Chapter 92: Spirit Transformation Ceremony

At the hour of noon, a cluster of white clouds appeared out of thin air above the peak of Zhaoyang Peak. The moment the spirit light burst forth, a tall, thin, half-hundred-year-old elder with gray hair and beard appeared, along with several cultivators, some old and some young.

"Brother Xuanchen, Baiyunzi of Yuqing Hall has brought his disciples to offer congratulations!"

The elder's words were refined and scholarly, yet exceptionally clear.

"Haha, many thanks, many thanks. Brother Baiyun, you have traveled far; please, come into the great hall for tea!"

Danchenzi stepped into the air from the back mountain, standing in the sky as he cupped his hands to welcome Baiyun Zhenjun.

Baiyun Zhenjun smiled and bowed, saying, "No rush. This poor Daoist merely came to clear the path; Uncle-Master Chixia, Junior Brother Yuyang, and other fellow sect members will arrive shortly."

As he spoke, a bolt of lightning suddenly burst forth from thin air. Amidst the roiling Spirit Qi, a ruddy-faced, short, stout middle-aged Daoist and several cultivators of the Danyuan Realm and Zhenyuan Realm appeared simultaneously.

"Yuyangzi of Yuqing Hall, bringing his disciples to offer congratulations to Brother Xuanchen on his Spirit Transformation Ceremony!"

"Haha, Brother Yuyang, you have arrived just in time!"

Danchenzi cupped his hands in welcome once more, then let his gaze linger briefly on the group following behind. Seeing a tall, handsome middle-aged cultivator among them, he immediately revealed a smile and said, "It seems this must be Nephew Yulong. To see you recovered is truly a joy and a cause for celebration."

Yulong Zhenren was instantly flushed with embarrassment, and he hurriedly bowed with caution, saying, "Junior Yulong pays respects to Xuanchen Zhenjun."

"Haha, no need for such formalities!" Danchenzi waved his hand, his face full of delight. At the same time, he looked toward the northwest, where a streak of red clouds appeared in the clear sky. In the blink of an eye, they transformed into clouds covering the sky, shaped like the shadows of mountains and rivers. As the cloud light dispersed, a white-bearded, white-browed, silver-haired, ruddy-faced elder in hemp robes appeared before them with several cultivators.

Everyone hurriedly cupped their hands in unison to welcome him: "Greetings, Senior Chixia!"

The elder in hemp robes smiled and returned the bow, saying, "Today is Brother Xuanchen's Spirit Transformation Ceremony. This poor Daoist has arrived late; please forgive me!"

Danchenzi repeatedly said he dared not accept such an apology, and led the three Great Cultivators from Yuqing Hall and over ten Elders and disciples of the Danyuan and Zhenyuan Realms down to the top of Zhaoyang Peak, entering Taiyuan Hall with the many Sect Leaders and Elders of the Immortal Sects to drink tea.

Everyone took their seats as guests and hosts on meditation cushions. Chixia Zhenjun looked around the newly renovated Taiyuan Hall and laughed, "Brother Xuanchen has undergone eight tribulations to achieve Spirit Transformation and form an infant; you are second to none in our Great Song territory, and even in Shenzhou, such a feat is rare. When this poor Daoist underwent the tribulation, I only endured seven bolts of lightning. With such strength and cultivation, Brother Xuanchen's future path to Spirit Transformation is within reach. This is truly a cause for celebration. To congratulate Brother Xuanchen on his Spirit Transformation, I have specially prepared a gift; I hope you will not find it lacking!"

As he spoke, Chixia Zhenjun flicked his hand gently, and a palm-sized, ancient Jade Slip flew before Danchenzi.

Everyone's eyes fell upon the Jade Slip, all wearing strange expressions, yet none dared to use their Divine Sense to inspect it.

This Jade Slip was significantly larger than ordinary ones and was pure black in color, vastly different from the Jade Slips used for daily recording.

A flash of surprise crossed Danchenzi's face. He raised his hand to gently grasp the Jade Slip, then bowed and laughed, "Many thanks, Senior Chixia. This item appears to have some age to it!"

Chixia laughed, "Indeed. I snatched this not long ago from that fellow Mingyizi at Lingyun Hall. However, this item has some connection to your Taiyuan Sect; Brother Xuanchen will know once he takes a look!"

