Chapter 1003: For Wei Wuwei, a Dilemma

This Celestial Realm is somewhat like a unique grotto-heaven, yet it is more closely connected to the outside world, gathering starlight and solar power. However, it is clearly not yet complete, being entirely an empty shell inside. Fortunately, the part Ji Yuan and the others sought to achieve has been accomplished.

Without other considerations, Ji Yuan and the others simply didn't leave behind a "Heavenly Gate," meaning they completely severed the "Heavenly Path." To enter this Celestial Realm, one must either be transported by Ji Yuan, Qin Zizhou, or Huang Xingye through their magic, or gain the recognition of Yunshan Temple and cultivate "Heaven and Earth Transformation" to a sufficiently high realm to perceive the Celestial Realm's existence.

Starting from the autumn of that year, the Heavenly River phenomenon in the sky above Bingzhou became even more realistic.

Although ordinary mortals couldn't discern anything from the previous starry river, cultivators with significant cultivation could still perceive the uniqueness of its brilliant starlight. Now, however, even those with exceptionally high cultivation cannot detect much abnormality. They only know this starry river appeared later because they remember the previous night sky.

At the peak of Yunshan's Misty Peak, everyone else was still gazing at the starry river in the sky, but Xiezhi suddenly looked down towards the old Yunshan Temple halfway up the mountain. He could sense that Ji Yuan and the other two had returned.

Without disturbing anyone else, Xiezhi silently descended from the peak alone and went to the old Yunshan Temple. As he entered the temple courtyard, he saw Ji Yuan and Qin Zizhou already seated on the previously empty meditation cushions. Standing before them was a small figure, about the height of a book—it was Huang Xingye, who should have been human-sized.

"Congratulations to the three of you on successfully manifesting the Shangyang Celestial Realm!"

This was Xiezhi's own interpretation of the name. Just as the Yellow Springs gather Yin on Earth, the Heavenly River collects Yang in the sky. The former is in the underworld, while the Heavenly River and Celestial Realm are actually part of the entire mortal realm, serving as a supplement to balance Yin and Yang. This aligns with Ji Yuan's saying, "Solitary Yin cannot thrive, isolated Yang cannot be born."

"Mr. Xiezhi, you exaggerate," Qin Zizhou said with a smile. "That Celestial Realm is merely an empty shell, and incredibly fragile. It's just hidden away for convenience. It won't be too late to praise us when it truly becomes a realm for gods." Ji Yuan and Huang Xingye on the side also nodded slowly. Of course, the current Heavenly River is still perfectly capable of fooling people. Presumably, some beings are now looking up at the starry sky with a sense of unease.

Xiezhi didn't dwell on this. He walked directly into the main hall, pulled over a meditation cushion, and sat down.

"Although I haven't woken you up even once, a lot has happened in the past few years," Xiezhi began. "It just hasn't reached a point where I absolutely had to disturb you, but that doesn't mean the matters weren't significant…"

Xiezhi didn't ask further about the Celestial Realm. He immediately began to concisely report the changes he had been continuously observing. Every so often, he would go outside Yunshan on Ji Yuan's behalf to retrieve message-bearing flying swords from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, combining this with his own knowledge to keep a constant watch on the state of the world.

Ji Yuan and the others sobered, looking seriously at Xiezhi and waiting for him to continue. Even Huang Xingye settled cross-legged onto the meditation cushion, which was larger than a bed for him.

Some developments were foreseeable, while others were quite unexpected.

Xiezhi spoke of the effects of the Dragon Clan's wilderness-clearing and the expansion of the sea territories; the successful transformation of Mount Weimei Sect's Sky-Devouring Beast; increasingly turbulent changes in the underworld; and the immortal realm, which had shown little positive response to the previous warnings from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets and was even being pushed along by Wei Wuwei concerning the matter of "Dharma Coins."

When Xiezhi talked about Dharma Coins, he particularly elaborated on Wei Wuwei. For Xiezhi, someone whose cultivation was usually beneath his notice, to pay such close attention to Wei Wuwei, whose cultivation was truly pitiful, was undoubtedly a strong endorsement of him.

At this moment, at the peak crossing of Moon Deer Mountain, inside the stately Lingbao Pavilion, a treasure chamber was filled with tables and chairs. It was packed with Lingbao Pavilion officials who had considerable experience and decent cultivation. They sat quietly, seemingly waiting for something.

About half a quarter of an hour later, faint footsteps were heard from outside. Wei Wuwei hurried in, clutching a golden-edged ledger-like Dharma artifact. As soon as he reached the doorway and saw the situation inside, he immediately put on a slightly surprised expression.

"Uh, are all fellow Daoists here? When did you arrive? You summoned me; has something major happened?"

"Patriarch Wei!" "Mr. Wei!"

"Fellow Daoist Wei!"

"Please be seated."

The cultivators inside rose one after another to greet Wei Wuwei and invited him to sit. Wei Wuwei dared not delay and hastily returned the courtesies. He showed a serious expression, and his plump body moved with brisk efficiency. In a few steps, he reached an empty seat further inside and sat down.

"Fellow Daoist Li, could you enlighten me?"

