Cursed Mountains and Seas

Chapter 416 Hibiscus Ascension Powder, Fellow Daoist, Please Wait (6200)

The phantom of a nine-headed lion intertwined and took shape in the sky above the island.

Even if it is just a projection without any power, no one can resist the might of a first-grade immortal.

Matteo Rich subconsciously stopped in his tracks, and Yan Donglou and Luang Phor Seng, who were fighting over the woman, also quickly separated.

The beautiful and troublesome Jade Fairy returned gracefully and stood at the forefront to welcome the arrival of the Nine-Headed Immortal Lord.

However, at some point, she was wearing a dazzling, transparent bright red wedding dress, a golden phoenix crown on her head, a golden necklace around her neck, and a light silk fan in her hand. She was stunningly beautiful and full of life.

Beneath the veil, a delicate face beamed with a radiant smile, like a stunning bride eagerly awaiting her husband's return.

The other three immortals in charge of the operation all stood behind Yu Xian'er, and no one dared to steal her thunder.

Even though Yu Xian'er's Daoist partner, the White Fox Scholar, was already used to it, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness upon seeing this scene.

Only when he felt a fluffy white fox tail wrap around his calf and gently rub against it did his face brighten again, and he forgave her without hesitation.

"That's right! It's not that Xian'er has any other intentions towards the Nine-Headed Immortal Lord. It's all because the Nine-Headed Immortal Lord likes this kind of thing. Xian'er was forced into it."

Xian'er had to flatter and fawn over the Nine-Headed Immortal Lord countless times, so I must make it up to her doubly.

I need to hurry up and accumulate primordial yang energy, and use a breath of pure yang energy to draw in more primordial yang qi.

"As long as I can help her ascend to the second-grade Ascension Immortal realm, I'd be willing to let my cultivation regress and even fall from my immortal status!"

He silently clutched a copy of "Journey to the West: The Tale of the Exorcist" in his sleeve, which he had inadvertently found on a person who came to the island to search for medicine.

Previously, the White Fox Scholar had only glanced at it briefly, but with his exceptional comprehension, he had already grasped some of the pill-making techniques of the "Nine Heavens Void School" (where the medicine resides in the void) and the "Self-Purification School" (where the medicine resides within oneself).

The former is valued for its refinement, while the latter is valued for its purity. If they can practice together, they will surely cultivate a mouthful of refined and pure innate Qi.

And incidentally, refine yourself into the best "medicine" in the world!
Seeing the innocent, puppy-like tenderness on the white fox scholar's face, Wang Cheng was speechless.

"This guy probably has never even heard of what a master's task is, right? Maybe you're just a link in someone else's chain of command."

Behind the four immortals, the subdued living ghosts and gods, including him, the "Tiger God," all lined up in a row, their faces bearing the same expression of reverence.

Apart from a few potential dragons who were corrupted, these people ultimately could not escape their fate.

Different immortals exerted different methods of control on them.

Poison Immortal used a self-contained poison, which may not be just an ordinary "poison".

The eyes of the group looking at the Poisonous Immortal were clearly filled with longing, and Wang Cheng could easily read their intense obsession:
"Immortal, just one more bite, please."

The "guest seated on the Blood Soul Banner" of the Rejuvenating Immortal is no ordinary person either. He has extracted a trace of their spiritual essence from their bodies, and their life or death is just a matter of a single thought.

Those captured by the White Fox Scholar all became as delicate as male foxes.

Outwardly, he appeared perfectly normal, but inwardly he seemed to have lost all vulgar desires, his eyes filled with a steadfast "heart of seeking the Way," making him a loyal disciple of the White Fox Scholar.

In comparison, Yu Xian'er's control over her beauty is the gentlest and most harmless, but also the most incurable.

Wang Cheng glanced at the entire team out of the corner of his eye.

It was discovered that Yamada Yoshisuke of Japan and a small number of his sword-drawing squad members were also here.

They all twitched their noses from time to time, looking at Poisonous Immortal with a fawning expression.

But his cousin, Yamada Mizuki, and the immortal elixir called "Honey-Soaked Man," which was carried by this female samurai, had both disappeared.

Wang Cheng recalled that Yamada Yoshiaki was in charge of covering their retreat, while the others split up and fled in two different directions.

