From the Ming Dynasty, we will conquer the world

When Young Master Zhao and Master Zhu saw the "Divine Firmament Jade Purity True King" defeated, their eyes were filled with rage.

Although they had witnessed the power of this "Lord of the Human-Heaven Song Bridge" more than once in the "future," they never imagined that Devanati was so powerful.

Although the two were only at the Lord of the Underworld level and could not participate in battles of this level, they could still see that the key to determining the outcome of the battle was the strength of the avatar of "Zhang Taixu".

At this moment, they couldn't help but wonder if Devana had made a plan beforehand. Otherwise, how could a "Zhang Taixu" who hadn't even become a true immortal unleash such power?

Thinking deeper, was the sudden disappearance of the Pingtian Sect Leader, which left the Heavenly Order system incomplete and gave the Heavenly Demon Clan an opportunity to take advantage of the situation, also the work of this person, or perhaps the Demon Ancestor?

Upon thinking of this, both of the two prefects were startled.

Logically speaking, given their state of mind, they would never have such distracting thoughts even in ordinary times, let alone in such a critical and dangerous situation.

This situation only proves one thing: the demon lord's demonic thoughts and consciousness have secretly corrupted their spirituality, and neither of them is aware of it!
But at this point, what's the use of realizing it too late? Panic is also a kind of turbid flow of the six desires. The very act of "knowing" has become an aid to the other party.

Without Zhang Taixu making the slightest movement, a black aura appeared on the faces of the two Lords, their minds riddled with holes and in ruins. One after another, Yin Demons sprang up, appearing and disappearing endlessly, gathering into a torrent that surged and swept over them.

Young Master Zhao felt as if he had fallen into the Netherworld Sea, which had been frozen for over ten thousand years, in an instant. Every part of his body and soul was thoroughly penetrated by the demon.

At the same time, deep within his soul, five spiritual pearls rose up, forming an array that exuded a rich and vibrant red life force, like a vast pool of thunder, repelling endless demonic thoughts.

Within this bright red light, one can see a phantom resembling an immortal god-king, with a human head and a snake's body, two horns on its head, but with an aura that is even more expansive, profound, and gentle.

This ancient god holds a long staff, his face is benevolent, and he seems to be one with the boundless void and the ten directions of the earth, unyielding and immovable.

Zhang Taixu could tell at a glance that this was clearly a kind of innate energy that was even stronger than "fundamental energy," which could be called "ancestral energy." It was also the most fundamental difference between emperor-level powerhouses and those great supernatural beings who were worthy of being called "supreme."

The so-called fundamental energy means "something arising from nothing, a source without roots." It is not formed by the evolution of heaven and earth, but is a unique power of emperor-level powerhouses. It can be regarded as the prototype of a mystical universe.

However, although this "qi" has the nature of the primordial beginnings, it must also conform to the spirit of the Great Change. It cannot be completely independent and can only be the foundation of the universe, but cannot transcend the universe itself.

Once an Emperor-level powerhouse falls, their "fundamental energy" will gradually dissipate. Although this process is extremely slow, it is unstoppable.

Generally speaking, after tens of thousands of years, the "fundamental energy" will merge into the "mysterious and boundless world," becoming one of the driving forces that support this wondrous realm and gradually leave the material universe.

As the name suggests, "ancestral energy" is the origin of all things, which is the nature of "Dao". It is the fusion of "material nature" and "heavenly principle". One energy can evolve the universe. It is no longer a so-called embryonic form, but can be preserved for a long time. It can even penetrate the past and present and remain forever.

Although this "ancestral energy" was extremely faint and had gone through countless vicissitudes of time, it still allowed "Zhang Taixu" to feel its profound, powerful, and compassionate nature, which carried the cycle of life and death.

Upon first contact, he sensed the former name of this being—the Earth Goddess who embodies the virtues of Heaven and the law!

