Martial Arts Crossover: The Sweeping Monk of Wudang? That's our patriarch!

Upon entering the main hall, Lin Daochen felt both familiar and unfamiliar: the dragon-carved jade steps still soared into the clouds, and the golden pillars and carved beams still gleamed with a heavy radiance. Only the auspicious clouds on the dome were more dazzling than before, as if the entire golden mountain had been melted and spread across the sky.

These veteran immortals really live a comfortable life—the outside of the hall looks ordinary, but inside it shines even brighter with golden light and is incredibly imposing. Alas, we toil day and night in cultivation, splitting mountains and transcending tribulations, yet we are not as glamorous as them with just a word, a pen, or a court assembly.

At this moment, the two rows of steps were already filled with figures: those who could step into the Lingxiao Palace were either star lords who held military power or venerable gods who managed the incense offerings of a region, each with a straight back and shining crowns; those minor immortals who had no official position or title and whose names were not even worthy of being listed in the celestial register could not even get a glimpse of the palace gate.

As the crowd lined up in twos and threes, preparing to take their seats for discussion, they suddenly saw the Supreme Lord Laozi at the head of the table raise an eyebrow and fix his gaze on Lin Daochen at the palace gate.

"Huh? This face is unfamiliar... I haven't seen him before?" He turned slightly to Tiandi and nodded, waiting for a hint. Tiandi was also stunned, shaking his head blankly—how did this person suddenly appear out of nowhere?

Lao Jun squinted and stared for a long time, but still couldn't recognize him. However, the God of Wealth, sitting diagonally behind him, strolled closer with a smile and gently nudged his arm with the handle of his whisk: "Lao Jun, Lao Jun, your eyesight is getting worse and worse! Isn't this Lin Daochen?"

"You were just here in Heaven last month, and you even debated sword intent with Erlang Shen at the South Heavenly Gate for half an hour. Have you forgotten already?"

Laozi was taken aback upon hearing this, then nodded in realization, a smile appearing on his face. He stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "What a coincidence! After all this time, we've met again in the Lingxiao Palace!"

Lin Daochen didn't bother with pleasantries. Of course, he recognized that otherworldly face, and he knew that they had no connection whatsoever—neither friendship nor grudge, just nodding acquaintances.

He nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the entire hall like a hawk's: the generals were still scrambling for their seats, the civil officials were busy arranging their tablets, the hall was still in an uproar, and the figures were moving like a tide.

Now! While this chaos continues, it is the perfect time to plead his case to Heaven and Earth. Without stopping, he walked straight through the crowd and headed for the main seat.

At this moment, Heaven and Earth sat solemnly upon their cloud-patterned throne, their brows stern, their gazes piercing as they surveyed all living beings. Below, the gods adjusted their robes or conversed in hushed tones, a scene of order amidst the chaos.

Suddenly, a figure broke through the crowd, walking steadily towards the emperor. The heavens and earth trembled slightly; upon closer inspection—this person… seemed strangely familiar.

Once the man stood still at the foot of the steps, he suddenly realized: it was Lin Daochen!

"Lin Daochen?" The voice, though not loud, drowned out the clamor in the hall. "You have trespassed into the Lingxiao Palace; you must have something to do. If it weren't something important, why would you dare disturb me?"

A slight smile played on his lips, revealing a hint of relief—he was certain someone would come today, but he never expected it would be him.

Lin Daochen stopped beating around the bush. Now that he had stepped onto the Nine Heavenly Steps, his words had to be clear and decisive. He looked up at the Heavenly Emperor, who was surrounded by golden light and exuded an imposing aura, took a deep breath, and asked:

"A few days ago, I was ambushed by the immortal of Tianshan. He used underhanded tricks to frame me, causing me to act unjustly. Now, the reputation of the Three Realms has changed drastically—cultivators are suspected, and even gods are implicated. Chaos has begun."

But I can forgive all of that—I pardon all the past deeds of the Heavenly Mountain Immortal. There is only one thing I cannot turn a blind eye to: I have irrefutable evidence of his secret evil deeds.

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Daochen reached out and pulled out a round bead that shimmered with a ghostly light. Within the bead, countless miniature figures darted and fled like fish, their cries silent, bloodstains faintly visible.

