Chapter Sixty-Six: The Celestial Sanctuary of Bliss

“Dr. Erskine, according to your calculations, would this serum have any effect on me?”

It took Li Yang a while to respond. When he finally did, he looked at the doctor expectantly.

“Li, your cells and body have already reached the theoretical limits of humanity. As for this serum, it’s still only a hypothesis for now. To succeed, we’d need a lot of data and experiments. It’s too early to tell whether it would work for you.”

“But if we do manage to develop it, we could use your body as a template to create a customized version just for you. Your physique far surpasses that of an ordinary person; likewise, your genetic structure can endure much greater external forces than a normal human’s.”

Dr. Erskine considered for a long moment as he looked at Li Yang’s face before explaining.

“I’d like you to combine my genes with those that Dr. Rick has been studying, and find the optimal ratio for their integration. Based on that, develop a hormone that can temporarily break through the cellular capacity limit. Is that feasible?”

Li Yang gazed at the three doctors in the lab and spoke.

“Well... synthesizing a substance to temporarily exceed cellular capacity isn’t difficult, but once that time limit is up, the two genetic lines would likely reject each other, causing a total cellular collapse. Such a hormone is little more than a burden—why would you want it?”

Seeing Li Yang’s sincere expression, Dr. Erskine hesitated, his face full of doubt.

“There’s no need for you to worry about that. Just tell me—how long will it take to make this hormone?”

“Alright, Li. I’m sure you have your reasons. But to produce this hormone, human testing is required. If all goes smoothly, we should be able to fine-tune the genetic ratio within a week.”

Dr. Rick, catching Li Yang’s determined look, tugged at Dr. Erskine’s sleeve and spoke up.

“I’ll provide the test subject tonight. I’ll return in a week. I won’t delay your experiments any further—I have other matters to attend to.”

With that, Li Yang took off his lab coat and left the laboratory.

“Professor Rick... We’ve always been so cautious in science—if this hormone is made, it might harm Li. Why didn’t you let me voice my concerns?”

Dr. Erskine, somewhat agitated, turned to Dr. Rick.

“Erskine, remember—we’re no longer free agents. We serve Li now. Let go of your old ways of thinking. Li is our employer; we only need to do as he asks, not question why. You’re still young and don’t quite understand Eastern customs. They value obedient subordinates, not those who dare challenge them.”

“Li is an extraordinary Eastern sorcerer; his powers are beyond belief. The biological specimens he’s provided have upended our current understanding of the living world. Life itself is a miracle. His intellect is surely greater than we can imagine. There’s no need to ask—we simply do as he says.”

Dr. Rick patted Erskine’s shoulder, his voice earnest.

He’d always liked this brilliant student, but his stubbornness sometimes troubled both him and Dr. Puse. Although he hadn’t known Li Yang long, he was deeply aware of Li’s strength and mystery. He could not allow his promising student to risk offending Li Yang.

...

A week later, on the rear mountain of the manor, a massive Eight Trigram altar stood atop the peak. The altar was covered in crimson runes, and four sky-piercing stone pillars surrounded the mountain, each carved with dense ancient symbols as well as the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—the Four Sacred Beasts. At the center of the altar was a large sorcerous script sculpted from white jade.

Li Yang stood atop the altar, inspecting the structure that had taken a week to create, and nodded in satisfaction.

“Are you really going to refine the Six-Winged Golden Centipede here? Shouldn’t we inform Uncle Nine, have him come to watch over you?”

Madam He looked uneasily at the altar before her, a persistent feeling of unease brewing in her heart.

She had some understanding of the arts Li Yang practiced; she was no longer the novice she once was and could see the dangers involved.

“There’s no need to worry, Madam. I’m fully prepared this time. Truth be told, I wouldn’t have acted so hastily, but since the golden centipede survived the thunder tribulation, its venom has been transformed to pure yang. Combined with my own pure yang blood, the two together are like adding fuel to the fire—one wrong move could ignite a calamity of burning yang energy.”

“Three days from now is the annual Ghost Festival, when the gates of the underworld open and yin and yang collide—a perfect time to suppress yang flames. If I miss this chance, I’ll have to wait another year. The path of cultivation is ever forward, never back; to retreat in the face of danger is not the way. If I shrink back now, it will damage my resolve, making future success even harder to attain.”

Taking Madam He’s hand, Li Yang spoke confidently. “Besides, I’ve set up the Four Symbols Array around this peak. With this formation, there’s no cause for concern.”

“I hope so,” Madam He replied, though Li Yang’s reassurances could not dispel her worry. Sensitive since childhood, she always sensed when misfortune approached, yet she didn’t know how to voice such feelings without adding to Li Yang’s burdens.

...

Meanwhile, deep in the mountains outside Baxia Town—

“Great-uncle He, are you there?”

Shi Jian and his son stood at the edge of a gloomy forest, peering about.

“Ah, Xiao Jian, what brings you here?”

An aged voice echoed as the air rippled like water, opening a great void.

Within the void, a magnificent golden palace shimmered in and out of sight. Celestial maidens danced, spirit children offered peaches, and yellow-scarved guardians stood about the hall, a scene of earthly paradise. At the center, atop the dragon throne, sat a hunched, white-haired elder.

