Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 571 Strategizing the Three Prefectures to Determine the Heavenly Dao, Moving Mountains and Overturning Seas to Forge the Mysterious Frontier (Seeking Rewards and Subscriptions!)

Inside the Taiqing Hall, wisps of blue smoke curled and auspicious clouds drifted.

The matter of the Chi Demon Clan's southward migration and the Taiqing Sect's response strategy are crucial to the sect's future destiny for thousands of years. Of course, it cannot be decided in just one or two meetings. It requires adapting to changes based on real-time feedback.

Lu Cheng sat upright on the Sect Leader's Cloud Platform, with all the pillars of the sect seated below him:

The three Dao Lords, Mingque, Minghe, and Tongzhen, sat solemnly, their auras as deep as the sea; the Dao Venerables, Xuanqing, Xuanshang, and Xuanhong, stood to the side, and core disciples such as Yuding Xuanjun and Yinjin Xuanjun also stood in attendance, their expressions solemn.

On the walls of the palace, spiritual light transformed into mountains and rivers, which were the three prefectures in the northern territory under the jurisdiction of the Taiqing Sect, named: Lancang, Qingfeng, and Luoxia.

Among them, Lancang and Qingfeng prefectures were marked by a conspicuous spiritual circle. Not far away, a dark aura flowed faintly like ink, which was the target of the Chi Demon Clan's impending invasion to the south.

According to intelligence gathered by the sect, the Chi Demon Clan has recently won two or three battles against the Sea King Clan, suggesting that the Chi Demon Clan's southward migration plan may be delayed by one or two hundred years.

The Chi Demon Clan is bloodthirsty and warlike. Strictly speaking, it is also a powerful race in the Spirit Realm. However, due to internal strife and division, several branches have emerged and wander in the Spirit Realm. Once they come into contact, they will even fight each other. Therefore, even with nearly thirty Mahayana cultivators, they are far from being a match for the Sea King Clan.

The Sea King Clan is a super clan in the Spirit Realm, with more than thirty Mahayana Sea Clan cultivators stationed there, and several True Spirits existing within them. They are the true masters of the Spirit Realm's seas.

In contrast, the human race in the Spirit Realm can only muster no more than twenty Mahayana warriors. Therefore, although they are also among the top twenty major races, they dare not easily clash with these super races.

Fortunately, the survival rule among races in the Spirit Realm is that once a race gives birth to a ninth-order life form (a Mahayana cultivator), it has the right to survive. Such a race cannot be easily wiped out. Otherwise, a hidden Mahayana cultivator could also arbitrarily kill your race, and few races can withstand such losses.

"The three lineages of Daoism are rooted in the Dao, yet each blossoms in its own unique way." The voice of Daoist Lu Cheng, seated high above, was clear and resonant, like the first chime of an ancient bell, echoing throughout the hall.

"Our Taiqing school upholds the moral principles and emphasizes the harmony between inner and outer, understanding one's true nature, conforming to nature, and returning to the ultimate simplicity and truth. This path is upright and peaceful, cultivating one's vital energy and mind. However, after a long period of peace, it is easy to become entangled in empty talk and metaphysical speculation, confining one's mind to metaphysics, which led to the decline of the sect and nearly plunged it into the abyss."

"The Yuqing lineage originated before the Taiyuan era. It thoroughly investigates the secrets of heaven and the ultimate principles of the universe, and understands the subtle nature of the human heart. Using reason as the yardstick, it removes all superficial appearances and preserves only the pure essence of the Dao. It can be said to be the ultimate refinement of the Dao, reaching the realm of perfection."

"However, the Jade Purity Daoist Sect is extremely strict in selecting disciples, like carving jade and polishing stone. No one in its sect is ordinary; most are chosen for their time. In addition, its lineage is orderly, its wealth is vast, and its financial strength surpasses all other sects. However, its path of cultivation is transcendent, and it does not tread the mortal world. True teachings are rare. It is like a towering tree that, though deeply rooted, cannot hide its loneliness and isolation. In terms of power, it is naturally weak, and when surrounded by powerful enemies, it is inevitable that it will be unable to attend to all aspects."

