Chapter 259

“The Purple Mansion lies beyond the Three Realms, unbound by the Five Elements. It is hidden within the profound depths of the mysterious nether, concealed in the boundless realm of spiritual emptiness. It transcends the turmoil of the mortal world and escapes the shackles of yin and yang. It is like a radiant pearl suspended within the Great Void, shining brilliantly across the limitless wilderness, or a secret celestial palace faintly glimpsed atop the highest heavens…”

Within the nameless cave abode, Fang Qing slowly opened his eyes.

Brilliance shimmered within his gaze as countless Daoist scriptures and teachings surfaced in his mind.

By now, he had long since switched cultivation methods. His cultivation in the Listening to the Mysterious Cavern Spring Scripture had reached the very peak of the Dao Foundation realm.

“To break through to the Purple Mansion, there are only two great hurdles. The first is refining the Dao Foundation into a divine ability. The second is surviving the boundless tribulation of heart demons.”

As for how to refine a divine ability, Fang Qing had read countless Daoist treatises.

Among them were passages such as:

‘When body and spirit become one, longevity is attained.’

‘Open the Purple Mansion, as though chaos has just been born, where ignorance itself contains light…’

‘Remain tranquil and empty, and true qi will naturally follow…’

Yet now, at this very moment, he discarded every one of them.

Only the Purple Mansion chapter of the Listening to the Mysterious Cavern Spring Scripture remained within his heart.

“When darkness and dawn meet, beneath the brilliant river of stars…”

Outside, it was precisely the moment between night and day.

The stars had not yet completely faded, while the sun had only begun to rise. Essence of sun and radiance of moon intertwined as one.

“Capture Kan to replenish Li. Gather the spirit of [Ji Water], the brilliance of the constellation, and the primordial essence of water and fire... Unite them within the Purple Mansion!”

Fang Qing focused upon the Dao Foundation known as 'Wind-Positioned' within his dantian Qi sea and began circulating the secret art.

“Mmph!”

He let out a muffled groan.

In an instant, it felt as though every meridian in his body had reversed course while his internal organs shattered apart.

The 'Wind-Positioned' Dao Foundation transformed into a ravenous beast, greedily devouring every last trace of his essence, blood vitality, and everything else he possessed.

Whoosh...

A wind arose within the cave abode.

The wind flowed directly into Fang Qing's body. Even with a third-rank body-refining physique, he could scarcely endure it. His flesh withered before the naked eye as streams of life essence were drawn into the 'Wind-Positioned' Dao Foundation.

“The yin wind circulates, rising from Yongquan[1], piercing straight through the Niwan Palace. The five organs turn to ash, the four limbs decay, flesh and bone waste away, and the body dissolves of itself…”

Recalling those lines from the scripture, Fang Qing suddenly understood.

“So that is what it meant.”

“The Listening to the Mysterious Cavern Spring Scripture was never describing a wind tribulation during the Purple Mansion breakthrough. Rather, the 'Wind-Positioned' Dao Foundation must absorb the entirety of one's life essence in order to evolve into a divine ability!”

“For Purple Mansion cultivators, the physical body is merely a shell, something that can be replaced at any time. Thus, 'the five organs turn to ash, the four limbs decay, flesh and bone waste away, and the body dissolves of itself.' What ultimately remains... is only a single divine ability.”

Had his physique and blood vitality not been extraordinarily powerful, Fang Qing suspected he might have been drained into nothing but drifting ashes.

Even so, he was reaching his limit.

His trembling hand slowly reached toward a jade bottle containing Jade Spirit Rhinoceros Rinse. Pulling out the stopper, he poured it directly over the crown of his head.

Drip.

Drip.

Drops of Jade Spirit Rhinoceros Rinse fell upon him.

Instead of flowing across his skin, they pierced directly through his bones, traveled down the great dragon of his spine into his dantian Qi sea, and merged precisely with the Wind-Positioned Dao Foundation.

The Dao Foundation burst forth with dazzling radiance.

In the next instant, it resembled a shooting star, soaring ever upward.

Higher.

Higher still.

“As the Dao Foundation gives birth, divine abilities naturally arise. Through one's nature, seek destiny. Through wisdom, traverse the profound abyss. Yujiang[2] shakes its mane, the winds command the mysterious tides, ten thousand rivers converge into the Nether, all paying homage to the Mysterious Origin. The mysterious pearl reflects inward, cleansing the spiritual abyss. Nine impurities and ten obscurities sink away with the tides. The hidden pool never runs dry, true spiritual liquid flows without end, spiritual awareness becomes as clear as the deepest abyss, while the spring surges forth in endless abundance…”

Fang Qing's five senses gradually fell silent.

