Wu Youqi had never seen this book before, whether in the “White Stone Boiling Rain” atop Qingxiao Peak or in the “Green Ink Tower” the sect’s library at the Taiji Plaza.
Classic of the Clear and Turbid Spiritual Platform…
The first four characters were compulsory lessons for anyone cultivating the Tao; cultivators sought the path to immortality precisely to clarify their “Spiritual Platform,” eliminating turbid qi and retaining the clear qi. “Balance” was often implied by the term Pingqi (even/level). Putting these seven characters together, it seemed to be a book about the cultivation of the Spiritual Platform.
However, the book cover was brand new, without a single dog-eared corner, as if it had just been written and handed to someone for safekeeping without ever having been shown to anyone else.
Wu Youqi stood up straight, the playfulness and sarcasm on his face vanishing.
So, Master, you still had secrets from me.
He was so angry he nearly laughed. Had it not been for the fear of alerting the enemy and provoking Huo Lan into shattering the book in his panic, Wu Youqi would have liked to reveal himself and demand a clear explanation.
A few meters below, inside the Qingjun Palace, Huo Lan remained unaware of the intruder. He only lowered his gaze to look at this Classic of the Clear and Turbid Spiritual Platform, his expression one of guilt and remorse.
In this life, he believed he had lived up to his master’s deathbed entrustment: caring for the members of Qing-shuang Mountain and raising Shen Yu to adulthood.
Internally, he had invited Qingyi who could be called the number one in the Cultivation World to serve as the Peak Master of the main peak, and invited other capable masters to the remaining four peaks, developing Qing-shuang Mountain into the leader of the Cultivation World.
Externally, Qing-shuang Mountain protected the Southwest, won the praise of the common people, and maintained harmonious relations with other sects on the continent; when dark undercurrents and the Demon Clan attacked, they were able to conspire and cooperate to resist foreign enemies together.
If he were to die and his soul dissipate this very moment, Huo Lan’s only regret would be that he had deceived Qingyi—
He had neither been able to deliver this classic, which he had written with all his heart and blood, to Wu Youqi, nor had he been able to protect that child as he protected Shen Yu, eventually leading him to become the Demon Venerable.
Huo Lan raised his hand, gently pinched the bridge of his nose, and with a long sigh, stowed the book back into his storage ring—it was too late for regrets; further talk would be pointless. He turned and took one last lingering look at the Patriarchs and Immortals enshrined in the hall, before turning to leave, heading toward the “Bottom Moon Gate” where the residence of the Sect Leader and the five peaks were located.
After Huo Lan departed, the “Blessed Fortune Lamp” in the Qingjun Palace flickered once, and then a gust of wind caused the door panels to sway lightly.
Wu Youqi did not pursue Huo Lan. He had to first investigate the origins of this book. On Qing-shuang Mountain, to uncover the history of a book, there was actually another choice: go directly to the Green Ink Tower.
It held the richest collection of books in the Cultivation World. Besides Taoist classics, basic cultivation techniques, and heart-methods, it encompassed geography, astronomy, history, folk tales, and anecdotes. Most books of any reputation could be found there.
The tower had seven floors, an underground library, and an extra “Spirit Mirror” space. The library was open to all disciples of the sect, with no distinction between inner and outer sectors; one simply needed to register their name in the logbook and return the books on time.
In front of the Green Ink Tower was a clear lotus pond. As Wu Youqi descended, two young disciples on night watch were chattering by the pond, watching the fish and the mid-night fireflies.
Wu Youqi floated in mid-air, watching them for a moment. Through them, he seemed to catch a glimpse of his former self, but on second thought, he shook his head and retracted the faint smile from his face.
After landing in a few swift motions, Wu Youqi arrived at the top floor. Using his spiritual sense, he perceived the intricate seals on the doors.
This floor contained the sect’s ancient classics and all forbidden books and secret journals that had appeared in the Cultivation World since the founding of Qing-shuang Mountain. Usually, the top-floor library was only open for the Sect Leader and the Peak Masters to consult; ordinary disciples required sufficient justification and the Sect Leader’s permission to obtain a special “Spirit Seal” to be allowed entry by the administrator, and the books had to be read within the tower and could not be taken out.
On the inner corridor of the top floor, the consultation logs were kept. Perhaps assuming the guards and barriers below were sufficient, the administrator had not added extra security, which facilitated Wu Youqi directly picking up the logs to check.
