https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-328-327-A-Second-Rank-Opportunity-with-Potential-Part-1-/12588752/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-329-The-Path-to-Greater-Heights-Part-1-/12588754/
Chapter 328: 327. A Second-Rank Opportunity with Potential (Part 2)
Chapter 328: 327. A Second-Rank Opportunity with Potential (Part 2)
An and Li didn't stop or seem to pay any heed to the shouting below.
But the Shu Mountain cultivators below stood there dumbfounded, their eyes vacant and unfocused.
Their souls were pulled out of their bodies by an invisible force and flew upwards, along with the greenish-black essence, into the black fog surrounding the Soul Banner.
The other cultivators on the mountain of bones below remained expressionless and calm, only stopping their refinement process to bow towards the sky, bidding farewell to the two high-achieving elders and the precious Soul Banner.
The black fog surrounding the Soul Banner continued to expand and condense, gradually forming black clouds that drifted through the Yellow Springs.
At that moment, Cao Yan, An Zhiyu's disciple, appeared in front of them and greeted them: "Master, Uncle Li..."
Seeing that Zhou Zheng and Mu Sheng were not with them, she swallowed the rest of her words.
"How many mature fruits are there in the orchard now?" An Zhiyu asked.
"There are currently three," Cao Yan replied. "If we wait a few more years, there will be a fourth one."
An Zhiyu and Li Yuanyuan exchanged glances and shook their heads. "Let's make do with three for now. Let's go there now."
The black clouds that shrouded the Soul Banner continued to drift forward.
Soon, the world ahead seemed to brighten a little.
As they drew closer, they noticed that the Yellow Springs had been divided into one small area after another, resembling miniature kingdoms.
Within each separate territory, there were cities and villages, just like in the mortal world outside the Yellow Springs.
The people lived and worked in peace, and above them, there was even a blue sky with white clouds, always bathed in sunshine.
However, all of this was an illusion created by the Shu Mountain cultivators from the Yellow Springs.
"Master, Uncle Li, Garden Alpha Seven and Garden Delta Ten," Cao Yan pointed out to An Zhiyu and Li Yuanyuan. "And over there is Garden Gamma Two."
An Zhiyu nodded, "The growth is good."
She sat down cross-legged in the black fog and communicated with the Soul Banner through her immortal soul.
The Soul Banner swayed slightly and first arrived above the so-called Garden Alpha Seven.
There, it was as if a miniature version of the mortal world existed.
The people living there suddenly felt the sunlight disappear, and the sky darkened.
They thought it was just a change in the weather and didn't pay much attention to it.
Until, one by one, people began to fall silently.
The Soul Banner hovered above Garden Alpha Seven for a moment before drifting away.
It then moved on to the other two gardens.
After visiting all three areas, the rifts that had previously appeared on the surface of the Soul Banner had healed, at least on the surface.
However, its aura was still not as strong as before.
"This is all we can do for now," An Zhiyu sighed softly.
Li Yuanyuan nodded silently.
They drifted away with the black fog surrounding the Soul Banner.
The three areas they had just visited were now lifeless and silent, devoid of any sound.
Cao Yan stayed behind with the other Shu Mountain disciples from the Yellow Springs to clean up these three areas.
Later, new residents would move in, and life would flourish once more, just like waiting for the fruit trees to bear fruit again...
An Zhiyu and Li Yuanyuan, along with the Soul Banner, arrived at the central region of the Yellow Springs.
In the distant Yellow Springs, the Waters of Forgetfulness flowed quietly.
On its banks stood a colossal city, as tall as a mountain, its entire structure pitch-black and craggy, silent and imposing.
As the Soul Banner drew closer, countless talismans and profound energies emerged in response, covering the entire mountain city.
Two large characters gradually appeared on the mountain city:
[Fengdu City]
The Soul Banner drifted closer, unaffected by the wind, its movement graceful and ethereal.
An Zhiyu and Li Yuanyuan, carrying the Soul Banner, landed outside the city and proceeded on foot.
At the heart of Fengdu City was an expansive Daoist palace.
The Soul Banner entered the palace and descended upon the spacious Dao platform, causing the surrounding Dao banners to flutter in response.
