The rosy clouds flew at an unhurried pace. Atop the clouds, Eldest Senior Brother Chen Guangsu spoke calmly, "Our teacher's Daoist title is Master Yuyang. He has already survived seven Heavenly Tribulations of a loose immortal and is now seeking to overcome the eighth. For this reason, he has remained in secluded cultivation in recent years. Though you have entered our sect, you will not be able to meet him for the time being.
"However, even if you cannot see our teacher, there is no need to worry about your cultivation. As the Eldest Senior Brother, I will transmit the teachings and guide your practice on his behalf."
Huang Tian replied, "Thank you, Senior Brother."
"No need to stand on ceremony." Chen Guangsu waved a hand. "Now, let me tell you about the circumstances on our mountain. At present, including yourself, our Xuandong Mountain has twelve indoor disciples and one hundred and sixty-seven nominal disciples in total.
"There is no need to say much about the nominal disciples. All of them are cultivators below the Yin Spirit realm, ranging across Dharma Sensing, Dao Foundation, and Golden Core. But even though they are nominal disciples, you must not look down on them. They are your fellow disciples after all, and you should treat them with kindness."
"Understood."
"Mm. Next are the indoor disciples. At present, only five indoor disciples remain on the mountain: myself, your Second Senior Brother, Sixth Senior Sister, Eighth Senior Sister, and Ninth Senior Sister. The rest have gone beyond the mountains to seek opportunities, visit friends, and discuss the Dao. Unless summoned by our teacher, they might not return even once in ten years."
Chen Guangsu continued slowly, "Your Second Senior Brother is named Xiao Chong. His cultivation has reached the perfection of the Yang Spirit realm, and he is adept in all manner of wondrous arts. Right now, he is in seclusion cultivating a minor divine ability. He treats others well enough, but he can get hot-headed at times and act too impulsively.
"Ahem, let me offer a word of advice: do not mention matters of marriage in his presence. Before embarking on the Dao, he had an engagement annulled by a wealthy household, which infuriated him to no end. Later, after achieving success in cultivation, he did pay them back, but it remains a sore spot."
Huang Tian responded, "I understand."
"Next is your Sixth Senior Sister, Long Ling. She has recently entered the Yang Spirit realm. Her temperament is lively and unconventional, and she has a wide circle of friends. By the way, she was not born human, but is a flood dragon who assumed human form, so she is not bound by trivial conventions. Even so, she possesses a fine character and is affectionate toward her fellow disciples and friends."
Huang Tian raised an eyebrow slightly. Having traveled across many worlds, he had seen creatures of the flood dragon kind in the Five Directions Realm—namely, the one casually slain by him and Saint Yang in the midst of their fierce battle—yet he had truly never seen a flood dragon transformed into human form.
"Your Eighth Senior Sister, Wei Gongqing, is in the Yang Spirit realm. She is somewhat aloof by nature and prefers to keep to herself, so unless necessary, our fellow disciples do not disturb her.
"Your Ninth Senior Sister, Li Manrou, is our teacher's daughter. She is in the Yin Spirit realm and is the most... mischievous of all. Keep your distance from her in daily life, lest she disrupt your cultivation."
At this point, Chen Guangsu gave a slight cough. "Finally, there is our teacher. He has always hated evil as an enemy, unyielding and righteous. He cherishes his disciples and strictly forbids us from turning on one another. Should anyone violate this, no mercy will be shown. You must bear this firmly in mind."
Huang Tian nodded.
While they spoke, the clouds had already carried them into a sprawling mountain range. Looking down from high upon the clouds, one could see layers of halls and pavilions rising above the vast, wild peaks, glittering with glazed tiles and rich vermilion eaves. Multi-tiered eaves rested atop intricate bracket sets, while writhing dragons coiled around massive pillars. Beside the halls and pavilions stretched neat plots of spiritual fields and herb gardens, with numerous spiritual beasts bounding through the mountain valleys.