He didn’t believe his master would write a book for no reason; Qingyi was not a man who loved writing books to establish a legacy or crave fame.
In the past three years, it had been his own negligence that he never thought to start with the borrowing records of the library. It was only seeing that “Classic of Even Leveling” today that made him realize this could be a breakthrough.
Scanning through the piles of records at the door with his spiritual sense, Wu Youqi quickly found the familiar handwriting that had appeared in the logs five or six years ago, when he had just achieved his Golden Core at sixteen:
Spring, third month: Master successively consulted the “Great Clarity Golden Core Classic,” the “Upper Clarity Nourishment Classic,” and the “Supreme Taoist Primordial Elixir Classic.”
Summer: The “Yin-Yang Birth Divine Pill Formula,” the “Mysterious Light Clear and Turbid Upper Classic,” and the “Record of the Seven Sages’ Spiritual Root Evolution.”
Late Autumn and Early Winter: Master took two more books recounting the great cultivators of the billions of years, the “Classic of Dongzhen Fate” and a “Record of Strange Things in the Three Realms.”
Entering Winter, the books he consulted changed to forbidden texts like the “Yin-Yang Descent True Essence Wonderful Classic” and several collections regarding ancient evil immortals and the demonic path.
Six years ago…
They had just returned from debating the Tao in the Western Buddhist Realm, and the Cultivation World was very peaceful. Wu Youqi could not figure out what had happened that year.
Why had his master suddenly come to the Green Ink Tower and left behind such a long string of records for forbidden books and arts? The only real problem they had as master and disciple was his later wrongful imprisonment and his master’s failed ascension.
Wu Youqi rested his chin on his hands, his fingers tapping unconsciously on several thick records.
Discarding historical texts and general histories, the rest of these records almost entirely revolved around “Spiritual Roots” and the “Spiritual Platform.” Wu Youqi hadn’t looked at the specific content, but from the titles alone, he knew his master had encountered significant trouble; otherwise, he wouldn’t have read so many forbidden books in one go.
Could it be that something went wrong with Master’s Spiritual Platform or Spiritual Roots?
Wu Youqi hissed, his brows knitting tightly. How could he have spent several years day and night with his master at the peak and never sensed anything amiss?
Spiritual roots in this world were divided into four major categories: Heaven, Earth, Five Elements, and Heterogeneous. Heaven-grade spiritual roots were the purest and of the highest quality; cultivation speed was five times faster than an ordinary person’s, and there was no bottleneck for achieving a Golden Core. It was the rarest and best skeletal frame in the world, most suitable for cultivating the Tao and ascending to immortality.
His master was of the Heaven-grade spiritual root, and for many years, there had only been two such cultivators in the Cultivation World; the other was Kongdi Jiuyin.
Earth-grade spiritual roots possessed four or five attributes, but each was insufficient,雜 (mixed) and shallow; cultivation speed was extremely slow, generally considered to have no affinity for immortality and unsuitable for cultivation. However, there were a few individuals with Earth-grade spiritual roots who used external forces to become tool cultivators or pill cultivators, using heaven-sent materials and earthly treasures to attain intermediate levels.
The Five Elements spiritual roots Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth were common among cultivators. On blessed lands corresponding to their respective attributes, cultivation speed would be one or two times faster.
The remaining Heterogeneous spiritual roots were mostly special, such as the Supreme Yin, Supreme Yang, marrow-connecting, furnace-vessel, etc., as well as Wind, Lightning, and Ice types.
He himself was of a Heterogeneous spiritual root; his fate was to abandon his life to pursue slaughter, his spiritual roots were dominated by Fire, and the techniques he utilized would always bear the icy lotus seal unique to him.
So…
Was it his master’s spiritual root or Spiritual Platform that had gone wrong, or was it someone else’s? Had his master’s distraction in writing that “Classic of Even Leveling” led to his failed ascension?
But that didn’t seem to make sense, either.
Would the time it took to write a book be enough to cause his master’s ascension to fail?
His master had been at the Mahayana stage for at least a century, and many had been guessing when he would ascend. Even Wu Youqi had asked. At the time, his master had only replied, “The opportunity has not yet arrived.”
Later, he was framed and thrown into the Penalty Hall, knowing nothing of the outside world. He escaped prison and climbed the mountain to explain, only to be struck off the cliff by his master, losing consciousness. By the time the Three Sages of the Demon Clan told him what had happened to the Cultivation World, his master had already detonated his spiritual core to perish together with the Dark Element.
