Fengyunlu

Chaos reigned in front of the main hall. The alarm bell rang incessantly, a full thirteen times, its sound echoing through the mountain gate. Almost all the disciples of Qingli Palace rushed out, ready to fight. Quan Xinzi was on duty in Taiqing Hall at the time, refueling the sky lanterns. Amid the clamor of battle, the sound of the huge bell echoed again. His hand trembled with fear, and he accidentally knocked over a sky lantern, causing the stars in the sky to seem to be in disarray. At this moment, a master who had been observing from the shadows seized the opportunity and suddenly struck. Although he was seriously injured by the stars of the Zhoutian Technique, he still managed to snatch the Immortal Traces Chapter.

The man fled wounded, leaving Quan Xinzi stunned, realizing he'd gotten into serious trouble. Coming to his senses, he quickly reported the incident to Qingli Palace's headmaster, Emperor Wangsheng. After the powerful enemy was repelled, Emperor Wangsheng heard about the incident and frowned, realizing the battle in the front hall was merely a cover. The real culprit—the traitor lurking within Qingli Palace—had been waiting for his opportunity.

After a lengthy investigation, Quan Xinzi uncovered nothing. Seeing him as foolish and unintentional, the Emperor Wangsheng spared him a harsh punishment, merely admonishing him and expelling him from the mountain gates. As a result, Qingli Palace lost its sacred weapon, and the whereabouts of the Immortal Traces remain a mystery; no one knows who possessed it. However, Qingli Palace remained unaffected, relying on its two Tongtian Scrolls to maintain its position as the orthodox Taoist sect.

The two brothers hurried along, asking for information as they went. Because it was their first time out and Quan Xinzi hadn't explained it clearly, they didn't know much about the Canghai trip and walked slowly. However, they also got a general understanding of the situation in Qingli Palace.

Along the way, someone informed them that the Qingli Palace's lineage was divided into three branches. Not to mention the side branches, the Canghai lineage alone comprised the Golden Tripod, Talisman, and Divination schools. These three schools were all within the Qingli Palace sect, and while their cultivation methods differed, they ultimately converged into a single Daoist principle, ultimately merging into a single, immortal art.

The Jinding Sect specializes in the Three Wonders, focusing on the method of transforming people into elixirs, with the whole body and the two purple and mysterious qi as the basis of cultivation; the Talisman Sect specializes in the essence and soul, with the mastery of the power of heaven and earth as the first priority, seizing the wonders of heaven and earth, changing all things with talismans, and communicating with gods with talismans; the Shushu Sect specializes in the unity of heaven and man, supplemented by the principles of the operation of heaven and earth, and fighting for a glimmer of hope with the numbers of Dayan, which belongs to the way of intercepting the secrets of heaven.

Each of these three schools has its own focus and methods of cultivation, but the ultimate goal is the same: to reach the realm of immortality. It's only because of individual differences, varying levels of cultivation, that the final achievement varies. Whether one can glimpse the mysteries of heaven depends entirely on one's practice and understanding.

The two brothers were overjoyed and quickened their pace. Finally, one day, they arrived at a desolate, deserted city. Most of the people in the city had disappeared. Curious, the two brothers finally found a passerby to ask why.

It turns out this place was called Suolao Pass. Due to its remote location and years of severe drought, the people had lost their livelihoods and most had fled. The remaining elderly, weak, and sick had also planned to leave, but a few years ago, a great battle broke out here, where immortals and demons fought a life-and-death battle. The aftermath of the battle left Suolao Pass lifeless, and many of the elderly and weak perished on the spot, and the rest were also affected.

Later, two cultivators, one righteous and one evil, fought a bitter battle and vanished into thin air. This deserted city was left desolate and silent. Logically, given its proximity to the vast ocean and the Qingli Palace, this shouldn't have happened if immortals and Taoists had supported it. But the Qingli Palace seemed unconcerned. Even the Human Emperor, the sovereign of humanity, failed to send the Imperial Garden to aid. Decades passed, and the deserted city remained intact only because travelers, seeking shelter, spontaneously repaired it. Otherwise, the ravages of time would have long since reduced it to ruins.

After hearing this, the two brothers felt a mixture of emotions, and a growing sense of disappointment in Qingli Palace. Over the years, they had listened to their master's teachings in the mountains, remembering only that the high level of the Xuanmen was meant to preserve the human race, to protect it and safeguard all life. However, what they had seen and heard along the way revealed more than one empty city like this; they had heard of several similar cases.

Smaller sects and factions aside, perhaps they lack the will to do so, but Qingli Palace, as the ancestral home of the Great Emperor and the righteous path of the Xuan Sect, is a sacred place that everyone aspires to. Even such a sect is like this, and even the Emperor who rules the world and the Human Emperor who leads the righteous path is like this. Is this still the Xuan Sect? Is this still the righteous path of the Xuan Sect?

