Chapter 366: Granting the Dharma (4K)

"Good, then I will await General An's good news. If you can pacify Northern Chu and unify the rivers and mountains, I will bestow upon you another great opportunity!"

Zhang Jian's expression was greatly pleased.

What best demonstrates a Son of Heaven's achievements and what undoubtedly inspires the people is expanding territory and securing the land.

He then turned his gaze toward the Central Protector General, Wang You.

"Wang Qing, with your talent, merely serving as a Central Protector General would be too wasteful. I appoint you as Commander-in-Chief of the Second Northern Expedition. You will replace the Divine Strategy Army garrisoned at Dual Source Commandery and simultaneously support the main army's northern campaign!"

Upon hearing this, Wang You immediately stepped forward, clasping his hands in acceptance.

There was also a hint of eagerness in his eyes.

Compared to remaining in Haojing City to command from the rear, he would rather go to the front lines and fight on the battlefield.

The follow-up secret arts of the《Celestial Phenomenon Martial Dao》have already emerged, but not every military official in the court can receive the core celestial body stage cultivation secrets.

This requires genuine military merit.

Wang You naturally would not miss this opportunity; he also knows this is Zhang Jian giving the Wang family another chance.

Zhang Jian's gaze then turned toward one side of the court, where several Yuan Shen True Persons stood beside the civil and military officials. He spoke calmly.

"I will personally strike down the Northern Chu dragon vein and capture those few demonic cultivators. You all seize the opportunity—first slay those heretical demons and external paths, lest they harm the lives of my soldiers!"

Huanghe True Person clasped his hands and said.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Feng Ling also stood to the side, slightly clasping her hands.

Seeing this, Zhang Jian nodded inwardly, but only sighed inwardly at the fact that the court now only had two Yuan Shen True Persons remaining.

When the Great Xia was first established, everything was neglected and needed revival—everything was lacking.

He claimed he would bring about a sage king's reign and achieve the sage king's great work, yet in the court there were only two Yuan Shen True Persons—worse than in the Qian Dynasty.

……

After the grand court assembly dispersed, the civil and military officials discussed in groups. Zhang Jian had just left the Hall of Supreme Origin when he encountered the Empress with her eyebrows furrowed upside down.

He was immediately subjected to a stern scolding by Qi Yuhua, who then angrily said.

"Your Majesty, are you trying to make my heart ache to death? Otherwise, why would you again take Xiao Xian from my side!"

Seeing the Empress so distressed for the first time, Zhang Jian was slightly stunned. Under his influence, the Empress had always been reasonable and had silently supported him; this was the first time she opposed him.

After thinking, Zhang Jian said: "Empress, Xiao Xian was favored by the Tongshan Dao lineage, that is, my master's senior elders. This is a good thing. You also know my master's lineage is the Sage King Dao lineage. Even in the illusory heavenly realms, there is great backing! And now Xiao Xian has entered the sect under the Sect Master's Uncle..."

Zhang Jian picked up the set of items belonging to the Daoist Mingjing, and could only do his best to praise the other party, thereby reducing the Empress's resistance and rejection.

"You also know that once one enters the cultivation world, there are risks. But consider: if the Uncle Master could teach over a dozen Yuan Shen True Persons, he must be a renowned 'master' in the cultivation world. With his help guiding Xiao Xian, wouldn't it avoid many unnecessary dangers and troubles?"

"Anyway, since one must walk the path of cultivation, why not find a master like my Sect Master Uncle? In the future, ascending to the upper realms, the sect will provide protection—prospects will surely not be poor..."

After this round of sweet talk, the Empress immediately calmed her anger, but still complained.

"But Xiao Xian is still young!"

Zhang Jian laughed: "Not young—you and I are almost at the age to discuss marriage, while Xiao Xian still runs around like a wild child!"

After saying this, he glanced again at Qi Yuhua, his expression somewhat ambiguous.

"Empress, if you truly cannot bear to part, let us have two more..."

