Taiqing Palace

Laoshan was home to many temples and monasteries.

For thousands of years, Qi Practitioners had sipped the morning mist and evening dew, establishing sects and founding lineages.

Among the Daoist sects of Great Jing, Laoshan ranked second only to Qingcheng.

The highest-ranking establishments were Palaces, followed by Temples, then Shrines and Nunneries.

The White Crane Temple, where the Innate Grandmaster Xuan Qingzi resided, belonged to the Upper Clarity Palace lineage. It stood to reason that the Upper Clarity Palace housed at least one Innate True Person, perhaps even more.

Zhou Yi had not come to settle a grudge or stir up trouble. He traveled all the way using the Earth Evasion Technique, arriving at the gates of Upper Clarity Palace, where he voluntarily revealed himself.

"Chi Xiaozi of the Kunlun Sect, long admiring the name of Upper Clarity Palace, has come to pay a visit."

Zhou Yi's voice carried for several li as he released the aura of an Innate Grandmaster, drawing out the true Daoist cultivators within the palace.

Upper Clarity Palace was not only a sacred site for cultivation but also welcomed pilgrims and devotees from all directions to offer incense and pray for blessings. However, those who received ordinary worshippers were not true cultivators.

After a moment, a Daoist descended through the air.

He appeared to be in his twenties or thirties, with a casually tied topknot, a faded white Daoist robe, a whisk in his arms, and hemp sandals on his feet—hardly the attire of a greeter.

Yet this Daoist's aura was in no way inferior to Zhou Yi's; he was already an Innate True Person.

At Zhou Yi's level of cultivation and status, he no longer cared about worldly formalities. Grand spectacles like throwing open the palace gates with drums and gongs were far too noisy and vulgar.

An Innate Grandmaster personally coming to welcome him—how many in the world could claim such an honor? And it already showed the attitude of Upper Clarity Palace, which was at least not hostile.

"I am Xuan Lingzi. The Grand Tutor's name thunders in my ears like rolling thunder. As it happens, a few fellow Daoists are discussing the mysteries of the Dao atop the mountain peak. Please follow me."

Xuan Lingzi finished speaking and flew off directly through the air, swift and utterly graceful—a secret Qi Manipulation Method of Upper Clarity Palace, which carried no small hint of testing intent.

Xuan Qingzi was Xuan Lingzi's junior brother. His journey to the capital to contend for the position of Grand Tutor, though his own choice, also represented the face of Upper Clarity Palace.

"I humbly obey."

Zhou Yi's form flickered as he executed the Earth Evasion Technique.

The Five Elements Evasion Techniques complemented and reinforced one another. The Earth Evasion Technique alone was no weaker than Xuan Lingzi's method, and with the added power of the Five Elements' mutual generation, his speed already carried a hint of divine mystery.

Unfortunately, the Five Elements Evasion Techniques were a talent of the Corpse Puppet and could not be recorded into the Gateway to Myriad Wonders. Otherwise, no matter how much Origin Zhou Yi had to expend, he would have perfected them and roamed the world freely.

Taiqing Peak.

Five people sat cross-legged atop the mountain.

Among them were Yan Chixia and Xuan Qingzi.

The presiding Daoist had a head of silver hair and a refined, striking countenance. He sat cross-legged on a jade disc inscribed with the Eight Trigrams.

Another was an elderly woman holding a dragon-headed staff, from which hung two small gourds—one green, one yellow.

The last was dressed like a scholar, yet at his waist hung a thick-backed broadsword. He sat casually on a block of greenstone.

The silver-haired elder smiled and said, "A few fellow Daoists, while we discuss the Dao, why not take a guess—who will reach the summit first?"

Chi Xiazi, hot-tempered and never one to admit defeat, declared outright: "My junior brother entered the Dao through martial arts. His lightness skill is unmatched in the world, and he has comprehended the Swift Sword Intent Realm. He will definitely be the first up."

At the Qi Induction into Body stage, Qi Manipulation Methods held no advantage over lightness skill in terms of pure speed.

The quantity of True Essence within the body and the thinness of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy both limited Qi Manipulation Methods.

After tempering their bodies with spiritual energy, many cultivators would also train in one or two top-tier lightness skills, using their legs for travel.

Those who entered the Dao through martial arts held a great advantage in combat and speed.

Xuan Qingzi snorted coldly. His face was pale; last year, while fleeing for his life, he had expended his essence blood to execute the Lightning Escape technique, and his vitality had yet to recover.

"My senior brother is most skilled in the Upper Clarity Six Imperial Methods. His Qi manipulation speed need not consider terrain—he will definitely reach the summit first."

