Chapter 372 : Taiyuan Heavenly Realm
Chapter 372: Taiyuan Heavenly Realm
“I understood. Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister.” Chen Beiwu said softly.
Everyone had their own aspirations.
Although Chen Beiwu did not understand why Sister Zither’s brain had short-circuited and she had suddenly chosen to enlist and campaign against the outer domains, he respected her decision and would not comment further—much less risk entering the Cangyuan Realm.
For him, the most urgent matter at present was breaking through to become a Nascent Soul True Monarch, not anything else.
“Junior Brother, we are from the same sect—why be so polite?” Su Bathing-Rain smiled gently. “Oh right, Yuqing City will soon hold the once-in-a-century Beast-Appraisal Grand Assembly.
This Beast-Appraisal Grand Assembly is unprecedented in scale. Not only will there be rare beasts and exotic birds on display, there will also be Earthly-Sha Treasure Beasts, and even Fourth-Tier Mystic Beast cubs.”
“I have a few invitations to the assembly here. Are you interested in attending, Junior Brother?”
“Then I’ll have to trouble Senior Sister.” Chen Beiwu agreed readily.
For Immortal Alliance cultivators, the Yuqing Beast-Appraisal Grand Assembly was undoubtedly a grand occasion.
Although Chen Beiwu currently had no plan to contract another Companion Beast, he did not mind going to take a look.
When the time came, he might be able to rely on the Nine-Breath Chaos Divine Ability’s power to pick up a bargain or two and, with a backhanded flip, earn a sum of Spirit Yuan.
After hanging up, Chen Beiwu’s thought stirred. The Dao robe on his body renewed itself as if freshly made. He then rose, preparing to go out to visit his master.
Confidence was not arrogance.
Though Chen Beiwu believed his future breakthrough to become a Nascent Soul True Monarch was a sure thing, he would not let even the slightest trace of contempt arise in his heart.
On the contrary, to avoid any accident during the matter of advancing into a Nascent Soul True Monarch, he had long since sorted through every doubt related to Core Formation, intending to seek his master’s guidance.
……
The Yuqing Immortal Sect, one of the Thirty-Six Lesser Grotto-Heavens.
Deep within the Azure-Deep Grotto-Heaven.
An old Daoist in a green robe sat cross-legged at the center of the Dragon-Gathering Origin Pool. There was not the slightest ripple of mana around him, yet he had merged into the entire grotto-heaven as one.
“Interesting.”
Suddenly, the corners of True Venerable Changqing of Dongming’s lips lifted slightly, and he casually flicked his sleeve.
“Weng!”
Outside the grotto-heaven, Chen Beiwu only felt the scenery around him change abruptly. In the next instant, he was already standing atop rolling abyssal waves.
“Greetings, Master.”
Chen Beiwu reacted quickly and performed a salute at once.
“You handled the sect exchange assembly quite well. You gave your master a good deal of face.”
True Venerable Changqing gave a slight nod. His tone was even, and he did not stint on praise.
“It was all thanks to Master’s daily instruction. This disciple did not dare claim the credit.” Chen Beiwu said humbly.
True Venerable Changqing stroked his beard and smiled, not exposing Chen Beiwu’s flattering words. He asked as if he did not know, “Disciple, what brings you here today?”
“This disciple came uninvited, to resolve doubts.”
Chen Beiwu lifted his head, his expression solemn. “This disciple wished to knock upon the gate of the Nascent Soul Great Dao. I ask Master to point out the way through the fog.”
True Venerable Changqing’s eyes shifted faintly as he glanced at Chen Beiwu.
Chen Beiwu’s heart tightened. Within his body, Yuanshi True Qi unexpectedly accelerated of its own accord, bursting with dazzling purple-gold radiance.
After a long while, the scrutiny that felt like a heavenly ordinance receded, and Chen Beiwu’s body lightened.
“A Pure Yang cultivator emulated Heaven and Earth. The Yang Spirit could roam the Northern Sea by dawn and reach Cangwu by dusk, breathing and drawing in to transform it into innate Heavenly-Gang Purple Qi. Yet even Pure Yang Nascent Souls have ranks of high and low.
“As your master, I have a supreme method here, named the ‘Secret Record of the Purple Mansion Opening Heaven and Transforming into a Nascent Soul.’”
True Venerable Changqing smiled calmly. “This method used the Yang Spirit as the guide and the Purple Mansion as the cauldron. With nature and life answering each other, one could achieve a top-grade Pure Yang Nascent Soul—but the cultivation difficulty is extremely harsh.
