"Indeed, the Divine Dynasty has resurfaced in our Ancestral Land, and Ying Zhong led his men to the celebration ceremony of the Imperial City of this new Divine Dynasty on the day of its ascension, intending to seize the Qi Luck and steal the Golden Book and Jade Scroll. He did not anticipate the presence of a powerful being in the Divine Dynasty, who killed him on the spot." King Yuan sighed as he slowly spoke.
He had paid a significant price at the Sky Mechanism Pavilion to gain knowledge regarding Ying Zhong and others' demise in the Ancestral Land and to understand the ins and outs of the matter.
Upon hearing about these events, King Yuan understood their gravity and, considering its significance, didn't dare to make a decision lightly. He had no option but to return to the Imperial City at once to meet the king and inform him about everything.
"How foolish it was – arrogant and presumptuous. Opting to return at such a time was a mistake." King Ying Lie murmured after a moment, scolding angrily.
He had some understanding of Ying Zhong who was born into the royal family. He had initially thought that Ying Zhong was merely arrogant but hadn't realized that he could be so presumptuous.
A Divine Dynasty ascended in the Ancestral Land – such a significant event – yet they didn't ensure everything is settled before acting. Their rash actions not only led to their own death but also ruined the plans of the ancient country.
They should know the cost of sending a Spirit Realm Sixth Level Great Cultivator back to the Ancestral Land, even an ancient country like theirs can't afford to waste such resources.
Moreover, the Ancestral Land has only been revived for over a decade, yet a royal empire has already ascended to the Divine Dynasty. Whether it's a coincidence or there's someone facilitating it from behind the scenes, it implies that there's a significant force behind it. Even powerful entities like him should approach it with caution, let alone a mere Spirit Realm Sixth Level Cultivator like him.
"Divine Dynasty, after thousands of years, I hear this name once again, and at such a time," Ying Lie exclaimed, looking at King Yuan, "Don't you think this is too much of a coincidence?"
A Divine Dynasty has become a taboo in the Sky Wasteland, no one dares to mention it, and no force dares to show the intention of promoting themselves to the Divine Dynasty. Once exposed, they are bound to face a joint attack from various forces.
In Ying Lie's memory, the last Divine Dynasty he had seen was during the final glorious era of the Ancestral Land. Even amidst a widespread disaster, the Tang Dynasty had managed to demonstrate its power, leaving a deep impression on him.
"At such a coincidental time, a Divine Dynasty has ascended in the Ancestral Land which has only revived a dozen years ago. If you tell me there's no one backing this, I wouldn't believe it," King Yuan said. However, he expressed his doubt, "But according to the Sky Mechanism Pavilion, they don't seem to have discovered any external meddling."
As Ying Lie mentioned the Sky Mechanism Pavilion, he scoffed and spoke, "Although the Sky Mechanism Pavilion won't sell false information, it doesn't mean they will tell you the complete truth. If they withhold some parts, the resulting picture could be entirely different."
Even as powerful as it is, the Sky Mechanism Pavilion is just one of the top forces. If the individuals behind this have extraordinary origins, the Sky Mechanism Pavilion would also remain silent and not leak any information lightly.
He said solemnly, "Remember, you can trust what Sky Mechanism Pavilion tells you, but you should never trust them completely."
King Yuan tensed up, immediately understanding the king's meaning.
He asked, "What should we do next?"
The plan was to clarify the situation and send people to continue the return, then wait for the right time.
The fact that they knew about this also means other forces probably know about the ascension to the Divine Dynasty too.
However, despite such significant happenings, all the forces in the Sky Wasteland remained oddly quiet, as if they didn't know anything about it. This seemed very strange.
The king said, "We will proceed as planned, acting as if we know nothing."
"Yes!", King Yuan nodded and left.
In the quiet and empty palace, King Ying Lie muttered, "Shenxiao Sect, Pei Xuanjing, what are your origins? And which top force is making their move with the Great Ming Divine Dynasty?"
