Chapter 398

Li Hen Tian, Dou Li Gong.

This is the highest level of the Thirty-Three Heavens, where immortal light shines bright without need of sun or moon, flowing radiance turning in nine-colored luminescence.

Yao Ji threw him in a backward throw, slamming Gu Qing before the Eight Trigrams Furnace, saying: “This lovesick soul has swallowed the Soul-Severing Pill—please, Lord Lao, save him.”

Gu Qing lay on his back, still barely alive, lifting his eyes slightly to see Lao Jun’s white-bearded Daoist robes—his face resembled Jigong, unlike the Lao Jun of the White Snake world—and now he gently stroked his beard with a smile.

“Weight is the root of lightness; stillness is the master of agitation.”

Lao Jun spoke with calm composure: “Yao Ji, don’t rush.”

Seeing Lao Jun so composed, Yao Ji’s urgency eased slightly; she glanced at Gu Qing—since swallowing the Soul-Severing Pill, his condition had only worsened, his life hanging by a thread.

“The Lord holds all plans in mind; I am deeply in awe.”

Yao Ji bowed her hands.

If Lao Jun is this calm, then nothing will go wrong.

“It’s not that I have all plans ready.”

Lao Jun carefully observed Gu Qing’s condition and said: “The Soul-Severing Pill was forged by the Jade Emperor and Wang Mu—they control the Pantao , they govern the lifespan of all beings; who lives, who dies, who rises, who falls—all rests in their single thought. To undo its poison is no easy task.”

Hearing this, Yao Ji’s anxiety surged again.

She had carried Gu Qing all the way to Li Hen Tian—she couldn’t bear to fail at the final moment.

“I am so calm because it’s not me who’s dying.”

Lao Jun chuckled.

Are you laughing at me?!

Gu Qing lay on the ground, cursing inwardly, gasping deeply to inhale the scent of immortal pills within Dou Li Gong.

This counts as pulling some wool, doesn’t it?

Lao Jun took his banana leaf fan and fanned Gu Qing a few times to dispel his inner heat, saying: “Actually, you dying would be better—throw you into my Eight Trigrams Furnace, and I won’t need to add charcoal for my pills anymore.”

“If I must die, I’d rather die in Chan’er’s arms…”

Gu Qing said weakly.

“Dream on!”

Yao Ji snapped bitterly—Yang Tianyou had died before Yang Chan, leaving her scarred; if Gu Qing died before her too, Yao Ji feared Yang Chan would never recover.

“Then let me die in…”

Gu Qing was about to say “Princess Seven.”

“Shut up!”

Yao Ji, fearing she’d be dragged into scandal before Lao Jun, cut him off sharply.

Gu Qing obediently fell silent.

“Lord Lao, please intervene—save his life at all costs.”

Yao Ji pleaded once more to Lao Jun.

“To hold and fill to overflowing is worse than stopping; to sharpen to a point cannot be long maintained.”

Lao Jun fanned gently, gazing at Gu Qing, speaking softly: “Your body holds nine suns—you are the essence of Li Fire, the source of all flames. But you relentlessly pursue their intensity; yes, it is fierce and unmatched—but if you use this fire to cook rice, the rice turns to charcoal, and the iron pot melts into molten metal.”

“My pills are made of herbs and plants—when introduced into your body, the same principle applies.”

Yao Ji frowned slightly: “Wang Mu’s Soul-Severing Pill…”

“Wang Mu is the Golden Mother—true gold fears no fire.”

Lao Jun said.

Gu Qing, listening, understood the implication: to be saved by the pill, he must abandon his nine suns—otherwise, it would be “gold and jade fill the hall, yet none can keep them.”

“Is there no other way?”

Gu Qing asked, voice hoarse.

Divine Energy could cure all ailments; the Soul-Severing Pill had no effect on him—he’d let Yao Ji bring him to Dou Li Gong merely to scavenge something.

Now he hadn’t gotten anything, yet he’d have to give up nine suns—what kind of deal was this?

Gu Qing, should I congratulate you on your fortune?

“There is another way.”

Lao Jun put away his fan and said: “You are already the essence of all flames—the finest furnace in the world. But you’ve only pursued fiery intensity, ignoring other uses of fire. Now you must calm your mind, perceive the flames within, control them with your Nascent Soul, and refine them entirely into gentle fire. Only then can you expel the Soul-Severing Pill by your own power.”

As Gu Qing listened to Lao Jun’s explanation, he recalled how Lao Jun had once used the “Six Ding Divine Fire” to refine Sun Wukong.

Flames stirred within him; Gu Qing quietly closed his eyes.

Yao Ji saw Gu Qing’s condition stabilize; realizing his survival likely stemmed from his Nine Yang power, she breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

At this moment, Yang Jiao and Yang Jian finally reached the Thirty-Three Heavens; seeing Yao Ji unharmed, Yang Jiao called out: “Mother.”

