I am submissive in Journey to the West, I strike hard at the gods

The palace doors opened, and Laozi slowly entered, bowing respectfully: "Three emperors, five rulers, this humble Daoist greets you."

His voice was gentle, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.

The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors rose to greet him, and Fuxi spoke first: "Sage Taiqing, why have you come in person? Have you succeeded in refining the elixir?"

Lao Tzu smiled slightly, placed the jade box on the jade table, and said softly, "Indeed."

"I have refined eight Saint Essence Pills and have come to present them to you all as a token of gratitude for the kindness of the human race in taking you in."

The box was opened, and a brilliant golden light shone out. The eight pills, like eight small suns, illuminated the entire hall.

A faint fragrance permeated the air, which made one feel relaxed and refreshed, and strengthened one's foundation in Taoism.

Shennong Emperor raised an eyebrow and shook his head, saying, "We are deeply grateful for the elixir bestowed by the sage."

However, we have already become saints, so taking elixirs is useless to us.

The actions of the Supreme Sage are likely superfluous.

The Yellow Emperor nodded in agreement: "Exactly."

The realm of a sage transcends the mundane; what need is there for external things?

Upon hearing this, Lao Tzu was not angry; instead, a profound meaning flashed in his eyes.

He stood with his hands behind his back and slowly said, "What you all say is wrong."

Sages are not static. We all know that after the collapse of the Way of Heaven, although the position of sage is stable, there are differences in rank.

Today, I will reveal a secret to you all—the Saint levels are based on the degree of control over the Primordial Chaos Power, from the first level to the seventh level, with each level representing a multiple increase.

"At the first level, one controls one-tenth of the Primordial Chaos Power; at the second level, twenty percent; and so on, up to the seventh level, controlling seventy percent of the Primordial Chaos Power—that is close to being a master of the Great Dao."

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

Fuxi's face turned deathly pale: "Seventh Heaven? Hongjun... he has already reached this realm?"

Laozi nodded, his voice deep: "Conservatively speaking, Hongjun is at least at the seventh level of heaven."

In the past, he held the power of Heaven, and his primordial power was nearly perfected.

If we are unprepared, humanity will be in grave danger in the battle to come.

Upon hearing this, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were struck dumb.

Emperor Zhuanxu clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead: "Seventh Heaven... a multiple increase? Doesn't that mean the power of just one Heaven is enough to crush us?"

Emperor Yao's eyes were bloodshot as he murmured, "The Heavenly Dao has collapsed, and our human race should have risen to power, but who knew that Hongjun would become so strong..."

Panic spread like a plague, the spiritual energy within the hall seemed to stagnate, and a sense of powerlessness welled up in everyone's heart.

The shadow of Hongjun, like a towering mountain, pressed down on them, making it hard for them to breathe.

Seeing this, Lao Tzu promptly added, "Don't panic."

I have come here to break this deadlock.

The Holy Essence Pill originates from the Pangu Primordial Spirit Pill Formula, a treasure from the creation of heaven and earth.

One pill can help a saint advance one level of cultivation. Each person can take a maximum of two pills; taking more than that will damage their very essence.

The purpose of refining eight of these pills is to prepare for Hongjun's attack two years from now.

I, a humble Taoist, have come to join the human race for two reasons: first, to protect myself, and second, to lend a helping hand to the human race.

If you all trust this humble Taoist, then accept this elixir and let us unite to fight our great enemy.

The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors exchanged glances, their panic gradually fading, replaced by resolute determination.

The Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan reached out first and took the jade box: "The noble character of the Sage Taiqing will be forever remembered by our human race."

This elixir will surely help us break through to a higher realm!

Shennong Emperor nodded: "So what if it's the Seventh Heaven of Hongjun? The human race has nothing to fear!"

They placed the jade box in the center, and the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became more enthusiastic. The golden light from the eight Saint Essence Pills seemed to ignite a spark of hope.

After accepting the elixir, Fuxi suddenly said, "Sage Taiqing, this elixir has an extraordinary origin. Although we believe in it, we need to verify it before we can be at ease."

Fellow Daoist Jiang Wang possesses great supernatural powers; why not invite him to come and examine it?

Lao Tzu nodded: "Exactly."

Jiang Wang is the ruler of the human race; I, this humble Daoist, admire his discerning eye.

