Chapter 829: Entrustment (122) (Bonus chapter for Alliance Leader 'Crab No

Ting Lan carefully lifted the purple-gold orb. It felt ice-cold to the touch, and though it appeared to be a mundane object, it was a supreme treasure that everyone in this realm craved. She could not discern its grade, nor could she sense any magic power from it; there was only a heavy, solid sensation. She stood up holding the purple-gold orb, facing the brilliant morning glow in the sky. The golden light, reflected and shone through the purple orb, actually caused the throne on this Purple Terrace to emit a radiance.

Everything around her gradually brightened. The Purple Terrace Cave Abode, which had been sealed for many years, finally stirred. Ting Lan stepped through the void and arrived within a small cave abode.

This cave abode did not seem to be anchored anywhere. Inside, purple-gold luster flickered, a vast expanse of purple, with only a jade seat and a small platform.

This small platform was about a palm's width square, carved from a single piece of solid purple jade. Although the patterns were complex, they appeared in a pale purple hue, hidden within the interior of the platform, looking serene and elegant. In the very center was a circular arc groove, reflecting a pale white light.

Ting Lan stepped forward and placed the 【Purple Qi Immortal Origin Profound Cover】 into it. The divine ability in her hand flickered, and a faint purple light finally leaped from the platform, flying into the space between her brows.

At the same time, the 【Radiant Purple Bright Profound Grand Array】 of the Purple Smoke Blessed Land finally transmitted a sense of seamless compatibility. Ting Lan stood quietly, bit by bit taking control of this grand array of peerless power into her hands.

Although this jade platform was small, it was the hub of the Purple Smoke Blessed Land, the array disk of the 【Radiant Purple Bright Profound Grand Array】 left behind by Tai Xu!

Although Ting Lan had been the sole master of the Purple Smoke Sect for many years, she had never possessed the qualifications to control this array; she only had the right to open and close it. Only by obtaining one of the magic treasures, the 【Purple Qi Immortal Origin Profound Cover】 or the 【Tai Xu Purple Qi Book】, could one truly gain the qualifications to be recognized by this array!

Now that Zi Mu had departed and this magic treasure had fallen into her hands, Ting Lan finally stepped into this treasured land that only the Great True Persons of the Wen and Kan families had ever been qualified to enter. Yet, her heart was filled with worry...

"Is it truly this serious..."

The Sun Daoist lineage had suppressed the South River for so many years, always sitting back to watch the clouds rise and fall, holding a noble status where they waited for Early Zifu True Persons of other lineages to come and pay their respects. In their heyday, if they wanted to summon other Early Zifu cultivators of the South River, they could do so with just a single immortal decree.

Although they were somewhat weaker now, it was only because the Great True Persons of several sects were of similar age, causing their periods of weakness to coincide. That Chi Buzi was someone who viewed the Qingchi Sun lineage as a burden; it was just too unfortunate. Otherwise, a dignified Sun lineage would not have been reduced to such a state of temporary weakness.

If these words hadn't been spoken by Zi Mu herself, Ting Lan would have dismissed any talk of the Sun lineage facing problems as a joke.

"It is quite laughable... Hengzhu and Xiukui consider themselves branches of the Origin Mansion, while my Purple Smoke and Wanyu hold fast to the ancestral testaments. At the very least, the direct line refuses to practice the 'continuation' methods. Originally, only Qingchi had the ability to produce a Great True Person in a short time."

"However... every sect has a retreat... My family and Hengzhu have blessed lands, the Sword Gate has the various mountains of the Great West Plain, and Xiukui has the various temples of the mountain ranges. Even if the Junior Martial Uncle is right, it would only mean the end of the Sun's golden age..."

Her gaze lowered slightly as she observed the jade platform before her. Purple Qi, thick enough to turn into clouds, swirled around her. Ting Lan cast her gaze toward the immortal seat to the side.

