Chapter 273: A Discussion on Status (A 4,000-Character Chapter)

This Heaven and Earth has too many things that are seemingly correct but actually false.

Daoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, the previous Three Sages of Ten Thousand Demon Ridge, Yan Caichen, and Ning Chixia also gave him an inexplicable sense of familiarity; all of this points to a connection between the two.

Even.

Back when he was in the ruins of the Dongtian Fudi of the Tianming Organization, while talking to that aberrant will, that aberrant will had even mentioned the term "subjective initiative."

But Li Heng also saw some differences.

For instance, the supreme beings of Daoism in this Heaven and Earth are not the Three Pure Ones, not the Morality, Origin, and Spirit Treasure that Li Heng is familiar with.

These differences made him somewhat puzzled.

Some minor aspects are seemingly correct but actually false, clearly existing with an inexplicable connection, yet these great gods are actually absent?

This is somewhat counterintuitive.

After thinking carefully at the time and still finding no solution, Li Heng buried these matters in his heart, feeling it better to investigate after his own strength became powerful in the future.

However, he did not expect that a series of calamities and Heaven and Earth Mutation would follow, leaving him with no energy to investigate the connection between this Heaven and Earth and the world of his past life.

Now, this connection has appeared again.

And it is an extremely obvious connection.

Chinese characters, and not traditional characters, but simplified!

He pondered for a moment and pointed at that Jade Slip.

"You should be able to see the two characters on that Jade Slip, right?"

Champion Marquis nodded upon hearing this.

"This subordinate does not understand the meaning of these two characters, but they always feel very concise, possessing a unique beauty."

Li Heng had a strange expression upon hearing this; he remembered that when simplified characters first appeared, they were harshly criticized by quite a few "experts."

However, he could not be bothered with such matters and continued to speak.

"Write these two characters out in the Void."

He told Champion Marquis to write them out directly, mainly considering that some characters possessing special power will present different forms in front of different people—a thousand people, a thousand characters.

Champion Marquis was confused upon hearing this, not understanding the reason. However, seeing Li Heng's serious attitude, he dared not be negligent; using the Void as paper, he carved the two characters "Salvation" directly into the Void.

Seeing this, Li Heng nodded slightly.

It seems they are indeed Chinese characters.

"Emperor Lord, forgive this subordinate for being blunt, but are you perhaps trying to use the image of this Jade Slip as a guide to find the location of that Jade Slip through a Tracking Secret Technique?" Champion Marquis asked aloud.

Li Heng heard the meaning in Champion Marquis's words.

"Why, is this not possible?"

Champion Marquis shook his head.

"During my lifetime, I once worried that the Jade Slip would be lost, so I also tested this method, yet it did not succeed. For this reason, I once asked a colleague from the Hundred Saints Academy, and he gave a few possibilities."

"One is that the level of this Tracking Secret Technique is not high enough."

"Two is that the status of the thing being tracked is too high."

"The third is that this thing has no Causality in the world, is not within Heaven and Earth, nor among the Five Elements; and this third possibility is the most unsolvable—no Causality means it does not exist."

"And the secret technique I used at the time belongs to the Heavenly Human Secret Technique; apart from the primordial era when Immortal Gods resided in the world, even if this secret technique were placed in the ancient era of the various Sages, it would still be top-tier."

Li Heng nodded upon hearing this. "It seems this is either the second or the third, or perhaps a mix of the two?"

"The Emperor Lord is wise."

Champion Marquis cupped his hands and replied respectfully.

"Speaking of which, that colleague of yours from the Hundred Saints Academy is not simple; an ordinary person might only conclude the first possibility, and those who think a bit more would at most reach the second."

"This third possibility... hmm, the thinking is a bit jumpy."

Li Heng commented with a smile.

A thing is lost.

Wouldn't a normal person associate it with whether this thing is from Earth?

"That colleague of mine was also a type of Heavenly Human, surnamed Zhu, already qualified to be called 'Zi'; many people addressed him as Zhu Zi, his prestige directly chasing the First Saint of that time, Wang Sheng."

