Chapter 2440

Clang!

Clang clang clang——

After many years, so many years that all living beings in the present world have no memory of them, the bell in the Tai Shang Da Ri Tian Shu rang once again, its resonant tone spreading to every star domain in the boundless starry sky, causing ripples upon ripples that fell upon every world where life exists.

"What is this?"

Many cultivators wore expressions of confusion.

Even quasi-emperors, supremes, and emperor-realm cultivators—top experts of the starry sky—were among them, and no one knew what this was or why it rang.

Until the Dao resonance within the sound wave arrived, carrying its message.

"The Ancient Emperor is summoning supremes and above!"

"The Ancient Emperor!"

Many experts of the Immortal Dynasty changed expression greatly and hurriedly flew toward the Tian Shu direction in a flurry.

As they flew, many felt anxious in their hearts.

They quickly consulted the history of the Immortal Dynasty and found that such bell tolls had occurred several times in its history, each time signaling a dynasty-destroying war against enemies, with untold Immortal Dao experts perishing and untold blood shed across the starry sky; the cruelty and terror of it is unimaginable to cultivators who have long known peace.

A few Immortal Dynasty experts felt a stir in their hearts, recalling a rumor recently circulating among a select few experts.

Now it seems, this may not be just a rumor?

Within the Tian Shu, many Immortal Dynasty experts once again saw the Ancient Emperor.

Many gazes were somewhat dazed.

Since birth, they have basked in the Ancient Emperor's glory, regarding him as eternal as Yin and Yang, time, and the Great Dao, yet they have never laid eyes upon him; many have lived from birth to death without seeing him, but now their wish is fulfilled.

The Ancient Emperor remains as youthful as ever.

Appearing as a sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth in green robes, showing not a trace of aging, as vigorous as the morning sun.

One supreme after another, quasi-emperor, and emperor-realm cultivator arrived—there were Tai Shang Da Ri sword cultivators, there were attendants of Tushan, there were experts of the Qingmu Xianzong holy land, there were clan experts, there were Xian Men Xiu Shi, there were True Dragon Immortal Clan experts, True Phoenix Immortal Clan experts, and experts of myriad races, all coming here to stand respectfully with hands bound before the Ancient Emperor's seat.

Though their origins, cultivation methods, and cultures differed, they all shared one identity: that of Immortal Dynasty cultivators.

The so-called sects, clans, holy lands, and families are not semi-independent fiefdoms; they are all subordinate organizations of the Immortal Dynasty, with various names, but in substance equivalent to universities or county-level institutions, with all organizations, military authority, and financial power directly controlled by the Tian Shu.

It is perfectly normal for a cultivator surnamed Ouyang to serve as clan leader in a family named the Li Xianzu; all cultivators are officials in rotation.

The Immortal Dynasty is a highly centralized organization capable of directly controlling every cultivator.

This is the Immortal Dynasty today, with the Ancient Emperor using his might to reconcile excessive internal contradictions, tolerating no unreasonable internal strife, no matter how deep its historical roots.

This is now.

If the Ancient Emperor departs, what will become of the various Immortal Dynasty sects, holy lands, clans, and races?

Many Immortal Dynasty experts cast their gazes darkly, bowed their heads deeply, daring not to think too much before the Ancient Emperor, for even a thought would be a desecration of him.

Clang!

When the final bell toll sounded, aside from the experts garrisoned across the realms, the last supreme of the Immortal Dynasty had arrived.

All Immortal Dynasty experts, as if having received an order, gently raised their heads and gazed toward the crystal divine throne.

"We pay our respects!"

"We pay our respects, Sword Master!"

All Immortal Dynasty experts spoke in unison, loud and clear.

Every gaze held reverence and admiration, looking upon this invincible being beneath the starry sky, a great existence who has dwelled in the world for seventy million years.

"Greetings, fellow Daoists, good afternoon."

"Long time no see."

The voice of the Tai Shang Da Ri Gu Huang was ethereal, as if separated by an entire nine heavens, and he spoke slowly: "This sovereign shall enter slumber in ten million years."

"This parting should mean we shall never meet again."

Ten million years later!

The Ancient Emperor shall slumber!

These words fell like thunder upon the hearts of Immortal Dynasty cultivators, stirring up towering waves.

The first thought in every cultivator's heart was not excitement, but panic, anxiety, sorrow—like a child facing the impending loss of a father.

For seventy million years, the Ancient Emperor's presence has been like a ballast stone in the boundless starry sky, keeping the Immortal Dynasty sailing smoothly.

No one has ever doubted that the boundless starry sky would see turmoil or war; everything would proceed smoothly and orderly, for it has always been so, and will always be so.

But now, all this is about to be declared over!

No!

Not that this era ends, but that after a long time, their descendants will face all this, facing this unprecedented change over a hundred million years—thinking of this, many Immortal Dynasty cultivators felt somewhat relieved.

Yet a deep sense of sorrow and reluctance arose unbidden in their hearts, for parting is most painful.

Within the Tian Shu, silence still prevailed, the Ancient Emperor's aura too overwhelming; though this news exploded like thunder, all Immortal Dynasty cultivators strove to maintain decorum, and any disturbance quickly subsided.

"Henceforth, these ten million years shall be a formal period of transition."

"During these ten million years, the Immortal Dynasty shall maintain independent operation, functioning without this sovereign's interference, and after ten million years shall formally enter a state of independent operation."

"This sovereign hopes the Immortal Dynasty's glory may endure even longer."

Jiang Ding said calmly: "Therefore, this sovereign authorizes the establishment of the Dao Ting Committee, where supremes may attend and hold one vote each, quasi-emperors shall have tenfold weight, and emperor-realm cultivators three hundredfold weight; any major matter must be authorized by the Dao Ting Committee to proceed, otherwise it is rebellion."

"Rebels shall, under the supervision of the Meng Jian Jie Zheng Wu Ling, have a commander selected by the Dao Ting Committee to raise an army and annihilate them."

"All major affairs of the Dao Ting must be supervised by the Meng Jian Jie Zheng Wu Ling, must conform to the Immortal Dynasty's laws, and must align with this sovereign's moral and Dao-heart views; otherwise, they are likewise unlawful and must be eradicated."

"Thus, the Immortal Dynasty may perhaps endure for tens of millions of years more."

"Hope so."

Jiang Ding, in a calm tone, established the order for the post-Tai Shang Da Ri era.

Overall, it continues the various systems of the Immortal Dynasty era, striving to maintain operational order in the Ancient Emperor's absence, preventing the Immortal Dynasty era from collapsing too quickly.

"Yes!"

"Sword Master!"

Under the decree of the Ancient Emperor, all cultivators of the Celestial Dynasty immediately obeyed without hesitation.

"This is a matter of political system level."

"In the cultivation science level, maintenance manuals for various super-engineering projects have also been fully developed."

Jiang Ding slightly closed his eyes, then said: "After my departure, the collapse of major super-engineering projects such as the Stellar Ascension Immortal Array and the Dai Sen Super Energy Plan is inevitable, but it can be delayed; if future generations strictly follow the maintenance manuals, at most they should be able to barely sustain these super-engineering projects at greatly reduced power for fifty million years."

"Fifty million years later, these super-engineering projects will completely collapse, beyond recovery."

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