Wind and rain raged, battering the doors of the True Abode Hall. The sky was dark, with no sunlight showing through.
Qiong He's words lingered in Xu Xuan's heart, casting a shadow over it. He fixed his gaze on the other man, his face as still as an ancient well, and asked quietly:
"What of the surname Feng?"
Qiong He lowered his eyes. Wind and rain blew in from outside, making him furrow his brows. He seemed to ponder something before saying hesitantly:
"The Feng lineage descends from the ancient Sage Sovereign. Mystic qi has nine manifestations, one of which is [Fu Yi]. The sovereign emerges from Thunder-Shock, his radiance equal to the sun and moon."
At these words, the immortal foundation [Thunderfall Marsh] within Xu Xuan stirred. Lightning swept upward, and the marsh waters surged, as though bearing the footprints of a mighty being, ancient and weathered.
He had heard clearly. The mention of mystic qi sent a tremor through his heart, but he only asked softly:
"What are these nine manifestations of mystic qi? Could you explain more clearly?"
Qiong He had not expected him to ask about this. He looked puzzled, but still explained:
"In ancient times, Dao lineages manifested on their own, bringing living beings into existence. Such beings were born in harmony with the Dao. Back then, there was no distinction between Purple Mansion and Golden Core; all were called divine sages. Beings such as Great Flint of 'true fire' and Thunder Marsh of 'shock thunder' were either born through human bloodlines or manifested directly from heaven and earth."
"[Fu Yi] was one manifestation of 'mystic qi,' born with innate knowledge and embodying both yin and yang. He came from Great Flint and Yan Zi, and took Feng as his surname."
The storm outside intensified