Early in the morning.
Verdant branches stretched their leaves, bearing beads of condensed dew that trembled on the verge of falling.
Reflected in the limpid dewdrops, Fairy Qinglan stood before Zhaoxi Palace, gazing down at the breathtaking scenery of the Dao Palace along the mountainside.
A voice clear as a babbling spring flowed from her lips.
"Zhou Fuyou, do you know what Tianyuan is?"
Without hesitation, Zhou Fuyou answered, "On a chessboard, the central star point is called Tianyuan."
"Correct, yet not entirely," Fairy Qinglan said placidly. "The core of the universe, the pinnacle of status—that, too, is Tianyuan."
Zhou Fuyou paused, then sudden understanding dawned upon him.
The word Tianyuan was indeed more than a mere term in the game of go; in astrology and astronomy, it had always held an exalted place.
"Our Dao Sect takes Tianyuan as its name, and over the past several millennia, it has lived up to this grandiose title."
"We dominated an entire continent, standing proudly at the head of the Mountain Sea Realm's Five Great Sacred Grounds. Even after suffering a great calamity, we remain the most powerful force under heaven."
"Yet all of this is only a fraction of what the Tianyuan Dao Sect truly is!"
The woman spoke neither hurriedly nor sluggishly, narrating the history with an eloquence that was captivating and melodious.
Zhou Fuyou had already caught on. His master had come early in the morning to give him his first lesson.
And this initial lecture was meant to introduce the sect's history, foundation, glory, and everything intertwined with it.
Perhaps for the scions of Central Plains cultivation clans, such a lesson was utterly redundant, but for Zhou Fuyou, Fairy Qinglan considered it indispensable.
In the past, the Zhou clan had merely been a subordinate force brought over by a guest elder of the Star Gate, never having truly integrated into the Tianyuan Dao Sect.
Under such circumstances, instilling a sense of belonging in the most outstanding young junior of the Zhou family was undeniably the best approach.
Well-versed in historical records and classics, Zhou Fuyou understood this tactic intimately.
Even so, Fairy Qinglan's following words left him thoroughly shaken.
"Above this realm lies another realm called the Xuan Realm. There, another Tianyuan Dao Sect exists. Within it dwell countless experts, with mighty figures and True Monarchs emerging in endless succession. We are merely a branch of that Xuan Realm Dao Sect."
Fairy Qinglan turned around, her gaze settling on the astounded Zhou Fuyou, evidently pleased with his reaction.
"Master, then how did our forebears descend to this realm?"
Fairy Qinglan smiled. "According to the sect's records, our Dao Sect, along with the other four sacred grounds of the Mountain Sea Realm, all descended from the Xuan Realm in ancient times. Our ancestors then endured countless hardships, blazing trails through thorns and brambles, gradually opening up this world into a human cultivation realm."
"Descended?"
"Indeed—by means of a spirit treasure!"
Zhou Fuyou's heart leaped as inspiration struck. "Could it be the spirit treasure you spoke of yesterday, the one capable of summoning avatars of great experts down to this world?"
"Yes, the Star Gate." Fairy Qinglan placed one hand behind her back and paced at an unhurried cadence along Zhaoxi Palace, resolving her disciple's confusion. "The Star Gate is a spatial spirit treasure, yet it is far more than that. It possesses neither offensive might nor defensive power. Its purpose is to roam the cosmos and traverse between two worlds, functioning much like the flying magical treasures we commonly use."
At this point, she pointed toward a distant direction.
"For tens of millions of years, that gate stood tall atop Heaven and Earth Peak, connecting the Mountain Sea Realm and the Xuan Realm, allowing us to maintain basic communication with the main sect above."
Zhou Fuyou halted his steps and looked in that direction as well.
That was once the core region of the Central Plains—Heaven and Earth Peak!
Yet now, Heaven and Earth Peak had collapsed.
Furthermore...
"Where is the Star Gate now?"
A trace of sorrow surfaced on Fairy Qinglan's face. "Rumor has it that it was seized. That demon phoenix attacked the Central Plains precisely for the Star Gate. In fact, in the eyes of several senior martial brothers and sisters within the sect, the demon phoenix's shadow lurked behind the Tianyuan Dao Sect's military campaigns across the other four continents. It was precisely because our forces were divided into five directions and our experts dispersed that the Central Plains fell into a state of emptiness, allowing the demon phoenix to exploit the vulnerability and seize the treasure in one fell swoop."
