Chapter 395: Struggle for the Dao

Back in the day, the Origin Mountain of Cornucopia was already renowned for its many miracles. The first ancestor of the Bao Clan had discovered several top-grade ore veins within these mountains and obtained his first batch of cultivation resources. Using them, he had cultivated all the way to the Ultimate Unity stage and founded the Bao Clan.

Some said that, in addition to the resources provided by the ore veins, the main reason the Bao Clan ancestor was able to embark on the path to immortality was because the mountain possessed exceptional feng shui. It was a vital node in the earthly vein that channeled a great fate. It was thanks to it that the Bao Clan ancestor, despite not being extraordinarily talented in the ways of cultivation, was able to break through countless obstacles and attain the Great Dao.

Upon entering the great array, the scenery before Wei Yuan shifted, and his field of vision instantly opened up.

At the foot of the mountain lay a small city with courtyards, halls, and pavilions built along the mountainside, rising in tiered levels.

This was a place for visitors to stay. At a glance, Wei Yuan could see at least dozens of large inns, and thousands of individual courtyards of various styles. This mountain-gate city could accommodate tens of thousands of visitors at any given time.

The spirit qi within the small city was incredibly dense, so much so it was just shy of condensing into a misty haze. This guest city alone was sufficient to serve as the core cultivation site of a third-tier blessed land sect—a testament to the Bao Clan’s opulence and grandeur.

A broad avenue cut through the city, winding its way up the mountain. Twenty zhang wide, the road was paved with pale white stones streaked with cyan. It looked exceptionally smooth and even.

The middle-aged man summoned a horse-drawn carriage and led Wei Yuan into the carriage. They then set off up the mountain path along the main road. The carriage traveled swiftly yet smoothly, the rumble of the wheels barely audible, and the bumpiness of the road impossible to feel. One could easily take a nap without any discomfort.

The carriage continued on for several dozen li, reaching a point more than halfway up the mountain before coming to a stop in front of a complex of palaces and pavilions.

Here, the scenery was different yet again. Misty clouds swirled among the mountains, drifting between the buildings. Occasionally, spirit beasts and birds—manifestations of spirit qi—appeared amidst the clouds, making the entire mountain resemble an immortal realm.

Wei Yuan was led into a side hall, through the chambers, and out onto a terrace. Below the terrace lay a vast ocean. It was a magnificent and extraordinary sight.

A man stood leaning against the railing and facing the sea, deep in thought.

It wasn’t until Wei Yuan approached from behind that he slowly turned around. It was Bao Manshan.

He looked Wei Yuan up and down and smiled faintly. “Although I gave you the Yin Yang of Reversal Pendant that day, I truly didn’t think you would survive the Great Karmic Curse, nor did I expect you to arrive so quickly.”

Wei Yuan replied solemnly, “If it weren’t for the Yin Yang of Reversal Pendant you gave me, my master and I would likely have perished. I will never forget this kindness and generosity for as long as I live!”

Bao Manshan replied, “Helping you wasn’t my idea—it was Little Yun who insisted on doing it. However, she paid a tremendous price for it. You’ll find out exactly what that price was very soon.”

“Is Bao Yun all right? How is her arm healing?” Wei Yuan asked.

“She is anything but ‘all right’. Her arm is a minor issue compared to the real problems she’s facing.”

Wei Yuan’s heart sank. “What can I do?”

“You won’t be able to meet her on this visit, but you can certainly do something for her. Originally, several matters had already been set in stone, but your sudden arrival has introduced some uncertainty. Perhaps you can lend Little Yun a helping hand after all.”

Wei Yuan immediately composed himself and listened intently.

Bao Manshan said, “Little Yun gave you her Fruit of Life, so both her own vitality and regenerative abilities have declined as a result. As a result, her new arm is growing slowly, and refining it will require even greater effort. At this time, the Eastern Sea’s Qiongshan Immortal Island has already dispatched envoys bearing a Vermillion Fruit Treasure Tree with one ripened fruit, and three in the process of maturing. It is their small gift to her. In addition, they have purchased seven Kun-class ships from the Bao Clan to form a joint fleet, intending to repel the Hlai and strike against the other islands in the Eastern Sea.

“Specifically, they’ll fund this fleet, while we will operate and command it.”

