Ling Qing had his Mystic Whale incarnation hold the fort in the real world.
Though its cultivation was not high, with Ling Qing's own realm as its foundation, cultivating it would be as easy as turning over one's hand.
After meeting Ling Ji and the others, and then Zhang Yuanyi and the rest, it remained on Qingyun Mountain.
Ling Qing's true body had already arrived in Zhang Family Realm with the Eight Immortals.
"This King Yu Rong has another identity—perhaps you've heard of it as well." He Xiangu pointed at the wondrous mortal landscape ahead, where peaks towered into the heavens and ravines ran deep with clear waters. "The White Cloud Cave Lord of Heavenly Gate Mountain.
"He once managed the Jade Emperor's Nine Heavens Secret Records, the Ruyi Jade Register. Later, he stood guard and stole from himself, leaking the heavenly book, and was cast down to the mortal world to suffer.
"Then, because he helped my master pacify demons and rendered merit, he regained his heavenly register.
"I simply do not know how he came to be mixed up with the Dragon Demon King and his ilk again."
As Ling Qing listened, the story did indeed seem familiar. There was a novel of Gods and Devils called The Legend of Subduing Demons that told of this very matter.
"I heard that the Ruyi Jade Register he guarded contains 108 secret arts.
"If King Yu Rong learned them, wouldn't he truly be able to commune with ghosts, command gods, and wield boundless divine powers?"
"The secret records are real, and it is true that he read them, but he lacks the ability and fate to cultivate all of them." Lan Caihe explained, "There are countless secret arts in this world, yet few are those destined for them.
"Take the