Chapter 657: Boundless Gate, Position of the Dao Mother (4K)

The river is the Changze River, and it is the largest water system in the Taiyuan Heaven.

Zhang Jian's figure fell from the void, his form silent and soundless.

Yet before him, in the midst of the towering waves, the river waters parted for a moment, a stream of light flew out from within, and a middle-aged deity clad in purple robes, with a stern countenance, stepped forth; upon seeing Zhang Jian, a hint of solemnity appeared in the depths of his eyes, and he wielded the Ritual Blade.

"Junior Tianchi pays respects to the Qinglian Salvation Heavenly Venerable!"

Zhang Jian glanced at this middle-aged deity, and from him he sensed a vast and magnificent water-attribute Dao authority aura, this authority not inferior to, and already approaching the rank of Dao Jun, though this middle-aged deity, whether in cultivation, Dao-heart, or primordial spirit, still had some distance from the Dao Jun level.

At this moment, in Zhang Jian's gaze, the Tianchi Dao Jun felt a peerless divine power, as if penetrating through time and space, the obstacles of the River of Fate, descend upon his surroundings, leaving him nowhere to hide in the gaze, even the deepest secrets of his primordial spirit fully exposed within this gaze.

His heart trembled with shock.

"As that senior said, this Dao Jun's cultivation is simply unimaginable!"

His expression grew ever more reverent.

Seeing his expression, Zhang Jian smiled and said.

"Tianchi Daoist is one blessed with fortune and opportunity; today, with your heart toward all beings, you shall surely reap good karma in the future!"

Upon hearing this, the Tianchi Emperor Jun smiled faintly.

"This humble deity wishes to wholeheartedly assist the Heavenly Venerable and Dao Jun in accomplishing the great undertaking of saving the world!"

Zhang Jian nodded slightly.

This Tianchi Emperor Jun before him is one blessed with fortune; if he can assist Zuo Zhuo Dao Jun in attaining the status of Water Mother Dao Jun, naturally he would be beneath one and above ten thousand.

At this moment, the Tianchi Emperor Jun led the way ahead, guiding them while also saying.

"Heavenly Venerable, the Sovereign has already awaited your divine carriage in the Tianchi Palace!"

The Tianchi Palace is built in the upper reaches of the Changze River, within the Tianchi Holy Realm.

The magnificent Tianchi Holy Realm resembles a vast heavenly lake standing atop the cloud peaks, grand and vast, while in the distance lie millions of icy snow divine mountains, countless ice and snow drifting above the Nine Heavens' Gang Clouds, beautiful yet filled with perilous arrogance, like a long river condensed from ice and snow.

Along the way, Zhang Jian saw countless water clans patrolling the Changze River in all directions, maintaining order.

Moreover, there were many jade maidens, and divine kings accompanying powerful immortals and deities as they wandered through the Tianchi Holy Realm, appearing extraordinarily prosperous.

The Tianchi Emperor Jun led Zhang Jian directly into the Tianchi Immortal Palace.

This is the core of the Tianchi Holy Realm, inside filled with countless water-attribute innate spiritual mechanisms, even innate essence and qi, not resembling a dried-up water spring, lacking vitality and creation.

Along the road, Zhang Jian, seeing the situation, casually asked.

"Tianchi Daoist, this venerable observes that in your flourishing realm, the innate water spirit remains abundant, seemingly endless, and unchanged?"

Upon hearing this, the Tianchi Emperor Jun's face immediately showed a hint of a bitter smile.

"Heavenly Venerable, you do not know; my Tianchi Holy Realm is the water-element holy realm at the core of the Celestial Court's heavenly realm; originally there were three innate water springs below, though one was moved by the Immortal Palace, yet two innate water springs remain, besides which there are one hundred and eight acquired spring eyes; in its prime, it was certainly not merely this scale, for the water-attribute innate essence almost transformed into rivers, but now the scene is vastly diminished!"

Zhang Jian gave a slight nod.

"Have you ever perceived changes in the heavenly waterways?"

The Tianchi Emperor Jun nodded and said.

"Not hiding it from Heavenly Venerable, over these tens of thousands of years, this humble deity has also several times patrolled part of the ten heavens and ten earths' water springs' changes, already discovered many spring eyes dried up, and once reported to the Immortal Palace, only the Heavenly Emperor Majesty once said, this is the impending great calamity, with peerless demons born producing an omen, not to be feared!"

