Chapter 405: The Mortal Body Receives Salvation, Calamities Endure Forever

At this moment, star-smoke surged together, fierce winds obscured the sky, all churning into one.

It was like an endless long wave, turbulent and swirling, suddenly gaining the momentum to shake a city.

Chen Heng raised his gaze; his vision pierced directly through layers of rosy mist, revealing a young Daoist standing quietly above the clouds, wearing a black cap and coarse hemp robes, his figure tall and imposing.

This person was smiling slightly as he looked over, his demeanor steady and peaceful, his bearing and aura unlike anything mundane.

Although they had never met before, upon first seeing that face which bore a faint resemblance to his own in the brows and eyes, and observing his imposing presence and dignity...

Chen Heng's thoughts shifted, and several names vaguely emerged in his mind.

"I heard of your deeds long ago from Master Yuanji and Chen Runzi; since we rarely meet today, there is no need for excessive formalities."

Chen Chen Xiangxian laughed softly, descended from the clouds first, and spoke.

Meanwhile, the Escape Realm Shuttle flew out from Chen Heng's purple palace, transforming in mid-air into an old man with white hair; looking at Chen Chen Xiangxian not far away, his eyes were filled with shock and emotion, as if witnessing something utterly inconceivable.

After exchanging a glance with this elder and hearing his voice transmission...

Chen Heng smiled, suppressed the thoughts in his heart, and stepped forward actively to say:

"So it is Chen Yuanshu Chen Yuanshu Zhenjun in person? I have long heard of Chen Yuanshu Zhenjun's great reputation; I congratulate Chen Yuanshu Zhenjun on finally breaking through the death gate and advancing further in cultivation."

Chen Chen Xiangxian had grown up in Xu Huang Tian since childhood; if one spoke of age, he was truly Chen Chen Yushu's eldest son.

Whether it was Chen Chen Runzi, Chen Master Yuanji, or that Chen Zuohuo and Chen Chen Daozheng from the Xiantian Mo Zong, none were older than him.

Since this person possessed such divine powers and cultivation that he forced Chen Chen Yushu into a position where he could retreat no further, compelling him to exchange a move, he naturally possessed his own unique opportunity and fortune.

According to the Escape Realm Shuttle, Chen Chen Xiangxian had been favored by a major figure from the Yi Luogong while traveling outside the universe; that person took him back to their sect gate, accepted him as a direct disciple, and even bestowed upon him their prized supreme method.

If Chen Yu had not later exited seclusion and personally attacked the Yi Luogong's sect gate, Chen Chen Xiangxian would likely have remained within the Yi Luogong to cultivate, becoming the closing disciple of that major figure.

In fact, regarding this Daoist lineage of the Yi Luogong, Chen Heng had also heard a little about it and was not entirely unfamiliar.

Back then, after the Tai Chang Dragon Court exhausted itself in conquest without success and was severely injured by the joint forces of the Bapailiu Sect, it lost the power to govern the Tai Chang world, completely forfeiting its dominant position.

Taking advantage of the Dragon Court's decline, the Tai Chang world underwent severe turmoil; subsequently experiencing invasions from outer heavens, incursions by spirits and monsters, and uprisings of demons and devils, several major powers eventually rose abruptly, with latecomers surpassing veterans, successfully seizing control of the situation to become the new masters of the Tai Chang world.

The Yi Luogong was one of those several major powers!

As one of the dominant forces of the great Tai Chang world, the profound foundation of the Yi Luogong naturally needed no elaboration.

Even looking across the myriad universes, it equally enjoyed a illustrious reputation.

Chen Chen Xiangxian had cultivated within the Yi Luogong for sixty years; at that time, his Daoist title was called "Xiangyi."

Although he later returned to Xu Huang Tian to serve as the Crown Prince overseeing the state, his connection with the Yi Luogong was not diminished in the least, and the Daoist title "Xiangyi" remained in use to this day.

Hearing Chen Heng address him in this manner now...

Chen Chen Xiangxian laughed in amusement and waved his hand:

"This address is too formal; if you do not mind, just call me 'Eldest Brother' like Master Yuanji and the others."

