The Spirit Turtle opened its mouth, speechless, unsure of what to say for a moment.

"Is this kind of teaching without any cost?" it hesitated for a moment and finally squeezed out the words.

"Of course there is a cost, but guiding people towards immortality is a great vow for us..." Zhang Rongfang casually responded.

"A great vow??" The Spirit Turtle instantaneously thought of many things, and seeing the calm and reflective eyes of Zhang Rongfang, it suddenly understood.

"So... you’re doing this to give hope to the many suffering people in this world!? Like me, like them?"

It suddenly understood in its heart.

That’s right... otherwise, why would the temple master specifically find them and not others?

"Let’s go, go inside."

Zhang Rongfang took the lead and walked towards the temple.

They didn’t delay for long; soon, the two came out again, accompanied by an emaciated old man with no hair.

The old man’s eyes were bright like candles, filled with the joy of life.

Like the Spirit Turtle back then, the old man was in old, tattered robes, but the exposed skin looked only about fifty or sixty years old.

"Fellow Daoist Hongxian, do you have anyone similar to you that you could introduce to us? In today’s world, all beings suffer, only by guiding them to immortality is there a glimmer of hope." Zhang Rongfang sincerely inquired.

"Temple master, your compassion is boundless," said the old Daoist, who was the master of the temple and was just one step away from becoming a Grandmaster, known as Hongxian Daoist.

But at this moment, before his death, at the lowest ebb of his life, unable to care for even his most basic needs, he was transformed by Zhang Rongfang. His gratitude surpassed the reverence he held for the nameless Daoist deity he had served all his life.

"This humble Daoist does not know many people, having poor social connections, and may not be able to help much, but the internal injuries I suffered back when I lost on the platform have now all recovered, and I may soon take the final step."

"Are you serious?" Zhang Rongfang’s expression froze for a moment.

"I am serious! I dare not deceive the temple master," Hongxian Daoist responded calmly.

"Great, great, great!!" Zhang Rongfang instantly rejoiced.

Previously he had suffered from a lack of personnel, but now... with the addition of Hongxian Daoist, the shortage of experts would surely be alleviated!

Next, by transforming the other targets known by Spirit Turtle and guiding them onto the path of immortality, they could greatly ease the resource crisis brought by the Red Turban bandits.

The process of transforming the unfortunate continued for three days.

Most of the three days were consumed on the road. In reality, finding the people and transforming them only took a little time.

Three days later...

Within the canyon of the Human Immortal Temple.

One by one, newly transformed figures gathered in the newly built main hall of the Human Immortal Temple, each sitting in their place.

Zhang Rongfang stood in front of the main seat, looking at the total of forty-five transformed bloodlines, greatly reducing his previous worries about being stretched too thin.

Among those present, there were four experts like Hongxian Daoist who had failed to break through to Grandmaster. Originally six were found, but sadly, by the time they arrived, two were already gone.

So only four were saved.

Apart from the four, the rest were all Super Grade.

The most crucial thing was that after being transformed into bloodline, these people’s recovery power and physical speed had improved significantly.

At this moment, over forty people gathered together, all eyes focused on Zhang Rongfang alone.

"Everyone, my Human Immortal Temple has just been established. We do not seek dominion over the world, only to maintain a corner of peace, but now, with the Red Turban bandits emerging, causing chaos everywhere, we are forced to act.

The path of immortality is obscure, longevity is hard to seek. On our path of cultivation, many resources are needed, yet due to the Red Turban bandits, supplies have been cut off. Therefore, the land of others is none of our business, but here, near Wushan. I ask you all to lend a hand to this humble Daoist."

"What the temple master says is absolutely right!" Hongxian Daoist was the first to voice his support, "We cultivators of the immortal path require nothing but the vitality of heaven and earth. Now the Red Turban bandits are plundering and slaughtering vitality, disrupting our foundation. So... we must act on behalf of the heavens!"

"Right! Our path of immortality is to unify the vitality of all things! The chaos caused by the Red Turban is a threat to all life! We should act on behalf of the heavens!"

"I agree with you!"

"The temple master’s words make sense! We must act on behalf of the heavens!"

One voice of agreement after another rose up, soon turning into a chorus of calls to act on behalf of the heavens.

Zhang Rongfang’s face showed satisfaction. He gently clapped his hands.

Suddenly outside the hall, people came in carrying trays of crimson wine.

"The path of immortality is to seize the creation of heaven and earth. What we practice is the great path of vitality, harming our vitality is harming our foundation!"

He first picked up a cup of wine and raised it.

"Fellow Daoists, drink this wine first, then stabilize Qiankun!"

"Please!"

Many bloodlines raised their cups in unison.

"Please!!"

The wine was drained in one gulp, with some spilling to the ground, emitting a faint bloody smell.

It wasn’t just any wine, but blood wine!

*

*

*

Not far from Wushan Prefecture, inside Qingchong City known for gathering and cultivating various herbs.

Teams of Red Turban bandits recklessly burst through wooden doors, going from house to house, killing and seizing everything they wanted.

One by one, the living were dragged out by them, and marrow-sucking needles were inserted directly into their foreheads.

Soon, the civilians whose marrow was suck began to tremble all over, convulsing, and foaming at the mouth.

Within less than ten seconds, they stood up, their bodies slightly swollen and strengthened, their eyes nervously scanning their surroundings.

Those who resisted too fiercely were slaughtered on the spot with throats slit.

