Chapter 2: Your Lifespan Has Run Out

Within the pill furnace, the medicinal properties of countless ingredients gathered into one, yet they did not condense into a spiritual pill that could be consumed. Instead, they transformed into an exceedingly violent mass of Primordial Qi. The ingredients used in this furnace of pills were all rare treasures scarcely found throughout the Six Realms. Now, they had almost become a kind of divine power, colliding against the Supreme Six Ding Divine Fire and sending layer after layer of ripples exploding through the void.

The right hand of the Grandmaster Xuandu was no longer resting calmly upon the furnace.

Instead, he directly inverted the Purple-Gold Eight Trigrams Furnace. The incomparably heavy furnace was lifted at an angle. His expression remained exceedingly calm and benevolent as he gazed at the Yuzhen Shouyan True Lord before him and asked with a smile:

“Yuzhen, what do you mean by this?”

Medicinal properties clashed, the Six Ding Divine Fire rolled and churned, releasing savage sounds like thunder and blazing fire.

The Great True Lord Tianpeng said gently: “Xuandu has likely misunderstood.”

“Master has now entered seclusion and will not emerge for another five hundred years.”

“In our lineage, there is no such thing as accepting disciples on behalf of one’s master. I merely meant that he has already entered my Northern Pole Exorcism Institute.”

“I am simply making things clear to you in advance.”

The Grandmaster Xuandu had already guessed as much before, yet upon hearing it, he still fell silent for a moment. Raising his brows slightly, he said: “Demon-Queller(Dangmo)?”

“Yes.”

“The one who beheaded Eastern Radiance?”

“Yes.”

The Grandmaster Xuandu fell silent and asked: “He cut him down personally?”

“Yes, He even made Eastern Radiance kneel.”

Xuandu placed his right hand on the pill furnace, finding the matter utterly absurd. In the end, his brows gradually relaxed. Carrying a trace of pride, he said indifferently: “After all, he is my junior brother, someone whom Teacher personally took a liking to, and one who was granted recognition under the name of Taishang ahead of time… Such a thing may be somewhat excessively outrageous, but if it happened to my junior brother, ahem, then it is reasonable.”

“Entirely natural.”

“But how did you come to know of it?”

Yuzhen Shouyuan True Lord replied gently: “If he has entered my Northern Pole Exorcism Institute, then naturally I would investigate his identity.”

“After observing him with the Heavenly Eye, I discovered traces left behind by Granduncle Taishang.”

“At our level of cultivation, although we are no match for Master and Granduncle, it is not as though we cannot perceive their methods at all. With a little deduction, one can naturally arrive at an understanding. Thinking back on it now, however, I feel a measure of lingering fear. When he beheaded Eastern Radiance, it was fortunate that he was not carrying that hairpin.”

“Otherwise, quite a few people would likely have seen through his identity.”

Xuandu slightly raised his eyes and said flatly: “But the title Xuanwei, and the designation Taishang, cannot be given to you.”

Yuzhen smiled and answered: “I have no need for such things either.”

“When disciples of the Three Pure Ones have their names entered into the registers, their Daoist titles thereafter are assigned by people like you and me.”

“I wonder, what Dao Lord title did you bestow upon him?”

This was not a question that could not be answered. Xuandu’s tone remained calm. At last, he set down the pill furnace and replied:

“[Vast is Miro, subtle and boundless the Brahma Qi; illuminating the Three Realms, traversing the Five Constants. ]”

“[Taishang Xuanwei True Person, Protective Sage of Sublime Dharma True Lord.]”

“Protective Sage of Sublime Dharma True Lord(Yousheng Miaofa True Lord)…”

Yuzhen Shouyuan True Lord softly recited the title and said gently: “Then, when he truly cultivates to the realm of Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown and Five Qi Returning to the Origin, a Northern Pole designation should be added before this title.”

“He shall be known as Taishang Xuanwei True Person, Northern Pole Protective Sage True Lord.”

So long as the title did not touch upon the two characters Taishang, Xuandu did not concern himself with the remaining changes. He merely said: “Since he is in your Northern Pole Exorcism Institute, then according to Granduncle Yuqing’s temperament, will the difficulty be increased…?”

Yuzhen Shouyuan True Lord answered:

“It will, for ordinary members of the Three Pure Ones lineage, the difficulty of advancing in rank within the Northern Pole Exorcism Institute is twice that of ordinary people.”

