Chapter 1404: The Face of the Heavenly Lord

Immortal Pond Palace.

The elderly immortal official, who had been drinking tea, saw Chen Mobai re-enter. Without acknowledging him, he continued to read the jade slip in his hand.

“May I ask your name, Immortal Official?” Chen Mobai inquired.

The elder, unable to pretend he hadn't heard, stated his name: “Chenfeng.”

“The Purple Jade Pill Chamber said that the Fortune Immortal Pill was claimed just before I arrived. I suppose it must be the one in the True Immortal Pond, right?” Chen Mobai asked, pointing towards the Immortal Pond outside the hall, where dragon roars reverberated.

“I am only in charge of the True Immortal Pond; I know nothing else. If you wish to wait, find a seat somewhere here. Once the person in the pond emerges, I will follow protocol to request the Grand Beginning Spirit Vein be re-infused into the Immortal Pond, and then you may enter.” Immortal Official Chenfeng stated flatly, pointing to a stool in the corner, and then raised the jade slip in his hand once more.

“Oh, does the True Immortal Pond need to be refilled after each use? And how long does that process usually take?” Upon hearing this, Chen Mobai realized it would likely be impossible for him to wait for the True Immortal Pond. Although, nominally, it was like the Fortune Immortal Pill – promised to him as soon as it became available. However, if someone above were to deliberately obstruct it, the process could be stalled for his entire life.

“I will submit the application; whether it’s approved or not is none of my concern,” Immortal Official Chenfeng said finally, then raised the jade slip in his hand, clearly signaling to Chen Mobai, “I wish to read now. Please be quiet.” Clearly, he had no intention of saying anything more to Chen Mobai.

With a soft thud.

Chen Mobai, however, directly reached into his sleeve, pulled out a spirit talisman, and set it down on the tea table in front of Immortal Official Chenfeng. Immortal Official Chenfeng frowned, thinking this youngster was impolite, but after a casual glance, his pupils instantly contracted, and his formerly relaxed posture straightened. He immediately put away the jade slip in his hand, meticulously examined the spirit talisman, and after confirming its authenticity, he remembered what had happened to Chen Mobai, his expression turning bitter.

*Let the squabbles of these factions in the Spirit Emptiness Immortal Realm not drag me into them!*

Having completed his mental calculations, Immortal Official Chenfeng finally looked up and seriously scrutinized the handsome young man standing before him. He forced out his kindest smile and personally moved the stool from the corner, placing it beside Chen Mobai.

“Young friend, please sit. And please put away Celestial Lord Xuansu’s token.”

Chen Mobai didn't stand on ceremony; he simply waved his sleeve and sat down. As for Xuansu’s token, he left it on the tea table, a constant reminder to Immortal Official Chenfeng.

“Immortal Official, please explain the process for the True Immortal Pond.”

“Yes, because each time the True Immortal Pond is used, the Grand Beginning Divine Power contained within it is consumed. Therefore, to avoid affecting subsequent uses, an application is made to the Grand Beginning Palace for re-infusion. Of course, for Void Refinement cultivators, the pond’s depletion is actually minimal, but this can be used to obstruct the process.” Knowing Chen Mobai’s extraordinary background, Immortal Official Chenfeng, acting on the principle of not offending him, truthfully revealed what the latter wished to know.

Chen Mobai: “What if I don't mind the consumption of the Grand Beginning Divine Power?”

Immortal Official Chenfeng: “That would also be permissible, but according to protocol, every use of the True Immortal Pond must be recorded and then archived at the Grand Beginning Palace. It can only be opened again after the previous archiving is approved. So, if young friend wishes to use the True Immortal Pond, the Grand Beginning Palace is an unavoidable step.”

Chen Mobai: “Which Immortal Official is in charge of the Grand Beginning Palace?”

Immortal Official Chenfeng: “It’s Dao Lord Qionghua, but she largely stays out of affairs. Currently, her deputy, Immortal Official Yuying, is in charge.”

Chen Mobai then inquired about their backgrounds.

“Dao Lord Qionghua is the Celestial Emperor’s concubine, residing in the Purple Cloud Palace. She has three sons and two daughters, among whom the second son, Yuwen Ji, is highly favored by the Celestial Emperor and is often kept by his side for instruction…”

Upon hearing this, Chen Mobai knew it would be virtually impossible to bypass the Grand Beginning Palace. Because these were the very people targeting him.

“Is there truly someone in the True Immortal Pond right now?” Chen Mobai looked towards the Immortal Pond Palace, where dragon roars resonated, still somewhat unconvinced. He suspected that the Purple Cloud Palace faction might have fabricated a story of someone ascending before him to prevent his entry into the True Immortal Pond.

“Naturally, there is. Everything in the Spirit Emptiness Immortal Realm must adhere to rules. I would certainly have verified there were no issues before opening the True Immortal Pond.” Immortal Official Chenfeng hastily explained. Offending someone would at most lead to a setback in his career, and as a fringe figure of the Myriad Lofty Palace who had guarded this True Immortal Pond for thousands of years, he didn’t care much about that. However, if he were to let someone enter the True Immortal Pond without following the rules, it would mean death.

