‘Chen Xu’ thought for a moment and decided to accept.
If he could study under a Dao Lord’s faction, the martial arts he would acquire would certainly be superior to those at the Dragon-Tiger Martial Arts Hall.
As for whether a Dao Lord would accept the clone of another Dao Lord, he would cross that bridge when he got there.
Even if he couldn’t get a free ride, he could always exchange benefits. With the Land of the Undead at his back, he had countless treasures. If a free deal wasn’t possible, he could always solve the problem by paying a premium.
After all, Dao Lords have their own needs and interests; otherwise, they wouldn’t go through the trouble of building such a massive organization.
So, ‘Chen Xu’ nodded and replied, “Since Hall Master Mo recommends it, I am willing to try my luck at the Universe Daoist Academy.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, ‘Chen Xu’ felt the world spin as his surroundings blurred past at an incredible speed.
The next moment, he found himself standing in the sky. Beneath his feet was a black-and-white Taiji diagram, and an old man stood beside him.
The man had black hair, a white beard, and double pupils in his eyes. He wore a smile and was stroking his long beard as he looked at Chen Xu.
The old man laughed heartily. “Hahaha, Lord of the Undead, I have long heard of your name. I am the Yin-Yang Dao Lord, Li Taiji.”
Seeing this, ‘Chen Xu’ reacted immediately, cupping his fists. “Chen Xu, the Lord of the Undead.”
Li Taiji steered the Taiji diagram, taking ‘Chen Xu’ through layers of space toward the Universe Realm.
“Not long ago, I was a guest of the Lord of Heaven and heard that a priest and the Lord of the Undead from the Land of the Undead had slain a Hell Demon King.
Once I looked into the location, I found it was very close to my Taikun Martial World. On a whim, I decided to come by and take a look.
I didn’t expect to run into you directly. It seems we share a fate.”
Li Taiji was full of smiles and took the initiative to converse with ‘Chen Xu’.
“This physical body—the Kirin Arm, Vajra Legs, Glazed Body, Exquisite Heart, and even a Supreme Bone. It must have been made by that slightly mad Lord of the Undead from back then.”
Li Taiji saw through ‘Chen Xu’s’ origins at a glance, indicating that this Yin-Yang Dao Lord was a figure with a long and ancient history.
“The Yin-Yang Dao Lord has a keen eye. It is indeed a legacy left by that predecessor.”
“Haha, what keen eye? I simply sensed the Supreme Bone in your body.
It was because of its aura that I cast my gaze upon that Dragon-Tiger Martial Arts Hall.”
Hearing this, ‘Chen Xu’ was a bit curious. When that predecessor created this perfect being, it was envied by the heavens and could not be shown off. How was the Yin-Yang Dao Lord so familiar with it?
Seeing ‘Chen Xu’s’ confusion, Li Taiji continued.
“That Supreme Bone of yours was taken from one of my disciples by that Lord of the Undead many years ago.”
“Ah, this...”
Chen Xu’s right eyelid twitched, and he froze.
Could it be such a coincidence? Was this perfect creation truly cursed by heaven and rejected by the world? To meet an enemy—a Dao Lord-level enemy—the moment he stepped out into the world?
“Hahaha, fellow Daoist, do not be nervous.”
Li Taiji also noticed ‘Chen Xu’s’ reaction and quickly spoke to comfort him.
“It was a trade between my disciple and that Lord of the Undead. It was a mutual agreement, and there are no grievances involved.
Sigh, that unworthy disciple of mine. For the sake of romance, he actually wanted to practice cultivation and made an exchange with the Lord of the Undead.
He traded his Supreme Bone for a Heavenly Spirit Root and went to Taihao’s territory to become a cultivator.
Sigh, that matter made me lose a lot of face in front of my fellow Daoists.”
Li Taiji sighed repeatedly, looking sorrowful.
‘Chen Xu’ was about to offer some words of comfort, but Li Taiji didn’t give him the chance and continued.
“Fortunately, that foolish boy woke up in time. He returned from cultivation to martial arts and created some Immortal-Martial Law. Not only did he enter the eternal-tier, but he also poached many of that old geezer Taihao’s followers to start his own sect called the Immortal-Martial Dao.
It made that old guy so angry he couldn’t meditate for three days and nights. Hahaha!”
After listening, ‘Chen Xu’ didn’t know what to say. Such a convoluted plot was more absurd than a short drama.
After some thought, he simply offered a compliment. “Your disciple is truly brilliant.”
Li Taiji stroked his long beard with satisfaction. “I only care about three points when taking disciples: fate, character, and comprehension. Anyone who enters my sect is no ordinary person.”
