My Informative Cultivation Life

As the conversation flowed, nearing dusk, the tea gathering also dispersed, and everyone went their separate ways.

Mo Yan brought Bai Bi to the External Affairs Hall of Taichu.

The Demon Consort, receiving this news, warmly received Bai Bi as well. The three of them talked until late into the night before parting ways.

Having met the Demon Consort and Mo Yan due to Yang Ji, and having seen Bai Bi today, it naturally fell to him to become her guard outside the door, ready to relay messages to the Demon Consort and others if needed.

It was only when Bai Bi had the chance to be alone with Yang Ji that she prepared to bring up her request.

After forming a seal and casting a prohibition, she then took out an ancient bronze sheep-shaped object from her sleeve.

Before she could speak, Yang Ji looked at it and immediately exclaimed in shock, "The key to the Qingyang Immortal Mansion!"

"You know?" Bai Bi was taken aback, quickly asking, "Have you seen it somewhere before?"

"Indeed, I have seen it, but only in a book that depicted this object as the key to unlock the Qingyang Immortal Mansion. What you have in your hand resembles the drawing in the book, so I just took a guess," he said.

Yang Ji bluffed with all seriousness.

"In a book? Which book? Can you show it to me?" Bai Bi stared at him, pressing him with consecutive questions.

"That... I somewhat can't recall clearly. It seems like an old book I stumbled upon at a street stall when I was traveling through the Red Dust. As for which place's street stall, I truly can't remember."

Yang Ji gave a forced laugh, being deliberately vague. Of course, he would not admit that he discovered it through the Golden Finger.

"It took my grandfather countless efforts, gathering numerous pieces of information, and divining for over a thousand years to finally uncover the news of the Qingyang Immortal Mansion from mere traces. I can't believe you once saw it in an ancient book from a mundane street stall?

What did it say there?" Bai Bi didn't believe his words and her gaze locked onto Yang Ji's eyes, not letting his sight wander.

"Ah! Look at my memory, I really can't remember clearly," Yang Ji shrugged, spreading his hands helplessly.

"You guy, not being honest!" Bai Bi sized him up and down, knowing that he wouldn't speak anymore. She didn't continue her questioning but instead said, "Since you know this is the key to Qingyang Immortal Mansion, that makes things easier."

"If I hadn't recognized it, would you have decided not to tell me?" Yang Ji asked with a smile, on purpose.

"Of course, I wouldn't have told you!" Bai Bi glanced at him, speaking candidly.

"After hundreds of years of friendship, you were actually thinking of hiding it from me," Yang Ji sighed deeply, putting on a heartbroken façade.

"Stop pretending!" Bai Bi gave him a sidelong look.

"Sigh," Yang Ji smiled helplessly, then became serious and said, "You mentioned the treasury of the External Affairs Hall of Taichu earlier; couldn't it be that there are items related to the Qingyang Immortal Mansion inside?"

"You guessed right. I have reliable information that another key for opening Qingyang Immortal Mansion is inside the treasury of the External Affairs Hall of Taichu. Those Heavenly Demons plundered it from the Taichu World, treating it as an ordinary treasure," Bai Bi said.

"So, what you mean is that you want me to go in and 'borrow' it?" Yang Ji gestured as he spoke.

"That is indeed my intention!" Bai Bi looked at him as if to say he was clever.

"That's difficult, very difficult. The place is heavily guarded with three formations; it's simply impossible to 'borrow' anything." Yang Ji glanced at her and frowned.

"This Qingyang Immortal Mansion is not just any ordinary immortal mansion; it is an inheritance left by Qingyang Palace from countless eons ago. The old ancestor of Qingyang, after ascending to the Immortal Realm, went through many hardships, and finally became a Supreme Immortal King.

Intent on establishing an invincible Great Dao, he tore through the barriers of the Immortal Realm, bringing all the disciples of the Lower Realm's Qingyang Palace with him to ascend to the heavens."

"The old ancestor of Qingyang also used great magical powers to conceal the Qingyang Palace of the Lower Realm, leaving behind immortal techniques and saying that whoever could successfully obtain his inheritance and ascend to the Immortal Realm could become his disciple."

"Yang Ji, this is a tremendous opportunity. We must obtain the key to the immortal mansion," Bai Bi emphasized, her words indeed very tempting.

"The old ancestor of Qingyang? The Immortal King's inheritance?" Unquestionably, seeing that Bai Bi was not lying, Yang Ji was instantly tempted.

"If you obtain the key, as we both are individuals of destiny, we can then enter together. As for whom the Immortal King's inheritance will fall to, it all depends on each person's fate and fortune. If we gain the benefits from inside, it probably won't be difficult to achieve the status of Dao child. What we should consider then is how many Dao Calamities we can slay," Bai Bi said earnestly.

"Since there's such great benefit, naturally I should strive for it," Yang Ji nodded, pondering, "However, we need a long-term plan. It's difficult to sneak treasures out from inside. If exposed, the consequences are unimaginable."

"Indeed, it's not an easy task to 'borrow' treasures and take them away from the Heavenly Demon Sect. That's why Appraising Corpse and others approached me; I also took this opportunity to come to the Heavenly Demon Sect to look for chances. I didn't expect to meet you as an undercover agent. It seems like a twist of fate," Bai Bi said joyfully.

"Cough! That, if I manage to get the key, can we consider the favor I owe you as settled?" Yang Ji said with a subdued chuckle.

"No! That's a separate matter. Even if you don't get the key it's fine; I'll just think of another way. Then you wouldn't get your hands on any of the good stuff from inside Qingyang Immortal Mansion," Bai Bi said with a slight lift of her eyes, giving him a sidelong glance.

"Then I'll just have to try my best and strive for it, by then you can wait for my good news," Yang Ji said with a wry smile.

