Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1289 Seeking Treasure
Xiao Chuting seemed to have guessed his thoughts, and shook his head with a smile:
"The Kan River is dry. Since I cultivate the Kan River, I also have some understanding of the Fu River... This Fu River has a flaw. Only four supernatural powers can be cultivated. However, the difficulty of seeking the Dao has not decreased. Even Chen Yin, who used the [Hidden Dragon Seeking Transformation Secret Method], failed to cultivate it. This is the end of his life."

His tone was calm, yet it coldly sealed Chen Yin's fate, severing his path. Li Zhouwei, however, had long harbored doubts and quietly said:
"His repair of the mansion's water system is also stuck in the Three Divine Powers. As for the origin of the so-called Purple Immortal Threshold, I still need to ask the senior for advice."

Xiao Chuting knew that he was now also a master of the Three Divine Powers, stuck at the Purple Realm, so he wasn't surprised. He simply said quietly:
"The word 'can' means addition, mixture, seeing, and enlightenment. Proving the remainder is addition, proving the intercalary position is mixture, proving the fruit is seeing, and proving the Dao is enlightenment. The word 'can' encompasses the fruit position, the intercalary position, the remainder position, and the original self. The wonder lies in the fact that 'can' also refers to the third of the three supernatural powers. 'Can Zi' means to prove the gold!"

"The so-called Purple Immortal Threshold is actually closely related to the path of enlightenment in the pursuit of gold. Those with discernment will surely seek enlightenment for themselves here and dare not rush in!"

He smiled and said:
"But at its core, it lies in the connection between supernatural powers and the sense of being of high status, which is what is commonly referred to as fate, which is invisible and intangible!"

Li Zhouwei fell into deep thought, while the old man raised his hand, extended three fingers, and quietly said:
"The essence of supernatural powers is the resonance of venerable positions. To make an inappropriate analogy, if a cultivator has a Water Combination Supernatural Power within his body, this supernatural power can resonate with the [Remainder Position], [Fruit Position], and [Leap Position], thereby possessing various mysteries."

"These three venerable positions also guide this supernatural power, like three spirit beasts carrying the supernatural power forward, forming a chariot. The tracks left by the chariot are the path of the cultivator."

The old man said calmly:
"Some say the fruit position is the dragon, the leap position is the phoenix, and the remaining position is the tiger. Others say it is the three horses: male, female, and young. Each family has its own interpretation. In reality, the conditions vary, and there are more than just these three categories, but they can generally be classified into these three categories."

"When one's supernatural powers are shallow, they are pure but incomplete, secretly aligning with the remaining positions, which in turn generate strength. When one's supernatural powers are somewhat complete, the remaining positions have become lax, yet they are still half-formed and awaiting change, secretly aligning with the intercalary positions, which in turn generate strength again. When one's supernatural powers are nearly complete, the intercalary positions become distracted, which is just the right time to attract the attention of the fruition-level positions!"

"This is the path to enlightenment in the Purple Mansion Golden Elixir Dao, an extremely ingenious method!"

Xiao Chuting sighed in admiration, then said with regret:
"However, the three beasts were not of one mind. The one in the first position went straight ahead and tried its best. The others followed closely but kept stopping and starting. The one in the second position went further and further astray and even changed direction."

"The further you go, the more obvious this scene becomes, to the point that cultivation becomes increasingly difficult."

His idea was extremely novel, which caught Li Zhouwei's eye, but the old man's words were tinged with unease:
"Until the Three Supernatural Powers."

“Cultivators may attain enlightenment through righteous means, realizing the fruit and the rest; or they may achieve the three same and two different, focusing on the one leap year; or they may achieve the four same and the one different, seeking the rest and the leap year. What they have in common is that they have three fundamental supernatural powers. When they reach the point of having three supernatural powers, the steed of the fruit position still moves straight forward, the steed of the rest position hesitates, and the steed of the leap year position, which has the greatest strength at this moment, has already turned around and stubbornly headed in another direction.”

