Chapter 438: Returning to Three Origins Today

By the time Shao Qingsong rushed to Green Cliff Hall, his master had already been waiting at the hall entrance for quite some time.

Elder Guo stood with his hands clasped behind his back on the stone steps, his expression calm and unreadable. Behind him stood several fellow disciples, all already assembled, quietly standing with their hands at their sides.

Shao Qingsong’s heart tightened. He hurried forward, bowed deeply, and said, “Disciple Qingsong arrived late. I beg Master’s forgiveness. I hope I haven’t delayed Master’s schedule.”

Elder Guo’s clone glanced at him, his tone flat but not reproachful: “Since you’ve entered my tutelage, there’s no need for all these formalities. That returning Earth Immortal hasn’t arrived yet. Come with me to Heavenly Hall. The Sect Master and the Supreme Elder are both present.”

Shao Qingsong’s heart trembled. He quickly acknowledged the order and retreated to stand among his fellow disciples.

He was secretly astonished.

Heavenly Hall?

Ever since he had been accepted as a disciple under Elder Guo, he had only been there a handful of times.

On ordinary days, at most, he would go to Chongshan Hall in the inner sect to borrow and read texts. A place like Heavenly Hall was where the sect discussed its highest matters; ordinary disciples didn’t even have the right to get close.

Not to mention that this time, even the Supreme Elder had emerged from seclusion.

He was becoming more and more aware that this Golden Core cultivator who was about to return to the sect carried far more weight than he had imagined.

Following behind his master, he joined the other disciples on the cloud parked in front of Green Cliff Hall.

The cloud was drawn by two white-feathered spirit cranes. With a light flutter of their wings, it rose steadily from the ground, passing through the thin mist between the mountains and heading toward the highest peak amidst the thousands of clouds.

Shao Qingsong sat at the edge of the cloud and looked down. Green Cliff Hall gradually shrank in his field of vision, becoming a patch of gray roof tiles embedded in the emerald mountain face.

He thought of that little green-tiled house with its doors and windows still tightly shut, and let out a soft sigh in his heart.

Just as he had expected, from beginning to end, his master never once mentioned Junior Brother Chen Yu’s name.

He had originally thought that even though his junior brother stayed in seclusion all year round, with his talent, he should at least be remembered by his master. He never imagined that he would be deliberately neglected instead.

He thought to himself, *Junior brother is still too young. He doesn’t understand how to manage personal relationships.*

Though the cultivation world valued talent, personal connections and the favor of one’s elders were equally important.

For someone like him, who stayed in seclusion all year round without ever greeting his elders, even if he had talent, he would inevitably be forgotten in a corner over time.

He knew he wasn’t as talented as his junior brother, but at least when it came to dealing with people, he had a clearer understanding.

Just as he was silently shaking his head, Elder Guo’s clone suddenly turned his head, caught sight of his expression, and asked, “Why are you sighing?”

Shao Qingsong was startled. He quickly composed himself, forced a bow, and said, “Master… disciple was just suddenly thinking that Junior Brother Chen Yu is still in seclusion. For this grand gathering at Heavenly Hall, should we call him to come along?”

Hearing this, Elder Guo’s clone paused for a moment, then showed a look of sudden realization.

Now that he mentioned it, he really hadn’t thought of it.

After all, they were all clones. It didn’t matter whether he went or not.

He could only say, “I did it on purpose. The Dao arts he cultivates are different from yours. Most of the time, he needs to be in secluded meditation. We can’t disturb him recklessly. Even if we called him to come to Heavenly Hall this time, it would just be going through the motions. It would actually delay his cultivation instead.”

Those words, when they fell on Shao Qingsong’s ears, took on a different meaning. *Master is deliberately cold-shouldering him. They’re going to stand up for me.*

He sighed inwardly but dared not say another word. He could only nod in acknowledgment.

The cloud continued to rise, passing through layer after layer of thick and thin cloud clusters, gradually converging with other clouds arriving from the other mountain peaks.

