Chapter 457: The Ancestral Qi Has Been Formed (4K)

At this moment, having lost that cluster of azure treasure light, her form grew weak step by step, like a goddess hewn from sand and gravel, a breath of wind enough to scatter her apart.

The Daoist Lord of Azure Radiance, however, paid no heed with her eyes.

She now seeks to seize the opportunity, to change her foundation and condense the power of incense and worship.

Given time, to devour and refine the flawless incense and worship offered by Zhang Jian during this period, recovery would not be difficult.

Gazing at this treasure light before her, the Daoist Lord of Azure Radiance's eyes fluctuated; in a moment's reach, she sent it into the Nine-Colored Pool waters of the Two Worlds Pool.

At the same time, the Daoist Lord of Azure Radiance prepared to actively perform a rite to contact her true body.

If her true body does not return, next time she will only be able to send her soul and spirit forth……

……

Haojing City, depths of the heavenly prison

At this moment, Zhang Jian strode into it, clad head to toe in vermilion imperial robes, the robes inlaid with the forms of nine dragons, within which lay intricate golden patterns, like auspicious clouds swirling.

Outside the prison, there were not many jailers.

This is where the Great Xia Dynasty suppresses immortals and gods.

The might of the Divine Dao is vast; ordinary jailers, even cultivators, cannot withstand the oppressive pressure of the Divine Dao here.

In cell after cell, countless iron chains seem to pierce the void, interwoven vertically and horizontally, the chains covered densely with dragon qi sigil seals, all secret arts of the Cavern Spirit Observatory.

Having garrisoned the Great Qian for over four hundred years, the Cavern Spirit Observatory is extremely professional in this regard.

The secret arts for sealing immortals and gods within, however, originate from Zhang Jian's hand.

Moreover, this place is permeated with the power of the State and Altar Emperor's divine domain.

"I did not expect this place to be nearly overflowing……"

Zhang Jian walked forward all the way, his expression growing stranger the further he went.

The number of cultivators imprisoned within the heavenly prison far exceeds imagination.

Cell after cell is filled to capacity, even operating beyond limits.

Zhang Jian now recalls that during his seclusion refining the Divine Capital City, the Minister of Justice had reported to him that the inner levels of the heavenly prison were full; he had simply been wholly focused on refining the Qin family's divine city at the time, with no mind to deal with it.

Where Zhang Jian's gaze falls, within the heavenly prison, men and women are imprisoned together.

Most of them come from the Two Hundred Great Continents of the Southeast.

Among the Two Hundred Great Continents of the Southeast, there is always a portion of immortal sects and Daoist lineages unaware of the greater situation; these sects and lineages attempt to rely on terrain to stubbornly resist the Great Xia Dynasty's rule, to defy the majesty of its laws, and these fellows naturally become key targets of the Great Xia State and Altar Dao Palace's attention.

Not a few are entire sects seized by the Dao Palace's strongmen and cast into the heavenly prison.

These imprisoned cultivators range from great fish to small fry.

There are those who have just begun cultivation, stepping into the Qi Refining stage, as well as those who have proven their spirit, condensed into divine form manifestations—True Persons of the Spirit Spirit, Great True Persons of the Spirit Spirit, and even True Lords of the Spirit Spirit.

Yet in the deepest core, it is the "domain" of the Qin family's many strongmen.

The core is Qin Qiao and Qin Xiuwen, two True Immortals of equal standing.

Besides them, there are additionally three True Immortal elders.

These five True Immortals constitute the foundation of the Qin clan's holy king lineage.

These five True Immortals are also ancient relics preserved since antiquity and the medieval era; the elder Qin Qiao's cultivation span can be traced back to the end of antiquity.

They may be called the elite of their age.

Each was once a heaven's pride.

They once enjoyed glory, but now all have become prisoners in chains.

When the times favor heaven and earth, all forces unite; when fortune departs, heroes are not free!

Benefiting from the power of the Azure Lotus Pure Soul Mantra and the double seal of the Dragon Qi Law Ban, Zhang Jian has encountered no clamor or wailing figures along his way.

