Chapter Ten Flowing Years Four

  Never had Zhang Yin come to bother her, Mingyun and Mingxin seemed to have changed their nature as well. In the long-awaited peaceful days, Ji Ruochen felt a little lost.

  Perhaps it was lost in the mulberry forest, but gained in the eastern corner. Although Hanyan was no longer with him to listen to Yu Xuanzhen's teachings, once or twice a month, the two would meet on Eagle's Beak and admire the sunrise together.

  As early as August this year, Ji Ruochen had already broken through the Taiqing Spiritual Saint Realm and began to study the Taiqing Divine Secret. Breaking through the Taiqing Spiritual Saint Realm in just seven months is considered not bad even when looking at the entire Daode Sect.

  After starting to practice the Taiqing Sacred Art, Ji Ruochen's cultivation advanced another level. This year, he would be competing against Zhang Yinyin. For a moment, he felt a hint of anticipation in his heart. And as for the days spent with Hanyan, although they had never spoken at that time, the vague aftertaste still made him occasionally reminisce about it.

  As the imperial examination approaches, Ji Ruocheng puts aside his romantic thoughts and focuses on cultivating his moral character. The Taoist scriptures are numerous and have both substance and application. The Three Pure Ones' true formula is naturally the source of all things, but the study of practical applications such as alchemy, talismans, and swordplay also has an indispensable role in understanding the Three Pure Ones' true formula. However, one person's energy is limited, and spending more time cultivating the Three Pure Ones' true formula will inevitably lead to neglecting other studies, and vice versa. In order to gain an advantage in the imperial examination, one must naturally put great effort into practical applications, which may hinder progress in understanding the Three Pure Ones' true formula.

  As soon as Ji Ruochen completed the Taiqing Spiritual Saint Technique, the true immortals had already noticed. However, contrary to his expectations, although the true immortals all showed signs of approval, they did not show much joy. Ji Ruochen, who was accustomed to seeing through worldly affairs, naturally understood their intentions. Sure enough, as he had expected, within a few days, several true immortals privately inquired whether he had recently become infatuated with miscellaneous Daoist techniques and neglected his practice of the Three Pure True Classics.

  Ji Ruocheng was initially puzzled, but after careful consideration, he felt that the reactions of the others were somewhat inappropriate. He privately asked Yun Feng Dao Chang and only then did he learn that when they had cultivated the Tai Qing Ling Sheng Jue, Ming Yun, Li Xuanzhen and others had all taken less than five months, while Ji Bingxian had achieved this state in just three months!

  In comparison to the two, Ji Ru Chen suddenly had an epiphany. Although his own cultivation progress was much faster than that of ordinary disciples, when compared to someone as talented as Xi Bing Xian, he still fell far short. If he were just an ordinary disciple, he would have been praised by the various True Persons, but at this moment, in the eyes of the True Persons, he possessed a Fallen Immortal's body and a Heaven-granted constitution. Ji Ru Chen observed their words and expressions, already knowing that in the hearts of the True Persons, his own cultivation progress was slower than Xi Bing Xian's, which was somewhat unacceptable, and if it were any slower than Ming Yun's, it would be even more difficult to accept.

  Although Ji Ruocheng was taught by the eight true immortals, he divided his attention and naturally affected his progress. However, the Taoist sect emphasizes sudden enlightenment, and he had also taken a lot of immortal pills and wonderful medicines, as well as many auxiliary cultivation treasures, so this excuse is somewhat forced.

  Once all this was understood, what should have been a crisp and refreshing autumn suddenly became gloomy.

  On this day, after Ji Ruochen finished his lesson, it was already nightfall. He had a lot on his mind and didn't take the usual path he often took, but instead chose a quiet and deserted small path, walking slowly along it.

  This small path is sandwiched between two high walls, with a square stone yard in the middle, and an ancient well in the center. Ji Ruochen had walked through here once before, but only knew that it was very quiet and secluded. At this time, the night was pitch black, and he indeed didn't see anyone along the way, making it suitable for him to think about his own affairs. As he passed by the well, a faint green light suddenly flashed in the corner of his eye.

  Ji Ruochen's heart skipped a beat, and he stopped in his tracks, gazing towards the spot where the blue light was flashing. Only then did he notice that at the corner of the stone yard, under the wall, a bronze ancient tripod cauldron was placed. The bronze cauldron had an unusual and ancient style, with several lines of ancient seal script engraved on it. Ji Ruochen didn't recognize any of these ancient characters, but he felt that they seemed familiar, as if he had seen them somewhere before, yet he couldn't recall where he had seen similar texts for the time being.

  The ancient tripod has been placed here for many years, with a green patina and a thick layer of moss on its surface, making it seem like a useless object. However, in Ji Ruochen's eyes, the ancient tripod occasionally flashes with a faint blue light, as if after being placed in this cave for so long, it had absorbed a lot of spiritual energy.

