novelapdf Chapter 111 The Dao Palace Recognizes Its Master!
Chapter 111 The Dao Palace Recognizes Its Master!
The underground palace, on the cold jade.
Shangguan Luoxue, who was originally immersed in meditation, suddenly opened her clear and bright purple eyes.
Starlight flickered deep within his pupils, revealing a hint of astonishment.
"Um?"
"That kid Jiang Mu actually succeeded? So quickly?"
According to her initial plan, even though Jiang Mu had decent talent and comprehension, and was guided by the "Purple Mansion Cantong Qi" (a classic text on divination), she still had a good chance of success.
It will take at least a month of understanding and experimentation.
But now, in just a few days...
She could clearly sense that the [Stream Water] within the Dao Mansion had been diverted away by him.
【Jianxia Water】is one of the divine objects of destiny in the sixty-year cycle of the Five Elements.
It is the fundamental substance for building the supreme foundation of the Dao and nourishing the Great Dao.
For a cultivator of Shangguan Luoxue's level, to open up their own unique grotto-heaven, they must find a divine object that matches their destiny.
Only by integrating it into the foundation of the Dao can one lay an unparalleled foundation.
She was born in the year of Dingchou.
Ding belongs to Yin Fire, and Chou belongs to Yin Earth. Fire and Earth generate each other, but they need water to moisten them.
Therefore, she seized the [Stream Water] back then to strengthen and nourish the foundation of her Great Dao.
Ancient books say:
The stream below is surrounded by mountains, with gentle waves, cascading waterfalls, and connecting the north and south streams, standing opposite each other in the positions of Kan and Li.
This water is clear and pure, and is pleasing to the eye, free from any dust or dirt.
Within her Taoist temple, this water is perfectly integrated with her Dingchou destiny, hence it is also called "Dingchou Stream Water".
The reason she is now suffering from Dao injuries is that her Dao foundation has been damaged.
To put it more bluntly.
Her path was like a celestial flower that needed careful cultivation; its foundation was the flowerpot and soil, and the [Stream Water] was the daily essential rain. Now, the flowerpot was broken, the soil was washed away, and most of the rainwater leaked away as soon as it was poured.
The fairy flower naturally withered away day by day.
Only by repairing the flowerpot can the stream water be replenished and revitalized.
That's why she was so eager to use the "Zifu Cantongqi" to repair it.
"This kid's comprehension is so monstrous? I underestimated him before. But..."
The light in Shangguan Luoxue's purple eyes faded, replaced by their usual coldness.
"However... being able to draw out only a trace of the [stream water] is merely the first step."
The key is whether one can truly push open the gates of the Dao Mansion and step inside. Even if one manages to enter the Dao Mansion by chance, there are still restrictions and tests to overcome…” Shangguan Luoxue slowly clenched her fist.
"Jiang Mu... I hope you won't disappoint me. My time is running out."
In front of the Daofu gate.
"It smells so good..."
Jiang Mu sniffed it, somewhat surprised, "What is this thing?"
He tried scraping some off with his hand and tasted it.
It's very cold.
It has a very light and subtle fragrance.
In a daze, fragments of profound Daoist principles seemed to flood into his senses.
Although the meaning was fragmented and vague, and he couldn't grasp it immediately, the profound and fundamental Daoist implications shook his mind and spirit.
"I see!"
Jiang Mu cheered up,
"This thing is closely related to the Great Dao of the master of this cave heaven and Dao palace. It can be considered the essence of the Dao intent condensed."
"It's a very nourishing food."
Even absorbing just a little bit can have immeasurable benefits for comprehending the great principles of tranquility.
Jiang Mu immediately absorbed it.
Shortly after, he burped.
I can't drink anymore.
At this moment, the originally unbreakable gate of the Dao Mansion had its repulsive force significantly weakened after the [Stream Water] was drawn out.
Upon seeing this, Jiang Mu immediately began to push and pound forcefully.
"Open it!"