Leading the way ahead was a cloud boat led by Outer Sect Elder Hong and Elder Gong. The boat was wide, with dozens of disciples standing on both sides, their robes fluttering uniformly in the wind—a quite spectacular sight.

Elder Hong and Elder Gong were both senior cultivators with deep experience in the sect. Seeing Elder Guo’s cloud approach, they actively came closer to exchange pleasantries.

“Elder Guo, long time no see. How has Green Cliff Hall been lately?” Elder Hong cupped his hands and smiled.

“Thanks to your concern, it’s been fairly stable.” Elder Guo’s clone returned the greeting.

Elder Gong stroked his beard and gazed at the silhouette of Heavenly Hall hidden among the clouds in the distance. He asked Elder Hong, “You’re the best informed. Do you know exactly who this returning Earth Immortal is?”

Elder Hong had clearly been waiting for someone to ask this question. He cleared his throat.

“I hear this returning Earth Immortal comes from the South Sea. He achieved his Golden Core through comprehending the Great Dao. His Dao is profound. He didn’t take the usual Qi Training path. He’s a pure Dao cultivator.”

“Most importantly, he comprehended three Great Daos just by relying on some old texts that had been lost from our Three Origins Sect. With such talent, he’s not inferior to how Cloud Crane Ancestor was back in the day.”

“Three Daos?” Elder Gong’s brows jumped sharply.

“If this Daoist Ning Jiao truly cultivates three Daos simultaneously, wouldn’t that make him even greater than Ancestor Cloud Cliff...”

Elder Hong waved his hand. “Cultivating three Daos simultaneously is certainly astonishing, but each Great Dao requires a lifetime of effort to reach its depths. You and I both understand the principle of biting off more than you can chew. He may not achieve what Ancestor Cloud Cliff did.”

“But if someone like this is willing to return to our Three Origins Sect, it shows that our sect’s fortune is indeed warming up. Perhaps the opportunity for the Southern Wastes’ great revival lies with this very person.”

Elder Gong stroked his beard thoughtfully and nodded, then added, “But what I’ve heard is slightly different from what Elder Hong has said.”

“I heard that the Eighteen Islands of Zhan County in the South Sea have been spreading rumors about the great heavenly calamity. This Daoist Ning Jiao’s return to the sect might not simply be to hang the Three Origins Sect’s name. He might be using the sect’s influence to spread news of the great calamity to the various major sects.”

Elder Hong frowned slightly. “Great heavenly calamity?”

“Exactly.” Elder Guo’s gaze drifted into the distance. “But for our Three Origins Sect, that may not necessarily be a bad thing.”

“This Earth Immortal has astonishing talent. Even if the great calamity really comes, with his enlightenment and foundation, he might not fail to achieve Unity with the Dao and ascend within a hundred years. Perhaps we’ll even live to see the birth of a true immortal.”

“Besides, Patriarch Dangjian only recently returned from slaughtering demons in the South Sea. He understands the situation there far better than we do. If the great heavenly calamity were a lie, it could never escape his discerning eye.”

“What if it’s real?” Elder Guo’s clone suddenly spoke up.

Elder Hong and Elder Gong exchanged a glance, then slowly shook their heads.

“This is already the End of Dharma era. It’s getting harder and harder for even Golden Core cultivators to emerge. If there’s also a great heavenly calamity... it seems heaven and earth really don’t want to leave us a way out.”

“But if that day really comes, perhaps we can, like the ancestors a thousand years ago, witness the magnificent feat of defying the Great Dao.”

The cloud and the cloud boat broke through the last layer of mist, and the full view of Heavenly Hall finally unfolded before them.

A magnificent hall built from white jade bricks floated atop the clouds at the summit of the mountain range. On the plaque at the main entrance of Heavenly Hall, two large characters were written in ancient gold script—“Heaven’s Origin.”

The strokes were sharp, each one seeming to contain some law of the Great Dao. Staring at them for too long made one’s mind ripple with emotion.

