“Taiyi? Taiyi?” Meng Qi murmured softly, numerous thoughts rushing through his mind.
If it referred to Taiyi, it might mean Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, one of the Nine Venerated Ones of the Dao Sect, the Dao manifestation of the Green Emperor. After all, aside from him, there was no other Taiyi that could be remembered by such a terrifying monster—one so fearsome that it required the sacrifice of nine Immortal Venerated Ones and their posthumous remains to suppress it.
If the cry was “Taiyi,” then which mighty figure did it refer to? In ancient times, there seemed to be no one bearing the title “Taiyi.” On Earth, however, there was the myth of Donghuang Taiyi.
With so many clues, it was impossible to guess at this point.
While pondering, Meng Qi noticed something peculiar and turned to Master Yunhe, asking, “When did these nine Immortal Venerated Ones’ tombs appear?”
Master Yunhe had long been puzzled by this matter and answered without hesitation, “Due to the Great Demon Uprising (Yaoluan Dadi), our Patriarch relocated our sect into a cave heaven. However, after the Great Demon Uprising was suppressed, he neither returned to the cave heaven nor led our sect back into the martial world. Therefore, we can conclude that this event occurred between the time of the Great Demon Uprising and the passing of the Human Emperor.”
“This can also be corroborated from another angle. Starting from the time of the Holy Emperor, there have been sporadic records of these nine Immortal Venerated Ones’ tombs.”
“At that time, both the Demon Sage and the Human Emperor were alive, both being Transcendent-level experts. What kind of monster could not be eliminated by them, forcing the nine Immortal Venerated Ones to make such a choice?” Meng Qi voiced his doubts.
Master Yunhe gave a faint bitter smile and said, “I also cannot figure it out. Once, I asked the elders of the Snow Mountain Sect, but they told me they had been guarding this secret generation after generation and could not disclose it. Even a single word revealing this secret to outsiders would allow the monster to escape its prison through the resulting thoughts and impressions. Even disciples of the Snow Mountain Sect who learn this secret must remain in the nine Immortal Tombs for the rest of their lives, never seeing daylight again.”
In other words, once traces of the monster’s existence surfaced in the outside world, it could escape from its seal? Meng Qi was deeply moved by this. Even if those who suppressed the monster were not figures as mighty as the Buddha Ancestor or Yuanshi, the fact that such a miraculous feat could be accomplished was enough to show how terrifying the monster had been in its prime—at least at the level of Creation!
“The Snow Mountain Sect, having evolved from generations of tomb guardians, must be hiding many secrets…” Meng Qi sighed.
Master Yunhe nodded and said, “To have survived from the time of the Holy Emperor until now, enduring countless upheavals without falling, the Snow Mountain Sect’s depth of foundation is likely second only to the Jiangdong Wang Clan and the Su Nu Dao’s Xuan Nu lineage. We cannot judge it merely by appearances.”
After discussing more about the Snow Mountain Sect and finding no further clues, Meng Qi shifted the conversation to the crafting of artifacts, earnestly seeking Master Yunhe’s advice and discussing his concept of the Multiversal Awareness Sphere.
Upon hearing this, Master Yunhe was astonished and repeatedly exclaimed, “What grand ambition! What a magnificent undertaking! I am truly unworthy compared to you, old Daoist.”
Then, with great interest, he analyzed the feasibility from the perspective of artifact forging and offered Meng Qi many useful suggestions.
Days passed with the sun rising and setting. Meng Qi gained much knowledge, but as a novice in artifact crafting, he needed time to digest it all and refrained from seeking more. He then stood up and stepped into the Myriad Manifestations Gate.
…
On the bustling street, people came and went, surrounded by all sorts of intricate devices, a scene of prosperity and convenience.
In the inner courtyard of a mansion, Fang Huayin, dressed in martial attire, was absorbing the morning mist beneath the thin veil of dawn, feeling the pulse of the universe. With each movement, she seemed to carry the weight of a mountain, yet there was a natural rhythm to her form, graceful and serene.
Fang Huayin completed her movements, opened her eyes, and slowly walked toward the outer courtyard. The martial arts training ground was already filled with many martial artists eagerly awaiting her arrival.
