Chapter 476
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Chapter 476: Elder Qingzhuo Has Attained the Golden Core
A marathon is a full distance of 42 kilometers, which requires running continuously for four to five hours, and it is a well-known extreme sport.
So, what if we removed the finish line of the marathon and let the runner keep running forever?
Qiao Mu is such a runner, and he has been running for over ten thousand years.
During the long run, there are also supplies.
In these ten thousand years, he has questioned his true self in Long Life Dream and understood his martial spirit, thus his steps have become more determined.
After taking a break to regroup, he can start running forward again.
But, no matter how many supplies there are, can a runner run infinitely?
When Qiao Mu was over five thousand years old, he went to Kuafu Mountain in the Western Province and obtained the Divine and Demon Cultivation Method from the ancient Kuafu tribe in the fierce memories of Giant Kuafu.
Following this Divine and Demon Cultivation Method, Qiao Mu held a thought in his heart of a sun he could not reach, which was the greatest source of energy he had received from the time he was over five thousand years old to over ten thousand years old.
Since that time, his mindset changed from a long, endless marathon to chasing death like Kuafu Chasing the Sun.
"I don’t quite understand," said Founding Emperor Yan, frowning after listening for a long time, and finally interjected:
"If your friend surnamed Ma is tired, why not just stop running?"
Qiao Mu was silent.
"Taking a step back, ten thousand years of perseverance can vanish in an instant like a dream or a fleeting illusion," Qiao Mu said slowly.
"If our Qiao family’s martial arts hesitate at the sight of the inhuman and shut themselves away seeking immortality… then such immortality is not worth having."
Founding Emperor Yan’s eyes moved slightly.
Qiao Mu continued, "Or are you advising me that knowing this Great Dao Sect is right ahead, I should not dare to venture forth?"
"Since they are not coming out, won’t the world in Jiu Province be peaceful?"
Founding Emperor Yan’s eye twitched slightly.
Everyone knows that the Nine Heavenly Immortal Gates have not been completely destroyed; they are just avoiding the sharpness of the Qiao family members for now.
Whether it is Li Gongde, Zhang Yinguo, Martial Saint, or others, they all say that the Immortal Gate still has a Supreme Elder, but this Supreme Elder is like a dragon that is seen only by its head and never by its tail; he has never appeared.
The Immortal Gate still has means and remaining strength.
They are just quietly hiding; no one knows what they are planning, but one day they will surely return; they cannot just sit still and do nothing.
These six months of peace are just a brief calm before the storm.
Ordinary people can enjoy a peaceful life, but for him and Qiao Mu, the two standing on the mountain peak, it looks as if "the mountain rain is coming and the wind fills the building"…
"I understand," Founding Emperor Yan nodded.
He no longer tried to say much; he simply lifted the wine pot and poured wine for Qiao Mu.
This long race lasts for ten thousand years…
Qiao Mu will not give up halfway, but even with more persistence, it seems there is no end in sight.
The Great Dao Sect, standing strong in Zhong Province, is the last Immortal Gate that has not fled, like the sun in the sky, a target that can be seen.
But if the Great Dao Sect is defeated, will peace come to the world?
Neither Founding Emperor Yan nor Qiao Mu has an answer in their hearts.
So now, all he seeks is an outcome.
Either his journey reaches its end, or his life reaches its end.
Three cups of wine finished.
Qiao Mu put down his glass and turned to leave, his figure soaring into the clouds, disappearing from sight.
He left behind a lasting white trail in the sky, like a floating ribbon.
Founding Emperor Yan didn’t speak anymore; he simply poured himself some wine and quietly gazed at the direction where Qiao Mu had gone, deep in thought.
"Is he seeking his own demise?"
At that moment, someone finally appeared from a distant corner of the imperial garden, it was the young emperor, Emperor Wuping.
"Great Ancestor, have you finished your discussion?" Emperor Wuping respectfully bowed and asked.
Founding Emperor Yan responded with a soft "Hmm," glanced at Emperor Wuping, but a fleeting thought about Zhang Yinguo’s last words crossed his mind, making him sigh softly.
Zhang Yinguo’s claim that the Yan family was in decline was indeed true.
Emperor Wuping was the youngest son of Emperor Yonghe. Although Emperor Yonghe had many children in the palace, none were deemed worthy by Founding Emperor Yan, the founding emperor.
Choosing the little prince was simply because he was still young and had the chance to be nurtured.
Although, according to Founding Emperor Yan’s wishes, the era was named "Wuping."
However, this young Emperor Wuping did not have the lofty ambitions of "uniting the world" as Founding Emperor Yan had hoped.
This child is being watched, and his current behavior is not bad; compared to previous emperors of the Great Yan Imperial Court, he is not considered poor.
