Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 463 The Clear Light of the Sundial
Yuliu Mountain Range, Baiqing Cave.

The furnishings, carved from Xuanbing cold jade, radiated a bright light. Qingling stood there, letting the thunder sparrow on her shoulder hop around, but she dared not make the slightest move, even though she had already cultivated two divine abilities.

Lightning flashes flickered in Xu Xuan's eyes. He slowly paced back and forth, waiting for the Azure Spirit Demon King to speak. After a short while, the Azure Serpent finally spoke in a low voice:

"The matter of Chiyun was entirely handled by Grand Preceptor Qi. He agreed to help me refine my bloodline, so I agreed to take the blame for him."

"The Imperial Advisor."

Xu Xuan's tone was as cold as a winter wind. When he mentioned the National Preceptor of Huji, his sword aura became even more fierce, making Qingling beside him even more afraid.

"If I tell you the truth, I hope the Sword Immortal will..."

"You go first, and I will make my decision. Tell me about the background of this national advisor and his plans."

The cold air inside the cave intensified, and the wind and snow blew. Qingling dared not activate the great formation here. She only tried her best to show an obedient attitude and dared not disobey in the slightest.

"The 'Blessing Qi' path, also known as 'Blessing Brightness,' was established by the Zhao court, which once occupied the north and established the 'Precious Blessing Palace.' This lineage was founded by the 'Blessing Arrival' Heavenly Official, who is a high-ranking figure within the Blessing Qi hierarchy."

Xu Xuan then remembered something and asked:

"How did this celestial official fall from grace?"

Qingling looked somewhat bewildered, and she felt a little uneasy when talking about these things.

"I heard he was killed by the [Ominous] High Witch of Shu. This one, holding the [Poisonous] position, couldn't bear the pain of the division of the Golden Palace, so he transformed into an insect and ate Fu Lin, but also perished."

Xu Xuan seemed to be deep in thought, and only said:

"Huji cultivates blessings and energy; is his lineage passed down from this path?"

"He is a true disciple of Baofu Palace. He has also inherited the essence of the Qi Kingdom's Heavenly Gift Dao. When it comes to cultivating the Dao of Fortune and Qi, no one in the world can surpass him."

When Qingling mentioned this imperial advisor, there was a deep sense of apprehension in her voice.

"The matter of Chiyun was presided over by the State Preceptor Qi. In the past, the struggle between Shu and Zhao was fierce, almost a century-old blood feud, with the imperial descendants of both sides killing each other."

"Ancient history is rare, yet you seem to know quite a bit about it."

Xu Xuan sat on the icy chair beside him. Dan Ting had already flown away from Qing Ling's shoulder and landed in his hand, chattering away, which made the green snake beside him look a little more relaxed.

“My elder sister discussed metaphysics with that imperial advisor, so I also know the secrets behind this.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan, sitting on the ice chair, frowned and said:

"If that's the case, then tell me the story in detail."

Qingling dared not be negligent, but the cold air in the cave grew stronger, white frost condensed, and silver snow fluttered.

"The Zhao Kingdom has only been passed down for two generations. The founding emperor, Qi Yinsheng, cultivated evil energy and attained a high position, known as the [Heavenly Evil] Emperor. He used the Hou (a mythical beast) as the symbol of the founding of the kingdom. He is the orthodox successor of the Black Fiend Demonic Path. His senior brother is the Qingyu True Lord of Xin Jin."

Xu Xuan listened silently. The conflict between Zhao and Shu should have occurred after the fall of the Fengyan dynasty. The fall of Shu marked the beginning of a chaotic era that lasted for a thousand years until Feng was established.

The world is constantly in flux, with periods of division and reunion; there is no eternal dynasty.

"After the one in Beihai beheaded Qingyu, Emperor Gaozu of Zhao also died from the mountain's suppression. His son, in a panic, ascended the throne. He was still at the Purple Peak, and he opened the country's gates wide, welcoming the [Hua Shidao] of Mount Sumeru into the Zhao court. He became a Venerable One through secret methods and became the [Du Sha] Buddha King."

"Even if they are released, Zhao Ting will perish, and the imperial descendants will be driven into the Netherworld, where they will be condemned to eternal damnation, unable to live or die, and subjected to the torment of mountains of knives and seas of fire. Even if they are reincarnated, they will be reborn as pigs or dogs. The Qi family bloodline that escaped will find it difficult to cultivate their evil spirits again."

