Chapter 505 – Arriving at the Azure Cloud Sect, A Conversation with Qingyunzi!

Chapter 505 – Arriving at the Azure Cloud Sect, A Conversation with Qingyunzi!

“Finally arrived… the Azure Cloud Sect…”

Su Xing took a deep breath, his heart stirring with a wave of emotion.

Though he had visited this place many times in the simulations, in reality, this was Su Xing’s first time arriving at the Azure Cloud Sect.

“This time, I’ve come to resolve karma…”

Su Xing murmured, then took a single step forward.

The next second, Su Xing appeared at the Azure Cloud Sect’s outer gate grand hall.

This was the place where the Azure Cloud Sect received cultivators from both within and outside the sect.

Su Xing had come to resolve karma and naturally didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble, so he decided to enter through conventional means.

…

In the outer gate grand hall, a clean-shaven, white-haired old Daoist sized up Su Xing and asked:

“This… fellow Daoist, what brings you to our Azure Cloud Sect?”

Su Xing glanced at the old Daoist — a Celestial Immortal cultivation base, not bad, but still merely an outer gate reception Elder.

Without further words, Su Xing produced a token.

Upon the ancient token, the characters “Azure Cloud” were engraved.

After receiving the token, the old Daoist examined it with some puzzlement. The token seemed somehow familiar, yet he couldn’t quite place it.

Suddenly, as if recalling something, even his voice began to tremble slightly.

“Is it… is it a second-generation ancestral master returning?”

The so-called second-generation ancestral master naturally referred to a second-generation disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect.

But the Azure Cloud Sect’s disciples spanned nearly a hundred generations. A second-generation direct disciple was naturally an ancestral master to ordinary disciples.

Su Xing nodded slightly upon hearing this and said:

“I cultivated outside for many years and have now returned. I don’t know anyone in the sect… please go report my arrival.”

The old Daoist nodded hurriedly, then took out a voice-transmission treasure and began calling for people.

There were only a handful of second-generation direct disciples in total. The old Daoist was confident he knew every single one of them, yet he had never seen the Su Xing before him.

Even so, the old Daoist didn’t dare show any disrespect:

“Ancestral master has been away for many years. This disciple truly does not recognize you. Please wait a moment…”

Su Xing nodded slightly, said nothing more, and simply waited quietly.

After a while, several immortals in black robes arrived. Judging by their auras, they were roughly at the True Immortal and Mystic Immortal levels.

They were likely third or fourth-generation disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect.

But after sizing up Su Xing, these disciples exchanged confused glances — none of them recognized him either. So they said:

“This… martial uncle? Which founding patriarch did you study under? Could you tell us?”

Seeing this, Su Xing sighed and said:

“I studied under Qingyunzi. I was a disciple he took in while outside the sect… go find Senior Sister Ziling.”

These disciples were startled. A personal disciple of Ancestral Master Qingyunzi — that seniority was naturally extremely high.

So these disciples hurriedly found a way to notify Fairy Ziling.

After roughly another half hour, Su Xing finally saw a woman in a purple gown — beautiful in appearance, with a cold and aloof expression.

The newcomer was none other than Fairy Ziling!

Fairy Ziling sized up Su Xing, then furrowed her brows:

“Who are you? I don’t seem to… recognize you either…”

Su Xing took back the Azure Cloud Token and handed it to Fairy Ziling, saying:

“Senior sister, I am a personal disciple taken in by Master’s avatar several tens of thousands of years ago… the token can verify my identity.”

Fairy Ziling instinctively wanted to refute him. Qingyunzi hadn’t been seen for over a hundred thousand years — how could he have taken on disciples?

But then Fairy Ziling seemed to think of something, her expression shifting slightly. She hurriedly beckoned to Su Xing:

“Come with me… we’ll go to the second-generation disciples’ rear mountain to discuss.”

With that, Fairy Ziling dismissed the watching disciples.

