You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

It can take anywhere from seven days to over a month.
Chen Yang was very puzzled. Why wasn't he guided on the spot?
Zhang Jiyu explained, "Ordinary cultivators will inevitably fall into a period of weakness after surviving the Heavenly Tribulation. The severity of this period depends on the cultivator's own cultivation strength and foundation. It can take anywhere from seven days to a month to recover to their peak."

He paused, then said, "With Master Chen's strength, there was no period of weakness after passing the Heavenly Tribulation. Logically speaking, the Heavenly Court should have come to guide him soon. I wonder if Master Chen has sensed anything?"

Chen Yang shook his head.

Zhang Jiyu: "Perhaps it's because Master Chen holds a divine position in the underworld that the Heavenly Court refuses to accept him?"

It's not impossible.

Chen Yang then remembered something else and asked, "Master Zhang, after the souls of the dead in the underworld become immortals, will the Heavenly Court receive them?"

The underworld is vast and boundless, and even has its own native creatures.

These beings all belong to the category of wandering souls and naturally follow the path of ghost cultivation. Among them, there are naturally those with high talent who can cultivate into ghost immortals and overcome tribulations.

"Although the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man are all in one universe, Heaven and the Underworld belong to higher-dimensional worlds. After becoming immortals, beings in the Underworld naturally do not need to ascend to Heaven, just as celestial beings in Heaven who cultivate to become immortals remain in Heaven."

As the current Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain, Zhang Jiyu knew quite a few secrets.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang, who had initially been somewhat hopeful, couldn't help but look disappointed.

Not accepting?
Does that mean I can't go to Heaven?

"What if you don't want to go to Heaven after being guided there?"

Chen Yang continued, "There are many blessed lands and grotto-heavens in the mortal realm. To be able to create a blessed land and grotto-heavens, one must be a master who has survived four tribulations of lightning. If one survives a tribulation of lightning, one is then guided to enlightenment. So who created these blessed lands and grotto-heavens?"

Zhang Jiyu said, "The Heavenly Court's reception is not about celestial beings descending to earth, but rather about using the Heavenly Dao Treasure to sense the aura of mortal immortals. As long as one can suppress and shield one's own cultivation, one can naturally deceive the Heavenly Dao Treasure."

After chatting for a while, Chen Yang realized that the "founding ceremony" of the Qingwei Sect that he had presided over was just a formality, and the banquet was still missing... After all, they had already sent congratulatory gifts, so how could he not treat them to a meal?
"Fellow martial artists, I am truly sorry."

"I accidentally triggered the Heavenly Tribulation just now, so I have no choice but to undergo it first. I've kept everyone waiting... Yu Zhenzi, Chi Yangzi, pass on the message... serve the food!"

There is a square inside the Qingwei Taoist Temple, where the banquet was held.

At Chen Yang's command, Qingwei Sect disciples immediately brought over tables and chairs, and other disciples quickly put on table and chair covers. Then, the guests took their seats one by one, and the dishes began to be served.

Cold dishes, hot dishes, meat dishes, and vegetarian dishes.

The banquet at Qingwei Taoist Temple was prepared by the kitchen team of a five-star hotel in Suzhou. Excluding cigarettes and alcohol, the cost per table reached more than 8000 yuan, which was naturally extremely lavish.

The experts and young disciples from various families and sects who came to offer their congratulations were eating absentmindedly.

Chen Yang...

We've survived the heavenly tribulation!
No one knows when he will ascend. If he doesn't ascend, then the patriarchs of each family will still have to go into seclusion!

As the host, Chen Yang naturally couldn't be idle while the guests were feasting. He immediately went to a table of guests to offer a toast. This table was full of people from the Li family.

Li Tianyi quickly stood up and placed his wine glass lower than Chen Yang's. After they clinked glasses, Chen Yang took a casual sip, while Li Tianyi downed his entire glass in one gulp.

Chen Yang smiled and said, "Mr. Li, is the food to your liking?"