  Ji Ruocheng stared at the bronze tripod, his expression unchanged, but his heart was gradually beating faster. He took a small step forward, but quickly withdrew it. Then he stood still on the spot, motionless, staring at the bronze tripod without blinking.

  Suddenly clouds floated by, blocking the bright moon in the sky, and the alley suddenly darkened, but Ji Yuchen remained still.

  It was only when the clouds opened for a moment that he flashed in front of the bronze tripod like lightning, and gently patted it with his palm.

  His palm, as light as a feather, had the power of a thousand tons, and it silently sank into the bronze cauldron! The ancient seal on the cauldron's body flashed brightly, then went dark again, repeating this process nine times before returning to normal. The bronze cauldron gradually became blurry, then twisted and distorted, before finally disappearing.

  In just an instant, Ji Ruoxin felt as if he had been washed away nine times in a violent storm, his internal organs were torn apart, and his face was deathly pale. He never expected that this ancient cauldron, which seemed so ordinary, would contain such a vast and unstoppable spiritual energy!

  These spiritual energies were all blunt and unaggressive, without a single hint of killing intent. Ji Ruofu barely managed to withstand them. However, he still felt a sweetness in his chest, as if he was about to spit out blood. But with an unyielding determination, he raised his head and forcibly swallowed the blood back down. Although there was another wave of intense pain between his chest and abdomen, ultimately not a single drop of blood fell to the ground. Amidst the chaos, he still didn't forget to swing out a sleeve wind, blowing the rising dust to one side, not letting any dust touch him.

  Ji Ruocheng looked around cautiously, seeing that he hadn't startled anyone, before quickening his pace towards the Tai Chang Palace. For some reason, he had a vague and indistinct feeling in his heart, as if tonight's separation from this useless bronze tripod wasn't a small matter. From the majestic and unmatched aura it emitted, this bronze tripod might not be a useless ornament after all, but rather a superior magical artifact.

  However, Ji Ruocheng was born in a black shop and studied human nature. He practiced dark arts and after entering the Taishang Daoist sect, he devoted himself to Taoist techniques. He had never read any classics or historical books, nor did he know anything about rituals, etiquette, or laws. Even if he knew, he wouldn't think it was important. In his heart, there were indeed some wise sayings and great principles that he revered as sacred.

  The world's things, only those with virtue occupy them.

  Ji Ruoxin's heart was uneasy, and she hastily left without looking up at the night sky. In that bright moon hanging in the air, a patch of blue had unknowingly appeared at some point.

  In the ancient well, a faint figure emerged quietly. It seemed to be a woman. Her long hair fell on her shoulders, and her eyebrows and eyes were blurry and couldn't be seen clearly. The upper half of her body was wearing an ancient dress, while the lower half was shrouded in a misty white fog. Although her face couldn't be seen clearly, yet every movement of her hands and feet revealed a hint of charm that was enough to captivate the city.

  She stood still, gazing in the direction where Ji Ruochen had left, and after a long while, she let out a soft sigh. For a moment, the clouds were heavy and the moon was dim, as if all the sorrow and resentment of a river had been poured out in that one sigh.

  "Yi Xuan, Yi Xuan, so many years have passed and you...you finally remembered me, finally thought of coming to rescue me, is that right? This child must be your junior disciple, yet he was able to scatter the Wen Wang Shan He Ding with just one palm...how is this possible? Alas, is it that he's too formidable or am I truly old?"

  At this time, a faint human aura suddenly came from the other end of the alley, and a figure quickly walked towards this side. His body was as heavy as a mountain, yet as light as a feather, as if he had come by treading on waves, with no dust rising under his feet. In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the ancient well. Just looking at his physique and gait, it can be known that his cultivation is extremely deep.

  He stuck eight pieces of red paper with blood on the edge of the well, and then bowed down to say: "Old predecessor, tonight I brought a ice frog, which can be used as a slight supplement to Qi, and slightly eliminate inflammation and poison. Don't worry, I will do my best to help you get out of trouble. I just recently found out that this ancient cauldron next to the well is called Wenwang Mountain River Cauldron, it's too overbearing, my cultivation is far from enough, I really can't break this cauldron, and I'm afraid of failing Master's heavy trust. Old predecessor, in order to break this cauldron as soon as possible, please recite that "Northern Emperor's Record of Punishing the Immortals" to me tonight!"

  His words had barely fallen when a cold voice suddenly came from above his head: "Old predecessor? Am I very old?"

  He was shocked, suddenly raised his head, and only then did he discover the faint figure floating above him. He was so frightened that he hastily retreated several steps, and his back heavily collided with the wall before stopping. For a moment, he was so scared that he couldn't speak clearly, pointing at the woman's shadow, his teeth chattering, and could only say: "You, you... how did you come out..."

  The woman smiled faintly, and although her face was not visible, the sound of her laughter had a captivating power. She continued, "Is this Wen Wang Shan He Ding really overbearing? How can something so overbearing be shattered by a single palm? You just want to deceive me into giving you my 'Bei Di Zhuan Xian Lu', don't you?"

