Chapter 33: The Five Kingdoms Finally Unified, Seeking Grace for the Sake of Power [2/2] (Please follow, please collect~)

Pacing through the shaded woods behind the mountain, he observed his surroundings at leisure.

Sunlight poured through the gaps in the dense forest, alternating between shade and brightness, light and shadow interweaving.

Mottled light and shadow dotted the ground.

Water vapor condensed into dewdrops, falling onto the leaves and pooling into half-curves of green.

Picking up a flower petal, Fang Longye smiled indifferently: "Interesting~ Regardless of the reason, that passage from Bodhi Patriarch in the original work truly exhausts the cultivation of the Heavenly Immortal Path."

"'It is always about Essence, Qi, and Spirit; guard them firmly, keep them hidden, and let them not leak.' Doesn't this mean one must temper the body, finally refining Essence into Qi, and stabilizing one's own Essence, Qi, and Spirit? As the saying goes, when Essence is solid, Qi is sufficient, and Spirit is complete—it is nothing more than this."

"'Cast aside evil desires to attain coolness. Once cool, the light is bright and clear; it is good to head to the Cinnabar Terrace to admire the bright moon.' Isn't this teaching how to preserve the spirit and practice visualization, eventually cultivating to the Primordial Spirit Realm?"

"'The moon hides the jade rabbit, the sun hides the crow; they naturally have the tortoise and snake coiled together.' The cultivation from the Loose Immortal Realm toward the Yuan Immortal realm is to absorb the essence of the sun and moon, purge the yin quality, and advance toward pure yang."

"Finally, the Primordial Spirit Dharma Form merges with the physical body to achieve Dharma Body transformations; that is a Yuan Immortal. Isn't this 'the tortoise and snake coiled together'?"

"'Coiled together, life and nature are firm, and one can plant a Golden Lotus in the fire.' During Yuan Immortal cultivation, one directly refines the Dharma Body; the Primordial Spirit and physical body progress together in this process, finally achieving a Pure Yang Dharma Body. By then, one naturally achieves the status of a True Immortal."

"'Gathering the Five Elements to use in reverse; when the work is complete, one becomes a Buddhist or an Immortal.' Isn't this the cultivation from True Immortal to Golden Immortal?"

Fang Longye was not sure if this was a projection of the heavens or if his past life on Blue Star was truly extraordinary.

In any case, comparing this passage to the cultivation knowledge he currently possessed, he benefited immensely.

His path forward became increasingly clear.

"Alright, enough thinking about that. It is time to proceed with the next step of cultivation." Fang Longye shook his head, casting aside his speculations.

For a technique like the Yin and Yang Great Vehicle Dragon Sutra that can Reverse Innate, the fact that he could currently grasp even a fraction of it was already a blessing from the heavens.

Next, he would use the True Immortal Dragon Pearl in his hand to improve his cultivation.

And contemplate the revised Red Bright Nine Heavens Map.

There was still no movement from the Golden Centipede avatar, so he still had some time; he had to strengthen himself as quickly as possible.

Inside the karst cave, Fang Longye sat cross-legged in meditation, his hands held out as if supporting something; countless starlight gathered around his body, divided into scorching golden starlight and icy silver starlight.

Suspended above his left hand was a miniature star, on which a sweet-scented osmanthus tree could be faintly seen; it was the Lunar Star.

Above his right hand was a flaming star, with a golden crow faintly circling and flying around it; it was the Sun Star.

The power of the Lunar and the power of the Sun were absorbed and refined by him, and his entire body—muscles, bones, and even internal organs—was constantly undergoing changes.

Finally, two Taiyin Divine Patterns and Sun Divine Patterns were born in his eyes.

"Sun and Moon Golden Pupils!"

The divine light dissipated, and Fang Longye touched the space between his eyebrows.

Unlike the original Red Bright Nine Heavens Map, the version Fang Longye practiced allowed one to choose to engrave the Taiyin Divine Pattern and Sun Divine Pattern anywhere on the body.

He chose his eyes.

It could be considered a type of eye technique; once he grew stronger, he would be able to project the mysterious light of the sun and moon to destroy everything.

"It's just that this technique doesn't seem that easy to practice either; it's no better than the Yin and Yang Great Vehicle Dragon Sutra that requires resources, as it actually tests one's comprehension."

He did not think his comprehension was that good.

Just to reach the entry level, he had spent over a year.

Of course, there was also the reason that the laws of the world were different, and the difficulty of attaining the Dao varied. It could not be treated as the same.

But no matter what, he would not think his comprehension could compare to that of the protagonist, Ji Ning.

Just as he was about to continue his cultivation, he was suddenly stunned and laughed: "To think they destroyed the five kingdoms and unified the mountains and rivers so quickly. And they plan to offer sacrifices to me outside Yujingcheng? Interesting~"

Although his Divine Golden Body had not yet solidified, he could still sense it when ordinary people offered sacrifices to him.

Especially since Ding Yun, who was linked to his karma and destiny, was praying in private; naturally, he felt it in his heart.