“Miss Fang…” Upon seeing her, greetings arose in waves, filled with respect. These people, strictly speaking, were all failures—due to various reasons, they could not cultivate the Dao or learn the art of devices, yet they refused to waste their lives in obscurity at the bottom of society. Thus, they chose the path of the ancient Qi cultivators, seeking divine martial prowess.
As one of the representative figures on this path, with a similar background, Fang Huayin had always been willing to teach without reservation. Even without formal approval from her masters or specific transmissions, as a practitioner who had attained unity with Heaven and Earth, she was more than capable of offering guidance from a high-level perspective based on her own experiences, allowing every seeker to benefit greatly. Thus, the name “Miss Fang” spread far and wide!
Smiling gently, Fang Huayin walked onto the stone platform in the training ground and stood at its edge, calm and imposing, signaling the people below to approach one by one for instruction.
Each question she answered was explained clearly and insightfully, sometimes even demonstrated.
As time passed and the sun reached its zenith, Fang Huayin scanned the crowd and calmly announced, “Alright, that’s enough for today.”
A chorus of thanks arose, and the martial artists orderly withdrew. Watching their retreating figures, Fang Huayin felt a wave of emotion. If not for the fortune of meeting her master and Master Jiang back then, she would still be struggling like them, without hope.
As the crowd thinned, Fang Huayin was about to leave when her gaze suddenly sharpened. She saw a man in green robes standing silently in the training ground, gazing at her like a rock in the sea revealed by the receding tide.
He seemed to have been there all along but had not interrupted her, his appearance unchanged from her memory—only now more mature and slightly weathered.
Fang Huayin’s mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out. Her vision blurred, and her mind went blank.
“Good,” Meng Qi nodded slightly.
With a buzz, Fang Huayin awoke as if from a dream. She leaped down from the platform, took a few quick steps toward Meng Qi, and suddenly knelt, eyes glistening, voice trembling:
“Disciple greets Master!”
At this moment, only a few people remained in the training ground, all staring in shock, puzzled as to why Miss Fang would bow so deeply.
“From today onward, you are officially my disciple,” Meng Qi said gently.
Upon hearing this, Fang Huayin was overwhelmed with emotions, joy beyond words, tears streaming down her face. She immediately performed three bows and nine kowtows, formally acknowledging her master again.
Before the remaining people in the training ground could react, Meng Qi turned around and walked outside, casually saying, “Come with me back to the sect.”
Fang Huayin stood up without hesitation and followed Meng Qi out of the mansion. Then, with a shift of light and shadow, she suddenly found herself standing beside a gate.
It was him! The few remaining people in the training ground suddenly realized.
It was him!
They hurriedly chased to the gate, but there was no trace of them left.
…
After stepping out of the Myriad Manifestations Gate, Fang Huayin saw Master Yunhe smiling and hurriedly bowed in surprise and confusion before following her master out of the meditation chamber, off the mountain peak, and into the air with the help of some mysterious force.
She looked down and saw an endless expanse of desert and wilderness, desolate and vast, unlike anything she had ever known, as if she had entered another world.
“The world you were in was a cave heaven created by the Immortal Venerated One of Myriad Manifestations, while this is the place where the Immortal Venerated One of Myriad Manifestations was born,” Meng Qi casually explained.
Though Fang Huayin didn’t know what a cave heaven was, she could still understand his words.
“Come, let’s go find your senior brother first,” Meng Qi said, waving his left hand, and the two vanished into the desert.
…
On a calm lake in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, a large boat drifted across the rippling water.
He Mu and Zhu Qing, the sect leader of the local “Arrogant Sword Sect,” sat facing each other, sipping fish soup and admiring the scenic beauty of the lake and mountains.
Upon hearing that Master Su had reappeared at the border between Northern Zhou and the grasslands, He Mu immediately set out northward. However, before reaching his destination, he received news that the Mad Blade (Kuang Dao) had slain the Venom God (Gu Shen) in the southern wilderness. He thus slowed his pace, sighing at the bitter irony of his journey.
“I have long heard of the great He’s reputation. Meeting you today, I see that it is truly deserved,” Zhu Qing smiled and raised his cup.
He Mu raised his cup in return. “Master Zhu flatters me.”
After some small talk, Zhu Qing got to the point: “He, as a lone cultivator, reaching your current level is truly rare and admirable. If you had the support of a sect, you might have already crossed the first heavenly ladder.”