An Zhiyu and Li Yuanyuan stood beneath the Soul Banner and bowed:
"Disciples have failed and brought shame to the sect, damaging this precious treasure."
The foundation of the inner Shu Mountain sect was established by one of the six great treasures of the original Shu Mountain, the Five Decays Grand Dao Bell.
Over time, the influence of the Six Paths of Reincarnation from Buddhism and the Avici Hell led to the emergence of the concept of the Five Paths of Reincarnation within the Daoist arts practiced in the Yellow Springs.
Thus, it is said: The First Path leads the spirit to the heavens, becoming a heavenly god;
The Second Path enters the flesh and blood, taking on a human form, becoming a human god;
The Third Path inhabits the birds and beasts, becoming an animal god;
The Fourth Path, when the spirit enters the bitter vines, becomes a hungry ghost;
The Fifth Path, when the spirit enters the mud and dust, descends into hell.
The inner Shu Mountain sect revered the Five Decays Grand Dao Bell as their heavenly treasure, and over the millennia, they accumulated profound knowledge and power.
Unlike the outer Shu Mountain sect, which emulated the original six treasures, they strived to create their own unique set of Five Paths of Reincarnation treasures.
While the Yellow Springs was desolate and dangerous, it was also a place of abundant heavenly resources and treasures.
However, for the inner Shu Mountain sect, acquiring and accumulating souls to refine their treasures was challenging when the connection between the Yellow Springs and the human realm was severed.
Over countless years, the ancestors and successors of the inner Shu Mountain sect worked tirelessly, and they eventually crafted two treasures.
The Hungry Ghost Path treasure, the Soul Banner.
The Hell Path treasure, the Yellow Spring Sword.
In recent times, due to changes in the heavens and earth, the Yellow Springs unexpectedly reconnected with another human world.
War and chaos engulfed that world, causing countless refugees to flee in search of survival, inadvertently discovering the entrance to the Yellow Springs.
The inner Shu Mountain sect seized this opportunity, absorbing a large number of refugees into the Yellow Springs.
Even spiritual beasts and demons were drawn to this realm.
The inner Shu Mountain sect thrived, and their long-held aspirations finally seemed within reach.
However, all of this prosperity was built upon mountains of corpses and seas of blood...
At that moment, the most powerful experts of the inner Shu Mountain sect were in Fengdu City, secluded in meditation, focusing all their efforts on crafting new treasures.
The unexpected reconnection between the Yellow Springs and the outer world presented an opportunity for Zhou Zheng and his cohorts to borrow the power of the Soul Banner and invade the outer Shu Mountain sect, aiming to acquire their treasures, artifacts, and other heavenly resources.
If they could obtain a large number of souls, or even the souls of cultivators, it would be an even greater boon.
Unfortunately, their plan ended in failure and heavy losses, including the damage to the Soul Banner.
Zhou Zheng and Mu Sheng had perished.
An Zhiyu and Li Yuanyuan stood beneath the Soul Banner, awaiting their punishment.
After a while, words formed from black energy appeared in the sky above the Daoist palace:
"Nurturing the Soul Banner takes priority. Do not act recklessly. Wait until the Sect Leader and the others emerge from seclusion, and we will discuss this matter further."
An Zhiyu and Li Yuanyuan bowed their heads: "Yes, Senior Brother."
............................................
In the human realm of the Great Tang.
On the southern bank of the Great River.
Two cultivators at the Eighth Heaven realm, one male and one female, quietly crossed the river.
They were Merchant Nan from the Dan Ding sect of the Great Ming and Xue Xingzi from the Artifact Refining sect.
"The clues are still too scarce, and I've dragged you along on a wild goose chase," Xue Xingzi apologized.
Merchant Nan said, "It's of no consequence. I only regret that I couldn't assist you in retrieving your sect's treasure."
He glanced downstream to the east, then turned and looked upstream to the west:
"Who would have thought that Fellow Daoist Fu would meet such an end..."
Due to the Great Tang Empire's suppression and manhunt for the human realm's Daoist nations, the news of Fu Dongsen's demise was immediately publicized as a warning to others.
