Yellow Court Daoist

The worldly expanse is divided by the Three Mountains and Nine Waters.

The Three Mountains lie to the north,

Subduing the demons of the Polar extremes.

The Nine Waters to the south,

With the vast and unfathomable Chengyang River running through.

From west to east, the flow passes—

The Crying Swamp, Biyang Lake, Wind Wave Valley, Falling Eagle Pond, Sword Shadow Lake, Yunmeng Swamp, Spiritual Mountain Shell Field, and the Demon Dragon Sea.

These eight Earth Realms, together with the Chengyang River, are collectively known as the Nine Waters.

They stand in contrast to the Three Mountains, one in the south, one in the north.

Beyond the Three Mountains to the north lies chaos unknown, hiding endless demons.

To the south of the Nine Waters, a barbaric frontier stretches boundless, sheltering myriad unknown wonders.

West of the Crying Swamp, the Spirit Extinguishing Land exists, rarely trodden by mortals, where cultivation has vanished.

To the east of the Demon Dragon Sea lies the East Sea—this is the demon nest, chaotic and lawless, where on the islands and in the depths of the sea, great demons and giant monsters spread their reign, boasting and roaring as they please.

Between the Three Mountains and Nine Waters, demons also bring calamity, and occasionally, powerful demons like the Snow Mountain Ancestor make their appearance, entrenched like a stubborn disease, exterminating them is never-ending.

This is the whole framework of the mortal realm.

And along the Chengyang River, consecutively lie the Seven Gorges, each with an Immortal Sect holding sway.

Like the Ten Thousand Beasts Immortal Mountain of Xiling Gorge.

Like the Seven Absolute Immortal Sect of Dengying Gorge.

From west to east, the third gorge—the Yellow Maple Gorge, lies between Wind Wave Valley and Falling Eagle Pond, where one of the Seven Gorges Immortal Sects is located—

Green Wood Valley.

...

Far, far away,

Flowing down the Chengyang River, there is a magnificent canyon filled with maple trees that turn a golden hue come autumn.

This place,

Is called the Yellow Maple Gorge.

Listening to the mighty river's roar,

Watching the wild geese fly south.

In Yellow Maple Gorge, there lies Green Wood Valley.

Inside the Star Hall,

Nine people gather.

They are the nine Primordial Spirits True Ones of Green Wood Valley.

Green Wood Valley, in its strength, is renowned as the mightiest of the Seven Gorges Immortal Sect, unparalleled by the likes of Ten Thousand Beasts Immortal Mountain. The number of Primordial Spirits in the sect remains fixed at nine—neither increasing nor decreasing. Only when one ascends, can another be elevated.

This in itself is revealing.

Xun Tiange, in white clothes and carrying a long sword, cuts a divine figure.

As he steps into the hall, holding in his hand a square copper mirror, he speaks loudly to the eight others, "Tiange has mastered the 'Taiyin Soul Searching Technique.'"

Having secluded himself for thirty years, he finally mastered the Great Method, and even Xun Tiange could not help but feel a sense of pride.

"Excellent!"

"The Green Wood King Ding that has been lost for over ten thousand years should return to Green Wood Valley!"

One red-faced Daoist commends with a clap on the side.

Thirty years ago, Xun Tianxing of Green Wood Valley ascended to the Upper Realm.

The Northern Suppression Ancestor from the Upper Realm, concerned about the "Green Wood King Ding," secured the 'Heavenly Observation Treasure' and the 'Taiyin Soul Searching Technique' from an Earth Immortal Ancestor of the sect and bestowed them along with Xun Tianxing during his ascension.

Xun Tiange has been reflecting on these for thirty years in meditation.

Today, he finally has complete control over the 'Taiyin Soul Searching Technique.'

"Tiange, go ahead and use it. Once we locate the thief, I shall deliver a strike with my sword, teaching him to regret ever being born into this mortal realm!"

Next to the red-faced Daoist, a green-faced, short, and portly old man with a majestic beard and a potbelly reveals a flash of fierce intent in his eyes, his voice chillingly cold.

"Uncle, please wait."

Xun Tiange nods in response.

Without delay,

He throws the Heavenly Observation Treasure up into the air, transforming in flight as streams of light flicker. Xun Tiange stands in the center of the hall, chanting continuously while forming hand seals.

Dingling!

Streams of mana strike the Heavenly Observation Treasure, spinning it in midair.

All eyes within the hall are upon this scene.

Some filled with anticipation, some with furrowed brows.

