Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

[Then, Shangluo.] Daozu called out.

"Yes, please speak."

"He's dying. I'll take care of the rest. Let's put things in perspective. The Foundation Establishment Pill is for the Foundation Establishment Pill. Besides the Foundation Establishment Pill, he's using his own Golden Core in exchange for her daughter's life. How about accepting both?"

"Ah, this. I didn't want to die in the first place. What's the point of me wanting her life?"

【Well, then everything is fine. 】

For some reason, Shangluo suddenly felt like saying, "This is a reliable old man." He's seen many reliable adults, but this one is doubly reliable. He can even handle something like this.

The sight of the golden pool of divine blood on the ground made his scalp tingle. If Daozu hadn't been here, he wouldn't have known what to do—of course, if he didn't care, he would just take it and leave. But everyone here is a civilized and respectable person, not a hunter-and-prey relationship. Life still needs to be lived, and things must be done from beginning to end to achieve success.

He saw Daozu instruct Zhu Xianxi to operate the alchemy furnace and throw the Sun God's Spear and the still bleeding Divine Machine in. Less than ten minutes later, he vaguely heard a "ding" sound and the furnace opened.

Zhu Xianxun used tongs to pick out the Spear of the Sun God. The operation was simple and quick.

Heaven and earth are the furnace, nature is the worker; yin and yang are charcoal, and all things are copper.

On reflection, this was actually quite terrifying. While the "real Helios" had been weakened by his limited display of emotion, his status was still divine, a Roman deity. The divine heart, wrought with his own unwavering passion, could be tossed into the furnace and refined. No ritual, no incantation, was required. It was as if the furnace held within it the power of creation, refining everything simply by dropping in.

When I took the Spear of the Sun God back from Zhu Xianxun, it was still warm.

Shangluo weighed it. Nothing had changed, yet everything seemed to have changed. The Spear of the Apollo felt solid, neither light nor heavy. The divine weapon no longer resisted him, and even throbbed eagerly in his hand.

"Has this been refined?"

[Yes. He gave you the golden elixir. Whether you eat it or not, it's yours. I'll use the golden elixir and the magic weapon to refine your life-defining magic weapon. You can split it up later if you need it.]

"Ah, thank you Daozu."

[Also, it would have taken at least 9981 days to refine, but there are still two lives here. I will use the Qiankun Shifting Technique to save you time. It can be used now.]

"How do I use this?"

The one who tied the bell must untie it. Use this spear to poke that stone statue. Be prepared, and it will be bright—the emperor will take care of the rest, don't worry. With all four herbs, the main, auxiliary, and guiding herbs, building the foundation will be a natural process.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Envoy?"

[It seems you haven't realized it yet. I am the primordial golden elixir from earlier, assisting the divine sword in your hand. As for the envoy, I am naturally the Huiming Envoy. Huiming Envoy?]

[Ah, there you are!] When her name was called, Apollonia immediately popped up, [Ah, sorry, I was distracted just now.]

[Are you used to living here with me? ]

[Yeah, yeah, it's much better than my home. I don't want to go anywhere.] Apollonia was as well-behaved as the Calabash Brothers meeting their grandfather.

Just get used to it. Focus on your studies—so, Envoy Huiming is this person. She also holds a title here. When the Heavenly Palace opens up in the future, she will also have a place in it.

"Ah, I see. And what about Jun?"

[Of course it's you. Didn't Shang Buhuan tell you?]

When mentioning Shang Buhuan, also known as "Old Shang" who brought him up, Shangluo did think about it carefully.

"No, he didn't."

I needn't dwell on matters of human nature. You possess a seven-aperture exquisite heart, nurtured by heaven and earth. You don't need to rely on another's 'Life Elixir'. The Sunlight Envoy's Life Elixir is, after all, his own. If you use it, both of your lives will be tied together. While it can help you advance rapidly, it will ultimately be of no benefit in the long run. The Foundation Establishment Pill you cultivated yourself is the true 'Sovereign'. While the Ministers, Assistants, and Envoys are all important, the 'Sovereign' alone is the only ingredient that no one can help you with. A true ironsmith must be strong himself. As for how you acquired this seven-aperture exquisite heart, it has nothing to do with the present matter. Ask Shang Buhuan yourself when you have a chance.

"So that's how it is. Thank you, Daozu." Indeed, Helios's "golden elixir" looked incredibly powerful, far more formidable than Apollonia's. And Shangluo truly had the urge to consume it.

But seeing Apollonia, I completely lost my appetite. It felt like eating wouldn't do any good, and it would only upset my stomach. After all, this thing is quite troublesome. It's already very fussy without eating, so if I eat it, it's going to be a concert in my stomach.

However, what the Taoist ancestors said was about considering the long term. Cultivating the Dao is about cultivating one's own Dao, not relying on others' tail gas. To plan for the long term, one must take one step at a time and build one's own foundation first.

