Chapter 363: Master Jianzu?

Do you regret it later?

Jiang Lin's cloudy eyes swirled with Jin Guang, and beneath his withered skin, rolling flames seemed to surge.

"Not to hide it from you, Elder, I am indeed afraid," Jiang Lin smiled bitterly.

The more he cultivated the Four Scriptures, the clearer his grasp of the great tide became.

Added to this, over the past two years under the rule of the Tai Ping Dao, many immortals who had received transmissions joined the Tai Ping Dao, and gradually he came to understand the true terror of this world.

Not to mention the reclusive Tong Xuan Jin Xian, even those He Dao who had not yet entered the world were far beyond his match.

By using the alchemy method to melt the divine blessing power into a Dharma Form, after one hundred and eight days, he could make not a single further advance!

He had also tried replacing it with stronger divine blessings, but the power could at most reach the Returning Void level…

Beyond that, he could never reach it.

As for his own cultivation, even with the aid of the Divine Path's primordial source, he had only advanced one minor realm…

Of course, this pace of progress could not be called slow.

But the rolling great tide of this world crushed forward, never pausing because he could not keep up.

When he thought of his own impending demise, how could he not be afraid…

"But…" Jiang Lin straightened his hunched back slightly, "this is what my true heart desires—I would not regret it even if I died ten thousand times!"

"Your words sound as if you said them deliberately for me," Hong Zun regarded him with deep meaning.

"I dare not deceive you, Elder," he forced a grotesque smile, which, against his wrinkled, withered face, looked terrifying; "I say this because I truly seek from you a way to break this deadlock."

Jiang Lin was utterly candid.

Once those reclusive Tong Xuan and those He Dao who had not yet entered the world descended, everything now would collapse instantly.

He had already made all his arrangements, prepared to die, for the strength of the Solar Golden Flame truly exceeded his capacity to resolve.

But this Elder who had transmitted his method appeared again…

And gave him renewed hope of breaking the deadlock.

Hearing this, Hong Zun finally smiled.

"You are indeed candid."

Saying this, he flicked his finger.

A flash of spiritual light landed upon Jiang Lin.

Xiong Xiong!

Instantly, scorching flame waves surged within Jiang Lin's body, puffing out his wide sleeves with the heat.

Blinding golden light radiated from his body, illuminating the entire quiet chamber.

But as the golden light gradually dimmed, the white hair, like weeds, gradually turned black, and the wrinkles and age spots on his face slowly faded.

The cloudiness in his eyes vanished completely, replaced by piercing brilliance, which vanished again in an instant.

In less than a moment, he had restored his former self—the very image of when he once trod the capital, subdued the Dragon, defeated the Heavenly Mansion, and shattered the five-hundred-year fortune of the Da Tong Dynasty!

The Solar Golden Flame burned away life, yet Hong Zun used that very Solar Golden Flame as a foundation to restore his youth.

"Hu~"

With a light exhale, Jiang Lin felt his body, now renewed as the Solar Golden Flame had fully dissipated, and the Tai Ping One Hundred and Eight Heavenly Dharma Form returning to his mind sea; a hint of joy surfaced on his face.

"Thank you, Elder."

"No need to thank me. Everything began because I transmitted my method, and now it is complete from start to finish." Hong Zun opened his palm, revealing an ancient bronze mirror, and handed it over; "This mirror I give you—its sealed power can slay two Tong Xuan. It settles the karmic debt between us."

Jiang Lin solemnly accepted the mirror, handling it with utmost care; after carefully taking it, he gazed at the bronze mirror in his palm, hesitating to speak, yet finally asked:

"Elder… are you above Tong Xuan Jin Xian?"

Hong Zun looked at him with a half-smile:

"Yes."

As I suspected!

He tucked away the mirror, unable to help but marvel: "So there truly exists something above Tong Xuan…"

It seems the ancient texts unearthed by the Tai Ping Dao disciples were incomplete.

"When did I say I was from this world?" Hong Zun said.

Jiang Lin froze.

The Elder is not from this world?

"I come from a very distant world, but due to some accident, I broke away from my original world and arrived in this one."

"As for the world I come from, you may call it—"

"The Immortal Realm."

The Immortal Realm?!

Jiang Lin was utterly stunned, but then he recalled something: "So the alchemy method I received was also…"

"Transmitted by one of my Dao brothers," Hong Zun rose. "He Dao, Tong Xuan, after that is Dong Zhen; Dong Zhen awakens the ultimate Dao, breaks through the Immortal Gate, and becomes a True Immortal."

Since he was leaving, he might as well explain it all at once—this young man's disposition was decent, and he wouldn't chase after lofty, unattainable goals.

After Dong Zhen comes True Immortal—so those reclusive Tong Xuan Jin Xian…

Thinking of this, Jiang Lin suddenly felt something strange.