Before Chen Heng could speak, he continued:

"That old dog is certainly detestable and deserves death, but all of us have suffered deeply from him; we ought to cross the river in the same boat. If we become estranged merely because of that old dog, would that not cause pain to our kin and joy to our enemies?"

Chen Heng's heart stirred slightly; he raised his eyes to look at Chen Chen Xiangxian.

His expression unchanged, he replied calmly:

"What Eldest Brother says is correct; it should indeed be so."

Hearing this, Chen Chen Xiangxian smiled freely, gestured vaguely with his hand, and invited Chen Heng into his Fan Fan Dongtian to drink wine and converse together.

Anyone who had attained the Pure Yang of the Immortal Dao needed to draw clear qi from above and earth qi from below to carve out a Fan Fan Dongtian world to evade calamities; Chen Chen Xiangxian was naturally no exception.

Because this Fan Fan Dongtian was not only a rare treasure land for the Siming to protect life, but also an extremely powerful means of killing.

As long as the Fan Fan Dongtian remained unbroken, a Pure Yang Chen Yuanshu Zhenjun could rely on it to draw spiritual energy from all directions to replenish their own deficits, increasing their combat ability by several tenths.

Furthermore, if facing an enemy too powerful to fight, one could even sacrifice the collapse of the Fan Fan Dongtian to forcibly elevate one's own qi mechanism for a desperate last stand.

Or one could simply hide inside the Fan Fan Dongtian, waiting for companions to render aid, using one's own Fan Fan Dongtian as an impregnable turtle shell.

Since Chen Chen Xiangxian was a top-tier figure at the Pure Yang realm, the Fan Fan Dongtian he had opened was naturally first-class, with an atmosphere of extreme profundity and mystery.

Looking around, this Fan Fan Dongtian named "Tian Shi Kai De Zhen Sui" contained no worldly human smoke.

Standing here, one saw only dense celestial stars and Shadows piled thick from the moon, a scene of high void and lightness that made the heart feel suddenly broadened, with an abrupt sensation of forgetting the mundane.

Chen Heng stood on the mountain peak, focused his spirit to observe carefully for a moment, and could not help but offer a praise.

"The Fan Fan Dongtian is the foundation of the Pure Yang Great Dao; if a cultivator wishes to prove their immortal career, they must use this object to coalesce the Nine Truths and verify the Mysterious Spirit; remember, in the future, unless at the critical moment of life and death, absolutely do not damage the foundation of your Fan Fan Dongtian; use it with caution."

Seeing this, Chen Chen Xiangxian casually remarked, then seemed to recall something and shook his head, saying:

"As for Chen Chen Yushu's Fan Fan Dongtian, it was destroyed by others back when he defected from the Dou Shu Sect.

Nowadays, that 'Shui Zhong Rongcheng Rongcheng Duming,' although a creation of a great immortal and nurtured by the efforts of several great experts, hailed as 'the discipline of myriad transformations, the latent residence of divine spirits,' and truly a heavy treasure of the Xiantian Mo Zong, no inferior to the Six Pure Star Platform, it is ultimately not Chen Chen Yushu's original possession."

"In other words, if Chen Chen Yushu wishes to advance his cultivation further, he must refine a new Fan Fan Dongtian?" Chen Heng asked.

"Correct; although refining a Fan Fan Dongtian again is not easy, for him, it is by no means an impossible task."

Chen Chen Xiangxian nodded slightly:

"And on the day when an extraordinary phenomenon of an equivalent Fan Fan Dongtian manifests at the Xiantian Mo Zong, six or seven times out of ten, it will surely be the moment Chen Chen Yushu succeeds."

"In Eldest Brother's view, how much longer can this Lei Zhi Jie trap him?"

"Judging by his scheme... the time is long, and it is hard to say."

Chen Chen Xiangxian shook his head.

"I know you are curious about the battle a thousand years ago: how was I able to break into the 'Shui Zhong Rongcheng Rongcheng Duming' Fan Fan Dongtian? And in my duel with him, how did I lose a move and nearly have my spirit and form extinguished?

Matters like these would take a long time to explain."

