Chapter 252 Destiny
Wen Zhong lowered his head respectfully, not daring to look up at all.

"Master."

Wen Zhong replied respectfully: "The reason I came here is because someone taught me, Yang Ling, to team up with the descendants of Yuan Feng to kill the Human King and seize the human destiny that should belong to our Jie Sect..."

He recounted the entire incident in great detail, not daring to conceal or revise anything.

The eye between Wen Zhong's eyebrows that can see through right and wrong and truth and falsehood was taught to him by his master. He knew very well that if he lied or concealed something in front of his master, he would not escape her divine eyes.

"I see. I never thought that the Human Religion would take the initiative to participate in this catastrophe. I don't know whether this is a blessing or a curse for my Jie Religion."

After listening to Wen Zhong's story, the Golden Spirit Holy Mother nodded slightly and said, "I already know about this matter. Please wait here. I will go to the Green Travel Palace to see your master."

"Yes, disciple, I obey!"

Wen Zhong had not expected that this matter would actually alarm the head saint. He immediately became uneasy and knelt there respectfully, not daring to stand up.

Upon seeing this, Holy Mother Jin Ling could not help but shook her head secretly.

Jiejiao has never had so many rules, but this little disciple has set rules for himself everywhere...it should be said that it is a cage.

Otherwise, how could his cultivation be so low?
However, unless he can figure it out on his own, no one else can teach him.

The Golden Spirit Mother shook slightly and arrived outside the temple. Wisps of light golden clouds naturally emerged under her feet, carrying her towards the Zizhi Cliff.

Zizhi Cliff stands proudly on the eastern edge of Penglai Fairy Island, with endless blue waves and clear sky next to it.

As the supreme dojo of Master Tongtian, Zizhi Cliff exudes the supreme majesty and sacred brilliance of a magnificent holy land, as if it is the most dazzling pearl between heaven and earth.

Looking down from the sky, Zizhi Cliff is surrounded by circles of gorgeous purple air. These purple air are not mortal things, but the essence and spiritual energy of heaven and earth are gathered. After countless years of precipitation and condensation, they finally formed this unique purple barrier.

Within the barrier, all things grow and are full of vitality. Every inch of land contains supreme Tao essence and exudes an intoxicating holy breath.

On the cliff, a group of magnificent palaces are built against the mountain in an orderly manner. Each palace has carved beams and painted buildings, with flying eaves and pointed corners, showing its simplicity, elegance, and solemnity.

The palace is shrouded in clouds and mist, and cranes are flying together, as if the fairyland from heaven has fallen into the mortal world, which makes people feel awe involuntarily.

The sunlight shines through the clouds and onto the golden roof of the palace, flashing dazzling light, like thousands of stars gathering together to illuminate this sacred land.

Deep in the Zizhi Cliff, there is a vast spiritual field where various rare spiritual herbs and elixirs are planted. The most precious of them is the Zizhi herb.

These immortal herbs thrive under the nourishment of the saint's aura and emit a faint fragrance. They can not only prolong life, but also help people realize the truth and become immortals.

Whenever the flowers bloom, the entire Zizhi Cliff will be immersed in a sea of ​​purple flowers, which is so beautiful that it looks like a fairyland.

Looking from a distance, Zizhi Cliff looks like a towering purple tower reaching into the sky. Its height seems to be able to touch the sky, which is awe-inspiring.

The cliff wall is as smooth as a mirror, yet contains endless runes and patterns, all of which were engraved by Master Tongtian with his supreme magical powers. Every stroke contains profound Taoist meanings and the truth of heaven and earth, making people feel a tremendous pressure coming towards them while gazing at it.

These magic arrays and prohibitions were left behind when Master Tongtian comprehended the art of array formations, and they contain Master Tongtian's profound understanding of the great way of heaven and earth.

They appear and disappear, sometimes turning into a misty maze, and sometimes turning into a thunderous barrier, which makes people marvel and feel as if they have found a treasure.

