parentshiftbook Chapter 93: Qingyang's Remains
Chapter 93: Qingyang's Remains
The world fell silent.
The demonic roar abruptly ceased, completely sealed and suppressed by the divine tree and the radiance of the array. The twelve figures, once as radiant as the sun, had vanished entirely from the world, leaving only the array totem and the divine tree's brilliance to eternally illuminate the summit of Kunlun Mountain. The location of the Heavenly Gate was completely sealed off by the roots of the divine tree and the array barrier.
"The plan... succeeded." Qingyangzi's illusory voice choked with emotion. Even after a thousand years, the pain remained etched in his heart. "The 'Heaven-Burning Purgatory Array' was completed, the Netherworld was suppressed, and the Heavenly Gate was sealed. However... the twelve patriarchs also became the array's cores, their souls consumed by flames, their bodies perishing and their cultivation extinguished..."
In the scene, the young Qingyangzi kneels at the foot of Kunlun Mountain, gazing tearfully at the eternal glory atop the mountain. In his arms, he holds twelve jade slips or magical artifacts of different colors, exuding an ancient aura—these are the inheritances of their respective sects entrusted to him by the twelve patriarchs before their deaths.
"Before the battle, they entrusted all the secret techniques and formations they had learned throughout their lives to this insignificant young boy, the old Taoist." The old man's voice was as heavy as a mountain. "He instructed me... to ensure the continuation of the human race and to always keep an eye on the safety of the great formation."
In the illusory figure, Qingyangzi seemed to have shouldered the future of the entire clan in an instant.
The scenes in the sea of consciousness flowed by, and time flew by.
"The old Taoist has decent aptitude, and with heavy responsibilities, he dares not slack off. His cultivation is gradually reaching the Integration Realm." In the scene, Qingyangzi has grown into a middle-aged Taoist with a calm and composed demeanor. He travels to famous mountains and rivers, ruins and secret realms all year round. Sometimes he explores the earth veins, sometimes he visits hermits, and more often he silently watches over the outskirts of Kunlun.
"About five hundred years ago, when the old Taoist was inspecting the Kunlun Grand Formation, he found a baby boy still in swaddling clothes by a mountain stream." The scene softened; beneath the snow-capped peaks, by the stream, a baby wrapped in brocade swaddling clothes was crying. Qingyangzi bent down and picked him up, and the baby stopped crying, opening a pair of clear, large eyes to look at him.
"That child's innate talent was exceptional, rarely seen in the world. Unable to find his parents, the old Taoist took him in as a disciple, imparting all his knowledge and treating him like his own son." The scene depicts Qingyangzi meticulously teaching a bright and clever young child to read, write, and practice breathing exercises; in his youth, he imparts martial arts techniques and swordplay; in his adulthood, the master and disciple discuss the Dao under the pine trees and moonlight… "He was named 'Youran,' and given the title 'Youran Daoren.' It is hoped that his Daoist heart will be at peace, unburdened by worldly concerns."
The old man's tone at this moment was filled with complex warmth, yet it also subtly revealed a sense of relief that someone had a successor.
"Another hundred years passed. About four hundred years ago, the old Taoist noticed that the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was gradually becoming thinner and the spiritual veins were showing signs of depletion." The scene became gloomy, the spiritual mist in the mountains and rivers faded, many spiritual springs began to dry up, and the efficiency of cultivators in absorbing spiritual energy during cultivation was much lower than before. The conflicts in the world caused by the scarcity of resources gradually increased.
"After painstaking investigation, we were horrified to discover that the root cause lies in the 'Kunlun Divine Tree'!" The old man's voice was filled with shock and heartache. The scene showed the landscape deep underground: countless thick, mountain-like tree roots, shimmering with a faint light, like greedy giant pythons, frantically extended and drilled through the earth's veins. Wherever they passed, the spiritual energy in the earth's veins was continuously drawn in and gathered, transported along the roots to the summit of Kunlun Mountain, maintaining the operation of the suppression array.
"The divine tree needs endless spiritual power to maintain the suppression array. Its roots are constantly spreading underground, almost covering the entire continent. Wherever it passes, the spiritual veins gradually dry up!" Qingyangzi's illusory figure sighed. "Due to the scarcity of spiritual energy, cultivation is difficult, conflicts arise everywhere, and chaos has already emerged."