"Does the Sword Immortal of Tribulation understand this grudge?"

Xu Xuan now roughly understood the source of the Grand Preceptor's hatred. The struggle between Shu and Zhao was probably extremely fierce and bloody, which led to Zhao Yi's tragic end.

This feud has persisted for thousands of years and continues to this day, only the circumstances have changed.

'Qi Changsheng.'

Xu Xuan silently recited the name, then turned his gaze to Qing Ling.

"So, the blood sacrifice in Chiyun's place was presided over by him. What about my master's affairs in the past?"

Qingling looked terrified. She naturally knew about Wen Fufeng's matter. The emergence of this Fengxuan Sword Master had attracted a lot of attention.

"The Grand Preceptor Qi did not pay much attention to this matter. It was Lord Fu Chen who intervened in the specific planning, but I was unaware of it. Now, I have told Sword Immortal most of what I know."

"Thank you, Demon King, for telling me these things. The grudges and entanglements are truly difficult to resolve."

The man on the ice chair had a cold expression. Lei Que had transformed into a longsword, which he held horizontally in front of him. The terrifying aura of tribulation flowed around him, causing Qing Ling's skin to sting and her life to waver.

'This is the Thunder Sword Immortal. If he wanted to kill me, I'm afraid I wouldn't even last three moves.'

At this time, Qingling had cultivated two divine abilities, namely [Calming the Storm] and [Unbreakable Mustard Seed], both of which were Ren Water divine abilities and could be considered powerful. However, in the face of Sword Intent and Thunder, she still had no means of survival.

She hesitated for a moment, then remembered her sister's instructions. She activated her magic and took out a jujube-red wooden box. Her expression showed extreme reluctance, but she still respectfully presented it.

"I was greedy for profit, aided others in their evil deeds, and harmed the Sword Immortal Sect. I am willing to offer this item as compensation."

This wooden box is engraved with the golden crow pattern of the sun all over its body. It is dark red in color and has intense heat. It is an object of fire. This box alone is comparable to a spiritual essence.

Xu Xuan took the box and opened it. A strong ray of sunlight shone forth, transforming into a golden crow that soared into the sky, but was bound by the cold air and returned to the box. "The spiritual object of the sun, [Claring Light of the Heavenly Sundial], is the most radiant and brilliant light of the sun at midday. It was the light of the sun that cleansed the world when Emperor Zhu Ci ascended the throne."

Qingling's voice held a hint of reluctance, but remembering her elder sister's instructions, she still spoke softly:
“Back in the days of Qi Xing, my sister and I received a Taoist priest who bestowed upon us two volumes of Taoist scriptures, two precious pills, and three spiritual lights of Lesser Yang, Lesser Yin, and Greater Yang. I hope the Sword Immortal will accept them and let bygones be bygones.”

Xu Xuan, however, was not particularly moved by the sun's spiritual light, but instead keenly noticed a name.

'Returning to the Taoist priest.'

Cultivating the [Chongxuan Cheguang Heavenly Eye] requires the spiritual light of the sun as its foundation, ideally corresponding to the two metal positions of [Kunyu] and [Relative Eclipse], which have a positive and negative transformation, making it incredibly wondrous.

This [Celestial Sundial's Clear Light] was passed down from Jinwu, and it was perfect for practicing this spell from Qingyuan Temple, which made Xu Xuan's heart flutter.

There are no coincidences in this world. Is there any connection between the adults at Qingyuan Temple and that Taoist priest?

He calmly accepted the ray of sunlight. Originally, because of Bai Xuan, he only wanted to teach the green snake a lesson, not kill it with one sword and then fight the white snake to the death.

Xu Xuan closed the jujube-red treasure box, then stood up and slowly walked out. When he reached the cave entrance, he looked back again, his gaze stern.

"If Liu Qiuci returns, I hope the Demon King will inform him as soon as possible, so that no further trouble may arise."

The other party's words carried a hint of warning, so Qingling immediately bowed, lowered her eyes, and respectfully said:

"Qiu Ci and I are deeply in love and have a very deep bond. I have the intention to help him with his supernatural powers and would never dare to have any other thoughts. However, I am wary of the fact that the Wood Dao lineage is mostly in the East Sea and is controlled by Penglai. That is why I sent him there."

Xu Xuan took another deep look at the green snake, then cleaved through the void with his fingers and vanished in an instant. At this moment, some doubts arose in his heart.

"Penglai?"