A moment later, Fairy Qinglan shook her head slightly, shaking off the gloom.
"Yet how profound is our Dao Sect's foundation? Even without the Star Gate, two of our Three Sect Treasures remain intact, more than sufficient to dominate the world!"
At this moment, however, Zhou Fuyou was thinking of something else entirely.
As of now, he felt no true sense of sect belonging.
He was merely curious about one detail.
"Disciple knows that over the past three thousand years in the Central Plains, mighty figures have frequently ascended. A century ago, the Alchemy Saint even ascended amidst glowing clouds before the eyes of countless onlookers. What I wonder is: while the Star Gate still existed, did those Dao Sect seniors ascend to the legendary Immortal Realm, or to the Xuan Realm where the main sect resides?"
The question was rather abrupt, yet Fairy Qinglan showed no fluster. She merely smiled faintly.
"Naturally, the Xuan Realm."
Zhou Fuyou's brow furrowed.
The legendary Immortal Realm was a destination yearned for by all.
Why would the seniors of the Dao Sect ascend to the Xuan Realm instead of the Immortal Realm? What was the reason behind this?
However, his master offered no elaborate explanation, remarking simply, "You will understand in time."
With that, Fairy Qinglan resumed walking, leading Zhou Fuyou into the main hall of Zhaoxi Palace.
She took her seat on the high dais with effortless grace.
Facing Zhou Fuyou, who stood straight and tall below, she formed an incantation gesture.
A gentle beam of green radiance enveloped him.
Surprise flickered across Zhou Fuyou's face as he felt vast amounts of ambient spiritual energy surge affectionately toward him.
This sensation was all too familiar.
Years ago, during the Spiritual Root Testing Ceremony, the exact same thing had occurred.
Evidently, his master was personally testing his aptitudes.
"As expected, a Water Heavenly Spiritual Root!"
As the probing continued, the astonishment on Fairy Qinglan's face grew more pronounced, until it finally turned into sheer delight.
In the end, she withdrew the green radiance. By then, a dense cluster of profound black spiritual energy had already coalesced around Zhou Fuyou.
"Your innate Dao body is the Xuanming Dao Body recorded in ancient texts!"
Curious, Zhou Fuyou asked, "My ancestor said the same, but having perused many classics, Disciple never found any detailed records of this Dao body. May I ask what its merits and shortcomings are?"
Fairy Qinglan smiled. "Its advantages are numerous. This Dao body provides an immense boost to your cultivation efficiency. It can even autonomously filter out the intrusion of other spiritual energies, saving you from exhausting mental energy during cultivation."
That first point alone was something countless cultivators dreamed of!
Between heaven and earth, stray spiritual energy was abundant and mixed with various attributes.
When breathing in qi, cultivators typically had to expend tremendous mental effort.
During the Qi Refining stage, one had to absorb everything in one breath, then slowly temper, convert, and purify it until it became spiritual power suitable for oneself.
After reaching Foundation Establishment, when a cultivator's divine sense could be projected outward, they could discern and select matching attributes from the ambient qi during inhalation, thereby improving efficiency slightly.
Evidently, Zhou Fuyou, blessed with the Xuanming Dao Body, could bypass these arduous processes entirely.
So long as a spiritual vein was of sufficiently high grade and its spiritual energy abundant enough, he could absorb it voraciously.
From his master, Zhou Fuyou learned of further advantages possessed by the Xuanming Dao Body.
Those endowed with this constitution typically possessed meridians several times wider than ordinary men, allowing magic power to circulate with sweeping power and far greater output efficiency.
The same held true for storage vessels like the dantian and acupoints.
This perfectly accounted for the bottomless chasm of a qi sea Zhou Fuyou had forged upon reaching Foundation Establishment!
Additionally, the Xuanming Dao Body possessed a natural resistance to potent toxins and corrupting filth, making it a rare constitution invulnerable to all poisons. If paired with poison-repelling arts, the results would be extraordinary.