"So the carriage was left crookedly on the ground in Shengyang Prefecture. The three supernatural powers were frozen in place, and the entire Shengyang Prefecture was like a stagnant pool of water, extremely stable."

As he spoke, the Kan Water Divine Power in the air constantly shifted and vibrated. The old man said:
"At this point, if the next supernatural power that the cultivator is trying to cultivate is still in its original position, it will be constantly hindered by this intercalary position, and it will fail repeatedly, but at least there is a possibility of success. But what if at this point the cultivator wants to cultivate another supernatural power?"

"That means the combined obstruction of the remaining and fruit positions is more powerful than a single leap position, making it impossible to drag them away, and making things even more difficult!"

A glint of light flashed in Li Zhouwei's eyes:
"This is why... even though all cultivators clearly know that the Three Same and Two Different are the ancient path to enlightenment, they always choose the path of Four Same and Different! Because it is simply too difficult!"

"King Wei is wise and insightful!"

Xiao Chuting clapped his hands and sighed, saying:

"Of course, there are also cultivators who do not aspire to attain enlightenment but instead take shortcuts. Seeing that the remaining position can no longer support them or that their path is blocked, they have no choice but to take a side path and cultivate another path, trying to make the intercalary position gain strength ahead of time, at least gaining one more supernatural power!"

With this analogy, Xiao Chuting not only explained the purple ginseng, but also resolved several of Li Zhouwei's doubts, leaving him speechless for a long time, his heart filled with a thunderous storm!
'I see! ’

'I see!!'

His spiritual attainment was extremely high; he merely pointed this out, and my heart was filled with light.
"Since that's the case, besides personal aptitude, cultivation level, and temperament, the order in which one cultivates the three supernatural powers can also affect whether one can easily overcome the hurdle of divination!"

'If one cultivates supernatural powers like "Position Following Luo," which are clearly favored by those in positions of authority, it might cause that stallion to surge forward with all its might, and also cause the intercalary position to lose its strength... It's easy to cross over... but it's not easy to become an intercalary position...'

His gaze was intense. He raised his head, looked directly at Xiao Chuting, and smiled:
"So... the reason why you cultivated so quickly in the last hundred years is because the Kan Water was excessively strong, and you also cultivated the 'Position in Danger' supernatural power!"

Xiao Chuting clasped his hands together:
"Not bad!"

The King of Wei's understanding grew increasingly clear, but his tone became somewhat strange:
"The true essence of Mingyang lies in 'Brightness of the World' and 'Emperor's Observation of the Origin.' It is said that 'Brightness of the World' should be cultivated last, so... if I cultivate 'Emperor's Observation of the Origin,' it will be easier to attain the Purple Realm. Currently, I have not cultivated either of these paths, and in the eyes of the world, attaining the Purple Realm is quite difficult."

Xiao Chuting nodded slightly:
"As for Chen Yin... he was given the 'Vast Ocean' because Fu Shui and Yu Guo were weak, but now it seems the damage is too severe, and nothing can help him now!"

"Thank you for your guidance, senior."

Li Zhouwei stared at the old man for a long time, vaguely feeling that his breakthrough was no longer such a pipe dream. The King of Wei stood up, his eyes bright, descended the steps, gave up the main seat, and finally said quietly:

"Senior Xiao...who do you serve now?"

His words were undisguised, pointing directly at Xiao Chuting. The old man hesitated for a moment, then finally said:
"The True Lord resides in Cangzhou, with the Daoist name Xuancang, and is also known as the 'True Lord of the Northern Sea Mysterious Palace.'"

The title of True Lord!

The moment this name was uttered, it was as if a buzzing sound resounded in the hall, and the mysterious ice seemed to melt away, mountains and rivers emerged, and great rivers appeared on the road, dragons in lakes, the North Sea surged, and the abyss sank into darkness!

Li Zhouwei's gaze gradually changed, becoming deep and thoughtful:

'Xuan Cang?'

'The True Lord of the Northern Sea Mysterious Palace'?

