Everlasting Immortal Firmament

Book 5: Chapter 46: Heavenly Yin City

Mu Chenfeng put away his flying ship, and his group boarded Gu Hai’s flying ship before they continued to Heavenly Yin City.

Due to the purple alarm signals, Gu Hai’s flying ship had become the focus of the surrounding experts. Now, there was no need to worry about another attack on Gu Hai, as experts were keeping an eye on them along the way.

The flying ship moved at a normal speed, arriving at Heavenly Yin City as everyone watched.

Heavenly Yin City was not far from Heavenly Court City. It was usually a restricted area of the heavenly court’s cities, but the Qian Heavenly Emperor was using it to host the Ten Thousand Sages Convention.

“Brother-in-Law, we’ve arrived! Look!” Long Wanyu called out.

At this moment, vast noble spirit spread in the skies of Heavenly Yin City. The white noble spirit formed what seemed to be white clouds lining the sky. However, a whirlpool churned in the center of the white clouds, and there vaguely seemed to be something in it.

“What is in the center of the whirlpool?” Ensnaring Performance asked out of curiosity.

“According to the old fogey, the Cultural Dao Sage Palace is in the center of the whirlpool, “Long Wanyu explained.

“The Cultural Dao Sage Palace?” Gu Hai raised his eyebrows, appearing slightly shocked.

That indistinct thing is the Cultural Dao Sage Palace? The ultimate goal of the Ten Thousand Sages Convention?

“The Cultural Dao Sage Palace? What is that?” Ensnaring Performance asked in confusion.

“I don’t know. I only heard that it was a restricted land of heaven and that the most precious cultural treasures in the world could be found there,” Long Wanyu explained.

“A restricted land of heaven?” Gu Hai echoed in confusion.

Long Wanyu nodded, but that seemed to be all she knew.

Mu Chenfeng did not even know as much as Long Wanyu did, so he did not say anything.

Zhengfa Ming stood behind Ensnaring Performance, looking around curiously.

The flying ship arrived outside Heavenly Yin City.

The surrounding guards felt slightly startled, and some wanted to go forward to check the flying ship.

“Are you blind? That is Princess Wanyu. Do you dare check her?” someone at the side called out.

“Huh?!”

All the guards who wanted to check the flying ship immediately calmed down.

The flying ship was about to enter the city when Gu Hai suddenly frowned. “Stop!”

The flying ship stopped outside the city.

“Brother-in-Law, what’s wrong?” Long Wanyu asked in confusion.

Gu Hai narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the entire Heavenly Yin City.

Although vast noble spirit spread all over Heavenly Yin City, making it look hazy, Gu Hai noticed some special places.

“A ritual array? It seems like a Go Dao ritual array. This is…” Gu Hai’s eyes suddenly narrowed.

“What Go Dao ritual array?” Long Wanyu asked, puzzled.

“Wanyu, have there been changes to Heavenly Yin City? These sectors and streets, were they…” Gu Hai looked at Long Wanyu.

“None. None that happened as far as I can remember.” Long Wanyu shook her head.

“Hall Master, I seem to recall seeing changes in Heavenly Yin City; perhaps they were before Princess Wanyu was born,” Mu Chenfeng said.

“Oh?”

“It was very long ago. Huh…it should be five hundred years ago. Heavenly Yin City started undergoing changes until about one hundred years ago, when they were completed. No one knows why. Back then, many buildings were demolished and their inhabitants relocated. Many people submitted petitions, blaming the city lord for disturbing the citizens. Many court officials also objected, but His Holy Eminence suppressed all this,” Mu Chenfeng explained.

“This reconstruction of the city was initiated by the Qian Heavenly Emperor? The entire Heavenly Yin City is a Go Dao ritual array? No, it is not just a Go Dao ritual array!” Gu Hai narrowed his eyes further.

“Master, I sense a music Dao ritual array. It feels similar to the Silver Moon Sea,” Ensnaring Performance said.

