Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1218 The Way Beyond
'fine…'

'Fortunately... I've already read through the entire Daoist canon of Dongting Lake over the past thousand years, so there's no need to search for anything, and no one can deduce anything with me. Thus, I returned from the heavens without making a sound...'

'Even the slightest movement... could cause any problems!'

The old cultivator, who had experienced the vicissitudes of ancient times, sat there in a daze, his state of mind completely changed. If it were Tang Xie, who had just achieved the Divine Pill, he might still be entangled in the Daoist traditions and sentiments of Tongxuan. But even though he was indifferent to worldly affairs, after the upheaval of the nation, he had long seen through the so-called sentiments here!
"This is no longer ancient times. In the struggle for the Great Dao, there are no fellow disciples or master-disciple relationships... As long as the interests of the Golden Throne align, one is a comrade... If... if [Dong Mu Tian] were to find out about this, I, Tang Xie, would be nothing more than an ant!"

Having witnessed countless magical techniques, Tang Xie did not hesitate for a moment; only one thought occupied his mind:
'Since ancient times, only those who have taken their positions on the chessboard and are out in the open have a chance to compete. Those who play covertly, with no way to advance or retreat, are held firmly in their grasp; how could they dare to harbor any disloyalty?'

He, a Lingbao cultivator, could laugh at the shallow backgrounds of 90% of the cultivators in the world. But when it comes to the real battle between True Monarchs and Immortals, the Lingbao lineage without a Golden Core is ultimately nothing!

'That's why this merchant came to see me...'

Although Tang Xie had been living in seclusion for many years, as a former Divine Pill cultivator, he was a man who could decisively abandon all the secret realm's lineage and cut his own throat to hide his head during the great upheaval of that year. He was not lacking in courage, strength, resourcefulness, or top-notch insight. Back then, when the immortals were still around, he was stationed in Miao Fan. Even if the Three Profound cultivators entered, they would have to give Ling Bao face and pay homage to him as the [Guan Miao Attendant God]!
Even though he was now a fallen tiger, and his former reputation was no longer valid, upon hearing just this one sentence, he made an extremely correct and accurate strategic judgment almost instantly:
'Once the Spiritual Treasure enters the realm of the sun and moon, the killing and harm of heaven and earth will no longer be merciless.'

His momentary lapse in attention caused Yuan Shang to hesitate. The celestial official straightened his sleeves, but waited in vain for a reply from the person before him. After a long while, he finally said:
"senior…"

These two words startled Tang Xi, whose gaze had returned to calm. He raised his eyebrows and said:

"With you in Chunyi Dao... we can bring glory to our ancestors."

Yuan Shang's eyes showed a hint of gratitude, and he sighed:
"It cannot be compared with Lingbao. Xu Xiang Zhenjun... can also be respected in Tongxuan. I have long heard of the prestige of the Five Immortals of Xuanxia."

This was, after all, a compliment from a Jielin Immortal, and Tang Xie should have been happy. However, whenever he heard the words "Tongxuan," his heart would pound.

The Tongxuan sect was quite prosperous. Although it was initially slightly inferior to Douxuan, it was superior because it had accumulated strength over time. The Five Immortals of Xuanxia were the five immortals worshipped in the secondary palace when Tongxuan Palace was in existence. Because they were not personally taught by the Tongxuan master, they were not of high seniority at the time, so they were placed in a secondary position. They were Shao Da, Xu Xiang, Tian Chen, Tian Wei, and Shen Qiang.

What others don't know, Tang Xie knows very well. He has even been to this temple. To put it bluntly, there is a Taoist statue of Tang Xie right under the feet of the statue of Xu Xiangxuan... These five immortals are not genuine.

'Back then… that troublemaker Wu Guan went to Douxuan as soon as he attained enlightenment, specifically creating the Three Lords and Five Immortals, but he didn't mention the word "Tongxuan" at all.'

"At that time, Qingxuan had the Eastern Lord of the Sun Palace, and few disciples, so there was no need to compete for such empty titles. However, Tongdou and Erxuan were arguing over who was superior, and Shangguan Zi couldn't stand it, so he also wanted to build a hall and bring out five immortals... In fact, when the side palace was built, only Shao Da and Xu Xiang were clearly Dao embryos, while the other three were not clear..."

