Journey to the head

The moonlight was like water, the stars filled the sky, and the dazzling Milky Way hung upside down in the heavens.

Literary figures would often use the scenery to express their feelings, imbuing the landscape with their emotions and leaving behind timeless masterpieces. But in Wei Zhaixing's eyes, this boundless starry sky appeared quite differently.

He simply gazed into the distance, and the billions of stars filled his eyes, automatically dividing them into star regions in his mind. Within each region, the state of the stars was immediately apparent: which was "dim," which was "bright," which was described as "brightly red," and which should be called "faintly yellow."
Then comes the state of interweaving and entanglement between stars and between star fields, and the judgments known as "mutual invasion of host and guest," "stellar orbit deviation," and "mutual devouring of starlight" naturally emerge.

Astrology is so complex that it is perhaps the most dependent on talent and comprehension among all the arts of cultivation, and it has little to do with cultivation level. Once you firmly memorize those incredibly intricate rules and learn to apply them, you can be accurate or inaccurate. So-called hundreds or thousands of years of accumulated experience are insignificant in the face of talent.

In the past, Wei Zhaixing encountered very few astrologers and dared not make any rash predictions. However, after becoming a disciple of True Lord Heming and studying in the Immortal Spirit Cave of Taiyi Paradise for a period of time, he came into contact with more astrological geniuses.

However, after repeatedly assessing the astrological abilities of these geniuses in private, Wei Zhaixing could only remind himself never to become arrogant or complacent.

In this respect, even the Crane Cry True Lord has nothing to teach.

He stood quietly atop the mountain, gazing up at the vast starry sky, when he suddenly asked, "It's late at night, Fellow Daoist Xiao, haven't you rested yet?"

Xiao Tianci walked slowly over, carrying his longsword. He didn't answer, but instead asked, "What did you see?"

Wei Zhaixing spoke frankly: "There will be a bloody disaster in Qingzhou. But judging from the direction and speed of the star's movement, this calamity will soon be extinguished."

Xiao Tianci nodded: "The black rainbow's sound indicates a murderous intent. That's why I came to find you."

Wei Zhaixing laughed loudly, "Fellow Daoist Xiao has a clear sword mind and often communicates with the heavens and man. I see that you also have wisdom. Why don't you learn the art of divination?"

Xiao Tianci shook his head slightly, not elaborating on the topic, and asked again, "Is this bloodshed a premonition that our army is entering Qingzhou? Since there is misfortune, I wonder how it will affect us?"

Wei Zhaixing turned her head and glanced at the stars again: "I told you before that Sect Leader Lu's fate is as chaotic as a black hole. As long as someone is related to him, the star trails will be in chaos. The deeper the cause and effect, the greater the chaos."

"Therefore, it's impossible to tell whether or not it will have any impact on us, or how it will affect us."

"However, since the trouble has subsided so quickly, there is no need to worry too much."

Xiao Tianci suddenly said, "Extremely rapid elimination doesn't necessarily mean minimal ultimate damage. For example, if ten thousand people die in an instant, and then everything returns to normal, isn't that also extremely rapid elimination?"

Wei Zhaixing was somewhat surprised, not expecting Xiao Tianci to be so perceptive. However, these were just possibilities, and there was no need to worry unnecessarily.

The two fell silent, gazing side by side at the starry sky, their blue robes and white gowns rustling in the night breeze.

Just as Wei Zhaixing was about to start a conversation, Xiao Tianci suddenly asked, "Junior Brother Wei, when are you coming back to Yunshan?"

Wei Zhaixing was genuinely surprised, and he raised an eyebrow in astonishment: "Why do you ask that?"

Xiao Tianci turned his head and looked directly at him, his face serious: "Now that the sect leader has gone to sea and Senior Brother Lin is in seclusion, the work of the Eight Departments and Two Divisions has all fallen on Senior Uncle Wang's shoulders, and even the elders can't handle it all. I only know how to fight enemies with my sword, I don't understand sect affairs, and I can't help. I was thinking that if you could return to the sect, you would definitely be able to shoulder the heavy responsibility and shine brightly."

