From a Zhengyi Taoist Child to a Master of All Laws

Chapter 599 The Tragedy of the True Monarch

Zhang Daoling's meaning was clear: Chi Yanhong's soul had not completely disappeared. After the great battle, it was pulled by the boundary gate and was very likely to be swept into the Realm of Ultimate Truth.

Li Yang forced himself to focus, his eyes straining as he looked at Zhang Daoling, whose face was grave: "Master Zhang, do you mean that Yan Hong still has a chance to be resurrected?"

"Of course!" Zhang Daoling said decisively, waving his sleeve.

"When Daoist Chi Yanhong was alive, her primordial spirit had already touched the realm of Yang God. Even if her soul was extracted to that world by the boundary gate, it would not completely perish. If it is reshaped within a certain period of time, it is just like taking a nap for her."

"Besides, there is at least one other magical artifact in this world that can save Daoist Chi Yanhong!"

"What kind of magical artifact?" Li Yang trembled, his face weak and pale, clutching Zhang Daoling's sleeve with all his might.

"Build a wooden tower!"

Zhang Daoling stood up and spoke slowly.

"I have wandered in the Realm of Ultimate Truth for thousands of years. I once heard of an incredible great cultivator who obtained the trunk of the ancient divine tree Jianmu and used it to forge a tower-shaped magical artifact. It could not kill enemies, but it had the great power to bring the dead back to life and reshape souls. Relying on this, this great cultivator has lived for countless years, and his physical body and soul have always been at their peak!"

"You killed Futu in the Xiong Zhanli Strait a year ago. The wooden sword in Futu's hand was a scrap of material used to forge that tower!"

Seeing the doubt in Li Yang's eyes, as if he didn't believe what he said, Zhang Daoling immediately waved his hand and pointed outside the Lao Jun Pavilion: "Besides me, is there anyone else who knows about this tower-shaped magic artifact!"

At Zhang Daoling's command, a young Taoist priest dressed in a blue robe walked in tremblingly. He didn't dare to look at Li Yang, who was still dispersing his internal energy, and bowed first.

His Daoist name is Tian Er. He was originally the crown prince of the human dynasty in the Ultimate True Realm and also the destiny master of the Ultimate True Realm. He was previously taken to Blue Star by Yan Jin, an earth immortal of the Ultimate True Realm, as a sacrifice to stimulate Blue Star's fortune to rise abnormally. He was rescued by China and has now been taken into Qingcheng Mountain by Qi Qianshu as a lay disciple.

"Tian Er, a lay disciple of Qingcheng Mountain, greets Celestial Master Zhang and True Lord Li!"

Tian Er raised his head and then began to narrate to himself.

“What Zhang Tianshi said is true. There is indeed such a celestial artifact in the Realm of Ultimate Truth, called the ‘Pagoda of Life’.”

"A year ago, the Buddha that Li Zhenjun defeated in the Xiong Zhanli Strait came from a very ancient and powerful religious lineage in the Jizhen Realm, the Xuanhuang Hall, which means 'Heaven and Earth are Xuanhuang.' Their Xuanhuang Hall ranks only after Heaven and Earth, and is the supreme being of all!"

"And this 'Life Tower' is in the hands of a celestial giant in the Xuanhuang Palace named 'Eastern King,' who is the master of the Floating Pagoda Immortal Lord whom Li Zhenjun killed."

After Tian Er finished speaking, a slight fluctuation appeared in Li Yang's cloudy pupils: "A Celestial Immortal Giant?"

"That's right, he's also called the Celestial King, which is the respectful title we use for the Celestial Immortal Ancestor."

"How many Immortal Kings are there in the Realm of Ultimate Truth?"

"Reporting to True Lord Li, before I was captured by Immortal Lord Yan Jin and brought to Blue Star, I knew that there were a total of nine Immortal Kings in the Realm of Ultimate Truth, and the Xuanhuang Palace alone had three of them!"

"And above the Celestial King?"