In other words, there was a certain degree of rivalry among the five immortals. Xuan Da Tian and Miao Fan Tian truly deserved their titles and deserved more mention, while the other three were never mentioned again. However, Yuan Shang's question made Tang Xie truly puzzled, and he sighed:
"I never imagined that Chunyi Dao would recognize the names of the Five Immortals of Tongxuan Palace..."

Yuan Shang had assumed this wasn't a secret, but since the other party had asked, he had no choice but to tell the truth:
"Back when I had just become a Purple Mansion cultivator, I met a young man named Qi Wu'an. He had quite the imposing manner, claiming to be a descendant of the Spiritual Treasure lineage, which fooled everyone in the Purple Mansion. Later, Jingyi Mountain confronted him and exposed his deception, which allowed us Purple Mansion cultivators who were watching from the sidelines to learn many secrets..."

Upon hearing the name Jingyi, Tang Xie sighed softly and nodded to indicate that he understood. However, Yuan Shang had not forgotten the problem that Zhengao had placed before him years ago, and having held back for a long time, he said softly:

"Since you are an ancient cultivator, senior... are you familiar with the lineage of the Yuanxia School?"

"How could you not recognize it?"

Tang Xie appeared very polite, but inwardly he became wary. He smiled and replied, and Yuan Shang's face lit up with joy. He said:
"I wonder what their origins are, and what lineage they belong to now? I've also heard they're from Taiyin, and Taiyin resides in Qingxuan..."

Upon hearing this, Tang Xie was utterly astonished and frowned inwardly.
'Why are you asking me? This is an ancient immortal's abode; there's no need for me to ask.'

Deeply suspicious, he probed further, speaking slowly and deliberately:
"That's not difficult. I'll teach you a mantra: [Self-respect and supreme nobility are the path to enlightenment; the immortals of Tushita Heaven grant authority; concealing oneself in the rising sun reveals the true path; the primordial chaos and the unified Dao refine the Azure Mystery.]"

After Tang Xie finished speaking, he immediately observed the other party's expression and found that Yuan Shang nodded quietly without any expression.

'I recited their Qingxuan incantation, but he had never heard of it before!'

His doubts deepened, but he still straightened his clothes, bowed to show his respect for this person, and then said:

“The ancient cultivation tradition is different from today’s general practice of cultivating whatever the golden position points to. Yuanxia Zhenjun’s proof is in the ‘Taiyin’ position. He has accumulated many merits and has the power to command the gods. He is a Douxuan cultivator. The Taiyin and Taiyang positions are always in Qingxuan. Since he is Douxuan, we can guess that he must be a minor or intercalary position.”

"The secular surname of Yuanxia Zhenjun is Han, and his formal name is 'Weiyue Lintong Taiyin Xuanjun' and 'Yuanting Taiyin Zhenjun'. He was originally the Prince of Gaoping County. He began cultivating the Dao at the age of thirty-nine and achieved the Great Dao at the age of one hundred and nineteen. He established the Taiyuan Court. It is said that he died while seeking the Dao embryo."

"【Taiyuan Court】 originally had thirteen branches, which later split into six branches, and each branch disappeared one by one. The lineage of later generations either disappeared or was cut off, but one bloodline remained. Regardless of its rise and fall, the cultivators of later generations never dared to invade it."

Yuan Shang's expression gradually became thoughtful. Finally, he made up his mind, took out a jade talisman from his sleeve, handed it to him, and said softly:
"Is the method of forming a ring under the wall still being practiced? Senior, could you please tell me which lineage it belongs to?"

Tang Xie pressed down to read carefully, paused slightly, and a hint of shock appeared in his eyes. He said:

"This... the way of Taiyin Jielin, was once present in the Three Mysteries, namely Qingxuan [Xuandan], Douxuan [Yuanxia], Tongxuan [Shuolou] and [Guanhua]. There is a saying: Danhan Qudian Tingwutu, which is the good thing for the children of the first two families to go to Tongxuan to study."

"Passed down to later generations, Qingxuan went into hiding, Tongxuan had many disciples, and the three families became the main sects. This path undoubtedly belongs to [Yuanxia], but... judging from the writing style, the wording is domineering and all-encompassing, as if..."

