Upon hearing the news, Grand Preceptor Jiang Qi rushed over. The Son of Heaven of Zhou summoned the civil and military officials and recounted the message Gongyang Ce had brought: "Xu Ying had the Grand Groom pass word to Us, asking Us to take Haojing and make for the Cangwu Abyss."
After a moment's thought, Grand Preceptor Jiang said, "We must go!"
The Son of Heaven of Zhou smiled. "We are of the same mind."
Grand Preceptor Jiang continued, "The God of Cangwu is none other than Great Emperor Cangwu, and the Cangwu Abyss is the conduit linking Yin and Yang. Great Emperor Cangwu is the heavenly god who commands both realms. Since Xu Ying is willing to introduce us and help us forge ties with this ancient entity, we naturally must seize the opportunity."
Grand Groom Gongyang Ce was dumbfounded. Only now did he understand why the Son of Heaven of Zhou had resolved to relocate the capital the instant he heard that the old man in the crown of thorns was called Cangwu.
*And here I thought Young Master Xu was presuming upon his favor to coerce His Majesty. Who would have thought he was offering His Majesty an opportunity?* he mused inwardly.
Yet how had the Immortal Xu Ying—who back then had merely been an immortal mortal—come to possess such formidable ability?
Realizing this, he hurriedly added, "There is one more thing. Young Master Xu said that Seventh Master, Lord Bell, Lord Grass, and Heavenly Artisan Zhu should go find him first."
The Son of Heaven of Zhou blurted out, "Without Heavenly Artisan Zhu, how can Haojing make the crossing? What if it falls apart?"
The moment he spoke, silence fell over the civil and military officials in the court.
Everyone looked away, each minding their own business. Some stroked their beards; some sank into contemplation; some pretended to study the weather; others searched the palace floor to see if there were ants.
Seeing this, Grand Preceptor Jiang knew they were still gripped by the terror of riding the Divine Boat of the Other Shore and were therefore worried about Haojing. He asked, "What does Your Majesty have in mind?"
The Son of Heaven of Zhou replied, "Our intention is to bind Heavenly Artisan Zhu to a frame, erect it atop Haojing's gate tower, and tie a rope to each of the city's southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest corners, with the other ends tied to her four limbs. Then we shall lift Haojing and journey toward the Cangwu Abyss. If Haojing tears apart, Heavenly Artisan Zhu will be torn apart as well."
At these words, the court officials and generals nodded one after another, exchanging glances. "A fine idea!"
Grand Preceptor Jiang said, "Your Majesty, Heavenly Artisan Zhu is Xu Ying's close friend, a comrade through life and death. If she is torn apart, any chance of befriending Great Emperor Cangwu will vanish."
The Son of Heaven of Zhou retorted, "And what if we lift Haojing into the air, only for it to fall apart halfway? What then? Wouldn't all the wealth of Our Great Zhou be reduced to nothing?"
Grand Preceptor Jiang said, "I will go see Heavenly Artisan Zhu. Before she leaves, she must guarantee that Haojing will not fall apart—or at the very least, hold out until we reach the Cangwu Abyss."
He departed in haste and found Zhu Chanchan a short while later.
Resting the Tianzhu Sword against the young girl's neck, Grand Preceptor Jiang spoke with an amiable expression. "Chanchan, can you guarantee that Haojing will not fall apart along the way?"
Zhu Chanchan gently nudged the Tianzhu Sword aside and ventured cautiously, "Does the Grand Preceptor mean it can fall apart once we reach the Cangwu Abyss?"
Grand Preceptor Jiang shook his head. "It cannot fall apart even after reaching the Cangwu Abyss."
Visibly exasperated, Zhu Chanchan turned and walked out. "I'll go take a look around."
Grand Preceptor Jiang followed her. At every structural node of Haojing, the young girl would land two solid thuds with her fists against a wall, a pillar, or the abutment of a bridge.
After circling Haojing once, her hands slightly swollen from the pounding, Zhu Chanchan said, "There, now it won't fall apart."
