Mountains and Rivers Awakens!

The thirty-seventh day of Qi Yun's seclusion.

The Green Mountain Daoist Temple remains as tranquil as ever. The figure beneath the withered tree seems to have transformed into a stubborn rock in the mountains, remaining motionless despite the wind and rain.

The Xuanhuang on the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron was even brighter than it had been a month or so ago.

The nine dragons coiling around the cauldron moved with greater range, and the light in their eyes no longer flickered but shone steadily, like nine eternal lamps illuminating this small courtyard.

In the "Vast Landscape of China" painting at the bottom of the cauldron, pedestrians in the city walk with increasing ease, birds in the mountains and rivers fly with increasing freedom, and the sound of fishing boats singing at dusk on the rivers can even be faintly seen through the cauldron and echo in the courtyard.

Everything is getting better.

Cai Shen's spiritual energy emanated from the cauldron, carrying a hint of weariness and a touch of relief.

These days, he has stayed by his fourteenth brother's side, nurturing his spirituality with the aura of the same Imperial Weapon.

Although it's hard work, I enjoy it immensely.

"Fourteenth Brother is feeling a bit better today." His voice reached Qi Yun's ears through divine sense. "At this rate, he might be able to operate on his own in less than six months."

Qi Yun did not respond.

His eyes remained closed, his aura as still as a hibernating snake, undetectable by any disturbance.

But Cai Shen knew he was awake.

Qi Yun has been doing this all these days.

Sit quietly, wait, and occasionally deduce.

He never speaks first, and he never explains anything.

It seemed like they were waiting for something, or perhaps guarding against something.

Cai Kun was already used to it and said no more. The spiritual fluctuations subsided again, and he continued to nurture Fourteenth Brother's spirituality.

The courtyard returned to silence.

Only the Xuanhuang of the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron and the deep blue figure under the withered tree formed a silent picture.

The thirty-ninth day.

Qi Yun suddenly opened his eyes.

A fleeting glint of light flashed in his eyes, as quick as an illusion.

He slowly raised his right hand, his five fingers slightly spread, and gently guided the sealed grayish-white remnant in his sleeve.

"Buzz"

That lingering resentment, dormant for so long, drifted out from his sleeve and hovered above his palm.

The grayish-white halo remained faint, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.

But those frozen, fragmented images are now clearer than before.

That majestic ancient city, that Chang'an suspended high above the Milky Way, that city gate that seemed to be slightly wider than before—

Everything is changing at an extremely slow, extremely subtle pace.

It was as if something was slowly awakening from the depths of memories sealed for millennia.

Qi Yun's gaze fell upon this wisp of remnant thought, his eyes swirling with colorful light, and he fully activated the [Primordial Unity] Dao.

He didn't rush to refine it, nor did he try to break the seal. He simply watched quietly.

Watching those fragmented images, flowing frame by frame.

Watching the ancient city gate slowly open.

Looking behind that door, I saw a faint, extremely blurry, yet undeniably real light shining through.

The light was very faint, so faint that it was almost imperceptible.

But Qi Yun saw it.

His pupils contracted slightly.

That light—it was the Sword Intent.

A Sword Intent so pure and sharp it seemed capable of severing eternal cause and effect and cleaving through the chaos and nothingness.

It lies hidden behind that door, deep within that ancient city that has been sealed away for countless years, like a sleeping beast, waiting for the moment it awakens.

Qi Yun's brows furrowed slightly.

He could sense that the Dao contained within that Sword Intent was completely different from any Sword Dao he knew.

It is something older, purer, and more domineering.

It seems there is nothing in this world that it cannot sever.

Qi Yun felt a slight stirring in his heart, but did not delve into it further.

Because he knew that beings at that level were far beyond his current comprehension.

He withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes again.

But this time, he did not remain silent.

Instead, he focused his mind on the depths of his Purple Mansion, fully activating the [Primordial Unity] Dao, and began to deduce.

To deduce the true origin of this lingering remnant, to deduce the intention of that Sword Intent, to deduce the unknown being hidden behind the door, and to determine what role it plays in this ancient game of chess.

Countless fragmented pieces of information collided, intertwined, and recombined in his mind.

But it's always just one piece short.

That crucial piece of the puzzle could never be found.

Those buried histories, those deliberately erased truths, are like an invisible wall, blocking his path.

Qi Yun slowly opened his eyes, the light in them dimming slightly.

He did not continue the deduction.

Because further deduction would yield no results. Those hidden players would not allow him to easily see the whole picture.

All he could do was wait.

When those hidden chess players could no longer contain themselves, they made their moves.

The forty-fifth day.

The Xuanhuang on the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron suddenly shone brightly!

The nine dragons coiled around the cauldron raised their heads and roared in unison. Although the roars were still faint, they were much clearer than before, causing the withered tree in the courtyard to tremble slightly, and a few withered leaves fell down.

