Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 477 Zhengyi
In the Wuheng Palace.

The brownish-yellow divine light flickers like breathing, and the altar, built of five-colored stones, stands here, mottled with erosion, ancient and weathered, appearing even more old than the rest of the hall, as if it had been unearthed from deep underground.

The hanging scroll on the stage was empty, except for several ancient seal characters formed from pure Earth divine light—[The Righteous Ruler].

There was no imposing aura emanating from it, but when one gazed upon it, a sense of reverence would arise in one's heart, as if looking up at a high mountain.

Xu Xuan turned his gaze to the white jade pillars on both sides, where characters formed from condensed yang energy appeared, arranged on the left and right: "Overlooking the Netherworld" and "Mountains and Rivers Unmoved." On each side, human figures formed from condensed yang energy knelt in worship and praise.

“A prominent figure in the Wuheng lineage.”

Tian Tuo's voice was solemn. At this moment, he was staring at the blank portrait in the inner vision, feeling an extremely high and distant aura, as if Mount Tai was in front of him.

"If one does not leave their true form in the world, they are at least at the Golden Core level. The [Wuheng Palace] is an Earth Virtue Immortal Path, the master of the state, and was established in ancient times, even before the Zhou Dynasty."

"In ancient times, there were three paths of Earth Virtue: [Wu Heng] Wu Ji, [Zhen Yuan] Gen Fu, and [Qing Yang] Yun Tu. All five Earth elements in the world today originated from these three. Among them, Qing Yang was the weakest, yet it has been passed down the longest. Wu Heng was the strongest, but it perished early. It is unpredictable how things turn out."

The old demon's voice seemed to carry a hint of emotion, while Xu Xuan continued to gaze at the blank scroll, his heart filled with doubt.

"Who is the Lord of Righteousness? Is he the True Lord, the Lord of the Dao, or the Immortal Lord?"

Tian Tuo chuckled, his tone seemingly showing off his erudition, and said:

“You’ve said too little. Since you’re a master of the Earth element, there are also Divine Lords, Prefecture Lords, Heavenly Lords, and so on. These are all positions that existed in this path in ancient times.”

Xu Xuan then looked at the white jade pillar beside him, where the words "Overlooking the Netherworld" caught his attention.

The inscription here must be praising the achievements of this [Zhengyi], but this person should be of the Wu Earth element.

"Why is it related to the underworld? Isn't this for the purpose of subduing the earth? If we're going to talk about it, it should also be related to the Zhenyuan lineage."

Upon hearing this, Tian Tuo remained silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. After a short while, he slowly said:
"Taiyue, also known as Daizong, is an ancient symbol of the Earth element. When the underworld was first built, this mountain was an important place in the netherworld."

"The Shu Emperor, being a native of the Earth element, was able to retrieve a hidden Earth from the underworld. There must be a connection between the two, which may be the achievement of this Lord Zhengyi."

Xu Xuan pondered for a while, then stepped forward and looked at the several spiritual objects offered on the altar. Most of them were held in jade plates and gold bottles, their interiors gleaming.

The sight stirred his heart. As items used to worship the Daoist lineage, the Shu Palace naturally selected rare and precious spiritual objects, some of which were no longer seen in the present day.

There were nine offerings in total, which dazzled Xu Xuan. He first took out a porcelain vase with a white moon and golden osmanthus pattern. The Taiyin energy flowed around it, and pale white spiritual water rippled in it, reflecting a crescent moon.

"A Yin object!"

Xu Xuan was overjoyed and activated his magic power to take it out. However, as soon as his magic power came into contact with the pool of Taiyin spiritual water, its radiance quickly dimmed, it lost all its spirituality, and turned into ashes.

boom!
The ice porcelain bottle in his hand shattered into pieces, and the spiritual water inside became extremely thin and devoid of any mystery, causing Xu Xuan to frown.

Spiritual objects cannot withstand the erosion of time, and according to the Ji Shu's perception, these spiritual objects should be intact.

Even if the ruins of the Zhou Dynasty are opened, most of the spiritual objects found within can be used, let alone a carefully sealed sip of Yin spiritual water? Such immortal power should be indestructible over time.

"The essence has long since dissipated; it is now merely a facade."

Tian Tuo had already seen through the deception, and his tone was somewhat regretful. At this moment, Xu Xuan took these spiritual items one by one, but most of them turned into ashes.

Only one spiritual object at the very center remained intact. It was a brownish-yellow light sealed within a bronze mirror, perfectly centered, like the balance of heaven and earth, upholding and judging all things.

"Which ray of light is this?"

Tian Tuo's tone seemed to contain doubt, as even with his knowledge, he had not recognized it. However, Xu Xuan felt a sense of joy, as what he lacked most now was spiritual light, and this ray of Wu light could make up for it.

He gently channeled his magical power, attempting to retrieve it, but the bronze mirror, engraved with images of the Black Bird, Yangyue, and Changyuan, remained completely still. Even when he used his supernatural powers to retrieve it with his physical body, he could not budge it.

