Chapter 297 - 162: Guangyuan Realm: Weiyun Immortal City

Chapter 297: Chapter 162: Guangyuan Realm: Weiyun Immortal City

Xuzhuang didn’t have many worldly affairs to begin with. His few disciples had already left Li Mountain to travel, so he didn’t need to worry about them. It only took him half a day to get everything in order before he returned to Chongyun Peak to meet with the Immoral Taoist.

The Immoral Taoist didn’t dally. "Shall we depart immediately?" he asked.

Xuzhuang had no objection. He waved his hand, retracting the Du Xu Palace into his sleeve, and replied, "I will follow your arrangements, Zhenren."

The Immoral Taoist exclaimed, "Good! You’re finally being decisive for once, kid. My long wait for you wasn’t in vain."

He then formed a hand seal, muttered a few words, and suddenly spat. A speck of yellow light shot out, transforming as it met the wind. In an instant, it grew to about ten feet high and thirty to forty feet long. It was a yellow gourd with a colorful silk ribbon tied around its waist. The ribbon hung down, its end transforming into a mist that spread out to form a rosy cloud, cradling the yellow gourd on top.

The Immoral Taoist leaped up and sat squarely on the belly of the yellow gourd. "Well? Aren’t you coming up?" he called out.

Xuzhuang had assumed the yellow gourd was a Grotto Heaven, never imagining it was simply a vehicle. He quickly leaped up and boarded the gourd as well.

He hadn’t noticed it from below, but once aboard the yellow gourd, he smelled a rich, mellow aroma. A few more breaths made Xuzhuang feel pleasantly light-headed and tipsy. Fortunately, he circulated his energy to process it. Not only did the feeling of discomfort vanish, but he also felt spiritual energy seep into his organs, leaving him feeling wonderfully refreshed.

The Immoral Taoist pursed his lips. "I only recently acquired this Wine Immortal Gourd. Even Master Baiyun has never ridden it. You’re getting off easy, kid."

Before Xuzhuang could ask who Master Baiyun was, the Immoral Taoist channeled his Magical Power. The Wine Immortal Gourd shot into the sky, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

—

In a certain part of the boundless void, a strange world hung suspended in space.

This world was no less vast than Profound Yellow. It was a perfect sphere, radiating a soft, pure white light.

Encircling it was a ring glittering with stardust, like the Celestial River of myth and legend—a vision of absolute beauty.

Near this world were countless other stars, all shining brightly. A glance revealed that they were all teeming with life, and the presence of cultivators was by no means rare.

A speck of yellow light leaped out from a point of nothingness, and the Wine Immortal Gourd materialized, carrying the Immoral Taoist and Xuzhuang.

Traveling through the void felt directionless, and it was nearly impossible to perceive the passage of time. Even the faint light of distant stars became a blurry haze. Despite being cultivators, they couldn’t help but feel a slight weariness.

But now that they had stopped, it was as if they had broken free from an illusion and returned to reality. Xuzhuang’s spirits immediately lifted.

The Immoral Taoist called out, "We’ve reached the Earth Realm, kid."

Xuzhuang remained calm. He inwardly sensed that the Talisman Seal of his Celestial Sphere was still glowing brightly, which finally set his mind at ease.

He glanced around, amazed by the fantastical scenery. "May I ask, Zhenren, where have we arrived?" he asked, unable to hide his surprise.

While steering the Wine Immortal Gourd slowly toward the world with the encircling ring, the Immoral Taoist answered, "This is the Guangyuan Realm. We’ll make a stop here before heading to our meeting about the Innate Spirit Root."

"Oh? So this is the Guangyuan Realm, a bustling hub where all paths converge?" Xuzhuang’s interest was piqued. ’According to Senior Brother Daochen,’ he recalled, ’this realm is the True Monarch Dojo of an ancient Pure Yang True Monarch. He’s widely connected, highly respected, has existed for an unknowable length of time, and possesses unimaginable Magical Power and Divine Techniques.’

Because of this, the situation in the Guangyuan Realm was stable. It was a melting pot, welcoming to all, and over time it had grown into an extremely prosperous Great Thousand Worlds, bustling with endless activity.

As they spoke, the Immoral Taoist had already piloted the Wine Immortal Gourd to the ring encircling the Guangyuan Realm. In the brief moment it took for Xuzhuang’s eyes to take in the scene, he saw countless Flying Escape Magical Artifacts coming and going. Streaks of rainbow light and glowing tails, all clustered in rosy auroras, traveled along this ’Celestial River,’ creating a truly spectacular sight.

As if sensing Xuzhuang’s confusion, the Immoral Taoist readily explained, "Too many people used to come and go from the Guangyuan Realm, and it caused chaos. To prevent that from happening again, True Monarch Guangcheng personally refined this Celestial River to guide travelers."

"I see." Xuzhuang nodded. As he gazed into the Celestial River, another question arose. "Why are there so many Nascent Soul Cultivators among those coming and going?"

After all, Nascent Soul Cultivators lacked the ability to traverse the void freely. Without a magical treasure like the Du Xu Palace, attempting to cross the cosmos was no different from courting death.

The Immoral Taoist sighed. "Do you think everyone has it as easy as you? That they’re all from a major orthodox sect or born in a Great Thousand Worlds?"

"For the people living on these nearby stars, just being able to cultivate is a stroke of incredible luck. If they achieve some success and want to advance further, they must risk everything to cross the vast void and ’ascend’ to the Guangyuan Realm to practice."

"Even if they have a solid cultivation base, prepare thoroughly, and are lucky enough to survive the journey of several decades or even a century to reach the Guangyuan Realm, their troubles are far from over. To continue cultivating, they have to find a way to survive. If they fail to make a life for themselves, they’ll inevitably have to risk it all in the void once more..."

"In short, the Guangyuan Cultivation World is vastly different from your Profound Yellow. There’s no need for you to be so shocked, kid."

With that, he gave a shout and steered the Wine Immortal Gourd down into the Celestial River. A vast, powerful force immediately took hold, carrying them downstream. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they saw a moon-shaped gateway built from radiant light.

After shooting through it, they found themselves on a high platform. It was a vast space high above the ground, but it wasn’t particularly busy. A lone Daoist who appeared to be in his thirties, his Daoist Robe embroidered with Talisman Seals, was waiting outside the gate. Seeing the two of them arrive, he stepped forward, bowed, and asked, "Seniors, is this your first visit to the Guangyuan Realm? If you require a guide, I would be happy to be of service."