Longevity Chronicles
Chapter 397 - 282: The Alchemist's Background, Tao Qian Wants to Rebel_2

"The problem is, can I, and this Mountain and River Map, hold out for half an hour?"

"Truly a matter of life and death, worthy of being the tribulation before my Transcend Mortality ascension. If I can overcome this, the rewards will likely be enormous."

"Right, the Mountain and River Map has such a significant origin; perhaps there is a method it can provide?"

Tao Qian found dark humor in his predicament, pondering for a brief moment.

Then, looking at the Ancestor Spirit in front of him, he pointed at his ghastly neck and the vicious fishhook, and with a wry smile, he directly asked,

"Daoist friend, as you see, I'm being treated like a little fish about to be reeled away."

"You're helping me flee like this; how much longer can we hold on?"

"If that person pulls, can the Mountain and River Map resist being dragged away in the slightest?"

He immediately received an answer to his consecutive questions.

"The Mountain and River Map is currently utilizing the 'Heavenly Track' left by the Longevity Barrier; its speed is unrivaled by any Escape Skill in the world. As long as the treasure continues without rest, that person won't be able to exert their strength and cannot fish you away, Daoist friend."

"However, utilizing the Heavenly Track requires the burning of Human Dao Destiny. With the accumulation you have, you should be able to persist for about the duration of burning one incense stick."

Upon hearing this answer, which was both alarming and exciting, Tao Qian's brow furrowed immediately.

As expected, there's no loophole to exploit when facing a Cultivation Tribulation.

Two incense sticks amount to half an hour, meaning that Tao Qian, even after exhausting his destiny, still wouldn't be able to endure.

Without a pause, Tao Qian asked again, "Since you're carrying me in this escape, pulling the fishing man's line, is there another method to resolve this tribulation?"

To this, the Ancestor Spirit actually nodded and replied, "Nothing is impossible to a willing heart; indeed, there is a method to remove the fishhook."

At these words, Tao Qian's face immediately lit up with joy.

But who could have expected,

just then, a familiar yet abrupt voice came from within the fishhook,

"Ha, such big words from a little Artifact Spirit."

"When I was casting the spell and split you in two earlier, why didn't I see you flaunting your power then?"

"Go ahead and teach this young friend, how to slip off my hook?"

Instantly, Tao Qian's mind thundered again.

The owner of the Immortal Fish Technique!

Clearly, he had not anticipated that this fishing man could perceive the scenes and conversations within the Mountain and River Map.

Is the Daoist Transformation Realm so terrifying?

As Tao Qian was sinking into shock, he saw in front of him

the old farmer-like Ancestor Spirit sneered coldly, then pointing at the fish line and hook leading to that unknown void, spoke rudely to the owner of the Immortal Fish Technique,

"You Daoist are truly shameless, flaunting ferocity with mana obtained through greedy bloodsucking; it really is a disgrace to your [Alchemist] brethren."

"But when I think about it, it's not surprising. The Alchemists of today are likely without a single good soul among them; there are no faces left to save."

"You forcefully split my treasured body in the past, but wasn't it ultimately delivered into the hands of Daoist friend?"

"This is fate. You Daoists are skilled in fishing but poor in calculating the Heavenly Mechanism; you think you've gained an advantage, not knowing that this time, it's at the cost of both your wife and your troops."

The Ancestor Spirit's sarcastic retort did indeed silence the owner of the Immortal Fish Technique.

But the counterattack came swiftly, right at the site of the fishhook's entry.

Suddenly, "bang bang bang" sounds erupted continuously, as seven or eight lumps burst forth, each bursting with a fierce fish mouth, which then started gnawing at Tao Qian's neck.

The feast was so fierce that juices splattered, thoroughly relishing the feast.

However, this was still within the Mountain and River Map; although the fishhook could not be removed, dispelling the pain was not difficult.

He waved his hand to erase those fish mouths and simultaneously explained to the stunned Tao Qian,

"Just so you know, Daoist friend, including this Immortal Fish Daoist, right now, they're all among the ranked rats and parasites of this Shen Zhou Holy Land, lying atop the bodies of the nation's people, bloodsucking for years, too bloated to speak of."

"Although they've thus acquired Great Divine Power and great magical power, their minds have rotted, their Divine Souls decayed, and therefore, their dharma bodies are immobile. They rely only on manipulating such objects and playing with people's hearts."

