Chapter 147: Chapter 11: Disciple Lu Xuan Greets the Second Master

As he chattered on, a question arose in Lu Xuan’s mind, and he asked softly,

“Since you and Daoist Qing Ping were both taken in by your Palace Master, why do you call him Senior Brother instead of Master?”

Qing He Daoist and the taciturn Qing Ping Daoist both paused in surprise. After a moment, the former explained,

“’Senior Brother’ is more of a respectful title. He said he would not take any disciples, nor was he qualified to accept disciples on his own master’s behalf, so we just…”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but look the young man before him up and down, a curious expression appearing on his face.

Even now, Qing He Daoist couldn’t forget the scene in the wooden cabin that day. The young man had unleashed an incredibly immense power, but this time…

He didn’t dare to ask, merely guessing and pondering in his heart.

But Qing Ping Daoist, who was standing to the side, suddenly spoke.

“Lu Ancestor, you may simply address us by our Daoist names. Your seniority is far too high for us to bear the title of ’Daoist’ from you.”

Lu Xuan gave a gentle smile and said nothing, simply continuing to follow the two deeper into the Daoist Palace.

This Daoist Palace seemed to employ a space-extending magic technique; the interior was vastly larger than it appeared from the outside. Even after walking for so long, they still couldn’t see the end.

「After walking for a long time,」

With Qing He Daoist providing introductions, the three arrived before a grand gate. Carved upon it were several magnificent, lifelike scenes.

One scene depicted a seated Daoist, before whom stood a majestic emperor, with tens of thousands of people kneeling below. Another showed a Daoist holding a seal, overturning heaven and earth to deliver a great punishment.

This time, it was Qing Ping Daoist who spoke, his tone flat as he said slowly,

“These scenes record the deeds of the First Palace Master of our Guangcheng Palace. However, due to a gap in the annals of time, only these records remain… Senior Brother might know more.”

Lu Xuan nodded, then asked the True Immortal-level Daoist,

“By the way, may I ask the Daoist name of that Palace Master?”

Despite knowing he stood before a True Immortal, Lu Xuan wasn’t overly reserved. It was the same as before; after all, they were technically his juniors. Besides, the Golden Decree from Senior Brother Guangcheng was still resting within the sea of his mind…

Qing Ping Daoist spoke then.

“Our Senior Brother’s Daoist name is Qing Xuan.”

As he said this, he placed a hand on the Heaven-Reaching Gate and pushed hard.

The gate rumbled and was slowly pushed open. Lu Xuan looked up, taking in the scene within.

Beyond the gate was a bright room. The floor was a pale cyan, engraved with patterns of lotuses and divine herbs.

At the far end of the bright room were two enormous bronze statues, one above the other… Both of these bronze statues were very familiar to Lu Xuan; he recognized them.

The one on top was clearly his Second Master-Uncle, while the one below was Senior Brother Guangcheng.

In the very center of the bright room, beneath the two bronze statues, sat a Cyan Lamp. In front of the lamp sat a cross-legged Daoist, shrouded in the mists of Chaos, his face and figure obscured.

“Senior Brother!”

Qing He and Qing Ping simultaneously bowed to the Daoist shrouded in the Chaos mists.

Through the haze, Lu Xuan could see the Daoist seem to look up, his voice calm as he spoke.

“How many times have I told you? There is no need for formalities…”

With that, he rose gracefully to his feet. The surrounding Chaos mists swirled and flowed with his movement, like water vapor, yet also like silk.

The Daoist stared at Lu Xuan for a long moment before giving a slight bow.

“Qing Xuan, current Palace Master of Guangcheng Palace, greets Lu Ancestor.”

Lu Xuan quickly returned the bow, saying earnestly,

“I have not yet formally entered the palace. And even if my seniority is higher, in the path of cultivation, cultivation itself comes first. In terms of cultivation, it is I who should be bowing…”

“Propriety must not be abandoned,” Qing Xuan Daoist said calmly.

Lu Xuan paused, a dazed look in his eyes for a moment. Then, he silently straightened up and nodded.

“Yes… propriety must not be abandoned.”

