Chapter 538: Cause and Effect (4K)

Endless wind and thunder intertwined, and at this moment, the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden's body was filled with strands of primordial immortal light that manifested and emerged; her delicate face seemed to have countless fragments cracking open, revealing her true visage from within.

Her original appearance was stunningly beautiful.

Truly like the blossoming of a hundred flowers, the spirit of creation's bell, as if gathering the essence of myriad blossoms, the brightness of the four seasons, her beauty could topple nations, unmatched; her garments transformed into resplendent gold, her entire being resembling golden stars soaring upward, directly plunging into the nine heavens' thunderclouds.

Amidst the golden radiance, it was as if a golden flower bravely welcomed the baptism of wind, frost, rain, and snow.

In the depths of the void, the Virtuous Thunder Daoist gritted his teeth, staring at this scene, fury burning in his eyes.

As a lofty Taiyi Immortal, he ended up being found by his fellow sect brother outside a pigsty—truly, he had lost all face.

Nowadays, many immortals and gods in the Northern Domain secretly call him the Pigsty Immortal.

"Senior Brother, you must be careful; this woman likely has another powerful figure behind her. Without such protection, I would not have ended up wallowing in mud and filth, forgotten my cultivation and footing, ultimately falling to..."

Speaking to the end, the Virtuous Thunder Daoist gritted his teeth, fear and dread again welling in his eyes.

Beside him, a middle-aged Daoist wearing Taiyi Primordial Daoist robes, with an elegant bearing, stroked his beard slightly, his expression calm and indifferent.

"I would like to meet him, and incidentally ask him what reasoning there is for his disciple humiliating my Tiantai Dao lineage. If not, then my Tiantai Dao lineage, and even the ancestral founders of the Heavenly Realm, are not to be trifled with!"

Upon hearing that even the Heavenly Realm's backing was paying attention, the Virtuous Thunder Daoist felt his heart ease slightly, the fear in his eyes instantly turning to irritation as he clasped his hands: "Please, Senior Brother, help me vent this anger!"

"Please, Senior Brother, help me vent this anger!"

The Primordial Daoist gave a slight nod.

"Later, Brother, I will intercept that person; you may then strike directly. You and she share karmic ties—she seized your opportunity, so you can naturally block her path to the Dao!"

Upon hearing this, the Virtuous Thunder Daoist gave a slight nod, deep killing intent flashing in his eyes.

But just then, a faint voice echoed from the depths of the void.

"You two juniors, this king advises you best not to act rashly, or you may lose your lives!"

This figure appeared, and instantly the void seemed to transform into layers of invisible water, spreading around.

The water reflected only black-and-white starlight, with black-and-white spots interweaving to form peculiar star fields, stretching endlessly to the eye.

The Primordial Daoist and the Virtuous Thunder Daoist glanced over this scene, their faces changing color.

The cultivator who made this move possessed a cultivation level beyond imagination.

This is clearly a highly special spatial immortal technique.

How terrifying must be the immortal or god who could silently drag them into such a spatial immortal technique—one can easily imagine.

One of them is an ancestral elder of a sect, a myth among immortals, a Taiyi great power.

The other is even the one who holds the reins in the Eastern Hua Realm.

An existence countless immortals and gods must look up to.

One is a Taiyi True Immortal.

A Taiyi True Immortal is already enough to stride sideways through low-dimensional void realms.

"May I ask, what god are you, where is your immortal homeland, and why do you make things difficult for us?"

The Primordial Daoist slightly clasped his hands, a hint of unwillingness still in his deep eyes.

Being dragged into an unknown spacetime before even making a move, he had never fought such a muddled battle.

He lost without even knowing why!

In the depths of the void, Zhang Jian seemed to be looking down from a higher dimension upon the two immortals in the endless river map, his calm voice transmitting.

"This king is still who he is; you two juniors are temporarily not qualified to know. Do not move, or else be careful—hundreds of thousands of years of cultivation may turn to flowing water!"

