Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 430 Standing and Subduing Two Natures

Sui Mu Hai.

This place is quite a distance from Tianchi Lake, and is located south of Tiangong Lake. It is also far from the Pudu Holy Land at the Sea Eye, making it a truly tranquil place.

The sea is azure, with islands linked together, covered with many green trees. The wind howls, and the trees sway like azure waves. Among them are many cultivators in robes with white deer patterns.

In the distance, the void opened up, silver lightning flashed, and a man in a dark robe with fiery clouds stepped out, his gray magic sword on his back shining brightly, stirring the elements of wind and thunder.

"The Qinghong Dao lineage is a continuation of the Shangxiao Dao lineage, passed down from the Qinghua Yiyang Immortal Dao, and was left behind by the Qingxu True Lord."

Xu Xuan silently recalled what Pingxiu had said. This alchemist had recommended two places where he could seek Yuanmu spiritual items: one was Qinghong Dao in the South Sea, and the other was Shangxiao Sect in Dali.

On Shangxiao's side, there seemed to be some taboos regarding the Yuanmu, which ordinary people could not obtain. Pingxiu seemed to have inquired about it and then asked Xu Xuan to go to the South China Sea to take a look. If it was not possible, then he would go to see Zhouyou Zhenren.

This matter suited his mind perfectly, and it connected with the important matter of the dragon's body. From this moment on, however, he had to be careful in all aspects so as not to let anyone see through his scheme.

As he rode the wind forward, he could see the sacred pine tree in the center of the island in the distance, beneath which stood a white deer, its aura spreading. With a gust of wind, he saw a female Taoist priest riding on the deer, looking at him from afar.

The female Taoist priest was tall and had a serene appearance. She wore a blue cloud-patterned Taoist robe, held a green wood spirit sword, and rode a white deer into the air, facing Xu Xuan from afar.

"I am Qinghong Dao Bixi. May I ask which immortal you are and what brings you to my Dao?"

Bixi's tone became slightly serious. The other party had come without prior notice and cultivated a domineering and rare lineage like Shelei, so he was clearly not an ordinary cultivator. She couldn't help but be a little wary.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Bixi. I am Pijie of the Great Crimson Temple. I have come to your esteemed Dao to request the exchange of Yuan Wood, authorized by the True Man Pingxiu of the Flame Mountain in the Western Sea."

Xu Xuan softened his tone and took out a red jade token engraved with the words "Dou Tian," which was the token given to him by Ping Xiu.

This alchemist from Douyan Mountain had a wide circle of friends, even including the True Persons of Shangxiao Sect, not to mention Qinghong Dao.

Seeing that the other party had taken out this token, Bixi's expression softened slightly, and she said softly:

"So you are the Sword Immortal of the Tribulation-Slaying Realm. I have also heard of your fame. Since you are acquainted with True Person Pingxiu, you are a guest of my Qinghong Dao. Please come to the island for a chat."

Xu Xuan nodded and followed the Bixi True Person on the wind, heading towards the central island. The area of ​​this Suimu Sea was almost the same as that of the Shenpan Sea, both being as large as a county in Dali.

Upon entering the island, they arrived at a serene wooden palace. The two went inside and sat down together, with Bixi in the main seat and Bailu lying beside her.

Not far behind her was a sacrificial altar, on which hung a portrait of a female Taoist priest riding a white deer. Her face was blurred and could not be seen, and a gentle breeze surrounded her.

This hall is made of primordial wood, with a frame of broad timber. It generates a gentle breeze inside and wards off thunder from the sky outside, making both the interior and exterior pure and spiritual. It has the wonderful effect of accelerating cultivation and helping people to understand the Tao, which is quite extraordinary.

The plaque above the hall bears the inscription "Qing Hong," a sign of impending storms and thunder.

"The sea is indeed extraordinary. Such a Yuan wood artifact is rarely seen on land."

Xu Xuan was slightly moved. This treasure hall was indeed a Purple Mansion spiritual artifact, and it was made of rare Yuan Wood, making it extremely valuable.

"Fellow Daoist Bijie, what brings you to our Dao?"

When she asked, Xu Xuan replied in a deep voice:
"I wish to exchange for a Yuan Wood spiritual item, at least at the Foundation Establishment stage, preferably one that embodies righteousness. I wonder if your esteemed sect possesses one?"

“There are foundation-building spiritual items in the Yuanmu Dao, but those that match the correct position are extremely rare, and the stock is not large.”

Bixi's eyes flickered, and she continued:

"I believe that the raw wood spiritual items produced nowadays mostly correspond to the Xun wind position, which is because the wood is broken and the wind disaster is great, caused by the thunder of the sky and the water of Gui. If you are looking for these, you can also find spiritual items in the Purple Mansion."

"What resonates with the true meaning is that wood can stand tall and preserve life and vitality. It is extremely rare nowadays, and it is useful for disciples in the Dao to cultivate their techniques and secret arts."

What she said was true, leaving Xu Xuan momentarily speechless. He could only say:
"I have a powerful artifact in my mountain that needs to be rebuilt. Is it really impossible to exchange this Yuan Wood Foundation Establishment artifact for it?"

Bixi nodded slightly. The white deer lying beside her cried out softly. She gently stroked it, silencing the spirit beast.

“If you are sincere in wishing to exchange, that is certainly possible. However, could we use the Earthly Thunder as a trade? My Dao will offer two Yuan Wood Foundation Building Spiritual Objects, one for responding to wind disasters and the other for nourishing Yuan, in exchange for two Earthly Thunders.”

