Chapter 628: I Enter the Divine Dynasty, You Ascend to the Immortal Court

After all, Hongze had been cut off from the outside world for so many years that even without the blockade, re-establishing contact with the outside would not be something that could be accomplished in a day or two.

Fortunately, that old man from the Eastern Long Gong left a path open for the beings of Hongze.

And he verified with his own life just how reliable that path was.

Even though his plan ultimately failed in the end, that jade seal was genuinely sent up to the heavens.

If it can deliver a letter, it can deliver a person.

"My father may not be forceful enough in his methods, but as a person, he really is not bad."

Ziyang descended from the horizon, arriving at a small yellow-earth path, where a strangely dressed old man waited by a horse-drawn cart, having been there for some time.

The reason he was said to be strangely dressed was that despite clearly being of advanced years, with hair and beard all white, he still wore a bright red robe, tied his hair into two buns, and even rouged his cheeks—a complete outfit of a young child.

"This elder is an attendant under the tutelary deity, and shares a life-and-death bond with my father."

Ziyang first exchanged polite pleasantries with the old man for quite a while, then turned to introduce Shen Yi, and afterward said to the old man: "This is an old friend of mine, planning to seek a position in the Divine Dynasty."

The old attendant squeezed out a smile, nodded, and did not inquire about matters in Hongze.

Because there was nothing worth asking—if the plan had failed, the one coming to find him now would not be True Person Zixuan's son, but the celestial soldiers Lingyun Shiren had summoned to settle accounts.

He tugged at the reins in his hand, motioning for the two to board the cart.

"Thank you for your trouble, elder."

Shen Yi politely nodded in return, then looked at the plain horse-drawn cart before him and paused slightly.

Since leaving Outside Qingzhou, he had not used a horse-drawn cart for transport in a long time, and even when he was in Outside Qingzhou, the carts were pulled by demon horses, not the short horse before him that was entirely dusty and filthy, and even looked somewhat like a donkey.

Relying on this thing to travel, the time it would take to reach the Divine Dynasty might well be longer than the time he had spent going from mortal to the Dao Realm.

Ziyang smiled without explaining, pulled Shen Yi onto the cart, then watched the old attendant slowly sink into the ground, and cupped his hands in another bow.

Only then did he turn back and lower his voice: "Although the tutelary deity cannot ascend to the Immortal Court, he is a proper ninth-rank immortal official, and his jurisdiction is no smaller than Eastern Hong. This elder, with his Earth Realm cultivation serving as the tutelary deity's attendant, holds the rank of sub-ninth, which counts as having one foot through the door of immortality."

"He may look comical, lacking the grandeur of those people in Hongze serving as sect masters, but to secure this position also requires no small family background."

"To say something unfilial, my father's Dao Realm strength—if they really fought, that tutelary deity certainly wouldn't be his match, but being able to be on good terms with his attendant really counts as my father reaching above his station."

Having said this, Ziyang was already wearing a bitter smile: "Actually I don't really understand it either, but according to the notes my father left behind, it's like this outside. You'll get used to it."

Shen Yi listened quietly, silently digesting this information.

From Lingyun Shiren's case, one could see that the immortal registry had the effect of controlling the qi of heaven and earth, providing a baseline for the local immortal families so they wouldn't even be able to keep the beings of their jurisdiction in check.

But situations like Hongze's—where an Earth Realm cultivator held a seventh-rank Bai Xi seal, possessing the power to casually suppress and kill those in the Dao Realm—should still be rare, the very definition of someone placed there through connections.

For most cultivators, their own strength should exceed the strength that came with the immortal registry.

Based on Ziyang's words, one could roughly infer that a ninth-rank immortal registry was at most the effect of Heaven Realm, or Heaven Realm Perfection, while eighth-rank should be at the Dao Realm level.

In other words, with his own strength... in principle, serving as an eighth-rank immortal official would be more than enough.

But therein lay the problem—Senior Zixuan was similarly no weakling, having wandered outside for so many years; even if he had been young back then and not yet at the Dao Realm, he wouldn't have been far off, yet in the end he hadn't managed to secure even a single official post.

This showed that one's own cultivation was certainly not the only threshold.

"Don't be in too much of a hurry."

Ziyang, seeing Shen Yi fall into thought, could not help but offer comfort: "Those so-called connections of theirs were also accumulated over generations. If you were to catch the eye of a master of the Rusan Sect, or achieve some merit within the Divine Dynasty, getting past this threshold would be just a word from those people."

"So why are we taking a cart?"

Shen Yi was not particularly anxious—after all, he still didn't know the situation, so he should learn more before speaking further.

"Because we've already arrived at the Divine Dynasty."

