Chapter 152: Eastern Hua Emperor

Several more days passed, and Cheng Cheng Xinzhan returned once again to the gates of the Three Pure Ones Palace.

He was likely the youngest disciple who had entered and left the Three Pure Ones Palace more than any other.

Ji Hehe still sat cross-legged, eyes closed, wandering in divine contemplation.

"Cheng Xinzhan has come. What have you been doing outside? Come in."

"Yes."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan responded, stepped into the palace, and sat opposite Ji Hehe.

"What brings you here, Cheng Xinzhan?"

Ji Hehe asked gently.

"Master, I have a question regarding my cultivation."

Ji Hehe was slightly surprised—why come to him instead of Wen Daoist Sukong or Shi Ancestor Tongxuan for cultivation matters? But he showed no sign of it, continuing in his soft, quiet tone:

"Speak."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan asked, "My Four Palaces are now opened, only the Wood Palace remains unopened. May I ask, Master, how should I proceed?"

Ji Hehe smiled. "You're not asking how to open the Wood Palace—you're asking how to choose its Inner Scene Deity, aren't you?"

He knew Cheng Xinzhan had traveled far and high on the path of the Yellow Court Inner Scene; part of it was his innate talent, part his fortune. In the sect, even many third- and fourth-rank cultivators had not yet formed an Inner Scene Deity, and among those who had, few matched Cheng Xinzhan's foundational stature.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan nodded. If he were to open the palace through slow breathwork and gradual accumulation, he wouldn't have asked this question.

Ji Hehe nodded, then shook his head.

"Your Fire Palace Inner Scene Deity is the Star Lord of the Rooster, your Metal Palace's is the Golden Horned Qilin, your Earth Palace's is the Prince of Brilliance, your Water Palace's is the Great Yin Emperor. The Wood Palace's should be easy to choose—but if you wish to stand equal to the other four, it becomes difficult."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan smiled. "That's precisely why I've come to ask you, Master."

Ji Hehe laughed, thought for a moment, then spoke:

"For the Wood Deity: among the Twenty-Eight Mansions, there is the Wood Mansion; among the Five Virtues Star Lords, there is the Wood Virtue Star Lord; further back, among the Four Symbols, there is the Eastern Mengzhang Divine Lord; among the Five Emperors, there is the Green Emperor; among the Yin-Yang Deities, there is Dongwang Dongwang Mugong. Do you have any thoughts?"

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan replied:

"Master, this is my thinking: among the Twenty-Eight Mansions, I already have the Maosu —top-tier star lord; among the Five Virtues and Seven Luminaries, I have the Great Yin Emperor, also a supreme deity; among the Four Symbols, though I've not yet formed one, I already possess the Sacred Horned Qilin; the Five Emperors are rulers of mortals, burdened with heavy worldly karma—I dare not visualize them. That leaves only Dongwang Dongwang Mugong as suitable."

"Moreover, Master, I opened my palaces in the order of Yang Fire, Yin Metal, Yang Earth, Yin Water—following the alternating Yin-Yang sequence. This perfectly aligns with Yang Yi Jia Wood. The Yang Deity, Dongwang Mugong, is thus perfectly fitting!"

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan smiled.

"Hmm."

Ji Hehe nodded. The boy spoke with substance and had greatly broadened his insight.

"Dongwang Mugong… there is a shrine to him on Purple Smoke Mountain…"

"Ah! You little rascal!"

Ji Hehe suddenly realized, pointing at Cheng Cheng Xinzhan and laughing heartily, "You came here from the start aiming for Dongwang Mugong, didn't you? You sought me out just to get me to speak well of you to the mountain lord of Purple Smoke Mountain?"

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan smiled sheepishly—he had meant exactly that.

Ji Hehe laughed loudly, inwardly delighted. This boy had brought the sect a "great matter," and he himself had no idea how to reward him—yet here he was, offering the solution.

Huh?

Ji Hehe glanced at Cheng Xinzhan. Was this deliberate?

If he merely wanted to learn the method from Purple Smoke Mountain, he didn't need to come to the Sect Master. Not even Shi Ancestor Tongxuan—he could have gone to Wen Daoist Sukong. Didn't he himself go to Mount Shuji Mountain last time, with Wen Daoist Sukong already arranging it?

