Chapter 449: Heaven and Earth Separate the Dark and the Bright

Several days later, in the capital of the Gelu-Tuanyang Kingdom.

The rising sun had just ascended, and morning mist drifted gently.

Chen Heng sat upright on a jade platform in the Main Hall; to his left, seated in order of precedence, were Xue Jing, Yang Yang Kezhen, and several other elders of the Yuchenben Sect, while to his right, Wang Yun, Cai Qing, and other Gelu cultivators took their seats according to the level of their cultivation; everyone in the hall was solemn and silent, with only Shen Cheng holding several scrolls and speaking eloquently.

After a short while, once Shen Cheng smiled, offered a bow, tucked away the scrolls, and retreated to his seat, Chen Heng swept his gaze across the assembly and first offered a polite remark:

"The campaign in Gelu lasted a long time; without the assistance of you all, I fear I could not have become the master of this land."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Heng gave a signal, and two strongmen carried a stone screen into the hall.

Hanging on the screen was a large map; observing the detailed borders, mountains, rivers, cities, and other features marked upon it, it was clearly none other than this very Gelu beneath the cultivators' feet.

"Junior Brother Shen accompanied me here to break the enemy and merited great achievement; recently, he has overseen the general administration and sorted out the spoils from various places, expending no small amount of effort."

Chen Heng took a cloud-patterned golden brush and drew a circle on the map:

"Let this land serve as a slight token of my gratitude."

Upon hearing this, Shen Cheng hastily raised his head to look, and saw that the area within the circle was precisely a famous mountain and scenic spot in Gelu, where several excellent spirit veins ran through the peaks, and which furthermore produced abundant spiritual materials such as Zimu wood and Wumian Jade.

Although he had long anticipated that rewards would be bestowed from above, now that he actually saw the tangible benefit, Shen Cheng could not help but smile, hastily rising to express his thanks.

He was one of the ten disciples who had entered the Xiaoming Xiao Daze at the same time as Chen Heng, and among that cohort, apart from He He Lizi, Wei Wei Daofu, and a mere handful of others, most had been rushing about everywhere, exhausting themselves for the sake of sect merit and securing a place within the mountain gates.

To now earn a famous Gelu mountain as a cultivation ground was, for Shen Cheng, quite a significant benefit.

Although he would not reside there permanently, whether selling the mountain's spiritual materials at the Immortal Market or using this cultivation ground to nurture strongmen, talisman armor, and the like, it was an excellent choice.

One must know that not every Yu Yuchen disciple is like Chen Heng, who, upon first entering the Xiaoming Xiao Daze, immediately had such a fine cultivation ground as Changli Island available for shelter.

And today, because he followed Chen Heng, he had gained a foundation on the Earth Continent; in days to come, he might well take another step forward.

To establish a cultivation ground of his own within the Xiaoming Xiao Daze!

At this moment, after Shen Cheng bowed his head in thanks, Chen Heng's voice did not pause; he continued to sketch upon the map with his brush, and with every stroke, everyone turned their eyes to watch.

Cai Qing's eyes flickered slightly; glancing at the cultivators beside him, some joyful, some exhilarated, he could not quite define his own feelings, only sighing silently in his heart.

Although the cultivators in this hall had long submitted to Chen Heng, only after today's division of land and territory was the hierarchy truly established, and only then could they be considered to have thoroughly thrown in their lot with Chen Heng's faction.

As retainers and subjects, they would naturally benefit when there were achievements to be had, and could also use Chen Heng's name to intimidate surrounding powers, large and small.

But on ordinary days, they would not merely take benefits without exerting effort.

Regularly offering tribute and serving as claws, teeth, eyes, and ears were duties they ought to fulfill.

If a dharma decree descended, they would be required to join campaigns, fight bravely, and charge fiercely into battle.

It was like vines clinging to a giant tree.

Between the two parties, to speak of it, the relationship was one where glory and ruin were shared alike!

