Chapter 414

This withered figure had just approached the imperial city when, from afar, he saw a stunning woman in white standing at the city gate.

Her figure was slender, but her eyes were like the bright moon in the heavens.

Upon seeing this figure, the old Daoist's face showed astonishment; from her, he actually felt a strong sense of threat.

"They say after three days apart, one should look anew—yet I never imagined that in just over a decade, your cultivation, Taiyin Daoist, has reached such a level—truly astonishing!"

The Taiyin Immortal fixed her lovely eyes on the old Daoist, a hint of surprise in her gaze.

Before her eyes stood the Patriarch of the Dongshen Sect.

Though unlike the vigorous spirit of over a decade ago, the Patriarch now gave her the impression of being aged, weak, his vast aura like the setting sun behind western hills.

Merely to have escaped alive from the siege of so many powerful cultivators of the immortal sects speaks volumes of this Patriarch's ability.

"I never expected to see you again, Dongshen Daoist—what joy, what congratulations!"

The Taiyin Immortal smiled faintly and then spoke.

"His Majesty said a distinguished guest has arrived today, so he sent me to welcome you. Since you have come, Dongshen Daoist, follow me—His Majesty is now in seclusion and will summon you upon emerging."

Hearing this, the Dongshen Patriarch was slightly surprised, then nodded.

"Very well!"

……

And almost at the very moment the Dongshen Patriarch appeared in the imperial capital, the Pure Bright Daoist, cultivating in seclusion on Mount Xishan, quickly received the news and hurriedly rushed from the direction of Dongshen Guan.

Xiyuan— the Pure Bright Daoist passed through gardens of strange flowers and exotic grasses, and from afar saw within the palace halls a figure in purple robes, with grey beard and white hair—the Dongshen Patriarch.

The Dongshen Patriarch was seated in meditation; upon sensing the gaze, he instantly noticed the Pure Bright Daoist in the distance.

The Pure Bright Daoist remained as he remembered—refined in countenance—but now bore an added touch of handsomeness and masculine vigor.

His eyes were more stern, his whole being filled with the aura of a superior.

What most surprised the Dongshen Patriarch was that the Pure Bright Daoist had made up for his Dao-heart deficiency and, against the odds, had proven his Primordial Spirit!

"Master!"

After a moment of daze, the Pure Bright Daoist could no longer contain his joy, stepped forward to the Dongshen Patriarch, and bowed deeply several times.

"Pure Bright, rise!"

The Dongshen Patriarch quickly rose to help the Pure Bright Daoist to his feet; master and disciple alike shone with joy in their eyes.

The Dongshen Patriarch then had the Pure Bright Daoist step aside and immediately asked about his experiences over these years—especially how, against the tide of the Great Qian's collapse, he had managed to prove his Primordial Spirit, which truly exceeded his expectations.

The Pure Bright Daoist smiled and said.

"It is all thanks to the Emperor; without the Dao-poem he bestowed, I might not have fulfilled my Dao-heart, let alone withstand the backlash of fortune from the Great Qian's collapse."

The Pure Bright Daoist then recounted, in detail, the changes at Dongshen Guan over these years.

Immediately, his face showed shame as he added: "I, the disciple, acted on my own authority in bringing Dongshen Guan under the Great Xia Dynasty; I beg the Master's punishment!"

Saying this, the Pure Bright Daoist knelt again and kowtowed.

The Dongshen Patriarch laughed heartily, helped the Pure Bright Daoist up, and said.

"Good disciple, you have done well; in those circumstances, even I, as your teacher, could only have sought refuge with the Great Xia Emperor—at least you preserved many disciples of Dongshen Guan!"

The Pure Bright Daoist's face bore a slight shade of shame.

The Dongshen Patriarch continued.

"In fact, events have proven your choice was correct—since the founding of Great Xia, countless people have been well-fed and well-clothed; as I traveled from the old lands of North Chu, everywhere I passed was a scene of abundant harvest and prosperity; the smiles of hope on the people's faces—this alone is enough!"

Upon hearing this, the Pure Bright Daoist's expression also gained a hint of smile.

