Grandpa, times have changed.

Chapter 602 Karmic Fire Punishes Evil
"Don't worry, senior." Jiang Lin raised his hand and gently pressed his brow.

As his fingertips swept across the surface, a deep red sword mark appeared, surrounded by flames that resembled kindling.

The Xuanling Daoist's eyes reflected the flames like kindling, and he felt his thoughts surging, giving rise to various insights.

In a daze, it seemed as if a line of red light was splitting the azure sky, as if it were about to cut the entire world in two.

In a moment of distraction, all the strange phenomena I had sensed vanished.

"It bears the sword mark bestowed by the Sword Ancestor."

As he spoke, an ancient bronze mirror appeared in his palm.

"And the precious mirror bestowed by Senior Hongzun."

Jiang Lin looked at Xuanling Daoist.

"If those reclusive masters of profound knowledge truly act recklessly and cause chaos in the world, then we should kill one of them as a warning to others."

Upon hearing this, the entire hall seemed to grow colder.

When the immortals and gods were changing, Jiang Lin was the most prominent, even surpassing those 'immortal guides' appointed by Heaven and Earth.

Later, witnessed by all living beings in the world, he received the sword mark personally from the Sword Ancestor.

Even though many reclusive sects have now entered the world, the Way of Peace still reigns supreme in the world.

It can be said that this change of power among the immortals and gods is different from the past!
As many scholars have acknowledged, this was the catalyst that triggered all these changes.

Jiang Lin himself, and Chengming Mountain from which he came, naturally attracted much attention from the Tongxuan.

How could the various events that occurred within Yunhai Temple escape the notice of those Tongxuan who were constantly watching this place?
“…” Xuanling Daoist paused.

But looking at the unremarkable, ancient bronze mirror in his hand, he said nothing more.

Jiang Lin had shown it to him when the existence of the bronze mirror was announced before.

No matter how he looked at it, it was just an ordinary, even somewhat old, bronze mirror.

However, in Jiang Lin's hands, it could unleash a power strong enough to erase a Transcendent Golden Immortal from the very root.

Even if you take the bronze mirror away, it won't make a difference.

No matter where the bronze mirror is, Jiang Lin can activate it with a single thought, ignoring all defenses and erasing the target he designates.

Things are unpredictable...

Before this, who could have imagined that a cultivator whose own realm was only at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul stage would possess the power to annihilate the Transcendent Realm?

"Just be sensible."

After letting out a soft sigh, Xuanling Daoist stood up.

I won't go into the nonsense about telling Jiang Lin to focus on his own cultivation.

Although he has been in charge of coordinating various matters in recent years, he has never neglected his spiritual practice.

They are even much more diligent than the average person.

However, spiritual cultivation is never something that can be achieved overnight. Even if one possesses many wonderful methods, one must still take it one step at a time.

"Then we'll meet again on the day of ascension."

With that, he transformed into a streak of light and rushed out of the hall, disappearing in an instant.

Only Jiang Lin remained seated in the hall.

After a while, he put away the ancient bronze mirror with his palms together, and the deep red sword mark between his eyebrows disappeared.

Looking out at the sky above the palace, one can see the billowing black energy surging towards the horizon.

As it approached Chengming Mountain, the all-encompassing dark energy that swept away evil and vanquished shrank completely, transforming into a magnificent figure wearing a nine-colored jade crown and a blue feathered robe, which landed inside the hall.

A golden mark shone between his brows, and in his hand lay a strange scroll of illustrations, arranged with stars.

"Greetings, Dao Master."

Yangming, the Greedy Wolf Star Lord.

When he was stripped of his divine position and sent to the mortal realm, he attempted to force Jiang Lin to let the Taiping Dao plunder resources for him, but instead he was suppressed by the 'Taiping Thirty-Three Heavens Divine Image'.

Then, Jiang Lin used the method of refining the Taiping Pill, supplemented by the "Divine Control Method," to refine it into a "God within a Pill."

Today, as one of the guardian deities of the Taiping Dao, he is in charge of exorcising demons and eliminating evil.

This trip is to wipe out a den of demons and monsters.

"Mm." Jiang Lin nodded slightly.

As the 'god within the elixir' that Yangming Tanlang Xingjun refined, he naturally did not need to speak to report the details.

When he returned to Yunhai Temple, Jiang Lin learned about his experiences.

Raise your hand.

Flames rose around Yangming Tanlang Xingjun, and his entire body rapidly shrank, transforming into a pill of interwoven gold and white colors, which landed in Jiang Lin's hand.

After putting away the 'Divine Elixir', he got up and went outside the hall.

Gazing at the distant sky, a complex emotion flickered in his eyes.

……

……

a few days later.

It was once the capital of the Datong Dynasty.

High in the clouds, there stood an incomparably magnificent palace.

Its interior is topped with stars, surrounded by auspicious clouds, and its pillars are arranged in rows.

Starlight flowed like a stream, wisps and strands falling into the auspicious clouds, casting out colorful and auspicious rays. Golden dragons with fiery red whiskers entwined around the palace pillars breathed out clouds and reflected the light of the sky.

