The Shangqing Sect masters, surrounded by the sea of lightning and unable to escape, immediately began to plead:
"We did not intend to be enemies of the court! It is truly that our Ancestor has been too insistent. If we do not stand with our Ancestor, our entire lineage will be severed!"
"They want to replace us, to usurp our lineage! We do not fear death, but rather..."
Ji Xiang pointed a finger, and a bolt of lightning struck. The Sect Master was struck down to his knees by the lightning technique. Despite his efforts to resist in that instant, he was severely weakened!
"Dao Master Ji! Please spare us."
The Sect Master vomited blood, his face covered in dust and grime, begging for mercy. Ji Xiang's voice remained unperturbed: "I have heard similar words from the eight Sect Masters. Do not speak of not fearing death, nor of fearing your lineage being replaced. Your lineage was also taught by them. All the techniques of Maoshan are derived from the ancient Shangqing Sect, unless you can claim that your own methods have no connection to Shangqing."
"Fifteenth Sect Master, you are from the Tianxin Sect. You tell me?"
Ji Xiang looked at the Fifteenth Sect Master, whose expression changed. He quickly replied, "Although I am from the Tianxin Sect, I have cultivated the Shangqing Heart Sutra within Maoshan. It cannot be said that there is no connection at all..."
Ji Xiang nodded: "That is it then. The Fifteenth Sect Master of the Tianxin Sect has spoken. What else do you have to say?"
For a moment, the Fifteenth Sect Master's face was filled with embarrassment, and the surrounding Sect Masters also showed some resentment.
Ji Xiang waved his hand. This gesture startled the Sect Masters, who immediately formed hand seals to defend themselves. Ji Xiang was momentarily taken aback, and he sneered:
"I do not wish to entangle myself with all of you further. I only wish to ask you a few things now."
"Is the Biyou Palace secretly connected to your Shangqing Sect?"
All the Sect Masters shook their heads. One Sect Master explained, "Although our Ancestors instructed us to stand with them, we truly know nothing about the Biyou Palace. We do not know what you wish to ask."
"Whatever the Mountain Master says is what it is. Our Ancestors have not told us anything else about the Biyou Palace."
The other Sect Masters all nodded in agreement. The place became noisy as they all tried to exonerate themselves and vehemently prove that they indeed had no new information about the Biyou Palace.
"It seems you are not considered confidantes by your Ancestors!"
Ji Xiang mocked them. All the Sect Masters lowered their heads: "We are all forced into this. How can we be considered sincere?"
"Our strength is of no use to our Ancestors, so they naturally would not tell us important news."
Ji Xiang grew impatient: "Since you know nothing, then so be it. Where is the former Daozi of Maoshan? I wish to take him with me."
"This!"
This time, the Sect Masters were somewhat unwilling. They exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable. Ji Xiang narrowed his eyes, and with a thought, the surrounding sea of lightning began to churn and boil!
The Sect Masters quickly explained together, speaking incessantly. Ji Xiang let out a stern shout, and silence immediately fell.
"Old Fifteenth, you tell me!"
Ji Xiang called him out. The Fifteenth Sect Master could only lament his misfortune but dared not disobey. He had no choice but to brace himself and say:
"The Daozi is crucial to our Maoshan lineage. With the Mountain Master gone, and us having offended our Ancestor, it would be difficult to hand the Daozi over to you..."
Ji Xiang chuckled: "I just heard you say you fear your Ancestor more than the court. It seems that was true."
The faces of the Sect Masters immediately changed drastically, and they became panicked. They immediately pushed out the one who had spoken earlier!
"It was Old Eighteenth who said it, not us!"
"Dao Master, please see clearly. We are loyal and dare not betray the court!"
The Eighteenth Sect Master's face was as ugly as if he had eaten a dead fly. Ji Xiang, however, did not care: "I don't care who said it. When he said it, you did not object too strongly."
"Not objecting is tacit agreement."
The Sect Masters collectively froze.
Ji Xiang's expression also changed instantly!
"So you truly fear your Ancestor more than me? How ridiculous! A county magistrate is not as influential as the current official. I am right here in front of you, and with one move, you will all die. Your Ancestor would have to cross the barrier between realms to hunt you down. Can you not distinguish between what is important and what is not?"
"Besides,"
Ji Xiang's tone was stern at first, but then softened:
"The Maoshan Daozi is the key to your Ancestor's descent. With the Mountain Master gone, only this one Daozi remains. If you hand the Daozi over to me, your Ancestor will be looking for me, and it will have nothing to do with you. Are you not afraid of your Ancestor causing trouble for you? Is it not a good thing to be able to shift the trouble to me now?"
"I am helping you, and yet you are ungrateful!"
"I am a very reasonable person, provided I do not lose my temper."