“Yang Jiao, Yang Jian!”

Lao Jun immediately ordered: “In today’s mortal realm, Heaven’s Mandate rests with Zhou. King Zhou has acted against Heaven and angered the people. You two must hasten to Xiqi and aid Ji Chang in establishing Zhou and destroying Shang.”

Yang Jiao and Yang Jian were disciples of the Chan Sect, disciples of Yuanshi Tianzun—Lao Jun assigning them was natural.

Yang Jian, knowing this was a Daoist elder, obediently accepted the command.

“Yang Jian.”

Lao Jun added: “Before you march against Zhou, one karmic thread remains uncut.”

Yang Jian’s intuition struck: “The Three-Headed Dragon!”

Hearing the name, Yao Ji’s heart jolted.

Ruishui was the embodiment of emotion in the Three Realms; the Three-Headed Dragon was the embodiment of desire—and all of the Yang family’s tragedy began when the Three-Headed Dragon stole the Dragon Pearl from Lingxiao Palace.

“Mother, don’t worry.”

Yang Jian reassured her: “The Three-Headed Dragon once wounded you because he swallowed the Dragon Pearl. Now the Pearl resides in Xiao Tianquan’s body—he’s greatly weakened. With caution, I’ll surely capture him!”

The Three-Headed Dragon was also Yang Jian’s three-pronged, two-edged spear.

“You must be careful.”

Yao Ji gave detailed warnings.

Yang Jian nodded confidently, glancing at Gu Qing, seated calmly.

“I’ll stay here and watch over him.”

Yao Ji said: “If he falters, Chan’er may never find happiness again.” At this, her spirit darkened—she and Yang Tianyou had shared one heart; since his death, she often felt hollow inside, indifferent to everything.

Seeing this, Yang Jiao and Yang Jian knew she was thinking of herself; their hearts swelled with hatred, longing to avenge themselves on the Jade Emperor.

“This Gu Qing…”

Yang Jian felt Gu Qing was no good match—but Gu Qing truly risked his life for Yang Chan. Still, in Yang Jian’s eyes, it was like being forced to drink urine.

It was unbearable.

“Let him fend for himself.”

Yang Jian looked at the seated Gu Qing, recalling how he’d kissed Chang’e passionately in the Jade Pool—his discomfort deepened.

What kind of creature is this Gu Qing?

Fuming, Yang Jian took Xiao Tianquan and headed toward the Three-Headed Dragon’s likely location. When he descended, he saw the Three-Headed Dragon in human form, laughing as he dragged a young girl toward a bridal chamber.

“Stop!” Yang Jian flew forward; having learned to control his inner power beside Yao Ji, he landed three punches and two kicks, subduing the Three-Headed Dragon.

“Thank you, noble hero!”

The girl, seeing Yang Jian’s face, lit up and hurriedly asked his name.

“Yang Jian!”

Yang Jian said calmly, holding the Three-Headed Dragon.

“I’m Ao Cunxin!”

Ao Cunxin waved enthusiastically at Yang Jian—and at that moment, Yang Jian felt the sunlight dim slightly, a sudden chill spreading over him, as if a dark cloud had settled over his head.

In Dou Li Gong.

Yao Ji had just seen Yang Jiao and Yang Jian off; turning back, she saw her best friend—Chang’e.

“You too…”

Yao Ji knew Chang’e had once been moved by Gu Qing, knew he’d swallowed nine suns, knew he possessed Hou Yi’s archery, and had kissed Chang’e passionately—now seeing her best friend arrive at Li Hen Tian, Yao Ji felt it was natural, yet utterly absurd.

My best friend, my niece, and my daughter—they’ll be one family, and I’ll be the outsider…

Chang’e nodded slightly, stepped beside Gu Qing, and gently touched his cheek: “I never thought he’d swallow the Soul-Severing Pill for Chan’er and Princess Seven without hesitation.”

This was true sacrifice for a woman.

On the pale green immortal bricks of Dou Li Gong, amid faint immortal mist, the cold, ethereal Chang’e leaned gently against Gu Qing’s chest—for the first time in countless years, this icy immortal woman had found support.

“Chang’e…”

Yao Ji knew she shouldn’t judge true love—but Gu Qing’s true love was too many!

“Chang’e, I’m a veteran—I know how life works.”

Yao Ji paused, then said: “After Gu Qing has Chan’er and Princess Seven, adding more will make the household too crowded.”

Chang’e’s eyes shimmered like moonlight, her flawless face holding a faint smile: “I’m the veteran.”

Yao Ji opened her mouth, then closed it—yes, Chang’e was a veteran too; she’d long known what marriage truly was.

Or perhaps she should ask Chang’e how to be a widow—after all, Chang’e had led her in every way.

