Chapter 212: Mingyou

After returning to the hall where the Ever-Suppressing Six Harmonies Cauldron was housed, Wang Ping quickly discovered that the Old Emperor had already prepared and delivered everything on the list he had drawn up earlier.

‘The Dashun Imperial Family really does have quite a few good things.’

Wang Ping looked them over. The spiritual materials were divided into two portions: one was a reward for Xuanhe’s help in refining a Grotto-Heaven, and the other was for himself.

After all, he was now a Divine Powers cultivator and similarly possessed the ability to construct a Grotto-Heaven.

‘Compared to other Divine Powers cultivators, my Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart actually possesses a bit of the mystical nature of a Grotto-Heaven itself. I have an advantage in this regard.’

The problem was which type of Grotto-Heaven to refine.

Normally, when refining a Grotto-Heaven, it was best to choose a qi that could augment one's Divine Power. For example, Xuanyin's Corpse Immortal Liberation Cave-Heaven belonged to earthly yin metal.

Xuanyin’s primary Divine Power belonged to heavenly yang water, so his Grotto-Heaven perfectly strengthened it. Heaven and earth aligned, yin and yang generated each other, and metal begot water. This stacking effect drastically elevated his strength, making him an outstanding figure even within the inner sect. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to casually suppress Xuanhe.

For Wang Ping, however, this presented a problem.

‘The Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart belongs to human yang earth. Human qi is not part of the sequence of heaven and earth, nor does it have generation and restriction relations... Therefore, no Grotto-Heaven can provide it with any augmentation.’

This put him in a very awkward position.

The most important mystical function of a Grotto-Heaven was to augment Divine Powers and amplify cultivation. Yet, this completely failed to apply to Wang Ping, which was undoubtedly a miserable realization.

‘I could settle for the next best option. My magical power belongs to the Hidden Dragon Meridian-Circulating Nether-Penetrating Qi, which is earthly yin water. If I were to refine a Grotto-Heaven of heavenly yang metal, it would at least augment my magical power. While not as good as augmenting a Divine Power, it would still be acceptable. It’s better than nothing.’

‘Or, I could focus entirely on the Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart.’

As mentioned before, this Divine Power already possessed a fraction of a Grotto-Heaven's mystical nature. This was solely because it was tied to reality, requiring the assistance of numerous city gods across the mortal realm.

‘In other words, I actually already possess a minor Grotto-Heaven right now, and that is the Great Shun Capital with its dense forest of city gods. It can augment my Divine Power.’

‘Since that's the case...’

Wang Ping gently tapped his fingertips against the Ever-Suppressing Six Harmonies Cauldron beside him. The cauldron seemed quite comfortable with his tapping, vibrating faintly as if in response.

“...Lord Treasure Cauldron,” Wang Ping suddenly spoke up.

“Hmm?”

After pondering for a long time, Wang Ping finally voiced the thought in his mind, “What do you say if I use the Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart to find a way to refine the Eight Trigrams Furnace?”

“What!?”

“A mere Great Shun Capital allowed me to master this Divine Power. What if I were to gather the entirety of Great Shun, and even the lands beyond the seas, sweeping up the four corners of the world?”

Wang Ping began to sketch out his grand blueprint. “In the end, could I use the Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart to trace out a miniature Eight Trigrams Furnace? If that's possible, then the Eight Trigrams Furnace would become my Grotto-Heaven. If I then used it to augment my Divine Power, to what level would its might be elevated?”

Just thinking about it made Wang Ping excited.

However, the Treasure Cauldron Spirit quickly poured a bucket of cold water on him: “Don't be too confident. Those people up in the heavens are very wicked. They won't let you do that.”

“Not necessarily.”

Wang Ping naturally knew this was just fantasy for now, but was it truly hopeless? If he became a Furnace-Tending Disciple, he might actually be able to pull it off!

“Of course, it's still too early to talk about this now.”

Putting everything else aside, the Dashun Imperial Family was a massive problem in itself. Without the Old Emperor's cooperation, attempting to construct City God Temples everywhere across Great Shun would be practically impossible.

And the Old Emperor's attitude ultimately depended on that Dashun Taizu.

A Corpse Dissolution Immortal.

This was yet another monumental obstacle.