After all, it was a Foundation Establishment spiritual item. She thought about it and realized that if she really needed it, she could exchange it for another one in the future when she went to Shangxiao.

However, the opponent possessed some rare and precious stones, which were extremely rare even in the highest heavens.

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan immediately agreed. The other party hadn't gained much advantage; Yuan Wood was rare, and its value was roughly similar to She Lei, but it had a wider range of uses, including healing and alchemy. He had previously traded She Lei with alchemists from Huayin Mountain to refine Foundation Establishment Pills, and he still had quite a bit left.

He immediately took out two bolts of lightning, namely [Blazing Lightning] and [Solemn Lightning].

These two bolts of lightning, the former being as clear and bright as lightning, illuminating all sins, and the latter possessing a resemblance to a Qilin, which can be absorbed into the Qi Sea.

"As expected, it is a local thunderbolt. This kind of thunder cannot be generated naturally; it has been very rare since the Thunder Palace disappeared."

Bixi's eyes lit up, and she took out two spiritual items as well.

The two are a phoenix-patterned precious leaf surrounded by azure flowers and a wooden branch surrounded by a strong wind, both seemingly about to fall. The former is full of vitality, while the latter is about to perish.

"These are the Green Sun Leaf and the Rising Wind Branch, which correspond to the Yuan Wood's supernatural powers of 'Playing the Jade Flute' and 'Song of the Great Wind,' respectively. They are manifestations of the two natures of Yuan Wood: its upright and subdued aspects."

"This is an extremely profound and mysterious lineage, possessing two natures."

"It is not unique to Yuan wood; Ren water also has the changes of movement and entrapment. When it moves, it flows through heaven and earth; when it entraps, it cannot float on weak water."

Bixi, having received two rare lightning bolts, was in a good mood and chatted a bit longer, saying only:
"The way of Yuanmu lies in the change of standing and lying down. When the wood stands up, it does not climb into the clouds, nor does it produce flowers or fruit. All the vitality is contained within. But when the wood lies down, the vitality is released, which is the great wind of heaven and earth, ranking alongside the She thunder and Ding fire as one of the three calamities."

"The wind of pure qi is a gentle breeze, which is used to lift and support, thus it can increase cultivation and help people break through barriers. It is a wind that rises vertically. The wind of primordial wood is a horizontal wind. Once it rises, it will cause wind disasters, often accompanied by thunder and water."

"I see, I've learned something new."

Xu Xuan's heart stirred. According to Bi Xi's words, the last of the three calamities, the wind calamity, should be located on the Yuan Wood, which seems to correspond to its metal position.

He immediately thought of Tian Tuo. This demon was demanding the position of Yuan Mu Zun, but it was still uncertain whether anyone had achieved that position. What was this old demon thinking?

"I've heard that this tree connects with the Lesser Yang, and is the most revered of the Five Woods. I wonder whose lineage it represents in ancient times?"

When Xu Xuan asked about this, Bi Xi suddenly paused, her expression changing slightly.

“When Yuanmu meets Shaoyang, it becomes spring-blooming wood, which is naturally mysterious. As for whose lineage it belongs to, I do not know.”

Seeing that the other party seemed unwilling to talk about this matter, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward, Xu Xuan was about to find an excuse to leave when Bi Xi suddenly spoke up and asked:

"Fellow Daoist Bijie, may I ask Pingxiu, has he obtained what he was plotting?"

"Never."

Xu Xuan simply shook his head. The [Taiyu Shuttle] had been taken by that Dragon Lord, and what Pingxiu was currently asking for was [Immortal Ash], which had fallen into the cave.

Upon hearing this, Bixi's gaze shifted slightly, as if she were calculating something. After a short while, she said:
"He highly values ​​the inheritance of the Daoist tradition. The True Fire Dao once flourished, but has since declined."

As she spoke of these things, she suddenly thought of her own lineage and the Sword Immortal who had just emerged from a period of great wealth and power. It was somewhat ironic, and she shook her head and smiled bitterly.

“Master Pingxiu is very thoughtful in his dealings and has a high level of Taoist cultivation. However, he is somewhat lonely and has no disciples in the mountains.”

Xu Xuan recalled what he had seen at Douyan Mountain. It seemed that this True Person only had the fire-tending boy and a disciple who was in seclusion trying to break through to the Purple Mansion realm.

"This is the rule of his lineage: they cannot accept many disciples. They have always taught their children personally, like father and son, passing it down from generation to generation. This has both advantages and disadvantages."

Bixi's gaze shifted slightly, and she said softly:
"Before we reach the Purple Mansion level, we rely on ourselves for cultivation. Occasionally, we receive a word from a True Person, which is an immense honor. However, the Purple Mansion of the Heavenly Dao Lineage is willing to condescend to teach its disciples little by little."

"To think that's possible... I can't even compare."

Xu Xuan felt somewhat ashamed. Although he had disciples, he rarely gave them personal guidance. He mostly gave them pills and scriptures and let them cultivate on their own.

As the two were talking, they heard a clap of thunder outside the hall, and in the distance, they could see flashes of golden lightning like sharp blades, with many thunder spirits running around.

A man clad in bronze armor and covered in golden scales stepped out of the void, looked at the island, and spoke in a deep voice:
"Immortal of the Great Departure Sword is here. My king invites you to come to Tianchi for a chat."

Inside the hall, Xu Xuan slowly raised his head, looked outside, sighed softly, his brows furrowed, and he only whispered:

"Why has this jinx targeted me again?"

(End of this chapter)