At the very head of the hall is a platform woven from the principles of law and composed of numerous smaller realms.

The Imperial Palace of Lingxiao!
It is the palace where all the gods of the Heavenly Court of the Divine Path held ceremonies during the great period of the Divine Path Era.

Sponsored by the divine deity of the previous era, this is for the use of the ascendants of this era.

Inside a teahouse at this time.

The spot by the window.

A young man with his hair tied up in a bamboo crown and wearing a black and white Taoist robe was looking at the Huangji Lingxiao Palace in the high sky and clouds, with a faint aroma of tea rising from the teacup in front of him.

"Ascension..."

He was playing with a crystallized object in his hand, its surface shimmering with countless auspicious signs and radiant energy.

"Xuanling Daoist".

He looked away, picked up the teacup in front of him, and took a sip.

Looking again at the crystal in his hand, the whole world seemed to become clearer as he peered through it.

The Mind-Enlightening Stone allows one to observe the past of the cultivator's spirit, revealing good and evil.

He couldn't help but recall the day his predecessor handed him the Mind-Enlightening Stone, and felt a pang of melancholy.

This person is He Yunqi, one of the most promising "immortal guides" during the transition between immortals and gods, and possesses the extraordinary artifact transformed from the "Evolution" Dao of the Taiping Realm—the Dao Evolution Great Thousand Record.

He once traveled with Hongzun.

He is also the "Master of the Thousand Evolutions" in the memories of many "rebirth" immortal cultivation novels.

Over the years, he has kept in mind the instructions of the Venerable One, and protected the God of Virtue who was in distress when many immortals were hunting gods.

Although he did not join the Way of Peace, thousands of the 108,000 guardian deities of the Way of Peace have had interactions with him, and many of them were even rescued by him from the hands of the 'God Hunters'.

As he was recalling the events of the past, a voice suddenly rang in his ears.

"What are your thoughts on this ascension, young friend?"

The voice was gentle and calm, giving one a feeling of being bathed in a spring breeze.

He Yunqi was startled.

Looking up, he saw a handsome man wearing a jade crown and a purple brocade robe, with a smile on his face but indifference in his eyes, sitting opposite him at some point!

With just one glance, He Yunqi sensed the difference in the person before him.

It was as if he controlled the entire universe and held the fortunes and misfortunes of all living beings in his grasp.

Its value is beyond description, and its supremacy is unparalleled!
He Yunqi's eye twitched, realizing he had run into a big shot.

How come I always run into big shots like this!
He inwardly groaned, daring not to make a move, and after carefully considering his words for a while...

"My cultivation level is too low, so I really can't see anything about ascension..." He Yunqi shook his head.

The man in the brocade robe looked out the window, or more precisely, at the Imperial Palace of Supreme Power, his eyes still indifferent.

"Can't you even see it in the Dao Yan Da Qian Lu?"

What seemed like a casual question sent a chill down He Yunqi's spine.

One question kept repeating in his mind: How did he know about the 'Daoyan Daqian Record'?!

When his greatest asset was so easily revealed, He Yunqi sat there dumbfounded, as if he had lost the ability to speak.

Until the man in the jade crown and brocade robe turned his gaze to him.

The moment I met those indifferent eyes, I suddenly snapped back to reality.

"Try?"

It sounds like a question, but it carries an undeniable and absolute domineering tone, as if this statement is the ultimate truth of the world, and there is no other choice but to obey it.

Wisps of cloud appeared, intertwining and coalescing into a cloud book.

As the cloud book slowly unfolded.

The Tao extends to the vast universe, encompassing all phenomena.

The eight large characters that appeared seemed to contain profound and mysterious principles.

With so many rebirth-type "immortal path catalysts," and Tongxuan being the highest-ranking being here, the Dao Yan Da Qian Lu (Records of the Great Thousand Paths of Dao Evolution) could no longer conceal this fact.

Just as He Yunqi was about to follow that phrase and begin 'Fa Yan'.

"The Heavenly Venerable is supreme, so why make things difficult for this young brother?"

With it comes the light of a torch, enough to illuminate everything, shining in all directions.

He Yunqi paused, then quickly snapped out of his daze, and the Dao Yan Da Qian Lu that had appeared in front of him immediately disappeared.

What am I doing...?!

Recalling what had just happened, He Yunqi felt a thin layer of cold sweat instantly appear on his forehead, and a chill ran down his spine.

At this moment, the man in the brocade robe opposite him looked at the stairwell, and his eyes were no longer indifferent.

"Taiping Daoist..."

Looking at Jiang Lin walking towards them, especially seeing the deep red sword mark between his eyebrows, they felt extremely apprehensive.

"It's just a brief investigation. Aren't you curious about the principles of 'ascension'?"

Aren't you curious about that person's background?

The Celestial Venerable did not say this aloud.

"This junior is of lowly cultivation level, and only seeks to protect the peace of this region."

