Volume One: The Celestial Cloud Palace Chapter Three: Celestial Cloud

Chapter Three: The Misty Clouds

The sky was boundless and clear, with clouds drifting at the whim of the wind.

The vast realm of immortals stretched endlessly, shrouded in ethereal heavens where white clouds, as fleeting as stray dogs, seemed worthless. Above the clouded sky, Zhou Hao was in a daze, for never had he imagined that, as a mere mortal, he could truly arrive in the domain of immortals. Beside him, an elder with white hair and a beard had told him plainly: he was now an immortal himself!

“Immortal, you say I am now a deity too—is that really true?” Zhou Hao’s eyes nearly bulged from their sockets, his heart brimming with reverence as he gazed at the old man and asked.

“The Supreme is above all, immortals do not speak falsehoods,” Yun Fang replied, waving his whisk and reciting an invocation.

“That’s wonderful.” Hearing those words felt like swallowing a pill of reassurance; Zhou Hao was elated. Unbeknownst to himself, with his body restored to youth, his disposition had greatly changed—no longer the stern and austere Emperor of Great Zhou he once was.

“But Immortal, after becoming an immortal, why do I feel that aside from being strong and healthy, I possess no other special abilities? Not to mention being able to traverse the heavens and wield boundless power like you, at the very least, I should be immortal, right?” Zhou Hao asked again.

“Immortal? Who said becoming an immortal means you’ll live forever? Even I, on the verge of ascending to High Immortal, cannot achieve immortality. Reaching that realm is likely beyond hope!” Yun Fang stroked his beard.

“What? Then what’s the point of becoming an immortal? If immortality is unattainable, what purpose does being an immortal serve?” Zhou Hao lost his composure, nearly shouting.

“Haha, young man, it seems you didn’t arrive in the Immortal Realm by cultivation, did you? I suspect you stumbled into it by accident? Such cases are rare, but they exist. Rest assured, our Misty Cloud Immortal Palace doesn’t mind. What's more, those who arrived here by chance have achieved great things—some even attained the rank of Immortal King. Luck is a form of strength; as long as you strive, I guarantee you’ll become a Golden Immortal expert within two thousand years, just like those you saw before.” Yun Fang patted Zhou Hao’s shoulder, encouraging him.

“But Immortal, you still haven’t told me what distinguishes me from my mortal self.” Zhou Hao calmed himself and asked.

“In your mortal world, there exists a boundary stone marking the Immortal Realm, situated at the universe’s highest point. Only those who’ve cultivated to break through the void can cross it into the Immortal Realm. Thus, the mortal world and the Immortal Realm are separate planes of existence, but can be connected through this boundary stone. However, those who arrive by breaking the void gain a true Golden Immortal body—meaning they enter as advanced Golden Immortals. Those like you, who arrive by accident, can only acquire the most basic Lower Immortal body. As mortals say, ‘Heaven rewards diligence.’” Yun Fang explained.

“I see. Then how should I live in the Immortal Realm?” Zhou Hao was half-confused.

“Haha, you’ve touched upon the key point. That’s why so many wanted to claim you. The moment you crossed into the Immortal Realm, our sixteen Immortal Palaces took notice. Though you can’t immediately become a Golden Immortal, anyone from the lower world arriving in the upper realm is extraordinary. Moreover, in recent millennia, disciple intake has dwindled and quality declined. If new blood can be introduced, it’s naturally a target for all. Today, I used my divine powers to rescue you from those old foxes. You can now join the Misty Cloud Immortal Palace. Seeing our fateful connection, I’ll break tradition and accept you as my final disciple. What do you say?” Yun Fang smiled.

Zhou Hao grumbled inwardly: You dare call others old foxes; I reckon you’re the true old fox here. Divine powers? Escaping counts, huh?

Nevertheless, knowing immortals could see through thoughts, he instantly curbed his misgivings and made to kneel, clearly ready to formally become Yun Fang’s disciple.

“Wait, wait! Good, good, my dear pupil, we’re still atop a celestial crane. The ceremony can wait until we reach Misty Cloud. Haha, rest assured, I will lead you into the halls of immortality. When you become an Immortal King, don’t forget your teacher!” Yun Fang laughed, beard fluttering, evidently in high spirits.

Zhou Hao scratched his head, baffled: Is this necessary? You’re a Golden Immortal, yet act as if beset by delusions.

“My dear pupil, curious about the Immortal Realm? We’ve been flying for so long, yet still far from Misty Cloud—do you know why?”

“I know, the Immortal Realm is vast!”

“Smart, but wrong!”

“Huh? Please enlighten me, Master.”

