Immortality Start with Farming - chapter 820 (Patreon)

Chapter 820: The Aftertone of Dao Sounds

Mount Sumeru, the Awareness Mandala.

With the appearance of Master Shen Yin, everyone present fell silent.

Qin Ming took a rough look around. The white jade plaza, large enough to hold ten thousand people, was packed with cultivators.

Their cultivation levels ranged from low-tier cultivators to Void Refinement experts, all of them individuals blessed with deep fortune.

The Buddhist sect emphasized affinity above all else. Anyone who had obtained an entry token could enter this realm.

The remaining cultivators could only listen to the lingering echoes of the Buddhist teachings from outside the mountain gates.

Though they could not experience it in person, the methods of a Body Integration great cultivator were still sufficient to allow those outside to hear.

They simply missed out on part of the opportunity.

According to Master Kongzhi, the white jade plaza within the Awareness Mandala was paved entirely with a treasure known as Pure Mani Jade, which could cool the body and mind and cleanse the soul.

As showers of mandala flowers drifted down, the petals dissolved into the void the instant they touched the ground, leaving behind only a Zen fragrance and Dharma essence that broadened the mind.

Even his comprehension of the Great Dao seemed to become smoother and more fluid.

“Om Ah Hum~”

The three Buddhist syllables were chanted by the Dharma-protecting monks behind Master Shen Yin.

In an instant, Buddhist light illuminated the entire mandala. The cultivators seated on the white jade plaza looked upward and saw auspicious clouds gathering from all directions.

They blanketed the sky above, lending the place an incomparably sacred and solemn atmosphere.

Then Master Shen Yin calmly swept his gaze over the crowd, a benevolent smile on his face as he began to speak:

“Those who have come here today all share an affinity with Buddhism. The convening of this Dharma assembly is exceedingly rare, allowing all of you young friends to gather here and discuss the Great Dao together.”

“For the coming period, this old monk will be giving teachings. They will not be limited to Buddhist doctrine, but will also cover secrets of the Spirit Realm, matters of cultivation, and some personal cultivation experiences.”

“Three months from now, Elder Amitabha Child of our sect will continue the teachings.”

“However, not everyone will have the opportunity to be chosen by Elder Amitabha Child and hear his teachings. Whether you receive that chance will depend on your own fortune.”

“That is enough unnecessary talk. Let us begin.”

When the gathered cultivators heard that they might have the chance to hear a lecture from Amitabha Child, one of the Seven Human Prodigies, they were all excited beyond measure.

From the very start of Master Shen Yin’s lecture, there was an air of solemn majesty about it. Every word he spoke seemed like a note resonating with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth.

There was none of the drowsiness usually associated with listening to Buddhist sermons. Instead, the more one listened, the more energized one became.

As one of the most senior great cultivators in the Human Race’s main city, he had witnessed countless rises and falls throughout history. His understanding of the Spirit Realm far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators.

Qin Ming was completely engrossed. The experience greatly broadened his horizons.

Within the Lesser Spirit Realm,

the Devourer Rat and Little Silver Fox sat cross-legged on the grass, imitating the others as they carefully listened to the great cultivator’s teachings.

All of them benefited immensely, effectively sharing in Qin Ming’s good fortune.

Especially when Master Shen Yin spoke about cultivation, countless cultivators experienced sudden enlightenment.

Some even entered deep meditative states on the spot.

Whenever he discussed certain topics, people would humbly seek guidance. With only a few casual words of instruction, Master Shen Yin resolved all kinds of cultivation difficulties that had troubled them.

This question-and-answer segment was also the most highly esteemed part of the Lesser Mount Sumeru Dharma Assembly.

After all, even heaven-defying geniuses with sect inheritances would inevitably encounter mental trials and cultivation bottlenecks on the long path of cultivation.

Qin Ming, however, had nothing to ask.

He had Old Devil Qingyang, the walking encyclopedia of the Spirit Realm. Whenever he did not understand something, he could simply ask him.

In fact, the old fellow even knew all about other great realms—the Netherworld, the Ancient Devil Realm, the Ancient Demon Beast Realm, and more.

In Qin Ming’s impression, there were very few things Old Devil Qingyang did not know. Yet the old man stubbornly refused to reveal his true origins.

Some matters, he would only explain once Qin Ming reached a sufficiently high realm, making everything seem mysterious and secretive.

