Chapter 315 - 298: Taixu Jade Order
"A Golden Core?"
Qi Yun’s gaze flickered at the promise made by Desolate Halberd True Monarch.
Just then, the voice of God of Wealth Cai Shen rang in his mind.
’Oh? This Desolate Halberd True Monarch of yours is quite generous, isn’t he? Very impressive.’
Cai Shen’s voice held a trace of surprise.
’Judging by the reward alone... this matter is indeed worth the risk.’
’This Golden Core... is it very precious?’ Qi Yun quickly asked with a Heart Thought. For an existence like Cai Shen to take notice, it was clearly no ordinary item.
"Precious is an understatement." Cai Shen’s tone was as casual as if stating a universal truth, yet every word carried immense weight.
’Because this thing requires a wisp of "immortal golden nature" as a catalyst, supplemented by several nearly extinct divine items, just for a chance at being refined successfully.’
’What is this golden nature? It is the foundation of a True Monarch Dao Fruit, the very beginning of transcendence!’
’Even True Monarchs find it exceedingly difficult to obtain for themselves. Who would casually use it in Alchemy to bestow upon a disciple?’
’Using immortal golden nature... for Alchemy?!’
Qi Yun’s pupils shrank abruptly.
Cai Shen’s voice continued to echo in his Heart Lake, carrying a clarity that seemed to see through the ages:
’The Seeking Gold Samadhi is fraught with challenges. Especially for someone with a Venerable Dao Foundation like you, the Resources required and the chasms you face are far beyond imagination.’
’Among its stages, the Dharma Body is the foundation for your future Dao-body. It emphasizes the pure transformation of accumulation and your foundation. The slightest mistake will affect your entire path forward.’
’If you were to have a Golden Core to aid you...’
He paused, his tone firm.
’At the very least, it can guarantee that your foundation for the Dharma Body stage will be exceedingly robust and solid. It will be a natural success, saving you countless hours of painstaking effort and unforeseeable dangers.’
’Such an opportunity, even during the peak of the Great Tang, was something only the Li Royal Family had a chance to obtain.’
’So that’s how it is!’
Cai Shen’s explanation instantly made Qi Yun understand the immeasurable value behind the promise of "a Golden Core."
This wasn’t just about saving time; it was about laying a more stable Keystone for his future path, one that led straight to the heavens!
The scales in his heart tipped instantly.
All his hesitation and deliberation, once the pros and cons were clear, quickly solidified into a decision.
Qi Yun took a deep breath, bowed deeply, and spoke in a clear, firm voice:
"I am grateful for the True Monarch’s high regard and for being granted this opportunity."
"This disciple, Qi Yun, is willing to undertake this journey for the True Monarch!"
"Hehehe..."
A satisfied smile appeared on Desolate Halberd True Monarch’s face.
"Good! A decisive young man!"
"I was not mistaken about you."
He nodded in approval, then raised a hand, a flash of light appearing at his fingertip.
A Jade Order materialized from thin air, slowly drifting down before Qi Yun.
The Jade Order was similar in shape to the Taixu Jade Order commonly held by Holy Sect Disciples, but its material was completely different.
Its entire body was an ancient and profound purple-gold color, with an introverted Flowing Light. Held in the hand, its gentle warmth was suffused with a heavy sense of nobility and majesty.
On its front, Dao Patterns outlined the two words "Desolate Halberd" in a fluid, powerful script, faintly emanating a supreme Realm of splitting the sky and shattering mountains. On the back was the symbol of the Wuji Holy Sect, but its patterns were more complex and profound.
This was clearly a Taixu Jade Order of the highest level within the Holy Sect, one that only a True Monarch could possess.
"For this cross-realm journey, I still need to make some preparations," Desolate Halberd True Monarch said casually, as if arranging a routine trip.
"Return to your Daoist Temple first. Regulate your breathing, stabilize your Realm, and make your own preparations."
He pointed at the floating Purple Gold Taixu Order:
"With my Token, you may go anywhere you please within the Sect, with the exception of a few places that require my personal approval, such as the core treasury of the inner repository and the Taixu Golden Forbidden Land."
"If you need to prepare anything for this journey, use this Token."
"All halls and departments must cooperate."
The words were spoken casually, yet they granted Qi Yun a privilege almost equal to that of the Sect Leader!
"This disciple understands and will not fail the True Monarch’s trust." Qi Yun respectfully accepted the Purple Gold Taixu Order with both hands.
The Token was slightly heavy in his grasp, and it faintly resonated with his own Dao Foundation, as if an invisible authority had been quietly bestowed upon him.
"Mm, go on."
Desolate Halberd True Monarch said no more, merely giving a casual wave of his hand.
Qi Yun felt his vision blur once more, like an ink painting washed with water. The strange forest of Red Mountain Green Leaves, rare birds, and exotic beasts quickly faded away, and the towering figure who seemed the center of Heaven and Earth vanished behind the flowing brilliance.
A slight dizziness came over him, followed by the solid feeling of the ground beneath his feet and a familiar, Pure Dao Rhyme.
He blinked.
He was back in the quiet room of the Cyan Mountain Daoist Temple.
Outside the window, the daylight was unchanged, the shadows of the pines danced, and the clouds and mist swirled as before.
It was as if the conversation that had spanned reality and illusion, a direct meeting with a True Monarch, had lasted but a fleeting moment.
