Chapter 354: Those Who Wander and Suffer

Chapter 354: Those Who Wander and Suffer

As expected, pleasing the elderly with their preferences can win their favor.

Just as Ji Jingqiu was pondering over the Old Ascendant's Heart Sutra, he felt a powerful surge of Daoist intent pressing down on him, restrained but still rendering him immobile.

"How is it that I sense a trace of Phoenix Blood Flower's aura from you, young man? Don't tell me you're the Wu Tian from Tian Sheng Hu."

Emperor Luan rose, her red dress trailing behind her.

Ji Jingqiu couldn't help but sigh. Indeed, they were all thousand-year-old foxes, impossible to deceive. Their faces could change in an instant.

Emperor Luan scrutinized the young man before her, narrowing her eyes. "You've really created a little monster. Is this the second He Donghuang?"

At this moment, in Emperor Luan's eyes, Ji Jingqiu looked like a balloon about to burst.

The aura of the Dao and vitality seemed almost tangible, overflowing from every pore of his body.

He had been eating too well on his journey.

Qinglian Daoist shook his head. "In terms of the Great Heavenly Rank, He Donghuang wasn't as freakish as him back then."

"Is this my first stop?" Emperor Luan asked. "You must have had your fill along the way, right?"

Qinglian Daoist smiled. "Everyone is just giving face and playing along."

Giving face?

Huh.

Emperor Luan couldn't help but smile when she thought of that scene.

A federal seedling that each family had tried to eliminate ahead of time was being 'fertilized' by Qinglian, forced to do so by an old debt of gratitude.

Only Qinglian could pull off something like this.

If the various families' disciples lost to this child in the upcoming Macroverse battle, who could they blame?

"Not just that." Emperor Luan smiled faintly. "I heard that those elders were furious, and all you did was ask them for a favor?"

Qinglian Daoist shrugged it off. "Young people can be impetuous, and their words may carry more weight than intended. Those elders were also being overly sensitive."

"What did he say?" Emperor Luan turned to Ji Jingqiu.

"He was just kindly advising the disciples of Tian Di Xuan Men to avoid the Macroverse for a while." Qinglian Daoist shook his head, feeling a bit sorry for Ji Jingqiu. "It's for their own good. Otherwise, they'd keep dying, and even with many disciples, Tian Di Xuan Men can't afford such losses."

Emperor Luan could guess what Ji Jingqiu had said, and her smile at him grew more intense.

"This time, I'll lend you Diyan to temper him." Qinglian glanced at Ji Jingqiu, feeling a headache coming on.

He had been fed too much, and it was hard to say that the others weren't hoping to 'burst' Ji Jingqiu.

If not handled well, even his Dao foundation might be damaged.

"Alright, consider it a repayment of your debt." Emperor Luan agreed readily.

"Also, give me an answer, and I promise not to interfere in this crisis."

Emperor Luan waved her hand, sending Ji Jingqiu away, and stared at Qinglian Daoist, her tone resolute, leaving no room for negotiation. "Otherwise, Huangxie Palace still has a Tianzun who can undergo tribulations and reincarnate."

Qinglian Daoist sighed inwardly.

If the various True Holy Monasteries wanted to interfere in the Macroverse, they would either use their top-tier powerhouses or these Tianzun-level experts, who would willingly give up their Dao cultivation and drop below the Tian Wang realm.

If the True Holy Monasteries were determined to intervene at all costs, these people would become Ji Jingqiu's true formidable enemies soon.

"Ask." Qinglian Daoist said.

"What is the Yanhuang Federation? Why do you place such a heavy bet on them?" Emperor Luan asked, emphasizing each word.

Qinglian Daoist fell silent.

His gaze went beyond Emperor Luan, into the boundless void.

Ten thousand years, in their eyes, was too short.

But for these 'impetuous' youngsters, it was too long, long enough to smooth their edges and shatter their delusions.

In these ten thousand years—

Some willingly entered the cage;

Some silently bore the weight for ten thousand years;

Some wandered alone in the darkness for a long, long time...

Qinglian raised his head, gazing at Emperor Luan, and said calmly, "It's the worst land imaginable. You can't find a worse place in this realm, but on this worst land, the most brilliant flower blooms."

"My heavy bet has nothing to do with the Yanhuang Federation's territory or Dao connection. It's about people."

"In my eyes, the small Yanhuang Federation, if not for the Four Devils, is almost as good as the entire Macroverse's heroes and elites."

He paused, then added with a self-deprecating smile, "Of course, without the Four Devils, there would be no Yanhuang Federation as it is today."

"Soon, Daoist Emperor Luan, you'll meet some of these people."

