Chapter 98

After listening to Bai Gun's words, Yue Qing was quite surprised. He thought to himself that this guy was quite unique and thus said no more. He took the先天四灵旗 (Four Primordial Spirit Banners) from Bai Lingxian and said, "The reason I sent you to Yandang Mountain was to let you obtain the two treasures, not to give them to me. These two treasures were refined during the time of Yu the Great's flood control and are the nemesis of all water spirits and demons. You must treat them well in the future."

Bai Lingxian, hearing his uncle's words, was about to hand over the Yu Ding to Bai Gun. Bai Gun, a creature from the primordial era, possessed thousands of years of Daoist cultivation, making him even more powerful than Bai Lingxian. Initially, the Yu Ding was in his possession, and although he did not know how to use it, it still unleashed about 60-70% of its power, almost collapsing Yandang Mountain and causing a massive flood that turned hundreds of miles of land into a sea. Fortunately, Bai Lingxian, following Yue Qing's instructions, immediately used the Four Primordial Spirit Banners to seal the mountain's entrance, preventing a major disaster. He then used the lightning-gathering talisman given by Aunt Deng to engage Bai Gun in a seven-day and seven-night battle, barely managing to win. Bai Gun thought he would surely die, but to his surprise, Bai Lingxian not only did not harm him but also returned his inner core and provided nine混元金丹 (Primordial Golden Pills) to help him develop intelligence and transform into a human form. After 49 days of cultivation, Bai Gun finally transformed into a human, and thus he willingly joined the Wutai Sect.

Bai Gun refused to take the Yu Ding again: "Although this treasure has been in my possession for thousands of years, I actually do not know how to use it. It would be a waste to keep it. Since it has been obtained by my sister, it is in good hands. If you insist on giving me something, give me the太阴地网 (Yin Earth Net) instead. This thing has trapped me for thousands of years, and despite my best efforts, I could not break free. If you give it to me, it will fulfill my wish."

Yue Qing encouraged them and dismissed them. Jinzhen Holy Mother anxiously asked, "I wonder what you think of my request, Immortal Yue?"

Yue Qing replied, "The root of your problem is your fear of the heavenly tribulation, which you wish to avoid by undergoing a premature death and reincarnation. We should find a way to help you pass through the heavenly tribulation."

Jinzhen Holy Mother was greatly surprised: "Are you joking, Immortal? The heavenly tribulation is incredibly powerful. Even with a hundred years of preparation, I doubt I could withstand it. Moreover, the tribulation is directed at me, and others would find it difficult to help."

Yue Qing said, "As the saying goes, success depends on human effort, but the outcome is determined by heaven. The main reason you find the heavenly tribulation difficult to overcome is that your Daoist foundation is not solid."

Jinzhen Holy Mother's expression turned serious: "That's true. The Daoist methods I practice, while powerful in terms of spells, are far inferior to the orthodox Daoist methods in terms of foundation." She observed his reaction, "Are you suggesting that I join the Wutai Sect like Shen Gun?"

Jinzhen Holy Mother had entered the Daoist path a few hundred years earlier than Yue Qing. If Yue Qing were not a disciple of the Grand Master Taiyi Hunyuan, he would be her junior. Asking her to join the Wutai Sect would be embarrassing. However, if she could learn the orthodox Daoist methods, she would be willing to join the Wutai Sect. She decided that if Yue Qing suggested it, she would agree, but she would still use Yue Qing's immortal sword to help her through the tribulation and then reincarnate and join the sect in her next life, thus avoiding the awkwardness of seniority and reducing the karmic burden of the heavenly tribulation.

Yue Qing shook his head: "How could I, with my status, take on a disciple on behalf of my master?" He noticed a hint of disappointment in Jinzhen Holy Mother's eyes and paused before continuing, "I recently obtained the Yuan Yang Tian Shu (Primordial Yang Heavenly Book) left by Guangchengzi 5,000 years ago."

Jinzhen Holy Mother was stunned: "Is it the same Yuan Yang Tian Shu that was sealed with the Nine Heavens Yuan Yang Ruler?"

Yue Qing replied, "Exactly!"

Jinzhen Holy Mother sighed, "I have heard of this book. My late husband and I once carefully calculated and searched for it. The upper and middle volumes have already appeared, held by the Great Mountain Immortal of the Snow Mountain Sect and the two elders of Mount Song. The lower volume and the supplementary volume were sealed with Guangchengzi's Demon-Subduing Ruler. The entire book, except for the supplementary volume, is written in ancient tadpole script, which is so old that only a few people in the world can recognize and interpret it. Additionally, the annotations in the upper volume are needed to understand it. Otherwise, it would be useless. After much calculation, we concluded that finding the lower volume would bring more harm than good, so we gave up. Since you have obtained it, can you interpret the tadpole script?"

Yue Qing smiled, "I obtained the lower volume and the supplementary volume. Not long ago, I also saw the upper volume. Now, I only need the middle volume held by the two elders of Mount Song."

