The mont the Black Sheathed Ancient Sword sprang to life, the five Daoist Monarchs Beyond the Qingming focused their gazes, their expressions growing a little more solemn.
Daoist Monarch Tongzhen Xuan’an of the Formless Sect looked down. "A Slaying Sword from the Sword Discourse Pavilion?"
Daoist Monarch Fuji Shenhai of the Transcendent Dust Sect nodded. "The killing power of the Sword Dao is truly supre. Its reputation is well-deserved; it can even sever Profound Thunder."
These nine bolts of Profound Thunder originated from the Great Orthodox Five Thunders of the Thunder Core, imbued with the vast power to command the heavens and chastise the Dao.
A Cultivator at the Twelfth Layer of Qi Cultivation would have to condense superior True Qi and nurture a Magical Profound Light just to resist one or two of those bolts.
The mont the ninth bolt of Profound Thunder crashed down, the Slaying Sword "Daoxuan" shot from its sheath, directly severing the connection of the Qi chanism between the Thunder Core’s gateway and the world.
Even a True Monarch would frown with apprehension upon witnessing such extre killing power.
"Slaying Swords have always been this unreasonable."
The Primordial Chaos Sect was fad for its Magical Combat, so upon seeing the Slaying Sword drawn, Daoist Monarch Qiting Doukui’s interest was instantly piqued.
"All living beings, even those who cultivate to the level of a True Monarch and ascend to the Golden Position, ultimately prioritize their Life Essence above all else. But a Slaying Sword can annihilate spiritual consciousness and slaughter one’s true nature, striking directly at the very foundation of one’s existence.
However, I recall the Sword Discourse Pavilion closed its gates long ago; it exists in na only now.
There should be fewer than ten Slaying Swords left in all of Yanfu. So where did this one co from?"
This was sothing Daoist Monarch Qiting Doukui could have discovered with a simple divination, yet he deliberately chose to ask aloud.
What he really wanted to ask was, ’Which Great Power’s hand is behind this?’
A single Slaying Sword is enough to suppress an Ancestral Sect’s fortune for a thousand years, sothing even a True Monarch must treat with the utmost gravity. How could one possibly fall into the hands of a re Qi Cultivation Lower Cultivator for no reason?
The kindly old woman in worn clothes, leaning on a staff, slowly began to explain:
"Daoist Doukui, there is sothing you may not know. The karmic entanglents borne by this new lord of Shao Yang run even deeper than those of Xuan Chanzi from the Zhongyi Sect.
Originally, True Monarch Tao of the Taifu Sect made the first move, intending for Xuan Chanzi to inherit the Yang Qi Taiyin Heaven. But sothing went awry, an unexpected variable arose, and this boy with the surna Jiang ended up forming a bond with that cat."
Daoist Monarch Fuji Shenhai, who had the appearance of an ancient man, pondered for a mont before realization dawned.
"The Dao Inheritance of the Zhongyi Sect is the *Shao Yang Li Yuan Xianchen Scripture*. Combined with Xuan Chanzi’s special status, it was indeed possible to compel Shao Yang to bestow its favor.
I have long heard that True Monarch Tao of the Taifu Sect bears the title ’Heavenly Calculator,’ having mastered the Imperial Dou Shu and grasped the essence of the Four Transformations. Seeing it firsthand, her thods are truly remarkable."
In matters of divination and Dou Shu deduction, Lower Cultivators are naturally far inferior to Upper Cultivators.
To earn praise directly from a Daoist Monarch showed that True Monarch Tao of the Taifu Sect, the one secretly moving the pieces of this grand design, was indeed exceptionally skilled.
"Could it be that this Jiang boy is truly the one ant to be the ’variable’? From what I can see, his foundation is diocre, yet he still managed to ruin True Monarch Tao’s sche?"
Daoist Monarch Qiting Doukui roared with laughter, apparently delighted to see these "mystics" who played with karma and pulled the strings of heavenly secrets get thwarted.
