Why not just pass on the Fallen Immortal that fell from the heavens to the Red County Divine Land three thousand years ago to me?

The reason Red County Divine Land is in such chaos is precisely because of the birth of a scoundrel named Qiu Changtian three thousand years later!"

Ninghai Zen gently sipped the cooled tea and said lightly:

"See, getting anxious again.

The true disciple of the Taoist Sect shows not a shred of composure."

Qiu Changtian spat and said:

"While I was meditating and cultivating, you were still playing with mud by the Nu Yun River."

Ninghai Zen looked up at the low-hanging dark clouds and raised a finger:

"I'll take you in for the duration of one incense stick, let you taste Lao Dao's skills, have a full meal.

Remember to go far away, don't stay overnight in Black River County, I'm afraid the thunder and rain at night will keep you awake."

Qiu Changtian nodded and suddenly asked:

"Ahem, Lao Ning, any interest in coming out of retirement for another venture?"

Ninghai Zen glanced, and in the empty main hall of Tongwen Hall, only he and Qiu Changtian remained, while Lao Dao went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

"I've washed my hands off such things for a long time. Fighting and killing, swindling and deceiving, that's all in the past.

Lao Qiu, they say a person needs a good teacher and beneficial friends.

Lately, I've been reflecting, feeling my bad reputation is mostly because of bad company, meeting you.

Imagine the refined gentleman I, Ninghai Zen, was supposed to be..."

Qiu Changtian rolled his eyes helplessly, thinking this guy's cheek is as thick as a city's walls:

"A Thousand Stone Spiritual Sand, three treasure lands, and three types of high-grade Gang Sha Qi, fifty-fifty split once achieved."

Ninghai Zen frowned, quite displeased, and said:

"How could I compromise my integrity for such petty gains!"

Qiu Changtian didn't bother to respond, silently counted down ten seconds in his mind.

At the eighth breath, Ninghai Zen held his forehead:

"Fine, for old time's sake, I'll reluctantly help you this time.

Lao Qiu, quickly explain in detail, what background does the opponent have, what backing does he have, which faction does he belong to, should he be killed or just crippled?"

Qiu Changtian lowered his head and smiled, realizing that Ninghai Zen was never going to become a mud bodhisattva in a temple.

"Celestial Water Prefecture, Grand General Zhao Pijiang."

He said in a lowered voice.

"Get lost!"

Ninghai Zen spat the word angrily.

Eating one's fill with nothing to do, seeking trouble with a Divine Power Giant?

"See, getting anxious again! I haven't even finished speaking..."

Qiu Changtian retorted, savoring the moment, but seeing Ninghai Zen's displeased face, he quickly elaborated:

"You know, because of the rising turbulence of the Turbid Tide, that's why the various phenomena of Celestial Fiend Day emerged.

I specifically calculated, this time the range isn't large, only covering Nu Yun River, Fulong Mountain, barely including Celestial Water Prefecture; catastrophic events affecting the entire Red County Divine Land have been rare in the past hundred years."

Ninghai Zen sighed:

"Lao Qiu, when will you change this habit of going in circles and talking nonsense?"

Qiu Changtian was speaking enthusiastically but felt quite embarrassed after Ninghai Zen's reprimand, gritting his teeth and saying:

"Then when will you change this impatient and reckless habit?"

Ninghai Zen continued drinking tea, uninterested in quarreling with Qiu Changtian; the latter tapped his fingers on the table, deliberating:

"Third Skin Refining Barrier, tempering the divine form, requires the True Skill Root Diagram. Fourth Qi Cultivation Barrier, inner cultivation of acupoints, also requires the Secret Method of Qi Collection in the Flesh Shell, observing the Stars of the Celestial Sphere, earth vein's turbid Sha, pioneering acupoints, refining them into the body.

And to open the door to Divine Techniques, nothing short of imitating the supreme skills of gods and demons can lead to setting oneself aflame, breaking the void.

Your master Chen Xing was convinced by Pai Bang's leader Hong Jie to stay for the Thirteen Trades, partly worried that the chaos may be too much for you to handle; partly because he realized he couldn't break through the Fourth Qi Cultivation Barrier, content to become a rich man, plan to live with that widow."

Ninghai Zen's eyelids lifted, but he said nothing.

Tongwen Hall's three great skills stop at the fourth practice.

In this world, besides Dragon Court and the Seven Upper Sects, and certain hidden inheritances from ancient Taoist decline,

there's no other place mastering the methods and means into the Divine Power Secret Realm.

"Except for Dragon Court and the Great Sect, other Martial Artists and Loose Cultivators wanting further advancement have only two ways.

Either work for the Court, earn a top-three noble status, and make meritorious deeds, only then can they be granted supreme skills;

"Or..."

Qiu Changtian looked up and glanced at Ninghai Zen, who continued:

"Turbid Tide."