That was not an illusion, but a true record condensed by Lin Daochen using a secret method—the Heavenly Mountain Immortal oppressed mortals, slaughtered the innocent, stole spiritual roots, and refined living souls... Every single one of these events was sealed within, revealing every detail.

The Heavenly Emperor's cultivation was unparalleled, with few rivals within the Three Realms. His gaze swept over the luminous pearl, and in an instant, all the tragic scenes flooded his mind like a tidal wave: children huddled under broken walls, peasant women shriveled like paper after their essence was drained, entire villages silently reduced to ashes... scene after scene, piercing his heart and burning his soul.

Lin Daochen was about to present the light pearl.

The Heavenly Emperor raised his hand to stop them, pressing down lightly with his five fingers, remaining calm and composed.

"I already know everything you want to say. There's no need to elaborate. Just one question—what do you intend to do with him?"

Lin Daochen's lips curled slightly, his smile clear and cool. His purpose had been achieved. He had entered the God Realm solely to seek justice. His hatred for the Heavenly Mountain Immortals had long since seeped into his bones.

For those who cultivate the Tao, the most important thing is their character. No matter how solid one's foundation in the Tao is, if inner demons arise, one will eventually fall into evil ways. Techniques can be mastered quickly, and realms can be forcibly elevated, but one's Tao heart cannot deceive heaven and earth, nor can it fool oneself.

But what about the immortals of Tianshan? They ascended the steps on white bones, wrote scriptures with blood and tears, and actually attained immortality with boundless magical power. It turns out that the so-called "enlightenment" is sometimes nothing more than a gilded fig leaf.

The Heavenly Emperor stood silently with his eyes lowered, his expression somber. As the ruler of the divine realm, he had seen far too many superficial appearances, yet this matter still sent a chill down his spine. A celestial being had used millions of lives as stepping stones—a rough estimate suggests that in just the last hundred years, over a million had died at his hands.

He slowly shook his head, a fierce aura surging between his brows. This person must not be allowed to live.

Lin Daochen felt a sense of relief. With the evidence presented, the rest would be decided by the Heavenly Emperor.

"I have thoroughly investigated this matter. Lin Daochen, is that all you have to say today? Rest assured, I will personally deliver justice."

The Heavenly Emperor flicked his sleeves, signaling for them to step back.

By this time, the crowd before the hall had already lined up in neat rows, standing on both sides of the jade steps, awaiting instructions. The rules of the divine realm are just like those of the mortal world: the supreme being sits above, all the gods guard him, his commands are lawful, and none dare disobey.

Lin Daochen nodded, turned around, and descended the steps. Heavenly soldiers and generals immediately came forward to greet him, leading him to a quiet room in a side hall, where tea was served and he was ready to rest, awaiting further imperial decrees.

But Lin Daochen had no intention of lingering. The God Realm was indeed the dream destination of countless cultivators, but it was a stopover on his journey, not his final destination. The world he saw was far wider than the sea of ​​clouds and deeper than the Milky Way.

Having achieved our goal, why linger? Wander freely among the mountains and rivers, going wherever the wind comes and going wherever the clouds disperse—how carefree!

He waved his hand, politely declining the offer of accommodation. He only asked the heavenly soldiers to convey his message: "Lin Daochen takes his leave. There is no need for a farewell or any further arrangements."

The soldier hesitated at first, then his face lit up. Serving this unconventional visitor had been exhausting. Seeing him take the initiative to resign, he was overjoyed, agreed on the spot, and turned to report back.

Lin Daochen stepped out of the South Heavenly Gate. The gatekeeper recognized him at a glance, his face turning green instantly. He rushed over, pointing at him and sighing:

"Oh my! You've finally come out! Didn't we agree to stay put? Instead, you've been running all over the divine realm—just now, the heavens were enraged by thunder, and I almost got stripped of my armor and banished to the mortal world! If it weren't for this brother next to me taking the blame for me, this silver-scaled armor of mine would probably be sold as scrap metal today!"

Lin Daochen didn't answer, but flicked his finger—with a crisp "clang," a crystal fell through the air and landed right in front of the heavenly soldier's feet. He looked down and was immediately stunned: it was a pure, translucent golden marrow crystal!

One of these items can be exchanged for 100,000 Blue Soul Stones.

