Cultivation: I Can Reincarnate Into Various Worlds

Chapter 394 - 218, Burial Ground of Immortals, Queen Mother of the West (5k2 long - s, seeking subscriptions)_3

Some appeared during the Great Emperor’s lifetime, while others emerged years after the Great Emperor had retired and was presumed ’dead’. Thus, their treatment varied. Most of the later-born Daoists only held honorable positions in the Divine House and did not exercise actual power.

"The Saintess is to be married to the Daoist; this is the divine decree of Emperor Xi..." Queen Mother of the West stated impassively. She neither contradicted nor agreed, merely clarifying this point.

In an instant, the Jade Pool Golden Palace fell utterly silent, a dead hush descending upon it.

The divine decree of a Great Emperor could be disobeyed; other Divine Houses had done so before. However, Emperor Xi was still in the mortal world, and considering her lifespan, she was far from the point of passing away. If they were to disobey her divine decree, their fate would be unimaginable.

Xu Xing was speechless. This... As expected of my own mom.

He speculated that Shi Yuyan had arranged for the Saintess to marry the Daoist not for any profound purpose, but solely for one reason: for him to continue the bloodline and expand the family.

"Regarding the matter of the Daoist marrying the Saintess..." Before anyone from the West Emperor Divine House in the hall could speak again, Xu Xing cupped his hands in a bow and looked towards the Queen Mother of the West, who was seated on her high throne. He then inquired, "I wonder if my Master has given any other instructions? For example... do I have the power to refuse this matter?"

His cultivation path and his marriage... Shi Yuyan would arrange a marriage for him, but she would never let such a matter affect his cultivation path. Therefore, if he did not like the current Saintess, he must have the power to refuse.

"The Daoist has that right." Queen Mother of the West inclined her head slightly, her serene face showing a hint of doubt. "Meng Yao is exceptionally beautiful and talented, pursued by many gifted young men from the outside world. Daoist... are you truly willing to give her up?"

Marrying a Saintess would clearly be advantageous for Xu Xing. This applied whether it was for integrating into the West Emperor Divine House or for maintaining his own position of power. Once he married Meng Yao, they would be a united couple. Consequently, Meng Yao’s supporters within the Divine House would also rally behind Xu Xing.

"If Saintess Meng is willing, then Xu Xing has nothing more to say and is willing to marry..." Xu Xing said ambiguously.

Having experienced much of the world, he could roughly discern Meng Yao’s temperament. Although this young woman harbored no overbearing ambitions and possessed a peaceful disposition, she seemed somewhat resistant to the idea of marriage. After all, anyone would feel some resistance towards marrying a stranger. As for him, although he had no objections to marrying Meng Yao, hastily agreeing to a marriage upon first entering the West Emperor Divine House might not necessarily be a good thing. Every advantage comes with disadvantages. A wise person would spend more time here, observe the potential drawbacks, analyze them, and only then decide whether to agree.

Furthermore, the Queen Mother of the West had mentioned that Meng Yao had many suitors... Once he committed to the marriage, he might very well stumble into trouble. Moreover, it was possible he might inadvertently ruin a budding romance. After all, his entry into the West Emperor Divine House was an unexpected event. If Meng Yao had fallen in love with another talented man before this, it would have been perfectly normal... He certainly didn’t want to be cuckolded. There were plenty of women in the world.

"Alright, let this matter be set aside for now. If you two find yourselves mutually attracted in the future, I will bring this up again," Queen Mother of the West nodded.

* * *

Departing from Yaochi, Meng Yao, acting as a guide, led Xu Xing to the Pan Peach Forest of the West Emperor Divine House. This was the most precious Spirit Land within the West Emperor Divine House, reserved for the cultivation of House Elders at the Seven God Treasure Realm; ordinary cultivators at the Shaping Life Realm had no opportunity to enter. As for Heavenly Fox King and Yin Shou, Queen Mother of the West had made separate arrangements for them.