"The Shangqing Sect traces its origins back to the chaos before the creation of heaven and earth, and is endowed with the great power of the Great Dao's creation! Its Dao practice is 'breaking the law with force,' relying solely on a sword, a technique, and an unwavering heart to crush all kinds of shackles and fetters! Where the sword points, the Great Dao will follow! It truly possesses the might of the Great Dao!"

"However, the Shangqing Dao sect thrives on its open doors and inclusive education, even tolerating those with skills who seek apprenticeship. This has led to a diverse and sometimes chaotic sect, producing many talented individuals while also experiencing constant internal strife. The sect's finances are dwindling daily, relying entirely on continuous external expansion campaigns to forcefully mend the internal cracks and dangers. Even with a Daoist Wangchen of unparalleled talent to suppress these threats, the numerous factions within the sect pose a constant threat, like boiling water in a pot. The slightest misstep could shake the very foundation of the sect!"

As Lu Cheng Dao Ren spoke, the atmosphere in the hall became solemn, and all the elders and disciples present nodded in agreement.

The Taiqing Sect attained enlightenment through its origins, the Yuqing Sect through its purity of enlightenment, and the Shangqing Sect through its power of enlightenment; each has its own gains and losses, advantages and disadvantages.

This drawback is an objective reality and difficult to remedy directly. For example, when Xuanzhen Daojun took charge of the sect, Taiqing Sect gradually slid towards the direction of attaining the power of the Dao. Although it achieved remarkable results, it was already showing signs of moving towards a side path.

"The merits and demerits of the three schools are evident in the Way and also in practice. We who cultivate ourselves should always be mindful of ourselves and not sit and talk about the Way or the mind and nature in vain."

"Thank you for your guidance, Master."

The three Dao Lords, Mingque, Minghe, and Tongzhen, were the first to rise, pay their respects, and speak.

"Thank you for your guidance, Master."

Subsequently, many cultivators, including Xuanqing, Xuanshang, Xuanhong, Yuding, and Yinjin, also performed the same ceremony.

Lu Cheng collected his thoughts and returned to the landscape before him, his gaze falling on the outlines of the two mountain palaces stained with dark energy.

"Our Taiqing today, having survived the calamity of fire and the toil of recovery, has accumulated strength over 1,600 years. Talented individuals are gradually returning, and the treasury is full. The relocation of these two prefectures was extremely costly, consuming mountains and seas of manpower and resources. However, today's Taiqing has risen from the ashes of this calamity, carrying on the past and forging ahead into the future. Such a monumental undertaking is not beyond our capacity!"

“Elder Mingque.” Lu Cheng looked at the old Taoist priest with his white hair and beard.

The Supreme Elder, Daoist Mingque, rose, bowed respectfully, and said, "The Sect Leader's prediction is correct. My disciple, Tongzhi, set off four years ago. This young man is quite eloquent and resourceful, and has been negotiating with the Jinshi Clan for several years. The Jinshi Clan members have bodies like refined gold and divine iron, and are strong-willed and stubborn. They believe in exchanging gold and stones for earth veins and regard spiritual veins as their mother source. Their ancestral land is remote and barren, and they have long coveted the rare minerals of heaven and earth, such as the 'Mysterious Geng Gold Mother' and the 'Star Core Iron Essence', hidden beneath the Qingfeng and Lancang Prefectures."

As he spoke, the image of Tongzhi Xuanjun appearing on the spirit map inside the hall showed him traveling between the desolate mines and the rugged palaces of the Jinshi tribe.

In the scene, the spiritual light between Tongzhi's fingers outlined the mountain ranges and geological veins of the two prefectures, with several key mineral deposits radiating dazzling precious light. Opposite him, several elders of the Jinshi Clan, each three zhang tall, with skin like molten dark gold and eyes like two round diamonds, sometimes shook their heads and argued, and sometimes stared intently at the light and shadow of those mineral veins.

