There are no ancestors at all; I made them all up.

Chapter 147 The Final Piece of the Puzzle [First Update]

At the entrance to the ice cave, the cold air, carrying ice shards, swirled and fell.

Qi Tongyue covered his mouth with his hand, suppressing the metallic taste churning in his throat.

"Minister Si!" Si Wei, his mouth stained with blood, took a deep breath and came over to ask, "Should we give chase?"

"Chase them?" Qi Tongyue shook his head. "Are you tired of living? If it weren't for the formation sharing the damage from that attack, we'd both be dead by now! Chasing them would be suicide or just adding to their trophy!"

His gaze swept over the surrounding mess, where more than a dozen elite guards lay scattered about, all wounded and exhausted.

"Go rescue them first!" Shaking his head, Qi Tongyue sighed, "Check if Inspector Yin and the others are alright!"

The guards, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, suppressed their fear and endured their pain as they rushed into the icy cave filled with cold air.

Before long, several stiff figures were carried out.

"Quick! Use the Warm Sun Jade Marrow to dispel the cold poison!" Qi Tongyue immediately gave the order and stepped forward to help.

After a while, Yin Qingping suddenly shivered and slowly woke up.

Her eyes were initially blank, then filled with immense fear.

"What happened? Who's inside?" Qi Tongyue asked in a deep voice.

Yin Qingping, however, could not explain it clearly. She rambled on for a while without getting to the point.

Qi Tongyue frowned, already having a guess in his heart. Considering recent events, he was almost certain.

at this time.

"Om-"

A streak of crimson-gold light pierced through the air and hovered in front of Qi Tongyue!

A dignified, icy voice rang out: "Is this Qi Tongyue, the garrison commander of Hanyuan Town?"

"It's the lower official."

"The person you just saw is named Jimingzi. He has disobeyed the orders of the Celestial Dynasty, and the envoys of the Heavenly Patrol Bureau are rushing there at full speed. You must quickly gather your men and await orders outside the valley to cooperate in capturing him! Do not fail!"

The expressions of the guards around them instantly tightened.

To coordinate a grappling move?

What could these wounded and disabled soldiers possibly use to cooperate?

Qi Tongyue accepted the command token expressionlessly and said in a deep voice, "This subordinate... obeys."

Then, he looked around and said calmly, "Form up the team. Those who can move, help up the wounded, take the silver to patrol them, withdraw from the Frostfall Valley area, rest outside the valley, set up warning arrays, and wait for the arrival of the envoy."

As everyone followed the orders, Qi Tongyue frowned, looking worried.

High in the northern sky, a fierce wind howled.

Chen Xinghen, his black robes fluttering, moved like a star in the wind, his divine senses spreading like a net across hundreds of miles of void, capturing spatial ripples and spiritual energy fluctuations.

"The direction has gone astray again. This deliberate attempt to create confusion is truly cunning as a fox..."

Just as he was intently searching!
"call out--"

A communication talisman flew over and hovered in front of him once again.

A majestic voice rang out: "Xinghen, Jimingzi's whereabouts have been discovered. He has appeared in Beiming, and the Sky Patrol Division has led a team to capture him. You must hurry to join him!"

The talismanic light dissipated.

Chen Xinghen's expression shifted.

"It actually directly triggered the Sky Patrol Bureau. If they find Ji Ming first..."

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he seemed to make a decision. The starlight around him surged and suddenly accelerated. He was no longer as silent as a breeze, but transformed into a streak of starlight. Following the spatial ripples he sensed, he rushed forward at breakneck speed!
the other side.

Chen Qing sat atop the flying boat, speeding between the icy plains and barren hills, his divine sense sweeping across the path, sensing the flow and convergence of the earth's spiritual energy.

He wasn't searching aimlessly, but rather following the path of the spiritual veins mentioned in the icy light of the Guanghan Palace, combined with his understanding of the terrain of the mountains.

"Although the mountains and seas and the yin and yang are ready, only the stars are missing. However, selecting a spiritual vein still requires some thought. Firstly, most spiritual veins are under the control of the Immortal Dynasty. Even if they are forcibly occupied, they cannot last for long. Therefore, after finding a place, we need to drill a hole in a branch near the spiritual vein, just like the branch outside the Devouring Spirit Pavilion, and use it secretly."