He calmly accepted the bow.

At that moment, Qing He and Qing Ping quietly exited, and the Heaven-Reaching Gate slowly closed behind them. In the vast, bright room, only Lu Xuan and Qing Xuan Daoist remained.

Looking at the still-shrouded, indistinct Daoist before him, Lu Xuan felt a trace of doubt but didn’t ask, simply waiting in silence.

After a moment, Qing Xuan Daoist began to speak.

“The upper bronze statue is the Ancient Ancestor of my Jade Void Lineage. The lower one is the First Palace Master of my Guangcheng Palace.”

After a pause, he continued,

“Countless years ago, our Jade Void Ancestor passed down a Jade Box, which was preserved by the First Palace Master and handed down to this day. Some time ago, the Jade Box opened. Inside was a Celestial Book, and what it described was the matter of inviting you, Your Excellency, to my Guangcheng Palace to become a disciple of the Jade Void Ancestor.”

As he spoke, Qing Xuan Daoist stepped aside and made a gesture.

“Lu Ancestor, please.”

Though Lu Xuan didn’t understand, he did as instructed and stepped forward to stand before the two bronze statues.

Immediately after, Qing Xuan Daoist bowed to him again, placed down a Celestial Book, and then silently retreated.

“The Celestial Book decreed that after Lu Ancestor enters the palace, he is to come to this Main Hall, and all others are to withdraw.”

As his voice faded, Qing Xuan Daoist’s figure also vanished from the bright room, leaving Lu Xuan alone in the vast hall.

He frowned, glancing at the Celestial Book on the floor to his side, but didn’t move. He then turned back to study the Cyan Lamp before him.

The Cyan Lamp was placed beneath the two bronze statues, burning with a faint, steady flame. It was wrapped in an exceptionally heavy aura of time.

Within the candlelight, one could faintly see the myriad phenomena of the Red Dust, the rise and fall of the great thousand worlds, accompanied by scenes of mountains and rivers and a vast, profound Dao Rhyme. It was incredibly majestic.

Just as Lu Xuan was feeling puzzled, he saw out of the corner of his eye the Celestial Book on the floor suddenly float into the air. It drifted over to the Cyan Lamp and fell into the flame.

The flame flared, and the Celestial Book, serving as kindling, burned fiercely.

「The next second,」

Within the roaring flames, Lu Xuan clearly saw a familiar figure, seated cross-legged within!

He quickly bowed low, his voice full of reverence.

“Greetings, Second Master-Uncle!”

The majestic figure did not step out of the flames but simply sat there quietly in the ethereal void—supreme, endlessly vast, and immeasurably grand.

A chuckling voice followed.

“You’ve finally arrived… Still calling me Second Master-Uncle?”

The tone was exactly the same as his Third Master’s had been.

Following this voice, the entire hall suddenly grew dim. Illusory phenomena appeared in all directions: scenes of the Creation of Heaven and Earth, of Chaos being sundered, of Yin and Yang being established, and of the birth of all things!

Amidst the various phenomena, vast Immortal Music arose, accompanied by the ringing of bells, the tolling of chimes, and the prayers and chants of all things and all spirits, washing over Lu Xuan’s body and soul!

He could feel his Spiritual Will surging, his power increasing along with it. Then, the surging spirit and True Spirit fed back into his physical body, constructing the second level of the Supreme Jade Steps in some indescribable place!

As the jade steps formed, he closed his eyes. The five orifices of Form, Sound, Smell, Taste, and Touch trembled as he simultaneously perceived and listened to the myriad phenomena swirling around him, comprehending the grandeur of Heaven Opening and the vastness of the earth’s creation.

The Daoist in the flames spoke again.

“Still calling me Second Master-Uncle?”

Lu Xuan understood and bowed again.

“Disciple Lu Xuan greets Second Master!”

’I’ve already acknowledged a Third Master, so acknowledging another one should be fine, right…?’

In the flames, the Daoist rubbed his own swollen cheek, smiling with both satisfaction and a guilty conscience.

’Hmph, you damned Supreme, you really hit hard… but I didn’t lose out! I didn’t lose out at all!’

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