Chapter 918: Dao Xu's Yin Soul

As the cold snow fell, the white-robed man leaned on a jade platform. The circular light screen before him flickered slightly, revealing a panoramic view of the vast and boundless Great Void, its myriad wonders clearly displayed by the screen's projection.

Streaks of golden radiance descended from the heavens, circling his body, continuously gathering and merging into successive layers of dazzling light.

Lu Jiangxian gently extended his hand, and a point of exceedingly brilliant golden light emerged from it, constantly shifting.

Ming Hua Huang Yang Yu Jiao Xing!

The power of the Dharma Mirror had reached its bottleneck. Li Zhouwei's attainment of divine ability brought no significant feedback improvement, though it expanded the world and made mystic light shimmer. However, the most profound reaction was from the Ming Hua Huang Yang Yu Jiao Xing before him!

This Ming Yang Gold Essence, shimmering and surging with boundless vigor as if touched by something, continuously ascended. Yet, constrained by the world within the mirror, it could not escape, futilely releasing its brilliance only within this confined space.

‘Over ninety percent of this Ming Yang Gold Essence is Li Qianyuan’s legacy…’

Lu Jiangxian was no longer the novice who had first obtained this item; his expression was solemn as he understood the implication of this golden essence.

‘If the golden essence in the Sun-Seeing Ring belongs to Li Qianyuan, then it is undoubtedly one of Emperor Wei’s contingency plans!’

The fact that this item had fallen into his hands, and that the current Li family was even considered to be of Emperor Wei’s bloodline, undoubtedly indicated an extraordinary relationship between the two parties, leaving Lu Jiangxian in silent contemplation.

After an unknown passage of time, he finally concentrated his gaze, looking into the mirror.

The immeasurable Great Void was dark, but as he focused his gaze, the void gradually faded, and this dim, lightless scene began to reflect a brilliant, all-encompassing yellow radiance that shone brightly.

In the distance, a Dharma Body sat upright.

This body towered into the clouds, its entire form an earthy yellow. Its lower half was submerged in the soil, growing from the earth’s veins, while behind it, rings of rainbow light radiated like halos, as vast as mountains, almost a barrier isolating heaven and earth. Infinite radiance emanated from its body, swirling around its sides like rolling smoke.

His eyes appeared obscure within the layers of clouds, his pupils pure black circles, so dim they showed no trace of light. Yet, from them, nine colorful rays of light materialized and spread across the ground.

This colossal Dharma Body sat quietly cross-legged amidst the world, positioned directly on the Luoxia Plain. The famed thousand-mile fertile plain entirely encircled its smooth belly. Its body was slightly bent forward, with its two hands placed on either side in front: one rested upon Caishan (Timber Mountain), and the other upon Xiaoshi Mountain (Small Chamber Mountain).

And Tangdao Mountain, the stronghold of all cultivators, was nestled precisely within its embrace!

This Dharma body was both terrifying and eerie, like a gluttonous child clutching half a watermelon, gazing intently and unwilling to let it go.

From beginning to end, all the cultivators from north and south—be it Kui Qi, Li Ximing, Ting Lan, Che Hong, or Helian Wujiang—were engaged in battle right under its watchful eye and within its grasp!

Lu Jiangxian watched cautiously, not revealing himself in the Great Void, and secretly calculated:

‘It resembles a True Monarch of Earth Virtue, but not one who has attained a true Fruit position… it should be a remnant position of a certain Wutu path.’

Given that the Luoxia Wuguang Path holds both the position of "rosy glow" and the position of "Wutu" (Yang Earth), it was clear that this True Monarch had descended from Mount Luoxia specifically to visit Luoxia.

‘What is this for...’

With a True Monarch standing guard, regardless of how intense the battle became, the spiritual energy and earth veins of the various regions would undoubtedly remain unharmed. But surely, for such a matter alone, a True Monarch wouldn’t need to be present in person?

‘I wonder who they’re waiting for; it’s truly impenetrable.’

He gravely shifted his gaze, fixing it on the table before him.

On the white jade-like platform lay a short, entirely silver sword, its hilt an inch long, resting flat beside his hand. The cold snow falling from the sky drifted onto the blade, only to quickly slide off.

For a long time, Lu Jiangxian had been unable to interact with the outside world, limited to exchanging goods only through Lunar-aligned spiritual items. Now, with the enrichment of the 'Sun and Moon Shining Together' realm, he could genuinely create items beyond those aligned with the Lunar essence!

This Witch Sword before him was precisely the masterpiece of his witchcraft and Dao cultivation!

‘In the end, I must attempt to protect this pawn, Chi Buzai. Whether I succeed or not, I cannot expose myself… This sword is the key!’

In the Lunar Mansion.

Upon hearing his triumphant tone, Chi Buzai felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured over him. He sighed:

“You’re quite pleased with yourself! There’s still no news from above, yet the days are rapidly drawing closer. This time, they sent up a Buddhist cultivator; where will we find one next time?”

