Chapter Ten: Innate Cause and Effect

Yunxiao
Rank: 29
Daoist Realm: Late-stage Nascent Soul, peak (Shangqing)
Divine Abilities: Five Elements Daoist Techniques, Shangqing Divine Thunder (beginner), Ninefold Divine Radiance (with a single sweep, it can erase cultivation)
True Form: Body of Cloud and Mist, can gather or disperse, entirely unified in mind
Merit: 55 points of acquired merit
Karma: 0

“Ninefold Divine Radiance? It can cleanse one’s cultivation—clearly, Yunxiao has comprehended much of the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron’s mysteries. I must not be careless,” Qingxu thought with caution.

Though his own cultivation far surpassed Yunxiao’s, Qingxu still held deep apprehension toward the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron.
Hunyuan—primordial unity—was the very principle of Heaven’s Dao.
When the Dao is achieved, one can become a Hunyuan Sage, the supreme leader of a teaching.
Yet, those who may be called ‘Hunyuan’ are beings of vast divine power, deep causality, and great tribulation. This “tribulation” threatens the heavens, earth, three realms, and six paths; all beneath Hunyuan cannot escape.
As the saying goes: “From the wondrous gate of the dantian emerges the primordial breath; atop the head, three flowers manifest naturally; within the niwan palace, the beginning of Heaven and Earth is stored; to encompass all things is Hunyuan!”
In the time of Creation, there was a Golden Cauldron, containing the mysteries of Heaven and Earth, its cause and effect unknown, its tribulation unseen, its powers indistinct—this was the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron. When the three lectures at Zixiao Palace concluded, the Dao Ancestor Hongjun left it upon the Treasure Distribution Cliff; later, the Master of Tongtian took it and bestowed it upon Yunxiao. This was a secret few in Heaven and Earth knew, but as a transmigrator, Qingxu understood it thoroughly.

“The Hunyuan Golden Cauldron is supremely tyrannical; if wielded to its utmost, none below a Sage can escape its calamity. I must be on guard!” With this in mind, Qingxu took the Azurevault Sword in hand.

Compared to the Sword of Mo Xie, the Azurevault Sword was far lesser, but having been refined by Qingxu himself, it fit his hand perfectly and could unleash his greatest power.

“Daoist Yunxiao, please!” Qingxu brandished his sword in one hand and fan in the other, his entire being suffused with immortal grace and brewing sharpness, a scorching aura pressing fiercely upon Yunxiao.

Under Qingxu’s might, Yunxiao felt diminutive, like an ant before a mountain; the mere force of this Earthly Immortal was enough to nearly shatter her spirit.

She took up a postnatal spiritual treasure sword, ready to strike, but suddenly paused in alarm, a sense of helplessness arising.

Qingxu only stood before her, yet in the probing of her primordial spirit, he was merged with Heaven and Earth; fighting him was like opposing the world itself.

“No, this Daoist Qingxu’s cultivation is profound, far above my own. Without great magical powers, I have not the slightest chance of victory!” While pondering this, Yunxiao activated her Shangqing true essence, circulating her energy, her primordial spirit dispersing in the niwan palace, the two souls and seven spirits forming the Ninefold Formation under the command of her fate soul, evolving into divine radiance!

Ninefold Divine Radiance!

Yunxiao had studied the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron for over a century, and had grasped the rudiments of the Ninefold Yellow River Formation, able to manifest its basic power. The might of the Ninefold Yellow River Formation is so vast that even a Hunyuan Sage cannot withstand it; even these fledgling glimmers are not to be underestimated.

As she used the Ninefold Divine Radiance, a terrifying aura emanated from her, her celestial aperture wide open, pale yellow divine light gathering in readiness. At a glance, Qingxu felt immense pressure.

[Innate Causality Activated]
[Innate Causality 1...]
As the Ninefold Divine Radiance finished forming, suddenly, two messages surged from the Deification System into Qingxu’s mind, leaving him at a loss.

Causality?

Having studied at Jade Void under the teachings of the Chan Dao for over a century, Qingxu was well-versed in the Dao of Cause and Effect. Causality is entwined with karma, played out by all beings under Heaven’s Dao; none but Sages may escape it.
Innate—prior to the Dao of Heaven!
Before Heaven’s Dao was the Chaotic Great Dao, formless and actionless; whence comes the principle of cause and effect?
“Heaven’s Dao grants merit, the Great Dao grants merit, so perhaps karma and causality are likewise akin to merit?” Qingxu mused, astonished. If his guess was correct, there was a deep secret here, else why would no one in the Great Desolation know of innate causality?

He checked in an instant: the innate causality value increased by one in a flash, only by destroying the Three Flowers and Five Qi of the Sanxiao Sisters could this be offset.

“What? Four hundred and eighty million points of later causality to befall me?” Qingxu was shocked. If such causality struck, his true self before the Qingxu Pagoda would be ruined; when the innate tribulation arrived, it would mean certain death—he couldn’t expect to be forever sheltered by his master!

The urgent task was to destroy the Three Flowers and Five Qi of the Sanxiao Sisters. But to Qingxu’s great frustration, the gathering of the Three Flowers and Five Qi is only possible for a Great Luo Golden Immortal!

