Immortal Dao is dead, I am the mastermind behind it all.

"This kind of 'infection' doesn't usually do any harm; on the contrary, it makes your cultivation smoother and gives you a sense that the Great Dao is within reach."

"But when you reach the peak of the Purple Mansion and touch the threshold of Returning to the Source, you will vaguely feel that the Great Dao is vast and endless."

"This feeling will be even more pronounced when you reach the Guizang Realm! It's like... knowing that the path is right under your feet, but the goal it gives you is the sun in the sky, which is both visible and unattainable."

"This is the drawback of the Preaching Monument Technique: it paints a beautiful picture, but it's unrealistic. Want to break through? Trying to comprehend it on your own is as difficult as ascending to heaven!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Moyan felt a chill run down his spine and straight to the top of his head.

The so-called Way of Immortality—no wonder it's called the Way of Immortality!

Someone was already waiting on the mountain, and that person was the one who set up the Origin Preaching Monument!

"Do you think those old foxes in the Holy Court don't know this?"

"They knew all too well! So they simply put it out in the open and established the Bureau of the Heavens."

"You're looking for opportunities in lower planes, aren't you? Fine! I'll give you the channels, I'll give you support, and I'll even give you legal status!"

"But the condition is—"

Linglong Zhenren's voice mimicked an official tone: "When holy cultivators descend to the mortal realm, they should proclaim the might of the Holy Court and bring the uncivilized lands under the control of the mountains and seas!"

"To put it bluntly, it's about conquest and invasion!" Linglong Zhenren sneered.

"Go and plunder the Daoist essence, and while you're at it, conquer that plane and plant the Holy Court's flag!"

"In this way, you gained real benefits, broke through the bottleneck, and the Holy Court gained territory, expanded its sphere of influence, and absorbed new plane origins and fortune."

"Even the unique Daoist principles and rules of that conquered plane will be gradually assimilated and eventually incorporated into the 'database' of the Preaching Stele, supplementing those unfeasible theoretical techniques..."

"Tsk tsk, killing two birds with one stone, it's a perfect cycle!"

In this way, batches of cultivators who felt they had reached a bottleneck rushed to countless subordinate planes for the sake of their own cultivation, becoming the vanguard of the Holy Court's expansion.

The Holy Court's territory grew larger and larger like a snowball, and its power naturally increased as well.

As the Dao Source of the Preaching Stele absorbed nourishment from countless planes, it became increasingly authoritative, and its ability to 'infect' subsequent cultivators grew stronger and stronger...

The ethereal cultivation methods on the preaching stele, as the Daoist essence accumulated, became less fantastical and gradually transformed into feasible Daoist practices!

"The Holy Court is growing, the cultivators are growing, the Preaching Monument is growing, even the mountains and seas are growing!"

"The one who created the Origin Preaching Monument was truly a genius! Fellow Daoist Shen, don't you think so!" Linglong Zhenren laughed, a smile that Shen Moyan found somewhat eerie.

Shen Moyan remained silent for a long time, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

This is not a simple system of spiritual practice.

This is a massive machine of aggression that uses the path to enlightenment as bait and all living beings as pawns!

The Preaching Monument is the core engine of this machine, and also its ultimate shackle.

The Holy Court is the control center, and countless cultivators at the Purple Mansion and Returning to the Source levels who yearn to break through are the endless fuel and expanding tentacles of this machine!

This massive machine of aggression has reached out its hand to the boundless world.

They relentlessly devour and consume other dimensions!

"...Demon ways are rampant...the path of immortality is dead..."

"Is cultivation dead?"

Shen Moyan muttered to himself.

It seems that the doubts hidden in my heart have been answered.

Why did the Xuanhuang Emperor leave the Great World of Mountains and Seas?

That's because after millions of years, the Holy Court and the Origin Preaching Monument have grown to a certain size.

Without His protection, the entire Mountain and Sea Great World would continue to grow wildly, drawing sustenance from other worlds!

That's terrifying.

"The mountain and sea are sealed with a monument, a farewell that will not return..."

"A resignation of not returning..."

That poem seems to be saying that after the monument was sealed, the entire Shan Hai realm could not turn back.

Following this line of thought, we looked towards the Four Imperial Immortals high above the clouds.

