Chapter 314: On the Verge of Taiyi True Immortal: Hongyun

Wanshou Mountain, Wuzhuang Guan.

As Zhenyuanzi began to speak on the Dao, for a time, purple and azure light flowed and reflected, wondrous sounds formed lamps, and bucket-sized Daoyuan appeared one after another, vast and scattered.

Like stars, they shone with auspicious clouds, glowing with color across the sky, dazzling and eye-catching, illuminating the four directions.

All around was filled with spiritual energy to the extreme, like frost-air across water, a crystalline expanse.

Clang—

It is unknown how much time had passed when the sound of the Dao stopped abruptly, and then a clear and bright jade chime sounded, awakening Fang Longye and Yang Chan.

One could see the weeping willows hanging gracefully all around, flower buds bursting forth, cold fragrance filling the ground; the sky light, water color, and floral intent brushed against Fang Longye's face, reflecting the joy between his brows.

"Many thanks to the Senior for your care!"

Fang Longye restrained his joy, hurriedly stood up, and bowed to Zhenyuanzi to express his gratitude.

His attitude was sincere; he was truly filled with thanks.

This Ancestor of Earth Immortals not only let him eat and take, but also took the opportunity to lecture him on such Dharma. He had truly treated him with great kindness.

Especially the lecture on the Dao.

Do not look down on the Great Immortal Zhenyuanzi; although he only spoke on the Five Elements this time, under his high-reaching realm, it could be called drawing inferences about other things.

Using one Dao to connect ten thousand Daos, it drew forth all sorts of insights and understandings, coming one after another.

It allowed him to take a great stride forward in the Taiyi Loose Immortal realm. It could be said that, as of now, he was not far from the perfection of the Taiyi Loose Immortal realm.

Almost only a single step away.

One could see that in the vast and boundless Dao Source Sea, a dragon shadow was coiled upon a wave, its head and horns towering.

Its entire body was covered in vivid scales, lifelike.

It was precisely the imprint Fang Longye had left in the Dao Source Sea, a mark of his self.

This dragon shadow was now raising its dragon head high, emitting a continuous sound of dragon roars, like an ancient and desolate musical composition.

There was a luster invisible to the naked eye emerging from the depths of this imprint, then spreading like a spider web, falling into the Dao Source Sea, giving rise to mysterious changes.

There was a faint sign of condensing the prototype of the Great Dao.

And once the prototype of his own Great Dao was condensed, that would be a Taiyi True Immortal~ In short, compared to before, Fang Longye's aura had climbed countless times~ Such progress naturally left him filled with gratitude.

Facing his thanks, Zhenyuanzi merely waved his hand, not caring at all, and said: "It was just a small bit of care!"

"As the saying goes, to forge iron, one must be strong oneself. That you can have such progress, the key lies in your own lack of slackness in daily life."

"Otherwise, even if I gave you more or greater care, it would be in vain."

Fang Longye knew this was merely a modest remark; he was clear in his heart about his own situation.

Without this care from Zhenyuanzi, wanting to reach his current stage in the Taiyi Loose Immortal realm would have required some years.

Therefore, he naturally continued to express his thanks.

After some idle chatter, Fang Longye, with his mind set on his previous plans and having nothing else to do at Wuzhuang Guan, naturally took Yang Chan and proposed to take his leave.

To continue the unfinished "check-in" journey to the West.

……

Wuzhuang Guan.

After Fang Longye and Yang Chan had departed, Zhenyuanzi still sat upright before the pond, not rising, examining the scenery all around with great interest.

Amidst the rippling light, one could vaguely see lotus flowers growing in clusters, leaves covering the water, and the lotus fragrance drifting faintly.

There were leaves rising from the water, three to five zhang high, casting shadows over the water pavilion and gazebo, like green clouds drifting, a thousand heads of rain-color, possessing a fresh scent.

Jade stones were scattered like stars, soaking in the surroundings, just like his mood at this moment, which was quite good.

"This little fellow is not bad, right?"

A voice that sounded somewhat lazy drifted over from the void.

The tone was light, carrying a full measure of smiles.

