Chapter 491: All Things Manifest, All Are Revelations of the Dao

Seeing Zhu He take Duan Rong and fly out of the Elder Council, the four Guards inside the Elder Council turned their heads, all looking at Chu Qiushan with questioning gazes.

If Chu Qiushan had ordered them to strike, they would surely have intercepted Zhu He with their combined strength.

Chu Qiushan said, "Let him be!"

Duan Rong was forming his Qi Cyclone here; had he not caused such a great commotion, I fear no one would have noticed.

It was just that he had triggered such a massive Qi Tide, which indeed startled everyone in the Elder Council; while it was a breach of decorum, it could hardly be called a major crime.

Chu Qiushan's intent was clearly not to pursue the matter.

Upon hearing this, the four Guards cupped their hands slightly toward Chu Qiushan, then flashed out of the Elder Council to stand guard at the four cardinal directions.

At this moment, the various Elders of the Sect gathered there began to discuss it in hushed tones.

"I only saw that brat in the Longyu Hall a little over half a year ago. How long has he been an Inner Sect Disciple? And he's already forming his Qi Cyclone?"

"Is forming a Qi Cyclone even the point? Have you ever seen someone form a Qi Cyclone and cause such a massive commotion? Triggering a Qi Tide!? Damn it, where did this monster pop out from?!"

"Did you notice the Qi Cyclone in his dantian? It was already the size of a fingernail just after forming! I didn't see that wrong, did I?! It was that big, right?!"

"You didn't see it wrong! If it weren't that big, how could it have triggered a heaven and earth tide!?"

"Makes sense!"

The various Elders of the Sect chattered away, and Chu Qiushan turned his head to look at Yang Sixuan, who was standing at the edge of the crowd, and said in a deep voice, "Sixuan, come with me to Tianyun Peak."

Tianyun Peak was the place where Chu Qiushan resided.

In the entire mountain peak, he was the only one.

After Chu Qiushan finished speaking, he had already flashed out of the Elder Council, and Yang Sixuan immediately transformed into a black streak of light to follow him.

Inside the Elder Council, the various Elders of the Sect, seeing Chu Qiushan and Yang Sixuan depart, went off in twos and threes, each transforming into a black streak of light and vanishing in an instant.

By the time Duan Rong caused the commotion, the matters they had been discussing had already been concluded.

Ge Rusong was to be executed by the Ruling Sect Justice Division, while Pei Du and Jiang Zhe were to have their dantians crippled and be expelled from the Taiyi Sect.

As the various Elders of the Sect dispersed, the once lively Elder Council instantly fell silent. Only an old Attendant with white hair and beard stood by a giant stone pillar in the distance, looking at the spot where Duan Rong had just been sitting with a panicked expression, muttering, "This young master is far too bold!?"

Duan Rong had asked him earlier if he could leave; had he known it would come to this, he would have told him to just go. Who could have imagined that by just letting the brat wait here for a while, he would stir up such a huge mess.

Deep within the Endless Great Mountains, clouds and mist drifted, and a lush, verdant high peak appeared and disappeared amidst the clouds.

Suddenly, two black streaks of light, one after the other, pierced through the clouds and rainbows, carving two graceful arcs before landing in a lush patch on the mountain summit.

In this mountain forest stood a simple thatched cottage, which was Chu Qiushan's residence.

He had lived here for nearly fifty years. Strong winds and heavy snow often destroyed the cottage, so he would build another one himself. Nearly fifty years had passed, and he could no longer remember which number cottage this was that he had built.

Chu Qiushan transformed into a black streak of light, descended in a flash, and darted straight into the cottage.

Yang Sixuan landed at the entrance of the cottage, straightened his robes, and then stepped inside with measured paces. This was to show his respect for Chu Qiushan.

Although it was only a thatched cottage before him, Yang Sixuan's expression was more solemn than when he had stepped into the Elder Council, and his footwork was meticulous—stepping in with his right foot first from the right side of the doorway, followed by his left.

Chu Qiushan was already standing before a simple table fashioned from bamboo, and he gestured slightly for Yang Sixuan, saying, "Sixuan, sit!"

