[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-pure-yang":3,"chapter-pure-yang-pure-yang-chapter-96":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Pure Yang!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2267196,4427,"Chapter 96: The Mountains No Longer See Zhang, the Dao No Longer See Li! Eleven Years Ago","pure-yang-chapter-96",96,"\u003Cp>Yujing City, Confucius Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Level-5 national scenic area, it is also one of Yujing City’s most famous attractions; local cultural tourism doesn’t even need to advertise, yet it receives tens of millions of visitors annually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One Jiangnan imperial examination hall, one ten-li gilded river—enough to capture all the elegance of Jiangnan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan and his group arrived at the Confucius Temple and couldn’t help but sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The land of six dynasties’ golden powder, where scholars in blue robes vied for grace; on the gilded river, painted boats and grand vessels once carried countless tales of talented scholars and beautiful maidens, of princes and generals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Jiangnan Imperial Examination Hall, it alone held half the literary fortune of the realm; most of the empire’s talented scholars came from Jiangsu and Zhejiang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even today, before every middle school and college entrance exam, parents bring their children here to burn incense and pray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan vaguely remembered his parents bringing him here as a child, but his memory was flawed—his mother’s image grew ever more hazy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I lived nearby as a child. I remember one year there was a particularly severe fire,” Xiong Ba murmured softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Logically, such a major fire in a scenic area would be a huge incident—surely the authorities would have cracked down hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think I remember something too…” Zhang Fan frowned, a flash of fire suddenly appearing in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When was that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About eleven or twelve years ago,” Xiong Ba paused, then admitted he couldn’t quite recall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eleven or twelve years ago, Zhang Fan had not yet suffered his transformation; his Yuan Shen had not entered Great Night Unlit; his mother was still alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go. Ahead is Wuyi Alley,” Xiong Qianqiu interrupted their chatter, urging them on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was summer vacation, peak tourist season; the crowds never ceased, and she was already feeling stifled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wuyi Alley…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone had memorized Liu Yuxi’s poem [Wuyi Alley] as a child…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wild grass and flowers by Zhuque Bridge, the setting sun slants over Wuyi Alley. The swallows once flew before the halls of Wang and Xie—now they enter commoners’ homes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet few knew Wuyi Alley was hidden right here within the Confucius Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does the Wang family still have a residence here?” Zhang Fan couldn’t help asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a scenic area like the Confucius Temple, owning such a quiet courtyard amid the bustle, balancing movement and stillness, yin and yang—it wasn’t just a matter of money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They own nearly half the surrounding properties,” Xiong Qianqiu said casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s insane,” Zhang Fan said, his expression turning strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others cultivate the Dao; so do I. They cultivate wealth beyond measure; I cultivate jingling coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dao is unjust—how terrifying!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiong Qianqiu forced his way through the crowd, leading ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let's be honest, in a 5A-rated scenic spot during peak tourist season, faced with such a massive crowd, even the Pure Yang Immortal would have his soul squeezed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside Wuyi Alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an ancient, serene courtyard, parasol trees spread wide, casting dense green shade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three young people sat leisurely in the courtyard, brewing fresh tea over a small brazier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before them stood an incense burner; wisps of incense drifted with the breeze, turning summer sunlight into coolness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was [Frost Descends Incense], a rare incense within the Daoist sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost Descends is the final solar term of autumn; all things mature and enter Xu, yang retreats underground, yin begins to congeal. Cold weather begins with Frost Descends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, a layer of frost formed three feet underground in cellar storage is collected, blended with dozens of potent herbs, refined by ancient methods over three years to produce this [Frost Descends Incense].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In summer, burning this incense works better than air conditioning—it lowers room temperature and, when inhaled, dispels dampness, cold, and heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This luxury cannot be bought outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The swallows once flew before the halls of Wang and Xie—now they enter commoners’ homes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, one of the young men spoke. On his wrist was a feather tattoo; his temples bulged, his gaze deep—clearly a master who had cultivated internal essence and strengthened sinews and bones, brimming with true yang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xuanqing, why this sentiment?” asked the slightly older youth beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the Six Dynasties, this had been a gathering place for noble clans, bustling with merchants and scholars, flourishing with Confucianism, famed as “Six Dynasties’ Golden Powder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This alley gained worldwide fame through Liu Yuxi’s poem [Wuyi Alley].