Xianye

Chapter 470 Abandoning Limbs, Discarding Intelligence

A towering white cliff rises majestically, its rock face steep and rugged, overlooking deep valleys and towering mountains below, while above it stretches to the vast sky and the celestial bodies of the sun and moon.

Its cliff rises high and solitary. From a distance, the section of cliff towering into the clouds looks like a thin, white ribbon, as if it is about to touch the top of the sky. It is truly breathtaking and cannot help but inspire a sense of awe.

Standing at such a height, one can see the howling winds and the chilling air.

A dazzling light flashed overhead, like a huge vortex spinning endlessly, making half the blue sky appear hazy and indistinct.

Not to mention that ordinary people could never reach such a high place, they would freeze to death miserably halfway there.

Even some cultivators with considerable skill could barely manage to fly over using their magical artifacts, but in a short while, they would be violently struck down by the surging gale. If they were not careful, they would be smashed to pieces, or their lives would be ruined by strange lights and evil spirits, which would be even more pitiful.

At this moment, Chen Heng channeled his magical power, and a cluster of clear light shone down from above his head. No matter how fierce the wind was outside, it could not stir his sleeves even slightly.

Then, following the incantation recorded in the flying smoke, he manipulated the evil spirit above his head, using himself as a medium, to merge and meet with the soul's spiritual light, so as to refine a piece of Void Danger Divine Sand.

However, after several attempts, the results were not satisfactory, and the problem often lay in the step of attracting evil spirits into the body.

He looked around at the scenery, a thoughtful expression appearing between his brows.

He had only recently heard of such rare items as the Void and Dangerous Divine Sand, and to be honest, its refining method was quite complicated and far beyond what ordinary people could imagine.

This sand requires first collecting 123 kinds of Qimen evil essences into the body, combining them with the soul and spirit light, so that they are in harmony of Yin and Yang, to temper it into a seemingly ethereal embryo. Finally, the embryo is carefully nurtured with the essence and blood of one's own life, so that it is hidden in the body and not exposed to external impurities.

Only when the primordial embryo manifests the illusory and dangerous divine sand in a form that is neither gold nor jade can it be considered a great success.

Then, the Void and Dangerous Divine Sand was placed in a copper and wooden box and hidden deep within a spiritual vein that corresponded to the Heavenly Secrets to which the Divine Sand belonged.

The spiritual vein must be at least a "Noble Grade Three" spiritual vein. Once the spiritual vein is completely drained, the Void and Dangerous Divine Sand can be used.

Fortunately, Chen Yu only needed Chen Heng to refine the divine sand into a physical form.

As for the remaining steps such as hiding the box and tracing the vein, that was his own business.

Otherwise, the latter would be a painstaking effort that would take at least a hundred years. By then, what would be the point of the Dan Yuan Conference?

The fact that the Void and Danger Divine Sand is so time-consuming and laborious must mean it has some special abilities.

This sand, once released, is invisible and intangible, faster than light and electricity, and has even struck the renowned swordsmen and Buddhist monks who practiced "divine speed."

It does not harm the physical body or spirit, and has no ability to attack enemies. However, after hitting an enemy, it can randomly disable one of the enemy's favorite supernatural abilities.

It can take anywhere from a month to three months, and regardless of whether it's a physical method or a divination technique, no one can escape it.

Furthermore, because it is in harmony with his own soul's essence, if Chen Heng successfully refines a piece of Void Danger Divine Sand here, and as his cultivation deepens, he only needs to refine the divine sand a few more times with his magic power, and the power of the divine sand will increase accordingly.

They then left aside the various aspects of cultivating true water.

Just learning this method of refining the Void and Dangerous Divine Sand made his trip worthwhile!
It would not be an exaggeration to say that this place, named Huanya, reaches straight to the sky.

