Chapter 1: The Immortal with Divine Breath

  Celestial Immortals, their achievements are accomplished within the Three Vehicles, but their traces transcend beyond the Three Vehicles. They are not bound by Dharma, nor are they stuck in the mud of Tao. They have great merit in Heaven and Earth, and great accomplishments throughout history. Some take on roles as Celestial Officials, with Heavenly Officials being the most revered, followed by Earthly Officials, and then Water Officials. As Celestial Officials, they ascend and advance without end, serving in the 36 Grotto Heavens, returning to the 81 Yang Heavens, and ultimately returning to the realm of the Three Pure Ones' Void Nature.

  Thirty-six grotto heavens and seventy-two blessed lands stretch across the vast four seas, with no mortal knowing how many there are. But this spring, only Mount Tiantai is bustling with activity.

  Mount Tai, 180,000 feet high, 800 miles around, with eight layers of peaks, appears to be in the sky from a distance. It connects to the mysterious heaven above and overlooks the precipice below, making it extremely difficult for people to climb.

  What the world doesn't know is that on this eighteen-thousand-zhang-high peak, hidden in the thick clouds and mist, lies a palace of immortals. This city is magnificent, with towering jade buildings that seem to never end, as well as emerald springs, divine grasses, and countless rare treasures and strange beasts. Several spiritual springs flow straight down, creating a misty veil that blurs the edges of this crystal palace. It's truly the epitome of the grandeur of nature and the splendor of human emotions!

  Spring day, the Queen Mother of the West arrives at Mount Tiantai!

  After the news spread, Tiandai Mountain immediately changed from a secluded place to a gathering place for the eyes of the 36 caves of heaven. In the small road message ranking list in the fairy world, it quickly surpassed Qingcheng Mountain where Taixuan Master had just entered and became the most popular concern.

  Tai Xuan Shi found out he was squeezed out of the headlines and felt extremely indignant. With a wave of his large sleeve, he indicated that he would immediately go to watch the commotion.

  Arrived at the Cloud Platform on the mountain waist, but found that the queue waiting to climb the mountain was endless.

  The official Tian Tai Mountain announced: There are too many immortals coming to watch, our mountain cannot accommodate them. Please move to the top of Taibai for a rest. The latest news about Queen Mother of the West will be released in the first place.

  However, when Chong Li arrived in a flurry of anger, he received a warm welcome and the ascent was very smooth. The miscellaneous servants in the Jin Ting Palace were busy cleaning up the arrangements for the welcoming ceremony. Chong Li was originally a laid-back person, and now he became even more leisurely, without needing anyone to lead him, he walked familiarly towards the Feng Zhu Hall at the back.

  "Hey, and Brother Yue, where is your respected father?"

  In front of the grand hall, a young man in a white robe stood upright, with a spirited and robust demeanor. He was none other than He Yue, the chief attendant of Xuan Yi, the Supreme Deity of Tiantai Mountain, as mentioned by Chong Li.

  Hei Yue gave a slight bow, "What a coincidence that you've arrived, God Lord. The master is just about to head out."

  "Doesn't anyone wait for me?" Chong Lei hummed and walked forward, then seemed to remember something and retreated two steps to tidy up his clothes before striding into the Feng Zhu Hall.

  "The one who arrived latest is actually the closest!" With a helpless shake of his head, Yue ordered the attendants on either side to withdraw and personally closed the palace doors.

  Just as he stepped down from the stairs, a woman suddenly appeared from behind the stone beast.

  "Hey, who's there?"

  This woman was a close servant of Xuan Yi Shangxian, named Mingzhu. Her voice was melodious and pleasant to hear, and she had a charming and alluring appearance. She was sent by the East Sea Dragon Palace when Zhenren took office, but she had some arrogance, unlike another close servant, Mingyue, who had been following Zhenren for a long time and was quiet and well-behaved.

  So I have a headache with my mother-in-law.

  "The master is going out, you don't help him arrange the sedan chair, what are you doing here?"

  The bright pearl-like eyes turned around, and she smiled lightly: "Don't worry, I've already prepared it. Where is the master?"

  He and Yue turned back to look at the main hall, the door was tightly closed, only then did he feel relieved and pulled Mingzhu away a little further, lowering his voice: "The god of Mount Heng has come to visit, I reckon it'll take some time before he leaves, I think you should go arrange dinner instead."

