Qin Yun was in the form of a beam as he rushed in the direction of the Divine Firmament Chapter.
Suddenly, an obstreperous power enveloped his surroundings. Qin Yun felt like he had fallen into a mother’s embrace as he could not help but come to a stop. Despite stopping suddenly while traveling at an extreme speed, he did not feel any discomfort.
“This is?” Qin Yun looked in front of him as a purple bolt of lightning condensed into a body. Finally, it turned corporeal, revealing a middle-aged Daoist in a robe. He wore a headdress and looked rather ordinary, but he had an air of nobility. It was as though he held the secrets to the Heavenly Dao. His aura was warm but it did not emit any suppressive feelings. Qin Yun felt that… the existence in front of him was absolutely the most impressive existence he had ever encountered. Even the terrifying Other Realm Fiendcelestial that died in the Ancient Skydragon Palace felt weaker.
“This lightning.” Qin Yun frequently watched his wife cultivating the Divine Firmament Lightning Dharma, so he could naturally tell that the lightning was the Divine Firmament Lightning. However, it was a lot more brilliant than his what his wife produced. Despite being known for its oppressiveness, the lightning appeared genial and completely lacked killing intent.
“Are you Ancestral Master Zhang?” asked Qin Yun.
The middle-aged Daoist smiled and nodded. “That’s me. I understand that you caught a fiendcelestial of extraordinary origins. It’s very impressive that you could seal it. Let’s go, we can have a chat in my Divine Firmament Chapter.”
“Yes.” Qin Yun said politely.
Creating and perfecting a Dharmic Dao that was recognized as the best Dharmic Dao in the world! Ancestral Master Zhang was considered the strongest Daoist in the eyes of the world’s cultivators. The Daoist movement had quite a number of immortals at present. For instance, Patriarch Bai presided over Numinous Treasure Mountain. Back when the Dao Ancestor taught the Dao at Numinous Treasure Mountain, Patriarch Bai had been there listening. Since ancient times, Patriarch Bai’s presence ensured that Numinous Treasure Mountain constantly remained prosperous. The Bai family was the oldest family clan but in the eyes of cultivators like Qin Yun, Ancestral Master Zhang was even more powerful.
If it were just cultivating the best Dharmic Dao and reaching the highest cultivation realm, that would already be impressive. However, Ancestral Master Zhang had created the best Dharmic Dao. Anyone that knew the implications of that would be astounded.
An existence like Ancestral Master Zhang was like he was a world unto himself. He was an anchor of all humanity.
“Swoosh.”
The middle-aged Daoist brought Qin Yun along as they transformed into a purple bolt of lightning that headed straight for the Divine Firmament Chapter.
Qin Yun took the time to study Ancestral Master Zhang. “He looks ordinary but his aura is more aloof compared to the Other Realm Fiendcelestial’s oppressive aura.” Just a brief encounter was enough for Qin Yun to observe that, if Ancestral Master Zhang wished to, he could crush him to death with a finger.
…
Above Tea Askance Mountain in Lu Prefecture’s Yanglai County where Qin Yun fought the fiendcelestial.
“Swoosh.”
The faint figure of a purple-robed youth appeared in the clouds.
He overlooked Tea Askance Mountain and, although he was very far away, his gaze allowed him to probe the entire area that spanned hundreds of kilometers.
“Eh? No longer here after such a short period of time? Did he escape or was he sealed by humans once again?” The purple-robed youth, He Qian, muttered to himself. “He just escaped imprisonment and should be weak. It’s possible that he escaped this area and found somewhere to secretly recover his strength. As for being sealed, there are no auras left behind by immortals. It’s unlikely that he has been sealed. After all, it’s impossible for him to be sealed by a mortal cultivator, right?” He Qian surmised.
“Time to leave. I have important matters to handle. If this world is taken over, it would be a meritorious accomplishment.” With a flick of his sleeve, he silently vanished.
******
In a quiet residence of the Divine Firmament Chapter, there were pavilions with beautiful scenery. It was not tended to by any servants.
“Have a seat,” said the middle-aged Daoist with a smile as he sat down inside a pavilion.
“Senior, I’ll take my seat then.” Only then did Qin Yun sit down.
The middle-aged Daoist smiled as he looked at Qin Yun. “It’s said that you are a sword immortal that has stepped into the Dao. However, I just realized that you are still at the Paramount realm after meeting you in person today. The only difference is that you have condensed a purplish-gold Golden Core.”
“I can’t keep it from Senior Zhang,” said Qin Yun immediately after feeling a little shocked.
“Don’t worry. I did not probe your body,” said the middle-aged Daoist. “A wisp of Dharmic powers effuse from your body and, although it’s very weak, I am able to recognize it as purplish-gold Golden Core Dharmic powers. Speaking of which, I condensed a purplish-gold Golden Core back in my day. And it has already been more than two millennia since then. Time sure passes fast. I still remember the days when I stormed the world to rid it of evil after condensing a purplish-gold Golden Core.”
Qin Yun listened.
If Ancestral Master Zhang claimed that he was the most talented Daoist since ancient times, very few people would disagree with him.
For instance, people like Immortal Scenic Yang, known as leaders of the Daoist movement, might only number a handful, but that was still a nonzero number! Even the imperial government conferred immortals kingships like it did with Patriarch Yi, Patriarch Zhongli, and Patriarch Zhu. They were patriarchs of thousand-year-old family clans and even held huge influence in a sacred land. The imperial government had to appease them. For example, the Zhu family had great influence in the Primordial Chaos Sect.
