Chapter 488: Groping for the Way Forward: A Strange Mission

"Mm?"

Chi Jiuyu straightened up. "Master, didn't you say last time that Uncle-Master is proficient in all the Hundred Arts? I want a quick-study version of a Hundred Arts cultivation manual to read on the road."

As for finding Uncle-Master, she'd take the "save the country by a roundabout route" approach…

Forget it. Although Master would listen to Uncle-Master.

But from what she knew of Uncle-Master, Uncle-Master would not only refuse to help her, but would actually ask Master for a copy of the video and then mock her mercilessly!

Hearing her thoughts, Bie Xuening was a bit speechless.

A quick-study version of a Hundred Arts cultivation manual…

You really know how to dream.

"Your Uncle-Master…" Halfway through her words, Bie Xuening suddenly looked behind Chi Jiuyu. "He's here."

Before Chi Jiuyu could react, she caught a glimpse of a figure passing right by her and heading toward the training ground.

"Senior Xiang Jianzong."

"Daoist friend."

A brief exchange of greetings with Zhao Chengmeng, and that counted as having met.

Xu Xing finally walked to Bie Xuening's other side and sat down.

"The Hundred Arts of cultivation—pills, artifacts, formations, talismans. Though they are called the Hundred Arts, they actually encompass everything under heaven."

Then he asked bluntly:

"Which one do you want to learn?"

"Emm… can I learn them all like Uncle-Master does?" After a pause, she added, "Except alchemy!"

Alchemy?

Not even a dog would practice alchemy!

Xu Xing shook his head slightly. "Grasp too much and you chew none of it well. Every cultivation art demands an enormous amount of focus. At your current realm, just pick one and specialize."

Got it. Basically saying our realm isn't high enough.

"Let me try them all, and I'll see which one suits me best."

In the past, all her talent had been dumped into the 'Sword Dao.' She really had no idea what she was naturally gifted at.

The only thing she could be sure of right now was that she had no talent for alchemy…

→_→

"Very well." Xu Xing did not refuse.

Hearing him agree, Chi Jiuyu immediately grew excited, and even her earlier gloom was washed away a little.

Uncle-Master was so generous—every gift he gave was cheat-level.

What kind of golden finger would he give her this time?

Just as she was full of anticipation, she heard Xu Xing say: "Go to the Transmission Hall first and get a basic edition of the 'Guide to the Hundred Arts of Cultivation.' Test yourself and see what you're actually suited for."

"Huh?"

Not a golden finger? What the heck is a basic edition of the 'Guide to the Hundred Arts of Cultivation'?

"The current testing methods are already very mature. Go test yourself during the time you're doing the mission."

Things are different now. It's no longer like the old days, when getting even one or two cultivation art inheritances was extremely difficult.

Because cultivation has been popularized across the board, they need to screen out talents with all sorts of different specialties.

The 'Guide to the Hundred Arts of Cultivation' was initiated by the Qidaxian Sect and co-compiled by hundreds of thousands of top cultivators from every trade.

It comes in a basic edition, a complete edition, and a grand complete edition.

Just the basic edition alone covers the talent-testing methods for the vast majority of mainstream cultivation arts, costs almost no resources, and boasts an accuracy rate of 97.51%!

And it's revised every year, with new cultivation arts added in.

One could say this 'Guide to the Hundred Arts of Cultivation' embodies the wisdom and painstaking effort of countless cultivators from ancient times to the present—it is a true treasure of civilization.

Even Xu Xing, after coming out of seclusion, had heard about it and deliberately sought out a copy to read.

Of course, for Chi Jiuyu at her current stage, she only needed to think about how to use it; the deeper significance behind it wasn't something she needed to bother understanding.

"After you get back from the mission, I'll arrange things for you."

"Oh."

Although it wasn't quite what she'd imagined, it sounded perfectly reasonable.

"Oh right, Uncle-Master, can I share some of that jar of wine you gave me with the others?"

Little Xuanxuan seemed to want some of the wine to study.

"Since I already gave it to you, the decision is yours."

"Oh oh!"

She figured that since it was something Uncle-Master had brought back from the Hehuan Sect, she ought to ask Uncle-Master first about this sort of thing.

"Anything else?" Bie Xuening asked.

"…Nope."

She'd originally planned to come beg Master to delete her video, but clearly this wasn't the right moment.

"Then Master, Uncle-Master, Auntie Zhao, this disciple will take her leave first."

Chi Jiuyu cupped her hands in a bow, then turned and left swiftly.

As someone who never stewed in her own emotions, since the matter couldn't be resolved right now, she simply stopped thinking about it!

