"The Yellow Official Document?"

This ancient scroll of mysterious origin, rumored to be passed down by a mysterious loose cultivator as an ancient strange scroll, naturally, has been heard of by many True Venerables.

In fact, quite a few people still have remnants of this ancient scroll in their possession.

However, the various secret techniques recorded in the Yellow Official Document, though powerful and extraordinarily unique, are not for everyone to cultivate.

The scroll is divided into Yin and Yang sections, each recording 365 Yang skills and 365 Yin skills.

The 730 secret techniques seem to be vested with some divine restriction that even a Primordial Spirit True Venerable cannot perceive or break.

Those who can cultivate it will learn it at a glance.

But for those who cannot, even a Primordial Spirit True Venerable can only look on with sighs, helpless and unable to act.

Everyone, upon hearing Dongfang Qing mention this ancient scroll of strange techniques out of nowhere, quickly made the connection to his earlier statement of waiting for Qi Xiu.

"Could it be that the young lad has cultivated the secret techniques from the Yellow Official Document? Yin scroll or Yang scroll?" Li Chanchan, Head of the Ingenious Mechanism Sect, asked with a hint of curiosity.

"Yin Scroll Fourth, Hidden Thunder Heavy Pupil;

Yin Scroll Seventeen, Sowing Beans into Soldiers;

Yang Scroll Fifth, Universe in the Sleeve."

As Dongfang Qing mentioned each name, the Primordial Spirit True Venerables' gazes followed, and Li Chanchan narrowed her eyes, showing a thoughtful expression.

"That young lad... truly has heaven's favor." Zhao Gengyun took a deep drag on his pipe, chuckling.

The secret techniques recorded in the Yin and Yang sections of the Yellow Official Document, the closer to the top of the ranking, the more powerful they are and the harder they are to cultivate.

And among the three Yellow Emperor's Secret Skills that Qi Xiu mastered, two are in the top five.

Even the latest Sowing Beans into Soldiers ranks seventeenth.

"Though the Yellow Emperor's Secret Skill is mystical, to solve the current situation, it's still a drop in the ocean.

Having learned all 730 secret techniques wouldn't necessarily make a difference." Ye San of the Lotus Covenant frowned, still unclear on the meaning behind Dongfang Qing's words.

"San Niang, don't rush. I haven't finished speaking yet. Though the three Yellow Official Document techniques don't count as much, what if we add the External Incarnation method?"

"Tongming Venerable's External Incarnation method? Isn't it his unshared secret?"

Hearing this, everyone was taken aback.

Though the Yellow Official Document is mystical and divine, its remnants are scattered far and wide, not to mention those Ancient Sect Nobility.

Even ordinary sects might have some in their possession.

But the External Incarnation method is different.

This is Tongming Venerable's self-created marvel, passed only to three individuals, and the cultivation difficulty exceeds that of the Yellow Official Document.

Among the three who received it, two eventually gave up.

Where did Hunyuan Myriad Laws True Monarch learn it?

And how did he master it?

"Did he really learn the External Incarnation method?" Zhao Gengyun raised an eyebrow and asked quietly.

"Personally transmitted by Tongming Venerable, absolutely genuine." Dongfang Qing chuckled. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Damn it, I've lived this long and today I've truly seen something." Smiling helplessly, Zhao Gengyun snorted lightly and said no more.

"External Incarnation combined with the Yellow Official Document, two unparalleled secret techniques belonging to one person's body, it's indeed... unpredictable."

Present Primordial Spirit True Venerables showed strange expressions.

Both the Yellow Official Document and External Incarnation are rare and mystical secret techniques.

To master even one is extraordinary.

Yet this Hunyuan Myriad Laws True Monarch truly defies comprehension...

"Whether effective or not, testing will tell. Anyway, the current situation, fighting fiercely does us no favors.

Continuous confrontations, the disciples under your command must already be exhausted, perhaps it's better to take this opportunity to rest."

With Dongfang Qing's words, the Primordial Spirit True Venerables nodded thoughtfully.

The battle with the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains has already lasted over a month, and while the demonic evil cultivators have suffered heavy casualties,

the prolonged fierce battles have left their disciples exhausted and in pain, requiring rest to prevent further casualties.

Thus, under Zhou Meng's initiative, the Sect Masters and Patriarchs of these Ancient Sect Nobility decided to withdraw their lines, switching from offense to defense, and wait for the arrival of the Hunyuan Myriad Laws True Monarch, laden with strange techniques and secret skills.

As the gathering concluded, the Sect Masters and Patriarchs departed separately.

And as Dongfang Qing was about to return to Shenxiao Sect, he was quietly intercepted by Zhao Gengyun.

"Elder Zhao, is there something you need?"

Seeing Zhao Gengyun intercepting him, Dongfang Qing seemed to have anticipated it, smiling as he asked.

"Little fox, don't play dumb with me. Tell me, what are you really up to today?" Snorting lightly, Zhao Gengyun tapped the ash off his pipe:

"You, who can't sleep without taking advantage, today are wholeheartedly assigning tasks to your disciple.

Facing a whole province's demonic evils alone, what's this, is your disciple becoming a True Venerable?"

"If he truly becomes a True Venerable, this calamity would be much easier to handle..." muttered Dongfang Qing as he took Zhao Gengyun's pipe and refilled it with new tobacco:

"What are you saying, Elder Zhao? Our Shenxiao Sect is a righteous major sect, stepping forward bravely is truly not a good thing..."