Upon hearing this, the Primordial Daoist's face changed slightly, and he hastily announced his lineage.

"Senior, our ancestral founder is the Eastern Heaven Realm Legion Commander Chongshan Tianjun, stationed to guard the Nine Heavens Heavenly Realm; please, Senior, show us mercy!"

Zhang Jian glanced at the two, his expression unchanged, and spoke calmly.

"Chongshan Tianjun, this king is not familiar with him, but since he is a disciple of a heavenly realm colleague, this king naturally ought to give some face!"

At this moment, a hint of strange color flickered in his eyes as he smiled and said:

"How about this: this king loves to nurture juniors; today, I will give you a detailed opportunity to comprehend fifth-rank immortal arts. You shall remain in this king's diagram to properly 'comprehend,' but to 'spur' you on, I have set up many punishments in this formation—every thousand years, if there is no progress, your thousand years of cultivation and mana shall be cut down!"

"

Upon hearing this, the two Daoists' faces changed color.

What kind of comprehension, what kind of nurturing!

It is nothing but imprisonment, confinement!

If they cannot break the formation, will they not be reduced to mortals!

Even their ancestral founder's name is useless; just as he was about to speak, Zhang Jian waved his hand and directly seized the two, to be handed over later to the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden for her own disposal.

It is expected that the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden will properly deal with these two.

Having casually resolved the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden's killing tribulation, Zhang Jian then waited leisurely in the depths of the void for her to overcome her great tribulation.

This time, the task given by the Qingxia Daoist was relatively easy.

At this moment, Zhang Jian's attention once again fell upon the acquired spiritual treasure in his hand.

After decades of comprehension, his refinement of that acquired spiritual treasure is now progressing deeply.

The Nine Heavens Azure Lotus Diagram is indeed wondrous in power, its power far surpassing that of the fifth-rank spiritual treasure in his hand.

Boom—boom, accompanied by wave after wave of earth-shaking thunderclaps, layer upon layer of terrifying divine thunder condensed in the void.

The heavenly tribulation the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden endured is also the nine-nine thunder tribulation.

It is also the most powerful type among heavenly tribulations.

However, at this moment, for the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden within the thunderclouds, it poses no threat.

As the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden's primordial spirit awakened, the Dao fruit and cultivation belonging to the Yaochi Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden gradually flowed from the depths of her muddan palace into her body.

Gathering cultivation from countless lifetimes, merely a moment later, a Taiyi great power aura emerged from deep between her brows.

And this is not all.

Obviously, the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden at her peak was no ordinary Taiyi Immortal Deity.

She was likely a Taiyi True Immortal, or even a Taiyi Heavenly Immortal, a Taiyi Great Perfection.

Zhang Jian's eyes flickered with a thoughtful expression.

Although the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden's cultivation years were not spent in martial pursuits, and though she grew up in Yaochi and rarely acted outside, counting from the time she attained the Dao, her years of cultivation actually far surpassed those of Qingxua Dao Jun, even tracing back to many Yanji before.

At this moment, deep in the void, the final apocalyptic tribulation lightning was finally pierced through by a soaring immortal light.

Deep in the void, a wondrous female immortal clad in golden immortal robes bathed in the deep creation immortal light, swiftly merging all her Dao fruits, and with the recovery of memory and cultivation, she finally recalled everything in full.

She was a female immortal of the Yaochi Heavenly Realm.

The Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden.

She had been schemed against, fell due to a demonic tribulation, and now finally successfully returned after passing the tribulation.

With a wave of her hand, a seven-layered golden pagoda flew out from her primordial spirit.

This was a merit-based magical artifact.

Had this treasure not protected her primordial spirit and suppressed the heavenly demon toxins deep within it, she might not have been able to return at all.

Merely recalling Qingxua Dao Jun's earlier words, the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden's peerlessly beautiful jade countenance instantly showed a hint of helplessness.

At the time, she only thought it was good cause and good effect, but now she had not expected that this cause and effect would not be easy to repay.

Especially with old debts unpaid and new debts incurred.

