Volume One: Cloud Veil Immortal Palace Chapter Eighty-One: The Radiance of the Solar Sun

Chapter Eighty-One: The Sun of the Great Day

“What did you say?” Upon hearing Zhou Hao’s soft murmur, Deng Tulang’s face changed dramatically.

“You said the ‘Great Radiant Sun Palm’? Have you actually practiced that immortal martial art?” Before Zhou Hao could answer, Deng Tulang pressed him for more.

Zhou Hao nodded and replied, “You mentioned an exceptional flame-path technique, and I have indeed practiced one. It’s the immortal martial art created by the Lord of the Sun himself. My master and the palace lord both said it’s extraordinary. The people of the Night Palace searched for it for a very long time!”

“Of course,” Deng Tulang sighed lightly. “Just the title ‘Lord of the Sun’ is synonymous with taboo incarnate. His invincible immortal martial arts are naturally peerless treasures. Not only the Night Palace, but even the Celestial Court would prize it above all else.”

“The Celestial Court?” Zhou Hao asked in confusion. The name was unfamiliar, and he couldn’t recall ever hearing of such a place.

“Heh, that’s another story altogether. All you need to know is that the Celestial Court is a forbidden organization. You’ll understand it yourself once you’re strong enough.” Deng Tulang chuckled, clearly unwilling to discuss the matter further.

Zhou Hao took the hint and didn’t press. Instead, he looked at Deng Tulang with anticipation and asked, “Then, senior, could you tell me the secrets of the Great Radiant Sun Palm?”

Deng Tulang narrowed his eyes. “Since you’ve practiced the Great Radiant Sun Palm, you’re indeed qualified to know its history.

“First, the Great Radiant Sun Palm was created by the Lord of the Sun. Any mention of it is inseparable from him. He was one of the founders of the current Nine Regions Era, a peerless sovereign of the celestial realms, a true prodigy! His life is legendary. Like me, he possessed a Pure Yang Immortal Body, and from childhood, he cultivated the Way of the Sun—one of the universe’s primal paths. Ordinary immortals could spend a lifetime without even scratching its surface, but his unique constitution let him walk the Sun’s path to its ultimate heights and even create a myth: the Ten Suns of the Great Day!

Zhou Hao quickly asked, “The Ten Suns of the Great Day—what is that?”

Deng Tulang smiled. “Ah, that’s a very ancient legend! Those who cultivate the Way of the Sun, when their body and spirit are in perfect harmony and they comprehend its profound mysteries, can condense a sun of their own—a true manifestation of the Sun’s Dao-fruit, called the ‘Sun of the Great Day.’ When the Way of the Sun is cultivated to its absolute peak, one can manifest the highest realm—the Ten Suns! In his day, the Lord of the Sun was the first to create the legend of the Ten Suns, and thus was revered as the Lord of the Sun.”

“I see. But then, what exactly is the Great Radiant Sun Palm?” Zhou Hao, amazed by the Lord of the Sun’s heroism, pressed Deng Tulang for more about the art itself.

“The Great Radiant Sun Palm embodies the Lord of the Sun’s understanding of the Way of the Sun; it is his undefeated art, revered for ages. The world believes it to be lost, yet here it resurfaces in the celestial realms after so many years. Those who vie for it merely hope to recreate the legend, thinking that basking in the Lord of the Sun’s glory, they too might condense the Ten Suns,” Deng Tulang explained.

“Alas, I’m not a Pure Yang Immortal Body. Even cultivating the Great Radiant Sun Palm, I fear I cannot condense the Sun of the Great Day,” Zhou Hao said, somewhat dejected.

“Young man, you’re gravely mistaken! I never said only those with the Pure Yang Immortal Body can practice this art. Think about it: among the countless immortals in the celestial realms, perhaps not one in a million possesses the Pure Yang body, yet many have walked the path of the Sun. Did they all fail? Certainly not. Some, though born with the most unremarkable immortal bodies, have still managed to condense the Sun of the Great Day. Take, for example, the merciful and revered master of the Celestial Buddhist Domain—he was a thoroughly ordinary immortal. Yet, upon cultivating the Way of the Sun, he eventually condensed eight Suns of the Great Day and was honored as the Great Sun Tathagata!” Deng Tulang comforted Zhou Hao.

“What? So the current Celestial Domain Lord, the Great Sun Tathagata, bears his title because he achieved mastery on the Sun’s path? His name comes from the Sun of the Great Day! I see, how fascinating,” Zhou Hao exclaimed, first stunned, and then he broke into a delighted smile.

