Chapter 364: Observation

This kid really catches on fast.

Watching Wang Ping step off the Dao platform with a face full of loyalty, immediately asking what tasks needed doing, Kunyun could not help but marvel.

More importantly, seeing Wang Ping now manifesting a profound physique and cloaked in myriad perils, Kunyun knew the man had withstood the impact of a massive influx of Daoist knowledge. This was not as easy as it sounded; otherwise, wouldn't any True Monarch be able to mass-produce peak Tribulation Transcending cultivators on a whim?

In truth, this heavily depended on one's light of wisdom.

For one thing, when receiving an empowerment of Daoist knowledge, the mind could not harbor a single distracting thought. One had to immediately enter a perfectly clear state of epiphany.

Even Kunyun himself could not have achieved this.

After all, an epiphany relied entirely on a fleeting flash of inspiration. It depended heavily on luck, and very few cultivators could casually slip into such a state.

Yet Wang Ping had done it.

Not only had he done it, but he had executed it perfectly. Considering he had zero prior understanding of the Kan Trigram, to make such immense progress proved his comprehension was truly transcendent.

No wonder the True Monarch favored him.

At this thought, Kunyun's expression grew a bit warmer. He smiled and said, "It is actually nothing difficult, and it carries benefits for us as well."

"Please speak, Senior Brother," Wang Ping said, cupping his hands.

"It concerns Xianfu."

Kunyun explained, "After you fled, the political landscape of the Immortal Gate saw quite a few changes. Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang has been strongly advocating for the Immortal-Fan Dao Contention."

"Daoist Master Xuanxiao Yingyuan, meanwhile, poured all his attention into the Eight Trigrams Furnace, into Xianfu, and into the Great Gan imperial court he established. Unfortunately for him, after he lost control, Xianfu seized the initiative. Coupled with the presence of the Immortal Decree, the True Person has had no choice but to restrain himself somewhat."

"However, hidden dangers still remain."

Hearing this, Wang Ping quickly ran through his intelligence on Xianfu and came to a sudden realization. "The Gongshun Grotto-Heaven... Could it be Dashun Taizu is not dead yet?"

"Correct."

Kunyun nodded, unable to resist shooting Wang Ping another glance. He truly was a prodigy of the Kan Trigram; his mind processed schemes and plots with frightening speed.

"Although Great Shun has perished and its legacy vanished following the return of the human Nether Earth, Dashun Taizu abdicated long ago. Over the years, he severed some of his karma. Because of this, he was not dragged into total death alongside his dynasty. Instead, he lingers on his last legs inside the grotto-heaven. You could say he only has a single breath left."

"However."

At the mention of Dashun Taizu, a hint of ferocity flashed through Kunyun's eyes, as if he were recalling the day of his life tribulation when the man had plotted against him.

"A threat with only a single breath left is still a threat."

"It is best to eliminate him."

"Moreover, aside from Dashun Taizu, Xianfu's original body prior to his reincarnation—that True Monarch's Handwritten Manuscript—is still inside the Gongshun Grotto-Heaven. We had best collect it as well."

"Otherwise, if someone with ulterior motives uses it to strike at Xianfu, there is a real risk of Great Shun being restored. Furthermore, Daoist Master Xuanxiao Yingyuan will never tolerate being blackmailed by Xianfu indefinitely. The two sides are merely engaged in a temporary truce; sooner or later, they will tear at each other's throats."

"I understand."

Wang Ping nodded, though he still harbored some doubts. "But since it is so crucial, won't there be True Persons and Qi Refining practitioners keeping watch? Might they have even laid traps?"

"Unlikely."

Kunyun shook his head. "From what I know, True Persons will not lightly tread into the mortal realm for the foreseeable future. This is the perfect time for us to strike."

"At worst, we will encounter Qi Refining practitioners."

"And on that front, I will hold them off for you. It shouldn't be much of a problem."

Wang Ping nodded at his words. "I see. The True Monarch intends to protect Xianfu, desiring a mortal dynasty to inherit the identity and legacy of the Great Rebellion."

