Becoming an Immortal and Ancestor, Starting from the Clan-protecting Divine Beast

31: Chapter 31 Heavenly Imperial CaveHalf a day later.

The great sun sank into the west, and the mysterious moon hung high; the bright moonlight scattered down, making the mountain forest appear even more deep and secluded.

Chen Zhuxiao and the other two had already arrived in the area near the Immortal Cave of Daoist Tian Yu, a massive valley.

Many, many Cultivators had gathered here, with firelight filling the sky, dispelling the surrounding darkness and forming a sharp contrast with the pitch-black mountain forest.

Not only that, but there were even pavilions and jade buildings standing within; Cultivators came and went, and the sounds of hawking and selling were endless, making it appear as a gathering place for Cultivators of no small scale.

Thanks to the legendary Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator, Daoist Tian Yu, and the fact that his Immortal Cave was located within a large valley, such a place, similar to a black market, had formed.

After paying fifteen Low-Grade Spirit Stones, Chen Zhuxiao and the Pei Family siblings walked into this valley. It was getting late, so they decided to rest for the night and go check out the Immortal Cave of Daoist Tian Yu tomorrow morning.

”These Foundation Establishment Families certainly have a good plan. Since the Purple Mansion True Person has decreed that they must not attack the Loose Cultivators entering the Immortal Cave, they have set up checkpoints on the outskirts to collect fees. They really cannot afford to take any losses.” The Pei Family’s younger sister, Pei Shuli, who had been taciturn, spoke up, seemingly mocking them; her voice was like pearls falling onto jade, extremely pleasant to listen to.

Chen Zhuxiao glanced in surprise at this delicate-looking young girl and couldn’t help but say, ”As the saying goes, for every policy from above, there is a countermeasure from below; this is exactly that.”

”Haha, it seems Brother Yunxiao is quite learned; you don’t seem like a typical Mortal who has obtained an Opportunity for the immortal path.” Pei Huaiyuan laughed, his words seemingly implying something more.

Chen Zhuxiao’s heart stirred, and he explained with a smile, ”My father once said that reading more can increase one’s knowledge, so I have enjoyed reading since I was young. Furthermore, these Cultivation Techniques are obscure and difficult to understand; if one does not study and research them, I fear even entering the door would be difficult.”

His words and actions had quite a bit of Chen Fufeng’s demeanor; he did not look like a fourteen or fifteen-year-old youth at all.

”Brother Yunxiao’s words make sense. Let’s go, we have been traveling for more than half a month; it is time to have a good rest for the night. Don’t you agree, Little Li’er?” Pei Huaiyuan laughed, then changed the subject and looked at his sister.

The latter’s amber-colored eyes blinked, as if stars were twinkling, and her tone was indifferent, ”Whatever Brother says.”

Chen Zhuxiao had no objections either. His trip down the mountain this time was a spur-of-the-moment decision; he hadn’t brought many Spirit Stones and was a bit short on funds, so it was fine to hitch a ride.

Just like that, the three of them found a three-story inn. Pei Huaiyuan waved his hand, ordered a table of high-quality food, and opened two heaven-grade rooms, almost carving the words ”I am very rich” on his forehead.

As an inn specifically serving Cultivators, the food prepared was naturally not of the mundane sort. The rice was made from Spirit Rice, and the dishes were made from Spirit Plants and Yao Beasts. It was filled with Spiritual Qi, which could effectively replenish a Cultivator’s consumption and alleviate fatigue.

After eating and drinking their fill, Chen Zhuxiao bid farewell to the Pei siblings and returned to his room.

He first activated the soundproofing and do-not-disturb Formations that came with the room, then used the fifth-grade Spell ”Heavenly Thunder Sound Marsh” recorded in the Heaven-Striking Thunder Domain Scripture to set up a warning Formation. Only then did he sit cross-legged on the bed and review the series of events he had experienced since leaving Luoyun Mountain.

”Pei Huaiyuan, Pei Shuli, I hope I am not overthinking things.”