"It is just that I do not know if, after so many years, he truly became the first."

Champion Marquis said calmly.

Without Li Heng needing to specifically remind him, he had already spoken the information about that Zhu Zi. He was no fool, and he also vaguely suspected that Zhu Zi had some issues.

Li Heng did not reply.

He did not follow the path of the imperial examination to select officials, so he did not know much about the Confucianism of this Heaven and Earth. However, looking at it now, he really would have to investigate it later.

He reached out and probed into the historical image.

He extracted the image of the Jade Slip separately.

Immediately, the Dharma Law of Reincarnation manifested, using the Reincarnation Disk he possessed as a guide, and began to trace the original body of this Jade Slip. The origin of the Reincarnation Disk is immense, its status extremely high; perhaps it could track it down.

Afterwards, an image appeared before him.

However, this image was blurry and unclear, as if it were the resolution of an old-fashioned television, and it would occasionally flash into static; looking at it for a few seconds made one feel as if their eyes were going blind.

Li Heng raised his eyebrows, somewhat surprised.

Is the status of that Jade Slip that high?

It is actually resisting and colliding with the tracing power of the Reincarnation Disk?

Champion Marquis, who was beside him, was startled upon seeing this, his heart filled with awe.

When he performed the Tracking Secret Technique back then, this situation did not occur; it was simply like a clay ox entering the sea, without the slightest response. If he hadn't changed to tracking something else to confirm the secret technique was effective, he would have suspected that he was practicing a fake secret technique.

In this image, he could vaguely see some scenes; it was clear that it had truly tracked something, it just hadn't completely succeeded yet.

But based on this alone, it was already a hundred times stronger than him.

He was shocked in his heart; the Underworld Messenger was truly unfathomable.

Originally, he was still pondering whether he had suffered a loss by selling himself to become this Underworld Messenger. But now, he suddenly felt he hadn't suffered a loss at all; he must hold tight to the thigh of such a terrifying existence!

Very quickly.

Li Heng waved his hand and closed this image.

Champion Marquis was startled upon seeing this; was this... a failure?

"I have already discovered the whereabouts of this Jade Slip."

Li Heng said calmly.

Champion Marquis was stunned upon hearing this; hadn't the tracking failed just a moment ago? The image was still blurry, and it was impossible to lock onto the location? However, he did not dare to ask about this matter.

Li Heng had indeed tracked something down on his end.

However, Champion Marquis was not his confidant, and to avoid risks, he would not show the actual tracked image to Champion Marquis; besides, there was no point in showing it to him.

This Jade Slip was very special and of a high status, capable of resisting tracking performed with the Reincarnation Disk as a guide. However, once he unleashed his Visualization Divine Ability and Source Power, everything was no longer a problem.

It was just that the consumed Source Power made his heart ache.

Thinking of this, Li Heng hardened his heart.

After this tracking, his Source Power was truly exhausted, and he had become a pauper; it seemed he had to go on a killing spree to earn a wave of Source Power again.

He sensed his lock on the aura of that Emperor slightly, and a cold sneer appeared on his face. Heh, he had run quite far and hidden quite secretly; he had almost run into the Yin World.

But was this of any use?

"You shall now return to the Netherworld following the resonance of Reincarnation. If you sense any powerful beings interfering with the order of Reincarnation, you must strike immediately. If the circumstances are egregious, execute them at once."

"Also, remember these few auras."

"Do not kill those who possess these auras."

Li Heng simulated the auras of Meng Lingyun and the others for Champion Marquis to remember; these were his own people, and it would be ridiculous if he accidentally killed his own people.

"Yes, Emperor Lord."

Champion Marquis responded with his head bowed.

He could roughly guess what this Emperor Lord intended to do, but it was no longer his business; he could only wish his former Majesty or his former colleagues "good luck."

"Good luck" that they wouldn't be killed the moment they met.

Immediately, Champion Marquis followed the mysterious resonance, stepped onto the Yellow Springs Road, and disappeared from Li Heng's sight.

Li Heng confirmed the direction on his end and fled into the distance.

