Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 539 Elemental Wood as Body
The celestial phenomena changed, and thunder rumbled in the sky.

The Qizhe Celestial Altar has fully recovered, serving as the foundation for this celestial statue's status. Meanwhile, the Tiandu Xiaoyi Zhu has begun to sense a secondary position of celestial thunder, thus completing the status of this celestial statue.

No god in the Thunder Palace could surpass this one.

Using the body of the departed Qingyuan from the True Lord as a base, the Master personally sculpted it, incorporating the life of Ancestor Jiang Li, and adding the blessing of magical treasures, thus creating a fake Core Formation.

Looking at the statue, Bi Mo felt both familiar and strange. After a while, she saw some signs of human presence above it, and only then did she feel relieved. She replied softly:
"When the Kunlun Mountains opened, the Earth element was about to rise. Zhenyuan obtained the Black Bird, Li Song bound the White Society, and Fuchen donned the Earth Robe. However, an extra element of Zhengyi's nature appeared, which turned into a demon and caused a great disturbance, and was only then taken back by the Underworld."

"The [Changwu Ancient City] was taken away by Li Song and is now being refined with incense and merit, transforming into a divine entity. The [Taishe Xuanhuang Pagoda] is nowhere to be found, and as for the [Pingluan Diwei], it has not even been seen."

The altar was bathed in a clear light, and thunder roared in the sky. The immortal statue listened silently, and the blue moon in its hand was radiating countless rays of light.

"Our sect need not interfere in this matter; we can simply focus on the changes in the Xiaolei Yuanmu path."

The statue raised its hand and offered up a talisman, drawing in a cloud of turbid yin energy that settled below, obscuring its body and allowing it to stretch its life force, gradually shedding its puppet-like state and becoming more human.

The nature of thunder in the immortal statue is completely concealed within, hidden by the rolling turbid qi, unnoticed by heaven and earth. Therefore, he can slightly lower his body to see future generations.

Bi Mo raised her head, and it seemed as if the kind elder from her memory had returned. A calm and friendly voice rang out.

"Qingmo, you have shouldered all the affairs of the sect over the years, which has been no easy task."

“I am not suffering. On the contrary, Senior Brother Zhuoxie has suffered more. He was born in my place, entered the path of gods, and endured the torment of refining his golden body and burning his life. He is the one who has suffered the most in the sect.”

Bi Mo was born into the Lin family, the main branch of the Shangxiao Sect. She was exceptionally talented and a first-rate immortal genius. She spent over three hundred years cultivating to the point of perfecting the Five Arts.

Among the seven sects, only the Sword Immortal Lü Zhao has a chance to surpass her breakthrough speed.

According to the precedent set by Shangxiao, it should have been her, the sect leader, who was born to participate in the great struggle. However, this heavy responsibility was taken on by her senior brother, allowing her to focus on cultivating the Dao and comprehending the Heavenly Thunder.

"Ruoyu is by nature like this, he doesn't like to stay away from the world. Joining the Thunder Department can be considered as a way to realize his ambitions. You don't need to feel that you owe him anything."

Jiang Li's tone carried a hint of persuasion, but Bi Mo sighed:
“My senior brother originally planned to build the sect, but my father thwarted his idea and made him cultivate the Heavenly Realm to face this calamity for me. How can I not feel ashamed? My senior brother can remain silent, but I cannot help but think about it. When my father fell and the sect was in great turmoil, it was because he was injured while protecting me that his lifespan was shortened and his supernatural powers could not advance.”

"I actually hope you'll be more ruthless."

Jiang Li spoke calmly, and the turbid qi within the entire cave continued to swirl around her as she spoke:
"Your talent is extraordinary; you were originally meant to be nurtured as a seed for the Golden Core. Although Yuanmiao and I had disagreements, we were both truly concerned for your path. I was willing to enter this wooden embryo and endure the calamities of ignorance day and night; your father was willing to offend other cultivators in the court to secure the support of the Emperor of Li for you; and Ruoyu was willing to abandon his immortality and become a deity to face the tribulations in your place."

