Chapter 493: Holy Path (Part One)

Wisp after wisp of green smoke.

In Zhang Jian's gaze, the numerous gold and silver ingots inside the great cauldron turned into green smoke.

This time the scale of the sacrifice was enormous; he had prepared double the amount of gold and silver ingots, indeed five to six times more than last time.

But in Zhang Jian's eyes, it had not completely burned out; when nearly five times the mountain of gold and silver ingots was reached, the flames stopped burning.

Zhang Jian then withdrew the excess gold and silver ingots entirely.

At the same time, he sent another prepared spiritual treasure into the great cauldron.

It was a spiritual treasure like a special treasure mirror, surrounded by countless spacetime great Dao law patterns, as if formed by the condensation of countless spacetime great Dao law runes, its entire body covered with special rune crystals, as if inlaid with piece after piece of rune crystal.

Actually, its material is quite unique; it is forged by Zhang Jian from a kind of spacetime divine iron, and it itself contains part of the essence of spacetime laws.

Its grade has already approached that of an immortal treasure.

Thanks to this 'earnest filial piety', his attainments in the way of artifact refinement have advanced with astonishing speed!

After concluding the sacrifice, Zhang Jian returned to the court.

The Great Xia Dynasty's next round of expansion against the other four major border provinces is about to begin; he needs to conduct pre-war mobilization and make various preparations for eastern and western campaigns.

After finishing the arrangements, Zhang Jian still needs to free up time to refine the Pure Zen Staff.

……

Deep in the heavenly realm, in the vast and boundless immortal domain.

'Qingxia Daoist' is communicating with her true form,

This time she cannot help but 'file a complaint'!

Before the cloud bed, a vast expanse of divine light appeared, and the true form of 'Qingxia Daoist' manifested within it, listening to 'Qingxia Daoist's' lament, her expression somewhat astonished.

After pondering for a moment, she smiled and said.

"This is indeed a problem, but you need not worry; this time I have also completed my exploration of this ancient era's innate relic, and gained quite a lot; inside are not lacking some ancient era's heavenly and earthly treasures, innate divine objects! Enough to solve the urgent need!"

Upon hearing this, 'Qingxia Daoist's' eyes brightened; this did let her breathe a sigh of relief.

Only hearing from within the divine light, Qingxia Daoist laughed and said.

"Do not forget that this sovereign's journey has always had opportunities no worse than others'; moreover, after this sacrifice ends, you may go to the Three Emperors' Heavenly Realm and spread the news of the Yin-Yang Treasure Mirror; the time is also about right!"

'Qingxia Daoist' agreed.

At this very moment, her gaze suddenly fell upon the Two Realms Pool.

"Here it comes!"

She greeted the true form of Qingxia Daoist in the divine light, and in an instant withdrew her divine powers, her form stepping forward to arrive before the Two Realms Pool.

In the Two Realms Pool, within the nine-colored pool water, golden springs surged.

The rumbling sound never ceased in the ears.

As if an endless ocean were condensing within; if not for the protection of magical power, 'Qingxia Daoist' would have no doubt that this Two Realms Pool would truly be burst apart.

The scent of incense divine power surging within, even though separated by the Two Realms Pool, she could also perceive it.

The passage of the Two Realms Pool seems to have been blocked by incense divine power!

However, this time with less pressure, 'Qingxia Daoist' is instead somewhat anticipating.

She manifested a vast incense divine body around her, layers of milky white divine light enveloping the Two Realms Pool; the next moment she saw a torrent of golden light surging toward her.

One after another, vast incense golden bodies flew out from within, directly absorbed by 'Qingxia Daoist's' incense divine body.

Around her, it seemed as if a vast incense great Dao law had manifested.

All who come are not refused.

As she further comprehends the marvels of incense divine power, she no longer needs to pass through a supreme treasure for transformation; she can directly absorb with incense golden bodies.