‘If only I could move him aside and drive him out of the Eight Trigrams Furnace... I just wonder, what role is he playing in Kunyun's current life tribulation?’

Wang Ping hadn't forgotten that a true transmission disciple's life tribulation didn't just endanger the disciple themselves; even the Qi Refining practitioner backing them could potentially end up buried alongside them!

If that was the case even for a Qi Refining practitioner...

Then what about a Corpse Dissolution Immortal?

At this thought, Wang Ping gently stroked the Treasure Cauldron. As he listened to the Treasure Cauldron Spirit humming by his ear, his eyes shifted, seemingly deliberating over something.

...

The waters were divided into black and white; the lake harbored the sun and the moon.

On Bliss Immortal Peak, almost no one would approach this particular secret realm. Simply because this was the dao arena of a Qi Refining practitioner, ordinary disciples would give the area a wide berth.

Today, however, a figure came speeding over. Upon nearing Sun and Moon Lake, the person intentionally lowered their flying light and entered the area on foot.

It was none other than Kunyun!

The true transmission disciple of the Immortal Gate staggered as he walked. With every step, it felt as though another massive mountain pressed down upon him, and even breathing grew strenuous.

This was only to be expected. Because Sun and Moon Lake was a Qi Refining practitioner's dao arena, its spiritual qi environment had long been adjusted into a state suitable for a Qi Refining practitioner's cultivation. To a Tribulation Transcending cultivator, such an environment was highly toxic. Let alone walking, even drawing a breath was a severe ordeal.

As the old saying went, dragons do not dwell with snakes.

Why was it that despite the Immortal Gate being so massive, one never saw Qi Refining practitioners walking everywhere, and Tribulation Transcending cultivators only ever saw other Tribulation Transcending cultivators? It was because the two groups didn't even share the same living environment.

Fundamentally, they were not even species on the same level.

Taking it to a further extreme, even a true transmission disciple, if they failed to become a Qi Refining practitioner, might only ever see a single Qi Refining practitioner in their entire life—their own master!

“Hoo... hah...”

Kunyun inhaled deeply and exhaled heavily. With every breath he took, the boiling spiritual qi felt like razor blades slicing through his throat and tearing at his magical body.

After walking like this for a long time, Kunyun finally saw the black-and-white lake in the distance. However, with his level of cultivation, advancing any further was simply impossible.

Realizing this, he came to a halt. Mustering up all his spirit, essence, and energy, he called out softly, “Senior Mingyou!”

Kunyun's voice was not loud; it could even be called feeble. After all, within this practically lethal spiritual qi environment, he simply didn't have the capability to speak loudly.

After speaking, he stood silently in place.

He knew that the moment he called out the name Mingyou, the great cultivator within the lake—whose immortal lifespan was nearing its end—would inevitably sense it and turn his attention toward him.

What happened next depended entirely on whether the other party was willing to meet him.

Kunyun struggled to support himself, but drawing breath steadily became harder and harder. The razor blades gradually turned into burning coals, beginning to sear his magical body from the inside out.

Finally, a breeze swept past.

In an instant, all the discomfort and hardship were blown away by the wind. The spiritual qi environment plummeted back down to a level suited for a Tribulation Transcending cultivator, and Kunyun let out a sudden, massive breath.

The sensation was like a drowning man finally breaking the surface of the water to inhale his first gulp of air. For a moment, Kunyun breathed in almost greedily.

It took a moment before he regained his bearings.

“Disciple Kunyun pays his respects to Great Cultivator Mingyou!”

With a thump, Kunyun dropped to one knee on the spot without the slightest hesitation. He didn't dare raise his head; out of the corner of his eye, he only caught sight of a pair of cloud-treading boots.

“Rise.”

A calm voice drifted down.

Only then did Kunyun lift his head to look, finding that the figure standing before him was actually a young Daoist priest wearing black-and-white robes, donning a Fish-Tail Crown, and holding a Whisk in hand.

At first glance, the young Daoist's entire body brimmed with surging vitality. Yet, the faint touch of white at his temples still betrayed the reality that his lifespan was drawing to a close.

“What do you want?”

The young Daoist spoke again, his words clear and impactful. His voice rose and fell in a rhythmic cadence, much like the flickering of a lamp, as his bright golden eyes scrutinized Kunyun from top to bottom.

