...

After several months, inside the Life-Annihilating Hall.

Four figures arrived in succession; they were Chen Sheng’s four disciples, Qi Yuan, Gu Ye, Chen Qingyun, and Zhang Hongdao.

"Greetings, Master!"

The four bowed in unison to pay their respects.

Qi Yuan and Gu Ye were wearing the standard Daoist robes of Antarctic Immortal Mansion, embroidered with lotus patterns. Having undergone millennia of tempering, their aura was deep and vast, only a step away from the Void Refining Fifth Tribulation, just needing an opportunity to break through the realm.

In comparison with Chen Qingyun and Zhang Hongdao, the gap in innate talent and comprehension between them had widened noticeably over the ten thousand years.

Chen Sheng was seated in the main position within the hall, his gaze sweeping across the four disciples. Despite not releasing even a hint of pressure, the four instinctively restrained their aura.

He briefly inquired about Qi Yuan and Gu Ye’s cultivation status, then nodded slightly:

"I have some insights and perceptions here, which you may refer to."

While speaking, two refined Dao Principle phantoms flew out from his fingertips, merging into the foreheads of Qi Yuan and Gu Ye, instantly transforming into detailed cultivation insights, more intuitive than any Jade Scroll records.

Qi Yuan and Gu Ye’s eyes flashed with ecstasy, and they bowed again:

"Thank you, Master, for your guidance!"

Before long, Zhang Hongdao stepped forward holding a Jade Scroll that emitted a faint purple Spirit Light; it was the Cultivation Technique of the Nine Volumes of Illusory Heart.

He wore an expression of slight confusion between his brows and said softly:

"Master, while cultivating the first volume, my heart image appeared but was difficult to stabilize. I don’t know where the mistake is?"

Though Chen Sheng himself hadn’t ventured into the Dao of Illusory Heart, his split incarnation had long mastered the first seven volumes and knew the key points well.

He took the Jade Scroll and spoke mildly:

"The Dao of Illusory Heart emphasizes the nucleus of intent, where reality and illusion co-exist. Your heart image is unstable, not because the Cultivation Technique doesn’t fit but because you haven’t anchored reality using your own Divine Soul as the seed."

As he spoke, he raised a hand to send forth a gentle Power of the Divine Soul into Zhang Hongdao’s sea of consciousness, transforming into a "Mirror of Illusory Truth," which clearly reflected the flaws in Zhang Hongdao’s heart image.

The nascent heart image, though lively, lacked a connection to his bloodline and Dao Foundation.

"Fuse your Essence Blood with your heart image and forge anchor points with Dao intent. Within three days, it will certainly stabilize."

Zhang Hongdao pondered on his insight for a moment, and indeed, the heart image in his sea of consciousness stabilized considerably, his eyes showing appreciation:

"Thank you, Master, for your guidance!"

Chen Sheng looked at him, becoming increasingly satisfied.

Zhang Hongdao truly matched this path, having switched cultivation practices and made quick entry within a few months, establishing the heart image as a natural progression; in the future, he was destined to make a mark in this Dao.

...

Several years passed as if in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Chen Sheng was providing guidance on Chen Qingyun’s Sword Dao.

Suddenly, his brow furrowed, sensing three familiar auras, one of which was still robust yet carried an unmistakable waning essence.

After giving Chen Qingyun a brief instruction, he flickered his figure and instantly appeared on the mountain path outside the Seven-Star Shaking Light Immortal Slaying Array.

The ancient pines along the mountain path were coiled like dragons, surrounded by mist, and four figures walked slowly.

The leading three were his senior brothers—Taiyuan Daoist, Meteor Daoist, and Third Senior Brother Cold Monarch.

Beside Taiyuan Daoist stood a child about seven or eight years of age, clothed in a pale yellow short robe, with white, jade-like skin and exceptionally lively eyes, surrounded by faint clear aura.

"The junior brother is here!"

"Greetings to the three senior brothers."

After speaking, Chen Sheng’s gaze fell onto Taiyuan Daoist, his brows slightly furrowed.

At this moment, Taiyuan Daoist no longer possessed his past peerless demeanor; his aura still had the fundamental essence of the Void Refining Twelfth Tribulation but had diminished to the extreme, like a candle in the wind.

A deeply ingrained Dao injury aura pervaded, deeply embedded in the foundation, shockingly conspicuous.

"Senior Brother, what is this..."

Taiyuan Daoist seemed unperturbed, gently waving his hand, his tone as if discussing an inconsequential matter:

"A few years ago in the Taiyi Realm, I forcibly ascended the Dao Domain, refined the Dharma Seed, and attempted to break through to the Integration Realm, but ultimately fell short by a margin."

Though he spoke lightly, Chen Sheng and others all knew that advancing from Void Refining to Integration was a perilous endeavor with a high likelihood of death, and refining the Dharma Seed was fraught with immense danger. Falling short by a margin meant catastrophic failure.

That Taiyuan Daoist could return alive was already an extraordinary stroke of luck.

While speaking, Taiyuan Daoist slightly beckoned to the child by his side, gently saying: "Come forward, Qian’er, pay your respects to your Fourth Uncle."

