Chapter 671 151: Ascending the Moon

Of the nine current members of the Daoist Palace's second seat, aside from Lord Liuyun, Rongyang Monarch, and the three rotating Lords from the Yuqing Sect who were veterans from the Daoist Scripture Hall, the other six had all joined after the Daoist Palace was established.

Among them, Lord Liuyun had been appointed as a Lord by the True Monarchs only when the Daoist Palace was first founded, tasked with overseeing all affairs of the Earth Cave Sect. He likely wanted to do something to resolve the sect's internal conflicts, and from his earlier words, it was clear he intended to use external forces to consolidate its various branches.

His words tempted many, but the first to speak was the Star God Mansu. He looked coldly at Lord Liuyun. "I have other matters. This affair doesn't have much to do with the Daoist Palace, so I won't participate." After speaking, he turned to Wang Ping. "Fellow Daoist Changqing, if you go to see Daoist Chongxing, remember to use your Communication Token to contact me first."

Wang Ping nodded. He knew this Star God was worried that he wouldn't take his duties seriously, which could lead to problems on the front lines.

Next, Buqiong looked at Wang Ping and Ao Hong. "If you two Fellow Daoists are going to the moon, remember to contact me first."

"Alright!"

"Thank you!"

After they finished speaking, the two of them severed their projected consciousnesses.

Then there was Yu Xing Monarch; she left the meeting without even a greeting. Finally, Master Kaiyun departed with a cry of, "The Saint's compassion."

"So, what's your plan?" Ao Hong asked with a grin.

"I wouldn't call it a plan, since the promotion slots for this round are already set." Lord Liuyun glanced at Wang Ping, then continued, "I just want to give the younger generation a bit more hope."

"Cut the fancy talk. You were always like this, and you still haven't changed. Don't you just want to secure a few more Third Realm promotion slots for your own disciples?" Rongyang Monarch's entire demeanor showed his disdain for Lord Liuyun.

"Are none of you Fellow Daoists in a difficult position? I'm sure many of your disciples have already reached Second Realm Perfection but are frustrated by the lack of promotion slots. Isn't this an opportunity? If we play our cards right, it shouldn't be difficult for each of us to secure three or four slots, would it?"

Lord Liuyun wasn't the least bit angered by Rongyang Monarch's attitude. The two of them had jointly managed the Northwest back in the days of the Daoist Scripture Hall; they were old rivals, after all.

"What do you think, Fellow Daoist?" Lord Liuyun turned to Wang Ping, as this particular game would have to be played out in the Southern Cultivation Realm.

"As long as you don't go too far, I can facilitate things. However, I want the promotion slots for two Third Realm Taiyan Cultivators." Wang Ping stated his condition but didn't offer to put in any of the work himself.

"Done! As the Chief, you will surely be busy. How about you leave this matter to me?" Lord Liuyun offered his assurance.

Wang Ping nodded, then severed the mental connection.

Back in the familiar pavilion, he glanced at Ao Hong, who was still immersed in the virtual meeting. He walked with Yu Lian to the edge of the nearby cliff, gazing out at the still-bustling Qianmu Temple.

'Whether it's the Daoist Palace or the Daoist Scripture Hall, they are both just tools for the True Monarchs to maintain the balance between spirituality and the Cultivation Realm. At the same time, they are the vanguard against the things from beyond our domain. I'm suddenly looking forward to the view from the moon,' Yu Lian said softly within Wang Ping's Spirit Sea.

Wang Ping was silent for a long moment before replying, "So what if we know? The True Monarchs have never hidden their intentions."

'Yes. It just goes to show that if we can't advance to the level of True Monarch, we'll never escape our fate as tools. Just like those old veterans—they've already paid their dues, yet they still can't retire in peace.'

"That's just how this world is. If they were to retire in peace, the things from beyond our domain would surge in like a tide!"

Yu Lian fell silent for a moment, then asked, 'What do you think the view from the moon is really like?'

Wang Ping looked up at the sky. The moon was slightly hazy but beautiful. 'Perhaps on the flower boats below,' he thought, 'there are scholars and poets composing verses and drinking wine in its light.'

