Immortals of the End Times

Faced with Cang Yunzi's praise, Zhao Wuji turned around, shook his head and smiled, waving his hand and saying, "Sect Master is too kind. It was just that I was fortunate enough to have some opportunities and gained some insights by chance."

His gaze narrowed slightly as he recalled the astonishing chess game on Sword Immortal Mountain: "Back when I was observing the Starry Sky Chess Game on Sword Immortal Mountain, I was fortunate enough to witness the mysterious technique of the wandering immortal boy using stars as pieces."

On that chessboard, every move seemed to align with the Way of Heaven, giving me a slight sense of its profound meaning.

As he spoke, starlight shimmered in his palm, and seven illusory chess pieces appeared from his fingertips, only to vanish in an instant: "Later, I had a fortuitous encounter in a secret realm, where I also gained some extraordinary fortune."

Zhao Wuji turned his gaze to the northwest: "What happened today was nothing more than integrating my past insights and finally getting a grasp of the basics."

He sighed, "Unfortunately, I've only grasped the basics; I'm still far from the true path."

"Fellow Daoist Zhao's words make this old man, who has cultivated for eight hundred years, feel ashamed."

Cang Yunzi's snow-white long eyebrows danced, and the whisk in his hand moved automatically without wind. "The Heavenly Dao is fifty, and the Great Evolution is forty-nine. Even those who have reached the Nascent Soul stage are extremely fortunate to be able to glimpse a trace of the true meaning of the Dao when their primordial spirits interact."

He looked up at the sky: "Only when a cultivator reaches the perfection of the Nascent Soul stage can they glimpse the true face of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth when the Nascent Soul and the Primordial Spirit merge seamlessly. But you, fellow Daoist..."

Cang Yunzi shook his head and sighed, "You haven't even reached the state of communion between heaven and man, the Nascent Soul and the Primordial Spirit, yet you've already comprehended the Dao. Your talent and comprehension are truly the best I've ever seen in my life."

He paused, then asked in surprise, "But what Fellow Daoist Zhao is implying... could it be that your place of extraordinary encounter is related to Daoist principles?"

Zhao Wuji nodded slightly. "That's right. I once entered a mysterious place by chance, which is somewhat similar to the Nine Heavens, yet also different."

He did not explain the existence of the Tiannan Secret Realm in detail, but the information revealed in his words had already shaken Cang Yunzi's heart.

"I see."

Cangyunzi stroked his beard and pondered, a sharp glint in his eyes.

Having cultivated Taoism for over eight hundred years and possessing extensive knowledge, he could naturally guess that the "place of extraordinary encounter" Zhao Wuji referred to was no ordinary secret realm; otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to help someone comprehend the essence of Taoism ahead of time.

However, knowing that cultivators avoid discussing matters too intimately with casual acquaintances, he did not pursue the details further. Instead, he solemnly cupped his hands in a respectful bow and said:

"Fellow Daoist Zhao is willing to share this opportunity, and this old Daoist is deeply grateful! If there is any need in the future, the Immortal Saint Sect will certainly do its utmost to help!"

Zhao Wuji smiled calmly and waved his hand, saying, "Sect Master Cangyunzi, you flatter me. The calamity of the end times is approaching. We are all of the same path, and we should help each other."

He already had a plan in mind.

If they are to join forces to explore the true Nine Heavens in the future, Cang Yunzi and Wentian Sword Lord will be indispensable helpers.

The trial of the pseudo-ninth heaven is the best place for training. He will open his doors to these two trustworthy fellow Daoists, who are of good character and broad-mindedness, and take them there to explore and familiarize themselves with the place, making thorough preparations.

"The night is long, and since you are comprehending the Dao, why not take this opportunity to discuss it?"

Cang Yunzi lightly flicked his whisk, a look of anticipation appearing in his eyes.

"Right on my mind."

Zhao Wuji smiled nonchalantly and sat cross-legged on the star-gazing platform.

The two sat facing each other, their bodies radiating spiritual energy and hinting at the Dao.

Although Zhao Wuji was ahead in comprehending the Dao, Cang Yunzi, as the sect leader of the Immortal Saint Sect, cultivated both the Wudang and Immortal Saint lineages, and his accumulated foundation over eight hundred years should not be underestimated.