The negotiations were not smooth sailing. At first, the Jinshi tribe fought for every inch of land, and their greedy appetite and insatiable demands made them a constant threat.

"Tongzhi is well aware of the desires of the Jinshi Clan. He did not simply back down, but instead introduced the news that the Yuqing Sect had discovered several newly formed secondary rich mineral veins on the northern border. Tongzhi asserted that if the Jinshi Clan was unwilling to pay a 'fair' price, the Yuqing Sect, though not good at expanding its territory, would certainly hire other clans skilled in mining at high prices, or the warlike elites of the Shangqing Sect would seize the land first." Daoist Mingque stroked his beard, his eyes showing approval.

"This move strikes at the Jinshi Clan's obsession with losing the opportunity of the 'Mother Source'. At the same time, Tongzhi, on behalf of Taiqing, promised to supply them with the Purple Void Pure Fire needed for refining Jinshi at the best price in the long term. This is a unique refining spirit fire derived from the spiritual veins of Taiqing, which is of great importance to them."

"The transaction is now complete! The resources we have obtained far exceed our expectations! Not to mention the hundreds of millions of top-grade and superior-grade spirit stones, the value of those original mineral cores of ten-thousand-year-old refined gold, meteorite mithril, and even trace amounts of chaotic divine iron is enough to support our Taiqing Sect's cultivation for a thousand years!"

Four years ago, the original plan was to sign an agreement with the Jinshi Clan, even if it meant the sect would suffer losses, to cede land to them so that they could resist the southward migration of the Chimo Clan.

However, now, Tongzhi, the disciple of the Supreme Elder Mingque Daojun, has made a deal with the Jinshi Clan, not only selling the land of the two prefectures, but also earning a huge amount of spirit stones and a large number of high-grade spirit mines.

“Excellent! Then the first to bear the brunt will be…” Lu Cheng clapped his hands in approval.

"The Eastern Pole Creation Heavenly Palace!" Daoist Tongzhen interjected, then frowned slightly:

"However, according to reports from our spies, the current Palace Master, Mo Yanxing, has been immersed in the mysteries of the 'Thousand Mechanisms and Hundred Ingenious Pivots' for thousands of years! He is obsessed with pursuing the ultimate realm of puppetry, and the channels for his disciples to report to the outside world are almost completely blocked. Although there are still discerning people in the palace who have issued warnings many times, this Palace Master Mo has been in seclusion for thousands of years. Outside his secluded 'Heavenly Craft Secret Realm,' a large number of guard puppets, which he personally crafted, are deployed to patrol day and night. Unless he comes out of seclusion on his own initiative, it is really difficult for outsiders to break in and report the news."

Tongzhen Daoist sighed and continued, "Mo Yanxing is indeed a peerless genius in the art of puppetry. It is said that he has broken through the shackles of his predecessors and created 'Battle Spirit Puppet Soldiers' that can absorb a portion of a cultivator's cultivation and divine consciousness, further increasing the potential of the 'million soldiers and armor' of the Eastern Pole Creation Heavenly Palace. Unfortunately, he is confined to a corner and cannot see the whole picture."

Despite the advantage of terrain and the formidable puppet mechanisms, they were caught completely unprepared and hastily engaged in battle…

"In that case, I must write a letter to remind this Palace Master Mo of something." Lu Cheng shook his head and smiled bitterly upon hearing this.

The assassination of the Eastern Celestial Palace is nothing in itself, but the fact that it directly led to the annihilation of one of the nine sects of the human race will undoubtedly make the Taiqing Sect a target of public criticism, which is not in line with the overall interests of the human race or even the Taiqing Sect.

"Alright, I will handle this matter myself. Starting today, inform all officials in the Northern Territory that the relocation of Lancang and Qingfeng Prefectures shall commence immediately!"

"Yes!" The elders and disciples in the hall responded in unison, their voices rising like a tide, creating an atmosphere of unity and purpose that seemed to resonate throughout the Taiqing Palace.

