Contradiction at Its Root, Nine Mountains Today

What happened to Xuanwei afterward?

The answer was so simple, yet Zheng Fa was momentarily at a loss for words.

Since entering the Daoist path, he has experienced a wealth of experiences, including life-or-death situations and being in the spotlight even more often, but he has never felt at a loss.

But now, looking at these Tianhe disciples gazing at him, meeting the expectation in their eyes, he was speechless.

But silence itself is the answer.

The towering flying swords pointed skyward, their cries seemingly filled with resentment.

Venerable Tianhe stared at Zheng Fa for a long while, then suddenly turned around and glanced at the disciples behind him.

Many people hung their heads, clenched their fists, and stared blankly at the ground.

Venerable Tianhe looked up again, glancing at Zheng Fa, but his gaze went past Zheng Fa's shoulder, as if he were looking at Xuanwei.

His eyes gradually hardened, and even his expression towards Zheng Fa turned cold.

Zheng Fa's heart skipped a beat, sensing something was wrong. The way Venerable Tianhe acted seemed like he was about to do something big.

Ever since he entered the Myriad Swords Realm, he had been pondering why Venerable Tianhe would leave behind such a place.

Of course, we should commemorate our deceased disciples.

But this cannot explain the person's sudden death.

To put it bluntly, if Venerable Tianhe were alive and well, Heaven-Piercing Sword Peak wouldn't be a problem even in the Xuanwei Realm.

Many people commemorate it.

Especially after chatting with the Tianhe Remnant Soul for a few minutes, he discovered that Lu Mo's identity wasn't a big secret to Venerable Tianhe.

In his opinion, Lu Mo was a bit troublesome.

That makes it even less likely that he was killed by Lu Mo's scheme.

The reason why Venerable Tianhe disappeared back then is even more intriguing.

Looking at Venerable Tianhe, Zheng Fa suddenly realized that he had been waiting for this answer not out of resentment, but because this answer would determine his subsequent actions.

This action will affect the entire Xuanwei.

Seemingly noticing the tension on Zheng Fa's face, Venerable Tianhe curled the corners of his lips, as if approving. "You're quite clever."

That sounds a bit old-fashioned, but considering the person in front of me, well, it makes sense.

"Venerable One, or rather, what kind of future did the Tianhe Sect ultimately desire back then?"

Zheng Fa couldn't help but ask; he was genuinely curious.

Venerable Tianhe looked around and gave Zheng Fa an unexpected answer, "They don't know, and neither do I."

Zheng Fa was taken aback.

"The Tianhe Sect was insignificant in its early years, and I was merely a bit more talented. Back then, my future was uncertain, let alone Xuanwei."

That's quite true.

Back then, the Nine Nether Devil Ancestor wrote a biography of Venerable Tianhe, which included some of Venerable Tianhe's early deeds.

Although it may be suspected of embellishing, distorting the facts, or relying on hearsay.

But after reading it, Zheng Fa still felt that Venerable Tianhe was actually not much different from many other cultivators:

It involves cultivation, treasure hunting, venturing into the Secret Realm, and crafting weapons to earn Spirit Stone.

What makes them special is that they have good aptitude, abundant good fortune, and a strong ability to cause trouble.

Simply put, they are the traditional, Xuanwei cultivation prodigies.

His attitude and actions towards Venerable Tianhe and even the Tianhe Sect were quite different from what he had come to know later.

He was actually quite puzzled: had this Venerable Tianhe been possessed by a soul?

Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain why this person would undergo such a change.

Venerable Tianhe continued, "If it weren't for the Celestial River Method, I might not have broken with the Four Sects."

Celestial River Method?

Zheng Fa's heart trembled slightly, and he immediately realized what he had overlooked. "Venerable One, is it the Celestial River Method that makes you unable to abandon the Tianhe Sect? Or even your past way of thinking as a human being?"

Venerable Tianhe smiled and nodded gently.

Yes.

Zheng Fa had long understood that the law is the Dao, and the Dao is the law. The Cultivation Method of a Dao Fruit cultivator is equivalent to the cultivator himself.

I won't elaborate on the Yang Spirit Method; it's about Taishang emotions and using Pure Reduction Method, likely treating one's past as nothingness.