"Only after the great calamity passes will all naturally return to their original state!"

Zhang Jian's pupils flickered slightly.

With the Zi Yuan Heavenly Emperor personally speaking, indeed no one dares to lightly interject.

Moreover, ordinary immortals and deities would likely also dare not lightly interject before the Heavenly Emperor, and the three primordial Dao Jun, the Taiji Ancestral God, now self-occupied, have no energy to thoroughly investigate this matter.

Deep within the Immortal Palace, after entering the palace gates, Zhang Jian saw Zhuo Zhuo Dao Jun standing at the center of the Immortal Palace, surrounded by more than ten unfamiliar immortals and deities, yet each of these immortals and deities had an invisible blue silk thread on their bodies, and in the depths of their eyes glowed an icy blue divine light.

Zhang Jian's gaze swept over; for this strange array, his expression showed little change.

At this moment, the Tianchi Emperor Jun hurriedly said.

"Heavenly Venerable, these immortals and deities are those dispatched by His Majesty into the Tianchi Holy Land, now already subdued by the Sovereign using secret methods!"

Zhuo Zhuo Dao Jun also saw Zhang Jian at this moment, and upon hearing, said.

"These people bear the secret seal bestowed by the Heavenly Emperor, cannot be killed, and moreover have special instructions, must regularly report back to the Celestial Court, therefore I can only first use the Soul-Linking Secret Technique to refine them into puppets, to avoid startling the snake, facilitating our repair of the Holy Realm's spring eyes!"

Zhang Jian's gaze swept over, and he smiled and said.

"Zhuo Zhuo Dao Jun has thought very thoroughly; it seems no further intervention from me will be needed afterward!"

At this moment, Zhuo Zhuo Dao Jun pinched a seal, and with a wave of his hand, icy blue talismans flew swiftly from his hand, instantly striking one immortal and deity after another; after a brief pause, the icy blue divine light in the depths of their eyes flowed, then instantly they slightly bowed their hands and immediately retreated.

Seeing the crowd depart, Zhuo Zhuo Dao Jun immediately said.

"That Heavenly Emperor acts very cautiously; I fear there may still be his traces in the Tianchi Immortal Palace!"

Her countenance was solemn.

Before both had attained great accomplishment in cultivation, neither wished to lightly clash with the Zi Yuan Heavenly Emperor, lest they expose their own traces.

Now the Zi Yuan Heavenly Emperor is likely searching the world for Zhang Jian, and attempting to force him to step forward and do battle with him.

Zhang Jian, however, does not care, and smiled and said.

"This matter is actually quite simple!"

Zhang Jian raised his hand, and a purple-yellow divine chart burst forth from deep within his palm, purple-yellow immortal light slowly merging into the Tianchi Immortal Palace.

The River and Mountain State Chart laid down, this method sees mountains and thinks of mountains, sees water and thinks of water; if anyone harbors ill intent, it is also easily detected.

Zhuo Zhuo Dao Jun seeing this scene, could not help but also show a hint of a smile; she had crossed hands with Zhang Jian before, and clearly understood the formidable power of this eternal Dao method.

Unless the Zi Yuan Heavenly Emperor personally enters the Tianchi Holy Realm, he will not easily expose himself.

Thereafter, the Tianchi Emperor Jun led the way ahead, guiding Zhang Jian and Zhuo Zhuo Dao Jun into the deep forbidden grounds of the Tianchi Immortal Palace.

This is the deepest part of the magnificent Taiyuan Tianchi.

Only see here, around, invisible dark currents intermittently appeared before Zhang Jian and Zhuo Zhuo Dao Jun; the Tianchi Emperor Jun led the way ahead, he glanced at the two Dao Jun, and then said.

Sovereign, Heavenly Venerable, this forbidden technique is the innate forbidden technique nurtured and born of the Taiyuan Tianchi; only those who master the authority of the Tianchi Emperor Jun can open this innate formation!

As one of the Immortal Palace's Emperor Jun, he placed his own status very low, yet he did not dare to be arrogant before Zhang Jian and Zhuo Zhuo Dao Jun.

At this moment, divine power surged and condensed in his hand into a golden divine seal flashing with light; in an instant, the divine seal transformed into a beam that sank into the dark current, yet layers of innate water-attribute divine light condensed into leaping golden runic seals that appeared from the void, and in a flash, within the golden divine light, a vortex passage coalesced into form.

