"Master, what's wrong?" Xiao Wenbing rushed forward and patted his back and chest.
With a sweep of his sleeve, the old Taoist priest swatted away Xiao Wenbing's groping hands. If it weren't for the many people around, he would have already started cursing.
"What do you mean by stingy, what do you mean by..." The old Taoist priest tightly shut his mouth. He suddenly realized that he absolutely could not utter such disrespectful words. He glared at him angrily again and said, "Which door are you from?"
“Master, it’s stinginess,” Xiao Wenbing said seriously.
The old Taoist priest's eyes rolled back, and he almost fainted. He said in a trembling voice, "You, you brat, do you even have any respect for your ancestors?"
"Yes," Xiao Wenbing said solemnly, "I have the utmost respect for those predecessors."
The old Taoist priest was taken aback, looking at Xiao Wenbing with suspicion, his eyes clearly showing disbelief. He figured that even if Xiao Wenbing uttered something utterly treasonous, he might not be so surprised.
Xiao Wenbing frowned. Since the old Taoist Xianyun had made it clear that he didn't believe him, he stopped explaining: "Master, look, our Secret Talisman Sect only has seven patriarchs who have ascended to the Immortal Realm, while our family of seven asks for two treasures. But the Heavenly Dao Sect has more than a thousand people who have become immortals and attained the Dao, and countless people come to pray for them."
He lowered his voice and said softly, "Look at this, more than a thousand people have been begging for so many days to finally get a treasure. This efficiency is...tsk tsk..." Xiao Wenbing shook his head and clicked his tongue repeatedly, sighing deeply.
Volume 3, Chapter 84: The Universe Circle
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The old Taoist priest glared at him irritably, but found it had no effect whatsoever. Knowing that his disciple was always like this, he could only shake his head and say, "Wenbing, you are wrong about that."
"Where did we go wrong?" Xiao Wenbing asked in surprise.
"Offering sacrifices to our ancestors is inherently an extremely inefficient affair. The Heavenly Dao Sect produces at least a few treasures every thousand years, but our Secret Talisman Sect has only produced one in the past three thousand years," the old Taoist said helplessly. The young man has taken all the best of it, yet he's still not satisfied—it's outrageous!
"Ah..." Xiao Wenbing touched the Heavenly Void Ring on his hand, chuckled twice, and changed the subject, saying, "Master, tell me, what kind of treasure did Sect Master Tianyi get?"
The old Taoist priest shook his head silently and said, "How would I know? However..." Seeing Xiao Wenbing's disappointed expression, the old man pondered for a moment and said, "However, the Tianyi Sect Master will naturally announce it on the spot later."
Xiao Wenbing stared intently and saw the Tianyi Sect Master and several old Taoists gathered together, chattering about something.
Although he couldn't hear the sounds from there because of the long distance, just by looking at the atmosphere, he knew that the magical artifact was probably extraordinary...
After a while, the Sect Master of Tianyi Sect finally stood up, bowed to the crowd in all directions, and said loudly, "Thank you all for coming to witness the ceremony and show your support."
His identity was extraordinary, and everyone immediately stood up and respectfully returned the salute to this number one Daoist in the Earth's cultivation world.
Even someone of special status like the Taoist Master Xianyun stood up and returned the greeting from afar.
The Sect Master of Tianyi Sect continued, "Thanks to the blessing of our Ancestor, this grand ceremony has come to a perfect end." He smiled slightly, looked at the expectant gazes of the crowd, and said calmly, "By the grace of Heaven, our Ancestor has finally bestowed upon us a supreme treasure."
Xiao Wenbing was furious. This old fellow was rambling on and on. A single sentence had been dragged out for ages, and he still hadn't gotten to the point. He truly lived up to his reputation as a veteran who could rival the old Taoist priest Xianyun.
He was probably not the only one with this idea, but looking around, no one dared to show the slightest dissatisfaction.
The Sect Master of Tianyi turned around, picked up the silver plate, and said loudly, "This is the Qiankun Ring, a supreme Taoist treasure that the White Egret Immortal once used to sweep through the Demon Realm and spread his fame throughout the universe."
The old Taoist priest, Xianyun, suddenly froze slightly. Almost at the same moment the Tianyi Sect Master uttered the name, Xianyun stood there dumbfounded, a mixture of shock, confusion, and nostalgia appearing on his old face. However, he quickly regained his composure.
"The Universe Ring?"
The square erupted in chaos. Anyone with a modicum of knowledge knew the origin of this object, and their eyes all turned toward the old Taoist priest, Xianyun.
