Chapter 1414
The Truth
Chapter 1414 The Truth (Part )
Dust billowed in the air.
The colors in the sky, which resembled those of the desert, inexplicably faded away. A real person dressed in a silver coat stepped forward amidst the glittering gold, his face showing unease and his mind adrift.
Liu Changdie traversed the vast desert. The sky had turned a pure blue, and only the scorching sun blazed down. He couldn't help but think:
'I don't know what happened that requires me to go... Even the Shu Emperor has fallen, what trouble could there be, Changhuai?'
When news arrived from the West, he was naturally shocked during the great battle, but this quickly turned into joy. He knew he could do little to help, and the only truly useful thing he could offer was a letter requesting the Xuanku treasury.
'Perhaps they encountered some strange formation, or need me to repair it, but there's no need to activate the jade talisman so urgently. Wouldn't it be better to send someone to inform me and arrange a troop rotation at the same time…'
'I haven't fully mastered the most powerful and wondrous transformations of this spiritual treasure, otherwise I would dare to say it would be of great help…'
His thoughts were abruptly jolted awake. He looked up and saw a woman standing gracefully before him, smiling:
"Is it Fellow Daoist Liu?"
'Kim Il's people!!'
For many years, Liu Changdie had always been extremely wary of these great traditions. At this moment, just seeing the woman's attire made him want to run away!
But he eventually understood that running away wouldn't help if he had his own matters to attend to, so he bowed and whispered:
"Greetings, Your Excellency!"
"You're too kind, fellow Daoist."
So he raised his hand and handed the jade talisman and paper to Liu Changdie. The immortal carefully took them, examined them closely, and then understood.
He said in a hoarse voice:
"I am but a minor cultivator from the Xuanwai realm. I will never forget the life-saving grace of the immortals in the past, and how could I dare to disobey!"
The woman smiled and said:
"I haven't done anything bad, fellow Daoist!"
She led Liu Changdie across the desert for a while, and as if she had touched some edge, she took out the golden token, examined it carefully, and then touched her sleeve and took out a precious pearl.
This bead is no bigger than a thumb, and it is crystal clear. Inside, there are two golden round beads, one large and one small, which seem to be alive and swirling around each other. The powerful magical energy seems to be about to overflow and make this treasure slip away at any moment.
Zhang Duanyan only said:
"This item is called the [Qi Ku Two Elements Pearl]. It is a treasure of our ancestors and possesses remarkable efficacy. It can communicate with the Qi Ku and assist the [Mysterious Ku Request Letter] by leaving annotations on it, making its mystical power even more precise..."
Women's laughter, way:
"But you don't need to use this treasure today, fellow Daoist. Just take it, go inside, find a corner to sit down, hold it in your mouth, and circulate it to Sheng Yang."
Liu Changdie took it, knowing it was extraordinary, and felt a pang of unease.
'Seventh Young Master wouldn't harm me, but I might be deceived by this immortal. This treasure is so rare it's hard to imagine it being the only one of its kind in the world. This Jin Yi is as ruthless as ice; how could he bestow such a treasure upon me? My death is imminent!'
He nodded, carefully put the item away, sighed, and seemed to be in a state of confusion. He suddenly thought of his old friend who had died in the cave, and felt a pang of pain in his heart. He then bid farewell to Zhang Duanyan and went inside.
Strangely enough, just by taking that step, he saw a sky full of peculiar colors. This place seemed to be separate from the human world, filled with the mysterious light contained in heaven and earth, and it did not harm him. Only after he crossed it did the sky return to normal.
Instead, a terrifying golden storm filled the sky.
The golden light was like thousands of sharp swords, wildly roaming back and forth in the world. Just taking this step felt like a million sword energies were falling on him, making him suffer unbearably.
'What an amazing sword!'
He couldn't sit still in this place, so he could only keep his head down and move forward. After crossing the desert, he saw that the other side was full of soft, golden light that filled the sky and earth, but it also carried a suffocating heat. So he sat down in the relatively peaceful place where the two places met, took out the pearl, and put it in his mouth.
In an instant, he felt a surge of heat rising to the heavens, his entire body merging with the heavens and earth, floating up into the clouds, where he could vaguely see the two figures standing between heaven and earth.
The Taoist priest spoke very softly:
"Senior Tianjiao, you were originally a pine cone from Qingsong Temple. When my master visited the newly established grotto, he casually obtained it and carefully nurtured it for many years, which is why it has the wonder of a precious tassel."
"The reason why True Monarch Taiyu accepted it back then was because he cared about his sect."
"It's not surprising."
Elsewhere, sword intent spanned heaven and earth, surrounding the figure who resembled a sword immortal. He sighed softly and said:
"It's your family's business that Dui Geng is right. Even my Sword Sect is under your shadow. No wonder you never take precautions. After all, we were all taught by your own people."