Before he could finish speaking, Dongfang Qiao saw Zhao Gengyun blowing his beard and glaring. He quickly pulled back his pipe and was about to knock it on his own head, hurriedly waving his hand to say:

"Alright, alright, can't I just tell you the truth?"

"Hmph! Hurry up, old man, I've got a lot of things at home, don't have time to sit here chatting with you.

Tell me, giving that kid such a heavy task, is it the Dao Alliance..."

"No."

"No? Then..."

"Heavenly Dao Self-Bound, Myriad Daos Rising! You know this, right?" Dongfang Qing said slowly.

"Of course, I know." Zhao Gengyun nodded.

Among the Three Thousand Grand Paths, the Heavenly Dao is supreme.

Before the immeasurable calamity began, the Heavenly Dao spanned the universe, suppressing and overseeing all the Three Thousand Grand Paths.

Now with the calamity initiated, the Heavenly Dao self-binds and gradually fades away.

Besides the protection of the Tianyuan Main Realm gradually disappearing, the suppression of the Three Thousand Grand Paths by the Heavenly Dao will also vanish.

The most direct outcome of this is that the Three Thousand Grand Paths will become more active and evident, thus increasing the speed of cultivation for cultivators drastically.

Even cultivators with slightly inferior aptitude will, during this period, match the cultivation speed of what used to be considered superior aptitude cultivators.

However, everything in the world has pros and cons.

With power growth too swift, what follows is an unstable mental state, easily invaded by external demons, leading to inner demons and falling into the Demonic Path.

"Without the suppression of the Heavenly Dao, the Three Thousand Grand Paths surge mightily, and for us cultivators, both strength and cultivation speed will reach unprecedented heights.

Old Zhao, you also know that my sect has made some achievements in the Human Dao."

Dongfang Qing's words weren't clear, but for a seasoned True Venerable like Zhao Gengyun, they were very transparent.

"I see, so that's why you, someone who usually does little and gains much, suddenly decided to become a model of hard work today.

So that's your plan.

Speaking of which, when Dianchuan Province had a Merit Treasure emerge, it was snatched away by a mysterious cultivator afterward.

That mysterious cultivator must be your good disciple."

Human Path Merit Treasures are of extraordinary significance. When the Hunyuan All-Encompassing Luminance emerged, Primordial Spirit True Venerables like Zhao Gengyun sensed it.

It's just that at that time, Qi Xiu of Shenxiao Sect had the Ancient Water God, Elder Shui, by his side.

The surrounding cultivators didn't know the might of this Ancient God, but True Venerables who had embarked on the Primordial Spirit Great Path were very aware of Elder Shui's majestic pressure and divine dignity from the Primordial Era.

Thus, the True Venerables only watched and observed, not intervening.

And by the time they reacted, that Merit Treasure had already been collected, disappearing along with the mysterious cultivator, leaving no trace.

"Huh? Really? That happened? How come I didn't know?"

Mouth slightly open, Dongfang Qing looked bewildered, with an expression of denial even if beaten to death.

"Alright, alright, look at you. It's been so long. Can an old man like me shamefully snatch something from a junior?"

Rolling his eyes at Dongfang Qing, Zhao Gengyun said in exasperation.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm just used to it.

By the way, how is your Zaiyang doing recently? Haven't seen him for a while. Is he in good health?" Smiling and waving his hand, Dongfang Qing asked.

"Thanks to you, he's doing quite well, having stepped into the Dao Body Realm, now at the third level of Dao Embodiment.

Of course, he's nothing compared to your disciple, the Hunyuan Myriad Laws True Monarch."

Speaking of Qi Xiu, Zhao Gengyun's tone carried a touch of sourness.

Back then, the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains worshipped an Evil God. Qi Xiu of the Shenxiao Sect, Kongwen from Dachan Temple, Zhao Zaiyang of the Nature Banner, and Zhou Wen from the Great Righteousness Academy.

These four juniors faced the Outer Realm Evil God, the Spirit of Night Travel at the Primordial Spirit Realm, fighting to the death without retreating, truly in the spotlight, fully displaying the style of Dianchuan cultivators.

But times have changed.

Over a hundred years have passed, and the situations of the four have vastly diverged.

Kongwen, formerly the head of the Weituo Court of Dachan Temple, rashly practiced an ancient Buddhist scripture and was invaded by the hidden outer realm demon thoughts within, unable to escape. He was ultimately imprisoned in the Demon Subduing Court of Dachan Temple and, to this day, has not rid himself of the demonic thoughts.

Zhou Wen, the youngest Grand Scholar of the Great Righteousness Academy, failed the Great Tribulation of Dao Body and died, perishing for over thirty years now.

Zhao Zaiyang, with the protection of his grandfather Zhao Gengyun along the way, successfully cured his early-death-no-life condition and surpassed the Great Tribulation of Dao Body, now a True Monarch of the Dao Body.

And Qi Xiu has become famous throughout Central Earth, not only holding the position of Vice Sect Leader of the Shenxiao Sect but also having a Dao Token personally granted by the Dao Alliance.

Becoming the youngest and unprecedented True Monarch in the history of the Dao Sect.

"Help the world when prosperous, preserve oneself when destitute.

Old Zhao, if you had a choice, would you want Zaiyang to bear the same responsibilities as Qi Xiu and walk the path he walked?" Smiling at Zhao Gengyun, Dongfang Qing's rhetorical question left the old True Venerable silent.

After a long while.

Zhao Gengyun inserted his pipe at his back with his hands behind him, hunched over, and walked away slowly:

"Unless I've got a hole in my head."

...