Chapter 117 Sunset

The setting sun dyed the heavens crimson, casting long, long shadows behind everyone in a faint red glow.

"Teacher..."

In Qingdu City, atop the towering Fengshen Platform, Sa Wuling stood with his hands clasped behind his back, facing the wind and the setting sun, his expression shifting.

Watching the figure receding into the distance, almost beyond his sight, he felt an unspeakable stirring in his heart.

His mental cultivation had reached a very high level, and his perception of the world far surpassed other Yuanshens, almost approaching An Qisheng of that year.

At this moment, looking at his departing teacher, he faintly sensed a premonition.

This parting...

This parting...

"Teacher, are you really sure...?"

Sa Wuling murmured to himself, a sense of emptiness rising in his heart.

He wanted to follow in his teacher's footsteps, but he had to stay here.

Because he had returned this time to guard Qingdu in his teacher's place.

In other words, to attract the prying eyes that were indistinct yet undeniably real.

Only now did he understand why his teacher did not leave Qingdu City.

Not unwilling, but unable...

Only someone with his lineage could achieve a convincing imitation within the special aura of the Fengshen Platform.

But he could not leave the Fengshen Platform.

Otherwise, he would inevitably be discovered, and everything would be in vain.

Therefore, no matter how many thoughts he had, he suppressed them.

He sat cross-legged, facing south, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate.

Qingdu, the most important place, was where An Qisheng had sat for ninety years. It was an excellent place for any Taiji Dao cultivator.

He was no exception.

He was only one step away from breaking through, and this place was the key to his breakthrough.

.......

Liangzhou.

Liangzhou was located on the frontier, with scarce resources. It was inconspicuous among the one hundred and twenty major and six hundred minor provinces of Daqing, and usually went unnoticed for thousands of years.

But in the past ninety years, as the fame of the Taiji Dojo spread, it gradually attracted countless cultivators of the Taiji Induction Chapter.

Especially the former Taiji Mountains, which had become a sacred place in the eyes of many.

Even without any instructions from the Taiji Dojo, many cultivators had spontaneously built continuous palaces in the Taiji Mountains to worship their ancestor.

Later, this attracted the attention of the Qintianjian, who reported it to Ye Xiaoyi.

After consulting An Qisheng, Ye Xiaoyi elevated this place to the ancestral land of the Taiji Dojo.

Thus, the reputation of this mountain and Liangzhou grew even greater.

Due to their respect for the ancestor, even without any instructions from the Taiji Dojo, Liangzhou and An'nuo County had achieved tremendous development in these ninety years, something that could not have been achieved in the past millennia.

This caused this small frontier province, originally regarded as a barren land by many other major provinces, to stand out among the provinces of the world.

It became the most prosperous place among the six hundred minor provinces of Daqing.

Gradually, there was a saying, "Major provinces go to Qingdu, minor provinces come to Liangzhou."

Stepping off the armored carriage, An Qisheng felt a sense of subtle emotion.

Such things should not have existed in this world, because no cultivator would spend decades or even centuries doing things that were of no benefit to their cultivation just for the convenience of mortals.

"I knew that Liangzhou had changed, but seeing it from within the deep palace is not as good as experiencing it firsthand. Master, your disciples and grandchildren are truly devoted."

After ninety years, Huang Gou was amazed to see Liangzhou again.

In the past ninety years, the changes in Daqing were not limited to 'armored carriages,' but in all aspects.

In fact, the first step in the implementation of the New Law was the Xuan Guang Mirrors that were spread throughout many prefectures, counties, townships. Only through these countless Xuan Guang Mirrors could government orders be effectively communicated.

Otherwise, how could the 'armored carriage roads' spanning the entire Daqing have been built in just ninety years?

"Respecting me as a god is not a good thing."

An Qisheng's expression remained unchanged, seemingly without joy.

The Qi Seed replaced the Qi field of heaven and earth, and then spread throughout the world, providing cultivation for the people. To some extent, all Taiji Dao cultivators in the world were his disciples and grandchildren.

He had to admit this.

But precisely because the cultivators of the world were tied to him alone, things that had never happened in the cultivation world before had occurred.

That was, there were already cultivators who worshiped him as a god.

"Why is it not a good thing?"

