NOVEL WEB Chapter 71 - The Celestial Master’s Mansion
This midday meal was consumed by Xia Chen with a spirit filled with joy and a sense of unrestrained satisfaction.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the Literary Gathering hosted by Princess Yaoguang had also drawn to a close.
The crowd had fully dispersed; Yaoguang sat within the grand hall, holding a sheet of paper in her hand. Upon the paper was inscribed a poem—its characters flowing with elegance, its intent imbued with majestic vigor—none other than the very poem Xia Chen had composed earlier.
Yaoguang, with her luminous eyes, gazed upon this poem, remaining lost in contemplation for a prolonged duration without uttering a single word…
Xuan Zhenzi carried his wine gourd, brimming with liquor he had packed from the princess’s mansion. It must be said—the wine at the princess’s estate was of the finest quality, much to his delight.
He appeared bleary-eyed with drink, yet as he traversed the bustling streets, he collided with no one; indeed, his steps were ethereal, his pace astonishingly swift—so much so that those around him scarcely registered his presence.
There existed a sensation as though his entire being had blended into the void, yet he was indeed genuinely present there, not having vanished, merely overlooked by all the pedestrians around him.
At this moment, he seemed as if he had merged with the Great Dao itself, his state exceedingly peculiar.
He proceeded eastward along the central avenue, eventually arriving before a grand and majestic mansion. This residence occupied a vast expanse of land; more notably, within its grounds stood an exceptionally towering edifice.
It rose nine stories high, yet those nine levels imparted a visual impact as though it sprang from the earth, soaring straight toward the heavens.
This was none other than the hallowed sanctum of Daoism across the realm—the Celestial Master’s Mansion!
Within its walls resided one of the five First-Rank masters of the age, the pinnacle of martial prowess—the Elder Celestial Master!
“Martial Uncle!”
“Greetings, Martial Uncle!”
“Martial Granduncle has returned!”
…
Xuan Zhenzi strode directly into the Celestial Master’s Mansion; along his path, disciples greeted him incessantly.
Within the Celestial Master’s Mansion, Xuan Zhenzi held a lofty rank—among the second-generation disciples, he stood as one of the foremost figures, though his lineage did not stem directly from the Elder Celestial Master. The mansion housed three distinct branches.
“Where is the Elder Celestial Master?”
Xuan Zhenzi traversed the grand hall, ultimately arriving beneath the nine-story tower.
“Martial Uncle, Master Ancestor is upstairs basking in the sun!”
A somewhat plump youth, his figure rotund and cherubic, had been tinkering with something in his hands; upon hearing a voice and spotting Xuan Zhenzi, he hastened to respond.
“Very well!”
Xuan Zhenzi nodded, preparing to ascend; yet upon seeing this youth and catching a glimpse of the object in his grasp, he couldn’t resist inquiring.
“What are you working on there?”
“Exactly, Martial Uncle! Lately, my alchemy is on the verge of a grand breakthrough—I’m preparing to use the art of alchemy to create a world-shaking marvel. All things that grow naturally in the world possess spirit, yet those crafted by human hands are mere lifeless objects, lacking that intrinsic spiritual charm. Thus, I crafted a human figure from wood, intending to employ the art of alchemy to imbue this wooden figure with spiritual charm, thereby transforming it into a genuine human being!”
The stout lad, Mo Ban, erupted into enthusiastic discourse the moment Xuan Zhenzi posed his question, eagerly expounding his ideas.
“Imbue a wooden figure with spirit? Bring it to life?”
Xuan Zhenzi paused, taken aback. Though he knew this youth was enamored with the path of divine craftsmanship—blessed with unparalleled talent in that art, even earning the Elder Celestial Master’s high regard—to transform a wooden figure into a true human seemed utterly fantastical.
To bestow spirit upon all things—that was a feat reserved for the Creator, the very Dao they revered!
“And what has been the result?”
Though he deemed it improbable, Xuan Zhenzi refrained from dampening the child’s spirit, instead posing his question with earnest curiosity.
Sure enough, Mo Ban’s expression promptly turned crestfallen.