He whispered:

"Looking at the lineage of Immortal Lord Qingyi, and considering the examples and historical records, it is highly likely that it was passed down by True Lord Chongyuan."

Yuan Shang's heart sank to the bottom in an instant—what he most wanted to hear was that this technique would be widely spread throughout the Three Mysteries, but now he heard a completely unfamiliar name. He raised his eyebrows and whispered:
"Who is this…"

Yukichido:
“You don’t know His name. When He attained enlightenment, flowers bloomed under the moon. He was in the ‘Lesser Yin’ region, and there was a grotto-heaven called ‘Wanling Heaven’.”

In an instant, Yuan Shang understood.

'Ningguo...it really is Ningguo...no wonder...'

'My Xi family is also a celestial clan that established the Great Ning Dynasty, and the Xi clan has also been to Wanling Heaven... This document is not the one passed down by Lian Yuanfu, it is truly a clan heirloom...'

The founder of Chunyi Daoist practiced in a grotto-heaven, and later went to Yuanfu to take up a post. In the end, he established Chunyi Daoist. Most of the various techniques and Taiyin supernatural powers in the lineage actually originated from the lineage of Yuanfu Daoist.

If we were to trace its origins, it would be nothing more than the legacy of the Yuanfu lineage. However, in the patriarch's description of his life, his departure from the grotto-heaven was described as: "[He bestowed a scroll and dispatched the Yuanfu]."

This sparked much speculation among the later cultivators, leading to ongoing disputes over the word "one scroll." After all, this Lord Yingze also held the position of Taiyin. If the gift from the sun was indeed the most core "Yuanxia Jielin Daojing" for seeking immortality, then Jiejun might also have been taught the Daoist lineage, only going to Yuanfu to supplement his supernatural powers and secret techniques.

Unfortunately, this scroll contained a secret, ingenious method that could not be brought out for debate. The Pure One Daoist cultivator could only bury his doubts in his heart. Furthermore, Jie Jun had always identified himself as a Sun cultivator, and the Yuan Prefecture had issued an order forbidding the use of the Taiyin name in any region. The Pure One Daoist was located in the East Sea, not even under the Yuan Prefecture's jurisdiction, and dared not claim to be from the Yuan Prefecture… All these factors forced the Pure One to respect the Sun…

Therefore, when Zhengao asked, his answer was nothing more than wavering between the sun and the primordial palace. Now that he knew the origin, he sat silently, accepting the result of this subversion of the Pure One Dao's principles, feeling a sense of bewilderment.

'Since it's the Yuan Dynasty, why call it the Sun...'

He remained silent for a long time, his gaze shifting to the hazy gray clouds in the sky. Yuki, standing beside him, unaware of the changes in his heart, was equally preoccupied.

'Since Yuan Shang claims to be from the Sun Dao lineage… this Sun Dao lineage… has several True Lords still alive! Furthermore, I've heard that these True Lords… seem to have gone their own way, and there's even a possibility they're harming their fellow disciples…'

What is the stance of these True Lords? Which side do they stand on in the grand scheme of things? And what's more, there's also the Yuan Mansion…

His thoughts raced, quickly connecting them to various correspondences in the present world. Unfortunately, he knew little, but the few words his disciple uttered filled him with unease. Suddenly, Yuan Shang whispered:

"How much do you know about the Yuan Mansion and the Donghua Dao Gui? Or rather... do you know the truth about the Yuan Mansion's seclusion back then?"

Tang Xi hadn't expected that he would think the same thing as him in an instant. He narrowed his eyes slightly, his previous doubts immediately resurfacing. Sensing something was wrong with the other person, he shook his head and said:
“I’ve heard of the Yuan Mansion, but I don’t know much about it. However, I’m curious… Since it’s the Qingxuan Dao lineage, you must know about it. I should be the one asking you questions. Why are you asking me?”

Yuan Shang was speechless for a moment, but Zhengao had indeed instructed him to find out his origins, and who knew when he would be able to go to heaven again. Finally, he shook his head and said bitterly:

"Senior, you may not know this... This method of forming a ring is my method of attaining the Dao. Because the lineage is unclear, it was not accepted by the upper realm, so I was sent down to guard it. Although the immortal general mentioned that those who can be stationed here must be the direct descendants of the master... However... I have had doubts for a long time. Now that I have finally met you, how can I not ask for some clues!"

