Longzang

Chapter 727 Affection and Righteousness
Wei Yuan galloped through the mountains, stopping every now and then to take out a feng shui array to carefully calculate the earth's energy and feng shui, before choosing a direction and continuing on his way.

From the sky, it looks like it's circling endlessly among the mountains, but getting smaller and smaller.

Wei Yuan suddenly stopped his horse, turned around and looked, and saw Bao Yun flying over like a phoenix, landing in front of him, and saying, "Why are you here?"

Wei Yuan said, "On a whim, since I had just gathered all the spiritual materials, I came back to find a place to set up the formation. This matter does not require my main body to come, so my main body is still at the northern mountain gate."

"What kind of formation?" Bao Yun asked curiously.

Wei Yuan took out two pieces of jade paper and handed them to Bao Yun, saying, "The formation given by True Monarch Zhu Yan is a superior version of the Reincarnation Furnace. We hadn't been able to gather all the immortal materials before, but we've only just acquired them all now."

After reading it, Bao Yun looked troubled and said, "I'm not good at formations. I'm afraid only Senior Sister or Master Feng can do this."

"It's alright, I can do it myself. I'm almost at the core of the array. It's just that this avatar's cultivation level is not high, and its perception and spiritual sense are much weaker. It will take some time and effort to find it slowly."

"Then I will accompany you."

Wei Yuan then abandoned his horse, leaving the spirit steed to wait at the foot of the mountain, while he and Bao Yun flew into the mountains. At that moment, a gentle voice suddenly rang in their ears: "This way."

Wei Yuan was taken aback. The voice sounded somewhat like Huang Yun Zhenjun, but Huang Yun Zhenjun had already reincarnated, so how could he still remain in Qingming?

Bao Yun was also taken aback and said, "It looks like the founder!"

The two flew in the direction the voice indicated, and after a short while arrived at the foot of a towering tree. Looking at this hundred-foot-tall tree, Wei Yuan was stunned. He had no idea such a divine tree had appeared in the Azure Netherworld.

The giant tree's branches swayed, and the sound from the friction of the leaves was just now: "I too have just been born with spirituality, and then I remembered the ancestor's last instructions. Before the ancestor's true spirit dissipated, he enlightened me, helped me attain the Dao, and at the same time gave me a task. Just now I saw those two array diagrams, and I knew that the task he gave me had come to pass."

"You mean this Tortoise and Snake Immortal Refining Diagram?"

"Yes, I didn't remember this at all until I saw the array diagram, and suddenly I remembered all the instructions. This array was called the Xuanwu Refining Immortal Array in ancient times. Later generations modified it, and it became the two array diagrams that are now divided into two."

Wei Yuan looked at Bao Yun in surprise.

Bao Yun nodded gently and said, "This is one of the methods often used by powerful seniors. It hides things in the air, and only at a certain time, or when they encounter certain people or events, will it be triggered and they will remember everything. This is to prevent the plan from being discovered and destroyed by other powerful beings. Since ancient times, immortals have been constantly laying traps, and by now, they have long since buried countless hidden lines and backup plans."

My ancestor, the Immortal Ancestor of the Bao family, once said that it seems the first Human Emperor had laid a hidden plan, which remains undiscovered to this day.

Wei Yuan pondered the cause and effect, and the more he thought about it, the more something seemed amiss. He had obtained this diagram because he had killed the youngest son of the Left Wise King, and this youngest son seemed to be the Left Wise King's potential for enlightenment. Then, he had been using the Reincarnation Furnace to refine the Liao clan corpses, which was why True Monarch Zhu Yan had given him the Turtle-Snake Immortal Refining Diagram.

But going back further, the Reincarnation Furnace was modeled after the Transformation Pool. The Transformation Pool was obtained by Wei Yuan during his ambush of the Heavenly Realm, and at the time, Wei Yuan had no idea who would be coming; he only guessed that an assassin would be there.

That Heavenly Realm Master was already in the late stage, and his cultivation was no less than that of True Monarch Huangyun. Moreover, he came from that mysterious force outside the heavens, so in theory, he should be beyond description and calculation.

The more Wei Yuan thought about it, the more confused he felt. He knew it was because his cultivation was insufficient, so he could only put it aside for the time being.

