Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 994 Nine Luminaries Locking Spirit Forbidden

"A beacon?"

Murong Xi's cool gaze narrowed slightly. She gently raised her hand, and the glass shard containing the starry sea seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, falling steadily into her palm.

She lowered her eyes and focused her mind, probing into it with a wisp of her divine sense.

In an instant, she frowned slightly, let out a soft "Eh," and a hint of surprise flashed across her face.

Chen Mu and Fu Danian's eyes were fixed on her, waiting for her to continue.

After a moment, Murong Xi raised her head, her expression returning to calm, and handed the Dao Beacon to Chen Mu: "The Dao essence contained within it is extremely complex and vast. I only probed into it slightly, and I felt as if my soul was being pricked by needles, almost torn apart."

"It must be a fragment of the Daoist thought left behind by the Lord of this place, carrying the 'key' to the next level."

Chen Mu took the beacon, its surface warm to the touch, and then used his divine sense to examine it.

Upon hearing this, Fu Danian's curiosity deepened: "Then what was your surprise just now?"

Murong Xi's expression hardened slightly, her voice carrying a hint of coldness: "What surprised me was... that this object was somewhat similar to the Mother-Child Jade. Not only could it sense its own location, but it could also... clearly detect the location and distance of other beacon holders on the star map!"

"What does this mean?"

Fu Danian was initially puzzled, then his expression suddenly changed, and he exclaimed, "Could it be... that these things can sense each other, or even... that they can be stolen?!"

"I suppose so." Murong Xi nodded, her tone certain.

All three were seasoned veterans with keen insight; how could they not see through the cruel rules hidden behind this "beacon"?

Only by collecting all nine can one unlock the portal to the third level.

How many markers are there in total? It's unlikely to be enough for nearly a thousand True Lords to pass through.

Therefore, with too many monks and too little porridge, fierce competition and elimination are inevitable.

Those who are the first to be affected are probably those who are relatively "shallow" in their foundations and are considered practitioners of the Way.

Having figured out the key to it, Fu Danian couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, a bitter look on his face.

He was self-aware; in terms of foundational knowledge of Daoist techniques and combat skills, he was far inferior to Chen Mu and Murong Xi, let alone compared to He Zhiyun and those other geniuses of the immortal sects.

If the number of road signs is indeed scarce, he is almost certain to be among the first to be eliminated.

If he could have accepted it calmly at the beginning, but after crossing the boundary and seeing the Xuan Yang Great Sword, the desire for opportunity in his heart was ignited, so how could he be willing to stop there?
It's a pity that my own strength is insufficient to control my own fate in such a situation; what can I do...?

With a sigh, Chen Mu immersed himself in sensing the Dao Beacon.

Simply hold it in your hand, and a vast, illusory star map will appear before your eyes.

The number of "stars" in the picture is not large, about several dozen. Each one emits a mysterious aura that is the same as the origin of the Dao symbol in hand, but is more independent and complete.

These stars are not constant; every few moments, new points of light suddenly appear, like beacons being lit, clearly indicating that new beacons have been gathered or discovered and manifested on this invisible star map...

Chen Mu pondered for a moment, then handed the road sign to Fu Danian and said in a deep voice, "This item has become crucial."

"Right now, there aren't many beacons on the star map, which is the perfect opportunity for us to search. If we wait until later, when all the beacons are revealed and our positions are completely exposed, it will be extremely difficult to seize them from others."

Murong Xi wholeheartedly agreed.

It takes nine Dao Beacons to complete one person's journey. Regardless of whether He Zhiyun needs these assistants, it would be no easy task for the three of them to gather such a number.

After Fu Danian finished examining the Dao Beacon, his mind immediately shifted elsewhere, and his eyes rekindled with eagerness: "Brother Chen is absolutely right. However, in my opinion, the 'star fragment' that carries the Dao Beacon is also the true treasure!"

He carried the Xuan Yang Greatsword, which was wrapped in a scabbard formed from the golden light of Fusheng, and excitedly patted the blade. "Look at this treasure. It may seem easy for us to get it, but that's because of our skill."

"This ruin is vast and boundless, and there are definitely more than one fragment containing such a treasure. Instead of painstakingly plotting for those nine elusive Dao Beacons, it would be better to find more fragments. Even if we only obtain a useful magic weapon or a superior Dao technique, it would be far better than returning empty-handed!"

What he said makes some sense.

When an opportunity presents itself, one should seize it with all one's might.

"In that case, we shall follow Fellow Daoist Fu's advice."

Murong Xi decisively agreed, "We will proceed slowly and reunite. If we encounter any fragments with strong spiritual energy fluctuations along the way, we will explore them and seek opportunities. If a Dao beacon appears, that would be even better."

The three had no further objections.

