CHAPTER 781: CHAPTER 656: HEAVEN AND EARTH UNITED IN HEART

Shi Feiyang originally wanted to let Jin Xunu ascend, and mentioned it more than once.

Every time Jin Xunu heard this, he would quickly kneel down: "Disciple is an anomaly, a Merfolk turned spirit, fated with many disasters, barely surviving after learning Immortal Law, surviving to this day is already a great fortune! I never dared to dream of achieving Heavenly Immortal status, as long as I can become an Earth Immortal, living forever and enjoying Immortal Blessings,

it is enough! Master taught me to observe the heavens and survey the earth, gaining comprehension of the Heavenly Dao, and over the years I have accumulated much merit, thus reducing many disasters and tribulations, achieving the Yang God stage. Master’s grace is profound, and as a disciple, I will remember it for a hundred lifetimes... I do not wish to ascend, only to forever stay by Master’s side, wherever Master is, there I will be..."

Shi Feiyang mentioned it several times, and each time he became more agitated, almost choking up, about to cry.

He felt that Shi Feiyang was pushing him away, and he had a premonition that once he ascended, the bond between master and disciple would be broken, which made him very sad.

Later, Shi Feiyang didn’t mention it anymore and asked him to look after the Qiankun Creation Furnace. Only then did he become happy again.

He was also of Heavenly Immortal cultivation, and among Shi Feiyang’s disciples, he was the one with the deepest understanding of the Heavenly Dao. He knew the function of the Qiankun Creation Furnace for the Outer Heaven Divine Mountain. Shi Feiyang letting him oversee it was just like his previous role in measuring the Heavenly Number as a Heavenly Official, definitely not intending to drive him away.

According to the timeline in the original story, he should undergo tribulation at the Purple Cloud Palace and then reincarnate into the Qingcheng Sect, and at this point in time, he naturally could not reach the standard for ascension.

It was Shi Feiyang who exempted him from a death tribulation and a demon tribulation and helped him reach the level of a Heavenly Immortal. He was genuinely grateful and unwilling to leave. Since gaining consciousness as a Merfolk, no one had treated him so well.

Besides Jin Xunu, Shi Feiyang persuaded others to ascend, but everyone expressed a wish to stay with their master, if leaving, then to leave together in the future.

However, there were two exceptions among them.

One of them was Shi Sheng, who had concerns in the Spiritual Space Immortal Realm, namely his mother, Lu Rongbo. When he was born, he stayed with his mother in a rocky cliff, living together until his mother ascended. Every time he recalled those times, he particularly longed to see his mother again, to be embraced and kissed by her.

But he couldn’t bear to leave Shi Feiyang either, truly caught in a dilemma.

Shi Feiyang said, "If you keep clinging to both sides like this, constantly troubled, your Yang God will turn Yin, and you will fall in the Dao Level!"

In Daoist Dual Cultivation of Life and Nature, Yang God is half a jin of nature, eight liang of life, forming exactly one jin Golden Core, sent to the Southwest Kun Land...

Demonstrated by the lunar phases, it’s a half-circle of the upper lunar and a half-circle of the lower sine, combined into a bright, full circle. As written in the Dan Scripture: "The full essence of the fifteenth day, with flourishing armor filling the Eastern Direction," if the mind undergoes a drastic change, it causes a "tiny flaw" in the Moon Wheel, gradually increasing in defect, regressing from Heavenly Immortal Realm.

Shi Sheng, sulking, said, "If I fall, then so be it! I can just stay in the Human World, no need to choose anymore."

"Foolish child!" Shi Feiyang made the decision for him and comforted him, "You still have to ascend to the Immortal Realm, but even when you’re there, it doesn’t necessarily mean we will lose contact."

This not only made Shi Sheng, but everyone curious: "Master, if Junior Brother Shi goes to the Spiritual Space Immortal Realm, can we still communicate?"

"Of course we can." Shi Feiyang said with great certainty.

