"You have now cultivated to the fifth layer of the Third Realm. It is time to descend the mountain, travel through Qingyuan, observe heaven and earth, and paint your Inner Scenery Map in preparation for breaking through to the Fourth Realm, Heavenly Man Unity."
As Elder Jingyun's voice rang out again, Jiang Chuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"This disciple has also considered painting an Inner Scenery Map, but the Buddhist Dao and Maha Hall are currently locked in fierce conflict. If this disciple descends the mountain now, I fear danger may arise."
The Fourth Realm, Heavenly Man Unity.
Heavenly Man did not refer to people of the Heavenly Realm, but to Heavenly Man Unity.
The power of the human body was limited, while the power of the great universe was boundless.
An Inner Scenery Map was a world that cultivators painted from their visualization, using blood and qi as paper and mana as ink.
Though this world was illusory, it was enough to resonate with the great universe of the outer world, allowing Fourth Realm cultivators to command the power of heaven and earth.
Jiang Chuan had simulated it thirty times, yet every time he had been stuck at this point, unable to paint the Inner Scenery Map and break through to the Fourth Realm.
"You need not worry about this. Although Maha Hall stands alongside Bodhi Temple, Water Moon Nunnery, and Vajra Hall as one of the Nine Outer Sects, it ultimately possesses only the strength of one sect. It has now been suppressed by the combined efforts of our three sects."
Hearing Elder Jingyun's words, Jiang Chuan's eye twitched slightly.
In the previous simulation, the Three Buddhist Dao Sects had also suppressed Maha Hall for several months.
After that, Maha Hall began its counterattack and battled the Three Buddhist Dao Sects for years without falling into disadvantage.
"Yet a centipede may be dead but never stiff. Jiang Chuan, your concerns are not without reason."
Elder Jingyun raised a hand, took out a precept saber, and handed it to Jiang Chuan.
"This precept saber is a Low-grade Treasure Artifact I used in my youth. I bestow it upon you for protection during this descent down the mountain."
"Many thanks, Elder Jingyun."
Jiang Chuan excitedly accepted the precept saber.
After thirty simulations, this was still the first time he had obtained a Treasure Artifact.
The magical treasures used by cultivators were divided into Magic Tools and Treasure Artifacts.
A Low-grade Treasure Artifact could sell for at least fifty thousand Spirit Stones in a marketplace.
Elder Jingyun then took out a booklet and handed it to Jiang Chuan.
"This is the Demon Slaying Saber, one of Bodhi Temple's Thirty-Six Divine Abilities. With your talent, mastering it in the Third Realm should not be a problem."
Jiang Chuan accepted the booklet and saluted. "Many thanks to Elder Jingyun for your guidance."
As one of Bodhi Temple's Thirty-Six Divine Abilities, the Demon Slaying Saber was ordinarily taught only to Fourth Realm disciples.
That Jiang Chuan had been taught it while still in the Third Realm was enough to show how highly Elder Jingyun regarded him.
You boarded the Flying Boat bound for the East Sea once more. After three days and three nights of travel, you returned to Green Wave Island.
You went to the Nine Heavens Palace's station to inquire about Ji Xinyu's whereabouts. Learning that she was cultivating on an island called Chisha Island, five thousand li away, you immediately took off your monk's robes, changed into brocade clothes, swallowed a Hair Growth Pill, and headed for Chisha Island.
Upon arriving at Chisha Island, you quickly found Ji Xinyu.
"So she really is a flying sword."
Jiang Chuan looked toward the woman standing atop the Blue Giant Snake.
She wore radiant robes seemingly woven from phoenix feathers, blooming with five-colored divine light.
It cast her delicate features in a sacred glow. Combined with the Blue Giant Snake beneath her feet and the many flying swords circling near its mouth,
from afar, she looked like a Goddess of War descending from the heavens—valiant and sacred.
"Jiang Chuan, right? My senior brother said you were looking for me. What is it?"
Ji Xinyu controlled the giant snake and flew before Jiang Chuan, looking down at him.
Jiang Chuan replied, "Fairy Ji, an expert once calculated my fate and said that you are my future Dao companion. That is why I came to meet you today."
"Dao companion?"
Ji Xinyu froze slightly. As she stared at Jiang Chuan's handsome face, a faint blush surfaced on her pretty cheeks.
