Chapter 407: Mysterious Indeed is Yu Chen, Eternal Prosperity for Ten Thousand Ages

Rain flowers fell and rose in the air, scattered then lifted, as if the myriad spirits of the nine directions were performing a whirling dance, utterly dreamlike and bewildering, leaving one's eyes unable to take it all in.

Brilliant light burst forth, dazzling and radiant in thousands of hues, making the waters of the vast Wang Wang Xiao Daze below the clouds equally splendid and gorgeous, like a pure world of bright light, truly marvelous!

At that moment, after the sound of laughter faded, all these strange phenomena converged and vanished, leaving the void open.

It was the ninth-tier hall platform, originally shrouded in misty cloud-light, that shook with a thunderous boom, revealing its true form.

Chen Heng saw that the upper hall contained three Xue Xuan Platforms in total, upon which sat three great Dao Lords, above whom hovered canopies of celebratory clouds adorned with gemmed necklaces and towering purple qi, from which infinite auspicious light shone down, vast and boundless, causing the mind and spirit to sway, daring not to look up.

On the three Xue Xuan Platforms, the amiable Daoist sitting in the central position was naturally Master Master Tongxuan, while to his left and right sat Wei Ling and Shan Xiao Jian respectively.

As for Sect Leader Pei Pei Shuyang, he sat calmly below the three ancestral masters, with two golden-robed Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi standing respectfully around him, one holding a seal 【Peng Yin】, the other grasping a talisman, their eyes both hiding glints of sharp light and their faces bearing a clear aura.

Even though they were merely attendants, their cultivation was extraordinary, surpassing that of most cultivators...

"Dao Lord Ancestral Masters..."

Mi Mi Jingshi's breath hitched, thinking silently.

"I did not expect that merely accepting a disciple would trouble all your great presences; shameful, truly shameful."

Master Master Tongxuan swept his gaze around, his vision stopping on an old woman in the corner of the hall, her head full of silver threads, wearing a thorn hairpin and cloth skirt.

He shook his head, pointing a finger at the old woman and smiling lightly as he said:

"Qiao Shimei Shi has accomplished a great feat in Hongjing Heaven, unifying Liyang Luzhou; since my friend Qiu Feng opened the sect and established the school, the long-cherished wish of countless Daoist priests of the Tianchi Sect has finally been fulfilled by you, congratulations, congratulations!

But instead of hurrying to organize affairs within your sect, you personally came to Xiaoming Xiao Daze to congratulate me; this is putting the cart before the horse."

At these words, several True Persons immediately changed color, turning their eyes one after another toward the old woman, and a slight murmur arose in the hall.

"Hongjing Heaven, Tianchi Sect?"

The Gongsun brothers exchanged a glance, frowning slightly, before Gongsun Long finally transmitted his voice to explain to Chen Heng:

"True Person Chen may not know that the Tianchi Sect is a rare Daoist lineage within Hongjing Heaven, rooted in Liyang Luzhou, one of the four continents of Hongjing; due to boundaries, spiritual energy, and various other reasons, they have been enemies of the Southern Void Demon Kingdom for many years.

But not long ago, the Tianchi Sect expelled the Southern Void Demon Kingdom from Hongjing Heaven and unified Liyang Luzhou; the Tianchi Sect of today can be considered quite formidable."

Since returning from Yangrang Mountain to Xiaoming Xiao Daze, Chen Heng had remained at Master Master Tongxuan's dojo to listen to teachings, during which time the Gongsun brothers happened to come to consult Master Master Tongxuan on methods for Tribulation Crossing due to the severity of the Three Calamities.

Through this back-and-forth, and with mutual intention, he and these two had become quite familiar.

"Hongjing Heaven, is it?"

Chen Heng nodded in acknowledgment, transmitting his voice to express thanks.

The old woman under Master Master Tongxuan's gaze bowed and smiled, saying: "If not for Xiao Xiao Shixiong's help, how could our sect have expelled the Southern Void Demon Kingdom and occupied an entire continent? For kindness such as this, even being crushed to powder and broken bones would not be enough repayment; now that Xiao Xiao Shixiong has accepted a beloved disciple, no matter what, this old woman ought to come and offer congratulations."