The reason why Daoist Lu Cheng was able to take over the Taiqing Sect was not only because of the many great contributions he made to the sect, but also because the breakthrough opportunities of the four Mahayana Dao Lords of the sect, Ming Que, Ming He, Tong Zhen, and Xuan Zhen, all came from Lu Cheng's Heaven-Mending Pill.

The Heaven-Mending Pill, also known as the Regret Medicine or Reincarnation Grass, allows cultivators to rebuild their immortal path at minimal cost, making up for the regrets accumulated over thousands of years of cultivation.

Of the four Mahayana Dao Lords, apart from Dao Lord Xuanzhen who personally guarded the Ancient Demon Rift, the other three Mahayana Dao Lords openly supported Lu Cheng. Naturally, the entire Taiqing Sect was of one mind and could unleash the immense power of this ancient sect, far exceeding that of when Dao Lord Xuanzhen was in charge.

In Lancang and Qingfeng prefectures, hundreds of millions of people began to migrate at the sect's command.

In order to relocate these mortals, the sect mobilized a massive amount of manpower and resources.

Hundreds of massive, mountain-sized "Nine Heavens Divine Travel Treasure Ships" were awakened from the Guixu Shipyard of the Taiqing Sect. Their hulls were ancient and simple, inscribed with immortal runes that could shrink the earth to an inch and make distant places seem within reach. Each ship was piloted by a cultivator at least at the Nascent Soul stage, accompanied by dozens of Nascent Soul cultivators. They arrayed themselves beneath the clouds, obscuring the sun.

Hundreds of five-colored rays of light, driven by the Taiqing Secret Technique and imbued with the characteristics of a Lesser Sumeru Realm, precisely descended upon the designated mortal cities and large village settlements. Wherever the rays of light enveloped the houses, fields, and countless ordinary people, filled with fear and a hint of awe for the immortals, were all "packaged" and absorbed in the gentle spatial ripples, flowing into the vast space within the divine vessel's belly like a whale sucking in water.

The crying children were soothed by the spiritual mist, and the old and weak were supported by the gentle spiritual energy, without experiencing the slightest discomfort.

The relocation of the earth veins and spiritual mountains is also of paramount importance. Dozens of Void Returning cultivators, who are proficient in the Great Dao of Earth and Wood, have come here on the mission of their sect to cast spells together.

On the earth, countless illusory figures, each a hundred feet tall and formed from pure Earth Spiritual Energy, rose from the ground. Their movements were slow yet resolute, like mountains shifting, carefully extracting and enveloping the "roots" of the entire small spiritual vein from the depths of the earth, condensing them into enormous spiritual marrow crystals. At the same time, Azure Wood Spiritual Energy, like countless jade roots, spread and intertwined wildly at the "wounds" left by the extraction of the spiritual vein, weaving an incomparably complex Azure Wood Spirit-Solidifying Immortal Array, protecting the fragile foundation spiritual soil to the greatest extent possible, preventing collapse, the backflow of Earthly Fiend Qi, and other disasters.

The extracted earth vein essence was contained by the cultivators in a secret treasure and carefully placed in a specially made Nine Palaces Spirit Suppressing Jade Box.

Not all creatures need boats. Some exotic beasts and spirit birds living deep in the mountains and forests, among precipitous cliffs, have elders skilled in beast taming and painting who can help them. They unfurl "Maps of Myriad Spirits," each containing the nascent form of a blessed land, chanting incantations. The scrolls flutter in the wind, transforming into enormous vortex portals that summon specific groups. Many spirit beasts then spontaneously bring their young and spiritual plants, transforming into streams of light and entering the scrolls.

The painting depicts swirling clouds and mist, with mountains and waters indistinctly visible, forming a small world for the creature to dwell in.

It wasn't that the Taiqing Sect was so ruthless as to completely empty and excavate the two prefectures, but rather that the Jinshi clan disliked flesh-and-blood creatures and unnatural creations. By plundering them cleanly and relocating them all, and then selling them to the Jinshi clan with the most primitive appearance possible, the clan might actually be happier.