After Yang Sixuan bowed to Chu Qiushan, he walked slowly to the opposite side and sat down, smoothing his robes.

Chu Qiushan picked up a teapot, poured clear water into a Bamboo Tube, and smiled, "Sixuan! I don't even have tea here, only this mountain spring water. I've wronged you!"

Yang Sixuan said, "Mountain spring water is excellent! The Sect Master is a man of ascetic practice. A heart as clear as ice! Every time Sixuan steps into this room, I cannot help but feel ashamed."

Chu Qiushan laughed, "What man of ascetic practice?! I am merely reclusive. Enough, Sixuan, let's not talk about that. Today I want to talk to you about this brat, Duan Rong."

Yang Sixuan's expression shifted; in fact, when Chu Qiushan called him over, he had already guessed it.

Chu Qiushan said, "Two days ago, when we were discussing the case. At that time, you said that on that night, Pei Du and Jiang Zhe ambushed Duan Rong in the dense forest, and Duan Rong unleashed Blade Radiance?"

Yang Sixuan said, "Yes. And it was Blade Radiance that looked as if it were solid!"

Chu Qiushan's gaze became distant. "Blade Radiance that looked as if it were solid?" He seemed to ponder for a moment before looking at Yang Sixuan and saying, "The dense forest, late at night, you didn't see wrong?"

Yang Sixuan said, "Absolutely not! That was definitely Blade Radiance! At that time, he was only in the Origin Qi Realm, yet he forcibly took a strike from Pei Du. Pei Du's blade did not use any Artistic Conception; he only used the internal strength of the Qi Cyclone Realm. But even so, the difference in realms is like a natural chasm; if Duan Rong's Artistic Conception hadn't already taken shape and form at that time, it would have been impossible for him to take that strike from Pei Du!?"

Chu Qiushan's gaze grew even more profound. "He grasped a mature Artistic Conception at the Origin Qi Realm Fourth Layer. Even Gu Daoling back in the day wasn't this monstrous!?" "No wonder he caused such a commotion the moment he formed his Qi Cyclone!?"

Chu Qiushan suddenly looked at Yang Sixuan and asked, "Sixuan, you say Duan Rong has such talent, then why, back then during the Yougu test, did he fall short by half a step and fail to step onto the platform?"

"This..." Yang Sixuan said, "The Yougu test is a test of the Divine Soul. Regarding cultivation, I fear talent is not limited to just the Divine Soul, is it?"

"Is that so?" Chu Qiushan's tone was noncommittal; he did not seem to agree with Yang Sixuan's view.

Chu Qiushan seemed to have thought of something, his eyes flashing as he said, "I must report this matter to the Ancestor!?"

Seeing that Chu Qiushan intended to tell the Sect Ancestor about this, Yang Sixuan's eyes flickered, and he hesitated, saying, "Actually, there are some other circumstances..."

Chu Qiushan withdrew his deep, distant gaze, looked at Yang Sixuan, and asked, "What other circumstances?"

Yang Sixuan said, "Because I was curious that Duan Rong had grasped Artistic Conception while still in the Origin Qi Realm, I specifically investigated it after I returned. There seems to be a rumor within Yunfu Peak..."

When Yang Sixuan reached this point, his expression was clearly hesitant.

Chu Qiushan urged, "What rumor?"

Yang Sixuan said, "It seems to be said that Duan Rong's ability to grasp Artistic Conception relies on the Kongming Realm."

"The Kongming Realm?" Chu Qiushan furrowed his brows. He knew of this Kongming Realm; it was a very unreliable thing.

Chu Qiushan gave Yang Sixuan a strange look, as if blaming him for relaying such absurd information.

Yang Sixuan naturally noticed Chu Qiushan's gaze, lowered his eyes slightly, and continued, "Also, the weapon Duan Rong chose was the Frost Pattern Phosphorus Crystal Blade, and the technique he practices is the Roaming Dragon Clear Chant Blade. This weapon and this technique are the same as the choices Gu Daoling made two hundred years ago."

