Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
In the depths of the Futu Ridge, the overwhelming Dragon Vein Imperial Qi clung to our skin like boiling water, burning away impurities within our bodies and continuously impacting our Meridians.
Both Yunxi and I couldn't help but frown, as the intensity of the Dragon Vein Imperial Qi was so strong that it caused a stinging pain in our Meridians.
A nation's Dragon Vein governs the emperor's fortune, and wherever it flows, the mountains and rivers come alive with spirit.
The original intention of sealing the White Snake within the Dragon Vein was to kill it. With its demon body encountering the righteous energy of the earth, it would surely be slain. However, nourished by the Pure Yang Blood of the Three Thousand Young Boys and Girls, the blood sacrifice allowed the White Snake to survive within the Dragon Vein. After six hundred years, not only did it not perish, but it instead became a Great Demon.
Now, with the entire Dragon Vein excavated by us, the Dragon Vein Imperial Qi surged forth, making it unbearable. The pain was excruciating.
I noticed a sudden crack appear on Yunxi's arm; she immediately wanted to give up and fly to shore. I grabbed her and said, "Hold on! The Dragon Vein Imperial Qi is a rare opportunity; once missed, it will be hard to find again. Use Tai Xu Ling to protect yourself."
Yunxi's face was drenched in sweat, her complexion pale. She nodded slightly as Tai Xu Ling formed a barrier around her, slowing down the influx of Dragon Vein Imperial Qi into her body.
My physical body had already reached the Holy Body level, so I was not affected as severely as Yunxi.
The Purple Qi was hazy, with clouds swirling and mist rising. As my pores opened up, the Dragon Vein Imperial Qi surged into my body even more violently, flowing through my limbs and major Meridians. It entered my Qi Sea, causing turbulent waves that became dense and heavy.
Above my Qi Sea sat a golden figure in a meditative pose, seemingly sensing the imperial energy. It opened its eyes, radiating dazzling golden light as it opened its mouth wide and began to inhale deeply.
The imperial energy from the vast Qi Sea coiled upward and was entirely absorbed by the golden figure. Though its size was modest, it quickly drained my Qi Sea dry. The external Dragon Vein Imperial Qi seemed stimulated and surged into my body even more frantically, causing me to tremble uncontrollably as if being struck by a waterfall.
I saw the Dragon Vein Imperial Qi rushing in from all directions. Yunxi opened her eyes with concern and asked me, "Are you okay like this?"
"I should be fine," I replied softly.
The Dragon Vein Imperial Qi within Futu Ridge was being drawn out from veins formed over tens of thousands of years, continuously attracting more energy.
Meanwhile, a beast frolicked within my Qi Sea, swimming like a frog one moment and gliding like a butterfly past me the next, looking utterly enchanted.
As the Dragon Vein Imperial Qi surged into my body faster and faster, the beast swam forward but found itself moving backward instead. It opened its eyes to look at me, glancing around as the Imperial Qi Sea continued to descend. Then it began to point at me, chattering away in distress.
The Dragon Vein Imperial Qi grew increasingly thin, and the beast let out a heart-wrenching cry, nearly fainting. It leaped onto my head, tugging at my hair, trying to make me leave. It seemed to sense that absorbing the Dragon Vein Imperial Qi was not my intention. Suddenly, it burrowed into my body, attempting to interrupt the actions of the golden figure.
With a thud, the beast was kicked out by the golden figure. The beast jumped up and summoned the Holy Herb Garden from within my Qi Sea. The Holy Medicine inside the Holy Herb Garden also sensed the Dragon Vein Imperial Qi and began to absorb it, albeit at a painfully slow rate—so slow it was almost negligible.
In a panic, the beast stood in the Holy Herb Garden and howled as if performing some kind of ritual. Then it took a deep breath, its chest swelling enormously. The Dragon Vein Imperial Qi poured into its belly like a flood breaking through a dam—one minute, ten minutes, an hour—until the Dragon Vein Imperial Qi thinned out, and the surrounding veins became like cracked limestone. Even the molten lava at the bottom turned hard. The boiling Dragon Vein Imperial Qi was completely absorbed.
