Golden Nature

The Green Mountain Daoist Temple is quiet and still in the night.

A crescent moon hangs on the distant mountain ridge, its clear light like frost, spilling into the courtyard.

The ancient tree's gnarled branches twisted and turned, its leaves casting dappled shadows on the ground under the moonlight, creating a mottled, iridescent ink painting.

Inside the temple, there were no lights, only moonlight and the faint chirping of insects, creating a secluded and tranquil atmosphere.

Qi Yun was still wearing a dark blue Daoist robe, without the sect leader's crown or any magical Law Artifact that would display his authority.

He sat cross-legged on an old blue stone cushion under an ancient tree, his back blending into the night, his aura peaceful and almost imperceptible, as if he were just a scene in the courtyard, a stone that had weathered many storms.

As the deputy sect leader of the Holy Sect, he was nominally entitled to reside at the highest point of the Great Void Mirror Heaven, enjoying the honor of gathering the spiritual energy of the sect and overlooking the vast mountains and rivers.

But he still preferred this small Green Mountain Daoist Temple.

Although the furnishings here are simple, they bear witness to his early memories of entering the Holy Sect, struggling to survive in humble circumstances, and taking each step with care.

Here, he is merely Qi Yun.

This peace of mind, born from the ordinary, is irreplaceable by any celestial paradise or high position of power.

After sitting quietly for a moment, he slowly raised his hand, his five fingers spread out.

"Buzz----"

A soft hum, inaudible to the ear, is the resonance of the Dao.

Infinite Light quietly emerged from his palm, initially like a firefly, then bursting forth, transforming into a halo of flowing light containing infinite potential.

At the core of the halo, a tiny speck of dust is expanding and manifesting in an incredible way— the Clarity and Turbidity are separated, Yin and Yang are born, the sun rises and the moon sets, and the illusory shadows of mountains and rivers appear and disappear within it.

This is precisely the [Grotto-Heaven Mote Two-Worlds Dharma] wielded by the Great Sun Purple Ultimate True Lord.

This method is neither offensive nor defensive; it is the supreme Divine Ability by which the True Lord establishes his own unique Daoist temple and evolves his own Great Dao.

With a slight thought, Qi Yun Yun's miniature grotto-heaven, like an inverted jade bowl, gently yet completely enveloped the entire Green Mountain Daoist Temple and the surrounding area of several miles.

In an instant, the atmosphere inside and outside the courtyard changed completely.

The winds from the outside world can no longer blow into this area covered by the Principle of the cave.

The outlines of the distant mountains blurred, the chirping of insects abruptly ceased, and even the moonlight seemed filtered, becoming colder and clearer.

purely.

All external investigations, deductions, and even the Unseen causal entanglements were quietly blocked by this self-contained little world, unable to invade in the slightest.

Having done all this, Qi Yun remained expressionless before slowly taking something out of his wide robe sleeves.

It was a strand of silk.

It is about three inches long and as thin as a hair, yet its entire body flows with an indescribable noble golden luster.

The golden light was not dazzling, but rather warm and restrained. However, if one stared at it for a while, one would feel dizzy and disoriented, as if Divine Soul was being drawn into the vast will and pure principles contained within the light.

The [Golden Nature of the Wrathful Wisdom King Bodhisattva.

Qi Yun held it in his palm, his gaze calm as a deep pool, reflecting the shimmering golden light.

"Golden Nature ----"

He murmured to himself, his voice clearly audible amidst the absolute silence of the cave.

"The True Lord cultivates both nature and life, Dao Fruit are born from this."

Inheriting its position and bearing its imprint.

Every thread and strand must absorb the essence of the sun and moon, refine the mysteries of heaven and earth, endure countless tribulations without being worn down, and survive a thousand dangers before it can be solidified.

It can be said to be the most precious thing that the True Lord cherishes, as it is tied to his very life and fortune.

Ancient texts record that the Golden Nature are infinitely wondrous.

It is possible to compile the supreme Cultivation Method that directly points to the Great Dao.

Change the cause and effect of destiny.

Refining protective treasures containing the fundamental principles of True Lord, etc.

Even if True Lord suffers setbacks on his Dao Path, his physical body collapses, and his Divine Soul is severely injured, he can still use this Golden Nature as a guide to protect a trace of his true spirit from being obscured, so that he can be reincarnated and cultivate again to continue his Daoist destiny.

Its value is immeasurable.