“I’ve been entangled with him for a long time.”

Chang’e leaned close to Gu Qing, inhaling softly: “I can feel it…”

Yao Ji fell silent.

In Dou Li Gong, Gu Qing trained for seven days; following Lao Jun’s “gentle fire” method and aligning it with his Nine Yang power, his inner heat withdrew inward, and golden substances flowed from his pores.

"Golden Immortal Laws?"

Gu Qing opened his eyes, filled with astonishment.

Yaochi.

Wang Yuyan casually overturned the plate before her; giving Gu Qing the Soul-Stealing Pill was, in her view, the worst move she could have made—Gu Qing didn’t die after swallowing it, but instead set fire to all the immortals of the Three Realms, revealing to them the power of love.

Worse still, it awakened Gu Qing’s Golden Immortal Laws.

This kind of transformation was something Gu Qing could never have achieved even after thousands of years of cultivation.

"Are you still angry at Seventh Sister?"

The Eighth Princess gathered the plate and leaned close to Wang Yuyan. "Even if Seventh Sister has married, haven’t I still got you?"

In the prequel to the Magic Lamp, besides the Seventh Princess, there was also an Eighth Princess, who would one day marry into the grasslands.

"Good daughter."

Wang Yuyan pulled the Eighth Princess into her arms. "Don’t you dare dabble in love and affection—your sisters were all deceived."

The Eighth Princess nodded eagerly, making Wang Yuyan smile with delight, though inwardly she longed to taste love herself.

Doulou Palace.

"You swallowed nine suns; your own reserves were already at the peak of the Heavenly Immortal realm."

Yaoji explained Gu Qing’s cultivation level to him: "In the past, you used the Golden Crow Array to form a cycle, but your process was crude and your power incomplete. Now, having followed Laojun’s teachings, you’ve gained precise control over your strength—you’ve preliminarily entered the peak of the Heavenly Immortal realm."

Even within the Heavenly Immortal realm, there are differences in progression and peaks.

Gu Qing had the greatest reserves among all Heavenly Immortals, but his understanding of the realm lagged behind. Now that his power has become seamless, his cultivation has subtly reached its peak.

Yaoji touched the golden substance Gu Qing had expelled from his body. "I’m certain now—you and Chang’e truly share a destiny."

Gu Qing glanced sideways at Chang’e, the cold, distant moon goddess, who now saw nothing but him in her heart and eyes.

That Soul-Stealing Pill was worth every bit!

Gu Qing wished Wang Yuyan would feed him two more.

"You forgot—Chang’e also took one of Wang Yuyan’s pills," Yaoji said calmly.

Yaoji said softly.

Long ago, Houyi shot down the suns, and Wang Yuyan bestowed the Elixir of Immortality; Chang’e swallowed it and fled to the Moon Palace.

Gu Qing reached out and took Chang’e’s hand. "That pill..."

Chang’e nodded. "It’s still inside me."

This golden substance could only be refined and extracted through Gu Qing’s gentle flame; once separated from the pill, Chang’e would be free from Wang Yuyan’s control.

Gu Qing reached out to help Chang’e refine the pill, but she gently shook her head—she couldn’t remove it yet, or it would alert Wang Yuyan. Everything Chang’e was had been created by Wang Yuyan; her life and death lay entirely in Wang Yuyan’s hands.

"It seems you can’t break the Heavenly Laws."

Gu Qing whispered, pulling Chang’e close—this touch gave Wang Yuyan a legitimate reason to punish her.

"When we change the Heavenly Laws, we’ll be able to be together openly."

Gu Qing said solemnly. Before then, he must grow stronger—ideally mastering a flame capable of instantly refining the Golden Immortal Laws. On the other hand, Yang Jian must also deliver; after all, Yang Jian is the key to altering the Heavenly Laws.

After parting from Chang’e, Gu Qing and Yaoji went to Doulou Palace and bowed before Laojun.

"I did nothing. You figured it out yourself."

Laojun swiftly shifted blame. "Go to the mortal realm quickly—the Jade Emperor will hold me accountable if he finds out."

In the Golden Immortal realm, the Jade Emperor was the supreme authority.

Gu Qing bowed again to Laojun, then picked up a fragment of Wang Yuyan’s Golden Immortal Laws. This trip to Heaven had not only won the hearts of all the sisters, but also greatly advanced his cultivation and granted him insight into the transformations of the Golden Immortal Laws—his gains were immense.

"Let’s go back quickly."

Yaoji thought of Yang Chan and frowned. "Chan’er is already impatient."

"Of course."

Gu Qing nodded. "But first, we must go to the Heavenly River."

They still had to visit the Weak Water, since Gu Qing needed to balance things.

Yaoji drew a deep breath, staring... taking your mother-in-law to meet her lover—isn’t that a bit disrespectful to your mother-in-law?

(End of Chapter)