As time went by, the cultivators of the Taiqing Sect retreated in an orderly fashion, leaving behind a vast, fragmented new territory. The massive, metallic-glowing stone warriors of the Jinshi Clan marched into Qingfeng and Lancang Prefectures, which should now perhaps be called the "Xuanjin Plain" or "Star Core Plain".

Having obtained the vast land they had long desired, the relationship between the Jinshi Clan and the Taiqing Sect has also improved significantly.

The Jinshi tribe even invited Lu Cheng to their tribal celebration, and Lu Cheng, being very honored, brought his two wives, Xiao Yuhong and Xiao Yuxue, along.

This was a breathtaking ceremony in the eyes of human cultivators, but a sacred and solemn one for the Jinshi Clan.

Tens of thousands of Jinshi tribesmen, bare-chested, their skin being natural armor, used their innate strength and metal-controlling abilities to tear the earth apart!
Without meticulous exploration or planning, driven only by a primal, instinctive urge to extract the ore, they roared with ecstatic joy as they hauled large chunks of gleaming ore from the ground, eagerly integrating them into their own "mother gold"!
Furthermore, several elders joined forces to inject large amounts of pure mineral essence and earth vein energy directly into the selected location, beginning the creation of their ideal "Immortal Golden City".

The entire receiving process was simple, brutal, and efficient, carrying an almost savage, primitive worship of heaven and earth.

Meanwhile, in the distant Eastern Celestial Palace of Creation.

This place has long surpassed the heights that ordinary eyes can reach. The fierce winds are strong enough to tear apart refined gold, and the magnetic turbulence distorts light. In the boundless and deep blue sky, there is only an island that is larger than imagined, quietly floating.

It is not a naturally formed landmass, but a floating continent composed of countless huge black mystic stones, spiritual jade essence covered with intricate runes, and countless huge gears and hinges that are connected and operate in an incomprehensible way.

Standing atop the eye of the storm, its core is a magnificent celestial palace, resembling the abode of gods and demons—the Eastern Pole Creation Heavenly Palace.

The entire suspended island was shrouded in a layer of misty clouds that lingered and flowed with seven-colored light.

This cloud is not inanimate; at times it condenses into a huge ring structure that slowly rotates to protect the core; at other times it disperses to reveal the breathtakingly intricate and unnatural landscape below: the forging canyon with lava-like energy rivers flowing through it, the training plain with countless test arms standing like a forest, and the core tower that spits out starlight-like spiritual light.

The wind was particularly fierce in front of the palace gate leading to the main palace, which was as big as a small mountain, cast from star gold and inlaid with intricate geometric patterns.

A middle-aged cultivator dressed in a light blue robe with cloud patterns was struggling to maintain his balance amidst the turbulent air currents, controlling a cyan magic weapon shaped like a lotus leaf.

His protective aura flickered erratically in the strong wind, his face was pale, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, but were quickly dried and evaporated by the wind.

His name is Chen Yu, and he comes from the "Myriad Phenomena Pavilion" in the Central Continent. He is the sect elder in charge of external affairs of the Eastern Extreme Creation Heavenly Palace. He came here this time because he noticed the changes in the world's overall situation while selling spiritual items for the sect. After reporting to the authorities repeatedly without success, he decided to personally come to the palace master's secluded place after much thought.

Chen Yu activated his magic power, and the lotus leaf magic treasure shone brightly with azure light, making it difficult to approach the palace gate that stood like a celestial monument.

However, hundreds of feet away from the palace gate, two cold, emotionless blue beams suddenly shot out from the eyes of a huge beast-headed statue protruding from the rock wall above the palace gate, locking onto him firmly.

As the beam of light swept across, an invisible force of confinement spread out, and Chen Yu's figure, along with his magical artifact, instantly froze in mid-air, like a small insect falling into amber, unable to even sway a single hem of his clothing.

"He who comes is stopped."

A hollow, metallic sound resonated directly in Chen Yu's soul, cold and ruthless, not the voice of a living being.

