Chapter 386: Listening to the Dao at Biyou Palace

Mu Yi and the two others were busy on the sea for most of the day, yet they found nothing.

Nothing at all!

Lily frowned, she released over a thousand elemental familiars, almost turning the nearby sea upside down, yet still found nothing.

I found nothing here either!

Mu Yi activated his Thousand-mile Eye and flew a circle around the nearby sea, but also found nothing related to the ruins.

Could it be that the immortal traces are not in this realm? Lily pondered for a moment and asked, "Perhaps it's a place similar to the Emerald Dream?"

A place like the Emerald Dream refers to a twin world.

It is like an invisible world overlapping the main world; when a person stands in a special position or possesses a special ability, they can contact that invisible world and shuttle back and forth between the two worlds.

Therefore, when an individual enters the Emerald Dream, they do not physically move, yet they have crossed an intangible node and arrived in another world, which is very likely completely different from the main world.

After hearing Lily's explanation, Li Taibai fell into thought and turned his notebook to a certain page.

According to my master's records, when he went to sea seeking the rumored immortal mountain, he suddenly appeared inside Biyou Palace while battling a tsunami, perhaps the same principle as the Emerald Dream mentioned by the senior.

Then it's even harder to find!

Mu Yi frowned; if it is such a place, with their current investigative method it would be hard to pinpoint the exact location.

He hesitated whether to use the Bai Ze Horn, but finally decided to try harder on his own first; relying constantly on the Bai Ze Horn is not a solution.

Moreover, the matter of these ruins may not truly be worth a single inquiry opportunity with Bai Ze.

Furthermore, when it comes to beings as great as the Three Pure Ones, Bai Ze may not be effective.

After thinking, Mu Yi looked at Li Taibai and asked.

Your master said you have immortal affinity, yet he never explained anything to you?

There has been no explanation; these years my master has searched many times and found nothing. If there really were a method, he would surely have brought me along! Li Taibai said with a bitter smile.

Your master said you once resonated with the divine weapon in the ruins? Where is that weapon?

It disappeared together with my master, its whereabouts unknown! Li Taibai's expression grew even more bitter.

Try your Qinglian Dao Method; since it was taken from the ruins, it might have some effect! Lily said after a moment's thought.

Qinglian Blossom! Li Taibai did not refuse, fell onto the sea surface, began to execute the Qinglian Dao Method, and a huge Qinglian blossom grew on the sea.

Huh?

Mu Yi abruptly lifted his head to look beneath the sea surface, and for a moment he sensed a different aura.

Continue! Mu Yi shouted at Li Taibai.

Li Taibai himself seemed to also have a slight different feeling, continually employing various techniques from the Qinglian Dao Method.

Seems to be here?

Mu Yi flashed onto the sea surface, extending his will to carefully investigate the source of that faint anomalous aura.

Found it!

Mu Yi opened his eyes, the Reincarnation Barrier unfolded, and he directly reached out toward that spot of abnormal aura.

The space was torn open by Mu Yi's hand wrapped in the barrier, and a large amount of anomalous aura surged out from within.

This is the place! Mu Yi's eyes flashed with light, he grabbed the rift with both hands and forcefully tore it open.

When this space was torn open, the three instantly felt the rich heavenly and earthly essence seeping out from within.

Hurry in!

Feeling the space beginning to spontaneously close, Mu Yi immediately let out a loud shout.

After the three rushed into the spatial rift, a strange heaven and earth appeared before their eyes.

We seem to be on the back of a tremendously powerful creature? Lily frowned, gazing at the ground beneath her feet, she could feel immense power from it.

Yes, but it seems to be sleeping…… Mu Yi nodded; he also sensed it, and even more comprehensively than Lily.

It is definitely a being surpassing the level of immortals and gods; it should be the so-called Golden Ao.

Come with me, both of you! Li Taibai excitedly flipped through his notes; even though he had memorized the content, he still recited it word for word.

This place we are in now is exactly where my master appeared back then; he had already explored most of this place!

Under Li Taibai's guidance, they passed through an empty plaza and arrived before a palace.

A huge statue stood at the palace gate, depicting a youthful Lingbao Tianzun, nearly identical to what Mu Yi had seen in the True Spirit Industry Point Array Diagram.