  "Supper?" Mingzhu's eyebrows slightly furrowed, and she waved her hand: "I don't know what the Lord likes to eat. Last time I served him tea, he complained it was too bitter. I can't handle this, you'd better ask Mingyue."

  Although Hengshan Shenjun was slow and hesitant, his temper was the most explosive. Thinking of this, Yue thought it would be better to go himself, but now he couldn't leave, so he hesitated for a moment.

  The bright pearl looked at him and gently pushed him: "You can go, I'll take care of things here, don't worry"

  He and Yue were a bit surprised, this Mingzhu relied on his noble birth and sweet mouth to please the master, he had always loved to shirk from work and make others do it for him, how come he was so kind-hearted this time? But then he thought that the master only ordered Mingyue to follow along, maybe she wasn't willing to stay behind either. So he took two steps forward: "I'll go now, you take care of things here, don't let others get close."

  "Alright, alright, why are you being so nagging?" Mingzhu pouted and turned her head away from him.

  The mountain wind was quiet, and the Fengzhudian Temple remained still without any movement. Mingzhu looked around to make sure no one was there, then quietly leaned against the west window, perked up her ears and listened carefully.

  "A cup of tea has been finished, and so should the complaints. What does the Lord God want from me?"

  "Oh dear, I actually had something to ask you, but after walking for half a day, I forgot."

  “……”

  "Don't be angry, don't be angry, I'm just joking with you. I heard that Zhuping followed the princess?"

  "Once you've entered the immortal class, your mundane body has already been abandoned, so why bother mentioning secular names again?"

  "It can't be said like that, we're friends, what's wrong with calling each other?"

  "Is there anything else, Your Excellency?"

  "Huh? Then tell me, what's the empress's purpose for coming here this time?"

  "Nothing else!"

  "The princess didn't ask you to keep it a secret, actually I've already received her decree, saying that the five mountains and rivers will all be under your control within a hundred years. I think maybe, she might actually want you to lead the five mountains too."

  “……”

  "Huh? Where's this nice smell coming from? It smells really good. I was just about to ask you."

  "Nothing else!"

  "Is it the immortal grass brought from Kunlun Qiongfang Garden? Where is it, let me take a look."

  "...the solitary, uniquely colored flower bud has already been relocated to a different sacred mountain."

  "Alas, no energy."

  "Mount Liang is where the Queen Mother cultivates, I heard that there's still a celestial warehouse left there, inside are many celestial family secret books, rare treasures and strange precious things, is it true?"

  Upon hearing this sentence, Xuan Yi's usual calm and gentle tone had a slight fluctuation, becoming slightly deeper.

  "Let me take care of the mountain immortal warehouse, it is exactly the purpose of your trip this time."

  "Hmm... all eyes in the three realms are staring at you, this is no trivial matter, Xuan Yi, you're in trouble."

  “……”

  A long silence, Mingzhu wanted to get closer, but was pulled back by someone who grabbed her sleeve.

  "Mingzhu, what are you doing?"

  It turned out to be Mingyue, she and Mingzhu looked about the same age, but she was mature and steady, and also knew how to advance and retreat.

  Mingzhu quietly left the western window, pulling Mingyue to the stone beast in front of the hall, and only then said in a low voice: "It's Lord Hengshan who has arrived. He told Yue that His Majesty might not go out today. The lord has always been fond of sticking to His Majesty, and this time His Majesty is inspecting the mountains of Tiantai, perhaps he will follow too."

  Mingyue heard this and glanced at the palace gate, furrowing her brow as she said, "It seems that the ceremonial setup will have to be rearranged again."

  Mingzhu nodded heavily: "That's what I said, but you rest for a while, I'll take care of this matter, just help Yuke guard here for a while."

  The words were left unspoken, and she had already walked far away. Mingyue watched as the pink hem of her dress disappeared from view in an instant, and her eyebrows furrowed even more.

  The Blue Bird conveys the Queen Mother of the West's decree throughout the Five Peaks and rivers, some families rejoice while others worry.

  Mount Tai's northwest, the summit of Taohua Mountain, in the magnificent and luxurious Golden Heaven Palace, the Western Emperor gazed at the turbulent clouds in the southeast direction with a complex expression.

