Yellow Court Daoist-Chapter 527 - 496: Heavenly Star Sect, Twelve Array Mountain Rankings!

"Thunder God Mountain."

"Among all the Primordial Spirit True Ones in the history of the Three Mountains and Nine Waters, the ’Thunder God Sword Venerable’, hailing from Qingming Spirit Monkey’s lineage, was one of the Sword Dao powerhouses known for his profound achievements. Before his Ascension, he left his legacy in Thunder God Mountain, waiting for the fated ones."

"On the green stone tablet, a mere twenty-eight characters recorded the entire Sword Dao expertise of the Thunder God Sword Venerable, encompassing a super-level Sword Dao Great Method, as well as the cultivation techniques the Venerable practiced in the mortal world. For an ordinary cultivator to attain this, it is an immense stroke of fortune."

"For Qingyu, it’s somewhat lacking."

"Nevertheless, the Thunder God Sword Venerable was known for his distinct hatred and extreme nepotism in his younger days. According to the ancient texts, since his Ascension to this very day, 113,400 years have passed without his demise. If he is not a True Immortal with a long lifespan, then he must have become an Earth Immortal."

"It’s a promising location."

While Lu Qingfeng was en route, peering through the Void, he saw Qingyu entering Thunder God Mountain and meditating on the green stone tablet. He couldn’t help but smile.

Qingyu, well-versed in various scriptures, was considered knowledgeable.

But far from comparable to Lu Qingfeng.

Unaware of what ’fortuitous encounters’ truly are.

Lu Qingfeng is different—

Thunder God Mountain.

Thunder God Sword Venerable.

Even the personality and potential for cultivation of this Thunder God Sword Venerable were thoroughly investigated by Lu Qingfeng, who, with the aid of Derivation and Calculation Divine Power, pieced together a near-certain picture. Though he dared not calculate directly, his conjecture was very close to the truth.

There was a high probability of backing from a significant power.

Should Qingyu comprehend the Magic Gate on the green stone tablet, he would be considered the rightful successor of the Thunder God Sword Venerable on Earth. After ascending to the Upper Realm, if the Thunder God Sword Venerable wields great power and holds a distinguished position, he could then become a disciple under him.

If he is average.

Or even in dire straits, with disciples facing uncertain fates, there’s no need to join. There’s also no necessity to reveal the inheritance of the Thunder God Sword Venerable.

That way.

Whether advancing or retreating, there’s an additional layer of insurance.

...

Qingyu received the ’Thunder God Sword Venerable’s’ legacy.

While Lu Qingshan headed to Biyang Lake in the Northern Realm’s Cloud Platform Mountain, receiving the inheritance of the ’Mu Ye Sword Venerate,’ known to say, "Had Heaven not created me, Zhou Muye the nights would be endlessly long in the Sword Dao."

Zhou Muye, who ascended twenty-four thousand years ago, had dominated his era for twelve hundred years before his Ascension.

Born in the Floating Mountain Sect of Guangling Mountain, one of the Three Mountains, he not only restored the long-lost ’Guangling Absolute Sword’ of Floating Mountain Sect but also reigned supreme in Sword Dao, unmatched by anyone. According to various rumors, he was vain but earnest with his disciples and was a practitioner of Floating Mountain Sect.

Lu Qingshan headed to Cloud Platform Mountain, attaining the legacy left behind by this Mu Ye Sword Venerate.

Once ascended to the Upper Realm, he could directly become a disciple under him. Judging by time, this Mu Ye Sword Venerate might have already become an Earth Immortal being.

With his protection, coupled with Lu Qingfeng’s covert support, even if, in the future, Qingshan ascended to the Upper Realm, he wouldn’t have to fear life-threatening dangers.

This Mu Ye Sword Venerate was also the oldest living individual among many legacies in the Three Mountains and Nine Waters that Lu Qingfeng had selected, with the longest life.

The rest.

Apart from the Thunder God Mountain’s Thunder God Sword Venerable, only two others remain.

And these two, including the Thunder God Sword Venerable, are from the Demon and Exotic Beast Clans, naturally enjoying long lives. Although they have lived for more than a hundred or two hundred thousand years, whether they have achieved Earth Immortal status remains unknown.

Yet, Mu Ye Sword Venerate is from the Human Clan.

Living for two hundred and forty thousand years, whether by employing Mysterious Skills, utilizing the rare Spiritual Objects from heaven and earth, or indeed having confirmed his status as an Earth Immortal, is extraordinary.

Relying on him is certainly prudent.

...

"About time."

