Volume One: The Celestial Cloud Palace Chapter Thirteen: Creation

Chapter Thirteen: Fortune

The lake was not deep, yet at its bottom a hole seemed to connect to another world. Yun Fang led Zhou Hao, threading their way through the opening, soon discovering it was actually an underwater passage. The channel was narrow, barely wide enough for one person, but such constraints posed no obstacle for immortals. Yun Fang and Zhou Hao employed the art of transformation, becoming two vermilion fish. Over the past days, Zhou Hao had learned to morph into several creatures; given how often Yang Xinlian saw him turn into a vermilion fish, it was no longer surprising, though he could not maintain the form for long.

“Master, where does this passage beneath the lake lead? Why is it so long?” Zhou Hao, now a vermilion fish, asked.

“My disciple, the highest mountain of our Cloud Veil Immortal Palace is naturally Cloud Veil Immortal Mountain, towering ten thousand feet. The other immortal peaks are somewhat lower, around six or seven thousand feet. The fortune I told you about lies beneath this immortal land’s veins. Tell me, how long have we been swimming?” Yun Fang replied, a little impatiently.

“Master, why don’t we just fly straight to the surface? Wouldn’t that be quicker?” Zhou Hao wondered.

“You don’t understand. The elders of Cloud Veil Immortal Palace aren’t exactly harmonious. At night, few remain, and if we march openly into the earth veins, we’ll be discovered. Besides, we are heading for the veins of this immortal mountain; this is the only path. If we forcibly enter from above, we’d trigger the palace’s formation and become famous for all the wrong reasons. Is that what you want?” Yun Fang explained.

“I see.” Zhou Hao nodded his fish head, then asked, “Oh, Master, I wanted to ask—do all the immortal palaces have their own little world somewhere in the universe? When I first arrived, I never imagined immortals would live in such hidden places.”

“Heh, disciple, do you remember those two death guardians?” Yun Fang did not answer directly.

“Death guardians? Of course I remember. Weren’t they purchased from the Nether Immortal Domain? I still want to know about the origins of the Nine Great Immortal Domains, but I couldn’t find anything from you.”

“As I told you before, those two death guardians are upper immortal experts. But think—Cloud Veil only has the palace master as an upper immortal. What could we trade for two upper immortals? The reason is that the immortal domains decree that immortals who reach the upper immortal stage may apply to the Immortal King who rules a star domain to establish a sect and found an immortal palace. Ostensibly, it’s to recruit new disciples, but in truth, it’s to purchase upper immortal experts to guard the Immortal King’s territory, hence the presence of death guardians, advanced gatekeepers whose power is generally at the lower stage of upper immortals. They have no spiritual soul, no will, their sole purpose is to guard the palace,” Yun Fang explained.

“The small world where an immortal palace resides is arranged as the upper immortal’s dao field, known as immortal land, rich beyond compare in heavenly spirit and earth essence. For lower immortals, it is effortless. Imagine a lower immortal with no sect, no place to stay, or born on a barren, frigid star—he may accelerate his death for lack of cultivation. Even the three-thousand-year lifespan would be greatly reduced!” Yun Fang continued.

“As for the origins of the immortal domains, you cannot find them. The origins of the Nine Great Immortal Domains are unknown even to palace masters; perhaps only immortal lords know all. Those figures are unparalleled, legendary immortals whose entire lives are news in the domains, and their longevity can truly be described as ‘as old as heaven and earth, shining with sun and moon.’ It is said that some immortal lords have lived from the domain’s genesis to today—a living ancient history!” Yun Fang sighed. “The ancient history of the immortal domains is immeasurable, spanning millennia and ages. Immortals endure with the world, eternal and undying. Yet we, mere mortal immortals, are but a ripple in the river of time!”

Zhou Hao’s heart trembled at these words. The immortal, undying, truly majestic—able to endure through ages and disaster! But such immortality was reserved for the pinnacle of the immortal path, those who stand at the apex of the immortal domains, figures who appear only once or twice in all history.

The immortal path was harder than ascending to the sky!

Thinking of himself, Zhou Hao felt a touch of self-mockery. The world was vast; even as a mortal immortal, he was a mere grain in the sea, unable to roam the universe freely. Today, his goal was simply to become a Gold Immortal—then he could explore the world, understand the immortal domains.

Seeing Zhou Hao’s somewhat dim gaze, the great fish Yun Fang spoke to his little fish disciple, “Disciple, are you feeling inferior? This is just the beginning. You haven’t cultivated long enough to know where your path leads. I know you are a fish longing for the sea; small rivers can’t hold you. One day, you will turn from fish into Kun!”

To transform from fish to Kun—those words reignited Zhou Hao’s confidence. Yes, he had endured so much in the mortal world, overcoming hardships and forging brilliance. His early life was exciting; Zhou Hao believed that in this deep, dragon-filled immortal domain, he could carve out a new destiny!

“Master, you’re right. I will work hard and never bring shame to your name!” Zhou Hao declared.

“Let us keep swimming. I am about to bestow you a great fortune,” Yun Fang said, speeding up.

The deep passage twisted like a bottomless cave, winding like a mountain path. Yun Fang and Zhou Hao swam onward, unsure how long had passed before they finally approached the depths of the earth veins.

With a splash, the two fish transformed back to human form, bursting forth from a place resembling a lava lake. This was the heart of the earth veins: everywhere red rock layers and leaping flames of magma.

“Heavens, the heat here is overwhelming! As an immortal, I should be impervious to water and fire, but I feel the fierce heat—barely able to endure it. Master, where is the fortune you promised? Let’s take it and leave quickly!” Zhou Hao’s face was flushed, subdued by the heat, eager to escape.