Zhenyuanzi laughed and scolded: "You old ghost, even in seclusion you have the leisure to chat with me."

"Isn't it because everything is on the right track now!"

Zhenyuanzi shook his head and laughed, not taking up his words. After so many years, Hongyun's temperament was still the same, unchanged.

Returning to the initial question, his gaze shifted to the mountain gate of Wuzhuang Guan.

There, amidst a thousand layers of deep bamboo and leaves, Fang Longye was carrying Yang Chan, having already left Wuzhuang Guan, and was walking slowly down the mountain.

He couldn't help but say: "It is indeed a bit hard to see through~"

Immediately, he looked back at the void, as if meeting the gaze of Hongyun who was still in seclusion, smiled, and said: "Speaking of which, Hongyun, you really have good luck; the little fellow you bumped into casually back then actually carries the legacy of Xihuang."

"Heh~"

Hongyun's soft laughter came, and he said lazily: "Zhenyuanzi, you are almost a Hunyuan Saint, why do you still talk about good luck? This is clearly the result of the operation of Heaven and Earth."

Perhaps it was compensation for him, the future Hunyuan who was about to attain the Dao; after all, he had wasted so many years because of certain schemes.

Or perhaps Heavenly Luck was with that boy, and he himself was just a tool used to escort him.

In any case, Heaven and Earth have their own operations, and all things are within them. Even a Hunyuan is not truly transcendent.

It is just having the ability to overturn the chessboard.

"Enough! Stop selling while you've already gained the advantage~"

Zhenyuanzi said with annoyance.

No matter what, Hongyun had gained a huge advantage. With this little fellow in hand, even after he attained the Hunyuan, he could still advance by leaps and bounds.

He would not have an unclear path ahead.

Like those Hunyuan Saints back then, who still needed to spend a vast amount of time exploring the cultivation of the Hunyuan realm.

"Right! You still haven't answered my first question. What do you really think of this little fellow?"

Hongyun chuckled and continued to ask.

"In terms of cultivation, there is nothing to complain about," Zhenyuanzi recalled for a moment and said, "His foundation is solid, and he is neither arrogant nor impetuous."

Even though his journey has been smooth sailing, he has not developed too much restlessness, nor does he lack reverence for heaven and earth, for the world.

This point is very good.

The Demon Clan and Witch Clan of those years, favored by heaven and earth, were how powerful? One after another, they burned mountains and boiled seas, extinguished stars and chased the moon, arrogant and unconquerable.

But in the end, they were blown away by the wind and rain.

The glory of the past is long gone.

Many formidable existences among the Demon Clan left only numerous legends to later generations, while they themselves had long since vanished into the passage of time.

It can be seen,

sometimes being too smooth sailing is not a good thing.

"It is just his personality~" He raised his eyebrows and said playfully, "It looks exactly the same as yours, both carrying a hint of a rogue's flavor."

But it only looks exactly the same.

If one were to discuss it in detail, there is an essential difference between the two.

Hongyun acting like a rogue is a kind of familiarity and heartlessness. But that little fellow?

Acting like a rogue is based on a sense of having nothing to fear, belonging to the type who judges people and acts accordingly.

Deep down, this little fellow actually has a kind of depth and restraint; every key step he takes has calculations involved.

He is fundamentally a different person from Hongyun.

"Uh~ it is indeed as you, Zhenyuanzi, said." Hongyun's tone carried a hint of a smile, as if there were a satisfaction in finding a kindred spirit.

However, the topic shifted quickly.

"No! How can this be?"

"Being too jumpy is not good! I myself suffered a great loss because of this kind of personality."

"So what do you want?"

Zhenyuanzi's eyebrows twitched again and again.

He did not believe that Hongyun could not see Fang Longye's true personality and traits.

Hongyun smirked, "It is said that a person can only become steady after settling down and establishing a career. Since that is the case, I will add more burdens to him~" "He is already a Taiyi Loose Immortal, yet he does not think about cultivating properly and is still wandering outside; how can this be?"

Fine, this old friend of his has had his mischievous streak triggered~ he is going to stir up trouble!