Such a figure could be deemed a leader of the Daoist movement.
However, Ancestral Master Zhang and the Bai family’s patriarch were of even higher standing! It would actually be an insult if the imperial government conferred them kingships.
“Condensing a purplish-gold Golden Core implies you have a robust foundation and extremely high talent. Speaking of which, you condensed a purplish-gold Golden Core somewhat earlier than me,” said the middle-aged Daoist.
“The path for cultivation is long. Senior, I’m just a beginner compared to you,” replied Qin Yun.
“You and other sword immortals have yet to condense an Essence Soul.” The middle-aged Daoist looked at Qin Yun and nodded with a sigh. “However, we owe the sword immortal lineage a lot! Numinous Treasure Mountain taught the sword immortal lineage to the world because sword immortals are best at killing. Destroying evil increases the light providence shines on us humans. It has made quite a number of good human seedlings become sword immortals. There have been quite a number of sword immortals that stepped into the Dao. There are even some who grasped extremely strong Dao. Logically speaking, such talent should make it extremely easy for them to become immortal. Unfortunately, the sword immortal lineage lacks a Dharmic formulation to condense an Essence Soul.”
“Old Bai and I have thought of all possible ways,” said the middle-aged Daoist with a sigh. “If we could obtain the sword immortal lineage’s Dharmic formulation for condensing an Essence Soul, it would be worth it even if my Divine Firmament Chapter’s Numinous treasures are depleted. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t exist.”
Qin Yun felt his heart jolt from hearing that.
Old Bai was likely referring to Numinous Treasure Mountain’s Patriarch Bai. Ancestral Master Zhang and Patriarch Bai were both helpless?
“Isn’t it said that the Myriad Temple is omnipotent? Do they not have any means? Other Realm Fiendcelestials try to entice us cultivators, saying that they can satisfy all of our wishes. Is that just deliberate lies?” asked Qin Yun immediately.
“Myriad Temple?” The middle-aged Daoist shook his head. “There’s no need to think so highly of the Myriad Temple. They only know a lot of powerful figures. If Old Bai and I can’t obtain it, there’s no way for Myriad Temple to obtain it.”
Qin Yun nodded slightly.
“As for the Other Realm Fiendcelestials?” The middle-aged Daoist scoffed and said, “How can the enticement of Other Realm Fiendcelestials be believed? The sword immortal lineage is a lineage of the Daoist movement after all. Even we don’t have the Dharmic formulation for the sword immortals to condense an Essence Soul, so how can Other Realm Fiendcelestials have it? If they did have it, we would have long gotten our hands on it. I can very confidently tell you that there are only two ways to obtain the Essence Soul Dharmic formulations for the sword immortal lineage.”
“Oh?” Qin Yun’s eyes lit up.
“One way is for the Dao Ancestor to impart the Dao once again,” said the middle-aged Daoist. “The second way is to create it yourself. Other than that, there is no other way.”
Qin Yun’s heart chilled.
To get the Dao Ancestor to impart the Dao?
What sort of status did the Dao Ancestor have? Back when the world was still in its nascent state, the Dao Ancestor had descended upon the world to impart the Dao. Humans and fiendish demons have been fighting ever since. The wars raged on since ancient times and numerous sects and fiendish demons died; yet, the Dao Ancestor never descended again.
“It looks like I can only rely on creating it myself,” said Qin Yun as he shook his head. “The sword immortal lineage has had many talented people in history. There were many who stepped into the Dao, but all of them eventually turned to dust. The Dao Ancestor has never descended again, so I, Qin Yun, will naturally forgo any extravagant hopes of the Dao Ancestor imparting the Dao again.”
“Cultivation methods are all created by humans,” said the middle-aged Daoist with a laugh. “Qin Yun, I have my bets on you.”
Qin Yun smiled and nodded. “I have five hundred years. I’ll naturally do my best.”
“It’s good to have such a Dao heart,” praised the middle-aged Daoist. Suddenly, he turned his head and saw Patriarch Yi descend on a cloud.
“Master.” Patriarch Yi was dressed ordinarily and he was very respectful.
“Yi Yan, come. Have a seat,” said the middle-aged Daoist with a smile.
Patriarch Yi sat down, looked at Qin Yun, and marveled, “My young friend, Qin Yun. You sure were impressive this time. You managed to seal a fiendcelestial. Can I see what fiendcelestial it is?”
Qin Yun was not an immortal but had succeeded in suppressing and sealing a fiendcelestial. It left Patriarch Yi curious about the fiendcelestial’s identity.
“Of course. In fact, while I was bringing the fiendcelestial with me, I was afraid the fiendcelestial might charge out again suddenly.” Qin Yun took out the jade bottle and placed it on a stone table. In order to suppress the fiendcelestial, he had truly gone for broke. He had even eaten two Nine Revolutions Spirit Pills.
“Oh?”
Ancestral Master Zhang’s expression changed slightly when he saw it. He immediately extended his hand and grabbed the jade bottle. He pulled out the stopper as a terrifying might emanated from the middle-aged Daoist. He glared at the jade bottle and a glint flashed in his eyes. His hand trembled gently as he muttered softly, “It’s him? I never expected it. I really never expected it…”