In the scene, cultivation sects fight fiercely for the increasingly scarce spiritual veins and blessed lands, making it increasingly difficult for independent cultivators to survive, and causing turmoil in the mortal world as a result.
"The old Taoist priest could not bear to see humanity strife and self-destruct, so three hundred years ago, he supported a great ruler to establish the Great Yin Dynasty, set up the Imperial Preceptor's Office, and established the Demon Suppression Bureau." The scene changed, the turmoil of war gradually subsided, and a magnificent imperial city rose from the central plain. Qingyangzi, as the Imperial Preceptor, assisted that founding ruler in restoring order to the land.
"Ostensibly, the purpose is to pacify the scattered demons in the mortal realm, but in reality, it's to concentrate increasingly scarce cultivation resources, nurture promising talents among the human race, and incorporate them into the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion and the Demon Suppression Bureau system." The scene depicts young people with spiritual roots from various regions being selected and gathered for unified training; cultivators from the Demon Suppression Bureau patrol the four directions, clearing out demonic beasts, while also overseeing the distribution of spiritual vein resources. "The Emperor governs the mortal world, while the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion and the Demon Suppression Bureau serve as the backbone of the human cultivation world, aiming to preserve the last remaining force to resist the demon race."
"At that time, most of the cultivation sects had already declined, and this method was a last resort." The old man's tone was filled with deep weariness and a sense of responsibility. "I am responsible for inspecting the great array and passing on the legacy. I am away from home most of the year. All the affairs of the National Preceptor's Mansion are left to my disciple Youran to manage."
In the scene, the now-adult Daoist You Ran possesses an otherworldly air and handles matters with competence, managing the affairs of the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion and the Demon Suppression Division with remarkable efficiency. When Qing Yangzi occasionally returns, he sees the orderly organization and abundance of talent within the mansion and its departments, and a look of satisfaction appears in his eyes.
"He...is indeed a genius, and has never made a mistake. This old man is very pleased." The old man's voice trembled slightly here, a very complex tremor.
The scenes in the sea of consciousness shifted once more, and time moved forward.
"At the hundredth anniversary of the Great Yin Dynasty, the Spirit Clan suddenly sent an urgent message, saying that there was unusual activity in Kunlun." In the scene, Qingyangzi received a communication talisman that was flashing with spiritual light. His expression was solemn, and he immediately set off for Kunlun.
The scene unfolded at the foot of Mount Kunlun, right outside the forbidden zone shrouded in the eternal radiance of the divine tree. Qingyangzi cautiously probed the fluctuations of the great formation, his brow furrowed.
"Just as the old Taoist was investigating the 'Heaven-Burning Purgatory Array'... a sudden change occurred!"
The scene suddenly turned dangerous and fierce!
A golden light burst forth from the shadows, swift as lightning, piercing straight into Qingyangzi's back! Within that golden light, one could vaguely see the grotesque phantom of a giant golden cicada, its back covered in transparent, thin wings, and its mouthparts sharp as knives, exuding a chilling and malevolent aura!
Although Qingyangzi was startled, he remained calm and his figure moved swiftly like a cloud as he turned to the side. At the same time, he struck out with his palm, the Dao patterns flowing in his palm, and the vast spiritual power transformed into a giant azure palm, which clashed fiercely with the golden light!
"The old Taoist priest fought hard and injured the golden cicada demon." In the scene, the golden cicada demon was sent flying backward by the giant blue palm, its thin wings were torn, and it shed specks of golden blood, emitting a sharp and piercing screech.
However, at the very moment when Qingyangzi's old strength had faded and new strength had yet to emerge—
Another figure, like a ghost, quietly appeared from the blind spot beside Qingyangzi!
The man was tall and imposing, dressed in a moon-white Daoist robe quite similar to Qingyangzi's, but his face wore a cold, ruthless metal mask engraved with eerie demonic patterns. Though humanoid, the intensity, purity, and antiquity of the demonic energy surging around him were so great that it distorted the vision in one's mind! Even more chilling was the fact that the essence of that demonic energy... bore a striking resemblance to the demonic aura of Youming in the scene from years ago!
