Chapter 1001: Mountain Seal Summoning Token

Before Ji Yuan arrived, Jade Cauldron Mountain had already received a message from a small paper crane, informing them of his impending visit and its purpose: to obtain the Mountain Decree Talisman.

Ji Yuan arrived outside Jade Cauldron Mountain exactly half a day later. Xiezhi gazed at the extraordinary, immortal aura of the mountain, then turned to look at Ji Yuan, who was slowly walking on the wind.

"I won't show myself," Xiezhi said. "If they're unwilling to give it, your status makes it difficult to resort to force. Call me out to help you seize it!"

Xiezhi's words were clearly a bit exaggerated, but before Ji Yuan could respond, he had already transformed back into a painting scroll and flown into Ji Yuan's sleeve.

At that moment, Ji Yuan was hovering on the wind amidst the thick fog outside Jade Cauldron Mountain. After waiting only a short while, the cry of a crane echoed from afar.

"Cree—"

A guardian immortal crane flew closer. Upon seeing Ji Yuan standing in the wind, it immediately transformed into a man dressed in a feather robe, who then bowed to Ji Yuan.

"So, Mister Ji has arrived. If you don't mind, I would be honored to carry you into the mountain!"

"Yes, thank you for your trouble."

Ji Yuan simply nodded in response. The man transformed back into an immortal crane, slowly flying beneath Ji Yuan's feet. Once Ji Yuan was seated cross-legged on its back, it flapped its wings and flew into the fog, heading towards Jade Cauldron Mountain.

Upon entering the Jade Cauldron Sacred Realm, the immortal crane did not stop. Occasionally, its cry echoed into the depths of Jade Cauldron Mountain, sounding more like an official report.

In a medicinal garden valley within the Jade Cauldron Sacred Realm, Wei Yuansheng heard the crane's cry and looked up at the sky, seeing the guardian immortal crane carrying someone in.

"Mister Ji?"

Everyone in Jade Cauldron Mountain who recognized Ji Yuan and witnessed this scene began to ponder the matter.

In the sky, the immortal crane did not land. It carried Ji Yuan over the barriers that ordinary disciples of Jade Cauldron Mountain could not cross, arriving before Jade Casting Peak. Then, it flapped its wings upwards, soaring past the main hall and continuing towards the mountain peak.

This was not Ji Yuan's first time seeing Jade Casting Peak, but it was his first time setting foot on it. This was a forbidden area of Jade Cauldron Mountain, but it was open to Ji Yuan today.

All the Grand True Masters of Jade Cauldron Mountain had emerged from their seclusion and were waiting at the summit.

"Cree—"

The immortal crane cried out, carrying Ji Yuan as it flew, then slowly descended, flapping its wings.

"Mister Ji, we have arrived."

Ji Yuan nodded, dismounted from the crane's back, and looked ahead. Ju Yuanzi and a few others, leading the group, merely bowed to Ji Yuan.

"Mister Ji, we have been waiting for a long time. Please ascend the Mountain-Suppressing Platform!"

"My apologies for the disturbance!"

At this moment, Jade Casting Peak was entirely covered in white snow, and large, feathery snowflakes continued to fall from the sky. The Jade Cauldron Mountain cultivators stood on either side, while Ji Yuan and the group led by Ju Yuanzi walked towards the center, gradually ascending a high platform with dozens of steps.

"Mister Ji, the Mountain Decree Talisman is placed on this Mountain-Suppressing Platform. It's unlikely that a second one exists in the world. Since ancient times, there have been legends of Decree Talismans, but no one knows the origin of such a treasure. According to the deductions of our Jade Cauldron Mountain's predecessors, the source of all Decree Talismans is very likely this very Mountain Decree Talisman."

Ji Yuan looked at Ju Yuanzi, then at the other Grand True Masters of Jade Cauldron Mountain.

"So, what is the origin of this talisman?"

The dozens of steps were not very high, and Ji Yuan and his companions quickly reached the top, standing on a platform less than five zhang wide. In the center was a massive white jade stone, on which something resembling a bamboo scroll was placed.

A Grand True Master standing beside Ju Yuanzi looked at the white jade stone with a complicated expression, then stroked his beard and took up the conversation.

"Legend has it that countless years ago, our Jade Cauldron Mountain's patriarch was traveling the seas with his cultivation companions. One night, they saw a glow emanating from the ocean. They then controlled the water to dive down together and discovered this Mountain Decree Talisman. They studied it together for several decades before parting ways. This talisman remained in the patriarch's possession, and he subsequently founded Jade Cauldron Mountain. All Decree Talismans throughout the world are said to have originated from this one, though they have changed over the years. It is also one of the sources of the Decree Edict method."

