Chapter 223

“[Ghost Metal] golden nature?”

Fang Qing pondered for a moment before immediately understanding.

“So that's it... As expected, this still relates to the matter of attaining the Golden position?”

Since recent antiquity, the divine powers of the Qi Ingestion path had undergone changes. The Golden Position had become increasingly difficult to resonate with. By now, this was likely common knowledge among many Purple Mansion Spiritual Masters.

Since the divine powers had changed, naturally the cultivation methods had to change as well!

The ancient methods were far too difficult to enter. The only remaining solution was for the great figures occupying the Golden position to rewrite cultivation arts and methods for attaining Golden.

Of course, Purple Mansion Spiritual Masters were not fools. They feared becoming mere pawns used to probe the mysteries of the position.

Golden Core True Lords stood high above, but that did not mean they possessed morality or would never deceive others.

Take a certain Suwu Demon King, for example. He knelt in supplication for ten years and ultimately earned nothing but death and the destruction of his Dao.

'But golden nature itself does not deceive.'

'The four divine powers derived from comprehending the golden nature of [Ghost Metal] must inevitably be perfectly compatible with the current [Ghost Metal] position!'

'The problem is... who could defeat that Emperor of Underworld? And then force him to remain in place while studying his divine powers?'

'Anyone possessing such power would already be beyond the Purple Mansion realm. And if they're beyond Purple Mansion, they would have no need to seek Golden in the first place.'

'In simple terms, unless one of the Golden Core sects is willing to draw upon its hidden foundations, the entire matter remains a dead loop.'

'As for Spiritual Master Chentu, he cultivates Earth Virtue? Earth Virtue has weakened considerably in recent years, and now that the Kitchen Lord has appeared, perhaps he wants to abandon ship?'

'Since the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain possesses methods of reincarnation, then for a Spiritual Master, beginning another life and cultivating a different Dao path may not be entirely impossible.'

'Of course, these are merely the guesses of a lowly cultivator. Who knows the actual truth?'

Suppressing his speculation, Fang Qing looked toward Sangji.

“There is no need to concern ourselves with the matters of White Luminary Heaven. As for what comes next, we kill our way through Wushan Commandery, cross the Shu Mountains, and enter the territory of the Blissful Union Sect?”

This route had once been part of his own planned escape path.

Looking at it now, however, it seemed equally dangerous.

“As the White Bone Dao serves as the first force to cross the river, is there a chance some great figure will casually slap us down and reduce us all to dust?”

That was what Fang Qing truly cared about.

It did not matter how many monks from the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain died.

But the White Bone Dao was different.

On the surface, it was a subordinate force of the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain.

In reality, it was his personal property. He had no intention of seeing it become a disposable sacrifice.

“That should not happen, after the Buddhist decree was issued, Dharma King Jiumoluojie of our Temple of All Beings Without Form revealed certain secrets to this humble monk.”

Sangji replied.

“This campaign against the Blissful Union Sect... I fear that unless it reaches the point of exterminating the entire sect, the great figures above the Golden position are unlikely to intervene.”

“Oh? And why is that?”

Fang Qing became interested.

As expected, direct disciples of Golden Core lineages had access to far more information.

If it were ordinary Qi Ingestion cultivators, Dao Foundation cultivators, or even wandering Purple Mansion cultivators, many of them might die without ever understanding the broader situation.

“Since the end of the ancient antiquity, after the great heavenly transformation, those above the Golden position have rarely acted personally. Although conditions have improved somewhat in recent years, the more orthodox a Golden Core True Lord's lineage, the worse their condition tends to be.”

Sangji transmitted the words directly through thought.

“The more orthodox the lineage, the worse their condition?”

Fang Qing immediately recalled the terror of the fallen True Lord within the Buried Earth Blessed Land.

“What qualifies as an orthodox lineage?”

“Naturally the Great Sun, the Metal and Fire Two Virtues, and also the Taiyin Path.”

Sangye answered.

“The Taiyin Path? Even the Four Lunar Phases count?”

Fang Qing suddenly understood.

'So the distinction depends on whether a lineage has ever produced a true [Year Arbiter]?'

'The Great Sun and Metal-Fire lineages need no explanation.'

'As for the Taiyin Path... during the ancient antiquity, if it had never produced a [Year Arbiter], it would never have been capable of raising the banner of rebellion in the first place.'

'After all, the gap between major realms in the Qi Ingestion path is as vast as the difference between heaven and an ant.'