Because these formations and restrictions are too mysterious, only a few disciples of the Jiejiao Sect are allowed to enter here to comprehend and learn.

Normally, disciples of Jiejiao are not allowed to approach Zizhi Cliff.

This is not to prevent them from learning secretly, but to protect them.

It would not be a good thing for them to rashly come into contact with the Tao rhyme of this place before reaching a certain level.

The Golden Spirit Mother is naturally not among them.

With her level of Taoism, she can freely enter and exit Zizhi Cliff and come and go without hindrance in this saint's Taoist temple.

Soon, the Golden Spirit Mother arrived in front of a Taoist palace on the Zizhi Cliff. This palace was majestic and magnificent. It was the place where Master Tongtian practiced - the Biyou Palace.

When she arrived in front of the Biyou Palace, the Golden Spirit Mother frowned slightly.

Because she found that the door of Biyou Palace was tightly closed, which meant that Master Tongtian was either in seclusion to gain enlightenment, or refining weapons or elixirs. In short, he did not want to see guests at this time.

If it were someone else, they would probably turn around and leave at this point, waiting to visit again later.

But the Golden Spirit Mother is the direct disciple of Master Tongtian, so she naturally would not give up just like that.

Without saying a word, she stretched out her hand and flicked it, and the tall gate of Biyou Palace began to tremble violently.

"Squeak~"

The palace door is wide open.

The Golden Spirit Mother rushed in directly.

A thin and handsome Taoist ran out in a panic. He was relieved when he saw the Golden Spirit Mother. "It's the eldest sister. I was wondering who dared to break into the Green Travel Palace... Piluxian greets the eldest sister!"

Bilushian is one of the seven attendant immortals.

Although the seven attendants were outer disciples, they were deeply trusted by Master Tongtian and were kept by his side as attendants.

For outer disciples, this is a great opportunity.

Therefore, the Seven Immortals have a very high status among the outer disciples, almost equal to the inner disciples, and even the outer eldest disciple Zhao Gongming does not take them seriously.

They do have reason to be arrogant.

Because they had served the saint for many years and used the saint's aura to practice and attain enlightenment, the seven immortals who followed them all made rapid progress, far surpassing their fellow disciples.

It is said that among the seven immortals there is a master who has reached the realm of Daluo Jinxian, and is no weaker than the inner disciples!
However, although the Seven Immortals have a high status in front of the outer disciples, they are still not good enough when they meet the inner disciples.

After all, the inner disciples are the true disciples of Master Tongtian, and they who follow the Seven Immortals are merely attendants of Master Tongtian.

Which is lighter and heavier, at a glance.

"Where is the Master?"

The Golden Spirit Mother asked bluntly.

Biluxian did not dare to hide it, and quickly whispered: "The headmaster is playing chess with the eldest brother in the hall right now..."

"Playing chess?"

The Golden Spirit Holy Mother frowned and asked, "If you are not in seclusion, then why are you keeping the palace gates closed?"

"It's not us who acted on our own initiative..." Bilushian shook his head quickly, aggrieved, "It was the eldest brother who asked us to close the door. He said that the master didn't like to be disturbed when he was playing chess with him."

"Eldest brother?"

The Golden Spirit Mother narrowed her eyes slightly, and her mind suddenly became active.

Among the four inner disciples of Jiejiao, the eldest brother Duobao Taoist is the leader, and she, the Golden Spirit Mother, is the leader of the female fairies.

The two of them were the first to become disciples, and they had a good relationship. Although they had had disputes over the years, they were all normal exchanges and debates, and they had never really gotten angry.

All along, the Golden Spirit Holy Mother has respected and honored this eldest senior brother. He indeed has the bearing of the first disciple of the Jiejiao Sect, and his treatment of people and things is impeccable.

But this action made her a little confused.

Closing the door and not allowing others to pay homage to the master is a bit too petty, and it's not something that the eldest senior brother would drive out.

The Golden Spirit Mother was suspicious, but she remained calm. She just said "hmm" lightly and walked straight towards the hall.

