Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 459 A Lone Thunderbolt Hangs in the Sky
Heavenly Punishment, the main hall.

Xu Xuan closed his eyes and sat in meditation, his mind returning to his inner vision, as if in a peaceful sleep. Countless silver lights, like swimming fish, darted around him, causing the clouds and mountains outside the hall to tremble.

interior.

Thunderclouds piled up like mountains, and silver lightning, like dragons and snakes, darted back and forth. Rolling thunder echoed throughout the area. In the highest position of the sky, the ancient and majestic Xuandu Thunder City hung high.

This city is nearly a hundred feet long, with high walls that seem to be cast from black iron. Thunderous liquid cascades down from above, splashing up thousands of streams of light in the clouds. Thirty-six celestial pillars stand in the city, supporting the nine heavenly palaces. Among them are many celestial soldiers and generals, judges and messengers, and even a black unicorn standing on the top of the city, as if stepping on the heavens.

Numerous celestial laws manifested at the city's edge, the black and white tribulation pools hung high in the sky, and the celestial guillotine on the execution platform below exuded murderous aura, connected with countless tribulation lights.

Above the thunderclouds, the two stood side by side.

"【The abyss of drought lurks, the five thunders blaze, the lesser yang wood flourishes, the greater yin cold arises, thus darkness begins to settle, and the Ren water is sought anew】"

Tian Tuo stood with his hands behind his back, his golden eyes shining brightly. His voice was filled with emotion as he turned to look at Xu Xuan.

"This proverb should probably not be taken entirely at face value."

Xu Xuan had already told Tian Tuo, who was beside him, about everything that had happened over the years. The old demon was most interested in this immortal proverb.

"Why? That Taoist priest is an incarnation of an immortal, how could he be wrong?"

"Although He is an incarnation of an immortal, His true form has departed. However, there are real immortals in the heavens. Now that the sun has lost its position and the Pure Yang Sword has been broken, this immortal proverb is also subject to change."

Tian Tuo gazed intently at the boundless Thunder City, his crimson robes adorned with shimmering mandala patterns.

"I was reincarnated as a human, and my memories have been restored to a great extent. I can understand why I sought you out back then. As for the matter of this Pure Yang Immortal, the Donghua Dao lineage is extremely ancient. According to the Daoist records in the cave heaven, it was the first manifestation of Xuan Qi, Taiqing, who transmitted the Dao."

Tian Tuo's voice was deep and resonant as he spoke in detail about the origins and lineage of Donghua's Daoist tradition, which stirred something within Xu Xuan.

Upon hearing the name "Taiqing," he instantly thought of the Dao Stele within his body. This stele, inscribed with the name Taiqing, contained various mysteries and was naturally a remnant of this manifestation.

Among the nine manifestations of the Mysterious Qi are Taiqing, Fuyi, Fengxuan, and others, all of whom are near-immortals. Taiqing's realm is probably already at an unimaginable level, perhaps even above that of an Immortal Lord.

In the distant Dao Realm, pure energy swirled. Xu Xuan, lost in thought, asked:

"The transmission of the Dao by Taiqing?"

He then activated his pure energy, lifting the two of them up. The Taiyin Platform below shone brightly, manifesting a heavenly path that sent the two into the Dao Realm, right in front of the Dao Observation Hall.

Looking at the changes in this place, Tian Tuo couldn't help but feel a little doubtful, and said:
“The three manifestations of ancestral energy are the Three Pure Ones: the Mysterious Energy [Taiqing Daode], the Beginning Energy [Yuqing Yuanshi], and the Primordial Energy [Shangqing Lingbao]. All the immortal paths in the world originate from these Three Pure Ones.”

"The founder of the Donghua School was surnamed Wang. He attained enlightenment after the fall of the Zhou Dynasty, first reaching the Lesser Yang True Fruit and concurrently holding the Qian Jin Subordinate Position. He ascended to immortality in one fell swoop, and his Daoist name was Quan Yang. He passed down the supernatural cultivation method of the current Purple Mansion Realm. After the fall of the Xia Dynasty, he went to the outer heavens."

"The method of achieving the Golden Elixir through supernatural powers was left behind by the [Pure Yang] Immortal of that time. This great man later became the sword dao incarnation of Yu Fengdai, who took over Donghua and was known as the Third Ancestor."

Xu Xuan seemed to understand something, but a guess arose in his heart.

