Chapter 1, the junior disciple of the Yunmeng Heavenly Palace
Mu Yinghua waved her hand to lift the restrictions of the formation, and the heavy palace doors slowly opened. Accompanied by the pleasant sound of jingling bells, the noble and radiant Xue Bingxuan gracefully walked in, approaching to pay her respects and greet. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Qin Muling, feeling slightly surprised, yet she did not take the initiative to inquire.
Opposite her sat a young man, whose appearance rendered even the most brilliant stars dim in comparison. His features resembled a sculpture crafted by a master artisan, with heroic sword-like eyebrows, a straight nose, bright eyes that shone like stars, and fair skin that displayed soft lines while still embodying a masculine beauty.
Qin Muling glanced back at her; the newly arrived woman had a tall and alluring figure, even taller than her own, exuding a powerful presence. Her dark, beautiful eyes were filled with a breathtaking allure.
The master and disciple deliberated for more than half an hour, thoroughly discussing various details, including the unusual occurrences at the mountain gate. Mu Yinghua immediately issued a gag order, strictly prohibiting all disciples from discussing this matter, with severe penalties for violators
Mu Yinghua's soft and melodious voice was neither hurried nor slow: "... As a teacher, I am quite busy with my affairs, so I will not have much time to personally instruct you. Therefore, the responsibility of taking care of you will fall to your senior sister. She will guide you in your cultivation from now on. Whatever your needs may be, you can simply approach her and speak up."
In the depths of Xue Bingxuan's heart, a faint sigh escapes. It is said that in a distant era, difficult to verify, this world was an inseparable, vast, and boundless continent, filled with extraordinary beauty and magnificent landscapes. Legendary treasures of heaven and earth were abundant, and countless powerful and rare birds and beasts roamed freely, with unparalleled talents emerging one after another. It was an era of golden age belonging to the civilization of immortals, one that words cannot adequately describe.
The young Qin Mu Ling's dark and deep eyes were filled with tranquility, remaining silent, as if he had not yet fully adapted to his current situation
Mu Yinghua finally spoke, offering careful instructions once more, before gracefully departing
The communication array at the entrance of the secret hall emitted a faint glow, and the voice of Senior Sister Xue Bingxuan resonated.
Qin Muling nodded in agreement: "Everything is up to the arrangements of the Master."
Xue Bingxuan inquired delicately about the matter concerning the library, as it was of great significance. Even if the decision was made personally by the Supreme Leader, without very sufficient reasons, it would be difficult to convince the higher-ups of the sect.
The contemporary leader of the Yunmeng Heavenly Palace, Supreme Master Mu Yinghua, sits majestically on a cloud bed, exuding an imposing aura. Her figure is shrouded in brilliant rosy light, surrounded by swirling clouds, making her features indistinct and elusive.
There is no need to worry about this matter
Above the vast and profound sky, a golden star streaks across at a dazzling speed, leaving behind a long and bright trail
At this moment, deep within his sea of consciousness, a seed, ancient and colorful, faintly exuding an aura of chaos, was suspended and slowly rotating. On its surface, countless primitive and rugged patterns of the Dao could be vaguely seen, appearing as if they were naturally formed. Unintentionally, wisps of azure and purple energy would emanate from the surface of the seed, occasionally accompanied by mysterious, profound, and inexplicable rhythms of the Dao that silently merged with him.
What? This ... ...
... ...
Inside the carriage, a tall and noble woman sits gracefully behind exquisite beaded curtains. Her figure is voluptuous and enchanting, with an extraordinary demeanor. Her skin is as smooth as snow, delicate to the touch, and her jet-black hair, like ink, shines in harmony with the pearls, enhancing her alluring charm. Her dark, beautiful eyes are as clear as water, presenting a uniquely breathtaking beauty.
In the secret chamber
In a previous life, I was gravely ill and bedridden, yet my soul was fortunate enough to traverse time and space to arrive in this unfamiliar vast world. Perhaps it is all due to His influence. It seems that the mysterious fate in the unseen has not been unkind to me, as I am able to embark on a brand new life in such a manner
Xue Bingxuan's lips parted slightly, her beautiful eyes filled with an expression of disbelief
Her ability to find Qin Muling was also due to a fortunate coincidence, and she paid a great price for it. Of course, there is no need to mention this to outsiders; it is enough for her to be aware of it in her heart
In the countless land masses of the void, the vast majority are desolate and lifeless wastelands. Only on a small number of land masses that are sufficiently large and have relatively stable trajectories can a more stable atmospheric protective layer form, allowing the surface environment of these land masses to meet the needs for the reproduction and survival of various living beings
The snow-white ice and delicate brows furrowed slightly, hesitating for a few moments. Remembering that the master was still waiting, she had no choice but to temporarily extinguish all her thoughts and hurriedly turned to leave.
