There are no ancestors at all; I made them all up.

Chapter 253 The Mountain Between Yin and Yang

"call--"

The boat pierced the sky like a shooting star, landing a few feet in front of Chen Qing, stirring up a wave of air.

Bai Qichen, without even catching his breath, leaped forward and bowed deeply to Chen Qing, saying, "Sect Leader Chen! There's news about the mountain you're looking for!"

Chen Qing's gaze fell on Bai Qichen. Seeing that this person's face was five or six parts similar to Bai Shaoyou's, and his aura was more calm and profound, he had already guessed the other party's origin.

Seeing this, Bai Shaoyou, fearing that his elder brother would be impolite, quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Master, this is my elder brother, Bai Qichen."

His heart was also filled with turmoil. Just now, Chen Qing had defeated all the heroes with a flick of his finger, and even the Gongzhen Master of the Heavenly Mystery Martial Arts Hall was suppressed by a bloody light. Such supernatural power was beyond his comprehension.

When Bai Shaoyou first became a disciple, he harbored some thoughts of taking advantage of the sect's influence and exploring its secrets. Now, however, he is completely convinced and feels that his master is unfathomable, like an abyss.

Bai Qichen only then realized how abrupt it was. He had rushed out with the newly acquired information because he was worried that Chen Qingzhen might do something extreme again, to prevent Chen Qingzhen from forming an irreconcilable feud with the Dongling Grand Sect, which would be quite unfortunate later on. After all, in Bai Qichen's view, this Sect Leader Chen was his younger brother's teacher, so he was definitely one of his own. Moreover, with such supernatural abilities, he needed to cultivate the relationship carefully and plan for him.

Thinking it over, he followed Bai Shaoyou's words and said, "Sect Leader Chen, my younger brother told me about the characteristics of the mountain you were looking for. My Bai family used our connections to consult the secret ancient maps and fragments, and contacted several friendly sects. Finally, we found a clue!"

"Oh?" Chen Qing immediately perked up.

Bai Qichen took a deep breath and continued solemnly, "According to the secret scroll, this mountain is called Jiming, but it is not actually in the mortal realm!"

"Not in the mortal realm?" Chen Qing frowned. "In the underworld?"

Bai Qichen immediately explained, "The mountain is located at the boundary between Yin and Yang, and is a manifestation of an entrance to the Underworld! However, now that the Underworld is sealed off, only legends remain, and the records of that mountain have become blurred. But by combining various volumes, we can still get a general idea."

Then, without waiting for Chen Qing to ask further questions, he took the initiative to explain: "According to the records, the sun on the mountaintop is not the real sun, but rather the condensed light of the Buddha of Nirvana. It appears magnificent, but in reality, it contains the true meaning of the Nirvana of all things; the twisted dark spots on the mountainside are karmic defilements formed by the convergence of endless karma and resentment. Touching them will damage one's foundation and defile one's soul; and the gray mist at the foot of the mountain is even more dangerous, capable of eroding the primordial spirit and confusing the true soul, known as the bewitching miasma! There are also verses in ancient books that warn against this, saying..."

He paused, his voice growing even lower, and said, "It is clear that the Buddha's life has come to an end!"

"The boundary between Yin and Yang... the entrance to the underworld... the extinguished Buddha light... have you seen that the Tathagata's life has ended?"

Chen Qing pondered these words, seemingly lost in thought. This was clearly related to the whispers he had heard earlier!

Across from him, Bai Qichen couldn't help but remind him again: "According to the records, this place is a place where nine out of ten people will die, no, it is a place where ten out of ten people will die! Ordinary cultivators, let alone explore it, may bring misfortune even if they catch a glimpse of its shape!"

Chen Qing nodded, but still asked, "Do you know how to get to this place where Yin and Yang meet?"

Bai Qichen sighed upon hearing this, but he was already prepared and replied, "Based on a combination of clues, the one most closely associated with this mountain in Dongling Continent is most likely the Sanshengshi Temple, one of the thirty-three superior sects of Dongling, located in Wuhui Valley on the banks of the Wangchuan River!"

