Chapter 231: Fate Reborn Again (4K)

Zhenjun Beheading Demons had long seen through the origin of Chaomu's cultivation of the Ghost Emperor Dharma Aspect.

It was a Dharma Aspect named the Yin Eclipse Ghost Emperor, a renowned powerful Ghost Emperor of the Nine Netherworld Underworld, with mighty ferocity, and even in the void Dharma Realm beyond the world, it was enough to make many cultivators pale at the mention of its name.

The Yin Eclipse Ghost Emperor was said to be the lamp keeper of the Nine Netherworld Underworld, holding a nether lamp born since ancient times, illuminating the netherworld, with profound and domineering cultivation.

Chaomu's primordial spirit technique was called the Yin Eclipse Soul-Splitting Great Dharma, containing a thread of the Yin Eclipse Ghost Emperor's authority; a single finger point was like the netherworld gods locking the register of life and death, capable of eroding the lifespan of living beings and utterly slaying them.

But this dragon soul before him was by no means an ordinary living being.

It was born leaping out of the shackles of life and death!

Although it had never cultivated the Dao, it contained a thread of Shu Kingdom's great fortune, within it held the mandate of heaven and earth, and the majestic dragon aura inherently possessed divine power to break the suppression of myriad laws.

As Zhenjun Beheading Demons had anticipated.

When that finger bone imprint penetrated deep into the dragon soul's skull, a thread of pure and vast purple qi burst forth from the dragon soul, actually blocking that finger bone imprint.

This was the Imperial Purple Fate power within the Son of Heaven's fate pattern.

Afterwards, Zhang Jian saw the terrifying crimson-black dragon soul raise its head at this moment and let out a heaven-shaking, earth-shaking angry roar, as a dense black light spurted out from deep within the dragon soul.

It was as if heaven and earth were overturned, the magnificent purple light dragon flame transforming into a torrent that swept down upon Chaomu.

As Chaomu's expression changed, his spirit treasure imperial robes stirred, as if countless profound yin black qi condensed before him into form, becoming a huge sphere.

This was a primordial spirit-level technique.

But the Purple Micro Dragon Flame possessed the miraculous ability to destroy myriad laws, and in an instant it broke open that spherical shield, sweeping toward Chaomu.

"Nine Candles' Fire, illuminate the nether realm, protect my true form!"

Chaomu also sensed the terror of this strike, and at this moment he also used part of his foundation; in his hand, his natal spirit treasure, the Black Gold Coffin, emitted a faint, pale thread of firelight.

This thread of firelight coalesced into view, as if it could illuminate the darkest corner of heaven and earth; under this light, the purple light dragon flame gradually dissipated, turning into nothingness.

"What a unique primordial spirit technique!"

Zhang Jian's agile yin spirit divine sight penetrated part of the truth of that primordial spirit technique; that thread of firelight came from probing out of an unknown void Dharma Realm.

This was very like the Spirit Mountain Dharma Seal of the Magic Buddha Jia Ye, one relying on the Buddha's power, the other relying on the projection power of a formidable spirit treasure.

Having a backer makes all the difference.

However, in Zhang Jian's view, such techniques also had flaws.

They could be restrained by some field-control-type techniques; once heaven and earth were isolated, their strengths would become weaknesses.

At this moment Zhang Jian also realized the opportunity had come.

The time to break the dragon soul's true form had arrived.

If one strike missed, that crimson-black dragon soul would hurriedly swing its tail, wanting to return to the Shu Kingdom Dragon Vein Resentful Evil.

To hide its traces!

At this moment Zhang Jian's figure stood upon the Dragon Vein Resentful Evil, and beneath his feet a Pure Soul Green Lotus blocked the gap in the Dragon Vein.

Directly blocking the necessary path for the Dragon Vein to turn back!

At this moment the ferocious dragon soul had its ferocity fully aroused, the heaven-shaking dragon chant trembled, and the crimson-black light was like an unstoppable Purple Micro torrent rushing toward Zhang Jian.