As for finally finding reliance in Chen Heng as a backer, Cai Qing was indeed delighted, feeling it was another stroke of good fortune he had encountered since leaving the Wuling Sect, yet the worries in his heart stemmed from hidden circumstances that he truly could not set aside.

Amidst such complex emotions, in the blink of an eye, several tea-infusion periods flew by.

At this moment, after the fully annotated map was removed by the strongmen, Chen Heng offered a bow, and the cultivators in the hall likewise bowed deeply in return; upon exiting the main hall, they enthusiastically engaged in conversation, discussing the size of the lands each had received and the quality of the spirit veins.

Cai Qing, however, could not be bothered to attend to Cai Zhang beside him; after exchanging a few polite words with fellow cultivators Wang Yun and Dong Qu, he directly rode a cloud back to his quarters, appearing deeply unsettled, and when night fell, under Cai Zhang's surprised gaze, he leaped into flight and vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.

"This matter... I wonder if the Old Master will approve?"

Lowering his cloud and waiting outside Chen Heng's hall for announcement, Cai Qing tugged at his grizzled beard as he pondered.

After a short while, when he followed the Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi into the Main Hall, he saw only Chen Heng and Xue Jing playing a game of Go; on the board, black and white stones were interlaced, invading, killing, attacking, and defending, each following its own strategy.

Cai Qing originally did not wish to disturb the enjoyment of these two, so he simply stood aside with hands hanging down.

Later invited forward, after much deliberation, Cai Qing finally voiced the worry in his heart, looking expectantly at Chen Heng.

"True Person Cai fears that the one from the Golden Sect of Zhenwu Mountain will come forward to seek revenge, and thus his heart is troubled?"

Xue Jing pondered for a moment and said:

"There is reason in that; that Martial Dao Golden Body suffered no small loss coming to Gelu this time, so precautions should indeed be taken.

However, previously when negotiating compensation with Zhenwu Mountain, we specifically requested Cui Ju to make a promise, namely that matters of Gelu would be settled within Gelu..."

Xue Jing glanced at Cai Qing and spoke words of comfort:

"I believe that even if Jin Jin Zongchun is deeply resentful, he would not go so far as to break his promise; otherwise, aside from becoming a laughingstock to the world, even Cui Ju, a true disciple of Zhenwu, would reprimand him; True Person Cai, please set your mind at ease."

Upon hearing this, Cai Qing still shook his head:

"Open spears are easy to dodge, but hidden arrows are hard to guard against; not fearing ridicule from the Old Master and Elder Xue, my 'Luo Li Fierce Smoke' nearly cost Jin Jin Zongchun his life; this fellow will certainly not let the matter rest; since Xiping borders Zhenwu, although I possess some trump cards and methods, I fear Jin Jin Zongchun will summon friends and companions."

Hearing this, Xue Jing's eyes revealed a look of contemplation, and he was about to speak again.

At this moment, Chen Heng's voice suddenly rang out, saying:

"True Person Cai speaks reasonably; this matter indeed cannot go unguarded against; nowadays, I possess some modest holdings in Dongmi Province; True Person Cai might as well relocate your foundation to Xudu Heaven.

I believe that no matter how powerful Zhenwu may be, one Jin Jin Zongchun would never dare stretch his hand into Dongmi."

Once these words were spoken, even with Cai Qing's deep reserve, he could not help but stare in astonishment, momentarily lost.

"So one can move the family business into the Great Heavens? Heavens above! The ancestral masters of my Yunci Cave through the generations probably never dared to imagine that this wretched cave could have such a day?"

Cai Qing knew clearly that he had indeed exerted considerable effort during the war.

Whether it was the "Luo Li Fierce Smoke" or his lizard pet capable of burrowing and hiding its form, by rights both should have been properly recorded as meritorious contributions.

But since he had already received the substantial benefits of land division, Cai Qing did not dare to expect too much more.

Who could have anticipated that Chen Heng would speak thus; this was indeed somewhat beyond Cai Qing's expectations...

