Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 923 The Fourfold Mystery: The Blue Duck's Legacy
"Elder Hong, this..."

The steward came in to retrieve the treasure, but one of the three items on the table was missing, and he was stunned on the spot.

Caihua Tower has strict rules. Even the stewards in charge have no right to exchange items privately. If the owner finds out, they will definitely cause a scene at Caihua Tower.

When that time comes, not only will Hong Wuyai have to give an explanation, but he himself will also be implicated.

Hong Wuyai took a deep breath and waved his hand, saying, "No need to make a fuss. Just put all the records into the database, and I will fill in the missing parts as soon as possible..."

No one in Caihua Tower knew who the owner of the items was, only that Hong Wuyai had exchanged them on his behalf. Since he had said so, the steward, though somewhat uneasy, could only nod, step forward to collect the remaining artifacts, take two steps back, and turn to leave.

After he left, Hong Wuyai remained silent for a long time until the copper bell under the eaves rang out. His eyes flashed, as if he had made a decision.

He strode out of Caihua Tower, all the way out of Haixin City, and then, using a concealment technique, his body transformed into a stream of light, silently flying south...

Guixu is divided into three wondrous realms: the towering spiritual pillar to the east, the boundless ocean to the north, and the mirror-like Heavenly Pool to the south.

Among them, the Heavenly Lake in the Southern Territory is the most mysterious. On the vast plateau, there are countless mirror-like lakes that reflect the stars of the heavens every new moon.

As Hong Wuyai continued his escape, in the hazy twilight, he saw a towering cliff stretching out before him, seemingly without end.

He stepped into the Xun position and ascended straight up, breaking through the clouds in an instant. The vast expanse of crystal-clear water reflected the starlight, as if he had ascended to the heavenly palace.

The sound of flapping wings surged like a tide, but the three or five winged youths with snow-white wings on their backs seemed not to see him, and were only focused on chasing the golden-winged falcon as it flew through the clouds.

Hong Wuyai had no time to admire the magnificent scenery of this foreign race. Following his memory, he passed through the Seven Mirror Lakes and arrived at the Thousand Blade Crystal Peak by the cold pool in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

The guards on duty were familiar with the visitor and greeted him with courtesy. They then stepped aside to lead him into the cave, through the winding corridor, and into a grand hall.

Then, on the red steps inside the hall, a man with snow-white wings, like clouds hanging down to cover the ground, was intently controlling the fluctuations of his magical power.

In front of him was a large cauldron with dragon patterns, from which thick white vapor was rising and forming a spiritual canopy on the top, swirling and lingering, resembling a cloud lying on the ground.

The furnace was making a soft, rumbling sound, like water boiling. All these signs indicated that the elixir was about to be completed.

Seeing this, Hong Wuyai did not rush to speak, but went to the side and waited silently.

A moment later, the winged man arrived at the Dan Dao Pass. He immediately channeled his magical power into a torrent, which transformed into firewood to sustain the spiritual flame. At the same time, he flipped his palm and summoned a translucent, strange flower that resembled a silkworm pupa, with flowing ice crystals.

Hong Wuyai's eyes flashed, and he clearly recognized that this was the Shadow Orchid needed on the list.

At this moment, the roar of the alchemy furnace grew even louder, and the spiritual clouds above the cauldron lid seemed to boil, with rosy light flowing around, clearly a sign that the elixir was complete.

Even with his cultivation level, the winged man held his breath and focused his mind. Even Hong Wuyai, who was watching from the sidelines, unconsciously clenched his hands in his sleeves.

In the blink of an eye, the winged man formed the Heavenly Gang Finger Seal with his hands, his aura as strong as the roots of an ancient pine tree. Suddenly, he joined his fingers like a sword and sent a profound blue magic spell into the furnace.

The sound of metal and jade striking each other was clear and resounding through the heavens. The lid of the cauldron was lifted more than six feet by the primordial pure energy. Instantly, the hall was filled with radiant light, and five-colored rays of light burst out from the furnace. The exotic fragrance was so solid that just a light sniff made one feel that one's dantian was clear and one's seven orifices were empty and clear.