Over the past two days, Old Devil Qingyang had refined those deposits of Extreme Fiend Yin Soil. His soul body had become considerably more condensed, and his cultivation had actually recovered to the early Void Refinement stage.

That made him equivalent to a Void Refinement ghost cultivator.

Such beings were exceedingly rare.

Ghost cultivators had to undergo heavenly tribulations even harsher than those faced by ordinary cultivators, and the chance of perishing without entering reincarnation exceeded seventy or eighty percent.

Yet Old Devil Qingyang seemed completely exempt from such concerns.

After all these years of effort, his work had not been in vain.

Taking advantage of this rare opportunity, Lord Zichen, commander-in-chief of Celestial Star City, posed a question to Master Shen Yin:

“Senior Shen Yin, I entered the Great Perfection Void Refinement stage over a thousand years ago. Aside from continuously attempting to sever my false self, I have also never stopped comprehending the Great Dao.”

“But no matter how I cultivate, the Body Integration realm still feels like an unreachable chasm. My question is this: how can one touch the threshold of the Fusion Stage?”

Qin Ming immediately became interested and pricked up his ears, eager to hear Master Shen Yin’s answer.

Even the low-level cultivators below carefully recorded such discussions of profound realms.

Yet when Master Shen Yin began answering,

they were astonished to discover that although they could clearly see him speaking, they could not hear a single word.

No matter how hard they tried, it was as though they had suddenly become deaf.

Only cultivators at the late Void Refinement stage or above could hear Master Shen Yin’s discourse regarding the transition from Void Refinement to Body Integration.

Qin Ming’s mana cultivation and body cultivation were already comparable to late-stage Void Refinement experts, even Great Perfection cultivators, so he could hear it as well.

Venerable Hanya looked around in confusion. Seeing Gu Chang’an and Qin Ming listening with obvious enjoyment, he was baffled.

But given the occasion, he dared not ask.

Making noise in such a solemn setting would certainly get him thrown out and waste this precious opportunity.

“Beyond the refinement of mana, the most important aspect of the Void Refinement stage is the transformation of the primordial spirit into a state of void, comprehending the power of spatial laws, shattering the void, and pursuing the ultimate state of emptiness.”

“After reaching Great Perfection Void Refinement and severing the false self generated throughout that stage, one enters the phase of transforming from ‘void’ into ‘reality.’ Only by harmonizing emptiness and reality can one gain the qualifications to challenge the Body Integration realm.”

“As the saying goes, with a single thought one transforms into emptiness, returning to all things.”

“With a single thought one transforms into reality, creating life and vitality.”

“Only when one can freely alternate between emptiness and reality can one discover the opportunity for ‘unity,’ preparing for the fusion of Heaven, Earth, and Man, and achieving true union with the Dao.”

“However, this process differs for every cultivator. It relies on one’s own nature and enlightenment. The successful experiences of others cannot be copied.”

“Still, this old monk can explain some key points that require attention.”

As Master Shen Yin’s pearls of wisdom fell one after another, Lord Zichen’s eyes widened.

It was as if enlightenment had struck him directly, opening the gates to an entirely new world.

These insights were on a completely different level from anything taught by his master in the Star Palace.

The lower-cultivation cultivators watched as even the commander clad in the Violet-Gold Sacred Armor appeared to have benefited greatly from the lecture.

Meanwhile, they could only watch helplessly, leaving them itching with curiosity.

Inside the Lesser Spirit Realm,

the Devourer Rat cupped its paws around its ears and strained to listen, but could not hear a thing.

“Damn it! Why did the sound disappear right when it got to the important part?”

it complained bitterly.

Then it looked at the relaxed Old Devil Qingyang nearby and asked,

“Old ghost, can you hear it? Hurry up and tell us!”

Old Devil Qingyang’s face twitched.

“Th-this old man didn’t hear it either. Ask Young Friend Qin instead.”

“Suddenly, I remembered I have something important to do. I’ll be going now.”

Once these spirit beasts became curious, there was no end to it. Old Devil Qingyang fled as fast as he could.

…

Time passed slowly.

In the blink of an eye, three months had gone by.

The audience still had not had enough when Master Shen Yin’s lecture finally drew to a close.

“This old monk’s teachings end here. Return and rest for two days. Those qualified to enter the Bodhi Mystic Realm and receive the opportunity to hear Elder Amitabha Child’s teachings will naturally receive invitations.”

