Two Realms High Martial Arts: Gathering the Heavens to Become a Great Luo Immortal

Chapter 463 Imperial Decree Issued Throughout the Land, Ten Thousand Immortals Enter the Capital

Li Xijun's words were like a thunderclap from the heavens, resounding loudly in the quiet imperial study. The echoes reverberated, shaking Li Boyan and Wen Zhiyin so much that they could hardly contain themselves.

Li Boyan's body trembled violently. His eyes, which were usually filled with wisdom and insight into the world, were now brimming with unprecedented joy and ecstasy.

Even a fleeting moment of confusion was overwhelmed.

He stared intently at Li Xijun, as if trying to rediscover this person he had witnessed grow up with.

The path of refining the spirit, initiated by the three religions, has been passed down for millions of years. The tribulation of lightning is recognized as the pinnacle. The realm of the Yang God exists only in the oldest classics and the most ethereal legends. It is a dream that countless brilliant predecessors and sages pursued throughout their lives but could never reach.

And now, this dream has become a reality in the person right in front of me!

"Yang Shen — Yang Shen Realm —"

Li Boyan murmured repeatedly, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. He subconsciously took half a step forward, then stopped himself, his hands awkwardly clasped in his sleeves. "Your Majesty—this old minister—this old minister—"

A thousand words stuck in his chest, finally turning into a long sigh and a deep bow, "This old minister congratulates Your Majesty! Congratulations to my Great Sheng! Congratulations to the entire lineage of Refining Gods!"

Moon Chi-in, standing beside him, was utterly shocked.

He was well aware of the significance of the words "Yang Shen".

That is a realm that truly transcends the mundane and is almost like that of gods and Buddhas!

The Grand Secretary bowed deeply once more, his voice filled with unprecedented reverence and fervor: "Your subject—Wen Zhiyin—congratulates Your Majesty on attaining the supreme Dao! Your Majesty's divine might is unparalleled throughout history, benefiting all living beings; truly, it is the unshakeable foundation of our Great Sheng for all eternity!"

Seeing the two so agitated and out of control, Li Xijun remained calm, though a hint of gentleness flashed in her eyes.

He slightly raised his hand, gesturing for the two to rise, and said calmly, "The Yang Shen realm, for me, is a step on the path of cultivation. For all the cultivators in the world who refine their spirits, it is breaking free from the shackles and seeing the dawn ahead."

"In the past, the sages of the three religions went through hardships to open up the methods of refining the spirit, all they sought was to transcend life and death and explore the ultimate truth of the Great Dao."

Today, I have been fortunate enough to depart first, which can be considered—to have slightly fulfilled a long-cherished wish of cultivators from the three religions over thousands of years.

He abruptly changed the subject, and the light seemed to pierce through the roof of the imperial study, looking towards the ancient shadows beyond the nine heavens that were frantically bombarding the world's barrier.

"Now, from beyond the universe, an ancient enemy far surpassing ordinary gods has arrived, seeking to shatter this world and devour everything."

Li Xijun's voice remained steady, yet carried an undeniable decisiveness: "Such existence, though a calamity, is also an opportunity. Let us take this opportunity to gather cultivators from the three religions of the world in the capital to witness—what is a Yang God, and what great power the Yang God possesses."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Xijun naturally sat down behind the imperial desk, which symbolized the supreme ruler, on the large and majestic dragon throne.

With just a simple act of sitting down, an imperial aura as vast as the heavens and as weighty as the earth, along with a transcendent Daoist charm, spread out and instantly filled the entire imperial study.

Wen Zhiyin and Li Boyan subconsciously held their breath and stood with their heads bowed.

Li Xijun's gaze calmly fell on the two people below. He spoke, his voice not loud, but like a golden decree, carrying an absolute will that commanded the world and none dared to disobey: "Issue my decree."

"The imperial edict commands the Taoist leader, Master Qingxu of Longhu Mountain, and the Buddhist leader, Master Channing of Dajue Temple, to depart immediately upon receiving this decree and come to the capital for an audience without delay."

"Wenqing".

"Your subject is here!" Moon Chi-in stiffened, stepped forward, and bowed in response.

"You shall carry my handwritten edict and go to Haoran Prefecture in person to convey my oral edict: All Confucian scholars in the capital region and surrounding prefectures who have reached the Embryonic Breathing Realm or above shall immediately enter the capital upon receiving this edict. Other great Confucian scholars and sages from various places may be notified by Haoran Prefecture. All those who wish to come may arrive before the date of the ceremony."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Wen Zhiyin's voice was firm, as if he had been given a tremendous burden.

Li Xijun turned his gaze to Li Boyan: "Lord Boyan."