After a barrage of threats and persuasive reasoning, the Sect Masters, already in a difficult predicament, heard Ji Xiang speak. Some began to agree and nod, whispering among themselves that it would be better to comply with Ji Xiang's wishes and hand over the Daozi.
"The Dao Master speaks with reason. Why should we keep the Daozi here? If our Ancestor descends, they will trouble us again, and we might even risk our lives. Why take such a risk?"
"That's right. The alliance of Shangqing does not need a Daozi to maintain it. This is a tense moment. Abandoning one Daozi to ensure the continuation of our lineage is entirely reasonable."
More and more people believed that the present was more important. Moreover, if the Daozi was gone and the Kunlun Cave was destroyed, the Zhu Huo Palace would have no means of descent, and they could make their escape with ease. The Shangqing Sect was vast and powerful. Even if the great tree of Maoshan fell, the banner of the Shangqing Sect would not fall.
The Sect Masters were willing to hand over the Daozi to Ji Xiang. Ji Xiang still had the Fifteenth Sect Master bring the person. Soon, the Daozi was brought forth, but the young boy looked much more haggard than the last time.
"Greetings, Dao Master Ji."
The Maoshan Daozi's mental state was not good. Ji Xiang asked directly:
"Do you know the relationship between the Biyou Palace and your Shangqing Sect?"
The Daozi was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly.
This time, even the Sect Masters were confused. However, this was their own internal matter, and it was not appropriate to ask at this moment. Sometimes, ignorance was bliss.
"Can you show me the way to the location of the Biyou Palace?"
The Maoshan Daozi nodded slightly again, but then shook his head slightly:
"I can show you the way, but the location of the Biyou Palace is extremely hidden. Only those within the Lower Maoshan know where it is. I know of a key location in the Lower Maoshan, and I can accompany you."
He then looked back at the Sect Masters. At this moment, many of the Sect Masters had unpleasant expressions on their faces, but some said insincerely:
"Today, the Daozi follows the Dao Master away. In the future, you will no longer have to worry about the Ancestor's displeasure, and your future will be bright, very bright!"
"Today, we owe a debt of gratitude to the Daozi. On the day of Shangqing's revival, we will welcome the Daozi back. At that time, the Dao Master will surely commend the Daozi, report to the court, bestow titles and ranks, which will bring glory to the lineage."
"We bid farewell to the Daozi."
Ji Xiang took him away, carrying a coffin in one hand and the person in the other. The surrounding sea of lightning gradually dissipated, and Ji Xiang ascended into the clouds and departed, leaving behind only faces filled with relief at having survived.
"It's quite interesting. Neither your going nor your staying is up to your own will. I asked them to hand you over, and they handed you over. How do you feel now?"
Ji Xiang's tone was laced with mockery, as if he were addressing villains who had committed evil deeds.
The Maoshan Daozi, however, replied calmly:
"Having entered the path of cultivation, one's body is like a rootless duckweed. I have been adrift for a long time."
"It is merely going with the flow, moving with the current, reaching a place, stopping, reaching a location, slowing down."
Ji Xiang's gaze shifted slightly, about to say something, when suddenly his Inner Scenery Divine Tablet reacted!
[Dao Nature: Exists in the True Extreme, encompassing all things. Sentient beings are not the Dao, but can cultivate and attain the Dao. The Dao is not sentient beings, but can respond to sentient beings' cultivation.]
[Those with strong Dao Nature are more likely to attain the Dao and become immortal. The application of various techniques lies in "forgetting" rather than "remembering." They can be naturally displayed and have better effects.]
[In normal cultivation, the higher one cultivates, the lower one's Dao Nature becomes, and the longer the closed-door cultivation time. This is because cultivation inevitably produces words, and words inevitably become scriptures and classics. Dao Nature is spontaneous enlightenment, not the comprehension of scriptures and classics.]
[Words in scriptures and classics, as well as nature itself, can be tampered with. Only Dao Nature remains constant.]
[Lingbao Sect's ancient immortal once explained this, and also pointed out that cultivating the mind and spirit can return to a state of pure and natural nature, that is, to restore one's Dao Nature. However, one must sever one's seven emotions and six desires to return to a state of simple innocence. Since the cultivation of the mind and spirit still requires scriptures and classics, Dao Nature will gradually be lost as it is restored.]
[The Lingbao Sect is extremely secretive about the existence of Dao Nature and its primary cultivation methods, rarely speaking of it to outsiders.]
[Those who approach the Dao gain enlightenment: Approaching people with Dao Nature can inspire you, called "Dao Breaking," "Enlightenment," or "Utmost Sincerity." There is a certain chance to restore and increase your lost Dao Nature.]
[Using the Tongtian Mingyan to strip away their form and spirit, or refining this person into a pill, can significantly increase Dao Nature.]
