Chapter 153: Dongbin Teaches His Disciple

Lü Dongbin is undeniably one of the most supreme beings among the celestial gods and true immortals of the Three Realms. Formerly the Eastward-Moving Emperor of antiquity, he traveled through countless greater and lesser worlds, amassing a boundless heritage. Naturally, his Repository of Daoist Canons contained a vast multitude of treasures, far outstripping even the Great Xia Treasury of Emperor Xia.

In the realm of Qi-refining techniques alone, there were as many as several dozen Pure Yang-level cultivation methods, and even three distinct Qi-refining techniques created by Da Luo Dao Ancestors, though incomplete, covering cultivation only up to the Pure Yang True Immortal stage. Divine powers and secret arts were similarly abundant.

However, faced with such a staggering array of techniques, divine powers, and secret arts, both Yuntian and Yu Wei judiciously selected only a few that best suited them.

"Well then, it seems the two of you still possess clear heads," Fairy Biyou said with a satisfied nod after a casual glance, as Yuntian and Yu Wei emerged from the Repository of Daoist Canons, each holding a few abridged manuals of techniques, divine powers, and secret arts. "Follow me! I will take you to receive your complete inheritances."

With that, Fairy Biyou led the two back into the Repository of Daoist Canons, directly opened a concealed door, and ascended a spiral staircase to the second floor.

The second floor of the Repository was similarly vast, yet appeared somewhat empty and devoid of any ghostly presence.

However, the instant Fairy Biyou, Yuntian, and Yu Wei arrived, the intricate grand array inscribed upon the floor of the center of the second floor flared with light. Immediately, an archaic wooden long table manifested abruptly on the ground, upon which rested numerous jade slips and bamboo strips.

"Do not approach. Stay right here and project your divine sense into those jade slips. You will naturally acquire the inheritances of the techniques, divine powers, and secret arts you desire. The five on the left are the techniques and divine powers chosen by Yuntian, and the four on the right were chosen by Yu Wei. Do not mix them up," instructed Fairy Biyou.

Yuntian and Yu Wei sat down as instructed, projecting their divine senses into the jade slips, whereupon vast streams of information immediately began to flood into their minds.

A short while later, as Yuntian left the Repository of Daoist Canons alongside Yu Wei and Fairy Biyou, he could not help but ask, "Senior Sister Biyou, what kind of array is that on the second floor of the Repository? Is it a teleportation array? Does the other side of the array conceal the complete versions of all the techniques, divine powers, and secret arts in the Repository? Does that teleportation array operate automatically, or are there supreme experts stationed in hiding within?"

"Why ask so much? Do you not find yourself far too long-winded?" Fairy Biyou glanced at Yuntian with a frown. "What you ought to know, you will know in due time. What you ought not to know, ask less!"

Hearing this, Yuntian could only curl his lips in slight helplessness before following Fairy Biyou to the quarters she had arranged for him.

Though the Estate of the Eastward-Moving Emperor was immense, very few people actually resided within it. Therefore, the living quarters assigned to both Yuntian and Yu Wei were exceptional; not only were they expansive and set in breathtaking environments, but they were also fully equipped with meditation chambers, alchemy rooms, and artifact-forging chambers. There were even gardens cultivating immortal herbs and spiritual medicines, as well as orchards bearing diverse spiritual fruits—truly a blessed celestial paradise.

However, the location assigned to Yuntian was somewhat remote; going any further outward would mean stepping beyond the boundaries of the Emperor's estate. Though the place was still pleasant, nestled against the mountains and facing the water, its geographical location paled significantly in comparison to Yu Wei's. Yu Wei's residence was situated almost dead center within the entire Estate of the Eastward-Moving Emperor; not only was the environment superb, but her quarters were also directly adjacent to Fairy Biyou's.

"Remote it is, then! Who told me to be a man? Living too close to women isn't entirely appropriate anyway," Yuntian thought to himself with a quiet chuckle.

Inside the meditation chamber of his quarters, Yuntian sat cross-legged upon a jade bed, closing his eyes to quietly ponder the memories of the cultivation methods, divine powers, and secret arts engraved in his mind. Among the cultivation methods, Yuntian had chosen the *Northern Darkness Scripture* created by the Carefree Dao Ancestor, which could lead directly to the realm of a Dao Ancestor, provided one comprehended a Heavenly Dao—the threshold for becoming a Da Luo Dao Ancestor. Moreover, Yuntian only possessed the cultivation method up to the Pure Yang stage; the subsequent Da Luo-level techniques had not been included in his inheritance.

As for divine powers, Yuntian had not chosen an excessive number. He merely acquired the latter half of the divine power known as the *Eyes of the Torch Dragon*, thus completing the full inheritance of the divine power, though he was in no immediate hurry to practice it. The other divine power he chose was the foremost divine power of the Three Realms, the *Eighty-Nine Arcane Arts*, though unfortunately, it contained only the cultivation methods for the first six tiers. Practicing this divine power required divine-demon body-refinement; one's primordial spirit had to reach the tier of cultivating the first three tiers, while the tier of void-returning divine-demons was required to practice the first six tiers.

