Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1206, Chapter 1195, Hou Xuan (2)

Several gardenias lay on the pristine white jade table, and a purple jade slip was gently placed down in the center. The man wrote a few words on a small letter to his left and began to ponder.

'【Sanyang Suiguang】is the main theme…'

Tinglan and Ningwan's suggestions do not currently show any overt bias, but the length of each formation's approach varies, and Li Jiangqian can clearly see the inclination—whether from the perspective of the magical abilities of the spirit creatures or the ingenuity of the approach, [Sanyang Suiguang] is the top choice.

'This is something that cannot be decided hastily.'

Li Ximing had specifically instructed that there was a True Man in the Shiqi who cultivated the Yinshui, who was generous in collecting Shaoyang. He was also backed by a True Lord who had been manifest in the world for many years, so he was definitely not a stingy person. The Sanyang Suiguang was also extremely valuable.

"The land of the Female Water is far to the far east. Master Guo is in seclusion, and none of the family's True Immortals can actually go there. Sending a Foundation Establishment cultivator... safety is secondary; the real headache is... the lineages of the Worldly Navel are hidden in the world, ordinary cultivators simply can't find them, and Foundation Establishment cultivators can't rely on the Void Realm, the journey would take far too long!"

Li Jiangqian had made many arrangements to make the most of the time, so he couldn't let it be wasted like this. A thought quickly formed in his mind:
"Since we're going to send this idea to Master Yuanbian anyway, we might as well take the message with us and have him go to the Worldly Gate on behalf of my family. Since he's family and a master of array formations, we can let him make the decision!"

He had considered the handover with Donghai, and had sent a group of people back to report some time ago. Now he had summoned them, given them instructions, and approved a spirit boat to go to Donghai under the pretext of returning home. He then sent Miaoshui alone to go out by his own route in case something happened on the way.

After he finished arranging everything, he was still thinking about whether he had overlooked anything when he saw a person rushing up. He was dressed in red with a jade-like face and was holding a pole in his hand. It was none other than his uncle, Li Zhouming!

"I've seen a real person!"

"Uncle...you absolutely mustn't!"

Seeing Li Zhouming bow, Li Jiangqian was somewhat surprised and immediately stood up, only to see the young master say in a low voice:

"I have something to discuss with you—the morning light is quite lovely, so I rented two boats and went out onto the lake..."

Li Zhouming was a man of many eccentricities. Although he enjoyed boating on the lake, he refused to own a boat himself. Whenever he needed one, he would simply rent one from someone, spending lavishly. This caused the boatmen on the lake to wait for him day after day. Before Li Jiangqian could ask any further questions, this uncle, unusually serious, continued:
“I was resting my boat on the west bank when I heard people in the sky talking. They said they were coming to see two immortals on the lake to deliver cultivation techniques. They were gone in the blink of an eye. I dared not delay, so I came over immediately.”

Li Jiangqian didn't think much of it, nodded calmly, and said:

“I understand, Uncle, there’s no need to make a fuss.”

"I understand it's something that can't be said."

Li Zhouming nodded, picked up the oar, and hurriedly went down. Li Jiangqian, on the other hand, secretly shook his head.
There's absolutely no time to rest!

Who else could this so-called "true person" be? It's naturally someone from the Golden Feather Sect!

This immortal sect is no pushover; they're known for their scheming. This visitor clearly considered that the Li family was hiding Li Quewan, and that if she got involved with Jin Yi, she might be recognized by someone with ulterior motives. So they didn't even bother to show their faces to their subordinates.

This consideration was quite thoughtful, but the matter of the "Complete Elixir" was sensitive, and the other party would definitely want to see his younger sister. Li Jiangqian secretly felt that it would be difficult to deal with, so he had no choice but to press the jade talisman on his waist to summon Li Quewan, and then ride the fire and step into the void!
Sure enough, two people were standing in the void outside the mountain.

The woman at the head of the group was dressed in gold, with a beautiful face and fair skin. Her eyes were full of laughter. She glanced at Li Jiangqian and said with a smile:

"Fellow Daoist Changli, it's been a long time!"