As Wei Wuwei asked this, an old man not far from him nodded and slowly began to speak. As expected, it was related to Dharma Coins.

The Dharma Coins prepared by Wei Wuwei in cooperation with Lingbao Pavilion had begun to be gradually released through major immortal ports four years ago.

At first, the existence of Dharma Coins was merely regarded by some cultivators as small trinkets released by other practitioners. Their function was just different from talismans; they were simply more convenient to carry and use, and quite novel.

But as these Dharma Coins continued to circulate in large quantities, their interoperability and convenience quickly became apparent. They could also supplement one's own cultivation and magical power. Soon, like some good talismans, they gained favor among a wide range of cultivators. Whether immortal cultivators, Buddhist cultivators, demon cultivators, or spirits, all were very interested in Dharma Coins.

Soon, people discovered that Dharma Coins were clearly categorized into several levels, with each higher level possessing a greater magical subtlety. The highest-tier Dharma Coin was even a treasure called "Qiankun Ruyi Coin." As its name suggested, "Ruyi" meant "as one wishes," allowing for any spell to be cast and any wonder to be manifested. In extreme circumstances, it could even reverse heaven and earth. Even cultivators with the highest cultivation eagerly pursued it.

Cultivators of various paths, especially the righteous ones, sometimes seemed quite detached. However, certain matters, when they reached a certain point, would make them sensitive. Just as when the human realm's cultural and martial fortunes first appeared, and the human realm's grand destiny began to shift from soft to rigid, many cultivation sects chose to support humanity.

"Nowadays, many cultivators, and even fellow disciples within some sects, have widely begun to use Dharma Coins to measure the value of immortal herbs, elixirs, talismans, and various other items…"

Upon hearing this, Wei Wuwei's expression already showed understanding. Without waiting for the speaking cultivator to continue, he narrowed his eyes and spoke.

"Allow me to guess, it must be that those great sects and factions have realized the enormous impact of this change and now feel that something is amiss, haven't they?"

"Exactly, as Patriarch Wei said," the old man confirmed. "Not only some great immortal sects but also many righteous cultivators have realized that Dharma Coins have already affected the destiny of the immortal realm. Some also believe that immortals' love for money is vulgar and unbearable, and would even shake their pursuit of the Dao… Some sects have now strictly investigated the immortal ports, temporarily sealing our treasure pavilions with no clear date for reopening… If this continues, more immortal mansions might follow suit, and our many years of effort will be wasted…"

Wei Wuwei chuckled. The talk about shaking the pursuit of the Dao was, of course, nonsense. To put it plainly, Dharma Coins were essentially a type of cultivation treasure, not much different from talismans, Five Elements spirits, or various immortal herbs and elixirs; they just had greater liquidity.

If the pursuit of the Dao could be so easily shaken, whether there were Dharma Coins or not would make no difference; such individuals would certainly not achieve anything significant in cultivation. Even the high-ranking officials of Lingbao Pavilion present understood this, as they were naturally shrewd and had been involved in mercantile ways for so long.

But while he thought this, he couldn't speak his mind recklessly. Wei Wuwei composed his smile and slowly nodded.

"Indeed, these are the esteemed elders of the immortal path! Ah, I, Wei, had never imagined such adverse effects; truly, it is my fault!"

Wei Wuwei stood up, stroking his round chin, which was not adorned with a very long beard.

"Alas! We immortal cultivators are wholeheartedly seeking the Dao," he declared. "Dharma Coins, to put it plainly, are merely external possessions. As the mortal saying goes, the wisdom of elders is indispensable. By my own reckoning, I have not even cultivated for sixty years, and I almost made a grave mistake!"

Thump!

Wei Wuwei slammed the table beside him, making the tea cup on it clatter and making the cultivators present jump in their seats. All eyes were on him, but the emotions Wei Wuwei displayed were so perfectly acted that it was impossible to tell what he was truly thinking, or if he was simply revealing his true thoughts.

"Then… how should we respond?"

"What did these people say before? Now… hmph!"

"Exactly, this is just too much!"

"Sigh, it's infuriating!"

Many Lingbao Pavilion cultivators present showed anger. In fact, when Dharma Coins were first being prepared for widespread release, they had already approached the major sects, but at that time, those sects completely ignored them.

What was Lingbao Pavilion? A bunch of rogue cultivators? They weren't even qualified to attend the Immortal Gathering Convention, and while the renowned immortal sects addressed them as fellow Daoists, it was merely a polite formality.

And what about Wei Wuwei? Oh, from Mount Yuhuai, they might grudgingly grant an audience. Hmm, without even an immortal foundation? Just a junior, to be politely dismissed with a smile.

However, a few years after the appearance of Dharma Coins, the "ridiculous minor path" that was once scoffed at had now alarmed more and more immortal experts, leading to this meeting of high-ranking Lingbao Pavilion officials.

Wei Wuwei turned around in surprise, looking at the various cultivators around him.

"Why are you fellow Daoists angry?" Wei Wuwei asked, feigning surprise. "What those great seniors considered and worried about is all correct! When they scoffed at this initially, we shouldn't have pushed forward with it. We can only blame ourselves for being too shallow!"

