Chapter 78: All Scriptures Serve as Footnotes to Me (Sixth Update)

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Song Qingyi chuckled and said, "Without reaching the stage of refining the elixir, one cannot truly be called a cultivator. I wonder how you, my friend, ended up here?"

Shen Lian had nothing to hide and replied calmly, "I was actually on my way to the Killing Life Temple. I didn’t expect it to be right on my path."

Song Qingyi looked as if she understood everything, as if she had guessed his intentions correctly, and said, "I suspected as much. The Killing Life Temple also belongs to the Qingxuan Branch. Perhaps you intend to apprentice under Senior Brother Chen Jianmei to learn the profound arts of the Dao. In fact, ten years ago, Senior Brother Chen Jianmei became the national master of the Han Sea Kingdom beyond this desert. He rid the kingdom of the great menace, the Mirage Demon King, earning deep respect from all in the Han Sea Kingdom. He frequently holds lectures on the Dao in the capital. If one’s talent and character please him, he accepts them as disciples. Unfortunately, your timing is not quite right."

Shen Lian’s eyebrows twitched, and he asked, "You may simply call me Shen Lian, Daoist. But why is this not the right time?" Seeing Song Qingyi’s misunderstanding, Shen Lian did not want to elaborate to avoid trouble.

"Haha, then you too can just call me Qingyi. The reason I say this isn't the right time is ultimately due to the struggle for the orthodox Dao lineage. Senior Brother Chen Jianmei holds the true transmission of Qingxuan. When he teaches in the Han Sea Kingdom, he accepts all comers and meticulously explains the Way of Qi Refinement. Not only are there many admirers in the Han Sea Kingdom, but even many from the neighboring Yueduo Kingdom have come. Yueduo’s entire population, originally devout followers of the monks, has been drawn away by Senior Brother Chen Jianmei."

"The national master of Yueduo Kingdom, Master Baoguang, is the junior disciple of Master Baoyue from the Golden Light Temple, a figure close to attaining the Arhat’s golden body. Baoguang has devoted his life to the extensive Buddhist community, but since Senior Brother Chen Jianmei began teaching Qi refinement, many monks have secretly attended his lectures."

"Although Buddhism claims to teach all without discrimination, its cultivation methods can hardly compare to the Daoist sect’s systematic and orderly approach. Beyond the refining of elixirs and breaking illusions, the nine stages of cultivation all have clear progressions. Naturally, many monks have tasted the benefits of the Daoist profound arts, with some even openly converting temples into Daoist shrines."

"The Golden Light Temple possesses a relic— a sarira— which for centuries has absorbed the devotees’ will, emitting spiritual power to aid the monks’ cultivation. Due to Senior Brother Chen Jianmei’s recent influence, the temple’s incense offerings and devotees’ will have sharply declined, reducing the spiritual power the sarira can absorb and making cultivation even more difficult for the monks."

"Master Baoguang investigated the cause and, naturally displeased, arranged a 'Debate of the Dao and Annihilation of the Gods' on the fifteenth day of the tenth lunar month, under the full moon. The loser of this debate would be forbidden from appearing within five thousand li of Yueduo Kingdom for life."

"Senior Brother Chen Jianmei is a formidable figure who has slain countless demons in the Western Wilderness. Naturally, he accepted the challenge. At present, demons and cultivators within thousands of li around here are all watching this rare battle of cultivators that happens once in a century."

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It is said that Senior Brother Chen Jianmei has remained inside his retreat without stepping out for a full month to prepare for this ‘Debate of the Dao and Annihilation of the Gods.’ Everyone guesses he is putting forth all his effort to test his sword’s edge, aiming to make Master Baoyue, the venerable monk, admit defeat."

Song Qingyi spoke in one breath, clearly enjoying herself. Whenever she mentioned Chen Jianmei, her eyes sparkled with pride, almost as if she wished she could take his place.

