Chapter 14: A Great Man Should Not Stand on Ceremony

In this world, the number of minor True Qi practitioners in the capital alone exceeds ten million.

After a Daoist self-realizes Embryonic Breathing and perfects their nature root, they must seek a Hun Qi Fa to strengthen their innate Embryonic Breathing Qi, thereafter evolving True Qi and establishing a Dao Foundation.

Only thus.

Does one tread the majestic right path and the orthodox lineage of the Immortal Gate.

And this "Divine House Pivot Hua Daojun Speaks on the Tai Shi Yuan Zhen Sutra" is precisely such a Hun Qi technique; not only that, it is an exceedingly profound refining method, likely belonging to the upper-tier doctrines.

However...

"To perfect the Saintly Dao, the Immortal Dao is not far. Consuming and refining the Three Yellows, burning cakes at the Eight Gates—these are side paths yielding no merit. The method of holding breath, entering meditation and projecting the spirit, cannot escape old age and the exhaustion of life. Drawing off and adding to prolong life, advancing Qi to replenish blood, inevitably suffers the bitterness of displacement. As for the Three Peaks' harvesting through combat and the Ding Wulong Guan's assessment of form, these are truly heresies of our Dao; what worth is there in speaking of them!"

"Of the myriad side-path Hun Qi methods, I shall not recount them all; only the Tai Shi Yuan Zhen, vast and subtle, harmonizes through quality and sensation. Formless and nameless, without the sutra one cannot illuminate the Dao; the Dao resides within the sutra, profound, deep, and lofty; without a master, one cannot grasp its principle—"

This entire sutra.

Is spoken in the voice of one called Divine House Pivot Hua Daojun, teaching how to extract the nature root from the void, and finally operate the method to refine one's entire Embryonic Breathing into Tai Shi Yuan Zhen at the ninth layer of Hun Qi refinement.

"Yet, how difficult it is to extract the nature root from the void! Every step is a dangerous pass; a single misstep leads to death and the dissolution of the Dao. These past days, I have initiated this process countless times within the Yi Zhen Fa Zhi Jie, dying innumerable times, yet still have not gained entry."

Chen Heng shook his head.

This Hun Qi technique sets its ambition so terrifyingly high that one knows not for whom it was refined, nor who could ultimately achieve it, nor what rank it holds among the Thirty-Six Grades of True Qi across the nine stages.

"If, within the Embryonic Breathing Realm, one remains unlost and unfaltering in the void, extracting the nature root to settle it firmly within the body, then the subsequent cultivation would likely face no obstacles of delusion all the way to the Purple Palace and Cave Mystery realms... Yet, how could my predecessor's father possess such a sutra, and what was his origin?"

Chen Heng stood up and tucked the ancient book securely against his body.

His predecessor's father had died early.

Before the predecessor was old enough to remember anything, a sudden visualization aggravated an old illness and injury; after struggling on the sickbed for several days, he passed away, leaving behind only the predecessor and his widowed mother.

"As for those clansmen of the predecessor, mere mortals with vulgar bodies who understand nothing of the Dao, it is understandable that they felt fear at the perilous and rugged aspects of this sutra, mistaking it for a demonic delusion of a side path."

"Yet this Hun Qi technique clearly possesses a lofty and supreme intent; the Tai Shi Yuan Zhen ultimately refined is of boundless utility, circulating mixed primordial Qi for universal application, cutting and shaping to reach the utmost Dao; it may be called the teaching of gods, the teaching of truth, the great void and naturalness itself."

"Could the person who transmitted such a sutra really have vomited blood and died from a single visualization? What did he visualize? And those few talismans he left behind—I still cannot decipher their true function; it is truly bizarre!"

Chen Heng sighed, sat down again before the desk, and took out the ancient book to peruse once more.

But before he could turn even a few pages, several knocks sounded from outside the room.

"Enter."

Chen Heng put away the scroll and spoke.

"Heng-ge... Young Master."

Wang Wang Duanbao carefully stepped over the threshold; seeing Chen Heng seated upright by the desk, he was about to call out.

But catching sight of those faint, cold eyes, a chill struck his heart, and he hastily changed his address.

"Today is the schedule for my father's... no, for that old rascal's wedding; the hour is already late. Should we not depart for Yang Mountain?"

