Taoist Myth: I am the last true immortal in the world

Chapter 863 Another Era

With Zhao Kuangyin's swift and decisive victory over He Yanxi, he demonstrated his personal bravery and immediately gained great prestige within the army.

Seeing Zhao Kuangyin's bravery, the garrison commander of Wokou City naturally dared not send anyone to fight him. In addition, the city had very few soldiers and was no match for the large army led by Chai Rong.

Therefore, after He Yanxi was killed in battle, Wokou City immediately closed its gates and held out for a while, hoping to buy some time for reinforcements to come to its rescue.

Unfortunately, neither Chai Rong, Li Chongjin, Zhao Hongyin, nor the other generals of the Later Zhou Dynasty, nor the many generals of the Southern Tang Dynasty in Wokou City, realized just how powerful the "extraordinary team" that Zhao Kuangyin brought this time truly was.

Around midnight, the sky around Wokou City darkened.

Thunderclouds surged, strong winds blew, and torrential rain poured down.

This made it impossible for the garrison of the entire Wokou City to use any lighting tools.

This situation lasted for a long time.

Around dawn, when the soldiers guarding Wokou City were exhausted, they faintly heard what sounded like shouts of battle amidst the torrential rain.

At the time, the soldiers guarding the city thought they had misheard, since the torrential rain was not conducive to marching and fighting.

By the time they realized what was happening, countless Later Zhou soldiers dressed in straw raincoats had already arrived at the city gate. Some climbed directly using ladders, while others drove battering rams, using the giant wooden stakes on them to smash the city gate.

Normally, the soldiers guarding the city would be able to detect the enemy's movements very early and then organize their troops to put up a fierce resistance, such as using oil or similar substances to burn and block the attack.

The torrential rain tonight was so heavy that the soldiers guarding the city not only failed to detect the enemy's movements in time, but also did not have time to move the oil.

Moreover, in such terrible weather, kerosene is basically useless.

Thus, the battle situation became one-sided.

The Later Zhou soldiers quickly scaled the city walls and slaughtered the panicked defenders.

In addition, with each impact of the battering ram, the city gate collapsed with a deafening roar.

As the city gate collapsed, Zhao Kuangyin led a large group of cavalrymen into the city, each one like a god of war, hacking and slashing at the soldiers who had rushed to defend the city.

In an instant, the sounds of battle filled the city of Wokou, and blood, mixed with the rain, spread, staining the ground of the entire city red.

Around dawn, the battle for the city ended.

The battle ultimately ended with Zhao Kuangyin's 5,000 troops achieving a great victory.

In this battle, Zhao Kuangyin killed more than 10,000 enemy soldiers and successfully cleared obstacles for Chai Rong's personal expedition, enabling the army to occupy a very important stronghold.

Next, they will face an army of 150,000 men led by Huangfu Hui, the military governor of Fenghua, and Yao Feng, the military commissioner of Changzhou. A fierce battle awaits them.

……

On the other side, Mount Qingcheng.

After finding some helpers for Zhao Kuangyin, Chen Yun returned to the mountains and lived a carefree life as if nothing had happened.

During this period, he continuously refined his True Qi and cultivated the Primordial Dao.

"Now my cultivation is becoming more and more refined."

In the quiet room, Chen Yun slowly opened his eyes. "If we only consider personal strength, although my cultivation level is not as high as that of the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden, I already have the ability to fight her, and it is not impossible for me to win."

Such formidable strength is considered exceptional even among those at the half-step Great Luo level.

Logically speaking, Chen Yun had only broken through to the half-step Great Luo realm a few years ago, and his cultivation level should have been satisfactory. However, at this moment, he was frowning.

"Simply having this level of cultivation and realm is not enough for me to truly escape this story and achieve real-world suppression."

He was fully aware that he was about to face the real Ronaldo.

Although that Great Luo didn't actually descend to this world, even a single word he uttered was enough to make him difficult to resist.

Chen Yun had every reason to believe that if that Great Luo was serious and actually performed a "consciousness projection," he would surely die.

These are things he understands deeply in his "subconscious," but they don't appear in his mind.

Chen Yun wouldn't think about these things.

Because once you actually start thinking about it, that great Luo will inevitably sense it and try to kill you.

He was thinking about other things, namely how to transcend the story and become a true immortal Luo.

"It's really very difficult to get to this point..."

Chen Yun couldn't help but sigh. In this world, apart from the Primordial Dao Fruit that Yuanshi Tianzun had explained to him before, which was still of some help, everything else was useless.

