Meanwhile, Han Xuanji transformed into a streak of light, swiftly moving in the direction indicated by the jade disk imagery.
Clouds and mist surged around him, and the deeper he went, the purer the Spiritual Qi became. Finally, he stopped before a mountain hollow shrouded in a faint Chaos glow.
At the entrance, a bluestone stele stood majestically. On it, the three ancient characters for "Myriad Phenomena Garden" were etched with powerful strokes, as if containing the boundless will of the world's genesis, causing one's Heart-Nature to tremble upon sight.
Han Xuanji took out his token. As soon as he approached, the stele glowed with a blue light, and the invisible Restriction in front of him opened.
Stepping inside, his vision suddenly cleared.
This was no ordinary Immortal Cave.
It was clearly a miniature world forcibly cut off and moved here by a Great Divine Ability user.
The internal space was countless times vaster than what was seen from the outside, with undulating terrain, embracing hills, clear streams gurgling, and deep valleys shrouded in misty vapor.
Ancient trees, gnarled like Dragons, towered into the sky, and the vegetation was astonishingly lush. Exotic flowers and plants grew freely, exhaling various Spiritual Lights, illuminating the entire world like a dream.
An indescribable aura permeated the air. The immortal Spiritual Qi here was not of a single attribute, but rather countless distinct and even conflicting energies of heaven and earth—metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, ice, light, dark—intertwined and flowed here in a strange state, as if in the primordial Chaos!
Han Xuanji looked up, and the sky seemed to be covered by a constantly shifting veil of color, sometimes like scorching flames in the sky, sometimes like frost covering the ground, then instantly transforming into a flowing galaxy, as if it were a miniature projection of the entire world's Origin energy.
"What a Myriad Phenomena Garden! Primordial Chaos, encompassing all things. The complexity and vastness of the Spiritual Qi attributes here perfectly align with my Chaos True Spirit Body and Grand Beginning Immortal Formula!"
An uncontrollable joy surged in Han Xuanji's heart. He took a deep breath, and the all-encompassing Spiritual Qi poured into his limbs and bones, making every cell cheer.
"With such a treasure land, why worry about failing to achieve the Great Dao? Cultivating here for one day might surpass a hundred days of arduous effort in the Lower Realm!"
Just as his Heart-Nature surged and he carefully savored this rare environment, several subtle yet powerful energy fluctuations came from deep within the garden, swiftly approaching from afar.
Three figures broke through the swirling Spiritual Mist and quickly arrived before Han Xuanji. Their movements were perfectly synchronized as they bowed in salute, their voices filled with reverence:
"Greetings, Master, welcome to Myriad Phenomena Garden!"
The leader was a gray-robed old man with a gaunt face, but his eyes sparkled with shrewdness.
Behind him were two burly men clad in heavy profound-gold armor, their muscles bulging like mountains. They stood as straight as pines, their auras deep and stable.
Although the three had human forms and appeared no different from ordinary people, Han Xuanji, upon closer inspection, knew that they were not of the Human Race, but rather Puppet spirits.
"Dispense with the formalities."
Han Xuanji composed himself and calmly swept his gaze over the three.
"Who left you behind?"
"Reporting, Master."
The gray-robed old man, Wang Fu, responded respectfully, his voice devoid of emotion.
"This old servant, Wang Fu, along with the strongmen Zhao Long and Zhao Hu, are all special Puppets meticulously refined by the Sect's Artifact Refining Great Grandmaster, specifically tasked with caring for the myriad Spiritual Plants in the garden, maintaining the operation of various Restrictions throughout the Immortal Cave, and handling all daily chores.
Our core Restrictions are connected to the Immortal Cave's hub, and Master, by holding the token, can command us in all matters.
Whatever Master commands, even if it means braving fire and water, we will not hesitate to die ten thousand times over!"
Han Xuanji nodded slightly.
Lingxu Heavenly Palace truly lived up to its reputation as a giant of the Upper Realm, with astonishing resources. Even the Immortal Cave's Supporting servants were such high-level Puppets, saving the Master countless hours of managing trivial matters, and absolutely guaranteeing loyalty and secrecy.
"Farming is not very useful for me, but it's better to have it than not, and it can also optimize the environment."
Several thoughts flashed through Han Xuanji's mind instantly, and then he commanded:
"Very good. You all shall attend to your duties. Unless I summon you, do not approach and disturb me."
"As Master commands!"
Wang Fu and the other two bowed again, their posture extremely humble, then slowly retreated, merging into the lush Spiritual Plant landscape, their auras quickly disappearing as if they had never been there.
Han Xuanji no longer delayed and walked leisurely towards the ancient pavilion in the core area of the garden.
As he approached, the complex runic sequences inlaid on the pavilion's main door lit up one by one, flowing with Spiritual Light, and the heavy door silently slid open inwards.
A wave of immortal Spiritual Qi, even richer and purer than outside, surged forth.
The interior space of the pavilion was vast, with a grand yet simple layout.
Cultivation chambers, Alchemy rooms, Artifact Refining rooms, studies, and other areas were all fully equipped, built from Spiritual Qi-infused immortal jade or ancient wood, exuding an extraordinary aura amidst their simplicity.
Everywhere showed ingenuity, with luxury subtly displayed in its understated design.