"So, the Golden Elixir Method was created by Donghua, and the corresponding path to ascension is..."

"【Lesser Yin Immortal Heaven】." Tian Tuo's voice was decisive, but his expression grew colder. "Although you used ancient methods to sense and achieve the Purple Mansion, you ultimately transformed your supernatural powers and followed the Golden Core method."

"If one truly cultivates the path to ascension, there are no current distinctions of lineage or supernatural powers. Instead, one comprehends the most fundamental Dao intent, cultivating only 'She Lei' (社雷, a type of Daoist energy) and 'Yuan Mu' (元木, a type of Daoist energy), etc. There is no need to use supernatural powers or mystical phenomena to define its boundaries. One directly comprehends the Dao fruit within the Great Luo realm, which is to become a Celestial Being."

"When the Heavenly Court was destroyed and the Thunder Palace was destroyed, many Golden Core cultivators and even immortals took action, causing the world to collapse. As a result, the mortal world is becoming increasingly distant from the Great Luo realm. Today, although this method is wondrous, few people can cultivate it successfully. Of course, the situation in the heavens is another story."

Xu Xuan, however, was gradually beginning to understand, and sighed:
"Lesser Yang and Lesser Yin refer to the distinction between two paths of cultivation."

Tian Tuo nodded slightly and continued:
"The second patriarch of Donghua, whose Daoist name was Zhengyang, attained enlightenment during the time of the fall of Xia and the rise of Yan. He resided in Shaoyang and later ascended to immortality. At that time, Donghua was also filled with many True Lords, making it extremely prosperous."

"inflammation?"

Xu Xuansheng was somewhat puzzled. He already knew about the second generation before the Zhou Dynasty, such as the Yu Dynasty and the Yin Dynasty, but he had never heard of this generation mentioned by Tian Tuo.

"After the fall of Xia, Fengyan rose to power. It was an imperial dynasty established by the descendants of Fuyi, and also a holy dynasty of the human race. It took Bing fire as its foundation. The Yan Taizu even ascended to immortality. The [Hengguang] True Lord attained enlightenment in this dynasty."

Tian Tuo's voice was deep and resonant. His revelation of this secret only deepened Xu Xuan's doubts.

"If that's the case, why is it that no one in the world knows about the deeds of this dynasty? Moreover, True Lord Hengguang resides in the Bingzun position and was active after the Yan Dynasty was destroyed. With the dynasty's demise and his position no longer existing, how could he move around freely?"

Xu Xuan had many calculations in his mind. Heng Guang Zhenjun held the position of Bing Huo Zunshi, but he remained active until the time when Zhao and Shu were fighting. By then, Yan Chao must have been destroyed. Bing Huo lost his position, so what was the point of the Zunshi position?

"The history of this dynasty has long been erased by the Blessed Land of White Paper and absorbed into its own soil. Therefore, it is neither perceptible nor speakable to cultivators. Only the protection of the Golden Core can bring it to light." "I learned of this matter from the Lesser Yang Daoist Canon, but I immediately forgot it. Only now, after receiving the inscription, have I recalled it. As for the matter of the Golden Position..."

A hint of smugness appeared on Tian Tuo's face as he smiled and said:

"You still have a limited perspective. How could you possibly know the methods of an adult? Even if the position is vacant, there are ways to preserve the other gold positions in this path."

"As long as the person who held the position was willing and had profound cultivation, at least at the late Golden Core stage, they could expend their cultivation to practice the method of 'preserving their position,' thus stabilizing their position within the Great Luo realm. If they were to perish, it would not implicate their subordinate or honorary positions."

"Both Bing Fire and Yuan Wood are like this. They can even seek to follow and be respected when their positions are vacant. However, how can lower-level cultivators know about the situation of positions in various lineages?"

Xu Xuan gradually realized that if this was the case, as long as a True Lord of the Fruit Realm was willing to use his methods and his Dao power was profound, he could bring blessings to this cultivator.

Tian Tuo's golden eyes were bright, but his voice held a hint of emotion as he sighed:

"This action causes more loss than gain to those in positions of power. It is an act of sharing power and entrusting it to the Great Luo. Therefore, few people can retain their positions. In fact, once they attain fruition, not only do they not retain them, but they are also taken back."