After sleeping for thirteen days straight, she needed to hurry and prepare the supplies needed for this mission, and also subtly try to find out whether Little Zhao had woken up on her own!

"…" Zhao Chengmeng was silent for a moment. "Daoist friend Sword Revered, this disciple of yours is quite the character."

Just now she was sulking and miserable, and after just a few words she's bouncing around again.

"You flatter me," Bie Xuening's tone remained cool and detached.

This rebellious disciple's thinking is indeed wildly erratic.

"It's not entirely a bad thing," Zhao Chengmeng shook his head slightly, then stood up. "I won't disturb you further."

Since the Xiang Jianzong has arrived, her continued presence would only seem superfluous…

So it's best I leave.

Yet after all these years, the Sword friend still looks just as cold and distant as ever…

It's truly hard to imagine she's an entirely different person online.

"Farewell, friend."

"Mm."

With a light tap of her toes, her figure vanished without warning, leaving not a trace.

…

…

After Zhao Chengmeng left, the hall remained silent for a long while.

"What are your plans, younger brother?"

It was Bie Xuening who broke the silence first.

"Are you going back to the Joyful Sect again?"

"Going back to the Joyful Sect again… the effect would likely be minimal."

Xu Xing opened his hand, staring at his palm.

"In these past few days, I've noticed the influence of 'Dao Wang' on me is weakening—I'm rarely affected by it anymore."

"Is 'Dao Wang' gradually weakening?"

"Not exactly weakening. If 'Dao Wang' is viewed as a being with fixed quantity, its total amount hasn't changed at all."

Everything is precisely as he and Master Mei Zu had speculated.

'Dao Wang' itself is the manifestation of karmic traces from past lives—higher than the mortal realm, yet unwilling to leave it.

Seeking transcendence without abandoning the mortal world—that is the very difficulty.

But there was one point they hadn't considered.

The True Immortal level is inherently paradoxical, existing beyond comprehension; even the Dao itself is merely held in the palm of a True Immortal.

To comprehend the ultimate Dao and knock on the Immortal Gate, wielding a single Dao with the original heart of 'not leaving the mortal world,' is to surpass even the 'Ultimate Dao.'

Such an existence cannot be altered by any force—or any being.

The truth is exactly as such.

Now that he reflects on it, even the karmic trials arising from his own past lives exert only extremely limited influence on him.

At most, they can only subtly interfere with one or two of his thoughts when he's unaware.

"'Where the trial arises, there the Dao's source awakens.' Since returning from the Joyful Sect, I've grown increasingly clear about this…"

Though he did nothing, he could feel the shadow cast upon his soul by 'clutter' and 'doubt' gradually fading.

Or rather—he himself is adapting to this state…

Precisely because of this, he has faintly glimpsed the anticipated goal—the next realm after the Dao-Embracing state—

Dao Source.

"Of course, I can't be certain what state I'm in now, so I still need to return to the Joyful Sect and confirm it with Master Mei Zu."

'Dao Wang' might have undergone some new change, after all.

The path of cultivation is long; I now walk at the very forefront, and ahead lies only mist—I can only grope forward slowly.

"Don't worry, sister. This time I'll return soon," Xu Xing said softly.

Though the path ahead is obscure, he felt no pressure—after all, hadn't he always lived this way?

Bie Xuening paused: "Actually… if it helps, you could stay a little longer."

As she spoke, her voice was even lower than usual.

Xu Xing smiled, but didn't respond to her words; instead he said:

"Though the path ahead isn't clear, I can sense parts of it," Xu Xing's tone also softened. "If I truly reach that stage, any choice I make will bring irreversible consequences."

Though now he can only glimpse fragments.

Yet even these reveal that Dao Source True Immortals are no longer confined to the Tai Xuan Realm—they are the source of all Dao across the boundless Chaos Sea and countless worlds.

Therefore, whether he chooses the previously deduced 'Method of Severing the Self for Transcendence' or another path, it will bring unpredictable changes to the Chaos Sea itself.

…………

Time moved to evening.

Within the Jian Sect's inner sect, Starship Maintenance Zone.

Chi Jiuyu sat with one leg crossed over the other, half-reclining on the same lounge chair she often rested on, a glass of juice beside her on the table.

Since she was about to go on a mission, she'd packed away her alcohol and sent it to Little Xuanxuan, then brought her starship in for repairs.

But clearly, she wasn't paying much attention—her hands kept fiddling with her phone.

She appeared to be chatting with someone.

Future Sect Master of Jian Sect: "So you don't even know when you came back to the sect? /curious"

Shut-in Xiao Zhao: "Mm…"

She'd been so embarrassed this time that she changed her social media username.

Shut-in Xiao Zhao: "It was Hong Qianqian who woke me up—I only realized I'd returned to the sect then."

