Chapter 910: Revealing the Sun and Moon

The two exchanged glances, quickly bowing. "Oh, no, no!" Wang Long exclaimed. "What are you saying, fellow Daoist? When you were born... the air was filled with swirling clouds, vast as carriage canopies, white cicadas appeared everywhere, and qilin carried young. We all received commands concerning your arrival."

"Judge Yang dispatched us to the corresponding location in the underworld. One of us blew a conch, the other fanned, and then we ascended from the World Navel to strike the Morning Bell three times. All these actions followed ancient customs to celebrate your arrival, fellow Daoist. We had long anticipated this day, so a brief wait was truly nothing."

Li Zhouwei, of course, knew that his birth had been known to all from the very beginning. While perhaps some distant Purple Mansions by the sea or in the north might have been unaware, how could those powerful figures at the zenith, who played chess with the four seas at their command, possibly overlook the board? They understood everything perfectly. He seized the opportunity to inquire, "You are truly too kind, fellow Daoists. The world is so vast; in this current age, there must be countless individuals with such omens. You truly exaggerate."

"That's not quite right," Wang Long replied, shaking his head. "Fellow Daoist possesses more than a single destiny. Your nobility stems from being a descendant of a Golden Core, and with such esteemed lineage complementing your fate, it becomes even more distinguished. While there are many brilliant talents in this world who also possess significant destinies, once they breakthrough to the Purple Mansion and cultivate their innate divine abilities, others can often achieve similar feats. Even if there are some unique qualities, it's difficult to claim they are significantly superior to other divine powers."

"From what I've heard regarding affairs in this world, setting aside those with innate sword talents and considering only destiny and bloodline, apart from that one individual from the Tuoba family, anyone else who could truly compare with you, sir, has only just been born."

"Furthermore..." He paused, seemingly considering his words, then looked at Li Zhouwei again before finally speaking, "I believe, fellow Daoist, that you are also aware of your own identity. You possess the ability to publicly determine the future of those with grand destinies and great divine powers. In such a case, who can argue that your own destiny is not immense? Is this not, in itself, a form of divine power? Such a power would naturally give rise to various extraordinary phenomena. And with a dominant 'fruit status' like Mingyang no longer exclusively favoring a single individual, isn't an exception like you sufficient to be called 'a destiny beyond measure'?"

Li Zhouwei's affairs were part of a celestial game. What the Dragon Clan knew, the Underworld was certainly privy to. The two officials before him maintained a pleasant demeanor. Zhang Gui, in his earnest voice, added, "Fellow Daoist, your destiny aligns with Mingyang, and your bloodline descends from Emperor Wei. In ancient times, you would undoubtedly have been called a 'Dao Body'."

Zhang Gui, not being eloquent, stopped abruptly. His partner immediately chimed in, "In the past, the Dao Bodies of the Wei Kingdom each had different, very lengthy names. It's quite ordinary that Emperor Wu was referred to as the 'Heavenly Unique Bright Light, Ten Directions Adored Imperial Body'... Haha... Emperors of the Celestial Dynasty always paid great attention to such titles."

Li Zhouwei fell into contemplation. The two Underworld envoys by his side seemed to be pressed for time. Wang Long nodded repeatedly, quickly getting to the point. He cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Although we are already well-acquainted with your esteemed name, the regulations still require us to proceed..."

He then straightened his posture and asked with a dignified air, "What is your name?"

Li Zhouwei nodded: "My name is Li Zhouwei. Zhou, as in 'renewal' or 'beginning anew'; Wei, as in 'majestic' or 'towering'."

As he finished speaking, the large brush in Wang Long's hand before him glowed with ink. Beside him, Zhang Gui asked, "Are we still searching for it?"

Zhang Gui's pink lips parted as he began flipping through the thick book in his hand, but Wang Long quickly urged him, "Why are you still searching? Just write it down!"

It was clear that not only Li Ximing but also Li Zhouwei's name was likely unlisted in the book. Wang Long, having served in the human underworld for so many years, was well aware of this. He grumbled inwardly, 'No wonder he's been an envoy longer than me. How can someone so lacking in discernment ever get promoted? Li Ximing's name is already untraceable—whoever orchestrated that is unknown—and Li Zhouwei is clearly even more significant, a major player in the world's evolving landscape. It would be a wonder if his name *were* found!'