Qinglian spoke to himself, "Then you'll understand that if not for the short time, this 'rural place' could overturn the entire realm's structure, making everyone aware of the Yanhuang Federation's martial prowess!"

Emperor Luan slowly frowned.

She had considered many answers, but Qinglian's response was not among her predictions.

First, why would the Four Devils covet the worst place?

Second, how could a small Yanhuang Federation almost match the entire Macroverse?

Both points were absurd.

...

...

Night.

Autumn rain pattered on the iron roof, and the autumn wind swept through the streets, carrying fallen leaves.

Ke Pingluan hurried along, looking a bit tired, his clothes damp from the rain.

This was a world in the Sanqian Yanfuti, with a civilization similar to the Federation, one of the coordinates given to him by the ancestors.

The level of civilization here was very similar to that of the Federation ten thousand years ago, with martial arts still in its early stages of development.

Perhaps it was this reason that made a Federation ancestor stay here.

Ke Pingluan had arrived several months earlier than Ji Jingqiu, and he hadn't stopped to rest since.

There were four of them on this mission, and he and Qin Qingjue were tasked with finding the Federation ancestor.

Ji Anquan had the heaviest task, as he had to face those ancient deities.

As for Elder Brother Ji, his situation is the most perilous!

Although he will have the protection of senior martial artists, he will be acting as bait, constantly in danger, and facing a major crisis.

Ke Pingluan sighed lightly, fearing that Elder Brother Ji was currently in a dire situation, struggling to evade the pursuit of martial artists from various realms.

He quickened his pace towards the depths of the alley, and suddenly heard a voice from deep within—a voice that was aged yet powerful:

"The Divine Roaming Realm, known as the embodiment of the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, is, in my opinion, too lowly in its utilization of the spiritual essence. Only one in ten truly grasps its essence..."

"In my view, this realm should be a union of the inner and outer. Internally, cultivate the Dao seed with harmony, taking root; externally, merge with the external scenery and refine the form. When the inner and outer unite, the Xiphai Realm can be achieved. Every movement will be an embodiment of the power of heaven and earth, a hundred times stronger than merely containing spiritual essence."

"Once the Xiphai Realm is attained, the next step is the Union of Heaven and Man..."

"Wait a moment—"

Another voice suddenly interrupted, questioning:

"Old man, you're at it again! The Union of Heaven and Man is a realm of the Heavenly Man, a threshold for the strongest at the peak of the Heart Xiphai Realm. Are you seriously suggesting that a martial artist in the Divine Roaming Realm should attempt to comprehend it?"

Amidst a scoff, the aged voice sounded once more:

"Union of Heaven and Man?"

"The union of the spiritual embryo with heaven and earth is the Union of Heaven and Man."

"The perfected humanitas breaking through the Great Expanse of Heaven is also the Union of Heaven and Man."

"Even for a perfected Tian Wang, using the innate tribulation to refine the form of the Great Dao, it can still be considered the Union of Heaven and Man."

"You little brat, tell me, what is the Union of Heaven and Man?"

Unbeknownst to Ke Pingluan, he had stopped walking.

By observing a single leaf, one can understand the autumn; by glimpsing a part, one can grasp the whole.

He had already reached the brink of the Heavenly Man Realm, and if not for this journey, he might have already begun his breakthrough.

The previous discussion about the Divine Roaming Realm seemed absurd, but the subsequent talk about the Union of Heaven and Man was not something that just anyone could casually bring up.

At the very least, in a civilization where the Heart Xiphai Realm is considered the pinnacle, and Martial Ways are still in their infancy, there shouldn't be someone who can casually comment on the strengths of Tian Wang and Tianzun.

Ke Pingluan exhaled lightly, his expression invigorated. He had finally found this person.

This was the third of the three ancient masters he had sought out.

If there were no surprises, this should be the seventh master of the sword and the eighth master of the fist, the renowned Baiyuan Gong Liu Huai, who was known for his dual expertise in sword and fist a hundred thousand years ago.

The Dao lineage he left behind later split into two schools: one called Tianjian, specializing in sword techniques, and the other named Baiyuan, focusing on fist techniques.

The current Tianjian Daoist Monastery was his legacy.

Ke Pingluan hurriedly followed the sound, and in the depths of the alley, he found its source.

It was a dilapidated martial arts hall, with a sturdy, intimidating-looking old man sitting at the entrance. In front of him, a group of boys and girls sat on the ground, looking warily at the other men.

"What's the matter? Are you little brats here to compete with me for disciples?" The old man's voice rumbled like thunder. "Have you forgotten who taught you martial arts?"