The two brothers couldn't help but wonder: if they, who were so devoted to cultivating the so-called Dao, only encountered the struggle between good and evil, then what was the point of distinguishing between good and evil in the Xuanmen? In fact, such a Xuanmen was worthless, and even the Human Emperor was unworthy of sitting in that position.

At the end of their long journey, the brothers' adventure seemed to be drawing to a close. Truth be told, they had endured countless hardships and dangers. Regardless of their reasons, they had to journey to Qingli Palace to defend their master, Quan Xinzi. This wasn't just for their master, but for the people around them, for the common people of the world, and for the righteousness of the Xuanmen sect they had always believed in and upheld. They had to seek justice at Qingli Palace.

However, the two brothers no longer possessed the passion and fighting spirit they once possessed. In their eyes, if a Daoist sect, no matter how high in its power, turned a blind eye to the lives of ordinary people, what difference did it make between it and the Way of Demon? They felt it would be better to break down the boundaries between good and evil, unite all, and focus on cultivation. Even if only one truly powerful master emerged, it would mean that the Xuanmen sect had lived up to its original purpose.

So, the two brothers resolutely turned around, a single obsession lurking in their hearts: they wanted to go out into the world and see what the Xuan Sect was like today. They wanted to know if the fundamental nature of humanity, as their master had said, still existed, if there was still the so-called Xuan Sect morality, and if there was any sect in the world worthy of the name Xuan Sect.

With this in mind, Qingli Palace naturally ceased to be their destination. The two brothers, resolute in their resolve, chose another direction and headed straight for the world, seeking the true mystical gate in their hearts.

In fact, they were too extreme and too young at that time. They considered many things only out of passion and listened to a lot of one-sided opinions, but ignored the fact that there are right and wrong ways in the world, and that there is complexity in distinguishing right from wrong.

Just like the story of the Empty City, they dismissed everything about Qingli Palace based solely on the story of a passerby. They forgot to consider whether the passerby's words were true or not, or whether they were merely ordinary people. How much could they possibly know about what happened back then, and how much of it was simply misinformation? Furthermore, how did they know this? Upon closer inspection, it was likely that they had heard it from someone else. As he did, the people he was talking to likely had heard it too. So, it seemed that the truth of what happened back then might not just be a rumor.

If what the passerby had said was true, then the conflict at the foot of Qingli Palace, not only harming the entire city's citizens, but also rumoured to have affected the elderly, the weak, and the disabled, was also affected. How could a high-ranking Taoist like Qingli Palace remain indifferent to this, unconcerned about their lives? If that were the case, how could their master, a miscellaneous disciple banished from the Qingli Palace, have such a sense of righteousness and constantly help the people nearby?

Even if the passerby's story was true or not, a simple inquiry at Qingli Palace would reveal everything. Furthermore, if there truly had been a struggle between two figures of good and evil, their magical powers could have affected an entire city. Given the power of Qingli Palace, how could they have been unaware of it? After all, with the power of the Reincarnation Emperor, even within a mere two hundred miles, how could he have been unaware of any evil spirit stirring? And how could he have remained silent? He would have at least sent his disciples to investigate.

Of course, the truth might not be as it was speculated, and the truth might only be known after Shangqingli Palace. However, the two brothers were too arbitrary, believing the story and seeking refuge elsewhere.

The two brothers headed southwest, figuring that to their left lay the South China Sea, where they could ascend to the Cangyun Mountains, and to their right lay the ancient wilderness. The crucial point of the natural barrier lay in the Boyang Valley, also home to the Great Emperor's sect. As for heading west, the Yaochi Fairyland in Western Kunlun only accepted female disciples, so the two brothers had no interest in pursuing it. Further west, the Xumi Palace on Mount Xumi was filled with monastics, but the two brothers, who only recognized Taoism, didn't consider it at all.

In this way, the two brothers first went to Nanhai and visited several sects including Cangyun Sect, Jiufang Shuige and so on for many days. Finally, they learned that the sects here, headed by Cangyun Sect, were worthy of Xuan Xuan. After hearing the word "sect", he thought about going to become a disciple, and the first one he went to was the Cangyun Sect.

However, the Cang Yun Sect has a rule for accepting disciples: one must drip their essence and blood onto a Cang Long Stone in front of the Bai Yun Hall of the Jiuxian Divine Hall. If the Cang Long Stone senses it and instantly absorbs the essence and blood, the disciple, regardless of their aptitude, will be accepted as a disciple by the Cang Yun Sect, providing they possess a good character. However, if the Cang Long Stone rejects the essence and blood, it will instantly transform into white mist. Even those with exceptional aptitude will be rejected. Even if you are the heir of the Human Emperor, the Cang Yun Sect will show no mercy.