Zhenyuanzi patted his forehead and muttered to himself in his heart.

Zhongnan Mountain, Jade Pillar Cave.

Bejeweled trees and jade grasses, jade steps and jade railings.

Flowers bloom in the pond, strange rocks stand before the corridor.

A palace was built facing the water, and inside, lotus flowers were already in full bloom, fragrant and lush, with golden light dancing.

In the hall, Yunzhongzi had his hair tied up with a high crown, wore Dharma robes, and Clear Qi rose around him, bright as a mirror.

Circles upon circles, dizzying and swirling.

Before him lay a three-legged cauldron with golden patterns, and golden clouds emerged from the cauldron, continuous and unbroken, forming the appearance of a Necklace Canopy in the sky above.

Above that, circling back and forth, were the phantom images of pills, floating and sinking, undergoing eight returns and nine turns, changing back and forth.

He was indeed refining pills, or rather, using the refining of pills to comprehend the Great Dao and verify himself.

Refining pills and refining treasures are generally the same method.

It was at this moment that his gaze shifted; he pressed his palm onto the cauldron, nurturing the pills within, causing the cauldron to emit soft sounds from time to time, like boiling water, gurgling.

Subsequently, Yunzhongzi sat up straight, sighed, and said, "The main body really does whatever comes to mind. It is a pity for my life of toil~"

However,

the main body has indeed reached a critical moment now; even if he were not in seclusion, every move he makes involves too much, and he cannot act lightly.

This laborious task can only fall upon himself, one of the Three Corpses.

After confirming this, he did not delay further; after tidying up, he neither used a carriage nor rode a mount, and went straight out of his Daoist practice ground.

Auspicious clouds rose beneath his feet, lifting his body, and he drifted into the blue sky, disappearing into the darkness.

His figure was gone.

Endless Blood Sea.

It stretched without shore; looking around, it was full of death, baleful Qi, and slaughter, with crimson waves.

Cold and gloomy, dim and heavy, only a crescent blood moon hung in the sky, illuminating the realm.

Clearly, for most living beings, this was not a good place to be.

Just at this moment,

a sudden, thunderous roar erupted in the void, revealing a portal with frost patterns and drooping wings, inlaid with the shadows of the sun and moon.

A great power had crossed the boundary to arrive.

In an instant, the sounds of Golden Bell and fishing drums blared, and one could see an endless expanse of purple and blue flowing over, the Aura thick and misty, clouds and colors condensing, clearing the spiritual mansion, and hanging high a profound map.

As the saying goes, phoenix chimes and whale bells play the grand music of the heavens. Luan-bird incense burners and dragon cauldrons create auspicious clouds over the earth.

There were also flowers scattering across the ground, blessing and clarifying the eight seas.

Such a vast commotion naturally attracted the attention of various figures in the Blood Sea.

"Yunzhongzi?"

"What is he here for?"

"Is it not said that Yunzhongzi of the Chan Sect is the incarnation of that person? I remember that person has a grudge with our ancestor!"

"Who knows? Speaking of which..."

"..."

The various Great Luo in the Blood Sea discussed among themselves in private, one word after another, all speculating on the purpose of Yunzhongzi coming to the Blood Sea.

"Hongyun! What are you doing in my Blood Sea?"

Deep within the Blood Sea, a voice suddenly came forth, extremely aged and extremely archaic, as if it had existed since the creation of the world.

Following that, large swathes of flames appeared in the space-time, bright red in color; they looked unremarkable, yet gave one an indescribable sense of eeriness and ferocity.

These were not ordinary flames, but the Karma Fire that makes people fearful.

The sky was filled with Karma Fire, with no end in sight, surrounding a lotus throne that had twelve ranks, with countless seal scripts flickering in and out of existence, moving back and forth.

It was none other than the Twelve-Rank Fire Red Lotus, this Innate Spiritual Treasure among the few in the Honghuang.

As soon as this lotus platform appeared, it stirred up a blood color that covered the universe, completely obscuring the eternal azure that had followed Yunzhongzi and permeated the space-time.

