The birthday ceremony is the proper ritual of the Mysterious Moon Sect. Apart from the priests conducting the ceremony and the disciple devotees, only the most devout believers are qualified to participate.
Of course, as an outer disciple of the Rifting Earth Sect, Yu Ci could secure an observerâs seatâprovided he wasnât averse to trouble.
Yu Ci had no intention of inviting trouble or joining the commotion. He didnât even step into the main hall; instead, he went to stand before the âXuan Yin Tradition Stele,â arranged in a neat row on either side, to admire the legend inscribed there about the Immortal Xuan Yinâs enlightenment.
Biographies of immortals under heaven are mostly much the same, and the Xuan Yin legend was no exception. With its enigmatic story laced with moral preaching and the occasional flowery phrase meant to cultivate an immortal aura, it wasnât particularly remarkable.
However, on the second stele on the west side there was a string of words that caught the attention of those with a keen eye. Essentially, it recounted how the Immortal Xuan Yin, before attaining enlightenment, encountered the âRakshasa King,â engaged in a discourse with him, discovered some ultimate truth, and then suddenly became enlightened.
What caught Yu Ciâs attention were those two characters: âRakshasa King.â
In fact, it probably referred to the Rakshasa Demon King.
Before coming to Cliff City, Yu Ci had done his homework and had a good grasp of the various factions within the city. Among them, the Mysterious Moon Sect and the Pure Water Altar were of particular interest. In his view, the Pure Water Altarâs means of concealing its true nature were remarkably effectiveâthe intelligence from the Rifting Earth Sect hadnât uncovered any deep background, treating it as just an ordinary sect. But the Mysterious Moon Sect made no secret of the power backing them.
The East Sea Rakshasa Sect, one of the ruling powers of the Blood Demon Restricted Realm, was founded by an astral projection of the Rakshasa Demon King. And that Rakshasa Demon King was one of the two chief culprits who, during the fierce battle in the Sky Rift Valley, disrupted the valleyâs ecosystem and unleashed rampant demons.
Although there was no evidence that the Rakshasa Demon King had acted intentionally at that time, the calamity was already upon them, and naturally, the Rakshasa Demon King ended up with a grudge against the Rifting Earth Sect.
Actually, calling it a grudge might not be entirely accurate. The Rifting Earth Sect still held some apprehension toward this otherworldly ruler, and the Rakshasa Demon King was notoriously indolentâconstantly in search of excitement, quick to abandon the old for the new, playful and forgetful, at least on the surface. If the Rifting Earth Sect were to launch a grand campaign to demand retribution, cutting a swath all the way to the deepest parts of the Blood Demon Restricted Realm, and if the two sides clashed fiercely until one perished, that fellow might inexplicably end up asking, âWhat exactly have you come here for?â
Just the thought of that scene was terrifyingâŠ
That was how Li You had vividly described the Rakshasa Sect in the pastâand it was the common consensus among those in the cultivation world regarding the temperament of the Rakshasa Demon King.
What a strange fellow indeed. With such a temperament, how on earth did she manage to build up such a vast empire in both the cultivation world and the Blood Demon Restricted Realm? And how did she come by such a fearsome reputation?
Anyway, there was no doubt that the power behind the Mysterious Moon Sect was the Rakshasa Sect. Moreover, due to the incident in the Sky Rift Valley, further communication between the two sides was nearly impossibleâwhich is why, even after establishing itself here for ten years, the Mysterious Moon Sect could only develop its following among ordinary people.
As Yu Ci carefully scrutinized the stele for any references to the Rakshasa Demon King, he completely forgot that his own striking attire was drawing frequent glances from othersâand it wasnât long before it caught someoneâs attention. Finally, just as he turned around to take another look at the inscription, someone called out to him.