The cloud stopped at the landing dock beside Heavenly Hall. The group stepped onto stairs formed from condensed white clouds and walked through the drifting mist, converging with elders and disciples arriving from other peaks.

Along the way, people kept greeting Elder Guo’s clone. Shao Qingsong followed behind his master with his head bowed in salutation, but he couldn’t help letting his gaze wander, taking in this sacred ground he rarely had the chance to set foot on.

Since the returning Earth Immortal hadn’t arrived yet, everyone could only wait in the side corridor outside Heavenly Hall’s main gate.

But not a single disciple dared to complain. Never mind the disciples—even the group of elders stood by the hall pillars waiting, chatting in small groups of two or three.

What made Shao Qingsong’s heart race even faster was that two figures stood at the very center of Heavenly Hall’s main entrance.

Those were the current Sect Master of Three Origins Sect, Gu Songyue, and the famed Southern Wastes Patriarch Dangjian, Feng Qingyun.

Sect Master Gu Songyue wore a dark Daoist robe and a white jade crown. His gaze was calm, his hands clasped behind his back as he stood.

Standing there, he seemed to have merged with the entire Heavenly Hall. The wind within three feet of him automatically stilled, and even the light falling on him appeared softer than its surroundings.

The Patriarch Dangjian beside him wore a washed-out blue robe, with a seemingly ordinary longsword hanging at his waist.

He leaned against a pillar by the hall’s entrance, arms crossed, his posture looking almost lazy.

But Shao Qingsong knew that among everyone present, not a single person truly dared to take him for a lazy cultivator.

He was the only sword cultivator in the past few centuries of Three Origins Sect who had attained the Dao through slaughter. Demons in the South Sea would actively detour to avoid him at the mere mention of his name.

Gu Songyue stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the end of the clouds. His Divine Sense spread like an invisible net, covering the entire sect within his perception.

He transmitted his voice through Divine Sense, the sound echoing in the Patriarch Dangjian’s sea of consciousness: “Feng Qingyun, what do you think of the message from the Eighteen Islands of Zhan County? Is it credible?”

The Patriarch Dangjian leaned against the pillar and calmly replied, “The Eighteen Islands of Zhan County have been suppressing the South Sea waters in place of the Dragon Palace these past years. They’ve made many contributions. Their reputation on land is also good. There’s no reason for them to tell such a lie.”

“I met that Guanshan Dao Master once. His talent in cultivation is average, but he’s an honest man. He strictly follows his ancestors’ teachings, diligently suppressing the tidal currents of the Abyss in the South Sea, never meddling in conflicts on land. Someone like that wouldn’t fabricate a story about a great calamity just to gain attention.”

Gu Songyue said, “But besides these South Sea Golden Cores, no one truly knows what’s going on deep in the Abyss.”

“The various major sects can’t just take their word for it and believe a great heavenly calamity is coming. If they can really prove the calamity is right outside the Abyss, they’ll definitely participate in the Southern Wastes Dao Conference. If they can convince everyone, we’ll naturally believe in the existence of the great heavenly calamity.”

The Patriarch Dangjian turned his head and glanced at him: “I’m afraid this so-called Dao conference of yours will end up being a chaotic farce.”

“Using the Hundred Mountains of the Southern Wastes as a venue sounds nice, but when the elders of various sects start arguing, they’ll probably fight dozens of battles on the mountaintops first.”

Gu Songyue shook his head and didn’t take the bait: “Let’s set aside the matter of the great heavenly calamity for now. What do you think of this Daoist Ning Jiao?”

The Patriarch Dangjian narrowed his eyes slightly, seeming to carefully weigh his words.

“Originally, I was going to say this might be a fabricated figure. After all, you and I both know how difficult it is to cultivate three Daos simultaneously.”

“Except for Ancestor Cloud Cliff back in the day, almost no one could do it.”

“Even you and I are just seeking new changes on the path of Heaven’s Origin, trying to derive new Daos to find an opportunity for ascension.”