After a moment, Zhang Jian halted before the Great Yin Emperor Qin Xiuwen.

He is a figure in resplendent attire, hair flowing loose, a True Immortal of the Great Dao of the Holy King.

His form resembles that of a thirty-year-old established youth, long eyebrows and eyes, dignified countenance, appearing vigorous and in his prime.

Within him surges the power of heavenly and earthly laws, as if suppressing a terrifying deity.

It is a Golden God!

As if sensing Zhang Jian's arrival, he opened his eyes.

A bland voice issued from within.

"Victor and vanquished, Great Xia Emperor, you have won; you prepare how to dispose of us!"

Zhang Jian gazed upon this True Immortal of the Qin clan, his expression calm as he said:

"Your Qin clan prepared to slay and seize kin, ultimately meeting this end—self-inflicted; the Qin clan originally ought to have perished, but in consideration of the White Emperor's sage virtue, I may open one net, granting part of your clan a chance at life!"

Zhang Jian also did not resort to any stratagem.

The Qin clan's people are now all present, neat and complete, within the heavenly prison.

The Qin clan has no remaining bargaining chips before him.

Qin Xiuwen's eyes are calm, showing no surprise.

"I, on behalf of the clan, thank the Great Xia Emperor!"

Nodding slightly, Zhang Jian added: "I have heard that Fellow Daoist Qin has a daughter named Qin Jiang, born beautiful and dignified, moreover possessing an innate constitution; I am favorably inclined—may I ask the Qin clan head to write a letter to the Heaven's Intention Sect, requesting her return? I wish to take her as a noble consort, to share joy and cultivate the Dao together!"

At this moment, Qin Xiuwen's expression showed slight ripples; his cold, indifferent eyes fixed upon Zhang Jian.

"You wish to take my daughter as consort? Do you still think it possible?"

Qin Xiuwen's face bore a cold smile; in his view, Zhang Jian was entirely intent on exterminating the root.

Zhang Jian regarded Qin Xiuwen's expression, then smiled calmly.

"Qin clan head, if I were you, I would gladly agree; my identity should be clear to your Qin clan—I am already a Divine Dao Emperor incarnate; do you think I would fear a mere slip of a girl who possesses a Dao body?"

"Even if you granted your daughter a hundred thousand years of cultivation, she would likely still not match the strength of a single finger of mine!"

You Wenwen's face was cold and indifferent, and he sneered.

"Emperor of the Great Xia, what scheme are you plotting? I know it well—you fear the White Emperor Ancestor of my You clan's celestial realm!"

"Don't dream of it—I will not yield to you. I want you to live forever in fear, for the Holy King Ancestor of my You clan will never let you go!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian let out a scornful laugh.

"Your You clan may have an ancient Holy King, but behind my Zhang clan of Dongzhou, there may well be no lack of powerful beings who watch over us, comparable to an ancient Holy King!"

He did not continue to engage the stubborn You Wenwen; his gaze turned to You Qiao and the other three True Immortals.

"Fellow Daoists, you have already heard my words. You have cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years to attain your True Immortal forms—reaching this step is no easy feat!

How can you bear to see your hundreds of thousands of years of bitter cultivation dissolve into flowing water?

Now I wish to cultivate the Great Dao together with the legitimate daughter of your You clan. As relatives of the You clan, I will naturally grant you pardon, provided you swear allegiance to the Noble Consort and to the Great Xia dynasty. I would not hesitate to let you walk back into the light!"

As Zhang Jian's words faded, he slowly swept his gaze over the four True Immortals.

At the same time, he prepared to turn and depart.

He had chosen the You clan's legitimate daughter, You Jiang, naturally because he valued her foundation and appearance.

But if that failed, he could also choose another legitimate daughter of the You clan.

This time, he even swept through the entire Divine Capital City.

Inside, there was no shortage of outstanding You clan maidens—only their talents were somewhat lesser, but that mattered little, as it was of no great consequence.

As Zhang Jian was about to leave, he heard a cold voice sound out.

