The clamor had faded into the distance, and things were returning to their normal course.

Yu Ci and Yu Zhou flew at a leisurely pace, with Yu Zhou occasionally inquiring about the fruits of Yu Ci's year-long seclusive cultivation, to which Yu Ci responded in detail. What puzzled Yu Ci, however, was that the Old Daoist seemed to be flying aimlessly, conversing without purpose. Could it be, as he claimed, they were merely "chatting"?

It didn't seem likely.

Gradually, the Old Daoist changed the topic. "You've been in the Sect for some time now; you must be quite familiar with it, right?"

Yu Ci didn't understand and uttered a sound in response.

With a smile, the Old Daoist pointed to a mountain peak to the side. "What place is that?"

"..."

"Ha, that's Mount Jiaga. It's the place with the most peculiar name within the Sect's Mountain Gate, named after a senior who came from the Western Buddha Land and entered nirvana there. Such information, Ah Ci, you should also pay attention to in your daily life."

Yu Ci had no answer. Since his arrival at the Sect's Mountain Gate, aside from cultivating and his seclusive practices, the little free time he had was spent memorizing the complex pathways of the Sect's Mountain Gate. He had no spare energy to concern himself with such matters.

Yu Zhou wasn't particularly attentive either, but he seemed to be in good spirits, smiling as he continued forward, casually pointing out several remote locations and testing Yu Ci's memory, taking pleasure in Yu Ci's embarrassment.

After several such instances, Yu Ci couldn't help but plead for mercy. The Old Daoist's actions made him feel quite uncomfortable, as if he were out of sync with the Lichen Sect's Sect's Mountain Gate, completely an outsider. The Old Daoist laughed heartily and finally stopped teasing him, shifting the conversation to the earlier conflict with Xia Boyang and others.

"That Xia Boyang appears impetuous on the surface, but in reality, he's calm and has a good grasp of measure. Don't be deceived by him."

"Yes."

Yu Ci wasn't surprised at all. Xia Boyang was certainly no pushover. Back in the Sword Immortal's Secret domain, he had quickly broken free from the control of the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave. His cultivation level, cunning, and decisiveness were all exceptional; Yu Ci would not underestimate him.

Old Daoist Yu Zhou then reminded him, "Since the last calamity, the Thousand Mountain Sect and Flying Soul City have formed an alliance through marriage. They act as one within the Jade Purification Alliance, forming their own faction, distinct from the Clear Void Moral Sect, Four Clarity Sect, and others."

"I understand."

Yu Ci replied composedly, "Today's performance was nothing more than a matter concerning the Sword Garden. They thought to 'break through the whole by targeting the part' and find a breakthrough with me. Unfortunately, they miscalculated..."

"If you've thought it through to this extent, I can rest assured."

Yu Zhou nodded in approval, then suddenly descended his Sword Light and beckoned to Yu Ci, "It's rare for us to return to the Sect's Mountain Gate today; I'll take you to see the most interesting scenery here."

Yu Ci blinked and hurriedly followed with his talisman.

They descended for what Yu Ci estimated to be about two hundred li, eventually arriving at the foot of the Sky-Supporting Mountain Pillar.

Although the Star Plucking Main Tower loomed in mid-air, nearly a thousand li high, the actual height of the Sky-Supporting Mountain Pillar was somewhat less, as it stood at a considerable distance from the true ground. Even so, as one looked up at this awe-inspiring edifice that seemed to connect heaven and earth, it was impossible not to feel a sense of reverence.

If one were to observe more closely, the winding mountain path ascended in tight, dense stretches of stairs, visible at the beginning but its end obscured from sight, another marvel of seemingly supernatural craftsmanship that left onlookers in awe.

However, Old Daoist Yu Zhou had brought Yu Ci here just to see this? Yu Ci couldn't be sure and posed a question to clarify:

"Self-Enquiry Route?"

"Yes, the Self-Enquiry Route."

Yu Ci let out a dry chuckle, craning his neck to look at the stone stairway carved into the Sky-Supporting Mountain Pillar. The path, no wider than five feet, felt cramped even for two people walking side by side. It started straight but gradually coiled around the mountain, the narrow trail intermittently hidden and revealed until it vanished completely into the layers of mist.

