Chapter 586

"All Dao fruits of the yin-yang path revere the Great Yin, while the Great Yang is the first manifestation of the day, and all yang aspects follow its lead..." Chi Chi Buzi's spiritual apertures had manifested earlier than most; he began cultivation at five, and the first thing Chi Wei taught him was the Dao fruits, starting with yin and yang.

This phrase was something Chi Wei had read from the halls of the Profound Fan Sect. It was an ancient cultivator's perspective on yin-yang Dao fruits, followed by another: "The Profound Brilliance of Great Yin, falling upon the water of Bingzi, becomes the moon-color of the lake, pointing to the two positions of Lu and He, signifying the True Flood Dragon asking the Dao... The Heavenly Essence of Great Yang, hooking into the water of Renchen, becomes the Yang-Splitting Hairpin, transforming the two yangs of Shao and Ming, which is the Immortal Yingze-Fenkuai."

Chi Wei had recited this with an expressionless face, but only later did Chi Chi Buzi understand that he used this as a basis to consume Li Li Chijing—setting aside the different names various traditions had for spiritual objects, "Lake Moon Autumn" could point to Lu and He, while the "Yang-Splitting Hairpin" could transform the two yangs, which was written quite clearly.

It was only because yin and yang had not manifested for a long time since the near-ancient era, spiritual objects had withered, and traditions had been lost, that yin-yang Dao fruit Foundation Establishment cultivators were rare, let alone Golden Core ones. Moreover, the few who had attained such fruits were all exaggerated figures, so ambitious people throughout history had never dared to covet this path.

Most Golden Core cultivators put it aside, and only those like Chi Wei borrowed some yin-yang dual-polarity changes to achieve their goals. As for those attempting to make progress in these two paths, they were likely only found in a few stubborn sects.

It was precisely because of these deep reasons that when Chi Chi Buzi's gaze fell upon those yin-yang patterns, his eyes dared not even pause, as if scalded, quickly dropping to the ground. His head pressed tightly against the patterns, all his plans and calculations shattered, leaving only boundless panic.

"He... it is actually Him... it is this Immortal Lord! What Mother Water! What Mansion Water... it is actually Yin-Yang!"

His voice was slightly hoarse, his forehead pressed tightly against the ground, his tone as low as it could possibly be: "This humble cultivator Chi Buzi, greets the Immortal Lord."

His tone was humble and respectful, but his mind was spinning wildly like lightning:

Who was the person before him?

This was not an era of Immortals manifesting. Aside from the Falling Clouds Mountain and the Underworld, which were publicly acknowledged to have Immortals suppressing them, those great supernatural beings who had become Immortals in ancient times had either fallen or flown to the boundless heavens. There were only a few famous ones from the near-ancient era, and those with yin-yang Dao fruits were even rarer. His heart went empty, and he bit his teeth hard to keep his lips from trembling, finally arriving at an answer.

"Immortal Yingze!"

Chi Chi Buzi did not dare to say he had calculated everything; he hadn't even imagined that the Li family had this Immortal Lord behind them. Immortal Yingze was a figure of such magnitude—the master of the Green Pine Temple, a great supernatural being who had cultivated both yin and yang and attained the Great Yang Dao fruit! When the Young Yang Demon Lord Yan Kuai Li was at his most ferocious, Immortal Yingze had first sent someone to recite an Immortal Edict before Tuoba Tuoba Xuantan, and then struck; the Heavenly Accomplished True Lord Tuoba Tuoba Xuantan hadn't even dared to utter a word.

Yan Kuai Li had been split into three, and each of the three was not weaker than an ordinary Golden Core cultivator, which showed the terrifying momentum of that Demon Lord back then. Chi Chi Buzi felt a sense of dread, and for a moment, he didn't know what to do.

"I only fear I am not humble enough!"

Chi Chi Buzi, had he been born a thousand years earlier, in an era of Heavenly Rules, would have been able to boast about speaking to Immortal Yingze, only to be laughed at as a liar. Now, he was completely honest; there wasn't a shred of trickery left in him.

The Immortal Lord on the high seat sat quietly, and a voice drifted down:

"This Venerable One passed through this place, not for you, but because of a karmic entanglement; you came seeking this Venerable One yourself."

These words left Chi Chi Buzi trembling, and Lu Lu Jiangxian, with his divine sense connected, naturally read his mind clearly.

He was inherently ruthless and unscrupulous; he had been unconvinced by Lu Shui only because that True Lord was secretive, passing down incomplete cultivation methods, blocking his path, and naturally, he had come to hate him.

Now that this ancient Immortal was present, Chi Chi Buzi knew that the other party was eight or nine parts likely to know what he was thinking. He guided his emotions intentionally, until his heart was filled with nothing but admiration, even deceiving himself.

Lu Lu Jiangxian only pondered his overflowing emotions, and for a moment, he was silent. He certainly did not believe that Chi Chi Buzi had any means to deceive him.

