Chapter 122: The Taiji Immortal Island

The Moon Soul Pearl is a treasure of the Vast Cold Palace, a lunar spiritual artifact. Although it is not among the highest-grade materials for refining treasures, its rarity lies in its extraordinary origin, making it scarce in the mortal world.

Even on this mysterious island, Qing Hong managed to find only three Moon Soul Pearls, counting the one initially discovered.

“Including the one I obtained at the Lingwei Immortal Mansion, that makes four Moon Soul Pearls. Still, we’re short by twenty more.” Yet, given the vastness of the Black Sea, with its numerous whirlpools, perhaps there are still hidden Moon Soul Pearls within.

Qing Hong returned and reunited with the two women, only to find the Immortal Maiden closely examining the Sea Conch Core in the Dragon Maiden’s hand.

The Immortal Maiden took it and revealed a look of surprise: “I thought it was merely a millennia-old water demon, but judging by this spiritual pearl, it appears to be left behind by a cultivator who has attained immortality.”

“How did senior sister discern that?” Qing Hong peered carefully, noticing only that it was a millennium-old core without any other clues.

“The core left by an immortal cultivator follows the path of purity. The Way of Purity is only attainable by those with superior innate roots, not to mention those of different kinds,” the Immortal Maiden explained. “Your foundational cultivation path bears some resemblance to this person’s.”

“Me?”

“Throughout history, cultivation methods number in the thousands, but fundamentally, they boil down to two paths: the Way of Purity and the Way of Yin and Yang. Even though the current distinction between purity and impurity has distorted the ancient traditions of Qi Refiners, the essence remains intact.”

“The Way of Purity? The Way of Yin and Yang? May I ask senior sister to elaborate on these two paths?”

“The Way of Purity involves refining emptiness and practicing the Dao with a clear and tranquil mind. When the mind stirs, the primordial spirit emerges; words, actions, and demeanor all follow the natural laws of Heaven. This is the foundation of the Great Dao.”

“As for the Way of Yin and Yang, it is the profound Yin-Yang technique passed down among us. It harmonizes the Dragon and Tiger, balances the Kan and Li trigrams, and combines true Yin and Yang to form the Golden Elixir of the Great Dao. Through Yin and Yang, one enters the path and cultivates an immortal body. Observing today’s Daoist and demonic cultivators, none are exceptions. Even spirits and demons gather the essence of sun and moon, refining essence into Qi, entering the Dao through the Yin and Yang of sun and moon. Only a select few can enter the Dao by the Way of Purity, which requires exceptional innate roots.”

At this, the Immortal Maiden praised Qing Hong: “Junior brother has yet to truly attain the genuine Golden Elixir method of Qi Refinement. Thus, our Yunxiao Pavilion’s cultivation methods are incomplete. We have not even ventured into the true Great Dao of the Golden Elixir. Yet, your insight into the principles of Yin and Yang and comprehension of the primordial Dao is indeed remarkable.”

Indeed, the Immortal Maiden was the true inheritor of Yunxiao Pavilion’s legacy. She had comprehended Yin and Yang, harmonized Kan and Li, and condensed a Great Dao Golden Elixir. This ninefold-refined elixir granted her an indestructible terrestrial immortal body, a common path among orthodox Daoist immortals. Qing Hong, however, was an amateur, and without the aura of the Supreme Profound Skill on him, he might have perished countless times.

The Immortal Maiden, unaware of Qing Hong’s previous practice of demonic arts, naturally assumed he cultivated the Dao through a classic text on his own.

Qing Hong’s face flashed with awkwardness and he deftly changed the subject. His initial cultivation of demonic arts began with the Black Fiend Qi. Later, after obtaining the Supreme Profound Skill, he dared not switch directly but instead chose the method of visualization.

Hence, in terms of foundational paths, his cultivation diverged from the orthodox Golden Elixir path of Yunxiao Pavilion, bearing more of the demonic art’s physical refining flavor. He sought little from the Golden Elixir; instead, he valued the cultivation of demonic souls.