This immortal seat was not large; rather, it appeared somewhat small and exquisite, clearly indicating that its original owner had a petite stature. Ting Lan stepped back, performed a grand salute, and then circled the immortal seat once.

Strangely, once she walked behind the immortal seat, all light dimmed, and she could not see her own fingers. But the eyesight of a Early Zifu level cultivator could not be blocked by mere darkness. Ting Lan swept a glance and discovered a few lines of elegant characters written on the back of the immortal seat:

"Cultivate the truth and then attain immortality; do not be restless, do not speak. Seek the ultimate realm of Purple Qi, embrace the female and sleep."

These twenty characters seemed to possess some kind of charm, making Ting Lan unable to look away. Her eyes were filled with contemplation, as if she had gained a deeper understanding of Zi Mu's words. This female True Person moved away, and a sharp pain twisted in her heart. A strong sense of suffocation surged up to her nose. Her red lips trembled slightly, and she began to cough:

"Cough... cough cough..."

Ting Lan coughed for a long while, coughing until the world spun, and finally spat a stream of gray air from her parched throat, which landed in the palm of the hand she was using to cover her mouth.

She opened her left hand and squinted to look; it was actually a handful of incense ash.

Ting Lan felt a deep chill in her heart. Enduring the intense urge to cough, she retreated from the back of the throne, turned her palm into a blade, and thrust it forcefully into her heart.

"Boom!"

Gray smoke billowed, and a large handful of incense ash erupted from her internal organs, spraying out in a radial pattern, mixing with the purple-gold clouds, appearing strangely complementary.

"It is... the True Monarch's own handwriting!"

Ting Lan's figure immediately transformed into thick purple smoke and drifted away. Wisps of purple smoke flew toward the jade platform, condensing back into a white jade-like palm, taking the magic treasure into her hand. Only then did her figure slowly return to normal, and the billowing incense ash stopped erupting, gradually dissipating.

"Cough... cough..."

She coughed twice more at the end, only then slowly returning to normal; her originally pale face also regained some color. Tinglan immediately bowed down and knocked her head nine times.

Everything before her eyes gradually faded, and a solid sensation returned beneath her feet. The purple-gold orb in her hand vanished, but Ting Lan was not panicked; she slowly let out a sigh of relief.

The 【Purple Qi Immortal Origin Profound Cover】 had fallen back into the purple-gold illusion, and Ting Lan had also obtained the array's recognition. She could return to the illusion from this Purple Terrace at any time. As for whether the magic treasure was in her hand, it was no longer important... She had neither the opportunity to take out the magic treasure to face an enemy, nor would she bring the magic treasure out of the blessed land.

She climbed down from the platform with lingering fear, standing alone by the stairs, looking toward the ethereal clouds: "Since that is the case... winning the support of the Li clan is even more important than I thought. At the very least, Li Zhouwei and Li Ximing... will be two Early Zifu cultivators, one elixir master, and one genius whose combat ability is not inferior to Heng Li."

"As for Ning Wan... I can try my best to win her over, but I don't necessarily have to help her with everything. The True Monarch went north to injure the Buddhist path; the loss in the north being compensated by the south is indeed in accordance with the rules. However, I haven't received a single bit of news about the Shittang matter, which shows that this young girl still harbors wariness toward me..."

Ting Lan stood quietly on the steps. The morning glow had long since vanished. She focused her mind and looked into the distance; dark clouds stretched across the north of the river, and the heavy rain did not stop.

"Someone, come!"

She called out softly, and a purple-robed cultivator from below hurried up. Ting Lan asked, "How is the north?"

This man's face was very similar to Wen Wu's. He said respectfully:

"Everything is under control. Daoist Bai's ambition is growing and can no longer be contained. Fan Yun has been beaten back steadily, and his requests for reinforcements have gone unanswered several times... That Ping Wangzi does not dare to abandon this land and flee, so he is forced... to be trapped and defend day by day."