His six perceptions dimmed.

Only a single point of true spirit remained clear and lucid as he silently circulated the secret technique recorded within the Listening to the Mysterious Cavern Spring Scripture, internally refining his divine ability.

...

Outside the cave abode.

A gentle stream flowed quietly past.

Yu Xiang'er sat cross-legged nearby, her expression calm.

The earth suddenly split apart.

One artesian spring after another burst forth from the ground without warning.

Her expression remained unchanged.

Remembering the Young Master's instructions, she silently calculated the passing years.

“The Young Master has only been in seclusion for three years, yet phenomena have already begun to appear... According to what he told me, this is an excellent sign. It means everything is proceeding smoothly.”

Joy filled Yu Xianger's heart as she resumed her meditation.

For the Young Master, nothing in the world was more important than this breakthrough.

Even if the outside world were overturned, there would be no need to concern himself with it.

...

The years passed unnoticed.

Within the cave abode.

The original spring continuously overflowed, releasing rich spiritual qi.

It seemed to be nurturing some unknown transformation, on the verge of advancing to an entirely new state.

Beside the spring sat a skeletal figure that resembled nothing more than a dried corpse.

Eight winds circled around him while the radiance of [Ji Water] continuously gathered.

Boom!

At some unknown moment, the dried corpse suddenly trembled.

Its eyes slowly opened.

“I... have refined my divine ability.”

Fang Qing examined himself inwardly.

The Wind-Positioned Dao Foundation was no longer within his dantian Qi sea.

Instead, it had ascended into the Purple Mansion, illuminating countless rays of light while naturally giving birth to endless mysteries.

It resembled a flood dragon poised to break free from all restraints.

“Now that the divine ability has been forged, my true spirit must take command... and the boundless heart demon tribulation will descend.”

“The heart demon tribulation... is here.”

Staggering to his feet, Fang Qing grabbed the nearby Three Mysteries One Heart Pill and quickly swallowed it.

One hand held the Abstruse Dark Mirror.

The other tightly gripped the Soul-Nourishing Prayer Beads.

He crawled onto the Clearheart Meditation Cushion.

His true spirit descended into the Purple Mansion, instantly merging as one with his divine ability.

In that instant, Fang Qing sensed the boundless Great Void.

It was as though he beheld a spring formed entirely from the endless radiance of [Ji Water].

His fate rapidly rose, as though elevated by an incomparably exalted authority.

At the very same moment, the light of Fang Qing's true spirit dimmed.

He had already fallen into the endless tribulation of heart demons.

Ancient Shu.

“Boy, run!”

Blood and flames spread in every direction.

Old Uncle had fallen to the ground. Looking toward Fang Qing, he shouted at the top of his lungs.

“This… the plague has swept through the family, and the refugees have turned on one another?”

Fang Qing watched as several burly men approached him with savage grins, steel sabers and spears in hand. He could not help but wail inwardly.

‘Damn it... I can't beat them.’

Yet despite the desperate situation, his mind remained strangely clear.

He instinctively looked down at his palm.

Only then did he discover that, at some unknown point, a mirror-shaped mark had appeared there.

“This... is a tribulation?”

Fang Qing's expression immediately turned solemn.

As the blades and spears closed in upon him, he merely smiled faintly, sat down cross-legged, and made no attempt to resist.

The instant the weapons struck his body, his consciousness blurred.

He had entered yet another illusion.

...

Upon a rocky reef in the sea.

A colossal python hissed as it exhaled waves of demonic qi.

“Help! I won't ever come to another Sea Dragon King Festival!”

Dozens of men fled desperately across the reef.

Fang Qing was among them, cold sweat covering his forehead.

‘I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead... Was I out of my mind? Even if an immortal recommended me, I still had to participate in the Sea Dragon King Festival just to earn the chance to take the spiritual root test?’

He instinctively glanced at his palm.

It was completely blank.

There was nothing there.

Smack!

The demonic serpent swept its tail.

Right before Fang Qing's eyes, a burly man exploded into a shower of flesh and blood. His upper body was obliterated instantly.

Warm, bloody gore splashed across Fang Qing's face, carrying the stench of fresh blood. It felt horrifyingly real.

‘Run!’

‘I can't outrun the demon snake... but if I can outrun the other sacrifices, I'll still have a chance to survive!’

‘Every year's Sea Dragon King Festival leaves a few survivors. There has to be a path to survival!’

Fang Qing immediately turned and fled.

His mind remained exceptionally clear. Relying on a bit of luck, and after indirectly causing several ill-intentioned sacrifices to perish in his stead, he finally managed to survive until dawn.

“I... I survived!”

