Chapter 777: Protection, Pleading

Zhang Jian's gaze fell upon the Daoist of the Hidden Aspect.

This Daoist was originally a close aide of the Dongyang Emperor, and he had forcibly brought the Daoist of Flowing Light and the Daoist of Governing Waves into the Inspection Holy Realm to serve as inspection envoys.

During this period, this Daoist had also been diligent.

However, his situation was completely different from that of the Nine Provinces Daoist of the Spirit Heaven Realm and the Luo River Daoist.

"This humble deity wishes to serve before the Heavenly Venerate's carriage, offering his liver and brains upon the ground!"

The Daoist of the Hidden Aspect bowed his head in reverence.

Zhang Jian's eyes shone upon him, his gaze strange as he spoke.

"Hidden Aspect, you are a Third Transformation Daoist, and among the myriad heavens and worlds, you may be counted among those of great divine ability. It stands to reason that no matter which great teaching's Dao lineage you attach yourself to, you would be valued. Why then are you willing to follow this Venerable One away?"

At this moment, the Daoist of the Hidden Aspect raised his head, yet in the depths of his eyes there was no concealment, and he spoke earnestly.

"Heavenly Venerate, a fine bird chooses its tree to roost, and now, during this time of turmoil in the myriad heavens' void, only a few strong ones can hope to control their own fate, even to rise to the summit from within. Though I am a Third Transformation Daoist, I know that my foundation and potential have already been exhausted. Without the accumulation of the era, I fear it would be difficult to reach the Other Shore Realm!"

"But the Heavenly Venerate is different; the Heavenly Venerate is a child of heaven. If it is said that among the myriad heavens and worlds, which strong one can stand out from the rest, I believe the Heavenly Venerate must be one of them. Moreover, the Heavenly Venerate treats subordinates with benevolence, and this subordinate wishes to die for His Majesty!"

In the depths of the Daoist of the Hidden Aspect's eyes burned a fervent light.

This is an opportunistic fellow!

Zhang Jian's expression remained unmoving, yet in his heart he had already labeled the Daoist of the Hidden Aspect.

Beside him, the Daoist of Yan Jue suddenly stepped out from the ranks, clasping his hands.

"Heavenly Venerate, this humble deity also wishes to follow the Heavenly Venerate and cultivate under the Heavenly Venerate's command!"

Zhang Jian's gaze fell upon the Daoist of Yan Jue, and he smiled.

"Yan Jue, you said you had people and matters in the Longevity True Realm that you could not bear to part with—why then are you also willing to follow me?"

The Daoist of Yan Jue spoke.

"Precisely because the Longevity True Realm holds people and matters that this humble deity cannot bear to part with, I wish to follow the Heavenly Venerate, for only the Heavenly Venerate can protect them!"

His countenance was solemn.

He could also foresee the turmoil in the myriad heavens' void.

What the Daoist of the Hidden Aspect could see, he could also see.

Now, in the circles of Daoists in the Longevity True Realm, it is widely spread that this Heavenly Venerate before us stepped onto the Other Shore with the realm of the supreme strong one, and thus was able to slay the Changyang Magic Venerate with a single strike and shock the Mo Shen Magic Venerate!

Following such a Heavenly Venerate, when he has cultivated for long and fully matured, the myriad gods under his command will naturally rise with the tide.

The Daoist of Yan Jue was more direct, making no effort to conceal his purpose.

Zhang Jian's gaze swept over the Daoist of the Hidden Aspect, the Daoist of Yan Jue, and he spoke calmly.

"This Venerable One keeping you two is indeed not difficult, but what can you two do for this Venerable One?"

Zhang Jian's expression was calm, and he spoke blandly.

"With this Venerable One's current status and cultivation, if word were spread that one is willing to enter the Earth Emperor's Palace, the Daoists would not be few. This Venerable One cannot possibly take everyone into the Earth Emperor's Palace!"

What Zhang Jian said was fact.

As a being of supreme strength, occupying a high position in the Three Sovereigns and Five Elders Assembly, and with many resources under his command, including the control of a complete great heavenly realm.

These attractions are undoubtedly great for the gods.

The Daoist of the Hidden Aspect had long prepared, and thus clasped his hands.