As the final syllable left Master Shen Yin’s lips,

Buzz—

The vital energy of Heaven and Earth suddenly resonated with his voice, lingering over the Awareness Mandala plaza for a long time.

In an instant,

countless subtle and mysterious traces emerged from the void.

“The Aftertone of Dao Sounds!”

“So it’s real—the Aftertone of Dao Sounds produced by a great cultivator’s lecture!”

Many cultivators present had come specifically for this wondrous spiritual treasure and recognized it immediately.

The others hurriedly tried to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Yet after much effort, they discovered to their astonishment that divine abilities could not capture it.

Moreover, the moment they left their cushions and attempted to touch the Aftertone of Dao Sounds floating in the air, an inexplicable force instantly teleported them out of the white jade plaza.

Some prepared cultivators, however, took out specially made containers and began using their mana to collect the Aftertone of Dao Sounds.

Gu Chang’an flashed Qin Ming a mysterious smile.

A glazed treasure bottle appeared in his hand. With a simple gesture toward the void, strands of golden Buddhist light transformed into swastika-shaped runes and flew into the bottle.

Venerable Hanya also looked delighted.

He produced a jade bottle and copied the process, gathering the lingering aftertones drifting through the air.

The sight left nearby cultivators dumbfounded.

Clearly, these people had come specifically for this treasure.

“So they really came prepared.”

Qin Ming also took out the Purelight Glazed Treasure Bottle Gu Chang’an had given him.

With a flick of his finger, the bottle burst with spiritual light and began collecting the Aftertone of Dao Sounds from the void.

This treasure only appeared during lectures given by great cultivators, and only at solemn assemblies such as this.

Even ordinary Body Integration experts giving lectures would not produce it.

It was truly something that could only be encountered by chance.

Its uses were numerous.

It was also a crucial medicinal catalyst for Qin Ming’s Nine-Revolutions Dao-Comprehension Pill.

With this item in hand, all the ingredients for his pill were finally complete.

The main reason he had traveled such a great distance was precisely for this treasure.

The Aftertone of Dao Sounds diminished with every strand collected. Before long, the three of them had filled three large bottles, gathering almost all of it.

The Purelight Glazed Treasure Bottle proved exceptionally effective.

The Aftertone of Dao Sounds was actually drawn toward the bottle mouth on its own.

The sight enraged the other cultivators.

Were these three not even planning to leave them a single scrap?

As they glared at Qin Ming and the others, their faces were full of resentment.

“Hmph!”

At that moment,

a thunderous snort echoed from deeper within Mount Sumeru high above the heavens.

It reached the plaza instantly, causing the surrounding space to freeze momentarily.

Clearly, someone was extremely displeased with what Gu Chang’an and Qin Ming were doing.

After all, the Aftertone of Dao Sounds was exceedingly precious.

This Dharma assembly had been held in the spirit of equality for all beings, granting every attendee a chance at fortune.

Yet these three had practically swept the entire treasure clean.

Gu Chang’an put away his bottle and sent a voice transmission to Qin Ming.

“Fellow Daoist Li, that’s enough, that’s enough.”

“If we keep going, the old fellows inside are going to get angry.”

Hearing this, Qin Ming also stored away his completely filled bottle of Aftertone of Dao Sounds.

Then he affixed the sixth-rank high-grade Spirit-Locking Talisman Gu Chang’an had given him.

Only afterward did he calmly store it away without the slightest embarrassment.

These precious Aftertones of Dao Sounds were normally measured strand by strand.

Qin Ming had filled an entire bottle.

The trip had definitely been worthwhile.

With this matter settled,

the Lesser Mount Sumeru Dharma Assembly entered its intermission.

The cultivators dispersed and waited for the upcoming invitations.

What came next would be a lecture from a figure on the level of one of the Seven Human Prodigies.

Every cultivator who had come here was filled with anticipation, hoping to be chosen.

Setting aside the chance to hear such a mighty figure teach, merely entering the Bodhi Mystic Realm was said to be a tremendous opportunity in itself.

It offered immense benefits for cultivation breakthroughs and comprehension of divine abilities.

Just as Profound Tortoise Divine Lord Gu Chang’an, smiling broadly, was preparing to leave with Qin Ming,

a voice suddenly sounded within his mind.

“Hmph! Golden Turtle, since you’ve already come, do you not plan on meeting me?”

…

Next Chapter >