Chapter 63: Immortal Prefecture Cave Abode, Heavenly One True Water
Chapter 63: Immortal Prefecture Cave Abode, Heavenly One True Water
The examination at the Yuanhe Dao Academy ended, and many disciples of the academy were still talking about it.
Previously, everyone had guessed that among the many Provisional Inner Sect Disciples, the few Postnatal True Seeds would be the first to enter the inner sect. It might be Li Rui, or perhaps Zhongli Hao, the son of the current sect master of the Chongming Sword Sect.
No one had expected that Lin Yuan would take the crown as the first of this batch to enter the inner sect of the Yuanling Grotto-Heaven. For a time, the entire Yuanhe Immortal Prefecture was abuzz with discussion.
Dragon Pool Palace.
After returning to Dragon Pool Palace, Li Rui flew into a rage. He immediately ordered his disciples to detain the Zheng siblings. However, he soon received news that the Zheng siblings had already disappeared without a trace.
Enraged, Li Rui dispatched Outer Sect Disciples to search everywhere.
“Big brother, where are we going?”
Above the great marsh, a strange white whale creature swayed its long tail on the water’s surface, moving extremely fast. The Yuanhe Immortal Prefecture gradually grew smaller behind them.
On the white whale’s back, the brother and sister duo looked flustered. They kept glancing back and around, as if pursuers could arrive at any moment.
Zheng Tianwei’s face was grim. He had anticipated Li Rui’s hesitation and his cunning mind. But the one thing he hadn’t calculated was that Lin Yuan would enter the inner sect so quickly.
With Lin Yuan entering the inner sect, Li Rui would definitely not lightly provoke Lin Yuan into open conflict for a while. As long as Li Rui lowered his stance slightly, their scheme would be as thin as a layer of window paper, easily punctured. With Li Rui’s anger and humiliation, how could he possibly let the two of them off easily?
“We are entering the Yuanling Grotto-Heaven. Countless cultivation families are entrenched within, their roots deeply intertwined. We are sure to make our mark there!”
Zheng Tianwei’s expression kept shifting, uncertain.
Even as he said this, Zheng Qi couldn’t help but look a bit pale. How much scorn would they face entering the Yuanling Grotto-Heaven so recklessly? If things went badly, they might even be captured and punished by the Grotto-Heaven’s overseers. How could that compare to the steady progress they could make in the Yuanhe Immortal Prefecture?
“If only we had gone to join Lin Yuan directly. Why must we suffer like this!”
Zheng Qi complained in her heart.
As the young lady of the Zheng clan, she had never suffered like this before.
“What is Lin Yuan? He’s just an Inner Sect Disciple, with no connections or influence within the sect. At best, he might become a Primordial Spirit Great True Lord in the future, just an ordinary True Inheritance Disciple!”
Zheng Tianwei’s expression darkened, his face turning rather ugly. But seeing Zheng Qi’s sorry state, he softened a little and said gently, “Trust your elder brother. The sect has forests of True Inheritors, countless from great families. With our talents, if we sincerely pledge our service, why worry that those famous True Inheritors won’t value us?”
“Even someone like Lin Yuan, a mere Inner Sect Disciple, will one day have to bow his head to us!”
Zheng Tianwei was not convinced in his heart.
Both he and his sister had extraordinary talents. Although not as good as an Immortal’s foundation and Dao body, they were still remarkable.
In the future, how could their lot be any worse?
Zheng Qi nodded reluctantly.
They had no other choice now!
The white whale quietly headed towards the depths of the Yuanling Grotto-Heaven.
…
Lin Yuan stayed at the Yuanhe Dao Academy for half a day. Even though it was only half a day, nominally he still had a half-teacher relationship with a few overseers. With the overseers playing host, Lin Yuan couldn’t refuse directly.
Half a day later, True Lord Fan had already left. Lin Yuan needed to take a strange beast from the Yuanhe Immortal Prefecture to travel to the Yuanling Grotto-Heaven himself.
Early the next morning, the Yuanhe Dao Academy had prepared a huge strange white whale for Lin Yuan. Under the watchful eyes of several academy overseers, he quietly left the Yuanhe Immortal Prefecture.
