Chapter 345: Taiyin Shedding the Divine: The So-Called

The Moon of Taiyin.

Among the white jade-like leaves of the osmanthus tree, wreathed in cold, clear moonlight, three fruits hung suspended, while the six buds that had once bloomed now withered, transformed into six unripe, emerald-green fruits dangling from the branches.

Only when the green faded to pure white would they be considered ripe.

By the emerald stream formed of jade-like frost, several palace maidens of the Taiyin Jade Palace, clad in sheer gauze, played and laughed, their springtime charms flickering in and out of view, deeply alluring.

The entire Moon of Taiyin lies under the domain of the Taiyin Authority, so there is no need to worry.

After all, an Emperor capable of deceiving the Taiyin Star Lord's perception would never deign to do such a thing, and lower deities could never possibly evade the Taiyin Star Lord's awareness…

Huh~!

A sudden, inexplicable gale swept in, causing the branches of the osmanthus tree to clash together, tinkling like chimes.

The emerald stream suddenly surged with waves, startling the palace maidens beside it; they quickly fled from the riverbank and hastily adjusted their garments.

But the gale came swiftly and vanished just as fast; by the time they had taken shelter, the wind had already calmed.

"…."

What is this situation?

The palace maidens of the Taiyin Jade Palace were all puzzled—how could there be such a strong wind on the Moon of Taiyin!

Just as they wondered, their doubts vanished without warning the next instant.

Two figures appeared above, Xu Xing and Bie Xuening.

Xu Xing glanced down at the palace maidens below, who remained oblivious and resumed their tasks.

Sister is truly…

He subtly withdrew his gaze and turned to look at the Taiyin Jade Palace, as if carved from a single block of colored glaze.

"The progress is quite good."

Above the Taiyin Jade Palace hung an anomaly invisible even to ordinary mortals or Star Lord-level deities.

Infinite Taiyin primordial energy flowed forth from the deepest depths of the Taiyin Jade Palace, like a vast, undulating ocean filling the entire palace, as if washing over something.

Under this boundless torrent of Taiyin primordial energy, a pure, cold, sacred existence was being stripped away…

"Let's go, Sister."

"Mm."

Bie Xuening withdrew her gaze and descended with Xu Xing.

Along the emerald stream's bank, the path leading to the Taiyin Jade Palace was paved with cold jade, emitting a soft glow; walking upon it brought a faint chill.

"Taiyin Cleansing the Spirit, Shedding the Divine to Preserve the True…"

Bie Xuening gazed into the deepest recesses of the Taiyin Jade Palace.

There, the Taiyin Star Lord was being washed and refined by endless Taiyin primordial energy…

Before her floated a luminous white divine jade tablet, inscribed with two mysterious, infinite characters—Taiyin.

They fully expounded the Taiyin Dao of this world, connected to Heaven and Earth, resonating with the cosmos—indeed, they were the very manifestation of the Taiyin Dao itself!

Fine threads of pure Dao essence, the world's "weight," were peeled from the Taiyin Star Lord and absorbed into the two inscribed characters on the jade tablet, making them increasingly solid and radiant.

In this process, the Taiyin Star Lord herself gradually changed as the Taiyin Dao was extracted, transforming from the spirit of the Moon of Taiyin into a human…

"No wonder she is the Yuanjun," Bie Xuening murmured.

The Tui Shen Zhen Fa is perfectly suited to the Taiyin Star Lord's condition.

Of course, such a scenario is nearly impossible to replicate.

At minimum, one needs a Tongxuan-tier world, a perfected divine system, a He Dao-level title, and a spirit that is pure, untainted by any racial imprint…

Only when all these conditions are met can such a state be achieved.

As they spoke, the two had already entered the Taiyin Jade Palace.

Perhaps due to the cultivation of the Tui Shen Zhen Fa, the interior was unusually quiet, with only a few high-ranking palace maidens stationed at key points.

Xu Xing withdrew the "divine position information container," now dyed brilliant gold:

"It's not necessarily so—we still need to observe."

They had once considered this matter, but ultimately abandoned it.

For a Taiyin Star Lord—a unique, singular spirit of the Moon of Taiyin—it's easy; she never held many racial notions to begin with.

But what of those groups with spiritual legacies and complete civilizations?

Would they truly consider themselves "human" merely because their bodies and spirits became indistinguishable from those of the human race?

Twisting their own perception?

But at the He Dao realm, one can trace back to the origin and see one's true self.

If one cannot reach He Dao, how could it possibly affect the grand scheme?

Perhaps they would ultimately be misled by the Cang race and suffer for it…

"But now we can lend her a hand."

Hum~

An invisible ripple spread outward, just as when they had analyzed the divine position in the Nine Heavens Palace; the moment it touched the Taiyin jade tablet, it resolved the divine position and authority upon it, converting them into an information stream and storing them away.

Immediately, Xu Xing raised a finger and pointed.

Sss~

A faint, phantom sword shadow flickered into view and slashed across the Taiyin Star Lord's body!

The final, stubborn trace of unremovable Dao essence—the Taiyin divine position's primordial source and authority—was effortlessly severed, dissolving into wisps of energy that flowed into the jade tablet before her.

Boom!

The ocean-like Taiyin primordial energy trembled, then surged forward, entirely absorbed by the two characters on the jade tablet.

In the blink of an eye, the Taiyin primordial energy that had filled the entire palace vanished completely.