Before long, Jiang Wang's figure flashed and he arrived in the hall.

He was inspecting his ancestral homeland when he heard the news and came immediately.

Standing before the jade table, Jiang Wang's divine sense surged forth like a tide, transforming into countless fine threads that entwined the eight Saint Yuan Pills.

The surface of the elixir was covered with flowing runes, containing abundant primordial energy, yet without a trace of malevolent energy.

He examined it carefully for a full quarter of an hour before withdrawing his divine sense, and then cupped his hands and said, "Everyone, this pill is pure and flawless, and is indeed of superior quality."

While these rare and precious natural ingredients may be beneficial, caution is still advised.

Do not be greedy, lest it backfire and damage your foundation.

Upon hearing this, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors breathed a sigh of relief, and Emperor Yao smiled and said, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Jiang Wang."

In that case, we should quickly discuss the method of administration.

How should these eight pills be allocated to maximize combat power?

The group sat around the jade table and began to discuss the matter.

Emperor Ku said, "One for each person? That would only increase the total strength of the Eighth Heaven, which would probably not be enough to defeat Hongjun."

Emperor Shun shook his head: "Select four people to each take two pills, which will elevate them to the fourth level and double their combat power. This is the best strategy."

Emperor Yu nodded: "That's right."

The four of them working together possess the power of the fourth heaven, enough to set up an array in the ancestral land and temporarily hinder Hongjun.

After careful consideration, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors decided to select Fuxi, Shennong, the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan, and Emperor Zhuanxu, and each of them would take two pills.

The remaining four emperors were put on hold for later use.

Fuxi stood up and solemnly said, "The four of us are the vanguard of the human race."

Within two years, I will seclude myself to break through to a higher realm. When Hongjun arrives, I will make him know the might of the human race!

A chorus of unanimous agreement rang out in the hall, the flames of determination illuminating the faces of everyone present.

Meanwhile, Jiang Wang quietly returned to the hidden realm.

That was his private little world, shrouded in mist, with the shadows of swords rising and falling in the shadows.

As soon as he sat down, a familiar mechanical voice suddenly rang in his mind: "Ding! Emergency mission 'Time and Space Guardian' completed."

Rewards: One copy of the Great Sealing Origin Dao Technique, and one chance to win super experience points in a lucky draw.

Host's current experience points balance: 2.3 million.

Jiang Wang was taken aback, then his eyes flashed with a sharp light.

The system—the aid that accompanied him in his conquest of the primordial world—was never stingy with rewards, but it always tested his choices at crucial moments.

With a thought, a golden light unfolded in his mind's eye. It was an ancient jade slip, its surface covered with mysterious runes, and faintly exuding sealing power.

"Original Daoist Techniques?"

Jiang Wang murmured, and the system's voice sounded again: "Yes, host."

The original Daoist arts transcend ordinary supernatural powers; they are the manifestation of the Great Dao's origin.

The Great Sealing Technique can seal everything beneath the Great Dao, including the Heavenly Dao, sages, and even the power of chaos.

The strength of the seal is directly proportional to the amount of energy consumed; at best, it seals a wisp of divine thought, at worst, it suppresses an entire world.

However, it should be noted that the host must anchor themselves to their own Dao foundation when casting this spell; otherwise, the backlash will be severe.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wang was greatly shocked.

This great sealing technique was practically tailor-made for Hongjun! In his imagination, the power of Hongjun's seventh heaven surged forth, and with just a flick of his finger, he could seal the source of his primordial chaos, causing the former ruler of the Heavenly Dao to struggle like a trapped beast... The power was so great that even his breathing became a little rapid.

"Learning requires 1.6 million experience points?"

The system confirmed: "That's right."

"The host currently has sufficient funds and can learn it immediately." Jiang Wang remained silent.

He sat cross-legged, his hands lightly tapping his knees, countless images flashing through his mind: the bottleneck of the eighth stage of the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique, a threshold that required a massive amount of experience; the legendary realm of the ninth stage, which was the pinnacle of human combat power.

If one learns this technique, their experience points will be almost depleted, making it difficult to break through the second level of the profound skill in a short period of time, and their combat power will be greatly reduced.

Conversely, if he preserves his experience and focuses on his profound skills, when Hongjun attacks, he might be able to rival three or five saints on his own.

"Put it on hold."

Jiang Wang finally spoke, his voice calm yet firm.