Seeing that both Qingshan and Qingyu have respectively encountered their ’fortuitous encounters’ at Thunder God Mountain and Cloud Platform Mountain and are advancing in their cultivation, Lu Qingfeng strides, like a shooting star, towards the North Pole Snow Domain.

Landscapes of the northern lands, a thousand miles of ice, ten thousand miles of snow blowing.

Here, perennially covered with snow, even during the snowfall, it is immensely cold, one of the coldest and bitter places among earthly realms. In the past, the infamous traitor of Six Dust Temple, Wei Fengniang, known as the ’Snow Mountain Ancestor,’ cultivated here.

At home, Wei Fengniang was captured with ease by Lu Qingfeng and sent to Six Dust Temple.

Now struggling beneath the precious temple, day and night listening to Master Zhen Hui reciting Buddhist sutras — an agony beyond words.

But Lu Qingfeng pays her no attention.

Instead, he heads straight into the depths of the snow domain.

Suddenly.

A mountain emerges in the distance—

Bizarre peaks and strange stones dazzle the eyes; emerald pines and green cypresses display a myriad of forms; stone pavilions with cascading waterfalls like silk curtains; the "Fragrant Snow Sea" with delicately arranged pear blossoms, though the mountain is covered in snow, its contours are discernible, adding an even more immortal aura.

Truly a breathtaking and majestic fairyland on Earth.

"Lv Mountain."

"This is the place."

Lu Qingfeng ascends the mountain.

In the Mustard Space, a command token begins to vibrate. He retrieves it effortlessly; it is a wooden token inscribed with the words ’Heavenly Star.’

[Magic Artifact: Heavenly Star Command Token]

[Grade: Third-rank]

[Description: A token left by the Ancestor Master of the Heavenly Star Sect. Upon refining, one can speed up deriavtion and layout of Array Formation Restrictions. Possession grants entry into the Heavenly Star Sect and the status of a True Disciple.]

This was the very Magic Artifact Lu Qingfeng obtained in the Hundred Herbs Garden of the Juyun Mountain Range.

Initially intended to use it to join the Heavenly Star Sect, before he had the chance to become a True Disciple, he had already become invincible. Even the Green Wood Valley, stronger than the Heavenly Star Sect, was wiped out by his hand, and Six Dust Temple didn’t dare to utter a word when he forcibly took their Great Method.

The three Heavenly Star Command Tokens thus became mere decorations.

However—

"Heavenly Star Sect’s Master Qin Feng was benevolent, especially fond of nurturing the younger generation. Therefore, he not only left secret realms and command tokens like in the Earth Realm such as the Juyun Mountain Range – one part opportunity, another part recruiting Array Dao talents from all over for the Heavenly Star Sect."

"Moreover, beyond this, he established twelve sites of inheritance both inside and outside the gates of the Heavenly Star Sect."

"Within the Heavenly Star Sect, any practitioner can attempt entry. If they pass, they can be taken as a disciple by this Master Qin Feng, regardless of the two realms’ distance. Outside the Heavenly Star Sect, only holders of the Heavenly Star Command Token can enter twelve Earth Realms to initiate the inheritance test."

Among the Three Mountains and Nine Waters.

So far, seven sites of inheritance have been discovered, but Lu Qingfeng is now in pursuit of the undiscovered eighth.

"Sky Star Sect."

"Ancestor Master Qin Feng."

Lu Qingfeng’s thoughts raced as he stepped into Lv Mountain and commenced the trial.

...

Three years later.

Between Yunmeng Swamp and Spiritual Mountain Shell Field, alongside the rolling waters of Chengyang River, there lay a place engulfed in an ethereal mist of Immortal Energy, known as Kongling Gorge.

It was one of the Nine Waters and Seven Gorges.

Presiding therein was the ’Sky Star Sect’, renowned as the unparalleled leader in array mastery.

On this day.

Within Sky Star Sect.

Master Mu Yang was in deep seclusion at the sect’s gate, contemplating the Mysterious Skill of array formations. Atop the peak, he casually spawned formations of various sizes, enveloping the entire mountain and its surrounding landscape within an intricate web of arrays.

Suddenly.

Master Mu Yang’s eyes snapped open. With a step, he triggered the marvelous power of an array, transporting him into a wondrous realm.

This place resembled a basin, surrounded by towering peaks on all sides.

Many cultivators were inside, with every step they took, lotuses bloomed beneath their feet, as if they were challenging both heaven and earth, wagering against the Void. Formations appeared and disappeared, while numerous cultivators, failing to break through, were ejected from the basin.

Above this basin.

There was a celestial screen.

Upon the screen, rows of characters emerged, lining up to form a list, and upon closer look, figures of people were flickering among the text.