Chen Chen Xiangxian extended his hand in invitation:

"Please."

At this moment, green light suddenly rose, Jin Jin Guang flashed, and the four wilds became as bright as broad daylight.

In an instant, the cloud head dropped sharply, and the faint outline of a jade palace and tower observatory appeared in the sky.

"Please."

Chen Heng stepped aside to make way and spoke.

The furnishings in the Jade Palace were plain and simple, lacking excessive vessels or colorful hangings.

Once the two had entered and taken their seats, Chen Chen Xiangxian did not beat around the bush; he pointed a finger, and instantly a marvelous talisman appeared in Chen Heng's mind.

Suddenly, light and shadow flickered, and a buzzing sound filled his ears without cease.

It made one feel as though situated within an illusionary dream, completely unaware of where one's own body was.

"So that is how it is; the world actually holds such mysterious divine abilities..."

When Chen Heng finished digesting the contents within his mind, he silently inspected his state and realized that, without his noticing, more than half a day had quietly slipped away.

He opened his eyes to look at Chen Chen Xiangxian, who was pouring and drinking wine alone at the opposite table, and sighed:

"Dare I ask, Elder Brother, whose handiwork is this method exactly?"

The talisman Chen Chen Xiangxian had just transmitted was not some simple message; in truth, the talisman concealed an extremely superior Daoist divine ability.

Under the guidance of that divine ability, Chen Heng seemed to fall into the River of Time, breaking through the flow of light and time, and constantly surging upstream against the current.

He seemed to arrive a thousand years in the past, attaching his consciousness to Chen Chen Xiangxian's body to witness with his own eyes the peak battle between Chen Chen Xiangxian and Chen Chen Yushu.

He witnessed how both men exhausted all their methods, fighting to the death.

And finally, how Chen Chen Xiangxian lost by a single move, ending up with his physical body destroyed...

During this process, although hindered by the disparity in their Fa Li Jing Zhi Jie, Chen Heng was still far from being able to fully comprehend the combat methods of these two.

It was like viewing flowers through fog, vague and indistinct.

Yet, among them, occasional moves and forms truly stirred Chen Heng greatly, giving rise to many realizations in his heart...

"This is an Immortal Talisman I fortunately obtained in my youth; as for its origin, it is suspected to be a relic left behind by the Great Immortal Xiaotai of ancient times, and its function is to reflect upon the light and time of the past, allowing the user to be personally present within that scene."

Chen Chen Xiangxian answered:

"It is said that the specific purpose for which Great Immortal Xiaotai created this talisman was to teach his several disciples; unfortunately, the Dao Court suddenly collapsed, Great Immortal Xiaotai died tragically in the great calamity, and the lineage he founded was wiped out completely by the mastermind behind the scenes.

Nowadays, the inheritance he left behind in this world, apart from this Immortal Talisman capable of reflecting upon past light and time, consists only of a single Treasure Refining Art."

Speaking to this point, Chen Chen Xiangxian paused for a moment; after a short while, he continued speaking:

"Originally, before the battle, I used this talisman with the intention of leaving it for Master Yuanji and Chen Runzi, so that those two could temper their methods.

As a result of a strange twist of fate, it is now being handed over to you by my own hands, which is quite interesting..."

"This talisman is of great use to me; thank you, Elder Brother, for your generous gift!"

Chen Heng rose from his seat, bowed sincerely, and expressed his gratitude.

Although this Immortal Talisman was neither a magical treasure nor a medicinal pill, for Chen Heng, it surpassed the vast majority of precious items in the world and held extraordinary significance.

One must know that battles between those possessing great divine abilities can be described as changing in the blink of an eye.

Often, a single mistake or omission will be seized upon by an opponent as a fatal weakness, completely deciding the outcome of victory or defeat.

For this reason, most cultivators who have achieved success hide their own methods with extreme care.

They are absolutely unwilling to leak too much to the outside, lest someone discover clues.

Even wanting to observe a battle from the sidelines would invite some cold glances.

An Immortal Talisman like the one in Chen Chen Xiangxian's possession would be even more taboo and resented by others.