He and Sister Fox followed the "Dragon Abyss Prophecy" eastward, while Yamada Mizuki took a scroll of "Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Edict for Seeking Medicine" and ran northward.

"I wonder if she was eaten by the sorcerer, or if she escaped using that treasure?"

Another figure he focused on was the high-ranking heroic spirit of the Ottoman Empire, the "Skinning General" Lara Pasha.

He had just been fighting a major battle with the Church of the Holy Cross in the Bharata Sea, and then completed a round of offensive and defensive battles with Theravada Buddhism in Borneo.

Even though he was bound by the Rejuvenation Fairy, he was still hostile towards Matteo Ricci, one of the Hidden Dragons, and Luang Phor Seng.

"This person was originally on our kill list, but a series of unexpected events occurred, and we were unable to meet him so that our master's wife, the Byzantine princess, could collect some interest."

However, it doesn't seem like a bad thing now.

The more factions within this group, the better; the more chaotic, the better. They fight amongst themselves like dogs, and they can celebrate with firecrackers no matter who dies.

I just don't know what those immortals are really up to. Are they going to start a massive brawl in the Far East, or are they going to make these people advance and retreat together?

I need to find a way to mess things up for them.

Wang Cheng lowered his eyes slightly, concealing the cold glint in them.

Then, a beam of divine light descended before everyone, transforming into a nine-headed immortal with a full head of golden hair, wearing a purple-gold octagonal robe, exuding majesty.

His first glance fell on Yu Xian'er, and he first praised her wedding dress with satisfaction, then gave her a look that said, "The usual place tonight, call your Daoist partner."

Then he turned to face a group of hidden dragons and living ghosts and gods.

Unlike ordinary gentlemen who speak like, "I'll only speak for five minutes, covering three main points, and then three sub-points."

Without even uttering a word, his eyes flashed with a mysterious light, and he infused each person with a massive amount of information through a mind-to-mind connection.

Wang Cheng also received one.

The preceding paragraphs all tout their own righteousness, portraying the Celestial Master and the other sages who destroyed mountains and temples as shameless, which seems to offer little substance.

The main point is briefly addressed later:
"The Three Officials are righteous but do not uphold martial ethics."
After accumulating power over two thousand years, the six great lords are about to be resurrected and return to the world.

Everyone will witness the great era of the return of immortality.
In particular, the selected hidden dragons each received a 'Heavenly Mandate Fruit Position' bestowed by the six Dao Lords, which is equivalent to gaining a portion of the Heavenly Dao's recognition.

You don't need to do anything else; just follow your desires and do whatever you want, and you will have a place in this new era.

At the same time, an indescribable figure emerged behind each of the hidden dragons, and the group of immortals bowed and made hand seals to their masters.

Wang Cheng was somewhat confused:
"Give in to your desires? Isn't this counterattack a bit too hasty?"

There was no outline whatsoever; it all depended on individual improvisation, which felt like throwing a few sticks out to stir up trouble.

There's a certain sentiment: 'Go ahead and stir things up! You'll cause chaos, deprive the nine border regions of supplies, and lead to defeat; you'll plunge the southeast into turmoil, causing the downfall of the Great Zhao Dynasty and dragging everyone down with you.'

If the goal is simply to hasten the arrival of chaos and suppress the effects of the "Twenty-Four Solar Terms," ​​this strategy might not be so bad. However, it feels like things aren't that simple.

The Nine-Headed Immortal didn't offer any further explanation and simply waved his hand.

The men under the command of the four hidden dragons were all returned to them.

The heavily damaged Tatar shaman, along with the Golden Wolf Guard and the Three-Life Vajra, stood behind Yan Donglou.

The Eastern and Western Frankish men stood behind Leon and Matio respectively, while the Theravada Buddhist monks were placed under the command of Luang Phor San.

"The six great immortal sects also have treasures to bestow upon you."

Nine-Headed Immortal gave Poisonous Enemy Immortal a wink.

The latter gave everyone a cold smile and took out a brown pill from his pocket—the immortal elixir, [Hibiscus Ascension Powder].

He then randomly grabbed an ordinary native soldier from the crowd.

He blew a breath toward the pill, and the prepared pill immediately ignited without fire, turning into a thick wisp of blue smoke that entered the native's nostril.