"Qiao Shimei will sooner or later be one of us; there is no need to be so polite."

Master Master Tongxuan shook his head, then looked at a small Daoist boy who looked as if carved from pink jade, and opened his mouth: "And you rascal, could it be that your pockets are empty again, and you wish to come here to scrape together some benefits?"

The small Daoist laughed loudly: "Elder, you are so unreasonable; you finally accept a disciple, and I neglected fighting life-and-death battles with that group of slick bald thieves to come here with great difficulty to offer congratulations, yet Elder still wants to mock me?"

Master Master Tongxuan did not bother engaging him further, only turning his gaze to the Palace Lord of Xiangwang of the Chiming Sect to exchange a few polite words.

Palace Lord Xiangwang bowed with knuckles to the ground and respectfully stated:

"I dare not deceive the Dao Lord; after hearing the news, our sect's Ancestral Master Tai Wen Miao Cheng originally intended to come personally, but was invited by Great Sage Tianxuan of the Deer Division to assist beyond the heavens, and thus could not make the journey."

Master Master Tongxuan shook his head: "This is merely a ceremony for transmitting the lineage, not an investiture of a Dao Son; what need is there for him to come here personally? Fellow Brother Fu Yu of the Talisman Fool Palace and several other comrades were also dissuaded by me; making too grand a display is never a good thing, and furthermore..."

Master Master Tongxuan added a teasing remark: "That Ancestral Master of your sect has rather unclean hands; if he were to come to Xiaoming Xiao Daze to congratulate me, this old man would have to open his eyes wide and guard carefully.

The Nine Curved Pearl that was agreed upon a thousand years ago to be lent to him for a few months of play is still guesting in Chiming even now; if he comes a few more times, I fear the foundation of our sect will be moved empty by him!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Ling on the Dharma Platform could not help but clap his hands and laugh, while even Shan Xiao Jian, usually stern and dignified, stroked his beard, a smile on his lips.

Palace Lord Xiangwang's face showed an embarrassed expression, and he hurriedly bowed again, lowering his head.

Eight Sects of Profound Truth, Elders of the Liu Sect.

Whether they were virtuous elders from noble clans, great divine ability practitioners renowned across the four seas, or those from high gates and great sects of the outer universe...

When swept by Master Master Tongxuan's gaze, all those in the hall who were looked upon were utterly respectful, performing rites with great humility, daring not to be negligent in the slightest.

And Master Master Tongxuan did not speak much; after a few brief exchanges of pleasantries, a group of celestial maidens and fairy goddesses entered, respectfully inviting the cultivators in the hall to take their seats, and bringing out precious items like Yuan Pellets and Heavenly Nectar to share with all the cultivators...

They burned incense for ten directions and drank the water of Dan Hua.

They proclaimed the prohibitions at the straight altar and struck the ruler to recite the precepts—

The rules for learning the Dao between sects, unlike those of noble clans or immortal dynasties in various ways, are mostly transmitted from master to disciple.

Thus, between master and disciple, there is the grace of imparting teachings and transmitting the Dao, and the karma of inheriting the lineage.

If speaking of intimacy, it even surpasses that of blood relatives or father and son!

Between the two, they are truly one body!

Since this is so, the matter of accepting a disciple is naturally not trivial, indeed a major event, and Yu Yu Yuchen is a great immortal sect that has been powerful since ancient times until now, so there are naturally laws and regulations within the sect.

Matters such as grand ceremonies and rituals would naturally not be handled carelessly or perfunctorily.

At this moment, after being led to the upper hall, burning incense and drinking water, and listening to the Dharma precepts.

Chen Heng took a step back and looked up.

He was currently located in Zhouxingshangdian, before him were arranged an incense table, a Dharma altar, and various other items, with curling incense smoke rising like yang energy issuing from Kun, and a canopy of flowers overhead.

Not far away stood Fire Dragon Shangren, serving as the "Praise-Guiding Dharma Master" for this ceremony, along with a group of Daoist children holding bells and clappers.