In the Immortal Realm, a single Blue Soul Spirit Stone can be exchanged for a Spirit Condensation Pill; 100,000 Blue Soul Spirit Stones are equivalent to 100,000 pills—enough for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to break through three realms, enough for a Golden Core cultivator to extend their life by a hundred years, and enough for a small team to traverse three domains without worrying about running out of spiritual energy.

The soldier swallowed hard, bowed repeatedly, his back almost touching the ground, his face filled with astonishment and fawning: "Oh my! I never expected you to be so generous! If I had known you were such a magnanimous person, how dare I block the door? We're all family, it's truly shameful to be so formal!"

Lin Daochen glanced at him indifferently, a cold smile playing on his lips: No matter how high one's cultivation level, one is still nothing more than a mortal heart draped in divine robes. Ascending to immortality cannot change the snobbishness in one's bones, and being ranked among the immortals cannot conceal the greed in one's eyes.

He flicked his sleeves, too lazy to bother with anything more, and turned to leave. The Southern Heavenly Gate slowly closed behind him, and the celestial clouds surged as before, as if no one had ever been there.

When he stepped into the mortal world, he looked up and saw that a dense crowd of practitioners had gathered in the open space of the mountains and fields—some sitting cross-legged in meditation, others standing with their hands behind their backs, their robes fluttering, their expressions solemn, as if they had come here specifically to wait.

Lin Daochen was slightly taken aback when he suddenly saw a man push through the crowd and rush towards him, his face beaming with joy. The man grabbed Lin Daochen's arm and exclaimed, "Brother! We've been waiting for you to come back! We were originally planning to wait three or four days!"

The man had a clear, loud voice and spoke rapidly: "Last time you helped everyone reconnect their severed meridians and cleanse them of toxins, and then you generously gave away a large amount of spirit crystals—we, a group of independent cultivators, would normally have to grit our teeth for half a year to save up three yellow crystals, but you, on the other hand, gave away whole boxes and boxes of blue soul crystals!"

"Many of our fellow cultivators here had been stuck at the peak of Foundation Establishment for eight or ten years, but thanks to your batch of crystals, they managed to break through the threshold of Golden Core! Today, we've all decided that we must kowtow to you in person to thank you for this life-saving grace!"

Before he finished speaking, he waved his arm, and a wave of people surged forward behind him—dozens or even hundreds of people rushed over, a dark mass, and bowed deeply before Lin Daochen.

Just as everyone bowed, warm golden light burst forth from between their brows, flowing silently into Lin Daochen's sea of ​​consciousness. His dantian suddenly heated up, and his golden core, which had been as solid as a rock, trembled slightly. His spiritual energy surged like boiling water, and he even faintly tore through the barrier of the Integration Stage!

Lin Daochen's heart skipped a beat, and he almost lost his voice—how could it be so rapid? Why did his strength increase out of thin air after these people bowed?

He pondered silently for a moment, then suddenly recalled something an old local deity had once said: "Merit is not found in incense offerings, but in the power of people's hearts. When people kneel and worship the statues in temples, they are offering their sincerity; the gods gain power because of the believers' unwavering devotion."

And these people before him, their recovery from injuries, breakthroughs, advancements... all of these achievements were due to him. That reverence was not feigned, that gratitude was not false—sincerity brings strength, and deep faith brings brilliance.

He raised his eyes and looked around at the people prostrate on the ground, then suddenly shook his head and smiled, raising his hand to help them up: "Please rise, everyone. This assistance is not a favor, but a matter of self-preservation. Those three thousand heavenly soldiers are pressing us step by step. If I don't break the deadlock first, I will sooner or later be nailed to the rules and crushed by the laws."

"You only need to focus on your cultivation and protect your true nature. As for the rest of the hardships and dangers, I will take care of them."

As soon as the words were spoken, another extraordinary phenomenon occurred—the golden light on everyone's foreheads surged, becoming three times brighter than before, like a net woven from golden threads, all flooding into Lin Daochen's mind. His pupils contracted slightly, and he finally understood: words can indeed forge virtue. A heartfelt word is worth more than a thousand sticks of incense; a sense of responsibility wins the hearts of the people.

The stronger the faith, the brighter the light; the more sincere the heart, the greater the merit.