"Oh!" Danchenzi's expression turned serious instantly. He focused his mind to probe the Jade Slip, and his expression changed violently. He exclaimed, "Is this the cultivation technique left behind by the Taiyuan Sect in the past?"

A wave of commotion and noise erupted among the people in the great hall, everyone looking astonished.

Chixia Zhenjun smiled and nodded, "Correct. This Taiyuan True Scripture is indeed a relic of the Taiyuan Sect from three thousand years ago. Today, its return to the Taiyuan Sect is only right, and it comes at the perfect time."

Danchenzi was incredibly moved. After scanning the technique with his Divine Sense for a moment, he cupped his hands with an excited face and asked, "Could this be the Immortal Treasure from the Ancient Tomb that the Ziyang Sect obtained from the Pingxi King?"

Chixia Zhenjun nodded: "Indeed. I went to the Ming Kingdom to visit Mingyi Zhenjun, and Mingyi Zhenjun found it difficult to conceal the truth, so he summoned several fellow Spirit Realm cultivators to discuss the matter of the Ancient Tomb's Immortal Treasure. The Pingxi King obtained seven relics from that Ancient Tomb in total. Besides this cultivation technique, there are several types of Immortal arts and two Magic Treasures. I felt this item would be of great use to the Taiyuan Sect and Brother Xuanchen, so I forcibly requested it back. As for the other items, I had to let them go."

Danchenzi was deeply moved. He stood up and bowed deeply to Chixia Zhenjun, saying with a joyful face, "Senior Chixia's noble character is beyond compare. The junior and all of the Taiyuan Sect are eternally grateful."

Chixia Zhenjun waved his hand with a smile, "Brother Xuanchen, there is no need for such formalities. We of the Great Song Immortal Sects should look out for one another; that is only right. Today, the world is in turmoil, and a great calamity may descend before long. With this technique, the Taiyuan Sect can increase its strength, which may prove useful in the future. My efforts were not in vain."

Danchenzi thanked him repeatedly before sitting down. A Danyuan Realm Sect Leader from the Haoyun Sect, who was sitting nearby, asked in surprise, "Senior Chixia, do you have any news regarding the turmoil and great calamity you mentioned?"

The others also turned serious, listening intently.

Chixia Zhenjun stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and said, "In recent years, I have observed the celestial phenomena and discovered many anomalies. However, when I calculate them, they are obscure and difficult to understand, so I cannot see the cause. But as the signs of heaven and earth increase, some bad things are bound to happen. For example, the matter of Black Wind Ridge near the Taiyuan Sect is one of them. In past years, Black Wind Ridge was merely an ordinary Evil Land; it never had such a scale, nor were there any so-called Soul Beasts. It was just a place with complex terrain. But now, one incident after another has occurred, even implicating two of your disciples who are now trapped within, their fates unknown. Therefore, one must be cautious. Furthermore, just as I was arriving, I saw black smoke rising into the sky a hundred miles southeast of the Taiyuan Sect, permeating a radius of over ten miles. This is likely not a good omen either. Everyone must be careful and cautious."

"Indeed, that is true. We also saw that black smoke. Although it is not as fierce as Black Wind Ridge, it is truly very strange."

"Correct. I passed by Black Wind Ridge on my way here and took a look. The situation is indeed very dire. Hundreds of miles around have been swallowed by black smoke, and all plants, birds, and beasts have perished."

"In recent years, I have also often felt uneasy, occasionally experiencing palpitations. Perhaps it is related to these changes in heaven and earth."

"If Brother Yuanji has such insights, it seems you have already entered the Soul Movement Stage. It appears you are not far from Spirit Transformation!"

"Sigh, easier said than done. I have been stagnant at the Danyuan Late Stage for decades. Without a Spirit Transformation Pill, I fear Spirit Transformation is hopeless!"

"That is not necessarily true. Did Xuanchen Zhenjun not have a stroke of fortune and obtain a stalk of Blood God Grass?"

"Blood God Grass? Forget it. Trying to obtain such a spirit item is likely harder than achieving Spirit Transformation. How can such luck be replicated!"

"Senior Xuanchen's luck is peerless, which is truly enviable. However, I heard that this Blood God Grass also came from that Xianren Gumu excavated by the Pingxi King."

