After concluding his business in Yuancandle Hall, Jiang Yi was directed to a ditation House in the Lower Courtyard to rest. Tomorrow, he would perform the ceremony of "Paying Respects to the Three Masters and Receiving the True Teachings."
Only after this set of rituals was complete could he proceed to the Eight Peaks and formally take up residence in the Everbright Heaven Pool.
"The rules of the Ancestral Sects are so tedious. We in the Demon Dao have already streamlined things considerably. The Immortal Dao is the real pain. Just setting up the Life Lamp Ceremony takes a full forty-nine days..."
The Artifact Spirit of the Great Kui Xuan Drum chattered endlessly.
Jiang Yi frowned slightly, wondering if he was mistaken. ’This "old senior" seems much more enthusiastic than before, quite eager to answer my questions.’
He turned to look at Xiaoqiao, who was standing beside him looking smug, as if she had accomplished sothing incredible and was waiting for praise. He couldn’t help but smile.
"Thank you, Master Xiaoqiao."
Xiaoqiao bead.
"That Everbright Heaven Pool was a renowned place even in ancient tis. It once served as a True Monarch’s Dao field and hosted several ’Supre-Grade Pill Assemblies.’
Once you receive all the boons that co with being the Daoist, you can’t just kick out."
Jiang Yi smiled faintly and cupped his hands.
"How could I commit such a flagrantly disrespectful act? If Master Xiaoqiao is willing, then when I one day ascend to the rank of True Monarch and take my place as Daoist, the Everbright Heaven Pool can very well be part of the ’betrothal gift’."
Xiaoqiao’s jade-like earlobes flushed slightly red, and she grew a little annoyed.
"You... you have no filter!"
With that, she huffed indignantly, rose to her feet, and fled back to her room.
True Master Xuanmiao poked his cat head out and extended a paw.
"Xiao Jiang, Xiao Jiang! This True Master wants to live in the Everbright Heaven Pool too!"
Jiang Yi gently stroked the soft cat ears and nodded.
"There’s a spot for Cat Master, too."
The Innate Sect ruled the Nanzhan Continent, so it naturally possessed nurous Spirit Caves and abundant Spiritual Energy, incomparable to a barren place like Beimang Ridge.
In particular, the eight giant peaks, which were modeled after the Innate trigrams and resembled a minor realm of their own, inhaled and exhaled a truly oceanic and inexhaustible amount of Spiritual Truth Qi at every mont.
But the Daoist’s residence, the Everbright Heaven Pool, was like the crown prince’s Eastern Palace and a cut above even that. It had reached the absolute apex of gathering Spiritual Essence in the Yanfu Vast Land.
Even a mortal who stayed there for a long ti would have their flesh and blood cleansed, their body lightened and strengthened, and their life extended, granting great longevity.
For Cultivators, the benefits were even more endless. Not only did it enhance their Dao Wisdom and boost their rit, but it could also silently nurture their foundational constitution, adding a fifteen percent or so chance of a successful Foundation Establishnt.
"The Everbright Heaven Pool is indeed a fine place."
The Artifact Spirit of the Great Kui Xuan Drum didn’t miss any opportunity to explain things to Jiang Yi. It set down the eight-foot-tall bronze drum, which weighed as much as a great mountain, and said slowly:
"Ancestral Sects have always been extrely particular about the location of their main gates, all of which have undergone a recreation of earth, wind, water, and fire, filled with countless Spirit Veins, earth veins, and qi veins.
The Everbright Heaven Pool is the ’hub.’ Compared to the grotto-heavens of the Eight Peaks, it possesses an additional miraculous quality: ’connecting to the Dharma realm and reaching up to the Qingming.’
If the Daoist can truly secure his footing and occupy this supre-grade treasured land, even the Elders of the upper halls will have to co seeking favors from you in the future."
Jiang Yi gently shook his head. The pie-in-the-sky promises made by the Upper Cultivators were never so easily obtained.
It was only his first day back at the sect, and he had already been given a show of force at Jieyun Hall. It was most likely the descendants or disciples of the Eight Monarchs testing the waters, probing his temperant.
"A general’s sword doesn’t swat at flies."
Jiang Yi lowered his head, deep in thought.
’It’s not that I lack the ans to subdue a Foundation Establishnt True Master, or even contend with a True Monarch. It’s just that using them rashly would be needlessly revealing my hand.’
He knew that countless pairs of eyes in the Innate Sect were watching him, eager to see how this new Daoist would make an example of soone.
After a mont of contemplation, Jiang Yi asked softly:
"Senior, what kind of person is He Shouzheng from Jieyun Hall?"
Seeing that Xiaoqiao was gone, the Artifact Spirit of the Great Kui Xuan Drum had been about to slack off. But then it had another thought: the Everbright Heaven Pool was such a treasured place that it rarely had a chance to get close to it.
If it could latch onto Daoist Jiang’s coattails and build so rapport, wouldn’t it be able to "visit" often in the future?
"Jieyun Hall has no significant backing, and He Shouzheng is just a Qi Cultivation Twelfth Layer cultivator whose path to advancent has been severed.
He condensed a Fifth Grade True Qi, which is neither high nor low, so his chances of reaching the Flying Foundation Establishnt Realm are practically zero. That’s why he took on the leisurely post of director of Jieyun Hall."
The Artifact Spirit of the Great Kui Xuan Drum chuckled.
"And that’s precisely why he was unlucky enough to be used as a pawn to test the waters."
"So that’s how it is. Thank you for clearing that up, Senior."
