Daojun, start from Penglai foundation building

The sky is clear and the earth is bright; the flames of calamity have subsided.

The crimson light of the sky shimmered and shone, its lingering flames flickering and fading away.

In the vast expanse of heaven and earth, the Taoist True Lord, wearing a crimson sun crown and a robe of crimson light and purple aura, watched the vanished figure and the lingering aura, then turned and left.

"Humph."

Zhuzhou, the Seven Wonders Cave of Jiutou Mountain.

Lingyu looked at the returning Yuanyi Zhenjun and hurriedly stepped forward to greet him: "Congratulations on your victorious return, Uncle Yuanyi."

A gentle smile appeared on Yuan Yi Zhenjun's dignified face: "Oh? How did Nephew Lingyu know that I had returned victorious?"

Lingyu looked at Yuanyi Zhenjun's clothes and smiled, "Uncle, your clothes are neat and your aura is pure and without any impurities. You have returned at a leisurely pace."

Therefore, the junior disciple believed that his master had returned victorious.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yi Zhenjun laughed heartily: "It's nothing to call it a victory. It was just a friendly sparring match where I gained a slight advantage."

"If I can't even do this, then wouldn't I be seven thousand five hundred years older than him?"

Lingyu raised her hand and gestured, "Please, Martial Uncle. A banquet has been prepared for you."

The two entered the cave, where Shao Bai Mingjun, Sihai Zhenjun, Huangmei Zunzhe, as well as Qijue Niangniang, Biyun Niangniang, and Sanfeng Niangniang all offered their congratulations, and the banquet was filled with laughter and joy.

Clearly, the presence of True Lord Yuanyi calmed everyone's previously anxious hearts.

This is not only because Yuan Yi Zhenjun has achieved the Unity of the Body and the Five Tribulations of Creation, but also because Yuan Yi Zhenjun's arrival shows that the Eastern Heavenly Daoist School and Penglai Heavenly Realm have not abandoned them.

After a feast, Yuan Yi Zhenjun said solemnly, "My battle with Ling Feng was just a friendly spar; neither of us used our full strength."

"Although he is a newly enlightened Fifth Tribulation True Monarch, he is not to be underestimated. Not to mention you, even an ordinary Integration Realm cultivator would be no match for him."

"If you encounter this, run if you can, and surrender and beg for mercy if you can't. There's nothing shameful about it."

"Remember, preserving your lives is more important than anything else. If you are captured, Penglai will find a way to get you all out. We will not let you lose your lives."

Upon hearing what Yuan Yi Zhenjun said, everyone nodded in agreement.

Lingyu then said, "Uncle-Master, now that the Crested Ibis Demon Lord and Fairy Suqin have been captured by Lingfeng, you will inevitably be hesitant to fight him."

"Could we infiltrate Yanzhou and rescue the Crested Ibis Demon Lord and Fairy Suqin, so that our Martial Uncle can have peace of mind?"

Upon hearing this, True Lord Yuanyi pondered for a moment and nodded: "That's one way too."

"But after the commotion at Linhai Dao Palace, Ling Feng will definitely not continue to house the crested ibis and Suqin there."

“There are hundreds of Dao Palaces in the entire Yan Province, each suppressing a region. What if he hid the two of them in one of those powerful Dao Palaces deep within Yan Province?”

“That is, after all, the territory of the Qiankun Dao Sect. If you venture deep into it alone without reinforcements, you will inevitably face great danger.”

"Let me spar with Ling Feng a few times first, and then we'll make further plans."

Upon hearing this, Lingyu had no choice but to suppress her own thoughts and let True Lord Yuanyi and True Lord Lingfeng settle their differences first.

Soon after, in the following six months, True Lord Yuanyi fought several more battles with True Lord Lingfeng. Although True Lord Yuanyi was able to suppress True Lord Lingfeng, it was extremely difficult to capture this Fifth Tribulation True Lord.

Both were at the level of Three Flowers Gathering at the Top and Five Qi Converging at the Origin, but the difference between them lay in their years of accumulated experience. However, True Lord Yuanyi had come from afar, while True Lord Lingfeng had the advantage of being from the local area. This resulted in True Lord Lingfeng having a continuous supply of various rare and precious materials and magical treasures as support. Therefore, although True Lord Yuanyi could win against True Lord Lingfeng every time, True Lord Lingfeng was always able to escape unscathed.