This woman is none other than Zhang Duanyan!
Zhang Duanyan had actually visited the Li family before. Back then, when the Mingyang affair was about to fall into Jianghuai, Luoxia issued an edict to Jin Yi, which was then read aloud by her. Decades had passed in the blink of an eye, and when the two met again, they were already two real people.

"This is my family's true person, who has also entered the grotto-heaven, and should be an acquaintance of yours!"

She smiled and stepped aside for a man behind her. This man looked extremely young, dressed in a blue robe. Upon seeing Li Jiangqian, he returned the greeting and quietly said:
"My name is Su Yan, and my Daoist name is Huaiping. I greet you, fellow Daoist."

"So it was Master Su."

Li Jiangqian had already recognized him, but she still pretended to be surprised and said:
"Your deeds are truly remarkable, leaving Guan Gongxiao scrambling and helpless. Now that I have witnessed them, I must respectfully pay my respects to you."

Su Yan bowed and said:
"You flatter me, Master. It's just a matter of bad luck."

When Zhang Duanyan visited the Li family years ago, it would have been arrogant for Li Jiangqian to sit in the main seat, but it would have been self-degrading not to. They could only talk in the courtyard. Now, things are different. The three of them have ended up in the mountains, and he has generously taken the main seat, saying:

"please!"

Zhang Duanyan sat down, exchanged a few pleasantries, and inquired about Li Zhouwei's injuries. Li Jiangqian then repeated the same words he had used to appease Xuan Yi earlier, saying that Li Ximing was refining pills. The immortal, however, didn't quite believe it, and only sighed, looked around, and said:
"Where is your younger sister?"

'really! ’

Li Jiangqian felt a pang of sadness. Before he could answer, Zhang Duanyan had already raised his head and looked at a woman who had landed on the other side. He scrutinized her features and measured her supernatural powers.

She cultivated the "Golden Aperture Heart," which possessed considerable mystical properties. Ordinary people could sense something from just a glance or two, but the woman before them had obscure supernatural abilities and could not be seen clearly. Yet, she understood in her heart:
"Hou Shenshu, that's Li Quewan!"

Then he stood up and said with a smile:

"I've heard of your reputation for a long time, and now that I've met you, you truly are a first-rate person!"

Li Quewan had just received the spiritual treasure and secretly nurtured it with her supernatural powers. Not long after, she was summoned by her brother. She had been secretly observing him outside using her inner energy detection technique and was secretly wary. She politely bowed and said:

"You're too kind, seniors. I'm not famous at all, unlike Jin Yi Ding Sheng. I've heard of all of you before."

Zhang Duanyan smiled and said:
"It's hard to say. In the next few hundred years, who knows who will be listening to whose reputation?"

She immediately stood up, stepped forward, and said seriously:
"The name of the noble genius has actually been known in my sect for a long time. The elders and disciples of each lineage are very happy, thinking that he is a rising star who will help us to take the place of our elders... I was going to come and see you anyway... but something happened in the sect and I was delayed for a long time."

Li Quewan lowered her brows and said:

“How can a junior compare to True Man Qiushui? My King Wei’s greatest expectation for me is that after the ‘Complete Elixir’ is returned to its place, I will achieve several more divine and wondrous effects to protect the clan. At that time, I will come to pay my respects to Jin Yi’s mountain gate again.”

Hearing this, Zhang Duanyan understood the implication, waved his hand, and said:
"But it wasn't that early."

These words were of great significance, prompting Li Jiangqian to sip his tea. Zhang Duanyan continued:

“Since Que Wan achieved the ‘Hou Shen Shu’, naturally the origin of my family elder’s ‘Hua Gong Bao Xing’ technique is also in this supernatural power. She asked for the Dao, but she could not actually transform the divine corpse. So she transformed mercury, enjoyed the lifespan of the divine corpse, and gathered the divine essence to achieve the Dao. Therefore… my family collected all the elixirs in the world for her, which delayed Que Wan’s cultivation. We are sorry!”

"That's all thanks to the abilities of each party; how could we possibly feel indebted?"

She rose to bow, but the two members of the Li family dared not let her truly apologize. They quickly helped her up and sincerely said a few words. Zhang Duanyan said solemnly:

“I’m not just saying this; I genuinely intend to make amends. Que Wan is cultivating the [Hou Shu Golden Book], isn’t he? The four golden books of the 'Complete Elixir' are all complete in my lineage. They are a closely guarded secret, but if Que Wan needs them, he can come to my mountain to exchange them!”