Only thousands upon thousands of blood-colored lotus flowers emerged from the Blood Sea, clustered together, their fragrance condensing into clouds.

One could see a middle-aged man in blood-colored robes sitting cross-legged on the Twelve-Rank Fire Red Lotus at the very center.

His face was handsome, his features like a sculpture, with a line of blood between his brows, crimson to the extreme, looking coldly at the uninvited Yunzhongzi.

Before him were placed two Innate Killing Swords, and behind him were different portals wide open, within which countless blood lights were rendered.

Vaguely, it seemed that an inexplicable, great terror was brewing and rising, about to erupt.

"Oh my! Minghe, we are old friends, there's no need for this!" A burst of teasing laughter rang out, and Yunzhongzi walked out from the void.

Above his head, a celebration cloud hung high, and countless auspicious lights shone down; with just one shine, the area for hundreds of millions of miles turned into the color of glazed jade.

Green Lotus bloomed and fell, and seal scripts of various sizes appeared out of thin air, each word floating in the air, shining brightly and casting down rosy clouds.

The killing intent that filled the sky was completely dissipated.

"Old friends?"

"Hmph! Who is an old friend with you~"

Minghe Laozu had always been one to seek revenge for the slightest grievance and judge others by his own standards; he did not believe that Hongyun was truly so magnanimous as to not care about his own act of kicking him while he was down.

Although Hongyun had returned for so many years and had never caused him any trouble, he did not believe that Hongyun had truly let it go and did not want revenge.

It was merely out of fear of his own strength! Now that this fellow was on the verge of reaching the Primordial Origin, and his wings were hardening, it was hard to say~

"Oh my, Fellow Daoist Minghe has really misunderstood! I have come this time to propose marriage for a junior of mine~"

Yunzhongzi said with a smile.

"Propose marriage?"

Minghe Laozu withdrew his aura and looked at Yunzhongzi, this old nemesis and incarnation, with a look of surprise. He did not know what medicine he was selling in his gourd.

"That's right, propose marriage!"

Yunzhongzi nodded, casually intercepted a section of the long river of space-time, and turned it into a bronze mirror; thousands of rays of light bloomed from the mirror, illuminating a territory.

"Xiniu Hezhou, Cuiyun Mountain?"

Minghe Laozu's eyes penetrated through, and realization dawned on him; he could not help but say: "Are you talking about Rakshasa?"

"Fellow Daoist also knows that the little fellow who has a connection with me has become quite entangled with that little girl under your seat."

"Since that is the case, why don't we play matchmaker? But there is one point, it might be a bit of a grievance for your little girl; it can only be three women marrying one husband."

Yunzhongzi spoke eloquently on the surface, but in his heart, he was snickering incessantly. The idea his original self came up with was truly wicked! In his view, this little girl of the Asura Clan was naturally hot-tempered. She was undoubtedly a complete vinegar jar.

That Three Holy Mother was also not someone to be trifled with. After all, the love story of her parents could be considered moving and tragic.

Having been influenced by it, how could she not have expectations for the loyalty of her other half? Tsk tsk~

Now, that kid's backyard would definitely be lively; I'm afraid he will follow in the footsteps of that guy Xuanyuan in the future? As for whether that kid is willing?

Since he already has Ehuang and Nvying, I suppose he wouldn't mind having three women marry one husband.

Hehe, telling you not to walk the straight path and only thinking about crooked shortcuts~ If I don't see blood flowing like a river, I would be failing to live up to the care I have for you, kid! Yunzhongzi spoke eloquently, while Minghe Laozu's expression became strange.

He naturally paid attention to Fang Longye, and he did not mind his own heart's treasure marrying this kid along with others.

After all, this kid had the legacy of Xihuang, so it would be no big deal to suffer a little grievance.

Besides, Minghe Laozu did not believe it.

With him supporting from behind, would anyone dare to bully his own heart's treasure? Did they really think his 'Yuantu' and 'Abi' were just for show? But the key point~ Minghe Laozu looked at Yunzhongzi, suspicion rising in his eyes. Would this old nemesis be so kind?

They were enemies, after all! (End of chapter)