Zhou Fuyou recalled his childhood, when Seventh Aunt had tried to poison him with Spirit Strengthening Soup. His sister had swallowed it by mistake and suffered a severe reaction, yet he had felt nothing at all. Even after spitting it out later, he had suffered no ill effects.
Evidently, his master was entirely correct.
"As for its shortcomings, that is less clear, as this constitution appears exceedingly rarely."
"Among water-attribute spiritual constitutions, the most common low-grade ones are the Jade Water Body, Ninefold Meandering Body, Cold Soul Body, and the like. Higher-grade variants include the Innate Water Spirit Body, Yellow Springs Dao Body, and Grand Yin True Water Body."
"A Xuanming Dao Body like yours is almost as rare as the ultimate Water Origin Dao Embryo—hardly seen once in tens of millennia."
Zhou Fuyou clicked his tongue in wonder, never imagining that physical constitutions alone held so many distinctions.
Even more shocking was the depth of the Tianyuan Dao Sect's knowledge in such matters.
That his master could rattle off so many constitutions so casually spoke volumes of the Dao Sect's immense heritage.
Having inspected Zhou Fuyou's innate talent and constitution, Fairy Qinglan began preparing for his subsequent cultivation.
"What cultivation art have you been practicing before this?"
Without hesitation, Zhou Fuyou answered frankly, "The Dew Cicada Art."
Fairy Qinglan looked momentarily blank. Only when Zhou Fuyou added, "a Northern Sea demonic art," did she abruptly react.
"A fast-track method?"
The woman's brow visibly furrowed.
"No wonder you managed to reach Foundation Establishment at the tender age of twenty-one, and even displayed magic power fluctuations of the late Foundation Establishment stage earlier. To think you took such a shortcut!"
"Who taught you this?"
"Could it be Fellow Daoist Zhou Yunshen?"
Zhou Fuyou bowed respectfully. "Please do not vent your anger on my ancestor, Master. I chose this cultivation art myself during my youth; no one else is to blame."
Fairy Qinglan's delicate brows remained tightly knitted. "I knew Fellow Daoist Zhou wouldn't be so foolish. While demonic arts of this sort allow exceptionally rapid cultivation progress, their flaws and hidden hazards are tremendous. With your natural aptitude, your cultivation speed would have been swift regardless. You could easily have practiced arts that progress slowly but yield dense, solid magic power and a sturdy foundation. Only that could fully unlock your constitution and maximize your potential!"
As she spoke, she waved her hand, and five streaks of flowing light hovered within the hall.
Zhou Fuyou looked over and saw that each beam shone with dazzling text, clearly representing high-grade cultivation arts.
Three of them were intimately familiar to him—the very arts gifted by Dean Mo Wanting of Yuheng Courtyard before her departure.
"These are the five finest water-attribute cultivation arts of our Tianyuan Dao Sect, each holding the potential to lead straight to the Grand Dao of Soul Formation. While you have yet to form your core, switch your natal cultivation art at once!"
Yet Zhou Fuyou declined.
"Master, I feel the Dew Cicada Art suits me very well. There is no need to switch."
Displeased, Fairy Qinglan countered, "Are you seeking only speed, completely disregarding your foundation?"
"Is Disciple's foundation truly that lacking?" Zhou Fuyou asked in return.
As he spoke, majestic fluctuations of magic power radiated from his body once more.
This time, Fairy Qinglan was astonished anew.
Earlier at the Tianyuan Temple, they had all observed Zhou Fuyou's magic power, though back then their surprise stemmed solely from his high cultivation realm.
Now, learning that he practiced only the Dew Cicada Art, her surprise turned into outright shock.
To cultivate such profound, boundless magic power from a demonic art notorious for yielding meager reserves defied all common sense.
*Could it be due to the Xuanming Dao Body?*
Fairy Qinglan was completely baffled.
A physical constitution was merely an innate gift—it enabled one to hold more and learn more throughout the process of growth, but it could not conjure boundless power out of thin air.
Zhou Fuyou's situation was far too bizarre.
The only explanation was that the Xuanming Dao Body was exceptionally compatible with the Dew Cicada Art, using its innate advantages to compensate for the flaws of an acquired method.