The ascension of a Divine Dynasty is not simple, and Pei Xuanjing from the Ancestral Land gaining such power in such a short time definitely hides a big secret.
All these situations combined, Ying Lie could not help but suspect that an individual or force was behind this.
The ancient Jiang Country, with its long history, had been through many Divine Dynasty ascents. So, he was well aware that many top forces would have positioned themselves well in advance, realizing the immense benefits of aiding a Divine Dynasty's ascension.
Moreover, with the rumored emergence of a chance to Become Immortal after the revival of the Ancestral Land, the land had undoubtedly drawn the attention of countless powerful forces. Perhaps someone wanted to stir up the waters and sneak away with an advantage.
"However, no matter what, the first thing I have to ensure is the smooth passing of power in our ancient Jiang Country," he thought to himself.
In a significant period, even the top forces could decline and perish, let alone the ancient Jiang Country?
"I must admit, Xue Country got lucky this time. That old guy would probably laugh himself to death if he knew," he thought, remembering the relations between Xue Country and the Great Ming Divine Dynasty. He felt even more annoyed with Ying Zhong.
Divine Dynasty is a taboo, Divine Dynasty is feared.
Yes, this is indeed the rule of Sky Wasteland.
But remember, this rule was made by top forces and the most powerful beings of the Nine Realms of Spirit. The appearance of a Divine Dynasty in the Ancestral Land might annoy them, and they might aim for the Divine Dynasty when they descend.
But this is their business, their thinking. It's absolutely not something that forces like the ancient Jiang Country should worry about.
If this Divine Dynasty failed to ascend, that would be one thing. But, now that the Great Ming Divine Dynasty has successfully ascended, there should be no more aggression.
After all, any Divine Dynasty that achieves successful ascension would be teeming with Qi Luck at its inception. Favored by Heaven and Earth, they would be unstoppable, and even the top forces wouldn't dare to mess easily. If you could build a good relationship with this Divine Dynasty, you could gain some benefits.
But now Ying Zhong's actions have gone ahead and sown seeds of hatred between them before they've even met, which could place them in an awkward position in the future.
On the other hand, the Xue Country seemed to have caught a lucky break.
Of course, if the ruler of Jiang Country knew that the people of Xue Country had arrived in the Ancestral Land, he would be even more shocked.
Back then, in the Ancestral Land, at the Great Ming Divine Dynasty in Tiandu, Taoist Academy.
The strong man from the ancient Da Xue Country, King Xue Renfang, appeared with a smile on his face. He had no trace of arrogance from being in a high position and spoke to Pei Xuanjing in a gentle manner.
"Please," Pei Xuanjing looked at him with no surprise on his face, smiling as he said.
The two of them walked into the courtyard that Pei Xuanjing had in the Taoist Academy together.
As Pei Xuanjing led someone in, the disciples who had been standing by in the Taoist Academy readied themselves, serving tea as soon as the two guests took their seats.
Normally, there was no need for anyone to wait upon Pei Xuanjing in his Taoist Academy. However, just like how the Shenxiao Sect found the need to heed his commands outside his great hall, many competed over the place of Pei Xuanjing's rotation in the academy.
People all over the land now knew Pei Xuanjing's experiences well, especially the background of his sole disciple, Pang Hong, the junior leader of Shenxiao Sect, many of whom were envious of and admired, wish they could take their places immediately.
After all, being by the side of Pei Xuanjing meant that, even without the chance to be his disciple, one could benefit significantly from his teachings and influence on one's cultivation.
Were it not for Pei Xuanjing's clear stipulation that only the academy's disciples could come, even some instructors and powerful Spirit Realm practitioners would have wanted to serve him.
"Da Xue's ancient country truly lives up to its name. This ancient country, that has been passed down for thousands of years, under such circumstances, managed to persuade you to return to your ancestral land. It seems that Xue Hanyi and the others' efforts over the years were not in vain," Pei Xuanjing said, looking at Xue Renfang in front of him.
