The Three Teachings Converge into One: The Path of the Mortal and the Saintly is the Same

Poetry:

A white robe, frosty and imposing, treads upon the clouds in a startling display; before the Lingxiao Palace, a grievance is brought.

With ninefold grace and divine decree, I will shatter the ice of ten thousand miles of the netherworld.

Having made up his mind, Su Qingxuan decided not to linger any longer.

He nodded slightly to the crowd, and his figure transformed into a hazy, three-colored stream of light, soaring into the sky.

It pierced through the three layers of protective mountain array of the Sanyi Palace and disappeared into the vast sea of ​​clouds.

They headed straight for the supreme central palace of the heavens.

Su Qingxuan left Wenrutian, riding on clouds, piercing through gales, and passing through layers of thunder, traveling swiftly all the way.

He understood the situation perfectly, but he was also concerned about his parents' safety.

The clouds beneath their feet moved faster than lightning, and in less than half a day, they had arrived outside the South Heavenly Gate.

But there was the Southern Heavenly Gate:

It is made of deep blue glass and adorned with bright, precious jade.

Dozens of marshals were arranged on both sides, each one a pillar of strength, holding a halberd and a banner;

A dozen or so golden-armored deities stood in the surrounding area, each wielding a halberd, whip, knife, or sword.

Inside, there were several large pillars, with something wrapped around them.

Golden scales gleaming in the sun, a red-bearded dragon;

There are several more long bridges, with winding paths leading up to them.

A phoenix with colorful plumage soars through the sky.

Auspicious light shines in countless rays, and auspicious clouds drift in thousands of strands.

It is indeed the pivotal point governing the three realms, a solemn and sacred place.

The gatekeeper, the Heavenly King Mo Liqing, saw a three-colored cloud rushing towards him.

Its aura was pure and vast, yet it also contained a chilling undercurrent.

Without hesitation, he stepped forward with his Azure Cloud Sword and shouted loudly:

"Who goes there? This is the most sacred ground of Lingxiao; no unauthorized entry is permitted!"

Su Qingxuan descended from the clouds and appeared a hundred feet away from the Heavenly Gate.

He bowed respectfully, his clear and melodious voice echoing throughout the Heavenly Gate: "A cultivator from the human realm."

Su Qingxuan, the master of the Wenru Tian Sanyi Palace, has an urgent matter.

"Regarding the injustice concerning the laws of the Three Realms, I wish to appear before the Jade Emperor to plead my case. Please grant me an audience with the Heavenly King!"

"Su Qingxuan?" Mo Liqing was taken aback and looked him over carefully.

The newcomer was dressed in a plain blue Taoist robe, with a tall and upright figure and a handsome face.

His face was too pale, and his eyes were bloodshot.

Although he tried his best to conceal his aura, a chilling and oppressive aura still emanated from him.

He had long heard of Su Qingxuan's name and knew he was from the Heavenly Realm in recent years.

The most prominent upstart promotes the integration of the three religions (Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism).

After subduing the Scattered Immortal Alliance, even the ancestral temples of the three religions began to look at him with new respect.

Furthermore, it is known that the Jade Emperor seems to have taken notice of this person.

He dared not act on his own initiative, and after a moment's thought, said:

"Please wait a moment, Palace Master Su, while I report."

Having said that, he turned and went inside.

Before long, an old man with a white beard, dressed in the robes of a celestial official,

Holding a jade tablet, he strode out from the Heavenly Gate; he was the celestial official who led the audience before the Lingxiao Palace.

The celestial official bowed to Su Qingxuan, his expression both polite and solemn:

"Palace Master Su, His Majesty already knows your purpose and summons you to the Lingxiao Palace for an audience immediately."

Please follow me.

Su Qingxuan felt a chill run down his spine. Did the Jade Emperor already know?

It seems that the Jade Emperor may have sensed the Buddha's and Heavenly Venerable's telepathic guidance, or perhaps...

This matter was already under the watchful eyes of certain beings.

He said no more and returned the greeting to the celestial official: "Thank you for your trouble, celestial official."

The two entered the South Heavenly Gate one after the other.

Passing through the Hall of Reception and the Tower of Pilgrimage.

Passing through thirty-three heavenly palaces and seventy-two treasure halls.

A procession of celestial officials and generals followed, with the celestial official personally leading the way.

The visitor was none other than Su Qingxuan, who had gained considerable fame in recent years.

They all stared and bowed, their expressions varying.

Before long, they arrived outside the Lingxiao Palace.

This Lingxiao Palace—

Golden nails adorn the jade doors, and colorful phoenixes dance at the vermilion gates.

