Chapter 496: Xiaqiu

A moment later, the mist dispersed and the clouds parted, leaving a bright, full moon unobstructed, shining directly in the center of the sky.

Under the moonlight, Chen Hang flicked his sleeve, and the corpse of Qian Lie was casually collected into a storage vessel. Immediately, his sword light escaped into the sky once more, vanishing in an instant.

By the time the few stewards in Qian Lie's manor received the news and arrived in the courtyard in a daze,

aside from a few blood-stained paving bricks, the courtyard was completely empty, with not a soul to be seen...

The river mist was vast and hazy, and the sound of the tide was gentle.

Before long, the sword light stopped above a territory in the Liang Kingdom.

This place was exactly where a hundred rivers converged; several great rivers swirled and twisted, rushing from the wild mountains and plains, only to intertwine densely here, gradually merging into one stream until they roared into the sea.

Chen Hang stepped out from the light and climbed onto the clouds to look.

He saw the moon above the clouds and water below; the shimmering light and lunar shadows were of one clear, bright color.

The water and moon reflected each other from afar, truly a wonder created by heaven, making everything above and below the clouds appear transparent and bright...

"Does this river eventually flow into the West Crossing Sea?"

Chen Hang raised his finger and asked the old hornless dragon Xun Jian, who was still somewhat stunned, with a smile.

Xun Jian nodded subconsciously, but then suddenly remembered something. He hurriedly retreated a few steps, his face full of vigilance and caution, as if facing a formidable enemy.

A dignified Jin Dan Third Layer True Person of the Immortal Dao, a master of alchemy from the Miaobao Land, and an outer sect guest of the Bai Man Palace—

With all these identities combined, even Xun Jian could not afford to slight a figure like Qian Lie.

Yet just a moment ago, he had been killed by this person before him with a single, effortless sword strike, as if he were nothing more than a chicken or a dog?

No, Qian Lie didn't even know who had killed him until his death; in this regard, he was even slightly inferior to most chickens and dogs...

Xun Jian was truly filled with boundless regret at this moment.

He had invited Chen Hang into his own water palace, thinking it would be a good deal to help inquire about Qian Lie's news, intending to use this to show off his connections and then manipulate Chen Hang in the upcoming Dragon Essence trade, gaining the most benefit at the lowest cost.

Who could have known that the person he invited into his water palace was actually a dragon crossing the river.

With just a single move, he had stirred everything into chaos, crushing all of Xun Jian's plans to pieces and catching him completely off guard.

This person...

"For a True Person to act in such a way is truly beyond this old man's expectations!"

After a long while, Xun Jian steadied his mind, his vigilance slightly relaxed, and a helpless, bitter smile appeared on his face.

Although Qian Lie was not famous for his combat, he was, after all, at the Jin Dan Third Layer realm.

That Chen Hang could kill him so easily, combined with his previous methods, meant he must have some background and was not an unknown rogue cultivator.

But times were different now—

Right

now, Qian Lie was an outer sect guest of the Bai Man Palace and had ties to that Elder Liu of the Bai Man Palace.

According to what Xun Jian knew, Elder Liu had recently been summoning alchemy masters from all over the world, wanting to refine a Heavenly Human Void White Pill to present to the Daoist Child of the Bai Man Palace for his birthday, and Qian Lie was among those summoned.

At such a time, it was such a coincidence...

Who could guarantee that the Bai Man Palace wouldn't overthink it? And would that Elder Liu stand up for Qian Lie?

In Xun Jian's view, no matter how powerful Chen Hang was, he was ultimately just a Jin Dan True Person.

If he wanted to withstand the potential blame from the Bai Man Palace on his own, it would be nothing short of a pipe dream.

As things stood, if this person wanted to survive, he could only leave as soon as possible...

"Although I don't know what deep hatred you have with Qian Lie, your actions this time were truly reckless!"

