Killing Dao Fruit
Chapter 148 - 145: Fetal Transformation, Man Kills Man

Chapter 148: Chapter 145: Fetal Transformation, Man Kills Man

CLANG——!

The bronze bell in the temple suddenly rang out. Zhu Bo’an didn’t dare to delay and quickly got up to leave.

Although it was still far from dawn, the people in the temple were extremely diligent in their practice, and it was already time for the daily morning lessons.

The young man made his way to a spacious square and sat down on a prayer mat near the corner.

After greeting a few familiar orphans from Luoyang, he fell silent again, quietly observing the activity in the square.

In addition to the gathered orphans, from time to time, one could see a mixed gathering of monks, Daoists, and laypeople.

On the surface, it appeared to be a temple, but in reality, it was not a legitimate place for devout cultivation of Buddhism.

"The ’senior brothers’ who came early said that the Stone Buddha Temple is a practice ground for the No-Life Dao."

His father had also casually mentioned before that this sect was the biggest number one rebel in the world, and once one got involved with them, it would be impossible to get away.

But why have they brought so many children here to cultivate the Golden Core Dao? What are they really trying to do?

If it was just like those demons seeking to satisfy their carnal desires, why go to such great lengths?"

Zhu Bo’an’s courtyard, known as the Gui Court, was the last in a series of ten, indicating that there were at least nine other courtyards of similar scale.

Altogether, there must be several thousand orphans.

Zhu Bo’an had deliberately inquired and found out that these orphans had not been brought here only since the first of August.

They had been gathering for many years, just not as centrally as this time.

Therefore, many of the "senior brothers" in the courtyard who cultivated the Golden Core Dao were highly advanced in their practice!

DING!

A fat-headed and big-eared monk, sitting on a high platform, tapped a jade chime next to him with a small hammer.

He then began to preach to these boys and girls who had just "entered the gate" three days ago, his clear voice reaching everyone’s ears:

"The so-called Golden Flower is the ’Innate Qi’ within the human body. A person dies without Qi, just as a fish perishes out of water. Therefore..."

Zhu Bo’an, after all, had been educated, and as a son of an official who had come into contact with "orthodox" Daoist skills, his ability to understand far exceeded that of the other children.

The name of the Golden Core Dao passed down by the No-Life Dao is actually the Golden Flower Condensation Pill Method.

It uses the innate "Human Qi" that everyone possesses as the foundation for refining and cultivation.

The "Innate Qi" still retained by children is the most precious and essential part of Human Qi, known as —— the Golden Flower.

The one and only Precept Taboo: only boys and girls under the age of fifteen who have maintained their virginity can practice it.

As one ages and the Innate Qi completely dissipates, it becomes impossible to cultivate it even if one wishes to do so.

The Golden Flower Condensation Pill Method aims to congeal this Golden Flower within the body, refining it over and over again with the Inner Refining method, until it finally becomes an inner Golden Core.

Monk Liaoxing continued to explain, and the disciples below listened as if spellbound.

This method, the first stage called Golden Flower Bursting, makes the cultivator feel intoxicated and immersed in a sense of well-being, gradually becoming addicted to cultivation, even to the point of neglecting sleep and food.

The second stage, Golden Flower Blossoms, allows one to vividly feel a warm, rounded clump of Qi in the Dantian. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether one is a person or the warm clump of Qi within.

The third stage, Golden Flower Great Condensation, renders the body soft as cotton, warm as jade, naturally fragrant, and light as if ready to float away at any moment.

One’s essence, Qi, and spirit have been completely transferred to an inner Golden Core within the belly; that Golden Core is the true self, the essence of one’s essence!

Just then, Zhu Bo’an suddenly heard a young boy who had just started practicing that day ask in confusion:

"Master, why then, after starting the practice of this Daoist skill, do no Divine Skills manifest?"

Many children, regardless of the depth of their practice, couldn’t help but prick up their ears; this was their doubt as well.

For this Golden Flower Condensation Pill Method, no matter what stage one reaches, no Divine Power Skills emerge, nor does it enable one’s body to become stronger, run faster, or become more powerful...

Apart from acquiring an extra "core," one is no different from a mortal.

One cannot prove to mortals that one has indeed become an Immortal!

Monk Liaoxing on the high platform laughed aloud:

"Haha, my disciples, there’s no need to worry.

This Golden Core Dao leads straight to the Immortal Gate. Once the Golden Core is perfected, you will naturally transform into a Holy Embryo Baby. You then can be reborn in the form of Heavenly People and ascend to heaven in one step!

What is the use of the Divine Power Skills of the Mortal World compared to this?"

The others were all elated, dreaming of the wonderful future after transforming into Heavenly People, but Zhu Bo’an felt a chill in his bones.

He had already felt that the Golden Core Dao was probably not a good path.

Not until he heard about this Fetal Infant and compared it with what the Inverted Taoist had described as the "Holy Infant Pill" did he understand what the true "Holy Infant Pill" was!

These young children were merely the raw materials for the "Holy Infant Pill."

The process of cultivating the Golden Flower Condensation Pill Method, this Inner Refining method, is essentially the process of turning oneself into a "Holy Infant Pill."