"The Three Lives Stone Temple?" Chen Qing raised an eyebrow. This name was quite extraordinary. After all, in the Dream Immortal Dynasty, the third Immortal Emperor, trapped by himself, sought a solution by using the Three Lives Stone to reincarnate and reshape himself!
“Exactly!” Bai Qichen affirmed. “This sect has a mysterious origin and is intricately connected to the long-closed Western Nether Continent. Its sect’s most treasured technique, the ‘Past Life Mirror Heart Method,’ is said to be able to awaken fragments of a cultivator’s past life memories, using the power of the past life to enhance their current supernatural abilities. It is extremely profound, but also exceptionally dangerous, easily leading to mental derangement. Furthermore, its sect has a secret technique that can temporarily open the ‘Netherworld Reflection’ to spy on an opponent’s karmic entanglements, making it impossible to defend against.”

As he spoke, he lowered his voice, his tone tinged with apprehension: "Most importantly, the temple enshrines a fragment of the 'Three Lives Stone'! This stone is a rare treasure of heaven and earth, capable of revealing the karmic causes and conditions of all beings' past, present, and future lives! Since Mount Jiming is the entrance to the underworld, involving the cycle of reincarnation and karma, the Three Lives Stone Temple, with this fragment, must know more about the inner workings, and may even possess the method to enter it!"

The Three Lives Stone Temple...

Upon hearing about the fragments of the "Three Lives Stone," Chen Qing knew that regardless of whether this sect was involved with that mountain, he had to make the trip, as it would be a way to learn about the situation of the Taijing Immortal Emperor from the sidelines.

Just as Bai Qichen finished speaking...

"You have the leisure to inquire about other matters while fighting this humble Taoist! This is utterly humiliating!"

A sharp whistle exploded in the distance!

The Taoist Gongzhen, who had been pressed into the mountain by the blood-red light, forcibly broke through part of the restraints. A crimson magic weapon, shaped like a dragon shuttle, shot out from the top of his head, carrying a fierce and murderous aura, and pierced straight into Chen Qing's back!

This treasure is called the "Soul-Slaying Shuttle," a deadly weapon that Gong Zhen has kept hidden away for centuries. When it is unleashed, bloodshed is inevitable!
"Master, be careful!" Bai Shaoyou exclaimed.

Seeing this, Bai Qichen said urgently, "Sect Leader Chen! The Heavenly Mystery Martial Arts Hall was jointly established by several major sects and is located at the Star Observation Platform in Zhongtian City. It also has a Nascent Soul Ancestor in charge, who is a top figure in the world! We must not make a deadly enemy unless necessary!"

"The Nascent Soul stage is now considered the pinnacle of the world?" Chen Qing frowned upon hearing this, feeling something was amiss. Then, he changed the subject, "In that case, we should indeed be more decisive to avoid future troubles."

"Buzz—" As soon as he finished speaking, a distorted light and shadow flashed past behind him!
In an instant!
It's as if the sea and sky have been reversed, and everything has been transformed!
The blurry image of the forest of steles and the majestic imperial aura flickered briefly before receding.

The Soul-Slaying Shuttle, hurtling towards them, let out a mournful cry, froze in mid-air, lost all its spiritual light, and fell to the ground with a "thud".

The surging magical power on Gongzhen Daoist's body was forcibly suppressed back into his body!

His eyes were wide open, his face filled with extreme horror and disbelief, and his lips were trembling.

"You...you're not a Golden Core cultivator...you're..."

The words that followed were completely sealed in his throat. His body stiffened, and he fell into the mountains again, but this time he was completely silenced and there was no more movement!
This happened faster than anyone could have imagined!