Upon hearing this, a look of clear interest appeared on Chu Qiushan's face.

Yang Sixuan looked at Chu Qiushan and continued, "If the choices were the same, that would be one thing, but both of them happened to grasp Artistic Conception while in the Origin Qi Realm. And Gu Daoling just happens to be this brat's uncle-master. This makes one think, doesn't it?!"

Chu Qiushan said, "Are you saying... Gu Daoling... gave him pointers within the Shenyun Prefecture?"

Yang Sixuan said, "That is the second possibility I wanted to mention, besides the Kongming Realm."

Yang Sixuan had heard that Chu Qiushan intended to report this to the Ancestor, so he informed him of the two possibilities he had investigated regarding this matter, so that he could understand the full picture more thoroughly.

This style of Yang Sixuan's was also the reason why Chu Qiushan had always regarded him as a trusted confidant.

Upon hearing this, Chu Qiushan nodded slightly, pondering the two possibilities Yang Sixuan had mentioned.

Afterward, the two exchanged some opinions on other matters, as well as the date for Ge Rusong's execution, and then Yang Sixuan stood up to take his leave.

When Yang Sixuan transformed into a streak of black light and left Tianyun Peak, he was inside Zhu He's room in the pavilion on Yunfu Peak.

Duan Rong was sitting cross-legged on that wooden bed of Zhu He's, his eyes tightly shut.

At this time, Zhu He was also sitting cross-legged in the void not far from Duan Rong; his beard and hair moved without wind, and his Divine Sense, fine as needles, swept through Duan Rong's bones and meridians, lingering for a long time especially at Duan Rong's dantian.

Duan Rong sat there, and not knowing how much time had passed, he suddenly heard Zhu He say, "Alright, come down."

He opened his eyes and saw that Zhu He was already sitting at the square wooden table not far away.

Duan Rong immediately slid off the bed, walked before Zhu He, cupped his fists, and said obediently, "Master..."

Zhu He glared at him and said, "What are you playing the obedient child for now!? Why couldn't you form your Qi Cyclone anywhere else! You just had to go to the Elder Council to form it for me!? Do you think you were bringing me honor?"

"It's not..."

"Enough!" Zhu He's anger was clearly not yet spent, and he said, "Let's not talk about that for now. I only gave you the cultivation technique last night, thinking you would look it over first. You, on the other hand, went and formed your Qi Cyclone for me today."

"Do you know what a dangerous thing forming a Qi Cyclone is?! You just treat it like child's play, don't you?!"

"This disciple wouldn't dare!"

"Wouldn't dare? I think you dared quite a lot!"

Duan Rong said with a solemn expression, "Actually, there was a reason for this matter; it was not that this disciple was looking for trouble."

Seeing Duan Rong speak this way, Zhu He's aura softened slightly, and he said, "Then tell me, what was the reason."

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong could not help but glance at the character for 'blade' written in a distorted and eerie seal script, which hung by the window in the room.

Seeing Duan Rong look at that calligraphy, Zhu He's heart stirred.

Following that, Duan Rong recounted in detail the entire process: his insights from first seeing that calligraphy last night, and how, while observing the Mountain River Moon Shadow Blade technique in the Elder Council, he was suddenly triggered by last night's insights and involuntarily entered the process of forming his Qi Cyclone.

After listening, Zhu He's eyes were filled with astonishment.

In truth, when Duan Rong looked at Gu Daoling's calligraphy last night, there was indeed something strange; his gaze had gone blank, which was why he had cleared his throat to wake him up.

He had asked Duan Rong at the time, but Duan Rong only said that observing the calligraphy made him feel a sense of shock, though he could not say how.

At this moment, Duan Rong used many words and metaphors to describe his state at that time.

His "self" had disappeared, and instead, from a bird's-eye perspective, he watched mountains, rivers, and even watched the galaxy from a bird's-eye perspective, and whether it was the mountains, rivers, or the galaxy, all were performing the blade technique...

Zhu He could not understand the state Duan Rong described, but he felt that what Duan Rong was talking about seemed like the state of Entering the Dao!