Like a whale swallowing!

In just a few breaths, over a hundred incense golden bodies had been absorbed by her.

That is a hundred million flawless incense.

'Qingxia Daoist' remained unmoved, merely condensing a circle of vast incense golden light around her body.

Within the incense golden light, one could seemingly see the rise and fall of worlds, the cycle of life and death, the great destruction of heaven and earth; countless heavenly and earthly great Dao laws were destroyed, taboos submitted beneath her feet, and moreover, a vast great Dao power permeated endless spacetime, revealing a grand atmosphere of perfect, eternal, indestructible spacetime.

Immediately following the absorption of the two hundredth incense golden body, a second incense golden light appeared behind her.

The two incense golden lights like wheels, like concentric circles rotating in opposite directions, within which an unimaginable power was condensing, invisible, inexpressible, as if the authority of the boundless heavenly and earthly great Dao laws were flowing.

Immediately followed by the third, fourth, and until the fifth incense golden light condensed into form.

Unparalleled power condensed in the incense behind 'Qingxia Daoist', a primordial divine energy that shattered ancient heavens and made myriad Dao bow down appeared; with a thought, it seemed one could form vast incense nations.

'Qingxia Daoist' sensed this power, and on her jade countenance also appeared a hint of joy.

With such power, after two or three more sacrifices, she could also attempt to survive the great calamity of destruction and prove her position as Daoist through the incense great Dao.

Moreover, with Zhang Jian's revealed potential, the Daoist position will certainly not be her end.

Nearly six hundred million flawless incense, 'Qingxia Daoist' felt joy in her eyes, then her gaze fell again upon the Two Realms Pool.

The omen on the Two Realms Pool had not yet ceased.

Threads of innate divine light pierced through from the nine-colored pool water, carrying the heavenly sound of the great Dao, as if boundless heavenly and earthly great Dao were appearing in the void, gradually projecting and merging into the Two Realms Pool.

Gazing upward, 'Qingxia Daoist's' expression became solemn.

This time the revealed great Dao laws actually numbered two.

Specifically, time and space!

"Is this an innate spiritual treasure of the spacetime type?"

This thought arose, and in the depths of 'Qingxia Daoist's' phoenix eyes there was also a hint of anticipation.

Although she said she had the Flowing Light Qin, such treasures are never too many.

Not to mention it is also an innate spiritual treasure of the spacetime type!

She did not wait long; moments later, she saw a river of spacetime flying out from within.

The moment it manifested, it sought to surge into the heavens and vanish into the vast, flowing currents of spacetime.

The 'Qingxia Daoist' had calm phoenix eyes; she merely gathered the surrounding incense and golden light, and in an instant collected that mass of spacetime current into her palm, yet deep within her palm it transformed into a treasure mirror.

This treasure mirror was entwined with dragon and phoenix patterns, its entire body appearing as if crystallized from the great spacetime avenue, splendid and magnificent.

The 'Qingxia Daoist' wasted no words, directly pouring a stream of mana into it to begin its refinement.

She had decided—this treasure mirror was hers!

The Flowing Light Zither had already been claimed by her true self; this innate merit-and-virtue spiritual treasure of spacetime type must belong to her use!

As the initial refinement progressed, she gradually came to understand the marvels of this spiritual treasure.

Dragon-Phoenix Treasure Mirror: an innate merit-and-virtue spiritual treasure containing three innate divine prohibitions, embodying the two authorities of spacetime, and encompassing myriad profound mysteries of the great spacetime Dao laws!

Playing with this palm-sized, exquisite treasure mirror in her hand, her eyes openly displayed her delight.

Treasures of the spacetime type are usually both offensive and defensive; most rare is their possessing immense boundary-breaking power, making them difficult to imprison or slay.

With this treasure, for her who is about to journey to the Three Emperors' Celestial Realm, it is nothing short of timely rain.

Having stored this treasure away, as for how to repay it, she already had an idea in mind.