  The man glanced to the side, and indeed the Wen Wang Shan He Ding had vanished without a trace. His face turned pale at the time, and he stuttered: "No, of course not! The Daodezong Sanqing True Method emphasizes gradual progress, and even if the disciple has fifty more years, it's impossible to move the Wen Wang Shan He Ding with just the Sanqing True Method..."

  The woman sneered and interrupted him, saying: "Cut the nonsense! Since you're so eager for the 'Northern Emperor's Heavenly Punishment Record', I'll let you take a look."

  She pointed at the man, and his brow turned red as eight drops of fresh blood flew out. She crooked her finger and snapped eight times, and the eight drops of blood scattered in all directions, occupying the eight trigrams positions and slowly flying around her.

  She closed her eyes slightly and murmured: "Jade emerges from the purple mansion, a breath of smoke is born. The emperor's fierce blood, the North Dipper's bones, the nine-colored lotus blooms, all laws collapse."

  As her chanting voice grew louder, the eight drops of blood arranged in the eight directions turned into gold and radiated brilliant light, transforming into eight lotus flowers as large as a bowl.

  The lotus flower suddenly blooms, and from the center of each lotus, a petal flies out, each with a different color. In the woman's palm, they combine to form a small lotus flower. After the flower blooms, the lotus centers are once again uniform in color.

  The woman had just finished her incantation and closed her eyes. She didn't rush to cast the spell, but instead gazed at the nine-colored lotus flower in her palm, sighed softly, and muttered: "Yi Xuan, I'm coming to find you now. Back then, I sacrificed myself for you, but I don't know what happened afterwards. Did... did you manage to escape?"

  At this moment when she was about to break free, she seemed to be somewhat fearful. It was unknown whether she feared the world that had passed through countless years or the ending that was about to be revealed. After hesitating for a long time, she suddenly raised her head and shouted loudly: "Break!"

  Nine-colored lotus flower suddenly flourishes, one fly soars into the sky!

  On the top of Xī Xuán Mountain, a thunderclap suddenly rang out, and the thousand-meter-high Mò Gān Peak even swayed slightly. On the Taishang Daode Palace, a layer of faint light suddenly lit up, like an enormous bowl covering the entire palace beneath it.

  Protecting the Palace of Supreme Morality for thousands of years, the Great Array of Xuanwu Cliff finally reveals its form.

  A bright spot suddenly lit up at the center of the light cover, which was insignificant compared to the entire array. However, the light contained within it was enough to illuminate the sun and moon! In the bright spot, a nine-colored lotus flower slowly rose, and under the lotus flower, the woman's long hair flew, her skirt sleeves like clouds, slowly emerging from the Western Mystic Cliff Array!

  She stood still in mid-air, and with a clear cry, the entire Taixu Palace was shocked: "Dongxuan Laozei! Wait for my Dao to recover, I will definitely return to this place and discuss the many years of hospitality with you again!"

  As soon as she finished speaking, she rode on a nine-colored lotus flower and rushed into the sky. The Taishang Dao De Palace was brightly lit, and countless disciples were shocked to wake up, causing chaos everywhere. Around the Moganshan Mountain, several peaks rose with several points of light. A few immortals suddenly gathered in mid-air, but saw that the woman had already gone far away, exchanging a glance, their faces were extremely solemn.

  They didn't dare to chase after her.

  At this time, in a secret place of the Taishang Dao Palace, the four walls were quiet and there was only one lamp as small as a bean. On the stone couch in the center, Zhenren Purple Subtlety slowly opened his eyes, suddenly let out a cold laugh and said: "Ignorant demonic evil! Although my master has already ascended to immortality, but in my Daoist sect, there is still someone who can behead you!"

  He stroked the long sword beside him, pondered for a moment, and his eyes slowly closed again.

  At this time, on the top of Taichang Peak, Ji Ruocheng stood beside the rope bridge, speechless and staring blankly at the night sky for a long time. He was extremely shocked in his heart, thinking: "Who is that woman? How can she... have such magical powers! And who is Dongxuan? Which true person is he? Why haven't I ever heard of him? Hmm, 'Wait until my Taoist practice is restored, and I will return to this place and discuss the many years of friendship with you again'... Ha! I really didn't expect that there would be someone in the world who dares to speak to Daode Zong like that. It's really great! Unfortunately, his aura is still a bit weak. If it were me, I would have added 'kick over Mogan Peak and burn down Daode Palace'...

  He indulged in wild fancies for a while, and the blood in his chest became somewhat stagnant. He was suddenly startled, and hastily rushed to his residence to dissipate the unexpected gain of this night.

  At this moment, although the Taishang Dao Palace is already bustling with noise, the ancient well next to it is still quiet and cold, only missing a Wenwang Mountain River Tripod, but with an additional desiccated corpse.