Chapter 251: Chapter 246 Heavenly Wood Tribulation
Yunlai Island.
The large island had nearly a third of its area planted with cultivation bamboo, and deep within the quiet bamboo forest, a spacious area had been cleared, surrounded by tables, with a considerably larger open space set in the middle.
This was where Yun Jiuye invited people to observe the ceremony, and also where he was going to be promoted.
When Jiang Li and a few others arrived, several people were already seated, from the main seat on the left side down were Feng Ziyang, a woman in white clothes, and Ling Wujue.
Between Feng Ziyang and the woman in white, there was an empty table, and below Ling Wujue, another table was vacant.
Clearly, those seated on the left were True Disciples of the Dinghu Sect, and those two tables were reserved for Gongsun Qingyue and Jiang Li. The woman seated above Ling Wujue should be the Fourth Sister, Yun Qiuchi.
Yun Qiuchi’s attire was quite unconventional; her Red Robe had been tailored into the style of a scholar’s gown, with a scarf wrapped around her long hair, giving her the appearance of a scholar. Her beautiful face, untouched by makeup, carried a blend of gentleness and elegant nobility, along with the delicate beauty of a graceful lady.
She looked not like a member of the Mystic Sect, but rather an Imperial College Scholar.
The Tianquan Star is also known as the "Wenqu Star," and Elder Tianquan himself is well-versed in both Confucian and Daoist teachings, having reportedly attended lectures at the current Imperial College Sacrificial Officer’s school. Yun Qiuchi, as a disciple of Elder Tianquan, was most likely proficient in both teachings, which explained her attire and wasn’t surprising at all.
On the right side, the first and second tables after remained empty, but the third table after hosted two individuals, a man and a woman.
These two, the man clothed in cyan Cloud Clothes with cloud patterns embroidered, and the woman in a light gold dress adorned elaborately, wearing a golden phoenix hairpin, had a face that outshone the frost and snow, with delicate features and a flower hairpin decorating her brows, giving her a tripartite resemblance to Elder Tianxuan’s demeanor.
A man and a woman sitting behind the same table looked quite intimate, yet there existed an underlying subtle difference in status between them. The man seemed to be in a weaker position, his actions inadvertently conveying a sense of compliance.
’People from the Kunxu Immortal Palace,’ Jiang Li concluded internally.
The man was dressed in Cloud Clothes, whereas the woman’s dress appeared to be of an even higher grade, the Seamless Heavenly Cloth, of which even the wealthy Gongsun Qingyue only owned two pieces. This subtly complex relationship immediately made Jiang Li think of the origins of the Cloud Clothes and Heavenly Clothes—the Kunxu Immortal Palace.
The Kunxu Immortal Palace was the most famous female sect in the Divine Country, renowned for producing all manner of fairies and goddesses. Unlike other female sects that forbid their disciples from marrying, the Kunxu Immortal Palace had no such prohibition. As long as mutual affection existed and the Palace Master consented, marriage was possible.
However, note that they do not forbid marrying in, but rather marrying out.
Disciples of the Kunxu Immortal Palace were always the ones taking in husbands; none were married out.
Such a regulation reflected a certain inclination of the Kunxu Immortal Palace, and the status of these affiliated sons-in-law was clearly indicated.
For Jiang Li, who wanted to eat his meal without discomfort, Kunxu Immortal Palace was simply hell for an affiliated son-in-law. Once one entered the gates of the Immortal Palace, overturning one’s fate in this lifetime would be nearly impossible.
Because for other affiliated sons-in-law looking to turn their fates around, the main competition was their own wives, whereas for those in the Kunxu Immortal Palace, they would have to contend against the sect’s policies and all the women who upheld them.
Just the thought of it made Jiang Li’s teeth ache.
Considering the arrangement of these tables, Jiang Li, the Mo Sect, and the three individuals from the Yuxu Temple were the last to arrive. As for the other Dinghu Sect disciples and forces participating in the Sword Discussion Conference, they were disqualified due to insufficient status and missed out on what was shaping up to be a rather private meeting.
So, the question arose: what was Yun Jiuye’s purpose in doing this?
Was it merely to assert his authority?
While thinking this over, Jiang Li passed the lowest table and moved forward.
"Sixth Brother, your place is here," Ling Wujue suddenly said.
Jiang Li’s seat was supposed to be below him, but now, Jiang Li was meant to pass by Ling Wujue and even Yun Qiuchi to proceed forward.
"Don’t worry."
Jiang Li sat down behind the second table on the left and said, "It’s only because my sister is in seclusion and cannot come, so I am representing her to observe the ceremony. Fifth Brother, there’s no need to worry about me taking the main seat."
If Jiang Li were to sit in the main seat at this moment, it would undoubtedly mean he was looking for trouble, and then, as the sect’s protector, Ling Wujue would have to be on his guard.
Now that Jiang Li was only sitting in the position that should have belonged to Gongsun Qingyue, Ling Wujue was certainly not pleased, but it was still within his tolerance.
"Representing Third Sister..."
Yun Qiuchi looked at Jiang Li taking his seat and chuckled lightly, "It seems the rumors are true after all, Junior Brother and Third Sister are close; who knows, they might become family soon."
She measured Jiang Li with a playful smile, releasing a tantalizing piece of news that tugged at everyone’s hearts.
If Jiang Li and Gongsun Qingyue became family, Gongsun Qingyue wouldn’t have to worry about not being able to control him, because behind Gongsun Qingyue, there was still a whole host of supporters.
The superiority among siblings in the sect was determined by personal strength, into which others could not easily intrude. But the hierarchy within a marriage would depend on whose family, the husband’s or the wife’s, held more influence.
