Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 717 Jianwu
In the middle of the continent.

This place is a series of mysterious palaces, connected to the root system of the distant Jianmu tree, as high as a mountain and as vast as the sea, with no end in sight.

The most eye-catching feature is naturally the azure-gold palace, shrouded in ethereal Daoist energy and flowing with mystical light. Above the azure wooden plaque are inscribed several ancient characters: [Eastern Azure Palace].

A spirit transformed from green bamboo led the way, and they walked along a long white jade path to the left of the Eastern Cang Palace, where a bronze palace could be faintly seen.

Xu Xuan followed behind this corner of the corner, but his gaze fell on the Dongcang Palace. His heart stirred as he looked at the inscriptions on the golden and wooden pillars on both sides.

'Two yangs shine brightly, and idle trees shift their positions.'

The so-called "double yang" refers to the bright daytime of the sun and the leisurely daytime of the lesser yang, which is the power that this True Lord Tianyu relied on to achieve enlightenment, first Tianye, and then Donghua.

As for the "Idle Wood," it refers to the "Mysterious Idle," an immortal object in the ancient Shaoyang Daoist tradition, and also the reliance of the Heavenly Yu True Lord Jia Guang in moving the wood and bringing it back to the Jiaoyin.

'And what about the two Mystic Lords, Qingxian and Baixian? Did they also use items from the Shaoyang Sect to attain enlightenment?'

"Your Majesty, we are almost there."

Jiao You spoke, pointing forward, where the entire bronze palace could be faintly seen.

"Are you a spirit?"

Xu Xuan had been holding back for the whole journey, but finally he asked the question.

The creature before them, Jiao You, was the same size as an ordinary person, but its entire body was made of intertwined bamboo roots and leaves. It had no supernatural aura, but it possessed the hidden energy of the Purple Mansion level.

Although Dong Qing referred to this horned creature as a minor deity, there was no trace of incense or offerings on this bamboo monster.

"No, it is the spirits that have no father or mother, no cause or effect. I have been granted a title by the master and entered the immortal ranks. Now I am a minor god in Mengzhou."

"If you are a god, why do you not have incense offerings?"

Xu Xuan was puzzled and asked again.

Jiao You let out another strange laugh and continued:

"This divine position was bestowed upon me by the master. I do not need incense offerings. I simply sealed my life on this Jianmu tree and cannot stray too far. I learned the Tianwen Dao's method of 'Sealing Mountains and Controlling Waters'."

Xu Xuan's heart stirred. He knew that the divine path of Dali also had this process. Although it was sealed in one place, all the lands that were under the protection of Yuan Luo could activate the wonder of [Li Zhuo].

According to that Tianchi, this was modeled after the ancient Heavenly Court's system of divine registers, but now it seems to have some resemblance to the Heavenly Questions.

"Sir, here we are."

Jiaoyou stopped, and the two of them had now arrived in front of the bronze palace.

This palace is magnificent and vast, square in shape, radiating divine light. Its surface is covered with a layer of mottled patina, while the gates are made of rouge and gold, forming a circle with a central opening.

The cycle of Geng and Sheng, the transformation of Kui and Man, the sudden rise of Shang Yin, all indicate a greater killing force and a chance for perfection, merging into a single golden energy that governs heaven and earth.

At the very top of this treasure palace hangs a plaque in white gold, inscribed with the words "Shangku" (商库).

"This is the first spiritual storehouse of our sect. Of course, it contains items of the Purple Mansion level. Golden Core cultivators cannot take it out. Your Majesty, you may come in with me and pick out something suitable."

Jiaoyou chuckled, his voice rather strange, like the sound of someone strangling a pheasant.

Xu Xuan nodded slightly, feeling that although the bamboo monster's laughter was unpleasant, it was still much better than Tian Tuo's, since the old demon's strange laughter always echoed directly in his mind.

Upon entering the palace, one sees interconnected halls, each with a green wooden shelf displaying various spiritual objects, weapons, and secret treasures. The mysterious light intertwines and shines brightly, ultimately suppressed by a golden aura that shifts between emptiness and perfection.