"Your old minister is here." Li Boyan took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and solemnly replied.

"Under your leadership, this message will be disseminated to all cultivators practicing the Spirit Refining Technique throughout the world. This applies to all, regardless of whether they belong to the orthodox schools of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, or are independent cultivators from the mountains, those from overseas lineages, or aristocratic families from the southeast—"

"Those who have achieved spiritual refinement within the territory of my Great Sheng shall receive my decree."

"Starting today, anyone who is able to reach the capital within six hours may enter the capital to attend the ceremony."

"I will demonstrate the Way of the Yang God atop the capital city, and—slay the external demons to prove it."

"Within six hours, those who are capable may enter the capital to witness the ceremony—and at the summit of the capital, slay the foreign demons to prove it—" Li Boyan carefully savored every word of this decree, feeling a magnificent and domineering aura sweep over him.

This is not a discussion, nor an invitation, but an imperial summons and demonstration to all cultivators in the world!

He bowed solemnly: "This old minister obeys the decree! He will ensure that Your Majesty's will reaches all those who cultivate the spirits throughout the land!"

The three decrees, delivered casually by Li Xijun, were like three invisible chains that tightened instantly, about to affect the hearts of all cultivators in the entire Great Sheng World, those standing at the peak of the Refining Spirit Realm or those aspiring to the peak!

Longhu Mountain is the ancestral home of Taoism.

Nestled among the misty mountains, the palaces and temples stand majestically, their purple aura faintly visible.

On this day, a streak of light sped from the direction of the capital and landed directly above Zhengyi Square, revealing the figure of an old man with a fair complexion and no beard, dressed in the robes of an imperial eunuch. It was none other than Eunuch Hua, who possessed the cultivation of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

He did not land, but hovered in mid-air, his voice like a resounding bell, instantly echoing throughout the peaks of Longhu Mountain: "His Majesty has decreed! All of Longhu Mountain, come forth to receive the decree—!"

The voice was booming, carrying an undeniable authority.

In an instant, all the Taoists, whether they were doing morning prayers, refining elixirs, meditating, or performing rituals, were shaken and subconsciously stopped what they were doing.

The bell and drum towers spontaneously resounded with urgent and solemn bell and drum sounds. One after another, figures, some riding magical artifacts and others riding the wind, flew out from various mountain peaks and caves, quickly converging on the wide square in front of the main peak gate.

.

From the lowest-ranking novice Daoist disciple, to the Nascent Soul Realm steward with a condensed aura, then to the Manifestation Realm elder who can already command a portion of the power of heaven and earth, and even to several Supreme Elders who have been in seclusion for many years and whose auras are as deep and boundless as the sea—

Almost all the prominent figures of Longhu Mountain gathered here in a very short time, arranged solemnly according to seniority and cultivation level, in complete silence, their eyes all fixed on the figure in the sky that represented supreme imperial power.

Finally, a beam of light rose from the forbidden area behind the mountain, and an old man with a lotus crown, a purple Celestial Master's robe, a serene face, and a flowing beard stepped out and arrived at the forefront of the crowd. He was none other than the contemporary leader of Taoism, the head of Longhu Mountain, and the Thunder Tribulation True Lord Qingxu Celestial Master.

His expression was calm as he nodded slightly to the Flower Grandpa in the air as a sign of respect.

Seeing this, Eunuch Hua no longer delayed. He carefully presented a bright yellow silk imperial edict with both hands, slowly unfurled it, gathered his breath, and solemnly and clearly read out each word: "By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I, having devoted myself to the Great Dao and secluded myself for seven years, have made some progress and have attained the highest realm of Yang God in the Refinement of Spirit ————"

The moment the words "Yang Shen" were uttered, it was like ice water being thrown into boiling oil!

The previously quiet Taoist priests below suddenly erupted into an uncontrollable commotion and gasps of astonishment.

Countless beams of light, filled with shock, bewilderment, and disbelief, were cast upon Qingxu Celestial Master at the forefront, as if trying to pierce through the imperial edict and gaze upon the distant capital.

The moment Master Qingxu heard the words "Yang Shen," his usually calm and composed face seemed to be struck by an invisible thunderbolt.

His pupils suddenly contracted to their maximum size, his long beard moved without wind, and the hand holding the whisk trembled violently, his knuckles turning slightly white.

An indescribable, complex emotion, a mixture of extreme shock, ecstasy, bewilderment, and even a hint of self-doubt, crashed against his Dao heart, which he had cultivated for hundreds of years, like a tsunami.

Yang Shen?

That realm that only exists at the beginning of the oldest classics of the three religions and is regarded as the ideal end point?

That legend that even the Taoist patriarch and Buddha may not have clearly set foot in?