"We'll find out soon enough!"

Just then, a cheer erupted from the plaza below. A winner had been decided between two Qi Cultivators on the Martial Arts Arena. Although it was nighttime, the Qi Cultivators were full of energy, warming up for the official tournament set to begin the next day.

A quarter of an hour later.

Ao Hong also severed his communication link. He walked over, looked down at the plaza, and said, "Those old-timers are always up to the same old tricks."

"What tricks?"

Yu Lian asked.

Ao Hong chuckled. "They use 'First Day' and the Sun Evil Cultivators to stir up trouble, then use the Daoist Palace's authority to pick a few people to send to their deaths. And just like that, new promotion slots open up."

"That's a clever method."

Wang Ping remarked with sincere admiration, then asked, "So, are we going to the moon now?"

Ao Hong laughed nonchalantly. "I'm good whenever!"

"Let me contact Fellow Daoist Buqiong first."

Wang Ping took out his Communication Token and sent a message to Buqiong.

Barely a dozen breaths later, Buqiong replied. She told Wang Ping to release the aura of his Daoist Palace Identity Token from below the atmosphere, and she would follow the Token to find him.

Watching Wang Ping, Ao Hong formed a spell with his hands and changed into a bright yellow, narrow-sleeved training outfit. "You really are cautious," he said. "I thought you'd be more inclined to go to the moon by yourself."

Wang Ping waved his wide sleeves, and in an instant, his clothes transformed into a narrow-sleeved Blue Daoist Robe with wrist guards. As if reading his mind, Yu Lian slipped inside the collar at his chest. He then glanced at Ao Hong, merged his entire being with his Wood Spirit, and shot off as a streak of light. He broke through the clouds and, in a flash, appeared just below the atmosphere.

Just as a powerful gravitational pull enveloped his body, Ao Hong's figure appeared beside him. Wang Ping immediately activated the Identity Token of his second seat in the Daoist Palace.

In less than five breaths, a dark shadow materialized before Wang Ping. A familiar figure then emerged halfway from within it. It was Buqiong; she cultivated a Star God Core focused on the power of 'Secrecy'.

The half of her face that had been hidden in shadow during the virtual meeting was now visible. It looked no different from an ordinary person's, save for her eyes, which glowed with a dark, purplish light, like a starry sky seen through the dark.

"Let's go," she said. "Be careful of the Spiritual Creatures. They're extremely active in the Cosmos. Some can even affect the physical world, and they have no fear of death!"

As she spoke, Buqiong pierced through the final barrier of the atmosphere.

Without hesitation, Wang Ping followed with Yu Lian, passing through the atmosphere. His first sensation was the gravitational pull vanishing, replaced by a stinging pain on his skin. It was a scorching pain, sourced from the blazing, bright sun at the galaxy's center. Yet the burning was only on the side of his body facing the sun; the other half felt an insidious chill.

This was the first time Wang Ping had felt cold since his Foundation Establishment.

He subconsciously extended his Primordial Spirit Consciousness and observed his surroundings with the Yuqing Sect's 'Spiritual Vision Technique'. He discovered countless particles adrift in this starry expanse. They looked like the remnants of some unknown explosion, because they still possessed heat!

With a thought, Wang Ping had the Wood Spirits in the surrounding space envelop him. The next moment, all his physical discomfort vanished.

But immediately after, countless Spiritual Creatures from the Inspiration Realm converged on him. They swarmed the perimeter of the Wood Spirits protecting his body, attempting to corrupt his mind with their hideous, snarling faces and invade his consciousness with their maddening memories.

An attack of this magnitude was nothing to him, now that he had advanced to the Fourth Realm; even a Second Realm Cultivator wouldn't fear it. In theory, then, a Second Realm Cultivator could enter outer space. A Star God would only need to reach the initial stage of their power, provided they could overcome the planet's gravitational pull.

Thinking of the gravitational pull, Wang Ping looked back at the planet where they lived. Just as he'd suspected, incredibly profound and mysterious Arrays were spread across every region of the outer atmosphere!