Ziyang lifted the cart curtain and pointed toward the sky.

Shen Yi stared at the yellow-earth path before him for a moment, then raised his head to look at the empty sky. The next instant, he finally sensed something was off; as his eyes narrowed slightly, that clear blue sky was suddenly covered in a faint yellow mist.

"This is the land of Shenzhou, entirely under the rule of the Human Emperor."

Ziyang sighed with emotion: "Within the Divine Dynasty, mobilizing qi will all be suppressed by this imperial qi. Of course, using teleportation arts is still fine, but it's best to carry a travel permit issued by the imperial court, otherwise it will alarm the local constables and immortal families. If one is too brazen and gets branded as a heretic... tsk, that would be troublesome."

"And this fellow's stamina is no low either—he's the tutelary deity's spare carriage mount. Let's enjoy the treatment of an immortal household."

Ziyang cracked a joke at the short horse, but only earned a roll of the eyes in return.

The short horse gently raised its leg; the instant its front hoof came down, the yellow-earth path beneath its hooves twisted.

Shrinking the earth to inches!

"..."

Shen Yi instinctively raised his brow—not because the speed was particularly fast, but because before this short horse took its step, with his current eyesight, he had not detected anything unusual about it, as if it really were just an ordinary horse.

"You rest first; leave the rest to me."

Ziyang took out the notes his father had left and began seriously studying how this path should be taken. If this trip worked out, then the remaining people of Hongze could do the same.

One had to know that, not to mention others, the various sect masters like those of Yu Nanhong all possessed the strength to compete for an immortal registry—who would be willing to remain tucked away in a corner?

Besides these Heaven Realm powerhouses, there were also those sect's chosen disciples; as long as their aptitude was good enough, they too had the chance to enter the Bairusan Sect and obtain supreme techniques.

Take Xuan Qing, for instance—losing his body was considered a troublesome matter in Hongze, but outside, immortal families skilled in reshaping fleshly bodies were not few. This half-brother-in-law, apart from his astonishing talent, was mainly sharp-witted—otherwise how could he have mastered ten thousand arts?

Wandering around outside a bit, and one might just stumble upon an opportunity.

Becoming an immortal or an ancestor was no longer a distant dream.

The present-day Hongze could no longer easily fall into chaos—after all, most cultivators had witnessed with their own eyes that blood-stained peach blossom, and heard the wails of Northern Hongze's beings.

At least before this batch of people died of old age, every being in all of Hongze knew just how miserable the fate of offending the Lord of Hongze would be.

Shen Zongzhu truly was no ordinary person—he had actually given Hongze a stretch of peace in a way the Eastern Long Gong had never imagined.

The remaining matters, he would leave to himself.

"Huu."

Ziyang's gaze grew increasingly resolute—he was not entirely without selfish motives either.

He simply knew that relying on his own strength alone, it was truly very difficult to rescue his father from that vile woman's hands.

Only by bringing all those people from Hongze who possessed top-tier talent and disposition to this land of Shenzhou, letting them encounter all manner of great figures, obtain all manner of opportunities, and gathering the strength of many, was there a sliver of hope.

And what he had to do was rely on the connections his father king had left behind, to carve out a temporary place of refuge for these people.

When that day came, let alone those of Heaven Realm or Earth Realm—even ordinary mortals with no cultivation whatsoever could, if they so wished, make a trip to Shenzhou.

……

The Human Emperor held dominion over Shenzhou.

But above Shenzhou, there were endless immortal palaces, like a sky full of stars, shining down upon the mortal world.

Amidst the drifting white clouds, the towering Heavenly Gate appeared faintly in and out of view.

Led by two celestial soldiers, a towering Golden Body dharma-form strode into the clouds.

Inside the lofty, majestic immortal hall, an immortal official who had long since received the news slowly rose from behind his desk, and with a smile, nodded toward that Golden Body: "Shen Xianyou, please be seated."

The mortal cultivators waiting all around with humble expressions, each clutching a letter of recommendation they had gone to great lengths to obtain, all raised their heads in some astonishment.

They had never seen such a gentle smile on the face of this lofty immortal official.

The immortal official had a grand chair brought over, inlaid with gold and jade, its splendor beyond words.

The Zhengshen Sect was one of the Naishisan Sect, its disciples all divine demons born when Heaven and Earth first opened; figures far larger than this Golden Body were everywhere to be found, so he was quite used to it.

"……"

At the same time, the immortal official silently swept his gaze over those mortal cultivators, not finding anything improper in his own words or conduct.

These wild cultivators who had risen through slaughter and killing, pulling strings everywhere—how could they possibly compare with the Golden Body before his eyes? After all, the latter had, through bitter ascetic practice, forged ties with the Immortal Court.

