Chapter 2: Ten Thousand Year Birthday, A Scheme, A Cheat, An Unexpected Turn

The Vast Star Sea, spanning a Hundred Billion Light Years, is home to the Shanhai Immortal Sect, which established the Shanhai Jietian.

On the Shanhai Star — whose surface reaches an Eighty Million Li Diameter and which contains boundless mysteries — a Mountain Gate forged over countless years by successive generations of Immortals of the Shanhai Immortal Sect, each pressing forward in the footsteps of the last.

This is the dwelling region of the Shanhai Immortal Sect's more than three hundred thousand Nascent Soul Stage True Disciples.

Upon a Zhen Chuan Ling Feng, tens of thousands of zhang tall, with Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi transformed into mist swirling about it.

Thirteen Nascent Soul Stage True Disciples of the Shanhai Immortal Sect, clad in various robes, gathered together, seated cross-legged within a Cultivation Cave Mansion situated at the Peak Summit above the Cloud Sea.

Centered on a man wearing a Pure Blue Robe, the other twelve figures sat cross-legged on either side, a hundred zhang apart.

Before each of the thirteen were spread all manner of Spiritual Fruits and Immortal Delicacies, fine wines and jade liquors.

But none had begun to taste, nor made a sound.

Instead, they sat quietly with eyes closed.

Until more than an hour later.

Suddenly.

The twelve figures seated on either side opened their eyes.

Smiling, they looked toward the one in the center — a young man who had likewise opened his eyes, his aura restrained within, appearing merely handsome and refined.

They rose together and cupped their hands in salute.

"On your Ten Thousand Year Birthday, congratulations Senior Disciple/Junior Disciple Daoxuan — may you enjoy immortal blessings forever and attain Immortal Achievement!"

This is a rule of an Ancient Birthday Rite that has circulated in the cultivation world for billions of years.

Twelve well-wishers of the same great realm as the birthday celebrant must be chosen.

Mysteriously, they represent the Twelve Hours.

And the time of the congratulation must be neither early nor late — precisely on the mark.

The celebration must be carried out within Three Breaths of the exact birthday moment the celebrant displays to the world.

Regardless of whether the celebrant's birthday is true or false, any time acknowledged by the world will do.

Legend holds that paying respects through this kind of birthday rite can mysteriously imprint upon the Heavenly Heart, aiding one's Immortal Achievement.

Although this legend has never been verified.

It has nonetheless endured without decline.

……

Amid the congratulatory voices of the twelve fellow disciples, who observed the rules of that Ancient Birthday Rite.

Chen Daoxuan, seated at the center, celebrating his Ten Thousand Year Birthday, a flash of reminiscence passed through his eyes.

But in only an instant, he returned to his usual self.

He picked up a small, jade-cauldron-shaped wine cup from the table, and with a smile, called out loudly to the twelve who were celebrating his birthday:

"Good — the ancient rite is complete. None of us shall leave until we are drunk."

……

After drinking together.

Beside Chen Daoxuan, a woman wearing a Crimson Flame Palace Skirt, with a phoenix-like crimson mark between her brows, breathtakingly beautiful as a phoenix itself, lightly wiped the corner of her lips, her beautiful eyes smiling.

She turned to Chen Daoxuan and said with a charming smile:

"Senior Disciple, the ancient rite is done, and before the great feast, I have another personal birthday gift."

"A Phoenix Dance — please, Senior Disciple, do watch."

As she spoke, a pair of beautiful eyes gazed fixedly at Chen Daoxuan.

"Good — thanks to Junior Disciple Daoxuan's good fortune, we actually have the chance to see Junior Sister Fengling's Phoenix Dance."

"Haha, who would have thought that coming to congratulate Senior Disciple Daoxuan on his birthday would bring such a wonderful sight."

Before Chen Daoxuan could open his mouth to refuse, several figures on either side spoke up in succession.

This made it impossible for Chen Daoxuan to voice his declination.

Without directly meeting Wu Fengling's gaze, his eyes slightly lowered, he cupped his hands in salute and said with a gentle smile:

"Then I must trouble you, Junior Sister."

Seeing this, Wu Fengling smiled all the more radiantly. Raising her hand with a turn, a small jade hammer appeared in her grasp, and she struck an Ancient Bronze Bell placed beside her.

