“Could it be that your medicinal properties are special and can help with the sealing?” Meng Qi mocked, looking at Daqinggen.
“I don’t know…” Daqinggen murmured, glancing at Meng Qi before quickly lowering his head again.
Meng Qi activated his Dharmakaya manifestation, unleashing an endless surge of Primordial Unity aura—supreme and boundless, transcending all directions, nurturing infinite possibilities, all transformations, and every form of causality!
The Heavenly Venerable Lingbao sat nearby, his Dharmakaya aura gradually radiating outward—lofty and boundless, encompassing the dual forces, the four manifestations, and the five elements, embodying moral teachings. Subtle distinctions gave rise to diverse principles of the Dao, intertwining and generating infinite possibilities, growing ever more intricate and chaotic, until finally descending into an ineffable silence!
The sensation similar to that of the Three Pure Venerables made Daqinggen feel extremely uncomfortable, slightly trembling, as if he had returned to the Jade Void Gate back then.
After struggling for a while, he finally said, “The True Lord indeed never mentioned it, but I guessed that perhaps it’s because we excel at concealing our spiritual wisdom. If someone isn’t paying attention, they’d merely perceive us as ordinary plants and flowers. If someone entered the seal, they wouldn’t be wary of us, allowing us to memorize their presence.”
“In other words, the Clear and Mysterious Dao True Lord not only left the Jade Void waist pendant for a destined person but was also ‘waiting’ for certain powerful experts to peek inside?” Meng Qi asked thoughtfully.
Daqinggen nodded emphatically: “Exactly! The True Lord’s condition back then was very strange. He deliberately muttered something in front of us about who might still survive after countless eons. Moreover, whatever he sealed was very unique—not a cultivation technique, not a divine weapon, nor a treasure.”
“Then what was it?” asked the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao.
Daqinggen’s leaves rustled as he scratched his “head”: “The True Lord made it so secretive; how could I possibly know? I only know that the seal changes every nine hundred years, and from occasional leaks in its aura, I can tell it’s neither a cultivation method, nor a divine weapon, nor a treasure. It’s just very strange.”
Meng Qi and the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao exchanged glances, neither having any idea what it could be. They pressed him a few more times, but Daqinggen himself didn’t understand clearly, his descriptions vague and lacking distinct features.
Nodding slightly, Meng Qi once again fixed his gaze directly into Daqinggen’s “eyes”:
“When you left, was the Jade Void Palace still in Kunlun Mountain?”
Daqinggen shuddered, seemingly recalling some unbearable past events. After a long pause, he replied, “The Jade Void Palace vanished overnight. The Sect Leader disappeared without a trace, and many immortals abandoned Kunlun, never to return for decades. Later, the True Lord reappeared on Kunlun and brought us to the sealing location.”
Although Meng Qi had long learned about the great upheaval after the Investiture of the Gods from Duke Huan, and the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao, immersed in Investiture of the Gods for many years, had also heard rumors and formed guesses, hearing it now still sent chills down their spines. Why would one of the greatest experts across several eras suddenly disappear?
Had Yang Jian spent decades investigating this very matter? Was whatever lay sealed connected to this?
“Do you know where the Clear and Mysterious Dao True Lord went afterward?” Meng Qi’s greatest concern still revolved around Yang Jian, whose future was tied to the remaining Eight-Nine techniques.
Daqinggen hesitated and struggled for a long while before replying, “I don’t know why, but I often have nightmares about this, which is why I concealed so much from you two masters.”
It seemed he had finally made up his mind:
“The True Lord instructed me to tell whoever eventually obtained the waist pendant that he was going to the Ruins of the Nine Heavens.”
The Ruins of the Nine Heavens? Had Yang Jian gone there? And never returned? Meng Qi’s heart churned. The mystery behind the fall of the Nine Heavens was certainly no simple matter. No wonder the heavenly chain mission from Gu Xiaosang was extremely difficult and still incomplete to this day.
Her obsession with the Nine Heavens—was it for the cultivation techniques and divine treasures, or was it connected to why Yang Jian, the Second Lord Yang, had also taken it so seriously? Or could it be related to the motives of the highest experts like the Three Pure Ones and Amitabha Buddha who had caused the fall of Heaven itself and the destruction of the Nine Heavens?
This fellow was so secretive—his motives were definitely not simple!
Because he had signed a contract to jointly explore the Ruins of the Nine Heavens, Meng Qi naturally paid special attention to related matters, wanting to unravel the clues and understand Gu Xiaosang’s intentions, so as not to be exploited without even realizing it!
“Did the True Lord leave any other words?” Meng Qi asked solemnly.