The covered walkways and corridors are exquisite and intricately designed.

Three eaves and four clusters, with dragons and phoenixes soaring in layers.

The hall is topped with a large golden gourd, and below it rises a majestic, gleaming purple structure.

Round and delicate, gleaming with the light of glass and agate.

A thousand auspicious wisps of purple mist spray, while ten thousand rays of golden light roll like red rainbows.

Before the palace gate, the Four Celestial Masters and Master Xu Jingyang were already lined up and waiting.

Upon seeing Su Qingxuan arrive, Zhang Tianshi nodded slightly, while Ge Tianshi's eyes gleamed with a strange light.

Master Xu said gently, "Palace Master Su, His Majesty is already inside the hall. Please."

Su Qingxuan took a deep breath and straightened his clothes.

He suppressed all the anxiety, grief, and determination churning within him.

Only a frozen calm and a solemn expression remained.

He stepped into the Lingxiao Palace, which symbolized the supreme authority of the Three Realms.

Stepping inside, one is struck by its vastness, majesty, and supreme aura that reigns supreme over all heavens.

It was as if the sky had collapsed, enveloping everything.

If Su Qingxuan hadn't been here before, and hadn't possessed a firm Dao heart and profound cultivation, he wouldn't have been so easily fooled.

I fear that one's mind will immediately waver and one will kneel on the ground.

He looked closely and saw inside the hall:

Inside the glass dish, there were many layers upon layers of Taiyi Pills;

A few crooked coral branches are inserted into the agate bottle.

Indeed, there are all sorts of strange objects in the heavenly palace, but none like them exist in the world.

Golden palaces and silver halls, purple palaces, rare flowers and precious herbs, and exquisite blossoms.

The Jade Rabbit of the Chao King passed by the altar, while the Golden Crow of the Divine Realm flew down to the bottom.

In the very center of the main hall, atop a nine-dragon sandalwood palanquin, sat a man.

Wearing a twelve-row pearl crown and a nine-chapter ceremonial robe,

A celestial belt cinches the waist, and carefree shoes tread upon the feet.

His face was as fair as jade, his eyes as bright as stars, his nose was straight, his mouth was square, and his ears were large and reached his shoulders.

His entire body was shrouded in endless auspicious light and mist, obscuring his face.

One felt its majesty was like the heavens, its compassion like the earth, its wisdom like the sea, and it ruled over all directions...

It is none other than the Supreme Sage, Greatly Compassionate and Benevolent Jade Emperor, the Supreme Heavenly Venerable, the Mysterious Vault High God.

On either side of the Jade Emperor, civil and military officials stood in rows.

In the left wing, the ethereal images of the Three Pure Ones and the indistinct golden faces of the Four Emperors could be seen.

In the right-hand group are figures such as the Barefoot Immortal, Dongfang Shuo, the God of Longevity, and the God of Prosperity.

Furthermore, there are divine generals such as You Sheng Zhen Jun, Yi Sheng Zhen Jun, and Wang Ling Guan.

Their armor gleamed, and they stood solemnly on both sides.

The hall was silent, save for the lingering sounds of celestial music and Taoist chants.

With that omnipresent aura of majesty.

Su Qingxuan stepped forward, and below the steps, bowed deeply in accordance with the rites for worshipping the heavens.

"A cultivator from the human realm, Su Qingxuan, the master of the Wenrutian Sanyi Palace."

I pay homage to the Jade Emperor, the Supreme Heavenly Venerable, the High God of the Mysterious Vault.

May His Majesty live a long and prosperous life.

The sound was clear and resonant, echoing in the silent hall.

"Rise," the Jade Emperor said, his voice booming and majestic.

It seemed to come from the heavens above, and it seemed to resonate in everyone's heart.

Without a trace of emotion, it naturally exudes the supreme majesty of ruling the three realms.

Su Qingxuan stood up and stood with his hands at his sides.

The Jade Emperor's gaze fell upon the scene, seemingly able to see through all illusions and illuminate the true nature of reality.

He said slowly, "Su Qingxuan, you're in a hurry to go to the Lingxiao Palace."

What is the so-called injustice concerning the laws of the Three Realms?

"You can explain in detail."

Su Qingxuan bowed again, explaining his sudden impulse.

The spirit, guided by the bloodline, ventured into the underworld and witnessed the tragic state of his parents.

That eerie prison, and the demonic underworld officials...

And my own speculations...

The whole thing is presented clearly and concisely.

His words were earnest, and his evidence was irrefutable—presented through divine imprinting.