"Just a few hours ago, Daoist Bai had already fought his way to his main array and captured Ping Wangzi alive, calling him a great demon who refines infants into magic tools, a crime that is unforgivable. He is now imprisoned."

Ting Lan asked, "Oh? He could think of this charge? How much of this is true and how much is false?"

The purple-robed man immediately replied:

"I fear it is indeed true..."

Ting Lan nodded, lost in thought. The purple-robed man felt slightly awkward and said in a low voice:

"There is one more thing... news has come from overseas that Li Zhouwei of the Li clan has appeared at our Xinyu Market..."

"That is indeed good news."

Ting Lan smiled slightly, but seeing the other person's expression was wrong, she looked again. The man immediately replied: "He ran into the Li clan's young lady, Li Queyi, who was gathering Qi. It is said he has been waiting for a while."

Ting Lan's expression changed at this, and she frowned:

"A few days ago, it was said that she was to be transferred overseas. Qian Li told me, suspecting that the Li clan had their own arrangements. Zhao Jing and the others are also overseas, so I sent an order that everything should be decided by her... At this moment... why is she gathering Qi?"

She looked the man in the eye and asked:

"Wen Wu has always been good with words; one cannot just listen to him alone. You, as his older brother, have you clarified the situation from the side?"

The purple-robed man nodded hurriedly and replied: "This Queyi has a weak personality, and Ling Yanzi is muddled and incompetent, unable to manage anything. The disciples below are anxious to advance to Foundation Establishment, so they wanted to borrow things from her hands..."

Just hearing this, Ting Lan understood and sneered: "Muddled and incompetent? Not necessarily. He is no simple character. He emerged from the cave heaven with ease, and even a Early Zifu cultivator couldn't pry anything out of his mouth. With a single sentence about it 'perhaps being related to the True Monarch,' he protected everything... On the surface, he appears gluttonous and incompetent, but he has reached over a hundred years of age and can still break through to Foundation Establishment. You say he can't manage the disciples today? I think he just doesn't want to."

"Don't you look at whose descendant he is?"

The man did not dare to say more. Ting Lan's anger dissipated, and her mood changed. She sighed:

"Alright... let him stay in seclusion if he wants. After all, he has suffered enough in his life. There is no need to trouble him over the Li clan's affairs."

"Should I... call Wen Wu back?"

He asked, and Ting Lan said: "No need. There is no one more suitable than him. He will handle things well. The disciples of Purple Qi Peak have all gone into seclusion, and there is no one to attend to matters. Just wait for further news from the Li clan."

She dismissed the man, let out a breath, and then rode the Purple Qi up, heading out of the array. She passed through the heavy clouds and mist, escaped into the Great Void, but suddenly froze.

In the Great Void, it was dark, empty, and boundless, but not far away stood a woman.

This woman was dressed in yellow, wearing a veil hat. The white gauze hung down, and she stood quietly. Her fair hands hung down, covered by the pale yellow sleeves, holding two gold rings twisted together.

She stood alone in the infinite Great Void, with vermilion colors falling on both sides, rolling into silver, and settling into leaden gray. Ting Lan stepped back slightly and said respectfully: "I have met True Person Zhang Qiushui. I wonder why the Great True Person has come to my Purple Smoke Blessed Land... do you have any instructions?"

True Person Zhang Qiushui's gaze passed through the veil hat and landed on her face. She said softly:

"I have come to pay a visit to Senior Zi Mu."

Ting Lan felt a slight shock in her heart, but she was clever and immediately reacted: "She cultivates the 'Complete Elixir' and is naturally skilled in the changes of material properties. It seems the 【Radiant Purple Bright Profound Grand Array】 had a reaction, and she observed it..."

This meant that Zhang Qiushui was not in the cave heaven, but right in the North River area. Perhaps it was for the sake of the True Monarch's reincarnation. Thinking of something even more terrifying, perhaps she had been waiting near the mountain gate all along...

