Chapter 174

The Wan Xian Assembly concluded, the Jin Que disappeared, and the immortals each departed.

Before parting, the Fengdou Emperor Seeing Ming He sang:

"The human path is faint, the immortal path vast, but the ghost path brings joy! The human path values birth, the immortal path values life, the ghost path values death."

"The immortal path is ever auspicious, the ghost path ever dire; lofty, pure, and exquisite, sorrowful songs echo through the void..."

"The heavens' qi is boundless, my path grows ever stronger!"

The "Immortal Song" rang out in Bai Yu Jing, like the great Dao's thunderous voice, echoing through all directions.

Countless immortals involuntarily halted their steps, chanting along with it.

Especially the final line, which the immortals of Bai Yu Jing genuinely loved.

"The heavens' qi is boundless, my path grows ever stronger!" Hongjun repeated it aloud,

Watching Seeing Ming He's departing back, then glancing at Xiang Xiang Xuanqing, His smile deepened.

Hongjun assumed this was Xiang Xiang Xuanqing using Seeing Ming He's voice to declare His stance.

In truth...

"Seeing Ming He, next time can you use your own song jue?" Xiang Xiang Xuanqing transmitted a thought.

"I am the Fengdou Emperor—this song jue is precisely what I recite!"

Seeing Ming He replied logically: "Now is the time to promote the Youming World and the ghost-immortal Dao—why not use whichever song jue works best?"

Xiang Xiang Xuanqing was left speechless.

"Three Daoists, wait a moment."

As the Three Pure Ones prepared to leave, Hongjun and Yang Mei began to detain them.

"Do you have another matter?" Xiang Xiang Xuanqing asked.

"There is a joyous matter," Yang Mei said cheerfully, looking at Xiang Xiang Xuanqing.

"Oh?" Lord Jing Yao and Master Master Yuchen's eyes revealed curiosity.

Hongjun flipped his hand and produced a jade tablet inscribed with two characters: Western Western Kunlun.

"Given that the three of you not only perfected my Bai Yu Jing's immortal development plan, but also, among all path-pioneers, were the first to establish a lineage and open the Tianxian Dao, we have specially prepared a Dao-field for the Tianxian lineage."

The Three Pure Ones looked—and saw within the jade tablet a majestic divine mountain standing between heaven and earth: Western Western Kunlun.

"Is this Western Western Kunlun Mountain?" Lord Jing Yao Shangzun exclaimed, glancing at the Attack Hong Huang Earth—Western Western Kunlun, the primordial divine mountain, was still there!

"Of course it is Western Western Kunlun Mountain," Yang Mei replied with a smile.

Yudao Jun mused: "Western Western Kunlun is Xi Xi Wangmu's Dao-field—we cannot use this name."

"This concern need not trouble you three,"

Hongjun Dao Ren chuckled: "Western Western Kunlun Mountain lies at the eastern-western boundary of Attack Hong Huang; since the opening of heaven and earth, its inner space-time has been divided into east and west."

"Xi Xi Wangmu's Yushan Langyuan has always resided at Western Western Kunlun's western end—thus, West Western Western Kunlun."

"The eastern end of Western Western Kunlun has never manifested in the Attack Hong Huang Attack Hong Huang Honghuang Zhenjie, for it is scattered across the Zhu Tian, projecting into myriad worlds, dissolving into infinite space-times."

"Without the right opportunity, it does not appear in the world."

"The Western Western Kunlun in my hand is the projection of the eastern Western Western Kunlun across infinite Zhu Tian—I have seized and refined it into a Dao-field; if reunited with the earth veins of Attack Hong Huang's eastern land, it can reform East Western Western Kunlun."

Hongjun explained the secret of Western Western Kunlun in detail.

"So that is how it is—thank you, Dao friend," Xiang Xiang Xuanqing nodded slightly, taking the jade tablet from Hongjun's hand.

As for Hongjun's claim of East-West Western Western Kunlun division, He did not fully believe it.

A Da Luo Supreme's ability to reverse cause and effect could easily make Hongjun's words true.

From the moment Hongjun spoke, whether Western Western Kunlun had an east-west division or not, it now certainly did.

All that remained was for the Three Pure Ones to take this jade tablet and reunite East Western Western Kunlun.

"So we'll be neighbors with Xi Xi Wangmu?" Lord Jing Yao Shangzun studied the "Western Western Kunlun" jade tablet.

Yudao Jun said: "We need not rush to move—we should first communicate with Xi Xi Wangmu to avoid misunderstandings."