Daqinggen shook his head: “Other than that, the True Lord said nothing else. Though he did mention once that he had found the Jade Void Palace and entered it once, but he never revealed what he discovered.”
“Perhaps the key to unlocking the seal lies within the Jade Void Palace…” The Heavenly Venerable Lingbao seemed to sense something, “Otherwise, we can only wait until our cultivation advances enough to forcefully break it open.”
Meng Qi nodded, asking Daqinggen a few more questions, but he had no further information to offer.
The Heavenly Venerable Lingbao dismissed Daqinggen first. Once the door to the secret chamber closed, sealing off the inside from the outside, he gazed at the doorway and said, “What it said was likely ninety percent truth and ten percent falsehood, but it definitely still concealed one or two crucial matters.”
“Exactly,” Meng Qi smiled. “The words of the Clear and Mysterious Dao True Lord were clearly meant for whoever obtained the waist pendant. It deliberately concealed things from us, only revealing them when forced. There must be some reason behind it.”
The Heavenly Venerable Lingbao calmly said, “Given the current situation, further questioning will likely yield nothing. We should observe and wait, seeing what it intends to do.”
Rushing to use techniques like the Heaven-Shaking, Earth-Shattering Method to “interrogate” Daqinggen might trigger unwanted consequences, such as self-destruction, completely severing the trail of clues. After all, it had survived from ancient times until now—surely it must have some secret techniques.
After finishing their discussion about Daqinggen, Meng Qi took a deep breath and recounted the entire incident regarding the Du Ren Qin to the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao. Finally, he asked, “Now the Du Ren Qin has turned into ‘missing’ in the redemption list, which is truly puzzling. I wonder, when you completed the divine weapon task, did you directly obtain the divine weapon, Heavenly Venerable?”
The Heavenly Venerable Lingbao had been preoccupied with Daqinggen and hadn’t yet learned of the major event in Jiangdong. Upon hearing this, he paused: “I completed a divine weapon task unrelated to the divine weapon itself, and only later received the item from the Six Dao.”
“If it’s ‘missing’ among the clans and sects, yet ‘available’ in the hands of the Lan Die, could it be that the Lan Die’s ancestral god has intricate connections with the Six Dao?” Meng Qi had already pondered this matter deeply and spoke out instinctively upon hearing this.
The Heavenly Venerable Lingbao raised his hand, and the door to the secret chamber opened. Daqinggen, who had been in some remote part of the Biyou Palace, was instantly drawn back!
“Two Masters…” Daqinggen looked dazed, not knowing what had just happened.
Meng Qi understood the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao’s intention. Having previously sensed the ancestral god’s aura of the Lan Die, he immediately simulated and transformed, manifesting as the embodiment of water-elemental power in the heavens and earth, and asked Daqinggen, “Is this the same aura you sensed within the seal?”
Daqinggen shook his head in confusion: “Isn’t this the Ancient Water God? How could I not recognize it?”
It wore an expression that clearly said, “Master, please don’t tease me,” as the identifying features of this being were extremely obvious!
“It’s indeed the Water Ancestor. He left behind the Lan Die lineage. I wonder if He truly perished…” Meng Qi nodded, confirming his suspicions.
After dismissing Daqinggen again, the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao mused, “Perhaps the Water Ancestor and the Six Dao had some degree of cooperation.”
As they spoke, both of them in their hearts now regarded the Six Dao as a powerful expert who had survived until the present day!
To still be “lively” after surviving this long, his current realm and strength must certainly exceed imagination!
“Pity we don’t know where the ‘Ancestral God Statue’ of the Lan Die is. Otherwise, we could follow this clue…” The Heavenly Venerable Lingbao sighed.
The secret chamber fell silent. Meng Qi hesitated over whether to ask Chonghe for help regarding the Fifth Form of the Heaven-Interrupting Sword and the follow-up tasks of Zhenwu.
His thoughts swirling, Meng Qi slowly exhaled a breath of stale air: “Heavenly Venerable, I have a clue regarding the Fifth Form of the Heaven-Interrupting Sword.”
After much internal struggle, he finally made this decision—not only to prepare for unforeseen dangers but also because the Fifth Form of the Heaven-Interrupting Sword could be exchanged in the Immortal Trace for the remaining Dharma Body techniques of the Eight-Nine Methods. Moreover, considering the entanglements of great experts’ karmic connections, the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao and certain experts within the Immortal Trace likely faced similar issues, though not as severe as his own. Mutual support and vigilance were the right path. Relying solely on one’s own strength without the aid of like-minded and capable “Dao companions” would make escaping the intricate traps set by unimaginably powerful experts nearly impossible!
Perhaps this decision went against his instinct to keep things secret and monopolize them, but it was the most rational choice after careful consideration.