…First the failed ascension, then the detonation of the spiritual core, and now, suddenly, a “Classic of Even Leveling” discussing the clarity and turbidity of the Spiritual Platform?
Wu Youqi always felt he was missing a key link; no matter how he tried, he couldn’t string these clues together.
When his master was alive, he respected and feared him, not daring to cross the line, forcing himself to the very edge and suppressing those crazy feelings. After his master died, he hated and resented him, yet year after year he discovered that his master was shrouded in mysteries; he had never understood him.
Setting aside the records and memorizing the book titles, Wu Youqi turned and ascended Qingxiao Peak again, wanting to search for clues in “White Stone Boiling Rain.”
But the moment he landed, he saw a green-jade figure standing before the blue stone pressing down on the Dark Element seal, Huo Lan, who should have returned to the Sect Leader’s residence to rest, had actually appeared here.
Wu Youqi raised an eyebrow. This was truly an unexpected windfall. He concealed his presence and approached carefully.
In fact, Huo Lan came to Qingxiao Peak because he truly didn’t know what he should say to Qingyi. Now that the man was dead, what was the use of apologies and remorse? He hadn’t expected Qingyi could be so ruthless. At the time, the Dark Element appeared on Qingxiao Peak, and he was under immense pressure, so he could only come to beg Qingyi.
Qingyi was the number one in the Cultivation World and the only one with a chance of ascending to immortality. At that time, a sense of despair had spread throughout the Cultivation World; from sect leaders down to ordinary rogue cultivators, all believed that as long as he ascended, he would surely be able to eradicate the Dark Element.
Huo Lan was better than them, but as the leader of a major sect, he could not avoid discussing these circumstances with Qingyi, hoping that he would consider the common people and ascend.
After listening, Qingyi had only said three words: Impossible.
He didn’t believe it and repeatedly asked why.
In the end, Qingyi simply extended his hand, signaling for him to look at his own spiritual veins.
Huo Lan would never forget everything he probed; he was even frightened into taking a step back. Before he could say anything, he heard Qingyi say calmly:
“I will resolve the matter of the Dark Element, but Sect Leader, can you promise to look after my disciple in the future?”
Huo Lan closed his eyes. The events that happened later far exceeded his expectations; now, it was too late to say anything.
Today, suddenly learning that Wu Youqi had raised someone in the Demon Palace who looked exactly like Qingyi, the helplessness and remorse of these three years surged back into his heart, making him unable to control himself and come to Qingxiao Peak.
However, the person was already gone; what could he change?
Wu Youqi waited for a long time, but heard Huo Lan say nothing. Not wanting to waste time, he left a wisp of his spiritual sense in place and flashed into “White Stone Boiling Rain.”
The interior of the room was no different from his last visit, but this time Wu Youqi focused on the desk, the shelves, and the cabinets. He examined every place that held writing or books with great care.
And then, he discovered several letters delivered from the Western Buddhist Realm.
The letters were pressed into the letter box of Qingxiao Peak. According to the rules, letters delivered by various sects would be collected at the foot of the mountain and sent up by spiritual cranes to be dropped into the letter box.
The Western Buddhist Realm and the Cultivation World were in two different planes, so news didn’t arrive that quickly. By the time the letters were delivered, the Western Buddhist Realm probably just learned of his master’s death.
Wu Youqi thought for a moment before tearing open the envelopes. The first two were Buddhist cultivators from the Western Buddhist Realm discussing the Tao with his master; they were worthless.
But the third one was sent by Xilaiyi, the direct disciple of the Great Orthodox Buddha Fruit, a Buddhist cultivator who was the number one figure in the Western Buddhist Realm: his Buddhist Dharma was profound, his realm was at the “No-Learning” stage, equivalent to the Mahayana stage of a cultivator.
Back then, when his master brought him to the Western Buddhist Realm to debate the Tao and participate in the Buddhist Assembly, it was this person who received them throughout, so they were considered old acquaintances.
The letter was unfolded. At the beginning, there was nothing special to note, but at the very end, Xilaiyi had written this line:
“As for the ancient book the Master mentioned, I have already found it. There are also several spiritual treasures that can balance the Spiritual Platform. I ask the Master to bring your esteemed disciple to the Western Buddhist Realm once more at your earliest convenience. I await the Master’s arrival.”
Wu Youqi was stunned. How was it that this involved him?