Yunmeng Tiangong is a purely female sect, which has been passed down from the distant era of its founding patriarch to the present day, having experienced hundreds of generations of leaders. The disciples within the sect are all women, and there has never been a precedent for admitting male disciples. Yet now, is it to change because of this mysterious young man before us? What kind of background does he have that warrants our master disregarding the sect's rules to make such an extraordinary decision? Is it to change because of this mysterious young man before us? What kind of background does he have that warrants our master disregarding the sect's rules to make such an extraordinary decision?
... ... Hmm, could it be that something has happened within the sect? Otherwise, the Master would not easily activate this highest level of alarm to summon us. It is truly strange; I have not heard of any significant events occurring recently within or outside the sect.
Outside the protective mountain array, nourished by the overflowing spiritual energy of the earth's veins, there exist vast oases, plains, lakes, and rivers, with numerous cities and towns nestled within, teeming with human activity
In this era of resource scarcity, where the entire vast world of time and space is struggling to revive, nearly all sects and prominent families are in a similar situation
Come in and speak
In the vast and boundless starry sky, there are countless floating landmasses, numbering in the thousands, as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges. The largest landmass spans several tens of millions of miles, while the smallest measures only a few dozen miles, merely qualifying as large stones drifting in the void
As for guiding Qin Muling in his cultivation, this is a matter of course. It is a common practice among various Daoist sects in this world that when the sect leader is reluctant to manage affairs, it is normal for their direct disciples to assist in handling daily mundane tasks or to teach on behalf of their master.
Just a few days ago, while she was traveling and exploring a certain ancient cave of immortals, she received an urgent summons from her master. Not daring to delay, she immediately set aside everything and hurried back.
Several hours later, a magnificent carriage swiftly approached a gray-black landmass spanning over 100,000 square miles, effortlessly crossing a large portion of the land to arrive in the southwestern region. A pale blue barrier resembling glass, covering over 1,000 square miles, appeared in view, within which could be clearly seen hundreds of mountains of varying sizes, each beautiful and full of spiritual energy. Numerous exquisitely crafted pavilions, palaces, and temples were distributed in an orderly manner among the peaks.
As the view draws closer, there is a dazzling golden radiance with a diameter of several dozen zhang, enveloping a magnificently ornate carriage of peculiar design. It tears through the vast clouds in the sky with a grand and resplendent momentum, racing like the wind and lightning, and in an instant, it is already hundreds of miles away.
This is a relatively important branch of the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, and it is also the place where Xue Bingxuan and several other close junior sisters usually engage in their spiritual cultivation.
However, in just a moment, the entire expanse of land had vanished behind me. In fact, it was a vast landmass spanning tens of thousands of miles, and the edges of this landmass were fragmented and uneven, not resembling a formation through natural evolution, but rather appearing to have been forcefully torn apart and shattered by some terrifying and immense power
The master did not beat around the bush, pointing a jade finger at Qin Muling, and instructed Xue Bingxuan in an undeniable tone: "From now on, he is my newly accepted closed-door disciple, your junior brother, and his status within the sect is equivalent to yours. The task of teaching him cultivation will be entrusted to you."
Upon seeing the carriage of the senior sister, the numerous low-ranking disciples and Daoist guards stationed at the square dared not to obstruct her, and they all hurriedly bowed and greeted her. Xue Bingxuan simply nodded in acknowledgment, gracefully descended from the carriage, and swiftly made her way towards the main hall.
The chariot raced swiftly through the sky, leaving behind a fiery tail stretching hundreds of zhang. Above was the dark and vast expanse of the deep void, while beneath, the grayish earth could be faintly seen rapidly receding, lifeless and dull, with occasional glimpses of scattered oasis cities flashing by.
Your background is too extraordinary; remember not to mention it to anyone. From now on, your identity will be that of my direct disciple. How does that sound?" Mu Yinghua concluded.
Within the vast sect's dojo, exclamations arose one after another, stirring nearly all the elders and disciples. However, the celestial phenomenon appeared without any warning and vanished just as swiftly, lasting only a little over ten breaths before fading into silence, as if everything that had transpired earlier was merely an illusion.
