What Is a Purple Mansion? This Is Qi Yuan's Purple Mansion!

"Long hair, short on sense." Listening to the murmurs of these old men and women, Qi Yuan couldn't resist blurting out. Indeed, all their hair was quite long—cascading all the way to their waists. According to an ancient saying back on Blue Star, their hair was long enough that one could marry them off. Yet after speaking, Qi Yuan realized something and added, "Except for me and my wife, of course." As immortal cultivators, Qi Yuan's own hair flowed freely, to say nothing of Canary's. "Hmph, sheer nonsense! How could an origin divine ability ever be comprehended with someone else's help?" the elder in the solid red mask couldn't help but snap. The others also felt Qi Yuan was simply making trouble. "The boundless cosmos holds all manner of wonders. Why speak in such absolutes? Just because you haven't seen it, how do you know it doesn't exist?" Qi Yuan said casually. *You are not a fish; how do you know the joy of a fish?* This phrase was practically an all-purpose trump card in any argument. "If not even the immortals in the heavens can achieve it, who possibly could?" the elder in the red mask retorted. "Do immortals dare claim invincibility?" Qi Yuan said flatly. "Above immortals, there are always stronger beings. Moreover, the whole world knows that at the pinnacle of immortal cultivation, one can attain omniscience and omnipotence. How could someone like that be unable to help another comprehend an origin?" Qi Yuan never badgered unreasonably; he prided himself on logic and evidence. Frankly speaking, if his immortal cultivation ever failed and he returned to Blue Star, he could probably open a shop writing academic theses for people. "You... you..." The red-masked elder was at a loss for words. He felt Qi Yuan was simply twisting logic. At this moment, the man draped entirely in purple robes spoke up: "What this fellow daoist says is not untrue. Generally speaking, from the Divine Infant to the Purple Mansion realm, no one can help another comprehend the origin. Yet this world contains exceptions. This old man once heard that in a certain realm, a Purple Mansion Daoist set up an altar to preach the Dao. A hundred thousand Divine Infants gathered to listen, and all who heard the Dao stepped into the Purple Mansion realm." "What?" "A hundred thousand Divine Infants listening to a sermon?" "And he wasn't an immortal or a deity!" "Heh, who knows if this isn't just something you made up, fellow daoist?" The elder in the red mask looked at the purple-robed man, his expression unfriendly. "Everything I have said is true." The purple-robed man's voice turned chilly, and an aura as deep as an abyssal ocean leaked out ever so slightly. Sensing this aura, the Divine Infant cultivators present all changed countenance, terror flashing in their eyes. "A Purple Mansion Grand Cultivator!" "The Purple Mansion realm!" The earlier skepticism and mutterings vanished into thin air. The red-masked elder immediately grew immensely respectful: "The Grand Cultivator's words must be true; it was this old man whose horizons were narrow." Clearly, the suppression of a Purple Mansion over Divine Infant cultivators was overwhelming. For immortal cultivators, strength was everything. Hearing this, Qi Yuan immediately felt disgruntled. "Why did you argue when I said it, but agreed the moment he spoke?" The elder in the red mask looked at Qi Yuan and couldn't resist saying, "Senior is in the Purple Mansion realm. Are you in the Purple Mansion realm?" Upon hearing this, Qi Yuan looked crestfallen. "*Sigh*, I'm not in the Purple Mansion realm. I'm just a measly little Divine Infant." Indeed, in the Canglan Realm, he was still a Divine Infant. The red-masked elder ignored Qi Yuan, rising to yield the seat of honor to the purple-robed Purple Mansion grand cultivator. Still unable to swallow his indignation, Qi Yuan said, "Though I'm a Divine Infant, my alt account is actually a Yang God. Does that count?" The elder in the red mask clearly didn't believe him, chuckling, "No. It has to be the Purple Mansion." None of the cultivators present took Qi Yuan's words seriously. After all, the appearance of a single Purple Mansion cultivator was already terrifying and unexpected. A Yang God who reflected across the heavens being here? Had he lost his mind? It was just like a village gathering back in the Eastern Country on Blue Star, where the villagers were invited to a feast. If one of the villagers suddenly claimed to be the top leader of the neighboring country, without question, not a single person in the village would believe him. Even if everyone memed that he was a man of the Eastern Country, nobody would take it for real. "Not even a Yang God counts? *Sigh.