Li Quewan was slightly taken aback, and tentatively asked:
"But what about the [Fourteen Prefaces to the Golden Book]?"

Zhang Duanyan smiled:
"Exactly!"

Li Jiangqian sighed:
"I've heard it's been lost for a long time, but I never imagined that your sect alone has four copies!"

The direct descendant of the Golden Core cultivator smiled and shook his head upon hearing his words, explaining:

"It's not that there are four books, it's that there are four 'Complete Elixir' books among them!"

These words silenced the mountain, and Zhang Duanyan said solemnly:

"In the 'Fourteen Prefaces of the Golden Book,' there are two books on Su De and four books on Quan Dan, which are the lineage of Su Jing. At that time, this person, who upheld the 'Theory of Su De,' instructed his disciples to choose three from the four 'Quan Dan' and then choose one or two from Su De to match, thus completing the five methods."

Li Jiangqian's expression immediately became focused, and he asked suspiciously:

"Three 'Complete Elixir' and two 'Pure Virtue'? How can one possibly cultivate like this!"

Zhang Duanyan said solemnly:

"Yes! Not only can He, He has even managed to train several True Lords!"

"How many?"

This quantifier is extraordinary, indicating that the lineage behind the "Fourteen Prefaces of the Golden Book" is not an ordinary lineage. Even in the Middle Ages, as long as there are three or even four True Lords, it will definitely be a great lineage that enjoys a great reputation for a time!

Zhang Duanyan didn't take it to heart, nodded and smiled, and said:
"This is called 'Three Same and Two Different,' which is the method for calculating leap years."

“I once served under the Venerable Master Qiushui and heard her speak of [Sujing] – this great man is quite legendary. Although the Purple Gold Dao lineage had been secretly spreading before Him, it was He who truly made all the righteous paths openly engage in cultivation, even driving a great wave of ancient cultivation of the Purple Gold Dao. And [Three Same Two Different] is also the earliest method of seeking leap years in the Purple Gold Dao!”

Zhang Duanyan was determined to teach, and the other three on the mountain, all ambitious, listened intently. The woman observed them as she whispered:

"This method was initially limited to the Su De, but later, cultivators from all over the world followed one after another. There were many cultivators outside of the Su De who tried to achieve the Dao with the [Three Same and Two Different]. However, these people either stopped at the Four Divine Powers or simply passed away while cultivating the last Divine Power. After several Great True Persons fell in succession, everyone observed carefully and these Purple Gold cultivators gradually came to their senses."

"The origin of the 'Three Same, Two Different' method is essentially due to the personal guidance of Lord Su Jing. It is extremely intricate, with everything from cultivation techniques and supernatural abilities to methods for seeking gold tailored to the individual. As cultivators without any background, they only have one chance to try and fail, which led to the later 'Four Same, Two Different' intercalation method, which is the intercalation method commonly used in the world today!"

She sighed:
"If finding a leap year with three identical and two different results is like finding a needle in a haystack, then finding four identical and two different results is at least like catching fish in a lake. Although both are equally doomed to fail, at least you can refine the gold!"

Li Que nodded thoughtfully, while Li Jiangqian narrowed his eyes slightly, patted his teacup without speaking, and Zhang Duanyan's eyes flickered as he smiled:

"There is a little rumor here—True Lord Sujing is recruiting cultivators from all over the world to seek Sude, not for no reason, but because He... is actually looking for someone."

"Find someone?"

Not only did Li Quewan raise her eyebrows, but even Su Yan looked over with slight surprise. The woman sighed:
"It is said that before this True Lord attained enlightenment, he had a Daoist partner surnamed Wang, whose given name was Yu. They were husband and wife from childhood. The two of them achieved perfect supernatural powers one after the other. His Daoist partner attained enlightenment first, but failed and died. He attained enlightenment in grief and traveled to the netherworld, but could not find a trace of true spirit. He refused to believe it and preferred to believe that he had been reincarnated ahead of time."

