Chapter 380: The Great Luo Dharma Realm

So it was hidden here!

Li Yan's heart pounded wildly in his chest.

The Three Treasures of Yunmeng Marsh—whether the Divine Palace of Yunzhongjun or the Soil of Rest—were things of myth and legend; that the Wang Chan Old Ancestor's Scripture Grove could be named alongside them speaks to its extraordinary nature.

To others, the Wang Chan Old Ancestor's Scripture Grove might represent an inheritance—such as military strategy, diplomatic arts, or Yin-Yang lore—whose acquisition could bring peace to the world.

But what Li Yan cared about most was its hidden secrets.

The great sorcerer Xing Hepu was the first to discover this object; he was a living Yin Chancellor, yet he could evade the laws of heaven and earth, offering protection to those who returned from death and to earth immortals.

Perhaps it recorded this very secret…

Li Yan's emotions surged, yet he grew even more cautious.

This place was likely the secret of the Fuxi tribe.

Judging by the corpses around him, they came from different eras; they too had sought this ancient secret, yet chose to conceal it, burying their bodies here.

Li Yan had once heard something from Wang Wang Daoxuan.

In this world, there are astonishing dragon vein acupoints; those buried within can preserve their flesh from decay—this one before him was likely such a place…

He glanced again at his surroundings and moved cautiously toward the stele grove.

The cave was small, no larger than a two-story shrine; the stele grove was arranged in a Bagua pattern, centered, with most steles facing inward.

To see clearly, he must enter it.

After walking a dozen steps, Li Yan drew near the stele grove and, under the cave's faint blue glow, examined the inscriptions closely.

"In ancient times, the sages dwelled among heaven and earth as the first among all beings. Observing the opening and closing of Yin and Yang, they named all things; they knew the gates of life and death…"

"Within the flourishing spirit reside five qi; spirit is their ruler, the heart their vessel, virtue their foundation; the nourishment of spirit returns to the Dao…"

Seeing these characters, Li Yan merely frowned.

Though not as learned as Wang Wang Daoxuan, since beginning cultivation, he had spent his spare time reading countless ancient texts.

These words were clearly from the Guiguzi Military Text and the Seven Arts of the Yin Fu.

They were not common on every street, but wealthy households often held copies—nothing unusual.

The stele grove had three tiers; the outermost likely contained only these.

Li Yan advanced a few more steps and examined the middle tier of steles.

"The tortoise, chief of shelled creatures, bears carvings upon its shell; when burned and roasted, the shell cracks and the markings appear—using Heaven One, Earth Two, Heaven Three as the Upper Yuan; Earth Four, Heaven Five, Earth Six as the Middle Yuan…"

Seeing these characters, Li Yan furrowed his brow.

These were all arts of numerology—such as the "Tortoise Shell Divination Chapter" and the "Yarrow Stalks Interpreting the Changes Chapter"—the characters no larger than soybeans, densely carved upon each stele.

The arts of numerology were vast and profound; divination was but one aspect; the grove also held strange military techniques.

Li Yan did not understand them well, nor was he particularly interested.

He certainly could not memorize them; he would have to make rubbings—or remove the steles entirely.

Thinking of this, he turned his gaze to the central steles.

Li Yan had a feeling: something he sought must be hidden within.

Carefully approaching, he studied one stele.

Upon it was carved an essay, its characters equally dense, no larger than peas, making his eyes ache just to look.

No wonder they used this to record it.

The stele was no ordinary object; it resembled obsidian, glossy as glass, and though countless years had passed, the characters remained clear.

More crucially, the essay carved upon it bore a title.

"The Great Luo Dharma Realm!"

Merely seeing this name sent a shiver through Li Yan's heart.

After reading a few lines, his eyes widened.

It opened with a personal memoir, recounting Wang Chan Old Ancestor's early cultivation experiences.

Wang Chan Old Ancestor rose to fame during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods; with four moles on his forehead forming the image of the Ghost Star, and dwelling in seclusion at Guigu Mountain in Yunmeng, he became known as Guigu Zi.

But his origins were far older.

According to this text, he was born in the Shang dynasty, experienced multiple returns from death, and even served as a ritual official for both the Shang and Zhou dynasties!

It recounted the full story of the Divine Enthronement War.

In ancient times, shamans communicated with heaven, earth, and spirits; they could wander the divine realm in dreams, comprehend the Great Dao, and wield great divine powers—until heaven sent calamity, and disasters multiplied.

Later, Eunuch clashed with Emperor Zhuanxu for the throne, enraged, and smashed into the Heavenly Pillar of Buzhou Mountain, causing the pillar to break and the earth's cords to snap; heaven tilted northwest, earth sank southeast.

Thus, Emperor Emperor Zhuanxu severed the connection between heaven and earth: on one hand, he reformed human rituals, known as "Severing Earth's Access"; on the other, he allied with various "Emperors" to establish rules, forming the prototype of heavenly decrees, known as "Severing Heaven's Access."

Yet even this could not halt the disasters.

A great flood erupted; after Yu, no more "Emperors" appeared.