"'Begging me, the 'Dragon Lord Yuanlong', to descend and manifest a manifestation in the human world three days from now'?" Fang Longye flipped through the prayer text transmitted via Incense Vow Power in his sea of consciousness with great interest.

"It makes sense; after all, the five kingdoms stood side by side for so many years. It's not something that can be easily bridged; naturally, they need me, this deity, to stand for them." Fang Longye smiled; since it wouldn't take much time, he would make the trip.

It would also be a good opportunity to manifest his holiness before the people, leave behind some legends, gather the hearts of the people, and strengthen the piety of the believers.

Thinking this, he summoned a pool of clear water to wash himself, left the cave, and rode the clouds toward Yujingcheng at a leisurely pace.

More than a year had passed since Ding Yun unified the five kingdoms.

As the current capital of the Yuan Kingdom, Yujingcheng, which had once suffered from the ravages of war, had been brought under Ding Yun's rule five years ago and had long since recovered its former prosperity and splendor.

One could see its towering gate towers and neatly arranged battlements. Surrounded by flowing water, with high mountains facing each other from north to south.

The six streets and three markets were filled with goods, with ten thousand households and a thousand gates, people coming and going. It was truly a place for an imperial capital, the heavenly treasury of Yujingcheng.

The central avenue extended in all directions, with various shops and markets along the street: there were cockfights, arm-eagles, board games, and zither playing; there were refined scholars, swordsmen in white as snow, martial artists in tight-fitting outfits, and young girls with colorful skirts dancing—bustling, shoulder to shoulder, very lively.

The chaotic times that had just passed seemed to be something from many years ago.

Inside the Yujing palace, it was golden and brilliant, with floating pavilions and hanging colors, bright terraces planted with pearl trees, and everywhere there were long corridors and curved railings, with beast-faced water spouts, stretching on and on.

Clouds rose among the cultivated bamboo, dotted with new flowers after the rain; cinnabar pavilions were covered in flying vines, and frost-covered leaves fell gracefully. All kinds of rockeries were craggy and spirited, clear and natural.

Ding Yun sat in a pavilion, lost in thought.

Although she had destroyed the Zhang Kingdom in two years and pacified Beicang in three after her teacher passed away, avenging her father's murder.

After resting and recuperating for two years, she led her troops to sweep across the north, south, east, and west, forcing the Yue, Liao, and Xu kingdoms to submit their letters of surrender.

It seemed she had unified the world, but what she faced was a situation of fragmentation everywhere.

The situation of the five kingdoms standing side by side had lasted for more than a millennium before this; the hearts of the people did not lean toward unification. If this problem was not solved, the Yuan Kingdom she created would inevitably face collapse after she passed away. And then... those courtiers who kept coming one after another, submitting memorials requesting her to take concubines.

These people who tried to borrow a chicken to lay eggs and occupy the magpie's nest were truly impossible to kill off~ Her expression grew colder, and her eyes were filled with gloom.

And Brother Feng, were you really so impatient to inherit the throne? Thinking of the series of actions her younger brother Ding Feng had taken in private recently, anger surged in her heart.

"What I give you is yours; if I do not give it, you are not allowed to snatch it!" she roared silently in her heart.

"Heh~" What it meant to be a lonely ruler, what it meant to be cold at the heights—she had finally experienced it.

But she could not bring herself to give up this supreme power. This blood-stained path was meant for only one person to walk alone.

Her father's suicide by throat-slitting back then made her understand the truth of this world: one must be the master of one's own destiny.

The struggle for power is like that long, dark night, cycling back and forth, never seeing an end.

She is not afraid, nor does she regret it.

What she wants is to sing alone amidst the three thousand nights, in this vast world of red dust, with no one daring to join in.

The tripod is as heavy as a mountain; she can bear the weight of this state—thinking of the various petty, scheming, and backstabbing things these people have done for it, she sneers repeatedly.

What a pity—you do not know that if everything goes smoothly, the choice I am about to make will shatter all of your calculations! Everything you are doing now will only be in vain...

On Kunyu Mountain outside Yujingcheng.

Layers of halls and pavilions, stacked corridors and rooms. Outside the Three Mountain Gates, towering ten thousand paths of colorful clouds cover; before the Five Blessings Hall, brilliant thousand strands of red mist wind.

It is a Dao Palace painstakingly built by the disciples and cultivators of the Yuanlong Dao for the sacrifice to the Yuan Emperor.

Two rows of pines and bamboos, a forest of cypresses.

In the center of the Dao Palace square is a tall altar.

At this moment, Ding Yun is leading a group of civil and military officials, wholeheartedly performing the rites of sacrifice.

She is seen wearing a black and red imperial robe, with an emperor's crown on her head; her whole person is heroic and spirited, her aura stern, and her figure, though not tall, seems capable of shouldering the sun and moon.

None of the officials despise her for being a woman; each of them kneels in solemnity.

Above her head, cloud vapor is like water, purple and blue crisscrossing, swirling like a canopy.

A divine dragon of National Fortune hangs its head, its incomparably vast dragon body appearing and disappearing in the smoke and clouds, its scales distinct, possessing a majesty that rushes toward one, permeating the surroundings.