“And for direct disciples of the Three Pure Ones, it is ten times greater.”

Grandmaster Xuandu raised his eyes and said: “Then what about him?”

Yuzhen Shouyuan True Lord replied calmly: “Since he bears the name Taishang, then naturally the difficulty shall be [a hundred times] that of ordinary people.”

“He must accumulate merit through slaying demons and exterminating evil.”

“Without doing so, he cannot advance.”

“Hmph, just as expected of Granduncle Yuqing’s style.” Xuandu was not surprised by such an approach. The Great Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi was exceedingly strict with his disciples. Since one had received a Three Pure Ones-level inheritance, one should bear the greatest responsibilities and face the greatest trials. After all, jade cannot be fashioned into a vessel without carving.

Yuzhen Shouyuan True Lord said: “He previously forced himself to establish a ritual altar and, from the true inheritance of your Taishang lineage, comprehended the divine ability of Dharma Form of Heaven and Earth on his own. Although he was able to wield it as he wished, it also severely damaged the foundations of his body, leaving him afflicted by every manner of debility and injury. Without a fortunate opportunity, he would remain trapped at the realm of Innate One Qi for the rest of his life. This furnace of pills of yours—even if it is merely a failed batch—is enough to rebuild his foundations.”

“Well then, shall I take it to him?”

“Oh, this batch?”

Xuandu flicked his sleeve and withdrew the pill from within the furnace.

Then his five fingers slowly closed.

When he opened them again,

the pill had turned into drifting ash and ceased to exist.

In a calm tone, he said: “The Taishang lineage settles karmic causes and effects within a single lifetime.”

“Within the sect, we only transmit the Dao, impart teachings, and resolve doubts.”

“To walk the world and throw oneself into tribulations is one’s own choice.”

“And all things under Heaven carry a price. This is the price for his reckless actions. If the sect were to bear every cost on his behalf, then [choice] itself would lose its meaning.”

The expression of Grandmaster Xuandu remained calm.

Yuzhen Shouyuan True Lord did not say anything further. He himself stood against all the darkness of the Six Realms, advancing through countless life-and-death struggles, dangers lurking at every step—there was no need to elaborate. Even Grandmaster Xuandu, in his years of cultivation, had advanced only through hardship after hardship. He had once died, relying on contingencies he had prepared beforehand to transform into a zombie, and only afterward, through the art of alchemy, attained enlightenment regarding the cycle of Yin and Yang, thus returning to the path of the Great Dao.

From beginning to end, their masters had never intervened.

“Then I understand. Senior Brother Xuandu, I shall take my leave.”

“Yousheng has already slain a Great Emperor. Once he steps into the realm of True Lord, he may have a chance to receive one of the sacred titles of the Northern Pole Saints.”

“Of course, given the special treatment reserved for disciples of Taishang, he would also have to slay a Buddha and kill a Great Sage before that becomes possible. A pity, a pity indeed. I wonder whether that child will even be able to reach that day. Drawing his sword for the sake of all living beings has, in the end, damaged his very foundations. A pity, truly a pity.”

Yuzhen Shouyuan True Lord rose to take his leave and departed.

Suddenly, a gust of wind came from behind him.

As though he had expected it all along, he smiled and raised a hand.

An object landed in his palm.

It was a jade slip of emerald hue, suffused with a warm radiance.

Grandmaster Xuandu withdrew his right hand. His features were refined and handsome as he said calmly: “This contains the General Canon of Alchemy of our lineage, along with seventy-three methods of pill refinement. Take it to that boy.”

“Oh?”

Lowering his eyes to his tea, Grandmaster Xuandu replied indifferently: “Since he already bears the title of Taishang Xuanwei, cultivating the Dao of alchemy is only natural.”

“I am merely imparting teachings on behalf of my master.”

Holding the jade slip—which only direct disciples of Taishang were permitted to consult—Yuzhen Shouyuan True Lord smiled and asked:

“The kind that blows up furnaces?”

! ! !

The ethereal and transcendent Grandmaster Xuandu, whose bearing was lofty and detached from the mortal world, suddenly had veins bulging on his forehead as he ground his teeth and said:

“See the guest out!”