Zhang Duanyan sighed:
"His [Dragon and Tiger Platform] was set up for his wife. The Golden Book was written by the couple before he attained enlightenment, gathering fellow Daoists and pooling their wisdom to write it. At that time, it was called the Fourteen Volumes. After he attained enlightenment, he reorganized it, checked for omissions and filled in gaps, like intimate instructions. This is why it is called the [Fourteen Prefaces of the Golden Book]. Unfortunately... even until he died while seeking the Dao, he never found that one."

The woman sighed with a hint of melancholy.
"In this day and age, the three witches are not in harmony, and the netherworld is not thriving. Since she failed to attain enlightenment and is now unable to reincarnate, she has been submerged in the dust of history."

Li Quewan understood immediately:
'No wonder…no wonder the [Hou Shu Golden Book] is written so intimately and gently…so that's the reason! No wonder this golden book is so wondrous; it was personally written by a True Lord of the Pure One Nature!'

After she finished speaking, she took out a wooden box from her sleeve and said with a smile:

“My master has read the words that Master Zhaojing wrote in the Golden Scroll. Since it is a nobleman who wants to exchange for it, he would never just talk about it—this item is indeed one of the Golden Books!”

"Oh?"

Although Li Jiangqian had observed Jin Yi's attitude all the way and was almost certain that Jin Yi had come with goodwill, he was also surprised that the other party was so willing to spend so much money - there are no trace of the top three-grade cultivation techniques nowadays, and the most advanced ones in the mortal world are the sixth grade, not to mention that this is a Golden Core inheritance written by a True Monarch!
Li Quewan's eyes gleamed with admiration as he watched the other person push the wooden box towards him, and he replied:

"this…"

"It's fate."

Zhang Duanyan didn't give her a chance to speak, but quietly said:

"This golden book is called the 'White Stream Golden Book.' Before being revised by True Lord Sujing, it was called the 'White Stream Scroll.' It was compiled by True Lord Sujing and his wife with a close friend. This friend... later attained enlightenment and moved to another realm..."

"His honorable name is [Golden One Supreme Origin Azure True Lord]".

In the stillness of the mountains, the light in Li Jiangqian's eyes dimmed, but a newfound light shone in his heart:

'No wonder he knew so much; it turns out that True Lord Taiyuan was a close friend of Sujing… No wonder… no wonder! What difference could there be between different lineages? Even the Zhang family, who possessed the [Fourteenth Preface to the Golden Book], wouldn't be surprised!'

'Jinde's reputation as an evergreen tree is truly well-deserved!'

Li Quewan also stood up and said respectfully:

"So it is the legacy of the True Lord! This junior is humbled!"

Zhang Duanyan then laughed and said:

"What's there to be afraid of? Receiving the [White Flood Golden Book] is considered a gesture of respect to my family's sect!"

Li Quewan nodded solemnly and said softly:

"We are deeply grateful for the kindness shown to us by the immortals. Such a noble act is beyond words..."

Zhang Duanyan's eyes flickered, and he said seriously:
"Given the relationship between the two families, there is no need to worry too much. Although Master Zhaojing said he would change the terms, it is not enough to cause the nobles to suffer a huge loss. It is just a bit presumptuous, and I am afraid that the nobles will be reluctant to part with it."

Li Jiangqian hadn't expected the Jin family to be so powerful and wealthy, and that they actually had places where he could find his own things. He frowned inwardly, while the woman before him said:
"Years ago, my elders went overseas and visited a celestial realm. There they saw an ancient spiritual object, thinking it would be of great use to Uncle Tianque, and were delighted. However, they unexpectedly encountered Master Tantai and were defeated by him, losing the spiritual object... Later, they overheard that this thing was in the hands of a nobleman..."

Li Quewan was stunned:
"【Three Phases of the Mysterious Fire】?!"

"Exactly!"

Upon hearing this, Li Quewan was indeed in a dilemma. Zhang Duanyan was right. This thing was no longer a huge loss for the Li family, but it was still an important spiritual fire for Li Ximing's alchemy, and it was also the first wisp of spiritual fire he had obtained, so it was indeed of some significance!
She was in a dilemma for a moment, but another thought quickly came to mind:
'Master Tianque…does he really need such a small wisp of true fire?' But since Zhang Duanyan has spoken, this thing must be of extraordinary importance to them, so there's no reason to refuse.