Naturally, Biluxian did not dare to stop her. After the Golden Spirit Mother left, a half-smile appeared on his face.

The status of the Seven Immortals is certainly much higher than that of ordinary outer disciples, but if they can go one step further and become inner disciples, then they can truly enter the realm!

But there are only four positions for inner disciples. Even those with outstanding talents like Zhao Gongming and Sanxiao can only be outer disciples...

Therefore, if one wants to become an inner disciple, in addition to getting the attention of the head saint, he also has to make room for the inner disciples.

At this time, the Golden Spirit Mother had already arrived at the main hall. As soon as she entered the door, she saw a jade table carved from thousand-year-old ice placed in the center of the hall. It was inlaid with various gems, dazzling, yet elegant. There were several ancient books and jade slips scattered on the table, which seemed to record the oldest and most profound secrets between heaven and earth.

All around, several giant pillars carved from rare spiritual woods support the entire hall. The pillars are carved with auspicious patterns of dragons and phoenixes, and rolling clouds. They are lifelike and seem to move with the wind.

The air is filled with light floral and sandalwood scents, interweaving into a relaxing and refreshing atmosphere that makes people involuntarily slow down their pace and immerse themselves in this tranquility and harmony.

From deep within the palace, the melodious sound of a zither can be faintly heard. The melody is like the sound of a spring or a gentle breeze blowing on your face, cleansing and soothing your soul like never before.

The palace is decorated with various exotic flowers and plants, some of which are about to bloom, and some are gorgeous. They not only decorate the palace, but also seem to give it life and vitality. On the roof of the palace, under the transparent glazed tiles, there is a trickle of water flowing slowly, forming a series of small waterfalls. The water drops splashing down make a clear and pleasant sound, which echoes with the sound of the zither, forming a piece of natural music.

The Golden Spirit Mother walked quickly towards the back hall, and after walking around a screen, she saw a handsome and distinguished young Taoist sitting quietly at one end of a jade table.

He was dressed in a spotless white Taoist robe, which fluttered gently in the wind, like an immortal walking in the clouds. He had a handsome face, sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, a straight nose, and a calm and self-assured smile on his lips, revealing an extraordinary temperament.

Her long black hair was simply tied up, with a few strands of hair fluttering in the wind on her forehead, adding a bit of unruly and free and easy style.

Sitting opposite him was a middle-aged Taoist priest with a mellow face and a warm smile. He was wearing a light yellow Taoist robe with simple yet solemn cloud and water patterns embroidered on the collar, which made him look simple yet noble.

His face is round and full, his eyes are gentle and deep, as if he can see through everything in the world. His smile is as warm as spring, making people feel close and at ease.

The middle-aged Taoist held a chess piece in his hand and rubbed it gently, as if he was thinking about the next move.

On the jade table, the chessboard is laid out exquisitely, with the black and white pieces arranged in an orderly manner, like the layout of a galaxy, implying the ultimate truth of heaven and earth.

The young Taoist priest and the middle-aged Taoist priest played chess. Each move seemed so calm and unhurried, as if every step was carefully considered. Sometimes they frowned and fell into deep thought; sometimes they raised their mouth corners and showed a knowing smile.

Everything around them seemed to be still, leaving only the two of them and the unfinished chess game, together performing a contest of wisdom and strategy.

The air is filled with a faint scent of tea and sandalwood, which complements the quiet scenery inside the palace.

After the Golden Spirit Holy Mother came in, the young Taoist smiled and waved, "Jin Ling, you came just in time. Come and see who has a better chance of winning this game of chess?"

The Golden Spirit Mother stepped forward and took a closer look at the chessboard. She smiled and said, "Of course it's you, Master. The black piece held by Senior Brother is in trouble and there is no way to save it."

"Haha, did you hear me? Duobao, you'd better stop struggling. Just admit defeat as soon as possible to avoid a miserable defeat." The young Taoist said with a smile.

