Chapter 1460

"Ge Zu! It's Ge Zu! Ge Zu has appeared!"

"Wonderful, Ge Zu, you've finally awakened. Something major has happened—your physical body outside is constantly collapsing, your vitality draining rapidly—what should we do?"

"Ge Zu? Can you hear me? Huai Wang, what's going on? Why isn't the ancestral master responding?"

Calling out, many people were calling out. Ge Cheng could hear but not understand. His eyes were damaged and unfocused, unable to concentrate, like suffering from fear of distance—he only saw blurry figures. A buzzing filled his ears, everything heard was chaotic and noisy, sometimes near, sometimes far, even failing to comprehend the spoken words, only vaguely catching a few terms.

Ge Zu?

His heart stirred, a vague recognition—something buried deep seemed intent on breaking free.

The Daoist priests of Lou Guan Tai were excited, shouting loudly. They had waited long, and now finally witnessed Ge Zu miraculously appearing in this vast white expanse.

Useful.

Truly useful!

Ge Zu has appeared!

As long as we awaken Ge Zu's consciousness, it will surely aid his recovery!

The Tusi and Han Wang stared at the suddenly appearing white-haired old man, secretly amazed, pondering their position, glancing at the Third Prince, suddenly thinking of many other uses.

However, the crowd's excitement quickly ebbed like a tide, for everyone realized that no matter what they said or did, Ge Zu remained like a soulless "wooden corpse" with eyes open.

Ge Jianhong anxiously asked: "Huai Wang, what's going on? Why isn't Ge Zu responding?"

"I don't know either—first time encountering this, logically it shouldn't be like this—" Liang Qu knelt beside him, waved his hand, Ge Zu with open eyes showed no reaction at all, like a vegetative state—"Why not try summoning a soul?"

"Summon a soul? This—" Ge Jianhong exclaimed in surprise.

Ge Jiantai's expression shifted, he closely observed Ge Zu's condition: "Indeed, it resembles soul loss—"

"Elder brother?"

"Daozhu!"

"Since we've come to this, there's no other option—let's try it for now, perform the ritual!" Ge Jiantai decided decisively.

"Yes!"

The Holy Emperor and others successively withdrew, clearing space. The Daoist priests of Lou Guan Tai took their positions according to the ritual's rites, standing or sitting cross-legged, reciting the Eight Great Divine Mantras.

The Eight Great Divine Mantras are respectively: Purifying Heart Mantra, Purifying Mouth Mantra, Purifying Body Mantra, Pacifying Earth Mantra, Purifying Heaven and Earth Mantra, Blessing Incense Mantra, Golden Light Mantra, and Profound Storage Mantra.

Though they sound profoundly mysterious, they are actually the most basic mantra methods of Daoism, belonging to Lou Guan Tai's "Morning and Evening Practice Scripture," widely applied—whether reciting scriptures, explaining, ascending the altar, writing talismans, or performing rites, all require their recitation. They are essential for beginners entering Daoist study and practice, and also a necessary procedure for mastering talisman magic.

Likewise, precisely because they are sufficiently basic, these eight mantras are the most peaceful and best suited for dealing with the current complex situation.

"The Supreme Platform Star, responds without cease.

Banish evil, bind spirits, protect life and body—"

"Dan Zhu's mouth deity, spew filth, dispel haze—

Tongue deity proper order, circulate life, nurture spirit—"

Stepping the Gang Steps.

Mantra after mantra echoed between heaven and earth.

Ge Cheng lay on the ground, yet his heart surged with tumultuous waves.

The tremor born from the title "Ge Zu" was, under the "empowerment" of the Eight Great Divine Mantras, frenziedly breaking through the soil and growing, climbing upward!

The fluctuating sounds drew nearer continuously, the blurry, swaying figures rapidly sharpened.

Ge Zu's eyelids twitched slightly.

Ge Jiantai keenly caught this subtle movement, his spirit greatly lifted.

Useful!

Liang Qu was slightly surprised—he had only made that comment offhand.

Could it really be this effective?

The chanting resounded grandly; the originally calm water-like ripples beneath their feet began spontaneously spreading outward in concentric circles. The Tusi and Han Wang lifted their feet and retreated two steps.