âFellow daoist, please come along.â
Yu Ci turned around to see that the caller was a middle-aged woman, no longer young but with a kindly face. Her speckled white hair was simply tied up and draped over her head, and she wore a loose robeâthe typical attire of a transmission immortal teacher from the Mysterious Moon Sect. Recognizing her, Yu Ci said, âSo itâs Master Ming Lan.â
The visitor was none other than Master Ming Lan, the chief transmission immortal teacher of the Mysterious Moon Sect. Though the two had never met before, Master Ming Lanâs gaze swept over Yu Ciâs face and then glanced at the birdcage he was carrying. Concluding that he was a stranger, she couldnât help but ask in puzzlement, âFellow daoist, have we met before?â
Of course, Yu Ci wouldnât say, âIâve seen you many times in the Divine Map,â so he just smiled slightly and replied, âI have long heard of Master Mingâs reputation; itâs a pleasure to meet you today.â
Not giving Master Ming any room for further speculation, he introduced himself, âRifting Earth Sect, Yu Ci.â
At that moment, Master Ming Lan was a bit surprised, but her smile quickly returned as she said, âSo you are fellow daoist Yu. Just the other day, news came from your sect saying that you would handle matters in Cliff CityâI didnât expect you to arrive today.â
âOh, itâs nothing. Big matters are handled by Master Xie anyway; Iâm merely assisting.â
Yu Ci knew that it was Yu Zhou who had earlier helped prop him up, and under such circumstances, groups like the likes of Sun Light Sect wouldnât dare to feign ignorance to his face. Nonetheless, his words remained impeccably careful. After a brief, understated remark, he smoothly shifted the conversation to the birthday ceremony of the Immortal Xuan Yin, complimented the event, and then changed the subject again:
âYour sect has taken root here for ten years, and its affairs are flourishing. What do you think of this Cliff City?â
Master Ming Lanâs gaze fixed on his face, as if trying to uncover his thoughts. In the end, she smiled again and said, âUnder your sectâs governance, things are very peaceful and comfortable. But compared to the vast expanse of the cultivation world, perhaps for daoists like you, it might feel a bit cramped. As for others, they might have a completely different perspectiveâŠâ
Her answer was indeed smooth-talkingâthough one couldnât help but wonder who she meant by âothers.â
Yu Ci also smiled, âIndeed, everyone is different. Come to think of it, I have met your cultâs master once before, but I wonder what master Chi Yin thinks about it?â
âI suppose the master would be happy to discuss this matter with you, fellow daoist. Why donât you wait until the ceremony is over, and then speak with the master in detail?â
“âI’m happy to discuss it, but thereâs plenty of time aheadâno need to rush.â
With Yu Ciâs current status, he could be regarded as the representative of the Rifting Earth Sect, so having Immortal Chi Yin come out to greet him wasnât a big deal. However, his decision to enter the Mystery Seeking Palace was merely spur-of-the-moment, driven more by a desire to probe.
Judging from the intelligence provided by the Rifting Earth Sect and his observations in the Sky Rift Valley, it seemed that the Thousand Spirit Gate, the Mysterious Moon Sect, and the Pure Water Altar had reached some tacit understanding against the Sun Light Sectâat least on the level of Cliff City.
This was an area he could work with, so he didnât hesitate to show a little of his intent.
As for Immortal Chi Yin, he would have to deal with her sooner or later, so there was really no need to rush.
After Ming Lan nodded, Yu Ci took his leave.
Watching his figure depart through the palace gate, Ming Lan stood for a moment before heading toward the central courtyard. The closer she got, the clearer the sound of sutra chanting became; the swirling vital energy felt almost tangible, like layers of tide rolling in. As she walked among them, feeling the devoteesâ sincere hearts, Ming Lan closed her eyes and silently recited the scriptures in response.
In this realm, aside from the Buddha and the Dao Lordânearly abstract symbolsâthe other four Divine Lords possess immortal bodies and wield boundless divine power. Although the realm is vast, as long as the devoteesâ intentions are sincere, the Divine Lords can resonate with them; if they so wish, they may even be taken as patrons to channel divine will. The span of billions of miles can be bridged in an instant. From this perspective, the Divine Lords are all-knowing and all-powerful.
After more than a hundred years of cultivation, Ming Lan had continually bathed in both grace and might, her devotion to the Divine Lords utterly flawless. Because of this, she could afford to forgo further opportunities for refinementâletting her youth fade while still harboring a deep inner joy.
