Chapter 435: Vast Glow of the Sunset

"Mr. Ji, what was that spell you just used to immobilize that old man? Would it be convenient for me to learn about it?"

Bai Qi finally asked. He figured it wouldn't be a big problem just to understand it, without trying to pry into the true method.

Hearing his question, Hu Yun also perked up his ears. Even the old turtle and the large green fish in the water were curious.

Ji Yuan reached out and tapped his teacup, drawing out a thin stream of water. At the same time, he picked up a chopstick from the table and made it stand upright. The stream of water then circled around in the air, binding the chopstick.

Ji Yuan released his hand, and the chopstick remained suspended in mid-air, held by the water stream.

"This is a method of binding objects by shaping water, similar to how earth can be used to bury things. This is the basic principle of immobilization spells, which largely rely on tangible matter. However, there's another type of supernatural spell that employs an intangible method, capable of commanding the spiritual essence of all things, whether heavenly, earthly, or human, both within and without."

Bai Qi frowned, then tentatively asked,

"Does Mr. Ji mean the method of Edicts?"

"Yes, and no."

Ji Yuan tried to explain what he knew in terms that others could understand, but considering that Bai Qi was a water dragon, and Hu Yun, the old turtle, and the big green fish were all demonic creatures, it was highly unlikely they could learn the Edict spells of immortal cultivation. So, he kept his explanation simpler.

"Simply put, although Edicts involve written characters and Daoist incantations, they are essentially a form of vocal command. Even written edicts still require the practitioner to recite them aloud. However, written edicts can be granted by those with deeper cultivation, thereby lowering the requirements for the practitioner."

Bai Qi nodded. Although Hu Yun and the other creatures didn't grasp all the details, they understood the general direction of the meaning, so their minds weren't too perplexed.

Ji Yuan continued,

"But you only know of Edicts; you don't know where they originate. Not just you, but many immortal cultivators who learn Edicts are merely taught the proper methods through oral tradition by their elders, without knowing the true root of Edicts."

Bai Qi said seriously,

"I presume Mr. Ji knows, and I would be honored to hear the details."

"Yes, Hu Yun also wants to hear the details!"

Ji Yuan smiled. The fox and Bai Qi seemed to get along quite well. Recalling the feeling he had when he obtained the 'Precious Record of Zhengde's Duke,' he carefully chose his words before speaking.

"In truth, all things between Heaven and Earth possess their own principles and laws. Within this, Heaven and Earth also have their own 'Dao sounds' (Daoist principles manifested as sound), which complement the natural laws. Edicts, in essence, harness this spiritual power, making them as unpredictable as divine authority, yet equally difficult to control."

Although Bai Qi himself wasn't skilled in the way of Edicts, he could tell that what Ji Yuan had just used wasn't an Edict. At least, it didn't look like one to him. Indeed, as Mr. Ji said, the way of Edicts was wondrous, but it left traces and at least had a method of resolution.

If Du Changsheng had been restrained by an Edict earlier, it would have been like the chopstick on the table being tied by a water rope—one could "see" the rope and naturally untie it. But just now... there was no rope.

"What Mr. Ji used didn't seem like an Edict spell!"

Bai Qi hesitated for a moment before speaking his mind.

"Precisely. It's indeed not a common Edict spell. You couldn't discern its origin or nature, could you?"

Bai Qi nodded, confirming it. The old turtle also appeared thoughtful, while Hu Yun and the large green fish could only listen with interest, committing it to memory.

Showing off one's knowledge could be quite satisfying, and even Ji Yuan, despite his current cultivation, was no exception, though to a different degree. He stopped teasing them and spoke directly.

"Cultivators often say that outside the body is the great universe, and inside is a small universe. While the inner universes of all living things may have flaws or damage, the human body alone is complete. Generally speaking, there's a 'heaven and earth' within every being. What if my 'command' was directed at *that* inner heaven and earth?"

Bai Qi was immediately stunned. Could one's own inner heaven and earth also be commanded? Or, could it be commanded by an outsider? Such a divine ability was too terrifying...

"It's not as powerful as you imagine. It's still limited by the other party's cultivation. The higher their cultivation and stronger their magic power, the less they are affected. If their cultivation surpasses mine, it naturally has no effect."

Hearing this, Bai Qi managed a smile and offered a sincere compliment.

"This is truly a miraculous technique; I've never heard of it before."

Ji Yuan found this compliment quite gratifying. Most of his skills were self-devised, which gave him a strong sense of accomplishment, so being praised was naturally welcome.

"You indeed wouldn't have heard of it. This technique was devised by me through my own contemplation. I presume there is no one else in this world who knows it."

About several dozen li away from the small boat where Ji Yuan and the others were, a small painted pleasure boat was sailing towards Chunhui Prefecture city at a steady yet swift pace. The boatman rowing the scull moved evenly and powerfully, providing strong propulsion to the small vessel.

This allowed it to reach the prefecture city dock in a short time. As the dock drew nearer, the riverside walkways became bustling with people, and the various sounds grew livelier.