Deng Tulang, seeing Zhou Hao smile, felt a bit puzzled but assumed he had come to terms with things. He continued, “Besides, you haven’t been practicing this immortal art for long. To condense the Sun of the Great Day is never an overnight achievement. Even the Great Sun Tathagata himself took five hundred years to condense his first sun.

“This art is profound beyond imagination. Others can’t even glimpse it, yet you’ve not only seen it but also practiced it. This proves your deep affinity with the Great Radiant Sun Palm. To condense the Sun of the Great Day is merely a matter of time.”

Zhou Hao nodded resolutely. “Rest assured, senior. I am not one to give up easily. One day, I will bring the Sun’s Way of the Great Radiant Sun Palm to new heights, and the legend of the Ten Suns will be reborn.”

“Excellent! That’s the spirit a young man should have!” Deng Tulang looked at the white-robed youth before him with admiration. “I see that your cultivation has reached the bottleneck of the Quasi-Golden Immortal realm, just one step away from entering the Golden Immortal ranks. Let me bestow upon you another fortune, in hopes that you realize your wish soon!”

“Senior, such great kindness—I shall never forget it!” Zhou Hao was overjoyed and quickly clasped his fists in salute to Deng Tulang, who was perched atop the yellow gourd.

“Good, now look.” Deng Tulang pointed to the bottom of the well. “Solar Fire Essence is the most yang and scorching energy between heaven and earth. Normally, even immortals would be instantly reduced to ashes upon contact. Yet for you, who have cultivated the Great Radiant Sun Palm, it’s different. When you activate the internal arts of the Great Radiant Sun Palm, your inner and outer energies resonate and breathe together, enabling you to process extreme heat rapidly. At this time, the Solar Fire Essence won’t harm you; instead, it will help you cultivate swiftly, drastically shortening the time needed. Normally, breaking through the lower immortal bottleneck requires years of accumulation; even a mere step away feels like a chasm. But the Solar Fire Essence acts as a catalyst, and your mastery of the Great Radiant Sun Palm serves as the medium for channeling this energy. Working together, they can propel you directly to the next level!”

Taking a deep breath, Zhou Hao began channeling the Great Radiant Sun Palm’s techniques as Deng Tulang instructed. He stood motionless, hands weaving intricate seals—the very seals inscribed on the stone tablet of the Great Radiant Sun Palm, designed to unify body and spirit.

In an instant, the ground beneath Zhou Hao shifted. Streams of fire surged, whirlpools formed, all centering on him. Yet the golden brilliance at the bottom of the well remained still.

In the end, Zhou Hao sat cross-legged atop the lava at the pool’s bottom, eyes tightly shut, as if a meditating monk. Only his hands continued forming seals, growing faster and faster. With every seal, his body radiated dazzling golden light—appearing with each sign, fading as the sign dispersed.

“Not bad, the boy’s truly grasped a bit of the Great Radiant Sun Palm,” Deng Tulang remarked. “But whether he can summon the Solar Fire Essence from the sun’s eye depends on whether he can further unleash the art’s true power. Go on, give it your all—and take my hopes with you.” He watched the white-robed youth by his side, eyes shining with both amazement and admiration.

Time slipped by, minute by minute. Zhou Hao now looked as if he’d been pulled from water—sweat drenched him, his figure seemingly thinner. Once rigid and still as a statue, now he began to move. His teeth were clenched, his face contorted with fierce determination, bordering on wildness, as if he might lose control at any moment.

“Ah!” With a thunderous shout, Zhou Hao’s cry echoed from the bottom of the well. At that moment, the Solar Fire Essence rumbled, and in a flash, golden flames erupted like a geyser, surging out of the sun’s eye and instantly sweeping toward Zhou Hao.

His eyes snapped open—revealing golden irises, not just reflecting the firelight but containing a second, smaller pupil within each: a pair of golden double pupils!

As the Solar Fire Essence was about to engulf him, Zhou Hao’s double pupils seemed to exert a strange power, halting the raging flames in their tracks. In the next instant, the golden fire began swirling around him, and within a few breaths, the Solar Fire Essence enveloped Zhou Hao completely. From afar, he looked like a chrysalis wrapped in a golden cocoon.

“Excellent! The first step is complete. Now comes the crucial moment—breaking the cocoon to become a butterfly!” Atop the yellow gourd, Deng Tulang’s face broke into a look of eager anticipation.