The leader of the men exclaimed with a mix of sorrow and anger, "You have the nerve to say that! It's because I listened to your words that I've been stuck in the Divine Roaming Realm until now, unable to break through!"

The old man showed disdain, "You have poor talent, who can you blame? Did I not tell you that this path is not for you?"

The bald man with a flat head retorted, "I was considered a genius here back then. How can you say I have poor talent?"

"That's like a frog in a well." The old man's expression remained calm. "It took you three years to progress from Body Forging to Dao Seed, and ten years to reach the peak of Dao Seed. And even now, you haven't refined your True Form. Do you still have the face to talk about talent?"

"Isn't that fast enough?!" The bald man grumbled, with the others behind him nodding in agreement.

The old man turned his head away, muttering, "You're like a chicken or duck, unable to understand."

"I don't care. I'm definitely taking these children with me. I can't let you lead them astray!" The bald man declared resolutely.

The old man twitched his lips; if not for the fact that you, a little brat, still know to respect your elders, I would have smashed your head today.

The old man slowly raised his head and said, "Alright, take these little brats with you. I have something to attend to."

Then, he turned to Ke Pingluan, who had approached without anyone noticing, and smiled, "Little one, what's your surname?"

Everyone finally noticed Ke Pingluan, and the middle-aged leader's expression became solemn.

Ke Pingluan clasped his fists and said, "My surname is Ke, and my name is Pingluan!"

"Pingluan." The old man nodded and said lightly, "That's a pretty good omen."

The man who had been blocking the way suddenly spoke up, "This young friend, I don't know..."

Before he could finish, he felt the world spinning, and a familiar voice sounded in his ear:

"You little brat, do you think I've been joking with you all these years? Remember what I taught you, and when you encounter martial artists a hundred times stronger than you, pass it on to them."

When the man regained his senses, he was horrified to find himself and his companions in another part of the city.

"Damn, boss, what's going on?" The man behind him exclaimed, feeling like he was dreaming.

The bald man stood there, stunned for a long time, before muttering, "The old man wasn't lying?"

...

"Let's go, come chat with me." The old man walked ahead, a hint of melancholy in his voice. "It's been a long time since I've been in contact with the Federation."

Ke Pingluan followed closely.

He knew that these senior martial artists had been careful not to expose their whereabouts and avoid being tracked by certain individuals through means such as fate and destiny. For ten thousand years, they had maintained no contact with the Federation.

"What you said earlier was—"

"Some adjustments to the realms."

The old man explained casually,

"The first five realms of the Heavenly Man Realm were originally set by us, and they can only be considered 'suitable'."

"Ah, right, how is my Dao lineage in the Federation?"

From Ke Pingluan, he learned that his Dao lineage had split into two branches, one of which was named Tianjian. Not long after his departure, another Tian Wang Zong Shi had emerged from this branch. The old man nodded slightly.

Hearing that this junior had later died in the struggle against the Four Devils on the Tian Lu, the old man's expression remained unchanged, calm and composed, merely nodding.

Ke Pingluan quietly reported the changes in the Federation over the past ten thousand years.

"Dead?" The old man tilted his head, "Who did you say died just now?"

Ke Pingluan hesitated, "It was He Shuai and Mu Shuai."

The old man scoffed, "The one who should have died didn't, and those who shouldn't have died are all gone."

Ke Pingluan forced a smile, having already avoided mentioning a certain predecessor as much as possible, as instructed by his ancestors.

"I wonder what level has the senior reached now?" Ke Pingluan asked in a low voice.

The white-browed old man fell silent for a moment, then laughed at himself, "After ten thousand years of bitter cultivation, I'm only a Tian Zun, not even a tenth of those seven. I can't break through the barrier of the Dao Zu. So, I'm just a useless waste, letting down all my old friends."

Ke Pingluan took a deep breath, his heart stirred. This person was indeed a Tian Zun!

Even among the Three Thousand Yan Fu Ti, those who surpassed Tian Wang and entered the beginning of the eighth immortal realm were absolute powerhouses!

In the previous era, those deities who looked down upon the heavens and commanded boundless realms were also of this rank.

But the old man seemed dissatisfied with this rank, which was more than enough to compare with others but fell short of the rank required to turn the tide.

"Some of us old folks took the wrong path early on, and it's hard to correct it later. We either have to reincarnate and start over or forever remain below the Tian Zun level, like me, who only managed to reach a tenth of it."

"I was lucky back then, chosen by Mu Shuai as a 'seed'. But now, I've let him down."

The old man's eyes dimmed slightly.

Ke Pingluan composed himself and said in a deep voice, "Senior, that's enough! It's already enough!"

