Chapter 1770: All Pieces Fall Into Place (II)

The darkness was dim and murky.

A cluster of flames sprang to life in the great void as Daoist Master Tiangui descended upon spiritual flames. There, he found a Daoist standing within the great void, wearing a tall crown and white robes. His fingers were formed into a hand seal, and he seemed entirely cut off from the outside world, as though deep in meditation. His features bore a striking resemblance to Zhang Yun of years past.

"Uncle!"

In the distance, a brilliant golden cloud glowed as faint rumbles of thunder echoed from within it. Chunshuo turned his head slightly, though his gaze never left that golden cloud.

His expression remained composed as he asked, "What was Lord Yang's answer?"

Tiangui cupped his fists and replied, "Three days."

The news clearly brought some relief to Chunshuo's expression. He said quietly, "The Underworld's judiciary is still proud and unwilling to let matters become too ugly... Duanyan and I had reckoned it would take no more than thirty days. Now... it makes us seem rather petty."

"Once this matter is resolved... Tianyee can pursue the Dao with peace of mind as well."

The Tianyee he spoke of was none other than the person known throughout Jiangnan as Daoist Master Qiushui!

Daoist Master Chunshuo had spent many years cultivating within the grotto heaven, rarely involving himself in worldly affairs and devoting himself entirely to Daoist cultivation, which had left him broad-minded by nature.

On the other hand, Tiangui had never been particularly magnanimous. He merely shook his head and said, "I think it is only proper. It is still far too early for us to come into contact with them. Great Primordial Hidden Radiance Mountain was a fine maneuver, but no matter how sound our justification may be, we still owe the Qing Family an explanation."

His expression shifted slightly as he lowered his head and said, "I have seen the [Radiance Under Heaven] that Li Ximing attained."

Daoist Master Chunshuo immediately turned toward him, his expression intent, as Tiangui continued, "It really is the same one that Tinglan had in her possession!"

An unreadable look appeared on Daoist Master Chunshuo's face as he asked quietly, "Tinglan? That [Sovereign Insight Illuminating Heart Scripture]? What of it?"

Tiangui nodded slightly and stepped closer, lowering his voice as he replied, "Clan uncle has spent many years cultivating within the sect, so you may not know the details. Back in the Wei era, the Cui Family had no shortage of talented figures, including outstanding cultivators of divine abilities, yet they lacked one divine ability that only members of the imperial house could cultivate to achieve completion.

“That divine ability was [Radiance Under Heaven]. Thus, the Wei emperor bestowed the [Sovereign Insight Illuminating Heart Scripture] of [remedy what is lacking, and clearly discern the hearts of one's ministers]...

"However, the [Sovereign Insight Illuminating Heart Scripture] must either be personally bestowed by the emperor or cultivated by one who possesses the status of an imperial prince for the proper correspondence of rank to exist. If an ordinary person steals the scripture, they would lack the necessary inherent rank and cannot cultivate its divine ability. It also brings numerous other drawbacks.

"The Cui Family altered it, however... Cui Niexiang retrieved the [Imperial Edict Scripture for Elevating Mortals] from Li Guangheng's residence and gave it to Li Li. Using those secret techniques that were never made public, he perfected the [Sovereign Insight Illuminating Heart Scripture]. Although [Radiance Under Heaven] could then be cultivated, the calamity of mismatched rank remained entrenched within it..."

Daoist Master Chunshuo narrowed his eyes. He took a golden seal from his sleeve and tossed it into the air, sending it down to suppress the surging golden light and stabilize the situation.

Only then did he turn around to say, "If this Li Ximing is a descendant of Wei, then it is only natural that he succeeded."

Tiangui shook his head and said hesitantly, "Uncle, there is something you do not know. Imperial descent alone is not enough for this correspondence of rank. One must also possess an exceptionally high inherent rank. Back then, when Crown Prince Tuoba Jun of Liang sought to attain the Intercalary Position of Supreme Yang, it was the Lesser Yang Devil Monarch who personally designated [Radiance Under Heaven] for him. Although he failed, that still proves that even if one is not an imperial prince, one must be personally chosen by some great figure...

"But Li Ximing cannot possibly be some imperial prince. According to Tianyee's deductions, within the entire Li Family, only Li Zhouwei and those few with golden eyes have any connection to imperial princes. There would be nothing strange about them being able to cultivate this art..."

Daoist Master Chunshuo raised his brows, already understanding what he meant, and asked softly, "You think someone guided him?"

Tiangui replied, "I suspect someone wants to preserve Li Ximing through the calamity of Bright Yang."

Daoist Master Chunshuo fell silent for a moment, then shook his head. "I do not think so. If you were talking about Li Zhouluo, I might believe it somewhat, but what about Li Ximing is worth preserving? I have heard that his fire-control art is exceptionally good, but what does that really amount to?"

Tiangui sighed and said, "What worries me is that this may be a bad sign... If the Underworld is already taking steps to repay favors to the Li Family in advance, then the losses Bright Yang will suffer may be far more severe than we imagined. When it happens, it may happen extremely suddenly... There cannot be much time left."

Daoist Master Chunshuo brought his hands together and replied, "There is no need to worry so much. The lord made arrangements long ago... Back then, when that boy Zhang Yun requested that Duanyan be assigned to the Li Family, the golden decree stopped it... Only today do we understand the lord's foresight. How could minor cultivators like us comprehend the Mandate of Heaven? How could we comprehend the lord's arrangements?"