A look of understanding flashed in Jiang Yi’s eyes. ’This was done so I couldn’t follow the clues back to the source and use it as a pretext to make trouble.’
As the Daoist, if he were to punish him according to the sect’s rules, it would be more than enough for He Shouzheng to face dire consequences. It wouldn’t even be difficult to have him stripped of his position at Jieyun Hall and expelled from the sect.
But doing so would undoubtedly be making a mountain out of a molehill. It would be beneath his station. How could taking his anger out on a Qi Cultivation Twelfth Layer cultivator whose path forward was cut off possibly demonstrate the might of the Daoist?
’I need so fool who’s not too bright but has a bit of a background to make an example of with my sword.’
Jiang Yi’s gaze shifted slightly. Logically, as a Son of Fate, anyone who got too deeply involved with him was bound to be affected.
Just like Xuan Chanzi, wherever he went, rivers of blood flowed and slaughter was incessant.
This was known as "Tribulation Qi clouding the mind and deranging the spirit."
’Unfortunately, the disciples of the Ancestral Sects are more or less on their guard. They all have related Magical Artifacts to block the invasion of Tribulation Qi, so few fall for it.’
Jiang Yi reined in his thoughts. Since he had just entered the Innate Sect, there was no need to rush to establish his dominance.
As long as he sat securely in the Everbright Heaven Pool, the longer he waited, soone else would inevitably lose their patience first.
Dismissing these stray thoughts, Jiang Yi closed his eyes and sat in ditation. His breathing gradually slowed and softened, as if he weren’t there at all.
The Artifact Spirit of the Great Kui Xuan Drum nodded slightly.
’Putting all else aside, this Daoist’s temperant is first-rate. He’s not arrogant or impetuous, and he has patience.
He was given the cold shoulder at Jieyun Hall and then shown great reverence at Yuancandle Hall. Despite the huge difference, his state of mind didn’t fluctuate at all.’
The night passed in silence as his rit grew.
As the first light of dawn broke and the sky brightened, the bright, candle-fla-like light drifting between Jiang Yi’s lips and nose gradually faded, condensing into the color of a rosy dawn before sinking into his Inner Mansion’s Celestial Cave, which was already eighty to ninety percent full.
Ever since Patriarch Mingxuan had personally refined that Foundation Establishnt Pill for him, expanding his foundation and reserves to an unimaginable degree, his Qi Cultivation practice had changed.
Ordinary Cultivators only needed to accumulate drops of flowing, embryonic Spiritual Liquid, and success would co naturally.
He, however, had to amass a vast sea of Primordial Essence rit just to advance to the next level.
’Fortunately, the Patriarch didn’t deliberately make things difficult. While he greatly increased my ’appetite,’ he also gave a ’mountain of rice and flour’ that I could never finish.’
Jiang Yi slowly exhaled a long breath. True Qi surged through his limbs and bones, roiling and churning like a vast ocean being poured out, causing seas to boil and rivers to overturn, nearly blowing the roof off the ditation House.
The Artifact Spirit of the Great Kui Xuan Drum was so startled it shot up, thinking a wind calamity had struck.
The old man with snow-white hair and beard stared blankly at the youth in the Daoist Robe.
"What a formidable foundation! Sigh, that Ning kid was the sa way. His foundation in the Qi Cultivation Realm far surpassed his peers. In ordinary Magical Combat, he always overwheld his opponents with sheer presence..."
Jiang Yi took another deep breath, swallowing the dissipating Spiritual Energy. A thunderous roar echoed from within him, as if water and fire were clashing and wind and clouds were raging. It could be heard clearly from miles away.
’The Tenth Layer is within reach, but I’ll need to think carefully about how to condense the Innate Qi.’
Jiang Yi opened his eyes, ceasing the tremors. The transition from motion to stillness fully displayed his profound Cultivation.
He reckoned that with the Celestial Book in hand, it wouldn’t be difficult to deduce the most suitable supre-grade True Qi for himself; he just didn’t know how long it would take.
"Cat Master."
Jiang Yi picked up True Master Xuanmiao, who had also been awakened by the noise, and stepped out of the ditation House.
The Artifact Spirit of the Great Kui Xuan Drum followed closely behind. When it saw Xiaoqiao erge, it hastily raised its voice.
"Daoist! You are different from other disciples. You must choose Three Masters. One is the ’Guide Master,’ to lead you past the Eight Peaks, to the Patriarchal Hall, and to your residence in the Everbright Heaven Pool.
One is the ’Registry Master,’ to assess your rits and derits, assist your entry into the Dao, aid your cultivation, and protect your life.
And one is the ’Scripture Master,’ to transmit the classics, expound upon True Skills, and help you avoid demonic hindrances... We must prioritize choosing the ’Scripture Master’!
As for the ’Guide Master’ and ’Registry Master,’ we can take our ti finding them!"
Jiang Yi was thoughtful. This was rather like how a crown prince in the mortal world was often assigned a "Grand Tutor," a "Grand Preceptor," and a "Grand Protector."
The importance the Ancestral Sect placed on its Daoist was truly demonstrated in every single aspect.
The Artifact Spirit of the Great Kui Xuan Drum’s voice was booming, as if it feared Jiang Yi wouldn’t hear clearly.
"Not only can the Daoist pay respect to the Three Masters, but you can also choose Three Scriptures. Later, when the Daoist goes to the ’Hall of ritorious Records,’ you must make this clear to the director. Don’t let your eyes be dazzled by the ’Nine Great True Skills and Twenty-Eight thods’!"
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