Grand Preceptor Jiang had trailed her the entire way. Wherever she struck, splendid Dao patterns surfaced, resembling Dao manifestations yet arranged differently. The structure seemed considerably firmer, beyond even his comprehension.
"Heavenly Artisan Zhu, are you certain Haojing will remain intact when it arrives at the Cangwu Abyss?" Grand Preceptor Jiang asked.
Zhu Chanchan pledged with utter conviction, "Absolutely intact! I swear on my character!"
Grand Preceptor Jiang did not place much faith in her character, but he could only reply, "Heavenly Artisan Zhu, you all head to the Cangwu Abyss first. We shall follow shortly."
Just as Zhu Chanchan was about to leave, something occurred to her, and she turned back. "When you lift Haojing, everyone must exert their strength simultaneously. Don't lift it too fast."
Grand Preceptor Jiang committed this carefully to memory.
Zhu Chanchan added, "If anything comes loose and drops off on the way, don't make a fuss. It won't cause the city to fall apart. Just send someone to pick it up and plug it back where it came from."
Cold sweat broke out on Grand Preceptor Jiang's brow. "Is there anything else?"
Zhu Chanchan thought for a moment. "If it won't fit back in, just leave it inside the city for now. I'll plug it back in later."
Cold sweat beaded thickly on Grand Preceptor Jiang's forehead, his voice growing raspy. "Anything else?"
"If there are violent tremors, rocking up and down as if it might collapse at any moment, abandon the city and flee at once. If you hear explosions, discard your physical body immediately and escape with your Primordial Spirit... It won't fall apart, really, it won't... And it won't explode either, so relax!"
Zhu Chanchan waved to him, calling over Yuan Qi, the big bell, and the grave grass.
A moment later, an immense bronze peak rose into the sky, adorned with pavilions, terraces, and winding streams—looking just like an immortal paradise.
Facing the sunlight, the bronze peak cast a shadow that eclipsed all of Haojing.
Grand Preceptor Jiang looked up and saw Zhu Chanchan, Yuan Qi, the big bell, and the purple immortal plant amid the pavilions on the mountain.
Shortly thereafter, the civil and military officials of the Great Zhou completed their preparations in Haojing, collectively activating and lifting the more than half-completed divine city.
Empowered by over a thousand formidable Qi Refiners, Haojing slowly ascended into the air and flew toward the south.
"Grand Preceptor, something dropped down!" someone reported in a panic.
Grand Preceptor Jiang remained unruffled. "Pick it up and plug it back where it was."
"Grand Preceptor, it won't fit back in!"
"Leave it in the city for now. Pay it no mind."
"Grand Preceptor, Haojing is violently jolting!"
"Observe first. Pay it no mind."
"Grand Preceptor, a bridge deck is cracking open!"
"Pay it no mind!"
...
Within the Cangwu Secret Realm, Xu Ying surveyed his surroundings with an expression of astonishment. This appeared to be the origin of the Cangwu Abyss—a massive lightning-shaped rift shining with dazzling brilliance. Through this cosmic tear, one could actually peer into various distinct worlds among the heavens!
For instance, the place they had come from was Yuanshou, revealing a span of clear blue sky. Turning slightly in another direction, one could see a lake, through whose watery depths another world of the heavens became visible.
Other fissures opened high in the sky, allowing one standing before the rift to overlook the vast rivers and mountains of that realm.
Still others appeared amid molten magma, inside volcanoes, or within undersea dragon palaces...
The Cangwu Abyss existed across every single world of the myriad realms, like a razor-sharp blade slicing through a disorderly stack of paper. It left the exact same cut, yet the incision appeared in completely different places on every sheet.
Xu Ying could not help but marvel in awe.
He caught the dense scent of incense smoke, born of the veneration of living beings across the myriad heavens and realms.
They believed in the existence of a God of Cangwu who dwelt within the world's fissures, capable of connecting the myriad heavens and realms, and even freely traversing between the Yin and Yang realms.
*Later, gods and immortals slew the God of Cangwu and severed this passageway.*
Within the rift, Xu Ying saw Great Emperor Cangwu's corpse. It floated silently at the center of the cosmic fissure, enveloped in divine light.
