The Rosy Light Major and Minor Branches, [Temporal Sequence]

The Battle of Gold-Bearing Mountain lasted two days, while only two hours had passed in the Yuyu Realm.

Li Zhengjun appeared in this realm, while some of the clan elders were still in the hall.

Before he could even find his footing, Li Chenbin stepped forward, as if he had been waiting for him, and said:

"My lord, the True Person has instructed that if you appear, please go to Jade-Rinsing Garden immediately. True Person Zhaohuan of Crimson Firmament Mountain has arrived."

Li Zhengjun was taken aback, temporarily suppressing his joy at conquering the other world, and asked as he walked:

"What brings you here, True Person Zhaohuan? Are you here to express your gratitude?"

Li Chenbin followed and escorted him all the way to the palace gate. "That True Person arrived extremely secretly. It was the Ancestor who personally came out to greet him, without disturbing anyone else. Judging from his demeanor, it didn't seem like he was expressing his gratitude, but rather that he had important business to attend to."

These clan elders could only stay in the Chongming Hall and were not allowed to go out, so they knew very little.

"I only heard it from the head of the family. As for what it is, you will need to go there in person, sir."

Li Zhengjun nodded, then handed the newly acquired intelligence Jade Slip to the other party and gave instructions:

"Uncle, here is the latest intelligence. Please analyze it with the elders, and we will discuss it further when the True Person and I return."

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer and rode the wind towards Jade-Rinsing Garden.

Before they even got close, they could see the faint Bright Yang Dawnlight emanating from the pavilion. When they stopped in front of the door, they saw Li Zhengchen waiting beside him, with a young man kneeling next to him.

The boy appeared to be about twelve or thirteen years old, with a very handsome face and well-defined brow bones.

At that moment, he clenched his teeth, knelt on the ground, tears welling up in his eyes but not falling, only managing to hold back his tears by maintaining his tense posture.

Upon seeing Li Zhengjun arrive, Li Zhengchen secretly transmitted his voice:

"The True Person is healing True Person Zhaohuan, and the kneeling child is True Person Zhaohuan's grandson, Gao Yuning."

Li Zhengjun nodded, about to ask for details, when the sunlight in the garden began to fade, and then he heard his grandfather's voice.

"Come in, all of you."

Gao Yuning immediately stood up, intending to rush inside, but after taking just one step, he stopped abruptly, stepped aside, and bowed, saying:

"Please go first, gentlemen."

Li Zhengjun nodded silently and stepped into the garden first.

Upon entering the garden, one sees crimson-gold blazing moths scattered everywhere.

These things, though constantly emerging, transformed into various kinds of golden light upon touching the ground, merging into the plants and trees in the garden.

But compared to the golden moth, the garden was filled with more of the glow of sunset.

That sunset glow was the last rays of light at dusk; wherever it fell, it evoked a sense of desolation and decay.

Several strangely shaped gray-feathered birds hovered around the Sunset Rosy Clouds, but whenever a few rays of sunlight spilled into the courtyard, the birds would chirp and disappear.

In this place where images converge, leaning against a middle-aged-looking cultivator, is none other than True Person Zhaohuan.

He had a handsome face with two deep vertical lines between his eyebrows, suggesting he had been frowning for many years.

At this moment, Zhaohuan's face was pale, and he looked extremely haggard, but his complexion was better than when he arrived.

Seeing this, Gao Yuning finally couldn't hold back and, before the others, softly called out, "True Person..."

Immediately, he knelt down before Yuhong again and said:

"Disciple Gao Yuning to express his True Person gratitude to the Master."

Yuhong slightly raised his hand and said gently:

"Get up. I can only stabilize his injuries for now. Zhaohuan's injury already carries some remnants of the old Quail Fire, which I have mostly neutralized with Bright Yang."

He then looked at Zhaohuan, his tone quite serious.

"But that glow within you is a problem."

Zhaohuan was quite helpless and said, "Senior, I have also tried to resolve this. Logically speaking, this Dao of Radiant Light is also under the Three Yangs, so why is it so difficult to deal with?"

Yuhong looked up at the horizon, remained silent for a moment, and then said:

"The 'rosy glow' you speak of beneath the three yangs is not a true rosy glow; it is more accurately described as a [Rainbow and Nix]."