According to his ancestors, finding a few Tian Zun on this trip would be sufficient.

So far, he had found seven predecessors, of which he had located three, while the other four were either dead or missing.

Just among those he had found, all had reached the Tian Zun level, already meeting his ancestors' requirements.

The old man didn't respond to Ke Pingluan's "enough."

Because when they were alive, they carried not just one life on their backs, but also the 'heavenly fate' of four or five old friends.

So, how could one Tian Zun be enough?

At least four or five should have been achieved.

He led Ke Pingluan from the depths of the alley to the city's outskirts, climbing a mountain. As they conversed, the evening turned into the early hours of the next day.

Atop the mountain peak, facing the sunrise, the old man suddenly asked Ke Pingluan, "Do you know how dazzling He Donghuang was in our eyes back then?"

Ke Pingluan subconsciously thought of Ji Jingqiu. Before he could answer, the rising sun dispelled the darkness, its brilliant rays flooding the heavens.

He heard the old man's murmur, tinged with bitterness and admiration, "The sun rises in the east, its brilliance vast and boundless... How could such a person die?"

"Go, Ke's young one, Baiyuan Gong Liu Huai has received the military orders of four marshals."

...

On this day,

Qin Qingjue walked into a temple.

Inside, an old monk sat in meditation.

He slowly rose, grabbing the dusty staff standing beside him, and turned to look at the Buddha statue, standing tall and immortal for ten thousand years.

The Buddha sang once.

A smile appeared on his face.

In the heart field, a diamond seed finally blossomed into a pair of white lotuses.

...

In the Liulitian,

A young man in a cassock and a Daoist crown sat in the grand Daoist temple that had stood for thousands of years, calmly drinking with guests from all directions.

Unbeknownst to them,

The guests below looked up,

Suddenly realizing with surprise that this person, who had risen to Tian Zun in just a few thousand years after his emergence in the East 3 Huang Star, was now, for some reason, staring out of the grand hall, tears welling up in his eyes.

He wiped his tears and murmured, "After leaving home for ten thousand years, how much homesickness? Lake or sea?"

Liulitian?

It was just a journey of exile, a distant voyage from home.

...

Chongxiu Palace.

As a hidden True Sage Monastery, not only had it long been secluded from the Macroverse, but it had also been a long time since it was involved in the conflicts and disagreements in the Three Thousand Yan Fu Ti. The realm had formed its own cycle, with a Sheng Ren Lao Zu above and countless living beings below.

Even Ji Jingqiu, who had traveled to various places, had not included this place in his plans.

Firstly, it was hard to find, and secondly, there was no need to look for it.

But recently, this peaceful land, which had been a pure land for countless years, was stirred up by one person.

Countless disciples, Tian Ren Tian Wang, and even the few Tian Zun were either tense or silently gazing at the Daoist temple deep within the sacred land.

A female Daoist was silently kneeling at the entrance of the Sheng Ren Dao Palace, her whole body prostrated in reverence.

She knelt in repayment of a master's grace that could never be repaid in this lifetime.

After a long time,

A long sigh, both desolate and ethereal, finally came from the depths of the Daoist temple:

"My foolish child, my foolish child... Can I really not keep you here?"

The female Daoist continued to kowtow.

...

A world forever in the season of late spring, with lush grass and singing birds.

This was the Huayang Tian, one of the Three Thousand Realms, where there was a Dao lineage called Xinzhai Palace.

Behind the ancestral hall on the mountain peak lived a middle-aged Daoist who called himself "Xinzhai Jushi." He resided here, guiding his disciples in their cultivation.

In the eyes of the surrounding powers, this palace master was quite mysterious. Although he had already achieved Tian Zun, he remained unassuming and uncompetitive, with a calm and carefree demeanor. Occasionally, he would open his doors to impart the Dao to various realms.

Today, the "old" Palace Master, who was of an unknown age in the eyes of others, summoned several of his closest disciples.

"Master, everything is prepared," said the eldest disciple, Cang You, his appearance even more aged than his master's, having attained the rank of Tian Wang Zong Shi around two thousand years ago.

"Hmm."

The middle-aged man in Daoist robes stood calmly before a mountain wall, on which a line of words was inscribed.

He turned around and looked at the several disciples kneeling before him, saying indifferently:

"From this day forward, Cang You will succeed as the Palace Master of Xinzhai Palace. After I leave, you must watch over each other and help one another. If you encounter difficulties in the future, you can seek assistance from the Yanhuang Federation, and they will surely help for my sake."

The youngest female disciple raised her hand, her eyes glistening with tears, and asked, "Master, do you have to leave?"