Your golden elixir may not be of much use now, but that's simply because it's not mature yet, the timing hasn't arrived yet. Once you've established your foundation, slowly nurture it. It will be a rare opportunity to attain immortality. Achieving celestial status is ultimately just the beginning; achieving immortality truly is 'realization.' Of course, your beginning is excellent, with all the essential elements complete, each one a spiritual foundation of immortal quality. The golden elixir Xu Fu refined for the First Emperor wasn't much better. Well, take it easy on the rest.

Zhu Xianxi added, "After all, whether or not you can break through is determined before the breakthrough. So, Shangluo, when will you start? I'll find a place to hide first. I really need to hide, otherwise it might explode. Anyway, remember to close your eyes."

"Now?"

“那就现在。稍等一下，我去找掩体。倒数了啊！5、4、3、2、1！”

It's daybreak.

No, it's dark.

Shangluo opened his eyes in the darkness, his memory of the previous events vague. There was a bright light above his head, and all around him was a sticky liquid that seemed to smell like radish.

Was he underwater? He panicked for a second, but he didn't feel any suffocation. The abundant spiritual fluid soaked him, leaving him with no discomfort at all.

"Hmm? Is there any movement?" Zhu Xianxun's voice came from outside, "Shangluo, are you awake?"

"Grrrrrrrrrrrr."

"That means you're awake. Wait a minute, I'll get you some clothes."

"Yeah, yeah." Unable to speak underwater, he could only nod in response. He held onto the tank and tried to stand up, but when he reached out, he touched another hand.

No, it's the legs.

"Woo woo woo woo!" He was so scared that he stood up suddenly from the tub. Zhu Xianxun was standing next to him holding clothes.

Reaching out to help Shangluo out, he placed him on a small stool and put clothes on him. Not his school uniform, but pajamas.

"Well, your school uniform was blown up, so I had someone prepare a new one for you overnight. So, first, there's one good news, and then there's another good news. Which one do you want to hear first?"

"I want to hear good news."

"The good news is, it's done! No wonder it's an immortal-grade foundation-building pill. The main ingredients are all immortal-level. It's just like a recommendation. It's like a surgery with anesthesia. The surgery... Oh no, the foundation-building was very successful. You'll know if you look in the mirror."

Zhu Xianxun handed Shangluo a mirror so that he could look at it himself.

Hair. Shangluo saw his hair at a glance.

His hair had turned white. But it wasn't the silvery white of old age, nor was it the withered white. Instead, it was an almost transparent, cold white, shimmering with a gentle halo and even a faint purple sheen.

"hair!"

"The celestial being has white hair. If you look closely, you can see crimson pupils. This is the symbol of a celestial being. Seeing this hair and eye color means you have successfully established your foundation. Birth, old age, sickness, and death will no longer concern you. All you have to worry about are the five decays of the celestial being. Hmm, this is truly enviable. I must hurry up too."

"Are other celestial beings like this too?"

"Isn't it? Uh!" Zhu Xianxun remembered, "Have you met Senior Fu Yuanshan?"

"Yes, his hair is black."

"He dyed his hair to get free meals. His pupils are normal black because he wears contact lenses."

"I see." Shangluo touched his hair.

The hair quality is surprisingly good, no matter how much I pull it, it won't fall down, and it's as soft as the skin I just touched.

"Oh right! Who was in the tank just now? Why is there another one?"

"Ah, that's Phaethon."

“Is this a good thing?”

"No, she's incidental."

"Ming Zun, the ultimate punishment has been inflicted on her. She is no longer a demigod. All her past efforts have been wiped out, and she is now a mere mortal."

Helios' voice came from the side. He hadn't left yet, looking much better than before, but there was still a startling hole in his chest. But now, a piece of talisman paper was stuck over the hole. The talisman was inscribed with patterns so dense that they couldn't be drawn by human hands. It seemed to have been given to him by the Taoist ancestor.

"Ah, Mr. Helios? I think it's okay for me to call you that. What can I do for you?"

"Good," Helios replied. "The Spear of Apollo is now yours. This is a good thing, because it can help you solve your biggest current threat. Did Phaethon show you how to use the Spear of Apollo?"

Shangluo nodded: "It seems to be a contract?"

"Then you must have seen the Romans using the Lighthouse system to overwrite the Origami ritual. Yes, that's what the Spear of Apollo is for. It can be used to create rituals, rules, and standards for both. To you, Zhezhi, the Uncertain Golden Bough is a serious threat. But the Spear of Apollo is in your hands now, and you can modify those rules. How you change it is up to you. For example, you could insert a sword back and change it to 'Only those who draw the sword can challenge you in single combat,' and then defeat him with your unbeatable swordsmanship. Also, this is my business card."

"Famous Business Card"

"Let's add her on Fetion and put her next to Apollonia. I want to ask her about her life occasionally."

[No! Put it in another business card holder!]

"Okay, another Rolodex." Helios shook his head. "That's all. Goodbye, Apollonia. Won't you come out and say hello?"

[Slightly, slightly, slightly~]

"Tsk, who did you learn that from? See you next time." The limping old lion walked out the door, a hole in his chest, his staff clenched in Shangluo's hand. His lonely figure gradually faded away, only to see Phaethon soaking in the vat.