The silver-haired elderly woman nodded in agreement with Xuan Qingzi's view.

Finally, the four of them turned their gazes to the scholar-bladesman. He too had entered the Dao through martial arts—one with peerless sword techniques, the other with unmatched saber arts.

"He's already here!"

"Who?"

"Fellow Daoist Chixiao."

The thick-backed broadsword at the scholar-bladesman's waist hummed and buzzed, then leaped from its sheath into its master's hand.

Fast!

Extremely fast!

Even though everyone present was an Innate True Person, they only saw a flash of white light.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang...

A rapid series of collisions between saber and sword. When the two figures came into view, one wore a dark blue Daoist robe, the other a scholar's long gown.

"Excellent sword technique!"

The scholar-bladesman suddenly withdrew, landing back on the greenstone. The thick-backed broadsword at his waist had already returned to its sheath.

"Your saber technique is exquisite, fellow Daoist. I am not your equal."

The True Essence dharma sword in Zhou Yi's hand collapsed with a bang, unable to withstand the Thick-backed Broadsword's toughness.

The Thick-backed Broadsword looked like an ordinary saber, but it was forged from some unknown material—the True Essence dharma sword, which could cut through iron like mud, couldn't even leave a scratch on it.

Zhou Yi was at a disadvantage because of his weapon. If the two were truly locked in a life-or-death struggle, they could fight for days on end without a victor.

"I wonder where you hail from, friend? I've been out of the martial world for decades and don't know the heroes of the land."

"Lingnan Song Family, Song Xiaoyi."

Zhou Yi understood. The Lingnan Song Family was the only clan in Jiangnan that could rival the Immortal Wine House. It was no surprise they had an Innate Realm blade master.

Yan Chixia wore a smug grin and laughed heartily: "Didn't I tell you? Come over, junior brother! I've looked for you several times, but you were always in seclusion. A life is only a hundred and fifty years—wasting it all in closed-door cultivation would be a shame!"

Suddenly.

The Silver-haired Elder furrowed his brow, staring at an empty patch of ground not far away.

"What fiend dares to covet the Upper Clarity Palace!"

As he spoke, a True Essence giant palm, several zhang in size and as massive as a small hill, slammed toward the ground.

"Senior, stop!"

Zhou Yi's face changed. That was exactly where the Five Elements Spirit Corpses were hiding. If they were crushed flat, all his efforts would be for nothing.

He moved to block the giant palm while simultaneously commanding the Five Elements Spirit Corpses to flee into the distance.

Boom!

Zhou Yi felt as if he'd been rammed by a small hill. His entire body flew back dozens of zhang, and he couldn't help spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Hiss—this is the foundation of the Daoist sect? At least a hundred and several decades of Qi Refining, an old monster!"

"With True Essence this dense, there's no need for spells or even magic tools—just condensing True Essence and bulldozing through everything is enough!"

Zhou Yi quickly regulated the chaotic True Essence in his body, repairing his damaged meridians.

"Old Daoist Zhengyang, what do you think you're doing?"

Yan Chixia soared into the air, his voice sharp and fierce, the Xuanyuan Sword blazing with boundless radiance.

"Senior brother, I think the elder has misunderstood."

Zhou Yi said, raising his hand. Five gaunt figures emerged from underground.

Their forms were no different from ordinary people, but their faces were bizarre.

One had a sallow, earthy complexion and a simple, honest look, holding a yellow command flag.

One had an ink-black face and a cold expression, holding a black compass.

One had a pale golden face and a stern demeanor, holding a white whisk.

One had an indigo face and a venomous gaze, holding a green ruyi.

The last was the strangest—a scarred bald head, a face red as fire, anger in his eyes, and red prayer beads in his hand.

"These are the Five Elements Spirit Corpses! Friend, you have incredible fortune!"

Zhengyangzi, well-traveled and knowledgeable, immediately recognized the five corpses, a glint of interest in his eyes.

Encountering one or two of the Five Elements Spirit Corpses was a stroke of luck, but the Fire Spirit Corpse reversed yin and yang—it wasn't just rare, it was a heavenly wonder.

"It was this old Daoist's rashness. Take this bottle of Pills for Cultivating Origin as a gift."

Zhou Yi accepted the pills and, upon learning their properties, silently marveled at Old Daoist Zhengyang's generosity.

The three pill recipes Zhou Yi had obtained from the royal family were all inferior to the Pill for Cultivating Origin.

A first-grade Pill for Cultivating Origin, given as a whole bottle of ten pills—its value rivaled a single Spirit Stone.

Truly a lavish display!