Rongcheng Celestial turned westward and bowed. A golden light flashed, transforming into a golden bridge that spanned across the sky, exuding extraordinary radiance.
“Haha… We’ve been friends since youth, and though our hair has turned white, our bond remains as fresh as ever. There’s truly no need for such a grand gesture!”
At the far end of the golden bridge, two figures emerged. Yunshan Celestial’s gentle voice echoed throughout the area.
“If it were only you, my old friend, then indeed there would be no need for such a reception. But since a new cultivator has arrived, it is only proper that we welcome him respectfully… Otherwise, people might say that I, as the host, have been remiss in etiquette!”
Rongcheng Celestial’s gaze crossed the golden bridge, instantly falling upon Wu Ming. “Rongchengzi greets you, esteemed Daoist friend. I have yet to offer my congratulations on your successful formation of a personal realm and your attainment of the Celestial Immortal stage!”
“Thank you! I am but a humble cultivator of unknown name, and I still require the guidance of you two seniors!”
A clear, jade-like voice rang out, and from the high platform, two Celestial Sages descended gracefully along the golden bridge. One had white eyebrows and a white beard—Yunshan Celestial. The other was a young man dressed in feathered robes, wearing a star-shaped crown. His face was as flawless as carved jade, and a purple bird perched on his shoulder, giving him a carefree and dashing air.
“We welcome the two Celestial Sages!”
The assembled cultivators immediately bowed deeply, their postures extremely humble. Yet they racked their brains trying to recall any knowledge of this “Nameless Sage” or “Earth Immortal,” but found nothing.
“Nameless Daoist? Never heard of him…”
Y Qing stole a glance from the side.
For some inexplicable reason, this young Celestial Sage gave him a strange sense of familiarity. Yet despite his Earth Immortal soul scanning his memories thoroughly, he could not find any similar face, which left him puzzled.
Three hundred years ago, he had indeed met Wu Ming and even had dealings with him—only to be thoroughly swindled by him.
However, at that time, Wu Ming had been using a borrowed corpse, with his aura completely masked and altered by the Main Temple, even swapping his cultivation techniques for heterodox ones. It would have been strange indeed if Y Qing had recognized him.
“He… he…”
On the other hand, Wu Qing, seeing Wu Ming’s face, which bore no attempt at disguise, was so shocked that she covered her lips with her delicate hand.
Although this young man now stood as a Celestial Sage revered by countless cultivators, his dignified and majestic bearing was vastly different, yet with just one glance, she recognized his face as identical to her younger brother Wu Ming.
“Could there really be someone so similar in this world? Or could it be that my younger brother has attained the Celestial Immortal stage? Impossible! I left home only a year ago… and back then, he was merely a True Immortal…”
Wu Qing bit her lip, her heart filled with shock and doubt.
“He is a Celestial Immortal, yet looks exactly like my younger brother? No… Not just similar—his very appearance and aura are identical. Could it be… a reincarnation?”
A hidden fear gripped her heart.
In this world, great deities could split their consciousness for reincarnation, and cultivators could do the same.
True Immortal Daoists possessed the Dao fruit of human immortality. After death, their spiritual consciousness remained intact, allowing them to reincarnate, possess a new body, or even seize another’s form to be reborn.
If human immortals could do this, then Earth Immortals and Celestial Immortals could as well.
Within her sect, she had often heard tales of mighty Earth or Celestial Immortals who, due to emotional entanglements or karmic ties, had to sever a fragment of their consciousness to undergo reincarnation and pass through that tribulation.
“Could it be… that my younger brother is a manifestation of this Celestial Immortal?”
Wu Qing’s eyes flashed with a fierce light. “If it is a reincarnation, then he is still my younger brother. Even a Celestial Immortal has no right to take him back! Otherwise…”
Her phoenix-like eyes narrowed, carrying a hint of killing intent. “Even if it is a Celestial Immortal who dares harm my brother, I shall cut him down!”
