The Immortal Ganoderma Longevity Brew

Chapter 15

Tieniu Town, once an insignificant small town in the Xuanfeng Kingdom, had undergone a remarkable transformation.

"Greetings, Spiritual Official!"

As Li Changmeng stepped out of the temple, many pilgrims greeted him with reverence.

"Spiritual Official, I have sculpted a golden statue of the Taoist Lord. Do you think it needs to be replaced?"

Zhao Wenzhuo, who had been waiting for some time, rose and reported. Ten days prior, after receiving the talisman water, he had immediately secured a suitable location in the town for a new temple.

Building a temple was one thing, but sculpting a proper golden statue was another matter entirely. It had taken until today for the statue to be finished.

"You've truly worked hard. Send that golden statue to the Taoist Lord Temple in Mingguan Post. We'll continue using the current one in the Qisheng Temple," Li Changmeng replied.

Zhao Wenzhuo nodded, though he was puzzled by the Spiritual Official's attachment to the current golden statue. It was not only small but also appeared to be made of wood.

He did not realize that only this particular statue, imbued with the spiritual power from Li Changmeng's cultivation, could absorb the incense and wishes of the people. Replacing it would disrupt his cultivation.

Li Changmeng, feeling the rich power of incense all around, surveyed the Qisheng Temple. Most of the people coming to burn incense were those who had survived due to the talisman water and were deeply grateful to Taoist Lord Mimen Wangqing.

"Sigh, it's a pity my cultivation level is still too low, and I can only absorb the incense power from one location," he thought wistfully.

With a deep sigh, Li Changmeng absorbed the spiritual energy from the incense, and then retired to his residence behind the temple to stabilize his cultivation.

After the time it took to burn an incense stick, he inspected his internal state. The spiritual power within him was abundant—three hundred wisps in total. He was one step away from reaching the fifth level of Qi Refining.

From the first to third level of Qi Refining, each increase required thirty wisps of spiritual power. One hundred wisps of spiritual power would reach the fourth level, while three hundred wisps marked the seventh level of Qi Refining.

Qi Refining, in essence, was about increasing one's spiritual power capacity. As long as the Dantian could hold the power, there was no bottleneck. If the Dantian was not large enough, one would need to nourish it with spiritual power or use pills to expand it.

At present, Li Changmeng's Dantian was more than sufficient, and he could continue cultivating without issue.

"Currently, there are temples dedicated to the Taoist Lord in one town and three villages, and the incense offerings flow continuously. That means a large amount of cultivation resources are being wasted every day," Li Changmeng thought, his expression tinged with regret.

Although he had quickly gained control over the town and villages, his cultivation still had limitations. The incense power from the four locations could only be absorbed by the natal spiritual embryo, and he could only make use of the incense from Tieniu Town, where the offerings were most concentrated. The other villages' offerings had to be neglected.

"Everything comes down to my cultivation level. If I were stronger, I could absorb more incense and accelerate my growth," he lamented.

Despite this, his cultivation had progressed rapidly. At just eight years old, and after only two to three months of cultivation, reaching the third level of Qi Refining was already a sign of extraordinary talent.

Feeling a little better after that thought, Li Changmeng shifted his focus to today's task: preparing the Immortal Ganoderma Longevity Brew.

The brew required a hundred-year-old Ganoderma lucidum as its main ingredient, combined with fresh internal organ fragments, half a catty of human blood, and catalyzed with spiritual power. After three days, the Immortal Ganoderma Longevity Brew would be ready.

Today was the final day of the brewing process.

There were ten jars in the room, and since the internal organ fragments and blood came from a death row inmate in Tieniu Town, Li Changmeng had made ten portions to maximize the use of the materials.

Using both his hands and the tentacles on his back, Li Changmeng began the final catalyzing process. He infused spiritual power into the medicine jars, nourishing the ingredients inside. The fragrance of the brew soon began to fill the entire room.

"The Immortal Ganoderma Longevity Brew is ready!"

With a surge of joy in his heart, Li Changmeng held off on checking the brew and continued to catalyze the remaining jars.

As the fragrance intensified, the ten jars of Immortal Ganoderma Longevity Brew were successfully refined.

Li Changmeng carefully opened one jar. The liquid inside was bright red, translucent, and exuded an enticing aroma.

This jar could extend an ordinary person's lifespan by ten years, while also strengthening the body and improving hearing and eyesight.

This was the reward he had promised to Wang Hu and Sun Er.

Knowing they should be arriving soon, Li Changmeng refrained from tasting the brew for now. Instead, he drank from the jar, feeling the medicinal power spread through his body.

"Sure enough, the effect is much weaker on me," he thought, carefully analyzing the changes in his body.

While his eyesight and hearing had improved slightly, his strength remained unchanged. He did feel a boost in vitality, but the brew had little effect on cultivators.

For an ordinary person, the Immortal Ganoderma Longevity Brew could significantly enhance their physical condition, but for a cultivator, it was a mere tonic—a pleasant drink with no impact on their cultivation.

Soon after, Wang Hu and Sun Er arrived at the Qisheng Temple.

Together with Yang Ji'an, they had been managing the daily operations of the temples in the villages. Today, they had come to receive their reward as instructed by the Spiritual Official.

They had an inkling that this was what the Spiritual Official had promised.

Feeling a sense of anticipation, they waited outside.

"Spiritual Official, Wang Hu and Sun Er request an audience," they called out.

"Come in," Li Changmeng's voice echoed from inside the room.

As they entered, a wave of dizziness hit them from the strong, intoxicating fragrance in the room. There was also a peculiar scent that resembled alcohol.

Could it be that the Spiritual Official had a fondness for alcohol?

"You two have spread the blessings of the Taoist Lord and saved many people. You deserve a reward. There are two jars of Longevity Spiritual Wine on the table. Drink them," Li Changmeng said, gesturing toward the jars.

"Longevity Spiritual Wine?" Wang Hu and Sun Er exchanged a glance. Their eyes widened as they realized the significance of the gift. 

Fear of old age, illness, and death was universal. The name "Longevity Spiritual Wine" was more than enough to signal its extraordinary properties.

"Thank you for the Taoist Lord's reward. It is a great honor for us to spread his radiance," they said, their voices filled with gratitude.

After receiving Li Changmeng's nod, they carefully picked up the jars and drank heartily.

"Ah!" they exclaimed in unison as a warm sensation spread through their bodies. Their faces turned red, and the white hairs of age turned black again. They looked as if they had been rejuvenated, their appearances now youthful.

They gazed at one another, astonished. Their skin felt smooth and elastic, like that of young men. They felt an endless surge of strength within them.

"This Longevity Spiritual Wine has remarkable effects. It not only extends your lifespan by ten years, but it also strengthens your body, improves your hearing and eyesight. I hope you will use your newfound vitality wisely," Li Changmeng said, his tone serious.

Wang Hu and Sun Er, overcome with emotion, were on the verge of tears. Having once harbored improper thoughts toward the Spiritual Official, they now realized how generous his reward had been.

"We swear to make spreading the radiance of the Taoist Lord our highest mission!" they declared earnestly.