At that moment, Yu Zhou spoke softly, "When I was young, the Sect had not yet imposed restrictions here. It was quite lively, I tell you. Every day, dozens, even hundreds of Fellow Sect Members would come here under the pretext of 'self-enquiry' to cultivate. All day long, you'd see them shuttling up and down, or some would just occupy the path, and if you weren't careful at night, you might even step on someone."

His voice grew excited as he continued, "Back then, there was a legend that if a disciple ascended using nothing but their physical strength, taking each step one at a time, the Sect would grant them a wish or aid in their realm advancement—mind you, without any rest in between!"

Yu Ci grimaced.

Yu Zhou laughed heartily, "Of course, that was a lie, probably concocted by some mischievous soul. But it fooled many. Uncle Lu De, Thousand Treasures, Hai Yang—they all fell for it, climbing desperately to gain some favor from the Sect. Ha! We had already calculated the journey of the Self-Enquiry Route by then: a vertical height of eight hundred and seventy-four miles, with over four million five hundred thousand steps.

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"To climb it purely with physical strength would be a few days of hardship, but the real challenge was to ascend step by step without any rest, maintaining a rhythm. Who could withstand that? In the end, many met with a bitter defeat, allowing the lie to persist for a long time."

Yu Ci's interest was piqued, "Then, Taoist Yu... have you ever walked it?"

"Not going to lie to you, I have."

Yu Zhou stroked his beard, shaking his head with a mix of nostalgia and reflection, "I accompanied others a few times, never achieving perfection, but the scenery along the way is deeply etched in my memory, quite unique."

With that, he became spirited and clapped his hands, "Come on, let's walk it again today!"

"Eh?"

"Ha, don't worry. We're just going for a stroll, no restrictions. Running and jumping about is all fine."

Yu Ci scratched his head, suspecting that Old Daoist Yu Zhou was the one with an issue today. Though he thought as much, he readily agreed.

The two set off on the path, not particularly hastening their pace, allowing it to ebb and flow. Old Daoist's storytelling slowed them down, and they picked up speed during the silences. Overall, their pace was quite brisk, but the prospect of over four million steps was daunting. Even at this rate, by nightfall, they had covered just over half the distance.

Perhaps because Yu Ci still had more than ten days left for his Star Plucking Main Tower cultivation, the Sect's prohibition of the Self-Enquiry Route was not enforced, or at least no one came to disturb them. The long path was theirs alone. During this time, Old Daoist Yu Zhou spoke a lot, though Yu Ci didn't retain much. Most of the memories were tied to the experiences he and friends like Uncle Lu De and Thousand Treasures had on this mountain path years ago.

Along the mountain path, talismanic divine light would occasionally flicker, but for the most part, it stayed distant. On the Self-Enquiry Route, akin to a talismanic vacuum zone on this Sky-Supporting Mountain Pillar, according to Yu Zhou, this design was intended to quiet the minds of climbers.

Deep into the night, with dawn approaching, Yu Zhou had fallen silent, and the two men continued their journey in quietude. The stillness of the mountain path was so profound that not even the chirping of birds could be heard, which made Yu Ci feel somewhat uneasy. After a long silence, he thought to initiate a conversation.

Just then, Yu Zhou gestured to his lips with a finger and whispered, “Listen!”

Startled, Yu Ci thought something was amiss and immediately perked up his ears. Yet, aside from the sound of the mountain breeze and the faint rustling of grass leaves, there was nothing else.

Baffled, he looked to Yu Zhou for an answer.

“You, like this, lack the Wisdom Root,” Yu Zhou said, playfully slapping the back of Yu Ci’s head, not too hard, but enough to cause a bit of embarrassment. The old Daoist shook his head and gestured with a finger, “Listen carefully, with all your heart. There’s actually a melody here.”

Yu Ci was utterly confused, watching the old Daoist gaze at the stars above the mountain path, his finger keeping time to some rhythm, moving through the void, as he hummed a tune. Yu Ci didn’t quite grasp it at first, but under the old Daoist’s guidance, he began to sense that the wind, though soft, was gaining strength, and with the dance of the fingers, it seemed to take on a rhythm.

In this manner, the old Daoist hummed indistinctly, and they continued upwards. The distant melody mingled with the mountain breeze, winding around their ears, until at a certain moment it swept up into the sky, gradually rising in pitch, until it became a clear, resonant song:

“Where heavens join the sea of clouds, with dawn's mist intertwined,

The Milky Way seems poised to swirl, a thousand sails to twine.