After a while, Xun Jian finally sighed and said helplessly:

"Go, go! You must have a background to be able to kill Qian Lie, but that Elder Liu of the Bai Man Palace is a ruthless character who seeks revenge for the smallest grievance; he is definitely not easy to deal with!

Back then, when he came to Miaobao Land to visit, we were all there to accompany him, and True Person Sun of the Chi Li Palace was delayed by family matters and was slightly slow to welcome him; afterwards, True Person Sun was executed by him on a trumped-up charge, and even the Chi Li Palace dared to be angry but dared not speak.

To be so overbearing..."

Xun Jian shook his head and said sincerely to Chen Hang:

"Listen to this old man's advice: do not rely on your own abilities and fail to take Elder Liu and the Bai Man Palace seriously! You should return to your sect to avoid disaster as soon as possible and explain this matter clearly to your sect elders; that is the only right way!"

Chen Hang looked at Xun Jian with great interest and said:

"Xun Gong and I have only just met today; why would you speak so righteously and plan for me?"

"Naturally, for the Dragon Essence!"

Xun Jian was frank at this moment, spreading his hands openly:

"At first, because I couldn't figure out your true background, I wanted to test you with wealth and connections. Once you showed signs of weakness, it would be easier for me to drive a hard bargain in the upcoming trade, heh!

But although these assumptions were good, putting them into practice did not go as one wished..."

Chen Hang smiled: "In your eyes, since the Bai Man Palace is so powerful, aren't you afraid of offending the Bai Man Palace and Elder Liu by acting this way?"

"I didn't kill the person, so how could it be blamed on me? Besides, I haven't spent little on gifts to Wenzhao Heaven over the years; even if Elder Liu wanted to vent his anger on me, his fellow sect brothers would likely not allow it!"

Xun Jian said proudly with his hands behind his back.

Hearing this, Chen Hang knew that although Xun Jian loved wealth and competed for profit, and had some small schemes, he was not a vicious person, and his heart was not bad.

Facing Xun Jian's repeated earnest advice,

Chen Hang did not play coy, shook his head, and said truthfully:

"The reason I killed Qian Lie today is not for private revenge, but for public justice. In this regard, even if the Palace Master of the Bai Man Palace came here in person, it would be hard to find fault.

Of course, if the Bai Man Palace insists on making things difficult for me over this, I am not afraid."

Seeing that Chen Hang's tone was calm but his words were not small,

Xun Jian's curiosity was piqued, and he couldn't help but take this opportunity to ask the question that had been in his heart:

"Is the True Person perhaps from Wenzhao Heaven? I wonder whose brilliant disciple you are? The Qingya Sect? Zongyuan Mountain? It couldn't be the Kanghai Dao Palace, could it?"

The few sects Xun Jian just mentioned were all famous major powers within Wenzhao Heaven, governing over a hundred Daoist lineages, with long-standing traditions and exceptionally deep foundations.

The vast family business Xun Jian inherited from his ancestors was but a drop in the ocean compared to them, not worth mentioning at all.

Especially the latter, the Kanghai Dao Palace, which could even be linked to the legendary Xuanfeng Cave!

It is rumored that the founding ancestor of the Kanghai Dao Palace was once a disciple of Xuanfeng Cave, but because he lost a struggle for power within the sect, his influence was greatly diminished, and he was framed with a crime, having most of his wings clipped.

In his indignation, he had no choice but to accept the sect's decree and cross the vast void to Wenzhao Heaven, establishing the Kanghai Dao Palace lineage in this strange universe.

Later, through the hard work of that founding ancestor and the diligent governance of successive Palace Masters, the Kanghai Dao Palace finally achieved its current prosperity and influence after many years.

Although the Kanghai Dao Palace could not be considered a top-tier Immortal Sect within Wenzhao, neither the Qingya Sect nor Zongyuan Mountain would ever dare to underestimate this power.

Even their disciples, when traveling abroad, would treat disciples of the Kanghai Dao Palace with courtesy, treating them as people from a major sect of equal status to their own.

