Chapter 559 - 20: The Purple Cloud Palace Emerges, a 100-Day Sermon, Every Man a Dragon

"How strange. How very strange."

High in the ninth layer of clouds, a puzzled look appeared on Maitreya Buddha Mother’s face as she asked in confusion:

"What is the origin of this Hongjun Daoist? And Profound Clarity, why would he help him?"

"I do not know, I do not know." The Immortal Mother shook her head and asked tentatively, "Shall we ask the Demon Ancestor for her thoughts?"

"Very well."

Maitreya Buddha Mother nodded, and in the next instant, she was in the Chaos.

The Demon Ancestor opened her eyes, but she too shook her head.

"I cannot see clearly. Profound Clarity helping him is quite peculiar. And to have Emperor Qin and Ancestor Han follow him... there must be some variable at play..."

The Buddha Mother asked:

"Are we truly going to develop this Hongjun Daoist as an ally? For some reason, I feel he is connected to... The Three Pristine Ones?"

The Demon Ancestor frowned. Instead, it was the Ancient Bodhi Buddha to the side who shook his head decisively.

"The Three Pristine Ones? Impossible. The Supreme has only two in his Direct Lineage, Xuandu and Profound Clarity. The members of the Shangqing Lineage are also accounted for, from the eldest disciple, Duobao, to the youngest, Profound Yellow."

"As for the Yuqing, the whereabouts of his twelve Direct Lineage disciples are all clear..."

"Then that’s even stranger..."

The Buddha Mother paced back and forth before finally asking:

"The Human World is now divided into four. What should we do?"

The Demon Ancestor replied:

"I have observed. In the lands held by Profound Yellow, the Biyou Ten Thousand Immortals have returned to their positions. In the lands held by Profound Clarity, all those who had traveled to and from the Current World are present. It seems Xuandu has also descended in person, and even the two Children from Douluo Palace have gone to the Lower Realm."

She paused, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and continued:

"As for Hongjun, who holds the Han Dynasty, he has only the help of Emperor Qin and Ancestor Han. From my observation, Hongjun is extremely playful. He treats the world as his game board and enjoys himself. It would be a shame to eliminate him from the game too early..."

The Ancient Bodhi Buddha pondered for a moment, then said flatly:

"Why not strike Jiangdong and the Shu Region with swift might, then surround the Han Dynasty and force its surrender? In doing so, the Human Dao Trend would be ours for the taking."

"Agreed."

The Demon Ancestor spoke decisively:

"Maitreya, you and Taiyi shall personally enter the fray. The Daluo will follow. Reenact the grand occasion of the Divine Enthronement. Let the Immortal Gods battle each other in the Human World. Strike Jiangdong, take the Shu Region."

"As you command." The Buddha Mother bowed her head. Taiyi, who had been sitting quietly to the side, also gave a slight nod.

But the Ancient Bodhi Buddha added:

"There is also the Nine Underworld. We must take it into our hands. By controlling the Underworld Department, we can use the Human Dao Trend to force back the Qing Ping Sword. The Six Paths of Reincarnation will be within our grasp."

"The matter of the Underworld Department is not urgent for now. Fengdu seems to be on good terms with Shakyamuni."

The Demon Ancestor’s eyes gleamed.

"Speaking of which, where has Amitabha Buddha gone? And Houtu, why can she not be found? If we could bring Houtu back... the Nine Nether is her domain, after all."

The Ancient Bodhi Buddha’s expression flickered. After a moment of thought, he finally said:

"Amitabha Buddha... This time, what if the Six Paths of Reincarnation returns to Amitabha Buddha, and after reenacting the Journey to the West, the Human Dao Subject returns to Maitreya Buddha Mother?"

"Is Amitabha Buddha’s condition that dire?" The Demon Ancestor was stunned. "He can’t be on the verge of falling, can he?"

"Indeed, he is."

The Ancient Bodhi Buddha said helplessly:

"He is currently recuperating. If he cannot restore the Western Pure Land soon, I fear he truly will fall."

The Demon Ancestor fell silent, but Taiyi, who had not spoken until now, suddenly said:

"If that’s the case, why not go all in? Have Amitabha Buddha enter the field personally. You and the Demon Ancestor can hold back The Three Pristine Ones. What do you think?"

"This..." The Ancient Bodhi Buddha was tempted but also hesitant. He was truly unwilling to face The Three Pristine Ones, especially the Supreme!

Seeing his hesitation, Taiyi added:

"The Supreme recently experienced some unknown event and is already on the verge of falling. He might not interfere."

"Then let’s take the gamble!"

The Ancient Bodhi Buddha and the Demon Ancestor made their decision simultaneously. Their gazes were profound. Amitabha Buddha truly could not be allowed to fall any further.

Otherwise, if they lost another [Enlightened One], the balance between them and The Three Pristine Ones would be completely shattered...