Some of the images were blurry, and I dared not fully reveal them, lest I offend the holy procession.

Su Qingxuan's analysis was reasonable, and he further explained the matter.

It rises to the level of "shaking the foundation of reincarnation and disrupting the order of Yin and Yang".

It may involve the inner workings of the underworld, and the level of "evil collusion with the demonic path".

The celestial officials and generals in the hall initially remained calm, but the more they listened, the more moved they became.

When Su Qingxuan showed the blurry image of the prison,

Details of the Demon Chain Soul Extraction...

And when the demonic aura emanating from the underworld officials...

Many people already showed expressions of shock and anger.

The Netherworld is the most important place for the cycle of reincarnation in the Three Realms, and the foundation of order.

If any underworld officials dare to establish private prisons or jails...

Torture good souls, especially saintly parents, using demonic methods.

The soul that possesses merit is guilty of a sin so great that it is utterly wicked!

This is no longer a simple matter of secrecy, but a violation of the laws of Heaven.

An open provocation and disruption of the natural order of reincarnation!

After Su Qingxuan finished speaking, he knelt on the ground again, his voice deep and firm:

"Your Majesty, please be wise! My parents, Su Wenyuan and Liu, did good deeds throughout their lives."

Having accumulated merit, according to the laws of the underworld and the principles of heaven and human relations,

After death, they will be reborn into the human realm to enjoy blessings, or even receive a divine position in the heavenly realm.

Yet, he was unjustly imprisoned and subjected to the torment of having his soul refined by demonic chains.

The soul is on the verge of dissipation and will never be reborn.

This is not only an injustice to my family, Su Qingxuan, but also a violation of the laws of Heaven.

This is a blatant trampling of the justice of Heaven!

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you uphold justice and issue an order for a thorough investigation."

Yunchen led his men into the underworld.

Firstly, to rescue his parents, thus fulfilling his filial duty as a son.

Secondly, we must thoroughly investigate this matter and uncover the mastermind behind it.

Purge the evil spirits of the netherworld and uphold the dignity of the laws of the Three Realms!

After he finished speaking, the hall fell silent.

All the immortals turned their gazes toward the Jade Emperor atop the nine-dragon chariot.

The Jade Emperor sat upright, enveloped in auspicious light, his expression obscured.

Only an increasingly profound and imposing invisible pressure remained.

The pervasive atmosphere in the hall revealed that his emotions were not entirely unsettled.

After a moment, the Jade Emperor spoke slowly, his voice still majestic, but now tinged with coldness:

"I understand what you have said, Su Qing."

The underworld governs reincarnation, a position of great importance.

It is outrageous that a virtuous soul has suffered such an undeserved calamity, especially one whose parents were saints.

The soul of merit...this is indeed no small matter.

His gaze swept over the celestial officials in the hall: "Thousand-mile eyes, wind-following ears."

"Your subject is here!" The two generals stepped forward.

"You two shall immediately explore the Netherworld, deep within the territory of the Song Emperor."

Is there such a prison as Su Qing mentioned?

Report back immediately!

"As you command!" The two generals accepted the order and immediately began performing magic in the hall.

The all-seeing eye, with golden light shooting out from its eyes, pierced through layers of void and gazed into the netherworld;

With keen hearing, one can listen attentively and capture every subtle sound.

After a moment, the two finished their ritual, their expressions solemn, and reported back:

"Your Majesty, we have investigated according to the location given by Palace Master Su."

In an extremely remote and desolate place within the territory of the Song emperors,

There was indeed a makeshift prison made of black iron.

There were four sinister-looking "Yin Messengers" guarding the outside.

Inside the prison... there are two weak souls imprisoned inside.

Just as Palace Master Su described, he was suffering from the torment of having his soul extracted by the demonic chains.

The prison was so well hidden that it was almost impossible to detect unless one deliberately sought it out.

Moreover, it seems that the routine patrols of the Netherworld in that area have been neglected, as no Netherworld soldiers have approached for a long time.

An uproar erupted in the hall!

What Su Qingxuan said was absolutely true!

Moreover, how could the Netherworld patrols be so negligent? Is it a coincidence, or...?

The Jade Emperor nodded slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

He looked at Su Qingxuan: "The injustice done to Su Qing's parents is true."

"The Netherworld has made such a blunder; I am furious."

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Su Qingxuan, listen to my decree."

"Your subject is here." Su Qingxuan's heart tightened.

"I hereby appoint you as the 'Imperial Envoy of the Underworld' and bestow upon you a 'Imperial Patrol' token, which grants you the authority to act as you see fit."

