The Sky Split

Miaoqing stood atop the small hill, facing east, her white dress like pear blossoms covered in snow, appearing exceptionally pure amidst the verdant, Flourishing Wood.

Her aura was heavy and composed, yet deep within her clear, cold eyes lay a subtle, complex emotion that was difficult for others to detect.

Just then, a profound voice quietly entered her ears from the void. It was Miao Yuan, who had just attained the status of a Divine Lord, now known as Mu De Rong Mu Hua Xin Miao Yuan Qun Fang Yu De Divine Lord:

"Little sister."

The voice, though gentle, carried a barely perceptible tremor.

"I have already obtained the Flowering Signal Subsidiary Rank, and the Flourishing Wood Attainment Rank was never attainable to begin with. You... cannot seek any more positions... Use the Hundred Lotus Pill bestowed by Master if necessary. If all else fails, then use the power of the pill to reincarnate and seek other positions. Or perhaps you could be reborn as Gathering Wood or Jia Wood..."

Miaoqing didn't turn around, but simply nodded slightly with her back to True Lord.

She was well aware of all this.

From the very beginning, they were destined to seek the Flowering Signal Subsidiary Rank and become Flower God. But only one person can hold that position.

Her elder sister's Daoxing was higher than hers, and she had never dared to ask for more, but she was still somewhat resentful.

But we have to give it a try.

As for Runzou, it would be extremely difficult. Her foundation is rooted in Flourishing Wood, and if Gathering Wood or Jia Wood were to forcefully nourish her, it would be like grafting a flower onto a tree. The slightest mistake would result in her death and the dissipation of her Dao, without even the chance of reincarnation. Moreover, although her sister has high Dao wisdom, she is simple-minded. Without me... she might not be able to defeat those people.

She must succeed.

One must have ambition to seek gold.

Rather than backing down, we should take a gamble and try our Flourishing Wood Remaining Rank.

She silently recited the words her master had taught her in the past:

"Uprightness is the attainment of the ultimate, called 'fruit'; following the correct path is called 'following'; interspersed arrangement is called 'intercalary'; partial assistance yields gains, called 'remaining'. This is the order of positions in Heaven and Earth."

Those who follow are ranked alongside the righteous, appearing and disappearing with their master; they do not claim special privileges, nor do they seek personal gain, but rather remain like a shadow following its form.

Although the rest are not among the regular, secondary, or intercalary categories, they are still one of the celestial and divine positions.

Furthermore, the Remaining Rank have little impact on the operation of heaven and earth, and are unlikely to replace the responsibilities of the primary and Subsidiary Rank.

It is conceivable that the various forces would allow a True Lord of Flourishing Wood Remaining Rank to attain such a position.

Just then, another mysterious voice came from the direction of the East Sea:

"Miaoqing."

She was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

It was the voice of Master Primordial Lady of Purple Void.

"Since you wish to seek a position of 'remaining grace,' then go ahead and seek it. Don't follow your sister's path; use my Highest Clarity Dharma to prove it. In the past, the Heavenly Sovereign had an envoy named ' Qinghe,' who resided in the Flourishing Wood Remaining Rank,' assisting the Heavenly Sovereign's daughter, the first Flower God, conveying the messages of plants and trees, and overseeing the blooming seasons. You can use this as your foundation, and with your own heart acting on behalf of Heaven, you can certainly seek a Remaining Rank.'"

Xuan Yin paused for a moment, then suddenly fell silent, a hint of helplessness in his voice:

"If it still doesn't work at the last moment, then take the Hundred Lotus Pill I prepared and seek help from Loose Immortal. Remember, don't think about reincarnation—there's not enough time. I'm about to leave, and then your sister alone won't be able to protect you."

Upon hearing this, Miaoqing was immediately taken aback.

She gazed towards the East Sea, paused for a moment, then bowed slightly in a solemn gesture.

She understood.

Master is leaving.

To the heavens, to that unknown land. This journey may be long and uncertain, and who knows when she will return? Before leaving, her master's greatest worry was for her, his disciple who had not yet ascended to the throne.

Therefore, she must succeed.

Even if I can't become Flourishing Wood Remaining Rank, I'll still become Loose Immortal.

We must not let our master leave with worries, nor can we let our sister be left to fend for herself alone.

Seeing this, True Lord Miaoyuan felt a slight sense of relief, realizing that it must have been his master who had intervened.

She sat atop Mount Jing, her aura of Flourishing Wood surging like a tide, while the aura of the Divine Lord of Virtue Nurtured by All Flowers had not yet been fully subdued.

