I am a soldier in the border army

Chapter 645 Seven Stars Extend Life! Immortals and gods should not have feelings!

Jizhou, Guangzong City.

When Zhang Xian, dressed in hempen robes and a long cloak, returned carrying the Dragon-Slaying Sword, he descended from the clouds above the altar.

The Yellow Heaven disciples and believers gathered in the city immediately let out a deafening shout.

"Great Master!"

"General Tiangong!"

"Great Master!"

The sounds of worry and anxiety suddenly threw the once solemn and quiet Guangzong City into a state of turmoil.

At this moment, everyone's hearts were in their throats, filled with worry.

One man, one sword, slaying the emperor and cutting down the dragon!

This is extremely rare.

Although the Great Yong Dynasty is now in decline, the Ji clan has ultimately enjoyed more than two thousand years of rule.

The power and terror of the Ji clan's emperors had long been deeply ingrained in people's minds.

Killing him would be incredibly difficult!

At that moment, the majestic and profound voice of the Great Teacher suddenly echoed from the void.

"quiet!"

The moment the words were spoken, the entire city of Guangzong fell silent.

"I am fine, disciples and believers need not worry."

Upon hearing this, the disciples and believers of Huangtian felt reassured and overjoyed.

"That's great! It's good that our great teacher is alright!"

"As long as it's okay!"

A thousand words, all gathered into a single thought, are simple and unpretentious to the extreme.

Zhang Xian, perched atop the altar, looked down at the disciples and believers below, their expressions revealing a complex mix of emotions.

Once upon a time, in order to fulfill his long-cherished wish, he had already achieved a state of complete detachment from worldly affairs.

Take the will of Heaven as your own.

Therefore, the flooding of seven states back then was, in his view, merely a necessary price to pay for achieving his goals.

But now it seems...

A barely perceptible hint of guilt flashed in Zhang Xian's eyes.

However, he quickly dismissed this distracting thought and continued in a calm voice.

"Today, thanks to the help of Heaven and the unity of all my disciples!"

"I have not failed your expectations..."

A majestic and powerful voice echoed throughout Guangzong City.

This caused everyone to instinctively hold their breath and look up at the towering altar that seemed to reach into the clouds.

In fact, by this point, most people had already realized what was going on, their eyes shining brightly as they struggled to contain their excitement.

Sure enough, the next moment, four words slowly descended from the void.

"The great undertaking is accomplished."

The great undertaking is accomplished?!
These four simple words, seemingly calm, actually resounded like a thunderclap in everyone's ears.

Done! ?
Slay the dragon and kill the emperor!

Did the Great Teacher truly achieve this?
Just as everyone was lost in thought, someone in the crowd suddenly raised their arm and roared.

"The sky is dead, Huang Tian must stand!"

"If you are at the age of sixty, the world will be blessed!"

May all people in the world be like dragons!

This roar suddenly rang out from the crowd, but it was like a spark that ignited the entire Guangzong City.

"The sky is dead, Huang Tian must stand!"

"If you are at the age of sixty, the world will be blessed!"

May all people in the world be like dragons!

The Qian hexagram: A group of dragons without a leader, auspicious.

The interpretation is: Everyone is like a dragon!
The great and virtuous teacher has now slain the red dragon, which is exactly what this divination signifies.

From this point on, Huang Tiandao will surely be able to realize his grand ambition of making everyone a dragon among all virtuous teachers!

Amidst the near-roaring screams, some people couldn't help but shed tears.

From the Jiazi year of the sixtieth year of the Taikang era to the current Yisi year, more than ten years have passed.

Over the years, countless disciples and believers of Huangtian have paid a heavy price for shouting out this great vow.

Along the way, many fellow disciples have abandoned their former tranquility and inaction, choosing instead to take up the decree of the Great Sage and Conquer all directions.

Ultimately, no remains were found.

How many believers have squandered their fortunes, or even destroyed their families, for this vague and illusory slogan?

But now it's all been worth it!
They really succeeded!
They truly succeeded in breaking through the oppressive sky that loomed overhead!
From this point onward, a glorious and prosperous era will surely begin!
At this moment, the entire city of Guangzong was in an uproar.

The fervent emotions seemed poised to ignite the entire world.

What they couldn't see was that on the high platform, Zhang Xian, the great teacher who had single-handedly ended an era, remained indifferent from beginning to end, seemingly without much joy.

With a wave of his hand, a decree was issued, ordering a three-day grand banquet in the entire Guangzong City to celebrate. Then, his attention turned to Zhang Ji and Zhang Zong.

"Come up."

Upon hearing their elder brother's summons, the two old Taoist priests, Zhang Ji and Zhang Zong, who had been unable to contain themselves any longer, appeared on the altar in a flash.

However, before they could even speak, the Great Sage Teacher, who was seen as the embodiment of Huang Tian and a living god by the Huang Tian disciples and believers below, suddenly coughed up a mouthful of scalding hot blood.

Upon seeing the pale, sallow face before them, and the hempen cloak gradually stained with blood, the two men's expressions changed drastically.

"Brother!"

"Brother! How are you?"

