The Sacred Origin Spirit Pearl and a Mortal’s Path to Dao

The Imperial Palace of Yandu.

A figure hurried into the Imperial Study, their steps swift and their expression fraught with panic.

“Your Majesty, the chess piece you ordered me to place in Yuelong County has been removed again!”

“I am already aware, Chancellor.”

Qin Min, the Sovereign of the Divine Yan Kingdom, set down his brush and ink, his gaze calmly resting upon Chancellor Liang, who stood before him in a respectful bow.

“Then, Your Majesty, do you require me to…”

“There is no need. That esteemed expert has already issued a spiritual warning specifically for me.”

Qin Min rose from his seat and walked to a nearby bookshelf, retrieving a black jade slip.

“From now on, cease involving yourself in the affairs of the Jiang family.”

“……”

A flicker of displeasure crossed Chancellor Liang’s eyes, quickly masked, as he replied, “Understood.”

“You may withdraw. I have other matters to attend to.”

“I implore Your Majesty to take care of your esteemed health.”

With that, Chancellor Liang exited the Imperial Study, waving a hand as he transformed into a wisp of black mist and vanished.

“……”

Only after Chancellor Liang’s presence had completely faded from the palace did Qin Min speak.

Qin Min rubbed the jade slip with his fingertips, muttering to himself, ‘Mu Chongyang…’

‘Who exactly is this person…’

*Buzz…*

*Whoosh~ Whoosh~*

No sooner had Qin Min uttered the name Mu Chongyang than the jade slip in his hand burst forth with a violet light.

A chilling wind immediately surged, and a sinister black figure gradually materialized.

“My Lord!” Qin Min instantly knelt upon seeing the figure.

“You say you encountered Mu Chongyang?”

The black figure dispensed with pleasantries, asking directly.

Qin Min, bowing subserviently, revealed everything he knew. “Yes, this humble one was warned by his spiritual words when recently placing a chess piece in Yuelong County.”

“……”

“No wonder there’s a familiar aura of Dao Rhythm about you.”

“My Lord… what is Dao Rhythm?”

“Your current cultivation is insufficient; you are far from reaching that realm.”

“Understood.”

Qin Min’s mind was sharp, and he now understood why he had felt as though he was being controlled by a giant hand moments earlier.

“For now, cease concerning yourself with Yuelong County. Focus on other regions and simply retrieve that woman’s Sacred Origin Spirit Pearl.”

“Yes.”

****

Beneath Yandu.

Within a grand underground palace.

A black-haired girl, adorned in a phoenix hairpin and ethereal robes, was bound by four shackles at her limbs, trapped within a large birdcage inscribed with numerous runic seals.

Beneath her exquisite, sacred face, a pair of rose-red pupils had grown dim and lifeless.

She stared blankly ahead, only a faint flicker of survival instinct lingering in her mind, seemingly on the verge of shattering at any moment.

“Father King…”

A soft whisper, audible only to her, affirmed that the girl’s identity was far from ordinary.

****

Two days later.

Zhuang Xun stood atop a towering cliff, fierce winds from a thousand miles away billowing his robes.

Rain clouds, like spilled ink, descended upon Yuelong County below him, painting a scene reminiscent of a traditional ink wash painting with verdant mountains shrouded in mist.

Yet, his eyes remained indifferent to this mortal realm, ultimately softening into a profound sigh.

“Ningwan…”

“You said you wish to embark on the path of cultivation as a mortal?” He turned his head slightly, questioning the graceful figure standing ten meters behind him.

“…Yes…”

“Call me stubborn… or call me mad…”

“In any case, over these past two days… I’ve truly witnessed what it means for the Grand Dao to be emotionless…”

Jiang Ningwan, clad in a fitted purple dress, possessed a uniquely graceful and alluring figure.

Her eyes were downcast.

Once more, the memory of Zhuang Xun no longer treating her with his usual easygoing and unrestrained demeanor resurfaced in her mind.

[Why can’t Immortal Master offer Ningwan some advice on her attire?]

[Zhuang Xun’s eyes held no joy as he said, ‘A matter of no interest.’]

[…]

[Immortal Master, could you open your eyes and look at Ningwan?]

[Zhuang Xun opened his eyes, calmly observing the surging, fair beauty before him. ‘I am accustomed to beauty; you need not persist in this manner.’]

[…]

[Immortal Master…]

She had attempted every kind of approach.

Yet, Zhuang Xun remained utterly unmoved, neither sorrowful nor joyful, as if in deep meditation.

This greatly frustrated her, making her even doubt her own charm.

“You possess no spiritual roots; how can you speak of entering the immortal path?”

“That is none of Immortal Master’s concern!”

“Could it be that you were inspired by those demonic cultivators, intending to enter the Dao through their nefarious methods?”

“……”

Jiang Ningwan remained silent, understanding the implications of his words.

Zhuang Xun, however, simply shook his head.

With a thought, a spiritual sword materialized from the void, plunging directly into the earth three inches before Jiang Ningwan.

He stated plainly, “If you insist on this path, I will kill you now.”

“I have no other choice…”

She gazed at the spiritual sword not far from her feet, her eyes gradually welling up. “I, too, wish to possess great power… I, too, wish to revitalize my family…”

“Because this is the expectation my parents and clan have of me…”

“I also wish to share romantic moments with the man I love… to grow old together…”

“Because I am merely a woman…”

“But now… when all these expectations converged upon one person…”

“Immortal Master… do you know how happy I was?”

“…..”

‘It seems her pressure has become immense.’

‘And it just so happened that I recently resolved many difficulties for her, which is why she developed a sense of reliance.’

‘However, she hasn’t deeply experienced matters between men and women, and her mind was further bewitched by that illusionary realm…’

‘Only then did she interpret this emotion as love.’

Zhuang Xun, gradually understanding everything, dismissed the idea of using the Forget-Worry Pill.

Since that was the case, he could treat the symptoms directly, and there was no need for the Forget-Worry Pill.

After all, that item was somewhat detrimental to the mind, and a mere mortal body couldn’t withstand its effects multiple times.

Jiang Ningwan was still engrossed in her emotions, seemingly unable to extricate herself.

“I wish I could be by your side at all times…”

“To share your burdens… to dine together…”

“To undress you… to sleep together…”

“To be with you forever… from dawn till dusk…”

“So I wanted to do everything in my power… when Immortal Master was about to leave…”

“To make him stay…”

“But now… it seems it’s impossible…”

“…..”

Zhuang Xun waved his hand casually, and an invisible force separated the approaching rain clouds from between them.

“In truth, while those with mortal physiques cannot cultivate immortality, they can enter the Dao and still gain power comparable to cultivators.”

He walked towards Jiang Ningwan, a brand new scripture appearing in his hand as he pulled out the spiritual sword.

“If you truly wish to embark on the path of cultivation, there is no need to resort to such unorthodox and demonic methods.”

“…..”

“Is it true…?”

“I never lie.”

Zhuang Xun used the scripture to gently lift her chin. “Look, your makeup is all smudged from crying. You hardly look like a mature beauty anymore…”

“More like a resentful woman.”

With a light chuckle, he placed the scripture into her hands.

“This is the ‘Shangqing Daoist Canon,’ something I wrote myself in my free time.”

“It’s a unique cultivation system, a different path. You can try cultivating it.”

“Immortal Master… you can even create your own cultivation techniques?”

“After reading ten thousand books and traveling ten thousand miles, one naturally gains some insights and experiences.”

Zhuang Xun retrieved a meditation cushion from his storage space and placed it beneath her. “You can try it now.”

“…..”

Listening to Zhuang Xun’s words, Jiang Ningwan sat down cross-legged and began to flip through the scripture.

She found that she couldn’t understand any of the Daoist characters within.

Yet, simply by looking, she sensed a faint resonance throughout her entire body.

But when she deliberately tried to trace that feeling, it vanished without a trace.

“Immortal Master… please forgive Ningwan’s dullness, I cannot understand these Daoist characters…”

“But there’s a very profound feeling about them.”

She was about to look up at Zhuang Xun, seeking an answer.

But Zhuang Xun merely joined his fingers, pointed directly at her glabella, and raised an eyebrow. “’Profound and more profound, the gateway to all wonders.’ Profound is exactly right.”

Jiang Ningwan only felt her brain grow heavy, as if something strange was being poured into her mind.

“Immor…”

“tal Master…”

She whispered weakly, her eyelids drooping, her eyes slightly closed, as if she had entered a state of meditation.

“……”

Zhuang Xun saw her dress move without a breeze, surmising that she had entered the first stage of comprehending the Dao.

Contemplation of the Spirit.

“In terms of comprehension alone, it’s not bad.”

“It’s just that her age is a bit advanced, and her mind is somewhat cluttered.”

[Father, do you need me to give her some assistance?]

“No need. The Dao follows nature; let her progress gradually on her own.”

“Besides, I want to see if this cultivation system suitable for mortals truly requires only my involvement.”