The last time she retrieved her private treasury from the lower realm, there was still a box-bottom item inside.

With a wave of her hand, she sent it into the Two Realms Pool.

……

Great Xia Dynasty, Haojing City.

Beneath the stars, the city remained unusually lively; many mansions, even commoners' homes, hung lanterns—such an atmosphere is rarely seen elsewhere.

If not for surplus at home, how could one burn lamps until deep into the night on non-calamitous seasonal days?

With the nature of ordinary commoners, they would certainly save whenever possible!

In the imperial palace, Zhang Jian was then hosting a family banquet.

Numerous princes and grandsons, even great-grandsons, gathered together.

Though their number was not large—only several dozen—the atmosphere was harmonious.

Zhang Jian gazed upon this scene, his expression calm from beginning to end; if Zhang Yi and Zhang Qi Shi were watching this scene, they would surely be delighted.

Zhang Jian's eyes swept over the many princes and grandsons; he merely offered a few words of encouragement, urging everyone to diligently cultivate.

Among the many princes and grandsons, some had inherited part of his talent; most possessed spiritual roots or foundation bones, giving them cultivation aptitude, and even a few were born with acquired Dao bodies, while three or four possessed innate Dao bodies.

This is a remarkably high proportion.

Placed in any aristocratic family or immortal sect, it would be strikingly noticeable.

Yet among the Zhang clan of Dongzhou, it appears quite ordinary.

Zhang Jian himself is of the Innate Emperor Sovereign lineage.

For the Innate Emperor Sovereign to have offspring born with innate Dao bodies is nothing remarkable.

Furthermore, their mothers and grandmothers all possess innate Dao bodies, similar to the Innate Yellow Court Dao Body of Noble Consort Ji, the Innate Primordial Qi Dao Body of Noble Consort You, and the Innate Profound Mystery Dao Body of Virtuous Consort Meng.

There is also the Innate Water Spirit Dao Body of Crown Princess Yi!

Moreover, various spiritual fruits and precious medicines, cultivated from childhood, have laid a solid foundation, cleansing mundane bloodlines—each can be called a born seed of cultivation.

Yet regarding these descendants, Zhang Jian did not interfere excessively.

With many descendants, it is impossible to treat everyone equally with one bowl of water.

He merely established a relatively fair family system, leaving everything else to Zhang Zhao.

Zhang Jian remembered those descendants with special constitutions, but also did not show excessive concern.

After the family banquet dispersed, the many princes and grandsons each returned to their respective palaces.

Under the night sky, several peerless beauties among the consorts gazed upon this scene with somewhat sorrowful expressions.

They usually are the heaven-chosen heirs of immortal sect lineages, born believing they are destined to become immortals, never imagining they would bear children and raise grandchildren in abundance.

Their household has even become akin to the founding ancestor of a family!

Zhang Jian glanced at the ladies, then offered a few words of guidance, after which he returned once more to the Ancestral Temple.

In the Ancestral Temple, lights shone brightly.

At this moment, waves of majestic dragon aura and imperial aura manifested above the Ancestral Temple; the nation's fortune dragon soul was vast and boundless, faintly resonating with Zhang Jian.

Under such national fortune's support, Zhang Jian seemed to have become the sovereign of heaven and earth, his speed of swallowing and exhaling spiritual machinations increasing day by day.

Zhang Jian glanced around; a hint of smile appeared in the depths of his eyes.

He knew his sacred path would be fulfilled!

At this moment, spatial fluctuations appeared within the Ancestral Temple.

His eyes suddenly turned toward the 'Forefather' golden statue above, only to see a milky-white spatial passage simultaneously taking shape.

A streak of magnificent divine light instantly flew toward him, suddenly seized by his palm and vanished into his body.

At the same time, a message surged into his mind.

Merely glancing over it, he could not help but a hint of joy appear in the depths of his eyes.