Chapter Forty-Six: Ten Taboos

  "Then what?"

  "Then..." Ximen's heart felt like it had been stabbed with a knife, and he felt an unusual pain. He thought for a moment before speaking slowly: "Then you'll have a substitute, she will be by your side without complaint, even if she knows that the one you like is not her, she is just a substitute. Until you lose her, you will realize that you were wrong... What's the point of drinking tea? A real man should drink wine."

  Ximen took out two wine gourds and tossed one to Lin Fan, then leaned against a pine tree, staring blankly at the sky as he pondered his thoughts. After a long while, he said, "Lin Fan, don't take to heart things that aren't yours, or you'll lose a lot. If it were someone else, San Sheng Zhen Ren would help you propose and there might still be a chance. But Dugu Feiyan's person has already been decided, and so has her heart."

  "Oh." Lin was suddenly enlightened: "Guan Guan's zhou... I understand now, it turns out I've taken a liking to someone. I thought I had gone mad. I know that the first time you take a liking to a girl, there will be many, many unnatural reactions."

  "Ximen Shuai was puzzled: 'How did you know?'"

  "It's written in the documents," Lin Fan said.

  Ximen was shocked: "I've never heard of any literature that describes the relationship between men and women in such a way." Either it's erotic, focusing on action descriptions, or it's like the Book of Songs.

  "Yes." Lin Feng nodded very affirmatively: "Ten Prohibitions of Cultivation."

  "Who wrote it?" Ximen Xi saw that Lin Fan was not lying and asked further.

  "Born of dreams."

  Ximen Shuai retorted: "Meng Sheng?" What the heck, who is this guy?

  A thousand miles away, San San Zhen Ren sighed: Why doesn't anyone know their own original name?

  "What are the ten taboos?"

  "The first taboo, the relationship between men and women, can exist, but must not be chaotic. The general idea is that everyone will experience this once, but everything in the world has already been predetermined, what's yours will come to you, what's not yours won't be forced. Finally, I'll add one more sentence, the first time a romantic relationship appears, 99% of the time it doesn't end well... I've always suspected that this text was written by my sect leader, but if so, it should be his or Zhang Lao's handwriting, but in fact, it's not."

  San San True Man: I wrote it with my left hand.

  "Who is Zhang Lao again?"

  Ximen Shuai's question made Lin Fan's feelings for the girl disappear, Zhang Lao... Zhang Lao should still be alive, and should be on his way back to Yun Qing Mountain. Lin Fan shook her head lightly: "Actually, one of the reasons I came out with you this time is that I didn't want to wait for Zhang Lao to ascend. I always thought Meng Sheng was just rambling, how could it be possible for a girl to have such an impact on me, now it seems it's true."

  "What's the second taboo?" Ximen asked curiously.

  Lin Fan scorned: "I don't even believe in the first taboo, how can I possibly go and watch the second taboo? I'll just go back and take a look."

  Ximen hastily said: "Help me copy a copy." It's quite interesting.

  "No problem." Lin Fan asked: "That demonic sect guardian today was called Nangong something, really formidable."

  Ximen nodded: "Not formidable, extremely formidable. He is 400 years old this year and was once the first great disciple of the former Demon Lord. At the age of 40, he had a complete Yuan Baby. If it weren't for the severe injuries he suffered in the Great Evil War, coupled with his ordinary Yuan Baby cultivation, then he might be the number one master of Magic Mountain."

  Lin Fan curiously asked: "Does Yuan Ying also have ordinary and special ones?"

  "Of course, it's not just the Yuan infant, the Golden Elixir also has its distinctions. My Golden Elixir is a rare double-born Golden Elixir that can be used in two ways at once. In the future, when I reach the Small Vehicle, I will be able to roam freely between heaven and earth." Ximen Shuai asked doubtfully: "Don't you know?"

  "I don't know, no one cares what foundation I'm building on, as long as it's there."

  Ximen Shuai suddenly had an epiphany: "The Triple True Person is indeed a dragon among humans." Not forcing, not being deliberate, what's yours will be yours, whether it's ordinary or extraordinary, it can't be changed, so why bother? He thought of his own proud introduction to his Double Golden Elixir and felt a bit ashamed.

  "Is everything all right now?"

  "Hmm... I was thinking of Fei Yan, but I should be fine."

  Ximen nodded: "Not bad, a big man should be able to take it up and put it down, don't be timid. We've wasted quite some time, we'll rest here today and cross the Town Sky Pass tomorrow. Counting the days, there are still three days left before the Purple Eyed Demon King of the Purple Eyed Gate will leave the Emerald Valley, then we can make our move."

  "Uh-huh."

  "There are six female disciples of the Violet Pupil Sect who serve the thousand-year-old demon fox, five of whom have shallow cultivation and don't need to be taken seriously. However, one of the female disciples is a direct disciple of the Hundred-Eyed Demon King and is in charge of the daily affairs of Emerald Valley."

  "What should I do then?"

  "If it were two Sima Huai, they would definitely ask for help after meeting." Sima Huai said: "But if it's a late-stage foundation-building righteous person who can be taken down by just one female disciple, then there's no need to ask for help. You should lure her away and strangle her, while I take the opportunity to ambush the Thousand-Year Demon Fox and capture her."

  "It sounds extremely dangerous."

  "It's also very dangerous, but I think you can handle her."

  "Oh?" Lin Fan asked in puzzlement.

  "Dealing with the disciples of the Violet Eyed Sect, even Nan Gong Wu Hen may not be able to cope, because it involves breaking and enlightenment. Breaking illusions requires prior enlightenment."

  "Can't I not go?" Lin Fan asked. Originally, there were a few ordinary disciples, now another disciple of the Hundred Eyes Demon King has come, and he is still being used as bait. Everyone knows that fishing depends on technique and luck, but this bait will probably not return once it's gone.

  Ximen said with disdain: "Training is not about going to fight mountain bandits."

  "Alright." Lin Fan said, "But don't blame me for not warning you, I can run faster than you, so don't blame me for being disloyal later." Lin Fan now finds Xi Men Shuai quite pleasing to the eye.

  "Just stall for a moment."

  ……

  Next, he passed the customs smoothly, and Lin Fan still occasionally walked in a daze, thinking of that stunning glance, as well as the sound and appearance of Shangguan Feiyan's smile. Lin Fan thought about why this emotion appeared, and finally the answer was desire. Ordinary people have many desires, but cultivators also have desires. Except for those who cultivate purity, it is unknown whether they are fortunate or unfortunate, breaking through all things in the world, without desires or demands.

  The sage says, "Appetite and lust are also part of human nature." Some people say, "Sages never die, great robbers never stop."

  Thinking of Zhang Lao again, Lin Fan suddenly felt a bit bewildered. What was the point of cultivating immortality? Was it to extend one's lifespan? To eliminate worldly suffering and achieve eternal life? But this was a very basic goal. Once this goal was achieved, would one pursue an even higher realm or seek even greater power? Cultivating immortality had two aspects: realm and cultivation. Cultivation was purely for the strong to survive. What about realm? A simple realm could make people have no desires or demands.

  Lin Fan asked: "What does a cultivator really think about?"

  Ximen Shuai replied: "You should go ask them, but unfortunately those who know the answer have no interest in answering your question. Those who will answer your questions are not cultivators."

  "Don't they have other pursuits?" Lin Fan asked in doubt.

  PS: Starting tomorrow, two updates a day, three updates a day. The new book list has eight days left, asking for recommendation votes.