These Great True Persons who were about to break through were more terrifying than the last. At this moment, perhaps only Zi Mu could fight against Zhang Qiushui, who was at the peak of the Early Zifu. Ting Lan bowed and replied: "The Great True Person is a step too late; the Junior Martial Uncle has already departed."

"Oh?"

Zhang Qiushui appeared somewhat surprised and said softly:

"Fellow Daoist Qing Zhou is indeed formidable."

Wen Qing Zhou was Zi Mu's full name, and few people knew it now. Even fewer could call him Fellow Daoist Qing Zhou. Ting Lan did not know if she meant that she hadn't calculated Zi Mu's departure, or that Zi Mu had departed right under her nose without her knowing. She just bowed, but heard the woman before her say:

"A few years ago, he obtained the female water 【Heavenly One Pure Origin】 and began to tidy up. I don't know if Qing Zhou obtained that flavor of female water. I originally thought about helping him, but since he won't see me, he must have confidence in himself..."

"That is good. Now that only a few remain in the world, I hope he can succeed..."

Her brows were filled with melancholy, as if she had only come to say a few words of blessing.

Behind True Person Zhang Qiushui was True Monarch Dui Jin, and everything must have been arranged for her. She was the most outstanding figure of the Zhang clan in these years, and she had encountered an immortal mansion successor. Ting Lan could only feel envy. She thanked her on behalf of her Junior Martial Uncle. Zhang Qiushui said:

"After the True Monarch's matter is over, I will return to the cave heaven. But now that Ning Wan has successfully broken through, Ning Ning Tiaoxiao... Ning Ning Tiaoxiao's matter... I still have to take care of it."

True Person Yuan Su once had some entanglements with True Person Zhang Qiushui, and they had almost become Daoist companions back then. This matter was once considered a great joyous event for Jin Yu and Qingchi, and it had caused a stir for a while.

Even when Situ Tong was injured by a dragon-kin overseas, and the flourishing Tongjin Gate of three Early Zifu father and son suddenly fell, being toyed with by Qingchi and Jin Yu for over a hundred years as if on a stage, there was the shadow of Zhang Qiushui venting her anger for Yuan Su after Situ Tong killed the Three-Eyed Qiao Mountain Beast.

Later, although it was left unsettled because of Li Jiangqun's matter, as a disciple of Senior Zipei, Ting Lan naturally had heard a little about it. But this kind of thing was the most taboo, and she didn't dare to say a word. She listened to the Great True Person before her say: "Back then, Ning Ning Tiaoxiao and Senior Zipei were also very good friends. I was also introduced to her by Ning Ning Tiaoxiao. The three of us have a bond. Now, in terms of emotion and reason, I should take care of the Ning family..."

"I sought you out for this reason as well. You can fulfill your master's last wish, and you can also fulfill my entrustment..."

Ting Lan felt a slight relief in her heart and bowed: "The Great True Person may give her instructions!"

Zhang Qiushui took a palm-sized mirror from her sleeve, covered it in her palm, and said softly: "Yuan Xiu is dead. Whether it is the 【Please Monarch Hold Gold Talisman】 or the 【Huai River Map】, no one knows where they fell. Yuan Xiu might not have given them to her, but there are many who covet these things. When necessary, I ask you to help."

"After all, my family is not the Sun lineage. There are some things that my fellow sect members and I really cannot help with. Once we help even a little, it will immediately bring a thousand-fold consequence... I can only entrust it to you."

She revealed the mirror in her palm. It was round, small, and cute, but it flickered with silver-white lightning. Zhang Qiushui said sternly: "My ancestors invaded the Lei Gong and obtained this treasure. It was originally a pair, but later the other one was lost, leaving only this single piece. Yet, its power is not to be underestimated."

"This spiritual tool is entrusted to you as a reward."

"A spiritual tool from the Lei Gong!"

In the current world, spiritual tools from the Lei Gong were absolutely highly sought after. Firstly, their power was immense and miraculous, and secondly, they usually had no hidden dangers. After all, the Lei Gong had fallen for so many years...

