Chapter Twenty-Seven: Sub-Lord of the Three Realms, Prime Minister of the Origin Cavern

The path of cultivation—ultimately, it is nothing more than the sixteen words: refining essence into qi, refining qi into spirit, refining spirit to return to emptiness, and refining emptiness to unite with the Dao.

Within the Celestial Realm of Xu Capital, these are further subdivided into stages: Embryonic Breath, Qi Training, Foundation Building, Purple Mansion, Profound Grotto, Golden Core, Nascent Spirit, Returning to Emptiness, Pure Yang, and Uniting with the Dao… until one’s achievements are complete and one ascends as an immortal.

The myriad worlds, boundless heavens—innumerable as grains of sand—defy any attempt to count them all. Though other celestial domains possess their own methods of cultivation—myriad paths shining together—if one walks the path of Immortality, one cannot escape the principle of those sixteen words.

For example, in Xu Capital, those who practice Qi Training are called Feathered Adepts; those at the Purple Mansion stage are called High Priests; Profound Grotto practitioners are called Alchemists; those at the Golden Core and Nascent Spirit stages are True Persons; while the realms of Returning to Emptiness and Pure Yang are known as True Sovereigns.

As for Union with the Dao—

This is the great realm that stands just a step away from transforming into an immortal. In ancient times, such beings were honored with the title "Lord of the Dao."

A Lord of the Dao is one who is truly united with the Dao, whose body is wondrous and subtle.

With a crown as round as the heavens, feet treading the four quarters, adorned in ninefold qi as robes, clothed in sun and moon, draped in the Dipper’s constellations, bearing the Six Jia and Nine Chapters upon their person.

They are the legitimate recipients of the Mystical Calamity’s mandate, second only to all the immortals, and serve as viceroys to the Three Realms, the prime ministers of the Original Caverns!

Cultivators at this level possess extraordinary, unimaginable powers: capturing the sun and moon, shifting the stars, are mere trifles. Even restoring life to the dead, or commanding the wheel of reincarnation, are but the workings of a single talismanic decree.

Should a Daoist Lord of the Celestial School turn to goodness, they may, within the void, gather the Three Whites and Seven Treasures, open worlds, separate the primordial forces of heaven, earth, and water, and within them generate humanity and nurture all living things.

If, however, a Lord of the Demonic Path pursues evil, their punishments can descend upon the worlds, bringing chaos and destruction to all paths. They are revered by all manner of ghosts and evil gods in the heavens, worshipped as the "Great Demon King of the Central Heavens."

In truth, a Lord of the Dao already possesses the immortal body and destiny, lacking only the fullness of achievement to claim the mantle of immortality.

As for the Eight Sects and Six Schools that govern Xu Capital, each boasts at least one Lord of the Dao residing among them—some have one, others as many as two or four.

During this time, Chen Heng had read many Daoist texts, but due to the scarcity of classics, he remained ignorant of certain secrets and mysteries.

Just like this Lord of the Dao, Shenwu Shuhua, and also the Primordial True Essence…

“Lord of the Dao? Shenwu Shuhua…”

Hearing Chen Heng’s question, Tu Shange frowned in astonishment.

After a moment, he clapped his hands and his expression brightened at once.

“I remember now! I remember! She is the Lord of the Dao of the Doushu Sect! My former master once accompanied elders of the Chiming Sect on a visit to Doushu, bringing tribute to this very lady Daoist Lord!”

Tu Shange grew more and more animated as he spoke, his whole face aglow with radiant light.

“At that time, Lord Shenwu Shuhua broke through a Chan Buddhist Pure Land beyond the heavens, slew its abbot, and captured two million peacock monks, bringing them all to Xu Capital and presenting the captives at the gates of Doushu’s mountain!”

“Pure Land? Abbot?”

“That was another celestial domain altogether, a great world like Xu Capital. My former master boasted of it to me several times after returning, and it was so grand and heroic that I’ve remembered it ever since!”

Tu Shange set aside the cup of tea, already gone cold, his eyes bright with excitement.