"Alas, pitiful are the hearts of all parents in the world. Oh, right, what about Phaethon?"

"Please put on your pants first, thank you. My sister will be back soon. You don't plan to eat like this, do you?"

Chapter 218: Drug Power

After putting on his clothes, Shangluo stood firmly on the ground.

"Can I interview you?" Zhu Xianxun stood beside him. "As a newly promoted celestial being, a rising star, what do you most want to do right now? Tell me what you think. What are you most eager to do, what are you looking forward to doing most?"

Shangluo thought for a while:

"I want to go fix that lightbulb."

It took Zhu Xianxun a few minutes to figure out what the light bulb was.

"That's definitely something worth exploring. There are always things in this world that are hard to understand, like I still haven't figured out the question 'Can vegetables survive without a heart? Can people survive without a heart?'"

The lame old lion had just walked out the door. Although he didn't cover his chest, his weakness was hard to hide.

Shangluo looked at the direction he left: "Will he die?"

"I don't know." Zhu Xianxun shook his head. "But the emperor said he can't die yet. He has a lot of things to deal with in the west. Since the emperor let him go just like that and just put a talisman on him, he shouldn't die. But who knows whether he will die in the end. But he doesn't seem to be at a disadvantage."

"He didn't lose out? He handed over his 'Life Core', and Phaethon's power was completely dissipated. Isn't that a loss?"

"Don't forget, as Mithras Helios, he is the God of Contracts. He is a ruthless trading machine. Even in front of the Dao Ancestor, what he did must have been a contract of equal exchange. But what exactly was exchanged?"

Zhu Xianxun didn't understand. Was it just a change for Phaethon's life?

"What did the Emperor say to you then?"

"Daozu said, let's deal with it one way or the other. In addition to the foundation-building pill, use Helios's golden pill in exchange for Phaethon's life. If I agree, then Daozu will handle the rest."

"He is really hard to figure out."

"Anyway, let's go back and eat."

"Alright."

Although the old lion was indeed miserable, it had nothing to do with them. There was nothing they could do except sigh.

They bowed to the Taoist master at the door and took their leave. A chime sounded from inside, and Lu Fang and Huang Jin closed the door of Yuxi Palace.

There was a Chuiwan cart parked on the road outside the palace gate. Shangluo had entered in this way before.

Zhu Xianxun got into the driver's seat, motioned Shangluo to sit in the passenger seat, and then started to take out the keys.

The key contained a set of universal keys for a Chui Wan cart, the same as those in the hands of the Jinyiwei, so anyone could use it as a means of transportation. Although this place was not far from the Western Garden, considering that Shangluo had just escaped from the jar, Zhu Xianxun decided to drive.

"Oh, I almost forgot." He just touched the key and remembered it. He took out a new copper key from his pocket, the key to Yuxi Palace.

"It's yours now. You can come by yourself from now on, but I have to come to the meeting tomorrow morning. It's just a formality, but the key itself is very important."

"Ah, thank you." Shangluo took the key. "But if Phaethon is locked in here like this, she won't wake up, right?"

"No, she needs to soak for a few more days. Luckily I prepared a big tub, otherwise if someone else came in while I was soaking you there wouldn't be room to soak."

“So what was the process like?”

Zhu Xianxun thought for a moment and said, "Actually, I'm not entirely sure how it works, but it's basically like this. We need the intact Spear of the Apollo to reverse the situation—and that requires two elements. First, you have to use a hunting knife to cut open Helios' heart and refine it into a magic weapon. Second, you have to have a contract first, so the artifact can trace its origins according to natural forces and separate the human from the elixir. But you were already unconscious at the time, so I stuffed the elixir into your mouth. And just in case, I soaked you in the jar."

"This sounds like pickling vegetables."

"You know what, there is some resemblance. Later, she was soaked in your jar, and it did help provide medicinal strength. Because she needed to disperse her energy during her return to normal life, you soaked her in it after you began your ascension. Although it's just an extra, it can make your foundation more solid. It's always better to be frugal, otherwise it will be dispersed anyway."

"Oh my goodness, is this medicinal wine?"

"Yeah," Zhu Xianxun nodded, "directly from the medicinal materials to the user. She's dispersing her energy while you're building your foundation, so they're perfectly aligned. There's no middleman taking the difference. Don't you think that's great? Just soak the medicinal wine in the jar and use it both externally and internally."

"Tsk tsk tsk. Even so, it's still a bit tragic to have all my power dissipated immediately - of course, I'm just being ungrateful."

"That can't be helped. I also asked the Emperor, and he said it was her karma."

"What will she do in the future?"

"The Sunlight Envoy—before Helios left, he asked the Emperor to look after her for a while, and the Emperor agreed. Perhaps because of the changes in Rome, Helios felt it was not appropriate for her to return. By the way, I'll show you the letter I mentioned earlier when I get back."

As we were talking, the car drove out of the mountain tunnel. It was dark outside.