Chapter 655: Visiting a True Monarch

The Six Heart Sect.

Shortly after Wang Ping submitted his formal request to visit, two Third Realm Cultivators who practiced the Essence Wood Technique arrived at the mountain gate. They cautiously invited him to the reception hall of the main palace, where the two of them personally acted as his gatekeepers and Tea Serving Boys.

This time, Wan Zhi Daoist didn’t just send a verbal message. Instead, she personally wrote a reply and had a disciple of the Six Heart Sect deliver it to Wang Ping. The entire process took less than fifteen minutes.

The reply was quite formal, filled with ritualistic, polite greetings. However, it signified that Wang Ping could now interact with Wan Zhi Daoist on equal footing. After reading it, Wang Ping wrote another formal message.

After another fifteen-minute wait, the disciple returned with Wan Zhi Daoist’s reply and said, “Grandmaster says that the True Man is an old friend and there is no need to be so distant by insisting on sending three formal messages. Also, the True Man may fly directly to Heart Inquiry Hall.”

Wang Ping nodded and replied, “Alright!” After reading the message, he walked out of the reception hall. The two Third Realm Cultivators at the door immediately cupped their fists in salute. One of them produced a token and said, “True Man, if you are going to Heart Inquiry Hall, wearing this token will allow you to bypass the sect’s Barrier Formation.”

Yu Lian stretched her neck to look at the token. Then, with a sweep of her tail, she snatched it up, examined it closely for a moment, and tossed it to Wang Ping.

Wang Ping took the token and transformed into a streak of light, ascending into the air. Under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands of Six Heart Sect disciples, he flew toward Heart Inquiry Hall. This was the first time Wang Ping had flown high above the Six Heart Sect; his previous flights had only been just above the ground. The mountain range of the Six Heart Sect was laid out similarly to Qianmu Temple’s, and in an instant, Wang Ping spotted the same Nine Extremes Array.

He then saw the familiar small courtyard. Overlooking it from the sky offered a unique perspective. Yu Lian spoke up, “See that river back there? The fish in it are delicious. I caught quite a few last time while you were in seclusion.”

Wang Ping smiled. The next moment, he dove down abruptly. A streak of light flashed, and he appeared beside the pavilion outside the small courtyard. Although Wan Zhi Daoist had told him he could fly, appearing directly inside someone’s private courtyard would be rather impolite.

This time, Yu Lian didn’t hide in Wang Ping’s sleeve. Her tail coiled around his left arm, and her body rested on his shoulder. As she accompanied Wang Ping to the courtyard gate, she carefully observed Wan Zhi Daoist inside.

“Greetings, Senior!”

Wang Ping cupped his fist in a salute, his attitude as respectful as ever.

Just then, Yu Lian spoke to him through his Spirit Sea. ‘The Earth Spirit inside Wan Zhi is very old. It’s constantly resisting something… something very indistinct. How strange… It’s about to discover me.’

As she finished speaking, she pressed close to Wang Ping’s cheek, as if hiding from something.

Wang Ping’s heart stirred, but he gave no outward sign.

Just then, Wan Zhi Daoist waved her hand. “No need for such formalities. I suppose I have now fulfilled my promise to Xiao Shan, having held on until a successor from the Southern Cultivation Realm could ascend to the Fourth Realm.”

With that, she gestured to Wang Ping. “Let’s dispense with the pleasantries. Follow me. I’ll take you to meet someone. He will be the one to tell you about the responsibilities you must now bear.”

“Then I must trouble you, Senior.”

Wang Ping was still just as courteous.

Wan Zhi said no more, transforming into a streak of light and heading north. Wang Ping immediately followed.

A moment later, the two appeared silently within the borders of Ningzhou Road. They landed deep in a dense forest on the northern face of a steep mountain peak. A small stream flowed here, and beside it stood a small, thatched-roof courtyard.

As he landed near the small courtyard, Wang Ping’s mind suddenly grew hazy. Everything more than a hundred feet away became indistinct. Yu Lian immediately dove into his sleeve, warning him through his Spirit Sea, ‘It’s an illusion. And… the aura here is so familiar, but I can’t remember where I’ve encountered it before.’

“Follow me!”

Wan Zhi Daoist called out a reminder, leading the way toward the gate of the small, thatched cottage.

Wang Ping naturally followed. When he landed, he had subconsciously used his Primordial Spirit to probe the area, but he had detected nothing. He knew then that this place most likely held an existence far beyond his ability to perceive.

When they reached the gate, the haziness in Wang Ping’s mind slowly faded, and everything before him became clear and real. He saw a wooden table in the courtyard. A teapot on it was steaming, and next to the pot sat a Jade Gourd. To the left of the table sat a middle-aged man dressed in the simple, short-hemmed clothes of a commoner.

The man’s hair was jet-black, coiled up with a wooden hairpin. His forehead was gleaming, and his long beard, which fell to his chest, was tied into a single braid—likely to keep it from getting in the way while he worked. At that moment, he was studying a young seedling.

“Wan Zhi of the younger generation greets True Monarch Yuan Wu!”

This man, who looked for all the world like a simple old farmer, was none other than True Monarch Yuan Wu—the very same one worshipped by common folk throughout the land.

His appearance actually matched the descriptions passed down in folklore. In the myths, True Monarch Yuan Wu was the guardian deity of harvests, capable of protecting crops from pests. At the start of each spring, every household would make offerings to him.

Wang Ping was stunned for only a moment before he, too, cupped his fist in a salute. “Changqing of the younger generation greets True Monarch Yuan Wu…” As he bowed, Yu Lian poked out half her head and earnestly bowed as well.

“Ah, you’re here.”

True Monarch Yuan Wu beckoned casually. “Come on in.”

Wan Zhi led the way into the courtyard, stopping about thirty feet from True Monarch Yuan Wu.

Wang Ping did likewise. The moment he stepped into the courtyard, the surrounding scenery changed instantly. The dense forest around the courtyard transformed into several plots of fertile farmland planted with various crops. The small courtyard, once shaded by the trees, was now bathed in brilliant light.

“Your matter can wait. Let me speak with Changqing first.”

True Monarch Yuan Wu stopped Wan Zhi as she was about to speak, then looked at Wang Ping and said, “Wan Zhi has likely told you that ascending to the Fourth Realm means shouldering a certain burden of causality, has she not?”

“Yes,” Wang Ping nodded. He had no intention of shirking his promise.

A flash of green light flickered in True Monarch Yuan Wu’s hand, and the seedling vanished. He then stood up and walked over to the fence, observing the paddy fields in the distance as he spoke.

“There’s no need for you to feel too much pressure. The matter isn’t actually that complicated, and we old fossils aren’t as malicious as you might think. Ascending to the Fourth Realm didn’t use to come with so many conditions. Back then, as long as a spot was open, anyone with the ability could fight for it. But people were quite eager in those days; whenever a spot opened up, it would be claimed in less than a century.”

“However, the lawless conflicts and the brutality of the Demon Race threw the world’s spiritual energy into disarray, which in turn caused chaos in the Inspiration Realm. This chaos was a perfect match for certain contaminations from beyond our world, allowing them to descend upon this plane unnoticed. This put us at a great disadvantage. And so, the history of the Demon Race being driven from the Zhongzhou Continent and the rise of the Human Dao began.”

“The Human Dao has been ascendant for nearly six thousand years. How should I put it… the older generation of Fourth Realm Cultivators are now nearing the end of their lifespans. But human nature is greedy; how could they just sit by and wait for death? Therefore, this matter must be handled by someone. And it is one of the several tasks that you must undertake.”