"And you, Senior Brother, can take this opportunity to wipe out the Gongshun Grotto-Heaven, behead Dashun Taizu, and avenge the grudge from your previous life tribulation. It indeed carries benefits for you."

"It benefits you as well," Kunyun said with a smile.

Wang Ping paused. "What benefit do I get?"

"Fame, of course."

Kunyun chuckled, then pointed a finger.

"The True Monarch has already decreed that you will personally carry out the task of destroying the Gongshun Grotto-Heaven. Won't this be the perfect opportunity to spread your name as the Xuanyi Daoist Child?"

"Given enough time, it might even forge another legacy!"

Immortal Gate, Gongshun Grotto-Heaven.

This realm bordered the location of the Eight Trigrams Furnace and had once fallen under the jurisdiction of the Immortal Prescription Courtyard. At its peak, the flow of visitors was endless, but now, it was utterly deserted.

Especially in the wake of the Eight Trigrams Furnace upheaval nearly a month ago, the entire grotto-heaven had been plunged into chaos. Many cultivators temporarily residing here fled immediately. As for the native cultivators, their reactions varied wildly—some were at a total loss, some seized the opportunity to grab power, and others joined the exodus.

The heart of all this turmoil lay at the center of the grotto-heaven.

Looking out, a magnificent imperial palace once stood there, but it was now little more than ruins. A blazing mass of lightning surged amid the broken walls.

"Ahhh... Ahhh!"

Dashun Taizu's wails had echoed ceaselessly through the grotto-heaven ever since the fall of Great Shun. His cries triggered tremors across the realm and served as the source of terror for all the remaining cultivators.

Previously, most of his descendants had prayed their ancestor would stop wailing and recover quickly. Yet over the last few days, his voice had grown noticeably weaker and lower, its profound spiritual resonance dimming. This caused even more people to panic, terrified that their ancestor might just die on the spot.

Of course, Dashun Taizu was not quite that broken.

Or rather, during the previous Wood qi lifespan plundering, as a participant, he had been struck by the Heaven's Will Profound Blade—failing to steal a chicken and losing the bait rice.

Even so, he had managed to reap some small gains.

Otherwise, when his imperial legacy shattered, it would have been impossible for him to stabilize his condition through sheer, stubborn will to survive. He had managed to avoid being buried alongside his Great Shun.

However, even with all of that.

Dashun Taizu felt not a shred of joy at surviving the disaster. Instead, he grew increasingly terrified. Great Shun is gone. Is... is the True Monarch's Handwritten Manuscript still of any use?

Will they come to kill me?

At that thought, Dashun Taizu staggered to his feet. He could not stay in this cursed place any longer. He had to run. Perhaps he could head to the Brahma Nation and test his luck.

I know quite a few secrets, after all, he thought. Maybe I can trade them for the rank of an Ascetic Monk?

However, Dashun Taizu froze. A figure pushed open the half-shattered door and strolled into the grand hall.

It was a Daoist clad in green robes.

The Daoist held a bamboo cane, tapping it lightly against the floor as he strolled through the ruins of Dashun Taizu's bedchamber. He swept a tranquil gaze over the scene.

Dashun Taizu's face instantly drained of all color.

"Dao... Daoist Child...!"

With a heavy thud, the cultivator who had long ago ascended as a Corpse Dissolution Immortal—a man who had relied on his status and legacy to treat with Qi Refining practitioners as equals—dropped directly to his knees.

"Daoist Child, I... I..."

"Relax," the green-clad Daoist said with a smile. "I am not here to kill you. Daoist Master Xuanxiao Yingyuan still has uses for you. He is watching over you!"

"...Haa!"

Hearing this, the nearly suffocated Dashun Taizu violently gasped for air, as if he had just been dragged from the bottom of the ocean. He was already drenched in cold sweat.

As a Corpse Dissolution Immortal, he had long since transformed into a bizarre entity, discarding his mortal appearance. Yet, under the crushing pressure and the looming specter of death, it was as if he had reverted to a frail mortal. He slammed his head against the ground. "Thank you, Daoist Child, for sparing my life! Shunhe shall engrave this kindness in his heart for the rest of his days!"