After a thorough search of the dilapidated hall to ensure nothing was missed, Murong Xi put away the glass orb, while the Xuan Yang Greatsword was tacitly returned to Fu Danian.

Fu Danian was overjoyed, turning the sword over and over in delight. In the end, he couldn't bear to put it away and carried it directly on his shoulder. Although the golden scabbard concealed its sharpness, its heavy and domineering aura still faintly emanated from it.

Although he didn't say much on the surface, he had already secretly decided that in the future, when faced with a fight, he would definitely rush to the front and contribute more, so as not to let down Chen Mu and Murong for their kindness...

After leaving the fragmented space, the three set off again.

While cautiously advancing towards the direction of He Zhiyun and the others sensed by the Mother and Child Jade, she spread her divine sense like a large net, carefully searching for any unusual spiritual fluctuations among the floating star fragments around her.

The vast starry sea is both desolate and magnificent.

They also encountered many other cultivators traveling among the fragments along the way.

However, most of them had ordinary auras and no spiritual energy fluctuations. When they met from a distance, they would glance at each other warily for a few moments, then tacitly pass by without disturbing each other.

Occasionally, a few people would reveal the aura of Dao markers, and both sides would be on high alert, with the atmosphere tense. Some would choose to retreat out of fear of the other, while others would suddenly strike because they could not suppress their killing intent.

Chen Mu and his two companions showed no mercy to the latter as well. After several days of fighting off several waves of unruly raiders, they even managed to seize three Golden Immortal Dao Beacons from them, a truly substantial haul...

With less than two days' journey remaining before they were to reunite with He Zhiyun's main force, the three of them almost simultaneously detected something unusual.

In an instant, all eyes turned to a fragment of a star about a hundred feet in diameter in the southeast direction.

The fragment was plain and unremarkable, dull and gray, and no different from the countless other pieces of debris around it.

However, upon closer inspection, one can detect an extremely subtle and restrained spiritual energy fluctuation emanating from its internal space. This is not the overtly sharp and murderous aura of the Xuan Yang Great Sword, but rather a more ancient and profound Daoist charm, like a mineral vein buried deep underground. Only by truly getting close can one perceive its extraordinary nature.

However, they had encountered similar fragments with restrained fluctuations several times along the way, but they were often ordinary spiritual materials of low quality and insufficient to manifest a Dao beacon.

Therefore, compared to fragments that radiate spiritual energy and clearly contain valuable treasures or guiding principles, their appeal is naturally slightly less. "Hopefully, this time I'll find something..."

Murong Xi murmured softly, a hint of expectation in her eyes, and exchanged a glance with Chen Mu.

The three of them then transformed into three streaks of light, silently approaching the edge of the fragment.

As is customary, divine sense, like tentacles, first probes into the spatial rift to carefully perceive it.

The next instant, all three of them flashed their eyes simultaneously.

“This time… seems a little different!” Fu Danian exclaimed softly, his tone filled with surprise.

There was no fierce aura, no sharp sword intent, only a calm, vast, ancient Daoist charm that seemed to carry endless time.

Without further hesitation, the three of them flashed through the distorted spatial portal.

The next moment, the view before me suddenly opened up.

This space is not large, only a hundred feet square, and is completely different from the magnificent ruined hall where the Xuan Yang Great Sword is located.

In the center of the space stands a small, exquisite, and ancient-style octagonal pavilion.

The attic has an unusual and ancient style, and is made of neither gold nor jade. It is covered with traces of the erosion of time, yet it remains intact.

And that chilling, ancient Taoist aura emanated from this pavilion...

Chen Mu's sharp eyes quickly scanned his surroundings.

The edge of the space is a solidified void barrier; apart from that, there is only this attic.

He took the lead, followed closely by Murong Xi and Fu Danian, and walked towards the tightly closed wooden door of the pavilion.

As the heavy wooden door was pushed open, an even richer, more profound Daoist aura, as if it had been accumulated over countless ages, rushed towards us.

The attic was furnished very simply, almost empty.

Only in the very center of the attic, in mid-air, a golden "torrent" was slowly flowing.

It was not a real liquid, but rather a collection of countless tiny, shimmering, ancient seal characters.

Each of these seal characters contains ineffable mystery. They are connected end to end, repeating endlessly, forming a perfect golden halo that floats and flows silently three feet above the ground.

Each cycle seems to expound the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, emanating a profound and awe-inspiring aura.

"A flawed technique! It's a flawed technique from a Golden Immortal!"

Fu Danian cried out in surprise, his eyes bursting with unprecedented ecstasy, and he almost dropped the Xuan Yang Greatsword in his hand.

Even the most powerful high-grade Dao artifacts are ultimately just external objects, only able to enhance the power of one person.

