From a Zhengyi Taoist Child to a Master of All Laws

Chapter 619 Sky, Palace, Abode

After leaving Lanling Village, Li Yang gained a clearer understanding of the territory and strength of the Great Li Dynasty.

This 'Da Li' truly lives up to the word 'Da'!

According to Li Yang's estimate, the entire territory of the Great Li Dynasty is about 32 million square kilometers, which is three times the size of the Blue Star China, and roughly half the area of ​​Blue Star.

Such dynasties were countless in the Realm of Ultimate Truth, scattered like stars across the sky. In Prince Moro's memory, the Great Li Dynasty's overall national strength was only considered average among the surrounding countries.

"Legend has it that in the most distant ancient times, there were only three ancient dynasties in the entire world: Qiong, Que, and Su!"
In those days, everyone could cultivate, and immortals and mortals coexisted. Even the highest-ranking immortals, Buddhas, gods, and demons were still bound by the laws of the dynasty. Wherever the ancient emperor's edicts reached, no matter how powerful or extraordinary your cultivation, you would be beheaded and executed!

After leaving the mountains, Yunlu was replaced by a warhorse. Bai Yingluo sat on the horse's back, her tone ethereal, full of longing for the ancient times.

To keep a low profile and conceal his identity, Li Yang could not possibly enter the capital as Crown Prince Moro. He could only change into the armor of the Chongxuan Army and follow behind Bai Yingluo, pretending to be an elite member of the Chongxuan Army.

Having ridden his way through the various regions of the Great Li Dynasty and witnessed their customs and traditions, Li Yang could only describe it with one word:

Hell on earth.

This is a very distorted and morbid world. On Earth, whether in China or any other country, no matter what dirty tricks those in power have up their sleeves to pursue personal gain, they always have to hide it. They fear public outcry, the oppression from those in power, and the possibility of being overthrown by a rebellion from below.
But this world is different. The true rulers of this world are cultivators, who possess overwhelming power compared to mortals. This leads them to be unrestrained and completely expose their desires. Rather than cultivators, they are more like beasts with absolute power.

Li Yang rode across the territory of Dali on horseback. What he saw and heard was that, not to mention the nine major sects, even some small sects could run rampant in counties and prefectures, refining furnaces and using living people to refine soul banners and magical artifacts, raping and plundering. The authorities had no power to restrain them at all.

Or rather, the consequence of trying to restrain them would be the destruction of the entire government office.

Along the way, Li Yang witnessed rogue cultivators directly entering the prefectural governor's mansion, demanding that the government provide boys and girls every month; an entire mortal village of thousands was brutally slaughtered overnight, just to collect the wronged souls to refine magical artifacts; and a bride was kidnapped in full view of everyone on her wedding night and turned into a furnace for alchemy...

Li Yang initially retaliated in anger, even eradicating the lineages of several sects.
But later on, Li Yang became numb.

He cannot change the world, nor did he come here to change the world.

Realizing this, Li Yang shut down his five senses. He confined himself to darkness, spending his days riding his warhorse, silently circulating his internal energy to cultivate his inner energy.

The Chongxuan Army's exclusive warhorses were incredibly fast, capable of traveling hundreds of miles a day, but they were still no match for flying on a sword. It took Li Yang a full month to barely catch a glimpse of the outline of the capital city of Dali.

The entire capital city was incredibly grand and majestic, with its ancient city walls, throngs of people, and vast area, all radiating a dazzling glow under the sunlight.

The capital city is called 'Jianruo'. Legend has it that the Dali Dynasty was founded on the virtue of fire, and the name of the capital city was taken from two ancient divine trees, meaning that wood can produce fire.

"My Great Li Dynasty is nominally a vassal state of Purgatory Valley. Ordinary cultivators, even if they run wild and commit evil deeds, would not dare to come to the capital 'Jianruo'! It would be considered a provocation!"

Only at this moment did Bai Yingluo, the eldest princess of the Dali Dynasty, feel a trace of pride for her country.

"Brother Wang, welcome home!!"

Bai Yingluo looked at Li Yang and smiled.

The emperor of the Dali Dynasty had already been waiting outside the city with his officials for the return of his daughter, Bai Yingluo. His eyes quickly locked onto the masked figure of Li Yang in the crowd, his eyes reddening but he dared not recognize him.

The emperor, who was the most powerful man in the land, dared not reveal any clues. He was trembling with fear as he passed by Li Yang several times, his movements hesitant but never daring to stop.

This was Li Yang's first encounter with a legendary emperor, a figure long since lost to the dust of history in the Blue Star Kingdom.

However, Li Yang was somewhat disappointed with the emperor in front of him, who was also his father in name only.

Beside the King of Dali was a fat Taoist priest, also riding in a jade carriage, with the Grand Master of the Imperial Stud driving an elephant, and eight rows of dancers on either side, seemingly on par with the emperors of the Dali Dynasty.