"Thank you, Daoist, for speaking up for this humble one," halfway there, Meng Yao curtsied deeply to Xu Xing, her expression filled with gratitude. Her graceful figure, already exquisite, was accentuated as she bowed, revealing her stunning curves. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Has Saintess Meng found... someone she loves?" Xu Xing asked, surprised. He felt a pang of disappointment. It wasn’t that he particularly liked Meng Yao, but the Queen Mother of the West’s words at Yaochi had planted certain expectations in his mind, hence this sense of loss.

"Daoist, you misunderstand," Meng Yao shook her head. "This humble one has no one in her heart. I simply wish to focus on cultivation and have no desire to marry at present."

"However," she added, "if Master commands me to marry you, Daoist, this humble one will not disobey."

Focusing on cultivation... Xu Xing observed Meng Yao for a moment, then shook his head without saying more.

Beautiful women have often met tragic fates since ancient times. Meng Yao possessed an ice and jade-like body, with picturesque features. Among all the female cultivators he had encountered, her beauty easily ranked in the top three. Not all cultivators are alike; not all can maintain composure and resist the allure of beauty. Some are prone to indulgence, abducting beautiful female cultivators for nefarious purposes. Even with the protection of the West Emperor Divine House, which should prevent her from being abducted while cultivating... it was still likely common for her to be troubled due to her beauty.

"Zilang Saint Son and Wanlong Saint Son... both of them are my suitors. Daoist, please be careful when you venture out in the future..." Meng Yao added.

The internal marriage discussions of the West Emperor Divine House would inevitably spread to the outside world after today. Official announcements, internal leaks—both were possible. At that time, one could easily imagine that Xu Xing’s situation, as the other party in this proposed marriage, would become quite precarious.

"Thank you, Saintess Meng, for informing me," Xu Xing nodded his thanks.

This was another reason he hadn’t immediately agreed to the marriage with Meng Yao. He didn’t know who Meng Yao’s suitors were, what their cultivation levels were, or how powerful they might be. Although he wasn’t afraid of conflict on the battlefield, he had no desire to be entangled in unnecessary romantic rivalries. By not agreeing immediately, he retained some room to maneuver.

* * *

「Half an hour later.」

West Emperor Divine House.

Yaochi, Pan Peach Forest.

Inside a Cave Mansion.

’Elixir Talisman to the Underworld,’ ’Cave-heaven into Heavenly Palace’—this step is finally complete.

Shaping Life Realm...

Xu Xing peered inside his body. The Elixir Talisman he had cultivated and his Physical Body Cave had begun to fuse, merging into one.

The instant they fully integrated, he found himself entering a wondrous state, his mind exceptionally clear and ethereal. Various scriptures surfaced in his mind. Among them were the "West Emperor Sutra" and the "Senluo Scripture". Beyond these, scriptures of the Immortal Path also flickered through his consciousness, one after another. It was as if a flame of wisdom had been ignited. He started to merge the Dao and principles contained within these scriptures, comprehending the profound, underlying Way.

One year passed, then two. Time flew by; in what felt like the blink of an eye, more than thirty years had elapsed.

To Xu Xing, it felt as if only a moment had passed.

He looked into his body.

A serene, dark spring had quietly manifested within the merged Cave-heaven. This spring reached upwards to the Heavenly Vault, revealing layers of magnificent, golden edifices. It also delved downwards into the Netherworld, where rows of somber, imposing halls emerged at its depths.

The Life Spring Realm, the first stage of the Shaping Life Realm... I’ve succeeded. Xu Xing’s lips curved into a smile.

This session of comprehension had allowed him to definitively establish his path forward. If, previously, he had been merely tracing the footprints of his predecessors, head down, advancing one step at a time, then today, he could finally lift his head and catch a glimpse of their receding figures. It was a transition from following footprints to forging his own path.

Original Repair... A new Immortal Fate has been born!

Xu Xing’s consciousness probed the mirror surface of the Bronze Ancient Mirror, his gaze falling upon the [Immortal Fate] column on the panel.