“That domain was called Immaculate Glaze Heaven. Unlike Xu Capital, it was ruled by mighty Buddhists, filled everywhere with Chan monasteries and Pure Lands. Because of its missionary activities, Doushu clashed with several temples in Immaculate Glaze Heaven. Both sides waged war beyond the heavens for centuries, with countless Daoist and monk soldiers perishing on both sides. In the end, a few Doushu true disciples were tortured and killed, causing a great uproar that finally drew Lord Shenwu Shuhua into action…”

He paused, then continued:

“This Lord of the Dao wielded her immortal weapon with full force, breaking the mountain-shielding matrix of the Great Peacock King Monastery in a single bout, then struck down the abbot with thunderous might, seized countless scrolls, and carried off two million peacock monks…”

“Immaculate Glaze Heaven was outraged, and even a being who had attained the rank of Bodhisattva broke seclusion to avenge the defeat. But in the end, several Lords of the Dao from Xu Capital appeared, frightening the Bodhisattva into retreat.”

Tu Shange clicked his tongue, still unsated by the tale.

When he first heard the news, he was so excited he couldn’t sleep for days.

A million soldiers, rivers of blood and mountains of corpses, celestial dragons chanting, auspicious clouds spanning the stars.

Even in his dreams, Tu Shange imagined himself as a great heavenly demon, joining the fray and felling Vajra warriors with a single claw.

“Immaculate Glaze Heaven… so there are wars between the celestial domains?” Chen Heng was equally stirred, slowly lifting his teacup and taking a few sips to calm his racing mind.

So the Eight Sects and Six Schools wield such power?

Not only are they revered in Xu Capital, but their fame spreads to other celestial realms as well…

At this moment, Chen Heng’s longing to join a great sect grew even stronger.

Superior scriptures, superior blessed lands, superior destiny.

If one could cultivate within the Eight Sects and Six Schools, it would be as if one eye had already glimpsed the gateway to immortality.

“However, the Doushu Sect is not in Eastern Mi Prefecture, but like the Jiuzhen Sect, its mountain gate stands in Eastern Huan Prefecture… If not for my former master attending the Doushu tribute, I would have had no chance of learning the honored name of a Daoist giant like Lord Shenwu Shuhua.”

Tu Shange now asked curiously, “Master, where did you hear of her?”

“And what about the ‘Primordial True Essence’?”

Chen Heng evaded the question and continued, “Have you ever heard of ‘Primordial True Essence’ among the thirty-six grades and nine ranks of true qi? How does it rank?”

“Primordial True Essence?”

This time, even with all his racking of brains, Tu Shange could not recall the slightest clue.

“I once came across a mention of a qi cultivation method titled ‘The Scripture of Primordial True Essence as Expounded by Lord Shenwu Shuhua.’”

Chen Heng smiled, “I was puzzled, so I came to ask you.”

“I see. Although I’ve never heard of this ‘Primordial True Essence’ qi, its rank isn’t hard to guess!”

Tu Shange replied confidently, “Since it’s a method for refining qi, and personally expounded by Lord Shenwu Shuhua… then ‘Primordial True Essence’ must be among the highest of the ninth rank, or even the utmost pinnacle! Like the ‘Imperial Jade True Essence’ of the Chiming Sect—peerless among all true qi in the world!”

“The method for cultivating Chiming’s ‘Imperial Jade True Essence’ is called ‘The Interpretation of Divine Qi by the Daoist Lord of Supreme Virtue and Sublime Emptiness,’ a direct transmission from their own Dao Lord.”

At this, Tu Shange could not help but sigh with some regret.

“Master, to tell you the truth, my former master sought that method in vain, and had to settle for converting her embryonic breath into the eighth-rank superior ‘Spirit Cavern Nether Fiend’. I often think, had she succeeded in cultivating ‘Imperial Jade True Essence,’ she might have prevailed in the duels, and need not have perished…”

Though so many years had passed, recalling the past still brought him sorrow and sighs.

“The past cannot be pursued; further thought is futile.”

Chen Heng offered some comfort, then withdrew a yellowed ancient book from his sleeve and handed it over.

“Take a look.”

Tu Shange accepted it in confusion, but after just a few pages, his face suddenly turned pale.

“What a venomous and wicked method!”

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he cried out,

“Master, this technique is terrifying! It truly violates all that is right and just!”