Chapter 605: The Days of Serving as the Heavenly Emperor's Chief Secretary (4K)

Azure divine light fell into Zhang Jian's hand, ultimately manifesting as an innate divine artifact of intertwined clear and turbid qi.

Within it, Zhang Jian seemed to see the primordial opening of heaven and earth, the grand spectacle of Qian and Kun separating clear and turbid, with boundless primordial Qian yuan clear qi ancestral qi, and primordial Kun yuan turbid qi ancestral qi differentiating into the Qian and Kun clear and turbid qi, vast and mighty, entwining the void, as if re-evolving the chaotic heaven and earth.

At this moment, Zhang Jian grasped this divine chart, merely sensing a hint of its power, and could not help but change expression.

Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Qiankun Chart (Damaged)!

This is actually a top-grade innate spiritual treasure, although damaged, its power remains immeasurable.

Zhang Jian held it in his hand, feeling a spatial-temporal ability far surpassing his Mountains and Rivers State Chart, his eyes filled with astonishment.

The Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Qiankun Chart contains clear and turbid, spacetime—two major Dao authorities—and can also evolve a Qiankun universe, suppressing heavenly and earthly Dao laws.

Its suppressing power naturally exceeds eternal-level immortal arts, and even surpasses many acquired spiritual treasures.

If one could comprehend its spacetime and clear-turbid authorities, it would greatly aid Zhang Jian in enhancing the power of his Mountains and Rivers State Chart.

For Zhang Jian, no matter how powerful a spiritual treasure, it is only temporary.

The Mountains and Rivers State Chart is his natal immortal art, yet it can continuously grow, progress, and even in the future reach a state where a single thought can overturn heaven and earth, reforge Qiankun.

However, innate spiritual treasures possess their own unique power.

With this treasure, Zhang Jian can, in its wake, further comprehend various Qiankun ancestral qi mysteries within it, especially the mysteries of the primordial Kun yuan turbid qi ancestral qi, thereby greatly enhancing his Earth Emperor authority divine power.

At the same time, a thought flashed through Zhang Jian's mind.

Can this top-grade innate spiritual treasure Qiankun Chart be repaired?

He noticed the Qiankun Chart in his hand resembled a mass of azure light, yet its state was complete.

In a short time, he could not discern what part was missing!

Above the Golden Body Dharma Aspect, the divine sense of 'Qingxia Dao Jun' slowly withdrew.

Even a damaged top-grade innate spiritual treasure has a value comparable to that of the Eternal Divine Banner.

However, the karma contained within this treasure is significant, requiring Zhang Jian to handle it himself.

……

After receiving the ancestral sacrifice feedback, Zhang Jian bade farewell to the Zhang clan immortals and returned to the Central Heaven Realm.

His official residence as the Inspector of the Nine Netherworlds Spirit Emperor had not yet been completed, so Zhang Jian simply stayed in his own dao hall, carefully refining and comprehending the new innate spiritual treasure Qiankun Chart.

He studied the mysteries of this treasure in detail.

Moreover, having not reunited with the Qi clan for tens of thousands of years, Zhang Jian also greatly missed them.

In the Nine Netherworlds Emperor's mansion.

At this moment, the primordial essence condensed on the floating island, and the heavenly starlight was gathered by the great Spirit-Gathering Array surrounding the floating island, the magnificent primordial spirit mechanism then passing through the celestial spirit vein above his head and the earth spirit vein deep within the floating island, becoming extraordinarily pure.

On the floating island, additionally, the Nine Eyes Chaos Creation Divine Spring continuously gushes forth rolling creation essence, very nourishing to people.

On the immortal island, benefiting from the creation essence of this divine spring, many strange flowers and exotic grasses grow extraordinarily lush.

Furthermore, many kinds of heavenly and earthly spiritual roots are nurtured here.

Besides the Yin-Yang Treasure Tree, Bodhi Treasure Tree, and Qingling Treasure Tree brought from the Mundane Zhou Mountain Realm, there are also the heavenly and earthly spiritual roots Zhang Jian has successively obtained, such as the Ice Spirit Treasure Tree gained from the ice snow nest, and the Innate Qing Lotus Seed obtained from the Lotus King's traces.