"Dao Nature...!"
The harvest from this encounter was truly an unexpected joy. Ji Xiang had not expected to encounter someone with such a special attribute. This was like drawing a golden legendary card.
No wonder the Shangqing Ancestors valued this young boy.
Perhaps they were unaware of the existence of Dao Nature. Shangqing and Lingbao were not the same sect, but this boy's innate talent for enlightenment was enough to make him a Daozi-like figure.
So young, and yet he had experienced so much.
Ji Xiang mused that he himself was over a hundred years old, although when he boasted, he claimed to be a thousand years old...
As for the last attribute, Ji Xiang simply skipped it.
If he were to kill or eat anyone with talent he encountered, then he would be no different from those people in the Inner Mountains.
Above the clouds, Ji Xiang had the Daozi explain many of the events that had transpired, including the relationship between Biyou Palace and Shangqing. After listening, Ji Xiang sighed deeply:
"It is as I suspected. The immortals in the Inner Mountains are truly looking for trouble. But how do you know these things, boy? Have those old immortals considered you a confidante?"
The Maoshan Daozi explained, "Although I was unconscious before, it was because the immortals intended to descend and borrow my physical form, hiding my soul. The one who intended to descend was the Third Ancestor, and he had spoken with the Mountain Master before. I heard these voices."
"Actually, I should thank the Dao Master. If it weren't for that Miss Hou's determination not to enter Shangqing, I wouldn't have had so much time to recover my consciousness, and the Third Ancestor wouldn't have been so busy with the new Daozi that he temporarily put me aside."
"After the Third Ancestor's virtual form disappeared, I awoke. It was the Dao Master who saved my life."
Ji Xiang scoffed, "Your Ancestors have quite a few tricks up their sleeves. For the Shangqing Ancestral Scripture, they are willing to abandon their lineage in the Outer Mountains and even shatter it to start anew! If I were to obtain your Ancestral Scripture, do you think I would become your true Ancestor?"
The Maoshan Daozi gave a weak smile, "If you obtain the Shangqing Ancestral Scripture and cultivate it, then you naturally would be the Ancestor of Shangqing."
"But when the Ancestral Scripture will appear, and where it will be, these are things only the Ancestors know. We cultivators of the Outer Mountains cannot know, nor will they let us know."
The clouds rolled by. Ji Xiang's cloud-riding technique was too slow. Birds flew in the sky, looking strangely at Ji Xiang, who was treading on clouds. The Maoshan Daozi, seeing this, sighed with emotion:
"I travel the Northern Sea in the morning and Cangwu in the evening, feeding on morning dew and consuming clouds and mist."
His haggard face regained some color. His Dao Nature gradually restored the vitality in his body, and even influenced Ji Xiang.
Ji Xiang felt a flash of inspiration in his mind. The true meaning of the Three Teachings automatically began to operate, presenting methods to improve the cloud-riding technique.
This greatly surprised Ji Xiang!
"This is enlightenment!"
"This is Dao Nature?"
Ji Xiang felt that he had struck gold!
He had only intended to casually grab the Maoshan Daozi to act as a guide, but he never expected the boy's talent to be so heaven-defying!
A mere heartfelt sentiment had given Ji Xiang some inspiration. This talent made Ji Xiang marvel, and he felt that this boy should not return to Shangqing.
Ji Xiang followed the improved method that had just appeared in his mind, using the sea of clouds in the sky to merge his own clouds. Instantly, he soared through the wind, the clouds rolling like great waves, the sky winds blowing as if sailing at sea. In a blink of an eye, the wind and clouds changed, and they arrived at a city.
"Among the seventy-two sects of the Lower Maoshan, six of them are gathered here."
Ji Xiang's Dharma Eye scanned. Although this Dharma Eye was a temporary, low-level deduction, it could still see the basic divine light and demonic energy when they were not concealed or altered.
"What city is this? Why does it feel strange? This is not a city of the mortal world?"
"Divine light floats within, not like a place where evil arts are gathered. Of course, my Dharma Eye is not very useful. Can you explain it to me?"
The Maoshan Daozi spoke, "The six great sects of the Lower Maoshan are here. They did not participate in the Biyou Palace's killing activities, but the Mountain Master once speculated that even though the water surface appeared calm, there must be undercurrents."
"I once heard that this city where the six great sects are located experienced a great plague, and many people died. However, afterwards, not many people mentioned this plague, and some people have never even heard of it."
Ji Xiang examined this strange, large city. The dojos of the six sects were all within the city. Unlike the Dharma, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, the Dharma sect developed from folk traditions and possessed its own unique techniques, living mingled with the populace.
"To conceal the disappearance of the population, a great plague is indeed a very good excuse."