Some bandits laughed heartily as they set fire to the wooden houses with torches.

Flames mixed with thick smoke roared into the sky, accompanied by various mad laughs and cries.

The medicine merchant, Docker, with his daughter and son, plus three wives and concubines, hid in one of his residences within the city.

The courtyard gate was barricaded tightly with heavy objects.

Bang!

Bam!!

Suddenly, the main door was hit with great force, making loud noises.

"There’s something blocking here, there must be someone inside!" The Red Turban Army outside shouted, calling the people around them.

"Daddy... I’m scared!" The youngest son buried his head tightly into Docker’s embrace.

"Don’t be afraid... don’t be afraid, I’m here! Daddy’s here!" Docker trembled as he tried to reassure his son, his gaze turning to his wives.

"In a moment, I’ll rush out to distract them, you all escape through the back door quickly!"

"Husband...!" Several of his wives cried out in terror.

"We’ll go together!" His wife choked out.

"I can’t leave. Our family’s accumulated treasures and medicinal herbs are here for generations! Plus, the storeroom at the back is filled with the dried herbs I just acquired.

All my assets are here. Even if I die, even if everything is burned down, I will never let those outside take it!" Docker declared resolutely.

Bam!!

Just then, the door to the courtyard was smashed open, and a bald-headed Red Turban thug walked in leisurely, carrying a broken axe used for chopping wood.

"Haha... I knew there would be gains..." The thug licked his lips and laughed.

"Kill!!" He suddenly charged, lunging towards Docker and his family. He swung his axe towards the eldest son.

Thud!

Suddenly, a large hand covered the thug’s mouth and nose from behind and yanked fiercely.

Whoosh!

Before anyone could react, the Red Turban thug was dragged into the corner shadows and disappeared.

A barely audible sucking sound came from the darkness, accompanied by the sound of flesh tearing, chilling everyone’s bones.

Docker’s family trembled all over, cold sweat dripping down their backs.

Before they could quietly get up to escape, a shadowy figure finally emerged from the darkness.

It was a ponytailed woman with slightly red-stained lips.

She wore a red daoist robe that didn’t quite fit her figure, her eyes revealing a strange mix of intoxication and emotion, with a faint blush on her pretty cheeks.

"Hehehe, me too. How lucky, finding the person I wanted as soon as I arrived!"

The woman grinned suddenly, her eyes locking onto Docker.

"You’re the biggest medicine merchant here... aren’t you?"

"Yes! You are?!" Docker quickly got up and shielded everyone.

"Very good!" The ponytailed woman performed a backflip, leaped over the wall, and disappeared.

Soon, loud roars erupted outside.

On the street outside the residence.

The woman transformed into a red blur, swiftly weaving among the Red Turban thugs.

No one could touch her, and anyone she did touch would quickly collapse, their vital points marked by tiny blade cuts.

More thugs swarmed in from all around, attempting to encircle and kill the woman.

But as time passed, their numbers dwindled rapidly.

After more than ten minutes.

The last Red Turban leader in the entire district exploded, sending countless spiritual lines sweeping around.

The spiritual lines unexpectedly sliced the woman’s thigh into dozens of pieces of bone and flesh.

This was the scene Docker’s family saw when they came out.

"Benefactor!?! Are you alright?!" Docker was about to step forward to check on her.

Unexpectedly, the woman casually grabbed a corpse on the ground and lowered her head to drink its blood.

The corpse shriveled up quickly, and a new section of the woman’s thigh grew back.

Docker’s family shivered, scared stiff, not daring to make a sound.

"Alright, let’s go." The woman lifted her head, smiling, "By the way, my name is Tong Fei, a Daoist from the Human Immortal Temple. I’m on a mission to seek necessary medicinal materials."

*

*

*

Inside Wushan Prefecture.

After finally driving out the Red Turban thugs who had invaded the city.

Suda Heqi and Zhang Rongyu stood at the city head, alongside the prefect and others, observing the current defense situation.

"The trouble now is there are two more Red Turban forces in the northeast. They’ve raided nearby towns and will surely head this way!" Suda Heqi said worriedly.

"The losses in the city are huge, and the previous skilled masters were severely injured or killed by the thugs’ self-detonations."

"It’s all right, husband, we’ll be fine," Zhang Rongyu gently reassured.

She had already made arrangements, if anything unexpected happened, to have people take her family and escape the city.

The Red Turban thugs were everywhere, and only the deep mountains were relatively safe now.

"Hmm..." Suda Heqi nodded, looking worriedly into the distance, waiting for fate’s verdict.

He also decided that if anything went wrong and the city couldn’t be defended, he would have his wife take his sister and leave under the protection of their patrons, heading to the Great Capital.

Their family was there, and they would not let their bloodline wander homeless.

"There’s no need to worry too much. Right now, there are only small gangs of Red Turban thugs stealing food around. As long as we repel them and hold the city, we’ll be fine!" Prefect Yue Hanquan suppressed his panic and spoke reassuringly.

With the overseer dead, if he lost his composure, everyone in the city would be doomed.

The more critical the situation, the less they could afford to panic.

Suda Heqi thanked the prefect for his concern. They quickly exchanged a few words, confirming the possible scenarios and how to respond.

Meanwhile, Zhang Rongyu involuntarily worried about her brother.

"At a time like this...Rongfang, you must hide well... do not recklessly jump out... preserving life is paramount."