Chapter 413: Union with the Dao (4k)

The Tongshan Dao Tong, a group of four, returned to the mountain gate.

Zhanmo Peak

Inside the main hall

Zhang Jian recounted part of his experiences in the Xiyue Cave Heaven, and at the same time left behind an exploration map of the Xiyue Cave Heaven.

The most central immortal palace in the Xiyue Cave Heaven has already been taken by him, but there are still many secret realms, and these secret realms hold considerable exploration value.

"I never expected your harvest from this exploration to be so great!"

Tixin Daoist, standing nearby, listened with his heart racing and spirit wandering.

Especially upon learning that Zhenjun Zijing had taken the Heaven-Reaching Wood Spirit Vine, his eyes burned with envy.

Zhenjun Zhanmo's beautiful eyes fell upon Zhang Jian, yet there was a hint of a smile that was not quite a smile in her gaze; knowing Zhang Jian as she does, she suspects he has concealed much of his gains during this exploration.

It is certainly not merely as simple as the second-rank immortal treasure he mentioned.

After thinking, Zhenjun Zhanmo asked again.

"Then, what do you intend to do with those demon gods?"

Zhang Jian, upon hearing this, smiled faintly and said: "I have heard that the Haihai Lou and Ju Bao Lou are willing to purchase living divine beasts; these demon gods are all living divine beasts, so they should be able to fetch a decent price!"

A glint of sharpness flashed in Zhang Jian's eyes.

These demon gods have blocked roads and robbed cultivators, and not a few sect's Yuan Shen True Persons have fallen at their hands; now he has captured them all in one net, which can also be considered an eye for an eye.

Zhenjun Zhanmo thought for a moment and then said.

"Selling to those middlemen will inevitably result in being lowballed; consider this—selling to the sect would be good, as the sect currently lacks strong cultivators to hold the fort; if these demon gods are brought under control, they could also fill part of the power vacuum left by the sect's lacking Yuan Shen True Persons!"

"Oh, the sect is also willing to accept them?"

Zhang Jian's pupils flickered.

Zhenjun Zhanmo smiled and said: "Of course, most of these demon gods are divine beast bodies, or perhaps the bodies of ancient ferocious beasts; their entire essence and blood are treasures, especially for sect cultivators who cultivate the divine beast Yuan Shen—this is something money cannot buy!"

Zhang Jian thought for a moment and said: "That sounds fine, then I'll hand them over to the sect. However, Master, you must strive to get me a good price; my family is now vast and prosperous, and I am urgently in need of spirit crystals!"

Zhenjun Zhanmo laughed.

"Rest assured, I will definitely strive to get you a good price!"

Zhang Jian relaxed, confident that with Zhenjun Zhanmo stepping forward, these divine beasts will not go to waste.

He then said: "By the way, Master, the sect should have a dedicated place for alchemy; I would like to ask the sect's alchemists to refine a batch of pills for me—do you know anyone who could help?"

Zhenjun Zhanmo gazed at Zhang Jian with her bright eyes and could not help but ask.

"A Yu, what kind of pills do you wish to refine?"

Zhang Jian thought and said: "Master, I have harvested a great deal of Taiyin Star Souls in the ruins; I wish to refine a batch of Taiyin Golden Pills, which are heavenly and earthly divine-grade pills—this would likely require a top-tier alchemist to refine..."

Taiyin Star Souls are heavenly and earthly divine-grade materials; they can strengthen a cultivator's soul, Yin Shen, and even the origin of the Yuan Shen; this substance is extremely pure and has no side effects whatsoever.

Zhang Jian hopes to refine them into Taiyin Golden Pills.

From the inheritance of the Xiyue Sword Sect, he knows that Taiyin Golden Pills not only enhance Yuan Shen power but also increase affinity for Taiyin and Xuanbing attributes, making them the best auxiliary pills for cultivating the Taiyin Dao Body and ice-attribute Dao Body.

Zhang Jian is also considering this for the White Empress.

Zhenjun Zhanmo's eyes lit up.

"Taiyin Star Souls—how many do you have?"

Meeting Zhenjun Zhanmo's gleaming gaze, Zhang Jian suddenly felt a headache coming on; he extended two fingers and said.

