Killing Dao Fruit
Chapter 212 - 209 Peach God Tao Self-Service Fresh Market

Chapter 212: Chapter 209 Peach God Tao Self-Service Fresh Market

Boom!

Just past noon, a succession of ships began to dock at the wharf of Penglai Immortal Island.

Before the crew could even lower the gangway, an aged voice rang out from atop one of the ships, loud as a cracked gong:

"Quick, lift me up! Lift me up!

I, He Qijin, have clung to life without dying, waited year after year, surpassed my hundredth birthday, and today, at last, I have finally set foot on this Penglai Immortal Mountain.

Lord Shan, have mercy! Hahaha..."

An old man with white hair and a frail body, who could not walk by himself, lay on a stretcher being carefully carried off the ship by several powerful warriors from the Peach God Tao.

Seeing his excitement bordering on delirium, one might have thought the old man had just been named a scholar.

Many other elderly men disembarked along with him, some looking over ninety, others in their eighties, and some in their sixties and seventies—with not a single one younger than sixty.

Those who could walk did so on their own, and those who couldn’t were carried by the sect’s powerful warriors.

Though they varied in age, what they had in common was the same excitement as the centenarian He Qijin, each thrilled at the prospect of attending the banquet on Penglai Immortal Mountain.

At this time, several Daoist from Peach God Tao, some with the appearance of immortals, some with rosy lips and white teeth, and some with an extraordinary bearing, had already been waiting at the wharf.

As soon as they landed, the middle-aged Daoist in the lead waved his horsetail whisk and instructed someone behind him:

"Junior Brother Lu, escort these elders to the venue.

In this triennial banquet, there are at most a dozen or so Renrui above a hundred years old. We absolutely can’t afford any mistakes, understand?"

Wang Yuan, under the alias of Lu Renjia, now wearing a Golden Feather Robe and a Silver Crown, and with an appearance still standing out after changing his looks, was just like an Immortal Official descending to the mortal world.

Upon hearing this, he immediately stepped forward and bowed slightly to the leading Daoist:

"Yes, Senior Brother Cao!"

Then he took the lead, guiding this group of dozens of elderly people from the ship towards the prearranged "Thousand Elderly Banquet" venue.

Ship after ship continuously arrived, bringing more and more white-haired old men and women onto Penglai Immortal Mountain, the total number most likely exceeding a thousand.

With the memories of the fat and lean monks, Wang Yuan was familiar with most parts of Penglai Immortal Mountain.

Especially because of that Lifebound Peach recognized by the Taoist Lineage.

The hidden secrets and Daoist knowledge under prohibition by the Taoist sects were also completely defenseless against Wang Yuan.

To anyone who came to check, he was now a bona fide Taoist of the Five Organs Temple.

"The ’Medicine Immortal Sect’ is truly a major branch of the Peach God Tao, and just in this Penglai Dojo governed by Lord Shan, there are close to two hundred Realm Mages at the Red Seal Realm.

Although the majority of them practice the Human-Faced Peach Immortal Skill as the Tree Charm Peach Fairies, the strength of this sect is evident.

My disguise as Lu Renjia, a Realm Mage at the Dharma Seal Realm, only qualifies me as an ordinary True Disciple, doing miscellaneous tasks in such an event."

Before this, Wang Yuan had received his full set of compensation for battle damage, a new identity token, and even a group of Military God Generals bred by the Peach God Tao.

The generous wealth of the ’Medicine Immortal Sect,’ a giant in medicine production, meant treatment was quite good, taking Wang Yuan further and further away from his petty salary thefts.

However, he couldn’t help looking enviously at the land beyond the pass, knowing that if he were to obtain an official position, the opportunities to gain personal benefits at this banquet would be greatly increased.

Unfortunately, even as a True Disciple without any official position, it once again emptied his coffers, his account having dwindled from over forty thousand points of Yin Morality to just 7,125 points.

It was no cheaper than being a ’Prohibition Colonel’."

Along the way, these old men and women couldn’t wait to get close to Wang Yuan, eagerly seeking insider information:

"Immortal Lu, I’ve been taking the Feather Transformation Stage Immortal Pill bestowed by our sect since I was fifty, and I’ve been feeling light and healthy, free from all diseases for ten years.

Surely those elders who have already feathered at the ’Thousand Elderly Banquet’ must now be able to control clouds and mists and rank among the immortals, right?"

"Immortal Lu, have you seen what the Yaochi Immortal Realm looks like?

Are the houses in heaven made of Golden Jade, and are we served by fairies every day, drinking Jadescent Nectar and eating Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow?"

"Although the Feather Transformation Stage Immortal Pill is good, it has to be offered monthly to receive it.

My unfilial children are so stingy, preferring to spend their hard-saved money on their kids’ education rather than on science exams?

What’s the use of reading? Eventually, isn’t it all going to turn into a mound of dirt? How can that compare to the opportunity for Immortal Ascension?

I’m leading the way here; when they become Immortals in the future, I’ll naturally be able to take care of them. How can mere silver, grain, and fish compare to the chance to become an Immortal?

My father ascended to the Island twenty years ago, but due to the isolation by the Immortals, I have no idea what position he holds in the Immortal Realm."

"Quite so, quite so, and I wonder if heaven is cold? Can we reunite with our ancestors there?"