Sure enough, as the force increased, the tightly closed gates of the Dao Mansion began to slowly expand at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Jiang Mu was overjoyed.
Turn to the side and try to squeeze your shoulder and half of your body in.
An even more domineering white chill surged out from the crack in the door.
"hiss!"
Caught off guard, Jiang Mu shivered.
It’s so cold!
However, compared to the icy feeling when hugging Sister Ling in real life, this coldness is still within a tolerable range.
However, he was too happy too soon.
As he forced his body inside, the chill that hit him instantly increased exponentially!
Jiang Mu didn't even have time to see the scene inside the door clearly.
"Crack!"
In an instant, his consciousness was frozen into an ice sculpture.
This is not unexpected.
Shangguan Luoxue possesses the rare [Pure and Immaculate Taiyin Body], and with the blessing of the Hanyue Sect's unique secret manual, the cave heaven Dao Mansion she condensed is based on "extreme cold".
It contains the true essence of Yin within, and manifests the fierce aura of Xuan Shuang without.
This is the source of her great road.
If Jiang Mu tries to force his way in, he will inevitably encounter the backlash and attack of the Dao Mansion's instincts.
Of course, Jiang Mu won't actually die here.
His consciousness is connected to his physical body; with a single thought, he can forcibly break free from this consciousness space and return to reality.
Unfortunately,
In reality, he is also facing a huge crisis.
Inside the side room of the post station.
Jiang Mu, who was tightly holding Ling Ye, was covered in frost all over her body after being exposed to the Jade Cicada's Chill for a long time.
It had almost turned into a frozen snowman.
The result is
The chilling energy of the [Stream Water] that seeped in through his consciousness, along with the chilling energy of the Jade Cicada in reality, unexpectedly met within his body. Jiang Mu was attacked from both inside and outside, and was doubly frozen.
The saying goes, "Two tigers cannot share one mountain."
The two chilling energies were like two ferocious beasts vying for territory, instantly entangled and began attacking each other.
Jiang Mu's body became the battlefield where these two forces of cold energy clashed.
Jiang Mu was completely numb.
The body was frozen, the consciousness was trapped, and they were stuck in the gap between life and death.
Unable to move.
However, as the battle between the two streams of cold energy intensified, a strange suction force slowly emerged deep within Jiang Mu's dantian. This suction force swirled and contracted, eventually forming a vortex.
Whether it was the continuous flow of Jade Cicada Cold Qi emanating from Ling Ye's body, or the chilling Qi of the mountain stream overflowing from Shangguan Luoxue's Daoist abode, it was all indiscriminately drawn into this black hole...
Inside the room, the candles had gone out.
Only the moonlight filtering through the window outlined the blurry silhouettes of the two people embracing on the bed.
Ling Ye, who had just recovered from the backlash of the cold poison, gradually regained his senses.
The moment she regained consciousness, she immediately sensed that something was wrong.
The [Jade Cicada Cold Qi] that had been raging within her body began to flow continuously into Jiang Mu's body.
Although the flow rate is small and the speed is slow.
How is that possible?!
How could this kid absorb the cold energy from my body?
Ling Ye wanted to open his eyes to check the situation, but he couldn't. He could only barely concentrate his mind, looking inward at himself while trying his best to sense Jiang Mu's condition.
However, a layer of mystery seemed to shroud Jiang Mu's body.
Given her current weakened state, she couldn't possibly find anything wrong with it.
"Little Jiang..."
Ling Ye was deeply shocked.
She had a strong premonition that this man might become the greatest benefactor on her path of cultivation.
Even... the person who could rewrite her destiny.
Because once the Jade Cicada Cold Qi in her body is completely absorbed, her hidden danger will be completely eliminated.
At that time, she will no longer have any concerns.
You can start pursuing your next star position and return to your peak!
However, judging from the current situation, it will obviously take Jiang Mu a very long time to absorb all of this cold energy.
But this was the only ray of light they could see in their desperate situation.