Later still, he received three streams of Pure Spirit Qi and turned to Qi Refinement cultivation, a distinct Yin-Yang path. From clarity and murkiness to Yin and Yang, though differing from the Immortal Maiden’s water-fire Yin-Yang skill, their outcomes aligned.

---

Yet, as Qing Hong cultivated the Eight Scenes and Twenty-Four Diagrams, he gradually abandoned the Yin-Yang alchemical path. Unlike the Immortal Maiden and others who polished the Great Dao Golden Elixir to refine the primordial spirit through nine folds, his path was to condense the “Taihuang” in the ancestral aperture between his brows into a tangible form. Once materialized, it became a primordial soul, an immortal spirit body with undying spiritual light. This concept of visualizing gods and demons returned from Daoism to the primordial Dao, bearing traces of ancient divine and demonic visualization to cultivate an indestructible Dao body.

While the Immortal Maiden explained, the island trembled continuously. Qing Hong said to the two women, “This place will soon sink beneath the waves. We cannot linger. Let’s leave quickly!”

Thus, the three soared from the island, watching as it absorbed the sun and moon essences, gradually expanding its area.

Qing Hong sighed regretfully, “It’s a pity that we came hastily and could not perform a ritual to refine the immortal island. Otherwise, this island with Yin-Yang attributes would have made an excellent sacred gate and grotto for our Yunxiao Pavilion.”

“Heavenly materials and earthly treasures come only to those destined to obtain them. This immortal island is not meant for us,” the Immortal Maiden said knowingly. They had already been fortunate to find a few treasures here and should not be greedy. “Such an immortal island requires the perfect alignment of time, place, and person to claim. However, this whirlpool possesses a certain spiritual intelligence. It is unlike the ordinary whirlpools that reverse and spit out treasures.”

Her words stirred Qing Hong’s thoughts: “It might not be the whirlpool itself that is sentient. Perhaps the island contains spiritual intelligence, the Yin-Yang Fish embodying the Way of Yin and Yang. This island is naturally formed—could it not be considered a primordial Dao fruit?”

“Indeed. If an immortal were to consecrate the island, it might be possible to break through to the terrestrial immortal Dao fruit in one step.”

Yet neither the Immortal Maiden nor Qing Hong harbored greed for this. They had no desire to refine the island into a terrestrial immortal Dao fruit.

The Immortal Maiden had profound cultivation and the potential to become a terrestrial immortal; why seek external objects? Qing Hong, having encountered a mysterious figure and even witnessed a celestial immortal, had no ambitions for these two islands. Their Dao were different; they were not aligned.

“If the island truly possesses intelligence, then by taking treasures from it, would we not owe it a favor?” Qing Hong suddenly smiled, pretending to bow to the island below. “Sir, I have taken a few pearls from your island. I apologize and can only repay you with a Dao Scripture.” With that, he recited the alchemical formulas from the “Supreme Cloud-Formed Dragon Subtle Jade Hua True Explanation,” explaining the principles of Yin and Yang and Taiji.

This was also a deliberate display before the Immortal Maiden. Seeing him expound on the Way of Yin and Yang, she nodded repeatedly. “Junior brother has unique insights into the Yin-Yang Dao. Although it is not the path of sun and moon Yin and Yang, it is indeed the authentic flavor of our Yunxiao Pavilion.”

In the age of Qi Refiners, the distinction of pure heaven and turbid earth was no trivial Dao.

After reciting the scripture, Qing Hong bowed to the island and departed gracefully with the two women.

After their departure, the island sank into the whirlpool. Yet, deep within the vortex, two beams of light—one golden, one silver—rose.

The brilliance resembled eyes watching the direction of their departure, emitting a distinct will that rippled through the water: “Yunxiao Pavilion, is it? Very well, I accept this favor.”

As Qing Hong and the Immortal Maiden had surmised, the island itself had already awakened spiritual intelligence. It was a sacred entity condensed by Taiji, its true form a vast Taiji sphere, with day and night each manifesting one half, usually concealed within the whirlpool.