Liang Qu gestured to the Third Prince: if the situation turned bad, immediately send them away.

The sounds in his ears grew ever clearer; the figures in his vision became ever more distinct.

The dilating pupils continuously contracted; Ge Cheng strained with all his might to focus.

Memories—countless memories—washed over him.

As a youth, unable to memorize scriptures, suffering the pain of being struck on the palm by his teacher; as a youth following his master down the mountain, glimpsing the bustling market and feeling his heart stir; on the True Martial Dao lineage, winning first place and feeling joy—

Emotions, images, sensations—these surged forth from the depths of countless piled-up chaotic memories, breaking through, finally bursting out in a single torrent!

"—Wisdom pure and clear, spirit and mind at peace.

Three souls eternal, corporeal spirit without loss or decline—"

"—Luo Qianchi deity, yet guards the true.

Throat deity Tiger-Strong, breath deity guides fluids—"

Ge Cheng murmured, following the chant, and instantly resonated.

The ripples beneath everyone's feet momentarily converged into towering waves!

The surging memories sank downward, clearing away the chaos.

The old man's scattered pupils fully focused, scanning the surroundings, corresponding memories surged forth instantly, and he immediately recognized them.

"Jiantai! Jianhong! Jingyu!"

"Ge Zu!"

The crowd exclaimed in joy, and the next moment, heaven and earth split open, light appeared in the fissure, the tremendous waves turned toward the sky, and came crashing down with force.

Boom!

Heaven and earth shattered with a roar, countless fragments flew, everyone lost balance, fell freely, until a gust of wind swept in, and once again they stood firm on solid ground.

The white bricks and stones gleamed, misty immortal vapors drifted, mountain ranges undulated, the heavenly palace stood alone.

Liang Qu stepped on the ground, looking at the familiar place, and regained a sense of security.

Cloud-Soaring Xiandao!

Louguan Platform, inside the mountain cave.

The originally continuous outpouring of vitality ceased abruptly, no longer falling!

The six people's gazes intertwined, and they nodded in succession.

The situation has improved.

The clouds and mist are hazy and ethereal.

"Is this the former Xiandao?" The Khan King and the tribal chieftain looked around.

Ge Jiantai and Ge Jianhong didn't bother to explore the surrounding environment, they rushed toward the center, toward Ge Zu, but none dared to disturb him rashly.

Ge Cheng sat cross-legged in meditation, feeling the presence of those around him, memories flashing back and forth, being summarized, his originally exhausted essence and spirit rapidly rising.

He opened his eyes again.

Ge Jiantai and Ge Jianhong rushed forward excitedly.

Ge Cheng opened his mouth, but found he could not speak at all.

"Ge Zu?" Ge Jiantai probed.

"Jiantai?"

Ge Jiantai nodded repeatedly: "It's me, Ge Zu, what happened to you?"

Ge Cheng's throat kept rolling, his white beard trembling with it, finally he opened his mouth, like blowing air from a whistle, spitting out several extremely obscure, sharp, and hard-to-understand syllables, like a very strange mixture of multiple languages, with an extremely muddled accent of Heyang dialect, only becoming much clearer when mentioning everyone's names.

Ge Jiantai was very puzzled, listening in a daze.

He asked repeatedly several times, guessing the meaning, Ge Cheng kept shaking his head and nodding.

The remaining fellow disciples all joined in, guessing and feeling their way.

A somewhat strange exchange took place on the square.

Under this continuous exchange, Ge Zu's language ability rapidly improved, no, it should be said to be rapidly "recovered," one accent after another being stripped away from the Heyang dialect, finally becoming, although still somewhat muddled, at a level where everyone could finally roughly understand.

Heyang dialect is not the current Dashun official speech, but being located in the Central Plains, with smooth communication from all sides, it is not so hard to understand, and one can somewhat discern some of it.

Seeing Ge Zu had clarified his speech, Ge Jiantai could no longer hold back, asking what exactly had happened this time, why he had suddenly collapsed, if not entering the dream realm, he feared his seven hundred years of cultivation would have been wasted.

Liang Qu and the others moved closer by three parts, silently listening in.