After several rounds, Yuan Yi Zhenjun was quite annoyed.

Lingyu advised, "Uncle-Master, we can't keep fighting like this. Ling Feng is clearly using you as a whetstone. Every time he loses a battle and comes back, his skills and methods are always better than before."

Yuan Yi Zhenjun said in a deep voice, "Nephew, do you think I don't know that he's using me to hone his own Dao fruit?"

"He was certainly using me to hone his skills, but wasn't I also gradually searching for his weaknesses?"

"Right now, we have too few people at our disposal in this Nine Provinces Realm. If we cannot defeat Ling Feng in one fell swoop, or rescue Zhu Huan and Su Qin, then our future actions will become increasingly difficult."

"When you are constantly constrained, you can only be slaughtered by others."

"So, without the certainty of a fatal blow, I'd rather continue testing each other like this than let things get worse."

Lingyu was feeling distressed and was sighing when a message came from the jade pendant. She opened it and a smile immediately appeared in her eyes: "Uncle-Master, the opportunity has come!"

Yuan Yi Zhenjun was somewhat surprised: "Hmm?"

Ling Yu laughed and said, "Ling Zhao is almost at the Nine Provinces Realm. Once Ling Zhao arrives, Ling Zhao, Shao Bai Mingjun, and Si Hai Zhenjun will go to Yan Province to explore. With the strength of the four of us, as long as we don't encounter a Fusion Realm cultivator, how could an ordinary Void Refinement Realm cultivator possibly keep us here?"

Yuan Yi Zhenjun countered, "But within Yanzhou, there are quite a few Nascent Soul Realm cultivators from the Qiankun Dao Sect. If I am entangled with Ling Feng, and Nascent Soul Realm cultivators from the Qiankun Dao Sect come knocking on my door, does Junior Nephew Lingyu have any other options?"

Upon hearing this, Lingyu pondered for a moment and said, "Uncle-Master, why don't we wait until Lingzhao arrives? He might bring some news from the sect."

Yuan Yi Zhenjun nodded as well. Looking at this outstanding junior of the sect, Yuan Yi Zhenjun's solemn and dignified face revealed his satisfaction that the sect had a worthy successor.

In fact, if it were just a newly enlightened Fifth Tribulation True Monarch, why would it require the intervention of Yuan Yi True Monarch, a veteran Fifth Tribulation True Monarch of Penglai who has been immersed in the Fifth Tribulation realm for seven thousand five hundred years?

The reason why True Monarch Yuanyi arrived in the Nine Provinces Realm ahead of time was actually to pave the way for the sect.

Lord Yuanyi was actually very satisfied with Lingyu's performance. She knew how to assess the situation, when to fight desperately and when to retreat, and she could make decisive decisions in critical situations. Regardless of whether the decisions were right or wrong, this decisiveness alone had already won her three-tenths of the luck.

Another half month passed. Above Zhuzhou in the Nine Provinces Realm, a streak of light disappeared into the sea of ​​clouds over Zhuzhou at an extremely fast speed, and then rushed towards Jiutou Mountain.

A quarter of an hour later, three figures landed on Mount Jiutou.

Looking around at the continuous palaces and pavilions, the leading Taoist priest had a resolute and handsome appearance. He wore a red crown and a black robe, and his eyes shone like stars: "This Zhuzhou is said to be a land of demons and barbarians, and is unbearably vulgar. But when you get here, it has a unique charm."

Before he could finish speaking, Ling Yu's voice rang out from afar: "Junior Brother Ling Zhao is here, but why did you bring Ling Yuan's two disciples with you? If something happens to them, how will you explain it to Ling Yuan?"

Who else could that handsome Taoist priest in the crimson crown and black robe be but Lin Fan?
Lin Fan said with a grin, "Senior sister, you are wise. This has nothing to do with your junior brother. It was Ling Yuan who asked me to bring these two boys along."

Upon hearing this, Li Jianchun and Huang Ping'an quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Martial Uncle Lingyu."

Lingyu glanced at the two of them, shook her head, and then said to Lin Fan, "Uncle-Master Yuanyi is already waiting for you. Let's go."

