Old Land and the Outer Domain

Three Ancestor Realm cultivation arts, three silver sheets as thin as cicada wings, floated quietly in the air, each giving off a different aura.

The silver sheet on the left exuded a tranquil air, like an old man who had seen all the vicissitudes of the Human World and retreated into the mountains and forests.

The silver sheet in the middle radiated a fierce aura. The moment Li Jiusheng made slight contact with it, he felt as though he had fallen into an ocean of Sword energy, with tens of thousands of Long Swords slashing at him.

The silver sheet on the right gave off the most complex and ever-changing aura. At times it was domineering, at times cold and desolate, at times sinister, at times vast...

"If I'm not mistaken, the silver sheet on the left is an Ancestor Realm cultivation art from the Old Land," Li Jiusheng said to Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan nodded and praised, "Senior Brother has sharp eyes. The one on the left was created by an Ancestor Realm expert of the Old Land. It is called the Great Dream Spring and Autumn. It combines the supreme teachings of both Daoism and Buddhism. One can dream for a hundred years and cultivate within the dream, achieving twice the result with half the effort. It is truly wondrous, but it also carries danger. Once one fails to hold fast to one's true heart and sinks into the dream, one will never awaken, instead vanishing from the Human World along with that beautiful dream."

"Great Dream Spring and Autumn. A fine name, a fine cultivation art." Li Jiusheng nodded. It did indeed sound quite good, taking the path of comprehending the Dao through dreams.

"Where did the other two cultivation arts come from?" Li Jiusheng asked curiously.

"The silver sheet in the middle came from the Sword Tomb. It is a land far from the Old Land, where everyone practices swordsmanship and forges swords, treating swords as the hope of their lives. Their combat strength is thus overwhelming. This cultivation art was created by an Ancestor Realm expert from the Sword Tomb. It is called the Sword Intent Four Symbols Art!" Li Qingshan said.

"Sword Tomb, Sword Intent Four Symbols Art. Interesting." Li Jiusheng pondered before asking, "I do not know much even about the Old Land, much less matters concerning the Outer Domain. Can you tell me about them?"

Li Qingshan poured himself a cup of tea, took a light sip, and said, "Of course. Senior Brother has stayed apart from worldly affairs and focused on secluded cultivation, so it is only natural that you do not know these things. To understand the relationship between the Old Land and the Outer Domain, we must trace it back three thousand years."

"I would be glad to hear it." Li Jiusheng listened intently. When his cultivation had been low, he had focused wholeheartedly on improving himself. By the time despair had set in, he had already grown old and no longer had any desire to explore, much less ask questions.

Now, after being reborn twice, both his state of mind and cultivation had changed completely. Li Jiusheng's way of viewing things had also changed, and he now actively wanted to understand the relationship between the Old Land and the Outer Domain.

Li Qingshan said, "Three thousand years ago, the Old Land was not yet called the Old Land. It was called the Central Land, the central region of the vast and boundless world."

"The Central Land!" Li Jiusheng was surprised.

Li Qingshan continued, "Back then, a peerless powerhouse was born in the Central Land. His cultivation was heaven-reaching, and rumors said he had already touched upon the realm of immortals. He founded a great force called Heavenly Emperor City."

"Heavenly Emperor City stood above the heavens, its influence spreading in all directions. The surrounding regions had to bow their heads in submission, offering tribute and paying homage. It was immensely imposing."

"Unfortunately, good times did not last. The Heavenly Emperor's reign was exceedingly brief, lasting only a little over one hundred and twenty years. The Heavenly Emperor fell, and Heavenly Emperor City shattered, collapsed, and plunged into the Central Land, vanishing without a trace."

"Without the Heavenly Emperor's oppressive might, the surrounding territories that had submitted all rebelled and invaded the Central Land in search of the Heavenly Emperor City Ruins. At the same time, war broke out everywhere within the Central Land itself, with ambitious men rising up. For a time, flames of war filled the heavens, countless people died or were wounded, and even Ancestor Realm experts could fall at any moment if they were not careful."

