Rewrite the myth and become the Taoist!

Chapter 329 The Legend of the God Who Mending the Sky

"The First Emperor reigned for 199 years?! The First Emperor is still alive?"

Upon hearing Yun Ni's words, Liu Jing gasped in shock, sensing something was amiss.

"Aren't martial arts grandmasters supposed to live to a maximum of 120 years old?"

Since ancient times, martial arts in China have been divided into four realms: skin training, bone forging, blood transformation, and organ training. Those who reach the organ training realm are called martial arts grandmasters and can eat a cow a day. Beyond that, according to experts, without compressing energy, the ancients simply could not continue their cultivation.

The human body has a lifespan of 120 years, but most people don't even live that long.

"The era of the First Emperor is too far removed from our own time. I have only heard snippets of information from my ancestors."

"That tyrant lived in the Chang Le Palace of the Qing Kingdom. His cruel officials were like jackals and tigers, treating human life as worthless. He indulged in extravagance and pleasure every day, disregarding the suffering of the people."

Yun Ni shook her head and replied truthfully, "As for whether the First Emperor was still alive at the age of two hundred... I don't know either. I only often heard Mr. Chen say that the First Emperor's martial arts were unfathomable, surpassing all the saints and emperors of the past and present."

"Mr. Chen?"

Liu Jing was taken aback.

The Mr. Chen that Yun Ni mentioned is named Chen Rui, who is his strategist and benefactor who has helped him rise to prominence.

Perhaps Mr. Chen knows the secrets of the First Emperor.

Liu Jing thought to himself, then with great courage rose from the embrace of pleasure. He and Yun Ni straightened their clothes and called out,

Where is the gentleman?

Before long, the curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged man dressed in a scholar's robe with a lean face strode in.

"Your subject Chen Rui pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Liu Jing rushed forward, his rough hands gripping the other's thin wrist. He waved for the others to leave, and once only the two of them were inside the tent, he whispered:
"Sir, you come from the royal family of the previous dynasty. Tell Jing about the history of the Xia dynasty before Qing Kingdom."

Before he awakened his memories, he was a farmer's son. He had risen to prominence and was not illiterate, but in terms of understanding of this era, he was naturally no match for Chen Rui, who came from a noble family.

Chen Rui remained silent for a long time before saying, "The eight hundred vassal states of the Xia dynasty were defeated by the First Emperor at the Battle of Muye, and the vassal kings were demoted to commoners."

"The tyrant collected all the gold in the world to build the Chang Le Palace, severed the martial arts lineage, and executed nine generations of his family for the slightest disobedience." Chen Rui's voice was low and indignant. "The King was born in accordance with the mandate of Heaven and is the only hope for the people of the world."

"..." Liu Jing stared at Chen Rui, who remained unmoved by reason.

Chen Rui gave him a deep look: "Xiang Yu's army of 100,000 has reached Ying Shuiyuan, a hundred miles away. Although our army has a million men, most of them are newly recruited farmers. I'm afraid we will not be able to withstand Xiang Yu's elite troops. Please make a decision as soon as possible, Your Majesty."

Liu Jing pondered for a moment: "This matter is for you to decide, sir."

A hint of surprise flashed in Chen Rui's eyes, which quickly turned into relief: "I will make the arrangements immediately."

After Chen Rui left.

Liu Jing narrowed his eyes and secretly summoned his confidant: "Send people to secretly collect the records of the previous dynasty, especially those about the Battle of Muye and the period before the First Emperor ascended the throne."

Archaeological records of the Xia dynasty end with the First Emperor; anything before that is merely a collection of mythical tales.

He and his teacher excavated the "Tomb of the First Emperor" in the hope of exploring the more distant historical truth of the Xia Dynasty. He was transported here by soul, and the Qing Kingdom died after only two generations. However, this first life lasted longer than most unified dynasties in later generations.

……

……

Three days later, Liu Jing, clad in armor, stood atop a hill, overlooking the magnificent sight of two armies facing off on the plain below.

A million-strong rebel army stretched to the horizon like a tidal wave, while the Xiang family army on the opposite side, though vastly outnumbered, was arrayed in a disciplined formation and exuded a murderous aura.