The two officials fussed for a while before finally putting pen to paper. Upon hearing them finish, Li Zhouwei swept his hand across his waist pouch, producing a jade box. However, Wang Long quickly smiled and waved him off, "Oh, no, you mustn't! You absolutely mustn't!"

While ordinary gifts were acceptable, this one certainly was not. He pushed the jade box back, still wearing a somewhat awkward smile, and insisted, "How could we possibly accept anything from you, fellow Daoist! Were it not for regulations, it would be *us* offering *you* gifts. We cannot discuss the affairs of the truly great, but in the future, if you, fellow Daoist, have the opportunity to ascend to the Golden Core realm, and if it doesn't impede greater matters, you can freely choose your territory. We sincerely hope you'll consider an area closer to our humble jurisdiction..."

'So they're after the Golden Core breakthrough...' Li Zhouwei understood and nodded slightly. Seeing Wang Long wave his hands repeatedly, deflecting any sense of obligation, he said, "Please, do not delay the matters of the superiors! It's perfectly fine if it's inconvenient. We will surely have many occasions to meet in the future. It would simply be the greatest honor if we could be allowed to witness your divine powers and see your future accomplishments, sir!"

When this topic arose, even the usually slow Zhang Gui now displayed an ingratiating smile. He put down the large book and respectfully stated, "This matter is certainly open for discussion... I only fear we might be overstepping."

"We still have some matters to attend to in the north, so we shall not trouble you further." The two exchanged a few more words with smiles, then transformed into two gusts of shadowy wind and vanished.

'It seems the Underworld's methods... are equally profound...'

'Yang Tianya achieved divine powers even earlier than Hou Fu, and his cultivation remains unknown to this day, hidden behind the scenes... The north and south have reached such a state of conflict, yet the entire Yang family maintains a harmless facade, and he shows no signs of activity whatsoever.'

In contrast to the northern clan's subtle yet pervasive dominance and top-down control over the world's affairs, the Underworld's methods seemed far more discreet and insidious. Had the Li family not been informed early on by the Underworld about Yang Tianya's true nature, they would still view the Yang clan as merely a group of fallen royals confined to the mountains. But upon closer reflection, the pivotal link between the Yang and Li families lay in Li Xizhi's marriage. Could this be seen as the Yang clan placing an early wager on the Li family? And what about other regions? What arrangements was Yang Tianya making elsewhere?

'As a hybrid of both the Yang and Li families... what role exactly does the Zhou Luo lineage play under Qingchi's governance?'

Li Zhouwei waited for a while, secretly shaking his head and dismissing further thoughts. Once certain the two had departed, his form immediately transformed into light and dispersed. There was no time to visit anyone else; he simply stepped through the Great Void and descended towards the lake.

He then flew into the grand formation, passing through the towering Profound Pillars, and descended into the main hall of the inner array. There, he saw a pagoda standing in the slightly dim hall. It was the Xiaoyuan Glazed Pagoda.

He stepped into the top level of the pagoda, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes tightly, silently chanting a spell: 'Li clan disciple Zhou Wei, ascend to divine power, achieve perfect virtue and complete merit... I pray for a rise to heavenly destiny, to be inscribed with profound talismans... to unveil the profound brilliance, and to further the Daoist legacy!'

"Dong!" A subtle sensation of weightlessness immediately swept over him. He felt the white pellet in his Sun Ascension Mansion vibrate, and his body instantly felt minuscule. Before him, a world shrouded in mist and clouds suddenly materialized, and the back of his head felt cool.

His vision suddenly brightened, and he found himself inside a pavilion. Constructed of gray stone and white jade, with brilliant lamplight, the pavilion was serene. Li Zhouwei slowly lifted his head, his pupils reflecting the sight of the sun and moon shining concurrently outside the window. Feeling the rich spiritual energy wash over him, his heart trembled. 'Such dense spiritual essence... such perfectly balanced spiritual atmosphere!'

'This is... a World Within a Mirror!'