'A true [Year Arbiter] stood an entire major realm above Golden Core True Lords. They would not even have possessed the ability to resist.'

'Now this is becoming interesting.'

At that moment, Sangji continued speaking within their mental connection.

“The Blissful Union Sect is backed by Primordial Lord Fuyu, whose position lies within [Fang Sun]. That is one of the orthodox lineages, so her condition is undoubtedly quite poor.”

“As for our Temple of All Beings Without Form, the self-realized Buddha we enshrine, the Charnel Grounds Lord, occupies the [Nu Earth] position. Since it does not belong to the orthodox lineages, our situation is somewhat more comfortable.”

“The same applies to the other Dharma Kings of the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain. Even if the Supreme Great Sun Tathagata Himself finds it difficult to direct His gaze here, the combined strength of several Temples of the Origin of All Dharmas is more than enough to destroy the Blissful Union Sect.”

“I think your calculations may be overlooking something.”

Fang Qing spoke honestly.

“The condition of those Golden Core True Lords outside the orthodox lineages is not necessarily good either. Take the Charnel Grounds Lord, for example. His condition is equally terrible.”

After all, he had witnessed that with his own eyes.

Nothing could be more convincing.

“This...”

A chill instantly ran through Sangji's heart.

He suddenly felt as though he had been caught within some enormous scheme, yet could not identify its source.

Meanwhile, Fang Qing's thoughts continued to expand.

'Has the decline of the righteous path and rise of the demonic path since recent antiquity occurred because the orthodox True Lords have all fallen into poor condition?'

'And because most cultivators of Earth, Wood, and Water Virtue belong to the demonic path?'

'Could weakness itself actually carry hidden advantages?'

'Hmm...'

'Water benefits all things and does not contend with them. Because it does not contend, none beneath heaven can contend against it.'

'Among all the virtues, Water Virtue is currently the weakest. Yet perhaps that weakness itself conceals a form of strength.'

'This is the principle of yin and yang transformation.'

'Reversal is the movement of the Dao. Weakness is the function of the Dao...'

Having previously received enlightenment through the lightning tribulation's empowerment, Fang Qing's attainments in the Dao of Water Virtue were already quite profound. Merely from these clues, he had managed to infer many things.

Just as he was silently digesting this information, Sangji's expression shifted. Countless white bone radiances seemed to emerge within his eyes, transforming into a deep and unfathomable dried well.

"Venerable One, although this humble monk cannot perceive the affairs within the Grotto Heaven, arrangements were placed outside it. I just received a response. I'm afraid the situations of the two Dumu are not looking favorable..."

After all, it was a Grotto Heaven. Even for Bright Son and Duzi, death was still death.

Not to mention that it involved a strand of Golden Nature!

"Oh? It seems the White Luminary Heaven has undergone some new developments?"

Fang Qing's expression turned cold.

Fortunately, they were merely expendable pawns. If they died, new ones could always be found.

"Just wait. Before long, a Spiritual Master will likely arrive and knock upon the array with a divine ability..."

...

Cloud Grazing Cliff.

The void split apart.

Lian Chen Spiritual Master stepped out, carrying something in his hand.

As soon as he landed atop the cliff, he tossed the black, indistinct object aside. Then he doubled over in pain and began coughing violently.

"Cough! Cough!"

As the coughing continued, patches of dark golden rust appeared across Lian Chen Spiritual Master's body.

With every cough, the rust spread a little farther.

Finally, after coughing up a fragment of internal organ covered in corrosion and rust, some color returned to his face, and he slowly straightened his back.

"Great Spiritual Master?"

The void opened once more.

A youthful and vigorous Spiritual Master of the [Di Earth] lineage stepped out. The moment he witnessed this scene, his expression changed dramatically.

"I peered upon the Emperor of Underworld and was wounded by [Ghost Metal]."

Lian Chen Spiritual Master spoke calmly.

"[Ghost Metal] is Yin Metal. Bring me a [Horn Wood] spiritual object."

"Please wait, Great Spiritual Master. The cliff has just finished refining a Purple Mansion great pill of the [Horn Wood] lineage."

The young Spiritual Master came and went in haste, quickly returning with a clay jar in his hands.

[Horn Wood] delighted in earth and could not tolerate metal. Storing it within a specially crafted clay jar was therefore ideal.

"This is the 'Life-Extending Wood Pill.' Please consume it, Great Spiritual Master."

The young cultivator crushed the clay jar.

Immediately, verdant vitality overflowed outward. Within it seemed to be an infant curled into the posture of a pill.