Obviously, although he looks young, he is actually the real Jiejiao saint Tongtian.

The middle-aged Taoist sitting opposite him, who looked steady and as if he held a high position, was his disciple, Taoist Duobao.

After hearing what Master Tongtian said, Taoist Duobao did not give up, but said unwillingly: "As long as there is still a glimmer of hope, we should not give up. Isn't this the great way of my Jiejiao?"

"Brother, what you said makes sense... But doing something knowing it is impossible is not what a wise person does." The Golden Spirit Mother said lightly.

Taoist Duobao nodded, looked at his junior sister and said, "Junior sister, what you said is very true. If it really comes to that, I will naturally retreat. But at the moment, this game of chess has not reached the point where it cannot be saved. What do you think, Master?"

"I think what you said makes sense." Tongtian Sect Master laughed and said, "Anyway, the road is under your feet. Whether to move forward bravely or retreat in the face of difficulties, you need to make your own choice."

"Master, you are trying to smooth things over again!" The Holy Mother of the Golden Spirit said unhappily, "Every time my senior brother and I have an argument, you always ignore it and let us decide who is better on our own."

"Isn't this great?"

Tongtian Sect Master smiled and said, "The truth cannot be understood without debate, and the principle cannot be clear without argument. If you argue and debate for the truth and principle that you approve of, that is your own business. What does it have to do with me?"

"Yes, yes, Master is the most reasonable!" Holy Mother Golden Spirit said in a gloomy tone.

Tongtian Patriarch did not take it seriously and asked with a smile: "Tell me, what happened that made you come to see me in such a hurry?"

"Master is very observant, and I can't hide anything from you."

The Golden Spirit Holy Mother flattered him lightly, and then said in a deep voice: "Today my disciple Wen Zhong came back. According to him, the merchant king has been replaced, and the Human Cult has also intervened..."

She explained the whole story in detail.

Taoist Duobao frowned when he heard this. After hearing the news that Zhao Gongming had lost and admitted defeat, he could no longer hold back and said in a deep voice, "Such a big thing happened, and Zhao Gongming didn't reveal a word at all!"

The Golden Spirit Holy Mother said, "It may be because the master had previously asked all the disciples to remain in seclusion. They left the cave without permission this time, so naturally they did not dare to take the initiative to report this matter."

"Humph, we have to distinguish between the less important and the less serious!" Taoist Duobao said coldly, "We have been bullied by the sect and we are still kept in the dark..."

Before he finished speaking, he heard Tongtian Sect Master say with a smile: "A few days ago, Gongming sent me a letter and told me about this matter in detail. You should not blame him."

"what?"

Taoist Duobao was stunned for a moment, "Master, have you known about this a long time ago?"

The Golden Spirit Mother was also slightly stunned and felt a little surprised.

"of course!"

Tongtian Sect Master smiled and said, "I am a saint, so I know everything! Although we are in the time of catastrophe and I cannot see the cycle of cause and effect, I have disciples all over the world, so it is not difficult for me to find out some information."

The Golden Spirit Holy Mother said angrily, "Since you know everything, why don't you stop it? Are we just going to watch the human sect encroach on our territory?"

“What’s the difference between territory and no territory? We are not ordinary people!” Tongtian said with a smile: “What you see now is that the Human Religion is interfering with the Shang Dynasty and snatching the destiny of humanity that should belong to our Jie Religion, but what I see is that the Human Religion has decided to plan the Conferred God Tribulation to compete with the Chan Religion.

Do you think I need to stop it?"

"what?"

The Golden Spirit Holy Mother was a little surprised, "The Human Cult and the Chan Cult are going to fight?"

“It’s just a possibility…” Tongtian Sect Master said with a smile: “If we stop the Human Sect at this time, then this possibility will not happen.

On the contrary, by then, it might be that the Human Religion and the Chan Religion will join forces to deal with us."