…
Wu Ming exchanged a few polite words with Rongcheng, when suddenly a shiver ran through him.
His divine consciousness stirred, instantly focusing on Wu Qing, and he felt perplexed. “What’s going on? I was wondering whether I should go over and reveal myself, yet she looks at me as if I were an enemy?”
“Thankfully it’s me. If anyone else had received such killing intent from a mere True Immortal, they’d have been wiped out without hesitation.”
How sharp a Celestial Immortal’s perception was! Even though Wu Qing had tried to conceal it, she still revealed a trace. Had another Celestial Immortal sensed a True Immortal harboring murderous intent toward them, they would have been obliterated on the spot.
“Wait a moment… Could it be…”
Wu Ming was a sharp-minded person and quickly considered another possibility. “Could she mistake me for someone else, fearing that I might reclaim her younger brother’s manifestation? Sigh…”
At this moment, he felt somewhat awkward and decided not to reveal himself just yet.
It must be said that although Wu Qing’s guess was far from the truth, she had touched upon one essential point.
Wu Ming had indeed come from another world, effectively seizing another’s body. Now, seeing this woman’s deep affection for her brother, he felt a slight flush on his face.
Of course, the original wastrel’s soul had long been destroyed, his true spirit scattered who-knows-where. In truth, he had died by Wu Ming’s hand. If he were to demand retribution, Wu Ming would certainly refuse, at most offering Wu Qing some future compensation.
“Hmm? This woman is still at the True Immortal level, but nearing a breakthrough…”
With his ability to observe auras, Wu Ming scanned the entire gathering. Wu Qing stood out immediately. Her aura was strong, protected by a faint strand of his own purple energy, making her situation seem quite secure. Yet around her were several rings of black energy, indicating impending calamity.
“Internal tribulations from her sect, and external disasters…”
Wu Ming’s divine consciousness swept over and focused on a red-faced Daoist beside Y Qing, as well as Jin Yuanzi of the Golden Eagle Sect. “Daring to target Wu Qing’s elder sister? They’re asking for death!”
He then glanced at Y Qing’s aura. “His green energy is weak, his lifespan nearly exhausted. He is heavily entangled with the imperial dragon aura of the Zhou Dynasty and faces a major tribulation… No wonder he can’t protect Wu Qing properly. However…”
A thought flickered in his eyes.
He immediately made up his mind and ceased further concern.
Y Qing, Jin Yuanzi, and the others inexplicably shivered suddenly, their hairs standing on end as if being watched by some ancient, savage beast. Yet the feeling vanished in an instant, leaving them confused as if it had been an illusion.
…
After observing Wu Qing, Wu Ming joined Yunshan and sat upon a cloud bed. As mist swirled, the entire gathering’s fortune lay bare before his eyes.
In his perception of auras, each person displayed three layers: innate nature, internal fortune, and external fortune.
Innate nature was one’s natural disposition, internal fortune was one’s displayed strength, and external fortune was the fortune gained through unexpected opportunities and bestowals.
These cultivators attending the grand assembly were naturally all elites of the Daoist sects, each possessing innate talent, and many had cultivated internal fortune, visible as faint red hues—an impressive sight.
Of course, the most terrifying were the two beside him—Celestial Sages whose internal fortune radiated purple, while their external fortune shimmered in five colors, as vivid as auspicious clouds, connected to the fortune of others.
With just a glance, the true strength and relationships of these cultivators were laid bare before Wu Ming, every detail visible.
“These two Celestial Sages indeed have deep connections with the lower-level cultivators of the blessed lands. There are also a few whose fortune clearly stands apart—could they be here to cause trouble?”
He immediately felt this journey had been worthwhile, choosing to observe rather than speak.
Shortly afterward, two more Celestial Sages arrived. One was a young man with dragon horns, resembling a dragon king—Huayu Celestial from the True Dragon Heaven. The last was a woman dressed in palace attire, gentle and graceful—Jiuqu Celestial from the Xuling Yellow River Heaven.
