Chapter 126: First Entering the Heavenly Palace, the Goddess's Sensation
Standing on the white jade platform, gazing up at the towering, massive palace gate that soared into the heavens, Ye Li and Qin Yixuan were both filled with an indescribable awe. The gate, a thousand feet high, was carved entirely from an unknown source of divine Chaos Jade. Patterns of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and the state flowed across its facade, each pattern imbued with profound Daoist rhymes. Standing before it, one felt like an ant, awestruck.
Beyond the palace gates lay not the imagined palace complex, but a vast, boundless sea of clouds. Countless floating celestial mountains loomed amidst the mist, some boasting jade-like buildings and carved beams and painted buildings; others, cascading waterfalls and gurgling springs. Deeper still, the faint glimpse of a dazzling constellation of stars, the sun and moon shining together, seemed a world unto itself. The spiritual energy here was so rich it transformed into liquid spiritual rain. With every breath, one's cultivation slowly grew, bringing a sense of comfort throughout the body, as if every pore was cheering.
"This is the Nine Heavens Palace..." Qin Yixuan whispered softly, her beautiful eyes gleaming with a strange light. The goddess essence within her body was unusually active at this moment, like a long drought finally ending in a downpour, greedily absorbing the pure innate spiritual energy here.
Ye Li felt the same profound sensation. The fragments of the Samsara Mirror vibrated slightly within her sea of consciousness, a mixture of vigilance and a sense of resonance, akin to encountering a being of the same level. She keenly sensed that the spatial laws within this Heavenly Palace were drastically different from those of the outside world. Layer upon layer, it felt as if countless small worlds were nested within it, a truly mysterious and profound phenomenon.
Yun Ying, the guide, and several Heavenly Palace stewards came forward to greet them. Besides Yun Ying, the others exuded a profound aura, at least reaching the late Nascent Soul stage. They wore uniform, moon-white Taoist robes with cloud patterns and nine-tiered palace designs embroidered on the cuffs, giving them a solemn and mysterious air.
"My two young friends, welcome to the Jiuxiao Palace." Envoy Yunying smiled, her tone more friendly than when she was in the outside world. "These two are the Palace's external affairs stewards, Qinglan and Chisong. They will be responsible for your initial reception and arrangements."
Qinglan was a gentle, elegant female cultivator in green, her eyes and eyebrows smiling, giving people a feeling of being bathed in spring breeze. Chisong was a middle-aged man with a simple face and an upright figure. His expression was solemn and his eyes were like lightning, clearly a serious person.
"Thank you, two deacons." Ye Li and Qin Yixuan returned the greeting, behaving appropriately and neither servile nor arrogant.
Deacon Qinglan said gently, "There aren't many rules within the Heavenly Palace, but there are a few forbidden areas. I hope you two won't trespass. Also, most of the Heavenly Palace disciples are in seclusion, so it's rare to see them on weekdays. I hope you'll forgive me."
Led by Envoy Yunying and two deacons, they passed through the massive palace gate. The moment they entered, it was as if they had passed through an invisible barrier, and the surrounding landscape transformed again. Beneath their feet lay a shimmering white jade corridor. This jade was no ordinary item, but rather "Spirit-Yunyu Jade," capable of automatically absorbing and storing spiritual energy. Walking on it, spiritual energy automatically seeped into the body, nourishing the meridians.
On both sides of the corridor was a boundless sea of clouds, with cranes flying and spirit beasts running in the distance. Even more astonishing was that these cranes and spirit beasts exuded an aura that was no less than that of the Yuandan realm, clearly spiritual beings with great cultivation experience.
"That's the Bright Moon Crane. It's been cultivating in the palace for three thousand years, equivalent to the early stages of a human Nascent Soul." Deacon Qinglan explained, noticing Qin Yixuan's interest in the snow-white crane with the Bright Moon mark atop its head. "And that three-eyed ape over there, skilled in spatial mystical powers, is one of the spirit beasts guarding the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion."
As she delved deeper, the goddess essence within Qin Yixuan became increasingly active. She felt every cell in her body leap for joy, like a wanderer returning home. The ancient Daoist rhyme that permeated the air resonated strongly with her inner essence, deepening her understanding of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Water Classic at an unprecedented rate.
Even more surprising was that previously obscure concepts suddenly became clear to her. For example, the true meaning of "the highest good is like water," which she had always understood as the ultimate gentleness and kindness, now dawned on her: it also encompassed the principle of creation, "water benefits all things without contending," and the power of punishment, "water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it."
Unconsciously, a faint, pure azure aura began to emanate from her body, and the pale golden divine pattern on her forehead became faintly visible. Her entire aura became increasingly ethereal and holy, like a fairy who was not affected by the mundane world. As she walked, tiny ripples of water appeared under her feet, and each step was in tune with the rhythm of the waterway.
This change naturally caught the attention of Yun Ying and the others. A flicker of understanding and relief flashed across Yun Ying's eyes, while the respect in the eyes of the two deacons, Qing Lan and Chi Song, grew even stronger.
Ye Li observed all of this, realizing that Qin Yixuan's status within the Nine Heavens Palace was far more than just a "guest." She silently squeezed Qin Yixuan's hand, offering a silent gesture of support.
