Yefutidaolu

Chapter 432 Ziwei Enclosure

Passing through the outer defenses of the capital city of Yangjing is an experience that is enough to shake one's soul.

Those were not ordinary city walls or array light curtains, but twelve towering, enormous golden figures that pierced the clouds and sky!

Like an ancient mountain range, they stand silently on the periphery of the floating capital, forming the first and most awe-inspiring line of defense.

The golden figures were forged from some unknown dark golden metal, their surfaces engraved with countless intricate and ancient runes. These runes were not static, but rather flowed slowly, like blood coursing through veins, radiating a chilling energy fluctuation. They were in various poses, some wielding giant halberds pointing to the sky, others holding precious seals to suppress the earth, and still others forming hand seals to channel the primordial energy of the heavens. Each one contained a terrifying power capable of destroying the world, and their majesty was enough to intimidate any unscrupulous individual before the battle even began.

The gentle breeze, controlled by Jiang Youlin, carried the two of them through the gaps between these enormous creatures.

As Gao Jian approached one of the golden figures, he looked up and merely brushed past the figure's enormous golden eyes, which were as large as small lakes. Those cold, lifeless eyes, yet seemingly imbued with boundless will, brought an almost suffocating sense of oppression. The eyes were made of neither gold nor jade; their interiors seemed to contain swirling nebulae, so deep they could draw one's very soul in.

Flying over from such a close distance, one can better feel the vast and ancient aura emanating from the golden man's body, as if it came from the primordial wilderness.

Passing through the defensive circle formed by the twelve golden figures, which resembled a moving mountain range, Gao Jian once again surveyed the capital of the divine dynasty, which floated in the sky and was constantly cycling.

In the past, when his cultivation level was low and he arrived by flying boat, he only felt that the capital was magnificent, but he could not see its inner mystery clearly.

Now that his divine gates have been opened, his divine perception has become a thousand times more acute. Therefore, he can see more clearly the special location of this capital city.

This place is definitely not a naturally formed blessed land!

Instead, it was created by an unimaginably powerful being who used heaven-defying methods to modify the terrain and tamper with the secrets of heaven—a core node that gathers, plunders, and controls the essence of the entire divine dynasty!
In his perception, this place had the momentum of ten thousand mountains paying homage. Within the territory of the Divine Dynasty, the earth energy of countless mountains, whether majestic or beautiful, and the invisible "dragon veins" were forcibly guided and distorted, ultimately like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, continuously transporting the essence of the earth veins to the Divine Capital Yangjing.

In addition, thousands of waters converge here, not only the rivers on the ground, but also many underground rivers, water veins and spiritual springs. Their water vapor and spiritual charm seem to be drawn by an invisible force, surrounding and nourishing this floating city.

This place is also a wind corridor hub. In the sky, the "circular paths" and "straight paths" used for airship navigation are not only transportation routes, but also invisibly plan and fix the direction of airflow between heaven and earth. All important "wind belts" also converge here as a hub, bringing vitality and energy from afar.

The natural beauty of mountains, rivers, wind, and clouds, and the inherent spiritual energy they contain, are forcibly gathered here in an incredible way.

The entire world of the Divine Dynasty seemed to be nourishing this city in a secret and grand way!
And this was merely the "afterglow" that the outer Twenty-Eight Mansions region could perceive. Gao Jian could clearly sense that over 99% of the immense and immeasurable torrent of spiritual energy that had gathered was greedily absorbed into the Purple Palace Enclosure, which was as solid and magnificent as a pillar of heaven at the very center!
One can imagine the incredible density of spiritual energy within the imperial palace deep within the Purple Palace!

However, inspiration is not simply 'spiritual energy' or energy density.

This is common knowledge among cultivators. The so-called spiritual energy is the essence of heaven and earth, connecting the ethereal source of the celestial way above and encompassing the profound mysteries of the deepest abysses below. It is mysterious and unfathomable, shrouded in ambiguity, formless and intangible, yet undeniably real. The intertwining of fortune and misfortune, the lingering ebb and flow of rise and fall, all are brewing within it.

It influences the rise and fall of fortune, is linked to the trajectory of destiny, and even determines whether a being's mind is intelligent and their comprehension is profound. People in certain regions are born with exceptional talent for cultivation, or are born with immense strength, or possess exquisite and insightful minds; this is a natural gift brought about by the abundant "spiritual energy" of the local area. The so-called "moment of spiritual inspiration" is precisely the manifestation of a momentary resonance between an individual's mind and this mysterious energy between heaven and earth.