Although Pei Xuanjing had stayed in Tiandu, without leaving, for years now, at his current status, he could get any news he wanted from the entire Great Ming World.
The identities of the two siblings, Xue Hanyi, powerful experts returning from the Sky Wasteland, were bound to attract many people's attention.
Even if Pei Xuanjing let them go, Bai Xiaosheng would not ignore these two people. Though he would not interfere with their actions, he would keep a close eye on them.
As a result, Pei Xuanjing knew their actions over these years. This man before him now claimed to be Xue Renfang of Da Xue's ancient country, so how could Pei Xuanjing possibly be unfamiliar with his identity?
His indifferent expression suddenly turned cold as he asked, "Did you come here today to accuse me of something?"
Perhaps the ancient Da Xue country had other plans and ideas initially, but with Pei Xuanjing forcing those two siblings to stay in Shenxiao Mountain over these years, it undoubtedly disrupted their previous plans. Therefore, they changed their plans, choosing to guide the powerful beings of Da Xue country back. This man before him should be one of these powerful individuals.
The man had not been in this world for long and suddenly sought him out. Pei Xuanjing did not know what the man intended, hence he directly asked. There was no beating around the bush; he got straight to the point.
With his current status and power, if he did not want to beat around the bush, no one else was worth his delicacy.
Upon hearing Pei Xuanjing's words, Xue Renfang, the man from Da Xue's ancient land, didn't rush. He still calmly smiled and said, "Master, you are too serious. Although our Xue Country has been passed down for thousands of years, there haven't been many powerful beings like you. Today, I came here to thank you for looking after those useless juniors in my family. There's no need to talk about blaming you."
Xue Renfang, as a powerful individual in the ancient Da Xue country, is well-known in the Sky Wasteland. However, his current mild attitude toward Pei Xuanjing from the ancestral land would undoubtedly surprise countless people if word got out.
But according to Xue Renfang, this attitude of his was nothing unusual; in fact, it seemed quite natural.
When he first arrived, after hearing about the experiences of the Xue Hanyi siblings, Xue Renfang was somewhat angry. After all, the Great Xue, which had been passed down for thousands of years, was a top power among first-rate powers, even though it had not been under the suppression of a supreme Spirit Realm Ninth Level master.
He was very unhappy about such a powerful individual from the ancestral land daring to detain people from the Great Xue, and he even planned to teach the other a lesson, reminding him of the importance of awe when facing a powerful individual.
However, after hearing about Pei Xuanjing's experience from Xue Hanyi, his anger subsided a little, and the celestial event of Pei Xuanjing breaking through to the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm not long ago genuinely changed his mind.
An individual at the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm had the qualification to ask for immortality, and wherever they were, they deserved respect from others. Pei Xuanjing, now at this level, had the chance to converse with Great Xue on equal footing now, regardless of the past.
What was more important was the celestial event triggered by Pei Xuanjing's breakthrough, which was more shocking than any other breakthrough to the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm Xue Renfang had seen, enough to prove Pei Xuanjing's power and potential.
Reaching the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm in 60 years, starting from being just a mortal, such terrifying progress was almost unheard of, unprecedented, which made Xue Renfang wonder if Pei Xuanjing was the son of Heavenly Mandate, nurtured by Heaven and Earth after thousands of years since the Tang Dynasty, or it's hard to explain why he was so favored by Heaven and Earth.
As a result, Xue Renfang changed his original thoughts, wanting to meet this individual in person, which led to today's visit.
Xue Renfang knew that with Pei Xuanjing's stage, there was no need to beat around the bush, so he directly stated his intention, "Today, I came to ask for a favor. I hope you can permit it," Xue Renfang said to Pei Xuanjing.