Thus, during the Shang dynasty, the primary objects of worship shifted from heavenly deities to ancestral spirits—the Shang forebears—and human sacrifice grew increasingly prevalent.

One thing remained constant: these rituals had strict rules, and the Shang royal clan held absolute interpretive authority as the orthodox.

But the dangers of human sacrifice gradually emerged.

This practice not only burdened the people, causing vassal tribes to drift away, but also allowed powerful earthly spirits to run rampant—known as the Seventy-Two Earthly Gods.

Later, Zhou rites replaced Shang sacrifices; many immortals descended, the Seventy-Two Earthly Gods were sealed, and human rituals changed—this was the so-called Divine Enthronement War.

Today's entire structure of the Da Xuan Gate traces its origin to the Divine Enthronement War.

What truly startled Li Yan was that many things mentioned in the Shanhaijing—Kunlun, Jianmu, Guixu, Youdu—all existed within the divine realm.

This place was called the Great Luo Dharma Realm!

Below it was another essay, added by Xing Hepu, stating that today's Heavenly Court and Underworld both resided within the Great Luo Dharma Realm!

The Great Luo Dharma Realm was unpredictable, as ineffable as the Dao itself, yet intimately connected to the mortal world, changing with the rituals of mortal worship.

The so-called "Emperors," "Immortals," and "Gods" all shared one common name: "Ascended Ones!"

Li Yan's heart pounded fiercely.

The events described were bizarre and unbelievable.

And this divine realm was called the Great Luo Dharma Realm.

Was his Great Luo Body connected to it?

Li Yan was now utterly absorbed; after finishing "The Great Luo Dharma Realm," he turned to another stele inscription.

But as he took two steps, thick mist surged around him.

Li Yan froze, a flicker of panic rising.

This sight—he knew it well; every time the Underworld issued a task, it appeared this way.

Had he violated a taboo by peering too deeply?

Li Yan's heart trembled; he pushed through the mist and advanced.

But this time, something was different.

The mist seemed endless; after walking long, he saw no sight at all.

Outside, his physical body stared blankly, as if controlled, moving like a puppet into a stone cave.

Like the corpses around him, he sat cross-legged, gradually losing his breath…

…………

"Roar!"

Waves churned, roars never ceased.

On the underground river beneath the ruins, two colossal beasts fought furiously.

The Turtle Master was gradually losing ground; his scale seams were once again filled with those strange white gu-worms, and his strength was weakening.

The East Lake Ancestor was faring no better.

These great demons possessed immense bodies and terrifying demonic arts, but they consumed energy rapidly; they had ceased using techniques, relying solely on brute force.

The East Lake Ancestor's body was torn open by the Turtle Master's claws, deep wounds exposing bone, blood staining the water red.

Thud!

The Turtle Master suddenly turned and slammed into the riverside stone platform, attempting to halt the ritual; the East Lake Ancestor, startled and enraged, rushed to stop him.

But this was a ruse.

As the East Lake Ancestor lunged forward, the Turtle Master spun back and bit down hard on its thigh, rolling wildly, stirring up monstrous waves.

"Roar!"

Amid a cry of agony, the East Lake Ancestor's thigh was torn clean off.

Lu San no longer hid; he stood atop the altar, reloading the bone club, aiming at the East Lake Ancestor's head, and pulling the trigger.

Boom! A deafening crack—the East Lake Ancestor's massive blood-red eye exploded instantly.

The Turtle Master seized the chance and bit into the other thigh.

The battle between these two titans left the surrounding demons trembling.

Yu Yu Faling of the Snake Cult, meanwhile, paid no heed; he held incense in both hands, muttering incantations, bowing fervently to the jade cong.

Finally, the mechanism changed.

Click! Click!

With a series of muffled thuds, the eighteen jade cong sank downward.

Creaking and groaning, the once-still waterwheel began to turn.

Lu San paid it no mind.

From the murals, he knew these waterwheels connected to cables—but most were broken; even if the ritual succeeded, it could never raise the strange pearl.

Indeed, the few remaining waterwheels still turned, but with creaking and groaning sounds, their ropes grew taut until—bang, bang, bang—they all snapped.

!.

"No—!"

Yu Yu Faling saw this and instantly wore a face of utter despair.

Even the Old Ancestor of Donghu's eyes flickered with a hint of retreat.

But at that moment, a strange phenomenon erupted.

The blood poured over the jade cong appeared drawn by some unseen force, seeping into the ground.

Even the blood-stained river water gradually faded.

It seemed something was absorbing the blood.

Then, a faint blue glow rippled across the water's surface.

The blue glow intensified, until it illuminated the entire ruin.

"This is…"

Lu San and Wu Ba stared at the blazing blue water, exchanging bewildered glances.

Even the demonic disciples of the Heavenly Holy Cult, along with the Tu Master and the Old Ancestor of Donghu, all halted, eyes filled with wariness.

What they did not know was that as the blue glow appeared, the "Jingren" hidden within the cavern walls all knelt down, frantically bowing their heads.

Jingren dwell to serve the gods.

Wherever Jingren reside, a powerful deity must be present—only by serving the deity could this ancient race endure.