Had he realized the Sect Master was troubled over how to reward him?

At this thought, Ji Hehe felt even more pleased. This was truly the Sect Master's heir.

"Good, good, good. Go to Purple Smoke Mountain now—I'll speak to their mountain lord for you."

Ji Hehe said with a smile.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan's face lit up at once; he thanked him repeatedly.

"What else is there?"

Ji Hehe noticed Cheng Cheng Xinzhan hadn't left after finishing his business, and asked.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan paused briefly, then said:

"Master, forgive my boldness—does the Green Chi of Songluhu have anything to do with the extermination of dragons in Shu? And why is the Green Chi here, on our Mount Sanqing?"

He had returned to the sect two years ago, after resolving matters at Mount Wufu Mountain, and naturally visited the Green Chi. The creature still could not speak—and that made him suspect it wasn't laziness or refusal to refine its tongue bone, but injury preventing speech.

This was the perfect chance to ask the Sect Master.

Ji Hehe fell silent for a moment—he hadn't expected Cheng Xinzhan to ask this now.

After a pause, Ji Hehe said:

"Correct. The Green Chi comes from Shu. Her father was a close friend of Lei Lei Xian, the famed luthier of western Shu, and the owner of the priceless zither 'Heavenly Wind, Pine Snow.' His name was Gu Yi."

As expected.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan knew he had guessed right.

"The Green Chi was brought back by Jing Song."

Ji Hehe said.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan was surprised—it was Ying Shanmaster of Toudian Mountain? Yet he had visited the Green Chi many times and never once encountered Ying Shanmaster.

"I heard from Jing Song that back then, the Mount Emei Sect's Lady Lady Miaoyi broke through from the fourth to the fifth realm, and her disciples prepared a gift for her. Somehow, they set their sights on Gu Yi's 'Heavenly Wind, Pine Snow.'"

"But there was only one such zither, and Mount Emei had many disciples. Meanwhile, Shu was known for its dragons, and legends claimed dragons hoarded treasures. That's how the Shu Dragon Extermination came about."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan found this hard to believe—was a dragon extermination launched just to collect a gift?

What kind of thing was this?

Ji Hehe's lips curled with coldness.

"The Shu Dragon Extermination—dragons naturally resisted by controlling water, so the Shu Daoists claimed it was for flood control. The propaganda grew louder and louder. Jing Song was in Shu at the time—he witnessed the waters of the Three Gorges stained red with dragon blood. As the saying goes: Heaven's Way diminishes the excess to supplement the deficient; Mortal Way diminishes the deficient to serve the excess. The Dao Ancestor rejected this—but they treat it as their sacred law, committing senseless slaughter!"

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan clenched his fists.

"Jing Song encountered Gu Yi by a river in Shu, fleeing for his life. Ask yourself: Gu Yi was a renowned musician, long celebrated in Shu—how could he have stirred up trouble? So Jing Song drew his sword to help. But the Shu Daoists were too numerous. Gu Yi entrusted his young daughter and his precious zither to Jing Song, then stayed behind to hold off the pursuers. Whether he lived or died, Jing Song never knew."

"After returning, Jing Song told me this. I kept the young Chi, raised her on the mountain, and never spoke a word of it to outsiders. The young Chi is sensible, severely wounded, and terrified—so she stays hidden at the bottom of the lake, never showing herself. That's why I was surprised you managed to befriend her."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan nodded. He now understood the full story.

"A gentleman seeks revenge, but waits ten years. Where the path is uneven, one must draw the sword—but the sword must be sharp enough."

Ji Hehe offered a warning.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan nodded in agreement, then took his leave.

Ji Hehe sat where he was, fingers tapping his knee, thinking: This boy has accomplished such a great deed—I can now openly speak of the Five Element Magic Swords I had the Weapons Yard craft for him.

The Fire Element Sword is nearly finished. Now, many things need no longer be restricted to the Sect Master's secret vault—they can be drawn from the sect's treasure storehouse. All four remaining swords can be forged together.

In any case, such a fine boy must not be slighted.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan emerged from the Immortal Terrace of Purple Smoke Mountain—he had obtained what he sought.