Chi Chi Buzi remained kneeling, not daring to lift his head, let alone fathom the other's emotions, until he squeezed out words:

"This humble cultivator Chi Buzi, having obtained the fortune to see the Immortal's countenance, is deeply grateful... I had intended to present an Immortal Edict and serve with my life, never expecting to trouble the Immortal's carriage. I am terrified and honored beyond measure..."

Chi Chi Buzi's words were fluent, his tone humble and reverent. He never felt that being low was lowly. This person had attained the Dao fruit; even the changes in arrays, alchemy, and artifact refining in this world all bore the traces of this person. What was a few humble words?

The Immortal on the high seat sat quietly, and a voice drifted down: "Tangjiang, come out and see this Venerable One."

"What..."

A thunderous sound roared in Chi Chi Buzi's mind, echoing back and forth. The feeling of disbelief jumped in his heart for only a fleeting moment before everything drifted away, vanishing into boundless silence.

It was as if his soul had been pulled from his body, watching his own body move from the side. Chi Chi Buzi watched his body jump up and perform a strange, awkward bow. The familiar face displayed an unfamiliar expression, fawningly saying:

"This little god greets the Mansion Lord! I welcome the Mansion Lord's arrival! This little god... this little god congratulates the Mansion Lord on emerging from the Immortal Mansion, protecting the peace of this place... All the feathered guests of the world have reason to rejoice..."

The person occupying his body was none other than that demonic evil that had jumped out of the Li family. Chi Chi Buzi had fought wits and courage with it for many years, thinking he had finally exterminated it and swallowed the treasure in its soul, advancing his cultivation. He never imagined this ghost was still inside him!

"Tangjiang... good... good... you actually deceived me..."

Chi Chi Buzi's anger jumped in his heart, but it was quickly swept away by his reason. He remained respectfully bowing, watching the demonic evil driving his body and babbling nonsense.

Lu Lu Jiangxian, however, was tired of listening to this Tangjiang. He had been acting for so long, and he was truly afraid this fellow would reveal his identity if he spoke too much. 'Even Jianlian wasn't this talkative... how did I create such a noisy Tangjiang...'

Lu Lu Jiangxian silently made the fellow shut his mouth and shook his head gently, saying warmly: "You have been absent from your post for many years; naturally, you have crimes to answer for. Return to your position..."

As these words fell, Chi Chi Buzi regained the sensation of his hands and feet. He finally let go of his suspended heart, feeling the coldness of the floor, and sighed secretly:

"He really didn't seize my body... truly an Immortal..."

"So that was when this fool abandoned his post in some cave secret realm... I was wondering how such a demonic evil had mindlessly broken in!"

He had originally thought this Tangjiang was sent by some True Lord to seize his body, which was why he had gone to Zongquan Island and risked saying that series of words... Now that he had finally sorted out the cause and effect, he felt envious: "This fool really has the luck of a simpleton..."

He paused, realizing that this suspected Immortal Lord was only here to reclaim the demonic evil and would likely return to some Immortal Realm soon. He grew anxious.

He, Chi Chi Buzi, had finally found a chance for the Golden Core; how could he let it go? The one before him was at least reasonable. He gritted his teeth and kowtowed hard, saying in a low voice:

"Having seen the Immortal's countenance... Chi Buzi yearns for it in his heart. I only fear the Great Dao is not harmonious. To see an Immortal is to see the truth of the Dao. I beg the Immortal to point out a Golden Core path..."

He said these words with a trembling heart. The Immortal on the high seat did not seem surprised, looking at him quietly: "You used your body as a cage to trap Tangjiang, preventing Tangjiang from revealing his tracks; that can be considered a merit."

Chi Chi Buzi felt both suspicious and happy, pressing tightly against the ground. The radiance before his eyes receded like a receding tide, bit by bit, leaving only a long sigh: "You have a heart of self-cultivation and self-nature; in this current world, that is already rare. Since you want a clear path, I will point it out to you. Take care of yourself."

Chi Chi Buzi knelt quietly, until the radiance before his eyes vanished completely, only then did he lift his head bit by bit. Everything before him remained frozen in boundless silence, peaceful and auspicious.

If not for Si Si Boxiu still standing like a statue beside him, Chi Chi Buzi would have doubted that everything just now was a dream. He stood up bit by bit and looked around.

Everything magnificent in the great hall was slowly fading. Stone steps, jade slips, array patterns... everything was like sand in the wind, slowly dissipating, leaving only boundless whiteness.

He looked forward, and a snow-white token floated there. The green-robed man stepped forward, picked it up lightly, and a thunderous roar exploded in his mind. The token instantly turned into a stream of snow-white light and crashed into his mind.

Countless cultivation methods and incantations surged out like a flood. Chi Chi Buzi slowly lifted his head, bright light shining in his eyes, and a few large characters appeared in his mind: "Heavenly Seal Bright Profound Sacrificial Method!"

"Clang..."

He lifted his head in a daze, and the white light before his eyes vanished completely. The sound of jade pendants colliding returned to his ears, and the flow of spiritual energy appeared in his perception. Chi Chi Buzi still held the green jade slip in his hand, cold and delicate.