Tiangui remained silent. He had once thought the same way as Daoist Master Chunshuo, but after spending so many years away from the sect, his thinking had gradually changed. He shook his head inwardly, Uncle really does think like someone of Upper Azure...

Tianhuo's words echoed in his ears once more. The young man was clearly much younger than him, yet many of the things he said cut straight to the bone, A True Monarch may indeed possess boundless immortal longevity, but if we wait for him to arrange everything for us, then what purpose do people like us serve?

—————

Dark clouds blotted out the sun, casting everything in murky gloom.

Within a ghostly domain of the Underworld, countless bones and specters had formed mountains. A faint golden light flickered in the ghostly realm like the feeble flame of a single candle.

Daoist Master Changyun stood amid the darkness. Countless owls of every kind, black crows, and sinister birds of prey that had once circled overhead had all fallen to the ground, sprawled belly-up with feathers in disarray. Even the howling ghost winds had ceased, leaving only silence.

The pich-black sky was marred with holes of all sizes, like a tattered sack burned full of openings. Beams of heavenly light streamed through, while enormous golden bodies stood silently beyond the ghostly domain like countless mountains.

In the distance, the light of Manifest Earth soared between heaven and earth, while autumn clouds spread like snow. The assembled Merciful Ones lowered their heads with an uncanny uniformity, not daring to speak.

The bronze nether carriage that had once floated in the sky had long since crashed to the ground and lay buried amid the ruins. Ancient bronze lamps had toppled every which way, and the steps were covered in dents. A young monk stood quietly among the destruction, his body entirely intact, holding a bronze alms bowl in his hands.

Every golden body between heaven and earth fell silent, none daring to utter a word. The young monk slowly turned his head, his gaze dark and terrifying as he stared at Mingxiang, who knelt before him covered in wounds.

"Great Master Mingxiang... The one who kept all of you surrounded for so long... was merely a ghost inside that bronze nether carriage?"

Mingxiang appeared gravely injured. He answered in a heavy voice, "My lord... Yang Ruiyi appeared and destroyed my junior brother's dharma body... Then he gravely wounded me and drove me into a desperate situation. If Daoist Master Changyun had not saved me, I would already be dead!

“But once he saw that his scheme had succeeded, Yang Ruiyi had a ghost control the nether carriage while he secretly slipped away... Concealed by [Banished Essence], forget a minor cultivator like me, even if my master came in person, he would not be able to see through it!"

Chief Jiang's gaze was icy. He had long known that the Lotus Temple harbored its own ulterior motives, and was likewise plotting something underhanded. They had intended to use Yang Ruiyi's hand to eliminate others from the start, so how could Mingxiang possibly admit it so easily? Anger rose in his heart, but then he saw tears streaming from Mingxiang's eyes as the latter sobbed.

"Under [Banished Essence], a single misstep could cost me my life. How could I, Mingxiang, possibly have entertained any petty schemes... If master had not bestowed a treasure artifact upon us before we came, my junior brother would already be dead. I could barely devote myself to resisting the enemy, so how could I possibly have spared attention for anything else?!"

He raised his head and deliberately steered the matter elsewhere. "I, Mingxiang, was also a victim of another's scheme. As for who it was that wanted to eliminate our Buddhist Dao at the Great Primordial Hidden Radiance Mountain, I ask that my lord see the truth clearly!"

Chief Jiang had met Mingxiang several times at Dayang Mountain. To put it bluntly, Mingxiang was about the only sensible person in Lotus Temple, so his words still carried some credibility.

Unable for the moment to tell how much of what he said was true and how much was false, Chief Jiang turned toward Changyun and asked darkly, "Fine... Fine. Then, Daoist Master Changyun... You are well versed in the Immortal Dao and possess divine ability in your eyes. Did you truly notice nothing at all?"

Strictly speaking, Changyun belonged to the Pavilion of Profound Order. But he had already seen the situation clearly. He folded his arms and sneered, then abruptly opened his eyes.

Hollow, sightless eyes stared at Chief Jiang as he said calmly, "I am blind. Are you blind as well, Chief Jiang?"

The double meaning in his words caused the young man's expression to darken, but it also made him understand what Changyun meant. Furious to the point of laughter, he said coldly, "Ch'i Lanyan has truly made some fine calculations!"

Changyun shrugged. He was only too happy to see Ch'i Lanyan incur a little more enmity. He swaggered into the great void, leaving behind a cold, mocking voice, "I'll be sure to pass that along!"

The young man's gaze grew increasingly gloomy. After a while, a Merciful One hurried over and reported fearfully, "My lord... Lord Guangchan has already returned with his men. They crossed White River Stream and are now at the Great Primordial Hidden Radiance Mountain... The fighting has already begun."

Chief Jiang closed his eyes and let out a long, heavy breath before sneering. "He doesn't dare come and face me!"

The Merciful One hesitated awkwardly. After a moment, he stepped forward and said, "Then should we go..."

Chief Jiang suddenly lashed out, slapping the Merciful One hard enough to send him sprawling to the ground. He snarled, "Go where? The Golden Feather Sect is already there! What is there left to discuss about going or not?!"

After cursing for a while, he withdrew his hand. The face of Tianlang Zhi, the Maha Liangli of the Great Desire Dao, suddenly surfaced in his mind, and his expression grew colder still in his frustration.

There was a reason Tianlang Zhi suddenly withdrew from Longdi... Ch'i Lanyan is not the only one plotting against me. In all likelihood, the Seven Dharma Forms are standing by and watching coldly as well... waiting for my Dayang Mountain to suffer a loss...

The monk stood there for a long while before finally saying coldly, "We're going to Mount Bianyan."

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