Daozi said quietly:
"Actually, Fellow Daoist Tianjiao really couldn't bear it. We've been negotiating for a long time, and we're not in a hurry, which is why it's been delayed until today."
"Even if I couldn't bear it, I'll have to today."
The sword immortal slowly rotated the blade of his sword.
Cheng Xunzhi had long harbored suspicions, but faced with the person who had saved and raised him, who was like a teacher and a father to him, he ultimately refrained from uttering a harsh word. Before leaving, he suspected it would be the last time they would meet, but he only uttered one sentence:
"The senior colleague has shown me immense kindness, no need to say more!"
Now that the cruel truth has been fully revealed, he merely closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, he seemed detached from the situation, and no words could stir any emotion in him.
Only one unwavering heart.
He said quietly:
“You have come to prove your faith, Zhang Yige.”
Liu Changdie felt a slight tremor in his heart.
'Zhang Yige?'
Although he was a rogue cultivator, he had gained considerable information due to numerous fortuitous encounters and had some understanding of important figures. He was slightly shaken:
'I've heard... Jin Yi has a Daoist disciple, who is the father of Tian Huo, Zhang Yige...'
His words seemed to send an invisible signal, causing the golden energy in this isolated world to stir. The Daoist, his robes fluttering, stood silently and said:
"good."
Zhang Yige's face was once again illuminated by the sun. He seemed unhurried, yet as if following some custom, he solemnly said:
"I am also showing you the Way of Qingxuan."
Cheng Xunzhi remained expressionless.
Zhang Yige didn't care and solemnly said:
“Fellow Daoist Cheng, in the view of our Qingxuan Dao, the world should follow the Yin-Yang theory.”
"And what is the concept of Yin and Yang?"
His expression was extremely solemn, as if he were talking to himself, or perhaps arguing for his findings:
"Yin and Yang, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither disappearing nor extinguishing, practice the Five Virtues and divide into the Twelve Qi, the origin of all mysteries and paths, the foundation of all things and spirits."
"The ways of seeking gold through Qingxuan Temple are nothing more than a few categories. In the eyes of us ordinary people, there are only two kinds: either one cultivates a way that worships the Taiyin (the moon), and thus ascends to the next level through divine wisdom; or one cultivates a way that worships the Taiyang (the sun), and thus succeeds through worldly achievements."
"This is the concept of Yin and Yang."
Cheng Xunzhi stared at him, watching the water, fire, yin, and yang shift around him as he spoke, his sword as steady as Mount Tai, yet he did not draw it. The Daoist continued:
"Riding the Golden Three Mysterious Gates, one cannot be a king without power. Ascending the steps requires destiny. Do not emulate the Qin and Tang dynasties... Fellow Daoist Cheng, those who seek gold and the Dao mostly value one thing: power. This power is worldly achievements."
"Many seek prominence, seeking nothing more than fame and power; few seek seclusion, seeking nothing more than skill and mystery. But I am here today to seize power by seeking fame."
His eyes gleamed:
"His most well-known achievement is meteorology."
Just like Li Zhouwei.
Daozi raised his head, and a bright, sword-like light began to linger between his fingers. He said:
"But what other achievements do you have?"
“In the past, when Immortal Lord Huanxuan first entered the path of immortality, he vanquished the hundred evils of Jueyin and first attained the position of the intercalary position of the sun, and was known as Huayang. Later, Liang Tang under the Sitian Gate also followed his example in eliminating the hundred evils and thus attained the position of the intercalary position of the sun.”
“Yuanxia was a prince among men, and Yichuan was later reborn into a royal family. Shaoyang was a Taoist priest in the mountains, and Wang Gui also learned to live in seclusion in the mountains, detached from worldly affairs. And so on, Shangguan, Buyi and others, are countless.”
He said softly:
"Their supernatural powers are so great that those who attain enlightenment are constantly thinking about them. By learning from their achievements and following their path, they have gained some of their qualities, which is also a great benefit in their pursuit of wealth. This is also a merit."
"This is also related to the so-called meteorology. Li Zhouwei's conquests and expansion across the country are also a result of learning from Li Qianyuan."
The sword immortal understood, his grip on the sword tightened and then loosened, and he said calmly:
“Borrowing the name Geng to form Dui, you proposed the name Taiyuan, attempting to intercalate Dui.”
"good."
The Daoist said softly:
"I am borrowing the achievements of my family."
A gentle golden light shimmered between heaven and earth, constantly surrounding him. Zhang Yige said:
“There was once a member of the Wei clan, rumored to be a descendant of King Jing. His ancestor was framed by his own clan and fled to the Jianghuai region, thus escaping the destruction of the state and becoming a member of the Liang state. However, during a year of famine and chaos, the people were displaced, his wife and daughters perished, and he died in Xianhu Lake.”