Whether by divine intervention or supernatural power, various kinds of malevolent spirits and true light coiled like snakes and worms, densely clustered on the mountaintop. A rough sweep revealed no less than a thousand of them, making it a suitable place to refine the Void and Dangerous Divine Sand, saving one the trouble of traveling.

However, because there were too many evil spirits, it was too much of a bad thing and ended up having the opposite effect.

Because the refining of the Void and Dangerous Divine Sand emphasizes the word "purity," its efficacy is greatly reduced once any external energy is mixed in.

Now, all sorts of evil spirits have accumulated and intertwined in Huanya, becoming inseparable and intertwined.

To eliminate all impurities and retain the true essence within a limited time is no easy task, let alone for a Golden Elixir cultivator, and even for an ordinary Primordial Spirit True Person.

Chen Heng thought to himself that if he could refine each of the thousands of evil spirits into his body and thoroughly understand their nature, then he could probably succeed in drawing evil spirits into his body.

But this is pure hard work, requiring absolutely no skill.

Upon careful consideration of the three matters that Chen Yu instructed, whether it be the journey to Baishui or the Seven Treasures Tree, there is a profound meaning behind them.

The depth of one's skill in mastering Zi Shui is the threshold for attempting true water cultivation, and it is naturally indispensable.

The Seven Treasures Tree tests a cultivator's control over their own energy. When the time comes to regulate the Three Treasures Water, one must be extremely careful, for even the slightest mistake can lead to disastrous consequences.

Fortunately, Chen Heng has always attached great importance to this, so this hurdle is not a difficult problem for him.

So this time, let's refine this Void and Dangerous Divine Sand...

After pondering for a long time, Chen Heng recalled the technique of refining divine sand several times, and finally focused on the phrase "The mind without intention connects to the true aperture, and the aperture without aperture penetrates the mysterious sky".

His eyes flashed, and he nodded, a rough answer forming in his mind.

"Abandoning limbs, discarding intelligence, separating from form and knowledge, one becomes one with the Great Void... Deliberately seeking only creates obstacles; when spirit and qi embrace, one naturally awakens to the Mysterious Pass. This is not only the key to refining the Void and Dangerous Divine Sand, but also closely related to the cultivation of the Netherworld True Water?"

He gazed at the magnificent and wondrous sight above and uttered these words.

After considering his options, Chen Heng didn't hesitate any longer and immediately took out an apricot-yellow futon and sat cross-legged on it.

He removed all magical implements from his body, cast aside all thoughts, and silently circulated the incantation guided only by a vague feeling.

As his mind fell silent, the clear light covering his body suddenly went out.

In an instant, frost cut through the skin and ice pierced the marrow; all sorts of strange lights and evil spirits swept down without any obstruction.

Although a powerful magical force was constantly circulating, protecting his body's acupoints, and his Tai Su Jade Body was by no means ordinary, after sixteen days and nights, a thin layer of white frost slowly accumulated on Chen Heng's shoulders.

He was too lazy to care and deliberately suppressed his thoughts.

The snow accumulated and grew larger, eventually forming a tall snowdrift. Only cultivators with exceptional eyesight could vaguely discern a human figure within the snowdrift.

The aura of the person in the snow was barely perceptible, as if he had merged with the rocks beneath him. Only from the streaks of evil spirits that were being torn off from the sky could one discern a hint of something extraordinary, making it clear that he was different.

Spring goes and summer comes, time flies by.

Two months passed in a row. On this day, two dark beams of light suddenly shot up into the sky above Huanya, barely managing to break through the atmospheric gale and land on the peak.

A moment later, the true qi was withdrawn, and two figures appeared, looking around with great curiosity.

There were two Taoist priests, a man and a woman.

The man was about thirty years old, with a steel-like beard under his chin, wearing a blue gauze headscarf and a black robe. He looked strong, robust, and very dignified.

The woman was dressed in plain clothes with flowing embroidered ribbons. She wore no pearls or jade ornaments on her head, only a long wooden hairpin to tie her hair. Her features were gentle and she had a smile on her face.