"That chaos lasted for three hundred years. Only later did the Buddhist Sect's eminent monk Faming discover the Heavenly Emperor City Ruins and obtain forty-nine Sea-Supporting Purple Gold Beams from within. He suppressed them one by one along the borders of the Central Land, forming a protective barrier that blocked the invasion of other forces and powerful experts. Only then did the Central Land regain peace."

"However, the Buddhist Sect's eminent monk Faming was severely wounded in the Heavenly Emperor City Ruins. Not long after completing this task, he passed into nirvana, and the forty-nine Sea-Supporting Purple Gold Beams fell into the hands of the Buddhist Sect."

Only after saying so much in one breath did Li Qingshan stop. He lifted his teacup and moistened his throat.

Li Jiusheng pondered. "The forty-nine Sea-Supporting Purple Gold Beams fell into the hands of Buddhist Sect disciples. Did more turmoil follow?"

Li Qingshan nodded. "Eminent Monk Faming's deeds were admirable, but after he passed into nirvana, the other Buddhist Sect disciples believed they had gained control of the forty-nine Sea-Supporting Purple Gold Beams and became increasingly unscrupulous. They aggressively spread Buddhist teachings, bewitched the hearts of the people, and built all kinds of temples across the Central Land. For a time, a frenzy of worshipping Buddha swept the entire populace."

"At that time, the Jiangnan region alone had hundreds of thousands of Buddhist temples, with flourishing incense offerings and countless believers. Those who shaved their heads and entered monastic life numbered no fewer than ten million."

"Among them were evildoers who entered the Buddhist Sect out of fear of judgment, greedy people who used the identity of Buddhist Sect disciples to swindle money and women, and even old demons who had killed countless people. Because of the phrase, 'Lay down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha at once,' they entered the monastic path and transformed into Buddhist masters revered by the world."

"All of this had already provoked the wrath of heaven and resentment among the people, drawing universal outrage. An Ancestor Realm expert once wrote: 'Four hundred and eighty temples of the Southern Dynasties, how many towers and terraces vanish amid mist and rain.' He spoke of the remote Southern Dynasty, which had a population of no more than thirty thousand yet possessed four hundred and eighty temples. How absurd." Li Qingshan frowned.

Li Jiusheng also frowned and asked in a low voice, "What happened afterward?"

"What followed was naturally a vast campaign to destroy Buddhism. The various dynasties of the Human World, sects of the Cultivation world, thousand-year aristocratic families, and hidden holy lands all acted, joining forces to besiege the Buddhist Sect."

"This massive campaign to destroy Buddhism lasted for a long time. In the end, the Buddhist Sect was defeated and could no longer endure. The forty-nine Sea-Supporting Purple Gold Beams were divided among the major forces and jointly held by Ancestor Realm experts."

"The Buddhist Sect suffered severe losses in that battle, and differing voices emerged within. Some believed they should rebuild their strength, while others believed Buddhist cultivation should place greater emphasis on the heart. Gradually, the Buddhist Sect split into three, becoming the present-day Great Forest Temple, Little Spirit Mountain, and Ten Thousand Buddhas Sect." Li Qingshan spoke with ease.

Li Jiusheng raised an eyebrow. He had heard of Great Forest Temple. The Great Sun Nirvana Scripture he cultivated was one of Great Forest Temple's supreme arts, so he knew something about it. The monks Li Qingshan had mentioned who emphasized the heart were likely the present-day Great Forest Temple.

"After the campaign to destroy Buddhism, the Central Land underwent a new reshuffling. No single force dominated alone. Though everyone still had conflicts, they remained within controllable limits, and a long period of peace followed."

"However, the peace of that era came entirely from isolating themselves from the outside world, refusing contact with others and shutting themselves away. Then, a thousand years later, an accident occurred with the forty-nine Sea-Supporting Purple Gold Beams. A corner of them cracked, and the wolves, tigers, and jackals of the Outer Domain set their sights on the abundant resources and cultivation arts of the Central Land. Of course, they wanted the Heavenly Emperor City Ruins even more, so they began a massive invasion." Li Qingshan's tone was heavy.

