This was Li Xuanfeng’s first time traversing the great void and it wasn’t as smooth as he had imagined. He could feel the flow of currents that were sometimes rapid and sometimes calm. There were even elevated areas that required them to climb upward.
Standing in this place where neither sky nor earth could be seen, Li Xuanfeng quietly thought, It is said that the great void is closely tied to spiritual energy. Perhaps the differing spiritual energies of various regions affect how one travels through it…
Though he was lost in thought, he did not miss a word of the two Daoist Masters’ conversation. Yuan Su spoke little, and had no intention of making a breakthrough. He was mostly observing for the sake of it.
Daoist Master Pu Yu, on the other hand, was in high spirits and said with a smile, “Senior Yuan Su, I do have a question I’d like to ask.”
Yuan Su turned his gaze toward him, signaling him to speak. Daoist Master Pu Yu furrowed his brow and asked softly, “The three sects and seven gates within Yue State of the mainland… most of them belong to the Dao lineage of Green Pine Temple, correct?”
Yuan Su nodded and said softly, “Correct. Most trace their roots back to the six disciples of Chongming Hall of Green Pine Temple. Their Dao lineages are all connected and they generally get along quite well.”
Daoist Master Pu Yu clearly already knew this and said with a nod, “I’ve traveled frequently across the four seas since achieving the Purple Mansion Realm, but strangely enough, I’ve never once met Daoist Master Shangyuan. I’ve only heard that he rarely shows his true face, so it’s difficult to gather information about him.”
He paused briefly and then asked softly, “If you ask me, the Golden Core Realm cultivators of the mainland don’t bear any real grudges, some even share friendly ties. If Shangyuan has broken through, so be it… he may not even be aligned with True Monarch Taiyue. Why must they block each other like this?
“The Immortal Dao is already in decline. If another cultivator ascends to the Golden Core Fruition Attainment, it would inspire the whole realm and revive the Dao lineages. With two True Monarchs guarding the northern front, wouldn’t that be a fine thing? Why stir such conflict… only to let the Dragon Clan and Buddhist cultivators profit?”
Daoist Master Pu Yu hesitated for a moment, seemingly cautious. He drew a small, exquisite pearl from his sleeve, which lay quietly in his palm. It radiated a faint purple mist that enveloped the three of them. At last, he spoke, “Are two Golden Core Realm cultivators truly going to come to blows over a junior’s breakthrough?”
Yuan Su paused slightly. No one in the mainland dared speak such words. He merely replied, “Perhaps not just two.”
Daoist Master Pu Yu was puzzled, but Yuan Su sighed lightly and finally replied, “Daoist Master Shangyuan is exceptionally upright and he cultivates the Jade True Dao lineage, a lineage that once belonged to the Moonlight Origin Mansion. That Fruition Attainment was once occupied by someone of the Immortal Mansion.
“The True Monarchs are all cautious. They likely suspect that Fruition Attainment holds hidden dangers. Even ordinary cultivators would fear ascending to such a Fruition Attainment, let alone someone like Shangyuan, with his temperament.”
Daoist Master Pu Yu fell silent in thought, and Yuan Su continued in a low voice, “When the master left the house, the mischievous children banded together and turned everything upside down. Only the eldest son, who had once been beaten harshly, remained obedient and dared not act.
“But as time passed, the eldest son reached a bottleneck in cultivation. He began to recall the elder’s kindness, hoping to call them back. After playing the obedient child for so many years, he expected a reward. But if the master had perished outside… wouldn’t all his efforts become a joke?”
Daoist Master Pu Yu listened to these words and remained silent for over ten seconds, his eyes lowered. After a long pause, he finally spoke softly, “A True Monarch already attains longevity. To have that Fruition Attainment means resisting a hundred cycles of reincarnation. For you to say an immortal perished and vanished just like that… I can’t bring myself to believe it. Who would dare believe it?”
Yuan Su’s lips curled into a cold smile, and he said, “These past few hundred years, it’s always those who believed first who rose first. The six disciples of Chongming Hall were indeed at their peak but even among them, the unbelievers still perished. As for people like me, who still refuse to believe… we can only slowly die of old age.”
Daoist Master Pu Yu said nothing, lost in thought. Time flowed swiftly in the great void. After some time, he finally spoke gently, “We’ve arrived at the Northern Sea.”
The surrounding blackness gradually faded, giving way to streaks of gray and white. Colors returned, and a piercing cold wind rushed toward them, carrying dense flakes of snow.
Li Xuanfeng looked up and saw nothing but white in all directions. In the distance stretched endless snowy ice mountains. It was a scene of frozen peaks and snowy clouds. A few white eagles circled above the glaciers as snowflakes drifted down.
“This is the Northern Sea…” muttered Li Xuanfeng.
The icy wind, laced with snow, struck Li Xuanfeng’s armor with a crisp clinking sound. He casually used mana to block it, as Pu Yu's laughter echoed nearby, “Looks like everyone’s here!”
Li Xuanfeng looked up and saw multicolored lights appearing in the sky. Those were marks of the identities of Purple Mansion Realm cultivators. He slowly lowered his gaze. Beside him, Yuan Su’s expression remained mild as he turned and spoke quietly, “These Daoist Masters will be discussing important matters within the great void, it wouldn’t be convenient to bring you along. Ride the wind down below; a local sect will receive you. I’ll return in three days.”
Li Xuanfeng nodded in response and rode the golden wind down from the clouds. As expected, he saw a white-robed cultivator approaching with a respectful and courteous expression. The man said, “I am a disciple of the Beihuan Sect of the Northern Sea. May I ask the senior to come with me?”
Li Xuanfeng nodded and followed. The disciple took one look at Li Xuanfeng who was clad in weathered golden armor, an astonishingly shaped longbow slung across his back and those sharp eagle-like eyes. It made him grew inwardly wary, He must be a cultivator who’s lingered in Foundation Establishment Realm for a long time. His body radiates Pure Qi, not like a devil cultivator… but with that killing aura, he’s not someone to provoke lightly.
After composing himself slightly, he immediately asked, “May I ask which state and sect the senior hails from? Which Purple Mansion Realm cultivator are you accompanying? I humbly request your name.”
The man was very respectful. Li Xuanfeng, unsure of the rank of this immortal sect, answered softly, “Azure Pond Sect. Li Xuanfeng. I came with Daoist Master Yuan Su.”
No wonder! So he’s from the Qingchi Devil Sect. The man murmured inwardly, then led him through the icy peaks. Many figures were already seated cross-legged atop the mountain. Ahead stood a white-robed cultivator, calm in expression, who cupped his hands and said, “Xie Zhanchang of Beihuan. Greetings, fellow Daoist.”
He was at the late stage of Foundation Establishment Realm. He was carrying a long spear on his back and appeared quite capable. Li Xuanfeng exchanged a few words with him, stated his identity, then didn’t chat further and quietly found a place to sit.
No sooner had Li Xuanfeng sat down than someone approached slowly. Frowning, he looked over and saw a man with delicate brows and large eyes, exuding elegance and calm. The man stopped in front of him, adjusted his sleeves, and said warmly, “Greetings, Daoist Xuanfeng.”
“And you are…?” asked Li Xuanfeng, raising an eyebrow slightly.
The young man was proper and polite. He smiled gently and said courteously, “I am… Dongfang Heyun.”