Golden Ruyi Scepter

Specks of radiance gathered, finally taking the form of an illusory Golden Ruyi Scepter. Its body was curved and rounded, its handle faintly covered in countless bright and dark seal-script characters—complex yet orderly, sparse and dense in perfect measure. They flowed up and down the handle with the changes in the surrounding aura, possessing an exceptional beauty.

The ruyi was shaped like an auspicious cloud, with a warm, lustrous pearl embedded at its center. Looking closely, one could see a seal-script character drifting within the pearl. Its meaning was precisely the two words: Golden Light.

"Eh?" Jin Guang was rather surprised by the appearance of the ruyi. "Your talent is excellent! You understood the core of the inheritance so quickly. It seems the lineage you received only lacks certain crucial portions; the overall system should still be fairly complete."

After speaking, Jin Guang extended her hand as well and chanted, "Mystic Sect of Heaven and Earth, root of all qi..."

Threads of bright light emerged from Jin Guang's body and gathered in her palm. Amid crackling flashes of lightning, they transformed into a precious mirror.

The mirror's surface was clear and translucent, emitting a gentle golden glow. Faint arcs of electricity flickered across it.

"Look, this is the inherited artifact of my lineage, called the Golden Light Mirror. By convention, your ruyi should be called the Golden Light Ruyi."

Yu Chen looked at the precious mirror in Jin Guang's hand. His cheat naturally transformed into a bamboo scroll and opened. As he compared the differences between his own Golden Light Ruyi and the Golden Light Mirror, streams of information flowed through his mind, forming one question after another, which he discussed with Jin Guang.

Hearing Yu Chen's questions, Jin Guang became even more convinced of her earlier speculation.

She did not believe that anyone in the world could, in such a short time, comprehend the core of the Golden Light Mantra inheritance and notice so many issues. Compared to that possibility, Jin Guang was more willing to believe that Yu Chen himself possessed a corresponding inheritance, but had lost a portion of it. That was why he was highly proficient in some aspects yet knew absolutely nothing about others.

But exactly which lineage did this Fellow Daoist Yu Chen receive? His dharma power is pure and bears traces of the Pure Brightness Way, yet his thoughts lack the Pure Brightness Way's pedantry of taking purity and clarity of one's original heart as paramount, and loyal filial conduct as precious. His qi channels are long and deep, somewhat resembling the Great Unity Way's inheritance, yet they lack the Great Unity Way's principle of supreme pure oneness. Beyond that, there are also traces of the Celestial Heart Sect...

Jin Guang pondered in secret while continuing her exchange with Yu Chen.

Gradually, Yu Chen grasped some of the key points. The Golden Light Ruyi in his hand became increasingly solid, and the seal-script characters upon it grew clearer and clearer. As they spoke, Yu Chen glanced at Jin Guang. He noticed that this fellow Daoist before him was revealing more and more, with much of it already touching upon sect secrets. Thus, he deliberately put on the appearance of having made an error in comprehension, causing the ruyi in his hand to crack and dissolve into streaks of falling light.

Jin Guang's expression changed slightly, and she hurriedly offered a few instructions. The moment Yu Chen heard them, he knew this was a secret method for calming turbulent dharma power, specifically designed to counter the backlash of the Golden Light Mantra. From Jin Guang's explanation, there were clearly further steps to it. It was likely also a secret method passed down within the Heaven-Human Sect.

Yu Chen circulated his dharma power according to the method, then rose to apologize and offer his thanks.

Jin Guang returned the gesture. "Fellow Daoist Yu Chen, you are far too polite! These are merely introductory methods. Master does not mind if I pass them on. Still, your qi channels were injured today, and you truly need rest. Let us continue our discussion tomorrow."

Yu Chen nodded and was about to ask Jin Guang to stay the night, but after a moment of silence, she shook her head and left White Hua Monastery.

After seeing Jin Guang off, Yu Chen returned to the monastery and digested what he had gained today.

Late that night, a white fox darted into White Hua Monastery and repeatedly kowtowed before Yu Chen.

