Chapter 175 - 104: Unending Celestial Music, a Vision Arises; Myriad Lights Erupt, the Gangyun Emerges

Chapter 175: Chapter 104: Unending Celestial Music, a Vision Arises; Myriad Lights Erupt, the Gangyun Emerges

Yang Bijie nodded and sighed with emotion, "Indeed. The ancients were ignorant, believing this was the only world in existence."

"The Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster spread his teachings in this realm. After he left, cultivators thought he had ascended, and they imagined an Immortal Mansion existing beyond the heavens and earth."

"Later on, the Five Sect Ancestor Grandmasters achieved their Grotto Heavens. Their Dharma bodies roamed abroad and confirmed that beyond this world lay a boundless, profound void filled with countless stars. Then, scholars of immense wisdom deduced that there must be countless worlds like the Celestial Waterfall Realm within the universe, and that the Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster must have left this realm for one of those other worlds."

At this point, Chao Wanzhan was deeply moved. He listened as Yang Bijie continued leisurely, "In the past, Venerable Dao Chen was known as the number one Nascent Soul in this realm. What a magnificent figure he was. The Zhenren believed his heaven-sent talent made him the disciple most likely in this realm to overcome the Three Calamities and follow in the footsteps of the Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster. The Zhenren wanted to make an exception and take him as a disciple, with the intention of having him inherit the Dragon Image Grotto Heaven..."

"And how do you think Venerable Dao Chen responded?" Yang Bijie asked, but before Chao Wanzhan could reply, he shook his head and said, "He said he came from the Profound Yellow Realm, a disciple of the Tai Su Orthodox Sect, and would never change his allegiance. Furthermore, he had his own Heaven-Reaching Dao and viewed the Grotto Heaven as a heterodox path."

Chao Wanzhan asked in shock, "Is this true? Are there really other worlds beyond our own? And where is this Profound Yellow Realm? The Zhenren’s Dharma body has roamed far and wide, only to find dead silence. Venerable Dao Chen is ’merely’ a Nascent Soul cultivator—how could he, or any Golden Core Cultivator, travel across the universe to get here?"

Yang Bijie said flatly, "Venerable Dao Chen said that his Tai Su Orthodox Sect has been spreading its teachings for ten thousand years. It has produced countless Zhenrens and innumerable Top-grade Golden Cores. With dojos spread across the Star River, they naturally possess a Supreme Treasure that can ferry their disciples across the universe."

"This... This..." A tempestuous wave surged in Chao Wanzhan’s heart. He couldn’t help but want to question it, but after thinking it over, he didn’t feel that a figure like Venerable Dao Chen would have any need to make such wild boasts. The thought shocked him even more. ’Does such a Taoist Sect really exist in the universe?’

Yang Bijie remained noncommittal, but said leisurely, "Alright, everything I’ve told you today is a secret of our sect. Keep it in your heart, but do not speak of it."

"Every word of the conversation with Venerable Dao Chen is recorded within the sect. If you can refine a Nascent Soul, you’ll be able to look it up yourself."

Chao Wanzhan hurriedly bowed and agreed.

Yang Bijie nodded, his gaze lost in the distance as he muttered to himself, "After that exchange with Venerable Dao Chen, the sect also tried to cultivate Top-grade Golden Cores. In the end, we nearly ruined an entire generation of disciples."

"It’s not that Top-grade Golden Cores have never appeared in the Celestial Waterfall Realm. While they are undoubtedly powerful for a time, without the fortune of inheriting a Grotto Heaven, their brilliance is fleeting. For the sect, their significance is too small."

Chao Wanzhan listened in silence. Yang Bijie’s mind seemed to wander for a moment before his thoughts returned to the topic at hand. He said, "Since Daomiao is confident in his ability to contend with Chu River, it’s not impossible for us, the Dragon Image Sect, to grant his request..."

Chao Wanzhan couldn’t help but say, "Master, on my trip to the True Form Temple, my encounter with Daomiao was not very pleasant."

Yang Bijie said calmly, "My disciple, you worry too much. What kind of person is Daomiao? Why would he bother with a junior?"

Chao Wanzhan felt a knot in his chest and said dejectedly, "Master, Daomiao is still at the Golden Core realm."

Yang Bijie chuckled, "True. This matter can wait until Daomiao has truly refined a Nascent Soul. It won’t be too late to discuss it then."

---

「Twenty-eight years passed in the blink of an eye.」

At True Form Temple, three disciples followed Zeng Quanfeng out of the Ancestral Hall, their eyes still filled with shock and excitement.

Twenty-eight years might not seem long, but for a sect, it’s enough time to give rise to a new generation of strength.

These three were disciples from True Form Temple who had recently established a Perfect Dao Foundation and successfully completed their Dharma refinement. Under Zeng Quanfeng’s guidance, they had just paid their respects to the past ancestor grandmasters of the Tai Su Orthodox Sect and learned the truth behind the True Form Temple.

The Tai Su Orthodox Sect didn’t have overly detailed regulations on how a True Disciple should manage a Celestial Dao Field; it was left entirely to the individual’s discretion.

In the past, the truth that the True Form Temple was a Lower Institute of the Tai Su Orthodox Sect could only be known by the sect’s successor. Xuzhuang didn’t know why Venerable Dao Chen had established such a rule, but now, the True Form Temple was under his charge.