In the "Vast Landscape of China" painting at the bottom of the cauldron, pedestrians in the cities all stop in their tracks, look up at the sky.

In the sky, a Great Sun slowly rises, its rays shining brightly and illuminating the earth.

That was a sign that the spirit of the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron had been fully awakened.

A surge of spiritual energy emanated from the Cai Kun, carrying barely suppressed excitement. "Fourteenth Brother! You—you're awake?"

The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron did not respond immediately.

The nine divine dragons on the cauldron slowly ceased their movements, and the light in their eyes gradually dimmed, as if they were brewing something.

What.

A moment later!

"Buzz----"

A deep, resonant hum, seemingly bearing the weight of countless ages, emanated from the depths of the cauldron.

The buzzing sound wasn't loud, but it sent a jolt through the entire Green Mountain Daoist Temple.

The remaining leaves on the bare branches fell with a rustling sound, swirling in the air and lingering for a long time before touching the ground.

The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron has awakened.

This is not the previous state of being half-awake and half-asleep with a weak spiritual awareness, but a true, complete awakening with a return to consciousness.

"Fourteenth Brother!" Cai Shen's voice changed tone, and his spiritual energy surged violently, almost bursting out of the cauldron.

The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron did not respond to his call.

On the body of the cauldron, the most proud dragon slowly turned its head, its eyes flashing with light as it swept across the courtyard, across the withered tree, and across the deep blue figure beneath it.

Finally, its gaze settled on Qi Yun.

Qi Yun slowly opened his eyes and met the gaze of the divine dragon.

He didn't speak, he just watched quietly.

After a moment, the dragon lowered its head slightly.

That was a gesture of submission.

An Imperial Weapon submits to a True Lord lord.

Qi Yun accepted it calmly, slowly stood up, walked to the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron, raised his hand, and gently placed his palm on the cauldron.

The Primordial Unity energy flowed from his palm, like the warmest spring water, silently seeping into the depths of the cauldron.

Wherever the colorful energy passed, the Xuanhuang energy that had been slowly flowing on the surface of the cauldron suddenly became lively, as if it had been injected with new life.

The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron trembled slightly, emitting a pleasant hum.

The nine divine dragons raised their heads in unison, their roars even louder than before, causing the entire Green Mountain Daoist Temple to tremble slightly.

"From now on, you will stay by my side." Qi Yun withdrew his hand and said calmly.

The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron trembled once more, and the nine divine dragons on its body nodded in unison.

Cai Kun watched from the side, his eyes welling up with tears, but he said nothing.

He knew this was the best ending for his fourteenth brother.

Not only is it safe to stay by Qi Yun's side, but one can also use his Primordial Unity power to nurture one's spirituality. Given time, it is not unrealistic to expect that one can regain the power of one's prime.

"Fourteenth Brother," Cai Shen's voice rang out, tinged with a hint of caution, "Do you—do you still remember what happened back then?"

Who appointed you? Why were you appointed?

The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron fell silent.

The nine divine dragons on the cauldron stopped swimming.

"Buzz----"

An extremely faint and indistinct thought emanated from deep within the cauldron.

The thought was intermittent, like a flickering candle in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment. But both Qi Yun and Cai Shen clearly perceived its content.

"They—are afraid I'll find out."

"What do you know?" Cai Shen pressed.

The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron fell silent once more.

This time, the silence lasted even longer.

So long that Cai Kun thought it would never answer again.

"Your Majesty—did not die of old age."

Six characters.

Intermittent yet like a thunderclap, it exploded in the minds of Qi Yun and Cai Shen!

His Majesty did not die of old age?

What does that mean?

Qi Yun's pupils contracted slightly, his eyes swirling with a wild, colorful light as he fully deduced the [Primordial Unity] Dao.

However, the result of the deduction was complete chaos.

It wasn't that he was being obscured, but rather that he lacked sufficient "information" to deduce the truth.

Those things happened a very, very long time ago.

So long ago, in the ancient and secret records of the Xuanhuang Bow Realm, only fragments remained.

So long that even the True Lord only knew the feeling of being threatened, but not the reason why.

"Fourteenth Brother!" Cai Shen's voice tightened, "Explain yourself! His Majesty—did not die of old age?"

Could it be?!

The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron did not answer.

On the body of the cauldron, the most proud dragon head shook its head slightly in the direction of Qi Yun's light.

It's not a refusal, but rather—it can't be said.

Or rather, they dare not say it.

Qi Yun remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"No rush," he said calmly. "We can talk about it again once you've fully recovered."

The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron trembled slightly, and the nine divine dragons nodded in unison.

Cai Kun opened his mouth, as if to say something, but ultimately said nothing.

