Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 899 Severing the Three Barriers of Cause and Effect

Sunlight breaks through the clouds, and the hundred-mile-long Ming Lake is like a sheet of emerald glass.

The uneven water plants floated and sank with the waves, staining the water with varying shades of turquoise.

The palace complex unfolds one after another amidst the shimmering waves, with twelve layers of flying eaves and brackets connected by floating corridors, resembling a long scroll of Jiangnan painted by a master artist on clear Xuan paper.

The three of them descended on clouds, their robes fluttering. Gazing at the scenery before them, so different from the Thousand Flame Palace, Liu Tianchi couldn't help but exclaim, "The Heavenly Water Palace, with its lush water plants and tranquil atmosphere, is indeed more in line with the true meaning of cultivation than my Heavenly Pool Palace..."

Upon hearing this, the Immortal Daoist laughed and joked, "What's so amazing about that? The True Lord's Daoist Temple is naturally more profound than your Heavenly Pool Palace."

Liu Tianchi laughed and said nothing more.

While the two of them were still in the mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery, Li Bing was so nervous that he could hardly breathe.

He hadn't thought too much about it when he made the decision, but once he made the choice and arrived here, he couldn't help but feel anxious and uncertain.

Is it worth risking offending Brother Chen for a spot in a secret realm?
And what if Liang Zhenjun doesn't respect Brother Chen's feelings?
After all, as far as he knew, since Brother Chen entered the sect, he seemed to have never met the two from Xuanxing Palace. This matter might very well happen...

All these thoughts were taking a toll on his mind.
"Junior Brother Li."

The Immortal Taoist seemed to sense something, pursed his lips, and said, "Since you've already made your decision, it's best not to overthink it."

Li Bing cupped his hands in agreement, took a deep breath, and followed the Taoist Changsheng toward the palace complex.

After walking along the corridor and floating bridge for half an hour, a young Taoist boy with his hair in tufts of hair suddenly appeared from behind a cloud-patterned screen.

Although the Daoist boy's cultivation level was not high, he was familiar with the masters of the thirty-six palaces in this heaven. Upon seeing the arrival of the Palace Master of Kongqing Palace and the Palace Master of Tianchi Palace, he quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply: "The three immortal masters have graced Xuanxing Palace with their presence. Is it to pay homage to the two True Lords?"

"Please inform them."

The Immortal of Longevity condensed a wisp of green energy from his fingertips, which transformed into a visiting card engraved with the seal of the Azure Palace.

The young Taoist bowed his head in agreement and led the three to wait inside the hall. He had someone serve them spiritual tea, apologized, and then went to announce their arrival.

At this point, perhaps to ease Li Bing's tension, Liu Tianchi's eyes darted around, and he said self-deprecatingly, "Putting everything else aside, the Daoist boys in Liang Zhenjun's palace are indeed much more disciplined than the ones at my place..."

Upon hearing this, the Immortal Daoist laughed heartily, clearly aware of the appearance of the Daoist disciples under Junior Brother Liu.

Li Bing smiled and let out a sound, his anxious heart relaxing considerably...

Before half a cup of tea had been brewed, the copper bell on the eaves suddenly trembled slightly, and three pairs of eyes turned to the palace gate simultaneously.
Then, several beams of sunlight pierced through the glass window lattice, turning the floating dust into scattered gold, just like a light staircase laid out for the newcomer.

Two silhouettes stepped slowly into the light dust. The man on the left had wide sleeves fluttering in the wind, and his pine-green brocade robe was covered with dark cloud and thunder patterns. Although his hair was half-undone, it only accentuated the scholarly demeanor between his brows and eyes.

The woman on the right was dressed in apricot-colored gauze, the hem of her skirt rippling with her steps. A jade hairpin in her dark hair shone warmly, and she was surrounded by the scent of pine soot and ink, as if she were carrying an unfinished ancient book and slowly walking out from the depths of the bamboo shadows.

These two are Liang Chong and Zhu Xiao, the Daoist couple who are in charge of Xuanxing Palace, and the fourth and sixth disciples of Immortal Lord Fuyuan.

Whenever the people in Chaosheng Pavilion mention these two people, they always sigh, "The sun and moon shine together."

Not only because they both reached the "Li Tan Hua" cultivation level, but also because of their thousand-year-old harmonious relationship, which is like twin lotus blossoms in the immortal sect.

"Greetings to the esteemed couple."

The three of them straightened their expressions and bowed in unison.