The Purple Light Dragon Flame came first.

Chaomu watched this scene, his expression changed, and he immediately shouted loudly: "Zhang Sheru, be careful..."

At this moment Chaomu's expression changed urgently; at this moment he both worried that Zhang Jian might be severely wounded or even killed by the dragon soul, and yet he hoped Zhang Jian could block the dragon soul somewhat, otherwise the dragon soul would return to the Dragon Vein.

Then everyone would have no chance.

The dragon soul, having suffered one blow, would not fall for the same trick again!

The candlelight in his hand flowed, pale flames encircling the finger bone imprint in his hand, as he prepared to strike again.

In that instant he raised his head, his pupils slightly contracted, yet he saw on the Pure Soul Green Lotus a thread of dense black sword light burst forth in an instant.

On the Pure Soul Green Lotus, facing the terrifying dragon soul's fire, Zhang Jian's eyes were calm.

He had deliberately positioned himself at the gap of the Dragon Vein precisely for this moment.

At this moment a black sword light appeared on his person.

As this sword light just appeared, whether it was Yuan Geng far in Dongling depths, preparing to continue activating the Heavenly Gang Divine Sword, or Chaomu, they both felt their primordial spirit divine sight lose color in an instant.

As if the primordial spirit divine sight had suddenly experienced a momentary blank.

Heaven and earth lost color, the primordial spirit gave rise to boundless cold light, as if covered by a thread of terrifying sword intent!

The void Dharma Realm was instantly severed, a small ancient black-gray sword appeared above Zhang Jian's head, its light lingering; wherever it passed, Zhang Jian's head-top purple light dragon flame vanished invisibly, and the dozen-zhang-long crimson-black dragon soul collapsed silently after the black-gray ancient sword swept past, annihilated, disappeared.

That small sword carried pure extermination, annihilation sword intent, sharp sword light sweeping past; even the Shu Kingdom dragon soul's various law-breaking miraculous abilities could not withstand its fervor, its purity.

It was the Beheading Demons, Slaying Immortals Sword.

At this moment Zhang Jian directly sacrificed the final killing move in his hand.

This was also the final protective talisman granted to him by Zhenjun Beheading Demons.

Although using this protective talisman now was obviously a great pity, compared to the imminent harvest, Zhang Jian considered it worthwhile.

Zhang Jian now gazed upon the scene of the dragon soul's collapse, his expression calm and indifferent.

The dozen-zhang-long magnificent Shu Kingdom dragon soul collapsed; at this moment Chaomu, who was near by a hair's breadth, only then reacted, but his face was pale, his expression still seemed immersed in that terrifying sword light.

"Beheading Demons, Slaying Immortals Sword!"

How could Chaomu not recognize this sword light?

It was the killing method of a true cultivator of the Tongshan Dao lineage.

Such sword intent that could rend provinces and lands, even a slight touch made him feel a surge of terrifying heart palpitations.

Casting a glance with slightly frightened eyes at Zhang Jian on the Pure Soul Green Lotus, he thought that should be Zhang Jian's life-preserving trump card.

A strike of a true cultivator's level, as if mythology reappeared.

Only gazing at the sight of the dragon body collapsing across the sky above his head.

Chaomu's expression was grim, his heart dripping blood.

The innate dragon soul was actually severed by a single sword.

What a waste of heavenly bounty!

Chaomu suddenly realized he had nothing to say.

As for suddenly attacking Zhang Jian, upon seeing that sword light of Slaying Demons and Exterminating Immortals, Chaomu naturally abandoned the idea.

His fervent enthusiasm was doused with a basin of cold water; he could only barely find a reason to convince himself.

Zhang Jian cannot be blamed for this scene before him.

This Slaying Demons and Exterminating Immortals sword light in Zhang Jian's hand is very likely a life-preserving gift bestowed by an elder of the Tongshan Dao lineage.

This was passively triggered.