Yuzhen burst into hearty laughter, cupped his hands slightly in salute, and turned to leave.

The young attendants saw the doors of the quiet chamber marked with the Yin-Yang Duality open. The armor-clad Great True Lord Yuzhen departed with loud laughter, even warmly greeting them as he passed by. Inside, however, Grandmaster Xuandu was gritting his teeth. He slammed a heavy punch onto the pill furnace and declared:

“Open the furnace! Refine pills!!!”

“Refine another batch!”

“Refine!”

Grandmaster Xuandu rose in a fury, then added a warning:

“And furthermore, if Taiyi Jiuku comes later—”

“Tell him I’m not here!”

The two young attendants exchanged glances before simultaneously cupping their hands and replying: “Yes.”

Within the Shangqing Library Pavilion, the disciples of the Shangqing lineage were astonished to discover that Qingyang Miaodao Heavenly Lord, whose status within the Supreme Clarity Lingbao lineage was exceptionally high, was not seated in the place of honor today. Instead, he stood respectfully to one side.

Occupying the seat where the old Heavenly Lord would normally sit was a Daoist of refined and scholarly temperament. His features were clear and handsome, his bearing as gentle as jade—firm without sharpness, gentle without weakness.

His robes were gray.

His hands were pale, slender, and elegant.

One hand turned the pages of a Daoist scripture.

The other cradled a white cat.

He slowly stroked the cat’s fur. The white cat yawned, narrowed its eyes, and let out a contented purring sound.

Some female immortals of the Daoist sect wished to pet it, and the Daoist readily permitted them to do so.

Little Yun Qin had also wanted to see how the fur on the cat’s back felt.

Just then, the old yellow ox happened to glance over.

Especially after looking at the white cat for a while, the more he looked, the more familiar it seemed.

Suddenly, the old yellow ox recognized who this fellow was.

The white cat, pretending to be an adorable little creature, opened its eyes.

Its right paw extended.

Shing!

Its claws sprang out.

It licked them.

Then it made a casual clawing gesture across its own neck.

The old yellow ox instantly understood.

He grabbed Little Yun Qin, burst into laughter, and said: “Ahahaha! Yun Qin, your mother will be going up to the Weaver Maiden Constellation in a few days to take up her duties. She asked me to come find you, hahaha! We’re off, we’re off now, everyone!”

“Me? I don’t pet cats, don’t pet them.”

“Well then, everyone, enjoy petting the cat.”

The old yellow ox carried the little troublemaker from his family—who had become increasingly capable of causing mischief as she grew older—in one hand.

Then he cupped his hands toward the elegant Daoist over there.

His expression was incomparably respectful.

Inwardly, however, he felt a bit of a headache. What exactly was going on with this little girl? He had been busy weaving clouds and rosy mists recently and simply had no time to come here and browse through the records, so how was it that the one time he came, she had directly run into Taiyi Jiuku Heavenly Venerable himself coming here in person? This time it was Taiyi, last time it was Dangmo, and the time before that, there seemed to have been someone else too?

The old yellow ox’s thoughts paused slightly.

He always felt that the notion that Little Yun Qin had an extraordinary talent for running into remarkable figures was deeply rooted in his mind.

But for some reason, whenever he recalled things up to this point, all that remained in his mind was the solid sensation of a pillar made from Jianmu wood.

So, with admirable good sense, he gave up thinking about it, broke into a run, and moved at high speed while carrying Little Yun Qin by the ribbon of her clothes in one hand.

Being dragged along as she floated through the air, Yun Qin opened her mouth, her voice naturally carrying an aaah-aaah-aaah sound effect as she said: “Uncle Ox, Uncle Ox, what does my mother want with me? Why did she even have you come find me personally?”

The old yellow ox was concise and to the point, his tone sympathetic: “She wants to ask you who you’ve been learning to weave clouds and rosy mists for.”

Yun Qin was puzzled: “How is that even a question?”

“Isn’t it obviously for Wuhuo?”

The old yellow ox sighed and said: “In any case, this matter is rather troublesome. You’ll have to explain it yourself.”

Still, why had Taiyi Heavenly Venerable suddenly appeared?

And that Nine-Headed Lion truly had no shame whatsoever.

It had transformed into a [Sky Soaring Lion] and simply sat there letting the female immortals pet it.