“A Golden Core cultivator must forge an Honor-Title Golden Core, have divine sense that rivaled a Nascent Soul True Monarch, comprehend the Bestowed Final Scene, and condense a Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspect.”
At this point, True Venerable Changqing paused slightly, amused. “Among the Three Pure Ones’ prodigies, those who can cultivate this method to completion are one in tens of millions. Are you willing to learn it?”
“This disciple is willing.”
Chen Beiwu nodded without the slightest hesitation.
To him, these four conditions were not harsh—he had even long since satisfied the first two.
As for the remaining two conditions, he had ways to solve them.
“Very good.”
True Venerable Changqing swept his sleeve, and a Jade Slip instantly floated before Chen Beiwu.
‘The spirit returned to the Purple Mansion; the cauldron-furnace was first set.’
‘Core-fire was born of itself; yin and yang linked to the spirit.’
‘Spirit and qi fused; the inner scene became chaos.’
‘With spirit opening heaven, my fate lay in my own hands.’
Chen Beiwu only swept it once with his divine sense, not yet reading it carefully, and he already keenly sensed that this Core-Forming method and the Yuanshi Dongzhen Azure Radiance御 Myriad Tribulations Myriad Spirits Immortal Art he cultivated came from the same source and could be cultivated together.
“Many thanks to Master for bestowing the method.”
Chen Beiwu quickly accepted the Jade Slip and bowed deeply.
“Do you still have other doubts now?” True Venerable Changqing said.
A teacher transmitted the Dao, resolved doubts, and taught according to aptitude.
Each disciple’s talent and foundation differed; the future they could achieve would also differ. One could not force it.
For example, the ‘Secret Record of the Purple Mansion Opening Heaven and Transforming into a Nascent Soul’ came from an ancient source, its highest inheritance traceable back to the roots of the Three Pure Ones Immortal Sect. To this day, none of True Venerable Changqing’s disciples had been able to cultivate it successfully.
But Chen Beiwu was the most outstanding in talent and the most monstrous in comprehension among his disciples, so there was some chance he could cultivate it.
Stepping back, even if Chen Beiwu ultimately failed, he could still gain considerable insight from the ‘Secret Record of the Purple Mansion Opening Heaven and Transforming into a Nascent Soul’ and forge a respectable Pure Yang Nascent Soul.
“This disciple has no more doubts.”
Chen Beiwu left the Azure-Deep Grotto-Heaven in high spirits.
Watching Chen Beiwu’s departing back, True Venerable Changqing slowly closed his eyes, sighing inwardly.
Among his disciples, those who could become Divine Transformation True Venerables were very few.
Yue Sinking-Peak was one. Chen Beiwu was another.
But compared to Chen Beiwu, Yue Sinking-Peak had ultimately lacked a bit of drive. He had not chosen the ‘Secret Record of the Purple Mansion Opening Heaven and Transforming into a Nascent Soul’ and instead had chosen the inferior ‘Yuqing Pure Yang Dao-Embryo Method.’
……
Back at the Water Evolution Residence, Chen Beiwu took out the ‘Secret Record of the Purple Mansion Opening Heaven and Transforming into a Nascent Soul’ and began to comprehend it.
This method was obscure and difficult to cultivate. It had four realms in total.
First Glimpse of the Gate: an entrant could ignite the wisdom-light of the Yang Spirit Prototype, obtain the Purple Mansion’s Radiant Splendor phenomenon, and see comprehension greatly increase.
Yin and Yang’s First Harmony: with minor achievement, one could expound the wonders of Pure Yang and Pure Yin creation, obtain the Purple Mansion’s Sun-and-Moon phenomenon—the sun phenomenon could refine the spirit, the moon phenomenon could nourish qi.
Chaos’s First Division: with major achievement, one could recreate within the Purple Mansion’s sea of consciousness the scene before chaos opened, obtain the Chaos Dao-Embryo phenomenon. The Purple Mansion Yang Spirit would contain the might of a Pure Yang Nascent Soul, forming a self-contained chaotic pivot mechanism.
With Spirit Opening Heaven: at completion, one could use the chaotic pivot mechanism to reopen the Purple Mansion’s heaven and earth, forging a top-grade Pure Yang Nascent Soul, obtaining the Heaven-and-Earth Universe phenomenon. With a single thought descending, one could suppress thirty percent of a same-realm cultivator’s strength.
The more Chen Beiwu comprehended it during this period, the more he felt this method was extraordinary—utterly different from the Core-Forming secret methods recorded on the Immortal Alliance Official Website.
“Weng!”
