When Wei Yuan stood atop Buddha Sword Peak, every cultivator from the Palace of Grand Beginning present felt their blood boil, regardless of whether they knew the truth behind the spectacle.
As hosts of this First Under Heaven Dharma Idol Conference, the Palace of Grand Beginning's disciples had naturally participated in droves. Over a hundred competed, while more than a thousand traveled to Qingming to broaden their horizons. For a time, even the ancestral mountain had felt somewhat deserted.
Ever since Immortal Monarch Tinghai fell and Immortal Monarch Yanshi hurriedly ascended to immortality, the Palace of Grand Beginning had spent a full decade on the back foot, swallowing insult after insult. Disciples traveling across the world frequently faced cold mockery and cutting remarks, and smaller sects had long ceased showing them their former respect.
The cultivation realm was vast, its lands scattered far and wide. Even fellow disciples of the Palace of Grand Beginning could easily live out their lives without crossing paths.
Thus, many disciples roaming abroad had only heard vague rumors that exceptional talents were emerging from the new generation, knowing nothing of their specific deeds. After all, the Dao Foundation was merely the entryway, and the reputation of a dharma idol was confined to local corners. Only upon stepping into Scenery Command could one's name truly begin to ring across the world.
It was not until this First Under Heaven Dharma Idol Conference that everyone realized in stunned astonishment just how dazzling the Palace of Grand Beginning's younger generation truly was. Talents gathered in droves, wielding dharma idols that many had never even heard of. A select few dharma idols even bore signs of manifesting the Great Dao—though tragically, some were eliminated early, such as a certain plain young woman with merely a smattering of fist techniques.
Then there was the Western Sword Saint, emerging out of nowhere to wield the sun and moon as his blade, instantly elevating dharma idol sword cultivation by several tiers and making the rest of the world's sword cultivators look like blithering fools.
Even a Western Sword Saint of that caliber had fallen to the Star Monarch. To claim there was no match-fixing behind the scenes...
Fortunately, cultivators of the Grand Beginning were nothing if not pragmatic and accommodating. More than half the rankings belonged to their own people, first place was one of their own, and the one who defeated the Western Sword Saint was also one of their own. Under such circumstances, a little behind-the-scenes manipulation was entirely acceptable.
Arrogant as Li Ye had been, Wei Yuan had clashed directly with an immortal from beyond the heavens, and now stood proudly atop the paramount summit of sword cultivation, completely eclipsing Li Ye's thunder. Beyond their sheer shock, countless cultivators of the Palace of Grand Beginning could finally hold their heads high. The peerless glory of their founding patriarchs, who had once towered over an entire era, was right before their eyes!
Only a Palace of Grand Beginning like this was worthy of leading the immortal sects.
As for Li Ye's true identity, rumors were rampant. The most credible theory held that Li Ye was in fact Li Zhi's second elder brother, while their eldest brother was named Li Yitai and had simply not competed. Given the deep heritage of Southern Qi's Li family, everyone felt this was quite plausible; their father was simply lacking when it came to naming children.
Wei Yuan stood quietly for a short while. Judging that the novelty had worn off for most and that a few were beginning to grow restless—meaning the harvest of karmic luck had reached its peak—he vanished from the summit.
Soon afterward, the Sixth Princess of Great Zhao appeared, floating before Buddha Sword Peak to announce the conclusion of the peak-founding ceremony. The moment she showed herself, the cultivators in the audience were energized as if injected with stimulants.
At this moment, she appeared pure and sweet, radiating a brilliant, luminous pale glow, like a beam of moonlight shining into the hearts of cultivators young, middle-aged, and old alike. Across countless dynasties, the image of moonlight in human hearts had largely remained the same—unlike the Shaman race, where every single Shaman had their own exclusive beam of moonlight.
In a sweet, gentle voice, the Sixth Princess announced, "Esteemed cultivators, please take note. Regardless of whether you currently possess cultivation, we encourage you to examine your cultivation talent as soon as possible. Esteemed masters who have yet to establish a Dao Foundation may receive a free appraisal at designated inspection stations in the vicinity. Respected Dao Foundation ancestors, should any of you feel uncertain about your aptitudes, you are also warmly welcome to participate.
"Attending this grand ceremony is proof of destiny, and many of you may have attained enlightenment in the sword dao. As long as sword talent is detected, you will be granted priority residency in Qingming, early transition to commoner status, and access to numerous benefits, including reproductive and educational subsidies..."