Time slipped away little by little in the silent night.
On the bed, the two remained tightly embracing.
It was as if two travelers on an icy plain, about to freeze to death, could only rely on each other's meager warmth to keep warm.
I don't know how much time passed.
The last trace of uncontrolled Jade Cicada Cold Qi within Ling Ye's body was finally calmed down and completely suppressed.
She slowly opened her eyes.
The last bit of ice crystal on her long eyelashes melted, turning into a cool drop of water that slid down the corner of her eye.
What came into view was Jiang Mu's face, which was very close to his.
Pale, yet still handsome.
The man's eyes were closed, his brows furrowed, as if he were still enduring some great pain and chill in his dream.
But her breathing was much more stable than before.
Ling Ye was filled with mixed emotions.
Gratitude, heartache, doubt, lingering fear... and a hint of girlish emotions quietly emerging.
She stirred slightly, wanting to get up and check on Jiang Mu's condition.
However, she had barely moved.
As if sensing something, Jiang Mu, who was fast asleep, instinctively tightened his arms, holding her even more firmly in his embrace.
He even lowered his head and snuggled against her.
It was as if a child had found the most reassuring support in a dream.
Ling Ye's body stiffened.
Then, the tense body slowly relaxed.
She reached out and gently brushed away a bead of ice that had formed on Jiang Mu's brow with her fingertips, her eyes softening.
"It's okay... I'm here..."
Snowflakes danced wildly in the air like silver sand.
In the icy snow, Jiang Mu's consciousness finally broke free from the shackles of the cold.
Realizing that the chilling aura of the Dao Mansion could no longer harm him, he gritted his teeth and squeezed his way into the icy jade door, bit by bit.
"I refuse to believe... we can't squeeze in today!"
The stream water, carrying pure, icy energy, surged forth, washing over his consciousness.
Every inch forward felt like carrying a mountain on my back.
Finally, after exhausting all his strength, Jiang Mu managed to squeeze into the Dao Mansion.
However, before he could even catch his breath,
An even more intense chill and oppressive force swept over us like a tsunami.
Countless Daoist principles and laws belonging to Shangguan Luoxue surged in from all directions like a tidal wave.
With the absolute pressure of a superior, it seemed as if he wanted to tear Jiang Mu to pieces.
"hiss"
Jiang Mu felt short of breath and her soul was trembling.
He looked around with difficulty.
In the misty, pale, chilly air, countless runes flickered and shimmered, outlining the contours of this world.
"Opportunities... are indeed not so easy to come by."
Jiang Mu sighed.
But he did not back down; instead, it stirred up the ruthlessness in his bones.
Despite the immense pressure, they persevered step by step.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, a shimmering, dreamlike barrier suddenly appeared before them.
The barrier resembled a wall, with clearly visible Dao patterns floating on its surface, like the veins of a leaf.
Upon sensing Jiang Mu, all the Dao patterns emitted dazzling starlight.
Like an enemy!
The true essence of the Great Dao lies behind this barrier!
Because of his cultivation of the "Frosty Moon Ice Heart Technique," Jiang Mu's senses resonated subtly with this world.
He could clearly sense that behind the barrier lay the most fundamental Dao essence of this world.
That was the culmination of Shangguan Luoxue's lifelong cultivation.
It is the supreme Dao fruit born from the perfect fusion of her [Pure and Immaculate Taiyin Body] and the divine object [Stream Water]!
Once you touch that true essence, you can comprehend the other's great Dao.
The discussion on the Dao has concluded.
"Let's give it our all!"
Jiang Mu was excited, her eyes burning, and she rushed over impatiently.
"Bang!"
However, as soon as he touched the barrier screen, he was immediately thrown back.
He was almost shaken out of the gate of the Daoist temple.
"What happened?"
Jiang Mu felt her head buzzing.
The Dao patterns on the barrier screen shone even brighter, their light dazzling, as if silently mocking his overestimation of his abilities.
"Damn it! You're asking for it, aren't you?"