  The Eastern Sea fairy who came to visit knew the interest of saying goodbye, and didn't know if he was being overly cautious. Since seeing the Emperor earlier and receiving his decree, wearing a white robe that suddenly burst forth in an explosive manner, walking in this grand yet gloomy hall where not a sound could be heard, felt extremely oppressive.

  It was easy to walk out of the Golden Heaven Palace, and the Eastern Sea Fairy bid farewell to Xi Yue Emperor's third son, Qiong Qi, who was seeing him off. He prepared to return to the Eastern Sea immediately to discuss this matter with the Dragon King. Unexpectedly, Qiong Qi solemnly saluted: "Fairy, please stay for a moment."

  "How could I dare? Lord Lang and the Crown Prince are close friends, it's not unacceptable for him to call me 'teacher'."

  Qiong Qi's face revealed a sincere smile: "In my youth, I was fond of playing, but in the Dragon Palace, I was enlightened by you. At that time, I only knew that you were erudite and knowledgeable, but I didn't expect you to be so easy-going."

  The fairy of the East Sea couldn't help but feel delighted after hearing these words and repeatedly praised him.

  "In that case, I will immediately return to my father the king and give you a gift of a bowing ceremony, how about that?"

  "Haha, how dare I? Emperor, you hold a high position, but you are not arrogant. You are humble and courteous, respectful of your teachers and the Tao. This is truly rare. Very well, I will trouble you for another half day."

  After the ceremony, Qiong Qi specially arranged a thank-you banquet. During the banquet, Emperor Jun was still in a bad mood, but Qiong Qi kept urging him to drink, seemingly very happy.

  Although the East Sea Immortal is fond of saving face, he is not a shallow and brainless person. He knows that Emperor Qi is mischievous by nature, although he is the most favored by the Emperor, his reputation in the immortal world is not good. In the past, when he went to the East Sea, his eyeball got stuck on the maid's collar and couldn't be pulled out. Moreover, it has never been found that he has a heart for learning, and the teachers invited by the Emperor have been eaten by him quite a few times. At the banquet, they all flattered each other, but judging from his unusual behavior, there must be some unspoken words.

  The Eastern Sea immortal pressed his temples: "I'm old, I'm old, can't hold my liquor, you're really good at drinking, a young and talented man."

  The Western Emperor, seated in the upper seat, had not taken their mutual flattery throughout the night seriously. Upon hearing this sentence, he felt a bit unwell. He thought to himself: Is my son considered a young genius just because of his large capacity for wine? Looking at his own son, who was not far away and had a fierce appearance with a big mouth and thick beard, he couldn't help but worry that he might indeed have no worthy successor, and this meal became unbearable.

  After the banquet, Qiong Qi invited Donghai Xianren to come to the South Peak's Yangtian Pool. Standing here and looking out, San Gong Mountain and San Feng Mountain are within arm's reach, with the clouds of a thousand miles hanging above their heads.

  "Taihua Mountain's majesty is worthy of being called the leader of the Five Great Mountains!" The East Sea Immortal sincerely praised.

  "It's beautiful indeed, but unfortunately, our majestic Western Peak will soon have to bow its head and surrender to Mount Tiantai."

  The Eastern Sea Immortal knew he was unhappy about the Western Queen Mother's decree to restrict the Five Peaks, so he patted his broad shoulders and comforted him: "This brief glory of a hundred years should be regarded as a reward for his hard work. This reward is in name only, Young Master, don't worry about it."

  The poor and strange creature suddenly took a step forward, transforming into its true form - a gigantic tiger with three blazing flames on its back. It let out a deafening roar that shook the surroundings, spreading its enormous wings to glide downwards, before diving headfirst into the misty clouds of the mountain valley. In an instant, it burst through the clouds and soared into the sky, freely soaring as its massive wings stirred up the clouds and haze above, instantly shrouding the area in dark clouds, with a fierce gust of wind blowing, and an aura of slaughter and killing intent rushing forth.

  The poor devil returned to human form and bowed to the immortal of the Eastern Sea: "Thanks for nothing."

  "Modest words, but Lang Jun's demeanor is refreshing and elegant, his divine talents are lofty and wondrous, broadening the teacher's horizons."

  "What does the teacher think, compared to Ji Xuan-Yi?"