Previously, the Celestial Empress, relying on the Celestial Emperor’s favor, trampled on the rules over a minor matter and was immediately relegated to the cold palace by the Celestial Emperor. Dao Lord Qionghua ascended to power because of this, becoming the current mistress of the inner palace. Chen Mobai listened to this story with astonishment, never imagining the Celestial Emperor to be such an impartial person. No wonder the Eastern Land Imperial Court was destroyed; though the Celestial Emperor was furious, he could only let Dao Lord Wanling go without evidence. For those who adhere to rules, having such a leader was a good thing.

After confirming there was someone in the True Immortal Pond, Chen Mobai asked again: “I generally know those who ascend from the lower realms. May I ask which fellow Daoist managed to arrive later but enter the True Immortal Pond and claim the Fortune Immortal Pill before me?”

Faced with this question, Immortal Official Chenfeng hesitated, then sighed and shook his head: “Young friend, I am merely an unattached immortal official. I cannot afford to offend either the Water Mother Palace behind you or the Purple Cloud Palace.”

Chen Mobai, hearing this, smiled faintly. He reached into his sleeve again and took out another token, gently placing it on the tea table next to Celestial Lord Xuansu’s. When Immortal Official Chenfeng saw this, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. His hands trembled slightly as he picked up Celestial Lord Kongming’s token and verified it several times. His gaze upon Chen Mobai had completely changed.

This sexagenary cycle, it is the Void Division and Water Division that guard the Myriad Lofty Palace. This means that all the immortal soldiers and generals of the Myriad Lofty Heaven are under the command of these two divisions. And now, Chen Mobai had produced the tokens of Celestial Lords Xuansu and Kongming. This naturally led Chenfeng, who had spent thousands of years in the Myriad Lofty Palace, to make connections.

*Could it be that the Celestial Empress’s faction is planning a counterattack, setting a trap to take down Dao Lord Qionghua’s Purple Cloud Palace faction?*

At this thought, Chenfeng’s aged face was contorted with bitterness. He only wished to live out his twilight years in peace, which was why he chose this True Immortal Pond, a place that might not open even once in a millennium. Who would have thought he would still be drawn into the most terrifying succession struggle?

“If revealing who entered the True Immortal Pond is against the rules, I will not press you, Senior.” Chen Mobai spoke after displaying the two Celestial Lords’ tokens, implying he wished for an answer but had no intention of forcing the issue.

“That’s not entirely it. After all, the True Immortal Pond concerns the Grand Beginning Spirit Vein, and before the Grand Beginning Palace archives its use, it will be publicly announced in the Spirit Emptiness Immortal Realm for all immortal citizens to know.” At this point, Immortal Official Chenfeng no longer concealed anything. “It’s a cultivator from the Purple Cloud Palace faction of the lower realm, personally brought here by Immortal Lord Kangyu of the Dragon Division…”

Upon hearing this, Chen Mobai’s expression cleared with understanding. So it was Yuwen Yin of the Purple Cloud Heaven Palace. That old fellow had long since reached the perfected Nascent Transformation stage, but when Chen Mobai ascended, Yuwen Yin was still among the onlookers below. This meant that Yuwen Yin underwent the Ninefold Heavenly Tribulation only after Chen Mobai’s ascension.

Chen Mobai, having been taken by Immortal Lord Wuwei to meet Celestial Lord Kongming, then registering his immortal records, and subsequently being obstructed by Celestial Lord Kangjin, was delayed for a period. This allowed Yuwen Yin to seize the opportunity, claim the Fortune Immortal Pill, and enter the True Immortal Pond a step ahead.

*It was likely that Immortal Lord Kangyu directly intervened to assist Yuwen Yin during the Ninefold Heavenly Tribulation; otherwise, it would have been absolutely impossible for him to ascend so quickly,* Chen Mobai secretly mused.

The two Seventh-Order True Spirits of the Auric Dragon, Celestial Lord Kangjin and Immortal Lord Kangyu, hold positions equivalent to Celestial Lord Xuansu and Immortal Lord Wuwei of the Water Division in the Spirit Emptiness Immortal Realm. They are also the source and progenitors of all Auric Dragon bloodlines. Compared to the unlucky Ancestral Black Dragon, they managed to persevere and seize the opportunity to advance to the Seventh Order.

Dao Lord Qionghua of the Purple Cloud Palace, on the other hand, is human. She was the direct daughter of an immortal cultivation family whom the Celestial Emperor met and fell in love with during his incognito visits to the mortal realm. The Purple Cloud Heaven Palace, this detached palace, was established because of this. Later, Dao Lord Qionghua followed the Celestial Emperor to the Immortal Realm. She also proved herself, successfully achieving Dao Integration with the help of Myriad Lofty Palace’s resources, securing her position as a Celestial Consort. Meanwhile, the Yuwen clan left behind by the Celestial Emperor and Qionghua in the lower realm became the largest immortal cultivation family in Zhongzhou, even branching out and establishing imperial courts across the Five Continents and Four Seas. With many descendants ascending, the Purple Cloud Palace faction in the upper realm also grew increasingly powerful. After tens of thousands of years of struggle, Dao Lord Qionghua even managed to relegate the Celestial Empress to the cold palace.