At the end of the hall, a man wearing a white robe with an embroidered Green Wood on his back and nine miniature three-legged tripods at his cuffs appears to be in his twenties or thirties, exceptional and dashing.

He is none other than Xun Bai, who had once gone to the Yuu Mountain Immortal Mansion in search of the Green Wood King Ding.

Years have passed.

Yet he has earned a place within this Star Hall, and observing his aura, as deep and inscrutable as an abyss, it is clear he has taken a crucial step and entered the Primordial Spirit Realm.

"Yellow Robed Old Monster!"

Xun Bai stares into the sky, eyes brimming with dark intent.

Having failed in the past, he narrowly escaped losing his position as the junior valley master upon returning to the valley. Fortuitously, his unmatched talent in Alchemy within his generation, coupled with the imminent ascension of the family's ancestor, Xun Tianxing, protected him from punishment. Before ascending, as the most outstanding descendant of the Xun Family, Xun Bai achieved a breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit Stage with the assistance of his ancestor Xun Tianxing and Three Ancestors Xun Tiange.

Since then, he was amongst the elite of the world.

However, when reminded of the 'Yellow Robed Old Monster,' anger still flared within him, "Once we find the trace and retrieve the Green Wood King Ding, I'll make sure he tastes a fate worse than death!"

Thoughts spun, inundated with resentment.

Above the hall,

Xun Tiange is reaching a crucial moment in his incantation.

All eyes are fixed upon him.

At last, Xun Tiange releases the final surge of mana with a soft utterance of two words—

"Yellow Robe!"

The sound reverberates throughout the hall, channeled by the Heavenly Observation Treasure as if to spread across the Celestial Cycle. However, as the light shimmered, indications of dispersion appeared—no trace of the Green Wood King Ding or Yellow Robed Old Monster to be found.

"This—"

"It cannot be!"

"The 'Taiyin Soul Searching Technique' is unparalleled in its mystery. No matter where a person may be, merely calling out will resonate and track down their mana. Even when performed alone, it is not inferior to the 'Two Spaces Map' wielded by Six Dust Temple Master Zhen Jue in locating individuals. Now utilizing the Supreme Treasure 'Heavenly Observation Treasure' bestowed by an Upper Realm Earth Immortal Ancestor for supervising the whole world and still, there are those within the Three Mountains and Nine Waters who can conceal Heaven's Secrets and nullify the search?!"

Yue Zhongqing's face turns purple with a sudden and unsightly expression, and the majestic beard floating on his chest momentarily freezes.

"Tiange."

The Red-faced Daoist, Huo Shanzi, also turned his attention to Xun Tiange, unable to help but speak out.

"If even the Heavenly Observation Treasure cannot locate that person, I fear the hope of recovering the Green Wood King Ding is bleak."

"What a remarkably ingenious method for Concealing Heaven's Secrets."

"No wonder even the Earth Immortal Ancestors in the Upper Realm have difficulty divining his whereabouts."

Xun Tiange had finally understood why the Northern Suppression Ancestor had taken so much effort to bestow the Heavenly Observation Treasure, and why the Earth Immortal elder had lent out the treasure so readily.

It seemed.

That these two from the Upper Realm had also made calculations, finding nothing across the Void's One Realm, their curiosity piqued, they developed a keen interest in that person!

"No need to panic, uncles, the Northern Suppression Ancestor has already made preparations."

Xun Tiange's thoughts flowed.

Hearing Yue Zhong and Huo Shanzi speak, he casually responded.

As the light from the hall's reflection was about to fade, he sensed a strand of Pure Yang power within the Heavenly Observation Treasure, blazing like the fierce sun.

"Immortal Essence."

"What a pity!"

He shook his head.

Xun Tiange did not dare to hesitate, sensing that strand of Pure Yang power, with a thought, he triggered an explosion.

As the power erupted and the reflected light grew even more brilliant, Xun Tiange opened his mouth and called out again—

"Yellow Robe!"

"Yellow Robe!!"

"Yellow Robe!!!"

The hall thundered, the sound reverberating.

At last, the reflected light from above surged vastly, the Heavenly Observation Treasure's aura seemed to instantaneously light up the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, spreading across the endless skies of the Three Mountains and Nine Waters, and across the sprawling land.

In a moment.

It enveloped the celestial universe.

The reflected light shifted.

Revealing two scenes in the empty space—

The roaring of waves persisted, the tide was tumultuous.

A Sea Immortal Mountain sat in the depths of the misty sea, with peculiar reefs and golden sand fishing fires, on the mountain, a Daoist was seated, toying with flames, handling ores, and manipulating Magic Artifacts.

