Chapter 623

The Dao fruit imprint that had returned from the ancient ages of time and space merged deep into Zhang Jian's brow, and a grand Dao Sovereign Dao fruit merged into the center of his Dao fruit auspicious clouds.

This power instantly made his source Dao fruit auspicious clouds become real from illusory, and purple-yellow dragon patterns appeared, as if each dragon pattern's growth caused his Dao cultivation to surge by a fraction.

Zhang Jian, however, paid no heed to these great Dao dragon patterns.

At this moment, he fully integrated all the rules brought by the ancient Earth Emperor Dao Sovereign status, merging them deep into his own Dao fruit auspicious clouds.

As if two ages had become one!

Whether it was the profound mystery of the earth soul authority, or the vast wilderness earth pulse diagram, or what he saw and heard, and the myriad years of change in the ancient ages of time and space, earthly insights poured into his Dao fruit auspicious clouds, causing the auspicious clouds above his head to continuously swell.

Vast Dao Sovereign divine power emanated from his entire body, growing ever more grand, vast.

In the depths of the chaotic primordial sea.

The ancient and modern two Dao Sovereign statuses now seemed to completely penetrate each other, subtly generating a connection and becoming one body, thus in the depths of the chaotic primordial sea, successive new ancestral qi wheels, Dao qi nets, and layered laws formed a great net of light paths.

However, after returning to the present and ancient times, Zhang Jian still felt more at ease.

In the depths of the chaotic primordial sea, the Ten Thousand Gods Palace that covered all dimensions at this moment vanished into the depths of the chaotic primordial sea; it no longer monopolized or suppressed the progress of latercomers.

Zhang Jian could now recklessly devour the earth Dao qi, Nine Nether Dao qi, turbid qi Dao qi, and earthly Dao qi from the depths of the chaotic primordial sea, enhancing the power of his Dao Sovereign status.

Yet Zhang Jian also noticed that although the chaotic primordial sea of past and present was now vaster and grander, the chaotic primordial qi within was relatively thinner.

At this moment, gazing upon the ever-changing phenomena on the Three Sovereigns Terrace, the Earth Emperor's ancestral qi evolved myriad heavenly and earthly phenomena, and from his body surged grand, eternal divine energy, scattering the gradually dissipating boundless calamity killing qi in the heavens.

All the gods knew that this Nine Nether Investigating Spirit Emperor had already passed through the Great Calamity of Destruction and attained the Dao Sovereign Dao fruit.

From now on, the myriad heavens and worlds would gain another young Dao Sovereign.

Moreover, he was a Dao Sovereign of holy lineage.

Many of the Three Sovereigns heavenly realms, and even the celestial gods and immortals of the Heavenly Court who came to join the festivities, showed some change in expression.

The Red Cloud Daoist's figure stood in the distance; he took in this scene with his eyes.

This Holy King who ascended from the Zhou Mountain Realm into the Fire Cloud Cave Heaven to cultivate seemed to have done so just yesterday.

Yet when he saw him again, the other had already attained Dao Sovereign status.

His expression remained unchanged; he simply slipped away quietly.

The Tung Mountain Dao lineage's Water Emperor Celestial Master Tianhe Zhenren, and the Second Ancestor of the Si Clan, Si Yun Zhen, followed alongside Yu Wang; at this moment, their expressions differed.

Tianhe Zhenren's eyes held complexity, but more so a sense of relief.

Actually, after Zhang Jian secured this Dao Sovereign quota, he hoped even more that the other would succeed in proving the Dao, so that the orthodox lineage of the Tung Mountain Dao would have two Dao Sovereigns holding the fort, giving him greater leverage in his contention for the remaining common Dao Sovereign quotas in the Central Heavenly Realm and the Three Sovereigns Heavenly Realm.

Yet deep in his heart, there remained a hint of disbelief.

This Nine Nether Investigating Spirit Emperor had truly surpassed everyone.

Dao Sovereign status, in the myriad heavens and worlds, is myth, is legend!

Among immortals and gods, it is legend, myth.

The current orthodox cultivation of the myriad heavens and worlds is largely derived from the Qi Cultivation Great Dao, through postnatal qi cultivation, refining qi to spirit, refining spirit to return to emptiness, and then in this process reversing the postnatal to contemplate the primordial qi's mysteries, finally refining ancestral qi from within, ancestral qi aligning with the Great Dao, also being the ancestral root of the boundless, endless heavenly and earthly vital energy.

