Chapter 630 The Jellyfish's Whereabouts, The Changes in Jiushan
Zheng Fa soon experienced the various inconveniences brought about by the chaos.
In Zheng Fa's current understanding, chaos is a disordered mixture of spiritual energy, somewhat like a tangled ball of yarn, where time, space, matter, and spiritual power are all in disarray.
Moving forward in chaos presents two major problems—you don't know what's ahead, or even where to go.
Zheng Fa tilted his wings to avoid a spatial rift that suddenly appeared, and then looked at Lingxi Zhenling in the mirror.
Lingxi Zhenling wasn't pointing in a direction; rather, every time Zheng Fa moved forward a short distance, it was as if he had gone astray and had to readjust.
After thinking about it, he realized it—it wasn't that he had gone astray, it was that the destination was always moving!
"Sect Leader Zheng!" After flying for an unknown amount of time, Ni Chang Yuanjun suddenly pointed ahead, "There! That's the Jade Pavilion Mysterious Platform, the place where Lord Jellyfish is in seclusion!"
Zheng Fa looked ahead and saw a nine-story building glowing in the chaos, like a ship in a dark ocean, rising and falling, drifting around.
Zheng Fa spread his wings and landed in front of the building.
Ni Chang Yuan Jun hurriedly called out, "Ni Chang requests an audience with Lady Water Mother!"
There was not a sound in the building.
"Lord Jellyfish?"
Ni Chang Yuan Jun called out again, and Zheng Fa shook his head and said, "It seems there's no one here."
He turned around, put the Mandarin Duck Mirror into his sleeve, and then carefully examined the jade tower in front of him.
This jade tower is magnificent, spanning forty or fifty zhang in width. Upon closer inspection, it is exquisite in every detail, with carvings of birds, beasts, plants, and trees in the corners under the eaves, revealing its former splendor.
But things are different now.
Even with the protection of spiritual energy, the cyan jade railings had long since dimmed, the beams and pillars were damaged, and the walls had collapsed under the erosion of chaotic energy.
Ni Chang Yuan Jun pursed her lips and said in a low voice to Zheng Fa, "Lord Jellyfish was in seclusion on the ninth floor before."
Zheng Faxin knew that Fairy Lingxi's true spirit had guided him to this place, and if he wanted to find the jellyfish, he probably had to start from here. So he and Ni Chang Yuanjun walked up the jade steps to the upper floor.
As Ni Chang Yuan Jun walked, she looked around as if searching for someone familiar.
But there was no one.
She couldn't help but sigh and said, "The Jade Tower and Mysterious Terrace is the center of the Jade Pool Wonderland. We Dao Fruits often gather here... It's very lively."
“There.” She pointed to a chaotic area outside the railing. “That should be the location, the place where Yaochi is.”
"The Jade Pool is vast, its waters as blue as the sky, and immortal herbs grow in abundance. We often set out wine on the bow of our boats and drift there, playing music in harmony..."
At this point, Ni Chang Yuanjun couldn't help but chuckle and said, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Sect Leader Zheng."
Zheng Fa shook his head, but what he said was sincere: "If we can find the jellyfish, we can eventually restore the magnificent scenery of Yaochi."
Ni Chang Yuan Jun turned her head and looked deeply at Zheng Fa, nodded silently, and then turned back to lead Zheng Fa to continue walking upwards.
There was only one room on the entire ninth floor, and it was simply furnished with just a cabinet for holding a jade tube, a futon, a wooden table, and an incense burner.
There was nothing else besides that.
There was no one else.
Upon entering, Zheng Fa was immediately drawn to a painting on the wall. The painting covered the entire wall and contained hundreds of bright spots. Next to each bright spot were countless talismans, all glowing and flowing.
Judging from the location of the prayer mat and wooden table, the jellyfish must have been in seclusion here, contemplating the painting every day.
Ni Chang Yuan Jun also noticed the painting. She walked to the wall and examined it carefully for a long time before turning to Zheng Fa and asking:
"Sect Leader Zheng, do you know him?"
Zheng Fa shook his head slightly, thought for a moment, and then said, "I think it looks like an array."
"An array?" Ni Chang Yuanjun frowned. "What kind of array could make Lady Jellyfish so devoted to studying it, and then disappear?"
Zheng Fa didn't know either.
Even with Zheng Fa's cultivation in the Dao of Talismans, he couldn't see the function of this formation. He was certain that this formation was even more complex than the Thick Earth Magnetic Formation, perhaps even a hundred times more complex!
Unable to find any clues in the painting, Ni Chang Yuan Jun simply walked to the wooden table and exclaimed happily, "Jade tube!"
Zheng Fa turned his head and looked over.
Sure enough, at the very center of the wooden table was a jade tube, and next to it was a token-like object with four strange patterns written on the back.
Zheng Fa immediately narrowed his eyes.
"This was left behind by Lady Taiyin!" Lady Ni Chang picked up the jade tube, her tone becoming increasingly joyful. "No, it was left behind by Lady Taiyin, Lady Qingnu, and Lady Shennu together!"