"From what I observed, Fellow Daoist's method of drawing starlight just now seems to be related to the Starry Chess Game?" Cang Yunzi pondered.

Zhao Wuji nodded, lightly tapping the air with his fingertip, and a wisp of starlight condensed: "Not bad. Back when I was observing the Starry Chess Game at Sword Immortal Mountain, I did come across some rudimentary techniques."

Upon hearing this, Cang Yunzi's eyes flashed with understanding: "No wonder you were able to trigger such extraordinary phenomena with your Nascent Soul body! That Starry Chess Formation was an ancient powerful being's array made of stars, containing supreme Dao intent."

Changing the subject, he added, "However, it seems that the Daoist insights you've gained from the old Taoist temple go beyond this?"

Zhao Wuji smiled slightly and did not deny it: "Besides the Starry Chess Game, I have comprehended my own Dao, which is called the Dao of Interception."

“Intercepting the path?” Cang Yunzi was moved, pondering these two words.

Their words corroborated each other's statements.

Cangyunzi had an extremely profound understanding of the Daoist classics.

The concept of "Tai Chi Yin Yang" in the Wudang lineage has something in common with the "Intercepting Dao" that Zhao Wuji comprehended.

"The cycle of Yin and Yang lies precisely between 'cutting off' and 'continuing'."

Cangyunzi stroked his beard and pondered, "Fellow Daoist Zhao takes 'interception' as his path, which is in line with the principle of the impermanence of the Way of Heaven."

Zhao Wuji seemed to be deep in thought: "Yin and Yang are mutually interchangeable, and movement and stillness give rise to each other. What I have realized may only be one aspect of it."

Cangyunzi nodded: "That's right."

If one can understand the mystery of 'cutting' and 'continuing', perhaps...

He paused suddenly, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, as if he had sensed something.

Zhao Wuji also noticed something was wrong and looked up at the sky.

But the once dim starlight began to flow again, and the light of the Big Dipper faintly echoed the voices of the two discussing the Dao, as if they were resonating with each other!
This time, Zhao Wuji did not use the Star Astrology technique to attract starlight; it was purely a natural phenomenon of stars shining and dimming. However, it was similar to the natural phenomenon of a rainbow cutting off the rain curtain in the past.

"This is."

Cang Yunzi's heart stirred, and he calculated with his fingers, causing the copper coins on the Ziwei Destiny Plate to vibrate and hum.

Zhao Wuji closed his eyes and concentrated, his mind flowing with Daoist principles, merging with the starlight.

For a moment, the air on the star-gazing platform was filled with Daoist energy, and the two of them were so engrossed in it that they said nothing more.

This discussion continued for seven days.

On the seventh day at dusk, when the afterglow dyed the clouds, the two opened their eyes at the same time, looked at each other and smiled.

"Your teachings have greatly benefited this old Daoist," Cang Yunzi said solemnly, cupping his hands in greeting.

Zhao Wuji also stood up to return the greeting: "Sect Leader's eight hundred years of cultivation have accumulated into your wisdom, and I have benefited greatly from your words."

He thought to himself that this discussion had made his understanding of "intercepting the Dao" even clearer.

Although Cangyunzi had not yet comprehended the Daoist essence, he had already touched the threshold of the Daoist essence of "bearing the heavens and carrying all things," and the opportunity to transform into a deity was beginning to emerge.

In terms of cultivation accumulation, if the other party comprehends the Dao, they may need to step into the Nascent Soul stage first.

"The sign of the Big Dipper shining brightly seven days ago."

Cang Yunzi suddenly made a calculation with his fingers, and the whisk in his hand moved on its own without wind. "Those ancestral demons of the Nine Netherworlds are most afraid of the power of the Big Dipper. This time they will probably have to lie low for a while."

Before the words were finished, a deep rumble suddenly came from the sacred mountain beneath their feet.

Cang Yunzi frowned slightly: "It's strange, but recently the sect's spiritual veins have been affected by the turmoil in the Central Plains' energy veins, and the spiritual energy tides are three times more violent than usual."

