After successfully crossing the tribulation, Jiang Changsheng remained suspended in the air, consolidating his cultivation. He stayed there until sunset, when the pilgrims dispersed. Meng Qiushuang also dismissed the disciples, not daring to disturb him.
At dusk, Jiang Changsheng slowly opened his eyes. The fine golden lines between his brows had vanished. They were Daoist markings, the mark of the fifth level of the Dao Follows Nature Skill. They could store spiritual energy and perhaps possessed even more wondrous uses, though he had only just encountered them and did not yet understand them.
The Daoist markings could normally be concealed, which was quite convenient.
Jiang Changsheng landed in the courtyard. His Daoist robe was undamaged, and he appeared as calm as the breeze and clouds, full of vigor.
Hua Jian Xin stepped forward and clasped her fists. "Congratulations, Taoist Priest. Your martial arts have greatly improved."
Though she did not know what the earlier tribulation had been about, she felt it ought to be related to Jiang Changsheng's increase in strength.
Jiang Changsheng smiled and nodded. "It cannot be called a great improvement. I merely comprehended the true meaning of heaven and earth."
Hua Jian Xin did not understand, yet found it impressive. She admired Jiang Changsheng even more.
Jiang Changsheng did not explain further. He turned and returned to his room, with White Dragon following behind. Man and snake entered the room together. Hua Jian Xin stood there in a daze for a while before practicing martial arts in the courtyard.
Inside the room.
Jiang Changsheng sat cross-legged on the bed, and a line of text appeared before his eyes:
Kaiyuan twenty-first year: Your cultivation has advanced. You have comprehended the true meaning of heaven and earth, crossed a minor Heavenly Tribulation, and received a survival reward—secret art 'Nine Heavens Mysterious Transformation.'
A secret art?
This was Jiang Changsheng's first time obtaining a secret art, and he was deeply interested. He immediately accepted the memories of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Transformation, and a vast amount of knowledge flooded into his mind.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Transformation was a transformation technique. It allowed one to assume nine forms, as small as a sparrow and as large as mountains, buildings, and houses.
Not bad, not bad. Good stuff!
Like the Illusory God Eyes, it could not bring a qualitative increase in strength, but its uses were inexhaustible.
After sorting through the memories, Jiang Changsheng began cultivating the first level of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Transformation: the Sparrow Transformation!
That night, the disciples of Dragon Arising Temple found it difficult to sleep. Many people within the capital were equally curious.
Over the next five days, news that Changsheng Taoist Priest of Dragon Arising Temple had crossed a Thunder Tribulation spread throughout the city, stirring up a great commotion.
Even the palace concubines discussed it.
He had slain the Ghost Eye Evil King in his youth, then crossed a Thunder Tribulation after reaching adulthood!
When these two deeds of Changsheng Taoist Priest were placed together, they truly became legend, steeped in mystery.
More and more pilgrims came to Dragon Arising Temple to burn incense, all wishing to glimpse Changsheng Taoist Priest's bearing. Yet Jiang Changsheng remained secluded in his courtyard, leaving them empty-handed.
Rather than becoming angry, they felt that it should be this way.
How could immortals be so easily seen?
Inside the room.
After five days of cultivation, Jiang Changsheng finally mastered the Sparrow Transformation. However, he could only maintain it for five minutes. The Nine Heavens Mysterious Transformation consumed far too much spiritual power and could not be used casually.
Jiang Changsheng returned to his original form, while White Dragon stared with wide, unblinking eyes.
Just then.
Three lines of text appeared before Jiang Changsheng's eyes.
You have obtained incense offerings. Because your cultivation method does not belong to the Dao of this world, you have two choices. You may choose only one.
One: Abandon immortal cultivation. Your spiritual power will transform into this world's martial realm—the Divine Human Realm.
Two: Continue cultivating immortality. Immortals stand above all living beings and are revered by all things. The path of immortal cultivation is the path of pursuing the Heavenly Dao. You may unlock the incense offerings function.
The Divine Human Realm?
He had never even heard of it. It had to be a realm above the Heaven Arrival Realm!
Jiang Changsheng directly chose the second option and continued cultivating.
When immortal cultivators fought martial artists, it was simply a strike from another dimension. He had to persist.
If he practiced martial arts, then even if he became the strongest under heaven, he could not possibly suppress every martial artist in the world. After all, they walked the same path of cultivation.
Immortal cultivation was different. Its upper limit was unknown.
