Chapter 1161: Entering Zi Xiao Palace

Pure Nine-Lotus Lantern:

The stairs and platforms leading into the Purple霄 Palace contain an unparalleled Dao rhythm. Those with sufficient comprehension can pause and meditate on the Great Dao that corresponds to their cultivation method. This is also advice given by the Immortal Sect's ancient sages who previously entered the Purple霄 Palace. For cultivators below the Divine Transformation stage, entering the Purple霄 Palace is impossible; they can't even approach its threshold. Therefore, it's better for them to remain outside and deepen their understanding of their cultivation methods under the validation of the Great Dao.

Even so, these Dao rhythms are too immense for Nascent Soul cultivators. Those with an insufficient foundation quickly find it unbearable. Fortunately, the compassionate Purple霄 Dao Venerable ensures that cultivators who cannot withstand the Dao rhythm's impact are directly expelled.

Chen Mobai's gaze swept over them, and he immediately categorized them as unworthy of further cultivation. In the future, their names could be struck from the list for Divine Transformation resources. Although he inwardly deemed these individuals untalented, Chen Mobai, as the leader of the Immortal Sect, still intervened at that moment to catch them as they fell. As they tumbled down the last step, he used the power of his spiritual domain to transfer them onto his Taiyi Five-Smoke Luo.

"Thank you for your assistance, True Monarch."

Ye Yune, Xiao Yuping, and Yuxiao immediately thanked Chen Mobai.

"While your comprehension of the Dao rhythm is still fresh, meditate," Chen Mobai instructed the three, so they wouldn't waste this opportunity from the Purple霄 Palace. Although they were the first to be eliminated, this experience would at least deepen their understanding of their own cultivation methods. The only pity was that Xiao Yuping possessed a Dharma Body Nascent Soul.

"Yes, True Monarch." After thanking him again, the three casually found a mountain peak in the Taihollow Mountain Range and began to meditate with their eyes closed.

Soon after, Yan Qiongzhi, Zhongli Tianyu, Nangong Xuanyu, and Gongye Zhixu also succumbed to the Dao rhythm and tumbled down from a platform. Chen Mobai also observed a pattern: the deeper one's cultivation and the more profound their foundation, the longer they could persevere. Zhongli Tianyu and the others possessed good talent, but their cultivation level held them back, allowing them to persist for only half a day longer.

"You should go too; don't waste any more time," Chen Mobai said to Lan Haitan, who was beside him. Lan Haitan nodded and landed on the first step at the foot of the mountain.

At that moment, a flying Dharma artifact approached from a distance. Zhongli Tianyu immediately went to instruct the intercepting Starry Sky Warship to grant it passage.

"True Monarch, everyone has arrived." Deng Daoyun was controlling the flying Dharma artifact. He had brought a group of teachers and students from the Wuqi Dao Academy, all possessing good talent and comprehension. Both Core Formation and Foundation Establishment cultivators were among them. The reincarnation of Qianxing was also present. It wasn't an attempt to conceal anything, but rather to offer an opportunity to the cultivators of the Wuqi lineage who had encountered this rare chance.

In addition to the Wuqi Dao Academy, the other three major Dao Academies had also requested chartered flights. Beyond the Dao Academies, Chen Mobai also extended this opportunity to other academies and schools. For instance, the three most outstanding Core Formation cultivators from the Lingbao Academy accompanied the group from the Wuqi Dao Academy.

This time, virtually all the most outstanding talents within the Immortal Sect from the past two centuries were gathered. Even if they could only stay on the Purple霄 Palace for one minute, for many, it would be the greatest opportunity of their lives.

"You go first. Once everyone has arrived, I will arrange for them to descend together," Chen Mobai said to Deng Daoyun, who nodded excitedly and placed the more than thirty people from the Wuqi Dao Academy onto Chen Mobai's Taiyi Five-Smoke Luo.

With Zhuang Jialan present, Chen Mobai didn't need to take charge of the command. He merely paid more attention to Qianxing's reincarnation, who seemed uninterested, huddling at the back of the crowd and playing a game on his phone.

In addition, among the crowd was Chen Mobai's confidante, Meng Huang'er. Her eyes showed both excitement and trepidation. The opportunity of the Purple霄 Palace was no longer a secret to Core Formation cultivators. Previously, only Nascent Soul Dao Seeds were permitted entry. Although she barely qualified, she knew her inclusion was superficial and entirely depended on Chen Mobai's backing. She worried that once she ascended the Purple霄 Palace stairs, her true nature would be exposed, revealing her mediocre talent.