Therefore, if he wants to break free from his current limitations, he must forge his own path.

Chen Yun possessed great wisdom, great perseverance, and perhaps even great fortune with the help of benefactors, but he insisted on forging a new path, which was extremely difficult.

There was a saying in his past life: people can imagine things they have never seen, but such imagination has limitations and conditions.

In other words, people cannot imagine things without any basis or reference. Instead, they can only combine, transform, expand, or create things that are known or may exist based on their existing knowledge and experience.

For example, we have never seen aliens, but we can imagine all sorts of alien images.

These images may originate from our observations of life on Earth, or from our speculations about the universe and science.

However, no matter how strange and unique the aliens we imagine may be, they cannot be completely divorced from our basic understanding of life and matter.

Chen Yun's current situation is that he needs to "imagine" the Great Dao beyond cognition, and then use True Qi to condense it, so that when all conditions are right, he can prove the Great Dao in one fell swoop.

He had already set all the conditions in place, waiting only for those events to unfold so that he could gradually ascend to a lonely and solitary height, a height where the cold was unbearable.

What Chen Yun lacks now is a path beyond "cognition," a path he needs to create himself.

The most important thing is that this great path, which needs to be created by oneself, must break away from the generalization of the three thousand great paths of this world.

As we all know, the Three Thousand Great Paths is a figurative term; there are not actually only three thousand Great Paths, but countless, billions, and innumerable ones.

Imagine how difficult it would be to create a new highway under such conditions.

Chen Yun hadn't figured out what to do yet, but he knew he had plenty of time, as long as he could figure it out before the Yuan Dynasty was fully established.

Of course, it would have been better if one could have grasped this before the establishment of the Song Dynasty.

"Actually, it's also possible to figure it out some time after the establishment of the Song Dynasty. After all, the establishment of the Song Dynasty was just an inheritance of the Later Zhou Dynasty, and it did not truly establish its rule over the world."

Chen Yun pondered, "If I can figure it out before the Song Dynasty establishes its rule over the world, it's not impossible."

Instead of continuing to ponder, he inquired about the situation in all the heavens and myriad worlds.

At this moment, Chen Yun noticed something. He thought for a moment, then slowly stood up and walked towards the outer courtyard.

……

Before long, Chen Yun arrived at the outer courtyard.

At this moment, a group of disciples were busy with their own tasks.

"Teacher."

"Grandmaster."

"master."

When a group of disciples saw Chen Yun appear, they all respectfully bowed and greeted him.

Chen Yun put his hands behind his back, nodded slightly, and walked straight toward Niu Dali, who was talking to Niu Pingtian.

Niu Pingtian is the Nine-Headed Bull Demon King.

"What are you talking about?"

Chen Yun approached and asked with a smile.

Niu Pingtian laughed and said, "Dali and I are talking about things in the demon realm."

Niu Dali said, "I have never truly lived in the demon realm. Only after listening to King Niu's account did I realize how dangerous it is."

Chen Yun naturally understood what the demon realm was like; it was an absolute jungle where the strong preyed on the weak, and every demon that survived, regardless of its cultivation level, must have extraordinary abilities.

He casually remarked, "Demons and monsters are no match for us. Only by cultivating the orthodox methods of the Xuanmen can one attain the true Dao."

Niu Pingtian sighed, "Yes, Dali has only lived for a few hundred years and has already cultivated to the level of Earth Immortal. Back then, I cultivated in the Demon Realm for at least two thousand years before I could barely reach his current level. The methods of the orthodox Xuanmen sect are too exquisite."

Chen Yun smiled and said, "Since you started practicing the Huangting Temple's methods, you must be getting closer to becoming a celestial being."

When this was mentioned, Niu Pingtian seemed very happy. "I expect to break through to the Celestial Immortal Realm within the next year or two. Mr. Huaguang has already broken through to the Celestial Immortal Realm, which is quite enviable."

Chen Yun said, "You are a demon who has attained enlightenment. Although you are naturally gifted, you cannot compare with a pre-heavenly deity like Mr. Huaguang. He has unique advantages. Even without cultivation, his cultivation level will increase day by day, and one day he will naturally attain the status of a celestial immortal."

Niu Pingtian shook his head with a wry smile, "It's not as good as it is, it really isn't as good as it is."

Chen Yun gave Niu Pingtian a deep look and asked seemingly casually, "I remember you have several sworn brothers in the demon realm who are highly skilled. They rule the demon realm and are not on the right path. When you have time, bring them to see me and see if you can persuade them to join my sect."