At this moment, Chen Beiwu’s phone vibrated and popped up a message.
【The Dharma Heaven-and-Earth Realm will open in half a year (September 15th) at eight o’clock in the morning】
【Please have Chen Beiwu, Chen True Person, prepare well and do not miss the timing.】
Chen Beiwu glanced at the sender’s name and confirmed it was the Yuqing Immortal Sect’s Teaching Department.
‘My cultivation was insufficient before, and I missed the opening of the Dharma Heaven-and-Earth Realm. This time I can’t miss it again.’ Chen Beiwu thought to himself.
The quotas for the Dharma Heaven-and-Earth Realm were limited and extremely precious.
Only Golden Core Completion prodigies could enter the Dharma Heaven-and-Earth Realm, comprehend the Heavenly-Gang Dao Marks left behind by successive generations of Yuqing Immortal Sect cultivation great powers, and attempt to grasp the power of a Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspect in advance—thus reducing the difficulty of proving the Dao as a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
The only thing that dissatisfied Chen Beiwu was that he still had to wait a full half year.
Soon, another day passed.
Chen Beiwu opened his eyes, put away the Jade Slip before him, and regret could not be hidden within his gaze.
Master had not spoken falsely: to cultivate the ‘Secret Record of the Purple Mansion Opening Heaven and Transforming into a Nascent Soul,’ one had to satisfy four conditions.
Even if his comprehension was monstrous and he had the Heavenly Fate Purple Dragon Rank’s help, he still could not leap over these hard conditions and successfully enter this Core-Forming secret method.
“It seems I still have to make a trip to the Taiyuan Heavenly Realm.”
Chen Beiwu took out his phone and opened the Taiyuan Heavenly Realm application interface.
Because the previous review had already been approved, he did not need to apply again this time—he could head there directly.
……
The Taiyuan Heavenly Realm ranked among the top three of the Yuqing Immortal Sect’s Thirty-Six Lesser Grotto-Heavens. Within it were stored many Landscape Intention stone steles left by sect titans, for later-generation prodigies to comprehend and learn from.
Chen Beiwu rode Golden Egg and, following the phone map’s guidance, flew straight into the sea of clouds over the Yuqing mountain range.
Not long after, atop the cloud sea, a towering and majestic white-jade gateway entered Chen Beiwu’s sight.
This gate stood about a thousand zhang tall, its momentum thick and weighty. Upon it were engraved three profound and obscure ancient characters: 【Taiyuan Heaven】.
Contrary to Chen Beiwu’s expectations, only a single cultivator guarded the Taiyuan Heavenly Realm’s gateway—and it was an unkempt old man at Foundation Establishment, with an aura that seemed plain and ordinary.
“Who comes?” the old man asked coldly, his gaze landing on Chen Beiwu.
“Azure-Deep Grotto-Heaven, Chen Beiwu.”
Chen Beiwu reported his lineage and presented his identity proof.
“You are Chen Beiwu?”
After reading the Jade Slip, Han Bell-Separation lifted his eyes slightly, surprise hard to conceal.
Within the Yuqing Immortal Sect, Chen Beiwu’s name was thunder in the ears.
Even an old fellow like him—who did not heed outside affairs and had retired in peace—had heard of Chen Beiwu’s many feats.
Chen Beiwu gave a small nod, his expression faintly respectful.
The aura he displayed being Foundation Establishment did not mean the old man before him was truly a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
On the contrary, Chen Beiwu could vaguely sense from him an indescribable danger.
There was no doubt: this was a cultivation powerhouse who liked to play the pig to eat the tiger. His cultivation was absolutely above a Nascent Soul True Monarch, and he might even be a Divine Transformation True Venerable.
“There are fifty-four Supreme Landscape Steles within the Taiyuan Heavenly Realm. You can try comprehending the thirty-third Landscape Stele.”
Han Bell-Separation gave a hint, mobilized his mana, and opened the Taiyuan Heavenly Gate.
Hearing this, Chen Beiwu’s heart tightened. He gave Han Bell-Separation a slight bow in thanks, then stepped into the spatial gateway.
“Rare to encounter a decent Yuqing prodigy. I hope he won’t be disturbed by the rankings.” Han Bell-Separation muttered.
He had guarded the Taiyuan Heavenly Realm for countless years and had seen far too many prodigies of dazzling talent.
Without exaggeration, among the prodigies he had seen, Chen Beiwu could rank at least top three.
But the more monstrous a prodigy’s talent, the more confident—and arrogant—they were, loving to chase so-called ‘the strongest.’
This was human nature, yet it also led one into the lower grade.