You are hereby ordered to immediately lead three hundred elite celestial soldiers from the Heavenly Court.

And you are permitted to bring your own capable assistant and travel to the Underworld to thoroughly investigate this case!

"First, you must ensure the souls of your parents, Su Wenyuan and Liu Shi, are preserved."

"You have been safely rescued and brought to the Heavenly Realm. You are free to make your own arrangements."

"Second, thoroughly investigate the origins of that prison! Who built it?"

Who is guarding it? Where does the soul power flow?

Which official in the underworld is involved? Who is the mastermind behind this?

Is it related to the Demon Lord of Guixu?

Every detail must be thoroughly investigated and clarified.

"Third, if there is any obstruction, or if it is found that underworld officials are colluding with evil spirits."

Those who neglect their duties or violate the law may be dealt with according to the severity of the circumstances.

In serious cases, the execution will be carried out first and the report will be given later!

I grant you the power to execute first and report later.

However, there must be solid evidence; innocent people should not be wrongly killed.

Nor should one cause great disturbance in the netherworld, disrupting the order of reincarnation.

The Jade Emperor's voice turned stern, carrying an awe-inspiring divine might:

"This case concerns the dignity of the Heavenly Court's laws, the justice of reincarnation, and the stability of the Three Realms."

I want a clear and unambiguous result.

"You can do it?!"

Su Qingxuan felt a great weight lifted from his heart, and a surge of warmth welled up within him.

The Jade Emperor not only granted his request, but also bestowed upon him such great authority and support.

He kowtowed heavily, his voice resounding and firm:

"Your subject, Su Qingxuan, accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude! He will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust."

Rescue your parents, uncover the truth, eliminate evil, and uphold the law!

If this case cannot be solved, Su Qingxuan is willing to accept divine punishment and have his soul and spirit annihilated!

"Very well." The Jade Emperor nodded slightly. "Wang Lingguan."

"Your subject is here!" The golden-armored general stepped forward from the side of the hall.

It was Wang Lingguan, a subordinate of the True Martial Emperor, who had a close relationship with Su Qingxuan.

At this moment, Wang Lingguan's face was as red as jade, and his eyebrows resembled silkworms.

With three eyes glaring fiercely, a golden whip in hand, he exudes an imposing aura.

"I order you to select three hundred elite soldiers from the Spirit Official Hall to accompany Su Qing to the Netherworld."

Obey their orders and protect them completely.

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Wang Lingguan clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice booming like a bell.

He had a long-standing relationship with the Sanyi Palace and harbored a strong liking for Su Qingxuan.

This is an inescapable duty for us.

The Jade Emperor then looked at Su Qingxuan:

"Su Qing, in your Sanyi Palace, there is that Elder Yun Miaozi."

His cultivation had reached the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, and he was quite familiar with the old stories of the Netherworld.

You may appoint him as your deputy envoy to accompany you and provide mutual support.

With him here, unless the Supreme Saint intervenes, you can be assured of safety in the Netherworld.

Su Qingxuan was shocked again. The Jade Emperor actually knew Yun Miaozi's cultivation level and his past connection with the Netherworld.

The Heavenly Court's control over the Three Realms is far deeper than I imagined.

He respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, I obey your command and thank you for your consideration."

"Go then," the Jade Emperor said, waving his sleeve.

"I am in the Lingxiao Palace, awaiting your news. Do not disappoint me."

And do not let the beings of the Three Realms lose faith in the laws of Heaven.

"Your Majesty, I take my leave!"

Su Qingxuan bowed again and accepted the "Imperial Patrol" token presented by the celestial official with both hands.

The token felt warm to the touch, and the front was engraved with the four ancient seal characters "如朕亲临" (As if the Emperor were personally present).

The reverse side features a celestial map, embodying the vast power of the heavens.

He carefully put the token away, exchanged a glance with Wang Lingguan,

The two men shared a mutual respect and a resolute air about them.

Su Qingxuan turned around and strode out of the Lingxiao Palace.

Outside the palace, the sunlight was just right, and the sea of ​​clouds was churning.

Su Qingxuan gripped the token in his hand and looked down into the deep abyss where the Netherworld was located.

His eyes gleamed with icy coldness, his killing intent as fierce as iron.

Father, Mother, wait for me...

Whoever harmed you, prepare to die!

It is:

Imperial edicts and decrees, written in red ink, emerge from the clouds; iron certificates and golden seals bring comfort to loved ones.

Do not say that there is no sun or moon in the netherworld; behold, the heavens are clear and bright.