"It's like they knew someone was coming! They left us a message specifically for us!"
"Lord Taiyin said that Lady Shuimu was comprehending a kind of formation, wanting to attain the Great Luo realm, but suddenly disappeared. Later, Lord Taiyin found out that Lady Shuimu was trapped in that formation, which is why Yaochi became like this. The three of you went together to rescue her..."
At this point, Ni Chang Yuanjun paused, frowning, and said, "The three lords haven't returned either? Is this formation that powerful?"
She looked at the jade tube again and continued reading, "This formation... let me find it! Lady Jellyfish once said it was called..."
"The Great Array of Celestial Stars".
"Forehead?"
Upon hearing Zheng Fa's voice, Ni Chang Yuan Jun turned her head, stared blankly at Zheng Fa, and asked, "How did you know?"
"I can read."
"?"
Zheng Fa pointed to the token and said, "These four characters are ancient script, and they mean the celestial bodies."
Ni Chang Yuan Jun glanced at the token, then looked at Zheng Fa, seemingly suspecting that he was cursing her.
"It's the Zhou Tian Star Array." After a moment of silence, she continued, "This token is the proof of entry into the Zhou Tian Star Array. As long as you input your immortal power, you can go and find Lady Jellyfish!"
She was somewhat excited, but Zheng Fa remained calm: "Where did this token come from?"
“Uh…” Ni Chang Yuanjun glanced at the jade tube again, her expression changing slightly. “Ling Xi, no, it was brought back by the fake Ling Xi!”
"Then this is probably Lu Yao's trap."
Ni Chang Yuan Jun also fell silent.
Zheng Fa has now figured out half of the secret behind the jellyfish's disappearance—it should indeed be Lu Yao's doing.
Previously, Emperor Jiuyou had suspected that the Jellyfish was very powerful, had a long history, and had created the Divine Dao Law. Unlike Lu Yao, she had not undergone several tribulations, so her accumulation of knowledge should be very profound.
Even the Nine Nether Emperor deduced that among all the Golden Immortals, the Jellyfish should be the strongest.
This makes Yaochi's behavior in this era seem very strange.
After listening to what Ni Chang Yuan Jun said, Zheng Fa finally had a general idea. To put it bluntly, the biggest reason was that Shui Mu also had the ambition to become a Da Luo Daoist.
It now appears that the position of the Great Luo Immortal of the human race is actually complementary to the Primordial Purple Qi—that is to say, when the Great Luo Immortal appears, in conjunction with the Primordial Purple Qi, it can lead the human race to attain enlightenment.
At this stage, there is only one such position.
Lu Yao certainly wanted it too, and he even understood the jellyfish's ambition.
So he sent over clues about the Zhou Tian Star Array.
...
"The Zhou Tian Star Array should be one of the foundations of the ancient Heavenly Court."
Recalling what he had seen and heard in the Nine Luminaries Heaven, Zheng Fa explained.
"The ancient celestial court?"
"In ancient times, the divine way flourished and the Heavenly Court ruled the world."
Zheng Fa had only experienced Hongjun preaching and had only seen the Demon Court, but had never seen the Heavenly Court. However, considering the Investiture of the Gods before the Nine Mountains Realm, and thinking about the ideological conflict between Yuanshi and Tongtian, the Investiture of the Gods was probably not just a legend.
After the Investiture of the Gods, the Heavenly Court became dominated by the divine way.
Therefore, the Heavenly Court must be the highest peak of the ancient divine path.
"The divine way is flourishing..." Ni Chang Yuan Jun frowned, "So that's why Lady Jellyfish would be interested?"
"That seems to be the case."
For jellyfish, is there a better reference than the ancient Heavenly Court if they want to attain the Great Luo realm?
The allure of the Zhou Tian Star Array to jellyfish is self-evident.
"So, the thing that Lu Yao sent to Lord Jellyfish is fake?"
“I’m afraid it’s true.” Zheng Fa shook his head and said, “This Zhou Tian Star Array is already incredibly powerful, and it must be extremely dangerous. It’s one of the strongest arrays in ancient times. That’s why Jellyfish and the others couldn’t come back.”
It's not hard to guess where Lu Yao got this thing—it's a relic of the Demon Court, and he probably knows more about it than anyone else.
Sending this to the jellyfish really hits its weak point. As long as the jellyfish has a desire for Da Luo, it will most likely fall for the trap.
This Zhou Tian Star Array is even different from Zheng Fa's Immortal Slaughtering Sword Array; it is probably the original version, and its power is extremely strong.
Ni Chang Yuanjun fell silent, seemingly thinking of the reality that none of the four Golden Immortals had returned. Her expression changed, and she looked at Zheng Fa, saying:
"Sect Leader Zheng, if you are unwilling..."
"I'll go."
Ni Chang Yuanjun fell silent, looking at Zheng Fa and biting her lower lip. She had invited Zheng Fa with high hopes, but his decisiveness still moved her.
"But before entering the formation, Yuanjun will have to wait for me for a few days. I still have some things to arrange at the Nine Mountains Sect."
