IS Chapter 63
by VolareYe Zhuo stopped talking, his gaze returning to the patterns on his Life-Bound Sword sheath.
The Red Dust Sword Immortal looked at Ye Zhuo, a thoughtful expression in his eyes. The more he looked, the clearer and more ethereal he seemed.
This Micro-Snow Palace was truly a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
“Second Palace Master Ye,” the Red Dust Sword Immortal said, “The things I mentioned, you wouldn’t happen to remember them like Brother Li Yuan, would you?”
“I only know that the will of Heaven is eternal and never changes,” Ye Zhuo said. “Whatever happens in the world, the Heavenly Dao will not erase it. Forgetting only happens when someone wants to erase it. Since it’s man-made, what do you fear?”
The Red Dust Sword Immortal was moved.
“Hearing your words is like parting the clouds and seeing the sun,” he said. “Brother Ye, frankly speaking, that person ascended, but he was not as good as you.”
Ye Zhuo: “You may not even remember what he looked like. On what basis do you say he was not as good as me?”
…Didn’t remember?
The Red Dust Sword Immortal tried to recall that person’s face, but in the end, he only remembered a solitary, cold white-robed figure under the snowy moonlight.
Between heaven and earth, there were no mountains, rivers, or worldly affairs, only him and his sword.
The wind could not stir his sleeves, and the light of eternity could not leave a trace on his sword.
“That person…”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the Red Dust Sword Immortal knew that person still had an indelible shadow in his heart.
Otherwise, why couldn’t he call him by name like Ye Zhuo, and instead had to use “that person” as a substitute?
“Yun… Xiang Xi,” the Red Dust Sword Immortal said. “His person, his Dao, were the same—he was naturally ruthless. I later thought about it; why must one be ruthless to attain enlightenment? In the end, it was just fear of emotion.”
“Second Palace Master Ye, you are different. You are fearless. That’s why I say, Yun Xiang Xi is not as good as you.”
Ye Zhuo stared at him intently.
“You flatter me,” he said.
–Li Yuan was now truly impressed with the Red Dust Sword Immortal.
As expected of the Sect Leader, his praise reached such an exquisite, seamless level that the disciples of the Red Dust Sword Sect could not match. Truly, his intentions were punishable; he should learn from him.
With the secret matters fully discussed, the soundproof barrier naturally dissipated.
The outside sounds poured into their ears like a tide, and the Red Dust Sword Immortal realized that from beginning to end, Wei Sheng Xian and Li Yuan had not said a word.
Perhaps Brother Li Yuan had initially wanted to stop him from mentioning it.
Only Ye Zhuo…
Why only Ye Zhuo, why did he not let him mention it, and why did he not say a word?
The Red Dust Sword Immortal suddenly looked at Ye Zhuo.
But in the spring night, the red dust seemed like a sea.
That person had already closed his eyes to cultivate. Looking at him, one could only see a silent and beautiful face.
Behind him, immortal sleeves were like clouds, a bustling dream.
Before the ancient Tree of Life and Death, the three Dao-Protecting True Men stepped through the cardinal directions with mystical movements.
The stars in the sky had completely disappeared, replaced by a dim and chaotic, primordial aura of Daoist magic.
In all directions, countless profound and vast meridians seemed to unfold, shift, and change.
Like drops of ink falling into a glass of water, everything in the mortal world was eroded by the dark, ink-like abyss.
Was this truly a sight that mortals could see?
Duan Dacheng was shocked by the scene. Subconsciously, he pulled his wife and daughter backward, wanting to retreat back into their familiar little tea shop. But he found that even the wind lanterns on the eaves could not illuminate the darkness.
Disciples with low comprehension were also shaken in their minds, unable to think.
But since they could come here, those with poor comprehension were in the minority. More people watched those profound meridians with fascination.
How many people were fortunate enough to participate in such a major event of the realm?
The realm passage was about to open. They were currently on the surface in the Green Embrace Valley in the mortal world, but they were already standing on the edge of the human realm.
What they were seeing now was the supreme truth of the Heavenly Dao, the rules of the realm. If they could gain even a little insight from it, it would be worth the trip.
Many people even had a sudden epiphany after looking at it for a while, immediately entering a meditative state on the spot.
These people naturally did not include Li Yuan.
–He was not a human of this realm. Even if he were to comprehend something, it would be the realm of the Dragon World, not the human realm.