Holding a azure long sword, although no divine markings were indicated, it was carved lifelike, exuding an unusually solemn and majestic oppressive presence.

Just like in myth, it stood there silently, gazing upon the world's vanity.

After paying deep respects, Mu Yi then walked past the statue toward the rear of the palace.

The palace was famed for white jade condensed with misty immortal aura; merely seeing it gave a sense of weight and hardness. A plaque hung at the gate, its color glazed, inscribed in gold with some seal script.

Even without knowing the seal script, one could understand its meaning.

Biyou Palace!

Is this really Biyou Palace? Although he had expected it, upon seeing this moment Mu Yi could not help but hold his breath.

According to my master's words, aside from the palace, this place has no value; besides the creature beneath our feet, there is likewise no other life.

Inside the palace there are three passages, corresponding respectively to the immortal method ruins, divine weapon relics, and trial grounds; one can stay there a long time, but when we wish to step out from within the palace, we will directly return to reality.

According to my master's words, in this lifetime one may be able to enter this place only once; if an opportunity arises, it must be cherished, not wasted.

Li Taibai gave the introduction, and Mu Yi nodded.

Let's go in!

This palace is indeed extraordinary; although immortal mist swirls at its gate, it exudes a deathly silence, utterly lacking the liveliness and transcendence of a legendary daoist sanctuary.

Called a ruin, it is indeed most fitting.

He also used his will to scout the surrounding area; indeed, as Li Taibai said, it was empty of anything, perhaps because the Qinglian Sword Master had already scavenged it?

Inside the palace it is completely like another world; indeed, as Li Taibai said, there are three passages, unknown where they lead.

The left side is the ruins of immortal arts, the right side is the ruins of divine weapons; I don't know which side the two seniors wish to visit first.

"Let's go check the immortal arts side!" Mu Yi pondered for a moment, then chose the immortal arts side, and Lily had no objection.

Li Taibai also had no objection; the three proceeded smoothly down the left passage to the end, where a stone wall bore countless golden seal scripts, exuding a misty immortal aura.

At the moment he gazed at the stone wall, Mu Yi's vision flashed with golden light, as if he had entered another realm.

Before Mu Yi appeared a Daoist with closed eyes, hard to describe in appearance, bearing an otherworldly grace; within that grace lurked an un concealable sharpness, and though one might try to describe it in words, no suitable term could be found.

He looked around and realized he seemed to be standing on the square before the palace gates, yet unlike the empty square, his surroundings were now filled with various indistinct beings.

The palace behind the Daoist was extraordinarily prosperous, unlike the lifeless palace of reality; this palace was neither gold nor jade, its hues differed yet it presented a rare, majestic aura.

Suddenly, the Daoist opened his eyes; his gaze was deep beyond compare, filled with only will; at this moment it seemed as if the whole world turned bright and vast, as if the whole world were reflected in the Daoist's eyes.

Mu Yi could even see his own reflection in the Daoist's eyes.

"Heaven and Earth are dark and yellow; the Universe is vast and desolate."

The Daoist opened his golden mouth; the palace trembled, heaven and earth trembled, and the air seemed filled with unusual vibrations, as strange undulations spread from his mouth in all directions.

Mu Yi was intoxicated and enamored; the Daoist's teachings were profoundly mysterious and endlessly wondrous, containing layer upon layer of Daoist essence.

Amidst flashing golden light, flowers rained down, golden lotuses sprang from the earth, auspicious clouds converged, and wondrous manifestations appeared one after another, while Mu Yi remained completely absorbed in that inscrutable lecture.

At first he spoke of the Grand Dao of the universe, beginning from the primordial chaos, traversing the three realms of the cosmos, reaching the heavens above and the Yellow Springs below—all were contained within his teaching.

At first Mu Yi listened, entranced, but later the Daoist's discourse grew increasingly obscure and hard to grasp, leaving Mu Yi with a feeling of almost understanding yet not quite.

At first hearing it was obscure, but after slight reflection and verification, he felt it made great sense, feeling he had gained immensely.

Later, Mu Yi could not understand at all; it exceeded his comprehension, so he could only try to note down each word and sentence, intending to examine them carefully when he returned.