In fact, for many practitioners of various cultivation paths, a Decree Talisman is indeed valuable, but it's an extremely difficult and minimally helpful item. At best, it can help those aspiring to divine paths get started, saving them the initial effort of connecting with heaven and earth or integrating with incense offerings, thus laying a foundation. However, intense cultivation is still required afterward, and even those decreed might be hindered because the talismans "refine" certain conditions, making them somewhat of a mixed blessing.

Nevertheless, some powerful Decree Talismans have appeared in the past, primarily for mountain gods guarding righteous sects. The legendary pinnacle among them is the Mountain Decree Talisman.

As for the Decree Edict method, it is a genuinely superior and ingenious technique.

"So there's this history," Ji Yuan remarked.

Despite his words, Ji Yuan found it surprisingly natural.

However, today they were not there to trace origins, so the digression ended. Standing on the high platform, all the cultivators of Jade Cauldron Mountain stopped.

"Mister Ji, the Mountain Decree Talisman is on that white jade stone. If you can pick it up, then take it. Our Jade Cauldron Mountain will not object in the slightest!"

As Ju Yuanzi said this, the other cultivators of Jade Cauldron Mountain also nodded in agreement.

"Mister Ji, please!"

Another Grand True Master gestured towards the white jade stone.

Seeing the posture of those around him, Ji Yuan knew that lifting the Mountain Decree Talisman would be no easy feat—at least, that was what the people of Jade Cauldron Mountain believed. But if it truly couldn't be lifted, how did the Jade Cauldron Mountain patriarch and his fellow cultivators take it and study it for decades?

'Or did it change after being placed on this Mountain-Suppressing Platform?'

These thoughts flashed through Ji Yuan's mind. He continued walking, going straight to the white jade stone. He looked down and saw a gray scroll on it, whose material was indiscernible. The white jade stone itself was inscribed with countless decree characters.

"Hmm?"

Ji Yuan felt a slight doubt, then looked up at the cultivators of Jade Cauldron Mountain. Many, including Ju Yuanzi, sighed, while some turned their heads, avoiding Ji Yuan's gaze.

Ji Yuan smiled. He had overthought it. It turned out that the Mountain Decree Talisman no longer possessed any spiritual essence. Perhaps its last bit of power had been used to defend against the true dragon's attack long ago.

Ji Yuan reached out, grasped the scroll, and attempted to lift it, but found it didn't budge. He faintly felt that lifting it would be even more difficult than lifting Jade Casting Peak itself.

"Since its spiritual essence is lost, I shall restore it," Ji Yuan murmured.

As he whispered, Ji Yuan gently exhaled. His reddish-gray True Fire Qi contained an infinite amount of profound yellow Qi. In that instant, a fierce flame ignited on the white jade platform, with profound golden radiance swirling within it.

Everyone from Jade Cauldron Mountain watched nervously, fearing that the Samadhi True Fire would damage the Decree Talisman. However, their tension didn't last long. Just a quarter of an hour later, the reddish-gray Samadhi True Fire dissipated, revealing a resplendent golden scroll on the white jade platform.

Ji Yuan glanced at the Jade Cauldron Mountain cultivators once more, then reached out, grasped the scroll again, and gently lifted it upwards.

"Rumble, rumble, rumble..."

As the Mountain Decree Talisman left the white jade stone, Jade Casting Peak, and indeed the entire Jade Cauldron Mountain, began to shake violently, astonishing the disciples who had no idea what was happening.

Ji Yuan, holding the Mountain Decree Talisman in his left hand, looked around Jade Cauldron Mountain and instantly understood: the Mountain Decree Talisman was actually the cornerstone of the Jade Cauldron Sacred Realm. If he took it, the Sacred Realm might collapse.

At that moment, a wolf-hair brush slid out from Ji Yuan's sleeve. With a display of his magic power, the brush tip instantly turned golden. Ji Yuan then held the brush and wrote the four large golden characters "Jade Cauldron Sacred Realm" on the white jade stone.

After these four characters were written, the trembling within Jade Cauldron Mountain gradually subsided, finally returning to stillness.

"I shall take this Mountain Decree Talisman," Ji Yuan stated.

All the cultivators present from Jade Cauldron Mountain stared blankly at the golden talisman in Ji Yuan's hand. Some felt a sense of melancholy loss, while others were exhilarated, but all were speechless for a moment.

