Chapter 105: The True and False Realms of the Dao

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Zixia Mountain truly exists, as its name suggests. From afar, it appears shrouded in a veil of purple mist, like a realm of immortals.

Within this mountain dwelled a demon king once famed far and wide. No one had ever seen his true face, for each time he made a move, the entire sky would be enveloped in a swirling purple haze. No matter what divine arts or secret techniques others employed, they could never discern whether he was man or woman. Thus, the name “Purple Mist” was born.

The Purple Mist King of Zixia Mountain was shrouded in mystery, and for decades had not appeared even once. Yet, there was a figure who often showed himself on Zixia Mountain—a man clad in green robes known as the Green Spirit. Few knew what true powers he possessed, but because he was native to Zixia Mountain, the surrounding mountain demon kings all showed him respect.

Zixia Mountain was real, the Green Spirit was real, but the gathering of demon kings was a fabrication.

After Nan Luo arrived at Luoling Mountain, he ventured out only once—to slay the Golden Sand King. The Golden Sand King had been somewhat acquainted with the Green Spirit. Shortly after Nan Luo killed him, the Green Spirit came to Zanghun Mountain seeking the Golden Sand King, only to find he had been dead for some time. Inquiring among the demons who once served the Golden Sand King, he learned the truth: the man named Nan Luo had released a white light with a wave of his hand, slaying the Golden Sand King instantly, without the slightest resistance.

Nan Luo was somewhat renowned in the world, but only at a middle tier. Figures as mighty as Dijun, Taiyi, or the Ancestor Wuwu never gave him a second glance. Lesser demons and creatures scarcely knew of him; even if they heard the name, it slipped away from memory in an instant. Their worldview was confined to their mountain, so Nan Luo’s reputation held no weight for them.

The lesser demons were ignorant; the Golden Sand King knew but was unafraid, for he had an old ancestor backing him. This allowed him, at a mid-immortal level, to claim a mountain as his dominion. Others never dared contest his territory or seize the spiritual veins there, out of respect for his ancestor.

Nan Luo, unaware of Golden Sand’s powerful patron, would have struck him down regardless. He had slain great shaman elders of the Wuwu clan before; killing one more with a powerful ancestor behind him was no challenge.

The Golden Sand King was cut down before he could even utter the name of his ancestor. In his dying moments, he wondered how such cruelty was possible, how one could strike before hearing a word.

The Green Spirit had heard of Nan Luo and knew much about this celestial star lord. Learning that Nan Luo was human amazed him, and he grew intensely curious about the rumored Demon Moon Mirror in Nan Luo’s possession—a mirror said to illuminate heaven and earth and perceive the vast multiverse.

Years ago, Nan Luo pledged to help Fuxi escape danger, preventing him from becoming a disciple under another by virtue of his human sovereign status. Nan Luo boasted of a mirror that could inspect heaven and earth, the cosmos. Somehow, this tale spread throughout the world. Though many doubted its authenticity, some were eager to see this mirror. The Green Spirit was one of them.

He possessed a divine art called the Moon Reflection Technique, allowing him to vanish at will beneath moonlight. Wherever moonlight touched, a thought could transport him there. Were it not restricted to moonlit nights, this technique might be the supreme art of concealment in all realms.

The Moon Reflection Technique was, in essence, a method of harnessing the power of the moon star, but its conditions were strict: only when the moonlight filled the sky and the lunar star’s force suffused the heavens and earth could one borrow enough power to use it.

Because of these harsh conditions, the Green Spirit developed a mirror concealment technique. Though limited by the mirror’s spiritual nature, it still guaranteed secrecy, invisibility, and swiftness.

So when he heard that Nan Luo’s mirror could perceive heaven and earth, his heart stirred. If he had such a mirror, it would completely replace his Moon Reflection Technique, enabling him to use it at any time and manifest anywhere in the world following the mirror’s light.

He coveted Nan Luo’s Demon Moon Mirror but remained wary of Nan Luo’s reputation. To escape unscathed from two famed shaman elders of the Wuwu clan was no small feat.