Above their heads was a tiger-headed whip about ten feet long, from which shimmering light hung down like long vines draped in mist, blocking out the surrounding cold currents and malevolent energy.

Even when the gale squeezes in and occasionally scatters the light and clouds, a new one quickly springs up to fill the gap as the divine whip swings in the air.

Seeing the truly frigid surroundings where one's breath instantly turns to ice, and with strange lights and malevolent forces swirling wildly overhead as if about to swoop down at any moment, the woman shrank her neck and couldn't help but sigh:

"Under the wonders of nature, how could there be such extraordinary scenery as Huanya? If it weren't for the Crimson Tiger Whip, even with our cultivation, we would probably find it difficult to stand on such a high place..."

The man had clearly done his homework for today's trip. Seeing an opportunity to show off in front of his junior sister, he quickly patted his chest and loudly proclaimed:
"Junior Sister Du, you may not know this, but Huanya is located in a unique geographical area, naturally a place where various earth veins are intertwined and knotted."

Don't be fooled by the fact that this cliff isn't as big as the Jingyuan Cliff we visited before. Beneath this cliff lie at least fifty veins, some large and some small.

It is precisely because the accumulation of earth veins has disrupted the primordial magnetic field and the yin and yang of the celestial phenomena that this cliff has attracted so many strange and malevolent spirits, becoming a dangerous place that even cultivators must be wary of!

After speaking eloquently, he noticed that his junior sister's eyes were slightly shining.

The man was in a great mood and couldn't help but probe:
"If we are talking about extraordinary scenery, we should not mention the underworld or the netherworld, but only the heavens of the mortal world."

The magnificent scenery of the heavens, such as Luolongjian in Zhenwu Heaven, Qiaoming Gorge in Xudu Heaven, Shanghe Mountain, the Vacuum Desert in Jile Heaven, and Yunboze in Wuxiang Heaven, is truly breathtaking and unforgettable!

If the opportunity arises in the future, I wonder if Junior Sister Du would be able to travel together with me and remain good friends forever?

At first, Junior Sister Du was all smiles, but she was just blinking as she listened to what the man was saying.

When she heard the last sentence, her cheeks flushed crimson, and she playfully punched the man in the chest before turning and running away.

As the fist struck, the man sensed something amiss from the sound. When it hit, the protective aura around his body swayed wildly, like an oil candle flickering in the wind, trembling precariously.

"As expected of someone with the blood of the divine Nine Phoenix, even with my defenses, taking that punch still nearly knocked me unconscious..."

The man's brow twitched wildly, and he thought to himself, "What?"

Seeing that Junior Sister Du was blushing and silent beside him, he wanted to strike while the iron was hot, but was afraid of getting punched. After chuckling twice, he hurriedly took out a treasure box from his sleeve, lit it up, and began to get down to business.

The man and woman were both cultivators from the nearby Kunjue Di Miaohai Dao Palace.

The man was named Sun Hong, and the woman was named Du Feng; they were fellow disciples.

The reason we came to the Void Emperor Heavenly Cliff is because our masters have lobbied the Void Emperor Heavenly Lu Ou, so the two of us can openly ascend to this place and use treasures to collect the evil essence here, which we will bring back to the sect for weapon refining.

While Sun Hong urged the treasure box in his hand to draw down the evil spirits from the sky, he also urged the Crimson Tiger Whip hovering above his head to burst forth with fierce light to melt away the wind and snow.

As Sun Hong continued his journey, the solid ice and snow along the way gradually melted into warm water, emitting fine white steam, and cascaded down from the cliff top, like a light rain falling from the clouds.

Just as Sun Hong was getting into it, he suddenly saw a snowdrift several dozen feet away slowly melting, and a Taoist priest could be vaguely seen sitting cross-legged on the ground in the snowdrift.