However, the strange sight inside the furnace astonished the onlookers. There were neither golden pills suspended in the air nor jade liquid condensing into pearls. Instead, a pool of crystal-clear spiritual liquid flowed and shone within the cauldron, and the creative energy it contained caused the spiritual energy in the hall to spontaneously condense into tassels and hanging beads.

The winged man's eyes gleamed with divine light. He carefully pointed his fingers, and the spiritual liquid, as if under command, poured onto the Shadow Orchid like a clear spring.

In an instant, the jade light shone, the jade marrow entered the core, and the meridians of the entire spiritual plant were unobstructed. The originally translucent petals revealed the patterns of the stars in the sky, and it had clearly reached the Great Perfection Realm.

"Did it work?"

Hong Wuyai suddenly spoke up and asked.

The winged man casually swept his wide sleeves to collect the spiritual plant, a smile as gentle as a spring breeze melting snow on his lips: "It is sufficient for our needs."

Seeing Hong Wuyai nod without speaking, the winged man led him to sit on the cold jade cloud bed, and lightly tapped the golden toad incense burner on the table with his fingertips: "Fellow Daoist Hong, has come at this time? Could it be that you have already gathered all the spiritual materials?"

Hong Wuyai shook his head, not mentioning the wealthy man, but said, "Once the Shadow Orchid is completed, the Soul-Soothing Lotus is not difficult to obtain either. Only the Mustard Seed Glazed Flower... For half a month, neither passersby nor noble families have heard of this spiritual object."

Upon hearing this, the winged man frowned slightly, but reassured him, saying, "This flower is indeed precious, but the Ruins have accumulated over ten thousand years, so it's not like there isn't a single one left. The lack of progress at this time might be because some noble families haven't received the news yet. Let's wait a little longer."

Hong Wuyai, however, had a different opinion, and said in a deep voice, "I'm afraid that delay might lead to unforeseen changes..."

The winged man's heart skipped a beat, sensing the change in the other's emotions, and he asked without thinking, "Has something happened?"

Hong Wuyai had no intention of explaining. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "The Liang family's karma has been settled. That person probably won't stay for much longer. If we don't act now, we might miss the opportunity."

That's a reasonable reason. The winged man nodded and pondered, "But without the Mustard Seed Glazed Flower as a guide, how can we reach that small world?"

Hong Wuyai already had the answer in his heart, and replied, "Gonggong has a Yin-Yang Boundary-Knocking Jade, which is a fragment of the innate spiritual treasure 'Chaos Mirror'. It has been stored in the treasury. I can find an opportunity to take it out. With this item, it should be able to replace the effect of the Mustard Seed Glazed Flower..."

The entire passage makes no mention of any danger, which shows that Hong Wuyai has already made up his mind and is unwilling to waste any more time.

The winged man's eyes lit up. After pondering for a moment, he nodded and smiled, "Since you have such courage, I might as well go now."

Upon hearing this, Hong Wuyai stood up immediately: "Brother Yu, just wait for good news."

After saying that, he turned and left.

The winged man escorted him out of the cave peak. As the dark figure transformed into a streak of light in the sky, he clapped his hands and laughed, his fingertips still swirling with the aura of the Shadow Orchid he had just collected.

"Gonggong... couldn't even seize the opportunities he had, it's my turn, Yu, to receive this good fortune..."

……

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

When the two met again, after confirming with his own eyes the "Knocking Boundary Jade" in Hong Wuyai's palm, which was swirling with Yin and Yang energies, the winged man did not delay any longer and spread his wings to head straight for the Spirit Pillar Mountain Range.

There were no obstacles along the way, and we arrived at the foot of Zhuxia Peak in less than half a day.

After explaining his purpose, Yu Xin led several newly recruited disciples down the mountain to greet him and informed him that Chen Mu had already gone into seclusion.

The winged man was quite surprised. He had been worried that he wouldn't be able to see Chen Mu, but after observing the peak of Zhuxia Peak, he saw a surge of spiritual energy, which was a sign of an impending challenge.