But this is only one aspect of the other party's "innate ancestral energy". In addition to the divine position of "Earthly Emperor", "Zhang Taixu" also felt another kind of lively and vibrant life force.

This is the ancient god predecessor of the other party, the ancestor of the human race - Nuwa!
"Hmm? A traveler from the future? A member of the Nanzhao royal family?"

As the sound rang out, Young Master Zhao felt the pain that had pierced his skin and penetrated his soul vanish instantly, as if it had never existed.

He opened his eyes and saw Master Zhu standing behind "Zhang Taixu," his body surrounded by demonic flames, and a vertical eye appeared between his brows, half-open and half-closed, emitting a faint, eerie light, exuding a chilling aura that seemed to penetrate the very heart.

Young Master Zhao was not surprised at all. After all, even though Master Zhu was a powerful figure, he could not possibly last a single round against the other party. What puzzled him was why he was unharmed.

Could it be that I just feel fine, but there has been some subtle, natural change in my body or deep in my soul?
But if that's really the case, why would he make me realize it?

For a moment, Zhao Gongzi's inspiration flashed continuously, and even wisps of colorful smoke drifted out from his fontanelle.

Zhang Taixu swept his sleeve to calm the situation, then stamped his foot to wipe away the lingering "guiding light" around him before nodding and asking directly:
"You are one of the contingency plans left behind by Nuwa in the mortal realm. So, was her previous incarnation in the Six Paths of Reincarnation, or in the divine realm of the Lord of Mount Tai?"

Young Master Zhao has now calmed down and revealed a wry smile.

He simply couldn't understand why this demon lord, who could clearly access his memories, would choose to ask him questions in this way.

Zhang Taixu said calmly:

"I'm asking you questions out of respect. If you hadn't sabotaged things behind the scenes, Li Xiuyuan wouldn't have escaped so easily."

"In fact, Di Huaiying also noticed this. Although he thought that you and Master Zhu were not from the same faction, he still made the best use of you and did not let your hard work go to waste."

Zhang Taixu just checked and found that both Young Master Zhao and Master Zhu are figures who will represent the great tide of humanity in the future.

The Great Celestial Venerable has summoned them using a secret method in order to completely disrupt the order of this world, leaving no opportunity for any hidden powerhouses or even those who have attained Dao.

Furthermore, to ensure absolute certainty, the Great Celestial Venerable added a layer of concealment to their identities. Master Zhu was both Zhu Xi, the future Confucian master, and the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

The reason this person was chosen was because he had a predestined connection with the Nine Heavens Demon-Subduing Ancestor. The Great Celestial Venerable even had the idea of ​​having this person fill the vacancy of the True Martial Emperor's position after he achieved success in his cultivation.

At that time, Zhu Xi's identity as a Confucian master who embodies the spirit of literature and the Way will once again become a new obstacle for him, instead of a concealment.

Young Master Zhao is no different. On the surface, he is a member of the Nanzhao royal family who inherits the divine power of Nuwa and is destined to save the world. In reality, his fundamental spiritual consciousness is that of Emperor Taizong of the Zhao Song dynasty, known for his "candlelight and axe shadow" incident. These two identities are full of contradictions and conflicts.

The Great Celestial Venerable's style of acting with subtle foreshadowing and hidden implications is evident from this.

However, although this Great Celestial Venerable obtained the supreme and limitless holy position of "Silent and Vast Without Origin, Profound Model Governing the Ten Directions", he could not truly be without flaws in his calculations.

In particular, his opponent was the Earth Emperor who had broken free from the body of an ancient god, aligned himself with the Way of Earth, and pursued the Dao Venerable.

The power of Nuwa is inherited through bloodline. For the Xuanmen experts, the primordial spirit governs the physical body and ultimately merges with the Heavenly Dao. The spirit returns to the Great Yi and the Qi returns to the Primordial Beginning. This is the right path of cultivation and a perfectly normal thing.