Liang Chong was quite easygoing, and upon seeing this, he smiled and waved repeatedly, saying, "No need for formalities, please sit down."

Zhu Xiao was much more gentle and considerate. After everyone was seated, she smiled and said, "Just now we saw a twelve-tiered ancient tree in the sea of ​​clouds. It turned out to be a strange phenomenon of Fellow Daoist Changsheng's Dao Fruit. It has given us the advantage of being able to attend the ceremony first."

The Immortal Taoist bowed and said, "I am truly ashamed. Our arrival is extremely impolite..."

What do you mean?

Zhu Xiao's eyes flickered, and she feigned reproach, saying, "If you continue with such politeness, you shall be punished with three cups of floating jade wine."

Her words were witty, yet her gentle and graceful features reminded one of the classical Chinese idiom "to turn laughter into a spring breeze."

“Nephew Liu is a common sight, why be so reserved?”

Liu Tianchi smiled shyly, seemingly embarrassed. His father had a good relationship with Liang and Zhu, so by that logic, wasn't he a nephew of the same generation?
Zhu Xiao's gaze finally fell on Li Bing, carefully observing the fierce aura between his brows, and clapped his hands and laughed, "The solitary sharpness in this sword intent is exactly the same as Brother Liu's when he was young."

Li Bing's pupils trembled slightly, and his hand, which was holding a salute, hovered in mid-air: "Does the True Lord actually recognize this junior?"

"On the day of the secret realm selection, you fought a sword duel with a disciple of Qingyang Palace for thirty-seven rounds."

Zhu Xiao shook his head and sighed: "It's a pity that you were one move behind in the end and failed to defeat your opponent. What a pity, what a pity..."

Li Bing's Adam's apple bobbed, his heart pounding with excitement, but he suppressed it and did not show it.

Seeing this, the Immortal Changsheng decided to stop being subtle and directly said, "To be honest, the reason I brought Junior Brother Li here is for this spot in the secret realm."

Upon hearing this, Liang Chong's tea steamed abruptly and stopped: "The quota is about to be determined, what does Changsheng mean by this?"

The Immortal Daoist paused, then pointed at Li Bing and said, "Junior Brother Li, your master has passed away without leaving anything behind. If you don't get a spot in the secret realm, I'm afraid you'll never have another chance to break through to the Dao Inquiry Realm in this lifetime..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liang Chong interrupted him in a low voice: "If it is the same for Master Li, then it is the same for the other disciples... Changsheng, you should not mention this matter again."

He thought he should just say what he thought. Li Bing had neither distinguished himself in the selection nor had any resources to offer to the sect, so how could he break the rules for this?

Moreover, if this gets out, how can those who were not selected be convinced?
Although Zhu Xiao did not speak, the thoughts that flowed in her eyes were exactly the same as those of her Daoist partner.

Seeing Zhu Zhenjun, who had just looked regretful, suddenly fall silent, Li Bing's heart tightened.

In truth, he had long since seen through the coldness and warmth of human relationships, but when the wheel of fate rolled over him, he still couldn't bring himself to accept it...

The Immortal Daoist sighed inwardly, not mentioning the quota again, but instead slowly transmitted his voice, saying, "Junior Brother Li once introduced Brother Lingyuan to the sect, thus establishing this karmic connection. I originally wanted to ask Brother Lingyuan to speak for him personally, but unfortunately he is in seclusion..."

Although Liu and Li did not hear his voice, they knew from the expression of the Taoist Changsheng that he was transmitting his voice.

Li Bing held his breath, his hands clenched so tightly beneath his black robe that his knuckles turned white.

He bowed his head, but his divine sense was locked onto the changes in the expressions of the two True Lords.

But then Liang Zhenjun frowned, and then looked thoughtful, remaining silent for a long time, his brows furrowing even more tightly.

Li Bing's emotions fluctuated wildly, and he almost couldn't stand up.

Just as he was feeling increasingly uneasy, Liang Zhenjun suddenly turned around and looked at Zhu Xiao, his handsome face full of hesitation and confusion, as if he were speaking to him telepathically.

Li Bing, ignoring his words, was in extreme distress. In his wild speculations, he couldn't help but consider the worst-case scenario.

"That's right. Brother Chen has never met the two True Monarchs. How can we get them to agree to this matter based solely on our fellow disciples?"

Little did they know that when Liang Chong heard the words "Lingyuan," his eyes had already made a decision.