Seeing this, most of the surrounding Purple Mansion had their own guesses.

Someone whispered:

"True Person Miaoqing's expression has changed... she probably has other plans."

"Judging from her expression, she must have received guidance from some important figure."

"For True Person Miaoqing to be so solemn... could it be the Primordial Sovereign?"

Amidst these whispers, Miaoqing made a move.

She slowly raised her hands, fingertips pointing upwards, fingers slightly spread. The aura of Flourishing Wood emanated from her body like spring vines, but instead of spreading in all directions, it circled around her body in layers, like petals just beginning to bloom.

"Sunward Branch."

She parted her lips slightly, her voice clear, cold, and resolute.

The phantom of a towering tree rose from the ground behind her, its branches twisting like dragons, each branch laden with flower buds, and on the buds, one could vaguely see extremely fine lines, like sunlight dancing between the veins of the leaves.

Giant trees grow towards the sun, their roots reaching deep into the earth, their crowns covering the sky.

Su Yao's eyes flickered slightly, and he said in a low voice:

"The first path wasn't ' Receive Eastern Qi,' but rather ' Sunward Branch '... She took a different path."

Zilin nodded slightly, her gaze falling on Miaoqing, and slowly said:

"According to records, there was a True Lord under the Heavenly Sovereign who first established his will to face the sun, and then received the energy from the east. He established his foundation with his will, and with his foundation, he received the secrets of heaven. This is the method of the Highest Clarity lineage: 'First establish one's own heart, then Heavenly Dao.'"

Not far away, a man in Qingyi Purple Mansion, upon hearing this, interjected in a low voice:

"My two fellow Daoists may not know this, but although True Person Miaoqing is considerably lower than that of True Lord, her ambition is extremely high. The Primordial Lord once remarked that she was no less than many True Lord in their youth. Her current level of Divine Ability is likely something she prepared for long ago."

Su Yao and Zilin exchanged a glance, nodded, but did not say anything.

Then, Miaoqing moved again.

"Receive Eastern Qi."

On the eastern horizon, a beam of azure light surged forth from the end of the sky, like the first east wind of spring returning to the earth, rolling towards Mount Jing. The light carried the most primal vitality of heaven and earth, like all trees sprouting at the same time, like a thousand mountains turning green at the same time, which Miaoqing absorbed into her body one by one.

Her face flushed slightly, but her breathing was more composed than before.

"Nurture the Azure Embryo."

A turquoise cocoon slowly emerged from her body, enveloping her entirely. The cocoon tightened, eventually solidifying into a turquoise sphere that hovered before her. Within the sphere, the faint image of a tender sprout could be seen, slowly unfurling and growing.

"The Guard the Flowering Signal."

Her figure suddenly became transparent, as if she had transformed into a flowering tree, its roots firmly planted on Mount Jing, its branches and leaves stretching out into the Great Void. Flowers bloomed and faded, clouds rolled and unrolled, her aura merged with the mountain beneath her feet, and with the Flourishing Wood between heaven and earth.

"" Govern Spring and Longevity "."

Countless illusory images of flowers and plants emerged around her. Peonies, peonies, orchids, chrysanthemums, plums, peaches, plums... hundreds of kinds of flowers bloomed at the same time, dyeing Mount Jing into a riot of colors. Every flower bloomed, withered, and bloomed again at a speed visible to the naked eye, endlessly regenerating.

The five Divine Ability manifested in turn.

Su Yao's gaze sharpened slightly, and he spoke in a low voice:

"She prioritizes the ' Sunward Branch,' basing her aspirations on this foundation, and then absorbs the Eastern Qi. Although her Five Divine Ability are the same as those of the True Person Miaoyuan, the order is different, and therefore her foundation is different."

Zilin replied:

"The True Person Miaoyuan follows the proper sequence of ' Receive Eastern Qi → Nurture the Azure Embryo → Govern Spring and Longevity → facing the Sunward Branch → Guard the Flowering Signal,' serving the Heavenly Heart Resonance through the rotation of the Five Virtues. The True Person Miaoqing, however, goes against this path, first establishing her own will, and then receiving the Heavenly Secrets. This is the Highest Clarity lineage's method of 'taking one's own heart as the Heavenly Heart'—she wants to control the mechanisms of Heaven and Earth with her own will, rather than being pushed along by them."

Not far away, the man in Qingyi Purple Mansion couldn't help but interject again:

"The ' My Heart Is the Heavenly Heart ' method of the Highest Clarity lineage has always been mastered only by those with great character and perseverance. Although the name of the True Person Miaoqing contains the character 'Qing' (清), his aspirations are no less than those of True Lord. It's just that the Remaining Rank have always been difficult to attain, unlike the 'Guo' (果) and 'Cong' (从) ranks which have fixed paths..."