Misty water vapor surrounded him. The strange white whale under his feet was enormous. Riding on the misty waves was even steadier than he had imagined.
Standing on this strange creature, Lin Yuan looked around. In all directions, boundless spiritual mist and smoke drifted. Towering water-borne Spiritual Mountains spanning thousands of miles were truly astonishing.
And this was only the Spiritual Mountain Blessed Land under the Yuanling Grotto-Heaven, which was under the Chengyuan Immortal Sect. According to information from the overseers, the Yuanling Grotto-Heaven was only ranked sixth among the nine great Grotto-Heavens.
Lin Yuan focused his mind into a Heavenly One Water Mother Divine Rune condensed within his body. Strands of Heavenly One True Water power flowed through his limbs and bones, cleansing his Primordial Divine Demon Dao Body.
Below his feet, the huge white whale, sensing the power of the Heavenly One True Water, the mother of all waters, within the Daoist on its back, was overjoyed. It couldn’t help but wag its tail, stirring up a hundred-foot-high wave in the spiritual mist and clouds.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan couldn’t help but smile slightly. Within this vast, misty expanse, spreading for ten thousand miles of beautiful spiritual scenery, there was also a hidden mechanism. Only the white whale under his feet could navigate through it. Ordinary disciples without a token could easily get lost here.
He then gently patted the steady strange white whale under his feet. A wisp of Heavenly One True Water aura entered the creature’s body, cleansing its demonic energy and refining its magic power.
For the strange white whale, this was a rare opportunity.
The white whale clan attached itself to the Chengyuan Immortal Sect. Usually, they provided transportation for disciples traveling between the nine great Grotto-Heavens and many Blessed Lands of the sect. Occasionally, generous disciples would award them some pills or medicinal herbs, but they rarely got a chance like this to have their entire magic power cleansed by Heavenly One True Water.
Even the ancient dragon-whale bloodline within it was faintly stimulated. White mist rolled over its body, and its speed increased by another thirty percent!
Seeing this, Lin Yuan smiled lightly. But then he felt a strange sensation from the Heavenly One Water Mother Divine Rune within his body, and his gaze turned thoughtful.
But he quickly dismissed it and focused his mind on refining his cultivation of the “Taixiao Dao Ming Scripture.”
Although he had already mastered the Five Elements Thunder Method, during his earlier encounter with True Lord Fan, Lin Yuan vaguely sensed that his use of the Five Elements Thunder Method still had many rough and incomplete spots.
If he met a true expert, these could very well become weaknesses.
This was because the Five Elements techniques he had collected contained too little of the true essence of the Five Elements!
But what pleased Lin Yuan was hearing from several overseers that among the inner sect’s thirteen Earth Immortal methods, there were two particularly powerful Five Elements Dao scriptures.
The white whale under his feet was fast. They passed by many Immortal Prefectures. The water routes were not quiet, with many disciples traveling between the numerous prefectures. The closer they got to the border of the Yuanling Grotto-Heaven, the livelier it became. There were even disciples from other sects coming and going in the Immortal cities here, purchasing pills and Magical Artifacts.
Half a day later, Lin Yuan arrived at an extremely prosperous Immortal Prefecture.
This Immortal Prefecture was much more prosperous than the Yuanhe Immortal Prefecture, likely housing tens of thousands of beings. Prefectures like this were very common among the many under the Yuanling Grotto-Heaven.
Most of the residents were relatives of sect disciples, along with some descendants of the local beings of the great marsh.
Lin Yuan disembarked from the white whale. The Little White Whale hadn’t left yet. It still swayed its huge tail, lingering in the water below. Clearly, it was reluctant to part with the benefits of the Heavenly One True Water and wanted to wait for him for another trip!
Amused inwardly, Lin Yuan turned and walked away from the dock. His gaze fell on a pavilion-like hall on the platform called the “Facing Mountain Pavilion.”
According to the instructions of the overseers, as the first disciple from under the Yuanling Grotto-Heaven to enter its inner sect, he was eligible to receive the benefit of a Blessed Land Cave Abode here.