Chen Zhuxiao’s gaze was deep; he had been clever since he was a child, so it was impossible for him not to be on guard against the Pei siblings.

Especially after cultivating the Heaven-Striking Thunder Domain Scripture, his perception of danger far exceeded that of ordinary people.

This pair of Pei siblings gave him an indescribable sense of strangeness, yet he did not feel any danger or malice from them, which was truly puzzling.

”Forget it. This trip down the mountain is for the sake of an Opportunity; when the time comes, I will just take the Opportunity and run.”

Chen Zhuxiao cleared his mind of distracting thoughts, circulated the Heaven-Striking Thunder Domain Scripture, and began his daily cultivation.

Earlier while eating downstairs, he had learned quite a bit of information from the surrounding Cultivators.

This valley was named Tianyu Valley, and the Immortal Cave of Daoist Tian Yu was located deep in the valley, guarded by a second-grade top-grade Formation that even a Foundation Establishment Peak Great Cultivator would find difficult to break.

A few days ago, that Purple Mansion True Person from the Prefecture City arrived and saw through the reality of Daoist Tian Yu’s Immortal Cave at a glance.

This Tianyu Cave Mansion had a total of two Formations: one was the second-grade top-grade Formation outside the Immortal Cave, and the second was a third-grade Low Grade Formation located inside the Immortal Cave.

If the outside Formation were broken, the third-grade Formation inside would activate its self-destruct mode, which even a Purple Mansion True Person could not stop, and they would even be injured by the shockwave caused by the Formation’s self-destruction.

This news made the Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators present break into a cold sweat. Fortunately, they were wary of Daoist Tian Yu’s might and had not joined forces to forcibly break the Formation.

Otherwise, I fear not a single one would have escaped, and this massive Tianyu Valley would have been destroyed in an instant, with no survivors.

Not only that, but the news that there was a third-grade Formation inside the Tianyu Cave Mansion also astonished the Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators. One must know that a third-grade Formation corresponds to the Purple Mansion level; that Daoist Tian Yu was actually able to set it up within his own Immortal Cave.

This made them inevitably overthink: had Daoist Tian Yu really broken through to the Purple Mansion, achieved Divine Ability, and enjoyed a thousand-year Lifespan?

They did not have the guts to ask the Purple Mansion True Person from the Prefecture City and could only bury this question deep in their hearts.

It is worth mentioning that the emergence of Daoist Tian Yu’s Immortal Cave this time not only attracted the three Foundation Establishment Families of Liming Town and the four Foundation Establishment Families of Liyang Town, but Foundation Establishment forces from several nearby towns also sent people to come.

In addition, there were also Foundation Establishment forces from the Prefecture City that sent people. Adding them all up, there were as many as twenty or thirty Foundation Establishment forces gathered in Tianyu Valley at this moment, and there were no fewer than thirty Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators present.

But even with so many Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators, when facing a Purple Mansion True Person, they were all timid and subservient.

Under the Purple Mansion’s Divine Ability, regardless of whether you are invincible at the Foundation Establishment or at the Peak of Foundation Establishment, you would die in an instant. This is an absolute gap; no matter how many Foundation Establishment Cultivators there are, they cannot defeat a Purple Mansion.

A Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator can transform into a rainbow light to travel, but at the Purple Mansion level, one can walk in the great void and use the power of Divine Ability to traverse the Void Realm, covering thousands of miles in an instant.

One is a Great Cultivator, the other is an Immortal Master who has understood the true meaning of the immortal path; the gap is as great as that between a firefly and the bright moon.

The next morning.

Chen Zhuxiao opened his eyes, looking spirited. He got off the bed, dispersed the Spell ”Heavenly Thunder Sound Marsh”, removed the room’s soundproofing and do-not-disturb Formations, and walked out.

Next door to him were the Pei siblings, who happened to be walking out right then; it was quite a coincidence.

What puzzled Chen Zhuxiao was why this pair of siblings did not open two rooms; although they were siblings, men and women should stay separate.