"Alas, this matter is a long story." Ge Zu sighed, "Originally practicing this method, I should have been ignorant and insensible, fallen into chaos, but I don't know how, I actually awoke from chaos, falling into the inner realm — "

"Inner realm?" Everyone exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, and it is a state of nothingness, devoid of sensation."

Ge Cheng noticed Liang Qu and the others gathering to watch.

These people each had a mighty and terrifying aura, I don't know where these experts came from, how long I have been asleep? Have the changes between heaven and earth been so great? But they seem to have come to help, I could awaken, perhaps also thanks to them, so Ge Cheng did not conceal, and spoke one by one of the problems he encountered in this cultivation.

Chaos, darkness, bitter endurance, blood-colored fissures, the fissures expanding —

The more Liang Qu listened, the stranger his expression became.

The Holy Emperor couldn't help but glance sideways at Liang Qu.

Good news, Ge Zu's mid-path collapse was not because he took those two long breaths.

Bad news, it seems, perhaps, possibly, maybe because he dug through the netherworld?

Even earlier, long before, when he took the old toad to the netherworld to filter the heavenly tribulation, and incidentally opened a window for the old Dragon Lord to breathe, breaking through as a great demon!

This world originally had no netherworld!

There is fundamentally no such thing as reincarnation, the six paths of transmigration, when a person dies, they are dead, it was the Great Ancestor of Great Li who, in order to achieve immortality, forcibly created the Blood River Realm to preserve the "souls" of the strong.

In other words, Ge Zu originally should not have come into contact with, aided by the Yin-Yang Creation Method, he should have always cultivated in the real world, undying yet rigid, but the Blood River Realm leaked, creating an "interaction" with the real world, and Ge Zu's condition suddenly became special.

This influence is even bidirectional.

Including the Wise Truth Monk and Qi Yanyan Qi Elder, their memories similarly recovered.

Ge Jiantai listened with a startled heart: "And then?"

Ge Zu gave a bitter smile: "Enduring the hardship of the cosmic light and shadow, yet unable to sit in forgetfulness, I truly could not bear it, at the brink of madness, to preserve clarity, I could only plunge into the fissure — "

Bad!

Liang Qu's heart leapt, and in an instant, many thoughts scattered.

Not eating, not drinking, not breathing, not inhaling, not smelling, not asking, not seeing, not hearing, not moving, not responding —

Originally, Ge Zu practicing the Yin-Yang Creation Method should have been able to pass through "sitting in forgetfulness," to pause thought, prevent madness during waiting, but the netherworld was dug through, qi permeated and influenced, directly causing Ge Zu to be unable to "sit in forgetfulness," and instantly, from cultivation, he became a complete "confinement," even a high-level "confinement."

This thing is hard to endure.

Even the bravest man, after three days of confinement, becomes honest, the male among males, after seven days of confinement, becomes obedient, the king of men, at most can endure half a month.

The appearance of the netherworld fissure is equivalent to throwing a book into the small dark room.

Harder to endure than any addiction, impossible not to flip through.

But once flipped, it becomes a big problem!

Not to mention whether the Great Ancestor of Great Li discovers it, just by entering, one goes from undying yet rigid to truly dead!

"Fortunately, this came in time, it should be that Ge Zu was just about to climb over the wall, when we pulled him back, successfully preventing — "

"I went in, then stole a wisp of pure qi, and came out again, truly quite perilous." Ge Zu said with a face full of lingering fear.

Liang Qu: "?"

"You came out?" Liang Qu couldn't help but interject, "Did you not encounter anyone? Anything?"

"I encountered no events, but a person, I don't know if it's a person, it is a giant lying down, I stood on his toe, like standing on a cliff." Ge Zu found the young man's reaction strange, struggled to recall, "That was a blood pool, the giant lay in the blood pool, his body surrounded by countless people struggling, then being worn down, becoming two qi, one pure qi rising, one turbid qi descending — "

Liang Qu thought frantically.

That should just be a coincidence, just happening before the Fifth Immortal of Great Li was revived, Ge Zu luckily went in once, took a strand of pure qi?

"That's not right. At first there was a glimmer of light, after the glimmer came cracks, and only after the cracks did we enter. That glimmer was Frog Duke's lightning tribulation, the cracks were made by me and the Dragon-Elephant King breaking through the Blood River, but by that time the Fifth Immortal had already awakened——"

Liang Qu felt a hesitation in his heart.