The reason for this is simply that the founding ancestor of the Kanghai Dao Palace was a disciple of Xuanfeng Cave, and after some maneuvering, he returned to Xuanfeng Cave and regained his power.

In Xun Jian's view, if Chen Hang really came from one of these families, then with the support of his sect elders, he indeed wouldn't need to fear Elder Liu too much.

But as for the Bai Man Palace Master coming in person, that was likely an exaggeration and not to be believed.

"I am from Yuchen."

Chen Hang said.

"Yuchen? Which Yu—"

Xun Jian had just heard this and didn't immediately understand, feeling somewhat puzzled.

But soon, his voice stopped abruptly, and he turned to look at Chen Hang, unable to help but be stunned.

"Qian Lie, the so-called True Person Jilei whom I just killed, was originally a cultivator from Yuntian Mountain of the Yuchen Daoist lineage. Because his dark secrets were exposed, he stole treasures and betrayed the sect to escape.

This matter was reported by Yuntian Mountain to the Xiaoming Great Marsh,

and the sect naturally placed a bounty on Qian Lie's head."

Chen Hang explained briefly:

"And those who accepted this sect decree were more than ten in number; I was just one of them, and I happened to be the first.

Even without me, Qian Lie would eventually have died at the hands of a Yuchen disciple."

Hearing this, Xun Jian felt as if he were in the clouds.

His whole body felt as if it were floating, his feet were weak, and for a moment he couldn't tell if he had really heard clearly.

"Yuchen of the Xudu Great Heaven? The Yuchen that is one of the Eight Sects and Six Schools?"

Xun Jian asked with a trembling voice, and seeing that Chen Heng did not deny it, he suddenly grew bold and, as if possessed, asked:

"May I ask what the True Person's position is in the Yuchen Immortal Sect?"

"I am Chen Hang, currently a true disciple of the sect, a student of Daoist Lord Tongxuan."

Once he finished speaking, Xun Jian felt as if he had been struck by lightning; his mind was a blank, and he couldn't speak for a long time.

After a while, he finally managed to recover from the shock, though his expression remained dazed.

He looked carefully and saw Chen Hang looking at the vast world, his eyes deep and focused, as if lost in thought.

"..."

Seeing this, Xun Jian naturally dared not disturb him. He quietly moved his steps and stood behind Chen Hang with his head lowered, his mind filled with thousands of thoughts.

It was a clear night with a bright moon and a gentle breeze, with ten thousand miles of clarity.

Looking down, the rivers and lakes seemed to be interwoven into a vast water net. Even though the night dew was heavy, there were small fishing boats scattered on the river surface and lake center, with tiny fishing fires flickering like small fireflies in the grass.

He tried to steady his mind.

He only felt the sky and earth were quiet, and all sounds were silent...

And the dense water net under his feet merged into a great river, flowing until it entered the West Crossing Sea.

Regardless of whether it was clear or turbid before, and regardless of size, in the end, they all became one, with no distinction.

Standing in the void, Chen Hang felt an inexplicable emotion.

He had already pried open that trace of the mysterious barrier and realized the wonder of cultivating the Inner Scene.

He was just waiting for everything to be finished before stepping onto the path walked by his predecessors, to experience and walk through the red dust, so as to thoroughly enter the Jin Dan Third Layer.

Since the Inner Scene is known as the Small Dharma Image, its closeness to the Primordial Spirit Dharma Image is far beyond that of ordinary realms.

It is not only the last small realm before a cultivator reaches the Primordial Spirit, a prerequisite for achieving the Primordial Spirit, but the Inner Scene can also be considered the embryonic form of the Dharma Image.

Ordinary cultivators, even if they realize the mystery and reach the Jin Dan Third Layer, find it difficult to fully climb the wonders of the True Dao, and cannot evolve their own Inner Scene to the extreme when they first achieve it.