"Rainbow and Nix and rainbows arise from the intersection of yin and yang. The rainbow is male, and the rainbow is female. This phenomenon is formed when the sun shines on the water vapor. People see its seven-colored flowing light, like rosy clouds or mist, and thus classify it as part of the rosy clouds lineage, calling it the 'Rosy Light Minor Branch.'"

"The so-called 'Rosy Light Major Branch' are actually the common morning and evening glows. Morning glow refers to the sun just before it rises, when the east is initially red, its color like cinnabar, hence the name 'Crimson Rosy Clouds'; evening glow refers to the sun just before it sets, when the western sky is completely dyed, its light like evening fire, hence the name 'Sunset Rosy Clouds'. These two, one representing growth and the other representing decay, are completely opposite in their Dao Path."

"For hundreds of years, the Rosy Light Major Branch, [Crimson Rosy Clouds] and [Sunset Rosy Clouds], has remained secluded from the world, and what the world can mostly see are the minor sects, [Rainbow and Nix]. Over time, later generations have come to regard Rainbow and Nix as Zhaohuan, you are still young and your Dao Path has been smooth, so it is not your fault that you do not know the difference."

Everyone present was hearing this for the first time. Zhaohuan nodded thoughtfully and said:

"What you mean is that while cultivators of the Three Yangs level can handle Rainbow and Nix Minor Branch, they are ill-equipped to deal with true Crimson Rosy Clouds or Sunset Rosy Clouds."

Yuhong nodded, paused, seemingly recalling related events, and continued after a moment:

"The sun and moon revolve, and the phenomena are ever-changing. This Crimson Rosy Clouds dissipates as the sun rises, belonging to the life force of Yang. It's manageable for cultivators of the Three Yangs, but as the Sunset Rosy Clouds sets behind the western mountains, Yang ends and Yin begins to emerge. We Three Yangs are somewhat powerless against it, but it can be neutralized by the Three Yins. If I'm not mistaken, the glow within you is left behind by the reclusive Sunset Rosy Clouds Dao Lineage."

He said this with great seriousness.

Zhaohuan also sensed how troublesome Sunset Rosy Clouds was, and recounted the events leading up to his attack:

"At that time, I was in seclusion in my cave abode healing my injuries, while Yuning was outside grinding medicine for me. Suddenly, I heard several loud noises coming from the mountain gate. When I went out, I saw that the sky was filled with rosy clouds, and the sounds of battle were deafening. It seemed that someone was shouting something like, 'The Three Yangs are about to end, the time for the Sunset Rosy Clouds Palm.'"

Zhaohuan couldn't hide his grief and indignation. He had only recently achieved the Purple Mansion and hadn't even enjoyed Purple Mansion glory yet, but he was being attacked one after another, and he had no power to fight back. He was truly utterly humiliated!

Upon hearing this, Yuhong did some calculations and said:

"The three yangs are about to end, the Sunset Rosy Clouds is about to arrive"? No, there's something wrong.

Zhaohuan quickly pressed, "What's wrong?"

Yuhong flipped his hand, and a jet-black stele flew out from his sleeve, transforming into a person's height upon landing.

Li Zhengjun recognized it as his grandfather's natal magic Law Treasure, the [Great Sun Radiant World-Suppressing Mystic Stele].

There were inscriptions on this mysterious stele. Upon closer inspection, everyone saw that it was written in small seal script:

"Yin and Yang interact, day and night alternate, forming the twelve Temporal Sequence. Yang governs four of them, Yin governs four, and when Yin and Yang are in harmony, the evening glow governs four. One Temporal Sequence lasts for a hundred years, and as Yin and Yang wax and wane, the evening glow also has its length. Those who follow the Temporal Sequence prosper, and those who go against the Temporal Sequence decline."

After everyone had finished reading, Yuhong explained:

"The inscription on this mysterious stele is not original; it manifested after I Spirit Transformation [Entering the Bright Hall]. Later, I pondered it repeatedly and gradually came to understand that above the Purple Mansion are the Golden Core True Lord. They may not only be higher in realm than the Purple Mansion realm, but may have already mastered some kind of Principle of heaven and earth."

"For example, the inscription mentions 'the Temporal Sequence,' with Yin and Yang each governing four segments Temporal Sequence, each lasting one hundred years. In other words, when a certain path governs Temporal Sequence, that path and its related Dao Path will prosper for a hundred years."