Xue Bingxuan said nothing further. As the most favored and trusted direct disciple of the Master, and the future leader, her position and interests were inherently aligned with those of the Master. Since Mu Yinghua dared to make such a resolute decision, there must be a reason behind it
Xue Bingxuan, a standout among the new generation disciples of Yunmeng Tiangong, was chosen by the Supreme Master at a young age and personally taught under his guidance. With a cautious and steady temperament, yet possessing remarkable decisiveness and valor, she has achieved exceptional mastery in her cultivation. Her innate talent surpasses that of all her contemporaries among the core disciples, and having made numerous contributions of varying significance, she has become a strong contender for the position of the next generation's leader.
The protective mountain formation drew closer. As the young girl driving the carriage skillfully executed several spiritual incantations, a portal silently opened in the formation's light barrier. The carriage surged straight into it, accompanied by a rumbling thunder, gradually slowing down until it finally landed smoothly in the square in front of the main hall of the sect.
Mu Yinghua smiled nonchalantly: "When they eventually learn of the arrangements made by their teacher, they will only raise both hands in agreement, with absolutely no objections!"
In the secret hall, shrouded by layers of formations in the back mountain area of the sect
Xue Bingxuan gently stroked a small blood-red communication jade talisman hidden in her sleeve, her beautiful eyes filled with a serious expression, her delicate brows slightly furrowed. After a moment of silently calculating with the secret technique of heavenly secrets, the feedback she received was nothing but chaos and confusion, with not a shred of useful information.
Well... alright!
The sphere of influence controlled by the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace is quite vast, and naturally, it encompasses more than just this one blessed land. However, due to the limitations in the scale of the spiritual veins and resource output here, it cannot accommodate too many disciples for their cultivation needs. Therefore, the higher-ups of the sect can only disperse the numerous disciples for placement. There are several hundred other similar-sized temples, branch halls, and secret realms, all located on different void land masses.
... ... it is unknown when this world, the vast universe, and the boundless starry sky will be able to restore the grandeur of the immortal path of the past
... it is settled. I still need to return to the sect's stronghold to discuss matters with the elders. For now, Mu Ling will be entrusted to you. In the future, all his needs will be met according to the standards for core disciples of the sect ...
Unfortunately, such a good situation did not last long. It is unclear when it began, but one round after another of calamities and tribulations descended in succession. Countless bloody battles ensued, with many powerful beings competing to take action. The galaxy was overturned, and countless stars fell like rain. The continent was shattered, and the blood of billions of living beings stained the starry sky, ultimately leading to the end of this era of flourishing immortal paths.
Qin Muling is now aware that this is a type of innate primordial spiritual root born from the chaotic void. However, when she consciously attempts to communicate with it, she rarely receives a response, perhaps because she is still too weak at present
The current cultivation civilization is merely a struggling resurgence and re-emergence of a marginal force on the ruins of the old era. In terms of the inheritance of cultivation techniques, the resources of spiritual energy, the treasures of heaven and earth, and even the exceptional talents suitable for cultivation, it can no longer be compared to that brilliant and glorious age.
Outside, as Xue Bingxuan had just stepped onto the stairs, she felt a sense of something profound. Suddenly, she raised her delicate head and beheld the skies above the sect transforming with swirling winds and clouds. A magnificent rainbow spanned the horizon, while boundless purple energy and golden mist cascaded down like the Milky Way. Azure auspicious clouds enveloped the scene, with glimmers of golden light flickering upon them, conjuring countless ethereal visions of splendid celestial palaces.
Fortunately, at this moment, we are not far from the sect's dojo, and it will not be long before we can meet the Master. At that time, we will naturally be able to learn the truth
"Junior Sister, can this car go any faster?"
Within the protective mountain formation, a white mist envelops the area, and the visible spiritual energy flows like rippling water. Towering ancient trees stretch across the landscape, and clear springs gurgle softly. Extraordinary beasts appear and disappear among the mountains and forests, while white cranes, holding spiritual mushrooms in their beaks, soar gracefully in the clouds, amidst rising smoke and brilliant rays of light
Master, the disciple has returned
The one driving the carriage is a graceful young girl in a pale yellow dress, who is currently urging the spiritual incantation and concentrating fully to stabilize the increasingly boiling and turbulent fluctuations of spiritual energy within the formation, in order to prevent it from completely spiraling out of control
Master... Is this not a bit hasty? Would the elders in the sect agree to this?
"Senior Sister, this vehicle has already exceeded the speed limit. If we go any faster, it will surpass the maximum load capacity of the formation, which could damage this treasure." A slightly helpless voice responded.
Qin Muling remained silent for a few moments, then nodded slightly: "Alright"