Of course, it was also because he really didn’t understand this stuff.
What he didn’t understand, he assumed Ye Zhuo wouldn’t understand either. That person had already closed his eyes and gone into self-cultivation, which was proof of that.
The people of the Sword Sect seemed to be comprehending it, but he wasn’t sure if they were faking it.
Anyway, their good first disciple, Su Yizhen, wasn’t looking there; he was focused on watching Ye Zhuo. The disciples and Sect Leader of the Red Dust Sword Sect were too.
To put it delicately, they could say they were sensing the Daoist aura on Ye Zhuo. But who would believe that if they said it out loud?
Li Yuan scanned the crowd one by one, and finally stood next to Ye Zhuo with his sword in his arms, also beginning to meditate. The shift of the Great Dao and the changes in the realm seemed to have nothing to do with their area.
–Until, after who knew how long, a sinister wind howled, suddenly sweeping through the entire valley.
Everyone present, regardless of their cultivation level, felt a sinister chill invade their bones.
Along with the sinister wind came a faint, lingering fragrance mixed with paper scraps and ashes.
Ye Zhuo slowly opened his eyes and looked towards the source of the fragrance.
Between the ancient Tree of Life and Death, a crack opened like a vertical eye, connecting heaven and earth. A sinister aura, like a reverse tidal wave, surged and roared outward from the dark crevice.
The tea shop’s banner flapped wildly, and the wind made it almost impossible to open one’s eyes, but the faint fragrance still lingered around them.
This was not the fresh fragrance of plants and trees in the mountains, but the scent of incense offerings from the ghost realm.
Within the crack, it was dark and invisible.
A white-robed Daoist slowly walked to the center of the crack, facing the crowd in the valley. It was the Supreme Elder of the Dao Sect, Tai Su.
“Fellow Daoists, the Ghost Gate has opened. The Ghost Realm has not truly overlapped with the Human Realm. This is not a natural passage between the two realms, but a narrow path forcibly opened in the void by our Upper Purity Main Sect’s three Dao-Protecting True Men, with the ability to connect heaven and man, comparable to the work of creation.”
“Going forward along this path, the first thing you will encounter is the ‘Void Realm’ between the Human and Ghost Realms. The Void Realm is where the auras of the two realms blend, containing both the creation of the human world and the scenery of the ghost world, with many opportunities. If there are Dao friends who want to seek secrets, find treasures, and comprehend the principles of life and death, please explore this place on your own.”
“At the end of the Void Realm is the Actual Realm, which is the true territory of the Ghost Realm. The Void Realm is vast, and it takes about ten days to traverse it at full speed.”
“Our sect and the three Dao-Protecting True Men of the main sect will be waiting for you fellow Daoists at the end of the Void Realm. After twenty days, we will explore the Ghost Realm together with those who are capable and survey the realm.”
“Those who wish to enter the Ghost Realm, please arrive at the end of the Void Realm within twenty days.”
“The Ghost Realm is dangerous. Nascent Soul disciples are not allowed to enter without the protection of their direct teachers.”
“In addition, the Ghost Realm is not connected to the human world, and the flow of time is different. Ordinary timekeeping methods cannot be used. Each sect can receive several Armillary Spheres from the Dao Sect to distinguish the order of time.”
“The realm gate passage is narrow, and only ten people can pass through at a time. The Upper Purity Sword Sect and Martial Sect will escort the first-class sects first, followed by the remaining sects and second-class sects. After you have safely entered the Void Realm, the Dao Sect will escort the three Dao-Protecting True Men in.”
“Human power is limited, and the duration of the two-realm passage is temporarily uncertain. After the three True Men arrive in the Ghost Realm and calculate it, our sect will inform you of the time limit. Please fellow Daoists return to the human world along the passage within the time limit, otherwise, you will be in danger of being trapped in the Ghost Realm.”
“Everything has been announced. If there is nothing else, please enter the gate in order, fellow Daoists.”
Realm exploration was not uncommon, and such an explanation was airtight, so no one objected. What followed was the order of entry for the first-class sects based on their seniority.
Among the hundreds of Immortal Sects, there were a dozen or twenty first-class sects. The process would be quite lengthy.
Based on qualifications, the first to enter was the Hongmeng Sect, second only to the Upper Purity Mountain. The Hongmeng Sect mainly cultivated the Dao and talismans, with very few sword cultivators. Ye Zhuo had never interacted with them, but Wei Sheng Xian was sometimes invited to discuss the Dao there.