Know that the Five Qi are perfected at the True Immortal of Taiyi realm, while the Three Flowers are completed only at the Great Luo rank.

Now, Yunxiao was only at the late-stage Nascent Soul peak, Bixiao and Qiongxiao even weaker; how could they reach Great Luo Golden Immortal in a few hundred kalpas? Practically impossible!

“By the time the Sanxiao reach Great Luo, my innate causality value will have soared to hundreds or thousands of times the first level’s threshold!”

Swish!

A pale yellow divine light erupted from Yunxiao’s celestial crown, sweeping toward Qingxu. Nine profound patterns interlaced, the Hunyuan aura restrained within.

“Seeking death!” At this moment, vexed by innate causality, Yunxiao had charged right into the muzzle of the gun.

Boom!

With rage, the Divine Flames of the Five Fires and Seven Birds Fan blazed forth, scorching and fierce, as if the heavens were aflame.

Phoenix plumes, blue luan plumes, roc plumes, peacock plumes, crane plumes, wild goose plumes, owl plumes—seven types of sacred bird feathers shimmered with talismanic light, casting seven colors across Jade Void.

Heavenly fire, stone fire, wood fire, samadhi fire, earthly fire—the five fires manifested from east, south, west, north, and center.

Yunxiao’s Ninefold Divine Radiance was not ordinary, but first, her cultivation was lacking, and second, the Ninefold Formation was still only a prototype, its power limited—how could it withstand Qingxu’s Five Fires and Seven Birds Fan?

In the blink of an eye, the Ninefold Divine Radiance was obliterated, reduced to ash in the seven-colored blaze and searing flames. The Five Fires encompass the mysteries of Heaven and Earth; all things, tangible or intangible, can be incinerated. Not to mention mere Ninefold Divine Radiance—even the void itself was stirred to ripples.

Shaking the very void?

Incredible!

One must know that the void of the Great Desolation is incomparably solid, even more so within Jade Void Palace, a Sage’s domain!

Witnessing this, the Three Pure Ones were visibly moved.

A sharp sense of death surged within; Yunxiao’s face was ashen. Under the onslaught of the Five Fires, she despaired—her doom imminent. The Master of Tongtian could endure no longer and intervened; had he not, Yunxiao would have died. At this point, reputation was the least concern.

The Master of Tongtian, a Hunyuan Sage, possessed boundless power and vast magic. With a wave of his hand, the Five Fires vanished, the Five Fires and Seven Birds Fan returned to Qingxu’s hand, and the treasure was unharmed, perfectly controlled by the Sage’s power.

“A Hunyuan Sage? Too formidable indeed. Unless one becomes a Sage, one is but an ant!” With a mere trace of sage power, Qingxu felt its vastness, as boundless as the universe. He dared not imagine the force if Tongtian struck with full might—he could level the Kunlun Mountains with a flick of his finger.

“Junior brother truly sets an example as a teacher!” sneered the Primeval Lord of Heaven, a trace of disdain in his eyes.

At these words, Tongtian flushed but said nothing.

“Elder sister!”
“Elder sister, are you alright?”
Bixiao and Qiongxiao, still shaken, glared resentfully at Qingxu before hurrying to Yunxiao’s side in concern.

“If not for Master’s intervention…” Having brushed past death, Yunxiao was filled with lingering fear.

“You, wretched Daoist! I, Bixiao, will face you!”
“Second sister, let me join you!”
“Zhao Gongming would also like to exchange pointers!”

The Sanxiao Sisters and Zhao Gongming, born from the same essence of wind and cloud, had become siblings after taking form, their bond deep and unbreakable. With Yunxiao nearly slain by Qingxu, how could they let this pass?

But before Bixiao, Qiongxiao, or Zhao Gongming could act, a short, stout Daoist leapt ahead to confront Qingxu.

“Let me, as your senior, test the divine powers of Daoist Qingxu!” This was none other than Duo Bao, the senior disciple of the Shangqing sect and first disciple of the Sect of Interception.

Duo Bao
Rank: 30
Daoist Realm: Early-stage Earthly Immortal
Divine Abilities: Five Elements Daoist Techniques, Shangqing Divine Powers
True Form: Eight Treasures Pagoda
Merit: 0
Karma: 580

“Such high karma!”

Duo Bao’s information was just as Qingxu expected. In myths of his previous life, Duo Bao later incarnated as Shakyamuni to establish the Hinayana Buddhist sect, using the pagoda to manifest the Pure Land. This fit well with later records.

“Daoist Duo Bao, your reputation precedes you, but you are no match for me. Do not seek disgrace,” Qingxu said.

“Daoist, your magical powers are vast, your cultivation supreme, but I am not yet convinced. I wish to ask for guidance,” replied Duo Bao.

“If you’re determined to embarrass yourself, I will oblige!” Qingxu sneered coldly.

“Hmph! Victory is not yet decided. Daoist, mind your words, lest you lose face!”

With their confrontation imminent, the entire Jade Void Palace was tense. Both were chief disciples—Qingxu of Yuqing, Duo Bao of Shangqing. The outcome would have enormous influence.

The Three Pure Ones did not intervene; both the Primeval Lord and Tongtian were deeply anxious, dreading a loss for their respective sects. For ordinary disciples, a defeat was tolerable, but for the chief disciple, it was a matter of pride and reputation.