"Twenty!"

"That many?"

Upon hearing this, Zhenjun Zhanmo almost lost her voice; after a moment of realizing her lapse, her pair of clear, cold eyes stared in astonishment at Zhang Jian and she said.

"Did you find a vein of Taiyin Star Souls?"

Zhang Jian shook his head repeatedly and humbly said.

"Master, it's all just luck!"

This time, he did not merely find a vein of Taiyin Star Souls.

Beneath the Taiyin Treasure Tree, the Taiyin Star Souls are piled up in countless numbers—indeed, there are hundreds, not to mention more; adding the sect's storehouse, there are even over a thousand.

Zhang Jian wore a humble expression on his face, yet he felt that saying twenty was already too much.

Zhenjun Zhanmo looked Zhang Jian up and down, then after a moment let out a cold snort.

"You wretched disciple, you still hide things from your master!"

Zhang Jian laughed: "Master, it's truly just good luck!"

Zhenjun Zhanmo glanced at him and said: "Not a single word of truth comes from your mouth!"

She thought for a moment and then said: "Never mind—leave the Taiyin Star Souls with me; I will find you an alchemist. However, the sect's alchemists usually also take a cut—generally two to three tenths as commission; back then, compared to the outside's four or five tenths, this was actually better—you must keep this in mind!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian was stunned and said: "This alchemy business is truly outrageously profitable!"

Zhenjun Zhanmo said calmly: "Alchemy burns money by nature, so commission is necessary; otherwise, who would spend their cultivation time refining pills for you? You're dreaming!"

Zhang Jian, upon hearing this, nodded slightly.

But he had made up his mind: the Great Xia Dynasty must also find a way to cultivate its own alchemists and artifact refiners.

However, alchemists and artifact refiners both require burning money and need to establish large tracts of spirit fields and medicine fields; otherwise, they cannot sustain themselves.

With a wave of his hand, twenty jade boxes appeared in midair, and he immediately pushed them forward toward Zhenjun Zhanmo.

Zhenjun Zhanmo casually took them, slightly opened a few of the jade boxes, merely glanced inside, and a flicker of astonishment passed through the depths of her eyes before she said.

"Come back for the pills in three months!"

……

After making the agreement with Zhenjun Zhanmo, Zhang Jian again handed over the twelve captured living demon gods to Zhenjun Zhanmo, then brought the Taiyin Immortal Maiden back to Haojing City.

Haojing City

Two figures burst through the void, and as Zhang Jian appeared, he felt as if he had returned to the ocean of dragon qi, the majestic imperial aura and dragon qi surging into the position of the State and Emperor, into the Human Emperor's destiny, that near-omnipotent feeling returning once more.

Within the palace, with Zhang Jian's return, the inner court once again became lively.

The White Empress also returned from the White Waters.

After the reunion, Zhang Jian began to rebuild a blessed land and cave heaven anew.

This time, however, it was no longer for the Great Xia Dynasty, but merely to build a blessed land for the Zhang family.

Since they were to establish a sage-king lineage, naturally they needed their own foundation.

Zhang Jian was also planning a retreat for the Zhang clan.

There is no eternal sage-king dynasty in heaven and earth; even if one day he truly achieved the sage-king holding court, after his merits were complete and he ascended, how long could that sage-king court last?

He needed to leave some foundation for the Zhang clan.

But before that, he needed to find a place for the Zhang clan with abundant spiritual energy, filled with the heavenly and earthly spiritual mechanisms.

Zhang Jian had carefully considered the Zhang clan's dragon-rising land, the Twin Phoenix Mountain Range.

The Twin Phoenix Mountain Range had abundant spiritual mechanisms, with spiritual veins hidden below—originally it should have been an excellent choice—but it was too close to the Zhang ancestral lands; if one day the Zhang family lost the Map of Mountains, Rivers, and the State, this place would not be suitable as a refuge.

A cunning rabbit has three burrows.

If the Zhang clan wished to establish a blessed land and cave heaven, the farther away, the better.

But it could not be too remote.

It could not be far from the cultivation world.

"Such a place is not easy to find; it seems we must still pay close attention!"

After learning of Zhang Jian's idea, Bai Liying offered a suggestion.