Upon hearing this, the Empress's exquisite jade face flushed slightly; she glanced at Zhang Jian and softly snorted.

"Your Majesty, how can you speak such nonsense in public..."

"What is this 'public'? Who heard it?"

Zhang Jian straightened his face, his gaze falling upon Yuyao and Julian behind Qi Yuhua. The two immediately lowered their heads, feigning ignorance with downcast eyes.

After Zhang Jian's comfort, the Empress's mood improved considerably. After being soothed and then frightened by Zhang Jian, the Empress knew her time with her son was limited, so she hurried away.

At this moment, a faint voice appeared in the void, tinged with teasing.

"I, for my part, have not noticed, but this slippery brat of yours has quite a way with his oily tongue!"

Zhang Jian was not surprised. Relying on his close connection with the nation's fortune, the arrival of the Slay Demon True Lord did not escape his notice; he merely smiled faintly.

"Master, this is marital intimacy—you certainly would not understand!"

The Slay Demon True Lord glanced at Zhang Jian and coldly snorted: "Would I not understand? Some vulgar sweet nothings, flowery words!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian was somewhat at a loss for words; he did not retort.

He merely smiled warmly.

His master has been single for thousands of years—naturally, he would not understand the charm of 'sweet nothings' in male-female interactions.

Seeing Zhang Jian 'no longer retorting,' the Slay Demon True Lord's eyes showed satisfaction; her gaze then turned toward the direction the Empress had departed, and she smiled.

"To speak frankly, A Yu, your Empress possesses thick phoenix fate, extremely conducive to prospering her husband. I, as your master, feel you should not miss this opportunity—better to bear more children; perhaps even give birth to several innate Dao bodies, or acquired Dao bodies!"

"In the future, perhaps my Tongshan Dao lineage will, due to the efforts of you and your wife, flourish again for another ten thousand years!"

Hearing the Slay Demon True Lord's somewhat 'stiff' teasing, Zhang Jian merely twitched the corner of his mouth.

What kind of talk is this?

……

Afterwards, the Slay Demon True Lord again informed Zhang Jian of her purpose: have him arrange one or two court affairs, then before the expedition, return once to the Tongshan Dao lineage to receive the Nine Cauldrons Secret Arts.

If such a 'good thing' continues for too long, changes are inevitable.

Zhang Jian accepted advice like flowing water.

After arranging the expedition commanders, rear logistics, and grain and forage mobilization, he then separately left messages for the Empress and Zhang Zhao, afterward leaving a Xuanyi Ling Shen in the Hall of Supreme Origin to handle affairs before departing with the Slay Demon True Lord for the sect.

Still passing through the Heaven and Earth Gate, this supreme treasure.

Master and disciple both chose to traverse the void with their true bodies.

At this moment, the Innate Dao Fetal Immortal Body had already formed; Zhang Jian truly felt the might of this supreme treasure—mighty as he faced this great gate, he also felt a terrifying suppression.

Its interior contained the grand Dao rhythm of heaven and earth.

"I don't even know what grade of treasure this is."

Zhang Jian muttered to himself.

At this moment, passing through one after another of the ethereal, misty vapors, Zhang Jian merely felt his body moving at extreme speed, as if being carried by the power of the Heaven and Earth Mystic Gate, traversing the universe, and when he once again sensed light, his eyes instantly brightened, only to see countless ethereal rays gathering around him.

A majestic divine mountain appeared before his eyes, the mountain that props up heaven and earth, spiritually nurtured and luxuriant, it stands firm above the vast ocean and great marshes.

As far as the eye could see, mountain peaks rose in the great marsh, like stars scattered and chess pieces arranged.

Many of the islands were covered with the spiritual light of techniques and forbidden arts, clearly indicating that numerous cultivators resided within, not merely an empty display.

At this moment, the Heaven and Earth Mystic Gate above his head gradually transformed into light spots and slowly faded away.

"Having this treasure is truly convenient!"

Zhang Jian couldn't help but sigh.

