Martial Arts Crossover: The Sweeping Monk of Wudang? That's our patriarch!

In that instant, the nine primordial spirits within Lin Daochen's body suddenly collapsed and reshaped, and the nine golden cores trembled violently, unleashing a monstrous spiritual pressure that surged like a tsunami, sweeping through his limbs and bones.

He sat atop the sea of ​​clouds, and in an instant, a thunderous storm erupted within his body—nine golden cores collided like nine blazing suns, their intense energy surging and crashing through his meridians, tearing at every inch of his soul.

Lin Daochen felt as if his divine sense had been struck hard by an invisible hammer, the pain penetrating to his very bones and even reaching the depths of his sea of ​​consciousness, causing his primordial spirit to tremble and buzz. This was not physical pain, but the scorching torment of his spiritual root sprouting and his foundation being rebuilt.

"Hahaha! I see! Fusion is not about superposition, but about unification—gathering all the scattered 'selves' and forging them into one true self!"

He clearly sensed the nine primordial spirits within his body: some were as cold as frost, some as unruly as fire, some as calm as an abyss... Each one was imprinted with a life-and-death experience and a certain nature of his heart. But in the instant his mind became clear, the nine shadows suddenly collapsed, and in the flow of light and shadow, they were no longer one another—only a Lin Daochen, with real flesh and blood and a complete soul, remained.

The nine golden pills trembled violently, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on their surfaces. With a crisp "crack," they all disintegrated!

In an instant, an overwhelming and unstoppable aura burst forth from the core, soaring straight into the heavens!

Lin Daochen felt his blood and qi churning violently, as if his limbs and bones were being swept away by a torrent. His body swayed violently, and he almost fell from the clouds.

At the critical moment, a pair of warm and strong hands steadily supported his back. His eyes were closed, and his consciousness sank into the deep inner world—while in reality, above the clouds, Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao stood silently.

The two were surrounded by a crystal-clear halo, and the lotus platform beneath their feet bloomed layer by layer, each petal shining brightly, as if they had approached a sacred realm.

Jiang Ziya stroked his beard and smiled, his gaze kind and gentle: "This child has indeed not disappointed, opening the door to enlightenment in the blink of an eye. However, this stage is perilous and will likely take quite some time... Should we move to a safer place?"

Shen Gongbao shook his head and sighed softly, a genuine warmth spreading across his usually cunning face. He glanced at the vast, towering peaks stretching for miles, and finally frowned slightly: "Senior brother, such an anomaly only appears once every million years. How can we entrust him to others? Why not bring him back to our cave? With you and me by his side, we can always protect his inner fire from going out."

"Such a rare gem cannot afford the slightest mistake."

Jiang Ziya nodded in agreement, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. They cherished talent, and even more so, they recognized it—the inexhaustible sharpness of enlightenment emanating from Lin Daochen made even the heavens bow in homage.

At this moment, Lin Daochen had already isolated himself from the hustle and bustle of the world and was completely immersed in the secret realm of his mind.

Nine "Lin Daochens" sat together in the starlight-filled void, talking intimately. They spoke of guarding the lonely peak on a snowy night, of tempering in the Netherworld Blood Pool, of their resolute actions on the ancient battlefield... Each figure was a soul imprint that had never faded.

He finally realized that the so-called Golden Elixir is not the condensation of an inanimate object, but rather the nurturing of another "self" with cultivation as the soil and obsession as the seed.

He had always thought that the Golden Elixir was merely a vessel for accumulating energy, which would burst when full, and then rise again to achieve complete unity. Who would have thought that the Great Dao of the Golden Elixir would be a grand return that illuminates one's true nature and gathers all self-awareness?

Before him, nine versions of himself smiled and had clear eyes, yet he was stunned and could not tell whether this reality was a phantom of his inner demons or a manifestation of the Great Dao.

Suddenly, Chen Hao, the immortal from the painting, appeared, his green robes fluttering in the air.

Lin Daochen felt a chill run down his spine, but he still bowed respectfully.

Chen Hao nodded with a smile, slowly stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the nine upright figures, his voice like a clear spring striking stone: "Young friend, your ability to calmly face these nine 'selves' already indicates the initial formation of your Dao heart. They are not clones, but the paths you have walked, the mountains you have carried, and the fires you have burned."

Lin Daochen nodded silently. Years ago, the Heavenly Emperor had given him a cryptic hint, which he hadn't understood at the time. Now, the world had changed, and the old stories of the Heavenly Court were long forgotten. He wondered if those celestial officials who had once discussed matters with him over wine still remembered that stubborn young man from beyond the clouds.