Liu Jing was alarmed.

These elite troops could fight against a hundred men each, and morale is paramount on the battlefield, not sheer numbers. Once this family army charged, his million-strong army could not withstand them and collapsed in an instant.

"The Xiang family's 'Iron Eagle Guards' are all skilled in martial arts. Although there are only three thousand of them, they can rival an army of one hundred thousand," Chen Rui explained from the side. "Fortunately, His Majesty had the foresight to invite Master Xuanlingzi."

Liu Jing turned to look at the silent gray-robed old man beside him. Xuan Lingzi was thin, his face hidden under a large hood.

"Please, Master, perform the spell," Liu Jing said.

Xuan Lingzi remained silent, simply stepping forward and planting his wooden staff into the ground. He formed complex hand seals while chanting incantations. Initially, nothing happened; Liu Jing even heard several generals behind him let out disdainful snorts.

However, the earth began to tremble the next moment.

What began as a slight swaying quickly escalated into a violent shaking. Liu Jing had to grab onto the flagpole beside him to steady himself. On the plain, the Xiang family army's orderly ranks began to crumble, warhorses neighed in alarm, and soldiers fell to the ground.

"The earth is turning upside down!" someone shouted in terror.

But Liu Jing knew this was no ordinary earthquake. He witnessed a crack appear where Xuan Lingzi's wooden staff had been inserted, and crimson light, like blood, seeped out, flowing along the ground towards Xiang's army. Wherever the red light passed, the ground writhed as if alive, engulfing the entire army.

Even more terrifying was the sky. The once clear blue sky was suddenly covered with dark clouds, but these were not ordinary dark clouds—the clouds were a strange bluish-black, rolling down like giant beasts and pressing down on the Xiang family army.

Blood-red lightning flashed intermittently through the clouds, and with each strike, dozens of soldiers were reduced to charred remains.

“Divine power…” Chen Rui murmured, his eyes gleaming with fanaticism, “The master has borrowed the dormant power of this land!”

Liu Jing felt a chill creep up his spine.

He saw that wherever the red light passed, the vegetation withered instantly, and the land turned a deathly gray. Several villages in the distance were also affected; thatched roofs collapsed under an invisible force, and the screams of the people could be faintly heard.

According to unofficial historical records, Xiang Yu defied the will of Heaven and was punished. The earth turned upside down, and lightning, floods, and raging fires struck. Within three days, no remains of any people were found within a hundred miles.

"I actually won like this???"

"Stop!" Liu Jing shouted to Xuan Lingzi, "Those people—"

Xuan Lingzi seemed not to hear and continued chanting the incantation. Chen Rui grabbed Liu Jing's arm: "Your Majesty, those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles. A few sacrifices will bring peace to the world!"

Liu Jing broke free from his grasp, only to find himself powerless and unable to enter the area of ​​divine punishment cast by Xuan Lingzi.

The Xiang family army, known as the invincible Iron Eagle Guard, was like an ant before the might of heaven and earth, and was repeatedly ravaged by landslides, floods, and raging fires.

On the morning of the third day, Xiang Yong led only a hundred or so personal guards to break through the encirclement, but while crossing the Ying River, he was struck by a bolt of lightning, turning him and his horse into dust.

"Immortal!!"

"May Heaven bless Prince Jing!"

When news of the victory reached the camp, the entire army rejoiced.

Liu Jing stood alone on the high ground, gazing at the land ravaged by magic. The once fertile farmland had turned into scorched earth, the rivers were littered with the corpses of fish and shrimp, and the distant villages were nothing but ruins.

"Why is Your Majesty displeased?" Chen Rui appeared behind him without him noticing.

Liu Jing didn't turn around: "Why?"

Chen Rui was silent for a moment: "Under the rule of a tyrant, ten times more people die every day. It's better to have a short pain than a long one."

"That Xuan Lingzi... just who is he?"

“A descendant of the former royal family, he is proficient in ancient secret arts. His family was persecuted by a tyrant, and he was the only one who escaped.” Chen Rui paused, “Your Majesty need not worry, Xuan Lingzi is only loyal to the cause of resisting tyranny.”