The Dharma God's Dharma is about addition; desires are endless, and the more one gains, the less one's previous experiences seem worth mentioning.

Only the Celestial River Method, during its cultivation, increasingly strengthens the existence of "I," almost to the point of becoming an obsession.

Simply put, the Yang Spirit Method and the Dharma Body Method, although they cultivate human form, will make one increasingly inhuman.

Although Celestial River Method has become Artifact Spirit, he is unable to escape the desires and emotions of an ordinary person.

Thinking of this, Zheng Fa asked, "So, it's because the Venerable One and the other Immortal Sect have different stances?"

"Standpoint?" Venerable Tianhe pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "More or less."

"It is true that there are differences in perspective between Dao Fruit cultivators and ordinary people, and between cultivators and mortals."

"But I am a Dao Fruit holder who stands on the side of mortals."

Within the Nine Mountains Realm, the Heavenly Emperor Body and Senior Sister Zhang pondered for a long time before letting out a soft sigh.

"In that case, many things make sense," Senior Sister Zhang said softly. "The root of the Tianhe Upheaval lies in the Celestial River Method. No wonder the Four Sects can even tolerate the Dharma Body Method, yet they are so wary of the Celestial River Method."

The Heavenly Emperor Body nodded as well.

"I also overlooked the difference between Dao Fruit and cultivators. Those above the Loose Immortal and cultivators are essentially different species."

He kept saying that cultivation itself is a form of life evolution.

But only today has he truly grasped the meaning of those words:

Having evolved to the level of Dao Fruit, are they still considered human?

Because of their resurrection, Dao Fruit and cultivators cannot be considered a single species.

Or rather, he has been consciously or unconsciously ignoring the alienation that cultivation brings to people.

Of course, most people would actually be willing to accept this change, and even if Zheng Fa Zheng Fa were to choose, he would not give up the opportunity to cultivate.

But then there's this oddball, the Celestial River Method.

The concept of Life-bound Dharma Treasure can be cultivated even at the Golden Core Stage, which means that cultivators who practice the Celestial River Method already have a fixed mindset.

The Heavenly Emperor Body looked towards the door, sighed, and shook his head, saying:

"The Dao Fruit cultivated through the Yang Spirit Method and the Dharma Body Method regard cultivators as cattle and horses, and mortals as mere weeds."

"The Dao Fruit cultivated through the Celestial River Method still stands on the side of cultivators and even mortals."

"This contradiction is almost unsolvable."

Simply put, Venerable Tianhe is an anomaly among Dao Fruit throughout history, and the first Dao Fruit to regard himself as a human being.

Venerable Tianhe seemed to be recalling. "After I became Loose Immortal, I discovered that I was not on the same path as those who had Dao Fruit."

"At the same time, some people from the Four Sects also cultivated the Celestial River Method and seemed to have discovered the problem as well."

The Tianhe Sect and the Four Sects are drifting further and further apart.

"I desire to Immortal-Slayer, yet my sect is already divided and disloyal."

Zheng Fa listened attentively.

"Later I understood that Xuanwei at that time was neither suitable for the Celestial River Method nor for the Tianhe Sect; failure was inevitable. But if you ask me what kind of future I want, what kind of Xuanwei I want, I don't know. So they and I are waiting for an answer."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Fa couldn't help but tentatively ask:

"If this answer doesn't satisfy you, Venerable One, or your disciple Tianhe?"

Venerable Tianhe's gaze fell on Dharma Body, a smile still playing on his lips, but his words sent a shiver down Zheng Fa's spine:

"When will this day end? We will both perish!"

Sure enough, this Venerable One had something big planned.

"What about the Xuanwei Realm?"

"The jade Jade Pendant in your mind's eye is the answer."

ah?

Zheng Fa was taken aback for a moment, but then he suddenly understood what the Venerable One meant—he wanted to transform the Xuanwei Realm into the Modern World.

Or rather, turning the Xuanwei Realm into a place devoid of Spiritual Qi, severing the roots of Dao Fruit cultivators.

Then what's the point of talking about the next step of the Celestial River Method?

Nothing works.