When the rhythm sounded, the clear tones were stirring and high, stopping the moving clouds—

Fire Dragon Shangren said:

"Scholars of the Upper Learning, cultivate and recite the Profound Scriptures; these are treasures of the Upper Heaven, not transmitted to the lower world, possessing boundless rare treasures, embodying the Dao to save people; after you listen and receive them, you must revere and uphold them!"

Upon hearing this, a Daoist child stepped out from the crowd, a smile on his face, holding up the scriptures to present them; Chen Heng dared not be negligent, bowed in salute, and received them with both hands.

Fire Dragon Shangren said:

"The Dharma has steps, and positions have ranks of Fan Pin; whenever one wishes to issue summons and commands, one must first be matched with a seal, thus the soldiers turn with the seal; after you receive and uphold it, do not forget the words of truth, and do not give rise to greed or anger!"

A Daoist child bowed and presented the Dharma seal, and Chen Heng received the seal as well.

The Fire Dragon High Priest said:

"Acting on behalf of Heaven to transform the world, issuing commands and proclaiming awe, suppressing the unrighteousness of the myriad demons relies entirely on the divine edge of this three-foot blade. Wherever the Dharma Sword points, the heavens clear and the earth settles, ghosts and demons tremble in terror; I now entrust it to you—guard it well!"

After receiving it, Chen Heng bowed once more.

……

Scriptures, seals, divine swords, and Dharma techniques.

Once each item had been conferred in turn, the Fire Dragon High Priest led the group of Daoist youths to bow deeply to Ancestor Fu Shen, then withdrew from the upper hall.

Afterwards, Master Master Tongxuan descended from the Cangguang Cangguang Xuantai to personally join Chen Heng in drafting the words, splitting the contract and dividing the ring.

The master held the left half of the deed, the disciple the right; a golden knife split them down the middle, sealing an eternal vow of faith.

At this moment, Master Master Tongxuan's expression was grave and solemn; looking at Chen Heng, he spoke with emotion:

"With the Elixir Achieves First Grade, you may ascend in broad daylight; your body equals the Post-Heaven, forever unaging. You have finally reached this stage today. And to achieve a First-Grade Elixir—looking across the entire Bapailiu Sect, such a feat is exceedingly rare. As the saying goes, without heavy rewards one cannot repay extraordinary merit. Chen Heng..."

"Disciple is present."

Chen Heng replied with a bowed fist.

"I grant you thirty Lower-Yuan Power Warriors and twelve thousand Wood-Store Daoist Soldiers to execute talismanic edicts and subdue demonic spirits; furthermore, I add three Ji-grade spiritual veins and twenty Geng-grade spiritual veins, so you may properly nurture your subjects and strengthen your wings."

Hearing this, the cultivators of the Four Seas in the halls below could not help but show moved expressions; yet the Bapailiu Sect had always been immensely wealthy, and over time, though they felt deeply touched, they had grown accustomed to Yu Yu Yuchen's such grand gestures.

However, several cultivators from beyond the domains who had accompanied their elders to witness the ceremony clicked their tongues in astonishment, strange lights flashing repeatedly in their eyes, wishing they could take his place, burning with envy and excitement!

"I will divide the land and grant you fiefdoms: the sixteen kingdoms east of Pan Water shall become your personal domain, permitted to be transmitted through sixteen generations, passed down era after era, so your descendants may forever enjoy luxury, honor, and nobility."

Many among the aristocratic families fell silent upon hearing this, momentarily at a loss for words.

"I will elevate your status: for daily travel, you are permitted to use the Great Evolution Sun Ritual Golden Carriage and the Broad Longevity Cloud Bed; you may erect banners of great nobility to display your dignified presence... I also bestow upon you one set of the Profound Imperial Myriad-Difference Dharma Robe, which wards off the five weapons and neutralizes water and fire."

Mi Mi Jingshi and Luan Shuo's pupils contracted slightly, and they exchanged glances.

Many elders of Yu Yu Yuchen likewise felt their hearts stir, looking at one another in silence.

"Though the Great Evolution Sun Ritual Golden Carriage and the Broad Longevity Cloud Bed are precious, I too have ridden them... but that Profound Imperial Myriad-Difference Dharma Robe was a cherished possession of the Patriarch before he attained the Dao; it seems the Patriarch truly intends to transmit his mantle," the Gongshu brothers thought silently, exchanging a glance.