Though he had never witnessed the divine arts of Xingtian and Houyi, he compared their reputations to his own standing. He thought that if he were besieged by those two, escape would be impossible unless it was a night of full moonlight, allowing the Moon Reflection Technique to save him. Yet he had little confidence that his mirror technique alone could save him.

One dared not move against Nan Luo, let alone with the merciless Bei Ling by his side. Beyond the knowledge that Bei Ling was a demon general under the Heavenly Court’s First Star Lord, he knew nothing of his origins. Others only referred to him as Demon General Bei Ling.

Thus, he invited the Golden Sand King’s ancestor, Master Jinguang, to assist. No one had ever uncovered Master Jinguang’s true nature, but based on Golden Sand’s essence—originally a Golden Sand Vine—many speculated he was a spirit born of plants and trees.

After deliberation, they felt this was still insufficiently secure and invited several trusted and powerful friends. Years passed swiftly amid secret invitations.

Once assembled, to avoid alerting their enemy, they observed from the shadows. One day, they noticed Bei Ling had not appeared for a long time. They sent a magpie to scout the mountain.

This led to the ritual of paying respects to the mountain, whose true purpose was reconnaissance—to discern the truth. Was Bei Ling gone? Why had Nan Luo only appeared once in so many years?

Learning that only Nan Luo remained and that he was immobilized by some flaw in his cultivation, they rejoiced and planned: one would seize the Demon Moon Mirror, the other the equally famous Azure Face Sword.

The Green Spirit was confident in his abilities. Though unsure if he could defeat Nan Luo, he sensed Nan Luo’s condition was genuine—a faint, waning aura, as if he were about to fall.

Yet, just as they prepared to strike, they witnessed a spectacle each nightfall: a mirror rose above Luoling Mountain, radiating multicolored light. To the eyes of the lesser demons, it appeared as the moon, yet they could discern it was a mirror within the radiance.

This phenomenon halted their plans, as Master Jinguang forbade rash action.

Standing beneath the night sky, pointing toward the radiant Demon Moon Mirror, he said, “I fear we have all been deceived by Nan Luo. Only those at the Dao Realm can wield such a technique to merge heaven and earth.”

“The Dao Realm? Is that the ‘Dao’ among the four realms of Immortal, Divine, Dao, and Sage spoken of by the demon master Kunpeng? I heard the Dao Realm is exceedingly rare in this world. The Sage Realm is held by only the Heavenly Emperor. Nan Luo has only cultivated a few years—how could he have reached the Dao Realm?” the Green Spirit questioned, both surprised and doubtful.

Master Jinguang explained, “Kunpeng once said beneath Mount Buzhou that when a person has perfected the Dao they comprehend to its utmost, they can transcend to perceive other Dao paths, which marks their entry into the Dao Realm. Only the individual can judge this. Those who enter the Dao Realm possess a means impossible for those below it.”

“Could it be that technique to fuse heaven and earth?” the Green Spirit pressed.

“Exactly. The Dao Realm no longer involves cultivating one or several Dao paths like the Divine Realm. Instead, it’s a gradual merging of oneself into the Dao of the entire cosmos, eventually forging a path uniquely their own—the Sage Dao.”

“Has he truly entered the Dao Realm? Shall we desist?” the Green Spirit asked.

“Haha, desist? That would be too easy. Though Golden Sand’s boy is useless, he is filial. We cannot allow him to be killed unjustly. I am certain his Dao Realm is not genuine. Perhaps he has not taken the final step or is merely practicing some technique or divine art.”

“Haha, I told you. He has only cultivated a few years; how could he have reached the Dao Realm? When shall we strike?”

“No rush. I have an old friend who holds a grudge against this boy’s family. Three days ago, I sent a message; he should arrive soon. One more ally means greater odds. Though this boy’s Dao Realm is false, judging from how the Demon Moon Mirror seems fused with the heaven and earth, his divine arts must be extraordinary. Rest assured, my old friend seeks only his life, nothing more.”

“Haha, I trust you completely, elder. Our great lord has told me you possess profound magic, a clear mind, and true integrity.”

Master Jinguang chuckled softly, neither confirming nor denying the praise, his gaze fixed on the Demon Moon Mirror’s radiant glow as he fell into quiet thought.