The giant tree then said, "There is a natural array eye in the mountain terrain here. You can go and see if it's suitable."

Following the giant tree's guidance, Wei Yuan and Bao Yun arrived at the core of the formation, a natural valley. Wei Yuan carefully examined the earth's energy and discovered that it was indeed naturally suitable for setting up the Tortoise-Snake Immortal Refining Formation.

Wei Yuan stared at the small valley for a long time without saying a word. Bao Yun asked, "What's wrong?" "I remember there wasn't this valley here before, and the earth's energy didn't flow this way. After the Patriarch passed away, the mountain terrain changed, and that's how this valley came to be."

Bao Yun remained silent for a while before saying, "The patriarch left behind this array core. I'm afraid... I'll be reincarnated without any protection. I don't know when I'll be able to awaken."

Reminded by Bao Yun, Wei Yuan realized that if the terrain could be altered to create such an excellent natural array eye, True Monarch Huang Yun must have sacrificed his entire life's cultivation, leaving only a trace of his true spirit for reincarnation.

It's unknown how many reincarnations she will have to go through before she can awaken to the karma of her past lives, or perhaps she will never awaken to it.

Wei Yuan felt inexplicably heavy-hearted. He realized that he had unknowingly incurred such a heavy debt of gratitude.

The giant tree said, "The patriarch has one more thing to leave you."

Wei Yuan bowed to the giant tree and said, "Please speak."

"The patriarch said that when you achieve something in the future, you can try fishing for reincarnation and pull her out, which may reduce your suffering."

How does one fish for reincarnation?

"The Patriarch didn't say, and I don't know either. Alright, I've completed what the Patriarch instructed, and it's time for me to fall into slumber. If I were to regain my spirituality one day, it wouldn't be me anymore."

Before Wei Yuan could answer, the giant tree's branches swayed as if bidding farewell, and then the surrounding energy subsided, with specks of spiritual light scattering into the mountains and earth, merging into the azure sky.

Wei Yuan couldn't stop it; the giant tree's spiritual power had vanished without a trace.

He stood there blankly for a moment. Bao Yun first wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, then tugged at Wei Yuan and said, "Our ancestor has always been cautious and meticulous. She arranged things this way because she was afraid that someone would interfere and prevent you from obtaining this opportunity. It seems that this opportunity is quite important."

Wei Yuan sighed and handed the array diagram to Bao Yun, saying, "I'll leave this array to you to set up for me. I'll have someone send all the materials over in a few days."

Aren't you coming back by yourself?

"The Liao people are still not giving up, and I don't know when this war will end. It's a pity that last time I almost killed the top general under the Left Wise King, but she was too cunning and managed to escape. If I had succeeded that time, perhaps the war would already be over. Moreover, I've pinned down the northern mountain gate, so you can quietly set up your formation."

Bao Yun nodded and said, "Now you are facing an immortal directly, so be very careful. Even though Immortal Lord Yan Shi is at the Northern Mountain Gate, you can't be complacent. Perhaps one day a trivial matter could turn into a deadly threat by an immortal."

Wei Yuan said, "Have you forgotten that I am also blessed with good fortune? Such a divine weapon could easily kill me. This time, upon returning to the Northern Mountain Gate, I will also seek guidance from the patriarchs on the method of fishing for reincarnation, and strive to awaken the patriarchs as soon as possible."

Bao Yun said softly, "Let's all work hard. If we can't be courageous and diligent, we'll just be insects in a spider web, unable to break free of our restraints, and we'll be eaten up sooner or later."

Wei Yuan smiled and said, "Don't worry, you and I both became Dharma Aspects twenty years ago. In terms of courage and diligence, few can compare to us."

Bao Yun pointed at Wei Yuan's chest and said, "I am a Dharma Image of Twenty, and you are a Dharma Image of Two Hundred and Twenty!"

Wei Yuan laughed and instinctively reached for a hug. Bao Yun, however, took a step back and said, "Let's wait until your true form arrives. I always feel awkward with these avatars of yours."

Wei Yuan could only nod, bid farewell to Bao Yun, then withdrew his divine sense and returned to the northern mountain gate.

(End of this chapter)