As if in dreams my spirit soars to the Emperor's divine abode.

Hearing celestial voices, they earnestly inquire my intended road…”

Yu Ci was stunned; the verse was widely known, penned by the ancient Immortal Lady Qingzhao, which he had heard before. The old Daoist had sung only the first part, leaving the rest unsaid, with the meaning layered and profound. Yet, there was a sense of desolate antiquity, enveloping the heart, casting one’s spirit into the boundless starry sky.

Unconsciously, Yu Ci also looked up at the sky, wondering to himself: In the vast, endless expanse of stars, where lies my destination?

Suddenly, a shiver ran through his heart, and he blurted out, “Taoist Yu!”

Yu Zhou turned to him, surprised, and his expression alone was enough to stun Yu Ci. Was it just an illusion? But soon, he noticed something unusual, his mouth agape as he stared at Yu Zhou’s head, at a loss for words.

Time was reversing above him.

Gray strands slowly mingled with black in his hair, and the wrinkles on his aged face gradually faded away, leaving behind a smooth, youthful complexion, just like at the source of the Boundary River. The transformation wasn’t abrupt, but the gradual change was all the more heart-stopping.

Yu Ci was both shocked and delighted; he could clearly feel the vigorous vitality bursting forth from Yu Zhou, so intense that it was almost suffocating.

“Taoist Yu,” he stammered, “you, you…”

Before he could finish, a piercing light tore through the distant sky, accompanied by a faint whistling sound that echoed through the myriad valleys.

Old Daoist Yu Zhou gestured to Yu Ci to look. “Xifeng, dormant for many years, has finally made his mark. Now that he has mastered Vacuum Walking and ascended to the heavens, our Sect has gained yet another formidable figure.”

Yu Ci, however, was in no mood to concern himself with such matters. The breakthrough at Hua Western Peak was to be expected, but what was Old Daoist Yu Zhou demonstrating now?

The Old Daoist smiled without answering, continuing on his way. The phenomenon of time reversing around him did not cease; his hair gradually returned to jet black, his skin became tight and smooth, and even his steps grew more vigorous, causing Yu Ci considerable difficulty in keeping up.

Suddenly, Old Daoist stopped. “Dawn is breaking!”

Yu Ci looked up. Indeed, it was the break of dawn, yet the mountain paths were still shrouded in darkness due to the mountain’s bulk. But they had been sprinting all the way, and the peak was not far off. Yet, Old Daoist chose to stop right there.

While Yu Ci was still puzzled, he heard Old Daoist begin to chant softly, continuing the earlier verse: “I lament the long journey as evening falls too soon, seeking immortality in vain, no true sage offers boon.”

This was hardly appropriate for the occasion.

Old Daoist’s singing did not shift with his will; it continued seamlessly, and though his face now bore the vigor of youth, his smile was profound and inscrutable:

"I lament the long journey as evening falls too soon,

Seeking immortality in vain, no true sage offers boon."

A sudden tightness gripped Yu Ci’s chest. He opened his mouth to speak, but Yu Zhou’s hand was already pressing firmly on his shoulder, his gaze intense, the pressure of his fingers surprisingly strong:

"Ninety thousand li, the mighty roc rises with the breeze.

When the wind ceases, let my boat be taken to the Three Mountains with ease."

His song echoed into the distance, followed by a hearty laugh. Before Yu Ci’s eyes, a Sword Light flashed, and Old Daoist Yu Zhou transformed into a Long Rainbow, shooting straight toward the Star Plucking Tower.

Yu Ci was startled and gave chase with all his might, but how could he match the speed?

By the time he reached the peak, gnashing his teeth, there was no sign of anyone. He proceeded to the tower, but today, the Star Plucking Main Tower was deserted, eerily empty, sending a chill down his spine. At that moment, Yu Ci felt an unreal sense of being in a dream. Looking at the familiar surroundings, he couldn't help but wonder, was everything that had just happened merely a dream?

A clear sword chant suddenly rang by his ear. His heart tightened, and he vaulted over the railing, climbing higher.

Above was the Star-Gathering Platform, a place he had never set foot upon.

As he climbed onto it, what met his eyes was a long sword, sheathed and standing upright in the center of the platform. The sword was named:

Passing Water!