Dao Lord: Starting from a Top-grade Golden Core

Chapter 219: Chapter 127: Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly

In the history of the Celestial Waterfall Realm, the Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster played a role akin to that of a god or a saint.

He spread the Dao in this realm and enlightened all living beings. It could be said that he wasn’t just revered by the Five Domains Great Sects, but was the common ancestral teacher for all Cultivators in the Celestial Waterfall Realm. The techniques he passed down blessed countless lives. Even a lineage like the True Form Temple, whose traditions actually originated from beyond this world, held such a figure in high esteem.

This further established the Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster as an Immortal God admired by all. It was only due to certain taboos among Cultivators that he was not mythologized and elevated to a venerable status such as Dao Ancestor or Celestial Venerable.

This was also the reason for the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly’s existence. In the beginning, the Assembly was purely a ritual of fasting and prayer held to worship the Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster. Later, the five Masters Dongt personally taught by him—who were also the Sect Founding Ancestor Grandmasters of the Five Domains Great Sects—were added to the ceremony.

As the Cultivation Realm of the Celestial Waterfall Realm flourished and disputes became more frequent, the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly gradually evolved to include the function of determining the official ranking of the sects.

The entire Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly lasts for forty-nine days. Day and night, blessings are bestowed to avert disaster, prayers are offered for peace and the expulsion of evil, and rituals are performed without cease. Moreover, masters from the five major sects set up altars to preach their teachings. Legend has it that in the very beginning, the ancestors of various sects learned their techniques at the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly, which is what led to the current prosperous era in the Celestial Waterfall Realm.

Of course, this might just be the version of events told by the Five Domains Great Sects. Regardless, the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly was considered a grand event in the Celestial Waterfall Realm. Not only did Cultivators gather in droves, but devout mortals would set out many years in advance to come worship and pray for blessings. Naturally, there was no shortage of fated individuals who would receive teachings or even be accepted into the Five Domains Great Sects...

The Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly was held in the very center of the five domains, on a fertile plain. Its buildings had been in use since ancient times, though they had of course undergone countless repairs. Combined, the inner altar and outer grounds covered an area hundreds of miles wide. A massive Five-Colored Cloth canopy covered the sky above, creating a grand and solemn atmosphere.

But this was merely the site for the ritual fasting. High above the venue, soaring far beyond the clouds, was a magnificent plaza built entirely of Yellow Jade. The plaza’s layout was quite interesting: from the center outward, there were first five tall, wide Jade Platforms, encircled by sixteen medium-sized Jade Platforms. Beyond those, there were over a hundred smaller Jade Platforms. Their arrangement seemed to mimic the layout of the Celestial Waterfall, a clear symbol of the various sects’ relative status.

This was the eighth day of the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly. After the conclusion of the first seven days of solemn fasting and rituals, it was time for the main event to begin: the ranking of the sects.

Many disciples from the various sects had already taken their seats in the plaza according to their sect’s rank. Though the plaza appeared perfectly silent, covert voice transmissions were likely flying back and forth without a moment’s rest.

It was no surprise. The Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly was held only once every three hundred years, and each session saw the rise and fall of various sects. The Five Domains Great Sects, however, had always remained unshakable—until recently. The dispute between the Divine Flow Sect and the Dragon Image Sect was now almost completely out in the open, so how could it not draw attention?

Every sect was wondering the same things: ’Would the Divine Flow Sect actually dare to make a scene at the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly? Could they truly overthrow the Dragon Image Sect’s millennia-old Dao lineage? What stance would the other Four of the Five Domains Great Sects take? And for the smaller sects... is there even the slightest chance for them to rise in the ranks?’

As the crowd waited in anticipation, a yellow cloud suddenly flew in and landed on a Jade Platform as wide as three normal ones combined. It revealed the heroic and widely recognized figure of the Divine Flow Sect’s Venerable Chu River. To his right stood the stern-faced Venerable Mu River. To his left, however, was a graceful, scholarly man dressed in a loose robe and light furs, whose poised demeanor caused the more knowledgeable members of the audience to start in surprise.

On one of the highest platforms, the members of the Westyi Sect, one of the Five Domains Great Sects, were already seated. Their leader was a beautiful Daoist Nun, none other than the current Sect Leader of Westyi, Venerable Youming. Upon seeing the Divine Flow Sect’s arrival, she shook her head faintly and said to Venerable Deming beside her, "So, He Haojun chose this path after all."

Venerable Deming’s expression soured. "This is utter nonsense," he said. "Celestial Permanence’s actions are sowing division among the five sects and shaking the very foundation of the Earth Immortal Dao Lineage. This will surely lead to endless disaster."

Venerable Youming only replied, "Look across the Celestial Waterfall. Is there any sect that doesn’t follow the Earth Immortal Dao Lineage? Besides, the five great Grotto Heavens were all passed down by the Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster. Our five sects have just held control over them for a long time, that’s all."

Deming fell into a sullen silence. ’The Five Sect Ancestor Grandmasters were the direct disciples of the Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster,’ he thought. ’As the orthodox lineage, how can we be compared to these other branches? If the Dragon Image Sect is truly replaced by the Divine Flow Sect today, what happens if the Westyi Sect declines in the future?’ He truly couldn’t understand why their sect wasn’t stepping in to stop this.

While the two of them were speaking, numerous other sects arrived, riding on clouds and skiffs, each displaying their own Divine Techniques as they crossed the sky. Within moments, more than half of the Jade Platforms were occupied. Three of the five major sects were now seated; only Celestial Permanence and Dragon Image had yet to arrive. Suddenly, Venerable Youming heard a stir of discussion from the crowd below. "Are those the people from True Form Temple? Why are there only two of them?"

"That’s them. Did you see the Daoist in the white robe? That’s Venerable Dao Miao."

"I see him. His bearing is truly extraordinary. Still, why did the True Form Temple only send two people?"

"Aren’t two enough? You have Venerable Dao Miao, for one. And from what I can see, Meng Fusheng’s cultivation seems to have improved as well."

Venerable Youming raised her gaze and saw two young Daoists arriving on a cloud, both with flowing robes and an extraordinary presence. She had seen a portrait of Xuzhuang before, so she had no trouble recognizing the one in the lead. It was Venerable Dao Miao, the most famous figure of the last several decades. Her fine brows furrowed, and she muttered to herself, ’Why didn’t he arrive with the Dragon Image Sect?’

Deming couldn’t help but glance up as well. The Dragon Image Sect’s invitation for the True Form Temple to form an alliance was no secret. Many already considered Venerable Dao Miao to be part of the Dragon Image Sect’s faction. ’So why didn’t he arrive with them?’ he wondered. ’Could he be worried about a threat to his own sect?’

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