Ji Yuan smiled and bowed to the assembled crowd.

"Thank you, Jade Cauldron Mountain, for your profound understanding and magnanimity. Ji Yuan bids farewell!"

The people of Jade Cauldron Mountain still couldn't utter a word, only bowing in return as they watched Ji Yuan ascend on the wind and fly away from Jade Casting Peak.

After a long while, someone finally spoke.

"The talisman... it's gone..." "Oh!"

"What did Mister Ji just write?" "Let's go see!"

In the sky outside Jade Cauldron Mountain, Xiezhi flew out again, standing beside Ji Yuan and curiously examining the glittering golden talisman in his hand.

"Goodness gracious, this is the Mountain Decree Talisman? It can bestow a decree upon a righteous mountain god?"

Xiezhi looked up at Ji Yuan.

"What if it's useless?"

"It's useful."

Ji Yuan simply said this plainly, offering no further explanation. Xiezhi scratched his head, feeling that Ji Yuan was somewhat peculiar, though he couldn't quite pinpoint why.

"Let me see?"

"No."

"If you won't give it, then don't! Who cares!"

Xiezhi grimaced, instantly displeased. But as the scenery below steadily receded, after a long silence, he couldn't help but speak again.

"Can't I just take a peek, or even just weigh it in my hand?"

"No."

Ji Yuan flatly refused, directly putting the Mountain Decree Talisman into his bosom. He knew that placing it in his sleeve, where Xiezhi's scroll was kept, might not prevent Xiezhi from getting to it.

"You... do you have any trust left? You're making me feel disheartened!"

Ji Yuan smiled, giving a brief reply.

"No."

Xiezhi suddenly felt an urge to gnash his teeth. When Ji Yuan occasionally teased him, he was completely helpless; he couldn't intimidate him, let alone defeat him. But all of a sudden, he slowly raised his head to look at the sky, and Ji Yuan did the same.

The sky to the south was bathed in bright sunshine, but the northern sky gave them a strange sensation.

"This feeling... it's familiar..."

"What feeling?"

Ji Yuan asked indifferently. Xiezhi lowered his head and looked at Ji Yuan.

"I once felt ten suns hanging in the sky, and now I have a similar feeling, though it's very faint."

Ji Yuan quieted his mind and concentrated. In his ears, there seemed to be a vast drumming sound.

"Boom... boom... boom... boom..."

"Do you hear it?"

When Ji Yuan asked this, Xiezhi paused slightly, then also focused on listening. Initially puzzled, his expression then subtly changed.

"Could it be the Celestial Emperor's chariot? How is that possible! Even if remnants of the ancient Heavenly Court still exist, they would be blocked within the Barren Domain. How could it be outside the heavens?"

Ji Yuan did not speak, merely looked towards the horizon in the direction of the sound. The drumming and faint golden-red glow gradually faded into the distance.

"Ji Yuan, Ji Yuan? No reaction from you? I said it might be the Celestial Emperor's chariot!"

"Hmm, I heard it. Perhaps you're not wrong, but it's unlikely to be Di Jun riding it. At most, it's just a Golden Crow."

"What? You..."

Xiezhi stared wide-eyed at Ji Yuan. How could this person be so nonchalant? What did he mean, "at most, it's just a Golden Crow"?

"Don't you think he's looking for something?"

"Huh? How do you know?"

Xiezhi was clearly bewildered by Ji Yuan's unconventional thought process.

"What do you think he's looking for?"

"Huh?"

Xiezhi suddenly wondered if he was becoming stupid, unable to keep up with Ji Yuan's line of thinking.

"Well, it's just a hunch, nothing more. The Mountain Decree Talisman is now in hand, and this talisman can be used directly."

Ji Yuan rode the clouds towards Cloud Mountain Abbey, no longer discussing the Golden Crow in the sky with Xiezhi. The latter tried to probe several times without success and still couldn't see the Decree Talisman. Though unhappy, he had no choice.

Soon after Ji Yuan arrived at Cloud Mountain Abbey, the Stellar River Grand Array, set up years ago, manifested from within the mountain that very night. It resonated with the stars in the sky, creating a brilliant river of stars above the misty clouds of Cloud Mountain.

The main hall of the old Cloud Mountain Abbey became a forbidden area where Ji Yuan sat in meditation. Besides Ji Yuan, only the human-bodied deity Huang Xingye sat cross-legged upon the unfurled Mountain Decree Talisman.