“This is the immortal domain—how could the mortal realm compare? Yet the temperature here is indeed unbearable for lower immortals. Even Su Qing, that girl, couldn’t handle it. The fortune I bestow is this magma land: cultivating here yields twice the result in half the time! One year here equals five outside. What you need most now is hellish training. With no foundation, this is the best place!” Yun Fang said, arms folded, smiling.

“What? Hellish training? Am I to cultivate here? Won’t I be roasted alive?” Zhou Hao’s eyes widened.

He gazed at the boiling magma, the dancing flames, the red-hot rock radiating heat. This was hell itself; to cultivate here was courting death!

“Of course, if you start training directly, your chance of being roasted alive is ninety percent—unless you eat that!” Yun Fang suddenly pointed.

Behind Zhou Hao, a red lotus rooted in the blazing magma lake, standing tall and pure, its stem carved from blood jade, holding a vermilion blossom. The flower radiated crimson glow, dazzling and divine—a celestial treasure.

Zhou Hao turned to look. The red lotus swayed in the magma, casting strands of light like a rain of red meteors—stunningly beautiful!

“Master, what kind of lotus is this? It’s gorgeous!” Zhou Hao’s eyes were filled with the lotus’s enchanting allure; he forgot the burning of his body.

“This is a masterpiece. The immortal domain’s reputation is well deserved—any heavenly treasure far surpasses the mortal world. To see such a splendid celestial flower bloom in the heart of magma is unheard of!” Zhou Hao sincerely exclaimed.

Yun Fang stroked his white beard, chuckling, “Disciple, this red lotus before you is truly extraordinary. Not to mention lower immortals—even I as a Gold Immortal rarely see it! For this is the Nine-Petal Fire Heart Lotus, which blooms once every three thousand years. See how it has eight petals, and at the heart, a cluster of golden flame?”

Zhou Hao looked closely—the lotus indeed had eight petals, and where they joined, a small golden flame, about a third the length of a finger, pure in color.

“But isn’t it called the Nine-Petal Fire Heart Lotus? Why is one missing?” Zhou Hao wondered, then guessed, “Was the missing petal given to Senior Brother Yu Yang?”

Yun Fang nodded in confirmation.

“Master, are you going to pluck this lotus for me to eat?” Zhou Hao asked quietly.

“What?” Yun Fang was so startled he nearly jumped.

Buzz!

But the shock was not trivial; the magma lake erupted in response, ripples spreading outwards, triggered by the inadvertent release of Yun Fang’s Gold Immortal aura, shaking the rock walls, and causing many stones to fall.

Instantly, the mountain quaked, flames shot out, magma spouted, and red waves surged. In the earth’s heart, the master and disciple were about to be engulfed.

Yun Fang waved his sleeve, and all chaos ceased abruptly, time seeming to freeze. Then with a push of his hand, the red waves receded, the rock walls sealed, and peace returned.

“Amazing, Master! How did you do that? How could you stop such disaster just by waving your sleeve and moving your hand?” Zhou Hao was still in shock. He knew his master could handle the eruption, but couldn’t fathom how it could be done so effortlessly.

“You rascal… Well, I can’t blame you. But those moves weren’t as casual as you think. I summoned my vast immortal power, invisibly controlling the rocks and magma. These are techniques only Gold Immortal experts can touch. Your journey is still long!” Yun Fang patted Zhou Hao’s head.

“All right, no more idle talk. Listen, disciple—your Senior Brother Yu Yang ate a petal of the Fire Heart Lotus during his foundation stage, then cultivated here for twenty years to build a solid immortality base. As I said, a year spent here equals five outside; the fire essence refines the body and tempers immortal bones, accelerating lower immortals’ progress. But you must survive—this Nine-Petal Fire Heart Lotus is a gift of heaven and earth. Eating a petal lets you withstand magma and fire, and grants a hundred years of cultivation,” Yun Fang explained.

“What?” Now Zhou Hao was shocked, though unlike Yun Fang, he made no commotion.

“You mean, eating a petal will add a hundred years of cultivation?” Zhou Hao could barely believe his ears.

“Don’t rejoice too soon. Though the words are true, do you think your body can withstand such enormous power? If not, you’ll die. Not everything can be eaten. Without a good body, even heavenly treasures are useless. The body is the foundation of revolution!” Yun Fang dampened his enthusiasm.

“So what am I to do? The treasure is right before me, yet I can’t take it—how unfair!” Zhou Hao was on the verge of tears.

The red lotus rooted in the magma lake swayed in brilliance; scarlet glow bloomed like fireworks, an indescribably beautiful scene. Master and disciple stood on a rock at the earth’s heart, gazing at it.

“Don’t worry. Immortals always have clever ways. With your master here, these problems can be solved. But for the next twenty years, you’ll stay here. I’ll arrange leave for you. When you emerge, it will be your metamorphosis!” Yun Fang promised.

“Twenty years in seclusion?” Zhou Hao murmured. “Immortal cultivation legends are true—just a retreat lasts decades!”

“That’s nothing. Some close themselves off for centuries or even millennia. The higher you climb in immortal cultivation, the lonelier it becomes. The solitude at the peak is something only a rare few can understand. Seclusion is to take a new step—do you understand?” Yun Fang scolded.

“Yes, Master, I understand!” Zhou Hao straightened, standing at attention.

“Ah, twenty years—twenty years of hellish training without seeing daylight, all alone, how dull!” Zhou Hao thought, nearly driven mad.