He waved to stop the two from getting closer to check, and a bitter smile appeared on Zhang Xian's sallow face.

"Alright, that's enough."

As he spoke, Zhang Xian sighed softly, a hint of emotion in his voice.

"The Ji clan's human emperor suppressed the mortal realm for over two thousand two hundred years; there was indeed a reason for it..."

Recalling the thrilling battle with Emperor Taikang, Zhang Xian looked helpless.

He was ultimately a bit too arrogant.

Ji Taikang had been a dragon prisoner for his entire life, yet the magnificent dragon might he unleashed at the last moment was truly terrifying.

If it weren't for the unexpected turn of events at the crucial moment when the opponent's dragon energy seemed to have malfunctioned, the outcome would have been uncertain.

Even so, he still paid an unbearable price...

"Hey--"

Zhang Xian sighed, then looked at Zhang Ji and Zhang Zong in front of him, and said without any concealment.

"I don't have much time left to live..."

“There are some things I need to tell you, so listen carefully.”

Upon hearing Zhang Xian's words, Zhang Ji and Zhang Zong were struck dumb, as if struck by lightning.

"How...how could this happen?"

Zhang Xian remained calm.

Ultimately, he was already prepared to die for his cause during this journey to the capital to kill the emperor and slay the dragon.

The outcome is simply a case of getting what one desires.

Seeing that the two men's eyes were gradually turning red, Zhang Xian chuckled.

"You're all getting on in years, don't act like a child, it only makes you a laughingstock."

"Brother..."

"Stop talking, my time is running out, listen to me..."

Zhang Xian waved his hand to forcefully stop them from continuing, and said directly.

"During this dragon-slaying ceremony, I seized the opportunity to extract a wisp of human destiny from the Ji clan. Originally..."

Originally, with this human fortune, he could have advanced his cultivation further, allowing the borrowed Golden Flower at the top to truly solidify and be put to his own use.

At that time, a true human path to enlightenment can be built.

Alternatively, one could transform Huangtiandao into the fourth holy land in the human world, ruling over this world from behind the scenes.

Unfortunately, he ultimately overestimated the magnanimity of certain old fogies, and in the end, all his efforts were in vain.

Zhang Xian sighed inwardly, but ultimately did not tell Zhang Ji and Zhang Zong about the cause and effect.

He simply said, "With this Dao's fortune present, the foundation of my Yellow Heaven Dao can be preserved, ensuring its continued existence..."

At this point, Zhang Xian, like Emperor Taikang, was radiating spiritual light, as if he had undergone a spiritual transformation.

Knowing that his time was limited, Zhang Xian immediately followed up.

"After my death, to avoid unrest, you should keep my death a secret, continue as usual, and do not reveal any clues."

"also……"

……

After meticulously explaining all the matters concerning his death, Zhang Xian looked at Zhang Ji and Zhang Zong, who were already weeping, and couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. Life is fleeting.

In the blink of an eye, hundreds of years have passed.

Over the centuries, the three brothers, who came from humble beginnings, were fortunate enough to receive some blessings from fate.

Cultivating the Tao together, seeking the Dao together...

They also attained enlightenment together.

They've walked together all the way, almost inseparable.

But now, it is I, as the elder brother, who must go first.

Reluctance is certainly a given.

But he has no regrets.

This is my own path.

What my heart desires, I will not regret even if I die nine times.

Call it madness or stupidity.

All of these are where the Daoist heart resides.

"Once everything is in place, you should go and meet the Duke of Yan. While you're at it, I'll hand this sword over to him..."

As he spoke, Zhang Xian waved his hand and summoned the somewhat dimmed Dragon Slayer Sword, handing it to the two of them.

Seeing the two people's grief mixed with a hint of confusion, Zhang Xian didn't explain much, only saying...

"That Lord Yan was someone I found for my disciples and followers as a way out..."

"Just hand this sword over to that Lord Yan, and he will take care of the rest."

As mentioned before, the fortune that was intercepted from the Ji clan could only preserve the foundation of the Yellow Heaven Path.

However, it could not protect the countless disciples and believers who are now scattered across eighteen states.

With this sword, and the secret letter he had sent earlier, that was enough.

Zhang Xian still had that much confidence.

Just after Zhang Xian handed the Dragon-Slaying Sword to Zhang Ji and Zhang Zong, the two suddenly spoke.

"Elder brother... are you going to abandon even your life's grand ambition?"

Zhang Xian was taken aback upon hearing this, then shook his head and smiled with a hint of relief.

"He will do better than his elder brother..."

In that debate, Zhang Xian ultimately lost.

That person's path is clearly more suitable for all living beings under heaven.

Seeing Zhang Ji and Zhang Zong's indignant expressions, Zhang Xian had no choice but to recount his entire debate with Han Shao. Unfortunately, he was no longer in a state where he could recreate the essence of their discussion.

But that's enough.

Seeing that the two had fallen silent, Zhang Xian said.

"After you have done all this, you should take the core disciples of the sect and go into seclusion."

"A glorious era is about to begin, and its momentum is irreversible; you cannot stop it."

Zhang Xian was very clear-headed.

