Gaze after gaze focused on Yuanchu Hall, so from the Lower Courtyard, so from the Eight Peaks, and others from the True Monarchs’ Cave Mansions hanging high in the void.
Standing in the vast sea of lamps, Jiang Yi felt everything clearly. The thread of golden nature fused with his Divine Sense shone with a brilliant light, completely shrouding his fate and Luck.
So Foundation Establishnt True Masters, not knowing their own limits, tried to get a closer look, only to have their Life Essence seared in return.
For a mont, stifled groans of intense pain echoed in unison from the Cave Mansions, private courtyards, and ditation Houses of the Lower Courtyard.
In the Fuyin Estate on Luofeng Mountain, Shao Guansu chuckled.
"Even the True Inheritances dare not gaze directly upon the Daoist, just as a court official cannot look straight at the Crown Prince.
What a bunch of fools who don’t know the rules. Did they eat the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard? To actually think they could probe him!"
This True Master Shao, who looked like a youth in a golden crown, paused for a mont before adding,
"The Daoist is truly extraordinary. To possess a True Monarch’s golden nature while still in the Qi Cultivation Realm... that brilliant primordial radiance must be the Shao Yang, right? What a magnificent presence!"
The tall, thin Daoist sitting across from him lowered his gaze.
"I wonder, after the Daoist has lit his life lamp, who will he choose as his master? Which foundational scripture and which True Skill will he select?"
The various Dao Inheritances within the Daoist Lineage had long been categorized.
Qi Cultivation practitioners train in "Techniques," Foundation Establishnt cultivators study "True Skills," and True Monarchs comprehend "Orthodox Canons."
From highest to lowest, they were divided into nine ranks.
The Innate Sect has reigned for ten thousand years, and the depth of its accumulated heritage is as vast as the boundless ocean.
Among them, there were three "foundational scriptures" that were the most profound and wondrous, capable of revealing the subtle and elucidating the obscure, truly peerless and arcane works.
All were created by the Patriarch, and cultivating them to Perfection could lead to attaining the true fruition, a direct path to becoming a Greatly Virtuous Celestial Lord.
Unless one perford a world-shaking, miraculous service for the Sect, not even the Eight Peaks True Inheritance would be permitted to be taught these three foundational scriptures, let alone read or study them.
Below them were the "Nine Skills," which were the thods the True Inheritance could practice.
Although they too could lead to mastering supre Daoist Techniques, comprehending Life Divine Techniques, and gaining incredible abilities like moving mountains, draining seas, and manipulating creation, they were still a far cry from the three scriptures.
"Even though the Daoist hasn’t officially ascended to his position, he can still reside in the Changming Celestial Pool and choose from among the three masters and three scriptures. This is truly a heaven-sent Opportunity to enter the Dao!"
Shao Guansu sighed softly, a hint of envy appearing in his eyes.
’On the path of Cultivation, technique, companions, wealth, and location are all indispensable.’
Although this Daoist was only at the Qi Cultivation level, he had already obtained the "technique" and the "location."
As long as he could secure his footing in the Innate Sect, he had great hope of ascending to the rank of True Monarch and manifesting a Cave Mansion in the future!
This was an Opportunity that countless True Inheritances of the Ancestral Sect could only dream of!
...
...
"Separate the light and arrange the torches, to open the light of the Three Qis and give birth to the Three Sceneries. Ring the tal and strike the jade, to harmonize Yin and Yang and give birth to the myriad transformations... The ritual is proclaid, the torch receives the origin; this is the Dao of returning to the root and restoring destiny."
Outside Yuanchu Hall, Jiang Yi recited the long passage from the *Golden Talisman Abridged Text* that the steward had given him. Only then did the ceremony for lighting the life lamp conclude.
The vast, sea-like flas of the lamps all bowed in worship. A point of condensed, brilliant light seed to be plucked from them, transforming into a sliver of Ding Fire Spiritual Energy that surged into his Cultivation Furnace.
’Ding Fire in the heavens forms the stars; on the earth it forms lamps and candles... This is "riding the fla qi."’
Jiang Yi circulated his Dao Embryo and refined it in an instant. His flesh and blood beca translucent and sparkling, his bones flowed with light, and his physique rose to another level, as if he possessed the might of a dragon-elephant.
"Tsk, it’s been a long ti since I’ve seen the sight of a Daoist’s life lamp burning eternally."
The Great Kui Profound Drum’s Artifact Spirit, who was observing the ceremony outside the hall, comnted with feeling. It glanced at Qiao Yu; the green-robed young woman’s gaze was fixed on Jiang Yi, lost in a daze.
The white-haired old man carrying the bronze drum coughed twice and asked,
"Miss Qiao, do you happen to know how a Daoist’s life lamp differs from that of other Disciples?"
Qiao Yu nodded.
"The Daoist’s status is noble. His lamp burns eternally, illuminating his destiny and nourishing his Life Essence."
The Great Kui Profound Drum’s Artifact Spirit muttered to itself, ’What is this little girl’s background? Don’t tell she’s a Daoist candidate from one of the Ancestral Sects?’