He was obviously refining an artifact.

At the moment of the reflected light's illumination, the Daoist suddenly called out in surprise—

"Who goes there?"

Immediately realizing, he looked up and found himself face-to-face with Xun Tiange and the others in the Star Palace.

A trace of shock appeared on his face.

"East Sea!"

Seeing this, Huo Shanzi reached out and grabbed at the Heavenly Observation Treasure in the air, capturing the person's aura, then turned to a strange-looking, one-eyed youth and called, "Feng Han, my Daoist Brother, let us make a trip to the East Sea and meet this person!"

With that.

Huo Shanzi transformed into a beam of firelight, shooting into the sky and disappearing without a trace.

The youth slowly stood up, swaying slightly as he, too, vanished from the hall.

The remaining seven focused their gaze on the second scene—

Ancient and barbaric, the land was vast. Above the firmament, constellations were arrayed, revealing the mysterious.

On the savage and boundless land.

A Daoist clad in a Profound Green Daoist Robe was seated, moving or stopping intermittently, sometimes looking up to watch the rotation of the stars, sometimes squatting on the ground, fingers casually drawing.

The patterns were dazzling.

And as the Daoist walked, footprints were left on the ground. With each step, his foot sank seven inches deep.

Suddenly.

The Daoist seemed to hear a calling at his ear and couldn't help but respond, "Who goes there?"

Those in the hall watched.

This Profound Green Daoist and the prior Immortal Mountain Daoist responded almost simultaneously, without any difference. Regardless of the tone or demeanor, both were indistinguishable.

After responding, the Daoist also realized what happened, looking up in a direction, his expression shocked. This time, not to watch the stars, but with a deep, penetrating gaze, seemingly through the void, landing in the Star Palace.

The two viewed each other across the spaces.

"Bai Geng Star!"

"Changqingzi!"

Yue Zhongqing's bushy brows furrowed, revealing a fierce and threatening aura. Like Huo Shanzi, he stretched out his hand and grasped at the Heavenly Observation Treasure, hiding his aura and turned to a white-haired, old Daoist Woman with a cane, shouting, "Miao Yi, my junior sister, let us quickly go to Xiling Gorge, we must intercept that demon!"

Before his words faded away.

Yue Zhong transformed into Xuan Light and disappeared without a trace.

The Daoist Woman, Miao Yi, turned to Xun Bai, chuckling, "Young lad Xun Bai, lend your Red Crow Pearl to old woman for a spell."

"Yes!"

Xun Bai immediately came forward, opening his palm to present the Red Crow Pearl.

The black light flashed.

In the next moment.

The Red Crow Pearl vanished along with Miao Yi into the void.

Star Palace.

Xun Tiange looked upon the two scenes revealed by the reflected light in the sky, his brows knitted tightly, muttering softly, "Body Separation."

Xun Bai stepped forward.

He said solemnly, "The Yellow Robed Old Monster is indeed Changqingzi. By this logic, the Fiery Fire Wanderer who fought with Changqingzi thirty years ago, is likely another separation of Changqingzi!"

An actual name called.

The Taiyin Soul Searching Technique pointed directly to one's existential root. No matter how many separations, once they heard it, they all had to respond.

Xun Tiange's call of 'Yellow Robe' was indeed responded to by both the East Sea Immortal Mountain Daoist and Changqingzi, and so it could not be faked.

A man in half-arm green, with short sleeves and bare feet said with a deep voice, "In Biyang Lake Territory, within the Xuanyuan, White Bone, and Heavenly Travel Three Realms, the Fiery Fire Wanderer, Changqing Daoist, and the Yellow Robed Old Monster, almost simultaneously appeared and made a name for themselves, all without known origins. The chance that these three are the same person is extremely high, and the battle thirty years ago between Changqing Daoist and the Fiery Fire Wanderer might have been a ploy to infiltrate the Ten Thousand Beasts Immortal Mountain."

With the Green Wood King Ding appearing in the world and soon after being lost within the Xuanyuan Three Realms. Adding the fact that both Changqingzi and the Fiery Fire Wanderer originated from the same Three Realms, Green Wood Valley had long investigated the situation thoroughly.

Just not expecting—

That Fiery Fire Wanderer, Changqing Daoist, and Yellow Robed Old Monster were actually one person!

"Yellow Robe!"

"Changqingzi!"

Xun Tiange's eyes flickered, his hands forming a seal, murmuring unknown words. Suddenly he stopped, and a Xuan Light burst forth from his mouth, shooting towards the heavens and vanishing.

...