"Your Majesty might consider overseas lands!"

"Overseas lands?"

In the Western Palace, gazing at the vast plain lake before him, Zhang Jian's eyes held a hint of surprise.

Bai Liying's jade-like face bore a radiant expression, her spirited eyes like autumn waters, tranquil and clear.

"The overseas lands refer to the Qingping Sea and the Tianfeng Sea; whether it is the Qingping Sea or the Tianfeng Sea, there are many spiritual islands, and the overseas cultivation world is equally prosperous. It is extremely distant from Dongzhou, so if one day our Zhang family needs to avoid calamity, that place would be the most ideal!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian glanced at Bai Liying and smiled.

"A single word from the Princess awakens the dreamer; if so, then we must not miss this opportunity!"

Bai Liying pondered and then said: "Your Majesty has not recently been wanting to purchase various cultivation secret arts? The Dragon Palace of Qingping Sea will, in five years, host the once-every-three-hundred-years Sea King Festival; at that time, a grand Sea King Festival ceremony will certainly be held, inviting the great masters of all major sects to participate, and a Sea King market will also form—this could be used to consider a thing or two!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian's eyes moved.

He indeed needed to purchase cultivation secret arts of the earth attribute, as well as those concerning life and death.

He had originally prepared to ask the River Canal Dragon Palace whether any major markets had recently formed in Dongzhou, but since the Qingping Sea Dragon Palace would host the Sea King Festival in five years, there was no need for such trouble.

Zhang Jian was in good spirits, and immediately added:

"Princess, I recall you seem to have an elder sister who married far away into the Qingping Sea Dragon Palace; when the time comes, we might as well pay a visit together!"

"Let us go together to visit the elder sister and the elder nephew!"

Zhang Jian's face bore a faint smile.

His old father-in-law originally had four daughters; Bai Liying ranked fourth and was also the youngest.

The other three had married far away early on.

Even the White Anger Dragon Ascension Celebration could not have them return early; they likely held low status in their husband's families.

Upon hearing this, Bai Liying's eyes brightened.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

……

Three months of time flowed by like water; when the time came, Zhang Jian returned once more to the Tongshan Dao Tong to retrieve the Taiyin Golden Elixir.

Twenty Taiyin star souls were merely refined into nearly fifty Taiyin Golden Elixirs.

Equivalent to one Taiyin star soul producing three to three Taiyin Golden Elixirs.

This loss rate is not low.

And the final remuneration of the sect's alchemists was twenty-five percent, so thirteen Taiyin Golden Elixirs were taken as remuneration; Zhang Jian finally left six Taiyin Golden Elixirs for the Slaying Demon True Lord—this counts as filial respect to his teacher.

In the end, he had thirty-one in hand.

Zhang Jian was still satisfied.

Zhang Jian gave the thirty-one Taiyin Golden Elixirs in hand to Zhang Yi and Zhang Xian, who cultivated within the Dao Tong, each receiving one.

With their cultivation, one Taiyin Golden Elixir was enough for them to digest for a long time.

And after returning to the rear court, Zhang Jian gave two Taiyin Golden Elixirs to Bai Liying; with her Golden Core cultivation, digesting two was about the limit.

The remaining twenty-seven, Zhang Jian summoned the Four Spirit Beasts, granting each two to aid in strengthening their souls.

Then he granted another two to the Taiyin Immortal Maiden.

This could also be considered returning a peach for a plum.

The Taiyin Immortal Maiden had obtained the complete inheritance of the Evening Moon Sword Sect; in the future, she had hope of becoming an immortal, so Zhang Jian would naturally cultivate and win her over well.

But in a short time, he had only seventeen Taiyin Golden Elixirs left in his hand.

Afterwards, Zhang Jian summoned Zhang Yi.

Zhang Yi, as the second cultivator of the Zhang family besides himself, had poor aptitude; only recently had he barely managed to test his fate and establish his foundation, cultivating magical power.

Zhang Jian, mindful of the grace of transmitting the Dharma, again granted him an opportunity, giving him one Taiyin Golden Elixir.

One Taiyin Golden Elixir was enough for him to wash marrow and shed hair, to transform his mediocre foundation, allowing the birth of Taiyin-attached spiritual roots within his body.