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since ancient times, they say: of ten Daoists in the realm, nine bear the surname Zhang, one the surname Li…” Wang Xuanqing sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Too bad human effort cannot rival heavenly fate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Times change. Now the mountains no longer see Zhang, the Dao no longer sees Li—the river surges, and it is our turn to rise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xuanqing wore a mocking smile, his gaze resting idly on the feather tattoo on his wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The mountains no longer see Zhang, the Dao no longer sees Li…” murmured Wang Xuansha beside him, nodding slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Each generation produces its own talents, each ruling the literary scene for centuries…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eighty years ago, the Three Corpses Daoist claimed to be the realm’s greatest master—yet he perished atop Mount Dongyue. Master Chu’s fame shook the realm for sixty years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now he too is old, stagnant in True Martial, never emerging again…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The new generation’s tide is destined to sweep the realm,” Wang Xuansha said solemnly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the law of history, the necessity of the Dao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even reaching the Pure Yang Ultimate realm could not grant immortality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immortality, immortality—how many brilliant minds in Daoist history had chased that elusive, vanished goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Pure Yang was not the end; immortality remained as distant as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely because of this, generation after generation pressed forward, generation after generation of legends rose and fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard last month the two brothers from Qi family on Laojun Mountain went to the capital and visited Bai He Guan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the only woman among them spoke. Dressed in plain, loose robes, unadorned, yet her beauty could not be concealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qi Delong and Qi Dongqiang?” Wang Xuansha named the two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes,” Wang Xuanfei nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laojun Mountain was one of the Ten Great Daoist Sacred Mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Delong and Qi Dongqiang were the standout disciples of their generation; their fame rivaled An Wuyang of Zhongnan Mountain and Xia Weisheng of Zhenwu Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They dared to provoke Bai He Guan?” Wang Xuanqing sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai He Guan may not sit atop a famed mountain, but it lies within the capital. In ancient times, that meant beneath the Son of Heaven’s feet—the most esteemed land, profoundly significant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These brothers’ reputations aren’t without cause. I heard from my second uncle that they’re twins, born with a natural talent: their Yuan Shen merge into one.” Wang Xuansha said gravely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Merge Yuan Shen? Is that even possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At once, Wang Xuanqing and Wang Xuanfei’s expressions changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shen is innate, more intricate than the brain; adding or subtracting even a fraction has immense consequences—let alone merging two entirely different Yuan Shen. Even with the best luck, one would suffer mental chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a rare gift, heaven’s blessing,” Wang Xuansha said solemnly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merged Yuan Shen, like white clouds holding up the sky—vast, boundless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That pressure was incomparable to any ordinary cultivator’s Yuan Shen. Yuan Shen is the foundation of cultivation, the key to comprehending Pure Yang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinary cultivators, even those practicing the finest internal alchemy, have limits to how large their Yuan Shen can grow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Qi brothers, with their merged Yuan Shen, achieved more than double—ordinary Daoists’ Yuan Shen shattered on contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Power overwhelms reason—this is how it is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What was the outcome?” Wang Xuanqing stroked the feather tattoo on his wrist, asking casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They naturally showed off their might, defeating over a dozen young experts of Bai He Guan,” Wang Xuansha murmured gravely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In friendly combat, defeating over a dozen peers in succession—that’s slapping Bai He Guan’s face.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xuanfei’s beautiful eyes narrowed: “Are these brothers really so arrogant?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Arrogance requires capital,” Wang Xuansha said coolly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Qi Delong and Qi Dongqiang possessed such capital—if they had no edge, how could they shine?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did it end? Did Bai He Guan’s elders intervene to crush their arrogance?” Wang Xuanqing asked eagerly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More latest popular novels at \u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not exactly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xuansha frowned slightly, uncertainly: “Bai He Guan has another young expert—he broke his seclusion and defeated those two brothers with just one move.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? One move?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, both Wang Xuanqing and Wang Xuanfei’s faces changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The top disciple of Laojun Mountain’s generation, a monster with merged Yuan Shen, defeated in just one move!?