Yunxi and I entered a peculiar state. In my meditative haze, I saw myself soaring above the clouds and glimpsed a beam of light.
Until blinding golden light coalesced into a golden figure. The figure's state was unstable; it flickered in and out of existence, appearing in pain. Between its hands appeared a fruit radiating with seven colors of light. The fruit resembled an exquisitely carved sphere covered in runes that emitted an unusual fragrance, subtly protected by some kind of power.
Yunxi opened her eyes and said, "This Dragon Vein Imperial Qi is indeed domineering. I have already reached the Dao Fruit Realm, and my Dao Qi is incredibly pure, as if it can surpass all Spirit Energy."
"I have also reached the Dao Fruit Realm," I replied as I opened my eyes to show Yunxi the golden figure within me.
A look of surprise crossed Yunxi's face as she said, "Dao Fruits are rare. In the early days of Daoist Sect formation, some individuals with exceptional talent or unique constitutions would give birth to Dao Fruits. However, Dao Fruits are not particularly useful for oneself; instead, they attract others' covetousness and can lead to deadly troubles. Thus, during the era when Saints rose thousands of years ago, some Saints and Dao Sovereigns believed this was a punishment for cultivators—leading them to kill one another. They did not know what method could change this flaw of Dao Fruit Realm; after that, it became rare to see Dao Fruits being born."
I nodded and said, "I have also read about Dao Fruits in ancient texts. Senior Sister Yu is a powerful figure in the Dao Fruit Realm; her talent is average so she probably hasn’t given birth to a Dao Fruit. Otherwise, we could ask her what role Dao Fruits play. My parents are in the Mahayana Realm; they likely haven’t given birth to a Dao Fruit either."
Yunxi replied, "Dao Fruits are special. Some are Divine Abilities; others are seeds mixed with various Cultivation Methods or even human medicines. Records about Dao Fruits were destroyed by ancient sages. But why is your Nascent Soul in this state?"
At that moment, the golden figure flickered in and out of existence while holding the Dao Fruit, seemingly in great pain as it emitted cries like that of a child.
Suddenly, my Meridians reversed flow; my Dao Qi dissipated, leaving my body feeling incredibly weak.
"What’s wrong with you?" Yunxi exclaimed in alarm.
I looked at my trembling hands, the skin dry and yellowed, as if it had lost all moisture and vitality.
"Why is this happening?" Fear gripped my heart as I suddenly recalled what Guo Daozhen had warned me about before.
In ancient times, there were unparalleled talents who sought to disperse the Three Souls and Seven Spirits to comprehend the Way of Power, hoping to attain the supreme Divine Ability and carve out a unique path. Yet, in the end, they all died in regret, with none surviving. Guo Daozhen had advised me not to attempt such things lightly, to proceed step by step, or else I might face death and destruction.
"It's the transformation of the Dao," Yunxi said anxiously. "Why is this happening? Only those nearing their hundredth year would undergo such a transformation. How could you be experiencing it?"
An elderly Taoist nearing a century of age could not withstand the ravages of time; their body would deteriorate further, and their power would return to nature, leading to the dispersal of Dao Qi. This was the transformation of the Dao.
"It's backlash from the Dao. Have I violated its rules, leading to my demise?" My voice was weak. Back then, I had been forced into suicide on Mount Hua and had taken a desperate gamble by trying this ancient method of cultivation, unknowingly laying down hidden dangers.
"Yang Hao, don't scare me! How could this happen? Why is this happening?" Yunxi helped me up from where I had fallen, her face pale with fear.
I felt myself aging, my body deteriorating. I grasped Yunxi's hand and said, "I have the Renewal of Withered Trees protecting me; I won't be harmed..."
My consciousness began to blur, and Yunxi's figure became indistinct. I vaguely heard her crying as she said, "I won't let you die."
Taoist cultivation is fraught with difficulties; one misstep can lead to death and destruction. Throughout history, many extraordinary talents gained fame in their youth but often faded away like fleeting flowers. Some were assassinated; others fell into madness during seclusion; some perished when their meridians were ruptured by Spirit Energy while seeking rare materials. There were also those who sought an unusual path by creating their own Cultivation Method, only to have their meridians flow backward and die from transformation.
