NOVEL NEXT Chapter 180: [Hunyuan Palace]
Dragons roared and tigers howled!
The flow of Yin and Yang!
The instant he stepped into the Fourth Realm of the Hunyuan Dragon Tiger Scripture Mystery, Qi Xiu's eyes once again glazed over. Countless accumulated experiences and insights fused into one, breaking through his original shackles like a surging flood.
The dragon soared into the sky!
His heart stirred. Qi Xiu raised his hand towards the heavens. The Mo Jiao immediately let out a long cry, soaring into the sky above his head and merging with it. The dark, heavy Sky Dome faintly rumbled.
The tiger lay upon the earth!
Qi Xiu then pointed towards the ground. The purple tiger roared, lay upon the earth, and gradually seeped into it, causing the dark, solid ground to tremble slightly.
One finger pointing to the sky, one finger pointing to the earth, the acupoints throughout Qi Xiu's body shone brilliantly.
That was the ancient, majestic aura being released from exactly two hundred Mixed Primordial Beads.
"Yin and Yang, Yin and Yang.
Above is Yin, below is Yang;
The Valley Spirit never dies, it is called the Profound Feminine.
The Gate of the Profound Feminine, it is the Root of Heaven and Earth.
The Dragon Coil in the sky is Space,
The Tiger Crouching on the earth is Time.
Combined, they form the Seal that Anchors the Cosmos.
With one heart, boundless longevity is born."
Chanting the verses, Qi Xiu's eyes were tightly closed, his hands clasped together—left hand below in a supporting palm gesture, right hand above forming a finger seal.
In the next instant, Qi Xiu suddenly opened his eyes and uttered softly, "Hunyuan Zen Seal! Suppress!"
BOOM BOOM—
A tremendous roar thundered from the void, as if it were the heartbeat of an Innate God.
Qi Xiu's figure instantly became hazy, and amidst the blur, phantoms of him rippled outwards.
Slowly turning his eyes, Qi Xiu gazed out the window.
On the crisp branches of a tree, a sparrow was about to spread its wings and fly, but its movements were like still frames in a movie.
Playing frame by frame, slowed to the extreme!
BOOM BOOM—
That deafening, earth-shattering sound echoed once more.
Everything before his eyes returned to normal. The bird outside the window flapped its wings and flew away without any hesitation or delay.
Looking at his hands, a hint of joy emerged in Qi Xiu's eyes.
Divine Marvels of the Fourth Realm! Hunyuan Zen Seal!
Savoring the profound and mysterious sensation that felt like time had frozen, Qi Xiu's gaze flickered as he reflected.
That state just now… it wasn't that I slowed down time. My current Dao-Entering Realm is far from qualified to touch an extremely high-level law like 'Time'. The Power of Chrono Light… even Primordial Spirit Bosses wouldn't dare touch it lightly. It's a fundamental law that underpins heaven and earth. Rash interference would invite divine retribution. The so-called Hunyuan Zen Seal must have independently created a… how should I put it… a domain uniquely my own… the Hunyuan Palace? I don't have the ability to slow the flow of time. Instead, I departed from this world, hidden within that Hunyuan Palace. The flow of time in the Hunyuan Palace is different from that of the Home Realm. So, it's not this world that truly slowed down. It's me!
Having sorted out the Divine Marvels of the Fourth Realm of the Hunyuan Dragon Tiger Scripture Mystery, Qi Xiu lightly tapped the floor.
At first glance, this Divine Marvel seems terrifying. After all, a domain exclusively my own is something not even Primordial Spirit Bosses have achieved. However, to adeptly wield this Divine Marvel, I need to explore it more and become familiar with it.
Unlike the straightforward power of the Star Absorption Skill and the Dominion over the Ten Thousand Laws, the Hunyuan Palace required a much longer time to study operationally and to determine the key aspects of this Divine Marvel.
For the subsequent period, Qi Xiu devoted all his energy to this Divine Marvel, attempting to understand the limits of the Hunyuan Palace.
When one is focused, time passes almost unnoticed.
In the blink of an eye, two months had passed.
A weary Qi Xiu rubbed his brow, his half-closed eyes nevertheless conveying deep joy. After two months without sleep or rest, he had finally thoroughly researched the Fourth Realm's Divine Marvel—the Hunyuan Palace.
It was just as he had initially thought. The reason he felt time slow down was precisely because the flow of time within the Hunyuan Palace was not synchronized with that of the Home Realm. Upon entering the Hunyuan Palace, he was essentially extracted from this world, like two parallel lines that could see each other but did not intersect.
While dwelling within the Hunyuan Palace, he could control the tempo of time in this small domain at will. The current limit allowed him to establish a 2:1 time flow ratio compared to the Home Realm. However, the energy consumption of this Divine Marvel was enormous. For every minute he spent in the Hunyuan Palace, he would deplete the True Gang within one Mixed Primordial Bead. This meant that with his current cultivation of two hundred Mixed Primordial Beads, he could only stay in the Hunyuan Palace for three and a half hours.
Three and a half hours… If I slow the Hunyuan Palace's time flow to its minimum, it means that by relying on this Divine Marvel, I'll gain an extra three and a half hours each day compared to others.
His eyes gleamed with excitement; Qi Xiu was somewhat thrilled. An extra three and a half hours a day might not seem significant, but ten days would mean an extra day and a half. A month would mean four extra days. A year would mean fifty extra days—nearly two additional months.