Suppressing the heart-wrenching pain, Chaomu squeezed out a smile on his face and asked with concern.

"Mr. Zhang, have you ever been injured by a dragon soul?"

Stepping on the Pure Soul Azure Lotus, he met Chaomu's concerned gaze and laughed: "Fortunately escaped disaster!"

"Luckily, my fortune held, and I still have a protective sword aura granted by the Slaying Demon Master, which timely shielded me; though just now it was indeed quite 'dangerous'!"

Zhang Jian slightly clasped his fists.

At this moment, Zhang Jian already knew things had succeeded!

Chaomu could only say.

"This matter is due to our oversight and insufficient investigation; we never expected a dragon soul could be born in this former dynasty's dragon vein—it is our fault, nearly causing a great calamity!"

"After this, please allow me to host and make amends to you, sir!"

He wore a face full of sincerity.

Zhang Jian glanced at him, his expression also showing utter indifference.

"No need for amends, Chief Chao need not dwell on this; as long as we resolve the dragon vein's vengeful evil and eliminate this great disaster, encountering some danger is nothing—moreover, I am perfectly fine!"

Zhang Jian laughed heartily, indicating he did not mind.

Zhang Jian knew ChaoMu's ulterior motives, but he merely feigned ignorance; in this affair, he stood to gain abundantly—resolving the dragon vein's vengeful evil earned him a large amount of rich soul essence, and resolving such calamity would surely bring a surge of fortune, allowing him to offer sacrifices again at the ancestral shrine.

Moreover, he could obtain a dragon soul.

Having taken all the benefits, asking others to apologize would seem unkind, making Zhang Jian feel somewhat uneasy, yet what should be taken must still be taken!

At this moment, Zhang Jian turned his gaze to the dragon vein's vengeful evil; he waved his hand, condensing a Pure Soul Azure Lotus to block the breach in the dragon vein, and did not proceed further inward.

The dragon soul was severed, and the dragon vein's vengeful evil was largely purified by him; the remainder was left to Daoist Jingming.

He no longer needed to charge forward.

First, to grant a favor to the Dongshen Guan.

Second, to use this remaining dragon vein vengeful evil to create an opportunity to reclaim that wisp of dragon soul for himself.

If the matter were now fully completed, and the Great Qian dragon soul came to devour it, it could directly consume the Shu Kingdom's dragon vein along with its dragon soul, leaving nothing for him.

……

On the Viewing Heaven Platform, the Daoists of Dongshen Guan noticed the anomaly before Chengguang Gate—dragon vein disturbance—and all were armed to the teeth, standing in the square before the platform, awaiting Daoist Jingming's command.

Daoist Jingming also sensed the anomaly in the dragon vein from afar; his gaze was solemn, with infantile techniques circulating in the depths of his eyes; moments later, his expression turned slightly surprised.

Not only him, but many accomplished cultivators in Haojing City could feel that earth-shaking struggle; many Daoists with ulterior motives vaguely sensed the dragon soul's whereabouts.

The existence of a dragon soul truly stirred many cultivators' emotions, making them eager to act, yet being in the imperial capital, they were suppressed by the Great Qian Dragon-Tiger Qi and could not freely wield their mana like Chaomu, who held the dynasty's official seal.

They lacked the strength to contend.

Nor could they vie with a Primordial Spirit True Person for such fortune.

Yet the current situation seemed as if even this Great Qian court's Primordial Spirit True Person had gained no advantage?

On the contrary, was this dragon soul extinguished?

Viewing Heaven Platform, Daoist Jingming also wore a strange countenance.

He had not expected this dragon soul, upon birth, to produce such a result.

……

The Grand Peace Ritual Assembly proceeded smoothly several days later.

This ritual superficially belonged to the Yang Affairs Daoist Field, yet in practice it performed the affairs of the Yin Affairs Daoist Field.

Great Qian's major Daoist sects' ritual fields are usually divided into Yang Affairs Daoist Fields and Yin Affairs Daoist Fields.