Pah! This old ox spits on that!

All it wanted was for the female immortals to pet it.

Shameless creature.

The old yellow ox cursed and grumbled to himself.

Next time, I’ll compile a little booklet of the dark history of Jiuling Primordial Lord and sell it in the Demon Kingdom for one Heavenly Emperor Coin a copy.

I-I-I… I’ll sell it cheap!

Meanwhile, on the second floor of the Shangqing Library Pavilion, the black-robed Great Dao Sovereign stared blankly at Taiyi Jiuku Heavenly Venerable, who was blocking the entrance on the first floor.

He had originally been lying down and sleeping.

Yet he had suddenly discovered that someone had comprehended the Tribulation Sword he had hidden within the secret transmission of the Lingbao lineage.

Moreover, they had directly grasped the advanced technique of the cycle of Yin and Yang, using slaughter as protection.

After making a quick calculation, he discovered that it was the very youngster he had chosen. The Great Dao Sovereign clapped his hands and laughed, saying:

“Will I still lose this time?!”

“Hahaha! Yuqing, oh Yuqing, this time you’re destined to suffer a setback!”

Delighted, the Great Dao Sovereign then reverted to his usual disposition and planned to go find the little fellow, give him a gift or two, and incidentally teach him something as well.

Just a little bit.

Then he discovered that his eldest disciple had come to block the door.

Taiyi Jiuku Heavenly Venerable, born from the Nine Yang Qi of Yuanshi Heavenly Venerable, possessed extraordinary origins, had attained his accomplishments through arduous cultivation, and could manifest as the Heavenly Venerable of the Ten Directions.

He was exceedingly sensitive to any disturbance whatsoever.

The Great Dao Sovereign had finally been looking forward to that little fellow’s arrival.

Yet in the blink of an eye, she had been dragged away by a yellow ox.

The Great Dao Sovereign stood there blankly.

He understood his own disciple far too well—

The more adept he himself was at finding opportunities to take it easy, the more serious and conscientious Taiyi Jiuku Heavenly Venerable was.

Taiyi Jiuku Heavenly Venerable could stand here blocking his path all the way until the birth of the Sixth Kalpa.

“I’m screwed…”

The young Daoist walked through the mortal world, unaware of the ripples and waves his actions in the Central Plains had stirred up.

He merely followed the impressions within his own innate spirit, making his way toward the place where his Senior Sister Yumiao was.

When he had met Senior Sister Yumiao before, his teacher had brought him there. With but a single step, they had gone from the edge of Heaven to the Kingdom of Qiulong, where he met Senior Brother Yu Yangzi, and then, in the blink of an eye, from the capital of the Kingdom of Qiulong to the place where Senior Sister Yumiao lived in seclusion. A vast distance compressed into arm’s reach, it was unknown how many times more profound than the Earth Escape Technique of the Earth Deities.

Qi Wuhuo himself could not do such a thing.

Even the Earth Escape Technique consumed the power of the Primordial Spirit.

Fortunately, his innate spirit was clear and pure, allowing him to roughly discern the direction. As day turned to night and the time grew late, he merely sat in meditation amidst the mountains, while the two little fellows slept soundly curled up in the young Daoist’s arms. Just as he was circulating and refining the Five Qi, he suddenly felt that something was wrong. A sensation of heaviness settled over him. Subconsciously opening his eyes, he saw that the moonlight was bright.

Before him stood two men dressed in black and white, respectively.

Both had deathly pale faces.

The chains in their hands had somehow already been wrapped around him.

These chains seemed rather extraordinary. Even his Primordial Spirit had been restrained, and his Innate One Qi could not be stirred.

One of them stood to the side with a smile covering his face. Tall and gaunt, with a ghastly pale complexion and a long tongue hanging from his mouth, the official hat upon his head bore the words: “Fortune Upon First Meeting.”

The other had a fierce countenance. Broad and stout, short in stature and dark of face, the official hat upon his head bore the words: “Peace Under Heaven.”

The young Daoist was startled for a moment. He recognized these two immensely famous Yin Spirits before him and subconsciously said: “Black and White Impermanence?”

Turning his head, he saw that his physical body was still there.

Its eyes were closed.

It had simply stopped breathing.

“Daoist.”

“Your lifespan has come to an end.”

“Come with us on this journey!”