Jade Spring Mountain
Golden Cloud Cave
A tall, middle-aged Daoist in a white robe, his hair tied into a Daoist topknot, suddenly opened his eyes. Wherever his gaze fell, lightning crackled in the void, and space trembled.
True Lord Yuding, a disciple of a Saint, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect, and Yang Jian's master.
"How strange, how strange. How could I have become entangled in karma with Yin Shang?"
True Lord Yuding made a divination with his fingers, but all he saw was a confused Heavenly Secret, as though a layer of mist obscured it. Everything seemed like flowers seen through fog, indistinct and unreal, yet the doubts in his heart only deepened:
"I am a disciple of a Saint and protected by my teacher. Although the Great Tribulation is approaching, I don't think anyone would scheme against me... Oh no! Yang Jian!"
A streak of white light shot into the sky, tearing through space as it sped toward the East Sea. Within True Lord Yuding's cave dwelling, only wisps of smoke curled upward. Not the slightest trace of a person remained.
"My disciple, my disciple, Heaven intends to raise Zhou and overthrow Shang. Don't lose your head and become a traitor to the sect. Otherwise, otherwise... sigh!"
Mountain Valley in the East Sea
Yang Jian stared at his hands, disbelief mixed with wild joy. An immense, seemingly endless power surged through his entire body, making him feel as though he were floating among the clouds, light as an immortal and unable to pull himself free.
"The fifth level of the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts. Without using magic power, my raw strength alone can rival a Golden Immortal. That little mountain from before—I could lift it effortlessly now. I'm only one level away from reaching the sixth level my master mentioned, finding Dayu's Divine Axe, splitting Peach Mountain open, and rescuing my mother!"
A moment later, Yang Jian calmly reined in his aura. After gaining a basic grasp of his newfound strength, he finally looked toward Di Xin, his expression complicated.
"Yang Jian thanks the Great King for your guidance. It's just that my birth mother is currently trapped beneath Peach Mountain, suffering terribly. I still need to cultivate diligently and rescue her. After splitting the mountain and saving my mother, if I survive, I will certainly go to Chaoge and serve the Great King."
"So you're the son of Yao Ji, the eldest princess of the Heavenly Court."
Di Xin "suddenly understood." He released the Howling Celestial Dog, which had nearly been crushed to death by Yang Jian's magic power, and sat back down on the table.
"The Great King knows about Yang Jian's situation?"
Yang Jian hurriedly asked in surprise.
Di Xin calmly filled his own wine cup and once again pushed everything onto the Kongtong Seal.
"You may not know this, but I gained the recognition of the Primordial Three Sovereigns and was granted the human race's supreme treasure, the Kongtong Seal. The Three Sovereigns recorded countless secrets of the Great Desolation within it.
"Among them, the most recent matter was the eldest princess of the Heavenly Court, Yao Ji, descending to the mortal realm and marrying into the human race. The Jade Emperor, Haotian, ruthlessly suppressed her to uphold the majesty of the Heavenly Laws.
"I originally thought you possessed a human-witch bloodline, but I never expected you to be part human and part god—and of such noble birth at that. It seems I've truly found a treasure."
Di Xin paused after speaking and pretended to ponder for a moment before continuing:
"In that case, Yang Jian, cultivate here in peace. Once you master your Supernatural Power, come to Chaoge and find me. When the time comes, I'll give you a great gift to help you split the mountain and save your mother, fulfilling your filial duty."
"This... Great King, your kindness, Yang Jian..."
"A true man need not act like a maiden. Yang Jian, I'll await you in Chaoge City."
Di Xin threw his head back and laughed. Transforming into a streak of golden light, he soared into the sky and flew westward.
"This favor... sigh!"
Yang Jian watched Di Xin leave, a hundred conflicting emotions surging through his heart. Since fleeing for his life as a child, no one besides his master had ever treated him this way.
"Howling Celestial Dog, it seems we can't afford to die easily."
"Whimper, whimper."
Elsewhere, Di Xin flew westward in the form of golden light, but he did not return to Chentang Pass. Instead, he found a small island by the shore and wandered around on it for several days before finally returning to Chentang Pass.