Each item had a wooden plaque with its name engraved on it, arranged in an extremely neat manner. Xu Xuan was overwhelmed by the sheer number of items and was truly awestruck by the vast treasury of Dongcang.

All sorts of rare spiritual woods, precious soils, and lightning can be found here, including three strands of Purple Mansion Earthly Lightning, each of which is of the same quality as the [Heavenly Lightning of Absolute Annihilation]. As for other spiritual objects, there are even more.

However, things made of water and fire are less common here.

Xu Xuan reluctantly looked away from the spiritual object. He wasn't short of resources at the moment; he had already given the Azure Flame to Tian Tuo for alchemy.

With the [Ginseng Sheep-Nourishing Earth Furnace] in place, along with the [Mysterious Elixir-Taming Method] and the six pairs of Yin-Yang spiritual objects nurtured by the grotto, this old demon estimated that it would be enough to refine twelve Yin-Yang Great Elixirs!

The other dragon's two bodies are more than enough; the main focus should be on the dragon's body, since the She Lei (社雷) is far less capable of digesting Yin and Yang elements than the Zhen Lei (震雷).

'The [Thunder Gathering Formation] is already complete; obtaining more thunder would be of little use. As for other spiritual objects, unless another ghostly spirit of water and fire can be obtained and merged into one to create the spiritual evidence of that [Great Beast]—[Final Calamity Water and Fire]—...'

Xu Xuan shifted his gaze from the spiritual objects and continued forward. The further in he went, the older the items in the storehouse became. The things he had just seen were all from the near ancient times, and there were none from the medieval period.

The medieval period was roughly divided by the Shu and Zhao states, while the early modern period was divided by the fall of Feng and Zhao. As for the ancient period, that was a complete mess.

"【Taiyi Dividing Light Sword】, a fine item. This is the magic sword of the ancient 【Taiyi Sect】, but unfortunately it is used for casting spells and requires incantations, which is not suitable for Your Majesty."

Jiaoyou took out a three-edged magic sword that shone with a gray light, seemingly ethereal. He examined it carefully, then shook his head and put it back.

This little deity was extremely active, frequently taking out a treasure from the storehouse and diligently explaining its origin and use to Xu Xuan, as if reciting a familiar story, showing that he was extremely familiar with this place.

"【Daye Fire Platform】, tsk, an item from 【Tianye Temple】. There is an enlightened being in this world. Although the item is good, it is a Buddhist artifact and cannot be used."

"Hehe, this is [Fu Quan Yu], something from the Yuanmu Dao."

Xu Xuan shook his head. He didn't lack these spiritual weapons. Whether for attack or defense, he had many options. Moreover, Zhen Lei was the most moderate of the five thunders, which meant that he rarely encountered conflicts when wielding various spiritual weapons.

Currently, the weapons available for attack include [Lieque], [Fenglong], and [Tianli Zhuyue], while the defensive weapons include [Xiyan] and [Juxin Ding]. There are also many other spiritual artifacts, including [Zhengsui Taofu], [Yueyang Duoshi Jing], and [Yunmeng Weishen Mao].

He gave all the extra magical artifacts to those around him, and he himself had nothing to lack.

What he needs right now is something that can help him deal with Xi Hai's divine lightning and achieve a surprising victory; otherwise, another spiritual treasure would not be of much use to him.

"Are there any items containing the Earth element (戊土)?"

Xu Xuan had some understanding of divine thunder. This thunderbolt, like the Zhen thunder, was difficult to damage the Wu earth. In other words, apart from the She thunder, other thunderbolts were not good at dealing with this flawless earth.

"There are a few items related to Earth (戊土)."

After a moment's thought, Jiao You led Xu Xuan forward, passing numerous spiritual artifacts and treasures, until they finally arrived at the deepest part of the Shang Treasury, where the ancient artifacts were located.

Instead of wooden shelves, the objects are enshrined on simple wooden altars. There is little mystical light emanating from them, only an ancient and weathered feel.