Before him, on the cloud-patterned wooden desk, the Cyan Bamboo Brush still rested by the inkstone, the drop of ink at its tip about to fall but not yet fallen.
On the spread rice paper, the ink of the last character from the essay he had been writing had not yet fully dried, glistening wetly in the light from the window.
Everything was exactly as it had been when he "left."
Except...
Qi Yun slowly opened his tightly clenched right fist.
In his palm, the purple-gold Taixu Jade Order, its Flowing Light contained within and the "Desolate Halberd" Dao Patterns etched upon it, lay quietly, emitting a warm and noble glow.
The solid touch on his fingertips and the trace of Desolate Halberd Splitting Sky True Monarch’s supreme aura sealed within the Jade Order told him with absolute clarity—
None of what had just happened was an illusion.
The True Monarch’s decree had been received.
The journey to the Outer Realm was set.
Qi Yun gently caressed the smooth surface of the Jade Order, his gaze turning to the vast sea of clouds and distant mountains outside the window. Beneath the calm surface of his deep eyes, a sharp intent began to grow.
...
「Wuji Holy Sect, Black Death Peak.」
Black Slaughter Master sat enthroned upon a large Profound Iron Chair. His build was about fifty to sixty percent similar to his brother, Black Mountain’s, and he was just as tall.
But his face was more sinister, with thin lips, an aquiline nose, and a pair of triangular eyes that glinted with a cold light whenever he blinked. The Evil Qi swirling around him was far sharper and more aggressive than the Demon Intent his brother, Black Mountain Master, openly displayed.
At this moment, his brows were tightly furrowed, his expression growing darker as he listened to the trembling report of a trusted disciple below.
The grayish-black Evil Qi around him began to surge uncontrollably, causing the temperature in the great hall to drop even further.
"...So you’re saying," Black Slaughter Master began slowly, his voice like two pieces of rusty iron scraping together, filled with suppressed rage.
"That little bastard named Qi Yun not only reached the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, but he also... fought with my brother in the Taixu Hall, in front of everyone?"
With every word, his tone grew a fraction colder.
"And in the end, Lord Bai personally appeared, and not only did he not punish him, he actually... reprimanded my brother?"
"Finally, even that Demon Bird ended up in his hands?"
The disciple was prostrated on the floor, not daring to lift his head, his voice trembling.
"Re... Replying to the Peak Master, it is the absolute truth."
"Many Masters in the hall witnessed it with their own eyes... This disciple would not dare to speak recklessly."
Black Slaughter Master fell silent.
He had only recently emerged from a rather long period of seclusion.
The moment he came out, he was hit with such earth-shattering news.
His first reaction wasn’t anger, but a sense of absurdity!
’Qi Yun?’
’That Qi Refining Junior Cultivator who was no different from an ant in his eyes decades ago, someone he could have crushed with a casual flick?’
’In just a few decades, crossing the chasm from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment was already a miracle. How could he have advanced even further, reaching the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage?’
’And he could even... hold his own for a few rounds against his brother, who had already stepped into the Great Master Realm?’
’But what he found most incomprehensible was—Bai Yuntian, Lord Bai!’
’That Great Demon King would actually publicly reprimand a Great Master with actual power, and even forcibly take something to give to him, all for some junior disciple?’
’The implications behind this were terrifying to consider!’
"My brother was right back then when he decided to decisively trap and kill him before he could rise!"
Black Slaughter Master slammed his fist onto the armrest of the Profound Iron Chair, producing a heavy THUD as sparks flew.
"This boy must have used some Evil Skill to steal my poor nephew’s fortune and foundation!"
"Otherwise, how could a bastard with no background like him soar to such heights and become so arrogant?!"
"Yue Rong was naturally talented and intelligent! He should have been the prodigy of our Black Mountain Lineage."
"He had the potential to become a Great Master!"
"He was killed by this jinx!"
He attributed all his hatred and unwillingness to accept his brother’s defeat to Qi Yun.
’No, I can’t let this go!’ Black Slaughter Master’s eyes were sinister as his fingers tapped unconsciously on the armrest, his mind racing with all sorts of dark thoughts.
’My brother is being suppressed by Lord Bai, so it’s inconvenient for him to act directly for now... but I’m different.’
’I have to find a way to secretly help my brother vent his anger and let that brat know that within this Holy Sect, you can’t just do whatever you want just because you’ve found a powerful backer...’
Just as his thoughts were in turmoil, the sound of something cutting through the air came from outside the hall.
Immediately after, a disciple on duty rushed in, his expression hurried and even somewhat terrified, and dropped to his knees with a THUD.
"Reporting to the Peak Master! At the mountain gate, there’s... there’s a Master from the Sect requesting an audience!"
Black Slaughter Master was displeased at having his thoughts interrupted. A flash of Evil Qi crossed his triangular eyes as he said in a low voice:
"You have no discipline. What’s there to panic about?"
The disciple swallowed, his face a little pale, and stammered:
"Re-Replying to the Peak Master... this disciple... this disciple couldn’t get a clear look."
"The person is shrouded in a gray, mist-like aura. His face is blurry, and his presence is... also very strange, faint and indistinct."
"He didn’t give his name, only asked this disciple to pass on a message..."
"What did he say?" Black Slaughter Master’s gaze narrowed.
"He said... he said..."
The disciple seemed extremely frightened, his voice growing softer and softer.
"He said you shamelessly welched on a debt of several jars of Soul-Shaking Potion years ago,"
"and that after all these years, it’s about time you paid it back."
...