"Strange?"

Although Xu Xuan has not yet cultivated body supernatural powers, he has still mastered the ancient blood qi technique, the Jade Blood Heavenly Heart Technique, and his physical strength surpasses that of ordinary cultivation techniques and mental supernatural powers.

Even if it cannot carry mountains and seas like a dragon, it can easily lift several immortal peaks, let alone this bronze mirror.
He carefully examined the beam of light. This object was located at the center of the altar and served as the main sacrificial offering. It was probably related to the person above, and it might even be a spirit object representing the golden position of this [Zhengyi], such as [Hengming Zunguang Xuanyan] or [Huoshan Mingye Lieguang].

"Since it originates from Zhengyi, shall it be called [Zhengyi Wuguang]?"

Xu Xuan paced slowly, occasionally trying to shake the beam of light with his physical body, but no matter how hard he tried, the bronze mirror did not budge an inch.

He sighed, looked at the blank portrait above, somewhat dejected, and muttered to himself:

"I am also a descendant of the Great Shu. If you give it to me today, I can simply return the lineage to you in the future. Why be so stingy?"

Upon hearing this, the entire Wuheng Palace began to tremble. The brownish-yellow Wu light rippled like water, and a hazy white Dao energy spread from all directions.

Wei Shuang, who was meditating and recovering nearby, suddenly opened her eyes, startled by this unexpected change.

"Fellow Daoist Xu?"

Xu Xuan, standing at the altar in front, seemed not to hear anything. He reached out, grasped the bronze mirror with the black bird design, and exerted a little force.

Light as a feather.

Brownish-yellow light surged from the mirror, representing the true order of heaven and earth, the central pivot of the five virtues. It was constantly changing, sometimes like air, sometimes like stone. As magical power flowed into it, it grew heavier and heavier, with no upper limit in sight.

Facing the blank portrait, Xu Xuan put away the bronze mirror and the Wu Guang, and bowed respectfully, though he was somewhat surprised.

Is this official still in power? Is this his response, or a coincidence?

However, the strange phenomena in the hall gradually dissipated, returning to normal. There was nothing noteworthy on the altar anymore, and even the ancient characters formed by the condensation of the Wu light gradually dimmed. "Fellow Daoist Xu."

Wei Shuang stepped forward gracefully. He had already suppressed his injuries. Facing a Bodhi level one master who had been born with the Pure Land, an ordinary early Purple Mansion cultivator would naturally find it difficult to withstand him.

"I have recovered from my injuries. If it weren't for your help, I'm afraid I would have been in serious trouble today. I should thank you for your help."

"It's alright, it didn't take much effort, and Yu Man was just scared away."

Xu Xuan estimated that if She Lei hadn't damaged the Pure Land, and Yu Man had left out of concern for the damage, then if the other party had truly fought to the death without regard for anything else, it would have taken him and Wei Shuang a lot of effort to defeat them.

The Bodhi realm is divided into three levels. The first level is stronger than the ordinary mid-stage Purple Mansion realm but weaker than the late stage. The second level is equivalent to the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm, and the third level is slightly weaker than the Purple Peak realm.

However, this only measures magical power without considering other factors such as magical artifacts, inheritances, cultivation levels, and spells, so it is not accurate.

In the past, during the battle in the Western Sea, Master Pingxiu was so wealthy that he was able to overpower Master Jieli, which was also because the opponent's Pure Land was not ancient enough.

If a Pure Land is truly blessed by eminent monks throughout history and refined by believers, it can not only make offerings to many great beings and Vajras, but its power is also far superior to that of a small Pure Land created by the power of calamity and pride.

"Fellow Daoist, your destiny is extraordinary, and you are indeed concerned about Buddhist cultivation. However, our Great Li Chan Sect is flourishing. With Yu Man acting in this way, are you not afraid of provoking public anger?"

Xu Xuan's gaze shifted. At this moment, the strangeness on Wei Shuang's body had not completely dissipated, but he could already sense some of it after refining the [Heavenly Oath Thunder Essence].

Wei Shuang's destiny is so heavy not only because of his innate cold yin energy, but also because of the fortune of the Frost Plum Clan, as well as his entanglement with Miao'e and Dusheng, making the karmic burden on him exceptionally heavy.

"This bald monk came from Liaodong. With the great battle approaching, he serves as a role model, and many immortal sects have tacitly approved of his conversion of believers. However, since it involves the Purple Mansion, we don't know what he has to rely on."

Wei Shuang's voice gradually deepened. He had some guesses in his heart, but he was unwilling to admit it. The power of the fire that Yu Man had refined was extraordinary. The Liao Kingdom did not produce fire. This monk had just joined the Da Li Kingdom. Who else could have bestowed it upon him?
Hidden within the inner realm, Tian Tuo, aided by the wondrous protection of the pure energy, brazenly scrutinized Wei Shuang, clicking his tongue in amazement:

“What Yu Man said is right. Although he has a destiny, he is blinded by hatred, making it difficult for him to cultivate his spiritual powers. His Yin energy is incomplete, making it difficult for him to reach the end on the path of immortality.”