After revealing Yuwen Yin, Chenfeng decided to go all out. Whenever Chen Mobai asked, he thoroughly explained the origins of the Purple Cloud Palace faction. As a descendant of the Celestial Emperor, coupled with his marriage to Ao Yuxia of the Auric Dragon clan, Yuwen Yin, if he could achieve Dao Integration, might also contend for the position of Celestial Emperor. After all, even the most outstanding member of the Purple Cloud Palace faction, Yuwen Ji, was only at the peak of Void Refinement. Even if the Celestial Emperor wished to abdicate, anyone capable of bearing the heavy responsibility of ruling the Thirty-Three Heavens would need at least a Seventh-Order cultivation. It is precisely for this reason that the Celestial Empress’s faction still has a chance for a comeback, provided one of her seven sons can achieve Dao Integration with Order.

“Regarding this, many princes have experienced ill omens before taking the step towards Dao Integration.” This statement from Immortal Official Chenfeng greatly surprised Chen Mobai.

“With the Celestial Emperor present, would anyone in the Immortal Realm dare to harm a prince?”

“I’m not sure about that. It’s said they succumbed to immense pressure and perished during Dao Integration. In any case, since the Celestial Emperor’s ascension, dozens of princes have died during Dao Integration attempts.” To inherit the position of Celestial Emperor, the minimum requirement is Dao Integration with Order. It is precisely for this reason that many promising princes have dedicated themselves to cultivating this Grand Dao, leading to intense internal competition among Void Refinement cultivators seeking the Grand Dao of Order.

“Some princes are uninterested in the Celestial Emperor’s position, so they chose other acquired Grand Daos to enter. For instance, one became a disciple of Sage Qianqiu, received the sage’s teachings, and has now achieved Dao Integration with Light, becoming known as the Luminous Saint Lord.”

“Because the Celestial Emperor has so many descendants, virtually every prominent faction in the Immortal Realm has a prince as a disciple.”

“Both the Water Mother Palace and the Grand Void Palace also each have one Dao Integrator.”

“Although they didn’t pursue the Grand Dao of Order, they are all seeking ways to elevate from acquired to innate. After all, the Grand Dao of Order is the minimum requirement; a suitable innate Grand Dao would be even better for succeeding to the Celestial Emperor’s throne.” These words from Immortal Official Chenfeng also helped Chen Mobai understand the current situation in the Spirit Emptiness Immortal Realm.

It was no longer a secret that the Celestial Emperor wished to abdicate and attain a transcendent realm like the Seven Creation Sages. And regarding the next Celestial Emperor, various factions were placing their bets on different princes. It all came down to which prince would first achieve Dao Integration with Order and become the “Crown Prince.” Currently, the most promising candidate was Yuwen Ji of the Purple Cloud Palace, who reportedly had mastered most of the Grand Dao of Order and could take the step to Dao Integration at any time. However, to ensure greater certainty, he had never attempted Dao Integration.

*Without a heart for courageous advancement, one cannot achieve great things.*

Although Chen Mobai himself always had all resources maxed out when breaking through, this didn’t stop him from commenting on Yuwen Ji. After all, he wasn't competing for the Celestial Emperor’s position. Next, Chen Mobai asked Immortal Official Chenfeng several more questions, gradually forming a clear picture in his mind of the Spirit Emptiness Immortal Realm, which had previously been a blur to him.

“Young friend, my working hours are over.” Seeing the sky darken, Immortal Official Chenfeng finally couldn’t resist, pointing to the setting sun outside and the faintly twinkling stars. Immortal Official Chenfeng had chosen the Immortal Pond Palace for his retirement precisely because it was peaceful; he could leave work on time every day and hadn't worked overtime once in thousands of years. Today, because Chen Mobai had arrived, he had patiently spoken a few extra words.

“My apologies, I got carried away in conversation and lost track of time.” Chen Mobai felt a little embarrassed, as he too disliked working overtime. Casually tucking the two Celestial Lords’ tokens from the tea table into his sleeve, Chen Mobai followed Immortal Official Chenfeng out of the Immortal Pond Palace.

As Chen Mobai had no residence in the Myriad Lofty Heaven, after consulting Immortal Official Chenfeng, he decided to find a random immortal lodge to stay for a while, waiting until Immortal Lord Wuwei emerged before discussing anything further.

“Young friend, the Immortal Pond Palace opens at this time tomorrow. If you have nothing urgent, please don’t come too early.” Immortal Official Chenfeng closed the Immortal Pond Palace gate and then said these final words to Chen Mobai.

Just as Immortal Official Chenfeng was about to teleport away, silver light suddenly flashed before him, and a person he knew very well appeared.

“Greetings, Celestial Lord Kongming.” Chen Mobai also hadn't expected Celestial Lord Kongming to arrive and immediately bowed alongside Immortal Official Chenfeng.