The two brothers embarked on an adventurous journey into the mountains. Upon reaching Canglong Rock, they saw two clouds of white mist drifting around them. The master, responsible for accepting them as disciples, immediately recognized their true geniuses, but rules were rules, and he could only shake his head helplessly. However, Bai Qianyi, not yet an emperor at the time, valued talent, so he asked the brothers to wait a moment and personally wrote a letter to them, asking them to take it to the Jianyin Sect to become his disciples.

The two brothers were naturally filled with gratitude. Thinking that the Sword Hidden Sect was far away in the Northern Frontier, they did not stop for a moment and went straight down the mountain and headed straight for the Northern Frontier. The journey was long, and the two brothers ran all the way. After several months, they finally arrived in the Northern Frontier.

However, the northern border region was in constant turmoil, with the Hidden Sword Sect engaged in a fierce battle with the Myriad Demons. At the foot of the Great Snow Mountain, near the Netherworld Blood Sea, lay the path the two brothers had to cross. At the time, both the good and evil factions had gathered there, using the Great Snow Mountain as a stronghold. A temporary truce had been declared between the two factions, and while there were no large-scale battles, minor frictions were inevitable.

As the two brothers passed through, they naturally came into contact with people from both sides. If they had first encountered disciples from the Hidden Sword Sect, the subsequent events might not have occurred. But fate, as is often the case, first encountered disciples from the Myriad Demonic Sect. Among the evil sects, most call themselves the Demonic Sect, a branch of the Demonic Sect that emerged after the Great Dao Conflict. Because the Demonic Sect initially disagreed with the Immortal Sect and the Dao Sect, their descendants often behaved erratically, leading to their widespread perception as evil. However, they weren't necessarily unforgivable villains.

The man the two brothers encountered was none other than Gong Li Jiuhua, the direct disciple of the Grandmaster of the Myriad Demonic Mountains, known as the Ninth Generation Demon Child. Gong Jiuhua's unparalleled respect for the virtuous and humble was unmatched. Although the two brothers' abilities weren't particularly impressive, he didn't look down on them.

Instead, Gong Jiuhua's disciples, while out on business, mistakenly thought the two brothers were enemies of the righteous path. They captured them and, after careful questioning, realized they had captured the wrong people. Although the two brothers were considered righteous, they had nothing to do with the conflict. Even if they had intended to become disciples of the Jianyin Sect, they were not a hostile force at the time. Therefore, Gong Jiuhua immediately released them and gave them a token, telling them that if they encountered any obstacles, they could use it to clear the way.

The two brothers were deeply impressed by Gong Jiuhua's actions. After accepting the token, they said goodbye and left. As expected, they encountered no obstacles on the rest of their journey. After a long journey, they finally arrived at the righteous Jianyin Sect. There, they met a disciple from the Lingyan Pavilion of the Great Snow Mountain. After explaining their situation to him, they received guidance and headed back towards the Jianyin Sect.

The two brothers felt that with the constant fighting here, now was not the right time to seek a disciple. They decided to forge ahead through the conflict and head directly to the Sword Hidden Sect. If they could successfully become a disciple and receive assignments from the sect, then their return here would be legitimate. Furthermore, their cultivation was too low, and staying would only be a burden. It would be more practical to head directly to the Sword Hidden Sect.

Thus, the two brothers arrived at Canshan Mountain, produced Bai Qianyi's letter, and explained their purpose. Afterward, they were greeted by the disciples on duty at the mountain gate and entered the main hall. Inside, the two brothers were filled with anticipation, believing their apprenticeship was finally a success. However, they hadn't anticipated the strict rules of the Jianyin Sect for accepting disciples. Even with Bai Qianyi's letter of recommendation, they still needed to find their own natal swords on Jianya.

The Sword Hidden Sect specializes in sword cultivation. Generations of disciples have sought out their lifelong swords on this cliff, nourishing them with their essence and blood until they become their own divine weapons. This is also the key to the Sword Hidden Sect's acceptance of disciples.

The two brothers, no exception, followed the Sword Hidden Sect's rules and ascended the Sword Cliff to search for their swords. Within three days, the two brothers successively found their swords, seemingly ordinary yet imbued with spiritual power. With the divine weapon now possessed, the two brothers were qualified to join the sect. Next, they would drip three drops of their essence and blood onto the divine weapon, according to the number of harmony between heaven, earth, and man, to make it recognize its master. Then, they would officially become disciples of the Sword Hidden Sect and, from then on, members of the Great Emperor's sect.

However, at this moment, something unexpected happened. The second brother, Zhu Chunhua, first asked the eldest brother, Zhu Chunguang, to acknowledge him by blood. However, Zhu Chunguang was carrying the Demon Mountain Patriarch's Heavenly Demon Token. When he dripped three drops of his blood, it was absorbed by the token. The demonic light instantly grew stronger, and billowing black smoke immediately enveloped Zhu Chunguang.