......

"Master, are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

In the River of Time, the Little Daoist Child hopped about, asking curiously.

"Almost, almost..."

Lu Xuan smiled. He walked to the chasm in the River of Time, took off the Azure Heaven Crown, and his face began to change, bit by bit.

He transformed from Hongjun Daoist into Xuan Sheng.

Xuan Sheng of the Yuqing.

"Hey, hey, hey!!"

Xiaohuo’Er leaped three feet into the air, his breathing ragged. He was completely stunned, stammering incoherently:

"You, you are..."

Lu Xuan smiled and made a ’shh’ gesture. Xiaohuo’Er nodded frantically, his face filled with ecstatic joy.

"D-Daoist Ancestor..."

"This is not The Beginning of Ancient Times. Do not call me Daoist Ancestor. Besides..."

Lu Xuan gently tapped Xiaohuo’Er on the head and chuckled.

"What should you really be calling me?"

Xiaohuo’Er bowed low.

"Teacher! Teacher!!"

"Good."

As he spoke, Lu Xuan led Xiaohuo’Er across the chasm of time, following the torrent of time straight to its end.

But he did not step into the Current World.

’The recovery of heaven and earth is still a bit slow. It cannot yet accommodate my body...’

Lu Xuan pondered for a moment and made a decision. With a thought, he communicated with a certain Blind Daoist through an imprint in the past.

"Second Master, I intend to walk the world under the guise of Profound Origin Fusheng of the Yuqing Lineage. Will this expose my identity as the ’Daoist Ancestor’?"

In a certain period of the past, the Blind Daoist’s face lit up with pleasant surprise. He laughed three times, then waved his hand.

"Rest easy. The only ones who recognize that face of yours are those Barbaric Creatures... And thanks to the blockade by a few Fellow Daoists,"

"among the Barbaric Creatures, only the Candle Dragon survives. The rest, at most, only made it to the most ancient age."

The Blind Daoist paused, then said thoughtfully:

"What do you intend to do, walking the world in this form?"

Lu Xuan replied with a smile:

"Profound Origin Fusheng will be an incarnation of Hongjun Daoist, a disciple of the Jade Void Sect. For his own amusement, Hongjun Daoist sends Xuan Sheng to find the disciples of Jade Void to aid the Han Dynasty and play a game with the world."

The Blind Daoist was taken aback, then said:

"So, you intend to assume the position of Daoist Ancestor with the body of Hongjun?"

"Indeed."

Lu Xuan admitted frankly:

"Hongjun is my path. The road I wish to walk is to establish the [Hongjun Era], where the world is one and all things are in harmony."

He paused, then continued:

"That said, my return to the Current World is to find several of my senior brothers from the Jade Void Lineage who are outside the realm."

"But I am already a Daluo and cannot enter the Current World. If I become a historical imprint of the Current World’s past, my power will be quite insufficient..."

"Ahem..."

The Blind Daoist grew a little uncomfortable. He understood why Xiaoxuan had come and said guiltily:

"I’ve lent all my artifacts to Xiaonian. I don’t have anything else on hand that can protect you as you enter the Current World..."

Lu Xuan’s eyes widened.

"Didn’t you only give her the Jade Void Palace, the Golden Bell, the Jade Ruyi, and a few other things??"

"All... I gave her all of them."

Lu Xuan’s face darkened, and he felt a figurative toothache.

"Master, you really don’t spoil your younger disciples, do you... Speaking of which, where did Xiaonian go? I haven’t seen her in a while."

"Her..."

The Blind Daoist’s expression became strange.

"She was sought out by Houtu and is now cultivating with her."

"Huh?!"

Lu Xuan’s eyes widened again.

The Blind Daoist waved his hand dismissively.

"Don’t worry, an incarnation of mine is hidden within the Jade Void Palace. If that Houtu tries anything, I will strike..."

After thinking for a moment, he added:

"Then again, I do have one artifact left that can help you enter the Current World with your Daluo Body."

With that, the Blind Daoist flipped his palm, and a giant mountain peak materialized.

"This is..." Lu Xuan was stunned. "Kunlun?"

"Precisely."

The Blind Daoist laughed heartily.

"This Kunlun Mountain can aid your endeavors and also proclaim your identity. Go on, go on!"

Kunlun was originally the shared residence of The Three Pristine Ones, but later, only the Jade Void Palace stood upon it.

He pushed Kunlun Mountain forward. Lu Xuan took it, thought for a moment, and held out his hand.

"Oh, right, Master. I obtained this item from the Buddha Mother. Please take a look, can it be fused with the [Creation Jade Disc]?"

As he spoke, an illusory object shimmering with five lights and ten dazzling colors appeared in his hand.

"Ah, this."

The Blind Daoist nodded with a smile.

