Chapter 807: The Great Law of Questioning the Golden Immortal

Upon his return, Lingxu Zi was still preoccupied with the monks of the Bodhi Sect, unwilling to accept that his young disciple had vanished without cause, and had no other thoughts for the moment.

Beyond that, he too, like others, was somewhat concerned with Shen Yi’s origins and lineage.

This young man had once taken refuge under a six-wing silkworm insect.

Now, whoever took him in would effectively lower themselves to the same rank as a demonic cultivator—something truly embarrassing to admit aloud.

Moreover, his Qingguang senior had committed grave sins yet refused to bear any karmic consequence, instead leaving Lingxu Cave to shoulder the burden—if he accepted this, wouldn’t he be unnecessarily placing himself one step lower?

At the level of a Chaos Great Luo Golden Immortal, even life and death are transcended; what one cares about, beyond the Supreme Dao, is merely this reputation and honor.

But the situation now is different.

Even the most carefree Golden Immortals, unless utterly desperate, would never wish to be looked down upon by the Sect Master.

Lingxu Zi was no exception.

Yet his eldest disciple’s conduct had given him not the slightest hope.

Under these circumstances, a young cultivator with both courage and strength had come to him voluntarily—this truly stirred his interest.

Ordinarily, unless there was another reason, few Golden Immortals would take on a cultivator who had already reached the third-rank as a disciple; bluntly put, such a person was hard to mold properly.

After all, at this level of cultivation, how could one lack a lineage? Today he betrays his master and switches sects; tomorrow he could betray you.

But this Grand Void True Lord’s situation was different… he had been wiped out, hence utterly alone, and even after escaping, he still sought vengeance for his master—truly a man of feeling and righteousness.

Against such virtues, the minor stain of having once been a disciple of an insect demon seemed negligible.

As for Yunmiao’s claim that Ling Su’s misfortune was tied to him, let’s set aside whether his eldest disciple, eager to shed responsibility, spoke truthfully.

Even if we grant the worst-case scenario…

Lingxu Zi stole a glance at the young man—he needed only a warrior to fight for Lingxu Cave, not someone to cultivate genuine master-disciple affection.

“Come back with me first.”

Lingxu Zi waved his fly whisk, summoning a blessed cloud to lift Shen Yi: “Now that you’ve entered my sect, those crude, beneath-notice techniques of yours—unless absolutely necessary—use them less. A cultivator of the Immortal realm must carry himself as one.”

He referred to the Grand Void Realm.

As a disciple of a Golden Immortal under the Three Immortals Sect, it’s one thing to fight, but why hide your movements while traveling? It’s undignified and invites ridicule.

“Disciple understands.”

Shen Yi gave a slight nod and rose with the old man atop the cloud.

Once, while still in Nanyang’s sacred land, he had dreamed of white robes as pure as snow, an immortal bearing the Dao—now it had become reality. Not only had he become an Immortal, but a true Golden Immortal’s direct disciple, one who could even address the Three Pure Ones’ Sect Master as Grand Master.

This status, across the entire cosmos, ranked among the highest.

Shen Yi gazed quietly at the blessed cloud beneath his feet; through the mist, the ruined land of Shenzhou lay below—both images entered his vision, and he felt a faint nausea.

“Huh.” He closed his eyes.

He had finally secured his footing in Beizhou; his life was now half-saved.

But most importantly, he now had a chance to access the immortal, deathless Great Law.

Soon, Lingxu Zi brought Shen Yi back to Banluo Cliff.

“… ”

The moment Yunmiao True Person saw Shen Yi’s figure, his heart sank to the bottom.

He had been right—his master’s departure from the mountain had been solely to back this insect-demon disciple.

Bringing him back now carried unmistakable meaning.

Yunmiao True Person clenched his teeth silently; had this happened before, he wouldn’t have strongly objected—but since encountering Youyao, things had changed.

Clearly, from the moment he established the Grand Void True Lord shrine, this man was no mere tool he could control.

And lately, his master had grown increasingly dissatisfied with him; if this insect-demon disciple entered Lingxu Cave, it would severely undermine his position as eldest disciple—and even threaten to replace him.

Yet no matter how much he resisted…

Yunmiao True Person could only watch helplessly as Shen Yi descended.

He forced a smile, voice hoarse: “Brother Danhuang, we meet again.”

“Greetings, Elder Brother.”

Shen Yi gave a casual reply and followed the silent Lingxu Zi toward the cliff’s rear.

Yunmiao True Person watched the two vanish from sight; his face slowly darkened with bitterness. His master preferred to believe a stranger rather than give his own disciple—who had trained under him since childhood—a second chance.

If so, he would prove to the man exactly who was the true future of Lingxu Cave!