The two men from the Li family exchanged a glance. Li Jiangqian instantly came to a conclusion and sighed almost without hesitation:

"That's unfortunate... My father's injuries are severe, and my great-uncle is doing everything he can to refine pills to heal him. Now that this batch of pills has been started, there's no reason to interrupt it... I wonder if your noble family is in a hurry for this item?"

This reason was just right, making Zhang Duanyan hesitate to speak. The woman paused slightly, then said hesitantly:
"There's no rush..."

Li Quewan immediately took over the conversation, saying:
"Please wait a moment, senior. I will go to the cave immediately to ask my elders!"

Jin Yi was not easily fooled. Zhang Duanyan would definitely not agree without a clear answer. Since this was offered a way out, she readily agreed. Li Quewan then withdrew from the mountain and hid in the Purple Mansion Formation. With doubts, she went into the cave. Seeing the sun and moon shining together, her inspiration surged.

The world was as calm and still as ever. When Li Quewan appeared, she saw her elders sitting upright on the table, surrounded by piles of jade slips, looking as if they were deep in thought.

Li Ximing's alchemy skills were extremely high, and more importantly, he possessed absolute control over fire. In the present world, several alchemy masters had passed away or gone far away. According to Li Quewan's own judgment, leaving aside a few immortal sects, his great-uncle should be able to sit firmly in first place in alchemy in Jiangnan today. However, the [Qingya Wutu Disaster] and the [Taiyin Pill] were not ordinary things, which naturally caused him great distress.

Li Quewan didn't linger, only explaining Zhang Duanyan's purpose, which made the Zhaojing Zhenren frown and look at the red and white flames of the alchemy furnace being nurtured to the side.

'The third phase is associated with the Black Fire...'

This fire had been with him for many years, achieving remarkable feats in alchemy. It was a spiritual fire with exceptional functionality. Although he was reluctant to part with it, he still sighed softly.
"At least my family benefited, so why shouldn't we give it to them?"

Li Quewan also frowned and said:
"But... this junior doesn't understand, why does a lineage like Jin Yi necessarily require the [Three-Holding Mysterious Fire]?"

Li Ximing, however, remembered something and said regretfully:
"This fire was indeed obtained from Master Tantai. He reminded me at the time that this fire was an exception among true fires, and the remaining space of the true fire it faced still responds to, retaining the characteristics of its ancient origins..."

"I see!"

Li Quewan pondered for a moment and immediately reacted:
"Could it be... that True Person Tianqiu has already surpassed the Purple Realm and is preparing to seek the Dao!"

"Nine times out of ten!"

Li Ximing shook his head regretfully, while Li Quewan, feeling slightly guilty, replied:

“It was my trouble with my family… When I returned from Jiuqiu, the old master asked me to bring back my great-uncle’s [Qiaoping Li Fire]. I took the opportunity to transform it into a flame for alchemy, so that the master could refine the elixir.”

Li Ximing shook his head and said:
“It’s not entirely your business. Since they want this, even if they don’t exchange it for the golden book, they’ll find another reason. As long as it’s useful to the family, that’s fine. I’m only considering one thing—can I delay this for three to five years so I can get rid of this pill?”

Li Quewan nodded in understanding:
“This shouldn’t be difficult. I’m certainly not in a hurry to use it, and his family just wants a promise. My brother has already prepared an excuse. We can just go along with the conversation.”

Now that she had arrived in this world, she wouldn't have come for nothing, so she said:

"There has been a reply regarding the matter between Grand Uncle and Situ Huo. He has prepared a herb called 'Lushui' [Spring Morning Drizzle]."

Li Ximing smiled and said:

"The 'Secret Method of Subduing the Barbarians' looks intimidating, but as you and I have both seen, it's missing the other half of the diagram at its core... You were born later, so you may not know, but the Tangjin sect is in utter chaos. It was once a battleground between Jin Yi and Qingchi, and even those at the Zifu level didn't fare well. But he's a greedy and ruthless man, and he hasn't cared about the Tangjin sect at all these years. He's not doing it for the sake of family inheritance, but for profit..."

"That old man is cunning. This dose of [Spring Morning Drizzle] is decent, but it's rare and has some use for the King of Wei's elixir. We're all at the Purple Mansion level and will have to work together in the future, so we shouldn't harm him too much and cause trouble later."

