Position Distinction

The ninety-nine profound gates of the Lingyang Buyi Palace blazed with golden light simultaneously—ninety-nine beams of brilliance bearing down in suppression, like countless eyes suspended around that silver radiance, converging upon a single point. ‘It has actually reached the point where it requires a magic treasure to suppress it…’ Yet the Great Derivation Heavenly Mystery Talisman showed no sign of resistance. Like a devoted servant giving warning, it only projected the myriad possible future shifts time and again, constantly evolving within the narrow confines of this magic treasure. He quietly observed the Great Derivation Heavenly Mystery Talisman before him. Understanding gradually dawned in his heart as he seemed to fathom why a magic treasure was needed to keep it suppressed. Raising a hand level with his chest, a cluster of silver light mirrored outward from his palm. Power of Derivation. This very wisp had descended years ago through the talisman’s resonance, attaching its wondrous power to Liu Changdie. Later, when he entered the range of the immortal mirror, the resonance of talisman qi allowed Lu Jiangxian to extract it from Liu Changdie’s body… After several uses, only this minuscule speck remained. Such a tiny speck was insufficient for any major deduction. At most, it could calculate fortune and misfortune once. As Lu Jiangxian’s cultivation deepened, he had been reluctant to expend it on deducing cultivation methods, so he had kept it in reserve until today. Now, as he pinched this stellar speck of glittering silver radiance in his palm, it surged like boiling water. The silver light in the white-haired man’s eyes grew increasingly brilliant. Relying on the mutual resonance between their talisman qis, the silver glow in his hand rapidly shifted, revealing a middle-aged man in white robes. Liu Changdie. However, the Liu Changdie in the image was pale, dispirited, and weak in cultivation—this was the Liu Changdie envisioned by the Great Derivation Heavenly Mystery Talisman’s calculations back then. As surging magic power and talisman qi poured into it, time reversed, and every scene began rewinding. Finally, the image froze on a callow youth. Unlike when Lu Jiangxian had viewed his memories and the scene abruptly ended, this vision continued to flow backward. A beam of silver light rewound out of him, traversing numerous obstacles before once again revealing the scenery of Wanling Heaven. Yet the Great Derivation Heavenly Mystery Talisman at that moment was completely unlike its current docile state. The dense silver radiance struggled almost frantically, shaking the Lingyang Buyi Palace relentlessly. The ninety-nine profound gates swayed erratically, their spiritual light perturbed, roiling heaven and earth. No matter how the Great Derivation Heavenly Mystery Talisman struggled, the Lingyang Buyi Palace always suppressed it firmly. Yet at one fleeting instant, the silver light flared and surged, its status abruptly skyrocketing, and a strand slipped free… Lu Jiangxian’s heart tightened abruptly. As the information flooded his mind, various memories surfaced: ‘This was… when that first talisman qi was bestowed!’ Back then, the Li clan was merely a minor clan in Lijing. Lu Jiangxian had gained fragments to repair himself and bestowed talisman qi upon the Li clan for the very first time, named Ward Death and Prolong Life. Because it was the first talisman qi and his methods and wondrous abilities were still lacking, it had stirred resonances in every direction… ‘It must have been then…’ The Great Derivation Heavenly Mystery Talisman had been suppressed by the Lingyang Buyi Palace within Wanling Heaven for an untold span of time. An entity of remarkable spirituality, day after day it calculated and deduced, seeking an escape route. That resonance had caused the talisman’s status to abruptly skyrocket, allowing one wondrous ability to break free from the Lingyang Buyi Palace! Drifting aimlessly, this wondrous ability landed on Liu Changdie and deduced his future for him. When it fell into Lu Jiangxian’s hands, its power was not entirely spent, retaining several opportunities for deduction. In the end, it was meant to guide Liu Changdie step by step to advance his cultivation and unveil Wanling Heaven, thereby releasing the Great Derivation Heavenly Mystery Talisman! Instead, Lu Jiangxian intercepted the wondrous power halfway through, and an unknown orthodox lineage intervened to sever his inheritance, forcing him to cultivate the locking metal. In the end, it only fulfilled his Purple Palace opportunity, though it did preserve his life. Looking at it now, this item should no longer be called the Great Derivation Heavenly Mystery Talisman. It had already transformed into a magic treasure named the Great Derivation Heavenly Plain Scripture! Just as Lu Jiangxian had sensed back