“Fate, character, and comprehension?”
‘Chen Xu’ was a bit confused. Hadn’t Hall Master Mo said aptitude was the most important? Why was it different with Li Taiji?
“What Mo Qingfeng mentioned is the threshold for the Universe Daoist Academy, not mine.
Although those who enter the Universe Daoist Academy can be considered my disciples, there are differences between outer, inner, and legacy disciples.
Take you, for example, Fellow Daoist Chen Xu. You are a Lord of the Undead, on the same level as me. Naturally, I cannot take you as a disciple.
The implications would be too great. If I took a Lord of the Undead as a disciple, what realm would that make me? If our fellow Daoists misunderstood and thought I, Li Taiji, had transcended the unique-tier, that would be troublesome.”
“But since you came to seek my techniques, you think highly of me. How about we discuss the Dao instead?”
“Naturally.”
Li Taiji nodded, lowered his hand, and formed a seal with both hands, striking the space in front of him.
The Taiji diagram bloomed with flowing light, and the surrounding space receded rapidly.
The next moment, the two arrived in the Universe Realm.
Li Taiji steered the diagram, sending them directly into his own Dao field.
“Fellow Daoist, please sit.”
Li Taiji gestured for ‘Chen Xu’ to sit. He then drew a bucket of water from a well in the Dao field and plucked a few leaves from a nearby tree, throwing them into the bucket.
Next, he held the bottom of the bucket with his right hand. Billowing extreme yang true qi surged forth, instantly bringing the water inside to a boil.
Then, in front of ‘Chen Xu’, Li Taiji took out a teapot, poured the tea from the bucket into it, and returned to fill ‘Chen Xu’s’ cup to the brim.
“Fellow Daoist, please taste this. This is my Martial Rhyme Tea. Drinking it can generate Godly Intent; it has quite a unique flavor.”
“Thank you, fellow Daoist.”
The two raised their cups and took a sip.
Li Taiji got straight to the point.
“I wonder what martial arts you wish to discuss? Or rather, what kind of martial arts do you wish to learn?”
“I know nothing about the martial path. I wonder if I could trouble you to explain it in detail, Fellow Daoist Li?”
Li Taiji stroked his beard with his right hand and used his left to dab some tea, writing on the stone table before him.
“I attained the Dao through the Yin-Yang Universe. My sect has tens of thousands of martial arts, but three are the most famous.”
“The first is the 《Taiyin Moon-Embracing True Scripture》. It involves comprehending the extreme Yin intent of the world, specializing in using softness to overcome hardness and using the weak to defeat the strong.”
“Fellow Daoist, can this law lead directly to the unique-tier?”
“Hahaha, Yin alone cannot produce Yang. You would have the eternal-tier in hand, but as for the unique-tier...” Li Taiji shook his head. “No, it cannot.”
“My physical body is so strong; the path of softness is not to my liking. I will not learn it.”
“Then the second law is the 《Haoyang Supreme Heart Scripture》. It is a peerless technique I created after consuming three hundred suns and comprehending the extreme Yang intent with my profound cultivation.
Every move is like the brilliant sun, grand and majestic, repelling all evil.”
“Fellow Daoist, can this law enter the unique-tier?”
“Haha, although extreme Yang is fierce, it lacks balance. Likewise, you would have the eternal-tier, but the unique-tier would be hard to find.”
“My physical body is so perfect; if I cannot reach the unique-tier, wouldn’t it be a waste? I will not learn it.”
“No matter. I still have this third law, the 《Yin-Yang Twin-Life Dao Scripture》. This is my most prized technique, and the first martial art I created after attaining the Dao to organize my own path. It is of great significance.”
“This law is good, merging all your refined skills. This law must surely lead to the unique-tier, right?”
“Haha, fellow Daoist, although I created this after attaining the Dao, how can a unique-tier law be so easily obtained?
While this law can lead to the unique-tier, it requires one to have no other Dao principles and use the path of Yin-Yang to step into that realm.
For you, it would still only grant the eternal-tier.”
“Ah? Still not the unique-tier? Then I will not learn it.”
Seeing ‘Chen Xu’ refuse repeatedly, Li Taiji was at a loss for a moment.
But as a veteran Dao Lord, he had his insights. He quickly thought of an ancient technique that might suit ‘Chen Xu’.
“Do not worry, fellow Daoist. I just remembered a technique. It has been passed down since ancient times and is a rare martial art that leads directly to the unique-tier. It will surely suit you.”
“Oh? What martial art is it? Tell me more, fellow Daoist.”
“《Power Sutra》.”
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