The young man had led Chen Qing to the Fire Cave, which opened up new avenues for his thinking.

"Besides, the tribulations of this Immortal Dynasty era are incomparable to those of later generations, so many preparations must not be neglected!"

Many Taoist practices mention that forming the Golden Core will lead to calamities!

In later generations, spiritual energy was depleted, and the Heavenly Tribulation was like a trickle on a dried-up riverbed, greatly reduced in power. In addition, when cultivators condensed their Golden Core, they all used various rare and precious materials to stabilize their foundation and become more compatible with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Judging from the information revealed in Bai Shaoyou and An Ning's words, it was not difficult to pass the Golden Core Tribulation.

Although the spiritual energy of this immortal dynasty is not as abundant as in ancient times, and has declined considerably recently, it is still as surging as a river compared to later generations. When a cultivator forms their core, it is a feat of defying the heavens and seizing the Dao, stealing the creation of heaven and earth to forge their own immortal golden nature. The thicker their foundation, the more severe the heavenly tribulation they will attract!

"When the Golden Elixir is formed, the inner vision manifests outward. If the Golden Elixir undergoes its fourth transformation and innate supernatural powers are generated, it will inevitably bring calamity! As the saying goes, when Heaven unleashes its killing intent, stars shift and constellations change; when Earth unleashes its killing intent, dragons and snakes rise from the land; when Man unleashes his killing intent, Heaven and Earth are overturned!"

Chen Qing recalled the contents of several Buddhist scriptures.

"My foundation far surpasses that of my peers, and my ambitions extend far beyond the ordinary fourth or fifth stage. The power of the Heavenly Tribulation will certainly be formidable, so I must prepare a countermeasure in advance!"

He took stock of his own abilities.

"The Nine-Rank Azure Lotus Platform, a protective treasure, can safeguard the mind and spirit, making it impervious to all magic. It is the first barrier for overcoming tribulations!"

"In the art of formations, there is the Innate Mist Formation. If we can find a suitable location and set up a composite formation, we can increase our chances of victory even further!"

“Protective methods, such as the Silent Dharma Wheel, the Buddha's Golden Body, the Mountain and Sea Seal, the Pure Yang Sword Qi, and the Colorless World-Burning Fire, can all be used to counter the Heavenly Tribulation…”

After counting it several times, Chen Qing had a change of heart.

"However, besides the heavenly tribulation, there is also a human tribulation!"

In his previous life as "Chen Xu," he had witnessed the schemes of a figure like the Heavenly Empress and how they were thwarted by human calamity. Now, Chen Qing is still being pursued by the Immortal Dynasty's central government, and it's hard to guarantee that several powerful enemies won't appear at a crucial moment!
"Bearing the burden of cause and effect, good and evil intertwine. When the breakthrough to the Golden Core stage triggers extraordinary phenomena in heaven and earth, those with ulterior motives may follow the trail. Therefore, one must find an excellent place that is both offensive and defensive, rich in spiritual energy, and where one can draw upon the power of heaven and earth!"

In that instant, several figures flashed through his mind.

"This place needs to meet three conditions: first, it must be a spiritual vein node with abundant and pure spiritual energy, enough to support my breakthrough to the advanced Golden Core stage; second, it must be a strategically important and easily defensible location, allowing for the deployment of multiple killing and trapping formations to delay or even annihilate invading enemies; and third, it must coincide with the cycle of Yin and Yang, ideally utilizing the opposing forces of hot and cold to help me harmonize Yin and Yang!"

Thinking this, Chen Qing used his divine sense like a plow to sweep across the glacial ravines below again and again, but for two days in a row, he had little to show for it. Either the spiritual energy was not abundant enough, or the earth veins were too solid to open the cracks. Moreover, many places were flat and easy to attack but difficult to defend!

"This spiritual vein is almost at its end. If it really doesn't work out, we'll have to settle for second best..." As he was thinking this, the landscape in front of him suddenly changed!
The continuous icebergs broke apart here, forming a huge canyon fissure.

Deep within the crevice, eerie white mist billowed, and a pure, rich, yet completely opposite, surge of spiritual energy emanated from the bottom of the valley!

One is extreme cold that chills to the bone and freezes the very soul!

One is scorching and violent, burning everything!