Honestly, Jiang Mu was truly furious at this point.
First, I was inexplicably pulled into the Purple Mansion Divine Realm, and then I had to painstakingly comprehend some Ghost Cave Heavenly Dao Mansion...
This isn't a proper star position; it's clearly making a fool of him!
It feels even more difficult than Tang Sanzang's journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures.
Even the eighty-one tribulations couldn't be this annoying!
"I refuse to believe this nonsense today!"
"I'm determined to seize this opportunity; no one can stop me, not even the Heavenly King himself!"
With a thought, Jiang Mu's stellar energy surged and began to circulate within his body.
At the same time, two other demonic shadows with star positions were also activated.
Triple-core power, unleashing full potential!
In a daze, Jiang Mu felt as if he had transformed into a drawn sword.
Wherever the sword points, nothing can stand in its way!
Didn't you want me to comprehend the Great Dao?
it is good!
Then I will use my own principles to discuss this with you properly!
Are you arrogant?
I'm even more arrogant than you!
"My path is like a sword; the place where I stand is the beacon of my path. The direction my heart leads is the path to heaven."
Those who obstruct me
"Regardless of gods or demons, slay them all!!"
Suddenly, an overwhelming and domineering will burst forth from the depths of Jiang Mu's consciousness.
He was by nature unwilling to suffer losses, and his bones harbored violence and arrogance.
You're making me unhappy?
I'm going to show you how awesome it is!
boom!
Transformed into a sword, Jiang Mu charged toward the Great Dao Barrier with an indomitable momentum.
The barrier trembled violently and caved in deeply.
Countless Daoist runes surged and flickered wildly, attempting to resist this savage attack.
Jiang Mu gritted her teeth and persevered.
The star power within his body was being consumed wildly like a river bursting its banks, while the demonic energy in his magic tank was being continuously converted and replenished.
This is a test of endurance!
Anyone else would probably have been exhausted and defeated long ago.
But Jiang Mu is a cheat code.
It boasts an unparalleled "external" battery life, its main selling point being its ability to withstand long-term power consumption!
Let's see who can outlast whom!
Back when I was at the third realm, I could outrun a fifth-tier zombie king to death, so why would I be afraid of your mere death barrier?!
only……
The star power is being consumed too quickly; it's like burning money.
The speed at which the magic gauge replenishes is gradually becoming slow.
The side room of the post station.
"Strange, why isn't Xiao Jiang awake yet?"
Ling Ye frowned slightly, her eyes filled with doubt and worry.
At this moment, she had completely suppressed the Jade Cicada's chilling energy within her body and returned to normal. However, Jiang Mu still held her tightly, his eyes closed, showing no sign of waking up.
Something's not right.
A sense of unease rose in Ling Ye's heart.
She quickly circulated her cultivation technique and sent a wisp of her divine sense to examine Jiang Mu's condition.
This investigation immediately startled her.
The star power within Jiang Mu's body is being consumed at an alarming rate.
"What's going on? Why is Xiao Jiang still circulating his cultivation technique and consuming star power while unconscious?"
Ling Ye was surprised.
"Could it be that the [Jade Cicada Cold Qi] he absorbed earlier has mutated within his body and is attacking his meridians and internal organs, causing him to instinctively circulate his internal energy to resist?"
Seeing Jiang Mu's face gradually turn pale as she fell into a coma, Ling Ye felt a pang of pain in his heart.
"Are you really willing to risk your life just to save me?"
Without a second thought, she immediately began to fully circulate her own cultivation technique, channeling pure star power into Jiang Mu's body.
Before the Dao Mansion's barrier.
"Damn it, it's draining too fast, my mana gauge is about to give out..."
Jiang Mu cursed inwardly.
At this moment, the Great Dao Barrier Screen in front of them was deeply dented and even semi-transparent, as if it would break at any moment.
But he was just one breath away from being saved!
Should we give up?