"To break free from this thing, there are many methods. Those with great strength could snap the fishing line, tear off the hook, and if they are even stronger, it wouldn't be surprising to pull the fishing rod out of that person's hands. Those with less strength could swim towards the tangled rocks and jagged projections, using debris and sharp edges of stones to sever their fishing line..."

This figure seemed like an old farmer, and yet like a scholar, an ancestor spirit.

Although it had only just been born, it dared to scold the owner of the Immortal Fish Technique, and it seemed to be privy to many secrets.

Tao Qian almost immediately grasped the key points and couldn't wait to speak again, firing off a series of questions,

"Daoist, do you know the origins and details of that alchemist, and the owner of this fish hook?"

"With my weak mana, it's clearly impossible to break the fishing line and remove the hook, but are there other methods?"

After all, Mountain and River Map is a supreme exotic treasure, its artifact spirit, with increasing age, becomes wiser.

Initially somewhat rigid and inflexible, after a few sentences of conversation with Tao Qian it's master, and after a round of cursing the owner of the Immortal Fish Technique, it began to show initiative.

Hearing this, it did not reply but stepped forward and suddenly pointed at Tao Qian's forehead.

At the same time, it spoke respectfully, "The origins and the Cultivation Tribulation Technique are all within, just look and you'll know."

As its words fell, a torrent of immense information flooded into Tao Qian's mind.

In an instant, he knew: even though he, Tao Qian, was the master of the Mountain and River Map, he was still a hair's breadth from completely refining it, which no wonder, explained why the detailed Record had not emerged.

The current influx of secrets was the ancestor spirit forcibly transferring its authority to Tao Qian's head.

In a moment, Tao Qian digested the numerous secrets.

Long-standing doubts in his heart began to swiftly dissipate at this moment, at least a large part of them.

"The Ancestor God Forbidden Technique has protected the Longevity Heavenly Dynasty for more than two thousand years. As time flowed by, seas changed into mulberry fields, and everything was recorded within the Forbidden Law Barrier. However, after its collapse, most of these informations has gone, the remaining parts carried by various fragments, Mountain and River Map, is among them."

"However, it is far too incomplete; the part concerning 'alchemists' isn't abundant."

"The alchemists are related to the Ancestor Emperor."

"Initially, it seemed to be a righteous organization, but it quickly began to decay. Indeed, there are many old monsters inside; who knows what methods were used, each of them seems to have a virtually unlimited lifespan, living for more than two thousand years. However, these old monsters seem incapable of moving their true bodies into the Longevity Heavenly Dynasty, only able to leech from above."

"The owner of the Immortal Fish Technique, is one of them."

"Even so, the alchemists still have an extremely deep control over the Longevity Heavenly Dynasty."

"One of their methods: dynastic change."

"Whenever the Longevity Heavenly Dynasty faces times of turmoil, the alchemists would send out a large number of Saint Heirs, picking Hidden Dragons to establish a new dynasty."

"Only, every time, they must continue using the Longevity Heavenly Dynasty as the nation's name."

"Clearly, this is a necessary condition for the Alchemist Organization to maintain its rule."

"Perhaps, it's even the key."

What Tao Qian sorted out now, the former are the alchemist's secrets, and the latter is the Cultivation Tribulation Technique.

He entered the world because he chose the extremely difficult Third Method of Transcend Mortality.

Even though the technique is difficult, how could it not leave a ray of hope?

Under the operation of the Infinite Tribulation Method, if conditions mature again, Tao Qian only needs a "pointing" to figure out the method to overcome the tribulation.

Just as now, Tao Qian suddenly grinned, looking along the hook and line towards that unknown void, and mocked, "Today the wind is fierce and the waves are high, not only are you destined to return empty-handed, but you might also suffer a little injury."

Although the owner of the Immortal Fish Technique could not comprehend the words 'return empty-handed,' inexplicably, he felt an extreme aversion to these two characters.

Once again, a message was transmitted, this time directly revealing Tao Qian's details:

"Young friend, you may do as you please, but I want to see how you, the True Inheritor of the Spiritual Treasure, plan to harm me?"

"Even if you were to invite Duobao and his Heavenly Punishment Sword, it can slay others, but it cannot touch me."

Hearing this, Tao Qian paid no attention.

He turned to the Ancestor Spirit and said,

"Daoist, since I am now the half-master of the Mountain and River Map, I should be able to borrow the power of this treasure and the remaining Heavenly Track."

"There's no need to run around aimlessly, we should head straight for those territories where fortunes are boiling and significant events that could result in dynastic change and shake the foundations are happening."

"Today, I shall indulge in the thrill of rebellion."