Sun Hong's heart skipped a beat, and he exchanged a glance with Du Feng, who had rushed over.

Both of them were deathly pale, and for a moment they felt their scalps tingle.

He was able to sit in meditation with his eyes lowered in such a dangerous and frigid place, without relying on spiritual treasures or magic power. His aura was deeply hidden and restrained, and even they only noticed it when they got close.

Such a person must be a true master who has attained supernatural powers, possessing profound magical abilities and superb skills!
"What should we do?"

Sun Hong was afraid that his rash act of climbing to the summit had disturbed this man, and that he would inevitably suffer his wrath later.

After struggling for a while, he suddenly became serious and whispered to Du Feng:
"Junior sister, run! It was my fault anyway. That senior shouldn't hold a grudge against you. You should run now—"

Upon hearing this, Du Feng slowly shook his head, interrupting, "Senior brother is mistaken. If that senior intends to take offense, even if I run for a day and a night, it will be useless. And if he wants to be lenient, wouldn't my hasty departure offend him?" Seeing Sun Hong hesitate, Du Feng added:

"Senior brother, don't forget that Junior Brother Zhou angered Master Wang for something. Master Wang used a pill to turn him into a wild boar. He ate swill in the pen for a year before he was freed. Even our master couldn't persuade him."

The methods of a great cultivator far exceed our expectations; it would be best not to act rashly.

Sun Hong's face turned pale, and he could only helplessly agree.

The two whispered for a while, then stood obediently to the side waiting, looking as if they had conceded.

This anxious wait did not last long. In less than half a day, Sun Hong and Du Feng felt the rocks beneath their feet tremble slightly, as if an earth dragon was about to rise up.

In an instant, a deep, muffled thud suddenly rang out from above!
Suddenly, the snowdrift in the distance exploded, and amidst the flying snowflakes, a figure rose up on the wind, his black sleeves fluttering, exuding an indescribable sense of vastness and otherworldliness, as if he might fly up to the heavens at any moment, far away from the mortal world, making Sun Hong and Du Feng stare in disbelief.

When the handsome Taoist priest in the clouds glanced at them, the two felt an immense pressure coming down on them. They dared not look again and quickly lowered their heads respectfully.

At this moment, Chen Heng, who had just completed his breakthrough, had no time to pay attention to the two of them.

He looked inward and saw a primordial embryo, seemingly both real and illusory, floating and sinking within him, emanating a mysterious and profound aura. He nodded slightly and then looked away.

"The heart dies, the spirit lives; snow fills a thousand rivers, the moon reflects on ten thousand mountains; true will remains steadfast, the Milky Way flows into the mysterious gorge..."

Recalling his cultivation over the past few months, Chen Heng smiled and murmured a long, emotional verse.

Now that the Void and Dangerous Divine Sand has taken shape, all that remains is to return to Xudu Heaven and find a "Noble Grade Three" spiritual vein to plant it. In the future, it will yield a powerful and unique technique.

It is unknown where Chen Yu obtained the method for refining this divine sand.

Take Chen Heng as an example. If his opponent had managed to temporarily disable all of his sword techniques with divine sand during the duel, he would not only be crippled, but at the very least, he would be hampered and unable to unleash his full power.

"Fire, True Water, Divine Sand of Emptiness and Danger... This trip to the Void Emperor Heaven has truly been fruitful."

He thought to himself, then flicked his sleeve and fell from the sky again.

Sun Hong and Du Feng were about to perform a full bow in greeting when Chen Heng shook his head slightly, indicating that it was unnecessary.

Although he has transcended physical form and intellect, he is not entirely devoid of awareness of the outside world, and he is also secretly protected by magical artifacts such as the Escape Shuttle and the Five Qi Universe Ring.

If these two had really caused any trouble and disrupted his cultivation, they would have been captured long ago, and he wouldn't be able to stay here.