Lin Daochen was indeed extraordinary. Although the immortals in the celestial realm wore rosy robes and were ranked among the immortals, when it came to the sharpness of their understanding of the mysteries and enlightenment, they might not be able to surpass him by even a fraction.

He is strong because he is always clear-headed, strong because he can always find a new path in a predicament, and strong because every time he falls, he can grow stronger bones from the old scabs.

Previously, when he discussed the Dao with Erlang Shen Yang Jian, he could tell that the other party had reached the Saintly Realm through his body and bones forged through countless trials.

Those high and mighty immortals seem to take the tempering of their minds and character for granted, and they don't care whether they are of one mind or in harmony with each other.

Those whose paths do not align will find it difficult to walk together—they were naturally unfit to guide Lin Daochen. He could only seek out other mentors, specifically choosing those with clear minds and resolute character to learn from.

But after searching for so long, I still haven't found one that truly catches my eye.

Just as he was immersed in this profound enlightenment, a tremendous upheaval was sweeping across the world.

Just as Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao escorted Lin Daochen back to his humble thatched hut, the world suddenly went mad.

The world outside the painting suddenly trembled: the mountain peaks shook as if collapsing, the ocean surged like boiling water, and the roar of the waves tore through the sky, as if some indescribable ferocious creature was tearing open the curtain of heaven and breaking through the boundary.

The streets and alleys were in chaos as people fled in panic. No one knew where the disaster had come from; they could only feel the earth beneath their feet gasping for breath and the sky above them groaning—escape became the only clear thought in their instincts.

Before the violent tremors of the mountains and rivers had subsided, the blazing sun hanging in the mid-sky suddenly dimmed, its eerie light bursting forth with a thunderous roar.

In the instant everyone looked up, a colossal shadow that blotted out the sun had swallowed it whole. Its wings spread wide, tearing through the clouds; its face was ferocious, clearly visible even to Yao Ge, who was a hundred miles away. Its brows were twisted, its eyes were sunken, and it seemed to be neither smiling nor crying.

The city was in chaos as people fled, their cries echoing across the fields. Inside the thatched hut, Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao exchanged a glance, shook their heads in unison, and let out a soft sigh.

"Why did it have to appear at this time... a once-in-a-century evil spirit, I've heard it's called the 'Evil Sword Immortal'?"

The two sat idly drinking tea, their tone calm and without a trace of anxiety—the so-called evil sword immortal was nothing more than a clown in their eyes.

But to ordinary people, this man was a sign of impending doom. The malevolent aura emanating from him had already spread across the sky like ink soaking into paper, pouring down into the mortal realm.

In an instant, black mist filled the human realm, thick as oil. Mortals who came into contact with it went mad, their eyes turned bloodshot, they destroyed everything in sight, devoured anyone they saw, their reason shattered, and they became like walking corpses.

Humans ran wildly through the streets, while government troops stood in formation with weapons, yet they could not stop the madmen from biting and tearing—they were oblivious to the blows from swords and spears, which only fueled their ferocity. In the short span of half an incense stick's time, corpses littered the rubble, and cries of agony filled the air; separation and death had become commonplace.

Inside the thatched hut, Lin Daochen remained seated, lost in thought.

He saw the figure of a child curled up by the woodpile, gnawing on a cold steamed bun; he saw the stubbornness of a young man stepping into the mountain gate with clenched fists; he saw the awkwardness of his fingertips trembling when he first grasped the magic seal...

The naive young man of that time and the person sitting here today seem like strangers from another world. Along the way, I can hardly recognize myself anymore.

Is it Lin Daochen at this moment? Or Lin Daochen yesterday? This thought flashed through my mind, then dissipated—the answer was no longer important.

He raised his hand and summoned several wisps of primordial weapons shrouded in purple mist, which quietly rose up and slowly wrapped around his body.

Purple energy entered his body, causing a slight tremor in his dantian. The nine Primordial God Golden Cores slowly rotated, and cracks appeared on their surfaces, seemingly indicating a fusion.

"What Senior Jiang and Senior Shen Gongbao said is true. The Ice Condensation Pearl can indeed stabilize the Golden Core and prevent it from devouring each other... but the price is that cultivation becomes as slow as a tortoise's pace."

His gaze fell, and the illusions before his eyes surged endlessly, but his mind remained clear, carefully observing every change within his body.

The previous trial, seemingly unrelated to the Ice Condensation Pearl, actually concealed a hidden trap—this object was never actually inside the Ice Beast; rather, Jiang Ziya had personally handed it to him. Those twists and turns were merely a test set up by the two predecessors.