then, the Great Derivation Heavenly Plain Scripture deduced the future, calculated profound mysteries, appraised past causes and future effects, governed undecided matters, and preserved heavenly secrets… More importantly, it was entangled with the Sitian golden nature and deeply tied to the golden position, attracting the gaze of the entire world. From Lu Jiangxian’s perspective, this item could be termed the Sitian position distinction. The phrase “position distinction” had once been uttered by Si Xunhui, and members of the Li clan had heard it as well. The Si family had ancestral roots and could remember the two words, knowing it was an alternative name for a magic treasure without realizing the deeper difference between a position distinction and an ordinary magic treasure. A position distinction was not something anyone could possess. It came when a figure of great supernatural power corroborated themselves with a golden position, borrowing a sliver of status from the Great Void. Rather than calling it a magic treasure, it was more accurately a part of those golden positions like the fruit, leap, and remainder positions. Rather than an object of a True Monarch, it belonged to the golden position itself. Take the Heart-Awakening Sword of Lushui, for instance. According to Lu Jiangxian’s deductions, Du Qing’s divine abilities were almost certainly insufficient to condense a Lushui position distinction. It had likely been achieved when the feathered serpent attained the Dao in ancient times, reigning high in the Lushui position. With immense supernatural power, the serpent pledged its status as Master of Lushui to borrow status from the Lushui fruit position, blending it with various heavenly materials, earthly treasures, and even golden nature to forge the Lutai Heart-Awakening Sword. When the feathered serpent perished overnight, the pledged collateral ceased to exist, and the Lutai Heart-Awakening Sword—being a position distinction—dropped into the Lushui fruit position and vanished without a trace. Naturally, it could not fall into the hands of the dragonkin. When Du Qing of Lushui ascended to the position, though he lacked the immense supernatural power to claim status from the fruit position himself, the ancient feathered serpent had already refined it. As long as he held the status of Master of Lushui, he could borrow out the Lutai Heart-Awakening Sword once more. The sword naturally displayed tremendous wonder in Du Qing’s hands, but the moment it left his grasp, it would immediately dissipate like smoke. The Great Derivation Heavenly Plain Scripture was precisely the same! Nine times out of ten, it had been sealed here when the exalted position of Sitian was still present in the world, remaining untouched ever since! Lu Jiangxian was completely certain that as long as the True Monarchs still wished to preserve such a magic treasure, they would never extract the Great Derivation Heavenly Plain Scripture from the Lingyang Buyi Palace! The moment the scripture was given a single breath of respite, it would immediately plunge into the Sitian position and vanish. To retrieve it again, someone would have to ascend to that position. ‘The master of Wanling Heaven suppressed the Great Derivation Heavenly Plain Scripture here back then surely to prevent it from disappearing!’ Lu Jiangxian saw through it clearly. Refining the Great Derivation Heavenly Plain Scripture as a position distinction was also an ingenious expedient. The immortal mirror held a terrifying dominance over talisman qi; only by countering it with an equally supreme golden position could the talisman qi be preserved within a position distinction… Understanding settled into Lu Jiangxian’s mind, but he turned his gaze back toward the power of derivation in his hand. “The suppression of the Great Derivation Heavenly Plain Scripture by the Lingyang Buyi Palace is a settled matter. Outside the cave heaven, True Monarchs abound… yet none have moved to extract this item. I wonder what they are planning!” He quietly sat down inside the magic treasure. With the silver light deducing in his hand and the resonance between their talisman qis, the myriad wonders and profound secrets of the Great Derivation Heavenly Plain Scripture were laid bare before his eyes in minute detail. Even the results of its incessant calculations flooded into his divine consciousness at a massive, frenzied speed. ‘In any case, the longer this drags out, the better.’ *** The Great Void. The stark-white blade remained motionless, yet pointing forward like a keen edge, parting the billowing true fire to illuminate the man’s cold countenance. The resplendent attire surrounded by true fire flowed with luster, radiating majestic authority. Yet the golden seal in the sky had already pressed down once more! Boom! Raging true fire poured out as Li Ximing’s Audience at the Heavenly Gate manifested, absorbing the spiritual instrument’s blow solidly. But now he was no longer alone. A gleaming halberd thrust forward, prompting Shilou Yingge to raise his sleeve and sweep it with grand momentum. Tiandou Fire! In an instant, his entire robe rolled upward from bottom to top. The surging flames assumed the shape of a bird, snaring the halberd. Yet deep within the true fire, another blade of light leaped forth, aiming straight for his chest. Clang! Unsurprised, Shilou Yingge opened his sleeve wide, and a luminous orb popped out, detonating with a loud crack accompanied by crashing thunder that shattered the blade of light. However, he did not pursue, dissolving into true fire before remanifesting on the other side with an indifferent expression. Li Zhouwei’s words were unpleasant to hear, but his reasoning was sound. Shilou Yingge’s intervention at this moment had been intended to display his allegiance. With the cave heaven about to open and most of the Purple Palace cultivators gathered here, it was the perfect opportunity. The Gao clan needed a life-and-death battle against the Li clan! Earlier, the clashes by the shore were mere minor skirmishes. Even when Murong Yan took action, Shilou Yingge had remained motionless. The Gao clan certainly needed to declare their stance, but with an unclear situation, fighting a battle merely over northern-southern rivalry directives without endangering lives served no purpose at all. ‘Only by truly offending Li Zhouwei and inflicting mortal peril can we truly sever ties with the Wei Li!’ The trap laid years ago had been missed due to twists of fate. The Murong family had issued repeated warnings. The more Shilou Yingge understood how dangerous King Bolie’s pro-Li posture was and how awkward their position had been when pushed south back then, the heavier his urge grew to declare their stance. The only place where that could be accomplished was either right now or inside the cave heaven! ‘If the Gao clan wishes to avoid being a sacrifice in the impending upheaval and hopes to advance further, our only choice is to become a sword—even if it means becoming another form of sacrifice… It is still better than total annihilation.’ Unable to guarantee the two Li men would enter the cave heaven, he had struck decisively to force Li Zhouwei to reveal himself! Shilou Yingge had already resolved that even if Li Zhouwei did not appear, he would rather forfeit the cave heaven’s opportunities to severely injure Li Ximing and sever all ties. Yet with a single remark, though laced with mockery, the man before him had laid everything out frankly: ‘Li Zhouwei will enter the cave heaven, and they can settle this inside!’ Wanling Heaven was extraordinary, likely the most precious secret realm in many years, where a single treasure could equal a century of effort. Provided he did not miss the opportunity, Shilou Yingge was naturally unwilling to let it slip. With mixed feelings, he slowly reined in the true fire behind him. Meanwhile, the turmoil in the Great Void grew increasingly violent. Ribbons of purple light cascaded down as cultivators began attempting to force their way in. Shilou Yingge stared at him quietly and said faintly, “We shall contend inside the cave heaven.” Purple-gold radiance converged as the crimson glow receded like a tide, plunging into the cave heaven. Wheeling his halberd in a circle, Li Zhouwei planted it in the void. Withdrawing his gaze, he turned to Li Ximing beside him. “I ended up implicating Granduncle.” Li Ximing shook his head repeatedly. Leaving aside the humiliation that man had just subjected him to, his spirits lifted the moment he saw Li Zhouwei. He laughed. “What nonsense is that!” Stepping forward, he looked him up and down. The man before him appeared even more imposing and valiant, faintly enveloped in a pale-white illusory brilliance. Most striking of all were the two golden beams of light faintly fluttering around him! Even though he had received word through jade talismans earlier, Li Ximing still could not suppress a broad smile upon seeing it in person. Sure enough, Li Zhouwei smiled and said, “Junior was fortunate enough to succeed!” At this moment, within Li Zhouwei’s Shengyang Mansion, two colors intertwined, flashing with dual radiant hues of gold and white. He had already attained two divine abilities. In addition to the unified golden Audience at the Heavenly Gate, there was now a pure, snow-white divine ability—the Shangyao Xuanji corporeal divine ability, Jun Daowei! As a corporeal divine ability of the Mingyang path, Jun Daowei harmonized extraordinarily well with Li Zhouwei’s circumstances and nature. Once completed, it shone with boundless radiance. Unlike corporeal divine abilities such as Thousand and Hundred Bodies or Sound of the Cavern Spring, which focused on formless gathering and dispersing, it centered entirely on empowering the