In a certain part of the imperial palace, a ritual altar resembling those used for sacrifices to Heaven had been constructed. It stood nine zhang high, symbolizing the Nine Heavens, while other arrangements followed the numbers of the twelve earthly branches and the constellations across the sky, creating a unique and profound atmosphere.
The altar, entirely cast from white jade, was divided into inner, middle, and outer sections by red silk cords. Each level contained its own array formations, adorned with talismans and illuminated by ritual lamps. The grand and intricate setup exuded a sacred and mysterious aura.
The emperor, dressed in a five-clawed dragon robe, stood before the altar with several ministers and eunuchs. Gazing at the rows of flickering lamps, the countless talismans, and the crisscrossing red threads, their expressions grew solemn. The previous day, the Biyou Palace had issued a divine decree stating that an immortal would descend to assist them, filling them with both anticipation and unease.
The emperor, particularly anxious about the situation in Qiaozhou, had hurriedly bathed in fragrant water and burned incense to purify himself, observing strict abstinence and quieting his mind without the slightest negligence.
“I wonder which immortal will descend?” As they awaited the auspicious moment, the emperor seemed to speak to himself while subtly addressing the ministers and eunuchs beside him.
Over the years, immortals from the Biyou Palace had frequently visited, always wearing masks and identifying themselves under the names of ancient immortals. Therefore, they were not unfamiliar with the concept and naturally had guesses.
A minister with a short beard and an imposing appearance said, “If it’s Doumu Yuanyun or Taiyi Zhenren descending, the matter will be easily resolved. However, the Qiaozhou affair is not of great importance and won’t affect the cosmic balance, so they might not come. Perhaps it will be Yunchongzi or Bixia Yuanyun.”
“Having an immortal is better than having none. Surely, those bastards in Qiaozhou who defy the emperor and disregard righteousness won’t dare provoke the Biyou Palace!” The eunuch beside him appeared excited, but his words were meant to soothe.
The emperor nodded slightly, calming his mind once more.
He hadn’t anticipated such fierce resistance from Qiaozhou. Initially, he had only planned to teach them a lesson. When the first imperial envoy met with misfortune, he had truly believed it was due to a monster called “Xianjianshou” or struck by lightning. Now, taking the matter seriously and summoning an immortal, he believed the issue would not be difficult to resolve.
Who gave them the audacity to oppose him so brazenly? Did they not fear that he would gather powerful figures to crush them all at once?
After a while, the sound of a chime rang out, signaling the appointed hour.
The emperor adjusted his attire, recited the invocation sutra, and slowly ascended the steps, following the path divided by red threads, subtly aligning with the cosmic numbers.
Upon reaching the top of the altar, he took out a yellow scroll with green inscriptions, murmuring incantations to respectfully welcome the immortal from the Biyou Palace.
Suddenly, the yellow scroll ignited with a crimson flame, burning only the paper without scorching his fingers.
The flame rose, and a hazy green light floated in the air above the altar, converging into a mysterious green gate inscribed with ancient talismanic characters.
The green gate appeared ancient and solemn, seemingly carved from stone, with each character concealing profound cosmic secrets.
With a creaking sound, the green gate slowly opened, releasing a myriad of radiant beams—golden and dazzling, yet not blinding.
The emperor, ministers, and eunuchs held their breath, gazing at the golden glow. From within emerged an immortal clad in a dark Daoist robe, descending step by step along the green-lit staircase.
He wore a mask of solemn dignity, concealing his age—resembling the most common image of a Daoist priest.
Yuanshi Tianzun!
The emperor and ministers inhaled sharply, astonished that the descending immortal was actually Yuanshi Tianzun!
Although they understood that the titles of immortals from the Biyou Palace might not reflect their true power, the only immortal bearing a title related to the Three Pure Ones that they had ever heard of was the master of the Biyou Palace, “Lingbao Tianzun.” Now, encountering “Yuanshi Tianzun” unexpectedly, they couldn’t help but feel shocked and filled with speculation.
In myth and legend, this Tianzun ranked even higher than Lingbao Tianzun, being the foremost of the Daoist pantheon, the beginning of all things, and the root of all causes!
“Greetings to the Tianzun descending into the mortal realm,” the emperor took a deep breath, half-guessing and half-formally bowing.