Li Tianyi naturally showered him with praise.

Chen Yang sighed and said, "It's a pity that I couldn't take this opportunity to get to know some of the elders of your Li family."

"........."

My ancestors would be avoiding you like the plague, how could you possibly know me?
Li Tianyi thought to himself, but on the surface he smiled and said, "Don't worry, Master Chen. My ancestor said before he went into seclusion that he would definitely come to visit after he came out of seclusion."

"How about that?"

Chen Yang said solemnly, "As the saying goes, courtesy should be reciprocated. The fact that your Li family was able to attend the founding ceremony of my Qingwei Sect this time has already given me, Chen Yang, enough face. Next time, I will naturally visit your Li family."

Li Tianyi: "..."

This elder of the Li family, a Taoist master of the True Lord level, hesitated to respond!

If we really send you to the Li family, what will happen to our Li family's ancestors?
It would be impolite not to come out and greet you.

I'll come out to see you...

The ancestor has been reborn by possessing another body, which violates the laws of the underworld. Wouldn't he be captured by you and taken to the underworld to be punished?

Seeing that Li Tianyi remained silent, Chen Yang raised an eyebrow and said, "What? Does the Li family not welcome me?"

Hey!
Li Tianyi quickly replied, "Master Chen, you flatter me. It is an honor for our Li family to have you as a guest. We hope that you will inform us in advance so that we can welcome you with open arms!"

Chen Yang then went to another table to offer a toast.

Sitting at this table are several elders and disciples of the Vajra Sect.

The Vajra Sect is neither quite Tao nor quite Buddhist. They have their own doctrines, and although they practice Taoist methods, some of their Taoist supernatural powers are full of Buddhist influences.

In addition, the Vajra Sect is also skilled in martial arts, and it is said that the sect is divided into the "Martial Sect" and the "Taoist Sect".

Vajrayana disciples do not shave their heads, nor do they abstain from smoking and drinking.

"Elder Jin, I've heard that your Vajra Sect was once at its peak, even producing a powerhouse comparable to a Ghost Immortal who had undergone six tribulations of lightning, as well as several Martial Dao Immortals?"

Elder Jin drank the wine and nodded repeatedly.

Chen Yang then asked, "How many patriarchs of your Vajra Sect are still alive today?"

Elder Jin wanted to conceal the truth, but considering that his two elders from the Vajra Sect had traveled the world after their resurrection and had visited forces such as the Li family and Longhu Mountain, he was afraid that he could not hide it from Chen Yang. So he immediately told the truth: "Reporting to Sect Leader Chen, my Vajra Sect has two patriarchs who have survived to this day."

It must be said that this elder of the Vajra Sect is quite skilled; he used the phrase "surviving by any means necessary" very well!
Chen Yang clinked glasses with Elder Jin again, then winked at Wang Xuan beside him and said, "Elder Jin, let's exchange contact information. It will be more convenient when I visit your Vajra Sect in the future."

Wang Xuan took Chen Yang's phone and handed him his personal business card QR code.

Elder Jin sighed inwardly and could only add Chen Yang's friend.

Next, Chen Yang went to the tables of the Wang family, the Da Luo Zong family, and the Cui family in Taiyuan, toasted and greeted them one by one, and added them as friends, indicating that he would visit them in the future.

The banquet has ended.

People from various sects and aristocratic families rose to take their leave.

Chen Yang tried to persuade them to stay, but how could they dare to?

They all wished they could grow wings and fly back to report to their respective patriarchs about Chen Yang's "visit".

Zhang Jiyu, Jiang He, and members of the Maoshan and Quanzhen sects remained. The current leader of the Quanzhen sect was surnamed Wang and named Wang Yiyang.

Wang Yiyang did not follow the path of a "ghost immortal," but rather merged with the Dao of Heaven and Earth. He has now successfully merged with the Dao, and his strength is not much inferior to Zhang Jiyu's.