Having received permission, Li Quewan reminded him:
"According to my lineage, this substance is condensed using the [Spring Suspended Qi]. I suddenly remembered that my family also has this ancient method of gathering Qi, but I don't know where it came from... Is it possible to imitate it..."

Li Ximing thought for a moment and replied:
"Back then, when I went to the Xuanmiao Temple, I ran into a direct descendant of Master Qi who was collecting spring rain. I asked him a question, and he seized the opportunity to ask my family for help. At the time, I didn't know the implications and ignored him..."

He smiled and said:
"It seems that Situ Huo has gotten involved with Su Mian. I wonder how many good things he has up his sleeve. I can exchange a few more with him."

Li Quewan remembered this, then retreated from the cave, dispelling the spiritual energy on his body. He floated out and saw the fairy of Jin Yi, showing a troubled expression. He said:

"It's really unfortunate that Grand Uncle's batch is only half-finished... How about this, after three to five years, when this pill is complete, I will immediately take the fire and personally go to the mountain gate to exchange it, as a sign of respect!"

Zhang Duanyan had actually anticipated this, but said seriously:
"In that case, five years from now, I will meet with fellow Daoist Jin Yi."

After she finished speaking, she got up to leave. The two immortals escorted her along the vast emptiness all the way to the lake. Zhang Duanyan pointed at Su Yan and sighed meaningfully:
"If there is an opportunity in the future, I hope you two masters can give him some pointers!"

……

Dark clouds and high winds shook the surrounding area.

"What I say today must be known to you, and no third person must know about it!"

The cave was dark, with moonlight flowing like water across the floor. The mirror high above emitted a dim light in the darkness. The young master kept his head down and remained silent.

The master on the bed had lost all his spiritual energy like water, leaving him in a daze, his eyes filled with sorrow, and his voice trembling slightly:
“Master…Lord Li…it was actually Master who caused this.”

The person on the couch lay motionless in the darkness, silent for a moment, with the faint sound of rapid breathing.

"Shao Shang... I'm no genius, I rose from humble beginnings, I don't deserve your pity... But Li Yuanwei... Li Yuanwei is doomed... Who can let him ascend to Shaoyin? Who dares to let him ascend to Shaoyin!"

His voice gradually became hoarse, yet it still carried an unwavering stubbornness:
“Since he’s doomed…since he’s doomed, why not let him ask Taiyin? Wouldn’t it be better to explore a path…besides, the white hair was obtained together, but he didn’t succeed. You can blame me for that. What if he had succeeded?”

The man kneeling on the ground had a sorrowful yet cold gaze, and whispered:
"Master, you're just fooling me with these thoughts..."

The person on the sickbed groaned again. His heart, once overflowing with worry, had been overwhelmed, leaving him no time to ask questions. Now, doubts welled up in his mouth, but he couldn't bear to say more, falling silent. His master continued to groan:
'You should prove the truth! You should prove the truth!'

'I have attained enlightenment, Master.'

His limbs were so cold that he felt a phantom pain. He lowered his eyes and found that his tears were even more like frost. His back felt like it was breaking. The terrifying sense of loss and despair from his exile in Shengyang Prefecture still lingered in his heart, but what was even more intense was despair.

'The moon is abandoned.'

This was the sin of both master and disciple. Everything Li Yuanwei had experienced back then, Xi Shaoshang would have to go through. Yet, suppressing the excruciating pain, his trembling lips continued to murmur:

'But...but one can be completely innocent.'

This was a plea for mercy to the cultivators of the underworld, but also a prayer to the Yin in the darkness. He was completely unaware of it and almost fainted. All he felt was a sorrow that made him want to vomit blood.

How long has it been?

Since his master Yan Yi and Heng Zhu's Yan Que emerged together and perished one after the other, Xi Shaoshang had not felt such earth-shattering pain for a long time. More often, the pain emanating from those unknown past events was mild and recurring, not enough to make him lose hope.

He was half asleep and half awake, and after an unknown amount of time, he suddenly awoke from the excruciating pain in the Shengyang Mansion, and a sliver of consciousness returned to him in a daze.

It must have been...some time ago.