"If I, the Venerable One, persuade You Jiang to enter the court, will you honor your promise and give my You clan a sliver of hope?"

As this voice emerged, not only were the You clan members astonished, but Zhang Jian could not help but turn his head, his eyes filled with surprise.

The speaker was none other than You Qiao, the most exalted elder of the You clan.

"Grand Priest?"

At that moment, a True Immortal beside him nearly burst his eyes with fire.

But as Zhang Jian's gaze swept over, a vibrant, verdant green lotus suddenly appeared atop his head.

The lotus light flowed and swirled, instantly suppressing his primordial spirit.

You Qiao met the gazes of the other True Immortals, as well as Zhang Jian's.

"Old man hopes the Emperor of Great Xia will agree to one condition!"

"Speak plainly!"

Zhang Jian's expression softened into a slight smile.

For those strong ones willing to align with the Great Xia dynasty, as the Emperor of Great Xia, he would always grant them a bit more patience.

"If the Emperor and my You clan's daughter were to bear a son or a daughter, I hope this child may inherit my You clan's mantle and pay homage to the White Emperor Holy Ancestor!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian's eyes fell upon You Qiao.

His pupils flickered.

"The princes of my Zhang clan of Dongzhou will only revere the Zhang ancestors and inherit the Zhang lineage. But since he possesses You clan blood, he will naturally also revere the White Emperor Holy King!"

Zhang Jian's face remained calm and composed.

Now that the Zhang clan of Dongzhou holds absolute advantage, how could he possibly abandon a prince—or a princess—to be sent into the You clan?

No matter what, even if he were to give the You clan a sliver of hope, the initiative would remain firmly in the hands of the Dongzhou Zhang clan.

The You clan's bloodline may merge into the Dongzhou Zhang clan, but it cannot reverse the roles of guest and host.

Upon hearing this, You Qiao's expression shifted—he clearly understood the Zhang family's intent.

The You clan clearly could no longer exist independently; it could only merge its bloodline into the Dongzhou Zhang clan, thereby preserving its incense.

Amid the incredulous gazes of the other You clan True Immortals, You Qiao spoke.

"As long as this prince is born, my You clan will serve him as lord!"

You Qiao did not look at the other You clan True Immortals' fiery gazes.

What scheme this Great Xia Emperor is plotting, You Qiao understands even more clearly.

But he knows the You clan has no room for resistance.

Even without You Jiang, there will still be other You clan legitimate daughters marrying into the Dongzhou Zhang family.

Rather than this, it is better to use this opportunity to seek some concessions.

He is not merely clinging to life out of fear of death—he needs to survive!

Only by living can the You clan continue its unbroken lineage.

Zhang Jian likewise saw through You Qiao's thoughts as if observing fire, and a faint smile flickered in his eyes.

"The entire You clan truly has only the Grand Priest as a genuinely wise person!"

"Then you have no worth in living!"

As Zhang Jian's words fell, he waved his hand—instantly reducing three of the True Immortals to dust, while repressing the deposed Emperor You Wenwen once more.

After all, this one is the biological father of the true seed of the Intent Sect, You Jiang.

……

In the night's darkness, Zhang Jian slowly walked out of the heavenly prison.

Having smoothly dealt with the You clan immortals, Zhang Jian's figure then proceeded toward the Ancestral Temple.

Beneath the night, the interior and exterior of Hao Jing City remained bustling beyond compare.

It seemed to have become a city that never sleeps.

By day, the battle-hardened elite patrol the streets; by night, the gods patrol.

In the deep recesses of the Western Mountains.

Another divine city stands tall.

That is the secondary capital, Shenjing City.

This is a city purely for cultivators.

This city suppresses the earth's dragon veins, and within it naturally forms many secret realms.

From afar, Shenjing City looks like a pearl standing proudly outside the Western Mountains, exceptionally radiant.

Even under the night, many cultivators still hurry toward Shenjing City.

Seeing this, Zhang Jian slightly revealed a smile.