They need to spend subsequent effort, accumulating insights bit by bit, to gradually perfect the Inner Scene's cultivation, and only then can they attempt Primordial Spirit cultivation.

Five or six percent is already the limit that most cultivators can reach when they first achieve the Inner Scene.

As for seven or eight percent, that is mostly a feat that only those with high intelligence and talent can achieve.

As for those who, upon breaking through the small realm, evolve their Inner Scene to ninety percent, I fear only the outstanding true disciples of major sects like Lu Rong can do it.

And ten percent...

As far as Chen Hang knows, within the vast Yuchen, only Jun Yao and Ji Fakai have been able to do this in the last three thousand years.

And both of these two later achieved the highest Dharma Images, famous throughout the Nine Provinces!

One was the previous Yuchen Daoist Child, the dignified Master of Xiyi Mountain, who once governed the vast Zhou Xing Palace while in the Primordial Spirit body.

The other was the direct descendant of the Le Cen Ji clan, the leader of the younger generation among the twelve great families of Xudu, and also Chen Hang's unquestionable greatest rival in the struggle for the Yuchen Daoist Child!

Although to achieve a Dharma Image, cultivators in the world need to evolve their Inner Scene to the ten-percent extreme, until there is no further progress.

But being able to perfect one's cultivation when first achieving the Inner Scene undoubtedly saves a lot of trouble later on.

And the depth of effort in this step undoubtedly highlights the level of the practitioner's Dao nature from the side.

Since Chen Hang has the heart to inquire about longevity, he naturally does not want to fall behind others and wants to reach the ultimate realm in one go!

And although cultivators in the world generally go through the red dust while cultivating the Inner Scene.

But what kind of red dust experience it is, depending on the difference in the Primordial Spirit Dharma Image one wants to prove, the path each person takes is also different.

Some throw themselves into the marketplace, learning like mortals to make a living through trade and establishing a family; some exert themselves in the imperial court, holding government power, sitting in the three platforms, and bestowing titles as they please.

Some play in literary circles and crown the forest of words.

Others have experienced the battlefield for a long time, seeing only soldiers and weapons...

Chen Hang was initially slightly puzzled about how he should experience the red dust, not knowing which path was better to take.

But tonight, with the good wind and beautiful moon, seeing the vast scene of the hundred rivers rushing under the clouds and gathering into the sea, his obstacles suddenly vanished, and all worries were removed.

He felt that he had finally grasped a trace of spiritual light, illuminating his body and mind, and he couldn't help but want to clap his hands and laugh.

The Primordial Spirit Dharma Image he wants to cultivate is ultimately "Great is the Qian Origin," not a Dharma Image like "Mysterious Wisdom Silent," "Closing and Opening Several Times," and certainly not "Source of Right Reason" or "Heavenly Style Following Horizontal."

To dig out the wonder of his own Inner Scene, although he must seek it from the human feelings of the red dust, he must ask even more from this piece of heaven and earth.

Since his Dao is already before his eyes and under his feet, it is nothing more than realizing the mountains and understanding the water; there is no need to abandon the near to seek the far and do other kinds of work.

"What is the name of this city?"

Suddenly, Chen Hang pointed to a small city by the water under the clouds. Outside the city, there were a few villages. Because the water area was vast and the rivers were crisscrossed, the villagers mostly made a living by fishing, and many fishing boats were moored in the depths of the willow shadows.

"Reporting to the True Person, this is still the territory of the Liang Kingdom, and that small city seems to be called Xiaqiu."

"Xiaqiu?"

Chen Hang thought for a moment, nodded, and sighed:

"This place should be the place where I knock open the gate!"

Xun Jian was stunned for a moment, wanting to say something, but stopped abruptly, only lowering his head and respectfully saying yes.

The next day, a traveling scholar suddenly appeared in Xiaqiu City, and he stayed in the city for half a year.

The next day, a traveling scholar suddenly appeared in Xiaqiu City, and once he settled in the city, he stayed for half a year.