"I will also grant you authority, effective from this day forward—"

Master Master Tongxuan lifted his eyelids and suddenly smiled faintly:

"From this day forth, you shall be an Officer of the Zhou Xingdian, ranking below the Left and Right Hall Masters and the various Elders.

When you one day achieve the Primordial Spirit and cultivate a Dharma Aspect, you shall become an Elder of the Zhou Xingdian!"

At these words, a murmur finally rose in the hall, which had been quiet for so long, as if those present could no longer restrain themselves.

Even with the three Patriarchs present, the expressions of the cultivators in the hall shifted, as though they had heard something inconceivable!

"Not a spiritual treasure, not merit points, nor a position in the Xuanjiaodian..."

Luan Shuo paid no heed to the strange looks of his fellow disciples around him; he only clenched his fists tightly within his sleeves, barely able to suppress the wild joy surging in his heart:

"The Zhou Xingdian! My earlier guess was correct; it truly is the Zhou Xingdian!"

Yu Yu Yuchen possesses Nine Halls and Four Courts:

The Nine Halls are the Gongdedian, Dao Bing, Danfudian, Lingbao, Dao Lu, Dazhidian, Xuanjiaodian, Shifangdian, and Zhou Xingdian; along with the four courts of Chen Qingyang, Changying, Baishang, and Li Li Xuanying.

The Four Courts are cultivation grounds for junior disciples, requiring no further mention.

As for the Nine Halls, they are the fundamental and critical grounds of Yu Yu Yuchen, the true seat governing all directions!

The Dao Lu Hall houses scriptures and classics collected by Yu Yu Yuchen since ancient times, among which the Twenty-Five Zheng Fa serve as the foundation establishing the sect.

The precious treasures and spiritual materials within the Lingbao Hall are countless; this hall specializes in crafting magical treasures and artifacts, such as the Purple Mi Treasure Robe, the Yu Jing Flying Palace, and the Great Evolution Sun Ritual Golden Carriage, all originating from this hall.

The Xuanjiaodian oversees penalties and disciplinary rules, the Shifangdian manages miscellaneous affairs and spiritual mechanisms, the Gongdedian is the venue for evaluating merit, and the Danfudian oversees pill refining and talisman creation.

The Dao Bing Hall is the crucial ground for cultivating Power Warriors, Divine Generals, and Zhou Zhou Fujia puppets; for attacking mountains and destroying temples, cleansing demonic miasmas, and the like, the troops of this hall are indispensable.

Meanwhile, the Dazhidian serves as a pure cultivation ground for certain sect members of extremely senior generation and profound cultivation who prefer not to manage worldly affairs.

Each of the Nine Halls has its own duties, and generally, it is difficult to rank their status as higher or lower.

However, if one must discuss it in detail, the Zhou Xingdian holds the most honored and prominent status!

The two characters 'Zhou Xing' are taken from the meaning 'circulating endlessly, it can be the mother of all under Heaven'; this hall can oversee all affairs within the sect, bearing the weight of the pivotal balance.

This single fact alone reveals its difference from the other eight halls!

Furthermore, the position of Hall Master of the Zhou Xingdian has always been personally held by the Dao Son, without exception.

For this reason, this hall also bears the alternative name of the Dao Son Hall.

In truth, speaking strictly, upon merely achieving the Jin Dan, a disciple of Yu Yu Yuchen would receive a personal appointment from a Dao Lord Patriarch and be granted a position within the Zhou Xingdian.

Within the past five hundred years, there has been only one such person: Jun Yao.

Counting further back, it was still Pei Pei Shuyang.

Of these two, one was the former Dao Son, and the other is none other than the current Supreme Sect Master of Yu Yu Yuchen.

As for the others, such as the current Hall Masters of the Nine Halls, Yu Yu Yuchen's Xue Xuan Zhen, or true disciples like Ji Fa Kai, Zhang Zhang Taichu, and Zhang Shou.

After these individuals achieved the Jin Dan, they went either to the Dao Lu, the Lingbao, or the Xuanjiaodian.