Immortal light flows and leaks, extremely nourishing.

Cultivating in such an environment greatly aids in tempering one's cultivation and mind.

At this time, a pavilion was additionally built around the Nine Eyes Chaos Creation Divine Spring; Zhang Jian and his wife rarely rested there, gazing at the winds and clouds swirling around the immortal island, at this moment seeming eternal and everlasting, frozen in time.

Zhang Jian could not help but sigh.

"It is truly rare to attain such tranquility!"

Since he entered the Heaven Realm, he has held four celestial offices in succession.

While serving as the Lingyuan Emperor in the Three Yuan Spirit Officials Hall, although noble and exalted, leisure was not to be spoken of, as he needed to devote most of his time to coordinating the water element calamity resolution across the realms, and also had to stand in for the Water Official Emperor when needed, and when necessary, had to divert his attention below to preside over many affairs on behalf of the Water Official Emperor.

Moreover, this exalted position ultimately held little actual authority.

The subsequent positions of Water Official Emperor and Eternal Heaven Emperor, although possessing authority, also involved many mundane affairs.

Especially the role of Eternal Heaven Emperor as the warden of the Eternal Immortal Prison is no easy task.

Besides offending people, he must also engage in wit and courage against major powers attempting to 'shear wool' from the Eternal Immortal Prison, extracting benefits from them to balance internal and external forces within the immortal fortress and boost the morale of the immortals of the Eternal Ice Fortress.

On the contrary, it was only after becoming the Inspector of the Nine Netherworlds Spirit Emperor that he temporarily found leisure.

This position, however, actually carries the greatest authority.

This position is not merely one of the Six Emperors, following Heaven's example after the Earth Goddess to serve as a medium between the Earth Goddess and the Heaven Realm; it likewise holds the power to impeach any immortal authority of the Netherworld Earth.

If Zhang Jian wishes, he can at any time become the 'sprayer' of the Netherworld Earth!

Whoever he sprays will have trouble!

This is equivalent to the Director of the Imperial Dispatch Agency in the mortal realm.

He is now the Director of the Netherworld Earth Dispatch Agency.

Qi Shi smiled faintly, a smile appearing on her beautiful countenance.

"The Emperor is a capable person, bearing great responsibilities, naturally unable to idle!"

"However, hearing of the Emperor's return, several children far away in the Three Sovereigns Heaven Realm have sent letters, wishing to return to celebrate the Emperor!"

"Kunlun Heaven Realm, Chang'an also has news arriving, said to have prepared several congratulatory gifts for you!"

Zhang Jian smiled faintly.

"They are indeed thoughtful!"

A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Zhang Jian's mouth, indeed not in vain for his wholehearted planning for them.

"I heard Zhao'er passed the Ziwei Emperor's mansion's Zhou Tian Star Trial, and recently also obtained a star, becoming a Star Lord?"

Zhang Jian's gaze turned toward Qi Shi.

He learned of this from others.

Qi Shi nodded slightly.

Yes, Zhao'er has gained considerable trust from the Ziwei Emperor in the mansion; becoming a Star Master was her careful weighing of pros and cons—possessing her own star saves many years of cultivation and allows smooth integration into the Primordial Stars and the lineage of the Ziwei Emperor...

The Qi family clearly pays close attention to Zhang Zhao.

Zhang Jian listened and nodded silently to himself.

Becoming a Star Master is certainly not a bad thing.

With the protection of the Zhou Tian stars, even if dispatched elsewhere, one's survival capability would greatly increase.

Everyone has their own path; Zhang Jian did not interfere further.

From Madam Qi's words, Zhang Zhao also intends to reopen a branch in the old nest of the Star Gods, the Nine Luminaries Heavenly Realm.

He has already sent Si Li'er ahead into the Star Sea, and many of their ascended descendants have been brought over by the couple.

"Zhao'er has finally grown up!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian couldn't help but smile faintly.

Madam Qi immediately shook her head: "In the Emperor's eyes, even if Zhao'er inherited the position of the Great Xia Emperor, she would still be considered not grown up..."

Zhang Jian gave a faint smile.

Actually, regarding Zhang Zhao, he is completely at ease.