"The Great Sealing Technique is powerful, but it is not what we need right now."

System, seal this technique away. I need to solidify my foundation first.

Two years have passed in the blink of an eye; humanity needs me at my peak to fight.

The system replied: "Understood."

The rewards have been stored and can be accessed by the host at any time.

In the hidden realm, the mist gradually dissipated, and Jiang Wang stood up, his gaze fixed on the void.

Time accelerates in the ancestral land, and the human race's preparations for war are in full swing; the Saint Yuan Pill enters the body, and the four saints are about to break through to the next realm; the Great Sealing Technique awaits its release. His choice is like a double-edged sword, its sharp edge pointing directly to the decisive battle two years later.

Hongjun, so what if you're at the Seventh Heaven? The rise of humanity is unstoppable!

Deep within the ancestral land's small world, the adjustment of the flow of time was not achieved overnight.

Jiang Wang himself stood at the point in time and space, surrounded by three clones, each an incarnation of his, carrying a portion of his divine soul and cultivation.

The main body forms hand seals, and divine power surges into the void barrier like a river bursting its banks; the left clone controls Yin and Yang, transforming into black and white energies to stabilize the balance of flow; the right clone controls the five elements, infusing the essence of earth, wood, metal, fire, and water to nourish the ancestral land's vitality; the clone behind uses sword intent as a guide to sever the turbulent flow of spacetime and prevent backlash.

1089 times—this number was derived from his system calculations. One day outside is equivalent to more than three years here.

Human cultivators can use this opportunity to enter seclusion and advance from Golden Immortal to Great Luo in a short period of time, or even reach the gate of Sainthood.

The immense depletion of his divine power left Jiang Wang as pale as a sheet.

Blood seeped from the corner of his lips, and his three illusory clones swayed like candles flickering in the wind.

He suppressed the surging energy within him and took a deep breath: "It's done."

As if in response, the mountains and rivers below surged with spiritual energy, ancient trees grew taller and taller, sword light flashing among their branches and leaves; fish and dragons leaped in the river, and dragon roars could be heard; in the clouds high in the sky, lightning appeared and disappeared, which were the heavenly tribulations caused by countless cultivators breaking through, which were quietly resolved by the ancestral land's great formation.

The entire small world, like a giant beast awakening, pulsed with a boiling fighting spirit.

When Lao Tzu noticed the unusual activity in the Taiqing Palace, the fire in the alchemy furnace was at its peak.

He was originally a sage of the Heavenly Dao, and after escaping, his senses became even more acute. The fluctuations of that distorted spacetime felt like a needle piercing his heart.

He stopped fanning the furnace, stood up and began to calculate. The stars in the sky swirled around his fingertips. After a moment, his admiration deepened: "This Jiang Wang is not only incredibly powerful, but also has a deep mind."

1089 times is exactly the limit of the ancestral land; any more than that and it will be in danger of collapse.

Such control is beyond my reach.

Lao Tzu sought refuge to avoid the aftermath of the Heavenly Dao and to find peace in a corner of the world. Who knew that the human race would have such potential, making his heart, which had experienced the vicissitudes of the primordial era, feel a sense of belonging for the first time.

"The human race will surely prosper."

He whispered, then lifted the lid of the stove.

The moment the alchemy furnace was opened, golden light poured down like a waterfall, and three Saint Essence Pills appeared before our eyes amidst the heat.

On the surface of each pill, runes seemed to move like living things, and the primordial energy inside surged, as if it were a wisp of the primordial spirit of Pangu.

Lao Tzu rolled up his sleeve, put the three pills into his bag, and combined them with the five pills he had previously taken.

That jade box was originally his personal possession, lined with Netherworld Black Iron, which could suppress the spiritual energy of the pills and prevent it from dissipating.

The eight pills gathered together, their golden light intertwining within the box, faintly forming the shape of the Eight Trigrams, and auspicious energy soaring straight into the sky.

As the Tongtian Sect Leader stood on the edge of the cliff, sensing the fluctuations in time and space, his whisk suddenly trembled.

As the leader of the Jie Sect, he also had some knowledge of the Dao of Time and Space. The 1089 times flow rate reminded him of his time in Biyou Palace.

“Jiang Wang…you junior have actually turned our ancestral land into a furnace to forge the swords of the human race.”