Only then did Li Ximing's meaningful expression from earlier flash before his eyes. His heart filled with delight, and he suddenly understood: "No wonder His Excellency could engage in continuous battles yet still cultivate divine abilities with such astonishing speed... With a world like this at his command, how could he ever fear a lack of cultivation progress!"

Li Zhouwei surveyed the surroundings, feeling immensely satisfied. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief: 'Many of the sensitive items from home... can all be safely moved in here...'

He then looked upward. On a desk lay a small jade bottle. In the center of the pavilion hung a painting depicting a white sparrow soaring. Li Zhouwei didn't even need to use his spiritual sense; a mere glance with his golden eyes revealed that it was a set of cultivation techniques.

He quickly stepped forward, and with a sweeping gaze from his golden eyes, took the jade bottle from the desk into his hand. The jade bottle had a slightly elongated neck and a pristine white body. As Li Zhouwei held it, he observed layers of misty green essence swirling within, continuously rising and falling. His heart seized: "A Purple Mansion Green Talisman?"

He had only glanced at it when the talisman seed within his Sun Ascension Mansion immediately became agitated. Like the morning sun piercing through clouds and mist, it ascended amidst the profound Mingyang divine abilities, transforming into a beam of white light. The tightly confined green mist within the bottle seemed to respond to a summons, bursting forth in threads and wisps, gradually like a dam breaking, gushing out and transforming into various mystical phenomena. Guided by the white light from his glabella, all of it surged into his Sun Ascension Mansion!

Li Zhouwei was filled with both surprise and delight. He immediately sat cross-legged. A cool sensation filled his Sun Ascension Mansion, and the Gate of Heaven within him stirred, as if it had just imbibed a sweet elixir. His cultivation soared!

The brilliant white Gate of Heaven within his Sun Ascension Mansion immediately manifested. Its countless white patterns shone with a clear radiance, swiftly growing more intricate, while all seventy-two ridges on its eaves brightened, expanding and extending. The green mist surged within the Sun Ascension Mansion, creating a powerful pull centered on itself. The light of the sun and moon from the very heart of this world, mixed with spiritual energy, surged into his body. Yet, this spiritual energy of heaven and earth remained perfectly balanced, neither increasing nor decreasing by even a fraction. No matter how much he absorbed, the spiritual energy showed no signs of depletion, suggesting a boundless supply for him to draw upon freely.

As the spiritual energy rapidly converged, mixing with the green mist and transforming into divine power, it all flowed towards the Gate of Heaven. In just fifteen minutes, the Gate of Heaven was perfected! The Green Talisman represented the essence of an entire Purple Mansion. Although it had honed his divine ability, he was still far from exhausting its full power.

The green mist within the Sun Ascension Mansion was far from depleting; it continued to surge into his divine abilities in waves. However, with the Gate of Heaven now perfected, this excess green mist had nowhere to be channeled. It could only accumulate, diffusing amidst the white light, drifting back and forth. Consequently, the original form of the talisman seed emerged from the depths of the Sun Ascension Mansion. The green mist, as if summoned, transformed into a swath of green light, converging beneath the elixir and condensing into a long, narrow, somewhat dim and ethereal green talisman, which then settled above the Gate of Heaven. With a mere touch of his spiritual sense, Li Zhouwei knew that with a single thought, this artifact could instantly transform back into green mist power, allowing him to continue enhancing his cultivation!

'As long as I cultivate the next divine ability, I can continue to utilize this remaining portion of green mist...'

A flicker of joy crossed his mind, but he quickly shifted his focus from the artifact. Li Zhouwei's glabella shone like a brilliant star, emitting golden light. Like an old monk in deep meditation, his mind was initially dim, but soon it secretly brightened, revealing strokes of platinum-colored brushwork. The platinum and white hues intertwined, constantly transforming.

This 'Bright Revelation of Sun and Moon' talisman had the power to clear demonic hindrances, ensure peace and continuation of legacy, manifest the might of Mingyang, and consolidate one's destiny, allowing life itself to be housed within a single mansion. In any life-or-death struggle, by breaching divine abilities and defeating demonic entities, one could sense their life force resonating with the sun, moon, and the cosmos, causing the Sun Ascension Mansion's magical power to surge forth and grant an increment of Dao attainment!

'Dao attainment? Enhancing Dao attainment... This can *also* be enhanced?!'