The Slaying Demon True Lord, upon hearing this, said: "It's still far from enough; the power of the Heaven and Earth Mystic Gate is far greater than this. Even if you wished to leave this great realm and wander the star rivers, the Heaven and Earth Mystic Gate could still send you forth!"

Zhang Jian's eyes lit up, and he casually asked: "Then can it send me back at any time?"

The Slaying Demon True Lord chuckled lightly and said: "Of course it can. Many of the primordial spirit cultivators of my Tongshan Dao lineage have left imprints within the Heaven and Earth Mystic Gate, allowing them to borrow a portion of its power for round-trip travel, but to make the round trip, one must inevitably pay a considerable fare to the immortal lord predecessors!"

"

"Immortal lord predecessors?"

Zhang Jian's pupils flickered as he looked toward the Slaying Demon True Lord.

The Slaying Demon True Lord smiled and said: "Do you think the Heaven and Earth Mystic Gate is dead?"

She shook her head and said: "It is not merely a pure spiritual treasure, but the life-bound exchanged cultivation object of a certain exalted one of the sect. That predecessor has already attained the Dao and become an immortal, yet he has left some blessings for us juniors. If you in the future wish to ford the star rivers and roam beyond the realms, when the time comes, you will understand by seeking it out yourself!"

Zhang Jian laughed: "It seems we juniors have taken advantage of the predecessors' residual grace!"

"And furthermore..."

The Slaying Demon True Lord originally wanted to say something more, but after glancing at Zhang Jian, he spoke again.

"Forget it, you will know it yourself in the future!"

Master and disciple transformed into streaks of light, chatting and laughing, and in a moment arrived at the outer periphery of the Patriarch Hall.

The magnificent Patriarch Hall stood upon the mountain ridges, with vermilion gates and towers everywhere, palaces and observatories standing in rows, yet it was very solemn and majestic.

Within the magnificent Patriarch Hall stood rows upon rows of towering golden bodies; many were those of second-generation patriarchs, and also golden bodies of third-generation martial uncles and aunts.

But no golden body of the Slaying Demon True Lord was seen.

Instead, within the Slaying Demon Great Hall on Slaying Demon Peak, there is the golden body of the Slaying Demon True Lord.

Zhang Jian knew the rule here: only those who have attained immortality are qualified to establish their own golden body in the Patriarch Hall, to be looked up to by countless disciples of later generations.

At this moment, a breeze blew through the hall, and in Zhang Jian's keen, vast primordial spirit consciousness, he faintly felt that at this moment, many gazes fell upon him.

"Everyone is looking at me; these patriarchs really are gossipy!"

Zhang Jian secretly muttered in his heart.

The Slaying Demon True Lord's face was solemn, yet he said:

"Go, offer a stick of incense to the patriarch!"

Zhang Jian's expression turned solemn; he then took a stick of incense from the nearby table, did not take more, for Zhang Jian knew that the incense smoke generated each time he offered sacrifice faintly bore omens; if the quantity were too much, it would inevitably be noticed by those of great divine abilities.

He did not wish to encounter such additional risk.

Even when facing the patriarch.

The incense in his hand flipped over, and in an instant he inserted it into the great cauldron, whereupon thread after thread of golden light began to appear upon the incense smoke.

In that instant, it pierced deep into the clouds; Zhang Jian faintly felt that the gazes of many patriarchs looking upon him were now tinged with a hint of gentleness and a smile.

But just at this moment, his expression stirred, and his gaze falling upon the Patriarch Hall beneath his feet suddenly changed.

Countless clouds and mists filled the void, suddenly transforming heaven and earth; above the firmament, myriad golden lights suddenly appeared, and within the golden light, a venerable emperor, his body majestic and clad in splendid robes, appeared out of thin air; his eyes calmly gazed upon Zhang Jian, briefly swept over, and in a moment his expression showed slight surprise.

"Your foundation is not bad!"

Zhang Jian felt his essence solidify into a soul, his body filled with magnificent merit, the fate of the Eight Heavenly Sons, even his immortal body, all completely falling into the gaze of this patriarch.