Immediately afterwards, an inconspicuous hidden compartment on the side of the palace gate slid open, and a figure stepped out. It was not made of flesh and blood, but rather of a skeletal structure composed of some kind of nearly transparent crystal and flowing with a liquid metallic luster, with joints so precise that every detail was visible. Within its chest cavity, a constantly rotating energy core emitting a soft blue-white light floated.

These are the most common "gatekeepers" in the Creation Heaven Palace over the past thousand years: War Will Puppet Soldiers. It is said that they have already developed preliminary spirituality and can even learn and evolve on their own, possessing some of the abilities of living beings.

The War Spirit Puppet stopped about ten feet in front of the stiff Chen Yu. Its "face" was a smooth crystal plate, on which light and shadow shifted and condensed into two ancient seal characters without any fluctuation: "Identity".

Chen Yu was extremely anxious, struggling with his divine sense to try and transmit a message: "I am Chen Yu, the deacon elder in charge of the Myriad Manifestations Pavilion in the Central Continent! There is an extremely urgent matter that requires an audience with the Palace Master! The situation in the Northwest has changed drastically, with a monstrous demonic shadow lurking but not yet unleashed, which may bring a calamity that will sweep across the world! This matter concerns the lives of all living beings in the Spirit Realm, as well as the life and death of our sect. I know that my position is lowly and my words carry little weight, so I implore the guards to inform the Palace Master!" He wanted to shout, but was firmly suppressed by the binding force, and could only violently transmit the divine sense containing this information.

The puppet guard's crystalline face flickered slightly, seemingly processing the information stream. After a few breaths, the cold voice echoed in Chen Yu's consciousness again: "Identity verification. Chen Yu of the Myriad Manifestations Pavilion, possession of credentials confirmed."

Chen Yu had just begun to feel a glimmer of hope.

The next sentence plunged him into despair:

"Request for an audience has been registered, but your identity level is insufficient. The Palace Master is currently in seclusion and isolated from external affairs. The Heavenly Palace is locked down and all visitors and irrelevant communications are prohibited. Please leave immediately."

The binding force vanished instantly, and Chen Yu, along with his lotus leaf magic weapon, was pushed back a full thousand feet by a gentle yet irresistible force, escaping the core area of ​​the palace gate's restriction.

"Palace Master!" Chen Yu steadied himself, disregarding his disheveled state, and once again mustered all his magical power to shout, his voice sounding small and desperate amidst the raging gale:
"The demonic calamity is imminent! Only the Palace Master, with the combined power of the sect and the Heavenly Palace's divine artifacts, can withstand it! We implore you..."

However, the crystalline guard had already turned around, ignoring his cries, and walked steadily back to the dark compartment.

The massive palace gates remained cold and tightly shut, the ancient runes on them silently gleaming with a faint yet enduring light, as if separating two worlds.

Only the high-hanging beast-head statue coldly watched Chen Yu struggle below like an ant.

Chen Yu's face turned deathly pale, not only from the enormous depletion of his magical power, but also from a deep-seated sense of powerlessness and fear.

He had long heard that the Palace Master lived deep within the Heavenly Workshop, engrossed in those astonishing creations for a thousand years, and had no interest in the changes of the outside world. But experiencing it firsthand still chilled him to the bone.

This door is not blocking me, but blocking the eternal foundation of the Eastern Celestial Palace of Creation!
"Palace Master, I beg you to see me! I only beg you to see me! I'd rather die in peace!"

This loyal elder, who was devoted to the sect, cried out in agony outside the Heavenly Palace. Overwhelmed with anger, he felt a sweet taste in his throat and mouthfuls of blood spilled from the corners of his mouth, yet he still could not budge the heavy black gate.

"Why? Why is it that among the countless high-ranking cultivators of my Eastern Celestial Palace, not a single one can see clearly that the Taiqing Sect's relocation of hundreds of millions of people and the ceding of two prefectures have already brought the Chi Demon Clan's southward migration to the very neck of the Celestial Palace!"

"Palace Master, please listen! Please listen!"

(End of this chapter)