Gazing at the fortuitous opportunity he had seized with his life on the line, Qi Yun's eyes showed little joy at having obtained a treasure; instead, he fell into deeper thought.

The Great Sun Purple Ultimate True Lord attained the [Dao-Raising Ascension Method], broke free from the constraints of [Fruition Status], and became an independent entity, truly a new path never before seen.

The "novelty" of this method lies in the fact that it does not rely on external things, but depends entirely on one's own mind to transcend, making the Dao Path more free and the potential for extension seem to be broader.

However, this path is still in its infancy, with many obstacles yet to be overcome, and whether the future holds smooth roads or sheer cliffs remains to be seen.

More importantly, this method does not appear to be entirely superior to the [Xuanhuang Dao Attainment Method], which has been passed down for thousands of years and has a complete system.

What he possesses is the [Xuanhuang Supreme Dao Foundation], which points directly to the possibility of supreme transcendence.

This is the source of his immense power, the pivot of all laws' evolution, and his potential is almost supreme.

To rashly abandon a known, near-perfect foundation of potential for a new path with an uncertain future is not the act of a wise person.

"[The Xuanhuang Dao Attainment], the Dao that you have attained, though I have witnessed you all demonstrate it, observed its [Divine Court] aura, and sensed its [Fruition Status] power, is ultimately like watching a fire from across the river, or seeing flowers through a fog."

Qi Yun's eyes were deep, as if a chaotic yet bright yellow light were intertwined and unfolding within them.

"The profound and subtle meanings, the mechanisms of operation, and the methods of harmony within them are difficult to fully comprehend without personal experience."

Many key techniques are not recorded in classical texts or passed down orally.

Only through the word "proof" can one achieve true understanding.

His ambitions far exceeded the imagination of ordinary cultivators.

To outsiders, this was already an unrealistic ambition and wishful thinking.

However, the struggle for supremacy is inherently against the will of Heaven.

Only the most stubborn and audacious dreamers can possibly glimpse the true summit's scenery.

By combining the strengths of both methods and compensating for one's own weaknesses, one can forge a truly smooth path unique to the [Supreme Dao Foundation].

This idea was not a spur-of-the-moment thought, but rather something that had been lingering in his mind for a long time.

For an ordinary cultivator, attaining even one method is already a stroke of incredible luck, and even after a lifetime of effort, it may still be difficult to achieve perfection.

dual cultivation?

Distractions and setbacks lead to conflicting Dao Path.

The slightest carelessness could lead to the collapse of Dao Foundation and eternal damnation.

But he is Qi Yun.

Possessing the [Great Luo Heaven], one can command all laws and manifest all forms.

In the courtyard, the moonlight was like water, and the ancient trees were silent.

After an unknown amount of time, the light in Qi Yun's eyes, which had been constantly deducing and weighing options, gradually subsided, replaced by a clear understanding and an unwavering determination.

He slowly closed his five fingers, gently grasped the wisp of pulsating Golden Nature, and placed it on his forehead, in front of his Ancestral Aperture.

"The great path is as deep as an abyss; how can one walk only one path?"

The voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable firmness, quietly echoing in this tranquil world shrouded in the cave.

Then—

"Cultivate your body again!"

"Use this body as a boat to personally cross the sea of [Xuanhuang Dao Attainment] and appreciate the scenery of that Dharma."

At that time, the old and the new will converge, and the two laws will be compared.

Take the essence and discard the dross.

His eyes closed slightly, and his aura suddenly became extremely restrained, converging on this newly born, earth-shattering idea.

"For me, the [Supreme]----"

"Taking a path never before seen----"

"The Road to Heaven!"

The waning moon moved westward, its gentle light still shining.

Beneath the ancient tree, the figure in the deep blue Daoist robe seemed to have been transformed into a sculpture.

Only in the palm of his hand, the tightly held Golden Nature seeped through his fingers, emanating strands of brilliant golden light that seemed to illuminate the path to the future.

The Green Mountain Daoist Temple was completely silent.

A daring and audacious cultivation journey quietly unfolded on this moonlit night, unknown to anyone.

The Green Mountain Daoist Temple was still dark with the morning light.

Dewdrops from the previous night clung to the ancient leaves, threatening to fall.

Qi Yun sat alone in a quiet room, with a small table in front of him piled with several Jade Slip and leather scrolls of varying ages.

At the very top, spread out, was a thick book titled "The Treasury Inventory Register".

