The Heaven-in-a-Gourd Art, the Sun and Moon True Persons

That night.

The wind and rain had ceased, and the Bright Moon hung high.

Inside a thatched cottage in the Path-Seeking Courtyard on Dao-Treasuring Peak.

Xuanming gazed at the Peachwood Sword in his hand, utterly satisfied.

Although the sword had shrunk from three feet to two, its color had deepened, and a layer of fine lightning patterns now covered it. Its appearance was more ancient and simple, its runes natural, as though formed by heaven itself.

After being baptized by several thunderstorms, the Peachwood Sword had finally advanced from a Dharma Artifact to a Spirit Artifact. Its power lay concealed, its edge hidden beneath an unassuming exterior.

It looked perfectly ordinary, but once set in motion, it could summon thunder and draw lightning, carry wind and rain, shatter mountains and sever rivers.

Xuanming closed his eyes and, with no distracting thoughts, sensed the power of lightning within the Peachwood Sword, contemplating the principle of lightning giving birth to wood and wood harboring lightning.

Thunder belonged to wood, and both possessed the power of growth. Their interplay revealed the mysteries of life, flourishing, and decay.

This benefited Xuanming's comprehension of the Wood Element and his cultivation of the Five Thunders Art. He had discovered it when he first used lightning to refine an artifact.

Time flowed like water. As the principles of thunder and wood intertwined, Xuanming gradually gained insight. His aura shifted, and strange manifestations arose within three feet of him: wind and thunder gathered into storm clouds, with sprouts budding inside them; or spring stirred within the peachwood, flowers blooming upon the sword and nurturing thunder within their petals.

Thunder and wood gave rise to each other; wood and thunder transformed into one another.

His cultivation deepened imperceptibly. Though each gain was only a drop of water, with days and months of accumulation, those drops would eventually pierce stone.

Sun and moon alternated, and day and night turned in succession.

At the Immortal Grove Inn in Fengyang Commandery, Xuanxu and his party remained unaware of what had happened on Floating Cloud Mountain.

Over the past two days, they had thoroughly explored the commandery city.

The young disciples in particular had wandered through streets and alleys, enjoying themselves immensely. Some made new friends, some unearthed treasures, some toured the city by boat, and some sampled delicacies. But play was play and fun was fun; they had not forgotten their real purpose.

Every evening, they cultivated in their rooms or courtyards, practicing swordplay and techniques under their elders' guidance. Even sharpening a spear just before battle would at least make it gleam, if not make it sharp.

On the third day, the Dao Origin Grand Gathering began.

Heaven smiled upon them. The sky was clear, the air fresh, and cool breezes brought relief. For once, there was no summer heat.

Daoists streamed out of the Immortal Grove Inn.

Every one of them held their head high and stood tall, brimming with vigor.

Great sects and small lineages each displayed their own distinctive bearing.

Rogue cultivators and sect members each had their own strengths.

They all did their utmost to show their best side that day.

Seeing one another, the Daoists maintained an air of harmony.

Those who were strangers exchanged nods and smiles.

Those who knew each other bowed in greeting.

Those with grudges prepared to settle them through contests between their younger disciples.

Other guests came to watch every Dao Origin Grand Gathering. The Daoists would not openly abandon the dignity of their Daoist Tradition or disgrace it before outsiders. This was an unspoken rule they all understood.

Beyond that, throughout the assembly, they were expected to win gloriously and lose gracefully.

The assembly took place in the eastern part of the commandery city. The Daoists entered, one after another, a peculiar Daoist palace shaped like a gourd. The Heaven in a Pot Palace had stood for a thousand years and was an important site belonging to the Heaven and Earth Academy. Every gathering was held there.

Xuanxu led the disciples to the Truth-Seeking Abbey's spectator seats. Seeing them looking all around with amazement written across their faces, he explained:

"Buddhism and Daoism each have wondrous Divine abilities that allow them to manipulate space for their own use. The Buddhist Tradition fits Mount Sumeru into a mustard seed; the Daoist Tradition holds the sun and moon within a gourd."

"They say that when the Heaven-in-a-Gourd Palace was first built, a Daoist True Lord cast the Heaven-in-a-Gourd Art upon it. It looks small from outside, but an entirely different Heaven and Earth lies within, spanning a thousand miles and forming a world of its own. A single wall separates it from the outside, yet they are like two different worlds. Its wonders are unfathomable."

The disciples' hearts trembled at his words.

When they looked at the Heaven-in-a-Gourd Palace again, their eyes held both awe and longing.

Xuanxu shook his head and left them alone. When he had first come here with his master as a young man, he had behaved no better.

Once all the Daoists had arrived and the gathered guests had taken their seats, a sun and moon appeared in the void, Yin and Yang vying in splendor.

A male Daoist in red emerged from the Great Sun. Slightly plump, he wore an embroidered Daoist robe bearing a red sun, with a red gourd at his waist and a kindly expression on his face. With a single step, he took the upper-left seat on the highest cloud platform.

A Female Daoist in plain clothing emerged from the Bright Moon. Slender and graceful, she wore a hemp Daoist robe bearing a bright moon and a jade crown upon her head. Her features were delicate and lovely. With light, lotus-like steps, she took the upper-right seat on the highest cloud platform.

High in the heavens, starlight blazed. a single Stars outshone both sun and moon, its brilliant radiance glittering.