Compared to other immortals, “Yuanshi Tianzun” always inspired greater anticipation!
The ministers and eunuchs followed suit, bowing and saying, “Greetings to the Tianzun descending into the mortal realm.”
…
In a dimly lit secret chamber, only a single candle flickered at the center.
Around it sat over a dozen figures, their faces hidden in the shadows.
“What should we do this time? We received word that the Biyou Palace has sent an immortal to escort the imperial envoy,” a hoarse voice broke the silence.
“Hmph, what else can we do? Either do nothing, or go all out, just like the previous two times!” A deep voice resolutely declared.
An elderly voice hesitated, “But this time it’s an immortal from the Biyou Palace…”
The Biyou Palace was mysterious and formidable, surpassing even ordinary immortals, making it difficult to dare oppose them.
A raspy voice retorted, “So what? If we back down now, all our efforts will be in vain! Although the Biyou Palace is powerful, based on past records, the immortals they send vary in strength. Some of them, we are more than capable of dealing with!”
“Our operation hasn’t been exposed yet, so the Biyou Palace won’t take it too seriously. The immortal they send won’t be too strong. If we sink this fleet, they’ll have to wait until next year to pass through Xianjianshou. By then, we’ll have already achieved our goal and reaped the rewards. What is there to fear?”
Greed stirred hearts and clouded judgment. Upon hearing these words, the gathered figures fell silent.
After a while, a shrill voice spoke, “As far as I’m concerned, I’ve never even heard of the Biyou Palace. I don’t believe in immortals! Besides, your families have already been secretly brought here. What do you have to fear?”
“Then we’ll proceed as before, but this time we must enlist ‘him’ to act alongside us. We cannot afford any carelessness when dealing with immortals!” The hoarse voice spoke first.
“Exactly. After all, it’s just some inexplicable ‘Yuanshi Tianzun,’ not truly formidable immortals like Doumu Yuanyun or Taiyi Zhenren. What is there to fear? With the two of them joining forces, they are bound to make the fleet suffer another ‘shipwreck,’ burying that immortal in Xianren Chou (Immortal’s Sorrow)!” the deep voice concurred.
Gradually, they reached a consensus. After a while, someone whispered, “How is it going there now?”
…
The indigo sea gently swayed, reflecting the flickering lightning in the sky above, casting dreamlike, dazzling ripples across its surface. Thick mist enveloped the area, seemingly concealing terrifying creatures within.
A fleet of ships sailed carefully according to the calculations of a Daoist priest, rising and falling with the waves.
On the largest vessel, many sailors gazed at the endless ocean, the fog that obscured their vision, and the unceasing flashes of violet lightning and azure thunder. A deep sense of oppression and heaviness filled their hearts, feeling both violent and eerily silent, as if they were cut off from the world.
This was the common sensation while sailing on “Xianjianshou”!
“Have any of you seen the immortal aboard?” A few idle sailors whispered among themselves.
As ordinary men, they were filled with curiosity about the Biyou Palace.
“How could we commoners see an immortal? He has been hiding in his cabin all along, only accepting meals delivered outside the door. Even the imperial envoy has barely seen him,” one sailor sighed.
Another sailor also felt regretful, “We don’t even know which ‘immortal’ it is…”
“He’s definitely not a real immortal! A real immortal wouldn’t need to eat!” A sailor scoffed.
“Pah! Have you ever seen a real immortal? The storytellers always say that even real immortals enjoy fine food and good wine,” another sailor countered.
Suddenly, their chatter ceased, and they stood straight, respectfully saluting, “Your Excellency!”
Stepping out from the cabin was none other than Zhang Yuquan, the current imperial envoy. With a square face and around forty years of age, he was in the prime of his life and had recently achieved the Outer Scenery realm, capable of replacing any governor of Qiaozhou.
After entering Xianjianshou, he had always felt uneasy, fearing the same fate as his predecessors. If those who opposed him were so bold, they must have had some backing. This time, they might not back down easily!
He could only rely on the immortal… He glanced back at the cabin, the image of the Yuanshi Tianzun mask appearing in his mind.
Although “Yuanshi Tianzun” had not yet displayed his power, there was always a sense of unfathomable depth about him.
Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew, causing Zhang Yuquan himself to shiver involuntarily. The sailors and soldiers on board trembled even more.
The violent sea wind had somehow turned into a bone-chilling chill. The undulating indigo sea surface suddenly calmed, resembling a giant blue sapphire.
Gurgling sounds emerged from the sea, as grayish-white bubbles surfaced one after another, creating a monotonous yet horrifying sight, filled with a chilling aura.
This sensation made everyone on board, except for Zhang Yuquan, feel their hair stand on end, as if invisible malevolent ghosts were lurking all around, capable of moving between the ships and taking lives without a trace!
No one dared to speak, as if opening their mouths would only result in screams. The coldness grew stronger, with some even feeling someone breathing down their necks.
Zhang Yuquan took a deep breath and threw a punch. Azure lightning radiated from his fist like blooming flowers, crackling sounds filling the air as it transformed into a forest of thunderbolts, striking against the chilling coldness.
Yet the coldness seemed to absorb his lightning without any effect. The malevolent, deathly, and sinister aura grew increasingly tangible, feeling as if it could suffocate and silently kill a person!
At that moment, far ahead of the fleet, a small boat drifted out from the thick fog. On it sat a figure clad in snow-white robes, a long sword resting across his knees. Though his hair was white, his appearance did not show signs of aging.
He approached gracefully, his eyes half-closed, his aura restrained, showing no signs of abnormality—like a sword hidden in its sheath. Yet amidst the thunder, fog, and waves, he seemed to be the true protagonist, the center of everything!
This aura, this demeanor, this feeling… Zhang Yuquan narrowed his eyes, sensing the terrifying presence of the newcomer. Even more terrifying was the fact that the surrounding sinister and ghostly presence was insidious and inescapable!
Tianzun! Zhang Yuquan suddenly recalled the immortal from the Biyou Palace, instinctively glancing back.
Just then, Zhang Yuquan felt a sudden surge of heat!
The cold wind abruptly turned scorching, exuding pure yang energy. The balance of yin and yang in the heavens and earth had mysteriously shifted!
Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!
Cries of agony rang out as countless invisible figures emerged. They had been hiding within the coldness, using it to shield themselves from the lightning and yang energy, remaining unscathed until now. But at this moment, the coldness itself transformed into pure yang energy, leaving them nowhere to hide, as if thrown directly into a frying pan, sizzling and vanishing rapidly.
Only now did Zhang Yuquan realize that “enemies” had already infiltrated the ship!
A low groan echoed from within the fog, and the white-robed swordsman on the small boat suddenly opened his eyes wide. Drawing his sword, he unleashed his aura, forcefully parting the fog and lightning in the air!
Yet within his vision, an additional hand appeared—an immaculate, powerful hand, ancient and eternal. It formed a hidden mudra, its palm dark and shadowy, as if shattering the heavens and earth!
An overwhelming and boundless force surged forth. As the hand descended, darkness enveloped everything, as if the entire universe lay within that palm, tilting and collapsing.
In that instant, the swordsman felt the space around him contract, the sky and earth shrinking, the airflow shattering and vanishing into nothingness, leaving him with an overwhelming sense of helplessness, as if facing the destruction of the cosmos alone.
Swiftly shifting his intent, he channeled his sword qi into his body, forcefully breaking free from that sensation. He thrust his sword upward, merging his body with the blade, unleashing a brilliant sword beam that formed a vortex, attempting to neutralize the terrifying palm strike.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The surging sea transformed into countless water blades, piercing into the sky.
Dang!
The white palm struck the sword. Without any flourish, the swordsman felt an indescribable force pressing down upon him!
Crack!
His tiger mouth split open, his arm snapped, and his feet sank into the small boat. Helplessly, he watched as the long, powerful hand forced his sword back and struck his forehead.
How could there be such terrifying power?
His forehead cracked, brains spilling out, as he faintly glimpsed a masked, solemn Daoist figure.
The figure stood two zhang tall, enveloped in a web of laws and principles, giving the impression of a heaven-defying, all-controlling being—one who seemed like a true immortal!
Yuanshi Tianzun?
Yuanshi Tianzun!
The swordsman’s vision gradually darkened.
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