’In his opinion, no matter how powerful the True Form Temple’s influence in the Celestial Waterfall Realm became, it wouldn’t count as a significant contribution to the Tai Su Orthodox Sect. The True Form Temple wasn’t like many of the Star Dojos, whose purpose was to mine Outer Heaven Treasure Ore, grow spiritual materials, and so on. Therefore, only by cultivating talented individuals who showed promise of achieving a Top-grade Golden Core—or were even worthy of being sent to the main sect to train—could he consider it an accomplishment.’

So, Xuzhuang established a new rule: any disciple who established a Perfect Dao Foundation and successfully completed their Dharma refinement would be qualified to pay respects to the ancestor grandmasters, learn of the main sect’s existence, and understand the Top-grade Golden Core and the Primordial Spirit Dao.

’As for whether this ’secret’ would spread, never mind whether someone with ulterior motives could even pass the trial to meet the ancestor grandmasters; even if it did spread throughout the world, Xuzhuang didn’t think it would be a big deal.’

After paying their respects to the ancestor grandmasters, the three disciples were all incredibly excited and became even more determined to cultivate diligently. They bowed to Zeng Quanfeng before departing, but Zeng Quanfeng himself remained standing before the hall’s entrance.

A quarter of an hour later, another person emerged from the Ancestral Hall. He was a handsome Daoist with skin like snow and eyes like black lacquer. His cultivation level was clearly very high, but his face held a hint of dejection.

Seeing Zeng Quanfeng waiting outside the hall, the handsome Daoist seemed a little surprised. He cupped his hands in a salute and said, "Junior Martial Uncle Zeng."

Zeng Quanfeng shook his head and asked, "Dengxiao, how has your cultivation been recently?"

Qin Dengxiao gave a bitter smile. "Still stuck in the same place."

Hearing this, Zeng Quanfeng also sighed. As one of the first disciples to learn about the Tai Su Orthodox Sect and the Primordial Spirit Dao, Qin Dengxiao had the heart of a true path-seeker and had resolved to pursue a Top-grade Golden Core.

Among the younger generation of True Form Temple, his talent was second to none. After successfully refining his Dharma, he didn’t slacken in the slightest. He had cultivated until now, long since reaching the peak of his current stage and gathering all the Six Harmonies Great Medicine. But the Top-grade Golden Core was incredibly difficult to achieve. He had striven for it for several years, yet there was still no sign of success.

Unfortunately, Xuzhuang was currently in seclusion, and unless it was a matter of great importance, no one dared to disturb his cultivation. Besides Xuzhuang, there was no one else who could offer guidance on the path to the Top-grade Golden Core. Thus, for several years, Qin Dengxiao could only remain stagnant.

Zeng Quanfeng wanted to advise Qin Dengxiao to settle for a Middle Grade Golden Core, but he couldn’t bring himself to say the words. All he could do was sigh.

Qin Dengxiao knew what Zeng Quanfeng was thinking. He rallied his spirits and said, "Junior Martial Uncle, you don’t need to worry. A Top-grade Golden Core is an arduous goal. What are a few years of stagnation? I will absolutely not give up."

Zeng Quanfeng nodded. He was about to say something, but his brow suddenly furrowed. He asked, "Dengxiao, did you hear something?"

Qin Dengxiao said blankly, "I didn’t..."

Before he could finish his denial, a sound drifted from some ethereal place. It was like a Celestial God beating a drum, a great Dharma Conch Shell being blown, and celestial maidens playing zithers and harps. At first, the sound was extremely faint, but it grew louder and louder until it echoed throughout heaven and earth. Soon, every disciple in the temple could hear it, reacting with either shock or bewilderment.

"Could this be...?" Zeng Quanfeng’s eyes suddenly lit up. He called out, "Dengxiao, come with me."

Qin Dengxiao hastily agreed and followed Zeng Quanfeng, riding a beam of light towards the Celestial Waterfall. They hadn’t flown far when they saw the sky change dramatically. A vortex, invisible to the naked eye, seemed to unfurl with the Celestial Waterfall at its center, instantly spreading for a hundred li. Clouds, sunlight, and the spiritual qi of heaven and earth were swept up into a Gang Wind, whistling as it all gathered in the sky.

"It’s just as I thought! Just as I thought!" Zeng Quanfeng’s spirits soared. He led Qin Dengxiao down to a mountaintop where Sect Leader Zhang and Xue Yuren were already standing.

All four of them understood what was happening. With no time for words, they all stared expectantly at the strange phenomenon above the Celestial Waterfall.

The ethereal, celestial music continued to echo without end, and the torrent of spiritual qi in the sky grew ever more violent. It attracted countless disciples who came to investigate, only to be shooed away by Daoist Zhang and Zeng Quanfeng.

At a certain moment, the celestial music suddenly stopped, leaving behind a lingering resonance like that of a ringing bell. The light of the sky seemed to flicker for an instant. Then, within the Celestial Waterfall, it was as if an immortal vase had shattered. A myriad of brilliant lights shot into the sky, instantly illuminating the heavens and the earth.

Immediately after, the Celestial Waterfall reversed its flow for a split second. Before everyone’s watchful eyes, a Gangyun that seemed both colorless and yet possessed a myriad of strange hues rose up slowly. It ascended until the Celestial Waterfall began to fall again. The strange phenomenon dissipated, leaving only rainbow-hued clouds and auspicious qi lingering between heaven and earth, as the waterfall roared on without end.