"We do not expect you to remember us, we do not need you to think about us, we do not ask you to repay us. All you need to see is that golden throne. Why worry about anything else?"

Bi Mo understood all of this. Having cultivated to this point, she should have been ruthless and free from these entanglements, but these thoughts naturally arose, causing her worry.

"The disciple understands."

"Perhaps this is a good thing. In ancient times, when people truly cultivated and attained the Dao, various demonic obstacles inevitably arose. Heaven and Earth did not want to see them attain the Dao, so they blocked them. Do you still remember the story of 'hearing the Dao at the beginning of the year' that I told you before?"

Jiang Li's face, carved from green wood, became solemn, and she continued in a respectful tone:

"This great man once studied Taoism in Donghua and received instruction from Zhengyang. He attained the Yuanmu realm and established the Qingyuan Yiyang Immortal Tao on Dongshan. Before he attained the Jin realm, the Qi of heaven and earth condensed and transformed into a monk, a Taoist, and a demon to question him. He debated with them and was persuaded, and they were all reduced to dust. Thus, the great man immediately sensed the Jin position and achieved the Great Tao."

With considerable difficulty, he moved his body, extended a finger, and the azure light broke through the turbid qi blockade, landing on Bi Mo's brow. A patch of dark blue qi was indeed drawn out, seemingly connecting to an unknown location.

"The sect can try to plan for the inheritance of the Dao, spiritual resources and food, and favorable timing and location. But the only hurdle is the inner demon. You have to overcome it yourself. In the past, Immortal Lord Beiyin established the [No Thought Demon Barrier]. Originally, there was a hurdle to overcome when breaking through to the Purple Mansion, but now it has been postponed until before the Golden Realm."

"Even though there are many Purple Mansions, the Golden Core seeds have not been tempered enough and are not as resilient as those of the ancients."

Jiang Li's tone gradually became more solemn, and the turbid qi became thinner and thinner, making it difficult to conceal his status. His aura gradually dissipated, and his voice became lower.

"Qingmo. Achieving success requires no effort."

The statue returned to its original state and was once again sealed within the Qizhe Celestial Altar. The light of thunder and lightning began to change and rise, and its immense power made Bi Mo unable to lift his head.

She took one last deep look at the portrait of her grandmaster, bowed respectfully, and then left.
-
At the top of the green tree, inside the cave.

The azure and white light flowed endlessly, enveloping a azure and white Dao seed. The primordial wood energy expanded, and a bright azure sun rose majestically, faintly radiating supernatural power, creating various strange phenomena.

In the very center of this cave dwelling, a man dressed in a blue and white Taoist robe sat in meditation, his eyes closed, with a golden and white pattern between his brows resembling the sunrise, mysteriously echoing the scene.

Shangxiao Daozi, Ruan Yuan, will have magical powers.

Within his inner vision, a golden-white nine-petaled mysterious flower was about to bloom, swaying uncertainly, sometimes transforming into mysterious light, its Lesser Yang nature hidden within, silently providing him with assistance.

This is the natal essence associated with [Donghua Miaoyan], called [Shaoyang Linghua].

In the Zhou Dynasty, "华" referred to what we now call flowers.

In Donghua's Daoist teachings, the budding of the spiritual flower is like the dawn about to break, like the sun about to shine, and thus it serves to elucidate the Dao.

This spiritual flower is the condensation of all his life, cultivation, and realm in his previous life. It even has a hint of gold, and is somewhat similar to that [True Yang Dao Seed]. However, because it has sensed the gold position, it still comes from his previous life, and its mystery is even greater!

The seal script itself has an even greater function, possessing the power to elucidate the complete and correct Yang, which can help him gradually retrieve his cultivation level from his previous life and replenish himself.