Only when the Daoist ceased his lecture did Mu Yi finally come to his senses.

"How much do you understand!"

Mu Yi lifted his head in realization; the palace and surrounding figures had vanished, leaving only him and the Daoist in the vast void.

"One-tenth... no, one-hundredth!" Mu Yi mused, finding it endlessly evocative, and replied instinctively.

"The Great Dao is fifty, Heaven's Derivation is forty-nine, man takes one—do not force it!" the Daoist said with a smile, seeming very pleased with Mu Yi.

"Teach without distinction; since you have come here and share affinity with me, I will instruct you!"

"But your path differs from that of ordinary people, so all I can teach you is the sword!"

"Watch this sword closely!"

The Daoist drew a sword from somewhere, as if waving it casually.

A sword qi shot forth from the void like lightning; in the void, countless stars resembling great suns, as the sword qi passed, split in two and then utterly lost their radiance.

The sword qi's length and width were unknown; it simply extended infinitely until the Daoist's sword vanished.

"This sword is named Sever; how much do you comprehend of it?"

"One ten-thousandth... no, I don't understand..."

Mu Yi stared at the sword, utterly bewildered; he seemed to see traces of Ten Thousand Armies Take Head within it, yet this sword was far grander and indescribable.

"Go!" the Daoist said with a light laugh.

In a daze, Mu Yi returned to reality.

Li Taibai and Lily seemed still immersed in some kind of insight.

Mu Yi pondered, recalling what had just happened, yet discovered that many of the things he had previously kept in mind and not understood were now largely forgotten.

He finally understood why the Qinglian Sword Master's Qinglian Dao Method was incomplete—probably because he too had forgotten much, forcing him to fill the gaps with his own comprehension.

At this moment, a clear cultivation method existed in his mind: the Shangqing Immortal Method.

Mu Yi now also confirmed the Daoist's identity: likely a projection of the Shangqing Lingbao Heavenly Venerable; this place is indeed a site of transmission.

Any being that enters here can obtain an opportunity to hear the Dao.

"Teach without distinction?" Mu Yi sighed deeply, then bowed low again toward the void.

He casually set up a barrier for Lily, then Mu Yi returned along the passage to the junction.

The Shangqing Immortal Method was of immense use to him, recording many cultivation paths, far surpassing his own unorthodox ways by who knows how many times.

Before, he always thought his cultivation method was already quite efficient, but only now did he realize what true cultivation really looks like.

Merely circulating his energy once according to the immortal method caused the surrounding heaven-earth essence to be swallowed like a whale drinking water; if he had possessed such an immortal method earlier, his cultivation speed could have increased manyfold.

Were it not for his concern about disturbing the two who were still gaining insight, Mu Yi would truly like to make good use of the thick misty immortal aura within the palace to cultivate properly.

Just one circuit, his inner qi noticeably strengthened.

Sitting cross-legged on the spot, Mu Yi immersed himself in recollection, pondering what he had comprehended from the lecture and which ineffable sword remained.

"Sever!"

After a long while, Mu Yi extended his sword finger and traced a line in the void; the space he drew upon instantly cracked.

Mu Yi looked at the fissure, shook his head, and said, "No, this is nowhere near the level of that sword."

He repeatedly attempted to recreate that realm's one-in-a-million chance, but found that no matter how he tried, he always felt like drawing a tiger and ending up with a dog.

Nevertheless, even with that feeling, the power he evoked grew ever stronger.

Only when he sensed someone approaching did Mu Yi cease this contemplation.

"How is it?" Mu Yi looked at Li Taibai and Lily.

"I have comprehended a cultivation method called the Shangqing Immortal Method, and I have seen the evolution of the four elements—wind, fire, water, earth—but there is still much I cannot understand!"

Lily furrowed her brows; as a scientific mage, such arcane matters made her uncomfortable—she could not grasp what she had comprehended, nor could she explain it with her prior knowledge.

"I should further perfect the Qinglian Dao Method left by my master……"

Li Taibai likewise furrowed his brows; merely completing the Qinglian Dao Method was already his limit, and that was only achievable by standing on his master's shoulders.

Yet he could not feel happy, for this perfection offered no aid to his current state.