On the other side, an old man in a gray Purple Mansion shook his head and said:

"It is admirable to substitute one's own heart for the heart of Heaven, but Heaven and Earth may not accept it. The Remaining Rank are also part of the authority of Heaven and Earth. Forcibly seizing the authority of Heaven and Earth with one's own will is probably not easy. After all, the Remaining Rank are deeply hidden and difficult to find. Proving the Dao is not easy in itself. The Highest Clarity's substitution of one's own heart for the heart of Heaven is suitable for proving the fruit and following the will, but seeking the remaining positions and seeking the enrichment is not easy."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao did not respond, but simply gazed at Miaoqing quietly.

She has begun the ceremony.

The azure light formed by the five Divine Ability condensed, merged, and compressed in her palm, gradually solidifying into an azure crystal. The crystal was completely transparent, and within it, the faint image of a tender sprout could be seen, slowly growing.

Flourishing Wood Golden Nature Cheng.

Then, she opened her arms, and her magical Law Power surged like a tide. Her figure and Law Power transformed into green hair, which, like thousands of vines, merged into the point where the five Divine Ability converged. The other four Divine Ability, along with the green hair she transformed into, merged into the "Guard the Flowering Signal".

The Great Void trembled, and the impact reached the present world.

On Mount Jing, all flowers wither and bloom at the same time; grasses and trees wither and sprout at the same time. Life and death, decay and prosperity, alternate repeatedly in that instant, like an endless song of reincarnation.

Zilin whispered, "If it succeeds, he will be a Remaining Rank True Lord has truly attained enlightenment through his own will, which is rare even among the Highest Clarity Sect."

As soon as he finished speaking, the strange phenomenon intensified.

A turquoise light surged forth from Miaoqing's body, like thousands of vines growing simultaneously, like billions of flower buds blooming at once. Within that light, the faint silhouettes of countless flowers could be seen, each blooming, withering, and blooming again. The entire Mount Jing was enveloped in that turquoise light, even the sky was dyed a magnificent turquoise.

The Great Void roared and sang, like the drums of heaven beating in unison, like dragons turning over on the earth.

But amidst the roar, there was no response.

Miaoqing's figure appeared and disappeared in mid-air, her body surrounded by Flourishing Wood energy, and her Golden Nature slowly rotated in front of her, but the "Remaining Rank position" in the the Unseen never opened up for her.

a long time.

All the strange phenomena froze in an instant.

The flowers are half in bloom, the leaves are half green, and the light is half in.

The entire world seemed to have been paused.

Then, a sigh came from the frozen vision.

"Unfinished."

A low voice came from the Purple Mansion.

The sound was very soft, yet it was like a boulder being thrown into still water.

The surrounding Purple Mansion looked at each other, some shaking their heads, some sighing, and some showing a knowing look.

Su Yao remained silent, gazing intently at Miaoqing's faintly visible figure, his eyes deep and calm.

Zilin gently grasped the handle of the Purple Gauze Umbrella hidden in her sleeve, her fingertips tightening slightly.

She knew that the sigh was not despair.

It's the relief that comes after accepting one's fate.

Just then, Miaoqing made a move.

She slowly extended her hand, and in her palm, a pill floated quietly. The pill was pure white, with lotus patterns faintly visible on its surface, and a very faint and pure lotus fragrance emanated from it, like a cool breeze blowing across a lotus pond in summer.

Hundred Lotus Pill.

The Hundred Lotus Pill bestowed by Master.

She gently put the pill into her mouth.

The moment the elixir entered her stomach, a lotus bud slowly emerged from her body, enveloping her and the azure- Golden Nature within it.

The flower buds are initially no bigger than a fist, but then they gradually open, unfold, and bloom.

bloom.

The Golden Nature flew out.

The azure crystal emerged from the flower bud, like a newly born star, and hovered in the Great Void for a moment. Then, it flew towards the direction of True Lord Miaoyuan, its trajectory extremely light and slow, like a fallen leaf drifting in the wind.

Without hesitation, True Lord Miaoyuan reached out, took the Golden Nature, and then put it into her mouth, swallowing it slightly.

The next moment, the aura of Flourishing Wood emanated from the True Lord, and the authority of the Divine Lord of Virtue Nurtured by All Flowers among Flowers was once again manifested. The order of flourishing and withering of plants in the world, the timing of flowering, and the virtues of all flowers became clearer and more profound at this moment than before.