“But new Daos are incredibly difficult. Most of the paths available were already walked to their end by predecessors. The paths left for us aren’t many. So I originally didn’t believe anyone could cultivate three Daos simultaneously.”

“With Ancestor Cloud Cliff as a precedent, anyone trying to follow his path has to put in more effort for every step of advancement than those before them.”

“It’s not that I look down on him. It’s that Ancestor Cloud Cliff’s realm was already the limit this heaven and earth could accommodate over the past thousand years. Going forward, it’s almost impossible for such a figure to appear again.”

“But now, I’ve changed my mind a bit. Since this Daoist Ning Jiao has emerged from seclusion and is preparing to return to our sect, he should have some real skill. I just don’t know how much water has been added to the rumors from the Eighteen Islands of Zhan County.”

Gu Songyue’s gaze suddenly shifted slightly. A barely perceptible smile curled at the corner of his mouth: “Alright, no need to keep guessing. They’re here.”

Hearing this, the Patriarch Dangjian also turned his gaze toward the end of the clouds.

The actions of the two highest authorities in the sect immediately drew the attention of the surrounding elders and disciples.

Without exception, everyone followed their gaze toward that surging sea of clouds, and even the conversations died down in an instant.

Some secretly wondered in their hearts how this returning Earth Immortal would make his entrance.

When the Patriarch Dangjian had returned to the sect, he had triggered the phenomenon of ten thousand swords and a golden sea spanning the sky. The overwhelming sword light had dyed the entire heavens golden. Those who had witnessed that spectacular sight still talked about it with relish.

They wondered how this Daoist Ning Jiao would compare.

Amid everyone’s expectant gazes, all the layered clouds suddenly seemed to be held in place by an invisible force, ceasing to flow.

Then, a low, drawn-out whale song echoed from deep within the clouds, piercing through the drifting mist and spreading across the entire Three Origins Sect mountain range.

The sound was like an echo transmitted through ten zhang of seawater, making everyone who heard it involuntarily feel a sense of awe.

At the end of the clouds, a massive silhouette slowly emerged.

It was a black whale over a hundred zhang in length. Its back showed the deep gray characteristic of the deep sea. As it passed through the clouds, the fine water droplets clinging to its scales refracted rainbow light from the sunlight.

It didn’t exude monstrous demonic aura, but the majestic presence of a demon king lay like an iceberg submerged beneath the water’s surface, declaring its existence.

Guanshan Dao Master floated to one side of the black whale, holding a precious tripod. The blue light beam at the tripod’s mouth dyed the surrounding clouds a soft, pale cyan.

He himself didn’t deliberately release his pressure, but the Dao resonance emitted by the precious tripod in his hand spread like invisible water ripples, unconsciously calming the minds of all the cultivators present under its influence.

This was also a Golden Core cultivator.

And judging from the Dao resonance of that precious tripod in his hand, he was a Golden Core with quite profound cultivation.

Just as some were whispering whether this was Daoist Ning Jiao, others caught sight of the white-clad figure on the black whale’s back.

That person stood on the broad whale’s back, hands clasped behind him.

White robe, plain garments, an unadorned longsword hanging at his waist. There was nothing superfluous about him.

His entrance triggered no heavenly phenomena. He simply stood there, calm and composed.

But everyone who clearly saw his figure involuntarily held their breath.

A demon king willing to serve as his mount, another Golden Core cultivator holding a precious tripod to protect his path.

He didn’t need heavenly phenomena to prove anything. Him standing there was already enough.

Under the gaze of countless eyes, that white-robed figure took one step from the black whale’s back, then folded his hands and made a bow to everyone.

His voice wasn’t loud, but it spread through Divine Sense across the entire sect.

At that moment, every disciple of Three Origins Sect—whether inner sect disciples sweating on the training grounds or outer sect disciples weeding in the herb gardens at the back of the mountains—simultaneously raised their heads and looked toward that direction of Heavenly Hall hidden among the clouds.

“Daoist Ning Jiao returns to Three Origins today.”