Yang Affairs Daoist Fields include praying for blessings, giving thanks, yet prolonging life, welcoming auspicious omens for the state, praying for clear weather and rain, resolving misfortunes and warding off disasters, celebrating longevity and congratulations, etc.

Yin Affairs Daoist Fields involve summoning wandering souls, bathing and crossing bridges, breaking prisons and lakes, refining and transferring offerings, etc., belonging to rites for delivering the departed and saving the obscure.

Emperor Jingwu summoned the Daoists to the capital, declaring above that it was to welcome auspicious omens for the state and resolve misfortunes and ward off disasters.

In reality, it was to deliver the departed and save the obscure, to supervise the vengeful evil and battle spirits of the former Shu dragon vein.

After the auspicious day arrived, on this day the long street saw many black-armored city guards personally clearing the way.

On the street, banners fluttered; many high true ones from various regions of Great Qian, cultivators, marched alongside the city guards and under the gaze of countless Haojing citizens, step by step entering the thousands of large and small altars erected before Chengguang Gate, beginning to chant sutras and perform rites.

This Great Qian Emperor Jingwu Year Ten ritual assembly is likely the grandest event in Great Qian these past several decades.

……

This ritual assembly lasted nine days, not just a morning or evening.

And on the third day after the ritual began.

At this time, under the night sky, a dim moon hung high, and a soundless, traceless figure appeared beside a drum tower.

This place is located at Longhua Gate, called Jingyuan.

It is a deserted imperial garden, also part of the palace, though formerly the Shu imperial palace.

It is said that the Shu Emperor Ai and Empress Guan Bao were slain here by the Great Qian Imperial Guards.

Much blood has flowed here.

The founding emperor of Great Qian did not know what it was, so he simply sealed off this section of the palace wall.

At this time, wild grasses grew constantly in the garden; most of the former high towers had rotted, collapsed, and turned into broken walls and ruins, leaving only a stone-based drum tower standing here, having endured the washing of time and vicissitudes.

This place is also the dragon tail position of the Shu Kingdom's dragon vein.

Zhang Jian prepared to set up a great feng shui formation here to draw out that thread of dragon soul spirituality.

The ritual is not complicated.

Following the guidance of the Slaying Demon True Lord, Zhang Jian set up a small altar on the open ground at this time!

Using this altar to amplify the power of his own life pattern, then through blood to draw out the dragon soul.

This is just like how a gu master refines gu: to catch gu worms, one must first use a special medicinal lure to draw them out, then capture them with secret methods.

After the altar was set up, Zhang Jian stood before it, making hand seals, and thus radiated his treasure-recorded magical power outward, with a red light appearing above his fingertips.

It was a drop of essence blood emitting the aura of royal mandate, along with a thread of Purple Imperial Qi.

"Go!"

Zhang Jian merely gave a soft shout, and saw the blood light in his hand transform into a red dragon crawling on the ground; shortly after, he saw thread after thread of purple qi rising from deep within the dragon vein.

As these threads of purple qi appeared, they naturally merged into that drop of blood-red essence blood; when a faint purple dragon shadow emerged within, Zhang Jian reached out, drew it into his palm, and absorbed it into his body.

Zhang Jian formed a small starlight-bound soul seal with his magical power, first storing it away, waiting for fusion.

Sensing the dragon soul entering his body, his own life pattern faintly emerged within, revealing a devouring craving; an intangible change arose, and Zhang Jian felt joy in his heart.

Although he had paid the price of one protective talisman this time, he could obtain this dragon soul.

A sure gain, no loss.

At this moment, deep in the void, the Slaying Demon True Lord's light laughter followed.

"Dragon soul entering the body, the foundation can be accomplished!"

"A Yu, do you know how many kinds of imperial mandate patterns there are?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian's eyes moved slightly; he immediately knew the Slaying Demon True Lord was probably intending to give him special guidance.

He then respectfully replied.

"Please, Master, bestow your teachings!"