"Then are we just going to accept it?" Taoist Duobao said dissatisfiedly, "It is the Human Religion that is bullying us now. If we ignore it, will the immortals in the prehistoric world still recognize that we are the first sect?"

He is the eldest senior brother of Jiejiao and has always taken the reputation of Jiejiao very seriously. He will never allow anyone to insult Jiejiao.

You can be disrespectful to him, but you must never be disrespectful to Jiejiao!

That's his bottom line!

Master Tongtian naturally knew the temperament of this disciple, and said with a smile: "Whether to give in or not is your business, I don't care about it."

“What Master said…” The Golden Spirit Holy Mother was also unhappy.

Tongtian Patriarch didn't care and said with a smile: "You two follow me."

After saying that, he slowly stood up, put his hands behind his back, slowly walked out of the hall, and came to a cliff behind the Biyou Palace.

The Golden Spirit Mother and Duobao Taoist looked at each other, but followed closely behind.

After arriving at the cliff, the two stood on the top of the steep cliff, as if standing at the boundary between heaven and earth, with an indescribable sense of grandeur and insignificance intertwined in their hearts.

Under your feet is a bottomless abyss, deep and remote, which makes you hold your breath and concentrate. However, what attracts everyone's attention is the vast and boundless sea of ​​clouds spreading before your eyes.

The sea of ​​clouds rolls like the softest silk between heaven and earth, gently kneaded by the invisible hand of wind, sometimes gathering into peaks, sometimes spreading into valleys, ever-changing and beautiful.

The sunlight penetrates the mist, casting mottled light and shadows. The golden light and the whiteness of the sea of ​​clouds are intertwined, just like a fairyland has descended, making people feel relaxed and happy and forget the hustle and bustle of the world.

In the distance, the sea and the sky are one color, and the vast blue waves connect with the sea of ​​clouds. It is impossible to tell where the sky is and where the sea is. All you can see is a vast expanse of blue, deep and mysterious.

The waves gently lap against the shore. Although out of reach, the subtle sound seems to be able to penetrate the barriers of time and space and reach our ears, bringing with it the call of the sea and the breath of freedom, making our minds suddenly open.

At this moment, the whole world seemed to have quieted down, leaving only the dialogue between wind and clouds, and the tranquility and shock deep in one's heart.

"Why did Master bring us here?"

The Golden Spirit Mother said with some confusion.

Master Tongtian did not keep the secret and said with a smile: "I will show you a game of chess."

"chess?"

The Golden Spirit Mother was stunned for a moment. Where are the chess pieces here?

Taoist Duobao was also very puzzled. He opened his eyes and looked carefully at the clouds and waves in the distance, trying to find a clue from them.

But in the end he gave up this futile action and said in a deep voice: "My disciple is dull, please teach me, Master!"

"It's normal that you can't see it." Tongtian Patriarch said with a smile: "There are very few people in this world who can see this chess game. You two are still far from it."

After saying this, he waved his hand lightly, and the sea of ​​clouds in front of him suddenly changed.

Above the magnificent rolling sea of ​​clouds, it seemed as if the boundary of time and space was gently revealed, and a dazzling river of time quietly emerged, stretching across the boundless sky.

This long river is not like anything in this mortal world. It flashes with unpredictable light, gentle and mysterious. Each ray of light contains endless stories and traces of time.

Upon closer inspection, the long river is not formed by the confluence of water, but is woven together by countless tiny and crystal drops of time.

Every drop of river water is like a small universe, carrying a unique fragment of time.

They flow either bright or dark, fast or slow, some are as gentle as the first light of dawn, some are as gorgeous as the afterglow of sunset; some pass by quickly, like a quick glance of youth, and some flow slowly, like the leisure time of old age.

With the rise and fall of the sea of ​​clouds and the whisper of the wind, the long river of time is constantly changing its shape. Sometimes it is vast and boundless, as if it can accommodate all the joys and sorrows in the world; sometimes it is narrow and winding, leading thoughts to shuttle between the past and the future.