Time flowed silently, and about three hours passed. Suddenly, Lin Daochen felt a heat in his abdomen. The primordial power surged like an angry dragon crashing through a barrier, and the nine golden pills exploded in response, transforming into nine completely different streams of energy that surged and swirled in his dantian, yet refused to return to one.

"Strange...why are they all acting independently? Senior Shen Gongbao and the others are probably busy right now, so we can't ask them. Oh well, let's see how it evolves next."

The crisis has finally come to a temporary end. Now the nine primordial spirits are settled and will no longer tear each other apart. From now on, they only need to proceed steadily and gradually comprehend their understanding, and sooner or later they will be able to knock on the door of the Integration Realm.

He had just opened his eyes and was about to get up and leave when he suddenly felt a violent, cold, and evil aura, like a black tide bursting its banks, crashing down from his side!

The aura was overwhelming, even Lin Daochen's heart sank—it felt as if an ice needle had pierced his sea of ​​consciousness, and a twisted killing intent arose out of nowhere, quietly wriggling in his heart. He was startled and hurriedly spread his divine sense, scanning his surroundings, trying to find the source of this strange change.

But all he could see with his divine sense was a deathly silent, inky abyss, and an endless, chilling will to slaughter. He froze, cold sweat beading on his back.

When he opened his eyes again, he was still sitting upright in the thatched hut. Shen Gongbao was leaning against the door playing chess, the sound of chess pieces falling on the board was crisp. Jiang Ziya was sitting steadily by the stream, his fishing rod trembling slightly, the float bobbing up and down.

Lin Daochen, disregarding pleasantries, rushed to Jiang Ziya's side, bowed deeply, and asked in a slightly tense voice, "Senior Jiang, what happened outside? That soaring evil aura just now exploded right beside me—could it be that my cultivation has gone wrong?"

He subconsciously thought that some primordial spirit had lost control and dissipated, transforming into a calamity wandering outside.

Jiang Ziya shook his head and smiled, his tone gentle yet firm: "There's no need to blame yourself; this matter has nothing to do with you. In recent years, war has raged on earth, corpses litter the fields, and the people's cries of grief have accumulated into a miasma. This resentment has stagnated for a hundred years, finally brewing into this monstrous creature."

"It is called the Evil Sword Immortal. Its cultivation is still shallow, but it is extremely difficult to deal with. Since you have just split nine primordial spirits from the Golden Core Realm, you need a real test of your skills."

"We have paved the way for you—this evil sword immortal is your testing ground. Once you personally slay it, the nine gods within you will naturally return to their rightful places, and your mind will truly be stabilized."

Lin Daochen was shocked: Senior Jiang actually saw through the hidden worry of the disharmony of the nine gods in his body at a glance? How could he know so well when they were complete strangers?

He opened his mouth to ask a question, but saw that Jiang Ziya's gaze had already sunk into the water, the fishing line swaying slightly, his expression so focused that he could not be distracted.

Lin Daochen immediately fell silent and quietly stepped back.

This place is a world within a painting; to escape, one must retrieve the title of "Immortal in the Painting."

This small realm is actually a self-contained grotto, with beautiful mountains and clear waters, and misty clouds. It is probably the secluded paradise where Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao often resided. They had a close relationship with Chen Hao and often came here to fish, play games, and chat about romance. Over time, they came to regard this place as their own backyard.

After passing through a sea of ​​brightly blooming flowers, Lin Daochen finally spotted a figure sitting quietly in the deep woods in the distance.

The forest was so quiet it was almost still, so lush and verdant that it seemed to absorb everything, and every leaf shimmered with a vibrant, almost dripping green light, as if the entire forest was breathing.

In the woods, there was another small bamboo grove, with slender green bamboo poles and swaying bamboo shadows. Chen Hao sat deep in the bamboo shadows, his robes fluttering slightly, as if he had been waiting for a long time.

"Young friend, you've arrived." He smiled and pointed ahead, "The exit is here. Step through, and you'll return."

He paused, his gaze darkening slightly. "However, I must remind you—that Evil Sword Immortal is your destined tribulation. Its birth was for you."

Lin Daochen frowned: Why him of all? Jiang Ziya had just said that it was the resentment born from the chaos of war that caused this... But right now, the nine spirits within him were still restless, and his cultivation level was not yet solidified, so he couldn't afford to think too much. Since he was being used as a whetstone, he should face it head-on.

He bowed and clasped his hands in greeting, and Chen Hao smiled and waved his sleeve, signaling him to hurry up.

Without further hesitation, Lin Daochen strode into the teleportation array. A burst of white light erupted, like surging waves of snow.