Li Jiusheng listened silently.

"The Central Land, which had enjoyed peace for more than a thousand years, descended into chaos. A great calamity arose. It was an impassioned age. Countless seniors died in battle, yet countless younger generations also rose to prominence and upheld the prestige of the Central Land."

"But the consequences of shutting themselves away ultimately caused the Cultivators of the Central Land to suffer greatly. In the great war against the Outer Domain's experts, they suffered one defeat after another, with grievous casualties and constant retreats. The Central Land, once known as the center of the world, was humiliated by Outer Domain experts as the Old Land." Li Qingshan sighed.

Li Jiusheng was stunned. So that was how the title Old Land had come about. It carried such intense humiliation. Why had those seniors instead adopted it so widely?

"The change from Central Land to Old Land truly stirred an entire generation. Our sect's Ancestor Realm founder was one of them. He had only just begun cultivating at the time, yet he vowed to drive out the wolves, tigers, and jackals of the Outer Domain. He fought continuously thereafter, eventually breaking through to the Ancestor Realm and becoming one of the Old Land's peak combatants. He also successfully took control of nine Sea-Supporting Purple Gold Beams."

"Battling the beings of the Outer Domain changed their methods of cultivation. All kinds of shocking ultimate moves were created, and geniuses of every kind emerged. They beat the Outer Domain beings back again and again, turning the tide of war in one stroke. In the end, they drove all those people out, reactivated the forty-nine Sea-Supporting Purple Gold Beams, and restored the sealing formation."

"To commemorate that bloody battle, later generations renamed the Central Land the Old Land. Though that derogatory name carried a certain sense of humiliation, the Cultivators of the Central Land strove to improve themselves and were reborn through fire. They did not care in the least." At this point, Li Qingshan's tone grew impassioned, and his eyes shone with excitement.

Li Jiusheng understood. So there was another meaning behind the Central Land becoming the Old Land. It was quite fitting.

"You said just now that our sect's Ancestor Realm founder also controlled nine Sea-Supporting Purple Gold Beams?" Li Jiusheng asked curiously.

Li Qingshan nodded.

"Where are they? Why have I never seen them despite being in Shangqing Palace for so long?" Li Jiusheng asked.

Li Qingshan sighed. "That is another old matter, and a difficult one to speak of."

Li Jiusheng frowned but said nothing, merely watching Li Qingshan in silence.

Li Qingshan took a deep breath and said, "When the great war ended, our Ancestor Realm founder established Shangqing Palace, intending to carry forward the supreme arts of his life. Unfortunately, he ascended and passed away not long afterward. The second-generation Ancestor Realm founder was then eager to avenge him and left for distant lands with the Ancestor Realm cultivation arts, never to be seen again. Shangqing Palace suddenly lost its pillar. Heavenly Dao Sect took advantage of the opportunity and seized the method of controlling the nine Sea-Supporting Purple Gold Beams. They said Shangqing Palace had no Ancestor Realm expert and could not activate the Sea-Supporting Purple Gold Beams, so they would safeguard them for us first and return them once Shangqing Palace had an Ancestor Realm expert."

Li Jiusheng's expression turned cold. He said decisively, "Bullshit. Nonsense. Since when did the belongings of Shangqing Palace need Heavenly Dao Sect to safeguard them for us?"

That "safekeeping" had lasted more than nine hundred years. Even now, they had never been returned.

Heavenly Dao Sect was the foremost sect of the Daoist path. Its inheritance had continued without interruption, and its Ancestor Realm experts had never been absent. Nearly every generation had one, and it had always proclaimed itself the foremost Daoist sect. Its conduct was rather domineering.

Compared to Shangqing Palace, Luochuan Sect was nothing more than a small shrimp.

Perhaps only Emperor Wu of Zhou had a style close to that of Shangqing Palace.