In this long river, you can see the dust of history interweaving in light and shadow, and you can also feel the dawn of the future shining on the other side of hope.

The Golden Spirit Mother and Duobao Taoist stood on the top of the sea of ​​clouds, gazing at the long river of time, and were involuntarily immersed in a meditation that transcended the world.

Their will seemed to flow along with the river, crossing the boundaries of time and space, experiencing countless cycles of life and changes in the universe.

At this moment, time is no longer a constraint, but becomes a wonderful experience.

At this moment, Master Tongtian waved his hand, and the brilliant river of time instantly lost its power to flow. Every drop of river water remained still in the air, shining with eternal light.

These drops of time are no longer the fleeting past, nor are they the unreachable future.

The Golden Spirit Mother and Taoist Duobao gazed carefully at these water drops of time and discovered that the water drops recorded many events that had occurred in recent years.

For example, the discussion of Taoism in West Kunlun, the havoc in the Heavenly Palace, the quarrel between Lord Haotian and Emperor Gouchen, the turmoil in the secret realm of Jiuyangquan, and the discovery of the primordial purple air at the bottom of the Wangchuan River...

In each of these events, there is a young figure.

"Who is this guy?"

The Golden Spirit Mother asked curiously.

She was very sure that this young man was of vital importance, and all the major events that had happened in the prehistoric world in recent years were related to him!

"He is Yang Ling."

Tongtian Sect Leader said calmly: “When he first entered our field of vision, he was not very prominent until he somehow obtained the Nine-Nine Soul-Dispersing Gourd and then became very popular in West Kunlun. That’s when I noticed him.

After that, he found the Hongmeng Purple Qi left by Hongyun, and snatched the Sun True Fire left by the demon race...Now Yang Ling is about to touch the threshold of Daluo Jinxian. "

"So fast?"

The Golden Spirit Mother was horrified and couldn't help but exclaim.

How many years did it take her from becoming a disciple to achieving Daluo Jinxian?

One hundred thousand years, or one million years?
I can't remember it anymore.

I only remember that I meditated day and night to gain enlightenment, and never slacked off for the slightest. However, this fellow named Yang Ling had only been my disciple for a few years.

Even if he had some Taoist skills from the beginning, when he went to West Kunlun, he was just a Golden Immortal.

"This boy's talent is so amazing that it can be called unprecedented in history!" Taoist Duobao also said in a deep voice.

"You think so too, right?" Tongtian Sect Leader said with a smile, "But I don't think it's due to talent. His achievement is more like destiny!"

"Destiny?"

Taoist Duobao looked puzzled.

Master Tongtian did not explain any further. He just waved his hand lightly, and the long river of time disappeared.

In the sky, the clouds are like cotton wool caressed by time, changing their postures leisurely and contentedly.

At dawn, golden light shines down, and the edge of the clouds is inlaid with a circle of soft golden edges. They are either as light as feathers, dancing with the wind, slowly spreading into a vast sea of ​​clouds; or as heavy as mountains, layer upon layer, as if they are the most magnificent brushstrokes of nature, outlining flowing landscape paintings on the blue sky.

As the sun rises higher, the clouds roll and unfold, and the light and shadows interweave and change unpredictably. Sometimes the sky is blocked out, bringing a cool shadow; sometimes the sky becomes clear, allowing the sun to spread all over the earth, and all things are bathed in this warmth and brightness.

The sea water seemed to be driven by an invisible force, surging in from afar with an overwhelming momentum, hitting the rocks on the shore and making a deafening sound.

The splashing waves were like millions of flowers carved from white jade, blooming in an instant and quickly withering away, leaving behind trails of white foam.

"Don't think too much, you just need to know that the reason why the Human Cult intervened in the Conferred God Tribulation was because of Yang Ling.

Because of his existence, the direction of this Conferred God Calamity has become even more confusing, and even saints like us can’t see it clearly.”

Tongtian Patriarch looked at the waves in the distance and said calmly: "So I suggest you wait and see what happens."

(End of this chapter)