“The origin is roughly as such. It’s just a pity that no one can decipher these ancient cloud-characters anymore. I wonder how the Divine Empyrean Sect managed to interpret these scriptures back then. Could it be that Patriarch Zhang Liusun’s inaccurate interpretation led to his unfortunate fate? Also, these Daoist scriptures originally came in two chests. The other one’s whereabouts are unknown. Perhaps it contains the key to deciphering these scriptures,” murmured Bi Zhen.
By now, Mei Qing’s heart was already in turmoil. After hearing Bi Zhen’s words and recalling the records he had seen earlier in the Records Bureau, he couldn’t help but realize that the other chest was most likely the one he had seen in Lao Liu’s room—the very one he had carelessly burned in front of Liu’s coffin.
No wonder the Embroidered Uniform Guard had rushed to his home to arrest him. If it hadn’t been for Sixth Master unexpectedly rescuing him for some unknown reason, he probably wouldn’t even be alive anymore.
Now, reflecting on those events, whether it was regret or fear, it was already too late. Suddenly confronted with so many secrets of the cultivation world, Mei Qing couldn’t help feeling bewildered and lost.
“Bi Zhen, what you’ve said about attaining Dao and ascending to immortality—could all of that actually be true? Does it mean that if you and I cultivate to the proper level, we could ascend as well? But where exactly would we ascend to?” Mei Qing asked, his voice distant and uncertain.
“Of course,” replied Bi Zhen, somewhat puzzled. “Cultivation is precisely for the purpose of ascending. If we didn’t believe in ascension, why would we cultivate at all? As for where one ascends to, no one truly knows. According to ancient legends, when a cultivator attains ascension, they transcend the realm of earthly immortals and directly enter the heavenly immortal realm. The place one ascends to is known as the Immortal Realm. But once one enters the Immortal Realm, there is no returning to the mortal world. Therefore, no one truly knows what awaits beyond.”
Although Mei Qing had already accepted the reality of being a cultivator, in his mind, cultivation and alchemy were still akin to a kind of “qigong” exercise—merely a method for physical fitness and mental discipline. Even when he practiced visualization techniques, he considered them as forms of self-induced hypnosis. Thus, when Bi Zhen spoke of these ancient cultivation secrets, it was naturally difficult for him to believe.
“…So you’re saying gods, spirits, and monsters are all real… Please don’t look at me like that. I’m not saying I don’t believe you. It’s just… hard to accept,” Mei Qing stammered, clearly confused.
“Mei Qing, look at me,” Bi Zhen suddenly said, realizing something was amiss. She fixed him with a steady gaze and spoke calmly.
Mei Qing mechanically lifted his head, meeting Bi Zhen’s penetrating gaze. She continued solemnly, “Though the Dao lies within the heart, can there not also be external manifestations of power? Mei Qing, how can a cultivator’s heart waver in the pursuit of Dao? Without faith, how can one cultivate? How can one attain Dao?”
Bi Zhen and Mei Qing shared a subtle connection, allowing her to sense his emotional fluctuations. At this moment, she clearly felt his deep doubts about the Dao, which alarmed her greatly—how could a cultivator question the Dao itself? Could it be that Mei Qing had been possessed by an external demon?
Her suspicions were not unfounded. In this world, it would be rare for any cultivator who had already reached the Foundation Building stage, and was nearly at the Core Formation threshold, to harbor doubts about the Dao. Thus, in Bi Zhen’s mind, such a phenomenon could only occur if Mei Qing had been possessed by an external demon, causing him to lose his Daoist resolve.
External demon possession usually involved evil cultivators practicing sinister techniques. After losing their own bodies, they would use strange methods to take over another’s body and enslave their soul. For a cultivator, such a fate would be worse than death—neither living nor dying, their spirit trapped and tormented.
Without hesitation, Bi Zhen quickly composed herself, forming a Daoist seal with her fingers, and faced southwest in solemn reverence: “Supreme Emperor of Heaven, Six Jia and Six Ding Spirits, reveal your presence now! Swiftly!”
As Bi Zhen chanted the incantation, the air around them suddenly twisted, rippling like waves of spiritual energy. A low rumble, like distant thunder, echoed through the space. Golden light flickered, and a massive figure began to materialize from the void, gradually solidifying.
Before them appeared a towering divine being, over two zhang tall, clad in a golden battle robe with white floral patterns and green armor. His face was golden, and his three eyes radiated lightning-like brilliance. He bellowed, “I am Quan Heng Jie Lue Zhen Jun, the god of the Jia Shen year. What is the reason for summoning me?”
Bi Zhen, her expression grave, raised her hand in salute: “My companion has been afflicted by an external demon, and I humbly request your divine protection!”