"Indeed, we can only pin our hopes on the Turbid Tide. This is also the reason why, in the three thousand years since the fall of the Dao, the more outstanding the talents and prodigies, the more they easily fall into becoming evil demons.

The Turbid Tide has swallowed the Red County Divine Land, causing many heritages of All Saints' Dao Lineage and various schools to be lost within."

Qiu Changtian sighed:

"I observed that among the successive Daoists of the Observatory Tower, about five or six out of ten have perished, and the root cause lies in being tainted by the Turbid Tide's evil."

Ninghai Zen calmly said:

"Lao Qiu, making such a big detour, are you trying to involve the Fallen Immortal Mansion, right?

It is said that Kou Qiuyue's betrayal of the Meridian Sword Sect was because he obtained the news about this Immortal Mansion, known as the greatest hidden treasure in the Red County Divine Land, and thus he resolutely became an evil demon and raised his sword against his mentor Yan Xin.

This news has circulated for hundreds of years, yet the Supreme Emperor of the Dragon Court couldn't find it, nor could the sect leaders of the Taoist Sect. What makes you think you discovered it?"

Qiu Changtian spoke with certainty, his eyes firm:

"Because I am the most gifted in the past three hundred years of the Observatory Tower!

Because I have, with a Fourth Realm of Dao Skill body, traversed the void with my Divine Soul and questioned the Celestial Lord without dying!

Because I am cursed with bad luck, gloom reaching the sky, as if even the heavens want to eliminate me... Ninghai Zen, do you know why the more formidable the Feng Shui Daoist, the more they are shunned by the Celestial Lord?

Because the heavenly secrets they reveal often tend to come true nine out of ten times!

Let me ask, among the countless Feng Shui Daoists of the Red County Divine Land, who more than I, Qiu Changtian, causes the heavens to wish me dead with such urgency?"

Qiu Changtian's words were weighty, like metal resounding and jade clinking, leaving Ninghai Zen momentarily speechless.

This Plague Deity was certified by Divine Power Giants personally.

Everyone who dared to disbelieve in evil was thoroughly out of luck.

"Alright then, tell me the information you have; I'll consider whether to take on such a big job."

Ninghai Zen faced it earnestly. Qiu Changtian made a point that was quite valid; the split between him and his mentor Chen Xing was largely because the latter believed the heritage of Tongwen Hall could not advance further.

The absolute arts of the patriarchs had not been properly preserved.

The only three remaining true skills could only achieve the level of Grandmasters, but could not reach the divine.

And without advancing to Divine Power Giants, one would still have to rely on the Dragon Court's favor and abide by the Court's rules.

The uproar caused by extinguishing four families versus that from destroying seventeen establishments was not of the same level.

So, when faced with his mentor Chen Xing's obstruction, Ninghai Zen uncharacteristically took a step back.

"I have three prophecies, which respectively point to timing, terrain, and harmony."

Qiu Changtian wrote down three lines of secret text, cautiously condensing his voice into a line to prevent outsiders from overhearing:

"The timing is 'The Turbid Tide strikes as seven stars shine, a sword's light chills fourteen mansions.' I arranged the 'Golden Talisman Grand Sacrifice' at the Observatory Tower to calculate that the Turbid Tide will abate after a great disaster sweeping the Red County Divine Land.

In those years, I traveled far and wide with you, visiting many places. Wherever the Turbid Tide was restless, I rushed there just to unravel its path and judge the timing.

I feel that it's not far off now."

Ninghai Zen nodded; Lao Qiu, when not serious, was extremely unreliable, but once he became serious, he was exceptionally thorough and trustworthy.

"The terrain is 'Nu Yun River collapses and the dragon weeps blood, Three Yangs hang in the air, and the white one achieves the Dao.' The first part may refer to the Water Monarch Palace; alas, the Old Dragon probably knew this too, and thus allowed us to take away its offspring;

The latter part is likely about the White Sun Sect? They believe in the 'Three Yang Tribulation Transformation.'

'Yang' being before 'white' is somewhat peculiar, making it hard for me to grasp."

Qiu Changtian spoke out two lines of prophecy, finally appearing solemn:

"The third line pertains to harmony, and I have yet to decipher it.

'Night hidden as the Morning Star falls, day emerges when the Evening Star rises.'

According to astrology books, daylight is marked by the Morning Star, while the endless night by the Evening Star.

This line, however, reverses them."

Ninghai Zen pondered deeply, speaking softly:

"The Morning Star and Evening Star are both Venus.

Like twins, when one appears, the other hides.

Do you have any speculation?"

Qiu Changtian hesitated for a long while, seeming to gather his thoughts:

"What you just said, like twins, I feel is very accurate.

Lao Ning, don't you think the Morning Star and Evening Star are like... a pair of brothers?

Moreover, they are of royal blood! With Prince Sui ascending, and Prince Yong falling! The prophecy of harmony should be about... the Dragon Court!"