Then, Miaoqing opened her eyes.

Her body emanated Flourishing Wood energy once more, which flew towards True Lord Miaoyuan like spring vines. The energy entered the True Lord's body, but as soon as it entered, it immediately flew out again and entered Miaoqing's body.

This process was repeated several times.

With each flight in and out, the aura of the Flourishing Wood faded slightly, but as it faded, Miaoqing's complexion also became rosier. With each cycle, her aura visibly increased, solidified, and transformed.

Upon seeing this, Purple Mansion figure suddenly exclaimed, "This is... Although he has not attained a high rank, his merits are sufficient. He is seeking the highest rank of Loose Immortal, the Celestial Immortal Supreme True Person Heavenly Immortal!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a commotion erupted around him.

Loose Immortal is a title for a celestial being who has not attained Fruition Position or entered the proper order of heaven and earth, but has transcended the constraints of heaven and earth through their own cultivation. Among Loose Immortal, Heavenly Immortal are the highest. Although Heavenly Immortal have no rank or authority, they are far better than Loose Immortal are also human, god, ghost, or earth immortals, as they can continue their cultivation. Although they are not as powerful as some Remaining Rank in ancient times, they are still something that countless people dream of.

Although Miaoqing did not attain the Flourishing Wood Remaining Rank, her merits were sufficient to prove her status as Heavenly Immortal.

This is a compromise, but it is also a new approach.

Miaoqing slowly stood up, her white robes fluttering gently in the wind. A faint smile appeared on her pear-blossom-like face. She looked at True Lord Miaoyuan, nodded slightly, then turned to the four directions and said loudly:

"I, Miaoqing, have attained the rank of Heavenly Immortal today in Linchuan, Fuzhou."

She paused, her voice clear and melodious:

From then on, the sky was high and the sea was wide, and life was carefree and unrestrained.

As soon as she finished speaking, a beam of white light descended from the heavens and entered Miaoqing's body, completely concealing her aura. Within that white light, one could vaguely see the phantoms of celestial maidens scattering flowers and cranes soaring through the sky.

Everyone present, regardless of who they were, bowed and said in unison:

Congratulations to the High Perfected Miaoqing attaining the status of Heavenly Immortal.

The sounds converged into a torrent, echoing over Mount Jing.

Su Yao bowed in return, his heart churning. He gazed at Miaoqing's serene figure, then looked towards the direction where True Lord Miaoyuan sat, thinking to himself: The two sisters cultivated the same path, one attaining the true fruit of a divine lord, the other the carefree life of Heavenly Immortal immortal, each finding their own place.

Just how many contingency plans did Primordial Lady of Purple Void have in place?

The fate of this elixir was foreseen when it was bestowed by the Primordial Lady of Purple Void.

He looked away and exchanged a glance with Zilin.

Zilin nodded slightly, without saying anything more.

But just then, a demonic sound rang out:

"Fellow Daoists, many years have passed since we parted ways in the East Sea. Now that you have both ascended to your positions, why don't we settle our old scores?"

As soon as he finished speaking, pink aura of desire surged out from the Great Void and flew towards the True Lord and the Supreme True Person.

At this moment, True Lord slightly parted his lips:

"The long-awaited battle is about to begin."

As soon as he finished speaking, he took out a long sword and then disappeared in the blink of an eye.

The next moment, High Perfected Miaoqing and the desire energy also disappeared.

The Purple Mansion was left behind in a state of utter terror.

Just as he was about to speak, suddenly, a golden sword light shone from the depths of the Great Void and appeared in the mortal world. The next moment, a white streak appeared in the sky.

A loud voice came from the Purple Mansion:

"Oh no, there's something wrong with the Five-Colored Stone left behind by the Orthodox God of Soil and Grain."

As soon as he finished speaking, the boundless waters of the Heavenly River overflowed from the white mark and flowed into the mortal world.

There is a word cloud:

The verdant Mount Jing bears witness to two immortals, one a divine lord, the Heavenly Immortal.

The flowers have their owners, the Remaining Rank are unclaimed, and heaven and earth live in peace.

Where the Hundred Lotus Pill blossoms, the Golden Nature returns, and the bond between sisters is strengthened.

Suddenly, a demonic sound arose from the heavens, and old grudges were settled today.

A battle raged beyond the heavens; desire and energy flowed with the sword. Who will inquire about peace?

Looking back, the white marks on the sky are cracked, the Heavenly River tilts, and the stone railing remains unbroken.

Do not think that your ascension to the throne is over, for you are about to face another Guan Mountain.