The most famous connection between the Human World and Immortal Realm is the father of Madame Bao Xiang, Elder Xuexue. That old fox manages books for the Heavenly Emperor in the Langhuan Book Library, secretly passing various Immortal Laws to his daughter, and Shi Feiyang’s transformation techniques were inspired by his Heavenly Gang 36 Transformations in combination with the Yellow Emperor’s Circulation Talisman.

Additionally, there are the Emei Sect disciples praying to Master Chang Mei about the Douluo True Decree from the Emperor Mansion.

Furthermore, Poison Dragon Venerable invoked the Demon Formation through prayers to the foreign master, Raining Buddha, using Crystal Ball Reflection.

The Spiritual Space Immortal Realm is not absolutely separate from the Human World; besides one-way paths of ascension from the Human World, throughout history, there have been many Fallen Immortals. Lots of Heavenly Treasures were brought from the Upper Realm by Fallen Immortals, the most representative being the Purple and Blue Duoluo Fire, and the most famous Fallen Immortal is the giant Wood True Master at the summit of the Eastern Extreme Great Wilderness Mountain, the son of the Green Emperor.

However, the Immortal Realm and the Human World are fundamentally two different worlds, with the Immortal Realm being the more advanced one, making communication between the two realms extremely difficult.

Shi Sheng asked, "Master, do you have any Secret Technique to send messages between the two realms?"

Shi Feiyang replied, "Sending messages between the two realms is not hard; the hard part is not being discovered by the Heavenly Immortals of the Upper Realm, as this violates the heavenly laws. We need to borrow the Heavenly Heart Ring on your person."

Everyone was startled: "Can a Magical Treasure be taken to the heavens?"

"Other Magical Treasures cannot, but the Heavenly Heart Ring can." Shi Feiyang had Shi Sheng take out the Heavenly Heart Double Rings and told everyone, "This item is a Heavenly Treasure from the very boundaries of the heavens..."

Relatively speaking, bringing things from the Upper Realm to the Lower Realm is difficult, but still manageable. However, bringing things from the Lower Realm to the Upper Realm is almost impossible. Generally, during ascension, everyone has to leave their possessions in the Human World, including Flying Swords and Magical Treasures, which cannot be taken.

However, Shi Feiyang had already devised a method. By refining the Heavenly Heart Ring anew, he planned to leave the Yang Ring in the Human World and have Shi Sheng take the Yin Ring up to the heavens. With this treasure, they could exchange information and maintain contact at any time, directly through thought perception, transmitting sound and image in real-time, all without being detected by other Heavenly Gods.

Everyone felt it was miraculous after hearing this, and Shi Sheng was delighted. This way, he could see his mother and stay in constant communication with his master.

Aside from Shi Sheng, Shi Feiyang was adamant about having Xiong Man ascend quickly as well.

Among the disciples, each had deep roots, except for Xiong Man, who was the weakest. In this life, she could barely become a Heavenly Immortal. She had a destiny fraught with disaster, requiring many tribulations to achieve cultivation. Shi Feiyang drew her into the Mysterious Sect and helped her accumulate plentiful merit. Coupled with her determination and perseverance, she barely managed to cultivate into a Yang God.

She was still some distance away from the Yang God. Even if she achieved fruition, her abilities were limited and couldn’t compare to her fellow brothers, only slightly stronger than Lu Rongbo.

Because her foundation wasn’t solid, even if she became a Yang God, any mishap could cause her Dao Level to fall. During his ascension, Lu Rongbo couldn’t even contend with Sanfeng. In contrast, if Master Chang Mei tried, he could effortlessly defeat all three women of the Purple Cloud Palace. Such is the disparity!

Shi Feiyang told her, "In the next three years, go nowhere and remain in seclusion here at the Outer Heaven Divine Mountain. Use the fastest speed to refine away the Yin dregs, cultivate to Pure Yang, and then leave with Shi Sheng. Upon reaching the Spiritual Space Immortal Realm, it’s like finding safe harbor, allowing you to avoid the great tribulation of the Human World. Thereafter, you needn’t tread so cautiously and fearfully."

Xiong Man wanted to protest, but knowing her master’s words were sincere and well-intentioned, it would be ungrateful to disagree.

Crying, she knelt to Shi Feiyang, "Master’s grace is profound; your disciple cannot repay it even by dying thousands of deaths..."

Shi Feiyang had Deng Bagu help her up: "In the past, you were reluctant to undergo tribulations, aiming to defy destiny. Now, achieving a lifetime of ascension fulfills the promise I made to you when you became my disciple."

In the following days, he prepared two Immortal Palaces specifically for the secluded cultivation of Xiong Man and Shi Sheng. To prevent further issues, he used Immortal Law to seal off their surroundings: they couldn’t leave until the appointed time, and outsiders couldn’t enter. Xiong Man focused on cultivating her life and nature, while Shi Sheng was to refine the Heavenly Heart Double Rings.

Before the closure, Shi Feiyang instructed both to hand over their Flying Sword Magical Treasures, leaving Shi Sheng with only a pair of Heavenly Heart Rings.

Shi Feiyang even captured Zhao Changsu and other Divine Demons bare-handed: "This is a tribulation in your life, drawn in by a single errant thought. If you continue to grapple with whether to ascend, causing your Dao Level to fall, the future will hold endless perils. Maintain Pure Yang without leakage, ascend directly in three years, and this demonic tribulation shall not affect you; as your master, I will bear it all for you."

Shi Sheng hurriedly asked about the impact on Shi Feiyang.

Cradling Zhao Changsu, a fist-sized demon that resembled a doll, Shi Feiyang laughed, "What effect do you think he could have on me?"

With just one phrase, everyone burst into laughter.

Shi Sheng and Xiong Man settled into their closed cultivation, awaiting their ascension three years later.

The remaining disciples were unwilling to leave, so Shi Feiyang arranged duties for them. Changes occurred at the Outer Heaven Divine Mountain, severing its contact with the external world. The trinity of heaven, earth, and humanity transformed, altering the large ecological environment, necessitating adjustments for many creatures.

Shi Feiyang taught them to sever external circulation and master internal circulation, appearing to close the country, when in fact they were isolating the entire world outside.

Once the situation stabilized and all affairs were on track, Shi Feiyang left the Outer Heaven Divine Mountain and returned to Central Earth.

Currently, the Great Ming is no longer under the rule of Emperor Zhu Citing, but rather his grandson Zhu Yitai, just over twenty years old. Upon hearing that State Preceptor Shi Feiyang had arrived, he ran out barefoot in excitement, followed closely by the eunuchs who swiftly brought his shoes, urging him, "Your Majesty, do not forget etiquette before the State Preceptor!"

Shi Feiyang had dealings with the Great Ming Royal Family since the era of Emperor Wanli, and he was appointed State Preceptor at that time. Counting from Emperor Wanli, Zhu Yijun bore Emperor Taichang Zhu Changluo, Zhu Changluo bore Zhu Youxiao, Zhu Youxiao bore Zhu Citing, and Zhu Yitai is Zhu Citing’s grandson.

According to generation, Zhu Yitai should call Shi Feiyang Great Grandfather of his Ancestors...

He grew up listening to stories about Shi Feiyang and would visit Yuan Yang Palace to pay respects during festivals.

Beyond Shi Feiyang’s portrait in Yuan Yang Palace, portraits of every emperor since Emperor Wanli are enshrined on both sides.

Zhu Yitai always worshiped with great sincerity, praying to Master Yuan Yang multiple times, hoping for the Immortal to ’manifest’ again, so he might see him in person.

Truly, the years of immortals pass without notice. Shi Feiyang frequently vanished for many years, akin to a magnificent dragon, elusive; they might see him once as children, and by the next meeting, they’d be old men.