Wei Zhaixing laughed and said, "I have long heard that Master Mingzhao founded the sword path of Yunshan and has many disciples. Such a contribution is already amazing and will be recorded in history. Why belittle yourself? As for me, they didn't care about me when they were busy with talent. Now that they need someone to do the work, they have remembered me."

Xiao Tianci was taken aback, and said urgently, "That's not what I meant."

He was not usually talkative, and he was not good at opening up to people. So, he had so many words stuck in his throat and couldn't say another word.

Wei Zhaixing burst into laughter. Xiao Tianci could tell that he was just joking. He pursed his lips and stood with his sword drawn.

“Junior Brother Wei, you have now reached the Golden Core stage. Let’s have a spar. If I win, you can return to Yunshan.”

Wei Zhaixing shook his head and said seriously, "Senior Brother Xiao, when the former sect leader sent me to Jiyang Manor to become a disciple and learn martial arts, and eventually succeed me as the sect leader of Jiyang, I also had many questions and pains."

"But later, as I came to understand the way of destiny and studied the methods of divination, I gradually realized that everything was indeed ordained by fate."

"Rising from the Sleeping Dragon, achieving perfection through Amber, a disciple of Yunshan, now the head of the Jiyang Sect. This is my destiny, stemming from a favor the sect leader owed to my master. I must bear the consequences, first repaying the golden decree of fate on behalf of the sect leader, and then repaying the master's kindness in imparting all his knowledge to me."

"I cannot return to Yunshan until I have repaid my debt of gratitude and severed the karmic ties."

Xiao Tianci held up his sword, his resolute eyes filled with a fierce sword intent.

“Junior Brother Wei, you just said that our fates are all in chaos and difficult to predict. So how do you know that the debts of gratitude have not been repaid and the karmic ties have not been severed? How do you know that now is not the time for you to return to Yunshan?”

Wei Zhaixing was stunned. In his eyes, it seemed as if countless star trails flashed by.

Then he reached out and beckoned, and a cold glint appeared in his palm.

White robes fluttered up and down, and Wei Zhaixing's laughter echoed through the clouds.

"Senior Brother Xiao is absolutely right! I knew you had the potential for enlightenment!"

"Then, as my senior brother said, if you defeat me, it will naturally prove that this is fate, and it is time for me to return to the mountain!"

"Please, senior brother, defeat me!"

A sword cry pierced the heavens!

The next day, the leaders of all the sects in Qingzhou on Liangyi Mountain got up very early and arrived at the main hall early, waiting for the Yunshan Sect to preside over the meeting.

Last night, the sparring between Wei Zhaixing and Xiao Tianci caused quite a stir, attracting a large crowd of onlookers. The depth of their cultivation and the refinement of their techniques truly broadened everyone's horizons. Not to mention the Golden Core cultivators, even these few Nascent Soul Spirit Lords were quite astonished, secretly thinking that the cultivators of Yunshan were indeed extraordinary, and the strength of the Yunshan Sect was unfathomable.

So he became even more respectful and cooperated completely with whatever was said.

Xiao Tianci invited Master Dingshu to sit at the head of the table. After everyone exchanged greetings, they asked the Ciji Sect to issue an edict. Master Dingshu simply smiled and said, "The Yunshan Sect is powerful and has extraordinary strategies. If I had to say what edict my Ciji Sect has, it would be that for this operation, everything will be under the command of the Yunshan Sect."

Wei Zhaixing knew that further politeness would be a waste of time, so he stood up and, following Wang Yu's instructions, added some details to the plan, explaining it to the various sects in the main hall. Everyone nodded in approval, the atmosphere was harmonious, and they unanimously agreed to the Yunshan Sect's pacification plan.

In his summary, Master Dingshu highly praised the Yunshan Sect's sixteen-character policy of "supporting as the main task, suppressing as the secondary task, digesting locally, and absorbing and expanding." He believed that under the leadership of the Yunshan Sect, the situation in Qingzhou would surely stabilize quickly, and the days of peaceful development would soon arrive.