Now, the spiritual energy of the entire vast territory of the Divine Dynasty is being forcibly gathered here in a domineering manner... Deep within the Purple Palace, what incredible existence will be nurtured, or rather "soaked" in, such terrifying spiritual energy? What kind of cultivation environment that defies common sense will be created?
Gao Jian sighed inwardly, realizing that this was beyond human capability and almost a feat of creation, yet it also revealed an extreme form of tyranny, like draining the pond to catch all the fish and sacrificing the world to benefit one person.

As he pondered, Jiang Youlin led him through the layers of light and shadow and prosperity of the outer Twenty-Eight Mansions area, finally landing before the huge barrier separating the inside from the outside—the entrance to the Purple Palace Enclosure.

Right before the magnificent, star-like gate of the Purple Palace Enclosure, Gao Jian's gaze sharpened as he saw two familiar yet utterly unfamiliar figures.

Those are... two door gods!
It is neither a portrait nor a sculpture, but a real, living "human god" that exudes magnificent divine power and a strong incense-burning aura!
Back in that remote Cangzhou, he and the young Taoist Bai Ping had used the images of door gods to fight against many evil spirits.

Unexpectedly, I have seen his true form here today in the heart of the Divine Dynasty!

The gods have been lost. What remains in this world are the "human gods" who are formed by the incense and prayers of all living beings, or who are recognized and appointed by the dynasty, and the "earth gods" who are born naturally from the mountains and rivers.

The divine dynasty worshipped these gods and immortals and bestowed titles upon those earth gods, seemingly placing itself in the position of the heavenly god who once ruled over all gods, thereby constructing a new divine order belonging to the human world!
These two "human gods" guarding the gates of the Purple Palace were clad in golden armor, radiating brilliant light. Their faces were somewhat blurred in the divine light, yet they possessed an awe-inspiring and inviolable majesty and chilling aura. Their gazes were as tangible as reality, sweeping over Gao Jian as if they could see through all illusions.

Gao Jian paused, his gaze calmly surveying the two divine generals guarding the giant gate of the Purple Palace.

These are Generals Qin and Luo, who are widely praised in the Divine Dynasty and enjoy the incense offerings of the people.

The figures that appeared before them were not the portraits or clay or wooden sculptures they had seen before, but the real manifestations of deities.

Standing a full ten feet tall, with a physique as imposing as a mountain, he wore a dazzling golden armor adorned with cloud patterns and auspicious beast designs. The armor shimmered with light, as if it were formed from pure incense and the power of prayers. Golden armor, chainmail, a crimson robe, a dragon belt, and a lion-shaped sash—his entire body radiated divine light, exuding awe and power.

His face was faintly visible in the hazy divine light, but his eyes, like two inextinguishable golden lamps, shone with a sharp light that could see through the illusion and was full of majesty and murderous intent.

They stood on the left and right, like two insurmountable mountains, on the only path leading to the Purple Palace Enclosure. Behind them, the enormous gate, thousands of feet high and inlaid with countless reliefs of the sun, moon, and stars, further accentuated their divine might and their overwhelming aura.

These two generals were fierce warriors who followed the emperor of the divine dynasty to conquer all directions thousands of years ago. After they died on the battlefield, the court built a temple to worship them because of their loyalty and bravery, and they have been worshipped by hundreds of millions of people to this day.

Over the long years and with the immense amount of incense offerings, they have long been elevated to the altar, becoming indispensable guardian deities of the dynasty.

Now, sensing this up close, Gao Jian understood immediately. The energy level and imposing aura emanating from these two divine generals were clearly equivalent to a seventh-rank Earth Immortal!
However, their source of power and path of cultivation are completely different from the way other cultivators open the three gates and nine orifices and condense to become earth immortals.

They lacked a clear three-stage structure within their bodies, nor did they possess the nascent, self-consistent inner world of Earth Immortals. Instead, they possessed a vast and complex system of incense and deities closely connected to the entire divine dynasty's fortune and the vows of millions of believers. Gao Jian seemed to ponder this. From this perspective, the scope of power encompassed by the 'Seventh Rank' was far broader than the 'Earth Immortal' as commonly understood in the divine dynasty. Earth Immortals might just be one path to the Seventh Rank.

This discovery sent a chill down Gao Jian's spine. The Divine Dynasty clearly possessed more than just the method of cultivating Earth Immortals to create high-end combat power; its demonstrated potential and the resource control behind it were enough to make one's heart tremble.