Lin Fan chuckled, "It seems Senior Sister Lingyu and Uncle Yuanyi are in trouble." Lingyu rolled her eyes at Lin Fan, "Come on, don't say any more."

Soon, Lin Fan, along with Li Jianchun and Huang Ping'an, followed Ling Yu into the Seven Absolutes Cave. They first met a group of True Monarchs and three Demon Queens, and then went to see True Monarch Yuanyi.

Deep within the Seven Absolutes Cave, Lin Fan met True Monarch Yuan Yi. As this stern elder turned around, Lin Fan also said solemnly, "Ling Zhao greets Martial Uncle Yuan Yi."

Yuan Yi Zhenjun waved his hand: "Don't bother with these formalities."

"Lingyu must have told you about the situation along the way, right?"

What are your thoughts?

Lin Fan didn't hesitate and immediately said, "Reporting to Martial Uncle, Senior Sister Lingyu has indeed told me about the situation."

"What we are facing now may seem to be just Lingfeng Zhenjun, but in reality, we also have the support of the entire Dao Palace of Yanzhou and even the direct support from the Qiankun Dao Sect of Mingzhou."

"But unfortunately, the Crested Ibis Demon Lord and the Fairy of the Plain Qin have fallen into enemy hands and become hostages. If we are not careful, something unspeakable will happen. Therefore, we are now without reinforcements and are afraid to act rashly."

Yuan Yi Zhenjun nodded: "Continue."

Lin Fan laughed and said, "Since that's the case, why should we be so insistent on rescuing the Crested Ibis Demon Lord and Fairy Suqin?"

Lingyu frowned slightly: "Lingzhao, if we don't rescue them, what should we do?"

Lin Fan pointed to the map of Yanzhou and said, "This Yanzhou is vast and boundless. The Linhai Dao Palace alone can suppress tens of millions of miles of mountains and rivers. Throughout Yanzhou, the Qiankun Dao Sect has set up hundreds of Dao Palaces. With so many Dao Palaces, surely not every one of them is a Nascent Soul cultivator?"

"If Senior Sister Lingyu, Lord Shaobai, True Lord Sihai, and I join forces, and the four of us act as the vanguard, taking advantage of the gap in the battle between Uncle Yuanyi and True Lord Lingfeng to infiltrate Yanzhou, what will the people of Yanzhou think we're up to?"

Lin Fan paused, giving Yuan Yi Zhenjun and Ling Yu time to think, before continuing, "They must think we're going to rescue Zhu Huan and Su Qin."

"But what if we don't save them, but instead use this as an excuse to destroy a Dao Palace and kidnap several of their Qiankun Dao Sect's true disciples?"

"Isn't it easier to kidnap someone than to rescue them from a trap that's clearly laid with a net?"

"If True Lord Lingfeng has hostages in his hands, why can't we have hostages in our hands as well?"

Upon hearing this, Lingyu suddenly understood. She realized that she had been too stubborn before, getting stuck on how to save people, forgetting that there was more than one way to save people than direct confrontation.

Seeing this, Yuan Yi Zhenjun laughed and said, "Ling Zhao, you do indeed have some ingenious ideas."

Lingyu couldn't help but exclaim, "Lingzhao, your mind is truly quick; it's much better than mine."

Lin Fan laughed and said, "Senior Sister could have come up with this idea too, but she was too impatient and felt guilty towards Fairy Suqin and the Crested Ibis Demon Lord, so she was blinded for a moment."

Yuan Yi Zhenjun interrupted their conversation: "Alright, let's stop being so modest with each other."

“Since you’ve made up your mind, then go for it. I, Ling Feng, will stop you. Furthermore, I will give you an item that can help you retreat back to Nine Heads Mountain if you encounter any crisis.”

As he spoke, Yuan Yi Zhenjun handed a talisman to Lin Fan: "Ling Zhao, you are the most intelligent. This talisman can be torn open in an emergency and can help you return in an instant. Only those at the Mahayana realm can intercept it."

Lin Fan took the talisman and put it away: "Don't worry, Uncle-Master, I understand."

Soon, Lin Fan and Ling Yu left together and reunited with Shao Bai Mingjun, Si Hai Zhenjun, and Huang Mei Zun Zhe.

