When Duan Weiran said this, he glanced at Li Yan, and then he continued, "The 'dark' channel is mainly used to hone one's state of mind and willpower.
I heard that after entering the passage, you will be trapped in a small and narrow space without sunlight. You can only move forward, but there will be no attacks. I heard that the whole process is simple. As long as you can crawl out, you have passed the test.
From the perspective of outsiders, the "light" path is definitely more difficult and dangerous. After all, life and death often only matter in a moment.
However, all the ancient books that record this aspect say that the 'dark' passage is the most terrifying.
The long-term repression and torture there is something that even Jindan monks are unwilling to experience. It makes people have constant illusions in their minds and cannot distinguish between reality and falsehood. They will quickly lose their original heart. When you die in the illusion, your body will really die in reality.
Life and death are just a thought away. It is not like the "light" passage. Even if someone has experienced it once, he can still grit his teeth and dare to try it again.
But it is said that the monks who were able to walk out of the "dark" passage alive would not be willing to talk about their experiences, and would not even want to think about it.
I heard that the last time someone broke into the "dark" passage was thirty years ago when Zen Master Zhichu, who was still in the foundation-building stage of the Pure Land Sect, broke through it. But after he came out, he never told outsiders about what happened.
It is unknown how many people have entered and tried since then, but there must have been some, but no one has ever walked out.”
Duan Weiran stopped talking here, because he wanted to know how Li Yan would react now that he knew the situation of the "dark" passage that others never wanted to mention. He was even more curious about whether the "dark" passage was really as scary as people said.
Although he had made up his mind this time that he would die here if he didn't break through, after defeating the Light Fire Kirin, he recalled all the descriptions of the "dark" passage and finally did not dare to make the choice.
The most important thing is that he thinks his state of mind is already very calm, which can be regarded as a reason for himself not to enter.
Li Yan knew Monk Zhichu, who started practicing Taoism ten years earlier than his senior brother Li Wuyi. However, he entered the Golden Core Stage more than twenty years earlier than Li Wuyi and had already become a Buddha.
This person is an ascetic monk, so apart from cultivation, he almost never cares about matters big or small. That’s why Li Yan and the others didn’t meet him in the secret realm last time. I guess he is continuing to practice in seclusion.
"More than thirty years ago? In that case, Monk Zhichu's golden elixir formation was not long after he entered the 'darkness' passage. His entry into the golden elixir stage must be related to the 'darkness' passage."
Li Yan thought so, but then he thought of his incredible advancement this time, and he felt relieved.
"That monk Zhichu is most likely a cultivator whose main spiritual root is fire." Li Yan determined the other party's spiritual root attributes.
Seeing Duan Weiran looking at him, Li Yan immediately shook his head. He almost died in there, especially that strange dream which made it almost impossible for him to get out of it.
Whenever I think of it now, I feel that the real me is probably just a dream, and the former "Marshal Li" is the real person.
Seeing Li Yan shaking his head, he knew that he was not willing to mention it. Although Duan Weiran became more curious, he did not dare to ask any further questions. He did not even know that there were better training rooms after coming out of the "dark" passage, and they did not need to come here to practice.
“So now, Brother Jiang Daoist should understand why you didn’t see any cultivators when you came here.
I later set up a formation in this pavilion and stayed here to practice, but today I don’t know what method that bald donkey used to break my protective formation. When I first sensed it, it was too late. "
When Duan Weiran thought about it now, the first feeling in his mind was not hatred, but helplessness. They were independent cultivators, like rootless duckweed, and they had to search for cultivation resources on their own.
Therefore, apart from his own magical weapon, the rest of his elixirs and formations were very ordinary, otherwise how could that bald thief have broken his formation so easily.
After hearing this, Li Yan nodded in agreement, but at the same time he also knew that this was basically the case for casual cultivators like Duan Weiran.
He could feel that Duan Weiran's magical power was extremely pure, and he couldn't help but recall what he had heard others whispering by the Red Maple Pond about how he was practicing an ancient magic technique.
It stands to reason that with Duan Weiran's level of cultivation, it should be possible for him to enter any first-rate sect, but since he still chose the path of a casual cultivator, he had his own persistence, so Li Yan didn't want to ask too much.
"Oh, that's it. Fellow Daoist Duan has not yet recovered from his injuries, so you'd better make a full recovery first." After saying that, Li Yan looked outside the pavilion indifferently, as if he was admiring the scenery again, but he had no intention of leaving immediately.
After Li Yan briefly understood the situation, he looked at Duan Weiran's still gloomy face, said one more sentence and said no more.
Duan Weiran couldn't help but feel delighted when he saw it. Li Yan's words implied that he wanted to protect him. He also saw that Li Yan was indifferent and didn't like to talk much, so he was willing to take the initiative to assume the responsibility of protecting him.