This not only made his cultivation speed extremely fast, but also allowed him to have a level of cultivation far beyond that of ordinary people after breaking through to the Purple Mansion!

The so-called "Dao Xing" (道行) is not something that can be simply summarized by knowing some Daoist theories. Rather, it lies in the understanding and perception of the Daoist tradition, and even relates to the distance between one and the Golden Position (金位).

The higher one's cultivation level, the more favored one is by the Taoist tradition, and the more profound and mysterious techniques one can employ. This is not something that can be achieved simply by reading a few volumes of the Taoist canon.

Ruan Yuan, or rather Tian Tuo, is about to leave the pass.

Achieving the Purple Mansion realm in his thirties is a prodigious feat, something that would be considered a seed for cultivating a Golden Core in ancient times. Even the current Sect Master of Shangxiao, Bi Mo, is not as good as him.

He wasn't in a hurry, and intentionally delayed, fearing that if he left the pass too quickly, he might startle the old zombie on the magic weapon and cause it to investigate him without regard for anything else.

'Such beings exist even in the heavens.'

Right now, a stream of pure energy is flowing within my spiritual sense, and I can faintly sense that aura.

His mind remained clear, and he could fully concentrate his supernatural powers at any moment and emerge from seclusion. However, he was still not satisfied and wanted to cultivate this profound phenomenon to its most perfect state. Shangxiao was a long-standing lineage of Daoism and could be related to Donghua.

Back then, the True Lord Qingxiao held the position of Yuanmu. In order to change his path, he first used a secret method to withdraw from the position of Jin and transformed into an old body to thank Yuanmu for its virtue. Only then did he attain the position of Xiaolei.

If it weren't for the fact that his master was the renowned Jian Sui, who controlled the Yuan Wood and paved the way for his cultivation, an ordinary Golden Core cultivator attempting such a feat would surely have met a tragic end.

Where did this person go?

Although Xiao Lei has some flaws, they are minor and do not affect the fundamentals. He can fully support several Golden Core cultivators and does not need to leave like the Gui Shui True Lord of the First Dao.

This great being only needed to sit in his grotto-heaven and rely solely on his own cultivation to fully perfect the Heavenly Thunder, without even needing the help of the Venerable One. Yet, he still decided to leave, abandoning the Upper Heaven and leaving only this False Core cultivator here.

However, it is much better than Taiping Mountain. Xiao Lei is helpful in governing the world, and Emperor Li has been very protective of Shang Xiao.

Tian Tuo felt a sense of unease. The previous sect leader of Shangxiao was called Yuanmiao. After taking over the sect, he changed the sect's style and devoted himself to worldly affairs. It can be said that the current Lei Department was established by him.

At that time, the court appointed two national advisors: Qi Changsheng and Lin Yudao.

This man, who came from Shangxiao, was even more powerful than Qi Changsheng. He was favored by the Emperor and wielded immense power. Even the princes of the Song family had to bow down to him.

Back then, he committed an even more rebellious act, sending the statue of Emperor Li into the Ancestral Hall to be worshipped alongside it, an act that many immortals found deeply shameful.

Even though the emperor is noble, the immortal path is ultimately above all else and does not concern itself with worldly affairs. Such an act that disrespects the face of the immortal path naturally arouses controversy.

He turned his thoughts to the current sect leader, Bi Mo.

Before going into seclusion, he had the good fortune to meet this great master once. He sensed that the other party was indeed a first-rate figure and had the potential to reach the Golden Rank.

But which position do we need to prove?

Even Zhou You hadn't told him about this, and to this day, he still didn't know which position of Xiao Lei Shang Xiao was plotting against. It was truly strange.

Settle down for now and continue to perfect your inner vision. In another six months, you will be able to emerge from seclusion in your peak condition and participate in many of Shangxiao's core plans.
-
Heavenly Punishment, the main hall.

Lightning crackled around the main seat as Xu Xuan sat quietly. On the table before him lay a divine edict shimmering with divine light, which had come from the Thunder Department of the Great Li Dynasty and was written by the True Man Zhuo Xie.