Blocking others would be one thing, but there was no need to bring trouble upon oneself over a Merit Immortal.

"Many thanks."

Lady Qinghua sat down on that chair, looking somewhat ill at ease.

The next moment, those mortal cultivators whose ears had nearly grown calluses from hearing "there are no vacancies at present" all looked greedily toward the desk.

Their gazes fixed intently on the Bai Xi great seal the immortal official had taken out.

"Get out!"

The immortal official frowned slightly, and at his command, celestial soldiers stepped forward and shoved this pile of cultivators—at least Heaven Realm, with no shortage of Dao Realm among them—out of the great hall.

"Ill-mannered wretches."

He cursed softly, then put on a smile, and with some helplessness shook his head at Lady Qinghua: "I'm afraid I've made Shen Xianyou laugh."

Having said that, he gently pushed the Bai Xi great seal over: "Shen Xianyou's luck is not bad. Originally, by regulation, I should have arranged a seventh-rank initial-grade immortal registry for you, but there really are no vacancies. There's only this seventh-rank great seal—please have a look…"

"This assignment may not sound too glamorous, but it's fairly leisurely. Of course, if you don't like it, you may wait a while longer; once something more suitable comes up, I will arrange it for you at the earliest moment."

Hearing this, Lady Qinghua paused for a moment, then reached out and took the Bai Xi great seal into her palm.

In an instant, several lines of golden text surged into her mind.

"Deputy Hall Steward of the Imperial Stables Bureau, Bimawen."

"Authority over all immortal steeds of the South Gate."

"Under command: one seventh-rank initial-grade Supervising Secretary, one eighth-rank Deputy Supervisor, one eighth-rank initial-grade Registrar, and a number of ninth-rank Enforcers."

Lady Qinghua knew her time was pressing; she certainly could not wait for an assignment like everyone else.

If she waited for ten thousand years, the dish would have gone cold long ago.

Besides, she knew nothing of these immortal posts. Without the slightest hesitation, she gave a slight nod.

"Then I shall register Shen Xianyou."

The immortal official took out his register, dipped his brush thickly in golden ink, and with a flourish made a great stroke.

Light blossomed upon the Bai Xi great seal, binding tightly with that towering Golden Body.

"A seventh-rank great seal carries the might of Taiyi Zhenxian, far surpassing a Dao-Unification cultivator. Bimawen should familiarize yourself with it well, and cause no trouble."

The immortal official offered another well-meaning reminder, then closed the register and had someone escort Lady Qinghua out.

Immediately after, watching the crowd of cultivators flooding back into the hall, the smile on his face swiftly faded, replaced by a blank indifference.

……

Immortal Court, South Gate Imperial Stables Bureau.

Amidst swirling clouds, one magnificent, sturdy white horse after another streaked across the long sky like the Tianhe, swiftly returning to their stables under the Enforcers' guidance.

Besides immortal horses, there were all manner of rare and exotic beasts, likewise returning to their own stalls. Among them were no shortage of once-catastrophic peerless great demons, but beneath ferocious or auspicious appearances, their expressions were all quiet and obedient, not daring to act up in the slightest.

The Supervising Secretary and Deputy Supervisor held the immortal register in their hands, faces full of solicitous concern as they accompanied this newly appointed official.

"My lord, please have a look and see if there are any problems."

"……"

Lady Qinghua strolled through this "stable" more lavish than any mortal palace, watching that group of peerless ferocious demons crouching obediently.

Among the demons before her were some whose single-handed power could lay waste to half of Hongze.

But once she held the Bai Xi great seal, they did not even dare look her straight in the eye.

She slowly exhaled a breath, and a sudden swell of emotion rose in her heart.

Whenever there was a vacancy in the stables, the two beside her did not even need to glance before they could casually report the whereabouts of those mounts.

Just as Lady Qinghua was gradually growing accustomed to things, she suddenly noticed something amiss.

That stall had clearly been empty a moment ago, yet the Supervising Secretary and Deputy Supervisor acted as if they hadn't seen it, leading her straight past it.

She had just ascended to Heaven, and carried her master's great trust.

Lady Qinghua dared not be the slightest bit careless. She stopped in her tracks, pointed at the stall, and said: "What about this one? Why don't you mention it?"

"Uh…"

The two beside her instantly flushed red, as if choking on phlegm, unable to speak for a long while.

They could only secretly shoot Lady Qinghua a meaningful look, then quietly glance toward the rear of this lord.

"……"

Though Lady Qinghua had never performed such a duty before, she was by no means a novice; in an instant, she realized she had misspoken.