"This humble deity has also inquired these past months: although Your Majesty established the Earth Emperor Dao Palace, before attaining the Dao, his subordinates—including his network of connections, the introduction of various heavenly materials and earthly treasures, and the communication with all great Dao lineages, sects, and divine dynasties—are still being built. His subordinates lack professional and reliable personnel to assist. This humble deity is not talented, but he has wide connections, and in the myriad heavens' void he has acquaintances. He wishes to relieve the Heavenly Venerate's worries, to resolve all manner of channel and personnel接通 problems!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian smiled faintly.

The Daoist of the Hidden Aspect is a thoughtful person.

This point indeed struck his heart's core. Although he has Daoists under his command, and soon even Dao Venerates will enter his command, many places indeed need the introduction of 'professional' talents to help him share the burden.

The Daoist of the Hidden Aspect's opportunism is indeed displeasing to him.

But the Daoist of the Hidden Aspect can get things done.

This is enough to move Zhang Jian.

Zhang Jian does not even demand that all in his divine and immortal ranks be utterly loyal, and he also allows capable individuals to retain a bit of self.

Zhang Jian's gaze fell upon the Daoist of Yan Jue.

The Daoist of Yan Jue spoke with a solemn countenance.

"Heavenly Venerate, this humble deity lacks the connections of Fellow Daoist Hidden Aspect; this humble deity only knows how to fight and kill, but this humble deity can guarantee that wherever the Heavenly Venerate points, this humble deity will have no hesitation whatsoever!"

After a slight pause, he continued.

"As long as it does not violate the Way of Humanity, this humble deity wishes to swear an oath to the Heavenly Alliance!"

Zhang Jian spoke.

"There is no need for an oath to the Heavenly Alliance; this Venerable One believes you!"

Zhang Jian noticed that beside him, the Daoist of Flowing Light and the Daoist of Governing Waves had, from beginning to end, some hesitation and also some embarrassment in their eyes.

Zhang Jian was unwilling to force them.

Zhang Jian gestured that the two could now leave.

After the two deities departed from the Heavenly Venerate's hall, his gaze fell upon the Daoist of the Hidden Aspect and the Daoist of Yan Jue.

"Actually, if you wish to continue serving me, you need not necessarily leave the Longevity True Realm!"

"More than twenty aeons ago, this Venerable One obtained the earth and Nine Nether authority of the Longevity True Realm. You shall remain in this realm, temporarily assisting this Venerable One in guarding the Earth Emperor Dao Palace of the Longevity True Realm, and meanwhile take charge of the affairs of the earth and the netherworld. Soon after, this Venerable One will still dispatch immortals and gods from beyond the realm to enter the Longevity True Realm to lend you a hand!"

"After the affairs are fully handed over, they will then follow this Venerable One back to the Three Sovereigns Heaven Realm!"

Upon hearing this, the Daoist of the Hidden Aspect and the Daoist of Yan Jue slightly clasped their hands in assent.

After arranging the Daoist of the Hidden Aspect and the Daoist of Yan Jue properly, Zhang Jian glanced once more at the entire Inspection Holy Realm, and then hung his seal and departed.

The Daoist of the Hidden Aspect and the Daoist of Yan Jue, as two of the chief inspection envoys within the Inspection Hall, holding high rank and authority, remaining in the Longevity True Realm, will also be of great help in maintaining the influence of the Earth Emperor Dao Palace in this realm.

Even when the next Inspection Heavenly Venerate arrives.

Moreover, the Cangxiang Daoist and Yan Jiao Daoist have already become Zhang Jian's subordinate deities; even if the new Patrol Heavenly Sovereign is dissatisfied with the Two Gods, not looking at the monk's face, he must still look at the Buddha's face, otherwise he is not one to be trifled with.

If there is no solid evidence, Zhang Jian would not agree to dealing with his subordinate deities.

After hanging up his seal and departing, Zhang Jian prepared to do one final thing.

He needed to leave a Daozun in charge of the Dihuang Dao Palace in the Changsheng True Realm.

He had already chosen this Daozun.

……

The main vein of Fangyuan Mountain is vast, stretching across nearly two-thirds of the prefectures within the Zhongzhou region of the Changsheng True Realm, with many branches extending into various prefectures and lands.

Many reclusive sages and hermits cultivate in seclusion within the mountain.

Among them, the dojo of the former Dijun, Yuhou Daozun, is located there.