Fang Qing burst into laughter.

Suddenly, he looked toward his wrist, a trace of realization appearing in his eyes.

“Shouldn't... there be a string of prayer beads here?”

In an instant, heaven and earth plunged into darkness.

He entered yet another illusion.

...

Ancient Shu.

“Haha... What incredible Buddhist fortune! You, a mere outsider, actually possess such a divine treasure?”

Sangji stood amidst the manifestation of the White Bone Contemplation, with Miaofeng and the other five Bright Ones guarding him. His face was filled with bloodlust and greed as he stared at Fang Qing.

“Hand over that treasure. This Guru may allow you to become one of my Bright Sons!”

“With that treasure, this Guru can attain the Buddha Fruit! Hahaha!”

His laughter resembled the screech of a night owl, unbearably shrill.

It pierced directly into Fang Qing's body.

His mana fell completely silent as layers of black earth rolled toward him, wrapping around him bit by bit, threatening to bury him alive.

‘It's over, the secret of the Dao-Genesis Pearl has been exposed...’

Fang Qing panicked.

Facing Sangji, he felt no different from an ordinary mortal.

‘Damn it all... Since when can an Esoteric Master bring along five Bright Ones? That's completely unfair...’

‘Wait...’

‘Have I... forgotten something important?’

...

Immersed within the heart demon tribulation, Fang Qing had no idea how much time passed outside.

He remembered only vaguely that endless heart demons assailed him.

Sometimes he encountered certain death.

Sometimes the secret of his identity as a transmigrator was exposed.

Sometimes he merely walked down the road and encountered a [Year Arbiter].

There were also countless worldly temptations.

He became an emperor of the mortal world, ruling over an empire with three thousand beauties filling his imperial harem, expanding his territory for tens of thousands of miles, establishing achievements destined to endure for ages.

He even experienced successfully overcoming the heart demon tribulation, advancing to the Purple Mansion realm, attaining the Golden Position, and living a carefree immortal life.

Yet thanks to all the preparations he had made, especially the Soul Nourishing Prayer Beads and the Clearheart Meditation Cushion, he always managed to preserve the slightest trace of clarity at the most critical moment.

That tiny thread of awareness allowed him to realize something was wrong and ultimately break through every illusion.

Until...

Boom!

Fang Qing's true spirit suddenly trembled.

The radiance of his divine abilities extinguished.

His entire body became like a lifeless corpse.

This was the final trial within the boundless heart demon tribulation, and also its most dangerous stage.

The Tribulation of Extinction.

So-called extinction meant that the five aggregates became completely empty.

In that instant, Fang Qing's true spirit entered a state of complete emptiness.

No thoughts.

No intentions.

No dharma.

No mind.

Falling into this tribulation was much like an ordinary person falling asleep.

If one awakened, the tribulation was overcome.

If one failed to awaken, one would sink into eternal silence, body and Dao both perishing forever.

Back then, Sangji had been trapped precisely at this stage.

Fortunately, someone had attained the Golden Position of [Stomach Earth], greatly benefiting all cultivators of earth virtue. Through that faint ripple spreading across the world, Sangji had finally been awakened.

But Fang Qing had chosen to seclude himself and break through to the Purple Mansion realm on the Qi Refining path.

There would be no outside assistance whatsoever.

He could rely only upon himself.

...

Years passed one after another.

Outside, grasses flourished and orioles sang.

The once desolate island now possessed several spiritual springs, attracting countless birds to drink from them.

After living there year after year, those birds gradually began showing signs of awakening spiritual intelligence, seemingly on the verge of transforming into demon beasts.

Outside the cave abode.

Yu Xiang'er gazed toward its tightly sealed entrance.

For the first time, a trace of worry appeared in her beautiful eyes.

“Young Master... you must return safely.”

...

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

The Minor Huan Sea.

At the far end of the Ten Thousand Li Sea Route.

Countless dark clouds gathered together, forming a terrifying thunderstorm.

A streak of azure light burst out of the storm rather awkwardly, revealing a middle-aged scholar.

He was a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator.

“Hmph. The Xue Family... I'll remember this.”

He snorted coldly before letting out a sigh.

“I've offended far too many people. It's best not to return for now. This place is remote enough to serve as an excellent hiding place.”

His gaze swept across the distant horizon.

“I'll find a marketplace first and see what cultivation forces exist in this region...”

[1]:- Yongquan (KI1) is the first point of the Foot Shaoyin Kidney meridian. Known as "Gushing Spring" or "Bubbling Spring", it is the only acupuncture point located on the sole of the foot.

[2]:- Yujiang (禺疆): A traditional Chinese deity of the sea and wind.