Usually, such a scolding, coupled with a dash of anxiety, would instantly sour Dang Jiang's mood, making him frown, ponder aimlessly, and chatter nervously. But this time was different; the fellow merely sneered and replied:

“Who do you think I am? You exert your labor, I exert my mind; how can we be on the same level? I’ve already taken care of everything!”

“Oh?”

Chi Buzai was momentarily surprised, then immediately suspected he was boasting, and asked with amusement:

“What do you mean?”

Dang Jiang laughed:

“Come with me quickly! Immortal Maiden Shaohui instructed me long ago… Once you succeed and ascend from the lower realm, she invites you to meet her!”

“Alright!”

Chi Buzai was instantly overjoyed. While other matters might be boasts, meeting a superior could certainly not be faked. He immediately followed Dang Jiang out with a joyful heart, and again saw the two maidservants at the palace entrance.

The one holding the pipa still held her instrument, while the maid who had previously held a bamboo basket now carried a jade plate. Inside lay wisps and strands of something like white cotton, about a finger’s length, emitting a faint glow.

Remembering the lesson from the Moon Laurel Golden Branch, Chi Buzai’s eyes burned with eagerness, making Dang Jiang’s hair stand on end. He immediately tugged Chi Buzai’s sleeve and whispered:

“You haven’t even paid back the last one yet!”

Chi Buzai silently shook his head, and as he followed Dang Jiang out, he secretly whispered:

“It’s right that it’s not fully paid back! What did you think that was? In heaven, they simply call it the Moon Laurel Golden Branch, but to those Pure One Dao fellows, it’s known as the Profound Dan Lunar White Moon Laurel Branch!”

Having learned the name from the Pure One Dao, he knew it was an extraordinary item. Many spiritual artifacts are recorded in various ancient Daoist texts, but only those who specialize in that particular path can correctly identify which name corresponds. Now, he slightly narrowed his eyes and reminded Dang Jiang:

“This item sounds somewhat familiar to me; do you know anything about it?”

Dang Jiang shook his head:

“I’m from how many years ago? I know nothing of the sort!”

Seeing that he offered no information, Chi Buzai said with some doubt:

“I hadn’t thought about it before, but this time, when I go out, I must investigate it thoroughly.”

As the two walked together through the corridor, Chi Buzai, with his keen observation skills, immediately noticed that the number of people seemed to have diminished. He whispered:

“What’s going on?”

Only after Chi Buzai’s prompt did Dang Jiang react, secretly startled, and shook his head in silence. The side pavilion was suddenly before them, leaving no time for further questions. Chi Buzai could only steel himself and push the door open.

The pavilion was much more cluttered than before, with many maidservants bustling about. The two made their way to the highest floor, where they found the immortal maiden in tea-white robes seated at a table, intently focused on a scroll before her.

“Your humble cultivator greets Immortal Maiden!”

The two bowed reverently beside her. Shaohui immediately looked up and forced a smile:

“Ah, so it’s you… Rest assured, the reason I called you here this time is good news.”

Chi Buzai quickly came forward to express his gratitude, noting that the immortal maiden above was uncharacteristically courteous towards him:

“Do you remember that secluded place you found last time? Perhaps you could tell me about it?”

As it concerned his own life-or-death arrangements, how could Chi Buzai possibly forget? He spoke respectfully:

“Reporting, Honored One, that place is within an immortal formation, topped by the Mystic Light of Golden Crow Transmutation. An Honored One personally stated back then that even a True Monarch could neither see it nor enter it, making it an excellent refuge and hiding spot!”

“Oh…”

Shaohui said softly:

“You are quite clever. The Mystic Light of Golden Crow Transmutation is the supreme and most profound light of the sun, and that location is quite crucial. The jade stele there is even more significant. The Honored One in the mansion specifically sought me out to credit you with a great merit!”

Upon hearing this, Chi Buzai instantly understood why he had been summoned this time; all of Dang Jiang’s prior words were pure bluster. Knowing his temperament, Chi Buzai didn’t mind at all and, overjoyed, replied:

“Thank you, Honored One! It was all due to your guidance; how could it be considered my merit?”

Shaohui, however, had little mind for pleasantries and, without engaging his words further, merely shook her head:

“What you said is true; that place is indeed a realm inaccessible even to True Monarchs. Since such a location exists, I will not go back on my original promise to you. I have already found what you seek.”

She took a small box from her sleeve, gently lifted it, and placed it on the table. A maidservant immediately approached, carefully taking the box to carry it away.

Chi Buzai’s heart fluttered at her words, and his face displayed profound ecstatic gratitude as he repeatedly offered thanks. Only after the box was placed in his hands did Shaohui speak again:

“Inside are two items.”

“First, there is the ‘Morning Rain Clear Cloud Art’.”