body to crush foes with sheer might! Li Zhouwei estimated that his physical body had already reached the Mohe tier. Were this corporeal divine ability to reach major completion, it would take another massive stride forward. Yet the true value of Jun Daowei lay in “treading peril”! If besieged, the more perilous his situation and the more formidable enemies encircled him, the more terrifying the ability’s enhancement became. Li Zhouwei could even resonate with the White Qilin karmic mandate, boosting Jun Daowei’s might by nearly ninety percent at its peak… Conversely, for the besieging cultivators, pressing down ever harder until they killed him was one thing; but if he escaped and successfully trod through the peril, the greater the surplus potency gained from Jun Daowei, the faster all wounds sustained in that battle would heal! Beyond powerful combat enhancements, Jun Daowei also possessed the ability to seize the opportune moment, adapt, and return to the proper course, as stated in the Precious Scripture of Body Guarding Tiger Pass: “Those who tread peril deliberate deeply; those who dwell in ease grow negligent.” Whenever he encountered disorienting spells during a charge, he could abruptly break free and return to the true path. ‘It is just a pity this ability is only useful when charging into combat…’ Additionally, the typical trait of corporeal divine abilities boosting flight and traversal through the Great Void was also present, though not as pronounced as those shifting, formless abilities. Having just cultivated it, his speed increased by less than five percent. Just as Audience at the Heavenly Gate had the flaw of cumbersome rigidity, Jun Daowei had its own drawbacks. This corporeal form was adept at enduring cumulative, lingering wounds, but suffered against burst-type heavy damage such as sword intent, sharp metal, or thunder. What it feared most, however, was opponents refusing direct combat, stalling instead through containment, clones, gathering and scattering, or illusions… As for the remaining minor wondrous phenomena, such as a significant increase in the power of Shangyao Subduing Light, there was no need to dwell on them. Most aided him in combat and cultivation, sparking myriad insights in his heart and greatly advancing his Dao attainment. The two exchanged a look and wished to speak further, but the tremors in the Great Void grew more violent with every passing moment, compelling them both to look over. Li Ximing hastily retrieved several medicinal pills he had obtained during this period from his sleeve and shoved them into his hands. “Go quickly… We can discuss everything when you return. Just be careful inside!” Without another word, Li Zhouwei cupped his hands slightly, his eyes shining brightly. “Junior will take his leave first!” Mounting celestial light, he transformed into a beam of radiance that darted through. Li Ximing sighed in relief, yet a cautious thought stirred in his mind. ‘I wonder if Tianwan has activated the Hongxue legacy. I cannot let her slip away with it in secret!’ Just then, the Great Void stirred, and the woman in pale-green attire bounded out once more. Kuangyu looked rather indignant, muttering, “That fellow surnamed Shilou looks down on people!” Li Ximing’s eyes lit up, and he asked, “Fellow Daoist, are you not going in to seek treasures?” A clear flicker of temptation crossed Kuangyu’s delicate, charming face, but she gritted her teeth and said, “The Xinyu Reefs cannot do without me… and I cannot afford to be wounded. In the outside world, I still possess some skill and can join in the fun, but things would get troublesome inside the cave heaven.” Li Ximing pondered her words. He had been wary of visiting Tianwan alone lest she harbor ill intentions. Remembering that this woman before him was on poor terms with Chijiao Island as well, he rejoiced secretly and smiled. “In that case, would Fellow Daoist be willing to accompany me on a trip? You will naturally be compensated with medicinal pills.” “Oh?” Kuangyu arched a brow. Her features differed slightly from southern women, carrying an added air of playfulness. Her originally dark eyes reflected a faint blue-purple sheen under the radiant glow as she smiled warmly. “What? Does the Grand Alchemist have a use for a little woman like me?” “You flatter me!” Seeing her playful disposition, Li Ximing shook his head with some embarrassment and gave a semi-veiled explanation regarding Tianwan, deliberately omitting the Hongxue legacy. Yet the woman’s eyes brightened instantly, showing even greater enthusiasm than him as she said, “Fine, fine…” Kuangyu flashed a sly smile and replied, “Her clan’s legacy is a foolish one, yet she refuses to cultivate Combined Fire. Though she holds herself above others, who knows what tricks she has up her sleeve? It is naturally better to be cautious… I shall hold the line for you!”