With that thought, Yunmiao True Person turned sharply and rode a cloud toward Qingguang Mountain.

…

Behind Banluo Cliff stood another Daoist temple.

Unlike Qingguang Mountain’s endless stone steps stretching into the horizon, this temple rested upon a branch jutting from a giant tree on the cliff.

Inside, it was serene, with only eight meditation cushions placed.

Lingxu Zi lifted his robe and sat cross-legged, gesturing for Shen Yi to take Ling Su’s former seat.

“You cultivated in Nanzhou, far from our sect—your techniques and methods are lacking.”

“But the Dao is arduous; even if I, a Golden Immortal, or even our Sect Master himself, were to teach you directly, we could not fully make up for your gaps overnight.”

“So tell me—what do you lack most right now?”

Lingxu Zi needed a fierce warrior, not a well-rounded disciple, so he disregarded conventional formalities.

“Disciple lacks…”

Shen Yi fell silent for a moment, then looked up: “The Great Law of Questioning the Golden Immortal.”

Hearing this, Lingxu Zi paused. He had expected the young man, having finally reached a major northern sect, to boldly demand powerful techniques or magic treasures.

He hadn’t anticipated this disciple would pursue something so ethereal and intangible.

Proving oneself a Golden Immortal is vital, but it won’t solve immediate crises or aid in this tribulation.

At this thought, Lingxu Zi instinctively frowned—he had taken this man at risk of angering Qingguang, not to let him sit quietly on Banluo Cliff seeking the Dao.

“Now that you’ve entered Lingxu Cave, how could the Great Law be denied you? But you’ve already entered the tribulation and claimed a domain—you’ll inevitably draw trouble. First, focus entirely on surviving this tribulation. Afterward, with human worship to sustain you, then seek the Golden Immortal realm—you’ll achieve twice the results with half the effort.”

Lingxu Zi lightly reminded the young man—he needed him to understand why he had agreed to take him in.

“Show me your cultivation level.”

“… ”

Shen Yi wasted no time—he consumed vast demonic lifespan to advance his Divine Void Dao Fruit to its current state, precisely so he could display a credible cultivation level before others.

He slowly opened his palms; thick black clouds surged from his sleeves, quickly filling the temple.

Seeing this cultivation level, perfected to the extreme of ninety-nine transformations…

Lingxu Zi showed no delight; his frown deepened.

To withstand Youyao’s assault, this level was merely the bare minimum. Judging by how cleanly he had resolved the matter, he had expected some other extraordinary quality.

For instance, a stable Dao path, an extraordinary intent.

But now it appeared—the Dao path derived from the Divine Void Dao Fruit was vast yet hollow, shaped but soulless. Its intent was too grand, unsupported by foundation, and thus fell into inferiority.

Not only was it unremarkable—it ranked among the lowest even among the sect’s senior disciples.

Even Lingxu Zi began to wonder: had Youyao truly underestimated him in the Kaiyuan Mansion dispute?

Shen Yi observed the old man’s shifting expression but felt no surprise.

His Divine Void Dao Fruit was born to complement the Golden Body Manifestation—they must be viewed together. Isolated, it naturally seemed meaningless.

“Sigh.”

Lingxu Zi sighed silently. He had already taken him—there was no turning back.

He’d have to make do.

He had simply expected too much. That this disciple had reached third-rank perfection in Nanzhou, under Bodhi Sect control, was already extraordinary—what more could he demand?

“With your current state, holding Kaiyuan Mansion is already fortune. Don’t be greedy or reckless.”

If Shen Yi could, like Youyao or Li Shan, seize four mansions and vie for the Immortal Emperor throne, it would be a great honor for Lingxu Cave.

But now, merely holding one mansion, maintaining a mid-tier standard, and avoiding disgrace to his lineage was already excellent.

Lingxu Zi flicked his fly whisk: “I’ll teach you one Shangqing technique and one three-refined magic treasure. Study them well—they’ll suffice for your defense.”

“Thank you, Master.”

Shen Yi watched the fly whisk sway before him; as Dao patterns flooded into his third eye, he looked down to find a three-foot-long sword resting on his knees—slender, ancient, and radiating a chilling aura.

White robe, sword in hand… now everything was complete.

This was the treatment befitting a direct disciple of a great sect.

Yet—

Shen Yi raised his head: “Master, what is a magic treasure?”

Though since Qingzhou, he had always played the role of an ignorant rustic, this time was different.

Recall: back in Nanzhou, even fire-dragon chariots and Nine Radiance Flags were granted by He Tong, and every elder treated them as priceless treasures—how could he not be unfamiliar with such things?