He had a strong premonition that if he retreated this time, the barrier would only become stronger and more difficult to break when it came back next time!
Just as Jiang Mu was having an internal struggle,
suddenly!
He felt a surge of pure star power inexplicably flowing into his body.
Jiang Mu was stunned at first.
Immediately, a huge sense of joy welled up inside me.
"It's Sister Ling!"
In other words, the woman has returned to normal.
It came at just the right time!!
Jiang Mu was so excited that she almost wanted to laugh out loud three times.
With the powerful assistance of Ling Ye, and the energy still being converted from his magic gauge, Jiang Mu, who had been somewhat weakened, was instantly revived. He was even more vigorous and imposing than before.
"Sister Ling, please lend me a hand!!"
Full of ambition, Jiang Mu launched his most ferocious attack on the Great Dao barrier once again.
Once my path is complete, all laws yield to me. If Heaven tries to stop me, I will tear it apart!
Break it!
With Ling Ye's powerful assistance, the sharp sword that Jiang Mu had transformed into finally pierced through the last obstacle.
The Great Dao barrier's true screen shattered and broke open.
Countless rune-like points of light scattered and flew in all directions like fireworks.
In an instant, an extremely intense aura of bloodshed and slaughter, like a prehistoric beast unleashed from its cage, rushed towards us.
Then came a sky full of crimson.
This is the [Tai Su Tian Gang Xue He Zhen Jie]!
It is a killing intent that Shangguan Luoxue cultivated by combining her own Great Dao, and it is also the last protective divine power in her Dao Mansion.
Once this true essence is triggered, it will unleash the "Blood Calamity".
Invading the mind of the intruder.
Those whose will is not firm and whose Daoist heart is flawed will, at best, be corrupted by evil energy and suffer great loss in cultivation. At worst, they will be forever trapped in inner demons, with no hope of redemption.
According to Shangguan Luoxue's original plan and arrangements.
If Jiang Mu can truly gain the Dao Mansion's approval step by step through her own comprehension and the guidance of the "Purple Mansion Cantong Qi," and eventually gently come into contact with the true essence of the Great Dao, then she will sense it in time.
And remove this final "killing" barrier to avoid accidentally harming this collaborator.
The result was completely unexpected.
Jiang Mu has no martial ethics, he's too fast!
They didn't give her any time to react or back down; they just barged in.
Even more coincidentally, Jiang Mu had just begun practicing the "Cold Moon Ice Heart Technique" taught by Ling Ye.
This technique shares the same lineage as Shangguan Luoxue's, and their origins are the same.
This leads to...
When Jiang Mu, imbued with the aura of the Cold Moon Ice Heart Technique, stormed into the Dao Mansion, the [Tai Su Heavenly Gang Blood River True Knowledge], which should have been capable of destroying the world, unexpectedly made a misjudgment.
It treated Jiang Mu as one of its own.
Thus, this terrifying Blood River True Knowledge not only failed to harm Jiang Mu in the slightest, but instead surged into his body and was completely absorbed by him, becoming Jiang Mu's divine power.
Jiang Mu felt a heat in his chest, and a powerful killing force flowed into his limbs and bones.
Then, it condensed into a killing intent within the dantian.
If this item were used to refine his swordsmanship, its power would likely increase several times over.
"What a find! I didn't expect to find such a powerful supernatural ability so soon after I came in."
Jiang Mu was secretly delighted.
He composed himself and looked around.
They discovered that the interior of the cave was still covered in frost, and the walls were covered with Dao patterns.
Clearly, this is where Shangguan Luoxue's damaged Dao foundation is located.
However, what puzzled Jiang Mu was...
He had clearly come into close contact with the other party's Dao essence, and even absorbed the protective divine power, but the Dao essence flowing around him still maintained a sense of repulsion towards him.
They didn't want him to stay here at all, let alone give him the opportunity to comprehend the Great Dao.
Jiang Mu, of course, had no idea about the intricacies involved.