But those disciples were all buzzing with discussion.

“My goodness, a real second-generation ancestral master? I’ve been cultivating for a thousand years and this is my first time seeing one!”

“Tsk tsk… to be taken as a disciple by Ancestral Master Qingyunzi, his aptitude must be absolutely top-tier! His cultivation is probably at least Golden Immortal, right?”

“Our Azure Cloud Sect is going to gain yet another Golden Immortal ancestor!”

…

Meanwhile, Su Xing followed Fairy Ziling to the rear mountain hall where the second-generation disciples resided.

As Fairy Ziling sent out one voice transmission after another, several second-generation disciples appeared in the hall one after another.

Su Xing casually swept his senses across them and found that the Azure Cloud Sect’s second-generation disciples were indeed quite formidable.

Nearly every one of them was at Golden Immortal Perfection or above, and one had already stepped into the Supreme Unity Golden Immortal realm.

Seeing that there were no outsiders around, Fairy Ziling set up a barrier before feeling safe enough to ask:

“Junior brother, is what you said true? Were you really taken as a disciple by Master’s avatar?”

“Where exactly were you, and when were you taken in?”

Su Xing naturally understood what these second-generation disciples were thinking.

Qingyunzi hadn’t appeared for over a hundred thousand years. Even these disciples didn’t know his whereabouts and had long assumed he had perished.

Only Su Xing knew that at this moment, Qingyunzi was hiding in the forbidden grounds of the rear mountain, having activated a grand formation to suppress the evil corpse alone!

But Su Xing still fabricated an explanation:

“I was born in a small world… it has been seventy thousand years since I was taken as a disciple.”

“Therefore, Master is definitely still alive… I have come this time on Master’s orders…”

“Master is currently in the forbidden grounds of Three Immortals Peak at the rear mountain!”

The moment Su Xing finished speaking, it was as if a thunderbolt had struck from a clear sky!

One of the second-generation disciples was so agitated that his voice trembled:

“Junior brother, is this truly so?”

Su Xing nodded and replied, “Of course it’s true…”

“However, Master is currently facing a crisis. He summoned me back to speak with me privately. I wish to see Master first.”

After hearing Su Xing’s words, the other disciples discussed amongst themselves and quickly reached a consensus.

“Little junior brother, how about this?”

“Master is in seclusion at Three Immortals Peak, and we shouldn’t disturb him…”

“Since Master summoned you, how about you go with Junior Sister Ziling?”

Clearly, these second-generation disciples didn’t fully trust Su Xing yet, so they wanted Fairy Ziling to accompany him.

Su Xing nodded upon hearing this:

“That’s perfectly fine.”

…

And so, moments later, Su Xing and Fairy Ziling appeared at the foot of Three Immortals Peak.

Fairy Ziling took the first step, placing her foot on the mountain stairway. But the moment she stepped forward, her expression changed — a mix of excitement and complex emotions.

“Junior brother… just now, Master sent me a voice transmission. He wants you to go up the mountain alone…”

Su Xing smiled and nodded:

“Senior Sister Ziling, since that’s the case, I’ll go by myself.”

After a moment’s thought, Su Xing produced a jade slip and handed it to Fairy Ziling:

“This is our first meeting, and your junior brother doesn’t have much of a greeting gift…”

“I’ve heard from Master that senior sister is quite interested in the art of spirit cultivation… I happen to have some insights, recorded in this jade slip…”

Senior Sister Ziling accepted it instinctively.

If it were any other gift, Fairy Ziling might have declined. But the art of spirit cultivation was indeed her passion. Besides, in her view, what kind of insights could Su Xing — a young Golden Immortal who had only cultivated for seventy thousand years — possibly have?

Surely nothing too precious?

But when Fairy Ziling saw the contents of the jade slip, her expression changed dramatically — a mix of shock and delight.

With her level of spirit cultivation expertise, she could immediately tell that this jade slip was nothing less than a priceless treasure for any spirit cultivation master!