In short, not a single person, upon achieving the Jin Dan, easily obtained a position in the Zhou Xingdian.

Even those who eventually took office in the Zhou Xingdian did so only after achieving the Primordial Spirit and fighting to the death for the sect, establishing great merit...

For this reason, Master Master Tongxuan's words just now naturally caused shock among the various true disciples in the hall, inevitably stirring their thoughts.

Especially given the current situation where the position of Dao Son remains vacant.

Master Master Tongxuan's actions thus became even more thought-provoking...

"Without establishing extraordinary merit, how can one accept such extraordinary promotion?... Given his deeds, entering the Zhou Xingdian with the body of a Jin Dan cultivator is not considered too excessive," Elder Xun thought silently, his eyes flashing.

The nine-eyed duck on his shoulder hopped joyfully, and just as it was about to cry out, Elder Xun swiftly seized its neck with agile hands, pulling it back into his sleeve to suppress it.

The nine-eyed duck on his shoulder hopped up joyfully; just as it was about to cry out, Elder Xun swiftly seized its neck and tucked it back into his sleeve to suppress it.

"Xiao Xiao Shixiong Ji..."

A heroic-looking man, his expression heavy and solemn, tilted his head and looked upward with worry.

In the seat of honor above him sat a young cultivator with eyes like dark pools and an extremely stern appearance.

As for the heroic man's gaze, that young cultivator paid it no heed.

He simply picked up a golden pill from a jade plate with his own hands, placed it in his mouth, closed his eyes slightly, and maintained a calm demeanor, showing neither joy nor sorrow.

"To slay that Divine Descent Body of the Demonic Master within the same realm—out of all the Nine Provinces and Four Seas, how many could achieve such a monumental feat?"

After a brief silence, Zhang Zhang Taichu shook his head and whispered via voice transmission to several fellow disciples beside him: "Do not harbor doubts!"

Fu Fu Yankang, clad in a great red dharma robe, shifted his gaze upward, lost in thought.

Zhang Shou lowered his eyelids slightly and suddenly let out a low chuckle...

"The offspring of Chen Chen Yushu, once nearly reviled by everyone, has actually become a true disciple of our sect, and even a strong candidate to contend for the Dao Son? Truly, the ways of this world are hard to predict."

The Hall Master of Lingbao, appearing as a youth, raised his long eyebrows slightly, his expression subtle.

And recalling how Elders Xun and Wang had once fought over Chen Heng's life, a conflict only resolved by his personal intervention, the Hall Master of Lingbao felt even more strongly that the workings of heaven were unpredictable.

He exchanged a glance with Fire Dragon Shangren, who had just withdrawn from the upper hall; the meaning between them was self-evident...

Just as the various cultivators in the hall harbored their own thoughts, Chen Heng's heart was also slightly surprised.

Previously, while listening to teachings, Master Master Tongxuan had never revealed even a hint of this matter to him.

Chen Heng had assumed he would either secure a prestigious position in the Dao Record Hall, or become a powerful officer in the Xuanjiaodian; even studying the art of transmutation in the Danfudian was not impossible.

Yet he never expected his assignment would fall upon the Zhou Xingdian; this matter was indeed quite unexpected...

He fell silent for a moment, then slowly raised his eyes to look forward.

Among the three Dao Ancestor Patriarchs, Master Master Tongxuan still wore a smile on his face.

When Ancestor Weiling saw him looking over, he nodded slightly.

Only Shan Xiao Jian remained calm-faced, like a temple deity statue, solemn and dignified, revealing no clues to his thoughts.

At this moment, Sect Master Pei Pei Shuyang moved his feet; he first bowed respectfully to the three Patriarchs, then turned to face the cultivators in the hall, smiling gently:

"A great calamity is about to arise, and dark tides churn between the universes; in this era of great contention, that a junior disciple has achieved an Elixir of the First Grade is truly a fortune for our sect, a blessing for our mountain gate!

Fellow Daoist Brothers, I hold this cup to offer congratulations to Yu Yu Yuchen!"