Chen Guangsu pointed to a peak below and said, "This is Lecture Peak. As the name implies, it is where our teacher expounds the Dao. In addition, our fellow disciples gather here to discuss the Dao amongst ourselves.
"The peak directly east of Lecture Peak is named Haoyang Peak, where our teacher is in seclusion."
Next, Chen Guangsu steered the clouds northward, arriving above a peak shrouded in spiritual mist. "Every member of our Xuandong Mountain is allotted a peak. This Tianyu Peak is brimming with spiritual qi, so it shall be yours, Junior Brother.
"Ah, right. Spiritual fields and herb gardens have been cleared on this peak, tended to by mountain spirits. Every few years, they hand over a batch of spiritual herbs and spiritual rice to the sect. Now that you are the master of this peak, there is no need to turn these spiritual resources over to the sect; you may keep them for yourself as cultivation resources."
With that, Chen Guangsu raised a finger and tapped Huang Tian's glabella. A flash of flowing light flared, and the latter immediately sensed a surge of new memories appearing in his mind.
"This is the Yang Origin True Brightness Scripture, along with the crucial points and essentials of its cultivation. This scripture is the primary cultivation method of our sect's disciples, and no mishaps will occur with it before reaching the immortal realm.
"Of course, you may switch to another cultivation method later if you wish. The dharmic power cultivated through this method is upright, balanced, and peaceful, so even if you alter your path, there will be little loss.
"However, among the many methods collected by our sect, this is the only one capable of reaching the Great Ascension realm. Thus, you must give it careful thought. If you truly feel that the Yang Origin True Brightness Scripture does not suit you, you can wait for our teacher to exit seclusion; perhaps he has a more suitable method."
Huang Tian nodded.
Chen Guangsu continued, "You now know the essentials of cultivation. Still, as time passes, doubts may inevitably arise. Therefore, every hundred days, I shall come to Tianyu Peak to offer you guidance. You may ask me whatever troubles you, and I will hold nothing back.
"Finally, here is the greeting gift from me, your Eldest Senior Brother!"
With a flip of his palm, an object resembling a pouch appeared in his hand. "This is a qiankun bag, capable of storing many things. Once you refine your first strand of dharmic power, you will be able to wield it. Inside the bag are two teleportation talismans; crush one, and it will instantly transport you a thousand li away.
"Besides the teleportation talismans, there are three fourth-rank Immovable Vajra Talismans inside, each able to block several full-force strikes from a Yin Spirit cultivator. There is also a fourth-rank dharmic artifact called the Yunluo Umbrella; once activated, ordinary Yin Spirit cultivators cannot breach its defense."
Tossing the qiankun bag to Huang Tian, Chen Guangsu smiled and said, "Take them without hesitation. These items are of little consequence to me."
Huang Tian pondered for a few breaths and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"
"I told you, there is no need to be so polite. We do not have many disciples on Xuandong Mountain to begin with, so all the more reason to be close and amicable. Do not treat each other like strangers."
Chen Guangsu said, "Furthermore, I am not the only one presenting a greeting gift. All the disciples currently present in the sect will soon come bearing congratulatory gifts. You should not refuse them either. In the future, when your cultivation realm is higher, just lend them a helping hand. We are all fellow sect members, so there is no need to keep such meticulous score."
As they spoke, Chen Guangsu lowered the clouds, and the two men and the deer landed before the grand hall atop the peak.
"Junior Brother, more than ten spiritual puppets are assigned to this hall. They can cook spiritual food, clean the chambers, and protect you in battle. Holding this talisman token, you can command them."
Chen Guangsu handed Huang Tian a pale purple talisman token, then added, "For the next few days, simply familiarize yourself with the mountain's surroundings and the Yang Origin True Brightness Scripture. As for cultivation, do not rush. Everyone's natural talent is different; take it slow. Being overeager for success only invites trouble..."
He gave a patient lecture before finally asking, "Now, is everything clear?"
"It is clear."
"In that case, I shall take my leave."
"Take care, Senior Brother!"
Chen Guangsu turned into a streak of flowing light and pierced through the sky, vanishing into the boundless mist in the blink of an eye.