In just a few breaths, the soldier who hadn't slept all night and had been on the run for a long time became energetic and radiant.

Even his physical strength has improved significantly, with muscles bulging and blood surging, making him look like a wild beast.

"what!"

With his strength greatly increased, he could not control his destructive urges and smashed a small tree in half with a single shoulder bump.

The immediate effect made the Hidden Dragons extremely envious; if this elixir were used to train their elite troops, it would definitely be a rare and powerful weapon.

The question is, how many are there? And how many elite soldiers can they meet?

Poisonous Immortal didn't keep them in suspense any longer. He took out several handfuls of black seeds, each the size of a lead bullet, from his pocket and handed them to them.

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Our thirty-six kinds of immortal medicines do not necessarily require six days of aging energy to grow."

As long as you obtain these seeds and irrigate them with sufficient human blood, you can continuously cultivate them on a large scale, and have as many elite soldiers as you desire.

Like this.

With a flick of a finger.

Whoosh!
A seed instantly burrowed into the chest of the native soldier who had just been lively and energetic.

Amidst his piercing screams, a bewitching herb rapidly took root and sprouted from his chest, eventually blooming into seven or eight vibrant flowers, releasing a strange and intoxicating fragrance.

But the color of the petals was even more glaring than blood.

Wang Cheng finally understood what the Poisonous Immortal used to control the living ghosts and gods.

"The biggest danger of this thing is not just addiction to immortality. We must never let it flow into the Great Zhao, otherwise it will cause endless trouble if we are not careful."

If possible, the supply should be cut off at the source.

Although he, a righteous man who was sworn to never tolerate gambling and drugs, was anxious, he dared not make any rash moves while guarding a group of immortals, and could only think of a solution later.

Soon, most of the living ghosts and gods who had no affiliation had no choice but to choose a hidden dragon to serve in order to continue satisfying their craving for immortality after leaving the celestial realm.

Only a few people are still observing and wanting to maximize their profits.

The immortal didn't urge him, but silently watched from the sidelines.

Just as Wang Fugui, who firmly believed that he had eaten the "Nine Netherworld Fruit," could not escape their grasp, the general trend was set and no one could go against it.

Soon, the reorganized group of demons and monsters returned to normal human form and sailed their own ships back to the South Seas within the walls.

Only a group of immortals, who were not yet able to overcome the curse of the mountains and seas, watched them depart.

Yu Xian'er held the arm of the Nine-Headed Immortal Lord in her arms and asked in confusion:
“My lord, Yu Nu’er sees that the conflicts between these potential dragons are irreconcilable, and they will inevitably fight each other after they go out.”

And with external enemies all around, won't this really delay important matters?

Upon hearing this, the Nine-Headed Immortal burst into laughter:
"Who says that the Hidden Dragon has to be them? The extremely high-quality Dao Fruit will neither be destroyed nor created out of thin air. It will only transform from one form to another, or be transferred from one person to another."

During the transfer and transformation process, the total amount of Dao fruit remains unchanged.

Whoever obtains the immortal 'Destiny's Fruit Position' is the hidden dragon chosen by the six masters. If they are killed by someone else, the fruit position will naturally belong to the next victor.

Even if the hidden dragons attack and kill each other, it doesn't matter, as the fruit positions will naturally gather in the body of the same person.

It's like raising Gu worms, letting them devour each other's positions, eventually raising the strongest Gu king in the human world.

Whoever emerges as the final victor has long since been subtly transformed over the years into the new 'Emperor' who kowtows to them for six days!
Complete the person among Heaven, Earth, and Man!
Using this 'Emperor' as a bridge, the day when the underworld and the world of the living unite will be the day the six lords return.

Wang Cheng, who had transformed into the Tiger God, naturally accepted the power of this unlucky fellow and returned to a large ship with an indigenous style.

As he watched the four warships of the Hidden Dragons separate, his eyes flashed:

"I have already made a name for myself in the central government of the Frankish Empire, Britannia, and the Great Zhao Dynasty, holding the seals of office in all three countries and navigating the officialdom with ease."

Now I wouldn't mind listing a few more, or even becoming an original shareholder.

Activating the [Great Secret Demon Technique of the Heavens], one after another [Demon Heads] flew out.