The leader of the Maoshan Sect was surnamed Shi and named Shi Hengwen.

Shi Hengwen, however, followed the path of the Ghost Immortal. Not only him, but all the leaders of Maoshan have followed this path, which is why very few people in Maoshan have attained the Dao.

"Master Chen".

Wang Yiyang confessed that six patriarchs of his Quanzhen Sect had been resurrected, five of whom were "reborn through possession".

Chen Yang asked in surprise, "Sect Leader Wang, most of your Quanzhen Sect follow the path of merging with the Dao and Heaven and Earth, right? After merging with the Dao, one can also be reborn like a ghost immortal possessing another's body?"

Wang Yiyang: "After merging with the Dao of Heaven and Earth, although one does not cultivate the spirit and thoughts, the spirit will transform into the primordial spirit. As long as the primordial spirit is extinguished, one will not die."

Chen Yang: "Isn't this almost the same as a ghost immortal?"

"The great way is universal."

Wang Yiyang laughed and said, "Whether it is practicing martial arts or cultivating Taoism, or becoming a ghost immortal, a Taoist immortal, or a martial arts immortal, the ultimate goal is to become an immortal and to live a long life. The primordial spirit, the soul, and thoughts are actually just manifestations of the power of a person's soul. They are essentially the same, only in different forms."

"I see."

Chen Yang then asked, "Your Quanzhen Sect has a total of six patriarchs who have been resurrected, but only five of them have possessed bodies. Could it be that the remaining one is a martial artist?"

It is different from Taoist cultivation.

The Dao cultivates Qi and refines the soul; if the spirit and thoughts remain undying, one will not die.

Martial arts, on the other hand, involves honing strength and tempering the physical body. Although one can achieve "unity of heaven and man" and comprehend the great Dao after advancing to the Grandmaster realm, one still ultimately needs to temper the physical body and internal organs!

The stronger a martial artist is, the more powerful their physical body becomes. For example, those below the Grandmaster level train their bones, skin, fascia, and flesh.

The Grandmaster realm allows one to use innate true qi to temper the five internal organs, the Great Grandmaster refines the marrow, the Martial Saint exchanges blood to forge a golden body, and Chen Yang is unaware of the further advancement to "Martial Immortal".

In short, a martial artist who cultivates to the level of Martial Saint will live to be 500 years old.

If one cultivates the Golden Body of a Martial Saint, one can theoretically live for 800 years. If one has treasures or secret techniques to protect their body and withstand the backlash from the cataclysmic changes of that year, it is quite normal for powerful martial artists to have survived to this day.

Zhang Jiyu chimed in, laughing, "I know the sixth patriarch of the Quanzhen Sect. He wasn't a martial artist, but a Taoist cultivator. In terms of age and seniority, he was definitely the oldest in the Quanzhen Sect."

The headmaster of the Maoshan Sect also said, "Indeed, in terms of age alone... that one is even comparable to the founder of our Maoshan Sect."

"So ancient?"

Chen Yang exclaimed in surprise, "Then that means they've lived for over two thousand years?"

The founders of the Maoshan School are the Three Mao True Lords, namely Mao Ying, the True Lord of Destiny, Mao Gu, the True Lord of Fixed Fortune, and Mao Zhong, the True Lord of Life Preservation. The three are collectively known as the "Three Mao True Lords of the Nine Heavens". They were figures during the reign of Emperor Jing of Han, which can be traced back to more than 100 years BC.

Chen Yang also knew about Zongsheng Palace.

This is one of the sacred sites of Taoism, belonging to the Quanzhen School. It is hailed as the first of the seventy-two blessed lands of Taoism. Legend has it that it was the place where Yin Xi observed the stars and the qi, and Laozi Li Er once preached the Tao here.

There is a ginkgo tree inside, which was planted by Lao Tzu himself.

Because Laozi preached under the ginkgo tree, the tree gained sentience and began its spiritual practice. Now, this tree is one of the most powerful spiritual plants on Earth!