After hearing this, Shen Lian thought to himself that Chen Jianmei was indeed a true sword cultivator, with extraordinary combat prowess. Although these years he had been refining his elixir and breaking illusions through persistent effort, compared to a venerable monk like Master Baoguang who had accumulated years of experience, Chen Jianmei might still be at a disadvantage. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have secluded himself completely before the battle, discarding all external distractions.

It would be better not to disturb Chen Jianmei before the decisive fight, so as not to distract him.

There was one more thing that piqued Shen Lian’s curiosity. He continued to ask, "Qingyi, you seem about my age and don’t look like an elixir-refining master. Why do you call the Killing Life Temple’s leader ‘Senior Brother,’ as if you are peers?"

In the cultivation world, rank is generally determined by one’s level of attainment. Song Qingyi’s tone suggested she regarded herself as equal to Chen Jianmei, which was unusual and somewhat disrespectful for a disciple of the Xuantian Sect. This didn’t align with her earlier demeanor.

Song Qingyi smiled and said, "I am only nineteen this year. If I had reached the stage of refining the elixir, I would have set a record for astonishingly rapid cultivation. Even an earth immortal in a past life wouldn’t have progressed so fast. Actually, I have just opened my meridians and begun condensing my spiritual power. But if I called Chen Jianmei ‘Senior Brother,’ he might not bear it. To be frank, my mentor is the ‘True Immortal of Elephant Mountain.’ Shen Lian, if you know a bit about the cultivation world, you might understand."

Shen Lian had not expected Song Qingyi to be a disciple of the ‘True Immortal of Elephant Mountain.’ Judging by her demeanor, she was definitely not an ordinary disciple but likely a direct disciple. No wonder she could address Chen Jianmei as an equal.

The True Immortal of Elephant Mountain, whose real name was Lu Jiuyuan, attained immortality a thousand years ago. He cultivated the ‘True Scripture of Attaining the Dao and Perfecting the Body,’ a text no one from the Xuantian Sect had succeeded in mastering since ancient times. When he achieved enlightenment, he held a Dharma assembly, opening with the phrase: “If one wishes to attain the root, one must not be bound by the dogma of predecessors, for all scriptures are but my annotations.”

This meant that to seek the fundamental truth, one should not be confined to dissecting ancient Daoist formulas, but instead forge new paths. The myriad scriptures exist only as footnotes to his insight.

His magnitude was such that he was considered the greatest figure in the Xuantian Sect’s history.

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Moreover, since beginning his cultivation, he had never been defeated. After attaining the Dao, he rarely acted but was universally recognized as the foremost Daoist, unshakable in his position. After becoming immortal, Lu Jiuyuan did not leave the sect’s mountain gates to roam the vast world seeking fortune but instead devoted himself to writing. Not only was he peerless in Daoist magic, but he was also decisive and resolute. Nearly all his enemies perished or were severely wounded because he could, by a mere thought, perceive causes and effects with rare oversight. Hence, making enemies with him was perilous, as even with many contingency plans, escape was unlikely.

No wonder Song Qingyi dared to emerge after just opening her meridians and condensing her power. Besides having protective treasures, the name of Lu Jiuyuan alone was enough to intimidate many formidable cultivators.

He was truly a supreme figure who dominated his generation. Many ancient immortals likely waited for him to vanish beyond the mortal realm, as none wished to have such a towering figure suppressing them.

At the same time, the ‘True Scripture of Attaining the Dao and Perfecting the Body’ is one of the few unparalleled Daoist classics, rivaling the ‘Divine Strategy of the Great Void.’ Unfortunately, with the True Immortal of Pure Water and Lu Jiuyuan arriving in succession, we have yet to witness the dazzling clash between these two invincible Daoist arts.

Perhaps when his ancestor, the Immortal Ziling, cultivates again through the ‘Divine Strategy of the Great Void’ and assimilates her accumulations from past and present lives, she might challenge Lu Jiuyuan’s status as the foremost Daoist of the sect.

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PS: The sixth update is complete, but the monthly votes have been steadily dropping, which is disheartening. Since many feel that whether there is an outburst or not makes little difference, I will update more slowly.

(To be continued.)