Dao Sovereign powerhouses who thoroughly master a heavenly and earthly ancestral root, even multiple ancestral roots' mysteries, can be said to have opened their own path.

In ancient times, it was Great Luo.

In the present, it is Dao Sovereign.

To enjoy the endless honor of the myriad heavens and worlds.

He is the sovereign of all Dao, the master of the boundless heavenly and earthly Dao laws.

In the distance, Yu Wang laughed as he dealt with the flattery of several Three Sovereigns Heavenly Realm immortals and gods!

Yet gazing at the deepening Dao dragon patterns appearing one after another in Zhang Jian's brow, Yu Wang's eyes flickered slightly; he noticed that after Zhang Jian attained the Dao, the revealed Dao cultivation foundation was not as weak as imagined.

Nor did it lack the foundation from time's precipitation, appearing instead extraordinarily strong and dominant.

Whether it was Dao Sovereign cultivation, Dao Sovereign body, Dao Sovereign primordial spirit, Dao Sovereign will, or Dao fruit Dao Sovereign, all were extraordinarily full.

Moreover, the Dao Sovereign authority power projected downward from Zhang Jian's Dao Sovereign status was terrifyingly strong.

Even not inferior to a three-transformation Dao Sovereign.

Dao Sovereigns have three transformations; in ancient ages, these were actually the three stages before, middle, and after Great Luo.

After that comes the Dao Venerable realm.

This is somewhat astonishing—attaining Dao Sovereign status and already wielding authority nearly equivalent to a three-transformation Dao Sovereign is truly remarkable.

Moreover, Yu Wang also noticed that Zhang Jian's Dao fruit auspicious clouds were extraordinarily lively; the auspicious clouds at his brow turned with the Dao's transformations, endlessly changing, completely lacking the dullness and heaviness of other Dao Sovereigns upon initial attainment.

Generally, after a Taiyi immortal or god suddenly breaks through the Great Calamity of Destruction and grasps such terrifying power, though its use may be smooth, they cannot achieve such myriad transformations or flexible application.

Above the Fire Cloud, the powerful immortals and gods of the Three Sovereigns Heavenly Realm took in this scene, their expressions somewhat astonished.

Zhang Jian appeared quite special!

However, at this moment, another layer of treasure light enveloped Zhang Jian's entire body, making him indistinct to their sight.

Unless they truly disregarded each other's dignity and forcibly probed.

But how could the many strong ones of the Three Sovereigns Heavenly Realm be so rash?

On the Three Sovereigns Terrace, at this moment, a golden seal rune slowly flew out from deep within Zhang Jian's Dao fruit auspicious clouds, instantly vanishing into the void.

That was the Dao Sovereign quota.

This Dao Sovereign quota, after Zhang Jian successfully attained the Dao, also directly fled away.

Auspicious clouds filled the sky, purple qi, and myriad omens gradually gathered in.

After a moment, Zhang Jian slowly opened his eyes; deep within his Dao fruit auspicious clouds behind him, boundless light spontaneously blossomed, as if the heavenly and earthly Great Dao manifested from within, grand and vast.

Yet as he stepped step by step down from the Three Sovereigns Terrace, the boundless light behind his head and the Dao's circular light also gradually gathered in.

After arriving before the crowd, Zhang Jian gazed upon the leading three human ancestral gods—Suiren Shi, Zhi Yi Shi, and You Chao Shi—and bowed with a smile, saying:

"I pay my respects to the three ancestral gods!"

"I pay my respects to the Emperor, the True Ones, and fellow Daoists!"

The leader of the Suiren clan laughed and said.

"Congratulations, Emperor Jiuyou, for overcoming the Great Calamity of Annihilation and attaining the Dao Fruit of a Dao Lord!"

"Ancestor God, I, the disciple, was merely fortunate to pass this trial!"

Zhang Jian's expression was filled with emotion, his eyes humble.

These four calamities of formation, existence, decay, and emptiness are truly perilous; each trial is like dancing on the blade's edge, and a moment's carelessness means the death of body and soul.

The Suiren clan nodded slightly and said.

"Now that you have attained the Dao Fruit of a Dao Lord, you shall henceforth enjoy great freedom and ease."

Beside him, the Chao clan laughed and said.

"Brother Suiren Emperor, in my view, this young friend's fortune is like a rainbow; though great freedom and ease may not be his, he will surely achieve great merit and walk the Great Dao!"