Li Yan and the others, including the Heavenly Holy Cult's demons, assumed these "Jingren" served the Goddess of the Han River or the Mountain Spirit of Xianshan.

Yet their guesses were all wrong.

The dense throngs of "Jingren" offered sacrifices while hauling out pieces of jade.

They used two kinds of jade: the cong and the huang.

The cong could communicate with the divine and was placed at the center, while the huang was used to dispel calamities, arranged by the Jingren along the perimeter.

These tiny beings kept bowing, their eyes filled with madness.

Meanwhile, those outside—Lu San, Wu Ba, the Heavenly Holy Cult demons, even the Tu Master and the Old Ancestor of Donghu—all bathed in the blue light, their pupils gradually losing focus…

…………

Just as the sacrifice succeeded, change occurred on Li Yan's side.

The thick fog around him rapidly dissipated, revealing a point of light.

What is this?

Li Yan thought it might be a new task from the Netherworld and quickened his pace.

But as he drew near, he sensed something was wrong.

The surroundings shifted rapidly, revealing a stone cave nearly identical to the outside Fuxi tribe ruin.

The difference: not a speck of dust, spotlessly clean.

The light he saw came from an oil lamp—dim, yellowish, illuminating only a small patch of the cave.

A Daoist elder sat cross-legged on a hide.

Li Yan's heart leapt; he immediately stopped.

He had never encountered such a situation before.

And he recognized the elder—

He was one of the corpses seated outside!

As if sensing his arrival, the elder slowly opened his eyes, suppressing excitement, his voice hoarse: "Congratulations, Daoist friend—you have attained the Dao and become an immortal!"

"An immortal?"

Li Yan was bewildered, glancing around, incredulous: "Is this the Immortal Realm?"

"Hahaha…"

The elder shook his Daoist robe, rose slowly, stroked his beard, and said: "Of course it is the Immortal Realm. Here, you gain eternal life, cultivate immortal arts, and transform at will."

As he spoke, he waved his hand—the scenery shifted again.

The once-primitive cave instantly filled with gold, which flowed and transformed into intricate patterns; even the ground became smooth jade tiles.

Li Yan's eyes widened in shock, yet his caution deepened.

He sensed something was off, but couldn't say what.

The old Daoist continued: "Since you've just arrived, may I ask—how is the mortal world now? Is the Tang Dynasty still glorious?"

Li Yan narrowed his eyes: "The Tang is long gone. Now it's the Great Da Xuan Dynasty. Tang fell five hundred years ago."

"Five hundred years…"

The old Daoist froze, his eyes clearly panicked, yet he forced a sigh: "Alas—one year in heaven equals a hundred years on earth."

As he spoke, light suddenly flared outside the cave.

The old Daoist's eyes blazed with ecstasy: "Quick, Daoist friend, come with me—we shall meet the Immortal Sovereign…"

Immortal Sovereign?

Li Yan's unease grew, but the old Daoist had already rushed out of the cave—he had no choice but to follow.

After leaving the cave, Li Yan froze in place.

Before him stood the Fuxi tribe ruin—but transformed into a towering mountain, shrouded in mist and clouds, with no underground river in sight.

Where the underground river had been now stood a colossal pearl, upon which sat an elder clad in hide.

Identical to the first ancient corpse he had seen.

The light he had seen emanated entirely from the pearl—as if this dark world was lit solely by it.

Then, figures emerged from the cavern walls and caves.

Most were ancient tribesmen in hide garments, thick-furred; a few wore clothing from different eras, just like the corpses he had seen.

Unlike the Fuxi ruin he had seen before, the stones here were white, and with the pearl below, it was unmistakably a colossal, unprecedented clam!

Li Yan's scalp prickled; he couldn't help asking: "Where exactly is this?"

The elder stroked his beard and smiled: "This is the Immortal Realm's Guishan Mountain. The Immortal Sovereign is the Guishan Immortal Lord—a descendant of the ancient Fuxi clan."

He turned to Li Yan, eyes brimming with anticipation: "Daoist friend, since you've come here, did you come on behalf of Xing Hepu?"

Li Yan was baffled and shook his head: "No. I merely stumbled here—I've never met Xing Hepu…"

Before he finished, dozens of eyes from the ruin turned toward him—cold, venomous, filled with hatred.

The old Daoist erupted in fury: "So that treacherous Daoist has been lying to us!"

As he spoke, everyone suddenly turned again.

Outside the ruin, mist churned—and countless figures appeared: Lu San, Wu Ba, even the Tu Master and the Old Ancestor of Donghu—all present, wary, scanning the surroundings.

"Hahaha…"

The old Daoist laughed heartily: "Daoist friend, you're joking! You brought so many offerings—and still claim no connection to Daoist Xing?"

With that, he dashed toward the ruin's edge, his body rapidly transforming—taking the form of a tiger, bristling with spines, sprouting wings, and soaring upward.

Qiongqi!

Li Yan stared, dumbfounded.

The others in the ruin also transformed into monstrous forms, spreading wings and lunging toward those outside.

Yet at the same time, his Gou Die began to grow warm…

Morning errands delayed the update—apologies. The second chapter still comes in the afternoon.

(End of Chapter)