Once he dies, Huang Tiandao will inevitably fall into chaos.

Based on his understanding of his two brothers, he knew that without him, they would not amount to anything in the chaotic world to come.

If forced to do so, even with their supreme cultivation at the ninth level of Taiyi, they would inevitably become ashes in this great calamity of human change.

In the end, he became a vanguard for the king, but his body was never recovered.

In that case, wouldn't it be wise to retire while one is still at the peak of one's career?

Upon hearing Zhang Xian's words, Zhang Ji remained relatively calm, while his third brother, Zhang Zong, was clearly somewhat unwilling.

Back then, the three brothers were the first to raise the Yellow Heaven Banner, shaking the more than two thousand years of the Great Yong Dynasty's rule.

His elder brother even sacrificed his own life to kill the tyrannical Emperor Taikang.

Such brilliant achievements, at such a huge cost, and now you just want to back down? What kind of nonsense is this?

But faced with Zhang Xian's stern and profound gaze, he ultimately couldn't utter a word of rebuttal.

He could only grit his teeth and sigh helplessly.

"Zong, I will listen to my elder brother."

Zhang Xian looked pleased upon hearing this.

He then looked at Zhang Ji, who was standing to the side.

To his surprise, his second brother, who had always followed his lead, suddenly looked up at him with an expression of obsession that he couldn't understand.

Before Zhang Xian could even speak, he interrupted.

"My elder brother will not die, nor will he die."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zong, who was standing to the side, was instantly energized and overjoyed.

"Second brother, is this really true?"

But Zhang Xian seemed to have thought of something, his expression changed, and he shouted sharply.

"Second brother, have you gone mad?"

At this moment, Zhang Ji, who was usually mild-mannered, suddenly raised his head and stared directly at Zhang Xian.

“Elder brother, the eldest brother is like a father. I have always listened to you, but this time I will disobey you.”

At this moment, Zhang Zong, who was standing to the side, also realized what was happening and stammered.

"Second brother, are you referring to... the Seven Star Life-Extending Technique?"

Heaven is divided into four directions.

The four directions—east, west, south, and north—belong to the four cardinal directions.

The Southern Dipper has six stars, and the Northern Dipper has seven stars.

The former is the primary factor in life.

The latter signifies death.

All beings are conceived by passing through the Southern Dipper and the Northern Dipper.

Therefore, the secret method can deceive heaven and earth, thereby achieving the goal of prolonging life.

But if it were really that simple, how could cultivators in this world be trapped by the constraints of heaven and earth, unable to live a long and carefree life?

One can imagine how high the price must be for such a forbidden method that defies fate!
Zhang Ji was willing to sacrifice the entire Huangtiandao sect in exchange for Zhang Xian's survival.

How could Zhang Xian agree?
But Zhang Ji's face remained indifferent at that moment.

"Huang Tiandao was built by my elder brother."

"All disciples and believers in the sect are bathed in the grace of our elder brother!"

"If my elder brother is gone, what meaning does Huang Tiandao have?"

Having said that, ignoring Zhang Xian's anger, he waved his hand and sealed off the space on the altar, then addressed Zhang Zong beside him.

"Third brother, please take good care of eldest brother."

"I will go and set up the formation using secret techniques."

Time is of the essence; my elder brother's life force is waning too quickly, and even if we use secret techniques to seal it, it won't last long.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zong's gaze lingered between his two elder brothers for a moment before finally hardening.

"Eldest brother, I'll take care of things; second brother, hurry on your way!"

Seeing that his two brothers were willing to defy him and abandon all his previous plans in order to prolong his life, Zhang Xian was both angry and annoyed.

At this moment, he was completely powerless to resist, except to let the two of them do as they pleased.

"It's truly a matter of timing and fate!"

At this moment, Zhang Xian, who suddenly understood some of the secrets of heaven, sighed deeply.

Man's plans are ultimately no match for God's!
And what Heaven wants is to completely annihilate Huang Tiandao!

At this very moment, Zhang Xian, the old Taoist who had spent his entire life trying to defy the heavens, felt a plea for the first time to the heavens above him.

He begged that the 'Heavenly Evolution Forty-Nine' could leave him, Huang Tiandao, a final glimmer of hope!
……

Youzhou, Zhenliao City.

Having just settled Ji Zhao and her son down, Han Shao hid his guilty resentment towards Gongsun Xinyi and Jiang Wan, and turned to look in the direction of Ji Province.

After a moment, he let out a soft sigh.

"Why bother with all this?"

He had already recorded their achievements in his book, which was a way of acknowledging their contributions.

But now it seems that I gave my affirmation too early.

This also made Han Shao more determined about a certain idea in his heart.

That is--

Gods and immortals should not have feelings!
Otherwise, for all living beings, the slightest carelessness could lead to a disaster.

When Han Shao read the story of Yang Jian and Liu Chenxiang, the uncle and nephew, he always felt that the Heavenly Rules and Regulations were too inexplicable.

But now he feels that he might be following in the footsteps of the Jade Emperor in the future.

Questioning the Jade Emperor, understanding the Jade Emperor, and finally becoming the Jade Emperor...

……

(End of this chapter)