During the cataclysmic era, the workings of Heaven were obscured, the cause and effect were indiscernible. Furthermore, the great battles between the Witch and Demon Clan affected the Four Seas and Eight Desolates, erasing all traces. Xuanqing believed that even a Saint who personally deduces the secrets of Heaven would be unable to discover that it was he who, amid the chaos, had collected the bodies of the nine little Golden Crows.
But faced with Xi He in person, he still couldn’t help a tremor in his heart, an inevitable panic rising within.
The other party was a Quasi-Saint who had slain her Second Corpse, while he had only recently advanced to a Daluo Golden Immortal. If Xi He were to make a move, he would have no chance to retaliate at all!
However, Xi He appeared to be very gentle in her deanor, even humbling herself to reach out and treat him, a junior, as a Daoist peer... It didn’t seem like she had co to settle scores with him!
"May I ask what brings the Heavenly Empress to seek out this junior?" Xuanqing took the initiative to speak up: "This junior is rely a Daluo Golden Immortal, while the Lady was an esteed Heavenly Empress, who in the past listened to the teachings of the Daoist Ancestor alongside my master, Saint Tongtian, at the Purple Cloud Palace. For the Lady to call this junior ’Daoist’, is truly humbling!"
With an impassive deanor, he ntioned the Tongtian Sect Master, praising Xi He, hoping she would think twice before taking action against him.
Master, Tongtian Sect Master!
Upon reflection, he also placed the "Mountain and River Map" over his head, the implication being very clear.
My mother, Emperor Wa, the Supre!
Xi He observed Xuanqing’s guarded expression, and imdiately said: "Daoist, there’s no need to worry. This palace has co only to inquire about a matter from you."
"Lady, please speak!"
Xuanqing imdiately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Earlier, Daoist saved my child You Wen, for which this palace is imnsely grateful!"
"However, my nine other children fell to the hands of the Great Witch Hou Yi, their bodies destroyed, leaving no trace. Every ti I think of this, I cannot help but clench my fists and sigh with regret!"
"Now, Daoist has expounded the path of the Ghost Immortal, establishing a complete Ghost Immortal System, enabling countless Yin spirits to regain their intelligence and the possibility of living once more. Such an act is truly of imasurable rit, and to call you the ’Ancestor of Ghost Immortals’ could not be more apt! Yet, I’m left wondering... do my nine children have any chance of resurrection?"
Xi He’s gaze burned with intensity, her eyes shimring with tears, seemingly unable to accept the reality of the nine great Golden Crows’ demise, inducing a feeling of deep compassion.
Won are innately vulnerable, but beco resolute as mothers.
As an Innate Sacred being and a Quasi-Saint who had severed her Second Corpse, Xi He held a high and powerful status with little to worry about, but the fall of the nine great Golden Crows was sothing she could not let go of!
"This..."
Xuanqing didn’t know what to say and could only pluck up his courage to reply: "The Ghost Immortal Path leads from death to life, but that’s based on the soul’s lingering essence at the ti of demise! Without the soul’s essence, this junior is truly powerless!"
In truth, the bodies of the nine great Golden Crows still existed. If Xuanqing were to use his Creation Divine Power to enlighten and create life for them, it might be possible to instill a sliver of intelligence.
But he didn’t dare!
Once he spoke up, wouldn’t Xi He realize that it was he who had taken the bodies of the nine great Golden Crows!
Xi He did not give up, her expression determined as she said: "I heard that, using a secret technique of the Xuan Sect, you once helped the Dragon Clan find the traces of the traitor Ao Hong by using a breath essence. In my possession, I have the life essence of my nine children. Could you not use the sa thod to help find... my nine children’s true spirits?"
"Lady is truly putting this junior in a difficult position!" Xuanqing shook his head, feeling helpless: "Living people and Yin spirits are different. I was able to find Ao Hong with a secret technique because he is still alive! Living people have cause and effect, and thus can be found! As for the Yin spirits, at the ti of their demise, their ties of cause and effect have already dissipated into the formless!"
At this mont, Xuanqing couldn’t help but feel a bit speechless; the Dragon Clan’s way of doing things was still inadequate!
They couldn’t keep a single thing secret!
He indeed could find the nine great Golden Crows, but wouldn’t that be tantamount to revealing his own guilt?
Naturally, he could not agree!
Of course, he was also not lying; the secret technique from the legacy of Pan King truly could not track or curse-kill Yin spirits. Ordinary Yin spirits, if they don’t cultivate according to the Ghost Immortal System and reclaim their true nature, will not generate new causes and effects.