"Has something happened again?"

Looking at the white fox, Yu Chen was somewhat displeased. A few days earlier, the white fox had come seeking help. Yu Chen had lent it his Azure Light Mirror and taught it several spells to protect the Dong Family boy. Yet only a few days had passed, and it had come again?

After all, although the Wang Family, the City God Temple, and Zen Master Mirror Flower seemed to stand on the same side, all hoping for the Dong Family boy's death, Zen Master Mirror Flower's position was ambiguous, making it impossible for her to act personally. And though the local City God had the intent, he was restricted by his office and authority. Not only could he not act at will, but should a matter such as a spell duel arise, he would instead have to intervene to stop it.

Therefore, though the county town appeared extremely dangerous, it was in fact currently the safest place for the Dong Family boy.

The white fox also heard Yu Chen's displeasure and repeatedly knocked its head against the ground. "I beg the True Person for mercy. For some unknown reason, that Dong Family boy suddenly collapsed. No matter what this little fox did, I could not wake him, so I came here to seek aid."

Yu Chen raised his brows. "Could you tell what method was used?"

At these words, the white fox's face became even more bitter. "This little fox's eyes are poor. I could not even discern what method the other party used."

"Very well! I shall go down with you and take a look!"

After saying this, Yu Chen gathered a few things and followed the white fox down the mountain.

Yu Chen had barely left when a figure entered White Hua Monastery.

This person wore a padded robe and had refined features, but a thread of chill malice showed in his eyes, making him look like no good man. After entering the monastery, he headed straight for the goddess statue.

"Bastard!" Using a secret method to sense it, the man discovered that all the Incense and Fire Prayer Power stored within the goddess statue for over half a year had vanished. He flew into a rage, and a faint lotus pattern emerged between his brows as he sensed the changes in the surrounding aura.

At the same time, the man drew a tiny incense burner from his sleeve. It held half a dish of golden liquid. He lit it with spiritual fire, and a faint sandalwood fragrance flowed out, settling upon the ground and transforming into thin, misty vapors.

"What a Daoist Yu Chen! He actually knows divine-path methods as well. I..."

Before he could finish speaking, ruyi-shaped talisman seeds rose from the ground one after another. Then a sheet of golden light gathered into a Golden Ruyi Scepter, which hovered in midair before striking down at the man.

Though the ruyi was illusory, the Golden Light Mantra dharma power within it was entirely real. It faintly restrained the method the man cultivated, so naturally he did not dare take it head-on. With a wave of his hand, the thin mist around him transformed into layers of smoke clouds, wrapping the Golden Ruyi Scepter within them.

As the Golden Ruyi Scepter trembled, golden light faintly tore through the clouds, while polluted and fallen auras leaked from the collapsing vapor.

Seeing threads of golden light shine through, the man was just about to curse when he saw that the ruyi talisman seeds on the ground had faintly formed a ritual ground. He was immediately scared out of his wits, and the lotus pattern between his brows radiated a dazzling brilliance.

The ritual ground took shape. The half dish of golden liquid in the incense burner rapidly began to burn, yet the surrounding mist vanished even faster than it could be produced. The Golden Light Ruyi broke free of the clouds bit by bit, then suddenly struck down.

At that very moment, a white lotus rose from the light between the man's brows. It caught the descending Golden Light Ruyi and transformed into petals that fell one after another. As the petals drifted down, the man himself escaped from the monastery.

At the same time, Yu Chen, who was following the white fox down the mountain, turned back to look in the direction of White Hua Monastery. He was somewhat surprised by the Golden Light Ruyi's power, yet also somewhat regretful.

He sighed and stopped holding back. A faint mist emerged around him, and his figure was like a soaring serpent riding the mist. Surrounded by wisps of cloud and smoke, he sped toward the county town.

The white fox had no time to react to Yu Chen's sudden burst of speed before he was casually tucked into Yu Chen's sleeve.

When they reached the Dong Family residence, Yu Chen was surprised to see Jin Guang there.