The Guangchengzi Heavenly Book is very famous in the cultivation world. After the upper volume appeared and was obtained by the Great Mountain Immortal, the master of the strange beggar Linghun, cultivators began searching for the other parts. Only the two elders of Mount Song found the middle volume, but they and Bai Guyi, who had a grudge against Linghun, did not interact, and even though they had the middle volume, they could not understand the tadpole script. After that, those searching for the book gave up. Therefore, when they heard that Yue Qing had quietly obtained all three volumes, including the crucial upper volume, even Xu Feiniang could not help but exclaim, "According to my calculations, the lower volume and the supplementary volume were obtained by the skilled Biqiu Wei Fengniang a few years ago and are now in the Ten Thousand Demon Palace of the Green Snail Valley. The upper volume, after the Great Mountain Immortal ascended, has been silent, probably passed to his disciples Linghun and Cui Wugu. How did you obtain it, Junior Brother?"

Yue Qing smiled, "Wei Fengniang and I are old acquaintances. We once ascended Mount Tian to slay the ice dragon and gather snow lotuses. A few years ago, I went to the Green Snail Valley to study the Heavenly Book with her. With our relationship, I wouldn't have been able to do it, but the lower volume of the Heavenly Book is written in ancient tadpole script, and coincidentally, the upper volume of the Wutai Sect's Hunyuan Immortal Scripture is also written in tadpole script. When I was cultivating at Mount Mao, my master explained the Heavenly Book to me, so I recognized the tadpole script." He paused and continued, "I used some tricks on the lower volume of the Heavenly Book and gave it to an Emei Sect disciple. Not long ago, the book finally reached Linghun. Linghun used the upper volume to translate the lower volume, and I managed to see the content of the upper volume. I was only able to see half before Linghun noticed, but the beggar was grateful to me and let me see the entire thing."

Xu Feiniang said, "Junior Brother, you are truly resourceful! Even the beggar is under your control!"

Yue Qing laughed, "I wouldn't dare say that. The beggar's magnanimity is truly commendable." He said to Jinzhen Holy Mother, "In a few days, I will gather my fellow cultivators at Wutai to study and share the Guangchengzi Heavenly Book. With your cultivation and insight, even without the middle volume, you should be able to understand some profound truths. By strengthening your foundation and with the help of my fellow cultivators, you should be able to safely pass through the heavenly tribulation."

Jinzhen Holy Mother pondered, "If you can help me pass through the heavenly tribulation, it would be like giving me a new life..."

Yue Qing said, "It's not that serious. Let me explain. Our Wutai Sect is about to rise again, and there are many things to be done. On the nearby Heng Mountain, there is a group of demons who rape, plunder, and kill, causing great harm to the people and even to my disciples. Last year, my senior disciple Yang Li encountered a demoness named Yu Mian Luocha Qiu Fengling, who tried to seduce him with her demonic powers. Yang Li used a flying hook to cut off her right hand. It turned out that the demoness was the lover of the three evil beings of Heng Mountain, who then attacked Yang Li. Unable to resist, Yang Li retreated to the mountain. My junior disciples wanted to eliminate the three evil beings, but I stopped them. I have long wanted to clear out the demons in Shanxi. If you are willing, after the opening of the Laoshan Sect, you can join us to eliminate the three evil beings. After that, you can establish your own sect at the Ziwēi Palace, recruit disciples, and spread the Dao, accumulating merit to reduce the heavenly tribulation. This way, you will achieve enlightenment, and your daughter will have no worries, a win-win situation!"

Jinzhen Holy Mother, hearing that Yue Qing wanted her to establish a sect, was hesitant. The Daoist methods she practiced could only lead to the realm of immortality, similar to those of the Laoshan Sect. While they were sufficient to establish a sect, they were not stable enough to pass through the heavenly tribulation, and most practitioners would have to undergo a premature death and reincarnation multiple times before achieving immortality. For example, although Jinzhen Holy Mother was now at the level of a terrestrial immortal, her Xuan Nü Yuan Ying (Xuan Nü Embryo) was far inferior to Xu Feiniang's Taiyi Yuan Ying (Taiyi Embryo) in terms of power and effectiveness, especially when facing the heavenly tribulation. The Taiyi Yuan Ying could steadily cultivate to the level of a Yang Shen Tian Xian (Yang Spirit Immortal) and even had a chance to reach the level of a Golden Immortal. The Xuan Nü Yuan Ying, on the other hand, had only a slim chance of reaching the level of a Tian Xian (Heavenly Immortal), which was the difference between the orthodox and the heterodox methods. Jinzhen Holy Mother dared not use her Yuan Ying to face the heavenly tribulation, so she could not ascend and could not become an immortal.

Even if she established a sect within the heterodox methods, it would only be a second-rate sect. Due to the difficulty of the heavenly tribulation, heterodox cultivators spent most of their lives cultivating magical treasures and refining elixirs to prepare for the tribulation, leaving little time to manage the sect. Jinzhen Holy Mother knew that she had less than ten years before the great tribulation, and she felt that establishing a sect and accumulating merit was already too late. Moreover, if the sect was poorly managed, her disciples might commit crimes, and she would be held responsible, making the tribulation even greater. The final downfall of the Grand Master Taiyi Hunyuan was largely due to being dragged down by his disciples, and he could not even pass the human tribulation before the heavenly tribulation.

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