As expected, no one visits without a reason. The return to the Daming World at such a great cost must have some significant plans. The man's visit to him was not simple at all.
Upon hearing his words, Pei Xuanjing, his face calm, did not respond immediately. Instead, he smiled and asked, "Why would you bother, sir? Given your strength in the world today, I believe no one could stop you from doing anything you wish, no?"
With Pei Xuanjing's power and stage, his perception had reached an extremely acute level, even if he did not fight someone, he could estimate the other's power and stage just with his own soul power.
Now, Pei Xuanjing found that the strength of Xue Renfang before him was quite formidable, ranging somewhere between the Seventh Level and the Sixth Level of the Spirit Realm.
No matter whether it was the Seventh Level or the Sixth Level of the Spirit Realm, the difference among them was not that significant. In the current Great Ming World, as long as the other person did not provoke Pei Xuanjing, Zhu Houji, the mysterious Mr. Wu, the owner of the Golden Book and Jade Scroll, and maybe add the old Celestial Master who holds the Zhengyi Seal, no one in this world could stop him.
Xue Renfang gave a faint smile, "The Great Divine Ming Dynasty now dominates the world. Although I have some strength, I can't act recklessly. There are some things I still need you, Master, to take into consideration."
If it were in the past, he might not care about rules, as rules are set by the powerful. As long as one has strong power, it's always up to them.
However, things are different now, completely different from what he had expected.
Why is Xue Renfang behaving in such a way, seeking a promise from Pei Xuanjing before proceeding with his own plans?
In truth, regardless of how it is phrased, it basically all boils down to two words: power.
In the current Daming World, Pei Xuanjing is an unrivaled force suppressing the world beneath him with his strength, and it is not an empty claim.
The power of Pei Xuanjing is built upon the lives of countless mighty ones. He has reached this stage through constant battle, and although he had gradually cultivated his morality and exercised restraint, rarely making a move, no one dared to underestimate him, believing Pei Xuanjing is of the soft-hearted, lenient sort.
Although many martial artists in the Jianghu now praise Pei Xuanjing for establishing the Taoist Academy, teaching countless skills to the martial artists of the world, creating a pathway for numerous martial artists to rise in ranks, being hailed as a saintly wise man, a magnanimous and benevolent leader of the Righteous Path, the chief of the Taoist School.
Yet, those peers who have witnessed Pei Xuanjing's rise to power remember his past demeanor all too well. After all, names can be mistakenly remembered, but nicknames cannot. The nickname Slayer Taoist might not be mentioned by anyone now, but that doesn't mean they have truly forgotten.
It was precisely because of his formidable reputation in the past that even if Pei Xuanjing's actions and plans were detrimental to the interests of various powers, as long as he did not enforce forcefully and simply used his open scheme to advance his cause, the strong ones within those great powers might harbor grudges and internal dissatisfaction, but no one dared to openly oppose him, forcing Pei Xuanjing to act out angrily.
In tumultuous times, heroes emerge.
The world of the Great Ming, which has been in existence for six hundred years, is gradually declining, and chaos is looming. When Pei Xuanjing and others broke the seals of Heaven and Earth, reopening the Cultivation path, many great powers should have risen against each other in this Great World, vying for territories, gulping down each other, and waiting for the situation where numerous mighty ones will finally emerge from the competition.
Unfortunately, the existence of Pei Xuanjing has completely erased such possibilities. He has suppressed the whole world, has pushed for the promotion of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, established rules, and controlled all the conflict within a certain limit to prevent an outburst of complete chaos in the world.
Even if the seals of Heaven and Earth were broken and the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi was restored, if the imperial court of the "Da Ming" did not have enough power to suppress the world and curb the ambitious different factions, then the conflicts among the various factions would plunge the Daming World into complete chaos, causing countless deaths and injuries among the ordinary people.
Although a situation akin to nurturing a poisonous insect is bound to beget a powerful leader, it would also result in significant losses, a fact clear to everyone.