"Yoyo~"
Before the grand hall, the white deer let out a joyful call and trotted about, looking all around, clearly very pleased with the surroundings of Tianyu Peak.
Huang Tian held the qiankun bag in his left hand and gripped the talisman token in his right, strolling leisurely into the grand hall. The interior was spacious and bright, with over a dozen humanoid puppets standing solemnly at attention, and a cozy side chamber to one side.
Leaving the qiankun bag in the side chamber for the moment, he sat cross-legged on a prayer mat inside the room, closed his eyes, and immersed his mind in the Yang Origin True Brightness Scripture.
'Dharma Sensing, Dao Foundation, Golden Core, Yin Spirit... It lacks the contents of the Yang Spirit and Great Ascension realms. That makes sense. In Eldest Senior Brother's eyes, I have only just begun cultivating, so having the Yang Spirit and Great Ascension chapters would be useless. Moreover, the Yang Origin True Brightness Scripture is the foundational method of Xuandong Mountain; naturally, they would not transmit the complete text so casually.'
Huang Tian felt no dissatisfaction over this. After all, this was not done specifically to target him, and as long as he continued to break through realms, he would obtain the Yang Spirit and Great Ascension chapters sooner or later.
Calming his mind, just as he was about to examine the critical points of cultivating the Yang Origin True Brightness Scripture in detail, a crisp laugh suddenly drifted in from outside the hall.
"Little Junior Brother, are you there?"
Huang Tian rose, stepped out of the side chamber, and saw two lovely women standing outside the hall. One wore a green dress with long hair draped over her shoulders; the other was clad in a plain white gown, tall and poised with heroic grace.
The woman in green lit up the moment she saw Huang Tian, her eyes shining as though she had spotted some peerlessly adorable treasure. Her voice was sweet and soft. "I am your Ninth Senior Sister, Li Manrou, and she is your Sixth Senior Sister, Long Ling."
Huang Tian bowed with a solemn expression. "Greetings, Senior Sisters."
Seeing his earnest, dignified demeanor, Li Manrou found him even more adorable, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons with laughter.
Long Ling also smiled, producing a jade box from her qiankun bag. With a wave of her hand, the box floated gently before Huang Tian. "Junior Brother, inside this jade box are five bottles of Miaoyu Lingche Pills. Consuming them will boost your dharmic power. Remember, however, that before reaching the Dao Foundation realm, you may only take one pill every three months."
Li Manrou flicked her sleeve, and twelve small banners materialized in the air. "This is the Shangqian Weining Grand Array. It possesses the effects of illusion, entrapment, and suppression, making it perfectly suited to serve as a mountain-protecting array. Consider it a greeting gift for you, Junior Brother."
The twelve small banners quivered gently and floated slowly toward Huang Tian.
"This... Thank you, Senior Sisters." Huang Tian did not decline excessively. Right now, what he needed most were spirit pills and precious medicines. Cultivating solely by absorbing the spiritual qi of heaven and earth was far too slow. Elixirs were different; combined with several of his secret arts, he could rapidly absorb the immense spiritual energy contained within them, swiftly raising his cultivation.
After presenting their greeting gifts, the two women chatted a while longer before departing. Huang Tian could see, however, that Li Manrou was reluctant to leave, as though regretting something.
Shaking his head, he stowed these items away. Before long, another whistling sound tore through the air outside the hall; stepping out to look, he found yet another fellow disciple arriving to deliver congratulations and gifts.
Throughout the entire afternoon, Huang Tian had not a single moment of leisure, continuously receiving fellow disciples and accepting gifts.
Only when night fell did quiet finally return. Gazing upon the room filled with all sorts of spiritual herbs and precious pills, he sighed with deep feeling: 'The gifts received today alone are enough for me to cultivate to the Golden Core realm!'
Had he chosen to remain a rogue cultivator, obtaining so many treasures would have been unimaginably difficult. Yet after joining Xuandong Mountain, he acquired them in half a day. Naturally, this was primarily because he was a newly initiated disciple, but it was more than enough.