This Yuhou Daozun is an innate sovereign born at the time when the Changsheng True Realm was created, once held a exalted position, endured countless tribulations, but since over ten derivation eras ago, when the Heart Ancestor Yuanchu descended, the rules of the Changsheng True Realm were reset, and many innate sovereigns lost their rightful authority.

Of course, what they gained may not necessarily be less than before.

It is merely that, as they know more and more, they become increasingly hesitant and restrained.

Deep within the dojo, in the Tuhuang Hall.

Yuhou Daozun sat cross-legged on a futon, before him lay a grand Taiji diagram, which seemed to symbolize the boundless origin of heaven and earth's great Dao, profound and unfathomable.

At this moment, Yuhou Daozun's eyes held a hint of sigh.

Since the gods from beyond the realm took over the Changsheng True Realm, he has felt it becoming increasingly unfamiliar.

Even his self-assured mature worldview began to waver.

He never imagined that a Daozun's realm could become so overwhelmingly powerful.

Whether it was the Patrol Heavenly Sovereign striking down the Changyang Demon Sovereign with a single blow, or the Changsheng Daozun clashing with the supreme powers beyond the realm.

He originally thought that upon achieving the Other Shore Realm, he would not say he walked alone through the heavens' void, towering above billions of immortals and gods, but at the very least he had mastered everything a Other Shore Realm powerhouse should possess, enabling him to stand invincible.

Yet upon thinking of the Patrol Heavenly Sovereign, the Changsheng Daozun, and Yuhou Daozun himself, doubt still arose in his heart.

At this moment, Yuhou Daozun's expression suddenly changed.

Almost instinctively, he sought to mobilize the earth origin and earth Dao will bestowed upon him by the Changsheng True Realm.

In an instant, he felt that the familiar earth origin and earth Dao will had suddenly left him, flowing into another grand luminous shadow.

That figure was surrounded by a layer of heaven-shaking, earth-shaking divine power; under this divine power, Yuhou Daozun felt his entire body stiffen, unable to move, even sensing that a single glance from the other could utterly annihilate him.

"Heavenly Sovereign?"

At this moment, Zhang Jian smiled faintly.

"Yuhou Daoist, I have already resigned my Heavenly Sovereign divine post; you may address me as Dihuang!"

Yuhou Daozun followed suit willingly.

"Dihuang Daoist!"

After a slight pause, doubt flickered in the depths of his eyes as he asked.

"I do not know what you mean by this..."

He glanced around, sensing that the void was completely sealed.

Zhang Jian spoke calmly.

"Yuhou Daoist, are you content with the current state? Have you considered advancing your cultivation further, or perhaps reforging your foundation?"

A faint smile appeared on his face.

……

Not long after, Zhang Jian departed from Fangyuan Mountain.

As fellow Daozun born of the earth lineage, Yuhou Daozun was relatively easy to persuade.

After a combination of threats and inducements, this deity had already agreed to enter the Dihuang Dao Palace of the Changsheng True Realm, becoming its guardian Daozun.

And as compensation, once the turmoil in the myriad heavens' void subsides, I will assist this deity in recultivating the Great Dao.

This was not beyond Zhang Jian's expectations.

He had long sensed that this Daozun already harbored the intention to recultivate the Great Dao, no longer satisfied with merely achieving an ordinary Other Shore Realm powerhouse.

……

After completing everything, Zhang Jian directly tore through the void and left the Changsheng True Realm.

Upon leaving the Changsheng True Realm, Zhang Jian felt his multiple layers of immense authority being stripped away.

The rank of Patrol Heavenly Sovereign, the mastership of the Changsheng True Realm's earth and the Nine Underworlds.

This stripping, Zhang Jian had long grown accustomed to.

As for the Patrol Heavenly Sovereign's rank, the earth and true form of the Nine Underworlds in the Changsheng True Realm had already been comprehended by him; even if the rank were stripped, he still grasped their essence.

Whether stripped or not, it made little difference to him.

Subsequently, Zhang Jian headed straight for the Three Sovereigns Heaven Realm without looking back.

He knew that a great responsibility awaited him ahead.

These thirty yuanhui, to a certain extent, were like a vacation granted after his breakthrough, to consolidate his cultivation.

However, shortly after returning to the Three Sovereigns Heaven Realm, he saw the Ji clan arrive from the Immortal Court Heaven Realm.

"Your Majesty, this humble one has a matter to earnestly beseech Your Majesty for!"