However, after hesitating through several rounds of thought, Cai Qing still rejected the notion of moving the entire Yunci Cave family business to Xudu Heaven, intending only to relocate half.

For although Xiping was merely on the Earth Continent, these holdings were, after all, a foundation painstakingly built by his ancestors through arduous struggle, and could not be lightly abandoned.

Furthermore, after his previous desperate struggles, he had finally earned some fertile land; how could he simply throw it away?

After Cai Qing made his intentions clear, Chen Heng nodded slightly, said nothing more, and merely stated:

"True Person Cai need not worry about affairs in Dongmi Province; once you arrive at Xudu Heaven, you may go to Changli Island in the Xiaoming Xiao Daze to see Tu Shan Ge; this person is the steward of my household, has long served alongside me, and he will have plans regarding where the Yunci Cave should establish its mountain gate."

Hearing these words, Cai Qing naturally had no objection, his face filled with smiles.

As he was taking his leave, this man suddenly paused mid-step, then immediately knelt in prostration below the steps, speaking with utmost sincerity:

"My Lord's benevolence is widespread; your subject cannot fail to repay it. In my early years while cultivating in the Wuling Sect, I received guidance from a senior who cleared my confusion, thus enabling me to forge a body of unique skills for my protection.

If My Lord is willing to grace me with a request, I can seek out that senior's whereabouts. Given that senior's Daoist arts and methods, should he agree to serve in your hall alongside us, My Lord would gain a tremendous asset!"

Chen Heng and Xue Jing exchanged a glance; the expressions on both their faces grew slightly more heavy and solemn.

After speaking kindly to escort Cai Qing out of the hall, Xue Jing looked at Chen Heng, unable to suppress a loud laugh as he clapped his hands and said:

"This True Person Cai is renowned for his capabilities; even I find it difficult to fully discern his movements and concealment. His words today seem to indicate a desire to share his true heart. Congratulations, True Person; in days to come, you may truly gain a powerful Dharma Protector!"

Chen Heng offered a noncommittal smile:

"One capable of mentoring a figure like True Person Cai must possess profound Daoist cultivation. Although his earlier words hinted at some hidden circumstances, relying solely on the title of a Yu Yu Yuchen direct disciple will likely not be enough to easily recruit such a person."

Hearing this, Xue Jing shook his head and asked:

"With the True Person's vast future prospects, how could you be limited to just one direct disciple? However, when the True Person later travels to the Xu Huang Tian, do you truly not require any of us to accompany you?"

As the Primordial Spirit True Person who earliest established a covenant with Chen Heng, Xue Jing was naturally no stranger to the full story regarding the Xu Huang Tian.

Before Cai Qing arrived, upon hearing that Chen Heng did not wish to make a grand spectacle of his journey to the Xu Huang Tian, Xue Jing had originally objected, only for his train of thought to be interrupted by Cai Qing's visit.

"The Red Essence who smelted the Wan Fu Shen Wang, the master of the Xu Huang Tian..."

Chen Heng slowly recited this title, then waved his sleeve and said:

"Such a colossal figure; if he intended to plot against me, even adding a hundred times more followers to my escort would be of no avail. Moreover, this Divine King spoke with me back then in the Xiaoming Xiao Daze; the three Ancestral Masters of our sect must have sensed it. Since my master did not obstruct me, he likely harbors no ulterior motives."

Xue Jing remained doubtful: "What if during the journey—"

"Within the nearby several terrestrial lands, there are boundary gates leading to the Sui Xing Lands; once one reaches the Sui Xing Lands, traveling to the Xu Huang Tian will not be difficult."

Chen Heng raised his eyes to look outward, stating indifferently:

"As for the dangers along the way, firstly, I possess sect treasures to protect my person; secondly, if anyone truly dares to set an ambush halfway, they must be acting with impunity. If you were to follow, you would only unnecessarily implicate yourselves and lose your lives."