He did not rashly ask; after all, it was their private business.

”Brother Yunxiao, good morning.” Pei Huaiyuan greeted him first.

”Good morning, Brother Pei, Young Miss... Pei.” Chen Zhuxiao replied with a smile.

Pei Huaiyuan was fine, but Pei Shuli had been taciturn along the way, and he didn’t want to be overly enthusiastic only to be met with coldness, so the two sides had basically not communicated.

Pei Shuli nodded indifferently and rarely spoke, ”It’s getting late; we should go check out the Tianyu Cave Mansion first.”

She seemed to be interested only in Daoist Tian Yu’s Immortal Cave.

Thus, the three left the inn and headed towards the location of the Tianyu Cave Mansion.

On the way, Chen Zhuxiao asked indirectly, ”May I ask, Brother Pei, do you know what kind of Cultivation Technique this Daoist Tian Yu cultivated to be able to earn the title of Foundation Establishment Peak, to the point where even the direct descendants of the Purple Mansion were not his match?”

This was what Chen Fufeng had taught him: when away from home, ask if you don’t understand, and learn and master as much useful information as possible, as it can be used when running away.

”You asked the right person for this; I happen to have records of this Daoist Tian Yu at home.” Pei Huaiyuan became interested and explained to Chen Zhuxiao:

”The Cultivation Technique cultivated by this Daoist Tian Yu does not belong to the Five Elements, nor does it belong to Wind or Thunder, but rather to Yin and Yang; he was a Cultivator of the Solar Path.”

”The Cultivation Technique he cultivated is suspected to be as high as the sixth grade, named Heavenly Imperial Solar Pole Universal Thousand Scripture, taking the meaning of the heavenly sun illuminating the Major Thousand Worlds. After achieving Foundation Establishment, one can cast a sixth-grade Solar immortal foundation [Heavenly Solar Pole]. His own mana is as magnificent as the great sun; when he strikes, it is like the great sun bathing in the East Sea, with purple Qi coming from the east for three thousand miles, full of vitality, burning and destroying everything in all directions.”

”And this is precisely the origin of his title ’Tian Yu’: with a heart equal to the heavens, he controls the solar pole; his mana is scorching, sweeping across all Cultivators, invincible!”

Chen Zhuxiao was shocked internally. Daoist Tian Yu was a Cultivator of the Solar Path? No wonder his strength was so great.

Yin and Yang, the Four Symbols, and the Five Elements are the foundation of the path of cultivation.

The Solar Path belongs to the Four Symbols, which is higher than the Five Elements. It is one of the most powerful paths in the world, and in terms of rarity, it is on par with Thunder Dao Cultivators.

As for the Wind and Thunder paths, they are derived from the Five Elements. In terms of status, they are actually slightly lower than the Four Symbols.

But it cannot be helped that the Thunder Dao has produced supreme mighty figures who pushed the Thunder Dao to an extremely high position, even higher than the Four Symbols, capable of contending with Yin and Yang.

However, times are different now. The Ancient Thunder Palace has collapsed, and there are no great figures on the Thunder dao position, leading to its gradual decline.

As for why Chen Zhuxiao knew that there was no one on the Thunder dao position, he knew it naturally when he was cultivating the Heaven-Striking Thunder Domain Scripture, which was very strange.

He vaguely had a feeling that he could Cultivate this Heaven-Striking Thunder Domain Scripture because he must have received authorization; otherwise, it would have been impossible to Cultivate it successfully.

Although there is no one on the Thunder dao position, the level that the supreme mighty figure reached was unfathomably high; even if he has fallen, his Dao is still influencing the world.

Therefore, this is also why current Thunder Dao Cultivators are still higher than Five Elements Cultivators. Even if they are weak, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse.

”The Solar Path is most characterized by the Golden Crow, an Innate sacred being. In ancient times, there was the strange phenomenon of ten suns in the sky, which was displayed by the ten sons of the Golden Crow competing for the solar status.” A voice like silver bells rang out, carrying a faint touch of coolness; it was Pei Shuli who spoke.