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it had been an elder from Bai He Guan, that would be understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Same generation!? Does Bai He Guan have another such expert among its youth?” Wang Xuanqing pressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know… he’s always been unwell, constantly recovering from injuries; even many Bai He Guan disciples rarely see him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who exactly is he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only know his surname is Li,” Wang Xuansha said gravely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li!?” Wang Xuanqing’s face twitched—he remembered his own words moments ago—and his expression turned icy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beyond the heavens are higher heavens; beyond the mountains are higher mountains. There are always masters we cannot see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xuansha seemed to sense Wang Xuanqing’s thoughts and said gravely: “Even outside, even within our own Wang family…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’d best temper your arrogance. Your talents are good, your cultivation rising—but you are not the strongest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Third brother, are you talking about Wang Xuangang, that monster?” Wang Xuanfei asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of that name, Wang Xuanqing’s expression grew uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the younger generation of the Wang family, there was a prodigy named Wang Xuangang; legend said his fate was marked by the Seven Stars—when he was born, the Big Dipper hung directly overhead, its starlight pouring through his room, and seven red moles formed a birthmark on the soles of his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From childhood, he displayed extraordinary talent, especially in cultivating the Daoist arts of the Worship of the Dipper Sect, revealing abilities beyond human capacity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wang Xuangang is mentally unstable—he spends years in seclusion, never leaving his chamber; he’s not a normal person,” Wang Xuanqing said coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a reason he’s not normal,” Wang Xuansha said gravely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What reason?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you remember the great fire that happened here eleven years ago?” Wang Xuansha brought up a past event.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We remember…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten li of the Golden River blazed skyward, flames blazing so fiercely the night turned as bright as day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The incident caused a huge uproar at the time, but it was swiftly suppressed from top to bottom, every last trace erased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is Wang Xuangang’s madness tied to that fire?” Wang Xuanqing couldn’t help asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch your words—he’s mentally unbalanced, not insane.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xuansha’s brow twitched, clearly displeased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Wang Xuangang’s mind was unbalanced, his cultivation had never slipped; on the contrary, his Dao progress had surged rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely because of this, even though he was a madman, the Wang family held him in special regard and issued strict orders: no one in the family, under any circumstances, was permitted to speak ill of Wang Xuangang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from the family decree, if such words reached that madman’s ears, who could stop him? Even if killed, one could only accept their fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Third brother, forget him—keep going,” Wang Xuanfei shot Wang Xuanqing a furious glare, her curiosity piqued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the years, they had known only that Wang Xuangang’s mind had broken, but never why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it tied to that fire?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because he suffered his first great defeat,” Wang Xuansha said gravely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First great defeat?” Wang Xuanqing blurted: “That year, Wang Xuangang was only fifteen—he was already the family’s top talent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He dominated the family without rival, but in that fire, he encountered a master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xuansha’s voice grew heavy: “The flames raged like a furnace; the man stepped out of the fire, and with just one glance, he left Wang Xuangang caught between life and death, his Dao heart nearly shattered.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? One glance!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Wang Xuanqing and Wang Xuanfei both paled—this tale was even more absurd and unbelievable than the recent story of the Qi brothers being defeated in a single strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This… this can’t be possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eleven years ago, though Wang Xuangang was only fifteen, he was no greenhorn—he already had the foundation of the Worship of the Dipper Sect’s Dao arts…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could one glance crush his Dao heart?” Wang Xuanqing shook his head, clearly unable to accept such a reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s exactly what happened.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xuansha shook his head, paused briefly, then continued: “Though Wang Xuangang’s mind is mostly unbalanced, over the years the family has exerted considerable effort and extracted fragments of truth from his words.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His madness likely stems from that defeat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because of that defeat, he has been mad these past years, utterly focused—yet his Dao progress has soared,” Wang Xuansha sighed in wonder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misfortune and fortune are intertwined; fate is truly unpredictable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had Wang Xuangang never endured that calamity, he might never have achieved what he has today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every cause bears its fruit; nothing happens without reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder the ancients said: only after weathering a thousand trials can one truly comprehend the path to immortality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trials are the great medicine for cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Third brother, who was it? Who crushed Wang Xuangang with just one glance? Which elder bullied a youth?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Wang Xuanfei spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bullied a youth!?” Wang Xuansha murmured softly, then shook his head: “It’s not as you imagine…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to Wang Xuangang’s account, the one who struck him that day, stepping out of the flames, was…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A boy!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A boy even younger than he was!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Wang Xuanqing and Wang Xuanfei stared at each other, their faces etched with utter disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This… this can’t be possible!!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2309,"2026-06-19T21:05:40.312Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","27379e3d8aebf17f59fe4a461a333c49271f3a48ba6f0909fd0ab466e9bd76c4","pure-yang-chapter-97","pure-yang-chapter-95",520,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fpure-yang-cover.jpg"]