Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1328 Celestial Phenomena
As dusk fell, the mountain springs gurgled, and the forests were ablaze with color. Nestled among the mountains, there was a large city, its four sides ancient and simple. Though seemingly unremarkable, it was meticulously crafted in every detail and exuded an extremely rich spiritual energy. Few people were seen in the streets, and occasionally one or two elderly people would hurry by, their auras dark and mysterious, clearly not ordinary people.

This place is Chuncheng, Gu County.

Gujun has been the center of the world since ancient times. In the past, the immortal path flourished here, and this place gathered the essence of the whole world. There was a prefecture and twenty-one cities on the outer perimeter. It was drawn up by Taishu Kuangyi. The innermost city was surrounded by seventeen mountains. This large city was once the palace of the human emperor!

Unfortunately, when Zi Xuan attained enlightenment, he stirred up a bloody storm. This great figure, the first Demon Ancestor and the one who killed the Venerable One, caused all the families in the world to be scattered and displaced. He also demolished the palace. Later, the families who returned rebuilt a small city here.

The cultivator who led the various sects back was named Dao Chun, and later became Dao Chun Zhenjun of the Qingxuan sect. The sects were grateful for the immortal's virtue and relied on the immortal's power, so they named the city Chun City.

Each family has a secret grotto to house its members, and only those who have achieved success in cultivation are allowed to leave. Therefore, in this small city, there are no people whose cultivation is not proficient. The stone slabs and blue bricks on the streets are simple and unadorned, but they are made of precious clay. The black roof tiles are plain and unadorned, but they are made of black gold. From the flags fluttering in the streets to the trees in the mountains and forests, there is a bright and clear halo.

Amidst the peaceful scene, a beam of light appeared from the west, seemingly in a hurry. After circling the city, it could only descend to the mountains on one side, finding a small lake among the dense forest, and heading towards the small pavilion around the lake.

Two people sat in the pavilion. The one on the left was dressed in hemp clothing, hunched over, and looked quite old. The one on the right was younger. They were facing each other quietly. Outside the pavilion, there were two more people. One had a brave appearance and stood with his hands behind his back, looking anxious. The other was very young and looked quite at ease.

Seeing Jiang Dai land, he stepped forward, his eyes serious:

"Is it really... the King of Wei?"

The fighting is raging in the west, and with so many powerful figures on the east side, they must have seen it all. Jiang Dai simply said:

"Uncle...it is indeed..."

The person in front of him was none other than Jiang Fuwang!
The shrewd general, his face grave, sensed danger. Just as he was about to ask another question, Jiang Dai's eyes widened in disbelief, and he exclaimed in horror:

"He's a Grand Master!"

These words were like a boulder thrown into a lake, stirring the previously tranquil atmosphere in Langting. One of the men dropped his chess piece and sighed:
"In the end, Tianxia's skill was superior!"

His opponent did not answer him, but simply held the chess piece in silence. Below, Jiang Fuwang paused for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said:

"As expected! I was wondering where this 'Emperor Guanyuan' came from!"

Without the slightest hesitation, his sense of foreboding grew stronger, and he said:

"Where is Qiao Sanyi?"

Jiang Dai, equally uneasy, lowered his head and said:

“He was lured away by a spiritual fire… I originally wanted to go and rescue him, but I was blocked by Li Jiangqian. Not long after, the miraculous power of ‘Di Guan Yuan’ appeared… Seeing that the situation was not right, I immediately withdrew.”

Jiang Fuwang's face turned ugly upon hearing this, and he said:
"Li Jiangqian? Your 'Shoufu Peak' is already formed, can he stop you?"

Jiang Dai could only lower his head and say:

"He has a treasure gourd, which is very powerful..."

Jiang Fuwang didn't have time to listen to his explanation. He paced quickly under the pavilion for a while, then said:
"Qiao San has apparently surrendered!"

Jiang Dai raised his head, hesitating to speak, but then saw hatred gradually appear on the man's face. He said:

"This is troublesome!"

"Back then, when Pang Ren came up with this terrible plan, I advised the old master that there would surely be future troubles. But they suppressed the matter and didn't mention it, letting the Three Doubts hold a grudge. That would have been fine, but they even ostracized him, ordering him to go back to guard Juancheng..."

He said eagerly:
"He already had grievances against the county, and now that he's joined Mingyang, apart from a few families who have always been good to him, he won't give anyone else a second thought!"

"Brother Jiang, you are mistaken."

The young man beside him spoke up, laughing:
"The man surnamed Qiao has always been shameless and greedy. If he stays in the city, he'll curse this person and talk back to that person. Nobody likes him. He requested to guard Juancheng himself. He's obviously just guarding his clan and preparing to defect to Mingyang. His heart has already turned against him. How can we keep him in check?"

"Otherwise, how could he, who usually prides himself on his intelligence, fall into a trap with just a mere spiritual fire?"