“Junior brother, this… this is far too precious!”

Fairy Ziling was momentarily torn, her cheeks flushing red. The magnificent genius ranked first on the Prodigy List’s Earth Ranking was actually showing a bashful side in front of Su Xing.

The jade slip was extraordinarily precious, and it would be of great use to her!

As a junior brother, Su Xing had presented her with a greeting gift, yet she hadn’t prepared anything in return. She couldn’t think of what to give back.

Just as Fairy Ziling was struggling with this dilemma, Su Xing said with a smile:

“Senior sister, just keep it…”

“After I’ve seen Master, I’ll be staying in the sect for some time. If you have any questions… feel free to come ask me.”

With that, Su Xing strode toward the summit of Three Immortals Peak, and within mere moments, his figure could no longer be seen.

At the foot of the mountain, Fairy Ziling stared blankly at the jade slip in her hand, feeling that something was very strange.

“He keeps calling me ‘senior sister’… so why does it feel like the way he looks at me is more like a master looking at me?”

Fairy Ziling was somewhat puzzled.

When she treated her own junior disciples, her attitude was exactly like Su Xing’s.

Su Xing had casually gifted the spirit cultivation jade slip to Fairy Ziling to help fulfill her path to Supreme Unity.

After all, Fairy Ziling had gotten along well with Su Xing in the simulations, and she was a good person. Most importantly… it resolved a thread of karma!

With this thought, Su Xing took step after step. Each stride seemed small, yet before long he had reached the impossibly high summit.

Arriving at the peak of Three Immortals Peak, Su Xing gazed upon the familiar scenery and felt a deep surge of emotion.

A few acres of barren fields, a thatched cottage, a mountain spring…

This scene was exactly the same as when Su Xing had first entered the spirit field grotto-heaven!

Seeing this, Su Xing couldn’t help but recall memories of the past. In the end, he let out a long sigh, condensing it all into a single line:

“The path of immortal cultivation stretches endlessly — can mortal attachments ever truly be left behind?”

In that instant, Su Xing suddenly felt another shackle within his heart shatter.

“Heart free of attachments, mortal concerns forgotten… the Tribulation of the Mortal Heart — overcome!”

Su Xing’s expression was somewhat complex. He hadn’t expected that the spontaneous sentiment triggered by seeing this scene from the past would actually help him pass another tribulation!

“Heart free of attachments, mortal concerns forgotten… so that’s how it is!”

“It doesn’t mean I must completely forget all mortal affairs… after all, that is one’s original aspiration! Even a Saint cannot completely forget the past…”

“It’s simply that mortal attachments belong to the person I once was, and should not become obsessions weighing on my heart… countless years from now, they will be but a passing scenery along the path of cultivation.”

Su Xing seemed to have gained an epiphany.

This was his own insight from the Tribulation of the Mortal Heart — it wouldn’t necessarily apply to others.

Having unexpectedly passed another of the Nine Tribulations of Great Firmament, Su Xing was in excellent spirits, his steps noticeably lighter.

In just a few strides, he arrived before the thatched cottage.

Before he could even knock, a slightly weary voice came from within:

“Come in~”

…

Su Xing paused briefly upon hearing this, then pushed the door open and entered.

The moment he stepped inside the thatched cottage, Su Xing saw Qingyunzi sitting cross-legged on a bed.

Though his aura seemed somewhat diminished, his complexion and spirits were still reasonably vigorous.

Qingyunzi rose with a smile and asked Su Xing:

“I already know of your situation… I hear you are a disciple taken in by one of my avatars?”

Qingyunzi cultivated One Qi Transforms into Three Purities, possessing three avatars: good, evil, and true self.

Each avatar was a separate body, yet could also serve as the main body — this was the profound mystery of One Qi Transforms into Three Purities.

When Qingyunzi had severed his good corpse back then, he hadn’t been entirely without contingencies.