"That's more like it, but remember you promised to do something for me, don't think of weaseling out of it," Bai Bi said, glaring at him with her beautiful eyes.

"Alright, alright, you should get some rest early," Yang Ji said with a smile to her before leaving the room. In the turn of his thoughts, he also came up with a bold idea.

The next day, Bai Bi did not continue her stay in the Heavenly Demon Sect. Instead, she took her leave and left.

Yang Ji found an opportunity to return to the Demon Abyss and contacted Mu Yuan, the Great Sage, through the Talismans left by him.

"Yang Ji, you sought me out?" Not long after, the space trembled, and Mu Yuan, the Great Sage, tore through the space and walked out.

"Great Sage, when are you planning to make your move?" Yang Ji asked.

"It's not certain yet, we're still gathering people. The Red Dust Immortal of the Taichu World who lives in hiding doesn't want to risk it, so we're contacting the Red Dust Immortals from the Ten Great Dao Sects of the Taichu World," the Great Sage Mu Yuan replied.

Given the gravity of the situation, it was understandable that the Red Dust Immortal was unwilling to make a move.

Yang Ji nodded and said, "Great Sage, if you do decide to make your move, please take the opportunity amidst the chaos to hit the Heavenly Demon Sect's Taichu Foreign Affairs Hall hard for me. I want to take the chance to fish out some benefits from that treasury."

"Alright! We were originally planning to hit the main treasury of the Heavenly Demon Sect to gain some spoils; since that's the case, we'll take care of the Taichu Foreign Affairs Hall along the way. By then, you can act freely," the Great Sage Mu Yuan said.

"Thank you, Great Sage," Yang Ji said with a bow, withdrawing some blue fruits with a flick of his hand. "By the way, Great Sage, these are Primordial Spirit Fruits, odd fruits formed by the Taichu Divine Tree from absorbing Heavenly Demon energy. They strengthen the Primordial Spirit when consumed.

Please pass these Primordial Spirit Fruits to my senior brother; they should be sufficient to help him achieve an Immortal Primordial Spirit."

"Oh? Primordial Spirit Fruits? The Taichu Divine Tree Sapling that our sect once nurtured didn't have this ability before it was taken by the Heavenly Demon Sect. I never had the chance to see it. Who would have thought the Taichu Divine Tree had such an incredible ability," Mu Yuan, the Great Sage, rarely showed emotion as he took the fruits and inspected them closely.

"No wonder you're hunting Heavenly Demons, to gain such benefits. If you had told me earlier, those killed by me wouldn't have been wasted like that. An Immortal Primordial Spirit, eh? That would save Chang Xiao many years of arduous cultivation. The fortune you've given is truly great. The gift that Chang Xiao gave you has instead completed him.

You and your senior brother indeed have an interesting bond, thinking of each other and thus fortune follows. Since Heavenly Demons are useful for this, I'll kill some more when the time comes to help you achieve True Immortal Primordial Spirits."

"Then I can't thank you enough, Great Sage!" Yang Ji said with joy in his heart.

"Hmm, since that's the case, you can go back for now. I will send you the message the day before we strike. Just be prepared by then," the Great Sage Mu Yuan spoke.

"Understood, Great Sage," Yang Ji said as he bowed and left the first layer of the Demon Abyss. The shape of the Great Sage Mu Yuan also became illusory and vanished from sight.

...

Yang Ji returned to the Heavenly Demon Sect and began his secluded cultivation.

Time flew by, and five years passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, the Demon Consort summoned Yang Ji.

Yang Ji was overcome with emotion, having waited for this day for a long while.

Inside the main hall, Yang Ji walked in with steady steps and bowed to the Demon Consort seated at the head, saying, "Hei Sha pays his respects to the Demon Consort."

"Hmm, rise. How is your cultivation of the Divine Skills I gave you?" The Demon Consort asked with a cool voice.

"I have cultivated diligently for ten years and have achieved minor proficiency in 'Dark Clouds Descend,'" Yang Ji replied, though in truth, with the full comprehension granted by the Golden Finger, he had already approached the threshold of major proficiency in just ten years.

"Oh?" The Demon Consort showed a hint of surprise. It was no simple matter to reach minor proficiency in a major divine skill within ten years; it was something that ordinary people definitely could not achieve, reserved only for quasi true successors with talent. She immediately said, "Show it to me!"

Yang Ji nodded, performed a series of hand seals, and suddenly a pitch-black cloud, as dark as ink, rose three meters above his head, emitting terrifying, deadly, cold, despairing, heavy, and murderous auras. If one were enveloped by it, their Heart Demon would immediately erupt, and they would be killed by the various methods hidden within the magical cloud.

"You have indeed reached minor proficiency in 'Dark Clouds Descend,' your comprehension is truly good!" The Demon Consort nodded, not hiding the look of appreciation in her eyes. "You are indeed a talent. With your comprehension, there's a real possibility for you to become a true successor."

"Since you lack some of the fortune necessary for a true succession, then I will become your fortune. It seems that your joining my ranks was also a destiny written in the stars."

The Demon Consort was not stingy, and she withdrew eight Jade Slips, "Here are eight Supreme Divine Powers for you to choose from. If you can comprehend one to completion within a hundred years, I will gift you another."

Upon hearing this, Yang Ji was overjoyed, and he couldn't help but mutter in his heart, could this Demon Consort truly be his fateful opportunity?

"These eight Supreme Divine Powers include defense, offense, flight, secret arts, and Formation skills; you are free to pick any of them," the Demon Consort said.

Yang Ji looked over and saw the names of those Divine Skills.

(What do you think, which Divine Skill should I choose to make Yang Ji more invincible?)

(Thank you to book friend 201906200 for the reward of 100 coins and to Hantide for the reward of 100 coins.)