An ancient, profound, and lingering voice echoed relentlessly in Wei Yuan's ears: "Begone~~~~"
Wei Yuan paid it no heed, continuing to drive the grand array with undivided focus. From the tens of thousands of nodes of the World-Refining Grand Array, gossamer threads spun out continuously, slowly extending into the depths of the ancestral lands and weaving themselves into an enormous net.
As the net spread, the entire ancestral land vibrated almost imperceptibly, the tremors converging at last into a single voice that resonated endlessly in Wei Yuan's ears. But Wei Yuan turned a deaf ear, driving the grand array forward slowly yet resolutely. He would first envelop the entire ancestral land, then close the mesh to achieve complete coverage before commencing the gradual refinement bit by bit.
In this web, still far from fully formed, the extensions from the twelve control centers formed the main trunks; the array eyes were tributaries branching out from the trunks, while the nodes were irrigation canals leading out to the fields.
Wei Yuan's divine sense extended alongside the gossamer threads, penetrating steadily deeper beneath the earth, expanding across an ever-widening expanse. Only now did Wei Yuan uncover the true foundation of the Lu clan. The subterranean section of the ancestral mountain was far larger than initially anticipated, harboring the legacies of at least four immortals.
According to the Lu clan's official historical records, only three immortals were historically verifiable, plus one suspected Lu bloodline who had attained immortality abroad, though unconfirmed. Among the three registered immortals was Lu Changhe.
Yet Lu Changhe had died violently by Wei Yuan's hand, meaning the subterranean ancestral mountain did not include Lu Changhe. In other words, there were two extra immortals' legacies out of thin air.
As the gossamer threads stretched further, Wei Yuan's grasp of the ancestral mountain grew clearer. He discovered that roughly seventy percent was left by two immortals, presumably the Lu clan's preceding two generations of immortals. Of the remaining two immortals, one retained remnants of their Dao path's true meaning, while the other had none. Wei Yuan estimated that one immortal had passed away into meditation here, while the other was an immortal remains buried within—perhaps a trophy claimed by the Lu clan's founding ancestor.
Not knowing how much time had passed, Wei Yuan suddenly sensed a call, awakening from his deep trance.
By now, the grand array had formed an initial web, though it only covered the upper portion of the ancestral lands. While a vast subterranean expanse remained unenveloped, it had already severed the connection between the Lu ancestral lands and this realm's Heavenly Dao to a preliminary degree, meaning he no longer needed to preside over the formation at every waking moment.
Like waking from a dream back into reality, Wei Yuan felt his thoughts exceptionally clear and lively, his divine consciousness visibly stronger than before. He immediately inspected himself and found that he could manage over a hundred more simultaneous tasks, his Dao power had increased by nearly five percent, and he had accumulated another ten million mortal fortune. His strength had grown discernibly.
A brief thought made everything clear: presiding over the grand array yielded immense benefits. Most importantly, Wei Yuan could indirectly comprehend the Dao paths of up to five immortals, including faint vestiges of Great Dao authority.
Aside from the array heart, only the twelve control centers offered the opportunity to directly comprehend the immortals' Heavenly Dao. Thus, the various True Monarchs of the Palace of Grand Beginning taking part in the array should have gained something as well, not laboring in vain, which set Wei Yuan's mind at ease somewhat. It was just that the Xiao family elder had missed out on this opportunity.
Having examined his internal state, Wei Yuan sensed the summons outside once more, stood up, and left his cave abode.
Stepping out of the mountain interior, he felt a blast of chill hit his face. It was already early winter. Wei Yuan recalled that it had been summer when the array was activated; nearly half a year had slipped by unnoticed.
When the array first started, Wei Yuan's divine sense had fractured into thousands of threads, merging into the formation to examine the immortals' Dao paths in minute detail, naturally leaving him engrossed. However, he had given instructions long before: if any major event arose during this time, someone would come wake him.
Yet half a year had passed, and this was the very first time someone had come to wake him. Was Qingming completely without incident, or did Qingming simply have no need for him anymore?
Wei Yuan suddenly sensed a faint malice pervading heaven and earth, as if something was amiss, yet he couldn't put his finger on it.
Still, Qingming currently faced no external wars, so the daily affairs were just the usual routine, compiled into daily reports within the Splendor of the Many Realms. Wei Yuan had long grown drowsy reading those reports; a glance at the first few characters was enough to know how they ended.
Matters deemed worthy of inclusion in the daily reports would have been monumental affairs in the past—such as discovering a large mineral deposit here, or opening up tens of thousands of mu of farmland there. But in today's Qingming, local officials handled such trifles themselves without needing approval from Baoyun or Xiaoyu's level.
With something finally happening, Wei Yuan was quite pleased, as it proved that to Qingming, he wasn't a completely useless... Wei Yuan halted that rather hazardous train of thought.
Clearing his mind of stray thoughts, he walked out to his residence's reception hall, took a seat, picked up a teacup, took a sip, and only then asked, "What matter disturbs my quiet cultivation?"
A young and beautiful female disciple of the Palace of Grand Beginning, who had been waiting in the hall for some time, took a step forward and said, "A cultivator of high attainment has come to visit, claiming to be the descendant of an old friend."
"The descendant of an old friend?" Wei Yuan was somewhat surprised. He had plenty of old acquaintances, but none of them were old. Where could a descendant mature enough to roam the world have come from? Had someone secretly fooled around behind everyone's backs and raised a child to adulthood already?
The further cultivators progressed, the fewer offspring they had—not because they couldn't produce them, but because they were unwilling to bear children of ordinary talent, or 'mediocre kids' for short.
Though surprised inside, he naturally couldn't show it before a disciple. Thus, Wei Yuan said casually, "Bring them in to see."