Moreover, this time is different from the past. The ancient forces lurking in the Sky Wasteland are awaiting their return. If the Daming World can't unite, there wouldn't be any possibility to resist.
Pei Xuanjing who has now set the rules is the rule-maker of the Daming World.
Thus, even though Xue Renfang possesses power, when he realizes that he is not a challenge for Pei Xuanjing, he is destined to seek Pei Xuanjing's approval. Otherwise, any unauthorized actions would breach Pei Xuanjing's rules.
Pei Xuanjing gives a faint smile: "So, how would you like to proceed?"
Pei Xuanjing is naturally well aware of the implications of everything he has done. Even if he didn't notice at first, he definitely would have noticed later.
The current situation in the Daming World is quite clear. Even though he has given up on some of his self-interest, he has still managed to bring the world under his rule.
As for these people returning from the Sky Wasteland, they are actually facing a choice: whether to violate Pei Xuanjing's rules, whether to break the status quo, set their own rules, and re-divide everything in this ancestral land.
If Xue Renfang is asking him for a favor, it means the other party's choice, or at least the present choice, is to acknowledge his rules, rather than become a challenger to his rule.
"So, please speak frankly," Xue Renfang suggested.
Indeed, as Pei Xuanjing thought, he is willing to abide by the other's rules, at least for now.
Let alone the currently unrivaled Pei Xuanjing who suppresses the world and is invincible in the ancestral land, no one can challenge him and break his rules.
Even if it is possible, Xue Renfang wouldn't do it, because it is not his style, or the style of the Xue ancient country.
The Sky Wasteland is full of strong individuals, those who are unwilling to be restrained, so when those people return, there will naturally be someone who will take the lead, and he need not bother himself with it.
Moreover, there hasn't been a divine dynasty for a long time. The news of the appearance of the Daming Divine Dynasty is probably already circulating among the major powers in the Sky Wasteland. Therefore, some people will naturally react, and there is no need for the ancient Xue country to take the lead.
At the end of the day, the ancient Xue country is not weak among the first-rate powers, but it pales in comparison to the top power in the Sky Wasteland. Why bother with nonessentials?
As far as he is concerned, the most important thing at present is to achieve his goal as soon as possible, to get the ancient Xue country ready for its return. Compared to this, everything else is insignificant.
Hearing Xue Renfang's words, Pei Xuanjing has a mysterious smile at the corner of his mouth, however, it quickly faded. Then he puts on a contemplative expression and says, "I've realized that Cultivators are always competitive, showing little respect for rules and laws. A single disagreement would often lead to a big fight, causing death or injury, and tremendous destruction. Worse still, a fight between two people that didn't result in a clear victor sometimes led to harm to innocent people. Therefore, I have always had an idea in mind, which is how to solve this problem."
"Hmm?" At first, Xue Renfang was puzzled by Pei Xuanjing's words.
Whether in the Sky Wasteland or in the ancestral land, the belief in respecting the strong has been ingrained in people's hearts, and it's common for cultivators to determine right and wrong through duels after a disagreement.
Regarding the innocent people Pei Xuanjing mentioned, who are the low-powered martial artists and cultivators involved, it's also a common occurrence, and not many care about it. Given such a situation, even some righteous cultivators would at most choose to avoid fighting in crowded places, so as to prevent causing harm to the innocent.
Now Pei Xuanjing raises this issue, could it be that he wants to solve this problem?
Sure enough, in the next moment, Pei Xuanjing voiced out his idea.
"So, I think the way to eliminate these incidents is to restrain these cultivators? Only by reining in the lawlessness among these cultivators can we minimize the harm they cause."
Hearing Pei Xuanjing's words, the gentleness on Xue Renfang's face immediately disappeared, replaced with a solemn expression as he asked, "May I ask how you plan to do this?"
Pei Xuanjing gives a faint smile and says only a few words: "Contract!"