Immortals of the End Times

Ancient Celestial Court.

In front of the Xuntian Pavilion.

The nine-tiered jade platform was glistening with morning dew.

"call"!
Zhao Wuji arrived on a cloud, holding the Heavenly Survey Jade Slip in his hand, with the 'Heavenly Survey Mirror' token hanging prominently at his waist.

Two Nascent Soul deacons were checking documents in front of the pavilion. Upon seeing him arrive, they immediately stepped aside and bowed: "Immortal Zhao, you've arrived early today. The incense register has just been delivered to the signing room."

"Thank you both."

Zhao Wuji nodded and accepted the jade box, scanning it with his divine sense the chart of the Nine Provinces' beliefs recorded within.

The incense offerings at a mountain god temple in Longxi suddenly increased by 30%, which prompted a warning from the Heavenly Mirror.

This should have been the task of the local earth god of the celestial court, but coincidentally, the old man drank his Hundred Flower Immortal Wine the day before yesterday and is now fast asleep.

Therefore, the task fell to him.

Since he used the power of intercepting people and the technique of disguise to transform into the immortal official 'Zhao Zheng', he has been cultivating in this ancient immortal court for more than twenty years.

Aside from occasionally reverting to his true form to secretly meet with four women—Nan Zhixia, Li Shiyu, Yan Lan, and Hua Qingshuang—in the second Heavenly Realm.

When clouds and rain are flying, the Taoist robe often scatters like starlight across the sky.

However, this shameless and unrestrained life as a Daoist couple was ultimately just an interlude.

He spent most of his time immersed in this ancient celestial court.

The profound light of the Wall-Opening Technique pierced through the boundary between reality and illusion day after day, slowly refining the celestial palaces and jade pavilions into the inner landscape of the pot, while also cultivating and studying the Intercepting Dao, turning it into the fuel for breaking through to the Dao Integration Realm.

This ancient celestial court was indeed a blessed place for him.

After more than twenty years of exploration, Zhao has become increasingly suspicious that this place may be a treasure land left behind by the Four Heavenly Venerables of the past.

The ancient spiritual energy here is extremely abundant, even surpassing that of the Immortal Saint Sect, which has now reached the seventh level of spiritual veins, enough to support Nascent Soul cultivators to continue their cultivation.

However, this ancient spiritual energy is quite strange.

If one had not comprehended the Inner Landscape Refining Spirit Chapter of the Yellow Court Classic and opened up one's own Inner Landscape Secret Realm...

It is simply impossible to access and extract this spiritual essence that transcends time and space.

Even those who have opened up their own inner realms, such as Yan Lan and Hua Qingshuang, cannot open the gap of the Gate of Mysterious Female to a certain extent, and therefore cannot enter the mysterious land behind the gate like Zhao.

Therefore, they cannot enjoy much of the nurturing power of ancient spiritual energy.

Only by crossing this gate can one truly touch the threshold of the Celestial Venerable's legacy. This seemingly ordinary crack in the gate is actually an insurmountable chasm standing before the treasures of the immortal path.

The Four Heavenly Venerables of the past, having foreseen the coming of the Dharma-ending Age, used the Jianmu tree as a foundation and the power of the Heavenly Venerables as a guide to create this grotto-heaven in the space between reality and illusion.

The ancient spiritual energy locked away by the Great Dao is like a cellar of celestial wine, waiting for the "one who has escaped" in later generations to come and use it to help them break through from the Divine Transformation Realm to the Dao Integration Realm.

Besides that, it's simply wonderful.

On the days when the Dao is preached at Yuntai, the great Daoists speak lotus flowers from their mouths, and the Daoist rhyme transforms into a golden rainbow that pierces the sun.

The Immortal Lord appears only once every ten years, and his Dharma teachings are as powerful as the grandest bells, causing the celestial palaces of the Thirty-Three Heavens to shimmer with rosy light. All of this greatly benefits his enlightenment.

For those in the Nascent Soul Realm who wish to break through to the Dao Integration Realm, magical power is merely the foundation; the true path to enlightenment lies in the two words "enlightenment."