Tongtian murmured, his eyes gleaming with a fighting spirit like a sword drawn from its sheath.

He was disheartened after the defeat of the Jie Sect, and his inhabitation of the human race was merely a temporary refuge from the brunt of the attack. But now, he felt a surge of passion rising within him.

“To chase after you is to chase after the Great Way.”

When Hongjun arrives, our Jie Sect's sword formation may be able to reappear!

He turned and left, his green robe billowing with a gust of sword wind, heading straight for the depths of his ancestral land to find a cave to cultivate in seclusion.

Lao Tzu carried the box and walked on lotus flowers in the void, with pure energy rising with each step.

The council hall of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors was called the Nine Heavenly Palaces, which was arranged by Fuxi himself.

Golden dragons coil outside the hall, jade tables stand in rows inside, and the walls are engraved with the totems of our ancestors, demonstrating the indomitable spirit of humankind.

The atmosphere was already solemn when the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors gathered together.

Fuxi held the divination sticks to deduce the trajectory of Hongjun's attack; Shennong tasted herbs to refine amplifying elixirs; the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan wielded his sword to hone his battle formations; Emperor Zhuanxu arranged formations to strengthen the defenses of the ancestral land; Emperor Ku, Yao, Shun, and Yu were in charge of logistics and allocated resources.

Two years is neither a long nor a short time; every moment felt like dancing on a knife's edge.

Laozi entered the hall, and after completing the ceremony, he opened the box and offered the elixir.

Bathed in that golden light, the eyes of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were filled with astonishment.

Shennong Emperor stepped forward and gently sniffed the fragrance of the elixir: "This fragrance... seems to be the energy of Pangu when he created the world."

The Yellow Emperor nodded: "The alchemy skills of the Sage Taiqing are unparalleled in the primordial world."

When Lao Tzu uttered his words of refusal, he remained calm and composed. When he revealed the hierarchy of sages, his voice was like a resounding bell, causing the jade table in the hall to tremble slightly.

"The first level of heaven grants control over 10% of the primordial chaos; the second level, 20%... the seventh level, with 70% of the power, can move mountains and fill seas, and reverse the universe."

Hongjun, the former incarnation of the Heavenly Dao, possesses nearly 90% control over the Primordial Chaos!

After Laozi finished speaking, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

The Fuxi hexagrams fell to the ground and shattered into powder; the herbs in Shennong's hands withered; the Xuanyuan sword rang incessantly; and the Zhuanxu array collapsed.

Panic surged like a tidal wave, engulfing everyone's hearts.

Emperor Yao said in a trembling voice, "We are all from the same realm, how can we possibly defeat them?"

Emperor Shun gritted his teeth: "How can the human race sit idly by and wait for its demise!"

When Lao Tzu continued speaking about the Holy Essence Elixir, his voice became gentle: "The formula for the Pangu Primordial Spirit Elixir originates from the legacy of the creation of the world."

One stone, one level up; two stones, two levels up.

Each person is limited to two; exceeding this limit will cause the body to explode.

Eight pieces, just enough for four people to wear two sets of clothes.

Two years later, if Hongjun arrives, the combined power of the four heavens will be enough to buy time until Jiang Wang takes command.

Upon hearing this, the fear in the eyes of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors transformed into a flame of hope.

The Yellow Emperor laughed loudly: "Good! As long as the human race survives and the sages are of one mind, what is there to fear from Hongjun!"

When Jiang Wang was invited to examine the pill, he arrived in an instant, his divine sense probing into the pill as if thousands of tentacles were wandering around.

The primordial energy within the pill was pure and without any impurities, yet the power of Pangu was faintly visible, making him wary.

"No abnormalities were found, but the sacred object possesses a spirit, and one must have a pure mind to consume it."

After Jiang Wang withdrew, the discussions among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors intensified.

Emperor Ku said, "Choose the strongest to submit to."

Emperor Yu asked, "With four people in two uniforms, what is their fighting strength?"

After a heated debate, the final decision was made: Fuxi, Shennong, Xuanyuan, and Zhuanxu would take the elixir, while the rest would remain in the defensive positions.

When Fuxi swallowed the elixir, golden light entered his body, and the primordial power within him surged like a river, rushing straight to the threshold of the second heaven.

Jiang Wang returned to the hidden realm, and the system notification struck like a thunderbolt. (End of Chapter)