From the current situation, it was undeniable that the family behind Jiang Li was completely overshadowed; if he and Gongsun Qingyue became family, he would undoubtedly be doing so in the status of an affiliated son-in-law.
The news had spread, and Yun Jiuye’s plans were naturally thwarted.
Yun Qiuchi’s seemingly casual teasing, however, subtly expressed goodwill.
"I, along with my senior sister from the same sect, are essentially family," responded Jiang Li, smiling slightly.
"There’s also a master..." Karma Collection added, hinting at an unfinished implication.
This response provided assurance to Yun Qiuchi, indicating that there were no disputes between Jiang Li and Gongsun Qingyue, and they could confidently align with this side.
In this exchange, both had clearly conveyed their intentions.
Yun Qiuchi’s eyebrows raised slightly, her smile deepened, and a surprise emerged in her heart, ’Has he noticed me?’
Jiang Li’s reply clearly showed that he had sensed Yun Qiuchi’s alliance, even including the union between Yun Qiuchi and Feng Ziyang.
The younger brother disciple’s mind was indeed sharp.
Such a simple exchange solidified their alliance, while at that moment, Mo Sect and Yuxu Temple were still confronting each other over who would take the primary position.
At this time, a yellow light descended from the clouds. Amid the increasingly intense aura, Yun Jiuye slowly descended from the Yellow Cloud, his yellow robe fluttering robustly around him, his powerful Qi Mechanism swirling around him, occasionally revealing shapes of dragons and phoenixes.
The air around seemed to thicken, a faint yellow mist wafted about, and the overhead Yellow Cloud seemed to press towards the ground.
"The Qi is prosperous; the tribulation is about to form," Feng Ziyang uttered in a resonant, forceful tone.
"However, to form the tribulation, one must instigate it," added Yun Qiuchi.
The heavenly tribulations in this world were not as mysterious as those in Jiang Li’s previous life’s novels; they weren’t any Heavenly Dao sending down tribulations nor were calamities sent by the Immortal Realm.
Even before the End of Dharma, the appearance of Heavenly Tribulations was not controlled by any being but were a result of natural operations of the universe.
When someone’s Qi Mechanism becomes too potent, it disrupts the surrounding environment. For instance, if someone cultivates the Wood Element, their bursting Qi Mechanism could cause nearby vegetation to grow wildly, brimming with life.
Yet this wild growth of vegetation is essentially based on a massive absorption of Earth Qi, with the Qi Mechanism serving mainly as a catalyst.
Such actions undoubtedly contravene natural laws and draw the protective mechansims of Heaven and Earth, bringing down corresponding tribulations. If one can perceive the creation and destruction within the tribulation and adjust their internal Qi, advancing their cultivation to the point where they no longer disrupt the external environment, they will have crossed the tribulation and advanced in realm.
If not, the tribulation will intensify further until it eradicates the source of the disruption.
Among all types of Qi, the hardest to control and reconcile are Evil Qi, demon energy, and Demonic Qi, which are prone to eruptions, hence the cultivation principles promote lesser killing, and why those of evil cultivations find it difficult to cross tribulations.
Because cultivation itself contravenes natural laws, thus, there exists the saying, "Follow and remain mundane, resist and become an immortal."
However, all these were rules before the End of Dharma. Now, when the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Mechanism no longer exists, triggering the protective mechanisms of natural laws—Heavenly Tribulations—requires sufficient energy.
With the current cultivators freed from the worries of impending Heavenly Tribulations, this wasn’t good news for those who required Heavenly Tribulations for their cultivation.
This meant they first had to create the Heavenly Tribulation, and only then could they attempt to cross it.
"This Sword Discussion Conference should be primarily organized by our eldest senior brother, right?" Jiang Li spoke up.
"Yes, if it’s the eldest senior brother, he should be able to take advantage of the situation," Yun Qiuchi responded with applause, "Truly worthy of our eldest senior brother."
As they finished speaking, a sudden warmth filled the air, and the sound of surging waves also entered their ears.
Dinghu was essentially a place where both water and fire coexisted; otherwise, it wouldn’t suffice as a site for artifact refining. Now, with the Sword Discussion Conference being held here, the Dinghu Sect needed to fully invoke the power of Earth Fire for refining purposes.
As the Earth Fire was about to erupt, coupled with the water of Dinghu, it naturally balanced Yin and Yang and followed the cycle of Water Birth Wood and Fire Birth Earth; the two forces converged on Yunlai Island. The island’s vegetation flourished with water and grew with the soil, momentarily steaming with Wood Qi.
Following that, a phantom ascended, converging with Wood Qi, and when it met the Earth, it formed a tribulation.
Yun Jiuye was inherently aligned with the Earth Deity, and the cultivation technique he practiced leaned towards the Earth Deity. The Heavenly Tribulation he faced was naturally one that could dominate the Earth Element. The Heavenly Immortal Dao Fruit was key to creating this tribulation, using this Dao Fruit to converge with the Wood Qi and generate the Heavenly Tribulation.
The sky lit up with a faint verdant luminescence, as if layers of lush green leaves were intermingling in the air, forming a majestic and beautiful spectacle.
The surrounding yellow fog was compressed by an invisible force, quickly consolidating and soon no longer thick, replaced by a vibrant vitality with an undercurrent of destruction hidden within it.
"Heavenly Wood Tribulation," Yun Qiuchi murmured.
This was precisely the tribulation Yun Jiuye was about to face.
Under this Heavenly Tribulation, whether it was the True Disciples of Dinghu Sect, standing divided, the confronting Mo Sect and Yuxu Temple, or the pair from Kunxu Immortal Palace, were all solemnly focused both on the Heavenly Tribulation and the person beneath it.
At this moment, Yun Jiuye was indeed the center of this place.