Because Yin spirits have already experienced death once.
They had already died!
Why curse anymore?
Upon hearing this, Xi He felt as if struck by lightning, unwilling to concede, she asked, "Is there really no way at all?"
"Um..."
Facing Xi He’s predatory gaze, Xuanqing didn’t dare to make an absolute statent: "It’s not necessarily impossible. The world is always moving forward. Just because there is no way now doesn’t an there won’t be in the future! Rember, the Great Dao has fifty strokes, with fortynine pursued by Heaven, leaving one thread of hope for the world to find!"
The resurrection of the ten Golden Crows might indeed be possible. Firstly, Xuanqing could grant them Enlightennt and Fate Creation, and secondly, in the future, Houtu could transform reincarnation, giving them another life through reincarnation.
His words instantly ignited a flicker of hope within Xi He’s heart: "Since you are a direct disciple of Saint Tongtian and you have found a thread of hope for many Yin spirits! I wonder if you would be willing to find a thread of hope for my nine children?"
"I’ll do my best!"
Xuanqing could only force a dry laugh.
He had achieved his status as a Daluo Golden Immortal not long ago and did not dare provoke Xi He, who was always on the edge of losing control.
"Then I shall entrust this matter to you, Daoist friend!"
Xi He left, just as quietly as she had arrived—waving her sleeves without taking a single cloud away. But before she departed, she still left Xuanqing with sothing.
The Sun and Moon Essence Wheel!
It was a treasure saturated with both her own and Emperor Jun’s rits from their celestial marriage, just like Nuwa’s "Red Embroidery Ball", and the very cause of the ten Golden Crows’ birth.
She hoped Xuanqing would continue to delve into the Ghost Immortal Path, cultivate the Dao of Cause and Effect, understand the thod of tracing origins, and thereby help her find the bodies and True Spirits of the nine Golden Crows.
"Alright!"
Faced with a Top Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure imbued with the rits of a celestial marriage, naturally, Xuanqing agreed without hesitation. Once the Witch and Demon Catastrophe ended, he could remove Xi He’s imprint from this treasure and take it for himself.
After all, he rembered that towards the end of the great battle between Witches and Demons, all of Xi He’s family, except for the young Golden Crows, perished in the suicidal explosions of the Ancestor Witches.
Of course, as an existence above Daluo, even if Xi He perished, there was still a possibility for her return, and Xuanqing would still be tied to so karma.
However, Xuanqing didn’t mind: "If it cos to it, I’ll grant Enlightennt and Creation of Fate to those little Golden Crows, turn them into great suns that illuminate the Netherworld! After all, the World of Darkness could use so light, and several suns to shine upon it!"
And after bidding farewell to Xi He, Xuanqing was visited by another with Great Divine Power, draped in a large, wide-sleeved robe, emanating a rich scent of Wu Earth Qi.
"Greetings to Immortal Zhenyuan!"
The visitor was Zhen Yuanzi, renowned as the "Patriarch of Earth Immortals". As for his reason for visiting, Xuanqing could sowhat guess it from his encounter with Xi He.
Red Cloud!
If Xi He’s obsession laid with the nine little Golden Crows, then Zhen Yuanzi’s obsession was with his friend, known as the "kind old man of Primordial."
Zhen Yuanzi had a gentle expression, and every gesture seed to wash over one like a gentle spring breeze: "Young friend, you truly live up to being a direct disciple of Tongtian. It has been but a hundred thousand years since our brief encounter on Golden Turtle Island, and you have already reached the realm of a Daluo Golden Immortal, even pioneering the beneficial Ghost Immortal System for all spirits!"
"You flatter , Great Immortal!"
Xuanqing bowed in response, feigning ignorance, he asked, "May I know if there is any guidance the Great Immortal would like to offer?"
He had t Zhen Yuanzi once before.
Back when the Tongtian Sect Master moved the Jie Sect’s base from Kunlun Mountain to Golden Turtle Island and preached there for ten thousand years, Zhen Yuanzi had co to offer congratulations.
At that ti, Xuanqing, lacking the status, rely received Zhen Yuanzi as a disciple of the Tongtian Sect Master on Golden Turtle Island.
"I dare not presu to guide!"
Zhen Yuanzi smiled and spoke, "Young friend, by founding a new path, you have earned the right to stand alongside us! I am here to seek your aid in a matter. A good friend of mine has t with disaster and perished, his Dao and spirit scattered. I wonder if you could find his True Spirit and allow him to follow you in the practice of the Ghost Immortal Path?"
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