"Just as the world was bright and clear, an immortal appeared and saved him with a pine tree. He gave him the surname Cheng and followed the immortal to cultivate. Later, he attained enlightenment and became a True Lord."
"He is 'Shen Bai Dui Jin Shang You Zhen Jun,' Tai Yu."
Cheng Xunzhi said calmly:
"Today, I am fortunate enough to stand in for the True Lord."
Zhang Yige nodded:
“Fellow Daoist Tianjiao represents both the pine tree that saved my life and the Green Pine Temple that taught me the Dao, while Fellow Daoist Cheng represents the aura of True Lord Taiyu. Everything from his cultivation method to his background has been arranged.”
He said:
"Therefore, your life is my achievement."
"Truly impressive."
Cheng Xun praised:
"My 'Further Destruction'... was cultivated so quickly, actually by taking advantage of your momentum. The so-called 'Further Destruction' is both the death of my second incarnation, Cheng Xunzhi, and the second Taiyu's destruction. From the moment you left the cave, this supernatural power of mine was rapidly achieved at a speed that seemed to come naturally."
"It couldn't wait, it couldn't wait to bring me to this desert, to use my supernatural powers to achieve its purpose of destruction."
The Taoist priest clapped his hands and said:
"good."
Two golden beams of light stood tall in the sky and earth, causing the entire world to tilt. The desert beneath their feet disappeared, as did the boiling golden energy. Everything seemed to sink into the dark void where no one could see their own hand in front of their face.
The Great Void, isolated from the outside world.
"And what about him?"
That icy gaze swept across the sky and landed on the man in the void. Liu Changdie felt a chill lingering in Shengyang Mansion. The next moment, a warm golden light, like the rising sun, enveloped him and dispelled the cold.
"Just a little image."
Daozi shook his head and smiled, then said softly:
“Since it is borrowing Geng to form Dui, and the five metals of heaven and earth, you and I each represent one of them. ‘Xiaojin’ is carefree and detached from the world, so there is no need to worry. Isn’t Qi Ku, who is still missing from the lock? He is Ku and Qi.”
A terrifying sword intent instantly filled every corner of the darkness, and the sword immortal's voice grew even colder:
"You've gone to so much trouble for me, sir, with such meticulous planning!"
Daozi shook his head and smiled, saying:
"It's better than nothing... It's just a small token of my junior's appreciation. If he had been born earlier, even if he had joined my Jin Yi sect instead of hastily entering Wangyue Lake, he would still have become a fully-fledged Great Master, and that would have been of some use."
"Now, the most crucial thing is that my father is still in power and is willing to lend me his influence; otherwise, all of this would just be a minor skirmish."
Cheng Xunzhi laughed and said:
"Indeed, given your background and the full support of that person, Jin De could have any position."
Zhang Yige's eyes were clear, and his tone was calm:
“There is one thing… perhaps Fellow Daoist Cheng has misunderstood. This achievement is indeed a fulcrum, but I am not a figurehead. I have cultivated for two lifetimes and have long been qualified to ascend to the next rank. This is the last step for me to achieve the Dao, but it is not the most crucial step. After killing you, I will return to my cave to seek the Dao.”
“You might think that my master is making every move carefully, but that’s not the case. It’s good that I’ve come to power, but it’s not inevitable. His chessboard is full of pieces, and I’m just one piece that he values a little.”
"For Him, my success in proving Himself is of no benefit to the overall situation; it is merely a useful tool. If I fail to prove Himself, it is simply a matter of my incompetence, and there is no great loss."
A warm golden light began to shine in all directions, suppressing all the layers of sword energy. He lowered his gaze to the golden light in his hand and said:
"Of course... if you can kill me, you will have an even more overwhelming presence. If you can use me as a stepping stone, you will be qualified to prove your Dao and to point your sword at the true Duijin."
"Fellow Daoist Cheng, did you understand?"
He said calmly:
"Do you want to ask about the future of Jianmen? Or do you have some words to entrust to me?"
His words echoed in the air, and the golden energy confronting the sword intent reached its peak. Cheng Xunzhi's smile was cold as he said:
"No need to say more."
Just five words.
He seemed to have a clear understanding of the endless shadow that Jin Yi cast over his head, and he also understood who Tianjiao was truly protecting by making this choice. He was neither worried nor resentful.
Only a fierce, boundless fighting spirit rises.
"it is good."
Daozi nodded:
"In the end, we'll see who's the real deal when it comes to actual combat. Let Zhang see 'The Unending Edge'!"
The sword immortal raised his head, and the sword intent in the darkness surged like countless roaring dragons. At this moment, everything else was detached from him, and his calm eyes reflected only the endless and extremely sharp sword intent.
【Liyang Yuxin Pure Yang Sword】!