Hearing their dreamy talk, Wang Yuan couldn’t help but shake his head.

Superstition truly is the death of man.

Eating mermaid meat can grant immortality, as is the case at the "Thousand Elders Banquet," where one can ascend to immortality and become a fairy.

These elders offered the family’s wealth and food to the "Lord Shan" in exchange for a "Feather Transformation Stage Immortal Pill" every month, which was refined primarily from cicada, snake, and silkworm sheddings.

Every three years, the "Medicine Immortal Sect" would invite the elderly from the age of sixty, known as "Hua Jia," to centenarians, known as "Renrui," from coastal and island areas to the Immortal Island for the banquet in the name of "Lord Shan."

As for when someone would come to the island to attend the "Thousand Elders Banquet" for the ascension ceremony, the guiding envoys would judge accordingly.

Some people might have already "ripened" just after turning sixty and would be sent on a ship immediately.

Others might not be guided to the island until they reach very old age, such as the profound age or the age of wisdom.

Despite that the fattened ascetic who was eaten by ghost babies had come to Penglai from the mainland only two years ago.

Having never experienced the thrice-in-a-decade "Thousand Elders Banquet," they were also unaware of what exactly would happen at that ascension ceremony.

But according to the wicked and heretic nature of the demonic paths,

Wang Yuan could also confidently answer these old men and women, who had drained the blood, flesh, and marrow of their children and grandchildren in the name of "faith" and "filial piety," just so they could "ascend to immortality":

"That ’Immortal Realm’ is probably very warm, and you and your children will be reunited."

However, these crafty old folks seemed to detect the sigh in Wang Yuan’s words and thought he envied them, which made some quite proud.

They offered their "comfort" patronizingly:

"Young man, don’t worry; you just need to make more contributions to ’Lord Shan.’ Even if it means selling your sons and daughters, you must offer incense money to the most merciful and compassionate Lord Shan.

Sooner or later, you will also have the chance to attend the ’Thousand Elders Banquet’ and ascend to immortality like us."

Wang Yuan: ...Forget it, as long as you’re happy.

On the way to the venue, they encountered other disciples of the "Medicine Immortal Sect," each leading a different group of banquet attendees.

Some were old men and women, some were lively "Blood Ginseng Demons" (Chapter 147), some were "Mermaids" kept in large barrels, and some were "Medicine Men" with various herbs growing on their heads...

The brothers exchanged brief nods when they met, and then each headed to their seats, showcasing a cold indifference between disciples.

Wang Yuan didn’t mind. After leading the group to the huge circular venue on the first floor, he climbed to the second floor, which was reserved for the "Five Organs Temple."

There were two more floors above the venue for those of the "True Qi" Realm, and the "Yin God" Realm respectively, and many had already taken their seats.

"This sect is utterly different in the atmosphere compared to the Imperial Dragon Guard; even a good person would be easily tainted here in just a few days."

Wang Yuan had inquired early on that within the "Peach God Tao" on Penglai Mountain, the turnover of disciples was extremely high, with most having arrived on the island within the last three years.

Without a doubt, those places with huge turnover and constantly recruiting throughout the year are likely problematic.

Just like those insurance sales positions in his previous life, are they recruiting employees? No, they are harvesting leeks.

After exploiting their friends and relatives to the brink of exhaustion, they would assess and cull the individuals, then recruit new people.

But once eliminated from the bottom of the sect, it means that their flesh, bones, and souls might end up in the belly of a senior sect member.

For them, what better cultivation resources could there be than fellow disciples?

This atmosphere indirectly fostered a ruthless spirit among the Daoist priests of the sect.

These people had not received any clues about the "Small Book of Life and Death," nor were they able to modify their "Life Chart" and escape the bitter sea; with no way out, they had to do whatever it took to climb up.

If there weren’t an almighty, irresistible "Heavenly Official" hanging high in the sky, would such a fragmented sect without any unity have long since disintegrated?

Wang Yuan sat in his designated place.

Looking at the banquet tables below filled with "Blood Ginseng Demons," "Mermaids," "Medicine Men," and "Old Men," it seemed much like a four-colored pot.

He couldn’t help but sigh lightly:

"The entire sect needs sustenance from the Mortal World to operate and distribute profits at every level; this ’Thousand Elders Banquet’ is clearly not for the ’Old Men.’

As Wang Yuan’s glance left the scene and swept over the third-floor seats occupied by members of the "Peach God Tao," what caught his eye was:

On the left, a group of people practiced the "Ganoderma Immortality Technique," reaching its extreme potential they turned into prime "Ganoderma";

On the right, a group practiced the "Human-Faced Peach Immortal Technique," at its pinnacle they became exquisite "Peach Fruit";

Across from them, others practiced the "Undying Elixir Technique," at its extreme they were the top-grade "Treasure Medicine";

"..."

And in his group with the "Five Organs Temple," practicing the "Five Organs Ghost Cultivation Method," at its extreme, they seemed to become prime... "Internal Organs"?

Wang Yuan had an inexplicable feeling that the first floor was indeed a hotpot, but his own group didn’t seem to fare much better, as if they were literally sitting inside the display case of a Fresh Market.

And the ultimate diner...

Wang Yuan raised his head toward the distant sky.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.