Jiang Fuwang's words were stuck in his throat. He gave him a cold glance and cursed inwardly:
'Can't you, Pang Yi, send someone else to guard it? Leave him in the prefecture, and when Juancheng falls, you can send him to retake it. For the sake of his own foundation, how could he not do his utmost?'

However, this was a military strategy, not a way of dealing with people. Jiang Fuwang had a relationship with the Qiao family, so he didn't want to offend them by saying it out loud. He just silently turned away.

The young man then turned to the person at the head of the table and smiled, saying:

"My lords, although Juancheng is the gateway, there are still the Yun and Pu passes beyond Juancheng. There is no need to worry too much. Just keep him outside the passes, deploy your men to the north to block his detour, and withdraw the men east of Weijun. If he detours eastward and does not want to fight with Yan, we will force him to confront Yan. At that time, will Cibei Dao sit idly by?"

Pang Yi said calmly:

"Li Zhouwei's swift capture of Juancheng may seem like a surprise attack, but in reality, he was unknowingly entering a dangerous territory."

Although Jiang Fuwang disliked his dismissal of Qiao Wenliu like a worn-out shoe, he had to admit that his strategy was quite perfect. He remained silent for a moment, but then the old man waved his hand and said:

"You go down first."

Pang Yi remained expressionless, bowed, and took his leave. Jiang Dai glanced at his uncle and followed him, leaving only the three of them by the lake. Jiang Fuwang listened to the old man say:
"Fu Wang, what do you think of sending Pang Yi westward to resist the King of Wei?"

Jiang Fuwang bowed, and although he did not like the person from before, he still said:

"Master Pang is cunning, but he may prioritize personal gain over public duty. If Your Excellency insists on sending him, you must carefully consider who should accompany him..."

The old man said:
How does it compare to the Qi Lan Weir?

Jiang Fuwang remained silent for a long time before saying:
"He has the strategy but lacks the courage. Besides, back then, Qi Lanyan could at least hold off the King of Wei in a battle of supernatural powers... while Fellow Daoist Pang..."

He paused slightly, then said bluntly:
"Even if Qi Lanyan were to be resurrected, those three horned wooden beams would be hard to stand against the current King Wei, let alone Fellow Daoist Pang?"

The old man laughed:
“Since there are shortcomings, and King Wei is even more powerful than before, how can he possibly stop him? Since you say you want to stop him, then it will require the Great Master to take action.”

Jiang Fuwang nodded solemnly.

The old man said:
"Which fellow Daoist is currently in the city?"

Jiang Fuwang seemed to have already thought of this during his brief moment of thought, and said softly:
"Senior Shangguan is cultivating at the foot of the mountain in search of that [Yanghua Moon Vein], and True Man Tang has also gone out, traveling to the East Sea. And... True Man Gu, he does have some free time, cultivating at [Wenhuang Residence]..."

The old man chuckled deeply and said:
"Then let's go with Gu You, how about that?"

His last two questions were not directed at the younger generation below the stage, but at the man sitting on the other side of the chessboard, who had remained silent, holding a white piece in his hand, listening quietly.

This man appeared to be middle-aged, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, a broad face and thick shoulders. His Taoist robe was a mix of yellow and white, and his clean, heavy hands held the white chess piece. He only raised his head after hearing what was said.

In an instant, a hazy yellow light descended, enveloping the small pavilion. The void and the mortal world seemed to be instantly separated. He laughed:
"How Senior Qu arranges things is his business; there's no need to ask Guan Yi."

The old man shook his head and laughed, saying:
How could I not ask?

The middle-aged man said:
"Guan Yi has come here not for the Mingyang matter, but from the vicinity of Dalingchuan to take charge of the river. He requests that Senior Qu accompany me to suppress the rebellion."

"Oh?"

Master Qu said:

Where?

He replied:
"Juancheng".

The old man's smile finally froze, and a hint of caution appeared in his eyes. He said softly:

"What are your instructions?"

Yao Guanyi raised his head and casually said:
"Old Master, you may not know this, but a few days ago, a great storm arose on the Hetian Sea. Several of the dragon's sons and grandsons rode into the inner sea, crossed the sea, and traveled westward along the river. They arrived in the territory of Qi a few days ago, and judging by the days, they will be heading west soon!"

Master Qu was startled and said:

"Is it because of the Daling Incident?!"

"No."

Yao Guanyi smiled enigmatically and said:
"I've come to see him."

Master Qu was taken aback at first, but quickly realized who was in Juancheng. After a moment of contemplation, he looked at Yao Guanyi and said calmly:
"Senior Qu, His position in the North Jia River is on the Ji River. If He takes the main position, the Great River will take over the Ji River. Now the Ji River is only a tributary, which has to flow into the Great River. In fact, not only the Ji River, but the Great River is also His territory, but He does not dare to come."

After being reminded by him, Master Qu took a while to speak:
"Although Beijia's river official is on the Ji River, he can indeed travel along the river to the sea. Back then, Dongfang Tianye and Dongfang Zaishi both competed for this river route—but he would never come here normally. This time, however… he's going to…"

"Now that we've sent a few of his sons and grandsons over, they naturally want to see the Qilin, but they only dare to do so at the Ji River."