Incense offerings function unlocked. Incense offering fortune may weaken the might of Heavenly Tribulations. For further uses and methods of obtaining incense offerings, please explore on your own.
Current incense offering value: 2
Weaken the might of Heavenly Tribulations?
Jiang Changsheng recalled the Thunder Tribulation from several days ago, and lingering fear rose in his heart.
In his previous life, he had indeed designed an incense offerings function for the game. Those who cultivated immortality and became gods naturally had to enjoy the incense offerings of the mortal world. Incense offerings were linked to the fortune of immortals and gods.
He had not expected the survival system to bring other game functions into this world as well. The incense offerings function was not merely for crossing tribulations!
Two points of incense offering value meant that two people had erected statues or monuments for him, then burned incense and made offerings. To go that far meant they had already treated him as a faith.
Wait, even the incense offerings function had appeared. Then the other functions...
Jiang Changsheng's heart burned with excitement. He was the game's developer; though the system appeared mysterious, he understood it completely.
All the functions in the game required players to trigger them along their road of immortal cultivation. They were not handed over directly.
"Incense offerings are indeed valuable, but I cannot act recklessly. I can create a few strange phenomena within the temple and increase their spread. The incense offering value should rise. Even if someone takes offense at me, they can conveniently come deliver survival rewards."
Jiang Changsheng silently thought.
He did not know whether the Great Jing Dynasty possessed Divine Human Realm experts, so he still had to be cautious. His refusal to enter the world was also for safety's sake. What if there was a more flourishing martial civilization beyond the Great Jing Dynasty?
Better to believe it exists than believe it does not!
In the early stages of life, one had to cultivate diligently. In any case, his lifespan was infinite. Once he became strong enough, he could rule the world.
Of course, before that, he still needed to visit the imperial palace!
Jiang Changsheng's eyes flickered, and the corners of his lips rose slightly.
A month later, Jiang Changsheng had completely mastered the Nine Heavens Mysterious Transformation. That day, Jiang Yuan came to visit him again. Besides asking for pills, he was extremely curious about Jiang Changsheng's tribulation.
Jiang Changsheng did not say it was a breakthrough in cultivation. Instead, he said that immortals and gods had been guiding him, leaving Jiang Yuan utterly bewildered.
After Jiang Yuan departed, Jiang Changsheng put on a wooden mask that night and changed into a ragged black Daoist robe before setting out for the imperial palace.
He stepped onto the Taihang Sword and flew on his sword, soaring directly from the summit of Dragon Arising Temple into the imperial palace.
His senses far surpassed those of ordinary people. From a great distance away, he could see the Imperial Guards patrolling outside the palace.
He found an unnoticed corner and flew in. After landing, he gently sheathed the Taihang Sword and began moving through the palace.
Late at night, the imperial palace was desolate. Frogs croaked in waves, while eunuchs carrying lanterns occasionally patrolled the grounds.
Relying on the Nine Seeking Heavenly Dragon Steps, Jiang Changsheng easily evaded the eunuchs' eyes. He followed the fluctuations of True Qi and discovered that there were truly many experts within the palace.
There were at least fifty Peerless Experts alone, including concubines, palace maids, and eunuchs.
The Great Jing imperial palace truly hid dragons and crouching tigers.
Jiang Changsheng sighed inwardly as he walked.
As he passed a garden, he heard sounds and tilted his head to listen. The voices came from deep within the garden.
"Disgusting."
"My little darling, a little lower..."
"There are too many mosquitoes here. Can't we change locations, you dead ghost?"
"Sigh, make do with whatever place we have. Hurry up, I'm dying of impatience..."
Jiang Changsheng was speechless. Was the imperial palace really this chaotic?
Disgusting!
Jiang Changsheng stopped and listened carefully. After a while, he identified the two people. The woman was a palace maid, while the man was a eunuch.
Eunuchs could do that too?
Jiang Changsheng recalled that in some dynasties of his previous life, castration had not completely removed the root.
He shook his head. Since it was not his own imperial father being cuckolded, he could not be bothered to interfere and continued onward.
The imperial palace was enormous. Jiang Changsheng searched with his divine consciousness as he traveled. What he sought were fluctuations of True Qi, so there was no need to enter the rooms of concubines or palace maids.
He did not have such a perverse hobby either.
There were many fluctuations of True Qi, but none reached the Heaven Arrival Realm.
