Chapter 20: The Gate of the Myriad Heavens

Seventy-six innate prohibitions... So this is the legendary Heaven and Earth Cauldron of the Grandmaster of the Universe, renowned across the Primordial Era... No wonder it was the supreme innate treasure used to separate the clear and turbid elements when the world first emerged—it is truly extraordinary.

Hongyun collapsed onto his cloud-couch, gazing in awe at the Heaven and Earth Cauldron weighing down upon his auspicious cloud. It was the first time he had ever beheld the true form of such a supreme treasure, and he was filled with wonder. The small tripod, standing on three legs with two handles, emanated an ancient and primal aura from within, and the more he studied it, the more mysteries he sensed.

Within the very core of the cauldron, a scripture was inscribed. The archaic script and Daoist runes were so profound that Hongyun could only vaguely grasp their meaning, unable to comprehend them fully. What surprised him even more was the fine crack running across the cauldron, its origin unknown.

For an innate treasure to suffer damage, only another treasure of its kind could possibly inflict such a wound—there was likely no other explanation. Yet what concerned him most was his own auspicious cloud. He could do nothing but watch as the cauldron steadily compressed his cloud. He felt helpless.

Wait—has it reached its limit?

Hongyun noticed that once the Heaven and Earth Cauldron had compressed his cloud to a tenth of its original size, it ceased its action. Slowly, he relaxed. At first, he thought his cloud was being gradually destroyed, but upon closer observation, he found it had merely been compressed and refined, becoming far purer. Though its quantity could not compare to before, its quality had increased by an immeasurable degree.

Even before it recognized a master, the cauldron had already demonstrated such marvelous effects.

He pondered deeply, then attempted to refine the cauldron with his own Dao of Clouds. Yet hundreds of years passed with no change, and so he finally gave up, turning his attention instead to the dragon scale hidden deep within his auspicious cloud.

This dragon scale...

Hongyun’s spirit stirred. He tried to extract it for a closer look, but frowned—his intent had been dissipated by the aura of the scale within his own cloud. After a moment’s hesitation, he employed his divine art of manipulation and finally managed to extract the dragon scale.

Examining it closely, he found that a gentle touch of his finger left a fine incision. He marveled at its sharpness, and flicked it lightly, producing a crisp, ringing sound.

Ding—ding—

This material could be used to forge a spiritual treasure. If successfully refined, it would at least become a supreme innate spiritual artifact with thirty-six prohibitions, perhaps even reaching forty-nine, which would rival his own Invisibility Veil and Crimson Cloud Robe.

As this thought struck him, Hongyun’s eyes brightened as he glanced at the Nine-Nine Crimson Cloud Soul-Dissolving Gourd, curled up in the corner of his auspicious cloud. That gourd had once been enhanced by the Highest Clarity Sage, and the sword-materials fused perfectly with it. If he could meld this dragon scale into the sword and gourd, making them one, the number of spiritual prohibitions would surely rise even higher.

After calculating carefully, he found this was indeed the most fitting use, and placed the dragon scale into his Great Luo Grotto-Heaven for safekeeping.

But as soon as the scale left his hand and entered the grotto-heaven, a mysterious suction arose from his own eyes, drawing both the Heaven and Earth Cauldron and the dragon scale into his gaze.

For a moment, he hesitated. Entering with his spirit sense, he looked up to see the great eye suspended in the sky, gazing back at him. He was startled.

Within the eye that hung above, the Heaven and Earth Cauldron rested at its very center. Under the insight of this eye, strands of tribulation energy seeped out, gathering and kneading together, being refined bit by bit and scattered upon dim stars, where they congealed into Daoist runes.

On the dragon scale, the shadow of a great dragon appeared, meeting the gaze of the eye in the heavens. At that moment, the once-vacant eye suddenly shone with spirit, closing in silent meditation. When the eye reopened, the dragon phantom gradually faded, dissolving into pale green points of light that sprinkled down upon the stars linked to the swirling vortex.

One breath, two, three...

Hongyun stared fixedly at the stars now covered in that pale green glow, watching as they grew brighter and clearer, the Daoist runes becoming distinct. He could scarcely believe what he saw. He had long known that these stars could only absorb tribulation beings—manifestations of consciousness born of tribulation energy.

That meant the great dragon who had once aided him and gifted him the scale... was itself a tribulation being!

This realization struck him like thunder, leaving him speechless.

When the pale green glow finally dissipated, the scale’s appearance remained unchanged as it fell from Hongyun’s eye.

As for the Heaven and Earth Cauldron, when all the tribulation energy within it had dispersed, it gave a soft hum, and a transparent phantom cauldron emerged from its body, branding itself upon Hongyun’s primordial spirit.

In the chaos of myriad worlds, there exists the Dao of Heaven and Earth: the upper limit of heaven is boundless, earth has no edge, the mysterious manifests the Dao, the yellow is endlessly refined—thus is born the principle of Heaven and Earth. The universe shifts and transforms, spanning eternity, the spirit terrace is vast, the wasteland governs all directions—thus is established the foundation of the primordial cosmos.

Rooted in the principles of Heaven, Earth, and Cosmos, seeking transformation, the universe takes form, embracing endless changes and infinite possibilities...

Hongyun listened to the entire scripture from beginning to end, and as he gathered his thoughts, he found traces of the Dao of Heaven and Earth shimmering in his eyes. This was surely a scripture that could lead directly to the path of Primordial Unity!

When Hongyun finally composed himself, suppressing his astonishment, he sensed the awareness from the vortex that had appeared after he absorbed the merit, slowly transmitting its message into his mind.

Analyzing its contents, his brow furrowed and then gradually relaxed.

With his spirit sense calmed, he noticed the vortex’s constant pull growing stronger, his heart growing ever more solemn.

This vortex was the product of the merit he had obtained from heaven and earth, refined into what is called the Gate of All Heavens. Passing through this gate would lead to another world, a realm entirely different from the Primordial Era!

Such a journey could take him to a minor world, a middle world, or even to a place like the Primordial Era itself, where Golden Immortals and Supreme Celestials roamed freely.

All was uncertain, filled with infinite possibilities.

However, he could adjust the difficulty and nature of the journey by manipulating the stars within his gaze, which corresponded to the size of the vortex. Yet, the true nature of these realms could only be discovered by entering them.

Once he embarked on this journey, neither his cultivation nor treasures could aid him—he could only rely on tribulation!

As Hongyun pondered this, his heart, battered by a series of shocks, gradually steadied.

When he finally calmed himself, a gentle suction drew him toward the vortex.

To cultivate the Yellow Court, one must endure tribulation, travel through myriad worlds, and transform tribulation into the myriad heavens...