He knew that Qi Yun was right. Fourteenth Brother had just woken up, and although his spirit had returned, he was still very weak.

Asking about those secrets that have been sealed away for millennia at this moment will only worsen its condition.

"Alright." Qi Yun turned and walked back to the withered tree, sitting cross-legged again. "You two haven't seen each other in a long time, have a good chat."

Cai Kun quickly responded, and the spiritual energy fluctuations entered the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron.

On the body of the cauldron, the nine divine dragons swam even more vigorously, and the brilliance in their eyes grew even stronger.

The auras of the two Imperial Weapon of the same origin intertwined, resonating with and nourishing each other, creating a warm and inviting scene in this small courtyard.

Qi Yun watched this scene quietly, his eyes sparkling with a knowing light, lost in thought.

After a moment, he looked away and closed his eyes again.

But this time, he did not remain silent.

Instead, he focused his mind on the depths of his Purple Mansion and began to do something he had been planning for a long time.

Refine that lingering remnant of hope.

The forty-sixth day, midnight.

The moon hides behind the stars, and all is silent.

The Green Mountain Daoist Temple was shrouded in a thick, almost solidified darkness.

The Xuanhuang Terrace on the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron is the only source of terraces in this darkness.

Qi Yun sat cross-legged under the withered tree, his eyes slightly closed, his aura as still as a hibernating snake.

But deep within his Purple Mansion, a turbulent atmosphere was brewing.

That wisp of grayish-white remnant spirit, sealed for so long, is now suspended in the center of the Purple Mansion, enveloped by endless layers of chaotic colorful intent.

Those colorful ideas, like countless invisible tentacles, cautiously probed into the depths of lingering resentment, beginning to untangle those polluted...

Fragments of memories that have been sealed away and forgotten.

This is an extremely delicate and dangerous process. The slightest carelessness could trigger the hidden machinations within the lingering resentment, with unimaginable consequences.

But Qi Yun did not back down. He had been waiting for this day for a long time.

"Buzz"

The lingering regret trembled slightly.

Those frozen, fragmented images began to slowly circulate at an extremely slow and faint frequency.

A majestic ancient city, a high-hanging plaque, and a faint, lingering Sword Intent—

Everything is coming back to life in a breathtakingly luminous way.

Qi Yun's mind was completely focused on these images, not missing a single detail.

He saw it.

After seeing the city gate of the ancient city, he found not the palaces and pavilions he had imagined, but nothingness.

A pure, absolute nothingness that seemed capable of swallowing everything.

And in the deepest void, something is sleeping.

Qi Yun couldn't see what it was.

He could only vaguely sense that the thing was emanating a terrifying Sword Intent that made even him feel a chill.

Qi Yun's heart stirred slightly, and he was about to delve deeper when a "hum" sounded.

The lingering remnant trembled violently, and the grayish-white halo suddenly dimmed. The fragmented images froze instantly, as if pressed down by an invisible hand, unable to flow again.

The refining process was interrupted.

It wasn't a failure, but rather that the will deep within that lingering regret actively severed the connection.

Qi Yun slowly opened his eyes, the light in them dimming slightly, but there was no sign of disappointment.

He looked down at the grayish-white halo in his palm, a faint smile curving his lips.

"Unwilling to face the people?" he muttered to himself.

Speechless with regret.

Only the grayish-white halo pulsed a few times faster than before.

It was like a response, yet also like an admission.

Qi Yun said no more and put his lingering regret back into his sleeve.

He did not attempt to refine it again.

Because he knew that the owner of this lingering remnant was not something that was unclaimed.

He has his own will and his own plans.

Forcibly refining it will only backfire.

It's better to observe the situation calmly.

At the same time.

Beyond the realm, in the depths of endless darkness.

That icy, indifferent gaze, carrying a condescending, scrutinizing air, lit up once more.

It pierced through layers of void, through the sealing Dao patterns, through the Xuanhuang Terrace of the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron, and through the layers of restrictions of the Green Mountain Daoist Temple.

Finally, it landed on the deep blue figure sitting cross-legged beneath the withered tree.

There was no hostility, no goodwill, only a pure, emotionless scrutiny in his gaze.

A moment later, the gaze platform shifted slightly, looking towards a distant point of light.

That place is the World-Honored One's sacred site.

A faint, almost imperceptible glint seemed to flash within his eyes.

Then, it looked in another direction of light.

That place is the Long Ages Immortal Island of the True Lord Contemplating the One.

Within his gaze, that sense of soaring ambition intensified.

But in the end, it did nothing.

It simply "watches" quietly, like an invisible sword hanging in the sky, waiting for the moment it is drawn.

Then, the eye-shaped platform slowly disappeared.

That void returned to deathly silence.

Only a faint, lingering trace of Sword Intent remained, slowly dissipating in the void, like a silent declaration.