At this time, in the Void near the Yin World.

That Emperor, along with his Civil Minister and sword-bearing guard, turned into three streaks of light and fled through the vast Void. Suddenly, the three stopped in a patch of the Void and revealed their forms. Immediately after, their forms faded and disappeared into the Void.

However, their forms appeared on another layer of this Void, a Lianbingchang Mijing where a million-strong army of Yin soldiers was stationed, which then split into different armies, constantly fighting and clashing.

After returning to their own territory, the three breathed a sigh of relief.

"Your Majesty, what about Champion Marquis?"

The Civil Minister said hurriedly.

"Nothing to be done."

The Emperor answered calmly.

The Civil Minister was stunned upon hearing this; this was an answer that exceeded his expectations.

Was he planning to abandon Champion Marquis? That couldn't be right.

He knew that his Majesty had disliked Champion Marquis for his achievements overshadowing the master while alive, and had always looked upon him with disfavor, even vaguely harboring thoughts of ordering his death. Although he hadn't prepared to order his death yet, the Great Ming had already fallen.

But when the Great Ming fell, Champion Marquis had also died for his country, proving his loyalty to the Great Ming; why did his Majesty still look upon Champion Marquis with disfavor?

This shouldn't be.

Moreover, now that the Great Ming had just revived, it was a time when people were needed; no matter how much his Majesty disliked Champion Marquis, Champion Marquis was at least a Heavenly Human and of great help to the Great Ming.

Both in terms of emotion and reason, he should not abandon Champion Marquis.

"Your Majesty, forgive this old subject for speaking bluntly, Champion Marquis possesses a Secret Technique of unfathomable power, capable of slaying immortals and Buddhism; if we had assisted Champion Marquis on the side back then, perhaps..."

Before the Civil Minister could finish, he was interrupted by the Emperor.

"Shut up! Champion Marquis is nothing but a traitor!"

The Emperor said angrily, gritting his teeth.

"Just halfway through, I sensed that the Contract between Champion Marquis and us had been severed, and it was cut by someone! It is very clear that that damned brat has already betrayed the Great Ming."

The Civil Minister stiffened upon hearing this and dared not speak again.

He had indeed anticipated this possibility; it would be strange if the person didn't feel bitter after being treated that way by the Emperor.

"Civil Minister, go quickly and summon Prince Yan, Prince Ning, and the others. Now that there is a so-called Reincarnation appearing in the Present World, it seems we cannot stay; we can only flee to the Yin World first."

"By the way, tell those Heavenly Demons, Heavenly Weirds, and Heavenly Devils in the Yin World that we agree to their demands!"

After a while, the Emperor's anger subsided. He said with a weary and somewhat helpless expression.

"Your Majesty, you cannot."

The Civil Minister hurriedly tried to dissuade him upon hearing this.

"Those monsters and Weirds in the Yin World are all like jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards, constantly eyeing the national destiny of our Great Ming, attempting to devour our Great Ming and then wear the skin of our Great Ming to attack the Present World!"

Although he was also a Weird now, he did not want to see the Present World invaded by the Yin World.

The Great Ming had lost, but it was just a case of the winner being king and the loser being the bandit; it belonged to our own people fighting our own people, and no matter who won or lost, the Present World was still there. But if it were invaded by the Yin World, that would be an invasion by a foreign enemy.

"Why must the Civil Minister be like this?"

The Emperor's expression turned gloomy upon hearing this.

The Civil Minister was startled upon hearing this and spoke blankly.

"I beg your Majesty to retract your order. If you do not allow it, please let this old subject go; I would rather return to death than be pointed at by thousands of people."

The Prime Minister bowed to this Emperor.

"Good! Good! Good! Good! Good!"

The Emperor was so angry he laughed, saying the word "good" five times in a row.

"Then Prime Minister, go and rest!"

He pressed his large hand onto the Prime Minister's head; the Prime Minister did not resist, and all the cultivation and essence within his body were absorbed by him. The Prime Minister's figure gradually faded until it dissipated into nothingness.