Ge Chengji continued: "What's in the clear qi are all kinds of memories — dialects, cultivation methods, experiences. The turbid qi turns into stones——if I take the clear qi, I gain extra memories; if I take the turbid qi, I get a feeling of fullness."

"Wait, didn't Ge Ancestor say he only took one strand of clear qi? How did he get turbid qi too?"

"The first time he only took clear qi; the turbid qi was taken the third time."

Liang Qu: "???"

The Sage Emperor and Zhang Longxiang also found it strange.

"Ge Ancestor went in more than once?"

"That's right." Ge Ancestor felt these people's reactions were very strange, and a bit impolite, but considering they might be his life-saving benefactors, he didn't disdain them, and sighed, "The first time was extremely perilous, but afterward I couldn't help myself.

Gradually I discovered that giant couldn't really react, and since I was half-crazed, I took quite a lot of clear qi. Memories overlapped and confused, my mind grew increasingly muddled, I gradually couldn't remember who I was or what I was doing, just instinctively absorbing. Thinking back now, I probably went back and forth about a thousand times?"

Holy crap!

Liang Qu nearly jumped out of his skin.

What a giant rat!

And where's the peril in that?

You went back and forth a thousand times, treating it like a cafeteria, going whenever you were hungry?

Listening to Ge Ancestor finish, his way of entering the netherworld was different from Liang Qu randomly entering some arbitrary spot in the Blood River Realm — it was most likely the "hub" of the Blood River Realm. Even though Liang Qu had gone that many times, he'd never seen it, and had no way to avoid detection——

"So it's actually like this——"

"So it was because Ge Ancestor absorbed too many and too mixed memories that he forgot his self and couldn't awaken?"

Ge Jiantai and the other Louguantai elders were greatly shaken.

"Then——Ge Ancestor, can the Yin-Yang Creation Method still be cultivated?" Ge Jianhong asked, "Unable to perform Zuowang, doesn't that mean——"

Everyone fell silent.

Ge Ancestor also fell silent.

They suddenly discovered a problem: the Yin-Yang Creation Method seemed unable to continue being cultivated further!

Ten complete awakenings, only one final step short, and the gate to penetrating the heavens shut.

Since the Yao Dragon, all efforts had gone to waste.

"——Matters have come to this, however, it's not entirely without a turning point."

Ge Jiantai and the others raised their heads.

Ge Ancestor stroked his beard and smiled: "If this awakening goes smoothly, I should be able to self-cultivate a Position Fruit. Even if I can't cultivate again, the remaining hundred years aren't necessarily without opportunity."

The Louguantai crowd went wild with joy.

Self-cultivate a Position Fruit!?

That's the makings of an Immortal!

Their Louguantai, inherited for thousands of years, is really going to produce an Immortal?

"Alright, no need to be too pessimistic, nor too optimistic. Surviving this time is already a stroke of great fortune." Ge Ancestor didn't linger in nostalgia, and looked toward Liang Qu and the others, "Jiantai, you haven't introduced them to me yet. These few are——"

Ge Jiantai pulled himself together and immediately walked to the central figure, bowing respectfully: "Ancestor, this is the current Great Shun Son of Heaven, the Sage Emperor, Your Majesty."

"So it's the Sage Emperor in person. Rude of me, rude of me."

Ge Ancestor immediately stood and bowed; the Sage Emperor raised a hand to support him in the air.

Louguantai is within Great Shun's borders; with the Great Shun Emperor coming to his doorstep, it's not strange.

Ge Jiantai then turned and introduced the lion-like man: "This is the Northern Court Khan King."

Northern Court Khan King?

Ge Ancestor's heart shook, surprised how the Khan King had come too. Could it be that in the decades he slept, the outside situation changed drastically, and now the Southern Frontier is powerful, and the Northern Court and Great Shun have allied?

Come to think of it, that makes sense. Ge Ancestor vaguely remembered the Southern Frontier chieftains had ambitious aspirations and outstanding talent, but the Northern Court likewise coveted the Great Snow Mountain. Could it be they want to change the Great Snow Mountain's nominal legitimacy?