Just as she prepared to pretend nothing had happened and continue walking forward, she heard a warm, sweet voice come from behind.

"Reporting to my lord, I am here."

Upon hearing this, Lady Qinghua slowly turned around; what met her eyes was a snow-white long skirt adorned with purple flowers.

The woman was extraordinarily beautiful, like a fairy from a painting, with not a single flaw on her entire person; her eyes were as clear as a spring, making one feel pity for her.

She simply held a smile, staring quietly at Lady Qinghua.

Between her slender, white fingers, she held an immortal token.

The strongmen ahead, who were selecting an immortal horse for her, also sensed something was wrong at this moment, and their entire bodies froze in place.

Could it be... could it be that no one told this Lord Bi Ma Wen how this vacancy came to be?

Yet no one present knew that Lady Qinghua's heart was already beating violently; she did not even dare to look directly into the woman's eyes.

Based on this attire and the woman's words, she had already roughly guessed the woman's identity.

But she absolutely could not let the other party know... where she had come from.

The strangeness in Lady Qinghua's expression flashed and vanished; anyone else would have been utterly unable to detect such a subtle change.

But this woman's eyes instantly narrowed slightly.

She smiled and took a step forward, actually approaching Lady Qinghua of her own accord; then, with a somewhat innocent air, she raised her head to gaze at this towering Golden Body, her voice still sweet: "My lord seems to know Zi Ling Xianzi; could it be an old friend from the mortal world?"

The moment her words fell.

Lady Qinghua's fear of this woman deepened to the extreme.

She slowly closed her eyes, letting her spirit sink into silence, and at the same time began to call out to the only person she trusted.

"..."

When the Golden Body opened its eyes again, its gaze had become much deeper.

It looked down indifferently, sizing up the woman from head to toe, and spoke in a calm voice: "I was just thinking, is this position yours?"

"Indeed."

Princess Ziling's eyes flickered; she nodded lightly, though her mind was pondering the unease she had just sensed.

However, the next moment, her thoughts were cut off abruptly and decisively.

The towering Golden Body merely extended a hand slightly, slowly pulled open the stable door, looked down on the woman from above, and spoke without any emotion in its voice: "In that case, go in."

Such a simple sentence, yet it left everyone present stunned into a daze.

This newly appointed Lord Bi Ma Wen actually dared to order Princess Ziling Xianzi to enter the Imperial Horse Stable.

Even Princess Ziling herself looked over in disbelief, then forced a smile and said: "I have been ordered by General Qingluan Xuanwei to go out on business; I will have someone deliver the written order to you shortly."

She felt she had already been sufficiently tactful and had given this greenhorn enough face.

Yet the Golden Body continued to stare at the empty stable: "Then we shall wait until it is delivered."

The next moment, the Bai Xi Immortal Seal on its body radiated brilliance, and a vast, immense power instantly enveloped the woman's entire body.

"You..."

Princess Ziling instinctively tried to shatter this invisible force, but in an instant, she realized what was happening, suppressed her entire aura, was seized by a giant hand of immortal power, and thrown into the stable.

Sitting on the ground, her magnificent long skirt wrapped around her, her graceful figure trembled slightly, and her palms dug tightly into the earth.

Since ascending to Heaven, she had never suffered such humiliation!

Bang.

The Golden Body closed the door expressionlessly, as if nothing had happened, and walked toward the next stall.

Even if it meant losing this immortal position due to "ignorance," it absolutely could not allow the other party to turn their gaze toward Hongze.

The Supervisor and the Deputy Supervisor were already trembling with fear, yet they could not utter a single word; after all, this newly appointed my lord was indeed acting according to the rules.

But... but that was Princess Ziling Xianzi!

Just as the Golden Body was about to walk away, Princess Ziling had already stood up again, offered a slight bow toward that towering back; her palms, which had been shaking with anger just moments before, had now returned to normal.

"This time, it was Zi Ling Xianzi's improper conduct; in the future, Zi Ling will definitely deliver the written order first before going out on business. I hope my lord will forgive me."

Having spoken, she straightened her skirt again, then sat quietly on the ground like the fierce beasts in the other stalls, hugging her knees, with only the small gourd at her waist swaying slightly.

She looked somewhat pitiful, waiting quietly for General Qingluan Xuanwei to come and take her away.

The Zhengyu Golden Body's steps hesitated slightly, then, as if it had heard nothing, continued walking forward.

Only within those gilded eyes did the killing intent grow even more intense.

Shen Yi always felt... if he did not kill the other party soon, then he and the entire Hongze would be the ones slaughtered.

Moreover, the time left for him might be even shorter than imagined.

(End of this chapter)