Immediately.

A bell toll, deep and solemn as a great bronze bell, rang out, spreading across a radius of ten thousand li.

This woman, like a phoenix come into the world, rose.

She came to stand ten zhang before Chen Daoxuan.

Spreading her hands wide, a Phoenix Cry sounded forth like an accompaniment, and she began a Phoenix Dance, like flame, like phoenix.

And that ten-zhang distance, for them, was nearly face to face.

Without using divine sense, merely the two parties' Five Senses and Six Consciousnesses, honed near to the Dao, were enough to meet and mingle.

……

The other eleven, seated at least a hundred zhang away, upon seeing this scene, each wore a different expression.

Some clapped their hands and sang.

Some watched quietly with a faint smile.

Others simply drank deeply of the fine wine in their cups.

……

Chen Daoxuan could also clearly sense that Wu Fengling, who had begun to dance ten zhang away, was in an unguarded state toward him.

In response, Chen Daoxuan restrained his Five Senses and Six Consciousnesses, his expression unchanged.

Like a mortal, he watched Wu Fengling's dance from ten zhang away.

……

A quarter-hour later.

When the dance ended, seeing Chen Daoxuan's expression as usual, a trace of hidden grievance flashed through Wu Fengling's beautiful eyes.

But she strode up close to Chen Daoxuan and said:

"Senior Disciple, I wish you boundless Immortal Achievement."

"After I celebrate your birthday this time, I am going to the Wu Tong Realm to enter closed-door cultivation for thirty thousand years."

"I hope that after thirty thousand years, Senior Disciple will already have attained the Nascent Soul Emergence realm."

"Farewell!"

Having spoken, without waiting for Chen Daoxuan's response, spiritual light flowed around her graceful figure, manifesting a Phoenix Phantom radiating Five-Colored Radiance.

She transformed into a streak of flowing light and departed.

Only a Secret Transmission sounded in Chen Daoxuan's ear.

"Senior Disciple, two hundred years ago on Xiu Ye Xing, someone from the Wang Family attained the Spirit Separation Great Realm, and within this century will overcome the Spirit Separation Tribulation and become a sect elder."

"I have heard that Senior Disciple has a grudge with this Wang Family of Xiu Ye Xing. Please be careful."

……

With Wu Fengling's departure,

three people immediately left one after another.

Chen Daoxuan paid no heed to this; those three had only come as three of the twelve birthday celebrants out of regard for Junior Sister Wu Fengling.

……

"Now that those three fellows have left, the atmosphere feels much more relaxed."

With the three people's departure, a Shanhai Immortal Sect True Disciple — wearing a white dharma robe, a Wine Gourd hanging at his waist, with a lazy expression and the appearance of a lad of sixteen — spoke up:

"It's just a pity that Senior Sister Fengling left so early."

"No matter!"

Chen Daoxuan, at this moment, set aside in his heart the information that Wu Fengling had conveyed in her final Secret Transmission upon leaving, and together with the eight friends still present, raised his cup in hearty drinking, talked freely and broadly, and celebrated his Ten Thousand Year Birthday.

The celebration lasted for a full ten days before ending.

After seeing off the eight friends as they departed,

Chen Daoxuan stood alone atop the spirit peak that had returned to its original tranquility.

……

On a Flying Boat that had already flown over a thousand li just a few breaths after departing,

among the eight people who had just left Chen Daoxuan's place, two female cultivators who had come and gone together — Mu You and Bai Lingling.

Of them, Mu You at this moment turned her head, gazing at Chen Daoxuan's spirit peak for several breaths, before withdrawing her gaze.

Seeing this, the other female cultivator, Bai Lingling, felt a trace of curiosity rise in her heart.

She discovered that the way her good sister had just turned to look back actually bore some resemblance to Senior Sister Wu Fengling's final expression.

"Could it be…"

She had a guess.

But in the next instant, her heart was full of curiosity.

She and Chen Daoxuan, through Sect Missions, had gone through several life-and-death trials together, and shared a deep friendship.

Although she also felt Chen Daoxuan was very outstanding — born of common origins, he had not only achieved Upper Grade Nascent Soul in three hundred years,

but under the constraints of the Chang Sheng Tian Gui, had reached Nascent Soul Late Stage in less than ten thousand years.