Then the Pure Bright Daoist said again.

"Master, where have you been these past ten or more years?

These years, I myself have personally gone to the Two Realms region to search for you, but in those several branch abodes of Dongshen Guan, I found no trace of you..."

The Dongshen Patriarch smiled faintly and gently shook his head.

"During this time, I, as your teacher, have been suppressing the backlash of fortune in the barbaric regions, and also relying on the abundant heavenly and earthly spiritual treasures there to recover from my injuries!"

The Pure Bright Daoist looked with some worry toward the Dongshen Sect.

"Master, has your fortune-backlash been successfully suppressed?"

At this moment, sensing a change in the Dongshen Patriarch's aura, he feared the situation was not favorable.

According to his knowledge, at the peak of the Dongshen Patriarch's power, he had come close to the True Immortal realm.

A half-Immortal body.

The Dongshen Patriarch glanced at the Pure Bright Daoist and smiled faintly.

"Rest assured—I, your teacher, am standing well before you, am I not?"

Though he said so with his mouth, deep in his eyes there was still a slight ripple.

……

On the Heaven-Observing Terrace, at this moment there was a strong undulation of the Heaven-Earth Great Dao law.

The void gave rise to ripples; a figure slowly emerged from the unreal to the real, as if a true deity had been born from the void.

Thick purple-yellow divine light floated forth from behind this figure; this figure seemed born from the Heaven-Earth Great Dao.

"This is the Return to the Void and Union with the Dao!"

Zhang Jian opened his eyes; in his depths appeared a trace of heroic emotion; he at this moment felt himself merging with the State and Great Dao law, himself becoming part of the State-Heaven-Earth Great Dao law, and his application of Heaven-Earth law greatly enhanced.

Heaven-born spirit, deity and illumination—nothing more than this.

A Primordial Spirit True Lord of the Union-with-Dao level constantly resonates with the Heaven-Earth law at all times, able to draw upon its power—this is vastly stronger than the Primordial Spirit Great True Person of the Creation realm.

If the Creation Great True Person can borrow the might of the Heaven-Earth Great Dao, then the Primordial Spirit True Lord himself has become a fragment of Heaven-Earth Great Dao law.

Self-made Heavenly Might.

However, the Primordial Spirit True Lord obviously also has distinctions of strength and weakness.

After the primordial spirit merges with the Dao, the number, strength, and fused power of the cosmic laws one governs will vary in strength and weakness.

This is like a fish born in a lake.

After the primordial spirit merges with the Dao, some people are born with a constitution merely like small fish, shrimp, or carp and grass carp in that lake, while others have deep foundations and are born like whales, flood dragons, or even true dragons in that lake.

Zhang Jian slightly sensed the mighty fluctuations of the State and Great Dao laws surrounding him, and a hint of a smile appeared in his eyes.

With the primordial spirit of the State Sovereign as his foundation, at this moment returning to the void and merging with the Dao, he is undoubtedly the most supreme existence between heaven and earth, and the authority and power of the State Great Dao he wields surpasses others' imagination.

"Next, there is only true ascension to immortality, becoming a god..."

Zhang Jian felt that, for him, ascension to immortality was not difficult.

And to achieve greater accomplishments, he still needs to make additional efforts.

"To become an immortal, one must first condense one's own immortal Dao rules within this sea of laws..."

Zhang Jian thought to himself.

Only by condensing one's own immortal Dao rules can one break the shackles of the sea of laws, ascend from within, and undergo transformation.

Becoming an immortal is the beginning of transcendence.

Zhang Jian recalled those great power immortal arts.

At the same time, Zhang Jian raised his gaze toward the imperial city below, and in his eyes he reflected the changes around the imperial city; with a thought, his figure vanished in a single step from the Observatory Terrace.

Western Garden, Zhang Jian's figure appeared.

From afar he saw the master and disciple in discussion, and he immediately stepped forward into the Western Garden.

"Your Majesty!"

Upon seeing Zhang Jian arrive, Daoist Jingming hurriedly rose to his feet, and Zhang Jian gave a slight smile to indicate he need not stand on ceremony.