After the five experts at the Profound Realm and Void Refinement stage gathered, Lin Fan shared his thoughts with everyone. Shao Bai Mingjun and Si Hai Zhenjun naturally expressed their approval, while Huang Mei Zun Zhe hesitated somewhat.

Seeing this, Lin Fan explained, "Venerable One, the Floating Pagoda Realm is about to be merged into the Three Realms Great Thousand World. Although it will be merged into the Western Heaven, no matter what, whether it is the Eastern Heaven or the Western Heaven, it is ultimately a part of the Three Realms Great Thousand World."

"I don't consider you an outsider either. The reason I didn't invite you to this matter is not because I look down on you, but because your reputation is too great. Everyone knows that you are the number one genius of the Buddhist Lapis Lazuli Path in this era. If you were to enter Yanzhou, it would be extremely difficult for you to completely transform and hide."

"Therefore, we can only trouble you to meet us outside Yanzhou."

Upon hearing this, Venerable Yellow Eyebrows couldn't help but laugh and said, "In that case, this humble monk will meet you all outside Yanzhou."

Seeing the harmonious atmosphere, Lingyu breathed a sigh of relief. Although she was in charge of Penglai Tianxuan Peak and was Lingwei's deputy, she was not as familiar with these welcoming and sending-off matters as Lin Fan.

It's not that she doesn't know how, but rather that her personality isn't suited to these things.

With Lin Fan present, the atmosphere suddenly became much closer.

Li Jianchun and Huang Ping'an couldn't help but feel admiration when they saw their Uncle Lingzhao stabilize the alliance and finalize the plan with just a few words.

In a sense, Lin Fan and their master are two completely different beings.

Lin Fan is approachable, generous, and has the air of a chivalrous hero. He has many friends, both among the demon race and the unorthodox sects. Lin Fan is also free-spirited, with various plans emerging one after another. He can always harmonize the atmosphere of the alliance and maintain its stability.

Their master, Jiang Sheng, was different. Jiang Sheng was aloof and indifferent, preferring tranquility. If Lin Fan made friends and stabilized alliances through his genuine nature, then Jiang Sheng won over others and earned their trust through his powerful Dao heart, which remained calm and composed at all times.

If they belong to the same alliance and encounter a crisis, Lin Fan will encourage everyone to unite around him to eliminate the crisis, while Jiang Sheng will reassure everyone with his own strength and then resolve the crisis with his powerful cultivation.

Although they had the same goal, their methods were completely different. What's more, they were childhood friends and brothers, which is quite remarkable.

With the plan finalized, Shao Bai Mingjun asked a crucial question: "Ling Zhao Zhenjun, Yanzhou has hundreds of Dao Palaces of the Qiankun Dao Sect, each suppressing a territory of tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of miles."

"Which Taoist temple should we target? And how do we determine our target?"

Lin Fan smiled slightly: "Everyone, although Yanzhou has hundreds of Dao Palaces of the Qiankun Dao Sect, only one-tenth of them are presided over by the Dongxuan Dao Sect."

"And most of these are only at the Dongxuan stage of the Refining Emptiness Dao."

"As the saying goes, the way of battle is to overwhelm the enemy with force; if we want to invite fellow Daoists from the Qiankun Dao Sect to be our guests, we should invite those of the same generation as us who have not yet completed the three tribulations of the Void Refining stage, so that we have a better chance of success."

Shao Bai Mingjun and Si Hai Zhenjun nodded repeatedly as they listened to Lin Fan's words. Lin Fan's words conveyed the same meaning: pick the softest persimmon to squeeze.

As he spoke, Lin Fan tapped a point on the map of Yanzhou in front of him: "Although I don't have many connections in the Nine Provinces Realm, I do have a few friends in the side sects."

"If their information is still relevant, the ones presiding over this Red Maple Dao Palace are True Monarch Feng Yuan and True Monarch Mo Yuan, both of the Yuan generation from the Qiankun Dao Sect."

"These two have been practicing the Dao and refining the Void for less than a thousand years."

"It is impolite not to reciprocate. Since Ling Feng dared to invite the Crested Ibis Demon Lord and Fairy Suqin to Yanzhou as guests, we will invite Feng Yuan and Mo Yuan to our Zhuzhou as guests!" (End of this chapter)