This path is extremely profound. In the outside world, let alone seniors who can guide you, there are very few fellow Daoists who can even sit down and discuss it.

Practicing Zen in seclusion is ultimately like the blind men touching an elephant.

Now that I am in the Celestial Court, it feels like a fish swimming in the sea.

Which of those celestial officials preaching the Dao on the floating jade platforms isn't a living embodiment of the Daoist canon?
After listening for twenty years, the Dao seals and diagrams in his sea of ​​consciousness have become several times more brilliant than when he first entered, and his cultivation is faintly about to touch the edge of the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

At this moment, Zhao Wuji made a hand seal inside the pavilion and drew the two characters "Investigation" on the jade slip, thus completing the handover.

Just as he was about to transform into a rainbow and depart, he suddenly heard a clear and melodious sword cry coming from under the corridor.

But then a handsome cultivator wearing a golden crown came riding on a sword; he was none other than Lu Ming, the "Heavenly Punishment Division" of the ancient immortal court.

"Brother Zhao, wait a moment!"

Lu Ming raised his hand in a gesture of respect and smiled, "I've heard that there's a Nascent Soul Realm snake demon hidden in the Longxi Mountains, almost a dragon, which just devoured seven people from lower immortal sects yesterday. Why don't you stop by when you're checking the incense offerings?"

Before he could finish speaking, a crimson light suddenly descended from the sky. A red-robed female cultivator, riding a fire crow, swept past, spilling the fine wine from the jar she held in her arms. With a 'bang,' the wine transformed into a ball of flame, startling Lu Ming into exclaiming, "Senior Sister Yan of Zhurong Palace! What are you doing?"

"What are you afraid of?"

Yan Lingluo lightly touched the back of the crow with her toes, and the red silk ribbon carrying the wine jar landed steadily in front of Zhao Wuji: "Senior Brother Zhao, I heard that you triggered the Daoist rhythm of 'Sitting in Oblivion' while meditating in the Stele Forest yesterday? Why don't you give me some pointers? I happen to have a jar of 'Burning Heart Brew' here, let's drink and discuss the Dao together tonight?"

"Junior Sister Yan is inviting people for drinks again? I think your talk of Dao is just a pretense; you're really looking for drinking buddies, aren't you?"

A deep laugh suddenly came from the distant sea of ​​clouds.

A burly man with a thick beard, carrying a giant bronze cauldron on his back, emerged from the clouds, the dragon mouths on the cauldron's handles biting half of a dragon's tail.

It was Xiong Shan, a weapon refiner from the Heavenly Crafts Hall. He wiped the blood from his beard and laughed heartily: "Old Xiong just killed a troublesome dragon. Fellow Daoist Zhao, would you like a piece of dragon liver to go with our drinks?"

"Great! Dragon liver is nourishing and makes a perfect accompaniment to wine. But I think you're all just craving my Tianbao wine."

Zhao Wuji chuckled and accepted the wine jar.

He quietly used the Dao Interception Dao Aura to intercept the Dao Aura of several Nascent Soul Dao Lords opposite him.

Lu Ming's sword energy was as square as a ruler, Yan Lingluo's fire spirit energy pulsed with the Zhu Rong witch incantation, and Xiong Shan's blood energy was imbued with the Daoist rhyme of the "Hundred Gods Body Forging Technique".

The Daoist essence of these ancient cultivators was the firewood he extracted from the ultimate principles of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth.

These fellow Daoists were also good partners he had made over the past twenty years, as well as colleagues from different departments of the Celestial Court.

Three days later, a dazzling array of light suddenly appeared in front of the Xuanqiong Dao Palace.

Zhao Wuji stood with his head bowed alongside the many celestial officials, listening to the Dao-cultivating master on the high platform expound the "Huang Ting Jing".

"The heavens have nine heavens, the earth has nine netherworlds, and in the deepest depths of those netherworlds lie nine springs."

As the white-haired Taoist preached, nine jade talismans flew out from his sleeve, each of which manifested as a phantom image of a celestial palace.

When the phrase "Qi flowing through Yongquan" was mentioned, the Dao Seal between Zhao Wuji's eyebrows suddenly trembled slightly.