Zhang Zhao attained the Dao through the Dream Wander Great Method of the Tai Xu; this technique involves virtual-real transformation, and its life-preserving ability can be said to be extremely strong.

Moreover, Zhang Zhao's dream-wandering across realms, in terms of wisdom and scheming, makes him the foremost among the disciples.

Even if his innate foundation is not as outstanding as Zhang Yi's or Zhang Xian's, Zhang Jian still believes that in the future, among all heavens and myriad worlds, there will surely be a place for him.

Zhang Jian then inquired about the cultivation progress of Zhang Yi and Zhang Xian.

Zhang Yi is currently in the Tong Shan Dao Tong, now cultivating in the Three Emperors Heavenly Realm.

Zhang Xian has entered the Heavenly Troop Camp of the Heavenly Court, now fighting in the Heavenly Troop Martial Arena; though their paths differ, both are progressing relatively smoothly.

Besides the second-generation Zhang descendants, most of the third- and fourth-generation descendants also have their prospects settled.

They may have joined various major immortal sects and Dao lineages, or simply chosen free adventure, to wander and make their way.

Zhang Jian did not interfere.

Madam Qi glanced at Zhang Jian, then suddenly said.

"Emperor, how should that Nine Ling Immortal Maiden be dealt with?"

Madam Qi's beautiful eyes fell upon Zhang Jian; she was not jealous, but purely curious.

She heard Zhang Jian mention that both the Nine Ling Immortal Maiden and the Zi Hua Immortal Maiden bear heavenly mandate.

The Zi Hua Immortal Maiden has already entered Yaochi, heard to have taken refuge under a certain Yaochi Dao Sovereign, with a bright future.

The Nine Ling Immortal Maiden, one would think, is no different.

Zhang Jian understood Madam Qi's meaning, shook his head, and said.

"Different people, different fates; though she also has opportunities and fortune, she may not necessarily become a second Zi Hua!"

As fellow bearers of heavenly mandate, Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao clearly receive different treatment.

The same goes for King Wu and King Zhou.

Of course, these two maidens may not necessarily be heavenly mandate adversaries; they could equally be complementary and mutually fulfilling.

After thinking, Zhang Jian then said.

"She currently has no one inquiring after her, but perhaps she also harbors some thoughts in her heart!"

"Open part of the Zhang clan's Buddhist Canon Pavilion to her—non-core areas—let her learn what she can, and see what her own fortune brings!"

Madam Qi nodded slightly.

The Zhang clan's Buddhist Canon Pavilion now has a certain scale, containing various classics and secret methods.

Zhang Jian once entered the Nong Huang's library and recorded many classics.

Besides, his own reading and creation of immortal method manuals are vast as smoke and sea, not lacking high-level immortal methods, even extending to eternal Dao methods.

The Zhang clan can now be considered to possess a Dao Sovereign-level inheritance, making it a supreme great clan.

The prosperity of the Zhang clan is already evident in a corner.

……

In the depths of the Heavenly Court, the construction of the Three Realms and Nine Underworlds Investigating Spirit Emperor's mansion was soon completed.

Zhang Jian then formally entered it, fulfilling his duties as Emperor.

Actually, his most important duty currently is to assist Cheng Tian in emulating the Later Heaven Earth Deities in handling documents.

However, this Six Heavenly Emperor himself rarely attends to affairs; although he hired Zhang Jian this spirit official on a whim to handle mundane heavenly affairs, there are truly few matters.

Most have already been handled by the Ten Great Netherworld Heavenly Sons.

Unless there are some renowned cases in the Netherworld Underworld, or grievances between the two realms of Heavenly Court, then he must personally intervene to handle them.

In such cases, it merely requires Zhang Jian to divide part of his primordial spirit to descend and inspect.

Zhang Jian's life is still relatively leisurely.

Most of his time is spent in cultivation.

In his leisure, he also participates in some invitations from heavenly court colleagues or friends.

Those seven fairy maidens are certainly not the type to stay idle.

Especially after Zhang Jian returned to the Heavenly Court, they come every few days to find him, to play and enjoy; in return, Zhang Jian has been introduced to many heavenly court ancient immortals who dislike mundane affairs.