Chen Heng took down the great bow and quiver hanging on the wall.

Outside the meditation chamber, Clan Leader Chen Kuang and a group of Chen clansmen were already waiting; Xu Zhi had changed into servant attire, with a short sword hanging at his waist.

"Junior Brother, we still do not know the background of the Yang Mountain Daoist; I fear Wang Wang Duanbao may be holding something back. On this journey, let us first probe his background before making our move to kill him!"

Chen Heng turned to his uncle Chen Zhan:

"The yellow-robed disciples who came from Yang Mountain to Lanliang City have all been killed cleanly. I hear the Yang Mountain Daoist has never been patient in training disciples, so I asked Uncle to find several astute household servants to impersonate them. Have the people been prepared?"

"Prepared, prepared. They are all home-born servants, each with leverage and weaknesses in my hands; they would never dare leak secrets."

Chen Zhan nodded, then quickly caught the hint, pushing forward from behind him a beautiful young girl dressed in wedding attire:

"Heng'er, this journey is perilous; please keep an eye on Xi'er at least, and do not let her meet an untimely death."

The girl's features were already lovely, and accentuated by the wedding dress, she was as radiant as peach blossoms and plums, brilliant in her splendor.

Yet under the gaze of so many eyes, her legs trembled uncontrollably; had Chen Zhan not been quick-eyed and fast-handed to support her, she would nearly have collapsed to the ground.

"In such a state, how can you accomplish anything? How can I make use of you?"

Chen Heng glanced at her.

Under this gaze, Chen Xi grew even more frightened; her eyes reddened, and tears were about to overflow.

If a ruler is not secretive, he loses his ministers; if a minister is not secretive, he loses his life; if important matters are not kept secret, disaster results.

Leaving aside the fact that the predecessor had already incurred the enmity of the Yang Mountain Daoist, now that he is out of power, the Daoist will inevitably come to beat a drowning dog.

Moreover, the Yang Mountain Daoist has operated on Yang Mountain for many years and surely possesses considerable wealth; for someone like me, who is penniless, this is undeniably highly attractive.

My original plan was to lie low, disguise myself as part of the wedding procession, wait for the Yang Mountain Daoist to lower his guard, and then join forces with Xu Zhi to slay him with thunderous means.

But seeing Chen Xi in this condition, I fear she will not endure the terror even before reaching Yang Mountain.

If the Yang Mountain Daoist becomes suspicious and presses her with questions, Chen Heng's scheme might be entirely ruined.

"The spiritual energy on Yang Mountain is abundant; I am determined to secure that Daoist precinct, as it will greatly benefit my journey to the Earth Abyss, and no error can be tolerated."

Chen Heng frowned: "Chen Xi need not go."

"This..." Chen Zhan was momentarily at a loss.

"Find a set of women's wedding attire matching my build; I will change into it and take her place."

"What?" Xu Zhi, standing nearby, was dumbfounded: "Junior Brother, you..."

"What, can I not disguise myself as a woman?"

Chen Heng waved his hand expressionlessly, saying:

"Since ancient times, those who accomplish great deeds do not stand on ceremony; heroes of old could endure the humiliation of crawling between another's legs, so how much more should one endure dressing as a woman? To eliminate hidden dangers and secure the foundation of Yang Mountain, what does this matter!"

Half a day later.

Songs blew, flutes played, drums and music resounded together.

A long procession, brimming with joy, ascended the mountain path; the clamor disturbed an old Daoist in a cave dwelling.

"It is today, isn't it? I nearly forgot!"

Daoist Daoist Yangshan counted on his fingers, and instant, overwhelming ecstasy surged through his heart.

With no time to soothe the dissatisfied woman, he casually draped a black robe over himself, stepped onto a black cloud, soared into the high heavens, and cast his Dharma Eye toward the mountain's foot to take a look.

Upon seeing the young girl in the wedding sedan chair was exactly sixteen, possessing peerless beauty, skin like congealed cream, and incomparable loveliness.

Daoist Daoist Yangshan's heart filled with even greater delight; atop the cloud, he began to dance and leap with joy:

"A beauty! A beauty! Truly a kingdom-toppling, city-ruining great beauty, hahahaha! The Chen clan indeed produces stunning colors! Heaven has eyes; today it is finally my turn, old Daoist that I am, to strike it rich!!"

……

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