“It’s simple. I purposely slowed so you could behold the wonders of the Immortal Realm. As the saying goes, ‘Better to travel ten thousand miles than read ten thousand books!’ This region belongs to the Ascension Platform, not governed by the Immortal Palaces, but not to be underestimated. It’s where mortals ascend, and the Immortal Realm arranges powerful guardians here—though they seldom appear. If a great battle erupts, mighty figures might intervene.” Yun Fang steered the crane, Zhou Hao sitting behind, gazing about.

Looking back, Zhou Hao saw a massive dragon-shaped silhouette, formed entirely of layered clouds. Only after flying so far could he discern its outline—implying the dragon-shaped cloud spanned at least a million miles, for the crane’s speed, though slow for a Golden Immortal’s mount, covered hundreds of miles in an instant. Yun Fang explained that this cloud formation marked the Ascension Platform, and now they had essentially exited its inner region.

“My heavens, that’s enormous… Wait, what’s that?” Before Zhou Hao could finish marveling, the scene ahead stunned him anew.

A waterfall, nearly a hundred miles wide, hung in the sky, its flowing water tinged with pale gold and exuding immortal mist. Properly speaking, it was a river—a long river traversing the heavens. Upstream, it seemed to originate from the highest heavens; downstream, it reached into the deepest netherworld.

“Is the sky torn open?” Zhou Hao was puzzled. Though they were still some distance from the river, its rushing waters were clearly audible.

“The Qin River!”

Yun Fang explained, “This is merely a tributary—like the mortal world’s great rivers, with many branches, so too in the Immortal Realm. Remember, the Qin River is the ancestral waterway of the Qin family, one of the most renowned human immortal clans in the Great Luo Immortal Realm. It flows through several immortal realms, its length incalculable by any measure. Rivers like this, though scarce, each represent a top-tier immortal clan. Never provoke them—no one dares. Understood?” Yun Fang’s tone turned stern.

Gazing at the hundred-mile-wide river spanning the heavens, Zhou Hao was deeply shaken. He’d seen rivers in the mortal world, but today witnessed water coursing through the void—how could one not be astonished?

The golden-hued river, shrouded in white immortal mist, possessed a dreamlike beauty. Across the horizon, countless stars dotted the sky, which was not sunlit but reminiscent of a midsummer night, with starlight mingling.

“Human immortal clans? Great Luo Immortal Realm? What are those, Master? Please tell me, so I may broaden my knowledge!” Zhou Hao pressed closer to Yun Fang, eager for answers.

“Given your enthusiasm, I’ll oblige you. Listen well,” Yun Fang, once started, spoke at length.

“The Immortal Realm is boundless, but divided into nine parts, ruled by eight Immortal Lords. The nine realms are: the Primeval Immortal Realm, the Primal Immortal Realm, the Great Luo Immortal Realm, the Universal Salvation Immortal Realm, the Pure Micro Immortal Realm, the Free and Unfettered Immortal Realm, the Sun and Moon Immortal Realm, the Nether Immortal Realm, and the Fallen Immortal Realm. We are now in the Sun and Moon Immortal Realm. Except for the Primeval, the other eight realms each have a Heavenly Capital governing their immortals, with the Immortal Lord at the pinnacle of power. The so-called human immortal clans are the immortal families of the human race—one of the two major powers in the Immortal Realm. The other is the sacred immortal spirit races, such as dragons, phoenixes, qilins, and the peacock race you heard of earlier. These races are always formidable, standing high and mighty, sacred and inviolate!”

“I see. The Immortal Realm is truly grand and wondrous, but what amazes me most is that the human race can stand alone as immortal clans, rivaling divine beings like dragons and phoenixes—it’s almost unbelievable,” Zhou Hao mused.

“My pupil, you’re mistaken. Among humans, some are strong, like the Qin family, who use true dragons as mounts; others are weak, like mortals, whose fleeting lives end as dust. Not only humans, but all beings in existence are divided between strong and weak. The strong survive; the weak perish. That’s why all beings seek immortality—immortal cultivation unlocks the mysteries of the cosmos and ultimate cycles of life and death. Perhaps someone will truly achieve the ultimate goal—eternal life!” Yun Fang drifted into thought, as if recalling something profound.

The celestial crane soared, occasionally letting out its cry; the elder and youth conversed in harmony.

The clouded sky was filled with wonders: ancient green mountains rising from the clouds, resembling green stars from afar; ruined floating gardens hidden among clouds, their pavilions entwined with vines but devoid of flowers—Zhou Hao glimpsed a peerless immortal maiden dancing within; colossal statues of war gods stood among the clouds, swords planted at their feet, exuding a sense of duty; clusters of floating islands, each with mountains and water, eternally spring-like—a veritable paradise. Yet, black chains connected the islands, each chain shining with dark light, like a black mountain ridge across the sky. Yun Fang explained this was likely a grand immortal formation—one wrong step would trigger its deadly power, so they skirted far around it.

