When Qing Ling and his party returned to Mount Fuyu, another registered disciple of Qing Ling arrived at the mountain gate, respectfully awaiting the Saint Master's return.
In the Floating Luo Palace, Qing Ling's expression revealed neither joy nor anger as he sat on the main seat of the hall.
Two rows of disciples were arranged before him.
A white-haired elder slowly stepped forward and bowed, "Your unworthy disciple Chai Daohuang, pays his respects to Master."
Qing Ling glanced at him and said in a slow voice, "Why have you come to see your teacher only now?"
Chai Daohuang said with unease, "This disciple feared being mocked by others in the world."
"Mocked?" Qing Ling was momentarily stunned, then sighed, "You have endured much. Why should you care about the opinions of those who matter little? You are my disciple. Even if your teacher is a Saint, your visit to me makes you a respected disciple, not one seeking flattery."
Chai Daohuang's heart settled upon hearing this. "Thank you, Master, for your understanding."
"Rise. It is fortunate that all disciples of my lineage are present. Except for Bai Ze, who must assist the Demon Emperor and remain in the Demon Realm, it can be considered a full assembly. Let us take this opportunity to establish the sect rules and rectify the lineage of the mountain."
Everyone's hearts grew solemn, their expressions grave.
Qing Ling stated, "Within any order, there must be distinctions between inner and outer, and rules and regulations. Without rules, nothing can be properly formed. My disciples shall be divided into inner and outer disciples. Chai Daohuang, as the first disciple I took under my wing, though currently only at the Taiyi cultivation level, seniority dictates that you shall be the senior disciple of the outer sect."
Chai Daohuang was overjoyed and bowed again.
Qing Ling continued, "Kong Xuan was the first inner disciple I accepted, and thus, naturally, the senior disciple of the inner sect."
Kong Xuan stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Shen Nong, though our karmic connection as master and disciple is not deep, I will still treat you sincerely. I accept you as an inner disciple. Do you agree?"
Shen Nong was overjoyed. "Thank you, Master! Shen Nong is willing to forever honor Master as his teacher, both now and in the future."
Qing Ling chuckled lightly, "It is better not to say some things out loud."
"Qi, Bai Fu, Bei Xu, Hei Bao, You, and Du Guang, you six shall be known as the Six Immortals of Fuyu under my tutelage. Your generation shall be equal to my second-generation disciples. Your disciples, in turn, will be my third-generation disciples. As for Qi, he shall be your junior uncle. In the future, the Six Immortals of Fuyu shall govern the affairs of the Hall of All Beings across the twelve planes. My inner and outer disciples shall manage the affairs of Mount Fuyu. Your duties shall be distinct and not overlap. Below me, the sect rules are threefold: First, never to betray one's master or ancestors. Second, never to harm fellow disciples. Third, never to slaughter sentient beings. Should anyone dare to violate these three precepts, they will, at best, be expelled from the sect and forced to re-cultivate, or at worst, have their souls scattered and be consigned to the eighteen layers of the Underworld's hell! I urge you all to remember this well!"
Everyone bowed and said, "We shall remember Master's decree."
Qing Ling nodded and said, "You have now officially joined the sect. As your teacher, I will give you a token of my appreciation. The Six Immortals of Fuyu may each select one spiritual treasure from the Myriad Treasures Hall. Kong Xuan, Shen Nong, and Chai Daohuang, you three may each select one innate spiritual treasure and one acquired spiritual treasure. You may all use this jade to break through the treasure's restrictions. Henceforth, this jade token shall be the symbol of identity for our Fuyu Dao lineage."