"Patriarch Wei…"

Clap!

Wei Wuwei suddenly clapped his hands loudly, startling the person next to him into silence. Wei Wuwei then revealed a joyful expression and looked at the surrounding cultivators.

"I have it! I, Wei, have thought of an excellent idea!" Wei Wuwei exclaimed. "Since our cultivation seniors' immortal hearts are unstable, our wisdom is inferior to high cultivators, our insight cannot surpass old immortals, and we lack the renown of immortal mansions, then, in my humble opinion, why don't we…"

"Why don't we…?" "Why don't we what?"

Wei Wuwei listened to the others' confusion, his eyes narrowed into slits from smiling. If the older generation of the Great Zhen martial arts world were present, they would surely recall that this was the origin of his nickname, "Smiling Tiger."

"Naturally, we should invite these eminent figures, these long-renowned great sects and factions, to provide guidance on the path of Dharma Coins," he proposed. "Yes, let's sincerely invite them again to participate in this path and offer their insights! What do you say?"

His words were like a wake-up call to those lost in a dream. The cultivators present weren't foolish; they had been swayed by their emotions earlier and viewed everything as the fruit of their own efforts. For a moment, they hadn't thought of "ceding benefits."

However, the benefits Wei Wuwei spoke of ceding were not small; it could even be said to be ceding the "Dao" itself.

Someone said unwillingly, "Didn't they scoff at this back then? Now…"

"Times are different now, Fellow Daoist Zhou!" Wei Wuwei asserted. "What was the wonder of inaction yesterday is today a method of action. We humbly seek their guidance today. To prevent the path of Dharma Coins from falling into immortal deviations, the many righteous cultivators, renowned mountains, and great sects will surely not stand idly by!"

Wei Wuwei's smile remained, his face filled with trust for the immortal elders. Both times Wei Wuwei had extended invitations with full sincerity. Of course, the Ruyi Coin wasn't mentioned the first time, but now, word of the Ruyi Coin had slowly begun to spread.

"Then… what about the Ruyi Coin?"

"Yes, what about the Ruyi Coin?"

Wei Wuwei's smile receded, and his narrowed eyes slowly opened.

"Oh, the Ruyi Coin was refined by Mr. Ji," he said. "The coins and the refining method are merely entrusted to us. Although I, Wei, don't believe anyone else besides Mr. Ji can refine them, how can we make the decision?"

"Uh… yes, yes! How can we make the decision!"

"Indeed, indeed, how can we make decisions for Mr. Ji?"

"Brilliant, that's precisely the point!"

Wei Wuwei smiled again.

"Well then, since none of you have any objections, and I, Wei, can represent Mount Yuhuai," he said, "it's settled. Let's swiftly send out invitation cards and dispatch people to visit, and invite the seniors to gather and deliberate. You all don't have to worry about Lingbao Pavilion being left out. We are still the specialists in this path, and the seniors naturally understand the principle that one must first give to receive!"

With the latter half of his statement, Wei Wuwei was speaking frankly. Everything had gone according to his calculations, and he hadn't even needed to use some of his alternative tactics.

At the same time, Wei Wuwei was not at all worried about Dharma Coins becoming overly widespread. Refining them was exactly like alchemy, talisman drawing, or artifact forging; it required immense talent and extremely high refining techniques. A single mistake in drawing a talisman would render it useless, and Dharma Coins were no different. If one's skill was insufficient, even spending more time might yield less than half the results. This was especially true for higher-tier Dharma Coins, and only Ji Yuan could refine the Ruyi Coins.

"Alright, are there any more matters, fellow Daoists? If not, I, Wei, shall take my leave!"

Wei Wuwei drained the tea, which he hadn't touched since arriving, and then quickly walked towards the door, his mind still racing.

‘This should be enough… One, two, three…’

"Patriarch Wei, please wait!"

Wei Wuwei, who had already reached the doorway, turned around in surprise. "Is there still an important matter?"

The cultivators in the room exchanged glances. The several Lingbao Pavilion managers on duty stepped forward, leading dozens of cultivators to bow to Wei Wuwei.

"We ask Patriarch Wei to preside over Lingbao Pavilion!"

"What!? I, Wei, have shallow cultivation and crude intellect; how could I be worthy of such a position…?"

Wei Wuwei's face was filled with shock!

"Patriarch Wei, we are not schemers," one of the managers said. "To put it plainly, maintaining Lingbao Pavilion is ultimately for our cultivation. But your wisdom, Patriarch Wei, surpasses ours tenfold. If we ask you to preside, we can all cultivate with peace of mind!"

Lingbao Pavilion, to put it simply, was once put together by a group of rather formidable rogue cultivators. Compared to the mercantile path, their ultimate goal was still their own cultivation. As for Wei Wuwei, a man of extraordinary talent, over these years, his intelligence and character had long since won over these cultivators.

Solving difficulties when encountered and clearing obstacles when blocked, coupled with his mastery of the Ruyi Coin, being directly chosen as the head was also long within Wei Wuwei's calculations.

"Oh dear… everyone, fellow Daoists, this…"

Wei Wuwei frowned deeply, revealing an extremely conflicted expression…