The translucent white jade tablet bore two inscriptions in ice-blue, silently hovering in empty space, glowing brilliantly.

To some extent, this jade tablet could be seen as the physical manifestation of the Yin Authority and its divine position.

Even a person with no cultivation whatsoever, if they could refine it and avoid being assimilated by the vastness of the divine authority, could directly enter the Union with Dao realm!

Of course, the probability was far lower than achieving the Cave-True realm in this world.

"Huh~"

She exhaled gently, and the Lady of the Yin Star slowly opened her eyes.

Looking at the physical manifestation of the Yin Authority and divine position floating before her, and sensing her own state, a flicker of surprise passed through her eyes. Though she had long known the condition after stripping away the divine authority, actually feeling it in that instant still startled her.

"So this is the world as seen by a 'human'…"

After curiously observing her surroundings for a while, she turned her gaze once more to what lay before her.

"Come!"

Her hand seals shifted; she activated the *Miao Dao He Yi Kai Hua Zhen Jing*, drawing forth the Yin Authority before her.

*Shoo! *

The jade tablet became a pure white stream of light, sinking into her third eye, forming a circular, pure white pattern like a full moon.

First, use the Yin Purification to shed the divine bindings, then use the *Miao Dao He Yi Kai Hua Zhen Jing* to absorb the Yin Authority…

A faint smile appeared on her face.

Though this would not restore her Union with Dao realm, she had long held the Yin Authority…

Now, using the authority to cultivate, she could advance faster than nearly all other cultivators in the world!

At that time, she would be truly and genuinely a "Near-Immortal Realm" — a Great Being of Yin Union with Dao, and no one could ever take her authority again…

The Immortal Dao: power resides within the self!

As she thought of this, she suddenly paused.

Please… Your Excellency… collect_(!)

"Near-Immortal Realm," "Great Being"…

But according to her knowledge, the Immortal Dao's term for the Union with Dao realm was not "Heavenly Immortal"?

Yet these two terms were precisely those described in the *Yin Purification and Divine Shedding True Method* and the *Miao Dao He Yi Kai Hua Zhen Jing*…

After pondering for a while and finding no answer, the Lady of the Yin Star simply gave up.

"That Jin Wu's intentions are unclear, and it is currently in a weakened state — I must leave the Yin Star quickly and hide my whereabouts…"

This was the most urgent matter now.

Even when possessing the full divine position, she was no match for that Jin Wu — how much less so now, when she was only a pseudo-Union with Dao?

Her gaze swept beyond the Yin Jade Palace, and her body instantly transformed into a streak of light, descending toward the Mortal Realm.

"I am going to the Mortal Realm. Do not worry."

Her voice echoed beside every palace maiden's ear.

Taking them all with her would only draw suspicion — better to leave them as they are, while she hides in the shadows; the Jin Wu would then hesitate to act…

"Rather clever, after all."

Within the Jade Palace, Bie Xuening observed everything and commented.

"Next is the Yang Authority," said Xu Xing, cradling the "Divine Path Information Vessel" in his palm.

Within it, at the innermost edge of countless golden threads, beside the brilliant golden light, a new point of cold, deep blue glow had appeared.

Saying this, he looked upward.

Far away in the void, a speck of crimson-gold was slowly igniting…

*Lii! *

A cry of supreme majesty echoed from afar, resounding across the Yin Star.

"Hui Yu humbly requests an audience with the Lady of the Yin Star!"

Hui Yu was the name of this era's Jin Wu.

Due to his domineering and cruel nature, he frequently ignored heavenly decrees and inflicted droughts upon the Mortal Realm — among all past holders of the Yang Position, he was among the most frequent offenders.

Rolling waves of heat surged forth, only to vanish instantly.

A streak of crimson-gold light landed upon the Yin Star, taking form as a golden-haired man, noble and radiant, with sword-like brows and starlit eyes.

He scanned the palace maidens of the Yin Jade Palace without restraint.

His aura burned fiercely, brimming with aggression.

His eyes, like transparent glass, shimmered in seven colors.

"…"

"Why not just kill him?"

Bie Xuening suddenly turned to Xu Xing.

…………

In the Mortal Realm, the sun sank toward the horizon.

Outside the capital of the Datong Dynasty, two hundred li away.

On the flat, open imperial road, dozens of ragged figures walked side by side, bound in wooden shackles and iron chains, their gazes vacant…

They were all laborers forcibly conscripted by the Emperor of the Datong Dynasty to build four gardens.

Several guards, each with a curved saber at their waist, led the group — the foreman, especially, wore a face of impatience, wielding a short whip; any sigh or complaint from the line was met with a lash.

Soon, wails filled the air.

Finally, one of the younger guards could no longer bear it; he stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"My lord, we cannot beat them anymore — if we kill too many, we won't be able to answer for it!"

"Hm?!"

Crack!

His advice was useless; he himself received a lash, the searing pain making him clutch his face and roll on the ground, wailing incessantly.

"Pah! Do you think I need you to tell me how to do my job?!"

He had already been deeply dissatisfied with being dragged here by his family to do such a miserable task.

Now, with his inner rage ignited, he swung several more whips at the young guard lying on the ground, kicked him hard several times, until the young guard begged for mercy without end.

Yet he failed to notice, as he vented his frustration.

A tall, sturdy Daoist was swiftly approaching from beside the official road. (End of Chapter)