"I've answered all your questions. Let us part ways now."

Hong Zun's figure began to fade.

"Elder!" Jiang Lin hurriedly said, "Could you give me another piece of that dried ration?"

"…"

Pada!

No echo came, but a silver-gleaming, Fang Fangzhengzheng object fell to the ground, engraved with intricate patterns.

It was the compressed biscuit Hong Zun had given him and his two young disciples upon their first meeting.

Jiang Lin's eyes flickered with nostalgia as he reached out and picked it up.

"The bronze mirror is merely an aid; great change is coming to this world. If you wish to achieve what lies in your heart, you may use it as leverage."

A voice echoed in his ear, and Hong Zun's figure had vanished completely.

"The world… will have great change?"

……

……

Several days later.

Most of the Taiping Dao's regional leaders arrived at Chengming Mountain to visit the Taiping Daoist, who had been severely wounded by the Sun Star Lord.

Among them were many with ulterior motives, pretending to pay respects while seeking to probe the Taiping Daoist—only to be outmaneuvered by his counterstrategy.

The Taiping Dao's One Hundred and Eight Heavenly Spirits manifested their divine might once more.

A purge ensued, eliminating thirty-five scheming individuals, one of whom was the Taiping Daoist's direct disciple.

The entire world trembled in terror.

Many Immortal Dao initiates speculated that the Taiping Daoist had reached the Union with Dao realm.

One month later, autumn winds grew bleak, and peace settled over the mortal realm.

Yet behind the celestial curtain, a vast and majestic paradise suddenly appeared, opening a path toward the mortal world.

……

……

Mortals gazed up at what lay beyond the celestial curtain.

They saw a colossal paradise, immense as an ancient star.

Within it, jagged peaks rose like swords, strange rocks clustered thickly; beside spiritual springs, auspicious beasts wandered.

Smoke and mist scattered radiant hues; the sun and moon shimmered with light.

Amidst thousands of verdant ancient cedars, immortal cranes cried out, their calls echoing to the ninth heavens; above the clouds, phoenixes soared, trailing five-colored clouds of light.

Beside orderly, splendid palaces, rare flowers adorned the landscape, and auspicious grasses steamed with radiant mist.

Swordlight flashed back and forth as elegant sword cultivators glided upon blades.

Amidst the smoke, mist, and clouds sat a majestic presence—eyes of sun and moon, cloak of cloud and mist, resting across its knees a peerless divine blade that breathed forth boundless Tai Ming Gengjin Qi!

Tai Ming Yuan Paradise!

Tong Xuan Jin Xian—Tai Ming Master Jianzu!

Regardless of cultivation level—even ordinary mortals who had not yet stepped onto the Dao path—clearly saw everything within the Tai Ming Yuan Paradise!

Simultaneously, a vast voice resonated in the heart of every being in the world.

"I am the Tai Ming Master Jianzu. Today, I transmit the Dao to all—regardless of origin or lineage. Those with superior roots and worthy character may enter my Tai Ming Sword Palace!"

Boom!

It struck the main world, and heaven and earth trembled!

The void shattered in fragments; the colossal Tai Ming Yuan Paradise, vast as an ancient star, slowly entered the main world!

Simultaneously, a cultivation method unfolded in the heart of every living being in heaven and earth—The Tai Ming Refining Metal Scripture!

It draws in the Gengjin Qi of heaven and earth, refining the bones; once perfected, the cultivator becomes a divine blade, terrifying in offensive power, unmatched in assault!

emm…

But why does it feel inferior to the Tai Ping Refining Soul Method?

Some Tai Ping Dao soldiers, sensing the method flowing within them, felt puzzled.

Not a single character, not a single word, not a single line is wrong!

"The Tai Ming Refining Metal Scripture…"

At the peak of Chengming Mountain.

Jiang Lin also felt the method flowing within him, his fingers tracing the surface of an ancient bronze mirror, his expression solemn.

"Refining one's body into a weapon—this is a demonic technique!"

With his Current Realm, he could clearly see the true purpose of the Tai Ming Refining Metal Scripture!

Those who cultivate this method, after drawing in the Gengjin Qi of heaven and earth to purify their bodies, gradually transform their bones; their flesh, spiritual energy, and even their soul are refined into the bones.

Eventually, flesh withers, form and spirit perish, leaving only the bones—a perfect sword core!

The first paradise to arrive in this world was such a demonic sect.

Though he had prepared himself mentally, actually witnessing it sent a chill through Jiang Lin's heart.

'Tai Ming Master Jianzu…'

Suppressing his anger, Jiang Lin activated the Yu Shen Fa, commanding the Tai Ping Dao's current Guardian Spirits to spread the word.

Yet the moment the Tai Ping Dao's Guardian Spirits moved!

Hum—!