And Chen Heng was now destined to confront Chen Chen Yushu.

Between the two, either one dies or the other perishes; there is absolutely no possibility of shaking hands and making peace.

Since this is the case, being able to use this Immortal Talisman to personally familiarize himself with Chen Chen Yushu's methods would be of extraordinary utility to Chen Heng!

Although figures of the utmost caliber like Chen Chen Yushu and Chen Chen Xiangxian generally would not care too much about whether their methods were seen by others to some extent,

being able to familiarize oneself with some of Chen Chen Yushu's Daoist methods before the decisive battle arrives, preparing some countermeasures in advance, and reducing variables is always beneficial and without harm.

"Although I hold the Golden Cicada in my hand, which allows me to manifest my heart image within the Yi Zhen Fa Zhi Jie, that is ultimately limited to opponents of the same realm.

And whether Chen Chen Yushu will fight me fairly within the same realm at that time is still up for debate..."

Chen Heng thought silently in his heart.

Chen Chen Xiangxian looked at Chen Heng and opened his mouth:

"This is merely what ought to be done; why be so polite? It is just that a thousand years have passed after all; the present day is likely not like the past; do you understand?"

Chen Heng nodded slightly, having heard the implied meaning within Chen Chen Xiangxian's words.

At that time, Chen Chen Yushu already possessed the inheritance of Daoist Master Kongkong and the divine abilities of the Zhongtian Dou Shu Sect.

And after a thousand years had passed, he had openly gained the fortune of the Liu Sect and the assistance of the Xiantianmo Sect; his evil prestige must have grown even longer.

If one still keeps one's understanding of him stuck a thousand years in the past, one will undoubtedly suffer a great loss when the time comes.

"I just have one question I do not understand."

Chen Heng's face showed a solemn expression, his gaze slightly condensing: "I know that Chen Chen Yushu once received the inheritance of Daoist Master Kongkong, but after all, he never formally became a disciple, so he does not count as a member of the Zhi Jie Xian lineage; yet just now, when using the Immortal Talisman to reflect upon the past, why has this person learned so many Zhi Jie Xian divine abilities, and even possesses heavy treasures of the Zhi Jie Xian lineage?

Is that inheritance of Daoist Master Kongkong truly so generous?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Chen Xiangxian was slightly stunned; then, as if remembering something, a trace of cold mockery suddenly appeared on the corners of his lips.

He said:

"The so-called 'living body receives deliverance, calamity exists eternally'...

Calamity originates from people, calamity is extinguished by people; origin and extinction are free to people, calamity itself has no origin or extinction. These are the words personally inscribed by that Fuchan Fuchan Laozu of the Zhi Jie Xian in his own Dao field back in the day.

You can rest assured; although Chen Chen Yushu has received many benefits from Daoist Master Kongkong, at the critical moment of life and death, Daoist Master Kongkong will not step forward to defend him."

Speaking to this point, Chen Chen Xiangxian lightly shifted the topic and opened his mouth to say:

"And this Immortal Talisman is my first congratulatory gift as an elder brother celebrating your Golden Core formation; as for the second..."

Chen Heng reached out to take the scroll handed over by Chen Chen Xiangxian, fixed his gaze to examine it closely, and saw that it depicted various mountains, rivers, lakes, and marshes, clearly being a geographical map.

However, the Xudu Xudu Tianyu on this scroll was a turbid red color, as if dyed with crimson blood.

A single glance revealed a scene so ferocious and evil that it seemed no longer within Xu Du Heaven, but rather a vista from beyond the universe itself...

"The sword weapon you wield is Abi; this ancient killing sword boasts a formidable reputation, so much so that I myself once harbored thoughts of collecting it, yet due to various circumstances, I never followed through."

Chen Chen Xiangxian offered an explanation:

"And the map in your hand is one of the nine credentials left behind by the Wise One of Qin Jingzhi from the era of Dong Pan Tian.