He suddenly turned around and bowed solemnly: "I wonder if Elder Zhao could please bring out the Yangzhou Cauldron?"

This cauldron is a treasure of the tides. Although it cannot compare to the Liangzhou Cauldron that can suppress the mountains and the Jizhou Cauldron that can stabilize the earth, it should have a remarkable effect on regulating water veins and spiritual veins.

It just so happens that the spiritual veins of my Immortal Saint Sect also belong to a branch of the water veins.

"Sect Master, you're too kind."

Zhao Wuji bowed in return, "I am currently cultivating in the sect and am also an honorary elder. It is my duty to manage the spiritual vein riot."

Seeing this, Cang Yunzi nodded with satisfaction: "Then I'll have to trouble Elder Zhao."

After saying this, he cupped his hands in farewell and his figure transformed into a stream of light, disappearing into the sea of ​​clouds.

Time flies.

Three months later, at the core of the Immortal Saint Sect's earth vein.

"boom!"

Zhao Wuji stood suspended in mid-air at the confluence of spiritual veins, his robes fluttering like banners.

The sixth-level spiritual vein below surged like an enraged azure dragon, its violent spiritual energy tearing spiderweb-like cracks into the hundred-foot-long rock strata.

He suddenly pressed his fingers down like a sword, and the spiritual pressure of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator erupted.

"Break!"

The entire spiritual vein river was forcibly cut off, creating a vacuum three zhang deep, from which a deafening dragon roar echoed from the ground.

Countless ancient spirit-eating insects, dwelling deep within the sixth-level spiritual vein, were struck as if by lightning, transforming into an overwhelming torrent of azure water that burst forth from the earth.

"Crash!"

The swarm of insects flapped their wings with a sound like the clash of metal, and the friction of their millions of legs solidified into tangible blue chains, which came crashing down with a terrifying force that seemed to tear through the void.

"Well done!"

Zhao Wuji's wide sleeves billowed like clouds, and the blue light from the gates of the Pot Heaven surged forth.

"Om!!"

In an instant, two golden-red lightning bolts shot out from his sleeves.

The Blood King Gu on the left flaps its wings, unleashing a torrent of bloodthirst; the Dragon Scale King Gu on the right roars, radiating a vast and mighty dragon's power.

Both Gu gu exuded strong spiritual power, crashing into the swarm of insects like tigers among sheep.

"Chucky!"

As the Blood King Gu opened and closed its mouthparts, dozens of spirit-eating insects were instantly shredded into azure spiritual liquid.

The Dragon Scale King Gu is even more ferocious, with its tail scales spinning like blades, causing insect corpses to fall like rain wherever it passes.

The insect swarm formation was torn open in the blink of an eye, and the originally tight suppression chains were instantly shattered.

On a distant mountaintop, dozens of disciples of the Immortal Saint Sect stared in disbelief.

"Collect!" Zhao Wuji pointed his fingers like a sword and slashed through the air. The azure light of the Pot Heaven turned into a vortex and swallowed up the scattered swarm of insects.

He raised his hand again, and the Yangzhou Ding emitted a clear and melodious sound, while the dragon-shaped patterns on the ding body shone with a bright blue light.

The dragon-shaped patterns on the cauldron's mouth came to life, transforming into a hundred-foot-tall phantom that soared into the sky.

"hold head high!!"

The dragon's roar echoed through the heavens, and the giant maw of the dragon opened like a bottomless abyss. The turbulent rivers of spiritual energy were swallowed up as if all rivers were flowing into the sea.

The tidal runes on the cauldron lit up one after another, filtering out the violent spiritual energy layer by layer.

In less than three breaths, it exhaled a gentle, silky blue spiritual mist, nourishing the entire mountain range like spring rain.

Even more miraculously, seven spirit crystals the size of pigeon eggs condensed on the inner wall of the Yangzhou Cauldron, their entire bodies as clear as sapphires, radiating the purest and most exquisite Daoist charm of water veins.

"wonderful!"

Zhao Wuji casually picked up the spirit crystal and swallowed it, and the three-colored nascent soul in his dantian immediately emitted a dazzling light.