Yet she had not discovered anything about this friend that could make her good sister, and that Wu Fengling — these two Heavenly Daughters born of great clans — both reach the point of being smitten.

So she pretended to ask casually:

"Mumu, why do you think Senior Disciple Daoxuan doesn't accept Senior Sister Fengling?"

"Senior Sister Fengling's feelings — even a stone should know by now; I refuse to believe Senior Disciple Daoxuan doesn't know."

"So heartless."

Hearing Bai Lingling's words, the female cultivator called Mumu — Mu You, whose temperament was elegant and whose brows and eyes were gently curved — slightly shook her head and replied:

"Nine thousand eight hundred years ago, Senior Disciple Daoxuan, in order to compete for an Upper Grade Spirit Condensation Pill, took Guiyuan True Lord as his Master."

Hearing this, Bai Lingling's face showed sudden realization.

"Ah, the Master-Disciple Lineage — that Guiyuan True Lord who utterly despises noble clans and is only half a step from the Spirit Separation Great Realm."

"No wonder.

Even if Senior Disciple Daoxuan merely associates with us, he might be rebuked by Guiyuan True Lord."

……

After standing quietly atop the spirit peak for a long while, Chen Daoxuan gave a light wave of his sleeve.

The Cultivation Cave Mansion that had originally stood atop the mountain, manifested, vanished from sight.

He sat cross-legged in the center of the cave mansion and entered meditation.

Three days later, Chen Daoxuan abruptly emerged from meditation.

He saw that several dozen zhang away, on a rack, the Jade Ruyi dharma treasure left by his Master Guiyuan True Lord specifically for transmitting messages was emanating Spiritual Light.

He shook his head slightly; he knew it must be that Guiyuan True Lord had learned of the situation at his Ten Thousand Year Birthday banquet.

Although he had long been mentally prepared, and his Dao heart had been tempered by ten thousand years, because it concerned his Immortal path, Chen Daoxuan still felt a trace of tension.

He stretched out his hand and drew the Jade Ruyi into his palm.

He gave the Jade Ruyi a light wave.

Spiritual Light bloomed, and a hazy, illusory figure — with a solemn expression, wearing a profound black dharma robe — appeared.

Seeing this, Chen Daoxuan cupped his hands and bowed.

"Greetings, Master."

Looking at the saluting Chen Daoxuan, a trace of "I wish you were made of better stuff" emotion surfaced in Guiyuan True Lord's eyes.

But he offered no lecture, merely speaking in an utterly indifferent tone:

"Daoxuan, your Master has chosen three Sect Missions for you."

"Choose one of the three. You must make your choice within ten years."

Hearing this, Chen Daoxuan knew it was a punishment meted out to him because, at his Ten Thousand Year Birthday, several scions of great aristocratic clans had been present.

In his thoughts, within Zi Fu, that nine-inch Nascent Soul, complete with eyes, ears, mouth, nose — all Seven Orifices.

His divine sense flowed, pouring into the Mountain and Sea Stele, held in one small, fair, tender hand of the nine-inch Nascent Soul, like a jade tablet.

Chen Daoxuan saw the three Sect Missions that had appeared within the Mountain and Sea Stele, along with the relevant information.

And upon seeing one of those Sect Missions, a trace of joy rose in Chen Daoxuan's heart.

He knew his scheme had succeeded.

But on the surface, he wore a hint of gravity, and respectfully cupped his hands in a bow.

"Yes, this Disciple obeys the order!"

Watching Chen Daoxuan obediently accept the order, Guiyuan True Lord gazed for a long while more, before that manifested illusory figure vanished from the Jade Ruyi.

……

As Guiyuan True Lord severed the connection, Chen Daoxuan carefully put the Jade Ruyi back in place.

He sat cross-legged.

After a long while, he let out a burst of silent laughter.

His original jade-like, gentle bearing now underwent a subtle shift.

……

A few breaths later.

Chen Daoxuan finally composed his smile and returned to calm.

In his thoughts, he sensed the connection to his cheat — a Stone Mirror that had only revived three years ago, after he had truly passed his Ten Thousand Year Birthday.

A Stone Mirror.