*" Qi Yuan was thoroughly dejected. Nobody paid any attention to Qi Yuan. Their eyes were all focused on the purple-robed Purple Mansion grand cultivator, for Purple Mansion experts were exceedingly rare in the Three Realms. The Purple Mansion grand cultivator continued, "The mighty figure who preached the Dao whom I spoke of was, in truth, the reincarnation of a supreme expert. The Dao of the realm he inhabited had been created by that very expert, which was why that Purple Mansion Daoist could so effortlessly guide people into the Purple Mansion realm." Hearing this, the others came to a sudden realization. Some felt delighted or pensive at hearing such a deep secret. "The Immortal Dao is vast; anything is possible." "The higher one's cultivation, the smaller one feels." These Divine Infant cultivators sighed with emotion. Meanwhile, a delighted look surfaced on Canary's pretty face. Leaning close to Qi Yuan's ear, she sent a voice transmission: "Is he talking about you, Blood Pearl?" "Probably," Qi Yuan replied hesitantly. "I heard that when the Blood Lord preached the Dao back then, robed in blood red and strikingly handsome, a hundred thousand Terrestrial Myths bowed their heads before him. Sadly, this young lady never got to witness your heroic bearing back then. How about you wear a red robe for me to see next time?" The young woman's breath was like orchids as she blinked her eyes with a soft, captivating expression, her tone laced with subtle flirtatiousness and romantic teasing. Through his mask, Qi Yuan gazed at the girl's fair face and couldn't help saying, "Xiao Jia saw it. Go ask her." "Even little sister Xiao Jia has seen it, but I haven't!" The girl's eyes widened. Qi Yuan grasped the young woman's delicate hand and declared with absolute righteous conviction, "You're under arrest! You're Ning Tao!" Canary always called Xiao Jia "Sister." Ning Tao called Xiao Jia "Little Sister." Ning Tao's face flushed crimson in an instant. "Blood Pearl, I am not Ning Tao!" Their exchange via voice transmission took place at lightning speed. At that moment, the elder in the red mask stepped forward, his voice earnest. "We beseech Senior to preach the Dao and illuminate the path ahead for us!" How could a symposium of Divine Infant cultivators discussing the Dao compare to guidance from a Purple Mansion expert? The other cultivators also looked at the Purple Mansion grand cultivator with expectant gazes. Yet at this time, the purple-robed Daoist's gaze unusually settled on Qi Yuan. "I wonder what this fellow daoist thinks about the Purple Mansion?" This purple-robed Daoist was immensely curious about Qi Yuan's background and wished to probe his depths. "Regarding the Purple Mansion, I do have a few thoughts. A good friend of mine once had an ingenious idea: 'Purple Mansion, Purple Mansion'—the term contains the word 'mansion,' so it must be a purple cave mansion!" Qi Yuan blatantly plagiarized True Monarch Dazhi's words, though he cited his source, so technically it didn't count as plagiarism. The moment these words left his mouth, the Divine Infant cultivators present froze, then burst into uproarious laughter. "There's actually such a theory?" "Is fellow daoist making a joke?" "If you put it that way, this old man could say the Purple Mansion is a cave mansion condensed from Innate Purple Qi!" "This 'mansion' is the internal organs!" "It's clearly the Heavenly Mansion!" These Divine Infant cultivators began chiming in with absurd nonsense of their own. Hearing this, Qi Yuan was stunned, falling into deep thought. "A cave mansion constructed from Innate Purple Qi?" "Purple is the pinnacle of all colors. Innate Purple Qi is Chaotic Qi, also known as the Mother Qi of All Things. It is the beginning of all creation, representing boundless vitality—the foremost Qi of the Immortal Dao! Even to supreme Yang Gods, Innate Purple Qi is an exceptionally rare treasure! What, do you want to construct a cave mansion out of Innate Purple Qi? What wild imagination! Not even a Yang God could pull that off!" a Divine Infant cultivator mocked. At this, Qi Yuan looked at the chubby cultivator who had brought up Innate Purple Qi, an excited expression surfacing on his face. "Sir's immense talent truly warrants the title of a great genius! As expected, qilin roam the wilderness; true masters dwell among the common folk. Could sir please remove your mask and allow me to behold what manner of profoundly wise eyes lie beneath?" Qi Yuan's demeanor was utterly sincere, evoking the earnest humility of Liu Bei making three visits to Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage. This