This immortal island is located on the border of the East China Sea. It is extremely mysterious, and there is an array outside the island that prevents outsiders from getting close. Therefore, few people know about its contents.

The fact that it can remain stable and untainted by the dragons suggests that there must be a Golden Core cultivator present, though it's hard to say which one.

"I might have to go there again sometime in the future."

Jade Stream was right next to Crimson Cloud, and the two traveled back and forth very quickly. Xu Xuan returned to Heavenly Punishment in an instant, and at this moment he saw the man in green waiting outside the Great Crimson Palace.

"Master."

Liu Xingfang stepped forward respectfully. Although he didn't say anything, his inner turmoil could not be hidden from Shentong.

"Qiu Ci is not dead."

Xu Xuan smiled slightly. The presence of old friends stirred something within him. Liu Xingfang, standing nearby, paused for a moment, then immediately asked:
"Maybe tell Biye Shanzhong?"

"It's alright. He's seeking enlightenment in the East Sea, accompanied by Qingyun. He won't be able to return to Chiyun for a while. Go and reassure Baiyuan so he can relax."

Liu Xingfang agreed and immediately retreated, riding the wind straight to the original location, disappearing in an instant.

Xu Xuan stepped into the hall, sat on the blue futon, opened the treasure box carved from jujube wood, and removed the restraints from the [Crystal Sundial].

This ray of solar light was about to soar into the sky, but it crashed into the cage formed by the silver lightning and was bound in front of Xu Xuan, unable to escape.

As the Jade Blood Heavenly Heart Technique was activated, a Heavenly Eye gradually appeared between Xu Xuan's brows. This was the extraordinary [Chongtian Eye]. The functions of these extraordinary eyes gradually weakened at the Purple Mansion Realm. Unless one was a true cultivator of Blood Qi, it was difficult to unleash their power, and Xu Xuan rarely used them.

On the contrary, this spell is more effective in restoring blood and energy and repairing injuries. Even though Xu Xuan has not cultivated any supernatural powers, he can use this technique to draw some blood and energy from the dragon's body, which will speed up his recovery considerably.

The Chongxuan Cheguang Heavenly Eye is a true technique passed down from Qingyuan Temple, reaching the sixth rank, and its nature is the sun.

This magical practice is divided into three stages: [Opening the Eyes], [Gathering Light], and [Overlapping Radiance]. The method of opening the eyes is similar to the Jade Blood Heavenly Heart Technique, both imitating the extraordinary methods of the sages.

The eye opened by this Heavenly Eye is directly connected to supernatural powers and has immense power. At this moment, Xu Xuan mobilized all his blood and energy, and according to the records of this spell, gradually connected and sensed the Heavenly Eye and the supernatural powers.

This process is extremely complicated. The supernatural power is contained within the inner vision and must be supported by mental strength to sense the Heavenly Eye. Fortunately, Xu Xuan already had a foundation, and the [Heavenly Eye] saved him a lot of time.

Inside the hall, the Taoist sat in meditation, but the third eye between his eyebrows became increasingly mysterious, responding to supernatural powers, with lightning flashing and disappearing.

Time flies. Even though Xu Xuan already had a foundation, the process of opening his eyes alone took a full thirty-six days. If he hadn't cultivated this strange appearance, it would have been normal for it to take half a year.

Now, the third eye between his eyebrows is completely stable. It is usually closed, with only a silver-white lightning pattern, which is not unusual. But once activated, it has the wonder of seeing the truth through illusion. Although it cannot compare to supernatural powers, it is enough to deal with the tricks of Buddhist cultivators.

The next step in absorbing light is to refine the sun's spiritual light into the Heavenly Eye, using it as a foundation to support all other lights.

The sun governs all light, so after being refined, it can be superimposed with other radiances. As long as one can withstand it, the power of this Heavenly Eye can continue to increase.

Xu Xuan lifted up the [Clarity Sundial] and first sent it into his inner vision, letting the pure energy circulate around it to make sure he hadn't tampered with it. Only then did he send it into his brow and refine it little by little.

"It will probably take an extremely long time to refine this light."

The spiritual object of the sun is no ordinary thing, let alone something that needs to be refined into flesh and blood to cultivate such a profound technique. At this moment, Xu Xuan can only wear it down little by little, while the spiritual light remains completely still.

"We can only wait."

He calmed his mind, becoming completely absorbed in refining this ray of spiritual light.

Inside the palace, light shone brightly, golden light surged, and all was silent.

(End of this chapter)