True Monarch Huangyun's figure gradually grew tenuous. She suddenly ceased her sermon and smiled faintly. "The hour has come. Better that I return."
She transformed into a speck of azure light and flew northwest, ultimately descending into the mountain range a hundred li behind the former Ding'an City.
An indescribable origin of wood rose gradually, and vibrant, tender green draped over the mountains within a hundred li in an instant. Amidst the continuous ranges, a hill in the center grew segment by segment, thrusting upward by three hundred zhang. At the summit sprouted a small tree, swaying its boughs and leaves in the wind.
Around this newly born peak, countless trees shot upward and proliferated, turning in the blink of an eye into stretches of dense forest. What grew upon the heights, in the valleys, and beside the bubbling brooks each had its own distinct character. The vitality and spiritual qi saturating this woodland were already no less potent than those at the Palace of Grand Beginning's Northern Mountain Gate, falling short only of the ancestral mountain itself.
A vast torrent of wood origin surged ceaselessly into Qingming, causing its nearly depleted nourishment to climb rapidly. In the span of a breath, it surpassed its previous peak, with no sign of slowing.
The boundary limit of the Qingming Domain accelerated outward from its original thousand li, expanding to fifteen hundred li in a flash! So long as the nourishment kept pace, the subsequent rate of domain expansion would increase tremendously.
The power of Jia Wood Life-Mystic was correspondingly amplified to a great degree, advancing from a mere characteristic to a divine wonder. In resonance with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, its name manifested automatically as Jianmu Life-Mystic. At present, in the innermost medicinal garden of Qingming, the growth rate of spiritual herbs was forty times that of the outside world, rivaling the supreme herb gardens of the Palace of Grand Beginning.
As the accumulated cultivation of True Monarch Huangyun's lifetime steadily integrated into Qingming, the status of the Qingming Immortal Stone elevated slightly once more, aligning even more closely with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. The immortal seated cross-legged within Qingming seemed to gain a touch of spirit, his eyes half-open as though on the verge of waking.
Its divine wonder, the Unrivaled Dao Domain, resonated with the Great Dao and shifted again, becoming ever more profound and inscrutable. This time, it automatically took the name: Above Heaven and Under Heaven, Heaven and Earth Unrivaled Dao Domain.
With Qingming enhanced across the board, the main peak expanded accordingly, growing taller and broader until the summit spanned more than three hundred zhang across, suddenly feeling far more spacious.
In the heart of the vast sea within Smoke and Fire of the Mortal World, a stretch of land suddenly rose up. The ground was flat, upon which a lone sapling grew quietly. The moment it appeared, Smoke and Fire of the Mortal World trembled, and the spirituality of all spiritual plants was enhanced slightly. The progress of the Spirit Nurturing Realm advanced halfway in an instant, leaving only the final ten percent remaining.
Yet despite so many transformations, Wei Yuan could feel no joy.
He had met True Monarch Huangyun only a handful of times and could hardly claim to know her well. But sometimes, true understanding between souls does not depend on how often they have met.
True Monarch Huangyun's arrival here was less than half for Bao Yun's sake; far more of it was to place a weighty stone on the board for the Palace of Grand Beginning's foundation in the Western Regions.
The True Monarchs of the Palace of Grand Beginning had long been watching Wei Yuan, taking note of everything he had done since establishing Qingming. Thus, when True Monarch Huangyun realized her demise was unavoidable, she had hurried to Qingming, casting her own mortal frame onto the scales as one final counterweight for the situation.
Such profound affection from his senior left Wei Yuan's eyes stinging at times, as though filled with grit.
When the fountain of wood origin subsided, True Monarch Huangyun had completely passed away, dissolving into heaven and earth. The Gate of Transmigration Across the Myriad Realms showed no movement; presumably, Huangyun's true spirit had another destination.
Monk Qiuyue pressed his palms together, chanted a Buddhist invocation, and said, "True Monarch Huangyun's noble act is truly an exemplar for our generation! Alas, this humble monk merely studies the nineteen lines of the go board day after day, which is already a lesser path. Compared to the True Monarch today, I am so ashamed I can barely show my face."
True Monarch Xuanyue consoled him, "The true intent of the Great Dao also resides within the nineteen lines of the board. Dedicated study aids cultivation; Master Qiuyue need not be so harsh on himself."
The other True Monarchs kept silent, their hearts heavy with bleak sorrow.
By now, the Iron Curtain of the Firmament in the sky was parting gradually, and the will of the Ancestral Shaman receded. Once more, the gaze of the monsters beyond the heavens could be faintly felt.