"A convergence point of spiritual veins where hot and cold clashes?!"

Chen Qing's spirits lifted, and his escape light suddenly descended, heading straight for the canyon!
The closer you get, the stronger the sensation of being torn between ice and fire becomes.

The left rock wall is covered with black ice, crystal clear and chilling to the bone; the right rock wall, on the other hand, is red as a brand, with rolling heat waves, and you can even see lava slowly flowing between the cracks in the rocks!
At the bottom of the canyon, there is a lake shrouded in cold mist, with a faint red glow emanating from its center, clearly connected to the earth's fire vein!

"This is it!"

Chen Qing hovered above the canyon, his gaze sharp as lightning, scanning the terrain in all directions.

“The clash of hot and cold spiritual energies here creates a chaotic and violent environment, naturally forming an excellent illusionary and trapping formation! Ordinary cultivators' divine senses would be greatly disturbed here!” He had already made up his mind. “The entrance to the canyon is narrow, a perfect stronghold! As long as we set up the Star Illusion Killing Formation at the entrance to draw out the chaotic spiritual energy here, it will be enough to confuse and delay a large number of pursuers! However, this kind of layout is probably not naturally formed…”

Although he was satisfied with the place, he did not enter the valley directly. Instead, after exploring the area, the Qingqiu Fire in his Niwan Palace jumped, illusions surged, and he changed his appearance. Then, riding the escape light, he followed the spiritual vein where cold and heat intertwined and went upstream. His gaze fell on a majestic and continuous snow mountain in the distance.

That mountain was majestic and imposing, its shape resembling a coiled dragon.

The convergence of hot and cold spiritual energies here makes it an excellent place for the rotation of yin and yang and the continuous cycle of life. The richness and purity of the spiritual energy is enough to support a major sect for a hundred years!
"As expected, the spiritual veins in this world belong to either immortal dynasties or sects!"

He pressed down the escape light and looked at the three powerful ancient seal characters "Liangyi Sect" on the mountain gate archway in front of him, and suddenly realized.

"The Two Elements Sect was contacted by Senior Brother Han Jing back then, supposedly as an option to exchange cultivation techniques. However, when we arrived, the sect did not show up. But it is a major sect in the North. Since it is named after the Two Elements, it is reasonable for it to guard a spiritual vein where ice and fire intertwine. However..."

As he pondered, Chen Qing's gaze gradually grew serious.

Because there were no patrolling disciples in sight near the mountain gate, and many places were overgrown with weeds, looking as if no one had been there for a long time, and looking further afield...
The mountain wind swept across the empty mountain path, leaving only a mournful echo.

"A mid-grade sect, its mountain gate wide open, unguarded?" Chen Qing frowned, and upon closer inspection, he could vaguely discern a powerful array that enveloped most of the mountain. "Twenty years ago, Senior Brother Han Jing mentioned having a past connection with the Liangyi Sect, and even mentioned them during the selection process for exchanging cultivation techniques. However, when we arrived in Beiming, we never saw anyone from that sect..."

With this thought in mind, he pondered for a moment, then immediately addressed the mountain gate, proclaiming loudly, "Lu Renjia, a rogue cultivator, is passing through your esteemed sect's territory and wishes to borrow the spiritual vein. I have come to pay my respects and inquire about its rules. May I ask what the rules are in this mountain?"

The sound was not loud, but it was concentrated and did not dissipate, reaching deep into the mountain gate.

A moment of deathly silence.

After a while, a dusty figure slowly emerged from the shadow of a huge stone pillar deep within the mountain gate.

The man was dressed in a standard gray robe, was thin, had deep-set eyes, and a pale, grayish complexion that was usually devoid of sunlight.

He glanced at Chen Qing and said in a hoarse voice, "No need to pay respects anymore. The mountain is closed. It was closed twenty years ago. It was reported to the central government of the Immortal Dynasty and permission was granted."

Chen Qing's doubts deepened: "Sealed off the mountain?"

He looked around and saw the surroundings.

Upon hearing this, the gray-robed disciple simply said, "If you want to use the spiritual vein, go ahead, as long as you don't damage your foundation. Over the years, you're not the only one who's secretly come to absorb spiritual energy; there are also quite a few demons from the hundred races among them. If you use it, fellow Daoist, pray for your own good fortune."