Huang Gou was stunned.

Wei Shaoyou and Yan Xiake were also surprised.

"Those who treat me as a god will naturally treat others as gods as well."

An Qisheng's eyes were deep as he walked towards the Taiji Mountains without saying anything more.

This matter might seem like a good thing to others, but he didn't think so.

The Qi Seed took the essence of heaven and earth to become the foundation for those who cultivated the Taiji Dao. However, he had not tampered with the 'Qi Seed' in any way, but even so, there were cultivators who revered him as a god, prostrating themselves in worship.

Then what about the spiritual energy of the Dao, Buddha, Demon, Ghost, and Evil paths that spanned the heavens and earth for ten epochs and millions of years?

The meaning behind this was enough to make anyone's heart palpitate.

"Others..."

Yan Xiake and Wei Shaoyou exchanged glances, unable to understand.

But An Qisheng didn't say anything, so they naturally didn't dare to ask, and followed him with many guesses in their hearts.

The Taiji Mountains stood tall and majestic, stretching for unknown miles across the earth.

The palaces within were built extremely tall, and without damaging the mountains and rivers, obviously with the guidance of experts.

An Qisheng arrived at the foot of the mountain at noon.

The Taiji Mountains were bustling with people, coming and going, and the liveliness was no less than that of popular tourist attractions on Xuanxing.

"Wudang Mountain on Xuanxing, the annual ticket sales are enough to support a group of people. If this mountain also charges admission, I'm afraid it wouldn't be worse than Wudang Mountain..."

Looking at the crowds in the mountains, a strange thought arose in An Qisheng's heart.

He had sat in Qingdu for ninety years, rarely going out. Although no major events in the world could escape him, he was both human and not, so he could not know everything in detail.

This was the first time he had seen the scene in front of the Taiji Mountains.

Not only him, but Wei Shaoyou and others were also clicking their tongues in wonder. Since ancient times, all cultivating sects had retreated to the deep mountains and set up various formations to prevent others from entering.

There had never been a scene like the Taiji Mountains in ancient or modern times.

"Master, wouldn't it be a big deal if they knew you were here?"

Huang Gou on An Qisheng's shoulder was eager to try.

He didn't care much about the world's praise for him, nor did he think it was his own merit. In fact, he hadn't done anything in the palace for the past ninety years.

The only thing he did was not to hold back.

Moreover, he felt no dissatisfaction with his abdication, but rather a sense of liberation from a cage.

Being an emperor?

Where was it more comfortable than being a dog?

"Don't mess around."

An Qisheng gently patted the dog's head, his eyes shifting to a thatched hut in front of the mountain.

It was an ordinary thatched hut, but it seemed extraordinary because it was built in front of the Taiji Mountains.

Huff~

As An Qisheng lowered his eyes, the door of the thatched hut slowly opened.

A young Taoist in a blue Taoist robe walked out slowly, followed closely by an old monk with white beard and eyebrows.

They walked towards An Qisheng beside the road.

"This Taoist..."

Wei Shaoyou frowned slightly, feeling a little surprised. Who was this person who knew their itinerary?

Not to mention the chaos of the heavenly secrets in the tenth epoch of Huangtian, where the power of innate numerology could not be fully utilized, even if the heavenly secrets were not chaotic, with their ancestor's cultivation, there were few people in the world who could calculate his whereabouts.

"Jinlou Yunque Sutra? A lost cultivation method from Jinzhong Tower in Liangzhou?"

Yan Xiake recognized the Taoist's origins.

"Little Taoist, you are very patient."

Looking at the approaching young Taoist, An Qisheng's eyes flickered, and he sighed softly:

"It's a pity for your teacher."

The young Taoist was the little Taoist boy, Mingxin, from Jinzhong Tower that year. His master, Daoist Changlin, had risked entering the Yin Si due to his lifespan, but ultimately failed.

In the end, it was because he had served as Xie Qi's residence for a stick of incense that he gained an additional Jiazi of lifespan.

Unfortunately, it was only a Jiazi of lifespan.

More than twenty years ago, he had a feeling and sent an edict, wanting him to become the mountain god of Jinzhong Mountain, but he refused.

