Chapter 92: Change of Circumstances (Extra Chapter 4)

Just as Xiang Weiyuan was baffled, Xuan Yue True Person’s voice gradually returned to normal: “...Practicing the Qianqing Zhengfa Yushi Jing may not fully unlock your Dao Foundation’s potential. I have another text, the Taiyin Yuehua Wanxiang Pian—infinitely variable, and perfectly suited to you.”

At these words, Xiang Weiyuan felt nothing unusual, but the several True Person were greatly startled. They all knew Xuan Yue True Person intended to bestow the Qianqing Zhengfa Yushi Jing—the unique path of Tianqing Hall, majestic and powerful, the very technique that made Xuan Yue True Person famous. Why had she suddenly changed her mind to the Taiyin Yuehua Wanxiang Pian?

It wasn’t that the Taiyin Yuehua Wanxiang Pian was inferior—in terms of transformation, few techniques could match it—but for offense and defense, it fell short of the Qianqing Zhengfa.

The True Person of Tianqing Hall were deeply puzzled; the three True Person of Shuiyue Hall were elated. Lan Hua True Person kept scanning Xiang Weiyuan up and down, her ulterior motives plainly written on her face.

Fenhai True Person’s face turned green. He asked: “Why not bestow the Qianqing Zhengfa?”

Xuan Yue True Person paused, then said: “The Taiyin Yuehua Wanxiang Pian is a better fit.”

Fenhai True Person clearly resented this, but Xuan Yue True Person’s resolve was firm—she would bestow the Yuehua Wanxiang. Fenhai, unwilling to press further, saw the True Person about to lecture him on respecting one’s master, and reluctantly fell silent. Fortunately, though he now practiced the Yuehua Wanxiang, Xiang Weiyuan remained a disciple of Tianqing Hall—he had not transferred to Shuiyue Hall.

To Xiang Weiyuan, which text he practiced made no difference—he understood none of it anyway, so he naturally followed the True Person’s decision. Yet the words “Yuehua” in the title stirred something deep within him.

At once, Xuan Yue True Person sent a thread of Dao rhythm into Xiang Weiyuan’s spiritual sense. “This thread of Dao rhythm will aid your comprehension of the text’s true meaning. The full scripture resides in Shuiyue Hall—one original and three copies. The original holds the insights of Dao Tan Xianjun, who founded this path. The copies lack the Xianjun’s insights, but generations of ancestors have left behind abundant Dao rhythms—no less profound than the original. Tomorrow, first go to Shuiyue Hall and meditate on the original. Memorize it thoroughly, then take one copy with you. But do not transmit it outside, nor carry it beyond the palace. Do you understand?”

Xiang Weiyuan bowed in thanks. Xuan Yue True Person then told Zhang Sheng to instruct Xiang Weiyuan in Foundation Establishment cultivation.

Though Zhang Sheng’s primary practice was the Qianqing Zhengfa Yushi Jing, he had also studied the Taiyin Yuehua Wanxiang Pian and understood both paths well—more than sufficient to guide Xiang Weiyuan.

Leaving Tianqing Hall, Xiang Weiyuan glanced back. For some reason, he felt Tianqing Hall had grown darker. But none of the True Person noticed anything amiss; even Xuan Yue True Person sensed nothing wrong. Xiang Weiyuan concluded he must have imagined it.

After leaving Tianqing Hall, Zhang Sheng immediately took Xiang Weiyuan to Shuiyue Hall. Unlike Tianqing Hall, built upon a floating peak, Shuiyue Hall stood halfway up a mountain. Of the Twelve Halls of Tai Chu Palace, only three were built on the ground—Shuiyue Hall was one of them.

Though not on a floating peak, the mountain housing Shuiyue Hall was breathtakingly beautiful. Along the path, blue and yellow flowering trees abounded, mostly blue. Each tree continuously emitted fine threads of clear qi; the higher they climbed, the denser it became. By the time they reached the main hall’s entrance, though it was noon, the sky appeared hazy, the sunlight dimmed, and the ambient light resembled dawn or dusk.

After Zhang Sheng announced their identities to the hall’s guardian disciple, he led Xiang Weiyuan inside. As they entered, the ceiling became a night sky, a vast full moon hanging high, its lunar radiance thick as water, pouring down endlessly.