A Kun-class ship was a giant of the seas, measuring 200 zhang in length and capable of carrying 10,000 people each. Such a colossal ship must be extremely expensive, yet Qiongshan Immortal Island had purchased seven of them at once and entrusted them to the Bao Clan for use. Such generosity must surely indicate a grand ambition.

Sure enough, Bao Manshan said, “All this is a betrothal gift from the young master of Qiongshan Immortal Island to request the hand of Little Yun.”

Wei Yuan’s long hair floated without a breeze, then slowly settled back into place.

Bao Manshan cast him a meaningful glance before continuing, “With how gifted Little Yun is, it was never up to her who she chooses to become her Dao partner or where she may end up in the future. Only the clan may decide that, and anyone who stands in the way is choosing to oppose the Bao Clan—do you understand that?”

“... I understand.”

“There’s one more thing. It might be to your advantage for now, but in the long run, it will become a huge problem. The Immovable Tathāgata Dharma of the Exquisite Blossom Pure Land has become vacant, and Little Yun is the most suitable candidate. In the past, when the Dharmas available were only at the Ariya-phala of a Bodhisattva or an Arhat, she still had the choice to turn them down and reject them. But now that it’s the Immovable Tathāgata, she no longer has that choice.”

Wei Yuan didn’t interrupt. He continued to listen.

“Do you know what inheriting the Dharma of the Immovable Tathāgata entails?”

Zhu Yuanjin had mentioned this before. Although she hadn’t revealed many details, Wei Yuan already knew that Bao Yun would become the reincarnation of the Immovable Tathāgata, thereby severing her ties to the cycle of reincarnation. This wasn’t death; this was equivalent to being completely erased from the world. Over time, everyone’s memories of Bao Yun would fade, and eventually, it would be as if she had never existed in this world.

Wei Yuan finally spoke up, asking, “Is the Bao Clan really willing to surrender a prodigy like her into the hands of the Exquisite Blossom Pure Land, to suffer a fate worse than death?”

“The Exquisite Blossom Pure Land shares a special connection with our Bao Clan, and since it’s the Immovable Tathāgata, many elders in the clan support this matter. Furthermore, the Exquisite Blossom Pure Land had already sent this generation’s Mahamayuri[1] to act as her guide. She is already here.”

Wei Yuan hadn’t expected his opponent to arrive so quickly. If he hadn’t acted on a sudden impulse and rushed to the Bao Clan without hesitation, he might truly have been too late.

Wei Yuan waited quietly for the next development, his posture gradually straightening as a sharp, unstoppable resolve emerged.

Bao Manshan nodded slightly and said, “What you need to do now is let the other elders know that it’s worth waiting a little longer for your sake.”

Bao Manshan gave a light tap with his finger, and a complete but miniature secret realm appeared before Wei Yuan. He said, “This is the Bao Clan’s Western Netherworld Secret Realm. To compete for Little Yun, Qiongshan Immortal Island and Mahamayuri have agreed to face off within it. Whoever captures the Shadowless Flying Ferret placed within the realm will be the first to meet Little Yun.

“This matter originally had nothing to do with you, but since you’re here, you might as well enter the secret realm as well. A word of warning, though: the participants of the secret realm are all Avatars, and they are certainly no garbage Avatars.”

Wei Yuan replied, “Alright, I’ll go.”

Bao Manshan said, “You already have my vote in the Elders’ Council. Take the next two days to rest well and prepare thoroughly. The secret realm opens in two days.”

“Why does the young master of Qiongshan Immortal Island insist on marrying Bao Yun?”

“Qiongshan Immortal Island possesses a dual-cultivation secret technique. If Little Yun marries him, the young master will have a very good chance of ascending the path to immortality, and Little Yun herself will see significant improvement—she might even have a chance at achieving Ultimate Unity. Since this matter concerns a future Immortal Lord, Qiongshan Immortal Island is naturally going all out.”

Just before Wei Yuan left, Bao Manshan suddenly asked, “Why don’t you ask Little Yun herself if she’s willing to marry?”

The question caught Wei Yuan off guard. It was a possibility he had never even considered. But aside from the time they had spent together at Qingming, he actually had little contact with Bao Yun, and he knew nothing at all about her family or her past. On the other hand, Qiongshan Immortal Island and the Bao Clan lived right next to each other. Perhaps the two of them were even childhood friends.