Jiao You first led Xu Xuan to the Yi Xuan Platform, where an extremely long Dao scroll was enshrined.

This painting, in shades of yellow and white, depicts mountains, rivers, and the people of the nine provinces. Approaching it, one can hear the prayers of the people. The presence of splattered yellow blood on the painting adds to its mystique. "This is the 'Restore the Mountains and Rivers Painting,' created by Tuoba Tianjue, the crown prince of the Northern Wei dynasty. When the Northern Wei was on the verge of collapse and its emperor had fallen, this prince hastily ascended the throne, taking the title Emperor Ming of Wei. Seeing the mountains and rivers shattered and the nine provinces crumbling, he created this painting in the capital, Luoyang, and hung it within the city, vowing to restore the land."

"This lord possesses the cultivation of the Perfected Earthly Realm. It's just a pity that the magic treasure [Seal of the State] was lost back then; otherwise, if it had been stamped on this painting, it would have been extraordinary!"

Jiao You's tone was somewhat regretful. Nevertheless, this painting was still a rare treasure, not a magical treasure, but even better than one, carrying the aura of the nation.

What happened to Emperor Ming of Wei afterward?

"His flesh and blood were ripped off, his bones hung on the city walls, and he was despised by all the people. In the end, he was refined into a secret treasure, which was then taken by the immortals on the mountain."

Jiao You sighed, looking at Xu Xuan, and said:

"This scroll possesses the profound power to manifest mountains and rivers, and to draw people into it. It is most suitable for use with the divine abilities of the realm. Would Your Majesty like to use it?"

"Look again."

Xu Xuan shook his head. Although the [Recreating the Landscape Map] was quite mysterious, the cause and effect behind it was too great, and it might bring some trouble.

The affairs of the Tuoba clan are extremely complex and represent a major event in the history of the Earth element. This scroll of Daoist diagrams also carries immense significance, and its emergence will undoubtedly attract attention.

Continuing forward, one arrives at a rather low, dark wooden platform, upon which sits a large black drum, with a purple wooden mallet beside it.

"The Imperial Command Drum and the Thunder Hammer are items from the Mysterious Wu Avenue of the Shrine in the Wuheng Palace. They are used to activate Wu and promote the palace."

Jiaoyou looked at the large drum and began to explain it in detail.

"This is an ancient treasure made of Earth, which can be used to control the Gong tone. It can be used to suppress, kill, resolve, and regulate fate. It can also be used to control thunder. This is the reason why Emperor Xuan made the drum to make a sound when he killed Kui."

"Wuheng Palace, how is this path divided?"

Xu Xuan was extremely curious about the Wuheng lineage, having heard of it often, but it seemed that this lineage was further divided.

"Your Majesty, there are actually two organizations, namely [Shrine Xuanwu] and [Daoji Hengshi]. They jointly preside over a [Wuheng Palace] in the Earthly Realm. The leaders of the two paths take turns presiding over the affairs of the Earth Virtue. The so-called [Wuheng Palace] is more like an organization like the Thunder Palace than a lineage of Daoist traditions."

Jiao You frankly admitted that he was extremely knowledgeable about these ancient matters.

"Does Your Majesty wish to use this drum?"

"Although this item is good, I already have [Fenglong], so it's a duplicate. Let me take another look."

The two continued on their way and came to an extremely tall wooden platform. The objects on it were several people tall and reached the top of the sky.

The Earth element, radiant and ever-changing, possesses the power to bear the weight of heaven and earth and transform all things, manifesting itself as an extremely wondrous beast.

This beast has a dragon-like head and a horse-like body. It is brown all over, surrounded by rolling black and yellow energy, and has brownish-red earth-like radiance. It has two wings, both covered with yellow feathers, four hooves treading on the clouds, and a tail trailing auspicious clouds.

On its back is an extremely mysterious pattern, crisscrossing and constantly changing, seemingly explaining the various changes of Yin and Yang, Heaven and Earth, and the Five Elements.

