“True Lord Yan possesses such an elegant demeanor and the bearing of an ancient gentleman. If I could swear brotherhood with him, my life would not have been lived in vain,” Xu Ying mused aloud from atop the qilin carriage.
The corner of the Little Celestial Venerable’s eye twitched. Inwardly, he thought, *If all else fails, perhaps I should just kill him and let his imperishable true spirit sprout another master...*
The two black qilin had borne them swiftly for two days. Growing weary, they halted nearby to rest.
There was a sect located here named the Biyou Sect.
When they arrived, the sect master, Xuan Yazi, came out to welcome them upon hearing the news, inviting the Little Celestial Venerable, Xu Ying, Zhou Yashu, and the others to stay and rest.
Over the past two days, the Little Celestial Venerable had tended to his own injuries, and his complexion had improved considerably. He said, “Xuan Yazi, many are hunting me. I will rest here for only a day and leave immediately. I will not bring trouble down upon you.”
Xuan Yazi smiled. “Little Celestial Venerable, you have shown grace akin to rebirth to our Biyou Sect. Even if you stay here, what of it? High and low, our entire Biyou Sect will defend your safety with our lives!”
The Little Celestial Venerable shook his head. “A trifling matter. I can resolve it myself without troubling you all. By the way, please prepare two sets of plainer robes for me, and trouble yourself to prepare a place for me to bathe as well, Fellow Daoist.”
Xuan Yazi voiced his assent and went to make preparations. Xu Ying and Zhou Yashu went to tour the Biyou Sect. Around Biyou Palace stood more than a dozen mountain peaks plunged upside down into the earth, with canyons crisscrossing the land around them. In ancient times, these peaks had likely floated in the sky before falling and crashing into the earth for reasons unknown.
The canyons were the terrestrial fissures smashed out when the peaks fell.
Looking into the distance, Xu Ying saw numerous Immortal Dao anomalous zones within and outside the Biyou Sect, glowing with red, green, and white radiance, the colored light drifting like ethereal mist.
Xu Ying’s heart skipped a beat. Such Immortal Dao anomalous zones often harbored extraordinarily ferocious, ominous entities, making them difficult to approach carelessly. However, while some anomalous zones existed within the Biyou Sect, most had already been suppressed with formidable treasures or formations, keeping them from causing chaos.
“The dangers here are not in the slightest inferior to Lihenyuan!”
Further in the distance, Xu Ying also saw a broken sword that seemed to prop up heaven and earth, thrust into the earth like a headstone for the sky. Its upper half was shrouded in clouds and mist, emanating a sky-engulfing murderous aura.
For thousands of li around it, not a single living creature could be seen, nor were there even any Immortal Dao anomalous zones.
The broken sword had no hilt. Upon its blade were tangled Dao patterns that formed bird-and-worm seal script. Xu Ying read them carefully and murmured, “Zhuxian...”
Looking up at the broken sword, his mind felt as though it were being lacerated by its keen edge. He thought, *One could study Dao images from this sword, yet it is nearly impossible to contemplate. Merely looking at it lacerates the spirit. If an ordinary person gazed upon it, they would probably go blind. Attempting to force oneself to observe it without sufficient cultivation will only cause harm.*
On an opposing cliff, someone was cultivating—a youth who had already formed a Golden Core and was attempting to break through, transforming the Golden Core into a Primordial Spirit. A dozen or so other youths stood guard nearby, while an older disciple explained the subtleties of transforming into a spirit to the young onlookers.
The youth radiated brilliant light. Within his body, a pearlescent cluster of light seemed to pass the Five Sacred Peaks immortal mountain, traverse the Weilu mystic pass, travel across Heavenly Mountain and the Heavenly River, and cross the Jiaji to reach his throat. A cluster of divine light shone in his throat, illuminating his Adam’s apple like the Twelve-Storyed Mansions.
Here, the Golden Core would transform into the Primordial Spirit, enter the Jade Pool to shed one’s mortal frame, ascend the God Bridge to pass the heavenly pass, and tread upon Jade Capital to ascend.
When the Biyou Sect youth pushed his cultivation technique to the absolute peak, clouds of radiant light surged from heaven and earth—the very phenomenon of the Golden Core cracking open and the Primordial Spirit emerging!