Yet, in today’s ever-changing world, unless one is an exceptionally wise ruler, it is extremely difficult to even maintain the status quo, let alone make progress…
"It’s still hard for this child; it’s not his fault," Founding Emperor Yan thought to himself.
The current situation is so difficult that it feels like even if Emperor Wuping, this child, or even Founding Emperor Yan himself were directly involved, they would still feel like an individual tree trying to hold up a collapsing building.
…………………….
Zhong Province Great Dao Sect.
Dong, dong, dong.
The beautiful sound of the bell echoed in the clouds, and the仙鹤 soared with the wind, shining with colorful lights among the clouds.
Those were the cultivators of the Great Dao Sect, using various magical treasures, moving like a rainbow through the clouds, with spiritual light spreading like a dazzling rainbow.
At this time, inside the cave, Elder Qingzhuo also slowly awoke, finishing a month of meditation.
"The bell has rung; the month has ended. Is it time for the elders to meet again? This is already the sixth time."
Elder Qingzhuo did not hurry to leave the cave, but instead closed his eyes to look within himself.
In his sea of consciousness, the Nascent Soul was dim and lifeless, nowhere near what it used to be.
His magical power had also weakened greatly, dropping to only thirty percent of its original strength, now at the level of late Golden Core.
"Is closing myself off for meditation useless?" Elder Qingzhuo苦笑.
At first, he almost died at the hands of Qiao Mu. His foundation was hurt, and he nearly fell from the Nascent Soul Stage. He spent a lot of effort healing his injuries to regain his stability.
Who would have thought that after such a difficult journey, he would still end up falling from his realm?
His mind stirred, and a Message Jade Talisman in his sleeve kept flashing. The other elders were urging him.
"I have already missed two meetings because of my fallen realm. It seems that this time, I must go to the discussion."
Elder Qingzhuo felt somewhat anxious at this moment.
If the other elders discover his condition, he truly does not know if he can keep his position as elder…
"Forget it; at this point, what does it matter about the position of elder? I no longer even have my place among the gods."
Half a year passed.
The temples in the human realm were completely destroyed by the Qiao family members. Later, Founding Emperor Yan sent the Flying Fish Guard to carry out a sweeping cleanup in both the court and the streets.
Nowadays, in Zhong Province, there might not be any temples left… Even if there are a few devoted worshippers who secretly offer their prayers, they cannot sustain the Incense Symbol of Divine Fire’s creation.
The cave opened, and Elder Qingzhuo stepped out.
He transformed into a rainbow of light, flying towards the main peak of the sect. His gaze briefly passed over the few disciples practicing on the small green terrace of the peak, and he sighed inwardly.
It was morning, and there should have been an elder teaching on the small green terrace, a lively scene where hundreds of cultivators discussed their paths. Now, it was gradually becoming quieter.
"The disciples who accompanied Sect Leader on the expedition to Nan Province’s Peach Blossom Villa have likely not returned and may have perished out there."
"The disciples remaining in the sect must also be trying their best to meditate and maintain their cultivation… The sect is indeed becoming more and more deserted."
Elder Qingzhuo shook his head, landed gracefully, and walked into the elder’s meeting hall on the main peak.
By the time he arrived, the elders’ monthly meeting had already begun.
The Great Dao Sect and Qingxuan Road have the most resources for incense, and within the sect, there are as many as twenty or thirty Nascent Soul Elders. At that moment, these elders were engaged in a heated discussion in the meeting hall, almost ready to fight.
"Hiding inside the gate and going into seclusion, what kind of silly idea is this? Isn’t this just waiting for doom?"
"If this goes on, our cultivation will surely decline! If our levels drop, our lifespan will naturally be greatly harmed, we cannot just sit and wait for death!"
"It’s so frustrating, too frustrating! The great Great Dao Sect Immortal Gate is actually blocked by a mortal at its doorstep, not going out for half a year!"
A cultivator was passionate and clearly very angry.
Elder Qingzhuo looked closely at the passionate Elder Qingshui and then sensed with his mind, immediately showing a hint of surprise.
"Hmm, Elder Qingshui’s aura is unstable; does it seem like he has also, like me, already ‘sunk to the infant stage of alchemy’? No wonder he is so angry!"
Elder Qingzhuo’s heart stirred as he carefully recognized the familiar other elders, feeling a similar aura from the rest of them.
"So everyone has reached the Golden Core Stage, huh? Then there’s nothing to worry about."
Elder Qingzhuo felt very anxious before coming to the meeting.
He originally had only reached the primordial stage of the Nascent Soul, staying at the bottom, fearing that he would become the "Elder of the Golden Core Stage" in the sect and become a laughingstock, or even that his position as an elder would be unstable.
But now, he felt a bit different.
Seeing many elders with his same level of cultivation fall, which was clearly a bad thing, brought him a strange sense of comfort.