After the morning's enfeoffment ceremony, he also gradually opened some settlement quotas within Shenjing City, nearly two thousand in total, to be auctioned tonight.

Along with the auction, some permits for entering and exiting Shenjing City's secret realms were also bundled, naturally attracting much attention from cultivators.

In the night, Zhang Jian walked unhurriedly into the Ancestral Temple.

Inside the Ancestral Temple, after Zhang Jian entered, this place was sealed off.

Zhang Jian's gaze fell upon the rows of familiar spirit tablets within the Ancestral Temple, finally resting on the golden statue of the female ancestor, his eyes showing some fluctuation.

Regarding this female ancestor, he had consulted the clan genealogy, clan records, and old county annals several times, but the records were indeed scarce and very vague.

Only the clan genealogy recorded that she was a benefactor of the Zhang clan, and thus was invited into the Zhang ancestral shrine to receive generation after generation of worship from the Zhang descendants.

"I don't even know what this ancestor's origins are."

Zhang Jian thought silently.

In an instant, Zhang Jian's gaze turned toward the golden statue's dharma form of the ancestor.

In that moment, however, he saw the incense and divine power on the ancestor's golden statue fluctuate, with rings of incense activating a special spatial coordinate; in an instant, a milky-white divine light descended from the void, constructing a special doorway.

Immediately after, a cluster of azure divine light flew out from within, landing deep in Zhang Jian's palm.

The touch was warm and moist, and Zhang Jian's eyes showed some astonishment.

Just a slight contact, and Zhang Jian immediately felt a gentle force flowing from it, entering his immortal fetus immortal body and the Sheji Emperor's primordial spirit, as if returning to the primordial womb of heaven and earth, receiving nourishment from the great Dao of heaven and earth.

At the same time, a piece of information followed the azure divine light, sinking deep into his Emperor's primordial spirit.

Azure Heaven's Blood: a heavenly and earthly treasure, formed when the great Dao of heaven and earth collapsed and all things ceased to exist, a point of heavenly and earthly essence was refined by the force of heaven and earth's collapse, containing a point of primordial ancestral qi; after refinement, one can obtain the ancestral qi Dao root, and achieve an indestructible body.

Note: It can be merged into the immortal fetus Dao body within, achieving an original indestructible Dao body, close to the Dao qi and thus close to heaven and earth, endless and everlasting.

"A point of primordial ancestral qi?"

Upon hearing this, even Zhang Jian was greatly shocked.

Primordial ancestral qi is almost the foundation of those innate gods, and also the root of heaven and earth.

Why, in myth and legend, those innate gods are born noble and exalted, favored by the great Dao of heaven and earth, is because they themselves are part of heaven and earth's great Dao nurtured and born, naturally enjoying exceptional favor.

Primordial ancestral qi is not only the innate Dao qi, but also the existence occupying the core position within it.

The value of such a treasure is likely comparable to that of the innate spiritual treasures born of heaven and earth in myth and legend.

Its value may even surpass that of the previous 'Innate Yin Yang Law Dao Seed' and 'Heart of Dimensions'.

This Dao ancestral qi happens to be able to merge into his innate Dao fetus immortal body, helping the maturation of the innate Dao fetus body in advance.

The innate Dao fetus body is a body close to the Dao; if he also obtains a point of primordial ancestral qi, he does not know what level the matured innate Dao fetus immortal body could reach.

"Indeed, as expected from the ancestor's creation, it must be a fine product!"

At this moment, Zhang Jian immediately expressed his 'filial piety', patting his chest and speaking to the ancestor's golden statue.

"Ancestor, please rest assured; Zhang Jian will surely not disappoint your expectations, and will certainly reopen territories and expand the land, soon completing the Sage King's great undertaking, so as to better 'honor' you!"

At this moment, deep within the 'Ancestor's' golden statue, the 'Qingxia Dao Jun', who had originally intended to warn Zhang Jian not to offer sacrifices too frequently, lest he cannot bear it, upon hearing this, immediately swallowed back the words he was about to say.

She could not possibly tell the other party that she had already nearly reached the point of 'exhausted mountains and waters'.