“I may not have experienced the hardships of a lone cultivator, but I have seen many and understand them deeply.”
He subtly expressed his intention to recruit He Mu, hoping to persuade the famous swordsman to join his sect while retaining his previous cultivation.
The Arrogant Sword Sect was a well-known sect in the region, having produced a Grandmaster in the past and currently possessing top experts. Although Zhu Qing, like He Mu, was only a first-rate expert, he had sufficient qualifications to speak to He Mu, a lone cultivator.
—He Mu did not know Master Su’s exact intentions and never revealed his master’s name while traveling the martial world, relying only on his own reputation. Except for a few, most people regarded him as a lone cultivator.
He Mu answered solemnly, “Thank you for Master Zhu’s kindness, but my master is still alive. How could I join another sect?”
“Your master is still alive? May I ask which senior you are apprenticed to?” Zhu Qing asked curiously, as he had never heard of He Mu’s master before.
He Mu smiled and shook his head. “I have not yet been recognized by my master, so I dare not reveal his name.”
“Even at your age and with your cultivation level, you have not been recognized by your master?” Zhu Qing was surprised. “This requirement seems too high!”
Even among top sects, a first-rate expert under forty would be a prized asset!
Before He Mu could answer, suddenly his vision blurred, and he saw a figure in green robes floating on the lake, with graying temples, mature and handsome, exuding an unfathomable aura.
“S-Su… Master Su…” He stammered.
Zhu Qing looked in that direction as well, finding the man strangely familiar.
Meng Qi said nothing but simply stated, “Follow your master back to the sect.”
With that, he turned and stepped into the high sky.
Your master…? This is He’s master? Zhu Qing couldn’t help but look again, suddenly freezing in place, his gaze fixed. He suddenly remembered why the man looked familiar.
The latest Heaven, Earth, and Human Rankings were displayed in his sect!
And he had learned the appearances of each Heaven Ranking expert through various channels!
Your master? He Mu’s heart leapt with joy. He hastily bid farewell and hurriedly followed.
Only after the three figures disappeared did Zhu Qing regain his senses.
So He’s master is actually him!
What a hidden master He had! No wonder he could achieve internal-external convergence at such a young age!
…
The light of their flight landed on an ancient temple in a desolate mountain, beside a lotus pond.
“Master, is this our sect?” Fang Huayin looked around in astonishment.
It was only now that He Mu noticed a woman with a somewhat stern face standing beside his master. When Fang Huayin noticed his gaze, she turned her head with a smile and softly said, “Greetings, senior brother. I am junior sister Fang Huayin.”
Meng Qi, his left hand behind his back and holding an iron-black bamboo staff in his right, smiled and said, “It wasn’t before, but it will be from now on.”
Eh? Both He Mu and Fang Huayin were puzzled, like a man with a twelve-foot-long measuring stick unable to grasp the length.
“Look, this place gathers spiritual energy,” Meng Qi pointed with his staff toward outside the temple, his eyes glowing with a lamp that emitted swirling black and white light. Around him, a phantom river seemed to wash through, and his voice, deep and magnetic, carried a strange rhythm, as if resonating with the heavens and earth.
As soon as he finished speaking, Fang Huayin and He Mu felt the mountain moving, the surrounding peaks shifting, and the landscape transforming in the blink of an eye.
Rumbling!
The mountain changed according to the flow of spiritual energy, the desolate hills gradually becoming lush, clouds and mist rising, springs gushing forth, transforming into a place ideal for martial cultivation.
Fang Huayin was speechless. She had known her master was strong for over a decade, but she had never imagined he could be this powerful—moving mountains with a word, practically a celestial being walking among mortals!
He Mu was equally stunned, murmuring to himself, “A single word can become the law of the world.”
Meng Qi retracted his staff and lightly tapped the air with his left hand. The ancient temple transformed, the stone bricks rearranging themselves, and a mountain gate rose again, forming a small Daoist temple.
“Our sect originates from the Jade Void Palace on Kunlun Mountain,” Meng Qi turned to his two disciples. “From now on, this place will be Kunlun Mountain, and this temple will be the Jade Void Palace.”
“Kunlun Mountain Jade Void Palace…” He Mu and Fang Huayin repeated the name, suddenly realizing and exclaiming together, “Master, are we really founding a new sect?”
