Chapter 496: I Once Served as That Human Emperor (4K)

In an instant, the Imperial Star rising over Dongxuan Shenzhou shone like the eternal sun and moon, its light illuminating myriad ages.

Beneath the Imperial Star.

Above the firmament, the majestic National Fortune Red Dragon first transformed; dragon shadows streaked across the void, all plunging into the Red Dragon, causing its form to swell violently.

Light and shadow shuttled, permeating the Five Great Provinces.

A myriad-zhang Red Dragon true form emerged, and in an instant it surged into the majestic Imperial Star above the firmament, rapidly absorbing countless human fortunes and even the power of Heaven and Earth's Great Dao laws, transforming into an unimaginable majestic divine radiance that instantly entered the body of a majestic Imperial Lord in Haojing City, merging with a fate-pattern within him, allowing the fate-pattern to fully form and transmute into a rank.

The Imperial Lord Rank!

This is the true Nine-Nine Supremacy.

In Haojing City, Zhang Jian clearly sensed the Imperial Lord fate-pattern becoming substantive, a peculiar authority appearing in his mind.

When this authority appeared, he instantly 'knew' he had grasped a peculiar great power-authority.

Various abilities appeared in his mind.

'Bearing Heaven's Statutes,' 'Sovereign of Heaven and Earth,' 'Investing the Gods,' and so on.

From then on, he fused with the National Fortune Red Dragon, his very self becoming the condensation of the National Fortune.

This also became a layer of karmic rank, or what could be called a Dao-fruit.

This is the Imperial Lord's karmic rank.

Also known as the Ancient Holy King Rank!

This Ancient Holy King Rank is uniquely his own, bestowed by the myriad people.

The Ancient Holy King Rank differs from the State and Altar Imperial Lord Rank; it is a rank with temporality, not an eternal, fixed rank.

When the time comes, Heaven and Earth lend their strength; when fortune departs, heroes are not free!

During the Imperial Lord's reign, myriad gods retreat, and demons lie subdued.

Yet there is only one Imperial Lord per age, and no eternal Imperial Lord.

When the great fortune of the age passes, the Imperial Lord also has a time to abdicate.

But the Imperial Lord Rank is extraordinarily special.

Even if one day the myriad people's power disperses, there will still be a tremendous fortune, even the Imperial Lord's purple aura merging into his fate-pattern, greatly strengthening his fortune-path.

Zhang Jian even had an intuition that if he directly infused these human-path purple auras, even the boundless great fortune, into the State and Altar Imperial Lord Rank, it might directly elevate that rank further.

But sacrificing the Ancient Holy King Rank, the Imperial Lord Rank, to strengthen the State and Altar Divine Path Imperial Lord Rank—no matter how viewed, this would be an excessively extravagant act.

The future potential of the Imperial Lord Rank will not be less than that of the State and Altar Imperial Lord.

This identity is also an honor, and a responsibility.

At least Zhang Jian will not do this for now; even if he wishes to achieve the State and Altar Divine Path, he must wait until his Imperial Lord Rank and Imperial Lord Undertaking reach their peak.

The Imperial Lord Emperor Star blazes high, illuminating the ten directions of Heaven and Earth.

Majestic dragon aura, imperial aura permeating Heaven and Earth—at this moment, the righteous qi between Heaven and Earth surges upward, and all evils retreat.

The Imperial Lord is born, myriad horses neigh in unison!

Within and without the Zhou Mountain Realm, myriad immortals and gods felt a tremendous suppressive force at this moment.

The Nine Cauldrons Boundary, which had once appeared in the mythic ages, gradually enveloped the Five Great Provinces, the sects of myriad immortal Dao lineages, and even the secluded abodes of immortals and gods.

Sensing this change, myriad powerful cultivators trembled inwardly, but some who had lived through the ancient and medieval eras merely sighed, knowing another Holy King era had descended.

Meanwhile, a majestic earth-divine radiance burst forth from Haojing City, permeating the Five Continents.

Innumerable earthly forces were at this moment enveloped by a nine-colored divine diagram, boundless majestic divine power bursting forth.

The myriad gods of the Five Continents' divine paths cried out the Holy King's name at this moment, all gods paying homage to the Holy King.