The movement pattern of the tribulation clouds outside the Nine Heavens could be vaguely discerned from the trajectory of the jade talisman.

"Senior Brother Zhao?"

As the event ended, Yan Lingluo tugged at his sleeve: "What are you spacing out for? Did you get stunned by Senior Qing Lingzi's 'Nine Heavens Guidance'?"

A small flame flickered between her fingertips in front of his eyes, then she lowered her voice and said, "I heard that in a little while, the Star Lord of Destiny will be lecturing on the 'Cursed Fate Chapter'."

Zhao Wuji snapped out of his daze and looked at the charming and beautiful Yan Lingluo beside him. This was the true disciple of the Vermilion Bird Star Lord of the Vermilion Bird Pavilion, dressed in a rainbow-patterned gown.

He smiled and nodded, but his heart was filled with complex emotions.

These fellow Daoists and colleagues from the ancient Celestial Court appear lifelike and vivid within the mysterious realm, yet they are figures who have transcended ten thousand years.

In the long river of real history, they would probably have long since turned into dust beneath the remains of the Jianmu tree, or become soulless beings imprisoned by the laws of heaven.

"clang!!"

Just then, a series of clear, melodious bell tolls suddenly came from the horizon.

Thirty-six golden-armored warriors cleared the way, their demon-subduing pestles causing ripples of Dao patterns to spread through the void.

On the eight-treasure sandalwood chariot sat a celestial lord with a star mark between his eyebrows.

Zhao Wuji's Dao-intercepting true intent suddenly surged.

The Daoist aura emanating from that immortal lord seemed to contain profound truths that resonated with the Daoist principles of the Intercepting Dao.

"The constellations are complex, and celestial secrets are revealed."

The Star Lord of Destiny sat upright on the cloud platform, and each word he uttered transformed into a tangible Daoist scripture that floated in the void.

When the phrase "the calamity is the number of heaven and earth" was mentioned, Zhao Wuji's sea of ​​consciousness trembled violently.

The ancient Daoist chant that expounded the true meaning of calamity resonated quite well with his true intention of intercepting the Dao.

Nine life stars flew out from the sleeve of the Star Lord of Destiny, swirling like pearls and jade. Their arrangement subtly corresponded to the number of calamities in the heavens, revealing the hidden 'Tao' within the complex and ever-changing constellations.

Each star, as it moves, trails the brilliance of the river of destiny. Among them, eight stars are as blazing as the sun, while the hidden star is dim and difficult to discern, just like a glimmer of hope left by the heavens for all living beings.

"I see. Intercepting the heavens is not as good as intercepting the opportunity, and intercepting the earth is not as good as intercepting fate."

The Dao Seal between Zhao Wuji's brows, resembling a sword mark, suddenly burst forth with dazzling golden light.

Ancient spiritual energy from all directions flowed like rivers into the sea, forming a funnel-shaped vortex above his head. With each rotation, it peeled away countless starlight and Daoist charms.

His true meaning of intercepting the Dao has transformed into golden threads like a galaxy, capturing all the star power and spiritual energy from the initiation!

A new star-shaped Daoist mark suddenly appeared on the ancient seal script character "遁一" at the spine of the Daoist seal.

Upon closer inspection, the patterns were found to be exactly the same as the trajectory of the destiny star evolved by the Star Lord of Destiny.

This is a sign of impending doom!

Zhao Wuji used the Star Astrology technique to form hand seals, and suddenly a vast star map appeared in his eyes. "Heavenly tribulations and earthly tribulations are all superficial phenomena; astrological calamities are the root cause!"

The Dao seal, which resembled a sword but was not quite a sword, became increasingly solid. At this moment, the sharp edge no longer shone with a fierce, cold light, but rather with a chaotic, clear light that encompassed the stars of the heavens.

Each flash of light and shadow perfectly matches the rhythm of the appearance and disappearance of the natal star, as if it could sever the fate trajectory of a certain star at any moment.

"Junior Brother Zhao actually broke through?"

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Zhao, on the completion of your Dao Seal!"

The surrounding Nascent Soul Dao Lords all bowed in greeting.