Deacon Chisong suddenly spoke up, "The aura of young friend Qin reminds me of the 'Xuan Nu Dao Yun' recorded in the ancient palace texts. It seems the rumors are true; the Xuan Nu lineage is truly about to reappear in the world."
Qin Yixuan was slightly startled when she heard this. Just as she was about to ask, a melodious bell rang out from the front. The clear bell sound contained the power to purify the soul, making people feel refreshed.
"This is the 'Awakening Bell,' ringing once each morning and evening to help disciples maintain a clear mind during their training," Deacon Qinglan explained. "It seems we've arrived just in time, just in time for evening classes."
As the bells echoed, streams of light could be seen flying out from some distant immortal mountains, converging towards the depths of the Heavenly Palace. The figures within those streams of light possessed a powerful aura, possessing cultivation levels at least above the Divine Ability Realm.
Ye Li was secretly shocked. The Jiuxiao Palace was indeed worthy of its reputation. Any disciple had such a high level of cultivation. Its profound foundation was far beyond her imagination.
The group continued forward, arriving at a vast plaza suspended in a sea of clouds. In the center stood a nine-story jade pagoda, emitting a gentle glow. Dozens of disciples sat in meditation and practiced around it. Upon seeing the Yunying envoy, these disciples rose and saluted, their gazes flickering over Qin Yixuan with surprise and curiosity.
"This is the 'Enlightenment Square.' The 'Nine-Turn Exquisite Pagoda' in the center can help one enter a deep state of enlightenment," Deacon Qinglan continued. "If you're interested, you can come and experience it someday."
Qin Yixuan felt the rich Daoist rhythm in the square, and the goddess essence within her body became more active. She could even clearly sense the joyful leaping of water-attributed spiritual energy in the air, as if welcoming its king.
Ye Li noticed nine stone pillars standing at the edge of the square, each carved with a different pattern: the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, flowers, birds, fish, insects, and various mysterious runes. These stone pillars seemed randomly placed, but in reality, they were part of a mysterious formation, the secret of which even she could not decipher.
"That's the 'Nine Extremes Pillar of Origin'. It suppresses the Heavenly Palace's destiny and is also the core of an incredibly powerful palace-protecting formation." Envoy Yunying explained, noticing Ye Li's interest in the stone pillar. "If it were to be fully activated, even a Mahayana cultivator would find it difficult to break through."
Ye Li felt awe in his heart, and his evaluation of Jiuxiao Tiangong increased a bit.
After crossing Wudao Square, a magical herb garden appeared ahead. It was planted with a variety of rare and precious medicinal herbs, some of which were even ancient and magical medicines that had become extinct in the outside world. The aroma of the herbs was so refreshing that it made one feel invigorated.
"This is the Hundred Herb Garden, personally tended by Elder Mu De," Deacon Qing Lan said, pointing to an elderly man watering medicinal herbs in the garden. "Elder Mu De is one of the most senior elders in the palace, well-versed in alchemy and the art of cultivating spiritual plants."
The old man, sensing the crowd's arrival, looked up. When he saw Qin Yixuan, a gleam of light flashed in his cloudy eyes, and then he smiled kindly. "The aura of the mysterious woman... well, well, I've waited so many years, and finally this day has arrived."
Qin Yixuan quickly saluted: "Junior Qin Yixuan, greetings to the elder."
Elder Mu De waved his hand and smiled, "No need to be so polite. If you need anything in the future, you can come to Baicao Garden to find me. I don't have anything else here, but I have plenty of spiritual medicine."
As we continued forward, the environment became increasingly tranquil. Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, we could vaguely see exquisite courtyards scattered across the various immortal mountains. These courtyards varied in style, some simple and elegant, others ornate and exquisite, but all exuded a powerful wave of forbidden influence.
"This is the 'Pure Cultivation City' three days away, where visiting dignitaries and palace stewards reside." Steward Qinglan pointed to a courtyard ahead and said, "We've prepared two adjacent courtyards for you two. The environment is quiet and suitable for cultivation."
Ye Li and Qin Yixuan exchanged a glance, each seeing satisfaction in the other's eyes. Throughout their journey, the Nine Heavens Palace had given them the impression that it truly lived up to its reputation for transcendence, permeating an ancient and mysterious atmosphere.
Just as they were about to head to their residence, a strange wave suddenly erupted from the depths of the distant Heavenly Palace. This wave, imbued with an incomparably pure and sacred aura, caused the goddess essence within Qin Yixuan to vibrate violently, nearly bursting out of her body uncontrollably.
Envoy Yunying's expression changed slightly, then she revealed a look of joy: "It's from the direction of Xuannv Palace... It seems the Palace Master has sensed it."
Qin Yixuan suppressed the turbulent energy within her, a flicker of anticipation and uneasiness in her beautiful eyes. She had a vague feeling that her fate was about to take a major turn here.
Ye Li held her hand tightly and whispered, "No matter what happens, I will be by your side."
Qin Yixuan's heart warmed and she nodded. With Ye Li by her side, she felt extremely safe.
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