One visualization chart: "The Eastern Hua Dongwang Mugong Qingtong Daodjun Riding a Raft Out to Sea."

One scripture scroll: "The Eastern Hua Emperor's Discourse on the Precious Proclamation of Jia-Yi Qing Xu One Qi."

This scene stirred memories of his first days of Qi Refining, when he had desperately searched the small Wanshan Library, his purse empty, and reluctantly spent one hundred and fifty taels of silver to buy the "White Tiger Seven Mansions Rubbing," where he first saw the Star Lord of the Rooster.

Six years have passed.

————

Upon returning to Mount Mingzhi Mountain, he was summoned again by his Master.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan could clearly sense that since he had returned two years ago and reported his uncle was still alive, his Master's face had grown noticeably more cheerful, no longer the heavy, gloomy expression he once wore.

"I've noticed—you always cause a stir whenever you leave the sect."

Wen Daoist Sukong said, smiling at Cheng Cheng Xinzhan.

>

The first time you left, a new evil emerged in the southwest—you were struck by true evil qi, nearly died, and barely made it back.

The second time you left, you encountered a Corpse Immortal ascending—he gave you fragments of heavenly knowledge.

The third time you left, you gained fame at the Sword Dueling Assembly, befriended the Lord of Huanzhu Tower, and angered the Lady of Mount Emei's Sect Master.

The fourth time you left, you happened upon the Blood Demon's emergence in Western West Kunlun, were urgently dispatched there, nearly captured by a third-rank cultivator, made your presence known to both orthodox and demonic sects, and brought back news of Su Xing.

The fifth time you left, you returned to Western West Kunlun, and after two and a half years, came back with a ginseng fruit tree.

As a result, your name within the sect is louder than that of several Dao Heirs, regarded by the Sect Master as his successor; outside, even Longhu Mountain delayed their ritual to wait for you.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan smiled wryly in response.

"The Longhu Ritual has been scheduled—for next Qingming."

Wen Daoist Sukong said.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan nodded—he had been told this by the Sect Master on the day he returned, and had agreed.

"I called you here because your Five Elements are nearly harmonized—it's time to teach you more Yin-Yang methods."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan's face brightened—he would learn new techniques.

"Thank you, Master. By the way, I've obtained the Dongwang Mugong visualization chart from Purple Smoke Mountain through the Sect Master's help—I expect to break into the second realm within the next year or two."

He had consulted his Master beforehand about visualizing Dongwang Mugong, and his Master had fully supported it.

Wen Daoist Sukong smiled.

"Even if it's next year, that's seven years to break the second realm—your name should appear on the Nan Dou Chong Gong List."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan smiled too. This didn't matter much to him anymore. When he first entered Qi Refining and made the list, the prize money had indeed eased his life as a junior disciple—but since then, his journeys, especially meeting Eleven Niang and purifying demons in Western West Kunlun, had long freed him from financial worries.

Besides, the sect never lacked prodigies who broke realms quickly. He had ranked fifth among six-breath Qi Refiners; even this seven-year breakthrough might not land him on the list.

"I told you when you first entered Qi Refining—Mount Mingzhi Mountain's cultivation is broad: Yin-Yang, Five Elements, Wind, Thunder—you dabble in all, but your foundation always lies in Yin-Yang and Life-Death."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan nodded—he remembered well.

The Yin Dao is embodied in the arts of nurturing corpses and nurturing spirits—both techniques I have already taught you: the "Qingfu Huasheng Scripture" and the "Secret Imperial Instructions on the Manifestation of the Immortal Womb." In daily practice, you command your bamboo body with the soul-spirit and your flesh with the Po -spirit—this is precisely cultivating these two methods.

As for the Wind Dao, everything is contained within the "Heavenly Gang Earth Xun Human Spirit Manifestation Scripture" and the "Secret Talismans for Summoning Wind and Facilitating Transport"—I need not elaborate further.

As for Thunder Dao, Mount Mingzhi Mountain has nothing particularly unique—you learned the Five Thunders at Mount Shuji Mountain, so your understanding is surely more comprehensive.

The only secret of Mount Mingzhi Mountain you still do not know is the Pure Yang Dao.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Cheng Xinzhan's eyes lit up.

