Chapter 584: East Temple

Whoo~

The cold wind howled, snowflakes swirling beneath Bafang Mountain.

Beside the bonfire, Han Han Chuijun sat cross-legged, his Thunder Dragon true qi radiating outward like a barrier to ward off wind and snow. In the distance, Fang Fang Sanyun was climbing the mountain, while Grand Master Master Dading and Daoist Feng Yuanqing and his wife watched from the side.

"It feels as though some invisible shackles are slowly being stripped away. Is this the reason one can extend their lifespan upon entering Bafang Temple?"

Han Han Chuijun sat with his eyes closed, able to feel the extremely vigorous life force flowing within his body, nourishing his physique and spirit.

During the month since entering Bafang Temple, he had neither attempted the climb nor challenged the Dao Soldier Pagoda like those Grand Masters before him, simply sitting in meditation at the foot of the mountain.

After a long while, until the very last trace of restraint was drawn away, he slowly opened his eyes. Wherever his gaze fell, everything appeared vivid and bright, his mind clear and lively.

"The restraints of Bafang Temple…"

Han Han Chuijun let out a long breath.

He could not sense how many years of life he had left, but this kind of surging, vigorous life force was something he had not felt since passing the age of one hundred and twenty.

In a daze, he had the illusion of returning to his youth.

"Martial artists who enter the Dao live up to five hundred years; with the Three Primordials unified, one can live a thousand. I have yet to enter the Dao, and two hundred remains my limit… still, breaking the cage is no small gain."

Han Han Chuijun steadied himself, then looked toward Bafang Mountain. He heard a muffled grunt as Fang Fang Sanyun tumbled down the steps in a sorry state.

"Again!"

Fang Fang Sanyun coughed up a mouthful of blood, but his eyes were bright. He swallowed a spirit pill and once again began slowly climbing the mountain.

"Brother Fang, you must not push yourself."

Daoist Feng Yuanqing looked somewhat eager to try, but catching Yun Yun Xianyu's cold glare, he retreated sheepishly.

"Forgot again before your wounds even healed?"

Yun Yun Xianyu glared at him. Daoist Feng Yuanqing wanted to say something, but swallowed his words at the last moment, unwilling to argue with this tigress.

In truth, three years had passed, and the desire to climb the mountain had long faded among those present. Rather than climbing, it was more accurate to say they were using Bafang Temple's qi to temper their physiques and forge their spirit forms.

His injuries came from the last climb, when the qi had wounded his Yuan Zhao Shen Jing while he was forging his spirit form.

For a Grand Master with the Three Primordials unified, only an injury that wounds the Yuan Zhao Shen Jing is a serious wound.

This mountain…

Han Han Chuijun's eyes flickered.

Even though it was not his first time seeing it, he was still deeply moved.

The difficulty of the climb he had truly come to appreciate over this past month. These Grand Masters, the absolute pinnacle of the present age, immortals walking the earth—let alone reaching the summit, only a handful had even managed to climb a hundred steps.

'How on earth did that boy reach the summit…'

His gaze fell on the 'Stele of Li Yuan' before the Grand Masters. Han Han Chuijun narrowed his eyes, did not rise, swallowed a Bai Xing Dan, and once again closed his eyes to meditate.

A mountain even Grand Masters could not climb—he had not the slightest interest in even attempting it.

Though his own evaluation was also 'Inferior'…

……

Amid the wind and snow, Dong Dong Ershisan stood in midair. On his shoulder, the human-headed strange bird withdrew its gaze: "Master Dong Ershisan, how many years until the temple gates open wide?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know either?"

"It will be within a few years, sooner or later."

Gazing at the people below the mountain, Dong Dong Ershisan's face was expressionless: "Is there something else you want to say?"

The human-headed strange bird dared not ask further. Its gaze dropped back to the foot of the mountain, and it gave a cold snort:

"That boy is quite the sentimental one. These three years he's been coming and forth, sending all these people. Too bad it's all useless effort—those who should die can't be saved…"

"…Rather than dying on the day the temple gates open, they might as well try their hand inside the Dao Soldier Pagoda. Among these people, there are a few who could barely pass as Dao Soldiers. As for that boy…"

The human-headed strange bird prattled on, harboring a grudge over Li Yuan forcibly leading people out of the Dao Soldier Pagoda.