The three, unaware of the depths, had appeared on the calm sea surface of the Black Sea, which was far from simple. Many immortals and demons had previously come here to investigate, attempting to seize these two immortal islands, only to be swallowed by the Taiji divine demon.

In essence, it was the same principle as Qing Hong’s “fishing” in the immortal mansion. Any greed to inherit the immortal island would be met with an attack from the Taiji divine demon. Without such desire, one could depart safely.

Qing Hong had witnessed many relics left by predecessors. Those were never intended for strangers, only for their own heirs. Thus, neither he nor the Immortal Maiden coveted the island, allowing them to escape the Taiji divine demon unscathed.

---

It should be known that the Taiji divine demon’s true form was immense, a fusion of the two islands, with power far surpassing terrestrial immortals, nearing celestial immortals. Though sentient, it could not manifest a Dao body and was bound to linger here through the ages. Now, having received a fragment of Yunxiao Pavilion’s Yin-Yang formulas, the island’s spirit finally glimpsed hope.

...

Meanwhile, the Drought Demoness was playing chess with Granny Yun on Changguang Island.

“Senior sister deliberately sent the younger sister and those two men to the Black Sea. What opportunities lie there?”

“If their hearts hold the righteous path, the seas will be calm and they will turn misfortune into fortune. But if they harbor evil intent, their Yunxiao Pavilion’s legacy will be utterly severed,” the old woman smiled, her face wrinkled. “We indeed wish to revive the lineage of Qi Refiners. But if the leaders’ hearts are impure, it is better for us to strike first than for them to be mocked by fellow immortals in the future. I have done nothing but guide them into the forbidden zone.”

“Forbidden zone? Which forbidden zone?” Lady Chen looked astonished. “The Black Sea forbidden zone is mostly off-limits even to us. Can the three of them really manage?”

“Which one else? The Sea Conch in that Dragon Maiden’s hand was once left by a female immortal. That person, driven by greed, ventured into the Taiji Immortal Realm seeking opportunity. Unless they are unlucky, the trio will naturally go there to find the core matching the conch.”

“Taiji Immortal Realm?” Lady Chen’s chess piece fell, then she regained composure. “Senior sister is ruthless, actually luring them there.”

What kind of place was the Taiji Immortal Realm? That miraculous double island of reversed Yin and Yang had existed thousands of years ago. Lady Chen had visited there in her youth. Had she not been free of greed back then, she might never have left.

“It’s not that I am ruthless. If they have any intention of using the conch to find the core, they must pass through there. This way, we can test their true hearts,” Granny Yun said to Lady Chen. “Sister, I’ve calculated that this young man faces three tribulations on this journey. First, the Eastern Demon Cultists, who damaged the Demon Suppression Banner in the Black Sea, just as I happened upon them. If not for his going, I would have sent disciples later to retrieve the banner for demon refining. Second is the Taiji Immortal Realm, a test of heart.”

“As long as their hearts are free of distractions and greed, there will be no problem.”

Lady Chen smiled bitterly. “That immortal island best suits the Yunxiao Pavilion’s orthodoxy. It’s uncertain whether they might covet it as the foundation of their sacred gate.”

The temptation of the immortal island was greatest for their Yunxiao Pavilion.

Granny Yun chuckled, “Temptation or not, it is also an opportunity. As long as they do not intend to seize the island, they will survive.”

Lady Chen was silent, thinking, “This young man originally belonged to the demonic sect. I fear his nature might be sinister and greedy, so it’s best to test him. Fortunately, I left behind the Drought Demon Divine Fire, which can protect their true spiritual reincarnations.”

She seated herself again and cautiously asked, “Then, sister, what is the third tribulation you have foreseen for this group?”

“That is...” Granny Yun was about to answer when she saw a small dragon on her chessboard about to be cut off by Lady Chen.

“Ah, it’s been years. Your chess skills have become even more refined,” she said, focusing on the game ahead.

Supreme True Lord will provide the second update.