'Time to surge forward at full throttle!'
Now that he had entered the sect, he had no intention of keeping a low profile and creeping along slowly. That held little meaning. Cultivation was meant for rapid advances and swift breakthroughs!
As for whether advancing too quickly would invite the covetous eyes of others, based on his experiences this afternoon, he felt the atmosphere of Xuandong Mountain was quite decent and harmonious. Even if someone were envious, they would neither stoop nor dare to make a move against him—after all, Master Yuyang was still in seclusion on the mountain.
And even in the worst-case scenario, where Master Yuyang coveted his "talent," it would hardly matter. It was merely death. After dying, his spiritual thought would descend once again to stage a comeback; after developing for a period, he would return to Xuandong Mountain to repay grievances and take revenge.
'I have no misgivings, nor will matters likely deteriorate to such a state.'
Settling his mind, he reached for a porcelain bottle, poured out all six fragrant pills within, and swallowed them whole. In an instant, an immense and pure medicinal potency spread through his body, causing his qi and blood to surge violently and his skin to flush crimson.
"Hng... hah..."
Low sounds escaped his nose and mouth. Within his body, deeply muffled thunderous rumbles vibrated, as though an invisible hammer of thunder was striking and tempering every part of him.
Simultaneously, his face rapidly withered, turning gaunt and emaciated with sunken eyes, resembling someone stricken with a lingering sickness. Beyond his face, his limbs and torso also withered swiftly, as if draped in desiccated tree bark.
In stark contrast to his exterior, the inside was entirely different. Compressed and harnessed by his secret arts, the vast medicinal energy circulated through the cycles of his body at extreme speed, ultimately converging completely into his Huangting, where a swirling vortex of qi gradually coalesced.
Whoosh...
At a certain moment, a gentle breeze stirred from nothingness, lightly fluttering his sleeves.
The Dharma Sensing realm—attained.
Huang Tian remained unperturbed and continued cultivating.
Three days passed in a flash.
"Yoyo~"
On Tianyu Peak, the white deer leaped briskly through the woods, crying out in joy. Several foxes and snow hares dashed behind it, while a few spiritual birds alternately perched on its antlers and fluttered into the sky, creating a scene of vibrant cheer.
Ever since entering Xuandong Mountain, the white deer felt as though it had arrived in a realm of immortals. Spiritual qi was abundant here, bringing immense comfort merely by dwelling within it. There were also many spiritual herbs and spiritual fruits, delicacies it had never tasted in the world outside.
More importantly, there were no wild beasts to hunt it. Instead, a host of mountain spirits and woodland creatures had become its playmates, often frolicking across the mountain together.
With a bound, it vaulted onto a large boulder. Just as it was about to let out an exuberant cry, an inexplicable aura suddenly spread outward, sending an involuntary shiver through its frame. Looking back toward the grand hall, it sensed that the aura originated from there. Tilting its head, its large eyes were filled with confusion.
"This disturbance... Someone is about to establish their Dao Foundation! Which fellow disciple could it be?" Above several peaks neighboring Tianyu Peak, a few Daoists took to the sky, gazing toward the surging spiritual qi.
"That is... Tianyu Peak?" one asked in surprise.
"If I remember correctly, isn't that the residence of Senior Brother Huang, who just joined the sect?"
"Could it be that he is breaking through to the Dao Foundation?!"
"For ordinary people, just condensing the first strand of dharmic power to enter the Dharma Sensing realm takes more than three days. How could anyone break through from a mortal to the Dao Foundation within three days? Impossible, absolutely impossible!"
"Yet besides Senior Brother Huang, who else is on Tianyu Peak? Who would deliberately run over to Tianyu Peak to break through?"
"..."
The Daoists looked at one another in disbelief, an incredible conjecture forming in their hearts.
Could it truly be that someone in this world was capable of advancing from an ordinary mortal through both Dharma Sensing and Dao Foundation in a mere three days?!
Chapter 187