However, in Nuwa's view, although the primordial spirit can dominate the physical body, there is actually no distinction between master and servant, only a difference in strength.

Conversely, if the physical body is strong enough, it can become a prison for the primordial spirit, and even cause the primordial spirit to undergo subtle changes.

However, these beings, who possess the bloodline of Nuwa and are half-human and half-god, have always lived in seclusion in the secret realm created by Nuwa after their ascension. They do not concern themselves with worldly affairs and only focus on cultivating and seeking the Dao, keeping an extremely low profile.

Therefore, the secrets within the bloodlines of these beings have never been revealed, and even they themselves are unaware of this. In the vast and mysterious world, although there are many powerful emperors and celestial beings, out of respect for Nuwa, they have never taken action against her descendants—until the Great Celestial Venerable appeared out of nowhere.

In order to seize this position, he resorted to extreme measures, which in turn brought unpredictable hidden dangers and disasters upon himself.

The Great Celestial Venerable did not expect that Emperor Taizong of Song's spirit would not completely take over this physical body, but would instead be subtly influenced by the power of his bloodline.

In this process, the Five Spirit Pearls, the most precious treasure of Nanzhao bestowed by the Great Celestial Venerable, played an extremely crucial role.

After understanding all this, even with Zhang Taixu's or Xu Xing's knowledge, one cannot help but marvel at Nuwa's talent and methods, which are truly unparalleled in the world.

To be able to utilize physical strength to such an extent is comparable to that of the Immortal Martial Arts or the God Kings of the Yang God World.

While Nuwa's path may be lacking in pure power, in terms of the study of bloodline inheritance, this ancient god who walks the path of the mystical is even superior.

Moreover, this tactic was extremely well hidden; it would never have been used unless an external enemy truly intended to seize the core power of the Nanzhao royal family and exterminate them.

What impressed Xu Xing the most was that Nuwa was willing to lower her "ancestral energy" to protect "Young Master Zhao," a mere minor official.

This was an extremely unwise act. If she were facing the Great Celestial Venerable, she would most likely be able to trace the clues and find all the arrangements she left behind. But Nuwa did it without hesitation.

Xu Xing could sense that one of the reasons for this was that Nuwa's spirit had already departed, and what remained in this world now was her past life.

The so-called past life was the ancient god body of Nuwa.

When Nuwa defied the innate nature, gathered ancestral energy, and attained the position of Earthly Sovereign, she had already shed her ancient divine body and achieved the status of an innate deity.

Logically speaking, powerful beings at the Emperor level would choose to integrate their physical bodies into their "fundamental energy" to strengthen their cultivation foundation. However, Nuwa deliberately left the physical body behind.

Besides this reason, an even greater factor is that Nuwa was such a loving and compassionate great being.

Xu Xing had reason to believe that if the person in question were present, he would have done the same thing without hesitation.

Although Young Master Zhao's mind was twisted, he was still just a minor prefect. Even if he wanted to do something bad, he couldn't do anything at the crucial point; he could only make small moves.

After hearing Xu Xing's question, Young Master Zhao's smile turned even more bitter, but he had no choice but to answer, so he could only cautiously reply:

"Although Nuwa is a woman of divine wisdom, the Great Heavenly Venerable is also a great man of his time. Therefore, she will only give me some hints at key moments."

Xu Xing nodded and said directly:

"I already know, it's in the divine realm of the Lord of Mount Tai."

Although "ancestral energy" is the root of heaven and earth, it is not without trace in the eyes of someone like Xu Xing.

In fact, he had already traced the source back to where he was asking the question and realized that it came from a certain layer in the mysterious and boundless world.

That aura was somewhat similar to the "Zhou Jue Yin Tian Secret Manual," both possessing the meaning of life and death reincarnation and underworld punishment, but it was more upright, righteous, and dignified.

