At the summit of Jade Void Peak, the Yellow Emperor's temporary palace had been completely destroyed. Only broken walls and crumbling ruins remained, bearing silent witness to forgotten history.
Whenever the realm enjoyed universal peace, emperors of Shenzhou throughout the dynasties would ascend the imperial throne and journey here to offer sacrifices to their ancestors. Those stationed at this mountain were tasked with receiving the successive sovereigns and presiding over the grand Fengshan ceremonies. Emperors across the ages had left behind ancient legends in this place, yet now nothing remained but ruins; even the tales handed down by the ancients had been lost to time.
The sky violently churned as an indelible aura of spiritual light traversed the void, arriving a mere hundred zhang from the palace ruins. Viewed from afar, that imperishable light resembled a bridge spanning the void, binding two realms together. Formed of the Great Dao, it contained profound and immutable truths that had withstood the ages. It was the God Bridge atop Mount Kunlun, a legendary place.
Gazing along the span toward its far end, one could see a magnificent, radiant heavenly palace—at once illusory yet seemingly real. That place was known as the Jade Capital.
Legends told that the Yellow Emperor had ascended from the Jade Capital, and it was there that emperors across generations conducted their Fengshan ceremonies and made offerings to Heaven. Only by the guidance of the descendants stationed on this mountain could anyone ever reach it.
"The founding master of our Jiuhua Sect in the Immortal Realm said there would be an immortal opportunity here. Since it isn't the six Nuo ancestors, it must be something else!" Several young experts stood before the ruins, looking toward the God Bridge a hundred zhang away. Among them, a young woman said, "The immortal opportunity might very well lie within the Jade Capital!"
The youth beside her was the island master of Changliu Island. He remarked, "The founding master of my Changliu Island also handed down a Golden Script Immortal Talisman, recording an opportunity to ascend to immortality within Kunlun."
The other youths nodded in agreement. They were disciples handpicked by various sects and tasked with the heavy responsibility of revitalizing their lineages; some had even been personally sealed by their founding masters in the Immortal Realm for three thousand years, preserved until the present day.
With Kunlun reopening, the edicts handed down by these founding masters of the Immortal Realm explicitly mentioned an immortal opportunity in Kunlun. Since they had commanded the contemporary leaders of their sects to come here in search of it, the opportunity was certainly no empty rumor! Even less could it be the so-called Ascension Immortal Elixirs fabricated by the six Nuo ancestors. The true immortal opportunity had likely not yet revealed itself to the world.
As the crowd gazed toward the God Bridge from afar, the sky cracked open, faintly revealing another world—surely the Immortal Realm itself. From beyond came a profound and weighty Dao might. A massive seal carved with strange characters blotted out half the sky, hovering eternally and bearing down with incomparable pressure. The underside of the great seal spanned flat across the heavens; merely looking upon it made it hard to breathe! That immortal seal seemed to be suppressing the God Bridge!
Tens of thousands had originally come to Kunlun to hunt for treasures, but amidst various disasters and upheavals, some had perished and others had departed. Still others had lost all heart and will to fight once the truth of the Nuo methods was laid bare, choosing simply to leave Kunlun behind. Now, fewer than a hundred people remained gathered before the God Bridge. They intended to cross the bridge, yet were blocked here.
"Aba, aba?" Pavilion Master Lin of Penglai Pavilion cocked his head, the purple grass behind his skull swaying as he pointed toward the God Bridge in confusion.
"If Pavilion Master Lin has something to say, by all means speak plainly!" the girl in purple snapped, unable to hold back. "Though your Penglai Pavilion carries a great reputation and is said to possess the immortal mountain of Penglai, playing deaf and mute like this looks down on the heroes of the realm! Babbling 'aba, aba' all along the way—do you really hold the world's heroes in such contempt? Our Sun Moon God Sect is by no means inferior to your Penglai Pavilion!"
Beside Pavilion Master Lin, the large two-horned black-and-white snake explained in a soft, polite voice, "Young lady of the divine sect, Pavilion Master Lin is asking: we also have a God Bridge within our bodies, so is there a connection between ours and this God Bridge?"
Seeing that the serpent was well-mannered and courteous rather than unruly like Pavilion Master Lin, the girl in purple softened her expression and replied, "Rumor has it that Kunlun possesses the Jade Pool, the God Bridge, and the Jade Capital. These three formed naturally alongside Heaven, harboring boundless Dao subtleties that correspond to the three realms of the human body: Jade Pool, God Bridge, and Ascension."