The various Scenery Command cultivators restrained their auras one after another. Wei Boyang sighed deeply, shook his head, and vanished. The two Scenery Command elders of the Cui family pulled Cui Yu aside for a few brief words of instruction before taking their leave as well.
Finally, Mister Chenzhou and Monk Qiuyue approached Wei Yuan, pointing to the two cultivators accompanying them. "These two are Xuanjizi and Canglongshi, both renowned grandmasters throughout the realm, far surpassing the two of us."
Wei Yuan hurriedly bowed in respect. Xuanjizi and Canglongshi were famous across the world, their mastery of go nearing absolute perfection, and their cultivations were exceedingly high. The simultaneous arrival of five Scenery Command experts had startled the Shamans into retreating, serving as the primary cause for the Shaman withdrawal.
These two were genuine grandmasters on the level of the entire Great Tang, whereas Mister Chenzhou and Monk Qiuyue could only be called national masters of the State of Wu; there was a clear gap in standing between them.
Canglongshi stroked his beard and said, "The great battle has just subsided, so little friend Wei must have much to attend to. How about this: we shall find a node in the earth veins, build a modest hut to dwell in, and once you have finished your tasks, we can study the dao of go together. What do you think?"
Wei Yuan naturally could not ask for more, so he said, "Wherever you seniors take a fancy to, please make yourselves at home."
Canglongshi said, "With your word, that settles it. We intend to choose a spot beside the medicinal garden and quietly await your arrival."
These grandmasters seemed to possess unique methods; they were not overly concerned about the gaze of the monsters beyond the heavens, and once they concealed their auras, they could move about Qingming freely.
True Monarch Xuanyue and the other True Monarchs could not linger long; they had to either head beyond the heavens or depart from the Shattered Lands.
After seeing to True Monarch Huangyun's passing, Wei Yuan hastened to oversee the aftermath of the battle. In this third clash, the Shamans had once again abandoned four hundred thousand corpses, while Qingming suffered one hundred ninety thousand fallen, half of whom perished under Hongye's single strike of Collapsing Starry Dome.
The generals were already well-practiced in handling the aftermath: carrying corpses, verifying identities, logging rosters, and transporting the bodies to Heroic Spirits Mountain for burial.
There were simply too many bodies on Heroic Spirits Mountain to bury all at once, so they could only be stored in icy pits while burials proceeded gradually.
As before, the corpses of the Shamans were transported to the disposal yards to let their essence slowly disperse, transforming into the origin qi of the human domain, after which the remains were burned and the ashes buried.
Having finally settled the mountain of tasks, Wei Yuan flew to the place where True Monarch Huangyun had passed away. He looked upon that newly risen peak and the new tree at its crest, gazing in silence until, without him realizing it, a scalding droplet fell.
According to the palace chronicles, the past True Monarchs of the Palace of Grand Beginning had diverse temperaments; not a few were petty-minded or vindictive over the slightest slight. Yet when faced with life and death, every one of them was open-minded and lucid. Whether falling in battle or sitting into meditation at the end of their lifespan, all met their end with composure. True Monarch Huangyun had been no different.
As Wei Yuan watched, Su Xuejing's figure materialized beside him. Holding a jug of wine, Su Xuejing threw his head back and downed more than half in one go. Then he shook the jug, offered what remained to Wei Yuan, and said, "Doesn't seem like there's much left."
Wei Yuan tilted his head back, drank it dry, and hurled the empty jug down into the mountain forests below.
With a long sigh, Su Xuejing departed.
At the peak of the mountain, beside the small tree, Bao Yun had cried herself out and lay slumped over a boulder in deep sleep. Wei Yuan appeared quietly behind her, took off his outer robe, and gently draped it over her.
Exhausted in body and mind, Bao Yun had long fallen asleep, yet she suddenly opened her eyes and saw a vast, boundless sea surrounding her.
The surface of the sea was smooth as a mirror, without wind or wave, while thick mist drifted in the distance. She looked all around, realizing she was on a deserted island. There was nothing on the island except for a single large tree, two zhang tall, with only three or four branches extending from its top, each bearing one or two leaves.
This tree looked just like True Monarch Huangyun's dharma idol, the Heaven-Reaching Jianmu, though right now it was still only a sapling. Yet it genuinely carried Huangyun's aura.
Bao Yun sat leaning against the base of the tree, tears rolling down her cheeks once more before she knew it.
Just then, a roll of thunder sounded from the distant horizon, causing Bao Yun to shudder instinctively, her Dao Foundation trembling slightly.