left the chubby Divine Infant dumbfounded. Hearing Qi Yuan's earnest words, he couldn't tell for a moment whether Qi Yuan was being sarcastic or completely sincere. "Cough, cough... no need," the chubby Divine Infant said awkwardly. The other Divine Infant cultivators in the room were looking at him with amused smiles. Qi Yuan, on the other hand, said, "Sir, your guidance has aided me greatly. On Arch Star, I'll cover you from now on!" Qi Yuan patted his chest. He very much wanted to recruit such a big brain for himself. Beneath that clever, oversized head, who knew what peerless strategies might be lurking? "Cough, cough... fine," the chubby Divine Infant said casually, not wanting to offend anyone needlessly. In truth, he felt rather guilty, because he knew he was only average. Being showered with such praise by Qi Yuan made him feel he hardly deserved it. He simply wasn't worthy. "Does sir have any more pearls of wisdom to share?" Qi Yuan pressed on. This concerned his Grand Dao; he had to be cautious and meticulous. Treating talent with humility was only natural. "Cough, cough." The chubby Divine Infant cleared his throat, feeling even more out of his depth. Yet at the thought of a fellow cultivator admiring him so much, a hint of smug pride bubbled up inside him. He racked what little brainpower he had, determined to give Qi Yuan a decent answer. Soon, the chubby cultivator mused, "Regarding the Purple Mansion, every cultivator holds their own view, and no two views are the same. For each cultivator, the origin divine ability that suits them best is the finest, which is to say, the Purple Mansion that suits oneself is the best. Observing fellow daoist's remarks, you seem keen on walking an unconventional path, forging an unconventional Purple Mansion. In that case, whatever suits fellow daoist is naturally what is most appropriate." To the other cultivators, the chubby cultivator's words were utter rubbish, relying on a thread of nonsensical logic. It was true that origin divine abilities were one's personal path and had to be forged by the cultivator alone. However... The Purple Mansion was different. The Purple Mansions across the world were largely identical; there was no such thing as "suitable" or "unsuitable." Qi Yuan listened thoughtfully and earnestly, like a devoted disciple standing in the snow at Master Cheng's gate. "Therefore, observing fellow daoist's words praising the idea of the Purple Mansion as a cave mansion, I suggested that 'Purple' stands for purple qi. Fellow daoist can build upon the word 'Mansion'—perhaps you will gain some insight from that." The chubby cultivator cleared his throat, quite pleased with his little speech. However, it still lacked a finishing touch, a core argument. So he added: "The Dao of immortal cultivation values the harmony of yin and yang, the fusion of heaven and earth, and following the way of nature. If you ponder along these lines, your path will certainly not go astray." Hearing this, the other Divine Infant cultivators didn't know whether to laugh or cry. To them, what the chubby cultivator said was complete nonsense, save for the final quote from the ancients, which held some sense. Yet upon hearing this, Qi Yuan furrowed his brows as countless thoughts flashed through his mind. "A Purple Mansion that suits myself?" In this world, the most formidable entities were immeasurable, undefinable, and unobservable. Though the Purple Mansion was a cultivation realm—a universal realm—a truly powerful Purple Mansion had to be undefinable. Or rather, the Purple Mansion that filled what he lacked was a good Purple Mansion, the kind that could be defined. Just like certain mighty entities that could automatically switch their worldviews, randomly toggling to whichever worldview favored them most. The chubby cultivator's words washed over Qi Yuan like a sudden epiphany. "Master, I understand now!" Indeed, Qi Yuan had achieved enlightenment. What was he lacking right now? What had he cultivated so diligently for? Freedom, boundless ease, leaving no regrets. Yet along the path he had walked, there were far too many regrets. On the Wangyue Continent, within the Five Elements Forbidden Ground, the Five Ancestors—Ancestor Jin, Ancestor Shui, Ancestor Mu, and the rest—had sacrificed their lives so that Qi Yuan could take control of the Five Elements Forbidden Ground. That was a regret. Beneath the Ancient Qi Toon Tree, never managing to meet Jin Li—that was a regret. In the City of No Return, three defending one city, where Zhang Sheng and Chen Jiao, who shared their wine with Qi Yuan, died with only Qi Yuan remembering their names—that too was a regret. There were far, far