a small path in the museum to a corner where a hidden elevator was located.

He pressed for the third basement floor, and the elevator began to rapidly descend.

"Outside people always say I, Yu Hen, am greedy for money, but without money, the Inheritance Dao Artifacts can’t shine, and the inheritance can’t arrange self-transferring ceremonies. Without proper maintenance, many Inheritance Dao Artifacts might even degrade over time. Is this the price we have to pay for preserving tradition? No, I, Yu Hen, do not condone this!"

The Temple Master became impassioned, caught in self-admiration.

"After I took over as Temple Master, I devoted myself to improving our financial situation, torturing my mind endlessly...."

The rest was a bunch of nonsense about his own achievements.

Yu Hong outwardly showed respect, but his ears automatically filtered out this part of the conversation.

*Ding.*

The elevator reached its destination.

He followed his two seniors out of the doors, and in front of them was a fan-shaped gray stone hall.

Facing them, the hall had three doors, each round-shaped and styled like the Tai Chi Diagram, with inscription on them.

Respectively, they are: Avoidance, Defense, Intimidation.

"Ah, this is the Inheritance Hall. The three doors are for escaping, protecting, and attacking; you choose yourself," the Temple Master straightforwardly interpreted, pointing at the three doors.

"Can’t you be more elegant, brother?" Yu Mo couldn’t help but quip.

"But that’s precisely what they are. I’m only worried Ding Rou wouldn’t understand," Yu Hen confidently retorted, not admitting his lack of culture.

Yu Hong, with a suppressed smile from Zheng Xia, stepped forward, sensing the different auras from the three doors.

Actually, he didn’t think this Inheritance Dao Artifact would be of much help, considering his own strength, and having trained to his current powerful physique, Dao Artifacts didn’t seem very necessary.

"Ding Rou, do you feel that an Inheritance Dao Artifact can help much? It all depends on one’s own cultivation after all. Being a supreme talent, you probably have such thoughts, right?" Taoist Yu Mo behind him precisely touched upon his thoughts, smiling as he spoke.

"Uh..." Yu Hong straightened his face, "Disciple indeed was a bit arrogant... I apologize, Master."

"It’s not arrogance. Every genius before entering here has such thoughts. Just like you, both Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying felt the same," Yu Mo smiled and continued. "But... That’s because you are unaware of the power of the Inheritance Dao Artifacts. Essentially, the Dao Artifacts here were crafted by our ancestors using many now-lost materials, similar to storing spiritual thoughts."

"Storing? Spiritual thoughts?" Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, "Master, what is this spiritual thought?"