This should be because he still has something to ask me, but he can take care of his injuries, which is extremely rare. So Duan Weiran bowed to Li Yan's back and sat cross-legged again. While Duan Weiran was healing, Li Yan was not idle either. He took out a piece of silver paper he had just received and scanned it with his spiritual sense. Now his cultivation has greatly increased, and the power of his spiritual sense has also made a qualitative leap, comparable to the middle stage of the golden elixir, so Li Yan naturally wanted to try again.
This time when his spiritual sense fell on the silver paper, there was still a strong rebound, but under Li Yan's full suppression of his spiritual sense, this time Li Yan's spiritual sense was firmly attached to the silver paper, and Li Yan felt that as long as he strengthened his spiritual sense a little more, he could break through the restrictions on it.
After hesitating for a while, Li Yan temporarily gave up the idea of prying into the secrets in the silver paper, because he could feel that as long as his spiritual consciousness forcibly broke through the restrictions on it, it might cause strong fluctuations in spiritual power, and the result might not be what he wanted now.
If any secret is revealed directly, Duan Weiran might be awakened and find out. If it is really a treasure, wouldn't I have to kill him to silence him
Next, Li Yan took out the remaining piece of silver paper and explored it. The feedback was almost exactly the same. This made Li Yan confirm that these two pieces of silver paper and the one Bro got were made by the same person.
In this case, he can only try to find out the secret later when he has time and is alone. It is definitely not possible in a short period of time as he has too many things to do.
Two days later, Duan Weiran finally woke up from his meditation. As far as he could see, Li Yan was still standing by the pavilion in a black robe, staring outside in a daze.
"Fellow Daoist Duan's injuries have not fully recovered. Why don't you continue to practice?" Li Yan didn't turn around, and a faint voice came over.
Duan Weiran was shocked again. His internal injuries had healed about 70% and only some hidden dangers remained. He was in the state of cultivation at that time and was suddenly attacked. His cultivation was forced to be interrupted, causing damage to his tendons and veins.
This kind of injury would not be visible at all if the opponent was not much stronger than him. This made him even more certain that Li Yan was at the Jindan stage.
"Oh, the remaining injuries cannot be healed in a short time, so let's solve Brother Jiang's problem. I don't know what problem Brother Jiang has, but I may not know it, but if there is any information, I will definitely not hide it from you."
Li Yan nodded. He had been waiting for several days, hoping to make use of the experience of an old hand like Duan Weiran to see if he could get any information about the "Red Mother Essence". He really knew nothing about this place.
Although asking this question two days ago was just a matter of one sentence, Duan Weiran's condition was really bad at that time, so Li Yan simply did him a favor.
Now it seems that the old monk is still a old monk. He considers things carefully. Even though his injuries have not healed, he still knows how anxiously he is waiting.
"Oh, that's right. I came here this time for the 'Red Mother Essence'. Someone once collected this thing from the magma that erupted outside the 'Fire Palace'.
But I waited outside for half a year but to no avail, so I came here now. I wonder if Daoist Duan has heard of this thing." Li Yan turned around slowly and looked at Duan Weiran with a smile on his face.
"So it's the 'Red Mother Essence'? If we wait outside for the magma to erupt, our hope is slim. As for here..."
Duan Weiran muttered to himself, he lowered his head and thought about it. At the same time, he finally confirmed in his heart that Li Yan was a Jindan cultivator, and he really didn't come here to break through.
Li Yan listened to him talking to himself, did not ask any further questions, and just waited quietly.
After half a cup of tea, Duan Weiran's eyes suddenly lit up and he immediately raised his head.
"This garden is very large. I remember someone once said that coming from the 'Light' passage, in the upper right corner of the garden, there is a stone forest called the 'Stone Transformation Forest'.
Some fire crystal materials have been found there. If we were to say where the 'Red Mother Essence' is most likely to appear, then from what I know, it would be here. However, as to whether it really exists, I am not sure. "
"'Stone turns into forest'... 'Stone turns into forest'..." Li Yan repeated it twice and nodded. "I wonder how far it is from here?"
Duan Weiran shook his head. "I really don't know. No one has ever walked to the end of this back garden. I got all the information from inquiries. This is actually my first time here."
Li Yan nodded again, and cast his gaze in the direction of the pavilion. After a while, he retracted his gaze and said, "Haha, Fellow Daoist Duan, are you going to leave here later?"
Duan Weiran shook his head upon hearing this, with a trace of determination on his face.
“I may never be able to get out in this lifetime. I am already 143 years old. This is my last chance. But my practice was interrupted by Yiming this time. It may be difficult to find that glimmer of opportunity for breakthrough again.
Immortal fate! Immortal fate!! But since we have embarked on this heaven-defying road, why would we care where we are buried? Everywhere is a place of reincarnation, so we just have to keep going like this!"
After hearing Duan Weiran's words, Li Yan's eyes flashed imperceptibly, and he thought for a moment. Then he flicked his storage bag, and several formation flags appeared in his hand, and then floated towards Duan Weiran.