He vaguely understood something and whispered:

"Taoism?"

Xiao Chuting shook his head, his gaze beneath the bamboo hat dark and unfathomable.

"'Fushui'."

These four words, like ghosts, crawled upwards along the shadows of the main hall, chilling and menacing, as if trying to swallow the old man standing in the ditch.

Li Zhouwei's gaze turned cold.

Li Zhouwei could understand if anyone helped Xiao Chuting achieve enlightenment, but it was actually a True Lord of the Fushui Realm! A True Lord of the Fushui Realm!

The old man looked directly at him:
"The True Lord was in the intercalary position and had been in a deep slumber for many years due to injury. Back then, the North Sea was leaking, and the various Venerable Ones deliberately broke the sky, causing the seawater to surge upwards. As a result, the Kan River in Cangzhou flowed horizontally. The so-called horizontal flow is called Yi. With the entire layout of the North Sea, His foundation was finally damaged, which finally startled Him to appear in the world."

'Break through the heavens.'

Li Zhouwei's golden pupils shone brightly:

"This was a deliberate act."

Xiao Chuting's bamboo hat was pulled low, completely obscuring his face, which allowed his deep, icy voice to be heard:
"Indeed, it was a deliberate move."

"At least Lushui and the Dragon were intentional, and of course... there was also that stubborn and rebellious True Lord."

Li Zhouwei's eyes brightened, perhaps understanding what the old man meant when he said there was the Fu River to receive him and return the vastness of the sea. Even someone like him couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at this moment.

"Senior, are you echoing True Monarch Xuancang, returning the vastness?"

Xiao Chuting's voice was slightly hoarse:

"Your Majesty Wei may not know this, but most of the current chaos in the Daoist tradition has its reasons. The true return to the Vast Expanse would destroy the Dragon Clan's millennia-long plan and undermine the True Dragon's foundation. That Golden Core Peak cultivator would disregard everything... and even the Sunset Glow and the Underworld!"

"He and True Monarch Xiuyue attacked together, and I was instantly annihilated, body and soul; I was certain to die!"

"Moreover, Lord Xuancang is not yet at the Fruition stage and does not have the ability to reclaim the Vast Sea in one go; he can only borrow it temporarily!"

Li Zhouwei frowned:
"And what is the True Lord now?"

Xiao Chuting finally looked up, his gaze deep and unsettling:

"His cultivation is extremely high, and he is about to perish, yet he still has the will to fight. He originally intended to prove his Dao and resonate with the Kan position. He has his own way of using the 'vast sea' within it to fight against the cultivators. Even if he is defeated, he will only die!"

"The [Hidden Dragon Seeking Transformation Secret Method] is His means of probing and making contact!"

His expression was somber:
"And He borrowed the 'Vast Ocean,' during the great battle, the Kan position will temporarily cease its flow, which is the perfect opportunity for me to attain enlightenment! When He falls and the Vast Ocean returns, the Kan position will still be the same Kan position! As for me... I will pray for my own good fortune!"

Li Zhouwei said:

"Did that esteemed person and senior say this themselves?"

The old man adjusted his straw hat, slowly shook his head, and said softly:

"Not entirely—I only learned half of it from him; the other half came from the dragons."

Li Zhouwei's gaze immediately sharpened:
"Senior has seen dragons before?"

Xiao Chuting nodded frankly and said:
“The people of the Dragon Clan said… this was just a test by True Lord Xuancang before his death. They can leave my path to enlightenment alone, but if I ascend to the Kan position, they will give me a promise in return.”

Li Zhouwei raised his eyebrows to look at him, and said to the old man:
"If you succeed, you must serve them and belong to Qingxuan. Only when the true dragon is accomplished can you return to the vast ocean, support the Fushui River, and stand on the same side as them."

The old man laughed:

“A Dragon King from the Dragon Clan came and made it clear to me that even if I reach the Kan position, I will not be willing to lose the Vast Ocean before I achieve the peak of the Golden Core stage.”