Under the illumination of the Yin-Yang Pearl, his cultivation level instantly surged by more than 3,000 points, breaking through the 50,000 mark in the blink of an eye, and the divine halo between his nascent soul's brows brightened by three points.

"Even the earth's veins, like dragons, need shackles. This severance is not an end, but rather a guidance back to the right path."

Zhao Wuji stroked the cauldron and nodded slightly, then rolled up his sleeve.

The giant cauldron, about ten feet in size, suddenly emitted a clear and melodious dragon's roar.

Three water tornadoes spewed from the cauldron, absorbing the remaining turbulent spiritual energy before transforming into streams of light that disappeared into the wide sleeves.

The lingering shadow of the cauldron amidst the sea of ​​clouds remained, coalescing into nine golden lotuses of spiritual energy that slowly rotated.

With the help of the Yangzhou Cauldron's ability to condense spiritual crystals, and with his recent comprehension of Daoist principles allowing him to continuously improve his cultivation, the estimated forty years of arduous cultivation might be shortened by more than half.

After returning to the Pot Heaven Secret Realm.

Zhao Wuji continued to comprehend the Daoist principles.

The lifespan of a Nascent Soul cultivator is 1,500 years.

Especially when cultivating in this era of flourishing spiritual energy, time seems to flow by like water, and a thousand years of lifespan in this prosperous age of spiritual energy revival seems to be just a blink of an eye.

Each time he closed his eyes to comprehend the Dao, when he opened them again, the spiritual peaches outside his cave had already withered and bloomed again.

"Wow!!"

Within the Pot Heaven space, three spiritual veins coiled like giant dragons.

The fifth-level spiritual vein of the Immortal Saint Sect was shrouded in azure mist, while the two fourth-level spiritual veins were enveloped in purple aura. Furthermore, the spiritual energy from the sixth-level main vein in the outside world descended like a celestial river.

Four streams of spiritual energy intertwined amidst the sea of ​​clouds, condensing into liquid spiritual dew that trickled down the mountain cliffs.

Time passed unnoticed.

Suddenly, Zhao Wuji, who was sitting quietly, felt a twitch between his brows.

Inside the inner realm, the illusory image of the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass swayed inexplicably.

On the tip of the longest blade of grass, a drop of morning dew, as fine as mercury, was about to fall, yet it reflected the majestic outline of Jianxian Mountain, thousands of miles away.

The real Nine-Leaf Sword Grass on the mountaintop seemed to sense something. Its leaves tilted slightly, and a wisp of chaotic sword energy pierced through the void barrier, crossing the boundary along the trajectory reflected by the dew!

The moment the sword energy entered his body, Zhao Wuji's dantian shone as brightly as the morning star.

He was suddenly inspired, and all the insights he had gained about Taoism during this period came together in his mind, as if they had transformed into half of the Taoist canon.

He suddenly formed a sword with his fingers, dipped his fingertips into the dark blue spring water from the Yin Sha Spring at the foot of the mountain, and mixed it with the cross-border sword energy to wield his brush in mid-air.

The golden patterns of the talisman water technique spread out in the void like silk, with chaotic sword energy as its edge. Each stroke seemed to cut through the heavenly Dao, writing the character '截' stroke by stroke.

"laugh!"

The moment the Dao patterns took shape, spiritual light shone like an inverted Milky Way.

The cloud-like paper condensed by the Mist-Fabrication Technique unfolds automatically, the spiritual flames tempered by the Stone-Boiling Technique transform into golden ink, the sword's edge serves as the pen, and the celestial calculations serve as the framework.
The various wondrous methods blended together, revealing all sorts of mysterious possibilities, and a profound Daoist formula manifested in his mind.

The illusory image of the "Twelve Chapters of the Intercepting Dao," which I realized on my own, floated and lingered:
The opening chapter, 'Spirit Interception,' shines with every word, revealing the profound mysteries of seizing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

The next chapter, "Intercepting the Momentum," is written with vigorous strokes, elucidating the methods of harnessing the power of heaven and earth.

The three chapters, "Intercepting the Machine," unfold amidst the shifting starlight, revealing the true meaning of the vicissitudes of fate.
As the Daoist aura flowed, the confusion in his eyes gradually dissipated.