“To answer Your Excellency.”

Kunyun didn't waste time on pleasantries, getting straight to the point. “This disciple has come to deliver a warning. The true transmission disciple under your authority, Junior Sister You Xuexin, has already fallen victim to the poisonous hands of the Brahma Nation.”

“I checked the Comprehensive Records of Arrayed Immortals. Junior Sister You is now a protector wisdom consort of the Brahma Nation. A spy from the Brahma Nation infiltrated the Eight Trigrams Furnace, connected with Junior Sister You through Xuanhe—an inner sect disciple under your jurisdiction—and then secretly harmed her. Now, she has even become an accomplice to the Heaven-Stealing Thief!”

Kunyun played his trump card.

For a time, the sound of the wind vanished, and the sound of the water faded away. Heaven and earth returned to utter tranquility. It was only after a long while that a faint, airy voice drifted down from above Kunyun's head.

“You want me to help you cross your life tribulation.”

After a brief silence, it seemed Mingyou had already deduced the entire sequence of cause and effect.

“The Brahma Nation wants to kill you, and that person from the Gongshun Grotto-Heaven also wants to kill you. One is an Ascetic Monk; the other is a Corpse Dissolution Immortal. Your master can block one of them for you at best.”

“You want me to make a move?”

“Your Excellency sees clearly.”

Kunyun lowered his head and continued, “My master will naturally step in to block the Brahma Nation side. I request that Your Excellency intercept the one from the Gongshun Grotto-Heaven on my behalf.”

“And why should I help you?” Mingyou's tone remained perfectly calm. “Xuexin being refined into a protector wisdom consort by Brahma Cultivators is indeed a disgrace. However, she was dragged into your life tribulation. If I don't wish to taint myself with this karma, I could simply wait until your life tribulation ends before stepping in to clean house.”

“You expect me to act based on this piece of news alone?”

“How could this disciple dare harbor such wishful thinking?”

Kunyun exhaled heavily, seemingly having made up his mind. He stated in a deep voice, “As long as Your Excellency is willing to step in and assist me, I can re-refine a lifespan-extending magical treasure for you.”

“The Longevity Rivaling Heaven Gourd.”

“Last time, Your Excellency intended to use the lingering fortune of the Great Rebellion to repair this treasure in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, but it was ruined by the Heaven-Stealing Thief, resulting in absolutely nothing.”

“This treasure originated from the Divine Weapon Courtyard, and this disciple also knows how to refine it... The lingering fortune of the Great Rebellion can no longer be obtained, but using the fortune of Great Shun will achieve the same result. If the quality is lacking, we can make up for it with quantity. As for the inevitable reprimand from the Immortal Prescription Courtyard afterward, this disciple is willing to bear the full brunt of it alone so as not to put Your Excellency in a difficult position.”

This was Kunyun's true bargaining chip.

Hearing these words, Mingyou's eyes finally showed a slight fluctuation. After all, to him, no benefit in the world was as important as extending his own lifespan.

By speaking these words, Kunyun was truly risking it all.

Because the fortune of Great Shun was actually something that could not be lightly touched. It was said to involve another massive secret. But things having reached this point, Kunyun could no longer afford to care about such things.

Becoming a Qi Refining practitioner came first!

Once he became a Qi Refining practitioner, no matter how great the trouble, he could always find a way to deal with it. But if he failed to become a Qi Refining practitioner, what did it matter to him if a monstrous flood wiped out the world after his death?

After saying his piece, Kunyun fell silent.

‘He will help me.’

Destiny was fair. Since he had two Qi Refining Tier enemies, it stood to reason that there should also be two potential Qi Refining Tier helpers.

There was no mistaking it!

Finally, after an unknown amount of time, Mingyou's voice drifted down once more. It still bore no trace of emotion, feeling like a block of ancient, unmeltable ice.

“I will intercept the one from the Gongshun Grotto-Heaven for you.”

“Many thanks, Your Excellency!”

Kunyun kowtowed once more, but he did not turn to leave. Instead, he continued in a low voice, “This disciple... has one more question. I wonder if Your Excellency might clear up this confusion for me.”

“Speak.” Mingyou gave a slight nod.

“This disciple wishes to ask about... the Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart, and the True Person connected to this Major Divine Ability!”