A figure emerged from the starlight. Eight feet tall and slender, he wore a Stars-patterned robe and cloud-patterned boots, with a treasured sword hanging at his waist. His features were sharply defined and handsome, his bearing noble.

With a single step, he took the central seat on the cloud platform.

Every guest and Daoist rose. Some clasped their fists, some offered Daoist bows, and some pressed their palms together, each saluting the cloud platform according to their own tradition.

The sun and moon Daoists returned full bows, while the young Stars Daoist offered a half bow. They waited until everyone had seated themselves again.

Clouds formed beneath the feet of a handsome, distinguished Daoist in blue. He rose into the air and hovered there, announcing the assembly's rules.

"Thank you, fellow Daoists..."

He was a Qi Refining True Person with an outstanding appearance, specially chosen by the Heaven and Earth Academy to preside over this assembly.

In the Truth-Seeking Abbey's spectator section, Xuan Kong noticed the disciples repeatedly glancing toward the highest cloud platform and smugly enlightened them:

"The sun and moon run their courses, as though emerging from within it."

"The river of stars shines brilliant, as though emerging from its depths."

"Our Fengyang Commandery has two great Daoist sects. Even within the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty, they rank near the top of the second tier: the Rising Sun Sect and the Water Moon Abbey. The Rising Sun ascends in the east; Mirror Blossom and Water Moon."

"Both sects have legacies stretching back a thousand years, with True Persons appearing in every generation. They even have great True Persons approaching Spirit Refining overseeing them. Such figures rarely emerge, appearing only for the Dao Origin Grand Gathering to preside over and observe the proceedings."

"The two seniors who emerged from the sun and moon are True Persons from those sects. As for the last one, he is a True Lord."

"The Heaven and Earth Academy of our Great Xuan Divine Dynasty has one hundred and eight True Lords: the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stems and the Seventy-Two Earthly Stars. Some come from supreme Daoist lineages, some from Daoist sacred lands, and some serve the Divine Dynasty directly. Every one of them is a legendary Spirit Refining Daoist cultivator."

"They normally devote themselves to cultivation and pay no heed to worldly affairs. Only when the Dao Origin Grand Gathering comes around do they appear, traveling to the thirty-six provinces and seventy-two commanderies to observe the ceremonies."

"This True Lord is one of them."

As their questions were answered, a trace of admiration entered the disciples' gazes toward Xuan Kong. They had never imagined that their martial uncle—or master—had investigated everything in such detail.

Xuan Kong unconsciously straightened his chest, plainly basking in their admiration.

Xuan Yang interjected, "You could find all this out just by asking a fellow Daoist who's been here once. Senior Brother Xuanxu simply wasn't as quick to speak as you. What exactly are you so smug about?"

Shooting Xuan Yang a glare for telling the truth, Xuan Kong snapped, "Nobody will think you're mute if you keep your mouth shut."

Xuanxu coughed lightly, stopping the pair before they could start fighting, and reminded them, "Mind your bearing and the impression you make."

Xuan Yang and Xuan Kong immediately sat upright, their trademark smiles appearing simultaneously. One smile was honest and guileless, the other kindly.

The disciples likewise focused their attention and listened carefully to the assembly's rules. As the blue-robed True Person spoke, Chang'anzi's ears twitched.

"The top ten in the Dao Origin Assembly actually qualify to exchange for a Qi Refining True Person's cultivation insights, and the top five can even receive a Yellow Sprout Elixir!"

Chang'anzi was overjoyed.

Over the past two days, he had picked up a few things to bring back as gifts for Martial Uncle Xuanming.

But what gift could compare to the assembly's rewards?

Looking at his master's guileless, somewhat foolish smile, Changqingzi likewise resolved to give him a tremendous surprise.

Every parent hoped their son would become a dragon and their daughter a Phoenix.

If he could reach the top ten and draw every eye, his master would surely be delighted and proud.

As though sensing each other's thoughts, Chang'anzi and Changqingzi exchanged a glance. These fellow disciples, whose friendship had begun with a fight, both saw the fire in the other's eyes and reached a silent understanding.

Xuanxu, Xuan Yang, and the other elders of the Truth-Seeking Abbey had no idea that two of their juniors dared aspire to the assembly's top ten. Hearing the rewards offered to this year's top ten stirred countless emotions in them, especially Xuanxu.

"The rewards for this year's gathering are exceptionally generous!"

He had attended three gatherings, and the rewards had differed each time. This year's offerings in particular were far more substantial than those of the previous two.

Xuanxu was sorely tempted.

Xuan Yin, Xuan Yang, and the others felt the same.

But temptation was one thing; they knew their own limits. Their disciples had no hope of reaching the top ten.

The Truth-Seeking Abbey was only a small Daoist lineage, disadvantaged in both inheritance and resources. How could it contend with the great sects?

Even someone as brilliant as Senior Brother Xuan Ye, a prodigy the Truth-Seeking Abbey might not see once in a hundred years, had only reached the top fifty when he participated in the Dao Origin Grand Gathering. That alone had left the heads of the small Daoist lineages with their jaws on the floor.

They did not even dare dream of the top ten.

The other small Daoist lineages were the same.

Compared with the great sects' disciples, who rubbed their fists and palms together, brimming with fighting spirit, the disciples of small lineages only hoped to make it into the top hundred and secure a place to serve and further their studies at the Heaven and Earth Academy.

For them, that alone would be a tremendous blessing.

Inside the Heaven-in-a-Gourd Palace, the blue-robed True Person continued announcing the rules:

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