Zheng Fa was somewhat familiar with this concept. When he first started learning, he met a Senior Brother Zhuang, who had the same idea.

Venerable Tianhe thought this way, and he could actually understand it a little better.

This venerable one's obsessions are probably only two: the Celestial River Method and the Tianhe Sect.

The Tianhe Sect, which he cared about, is gone.

The Celestial River Method is being targeted again— Zheng Fa now knows the details and dares not reveal his secret of possessing the Celestial River Method.

What's there to be so attached to then?

Let's just flip the table. It's somewhat similar to the Nine Nether Devil Ancestor, but seems even more ferocious.

"I gave them a chance."

Venerable Tianhe's words came out of nowhere.

This left Zheng Fa completely baffled.

Which one do you think is better?

Upon hearing this, Zheng Fa's hand trembled slightly. Looking at Venerable Tianhe, he could not hide the turmoil in his heart.

Only after Venerable Tianhe asked this question did he realize that he might have underestimated the Venerable before him.

His choice was not out of hatred.

Or rather, he restrained his hatred.

He gave the Immortal Sect an era's worth of opportunities to prove that they could govern the Xuanwei better than the Modern World, which lacked Spiritual Qi.

But the Immortal Sect are useless.

He underestimated Venerable Tianhe and these Tianhe predecessors—they seemed to accept the decline of the Celestial River Method, and even the annihilation of the Tianhe Sect.

This venerable one probably transcends the kind of obsession Zheng Fa believes in.

There was only one answer he wanted.

Zheng Fa looked around at the Tianhe disciples before him again, and finally understood the look in their eyes:

Give them a future that cultivators and even mortals can see, let them know that everything they have done is not in vain.

Their obsession is with people.

"Master!"

The Heavenly Emperor Body suddenly spoke.

Old Yuan was still in a daze, he heard the Heavenly Emperor Body say again, "Please, Master, take Senior Sister Yuan and show the Venerable One the Nine Mountains today."

"... good!"

The Old Yuan understood immediately and responded.

"Venerable One," Zheng Fa said to the Tianhe Sect members, "I have no answer."

"All I have is the Nine Mountains Realm, deeply influenced by the Venerable One, which has inherited the Nine-Turn Golden Core Method."

The Creation Jade Disc flew out from his sea of consciousness and shot out a curtain of light in front of the Sword Forest.

Venerable Tianhe led his disciples to look into the light curtain.

The light screen displayed numerous images: Old Yuan, Senior Sister Yuan, and their disciples from the News Center traveling to various parts of the Nine Mountains Realm.

Now that the Venerable Tianhe wants to understand the entire Nine Mountains Realm, the Old Yuan simply dispatched the elite of the News Center to run around everywhere, both in the sky and on the ground.

Venerable Tianhe watched with great interest.

Zheng Fa pointed his finger at a small image in the upper right corner.

This is a disciple who went to the mortal Nine Mountains Realm to conduct an on-site interview.

The scene depicts endless rice paddies.

The rice in the field has just begun to head.

It was the busy season for farming, and the fields were bustling with people.

Venerable Tianhe immediately noticed something amiss. "A cultivator is in your field?"

"Yes, they regularly visit ordinary people to guide them in planting, and sometimes they even help with pest control and seed breeding."

"This is all ordinary rice?"

"Even now, our Nine Mountains Sect cannot afford to feed so many people with Spirit Grain."

Zheng Fa's tone was still somewhat embarrassed.

Venerable Tianhe and Tianhe disciples glanced at him with surprise in their eyes, as if they thought he was putting on an act.

Venerable Tianhe didn't say much, but simply looked at the light screen.

Zheng Fa then opened an interview with another disciple.

This disciple went to the Nine Mountains University of the Black Tortoise Lodge.

"What have you learned?" The disciple being interviewed seemed a little confused. "Talisman Arts, weapon crafting, oh, and recently I've been learning the Nine Mountains Golden Core Method, transforming water into Wood Element, but there are still some difficulties."

"..."

The atmosphere became a little awkward for a moment.

Zheng Fa felt inexplicably guilty.

Venerable Tianhe glanced at him with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

The Old Yuan was very clear: he went straight for Yan Wushuang.