"It is just taking care of a little... there is no need..."

Ting Lan had just replied when Zhang Qiushui immediately spoke:

"If you don't accept it, how can there be any bond of care, and it would be even worse in terms of the strength to take care of things."

Although Zhang Qiushui's words were unpleasant, they truly moved Ting Lan. Perhaps she might have had thoughts of declining before, but Zi Mu's words had stripped away all the sense of security in her heart. She secretly made plans, and this spiritual tool seemed even more important.

"I will certainly not fail the Great True Person's entrustment."

Ting Lan accepted the item, and only then did Zhang Qiushui show some smiles, as if she had some contemplation. She lowered her hands, and the two gold rings fell from her wrists into her hands, making a crisp sound.

Zhang Qiushui rode the surging waves of the Vermilion Sea and rose. Ting Lan felt moved in her heart and finally raised her head, asking: "The Great True Person's Dao practice has already reached the extreme, and no one has been able to match it for three hundred years. I wonder when you will seek the Gold... and let the younger generation witness the style of the 'Complete Elixir'..."

Zhang Qiushui only smiled and shook her head, transforming into mercury and departing in the Great Void, leaving behind a drifting sentence:

"It is all too early."

Within the Mirror.

In the Taiyin Mansion, white snow fell in abundance. The circular pond in the small courtyard shone with white light, the white bricks on the ground were bright and clear, and four jade-white lamp stands stood within, emitting a dim white radiance.

Around this white circular pond stood a young man with a clear forehead and light green eyes. He stood by the pond with his hands tucked in, stretching his head to look into the pond, waiting for the pond water to ripple and light up with a faint brilliance.

"I'm just waiting for this mad dog to come; there's a bit of fun here... Now that Immortal Fairy Shao Yu has also handed over that cultivation method and gone to the Immortal Pavilion to cultivate, there is one less person to see..."

This person was naturally Dang Jiang.

Although Dang Jiang's status was not as high as Shao Yu's, he was, after all, a split soul of the Seven-Generation Mohe Jinlian, while Shao Yu was the soul of a Early Zifu early-stage monster. As time passed, if they were to compare, Shao Yu really couldn't compare to Dang Jiang in anything other than the cultivation of the Shaoyin path.

Therefore, no matter which Daoist lineage Dang Jiang took, as long as the grade wasn't too high, he could modify it and erase the roots. Shao Yu was a bit strained; besides specializing in modifying the Shaoyin path, she was also studying in the pavilion to increase her Dao practice.

Dang Jiang naturally didn't know the details; he only knew that Shao Yu had gone to serve in a higher-level Immortal Pavilion, and that place had become vacant again, with no one left to talk to. Therefore, today, when the token in his hand lit up, he rushed over without stopping.

He waited and waited, and the murmuring sound of chanting finally rang out. The young man immediately retracted his head, turned to the other side, and lifted his chin, seeing a man in green clothes with gold tassels gradually emerging from the pond.

This man had a very young face, light green eyes, wide sleeves and a broad robe, and his long hair was disheveled.

"Great True Person Chi!"

Hearing this, Chi Buzi slowly opened his eyes, scanned the surroundings, and then landed his gaze on the young man before him. He stepped down from the pond and said casually: "Lord Dang Jiang!"

Dang Jiang loved to hear this sentence, nodded repeatedly, and smiled:

"Who is the unlucky one caught this time?"

"A stupid peacock that doesn't know what's good for it..."

Chi Buzi was clearly here to claim credit, but his expression was not good, appearing heavy-hearted. He replied: "It's still that broken peacock temple from last time. This time, another one was caught. The higher-ups will definitely explode, and the next place will have to be changed..."

He observed the other person's complexion, sighed, and replied:

"Yuan Xiu failed his breakthrough and even turned into an evil monster... He had many ideas, but he died very miserably."