Pavilion Master Lin wore a puzzled expression. "Aba, aba..."
The serpent hurriedly translated, "Pavilion Master Lin asks: if the God Bridge, Jade Pool, and Jade Capital of Kunlun were formed naturally, why should the human body have three corresponding realms?"
The girl in purple was stumped as well. "I do not know either."
At that moment, the voice of the youth in the yellow robe drifted over: "The ancient texts of my Shangqing Palace mention this matter. They say that man is also formed naturally, corresponding to the images of the Great Dao between Heaven and Earth. Thus, just as Kunlun possesses the Jade Pool, God Bridge, and Jade Capital, the human body likewise contains them."
Pavilion Master Lin chuckled. "Aba, aba."
The serpent translated, "Pavilion Master Lin says: far-fetched forced interpretation, sheer nonsense."
The yellow-robed youth's expression darkened slightly, and he said coolly, "Penglai Pavilion has a long history, and legends claim it was an immortal mountain from the Immortal Realm that fell into the mortal world. Yet when it comes to heritage, my Shangqing Palace is not in the least inferior. Since Pavilion Master Lin sneers at the records of my Shangqing Palace's forebears as far-fetched nonsense, then I, Zhang Fugui, unworthy master of the Shangqing Palace, would like to experience Penglai Pavilion's consummate skills."
The serpent looked troubled and glanced up at the bronze bell hovering above Pavilion Master Lin's head.
The bronze bell spoke in a human voice: "No good words can persuade a ghost bent on dying. Since Palace Master Zhang insists on courting death, there is nothing we can do. Chant a sutra to see him on his way."
The serpent complied and chanted, "May the palace master attain swift rebirth in the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss."
The yellow-robed youth was infuriated. He was an elite genius painstakingly chosen by Shangqing Palace, adept in its various Dao methods and divine abilities. To be held in contempt by a bell and a snake was utterly intolerable!
Just as he was about to strike, someone stepped forward to cross over, preparing to alight upon the God Bridge.
The God Bridge was severed, a mere hundred zhang from them. For Qi Refiners of their caliber, a hundred zhang could be crossed with an effortless leap. Yet the young expert crossing was exceptionally cautious; he trod upon the sky as mists churned beneath his feet, carrying him steadily forward. Suddenly, the mists roiled, and his divine ability shattered.
Hearts leaped into throats as everyone watched. Abruptly, a Golden Script Immortal Talisman flew out from the young expert's brow, and immortal might erupted from it! The vast immortal power surged like a true immortal descending, sweeping away every obstacle!
Between the young man and the God Bridge, countless immortal Dao scripts instantly materialized, each character surfacing from the void and dripping with lethal intent! An immortal seal had been laid here, locking down the void and barring anyone from approaching the bridge! The young man reacted decisively. Taking advantage of the talisman's surging power, he lowered his head and charged toward the God Bridge!
The power of the Golden Script Immortal Talisman clashed violently with the immortal Dao scripts, gradually wearing away. By the time the youth reached the bridge—a single step from setting foot upon it—the talisman's power was completely exhausted, dissolving into a puff of ash.
The young man took that final step, rushing onto the God Bridge. Still shaken, he turned back and called out, "As long as you have an immortal talisman, you can cross! Without one to protect you, do not throw your life away!"
No sooner had he spoken than his body stiffened. He split apart into pieces, collapsing in a heap of severed flesh!
On the opposite bank, the onlookers stared blankly at the sight, filled with shock and dismay.
"The True Immortal Abbey is no more," someone sighed.
A chill ran through everyone. That young man had been the contemporary master of the True Immortal Abbey. When the unsealing occurred, the abbey had only taken in a few new disciples besides him; he had been their sole pillar. With his death here, the remaining disciples were far from capable of upholding the sect. The destruction of the True Immortal Abbey was inevitable.
The girl in purple said, "His Golden Script Immortal Talisman had already been used once. Its power had diminished, leaving it unable to protect him all the way onto the God Bridge. Only an unused talisman can safely bring someone onto the bridge."
She looked around the crowd and smiled. "It seems the talismans bestowed by our founding masters were meant for this very situation. However, it looks like many fellow Daoists have already used theirs!"
She vaulted into the air and dashed toward the God Bridge. Sure enough, a Golden Script Immortal Talisman flew out from her Realm of Xiyi, enveloping her in immortal might. Just as she touched down on the bridge, the talisman's power ran out, dispersing into drifting ashes.
