Chapter 358: The Thirty-Three Heavenly Spirits of Tai Ping

Jiang Lin paused, unleashing magic power to seal the Bianshi Zhenjun's entire strength, then casually tossed him aside.

Having done this, he gazed toward the distance.

Vast, rolling waves of dark black qi instantly filled the sky, purging evil and cleansing malevolence.

Upon appearing, it immediately overshadowed the smoke-choked ruins of the Bianshi ancestral estate; every lingering flame across the grounds vanished at once.

Amidst the most intense aura of deadly wrath, a figure stepped through the air, each step seeming to land at the very center of heaven and earth, majestic and radiant, while the boundless dark black qi purging evil became mere backdrop.

He moved slowly, yet reached the vicinity in the blink of an eye.

He wore a crown of Nine Morning Jade, draped in a green feathered flying robe, and held a strange scroll inscribed with the scene of stars and constellations.

The Bianshi Zhenjun struggled, a look of delight crossing his face: "Star Lord! This brat Jiang Lin is too arrogant—You…"

Yet the newcomer did not even glance at the Bianshi Zhenjun; his gaze fell, looking down upon Jiang Lin:

"That waste isn't worthy. Am I?"

Yangming Tanlang Star Lord!

He was a true, genuine Great Star Lord; when his divine position was active, his combat power rivaled that of a Return to Void.

Though he had since relinquished his divine position and surrendered his authority, he still ranked second only to Xuanling Jieyi Yansheng Star Lord—the first-tier disciple of the Xuanling Daoist.

Yet facing the gaze descending from Yangming Tanlang Star Lord, Jiang Lin showed no fear, calmly returning his stare.

"What does the Star Lord mean? Are you asking me to spare this waste?"

"What do I care whether that waste lives or dies?"

Yangming Tanlang Star Lord stood with his hands behind his back; the strange star scroll beside him rotated slowly, its starlight clear and bright:

"Hand over the method of crafting the Tai Ping Dan, and have your Tai Ping Dao gather spiritual items for me. In the coming golden age of immortality, I shall guarantee you a Return to Void position."

So it was as expected.

The alchemical method he had obtained was extraordinarily profound; though he had deliberately concealed it, it still could not escape the notice of some well-versed cultivators, drawing their covetous eyes.

Since he had long anticipated this, Jiang Lin felt no surprise now.

"What do you think of the world today?" he asked.

"Hahaha!" His booming laughter shook the entire expanse of dark black qi, "A great era shifts, heroes rise—this is the perfect moment for us to seize the opportunity and pluck the fruit of the Dao!"

Visible concentric ripples spread through the void.

The Bianshi Zhenjun, whose strength had been sealed beside Jiang Lin, was instantly stunned into unconsciousness by the shockwave.

"Is that all?"

A soft question, yet it cut through the thunderous laughter without being drowned out, echoing with perfect clarity.

The laughter ceased abruptly; Yangming Tanlang Star Lord's expression darkened instantly.

"Don't push your luck."

He had merely observed that the Tai Ping Dao was developing reasonably well, and that this young disciple's realm and cultivation were passable, so he had answered his question.

In short, he sought to impress him with his own aspiration for the Dao.

But this young disciple…

"I am not pushing my luck," Jiang Lin's body glowed with faint Jin Guang. "We simply walk different paths, and cannot be allies."

"Ungrateful fool."

With a cold utterance, Yangming Tanlang Star Lord struck backward.

Boom—!

Infinite dark black qi surged forth, intertwining into a colossal hand that crushed the void and slammed down toward the Bianshi ancestral shrine.

Then, without even glancing back, he turned and left.

He had ascended to his divine position at the end of the previous epoch, when the Divine Path first rose.

In this epoch, among immortal cultivators, aside from the lower-world Zhenjun, all others seemed to him like children—even the Soul Transformation cultivators of the 【Stealing Spirit Dao】, he could crush with one hand, let alone an Yuan Ying of the 【Prayer Spirit Dao】.

Yet he had not gone far when, hearing no expected explosion, Yangming Tanlang Star Lord frowned and halted, turning back to look.

Outside the Bianshi ancestral shrine, the Jin Guang had blazed with overwhelming intensity, completely overpowering the descending black qi hand.

Brilliant and radiant, like a great sun rising from the earth, it ascended to the same height as Yangming Tanlang Star Lord, driving back much of the dark black qi!

"I haven't answered your original question yet, Star Lord—why rush to leave?"

Jiang Lin walked amid golden flames, holding in his palm a six-faceted Dangmo Golden Club.

Yangming Tanlang Star Lord raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Though you're not as worthless as a Tianjun, you're still a waste—what merit do you have to represent the lower-world Zhenjun?" Jiang Lin said sincerely.

Since enmity was now certain, there was no need to hold back his words.

"Heh…" Yangming Tanlang Star Lord laughed bitterly with rage, "Good! Very good! Excellent!"

"I merely helped you recognize your own worthlessness. You know it in your heart—no need to react so dramatically." His tone remained as calm as ever.

The scene fell utterly silent.

But the next instant, a roar of furious rage exploded like thunder:

"Die—!"

Dark black qi spiraled like a typhoon; the strange star scroll unleashed boundless starlight, the two intertwining into the sharpest blade in existence, tearing through all.

A pair of eyes appeared behind the swirling dark black qi, like twin stars, as if seeing everything.

Yangming Tanlang, presiding over the judgment of those who seek truth and the merits and faults of celestial spirits.

Though he relinquished his divine position, years of meditating on his authority had yielded results.