"I see!"

"Hahaha!"

Zhao Wuji suddenly burst into loud laughter, his voice shaking the heavens.

The peach blossoms covering the mountain fell in response, but when they touched him within three zhang, they suddenly froze in mid-air.

Each petal reflected the Daoist essence flowing in his eyes.

"cut!!"

His robes billowed like clouds, and suddenly he pointed his fingers at the morning sun guiding the light from within the Pot Heaven space.

"Hey!"

The radiant morning light was as if a three-foot vacuum had been forcibly cut off from the brocade!

At the cross-section where golden light flows, the faint shadow of the surging river of time can be seen.

"The so-called interception of the road."

Zhao Wuji lowered his fingers and gazed at the frozen morning light, his voice clear and melodious like ice spring striking jade:

"It's not about severing the secrets of heaven, but about seizing the eternal from chaos. When the Dao is fully perfected in the future, it may not be impossible."

His eyes blazed with starlight, and he spoke each word slowly and deliberately:
"I'll capture a segment of time from the river of history, and embrace the bright moon until the end!"

"boom!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the thousands of peach petals that had been suspended exploded at the same time.

Within each speck of light, the character "截" (jie) emerged, weaving together in the void to form a golden net that blotted out the sky.

The river of spiritual energy within the secret realm suddenly changed course.

As if encountering a natural enemy, they spontaneously circled around him for ten zhang, forming a strange vacuum of Daoist energy.

"Come!"

Zhao Wuji suddenly spread his arms wide as if embracing the sky, and twisted ripples of void suddenly appeared around his body.

"Come!"

With a clear shout, the true intent of the Dao of Interception within his body surged forth, forming a mysterious force field with a radius of ten feet in front of him.

The surging river of spiritual energy was forcibly divided into nine sections, each of which, guided by the Daoist principles, transformed into a crystal-clear spiritual dragon.

"hold head high!!"

Nine spirit dragons roared, shaking the heavens, carrying a massive amount of pure spiritual energy, which then blasted into his seven orifices.

The Yin-Yang Pearl spun rapidly in my sea of ​​consciousness, its surface radiating a burst of golden light:

"[Cultivation Level: 139765 → 171843]"

The nascent soul within his body shimmered with a dazzling, crystalline light, and its seven divine wheels spun like the sun.

The sword-like mark between his brows emitted a dazzling spiritual light, its Daoist aura penetrating all seven chakras, shining brilliantly.

Just then, the cave's restrictions suddenly emitted a fluctuation of the Demon Roc Sect Master's divine sense:

"My lord! Your subordinate has finally discovered traces of the old ghost Huang Shang in the provinces beyond the Yellow River!"

Amidst the fluctuations in his divine sense, Yao Peng exclaimed in alarm: "That old monster has actually reached the perfect Nascent Soul stage!"
My subordinate was locked onto by a divine sense as soon as he approached within a hundred miles. I only managed to escape back and report this by risking the destruction of three of my life-giving feathers!

"Ok?"

Zhao Wuji suddenly opened his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in them.

The states beyond Hebei?

How could Huang Shang, that old ghost, appear in such a remote place?
He did a quick calculation and was surprised to find that nine years had passed in the outside world during his seclusion and enlightenment.

"No wonder Huang Chang broke through to the Nascent Soul stage. However, nine years is far too short. To break through so quickly, unless he has already found the other Nine Cauldrons or..."

He suddenly clenched his five fingers, and the hexagrams derived from astrology exploded with thousands of golden rays in his palm.

Could it be that the Nine Nether Demon Lord has already reconstructed his demonic body?

Huang Shang still has connections with the Nine Nether Demon Lord.

But then I thought about it again and it seemed strange.

Given Huang Shang's cunning nature, if he were truly colluding with the Demon Lord, why would he make such a ostentatious appearance?

"unless."

Zhao Wuji suddenly drew his fingers across the void, using astrology to perform divination.

Is this an attempt to lure him into a trap?

The states beyond the river are far from the sphere of influence of the Immortal Saint Sect. If an ambush were set up there...
(End of this chapter)