Yan Lingluo, standing to the side, widened her almond-shaped eyes, and the flame in her hand suddenly shot up three degrees higher: "You...you actually deciphered the mystery of the calamity while listening to the Dao? And then you broke through?"

"It was just a lucky epiphany."

Zhao Wuji blinked, then stood up, lightly flicked his wide sleeves, and returned the greetings with a smile to the fellow Daoists in all directions.

The Dao seal between his brows shimmered with spiritual light: "Thank you all for your congratulations, fellow Daoists."

"Excellent! This child is teachable!"

High on the Cloud Terrace, the Star Lord of Destiny stroked his beard and smiled.

For him, being able to enlighten a Nascent Soul Dao Lord to break through to a higher level while preaching the Dao is an honor, proving that his Daoist skills are profound.

Suddenly, a Dharma image appeared around this star lord, with thousands of starlight rays falling, each ray of starlight carrying a phantom image of a destiny star.

"Go." The Star Lord's voice was like the clash of gold and jade, and he pointed with his finger.

A beam of starlight, like a celestial river descending, carried the trajectories of countless destiny stars, and entered the Dao seal between Zhao Wuji's brows.

Suddenly, starlight illuminated the cloud platform.

Zhao Wuji felt the star-number Dao patterns on the surface of the Yin-Yang Pearl in his sea of ​​consciousness growing wildly, and in the blink of an eye, it had leaped from a state of slight accomplishment to a state of consummate skill.

"Thank you for your guidance, Star Lord."

Zhao Wuji immediately performed the disciple's salute solemnly, then bowed and left calmly amidst the envious gazes of others.

That night, wisps of smoke curled up inside the ancient immortal's cave.

Zhao Wuji sat upright before the jade table, his fingertips dipped in cinnabar as he traced lines on the incense book.

In a daze, he could no longer distinguish whether he was reviewing documents or whether the ancient Zhao Zhengxian official was using his eyes to observe the heavens.

Suddenly, his fingertips paused slightly.

The divine sense of the Nascent Soul cultivator spread out like ripples, clearly sensing that the entire Jianmu tree was emanating the aura of the demon tree clone.

The roots, like writhing dragons, had already blended seamlessly with the illusory image of the Jianmu tree within the mysterious land.

Half of them have a Daoist charm that flows like blood vessels between the wood grains.

Even more mysteriously, the fusion of his inner world of the pot and the mysterious land has now reached nearly 30% thanks to the opening of the wall technique.

The spatial barriers melted away like spring ice, and with each breath, the ancient spiritual energy flowed a little more through his meridians.

"Three-tenths complete"

His eyes brightened slightly, and he could see the four ancient Daoist auras that suppressed all ages deep within the rings of the Jianmu tree.

At this moment, there are still seven insurmountable barriers between us and reaching that supreme Dao.

But with each wisp of ancient spiritual energy extracted, the ancient seal script of "Escape One" in the Dao Seal brightened a little more, as if accumulating the sharpness to cut through the final barrier.

Just then, a mirror on the desk suddenly rippled.

This is the Vacuum Mirror of Extinction, but at this moment it is serving as a medium for connecting with the outside world within his cave.

Cang Yunzi's message reached his clone outside, and was also transmitted in by the Extinction Vacuum Mirror: "Fellow Daoist Zhao, the Heavenly Sword Sovereign has completed the Condensation Dao Seal."

The image of Qilin Peak of the Qilin Sword Sect appeared in the mirror.

But then one saw the Sword Lord of Asking Heaven standing with his hands behind his back amidst the sea of ​​clouds, a sword-shaped Dao seal between his brows shining brightly, causing swords within a thousand miles to resonate in unison.

"Sword Lord has finally broken through! Good!"

Zhao Wuji happily got up, glanced at the Celestial Court outside the window, and his divine sense swept over it.

But then they saw Lu Mingzheng competing with his sword servants in sword control amidst the evening glow.

Yan Lingluo secretly buried a wine jar under the peach tree.