Think about it: Attack Hong Huang had always had only one Western Western Kunlun Mountain; Xi Xi Wangmu lived there comfortably, and suddenly someone comes and says: "Your Western Western Kunlun isn't the real one—it's just West Western Western Kunlun; ours is East Western Western Kunlun; only together do we form true Western Western Kunlun."

Xi Xi Wangmu's expression would likely not be pleasant.

"That's easily handled—I have some acquaintance with Xi Xi Wangmu; I doubt there will be trouble," Xiang Xiang Xuanqing said.

What acquaintance did Xiang Xiang Xuanqing have with Xi Xi Wangmu?

Put it this way: Xi Xi Wangmu sent gifts to the Three Youming Titans—Western Western Kunlun specialties: primordial Pan Tao, Qiongjiang Jade Nectar.

The Three Youming Titans returned gifts of Youming specialties: Huang Quan Water, Bi'an Flowers.

And not just once.

Crucially, Xi Xi Wangmu always accepted them and expressed great delight.

"Then we are reassured," Hongjun and Yang Mei's eyes flickered with faint regret—they knew each other? Then no fight will break out. What a pity.

Hongjun's choice of "Western Western Kunlun" as a gift was not purely generous.

First, to test another organization—the Taisu Jiuxiao—through the Three Pure Ones.

Second, to station the Tianxian lineage at the east-west boundary, sending the Three Pure Ones to trouble Mo Zu Luo Hou in the west.

"Then we shall take our leave as well."

Lord Jing Yao Shangzun smiled.

Then He stepped through heaven, singing as He departed:

"In the gate of non-duality, the Dao grows more profound; mercury and lead unite to form the embryo of immortality. Taiji and the Two Yin-Yang are inverted in refinement; before the Three Flowers gather, the Dao is already complete. / In the chamber, alchemy blends Wu and Ji; within the furnace, medicine seizes the primordial. Born as a guest in the Eight Scenic Palaces, one forgets the countless years of mortal existence."

Xiang Xiang Xuanqing chuckled and shook His head: "All familiar faces—why put on such a show?"

"Real divine beings don't do this."

"Exactly," Yudao Jun nodded in strong agreement.

"Brother Dao, I'm off too."

Then He bowed to Xiang Xiang Xuanqing, then bid farewell to Yang Mei and Hongjun.

A blade of light shot skyward.

Moments later, a song drifted from beyond heaven:

"Opening earth and heaven, the principle is clear; expounding the scriptures and elucidating the Dao in the Bai Yu Jing. / Five qi ascend to their source, transmitting the wondrous jue; Three Flowers gather at the crown, manifesting non-birth. / Golden light above splits into five hues; auspicious clouds below follow ten thousand paths. / Eight Trigram Immortal robes flutter with purple qi; the three-bladed treasure sword named Qingping."

Listening to the song from beyond heaven, Hongjun and Yang Mei both smiled.

Then their gazes fixed upon Xiang Xiang Xuanqing.

Their eyes seemed to say: Now it's your turn.

"Why are you looking at me?"

Xiang Xiang Xuanqing shook His head lightly: "I am a proper deity—I don't do these farewell displays."

He turned and departed, his form vanishing within Bai Yu Jing.

Heishui Basin, Wusishan.

While Bai Yu Jing hosted the Wan Jie Assembly, the restless Shen Ni emerged again.

This time, the Master Master Xianggu Zhi Shi was absent.

He had gained much during his journey through the infinite cosmos and had now entered seclusion.

"Sigh, still lacking something—this final step to the Da Luo Dao Fruit is truly difficult."

After refining the power of the Jealousy Mo Shen, Shen Ni always felt something was missing.

The opportunity for enlightenment was elusive—each time He nearly grasped it, it slipped away before His eyes.

"What exactly is still lacking?"

Bored, Shen Ni wandered out to clear His mind, hoping to find a trace of enlightenment in heaven and earth.

After aimlessly strolling, He suddenly remembered something.

Xiongshou!

"I'm still the Beast Emperor!"

Shen Ni's mind sparked—could it be that the Xiongshou clan was dividing His fortune?

The more He thought, the more plausible it seemed.

Thus, following the karmic threads with the Xiongshou clan, He traced their trail.

"Huh? Have the Xiongshou grown so powerful in the western lands?"

In an instant, Shen Ni traced the traces of hundreds of thousands of Xiongshou bands.