The female disciple acknowledged the order, turned, and walked out, her gait swaying with supple grace.
Watching her retreating figure, Wei Yuan suddenly had a realistic appreciation for the word 'swaying': one needed long, straight legs, a slender waist, and rounded hips to sway with such allure and ripple with such charm.
*This batch of disciples is truly of fine caliber. I wonder who selected them; they deserve a reward or two...* Wei Yuan thought, searching his memory for who deserved the credit, only to recall that he had selected these disciples himself.
*When did I do that? Why don't I remember?!* Wei Yuan was utterly baffled, crying foul in his heart, wondering whether the way others looked at him had already changed.
Just then, a faint, refreshing fragrance drifted into the hall. It was neither floral nor arboreal, neither sandalwood nor ambergris. The subtle scent was ethereal, faint to the utmost, yet impossible to ignore—like moonlight on a tranquil night, nourishing in silence.
Then, a young woman walked in gracefully. Offering a bow to Wei Yuan, she said, "This junior..."
Wei Yuan suddenly experienced a fleeting daze. This young woman was an eight out of ten in looks, an eight in figure, an eight in attire, and an eight in voice and tone. Nothing about her was superlative, yet every aspect was pitched so perfectly that one could neither fixate on any single trait nor overlook it, leaving one's eyes to take in only the harmonious whole.
For a moment, Wei Yuan did not even catch what she said after that.
Fortunately, Wei Yuan had thick enough skin. Showing no reaction, he smiled faintly. "I was just thinking of other matters and wasn't paying close attention. What is your origin, and why have you come?"
Before the maiden could answer, the door quietly closed. Only then did Wei Yuan realize that the female disciple from earlier had still been standing there, yet upon seeing this 'eight-out-of-ten' maiden, he had completely forgotten the outstanding female disciple's presence.
"This junior is Qiyue, from the Baohua Pure Land. I have come on my master's orders to discuss certain matters with the Realm Lord. As my master has an old connection with you, this junior boldly styled herself the descendant of an old friend."
The image of that little monk flashed through Wei Yuan's mind. His expression immediately darkened. "Someone from the Baohua Pure Land dares show her face before me? Because I haven't stormed your gates, do you all think I am soft and easily bullied?"
Qiyue's expression remained serene. "The Realm Lord's formidable renown has long spread far and wide; you would find it difficult enough to shake off the label of 'brutal'. Who would ever think you soft or easily bullied?"
Wei Yuan's complexion eased slightly, though he soon felt something off about her words—they hardly sounded like praise.
He slowly took a sip of tea before saying, "Your master was lucky not to be beaten to death by me last time. What does he intend to negotiate this time? Begging me to spare him?"
Qiyue started, saying, "Master has not left the Pure Land for over a thousand years, quietly cultivating at the foot of Spirit Mountain all this time. She has never met the Realm Lord, so how could there be any conflict with you?"
Wei Yuan flicked his finger, and an illusion of the little monk manifested between them. "Then who is this?"
Qiyue looked closely for a while, then shook her head. "In the cultivation methods of the Pure Land, the mortal skin is not of great importance. Many Bodhisattvas and Buddhas walk the mortal world in various physical bodies. The Pure Land is vast, with a hundred thousand Bodhisattvas and Arhats on Spirit Mountain. With only an image, this junior truly cannot recognize him."
Wei Yuan's heart stirred. "Is your master male or female?"
"Naturally, a female Bodhisattva."
"What is her title? How many years has she cultivated? Which Dao path does she follow? What divine powers does she possess?" Wei Yuan fired off a barrage of questions in a single breath.
Qiyue covered her mouth and chuckled softly, her whole body trembling slightly. With her movement, a hidden fragrance drifted through the room. Such an act on anyone else would have bordered on frivolous, yet on her, it only made one feel close to her, giving rise to a passing thought: *Could she be a little fond of me?*
This very thought surfaced in Wei Yuan's mind as well. But then, inside the Nether Palace of the Yellow Springs Grotto-Heaven, the Heavenly Demon cultivating there suddenly opened its eyes. Reaching out a hand, it caught that thought, ripped it to shreds, and sneered, "Showing off tricks before a master!"
In Wei Yuan's eyes, however, a hint of infatuation lingered. Letting his gaze wander over Qiyue, he asked, "Why don't you answer?"
Qiyue said, "How could I reveal Master's secrets? The Realm Lord had better not dwell on such idle matters. Shall we discuss the real business?"
"Speak."
"My master believes that the Lu clan's ancestor of Ganzhou once rendered great service to humankind. The conflict between his descendants and the Realm Lord was merely a clash of positions, and since they have already perished and their Daos dissolved, even the greatest enmity should be wiped clean. For the Realm Lord to dig up the foundation of an immortal vein harms heavenly harmony; it is truly improper."
Wei Yuan said flatly, "And?"
Qiyue spoke in a gentle, melodious tone: "Naturally, Master would not presume to tell the Realm Lord what to do. She merely wishes to make a proposal: if the Realm Lord is willing to refrain from unearthing the Lu clan's ancestral mountain and instead hand it over to the Pure Land, Master is willing to offer an exposition of the True Meaning of Great Yin and authority of the Great Dao in exchange."
Waves surged violently within Wei Yuan's heart—a torrential tempest! Could it be the lost authority over time?!
Outwardly, however, Wei Yuan looked distinctly dissatisfied. He said coldly, "The Great Dao of Great Yin is vast and encompassing. Who knows what true meaning and Dao authority you hold? If you want to trade with me, show some sincerity first! Lay out all the true meanings and authorities of the Great Dao you possess for me to choose from, and only then will we discuss what comes next!"
Chapter 1172