The Emperor of the Heavenly Pool led the way, followed by the two Dao Lords, who entered one after another.

Three figures passed through the innate formation in succession, and upon stepping out again, they saw before them a solemn, ancient azure-blue divine palace.

"The Spring Eye Palace!"

The ancient divine palace, amidst the ice-blue torrent, resembled a solitary island, exuding a majestic aura; in the distance, stone pillars rose to the heavens, guarding the Spring Eye Palace. The three deities gazed ahead, and those stone pillars numbered in the thousands, each seeming to have become a towering water pillar, from which threads of thick innate water-attribute essence qi emanated.

As if there were thousands of spring eyes.

Only Zhang Jian and Dao Lord Yuzhuo could tell that this was a formation laid by immortal divinities, inside which true and false were hard to distinguish.

Indeed, the acquired spring eyes numbered only around a hundred or so.

The Emperor of the Heavenly Pool gazed upon the towering Spring Eye Divine Palace before him and immediately spoke.

"My lord, the Heavenly Venerable, this is the place. This Spring Eye Divine Palace was left by the first Emperor of the Heavenly Pool of the Immortal Palace; the original three great innate spring eyes were located deep within the main hall, and now only two remain!"

His expression was reverent.

Zhang Jian and Dao Lord Yuzhuo immediately stepped forward and entered the Spring Eye Palace, with the Emperor of the Heavenly Pool closely following.

Upon entering the Spring Eye Palace, Zhang Jian and Dao Lord Yuzhuo discovered that the palace's decoration was extraordinarily splendid; in the distance, six magnificent coiling dragon golden pillars supported the main structure of the hall, the murals depicted countless immortals and demons, exotic beings resembling ancient epics, as if they had walked out of the paintings; the hall was magnificent, and before it lay golden steps carved with magnificent dragon patterns.

Those dragon patterns were lifelike.

Upon the six coiling dragon golden pillars, each golden dragon was full of divine charm, filled with solemnity, and rich in profound spiritual essence.

Dao Lord Yuzhuo scanned the palace's arrangement and then said.

"It seems the first Emperor of the Heavenly Pool was of the Dragon Clan of the Celestial Court?"

Upon hearing this, the Emperor of the Heavenly Pool bowed his hands and said.

"What my lord says is correct; the first Emperor of the Heavenly Pool was a deity of the Dragon Clan, who once led the Dragon Clan and held a position among the gods of antiquity!"

His expression was somewhat cautious.

Zhang Jian glanced at Dao Lord Yuzhuo beside him.

In the Celestial Court of the Immortal Realm, there are true dragons, but the Dragon Clan has declined, and its lineage has been severed.

Within the Immortal Palace, their status is lowly; many true dragons merely serve as footmen, or act as water gods in some lakes and rivers, relying on the deities under the Emperor of the Heavenly Pool, living in misery.

Whether doing things or being dragons, they tremble with fear.

Dao Lord Yuzhuo noticed Zhang Jian's gaze and paid it no heed, merely saying.

"I have heard that the first Emperor of the Heavenly Pool also contended for the position of Heavenly Emperor, but later, in some inexplicable struggle against other ancient water deities, he met an untimely end!"

Upon hearing this, the Emperor of the Heavenly Pool's eyes flickered slightly, and he simply said.

"What my lord says is not wrong; it is said that the first Emperor of the Heavenly Pool encountered an accident, was defeated in the struggle for the Dao, and ultimately paved the way for the second Emperor of the Heavenly Pool!"

"Not only the first Emperor of the Heavenly Pool, but many of the ancient gods encountered various accidents at the same time and ultimately fell; there were rumors that they had offended the Heavenly Emperor's Majesty, refused to submit to the Immortal Palace, and would not obey the Heavenly Emperor's commands..."

After a slight pause, seeing Zhang Jian's gaze upon him, he continued: "Of course, this is merely one rumor; another is that the ancient gods offended the Three Teachings, thus encountering misfortune—countless theories abound, but that period was nonetheless regarded by many immortals and divinities as the darkest age in the history of the Immortal Palace!"

Zhang Jian merely smiled faintly.

Each of the ancient gods was a pride of heaven, each endowed with exceptional favor; if such divinities continued to remain in the world, they would indeed affect the majesty of the Purple Origin Heavenly Emperor.