There was an extensive array of benefits, and because the Sixth Princess spoke slowly, it took her quite a while to read through them all.
Yet her voice was melodious and her appearance captivating; an occasional subtle expression or gentle movement was enough to tug at the heartstrings of three generations of cultivators. Sweet, soft, and utterly devoid of aggression, she was equally beloved by female cultivators. The entire crowd listened quietly until she finished, with hardly anyone growing impatient.
By the end of her address, the karmic luck she gathered was actually slightly greater than Wei Yuan's. In truth, people simply preferred watching the Sixth Princess over Wei Yuan's motionless silhouette.
Knowledgeable cultivators were deeply puzzled. This was the mortal karmic luck of hundreds of thousands of souls—how could Wei Yuan simply yield it to others? Thinking back to the First Under Heaven Dharma Idol Conference, the final twelve celestial idols had all harvested karmic luck. To put it bluntly, the vast majority of that fortune ought to have belonged to Wei Yuan.
Yet Wei Yuan did not care in the slightest, freely allowing his brothers and sisters to gather it. Later, he did the same for Princess Ningguo and the Sixth Princess. Naturally, these cultivators were filled with profound admiration for Wei Yuan's boundless magnanimity and breadth of mind.
What none of the gathered cultivators knew, however, was that both Great Zhao princesses were included in the comprehensive agreement between Immortal Zhao Li and Wei Yuan: seventy percent of the mortal fortune they obtained would be routed straight back to Wei Yuan.
With Buddha Sword Peak established, Wei Yuan had formally declared his stance. At that moment, the hearts of more than a million people on the field suddenly skipped a beat as a heavy, thunderous snort echoed within them.
The sound arrived abruptly, without the slightest warning. While mortals were left bewildered, cultivators went pale with fright. To hear such a sound meant one's mind had been breached; the speaker had penetrated their sea of consciousness without anyone realizing when it had happened.
Wei Yuan reappeared on the summit, stepping upon Buddha Sword Peak with his hands behind his back as he gazed toward the sky, quietly awaiting his opponent's move.
In the end, the heavens beyond returned to silence.
***
Far away, on the summit of a desolate peak, Shengxin and Huixin had restored their original appearances, standing as a man and woman of rare, striking beauty.
Looking toward Wei Yuan in the distance, Shengxin sighed. "He got to show off again... That fellow is hollow inside, with barely any karmic luck left to spare. If someone struck right now, he'd end up dead or grievously wounded at the very least. If it were just a slap to the face, it would ring out with absolute, crisp perfection! Ah, what a pity."
Huixin said in irritation, "How does that fellow cultivate so fast? It makes no sense at all! Even the reincarnated bald donkeys of the Pure Land cult aren't this fast! Could it be he's a bald donkey too, and an exceptionally shiny one at that?"
Shengxin grew thoughtful. "That makes sense. It really might be true."
The two Shamans exchanged a look, but upon taking in each other's true faces, their mutual sympathy instantly curdled into shared disgust.
Shengxin looked back toward Wei Yuan, his expression turning complex. "We've witnessed a scene worthy of entering the history books, and we've rolled around at the crossroads of grand tides of destiny. Everything we needed to do is done. All the suffering we endured in the past has finally reached its end. At the end of suffering lies glory; from now on, it's our turn to take the stage.
"However, you still have another choice."
Huixin asked, "What choice?"
Shengxin pointed toward Wei Yuan. "I know you used to hold feelings for him, so I've been laying groundwork all this time, only completing the arrangements today. If you stay now, you can claim a place by his side, and there will be a spot for you in his inner palace in the future. You are of the Shaman race, so your standing won't be low no matter what. Well? Do you want to consider staying?"
Huixin hesitated visibly, then asked, "Are you telling the truth?"
"If there is any lie in what I say, may heaven strike me down with lightning!"
***
Meanwhile, atop Buddha Sword Peak, Wei Yuan felt enough time had passed and was just about to depart when lightning materialized out of nowhere, sending a slender bolt straight down onto the crown of his head!
The strike carried negligible power, merely frizzing a few strands of Wei Yuan's hair into a messy mop like a street vagabond's. It dealt virtually no damage, but the insult was undeniable!
Having lost face before so many people across the world, Wei Yuan instantly flared with fury! At a time like this, someone actually dared to provoke him to his face?
A faint hum began to reverberate throughout Qingming as Wei Yuan mobilized the realm's worldly power, preparing to invoke the power of karma to hit them back with something massive. Just then, countless hushed murmurs drifted into his ears:
"Was that a heavenly tribulation just now?!"
