A Dao Heart Forever Steadfast

"That kid is good; he's a promising talent."

The voice of the Desolate Halberd True Lord echoed in the mountain cave, breaking the suffocating silence.

He did not directly respond to True Lord Wudao's question, but instead gave his own evaluation, stating an objective fact in a calm tone.

"This child is resolute and decisive, and what is even more remarkable is that he has laid an extremely solid foundation."

Even in the treacherous Azure Gate Realm, he was able to navigate between the Heaven's Will and the dynasty, ultimately returning victorious.

Furthermore, his own Dao Path has not been excessively tainted by the Principle of other realms; on the contrary, it has made progress.

His golden eyes stared directly into Wudao's dark eyes, which shimmered with an unusual light, and he said, word by word, "Nurture him well; in the future, he may add another monarch to our Holy Sect."

This statement carries immense weight.

The position of True Lord cannot be achieved solely through talent and fortuitous opportunity; it requires the allocation of massive resources from the sect, the support of profound fortune, and even a certain degree of "status recognition."

Desolate Halberd True Lord's words undoubtedly indicate that he has great confidence in Qi Yun's potential.

There's even a hint that he's considered one of the future pillars of the sect.

By the pool, the Wudao Extreme Dharma True Lord listened quietly, his face still bearing that cold, unreadable expression.

Only after Desolate Halberd finished speaking did he slightly tilt his head, his long, black hair sliding across his pale cheek with the movement.

"Supreme Dao Foundation ----"

He spoke slowly, his voice still calm and even, yet he pinpointed Qi Yun's most core characteristic.

"To evolve all laws and govern all paths—that is indeed rare."

"The fact that you were able to condense such a [Dharma Body] under the stimulation of the Leakless Golden Core bestowed upon you, instead of being assimilated by the Dao of Alchemy essence, demonstrates the solidity of your Dao Foundation and the purity of your mind."

He nodded slightly, acknowledging Desolate Halberd's assessment.

"I believe he has that potential."

However, just as Desolate Halberd True Lord's gaze shifted slightly, seemingly thinking that things had taken a turn for the better True Lord Wudao suddenly changed the subject!

A strange light suddenly flashed in those pure black eyes, like a cold bolt of lightning flashing across a deep pool, piercing straight towards the Desolate Halberd.

"But""

His voice suddenly lowered, taking on an indescribable, cold, hard quality, like the friction of metal.

He insulted my disciple and disgraced my school.

Is this matter just going to be left like this?

The air inside the cave seemed to freeze instantly.

The dripping sound of water seemed particularly jarring at that moment.

The topic eventually circled back, and became even more pointed.

Upon hearing this, Desolate Halberd True Lord showed no surprise on his face; instead, a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"You 'Wudao. Why put on this show between us?"

His tone was indifferent, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible mockery.

"With your personality, would you really care about that so-called master-disciple relationship?"

To you, Black Mountain is less a disciple and more a student.

Rather, it's more like a chess piece that's fairly easy to use, or a knife that's fairly sharp.

"His reputation deserves your personal attention?"

These words were ruthless, tearing away any veil of possible sentimentality and pointing straight to the core issue.

By the pool, the True Lord Wudao remained silent.

A moment later.

Hehehe----

A burst of laughter, emanating from the deepest part of his chest, slowly echoed through the cave.

This laughter was different from the previous soft chuckles; it carried less sarcasm and more of a frankness that came from being seen through.

"The one who truly understands me is Desolate Halberd Brother Huangji."

He raised his eyelids, and the strange light in his pure black eyes gradually subsided, returning to the unfathomable darkness.

But there seemed to be a hint of amusement in the darkness.

"Since Desolate Halberd Brother Huangji has personally come to our door and put it this way—"

His tone shifted, and he began to seem reasonable.

"Of course I'll give my senior brother that face."

"I will keep things under control in Black Mountain."

Regarding Qi Yun's matter—I won't hold it against him.

I won't care.

A seemingly clear guarantee came from the mouth of a True Lord was about to take over the sect.