The Purple Origin Heavenly Emperor's ruthless elimination of these ancient immortals and gods was not surprising to him.

At this moment, his gaze fell upon the steps before the hall.

Beneath the six coiling dragon golden pillars of the hall, there now stood three peculiar spring eye mother cauldrons, arranged in a line and distributed before the hall.

The two spring eye mother cauldrons on the sides emitted a strong blue light.

Visible to the naked eye, threads of blue light emanated from the spring eye mother cauldrons, being inhaled and exhaled by the golden dragons atop the coiling dragon golden pillars; the blue light spread along the dragon bodies, penetrating deep into the hall, as if boundless floodwaters flowed along the dragon forms into the vast water veins of the Taiyuan Heavenly Pool, merging into this source, thus becoming the headwater of the Boundless Water Element Great Dao within the Immortal Realm.

However, these two innate spring eyes currently emitted a blue light that seemed to have grown somewhat dim.

Gazing upon this, the Emperor of the Heavenly Pool frowned slightly; he had not visited the Spring Eye Palace for a long time to investigate, and thus did not know that the radiance of these two innate spring eyes had dimmed so greatly.

Seeing this, Dao Lord Yuzhuo furrowed her brows and said.

"With only two of the three innate spring eyes remaining, the water veins flowing into the heaven-earth water element cycle have already diminished; now these two innate spring eyes have been drained of too much origin, unable to bear the burden. If this continues, the heaven-earth water element cycle will not only shrink further within ten thousand years but may trigger a collapse of the heaven-earth water system!"

"

A collapse of the heaven-earth water system would naturally lead to unimaginable consequences.

For the myriad living beings, aside from innate divinities and attained immortals and divinities, who could leave the power of the waters?

Zhang Jian nodded, and with a raise of his hand, a thread of innate water-attribute spiritual light emerged from his palm, which he then tossed to Dao Lord Yuzhuo, saying.

"Daoist Yuzhuo, whether you can restore the heaven-earth water element cycle and save these myriad beings depends on you!"

Zhang Jian smiled faintly; at this moment, he also generously lent the Four Seas Pearl.

Good steel must be used on the blade's edge.

Now is the time for the Four Seas Pearl to exert its power.

Dao Lord Yuzhuo gazed at the incoming Four Seas Pearl, casually took it, and her eyes also bore a solemn expression.

"Rest assured, Daoist of the Earth Emperor!"

Holding the Four Seas Pearl in her palm, a vast and magnificent divine light flowed from her body, manifesting behind her a magnificent water-blue gate; within, boundless floodwaters surged, endless water light flowed from within, and it gradually resonated with the water element Dao law of the Immortal Realm.

Gazing upon this great gate, the Emperor of the Heavenly Pool's eyes momentarily shifted; he seemed to see the boundless blue sea flowing through, this place being the source of the water element Dao law of the Immortal Realm.

Moreover, it is the source of all myriad laws of the heaven-earth water system.

"The Gate of the Boundless!"

Zhang Jian gazed upon this scene, his expression also becoming somewhat solemn.

It is said that the Gate of the Boundless is a supreme treasure held by the Mother of Water Spirits, and also a sacred object revered by myriad water clans and divinities.

Just as the Gate of Myriad Demons represents the demon clans of the mundane world, this represents the orthodox lineage of myriad water divinities throughout the void of the heavens.

Upon the emergence of this gate, a mighty power entered the Four Seas Pearl; Dao Lord Yuzhuo's eyes moved, and with a wave of her hand, she saw strands of boundless divine light sweeping forth from her hand, while the Four Seas Pearl also burst forth with threads of soft light that flowed into the two innate spring eyes, gradually restoring their luster.

Zhang Jian and the Emperor of the Heavenly Pool could both feel that, as the innate spring eyes recovered, the innate water-attribute essence qi diffusing within the Spring Eye Palace became extraordinarily rich.

At this moment, the changes had only just begun.

The Daoist Monarch of Jade Carving's Infinite Gate expanded further around his body, and in an instant he seemed to have gained control of the two innate spring eyes; within the Infinite Gate, a vast and magnificent innate spiritual light faintly condensed into form.

"The Dao Mother's Dharma Aspect, the Rank of the Water Mother!"

Zhang Jian watched this scene, his expression solemn.