As a pure-blooded dragon, one of the most noble demons in the world, Xu Xuan felt a strong sense of suffocation and pressure, as if he couldn't lift his head in front of this divine beast.

It is neither the Black Bird nor the White Society, but the one that best represents the nature of Earth, the one once hailed as the Great Sage, the Jianwu!
Celestial beasts are born with a position of authority, namely the Golden Core stage. In ancient times, most of them could smoothly achieve the Nascent Soul stage, at which point their title would change from Demon Lord to Great Sage!
A successful example is Kunpeng, who once served under Fengxuan and was originally a Golden Core cultivator. He wandered between Yin and Yang positions before finally leaving the world with the immortals, thus earning the title of Great Sage.

As for counterexamples, just look at the desert north of Tianshui, where an ancient earth-elemental beast lies, which never broke through to the next level until its death.

The strange phenomenon gradually dissipated, the light of the earth sank, and the objects displayed on the Qingmu Xuantai gradually revealed their true forms.

It is that statue of Jianwu!

Made of pottery, the statue appears as a single piece, enveloped in the radiant glow of earth and the aura of primordial darkness. The pupils of the statues are a deep, intense brown, as somber as the earth itself. The dark patterns on their backs continue to shift and change, dazzling the viewer and making it difficult to look at them for long.

"【Wu Zun】, an artifact from the Earthly Era, was created by the Human Emperor's tribe for use in warfare. Modern humans no longer possess the means to create such an artifact."

Jiao You continued respectfully:
"This object is undoubtedly wondrous, but subduing it might be troublesome. Does Your Majesty wish to obtain this [Wu Zun]?"

"This is it."

Xu Xuan made a decision in an instant. He knew that this was something from the Earthly Era, a legacy of the Human Emperor, and possibly the only Jianwu statue in the world.

"How do I refine it?"

He looked at the statue, but found that his magic power and spiritual sense could not get close and were quickly neutralized. Conventional refining methods were useless against this statue of the Wu Zun.

"It's simple, just a drop of blood will do, but we need to remove this thing first. I'm afraid it might revive and cause a lot of trouble."

"it is good."

Xu Xuan immediately agreed, feeling even more that this Wu Zun was extremely wondrous and definitely a powerful artifact.

Jiaoyou's figure changed suddenly, growing to the height of three people. At this moment, bamboo roots kept emanating from his hands and wrapping around the ceramic sculpture.

"rise!"

He channeled his magical power, drawing countless Jiamu Qingyuan from the earth to empower his body, causing him to exude an aura of the Purple Mansion realm, comparable to a divine power specifically designed for body refinement.

The statue remained completely still, while the bamboo roots of the horn broke one after another.

"Your Majesty, this item is too heavy."

Xu Xuan stepped forward, signaling Jiao You to step back, while he stretched out his arms and lifted the base of the ceramic sculpture. With a little magic power, he immediately felt as if an ancient divine mountain was pressing down on it, which could not be shaken at all.

"?"

A thought struck him, and his blood surged, manifesting three heads and six arms. Only then could he barely lift the statue. With each step he took, the floor tiles shattered, and the hall shook. Fortunately, golden energy surged forth to repair it itself.

"You lead the way and see where to refine it."

Xu Xuan managed to speak, though with some difficulty.

His physical body can be said to be among the best in the Purple Mansion. He successively obtained the divine wonders of the Heavenly Obscurity and Radiant Light, and was tempered by many spiritual objects, including the water of the Ancient Thunder Marsh. He even cultivated the ancient Dharma Body and the Blood Qi Extraordinary Form.

He has now entered the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm, and his strength is far more terrifying than before. Even so, he was still unable to stand up straight because of the pressure from this pottery statue, and the statue was not even fully activated.

"It's almost here, it's almost here. Please come with me, Your Majesty."

Jiao You was shocked. He had just tried to move the Jianwu pottery statue, even with the power of the spiritual earth, but he could not budge it at all. Yet this Dragon King lifted it with his own body, without even using any supernatural powers!
'What a terrifyingly powerful physical body! The dragon race is indeed extraordinary.'

(End of this chapter)