The two strolled through the Dao Realm, where pure energy flowed. Xu Xuan gradually fell into deep thought, asking only to Xiang Tian Tuo.

"Then this social thunder."

"One can only seek the result."

Tian Tuo's resolute response surprised Xu Xuan, but then the old demon chuckled sinisterly:

"This is the rule set by Immortal Lord Tianpeng in the past, and it is also the means to preserve the thunder after the destruction of the Thunder Palace, so that even after nearly 10,000 years, no one can shake this thunder."

"You should know that even today, this lightning bolt is still perfect, isolated Yin and Yang Five Virtues. The so-called branch of the Divine Shock is just a misunderstanding by lower cultivators. These two bolts only gained some preservation by taking advantage of their escape from the Thunder Palace."

"She Lei destroyed itself, and it has only remained hidden until now, concealing itself within the Great Luo realm. Its power has not diminished in the slightest. As one's supernatural abilities grow, and even when one senses the Golden Position, one can restore the authority of the Thunder Palace. This path is the unchanging lineage since the Thunder Palace disappeared. Since the Thunder Palace vanished, no Golden Core has existed in the world, and no cultivator can interfere with it."

Xu Xuan, however, recalled what he had seen and heard in the North Sea, and with a thought, he said in a deep voice:

"The death of the Dragon King Xuzhi was due to the plot of the Lesser Yin Immortal Heaven regarding the position of Huo Shan. Observing this past event, even the position can shake the true fruit. Therefore, the Thunder Palace cannot keep its golden position. Even if it declines and perishes, it is only waiting for a person who can restore the morality of the world—an immortal, or an immortal lord?"

Seeing how quickly he grasped the concept, Tian Tuo was quite surprised and simply said:
"That's right. You've become much smarter while I was away." He chuckled a few times and continued, "The positions of the She Lei subordinate and the Venerable can still accommodate Golden Core cultivators. Once they attain enlightenment, they will be controlled by others. Wouldn't that break the perfection of She Lei?"

"Tianpeng disappeared, and the Thunder Palace declined, but the She Lei remained unharmed. Even though the cultivators were in uproar and wanted to knock down the high and mighty tribulation lightning, when they entered the Thunder Palace, they found that there was not a single person in the She Lei position. They had all perished along with the Thunder Palace."

Xu Xuan was deeply moved upon hearing this, and only then did he understand why this path had remained unchecked until now.

"What decisive measures you have taken, gentlemen. I wonder what sacrifices you have made to protect Shelei."

Judging from this, one can roughly guess the situation of the Thunder Palace at that time. It was probably facing an insurmountable enemy, and the only option was to preserve the perfect Thunder God Society, or even cut off the path for future cultivators, in order to wait for the return of that immortal lord.

"In that case, am I doomed to die?"

Xu Xuan's expression was strange, while Tian Tuo chuckled and said in a sarcastic tone:
"That's right. When I ascend to the Yuanmu realm and enter the Shaoyang realm, I will naturally erect a monument for you, saying that you are a true disciple of the Thunder Palace, and that you will not perish on your own in order to protect the Great Dao."

Xu Xuan's expression remained unchanged, but a subtle movement of pure energy emanated from him, connecting with the inscriptions on the demon's body, causing Tian Tuo's eyelids to twitch.

"Actually, there is a chance."

Tian Tuo's voice changed, and his expression became slightly solemn, no longer showing any of his previous teasing.

"I said that seeking the shrine would lead to destruction, but if we really plan it out, we might be able to hold a position for a moment. If we have that moment, and with the support of the divine and thunderous forces, we might be able to bring back the Heavenly Canopy Immortal."

"However, the masters of the Divine Thunder and the Zhen Thunder are probably unwilling to let the She Thunder return, so the chances of this matter are slim. In fact, if there is any inclination towards this, not to mention the heavens, even the True Lords of this world will have to take action to suppress the Three Thunders."

The old demon looked at Xu Xuan, his voice growing increasingly solemn.

“But you have an advantage that is difficult for other cultivators to detect. Only you and that person from the North Sea have a tacit understanding with each other.”

Purple lightning gradually rose in Xu Xuan's eyes, and a serpentine aura swirled around his body. Outside the Guandao Hall, purple and white lightning flowed on the Zanhe Thunder Tree, which was extremely mysterious.

"Dragon body".

His eyes gradually cleared, as if he had realized something.

(End of this chapter)