He was immediately relieved; the time required to pass through the gate was not long, and he could be released at any time.

He was about to leave first and visit Chen Mu after he came out of seclusion, but suddenly he noticed something and couldn't help but smile: "I've come at the right time."

At this moment, the hundreds of cultivators on Zhuxia Peak had not yet finished their morning prayers when they suddenly felt the rocks beneath their feet tremble, as if the mountains were shaking. A muffled sound came from afar, and they all looked up and were stunned. Then, a deep shock rose in their hearts.

A thousand-foot-long radiant light burst forth from the mountaintop, and the clouds of the heavens condensed into a hundred-mile-long vortex, with lightning bolts like golden snakes darting within.

Xuanji Zi and Liang Tian also sensed the change simultaneously, rushing out of their caves with expressions of envy. Gazing at the celestial phenomena, they sighed, "For such individuals, breaking through realms is truly as easy as taking candy from a baby..." "Fourfold Mysterious Gate..."

After breaking through the barrier, Chen Mu carefully comprehended the secrets.

The Liang family's fortune was naturally inferior to that of Immortal Lord Fuyuan. Even with the karmic entanglement of Liang Chong, they could only barely forge a single Xuan Gate.

However, Chen Mu was extremely satisfied. This opportunity was an unexpected surprise, and achieving a breakthrough was already quite good. There was no need to be greedy...

A moment later, Chen Mu slowly withdrew his energy, and the spiritual aura surrounding him gradually merged into his body.

His divine sense swept over the disciples standing respectfully outside the cave, and his clear voice pierced through the stone door: "What is it?"

The disciple did not enter the cave, but respectfully replied from the outer room: "Reporting to the True Lord, a distinguished guest has come to see us."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mu extended his divine sense, and upon seeing the winged figure below the peak, his heart stirred.

After pondering for a moment without figuring out the reason, he simply stopped thinking about it, straightened his clothes, and walked toward the main hall: "Please let him in."

Before long, the winged man strolled in, his smile as gentle as a spring breeze. He greeted Chen Mu and said, "Fellow Daoist Chen, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Yu Chengkong."

Chen Mu waved his wide sleeves slightly, gestured to the sandalwood table to indicate that everyone should sit down, and after a few pleasantries, he went straight to the point: "I have never met you before, fellow Daoist. Is there something important we need to discuss today that you have come to my humble abode?"

Seeing his straightforwardness, Yu Chengkong's smile widened: "At the Wanzhen Gathering in Haixin City a month ago, I heard that Chen Zhenjun spent a lot of money to buy the Blue Duck Egg. I wonder if the rumor is true?"

Chen Mu remained unmoved: "How did you know, fellow Daoist?"

"I am ashamed to admit this."

Yu Chengkong clapped his hands calmly, "That abandoned egg is exactly what I entrusted Elder Hong to consign for sale."

Chen Mu raised an eyebrow, but quickly returned to normal, and said in a clear voice, "Since the original owner is here in person, he must know more about the abandoned eggs than Elder Hong. I have some doubts that I would like to ask."

The deathly aura surrounding the Blue Duck Egg lingered, far from what he had been told. He had originally intended to seek an explanation from Hong Wuyai, but unexpectedly, the former owner of the egg came to his door on his own initiative, saving him a lot of trouble.

Yu Chengkong remained calm, as if he had expected this, and even took the initiative to ask: "Fellow Daoist Chen, do you want to ask why the abandoned egg has not changed?"

Chen Mu glanced at him, then suddenly smiled: "It seems Fellow Daoist Yu has come with the answer..."

Yu Chengkong smiled without answering, then with a flick of his wide sleeves, a deep blue embryo appeared out of thin air on the sandalwood table.

The innate Dao patterns flowing on the surface of the spirit egg, the misty chaotic spiritual energy, and even the lingering deathly aura of the netherworld were exactly the same as the item that Chen Mu had won in the auction.