"Damn old thing! Traitor! My father was blind to have let you be my teacher!"

The Emperor cursed in anger, then spoke again, his voice resounding throughout the entire Lianbingchang Mijing. "Prince Ning, Prince Yan, Prince Lie, where are you!"

"What are your Majesty's orders?"

After a while.

Five figures appeared before the Emperor.

"Notify all departments to let the Secret Realm escape into the Yin World, and at the same time notify those fellows in the Yin World, saying that we have agreed to their conditions, but they must also provide us with military forces."

"As you command."

The three did not resist like the Prime Minister; they answered quickly, then their figures disappeared before the Emperor to return and notify all departments.

A gloomy look appeared between the Emperor's brows.

He had paid so much to revive from death, yet there were still so many stubborn old things who did not understand, adding so many obstacles to his great cause. Now, the so-called Reincarnation had appeared in the Present World, making him unable to recruit troops in the Present World again.

Without a sufficient army and military strength, he could not break through the barrier to wage war on that origin of the Calamity and obtain great opportunities.

Then he could not be blamed for recruiting in the Yin World!

And he could not be blamed for acting as a guide once!

All of this was forced upon him by you!

The Emperor felt ruthless in his heart.

The Heavenly Human powerhouses of the three major forces—the Yin World, Hanging Mountain, Yellow Springs Road, and Buying Life Money—all received the message from this Great Ming Emperor and gathered together to hold a meeting.

"That dynasty from after death has agreed to our conditions."

A Heavenly Demon from Hanging Mountain spoke.

"But you know, the situation has changed now; the so-called Reincarnation has appeared in the Present World, and we still have to suppress the aberration infection. Do we really want to wade into those muddy waters?"

The tenth agent of Buying Life Money spoke up.

"Yes, that's right. And that post-death dynasty's plan is very dangerous; they actually want to enter the source of the Calamity and open that Ghost Place. To tell you the truth, I would rather deal with the monsters of the Abyss than get involved in matters of that Ghost Place."

A Heavenly Ghost from Yellow Springs Road shook his head.

"What are you all pretending for? Do you really think I don't know you are very interested in that Reincarnation in the Present World? And you should know that the Heaven of the Present World has gone missing; this might be our chance!"

"Isn't your side of Yellow Springs Road also quite curious about this Reincarnation? You should know that your goal was to establish Reincarnation, but it ended up being snatched by someone else."

A formless and substanceless Heavenly Demon said with a smile; he did not belong to any major force, and his territory was in the outer Void of the Yin World.

"Hmph, I know what you, this Heavenly Demon, want to do. Back then, the Formless Heavenly Demon was killed by the living beings of the Present World; I'm afraid you want to enter the Present World to seek revenge, right?"

The Heavenly Demon of Hanging Mountain sneered and said.

"But you must know that this is our chance. By borrowing the skin of this Great Ming, we can avoid being repelled by the Heaven and Earth Principles of the Present World."

"Now that the Heaven of the Present World has gone missing, it means that the Present World will not bring down Heavenly Punishment."

This Heavenly Demon pointed this out directly.

These Heavenly Demons and Heavenly Ghosts also fell into silence, feeling vaguely moved in their hearts. Finally, they reached a unified opinion.

Agree to this Great Ming.

The next moment.

Their intentions were transmitted back to the Lianbingchang Mijing.

The Great Ming Emperor was overjoyed upon receiving the message and ordered the Secret Realm to advance at full speed, ensuring it would escape into the Yin World as soon as possible to be protected by the Yin World. The Yin World was not covered by that so-called Reincarnation, which was advantageous to him.

At this moment.

Li Heng also arrived at the Void where this Lianbingchang Mijing was located.

With one glance, he pierced directly through the empty Void and saw the different layers of this Void, just like the different frequencies of a radio station, and saw the Secret Realm hidden in one layer of the Void.

The person he was looking for was in this Secret Realm.

*Ahem, ahem*, Li Heng cleared his throat.

"Hello, is anyone there? A guest has come to visit."

The voice resounded throughout the entire Lianbingchang Mijing.