All nine credentials were refined with immense magical power; possessing such an item signifies qualification to initiate the inheritance and contend for those fragments of the Abi Sword held by the Wise One of Qin Jingzhi. Regrettably, times have changed and circumstances shifted; today, Dong Pan Tian has long been seized by the Blood Demon lineage, transformed entirely into a land of calamity. Seeking traces of the inheritance within Dong Pan Tian, now reduced to a demonic lair of blood seas, is by no means an easy task.

However, if your heart is moved by this, I can extend a hand to assist you.

Within the next thousand years, I shall likely remain in seclusion cultivating within the Great Talisman Palace; whenever you are ready to act, simply send a message here."

The Blood Demon is one of the eight Wang Zu tribes of the Extra-Universe Heavenly Demons, possessing considerable strength, even surpassing the Great Sumera Son of Heaven Demon, who also belongs to the eight Wang Zu tribes.

Yet back then, although Chen Chen Xiangxian had clearly obtained the inheritance of the Wise One of Qin Jingzhi, he delayed for a long time before going to Dong Pan Tian to retrieve the Abi Sword.

Firstly, because the date for his decisive battle with Chen Chen Yushu was approaching, allowing no moment for distraction, requiring him to maintain his divine intent at its peak state.

As for the second reason.

That too was related to the strength of the Blood Demon tribe entrenched in Dong Pan Tian; these fellows were by no means easily dealt with...

"These two gifts from Elder Brother are truly too heavy, filling this humble one with apprehension."

Chen Heng gazed at the map in his hand, then withdrew his sight to look toward Chen Chen Xiangxian, unable to suppress a light sigh.

"Long before arriving in Xu Du Heaven, Chen Runzi and Master Master Yuanji both advised me on this matter several times, as if I were being exceedingly stingy regarding that inheritance from the Wise One of Qin Jingzhi."

Chen Chen Xiangxian raised his eyes and laughed:

"In truth, if thanks are to be given, you should not thank me, but rather these two.

As for congratulatory gifts, what I prepared beforehand was not limited to just these two items.

But now that you have achieved Elixir Achieves First Grade, upon returning to Yu Yu Yuchen, you are bound to soar straight to the clouds; I shall not presume to add my clumsy offerings."

Having spoken, without waiting for any reaction from Chen Heng, Chen Chen Xiangxian lightly clapped his palms.

Suddenly, fierce winds swept through the heavens, while the faint fragrance of flower branches drifted on the air.

A blazing peach tree, a hundred zhang tall with a canopy like clouds, pierced through the cloud qi, slowly extending a branch downward into the Jade Palace.

In an instant, falling petals danced in a colorful profusion, exuding a rich and exotic fragrance; everywhere one looked, branches bloomed wildly, resembling layered brocade spread with velvet, piled clouds of rosy mist and carved jade.

And those colorful falling petals possessed the aspect of flowing rainbows circling the rosy light, a sight truly magnificent to behold.

At this moment, several round and plump Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi, born from flower spirits, leaped out holding jade cups filled with nectar; they bowed, lifted the cups above their heads, and presented them with both hands before the two men.

At Chen Chen Xiangxian's gesture, Chen Heng casually took a cup, sipped slightly, and immediately felt his mind and spirit relax and become refreshed.

It was as if drinking a bowl of cold bean milk on a sweltering summer day; his spirits lifted, and he could not help but exclaim in praise, "Wonderful."

"This peach nectar is a specialty of Xu Huang Tian, nothing particularly rare; I boast that ordinarily I care little for luxurious enjoyment, yet this old relic from my youth is something I simply cannot bear to part with.

I heard that Grandfather once came to Yu Yu Yuchen and met you; when you eventually travel to Xu Huang Tian, perhaps you might stay a while longer, to better observe the geography and customs of Xu Huang Tian."

Chen Chen Xiangxian raised his cup with a smile and spoke in a hearty voice:

"Now that worldly matters are concluded and I have said all that needs saying, with such fine flowers and bright moon before us, we must not waste this time; please!"

"Elder Brother, please."

Chen Heng smiled freely, made no refusal, offered a toast, and then drained the contents of his cup in one gulp.

For a time, cups and chalices clinked together, host and guest alike reveling in joy.

And when the moon wheel overhead had completed another circuit, after the two had drunk freely and conversed at length, their enjoyment exhausted.