"The other one... is actually humanoid, wearing a strange mask, yet its demonic aura... is seven-tenths similar to that of Youming back then!" Qingyangzi's illusory voice trembled with excitement, filled with unbelievable horror.
The humanoid demon made its move.
There was no earth-shattering display, just a single finger.
A finger lightly touched Qingyangzi's vital point under his ribs. The spiritual energy fluctuations swirling around the fingertip, the path of its movement, the Daoist essence it contained... Qingyangzi would never forget it, even in his dreams!
"He used...it was actually the old Taoist's signature move, 'Mysterious Sky Finger'! The technique, the flow of spiritual energy, were all exactly the same!" The old man's phantom image fluctuated violently, revealing his deep-seated pain and confusion.
In the scene, Qingyangzi barely managed to turn to the side, but was still struck by the residual force of that finger. His protective aura vibrated violently, and he groaned as blood spilled from the corner of his lips. He abruptly turned around, staring intently at the masked figure, his eyes filled with shock, anger, and a trace of... a deep-seated, unwilling-to-believe fear.
"The old Taoist fought him, discovering that although his demonic aura resembled Youming's, his cultivation was far inferior, suggesting they shared the same bloodline." The scene became chaotic as Qingyangzi and the masked figure battled fiercely on the snowy peak of Kunlun, while the golden cicada demon, shimmering with golden light, also launched occasional attacks. Qingyangzi possessed profound Taoist skills, but faced with this familiar yet unfamiliar enemy, and that strangely familiar demonic aura, his mind trembled, and he gradually lost ground.
"In the end... the old Taoist burned out most of his life force, barely managing to escape and flee to this place." The last scene shows Qingyangzi covered in blood, his aura weakened, transforming into a dim stream of light, desperately breaking through the blockade and fleeing rapidly in the southeast direction. Behind him, the masked figure did not pursue, but stood quietly on the snow peak, his gaze beneath the mask unfathomable.
The scene returned to the desolate stone cave, where the aura of Qingyangzi's illusory figure was filled with weariness and deep, unresolved doubts.
"Seven Star Pass is one of the nodes where I set up the 'Seven Star Locking Spirit' formation in my early years." The old man's voice was much weaker. "Back then, I noticed that the roots of the divine tree were excessively drawing on the earth's veins, so I found seven nodes in the world where spiritual energy was concentrated. Besides the Spirit Milk Cave in Seven Star Pass, there is also the Spirit Spring of Canglang Mountain, the 'Water Moon Mirror Sky' of Yunmeng Marsh, the 'Mysterious Ice Soul' of the Northern Sea Eye, the 'Melting Heart Jade Marrow' of the Southern Wilderness Volcano, the 'Geng Metal Spirit Cave' of the Western Regions Flowing Sands, and the 'Azure Wood Dragon Vein' on the coast of the East Sea."
"At these seven locations, the old Taoist used the 'Seven Stars Locking Spirit' technique to set up a flow-blocking formation around the roots of the divine tree, like setting up seven sluice gates to control a surging river." A glimmer of light flashed in the illusory figure's eyes. "Although it cannot completely cure the depletion of the spiritual veins, it can slow down its progress, preserving a glimmer of hope for all living beings and for the path of cultivation. The spiritual milk, spiritual springs, and other substances overflowing from these places of creation are the essence of heaven and earth that naturally condenses after the flow is blocked."
"Little ape, that's the one I trained to guard this Spirit Milk Cave back then." The old man looked towards the outside of the cave, his gaze gentle. "The Silverback Ape clan is incomparably loyal and best at distinguishing between the loyal and the treacherous. When I fled to this place, I was already at my last gasp. Although I consumed their treasured spirit milk, it only prolonged my life for a dozen days..."
The aura of Qingyangzi's illusory figure grew weaker and weaker, and the fluctuations of his will began to become unstable.
"On my deathbed, I pondered deeply, and the more I thought about it, the more horrified I became, the more... I dared not think further." The old man's voice was filled with pain and struggle. "The one who ambushed me was able to use the 'Mysterious Sky Finger'... This was my own creation, and the only one I taught it to without reservation was..."
The phantom trembled violently, almost collapsing, revealing the intense internal struggle it was undergoing.
"Only that child, You Ran..."