Shut-in Xiao Zhao: "I think I said a lot of drunk nonsense, and Xiao Ye recorded it."

The reclusive Zhao: "/Desperate, weeping fish"

The future sect leader of the Xiang Jianzong: "Huh? That's too much!!!"

The future sect leader of the Xiang Jianzong: "/Outraged"

Chi Jiuyu smiled in reply.

Indeed, Xiao Zhao didn't wake up naturally—he was woken up by someone else!

Hehe!

Our Jiuyu Laozu still has the upper hand!

At the same time, he silently resolved to have Xiao Ye send him a copy of the video later!

Well done, Xiao Ye!

The reclusive Zhao: "I heard she recorded you too."

Huh?!

Chi Jiuyu sat up abruptly.

That damn Xiao Ye took advantage of me while I was out cold!

The future sect leader of the Xiang Jianzong: "When I get back from my mission, we'll go find her and get it back. /Angry"

The future sect leader of the Xiang Jianzong: "/Duck on the edge of a blade"

The reclusive Zhao: "/Nodding"

That damn Xiao Ye is really too much!

The reclusive Zhao: "Mission?"

The reclusive Zhao: "You're going on a mission right after waking up?"

The future sect leader of the Xiang Jianzong: "I took the mission right after the Grand Competition—it can't be swapped out last minute."

The future sect leader of the Xiang Jianzong: "And even though I slept for over ten days, I feel amazing!"

The aftereffect of the liquor Master Shu gave me was strong, but the results are truly unmatched.

One cup of liquor knocked me out for over ten days, yet when I woke up, I felt no discomfort at all—instead, I felt refreshingly clear-headed.

The reclusive Zhao: "Same here—my magic power even increased."

The reclusive Zhao: "By the way, what mission did you take? Why hasn't it been extended after ten days?"

Chi Jiuyu sipped his juice through the straw, then lay back down.

The future sect leader of the Xiang Jianzong: "Investigate interstellar alien conflicts, maintain stability of the star routes, stuff like that—a really boring mission. /Shrug"

The reclusive Zhao: "Isn't your mission target the Fuling Star System, specifically the fourth, sixth, and seventh planets of the Guiling Thirty-Seventh Star System's alien races?"

The future sect leader of the Xiang Jianzong: "How do you know that?"

Soon, Chi Jiuyu felt his phone vibrate "wuwu."

【"The reclusive Zhao" sent a video call request: Accept/Reject】

Huh?

She even called specifically?

Chi Jiuyu leaned back and selected "Accept."

As the screen changed, Zhao Ruohan appeared on the phone.

Beside her, he could see a pot of some unknown spiritual plant.

"What's up, Xiao Zhao? Is there something strange about the mission that requires a video call?" Chi Jiuyu asked casually.

"If I remember correctly, you're the Third Investigator."

"Yeah, so what?"

"…," Zhao Ruohan pressed her lips together, then explained, "The Fuling Star System falls under the jurisdiction of the Taishang Dao Sect. When the three planets' alien races erupted in conflict, according to regulations, the Taishang Dao Sect dispatched the First Investigator."

"I know that."

She had already read it in the mission attachment.

"But he found nothing suspicious. You understand what I mean, right?"

Although Chi Jiuyu was often playful, he was actually quite perceptive.

At Zhao Ruohan's reminder, he immediately grasped the implication.

"So, he doesn't want later investigators to uncover anything?"

Although this kind of mission has no accountability mechanism.

But if he found nothing, and someone else later found something, it would leave the impression that he was "incompetent" or "incapable."

So, he had to ensure no one else found anything either.

"Mm."

To Zhao Ruohan's surprise, Chi Jiuyu sat up excitedly after hearing her confirmation.

"What's his background? Is he a disciple of your dad… Lord Hong?!"

She could already feel overwhelming darkness surging toward her.

And she, she would be the first ray of light piercing through the darkness!

Zhao Ruohan: "…"

"No," she had no idea what Chi Jiuyu was so excited about, "but the Fuling Zhenjun who guards the Fuling Star System is the First Investigator's second grandfather."

"Oh."

Chi Jiuyu's excitement vanished instantly; he lay back down again.

"…," Zhao Ruohan pressed her lips together, "Still, be careful—this mission won't be simple."

Usually, such missions are resolved after two or three Xian Sects investigate.

But this time, aside from Longxiang Qingtianzong not taking part, every other Xian Sect was prepared to send investigators.

"Easy, easy."

Chi Jiuyu quietly committed Zhao Ruohan's words to memory, while on the surface he put on a breezy, unhurried air, looking as though everything was well in hand. (End of Chapter)