The world fell utterly silent as boundless Tai Ming radiance flooded the entire sky.

Within the majestic paradise, the magnificent presence seated amid smoke and mist—its sun-and-moon eyes—gazed directly toward his location.

Boom!

In that instant, the void twisted as if solid, rules inverted, principles dissolved; the power contained within could crush the Sun Star Lord into a quail!

But… nothing happened.

The bronze mirror in Jiang Lin's palm emitted a soft glow, effortlessly blocking that gaze.

"Fascinating…"

A soft laugh, tender and melodic, yet bold and majestic, like a whisper yet a loud cry.

Finally, a calm voice sounded in their ears: "The Daoist of Taiping may become my direct disciple."

The voice carried the power to warp perception and rewrite rules, seeking to impose upon heaven and earth a new decree: "The Daoist of Taiping is the direct disciple of the Taoming Master Jianzu."

The power of Tongxuan was laid bare!

For the Taoming Master Jianzu, most things in the world held no meaning—only those that intrigued him mattered.

The Daoist of Taiping, who had withstood his gaze, was fascinating.

Yet the faint, glowing radiance emitted by the ancient bronze mirror still effortlessly repelled all.

Seeing himself fail once again, his interest surged; he was about to do something more…

Ding—!

A crisp sound echoed suddenly through heaven and earth, as if something taut had finally snapped.

Had a true Immortal listened closely, they would have discerned it was actually three sounds layered together.

The Emperor Lords within the Heavenly Palace, the many reclusive Tongxuan, even the Taoming Master Jianzu—all paused at this moment, activating methods to investigate the origin of this inexplicable sound.

Of course, none held any hope; after all, hadn't previous investigations yielded not a single clue?

Just when all had given up hope…

This time, they effortlessly followed the sound and saw a seated figure.

Eyebrows like swords, eyes like stars, posture upright and proud.

Between his knees rested a longsword, entirely crimson, swirling with the light of kindling fire.

The shadow of the red moon glowed, seemingly containing all sword arts from ancient to modern times.

Perception grew bewildered.

Then, all scenes peeled away, rising higher.

Around him, an eternal, silent void spread, dark and endless.

Before him, an endless river—without beginning or end—raged forward.

The thunderous roar of its waters seemed like countless sword cultivators clashing their dao; the waves surged as if countless longswords had been drawn, striking the high heavens.

From ancient to modern times, every sword dao—light or heavy, simple or profound—unfolded and manifested within it.

At the river's end, it was held in the palm of a vast, boundless presence.

The sword's radiance illuminated all directions, as if severing all things; the myriad laws and methods, eternal and unchanging, trembled beneath its supreme edge.

No matter how they peered, their perception could see only a small portion of the hand holding the Sword Dao River.

That being—the embodiment of Dao and Law, the origin of all sword dao—was utterly beyond their sight!

Hummm~!

Amid the sword's resonance, all illusions shattered; the perceptions of countless Tongxuan could no longer see that figure.

Yet in the mortal realm, a crimson line split the azure heavens, as if slicing heaven and earth in two!

Upon that crimson line stood a figure, barefoot in the void, holding a crimson longsword swirling with kindling fire.

From afar, he appeared no larger than an ordinary human; yet in the perception of all beings in the world, his form was boundless, filling the entire cosmos—the world itself could not bear his weight!

Master Jianzu!

At the peak of Chengming Mountain, Jiang Lin stood frozen in place.

Another Master Jianzu?

Then he realized the newly appeared Master Jianzu was gazing at him.

Wherever the gaze fell, heaven and earth shifted.

The instant the Master Jianzu's gaze landed on him, the very center of heaven and earth shifted to his location.

"Well done."

As the voice sounded, the kindling fire glowed; Jiang Lin felt a faint crimson ray descend upon him.

"I grant you one more sword scar—it can kill a Tongxuan."

The voice left no concealment, echoing in all directions; no Tongxuan could fail to hear.

Upon hearing this, the Taoming Master Jianzu's face turned green.

Can kill a Tongxuan?

Master Jianzu, are you pointing at whom?

You are the ancestral elder of sword cultivators—shouldn't you show some favor to us sword cultivators?

Fine, I'll stop calling myself Master Jianzu!

Hong Zun: "..."

We're both givers, and you've given fewer times than I have—why are you making such a grand spectacle?

Didn't you tell me to keep a low profile?

Where's the low profile in this?

After completing all this, Xu Xing opened his hand and withdrew a Transcendence Platform.

A golden-white Transcendence Platform floated silently in his palm—another one.

"Tongxuan is not the end of cultivation."

He had gone through this process many times; Xu Xing handled it with ease.

In one-billionth of an instant, every Tongxuan, He Dao, and Fan Xu in the world felt an unimaginably terrifying edge press against their third eye—as if the slightest movement would erase them from their very roots! (End of Chapter)