His true form possessed countless tentacles reaching deep into the great chasms of every world. Dead yet unyielding, it still tossed and churned, tearing through the Yin and Yang realms under the lashes of the Abyss Watchers.
Xu Ying glanced at Cangwu beside him. The Cangwu standing before him was likely Great Emperor Cangwu's Primordial Spirit.
"Daughter, an esteemed guest has arrived. Why haven't you come out to greet him?" Leaning on his wooden staff, Cangwu chuckled.
Chu Xiangxiang stepped out with slight reluctance. Dressed in court robes, she carried an air of dignified grace. She bowed elegantly to Xu Ying. "Fellow Daoist Xu."
Cangwu smiled. "Xiangxiang, I leave Fellow Daoist Xu in your care. Your father has some matters to attend to. Fellow Daoist Xu, I have business and cannot keep you company. Please wait here for three days; I shall surely return by then."
Xu Ying smiled. "Please, Dao Brother, go ahead with your business."
Cangwu offered his apologies and turned to leave, thinking to himself, *Nuo Xiang, Nuo Peng, and Nuo Fan are dead. Nuo Yang was captured by the old monster of Weixu, so he is certainly dead as well. Now only Nuo Di and Nuo Lu remain. After Kunlun appeared, Nuo Di once used the Cangwu Abyss to flee to another world.*
He mobilized his power, instantly causing almost every Cangwu Abyss across the myriad heavens and realms to surge violently. Colossal forms churned in the depths, forcing the abyss open as they surfaced from below!
The strange figures watching over the abyss were alerted at once. Each raised a long whip, unleashing cords of entwined dragon sinews that coalesced into massive trunks and lashed down into the abyss!
Great Emperor Cangwu's corpse was instantly scourged until its flesh tore and bled, yet he refused to give up. Enduring the flaying, he clambered up from the abyss to search for traces of Nuo Di and Nuo Lu.
Before long, he finally located Nuo Di.
Great Emperor Cangwu hurriedly withdrew his physical form, which was battered and covered in wounds. His Primordial Spirit drifted upward to hover above the Cangwu Abyss, stepping forward as the fissure lengthened along with his strides.
Nuo Di had been reduced to a headless being. Taking advantage of the chaos on Kunlun, he had fled through the Cangwu Abyss into the Yellow Dragon World.
He had hidden everywhere, evading one angler after another, and had finally found a moment of quiet to heal his Dao injuries. On Kunlun, Xu Fu had blown his head apart, forcing him to grow eyes upon his hands and turn his breasts into eyes.
Just then, he heard a succession of cracking sounds.
Nuo Di looked in the direction of the noise and saw an old man walking toward him, an abyss stretching forward beneath the old man's feet!
Back in the Cangwu Secret Realm, Chu Xiangxiang found being alone with Xu Ying somewhat awkward, lacking her usual poise. Xu Ying, on the other hand, had hurried over to her father's corpse to copy down Great Emperor Cangwu's Heavenly Dao runes.
Divine light surrounded Great Emperor Cangwu's body, and the Heavenly Dao runes lay hidden within that light, flickering and flowing ceaselessly like floating talismans.
"Hey, what are you copying those for?" Chu Xiangxiang asked curiously.
Xu Ying replied, "To study the Heavenly Dao."
Chu Xiangxiang burst into a laugh. Her sleeves dissolved into a long river that swirled around her, the current lifting her body and delivering her to Xu Ying's side on the crest of a wave. She said crisply, "Aren't you Qi Refiners supposed to aim for breaking through the shackles of the Heavenly Dao? Why study it? I've heard that those who transcend the Heavenly Dao are immortals, while those within it are mortals. If you study the Heavenly Dao, how can you speak of transcendence?"
While copying Great Emperor Cangwu's Heavenly Dao runes, Xu Ying explained, "Without understanding the Heavenly Dao, there is no way to transcend it. Only by standing within it and understanding its principles can one recognize its boundaries. And only by knowing where the boundaries lie can one transcend them. If you don't even know where the boundaries are, how can you talk about transcending anything?"