As for the old monk, he was the old monk Dexing, whom Daoist Changlin had betrayed his sect and then captured.

The grievances between this pair of master and disciple were long, but there was no need to go into detail.

"Mingxin of Jinzhong Tower, greets Celestial Master."

The young Taoist bowed to the ground from afar:

"Thank you for Celestial Master's concern. My teacher passed away peacefully, without regrets."

"Taoists cultivate in this life, Buddhists seek the afterlife. Your teacher has learned a lot of things. If he cannot succeed in this life, he may not be able to succeed in the next life, if there is a next life."

An Qisheng shook his head slightly and asked:

"You have been waiting for me here for twenty-six years, day after day. You must have something to ask of me?"

"Celestial Master's eyes are discerning."

Mingxin's expression was respectful:

"My teacher once said that Celestial Master would return sooner or later. I have been waiting here, wanting to ask Celestial Master to take me with you."

"It seems that after being possessed by Seventh Master, your teacher has made a lot of progress."

An Qisheng chuckled. He didn't ask how Daoist Changlin would know that he would go to the netherworld, because for thousands of years, all Yuanshens would eventually go to the netherworld.

To some extent, the Lord of the Netherworld was already a monument on the path of cultivation in this world.

Huff~

An Qisheng stepped forward and disappeared into the mountains.

Yan Xiake and Wei Shaoyou both looked at the Taoist Mingxin curiously and followed him.

"Senior brother, although you have made mistakes, you have served me for many years, and we should be clear."

The Taoist Mingxin glanced at the silent old monk and sighed softly.

"This old monk's sins are heavy, how can we be clear?"

The old monk Dexing was neither happy nor sad, but clasped his hands together, bowed deeply, then turned around, found a direction, and walked away step by step.

"The Buddha said that people should love each other and not hate each other. Have or not, share with each other, do not be greedy. Words and expressions should always be harmonious, do not contradict each other, or sometimes argue in your heart, or have anger. Later generations will become more severe, leading to great resentment..."

Amidst the Zen sounds, golden light overflowed.

Then the scriptures dimmed, and his vigorous steps became slower, but he dissipated his own mana.

"Alas."

Daoist Mingxin sighed, then turned into wind and chased after him.

......

Since the netherworld completely lost contact more than a thousand years ago, few people have been able to enter the netherworld.

All the passages that could once lead to the netherworld were closed.

Only strange places like the Yin Si Tavern had a way to the Yin Si.

Ordinary people might not find one in their entire lives.

With An Qisheng's current power, he could naturally find it, but he didn't need to search.

There was such a passage in the Taiji Mountains, in Jiaoyuan Mountain.

It was a passage left by Xie Qi, or Gu Changfeng instructed Xie Qi, for him.

That was, the dry well in Jiaoyuan Mountain.

Dong~~~

Like a giant stone falling into water, distinct ripples spread around them.

In just a moment, everyone opened their eyes again, and what they saw was endless Yin wind blowing, a world of lifelessness and death, without any vitality, a netherworld of color.

And what they felt was a burst of irresistible cold!

How incredible was this?

Not to mention cultivators who had condensed their supernatural powers, even those who had cultivated their life essence could not be harmed by water or fire, would not feel hot even when bathing in magma, and would not feel cold even when stepping into the North and South Poles.

But at this time, Wei Shaoyou and others felt the cold, a strange cold that completely ignored their mana and Qi field.

Whirring~

Like the sea surging, like a storm rising and raging waves.

In front of everyone, there was a deep, silent, and vast sea of death!

"Is this the legendary Sea of the Netherworld? Legend has it that all the dead must cross this sea to wash away their sins..."

Wei Shaoyou exclaimed in his heart.

Later generations also had legends of reincarnation, but no one knew if it existed.

"That's right, the Sea of the Netherworld. Legend has it that this sea contains all the sins of heaven and earth from ancient times to the present. Even a Yuanshen true person would perish if they were stained with a little."

Taoist Mingxin's eyes also lit up.

Huff~

As everyone appeared, a hazy mist suddenly dispersed on the sea of death blown by the strong wind.

A flat boat broke through the Yin mist and slowly drifted towards the shore.

Netherworld,

Sea of Death,

Yin Mist,

A ghost boat, unmanned.