Xiao Wenbing was quick-witted and immediately sensed the unusual atmosphere. He gently tugged at the old Taoist's sleeve and asked, "Master, what's wrong?"
As if waking from a dream, the old Taoist priest sighed deeply and said, "Wenbing, I'll explain to you later. Just wait and see."
The Sect Master of Tianyi did not deliberately raise his voice, but to everyone who heard it, it seemed as if the voice was being whispered in their ear, and no protective force field could block its coming and going.
"Our ancestral master instructed that this circle is bestowed upon the younger disciples of our sect. Anyone who has comprehended the Qi mechanism and cultivated spiritual power is welcome to come up and try."
The nearly one thousand inner disciples in front of the Ancestral Hall were all beaming with joy, rubbing their hands together, eager to try their skills.
"Don't be too happy yet. Since the Ancestral Master has issued this decree, he has his own arrangements. In three days, we will all gather here again. Anyone can try. No matter who it is, even a disciple in the Core Formation stage, as long as they can take the Qiankun Ring from the silver plate, they can keep it for themselves."
After speaking, the Sect Master of Tianyi, holding the silver tray, walked towards the back mountain and instantly disappeared from everyone's sight. Behind him, the old Taoist priests followed closely behind.
Once the sect leader of Tianyi Sect left, the backbone of this place was gone, and the disciples discussed among themselves and left in twos and threes.
Xiao Wenbing watched coldly. Not only the disciples of the Heavenly Dao Sect felt this way, but even some old Taoists and monks who came to observe the ceremony exchanged opinions. The storm caused by this Qiankun Circle was truly significant.
The old Taoist priest got up and left. The master and disciple returned to their room, and the old Taoist priest seemed to be talking to himself, saying, "The vast golden talisman Qiankun Circle, the thunderous Heavenly Thunder Sword."
"Master, what did you say?" Xiao Wenbing asked in great surprise.
"This is a famous saying that was most widely circulated in the cultivation world three thousand years ago." The old Taoist priest Xianyun's tone was full of longing.
Three thousand years ago?
"Indeed, three thousand years ago was the most glorious era for cultivators on Earth in the entire cultivation world."
Xiao Wenbing pondered for a moment, then said, "The Vast Golden Talisman must be our family's natal golden talisman. As for the Universe Ring, it's naturally the one in the hands of Sect Master Tianyi. And what about the Heavenly Thunder Sword? Could it be our mortal enemy?"
The old Taoist priest shook his head repeatedly and said, "Three thousand years ago, the Demon Realm opened wide, and demons entered the cultivation world from the Demon Realm, causing widespread suffering and countless deaths. Just when everyone was in danger, our sect's White Crane Ancestor, the Heavenly Dao Sect's White Egret Ancestor, and the Heavenly Thunder Palace's Palace Master joined forces to set up the Immortal Slaughtering Formation, which annihilated all nine great demons in one fell swoop."
The old Taoist priest's eyes were more excited than usual. He said in a deep voice, "After that battle, the demons were leaderless. The cultivation world united as one and launched a full-scale counterattack, finally driving those demon bastards back."
Xiao Wenbing's mouth gaped slightly. How did this involve the demon realm again? Sigh... The world is indeed vast and full of wonders.
The old Taoist priest ignored Xiao Wenbing's private lament and sighed, "It's a pity that our descendants are not up to par. After this battle, there will be no one among the cultivators on Earth who can compare with these two patriarchs."
His gaze suddenly shifted to Xiao Wenbing, and he said softly, "Even today, another prodigy like you has emerged. Not only did the White Crane Ancestor personally bestow upon you a life-saving golden talisman, but the White Egret Ancestor also descended to the mortal realm with the Qiankun Ring. Perhaps..."
The old Taoist priest's voice was filled with undisguised excitement: "Perhaps, it is time for us Earth cultivators to finally hold our heads high again."
Volume Three: The Tribulation of the Five Elements, Chapter Eighty-Five: The Origin of the Treasure Circle
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The Heavenly Dao Sect holds a pivotal and unique position in the cultivation world of Earth.
Like the top boss in the martial arts world, no one has ever been able to shake its position.
Its mountain gate is the largest and most complete among all sects, with a winding stream flowing down into the only small river inside the mountain gate.
The river surface shimmered with faint, weak light. The long, dark water plants on the bank, like several drunken fish, floated on the water, while the languid willow branches swayed against their shoulders and tails.
Here, a solitary figure sat silently by the river, her hand supporting her chin as she gazed at the slowly flowing water, lost in thought.
She stretched out her fair and delicate hand and stroked the water's surface, creating a delicate ripple.