“Hmm?” Daoist Chonghe’s gaze immediately fixed on Meng Qi’s face, as if barely believing what he had heard.
To him, the Seven Forms of the Heaven-Interrupting Sword could be even more helpful than the Subduing-Taming Palm!
Meng Qi selectively recounted the matter of Zhenwu’s evil thoughts. The Heavenly Venerable Lingbao regained his calm and listened attentively.
After Meng Qi finished speaking, he murmured to himself, “Yanfei Mountain’s Ice Extreme Lake—Ice Extreme Lake? Could it be the Celestial Lake of the Cao Clan in Peijing?”
The Cao Clan of Peijing was one of the top aristocratic families of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, famous for the “Seventy-Two Chapters of Celestial Immortality.”
“The Celestial Lake… that’s good,” Meng Qi sighed in relief. The Celestial Lake of Peijing was a semi-open area, and since the Cao Clan was never known for sword techniques, it indicated that their inheritance remained intact.
The Heavenly Venerable Lingbao smiled: “Since it’s at the Celestial Lake of Peijing, for now, I can only assist you covertly to avoid arousing the Cao Clan’s suspicions. If the situation truly changes, I’ll have no choice but to intervene.”
As the leader of the orthodox sects of the Northern Zhou, he had many restraints, even when acting under the identity of the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao.
“That works. I’ll ask my friends for help,” Meng Qi smoothly brought up the topic of inviting Jiang Zhiwei and the others to join the Immortal Trace. “If any of them don’t wish to join the Immortal Trace, I still hope they’ll have the opportunity to comprehend the Heaven-Interrupting Sword.”
“As it’s your item, you have the right to decide its disposition,” the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao said lightly, without greed, adding with a sigh, “After comprehending the Subduing-Taming Palm’s General Principle, I’ve gained insights into other areas, bringing me closer to a breakthrough. If I study the Heaven-Interrupting Sword again now, I might have a good chance of crossing its threshold.”
“You’re about to break through?” Meng Qi asked joyfully.
The Heavenly Venerable Lingbao nodded: “After staying at the Human Immortal level for so many years, I finally have hope of glimpsing the Earth Immortal level.”
Human Immortal, Earth Immortal… Meng Qi was about to ask what these corresponded to in the Buddhist hierarchy when the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao, with a solemn tone, said, “I’ve always observed your fortune being abnormal, and indeed, you’re entangled in karmic connections with great experts. I can empathize, having gone through hardships and fortunate coincidences myself, finally managing to sever part of it.”
“Can it be severed?” Meng Qi was instantly filled with joy.
Daoist Chonghe sighed: “I’m different from you. My karma comes from the true Heavenly Venerable Lingbao, that is, the Patriarch Tongtian. After discovering the Biyou Palace, I triggered a chain of tasks. After countless near-death experiences, I’m finally close to completion. I can now confirm that the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao has completely disappeared—not perished, but transformed into a form I can’t yet understand. Precisely because he has truly vanished, part of the karmic connection could be easily severed. The only chain task you’ve triggered so far is the Zhenwu chain, with other signs only beginning to appear. Your entanglement with karma is far more severe than mine, and there’s currently no way to tackle it. We can only take one step at a time and see.”
Meng Qi regained his calm without feeling discouraged. After Wang Siyuan’s warning, he had already mentally prepared for such a situation.
“When the old Daoist and others initially established the Immortal Trace, offering different cultivation methods and titles, it was our hope to have companions who could support each other within the cycle of reincarnation, working together to escape the cycle and attain true freedom. Who would have thought that some Dao companions who chose certain titles and methods would instead take on karmic burdens, contradicting my original intention? We could only continue with the mistake, exchanging insights and exploring together to escape such shadows,” the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao said with a touch of nostalgia.
“Mm,” Meng Qi replied calmly, “As for ‘them,’ I have only one thing to say: if they are ‘dead,’ then let them stay dead forever.”
“Fortunately, there aren’t that many experts with such power,” the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao comforted Meng Qi.
Meng Qi indicated that he was fine emotionally and changed the subject: “Heavenly Venerable, have you not yet completed your chain task?”
“Not yet. There’s still one final step. Currently, all clues have been severed, but the previous gains weren’t insignificant, such as the formation method of the ‘Zhu Xian Sword Formation.'” The Heavenly Venerable Lingbao smiled, showing no sign of discouragement.
The formation method of the Zhu Xian Sword Formation! Meng Qi was secretly startled but said nothing, instead discussing chain tasks with the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao and seeking his insights.
In the end, Meng Qi asked the Venerable to wait a moment while he went to the central jade pillar to redeem some items.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage