Chapter 244: Blood of the Great Dao, Stars' Bones, Saintly Meridians, the Taikou Celestial Realm Opens!

No one knows what happened at Western Zhou Mountain.

No one knows what communication the Lord of Western Zhou Mountain had with Gu Jin Nian; people only know that after Gu Jin Nian left Western Zhou Mountain, his expression seemed very solemn.

The future great age seemed to become an inescapable shadow in people's hearts.

But exactly how, no one knows.

And at the same time.

After leaving Buzhou Mountain.

Gu Jin Nian arrived in a valley; this time coming to Western Zhou Mountain, Gu Jin Nian understood one thing.

The future is far more cruel than he imagined.

Nine Kings of the Human Race!

Four Dragon Kings of the Sea Clan.

Ten Demon Gods of the Monster Clan.

The Giant of the Demon Clan.

And the Three Thousand Divine Clan.

These are all his future great enemies; the minor characters are easy to mention, but Gu Jin Nian knows very well that those minor figures are insignificant—the truly powerful ones are this group of people.

If he cannot deal with this group, even eliminating those others would be of little meaning.

Within the great mountain.

Gu Jin Nian casually found a spot and sat cross-legged.

His gaze appeared unusually calm.

And before him, four Dragon Cauldrons also materialized.

The Liyang Cauldron, the Central Continent Cauldron, the Qingzhou Cauldron, and the Beichuan Cauldron.

The Liyang Cauldron is for tempering.

The Central Continent Cauldron is for the future.

The Beichuan Cauldron adjusts the terrain of heaven and earth.

The Qingzhou Cauldron can strengthen the primordial spirit.

These are the four Dragon Cauldrons for now.

"Right now, the most important is the Human Triple Cauldron."

"Tempering the flesh, refining the primordial spirit, enhancing Qi fortune; the Southern Barbarian Cauldron won't take long, the Great Emperor of Central Continent will bring it, for now I will first forge the flesh and spirit first."

Gu Jin Nian muttered to himself; after saying this, he raised his hand, and in an instant the Liyang Cauldron burst into light.

At that moment, Gu Jin Nian did not hesitate; he directly entered the cauldron.

The Liyang Cauldron can temper all things; it itself is also a kind of thing.

As Gu Jin Nian entered the cauldron, an immense wave of public opinion instantly spread through his flesh.

Boom! The Liyang Cauldron instantly ignited with raging flames, refining Gu Jin Nian's flesh.

Inside the cauldron.

The terrifying temperature made Gu Jin Nian feel no pain at all; at his current realm, nothing can cause his flesh pain.

"Guard the primordial spirit."

At that moment, within the Liyang Cauldron, four ancient large characters appeared, floating before Gu Jin Nian.

Immediately, Gu Jin Nian comprehended its meaning, thus guarded his primordial spirit and began forging his flesh.

Finally, under the terrifying temperature, Gu Jin Nian's flesh began to vaporize—yes, to vaporize.

If anyone saw it, they would surely feel an overwhelming shock; the scene is too terrifying.

Gu Jin Nian's flesh and blood vaporized inch by inch, disappearing.

In the end, public opinion surged like an ocean, forging Gu Jin Nian's flesh.

Thus.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.

Perhaps because a great calamity of heaven and earth is imminent, or perhaps because the Da Xia Dynasty and the Central Continent Dynasty have allied; in the past half month, nothing has happened, or rather, whatever happens, it has not been an obstacle.

The Da Xia Dynasty, in the past half month, has been vigorously constructing the Never-Ending City, while also drafting plans within the Eastern Wilderness.

Developing the livelihood economy is the shared idea of the Great Emperor of Central Continent and the Great Emperor Yongsheng; no matter how great future changes may be, for dynasties like theirs, the common people are the most important.

They must ensure the people are well fed and watered.

Jiangzhong Dragon Rice, under successive edicts, began to be cultivated throughout the Da Xia Dynasty, and Great Golden Dragon Rice continued to be planted as well; both have different advantages.

Food issues are always the top priority.

And today, under the pressure of the two great dynasties, the Great Jin Dynasty finally handed over the Dragon Cauldron; although the Great Jin Dynasty was unwilling, it still honestly surrendered it.

Having obtained the Eastern Wilderness Dragon Cauldron, now in the hands of the Great Emperor Yongsheng, Yongsheng completely set aside his concerns.

Gu Jin Nian's belief in the Great Emperor of Central Continent does not mean he fully trusts him; only after the Eastern Wilderness Dragon Cauldron was secured did Yongsheng lower his guard and fully ally with the Great Emperor of Central Continent against the Southern Barbarian Realm.

Half a month later, finally, the two great dynasties decided to join forces, marching their armies toward the Southern Barbarian Realm.

Most of the Southern Barbarian nations chose to surrender, but some still fought to the death, unwilling to be conquered.

Thus.

The great battle erupted.

This is a scene no one wishes to see, but there is no way around it; no one knows why the Da Xia Dynasty and the Central Continent Dynasty must attack the Southern Barbarian Realm, yet the combined strength of the two dynasties is invincible in this age.

Unless ancient races revive, otherwise everything would be meaningless.

In the end, the great battle broke out.

The Da Xia Dynasty dispatched 1.5 million troops, together with Sky Dome Dragon Boats, to deliver terrifying strikes; the Central Continent Dynasty sent 2 million troops, openly aiming to annex the Southern Barbarian Realm, giving them no hope at all.

The silver lining in the misfortune is that among the nations of the South Barbarian realm, only some countries took part in this resistance; the majority chose to surrender, knowing Heaven's Mandate cannot be defied and knowing who Da Xia's backing implies.

Gu Jin Nian! Su Wenjing! The two saints did not stop this matter, which means they will not aid the South Barbarian nations.

Thus, the great war lasted only seven days, and the surrender documents of the various nations were promptly submitted to the Da Xia Dynasty and the Central Continent Dynasty.

But it must be said that bloodshed did occur among the South Barbarian nations; twelve countries were annihilated, and among them three fought to the last person.

Such spirit commands respect, yet what is more lamentable is that, before the Great World, a stubborn resistance is far too difficult.

The entire South Barbarian realm was a river of blood; at least a million people perished in this war. The terrifying Sky Dragon Boat, capable of destroying heaven and earth, could easily wipe out a hundred thousand with a single thunderstorm bomb.

Under these circumstances, the South Barbarian lands were shrouded in continuous rain, as if heaven and earth themselves felt sorrow.

And on this very day.

Above the South Barbarian skies, a dragon cauldron appeared; this is the South Barbarian cauldron. The Great Emperor of the Central Continent, still magnanimous, bestowed this cauldron upon the Da Xia Dynasty. The one destined to obtain this dragon cauldron must be Gu Jin Nian; if so, he has no objections.

However, after the South Barbarian war ended, the biggest problem was the vengeful spirits.

Following the appearance of the South Barbarian cauldron, the entire South Barbarian realm was plagued by continuous rain and Holy Punishment's Clouds, giving an especially eerie atmosphere; often at night, in desolate places, cries of ghosts and wolves could be heard.

This is strange; such eerie phenomena are never seen in ordinary times. Though history is not without similar events, there once was a soldier, bloodthirsty beyond measure, who angrily beheaded three hundred thousand surrendering troops, triggering certain celestial signs.

But that was all.

The South Barbarian realm as a whole underwent bizarre changes, causing unease.

Some rumors spread rapidly.

Some think that the alliance of the two great dynasties is inherently good, yet it remains limited to hegemony, slaughtering the South Barbarian realm, inciting divine wrath and the displeasure of heaven and earth, brewing a cataclysm.

This is one viewpoint.

Another theory holds that the South Barbarian realm itself is rife with legends; it is said that within it once lived a witch clan, a lineage naturally adept at formations, fond of arranging grand schemes, seeking dragons and hidden caves, locating tombs for some peerless strongmen between heaven and earth, praying for their rebirth in the afterlife.

Thus, within the South Barbarian realm, many heroic souls of strongmen reside; now the realm has been bathed in blood, and with Heaven's Mandate descending, numerous oddities naturally arise. This joint effort of the two great dynasties may well have disturbed some great mountains and rivers, or awakened some ancient tomb strongmen.

A terrifying entity is about to be born, which is why heaven and earth have become like this.

This rumor has gained considerable acceptance, because South Barbarian sorcerers are renowned; everyone knows of their existence. These sorcerers are actually practitioners of the Art of Techniques, skilled at reading terrain and locating tombs for others.

The art of feng shui is not idle talk; people believe in its qi and fortune. The South Barbarian realm, surrounded by mountains, contains many treasure lands, ideal for burying ancestors, and there is a classic legend.

There once was a destitute scholar who came to the South Barbarian lands; after rescuing a South Barbarian sorcerer, the latter, in gratitude, found him a Dragon Mountain, allowing him to relocate his ancestors' tombs there.

Later, though the scholar's studies remained average, he met a benefactor and eventually became a prime minister of his era; moreover, his next three generations each ascended to become emperors.

This is a traceable event and indeed truly occurred.

Moreover, such things have happened more than once.

But regardless of what it is, in the end there is no conclusion, and no one steps forward to clarify; everything is speculation.

Thus, in the blink of an eye.

Another three days passed.

This day.

The ten divine mountains also completely erupted.

Earlier, after the Pan Mountain event concluded, ten great mountains revived between heaven and earth.

The Da Xia Dynasty is the Western Zhou Mountain.

The Xiongnu Nation is the Han Sea Mountain.

The Great Jin Dynasty is the Tian Zhou Mountain.

The Central Continent Dynasty corresponds to Lan Yue Mountain, Chang Yun Mountain, and Tian Xia Mountain.

The South Barbarian realm comprises Yun Mountain and Wu Mountain, while the Western Desert includes Jin Fa Mountain and Ba Bu Mountain.

Altogether ten divine mountains, today fully erupted, reviving everything; treasures appeared one by one, and even on the Xiongnu Nation's Han Sea Mountain, a divine iron was spectacularly displayed upon the peaks.

This is the Supreme Immortal Gold, which can completely break the shackles of celestial artifacts; whoever obtains it will possess immortal power.

People shouted in astonishment; all factions felt immensely shocked, some even excitedly screamed, their breathing becoming rapid.

The Great World truly erupted; the ten divine mountains revived together, and with Gu Jin Nian having previously slain four Seventh Realm strongmen, hope was given to the world. Thus, beneath the ten divine mountains, many strong individuals gathered.

However, the Western Zhou Mountain remained relatively quiet; some arrived there, but few in number. The mountain itself is rumored to be terrifying, with a queen mother residing there.

Now Gu Jin Nian personally visited the Western Zhou Mountain, yet left with no benefit.

Even the saints of the age cannot extract any advantage; that is the true terror.

Therefore, no one dares to set foot on the Western Zhou Mountain.

The revival of the ten divine mountains has become the foremost concern of the world.

Some believe this is the advent of the Great World, so the divine mountains' revival offers the later generations a final glimmer of hope; heaven and earth still do not wish ancient peoples to slaughter each other, thus they choose to aid later generations.

This time, the divine mountains contain numerous treasures, accessible to all.

Various theories, combined with the noticeably reduced competition, have set the Great World ablaze; people focus their eyes on the nine divine mountains.

And within the Western Desert.

Inside a mysterious micro‑world, several figures stood, each with a pallid, hideous complexion.

Guang Yuan Buddha, the abbot of Xiao Yuan Temple, the Daoist of Shangqing, the Yin‑Yang Patriarch, as well as the Ascendant True Buddha, the Master of the Great Dao Mansion, and Chang Yun Tian.

Seven figures stood there, each bearing an unpleasant expression toward one another.

In the recent great war, they suffered a bloody loss; all their schemes were nullified under Gu Jin Nian's divine fist.

Now, gathered together, they appear even more defeated, because they truly do not know what to do or what to say.

The road ahead—how to proceed—they cannot comprehend; it seems like a dead end, with no future in sight.

"At this point, is there truly no way to deal with Gu Jin Nian?"

Abruptly, the Yin‑Yang Patriarch's voice rang out, his words filled with bitterness and a melancholy tone.

The current situation is dire; losing a battle is trivial, losing face is not a major issue. The main problem is that all favorable circumstances for us have vanished. To put it bluntly, now we have no home to return to.

"Actually, that's not the case."

At that moment, the voice of the Ascending True Buddha sounded, and he began to speak slowly.

In the recent great battle, he was the only one who did not take part, and the Buddhist Sect now has three Seventh Realm Strongers; to put it bluntly, the Buddhist Sect currently wields great authority, at least in their eyes.

Hearing the Ascending True Buddha's words, everyone couldn't help but look at him with curiosity, not understanding what he meant.

"Amitabha."

"The Buddhist Sect's upheaval has already emerged; if we seize this chance, the sect can surely use it to soar skyward, thereby snatching Divine Gold for you all, reviving Immortal Artifacts, and thus be able to overpower Gu Jin Nian."

The Ascending True Buddha spoke, outlining a plan aimed at Gu Jin Nian; to be precise, it is not targeting Gu Jin Nian but rather self‑improvement.

The crowd, hearing this, couldn't help but be surprised and grew even more curious.

Has the Buddhist Sect's upheaval appeared?

Where? They haven't seen it.

"Is the True Buddha referring to the two sacred mountains of the Western Desert?"

The Yin‑Yang Palm Sect Leader asked curiously.

"No."

The Ascending True Buddha shook his head, then continued.

"Southern Barbarians!"

"The Da Xia Dynasty and the Central Continent Dynasty have jointly suppressed the Southern Barbarians, laying waste to living beings and disrupting the cosmic order; now the Southern Barbarians' lands are plagued by successive omens, and if nothing changes, the Ten Directions Hell will open, releasing endless evil spirits."

"For all under heaven this is a cataclysm, but for us Western Desert monks it is the greatest upheaval."

"If you are willing to aid us Western Desert monks, using Buddhist Artifacts and the True Buddha Ancient Scripture to liberate the endless evil spirits of the Ten Directions Hell."

"Then we can obtain the greatest merit of heaven and earth; at that time the Buddhist Sect will surely give birth to a peerless strongman, and we can acquire all Buddhist Artifacts. Gu Jin Nian currently holds two of our sect's artifacts; should we succeed, those two will return to us."

"With the Nine Buddhist Artifacts in hand, legend says they can give rise to a supreme treasure; when that time arrives, Gu Jin Nian will be unable to withstand the Buddhist Sect's forward path."

"Of course, you must not overthink; if the Buddhist Sect gains such benefits, it will certainly not forget you."

"I can swear a Great Buddhist Oath: if you truly agree to help, after liberating the departed souls, I will forge for you a Buddhist Golden Body and a Longevity Token, and also procure Divine Gold for the Immortal Sect, ensuring complete equality with no superiority or inferiority."

"May I know what you all think?"

The Ascending True Buddha spoke earnestly, not only revealing his plan but also offering to take the Great Buddhist Oath.

But no one would believe such words; they trust the Ascending True Buddha's first half—Southern Barbarians' upheaval, Ten Directions Hell—but they doubt his promises of universal equality and bringing Divine Gold for them.

Such words are best left just heard.

To put it bluntly, once the Buddhist Sect truly attains supreme merit, what does it matter if the Ascending True Buddha withholds? By then they will have become a climate; withholding changes nothing. So publicly they nodded, but privately they cared little, weighing their own pros and cons.

As if guessing the crowd's thoughts, the Ascending True Buddha sighed, then shook his head and said.

"Everyone, do you know why we cannot defeat Gu Jin Nian?"

"Gu Jin Nian is clearly just one person; in terms of realm, can we, even combined, surpass him?"

"If we speak of treasures, Gu Jin Nian may possess many supreme artifacts, but we also have plenty when combined."

"Our failure stems from Gu Jin Nian's friends constantly supporting him; the Da Xia Dynasty, though not as strong as us, unconditionally backs Gu Jin Nian."

"Even today, the Central Continent Dynasty unconditionally supports Gu Jin Nian—that is the benefit of alliances."

"Although we publicly form alliances, behind the scenes each has its own agenda—Immortal Sect its agenda, Buddhist Sect its agenda—and because of this, Gu Jin Nian can defeat us one by one."

"Even up to now, we have suffered such a huge loss, having four Seventh Realm Strongers exterminated, yet we still do not realize our mistake."

"This Buddhist Sect upheaval is also your final chance; even if you do not intervene, the sect can resolve it, only the risk we bear will be greater."

"But if that happens and the Buddhist Sect attains the Dao, you must not come back to our sect with cold words."

The Ascending True Buddha is not angry, but feels frustration at their lack of contest; every word he has spoken is truthful. He would not admit having any selfish motive, nor would he admit that his selfishness is great.

Given the current situation, everyone must work together; if we fail to unite, Gu Jin Nian can continue to defeat us one by one, and then no one will be able to stop him.

Not fighting is death.

If we cannot win, he has nothing to say; losing is not shameful.

But failing because of this is what truly infuriates us.

At this point, the Ascending True Buddha's words caused the crowd's expressions to indeed change.

The logic is sound, but asking them to commit wholeheartedly is something they cannot fully do.

Seeing this scene.

The voice of the Broad Source Buddha resonated.

"Amitabha."

"Now the Five Tribes are about to revive; they are themselves invincible. Even if the Buddhist Sect truly manipulates you and gains the greatest benefit, defeating Gu Jin Nian—what then? Would the Ancient Five Tribes spare us?"

"Even if they recognize us and grant us certain statuses, like the Ancient Human Clan—should we be classified as first‑rank humans or second‑rank?"

"In the great future era, countless divine relics and boundless creations will appear; will any of those fall to us?"

"Everyone, think carefully: they are ultimately beings from the ancient age, while we belong to this era."

"We share a common enemy—Gu Jin Nian or future strong ones—so we should unite, not maintain sectarian divisions."

"Taking a step back, may I ask everyone, is there any other good method now to resolve the current situation?"

"Even if we gain no future benefit, we should not remain as we are now. Currently we have a role for the Ancient Races, but once they emerge, will our role persist?"

"If one's realm is inferior, misfortune befalls oneself; only strength is the eternal truth."

"If there is any, this humble monk is all ears."

"Broad Source Buddha spoke very directly."

Even the Ancient Races, no matter how strong, are needed now, which is why we ask them to assist with certain tasks—this is under the premise that they cannot yet emerge.

When they finally emerge, if luck favors us and we become their lackeys, will the many future benefits ever come to them? The answer is obvious.

And now, their greatest enemy is Gu Jin Nian.

Taking another step back, regardless of the future, becoming stronger now is not a good thing?

The story reaches this point.

Everyone's emotions indeed changed dramatically, not out of shame but mainly after weighing pros and cons.

"I endorse the words of the two masters."

At that moment, the voice of the Head of the Great Dao Hall sounded.

"At present, we truly should not continue this way."

"We must unite and help each other; otherwise, what happened before will happen again."

"The main point is that Gu Jin Nian is not our real enemy; our true enemy remains the Ancient Tribes. The Shangxing True Buddha is correct—cooperating with them is merely seeking the tiger's skin."

"They have not yet emerged, so they appear lofty; if they truly emerge, one can imagine how terrifying it will be."

"Regarding the Southern Barbarians' upheaval, we must step forward, assist the Buddhist sect, and seize this opportunity. Of course, if any of you have better solutions, speak them; if feasible, I will support them."

He spoke, strongly supporting the Shangxing True Buddha.

His stance was clear: he did not treat Gu Jin Nian as the true great enemy, but regarded the Ancient Tribes as the great enemy. Though the Ancient Human Clan protected them, for the Head of the Great Dao Hall, the Ancient Human Clan's actions merely meant they still held utilitarian value.

If a day truly comes when one has no value, the outcome one faces will likely not be good.

"The student approves."

Chang Yun Tian's voice also rang out; as a student of the Head of the Great Dao Hall, he naturally followed the other's wishes.

With these two Seventh Realm masters agreeing, the only ones left are the Daoist of Upper Clarity and the Head of the Yin-Yang Sect.

"I, the humble Daoist, also approve, but I am severely wounded now and fear I am powerless."

The Daoist of Upper Clarity felt helpless; in fact, he approved everything the Shangxing True Buddha said, especially the point that they currently have no better way to resolve the trouble.

"The Southern Barbarians affair is both an opportunity and a great upheaval; if we lose again, we are completely defeated."

Now the Daoist of Upper Clarity despises Gu Jin Nian; as long as it targets Gu Jin Nian, whatever it is, he agrees.

And listening to the Daoist of Upper Clarity's agreement.

The Head of the Yin-Yang Sect said little more, sighed, and nodded, saying.

"Since that is so, I, the humble Daoist, also agree."

He spoke, fully agreeing to this matter.

Having received the response, the Shangxing True Buddha nodded with satisfaction and then spoke.

"Amitabha, esteemed virtuous ones."

"At present, the Southern Barbarians' transformation is our final chance."

"If we seize it, the Buddhist sect can, through this chance, gain endless benefits; then the humble monk will allocate credit, ensuring none of you miss out on the rewards."

He spoke earnestly, giving everyone a reassurance.

"Good!"

"When will the Southern Barbarians change?"

"What must we do?"

The group steadied their minds; having agreed, they began preparations.

"It won't be long."

"Within at most two months, the Southern Barbarians' upheaval will appear; then the ten directions hell will emerge, and the Five Tribes will likely manifest at that time as well."

"Seize this chance; in the future we will have a trump card, otherwise we become mere fish meat."

The Shangxing True Buddha looked exceedingly serious and said.

But as soon as he said that,

the Head of the Yin-Yang Sect's voice inevitably rose.

"Actually my worry is not about cooperation but the great upheaval of the Buddhist sect; I fear that if Gu Jin Nian intervenes, might it become a wedding dress for him?"

The Head of the Yin-Yang Sect spoke, showing slight worry.

Upon hearing this, the Shangxing True Buddha confidently shook his head.

"Amitabha."

"Regarding salvation, our Buddhist sect is highly confident. Gu Jin Nian once wrote the Sutra of Delivering Beings, indeed liberating countless souls, but the souls of the Southern Barbarians cannot be saved by Gu Jin Nian alone; it requires the power of all our monks. The ten directions hell is far beyond what a single scripture by Gu Jin Nian can liberate."

The Shangxing True Buddha said with utmost confidence.

With those words, the Head of the Yin-Yang Sect's worry vanished.

"Good."

At that moment, everyone nodded and gradually faded from this small world.

Meanwhile,

Within Da Xia.

On Nameless Mountain.

With the revival of the Ten Great Sacred Mountains, few paid attention to Gu Jin Nian.

It has been a month since Gu Jin Nian left Western Zhou Mountain, and news about him has dwindled.

The world focuses on the matters of the Ten Great Sacred Mountains.

At that instant, Boom—, a startling thunderclap sounded.

It resonated through heaven and earth.

The sound came from within a mountain range of the Da Xia Dynasty.

It was terrifying, like an apocalyptic heavenly thunder.

People were stunned, not knowing what had occurred.

But countless people almost instantly guessed a possibility: such a celestial phenomenon was greatly linked to Gu Jin Nian.

In this era, with the Ancient Tribes not yet emerging, to create such a terrifying celestial event, across the world, only Gu Jin Nian could accomplish it.

However, surprise remains surprise; people are still curious, not understanding what has happened again.

Inside the Li Yang Cauldron.

A terrifying sound rose from within the cauldron.

Public opinion blazed like fire, scorching the Li Yang Cauldron; Gu Jin Nian completed a rebirth within the cauldron, a true rebirth in the literal sense.

His primordial spirit transformed into a golden figure.

And within the Li Yang Cauldron there was also the Qing Zhou Cauldron.

Gu Jin Nian's mortal body and primordial spirit underwent metamorphosis together.

Boom! Thunder roared, the heavens' lightning turned into a divine hammer, striking inside the Li Yang Cauldron, also striking Gu Jin Nian.

One strike.

Ten strikes.

One hundred strikes.

One thousand strikes.

Heaven and earth gathered thunderous power; each strike, if endured by an ordinary cultivator, would surely cause immense pain.

Yet Gu Jin Nian showed no trace of pain; instead, as the hammer kept striking, his mortal body gradually surfaced.

First appeared his five viscera and six bowels, each manifesting a luminous silhouette; it was a person, more precisely, a divine abode.

Within his heart came the deafening sound of war drums, supplying endless combat power; his blood boiled, granting immortal battle.

Within his liver, vibrant life surged, bringing infinite vitality; blood‑dripping rebirth, undying, capable of healing all wounds.

Within his spleen lay boundless Wu earth, uniting body and spirit, solid as Mount Tai, impervious to damage.

In his lungs also resided Geng metal energy, capable of manifesting 108,000 Geng metal sword qi to slay all, a supreme annihilation divine skill.

His kidneys contained the water of the five elements, granting boundless vitality; unlike the liver, which lets Gu Jin Nian's body rebirth through blood, the kidneys can alter his physique, so that each drop of his blood becomes like a precious elixir, capable of turning white bone into flesh.

After the five viscera and six bowels appeared.

Strands of mysterious yellow qi emerged within the cauldron, filling Gu Jin Nian's body; this is the Great Dao Blood, the mysterious yellow qi transmuted into his blood, possessing immortal, extraordinary power.

Soon, bone after bone materialized, forged by heaven and earth; each bone bore the power of stars—these are star‑root bones.

Immediately, tendons and vessels sprang forth like a great river, surging endlessly; within them swirled infinite divine light—not mere spiritual energy, but a vast righteous qi, the breath of a sage.

Finally, Gu Jin Nian's mortal form, like a true dragon, radiated a towering aura; his breath became wind and thunder, his gestures made the void tremble.

Dong! Dong! Dong! The terrifying hammering rang, as if heaven and earth were forging a divine artifact; within the Li Yang Cauldron, Gu Jin Nian completed a thousand‑fold tempering.

He himself was an immaculate treasure body; now, tempered by the Li Yang Cauldron and fueled by endless public fervor, Gu Jin Nian's mortal form at this moment underwent a complete metamorphosis.

Previously he was an immaculate treasure body—not a specific constitution, but a perfectly formed flesh.

Now his flesh quality is being elevated.

Within the Li Yang Cauldron, five‑colored divine light blossomed, chants rose in waves, Buddhist mantras echoed, resonating throughout heaven and earth.

The entire Li Yang Cauldron seemed to be refining a peerless grand elixir, dazzling beyond measure.

And within the Li Yang Cauldron, Gu Jin Nian at this moment opened his eyes, instantly comprehending his condition.

His flesh and primordial spirit reached the pinnacle.

Especially his primordial spirit: within the dragon cauldron, above Gu Jin Nian's head, three strands of primordial spirit hovered, representing past, present, future—three lifetimes, the true self, immortal and undying.

Heaven and earth forged him through endless tempering: the five earthly viscera, Great Dao Blood, star bones, sage vessels, true dragon physique, and three‑life primordial spirit.

But in an instant Gu Jin Nian realized his flesh was still in the juvenile stage.

Indeed, he could not label his flesh as a spirit body or imperial body; it could only be described by a growth stage.

He is currently in the juvenile stage.

There is a yearning, like a newborn awaiting milk, requiring massive absorption of spiritual energy.

"Even in his current state, he feels almost invincible; and this is only the juvenile stage."

"If I continue to grow, how powerful will my physique become?"

Gu Jin Nian thought to himself.

Yet while pondering, Gu Jin Nian leapt out of the Li Yang Cauldron, absorbed both the Li Yang Cauldron and the Qing Zhou Cauldron into his body, then inhaled deeply, a torrent of spiritual energy flooding his lungs.

It transformed into Geng metal qi, tempering his flesh.

His heart beat, his blood further evolved; this is the terrifying physique of his body, constantly strengthening, even his breathing grows stronger.

However, this basic absorption of spiritual energy holds little significance for Gu Jin Nian; he needs various heavenly materials and earthly treasures to become stronger.

"Now my strength still ranks at the triple‑heaven pinnacle, but my physique has risen beyond words; any Daoist technique or divine skill I wield is stronger than before."

"Not only that, my previous physique had already reached its limit and peak, and now my physique has reached"

Only, when Gu Jin Nian awoke, a familiar voice sounded.

"Jin Nian."

"Return to Da Xia."

It was the voice of teacher Su Wenjing.

Hearing this, Gu Jin Nian did not hesitate; he moved at once and went straight to the Wen Palace in Da Xia Capital.

In almost an instant, he appeared before Su Wenjing.

"Teacher, is there something important?"

Gu Jin Nian, somewhat curious, asked Su Wenjing what important matter there was.

"Two matters."

"In the Southern Barbarians Territory, strange phenomena have arisen. Since the Da Xia Dynasty and the Central Continent Dynasty suppressed the Southern Barbarians Kingdom, the region has been plagued by continuous rain and numerous scenes of wailing ghosts; I, the teacher, deduce that a great calamity may be imminent in the Southern Barbarians Territory."

"I plan to go to the Southern Barbarians Territory to assess the situation; if something truly bad occurs, I will inform you immediately."

Su Wenjing spoke, mentioning the situation of the Southern Barbarians Territory.

Hearing that, Gu Jin Nian immediately closed his eyes and watched with his mind.

He swept his divine thought, and the Southern Barbarian Realm appeared in his mind.

Indeed, the entire Southern Barbarian Realm became exceedingly strange and eerie, as if a great disaster had befallen it, like a ghost domain, and from time to time one could truly hear cries and wails of ghosts.

It is terrifying.

It makes the heart tremble inexplicably.

"Alright, teacher, if danger arises, call me immediately."

Gu Jin Nian nodded.

"His Majesty has more business for you; go to the imperial palace."

Su Wenjing nodded and informed Gu Jin Nian that Emperor Yong Sheng had summoned him, and in fact his calling Gu Jin Nian was mainly for this matter.

Regarding the Southern Barbarian Realm, a single notice to Gu Jin Nian suffices; there is no need to say more. As a Confucian‑Daoist sage, he could not encounter any mishap.

"Uncle is looking for me?"

Gu Jin Nian showed slight curiosity.

"The Great Jin Dynasty and the Southern Barbarian Realm's Dragon Cauldron have appeared; they should hand these two items to you. I am not clear on the details; go there first and we'll discuss later."

Su Wenjing spoke up; he also did not know the specifics, and could only have Gu Jin Nian go over and take a look.

"Alright."

"Just keep an eye out, teacher."

At once, Gu Jin Nian did not dawdle; with a single step he leapt straight to the outside of the Yǎngxīn Hall of the Da Xia Imperial Palace.

Inside Yǎngxīn Hall.

Emperor Yong Sheng was carefully reviewing memorials from across the lands; since the Da Xia Dynasty and the Central Continent Dynasty joined forces, the world has been at peace, and the two great dynasties are still focused on the grand affairs of the people.

Since Heaven's Mandate descended, the great era has emerged, and many matters have surfaced.

Population migrations, oasis construction, road planning—numerous tasks piled up like mountains. Emperor Yong Sheng and the Central Continent Emperor were both approving memorials, as if in a competition to see who could handle more affairs.

Nevertheless, the two truly are workaholics.

As Gu Jin Nian entered Yǎngxīn Hall.

Before Wei Xian could report, Emperor Yong Sheng had already sensed it, rose, and said to Gu Jin Nian.

"Jin Nian."

"You finally returned."

"Uncle has several matters for you; handle them all, and after that you can attend to your own business."

Emperor Yong Sheng made no pretense; he produced a thick stack of official diagrams and said to Gu Jin Nian.

"Roughly three matters."

"First, the road issue. The Eastern Wilderness Realm has now settled into peace; I have ordered the Ministry of Works to draft road plans. You possess the North River Cauldron, which can alter the great patterns of heaven and earth; moving mountains and filling seas is no longer a great problem for you."

"Resolve this quickly, and then the dragon boats and treasure ships can be used efficiently, boosting trade and delivering grain promptly."

"In less than half a year, the Ministry of Revenue has recorded that the Da Xia populace has increased considerably; grain is abundant, the population keeps growing, and the infant mortality rate is low. It seems the population will rise further, so this problem must be solved quickly."

"The Central Continent Dynasty thinks likewise, but set that aside for now; first settle Da Xia's affairs, then you can go resolve the Central Continent's troubles."

Emperor Yong Sheng's face was full of smile.

Population growth is no small matter; since the birth of Jiangzhong Dragon Rice, the grain issue has indeed been effectively solved. With food, the first natural thing for the people is to have children.

And they have as many children as they wish; food is no longer scarce, and with the nation's development accelerating, having a few more would not be a waste.

A population boom is inevitable, and as time passes the numbers will only increase.

Thus many matters must be dealt with in advance.

"Alright."

Gu Jin Nian agreed outright, without any hesitation.

"Second matter: the Taihao Immortal Realm is about to open. According to the Central Continent Emperor, this Taihao Immortal Realm may be more extraordinary than ever; even the combined benefits of ten divine mountains outside might not match even one‑tenth of it."

"You should also prepare a bit; when the Taihao Immortal Realm opens, seize every chance of creation, do not be lenient. The revival of the Five Tribes is imminent, and if you obtain the Taihao Immortal Realm's creation, it will be of great significance to you."

That was the second matter; after Emperor Yong Sheng finished speaking, Gu Jin Nian still nodded.

Gu Jin Nian did not know much about the Taihao Immortal Realm; he only knew the rumor that it was a small world founded by an immortal, and the specifics were unclear to him.

"Third matter: the Southern Barbarian Cauldron and the Eastern Wilderness Cauldron are already in hand. Within the Taihao Immortal Realm lies the whereabouts of the Universe Cauldron, so only the final Creation Cauldron and the Western Desert Cauldron remain missing."

"As for the Western Desert Cauldron, Uncle discussed it with the Central Continent Emperor; when you go to the Taihao Immortal Realm, the two great dynasties will join forces to see if they can flatten the Western Desert and retrieve the Western Desert Cauldron for you."

"As long as the Creation Cauldron appears, everything will be easy; possessing the Nine Cauldrons, even if the ancient Five Tribes revive, it will not be a big deal for you."

Emperor Yong Sheng spoke the third matter, which surprised Gu Jin Nian; he had expected Uncle to mention the Southern Barbarian Realm, but only these three matters were brought up.

"Uncle."

"Regarding the Southern Barbarian Realm, do you have any news?"

Gu Jin Nian took the initiative to ask Emperor Yong Sheng.

"No news."

"Let them be as they are."

"Jin Nian, Uncle also understands now; the great era's contest is not for us to intervene in."

"Each generation handles its own affairs; the upcoming matters are now yours to handle. Uncle will do nothing now, peacefully governing, ensuring the nation's people are well fed and satisfied."

"All the pressure rests on your shoulders; you must hold firm."

Emperor Yong Sheng spoke, and while speaking, patted Gu Jin Nian's shoulder.

Hearing this, Gu Jin Nian did not dawdle, nodded, took the two cauldrons away, and also took the diagrams.

Uncle was right; with his current realm and the aid of the North River Cauldron, he truly can move mountains and fill seas.

Gu Jin Nian said nothing further.

He finished reading the blueprint, which had been painstakingly planned by thousands in the Ministry of Works, but after Gu Jin Nian read it, he considered future development and made some alterations.

Then he began to wield his great divine power.

Boom—boom—boom! Boom—boom—boom! A terrifying roar rang out, and the entire Da Xia Dynasty turned its gaze, each person clicking their tongues in amazement.

All the people of the world were vying for the ten sacred mountains, yet they did not expect Gu Jin Nian to be moving mountains and filling seas, reshaping river courses.

The work was not extremely arduous, but the sheer volume was overwhelming.

Rather than saying that the Eternal Prosperous Emperor of Da Xia and the Central Continent Emperor are workaholics, Gu Jin Nian is also a complete workaholic; he scarcely stopped a single minute, constantly reshaping the great trends of mountains and rivers.

He fundamentally cared little about what was happening in the outside world.

Because Gu Jin Nian knew.

The Nine Tripod requires popular support, so he must first do things for the common people; to secure the interior before confronting the exterior.

Thus.

In the blink of an eye.

Another half‑month passed.

At last, Gu Jin Nian completely transformed the Da Xia Dynasty; between prefectural capitals there were connections, every road led to each prefectural capital, and the adjustments were superb.

However, after finishing the affairs of the Da Xia Dynasty, Gu Jin Nian headed straight for the Central Continent Dynasty.

Having gained the first experience, Gu Jin Nian found the operation even simpler.

Yet the Central Continent Dynasty was indeed larger than the Eastern Wilderness, mainly because it had more prefectural cities, so it still took about half a month.

It was just as he had just stopped, preparing to rest for a while.

Suddenly, above the firmament, the Heaven's Mandate stars, in an instant, burst forth one hundred and eight beams of Heaven's Mandate power.

Pouring into the sky over the far‑north lands.

Soon a spatial rift appeared, followed by countless wondrous treasures, appearing before the eyes of the world.

This was the Taihao Immortal Realm.

Truly sorry, I have been too distracted lately.

Updates have been delayed repeatedly.

It may also be that the novel has reached over 2.3 million words and entered a fatigue period.

But regardless, it cannot be denied that everything is July's fault.

Sorry.

(End of Chapter)