Yet he still merely received a 'not bad' evaluation!

It seems this patriarch's vision is rather high!

Only see the figure in the void raise one hand; in an instant, a streak of flowing light fell into the depths of Zhang Jian's brow.

"The《Nine Revolutions Qiankun Casting Cauldron Secret Record》《Human King Classic》?"

A flash of golden light passed through Zhang Jian's pupils, and a hint of brightness appeared in his eyes.

……

Guangyuan City, at this moment, Emperor Chu Huan Xuan sat withered upon the dragon throne, his expression somewhat numb.

His eyes held a hint of anticipation as he gazed upon the老祖 of the Nie Mo Sect, the Three Appearances老祖, upon the golden hall above; before him lay a decree, a decree 'to turn against' and 'to cast out' the Three Appearances老祖 of the Nie Mo Sect as the State-True Person.

He could not help but rise to his feet, his face pleading as he said:

"Three Appearances Senior, if you are willing to remain, I am willing to double the tribute offerings!"

At this moment, before the golden hall, the Three Appearances老祖's face was cold; he showed some impatience, waved his hand and said:

"Your Majesty, I have at least served you this long; quickly seal and press the decree, our affinity is exhausted!"

His eyes were gloomy.

He was already preparing to grab his bucket and flee.

Although he knew that even with this decree, it might not be able to completely sever the fateful connection between himself and Northern Chu.

After all, he had received offerings from Northern Chu for hundreds of years.

It was also by this fate that he could break through and造化 in the span of hundreds of years.

But with this decree, the remaining heavenly and earthly fate's backlash, he at least could still endure.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Chu's eyes sank gloomily; he felt somewhat unwilling.

For the Northern Chu royal family, the Three-Phase Elder Ancestor was a lifeline; if even the Three-Phase Elder Ancestor had left, how could Northern Chu resist the Xia Dynasty army now preparing for a northern expedition?

But if unwilling, the Northern Chu royal family could do nothing to the other party, and might even suffer backlash.

After the Grand Tutor Tuoba Zhenwu disappeared, Northern Chu had no other means to restrain these reclusive masters.

Huan Xuan weighed the pros and cons, and could only reluctantly take out the imperial seal and stamp it upon the bright yellow edict before him.

Only after the imperial seal fell did a vast, heavy dragon's roar seem to come from the depths of the void; a terrifying golden dragon burst forth from Huan Xuan's body, tearing through the air to stare directly at the Three-Phase Elder Ancestor within the golden hall, the dragon's eyes in the national fortune golden dragon flashing with intense hostility.

As if wanting to choose someone to devour.

Though the national fortune golden dragon's breath was feeble, the divine energy contained within was something even the Three-Phase Elder Ancestor felt unable to violate.

More importantly, as long as the dragon veins remained unbroken, the Son of Heaven had the protection of the hundred gods of the state and land; the Three-Phase Elder Ancestor also dared not act rashly.

At this moment, sensing countless evil spirits stirring in the deep void, his expression changed; he flung the pre-made National Teacher's seal in his hand toward the Chu emperor, and his form instantly turned into a black light and vanished.

Only after leaving the palace did the Three-Phase Elder Ancestor slowly exhale, feeling the oppressive pressure deep in his heart gradually fade.

But in an instant, his expression suddenly changed; he saw behind him, above Guangyuan City, the wind and clouds shifting, a terrifying hand reaching straight out from the sea of clouds, lunging to seize the sky above the Northern Chu capital.

In the void, Zhang Jian's form appeared out of nowhere.

As one who had stepped onto the Sacred King's Great Path and was a Primordial Spirit True Person, he naturally had a unique way of besieging cities.

Facing an ordinary Son of Heaven not on the Sacred King's Great Path, he could directly strike to destroy the opponent's dragon veins and dragon soul.

There was no need for the usual battle of wits and courage on ordinary battlefields.

Simply slay the great dragon; the scattered soldiers and rabble could be left to other generals of the court to handle.