"This was originally called the Five-Colored Divine Light. It was the Buddha Mother’s life-bound object before her Enlightenment. After she devoured Maitreya to attain her Dao Fruit, it underwent a transformation and became a Dao Fruit Level artifact."

"It possesses the ability to encompass all worlds and realms, to contain all things... I have an idea! Let me refine it for you!"

Saying this, the Blind Daoist took the Five-Colored Divine Light, drew forth a great river formed from Primordial Ancestral Qi, and fused it with the light.

The virtual and the real shifted, All Realms rose and fell, Yin Yang and the Four Symbols alternated endlessly, and Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water were all contained within!

He then threw Kunlun Mountain into it, along with all the unrefined Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures he had collected over countless years, fusing them all together.

Next, he tore open the beginning of time, plucking a wisp of origin from the void of Hongmeng. He borrowed the Eight Trigrams Furnace from the Supreme and took a breath of Shangqing’s Breath of the End from Spirit Treasure.

Finally, he added the very first wisp of purple qi that arose at the Creation of Heaven and Earth.

The Blind Daoist even took the hairpin from his hair and threw it in as well!

After three thousand years in the world of the past, the new artifact was forged.

A Daoist Palace emerged, resplendent with five lights, covered in ten colors, suffused with Primordial Ancestral Qi, and afloat with Innate Purple Qi.

The Blind Daoist said calmly:

"This item has the power to sweep away anything and suppress everything. It is also Innately positioned above all things. When you are seated within it,"

"if you circulate the Path of Cause and Effect, you can exhibit the characteristics of the [Cause of All Fruits]. If you use a suppression art, you can wield the great might to crush all worlds. If you recite scriptures, you can transmit them to all pasts and all presents. If..."

After a lengthy, eloquent description, the Blind Daoist smiled.

"Thus, this item can also be integrated into your [Creation Jade Disc]. Go on and name it yourself!"

Lu Xuan was somewhat startled as he listened, feeling the immense power within the Daoist Palace. He couldn’t help but ask:

"This... is probably only half a step weaker than the Heaven-Opening Banner and the Qing Ping Sword, isn’t it?"

"It was the life-bound artifact of a Dao Fruit to begin with. Add to that Kunlun Mountain, the Primordial Ancestral Qi, my hairpin, and the Primordial Origin of Hongmeng, it deserves such power. And it has not yet reached Perfection; it may yet grow stronger... Have you thought of a name?"

"A Daoist Palace..."

Lu Xuan pondered for a moment, and finally came to a decision.

"This Daoist Palace is suffused with purple qi and imbued with the Hongmeng Origin... I’ve got it! What about this name?"

The Blind Daoist smiled.

"Not bad. The Dao Rhyme forms on its own. A good name."

With that, Lu Xuan held the Daoist Palace, performed a deep bow, and respectfully took his leave.

After he had left.

The Blind Daoist clenched his hand into a fist, his face beaming with joy.

"The Supreme’s Profound Clarity, Shangqing’s Profound Yellow, and now it’s finally my turn."

"Jade Void’s Xuan Sheng..."

"Good, good, good!"

He was so delighted that he felt instantly refreshed. Even his faintly aching cheeks no longer hurt.

"The Supreme? Hmph!"

......

「The Current World.」

Nearly half a year had passed since the collapse of the Immortal Court and the destruction of the Demon Country.

In those six months, both the Netherworld in the North and the Western Buddha Land had kept to themselves. Although Immortal Gods and Buddha-Demons from beyond the realm had continuously descended during this time,

none had caused any trouble, and each remained quiet.

On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the moon was full once again.

A Daoist Palace materialized.

The moment it appeared, it erupted in brilliant light, starting from the Current World, piercing through to the outside of the Great Heaven and Earth, then tracing back bit by bit along the torrent of time.

The Daoist Palace appeared in the Current World, yet at the same time, it lay across every instant of time. At every moment, it resided infinitely high above, making even the Chaos seem a level lower!

The Dao Fruits looked on in astonishment, the Daluo were amazed. All cast their gazes upon it, reading the name carved on the plaque above the Daoist Palace.

[Purple Cloud].

The Purple Cloud Palace pressed down from above, suppressing everything. Just newly formed, it already displayed wondrous characteristics, connecting to all of time.

Before the Years, after the Years, the Daoist Palace was unique, yet it existed simultaneously at every moment, and even existed in parts of the future!

Just then, the palace gates swung open. A Daoist Child walked out, and a great voice boomed down.

"By order of the Master, who has just emerged from his mountain gate: All members of the Mortal Race, from the Current World and from before its history, may enter the palace to listen to the Dao."

"Therefore, the Master will preach the Dao for one hundred days, in the hope that everyone will become as a dragon."

The Purple Cloud Palace opened wide, accessible to all eras. Beings from the most ancient years and the creatures of the Current World could all meet within this palace!

The past and the present all converged here.

The River of Time rippled.