The two gatekeepers clearly recognized Jiang Youlin. Seeing her lead Gao Jian in, their golden gazes lingered on Gao Jian for a moment, but they didn't question him further. They merely slightly twitched their chins, clad in golden helmets, and parted to the sides, like mountains shifting, to clear the path to the gate. With each movement, the golden armor rubbed together, producing a deep and majestic hum.

Gao Jian remained expressionless, nodded slightly to the two door gods, and then stepped forward, preparing to pass through the seemingly wide passage between them, which was actually filled with invisible divine power.

However, just as he brushed past General Qin on his right—

"Humph!"

A low, yet thunderous, snort suddenly exploded!
This sound did not travel through the air, but acted directly on the depths of the soul and consciousness!
It was as if an ancient bronze bell had been struck hard in my mind, the sound waves sweeping over me like a tangible force, carrying the soul-stirring sound of jade chimes, or like thousands of gongs and drums resounding in my ears!
This is a spiritual impact imbued with divine majesty. Ordinary cultivators, even those with considerable cultivation, would inevitably be caught off guard and their minds would waver, revealing weaknesses.

But Gao Jian seemed oblivious to it.

His steps were unwavering, his figure swayed without the slightest movement, and even his eyes remained completely calm.

The soul impact that would require even cultivators of the same level to concentrate to deal with fell into his heart lake, which had been tempered by the birth and death of two worlds and stabilized by the "Heart Lamp Illuminating Shadow Scripture." It was like a small pebble thrown into a deep pool, stirring up a few insignificant ripples, which were quickly swallowed up and smoothed out by the profound calm.

He maintained his previous pace and walked over calmly, as if that cold snort, which contained divine power, was nothing more than a breeze brushing past his ear.

The General Qin who had snorted coldly had a fleeting look of surprise in his golden eyes.

He clearly hadn't expected this seemingly young martial artist, whose aura was somewhat strange, to possess such an unbelievably stable mind! This composure is interesting…

The insightful man did not turn back, nor did he need to say a word. This silent response was itself a reply.

Jiang Youlin witnessed this scene and quickly followed Gao Jian. The two of them disappeared together behind the magnificent gate of the Ziwei Enclosure, where starlight flowed.

Only two guardian deities remained, seemingly lost in thought amidst the pervasive divine light.

They walked in silence through a corridor wide enough for a giant beast to gallop across, surrounded by an unimaginable stillness, with only the barely audible sound of their footsteps echoing around them.

Only after completely getting away from the two door gods did Jiang Youlin speak again:
"Your soul is so refined... it doesn't seem like it should be at your level."

Even she, if caught off guard, would inevitably be affected mentally, but Gao Jian was not.

“Haha, people often say that,” Gao Jian replied casually, his tone relaxed, without going into further discussion.

As they talked, they officially entered the inner area of ​​the Purple Palace Enclosure. What first caught Gao Jian's eye was not the pavilions and towers he had imagined, but twelve enormous figures lined both sides of the passageway!

Those were twelve ferocious and terrifying demons! Judging from the remaining fluctuations of their demonic power, they were probably all around the eighth realm in life, enough to dominate a region and stir up bloodshed.

They are six giant tigers with piercing eyes and white foreheads, and six agile and ferocious clouded leopards. Each one retains its most powerful pouncing or roaring posture from its lifetime, with bulging muscles and sharp claws, lifelike.

However, this "life" carried a chilling stillness. Their eyes were empty and lifeless, devoid of any intelligence. Their massive demonic bodies were completely imprisoned and refined, with fine, spiderweb-like runes faintly visible flowing across their fur, firmly locking away all their power, even their last remaining ferocity.

They appear to be "alive," but in reality, they have long since lost their individuality and are merely guarding the gate.

"Is there any special significance or symbolism in choosing these monsters to guard the gate?" Gao Jian asked, his gaze sweeping over these once powerful demon clan members who had now become puppets.

Jiang Youlin shook his head slightly: "Nothing special. It's just that we needed some heavy talismans back then, and they just happened to be caught."

Your insight is profound.

Actually, it could have been any monster that was captured, not them. It just so happens that it was them, like winning the lottery – it's all so illogical.

Gao Jian sighed inwardly, but said nothing more.

This is their fate, while the Divine Dynasty can decide anyone's fate.

They continued onward, passing through the long corridor "welcomed" by the great demon puppets.

When they reached the end and crossed a boundary, the view before them suddenly opened up, and Gao Jian's gaze suddenly sharpened!
At the end of the passage was neither a grand palace nor a more secluded garden.

What appeared before my eyes was—an endless sky!

(End of this chapter)