“Four Celestial Sages?”
Wu Ming mused inwardly. “As a small resistance faction, they’ve already formed a framework… I wonder how many Celestial Sages are among the Thirty-Six Cavern Heavens…”
“Of course, the true force opposing the Celestial Sovereign Juetian probably involves even more than what’s present here!”
“Esteemed cultivators!”
With a wave of his hand, Rongcheng Celestial caused a sudden bell chime to echo through the air, instantly silencing the crowd. “Esteemed Daoist friends, your presence here to celebrate the Nine-Refinement Elixir Gathering fills me with deep gratitude…”
“It is we who are fortunate to receive the Sage’s blessings…”
The cultivators below offered polite replies. With another wave of his hand, Rongcheng caused a rumbling sound from the center of the plaza. The ground split open, revealing a massive cauldron.
Wu Ming gazed at it. The cauldron was jade-like in appearance, resembling a human with seven orifices, clearly no ordinary artifact. Flames roared within, brimming with spiritual energy, while the external elixir vapor formed auspicious clouds, tinged with threads of five-colored light—clearly a rare medicinal essence.
With a flick of his finger, Rongcheng sent the elixir clouds scattering, transforming into elixir rain that fell upon the tables of the cultivators, collected by flowered leaves.
Each pill radiated extraordinary vitality, crystalline and translucent. The cultivators merely needed to inhale their aroma to feel refreshed and immediately stored them away.
Even before the Nine-Refinement Golden Elixir had emerged, these supplementary elixirs alone were enough to drive ordinary cultivators into a frenzy.
“Haha… Such a grand occasion for refining elixirs—how could I possibly miss it?”
Suddenly, a sharp cry rang out, its sound waves rolling like thunder, scattering the clouds.
At the distant horizon where mountains met the sky, a golden light appeared, instantly arriving atop the mountain peak. A golden-winged roc emerged, then transformed into a human figure midair.
“Jinyu Celestial? Why has he come as well?”
Wu Ming overheard Yunshan muttering beside him. Below, Jin Yuanzi’s faction was visibly delighted, rushing forward to greet him.
“Haha… I’ve come uninvited. I hope Rongcheng Daoist won’t mind my presence?”
Jinyu Celestial’s gaze swept across the gathered Celestial Sages before settling on Wu Ming. “Esteemed Daoist, you are unfamiliar to me!”
“This is Nameless Daoist, a newly arrived cultivator brought by Yunshan Daoist.”
Rongcheng explained indifferently.
“Oh? A self-taught cultivator? I’ve never heard of such a figure in the Zhou Dynasty!”
Jinyu’s suspicious gaze swept repeatedly over Wu Ming, as if trying to see through him. “I’ve heard rumors that demonic cultivators from foreign realms have infiltrated the Zhou Dynasty. Esteemed Daoists, beware of mistaking spies for allies!”
Yunshan Celestial’s expression darkened. “I can personally vouch for Nameless Daoist. His cultivation techniques originate from the ancient authentic scripture ‘Huangting Jing,’ bearing not a trace of demonic energy!”
“Indeed, earlier on the golden bridge, I tested him myself. Wu Ming Daoist bears no foreign aura at all. Esteemed Jinyu Daoist, please do not wrongly accuse the innocent!”
Rongcheng added.
As the two sides exchanged words, Wu Ming remained silent, his eyes flashing with understanding. He was learning more secrets.
“Foreign realms? Cavern Heavens? Demonic cultivators?”
“Could ‘foreign realms’ refer to the wilderness beyond the Zhou Dynasty’s borders? If a Celestial Immortal establishes a Cavern Heaven there, does that make them a demonic cultivator? But this judgment seems based on their essence and aura. Could it be that the regions beyond the Zhou Dynasty’s borders are somehow corrupted?”
“Do the Thirty-Six Cavern Heavens also have divisions between Celestial and Demonic cultivators?
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