Daluo Mountain is located in the northwest of the Southern Continent, not far from the sacred land of the Human Race, Shouyang Mountain.
Legend has it that Daluo Mountain was formed by the condensation of primordial energy, a top-tier blessed land of the Primordial age.
At a glance:
Risky peaks at the apex of the fairy mountains, towering ridges.
Auspicious grass grows on the slopes, spiritual mushrooms grow on the ground.
Strange pines circle the peak, and precious trees reflect on the sandbanks.
The mountain is close to the red sun, and the streams in the wide gorges flow low.
Atop Daluo Mountain there is a cave named "Xuan Du Cave".
Inside the cave lies a palace named "Eight Sceneries Palace".
The Supreme Saint, leader of The Three Pure Ones, resides therein, broadly expounding moral maxims.
Inside Xuan Du Cave, splendor shines with golden jade, brilliant with pearls and gems.
Flocks of immortal birds and cranes, pairs of white deer and monkeys.
Fortune emanates in thousands of auspicious lights upon this blessed land, lucky qi in thousands of stripes illuminates the cave's door.
...
Following the Emperor of Heaven's imperial chariot all the way, Li Changgeng was nearly dazzled.
Until now, he thought the recently established Turquoise Pool Palace of Golden Mother was the pinnacle of celestial realms, unrivaled by any.
Yet upon reaching this Xuan Du Cave in Daluo Mountain, he realized that above celestial realms, there exists the Saint Realm.
Indeed, this was his first encounter with the Saint Realm.
During previous visits with the Heavenly Emperor's Decree to meet Saints, he never succeeded in entering, always turned away rebuffed.
This time, the Emperor of Heaven himself visited Daluo Mountain, and he was merely one of the many accompanying immortal gods.
Sure enough, with the personal arrival of the Emperor, even an aloof Saint would offer some respect — at the least letting them into the Saint Realm of Xuan Du Cave, and two Daoist boys even came out of the Eight Sceneries Palace to welcome the Emperor of Heaven inside, a far cry from the times Li Changgeng was turned away.
The only regret was that only the Emperor of Heaven could enter the Eight Sceneries Palace; he and the other immortal gods had to wait far outside.
Already there, yet unable to see the true face of a Saint — truly a pity.
Li Changgeng sighed in his heart and looked around, imprinting the beautiful scenes inside Xuan Du Cave into his memory, as these would make great tales in the future.
Not to mention, merely saying "I have been to Xuan Du Cave in Daluo Mountain" was enough to make most immortal gods envious.
But amidst the many beautiful sights of Xuan Du Cave, he had not finished observing them when the Heavenly Emperor, the Supreme of Three Realms, had already left the Eight Sceneries Palace and returned to the Imperial Chariot.
Besides the two young Daoists, another figure appearing to escort him was a middle-aged Daoist wearing a dark Daoist robe and ordinary-looking.
"Depart."
Following the chant of an immortal official, the treasure chariot pulled by nine true dragons ascended, slowly flying away from Xuan Du Cave.
Li Changgeng and the crowd of immortal gods hastily followed, rising through the clouds, and quickly left Daluo Mountain.
However, not long after, the Heavenly Emperor's Treasure Chariot stopped again.
"Changgeng, my dear minister."
As expected, the call from the Emperor of Heaven arrived on schedule.
Amid envious looks from the other immortal gods, Li Changgeng hurriedly approached the Emperor's Treasure Chariot, saluting and saying, "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty."
The Heavenly Emperor sat in the chariot and ordered lightly: "Hold the cup."
Immediately, a Divine General in golden armor and helmet brought forth a Spiritual Treasure resembling a Glazed Cup.
The treasure emitted a faint glow in his hands, enveloping the space near the Emperor of Heaven's Treasure Chariot.
Li Changgeng was not surprised, knowing the Glazed Cup was a treasure capable of shielding Heavenly Mechanisms, preventing prying eyes.
After all, being outside was different from being in the Palace of the Polestar; being cautious was safer.
After the light from the Glazed Cup fully diffused, the Heavenly Emperor slowly opened his mouth and said, "Did you see the scenery within the Saint Realm in Xuan Du Cave just now, my dear official?"
Li Changgeng quickly made a bow and said in gratitude, "Thanks to your majesty for bringing this humble official here, I was fortunate enough to witness the miraculous sights of the Saint Realm."
After pausing for a moment, he took the initiative to ask, "May I know if the Saint Lord is willing to dispatch disciples to preside over the Heavenly Court?"
The Heavenly Emperor looked at him and responded indirectly, "Do you know how many unusual sceneries exist within the Xuan Du Cave?"
Li Changgeng thought carefully, "Within the Xuan Du Cave, there are vast oceans and high mountains, splendid bell-shaped flowers, glowing moons, and radiating suns … altogether nine types of unusual scenery, each utterly unique in this world."
"You observed very closely."
The Heavenly Emperor looked at him approvingly and then asked, "Then do you know why the supreme teacher's Taoist site is called the Eight Sceneries Palace, not the Nine Sceneries Palace?"
"This…"
Li Changgeng did not know the secret of the Saint, but he knew that the emperor must have a reason for asking this; it must be related.
Thinking this, he discerned the subtlety and spoke softly, "Could it be because the number 'nine' signifies extremity, which does not align with that Saint Lord's principle of 'daring not to lead under the heavens,' therefore, the name of the Taoist site was set as 'Eight' Sceneries Palace?
By saying so, does that mean that the Saint Lord did not agree?"
The Heavenly Emperor nodded in satisfaction and praised, "My dear official is indeed endowed with natural wisdom, comprehending with a mere hint. Exactly, the Supreme Teacher said he has only one disciple who must stay by his side to serve; I naturally cannot force others against their will, so I had to leave."
Li Changgeng nodded, "This also aligns with the deduction your majesty made before; the Human Sect is the least likely to dispatch disciples to the Heavenly Court. Our key target for this mission still lies with the Chan Sect and Jie Sect."
The Heavenly Emperor's gaze sharpens as he stared at Li Changgeng, "Do you think we should first visit Kunlun or Penglai?"
Li Changgeng seemed prepared for this question; his gaze flickered slightly before he calmly replied, "Before entering the Heavenly Court, this humble official had heard that the three Eastern Saints once lived together in Kunlun but later due to differing ideologies, they parted ways and resided in Daluo, Kunlun, and Penglai respectively.
Is it true that the division between the two Sect Hierarchs of Chan and Jie is vast, nearly to the point of open hostility?"
The Heavenly Emperor nodded slightly and elaborated, "Both teachers paved their own religions and enlightened sentient beings to achieve sainthood. However, the Chan Sect Hierarch advocates following the Heavenly Dao and ranks all beings into three distinctions, teaching them according to their talents.
While the teachings of Jie Sect allude to the Dao having fifty gates, Heaven develops forty-nine, all beings possess a sliver of hope, advocating a teaching philosophy of no distinctions; anyone can be taught if they aspire towards the Dao, cutting a line of life for all beings.
That there is a conflict in the teachings of the Chan and Jie Sects is a situation observable by all."
Li Changgeng nodded and solemnly said, "Among the three Saints, the Taiching Saint is the eldest, Yuqing Saint is the second, and the Upper Pure Saint is the youngest. Logically speaking, after leaving Daluo Mountain, your majesty should first visit Kunlun and then Penglai, to observe proper decorum.
Should we first visit Penglai and then go to Kunlun, it would likely displease the Yuqing Saint.
In such a case, our quest to seek Chan Sect disciples to enter the Heavenly Court would probably be in vain.
As for the Jie Sect, during this official's last visit to Golden Turtle Island, I found their disciples rather arrogant, unlikely to willingly serve in our Heavenly Court.
Thus, your majesty can proceed to Zixiao Palace."
Under the cover of the Glazed Cup, with no outsiders around, Li Changgeng then plainly revealed his true thoughts.
Inviting disciples from the Three Sects to join the Heavenly Court was not their true aim.
Even if the Three Sects' Saints agreed, the disciples sent would mostly be unyielding and difficult to truly control.
Thus, their ultimate goal for this mission is the Zixiao Palace!
To ensure a smooth journey to Zixiao Palace, their visits to the Three Sects' Saints must not go too well; it would be best if they returned without success.
At this time, however, the Heavenly Emperor shook his head and lightly said, "My dear official only knows of the conflict between the teachings of Chan and Jie Sects but is unaware that the three Brother Teachers have coexisted since the Creation of Heaven and Earth, their brotherhood is beyond your comprehension.
Especially the Tongtian Teacher, a person of deep feelings, if I visit Penglai first to pay homage, he might indeed agree to dispatch disciples to assist the Heavenly Court.
Conversely, if I face rejection at both Human and Chan Sects first, the Tongtian Teacher might also refuse my request out of solidarity."
"So, it is like that…"
Li Changgeng quickly bowed in apology, "This humble official spoke out of turn without understanding the immensity of heaven and earth, nearly causing a great blunder."
The Heavenly Emperor waved his hand, "My dear official has been cultivating for a short time, having not seen the true form