The brilliance of the array shone on his green robe, revealing complex patterns. He heard Si Si Boxiu's aged voice: "Any harvest?"

"Not enough."

Chi Chi Buzi lifted his head naturally and smoothly, a look of helplessness appearing on his face. He shook his head slightly and frowned: "Still only Foundation Establishment level."

He had searched quickly and indeed found no trace of the "Washing Robe Yuan Method" of the Lu Water path. He returned to Si Si Boxiu's side, full of disappointment, and said softly:

"What a pity! Has Uncle already taken the cultivation methods you wanted?"

"I naturally have nothing much to take..."

Si Si Boxiu shook his head:

"These cultivation methods are more like references for ordinary disciples... What I am looking for are more profound talisman and array techniques. Although the things here are interesting, they are not enough."

"More profound talisman and array techniques?"

Chi Chi Buzi's expression was natural, showing no trace of the changes just now. He smiled:

"Then we must go to the Moon Brilliance Yuan Mansion!"

"I dare not say..."

Si Si Boxiu's mouth twitched, and he shook his head silently. Chi Chi Buzi's gaze swept across this ocean of Dao methods, and he said casually: "Since Uncle has already taken what you wanted, let us strike together, trigger the array in this hall, and destroy all these things!"

Si Si Boxiu frowned, feeling it made some sense.

The ones in the center were all Purple Mansion cultivation methods of the "True Qi" path, and the arrays were particularly tight. Who knew if there were restrictions added? Opening them would take at least an hour.

Since they were not essential for the two of them, and time was of the essence in the cave heaven, spending an hour to dismantle a cultivation method was not worth it, but they couldn't leave them here for other families to benefit from.

So he activated the 【Yellow Dao Profound Talisman】, placed it on the great array in the center, and said softly:

"You should hide a bit further. Breaking this array is difficult, but triggering its self-destruction is simple!"

Si Si Boxiu was an expert in this field, so Chi Chi Buzi naturally left it to him and retreated gracefully. He had only retreated half a mile when a brilliant fire light soared into the sky, a mixture of golden-red and ash-black—it was actually the simultaneous eruption of True Fire and Combined Fire.

"This way, no matter how good the cultivation methods inside are, they will all be burned to ashes..."

Chi Chi Buzi's face was slightly reddened by the scorching fire light surging before him, a harmonious smile on his face, while he secretly rejoiced in his heart:

"I naturally have to keep the practice of the 'Heavenly Seal Bright Profound Sacrificial Method' strictly secret, but who knows when it might fall into someone's eyes... I must find a source..."

"This Hearing Dao Palace is the best source! Who knows what secret methods were hidden inside? A single fire to destroy it all, and there will be no proof... Who can say anything!"

He stood with his hands behind his back, his green robe flickering in the soaring fire, struggling to suppress his wild joy and suspicion, secretly thinking: "I will go back and study this method carefully... Since it was bestowed by an Immortal, I will likely see nothing, but I must try..."

Si Si Boxiu twitched the corner of his mouth and shook his head silently. Chi Chi Buzi swept his gaze through this ocean of Daoist methods and said casually: "Since Uncle has already taken it, let's take action together, stir up the array in this hall, and destroy all these things!"

Si Si Boxiu frowned, but felt it made some sense.

The ones in the very center were all Early Zifu cultivation methods of the 'True Qi' path. The array was extremely tight, and it was said that there were restrictions added. Opening it would take at least an hour.

Since it was not something necessary for both of them, and every second counted in the cave-heaven, spending an hour to dismantle a cultivation method was really not worth it, but it couldn't be left here to benefit others.

So he operated the 【Yellow Dao Mysterious Talisman】, landed on the great array in the center, and said softly:

"You hide first. Breaking this great array is not easy, but triggering self-destruction is simple!"

Si Si Boxiu was a leader in this path, so Chi Chi Buzi naturally handed it over to him. He retreated gracefully. Only then did he retreat half a mile, when a brilliant fire light rushed into the sky, golden-red mixed with gray-black, actually gushing out true fire and combined fire simultaneously.

"Now, no matter how good the cultivation methods inside are, they will all be burned to ashes..."

Chi Chi Buzi's face was slightly red from the scorching fire light rushing in front of him, with a harmonious smile on his face, extremely satisfied in his heart:

"I practiced 【Heavenly Seal Bright Mysterious Sacrifice Formula】, naturally I have to keep it strictly confidential, but who knows when it will fall into whose eyes... I always have to find a source..."

"This Wen Dao Palace is the best source! Who knows what secret methods are hidden inside? A fire to destroy it all... in the end, there is no proof... who can say anything!"

He put his hands behind his back, his cyan clothes looking flickering in the rushing fire, struggling to suppress the ecstasy and suspicion in his heart, secretly pondering: "Go back and take a good look at this dharma formula... It's just that it was bestowed by an immortal, eight or nine out of ten I won't be able to see anything... Let's try it..."