Jiang Lin sighed and sat down next to the two of them.

Around the deep red sword mark between his brows, flames flickered like kindling, making the Celestial Venerable even more uneasy.

That kind of absolute, high-level power that could wipe you out from the very root with the slightest movement...

Since it wasn't under his control, he really didn't want to get too close.

Having regained his senses, He Yunqi recognized Jiang Lin, the legendary Taoist of Peace.

As a cultivator who sees his own various death scenarios every day and is extremely self-aware, he decisively chose to shut up, reduce his own presence, and quietly observe from the sidelines.

"The principles of ascension are beyond the comprehension of a junior like myself."

"..." The Celestial Venerable paused for a moment, then slowly spoke, "One day, you will understand what we are thinking."

“But not now,” Jiang Lin laughed. “I’m still young now, aren’t I?”

Over a hundred years old...

This is the age to strive!
People often say, "Ideals will always be shattered by reality."

"I don't know if I'll end up like that."

"So I also want to do everything I can while I haven't completely lost my ideals."

Jiang Lin looked at the Celestial Venerable in front of him, whose realm far surpassed his own, and remained completely calm.

"At least now, I have no regrets even if I die a thousand deaths."

"..."

After another period of silence.

The Celestial Venerable rose from his seat, turned, and walked downstairs.

"Heavenly Venerable!" Jiang Lin called out to him without turning around, "No matter what the outcome of this ascension is, I hope for peace and stability in the mortal realm."

"Otherwise what?" The Celestial Venerable's tone turned cold.

"Then I can only ask one of you to go on your journey as a warning to others," Jiang Lin said calmly.

He Yunqi, standing to the side, was startled once again.

Killing chickens to warn monkeys?
Who is the chicken, and who is the monkey?

That's a Transcendent Golden Immortal!

However, the Celestial Venerable paused only briefly before quickening his pace and descending the teahouse.

what?
They just let it go like that?!

He Yunqi was stunned.

"Thank you for your help earlier, fellow Daoist." Jiang Lin's voice brought him back to his senses.

"Senior...you're too kind."

"No need to call me 'senior,' I'm still very young, aren't I?"

He Yunqi: "..."

After hesitating for a moment, he tentatively asked.

"What you just said... is it really alright?"

"Don't worry, they're just a bunch of shameless old men. They won't care about these things."

Don't you really care?
If I had said that, I probably would have died eight hundred times over.

He Yunqi muttered to himself.

"Fellow Daoist, just relax and watch the ceremony. You might even witness the fall of Tongxuan today."

A seemingly casual remark, yet it made the atmosphere in the entire city somewhat oppressive.

He Yunqi felt a chill run down his spine, but couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

This Taoist priest...

They really have no taboos!
……

……

The world reached its zenith, and the chosen time for ascension finally arrived.

Inside the Huangji Lingxiao Palace high in the sky, amidst the clouds and mist, 108,000 guardian deities of the Taiping Dao stood guard, their divine power so immense it seemed almost tangible.

Then one could see purple clouds rolling in from afar, red rainbows surging, and auspicious clouds rising.

The divine court descended upon the mortal world, and the Heavenly Venerable Emperor looked down upon the world.

From those who have attained profound enlightenment to ordinary people who have not yet entered the Dao, everyone's gaze is fixed on the Imperial Supreme Palace.

Watching the Xuanling Daoist, who wore a black crown and black robes, with a heavy and profound aura like the stars in the sky, slowly walk into the Huangji Lingxiao Palace and walk all the way to the Daoist platform at the top.

Turning back to look at the world, he bowed deeply to heaven and earth and all living beings.

Then a jade slip, larger than the Imperial Palace of the Heavenly Emperor, slowly unfurled, revealing profound golden inscriptions engraved on it.

What followed was a tremendous sound that echoed throughout the heavens and earth, clearly audible to countless living beings within the realm.

“The Xuanling of the Taiping Realm has cultivated for 3,762 years and reached the state of perfect return to emptiness.”

"After accumulating three thousand external practices, the Dao fruit is perfected."

"Through his skill to reach the pinnacle of creation, he attained enlightenment and ascended to immortality."

The three thousand seven hundred and sixty-two years also include the period when he held a divine position and served as the Mysterious Spirit Star Lord who relieved calamities and prolonged life.

A tiny flame fell from the jade slip.

raging!

In the blink of an eye, it stretched for thousands of miles, igniting the heavens and the universe, covering the ten extremes of the cosmos.

At that moment, all the Transcendent Realm cultivators in the Taiping Realm changed their expressions, and a sinister laugh that could freeze one's soul resounded from the depths of their hearts.

"Jie Jie Jie!"

Along with it, a deep red, rather bewitching flame slowly rises from the depths of the soul.

Inferno!

Born from evil karma, it can communicate with the nine netherworlds and descend to the Yellow Springs. It can turn heaven and earth into nothingness, return the vastness to chaos, and scatter the three souls and seven spirits of all things in the world without leaving a trace!
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(End of this chapter)