He took the golden cup presented with both hands by the Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi, drained it in one gulp, then bowed solemnly toward the sky and laughed loudly, declaring:

"Mysterious is Yu Yu Yuchen, eternal prosperity for ten thousand ages!"

The myriad true cultivators below the hall dared not be negligent; all composed their expressions, silenced their voices, prostrated themselves in reverence, and cried out:

"Mysterious is Yu Yu Yuchen, eternal prosperity for ten thousand ages!"

For a moment, it seemed like mountains shouting and seas roaring, splitting the heavens and cracking the earth!

The grand sound grew louder and louder, more and more intense, issuing from within the hall to reach the ninth heaven clouds, stirring the great marsh to tremble and causing the strong winds to surge wildly!

Meanwhile, the great bronze bell hanging in the Zhou Xingdian also shook, emitting a resonant chime that instantly spread throughout Dongmi, its sound reaching the utmost void!

Seeing this scene, Master Master Tongxuan smiled slightly on his face and said with emotion:

"Finally, I shall add a name to you... The Dao scriptures say: Before chaos, there was only the Great Void; at the beginning of chaos, the Great Harmony resided therein.

As for the sage, his virtue aligns with heaven and earth, his brightness with the sun and moon; that which cannot be imaged lies within the imaged; yin and harmony blend, qi and spirit blend; this Great Harmony is what is called the Dao.

From this day forth, your Daoist title shall be 'Taihe'! And from this day forth, you are a true disciple of Yu Yu Yuchen, and my, Master Tongxuan's, first disciple!"

The various cultivators in the hall once again offered congratulations, crying out in reverence like mountain shouts; the booming sound rose again, like tidal waves, each wave higher than the last!

"Taihe, Taihe..."

Chen Heng took a deep breath and slowly steadied his mind.

He looked down below the hall, seeing Daoist True Cultivators such as the Hall Master of Lingbao and Elder Xun, Nine Hall Elders such as Elder Mi Mi Jingshi, Luan Shuo, and Hunsu Yuan Zhi.

He saw fellow disciples such as Zhang Zhang Taichu and Shen Cheng.

And even old friends from the lower courtyard such as Jiang Jiang Daolian, Mi Hui, and He He Manzi...

His gaze landed on Master Qiao Rui, whose face was brimming with smiles; he paused for an instant, then looked past her shoulder further ahead, seeing the Xiaoming Xiao Daze, which seemed boundless as the sky.

Ten thousand cultivators came to congratulate, and the hall was filled with true experts!

Since coming to this world, he had ventured into the Southern Region, entered the Earth Abyss, bowed before Yu Yu Yuchen, descended into the Eastern Sea, traveled through Western Su, journeyed across the world, and endured repeated setbacks.

Through it all, he faced life and death several times, experienced hardships, and finally attained his current cultivation, eventually standing within the Zhou Xingdian, standing upon the platform.

At this moment.

Even with Chen Heng's current disposition, he felt a brief moment of trance.

From now on, he would no longer be a string puppet at the mercy of others.

Though great enemies still stood before him, given time, he might yet leap out of the chessboard and become the hand that moves the pieces!

All that came before is as if it died yesterday.

All that comes after is as if born today...

After a moment of silence, a slight smile suddenly appeared on Chen Heng's face.

Under the gaze of the cultivators below the hall, he faced Master Master Tongxuan, bowed low to perform the disciple's rites, his demeanor solemn and his movements meticulous.

"Mysterious is Yu Yu Yuchen, eternal prosperity for ten thousand ages."

He said softly.

At the same moment.

Chiming Sect, Mount Mount Lutai.

Seeing Seeing Qingzhi, who had been sleeping sprawled on a cloud couch, suddenly sprang up like a carp leaping, her whole body trembling, the flesh on her cheeks quivering.

As if sensing something, she raised her head and looked in the direction of the Nine Emperors Constant Sun Golden Palace Cave Heaven.

Moments later, a sudden clap of thunder shook the sky, followed immediately by Jin Jin Guang falling like rain and layers of auspicious qi spreading out to obscure dozens of li!

"The Young Lady has finally emerged from seclusion!"

Seeing Seeing Qingzhi jumped up and down, clapping her hands with great joy.

(End of Chapter)

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