A profound divine power burst forth, sweeping across the ten directions of void.

The Holy King is born, myriad phenomena renewed!

Moreover, above the void, boundless Heaven and Earth omens appeared; the myriad Heaven and Earth laws controlled by the Mountains Rivers State and Altar Diagram evolved layered visions above the void.

Perhaps the sun and moon rise together, illuminating the star river.

Or perhaps the river of time and space manifests, boundless human sages appearing from the void, paying homage to the Holy King.

……

Myriad omens majestic, in an instant converging into a purple-yellow divine light, condensing entirely into vast purple qi, permeating Heaven and Earth, as if welcoming the descent of the Heaven and Earth Supreme.

Haojing City, Hall of Containing the Origin within

Zhang Jian sensed his own changes; at this moment he seemed like the embodiment of the Zhou Mountain Realm's Heavenly Dao, grasping the Heavenly Dao's origin, himself seeming to merge with the boundless Heaven and Earth power of the Zhou Mountain Realm.

The ability of the Imperial Lord Rank is simply astonishing.

At this moment he finally understood why the ancient Holy King could suppress the gods so that an entire age could not lift their heads.

With such Heaven and Earth power supporting him, his own rank was nearly raised to a limit.

Nearly as if the Heavenly Dao had donned him.

He could sense that deep within his Imperial Lord fate-pattern, boundless purple light spread, and he also saw vast merit-gold light condensing behind his innate primordial spirit.

Yet he did not thereby give rise to any arrogant or extravagant heart.

On the contrary, at this moment he instead aroused a hint of vigilance.

He knew that from this moment on he must properly manage the Imperial Lord Rank.

He had only recently ascended as Imperial Lord, and the Imperial Lord Rank was not yet consolidated; if Heaven and Earth were to backlash, the purple and golden light within his Imperial Lord Rank would dissipate entirely, and that would be the time of his fall from the Imperial Lord Rank.

"Indeed, it is overbearing!"

Upon the Imperial Throne, Zhang Jian, having become somewhat familiar with the rank, then devoted his entire body and mind to the integration of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Numerous major powers initially submitted; which needed to be distinguished, which to be suppressed heavily, which to be supported, how to support them, and how to promote the Great Xia Dynasty's heavenly regulations and laws—all required Zhang Jian to plan comprehensively.

And as Zhang Jian smoothly obtained the Imperial Lord Rank, the upper and lower echelons of the Great Xia Dynasty's immortals likewise burst forth with unprecedented enthusiasm.

To personally witness the Holy King's descent from mythic legend, and to serve in the Holy King's court, the immortals and gods naturally exerted twelve parts of their zeal and fervor.

This is also the time when the rewards from the Dragon's Merit are received.

……

"The era of the Holy King has arrived!"

At this time, in the Five Great Provinces, within and without numerous spiritual mountains and blessed lands, many powerful ancient immortals and ancient gods gazed upon this scene from afar, secretly sighing with emotion.

Some were shocked, some disheartened, while others secretly rejoiced and were encouraged.

The most delighted were none other than the entire Tongshan Dao Tong.

Since ancient times, the Tongshan Dao Tong has finally given birth to a second Ancient Holy King.

At this moment, upon this majestic ancient holy mountain, strands upon strands of majestic fortune descended, manifesting various grand omens within and without the divine mountain.

Innumerable fortunes manifested as tangible orchids and fragrant herbs; spiritual beasts descended from the heavens, directly absorbed by high-ranking cultivators who had earned merit in supporting the Holy Court, as immortals and gods.

Even the Slaying Demon True Lord in seclusion gained a harvest: from the vault of heaven descended a torrent of fortune that transformed into a snow-white heavenly horse, entering her secluded retreat, whereupon the Slaying Demon Peak manifested a grand auspicious cloud and mist.

The bulk of it, however, fell into the secluded abodes of the three second-generation ancestral masters.

With the cultivation of these three second-generation ancestral masters, they could now perceive part of the fortune's changes; naturally, they knew they had received the great fortune of supporting the Holy Court, each clearly feeling their primordial spirit's perception of the heavenly Dao's laws had become markedly clearer.

This is the most direct application of great fortune upon oneself.