As for how far he would go in the future, it would depend on his own cultivation.

……

One year later, at the Dongshen Guan, the Guan Tian Tai.

Zhang Jian's entire body was enveloped in a layer of intense silver-white spiritual light, and deep within his brow was the substantialized, vast Sheji Dijun Yuanshen divine light overflowing, pure and clear, as if a majestic deity from between heaven and earth had stepped into reality.

A layer of intense divine light circulated around his body.

That was his protective divine light.

"After swallowing four Taiyin Golden Pills, the effect gradually weakened, leaving only about one-third of the initial effect..."

Zhang Jian sensed the vast and majestic Yuanshen divine consciousness at this moment.

The substantialized Sheji Dijun Yuanshen was as if approaching nine zhang in height.

Nine-zhang Sheji Dijun Yuanshen!

Zhang Jian had never heard that the Yuanshen of a Yuanshen Zhenren of the Creation Realm could grow to this extent—truly astonishing.

Relying solely on the immense power of his Sheji Dijun Yuanshen, he could directly suppress the Yuanshen Zhenren of the Hedao Realm, let alone after employing more Yuanshen immortal arts.

"The Taiyin Golden Pills should still allow two more to be taken; by then the effect will further weaken to about one-fifth, but since there are plenty of these treasures, I don't mind wasting them!"

After thinking, Zhang Jian swallowed another Taiyin Golden Pill.

He continued refining, strengthening the Sheji Dijun Yuanshen.

……

Guan Tian Tai, ten days later Zhang Jian sat cross-legged, his gaze fixed upon the majestic Daoist observatory below, overlooking the imperial city; there was a hint of contemplation in his eyes.

Now the effect of the Taiyin Golden Pills on him was basically negligible.

Continuing to consume them would be of little use, merely wasting precious treasures.

He glanced down at the towering imperial palace; the court affairs he had entirely entrusted to Zhang Zhao, whom he believed would not disappoint him.

Zhang Jian decided to seize this opportunity to continue his secluded cultivation; within his body, numerous Hedao-level Yuanshen immortal arts had already been perfected, the Sheji Dijun Yuanshen, as well as his Dao heart and mana, had all reached the pinnacle of perfection in the Creation Realm.

"It is time to break through the Hedao Realm!"

Zhang Jian thought to himself.

Although the time since his breakthrough into the Creation Realm was not long, it was due to the vast Creation spiritual light galaxy condensed from his golden body, enabling him to perfect his Creation Yuanshen in a short time.

At this moment, Zhang Jian felt he could at any time enter the origin of the Sheji Great Dao law, achieve Hedao, and master the source of the law.

Feeling that his accumulation had reached its peak, Zhang Jian slightly adjusted his mindset.

Three days later, when all conditions reached their peak, he did not hesitate; with a thought, the Sheji Dijun Yuanshen merged with the Sheji Rivers and Mountains Map, a trace of Yuanshen divine consciousness fled into the depths of the vast and boundless Sheji Great Dao law ocean, and his figure seemed to vanish into the void in a single step.

……

Near the outskirts of Haojing City, before the Xishan Guan, once again in the golden autumn month of the year, at the mountain base, countless golden rice stalks lay like a golden wave; many officials and nobles liked to stand here, gazing afar at the plain below.

At this moment, one of the figures, an old man in Daoist robes, gazed afar at the rice fields at the mountain base, his eyes also holding a hint of astonishment.

"It seems the Zhang clan replacing the Wei clan is indeed more suitable—at least these commoners are well-fed and well-clothed!"

Looking down at the bustling multitude of commoners below, he could not help but a faint smile appear in his eyes.

Immediately, he turned his gaze toward the Xishan Guan.

There, another cluster of palaces and observatories had arisen beside it.

The Dongshen Guan gradually moved its Daoist observatories from Haojing City; at this moment, the main observatory of the Dongshen Guan was located here.

Relying on his vast Yuanshen divine consciousness, he had already seen some old acquaintances, his eyes slightly flickering, but he did not prepare to enter the Dongshen Guan; instead, he prepared to enter the imperial city.

He felt it was also time to seek out that Great Xia Dijun for a conversation.