Chapter Forty-Nine: The Stone of the Shadow Vein

"Shaojian, you’re no longer young. There are some things I can tell you now, but remember—these words must go from my mouth to your ear and nowhere else. Don’t let them spread," the old Taoist hesitated for a moment, his expression solemn as he cautioned him.

"Don’t worry, Father. I’m not a three-year-old—I won’t talk nonsense!" The young man’s eyes sparkled as he promised.

"That’s for the best," the old Taoist nodded.

"The Maoshan Sect is not what it used to be. Ever since the last sect leader left his corpse behind and ascended, we've been leaderless. Our lineage was fortunate for a time, under the care of Uncle Qingyunzi. But decades ago, when Qingyunzi unexpectedly passed away here in Teng Teng Town, we lost our backing.

As years went by, the elders died or moved on, and now among Maoshan, only Lin Fengjiao’s branch still has a surviving mistress. For this reason, resources have always been funneled toward her lineage. You know the rules: our sect prohibits the leader from marrying.

I've spent countless years vying for the position of sect head, exhausting myself, but I’ve always been blocked by Mistress Miaohua, never gaining her approval."

"Hmph—she thinks I don't know? She's always wanted to elevate Lin Fengjiao. A few years ago, the twentieth sect leader, who now works in the Underworld, sent word that he secured for Maoshan a post as chief banker in the Underworld. I’ve been applying for this position for years, but she’s been sabotaging me, probably hoping to give it to Lin Fengjiao," the old Taoist said angrily.

"In terms of seniority, I grew up in Maoshan. In terms of generation, I’m the eldest brother of our era. In terms of cultivation, I have already achieved the rank of Daoist Master. What right does Lin Fengjiao have to compete with me—just because of her false virtue?"

"Father, what is a chief banker?" The young man looked puzzled and turned to his father.

"Ah... Chief banker, put simply, is the Underworld’s money printer. In the past, a thousand years ago, even if this position were offered to Maoshan, we wouldn’t even glance at it. But now, we must rely on our elders in the Underworld to pull strings just to get a small quota. Times have changed," the old Taoist sighed, his face full of nostalgia.

"A mere money printer in the Underworld—why would you go to such lengths for it?" The young man scoffed.

"In the past, it was worthless. But with the great changes in heaven and earth, the Five Decays of Heaven and Man, the calamity of immortals, and the gradual depletion of spiritual energy, even with my cultivation, my lifespan is running out. Cultivators can only seek other methods—after death, they turn to the divine path. The divine path is hard to ascend, one carrot per hole, but with the blessing of heaven and earth, one can endure. As long as incense offerings continue, one’s lifespan matches that of heaven and earth.

If spiritual energy weren’t depleted, then even when lifespan ends, I could reincarnate and cultivate again. With my Daoist skills and Maoshan’s influence, I had at least a fifty percent chance of returning. But now, in this environment, there’s no hope. That’s why a divine position is so precious. The cultivation world isn’t just Maoshan; every sect fights for it, and resources are stretched thin. This position was hard won by our elders. If we miss it, there may never be another chance."

"What… what should we do then?" Hearing his father explain the importance of the divine position, the young man grew anxious.

"Don’t worry… Mistress Miaohua wants Lin Fengjiao to take this position, but she’s dreaming if she thinks she can outmaneuver me. I’ve already planned ahead," the old Taoist sneered confidently.

"Fate hasn’t forsaken our lineage. The Yin Sha vein discovered by Uncle Qingyunzi here in Teng Teng Town has been refined for years with corpse energy. Now it’s nearly mature. I’ve already contacted the Underworld’s judge. As long as I condense this Yin Sha vein into a Yin Vein Stone and deliver it, the chief banker position in the Underworld will be mine."

"So that’s it—this is why you stayed in Teng Teng Town. I was wondering about this godforsaken place, never expecting it to hide such a treasure," the young man relaxed, seeing his father’s confident expression.

"Exactly! It’s a matter of luck. Who could have imagined that in this depleted environment, a new earth vein would form and be discovered by Uncle Qingyunzi? It’s fate that I, Shijian, have such fortune." Stroking the three-inch beard beneath his chin, the old Taoist was full of pride.

"Come with me. Today is the harvest day. Once we extract the Yin Vein Stone, this earth vein will be completely spent. Then we must leave at once to avoid any accidents." With that, the old Taoist began packing up gold and silver with the young man.

Within half an hour, the two led the way, followed by several strong men carrying bundles, heading toward the altar in the rear mountains.

Li Yang watched, quietly retracting his golden centipede, and followed the group toward the rear mountain.

...

Inside the altar’s cave, several strong men stood at the corners of the altar, while the young man and the old Taoist sat cross-legged at the center of the black-and-white Daoist altar, meditating.

"The hour has come. Open the altar!"

A quarter of an hour later, the old Taoist opened his eyes, calculated with his fingers, then rose from the altar.

The young man quickly stepped aside, careful not to disturb his father’s ritual.

"Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits: spirits of corpses, heed my command—rise!"

Standing atop the altar, the old Taoist stepped through the Big Dipper formation, lightning crackling all around him, as if a thunder god had descended. In his eyes, bolts of lightning flickered, and the air carried the acrid scent of ozone.

With his movements, the black earth in the cave surged like waves, corpses rising one after another from the ground in dense clusters—an eerie sight.

Even the young man, hardened as he was, felt chills at the mass of corpses.

"Shaojian, remember: Heaven and earth are merciless, treating all things as straw dogs. As cultivators, we must do whatever it takes to achieve our goals. The common folk are like wild grass—cut down once, and soon enough they grow again. Never let compassion or weakness cloud your judgment; don’t fall into the trap of womanly kindness." Sensing his son’s change of heart, the old Taoist’s voice boomed like thunder through the cave, shaking the hearts of all present.

"Yes, I understand, Father!" The young man hesitated, then his gaze grew resolute.

"How many times have I told you—in front of outsiders, address me as Master!" the old Taoist barked, sweeping his eyes coldly over the strong men, as if he were looking at corpses himself.