At this moment, Chen Heng recalled the talisman edict and the immortal mansion that Yuan Yuan Yangsheng had mentioned upon his arrival, as well as the strange cultivation technique those two within the immortal mansion had entrusted to Yuan Yuan Yangsheng to deliver to him.

His eyes shimmered with a dim light, resembling dark waters churning.

"If there is truly any misfortune, it likely lies herein."

He stated within his heart.

He had long been aware of Xue Jing's doubts, yet the journey to the Xu Huang Tian concerned his future Daoist path.

Even if the road ahead were a mountain of knives and a sea of fire, he would still have to venture forth!

After pondering several scenarios in his mind, Chen Heng returned with Xue Jing to their seats, exchanged a few casual remarks, and finalized some minor details.

When the conversation turned to matters within the Yu Yu Yuchen Sect, Chen Heng suddenly waved his hand, and a wooden box appeared upon the chess table.

At Chen Heng's gesture, Xue Jing lifted the lid of the wooden box, revealing four heads neatly arranged inside.

When his gaze fell upon the leftmost head, whose face was greenish-blue, he appeared somewhat astonished:

"Han Han Yinjue of the Han clan in Zhu Jing; when was this person beheaded?"

Chen Heng said:

"Two days ago, when Brother Yuan and Senior Brother Xu took their leave, Brother Yuan presented this before departing. According to his words, Seeing Seeing Qingzhi specifically entrusted him to deliver it; Han Han Yinjue should have died at the hands of Senior Sister Wei."

Xue Jing opened his mouth, and after a moment of silence, could not help but sigh with emotion:

"What a pity. It seems that although Lu Shen was injured, his lingering prestige remains. Observing this severed head, Han Han Yinjue's physical body was destroyed, yet his primordial spirit appears to have been rescued by Lu Shen? These two share a deep friendship; the alliance covenant between the Han clan of Zhu Jing and Shaokang Mountain is firmer than most people imagine!"

"After all, Han Han Yinjue was a direct son of the Han clan of Zhu Jing; this lineage of his placed a heavy bet on Lu Shen. How could Lu Shen sit idly by and watch him die?"

Chen Heng's expression remained calm:

"He is merely a jumping clown; he cannot stir up any significant waves. Not to mention that he has now lost his physical body; even if he possessed both spirit and flesh intact, this person was never my match."

"What does the True Person mean?"

"Han Han Yinjue is merely an extra; the main event lies in these three heads of Lu Shen. I request that True Person Xue take this box back to the Xiaoming Xiao Daze first. Additionally..."

Chen Heng shifted his gaze:

"Seeing Seeing Qingzhi also left a letter. The letter mentions that while I was in secluded cultivation forming my Golden Core at Yangrang Mountain, True Person Ji Ji Fakai once traveled to Mount Mount Lutai in Chiming and borrowed the 'Xi Shen Cover' for three years."

The Xi Shen Cover?

That major soul-refining treasure from Chiming?

Upon hearing this, Xue Jing was first surprised, then suddenly raised his head, his eyes revealing confusion once more.

At this point in the conversation, he understood that Chen Heng intended to use Lu Shen's severed heads to make his name known throughout the world and expand his prestige within the sect.

After all, among the current six direct disciples of Yu Yu Yuchen, Chen Heng entered the sect latest; although many elders had joined him successively, his momentum ultimately remained slightly inferior.

Such matters of building momentum were not only for fame but also to gather manpower through this means and strengthen his wings.

Within Chen Heng's faction, elders such as Sun Feng and Lu Zhengfu found it difficult to manage everything perfectly, while newly attached figures like Liu Liu Fengye and Xie Jing could not be easily entrusted with such tasks.

Only he, Xue Jing, possessed the widest network of connections, truly reaching everywhere, thus capable of achieving twice the result with half the effort.

But what about that Xi Shen Cover?

Chen Heng smiled slightly and said:

"My master once said that to become the Dao Son, one requires not only divine abilities and methods but also the ability to gather the hearts of the people. As for the Xi Shen Cover, this is the second matter with which I must trouble True Person Xue."