The more exalted the Daoist Lineage, the more old schers there are, dangling bait on their hooks and digging pits for others to fall into.
Especially those True Monarchs from the Ancestral Sects who specialize in arts like Dou Shu prognostication, Divine Nurology fate-casting, the Great Expansion Divination, and the astrology of the Seven Luminaries and Four Eclipses. They are the most tireso of all.
"Who can say? Now that he has the attention and favor of Shao Yang, even we would find it difficult to get a clear reading on him."
Daoist Monarch Fuji Shenhai shook his head with a smile. The karmic threads of a Fate Shuzi are endless. Unless one expends Great Magical Power to trace their history back through the dust of ages, it’s nearly impossible to determine their true origins.
"True Monarch Tao’s thods with the Four Transformations, to put it plainly, are nothing more than guiding events to her advantage. Xuan Chanzi had no affinity with the Yang Qi Taiyin Heaven, so replacing him didn’t affect the overall situation. This is why Fu Lizi descended the mountain to initiate the affair concerning Fengdu."
The kindly old woman in worn clothes, leaning on a staff, explained with unhurried clarity.
Of the five Daoist Monarchs present, only she was an unaffiliated cultivator, which made her the most suitable person to explain the matter clearly.
"As for the Zhao You Sect and the Ten Thousand Beasts Scripture, those were rely convenient side moves and hardly worth ntioning. It’s just that at every critical juncture, this Jiang boy caused True Monarch Tao’s carefully placed pieces to shift.
First was when he took the Six Dings Fire from the Kitchen God Temple and forged a ’Saint King’ fate. Second was his choice of Qiao Yu from the Sword Discourse Pavilion, and with her, the Profound Law Nvqing True Monarch of Fengdu. And third is now, revealing to the world that he has attracted the favor of Shao Yang.
According to True Monarch Tao’s calculations, he was supposed to fulfill a Yin-aspected fate, expose his whereabouts, and then Fu Lizi would have guided him to the Taifu Sect to be carefully cultivated as an assistant for Zhang Yuansheng..."
At this, the gray-robed Daoist couldn’t help but snort coldly and cut in:
"Using Shao Yang to elevate Divine Qi? Your Daoist certainly puts on a grand show! Aren’t you afraid his destiny will shatter from the strain?"
The kindly old woman in worn clothes placated him with a smile:
"Daoist Mingxuan, calm yourself. Speaking purely in terms of the Great Dao, Yanfu is supposed to have Twelve Qi. As it stands, only the Five Qi have been proven, which is why its station is inferior to that of Yin and Yang.
If one uses the Ghost Dao as a foundation, then rges it with Shao Yang to establish the Divine Qi, that Golden Position will be immovable. It would indeed be an opportunity to challenge Tai Yang."
The gray-robed Daoist remained noncommittal, his tone impassive:
"Then we shall see whose Daoist ultimately cos out on top."
Daoist Monarch Tongzhen Xuan’an of the Formless Sect stepped in to diate:
"According to Nine Spirits Brahmanic Daoist Monarch, this Jiang boy now has the attention of Shao Yang and is also entangled with the Ghost Dao and the Sword Dao.
With his connection to Profound Law Nvqing True Monarch and his acquisition of a Slaying Sword, he has indeed reached a level close to that of a Daoist."
This middle-aged scholar gave an easygoing smile and produced an object.
"Daoist Mingxuan, I’d like to place a wager as well. What do you say?"
The gray-robed Daoist fixed his gaze upon it. It was a barnacle the size of his palm, its surface gleaming with a gentle luster like polished purple clay. Inside, approximately thirty-six wisps of pure Spiritual Qi swirled like smoke and rosy clouds, coiled and condensed without dispersing.
"This is True Qi of the Qian Heaven, and its number matches that of the Heavenly Spirits. Daoist Xuan’an, you are most thoughtful."
The gray-robed Daoist solemnly gave a formal Daoist salute.
As the saying goes, while astral qi is infinite, its varieties are finite in number.
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