Wen Daoist Sukong, seeing Cheng Cheng Xinzhan's expression, smiled and said,

Pure Yang is not a unique secret of Mount Mingzhi Mountain—it originated with Mu Gong, also known as the Eastern Flower Emperor. The Eastern Flower Emperor transmitted the Dao to the Immortal Han Zhongli; Han Zhongli passed it to Lü Dongbin, the Patriarch Lü, who greatly expanded it. Later, Patriarch Lü established the Zhongnan lineage.

The Pure Yang we study at Mount Mingzhi Mountain was transmitted from Immortal Han Zhongli. After Patriarch Lü gained fame, a great work emerged called the "Taiyi Jinhua Zongzhi"; Mount Mingzhi Mountain copied a copy and has passed it down through generations.

Wen Daoist Sukong pulled out a golden book and handed it to Cheng Cheng Xinzhan, smiling as she warned,

"This one is the same as the previous—only to be read within the mountain. Do not take it outside."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan nodded and accepted the golden book.

Wen Daoist Sukong continued her explanation,

"The Pure Yang Dao cannot be separated from the Inner Elixir Dao. Pure Yang means treating the human body as an elixir, refining away all Yin impurities until one returns to pure Qian."

"Master, what are these Yin impurities, and how does one refine them away?"

Wen Daoist Sukong replied,

"The text says: the one true spirit, once fallen into the Purple Palace, divides into soul and Po. The soul is Yang—light, clear qi—derived from the Great Void. The Po is Yin—dense, turbid qi—attached to the physical, mortal heart. The soul seeks movement and life; the Po clings to stillness and death. Refining away all Yin Po is Pure Yang."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan was greatly startled. The soul being Yang and the Po being Yin was true; the soul moving and the Po remaining still was also true—but to refine away the Po entirely? Was that not extreme? He asked,

"Master, perhaps I misunderstood earlier—is Pure Yang about refining Yang to its utmost, or about completely eliminating Yin? If it means complete elimination of Yin, is that not too extreme?"

Wen Daoist Sukong regarded her disciple with approval and nodded, "Regarding the Pure Yang method, there are four matters I must explain to you."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan straightened his spirit and listened respectfully.

"First, although Mount Mingzhi Mountain's Pure Yang Dao inherited from Immortal Han Zhongli does refine Yin impurities, it does not go so far as to eliminate the Po entirely and retain only the soul. Thus, whether the method in the 'Taiyi Jinhua Zongzhi' to utterly discard the Po was authored by Patriarch Lü himself, or by his descendants or disciples falsely attributing it to him, remains unknown."

"Second, listening to all sides brings clarity; partial belief brings darkness. The Pure Yang Dao is not the only true path. I have you study Pure Yang not to make you abandon all prior teachings and retain only Pure Yang."

"Third, the 'Taiyi Jinhua Zongzhi' remains an extremely profound scripture. Its discussions on the Heavenly Heart, Returning Light, Primordial Spirit, and Conscious Spirit are pearls in every word. Its theory and cultivation methods regarding the Three Treasures—essence, qi, and spirit—taking root in the Five Phases to form the Three Aspects of Essence-Water, Spirit-Fire, and Intention-Soil are uniquely innovative. I believe this single method alone could found a sect. Even the methods within it for refining away the Po are profoundly mysterious. You need not practice them, but you may draw analogies and at least refine your Three Souls and Seven Po, sweeping away hidden and Zanian."

"Fourth, Mount Mingzhi Mountain's methods for nurturing corpses and spirits lean toward Yin. Long-term practice harms both spirit and body. Thus, for Mount Mingzhi disciples, Pure Yang Dao functions more as a protective art—maintaining inner Pure Yang preserves the primordial spirit from extinction, allowing you to practice Yin arts without fear. This too is a form of Yin-Yang harmony."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan's mind cleared as if a barrier had lifted; he bowed and replied, "Yes."

"This 'Commentary and Derived Methods of Pure Yang' contains the insights of Mount Mingzhi Mountain's successive ancestors. Study it carefully."

Wen Daoist Sukong handed him another jade slip.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan accepted it.

"I have now transmitted to you all the foundational methods of Mount Mingzhi Mountain. What fruit you bear in the future depends entirely on your own destiny."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan bowed low.

(End of Chapter)