The Secret Of The Chaotic Storm . . .
Master Bai appeared taken aback, his gaze intensifying as he fixed his serious eyes on Wan-Er. He emphasized, "Are you absolutely certain? You know we can't jest about such a matter!"
Wan-Er's memory of the unsettling encounter came rushing back, the sensation of Cha-Eun Xiao's lecherous stare vivid in her mind. After a moment of reflection, she responded resolutely, "I'm certain! Master, it felt as though my very body was laid bare in that moment. I had to employ my martial arts just to shake off that feeling. It was profoundly repugnant and made me extremely uncomfortable."
Master Bai's reply was tinged with disappointment. "I see."
He held a strong belief that the Xiao Monarch would never have exhibited such a gaze. Ever since he had learned of the young lord named 'Cha-Eun Xiao' in the House of Cha, a certain conjecture had taken root within him. It was a conjecture that had sprung from nowhere, a gut feeling, an instinct that he had chosen to keep to himself and diligently investigate.
Master Bai was convinced that Cha-Eun Xiao in Chen-Xing City was the reincarnation of the Xiao Monarch.
But Cha-Eun Xiao had lived for sixteen years, whereas the Xiao Monarch of the Qing-Yun Realm had only perished four months earlier. The timelines did not align logically.
Yet Master Bai refused to let go of his conjecture.
In essence, both Master Bai's concern for Cha-Eun Xiao and Cha-Eun Xiao's fixation on him stemmed from their inexplicable instincts.
As for the Heavenly Mystery...
[The true power of the Heavenly Mystery is only unleashed when Yin and Yang reverse. But how does one reverse Yin and Yang? Is it simply a matter of swapping their positions? Is it about the exchange of ice and fire, the reversal of sky and earth, or the oscillation between cold and heat?]
The answers remained elusive.
These various forms were essentially reconfigurations of Yin and Yang at different junctures.
[The reversion of life and death!] Master Bai contemplated.
He continued, "Well... Should we proceed with the records of the Xiao Monarch?"
"Please proceed," Master Bai responded, inhaling deeply, his confidence resurfacing.
[Perhaps... he was merely attempting to elude my gaze?]
Wan-Er resumed recounting the story. "The Xiao Monarch's given name was Cha Eun Xiao. He initiated his cultivation with the Raging Yang Art, a branch of Pure Yang Martial Arts. Throughout his life, he had to remain celibate; losing his virginity would result in the loss of his cultivation."
As Wan-Er narrated the tale, Master Bai closed his eyes once more, absorbing the information.
"The Xiao Monarch's master was a cultivator of only the Mengyuan Grade. In his attempt to seize the Raging Yang Art, he suffered severe injuries. Nevertheless, he ultimately succeeded and passed the martial art to a young beggar named Cha Eun Xiao. A few months later, he succumbed to his unhealed wounds."
The story of Cha-Eun Xiao, also known as the Xiao Monarch, revealed a life marked by struggle and defiance against the odds. He had embarked on his cultivation journey without a mentor's guidance, facing numerous hardships in his early years. From waiter to thief to robber, he had traversed the path of the rogue before emerging as a cultivator of the Grade of Lingyuan, all before the age of 25. His innate talent was evident.
Once he achieved the Grade of Lingyuan, Cha-Eun Xiao began his travels throughout the Qing-Yun Realm. Over the decades that followed, he ascended to the Grade of Mengyuan. With this newfound strength, he carved out a legendary reputation as the Xiao Monarch.
Even while he was still in the Grade of Mengyuan, Cha-Eun Xiao took on the formidable Sky Wolf Group as his adversaries. This intense conflict lasted a decade, during which he, despite his relatively lower cultivation grade, managed to vanquish the entire Sky Wolf Group. While such a feat might appear trivial to those in higher realms, for someone at the Grade of Mengyuan, it was nothing short of miraculous.
In those ten years, Cha-Eun Xiao experienced tremendous growth, eventually reaching the ninth level of the Grade of Mengyuan. Wan-Er shared, "To my knowledge, among all the self-governing cultivators in the past thousand years, he had the most rapid cultivation progress."
Master Bai acknowledged the remarkable pace of the Xiao Monarch's improvement. It was a testament to Cha-Eun Xiao's dedication and determination. Even cultivators from powerful clans and sects, with abundant resources at their disposal, couldn't match his progress.
In the following period, the Xiao Monarch became a thorn in the side of various forces within the Qing-Yun Realm. He plundered cultivation resources with impunity, leaving no traces behind. Although these forces were incensed, they were powerless against him. Wan-Er highlighted a defining moment in his rise to fame—the discovery of the Heavenly Dream Historic Site. As cultivators of the Grade of Daoyuan clashed for treasures, Cha-Eun Xiao, still a cultivator of the Grade of Mengyuan at the time, managed to seize the greatest profit.