He had left behind numerous fragments of the good corpse’s divine sense, scattered throughout the Three Thousand Worlds.

What Su Xing had encountered was one such divine sense fragment.

But when Qingyunzi finished sizing up Su Xing, his expression shifted.

“You say you were taken in as my disciple seventy thousand years ago… but your cultivation level!?”

Qingyunzi stared intently at Su Xing. To his senses, Su Xing was clearly at Supreme Unity Golden Immortal Perfection!

A mere seventy thousand years to reach Supreme Unity Golden Immortal Perfection?

Qingyunzi naturally didn’t believe it!

Even in ancient times, the most talented Great Firmament Golden Immortals couldn’t come anywhere close to achieving such a feat!

Magical power surged around Qingyunzi’s body. Clearly, he suspected Su Xing had come with hostile intent, and if there were any sudden moves, he would “strike down” Su Xing on the spot!

Su Xing naturally understood what Qingyunzi was thinking.

But the Su Xing of today harbored no fear whatsoever of Qingyunzi in his current state.

This was precisely why Su Xing had waited until the Great Shaman Body Forging Art broke through to the eighth layer before coming here.

However, Su Xing hadn’t come here to fight Qingyunzi.

His cultivation level was merely to ensure his own safety.

After some deliberation, Su Xing spoke:

“Senior jests… I am naturally a disciple you took in.”

“As for what you mentioned — reaching Peak Supreme Unity Golden Immortal in seventy thousand years — it’s not entirely impossible…”

“Because I also received another legacy… the Luotian Sect’s legacy!”

At these words, Qingyunzi’s expression shifted. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind before he finally let out a long sigh:

“A descendant of Luotian, then? So what have you come to me for?”

Qingyunzi was, after all, still a righteous cultivator. What he had done to Luotian Ancestor all those years ago had already filled him with regret for many years.

Now, a descendant of Luotian had appeared, and one who even had ties to him.

He wanted to see what this junior before him intended to do.

Su Xing thought for a moment, then first produced a jade slip and said:

“Senior, what is contained in this jade slip is a divine sense attack technique called the Ruyi Visualization Method.”

“This technique can complement your One Qi Transforms into Three Purities, making up for its flaws and shortcomings…”

Su Xing handed over the jade slip, and Qingyunzi — a dignified half-saint — found his hands actually beginning to tremble.

The thing he had craved for countless years, the prize of a struggle spanning tens of millions of years — wasn’t this very technique exactly what he had been seeking all along?

And now, this technique was right before his eyes, tangible and real.

How could he possibly not be moved?

And so, Qingyunzi accepted the jade slip with trembling hands. After sweeping it once with his divine sense, he let out a long sigh:

“With this technique, this old man finally has a sliver of a chance! Consider it… the resolution of the greatest obsession of my cultivation life!”

Clearly, Qingyunzi also understood that he had reached a critical juncture. Even the Ruyi Visualization Diagram couldn’t solve his immediate predicament.

If only it had come several hundred thousand years earlier… perhaps Qingyunzi could have successfully performed the Reverse Severing of the Three Corpses and attained Sainthood!

But time never flows backward…

Qingyunzi sighed and carefully stored the jade slip away.

For him, this jade slip was not so much a ray of hope as it was the resolution of his years-long obsession.

And so Qingyunzi said:

“What happened back then — I was the one who wronged Luotian Ancestor… Now that you’ve found me, I will not treat you poorly…”

“How about this — whatever you need, speak freely. As long as it is within my power, I shall grant it.”

Su Xing was in no rush upon hearing this.

He had come to the Azure Cloud Sect for good reason. Not only could he get his hands on the Dao-Enlightenment Tea, but he also needed to exchange for a batch of resources within the sect!

But before that, Su Xing needed to settle Qingyunzi’s matter first.

“Senior, besides the Ruyi Visualization Diagram… there is another method that can resolve your inner demons!”

“It is called… the Celestial Sun Soul-Forging Pill!”