Immediately, Zhang Jian's gaze fell upon the ancestor of the Dongshen Sect, and he smiled faintly as he spoke.

"I have heard that Senior Dongshen has entered the court, and I am overjoyed, but due to my cultivation I cannot temporarily leave my post, so I have been remiss toward the senior!"

The ancestor of the Dongshen Sect laughed and said.

"Your Majesty flatters me, but I, the poor Daoist, never imagined at first that my Northern Chu, and even our vast Great Qian, would ultimately end in Your Majesty's hands; I must admit, I misjudged the situation!"

A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Zhang Jian's mouth, and he sighed.

"It is the great trend of heaven and earth that chose me, and I also chose this world; it is merely a matter of fate!"

His countenance was calm.

In fact, even without the clam and snipe fighting, he believed he would ultimately be able to take their place.

It is merely a matter of time.

The dragon veins of Great Qian and Northern Chu were shattered one after another in the multi-sided struggles, merely accelerating this process.

It saved him some trouble.

But if such matters were seen by outsiders, they would likely think he was secretly plotting and maneuvering, inciting the multi-sided struggles, ultimately forming this situation.

Of course, this fanning of the flames, he has indeed done, but most of it was merely going with the flow.

Rather than being the black hand from beginning to end.

Wanting to be this black hand, the result was that before this black hand had even fully formed, Great Qian was already half-ruined by his own side, and afterward he hardly needed to expend much effort.

The ancestor of the Dongshen Sect gazed deeply at Zhang Jian for a moment before speaking.

"Not bad, the cultivation world says that when Your Majesty rose to power, the dragon veins had already formed, making you a true dragon Son of Heaven, naturally capable of unifying the world and occupying this supreme ninety-nine position!"

Zhang Jian smiled and said: "Senior Dongshen is a national preceptor of a dynasty, with broad learning, and moreover harbors concern for all the people under heaven; since I ascended the throne, I have also been diligent and conscientious, but the more I see, the more I feel the boundlessness of heaven and earth, and personal power ultimately has its limits; I now need a lofty cultivator like Senior Dongshen who harbors concern for the common people to assist me; since Senior Dongshen has entered the court this time, why not remain here?"

"In the past, Great Qian nourished Senior Dongshen with the vital energy of all the people under heaven; although I cannot do that, I can assist Senior Dongshen in achieving the true immortal fruition, and together we may ascend to the heavenly gates in the future—would that not be wonderful!"

Zhang Jian directed his gaze toward the ancestor of the Dongshen Sect, and at this moment he also issued a sincere invitation.

The vital energy, talent, and innate ability of the ancestor of the Dongshen Sect need not be doubted; having emerged from a solitary cultivator, he helped the founding emperor of Great Qian defeat the Former Shu over five hundred years ago and helped stabilize Great Qian's mandate for nearly five hundred years.

Such ability surpasses that of the primordial spirit true kings of most immortal sects and Daoist lineages.

He himself possesses the potential to become an immortal.

If he can be persuaded to stay, it is not impossible to cultivate a true immortal.

Of course, ability is secondary; Zhang Jian values more the ancestor of the Dongshen Sect's moral character from beginning to end.

At the time of Great Qian's collapse, he truly fought with his life and future for Great Qian.

Unlike the two state guardians of Northern Chu, who, when Northern Chu was about to fall, decisively plucked the peach and fled.

Upon hearing this, the ancestor of the Dongshen Sect turned his gaze toward Zhang Jian, his expression shifting slightly; Zhang Jian gave a glance to Daoist Jingming beside him, and Daoist Jingming hurriedly said.

"Master, please agree to the Emperor's request; without your guidance, we disciples would have no mainstay, and only you can lead our Dongshen Observatory to establish a foundation for ten thousand years!"

Upon hearing this, the ancestor of the Dongshen Sect glanced at Daoist Jingming, and his eyes flickered.

In fact, before entering the territory of the Great Xia Dynasty, he had already used his own influence to investigate the depths of Great Xia.

