Chapter 282: Chapter 2 Puzzles Abound, Crisis Looms
“`
Emperor Taiyang.
This was a supreme being who changed the current situation of the world at that time, and it was precisely because of his appearance that the period when noble families controlled the fate of the empire ended.
According to rumors, he was originally an ordinary prince with quite ordinary talents, but after reaching adulthood, he burst forth with an unprecedented brilliance. In less than fifty years, he had achieved the realm of Celestial Man.
Even in that era when over a dozen Divine First Ranks suppressed the world, Celestial Man was definitely regarded as a powerful being. At that time, the Pure Yang Palace had just reopened its gates, and Emperor Taiyang established a good relationship with the Master of the Pure Yang Palace.
The Zhao Family regarded him as the future hope, a hope to break away from the control of the Twelve Ancient Families, to regain freedom, and to escape the doom.
However, the Twelve Ancient Families would not allow the Zhao imperial family to have such a stunning and exceptional genius. But due to the relationship between the Master of the Pure Yang Palace and Taiyang, they could not take direct action.
They had to continue following the “rules.”
Thus, the original Crown Prince of the Central Dynasty was deposed by the Twelve Ancient Families, and the not yet sixty-year-old Taiyang naturally ascended to the throne of the Central Dynasty.
According to past rules, a hundred years later, the people of the world would receive news of Emperor Taiyang’s “peaceful death,” and a new emperor’s ascension, and this rare genius would also vanish into thin air.
But, to everyone’s surprise, in the second year after Taiyang ascended to the throne, he directly condensed a “Human Emperor Dao Seed,” achieving the position of Tao Lord.
Moreover, as long as he stood within the Imperial City of Zhongzhou, he was blessed by the rightful position of the Human Emperor, and even Divine First Ranks could not harm him in the slightest.
The world was shocked.
Both the Twelve Ancient Families, which had always been closely watching Taiyang, and the Master of the Pure Yang Palace, who had a good relationship with Taiyang, had no idea when Taiyang had reached the threshold of Tao Lord, nor did they know when he had begun to try condensing the Dao Seed.
From that point on, the Central Dynasty embarked on a path completely different from before under Taiyang’s leadership.
At first, the Twelve Ancient Families could still use various means to suppress the development of the Central Dynasty and Taiyang’s policies.
But on the occasion of his hundredth birthday, he invited all the Divine First Ranks of the world, a total of eighteen Saint Tao masters, to the Imperial City for a feast and, in front of everyone, achieved sainthood.
The Central Dynasty finally gained true freedom, but it was only to a certain extent; the might of the Twelve Ancient Families was too great.
The power of the empire was still oppressed by the Twelve Ancient Families, and the legacy of the Sects was still restricted by the noble houses.
Thus, there came the subsequent secret alliance between the Central Dynasty and top Great Sects like the Pure Yang Palace, Taixu Viewpoint, and Infinite Temple, planning to start a war to banish or seal all the Saints of the Twelve Ancient Families.
“Master Ziwei, this was the initial cause of the Tianyang Battle,” The Supreme’s narration came to an end. He did not continue and said, “What I know, along with heaven and earth, is also pretty much limited to this.”
“There’s only the cause but no detailed account of the events?” Zhou Heng said in astonishment, somewhat puzzled.
He had just listened to The Supreme’s narration, feeling that many of the matters went beyond his understanding, causing him great disbelief, and even making them incomprehensible to him.
How did the Middle Ancient Era produce twelve Divine First Ranks within a thousand years?
How did Emperor Taiyang achieve sainthood at the age of a hundred?
Originally it was the empire allied with Sects, sharing a common enemy in the noble houses, but how did it eventually develop into the division of the Central Dynasty into three states, with many noble houses declining?
“`
“`
…In this way, it seems that the Sect is the ultimate benefactor?
There might be a problem with the specifics of the situation.
Moreover, in this great transitional upheaval, what roles did the Evil Gods, Ghost Immortals, and Great Demons play?
One question after another emerged from his heart.
“There are no specific experiences,” The Supreme shook his head and said, “The battle of Tianyang lasted for over a hundred years, and what exactly happened during those hundred years, even those who experienced it might not be clear.”
“Even those who experienced it might not be clear?” Zhou Heng was puzzled.
“The history of that period is in fact fragmented,” explained The Supreme. “When I and Heavenly Laws could still walk the outside world, we once asked some Celestial Man elders who had personally experienced the battle of Tianyang.
“Their memories of the details of the battle of Tianyang are very chaotic, with some events completely jumbled and the logic disconnected, as if those hundred years were torn to pieces and then randomly assembled.”
“Such a thing actually happened.” Zhou Heng was filled with surprise and uncertainty. After collecting his thoughts for a moment, he asked, “Then, what changed after the battle of Tianyang compared to before it?”
“In fact, you have been seeing these changes all along,” The Supreme said with a smile. “The situation in the world hasn’t really changed much since the battle of Tianyang.