Inside the Heavenly Crafts Hall, Xiong Shan was hammering iron, the clanging sound echoing through the sea of ​​clouds.
As he prepared to leave, the vibrant figures of his fellow Daoists, with whom he had spent over twenty years, seemed to evoke a sense of reluctance.

However, the ancient Daoist wisdom comprehended by these fellow Daoists has been completely intercepted by the Intercepting Dao and integrated into the Intercepting Dao seal between his eyebrows, thus strengthening his Intercepting Dao.

In the real world, no matter how profound his Dao interception technique is, it would be very difficult for him to intercept the Dao insights of other Nascent Soul Dao Lords without being noticed, and he might even become an enemy.

But within this dreamlike and mysterious land, in this ancient celestial court that he was gradually taking control of, he seemed to have acquired some omniscient and omnipotent control abilities, able to extract the Dao essence of others to strengthen himself.

"It's time to go back."

Zhao Wuji's true intent of intercepting the Dao from his sleeve fell like a knife, causing the illusory cloud-patterned immortal official's robe to disintegrate inch by inch, turning into a sky full of starlight and dissipating.

The void behind them suddenly twisted, and the vortex portal formed by the fusion of the Gate of Mysterious Female and the Pot Heaven space slowly unfolded, with churning crimson waves of magma faintly visible inside.

He stepped into the vortex with his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering as he crossed the boundary between reality and illusion.

Amidst the scorching airflow, the familiar surge of earth energy from the depths of the earth's veins once again rose beneath my feet.

He then stepped forward with a flick of his sleeve, unleashing the Ascending Technique, and mystical light bloomed beneath his feet.

Hu Gong shrunk the earth, and the vast landscape was rolled up like a scroll, disappearing in an instant into the cave.

When he reappeared, he was already on Qilin Peak of the Qilin Sword Sect.

At this moment, the Qilin Sword Sect was filled with distinguished guests from all directions, the mountains were shrouded in auspicious clouds, and twelve suspended sword platforms surrounded the main peak.

The cloud chariot pulled by the Azure Phoenix stopped in the sea of ​​clouds to the east, while to the north, a spirit boat driven by a Nascent Soul True Lord stretched across the sky.

Furthermore, numerous Golden Core cultivators rode flying swords, hovering in all directions like stars surrounding the moon.

Nascent Soul True Monarchs and Golden Core True Persons from various immortal sects all came to witness the Heavenly Sword Monarch's breakthrough to the Divine Transformation stage.

Moreover, the ceremony was already drawing to a close.

As many cultivators marveled at the divine power of the Heavenly Sword Sovereign, a ripple suddenly appeared in mid-air.

When Zhao Wuji stepped out of the void, the air within a radius of a thousand feet suddenly froze.

Between his brows, the Dao seal that resembled a sword yet was not a sword flickered, and the Dao-intercepting spiritual power poured down like an abyss or a sea.

"Another Nascent Soul Dao Lord?!"

The elder of the Zixiao Sect suddenly stood up.

"This is... Zhao... Zhao."

The sect leader of Kuanglan Sword Sect, Jianzi Chu Kuanglan, a fellow cultivator of the same generation, was shocked. He immediately stood up and bowed, his heart filled with horror but his face extremely respectful, "Daoist Lord of Demon Slayer and Manifestation!"

"The former number one swordsman has returned!"

"Silence! This imposing aura... now belongs to the Demon-Subduing Saintly Dao Lord!"

On the main peak of Qilin, the First Elder Fang Lingchu, the Third Elder Mo Wenjian, the Sect Master Kong Jingxian, and the Supreme Elder Xiao Chenzhou all immediately stood up and bowed in greeting.

The entire Qilin Peak fell silent instantly.

"Gentlemen, how have you been?"

Zhao Wuji stood with his hands behind his back, smiling and bowing in return. His long black hair moved without wind, and every strand of hair flowed with golden light.

Within a three-zhang radius, the light distorted like silk, clearly a manifestation of the Daoist energy field.

"Congratulations to Sect Master Wentian on achieving the Divine Transformation today."

As he laughed heartily and bowed with his hands clasped, countless stars seemed to fall from the sky.