Upon entering Shuiyue Hall, Xiang Weiyuan instinctively wanted to fall to his knees and open his mouth wide.

Zhang Sheng first led Xiang Weiyuan to pay respects to the ancestral masters of Shuiyue Hall, then entered the rear hall and brought him before a jade cushion, instructing him to sit. Before the cushion stood only a bare wall.

Zhang Sheng lit three incense sticks on a side altar, silently recited the incantation, and the hall grew ever darker. The stone wall before Xiang Weiyuan gradually turned luminous white. A thread of cold, ethereal, faintly present Dao rhythm emerged, then the wall filled with vast stretches of text. Xiang Weiyuan sank into the Dao rhythm, as if bathed in ancient lunar radiance. Taiyin’s lunar radiance was eternal yet ever-changing—next moment’s radiance differed from this one. Between change and constancy, between past and present, lay infinite profundity.

This jade wall, capable of holding the Xianjun’s Dao rhythm, was no ordinary jade scripture. Yet it was carved from a single slab of jade, too massive to move.

Countless characters on the jade wall flickered on and off, expounding the Taiyin Dao. Xiang Weiyuan lost all sense of time. When he finally memorized the entire text, it was already dawn the next day. As he rose, he felt a faint dizziness—his Primordial Spirit had been nearly drained in a single night.

Zhang Sheng stood at the door, holding a jade tablet. This tablet was one of the copies of the Taiyin Yuehua Wanxiang Pian—smaller, since it only needed to carry the True Person’s Dao rhythm, and portable.

Moments later, back at his quarters, Zhang Sheng placed the jade tablet down and began explaining Foundation Establishment cultivation.

Tai Chu Palace further subdivided Foundation Establishment into three minor realms. First was Guji. As the name implies, this stage focused on stabilizing the newly forged Dao Foundation, refining it fully, extracting all its potential, and embedding one’s Primordial Spirit into the foundation to plant the seed of the Dharma Form.

The second realm was Su Sheng. Here, one continuously nourished the Dao Foundation with cosmic primordial energy, allowing the Dharma Form seed to sprout and gestate into a preliminary form.

The final realm was Yun Shen. In this stage, the Dharma Form would develop its own spiritual resonance. When this resonance naturally matured, the Dharma Form would be complete.

These three minor realms were commonly called early, middle, and late stages. A cultivator’s power surged greatly in each, especially in Yun Shen—once the Dharma Form’s spiritual resonance emerged, even ordinary spells would manifest wondrous effects.

But here, great peril began. Most cultivators could naturally complete the first two stages of Foundation Establishment. But Yun Shen was different. Natural maturation of spiritual resonance was exceedingly difficult. If the Dharma Form formed even slightly askew, like a malformed infant, death and Dao destruction followed instantly. Even among Tai Chu Palace disciples, many knew their Dharma Form was unlikely to form, so they stalled at Yun Shen, only risking breakthrough when their lifespan neared its end.

!

After hearing Zhang Sheng’s explanation of the three Foundation Establishment realms, Xiang Weiyuan realized how bitterly the Liao prince had died. He had been overconfident, seeing Xiang Weiyuan was not yet Foundation Establishment, so he allowed him to close in—never imagining that, with the Heavenly Rogue’s enhancement, Xiang Weiyuan’s physical body had far surpassed his own. Had Kan Bidah maintained distance, Xiang Weiyuan, still not Foundation Establishment, could never have killed him swiftly—he would likely have been rescued by the Snow Eagle.

After imparting the technique, Zhang Sheng said: “I must enter seclusion to heal. For these days, cultivate on your own. Also, since your Dao Foundation is complete, visit the Mission Hall and Merit Hall to familiarize yourself. Anything you desire can be exchanged for merit. The Pei Palace Master’s summons is still some time off—someone will come to guide you then. I won’t accompany you.”

Saying this, Zhang Sheng took to his sword and departed, returning to his cave to heal. The fragment of Primordial Spirit in his sword qi had been shattered by the Snow Eagle’s Dharma Form—this wound would take at least months to recover.

After Zhang Sheng left, Xiang Weiyuan spent half a day rereading the scripture, uncovering many subtle insights, then set out for the Merit Hall.

(End of Chapter)