One must know: among the steles in the Taiyuan Heavenly Realm rated by the Yuqing Immortal Sect’s upper ranks as Supreme Landscapes, which one was not left behind by a powerhouse of Divine Transformation True Venerable or above?
The Landscape Intention within pointed straight at the Dao’s origin and was enough for cultivators below Divine Transformation to benefit immensely, pushing their cultivation another step forward.
Yet prodigies tended to be stubborn. Some peerless prodigies would rather comprehend the highest-ranked landscape diagram than retreat a step to find the Dao that truly belonged to themselves—how was that not another kind of straying onto a mistaken path?
……
On the other side, within the Taiyuan Heavenly Realm.
The spiritual mechanism was vigorous, and the space was vast.
Fifty-four giant steles were like ancient mountains, standing solemnly at the center of the entire grotto-heaven. They emitted utterly different Dao rhythms and pressure, making passing Yuqing cultivators unable to resist lifting their heads to stare.
Chen Beiwu activated his divine sense and discovered that the number of landscape steles within the Taiyuan Heavenly Realm was far more than this.
Hundreds of landscape stone steles—several notches inferior in scale—were scattered like stars around the fifty-four giant steles, each radiating extremely pure Landscape Intention.
“Na!”
Sensing the vast aura of heaven and earth here, the Five Qi Vine immediately perked up.
‘In the Taiyuan Heavenly Realm, sneaking around is not allowed.’
Chen Beiwu reached out and poked the Five Qi Vine’s cheek.
“Na.”
The Five Qi Vine instantly turned from joy to sorrow.
It did not need much—only to use Five Qi Steals Heaven Hand once, and it could obtain a stone that carried dense Dao rhythm.
If such stones were used for farming, it could absolutely grow Fourth-Tier mystic medicine of extremely high quality.
Sensing the Five Qi Vine’s thoughts, Chen Beiwu’s mouth twitched.
The little fellow truly was not afraid of death.
Within the Taiyuan Heavenly Realm, damaging a landscape stele was an unforgivable grave crime.
Golden Egg licked its lips and suppressed the impulse in its heart.
It was not only the Five Qi Vine that had thoughts of stealing stones—staying here, it also had the impulse to use the Three-Phase Furnace and swallow every landscape stele until nothing remained.
But Golden Egg knew the consequences of doing so and did not dare act recklessly.
“Woof.”
Among the three little fellows, Iron Egg was the most responsible. Its eyes stared fixedly at Golden Egg and the Five Qi Vine, showing it would not let them commit crimes.
“Master Chen, is this your first time entering the Taiyuan Heavenly Realm?” A burly cultivator walked over and greeted him.
Chen Beiwu nodded in greeting, then turned and walked toward the giant steles.
Although he did not know what profound meaning the old man’s words contained, that did not hinder Chen Beiwu from searching at this moment for the thirty-third Supreme Landscape Stele.
Watching Chen Beiwu’s figure walk away, the burly cultivator’s expression gradually turned cold.
“Luo Upright, didn’t you say you knew Chen Beiwu?” another skinny cultivator asked curiously.
“None of your business, Xu Elegant.” Luo Upright snorted.
“What a pity. I thought I could get acquainted.” Xu Elegant shrugged.
“What’s there to pity? He’s just an unsociable cultivation genius.” Luo Upright said coldly.
When Chen Beiwu had opened a hall to teach Dao methods, he had attended a class and met him once. He had not expected Chen Beiwu to be so arrogant in private.
“To be able to use Golden Core cultivation to reverse-slay a Nascent Soul—this kind of prodigy is no longer a mere genius, but a powerhouse you and I must revere.” Xu Elegant reminded him.
“No matter how strong a Golden Core is, it’s still only Golden Core. Breaking through to a Nascent Soul True Monarch—how could that be easy?” Luo Upright sneered, belittling him. “In the Yuqing Immortal Sect there are plenty of prodigies who were glorious for a time and then fell into mediocrity. Who knows whether Chen Beiwu will become the next one.”
Xu Elegant did not dare pick up that thread.
Anyone with eyes could see that the position of this generation’s chief seat in the Yuqing Immortal Sect would most likely be held by Chen Beiwu.
Luo Upright was a second-generation cultivator with a deep background, so mocking Chen Beiwu a few times did not matter.
But he was not. Only someone who had lost his mind would mock Chen Beiwu for no reason over a bit of face.
“Just wait and see. Chen Beiwu is a fellow from a humble background—trying to establish his own lineage in Yuqing won’t be that simple.” Luo Upright sneered.