Yao Guanyi's words were clear, causing Master Qu to fall silent for a moment before he finally spoke:
"The matter of the Chi descendants entering the state is no small matter, no wonder adults are needed to keep an eye on it."

"Eh."

Yao Guanyi shook his head and said:
"Actually, it's just a small matter. It's not in the East China Sea, but it's being done right under my nose on this mountain. It's nothing more than a test. I've thought about it, and this is, after all, a matter down on the mountain, and it involves Mingyang. I've already interfered enough. If I were to take action now, I might upset the people in Dongmu Tianli again."

"Thinking that it was in Juancheng, the former Daoist temple of the True Lord of Treasure Land, I thought of the Lingbao Dao Gui—I should have gone to ask Uncle-Master Prince Ya for it."

He paused for a moment, a hint of regret appearing in his eyes, and said:
"Unfortunately, Uncle Wang returned to the cave heaven back then and brought that person the [Qingya Huazhi] of the Observation and Transformation Dao, which could be used by that person for contemplation. As a result, the cave heaven has been closed for the past few years, and there has been no news from it. So we have troubled the old man to take action."

Before Master Qu could speak, Yao Guanyi bowed in the air, took out a scroll from the void, and held it in his hands. The old man's calm expression shattered instantly, just like the former Grand Master Tuoba. He jumped up and knelt on the ground, filled with shock and fear, and said:

"Why is it so! Why is it so!"

Yao Guanyi was not surprised, but simply laughed and said:
"The old man has misunderstood!"

He helped the old man up, handed him the scroll with both hands, and asked him to unfold it and take a look. The old man, still in shock, unfolded it and began to read.

But the scroll depicted a wondrous scene: a fairy mountain shrouded in clouds, with a pavilion standing beneath it, adorned with countless patterns, depicting immortals coming and going, displaying the most profound and mysterious skills. The old man was immediately plunged into deep thought, and his cultivation, which had stagnated for countless years, suddenly experienced a sense of enlightenment!

He couldn't tear his eyes away, and slowly looked down, discovering that there was a signature at the bottom:

[Presented to my brother Yu by Qu Tianxiang of Tongxuan Palace]

Suddenly, a dense radiance of precious earth soared into the sky, as if to connect with the mysterious sacred land between heaven and earth, and to bestow all kinds of wonders, causing iron and stone to bloom, the dark soil to flourish, the fertile land to stretch for thousands of miles, and all kinds of treasures to be hidden!

Old Master Qu had just stood up when his knees buckled, and he knelt down again with a thud. His lips trembled, and he stared blankly for a long time, unable to utter a word. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally spoke, his voice a mixture of joy and horror:
"It was originally written by the founder himself!"

This item was actually written in the handwriting of the "True Lord of Longevity and Nourishment" Xu Xiang!
The two men bowed and burned incense, then exchanged the painting. The old man held it with great respect and delight, as if it were a priceless treasure. Yao Guanyi smiled and said:

“My master has long thought that this sacred land has been living in seclusion for a long time, and its lineage is gradually becoming scarce. Although it perfectly aligns with my profound principles of Taoist cultivation, it lacks a proper lineage in the mortal world, which has been impersonated by those lowly Taoist practitioners. Therefore, he is displeased and has specially asked me to take out this item to present to Senior Qu!”

He didn't know which low-level sorcerer he was referring to, yet Master Qu nodded repeatedly, seemingly harboring some resentment. Seeing the man's involuntary expression, Yao Guanyi said seriously:

"With this one item, you can fulfill your pursuit of the Great Dao in this lifetime. Moreover, this item is the most orthodox and precious path in the human world. You can even use it to establish a sect, leave behind a legacy, and carry on your last wishes... You don't have to... live under someone else's roof..."

Yao Guanyi's words struck a chord with the old man, who burst into tears, nodding repeatedly. Holding the treasure, he dared not bow, and could only say:

"Thank you, fellow Daoist. Please also convey my gratitude to the master on my behalf!"

Yao Guanyi nodded with a smile. Master Qu paused for a moment, then finally made up his mind and said:
"I wonder if there are any instructions for going to the Ji River?"

The look in Yao Guanyi's eyes finally deepened, and he said softly:

"It's official business, of course."

He said calmly:
"Even when the Dragon Clan is overseas, they dare not make a great fuss on the water, let alone at sea. The Battle of Daling shocked the world, and the Dragon Clan's attitude will definitely change drastically. If they cannot reach an agreement with the Qilin, the senior's visit will serve as a statement."

A chill gradually crept into Yao Guanyi's eyes. As if recalling something, a hint of murderous intent appeared in his eyes. He said:
"Furthermore... Guan Yi also wants to hear what the Chi Yi made in return, and what about our White Qilin..."

His tone was light:
"And how did you promise that?"