”It is rumored that in the primordial era, there was a supreme Yao Kingdom that ruled the boundless earth, governing the Nine Heavens above and suppressing the Nine Netherworlds below. Its ruler was the ancient Golden Crow that occupied the position of the sun, suppressing the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, with the title of Profound Sun Yao Emperor!”

”At that time, the human path had not yet risen, and the Yao Race were the masters of the vast earth, using the Human Race as food, barbaric and cruel.”

”At the end of the primordial era, the Human Race, after going through thousands of hardships, produced a Human Emperor who cleared up the universe, fought a great battle with that Profound Sun Yao Emperor outside the heavens, destroyed countless great stars, and finally beheaded the Golden Crow outside the heavens, swallowing the Yao Race’s Luck, and from then on, the Human Race rose up.”

”And the ten sons of the Golden Crow took advantage of the Profound Sun Yao Emperor’s fall and the fact that there was no one in the solar position to start a struggle for the position. In the end, they were shot by a supreme human hero, Hou Yi, nine times in a row, leaving only the youngest son, who transformed into the great sun of this world, occupying the subordinate position of the sun, bringing endless light to this world to redeem his sins.”

Chen Zhuxiao listened from the side, stunned; what Profound Sun Yao Emperor, Human Emperor, and what subordinate position of the sun—he had never even heard of them.

”Li’er, don’t say any more!” Pei Huaiyuan suddenly became serious and scolded Pei Shuli.

The latter did not say any more and became taciturn again.

”Brother Yunxiao, don’t take offense, and don’t take it to heart. My sister has liked reading some strange books since she was a child. This was probably something she saw in some miscellaneous book; it cannot be taken as true.” Pei Huaiyuan looked over and changed the subject.

Chen Zhuxiao nodded slightly and smiled, ”Yunxiao understands.”

That is what he said, but whether he took it seriously or not, only he himself knew.

There was no conversation along the way, and the atmosphere between the three became dull.

Fortunately, Daoist Tian Yu’s Immortal Cave was not far ahead.

”Is that Daoist Tian Yu’s Immortal Cave?” Chen Zhuxiao gazed into the distance.

He saw a ten-zhang-high bronze gate standing in front; the door frame was carved with dense patterns, mysterious and profound, exuding an ancient aura.

Above the bronze gate was a plaque with four vigorous and graceful characters written on it: Tianyu Cave Mansion, carrying a cold and gloomy aura.

”Isn’t it said that this Daoist Tian Yu is a Cultivator of the Solar Path? Why do these four characters not have the magnificent brightness of the sun, but instead give me a feeling of darkness and coldness?” Chen Zhuxiao muttered.

”Perhaps time has passed, the brightness of the great sun is gone, and it has turned to Yin. After all, Yin and Yang are opposites and also two sides of the same coin; they can transform into each other.” Pei Huaiyuan took over the conversation and said this.

Chen Zhuxiao did not delve into it with him. The calling in his heart became extremely intense after approaching the Immortal Cave of Daoist Tian Yu, making him almost unable to control himself, with an urge to rush into the Immortal Cave immediately.

”Let’s go. Since we are here, we naturally cannot return empty-handed.” Pei Huaiyuan walked out first, leaving only his back to the two.

Chen Zhuxiao swept his Divine Thought in all directions and did not notice anything unusual, so he followed behind. Pei Shuli silently glanced at the clouds above and walked at the end.

Just like that, the three of them entered the seemingly unguarded Tianyu Cave Mansion.

Meanwhile, in the sky around the Tianyu Cave Mansion, one by one, Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators sat in the clouds, silently watching all of this.

”Three more have gone in. I wonder if they are the people that that great figure is waiting for.”

”Whether it is or isn’t, what does that have to do with us? The big shots eat the meat; we just need to follow behind and drink some soup.”

”Hehe, this soup is not so easy to drink. Who knows if there are other big shots making their moves; let’s hope it doesn’t affect us.”