Hearing the ancestral gods jest, Zhang Jian paid no heed, and soon arrived before Yu Wang, bowing as he spoke.

"Disciple thanks the ancestral master for protection; were it not for the ancestral master's devoted guidance, the disciple could scarcely have passed the great calamity!"

Yu Wang laughed heartily, at this moment also seeing the envious gazes of the myriad gods, and thus said.

"The master leads you to the gate, but cultivation depends on the individual; your present attainment is entirely the result of your own effort—why, Yu Shu, must you be so humble?"

After a brief pause, Yu Wang continued.

"Yu Shu, since you have now become a Dao Lord, you should also have a formal divine title; you cannot simply be called Jiuyou Dao Lord, and the Dao name 'Jiuyou' is not one ordinary Dao Lords may use—its master has long been a being of great divine power..."

Upon mentioning the name Jiuyou, Yu Wang fell silent.

His eyes flickered.

Zhang Jian knew this was to avoid the name of the terrifying demon ancestor of the Jiuyou Demon Realm.

After thinking, he said: "In this dream I returned to antiquity, I saw the primordial true goddess Nüwa, and served her as a attendant deity; she ennobled me as the Earth Emperor God Lord, commanding the authority of the earthly souls of the Four Extremes and Eight Wastelands; I shall take the title of Earth Emperor, and I am the Earth Emperor Dao Lord!"

"Earth Emperor?"

The immortals and gods of the Three Sovereigns' Heavenly Realm turned their gazes, their eyes slightly astonished.

The title of Earth Emperor is no ordinary one.

It signifies the Sovereign of the Earth.

Though there are not few domineering divine title holders among the gods who use 'Huang' and 'Di' in their Dao names, they were merely slightly astonished and did not take it to heart.

What they focused on was that Zhang Jian had actually dreamed back to ancient times and even seen the primordial true goddess Nüwa.

That he was valued by the primordial true goddess Nüwa and received an imperial investiture.

Yu Wang's eyes held a tremor.

He thought it over, but in the end did not directly ask aloud, instead preparing to discuss it further upon his return.

However, the title of Earth Emperor Dao Lord, accompanied by the various omens of the Three Sovereigns' Heavenly Realm, will ultimately spread throughout all heavens and myriad worlds.

Yu Wang also took the opportunity to announce that in three hundred years he would hold a Dao Lord attainment feast for Zhang Jian, at which time he would welcome the immortals of the Three Sovereigns' Heavenly Realm and the Central Heavenly Realm to attend together.

The myriad gods all agreed, and only then did they each disperse.

Many immortals and gods departed with expressions of exhilaration.

The successful attainment of the Dao by the Earth Emperor Dao Lord was, for many immortals and gods, a great encouragement.

……

After leaving the Three Sovereigns' Terrace, Zhang Jian followed Yu Wang back to the Tongshan Dao Lineage.

On Tongshan Dao Lineage, up and down, many disciples had already received the news that Zhang Jian had attained the Dao Lord.

At this time, many disciples of the Tongshan Dao Lineage gathered before the mountain gate to welcome him, each pair of eyes shining with joy.

Leading them was the Qingyuan Old Ancestor, followed by the Red Eyebrow Immortal, the proper god of the Fire Department, the Yin Ming Emperor Lord, the Tian Rain Daoist, the Extermination Law Old Ancestor, and the Purple Lightning Old Ancestor.

Only the Twelfth Ranked Yun Daoist, who had gone on a distant expedition with the Heavenly Realm, had not returned.

And among the second-generation disciples, there were also many third-generation disciples: Jue Ming Daoist, Wu Liang Daoist, Fen Gu Daoist, Qing Yun Daoist, Zhen Jun of Slaying Demons, Zi Jing Daoist, and Zhu Xing Daoist.

These are all familiar faces.

There are also not a few ascended immortals and gods from the mortal realm of other realms.

Additionally, there is a portion of fourth-generation disciples, such as the Floating Daoist, the foremost fourth-generation disciple of the Tongshan Dao Lineage in the Zhou Mountain Realm, who has already ascended at this time.

However, at this time, the immortals' congratulations were mostly directed toward the Extermination Law Old Ancestor and the Slaying Demon True Lord.

This time, the Extermination Law lineage did not give birth to a mere immortal lord or heavenly lord, but to a Dao Lord.

The supreme great power who holds the authority of the Great Dao between heaven and earth.

Just this alone ensures the Extermination Law lineage will reap boundless benefits.