After saying that, he didn't look at Chen Qing again, and retreated back into the shadow of the huge stone pillar, disappearing as if he had never been there.

Chen Qing stood before the desolate and lifeless mountain gate, the chill emanating not only from the fierce winds of the Northern Sea.

The mountain has been closed for twenty years; has the central government permitted it?

Even if the mountain is closed, how can the cultivators of this sect maintain their realm and improve their cultivation without the nourishment of spiritual veins? Even if the main trunk of the spiritual vein is rooted in the mountain, the tributaries will not be left unattended!
Everything this person said was strange and ominous!

“This place is extremely ominous!” The Tathagata talisman in the Niwan Palace trembled slightly, its warning clear and unmistakable.

Chen Qingsui bowed slightly towards the stone pillar and said, "Thank you for informing me, fellow Daoist." He then turned and walked away from the mountain gate.

This place is neither a place to linger nor a safe haven, but the spiritual vein where yin and yang meet is crucial for his breakthrough to the Golden Core stage. Moreover, with pursuers close behind and time running out, finding another place would only increase the uncertainty.

"The spiritual veins we found earlier can be used as backup options. If this ice-fire spiritual vein causes problems, we will use it as a substitute!"

Without further hesitation, he transformed into a streak of light, shooting straight down into the fissure valley where heat and cold intertwined!

Returning to the canyon, a violent aura of both ice and fire assaults the senses.

Chen Qing hovered above the frozen lake, his divine sense spreading out like a tide, covering the entire canyon!
"Something is definitely amiss!"

His gaze pierced through the rising white mist and landed on the bottom of the frozen lake, near the red rock wall.

The bedrock there had been forcibly carved through and transformed! Several huge black reefs were embedded in the earth's vein nodes, guiding more of the earth's fiery energy to clash with the cold energy above!
The methods were crude and barbaric!
"This is a forced clash of Yin and Yang! If this continues, the spiritual energy will become violent, and the environment of this spiritual vein may be drastically altered!" A sense of alarm rose in Chen Qing's heart. "This may be the work of the Hundred Races!"

As he was thinking, he suddenly sensed something and reached out to grab a ball of light from the void. He squeezed it hard, and the light dissipated, revealing its true form: a ball of starlight containing tiny specks of light, as if a miniature version of the Nine Heavens Star Chart was contained within it.

"The true imprint of the interpretation of 'Zhou Tian Xing Su Jie'?"

His gaze swept across the starlight, and the two external elixirs, Pure Yang and Taiyin, in his dantian faintly echoed it.

"It must have been the sect that sent this method from afar, following the energy I left behind!"

The starlight melted upon contact, transforming into a torrent that surged into the sea of ​​consciousness.

In an instant, the mysteries of the movement of the stars and the rhythm of the birth and death of stellar power unfolded like a scroll!
Furthermore, it resonates and intertwines with the Daoist principles recorded in the "Pure Yang Primordial Chapter" and "Taiyin Profound Light," and the complete Daoist path of Yin and Yang rotation, mountains and seas bearing the weight, and stars as fire finally takes shape!

"Let's find a place to properly contemplate this first!"

Within Chen Qing's Niwan Palace, the light of the Tathagata Talisman flowed, analyzing and imprinting the essence of the Star Constellation Tribulation Method layer by layer. At the same time, his figure moved swiftly, transforming into a phantom. After flashing a few times among the rugged ice rocks, he found a natural stone hollow with his back against the cold wall and his front facing the lava. He immediately sat down and then focused his mind on his dantian.

Pure Yang external elixir is like the sun hanging in the sky, while Taiyin external elixir is like the cold moon hanging high.

The sun and moon, yin and yang, interact.

As he comprehended the light of the stars in the heavens, countless tiny starlight fragments fell from the void, encircling the two dantian and outlining a blurry array of stars in the heavens.

As the starlight shifted, the pure Yang True Fire and the Taiyin Profound Light, harmonized by the power of the stars, gradually began to rotate endlessly!
Chen Qing gradually became immersed in it, comprehending the profound mysteries of the Way of the Stars, and completing the last piece of the puzzle.

A faint aura of calamity gradually permeated the surroundings.

In the darkness, a spark of inspiration began to form.

　The second update will be at a little after 11 PM...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)