Niu Pingtian didn't think much of it and hurriedly said, "I will obey the Emperor's decree. I will go and summon them right away."

Chen Yun nodded, "Alright, but only if it's voluntary. If it's not voluntary, then don't summon them."

Niu Pingtian said, "Yes."

After speaking, he bid farewell to Chen Yun and Niu Dali, and transformed into a black rainbow light that flew into the sky.

Chen Yun looked up at the spot where Niu Pingtian had disappeared, then looked back at Niu Dali and said, "Dali, we've known each other for decades, haven't we?"

Niu Dali recalled carefully and said, "Back when you were still a mid-level mage, I met you at Sun Moon Lake Grotto. It has indeed been several decades."

Chen Yun said directly, "With your talent, it's already quite good that you've cultivated to the Earth Immortal realm. Without other opportunities, it will be very difficult to cultivate to the Divine Immortal realm. Although I have some methods that can force you to become a Divine Immortal, you still won't live as long as heaven and earth. Have you ever thought about what you'll do when your lifespan comes to an end?"

Niu Dali, however, was quite nonchalant, saying, "It is already a blessing that I can have a longer lifespan than ordinary people. If my lifespan comes to an end and I perish, it is inevitable."

Chen Yun couldn't help but laugh, "It's good that you have such insights."

Niu Dali chuckled, "Thank you for the praise, teacher."

Chen Yun said, "I have something for you to do. It's not dangerous for the time being, but if it's not handled properly, it could be life-threatening, and I won't help you. Are you... still willing to do it?"

He made no promises when he said those words.

Only Chen Yun himself truly understood what he was trying to do, and what would happen if Niu Dali were to perish.

Yes, Niu Dali will definitely fall from grace in the future.

This was not fate, but an ending that Chen Yun had "set" for the other party.

Although Niu Dali was an old ox who had cultivated to the point of enlightenment, he was exceptionally intelligent and immediately discerned a hidden meaning in Chen Yun's words.

He looked very serious and replied, "I have known you for decades and know your character well. If what I do is life-threatening, there must be a reason for it. Therefore, I am willing to do it."

"very good."

Chen Yun nodded and glanced around.

He reached out and beckoned, and a branch immediately broke off from the willow tree beside him.

He held the branch in his palm and then exhaled a breath of True Qi.

In an instant, the willow branch underwent a dramatic transformation, turning into a small wooden stick the size of a palm.

Chen Yun turned his gaze to Niu Dali, "You take this."

Niu Dali took the small wooden stick and asked, "May I ask, teacher, what is this?"

Chen Yun said, "This is the God-Binding Staff. It can control the primordial spirit of anyone who has not cultivated to the Heavenly Immortal Realm."

Niu Dali asked again, "Teacher, did you give me such a treasure so that you want me to do something?"

Chen Yun nodded and said, "I have a mortal student named Zhao Kuangyin, who is a general of the Great Zhou Dynasty. He is currently accompanying Emperor Chai Rong of the Great Zhou Dynasty on a campaign against the Southern Tang Dynasty. They have just broken through the Wokou Pass and are marching towards Qingliu Pass. Qingliu Pass is guarded by the famous Southern Tang generals Huangfu Hui and Yao Feng. There is also an Arhat in their army. If this Arhat is truly powerful, many extraordinary people in the Great Zhou army will be no match for him. You should show yourself and use the Binding God Staff to subdue him. However, if someone can subdue that Arhat, you do not need to show yourself."

He paused for a moment, then said, "There's something I need to make clear to you. The day you step out of Huangting Temple, you will no longer be one of my disciples. You should understand what I mean, right?"

Niu Dali's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said, "I understand what you mean, Master."

Chen Yun gave Niu Dali a deep look, patted him on the shoulder, and sighed, "Thank you for your trouble. I will certainly not let you die in vain."

Logically speaking, death would be extremely unwilling for any saint or demon, but Niu Dali was overjoyed to hear this and said, "If I can help my teacher solve his problems, what does it matter if I perish? I will go to Qingliu Pass right away."

After speaking, Niu Dali rode the clouds and left Huangting Temple on Qingcheng Mountain.

Chen Yun watched Niu Dali's disappearing figure, his eyes becoming somewhat lonely.

He knew that this was very likely the last time he would see Niu Dali.

To see them again, it will probably be in another era!

(End of this chapter)