However, as he was leaving, perhaps due to the wondrous state of mind he had entered while refining the Void and Dangerous Divine Sand, Chen Heng simply followed his intuition and asked the two of them their names.

"Reporting to the senior, we are Sun Hong and Du Feng, disciples of the Kunjue Di Miaohai Dao Palace, and disciples of the True Man Shi Ding. The scripture we study is the 'Shaoguang Baolu,' one of the seventeen orthodox teachings of the Miaohai Dao Palace..."

Although somewhat surprised, Sun Hong and Du Feng exchanged a glance and honestly explained their family background in detail.

Chen Heng raised an eyebrow, listened patiently, nodded, and was about to leave when another figure who had been waiting in the air rushed forward and bowed repeatedly.

"Senior Lu Ou?!"

Seeing Lu Ou, who had been arrogant and domineering in front of his sect elders, now bowing repeatedly, Sun Hong's eyes widened and he couldn't help but exclaim.

When they first came to cultivate in the Void Emperor Heaven through Lu Ou's connections, they endured countless cold shoulders from his disciples.

The fact that this person could be so obsequious was truly an eye-opener for Sun Hong and Du Feng, and they found it hard to believe.

"Tai...Taihe Zhenren!"

To avoid being accused of "presumptuously guessing the emperor's will" by dissidents in the court, Lu Ou barely managed to swallow the last word.

He only thought of Sun Hong and Du Feng because of the gifts on the table. Since he was on official business, he also brought them to Huanya to see the two of them. If they didn't freeze to death or get injured, he would have already made the money in his pocket worthwhile.

Unexpectedly, Lu Ou caught a glimpse of Chen Heng's face at the top of the cliff, which was truly beyond his expectations, and he couldn't help but cheer with joy.

Not long after, after politely declining Lu Ou and his colleagues' suggestion to enjoy the scenery and have a banquet, Chen Heng did not linger. With a burst of sword energy, he vanished in an instant.

"Alas, I only regret that the preparations were made in such a hurry!"

Lu Ou stomped his feet repeatedly.

Although he couldn't help feeling a little disappointed, Lu Ou's mind immediately started working again when he glanced at Sun Hong and Du Feng, who were looking at each other in bewilderment behind him.

"Did Master Taihe just ask your names?" Lu Ou asked in a friendly manner.

After receiving a positive reply, Lu Ou's smile widened, and he quickly grabbed Sun Hong's arm, inviting the two of them to sit in the cave.

“But we are still ordered to collect evil essence…” Du Feng quickly interjected.

"A demon? Such a trivial matter is not worth mentioning!"

Lu Ou shook his head, waving his hand with boundless pride:
"I will give you two young fellow Daoists a hundred bottles of exotic magic later. Now, let's go down the mountain and wash off the frost, shall we?"

Sun Hong and Du Feng exchanged a glance, both overjoyed.

……

……

As Chen Heng leaped away from Huanya with his sword, Chen Yu in Zhuling Palace sensed it, and his white eyebrows twitched slightly.

"It's not slow," he commented.

"Not slow?" asked the dim-witted monk who was playing chess with Chen Yu across the river.

"After he comes to Zhuling Palace, he doesn't need to come to see me. You take him to the stone chamber and send him to my Daoist temple in the underworld," Chen Yu said.

"Such a talented and virtuous person, and a blood relative, why does Your Majesty not cherish him? This priceless gem could be passed down through generations. To leave him to the common people is surely a terrible choice," said the wise monk with a smile.

"He is a true disciple of the Jade Emperor, and has nothing to do with the commoners."

Chen Yu glanced at the muddle-headed monk and said calmly:
"After you take him there, return quickly, without saying a word or delaying."

The confused monk scratched his head helplessly and had no choice but to get up and agree.

A few days later, when Chen Heng arrived at Zhuling Palace again, he was led into the palace not by any guardian deity, but by the monk Zhihun himself.