It seemed like a ranking.

"Twelve Array Mountain Rankings."

Upon Master Mu Yang’s arrival, he looked up at the ranking. Near the end, names changed intermittently, some climbed while others were ousted, in intense competition.

In the middle section, occasional changes occurred.

However, at the forefront were top-tier array prodigies, the gaps between them massive. After all, passing through seventeen or eighteen layers in Ancestor Master Qin Feng’s ’Twelve Array Mountains’ was tough. Those ranks seldom changed significantly.

But today.

A name known as ’Lu Qingfeng’ quietly joined the ranks, soaring rapidly from the 360th position at the bottom of the ’Twelve Array Mountain Rankings’ right up to the middle section, and then startlingly broke into the top fifty.

And he was still climbing.

"Ancestor Master Qin Feng’s Twelve Array Mountains are meant to test three things: the potential in array methods, the proficiency in array methods, and character. Only with all three advancing equally can one continuously move forward in Array Mountain."

"With my current understanding of array methods, I have only broken through twenty-four layers at most."

"I have some understanding of the 25th layer, but I’m lacking accumulation of knowledge."

"Apart from me, only my junior brother Wu Jiu has broken through the 22nd layer. Other disciples at best have reached only seventeen or eighteen layers."

Master Mu Yang looked at the rankings and used his permissions to view more details—

Name: Lu Qingfeng

Cultivation: Primordial Spirit·Nourishing God Realm

Layers: 18th Layer

Time Taken: 1065 days

"Hiss!"

"Less than three years, and he has broken through eighteen layers of Array Mountain?!"

Master Mu Yang was truly taken aback.

You see.

Even he, as a newly advanced Primordial Spirit, when exploring the Array Mountain, had only reached the 18th layer. But he began occasionally entering it since Foundation Establishment. At the Spirit Void and Core Formation levels, he entered even more frequently. All in all, reaching the 18th layer took him far more than several hundred years.

Just three years?

Unheard of!

"Elder Brother."

"This Lu Qingfeng, who is he from whence comes such an understanding of array methods, such talent in the Array Dao?"

While Master Mu Yang was astonished, a man with the stride of a shooting star approached from behind. Even before he had settled down, he asked in surprise, clearly startled by the sudden newcomer on the leaderboard.

"We are the only two Primordial Spirit Practitioners in our sect. Among those outside the sect qualified to enter the Array Mountain, the masters skilled enough to be at the Primordial Spirit level can be counted on one hand."

"This man isn’t among them."

Master Mu Yang shook his head.

Sky Star Sect was in decline, and despite relying on the power of arrays—which made their gates even more perilous than those of Six Dust Temple or Green Wood Valley—the number of Primordial Spirit Practitioners in their sect was the lowest among the Seven Gorges Immortal Sects.

Even now, Ten Thousand Beasts Immortal Mountain seemed to have only one Primordial Spirit, Bing Yi Daoist.

But he controlled the Supreme Treasure of Ten Thousand Beasts Immortal Mountain, the ’Green Mist Treasure Cauldron’.

Within this treasure, divine incense specially created to tame all manner of spirits and demons was stored. Once ignited with True Fire, one would not succumb to poison. Any powerful spirit or demonic entity that smelled this fragrance was destined to be intoxicated and subdued, their ferocity tamed; even if they couldn’t be eradicated, it guaranteed short-term safety.

It had the power to tame beasts.

The Cold Jade Turtle and the Vajra Long-Armed Ape, both powerful beings of the Primordial Spirit Realm, were under the control of the ’Green Mist Treasure Cauldron’, incomparable to what Sky Star Sect could muster.

Within the sect, those at the Primordial Spirit level were few.

And so was the case with those outside the sect, who had the credentials to enter the Twelve Array Mountains.

Yet Master Mu Yang did not know whence this ’Lu Qingfeng’ had emerged.

"I’ve already sent people to check the other six array mountains to see if there are any new advancements to Primordial Spirit."

Master Mu Yang shook his head again and spoke to his junior brother Wu Jiu at his side.

"Hmm."

Wu Jiu nodded, his gaze fixed on the rankings. He saw that person rapidly ascending to the top fifty and, with an unstoppable momentum, breaking into the top ten, even advancing beyond the 18th layer of Array Mountain to enter the 19th, taking the sixth spot on the ’Twelve Array Mountain Rankings’. Apart from other masters in the Sky Star Sect, such proficiency in array methods, such potential in the Array Dao, ranked him third!

"This person."

"Could he possibly be aiming to break through the 27th layer?!"

Wu Jiu swallowed hard, momentarily taken aback.