"Are you truly intent on continuing with the Dew Cicada Art?" Suppressing the shock in her heart, Fairy Qinglan asked solemnly.
Zhou Fuyou replied with equal gravity, "I am! My only request is that Master obtain the subsequent techniques of the Dew Cicada Art for the Core Formation stage and beyond."
He trusted his own sensations and the ancestor's judgment.
Just as his master had noted, the Xuanming Dao Body was so rare that even the Tianyuan Dao Sect had no prior precedent.
Since that was the case, who could understand his condition better than himself?
Fairy Qinglan scrutinized him closely. After a long silence, she nodded slightly.
"Very well. I shall submit a request to Mount Lanke for the continuation of the Dew Cicada Art. However, I will keep close watch over your cultivation. The moment an issue arises, you must obey me and immediately switch to a proper natal art!"
"Furthermore, this art does not excel in combat. Those of us who pursue the Dao must possess the means to protect our path."
"Rumor has it that the Xuanming Dao Body is naturally suited to channel Ming Water. If you can command Ming Water in battle, you will find few rivals among your peers."
A glimmer of anticipation surfaced in Zhou Fuyou's eyes.
He had read of the illustrious name of Ming Water in ancient records.
"Master, do you mean the Ming Water possessed by the Mingyuan Sect of the Eastern Desolation?"
"Yes!"
Fairy Qinglan nodded slightly, her expression drifting into a momentary daze.
She remembered her grandfather who had perished at the Mingyuan Sect, and she remembered that man from the Eastern Desolation. Now, the disciple she had personally taken under her wing was also to wield Ming Water.
Could this be some subtle twist of fate?
Subconsciously, she glanced at Zhou Fuyou, suddenly understanding why she had felt a brief flicker of familiar warmth upon laying eyes on him the first time.
Yet, it was not him!
Zhou Fuyou was a scion of the Zhou family with an impeccable, traceable pedigree from childhood to the present, bearing no connection whatsoever to that man.
Moreover, one was resolute and imposing, while the other was handsome and delicate—two individuals who could not be more disparate.
*Perhaps I am overthinking things!*
Letting out a soft sigh, Fairy Qinglan prepared to take her leave.
She had come today for three matters: to deepen her disciple's understanding and allegiance to the sect, to grasp Zhou Fuyou's precise circumstances, and to chart out his future cultivation direction.
Before departing, however, she asked out of curiosity, "Why did you choose me in the end?"
Zhou Fuyou was taken aback, then answered naturally, "Everyone outside says that Master is one of the few figures in the Tianyuan Dao Sect with the greatest hope of breaking through to Soul Formation. Naturally, Disciple wished to have a mighty expert as my master!"
"Heh."
Fairy Qinglan shook her head. Her disciple was candid, and the reason was indeed common knowledge.
After a few brief instructions, Fairy Qinglan drifted away like mist.
Before the gates of Zhaoxi Palace, having respectfully seen her off, Zhou Fuyou's mind settled into tranquil calm.
His reason for acknowledging her as master?
What he had just said was indeed part of it.
Yet another reason was that Zhou Fuyou subconsciously avoided being close to others.
Fairy Qinglan was young and possessed extraordinary talent, having even comprehended the true intent of laws. To break through to Soul Formation, she would inevitably spend the vast majority of her time in solitary cultivation.
As such, her guidance would not be overly frequent.
Had he chosen any of the other three hall masters, he likely would not have enjoyed such peace.
*With the ancestor's personal guidance over the past half year, all the bottlenecks between Foundation Establishment and Core Formation have been cleared for me. Now, blessed with the superior spiritual environment of Zhaoxi Palace, I need only cultivate with all my might to achieve peak Foundation Establishment and break through to the Golden Core stage as early as possible!*
The youth in white murmured to himself, his eyes brimming with unwavering confidence.
Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment were merely the two most insignificant steps on the path of cultivation; in the wider cultivation world, such people were nobodies.
The only reason others held him in high esteem now was his talent and potential.
Only by condensing a Golden Core could he command true authority.
When that day came, taking charge of the Zhou family would be entirely justified, and he would also have the chance to bring his sister to the Dao Palace to cultivate.
As for the rest, Zhou Fuyou cared very little.
Chapter 1043