“After the battle of Tianyang, the Divine First Ranks from the Twelve Ancient Families either perished or disappeared. In the end, only the Lanxi Tang Clan and Zhou Mountain Ji Clan still have Divine First Ranks left.
“Emperor Taiyang has gone missing, and although the King of Qi was appointed as the emperor, he is ultimately only a Tao Lord. By that time, the entire Central Dynasty had already crumbled, with ghosts and evil spirits breeding in the Central Lands, and with the demon calamity in the West Wasteland, they were no longer capable of battle.
“Therefore, under the leadership of top Sects such as the Pure Yang Palace, Taixu Viewpoint, and Heavenly Moon Temple, the Tang, Zhao, and Ji divided the world. The Lanxi Tang Clan became the imperial family of Great Jin. The Zhou Mountain Ji Clan established Da Zhou, and the Zhao family, originally from the Central Dynasty, became the ruler of Da Qi.
“Afterward, to withstand the numerous Evil Gods, with the Saints and Tao Lords unable to intervene, the imperial families of the three nations took the lead, and based on the Zhou Tian Star Chart, established the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer… Most of these affairs you are well aware of,” The Supreme added.
“In the three thousand years since the battle of Tianyang, has no one else reached Divine First Rank?” Zhou Heng furrowed his brows. The contrast seemed too great, given that there had been twelve in a millennium before.
“There was one, two thousand years ago, a Qi Emperor attained Divine First Rank, and after that, there have been no more,” The Supreme sighed gently. “But now, the situation is also very different compared to before the battle of Tianyang.
“In the past, no matter what, it was essentially a golden age for cultivation itself. It is said that during that time, Tao Lords often lectured, and the fortunate could even witness Saints unfold the Dao, while Celestial Men could listen to the teachings.
“But now, Tao Lords and Saints have long ceased to tread the mortal world, and Celestial Men have become the ultimate power walking the earth. In this era, Tao Lords lecturing and Saints unfolding the Dao have become nothing more than legends.”
“Indeed…” Zhou Heng understood The Supreme’s sentiment.
For someone like him, a Celestial Man, without Tao Lords and Saints lecturing and unfolding the Dao, progressing further was too difficult. He might even struggle to find the direction.
“However, it’s fortunate that we are in an organization,” The Supreme smiled again. “Every three months, Tianyi and the Azure Dragon make an extremely brief appearance at the Purple Tenuity Palace to answer our Celestial Men’s questions, which is a great fortune.”
“Are there many Evil Gods preparing to invade this world?” Zhou Heng inquired as he thought of the scene he had perceived when his senses transcended the world.
In the nebulous void wrapped in the mystic yellow fog, countless points were eyeing the sphere covetously, along with the forces on the sphere that were fiercely resisting.
If those points were all Evil Gods, the thought was unimaginable.
“As far as I know, not too many, but not few either,” The Supreme pondered briefly and then said somberly, “However, to date, ten Evil Gods have successfully invaded and established Evil Sect teachings, of which three are in Da Qi.”
“`
“Three?” Zhou Heng was slightly startled upon hearing this and asked, “Why are there only three Evil Gods among the four major evil paths?”
At that moment, he suddenly recalled that when You Ziheng had previously explained the origin of the Evil Gods, he also specifically mentioned three, excluding the Yunxiao Heavenly Palace.
“Because the Yunxiao Heavenly Palace is not counted among them,” The Supreme explained, “Honghua Palace, Plague Emperor Sect, and Nine Deaths Sect are all evil sects that have emerged in the last three thousand years, and their origins trace back to the three Evil Gods who invaded after the battle of Tianyang.”
“Then what’s the deal with the Yunxiao Heavenly Palace?” Zhou Heng asked in confusion, “I heard that it is an ancient sect passed down from the Ancient Mythological Era, and its leader of Divine First Rank had lived from the Middle Ancient Era to the present, not an Evil God. So why is it also considered part of the evil path?”
“This is because a normal Divine First Rank can also fall and become an Evil God,” The Supreme sighed and said, “Actually, the Yunxiao Heavenly Palace used to be a righteous sect, at least until before the Battle of Tianyang.
“But after the Battle of Tianyang, not long after the establishment of the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer, the leader of Divine First Rank from Yunxiao Heavenly Palace suddenly started to spread a sacred decree extensively and proclaimed herself as ‘At one with the world, preserving life as the Yunxiao Lady’, demanding followers to pray and offer sacrifices.”
“After the investigation by numerous Divine First Ranks, it was discovered that the leader of Yunxiao Heavenly Palace had, at some unknown point, fallen and become an Evil God, even her domain had changed.”
“There can actually be such a matter,” Zhou Heng was stunned and asked in disbelief, “A Divine First Rank can actually fall and become an Evil God… the sacred decree… Do the Evil Gods of the other three evil paths like the Plague Emperor Sect have sacred decrees?”