Suddenly, a slender figure, equally proud and upright, appeared beside her.
As if sensing something, she raised her head, and when she saw the face of the person who came, she jumped up like a startled rabbit and exclaimed, "Elder Feng!"
Feng Baiyi's gaze remained fixed on her face. Suddenly, he asked, "Do you plan to attend the treasure bestowal ceremony tomorrow?"
Zhang Yaqi blushed and said softly, "This disciple is dull-witted and far inferior to the many masters in the sect, so I dare not have such high hopes."
"The vast golden talisman of the universe, the thunderous sword of heaven." As if talking to himself, Feng Baiyi's gaze became somewhat unpredictable.
"Elder Feng, you know this saying too?" Zhang Yaqi asked in surprise.
With a slight smile that seemed to be filled with bitterness, Feng Baiyi said softly, "How could I not know that?"
Her face was filled with endless sorrow. It seemed that at this moment, she was no longer the aloof fairy, but suddenly turned into a bewildered girl who had lost her way.
Zhang Yaqi opened her mouth slightly, but dared not offer any advice. She only vaguely sensed that Elder Feng in front of her seemed to have some special connection with those words.
"The Vast Golden Talisman, the Universe Ring, and the Heavenly Thunder Sword represent the three most outstanding masters of that time. Do you know what their talents and aptitudes were like?" After a moment, Feng Baiyi suddenly asked.
Although Zhang Yaqi was puzzled by her sudden words, she still respectfully said, "These three patriarchs must all be exceptionally talented and unparalleled in the world."
"Everyone thinks that the three of them must have unparalleled talent to have mastered such skills. Little do they know..." A beautiful smile slowly curved across her lips, as if she were mocking him: "Among the three of them, there is one who is of mediocre talent and spent twenty years as an outer disciple."
"Ah..." Zhang Yaqi exclaimed in surprise. There was one thing she had known since she first entered the sect. The older one gets, the more difficult it becomes to comprehend the flow of Qi. Generally speaking, if a cultivator cannot cultivate spiritual power within fifteen years, then they are basically destined to have no chance of attaining immortality in this lifetime.
Having served as an outer disciple for twenty years and then achieved such brilliant success, even the aloof and peerless Feng Baiyi, upon uttering these words, still aroused suspicion.
"May I ask, Elder, which patriarch is it?" Zhang Yaqi asked softly.
"The owner of the Qiankun Ring."
"White Egret Immortal?"
"Indeed, back then, Master Bailu was of mediocre talent and was considered hopeless by his ancestors. However, fortunately, he had a group of good brothers and friends. It was with their constant encouragement and persuasion that he persevered and finally walked a bright path of his own."
"Elder Feng, how did you learn about this?" Zhang Yaqi asked in confusion. In the Ancestral Hall, there is a statue of each ancestor who was able to ascend to the Immortal Realm. Below the statue, there is a brief description of their great achievements in life.
The statue of Bailu Zhenren ranks second among all the patriarchs, second only to Tianyi Zhenren, the founder of the sect, which shows his high status. However, even in the jade slip beneath the statue, there is no such record.
"The records displayed on the surface are never the truth." Feng Baiyi asked calmly, "Have you ever seen the eight large characters in front of the statue of the White Egret Ancestor?"
"Yes, disciple has seen it; that is perseverance and persistence."
"How many practitioners throughout history have truly been able to persevere and remain steadfast?"
Zhang Yaqi lowered her head and didn't dare to answer her question.
Are you still planning to give up this treasure-giving ceremony?
“Disciple…” Zhang Yaqi murmured silently.
"Your aptitude is worlds apart from Xiao Wenbing's. If you want to catch up with him, perhaps... the Qiankun Circle is your only hope." Feng Baiyi's words were calm, but they possessed an indescribable allure that made one's heart flutter.
Zhang Yaqi blushed instantly and lowered her head deeply.
"Master Bailu would never bestow the Qiankun Ring so casually. If my deduction is correct, the key to obtaining the treasure does not lie in the level of cultivation, but only in the most determined will."
Zhang Yaqi suddenly looked up, her eyes sparkling with surprise.
Feng Baiyi nodded deeply to her, turned around and left. After taking a few steps, she suddenly stopped and said, "The Qiankun Ring is a Taoist treasure, but it is just an ordinary willow branch."
Zhang Yaqi asked in surprise, "A willow twig?"
Although she hadn't yet mastered the art of weapon crafting, even an idiot knew that only the best materials could produce the best magical artifacts. If even a willow twig could be crafted into such an unparalleled magical artifact, wouldn't that be utterly unbelievable?