The "inner core" cultivated by oneself, isn’t that just an "Outer Elixir" for others to consume?

As Zhu Bo’an was panic-stricken, he suddenly saw the monk Liaoxing on the platform’s countenance turn cold:

"However, Stone Buddha Temple will only devote itself to nurturing the seeds of cultivation, and the good food and wine here won’t sustain those who lack ambition."

"Come, Duan Yangyun and Huang Hongcai, both of you have failed this month’s assessment, be expelled!"

In the courtyard, two young men who looked to be around sixteen or seventeen years old suddenly turned pale as death and fell to their knees pleading for mercy:

"No, please, Master, give me another chance!"

"Expelling us from the temple is sending us to our deaths, Master, please show some compassion!"

According to the rules of the temple, with reference to age and time spent in cultivation, if one cannot make progress, they will be expelled to fend for themselves.

In the years of great disaster, being able to eat and drink for free at Stone Buddha Temple without doing any work is like living the life of an immortal.

If expelled, survival itself would become a question for them.

However.

No matter how much they pleaded, it was in vain; other disciples who were "closer" and had higher cultivation dragged them away.

"The other disciples should take this as a warning, to cultivate diligently and not waste such a tremendous opportunity! Dismissed."

"Yes, Master!"

Unlike others who were trembling with anxiety, Zhu Bo’an, who had all the while been desperately contemplating where his path lay, suddenly saw a glimmer of hope.

This seemed like a shortcut to leave "Stone Buddha Temple"!

So after the crowd dispersed, he immediately stood up and followed the group that was being pushed and shoved away.

However, because he was unfamiliar with the path, he ended up following them further and further astray until he lost sight of them completely, after a short while.

Just as Zhu Bo’an was at a loss, he suddenly heard voices talking from behind the bushes.

"So comfortable, I feel like I’ve made another breakthrough in the third stage of ’Golden Flower Great Condensation’. I should be able to attempt fetal transformation soon! Hahaha..."

"Senior Brother, they say that some of the orphans from Luoyang, nourished by the land and water at the source of the Yan Han Dragon Vein, carry a faint breeze of dragon energy within them.

If we harvest the ’Innate Qi’ from their bodies, we can also absorb this wisp of dragon energy, and cultivate a superior quality ’Golden Core’.

Should we..."

"Of course, we should! Why waste that dragon energy on them?!"

"But what if Master finds out we’ve stolen the ’Qi Stealing Technique’ from him and are using these failures to nurture our own ’Golden Cores’?

Won’t he get angry?"

Zhu Bo’an’s heart skipped a beat the moment he heard "orphans from Luoyang" and "Qi Stealing Technique."

He slowly parted the leaves of a small tree to look, only to see Duan Yangyun and Huang Hongcai lying on the ground, pale as ghosts, devoid of life.

The four standing Senior Brothers turned their gaze towards him.

With lips crimson as if stained with blood, they slowly formed a weird smile and said in unison:

"Isn’t it fine as long as he doesn’t find out?"

...

Dawn was breaking, and the faint morning light began to scatter down.

Hejin County, Dragon Gate Mountain.

This mountain was divided in two by the raging Turbid River, like an angry dragon, with two cliff faces as sharp as a knife’s edge forming a massive stone gate dozens of yards high.

The Turbid River, upon reaching here, roared tumultuously, breaking through the ’gate’ and flowing rapidly for thousands of miles, as vigorous as a boiling mountain.

If mortals stood nearby, their souls felt as though they could be shaken and swept away by the thunderous waves, never to return.

On the other side of Dragon Gate Mountain.

The mountain range undulated like the sea, with pine trees roaring and the occasional spot of purple flowers, and was thus also known as Zijing Mountain or Bijia Mountain.

On the stone-paved mountain road, a young man in a green shirt with a sword at his waist climbed up the steps.

He moved lightly, as though he could take to the air with a mere puff of mountaintop mist, clearly no ordinary mortal.

Wang Yuan had changed his height and appearance using the Shape Shifting Skill he had acquired from Thief Cat Cui Tong and used the Ghost Replacement to alter his outward temperament and destiny.

Given that the identity of Wang Qianshan was virtually a blank slate with almost no social connections and very light causality, he didn’t have to worry about others taking note of him.

Having recently acquired the Receiving Talisman, the arts he could now perform were no less potent than those of the Human Face Painting.

After all, that Deceit Object, despite its convenience, required adherence to the character traits of the persona assumed, which in a demon nest, the distinctive characteristics were one source of danger.

For Wang Yuan, the Human Face Painting was becoming more of a burden than a benefit.

He found it more convenient to directly employ the techniques from his own Earthly Que Golden Book.

"It’s a pity that this ’Dragon Gate Meeting’ is during daylight; otherwise, it would be more secure to send a Paperman to the meeting," he mused.

Wang Yuan, who still felt that several layers of disguise barely sufficed for safety, suddenly heard the chirping of birds beside him.

He abruptly turned to look at the lush green forest beyond the mountain road, echoing like a sea of greenery.

They were saying: "Human... kill... human!"