"That's exactly right."
The jellyfish and the others went into the Zhou Tian Star Array, and were completely cut off from Yaochi. Yaochi had been usurped by someone else. Learning from Yaochi's experience, Zheng Fa, despite having the body of the Heavenly Emperor and the Jade Tablet of Creation, dared not gamble.
He didn't know what was inside the Zhou Tian Star Array, so he had to make arrangements for the Nine Mountains Realm before leaving, lest he lose contact or something unexpected happen and cause chaos in the Nine Mountains Sect.
...
Nine Mountains Sect, in the Heavenly Palace.
"Zheng Fa is going to find the jellyfish?" The old man looked at Zheng Fa and asked, puzzled. "She has nothing to do with us."
"Finding the jellyfish is secondary," the Heavenly Emperor explained. "The main problem is that the main body cannot return now. Finding the jellyfish is to return as soon as possible."
Senior Sister Zhang nodded slowly and said, "The worst that can happen is that I die once, but it will take several hundred years to be resurrected."
"Entering the formation and finding the jellyfish might lead to a faster way back."
"It's not too late to die if we get trapped."
That makes a lot of sense. The Heavenly Emperor added, "Furthermore, there is the Taiyin Laurel Tree. If we can get the help of the Taiyin Laurel Tree, not only will our journey not be a waste of time, but we can also save thousands of years of cultivation time."
The elder fell silent, then sighed, "Time waits for no one..."
To put it bluntly, the current stability of the Nine Mountains Sect is entirely due to the deterrent effect of the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation and the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow, but this is not insurmountable—as long as there are Golden Immortals who are not afraid of death.
Of course, even Golden Immortals are afraid of death.
The problem is that if the Pure Land remains intact, the cost of death for those Golden Immortals will be greatly reduced, and their attitudes will likely change.
Zheng Fa and Jiushan Sect are now essentially racing against each other at Leiyin Temple, and neither can afford to lag behind for even a moment.
"Don't worry, we will protect the Nine Mountains Sect for you. You still have the Heavenly Emperor Body and the Sword Dao Body here."
"Master." The Heavenly Emperor suddenly interrupted the elder, saying something no one expected, "My true form has some ideas about the Nine Mountains Sect."
"Do you...have any ideas?"
The elder was taken aback and looked at the people around him. He saw nervousness on their faces. This disciple was good in every way, except that he had too many ideas.
"His true form comprehended the true path of immortality at the Great Luo Dharma Assembly," the Heavenly Emperor explained. "This is not only about his cultivation, but more importantly, it concerns the future of the Nine Mountains Sect, and if all goes well, it will determine the future of the entire human race."
The elder frowned, realizing what was happening: "You mean, we have to make those promises you made at the Great Luo Dharma Assembly come true?"
“That’s right.” The Heavenly Emperor nodded. “His true form also wants to see if what he’s thinking is correct.”
Uncle Pang suddenly realized and said, "An experiment?"
“Yes, if we really use the Primordial Purple Qi, it might be difficult to change it later. It’s better to try it first to avoid big problems.”
The elders and others nodded, understanding Zheng Fa's wishes.
“Lu Yao wants to fight Lu Yao from the top down, while the main body wants to fight from the bottom up. It’s not just a matter for the main body alone…” The Heavenly Emperor added, looking at Senior Sister Zhang and the others, “It’s not even a matter for Senior Sister Zhang, Master, or our small group.”
"Even if we can defeat Lu Yao, it won't work if we rely solely on ourselves."
"Then what's the difference between him and Lu Yao?"
After a moment of silence in the Heavenly Palace, Senior Sister Zhang finally spoke: "I agree."
"When have you ever disagreed with what Zheng Fa said?" Uncle Huang cursed, then thought for a moment and said helplessly, "I agree with it too."
"agree."
"You can give it a try."
...
"...Before writing this book, I was actually writing *The Biography of the Dao Ancestor*, but at that time I encountered a huge problem—Dao Ancestor Zheng Fa had disappeared! He left the Nine Mountains Sect and entered the Chaos Realm, leaving me with no subject of observation. So, at Zheng Fa's suggestion, I decided to write a history of the Nine Mountains that I had been thinking about for a long time but hadn't been able to decide on. I never imagined that this book would take so many years to write, it seems like it will never end. Now, looking back, I deeply regret being fooled by Zheng Fa..." —Excerpt from Xiao Yuying's *Preface to the History of the Nine Mountains Immortal Court*
"...Before this, the Xuanwei Realm had existed for several eras, and the Nine Mountains Sect had even been established for tens of thousands of years. Even Ancestor Zheng Fa was nearly two hundred years old. But when we talk about the glorious and long history of the Nine Mountains Immortal Court, we still refer to the year of the first plenary meeting of the Nine Mountains Sect as the first year of the Immortal Court, regarding it as the beginning of a new era. In fact, in terms of influence, it truly was the beginning of a new era..." —Excerpt from *The History of the Nine Mountains Immortal Court (12,637th Edition)* Volume One
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