"Once you go up, seal your spiritual consciousness and do not meditate on the Dao rhythm. Stay as long as you can. When about ninety percent of the Core Formation cultivators have descended, you can simply follow them down," Chen Mobai transmitted to Meng Huang'er, putting her mind at ease. On the Purple霄 Palace's stairs and platforms, one gains nothing without active meditation, but correspondingly, one can endure longer. For Meng Huang'er, the Purple霄 Palace was too high-level. She was well aware that any future advancement to the Nascent Soul stage would only be possible with Chen Mobai's assistance. Therefore, she nodded repeatedly, indicating her understanding and assurance that she would follow his instructions. The two merely exchanged a glance and completed their communication with perfect understanding.

Half a day later, the Kunpeng Dao Academy's flying Dharma artifact also arrived. Leading them was Director Nandou, a True Person. After disembarking, he consciously led his lineage to stand beside the Wuqi lineage, then approached Chen Mobai to greet him. Because Yan Bingxuan was in this group, Chen Mobai uncharacteristically spoke a few more words with Nandou.

"Once you're up there," Chen Mobai transmitted to Yan Bingxuan, "if you encounter stairs that record the Great Dao of Ice, you can meditate on them appropriately. When your divine sense is about half depleted, slow down your meditation. It's best to endure there for a longer time, as it will make it easier for me to arrange Nascent Soul formation resources for you in the future." While conversing with Nandou, Chen Mobai's primary focus was on this transmission to Yan Bingxuan.

This time, the Purple霄 Palace served as a large "demon-revealing mirror" for the Immortal Sect. Based on the time one could persist there, one's talent relative to others at the same cultivation stage could be discerned. According to True Person Meihua's calculations, there were approximately thirteen years until the opening war with Pluto and the Three-Eyed Race. To overcome this calamity, the Immortal Sect would certainly release a large portion of its resources during this period, utilizing most of its stored resources to cultivate talent. Without the merit gained from pioneering wars, resources would certainly be distributed according to talent. The higher one's talent, the higher their probability of success.

Meng Huang'er could only rely on deception, but Yan Bingxuan could still genuinely attempt it, as her comprehension and talent were not low. Since many top Immortal Sect cultivators were present, any voice transmission from Yan Bingxuan to Chen Mobai would surely be detected. Therefore, like Meng Huang'er, she merely nodded to indicate her understanding. However, Chen Mobai noticed a hint of disappointment in her eyes, indicating that she still held high expectations for herself. Chen Mobai's words clearly implied that he didn't have high hopes for her.

After arranging things for his two confidantes, the flying Dharma artifacts of the Three Great Halls also arrived, having been directly transported by the Righteous Dharma Hall's Starry Sky Warship. Chen Xiaohei was naturally among them, standing with Hua Zijing. He gave the same instructions to his own daughter. Although Chen Xiaohei possessed a Pure Yin Physique, her comprehension was average. After hearing his words, she felt a little unconvinced inwardly, but outwardly, she obediently nodded.

At this point, Ye Yune had also awakened from her seclusion. She proactively took on the task of arranging and dispatching personnel, mimicking Lan Haitan in trying to gain favor with Chen Mobai. She immediately placed Hua Zijing and Chen Xiaohei from the Righteous Dharma Hall in the first row.

Three more days passed quickly. Everyone from the Three Great Halls and Four Major Dao Academies had arrived. Only five Nascent Soul cultivators remained on the Purple霄 Palace's stairs and platforms. They were Beiming, Yuanxu, Taohua, Wenren Xuewei, and Pei Qingshuang.

Among them, the one who surprised Chen Mobai the most was naturally Pei Qingshuang. She hadn't formed her Nascent Soul long ago, and her cultivation was arguably among the lowest of the Nascent Soul stage. Could it be that her Lifespan Immortal bloodline was beneficial for comprehending the Great Dao? Seeing Pei Qingshuang standing on a step, her entire body radiating an inexplicable immortal light that shimmered in harmony with the Great Dao, her already tall and graceful figure became even more mature and voluptuous. Chen Mobai could only attribute it to this possibility. The other four, however, were within Chen Mobai's expectations. They were all future Divine Transformation seeds of the Immortal Sect.

Especially Wenren Xuewei: Chen Mobai sensed that even with her eyes closed, her inherently vibrant Everspring True Qi seemed to have gained sentience, continuously merging with the Dao rhythm and brimming with vitality. This actually led her to continuously break through, directly advancing to the ninth layer of the Nascent Soul stage. Naturally, the Great Chinese Toon Divine Tree's aid was also involved, but to achieve this still proved Wenren Xuewei's extraordinary talent. Chen Mobai calculated with his fingers that Wenren Xuewei had formed her Nascent Soul before the last pioneering war, approximately ninety years ago. Indeed, she was a Divine Transformation prodigy capable of standing alongside him.

"It seems the next era might belong to the Jumang Dao Academy," said Zhongli Tianyu. Seeing three Nascent Soul cultivators from the Jumang Dao Academy on the Purple霄 Palace stairs, he couldn't help but frown slightly. After becoming a disciple of Qi Yuheng, he seemed to have developed some hostility towards the Jumang lineage.