This was entirely different from Li Xizhi's 'Rainbow Piercing the Clouds'! Li Xizhi's 'Rainbow Piercing the Clouds' was propelled by her noble status, gradually strengthening her spells over time. While it certainly contributed to the growth of her Dao attainment, it did not directly increase it...

Dao attainment, a profound and ancient concept, primarily refers to an individual's personal comprehension and understanding of divine abilities, Daoist traditions, and inheritances. Generally, the more direct a descendant of a major sect one is, and the longer one cultivates, the higher their Dao attainment tends to be, making them correspondingly more formidable in combat. Dao attainment is strongly linked to the profoundness of spells, complementing each other. Dao attainment often encounters bottlenecks; while initially, learning new spells can boost it, sustained improvement typically requires continuously acquiring increasingly refined spells and dedicating time to their study. Nevertheless, an increase in Dao attainment undeniably aids in cultivating spells, wielding divine abilities, and even accelerating one's overall cultivation speed.

This implies that if Li Zhouwei were to engage in a bloody battle and defeat a sufficiently powerful enemy, his Dao attainment could increase more significantly than what others might gain from several years of diligent study. The enhancement of Dao attainment is not merely confined to combat; once it accumulates to a certain level, both the Gate of Heaven and the Qianyang Bracelet would undoubtedly radiate with a new brilliance in his hands!

Furthermore, he would gain deeper insight into controlling the so-called power of genesis, harmonizing Mingyang, and the transformations of divine abilities. It would even significantly aid in assaulting the Fruit Status and achieving the Golden Core realm! Moreover, the ability for one's life to reside within a single mansion held profound utility.

Li Zhouwei, bearing a unique destiny and often referred to as having the Wei Emperor's bloodline, possessed an inherently superior Dharma body. Since his breakthrough to the Purple Mansion, he had inexplicably gained profound insights... Though he hadn't cultivated a body-transforming divine ability, the strength of his current Dharma body far surpassed that of Li Ximing, who had also perfected the Gate of Heaven. The white blood in his body could suppress evil, particularly demonic power, which found it difficult to linger on him and was dispelled swiftly. However, just as more intricate cultivation methods are harder to master, any damage to his Dharma body would be far more difficult to repair than for Li Ximing.

This talismanic energy, through its ability to 'consolidate destiny' and allow one's life to reside within a single mansion, meant that his destiny would become more stable, less susceptible to injury, refinement, or depletion. The divine power within his body would be more concentrated in the Sun Ascension Mansion. This, in turn, implied a reduced dependence on his Dharma body, granting him greater freedom in manipulating it. He could mitigate damage through various transformations—and even heal slightly faster, somewhat compensating for his inherent weakness.

'In this way... it rather resembles the Northern Heavenly Embryo Demonic Path, instead of the Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao...'

This was undoubtedly a significant enhancement for combat. Li Zhouwei had never delved into the Heavenly Embryo Demonic Path, though the Jiazi Po Refining Halberd combat technique he possessed did bear some hallmarks of the Great Liang style.

Another aspect, "Succession and Peace, Manifesting Mingyang's Might," directly hinted at the core nature of Mingyang's monarch-subject and father-son dynamics—a cycle of mutual assistance followed by contention. Many of its profound mysteries, however, were unrelated to combat cultivation. At most, his enhanced cultivation might subtly benefit his descendants, though the effect wasn't pronounced, and no further details were provided. The remaining function, "Clearing Demonic Obstacles," was the most minor effect of this talisman. It could elevate Mingyang's miraculous power of dispelling evil to a higher plane. In terms of divine abilities, it meant stronger resistance against demonic paths for the Dharma body. While a decent aid, it appeared almost negligible when compared to the profound effects mentioned earlier.

As this talismanic energy fully integrated into him, Li Zhouwei's face grew more majestic. Golden light pulsed between his brows, and his Sun Ascension Mansion felt cool and clear. After an indeterminate period, he slowly opened his eyes.

Instantly, light filled the once empty chamber. His golden pupils slowly transitioned from a brilliant platinum to a deep, dark gold. The young man gently rested a hand on his waist and retrieved a jade slip: "The Body-Suppressing Tiger Pass Treasure Scripture"!