Although he had not yet met this newly arrived junior brother, he was already secretly amazed by his master's recent signs of rejuvenation.

The mere fact that his master had shown him such great kindness and given him a new lease on life was enough to make him feel grateful and appreciative of Chen Mu. However, the opportunity had never come together, and they had not yet been able to discuss the Dao in person.

Since Li Bing had a good relationship with this junior brother, he didn't mind using his resources to get him a spot. However... his concerns were exactly the same as Liu Tianchi's.

In the end, Chen Shidi did not agree to this matter. If he had agreed directly, who knows if it would have backfired?
This was also why he frowned and pondered, even asking his junior sister's opinion... The incense burner on the table emitted wisps of smoke. Zhu Xiao, always thoughtful and perceptive, pondered for a moment, nodded to him, and said softly:
"When Junior Sister Murong bid us farewell, she mentioned that Junior Brother Chen values ​​loyalty and good relationships highly. She was unable to inform him of this during her seclusion. If she had known about this, she would most likely have facilitated this matter..."

"Does Junior Sister mean she agrees to this?"

Liang Chong's expression softened, and the image of his junior sister Murong's eyes flickering when she spoke of Chen Mu immediately came to mind.

Zhu Xiao chuckled and said, "Since neither of us can help Junior Brother Chen to unlock the profound mystery, why don't we help him settle this karmic debt?"

These words were like a morning bell breaking through the clouds, and Liang Chong's eyes suddenly lit up as he rolled up his sleeves: "Excellent!"

When he turned to look at Li Bing, who was still bowing in greeting, he suddenly clapped his hands and laughed: "Since you are destined to meet Junior Brother Chen, why didn't you say so earlier?"

Upon hearing this, the Immortal Daoist's heart stirred slightly: "What does True Lord Liang mean?"

"Young friend Li, you may go back and prepare. Since of Junior Brother Chen's favor, I, Liang, am willing to grant you the fruit of the secret realm!"

Before Liang Chong could finish speaking, Li Bing suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with tears mixed with wild joy.

Having considered all sorts of options, he was now presented with the best one. How could he not be moved? He immediately bowed deeply and said, "Thank you for your kindness, True Lord!"

"If you want to thank someone, thank them for the good deeds they have done."

Li Bing nodded repeatedly: "Once Brother Chen has completed his seclusion, I will definitely come to your door to express my gratitude!"

Almost instantly after these words were spoken, unbeknownst to everyone, a ripple of cause and effect began to spread through the unseen world, and a golden thread quietly began to entwine around the secluded cultivation cave deep within the grotto-heaven…

……

In the blink of an eye, more than a month has passed quietly.

Inside the cave, Chen Mu sat cross-legged on the ground. Countless causal lines floated around him, probing into the void. They were dense and innumerable. However, as he calmed his mind and focused his spirit, they eventually condensed into two solid golden causal lines.

The entanglement with Master Fuyuan over the past twenty years has now transformed into an opportunity to break through to a higher realm.

"It is ultimately the karma of the Immortal Lord."

He sighed, thinking to himself that even if he had karmic ties with ordinary cultivators, without the blessing of a powerful being's Dao aura, it would be extremely difficult for him to break through this barrier...

A moment later, Chen Mu exhaled lightly, cleared his mind of distractions, and took a Xuanqi Pill with a nine-colored halo into his palm. The moment it touched the tip of his tongue, it transformed into a fine nectar that seeped into his meridians.

Time slips away silently like fine sand. The first stage of the elixir transformation is completed, the essence and blood merge, the second stage is achieved, and the soul is tempered...

When the nine cycles of the Heavenly Cycle are completed, the dormant Xuan Dan True Power suddenly breaks through its shackles, and a gilded bright moon hangs in the void.

"cut!"

The primordial spirit roared like thunder in spring, and the bright moon in the sky transformed into a golden blade that split the heavens. Wherever the blade passed, the first golden lines of cause and effect crumbled inch by inch.

Ripples spread across the void, as if two invisible giant hands were kneading and reshaping the laws of heaven and earth.

Chen Mu was not surprised but delighted by this strange phenomenon, and his eyes gleamed with a sharp light.

As everyone knows, the most difficult part of breaking through the barrier is severing the entanglement of cause and effect. Now that he has won the first battle, he has some expectations for breaking through to the next level.

While pondering, Chen Mu's primordial spirit had already ascended to the top of the Purple Mansion Cauldron, his ten fingers flying to form profound hand seals, and ancient incantations pouring from his lips like pearls and jade.