It was only then that Du Changsheng subtly exhaled in relief, and Wang Xiao also visibly relaxed. As the boat neared the shore, Du Changsheng looked at the sculling boatman and asked with a smile,

"Elder brother, are you one of the river's aquatic creatures?"

The sculling boatman, wrapped in a long, thick straw cape and wearing a large conical hat that almost completely covered him, looked up at Du Changsheng upon hearing his words.

"Heh heh, indeed. I am an aquatic creature of this river, under the command of the River God. The sun's power is strong right now, so I cannot easily transform into human form. My true appearance is rather frightful, and I feared I might scare you two, so I covered myself with this straw cape and hat."

Du Changsheng respectfully cupped his hands towards the boatman, and Wang Xiao beside him followed suit.

"Many thanks for seeing us off."

This aquatic demon probably wasn't far from full human transformation, or perhaps it had transformed but was simply very ugly?

"You're welcome. I was merely following orders. Masters, please have a safe journey."

As he spoke, the small boat smoothly docked alongside a set of bluestone steps at the pier. Du Changsheng and Wang Xiao bowed once more before quickly stepping onto the steps and then onto the solid bluestone pier.

"Phew..."

Du Changsheng let out a long breath. He turned to look again, and the small boat that had just brought him and Wang Xiao back was already slowly backing away from the dock, turning its bow towards the distant river.

"Master, was that a deity or immortal?"

Du Changsheng nodded, speaking in a low voice.

"Indeed. One was a god, and the other an immortal. Ah, what a pity! If only Mr. Ji could have allowed me even a sliver of connection, even a few mentions, I would have gained so much in the future."

Despite his sighing, Du Changsheng was still in quite good spirits afterwards.

"Come on, let's go back. Although Mr. Ji didn't take us as disciples, he still showed us a clear path. Now it's up to me, your master, to see if I can achieve a breakthrough. I still want to live for a few more decades, or ideally, a few more centuries!"

Shaking his sleeves, Du Changsheng and Wang Xiao left the dock together, heading towards Chunhui Prefecture city. As they walked, Du Changsheng touched a cloth pouch in his embrace. Inside was a small, round golden token, about half the size of a palm, bestowed by Emperor Yuande of the Great Zhen Dynasty, known as the Celestial Master Golden Edict.

'Thankfully, this thing is still here!'

Du Changsheng inwardly rejoiced. Previously, he had intended to find a blacksmith and melt this heavy golden token into gold ingots if he managed a breakthrough.

As the two walked, the sounds of the surrounding people suddenly became tumultuous. Although it had been lively before, now there was a clear tone of astonishment.

"Look at the sky!" "Mommy, mommy, look at the sky! Daddy, look at the sky!"

"What? Oh my goodness, what is that?"

"Ah... everyone, quickly look up at the sky!"

"Oh my, is this a divine manifestation?"

A thief, taking advantage of everyone looking up at the sky, happily stooped down and picked people's purses, thinking to himself, 'No thunder or rain, what good is looking at the sky when there's no silver?'

Then he instinctively looked up too, and instantly froze.

Du Changsheng and Wang Xiao, standing nearby, naturally also looked up at the sound, and then they too were equally astonished.

"Master, what is that?"

"Your master... your master doesn't know either..."

High in the sky, streaks of light, like flowing rainbows or iridescent clouds, flashed from afar, carving graceful trajectories across the heavens. There were many such lights; countless rays of ethereal glow swept across the sky, one after another.

Du Changsheng channeled his magical power into his eyes. Instantly, the lights in the sky became even more dazzling. While ordinary people only saw thin, colorful streaks flashing by, Du Changsheng could now see vibrant, multicolored rays illuminating half the sky.

Somewhere on the Chunmu River, Ji Yuan and Bai Qi simultaneously rose from their small boat, looking up at the sky, watching the dazzling brilliance high above.

"Mr. Ji, what is this?"

Ji Yuan's expression was grave. All the lights in the sky were magical glows, visible even to ordinary people, precisely because their aura was too powerful and there were many practitioners swiftly moving. Furthermore, the light came from the southeast. Jizhou was already in the southeast of Great Zhen; beyond that were only two neighboring prefectures.

There were no powerful immortal sects in these areas, and these magical lights couldn't possibly be from Yuhuai Mountain. They could only be coming from a more distant location, perhaps even from far out at sea.

"I'm not sure what's happening, nor do I know which divine beings these celestial lights belong to, but they must be immortal cultivators."

"Then what does Mr. Ji intend to do?"

Bai Qi asked urgently. Seeing this sight, Mr. Ji couldn't possibly remain indifferent.

Ji Yuan looked down at him.

"I'm going to pursue them and take a look. If I don't return soon, please help me send Hu Yun back to Ju'an Pavilion or Mount Niukui."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Ji Yuan leaped up. The small boat beneath his feet didn't even sway. As Ji Yuan ascended to a height of over ten zhang, the Green Vine Sword from his back flew to beneath his feet.

Then, with a flash of sword light, Ji Yuan vanished from his spot, leaving only a streak of light soaring into the sky.

Employing the power of his immortal sword while simultaneously harnessing the wind to perform his flight technique, this was currently Ji Yuan's fastest means of escape or travel.