With this formal sacrifice by Ding Yun, it is equivalent to sealing the verdict.

The National Fortune of the Yuan Kingdom, vast as a sea of clouds, immediately splits off a dragon-shaped aura, falling onto Fang Longye, who had long been hiding in the sky, bolstering his pillar of destiny.

Fang Longye looks at this long and thick feedback of National Fortune and shakes his head incessantly. He had previously hoped to rely on this feedback of National Fortune to protect himself and transform into a flood dragon!

As it turns out, plans cannot keep up with changes; who could have expected this?

Just as he is sighing, the sacrifice ends. His spirit lifts, and he thinks to himself, it is time for me to appear!

Just as the officials of the Yuan Kingdom are preparing to rise, they suddenly hear the sound of silk and bamboo instruments resounding through the clouds; looking up at the sky, they see a huge portal with ten thousand rays of rosy light appearing above the firmament.

Over a hundred immortals ride eight-view phoenix carriages, with nine-light precious canopies emerging from Tianmen, descending into the world. They play mysterious songs and wonderful music, chanting immeasurable divine scriptures; golden boys spray true incense, and jade maidens scatter precious flowers.

Sitting on the phoenix carriage is an extraordinarily handsome immortal god, matching the appearance of the Yuanlong Lord described by the Yuanlong Dao.

"Respectfully welcome the Yuanlong Lord to manifest in the human world." Everyone kneels and bows.

These magnificent scenes and characters are naturally all illusions cast by Fang Longye.

He shakes his body and transforms into a dragon form, with a scaled body and spinal thorns, appearing and disappearing in the clouds, shaking his whiskers and saying: "The Human King Ding Yun of the lower realm, inheriting the mandate of heaven above and responding to the hearts of the people below, has unified the human world and achieved the great cause of an emperor. Therefore, I have descended in an incarnation to manifest your achievements. I hope you will strive to govern diligently in the future, rule the country and pacify the people, and not fail the mandate of heaven."

Having said this, he casts the Dew Condensation, sprinkling it toward the entire territory of Yujingcheng.

For the common people within a radius of five hundred miles, those who were ill have their pain dissipated and are cured without medicine. Those who were not ill also feel their minds at peace, each one full of spirit and energy.

Benefiting all living beings~

After speaking, he transforms back into a human form, preparing to "board" the carriage in the illusion and leave.

Just at this moment, Ding Yun bows and says: "May the Divine Lord permit me to speak. Since I received the mandate of heaven, I have never dared to slacken, which is why I have today's achievements. However, I am now nearly thirty and still a maiden. I earnestly hope the Divine Lord will have mercy and bestow grace and dew, so that I may have a Dragon Prince to inherit the throne of the Yuan Kingdom."

Everyone is silent.

Fang Longye is also stunned upon hearing this, looking at Ding Yun.

He sees that her expression is calm, her eyes like an ancient well without ripples, as if she were speaking of someone else's affairs.

Fang Longye has now ascended to a Loose Immortal and can long since scan the thoughts of mortals through his primordial spirit.

Although Ding Yun is a Human King protected by Dragon Qi, this achievement was ultimately created by him, so the Dragon Qi has very little influence on Fang Longye. He probes her intentions and finds that there is not a trace of desire in her heart, only the heart of power.

How could Fang Longye not understand? His current situation is similar to those kings in the history of Blue Star in his previous life who once claimed to have encountered the Queen Mother of the West.

They are all tools to enhance the prestige of the monarch.

The difference is that the former was clearly fake on Blue Star, while what he is facing is a real situation.

He probes the thoughts of the civil and military officials below and instantly understands the situation Ding Yun is currently facing.

Not acting like Liuxia Hui, he immediately beckons her into his arms and rides the clouds into the Yujingcheng imperial palace.

"Yuan Records · Annals of the Grand Ancestor": "The Grand Ancestor, daughter of the governor of the former Zhang Kingdom, surnamed Ding, given name Yun, courtesy name Longying, had the appearance of a dragon and a phoenix, and was wise and martial. Her father was wrongly accused and killed; she was saved by the founder of the Yuanlong Dao and hid in the southwest... until the age of twenty-eight, when she unified the world. In the second year of unification, she sacrificed to the Yuanlong Divine Lord at Kunyu Mountain, obtained the manifestation of the Divine Lord, received his grace, and lingered for three months, after which the Taitong was born."

"Yuan Records · Annals of the Taitong": "The Taitong, the only son of the Grand Ancestor, given name Long, courtesy name Yuanze, was born to the Grand Ancestor and the Yuanlong Divine Lord, gifted with divine wisdom, clear and understanding of the world... lived for one hundred and fifty years."

The second chapter today~ There are about six thousand words today. Compared to the past few days, it might not be much. But it is not that I am unwilling to update more, but for the sake of website recommendations for each round, I dare not update too much. Because if I write too much, I might be forced to go on sale before the four rounds of recommendations are over. So, please forgive me. After going on sale, there will definitely be a burst period~ I will try to update ten thousand words a day then, and see how many days I can persist~ Thank you all for your support!

(End of this chapter)