“Disciple greets our ancestor!”

At the sight of the palace, with the four characters ‘House of Ultimate Bliss’ inscribed above, Shi Jian pulled his son Shi Shaojian to their knees, bowing respectfully to the old man.

“Enough, no need for such ceremony. Come in.”

With a wave of his hand, a beam of light swept the pair into the palace. As they vanished, the hall flickered and disappeared into the void.

“Sit. I haven’t been back to Maoshan in over a century. How fares the mountain?”

The old man sat at the head, nostalgia on his face as he looked at the two.

“Ancestor, all the elders have long passed away, even the last abbot has left for the underworld. Maoshan has declined further still,” Shi Jian replied respectfully.

Shi Shaojian gazed in awe at the celestial palace, the dancers, and the immortal air. He snuck a glance at the elder, his mind clearly scheming.

“Those stubborn old fools—serves them right. So even your master, Qingmingzi, is gone? Who leads Maoshan now? Are any of the former generation still alive?”

The elder snorted, unsurprised.

“Ancestor, Maoshan is now guarded by disciples from each branch, with mutual nonaggression pacts in place. Only Master Miaohua remains of the previous generation.”

“So, it’s that girl Miaohua. Hmph. Centuries ago, her master reported me to the abbot, getting me expelled from Maoshan. And what now? Turns out I was right all along—while they’ve all turned to dust, here I am, still free in this world. Isn’t that proof enough?”

“This House of Ultimate Bliss is the supreme art of Maoshan, seizing the secrets of heaven and earth. If such a heaven-defying art came without cost, that would be strange indeed.”

“They accused me of straying from the right path, seeking shortcuts. Yet, in the end, I succeeded—free from the three realms, outside the five elements, untouched by worldly calamity.”

The old man’s face was filled with satisfaction, as if long-held grievances had finally been answered.

“So, what brings you here? Is Maoshan facing disaster? Did Miaohua send you?”

The elder raised an eyebrow, his tone playful.

“Well... not quite. I’m here to present you with a gift,” Shi Jian replied with a sheepish smile.

“You sly fox—out with it. I know you too well; you’d never come bearing gifts without a reason.”

A flash of disappointment crossed the old man’s eyes, his interest waning.

He had grown up on Maoshan, but centuries ago, after stealing the forbidden art of the House of Ultimate Bliss, he’d been expelled by the abbot. Ever since, he’d harbored the desire to return and prove he had been right.

This supreme art was originally a framework left by the Three Maoshan Patriarchs, gradually perfected over generations into a great Daoist technique. Its core was to create a paradise rooted in the earth’s veins, imitating the structure of the netherworld’s pocket realms, opening a blessed realm in the cracks between yin and yang—one not dependent on earth’s energy, but siphoning from the source of heaven and earth itself, and thus incurring celestial wrath.

The original intent was to create a truly independent world, a pocket realm like the netherworld, self-sufficient and beyond the reach of fate’s tribulations. But due to lack of power and resources, the art had been altered over time. In the old master’s hands, the material realm was transformed into a spiritual one, making the task easier but losing the potent support of a true world. It became more suited for spirits, and any living being wishing to endure there would have to abandon their flesh.

“This time, Ancestor, I really do have a great benefit for you. I know where a Yin Vein Stone can be found…”

“What? A Yin Vein Stone!” At these words, the old master sprang to Shi Jian’s side, eyes gleaming.

The stone’s value in this spirit realm was beyond measure. With it, the House of Ultimate Bliss could have an energy core, becoming nearly self-sustaining, no longer so cramped and limited in the number of spirits it could host.

“No need to be anxious, Ancestor; let me explain. I do know where the stone is, but it’s in the hands of a sorcerer. He’s powerful, and I’m not sure I could handle him alone. I’ll need you to act. Also, I want an underworld title from Master Miaohua’s disciple.”

Only now did Shi Jian reveal his true purpose.

“Hmph, I knew you had an angle. You’re just like your master. If you were really giving me the stone for nothing, I’d be suspicious.”

The old man sneered, not surprised.

“But that’s fine. I haven’t left here in decades—time to stretch my legs. As long as your information is good, the underworld title is yours. Besides, I owe Miaohua’s master a lesson; someone has to pay that debt.”

“Then let’s go, Ancestor! We must act before the Ghost Festival, before the official handover of the underworld position. Once the register is updated, there’ll be no changing it.”

With the old master’s agreement, Shi Jian could barely contain his excitement.

“What’s the rush? My House of Ultimate Bliss traverses the worlds of yin and yang in an instant.”

“A few decades ago, when I was searching for golden boys and jade girls, my body was destroyed by celestial backlash. Now, my dharma body can’t appear in the outside world for fear of tribulation. You’ll have to lure them into the spirit house, where I can act.”

Glancing at the impatient Shi Jian, the old man explained unhurriedly.

“Don’t worry, Ancestor. As long as you support me with your magic from inside, I can use the spirit-summoning ritual outside. By offering my flesh as the vessel, I can invite your dharma body into the material world. In this way, we’ll avoid the heavens’ notice.”