"The Realm Lord is incredible!"
"Enduring heavenly lightning like eating food or drinking water!"
"So terrifying! So handsome! Ah, is he looking at me?"
Wei Yuan froze. Deciding he wanted to listen a bit longer, he momentarily forgot to strike back.
***
Back on the desolate peak, Huixin withdrew her gaze, her eyes welling with complicated emotion. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Though the two of you are equally hideous, his accomplishments far surpass yours, his cultivation is higher, and his grand momentum is already established. You might have a great ancestor, but his teachers and elders aren't lacking either!
"Besides, he treats women well. Look at how much karmic luck he shared with the Sixth Princess! Following you means doing nothing but burrowing into caves, getting struck by lightning, and being chased by ghosts! When will it ever end?"
Shengxin's face dimmed slightly. Forcing a smile, he said, "I understand. Choosing him is the right thing to do. I can't measure up to him right now, and in the future... well, who can say for sure? He and I will probably still be as far apart as heaven and earth.
"By the way, this is an heirloom treasure from my family. It can turn catastrophe into auspicious fortune at critical junctures, holding its ground even against an immortal's methods. Keep it—consider it my wedding gift to you. But it can only help you once, so after it triggers, you'll have to be careful on your own."
Looking at the jade pendant Shengxin placed in her hand, Huixin asked in surprise, "Isn't this your life-saving treasure? If you give it to me, what will you do?"
Shengxin smiled freely and said, "Without a burden like you, there aren't many places under heaven that can take my life. So don't worry about me. Well, I should be going."
Shengxin turned to leave, but Huixin grabbed him firmly, stopping his step in midair.
Huixin brandished the jade pendant and asked, "Are you sure this is my wedding gift?"
"Of course! So, may I leave now?" Shengxin felt that if he didn't leave immediately, he would lose control of his expression.
"Where do you think you're going? And when are we getting married?"
Shengxin's whole body shuddered. Slowly turning around, he stammered, "Wh-what did you say?"
Huixin smiled radiantly. "After enduring so much hardship with you, living through so many life-and-death crises, and ending up as poor as dirt, you actually want to abandon me? That man is indeed better than you in every way, but I don't like him. So, when are we getting married?"
"Right now! Immediately!" Shengxin practically exploded with joy. Scooping Huixin up, he spun her around on the spot!
Just then, tribulation clouds abruptly gathered in the sky. Countless bolts of lightning fused with an incomparably sharp sword intent, coalescing into something that was not a true heavenly tribulation, yet far surpassed one!
Shengxin's face changed drastically. He shoved Huixin away with all his might just as nine tribulation bolts formed and crashed down one after another. In mere moments, three of the bolts blasted Shengxin into the spitting image of a bedraggled night-stalking mad Shaman!
Huixin panicked and frantically channeled the jade pendant in her hand, attempting to shield Shengxin from this unprecedented disaster.
Right then, a slender, powerful finger reached in from the side and tapped lightly against the jade pendant, suppressing the supreme treasure entirely. Huixin whipped her head around in terror, only to find Wei Yuan standing beside her, placidly watching Shengxin take all nine sword-lightning strikes in succession.
Once the lightning tribulation subsided, Huixin rushed over to help Shengxin up. Only after discovering that his outer shell was charred and his divine sense scrambled, but that he had suffered no fatal injuries, did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Shengxin's dharma body was remarkably robust. Slapping himself hard twice across the face, he regained his senses and leaned on Huixin to stand.
Wei Yuan merely smiled faintly without saying a word, turning to depart. Only when he had put a fair distance between them did he raise a hand and wave in farewell.
The two Shamans dared not linger. Huixin quickly supported Shengxin as they flew away. After flying some distance, Huixin finally asked, "Why did he hit you so hard?"
Shengxin sighed. "He was probably warning me not to interfere with his cultivation of the Desolate Roar's third tone again."
"Wait, you actually had the ability to do that?"
"Of course not! He clearly failed on his own but refused to admit it, so he took his anger out on me just to find an excuse for his own incompetence!"
Huixin remarked, "I knew it. If you really had that kind of ability, I might have put up with how ugly you are."
Shengxin flared up in anger. "And where do you get off calling yourself good-looking? Take a look at that face of yours—it's an offense to both heaven and Shamans alike!"
With that, the two Shamans resumed their daily bickering, trading insults as they vanished into the distance.
Chapter 1033