However, upon hearing this "guarantee," Desolate Halberd True Lord showed no sign of relief or joy; even the faint smile on his face vanished completely.

He simply gazed silently and intently at his junior brother, who stood before him in black robes and with black hair, exuding an icy aura.

I know it all too well.

He knows Wudao all too well.

This young man's cunning and profound thoughts, and his utterly reckless actions, make him an "anomaly" even among the True Lord of the Holy Sect throughout history.

In his eyes, the titles of master and disciple, the bonds of kinship, and the promises and guarantees were all bargaining chips that could be weighed and discarded at any time.

He can "disregard" this today because of Desolate Halberd's intervention.

Tomorrow, due to other interests or a sudden whim, they might tacitly approve or even encourage Black Mountain to retaliate with more drastic measures.

Insidious, cunning, dishonest, fickle, and two-faced.

These words might be derogatory when used to describe ordinary monks.

But when applied to Wudao, Desolate Halberd True Lord felt it was merely stating a fact.

How credible are his promises?

Desolate Halberd True Lord understood perfectly well.

Today's trip is less about seeking a "peace charm" for Qi Yun.

Rather, it was more of an opportunity for him to issue a final warning and reminder to Wudao, in his capacity as "senior brother" and "the soon-to-be-stepping leader."

I value Qi Yun, but you must act with discretion.

As for how much Wudao listened to and what he would do, that was no longer within his control.

"Then... thank you very much Wudao Brother Wudao."

In the end Desolate Halberd True Lord only uttered this one sentence, his voice flat and devoid of any emotion.

He knew that saying more would be pointless and might even backfire.

Having said all he had to say, Desolate Halberd True Lord did not linger any longer. Holding his halberd, he turned around, his tall figure walking out of the cave, his footsteps unusually clear in the silent space.

That was until the figure of Desolate Halberd completely disappeared from the self-healing crack.

The cave returned to its eternal, ticking silence.

On the dark, massive rock, the Wudao Extreme Dharma True Lord still sits cross-legged like a sculpture.

He lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze falling on the crystal-clear mountain spring pool in front of him.

The pool was like a mirror, clearly reflecting his figure in black robes and with black hair, his indifferent face, as well as the stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling, constantly dripping water droplets.

He watched his reflection in the water, watching the droplet fall into the center of the pool, creating tiny, ever-expanding ripples that eventually dissipated.

After a long while, a faint, almost imperceptible curve appeared on his pale lips, a curve that inexplicably sent shivers down one's spine.

A soft whisper, like a sigh, or perhaps a soliloquy, echoed gently in the desolate mountain cave, only the dripping water responding to it: "Add another throne—"

"The Holy Sect is now—"

His gaze seemed to pierce through the pool, reaching into something more distant and profound.

A glint of light flashed silently in those pure black eyes.

"Can you still afford to support them?"

As he finished speaking, he slowly closed his eyes, once again becoming one with this eternal, cool, and silent space.

Only the dripping sound of water remained unhurried, as if silently calculating some invisible consumption.

The Green Mountain Daoist Temple hills, ancient pines still standing, and a babbling brook flowing gently.

Qi Yun sat cross-legged in the quiet room inside the temple.

The window was half-open, letting in a few rays of sunlight that made the dust motes inside slowly float and sink in the beams of light.

He held in his hand the bronze cube—[Six Realms Heaven].

Unconsciously, fingertips caressed the ancient seal script on its surface, which was cool yet had a warm texture.

Three days have passed since I returned from the Great Void Mirror Heaven.

The Golden Core within his body had been completely dissipated, merging seamlessly with the foundation of the [Great Luo Heaven], becoming indistinguishable from one another.

The [Primordial True Body] also stabilized.

Without conscious effort, one naturally resonates with the subtle and profound energy of heaven and earth through each breath.

However, his State of Mind could not find complete peace like that of the Green Mountain Daoist Temple.

The words of the Desolate Halberd True Lord still echoed in my ears.

"The Wudao to descend," "Make plans early," "Go abroad to hide"—each word is like a heavy stone thrown into his seemingly calm heart.