Chi Buzi explained casually. Dang Jiang had shared a body with him, so he naturally knew Yuan Xiu, and curled his lips:

"So it was that pedantic old man. He messed around while seeking the Golden Elixir and died so miserably."

Chi Buzi was absent-minded, as if he were suppressing a very heavy worry. I don't know if it was intentional, but such a deep-thinking person was actually absent-minded, making Dang Jiang sense something was wrong. He said in a low voice:

"Why did you come up this time? Just for this peacock, it doesn't seem enough to exchange for that Early Zifu cultivation method... It wasn't necessary to make this trip..."

Dang Jiang naturally hoped that he would come up every time, at least to have someone to talk to, but Chi Buzi put seeking immortality first in everything, and he wouldn't do anything that wasted time. Coming up must have a reason.

Sure enough, when Dang Jiang asked this, Chi Buzi immediately spoke. His face was gloomy, and he said in a low voice:

"I also went to the Shu region a few days ago. There is a great drought for a thousand miles, the sky does not rain, and the springs are dry. It is a sign that the Lu Water is not flourishing."

Dang Jiang was surprised when he heard this:

"Isn't this a good thing? The one above your head wishes all Lu Water cultivators were dead. If it weren't for offending the Underworld by cutting off all inheritance, he wouldn't show mercy! If he suffered some injuries, it would be just right for you to make some small moves..."

Chi Buzi shook his head slightly and said in a deep voice:

"Is this a place to talk?"

This courtyard was empty, without even a table or chair, clearly not a place for conversation. Dang Jiang led him out all the way to a small courtyard to the side. Once the courtyard gate was closed, Chi Buzi said:

"Whether the Lu Water suffers more or less injuries doesn't have much impact on me. But since there is a sign of the Lu Water, I fear that the fighting over these years has reached a critical moment. He might be coming back!"

Dang Jiang was stunned and said in a low voice: "If he comes back, he comes back... You don't cultivate the 'Wash and Rob Dew', and you cultivate the 'Morning Cold Rain' instead. Could he possibly suspect you? Even if he comes back... seeing that your Dao path is cut off, he should be even more relaxed and vigilant..."

Chi Buzi's face was gloomy, and he said in a low voice: "You don't understand... you don't understand what kind of person the Lu Water is... I have entered the 【Lu Language Heaven】. He is a narrow-minded True Monarch, a sinister person whose eyes miss nothing... Such a person... such a person will not let go of even a trace of suspicion..."

Dang Jiang became suspicious as he listened. Looking at his gloomy face, he asked: "What do you intend to do?"

Chi Buzi focused his mind and looked at him, his tone cold, and replied: "I have entered his 【Lu Language Heaven】. My death, my life, and the progress of my cultivation are all in his eyes. When he comes back from outside the sky, all the clear pools in the world will be his supporters."

"I have cultivated the 'Chou Chou Gui Cang'. If he comes back, he might pay attention to me."

Dang Jiang didn't understand even more and shook his head: "The 'Chou Chou Gui Cang' is not the 'Wash and Rob Dew'. There are still cultivation methods, and there is no lack of spiritual energy. There are so many people in the world who cultivate it. It's no surprise that you can cultivate it. Can he check them one by one?"

Chi Buzi shook his head slowly and said in a low voice: "I didn't use the 'continuation' method, but I still cultivated it. For the Lu Water, where this Early Zifu cultivation method came from and where it went is worth checking."

His light green eyes looked over, extremely calm, his hands pressed on the case tightened, and he said in a low voice:

"If I were him, I would definitely check. That is enough."

Characters appearing in this chapter

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Ting Lan 【Early Zifu Early Stage】 【Early Zifu Array Master】

Zhang Qiushui 【Early Zifu Peak】 【Jin Yu Direct Line】

Chi Buzi 【Early Zifu Late Stage】 【Lu Buzi】

Dang Jiang 【Jinlian Split Soul】 ===== CHAPTER 830 =====