Refusing to be stumped, it spoke again, pretending to explain:
"The Daoist’s lamp is called the ’rit Lamp’ and is ranked just below the ’Ancestral Lamp’..."
"It illuminates the heavens above and the earths below; in the eight directions and the nine nights, its light is seen everywhere."
Qiao Yu picked up where it left off.
"aning, once this life lamp is lit, not only can it extend and nourish Life Essence, but even if one is trapped in any perilous or deadly place in the Yanfu Vast Land, one will not lose their way or have their sense of direction reversed."
The Great Kui Profound Drum’s Artifact Spirit’s eyes went wide. ’Could this little girl have been a Daoist of an Ancestral Sect before?’
It bared its teeth and said,
"This rit Lamp is no ordinary object, either..."
Qiao Yu tapped her chin gently and said slowly,
"Bronze brilliance, held by gold, intricately carved and inlaid. Jasper forms the cloud-like qi, jade becos the Immortal Spirit. Its fire blazes and burns, forever bright—a wisp of Life Qi is entrusted within, clarifying the body and rectifying the qi. True light shines from within, all spirits beco lucid and clear, to inherit its radiance."
The Great Kui Profound Drum’s Artifact Spirit was dumbfounded, seemingly completely convinced. It asked cautiously,
"Allow this old one to be so bold as to ask, Miss Qiao, which Daoist Lineage’s Direct Lineage do you belong to?"
Qiao Yu giggled, a crafty glint in her eyes.
"Guess?"
These words made the Great Kui Profound Drum’s Artifact Spirit so anxious it felt like a hundred claws were scratching its heart.
It had always been incredibly curious, needing to get to the bottom of everything.
"Miss Qiao, this old one has been in the Innate Sect for several thousand years. Whether it’s the descendants of the Eight Monarchs or the master-disciple lineages, if not knowing them like the back of my hand, I can at least recount them like family treasures."
The Great Kui Profound Drum’s Artifact Spirit hurriedly declared:
"If Daoist Jiang is unclear about any Sect matters, feel free to ask this old one!"
Qiao Yu chuckled softly. ’This little old man is quite amusing, much more entertaining than the "Hanging" Slaying Sword and Grandpa Tao.’
"In that case, give him a proper explanation of the Sect’s situation later. If this young lady is satisfied with what I hear, I’ll tell you my background."
The Great Kui Profound Drum’s Artifact Spirit’s face fell. To think that after living for eight thousand years, it was being manipulated by a little girl.
"These two are the Body and Spirit lamps. They are the main lamps, and also your natal lamps."
When Jiang Yi returned to Yuanchu Hall, the steward patiently explained,
"Below these, another seven sets of lamps will be established, arranged in positions corresponding to Tai Sui, the Great Tomb, the Small Tomb, the Central Courtyard, the Pincer Gate, the Earthly Door, the Eight Directions, and the Center, for a total of one hundred fifty-two lamps.
The ’Lamp Emissaries’ and ’Lamp Attendants’ of Yuanchu Hall will recite divine incantations every day, chanting praises and praying for blessings."
Jiang Yi pondered for a mont. When he first stepped into Yuanchu Hall, he had sensed a Ding Fire Qi chanism from the various functionaries. ’They must be the ones who specialize in "managing the lamps" and "attending the lamps."’
’Having over a hundred Cultivators at the Qi Cultivation Eighth or Ninth Layer attend to my life lamps?’
’Back in the day, that would have been unthinkable!’
’The Daoist truly is the "Crown Prince of the Sect." This level of treatnt is outrageously high!’
"Daoist, please wait a mont."
The steward of Yuanchu Hall gave a Daoist salute and excused himself. He quickly returned, holding a massive, crimson-gold to that felt as heavy as a mountain, and presented it to Jiang Yi.
"Daoist, please inscribe your na in the Golden Book and register your Daoist records."
Jiang Yi focused his gaze, took the short Jade Material knife, and carved his na onto it, followed by his place of origin and his birth details.
With every stroke he made, he felt a fraction of his past karma being washed away. The hundred or so fate lines that were faintly intersecting above his head grew increasingly clear.
"This is the ’Washing Away of Past Dust.’ Once the Daoist inscribes his na in the Golden Book and registers his Daoist records, he will have no more ties with the world outside the mountain.
All past ties with family, friends, loved ones, and companions will be severed."
The steward of Yuanchu Hall bowed with his head lowered.
"From now on, ’Jiang Yi’ is only the Daoist of the Innate Sect, with no other roots."
Jiang Yi’s heart suddenly trembled, as if he had lost sothing, but it quickly stabilized.
’With all the karma and destinies I carry, getting entangled with old acquaintances from the past would probably not be a good thing.
Especially since the Demon Dao and Immortal Dao have no shortage of old schers who love to manipulate karma from the shadows, baiting hooks and fishing for victims.
Using the people around soone as pawns to draw them into a sche is their most common tactic.’
"So be it."
Jiang Yi’s eyelids gently lowered. The myriad doubts in his heart vanished completely, leaving not a single trace of hesitation, as if he had just broken through a barrier.
"Think not of this life or the next; let go of all before birth. Forget coming and going; what concern is life or death?
’From this day forward, there is nothing but the path of Cultivation!’
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