He only knew that the Hongmeng Sect also had several former Human Immortals, but they failed to pass the Ascension Barrier and had passed away, so they were no longer a super-class sect.
The Hongmeng Sect Leader, with his immortal demeanor, led his elders and disciples into the Ghost Gate, glancing thoughtfully at Wei Sheng Xian.
Wei Sheng Xian responded with a smile.
The second was the Grand Mountain Sect. The Grand Mountain Sect had a lineage of sword cultivators, as well as Dao cultivators, alchemists, and other categories. With the recent ascension to the Tribulation Transcension stage of the Supreme Elder Pu Xuan Hui, it was not difficult to gather five or six Tribulation Transcension cultivators. However, the Grand Mountain Sect’s Human Immortal had ascended to the Upper Realm ten years ago, so strictly speaking, they could only be considered a first-class sect.
“Xi’er?” Supreme Elder Pu Xuan Hui called out to his beloved disciple.
This boy had almost gone mad after being beaten by Ye Zhuo. He had barely recovered later, but whenever Ye Zhuo was mentioned, he would be startled and restless. Later, he was beaten by Su Yizhen of the Sword Sect, which made the problem even worse.
Moreover, the Second Palace Master Ye was not far away.
“Yes, Master.” Called by his teacher, Pei Xi’s mind, which was involuntarily and rapidly simulating countless scenarios of fighting Ye Zhuo, finally paused slightly, and he followed Elder Pu’s footsteps sluggishly.
What a disaster!
Elder Pu sighed inwardly. Mental illnesses required mental remedies. He couldn’t help but take another look at Ye Zhuo.
In the previous conflict, the Exciting Qi’s Exciting sword aura sword aura had forced the Dao Sect elders back a few steps, so discerning people could naturally see that Second Palace Master Ye was already at the Tribulation Transcension stage.
The young man beside him, dressed in black robes and exuding noble air, had an unfathomable aura that he did not conceal, and was undoubtedly also at the Tribulation Transcension stage.
Palace Master Wei Sheng had always been mysterious, so it was possible that he was already at the Tribulation Transcension stage.
Wouldn’t that mean that with another Human Immortal, they could rise above all other sects?
So be it. Anyway, they were undoubtedly a first-class sect.
He expected to meet Second Palace Master Ye again soon after entering the Void Realm.
Since the Dao Sect was nearby, it was not convenient to establish a relationship with the Micro-Snow Palace. But when they arrived in the Void Realm and there was no one around, he would ask Second Palace Master Ye to draw his sword and give Pei Xi another severe lesson to see if it would improve the boy’s madness.
After the figures of the Grand Mountain Sect disappeared into the passage, the third to enter was the Danding Sect.
The Danding Sect was half alchemists and half medical cultivators. Having consumed a lot of elixirs and panaceas, they naturally had Tribulation Transcension True Men.
However, if they encountered danger, they did not have much ability to protect themselves, so the Martial Sect escorted them in together.
Before leaving, the Sect Leader of the Danding Sect also looked at the Micro-Snow Palace.
Everyone could see that the Micro-Snow Palace had revealed its Tribulation Transcension strength, making it a first-class sect, and the immortal Dao landscape had changed.
All sorts of gazes were cast, and Wei Sheng Xian responded with a smile to each.
Tai Su took everything into his eyes and looked at his junior brother Tai Huan, his gaze filled with anger.
Tai Huan took a deep breath.
Others did not know, but how could they not know? The token they had given to the Micro-Snow Palace was for a second-class sect. Even among the second-class sects, it was at the bottom.
That Nascent Soul rebellious disciple said that Palace Master Wei Sheng was probably already at the Tribulation Transcension stage, but they had not taken it to heart.
But now, the Micro-Snow Palace clearly had not one, but three Tribulation Transcension cultivators!
They were only revealing their strength now. Probably after all the Tribulation Transcension True Men had taken their first-class sects into the Ghost Realm, the three of them from the Micro-Snow Palace would still be leisurely sitting here drinking tea and eating snacks!
The ones who would lose face then would not be the Micro-Snow Palace with their three Tribulation Transcension cultivators, but the Upper Purity Mountain.
Didn’t they see that someone had already brewed tea from the tea shop and was hypocritically handing it to Ye Zhuo!
Who was this for?
Truly insidious! Truly insidious!