He paused, then continued:

"A hundred years ago, the Three Yang Dao Lineage began to show signs of decline. At that time, I guessed that the time of Temporal Sequence was approaching. But this idea was too absurd, and I could not find anyone to confirm it. I only knew that if Sunset Rosy Clouds really controlled the Temporal Sequence, the Sanyang lineage would inevitably decline, and lineages similar to it would also suffer collateral damage."

"At that time, there were only three Dao Path for my family to cultivate to the Purple Mansion: Bright Yang, Supporting Wood, and Frozen Water. After weighing the options, I chose Frozen Water. Although it is Water Virtue Birth Phase and has nothing to do with the three Yang paths, it is still better than Bright Yang and Supporting Wood, as it will not be more affected by the rosy clouds or the three Yin paths."

"Subsequent events confirmed my conjecture. To this day, the decline of the Three Yangs is a foregone conclusion, and even the flourishing of Wood is no match for the flourishing of Wood. Although the Si River has also been somewhat affected, with a slight decrease in the spiritual beings on the Xiaohan River, it is generally not a major issue. On the contrary, tombs associated with the imagery of the 'afterglow' of the sunset are becoming increasingly abundant, a prime example being the Mingxin Zhenren of the Baifei Sect, who has been at the height of his power in recent years."

He glanced at Zhaohuan and said helplessly, "Now that I've heard about Zhaohuan's experiences, and considering how my family has been repeatedly schemed against, as well as the decline of the Three Yang Dao Lineage in other countries, it further confirms my conjecture. At this moment, the [Temporal Sequence] is probably at the juncture of Yin and Yang transition, with the Sunset Rosy Clouds glow filling the sky."

Zhaohuan seemed to understand, and murmured:

"No wonder my Three Yang Dao Lineage has declined so much; it turns out it's related to this [Temporal Sequence]? But what you said earlier was incorrect. What place is it?"

Yuhong recalculated it again and sighed softly:

"When I reached the Purple Mansion stage, it coincided with the rise of the Three Yangs, which is only a little over two hundred years ago. According to the inscription, the Three Yangs govern the four Temporal Sequence, which is four hundred years. Now, only two hundred years have passed, and by any calculation, it is not yet time for the Sunset Rosy Clouds Glow to take control. This shows that some people are impatient and want to create a situation where Yin prevails over Yang."

At this point, he looked at Zhaohuan and slowly said:

"According to reasoning, the [Temporal Sequence] has not yet arrived, Sunset Rosy Clouds should not have appeared. However, the people of this lineage went straight to your Crimson Firmament Mountain after their emergence, indicating that they did not appear in accordance with the time, but rather acted against it. A lineage that has been hidden for hundreds of years suddenly appeared in the world for no reason, and even directly attacked the Great Yang Dao Lineage. If you say that there was no human intervention involved, do you believe it?"

Zhaohuan broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this, but Yuhong didn't press him; he simply shared his own speculation:

"Either your Dao Path to the Sun blocked the path of Sunset Rosy Clouds, or your journey from overseas to Rogue Cultivator Purple Mansion True Person was paved for you by someone else. Killing you was merely to complete a certain image."

Zhaohuan gasped, recalling the past. Initially, he was just a Rogue Cultivator overseas. He had fortuitous opportunity and passed through the Chu Kingdom. He found that the Crimson Firmament Mountain was quite compatible with his cultivation. With all these fortuitous opportunity coming together, he eventually became Purple Mansion cultivator.

Upon hearing what Yuhong said, he could not hide his disappointment.

"Senior, before I achieved the Purple Mansion, I only thought it was due to my extraordinary luck. Only after truly attaining the Purple Mansion did I realize the various schemes involved. Even if you hadn't said anything, I could sense it. There are so many True Person in the Chu Kingdom; how could they tolerate a cultivator from overseas achieving the Purple Mansion? If they wanted to kill me, they could have easily done so before I achieved the Purple Mansion, but they insisted on waiting until I did..."

This True Person of the Purple Mansion, completely disregarding the younger generation present, smiled wryly:

"Just a chess piece."

Yuhong frowned slightly, feeling a sense of impending doom.

"Zhaohuan, you absolutely cannot return to Crimson Firmament Mountain. The most urgent matter is to escape the Chu Kingdom."