Similarly, the return of the Purple Microcosmic Sword to the Shu Mountain sect of the Great Tang also spread far and wide.
With their cultivation levels and perceptiveness, Merchant Nan and Xue Xingzi easily learned of these developments.
"Truly, the ways of the world are unpredictable," Xue Xingzi said. "Who would have thought that someone we met not long ago would suddenly pass away?"
Merchant Nan said, "That Chen Donglou... we should pay close attention to him."
Xue Xingzi nodded slightly.
After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "Should I try to make contact with our fellow sect members here?"
Merchant Nan said, "Since we weren't present when Fellow Daoist Fu met his end, we don't know the full details. It's best not to take any unnecessary risks for now."
In name, they could certainly reach out to their fellow Daoists from the Great Ming's Daoist nations.
However, if Fu Dongsen had already exposed their identities as core members of the Great Ming's Daoist nations, approaching the Shu Mountain sect or other places would be akin to walking into a trap.
While this possibility was low, they couldn't afford to take the risk.
"Your concern is justified," Xue Xingzi agreed.
She changed the subject: "With Fellow Daoist Fu's death, why hasn't the Northern Black Emperor shown himself? Is he in seclusion, or is there another reason?"
Merchant Nan said, "We can't be sure at the moment. We should report this matter to the Ming Emperor as soon as possible and let him decide our next course of action."
Xue Xingzi said, "The Ming Emperor is also dealing with his own matters at the moment."
Merchant Nan said, "While opportunities may be fleeting, we find ourselves in an unfamiliar and complex environment here. We must proceed with caution."
Xue Xingzi said, "With the Northern Black Emperor's forces in the Great Tang greatly diminished, this is indeed a rare opportunity. However, who could have foreseen that the Yellow Springs would reappear at this time?
In the distant Yellow Springs, the Waters of Lethe flowed quietly.
On its banks stood a colossal city, as tall as a mountain, its entire structure pitch-black and craggy, silent and imposing.
As the Soul Banner drew closer, countless talismans and profound energies emerged in response, covering the entire mountain city.
Two large characters gradually appeared on the mountain city:
[Fengdu City]
The Soul Banner drifted closer, unaffected by the wind, its movement graceful and ethereal.
An Zhiyu and Li Yuanyuan, carrying the Soul Banner, landed outside the city and proceeded on foot.
At the heart of Fengdu City was an expansive Daoist palace.
The Soul Banner entered the palace and descended upon the spacious Dao platform, causing the surrounding Dao banners to flutter.
An Zhiyu and Li Yuanyuan stood beneath the Soul Banner and bowed:
"Disciples have failed and brought shame to the sect, damaging this precious treasure."
The foundation of the inner Shu Mountain sect was established by one of the six great treasures of the original Shu Mountain, the Five Decays Grand Dao Bell.
Over time, the influence of the Six Paths of Reincarnation from Buddhism and the Avici Hell led to the emergence of the concept of the Five Paths of Reincarnation within the Daoist arts practiced in the Yellow Springs.
Thus, it is said: The First Path leads the spirit to the heavens, becoming a heavenly god;
The Second Path enters the flesh and blood, taking on a human form, becoming a human god;
The Third Path inhabits the birds and beasts, becoming an animal god;
The Fourth Path, when the spirit enters the bitter vines, becomes a hungry ghost;
The Fifth Path, when the spirit enters the mud and dust, descends into hell.
The inner Shu Mountain sect revered the Five Decays Grand Dao Bell as their heavenly treasure, and over the millennia, they accumulated profound knowledge and power.
Unlike the outer Shu Mountain sect, which emulated the original six treasures, they strived to create their own unique set of Five Paths of Reincarnation treasures.
While the Yellow Springs was desolate and dangerous, it was also a place of abundant heavenly resources and treasures.
However, for the inner Shu Mountain sect, acquiring and accumulating souls to refine their treasures was challenging when the connection between the Yellow Springs and the human realm was severed.
Over countless years, the ancestors and successors of the inner Shu Mountain sect worked tirelessly, and they eventually crafted two treasures.
The Hungry Ghost Path treasure, the Soul Banner.
The Hell Path treasure, the Yellow Spring Sword.