At this moment, the smile on the Extermination Law Old Ancestor's face never ceased—who could have imagined he still had such fortune!

One might say that many immortals and gods simply enjoy taking on disciples; if one of them turns out well, even as their ancestral master, they can still gain some benefit.

If his original limit was perhaps only a Taiyi True Number.

But now, having a Dao Lord grand-disciple, he might well achieve Taiyi Great Perfection.

Even if he goes out, his status will be higher by several degrees.

At this moment, layers of auspicious clouds and blissful vapors burst forth above the firmament, purple light suffusing the air!

Yet the immortals whom the assembly awaited had already arrived!

In the divine light, two majestic figures suddenly manifested, with several immortals and gods following behind them.

But even though the two Dao Lords did not manifest their sacred true forms, the aura they displayed still made one forget worries upon seeing it.

The Dao Lords condensed eternal will, and themselves possessed a portion of speaking authority in the depths of the chaotic primordial sea.

This is the true manifestation of 'Heaven's heart is my heart, Heaven's intent is my intent.'

"Paying respects to the ancestral master, paying respects to the Earth Emperor Dao Lord!"

At this moment, before the gate of the Tongshan brethren, all the immortals performed the great rite of kowtow in unison.

Zhang Jian hurriedly lowered his cloud head and helped everyone up, saying.

"Disciples dare not accept such great courtesy from you, elders!"

"If we are to bow, it should be the disciples paying respects to you, elders!"

Yu Wang, seeing this, also smiled slightly. The Tongshan Dao Tong values hierarchy, not cultivation level or attainment. Zhang Jian's conduct in every aspect leaves him without fault!

At this moment, upon hearing the words, he laughed and said.

"A Yu, a great courtesy from a Dao Jun, others might not be able to bear it!"

Zhang Jian, upon hearing this, was stunned for a moment, then smiled slightly and said.

"It seems the disciple has been presumptuous!"

All the immortals, seeing this, had smiles on their faces.

After the merriment, everyone entered the main hall together.

After catching up, Yu Wang, seeing Zhang Jian nearby, intentionally offered guidance.

"A Yu, actually, most of us immortals and gods who cultivate Qi derive our authority from self-evolution; we are both immortals and gods. But since you have become a Dao Jun, mastering the authority of the Great Dao, you should naturally give birth to myriad gods under your command, to harmonize the qi numbers and authority!"

Zhang Jian nodded.

What Yu Wang said is reasonable; one cannot always personally handle every matter, big or small, in the future.

According to his knowledge, many Dao Jun have their subordinates open up a great realm as a divine kingdom to assist in evolving authority and harmonizing qi numbers.

Now, as a Di Huang Dao Jun, he commands considerable authority—for example, the salvation and redemption authority emanating from the incarnation of Qing Lian Tian Zun. If he could nurture a celestial retinue or a team of salvation god-kings, then in the future, when there are hardships across the myriad realms, these god-kings or celestial retinues and immortals could descend to relieve suffering. This would not only train his disciples and followers but also save him much effort—why not do it?

Yu Wang casually pointed out, and at that moment also mentioned to Zhang Jian one or two methods of Dao Jun cultivation.

However, each Dao Jun proves their own path, not following others'; his shared experience is limited, merely pointing out one or two aspects of Zhang Jian's journey through the myriad realms.

For example, even if a Dao Jun were to go to those places, they would still encounter danger.

Again, for example, some heretical and unorthodox secret arts capable of harming a Dao Jun's body.

Zhang Jian benefited greatly from this.

At this time, Yu Wang also paid no heed to the many second- and third-generation disciples in the main hall, nor to the many immortals and gods who were silently memorizing.

Such experience is rarely obtained in ordinary times.

After a brief pause, Yu Wang again inquired about Zhang Jian's mention of dreaming back to antiquity and encountering the primordial goddess Nüwa.

"A Yu, generally, when undergoing tribulation in the Three Sovereigns' Heavenly Realm, one might be brought by the heavenly dao will of that realm to experience a fragment of its history; very few can enter the Middle Ages, yet you returned to antiquity..."

"And most importantly, you saw the primordial goddess Nüwa."

Yu Wang's expression was solemn, with astonishment in his eyes!

Zhang Jian's mouth corners slightly curled up—not only did he see the primordial goddess Nüwa, but he also participated in the water-fire conflict, the human clan's calamity, and the ancient final calamity.

At this moment, Zhang Jian did not conceal anything, recounting part of his experiences in detail.

This also includes part of his gains.