For cultivators, the four essential factors are wealth, companionship, methods, and land. None can be lacking.
Especially a Blessed Land Cave Abode like this.
A Blessed Land Cave Abode typically not only has dense spiritual energy but also contains hidden wonders. It is not just a dwelling; it is also a symbol of status and position within the Grotto-Heaven.
Many Inner Sect Disciples did not possess a Blessed Land Cave Abode. Those who could have one were mostly True Inheritors under the Yuanling Grotto-Heaven. The higher the status, the better the Blessed Land Cave Abode one occupied. One could plant Spiritual Roots, gather Spiritual Veins, and support more Outer Sect and Inner Sect Disciples. It was the foundation of one’s power.
Upon learning Lin Yuan’s purpose, an overseer Daoist leisurely walked out from the Facing Mountain Pavilion. He looked Lin Yuan up and down, his expression indifferent.
“You are the new Inner Sect Disciple of our Yuanling Grotto-Heaven?”
Seeing the other’s cold demeanor, Lin Yuan frowned slightly, but he still presented his identity jade token.
“That’s right. I’ve come to claim my Blessed Land Cave Abode.”
The overseer Daoist took Lin Yuan’s jade token and glanced at it, then sneered.
“Go away. We have no unclaimed Blessed Land Cave Abodes here!”
Without another word, he turned around with his hands clasped behind his back, ready to return inside. But instantly, his expression changed. An iron-like hand gripped his arm.
“You are most impudent! Let go at once!” This overseer’s face turned angry. Magic power surged in his hand, and a vast, fish-scale-colored light flowed.
This was the Profound Abyss Magic Power cultivated from the “Profound Abyss Dao Scripture,” an extremely superior Earth Immortal orthodox method from the Chengyuan Immortal Sect’s Outer Sect academies. It was chillingly cold. It was said that mastering it could lead to forming a Profound Abyss Primordial Lord Primordial Spirit, which was very powerful.
But this icy, piercing Profound Abyss Magic Power met Lin Yuan and immediately flowed away as if encountering a nemesis, like a black hole.
Horrified, Lin Yuan’s slightly cold voice came from beside him. “How bold! You dare to seize my Blessed Land Cave Abode?!”
Lin Yuan’s grip tightened. The overseer felt as if all his bones were being crushed and cried out in pain.
He quickly begged for mercy. “Don’t be angry, don’t be angry! Senior Brother, it’s true! Our Facing Mountain Pavilion really has no unclaimed Blessed Land Cave Abodes!”
He stopped calling him junior brother and directly addressed him as senior brother.
Lin Yuan frowned slightly. His powerful spiritual sense told him this overseer was not lying.
Nearby, other cultivators had already seen this scene. Someone laughed and said.
“Junior Brother Shi, this senior brother doesn’t seem easy to deal with. You’d better tell the truth quickly to avoid more suffering!”
“This senior brother from the Inner Sect, please don’t be upset. Junior Brother Shi, though his attitude was bad, spoke the truth!”
“What do you mean ‘also the truth’? What I said was the truth from the start!” That Shi steward twisted his face in pain, nearly crying out.
This senior brother from the Inner Sect truly had a short fuse!
Hearing this, Lin Yuan’s expression darkened slightly. He promptly released the steward and turned his gaze toward the figure who had spoken.
That figure looked rather advanced in years, with an unkempt beard and a tattered magic sword slung over his back. He appeared to be an Outer Sect Disciple not doing too well.
“What should I call you, junior brother?” Lin Yuan asked.
“You are too kind, senior brother. You may call me Daoist You!” Daoist You chuckled, not bowing or scraping because of Lin Yuan’s status as an Inner Sect Disciple. He seemed quite straightforward and informal.
Lin Yuan paid it no mind. Giving a side glance at Daoist Shi, who was still squatting on the ground whimpering in pain, he moved slightly. A faint shimmer of water appeared and landed on the other’s wrist, somewhat easing the pain from the lightning burn.
“Heavenly One True Water?”
Daoist You was quite knowledgeable. His eyes fixed on Daoist Shi, who remained seated on the ground, held a hint of envy.