In fact, although the vast and mysterious world is described in the Taoist books of the lower realm as a fairyland with beautiful scenery and free from calamities and turbidity, it has never lacked strife.

The attitudes of many powerful figures in Buddhism and Taoism toward how to change the world have been completely different since ancient times.

The struggle over the laws of life and death is of paramount importance.

That is why they each built their own Netherworld. Although Buddhism also has different Pure Lands and lineages, the vast majority agree with the theory of the Ten Realms. The Six Paths of Reincarnation built on this basis are even more solid and unbreakable.

Although the Taoist sect wanted to consolidate its power to counter it, the internal conflicts within the sect far exceeded those within the Buddhist sect.

Because the Daoist teachings are based on the natural way, allowing for easy entry and exit, and are far less restrictive than the Ten Realms, there are many great spiritual beings who comprehend the Daoist teachings, and many of them are born from ancient gods.

This resulted in the fact that although the Heavenly Court formed by the Taoist sect was extremely powerful on paper and had the Jade Emperor as its backer, it was able to barely form a united front, but there were simply too many powerful figures with real influence within it.

In the field of the Laws of Life and Death alone, there are several top-tier experts such as the "Great Emperor of Fengdu Beiyin", the "Lord of Mount Tai", and the "Great Emperor of the Earthly Official Qingxu". Each family has its own doctrines, and none of them can come up with a set of rules that can convince the public.

The Jade Emperor was quite helpless about this. In the end, the Earth Emperor manifested his divine power and selected the Lord of Mount Tai, who was the most profound among the emperors and was both the ruler of the underworld and the embodiment of the earth's veins.

Even though the others chose to retreat, they did not relinquish their power over life and death, which resulted in the Netherworld Divine Kingdom of the Lord of Mount Tai being inherently inferior to the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

During the last great chaos, although the Plague Emperor Haotian defeated many emperors, seized power in the Heavenly Court, and ascended to the position of Great Heavenly Venerable, he also reached an agreement with Wutian, severing his own power over life and death, thus making the Six Paths of Reincarnation the sole dominant force.

After this battle, the underworld kingdom left behind by the Lord of Mount Tai was also abandoned. However, in the memory of "Master Zhu", the Great Heavenly Venerable did not actually give up the power of life and death.

Instead, he took this opportunity to turn the Taishan Underworld Kingdom from the light to the dark, and gathered the divine realms of the other emperors, attempting to completely unify the laws of life and death of the Daoist lineage.

At the same time, the Great Celestial Venerable handed over the many celestial gods and immortals he had suppressed to Wutian, who would then be suppressed by the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

On the surface, Wutian gained many benefits. Without the constraints of the Daoist sect, the Six Paths of Reincarnation could be completely integrated into the "mysterious and boundless world" and become a fundamental law.

If he could refine these many immortals and gods, his magical power would surely surge again. At that time, it would not be impossible for him to either go down to the mortal realm to replace the Primordial Demon Ancestor or advance eastward to take over the Heavenly Court.

However, the expansion of the Western Paradise Buddhist Kingdom was actually limited after this battle. Although the Six Paths of Reincarnation no longer had any rivals, it gained a number of burdens, which slowed down its expansion.

Furthermore, during the battle years ago, a group of immortals and gods also escaped in the chaos. Among them are the Great Heavenly Venerable's fellow disciples, the Great Emperor Baosheng, the True Lord Erlang Shen, the Buddhist Medicine Buddha Liuli, the Victorious Fighting Buddha, and the Future Buddha.

In order to rescue these immortals and gods, they will inevitably make the Six Paths of Reincarnation their primary target. As a result, Wutian will undoubtedly become the target of everyone's attacks.

In fact, the Six Paths of Reincarnation had already been impacted several times during this period, and the Great Celestial Venerable was able to take this opportunity to bide his time and accumulate strength.

Having understood the ins and outs of these events, Xu Xing also understood what his next goal was. (End of Chapter)