Three Give Rise to All Things, Three Powers Unfold Threefold, and the Great Dao's Three Fortunes

The Three Realms Great Thousand World had twelve heavenly realms.

Nine of them, known as the Ninefold Heaven Palace, formed the Central Heavenly Palace. It stood above the heart of the cosmos and spanned the Three Realms, five continents, and Four Seas.

The other three were the Penglai Xuming Heavenly Realm and Qinghua Qinghong Heavenly Realm in East Heaven, and the Great Awakening Spirit-Sound Heavenly Realm in West Heaven.

They were the sanctuaries of Heavenly Venerable Xuming Qingyan, Heavenly Venerable Qinghong Mingyang, and Namo Jinjue Buddha.

Returning to the familiar Penglai Xuming Heavenly Realm, Jiang Sheng went straight to the Heavenly Venerable's sanctuary.

The Xuming Heavenly Palace had changed considerably over the past few centuries. Its interior was now a world of mountains and waters unto itself.

Green mountains rose in layers, and willows drooped beneath their leafy shade. Where jade waters met the sky, a gentle breeze stirred ripples across the surface. Every ripple gave off a dazzling glow, like Three-Star Divine Water, brimming with boundless power and the radiance of the Great Dao.

Amid the shimmering waves, dragons could be glimpsed at play, reflecting the stars of East Heaven.

"Come up."

Patriarch Qingyan's voice came from ahead. The water rippled, the mist parted, and a small hill appeared before Jiang Sheng.

An old man in a bamboo crown and hemp robes sat cross-legged atop it, seemingly studying a game of chess.

At the Patriarch's bidding, Jiang Sheng approached. The hill looked no more than a hundred zhang high, but as he stepped toward it, ripples spread through space. In an instant, he stood at its foot, reduced to a tiny speck.

Only when he drew near did Jiang Sheng discover the endless mysteries hidden within that little hill.

From outside, it measured barely a hundred zhang across. Within,