"But last year, I asked Heavenly Dao Pavilion to calculate my fate. Heavenly Dao Pavilion said that my Dao companion would not be born until three hundred years from now. They told me to cultivate with peace of mind and await my Dao companion's birth."
Jiang Chuan: "."
So it really is: if a woman is three hundred years older, she'll bring you immortal pills?
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, who was the expert that calculated your fate?" Ji Xinyu pressed.
"The expert who calculated my fate called himself the Divine Calculator. He claimed that within the universe and the cosmos, there was nothing he could not calculate." Jiang Chuan made up an expert on the spot.
"Within the universe and the cosmos, there is nothing he cannot calculate."
Ji Xinyu looked astonished. "I never expected such an expert to exist in this world. Then Heavenly Dao Pavilion must have calculated wrongly. They took one hundred thousand Spirit Stones from me, yet gave me an incorrect result. I'm going to Heavenly Dao Pavilion right now!"
No!
Girl, how were you even easier to fool than Jing Hui?
No, you were even easier to fool than Jing Hui!
"Fairy Ji—"
Before Jiang Chuan could finish speaking, Ji Xinyu rode the giant snake into the sky.
Watching Ji Xinyu's retreating figure, Jiang Chuan panicked.
"It's over! It's really over this time! Heavenly Dao Pavilion will definitely kill me!"
Cold sweat streamed down Jiang Chuan's forehead.
Heavenly Dao Pavilion specialized in deducing heavenly secrets and selling intelligence. Naturally, it sold information involving many factions, including immortals, demons, and Buddhists, yet it had not been destroyed despite this. That alone was enough to prove its strength.
What did businessmen fear most?
A ruined reputation!
It would have been fine if Ji Xinyu did not go make trouble. But if she caused a scene under everyone's watchful eyes, Heavenly Dao Pavilion's reputation would inevitably suffer.
To preserve its own reputation, Heavenly Dao Pavilion would certainly investigate the matter thoroughly.
And when that happened, Jiang Chuan, the instigator—
Just as you were considering whether to flee, Ji Xinyu returned and found you with Jiang Daode, a true disciple of Heavenly Dao Pavilion.
"A misunderstanding. It is all a misunderstanding."
Wearing a Black Silkworm Silk Daoist robe and an ebony hairpin, the somewhat plump Jiang Daode smiled as he spoke to Jiang Chuan.
"Whether it was calculated by Heavenly Dao Pavilion or by that senior Divine Calculator, neither result is wrong."
"How could two completely different results both be correct?" Ji Xinyu looked puzzled.
"What Heavenly Dao Pavilion calculated at the time was that Fellow Daoist Jiang had a calamity in his fate that he would likely be unable to overcome. He would need to reincarnate before he could become Dao companions with Fairy Ji."
Jiang Daode deliberately emphasized the words "a calamity in his fate," while patting Jiang Chuan on the shoulder.
Feeling the tremendous force from that hand on his shoulder, Jiang Chuan grimaced in pain and cursed inwardly.
Threatening me! A naked threat the moment we meet. Jiang Daode, where is your morality? Did you feed it to the dogs?
"Senior Divine Calculator calculated that Fellow Daoist Jiang and Fairy Ji would become Dao companions, but he did not say whether it would be in this life or the next."
Jiang Daode spoke with a smile. "What Heavenly Dao Pavilion calculated was the next life, and what Senior Divine Calculator said was also the next life. Fellow Daoist Jiang merely mistook it for this life. Wouldn't you say I'm right, Fellow Daoist Jiang?"
Take your hand off my shoulder first!
Jiang Chuan had no doubt that if he dared say otherwise,
Jiang Daode would immediately send him into reincarnation!
Jiang Chuan cursed inwardly. Jiang Daode, was it? I'll remember you. Just you wait. Once my strength surpasses yours, I'll suppress you, you immoral bastard, beneath a mountain for a hundred years!
"Yes. Now that Fellow Daoist Jiang has put it that way, I understand. It turns out Senior Divine Calculator calculated my next life."
The instant Jiang Chuan finished speaking, a sonorous sword cry rang out.
The giant snake beneath Ji Xinyu's feet, refined into a Sword Box and used to nourish flying swords with its essence blood, opened its mouth and spat out several flying swords.
"Since we can only become Dao companions in our next lives, I'll send you to reincarnate right now."
Before you continue