Chapter 3: Chapter Three: The World of

Somewhere above the Nine Heavens, an Immortal Palace towers majestically amidst endless Gang Winds, immortal qi drifting hazily as faint, infinitely grand sounds echo from within.

"The Immortal Kingdom knows no bounds; we contend to cross the red dust, alone severing ten thousand ages, with no gods remaining. Twelve years ago a red star fell from heaven; all of you feared calamity and went to ask the Heavenly Mandate to divine a hexagram. As a result, the Heavenly Mandate suffered prophetic backlash and died, leaving only this sentence before death. Afterwards the heavenly secrets were obscured. What views do all of you have on this sentence?" Immortal qi pervades the palace, extremely luxurious. A majestic middle-aged man narrates. Regarding this matter, this man seated at the head position is quite displeased. Glancing at the man, one feels the entire world is a part of him; all things are like chains of rules winding around him. The majestic Golden Edict issues forth, and the surrounding space shows a tendency to twist and submit. The displeased aura makes the rule chains writhe rapidly.

"Everyone has each taken some actions; I believe all of you have re-divined and reinterpreted this sentence, knowing this omen will be our calamity arriving — fail to cross and die with the Dao extinguished, cross successfully and endure for ten thousand ages. For twelve years each of you has employed methods, secretly making preparations; this seat will not quibble further. This time I invited all of you to once again jointly discuss this matter."

On the left upper seat a white-haired old Daoist strokes his beard and sighs long, "The supreme existence of that year has already been annihilated; now only some remnants hide scattered everywhere. With the Dao Calamity's arrival, this poor Daoist hopes all of you will no longer create killing karma. The great calamity approaches; only by avoiding cause and effect and strengthening yourselves can you survive." The old Daoist exists between nothingness; looking once he seems a mortal old man, present yet unremarkable. Look again, and he is like hazy immortal qi, bearing no qi, not existing in heaven or earth.

"Hmph, Zhengyi Old Daoist's words are wrong. The former existence clearly obstructed our Dao, severed our roots; such conduct naturally requires severing the torch, letting it not exist for ten thousand ages. However the old Daoist spoke one sentence correctly: the great calamity arrives, only by being strong oneself can one cross the Dao Calamity. All you big shots need not hide and conceal; every sect and faction has left behind destiny edicts. This world's End of Dharma will arrive together with the Dao Calamity; I believe all of you are clear on this." On the right a purple-haired man reaching the sky does not mince words; his eyes are a field of white light, purple hair flashing with lightning, like little dragons swimming among the strands. As he opens his mouth he exhales a purple chain; within the lightning the little dragons simultaneously open wide mouths toward the old Daoist.

Suddenly, Nine Heavens Gang Wind strikes into the palace like azure light; golden wings wildly expand from afar, clouds exploding under their flapping — instantly heaven and sun turn dark. At the palace entrance stands an Immortal Monk, withered and breathless, like rotten wood; beside him a phantom-shrunken Golden-Winged Great Peng — hard to imagine this is the Immortal Bird that just now shaded the sky with its wings. The Immortal Monk steps forward to take his seat, eyes closed, turning prayer beads. Those seated in the last seats in the palace bow their heads to the Immortal Monk in respect. The few great powers in the upper seats merely close their eyes, as if not seeing this little farce.

At this moment a grand voice transmits from outside, "All of you, do not quarrel and harm harmony. The hundred-year Immortal Selection Conference is about to begin; with the End of Dharma's arrival, the Child of Fortune of the Dao Calamity will also appear. This is likely the final Immortal Selection; at that time those remnants will also come out to contend and seize — this is also their last chance to turn things around. Immortal fate is heaven-determined; then everyone will rely on their own means to contend for a segment of fortune, also not harming themselves. Lest when the Dao Calamity comes, the Killing Tribulation arrives first; we indeed should avoid cause and effect, let our disciples vie for the front, also giving disciples a chance to cross the Dao Calamity. What do all of you think?"

"The Master speaks correctly; before the Dao Calamity arrives we avoid cause and effect and will surely cross the great calamity. Our disciples we cannot all ensure cross; only by entering the red dust can they rely on themselves to cross the Dao Calamity." The crowd in the last seats nod in agreement one after another. These few lords in the upper seats dare not lightly speak of crossing the Dao Calamity; they naturally know deeply the terror within. Cultivate to cross tribulation; fail to cross and myriad Dao karma turns to yellow earth. According to ancient records, in the End of Dharma era disasters arise everywhere, Spirit Qi overflows and disperses, immortals age prematurely; unknown how many cultivators pass away in meditation in their cave abodes, the land a piece of desolation, even some Great Terrors or events run out — ancient books merely gloss over them in a stroke.

The few in the upper seats suddenly open their eyes staring at the Wooden-Round Immortal Monk; the purple-haired man with slightly weaker composure shows a thread of surprise, "Muyuan Old Monk, have your Closed-Mouth Zen and Mind-Reading cultivated to that legendary realm? Looks like you hid very deep; looks like you crossing the Dao Calamity is nine out of ten certain. No wonder you're unwilling to act yourself; presumably afraid of complications arising before the Dao Calamity arrives."

The crowd in the last seats look upward somewhat blankly, clearly not knowing what happened.