He held the [Six Realms Heaven] up to his eyes and examined it closely by the light of the heavens.

The bronze cube gleamed with a restrained, dim light, and the tiny seal script characters remained silent as ever, yet they seemed to contain the mysteries and risks leading to countless unknown realms.

This is a way out, the most benevolent reminder that Desolate Halberd True Lord can offer within the rules.

To go, or to stay?

The knuckles tightened slightly.

While it may be possible to temporarily avoid direct confrontation and seek fortuitous opportunity abroad.

But it also means being far from the Xuanhuang, facing unknown dangers alone, and having no end in sight.

A five-hundred-year reign may seem like a long time.

However, this may not be enough to establish the foundation for confronting a Great True Person and the True Lord behind him.

Moreover—Qi's gaze narrowed slightly.

His path of Qi Yun, from his humble beginnings, was solidified step by step through struggle and scheming.

Retreat might preserve one's life for the time being.

However, if one's Dao heart is thus burdened with thoughts of "fear of difficulties" and "avoidance of strength," it may subtly deviate from the foundation of one's own [Great Luo Heaven], which governs all laws, encompasses all things, and implies the creation of "Primordial Beginning."

"Primordial Beginning—" he murmured to himself, placing the [Six Realms Heaven] on the futon beside him, and slowly closing his eyes.

My mind sank into the Purple Mansion.

No longer worrying about external threats, no longer weighing the pros and cons.

At this moment, he only looked at himself.

Upon closer inspection, the scene was completely different from what I had seen before.

Within the Dantian and dantian, the Law Power has undergone a qualitative change. It is no longer a rushing river, but has transformed into a boundless, chaotic, slowly rotating nebula-like existence.

And his physical body.

The [Primordial True Body] that had achieved initial success now presented a mysterious image that transcended the material form under his "inner vision".

Especially the Ancestral Aperture between the eyebrows.

That place was no longer an ordinary acupoint, but a boundless, chaotic void that existed between reality and illusion.

At the center of the void was the "Primordial Immortal Light" formed from the condensation of the [Great Luo Heaven].

Within this celestial light, an extremely terrifying power was faintly brewing.

It's just not mature yet.

Qi Yun slowly opened his eyes.

The quiet room remains the same, the sunlight as before.

The [Six Realms Heaven] in his hand lay quietly on the futon, its dim light subdued.

The hesitation and deliberation in his eyes had faded, replaced by a deep-sea tranquility and a rock-solid steadfastness.

He picked up the [Six Realms Heaven], but instead of putting it away, he placed it on the incense table in the quiet room.

The bronze cube appeared ancient and mysterious amidst the wafting sandalwood incense smoke.

"Temporary avoidance is a last resort, not the first choice."

Qi Yun murmured to himself, his gaze piercing through the window lattice, looking towards the verdant green mountains and the distant sky outside the Daoist temple.

"The Xuanhuang primordial chaos) is the Dao Foundation. Even if the Holy Sect faces storms, they will serve as a whetstone for its blade."

"The Primordial True Body has just been formed and needs constant refinement."

He no longer struggled with the decision of whether to stay or leave.

He kept Desolate Halberd True Lord's reminder in mind, and he also prepared a way out for the [Six Realms Heaven].

But with the Dao Path ahead and a sense of belonging, one should strive forward with courage and diligence, seeking a glimmer of hope for transcendence amidst the storms.

Once the mind is settled, the body's energy becomes increasingly harmonious and inwardly focused.

The profound Daoist essence originating from the [Primordial True Body] gradually settled down, becoming more closely integrated with his original [Great Luo Heaven] foundation and [Wield Myriad Laws] Divine Ability.

Green Mountain Daoist Temple remains as tranquil as ever.

However, after this period of quiet contemplation and reflection, the master's State of Mind and the Dao Path he is on have become clearer and more resolute.

Like the roots of an ancient pine tree, deeply embedded in the earth, quietly awaiting wind and rain, and also quietly awaiting its towering height.