He headed north all the way and reached the northern section of the palace. Jiang Changsheng suddenly stopped, his gaze falling upon an extremely deserted palace courtyard.
No palace maids or eunuchs passed nearby, and only one person lived alone in the entire courtyard.
Could this be the legendary Cold Palace?
No way!
A Heaven Arrival Realm expert had been thrown into the Cold Palace by the emperor?
Was Jiang Yuan really domineering to such an extent?
Jiang Changsheng wore a wooden mask and was not afraid of exposing his identity, so he headed directly toward that palace courtyard.
Upon entering, he noticed that weeds crisscrossed the yard. Clearly, no one had tended it for a long time. Yet the walls of a side hall bore numerous shocking palm prints.
Jiang Changsheng walked directly toward the main hall, unafraid of alerting the other party.
Having come this close, he could already judge the other party's level of True Qi.
It was only about ten times that of the Devil Master.
Jiang Changsheng arrived before the doors and gently pushed them open.
The instant they opened, a fierce gust swept toward him, slamming the doors against the walls with a bang. Jiang Changsheng's ragged Daoist robe fluttered wildly, yet his body was as heavy as Mount Tai and did not move an inch.
"Why has Your Excellency entered the imperial palace in the dead of night?"
A cold, hoarse female voice rang out, filled with killing intent.
Jiang Changsheng used spiritual power to stimulate the meridians in his throat, producing a hoarse, muffled voice. "I heard there was a Heaven Arrival Realm expert in the imperial palace, unparalleled in the world, and came to witness her abilities. Your cultivation is so profound, yet you are willing to remain in this unattended Cold Palace?"
The cold female voice snorted. "What business is it of yours? Since you have come, do not even think of leaving!"
As soon as her words fell, another fierce gust came from the darkness. Jiang Changsheng lightly shifted his right foot, and spiritual power erupted, blasting the approaching figure backward.
A heavy crash against the wall followed.
"You... How is this possible... You are not Heaven Arrival... You are in an even higher realm!"
The cold female voice cried out in terror. If such a powerful expert had broken into the imperial palace, who could stop him?
Jiang Changsheng sighed inwardly. I am truly too strong.
He asked, "What is your relationship with the emperor? Speak. If you explain clearly, I can spare your life and avoid disturbing everyone in the imperial palace. If you cannot explain, the Great Jing Dynasty will change rulers after tonight."
The other party's breathing echoed through the dim hall. Jiang Changsheng narrowed his eyes and looked over, seeing only disheveled hair and a filthy, ragged body. He could not make out her true appearance.
"Hehe... You threaten me with my life... You threaten me with him..."
The cold female voice gradually became frenzied, carrying a hysterical quality.
Beneath his mask, Jiang Changsheng frowned. Was this woman a lunatic?
No wonder she had been thrown into the Cold Palace!
Jiang Changsheng was merely guessing and did not blindly believe it. If she did not fear death or care about the emperor, why would she have lingered on in the Cold Palace until now?
He suddenly vanished from where he stood. In the next instant, he appeared before her, pressing a palm against her forehead. The terrifying killing intent left her unable to move.
"This cultivation..."
She widened her eyes. Through the gaps in her tangled hair, he could see those bloodshot eyes, like those of a vicious ghost walking the mortal world.
Jiang Changsheng looked down at her and said, "Twenty-one years ago, the Empress gave birth. Eunuch Li swapped the child. Did you know about this?"
Her pupils clearly dilated. Her heart was obviously in turmoil.
She gritted her teeth. "I knew!"
"Why did the emperor do it? Was it to suppress the Yang family?"
"I do not know... But it was absolutely not for that..."
Jiang Changsheng frowned even more deeply and asked, "What is the true identity of the false Crown Prince?"
She fell silent.
"How dare you barge into My imperial palace! Today, I will make sure you come but never return!"
A domineering shout came from outside the hall. Jiang Changsheng remained unmoved. He had sensed Jiang Yuan's arrival long ago, and he happened to have a few matters to ask him about.
Thanks to Wooden Fish Slept, Potato Husband, Shadow Stranger Dragon for rewarding a Silver Alliance Leader and 5,000 Qidian Coins. This person is my real-life friend, the owner of a hotpot restaurant. Every time I see this ID, I feel ashamed, haha.
Thanks to One-Way Ticket City and Shiqu Lonely Village for rewarding 1,500 Qidian Coins, and to Lana Del Rey, Funing Yang Shuo, and others for rewarding 500 Qidian Coins~~
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