"Reporting to True Lord Li, those above the Immortal King are beyond comprehension and their names should not be revealed. My kingdom has no records of anyone above the Immortal King. However, it is certain that the Lord of the Xuanhuang Palace is definitely someone above the Immortal King!"

Tian Er spoke eloquently, and what he said left everyone in the hall dazzled and bewildered.

Immortal Lords are Earth Immortal cultivators, and Immortal Kings are equivalent to Heaven Immortal cultivators. So what is above Immortal Kings? If such beings were to descend upon Blue Star, wouldn't they be able to annihilate everyone present with just a glance?

"The Tower of Life, the Eastern King, the Celestial Immortal... Above the Celestial King..."

Li Yang murmured to himself, repeating the words unconsciously, also deeply moved by the world Tian Er had described.

At this moment, the cracks in his body no longer spewed out five-colored light, his dissipation was coming to an end, and he was about to die. The scene before him became blurry.

"Who cares about anything above the Immortal King? If Master were given a few more Jiazi, he would surely lead us into the Realm of Ultimate Truth, seize the 'Tower of Life,' fight against the Celestial Immortal giants, and slay those above the Immortal King."

Li Ling'er broke free of the immobilization spell with red eyes, her voice firm and resolute.

Li Yang smiled bitterly, but couldn't help but imagine the world that Tian Er had mentioned.

He had already resigned himself to death in despair, but Zhang Daoling and Tian Er's words seemed to open up a new world for Li Yang, a world about Chi Yanhong's vitality and the infinite possibilities of the Dao.

"Unfortunately, fate is not on my side..."

Li Yang looked at the system panel. Ever since he used the Soaring Technique to disperse his Dao, the system panel had been filled with gibberish, and all the values ​​were constantly dropping.

Like a final burst of energy before death, or a moment of enlightenment, or a moment of unwavering resolve, Li Yang, now fully enlightened, seemed to have returned to the time when he was Li Zhenjun, who alone possessed the five Earthly Immortals of the Ultimate True Realm.

"If I could create another sixty-year cycle, the sword in my hand would leave no regrets, and all things in the world, from the mysteries of heaven and earth, would be as I wish!"

Li Yang stood leaning on his sword, carrying the resentment of a true mortal, his sword aura soaring into the sky and lingering for a long time.

His gaze turned north, as if he could truly see Baiyun Mountain, the mountain that had risen alongside him and become a legend.

Zhang Daoling's palm was pressed against Li Yang's back, cold sweat streaming down his face, as he continued to channel spiritual energy into him. But after a moment, he lowered his hand, his face ashen.

As Wang Shuhuan and Zhao Ziyao walked up, their bodies trembling, the White Cloud True Lord, who had turned the tide with a single sword strike and protected the entire Blue Star, had already closed his eyes.

The setting sun outside Lao Jun Pavilion shone on Li Yang, on his battered body, and on the Nanming Sword in his hand.

Li Yang's life force was extinguished; he had stopped breathing.

This world still couldn't keep him.

"master!"

"Li Zhenjun!"

Cries, shouts, and murmurs mingled together, spreading from Lao Jun Pavilion outwards, from the summit of Qingcheng Mountain to its foot, and from the Blue Star to the rest of the world.

That night, the whole world was filled with a somber atmosphere, and the sound of weeping never ceased.

Perhaps because his cultivation was too profound, Li Yang's physical body did not turn into nothingness as he dispersed his Dao.

Wang Shuhuan and the others originally intended to bury Li Yang's mutilated body in Shangri-La, according to his last wishes, so that he could be buried with Chi Yanhong.

However, after carrying the coffin around Mount Kailash in the western desert for several days, they still could not find the entrance to the secret realm.

"Then let's invite Master back to Baiyun Mountain. That's where Master grew up and cultivated Taoism. He must really want to see it again."

At Wang Shuhuan's suggestion, the three, along with Zhang Daoling, secretly buried Li Yang's physical body, along with the Nanming Sword, on the summit of Baiyun Mountain. The back mountain peak, which Zhu Ling had moved, happened to be an ideal location. The world mourned.

The world held an unprecedented funeral for Li Yang's departure, but not a single disciple of Baiyun Mountain attended the funeral.