Chu Xiangxiang sat atop the spray of the Xiang River, resting her chin on her left hand as she watched him with a smile. "I have some Heavenly Dao runes on me too. Do you want to copy mine as well?"
Xu Ying's eyes lit up. He smiled. "Where?"
Chu Xiangxiang's face flushed. Feeling shy and self-conscious, she suddenly sprang to her feet and drifted away, laughing, "Some places aren't convenient for you to see. I'll copy them down for you myself!"
Xu Ying blinked, watching the Goddess of the Xiang depart. He thought to himself, *Which places aren't convenient to look at? Heh heh...*
A flutter of restless desire stirred in his mind. He quickly gathered his thoughts into visualization to rein in the wild impulses. *Dao Brother Cangwu treats me as a friend. He left his home and entrusted his daughter to my care. If I harbor wicked thoughts toward his daughter, wouldn't that make me a beast? Even worse than a beast!*
Having finally steadied his thoughts, he returned to studying the Heavenly Dao runes on Great Emperor Cangwu.
Two days later, Xu Ying had copied down all of the Heavenly Dao runes and visualized each one in turn.
Many of the runes on Great Emperor Cangwu were forms he had never encountered before. Looking at them, he could not immediately comprehend their meaning within the Heavenly Dao as he once could.
This indicated that even in his first life, he had never touched upon this facet of the Heavenly Dao.
*When I was Lord Ying, I was terribly powerful, almost omnipotent. Yet even then, as formidable as I was, I still fell. No matter who the enemy is, I must become even stronger than Lord Ying if I am to avoid falling again!* he thought.
Just then, Chu Xiangxiang reappeared. The divine maiden approached him and presented a jade slip Dao book. "These are the Heavenly Dao runes on my body. If... if there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me."
Her face was flushed red.
Xu Ying examined the jade slip Dao book, using his divine consciousness to stimulate his Dao Tree. Instantly, Heavenly Dao runes projected forth, arranging themselves around the Dao book in sharp, vivid clarity.
Xu Ying floated into the air to examine the Heavenly Dao runes. Many were familiar to him; a single look was enough to grasp their meaning.
However, there were still three to five runes he had never seen before.
"What does this rune mean?" Xu Ying asked, stopping before one of the Heavenly Dao runes.
Seeing that rune, Chu Xiangxiang could not help blushing shyly. Somewhat demure, her voice became as soft as a mosquito's hum: "This rune means the Mysterious Female. 'The valley spirit never dies; it is named the Mysterious Female. The gate of the Mysterious Female is called the root of Heaven and Earth...'"
The more she spoke, the softer her body became, until she unconsciously leaned against Xu Ying's shoulder.
Absorbed in the Heavenly Dao, Xu Ying gently straightened her posture and continued asking questions, digging to the bottom of every detail. He finally drew the maiden back from her wandering thoughts, pulling her into the mesmerizing depths of the Heavenly Dao until she, too, was utterly engrossed.
Having finished his inquiries, Xu Ying understood the Heavenly Dao runes on Chu Xiangxiang like the back of his hand. He smiled and said, "Xiangxiang, I know quite a few Heavenly Dao runes. I can add some to your body to enhance your cultivation and strength."
"Add Heavenly Dao runes to my body?"
Chu Xiangxiang's heart pounded wildly. Blushing furiously, she suddenly covered her face and fled, thinking, *How could that be proper? We haven't even been wed, and we're already doing this? It's utterly mortifying!*
Xu Ying was bewildered. She had clearly been such an open and graceful young woman; why had she suddenly become like this?
Seeing that he had not chased after her, Chu Xiangxiang felt her heart flutter. *If he teases me again, I'll... I'll...*
Xu Ying waved to her with a smile. "Xiangxiang, come quickly! I've discovered something!"
Her heart fluttering with nervous anticipation, Chu Xiangxiang walked over, thinking, *He's far too smooth. I give up. Whatever he wants to write on me, I'll just accept it...*
Xu Ying said excitedly, "Xiangxiang, among the rifts on Dao Brother Cangwu, I discovered one that might lead to the Immortal Realm!"
Chapter 286