As for Entering the Dao, everyone's state of Entering the Dao is completely different!

Entering the Dao is an individual's most private, deep-level experience, and it is also the part most difficult to communicate or understand mutually.

Because the insights gained while Entering the Dao cannot be expressed in words.

In the state of Entering the Dao, you might see a tree, but this most ordinary, most common tree, in your eyes, is the Dao, is the manifestation of Law Power.

Only you understand this.

Because this is your most real, deepest insight.

It cannot be passed on to others through words.

After everyone Enters the Dao, the carriers through which they perceive the Dao and perceive Law Power are all different.

For some it is a tree, for some it is an incense burner, and for others it is mountains, the earth, or the galaxy; so-called myriad phenomena are all manifestations of the Dao.

The moment of Entering the Dao is when you perceive Law Power.

But Entering the Dao is a phenomenon that only appears when advancing from the Qi Cyclone Realm to the Dongming Realm, yet where is this kid even at right now?!

The deepest part of Artistic Conception hides the opportunity for Entering the Dao.

By means of the opportunity of Entering the Dao, one knocks open the door to Law Power, and by cultivating this, one can gradually enter the Dongming Realm!

Zhu He sat there, looked at Duan Rong, and then looked at that rather strange blade character by the window; he wondered to himself, "How is it that this kid can see something in Disciple's calligraphy, while I can't see anything at all!?"

Zhu He pondered for a moment, looked at Duan Rong, and said, "Alright, this matter is over. Fortunately, you succeeded in forming your Qi Cyclone. At least you didn't lose face for me."

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong's heart finally eased; from the Elder Council to here, Zhu He's expression had been very ugly, and only now did he have a slightly pleasant countenance.

Zhu He said, "There are some hidden injuries in your dantian."

Duan Rong's heart was slightly startled; he had thought there was no longer any issue in his dantian.

Seeing the doubt on Duan Rong's face, Zhu He explained, "You can't see them now, but with the slightest spiritual pressure, those cracks will reappear. However, you don't need to worry; in these few days, I will prepare some medicine for you to take mixed with the bile of that Fire Scale Python, and there should be no major issues."

Upon first hearing this, Duan Rong's expression became solemn, but seeing that Zhu He said he would prepare medicine for him, he finally set his heart at ease; he apologized to Zhu He with cupped fists, "Thank you, Master!"

Zhu He nodded and said, "Go. Consolidate your realm well; how can a Qi Cyclone grow so fast!? It's like pulling on seedlings to help them grow!"

"Yes, Master!" Duan Rong replied obediently, performed a salute, and turned to walk out of the room.

Zhu He watched Duan Rong's back, but his heart was filled with joy.

He had been angry before because he was afraid that Duan Rong would have problems due to such recklessness, but now it seemed the problem was not big, and it only needed the hidden injuries in the dantian to be repaired.

Just forming the Qi Cyclone had triggered a Qi Tide.

Moreover, the Qi Cyclone in his dantian was almost as big as a fingernail, nearly approaching the state of a First Layer Qi Cyclone Realm.

What kind of talent was this!?

Just now, Zhu He's Divine Sense investigation had lingered at Duan Rong's dantian for a long time.

Besides checking the hidden injuries in Duan Rong's dantian, he was actually observing the Qi Cyclone Duan Rong had just formed for a long time.

The more he looked, the more joyful he was, and the more he looked, the more shocked he was!?

If Duan Rong achieved the Nascent Soul Realm!

That would be the same level as the Sect Ancestor!

Then in the future, he would be the master of the Sect Ancestor!?

What would it feel like to have a Nascent Soul Realm disciple!?

In the future, here in Qingzhou, here in the Taiyi Sect, who would dare to challenge him?!

And... what if he added a Nascent Soul Realm Disciple to that!?

One disciple, one Disciple, two Nascent Soul Realm experts!

Wahahaha!?

That means it's not just Qingzhou anymore! From now on, I can walk sideways through the Nine Provinces Eight Sects!

Zhu He stood up, already unable to stop himself from walking with a swagger.

(End of chapter)