They still refused to believe that Li Yang was dead, thinking that he was just resting and meditating, and that one day he would reappear and lead them to rebuild Baiyun Mountain.

The funeral lasted for seven days and seven nights. Finally, Qi Qianshu, the leader of the Dao Alliance, and Zhang Daoling, the Celestial Master, personally carried Li Yang's clothes and buried him in Qingcheng Mountain.

The statue of Li Yang was made overnight and quickly carried to various Taoist temples in the following days, where it was worshipped.

On the seventh and final day of the funeral, Qi Qianshu personally read out the official document, formally confirming Li Yang's taboo name.

Master Baiyun Wanfa!

In official documents, Li Yang was formally conferred the title of Celestial Master of Taoism, ranking him alongside Zhang Daoling, Ge Xuan, Sa Shoujian, and Xu Xun as the Fifth Celestial Master.

"The lineage flowed to western Sichuan, its traces appearing on the toad's mouth."
He was instructed in the teachings of Yin and Yang, and possessed the Thunder Book of the Jade Palace. He obtained the secrets of cultivation from a thousand scrolls, and in an instant, he mastered the extraordinary art of breathing exercises.

Majestic and mighty, they vanquished the Blood Demon at Qingcheng and destroyed the Ghost King at Chuting.
Mysterious and profound, discerning spiritual mechanisms in the deepest caves and marshes, battling the great serpent with the celestial female.

Pivoting Yin and Yang, his extraordinary teachings are like thunder; the sword's light shines, soaring majestically across the starry sea.
……

The moon manifested in the Western Barbarian lands, and the Ruyi (a scepter symbolizing good fortune) saved them from calamity, bringing forth new life.
Great compassion and great vows, great holiness and great mercy.
"The profound and righteous teachings guide countless beings; the heavens universally bestow salvation, the White Cloud Master of Ten Thousand Laws!"

On that day, Wang Shuhuan, Li Ling'er, and Liu Ming stood far away on another hilltop, watching tens of thousands of Taoist priests chanting sacred proclamations at the funeral.
After that day, no one ever saw them again.

Apart from the occasional sighting of Liu Ming, with his gray hair, at the foot of Wudang Mountain, the three true disciples of Baiyun Mountain seem to have vanished without a trace, like three wisps of drifting smoke.

Gradually, the time intervals between Liu Ming's appearances at the entrance of Jingying Temple became longer and longer.

A year later, Mount Emei was finally redeveloped, and the construction team went through many hardships to open up a mountain road that could lead to the summit.

When the construction team reached the mountainside, they found a peach orchard laden with fruit, but the fruit was left to fall to the ground and become compost, unharvested. Only a group of wild monkeys were seen leaping among the trees.

The wooden house in the peach grove had been eroded and decayed by wind and rain, turning into a pile of rotten wood.

At Fujian Normal University, Chen Li, a teacher there, frequently sent messages to Zhao Ziyao, inquiring about someone's whereabouts, but only received vague replies.

Time flew by, and gradually Chen Li asked fewer questions.

It wasn't just Chen Li and Zhao Ziyao who were looking for Wang Shuhuan and the other two; the whole world was searching for them.

Zhu Ling sacrificed herself, Xiao Zhuoma disappeared, and Wang Shuhuan and the other two are the only known people who have received all of Li Yang's inheritance. Many people want to get the secrets about Li Zhenjun from them.

The Hua Kingdom and the Dao Alliance are also searching for three people, promising them the fifth-rank ordination and the highest official titles.

They also came to find Zhao Ziyao, hoping to learn the whereabouts of the three from her.

Annoyed by the questions, Zhao Ziyao simply announced her seclusion at Qingcheng Mountain and refused to receive any more visitors.

She knew that the three of them were affected by Li Yang's death and were busy fulfilling Li Yang's dying wish. They were probably in some blessed land in China, cultivating themselves in seclusion. How could they possibly have the energy to deal with such mundane matters?

If they couldn't find Li Yang's three true disciples, they would have to settle for other Baiyun disciples.