“In my opinion, it would be better to join the sect. The Six Livestock King has a great reputation in ancient times. His life is like a white horse, treading on snow to find plum blossoms. You can join him. His future is much better than the Purple Gold Sect. Just in terms of lifespan, he can live for thousands of years.”

Xu Xuan listened silently, but couldn't help feeling a little emotional. If he hadn't made any progress in his cultivation, but had found great success in joining the righteous path, what should he have done?

"I am seriously injured and cannot stay in this cave any longer. Once I leave and enter the void, Yu Man will have no way to deal with me."

"If that's the case, fellow Daoist, please be careful. I will need to stay in this grotto for who knows how long."

Xu Xuan had a fairly good impression of Wei Shuang and that Guan Quan Zhenren. At least they could be considered upright people who were willing to expend great effort to slay demons, unlike the other Zifu who cherished their lives.

Wei Shuang forced a smile, pondered for a moment, and then took out a plum branch that was fluttering in the wind and snow. The flowers were red and white, and the branch was light gray. The words "Bathing in Snow" were engraved on it, and a cold and yin aura permeated the air.

He solemnly handed the plum branch to Xu Xuan, and then said in a deep voice:
“I will always remember your kindness, fellow Daoist. I hope to make a trip to the Earthly Lung Mountain in the future to repay you. This [Snow-Bathing Branch] is a spiritual artifact left by our sect and passed down by our ancestor. It is a mid-grade Purple Mansion artifact. I will lend it to you for now.”

"This object is light and is good at handling wind and snow. I always keep it in my inner vision to activate it. If you want to use it, you can silently recite the incantation and unleash it to fight the enemy."

As she spoke, Wei Shuang directly dispelled the mark on the magical artifact, along with a spell.

"Thank you, fellow Daoist. After this, I will personally visit you to return the money."

This magical artifact was quite powerful, which was the key to Wei Shuang's ability to hold out for so long against Yu Man. It was also a tradition passed down in the sect, yet Wei Shuang lent it to Xu Xuan without hesitation.

Wei Shuang shook her head and sighed:

"I have just entered this place and have left without gaining anything. Perhaps it is my fate. I originally wanted to see if there were any supernatural powers here that could replace ginseng."

He unleashed a large talisman radiating purple energy, which originated from the Louguan Taoist lineage and was a life-saving item concocted for him by the True Man Guan Quan.

A surge of purple energy instantly sent the opponent out of this grotto-heaven and into the void.

Xu Xuan's gaze grew even sharper, and he had already made up his mind. Wei Shuang's previous experience in this palace was indeed quite strange.

The majority of the people in Dali were Taoists, and even those who practiced Buddhism were mainly Chan (Zen) and were largely hostile to the Pure Land school in Liaodong.

Previously, whichever Purple Mansion cultivator encountered the situation would usually lend a hand and force Yu Man to retreat, but Wei Shuang fought for a long time without using any supernatural powers, which was really strange.
Outside the grotto, the Imperial Preceptor was watching, representing the Song family, while Yu Man held a wisp of fire, which was highly suspicious.

"After all, they are the imperial family. In their eyes, there is probably no difference between immortals and shamans. With war approaching, a Ming King should be of great use."

He could only speculate a little, but he dared not draw a conclusion, because this behavior was too taboo, and he would not do it unless there was some unavoidable reason.

"What is the origin of the Six Domestic Animals King?"

Xu Xuan asked about Tian Tuo, but the old demon couldn't give a clear answer. He only knew that in ancient times, there were also enlightened kings who were extremely powerful, comparable to great immortal cultivators.

"Forget it, with Senior Guan Quan here, I don't need to worry about this."

He bowed to the blank portrait once more, then walked out of the Wuheng Palace, silently igniting the spiritual light he had gained.

Aside from the [Radiant Light of Calamity] on the Divine Glow Pagoda, which still needs nourishment before it can be refined, the spiritual light in the Mysterious Seal and the bronze mirror can be directly refined into the Heavenly Eye.

Both of these spiritual lights were extraordinary, but Xu Xuan could not recognize their origins. For the time being, he first incorporated the Zhengyi Wu light into his Heavenly Eye and slowly refined it.

"If we can refine this spiritual light before the immortal treasures of the cave emerge, we will surely gain the upper hand."

Kunweitian will exist for an extremely long time this time, probably several months. The restrictions within it are gradually being broken down until the final core object manifests, which may be a magic weapon or it may be Wutu.

Xu Xuan had a certain understanding in his heart. Looking around, he could see many Purple Mansions activating their divine powers to dispel formations and restrictions.

"The Song family, however, did not suffer a loss. They had all the immortals in the Great Li realm create this grotto-heaven for them, and naturally, they would take the final immortal treasure."

(End of this chapter)