Just as Chen Heng rose to take his leave, Chen Chen Xiangxian suddenly stood up as well, calling out to stop him.

"Younger Brother, I wonder if you have heard the tale of 'Using the Branch to Seize the Trunk'?" he asked.

"This matter concerns much... I too have heard whispers of it in ordinary times."

Chen Heng's eyes flashed with light; after pausing briefly, he replied with a solemn expression.

In years past, Chen Chen Yushu used his arts to forcibly bind the karmic fruits of all his descendants to himself, diverting tribulations onto them.

Whether Chen Heng or Chen Zuo, Chen Ying, and others from the Xiantianmo Sect, none were exempt; all remained trapped within this net.

However, although this art was strange and insidiously harmful, it was by no means flawless.

To this day, several high experts and giants from the Bapailiu Sect have joined forces to deduce a method to break it.

That method is this: if a blood descendant of Chen Chen Yushu likewise knows the secret essentials and critical nodes of that art, and further cultivates a ritual specifically created by them for this purpose.

Under these premises, if they can slay Chen Chen Yushu, they may successfully invert the positive and negative, confuse creation and transformation, devour and seize Chen Chen Yushu's entire cultivation and Dao practice, making it their own.

From then on, tearing apart the bonds, soaring straight to the sky!

Thus—

This is precisely "Using the Branch to Seize the Trunk"!

However, while this conception is beautiful, accomplishing it presents no small difficulty.

Not to mention that Chen Chen Yushu, uniting the fortune of the Heliu Sect, has already become a veritable great figure within Xu Du Tian.

Since beginning his cultivation, he has always crushed opponents of the same realm without equal, truly earning a fearsome reputation!

Moreover, that insidious art is guarded extremely tightly by Chen Chen Yushu.

After several high experts jointly deduced the method to break "Using the Branch to Seize the Trunk," Chen Chen Yushu, to eliminate future troubles, spared no cost and utilized favors from the Zhi Jie Xian lineage to place a Dao prohibition upon that art.

Nowadays, that art has become Chen Chen Yushu's exclusive possession.

Even if an ordinary person, blessed with great fortune, luckily obtained the complete text of the art, under the influence of the Dao prohibition, they would still be unable to comprehend its secret essentials, able only to cry out in helplessness...

"Because Chen Chen Yushu fears human tribulation, he has plotted endlessly against all his descendants, hating nothing more than to eat our skin and sleep on our flesh, solely to achieve a peace of mind free from worry."

Chen Chen Xiangxian gazed at Chen Heng, smiled slightly, swept his sleeve, and extended a hand toward Chen Heng, his eyes bright as torches:

"Since that is so, let us make a wager; let us see exactly who is Chen Chen Yushu's human tribulation! And who can 'Use the Branch to Seize the Trunk,' taking that old dog's life first, to comfort the spirits of the dead!"

"Using the branches to seize the trunk?"

At this moment, Chen Heng suddenly recalled Chen Chen Xiangxian's earlier words, "The living body receives deliverance, surviving through every tribulation," and his expression tightened slightly.

"With Eldest Brother's heaven-penetrating cultivation, would you still need to gamble with a mere Jin Dan cultivator like me?"

He reined in his thoughts and spoke with a smile.

"Before achieving the Dao, Fire Dragon Master made his living herding horses and hunting; back then, who could have known that a mere commoner would one day become the chief of the Dao Court's Eight Hundred Great Spirit Officials, commanding the Doushen Celestial Generals? Why must Younger Brother joke so?"

Chen Chen Xiangxian spoke with fervor, saying casually, "As for the stakes, let us use this peach tree as the wager!

If you win, this tree shall belong to you; if I win, you must find another tree seed for me to make a pair within this Fan Fan Dongtian. How does that sound?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Heng let out a loud laugh; without any hesitation, he strode forward to meet him.

The two exchanged a glance, each seeing a trace of Tianchi Jiang's heroic spirit in the other's eyes, and said nothing more.

Laughing heartily, they raised their hands and struck palms three times as an oath, finally sealing this agreement!

……

……

At the same time.