After Zhao Ziyao went into seclusion, the Baiyun disciples who had been scattered throughout China were found. Wherever the Baiyun disciples went, they were surrounded by crowds and were sought after by special bureaus and Taoist academies at all levels.

With the financial support of the Yang Group, Yang Xinwu and Yang Jiaqi bought the development rights to Baiyun Mountain and established a closure order, preventing ordinary people and cultivators with ulterior motives from entering or leaving Baiyun Mountain.

Disheartened, Song Ling and Li Mengyuan declined the invitation from Qingcheng Taoist Temple and became mountain guardians at the foot of Baiyun Mountain.

Tang Zhan, Courteney, Zhang Qingmiao, and other innate masters were invited to serve as deans of their respective academies, overseeing cultivation affairs in their respective provinces.

Cold seasons come and heat seasons go; time flies.
In the third year, the elusive Penglai Gate reappeared near the Arctic Ocean. Satellites detected unusual activity at the gate, suggesting an unimaginable major overhaul and an attempt to cross the boundary and invade Earth.

This caused great tension throughout the world. Led by Zhang Daoling and Qi Qianshu, a call was issued, and all the world's experts above the Innate Realm gathered in the Arctic Ocean to inscribe an array around the boundary gate, firmly closing the door and preventing the demons from another world from entering.

During this period, the three true disciples of Baiyun Mountain finally appeared. After three years, their cultivation levels had improved by leaps and bounds, and they assisted Zhang Daoling in inscribing formations on the ice floes of the Arctic Ocean.

"The ambitions of the Realm of Ultimate Truth to invade us have not died! If they invade again, how should we resist?"

"Last time it was nine Earth Immortals, what about this time? How many Heavenly Demons will there be this time? Will a giant above the Heavenly Immortals appear?"

"Where does the future lie for Earth? Are we destined to become blood slaves to another world?"

Online and in real life, the news is rampant, and the whole world is once again recalling the fear of what happened four years ago, plunging into chaos.

"If only Li Zhenjun were still here, he would surely have a way to resist the Heavenly Demons of the Ultimate Realm and save this world from disaster once again!"

Inevitably, many people around the world have brought up that name again.

In fact, Li Zhenjun is now known as Li Tianshi and has been formally enshrined in the shrines of various Taoist temples, but the world still habitually refers to him as Li Zhenjun.

In these three years, many experts have emerged on Earth, all of whom have become prominent and influential. There are even two newly promoted immortals. However, they are all gathered in the Arctic Ocean at this moment, and the world is also in a state of panic, with seven billion people unable to eat or sleep.

It seemed that all the masters in the world combined couldn't compare to the peace of mind that one person's sword could bring them.

Fortunately, thanks to the collaborative efforts of Zhang Daoling and a group of top experts, cultivators from various countries managed to suppress the disturbances of the sect in the Arctic Ocean and, at great cost, managed to free Penglai Island from its uncertain state and fix it in the Arctic Ocean.

This time, the army of the Ultimate Realm did not pour out from the portal.

But everyone knows this is only temporary.

The concentration of spiritual energy on Blue Star has increased again in the past three years, and many experts in the Dao of Cultivation have emerged. After suppressing the restless boundary gate, the countries agreed to regularly send nine experts in the Dao of Cultivation to Penglai Island to guard it, rotating every six months.

Five of them were sent by China.

Just as Zhang Daoling and Qi Qianshu were discussing the details of their garrison duties with various countries, Jiang Huan from Fangzhang Mountain in the Arctic Ocean suddenly launched an attack, targeting Wang Shuhuan, Li Ling'er, and Liu Ming, attempting to seize their supernatural powers and fundamental techniques.

In this battle, Jiang Huan was routed and easily defeated by the combined efforts of Wang Shuhuan and the other two. He fled the Arctic Ocean in a panic and almost lost his life.

Just as the outside world was in turmoil and chaos, a petrified lotus seed slowly sprouted a new bud on a secluded grave on a hidden cliff in Baiyun Mountain, Sichuan.

(End of this chapter)