It sounded like they were reviving a lost Daoist lineage and re-establishing it!
“Yes, founding a sect is a trivial matter; no need for grand ceremonies. Those who need to know will know,” Meng Qi said indifferently, then his expression turned serious. “Now follow me to pay homage to our sect’s founding ancestor. He personally established our sect, and all our core martial arts were created by him.”
As he spoke, the ancient Buddha statue began to shift and change, no longer like stone but more like clay.
The founding ancestor? He Mu and Fang Huayin composed themselves, filled with reverence, facing the statue, ready to follow their master in bowing.
Regardless of the ancestor’s identity, a martial expert who founded a school deserved respect!
The statue transformed into a Daoist, appearing both old and young, middle-aged, majestic and noble, ancient and solemn.
Meng Qi solemnly bowed and said aloud:
“Honoring the founding ancestor, Yuanshi Tianzun.”
He Mu and Fang Huayin bowed together but immediately froze in place.
The founding ancestor, Yuanshi Tianzun?
Yuanshi Tianzun?
The mythological figure, the first of the Three Pure Ones revered by the Dao Sect, who created the myriad worlds?
Our sect was personally founded by him?
They felt as if they were listening to a myth, filled with an unreal sense.
In the current world, the Dao Sect mostly revered the Three Pure Ones, but no sect had ever claimed that one of the Three Pure Ones was their founding ancestor. At most, they might say their lineage was related!
For example, the Pure Yang Sect could claim a connection to the Morality Tianzun but would never dare to say their founding ancestor was Laozi. The Myriad Manifestations Sect’s founder was the Immortal Venerated One of Myriad Manifestations, not Lingbao Tianzun.
But Master spoke so confidently, as if it were truly the case—he was not someone they would dare to doubt!
Caught between shock, absurdity, and joy, they completed their homage to the founding ancestor and then followed their master in paying respects to the external senior ancestor, the monk Xuan Bei.
After the simple two rounds of homage, Meng Qi turned around, sat cross-legged beneath the statue of Yuanshi Tianzun, his aura deep and chaotic, harmonizing with the statue.
He looked at He Mu and Fang Huayin and said, “The Kunlun Jade Void Palace has been re-established. You two are my direct disciples.”
He Mu and Fang Huayin kowtowed again, paying homage to their master, then listened attentively to his teachings.
“There are no elaborate rituals in our sect, only a few precepts. First, do not betray your master or destroy your sect. Second, do not commit evil deeds. Third…” Meng Qi briefly outlined seven precepts, then turned serious. “In the future, if you stray from the path and bring calamity, don’t blame me for cleansing the sect.”
“We will always keep these precepts in our hearts,” He Mu and Fang Huayin quickly replied.
Meng Qi nodded slightly. “The core cultivation methods of our sect are the ‘Yuanshi Golden Chapter’ and the ‘Eight-Nine Mystical Art.’ The former includes the Nine Seals of Yuanshi, divided into Wuji, Dao Yi, Kai Tian… The latter is adept at avoiding calamities, highly versatile, allowing physical transcendence with immense strength…”
He briefly introduced the core teachings of the Kunlun Jade Void Palace, leaving He Mu and Fang Huayin in awe and longing.
After finishing, he turned his gaze to He Mu. “Xuan Guan Wu Hui, you have already achieved internal-external convergence and external manifestation. You cannot switch to these two supreme arts now.”
As He Mu’s expression darkened, Meng Qi continued, “However, I have studied the general principles of the Seven Heavenly Sword of Intercepting Heaven and gained some insights, creating corresponding martial arts. The Seven Heavenly Sword can be elevated from most cultivation methods, much like how the Buddha’s Palm relates to various Buddhist techniques. Therefore, you can develop in this direction.”
He Mu was both surprised and delighted, his previous gloom lifting. He immediately kowtowed. “Thank you, Master!”
Meng Qi snapped his finger, and the martial knowledge he had gained transformed into a stream of light, entering He Mu’s forehead.
“You are still at the level of unity with heaven and earth, and both the ‘Yuanshi Golden Chapter’ and ‘Eight-Nine Mystical Art’ are known for their inclusiveness. You may choose one to focus on and gradually adjust your inner world,” Meng Qi turned to Fang Huayin.