"The *Eighty-Nine Arcane Arts* of this world are truly formidable! Cultivating them to the third tier makes the physical body as durable as an immortal-grade magic treasure. Cultivating them to the sixth tier renders the physical body comparable to a Pure Yang magic treasure," Yuntian pondered inwardly as he contemplated the cultivation methods of the *Eighty-Nine Arcane Arts*. "I suppose I won't have any hope of obtaining the cultivation methods for the final three tiers from Master until I become a Celestial God."

Additionally, Yuntian had chosen a Pure Yang-level sword technique concerning the Great Dao of Qiankun, as well as an evasion technique. Learning the sword technique and evasion technique was secondary; Yuntian's primary objective was to examine the underlying principles and origins of these techniques so that he could create analogous methods within the Primordial World.

Three days later, Lü Dongbin summoned Yuntian and Yu Wei to the towering grand hall of the Estate of the Eastward-Moving Emperor, preparing to formally instruct his two disciples.

"Yuntian! In truth, given your astonishingly brilliant talent, even if the Chi Ming Dao Ancestor had not chosen you as his disciple, other Dao Ancestors would have been moved and chosen you. Yet, you were in such a rush to take me as your master that other Dao Ancestors could no longer accept you as a disciple even if they wished to," Lü Dongbin began, smiling as he looked at Yuntian. "Well then, do you perhaps regret taking me as your master now?"

Startled for a moment, Yuntian recovered his composure, smiled calmly, and replied, "Master, why don't you hurry up and break through to become a Da Luo Dao Ancestor? By then, won't your disciple naturally be the disciple of a Dao Ancestor?"

"Haha... You rascal! You actually dare to banter with your master!" Lü Dongbin could not help laughing aloud, while Yu Wei beside him wore a slightly amused smile.

Suppressing his smile, Lü Dongbin turned a serious gaze toward Yuntian and said, "Very well, enough of this. Yuntian, before I guide your cultivation, tell your master honestly: to what level have you truly comprehended the Great Dao of Qiankun?"

"This..." Yuntian hesitated slightly before answering, "To not keep it from Master, your disciple has actually already fully comprehended the Great Dao of Qiankun."

Comprehended the Great Dao of Qiankun? Beside him, Yu Wei's beautiful eyes widened as she stared at Yuntian, her pretty mouth slightly agape, her face a mask of sheer disbelief. Comprehending a complete Dao was the prerequisite for becoming a true immortal. Since he had comprehended the Great Dao of Qiankun, it meant that if Yuntian could successfully survive the heavenly tribulation and become a celestial immortal, advancing to a true immortal would pose no obstacle at all.

"You have truly comprehended the Great Dao of Qiankun? The talent of a monstrous prodigy—truly the talent of a monstrous prodigy!" Even Lü Dongbin could not help but be moved as he looked at Yuntian, his burning gaze filled with repeated praise. "Yuntian, from antiquity to the present day, across the boundless stretches of time, your master has witnessed many brilliantly gifted geniuses. Yet those who can compare to you remain exceedingly rare. Such a genius, as long as they do not perish, will at the very least reach the tier of a celestial god or true immortal, and becoming a true god or Da Luo Dao Ancestor is hardly uncommon. Among my many disciples, in terms of talent, you undoubtedly rank first."

Yuntian maintained his calm and serene demeanor as he replied, "Master flatters me! No matter how much talent this disciple possesses, for now, I am merely a Wanxiang Adept."

"If you wished to, reaching the void-returning stage would be effortless," Lü Dongbin said with an involuntary, smiling shake of his head. "It is merely the Celestial Immortal Tribulation and the future Heavenly God Tribulation that represent your greatest obstacles. However, your ability to remain free of arrogance and impetuosity is excellent! You possess not only superb talent but also an extraordinary Dao heart. In truth, there is not much your master can teach you. The saying goes: 'The master leads you through the door, but cultivation depends upon the individual.' All your master can do is point out the direction and highlight your flaws. Yet you possess virtually no flaws. Therefore, in terms of cultivation, your master can only offer you minor guidance at best."

A broader smile bloomed across Lü Dongbin's face as he continued, "Come to think of it, teaching true geniuses is far more effortless and worry-free. Teaching you requires little effort from your master, as you have long since surpassed others in many respects. As for Yu Wei, I fear I shall have to expend considerably more effort."

"In truth, for the present stage you both are in, what your master can teach you is simply to help refine and perfect yourselves as much as possible, maximizing your chances of successfully surviving the Celestial Immortal Tribulation—nothing more," Lü Dongbin concluded.