At these words, half of Chi Buzai's anxiety subsided. He listened as the female cultivator continued:

“I requested an Immortal General to modify the ‘Qingyun Art of Dao Inquiry’ from the treasury, a technique by Zhaohanyu. By incorporating some essence of ‘Green Water,’ it has been transformed into the current ‘Morning Rain Clear Cloud Art.’ In your lower realm, it might be considered an ancient method and not particularly powerful, but I specifically sought the Honored One’s permission, and it is now usable.”

Chi Buzai sighed:

“Compiling Purple Mansion cultivation methods is something only great divine abilities or grand cultivators can accomplish, let alone traversing such a rugged, unconventional path. To successfully cultivate such a method is already miraculous; your humble cultivator is utterly prostrate in admiration. How can one even speak of its power or lack thereof…”

Shaohui smiled:

“You’re right. The main point is this ‘Green Water’ essence. To a Purple Mansion cultivator, it might seem quite promising, but in the eyes of a True Monarch… they would see it as a dead-end path to achieving the Mansion through Green Water.”

Chi Buzai nodded hastily. Despite his heart throbbing with anticipation and excitement, he respectfully held the box, remaining motionless until the other party had finished speaking. Shaohui continued:

“There is also one more item: the ‘Borrowing World Restraining Heart Witchcraft’.”

“Please, Honored One, elaborate!”

Chi Buzai immediately lowered his head, watching as Shaohui softly instructed:

“Bring the item.”

A person then came up carrying a jade plate, on which lay a short sword. It was only palm-length, entirely silver-white, with a one-inch hilt. It emitted no conspicuous radiance; its light was restrained, flowing subtly across the blade.

“This is the Dao Xu Yin Soul Profound Blade.”

Chi Buzai’s fervent gaze swept over the blade, yet he detected not the slightest aura from the treasure before him. Though light seemed to flow across it, its appearance was remarkably plain, save for the occasional flash of silver that hinted at its profound nature.

“This item perfectly complements the ‘Borrowing World Restraining Heart Witchcraft.’ All the profound wonders you seek, this art can fulfill, one by one!”

Shaohui’s tone was calm, yet her words were incredible:

“I understand your intentions. The ‘Borrowing World Restraining Heart Witchcraft’ is a profound and wondrous soul technique that can erase memories and store them elsewhere. And the Dao Xu Yin Soul Profound Blade is a mystical treasure capable of storing these excised memories within the sword itself—even memories from the heavens.”

Chi Buzai slightly narrowed his eyes, his understanding clear. He exchanged a glance with the woman above him, then immediately bowed and whispered:

“Honored One, you are truly wise…”

‘The Dao Xu Yin Soul Profound Blade… excellent… excellent… And an immortal formation. Now everything is complete!’

Who was Chi Buzai? At this moment, he had meticulously unraveled all the causes and effects, devising his foolproof method:

‘By hiding the Dao Xu Yin Soul Profound Blade within that immortal formation, I only need to leave a small clue to ensure that, when making my final decision, I can meet certain individuals whose actions cannot be predicted. If I receive a hint to enter the formation just once, I can retrieve it!’

Furthermore, if he were to seek a hint from someone, it would similarly not remain in his memory. Even if a Green Water master were to examine his soul, there would still be no trace. As a Grand Master of the Purple Mansion, he had access to, and needed to interact with, far too many people.

Not to mention anyone else, he wouldn't even need to deliberately visit Penglai; simply meeting Puyu would be enough for him to confidently leave linguistic hints for his future self, then calmly forget them.

His thoughts churned incessantly. In a corner unseen by anyone else, the white-robed man sat within the pavilion, quietly observing him.

‘For intelligent individuals, there’s no need for excessive explanation; simply giving them the item is sufficient…’

The blade of this sword was forged from Lunar spiritual objects and Lesser Yin divine abilities, enhanced with various witchcraft enchantments to grant it the miraculous ability to evade all detection and calculation, as well as the divine power to cleanse souls. Furthermore, he had long ago placed the soul of Peacock Compassion within it.

All of this merely served as a vessel; the most crucial component was a talisman seed carried by the peacock’s soul!

This was also the origin of the sword’s miraculous ability to evade all detection and calculation. Rather than merely being a short sword, it was more accurately the reincarnation of that demonic entity, taking the sword’s divine abilities as its body, gaining a soul, and receiving a talisman seed! Naturally, it was beyond investigation and calculation!

‘In this way, with a mere thought, this sword will instantly vanish without a trace, carried by the talisman seed back into the mirror… leaving no evidence!’

The principle for storing memories was similar: Lu Jiangxian had no metal or stone artifacts for crafting, and absolutely could not leave any traces. Heavenly matters could not be recorded on any jade slips, nor could Chi Buzai split his soul. However, he could entrust memories to the soul within the sword, thereby gaining the so-called ability to carry memories. Should there be any possibility of exposure, Lu Jiangxian would merely summon a thought, and the sword would vanish without a trace!

And this soul, precisely because it was bound by the talisman, was beyond detection and even calculation!