The high-level cultivator smiled and said, "I will return to my homeland, bringing honor to my family. Why cry over a good thing?"

Cang You took a deep breath, suppressing his trembling body, and bowed, saying, "I will temporarily take on the role of acting Palace Master and await your return here."

The high-level cultivator smiled and nodded, "If you're willing to wait, then wait. In this life, we all need something to look forward to; otherwise, living becomes too tiring and difficult, and it's easy to seek death."

Cang You's lips quivered as if he wanted to ask the master what he had been looking forward to all these years, and if it was returning to his homeland.

But in the end, he couldn't bring himself to ask.

The high-level cultivator reached out and gently brushed his hand over the ancient inscription on the stone wall:

"From this day on, let the dust settle quietly, the green mountains like jade, and the grass like smoke."

"After ten thousand years, the late spring remains the same. Are you all still well?"

...

In a dark and mysterious place, a man stood up from a corpse-like body, his eyes dazed and his hair disheveled, looking like a ghost. He repeatedly asked himself:

"Who am I..."

"Who am I..."

"Who am I?"

Amidst the countless questions, his appearance also changed, eventually settling on his prime.

In an instant, his confused eyes became clear and bright, like a great sun illuminating the darkness.

With a loud declaration of "I am Gun Jue Qi Xuan Tian!", he burst into laughter, his back arching like a majestic mountain.

Looking down at his decaying body, he smiled and said, "This body has burdened me. I shall discard it and go forth alone!"

On this day, in the Three Realms of Yan Fu Ti, the Great Dao stirred without wind, and its formless shape caused ripples. The Great Dao proclaimed to all sentient beings:

"Here, someone has attained the realm of Tianzun!"

...

At Tian Di Xuan Men, the abode of the Sheng Ren, a sudden decree was issued, ordering Pan Zhou Tian Zun to sever his Daoist path and descend below the Tian Wang, in preparation for an upcoming great battle...

However, strangely, this prominent figure, who had attained Tianzun seven thousand years ago, had disappeared without a trace. Even when Zhen Sheng Xuan Zhong Yang personally intervened, they couldn't locate him.

...

For Tian Wang, a complete Inner Heaven and Earth must have both the sun and the moon.

In the Three Realms of Yan Fu Ti, many world dimensions only had projections of the sun and the moon, which were of extremely high essence but still couldn't change the fact that they were mere projections.

Since they were projections, where was the origin?

Naturally, it was the Macroverse.

In the depths of Yinyin Emptiness, near the Zanghai region, a figure strolled through a recently collapsed world dimension, unharmed by the mighty forces of various Great Daos crashing down on his body like waves.

His Daoist body seemed eternal, as if it had existed since ancient times and could never be destroyed.

If Ji Jing Qiu were here, he might have recognized this person.

It was Yi Tian Peng, the sixth on the Wan Gu Bei, renowned for his unmatched physical body in the Divine Roaming Realm.

He suddenly stopped in front of a vast starry sky.

Over the years, he had often traveled along the edge of the Yu Hai, tempering his physical body with the remnants of worlds crushed by the Yu Hai.

This day was supposed to be the same.

But...

"Did I remember wrong?"

Yi Tian Peng questioned himself as he examined the world ahead, "That's not right. I marked it. This realm should have been destroyed today."

A world he had marked for destruction showed no signs of collapse and was unusually stable.

Just as he was doubting himself, the space and stars in the world ahead began to tremble, like a painting being gently shaken. It turned out to be a wide robe.

The countless stars and vast space transformed into a part of a battle robe.

Two men slowly emerged from the depths of the void.

The one behind was a young man who hadn't yet reached the Tian Ren Jie Wei.

The handsome man in front wore a battle robe, stretched lazily, yawned, and appeared drowsy like a setting sun.

But in Yi Tian Peng's eyes, he was a brilliant and dazzling sun, a burning flame that occupied his entire field of vision!

The brilliance at this moment was indescribable, like the gathering of countless suns, shining brightly and illuminating the ten directions of heaven and earth, causing all beings to look up in awe!

The dazzling sun, the majestic fire virtue...

...

...

At the Yanhuang Federation, the Four Guardian Stars, the Four Directions Deity Temple.

A disciple from the Lan family knelt before the temple, his expression dazed and sincere, and asked, "Four Deities, is it true that our Lan family's inherited divine ability was stolen from Tianyang Palace's secret technique?"

Four figures appeared before the young man, standing in the center of the temple, but not to meet him.

Only Li Shoucheng lowered his head and said, "Wait for your ancestor to return, and he will tell you himself."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end