too many such regrets. Once, Qi Yuan had declared that one day he would re-establish earth, water, wind, and fire, turning falsehood into truth and making illusion into reality to bring the Five Ancestors back to the world. That was an unfulfilled ambition of his. Now... couldn't his Purple Mansion be forged along these very lines? As the saying went: *the harmony of yin and yang*. Purple Qi was the ultimate yang of heaven and earth, representing boundless vitality, the foundation for the revival of all things. With yang accounted for, wasn't yin all that was missing? What was the ultimate yin in the world? The Netherworld! Yes, it had to be the Netherworld! To Qi Yuan, the Netherworld was the most yin place in existence, brimming with yin spirits. Furthermore, within samsara lay the Six Paths of Reincarnation, connecting yin and yang. Therefore, the Netherworld was the most suitable manifestation of yin. Most importantly, the Netherworld contained the character for "Mansion"! This was heaven's design at work in the unseen. What was a Purple Mansion? It was a Netherworld Mansion filled with the Mother Qi of All Things—Purple Qi! Qi Yuan felt he was a sheer creative genius. Using Purple Qi to reshape the people he had known in the past, reviving them within the Netherworld and ushering them inside. If that happened, the Five Ancestors from the Five Elements Forbidden Ground would also be revived. Every regret from Qi Yuan's past could be nurtured, manifested, and resurrected within this Purple Mansion. Qi Yuan's origin divine ability, Virtual Realm Sovereign · Inner Demon Attraction, as well as the Great Oblivion Heart Scripture, were also a perfect fit for this Netherworld of a Purple Mansion. Inner Demon Attraction could serve as the Eighteen Levels of Hell, where anyone entering would be ravaged by inner demons. The Great Oblivion Heart Scripture could serve as Meng Po's Soup and the River of Forgetfulness; with a single dose, any cultivator would forget their true self. And such a Purple Mansion wouldn't just revive old friends; its combat prowess would be extraordinary as well. First, find an unknown world, open the Purple Mansion, and lure in enemies. Mhm, let the Purple Qi spread. What was Purple Qi? It was a supreme treasure of heaven and earth. Seeing Purple Qi, wouldn't any enemy be tempted? Purple Qi represented boundless vitality, the Mother Qi of All Things, the zenith of life. There wouldn't be any danger here, no forbidden grounds—it would just be terribly difficult to capture. Therefore, upon seeing Purple Qi, any Yang God wouldn't be able to resist trying to seize it. Good... the moment they tried to seize it, they'd suffer big time. Beneath the Purple Qi lay none other than the eerie Netherworld. Sorry, pal—the second you try to grab it, you plummet straight into Hell. Those Yang Gods who came to snatch the Purple Qi probably wouldn't understand in the slightest: they came to grab Purple Qi, so how on earth did they end up falling into Hell? Once inside Qi Yuan's Purple Mansion, wouldn't they be entirely at his mercy? What Inner Demon Attraction, what Great Oblivion Heart Scripture... Enemies he disliked could be obliterated immediately. Enemies he found tolerable—mhm, divine souls erased, true spirits wiped clean, while their full cultivation was preserved, waiting for new true spirits to sprout so they could work for Qi Yuan. Absolute genius! Qi Yuan thoroughly admired himself, though he also realized the road of this Purple Mansion was long and arduous. He looked at the chubby cultivator and said in all seriousness, "I shall never forget the kindness of fellow daoist's sermon. If one day fellow daoist passes away, even if your unfilial disciples refuse to collect your corpse, do not fear, fellow daoist—I will resurrect you!" As soon as these words were spoken, the room erupted into laughter once more. "Resurrection? Fellow daoist, do you think you're a Dao Ancestor or something?" "I doubt even the Dao Ancestor of a realm could pull that off!" "On behalf of this fellow daoist, thank you ever so much, hahahaha!" The chubby cultivator looked at Qi Yuan, his expression shifting repeatedly. Who went around cursing someone to die like this? However, seeing Qi Yuan's earnest sincerity, he figured Qi Yuan simply had low emotional intelligence. He couldn't help sighing with feeling. This little brother was still the kind of passionate, straightforward person he liked. "Many thanks for fellow daoist's kind intentions. If my divine soul is ever extinguished, I'll surely turn into a ghost to come find you." Mhm, a high-EQ response from the chubby cultivator. Having said this, he too felt quite satisfied with himself.