"To bypass the Heavenly Dao… Your Majesty, do you mean to offer a direct sacrifice to the Great Dao itself? To forge a Dao-level Imperial Dynasty?"
Jiang Ni nearly cried out on the spot, his voice tinged with immense shock. The look he gave Yi Tianxing was one of disbelief—this idea, this ambition, was beyond imagination.
Above the Heavenly Dao lies the Great Dao.
The Great Dao is formless, omnipresent.
Under normal circumstances, even cultivators couldn't sever their ties with the Heavenly Dao—let alone touch the Great Dao. It was the supreme existence, impossible to describe in words, truly inexpressible and invisible.
Yet the benefits of such a feat—should it succeed—were immeasurable.Ascension in a single step might be within reach.
"Can it really succeed? Wouldn't it carry grave risks? If it fails… might we not incur the wrath of the Heavenly Dao? That could spell total destruction for Great Yi," Huang Chengyan said with a frown.
A Dao-level Imperial Dynasty was certainly tempting, but one had to weigh the consequences. If it succeeded, the Heavenly Dao could not protest. But if it failed, the fallout could be catastrophic.
"The Heavenly Dao has retreated and concealed itself. The wills of the heavens are sealed and suppressed. Such an opportunity may be truly one-of-a-kind in the Eternal World. If we miss it now, we may never get another chance. I believe this risk is worth taking," Jia Xu said after a moment's thought.
Indeed, the Eternal World may only offer such a chance once in all eternity. Under normal conditions, one could never bypass the Heavenly Dao to contact the Great Dao.
"It's worth trying," Zhuge Liang said with a calm wave of his feather fan.
If it truly succeeded, the entire Great Yi Dynasty would gain infinite possibilities.
"The problem now is how to connect with the Great Dao. Ordinary sacrificial methods certainly won't work," Huang Chengyan said gravely. This was the first hurdle they had to face.
To offer sacrifice to the Heavenly Dao, one used the Heavenly Altar. But communicating with the Great Dao would require something far beyond that.
"The altar has sacrificial power. As long as a sacrifice is made, it can reach the target being. Just like the altar we used on the Bramble Plain to summon the Demon God of Ten Thousand Gu—if we offer a sacrifice to the Great Dao, perhaps we can reach it and gain its recognition," Jiang Ni suddenly proposed.
In fact, the Heavenly Altar was a kind of altar—previously used to sacrifice to the Heavenly Dao via specific divine rune imprints that could send messages to the heavens. But if those runes could be altered to point toward the Great Dao instead, might it not allow communication with the Dao itself?
"The Heavenly Altar was forged as a Destiny Suppressing Treasure, and the runes within were born from the natural evolution of national fate. I cannot change them. Nor do I possess a medium capable of drawing the attention of the Great Dao. To do so would be nearly impossible," Yi Tianxing replied without hesitation.
Still, the Heavenly Altar remained a viable possibility.
The Great Dao is omnipresent. If a grand sacrifice were held, using the will and belief of the people as a medium, perhaps it could be reached. Especially with the Heavenly Dao unable to interfere, this might truly be a rare opening.
"But a sacrifice requires an offering—preferably something intrinsically linked to the Dao itself. It's said that among heaven and earth, there exist rare and unique wondrous artifacts that naturally attract the attention of the Great Dao. They might be the key to this," Jiang Ni added.
Such wondrous artifacts were incredibly rare, each mysterious and nearly impossible to utilize properly. But according to the Book of Truth, sacrificing one could bring limitless benefits. Clearly, these artifacts held exceptional properties—perhaps enough to establish a direct link to the Great Dao.
One such artifact, a black pearl, still remained in Yi Tianxing's possession.And during this time, many more had been acquired—strange objects whose origins even the Wordless Heavenly Tome could not decipher.
The alien races couldn't recognize them either and had bartered them away for food and supplies.Unknowingly, Yi Tianxing had accumulated quite a collection.
"Very well. Beloved ministers, once you return, study this carefully. Since the opportunity is here, I intend to try—even if we fail, I will have no regrets. In the meantime, do everything possible to make Great Yi's foundation stronger. We will set the deadline at one year from now," Yi Tianxing declared with a nod.