At this moment, her gaze fell upon a leisurely young immortal in the void.

The instant her cultivation returned, she sensed something.

Moreover, Zhang Jian had never concealed his appearance from beginning to end.

The omens around her body gradually subsided; she took back the seven-layered golden pagoda in her hand, and in an instant transformed into a golden stream of light that fell before Zhang Jian. The Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden spoke solemnly.

"Many thanks for the personal escort of the Lingyuan Emperor, Hundred Flowers is deeply grateful!"

"Congratulations, Immortal Maiden, on your return to your immortal position and attainment of fruition!"

Zhang Jian gave a slight smile, returning it in kind.

The Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden is a greatly favored female immortal serving under the Yaochi Holy Mother, and she likewise holds the position of chief overseer of the Zhou Tian Hundred Flowers.

He currently holds only a deputy position in one palace, ranked eighth in sequence.

The Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden is very likely a high-ranking immortal deity of the ninth sequence.

Zhang Jian then spoke again.

"This sovereign also acts under the heavenly mandate of Qingxua Dao Jun, hence came to assist the Immortal Maiden with all my strength; fortunately, everything has proceeded smoothly, and I have not delayed the Immortal Maiden's great affair!"

"When the Emperor acts, there will be no mistake; it is only that I have caused the Emperor to laugh!"

The Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden glanced at Qingyu City, her words carrying double meaning, and there was still some shy annoyance in her eyes.

Qingyu City has indeed left behind not a few offspring of the two of them.

Although Zhang Jian helped her pass through the emotional tribulation and elevate her Dao heart, the methods used were too special, and the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden's Dao heart still wavered slightly, but soon regained calm, her eyes bearing a faint strange hue.

At this moment, the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden glanced at Zhang Jian, wondering whether this Emperor had ever harbored feelings for her.

This thought flashed and vanished; in an instant, her eyes turned toward the void above, where at this moment a magnificent heavenly gate appeared, amidst nine-colored immortal light, another vast heavenly sound emerged.

After that heavenly sound, a nine-colored talisman edict descended from heaven and landed deep in the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden's brow.

"Yaochi Talisman Edict!"

Zhang Jian watched this scene, secretly sighing.

As a female immortal of the Yaochi Holy Land, it is different—just having returned after passing the tribulation, she can at any time return to the heavenly realm, regain her Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden position, and become a chief overseer.

But Zhang Jian saw the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden's appearance; although she accepted the edict, she did not prepare to immediately return to the central heavenly realm, nor to the Yaochi Heavenly Realm.

Watching the heavenly gate close, Zhang Jian thought for a moment, then with a wave of his hand handed over the two immortals from the Infinite River Diagram to the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden.

"Immortal Maiden, these two seem to have some connection with you; earlier they intended to harm you, but I have already captured them and now hand them over to you for disposal!"

The Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden received the immortal diagram, glanced at the two immortals still struggling within it, her eyes showing a hint of indifference; at this moment she no longer cared, but still accepted it.

"These two immortals: one is the founding ancestor of the Tiantai Sect, Hunyuan Daoist, the other is the Lei Lao Ancestor skilled in thunder; both were mighty figures who dominated their regions, yet I never expected they would be so easily captured by the Emperor! The Emperor's methods, I imagine, are also extraordinary among the immortals!"

She praised Zhang Jian's cultivation without cease.

Then she said again.

"However, does the Emperor know why these two immortals have relentlessly pursued and sought to kill this immortal, even possibly knowing this immortal's identity, yet still refuse to give up!"

"If the Immortal Maiden is willing to speak, this sovereign listens respectfully!"

Zhang Jian gave a slight smile.

The Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden then said with a charming smile.

"Let us first go to a place to retrieve part of our old belongings, then we can discuss this matter!"

Zhang Jian nodded slightly.

The two immediately transformed into a streak of immortal light and flew toward the depths of the Bei Yu region.

Zhang Jian noticed that as they flew deeper into Bei Yu, the spiritual qi of heaven and earth became increasingly substantial; along the way, the number of cultivators and immortals also increased.