Heavenly One True Water was the mother of all waters, nourishing all things. It could not only heal wounds but also nurture and purify spiritual power.
A little Heavenly One True Water brought considerable benefit.
Lin Yuan turned and spoke calmly.
“Junior brother, what did you mean by your words earlier? Since the sect’s Grotto-Heaven granted me a Blessed Land Cave Abode, how could there be no available ones? Do not try to fob me off with useless official talk!”
At these words, Daoist Shi on the ground stopped crying out. He scrambled up abruptly and shouted at Lin Yuan indignantly.
“Who’s fobbing you off? If I could allocate a Blessed Land Cave Abode, do you think I’d want to play the villain?”
“Your Blessed Land Cave Abode was ‘borrowed’ long ago. I’m just a minor steward in Linshan Pavilion. Do you think I’d dare assign it to you?”
Daoist Shi was full of grievances, but when Lin Yuan glared at him, he mumbled and stepped aside.
Daoist You, observing the situation, shook his head with a sigh. “Senior brother, it’s true. Junior Brother Shi is in a difficult spot, unable to offend either side. Being a steward at Linshan Pavilion may seem like a cushy job, but it’s actually a punching bag! People come to trouble him every few days!”
Lin Yuan raised his eyes. “Then doesn’t Yuanling Grotto-Heaven do anything about it?”
Daoist You gave a cold laugh. “How can they? Right now, the head senior sister of Yuanling Palace in Yuanling Grotto-Heaven is about to face the Three Calamities and Five Tribulations. The two True Inheritors of the Left and Right Halls are mostly tied up. If we wait for them to act, it will be years later. In the end, these matters can only be handled by oneself!”
Lin Yuan only half-believed Daoist You’s words, but he didn’t care. With his own means, it was just some minor trouble.
He was no pushover.
Lin Yuan casually grabbed Daoist Shi and pulled him close.
“I don’t care about the rest. Since the sect granted me a Blessed Land Cave Abode, show me where it is. I want to see who dares to take my Blessed Land Cave Abode!”
“Alright, alright!”
Daoist Shi was terrified, his courage utterly shattered by Lin Yuan. He scurried over to a nearby cabinet and pulled out a magic map.
Unfolding the map, he pointed to a cave abode beside a lake. “Senior Brother Lin Yuan, look carefully. This Xuanzhen Abode is the reward Yuanling Grotto-Heaven offered this time. It’s said to be a top-grade cave abode. In front is the vast water-system Lingyuan Lake, rich in all sorts of Water Vein spiritual materials. It backs against Red Leaf Pool, a scenic area where many female disciples live. One can often hear the immortal melodies of the many True Inheritor fairies from Yuanling Grotto-Heaven. That…”
Daoist Shi’s seemingly serious face revealed a hint of sleaziness. He looked up moments later, frowning. “However, that place was already ‘borrowed’ by Senior Brother Yan. Under the pretext of cultivating spirit herbs for the sect, he’s entrenched there and refuses to leave. He even declared that he’s determined to have the entire Blessed Land Cave Abode, and anyone who dares compete with him for it will face his relentless wrath!”
“Senior brother should think twice before acting!”
Lin Yuan glanced at the two, then turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.
That meaningful look made the two Daoists’ hearts skip a beat.
After a long while, Daoist Shi asked uneasily, “Does he already know something?”
Hearing this, Daoist You rolled his eyes. “True Lord Fan asked you to guide him appropriately, not to treat him so dismissively!”
Daoist Shi gave an awkward smile. He was used to it. Originally thinking a newly promoted Inner Sect entrant couldn’t compare to him, a Yin Spirit True Lord, he wanted to flex some seniority. He never expected the other to completely disregard convention and pin him against the wall right away.
But with many True Inheritors in the sect, if the other remained so arrogant, he’d likely suffer a major setback soon!
“Right, we should quickly notify Senior Sister Wan at Red Leaf Pool. That Senior Brother Yan is no kind soul and isn’t easy to deal with. That young man is too proud; I hope he isn’t crushed by the other!”
The two did not know that at that moment, another figure was hidden beneath the ground at the entrance, listening to their whispers. Only after a while did it depart.