The great Zen master had been unusually quiet and reserved throughout the journey, rarely revealing his emotions. Only after arriving at a secluded stone chamber did he suddenly speak:

"Does True Man Chen intend to become the Jade Emperor's disciple?"

Chen Heng looked at him, but before he could answer, the idiot monk continued:

"I observe that the struggle between the various sects and factions in the mortal world is not only a struggle of strength, but also a battle of background and wealth. If needed, I am willing to provide Chen Zhenren with external support."

After saying this, the monk Zhihun pushed open the stone chamber door, revealing a deep, weathered ancient well in the center of the inner room. He handed a talisman to Chen Heng and smiled, saying:
"The monks must come and go quickly, so I can't say too much, otherwise we'll have to eat vegetarian food for hundreds of years again."

I am a non-Buddhist monk, and the only thing I haven't gotten rid of in my life is my appetite. I really can't stand not eating meat. Please don't be offended.

As for why this place leads to the underworld, how it differs from the heavens of the mortal realm, and how you should cultivate the True Water...

Once you get there, simply activate this talisman, and someone will answer your questions. That person is quite a character; although he may be a bit disrespectful at times, he's actually quite interesting.

The monk Zhihun clasped his hands together, chanted a strange Buddhist chant, and then shook Chen Heng's shoulder, pushing him into the well.

This fall will seem to last only a short while, or perhaps a thousand years, flowing away silently, leaving behind a deep and dark expanse where nothing can be seen.

Occasionally, a few chants and whistling sounds would briefly rise and then disappear, like stones thrown into the sea, leaving no ripples.

After an unknown amount of time, when Chen Heng regained his footing, he composed himself and looked around, only to find himself standing in a dilapidated hut.

The tables, chairs, and beds were covered with a thick layer of dust, clearly indicating that no one had visited in a long time.

He tried to activate the talisman that the monk Zhihun had given him several times, but there was no response.

After pondering for a while, he secretly fastened the Mixed Gold Thunder Pearl in his sleeve and carefully walked out the door.

However, after walking less than a hundred steps from the door, Chen Heng heard a series of howls and wails coming from the back of the house.

He followed the sound toward the corridor and soon arrived at the back house. Peeking through the half-open broken door, he saw a skeleton holding a cloud-patterned vermilion brush, writing and reciting. When it got to the exciting parts, it couldn't help but shake its head and sway its body. It threw down the brush and paced back and forth in the room.

Upon hearing the voice, one could tell that the book was no legitimate classic; it seemed to be a storybook, written by the skeleton himself, with himself as the protagonist, and full of twists, turns, and unbelievable events.

"Alas, nine phoenixes carry imperial edicts, five elders hold imperial tablets, they drink dew and rosy clouds, achieving a profound unity with all things..."

How should the following be written? Should it be a rebellion first, then being summoned to court, and finally being personally appointed by the Heavenly Emperor as a Great Heavenly Venerable? No, that's somewhat illogical and troublesome. It should be written as—"

The skull tilted its head back and exclaimed loudly, only halfway through before belatedly turning its head and meeting Chen Heng's gaze from outside the house.

"Where did this stranger come from! Please do not enter without permission. Don't you know any manners?"

The skull seemed to have swallowed a wad of cotton, its voice abruptly ceasing. A moment later, it leaped up in a rage, pointing its halberd at Chen Heng:

"you you……"

When the skeleton saw the talisman in Chen Heng's hand, its anger subsided slightly, but then it became even angrier:
"You are from the Void Emperor Heaven, so why didn't you use a token to summon me? Etiquette! Etiquette! I'm not deaf or blind, you..."

He instinctively reached for his waist and was shocked to realize that he had used the talisman to prop up the table leg without his knowledge.

The skeleton froze, feeling even more embarrassed.

The two remained silent for a long while before the skeleton shakily raised its head and said with a bitter smile:

"I said... surely not? You didn't hear everything, did you?"

(End of this chapter)