Dong Dong Ershisan remained silent and indifferent.

"Master Dong Ershisan, that boy took advantage of your slumber to reach the summit by trickery. Compared to the challengers of past generations who reached the summit, he falls far short. I'm afraid he won't be able to enter the temple. Better to give him to me as a Dao—"

"Enough!"

Dong Dong Ershisan suddenly spoke and cut off the human-headed strange bird. A sweep of his gaze, and he had already spotted Li Yuan and his companion who had just arrived by shift:

"Hm?"

The human-headed strange bird had been chattering nonstop, but now seemed to sense something and looked over as well: "Here to deliver more people again? That boy is simply—"

"Shut up!"

Dong Dong Ershisan raised a hand and sent it flying. A flicker of surprise crossed his indifferent face, and in the next instant he had already descended upon the peak of Bafang Mountain.

Hum!

Almost simultaneously, a trembling cry exploded.

The strange stones on the peak trembled, as if about to lift off the ground. Invisible qi radiated from within the mountain, churning the clouds and stirring up gust after gust of wild wind.

In an instant, wind and clouds shifted.

"This is?"

At the foot of Bafang Mountain, the crowd rose one after another. Fang Fang Sanyun, who had been climbing, grunted and tumbled down. Staring at the colossal mountain that kept trembling as if about to split apart, his expression was shaken.

Whoo-whoo~

The gale howled, sweeping up snowflakes across the sky.

Li Yuan, who had entered the temple by token, felt a stir in his heart and looked up. He saw the clouds and mist churning, invisible qi weaving back and forth, rolling like thunderclouds.

Faintly, there seemed to be a precious mirror woven from thunder and lightning.

【Wan Yuan Zhao Shen Jing (Fifteenth Tier)】

【???】

【???】

"Hmm?"

Li Yuan reacted swiftly, first pinching the Eight Directions Token, then suddenly releasing it.

"What is this?"

Pang Pang Wenlong, half a step slower, was startled in his heart and instinctively wanted to push Li Yuan away, but then froze.

He saw a dazzling brilliance shoot forth from that thundercloud, or perhaps from that divine mirror, transforming into a curtain of light before the Eight Directions Mountain.

That curtain of light was like a mirror, reflecting the crowd before the mountain; various unknown characters emerged, changing and shifting endlessly like a waterfall, finally becoming the Origin Divine Script.

"Wan Yuan Zhao Shen Jing?!"

Li Yuan heard a scream; a glance from the corner of his eye revealed the human-faced, bird-bodied creature in the wind and snow, its face filled with shock. The latter seemed terrified, its gaze upon him brimming with disbelief:

"You, you..."

Voom~

A thick divine sound echoed through the mountains.

Li Yuan shifted his gaze from that divine mirror to the curtain of light:

【Stele of Li Yuan (14,237)】

【Eastern Realm Challenger, Master of the Black Whale Hammer】

【Bloodline: Human Race】

【Realm: Entering the Dao】

【Spiritual Form Prototype: Gathering the forms of a thousand beasts through thunder, wind, and clouds; comprehending the form of the Black Whale that splits the sea; taking the true form diagram of Kun Peng... mastering the essence of ten thousand forms... forming 'Ten Thousand Forms Long Kun', Potential: Saint Grade】

【Bone Age: Thirty-one; Years of Cultivation: Over ten; Initially, bone constitution was average; upon entering the temple, innate talent was revealed as Peerless (High); twenty-seven days in the temple, ascending eighty-nine steps; talent transformed to 'Zhao Zhao Tianxing Grade'...】

【Five years in the temple, breaking through to Entering the Dao, ten thousand forms altered; talent transformed to 'God-Demon Grade'...】

【Assessment: The high and low of all things are determined by Heaven; cultivators alter them later, yet... one who alters bone constitution through ten thousand forms to reach the God-Demon level is rare in the world, possessing the aptitude of a 'High God'...】

【Overall Evaluation: Excellent (High)】

【Those rated 'Excellent Grade' need not climb the mountain; they may proceed directly to the 'Temple Trial'】

【Allowed to enter the Eastern Temple directly】