Yun Qi carried a large stack of books back to his residence.
Sitting at his desk, he first took out the "White Tiger Seven Constellations Scroll" and slowly peeled off the paper seal covering the scroll.
A silvery light immediately shone through the painting, casting a cold, blade-like sensation on Yun Qi's face as the light touched his skin.
He placed the scroll on the far right side of the desk and began to unroll it to the left.
As the scroll unfurled, the silvery light grew even brighter, piercing his eyes and forcing him to close them reflexively.
"Roar!"
A tiger's roar echoed out of nowhere, causing Yun Qi to force his eyes open despite the tears welling up.
At that moment, he caught a glimpse of a white tiger leaping out of the scroll and disappearing into a starry river that had also appeared out of thin air.
By the time he tried to get a closer look, it had vanished without a trace.
Marveling at the wonders of immortal techniques, Yun Qi realized that this ancient artifact from the Warring States period was indeed extraordinary.
He carefully examined the scroll, noting that the background was black, while the figures were outlined in silver.
Their clothing was vividly colored, as if painted by a master artist.
It was hard to believe that this was a copy of a screen painting from thousands of years ago.
From right to left, the scroll depicted the following seven star deities:
1. Kui Wood Star Lord: The deity lay on a piece of jade, one hand supporting his head and the other holding a gleaming green longsword.
His face was blue, with white fangs and messy red sideburns.
A few strands of purple beard hung from his chin.
He wore a light yellow robe, with bare green feet and knobby joints like twisted tree roots.
2. Lou Metal Star Lord: This deity was tall and robust, standing with a sword in his arms.
He wore a dark red robe, a black square crown, and thick-soled official boots.
His face was square and bright yellow, with a mustache and a thick beard.
His eyes were sharp, exuding authority.
3. Wei Earth Star Lord: This deity stood with his hands behind his back, holding a long spear.
He wore armor covered by a yellow robe and a pheasant-feather crown, looking majestic.
4. Mao Sun Star Lord: This deity was dressed in luxurious attire, wearing a golden crown with peach leaves and a bright red robe adorned with clouds and stars.
A warm yellow jade belt, studded with agates, encircled his waist.
He held a tablet painted with landscapes.
Though not tall, he was slim, with a pale face, fiery golden eyes, and a hooked nose.
He held a tiny flame between his thumb and forefinger, which upon closer inspection, was a fine embroidery needle.
5. Bi Moon Star Lord: This deity wore a moon-white palace dress with layers of tassels.
Her hair, ears, and neck were adorned with bright pearls, giving her a radiant appearance.
She held twin swords, her eyes fierce and commanding.
6. Zi Fire Star Lord: This deity wore a star official's robe in purple and black, looking exceptionally noble.
His face was red with a pointed mouth and eyes like burning coals.
He held a short iron rod, appearing furious.
7. Shen Water Star Lord: This deity was tall and strong, with thick eyebrows and broad shoulders.
He wore blue armor and a water-wave blue robe.
He stood with one hand on his hip and the other holding a large seal, looking down as if reprimanding someone.
These seven star deities represented the seven attributes of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, belonging to the White Tiger of the West.
They governed military affairs and slaughter, making them suitable as the main deities for inner cultivation and future spiritual guardians of the organs.
Yun Qi intended to open his heart palace, and the inner deity should naturally be of the fire element.
Logically, the Zi Fire Star Lord would be the first choice, but Yun Qi preferred the Mao Sun Star Lord for three reasons:
1. The Mao Sun Star Lord was a solar deity, transcending the Five Elements but still rooted in fire.
While combining the Five Elements with Yin-Yang was difficult, deriving the Five Elements from Yin-Yang was simpler.
Thus, he was a suitable choice for the heart palace's main deity.
2. The Mao Sun Star Lord's true form was a double-crested golden-eyed rooster.
Roosters were known as the "bird of five virtues": literary, martial, brave, benevolent, and trustworthy.
In contrast, the Zi Fire Star Lord's true form was a fiery monkey, known for its erratic and irritable nature, which Yun Qi disliked.
3. Roosters were yang creatures, responsible for heralding the dawn and suppressing yin energy.
They also had the power to subdue evil spirits and creatures, making them ideal for governing the heart palace and commanding the other organs.
Having made up his mind, Yun Qi carefully considered his decision and found no flaws.
He rolled up the scroll and resealed it to prevent the divine energy from dissipating too quickly.
Next, he flipped through the "Taoist Temple Construction Manual," focusing on the essentials of building temples for yang officials, star deities, and fire gods.
Winter arrived, and snow fell heavily.
The Green Pine Lake, located in a secluded pine forest south of the Lesser Myriad Mountains, was blanketed in snow.
The lake itself remained unfrozen, with a red dot visible in the cold mist above its center.
A young Taoist stood on a fiery cloud above the lake, his eyes half-closed as he performed a series of movements: raising his arms, circling them, and then lowering them while squatting.
As he moved, he slowly exhaled a single syllable: "Chui!"
When the syllable ended, he inhaled deeply, and the cold mist from the lake was drawn into his mouth.
Below the fiery cloud, a dark green shadow swam in the water.
"Thank you for guarding me, fellow Daoist," the young Taoist said to the water.
With a splash, a massive creature emerged—a green dragon-like being with no horns.
It was a young green dragon, its head as large as the young Taoist on the cloud.
The dragon spat out an object, which landed on the cloud: a dark green ancient zither.
Seeing the young Taoist catch the zither, the dragon's eyes filled with joy and anticipation.
"Shall I play 'The Fisherwoman' again?" the young Taoist asked.
The dragon nodded eagerly.
The young Taoist smiled and began to play the ancient Tang dynasty tune, "The Fisherwoman."
This obscure piece, discovered by his father in an old music book, had become the young dragon's favorite.
Months ago, while gathering water energy on the lake during a mid-autumn night, Yun Qi had hummed this tune, which had drawn the green dragon to him.
As he plucked the strings of the zither, named "Heavenly Wind and Pine Snow," Yun Qi couldn't help but miss his father's playing and his mother's warm, content smile whenever she heard the song.
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(End of Chapter)