Despite the heavy, tired feeling in his eyelids, Yuan Shang slowly opened his eyes and vaguely saw the hazy sky, a mixed and unclear gray, as if shrouded in a thin gray veil.

'Perhaps it has reached the underworld.'

Although he didn't feel that he had been stripped of his supernatural powers and that a trace of his soul remained, the intense pain drove him to turn around and search for the ghost messengers and judges.

But there was no one around.

The surroundings were faintly illuminated by moonlight, and the rocks were jagged. Apart from the heavy darkness, only the white brick and tile fragments lay in the ruins, half-dead and frozen in place—just like Xi Shaoshang.

That glance was like an extremely refreshing elixir, dispelling the chill that had lingered in his mind. He was as if he had been awakened from a nightmare. Although his hands and feet were still cold and numb, his mind was recovering at an astonishing speed.

'Where is this...where is this?'

In that instant, he transformed from the despairing Xi Shaoshang into the Yuan Shang Zhenren, a cultivator of five hundred years. His gaze lingered on that half-moon-white brick, and he suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.

'【Taiqun Lingjian】.'

He was all too familiar with it; he had been trapped in that tiny space for decades, and he knew every color, every pattern, and even every incantation clearly.

His hands trembled violently, and his pupils, which had turned moon-white, were dilated to their limit. His gaze moved upwards little by little along the traces of the white brick and tile fragments that had rolled over, passing over the scattered white fragments, and saw sections of white staircases, some broken and some intact.

Yuan Shang's breathing quickened and became heavy. He raised his head in disbelief, his heart pounding with anxiety and uncertainty. His gaze followed the moonlight upwards, until he finally saw rows of jade pillars of varying lengths. Behind the pillars were window frames, high eaves, dark thresholds, and lintels...

This is a mysterious hall.

Despite its dilapidated and weathered appearance, the corners still exude grandeur. The eaves seem to reflect the vastness of the sky and the bright moon, while the pillars possess the divine and divine qualities of the immortals. Even though it has been ravaged by wind and rain, it still retains a clear light and stands between heaven and earth.

This is enough.

It was neither the Netherworld nor the Eastern Mu, nor any of the terrifying Daoist traditions of this world. There were no gods or immortals in the sky, nor any endless colors. There was only a mysterious palace that had weathered many vicissitudes, with scattered floating islands hanging in the sky. It seemed as if everything had been torn apart by a terrifying battle, yet it pleased him more than any other grand pavilion in the heavens.

Yuan Shang's terrifying supernatural powers vanished, and his all-seeing spiritual sense no longer surrounded him. Everything about him had been stripped away in the Underworld Palace. Now, the sensation in his limbs was an unparalleled miracle—who could do that? Who could allow a cultivator whose body and soul had perished at the time of his demise to still retain a body and consciousness?
This made him breathe rapidly, and he stared intently, as if he had drunk a bowl of scalding hot wine, and the coldness in his limbs seemed to be dispelled.

He was terrified that the Xuan Palace would disappear in the next instant, so he dared not look away for a moment. He struggled to control his body and reached out to pry open his feet. The feeling was extremely cold, but he didn't care. He turned his two unruly feet to face the front and knelt down in front of the palace.

After he had knelt properly, he looked at the jade plaques lying on the ruins, one on each side, one on the jade steps, which read:

'【Master of Immortal Cultivation in the Xuanzang Hall】'

Lying in front of the door, it reads:

'【Taiyin Palace...Presented to the Minister of the Palace】'

The characters were barely legible, yet he didn't need to scrutinize them; a sudden understanding dawned on him. Upon seeing the characters for "Taiyin," his eyes reddened, tears streamed down his face, and his heart ached. He bowed three times before looking at the plaque beneath the high eaves, where he saw two eerie lights emanating from the dark eaves:
"【Zhonghan Palace】."

Yuan Shang rolled up his sleeves, wiped away the tears streaming down his face, and finally had the strength to stand up. All his supernatural powers had vanished, but he staggered to the steps and laboriously lifted the couplet back onto the jade pillar.

Having done all this, his remaining strength was completely exhausted. He moved back to the front of the hall, looked at it a few times with tears in his eyes, kowtowed, and sobbed hoarsely:
"me…"

"I have attained enlightenment, Master!"