On the walls of Chentang Pass, Li Jing stood clad in armor, a treasured sword in hand. Behind him, an ancient longbow lay quietly on a stone platform.
When he saw a streak of golden light flying over from the east, Li Jing trembled with excitement. He dropped to one knee and cried out passionately:
"Li Jing welcomes our king's return!"
"Bang!"
The golden light suddenly crashed onto the city wall, smashing a pit more than three meters wide into the hard bluestone. When the light dispersed, Di Xin strode out, but his figure had already become extremely faint, as though it might scatter with the wind at any moment.
"Rise."
"Great King, you...?"
Li Jing rose and tried to support him, but Di Xin waved him off.
"It's nothing. I've uncovered the truth about what happened in the East Sea. The Dragon Clan was secretly behind it all. (Dragon Palace of the East Sea: ???) Li Jing, from today onward, your burden will be heavier."
"I will train the soldiers day and night, remain ever ready for battle, and fight for Yin Shang at any time!"
There were countless generals in the world who led their troops from the front, but how many rulers did the same?
Li Jing was completely cowed by Di Xin's imposing presence. If Di Xin had been equipped with the legendary system, he would have had no trouble seeing the words "Loyalty +1" constantly appearing above Li Jing's head.
"Then I'll entrust this matter to you."
Di Xin's voice grew slightly louder. He reached down and removed the Human Seed Bag from his waist, took out an incomparably brilliant feather, and placed it in Li Jing's hands.
"When the situation becomes critical, ignite this feather with your magic power. Reinforcements will arrive then."
"Thank you for the Great King's gift. I will defend Chentang Pass to the death. If the pass lives, I live; if the pass falls, I fall!"
Li Jing accepted the feather with both hands and was about to bow again, but Di Xin stopped him.
"I feel ashamed in my heart!"
Di Xin's eyes grew moist as he gazed toward the East Sea. He forcibly compressed the spiritual energy within his clone into tears, all so he could finish putting on the act.
He had racked his brains to deceive Li Jing for only one reason:
To conceal the truth from everyone and have Li Jing secretly train troops in Chentang Pass on his behalf, preparing in advance for the great war to come.
Have the eight hundred vassals support him as king, pacify the four directions, and centralize power as emperor—or go even further, gather the faith of the human race throughout the Great Desolation, win the recognition of countless billions of humans, and restore the position of Human Emperor!
One who fails to consider the whole cannot plan for a single region; one who fails to plan for eternity cannot plan for the present.
I've transmigrated already. If my ambitions aren't a little bigger, then what was the point of transmigrating?
"Li Jing, I remember your wife's surname is Yin. She is a branch descendant of the Yin Shang royal family, and she is now six months pregnant. Have her take the two children to Chaoge and recuperate there."
"Your subject thanks the Great King!"
Li Jing clasped his fists and bowed toward the empty air before turning away. He somehow managed to walk with the passionate, fearless bearing of a man prepared to die.
"Did I deceive him a little too harshly? Or did he misunderstand me?"
Di Xin stroked his chin, a tiny bit more guilt rising in his heart.
He had only wanted to bundle Jin Zha, Mu Zha, and the unborn Ne Zha together and take them away, to prevent those three great experts of the Chan Sect from coming to seize them.
But from Li Jing's perspective, it seemed Di Xin really had helped him resolve his worries and preserve the bloodline of the Li family.
Well, it could also be understood as indirectly informing him of Li Jing's death.
Tsk, tsk. This was why one shouldn't let their imagination run wild. It was too easy to twist things into something else.
Fortunately, Yang Jian's strength had now increased greatly, and the disturbance caused by his cultivation had also grown much stronger. That gave Li Jing an even greater sense of pressure. Combined with the "weakness makeup" Di Xin had deliberately applied to fool him, he had perfectly achieved the result he wanted.
After Li Jing returned home and made the arrangements, Di Xin used the Kongtong Seal to conceal everyone's traces and began sneaking toward Chaoge...
Before you continue