I possessed the Martial Dao Classic and had read countless ancient texts, gaining insights into human relationships. Though I wished to create my own Cultivation Method, I feared making mistakes; my power was not very high, so I had never dared to try. Yet ultimately, I had violated the rules; my Nascent Soul was too unique and must have attracted some unseen rule that imposed punishment upon me.
Everyone desires to alter their fate; everyone wishes for immortality and longevity equal to that of the earth. Throughout history, aside from the mythological tales crafted by people, those who truly existed all met their ends in regret.
In a void of darkness, I lost consciousness. There was no light or sound.
I did not know how much time passed until I finally opened my eyes.
It felt as if I had awakened from a long slumber, but not from the veins of the Dragon Vein; instead, I found myself at home.
A blanket covered me, and my mouth was dry and cracked. I struggled to rise from the bed, my legs feeling weak as if I had been gravely ill.
I stepped out of the main room, where heavy snow was falling, blanketing the yard in a layer of white. Yunxi stood on the roof, gazing at the desolation of Bright Moon Village, her long hair cascading down to her waist. Upon hearing the crunch of snow underfoot, she turned to look at me, her eyes red and puffy as she rushed toward me.
"What happened to me? Why is it snowing?" I asked, holding onto Yunxi.
"You've been unconscious for three months. I thought I would never see you again," Yunxi replied.
"Me too," I said weakly. "But I'm back now; it won't take my life away."
Yunxi nodded. "You should sit inside for a while. I'll go make you something to eat."
"Okay," I responded, allowing Yunxi to help me into the house.
As Yunxi turned to head into the kitchen, I realized how much she must have suffered while taking care of me over these past three months. I walked over to the mirror in the wardrobe and looked at my reflection. My skin was pale and dehydrated; my once strong and robust body had become alarmingly thin. My hands were wrinkled, resembling those of an elderly person.
"The Dao restrictions are incredibly strong; they nearly destroyed me," I murmured.
I focused inward on my Qi Sea. On the calm surface of the Qi Sea, the golden figure was covered in cracks, like a statue of Buddha marred by scars, yet the Dao Fruit in its hand still radiated a brilliant light.
After a while, Yunxi braved the heavy snowfall and brought me a bowl of hot noodle soup. I smiled and said, "Yunxi, you're just as good as my mother."
"You haven't eaten anything for months and you're still joking around. Hurry up and eat," she urged.
After finishing Yunxi's noodles, I felt some strength returning to me. With her support, I stepped out into the yard.
I gazed at the vast expanse of snow covering Futu Ridge and said, "It's good to be alive."
We walked through Futu Ridge and Bright Moon Solitary Village, enveloped in a unique tranquility. Even years later, I vaguely remembered that it was Yunxi's unwavering support that helped me endure my punishment.
At night, while Yunxi was asleep, I used the Zhou Compass to reflect on the events of the past three months. After she carried me home from outside, she sought out several elderly traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. After examining me, they all shook their heads and knelt before Yunxi, pleading to be allowed to leave. They seemed frightened of her and reluctant to stay in Bright Moon Village, especially since Futu Ridge had become a ghostly ridge that no one dared to enter.
In the following days, I grew increasingly weak in Light Shadow. My skin aged rapidly, and Yunxi brought in more Taoist practitioners. They probed my body with Dao Qi but also shook their heads in despair.
Finally, one White-Haired Elder spoke up, saying, "Yunxi, although Old Man is from Qingfeng Mountain and a healer, I must be frank: the Way of Power is a rule that cannot be reversed."
Yunxi replied, "His father is Yang Sanqian, and his mother is Yaochi Saintess Jiyao; both are experts of the Mahayana Realm. They..."
"They can't do anything either," the White-Haired Elder interjected. "Yunxi, Divine Hero's power is unparalleled, and Yaochi Saintess might also be a Divine Healer. But the rules of the Dao are not an illness; even with Holy Medicine, there’s nothing that can be done. Even if the Supreme were to come personally, it would be futile. The Supreme may have reached the Tribulation Realm, but they too will age; isn't that so?"
Yunxi remained silent as the White-Haired Elder bowed to her and turned to leave.
Comment 0 Comment Count