“No,” The Supreme shook his head gently and said, “Further investigations by the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer revealed that apparently only very high-ranking Evil Gods possess sacred decrees.
“This Yunxiao Lady who preserves life clearly held a higher status than that of normal Evil Gods. She managed to pollute a Saint without truly descending and took control of his Divine Soul, which is genuinely terrifying.”
“The level of a high-ranking Evil God surpasses that of Divine First Rank?” Zhou Heng deduced another meaning in The Supreme’s words.
“Clearly,” The Supreme nodded.
“…” Zhou Heng fell silent.
Although he had speculated something similar upon seeing those ominously watching points of light, hearing The Supreme confirm it still made him feel somewhat apprehensive.
What kind of terrifying crisis was this world facing?
And why had these deities from Earth’s legends become Evil Gods here?
Was there really a difference?
Or had Evil Gods stolen the authority, falsely using the names of righteous gods?
With this in mind, Zhou Heng asked, “Have you heard of the ‘Eastern Peak Tai Shan Emperor’? Previously, I heard someone praying, attempting to call this deity to descend upon the world.”
Hiss!
The moment he finished speaking, both The Supreme and Tianyi took in a sharp breath.
“Eastern Peak Emperor!”
“The Lord of the Netherworld?!”
Both Celestial Men were clearly utterly astonished.
It took a while for both of them to calm their spirits and regain composure.
“It seems that this Evil God has not succeeded in descending,” The Supreme breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Master of Ziwei, does the change in the Purple Tenuity Palace have anything to do with this Evil God wanting to descend?”
“Correct,” Zhou Heng nodded lightly and said, “Do the two seniors have knowledge of Him?”
“We have heard about him from Tianyi and the Azure Dragon,” The Supreme said, “The Eastern Peak Tai Shan Emperor, who dictates life and death and rules over the Netherworld, is an Evil God with a sacred decree. It’s said that the emergence of ghosts resulted from His domain’s corruption.”
“He’s the source of the ghosts’ proliferation?!” Zhou Heng was taken aback and then asked, “Doesn’t this mean that the erosion by this Evil God is already quite severe here?”
“Tianyi and the Azure Dragon once said that the Eastern Peak Tai Shan Emperor is very likely to be the first high-ranking Evil God to truly descend,” The Supreme sighed lightly and said, “Destroying ghosts is actually one of the ways to delay His descent.”
“Apart from the Eastern Peak Tai Shan Emperor, there must be other high-ranking Evil Gods eroding here,” Zhou Heng said.
“There are,” The Supreme nodded.
For a while, the three men fell silent, and the atmosphere sank into extreme quiet.
“Master Ziwei, all is not utterly without hope,” Tianyi suddenly spoke, looking at Zhou Heng and said, “You are one of the hopes. As the respected Master of Ziwei, you represent hope in standing against high-ranking Evil Gods.”
“Yes, I understand,” Zhou Heng nodded, not surprised by Tianyi’s remarks.
“Alas, the crisis is formidable, and there are still many mysteries,” The Supreme sighed softly and said, “We can only hope that in the future exploration of other worlds, some mysteries will be unraveled, thus alleviating some of the crisis.”
“Explore other worlds, uncover secrets…” Zhou Heng pondered briefly upon hearing this and said, “Two seniors, I have previously used the power of the Purple Tenuity Palace to refine the Netherworld force that pervaded during the descent of the Eastern Peak Tai Shan Emperor, and I’ve expanded into a new authority.”
“A new authority?”
“It is a control authority over the Purple Tenuity Palace, isn’t it?”
Both Celestial Men were overjoyed upon hearing this, looking forward expectantly at Zhou Heng.
Unleashing more of the Purple Tenuity Palace’s power had always been the direction the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer was striving for.
“Correct, please look, two seniors,” Zhou Heng said as he turned and pointed toward the swirling purple mist in front of him. Stars started twinkling, and on the left side of the purple square, a giant whirlpool of purple qi slowly took shape.
It appeared like a portal, seemingly connecting to the infinite worlds, to the vast heavens.
“This is a different kind of portal connecting to other worlds compared to ‘Star Gates,'” Zhou Heng said with a smile. “Star Gates allow one to physically descend into another world directly, but this portal allows a mere fragment of Divine Soul to cross realms and incarnate.”
Seemingly because the authority of the Netherworld force is related to the Divine Soul, the new power he had expanded into was related to the Divine Soul.
“A mere fragment of Divine Soul to cross realms and incarnate?!” The Supreme exclaimed excitedly, “Doesn’t this mean that we two old beings who only have our Primordial Spirits left can finally exert some effort for the organization again?”
Although both were Celestial Men, with their physical bodies destroyed and unwilling to follow the path of Loose Immortals, they could only rely on the power of the Purple Tenuity Palace to preserve their Primordial Spirits, no longer able to walk among humans or contribute to the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer.
But now, this new portal gave them hope.
“No, it’s more than that,” Tianyi said with shining eyes, “Actually, there’s an even greater use!”