Xu Ying had only formally cultivated a Primordial Spirit not long ago himself, so he wished to see how others achieved it and paused to watch.
The heaven and earth yuan qi around the Biyou Sect was drawn in by the youth, pouring from the sky into his body.
The transformation from Golden Core to Primordial Spirit required an immense amount of yuan qi. In places where heaven and earth yuan qi was lacking, one would need to ingest miraculous elixirs to complete the metamorphosis. But around the Biyou Sect, heaven and earth yuan qi was abundant, so there was no need to worry about this.
Xu Ying noticed faint traces of immortal light mingling within the heaven and earth yuan qi, and the Heavenly Dao within the multi-hued light was mostly fragmented. Surprised, he thought, *The Heavenly Dao of the Ancestral Court is incomplete, and there is Immortal Dao pollution. Won’t breaking through to form a Primordial Spirit like this leave hidden dangers?*
Just as the thought crossed his mind, core fire suddenly erupted within the youth for reasons unknown, igniting his physical body from the inside out.
Before anyone could attempt a rescue, the youth was burned completely to ashes from the inside out, leaving behind only a few articles of clothing that drifted down to the ground unsupported. The disaster happened so swiftly that no one could react in time!
Xu Ying stood frozen in place. A youth with such a bright future had been burned to ashes right before his eyes!
From the opposite cliff came the low weeping and sobs of the youth’s fellow disciples. The older disciple sighed. “This is fate; no one else can be blamed. Junior Brother Liao did not have the fate to cultivate a Primordial Spirit.”
Before Xu Ying could recover his senses, Xuan Yazi’s voice sounded from behind him: “Such things occur frequently all across the Ancestral Court. There is nothing strange about it.”
Xu Ying turned his head to see Xuan Yazi walking toward him with an ancient air, his hair bound in a high bun, wearing flowing Daoist robes, with a whisk resting in the crook of his elbow.
“A Qi Refiner of the Ancestral Court might die when transforming their Golden Core into a Primordial Spirit due to fragmented Heavenly Dao or Immortal Dao pollution, or die during the Pass-Breaching stage from an invasion of Immortal Dao pollution, or fail to form a Golden Core during the Cross-Refinement stage because water and fire are incomplete.”
Xuan Yazi spoke as if discussing the most commonplace matter. “Reaching the second Pass-Breaching stage, one might die again from Immortal Dao pollution. Even if one crosses these hurdles, they might be unable to shed their mortal frame because the Jade Pool is polluted. Heh, even if one cultivates all the way to the God Bridge, they still have to face the third heavenly pass.”
Xu Ying’s scalp tingled with numbness. Cultivation for a Qi Refiner of the Ancestral Court was practically a death trap at every step!
The higher one’s comprehension, the faster one died!
High comprehension meant entering the Dao or gaining enlightenment upon breaking through realms. Entering the Dao led to qi deviation because the Heavenly Dao was broken, while gaining enlightenment made one vulnerable to the invasion of Immortal Dao pollution! Immortal Dao anomalous zones dotted the Ancestral Court everywhere; the chances of being corrupted by the Immortal Dao were exceedingly high!
Even in a sacred ground like the Biyou Sect, which suppressed the Immortal Dao anomalous zones within its territory, disciples would still be tainted by Immortal Dao pollution and die unnatural deaths when gaining enlightenment or entering the Dao.
As for the deaths caused by the fractured Heavenly Dao, they were countless. Those who could truly cultivate to the highest realms were few and far between.
“The world is fractured, the Great Dao incomplete, and Immortal Dao pollution taints heaven and earth. The people of the Ancestral Court have no peace, and it is hard for Qi Refiners to rise.”
Xuan Yazi carried the incense smoke qi of gods and demons. Extending an inviting hand, he smiled. “Brother Xu, please, this way. For forty-eight thousand years, the people of our Ancestral Court have lived like this.
“Qi Refiners from the outside world also invade the Ancestral Court under the banner of slaying demons and defending the Dao, making it difficult for cultivators of our generation to resist. Fortunately, in recent years the Little Celestial Venerable trained Chu Tiandu, who defeated the Qi Refiners of the myriad worlds in the heavens, allowing our Ancestral Court’s cultivators to hold their heads high. Brother Xu, you are wearing Chu Tiandu’s clothes, aren’t you?”