Others crossed the bridge one after another, but the majority remained stranded on the opposite bank, helpless.
Though they also possessed Golden Script Immortal Talismans, they had already deployed them during the earlier hunts and treasure hunts—some more than once. Attempting to cross with a depleted talisman was suicide. To everyone's astonishment, Pavilion Master Lin of Penglai Pavilion, along with the large serpent and the bronze bell, managed to cross safely and land upon the God Bridge as well.
Zhang Fugui, Master of Shangqing Palace, felt a jolt of wariness. *Evidently the snake and the bell possess extraordinary capabilities, having helped him through countless perils. He has not yet used his talisman, proving he is no weaker than me! Even so, the humiliation inflicted on Shangqing Palace must be repaid!*
"Pavilion Master Lin, hold your steps!" he called out abruptly.
Lin Tianhua stopped, scratched the grass on his head, and looked at him in bewilderment. "Aba?"
"You humiliate my Shangqing Palace and expect to walk away?" the yellow-robed youth Zhang Fugui demanded. "Today, you and I settle this!"
Lin Tianhua raised a hand, scratched the grass on his head again, and glanced at the serpent and the bronze bell. Both the snake and the bell backed away, making it clear they would not interfere.
Zhang Fugui said, "What, losing your nerve? Then apologize to my Shangqing Palace—apolo... apolo..."
Before he could finish, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. The purple grass behind Pavilion Master Lin's skull suddenly pulled countless roots out from Lin's eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. With leaves and roots dancing wildly, it lunged brazenly at Zhang Fugui!
On the opposite bank, those unable to cross watched in horror as the purple grass lifted its roots and rammed viciously into Palace Master Zhang's crotch. Palace Master Zhang's face twisted in agony, and before he could struggle, the purple grass parasitized him, taking root directly within his Realm of Xiyi.
A collective shudder ran through the crowd. "It seems crossing the bridge is no blessing either... the other side is even more dangerous..."
Palace Master Zhang took on a wooden expression. Bizarre "aba, aba" noises drifted from his mouth as he stepped forward. The serpent and the bronze bell followed closely behind him, treating him with the reverence due to a god.
Meanwhile, Pavilion Master Lin of Penglai Pavilion snapped back to his senses. He scratched his head, looking around in bewilderment. "What happened? Didn't I just climb the mountain?"
He racked his brain to remember: it seemed he had discovered an immortal herb and was just about to harvest it when countless roots suddenly burrowed into his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. After that, he remembered nothing at all.
"Why am I here?" he wondered, utterly lost.
Only about twenty people had made it onto the God Bridge. Every one of them was a top figure among the sects, an exceptional prodigy among dragons and phoenixes. Whatever dangers they had encountered along the way, they had resolved them through their own cultivation and strength, never once resorting to their immortal talismans.
Brimming with confidence, they advanced along the God Bridge, their hearts stirring with indescribable excitement. The true immortal opportunity lay ahead!
Then, at the far end of the God Bridge, they saw the grand Jade Capital—an illusory, ethereal Dao image bathed in immortal light and celestial qi. At the head of the bridge stood a youth facing the Jade Capital, his white robes fluttering. Seated at his feet was a young woman whose long hair reached her waist; her powerful divine sense pierced through layers of the void, establishing an affinity with unknown reaches of space and time. The youth appeared to be standing guard over her.
"Young Master Weiyang, who swept through Shendu with Nuo methods, is actually a woman!" the girl in purple cried out in astonishment.
The crowd erupted in an uproar. When the world had unsealed and the various sects emerged, Xu Fu sought to establish the orthodox supremacy of Qi Refiners. He had enticed the young sect leaders to Shendu to suppress Nuo methods and eliminate the dual cultivation of qi and Nuo. Back then, Nuo methods were being disparaged as utterly worthless until Yuan Weiyang returned. Astonishing the world, Yuan Weiyang defeated the masters of every sect using pure Nuo methods, establishing an unprecedented reputation. After that battle, Yuan Weiyang relied on pure Qi Refinement methods to soundly defeat the great Nuo families of Shendu, dazzling everyone and earning the revered title of Young Master Weiyang.
Yet no one had expected that Young Master Weiyang was actually a woman!
"Who is that dark-complexioned youth beside Young Master Weiyang?"
"Never heard of him, never seen him. Probably a new retainer taken in by Young Master Weiyang."
"Most likely a nobody."
Chapter 254