"Princess Bai Yingluo greets the Emperor and the Imperial Advisor!"

Bai Yingluo dismounted and greeted her father. Her expression was stiff. She then quickly greeted the obese Taoist priest who was still in the carriage and bowed respectfully.

“Every time you go out, your aura of bloodlust intensifies. Yingluo, as a princess of a nation, your murderous intent is too strong. Sooner or later, it will hinder the fate of the country. It would be better for you to marry into a powerful family as soon as possible!”

A leisurely voice came from the carriage. Bai Yingluo, pale-faced, gritted her teeth and bowed deeply once more.
"The Imperial Advisor's words are correct."

The fat Taoist priest on the carriage spoke again, his voice hoarse and unpleasant, as if he had phlegm stuck in his throat: "I have taken in a new disciple today. He has good aptitude and talent, and he once told me that he intended to take you into his household."

Bai Yingluo immediately bowed solemnly: "Yingluo is a mortal and impure person, and dares not presume to form a marriage alliance with the immortals, lest she defile their pure and spiritual energy."

Inside the carriage, the fat Taoist priest pondered for a moment, then nodded: "...What you say makes sense, so let's put this matter aside for now."

In front of so many people, watching his daughter being verbally humiliated by the Taoist priest, the King of Dali looked extremely embarrassed. Standing outside the carriage, he simply pretended to be deaf and heard nothing.

A subject who has disgraced his lord must die. Some soldiers in the Chongxuan army behind him were indignant and wanted to draw their swords, but Bai Yingluo stopped them with a look.

Fortunately, the fat Taoist priest in the carriage did not intend to humiliate him further. He waved his hand, and the Grand Steward whipped the giant elephant, drove the carriage back to the capital.

Only then did the atmosphere at the welcoming ceremony suddenly relax.
Bai Yingluo raised her head, her expression gradually shifting from gentle fear to ashen.

"Yingluo, don't worry about me. National Preceptor Zhang Hengming is just frank in his cultivation and straightforward in his nature."

The King of Dali walked over, gently patted his daughter's shoulder, a hint of sorrow and helplessness flashing in his eyes.
The father and daughter remained silent for a long time before the grand and magnificent Dali ceremonial guard finally entered Jianruo City.

"Who is that Taoist priest?"

Finally moving to Bai Yingluo's side again, Li Yang, clad in heavy black iron armor, asked softly.

"His name is Zhang Hengming, a rare rogue cultivator in the Extreme True Realm..."

Bai Yingluo hesitated for a moment, then sighed heavily, patted her warhorse's mane, and rode into the city.

Li Yang looked up and gazed through the gaps in the armor at the magnificent imperial city bathed in sunlight, and inexplicably felt less fascinated by the life of the crown prince.
-
Upon entering Jianruo's capital, Li Yang was quickly isolated. After removing his heavy armor, he was taken to an extremely secluded courtyard.

And this stay lasted a whole week. "Is this the legendary imprisonment? Being banished to the cold palace?"

Li Yang thought to himself with a wicked sense of humor, but he wasn't flustered.

He knew that there were several people in the capital who were eager to see him, and he just needed to wait patiently.

The reason the other party hadn't come to see him yet wasn't because of suspicion or fear; he was simply afraid.

After all, it was the capital of a country, and its living conditions were many times better than those in Lanling Village. Although the courtyard was secluded, every day extremely beautiful and pretty young girls would come to the courtyard to do his laundry, cook for him, serve him tea and water, and even bathe and change him, offering themselves as his bedmates...

Li Yang had to admit that, to some extent, he was living the decadent and vulgar life that the young Taoist priest on Baiyun Mountain had dreamed of back then.

Unfortunately, Li Yang was no longer the young Taoist acolyte he once was.

Whenever those beautiful young women offered themselves to Li Yang to undress him, they would become disoriented, and when they opened their eyes, they would find themselves lying fully clothed in the open courtyard.
Looking up, she saw Li Yang dressed in white, grinding ink and drawing talismans in the courtyard, his expression detached and otherworldly. Ashamed, she covered her face and fled.

"Indeed, I have become a noble person, a person who has transcended vulgar interests."

Li Yang watched the girls flee, covering their faces, and sighed inwardly.

"I, Li Yang, am of unyielding integrity, self-reliant and strong. I have never accepted handouts. Even a thousand beautiful women cannot corrupt my heart! How can I, the True Lord, be corrupted by such external things?!"

As his resolve hardened, the light in Li Yang's eyes deepened, his brush moved with incredible speed and fluidity, and his primordial spirit within his sea of ​​consciousness became even more radiant.

Seeing that the girl was failing, starting from the eighth day, every morning someone would deliver a large quantity of pills, spirit stones, and rare medicinal herbs.