As he spoke, Qing Ling waved his hand, and nine jade tokens fell into the hands of the nine individuals. The tokens felt warm and cool to the touch, inscribed with the characters 'Fuyu', bearing the纹 of the Great Dao. This jade was sourced from a jade mine beneath Mount Fuyu, an extremely rare and precious spiritual jade deposit in the world. This single vein alone was enough to procure countless cultivation resources. This was also one of the reasons Qing Ling chose this mountain. He had also discovered a small grotto-heaven deep within the mountain range. This grotto-heaven was on the verge of destruction due to the turmoil of the Primordial World's Witch and Demon catastrophe. Fortunately, Qing Ling discovered it, preserving that grotto-heaven and the Jade Bamboo forest within that was about to perish. The innate Jade Bamboo, a spiritual root, was a top-tier treasure, only slightly inferior to the Ten Innate Spiritual Roots. Qing Ling transplanted these innate Jade Bamboos into the Myriad Medicine Garden, where they grew alongside the Yellow Middle Plum. He also took some Jade Bamboo to refine some spiritual treasures and placed them in the Myriad Treasures Hall for the needs of his disciples.
After all the disciples left to retrieve their treasures, only Qi remained by his side. Qing Ling looked at the now handsome young man, the blade-carrying youth, and said, "Qi, I have now become a Saint. The past bloodshed of Xi Mountain will never recur in this world. You can rest now."
Qi was stunned for a moment, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. "Yes, ever since Brother ascended to the highest peak of heaven and earth, no one could threaten Xi Mountain, nor us. Then, what is the use of my blade?"
Qing Ling shook his head. "No, your blade will never be silent. Because you are the guardian god of the Snake Tribe. It is because you fought in the Demon Clan, enduring countless bloody battles, that the Snake Tribe of Xi Mountain was able to remain safe during the Lich Tribulation. Your Dao heart is your blade heart, an immortal intent. You will always press forward."
Qing Ling raised his hand and ruffled Qi's hair. "If you are tired, Brother will bear these burdens for you, so you never need to worry about what is behind you. Rest when you are weary, turn back when you are tired. No one can stop you, no one can trap you, because Brother is always behind you."
Qi's eyes welled up. He blushed with emotion, then was startled by a light laugh. He quickly raised his head and stood straight, once again the eight-headed serpent god, his blade sharp, icy, and bloodthirsty.
Qing Ling smiled. "The Hall of All Beings in the Asura Realm has not yet been established. You go there, and perhaps relax a bit, or visit the Demon Realm to see Xi Mountain now. When your heart is calm and your Dao is clear, return to Mount Fuyu."
Qi's eyes lit up at his words. He nodded heavily. "Yes." Then he walked out of the Floating Luo Palace and headed for the Asura Realm.
Qing Ling summoned Hua Shuo and said, "Go and strike the bell, twelve times. I will preach the scriptures to all disciples in front of the Floating Luo Palace, imparting my Fuyu Dao lineage!"
Hua Shuo nodded twice, "Yes, Master."
On the main peak of Floating Luo Palace, a giant golden jade bell floated in the air. It was a divine bell created by Qing Ling from Xuan Huang merit alloy and spiritual jade, named the Floating Gold Jade Bell. Hua Shuo took a Xuan Ruler from his waist. This was a treasure personally bestowed by the Master, called the Xuan Strike Ruler, refined from the nine treasures of earth, and was specifically designed to strike the bell. Only this treasure could shake the Floating Gold Jade Bell.
Hua Ze looked up at Hua Shuo in the sky, her two pigtails dangling. She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Hua Shuo! Can you ring it loudly? Do you need my help?"
Hua Shuo, standing beside the bell, glanced at her unhappily. "You say I can't do it before I've even started. Stay farther away, or I'll deafen your ears with the shockwave!"
Hua Ze scoffed, put her hands behind her back, and skipped away. Hua Shuo pointed, and the Xuan Strike Ruler transformed into a giant log that floated in the air. He first cast a sound-blocking spell on his ears, then pushed one end of the log and struck the golden bell with great force.
"Dong~"
"Dong~"
"Dong~"
The deafening roar of the bell spread from the summit of Floating Luo Peak across the entire Floating Jade Dao field, a range of three hundred million li. Daoists in palaces, temples, and grotto-heavens were awakened and silently counted the chimes. Twelve times in total – an imperial decree from the Ancestor! Heavenly Immortals and Mystic Immortals alike soared into the clouds in a rush, heading towards Floating Luo Palace. Billowing clouds of immortals, majestic jade palaces, Mount Fuyu now possessed an aura of celestial divinity.