The onlookers only saw a blur before their eyes, and the menacing Soul-Slaying Shuttle had already fallen, and Daoist Gongzhen had vanished without a trace. They hadn't even seen what had happened!
However, a few people still managed to catch that fleeting, terrifying aura that far surpassed the Golden Core level!
Luo Shuanghua's delicate body trembled violently, her pretty face beneath the veil drained of color, and her beautiful eyes were filled with shock and bewilderment.

Bai Qichen gasped, his heart pounding. A chilling thought popped into his head: "Nascent Soul external realm?!"

He then suppressed his shock and quickly understood the general style of this Sect Leader Chen. He stopped trying to dissuade him and said, "Sect Leader Chen's supernatural abilities are unparalleled, and I admire him. That Daoist Gongzhen's actions were indeed excessive, and it is normal for him to be punished! Fortunately, no one was killed, so there is still room for maneuver. When I return, I will explain the reasons to everyone. After all... they are in the wrong."

Bai Shaoyou was also filled with excitement, feeling both proud and worried. He stepped forward and said, "Master, if anyone pursues the matter, I will do my best to deal with it as a disciple of the Hidden Star Sect!"

Bai Qichen glanced at his younger brother and shook his head, saying, "There will definitely be an investigation, but the situation is different now. If Sect Leader Chen's methods were weak just now, the culprits would have arrived in an instant. But since he subdued Gong Zhen with ease, the situation is different now. In short, wait for my news."

As he spoke, he changed the subject, looking at the shimmering Taiyin Palace, and asked, "Sect Leader Chen, what are your plans for dealing with this relic?"

Just then, Luo Shuanghua, who had been silently meditating, suddenly forced herself to stand up and bowed gracefully to Chen Qing: "Junior Luo Shuanghua has offended you greatly and disturbed your cultivation, senior. I deserve to die! I am willing to offer up my spot in this trial as a token of my apology. I beg your forgiveness!"

Chen Qing glanced at her and shook his head, saying, "I have no interest in these ruins."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a strange thing happened!

The three demonic cultivators who had been ignored saw that everyone's attention had shifted and thought they had an opportunity to take advantage of it. They transformed into three dark demonic lights and rushed towards the open gate of the ruins again!
"You're the ones who have damaged my mountain range, and you still dare to be disobedient." Chen Qing grabbed at the air.

Blood-red light enveloped the surroundings, instantly freezing the three speeding demonic lights. They were then forcibly pulled back, crashing heavily to the ground and sinking into the earth, just like Daoist Gongzhen, completely sealed off and unable to move.

Having done all this, Chen Qing ignored the complicated and incomprehensible gazes of the crowd and said to Bai Shaoyou, "This matter is settled, let's return to the mountain." With that, he flicked his sleeve and, along with Bai Shaoyou, transformed into a beam of light and headed towards the main peak of Mingxia Mountain, never once looking back at the Taiyin Palace again.

As he left, all the injured on the ground couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, as if a huge mountain had been lifted from their hearts.

Then, they raised their eyes and looked up at the sky again. Despite their fear and injuries, their desire to seek the Dao remained unchanged, and their gazes became fervent once more as they turned towards the Taiyin Palace.

But then the sky changed again. The Taiyin Palace, with its eerie light flowing and its doors wide open, emitted a low hum after Chen Qing left. Then the light faded and the doors slammed shut!

Immediately afterwards, the entire mirage of the ruins trembled slightly and began to move again, and the direction... was none other than the main peak of Mingxia Mountain where Chen Qing had left!

"This……"

Everyone was stunned, staring blankly at the Taiyin Palace, which seemed to have "come alive" and stubbornly chased after Chen Qing.

An absurd guess arose in everyone's mind!

"Could it be..."

When this thought arose, everyone found it unbelievable, and their hearts were filled with awe and shock.

Just then, the light reappeared in the distance.

The court officials, led by An Ning and Liu Shuang'er, rushed over. Accompanying them was a young girl dressed in emerald green palace attire, with an elegant and noble demeanor and eyes like glass. She was none other than Mu Qingling from the Qingmu Ling Kingdom.

They came to mediate after receiving the news.

(End of this chapter)