"Interviewing me?" Yan Wushuang scratched the back of his head, completely unaware that he was being watched by his own Founder. "What have I been doing lately?"

"I haven't been doing anything, just studying the <Tianhe Sword Canon>."

"What are my goals?" Yan Wushuang asked, a little embarrassed. "After I finish learning the <Yellow Court Scripture>, I want to combine it with the Tianhe Sword Way to innovate this method and restore the glory of our Founder!"

Venerable Tianhe raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Zheng Fa: "Who is he?"

"A junior member of the Tianhe Sect."

Venerable Tianhe looked somewhat disdainful. "He doesn't seem very bright."

Judging from Venerable Tianhe's attitude towards the Nine Nether Devil Ancestor, this... should be considered a compliment?

What is the * Yellow Court Scripture *?

Zheng Fa did not answer the question, but instead spoke a few words to the Creation Jade Disc.

"Reciting the * Yellow Court Scripture *?" Yan Wushuang in the scene looked doubtful. "Is this program intended for entertainment?"

"How about I ask your senior sister to come?"

"I'll carry it!"

Venerable Tianhe listened to Yan Wushuang reciting the scriptures, he gradually became engrossed, a strange light appearing in his eyes.

"Did you create this?"

"This was created by the Nine Mountains Sect."

Venerable Tianhe then asked, "Is he from the Tianhe Sect?"

"Yes, it's now with the Nine Mountains Sect."

Venerable Tianhe gave Zheng Fa a deep look, but said nothing.

Zheng Fa knew, however, that he had seen through his thoughts:

The purpose of having Yan Wushuang recite the Yellow Court Scripture was, of course, to let Venerable Tianhe know the wonders of the Yellow Court Scripture.

On the other hand, it's to let Venerable Tianhe see that the descendants of your Tianhe Sect are doing well in my Nine Mountains Sect —I, Nine Mountains, am the Tianhe Orthodoxy!

Venerable Tianhe didn't say much, he just continued reading the various interviews.

The Old Yuan sent out dozens of disciples, venturing to every nook and cranny of the Nine Mountains Realm.

Fields, schools, factories, Marketplace offices.

Because it was a last-minute decision, most of the interviewees were still confused, which actually made the interview more credible.

After reading it, Venerable Tianhe suddenly asked, "What are you trying to say by showing me this?"

Zheng Fa said solemnly:

"I dare not say that the Nine Mountains Realm is better, or even that it will definitely be better than Xuanwei in the future."

"Just like you all once worked hard for the Tianhe Sect and even the entire Xuanwei Realm."

"Countless members of our Nine Mountains Sect are also striving in their own ways."

Zheng Fa's idea was simple: the Xuanwei Realm was certainly not good, but that didn't mean the Spiritual Qi was bad.

Leaving aside the Nine Mountains Realm, the Modern World is hardly perfect, and Spiritual Qi can solve many problems.

For both public and private reasons, he was unwilling to see the Spiritual Qi truly cut off unless absolutely necessary.

Venerable Tianhe didn't speak, but instead looked at his disciples behind him and asked, "How is it?"

None of the Tianhe disciples spoke.

Inside the Heavenly Palace Hall of the Nine Mountains Realm, Uncle-Master Pang and the others remained motionless, staring at the light screen with tense expressions.

The scenery within the light screen changed again, and Zheng Fa's vision became completely Chaos.

Just as he was wondering what was going on, he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

Turning his head, he saw a somewhat familiar cultivator standing behind him—a Body Integration Cultivator from the Tianhe Sect, with whom he had previously fought during the ascent of Heaven-Piercing Sword Peak.

"Go in!"

Zheng Fa turned his head and saw a grand hall in front of him.

He followed the cultivator beside him into the hall, who then brought him a cup of spiritual wine from somewhere and placed it in his hand.

Zheng Fa held his wine glass and looked around.

Inside the hall, besides Venerable Tianhe, were the Tianhe disciples he had met when he reached the summit.

They seemed to be waiting for him. When Zheng Fa entered, he laughed loudly:

"Fellow Daoist, you are too late! You should be punished with a cup!"