There was no wind in the room, only the soft sound of his fingertips tracing the pages of the book, and his breathing gradually becoming long and slow.

"----Three hundred catties of Blood River Crystal, stored in the seventh month of the Jiazi year----Fifty dou of Nine Nethers Blood Soul Sand, stored in the ninth month of the Jiazi year----"

The Blood Refining and Essence Fusing Pill Formula is sealed in a secret vault, marked "Supplementary cultivation of the Blood God Scripture, from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment"----

Qi Yun's gaze swept over the seemingly ordinary inventory records, his fingertips finally resting on a certain page, where he remained motionless for a long time.

The items recorded were all unorthodox, sinister, rare and heavenly materials and earthly treasures or elixir formulas related to Qi and Blood, and soul.

Looking at just one or two items, it might simply mean that the stock is abundant.

But when they were categorized and quietly gathered together according to the specific needs of Cultivation Method, even labeled with their intended uses, the time span covered exactly several decades—

The implications of this are entirely different.

"The year of Jiazi—" Qi Yun murmured the year, a sharp glint flashing in the depths of his eyes.

That was the year, shortly after he successfully Foundation Establishment, when the True Person Southern Dipper personally visited the Green Mountain Daoist Temple and handed him the general outline of the "Blood God Scripture".

"No wonder----"

He slowly closed the "Treasury Inventory Register," leaned back into the meditation cushion, and gazed into the emptiness of the quiet room.

"No wonder True Person Southern Dipper personally handed me the general outline of the Blood God Scripture back then, and even told me to be careful. In the end, was it a trick or a way to provoke me?"

Meanwhile, secretly, all the cultivation resources needed to cultivate the "Blood God Scripture" had already been prepared. With his eyes slightly narrowed, Qi Yun slowly put down the "Treasury Inventory Register" in his hand.

After he decided to cultivate himself again and personally experience the wonders of the "Xuanhuang Dao Attainment Method," he selected a suitable lineage from the vast and boundless Holy Sect's heritage.

Later, he happened to recall that when he achieved the Foundation Establishment Realm, the True Person Southern Dipper had given him a scroll of the Blood God Scripture.

This method is part of the Daoist lineage practiced by the Old True Person, and can be considered the pinnacle of the Xuanhuang, so it is quite appropriate.

However, when he was about to check if there were any resources in the sect 'Inner Mansion to assist in the cultivation of this method, he unexpectedly discovered a complete set of cultivation resources for the "Blood God Scripture" from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment.

Moreover, based on the entry time, it was prepared a long time ago.

"There must be something strange in this scripture. And this strangeness is no small matter." His eyes were clear, and his thoughts were as sharp as lightning.

"For a teacher to only vaguely remind me not to trust anyone on his deathbed, yet unable to articulate the key point—it's probably not that he was unwilling, but rather that he couldn't."

The True Lord's schemes involve cause and effect, and interfere with the secrets of heaven.

The old True Person was only at the Foundation Establishment stage. If there was truly True Lord -level will behind this matter, even if he glimpsed a clue, he would never dare to speak of it.

The only way to leave clues was through this indirect, almost final message.

"If it weren't for my teacher's advice back then, given my State of Mind at the time, I might not have been able to resist this top-tier inheritance that was so readily available," Qi Yun muttered to himself.

At that time, although he had already Foundation Establishment, he was still like an ant in the eyes of a true powerhouse.

And now----

Qi Yun slightly clenched his five fingers, grasping the general outline of the "Blood God Scripture" scroll. His gaze gradually calmed down, like a deep pool of ancient water, reflecting no ripples.

Things are different now.

His voice was calm, yet carried a certain confidence born from weathering many storms.

He wields the power of the Holy Sect, possesses the [Xuanhuang Supreme Dao Foundation], and has the True Lord Dharma Body of the Great Sun Purple Ultimate True Lord as his ultimate reliance.

"The banquet is ready,"

Qi Yun slowly stood up and walked to the window of the quiet room.

Outside the window, the sky was just before dawn, the distant mountains were like dark eyebrows, and everything was shrouded in a hazy, primordial chaos.

If I were to refuse again, wouldn't I be letting down my host's kindness?

not to mention----"

He turned and looked at the "Blood God Scripture General Outline" on the desk in the room.

"I, Qi, do not believe that any trickery in this world can withstand the refinement of my [Law Technique Panel]!"