The golden flames trembled; Jiang Lin stood within them, utterly unshaken, showing no fear of his past sins being exposed—only serene composure.

Until the peerless blade reached his face, piercing through the golden flames.

The six-sided Golden Mallet in his hand rose only then. He hadn't wanted to reveal himself so early, but the alchemy method had drawn covetous eyes—if he didn't show a single trump card, trouble would never end.

At that time, struggling to respond, how could one possibly protect the common people of the world!

Thoughts flashed like lightning; Jiang Lin spoke loudly:

"The Three-Thirty-Heavens Divine Form of Tai Ping, I invite the Star Lord to inspect!"

Hum~

Space itself seemed to freeze at that moment; all things ceased their flow, save for one blinding point of golden light.

But in an instant, it surged forth, overwhelming the sky's dark qi like a storm tearing through withered grass and rotten wood!

The black sky vanished; golden light flowed through heaven and earth, illuminating the entire cosmos.

A towering divine form, three thousand three hundred zhang tall, with three heads and six arms, held in its hands a golden mallet, a treasure mirror, a spear, chains, a flying ring, and a divine whip—its presence propped up heaven and earth.

Between its brows glowed a single emerald divine eye; its twin eyes blazed with fiery light; behind its head hovered a radiant halo, thirty-three layers deep, golden radiance intensifying from inner to outer.

Behind it, six divine banners fluttered, manifesting the mountains, rivers, grasses, and trees of the mortal world.

The alchemy method grew ever more refined.

Not a single verse, a single line, a single character, a single detail was wrong in every single view!

This was the Tai Ping Three-Thirty-Heavens Divine Form—he had cultivated it by grounding himself in the Divine Subjugation Scripture, using his own body as the furnace, and fusing the empowered forces of thirty-three divine spirits into one!

The Star Lord of Yangming Tanlang looked up, his eyes filled with stunned disbelief.

What, what kind of technique is this?!

In his eyes, the towering three-thousand-three-hundred-zhang giant was nothing but a web of authorities, interwoven and mutually reinforcing.

But… how could this be?!

"Today, I shall let the Star Lord experience the method of crafting Tai Ping Dan."

A booming voice echoed; in the Star Lord's dazed gaze, a massive hand woven from authorities reached for him!

Xiong Xiong!

Flames of divine rule ignited from the empty air beside him; leaping fire formed a dantian furnace, engulfing him entirely!

…

…

Higher up.

A breathtaking figure concealed within the void, barefoot treading lightly upon cloud qi, gazed at the phenomena above the Bianshi Sect ancestral hall, her expression deeply complex.

Even the phrase "shoulders like carved jade, waist as slender as bound silk, neck elongated and graceful, fair skin exposed" could not surpass her.

A faint frown between her brows revealed a pure white pattern, round as the moon.

She was none other than the Tai Yin Star Lord, having purified her spirit and shed her divine form.

"This divine form… such an unusual technique."

It bore some resemblance to the 'divine body' she had seen before, yet was far more mysterious—and it drew upon considerable external power…

emm…

Thirty-three authorities fused together, mutually reinforcing…

Though this divine form had not yet reached the Void Return realm, it had already surpassed Soul Transformation by a full step.

The Tai Yin Star Lord was of the Union with Dao tier; though she had shed her divine position, she remained a pseudo-Union with Dao.

Observing that divine form, she saw it as clearly as if it lay open before her.

Aside from the parts involving the Divine Subjugation Scripture and the alchemy method—which she could not comprehend—the basic structure of the divine form was already clear in her mind.

"Tai Ping Dao…"

During winter, she had been instructed by several my lords, learning that the Tai Ping Dan was forged by that Master Jianzu.

Now this man also knows the method of crafting Tai Ping Dan—what connection does he have with the Master Jianzu?

The Star Lord of Yangming Tanlang thrashed wildly within the dantian furnace formed of multicolored flames, yet could not break free; slowly, he was refined by the fire, his true form revealed.

Aah~

Had it not been for lingering reservations, she truly wished to descend and ask…

She cast a deep glance at the sky, seeing the great sun hanging high, the golden crow crying out.

A flicker of wariness surfaced in the Tai Yin Star Lord's eyes; she turned and vanished instantly.

…………

Ninefold Heavenly Palace.

Within the Imperial Supreme Lingxiao Hall.

"At this pivotal moment of great world transition, such a prodigy has emerged, pushing divine power to this extreme," said Emperor Zai Ming.

"Not only divine power—this 'divine form' also grants enhancement even to us," replied another Emperor.

"Compared to the 'divine body,' this divine form is far more mysterious—its conception is truly ingenious!" exclaimed an Emperor wearing a feathered crown, clapping his hands. "This youth belongs in my sect!"

"Hmph! Let each see what methods they can wield!"

While several Emperors marveled at the brilliance of the 'divine form,' the highest-ranking Celestial Sovereign remained silent, merely watching.

Tai Ping Three-Thirty-Heavens Divine Form… fusing the authorities of countless divine spirits into one.

If I could fuse the authorities of billions of divine spirits, then unify the authorities of countless Emperor-tier beings, and forge a 'Myriad Divine Form'—wouldn't that…

The thought arose, and like Jian Ye Cao, it grew wild and rampant.

Just as he was about to act, the rising thought vanished entirely—even the Emperors in the hall fell silent.

"He used the alchemy method passed down by Brother Dao to fuse the empowered forces of divine spirits and forged a divine form…"

Hong Zun sat higher still; it was his doing that the Celestial Sovereign's and the Emperors' thoughts had just vanished.

"Brilliant idea—but…"

This way of speaking is so much like that of a certain brute group? (End of chapter)