Tang Xie listened with a mixture of understanding and surprise, and upon careful consideration, he became horrified:
'I see… The lineage is unclear?'

He has cultivated the Dao for thousands of years. Yuan Shang is clearly from the Gonghua lineage, so how could he be rejected because of the Jielin method? His own people climbed the ladder to their positions; why should we care whose ladder it is? If a True Lord attains enlightenment and uses another school's method of seeking gold, does that make him belong to that school? Absolutely not!

'What else could it be? It must be that there's something wrong with the Sun Dao lineage behind him!'

"It's true that the Sun Dao lineage is a branch of Heaven... even Yuanfu and Yingze might be from Heaven. But because Heaven is hidden, chaos has arisen within the Sun Dao lineage. Some True Lords have betrayed it, and others are even acting ambiguously, colluding with others... Heaven cannot reveal this for the time being, which is why they are 'not accepted'!"

A dark cloud settled over Yukichi's heart, and a sudden, mysterious thought crossed his mind:

'Something must have happened in the mortal world... Either these True Lords divided up the inheritance and murdered the people of the Yuan Mansion, or those who fell were loyal followers of Heaven. In any case, Heaven has already sensed that something is wrong...'

'What a pity...what a pity. If I could investigate the history of this world, I might be able to find these major changes. Unfortunately, I'm no longer suited to investigate any traces...'

If Tang Xie could investigate the various changes in the Sun Dao lineage and obtain the plans or records of the Golden Core level, he would definitely be able to comprehend seven or eight tenths of them. However, the whereabouts of Golden Core cultivators are often unknown, and Tang Xie would never ask Tongxuan Daoist about these secrets in a way that would be like trying to hide something obvious!
'Oh, right... and this person in front of me!'

His thoughts were in flux. He slightly raised his eyebrows, his gaze fixed intently on Yuan Shang, and said in a deep voice:

"I have a question for you, fellow Daoist—later...did the Sun Dao lineage have any dealings with the Yuan family?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shang's expression changed drastically. His mind seemed to be cleaved open by a terrifying lightning bolt, the chaos dissipated, and he gained enlightenment:

'Yes...yes...the matter of Master Guanyu can be attributed to the master's scheming, but Chunyi Dao...did Chunyi Dao truly do his best in the Donghua matter?'

The young man's face paled for a moment, and after a long pause, he lowered his head and said:

"Yes, that's true... They killed people, stole treasure... I was involved in everything... Those who weren't involved just stayed out of it... Sigh..."

'really! ’

The colors in Yukichi's eyes gradually became more complex, and a chill ran through him.

'He represents not only the fierce struggle between Heaven and the outside world, but also Heaven's hesitation... Who betrayed us, who feigned compliance, who remained aloof...? Naturally, he couldn't tell me, much less tell him—He is here because Heaven no longer trusts the Sun's lineage.'

Since ancient times, the betrayal between master and disciple has been an extremely sensitive topic. This is not about bias or the sect taking sides in the struggle for power, but rather an internal issue within the Daoist system. The master of the Three Mysteries painstakingly helped you achieve Dao with the resources of the Daoist lineage, yet coldly watched his junior brother perish. How could the other uncles and nephews view this? The upheaval in the state caused the Lingbao Daoist sect to plummet. How did Douxuan refer to it? He called it "the betrayal of the state." The word "betrayal" represents both betrayal and the virtue of earth, directly accusing the state of ingratitude—a very veiled and biting innuendo!

Even Tang Xie, who was uninvolved and helpless, has been ashamed to this day. He fears that if he were to cultivate the Purple Gold Path again, he would be ridiculed. How could he not understand this feeling!
'I'm being used to remind him, and he's being used to help me decide my stance...'

In that instant, Tang Xie looked at the young man before him and seemed to see himself years ago, pale-faced and hiding in the cave. He remained silent for a long time, looking at Yuan Shang who seemed to have understood something, and said softly:
"So, what did Chunyi Dao do in all of this?"

(End of this chapter)