Zhang Jian noticed that these seven female immortals feel unusually close to him.

This closeness is not romantic, but rather a feeling of blood kinship.

Strictly speaking, they are indeed relatives.

During this time, he also entered, by circumstance, a part of the Heavenly Court's secret realms containing earth and soil attributes.

But this peaceful era was soon shattered by a strange omen.

On this day, deep within the Central Celestial Realm, a grand and strange omen appeared.

Above the azure heavens, a massive star was bursting forth with unmatched radiance.

This was the power of the Yin Star.

At this moment, the Yin Star seemed to resonate with an unknown deity between heaven and earth, and a grand Yin Star light pierced through the celestial dimensions, descending toward the distant mortal realm.

This sight caused many immortals and deities of the Heavenly Court to sense it.

"The Yin Star has manifested!"

Deep in the Jade Pool, the Hundred Flowers Fairy gazed upon this scene, a fierce gleam flashing in her eyes.

In the depths of her eyes lay some profundity.

The Yin Star manifesting such an omen clearly indicated that the Yin Fairy had broken through her cultivation and awakened part of the primordial essence of the Yin Sovereign.

This signified that the power of the Yin Sovereign was beginning to recover.

However, with the Yin Sovereign manifesting, it is likely that the Lan Tai Dao Palace will soon be able to relocate her traces and grant her special care.

……

Zhang Jian sensed the anomaly of the Yin Star, but he quickly immersed himself in his own cultivation.

In the side hall near the Nine-Eyed Chaos Creation Divine Spring within the mansion of the Nine Nether Sovereign,

inside the side hall, Zhang Jian was surrounded by a grand aura, purple-yellow immortal light unfolding, yet upon him had appeared an additional layer of grand turbid divine light.

This turbid divine light ebbed and flowed, as if it could cause heaven and earth to collapse and all things to be covered in dust.

This was the power of dozens of innate Kunyuan turbid qi primordial breaths, each possessing marvelous properties—some could enhance earthly gravity and suppress, others could cause all things to be dust-covered, obscuring their perception, even their five senses and spiritual awareness, or solidify the earth, or perhaps differentiate heaven and earth and all things, even to store and nurture creation, nourishing all spirits, and also possessing the power of utter darkness and obscurity, profound and unfathomable.

Not to mention the power of the Qiankun Diagram itself, merely condensing these dozen or so innate turbid qi primordial breaths was already a tremendous supplement to his authority as the Earth Sovereign.

At this moment, Zhang Jian could sense that deep within the Chaos Primordial Sea, his own Earth Sovereign primordial breath imprint was gradually transforming, beginning to evolve toward the status of Earth Sovereign Dao Lord.

This was a very positive transformation.

Zhang Jian was also exceptionally delighted.

Deep within his heart lay some excitement.

'Qingxiao Dao Lord' truly came at the right time.

Besides the various innate turbid qi primordial breaths contained within the Qiankun Diagram, he could actually enter other celestial realms, such as the Netherworld Underworld, to participate in several kinds of Netherworld primordial mysteries, which would surely enable him to perfect and harmonize the Earth Sovereign status, then condense it into the Dao Lord status—even if illusory, it would be sufficient to draw down the power of the Chaos Primordial Sea, triggering transformation.

However, before that, he also needed to actively consider the final step of his Taiyi Perfection cultivation.

That annihilating great tribulation was extraordinarily terrifying; it is said that when Taiyi immortals and deities transcend fate, the heavenly void brings a backlash that will destroy everything at the root—imprints, fruits, fortune, will, and even the Dao-heart.

All kinds of tribulations strike simultaneously, extraordinarily shocking.

If one is not careful, it is possible to be utterly annihilated.

Ordinary Taiyi immortals and deities, upon reaching this stage, if they wish to pass the tribulation naturally, would need millions of years of preparation to naturally traverse the Annihilating Great Tribulation and attain the Dao amidst the great destruction.

However, he possesses two innate spiritual treasures, along with the Three Lives Stone as a supreme companion treasure, sufficient to suppress the destructive forces coming from the primordial spirit, Dao-heart, and even the fortune level.

As for other tribulations, preparing for them would be much easier.