This time... Li Yang accepted it all.
However, this state did not last long. One morning, the wooden gate of the courtyard was knocked on again. When Li Yang happily pushed the door open, instead of a wooden box full of spirit stones and pills, there was a stunningly beautiful woman in a purple dress, adorned with flowers and jade.

Looking around but unable to see the wooden box full of spirit stones behind the woman, Li Yang's expression darkened, and he was about to close the door.

"Brother Wang, what are you doing?! It's me!"

Upon closer inspection, Li Yang was astonished to discover that the woman adorned with jewelry and exuding an air of wealth was none other than Bai Yingluo, whom he hadn't seen for several days.

Now, having changed from military uniform to a brocade robe, even the heroic spirit between his brows softened by three points.
Seeing that Li Yang was staring at her, Bai Yingluo looked a little embarrassed, her hands clutching the ill-fitting hem of her skirt.

"That's why I told you, Brother Wang, that I don't want to come back at all."

Bai Yingluo sighed, her face full of resentment and helplessness. Outside, she could be obsessed with killing immortals, and she could lead the Chongxuan Army to conquer cities and territories like a female war goddess.
But here, she can only ever be Princess Bai Yingluo, and must always be impeccable in her manners and poise.
The female general hiding in the shadows could angrily draw her sword at the gods in the sky, but the eldest princess in the capital must always maintain respect for the gods.

"Let's go, Father Emperor wants to see you to discuss important matters."

With a desolate expression, Bai Yingluo held the hem of her skirt and pointed out the direction to Li Yang.

"Thank you, Sister Wang."

Li Yang bowed and, led by Bai Yingluo, stepped out of the courtyard for the first time during his ten days in Jianruo Capital.

"By the way, who exactly is this Zhang Hengming? Before I was captured and brought to the ancestral star, I had never heard of the Great Li Dynasty having a position of Protector of the Nation?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Yingluo's helplessness deepened, and she clenched her fists even tighter.

"This matter, in fact, is also closely related to you, my brother..."

"With me?" Li Yang asked, puzzled.

"That day, the old monster Yan Jin from Purgatory Valley snatched you away from the capital palace without a word, and the entire Great Li Dynasty, especially the Great Li royal family, was in a state of fear."

"Under the overwhelming fear, they realized one thing: only a god can defeat a god! But as royalty, they absolutely could not touch any cultivation techniques, so they had no choice but to go outside and find a god to bring back!"

"And this Zhang Huanming came uninvited."

"In the first few years, Zhang Huanming did protect the safety of the capital and the people in all directions, preventing them from being bullied by minor cultivators. However, Zhang Huanming's appetite grew larger and larger, and the fees he charged for each job became increasingly exorbitant. Even the monthly cost of guarding the capital became more and more terrifying. Now, it's almost as if the entire Great Li Dynasty is supporting this guy with the resources of the whole country..."

"However, his cultivation level is indeed quite good."

Li Yang nodded, acknowledging Zhang Huanming's cultivation level.
"Hehe, Brother Wang, please don't joke. How can a mere Earth Immortal Lord be summarized with just the word 'not bad'?"

Bai Yingluo looked at Li Yang strangely. Li Yang had once said that his cultivation level was only that of a Human Immortal.
In Bai Yingluo's eyes, although there is only a one-word difference between a human immortal and an earth immortal, the latter can kill the former with the ease of crushing an ant by simply moving a finger.
"Let's go, the palace is just ahead. Your identity is special and cannot be exposed, so for now, disguise yourself as my attendant and do not give yourself away!"

Bai Yingluo gave him countless instructions, but when she turned around, Li Yang had already disappeared.

Turning his head, he clearly saw that Li Yang had stopped a hundred meters behind him at some point, looking at the palace that resembled a fiery cloud with a solemn expression.

"Brother Wang, what's wrong?"

Bai Yingluo turned around and walked over, asking in confusion.
"Sister Wang, has our Bai family of Dali really never produced a cultivator?"

"That's for sure! Even if there are any, they're like your sister Wang, who could only cripple her cultivation even after reaching the Innate Realm... But I have heard that in ancient times, when my Bai family was still insignificant, we served as immortal generals under Zhu Rong!"

"They're just legends; nobody's ever taken them seriously."

"? Brother Wang, why are you suddenly asking about this?"

Li Yang composed himself and smiled slightly: "It's nothing, just a sudden whim."

Even so, Li Yang's eyes continued to observe the palace of the Great Li Dynasty, but his mind was restless and he could not calm down for a long time!

At that moment, he clearly sensed that the three divine thunderbolts residing in his dantian suddenly became restless, their green, yellow, and white colors merging together and almost transforming into a thunder dragon, roaring towards the direction of the imperial palace.

Moreover, the [Ultimate Path Treasure Mirror] also started operating on its own, especially the Jade Toad Devouring Qi Method, whose energy was particularly turbulent and exciting!
(End of this chapter)