The King of Wei's gaze was somewhat gloomy:

"That's it?"

"That's all."

Xiao Chuting gave a curt reply, but Li Zhouwei looked at him intently and said:
"Does the senior believe it?"

Li Zhouwei absolutely refused to believe it!

Li Zhouwei himself had seen dragons, and those two-faced dragon princes and kings. He, Li Zhouwei, had not even been involved in the interests of true dragons, yet he still had so many changes of heart. How much more so would Xiao Chuting!
'It's already bizarre enough that a dignified True Lord, with boundless supernatural powers, would make such a pact with a Purple Mansion cultivator regarding their afterlife; how can one believe the words of a dragon?'

More importantly, despite the fact that this was an act of encroaching on Kanshui and aiding the enemy, the Dragon Clan, Xiuyue, and even Lushui, these instigators, actually turned a blind eye and were willing to hand over the possibility of returning Haohan to others, allowing Xiao Chuting to travel south all the way from the North Sea to Jiangnan!

"What a joke!"

Rather than believe that this True Lord has ulterior motives, he might as well believe that he is cooperating with the Dragon Clan and Xiu Yue to use Xiao Chuting to advance some scheme in order to escape from danger!
He absolutely did not believe that Xiao Chuting would not have any doubts!
The old man stood silently in the main hall, met his gaze, smiled silently, and said calmly:
"King Wei probably thinks I'm dealing with a tiger for its skin. That's true. Although they say my ascent to Kanweiyi is beneficial to the Dragon Clan and Xiuyue, and that I will eventually collude with them, I don't believe it at all..."

“I know what they want to do.”

The old man stepped forward and quietly said:
"Killing Xuan Cang will definitely help the Dragon Clan remove the last remaining lake in the Fu River. They can't wait for True Lord Xuan Cang to come out, the sooner the better, so they can have a grand final battle with him."

"And I, Xiao Chuting?"

His smile was cold and sarcastic:

"Of course it can't happen; if it could, that would be even better!"

"The Dragon has ruled for ten thousand years, but it probably hasn't even killed the True Lord Kan Water! It has only managed to make Kan Water show signs of merging... They desperately want a Golden Core cultivator who suddenly appears out of nowhere, a Golden Core cultivator who is hated by the sunset, disliked by the sun, and unseen by the underworld, and has no one to rely on!"

"Fortunately, there is Xiu Yue in the seas to help me, so they won't be unable to reach me. They will surely drive me to the heavens, and I will die in the dragon's mouth while embracing the excessive and turbid Kan water!"

He smiled and said:
"This is the reason why the Dragon Clan was willing to release me and even secretly help me achieve enlightenment!"

Having heard this, Li Zhouwei had fully understood. His golden eyes flickered, and this King of Wei showed a rare expression of emotion. His voice was slightly hoarse as he said:
“But Senior Xiao also needs proof.”

"Of course!"

The old man in front of them raised his head and let out a cold laugh from his throat:
"He died after proving his worth, and that was none other than True Monarch Xiao Chuting of Kanshui, a True Monarch who perished amidst the combined might of a Dragon Lord at the peak of the Golden Core realm!"

"Moreover, what truly made Xiao make up his mind was Wangyue Lake!"

The chill in Li Zhouwei's expression gradually faded, replaced by a thoughtful look:

"In that case, what does Senior Xiao need the lake for?"

Upon hearing this, the most crucial topic finally arrived. Xiao Chuting's expression turned solemn. He stepped forward, knelt down, and performed the grand ceremony of three bows and nine kowtows before the person in charge, solemnly saying:
"I am extremely grateful for your guidance back then, sir. I have not had the chance to use my life for many years, which must be for today!"

These words were so powerful that Li Zhouwei held his breath and closed his eyes for a moment.

The hall was silent, all light dimmed, while outside the hall the scenery was beautiful, the moon shone brightly, but the old man paid no heed. His expression was earnest, his voice gradually lowering:

"Xiao Chuting came here seeking nothing but a treasure!"