He actually stormed into the Dao Mansion without a formal invitation from his master or by completing any prerequisite tasks. Normally, at that point, one would need to calmly comprehend the Dao.
Only by gaining the approval of the Daoist Academy can one gradually enter.
This process will take at least half a month of painstaking work.
As it turned out, this guy was impatient and skipped all the preliminary steps, going straight for a forced encounter.
There was no time for Shangguan Luoxue and the Dao Mansion to react.
The grotto-heavens and Dao abodes of high-level cultivators, especially the core Dao foundation, possess extremely strong autonomous defense and exclusionary mechanisms.
Once brute force intrudes, its profound Dao essence will naturally produce the most intense rejection reaction, refusing to be comprehended.
This is an instinctive form of self-protection.
Even the [stream water] that he had previously stirred up has now disappeared and is no longer flowing out.
After pondering for a while, Jiang Mu roughly understood the principle behind it.
I was speechless for a moment.
"You should have said so earlier... I wanted to be gentle..."
Just as he frowned, pondering how to approach these aloof and repulsive Daoist essences, a startling discovery stunned him. He suddenly realized...
It seems I possess the ability to change this foundation?
wrong.
It's not about change.
Instead... let it recognize a master!
"How could this be?" Jiang Mu was somewhat puzzled.
He was unaware that for a high-level cultivator to condense their Dao foundation, they not only needed rare and precious materials, but also a divine object as a base.
Simply put, the foundation is like a flowerpot.
The flowerpot itself is a meticulously crafted "vessel".
The Dao foundation that Shangguan Luoxue has condensed is called a [Thirty-Three Heavenly Palaces]!
The Heavenly Palace rises from low to high, with each level building upon the previous one.
Each layer contains different Daoist principles and rules, which are infinitely mysterious.
It is a wondrous phenomenon arising from the interplay of the real and the illusory.
Jiang Mu, having cultivated the "Cold Moon Ice Heart Technique," shares the same lineage as Shangguan Luoxue, and their auras originate from the same source.
Being in the core of this foundation at this moment, he actually resonated and connected with the [Thirty-Three Heavenly Palaces].
In addition, the domineering will of "My way is like a sword, cutting through everything" that he brought with him when he violently broke in, as well as the allegiance of [Tai Su Tian Gang Xue He Zhen Jie], formed a peculiar pressure and recognition.
A combination of factors led to an unexpected, bug-like phenomenon.
He gained control of this foundational artifact!
In other words, if he wanted to, he could completely transform this room and become its absolute master!
These profound truths that exist in relation to "vessels" will naturally no longer reject him, but will instead actively draw closer to him.
This was an unexpected turn of events.
Ling Ye never expected that the secret techniques of his sect that he taught out of care would become the key to Jiang Mu's "turning the tables".
Shangguan Luoxue never expected that her Daoist academy would experience such a bizarre chain reaction due to the shared origin of her cultivation methods and Jiang Mu's violent intervention. Jiang Mu, too, never imagined that this seemingly prestigious opportunity would be so easily obtained.
"Whatever, since we have this authority, we might as well use it!"
Jiang Mu's mind raced. Although he didn't understand the principle, the opportunity was right in front of him, so how could he let it go?
Jiang Mu immediately calmed down and began to try to transform the place.
As the identity of the "master" gradually became clear and established, Jiang Mu felt an extremely refreshing breeze brushing against her face.
The hidden stream finally surged forth again.
It benefits from the harmony of water and soil, passes through barren lands, yet its source remains unbroken, enabling it to rise and benefit all things, its merits are evident.
Jiang Mu's own attributes lean towards "metal," making her sharp and enterprising.
With the help of Lingye, the "earth" element was provided with inclusiveness and support.
When the stream encounters suitable soil and a source, even if it flows through barren and damaged roadbeds, it can become a sweet spring in the dry season, saving things from thirst.
From this day forward, this grotto-heaven Dao Mansion will belong exclusively to Jiang Mu.
A renowned instrument... recognizes its master!