Chapter 110 Pursuit and Practice

In the next two days, Qin Cheng accepted the old monk's invitation and often went to the ancient temple to practice the Vajra Fist. The old monk, delighted, taught him the Great Vajra Fist technique. He felt that there was a spiritual essence in Qin Cheng, radiating the light of a Bodhisattva. Every time he practiced, there was a strange charm that even caused the nearby Buddha statues to behave unusually.

This was all due to Wang Xuan, who followed Qin Cheng, bringing in mysterious factors to strengthen him and ensuring a solid foundation! Wang Xuan had no time to linger on the moon; he wanted to go to the New Star and would leave in a few days, so he was trying to help Qin Cheng solidify his foundation before he left.

This time, Master Wang was very restrained and didn't cause trouble in the temple. Although he discovered at least eight types of ethereal artifacts, he didn't dare to release even a single "old monk," feeling a bit afraid. Because if he released a celestial monk, he might be forced to pull out all the ethereal powerhouses from the ancient pit in the temple.

That would be a serious problem; once the balance was disrupted, no one knew what would happen!

"Truly... the White Horse Temple!" Wang Xuan exclaimed. He didn't fully trust what the old monk said but instead carefully examined and verified it. Certain stone tablets, pagoda bases, and the underground palace of this temple might have been around for two thousand years. The historical depth accumulated over time couldn't deceive his spiritual perception.

As for the walls, bricks, and tiles, they had been damaged multiple times during wars and were rebuilt throughout different dynasties, which is why many bricks and tiles belonged to different periods.

This temple was too famous, known as the first ancient temple, the ancestral ground of Buddhism! Historical records state that the White Horse Temple was built in the year 68 AD, during the Eastern Han Dynasty, marking it as the first temple in ancient China.

As Wang Xuan approached the underground palace, he felt as if he were facing an endless sky, empty yet vast. His heart was shaken; according to legend, there might be the bone of the Buddha's crown in the underground palace!

He thought for a moment, then retreated. A ghostly monk was quite surprised; if the source of the Buddha's lineage were to be released, just the thought made him uneasy. Without clarifying the ancient situation, he decided to keep his hands to himself.

"There's something odd; this side is the first ancient temple of Buddhism, while the other side is likely Old Zhang's dojo. Why were both ancestral grounds of Buddhism and Taoism moved to the moon?" Such a layout made Wang Xuan suspicious.

"Rumor has it that when this base was established on the moon, some things were unearthed. It was too late to move because it was close to completion at the time," Qin Cheng explained the situation.

This claim seemed quite mystical; what was actually discovered was not made public, ultimately leading to the relocation of both ancestral grounds of Buddhism and Taoism to be established on the moon.

"Such a statement exists?" Wang Xuan was immediately intrigued.

Qin Cheng nodded; he also had doubts when he first arrived at the New Moon and had once looked into it in detail. He found some information within the Dingwu subsidiary, as this organization provided security services and kept records of unusual events.

"More than a hundred years ago, during the construction of the lunar base, a severe safety accident occurred, resulting in many deaths, but there are no specific descriptions."

"Years later, the ancestral ground of Taoism and the first ancient temple of Buddhism were successively moved here."

"Eighty years ago, several people inexplicably went insane in this base, constantly shouting strange syllables that outsiders couldn't understand."

...

Qin Cheng shared a lot, and finally, he took Wang Xuan back to the company, retrieving the documents for him to read. 

As Wang Xuan perused them, he displayed a look of astonishment, his mind completely captivated. Fifty years ago, a professor violated the laws of life and reverted to a younger state but suddenly died half an hour later. Six witnesses saw this, and all six died within three years.

Twenty years ago, someone floated in mid-air but decayed and died rapidly upon landing. These briefly noted special events all happened in one place, the "Moon Pit," where abnormal items had once been unearthed; the entrance had long been sealed.

Wang Xuan put down the documents and asked, "Hasn't anyone investigated this in detail?"

Qin Cheng replied, "Of course! Ordinary people might not know, but every year, there are dozens of expedition teams visiting. I remember someone went there half a month ago. Most people come back safe, which also means they gained nothing. But some unfortunate teams went in and never came back out."

Then he whispered, "It's said that a warship crashed there in the past, so there haven't been any major movements since. Anyway, if you don't approach there, you won't run into trouble."

Qin Cheng looked at him and sternly warned him not to harbor any curiosity; that place was designated by the Dingwu organization as the most dangerous spot on the moon, bar none!

Wang Xuan nodded; of course, he wouldn't let his head get hot and rush into an adventure.

He quietly said, "Interesting; on the old land, black technology was unearthed on the moon, while here, mysterious incidents are found. These two moons are truly peculiar."

Qin Cheng sighed, "Speaking of which, restoring the ancestral grounds of Taoism and Buddhism on the moon has become quite a spectacle, indeed attracting many people to visit the moon, after all, the New Star is most interested in things with historical significance."