The seas turn to mulberry fields; one sleep of decades, truly the changes are astonishing.

Ge Jiantai then introduced the old man on the right: "This is the Southern Frontier Chieftain."

Ge Ancestor's eyes snapped open, and he turned his head to stare at Ge Jiantai.

All under heaven unified?

The Khan King, Chieftain, and Sage Emperor all laughed heartily at once.

Ge Jiantai smiled bitterly: "Ancestor, don't look at me. You didn't mishear. Today it really is the Sage Emperor, Khan King, and Chieftain — all three parties have come to observe the ceremony today."

Hum.

Goosebumps rose all over Ge Cheng's body; he trembled all over, only feeling overwhelmed by the honor.

Great Shun, Southern Frontier, Northern Court!

They actually managed to set aside past grievances and observe the ceremony together??

Ge Cheng's expression was complex, somewhat ashamed.

The world attaches such importance, yet he not only failed to awaken smoothly, but also——

"What about the Great Snow Mountain? Did the Great Snow Mountain also send a revered teacher?" Ge Ancestor looked around.

The Great Snow Mountain's Lotus Sect may not match Great Shun, Southern Frontier, and Northern Court, but it's still a top-tier major power, stronger than True Unity. Since all three Great Shun parties have set aside grievances, there's no reason for them not to come. But he looked around and didn't see the Cockscomb Lama.

"Ancestor Ge——" Ge Jiantai opened his mouth. This wasn't the first time he'd welcomed Ge Ancestor's awakening, but he suddenly discovered this awakening seemed even stranger than the previous ten, even more bizarre than the last time Great Qian changed to Great Shun. "The Great Snow Mountain is gone."

"Gone?" Ge Ancestor's pupils dilated.

Such a huge Great Snow Mountain, gone?

Ge Jiantai nodded.

Ge Ancestor wanted to speak but stopped. He had too many questions he wanted to ask, but knew now wasn't a good time. In case some content was unpleasant and made things awkward between them, he looked toward the others.

"Oh." Ge Jiantai followed with the introduction, "This is Zhang Longxiang, the Dragon-Elephant King."

"Dragon-Elephant King, I remember, leveling both banks of the Yellow River, eigh————" Ge Zu originally wanted to continue from memory with the third of the Eight Beasts, two dead one injured, renowned far and wide, suddenly remembering the Sweat King was also here, hastily corrected himself, "Eighty-plus years of cultivation path, haven't misremembered, right, Dragon-Elephant King is extraordinary, speaking of natural talent, probably number one under heaven!"

Zhang Longxiang shook his head: "I dare not claim number one under heaven."

"Hahaha, the Dragon-Elephant King is indeed modest." Ge Zu stroked his beard and laughed heartily, swearing solemnly, "To speak frankly, this old man is over seven hundred years old this year, understands a thing or two about qi-reading, a hundred years of age, over ten stages, this natural talent is sufficient to rival the ancient hegemons, surely number one under heaven! I do not believe there exists anyone in the world more formidable than the Dragon-Elephant King!"

Words ringing with conviction, clanging resonantly.

Ge Jiantai opened his mouth, too embarrassed to bluntly interrupt, quietly tugged at Ge Zu's sleeve.

Ge Zu did not understand why.

"Cough cough, there is, Old Ancestor, there is." Ge Jiantai cleared his throat, moved to stand beside Liang Qu, spread his hands wide, "Look again at this Huai King, he is now our Louguantai's Ancestor Liang. Fourteen cultivation, eighteen Hunt Tiger, twenty-two Entering Zhen Xiang, twenty-eight Fledgling Dragon, thirty-one this year, Fledgling Dragon————"

Ge Jiantai turned his head, eyes showing inquiry.

Liang Qu covered his mouth and coughed once: "Ten stages."

"Right right, correct, Old Ancestor, ten stages, and he cultivates the Thousandfold Root Sea Method, has self-born his Position Fruit, today you could awaken, much thanks to Ancestor Liang."

Clouds and mist hazy, half-concealing the heavenly palace, the immortal island with a faint breeze.

Looked at Ge Jiantai, then looked at Liang Qu.

Ge Zu: "?"