"As long as I am in the Immortal Sect, it will always be my era," Chen Mobai stated. "If, after I depart, the era of the Jumang Dao Academy begins, then your generation will have been too incompetent." In response, Chen Mobai merely said this. Zhongli Tianyu, uncharacteristically, lowered his head in shame. He had always prided himself as the Immortal Sect's second-greatest genius, only after Chen Mobai. However, after forming his Nascent Soul, he discovered that everyone at the same cultivation stage was an exceptional talent. Being among the second group to fall from the Purple霄 Palace made him fully recognize his true standing. Thus, seeing that the Jumang Dao Academy still had three Nascent Soul cultivators on the stairs and platforms, he no longer possessed the ambition he had when he served as the Righteous Dharma Hall Master and suppressed Pei Qingshuang.

"I stand enlightened!" For the first time, Zhongli Tianyu thanked Chen Mobai in a solemn tone.

"Cultivation is a gradual journey, step by step," Chen Mobai comforted him. "The Purple霄 Palace doesn't represent everything. You have Divine Transformation ancestors, a Divine Transformation master, and Divine Transformation friends. As long as you cultivate diligently, you won't be inferior to them." After admonishing him, Chen Mobai also offered some words of comfort. After all, the Wuqi Dao Academy had no Divine Transformation Dao Seeds, and Zhongli Tianyu was considered half of one. As a friend, Chen Mobai didn't want him to lose confidence in his cultivation journey.

After waiting another two days, Pei Qingshuang finally tumbled down from a platform. Half a day later, Beiming and Wenren Xuewei also succumbed, falling simultaneously. Yuanxu and Taohua persevered until the very end. Among them, Yuanxu had experienced one Divine Transformation, so such a profound foundation was normal for him. However, Taohua, being a spiritual plant in human form, found sensing the Great Dao inherently difficult, yet achieved such success. This demonstrated the incredible depth of her thousands of years of accumulated foundation. In the end, Taohua was the first to fall. Yuanxu, lasting ten days, became the top Nascent Soul cultivator. He ascended 767 steps, but he lingered the longest on the 635th step.

Chen Mobai did not ask about their gains, as it was now his turn to ascend. "I'll leave this place to you all," Chen Mobai said to the three Hall Masters beside him. Qi Yuheng and other Divine Transformation cultivators of the Immortal Sect had already climbed over a thousand steps. Although they showed no signs of fatigue, their auras were fluctuating intensely, clearly indicating their minds were unstable under the impact of the Dao rhythm. However, according to the Immortal Sect's historical records of ascending the Purple霄 Palace, Divine Transformation cultivators could potentially persevere until the end. Therefore, in the coming period, besides the Divine Transformation cultivators, arrangements also needed to be made for talented cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage, such as Core Formation and Foundation Establishment cultivators. This matter no longer required Chen Mobai's concern.

He transformed into a silver ray and teleported to the foot of the mountain. He gazed at the Purple霄 Palace at the peak, observing it carefully. Although he had previously entered the palace twice for lectures by borrowing the Dan Ding Daoist's Three Azure Bird Dharma Idol, each time he opened his eyes, he was already inside the hall. Thus, he didn't know what the Purple霄 Palace looked like from the outside. Only now did he realize it was such a simple stone palace. Had he not witnessed its descent with his own eyes, Chen Mobai would never have believed that within its walls, the most formidable beings of this Great Thousand Universe once gathered, holding the profound mysteries of the Three Thousand Great Daos and the secrets of eternal creation.

Lost in contemplation, Chen Mobai took his first step. What surged forth was the Dao rhythm, causing him to pause. For this was surprisingly the Great Dao of Pure Yang. However, considering it was left behind by the Purple霄 Dao Venerable, his expression shifted to one of understanding.

Chen Mobai paused here for a full three days, making hundreds of the Immortal Sect's top talents extremely curious. They naturally didn't think True Monarch Chunyang was stumped at the first stage, but rather pondered if there was some profound intention behind it. Could it be that this very first step contained the most crucial Great Dao? If one comprehended this, would they then understand all others? Or was it that True Monarch Chunyang had already comprehended the Three Thousand Great Daos of the Purple霄 Palace the moment he stepped onto the first step?

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Chen Mobai suddenly sat down right on this first step and began to meditate. The Great Dao is formless, yet eternally existent, transcending time and space. Once the Great Dao is comprehended, cultivators can absorb and refine it with their nascent spirits. Once their nascent spirit has fully adapted and ascended with the power of the Great Dao, they can attempt to truly step into the Great Dao. This step is the Void Refinement stage. To step into the Great Dao without losing oneself is the beginning of mastering the Great Dao. Whether it's the God of Death, the Great Chinese Toon, or even White Light, they are all at this stage.