These Xiongshou were born from Attack Hong Huang's negative energies—fierce qi, malevolent qi, resentment qi—and preferred to dwell in groups, lying dormant until they emerged to disrupt a Dao-field's balance, then facing attacks from all sides.

The Phoenix Clan struck hardest—whenever they encountered Xiongshou, they fought to the death, often resorting to self-destruction, a paragon of self-sacrifice.

Even the Dragon Clan and Metal Metal Qilin Clan began to raise their evaluation of the Phoenix Clan.

Previously, they merely thought the Phoenix Clan had a violent temper; now, they realized: truly worthy of standing equal among Attack Hong Huang's great clans.

Noble, radiant, and responsible!

Shen Ni observed for a long time, then concluded: the Phoenix Clan was insane.

Previously, I only thought the Phoenix Clan had a fiery temper, but now that I see it, it's truly worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with us, one of the primordial great clans.

"If you keep consuming yourselves like this, will your clan even survive?"

But it was none of Shen Ni's business to meddle in others' affairs.

And the illness is severe.

"If you keep consuming like this, can your Phoenix clan even survive?"

But the affairs of others are none of Shen Ni's concern.

He now simply wanted to see what this race of ferocious beasts was truly about.

"Under the Beast Emperor: Divine Beasts, Beast Kings, Envoys, Vanguard…"

When Shen Ni witnessed the ferocious beasts, bearing the banner of "Beast Emperor," rampaging across heaven and earth, only then did he truly feel the scene described to him by the Corpse of Mutual Gaze.

"All for the Beast Emperor!"

"Our Emperor reigns through countless eons, his might shaking Hong Huang!"

"As long as the Beast Emperor lives, the ferocious beasts shall never perish!"

"To bring chaos to Hong Huang is the mission bestowed upon us by the Beast Emperor!"

Shen Ni witnessed the downfall of many ferocious beast kings; they truly fought to their final breath for the Beast Emperor's mission, even as their banners fell.

From the standpoint of an outsider, he watched the ferocious beasts shout the name "Beast Emperor" and march bravely to their deaths.

Shen Ni felt an inexplicable surge of bloodlust in his heart.

"Has the blood on that banner even dried yet?" Shen Ni saw the fresh blood on the ferocious beast banner—wasn't that his own divine blood, spilled across the heavens when he was slain?

Recalling the scene of his own ambush, Shen Ni's bloodlust instantly turned cold.

"Where did this race of ferocious beasts truly come from?"

Shen Ni pondered and calculated endlessly, yet could not discern or divine the true origin of the ferocious beast race.

All he could divine were four characters: "Beast Emperor Shen Ni!"

This was clearly a frame-up.

"What if I infiltrate the ferocious beast race and see what's going on?"

Boom—boom—boom~~

At that moment, a thunderous roar echoed from the distant void.

"Comrade Xi Zi, the Beast King who carried the ferocious beast banner just fled in this direction." (Xi Zi)

Across the vast expanse of time, a divine being with a human head and a dragon's body, entirely crimson, marched against the current of the River of Time.

Beside Him stood another divine being, with a human face and a bird's body, earrings of two green snakes, treading upon two red snakes.

Behind Him hung a silver waterfall, terrifying lightning cascading down like a raging torrent.

"Zhu Zhu Jiuyin, open a passage through time—we strike now," said Xiang Xiang Xiang Xuanqing, who had assumed the form of 【Xi Zi】.

"Got it!" Zhu Long nodded and, with a wave of his hand, opened a passage through time.

And at the end of that passage, coincidentally, it connected directly before Shen Ni.

"Who's there?"

Xiang Xiang Xiang Xuanqing's sharp cry roared like a thunder dragon; countless lightning bolts exploded across the Zhou Tian Star Sea, and the boundless void trembled, rippling under the shock of the thunder.

Shen Ni looked toward the other end, slightly surprised.

After a moment of silence, he calmly spoke two words:

"Di Shen Jiang!"

————

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PS: Next chapter, 18:00

Also, regarding "Yao, Jing, Gui, Guai, Xie, Mo."

What humans fabricate is Yao; what objects possess spirit is Jing; the soul of a human that does not disperse is Gui. When the qi of heaven and earth becomes perverse and something extraordinary appears, it is Guai. When a divine being is not righteous, it is Xie. When the human heart is deluded and mad, it is Mo. When one deviates toward heresy, it is Waidao.

— Zhang Jizong, 54th Generation Celestial Master of Long Hu Mountain, "Kongtong Answers"

(End of Chapter)