“I’ve failed—I’ve conducted numerous experiments, yet I can only briefly infuse the wooden figure with vitality. But that hardly counts as true ensoulment; it’s merely me manipulating the figure with my techniques. The moment I cease channeling my energy, it instantly reverts to ordinary wood.”
Mo Ban hung his head in dejection—mastering this art of ensoulment was no easy feat.
“So now I’m attempting to reduce the wooden figure’s size, and I’ve explored other avenues as well—perhaps the wood itself is an unsuitable medium. Thus, I’ve tried jade, stone, exotic metals, and so forth, shrinking their forms as well. With these adjustments, success might yet be within reach!”
Mo Ban’s despondency lasted but a moment before his resolve flared anew, his eyes blazing with fervor as he fixated upon the small jade figure in his hands.
“Keep at it—I’m off to see the Elder Celestial Master!”
Xuan Zhenzi offered the lad a word of encouragement, then hastened to turn away. On one hand, he genuinely had matters to discuss with the Elder Celestial Master; on the other, he feared Mo Ban might latch onto him, regaling him with the endless stream of whimsical notions in his mind—each time he listened to those fantastical ideas, Xuan Zhenzi’s head swelled with exasperation…
Mo Ban paid Xuan Zhenzi no heed, his entire focus consumed by the small jade figure in his grasp.
Xuan Zhenzi ascended to the third floor, where he encountered a woman clad in white robes purer than snow. Her raven hair cascaded like a waterfall, her countenance coldly exquisite—her eyes gleamed like frigid stars, her brows arched like distant ridges yet veiled an unyielding aloofness.
Her form was delicate and graceful, her movements exuding a detached chill—like a celestial maiden wreathed in frost, untouched by the mundane fumes of the mortal world. Her peerless beauty stirred the heart, yet instilled a reluctance to draw near.
“Little Martial Sister!”
Xuan Zhenzi halted his steps upon seeing her, calling out in greeting.
“Martial Brother!”
The woman nodded to him, her face remaining devoid of expression, akin to a slab of glacial ice.
Xuan Zhenzi had long grown accustomed to this—knowing his junior sister bore no personal grievance against him; it was simply her innate disposition.
Her name was Murong Yuyan, the Elder Celestial Master’s final disciple.
Xuan Zhenzi did not linger in conversation, intent on ascending further; myriad doubts swirled within his heart, necessitating counsel with the Elder Celestial Master. Yet before departing, he paused once more, turning to regard Murong Yuyan.
“Little Martial Sister, have you broken through to the Fourth Rank?”
“It was only this morning that I achieved the breakthrough!”
Murong Yuyan’s voice was frigid, untouched by worldly warmth, her words succinct.
Having attained this milestone mere hours prior, her advancement was freshly perceptible to Xuan Zhenzi; even one as steady as he felt a faint ripple stir within his composure.
His junior sister’s talent was truly monstrously prodigious.
At just eighteen years of age this year, she had already breached the Fourth Rank—a terrifying aptitude that explained why the Elder Celestial Master had taken her as his final disciple.
It was conceivable that, barring any mishap, the Celestial Master’s Mansion would, in the future, welcome a Third-Rank True Person in her twenties…
Xuan Zhenzi continued upward, momentarily shaken by the revelation—but only for an instant. He swiftly steadied his mind, his heart returning to calm; he had his own Dao to pursue!
“Elder Celestial Master, Xuan Zhenzi has come to pay his respects!”
Xuan Zhenzi reached the ninth floor—an open-air expanse offering a vista of the cerulean sky. By night, the Elder Celestial Master would stand here, observing the constellations, communing with the grand Dao of heaven and earth, seeking the breakthrough beyond the First Rank…
His voice was not loud, yet he knew the Elder Celestial Master would hear it.
With the Elder Celestial Master’s divine powers, the moment he entered this Star-Plucking Tower, he had stepped into the Elder’s domain.
This was also why security along his path had been so lax—for the Elder Celestial Master feared no assassin.
Should any fool, ignorant of the heights of heaven and depths of earth, dare attempt to assassinate the Elder Celestial Master, they would come to understand why the First Rank was hailed as a myth among mortals!