  The surname Ji is the mundane surname of Xuan Yi, the Upper Immortal. Xuan Yi is his title after ascending to immortality. However, no one has ever addressed him by both name and surname together. Although Xi Yue Emperor Jun holds a high position, he is poor and without official rank or office, and his reputation has always been bad. If someone in the immortal realm with ill intentions were to find out that he was so disdainful of the immortal nobles, it would likely cause no small amount of trouble.

  "Be careful what you say, young master!"

  A cold snort of disdain: "Hmph, even if he is now the master god of Tiantai Mountain, he has been in the immortal realm for less than five hundred years, how can he compare to my father king?"

  The Eastern Sea immortal stroked his white beard, seemingly lost in thought: "After the ascension of Tian Tai Mountain's Xuan Yi Upper Immortal, the winds and clouds cleared up. However, although the Upper Immortal holds a high position, he has always been strict about following the rules of immortals. Why do you have such worries, young master?"

  The poor and strange Qiu Wang gazed out at the deep, dark sea of clouds: "Earlier, Teacher told my father that the Queen's secret order was for him to guard the Xunshan Immortal Treasury. This Xunshan is a place of true spiritual energy, the imperial ancestral temple of the immortal clan, and the treasury contains who-knows-how-many secret scriptures that have never been passed down. If this treasure trove were to be entrusted to him to manage, wouldn't it be because the Queen wants him to use these hundred years to cultivate in solitude? If that's really the case, with his natural talent, after a hundred years he won't just be an ordinary master of one mountain, but an unfathomably lofty immortal. At that time, let alone surpassing my father, it wouldn't even be difficult for him to rise above the Thirty-Six Heavenly Caves!"

  The Donghai immortal also felt a chill in his heart upon hearing this: "However, this matter is ultimately the empress's decree. The Five Mountains belong to different institutes, and the Heavenly Emperor may not necessarily agree."

  Qiong Qi looked at the old-fashioned Tiankui crown of the East Sea Xianren with some impatience: "Among the thirty-six Dongtian, half of the positions of the main gods are designated by Queen Mother of the West. Since she has already issued a decree, what can the Heavenly Emperor say?"

  "This..."

  "Don't think that the Thirty-Six Heavens are just a small part of the vast divine continent, and our lives and deaths have nothing to do with the Dragon Palace of the Four Seas. It's clear that outside the Thirty-Six Heavens, there is still the Great Wilderness without borders, and beyond that lies the boundless ocean. All thirty-six heavens are under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Emperor, the desolate wilderness is not worth mentioning, the unbounded realm is a mixed bag of immortals and demons, but it's also a place of sealed confinement, and the Dragon King has always been content to stay in the sea. If Xuan Yi really did become an official in the heavenly court, constantly accompanying the Heavenly Emperor, holding great power, and with the favor of the Queen Mother of the West towards him, who in the three realms and six paths could possibly contend with him?"

  The fairy of the Eastern Sea sat in contemplative silence for a moment, then suddenly stroked his beard and smiled: "What you are worried about, Emperor knows?"

  "That's natural!"

  "Oh, I don't know what you mean, Emperor?"

  "Father and son are of one mind! I am no longer the ignorant child, whatever happens at Xiyue, naturally my brothers and I will take it together with Father!"

  "Don't be too excited, Mr. Lang's concerns are understandable, but things may not necessarily go as smoothly as that."

  "Oh? What clever plan does the teacher have?"

  The fairy of the East Sea just told him to rest assured and didn't say anything more.

  The wind is strong and the air is clear, with clouds and mist swirling around Mount Tiantai. At the very top, a celestial banner is held high, pulled by eight white deer drawing a magnificent chariot that soars through the sky. Countless divine spirits attend in procession, accompanied by the sound of heavenly music, as dragons and cranes fly back and forth along the mountain paths, with clouds and mist churning ceaselessly for a long time.

  This is the ceremonial procession of Xuan Yi Shang Xian's departure.

  This immortal's name was given by the Dragon King himself, but as a ninth-rank lower immortal, it was just an empty title.

  This person in front of me...

  The fairy of the Eastern Sea gazed up at the sky, the carriage and sedan had already gone far away, came all the way to pay a visit, but didn't even see the corner of his robe.

  This immortal is truly extraordinary!