The ancestor of Zongsheng Palace was a ghost immortal who had never undergone tribulation.

The reason he has lived so long without attracting any calamity is thanks to the protection of this ginkgo tree.

"That ginkgo tree is considered a precious spiritual root, enough to protect the physical body of that ancestor..."

After the explanations from Master Shi of the Maoshan Sect and Wang Yiyang of the Quanzhen Sect, Chen Yang finally understood. He asked in confusion, "As you said, Zongsheng Palace is the first of the seventy-two blessed lands, and it has a spiritual root like the ginkgo tree that he personally planted. It is an absolute holy land for cultivation. Why has that ancestor not yet transcended the tribulation after cultivating for more than two thousand years?"

Jiang He laughed and said, "That person did not undergo tribulation not because he was unable to, but because he was unwilling."

"Oh?"

Chen Yang asked, "Minister Jiang has been in contact with that person?"

Jiang He nodded and said, "That person awakened more than 30 years ago. I visited him at Zong Sheng Palace 12 years ago. As far as I know, his cultivation method is special. Although he has not undergone tribulation, his strength is no weaker than that of a Ghost Immortal who has undergone three or even four tribulations."

"With his accumulated experience and foundation, as long as he goes to undergo tribulation, he can probably pass through three or four tribulations in one go, becoming a legendary master who can create a world with a single thought!"

After chatting for a few more minutes, Chen Yang said, "Master Wang took the initiative to reveal the background of several of your Quanzhen Sect's patriarchs. It can't be that he just wanted to chat with me, right?"

Wang Yiyang gave a wry smile and said, "Master Chen, to be honest... this time, it was the five patriarchs of my Quanzhen Sect who sent me to discuss something with you."

“The five patriarchs already know your identity. They know that possessing another's body and being reborn is against the laws of the underworld, and they also know that the laws of the underworld are strict and cannot be violated. Therefore, they want me to come and plead with Master Chen on your behalf.”

Master Shi of the Maoshan Sect quickly echoed this sentiment, also wanting to plead for the patriarchs of Maoshan.

The same applies to Zhang Jiyu.

Chen Yang laughed and said, "The fact that you ancestors seized bodies and were reborn did indeed violate the laws of the underworld... But back then, when the human world underwent a great upheaval and heretics invaded, Liu Bowen severed ninety-nine dragon veins and still preserved the ancestral star realm. This is why you ancestors suffered backlash, and your physical bodies collapsed and you died."

"If their lifespan has not ended, and the body they possess is a body that should have died, it is not impossible to reverse the situation."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yiyang breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "Master Chen, please rest assured. The bodies that my five patriarchs of the Quanzhen Sect possessed were all chosen from the morgue of a hospital. They would never possess and harm beings whose lifespans have not yet ended."

Chen Yang said, "In that case, it might be possible to save it... after all, your ancestor's lifespan was not yet over."

“But punishment is unavoidable, otherwise I would have no way to answer to the underworld or Lord Cui… You should know that I have a treasure called the Patrol Banner, which has its own space that can simulate the eighteen levels of hell. All your ancestors need to do is go through the Patrol Banner and experience the punishments of the eighteen levels of hell, and I will pardon their crimes.”

Wang Yiyang, Shi Hengwen, and Zhang Jiyu all expressed their gratitude and said they would send their ancestors to Qingwei Taoist Temple as soon as possible.

Another round of pleasantries ensued.

The group then left.

That evening, Chen Yang placed the parade banner at Qingwei Taoist Temple, and then returned to Wucheng.

After three days of secluded cultivation in Wucheng, and becoming familiar with his current power, Chen Yang took the high-speed train to Xi'an, then transferred to another train in Xi'an, and went directly to Longxi County, DX City, Gansu Province.

The ancestral home of the Li family is located here.

Chen Yang checked into a hotel in the county town, then took out his phone and sent a message to Li Tianyi—

"Mr. Li, I've arrived in Longxi!" (End of Chapter)