His entry into Great Xia territory was none other than out of optimism for the future of the Great Xia Dynasty.

He had heard that on the day the Great Xia Dynasty proclaimed its emperor and founded the state, many exalted persons of the Tongshan Dao lineage personally descended, repelling numerous cultivators from the two-border regions and demon gods from the barbaric regions.

The Great Xia Dynasty is backed by the Tongshan Dao lineage.

The Tongshan Dao lineage can be called the Sage King Dao lineage, and even the heavenly realm has someone.

From the day True Lord Jueming ascended to the heavenly gates and was directly appointed as the Grand Virtuous Divine Official, we know this.

The Tongshan Dao lineage not only has someone in heaven, but also has deep connections; otherwise, it could not have ascended that day and been granted a position as lofty as the Grand Virtuous Divine Official, nearly equivalent to a mid-level immortal official.

And he does not yet say whether he can withstand this heavenly and earthly backlash before him and smoothly attain immortality.

Even if he attains the Dao and becomes an immortal, achieves an immortal celestial body, and ascends, he fears he may not be highly regarded; in his youth he had indeed received the transmission of a Heavenly Lord of the Thunder Department, but who knows whether they acknowledge it.

Seeing Daoist Jingming repeatedly plead, having been given a step down, the ancestor of the Dongshen Sect directly took the opportunity to dismount, and without waiting for the Great Xia Emperor to invite him again, he said:

"Forget it!"

He wore a bitter smile, his gaze toward Zhang Jian as he spoke.

"My old body is like a candle in the wind, yet I am still so honored by Your Majesty's trust; I am truly humbled, and only by offering my liver and brains upon the ground can I repay Your Majesty's grace and righteousness!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian laughed heartily and quickly helped the Patriarch of the Dongshen Sect to his feet: "With the Patriarch's aid, my Great Xia has gained a true immortal; today I shall summon the realm, appoint the Patriarch as the Supreme Master of Ultimate Truth, and bestow upon him the title of Grand Tutor to the Eastern Palace Crown Prince, while simultaneously convening a Welcoming Immortal Banquet for the Patriarch to proclaim this to all directions!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, the Patriarch of the Dongshen Sect bowed in obeisance, indicating his acceptance of the edict.

Zhang Jian then helped both of them rise; master and disciple alike wore expressions of some joy.

Although the Patriarch of the Dongshen Sect had lost the exalted titles he held in the previous dynasty, and was no longer the State Preceptor, the position of Grand Tutor to the Eastern Palace Crown Prince was by no means trivial.

Before us stands the Holy King holding court; this position of Grand Tutor to the Eastern Palace Crown Prince is naturally no mere sinecure, but an actual fief, not merely an honorary title.

Jingming Daoist clearly understood the weight that Crown Prince Zhang Zhao held in the heart of the Emperor of Great Xia.

At this moment, the Patriarch of the Dongshen Sect also sensed that, with the Emperor of Great Xia's personal edict of ennoblement, a dense and mighty purple-yellow current of fortune descended from the heavens into the depths of the void; his fate was entwined with countless black clouds, and the backlash was suppressed and renewed by this great current.

The Primordial Spirit Dao-heart felt a long-lost sense of ease, and he could once again connect his own being with the great Dao of heaven and earth.

Zhang Jian perceived this change, and his eyes smiled slightly.

Compared to mere fluctuations in fortune, the Patriarch of the Dongshen Sect's entry into the court finally granted the Great Xia dynasty a formidable national guardian worthy of display.

Henceforth, whether besieging cities and seizing territory or settling in to preserve their gains, he would have greater latitude of choice.

The Patriarch of the Dongshen Sect stroked his beard slightly, then said at this moment: "Your Majesty, this humble subject has only just entered the court and has yet to achieve even an inch of merit, yet You have already bestowed upon him the exalted position of Grand Tutor to the Eastern Palace Crown Prince; Your Majesty's virtue shines like the sun and moon, and this humble subject's gratitude knows no bounds; I possess a treasure I wish to offer to Your Majesty, which may perhaps strengthen Your Majesty's imperial fortune!"