Having too many good choices was a problem. Fang Huayin deeply felt this. After several expressions of hesitation, she finally said, “Disciple wishes to learn the ‘Yuanshi Golden Chapter.'”
Meng Qi snapped his finger again, sending the stream of light representing the opening chapter of the ‘Yuanshi Golden Chapter’ into her. Then he addressed both of them, “Regardless of whether it’s your main focus, you can both experience the Nine Seals of Yuanshi and gain insights from them. But for now, hold off. Wait until you’ve elevated or adjusted your inner world before proceeding slowly.”
“Among the Nine Seals of Yuanshi, you cannot cultivate the ‘Dao Yi Seal.’ The true meanings of the Heaven-Flipping, Yin-Yang, Wu-Ji, and Void Seals are not in my possession. I can only write down the techniques. The remaining seals—Wuji, Kai Tian, Four Symbols, and Yuan Xin—you may explore at your leisure.”
After explaining all this, Meng Qi asked, “Do you have any questions?”
He Mu frowned and asked, “Master, will there only be the three of us in the Jade Void Palace? Won’t we recruit more disciples?”
This sect seemed too sparse!
“No need. There are still some elders in our sect. As for taking disciples, there’s no fixed rule—it’s entirely up to personal will. There’s no need for grand ceremonies. As long as each generation has a few disciples who can walk the martial world, that’s enough, like Lanke Temple.”
Then he smiled, “If you two want to recruit more disciples, I have no objection. As for myself, I don’t teach many disciples because I’m naturally lazy.”
He Mu and Fang Huayin were speechless.
A mountain peak, a Daoist temple, a master, two disciples—thus was the Kunlun Jade Void Palace established. It didn’t take long before all the top sects learned of this new sect.
Its leader: “Yuan Huang” Su Meng!
…
Two sword beams, like flowing ribbons, tore through the sky, slicing toward the enemy. Then they crossed and rotated, cleaving the enemy in two.
“This vicious fellow is truly strong. His reputation is well-deserved,” said Fang Qiu, a disciple of the Washing Sword Pavilion, catching his breath.
Another disciple of the Washing Sword Pavilion, Jiang Lan, wiped his sword while saying, “It’s just our luck to encounter him.”
The Nine-Ring Snake is a notorious figure in the Evil Dao. It is said that over a decade ago, he had a rare stroke of fortune, enabling him to rise from the harsh life of a lone cultivator on the unorthodox path.
Fang Qiu laughed, “Unfortunately, he became too complacent after his success. Let’s see what kind of fortuitous encounter he had!”
As he spoke, his sword flashed, lifting the Nine-Ring Snake’s jade ring.
“A good cultivation method… he indeed had a rare encounter, and this is his main practice…” Fang Qiu examined the contents within the jade ring. “Hmm, there’s a damaged notebook written in ancient script.”
He casually flipped through it, gradually his expression turning serious, causing Jiang Lan to lean over in curiosity: “What does it say?”
Fang Qiu took a few deep breaths and said, “It’s a record left by one of the attendants of the Golden Empress, Xi Wangmu, from ancient times. She survived the fall from the Ninth Heaven and recorded many secrets—like the hidden entrance to the Jade Pond, the meeting between the Green Emperor and the Golden Empress, the core fragment of the Heavenly Mirror and the fragment of the Donghuang Bell being nurtured within the Jade Pond, and even the identity of Donghuang…”
Jiang Lan grew increasingly serious as he listened. These were monumental revelations, potentially key to the rise of a sect!
“This must be part of what the Nine-Ring Snake obtained in his fortuitous encounter over a decade ago, but the Jade Pond is too dangerous, so he never dared to go there, keeping it secret,” Fang Qiu deduced.
Jiang Lan looked at Fang Qiu: “What do we do?”
Fang Qiu’s expression changed a few times before he sighed, “What else can we do? With our current strength, going to the Jade Pond would be extremely risky. We shouldn’t rely on luck. If we hide this, who knows if we’ll end up like the Nine-Ring Snake? We should hand it over to the sect and let the elders explore it.”
“With such a great contribution, as long as the exploration yields results, we will surely benefit. What we can actually obtain is the most important.”
Jiang Lan pondered briefly and said, “Alright!”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage