Chapter 348: Arcane Star Map
"Senior Aunt, what if I were to greet Yu'er's father?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.
"No! Don't talk nonsense. My husband won't want to meet anyone. If there's anything you want to say to Yu'er, do so now. She's right about to leave," Han Bingdie replied in abrupt refusal.
Then, with a wave of her hand, she formed a cloud of fog that shrouded the courtyard. She flew into the sky to give them privacy.
"Yu'er, does your father not want to meet me?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.
Yu'er began to cry. Tears fell from her eyes.
"Don't cry, Yu'er! What's wrong?" Xiao Nanfeng blanched as he wiped at her tears.
"Nanfeng, I'm going to be leaving. I won't be able to come back ever again. This is the last time we'll meet," Yu'er cried.
"What? How could that be? Even if your father refuses to have you return, I can go find you. We'll be able to meet up again in the future," Xiao Nanfeng consoled her.
"No, you don't understand. No one can change my father's mind. He wants me to be a holy maiden of the Yuqing holy land. My mother has tried to persuade him otherwise many times, to no avail."
"The Yuqing holy land? Just who is your father?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.
"He's one of the most influential people of the Yuqing holy land. He's particularly stubborn and has already made up his mind. He seems to have noticed you, too. If not for Mother helping shroud us, you would be in danger," Yu'er continued.
"Don't worry, Yu'er. I'm aware of where you're headed, and I'll go find you myself. Don't cry anymore. If you do, your mother might think I'm bullying you," Xiao Nanfeng said gently, helping her wipe at her tears again.
Yu'er looked toward Xiao Nanfeng in a moment of passion. She touched Xiao Nanfeng's neck, closed her eyes, and gave him a kiss.
Xiao Nanfeng hadn't expected Yu'er to be so bold. He too bore feelings for her after so much time together, and he didn't resist. The two cultivators shared a long kiss. Xiao Nanfeng caressed Yu'er's hair and lower back, comforting her before her sudden departure.
Just then, Han Bingdie called out, "Yu'er, time's up. Your father's been waiting for long enough. Let's get going!"
Xiao Nanfeng and Yu'er slowly separated from each other.
"Don't worry. I'll go find you as soon as I can," Xiao Nanfeng promised, wiping at Yu'er's tears again
"It's useless even if you try. Take care, Nanfeng." Yu'er tried to stop her tears as she retrieved a jade tablet and handed it to Xiao Nanfeng. "Mother had me pass this to you secretly."
"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng took the tablet, uncertain as to its purpose.
Yu'er swallowed thickly as she flew into the air.
The fog in the courtyard vanished as Yu'er flew up to meet Han Bingdie. She seemed to realize what the two of them had just done. She glared at Xiao Nanfeng as she took her daughter's hand and rose even higher up to where her husband was waiting.
Yu'er's father seemed to have been waiting for quite some time. As his daughter and wife flew toward him, he waved an arm and summoned golden light to encapsulate the three cultivators. They transformed into a beam of light that shot toward the east, quickly vanishing over the horizon.
Xiao Nanfeng looked longingly toward Yu'er. "Don't worry, I'll come find you as quickly as I can. I promise," he said resolutely.
Slowly, he walked back into his study, locked the doors, and sent a burst of spiritual power into the jade tablet. He began to read what Han Bingdie had left for him.
"Xiao Nanfeng, Yu'er and I are soon to depart. You will have to avenge Ku Jiang on your own. Ku Jiang frequently told me that you were the most talented disciple he had ever seen, especially when it came to understanding scripture. It took Ku Jiang and me a century to finish all 48,000 scriptures in the Taiqing Immortal Sect's vault, while you did it in but a few years. Although I married into the Yuqing holy land, I will forever be a Taiqing disciple at heart. I headed to the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm in order to do my part in the ascension of the Taiqing Sect. My husband knew of my goals, and this was the one time he didn't stop me from reuniting with my old acquaintances. Our objective was the arcane star map within the crystal tablet that encapsulated the heavenly laws of the realm.
"The arcane star map is a vehicle by which the natural laws of the world can be conveyed.
"Natural law: a fuzzy, indistinct concept. The 48,000 scriptures of the Taiqing Vault are, in essence, depicting the natural laws of the world, but only at a fundamental level. Even if you understand all those scriptures fully, you would only be able to progress to Yin Body.
"Only by contemplating more abstruse and profound laws can you further your understanding and reach the stage of True Yin.
"Natural law is formless and shapeless, incomprehensible with the naked eye. However, the heavens and primordial entities can shape these laws and record them in the form of star maps. That was what you saw within the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm.
"A few hidden realms in this world possess star maps, but you shall have to find them on your own.
"We were able to decipher this arcane star map. Read it to understand the natural laws that it governs, and use this information to enrich the Taiqing Immortal Sect."
The jade tablet then provided a detailed description of how to read these star maps. A tremendous amount of information was conveyed; it took Xiao Nanfeng a full day to barely understand the basics.
"Star maps? I seem to have one of my own." Xiao Nanfeng blinked.
He reached out, and a scroll appeared on his palm, titled "Dazheng Code of Laws." This was the document that would form the basis of the kingdom's code of laws, with which the hundred officials of court would be granted power and jurisdiction.
The code of laws was a palimpsest of the tattered Heavenly Dao Scroll that he had obtained from the Eastern Sea Draconic Palace. It had been restored within the interior of the purple seal via the special substance that was present there. Madam Rouge had said that the scroll had been nurtured by heavenly law.
The Dazheng Code of Laws was imbued with a depiction of the stellar sky, of countless stars that slowly revolved. At a glance, it looked like the entire universe captured in miniature, astounding Xiao Nanfeng.
In the past, he hadn't understood how to read these star maps. Following Han Bingdie's instructions, he carefully focused his attention on a small cluster of rapidly moving stars. A flood of information poured into his mind.
The stellar lake of his mindscape began to expand, and the silver moon above it shone with blinding light. Spiritual aether condensed around him.
Xiao Nanfeng's understanding of the Dao was increasing at a rapid pace. He was enraptured by what he could see. An indeterminate amount of time later, he found his thoughts interrupted by Zheng Qian knocking on the door.
"King Xiao, there's urgent news from the Taiqing Demonic Sect!" Zheng Qian shouted.
Xiao Nanfeng came to his senses. He stored the Dazheng Code of Law and the jade tablet as he looked toward the door. "Come in!"
Only then did Zheng Qian step into the study. "King Xiao, you've been in the study for three days and nights. I didn't dare disturb you until now, when I received urgent information."
"Three days and nights?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.
He had spent a day reading through the jade tablet in detail—and then two days reading a star map, even though he felt that only a small amount of time had passed. He suddenly realized that his yin body had grown much stronger, and he had advanced significantly with the Body of Yin and the Taiqing Yin Body. His gains over the past two days were no inferior to that from reading all 48,000 tomes of the Taiqing Vault.
He suddenly understood that the reason the Dazheng Code of Laws was precious wasn't because of the quality of its material, but rather because of the star maps that were recorded on it.
The Dazheng Code of Laws recorded the Dao of yore itself, which contained all permutations of natural law that could ever exist. Even if it was somewhat antiquated, surely there could be no other star map of comparable depth.
"King Xiao? Is something the matter?" Zheng Qian asked curiously.
Xiao Nanfeng quashed his budding excitement and shook his head. "I'm alright. What did you say? What happened to the Taiqing demonic Sect?"
Three days ago, in Blackflame Island on the Eastern Sea, countless disciples of the left division of the Taiqing Demonic Sect gathered by a plaza outside a large hall. At the forefront stood two people: one dressed in black, features obscured, and the other a thin, almost withered, middle-aged man.
The thin man bowed to the man in black, then to Cui Haitang. "Sect Master, Senior Sister Cui, the right division leader had been intending on attending this ceremony personally, but he was waylaid by other affairs. I came in his stead."
"Today is the day a new left division leader will be appointed. As long as you're able to bear witness on behalf of the right division leader, that is acceptable," the black-robed figure replied.
The black-robed figure's voice was hoarse and husky; the gender of its owner was unclear. An aura of authority surrounded the black-robed figure, the sect master of the Taiqing Demonic Sect.
"Yes, Sect Master!" The thin man bowed again.
The black-robed man then turned to Cui Haitang once more. "The Mortal division leader of the Taiqing Immortal Sect, Xiao Nanfeng, killed my left division leader? Do not lie to me, Cui Haitang."
"Sect Master, would I fool around with my brother's death?" Cui Haitang retorted, her face a mask of anguish.
The demonic sect master was silent for a moment before continuing, "Did you gather all of us here because you wanted to inherit the position of left division leader?"
"Yes, Sect Master. Please grant me this opportunity," Cui Haitang replied respectfully.
"Let's hold off for a moment. Han Bingdie is nearby," the demonic sect master said.
Cui Haitang grimaced as she heard Han Bingdie's name. "Sect Master, given her elevated position, I suspect she wouldn't attend such a ceremony."
Just then, a voice could be heard from the sea. "Who said I wouldn't attend?"
Everyone turned to see a golden cloud in the distance. A male and two female cultivators stood on it: Yu'er and her family.
Upon seeing Yu'er's father, Cui Haitang blanched.
However, neither Yu'er nor her father flew over. Only Han Bingdie did so.
"I greet the sect master." Han Bingdie bowed.
The demonic sect master waved a hand, beckoning for her to rise. "Junior Sister Han, no need for the pleasantries. Won't your husband come over as well?"
"Today is a gathering of the left division of the demonic sect, and my husband is but an outsider. It wouldn't be appropriate for him to interfere, and he has chosen to wait by the extremities with my daughter," Han Bingdie replied.
"No, no, your husband's no outsider at all! It's all thanks to him that the Yuqing holy land was willing to send support during the calamity two centuries ago, allowing the two Taiqing sects to continue to the present day. If he's unwilling to approach, however, let's not disturb him." The demonic sect master nodded.
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