Liu Jing sneered: "Just like me? This Prince Jing who 'emerged by the mandate of heaven'?"

Chen Rui's expression changed slightly: "Why does Your Majesty say this?" "Nothing." Liu Jing turned and walked towards the main tent, "Let the soldiers rest for three days, and then we will head towards Chang Le Palace."

In the stillness of the night, Liu Jing sat alone under the lamp, perusing the tattered bamboo slips and silk scrolls. Most of the records were fragmented, clearly having been deliberately damaged.

But the pieced-together information is already astonishing enough.

One of the martial arts hall warriors, "Black," left behind a Crouching Tiger Token with tiny characters written in cinnabar on it: "The one who holds the Crouching Tiger Token and passes the test of the martial arts hall's leader will receive a demon-suppressing weapon to patrol the world and slay demons and monsters..."

"Exorcising spirit weapons? Man-eating beasts of the wilderness? The four evil gods of the mist?"

"Is Xuan Lingzi an immortal or a demon?"

Back in his tent, Liu Jing clutched the Crouching Tiger Token tightly and didn't sleep a wink all night.

He no longer felt the excitement and exhilaration he had when he first transmigrated and learned that he commanded an army of millions.

Three days later.

On the drill ground, the million-strong army remained completely silent.

Liu Jing held his sword high for a moment, took a deep breath, and then plunged the sword into the ground. "I have decided not to attack Chang Le Palace."

The million-strong army on the drill ground began to stir.

"Why do you say such a thing, Your Majesty? Have you been bewitched by a sorcerer?"

Chen Rui, standing to the side, was shocked and pleaded, "As long as Chang Le Palace is not destroyed, Qing Kingdom will not perish! We have a million soldiers, and with the help of a divinely appointed extraordinary person, Your Majesty!"

"A million people?"

Liu Jing sneered, "Two hundred years ago, the warriors of the vassal states consumed spiritual seeds and wielded spiritual weapons. Among them, the masters of the weapons all possessed the ability to shatter mountains and split seas, and the First Emperor single-handedly defeated such a million-strong army at Muye."

"Sir, do you now want me, with my million-strong rabble, to attack the First Emperor in Chang Le Palace?"

"Now that you've declared yourself king, you have no say in this!"

……

The Chang Le Palace is situated a towering mountain, majestic and awe-inspiring, reaching straight to the heavens. Eight hundred imperial guards stand before the palace, one of whom descends the mountain wielding a magical weapon to suppress the rebellious army.

[They were stopped by the demon Xuan Lingzi and his accomplices.]

[A million-strong army, manipulated by a demon, stormed the Chang Le Palace. The demon, Xuan Lingzi, using his life force and carrying the "resentment of the people," smashed the mountain that supported the Chang Le Palace—severing the connection between heaven and earth!]

The nobles of the fallen kingdoms rejoiced, for the Xia dynasty had entered an era without the First Emperor.

The guards before the Chang Le Palace were exceptionally brave, forged from superior spiritual weapons. One man single-handedly slayed all the demonic accomplices who appeared. He sternly questioned Prince Jing, stating that the Chang Le Palace, where the First Emperor resided, and the Tongtian Mountain, formed from the divine weapon "Great Sage Equal to Heaven," were now the lifeblood of all Chinese civilization.

[Chang Le Palace is bordered by Xia Zhou Tian on one side and Xu Hai on the other. As the First Emperor and his fierce generals expanded their territory, the alien races of Xu Hai and the evil gods of the mist drifted further and further away from the people of Xia Zhou Tian.]

The First Emperor used himself as a sacred gate, establishing nine layers of imperial passes to defend against enemies. Foreign tribes could not breach Chang Le Palace, and the people lived in peace.

At this time, the people of Xiazhou Heaven severed all contact with the "Chang Le Palace," thus gaining temporary peace. However, all the spiritual veins of Xiazhou Heaven are located in the Ninefold Imperial Pass. Once the alien races of the Void Sea rediscover the location of "Xiazhou Heaven," the humans here, lacking spiritual weapons, will inevitably perish.

This act has caused immeasurable harm, and the blame lies entirely with Liu Jing.