What seemed like an ordinary courtesy drew the stars from all directions to shine, transforming into a dazzling Milky Way that encircled Qilin Peak. As if drawn by invisible sword energy, the stars intertwined in the air to form sword-shaped Dao patterns, celebrating in turn.

"Hahaha!"

Inside the main hall of Qilin Peak, the loud laughter of the Sword Lord Wentian could be heard.

The next moment, Wentian Sword Lord burst out of his barrier with a long laugh. His green robe fluttered in the wind, and a pure and ultimate sword intent shot into the sky like a pillar.

Wherever the sword intent passed, countless sword marks appeared in the void, each one inscribed with a different true understanding of the sword path.

Immediately, the sound of swords clashing echoed from all directions, and many of the guests were shocked.

Zhao Wuji's eyes suddenly flashed with a blinding sword light.

The sword technique Dao patterns that had been dormant within the Yin Pearl of the Sea of ​​Consciousness suddenly rose like the first rays of the sun. The sword technique that had long since reached a state of divine perfection was now undergoing a crazy transformation under the guidance of the sword intent of the Sword Lord of Asking Heaven.

The "One Sword Transforms the Domain" realm barrier, which was originally as thin as mist and gauze, now melted away inch by inch, like thin ice meeting the blazing sun.

A single sword strike created a boundary, which suddenly became clear and tangible.

"Qiang!"

As if a divine sword were drawn from its sheath, a sword's cry resounded from the depths of the inner realm.

Suddenly, the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass in the center of the secret realm trembled violently, and as its emerald-like leaves unfurled, it burst forth with chaotic sword energy.

Every vein of the leaf flowed with ancient sword intent, echoing the surging swordsmanship and Daoist charm in Zhao Wuji's sea of ​​consciousness.

The void around him silently cracked open three zhang wide, and countless fine sword marks intertwined on their own, evolving into a complete sword realm in the blink of an eye.

Within the realm, sword energy roamed like dragons, each strand carrying a different true meaning of swordsmanship.

As soon as this sword realm took shape, the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass in the inner secret realm suddenly burst forth with dazzling clear light.

A chaotic sword aura pierced through the boundary between reality and illusion, and went straight into the core of the sword realm.

The entire sword realm was instantly infused with an immortal sword spirit.

It resonated mysteriously with the soaring sword intent of the Heavenly Sword Lord.

A single sword creates a world!
This supreme realm of swordsmanship finally unveiled its mysterious veil before him.

His swordsmanship finally broke through from being superb to reaching a level that was unprecedented and unparalleled.

"Among three people walking together, there must be one who can teach me! Thank you for your guidance, Sword Master."

Zhao Wuji laughed loudly and bowed to the Sword Lord of Asking the Heavens.

The Dao seal between his brows, resembling a sword yet not quite, swirled with chaotic, clear light, echoing the soaring sword seal between the brows of the Sword Lord Asking Heaven.

The clash of sword intents instantly stirred up countless sword patterns in the void.

There was a time when his swordsmanship was even superior to that of the Sword Master Wentian.

However, Sword Master sat on Sword Peak for decades, using the words "Asking the Heavens" as a guide, and forcefully pushed the sword path to the realm of condensing the Dao Seal, even breaking through the supreme sword realm of "One Sword Transforms the World" one step ahead of him.

This resonance of sword intent has now helped him break through the last layer of paper.

Now, however, they are the ones giving him pointers.

"Hahaha, it seems that I have fallen behind now."

Suddenly, the clouds rolled like waves, and Cangyunzi arrived gracefully, riding on the Nine Mountains Dharma Image.

His purple Taoist robe fluttered in the wind, and the Taoist seal bearing the weight of heaven and earth flickered on his forehead, each line seemingly carrying the weight of mountains and rivers.

The three Nascent Soul cultivators stood in mid-air, and in an instant, spiritual energy from all directions rapidly converged on them, like rivers flowing into the sea, forming three visible vortexes of spiritual mist.

The cultivators from all directions turned their heads to look, and all bowed and paid their respects.

The three Nascent Soul cultivators who emerged from the Dharma-ending Age were, in their eyes, no different from banished immortals descending to the mortal realm.
(End of this chapter)