Wang Xuan was speechless, finally understanding why the financial conglomerates were so intent on mining the old land. All the cities on the New Star were newly built, only having a little over a hundred years of history, so they were keenly aware of what they lacked and desperately trying to "make up" for it.

When it came to lunar tourism, Qin Cheng became excited and said, "That scoundrel Li Kun, let me give him another day; he promised that five million would be transferred in full."

Once it was transferred, he planned to give Wang Xuan the extra two million. He also prepared to indulge extravagantly, spending all three million of his own to take Wang Xuan into the Palace of Eternal Life to have a look.

"Are you out of your mind? Spending so much money on sightseeing?" Wang Xuan snapped him back to reality, insisting it was just a tourist spot and that there was no need for such extravagance and waste.

"That's why, Old Wang, you really don't understand; it's precisely for this reason that I want to repay you, wanting to grit my teeth and take you in to see," Qin Cheng explained, as the Palace of Eternal Life was a place for extending life.

"Everything inside is extremely elaborate; everything has its own significance. Every meal and drink is about nurturing life, with the slogan: restoring the ancient celestial family's residence."

"There's a soup in the Palace of Eternal Life made from golden mushrooms. Rumor has it that these rare ingredients were gathered from the Secret Realm; they can nourish the marrow and create more vibrant blood. After taking it for a while, your overall constitution will improve."

When mentioning this, Qin Cheng was incredibly envious. 

Wang Xuan was finally moved; the business of the Palace of Eternal Life was astonishing, surely controlled by a super financial conglomerate. Otherwise, who could supply these rare treasures?

The golden mushroom was a precious item that Old Chen had personally mentioned, known to improve constitution and greatly aid those practicing the Old Technique!

"If it really is three million New Star coins, we'll go for it!" Even Wang Xuan was tempted, wanting to join Qin Cheng in "nurturing life." Not to mention anything else, just the golden mushroom was worth it.

Qin Cheng's expression turned awkward as he said, "Spending three million New Star coins will definitely get us in and provide corresponding life-nurturing services, but I'm not sure if they can arrange golden mushrooms."

Wang Xuan understood immediately; there were likely no golden mushrooms. He knew better than Qin Cheng just how precious those rare treasures were. "No worries, no rush! In a while, I'll go to that Secret Realm and gather a basket of golden mushrooms. Then I'll treat you to chicken stew with mushrooms!" Wang Xuan promised grandly, not forgetting to deride the Palace of Eternal Life, saying, "Look at them being so stingy, only putting in a few mushrooms for soup. How petty!"

"Old Wang, you're even more extravagant than the conglomerates; I've remembered that," Qin Cheng said, swallowing hard. Regardless of whether it would come true, he told himself that one day it would, adding, "Soon, I should be able to transfer to the New Star, and then I'll be waiting for your feast!"

Wang Xuan waved his hand, saying, "No problem. Tell me, what else special does the Palace of Eternal Life have? Just in case I go to the Secret Realm one day and want to gather something, I should be better prepared than they are."

This was also a way for him to indirectly learn about the rare treasures produced in the Secret Realm. "The 'celestial brew' from the Palace of Eternal Life is quite extraordinary. From what I know, many leaders of major organizations have come seeking it, singing its praises. The brew seems to be mixed with some kind of mountain snail essence, rumored to be extremely precious. They only provide a few jars a month, and they sell out on the first day."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xuan was shaken. What was a mountain snail? According to the book Old Chen gave him, mountain snails were rare treasures found in mountainous rocks. If caught, dried, and ground into powder, taking a small amount daily for half a month could extend one's life by five years.

This was truly a "rare treasure" that could prolong life; the fact that someone managed to take out a small amount every month was impressive! He began to understand why the Palace of Eternal Life seemed like a black hole for money. Not to mention anything else, just the items on the menu exceeded ordinary imagination.

The Palace released some mountain snail brew each month to attract important members from major organizations and conglomerates, ultimately expanding their networks.

Wang Xuan realized why, when he first arrived at the New Moon, he saw Ling Qiming come out looking radiant; he must have undergone significant "nourishment" to improve his constitution! 

"What's that? Grinding mountain snails into powder for wine? That's too pathetic," Wang Xuan patted Qin Cheng's shoulder and said, "In a while, I'll treat you to garlic mountain snails. We'll roast them, weighing them out until you're stuffed!"

Qin Cheng imagined that scene and found himself lost in thought, finally sighing, "Old Wang, that's generous! No matter what, having this idea and daydreaming about it is quite wonderful."

Wang Xuan pondered; the Secret Realm was truly remarkable, filled with various rare treasures. He wasn't just rambling earlier; he was determining what treasures the Secret Realm held, and these would become his targets!

Returning to reality, Qin Cheng told Wang Xuan that while material life was generally acceptable on the New Star, there was extreme differentiation. A small number of people at the top of the pyramid were beginning to pursue longevity, a world unreachable for ordinary folks.

Wang Xuan nodded and said, "No need to rush; I'm steadily practicing what they seek."