On the ship of the Church of the Holy Cross, Matteo was still pondering the "Tiger God's" proposal, muttering to himself:
The root cause of the division of the Church of the Holy Cross into three religions lies in the question of the identity of the Son of God.

No new denomination would acknowledge that he had a younger brother. If I were to be the second son of God, I would have to establish a completely new denomination.

Suddenly I heard a sound:
"Fellow Daoist, please wait! In my humble opinion, how about calling this new sect the 'God Worshipping Society'?"

Upon hearing this, Matteo slapped his thigh and exclaimed in approval:
"Encompassing both East and West, what a wonderful name!"

Looking back, he saw that it was the "Tiger God" in disguise, whose eyes were full of admiration for him.

"So it was you? Tiger God!"

Although you are a native monster from Southeast Asia, you understand the true meaning of the Holy Cross Church better than many believers.

"Come and help me with the God Worshipping Society. From now on, in the new church, you'll be the second most important person after me. According to Eastern customs, you can choose any title you want."

Wang Cheng did not hesitate at all and immediately cupped his hands in greeting:
"It's what you wish for."

But in his heart he thought, if you are the second son of God, then perhaps the title given to me should be:
"Heavenly Father, Heavenly Brother, Heavenly King, conveying the true divine decree of Heavenly Father, Lord, and Holy God, the wind and thunder of Holy God, to comfort the Master, the Left Assistant, the Righteous Military Advisor, who supports the heavens and upholds the court, the Eastern King. What do you say?"

A sinister thought was swirling in his mind.

But he smoothly launched into his first question:
"Your Highness, if I may be so blunt, although you are the second son of God, you do not have your own base of support."

The Far East region is only so big, yet it harbors at least six potential dragons, making the competition extremely fierce.

"You also have Cardinal Archbishop Francis Xavier above you, which will likely restrict your actions and hinder your ability to fully utilize your talents."

Matteo, who could propose the "Mateo Rules," was naturally a China expert, and readily chimed in:

"What's the plan?"

Wang Cheng, however, was already confident and patted his chest, saying:
"I have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity here."

You should know that this happened six years ago in 1555 AD.

Philip II's father, Charles I, Holy Roman Emperor of the Habsburg dynasty, monarch of the Netherlands, and the first king of the Franco-Habsburg dynasty, signed the Treaty of Augsburg with the Protestant princes.

To resolve the religious conflict between the old and new religions, it established a key belief principle: 'Religion follows the state'.
The rulers of each state have the right to determine the religious beliefs of their subjects.

Unfortunately, this only temporarily maintained peace within the empire, turning it into a giant 'mosaic' composed of states of different religious beliefs.

However, it failed to resolve the fundamental contradictions, thus planting a landmine for the inevitable conflict to come in the future.

As time goes on, the conflict becomes more acute, and the power of this landmine will only increase.

This is a golden opportunity for Protestantism to flourish!

Matteo Rich's eyes gradually brightened.

In the past, he only wanted to be a shepherd of the one true God, but now his obsession has been amplified, and he wants to be the master of this sheepfold.

Just like the disciples of Mara who were "worms in the lion's body," wouldn't it be much better to eat ready-made mutton than to raise sheep from scratch?
The saying "If the east side is dark, the west side will be bright" perfectly illustrates this principle.

Wang Cheng's voice was like the whisper of a devil:

"So, as the second son of God, why do you still need to listen to the orders of that damned Pope?"
In the East, the divine son is equivalent to the emperor, and should simultaneously hold supreme religious and secular power.

Your God-Worshipping Society may lack allies in the religious sphere, but the vast majority of ordinary people in the secular world are your allies!

Just shout the slogan:

'They share the land to cultivate, the food to eat, the clothes to wear, and the money to use. No one picks up lost items on the road. Men and women walk separately. There is no inequality anywhere, and no one is without food and warmth.'

'Eat his mother's food, drink his mother's water, come to the city gate to welcome the divine son, the divine son comes and no more taxes are due!'

Once you conquer those vast territories on the western continent, they will all belong to you.

The situation in the Western Continent is what it is; anyone with insight can see it. It's just a matter of whether one makes a big profit or a small profit.

"Are kings and popes born with a special destiny? Why not give it a try?"

Wang Cheng immediately gave him a reverse cultural export, lighting up a brand new social technology tree and making up for the regret that there was no large-scale peasant uprising in the Western Continent.