In recent times, due to changes in the heavens and earth, the Yellow Springs unexpectedly reconnected with another human world.
War and chaos engulfed that world, causing countless refugees to flee in search of survival, inadvertently discovering the entrance to the Yellow Springs.
The inner Shu Mountain sect seized this opportunity, absorbing a large number of refugees into the Yellow Springs.
Even spiritual beasts and demons were drawn to this realm.
The inner Shu Mountain sect thrived, and their long-held aspirations finally seemed within reach.
However, all of this prosperity was built upon mountains of corpses and seas of blood...
At that moment, the most powerful experts of the inner Shu Mountain sect were in Fengdu City, secluded in meditation, focusing all their efforts on crafting new treasures.
The unexpected reconnection between the Yellow Springs and the outer world presented an opportunity for Zhou Zheng and his cohorts to borrow the power of the Soul Banner and invade the outer Shu Mountain sect, aiming to acquire their treasures, artifacts, and other heavenly resources.
If they could obtain a large number of souls, or even the souls of cultivators, it would be an even greater boon.
Unfortunately, their plan ended in failure and heavy losses, including damage to the Soul Banner.
Zhou Zheng and Mu Sheng had perished.
An Zhiyu and Li Yuanyuan stood beneath the Soul Banner, awaiting their punishment.
After a while, words formed from black energy appeared in the sky above the Daoist palace:
"Nurturing the Soul Banner takes priority. Do not act recklessly. Wait until the Sect Leader and the others emerge from seclusion, and we will discuss this matter further."
An Zhiyu and Li Yuanyuan bowed their heads: "Yes, Senior Brother."
............................................
In the human realm of the Great Tang.
On the southern bank of the Great River.
Two cultivators at the Eighth Heaven realm, one male and one female, quietly crossed the river.
They were Merchant Nan from the Dan Ding sect of the Great Ming, and Xue Xingzi from the Artifact Refining sect.
"The clues are still too scarce, and I've dragged you along on a wild goose chase," Xue Xingzi apologized.
Merchant Nan said, "It's of no consequence. I only regret that I couldn't assist you in retrieving your sect's treasure."
He glanced downstream to the east, then turned and looked upstream to the west:
"Who would have thought that Fellow Daoist Fu would meet such an end..."
Due to the Great Tang Empire's suppression and manhunt for the human realm's Daoist nations, the news of Fu Dongsen's demise was immediately publicized as a warning to others.
Similarly, the return of the Purple Microcosmic Sword to the Shu Mountain sect of the Great Tang also spread far and wide.
With their cultivation levels and perceptiveness, Merchant Nan and Xue Xingzi easily learned of these developments.
"Truly, the ways of the world are unpredictable," Xue Xingzi said. "Who would have thought that someone we met not long ago would suddenly pass away?"
Merchant Nan said, "That Chen Donglou... we should pay close attention to him."
Xue Xingzi nodded slightly.
After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "Should I try to make contact with our fellow sect members here?"
Merchant Nan said, "Since we weren't present when Fellow Daoist Fu met his end, we don't know the full details. It's best not to take any unnecessary risks for now."
In name, they could certainly reach out to their fellow Daoists from the Great Ming's Daoist nations.
However, if Fu Dongsen had already exposed their identities as core members of the Great Ming's Daoist nations, approaching the Shu Mountain sect or other places would be akin to walking into a trap.
While this possibility was low, they couldn't afford to take the risk.
"Your concern is justified," Xue Xingzi agreed.
She changed the subject: "With Fellow Daoist Fu's death, why hasn't the Northern Black Emperor shown himself? Is he in seclusion, or is there another reason?"
Merchant Nan said, "We can't be sure at the moment. We should report this matter to the Ming Emperor as soon as possible and let him decide our next course of action."
Xue Xingzi said, "The Ming Emperor is also dealing with his own matters at the moment."
Merchant Nan said, "While opportunities may be fleeting, we find ourselves in an unfamiliar and complex environment here. We must proceed with caution."
Xue Xingzi said, "With the Northern Black Emperor's forces in the Great Tang greatly diminished, this is indeed a rare opportunity. However, who could have foreseen that the Yellow Springs would reappear at this time?
(End of Chapter)
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