Hearing this, Xue Jing's expression became serious; he rose and responded:

"Please rest assured, True Person. Upon returning to the sect this time, Xue Mou will certainly investigate this matter thoroughly. It seems that since returning from the Chongyu Tian, True Person Ji Ji Fakai has become even more shrouded in secrets!"

"Rivers flow through heaven and earth; who in the waters can afford to stand still? Let alone someone who once contended with the Dao Son... I have never lightly underestimated this individual, but this matter likely involves significant implications. True Person Xue, do not become too obsessed; simply do your best," Chen Heng said.

Xue Jing nodded solemnly. After the two discussed further, Xue Jing also exited the hall.

"Xu Huang Tian, You Ming Zhen Shui."

Chen Heng walked leisurely to the window.

He gazed at the black clouds above, fluffy like cotton, with stars resembling fishing lights; suddenly, a determined intent surged between his brows, sharp and keen!

The success or failure of the Golden Elixir Grand Assembly hinges entirely on this single move!

The next day.

The Yu Yu Yuchen army prepared to depart from Yunshao Realm to return to Xudu Heaven; among the accompanying thousand or so cultivators from Yunci Grotto was Cai Qing.

At the same time, Chen Heng activated his Escape Realm shuttle, quietly leaving Xiping Land and heading straight beyond the cosmos without stopping.

……

……

Several days later, Suixing Land.

In an ordinary immortal marketplace, pedestrians came and went in a dense stream, calls to friends and companions rising and falling, creating a very lively scene.

Chen Heng, his face concealed, walked through the streets; unlike other places, Suixing Land had few Daoist cultivators, mostly practitioners of the Divine Dao and Human Dao, so even the vendors in the marketplace were largely selling ancient paintings, divine talisman seals, and the like, which was quite strange.

Just as Chen Heng was observing, he suddenly sensed something amiss before him.

Turning around, he saw that the once-lively marketplace had abruptly fallen silent; every face wore an expression frozen from the previous moment, appearing somewhat eerie and grim.

In an instant, heaven and earth halted their scenery, and time ceased to turn!

And not only in this single immortal marketplace, but within the vast continent, even the tiniest blade of grass and tree had fallen into stillness.

Those leaders of the Literary Sects or revered gods of divine temples, who usually stood high above all, were no exception; each was like a clay statue or wooden carving, unaware, unfeeling, and unable to move!

"Chen Heng, although this is our first meeting, if we speak in detail, there is actually an affinity between us from long ago."

At that moment, an aged voice came from a three-story wine tower not far away, seeming to drift leisurely from a window as it offered a smiling greeting.

Though separated by only a dozen or so zhang, even with Chen Heng's current eyesight, he could not see through the thin curtain beneath the eaves.

It seemed that while that person's voice had passed through earth, water, fire, and wind to arrive, his true body remained outside the ancient heaven and earth, far separated by layer upon layer of worlds.

He was using the sun and moon as lips and teeth, and the myriad phenomena as his tongue!

"……"

Chen Heng subconsciously gripped that mixed-gold thunder pearl; the pearl promptly transmitted a strand of divine sense left behind long ago, causing Chen Heng's expression to change slightly as if he had realized something.

"Alas, fellow immortals truly misunderstand me deeply! If I truly wished to act against a junior, why would I need to condescend so?

This time, I merely felt delight at seeing game and came specifically to offer a little guidance; shortly, I will surely return you all intact, with every hair and tail in place."

The aged voice sighed:

"Chen Heng, witnessing this scene yet remaining with your qi unrebelling and your blood undisturbed, you truly deserve my special regard; come forward, can you guess who I am?"

"The Xuanji Tianzun of Douyu Heaven, Master of Tunmeng Cave."

After a moment of silence, Chen Heng stepped forward and bowed respectfully, his voice unchanged:

"Chen Heng of Yu Yu Yuchen pays his respects to Senior Master Master Kongkong."