At that moment, seeing the pure-hearted devotion of the assemblyâs devotees filled her with delight. However, as she stepped into the central courtyard and saw the figures leading the chanting at the assembly altar, her brows furrowed. Not lingering any longer, she bypassed the crowd of chanting and prostrating devotees and made her way deeper into the palace.
After passing through two courtyard sectionsâwhere the chanting had gradually been muffled by high walls and bamboo groves and where few people trodâthe atmosphere grew increasingly serene. Well acquainted with the layout, Ming Lan navigated the winding corridors a few times until she spotted two female attendants standing silently at the doorway.
Upon seeing her approach, the two bowed in greeting. With a smile still on her round face, Ming Lan asked, âIs the Master inside?â
âThe Master is taking a short rest in the inner room,â they replied.
Knowing well Ming Lanâs status within the sect, the two stepped aside quietly to open the door, and she stepped in.
Inside, the room was divided into two sections by a beaded curtain. Through the curtain, one could see the drifting smoke from a half-body-high hill censer. (G: The hill censer ćć±±ç is a type of Chinese censer used for burning incense.)
A gentle, warming fragrance filled the space; the moment one entered, a comforting warmth spread over the body, as if even the innermost organs were suffused with its soothing aromaâa truly delightful sensation.
In the outer room, a delicate maid in a green gown with twin buns was still on duty. Spotting Ming Lan, she greeted her in surprise before whispering, âThe Master has just performed the âDeity Worship Ritualâ in the inner room and has gone to sleep.â
Ming Lan nodded slightly without a word, lifted the beaded curtain, and entered the inner room.
There, from the incense burner with its crane-like spout, wisps of smoke curled upward. About a zhang ahead stood a multi-tiered step-bed, intricately crafted from aloeswood by skilled artisans from the East Sea, adorned with gilded carvings on the outside and featuring a series of small corridor chambers within. At its center lay the bed itself, attended by several maidservantsâsome squatting, others standingâadding to the richly splendid scene.
Behind layers of delicate gauze curtains, the slender figure reclining on the bed appeared only in vague outlines. By its side, another maid massaged the Masterâs legs and feet to ease any fatigue.
Taking in the scene, Ming Lan spoke softly, âMaster, are you well?â
After a moment of silence, a voice with a metallic resonance emerged from behind the curtain: âAh, it is Master Ming; please, have a seat.â
As soon as the words faded, the maid in green from the outer room brought over an embroidered cushion and placed it before the bed.
Ming Lan thanked her and sat down, now only about a zhang away from Immortal Chi Yin behind the curtain.
Without waiting for further words from Immortal Chi Yin, Ming Lan continued, âJust now, a disciple of the new branch of the Rifting Earth Sect came byâŠâ
After recounting her conversation with Yu Ci, she added, âThis Yu Ci, though young, is truly extraordinary. Earlier, in the Sky Rift Valley, he got into a feud with the Sun Light Sect that drew Tu Du to personally pursue and try to kill himâyet he managed to escape. In turn, Tu Du was lured into a demon-infested area and returned gravely injured. The man is remarkably resourceful and shrewd. Now he has suddenly become an external disciple and has come to take charge of matters in Cliff City. I suppose he intends to make a significant moveâŠâ
âOverseeing matters in Cliff City is Old daoist Yu Zhou, and the one handling affairs nearby is that odd fellow Xie Yan. What use is an external disciple like him?â
After hearing Immortal Chi Yinâs response, Ming Lan furrowed her brows slightly. Before she could say more, a cold tone emerged from behind the curtain.
“With the visit of that girl Murong, the chaos has been pacified, and the two Divine Lords have reached a tacit understanding. The matter of the Sky Rift Valley is now settled. When the ten-year term expires, I will return to the East Sea to continue my cultivation. As for the trivial matters here, pass them on to my successorâdo not trouble me again!”
Ming Lan fell silent for a moment before asking, âAnd what about the matter we agreed upon earlier?â
âThat matter?â came the reply.
In an instant, Immortal Chi Yin seemed to forget her earlier impatience; a light, laughing tone came from behind the curtain:
“Of course, I will settle it. After years of being cared for, before I return to the East Sea, Iâll ensure he ends up utterly ruinedâconsider it my token of gratitude.”
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