After some thought, Wei Yuan’s brows relaxed, and he said, “You mentioned earlier that Bao Yun did not get to choose despite this being such a momentous matter to her. In that case, I’ll fight to secure her the opportunity to make that decision. Once I’ve secured it, whatever decision she makes will be entirely her own.”

Bao Manshan smiled and said, “It’s not that simple. If you do this, you’ll be blocking Qiongshan Immortal Island and the Exquisite Blossom Pure Land’s path to immortality. I should not need to tell you how big of a grudge you’ll be incurring with this act.”

Wei Yuan remained silent for a moment before saying, “Is trampling over Bao Yun the only way for the two factions to ascend the path to immortality? If so, then I will block it no matter what!”

Bao Manshan did not give him a true response. He simply waved his hand to have Wei yuan escorted downstairs.

The middle-aged man who guided Wei Yuan here led him to a tranquil courtyard nearby and said, “This is your residence. The Ninth Elder has instructed that if you need anything over the next two days, just ask.”

“I want the name list of Mahamayuri and Qiongshan Immortal Island’s group, along with their corresponding information.” Wei Yuan was a believer of knowing himself and his enemies: When in doubt, get all the relevant information first and decide later.

The middle-aged man gave a wry smile as he responded, “You know I can’t do that.”

His refusal made Wei Yuan realize that this information was confidential, so he changed his request. “What about information on the Shadowless Flying Ferret and the map of the secret realm?”

“That’s not a problem.”

Wei Yuan pondered for a moment, then drew up a list and handed it to the middle-aged man. “I’ll also need these items.’

The middle-aged man took the list, glanced over it, and replied, “It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but fortunately, we have everything in stock. Please wait for a moment; we’ll have everything ready and delivered to you in two hours.”

Two hours later, several strongmen arrived at Wei Yuan’s courtyard carrying multiple crates. Wei Yuan had ordered 1,000 catties worth of supplies consisting of more than 100 different items, most of which were various medicinal herbs, along with about 10 types of spirit materials.

Wei Yuan took the ingredients out of the crates one by one and began preparing his concoctions.

Meanwhile, Bao Manshan took the list handed to him by the middle-aged man, glanced at it, and then burned it to ashes with his True Fire. He then asked, “Has anyone else seen this list?”

“No. I procured everything myself and did not go through a middle man.”

“Very good. Forget everything written on it.”

“It’s already forgotten.”

Bao Manshan waved the middle-aged man away and remained facing the sea. No one knew what he was thinking.

Meanwhile, Wei Yuan’s small courtyard was teeming with figures, packed to the brim and bustling with activity.

Over a dozen figures of varying heights were busying themselves, each with a clearly defined role. They ground the raw materials into powder according to the predetermined formulas, put them through several stages of processing, and finally shaped them into cylindrical forms about an inch in radius and as long as a palm. They then stacked the finished products neatly in rows.

These cylinders were just one of the finished products. The sentient warriors had over a dozen formulas at their disposal, each requiring different quantities of materials.

Across the Great Realm, over 1,000 people were divided into more than a dozen groups, each researching the Shadowless Flying Ferret, the secret realm, as well as the information regarding the Qiongshan Immortal Island and the Exquisite Blossom Pure Land. Once ready, they proposed one plan after another. Wei Yuan reviewed them one by one, almost overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the proposal.

Most of these proposals were utterly preposterous and completely useless. However, with so many submitted, there were strokes of geniuses here and there that pleasantly surprised Wei Yuan.

This battle in the secret realm would be an indirect showdown between Qiongshan Immortal Island, the Exquisite Blossom Pure Land, and the ordinary mortals of the Great Realm.

1. Mahamayuri (Sanskrit: ????????? Mahāmāyūrī ("great peacock"), Chinese: 孔雀明王 Kǒngquè Míngwáng, Vietnamese: Kh?ng T??c Minh V??ng, Japanese: 孔雀明王, romanized: Kujaku Myōō, Korean: ???? Gongjak Myeongwang), or Mahāmāyūrī Vidyārāj?ī is a bodhisattva and female Wisdom King in Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. In the latter tradition, Mahamayuri is a popular practice in both the Chinese and Japanese forms of Vajrayana. She is also the name of one of the five protective goddesses in Buddhism. ☜