But now it has been proven by His Majesty?

Master Qingxu felt a wave of dizziness wash over him, his Daoist heart almost crumbled, and the scene before his eyes became blurry, as if he were in an extremely unreal dream.

The elders behind him, who were at the Manifestation Realm, trembled violently. Two of them even stumbled and had to be supported by their disciples to avoid losing their composure.

"Celestial Master? Celestial Master Qingxu?" After reading the part about summoning him to the capital to attend the ceremony, Eunuch Hua saw that the Celestial Master at the head of the group below seemed to be stunned and had no reaction. He couldn't help but frown slightly and cough twice to remind him.

Seeing this, Elder Xiansheng, who was close to him, became very anxious. Without thinking twice, he quietly reached out and very slightly tugged at the wide sleeve of Master Qingxu's robe.

This pull seemed to abruptly drag Master Qingxu back to reality from his endless shock and daze.

He shuddered, looked up and saw the slightly displeased look in Eunuch Hua's eyes, and felt the gazes of countless disciples behind him. Instantly, cold sweat soaked through his inner shirt.

Almost without the slightest hesitation!

The dignified leader of Taoism, one of the few Thunder Tribulation True Lords in the world, and the Qingxu Celestial Master, the head of Longhu Mountain, knelt down with a thud, as if pushing down a mountain of gold and jade pillars, and kowtowed deeply with the most solemn and respectful rites of a subject, right in front of the ancestral temple gate of Longhu Mountain, under the watchful eyes of all the Taoists on the mountain!

"Your subject—Qingxu, the head of Longhu Mountain—receives the imperial decree! I kowtow in gratitude for Your Majesty's divine grace!"

"His Majesty has attained the Yang God realm. The entire Longhu Mountain community will strictly follow His Majesty's will and do everything in its power to gather all Daoist cultivators in the world in the capital within six hours to congratulate His Majesty on his unparalleled Dao and witness the magnificent feat of the Yang God. There will be absolutely no delay!"

His voice trembled slightly with excitement, yet it was clear and firm, echoing before the mountain gate.

He knelt and crawled a few steps, raising his hands high above his head, and with the most devout posture, accepted the light yet heavy yellow silk from Eunuch Hua's hand.

Dajue Temple is a sacred Buddhist site.

The ancient temple bell tolls far and wide, and the Buddha's light shines everywhere.

A similar scene played out here.

When the imperial envoy conveyed the imperial edict and uttered the words "Yang Shen," hundreds of monks in the square in front of the Mahavira Hall, from novices to the head monk of the Arhat Hall, were all stunned, as if they had heard the most incredible Buddhist verse in the world.

Master Channing, the leader of the Buddhist sect, who had cultivated the "Dragon Elephant Bodhisattva Demon-Slaying View" to the Thunder Tribulation Realm and was known as the "Immovable King," showed a violent fluctuation in his face, which was as stable as a ten-thousand-year-old rock for the first time.

The rosary beads in his hand, made of dragon and elephant bone and as hard as diamond, creaked unconsciously as he squeezed them, and a crack quietly appeared.

He recovered his senses faster than Master Qingxu, but the turmoil in his heart was no less intense.

Yang Shen!

If it weren't for the fact that the imperial decree before him was not genuine, he truly wouldn't believe that His Majesty had actually achieved such a level of attainment.

Without hesitation, Master Channing took a deep breath, suppressed his turbulent emotions, lifted his robe, and knelt before the imperial envoy with the most solemn Buddhist ceremony—prostration.

"This humble monk, Chan Ning, humbly obeys His Majesty's decree!"

"Your Majesty's attainment of supreme enlightenment, illuminating the entire world, is truly a blessing for all beings and a boon for the Dharma!"

"Dajue Temple will immediately issue a notice to all Buddhist sects throughout the land, ensuring that any monks with the necessary affinity will travel to the capital within the specified timeframe to pay homage to the Holy Emperor and receive the teachings of the Great Way!"

Southeast, Guangzhou, Lin family.

As the most prominent family of alchemy practitioners after the chaos caused by Hong Tianwang, and with the reputation of being the number one family of alchemy practitioners in Guangdong and Guangxi, the Lin family mansion is now a magnificent sight.

Recently, the five-bay, hipped-roof vermilion gate was opened wide, revealing the deep courtyard and exquisite screen wall inside.

The golden plaque above the door, inscribed with the words "Passing Down Poetry and Etiquette Through Generations" bestowed by the emperor, gleamed in the sunlight.