Deepening great fortune strengthens one's connection with heaven and earth, temporarily breaking through various 'interferences' surrounding the primordial spirit—such as killing qi, karma, evil force, and even heavenly fate.

However, great fortune does not remain at its peak forever; as the connections between all things in heaven and earth shift, it still carries a time limit.

But for this period, for many immortals and gods, this has already been sufficient.

Sufficient to distance themselves from other immortals and gods.

And at this moment, deep within the Heavenly Pool Peak.

In the Fortune Lotus Pond, at this moment it seemed as if a torrent descended from heaven, layer upon layer of vast fortune falling into the pond's waters, instantly filling the entire Fortune Lotus Pond, yet still layer upon layer of fortune's radiant light poured down from heaven, causing fortune to overflow.

This sight left the Wandering Daoist's face flushed and ears burning, wishing he could lie beside the pond and absorb all the overflowing radiant light of fortune.

And enduring such great fortune, one saw within the lotus pond lotus blossom after lotus blossom opening, stained with its hue, as if transformed into one immortal plant after another.

"They have all become immortal seeds, and even heavenly immortal seeds!"

"

Having merely glanced a few times, the Wandering Daoist's Dao heart trembled violently, unable to restrain himself from scratching his ears and cheeks.

As a former sect master, when had he ever witnessed such a sight?

Before his eyes, most of the lotus flowers in the pond had undergone a transformation in rank, and even immortal plants that had transformed two or more ranks in quality existed.

Above his head, black killing qi spread, while a portion of the green lotuses tainted with calamity qi, under the impact of this great fortune, transformed their baleful qi into harmony; meanwhile, some lotuses with inherently solid foundations, nourished by this great fortune, immediately rose in rank, their roots and stems becoming thick and solid, their fortune dense; while some lotuses whose fortune itself was astonishing, each stalk was entwined with immortal light, their aura greatly increased.

At this moment, beside him, many elders guarding the lotus pond were also stunned, gazing upon this scene.

Watching this young sect master lose composure, they too did not dwell on the matter.

Their hearts, too, were not untouched by Dao heart turmoil.

At this moment, the three second-generation ancestral masters sensed the anomaly in Heavenly Pool Peak and came rushing one after another.

They gazed upon the scene in the Dao Palace, each expression already filled with astonishment.

Such a sight, they too were seeing for the first time.

As for the occasion when King Yu Yang attained the Dao, the Tongshan Dao Tong had not yet been established, so they had never witnessed such a grand spectacle.

"Ancestral Masters, we have struck it rich!"

The Wandering Daoist, in his loss of composure, even seized one hand of the Qingyuan Ancestral Master, his deep pupils flashing with uncontainable excitement.

The Great Xia Emperor smoothly attained the Holy Kingship; as the third-generation sect master of the Tongshan Dao Tong, he fears he is the most relaxed among all past sect masters, able to leverage this eastern wind to achieve greater accomplishments than his master, the Slaying Demon True Lord.

The Qingyuan Ancestral Master gazed upon this scene, gave a dry cough, and rebuked.

"Calm down! You are the sect master of the Tongshan Dao Tong—how can you let your Dao heart lose its guard?"

Though his words were reproachful, the Qingyuan Ancestral Master's face showed no harshness.

The expressions of the three second-generation ancestral masters all bore smiles.

Through the merit of supporting the Holy Court, how could they not have benefited greatly? Their cultivation will surely advance further.

However, having reached this stage, they too should consider selecting the next batch of world-dwelling immortals.

When their cultivation advances, it is inevitable they will ascend to the Heavenly Gate.

When they advance further, the primary goal of remaining in this realm will have been fulfilled.

Their own foundations have also been perfected; next, they should ascend to the Heavenly Gate and rediscover the Dao path.

……

Within and without Haojing City, prosperity grows day by day.

In the blink of an eye, a hundred years have passed in haste.

On the Observatory Terrace, at this moment wave after wave of heavenly tribulation descended from the skies; beneath the grand thunderlight, yet a figure stood proudly beneath the sea of heavenly thunder, myriad thunderbolts interweaving; a venerable figure clad in purple-gold Dao robes had his entire body surrounded by streaks of lightning, manifesting a grand thunder god's dharma image, commanding thunder and lightning, as simple as eating and drinking.