True enough, Lingxu Zi found nothing strange; a hint of pride touched his features: “Only things born with Heaven and Earth may be called magic treasures… Of course, primordial artifacts are exceedingly rare—only those blessed with immense fortune may possess them. But for Golden Immortals like myself, we still need suitable tools in battle.”

“Crafting is the foremost of a hundred arts, equal to elixir refining.”

“By refining a magic treasure with tribulation energy until a trace of Heaven-Earth’s spirit emerges, one may forge a postnatal object resembling a true magic treasure. Each refinement requires a full hundred thousand tribulations—more than the foundation needed to complete your third-rank Dao path.”

“If one endures nine refinements, it may rival even true primordial magic treasures.”

Here, fearing Shen Yi might misunderstand and grow arrogant after receiving the treasure, Lingxu Zi added:

“Magic treasures are tools for Golden Immortals. For instance, this three-refined Wuwei Sword—holding it does not grant you the power of three hundred thousand tribulations. With your Great Luo Immortal level, you’ll barely harness two or three tenths of its power.”

“… ”

Even Shen Yi, who had consumed far more tribulation energy than any normal cultivator via his panel’s demonic lifespan, felt his pupils contract slightly at this number.

To simultaneously cultivate two paths to perfection, yet still possess only half the calamity force of this lifeless blade?

“Let me clear your vision for you.”

Lingxu Zi waved his hand before his eyes.

Shen Yi felt a coolness surge through his eyes, and immediately, just as he had in the imperial palace’s wine pool, he saw the calamity force within the Wuwei Sword with his naked eyes.

“When acting in the future, use these eyes to first discern your opponent’s true nature before making any decision.”

Lingxu Zi was satisfied with Shen Yi’s reaction—he had done this deliberately, not letting this southern continent cultivator fully grasp how great the benefit was; how could he expect full loyalty to Lingxu Cave?

But Shen Yi’s shock vanished in an instant; under the elder’s gaze, he quickly set down the long sword, showing no excessive attachment, then looked up again.

“...”

Lingxu Zi’s face slowly darkened with displeasure—he knew exactly what the young man meant.

After a long silence, he reluctantly raised his fly whisk: “I shall impart to you the Great Law, but you may only observe it. If you wish to truly cultivate it, you must first ask your master—only with my approval may you proceed.”

“I am not blocking your cultivation; the path to enlightenment is perilous. If you falter, all your countless aeons of effort will be wasted, and you must start anew—it is truly a pity.”

The Three Teach Masters, the Five Emperor Lords, and even the Nine True Buddhas of the Bodhi Sect—though their methods of enlightenment differ—actually all do the same thing.

That is, how to establish a connection with the Heavenly Dao, then gather the path they have walked into a Dao Fruit or Position, and send it into the Heavenly Dao.

The title “Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal,” compared to “Daluo Immortal,” contains an extra “Golden” character, which also implies Golden Body.

To transcend the Two Realms means that after reaching the Second Rank, the physical body walking the world is merely a vessel; the Dao Fruit is the true self, and the true self dwells within the Heavenly Dao, coexisting with it, eternal and unperishing.

It sounds familiar, but in truth, this is merely the final step for cultivators to imitate the True Deities.

True Deities can regenerate from a single drop of blood because they are manifestations of the Heavenly Dao’s order; when cultivators hide their true selves within the Heavenly Dao, they achieve the same effect.

If the physical vessel perishes, as long as sufficient calamity force has been stored in the Dao Fruit, a new vessel can be instantly recreated. If the calamity force is insufficient, the Dao Fruit can slowly accumulate more within the Heavenly Dao until the day it awakens.

Lingxu Zi was unwilling to teach Shen Yi the Great Law because this matter brings only harm and no benefit to Lingxu Cave.

If this disciple, unable to resist the temptation of immortality, attempts to forcibly attain Golden Immortal status before accumulating enough calamity force to reshape his Dao Fruit,

and fails—his Dao Fruit destroyed—he will not only be unable to participate in the Great Calamity, but for the next countless aeons, he will be stuck like a useless wreck in Banluo Cliff, until he rebuilds his Dao Fruit.

If by some miracle he succeeds and becomes a Golden Immortal… he would have already transcended the Two Realms—who would then enter the Calamity? And in such a vast Three Immortal Sect, with so many fellow disciples, who would allow a Golden Immortal to bully juniors?

Shen Yi is no favored disciple; Lingxu Zi has no taste for doing others’ work for them.

This Grand Void True Lord must remain Third Rank—and must stay Third Rank!

Only after the Great Calamity ends, securing for Lingxu Cave a legacy of eternal incense offerings, so he may hold his head high before his Master, the Teach Master—only then will it be over.

(End of Chapter)