In Dongmi Province, within a vast green-gray mountain valley.

Ancestor Weiling Daojun, who had been sitting cross-eyed in meditation with closed eyes, suddenly shifted in expression and stood up.

He looked upward and saw the layer of Gang Qi above his head suddenly tremble.

Vast clouds burst apart in chaos, swirling like a tide, with a solemn and majestic atmosphere.

At this moment, countless golden Lei Jin Guang streaked from the depths of the boundless universe, colliding as they swept across, filling the void; they possessed a terrifying momentum capable of shaking the Four Symbols and opening the roots of heaven and earth, leaving onlookers clicking their tongues in awe and filling their hearts with dread!

"Congratulations, Xiao Xiao Shixiong, on returning after breaking through the tribulation; now that you have overcome another hurdle on the path to Dao Integration, it seems the fruit of the Celestial Immortal is not far off!"

Seeing this, Ancestor Weiling Daojun's face broke into joy, and he nodded as he spoke.

The countless Lei Jin Guang retracted in unison as they approached Xudou Heaven, transforming into a wisp of mysterious qi that silently pierced through the Gang Qi layer and fell into the valley, revealing the figure of Master Master Tongxuan.

"Without plucking the immortal karma, one can never achieve transcendence; only the supreme fruit of the Celestial Immortal allows one to seek true freedom...

In my early years, I carelessly strayed onto a wrong path, leading to a lifetime of regret; now, reborn in this life, having expended infinite fruits of Ku Xiu Gong, I have finally seen some hint of hope."

Master Master Tongxuan sighed lightly, filled with emotion in his heart, then waved his hand and said:

"However, Junior Brother exaggerates; among the Nine Difficulties of Dao Integration, I have merely taken another step forward; regarding the realization of the great realm of the Celestial Immortal, there is still some distance to cross."

"Our path of re-cultivation is inherently difficult; that Xiao Xiao Shixiong could, with great resolve, abandon your Dao Fruit in those years to come again proves your heart for the Dao is courageously decisive beyond compare, something I cannot match... And today, with your Mei Mei Gongxing advancing once more, congratulations are certainly in order!"

Ancestor Weiling rarely smiled so broadly, clearly in high spirits due to this sight.

Just as Master Master Tongxuan was about to reply, the Dragon-Tiger Jade Wang Ruyi at his waist suddenly flashed with light, emitting waves of strange brilliance.

As if perceiving something, he raised his fingers to form a seal, letting out a soft sound of surprise.

Immediately after, he summoned the talisman letter sent half a month ago by Daojun Fu Yu Daojun, opened it, and a look of joy appeared on his face as well.

"It seems today is truly a day of double happiness!"

He handed the talisman letter to Ancestor Weiling, joyfully stroking his beard as he let out a booming laugh.

This thunderous sound shook the vast sky, echoing endlessly within the valley, causing the old ape and Zhou Ji nearby to cover their ears with their hands and involuntarily retreat several steps.

"Laughing so happily, what good news? Are we going to feast until we are full?"

Zhou Ji exchanged a puzzled glance with the old ape beside him.

Yet Zhou Ji, after all, knew quite a bit of the inside story.

His thoughts turning, he vaguely guessed what had happened; a trace of embarrassment appeared on his old face, and he helplessly thought:

"Could it be that brat Chen Heng has achieved Elixir Achieves First Grade? With Elixir Achieves First Grade, he is bound to take disciples... In that case, how can Old Zhou hide his identity?

When we meet again, I'm afraid it won't be easy to continue playing the part of a Gaorenzuo Sect expert..."

……

……

Half a month passed in a flash.

On this day, a golden bell suddenly rang at Zhou Xingdian, emitting a great tremor.

The ringing sound resonated through the Heavenly River, each chime louder than the last, instantly causing the myriad mountains to echo in response, the Gang clouds to split abruptly, and auspicious light to break through the cloud cover.

"It's coming, it's coming!"

Having long received the news and waited for quite some time, Elder Mi Mi Jingshi straightened his clothes and hat once more, paced out of his cave dwelling, and murmured:

"Today is the day, it is today!"

(End of Chapter)

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