In the vast square in front of the gate, led by the patriarch Lin Huaijin, all the clan elders and core members, regardless of their cultivation level, were dressed in the most solemn ceremonial robes and lined up neatly according to seniority, numbering in the hundreds. The surrounding guards stood solemnly, and the atmosphere was so solemn that it was even somewhat oppressive.

Until the streak of light representing the emperor's decree arrived, and a royal attendant stood in mid-air, loudly proclaiming the decree, the words "Yang Shen" sounded like the sacred chant of the heavens, making all the Lin family members dizzy and almost doubting their own ears.

Lin Huaijin stood at the very front. His body swayed suddenly, and the color drained from his face instantly, only to surge back up again, turning into an excited flush.

The elders behind him were breathing heavily, their eyes gleaming with disbelief.

Because the Lin family had clung to Li Xijun back then, they had achieved a remarkable feat that was the envy of everyone in the entire southeastern and Guangdong provinces.

Almost half the world knows that the Lin family is the direct descendant of the current emperor.

Now that they understood the news of Li Xijun's breakthrough to the Yang God realm, they were more overjoyed than shocked by the Buddhist and Taoist sects.

If the occasion weren't so inappropriate, the entire family would probably have jumped up and cheered.

"—Upon receiving the imperial decree, the Lin family shall inform all those in the Southeast that those with the ability may travel to the capital to attend the ceremony—"

The moment the decree was read aloud, Lin Huaijin did not hesitate. He led the large group of clansmen behind him to kneel down in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized, demonstrating the profound traditions and customs of this aristocratic family.

"Your subject, Lin Huaijin, obeys the decree! I kowtow in gratitude for Your Majesty's boundless grace!"

Lin Huaijin's voice trembled slightly with extreme excitement and awe. He raised his hands above his head and said, "Your Majesty's attainment of the unprecedented Yang God Dao is truly a blessing for the nation and a fortune for millions of people!"

"Our Lin family of Guangdong will spare no effort to spread the word throughout the Southeast. All members of our Lin family and our friends and comrades will travel day and night to the capital to offer our congratulations to His Majesty and to the Great Way! We would never dare to fail His Majesty's trust!"

Behind him, hundreds of members of the Lin family shouted in unison, "Congratulations to His Majesty! Congratulations to the Great Dao!"

The deafening roar conveyed an almost fanatical loyalty and an excited sense of pride.

As the imperial decree spread like wildfire, it reached every corner of the Great Sheng territory at an astonishing speed through imperial post stations, cultivators' secret techniques, and aristocratic channels.

"Yang Shen! His Majesty has attained Yang Shen!"

"Six hours! The ceremony will be held in the capital! His Majesty will personally slay the extraterrestrial demon to prove the Great Dao!"

"Hurry! Get to the capital! This is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity, no, an opportunity unprecedented since the beginning of time!"

"Buy tickets for the fastest mechanical airship at all costs!"

"What about the sect's secret Thousand-Mile Escape Talisman? Use it all!"

Countless reclusive masters were alerted, wandering experts were summoned back, and various sects, aristocratic families, and independent cultivators' abodes were all affected.

The entire Refining God Realm of the Great Sheng Dynasty was in complete uproar!

The allure of the Yang God, the opportunity to witness the legend firsthand and observe His Majesty slaying the demon, drove all cultivators into a frenzy.

Influenced by the technology of the Western Continent, "mechanical airships" have become popular among the wealthy and cultivators in recent years. Tickets were snapped up in an instant, and black market prices skyrocketed.

Many cultivators displayed their unique abilities, riding flying swords, traveling by airships, activating escape techniques, and even sacrificing their own life force to use secret escape techniques.

Streaks of light of various colors flowed from all directions of Dasheng, like rivers flowing into the sea, cutting through the sky and rushing toward the same destination—the capital of Dasheng!

On this day, countless ordinary people in the prefectures, counties, and towns near the capital looked up at the sky in astonishment time and time again.

They saw that the "immortal masters," "grandmasters," and "true men," who were rarely seen and high above others, were now rushing about like a market, transforming into streaks of light, some bright and some dim, carrying sharp whistling sounds or deep humming, densely packed, sweeping across the sky above them, heading straight for the majestic imperial city.

"Heavens above—so many immortal masters—"

"They're all going to the capital! I heard—it's something incredibly important!"

"Could it be—that a deity has truly descended to earth?"

The people were discussing it animatedly, their hearts filled with awe and curiosity.

They didn't know what "Yang Shen" was, but they did know that their emperor seemed to have done something that drove all the "gods" crazy.

The six-hour countdown has begun.

The capital city, the heart of the empire, is becoming the focus of attention for the entire world.

Meanwhile, Li Xijun, seated deep within the palace, awaited the arrival of guests from all directions, and—an enemy from beyond the heavens.