Matteo, combining his knowledge, discovered that the Tiger God's predictions perfectly matched his understanding of the situation between the Catholic and New Churches, and were far more profound than he had imagined.

Sincere praise:

“Not bad, Tiger God, it’s very feasible. I have a feeling you’ve actually done this before.”

Wang Cheng waved his hand modestly:
"It's all just talent."

Living in Borneo, a vital transportation hub in Southeast Asia, I have witnessed the presence of various religions, including the Holy Cross, the Crescent Moon Church, Nong, primitive shamanism, Confucianism, and the Three Officials Righteous Dharma.

It's just a matter of integrating and applying the knowledge, and gaining some insights.

Matteo was also a man of action; once he made a decision, his body immediately split apart.

He sent an incarnation to Macau to take up a post, stabilize the church's upper echelons, and see if he could fish in troubled waters in China.

The main body then turned back to its homeland, preparing to make its mark in the turbulent Shinra!

At the same time, a voice came from behind Leon:
"Fellow Taoist, please stay."

He turned around and saw a young Taoist priest he didn't recognize.

But it's easy to guess that the other party must be one of those living ghosts and gods, just in disguise.

Wang Cheng bowed respectfully.
"I am Daoist Duobao. I wonder if Mr. Leon would be interested in making a deal?"

Even after Leon reverts to human form, his face still retains a somewhat mechanical stiffness.

"Although I don't know why those immortals chose me to be the Hidden Dragon, I have little interest in ruling the world. My dream has always been to climb to the pinnacle of alchemy."

Dao Guo can see everyone's obsessions and provide things to satisfy those desires; Wang Cheng can certainly do the same.

Completely unfazed by the other party's cold attitude, he chuckled lightly:

"This is precisely why I have come."

As we all know, it was the Taoists who first invented gunpowder, which led to the giant ships and cannons that traverse the seven seas today.

But what the world doesn't know is that we have another invention. Look!

He took out a copper kettle, filled it with water, snapped his fingers, and a bright yellow flame appeared in the air, beginning to boil water.

The water boiled very quickly, soon boiling violently and releasing invisible steam that pushed the kettle lid open and then fell back down, making a "crackling" sound.

This commonplace thing didn't initially attract Leon's attention.

I just felt inexplicably that boiling water in this setting might have a deeper meaning.

Until Wang Cheng handed him a drawing.

The latter's pupils dilated in shock upon seeing it.

"This is."

Leon is the inventor of the "Universal Legendary Shipbuilding Technique" and the "Red Elixir," and he even intends to give his first achievement to his disciple, who created the first new legendary warship and a third-rank heroic spirit.

The academic level of alchemy itself is undoubtedly top-notch.

He could immediately see the power contained within the "original version of the simple steam engine" and couldn't believe that this Daoist Duobao would give him such a treasure.

Wang Cheng smiled enigmatically:

"This steam engine is the key to igniting the flame of civilization. If it is developed to its limit, it will surely unleash a tremendous power that can change the world."

Meanwhile, in the Western countries, a new capitalist class was emerging, and they were eager to seize new means of production.

These two are a match made in heaven!
And you, my friend, will become the uncrowned king of an era.

Their eyes met; it was Xiahou Dun looking at Odin, and they instantly hit it off.

As a technician, Leon, disregarding any hidden meanings, excitedly exclaimed:

"I will start a steam company, let you contribute your technology as equity, and list you as a co-creator in my alchemy journal!"
When I reach the highest point, you will join me in leading an era!

Of course, if Leon knew that Wang Cheng had given him a set of original steam engine blueprints, handing him the vast universe of the steam age, he would be in a different situation.

Meanwhile, he was researching the "Thunder and Fire Cardinal" that would usher in the electrical age with Gongshu Chun, and it was hard to imagine what he was feeling.

"Hehe, next, let's go stir up trouble in the Western countries."

They poured their limited R&D funds, energy, and manpower into endless wrong paths.

Looking at the steam engine from today's perspective, it might seem to represent a bright future far surpassing that of legendary warships, and with the technological support of an immortal being, its future development is unimaginable.

But in a maximum of ten years, the once glorious steam technology tree will crumble, becoming obsolete and unwanted production capacity, to be replaced by our Thunderfire Industries!

(End of this chapter)