Xu Ying smiled. “Fellow Daoist has a discerning eye.”
Xuan Yazi chuckled. “Chu Tiandu and the Little Celestial Venerable have visited my Biyou Sect several times. Although he always wore a mask, I still recognize these garments.” The incense smoke qi on him was so vigorous and ancient that it rivaled the Tortoise and Snake Generals of Zhenwu Monastery, causing Xu Ying to wonder whether he was human or god.
Suddenly, in a mountain ahead, powerful vital blood shot straight into the clouds, forming a vapor of blood qi that lingered without dissipating.
Seeing this, Xuan Yazi’s expression darkened. “It must be Martial Nephew Hua Zhengyun suffering qi deviation during his breakthrough. Now his Great Dao has returned to heaven and earth.”
Accustomed as he was to life and death, grief still touched him at this moment.
Xu Ying said, “Cultivation in the Ancestral Court is perilous in the extreme, yet even so, many experts remain who brave hardships and disregard their own lives. The Qi Refiners of the Ancestral Court are truly admirable.”
Xuan Yazi said solemnly, “This is all thanks to the Little Celestial Venerable. Were it not for him traveling everywhere over the years to suppress Immortal Dao anomalous zones and attempt to mend the heavens, I fear the Ancestral Court would have nowhere near as many Qi Refiners as it does today.”
He arrived before an ancient palace complex. This area was also an Immortal Dao anomalous zone, shrouded in immortal light and filled with the unknown.
The palace halls were collapsed and tumbled over, leaving only a solitary doorway standing alone.
Xu Ying surveyed the lintel and saw three characters written upon the plaque: “Biyou Palace.”
Xuan Yazi stopped outside Biyou Palace without proceeding further. “The Little Celestial Venerable wishes to mend the Heavenly Dao so that the Qi Refiners of the Ancestral Court do not have to die during breakthroughs, do not have to die while entering the Dao, and do not have to die while gaining enlightenment. He possesses grand aspirations.”
He retrieved several sticks of incense, lit them, held them high, and bowed toward Biyou Palace.
Terrifying immortal light churned within Biyou Palace. At that moment, Xu Ying sensed an incomparably ancient power hidden beneath the immortal light, awakened by Xuan Yazi’s sticks of incense. That power was suppressed by the immortal light, but at this moment gained a breath of respite to absorb the power of incense! Xu Ying was shocked and uncertain. After a moment, he said, “I have also heard of the Little Celestial Venerable mending the Heavenly Dao. But the Ancestral Court is so vast; mending the heavens is easier said than done.”
Xuan Yazi looked somber. “Indeed. Especially when the Ancestral Court balances precariously on the brink of collapse—Qi Refiners from the myriad worlds constantly invade and slaughter Ancestral Court cultivators, Weixu glares hungrily, and the Immortal Realm hangs high above, capable of destroying the Ancestral Court as easily as turning over a hand. For the Little Celestial Venerable to accomplish anything under such circumstances is difficult beyond measure.”
Xu Ying brought out several sticks of incense and was about to step forward to offer them when Xuan Yazi’s face changed slightly. He hurriedly stopped him, reached out to pinch out the glowing tips of the incense, and shook his head.
Xu Ying was puzzled. Xuan Yazi rushed forward a few steps to inspect the area, and only let out a sigh of relief when he saw that no incense smoke qi had drifted into Biyou Palace.
“Brother Xu, forgive my offense,” Xuan Yazi apologized. “Back then, you offered incense here to the ancient being within Biyou Palace. As a result, you triggered an uprising of the Immortal Dao anomalous zones—a bizarre tide that nearly swept across the entire Ancestral Court, almost mutating everyone! This must never happen a second time.”
Xu Ying was startled as well and blurted out, “The bizarre tide—this place was its source?”
Xuan Yazi nodded gently. “Afterward, we surmised that the ancient being inside Biyou Palace was too unyielding. Upon receiving your incense offering, his incense smoke qi surged, and he attempted to break through the suppression. That triggered a chain reaction, causing all the Immortal Dao anomalous zones across the entire Ancestral Court to erupt.”