[When Liu Jing finally came to his senses, it was too late for regrets.]

[Liu Jing, together with the guards in front of Chang Le Palace, established the Crouching Tiger Guard to exterminate the remaining demons. He personally built a palace on the ruins of Tongtian Mountain to worship the First Emperor and the saints of the Martial Arts Hall, attempting to re-establish communication with Chang Le Palace before the great fog arrived!]

……

The changes in the ancestral land awakened Xiang Ji, the First Emperor, who was cultivating the Tao there. However, he was unaware of what had happened, as only twenty years had passed since his battle with the Four Fiends and the Zombie Saint.

The ninefold imperial pass formed by the natal divine weapon "Mountain and River Seal" showed no abnormalities.

The Lord of War continues his campaign against the Holy Land Dynasty, and heroes of the Qing Kingdom are emerging in great numbers.

[The leader of the Martial Arts Hall reported that they had lost their position in Xia Zhou Tian. With the expansion of the Nine Heavens Imperial Pass, which declared, "Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the earth, all people are subjects of the king," its territory far surpassed the entire Spirit Realm of Xia Zhou Tian.]

[Moreover, the spiritual veins of Xia Prefecture no longer exist, yet the Four Evil Gods went to such great lengths to sever the connection between heaven and earth, but this had no effect on the Qing Kingdom's army. What is the reason for this?]

The First Emperor, Xiang Ji, felt a vague unease, but he was unaware of the "Mandate of Heaven" in the Void Sea.

This destiny was ordained in the heavens above Xia Prefecture.

At this moment, Dao Ancestor Xuhai arrived to discuss the Dao.

He was Xiang Ji's strongest enemy in a century of battles, and he was even very aware of the limitations of being "invincible." He controlled his own power, maintaining the same strength as Xiang Ji, and thus restrained Xiang Ji's limited methods.

[The "Goddess of Destiny," the White Snake, personally broke through the nine layers of the Imperial Gate this time, and managed to breach seven of them!]

This immediately forced Xiang Ji to reveal his trump card.

[The Qing Kingdom has been established for nearly two hundred years, and its territory is the largest in human history. Xiang Ji can continue to summon the gods and celestial beings from the Mythical Holy Emperor System.]

Xiang Ji looked up, his eyes reflecting the apocalyptic scene.

[In the shattered scene, amidst a gray world, a fierce wind tears apart broken mountains. Above the sky, a crack runs across, and chaotic energy pours down like a waterfall, causing everything in its path to decay and annihilate.]

At that very moment, a nine-colored divine light burst forth from the depths of the void.

A figure arrived bathed in light, clad in a green robe, with nine-colored ribbons cascading like a celestial river, encircling their body. Their face was indistinct, but they held aloft a divine stone, flowing upstream to block the gap between heaven and earth. The shattered sky began to heal as if from a mirror!

Wow! Wow! Wow!

Above the ninth Imperial Pass.

The great god who mended the heavens was formless and shapeless, wearing only a green robe and draped with illusory nine-colored ribbons.

【"hiss--!"】

A massive white serpent emerged from the chaos, its serpentine eyes fixed on the god who mended the heavens. It opened its enormous maw, its fangs dripping venom that corroded the void!

"You beast!"

[The green robe trembled, and the nine-colored ribbons suddenly transformed into nine heaven-locking chains, coiling around the white snake and instantly constricting its vital point! The white snake struggled frantically, its tail slapping across mountains and rivers for miles, but it could not break free!]

The white snake let out a shrill roar, its body crumbling inch by inch, finally being completely suppressed beneath the divine stone!

"The God Who Patches Up the Sky?!"

Upon witnessing this scene, the Dao Ancestor, who was engaged in fierce battle with the First Emperor, changed his expression drastically and hurriedly fled into the depths of the Void Sea.

The figure in the green robe waved his hand, and the sky healed.

The warlord of the Ninefold Imperial Pass stared blankly at the sky. The figure in green robes summoned by the First Emperor in his moment of crisis must surely be a saint of the human race.

[After that.]

Legends about "the Great God Who Mending the Sky, Wa Huang" began to circulate among the human race.

……

(End of this chapter)