Among them were not a few immortals with extraordinarily powerful cultivation.

True Immortals, Heavenly Immortals, and even Taiyi-level great beings became more common here—either attending banquets or participating in various high-end auctions, or engaging in immortal disputes.

This inevitably gave Zhang Jian a feeling as if he had returned to the central heavenly realm.

Not far off, Zhang Jian could already see a series of vast immortal cities.

This immortal city bore some resemblance to the heavenly realm's immortal cities in appearance; inside, it also had its own cosmic transformations, and Zhang Jian also saw some immortals carrying various heavenly realm law seals, with deities appearing and disappearing within.

"Indeed, it already has several traces of the heavenly realm's atmosphere!"

Zhang Jian gazed into the distance, his eyes showing some ripples.

The origin of the Donghua Realm also bears some similarity to the mountain and sea world of ancient mythology; everything is extraordinarily large and robust.

Similar to the mountain gods and blessed lands of myth, such places are everywhere.

Moreover, the environment has given rise to many kinds of heavenly and earthly spiritual treasures.

Many immortals and gods naturally enjoy staying in such an environment.

Normal immortals and gods would not like the degenerate environment of the end of the world.

Unless there is a special need.

The two passed one immortal city after another, finally arriving before a terrifying immortal city resembling a divine mountain.

It stood like a colossus between heaven and earth, the dwelling place of ancient gods and demons; Zhang Jian indeed felt many demonic and divine auras within it.

This feeling made Zhang Jian feel as if he had returned to antiquity, back to the era when the demon gods dwelled in the world.

This is almost the opposite of Qingyu City.

From outside the nine rings, they suddenly arrived at the central three rings.

But along the way, the layout of each immortal domain in the Donghua Realm is largely like this.

The weaker living beings reside in the outer regions, protected by unique barriers, while the inner-layer cultivators grow increasingly numerous and powerful.

This immortal city is called Baidi City.

It was established by an ancient sage king of the Donghua Realm, who happens to also be called the Baidi Sage King.

The old item of the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden is kept in a special shop within Baidi City.

Such shops accept commissions from immortals and gods across the heavenly void and also handle the custody of many secret treasures, making them very reliable.

"Penglai Pavilion!"

Gazing at the golden signboard before him, Zhang Jian's eyes flickered; he had dealt with this Penglai Pavilion in the Zhou Shan Realm before, so it was not unfamiliar.

Shortly after, the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden emerged with a smile, appearing to have retrieved her stored old item.

Then she led Zhang Jian into an immortal palace within Baidi City; she also has a separate residence and mansion there, and seems to be doing quite well.

Upon entering the mansion, the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden changed her clothes before entering the main hall to meet Zhang Jian.

After a brief chat, the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden told Zhang Jian the answer.

"The Emperor likely already harbors great curiosity; actually, it's quite simple, for the object in this immortal's hand is related to the advancement of the Donghua Realm!"

"Oh?"

Zhang Jian's eyes brightened, and the hand holding the jade nectar paused slightly; he immediately understood the crux.

Even if he does not understand the causes and consequences of the Donghua Realm's advancement, he knows that a great realm's ascension into the heavenly dimension is surely a momentous event, containing immense opportunity.

If he could participate, it would naturally bring immense merit and fortune.

Achieving the status of human emperor of a great realm has already benefited him greatly; he can also imagine that participating in a great realm's ascension would yield fortune and merit no less than that of supporting the Holy Court, perhaps even greater.

Perhaps even much greater.

How could the immortals possibly sit idly by!

At this moment, Zhang Jian's gaze fell upon the Hundred Flowers Immortal Maiden, while a thought arose in his heart.

Did the Qingxua Dao Lord let him enter the Donghua Realm precisely to calculate this matter, and intentionally let him share in the spoils?

If so, then this ancestor truly treats him well.

"From now on, I must certainly fulfill my filial duty more, and offer more sacrifices!"