The contents record matters of the divine path. According to the records, with the support of the Earth element magic treasure, the divine path will be established, and preparations can be made for the [Li Zhuo] (a ritual to ascend to immortality).

Once one receives this blessing, their life is completely linked to the Thunder Department, granting them profound abilities comparable to supernatural powers, and even benefiting their breakthrough to the Purple Mansion realm.

However, if one wants to go further in the future, one can only see if the Daoist lineage can accommodate a position like that of a Divine Lord; seeking truth is out of the question.

The Five Thunder Gods could all receive this gift, but Xu Xuan, having now achieved the Purple Mansion realm, no longer needs it.

However, Zhuoxie did say that other suitable people in the sect could take the position, but it had to be someone from the Shelei sect, almost specifically pointing to Xingfang.

A man in blue robes stood beside His Highness, a silver sword gleaming at his waist. He had just finished reading the divine decree and was quite hesitant, unsure whether he should go to take up the post.

"Master—"

"Don't even think about it. The path of the gods is not a place of freedom, and it's hardly a good place to go."

Xu Xuan flipped his hand and took the divine decree away. His gaze darkened slightly as he slowly paced around the hall.

Even if he is unwilling, the situation in the future will probably force Liu Xingfang to move forward.

He is not the only one in the world who cultivates the Thunder God. Whether it is Qilin or Shiyi, there are cultivators of this path. What makes him special is perhaps the revelation of that Black Law.

The sooner we prepare the Purple Mansion Cultivation Technique so that Xingfang can begin to comprehend the path to breakthrough, the better our chances of survival will be in the future. Otherwise, the Delightful Demon Land might not let us go easily.

Recalling the fate of that Master Guan Quan, Xu Xuan's heart sank even further.

If things were straightforward, it would be easier to deal with, but a treacherous lineage like this Demon Land is much harder to guard against.

Even though the seal script can protect one's mind, once the other senses something is amiss, he can barely manage to get away with it by using the power of the Thunder Palace and the protection of the master.

If the others escape from that demonic possession, I'm afraid all of you Golden Core cultivators will come to see them.

It's best to prepare early.

"There has been nothing to do in the mountains lately. My cultivation has been restored, and my swordsmanship is complete. I should take a trip overseas."

Xu Xuan's gaze sharpened slightly, and he continued:

"I'll go to Mount Jian in the North Sea first to see if I can obtain the cultivation technique from there. You should carefully study the scroll of the [Daoist Principles of Heavenly Punishment], because even if you obtain the cultivation technique in the future, this scroll of Daoist principles will be of great benefit to your breakthrough."

"Yes."

Liu Xingfang's heart was pounding, but he remained calm on the surface. This matter concerned his path, and today he had a direction. He thanked him and left immediately.

Xu Xuan felt a few doubts, after all, Beihai was a sensitive place, and if he went there, he didn't know what kind of changes might occur.

"I have inherited the Tribulation Sword lineage, so I can barely be considered a successor of that Shangjian True Monarch. I wonder how this mountain treats me?"

He recalled that the scroll of "Zhenyao Inquiry Method" in his sect was brought from the North Sea. As a technique for dealing with the social upheaval, it should be the result of the previous sect's meticulous research.

'On this journey, I may also try to find out some details about that True Lord's deeds.'

Xu Xuan was certain that if the dragon went to visit, it would likely stir up a lot of people's nerves.

His going there as a hermit to seek teachings for his disciple was perfectly reasonable.

"This True Lord once commanded the Sword Clan; it is unknown what kind of immortal sword he left behind."

If his deduction was correct, this True Lord's magical artifact should include a sword. Just as he was thinking this, a thunder sparrow suddenly flew out and landed on his shoulder. Seemingly dissatisfied, it cried out, causing golden energy to overflow and lightning to surge.

(End of this chapter)