Although he said this, everyone present knew very well that since the person behind the scenes had painstakingly planned this, how could they possibly let them escape?

For a moment, silence fell over the hall.

After a long while, Zhaohuan accepted his fate, and his expression turned calm and composed.

"Well, at least I've reached the Purple Mansion; it's enough that my life hasn't been in vain."

He looked at Gao Yuning and said:

"It's just that my younger generation has suffered."

Needless to say, the Gao Household of Crimson Firmament Mountain are probably all dead and gone by now.

Zhaohuan waved his hand, took out several Storage Bag, and said:

"Senior, this contains all my belongings: Cultivation Method, Law Artifact, spiritual items, and elixirs—everything is here. Ever since the last attack by the Purple Mansion, I've been worried and kept all the sect's items on my person. I never expected they would come in handy today."

He pushed the Storage Bag in front of Yuhong's desk and slowly said:

"Senior, you are highly respected. In the past, all others remained on the sidelines, but only you stepped in. Today, you have healed my wounds and enlightened me. I will give these spiritual items to you as a token of my True Person."

Yuhong remained unmoved. He glanced at Gao Yuning, knowing that Zhaohuan must have something to ask for.

As expected, Zhaohuan spoke:

"True Person, my Gao Household has been wiped out, and now only Yuning remains. He has some talent and a relatively calm temperament. I only ask that you, True Person, preserve a lineage for my Gao Household."

Upon hearing this, Gao Yuning could no longer hold back his tears, and he collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

Yuhong and Li Zhengjun exchanged a glance, and immediately transmitted their voices:

"Zhengjun, what do you think of Gao Yuning?"

Li Zhengjun understood why his grandfather had asked him to observe, and after a moment's thought, he immediately replied:

"This child has exceptional talent, and his family background is impeccable after the fall of True Person Zhaohuan. Moreover, he is currently in the crucial stage of Qi Ingestion. If he is willing to offer his true spirit, I can take him into the Great Scarlet Realm and have him serve my family. In this way, we won't have to worry about him being a threat in the Yuyu Realm, and no one else will be able to find out anything."

From the moment Zhaohuan came to his door, Yuhong began to plot.

The Li Household's Bright Yang Dao Lineage is currently facing a generational gap, with the younger generation mostly practicing the Frozen Water, which is rather mediocre in terms of combat.

However, the good grandson, who was waging war in another world, was extremely lacking in decisive and ruthless individuals.

He observed that Gao Yuning possessed exceptional talent and knew how to advance and retreat appropriately. If he were to bear the hatred of his clan's annihilation at this moment, he could become a sharp weapon for the Li Household.

It would be perfect to use it to assist Li Zhengjun in his conquest of the other world.

Moreover, Yuhong could also take advantage of him to receive Zhaohuan's Divine Ability Cultivation Method and all sorts of spiritual items.

Thinking of this, Yuhong spoke up:

"Zhaohuan, I have one condition. If you and Yuning agree, I can guarantee Yuning's safety."

Zhaohuan's eyes lit up, and he said, "Please speak, senior!"

Yuhong said, "Yuning, you must offer up your true spirit and serve my family as your master. Are you willing?"

Gao Yuning suddenly looked up. He had always been proud, but despite his humility, he had never backed down.

But recent misfortunes have forced him to bow his head ever lower.

At this moment, he realized that if the True Person left this mountain gate, he would likely die and disappear immediately.

In this way, bowing one's head is no longer a big deal.

"What good is offering up a mere spirit! Live on! As long as we live, there is hope of avenging the True Person immortal!"

Gao Yuning glanced at the True Person's haggard face again, hardened his heart, and said:

"Yuning is willing!"

After saying that, he kowtowed three times.

Zhaohuan's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down. He first said to Yuhong:

"I will have to trouble you with your efforts in the future, senior. In addition, you should also be more vigilant. Now that Sunset Rosy Clouds has appeared, I'm afraid the Three Yang Dao Lineage will be targeted."

Then he said to Gao Yuning:

"Yuning, I know what you're thinking. Remember, never hate, and never harbor thoughts of revenge. Just live well..."

Gao Yuning was in tears, and it was unclear whether he had listened or not; he could only nod.

When he looked up again, his True Person self had vanished.

The morning light in the garden, along with the sunlight in the sky, seemed to suddenly dim a bit.