“A music Dao ritual array?” Gu Hai raised his eyebrows. Ensnaring Performance was a heaven-grade zither. Since he sensed a music Dao ritual array, it must be so.

“Oh! Speaking of which, I do feel that Heavenly Yin City’s aura is somewhat similar to that of the lifespan ritual array Mister Dongfang trapped us with back then!” Long Wanyu frowned slightly.

“A lifespan Dao ritual array?” Gu Hai narrowed his eyes. Long Wanyu was an innate lifespan cultivator. If she sensed a lifespan ritual array, she definitely would not be wrong.

Gu Hai did not know what other ritual arrays were there, but Heavenly Yin City’s layout felt extraordinary to him.

“Let’s go, then!” Gu Hai shook his head.

Then, the flying ship continued flying towards the city.

When Gu Hai’s flying ship entered the city, many factions in the city paid attention to it.

——

In the Azure Emperor’s courtyard:

The Azure Emperor watched as Gu Hai’s flying ship flew in from a distance. A group of subordinates stood behind him.

“Imperial Lord, Gu Hai is here,” Seven Kills said with a sullen expression as he looked at the faraway Gu Hai.

The Azure Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly. “Arrange for people to continue investigating Gu Hai’s past. We want to know why Gu Hai shows such enmity towards us.”

“Ah? It’s not because Gong Tian tried to kill him?” Seven Kills felt slightly startled.

The Azure Emperor shook his head. “It’s not that simple.”

“Yes!” the subordinates answered.

“Imperial Lord, Gu Hai has already offended the three holy lands and us. Now, the Huang Heavenly Dynasty seems to have a grudge against Gu Hai too. Do you think Gu Hai will form an enmity with them?” Dan Wang asked.

“Emperor Kong? Hah! Given Gu Hai’s character, he will!” The Azure Emperor showed a cold smile.

“However, Gu Hai is simply seeking death. There are only three holy lands and three heavenly dynasties in the world. Gu Hai alone offended three holy lands and two heavenly dynasties. Will the Qian Heavenly Emperor support him? He made enemies with practically the entire world. Isn’t he being too stupid?” Seven Kills said in confusion.

However, the Azure Emperor turned his head towards Heavenly Court City. “No. You only see him as stupid; you do not see his capabilities.”

“Huh?”

The Azure Emperor shook his head and did not explain.

——

In the courtyard where the Spirit Mountain Holy Land stayed in Heavenly Yin City:

“Lord Buddha, Gu Hai is here! Zhengfa Ming is here as well,” a group of monks said respectfully to a small hut.

“Restrain the Spirit Mountain Holy Land disciples. They are not to cause trouble and chase after Zhengfa Ming anymore.” The Future Buddha’s voice came from the small hut.

“Yes!”

——

According to Heavenly Yin City’s rules, flying ships could not fly in the city. Gu Hai and his party disembarked to change to immortal crane carriages when they entered the city. Now, a group of Han Nation officials came to receive them.

“Your Majesty!” the officials greeted respectfully.

“Get on the carriage, then tell me what happened to Bing Ji and Mo Yike. What happened earlier?” Gu Hai said.

The officials immediately boarded the immortal crane carriage.

“Your Majesty, when we first arrived, Princess Wanyu arranged a residence for us. Then, we split up to scout the city. During this time, Lady Bing Ji met some people from the Huang Heavenly Dynasty. They seemed to have recognized Lady Bing Ji and conflicted with her. When we arrived, Lady Bing Ji was using Your Majesty’s ‘Bring in the Wine’ in a clash with a monk from the other side. We heard that that monk was called Yuan Chu. This Yuan Chu is quite incredible. He wrote ‘Bodhi’ and shattered Lady Bing Ji’s cultural Dao. Lady Bing Ji suffered a rebound and vomited blood, then became trapped in the conception of ‘Bodhi,’ unable to come back to her senses,” an official explained.

“Oh? Bing Ji possesses the calligraphy Dao’s artistic conception as well?” Gu Hai felt startled, not having realized this before.