What Shen Moyan saw was no longer the radiant light that illuminated the world, but the security system that maintained a sophisticated invasion machine!

【Three Lives Forgetful River Immortal Lord】is a human resources and experience recycling system.

On the surface, he is in charge of reincarnation and has established the underworld, allowing cultivators to be reborn with their memories intact, reducing the risk of premature death on their path to enlightenment, and giving all beings one chance after another, seemingly showing boundless compassion.

Essentially, it's about reducing cultivation costs.

If an experienced Purple Mansion cultivator is reincarnated, it is much faster and cheaper than cultivating a Qi Gathering cultivator from scratch.

This is the ultimate utilization of talent, which greatly shortens the production cycle of high-end combat power.

Furthermore, the interests of monks who have enjoyed the benefits of reincarnation are more deeply tied to the Holy Court, and they are more inclined to maintain the existing order, because they are the biggest beneficiaries of this system.

Resistance means potentially losing the right to be reborn.

Furthermore, this action also dispelled the ultimate fear of death.

He made the cultivators realize that death was no longer the end, strengthening their resolve to perish together with the fallen in other planes.

Those immortal lineages that have been reborn and have infiltrated the Holy Court may also experience a reversal in their thinking, leading them to abandon their infiltration and instead join the Holy Court, which offers greater benefits.

The [Wanbao Fuyuan Immortal Lord] is the economic and logistical support system of this machine.

On the surface, Wanbao.com was established to regulate transactions, ensure circulation, and make resource allocation more efficient, seemingly benefiting all people.

In essence, they control the economic lifeline, dominate the core trading platform and pricing power, and choke the throat of all cultivators' practice.

Spirit stones, merit points, blessing points... these are all rewards that motivate cultivators to serve the Holy Court.

A clear value system and trading platform greatly stimulated cultivators to acquire resources, and the entire cultivation world became like a huge "market" that created value for the Holy Court.

The newly enlightened [Nine Songs Immortal Lord of Literature] is an ideology and knowledge management system.

On the surface, it created Jiuge.com, using literature to convey the Way, educate the masses, eliminate pedantry, popularize knowledge, and enlighten the people.

In essence, however, it is about unifying ideas!

All monks should be taught the same knowledge system and values ​​from a young age, such as loyalty to the Holy Court, recognition of the Preaching Stele, and recognition of the Way.

This is the foundation for maintaining the cohesion of the vast Holy Court.

How can one cultivate if one cannot understand the techniques?

Having practiced the Holy Court's techniques, it's naturally easier to identify with the Holy Court.

Furthermore, 9ge.com is the official mouthpiece, and it defines what is "the right path," what is "heretical," what is "worthy of praise," and what is "worthy of criticism."

It can also effectively guide public opinion, smear opponents, and glorify conquest.

By using online comments and task completion information on the Jiuge website, one can create Jiuxuan official positions, which can also efficiently screen talent and identify dissidents.

"What a magnificent Holy Court! What magnificent Four Emperors!"

Shen Moyan muttered to himself, feeling a bone-chilling cold.

Of the four emperors, he was only unfamiliar with the [Two Elements Yin Yang Immortal Lord].

Needless to say, Shen Moyan had figured out the rules of the game in the Mountain and Sea Sacred Court.

The concepts of Yin and Yang, presumably, are also for maintaining the balance of heaven and earth and keeping the internal workings of this invading machine called the Mountain and Sea Sacred Court.

"Zhendao, what a fine Zhendao..."

From the moment they unknowingly accepted the teachings from the Preaching Stele, all cultivators were already cogs in this machine.

Those with talent may become more precise gears, while those with strong abilities may become drills that open up new frontiers.

But in essence, they are all contributing their efforts to the operation and growth of this machine.

The so-called cultivation for immortality and the pursuit of the Great Dao seem more like a meticulously designed incentive mechanism in the face of this machine.

"Then the Holy Court's attitude towards the [Star River Enlightenment Fate Master] is also clearly explained."

Shen Moyan's eyes were serious.

The Star River Enlightenment Master drew his sword for the sake of all living beings, which contrasted with the Holy Court's invasions everywhere.

It is an almost irreconcilable contradiction.