It was like having done no summer homework and then discovering many classmates hadn’t done theirs either when school started—his anxious heart relaxed all at once.
"After hiding in the sect for six months, whose cultivation doesn’t fall? In a few years, there probably won’t be any Nascent Soul cultivators left in the sect." Elder Qingshui was furious when he saw Elder Qingzhuo appear.
He could still remember that it was this Qingzhuo who suggested the terrible idea of enduring the Qiao family members for thousands of years…
The Grand Elder, who held the top position, didn’t even raise an eyebrow and calmly said:
"You seem so indignant; why don’t you lead the charge and deal with the Qiao family disaster outside?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the previously noisy discussion hall fell quiet, and even Elder Qingshui, who had just been full of righteous anger, became much calmer.
"Big Brother, that’s not what I meant." Elder Qing Shui calmed his anger and said.
"Just waiting and doing nothing is not the right way. We should look for another solution… for example, going to the small world to meet the ancestor, asking the ancestor to help my Great Dao Sect clear the universe and remove all troubles!"
His anger from earlier had completely vanished.
As he spoke, the eyes of many elders, including Qingzhuo, turned to the Grand Elder, clearly agreeing with his opinion.
Now, the pressure suddenly shifted to the Grand Elder, making him feel a bit uneasy.
"I understand," the Grand Elder thought to himself, clenching his teeth.
"Then I will try to meet with him again… but whether this succeeds or not is not up to me."
The ancestor in the small world is a real living person, and he is an ancestor from many generations ago.
What kind of person is the ancestor? How could a disciple from the Nascent Soul Stage, who is many generations removed, expect to meet him?
………………………………
In a small world.
The waterfall hangs in the air, crashing into the pool below with a booming sound.
By the cold pond, two middle-aged Daoists sit quietly under a pine tree, each holding black and white chess pieces, engaged in a game.
The Grand Elder of the Great Dao Sect stands a distance away like an ordinary young Daoist, not daring to say much.
"Does Master Lingxu really think that old Soul Predicting Path Tianshu has a point? Is it worth waiting for the chance to become immortal?"
The Daoist on the left showed impatience; as he frowned, an invisible pressure arose, and dark clouds quietly gathered in the sky, descending towards the ground.
"Master Lingyuan, don’t treat the other friends from Immortal Gate as fools. Since they made such a choice, it certainly didn’t come out of nowhere."
Master Lingxu had a steadier presence, with frosted hair.
"Those predicting souls are not trustworthy people," Ancestor Lingyuan frowned and said.
"Years ago, during a great change in the world, that Taoist Tianshu claimed that the spiritual energy of this world would continue to decline, and the natural abilities of people would weaken over time."
"In the end, the spiritual energy might completely run dry, and that would be the time of great disaster."
"Back then, the Qingxuan Road and Long Life Gate believed his words. Qingxuan Road created the Incense Symbol of Divine Fire, which was indeed useful for helping future cultivators maintain their strength in the world, while Long Life Gate focused solely on martial arts and is still stuck there to this day."
"So what now?"
"Now that Tianshu says the chance to become an immortal is near? If the spiritual energy is declining, how can one ascend to immortality?" Ancestor Lingyuan scoffed.
"Once again, there is talk of the decline of spiritual energy and the great disaster, and also of the chance to become an immortal?"
"Tianshu’s words contradict each other; his claims are not to be trusted. Be careful not to become stuck like Long Life Gate."
Ancestor Lingxu also shook his head.
"Cultivation is a long journey, reaching the Tao Achieving Stage or Mahayana Stage is not easy at all. One would not easily waver just by hearing a single word from Tianshu; everyone has their own thoughts."
"The methods of divination are not exclusive to Tianshu; we all have our own understanding and do not blindly believe."
"So, are you planning to continue sitting quietly in this Cave Heaven Small World, watching the Great Dao Sect fall?" Ancestor Lingyuan asked again.
Old Ancestor Lingxu did not answer, merely bowing his head to play chess.
Although these two are both Supreme Elders, they are still different, with their own thoughts and feelings.
"That’s true; Brother, your cultivation has reached the Mahayana Stage. If there is a chance to become a celestial being, perhaps you can seize it."
Ancestor Lingyuan’s expression grew cold as he glanced at the nearby Grand Elder of the Great Dao Sect.
Though they sit quietly in the Cave Heaven Small World, they are not ignorant of the events happening outside…
Unlike Lingxu, he was the leader of the Great Dao Sect a thousand years ago; now he can be called the Grand Sect Leader.
The Mountain Protection Formation, Nine Palace Mother and Child Formation, was created by him.
"Ancestor…" the Grand Elder finally found a chance to speak.
"That member of the Qiao family has come knocking again."
"Oh? This time… how many people are there?" Ancestor Lingyuan asked.