"Indeed. And such a divine object for Spirit Transformation actually fell into the hands of a mortal woman. In order to clear her father's name, she had to hand it over to three Kaiyuan Realm disciples of the Taiyuan Sect. This can truly only be explained by the word 'luck'."

"It is not luck, but karma. According to what Senior Chixia said, that Xianren Gumu was originally left behind by a predecessor of the Taiyuan Sect who passed away there. It should have been the property of the Taiyuan Sect all along. Returning to the Taiyuan Sect to benefit its descendants is the proper way."

"True, true. It is just returning to the original owner. The cycle of heaven and earth has its own logic; such spirit treasures cannot be obtained by force."

"Sigh, why doesn't our Taian Sect have such an ancestor?"

In the great hall, the group of Danyuan Realm cultivators discussed among themselves, and the topic naturally drifted a hundred thousand miles away, eventually turning to the Blood God Grass that Danchenzi obtained for his Spirit Transformation. Their words were naturally filled with all sorts of longing and envy.

The four Spirit Realm Great Cultivators naturally felt their faces twitching, as if they were adults listening to a group of elementary school students arguing about the Great Dao of heaven and earth—it was laughable.

Of course, given their status and position, there was no need for them to participate in the discussion.

"Is that old fellow Taiwuzi not wanting to come? Why is it already noon and he has yet to arrive?" Amidst the discussion, Yuyang Zhenjun could not help but mutter.

Danchenzi was about to respond, but Chixia Zhenjun laughed, "Isn't he already here?"

Sure enough, everyone heard a cold snort, and then a cold wind swept in from outside the hall. Suddenly, snowflakes drifted everywhere, and an elder with silver hair and beard and the face of an infant appeared out of thin air. He looked at Yuyang Zhenjun with an unhappy expression and said, "Yuyangzi, to gossip behind one's back—is that not a sign of a devious mind?"

Yuyangzi's brows stood up, and he snorted back, "We agreed on the auspicious hour of noon, yet you are late. Is this the way of a guest?"

Danchenzi hurriedly stood up, bowed, and laughed, "The two brothers, please do not quarrel. Today is my Spirit Transformation Ceremony; let us not damage the harmony."

"Hmph!" Both True Monarchs snorted at the same time and turned their heads away.

Danchenzi led Taiwu Zhenjun to sit on the prepared meditation cushion. After a disciple served fragrant tea, Taiwu Zhenjun bowed in a lukewarm manner, "I have arrived late; I ask Brother Xuanchen to forgive me."

Danchenzi returned the bow and sat down, saying, "Not at all. With our status, why care about these mundane formalities? That Brother Taiwu could come makes my Taiyuan Sect shine with brilliance. But why have you come alone?"

Taiwuzi shook his head, "The distance is too great, and travel is inconvenient..."

However, before he could finish his sentence, his eyes fell upon Yulong Zhenren, and his expression changed slightly, "Was Nephew Yulong not in a coma? How is it that he has recovered?"

A trace of smug mockery appeared on Yuyang Zhenjun's face, "My disciple merely suffered damage to his Soul; the Yuqing Hall naturally has plenty of spirit pills and medicines to cure him. I wonder if your nephew, Qingyunzi, has woken up yet."

Taiwuzi's face instantly turned dark, and he said angrily, "My Longmen Mountain naturally has plenty of spirit pills and medicines as well; it won't take long to cure him."

"Haha!" Yuyangzi laughed heartily, his expression full of mockery, "That is good. Uncle-Master Chixia was originally going to offer you a few spirit pills to help, but it seems that is no longer necessary. It saves us the trouble."

"You..." Taiwuzi was choked with anger, but he still forcibly restrained himself and bowed to Chixia Zhenjun, "If Brother Chixia truly has spirit pills to treat Soul damage, please lend a hand. The entire Longmen Mountain will be eternally grateful."

Chixia Zhenjun twisted his beard, waved his hand, and smiled slightly: "Brother Taiwu, you speak too seriously; a mere few Spirit Pills are not worth mentioning."

Having said this, Chixia Zhenjun waved his hand, and an Elder of the Danyuan Realm from Yuqing Hall at his side stood up, held a crimson pill bottle with both hands before Taiwu Zhenjun, and placed it respectfully upon the desk.

(End of chapter)