“Indeed. Lady Bing Ji used Your Majesty’s ‘Bring in the Wine.’ Unfortunately, that was not the first edition. On the other hand, that ‘Bodhi’ was a first edition. Although countless scholars could make out how exquisite ‘Bring in the Wine’ was, ‘Bodhi’ had the advantage of being a first edition. Furthermore, Lady Bing Ji was not the author of the poem, so Lady Bing Ji…”

“How are Bing Ji’s injuries?” Gu Hai asked.

“She is still stuck in the conception of ‘Bodhi.’ According to Lord Mo, Lady Bing Ji is trapped in a calligraphy Dao’s artistic conception. If we forcibly awakened her, it would injure her mind, so he told us not to. Lord Mo is using his Go Dao to maintain a stalemate with the other party, delaying the Huang Heavenly Dynasty’s people until Your Majesty arrives,” that official explained.

“What is the content of ‘Bodhi’?” Gu Hai asked with a sullen expression.

“‘The heart has a bodhi tree, the spirit is like a revealing mirror; it reveals the illusion that is all things. The enlightened sees past the mundane,’” that official said.

“Oh? A Buddhist quote?” Gu Hai frowned.

“Yes. According to the scholars watching the clash, this passage means that if the bodhi is in one’s heart, one will sense everything according to the spirit. Everything one sees results from the illusions created by one’s heart. Only by understanding the nature of one’s heart can one surpass the manifestation of all things in the world and gain enlightenment. Only then can one become a Buddha,” that official explained.

“Oh?” Gu Hai raised his eyebrows.

“They say that Lady Bing Ji is trapped in this world of illusions. Unless she can comprehend the nature of her heart to surpass the conception of this poem, she will remain trapped in there forever, unable to come out,” that official said with a bitter smile.

“Hah! He is seeking death!” A frosty look flashed in Gu Hai’s eyes.

“After Lady Bing Ji became trapped in the conception of ‘Bodhi,’ they wanted to take Lady Bing Ji away. However, Mister Mo stopped them. Then, they sent out a Go Dao expert. However, that person did not seem to be part of the Huang Heavenly Dynasty. He also seemed to be speaking for us, helping us delay,” that official said.

“Oh?”

“That person is called Wu Yazi. Mister Mo said that he is incredible at Go,” that official added.

“Wu Yazi? Mister Mo’s Go Dao is unable to defeat him?” Gu Hai said gravely.

How strong were Mo Yike’s Go skills? Not to mention Old Mister Guan Qi, whom Gu Hai had never met, Gu Hai had not seen anyone whose Go skills could surpass Mo Yike’s, aside from that Ninth Young Master, whose full extent of skills Gu Hai had not seen yet.

Hence, Gu Hai felt surprised that someone could delay Mo Yike.

“Wu Yazi has been playing with Mister Mo for several days without any victor emerging. However, the surrounding scholars are in no rush, as their match is quite incredible. Many Go Dao cultivators started making records of the match, trying to play it themselves. Even so, they were still in awe.”

“Of course, they were in awe. How could they compare to Mister Mo in Go?” Gu Hai said.

However, Gu Hai started to feel curious about Wu Yazi. Mo Yike could solve the Thirty Line-Pair World Go Puzzle. Yet, there was someone who could prevent a victor from emerging?

The immortal crane carriage flew through the city quickly. With Long Wanyu to pave the way, the surrounding guards did not dare to block it.

Heavenly Yin City had an intense aura of the cultural Dao. This was especially so for the largest plaza in the center. At this moment, people thronged that place. When Gu Hai arrived, the cultural cultivators did not recognize Gu Hai or his party. Immersed in the atmosphere of the cultural Dao, they had paid no attention to the commotion he caused in the heavenly court’s cities.

The cultural cultivators separated into small groups, chatting and exchanging pointers.

The plaza was simply too big. The officials had to lead Gu Hai’s party around for a while before they reached Mo Yike, who was surrounded by nearly ten thousand people.