As his incantations grew more rapid, the causal power entangled in the void condensed into a gilded river, carrying profound and mysterious Daoist principles as it surged into the Purple Mansion.

In an instant, the Water Cauldron shook violently, and the vast ocean beneath it, formed by immense magical power, surged with countless giant waves.

The practice of monks knocking on the entrance gate has traditionally been divided into two paths.

Those who attain the Dao are like jade carvers, using cause and effect as their blade to repeatedly refine their Dao foundation. With each tribulation they undergo, their Dao becomes clearer.

Those who have not attained enlightenment are like blind men asking for directions; they must rely on cause and effect to deduce the secrets of heaven. If the opportunity has not yet arrived, even a hundred years of enlightenment will not be enough to grasp the path.

Therefore, there is a saying in this world: "If one achieves the Dao fruit early, one can expect to become a true immortal."

Behold, Chen Mu's primordial spirit shines with a clear and bright light, and the Ze Ding trembles incessantly; this is undoubtedly the aura of the former...

He held his breath and focused his mind, guiding the gilded river slowly up the Ze Ding.

Within moments, the wind and waves subsided, and the once turbulent sea became as calm as a black jade mirror, with only the dark currents at the bottom of the abyss visible, as if a colossal beast was lurking there.

On the Ze Ding, golden light split into countless forms, spreading along the water ripples until the entire Ze Ding was covered with golden lines. Suddenly, a three-foot-long clear light flashed in Chen Mu's eyes, and his fingers snapped shut!

"Click——"

The sound of shattering glass and jade echoed throughout the Purple Palace. Suddenly, thousands of golden patterns bloomed on the surface of the Ze Ding, and the body of the cauldron peeled off piece by piece like ice crystals meeting the blazing sun.

Chen Mu remained expressionless, his primordial spirit constantly shifting between different techniques.

Then, the fragments of the Ze Ding, enveloped in a golden halo, slowly merged together, condensing into a pool of dark gold liquid. Ancient inscriptions in the shape of tadpoles floated on the surface, emanating an indescribable and inexplicable innate Daoist charm.

Chen Mu continued moving, lightly touching the air with his toes, and the spiritual water beneath his feet instantly transformed into an inverted celestial river.

The vast, clear stream, carrying the primordial energy, crashed into the pool, causing the liquid to splash and bloom like golden lotuses.

When the mist dissipated, a three-legged cauldron with shimmering patterns stood tall in the vast sea. The celestial light flowing across the cauldron's body reflected the golden radiance of cause and effect, creating layers of pale golden ripples. This was clear evidence of breaking through the mysterious barrier!

At this point, Chen Mu's Daoist aura had broken through its shackles, and he had successfully broken through the first level of the profound barrier.

However, his goal did not stop there. After silently sensing for a moment, the fragrance of the elixir suddenly rose, the jade bottle was upside down, and the Nine-Turn Profound Qi Pill turned into a stream of light and entered the spiritual platform. The second causal thread was severed in response.

The newly formed Ze Ding collapsed with a roar, its fragments falling into the ocean like stardust, but were reborn once again under the cleansing of the Ling Shu Qing Yuan True Water.

After two reshapings, the Ze Ding is now very different from its original appearance. Its color is more restrained, and its black color is like ink but hides the stars. When it is still, it seems to be able to suppress the four seas and eight wastelands, and when it is in motion, it is like the surging of the ocean.

In fact, having reached this point, he had already achieved the ultimate goal he had originally envisioned.

Just for now...

Chen Mu stared at the remaining Nine-Turn Profound Qi Pill and the lingering causal power within the cauldron, as well as a faint causal line of unknown origin appearing in the surrounding void. A ripple appeared in his eyes: "Three Profound Gates..."

"Should we try again?"

The primordial spirit gently stroked the handle of the cauldron, its fingertips caressing the newly formed water patterns. The cauldron seemed to possess a spirit, and suddenly a clear and melodious sound rang out, as if an ancient sword thirsted for fresh blood.

A glint of light flashed in Chen Mu's eyes, and the Xuan Dan had already transformed into a stream of light in his palm.

Although he did not yet understand the origin of that simple cause-and-effect line, it was ultimately a good opportunity.

"If such an opportunity is missed, I fear I will be struck by heavenly lightning..."

After all, once he succeeds, he will be a True Lord who breaks through three barriers in one fell swoop!
How could such a feat not be inspiring?

……

(End of this chapter)