“An external demon?” The god’s deep, furious growl reverberated like thunder. Golden waves of spiritual energy surged outward, visibly rippling through the air like liquid gold. The three eyes blazed with golden light, illuminating Mei Qing and Bi Zhen as if they had been coated in gold.
“Hmm, strange. There’s no sign of an external demon here. However, your companion’s spirit does bear a slight fracture—his foundation is not entirely stable,” the god observed after a brief search. In an instant, golden waves transformed into tendril-like threads, wrapping around Mei Qing like a giant cocoon of light. Golden rays enveloped him as the god examined him closely.
Mei Qing, already in a state of confusion, suddenly saw Bi Zhen’s expression change dramatically. Then she recited some strange words, and before his eyes, something appeared that completely shattered his previous understanding of reality.
A colossal divine being, radiating golden halos, had appeared out of nowhere. No matter how he tried to calm his mind and steady his spirit, everything before him clearly indicated that this was no dream or illusion.
Although Mei Qing could not yet fully grasp the profundity of Daoist cultivation, he had already attained a high level of mental fortitude, something he had no doubt about. If someone had tried to manipulate his mind to create illusions, he himself would not have believed it. Therefore, the only possible explanation for what he was witnessing was that it was real—entirely real.
For the first time, Mei Qing truly accepted the existence of Daoist cultivation from the depths of his heart. Although he had been progressing rapidly in his cultivation, his foundation had always been fragile—lacking genuine faith in the Dao itself. If this foundation were ever shaken, even slightly, it could cause his entire cultivation to collapse catastrophically.
Today, after hearing Bi Zhen’s account of ancient cultivation secrets, a hidden heart demon had been triggered, pushing him to the brink of losing control. The spiritual energy in his body, which had been gradually stabilizing, suddenly scattered like wild horses. His inner spiritual world was on the verge of collapse. If no one had intervened, he would have inevitably descended into madness, losing both his mind and his cultivation.
Fortunately, Bi Zhen noticed the anomaly in time and, without hesitation, used a precious artifact to summon a Dharma Guardian Deity. Although she mistakenly believed Mei Qing was possessed by an external demon, her actions inadvertently stabilized him.
Although the appearance of the Jia Shen god greatly shocked Mei Qing, it also immediately steadied his heart. With his mind calmed, the chaotic spiritual energy in his body began to flow naturally again. His inner world, which had been on the verge of collapse, regained balance—sun rising, moon setting, water and fire harmonizing. Though there were still some imperfections, the danger had passed.
However, the Jia Shen god perceived something different. Although Mei Qing had regained composure and no longer risked falling into madness or losing his cultivation, the god could sense a faint fissure between Mei Qing’s spirit and his fundamental nature. Unlike ordinary cultivators, whose spirit and essence were seamlessly integrated, Mei Qing’s were slightly disjointed.
The deity summoned through the Six Jia and Six Ding method was not the god’s true body, but a manifestation of his presence. The strength of the summoned deity depended on the summoner’s cultivation level. Bi Zhen’s summoning technique was not self-taught but performed using a magical artifact gifted by a higher being. Therefore, the Jia Shen god she summoned possessed power commensurate with that of the higher being—exceptionally strong. Without such power, the god would not have detected Mei Qing’s unusual condition.
From the god’s perspective, the fissure in Mei Qing’s spirit was likely caused by demonic interference. Although the demon had failed to sever his consciousness, it had left a wound—an explanation that never crossed the god’s mind.
The god stepped forward, his presence as imposing as a towering cliff. He formed a mystical seal with his hands, and golden light from his three eyes locked onto Mei Qing’s forehead. Concentrating his spiritual energy, he roared, “Three souls and seven spirits, return to your primordial origin—Stabilize!” As he spoke, his palms rotated, and his left index finger extended, pointing directly at Mei Qing’s forehead.
Mei Qing, already enveloped in the god’s golden light, felt his entire body tighten. As he saw the god’s massive golden finger approaching his brow, he tried to move, but found himself completely immobilized. Helplessly, he watched as the finger struck his forehead. A surge of divine consciousness pierced his mind like a tidal wave, causing a strange sensation of pressure and numbness. His red mole between his eyebrows pulsed violently.
Just as he was about to panic, a sharp pain exploded in his head, as if cleaved by an axe. It was unbearable. Then, with a crackling sound, something seemed to break, and suddenly his mind calmed. His previously unstable spirit steadied, and a profound tranquility arose. His senses quieted, and his heart, though deeply still, felt unexpectedly refreshed and at ease.
“Hmph, not bad. With continued cultivation, you’ll recover completely. My task is done—I shall depart now!” The Jia Shen god chuckled, clapped his hands together, and the golden light around them surged like a storm, condensing into a single golden line. Lightning flashed, and the giant figure vanished into the golden line in an instant. The room returned to its original state, with only the two of them left. Yet, their expressions were no longer as calm as they had been at the beginning.
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