Li Qingshan was also filled with resentment. He had only learned this information after taking over as Sect Master. The previous Sect Masters had all found it too humiliating and chosen to seal it away.

"Senior Brother, although I have now broken through to the Ancestor Realm and initially possess the qualifications, Heavenly Dao Sect has always claimed to be the leader of the Daoist path. They will never hand over the nine Sea-Supporting Purple Gold Beams. We must consider this matter carefully over the long term," Li Qingshan said.

After his anger subsided, Li Jiusheng calmed down and nodded. "That is reasonable. You have only just broken through. Though you are a sword cultivator with extraordinary combat strength, Heavenly Dao Sect is not Luochuan Sect. Their foundations are far beyond anything we can compare to now. We cannot act rashly. Continue cultivating for now. Once I break through to the Ancestor Realm, we will make further plans."

Li Qingshan was full of confidence. "Senior Brother can defeat a peak Venerable while standing at the Great Grandmaster realm. Once you break through to the Ancestor Realm, how powerful will you be? I look forward to it. These nine Sea-Supporting Purple Gold Beams must return to the hands of us martial brothers."

"They will. Whether for the Ancestor Realm founder's final wish or the sect's honor, we must take them back," Li Jiusheng said firmly.

The things their Ancestor Realm founder had seized had sat in another's home for more than nine hundred years. It was simply outrageous.

Li Qingshan drained the tea in his cup. Having finished the story, he rose to take his leave. "Senior Brother, cultivate here in peace. This junior brother will go attend to his duties."

Li Jiusheng nodded, watching Li Qingshan depart before turning his gaze to the three Ancestor Realm cultivation arts.

Great Dream Spring and Autumn, the Sword Intent Four Symbols Art, and the other unnamed cultivation art filled with chaos.

Li Jiusheng set Great Dream Spring and Autumn and the Sword Intent Four Symbols Art aside, then picked up the unnamed cultivation art filled with chaos.

It was a thin page, as light as a cicada wing, radiating Dao Rhyme unlike any ordinary book.

This was the saying from legends: false teachings fill a thousand pages, while true teachings fit on a single sheet.

The core of a cultivation art was the Dao condensed within it. The countless great Daos of the world could all be imprinted upon a single sheet of paper. Those capable of comprehending it had affinity; those without affinity would gain nothing even if given a thick manual.

"Where did this cultivation art come from? It is truly strange, filled with contradictions and beyond belief." Li Jiusheng marveled. An ordinary person would suffer a mental breakdown after just one glance at such a chaotic cultivation art. Even a strong-willed cultivator would be dragged into it, have his mind corrupted, and ultimately fall into depravity.

But Li Jiusheng was not afraid. His comprehension was astonishing. A mere Ancestor Realm cultivation art could not stump him.

Li Jiusheng fixed his attention on that single sheet of true teaching. His comprehension began to spread, gradually absorbing the Dao Rhyme permeating it, sorting it out, summarizing it, and comprehending it. Slowly, he found a clue.

During this time, the Ancestor Realm cultivation art constantly devoured his comprehension and spiritual nature, almost greedily. Anyone else would have been drained dry by it, but Li Jiusheng remained unmoved and simply let it absorb. He wanted to see just how far it would go.

A day and a night!

The tea room bore few traces of time. Only shriveled tea leaves, tea stains, and completely burned sandalwood ash proved that time had passed there.

Little Fox watched silently, staring at Li Jiusheng for a while, then at the silver sheet for a while, filled with curiosity.

She knew Li Jiusheng was comprehending the Dao.

She wanted to know whether she could do it too.

But the moment she made slight contact with the silver sheet, that chaotic, sinister, cold, terrifying aura rushed toward her. Little Fox was so frightened that she immediately shook her head, flinging those thoughts from her mind and not daring to look again.

"Li Jiusheng is so powerful. I feel dizzy and disoriented after one glance, yet he has stared at it for a day and a night without any reaction." Little Fox admired Li Jiusheng even more.

In her eyes, there was nothing in this world that Li Jiusheng could not accomplish.