Lian Chen opened his mouth and inhaled.

The green infant-shaped pill flew directly into his mouth, instantly flowing through every limb and organ.

The spread of the dark golden rust finally halted.

Then Lian Chen formed a hand seal with one hand.

"I invite the Southern Bright Departing Fire..."

In an instant, a transparent flame enveloped his entire body while countless strands of metal qi leaked outward.

When the firelight and metal qi finally dissipated, three circles of divine ability radiance swept across him.

Lian Chen Spiritual Master's body returned to normal. Once again, he appeared as a graceful young man.

"Strengthening wood, dredging earth, and draining metal through fire. Thank you, Great Spiritual Master, for demonstrating the Dao."

The young Spiritual Master bowed sincerely.

"Alas... the Dao Transformation of Golden Nature is truly terrifying."

Lian Chen Spiritual Master let out a long sigh.

"Even Purple Mansion Perfection cultivators are no match for it. How much less someone like me, a mere Great Spiritual Master?"

"A pity. A grievance. A lament."

"Did Great Spiritual Master exchange blows with the 'Manifested Emperor of Underworld Who Refines Heaven and Suppresses the Underworld'?"

The young Spiritual Master's expression shifted dramatically.

That Emperor of Underworld was not a Golden Core True Lord after all. As long as one did not speak that title within White Luminary Heaven, there would be no consequences in the outside world.

"You overestimate this old man."

Lian Chen shook his head.

"What qualifications do I possess to exchange blows with such a Golden Nature fiend?"

"It merely glanced at me once. I was forced to reveal a trump card just to barely preserve my life."

He sighed again.

"Unfortunately, that strand of 'Primordial Flame' is gone. A supreme ninth-rank treasure."

Then he pointed toward the black lump lying nearby.

"That White Bone Dao Sangji is quite slippery. He only sent two Dumu under his command into the Grotto Heaven."

"One is dead and the other injured."

"Return this woman to the White Bone Dao."

"The battle in Wushan Commandery has concluded. White Luminary Heaven will soon separate from its convergence with the Great Void."

"Understood."

The young Spiritual Master waved his hand.

The black mass immediately flew to his side.

Both disappeared into the Great Void.

Only Lian Chen Spiritual Master remained behind, gazing into space, seemingly calculating something.

...

White Bone Dao Camp.

A figure stepped out from the Great Void.

Immediately, a strand of divine ability radiance descended.

"So it is Spiritual Master Tan Feng of Cloud Grazing Cliff. Please enter the tent."

Sangji's voice sounded.

Tan Feng Spiritual Master smiled faintly and entered the great tent.

There he saw White Bone Dharma King Sangji seated high upon a white bone lotus throne.

Three Duzi and Dumu stood on either side.

'Heh... Duzi and Dumu count as Purple Mansion cultivators?'

His gaze swept across them before he offered only a salute to Sangji.

"My Great Spiritual Master has emerged from the Grotto Heaven and specially instructed me to return Fellow Daoist Demon-Subduing Black."

Fang Qing's gaze shifted.

He immediately saw that Demon-Subduing Black Dumu no longer resembled a human being.

Her flesh had rotted away, revealing a horrifying deathly form.

He could not help but feel a trace of sympathy.

'Good thing I didn't insist on going.'

'This Grotto Heaven is truly dangerous.'

"I see. This humble monk has already learned of the Great Spiritual Master's circumstances."

Sangji pressed his palms together.

He ordered the two Dumu, Peacock and Moonlight White, to escort the guest out before descending from the lotus throne.

"Dharma King, can Demon-Subduing Black still be saved?"

Since the surroundings had not been sealed off, Fang Qing still needed to maintain his act.

"Saved? Naturally she can be saved."

A benevolent smile appeared on Sangji's face.

The divine ability [White Bone Contemplation] began operating and descended upon Demon-Subduing Black Dumu.

White light flickered.

When it faded, only a twisted skeleton remained upon the ground.

"I have already sent her true spirit into reincarnation."

"After another lifetime, all her evil karma will be cleansed away."

Sangji smiled warmly as he communicated inwardly with the Great Sun Tathagata Tranquil Venerable.

"Venerable One... that Lian Chen harbors ill intentions. I feared he might have planted some hidden trick upon Demon-Subduing Black."

"Rather than take the risk, it is better to send her directly into reincarnation and settle the matter once and for all."

"Besides, the [Ghost Metal] injury upon her body truly was difficult to cure."