The entire Hezhou Conference was completed in less than an hour, officially announcing the establishment of the Qingzhou Sect Alliance. The efficiency of this event was rarely seen in anyone's life.

Then each sect was assigned tasks: some were responsible for investigating the occupation of spiritual veins, some for reviewing newly established sects, some for disciplining wandering cultivators, some for resolving sect conflicts, some for comprehensively screening and arresting evil and demonic cultivators, and some for sending forces to join the anti-evil coalition.
The main tasks of the Yunshan Sect are: first, to formulate plans and lead and supervise the work of Fuzhen; second, to be specifically responsible for the initial screening of newly established sects; and third, to command the anti-evil coalition and launch a year-long special campaign to eliminate evil.

That afternoon, the entire plan for the Fuzhen operation was rapidly disseminated throughout Qingzhou, centered on Liangyi Mountain. Of course, it wasn't called "Fuzhen independent cultivators" to outsiders; it was called the "independent cultivator graduation plan."

The Qingzhou Sect Alliance announced that, with the Demon Chaos as the dividing line, all sects newly established after the Demon Chaos, or those re-established after being destroyed, must come to Liangyi Mountain within fifteen days for initial registration and screening by the Yunshan Sect. After the initial screening, a comprehensive review will be conducted.

Those who fail the review or fail to register at Liangyi Mountain by the deadline will have their sects disbanded, be expelled from the country, and have their spiritual veins reclaimed by the Federation!
Each faction and sect received their assigned tasks with great enthusiasm, then bid farewell and departed to carry them out. Wudi Daoren and Ye Xiao led three warships towards Quyang County, where they would inspect the Yunshan Ancestral Vein and join forces with the elite troops dispatched by various sects in Qingzhou to form a coalition against evil.

Xiao Tianci and Wei Zhaixing stayed on Liangyi Mountain to register for the initial screening, while Xiang Kong was responsible for guarding them.

Xiao Tianci originally thought that after the notice was issued, the new sects might have to wait and see for a while. However, almost at the same moment the notice was sent out, a small Foundation Establishment sect came to pay their respects.

Xiao Tianci and Wei Zhaixing exchanged a glance. It seemed that this small sect had been waiting near Liangyi Mountain all along.

“The Wind Riding Sect?” Wei Zhaixing nodded. “Let the sect leader in.”

The man who entered the hall was timid and hesitant. He was probably not very old, but his temples were gray, and there was a deep "川" (river) shaped line between his eyebrows, which looked like the result of years of worry and frowning. He looked much older than his actual age.

He entered with a hunched back and groveled his knees, not even raising his head before collapsing to his knees.

“The sinner Fei Peijue pays respects to the True Man of Yunshan.”

A sinner? Wei Zhaixing wondered, and was about to ask when Xiang Kong frowned slightly and found the person's face in his memory.

"Immeasurable Holy Master, it was you all along." Xiang Kong flicked his prayer beads, his face filled with sorrow. "The arising and ceasing of conditions, the impermanence of cause and effect. Who can truly say who is right and who is wrong, who is meritorious and who is demeritful?"

Seeing that Xiao Tianci and Wei Zhaixing did not recognize him, Xiang Kong spoke calmly and recounted the events of that year.

When Lu Qian returned to Yuan Chen from Bao Guang Realm, it coincided with the civil war in Ningzhou, in which the Yunshan Sect was also drawn into it. On his way back, Lu Qian heard about the disciples and relatives who had died in the past fifty years. Overwhelmed with grief and caught in a downpour, he sought refuge in the gate of a small Qi-cultivation sect.

"When the sect leader saw the arrival of the Nascent Soul Spirit Lord, he was extremely attentive and stood guard at the palace gate. However, Sect Leader Lu was overwhelmed with grief and had no time to spare, so he treated him very poorly. The sect leader was resentful, so he secretly reported Sect Leader Lu's whereabouts to Ningzhou, which eventually led to the Nascent Soul cultivators of Ningzhou coming to capture him. Even the Boundless Mystic Lord showed up and took action."