"It is merely the seven-nine heavenly tribulation; the True Supreme Master passing this trial should pose no difficulty!"

At this moment, in the distance, many high-ranking cultivators gazed upon this scene from afar.

The Jingming Daoist stood behind a noble figure clad in a python robe; at this moment, hearing the words of another immortal beside Zhang Zhao, he immediately sighed in relief.

Zhang Zhao, seeing this, spoke.

"It seems that not long from now, my Eastern Palace will gain yet another true immortal!"

Beside him, the dignified and noble Crown Princess Consort nodded silently.

The Jingming Daoist, at this moment, gazed upward at the heavens, his eyes still holding some worry.

Though his master's foundation is solid, he was ultimately entangled by the Great Qian's fortune, and he does not know whether, over these years, his master has completely eradicated the backlash.

Above the heavens, after the seven layers and sixty-three waves of heavenly tribulation had passed, yet the Ancestral Founder of the Dongshen Sect stood firm, relying on his profound accumulation, resisting the final wave of the apocalyptic divine thunder; streaks of immortal Dao principles entered the transforming true immortal primordial spirit, recondensing into a true immortal body.

Seeing this, many cultivators of the Dongshen Guan below had already begun to cheer.

Their ancestral master finally succeeded in overcoming the great calamity, attained the Dao, and became an immortal.

For all the cultivators of Dongshen Guan, this was a great encouragement; for the high-level cultivators of other immortal sects and lineages, it was likewise a source of inspiration.

Before the imperial mausoleum, Zhang Jian also saw this scene from afar, his expression unmoved.

The ancestral founder of Dongshen Jiao had deep foundations; after enduring the backlash of his own fate, attaining immortality was not beyond his expectations.

It was only his choice to directly achieve true immortality, rather than continue accumulating, that surprised him.

But this was also good—first attaining the body of a true immortal, then pursuing the path to heavenly immortality, was not a bad choice at all.

The ancestral founder of Dongshen Jiao was not of the longevity lineage; he had no sect protection behind him, relying solely on himself, which was ultimately too difficult. It would be better to first attain true immortality, then seek other paths.

Zhang Jian glanced briefly, then did not linger.

After he achieved the fruition of the Sage King's Dao, the high-level cultivators who benefited were not limited to just the ancestral founder of Dongshen Jiao.

Following the regulations, he stepped into the imperial mausoleum.

At this moment, inside the imperial mausoleum, Zhang Yifu and his wife, Qi Yuhua, and Prince Duan Zhang Min were still in slumber.

Within the profound ice, the faces of the people were lifelike; their vitality, even down to the soul's imprint, was completely sealed by ice, as if they had not felt the passage of time.

Gazing at the several figures, Zhang Jian's expression softened slightly.

He murmured to himself.

"Yuhua younger sister, second brother, you may need to remain in slumber for a while longer!

But I will not let you wait too long. Once I have fully completed the merit and virtue of the Sage King, we shall surely ascend together to the heavenly realm!

"

In the depths of his eyes, a trace of intense imperial aura emerged.

How mighty the power of the Son of Heaven's rank is, and how much one can benefit from it, entirely depends on the Sage King himself.

Many ancient Sage Kings also varied in strength and weakness.

For example, among the ancient sovereigns, figures like the Agricultural Emperor and the Yellow Emperor stood out as exceptional, while some ancient Sage Kings were clearly inferior to these outstanding beings; even after ascension, their Dao fruits were greatly inferior.

Like the later ancient kings, the middle-era kings, including Geng King Bai Di, the Solar Holy Emperor, the Fire Virtue King, and other ancient Sage Kings, they were all somewhat inferior!

Having attained the body of a Sage King, he naturally would strive to fulfill the duties of a Sage King, seeking to perfect the Sage King's Dao endeavor and bring forth the utmost potential of the Sage King's form.

Zhang Jian stood silently before the ice coffin for a moment longer, then turned and departed.

After returning, Zhang Jian prepared to continue the ancestral rites.

The fruition of the Sage King's Dao had been achieved; he believed this ancestral rite would bring another surprise!