One person in the middle seat carefully ponders a moment, face bearing a trace of fear as he explains, "Master Muyuan has never made a sound; the words just spoken were uttered before Master Muyuan departed for the palace. When the Master stepped through the door, the voice would automatically emerge in our hearts. That is to say, the things we discussed the Master already knew long ago, and understood even more thoroughly; through Mind-Reading he made us speak our own thoughts, Closed-Mouth Zen fixing today's events, even pre-narrating everything to be said. Has the Master truly reached that realm? This—" The subsequent conjecture this person no longer dares to narrate.

This is simply shocking to hear: foreknowing events, also knowing others' thoughts, Golden Mouth then fixing facts that must occur. The people below secretly speculate — isn't this able to arbitrarily manipulate one's own life and death conduct? The crowd discovers in horror.

Wait, the crowd changes expression again: those thoughts just now in their hearts — weren't they also known by Muyuan Immortal Monk? The palace's hundred attitudes fully revealed. Some fearfully lower their heads; some expressionless, emptying themselves; some look at Muyuan Immortal Monk ingratiatingly; some even conceal fierce light — everyone worries there is such a great mountain above, controlling their life and death at any moment; that is no pleasant taste.

Voice once more emerges from the heart's bottom, "All of you need not worry; this poor monk has not yet reached that realm. This time merely employed a minor technique. The matters discussed this time this poor monk already knew long ago; this time merely borrowing all of your hearts and mouths to expound this matter; there is no foreknowledge, nor Golden Mouth fixing words." Beside Muyuan Old Monk the Golden-Winged Great Peng opens vertical pupils, looking contemptuously at the last-seat crowd.

Muyuan Immortal Monk still closes his eyes, turning prayer beads, fundamentally not having moved. These words let some people settle down; some then hide their horror even deeper.

Zhengyi Old Daoist in nothingness raises his whisk; a strand of clear qi permeates the area; all people's hearts settle. Whisk retracts, clear qi dissipates. "Good, Master Muyuan's words are correct; this method is very much to the heart's intent. Indeed should let disciples enter tribulation to cross tribulation; the Immortal Selection Conference in the dark represents contention for fortune; all of you please pay more attention."

Muyuan Old Monk stops the prayer beads, opens eyes smiling at Zhengyi Old Daoist; beside him the Golden-Winged Great Peng dares not look directly at the Old Daoist, because he knows the clear qi instantly settling the crowd is definitely no simple thing. These few in the upper seats all have great divine abilities and great terrors; he dares not speculate. In the dark there is a sensing; the Old Daoist smiles at the Golden-Winged Great Peng.

The purple-haired man vulgarly curls his lip, cursing inwardly "Stinking cow-nose Old Daoist, showing off what," involuntarily letting out a humph; outside the palace thunder booms, the Golden Crow sun's sky instantly covered in dense clouds, lightning flashing and thunder roaring, dragon shadows flickering in the dark clouds, hideous lightning like violent rain falling outside the palace, striking sounds shaking the heart, as if doomsday arriving. The palace's serving boys and girls all scatter in fright behind the hall pillars; immortals fight, mortals suffer.

The majestic man in the head seat can bear no more; waves a hand and grabs toward midair — Order Divine Chains tear open space; the wildly striking lightning outside shatters and dissipates like a painting; the Golden Crow still shines, the lightning and thunder scene just now as if never existed. The palace surroundings undergo no change; gentle breeze brushes past, immortal qi rises; what just happened? The lightning snakes dancing wildly clearly occurred right before the eyes.

The purple-haired man chuckles, looking at the terrified crowd in the hall; the effect has clearly achieved exactly what he wanted. The purple-haired man's slightest emotional stir moves everyone's Heart Demon Thunder Tribulation; the lightning outside is the crowd's Heart Demon Thunder Tribulation externally manifested as illusion; a single thought triggers the heart thunder of myriad beings. So just now it was all a Heart Demon Illusion.

"Enough, do not make a scene in the Flying Immortal Hall. If you want to fight, go fight outside the domain. Hmph, this seat does not want to see you continue fooling around before the Dao Calamity arrives." The majestic man sweeps with angry eyes; the coiling Order Divine Chains wrap around the surroundings, baring fangs and claws twisting space. The purple-haired man restrains his laughter, sits properly cross-legged; Muyuan Immortal Monk closes eyes again, turns prayer beads; Zhengyi Old Daoist and the other few upper seats' immortal mist thickens a degree, giving the majestic man full face; deeper things are unknown. The lower seats can only tremble, eyelids drooping, minds wandering.

"No matter how you handle the Immortal Selection Conference, you must exterminate that existence's remnants. Before this seat emerges from seclusion I want to see results; not a single remnant is allowed to exist. From today onward we will enter seclusion to comprehend the great calamity." The crowd below all respond in agreement, daring not disobey.

The purple-haired man smiles at Zhengyi Old Daoist, smile profound. The other upper seats make no expressions; unknown what each plans. Immediately clouds and mist coil the sky; the upper seats slowly vanish; the lower seats each form groups of four or five, beginning to discuss the Dao Calamity. Three days later the Flying Immortal Hall hides into the Nine Heavens; all people disperse.

This day, all major Spirit Mountain Dao Lineages have Immortal figures fly out; mortals see black shadows pass through clouds and mist, resembling scales or weapons; mortal capitals' iron cavalry set out. Mountains and forests hide Great Demons howling at heaven; unknown how many forces hidden beneath the earth are also moving. Troubled autumn; some elders who have experienced worldly affairs cannot conceal inner worry in their eyes — this is a "contend" world.