For the next three years, he eluded relentless pursuit by different forces. When he reemerged, he had ascended to the Grade of Daoyuan. Wan-Er continued, "By the time he reached the seventh level of the Grade of Daoyuan, he earned the title of 'Xiao Monarch' and was recognized as an 'ironclad figure' within the Qing-Yun Realm. Cha-Eun Xiao's journey was one of both miracles and adversities, marked by a constant willingness to risk his life."
Wan-Er sighed, remarking, "He was indeed a daredevil, an outlaw who did as he pleased."
Master Bai added, "Yet it wasn't just a path of miracles. It should be seen as a path of inevitability. Concentration is crucial for a cultivator. However, one's true potential often emerges when facing the specter of death. That is the most reliable and valuable path to progress."
He emphasized the significance of life-and-death experiences, saying, "Two cultivators both at the ninth level of the Grade of Daoyuan standing side by side—yet the one who has braved countless life-and-death battles could effortlessly overpower the other, who had grown in the sheltered environment of a great sect. It would be a complete massacre. That's why life-and-death experiences hold such paramount importance."
Master Bai contemplated the revelations about Cha-Eun Xiao, the Xiao Monarch, with a sense of intrigue and frustration. It was as if the battles he had waged against formidable opponents had inadvertently guided him towards an unforeseen path of enlightenment.
With half-closed eyes, he turned to Wan-Er and asked her to verify Cha-Eun Xiao's presence in certain Saint Domains. "Check this. To which of these Saint Domains had the Xiao Monarch been?" he inquired, listing them off as the Death Domain, the Vessel Domain, the Evil Domain, and the Fallen Domain.
He couldn't help but recall the moment when he had harnessed the immense power of the sky, bringing down the Heavenly Mystery. It had been certain that the Heavenly Mystery resided within one of these four Saint Domains. However, his extensive search within these domains had yielded no results, leaving him puzzled.
Wan-Er proceeded to provide a detailed account of Cha-Eun Xiao's interactions with the Saint Domains. "170 years ago," she began, "the Xiao Monarch entered the Vessel Domain. Subsequently, he was pursued, prompting him to flee to the Fallen Domain. After sustaining injuries, he sought refuge in the Death Domain. Eventually, he discovered the Archean Spiritual Milk in the Evil Domain, which greatly benefited his cultivation. Upon returning from the Saint Domains, he embarked on a vengeful rampage, relentlessly pursuing those who had once hunted him within the Qing-Yun Realm. His pursuit continued until he had eliminated them all. He traversed all four Saint Domains during this two-year journey."
As Wan-Er recounted Cha-Eun Xiao's exploits, she couldn't help but be astounded by the sheer audacity and tenacity of his actions. It seemed as though he had been in a perpetual state of conflict, engaging in battles across every possible terrain. His exceptional luck had seemingly carried him through countless trials.
Master Bai, too, found himself at a loss for words. There were only four known Saint Domains bordering the Qing-Yun Realm, and Cha-Eun Xiao had managed to navigate through all of them in just two years. This achievement left him deeply puzzled and somewhat overwhelmed.
His gaze shifted downward, his body radiating a palpable aura of intensity. A cold glint flickered in his eyes as he murmured, almost to himself, "Did the Xiao Monarch truly meet his demise?"
Wan-Er observed her master's contemplative state and felt a sense of empathy. She understood the extent of his sacrifices in pursuit of the Heavenly Mystery—a journey marked by tears and bloodshed.
The process of reformation, recasting, enduring chaotic storms, narrowly escaping death, and offering the souls of billions as oblations had taken a heavy toll. These words, although merely parallel phrases, represented the harrowing reality that both she and Xiu-Er had come to comprehend intimately. They had joined Master Bai's quest after the sixth cycle, but even that experience had been more than enough to engrain the magnitude of their mission.
The price they paid with each overturned kingdom was akin to placing a curse upon themselves—a curse that bound them with ever-increasing debts and sins, measured in the lives they took and the suffering they caused.
Their actions weighed heavily on their souls—each kingdom they overturned and every life they took felt like a transgression against the very laws of the heavens. People perished, and it was a defiance of the natural order, an affront to the rule of the celestial realms. The consequences were unavoidable, retribution looming on the horizon.
For Master Bai and his loyal followers, every instance of toppling a kingdom brought with it the looming threat of divine retribution. And with each life they claimed, they invited yet another form of heavenly reckoning. The burden of these retributions had exacted a toll on Master Bai, a toll measured in suffering and torment.
Master Bai possessed his own methods for managing these celestial consequences, but the weight of this responsibility remained unrelenting. Despite having navigated the storms of retribution before, the challenges they faced each time seemed to grow ever more formidable, each trial more arduous than the last.