Overall, it looked dusty grey, without a single pattern, as if polished from a lump of Grey Stone.

Because it had revived from its long slumber over three years ago, a faint glimmer now flowed across the mirror's surface.

……

Chen Daoxuan had originally named this mirror the 【Chaos Mirror】.

But over three years ago, because of the wondrous abilities it possessed after reviving, he had changed its name to 【Kunlun Mirror】.

Although it had lain dormant for ten thousand years.

More than nine thousand years ago, it was precisely by relying on that ineffable connection with the 【Kunlun Mirror】 that he had been able to perfectly pass the Spirit Condensation Tribulation, thereby achieving a top-grade Nascent Soul.

It had always been his greatest foundation.

……

He linked with the Kunlun Mirror, visualized the Kunlun Mirror.

In but an instant, Chen Daoxuan's mind and consciousness fell into a wondrous state.

Nearly completely shutting out any possibility of his heart being probed.

Only then did Chen Daoxuan begin to review, to reflect upon and summarize, the schemes he had laid over the past three years, and the unexpected events.

……

A little over three years ago.

After the 【Kunlun Mirror】 revived.

Chen Daoxuan sensed at once that the awakened 【Kunlun Mirror】 was connected to a world.

A world that had neither undergone immortalization, nor possessed the Chang Sheng Tian Gui.

And he knew that, through the 【Kunlun Mirror】, he could travel to that world at any time, and return.

At the time, upon sensing this information about that world from the Kunlun Mirror, Chen Daoxuan was immensely thrilled and excited.

……

It was only because he was on Shanhai Star.

That Shanhai Sect Immortal Sect, the sect-guarding Immortal Artifact left behind by Immortals of generations past.

So many Great Powers of the Combined Body Stage, and even the Crossing Tribulation Stage.

A single thought could survey the Ten Directions and Six Dimensions of Shanhai Star.

If he vanished for an instant, he might be detected.

For the past three years, Chen Daoxuan had forcibly restrained himself, suppressing the urge to go to that world.

In order to leave Shanhai Star in a manner both natural and safe.

That was why, ten days ago, there had been that simple yet not-so-simple Ten Thousand Year Birthday Feast, in which both the Master-Disciple Lineage and the Clan Lineage had taken part.

And to be extra safe, he had even invited Wu Fengling, the daughter of the main line of the Wu Tong Immortal Clan — someone he would normally have avoided at all costs.

And as expected, after the birthday feast, Master Guiyuan True Lord was indeed greatly enraged.

And assigned him Sect Missions as punishment.

Among the three Sect Missions designated, one of them perfectly matched what he had in mind.

Three years of scheming could be considered a perfect success.

……

Regarding what Wu Fengling had secretly told him as she left, Chen Daoxuan felt some surprise and a trace of lingering dread.

He also felt a bit more gratitude toward Wu Fengling.

If he had not known this piece of information, then a hundred years from now, when the Xiu Ye Xing Wang Family produced a Great Cultivator at the Divine Splitting Stage who overcame the Divine Splitting Tribulation—

He would very likely suffer a great loss, and might even be in mortal danger.

……

"Wang Qiu Xian…"

In Chen Daoxuan's mind, the image of an obsessive madman surfaced.

Over nine thousand years ago, he had seized the only Upper Grade Spirit Condensation Pill of that batch at the Outer Sect Academy he belonged to.

He achieved a Middle Grade Nascent Soul.

And Wang Qiu Xian of the Xiu Ye Wang Family, who was in the same academy and the same batch as him, only obtained a Middle Grade Spirit Condensation Pill, and in the end only achieved a Middle Grade Nascent Soul.

With a Middle Grade Nascent Soul, he became an Inner Sect Dharma Disciple of the Shanhai Immortal Sect.

The Inner Sect's three tiers of disciples: Orthodox Disciple, Dharma Disciple, True Disciple.

Whether in terms of status or on the path of immortality, a Dharma Disciple with a Middle Grade Nascent Soul was far inferior to a True Disciple with an Upper Grade Nascent Soul.

From then on, Chen Daoxuan was entangled by Wang Qiu Xian, who harbored an unyielding grudge.

Over the past nine thousand-plus years, after more than ten clashes and several life-and-death battles, it had evolved into a situation where neither could rest until the other was dead.

……