He had summoned his ministers precisely to prepare them mentally. At the same time, efforts were to be made to strengthen the empire's foundations. That way, even if unforeseen events occurred, they could respond swiftly.
"Yes, Your Majesty."Huang Chengyan and the others exchanged glances and bowed before departing.
However, they didn't head straight to their residences, but rather made their way to the Scripture Pavilion, delving into ancient texts in search of possible solutions.
Meanwhile, the Great Yi Dynasty continued its steady and methodical development.
Eternal Year 6
This year's Spring Festival was spent under heavy snowfall, but the citizens of Great Yi remained unaffected. Especially since two massive expansions had just been completed, greatly increasing territory and population—the entire realm buzzed with lively celebration.
During this time, Song Yingxing successfully cultivated a new strain of grain suited for harsh, snowy conditions. He named it Snow Pine Rice—imbued with the cold resistance of Snow Pear Rice, but with the unyielding resilience of ancient pine. Even under heavy snow, it would not break. On the contrary—it grew stronger under pressure.
Once developed, the seeds were immediately planted—inside Yi Tianxing's Dantian Life Aperture, where growth was accelerated. The first batch of Snow Pine Rice seeds was produced in no time.
Next, they were mass-planted within the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower, where spiritual farmers used magical techniques to hasten growth. Within just one month, two to three full harvests had been achieved, generating a large stockpile of seed.
These were then distributed across every immortal city.
When planted, these seeds naturally absorbed the power of ice and snow—the stronger the winter, the faster they grew. Within three days, they had already sprouted tender shoots. Even more bizarre, the falling snow was directly absorbed by the rice plants, reducing snowfall levels around them instead of increasing.
It was as if snow and ice were their nourishment—they accepted it all.
It was estimated that under snowstorm conditions, the growth cycle of Snow Pine Rice was only one week, instead of the usual month.
Yes—just one week.
Thanks to the enriched world energy, crop cycles had already been shortened, but this was another level entirely. And Snow Pine Rice had extremely high yields. Upon hearing the news, the entire Great Yi rejoiced. It was a monumental breakthrough.
With grain secured, the most dangerous aspect of the snow disaster—famine—was fully resolved.As long as food remained plentiful, even the fiercest snowstorm could not threaten Great Yi's stability.
Following its widespread planting, Great Yi's national fate soared.
This was a major achievement benefiting the entire dynasty. As a result, the Dynasty's luck dragon immediately grew by ten zhang.
Such was the way of a Dynasty of Luck—governance and prosperity directly influenced national fate. Any action that benefited the realm would be reflected in the rising tide of fortune.
So this year's Spring Festival was a jubilant one for all of Great Yi.
Every immortal city brimmed with festive joy. And those who had only recently joined Great Yi could visibly feel the difference—as if a veil had been lifted from their lives. For the first time, they felt truly human.
New Year's Eve—Farewell to the old, welcoming the new.
It was a symbol of rebirth. A new beginning.
Duanyao City
Inside a local inn—
A bearded man and a young woman in red sat by the window, a table of delicacies spread before them. The aroma was mouthwatering, the dishes clearly the work of a skilled chef. Though they didn't literally glow, the flavor was evident at a glance—enough to stir any appetite.
"Red Leaf, come. Today is New Year's Eve. After tonight, it'll be a brand-new year—Eternal Year Six. Let's enjoy a proper reunion dinner. Who knows how long we'll be wandering again after this," the bearded man said cheerfully.
"Father, look outside. It's been so long since we've seen such a festive scene. If I hadn't witnessed it myself, I wouldn't have believed it," the red-dressed young woman said softly, almost in a daze.
"The Great Yi Dynasty truly is extraordinary. I've seen King Yi myself—he's a sage among men. His vision and leadership are second to none. Few in the world could rival him. This land is a paradise for our people. A mortal immortal kingdom."
"I hear that a Dao Academy will soon be built within the Immortal Academy, which will recruit disciples from various sects. I intend to send you there, Red Leaf. With their training, you'll gain far more opportunities. Compared to Great Yi, Xuanxin Sect is simply too small," the man said.
These two were none other than Yan Chixia and his daughter, Yan Hongye.
Interestingly, Yan Hongye bore little resemblance to her father. Instead, she radiated heroic spirit and beauty—a rare jewel among women.