The Immortal Dao anomalous zones in the Ancestral Court were too numerous, dotted like stars in tens of thousands. The consequence of them erupting together was the engulfment of the entire Ancestral Court!
Xuan Yazi continued, “We speculate that the ancient being in Biyou Palace was too powerful, so when suppressing him, someone borrowed the power of the Immortal Dao anomalous zones. Whenever he awakens, these anomalous zones are mobilized to gather all Immortal Dao power and suppress him once more.”
Xu Ying could not help but be filled with yearning, wishing he could return to forty-eight thousand years ago to witness that bizarre tide.
The Immortal Dao twisting, mutating the entire Ancestral Court and all living things—what a magnificent spectacle that must have been.
Xuan Yazi glanced at his expression and remarked, “You wore that exact expression back then. It made people hate you to the bone.”
Xu Ying quickly composed himself and said solemnly, “I have repented. The me of this lifetime is different from who I was back then.”
Xuan Yazi mumbled a few noncommittal words, clearly unconvinced.
Xu Ying had not expected him to believe it anyway, and asked, “Was Fellow Daoist also a Qi Refiner of that era?”
Xuan Yazi nodded. “I was only a youth back then, with no reputation to speak of. I merely trailed behind you all, learning a bit of what you compiled. I have accomplished nothing of note in this life. Later, when you all went your separate ways or left, I stayed here at Biyou Palace to watch over this place so no further chaos would arise. This Biyou Sect was merely something I founded on a whim.”
He cultivated both immortality and godhood, practicing Qi Refiner arts while cultivating incense smoke qi. Surviving until now through more than forty thousand years of unceasing cultivation, his strength had become exceedingly formidable.
Xu Ying hesitated for a moment before gathering his courage to ask, “Back then, when I left the Ancestral Court and chose to ascend to the Immortal Realm, did it have a great impact on the Ancestral Court?”
Xuan Yazi smiled. “There is no need to repeat past matters. Let bygones be bygones.”
Xu Ying said, “My memories are sealed, and I know nothing of the past. It is rare to meet someone who knows the truth, so naturally I want to ask clearly.”
Xuan Yazi hesitated before saying, “Back then, you were revered as Celestial Venerable Xu, the most dazzling figure in the Ancestral Court. Those who followed you all looked forward to you sweeping away evil and restoring clarity and peace to the Ancestral Court. But when you ascended to the Immortal Realm, everyone lost that fighting spirit. Each went back to their own homes, and no one spoke of those grand ambitions anymore. Only the Little Celestial Venerable persisted in doing the things you failed to complete, persevering until now.”
He chuckled. “Quite a few of the old brothers back then were moved by him, feeling that they saw your shadow in him.”
*My shadow...* Xu Ying murmured inwardly.
“Do you hate me?” Xu Ying asked.
Xuan Yazi’s footsteps stopped. His body froze, his hands clenching into fists involuntarily. After a moment, he turned around with a beaming smile. “Celestial Venerable Xu, we are all grown adults; what is there to hate or not hate? Haven’t the past events long since passed? I saw through it all long ago. The one who truly cannot let it go should be the Little Celestial Venerable.”
Xu Ying nodded gently. “I know he hates me too.”
Xuan Yazi turned away and smiled. “I still have business to attend to and cannot keep you company.”
Xu Ying replied, “Please, suit yourself, Fellow Daoist.”
Xuan Yazi transformed into a streak of azure light and hurried away, descending into the Biyou Sect’s Innate Purple Gold Hall. Dismissing his attendants, his hands were still trembling slightly.
With shaking hands, he took out a straw effigy in one hand and a silver needle in the other. A cloth strip tied around the effigy bore the two characters: “Xu Ying.”
“Stab you to death! Stab you to death! That’s for abandoning us back then to ascend to the Immortal Realm for wealth and glory! I’ll stab you to death, you scoundrel!”
Only after a long while did Xuan Yazi finally steady his Dao heart. Radiating a glowing visage, he walked out of the Purple Gold Hall, having restored his usual calm and amiable demeanor toward others!
Chapter 355