Han Xuanji's goal was clear; he walked directly into the most crucial Cultivation chamber.
He had always adhered to the principle of Realm above all else.
Cultivation was the most important thing.
As for the Dan Meridian Dao, that was all left to fate.
Han Xuanji joined the Dan Meridian only because of the benefits this profession brought, not because he valued the ability of Alchemy.
The heavy stone door silently closed behind him, the runes on the door flickering, instantly isolating inside and out completely, and all sounds ceased.
Inside the quiet room, an extremely complex and profound top-tier Spiritual Gathering Formation was operating.
Han Xuanji took out his enlightenment cushion. His Chaos True Spirit Body was already operating at full speed, like a bottomless black hole, frantically devouring the pure energy that surged in.
Boom—!
A majestic torrent of Spiritual Qi washed over his Meridians, tempering his flesh, blood, and bones, finally converging into his Dantian Qi Sea, where it was rapidly refined into incomparably pure magical power by the Grand Beginning Immortal Formula. This efficiency was more than a hundred times greater than in the Lower Realm!
"Is this the foundation of a top-tier Sect in the Upper Realm? Ordinary Disciples probably can't even imagine it."
Han Xuanji was immersed in the pleasure of rapid improvement, once again profoundly realizing the importance of platform and resources.
The uniqueness of the Wanxiang Spiritual Vein resonated mysteriously with his Physique and Cultivation Technique, making the Cultivation process incredibly smooth, and even his comprehension of the Dao Law became clearer.
After several cycles of operation, his state gradually improved.
"Star Palace token…"
Han Xuanji suddenly thought of this item that had been stored in the System space for a long time.
"It's an Upper Realm Legacy after all; it must be extraordinary."
With a thought, the token appeared in his palm.
Previously, multiple attempts in the Lower Realm had yielded no response, but now he tried refining it with a drop of blood again.
This time, as the blood touched the token, it was instantly absorbed, and the stellar pattern on the token suddenly lit up with a faint glow.
A peculiar sense of connection was established in his Heart-Nature, and a piece of information naturally emerged in the depths of his consciousness.
"So that's it… I need to hold this token and enter a meditative sleep to sense it with my Divine Thought and be guided to the so-called 'Star Palace'?"
Han Xuanji suddenly understood, but then his brows furrowed slightly.
"This Star Palace seems to be a loose organization, even allowing members to have multiple identities, only recognizing 'Star Fate'? That's interesting."
"It's just… I am now a True Disciple of Lingxu Heavenly Palace, and my identity is sensitive.
The Star Palace may not mind, but that doesn't mean the high-ranking officials of Lingxu Heavenly Palace would tolerate a Core Disciple under their command joining another place, even if it's just a nominal loose organization.
If discovered, it might cause trouble."
A hint of caution surfaced in his mind. With many powerful beings in Lingxu Heavenly Palace, Han Xuanji would not be so foolish as to use the token immediately.
"This matter requires careful consideration; at the very least, I need to first ascertain the Sect's attitude towards such situations.
For now, improving my own Cultivation is the fundamental priority."
Han Xuanji suppressed the urge to try it immediately, carefully put away the token, and refocused, sinking deeper into Cultivation.
…
Just as Han Xuanji was diligently Cultivating in Myriad Phenomena Garden,
the news of his apprenticeship to the Dan Meridian and becoming a True Disciple of Purple Firmament Peak had already stirred up ripples within the Dan Meridian lineage of Lingxu Heavenly Palace, like a giant stone thrown into a calm lake.
Countless Spiritual Light messages flew between the various peaks and halls, transmitting this news.
"Purple Firmament Peak has another True Disciple, and he's even received attention from the Head?"
"Could it be that the Head is going to take another Disciple? Then we must prepare a grand gift in advance."
"Not necessarily. The Head naturally wouldn't simply take a Disciple; talent and Heart-Nature are both indispensable."
The various Peak Masters and Elders of the Dan Meridian lineage were all quite interested in this matter.
The position of Personal Disciple to the Head was of extraordinary significance; the resource allocation and future authority it represented were enough to stir the thoughts of many.
Moreover, this thirty-sixth Disciple held unusual significance; it might be the Head's last Personal Disciple.
The news of Han Xuanji only circulated among the upper echelons of Lingxu Heavenly Palace, and not many people knew the specific details.
"Another True Disciple? Who is it? We must find out."
Inside a grand hall on Purple Firmament Peak, a young man in a golden jade robe spoke indifferently.
"Oh my, another competitor. I wonder what their Dan Meridian Dao Cultivation is like."
On a mountain peak shrouded in green mist, a Daoist in a purple robe exclaimed.
Deep within Purple Firmament Peak, inside the "Grand Profound Immortal Cave."
Clouds and mist drifted, and immortal cranes cried.
A young Daoist, dressed in a white jade True Disciple robe, with an exceptionally handsome face but a temperament as cold as an iceberg, was playing a game of Go alone before a cold jade chessboard.
A communication jade token regarding Han Xuanji floated before him, its light slowly dimming.
His hand, holding a Go piece, paused slightly, then fell, making a crisp sound.
He did not even lift his eyes, only a supremely indifferent sentence softly echoed within the empty Immortal Cave:
"What if the Head pays attention? Before me, those who block the way shall all turn to dust."