Even if the Golden Immortal inheritance is only a fragment, the profound truths of the Great Dao and the methods of cultivation it contains can benefit ten or a hundred people, or even lead to the establishment of a sect and the blessing of generations to come!

The difference in value between the two is self-evident...

Murong Xi's eyes also instantly lit up with an amazing brilliance.

Although she inherited the swordsmanship of the Immortal Lord of Fuyuan, the Great Dao is boundless, and one can learn from others' strengths.

If she could comprehend the profound mysteries of this remnant technique left behind by the Golden Immortal, extract its essence, and integrate it into her own swordsmanship, her "Eternal Cloud and Water Sword" might reach even greater heights, allowing her to glimpse the scenery of an even higher realm...

However, before their euphoria had subsided, the three of them immediately noticed something amiss.

The golden torrent composed of countless ancient seal characters appeared to flow freely, but in reality, it was firmly bound within a three-foot radius by an invisible force, unable to cross the line.

Beyond the torrent, in the void, there were nine extremely dim points of light, almost blending into the space, slowly rotating in an incomparably mysterious trajectory. They were connected by thin, thread-like Daoist spiritual light, forming a complex and precise three-dimensional array that firmly locked the golden torrent within.

As the magic array operates, it continuously absorbs the Daoist essence emanating from the golden torrent and feeds it back, forming a wondrous cycle that maintains the stability of the torrent and the cohesion of the true meaning of the Daoist magic.

"It's a restriction... a protective restriction to prevent this remnant Golden Immortal technique from dissipating!"

Fu Danian's face fell, and he paced anxiously around the invisible barrier array, "What... what should we do? Force it to break? I'm afraid it will damage the magic within..."

Chen Mu focused his attention on observing the trajectory of the nine bright stars. He felt that their changes were complex and endless, containing multiple Daoist principles such as space, sealing, gathering spirit, and stabilization. These principles were nested together, and moving one would affect the whole. Even with his powerful divine sense, he could not see through their core secrets in a short time.

The three of them studied the invisible restriction for a long time, but they were all at a loss. After all, their knowledge of formations and restrictions was not profound. They could break through some ordinary restrictions, but when they encountered such ancient restrictions, they were bound to be helpless.

Just as Fu Danian was scratching his head, almost unable to resist unleashing the Xuan Yang Greatsword to attempt a brute-force attack, Murong Xi, who had been silently pondering, suddenly had a glint in her eyes and whispered:
"Wait, this prohibition... I seem to have seen some scattered records of it in the fragments of an ancient sect's secret manual!"

Her brows furrowed as she tried to recall: "If I remember correctly, this restriction should be called—'Nine Luminaries Spirit Locking Restriction'!"

"Nine Luminaries Spirit Locking Restriction?" Chen Mu and Fu Danian looked at her at the same time.

“That’s right!” Murong Xi’s tone became more certain. “According to the fragment, this restriction was created specifically to seal and nurture the true meaning of supreme Dao techniques or fragile spiritual objects.”

"Its core lies in the power of the 'Nine Luminaries,' which does not refer to the stars, but rather to the simulation of nine fundamental spiritual pivots of heaven and earth, constructing a sealing force field that is ever-renewing and cyclical."

"The greatest mystery of this restriction lies in its ability to spontaneously absorb the spiritual energy dissipated from external or internal sealed objects, feeding back into itself to maintain its operation, while firmly locking the inner core so that its spirituality is not lost and its Daoist charm is not dissipated."

"If external forces attempt to break through, unless their power level far exceeds that of the one who set up the barrier, it is extremely easy to trigger a backlash from the barrier, causing it and the sealed contents inside to be annihilated!"

She pointed to the nine slowly rotating, dim stars: "Look at the trajectory of these nine stars and the way their Daoist auras connect with each other; this is precisely the characteristic of 'Nine Luminaries Locking Spirit'!"

"This restriction is extremely difficult to break. One must simultaneously understand the operating rules of its nine spiritual cores, find the fleeting 'gate of life' node where the nine forces flow and converge, and use a force that does not cause the restriction to violently repel it to simultaneously penetrate and disintegrate the nine core nodes in a very short time in order to break the restriction without damaging its interior in the slightest."

"One mistake, and the whole game is lost!"

Upon hearing this, Fu Danian's face immediately fell. Looking at the slowly flowing golden torrent, he felt as if he were facing a priceless treasure encased in a hard shell: "Then...then we can only watch helplessly? This...this is too torturous!"

Chen Mu's gaze grew increasingly profound as he stared intently at the trajectory of the nine bright stars, channeling his primordial spirit power to its limit in an attempt to capture the fleeting "gate of life" pattern.

Silence fell upon the pavilion, except for the golden torrent flowing silently within the invisible "Nine Luminaries Spirit Locking Restriction," carrying with it the profound mysteries of eternity...

……

(End of this chapter)