"Enough, get up."

The green-clad Daoist shook his head and said mildly, "I have no desire to bandy words with you. I am here to retrieve the True Monarch's Handwritten Manuscript. Hand it over."

"This..."

Seeing that the man intended to strip him of the very amulet he relied on for survival, the same Dashun Taizu who had just sworn eternal gratitude immediately changed his tune, hesitation clear on his face.

"What, are you reluctant?"

The green-clad Daoist sneered. "After everything, do you still believe this True Monarch's Handwritten Manuscript was written for you by the Immortal Prescription Courtyard? The lord of that courtyard washed his hands of earthly matters long ago!"

Dashun Taizu stared up blankly at his words.

Seeing this, the green-clad Daoist lost all interest and casually explained.

"Of the two lords in the courtyard, my master is still in seclusion healing his wounds. The other cultivates the Wind-Earth Observation Trigram—he observes but never speaks, and he certainly never interferes in mortal affairs."

"Therefore, the manuscript in your hand was not written by him at all. It was written by a True Monarch from the Protector Courtyard. He specializes in Earth qi but shares a bond of half-mastery with our Immortal Prescription Courtyard. Moreover, he is aligned with the Earth-Thunder Return Trigram and advocates the principle of 'yang returning from the depths, destruction preceding establishment.' That is the only reason he penned this manuscript to protect you."

"It was solely because your imperial legacy was of great importance."

"Furthermore, it concerned the revival of the Wood qi path, which perfectly matched the philosophy of the Earth-Thunder Return. With such vast benefits at stake, our Observation Eternal Realm was able to request this manuscript for you."

"And the result?"

The green-clad Daoist's brows knitted tightly together, a naked killing intent spilling from his eyes. "We exhausted our energy and effort to help you get this far, and how exactly did you repay us?"

"A disciple of my Observation Eternal Realm defected to the Protector Courtyard! In the end, you even chose to let the human Nether Earth return to its rightful place rather than working to restore the Wood qi path! Afterward, you turned a blind eye to the plundering of lifespan through Wood qi! After committing so many grave errors, do you really think we would leave this manuscript in your hands?"

Rumble!

Blazing white lightning flashed, its heavy, muffled boom echoing through the grotto-heaven. Dashun Taizu was struck speechless. The imperial legacy of Great Shun had once been his proudest achievement.

In terms of talent, he considered himself second to none.

He had navigated the space between two behemoths within the Immortal Gate, eventually cultivating into a Corpse Dissolution Immortal. Had it not been for his lack of a true spiritual root, he undoubtedly would have become a Qi Refining practitioner.

However, after enjoying the high life for so long, he had completely forgotten the karma of his past. It was only now, when karma finally came knocking on his door, that terror gripped his heart.

"But... but..."

Dashun Taizu tried to struggle. "Daoist Child, you said it yourself! I am crucial to that True Monarch of the Protector Courtyard! That's why he used the manuscript to protect me..."

"That was in the past!"

The green-clad Daoist was thoroughly disgusted by the sheer stupidity of the creature in front of him. He let out a cold laugh. "The true spirit of the manuscript has already escaped to inherit the Great Rebellion."

"How could restoring the Wood qi path possibly compare to inheriting the Great Rebellion?"

"To the lord aligned with the Earth-Thunder Return, this outcome is infinitely more satisfying! So you see, Shunhe... you have outlived your usefulness. Do you understand now?"

"The reason I'm not killing you isn't because I don't want to, nor is it because I can't."

"It is because there is no need for us to dirty our hands. Someone else is coming to claim your life."

Dashun Taizu gritted his teeth. "There... there's still Daoist Master Xuanxiao Yingyuan! You said he was watching over me! How could he just sit back and watch my Dao vanish..."

"He is merely a True Person!"

The green-clad Daoist's voice dripped with mockery, and even carried a sliver of hatred—not aimed at Dashun Taizu, but at Daoist Master Xuanxiao Yingyuan.

"Since you refuse to hand over the manuscript, I shall simply wait a few days to reclaim it."

"Your days are numbered anyway."