Chen Sheng had already noticed the child, whose bloodline aura was inseparably linked to Taiyuan Daoist’s.

He marveled inwardly, surprised that the Senior Brother, who had dedicated himself to the Dao and led a solitary life for over ten thousand years, now found himself with such an attachment; it was indeed like the iron tree blooming.

The child took small steps forward, bowing to Chen Sheng, his voice clear as a silver bell: "Greetings, Fourth Uncle!"

Chen Sheng’s eyes revealed a hint of warmth. With a flip of his hand, two treasures appeared in his palm.

One was a round jade bead, surrounded by a gentle spirit light, known as the "Concentration Pearl", capable of stabilizing the Divine Soul and nourishing the foundation.

The other was a heart-protecting armor woven from Celestial Silkworm Silk, thin as a cicada’s wings, yet able to resist attacks below the Void Refining Realm, named "Cloud Silk Armor".

"Such a clever child."

He handed the two treasures over.

The child glanced at Taiyuan Daoist and, seeing him nod slightly, accepted the treasures with both hands and bowed again, respectfully:

"Thank you, Fourth Uncle!"

Although he was young, he was poised and subtly carried the calm demeanor of Taiyuan Daoist.

Taiyuan Daoist nodded, his gaze looking deep into the Daoist Palace, his tone carrying a sense of solemnity:

"Let’s go, first pay respects to the master in the Star Hub Hall, don’t keep him waiting."

As he finished speaking, he took the lead, and the others followed closely behind.

...

Inside the Star Hub Hall, it was even more solemn than the Life-Annihilating Hall.

On the high platform in the center of the hall, Dharma Master Hong Jue sat serenely atop a cloud bed, his aura ethereal, as if merged with heaven and earth, making it impossible to discern his depth.

"Greetings, Master!"

Taiyuan, Meteor, Cold Monarch, and Chen Sheng all bowed in unison, and the child also mimicked them, bowing properly:

"Greetings, Grandmaster."

Dharma Master Hong Jue’s gaze first swept over Taiyuan Daoist, his brows slightly furrowing.

But upon seeing the child beside Taiyuan Daoist, warmth appeared in his eyes, and he asked kindly, "Child, what is your name?"

The child raised his head, his gaze clear, and answered loudly, "Reporting to Grandmaster, my name is Ming Qian."

"Ming Qian, enlightening the heart, the flourishing Dao, what a good name!"

Dharma Master Hong Jue nodded slightly, flipped his hand, and three resplendent elixirs and a small jade pendant appeared before the child.

The elixirs were "Nine Revolutions Guardian Pill", able to nourish the Dharma Body and solidify the foundation.

The jade pendant was a "Protective Jade Talisman", containing a life-saving divine technique from Dharma Master Hong Jue.

"This is a meeting gift from Grandmaster, keep it."

"Thank you, Grandmaster!"

Ming Qian bowed again, accepted the treasures, and carefully put them away.

Dharma Master Hong Jue watched this scene, a hint of gratification in his eyes, then his gaze returned to Taiyuan Daoist, his tone becoming heavy:

"Ending and creating, withering and annihilation, you’ve found a good path, a path of nine deaths and one life."

He immediately saw through Taiyuan Daoist’s current situation.

Foundation damaged, essence declining, yet within this decline, a cultivating force of creation was sprouting.

Clearly, he intended to use the method of opposition, the cycle of withering and flourishing, to break down and then reconstruct, aiming to reach Integration again.

This path, even in Dharma Master Hong Jue’s eyes, was an incredibly perilous one.

Taiyuan Daoist chuckled lightly, his tone carrying a hint of determination and nonchalance:

"Where the Dao leads, is none other than death; my talents are lacking, forcibly condensing the Ending Dharma Seed, ultimately falling short, unable to reach the Integration Realm."

"By chance during my travels, I encountered a creation secret technique, practicing the Dao of opposition, employing the method of breaking down and then reconstructing, perhaps it might offer me a slim chance of survival."

He paused, his gaze falling on Ming Qian, his tone softening considerably:

"This child, Ming Qian, was born during my cultivation of the creation secret technique, cutting out my own essence blood, ending Dao seed, Nine Heavens Divine Water, transformed with the third junior brother’s path of the moon, he is both my bloodline legacy and my Dao legacy."

"This journey of mine is fraught with life-threatening danger, I hope Master can protect him, allowing him to cultivate peacefully in the Dao Palace, and if he achieves something in the future, it would fulfill one of my wishes."

Chen Sheng understood Ming Qian’s origins after hearing this.

Dharma Master Hong Jue nodded at Taiyuan Daoist, then turned his gaze to Chen Sheng:

"Life-Annihilating, let this child become your apprentice, are you willing to take him as a disciple?"

Chen Sheng was slightly taken aback, not expecting his master to suddenly make such an arrangement. After pondering a little, he bowed:

"I obey, Master."

Taiyuan Daoist’s eyes revealed gratitude, he cupped his hands toward Chen Sheng:

"Please take good care of this child, Ming Qian, I entrust him to you."

Chen Sheng nodded: "Elder brother, rest assured, I will treat him as my own."