After two hours, the crane finally carried them beyond the Ascension Platform’s outer region, and the scenery changed completely.

Here, it was like outer space. The Ascension Platform had been a luminous sanctuary of clouds and immortal light; here, stars dotted a dark sky, and the power of the lunar shadow permeated every inch. Zhou Hao felt that riding a noble crane in such an environment was truly out of place.

Imagine riding a graceful crane through outer space—such a scene was beyond imagining!

“My pupil, hold tight; your master will accelerate now!” Yun Fang gently stroked the crane’s neck, and a shriek echoed.

“Ah, help! Too fast! Help, Master, slow down, I’m dying!”

“My dear pupil, you are an immortal, and my prized disciple—such speed and you cry for help?”

The crane transformed into a streak of golden light, darting like lightning, stars whizzing past. Eventually, it came to a halt.

Ahead lay a peculiar place: an oval stone gate over a hundred meters tall and thirty meters wide. Before it stood two guards in silver armor, their eyes cold, each holding a halberd crossed before them.

“Token!”

As Yun Fang and Zhou Hao approached, the guards spoke, their voices chilling and emotionless, like automatons, though clearly flesh and blood.

“These are death sentinels. They possess bodies but no souls. In life, they were High Immortal-level powerhouses, sold to our Misty Cloud Immortal Palace by the Nether Immortal Realm. The most loyal watchdogs!” Yun Fang remarked casually.

To Zhou Hao, it was thunderous news: Selling High Immortal powerhouses? Such mighty beings traded as goods? Madness! Even his master hadn’t reached that level—he recalled hearing that only the Palace Lord of Misty Cloud was a High Immortal.

Yet now, two ordinary gatekeepers were High Immortals. How was one to cultivate if even guards were so powerful? Why not ascend themselves? (Oh, wait—they are already in heaven.)

Yun Fang took out a silver token, embossed with a golden cloud. He flashed it, and the death sentinels’ eyes locked onto the token.

“It is a genuine token. Permission granted.”

In their icy monotone, the guards separated their halberds, and Zhou Hao and Yun Fang rode the crane through the oval stone gate.

A flash of light, and the two men and crane seemed to traverse space and time into another world. Before them were verdant peaks, pavilions and towers scattered among the mountains, the tallest shrouded in purple mist—its aura clear and refreshing, undoubtedly from the purple energy.

“Why is there another gate? We just passed through one!” Zhou Hao looked up, nearly exasperated, for above it were the gilded characters 'Misty Cloud.' This was a portal, lacking a door but adorned with couplets.

“Between green mountains, clear waters, and white clouds, purple energy arrives from the east—immortals dwell here.” Zhou Hao recited, then rolled his eyes: “What a lousy verse! I can write better. Is this really where immortals live?”

“My pupil, let us continue. Ahead, you’ll meet disciples and elders of Misty Cloud Immortal Palace. Don’t be afraid; I’ll teach you how to greet them. Since it’s your first visit, manners must be observed!” Yun Fang was in high spirits, hands behind his back, whisk vanished. Zhou Hao nodded, following closely.

The crane had already soared into the clouds to find its companions. Yun Fang told Zhou Hao that, within their own palace, no one was permitted to ride mounts except in special cases.

Tap, tap, tap!

Beyond the gate stretched a stone stairway, winding up the mountain. Yun Fang and Zhou Hao ascended, passing many pavilions and halls, where figures appeared—evidently disciples of Misty Cloud.

In one pavilion, four young men and women saw Yun Fang and Zhou Hao approaching.

“Look! Isn’t that Elder Yun Fang? Someone’s with him—I bet it’s his new disciple,” said a petite, charming girl, her voice so carefully contained it didn’t escape the pavilion.

“Hmph, Elder? Yun Fang, worthy? Who would want him as a master? He’s heartless. The Palace Lord’s old injury still hasn’t healed, and when his own disciple was in danger, he didn’t intervene. What right does he have to be anyone’s master? Today, I’ll put him to shame!” declared a tall, handsome young man, his face twisted in anger and disdain as he watched Yun Fang and Zhou Hao approach, laughing and chatting.

“Exactly! Yun Fang, the calamity-bringer—my elder brother once regarded him as a father, but in the end was killed by that ‘father.’ I hate him, I hate him!” exclaimed a tall woman in a crimson dress, her voice cold, eyes beautiful yet bloodshot with hatred.

—End of Chapter Three