Moreover, this is calculated based on my current cultivation level. As the number of my Mixed Primordial Beads increases, the extra time I gain will also increase. And the Hunyuan Palace will grow with the advancement of the Hunyuan Dragon Tiger Scripture Mystery. It seems this Divine Marvel is not at all inferior to the Star Absorption Skill or the Dominion over the Ten Thousand Laws. It might even be stronger.
Qi Xiu silently calculated the extra time gained from using the Hunyuan Palace, pondering internally.
The Hunyuan Palace is a unique miniature world independent of the Home Realm. Currently, this small world is extremely narrow, only able to accommodate me. But as my cultivation level grows and my realm ascends, the area of this Hunyuan Palace might expand. Perhaps other uses can be developed for it in the future.
Just as Qi Xiu had calmed his excitement from acquiring a new Divine Marvel, Daoist Yunxiong's message arrived at his doorstep.
"Attend a ceremony?"
Looking at the bright red invitation in his hand, Qi Xiu wore a puzzled expression.
What's going on? The sect observes these formalities too?
"Yes, two juniors from Yunli Peak have become Daoist Companions, and they've invited us to attend the ceremony," Daoist Yunxiong said, pulling out the new Taoist Robe that Nangong Qingqiu had given him. After holding it up in front of himself for a moment, he turned to Qi Xiu and asked, "How does it look?"
"Not bad. So, should we bring a gift?"
"Nonsense! I'd like to go without one, but your Senior Martial Uncle Yunxiang would never agree. He's been waiting a long time for one of his disciples to form a Daoist Companionship. He's probably already calculating how many gifts he'll receive. If we don't give one? That donkey face of his would probably stretch from Yunli Peak all the way to the Mountain Gate!"
After changing into the new Taoist Robe, Daoist Yunxiong stood before a bronze mirror, appraising himself.
Everyone has their vanities. Even Dao Experts are human; they too possess the seven emotions and six desires. This sect celebration for Daoist Companions might seem like just a ceremony, but in reality, all the Peak Masters wanted to use this opportunity to compare themselves with one another. Competition was the driving force for progress, after all.
Turning to glance at Qi Xiu, who was flipping through the invitation, Daoist Yunxiong's lips unconsciously curled into a smile.
My dear martial brothers, pardon me, but this year, Yunxiong is going to show off properly!
Opening the beautifully crafted red invitation and seeing the names of the new couple, Qi Xiu's eyes suddenly narrowed.
Dong Xingzhou?
On a transcendent peak shrouded in mist, where cliffs rose steeply, ancient pines and verdant cypresses adorned the landscape. A winding and secluded path through the dense forest led guests slowly to the summit.
Disciples of the sect becoming Daoist Companions was a rare but celebratory occasion for the Shenxiao Sect. This was especially true since the two forming the companionship were direct disciples from one of the sect's seventy-two peaks. By tradition, all Peak Masters, except for those away on missions or in seclusion, would bring their disciples to attend and offer their blessings. This had become a tacitly observed rule over many years.
After passing through a Forest Sea and by a cascading waterfall, they arrived at a square built on a spacious, flat meadow at the summit. Qionghua railings enclosed the square. At its center stood an exquisitely carved, pure white jade altar, adorned with fragrant flowers and various offerings. Behind the altar was a magnificent pavilion with flying eaves and painted beams, radiating an ancient and mysterious aura.
At the entrance to the square, several disciples from Yunli Peak sat at four tables, meticulously recording the gifts presented by the various Peak Masters.
"Junior Brother Yunxiong, you've made a fortune these past few years, haven't you? That Soul Divine Medicine sells incredibly well; your residence must be overflowing with Dao-coins by now!"
"Not at all, not at all. This is all thanks to this little disciple of mine's good fortune."
"You must be Qi Xiu, right? Good lad! What you did at Divine Sorrow Ridge a few years back was splendid; you brought honor to our Shenxiao Sect. Well done! Visit your Martial Uncle sometime; I'll give you some special guidance."
"Martial Nephew, you're quite a looker. I have several female disciples who are also rather striking. Shall your Senior Martial Uncle play matchmaker for you?"
"Your female disciples? Let's not bring out those brawny women, shall we?"
"What are you saying? Who's brawny? They're just a bit more robust physically! Is that any way to talk about young ladies?"
"Young ladies? I've seen plenty of young ladies, but I've certainly never seen any who are all muscle!"
Watching the Peak Masters start bickering as soon as they met, Qi Xiu chuckled inwardly. Many of these Peak Masters were Dao Experts, cultivators whose abilities could shake the heavens. Each of them was a titan capable of holding dominion over a region in the outside world. Yet, they seemed to have few inhibitions about their words and actions. They acted freely, with an open and natural demeanor. This was quite different from the solemn, lofty seniors Qi Xiu had imagined. But this was also very nice; at least it felt more comfortable.
With Qi Xiu in tow, Daoist Yunxiong's grin never left his face the entire way. He was like a parent showing off their child, taking Qi Xiu wherever the crowds were thickest, all the while humbly saying it was all due to his young disciple's own efforts. And so, Qi Xiu naturally became the proverbial "other family's child."
Arriving at the ceremony site, Qi Xiu and Daoist Yunxiong were seated quite near the front, just behind the first row.
As Qi Xiu turned his head to look around, he inadvertently caught sight of one of today's main figures—Dong Xingzhou!
Dong Xingzhou was dressed in a crimson gauze robe embroidered with gold thread, looking heroic and strikingly handsome. But when Qi Xiu saw him, he felt a subtle sense of unease.
Something's not right.
His brow furrowed slightly. Ever since seeing Dong Xingzhou's name on the invitation, Qi Xiu had felt a faint, unsettling premonition. Now, seeing him in person, this feeling intensified severalfold.