Bao Yun scrambled up and looked into the distance. She saw tribulation clouds gathering in the firmament over there, and a lightning tribulation struck straight down from the sky. However, with mist blanketing the sea, she could not make out who was undergoing tribulation.
Bao Yun had a sudden realization. *Is this Smoke and Fire of the Mortal World? I came in here?*
Yet coming inside seemed of little use. Not a single person was in sight; boundless sea stretched in every direction, and the islet held nothing except for the Heaven-Reaching Jianmu carrying True Monarch Huangyun's aura.
Bao Yun walked to the shore and reached out to touch the seawater. Suddenly, something in the water darted toward her finger like lightning! Fortunately, the tiny creature flashed with silver light, allowing Bao Yun to notice it in time and pull her hand back immediately.
In the water was a silver minnow no larger than an ant, yet swift as an arrow, trailing cold gleams as it moved and looking exceedingly vicious. Bao Yun felt a chill, realizing that crossing the sea was likely impossible; there was no telling what other fierce monstrosities lurked within the depths.
She attempted to take flight, but her body felt heavy. She barely rose three feet off the ground before dropping back down.
It seemed she was destined to be trapped on this little island.
Bao Yun walked a circuit around the island to no avail. Thus, she returned to the tree, sat leaning against its trunk, and slowly closed her eyes.
When she opened her eyes again, she found Wei Yuan's outer robe draped over her. Only now did she feel the aches racking her entire body. In the great battle, she had taken two of Hongye's lethal strikes head-on; not only had her protective artifacts been wiped out, but her physical body was riddled with hidden injuries.
An enlightened Dao Foundation warrior landed on the peak and said, "Your new residence has been prepared. Shall I take you there to see it?"
Bao Yun nodded and flew off with the Dao Foundation warrior.
Wei Yuan had prepared two residences for Bao Yun in total: one on the main peak, and another built on the edge of the forest True Monarch Huangyun had brought forth behind the former Ding'an City. The small courtyard had been erected in haste, with blue tiles, white walls, and simple furnishings. Yet along a winding path leading to secluded quiet, lotus blossoms swayed in a pool of water, lending the setting an exceptional elegance.
Entering the courtyard, Bao Yun found several boxes resting on the table in the main hall, each bearing the mark of the Bao family. Opening them, she saw they were filled with protective artifacts, clearly bestowed by Bao Manshan and the Seventh Elder.
Bao Yun made her way to the study. The scenery here was superb; pushing open the window, she looked out directly upon the newly born peak. The mountain was veiled within the hazy glow of sunlight, softening its contours. A gentle breeze brushed her face, bringing with it the fresh fragrance of the mountains, with the scent of the wood origin wafting faintly through the air. She sighed softly, overwhelmed by fatigue, and slumped over the desk, falling soundly asleep.
Within Smoke and Fire of the Mortal World, Zhang Sheng stood with hands clasped behind her back, gazing out toward the distant sea.
The three hundred seventy-first heavenly tribulation was brewing in the sky, but Zhang Sheng paid it no mind. At present, her immortal swords formed sword formations on their own to protect their master automatically; she could undergo tribulation even in her sleep.
The ordinary girl who had guided her upon her first entrance into Smoke and Fire of the Mortal World appeared beside Zhang Sheng once again. Following Zhang Sheng's gaze, she looked toward the isolated island in the sea and the new little tree growing upon it.
Zhang Sheng said suddenly, "Senior Huangyun has merely gone a step ahead. One day, this will be our destination as well."
"From the sound of it, people from your sect never seem to die well?"
"Never die well? Heh, that's not far off." Zhang Sheng let out a wry chuckle, then continued, "Below the True Monarch realm, plenty die peacefully in their beds of old age. But for True Monarchs and above, that's not the case. When one's lifespan nears its end and the hope of breakthrough is minimal, what else is there to do? Sit in the mountain gate waiting to die of old age?
"At such times, one naturally takes up a sword and descends the mountain, either dragging foreign races down with them as cushions, or settling scores with bitter foes. If one is fortunate enough to survive, one merely rushes back to the sect at the final moment to pass away in meditation."
The ordinary girl said, "Sounds like a bunch of lunatics."
Zhang Sheng said, "The reason my Palace of Grand Beginning could become the foremost immortal sect in a mere few thousand years is that a ceaseless stream of geniuses joined us. Everyone might have initially come for the sake of cultivation, but what made them stay until the very end was never the myriad paths of ascending to immortality, but an ideal.
"The lunatics you speak of found kindred spirits here, and so they never left."
Chapter 515