As Xiang Kong spoke, Xiao Tianci suddenly remembered that back then, he and a group of fellow disciples went to greet them, confronted the four Nascent Soul cultivators of Ningzhou, and witnessed the entire process of Lu Qian and Wuliang Xuanjun resolving their conflict and making peace.

Following this incident, the cooperation between the Yunshan Sect and Ningzhou gradually deepened, and Wuliang Xuanjun is now a potential ally. Later, the Yunshan Sect's strength increased rapidly, and the alliance between the Yunshan Sect, Danxia Sect, and Ao Clan profoundly influenced the situation in Ningzhou.

"The former Qi Refining Sect Leader has now successfully established his Foundation, which is truly a cause for celebration." Xiang Kong glanced at Fei Peijue, who was trembling with her head on the ground. "However, Sect Leader Fei looks much more weathered than before."

Xiao Tianci's expression darkened slightly, and with a soft hiss, the stone bricks in front of Fei Peijue instantly turned into powder.

The sect leader, Fei, who was only in the early stages of Foundation Establishment, trembled as he said, "I am a sinner. I only ask for death, and I beg the Yunshan Sect to show mercy and spare the lives of my disciples."

Xiang Kong sighed and clasped his hands together, saying, "Boundless Holy Master, I beg Fellow Daoist Xiao and Fellow Daoist Wei to have compassion and not harm his life."

"Back then, he served diligently, but Sect Leader Lu insulted his dignity, thus incurring resentment and accusations. However, these accusations became an opportunity for the Yunshan Sect to establish friendly relations and cooperate with the Xinghai Sect and Wuliang Xuanjun. Whether Sect Leader Fei is guilty or innocent, who can judge?"

Xiao Tianci lowered his gaze and did not make another move.

Wei Zhaixing looked at Fei Peijue with great interest, and suddenly smiled.

"Right and wrong, truth and falsehood, should never be discussed together. If a judgment must be made, he is certainly guilty!"

"The fact that Sect Leader Lu was able to turn enemies into friends despite the encirclement of Nascent Soul cultivators in Ningzhou and the intervention of the Boundless Mystic Monarch is due to Sect Leader Lu's own abilities. What does it have to do with him?"

"If it is true that Sect Leader Lu humiliated him, and Sect Leader Lu was wrong and paid the price for it, then shouldn't he also bear the consequences for reporting Sect Leader Lu?"

Fei Peijue suddenly burst into tears: "Supreme Lord, I know my sins! I was momentarily blinded by greed and reported Tian Yuanzi's whereabouts, which led to my being oppressed and bullied. I could not survive in Ningzhou and had to wander all the way to Qingzhou. I beg you, Supreme Lord, to punish me alone and spare my sect's life!"

He cried miserably, tears and snot streaming down his face. Xiao Tianci frowned, observing the man's disheveled state, but recognizing him as a responsible sect leader, and knowing his own sect leader had never pursued the matter, he said, "Let it go—"

"Fei Peijue, how dare you!" Wei Zhaixing suddenly shouted angrily, "You dare to play tricks on me?! Do you think I'm so easy to fool?!"

He turned around and was already standing in front of Fei Peijue, who was so frightened that she was stunned and had snot hanging from her nose.

"You've long heard the story of Sect Leader Lu's arduous journey of relocating thousands of miles to rebuild the sect. Now you're deliberately imitating him, and your words and actions are full of love and sacrifice for the sect. You're trying to win our favor. You're even willing to tarnish your own image to gain our sympathy!"

“You’ve been waiting outside Liangyi Mountain for a while now, eager to be the first to register! Because you know that countless new sects are watching here, watching the results of the first sect to register and be screened.”

"The Yunshan Sect should naturally treat this first person with magnanimity and set an example."

"The wonderful thing is that you've also offended Sect Leader Lu. That's fantastic! If we pardon you, wouldn't that further demonstrate the magnanimity of the Yunshan Sect and its determination to spare no expense?"

Fei Peijue's face turned deathly pale.

"So, you assumed we'd let you off easily," Wei Zhaixing said sharply, a cold laugh following her words. "But I'll do the opposite!"

"Guards, drag him out and execute him!" (End of Chapter)