Seeing that Chen Mu's expression finally changed, Yu Chengkong lightly tapped the jade table and said, "I must first explain to you, fellow Daoist, that this thing has not changed, not because we deliberately deceived you, but because it lacks a wisp of innate origin, and therefore has never been able to be reborn."

"origin?"

Yu Chengkong nodded: "Fellow Daoist, please watch."

He gathered the moonlight from his fingertips and touched the embryonic egg in mid-air.

Crimson gold veins emerged from the eggshell, transforming into the phantom of a divine bird poised to take flight. However, a mysterious halo appeared between its brows, yet there was nothing there...

"This is the missing primordial chaos spirit."

Yu Chengkong waved his sleeve to disperse the light and shadow, and solemnly said, "This matter was only recently understood by me when I was divining the stars in the heavens. I have no intention of deceiving you, which is why I have come here specifically to explain the situation."

As he spoke, he took out another storage bag and pushed it in front of the table, continuing, "To show my sincerity, this contains the 50,000 spirit stones you paid for the abandoned egg, which I am now returning in full."

"Of course, the lack of origin is not without a solution. I have pondered for more than twenty days and have come up with a remedy, which I would like to share with you today..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mu frowned slightly, but did not rush to a conclusion. He tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, pondering in silence, as if he wanted to carefully consider every detail.

Yu Chengkong had expected the other party to press for a solution, but Chen Mu remained remarkably calm. Feeling slightly anxious, he was about to speak when he suddenly realized that his mind had cleared...

This is clearly a case of the other side using stillness to control movement, trying to relinquish the initiative they had seized...

"What a meticulous and watertight approach."

Yu Chengkong's eyes darkened for a moment. He could tell that Chen Mu was powerful from the Liang family's cause and effect, but he never expected that this person's cunning was no less than his mastery of the Dao.

After clearing his mind, he was no longer in a hurry and slowly savored the fragrant tea in his cup.

However, Chen Mu had a faint smile on his lips, and he had already taken in the dark glint in the other person's eyes.

Seeing that he was no longer in a hurry, Chen Mu deliberately broke the composure he was trying to maintain and suddenly spoke up: "I would like to hear your method of remedy, fellow Daoist."

"cough--"

Yu Chengkong felt a sudden surge of spiritual tea in his throat. He covered half his face with his wide sleeves and coughed a few times, almost choking. He pretended to be fine and replied, "Since the source is lacking, it can be replenished."

How do I fix it?

He lowered his voice: "When I was traveling through the Ruins of Return, I accidentally discovered an ancient secret realm..."

To put it simply, Yu Chengkong said that he discovered traces of the Blue Duck's descendants in the secret realm and brought back several Blue Duck eggs.

For some unknown reason, the egg, which had been functioning normally, lost a wisp of its original essence after leaving that secret realm.

He was convinced that these changes were related to that ancient secret realm and planned to explore it further. However, considering the dangers of the secret realm, he came to invite him...

Chen Mu chuckled and shook his head after hearing this. If he had only suspected it was a trap when they first met, he now saw through seven-tenths of its true meaning.

Yu Chengkong must have known beforehand that the remaining eggs were incomplete.

Moreover, judging from the fluctuations in his cultivation level, he is unlike an ordinary Feather Clan True Monarch. He is probably a direct descendant of the clan. For such a person to need to set up a scheme to choose his helpers, it is clear that the secret realm he mentioned must also have something else going on...

Neither of them were foolish. Seeing Chen Mu's expression, Yu Chengkong knew he had figured everything out. After a deep laugh, he frankly admitted:

"Fellow Daoist Chen, your insight is keen. I cannot hide anything from you. However, I am not targeting you. Our meeting today can be considered a matter of fate."

That's true. In the beginning, his target was actually Shao Qingchuan, who wanted to befriend Chen Mu.

That person possessed considerable cultivation, but his background wasn't particularly powerful, which is why he took a liking to him. However, he never expected Chen Mu to appear out of nowhere, who turned out to be a more suitable candidate. So, he went along with it, which led to today's meeting...

……

(End of this chapter)