The sky grew darker, and the formation seals around the Jade Pool’s ancestral land shattered layer by layer as the Heavenly Dao’s trial intensified.

Whispers spread through the Holy King City.

Most cultivators didn’t know what was happening, but among them were several Nascent Soul experts from various factions who could clearly sense the fluctuations from the Jade Pool’s ancestral land.

An elder from an ancient clan looked towards the ancestral land, a look of realization dawning on his face. He sighed. “The Jade Empress has truly played a masterful game… If she succeeds in ascending today, the future of the Nine Provinces will be rewritten.”

“This wedding is a ruse. Her true goal from the beginning was to ascend to the Transcendence Realm. The wedding was a diversion, or perhaps, a way to delay the other Dao Integration experts from noticing.”

“The Jade Empress’s talent is unparalleled. If she truly ascends, she will undoubtedly leave a significant mark on the history of the Nine Provinces. But it won’t be easy…”

The whispers in the Holy King City grew louder, and the twenty or so Nascent Soul cultivators present knew that the Jade Empress’s tribulation had only just begun.

The tribulation she faced wasn’t just the pressure from the Heavenly Dao, but also the various factions lurking in the shadows.

Rumble…

Suddenly, a giant hand, seemingly covering the sky, descended from the distance, reaching towards the Jade Pool’s ancestral land, carrying a terrifying killing intent!

“Jade Empress, it’s not too late to stop now.”

A gentle, calming voice accompanied the attack, yet filled with murderous intent.

As the voice echoed above the Holy King City, the hearts of many cultivators in the Eastern Continent sank.

Someone from the Southern Wilderness had finally made their move.

Boom!

The formations outside the ancestral land were struck, and the ground trembled violently.

Even from a distance, many cultivators felt their consciousnesses shaking.

“This is a true Dao Integration expert. The evil gods of the Southern Wilderness have special constitutions. Although they are few in number, each is far stronger than ordinary cultivators, especially the Sky God…”

Many cultivators in the Holy King City were shocked by the Sky God’s attack, their bodies trembling.

However, this attack from a Dao Integration expert still couldn’t break through the formations around the ancestral land.

“The Jade Empress is truly cunning, deceiving the world and confronting the heavens alone. But how many more attacks can your formations withstand?”

Another evil god spoke, its body ocean blue, seemingly made of steel, with four pairs of pillar-like wings on its back. Its crimson eyes stared at the Jade Pool’s ancestral land.

“Fellow Cultivator Yao, ascending to the Transcendence Realm will bring calamity to the Nine Provinces. Turn back now, while you still can.”

A Buddhist chant echoed through the sky above the Jade Pool, and a peaceful golden light silently enveloped the ancestral land, bathing many cultivators in its warmth.

Someone in the Holy King City shouted, “Buddha’s light… There’s Buddha’s light in the west… A Buddha from the Western Regions has acted!”

Like the rising morning sun, the Buddha’s light made many cultivators subconsciously lower their guard, looking towards the west with pious, calm expressions, as if their hearts had been cleansed, filled with thoughts of repentance and converting to Buddhism.

“Be careful! The Western Regions’ techniques are strange. Don’t bow to that Buddha even if you’re injured!”

An elder from the Jade Pool reacted immediately, shouting loudly. He bit his tongue, the blood startlingly vivid, allowing him to resist the holy Buddhist chant.

“Fellow Cultivator Yao, turn back now.”

The gentle voice, accompanied by the Buddhist chant, echoed throughout the Eastern Continent, casting a shadow over the hearts of countless cultivators.

Many knew that this was just the beginning. If the Jade Empress truly intended to ascend, it would attract the attention and attacks of even more powerful beings.

Two Polarities Sect.

Behind Two Polarities Peak, smoke curled upwards, accompanied by the sweet aroma of roasted meat.

Lin Ling, dressed in a silver dress, her silver hair cascading down, knelt before a roasted crane, her face hidden as she stared at it with bright red eyes.

From the corner of her eye, she could see a pair of jade-like feet encased in black embroidered shoes, swinging leisurely.

Shang Yanfei tore a piece of meat from the golden-brown roasted crane on the table and took a bite.

“It seems my cooking skills have improved,” she said with a smile.

“Aaaa~” Lin Ling shook her head in disagreement.

Although her face wasn’t visible, her voice sounded like that of a woman between twenty and twenty-eight, both youthful and seductive.

“If you really like him cooking for you, why don’t you go find him now?” Shang Yanfei rolled her eyes at Lin Ling.

Lin Ling shook her head and whispered, “Aaa (He’s busy).”

Then, she wrote on the table: He’s getting married. Aren’t you sad?

Shang Yanfei’s eyes flickered. Before she could speak, a golden light, like the sun, descended upon Two Polarities Peak, and a Buddhist chant echoed through the mountains, reaching the back peak.

Just by looking up, one could vaguely see a golden Dharma Idol radiating a heavy pressure. Many cultivators felt an instinctive urge to kneel before it.

“Fellow Cultivator Yao, you pose a great threat to the Nine Provinces. Turn back now, for your own good and for the good of your Dao Companion.”

The Buddhist chant echoed throughout the Eastern Continent. Within the Two Polarities Sect, even some elders felt their minds wavering. On Dao Peak, an elder bit his tongue, resisting the urge to convert to Buddhism, and flew towards the main peak.

He struck the ancient bell with his palm.

Dong…

Dong…

Dong…

The ancient bell’s sound resonated through the Two Polarities Sect, each strike echoing in the hearts of every disciple. Even Tianxuan City, far from the sect, seemed to hear the ancient bell.

The bell dispelled the Buddha’s pressure, but it cast a shadow over the hearts of many.

The Western Regions and the Southern Wilderness were serious. They would do everything in their power to prevent the Jade Empress from ascending.

Shang Yanfei tore another piece of crane meat and licked the grease from her fingers.

The golden Buddha’s light enveloped the Eastern Continent, and the ancient bell’s toll resonated deep within her soul.

Shang Yanfei glanced over, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“Heh.”

…

“Miss Regina, what are your plans now?”

Mu Zhian had the Jade Pool disciples who had arrived later clean up the nearby enemies. He looked down at the pale woman sitting on the ground.

“Young Master Mu was right. I was someone else’s vessel from the very beginning.”

Regina supported herself with her hands, slowly getting up, and brushed the dust from her skirt. “I’ll return to the Southern Wilderness. As long as they haven’t found Xueyi, I’ll be safe.”

“I will become the Fourth Pillar God and replace Xueyi.”

“It’s good that you’ve figured it out.”

Mu Zhian replied gently.

If he had to choose between Xueyi and Regina, he would undoubtedly support Regina.

Of course, only if she had the will to fight… It seemed she still did.

“I’ll give you the Reincarnation spiritual energy you need after Yao Meng’s tribulation,” Mu Zhian continued.

Regina’s expression was complex. “The Transcendence Tribulation… It won’t end so easily.”

The world was shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the Buddha’s light from the Western Regions. Its golden Dharma Idol, immense and awe-inspiring, seemed to occupy half the sky, hidden beneath the dark clouds.

Beside the Buddha stood a strange creature with hundreds of eyes, and another similar creature stood beside it, outside the Jade Pool’s ancestral land.

Other creatures from the forbidden zones were also lurking in the shadows, watching.

Just as Yao Meng had predicted, no one wanted a Human Emperor to surpass them. These forbidden creatures hadn’t acted yet, simply observing the situation.

But if they had the chance to strike, they wouldn’t hesitate.

Mu Zhian also looked up, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. “Although we’ve dealt with the internal threats, there are still external enemies.”

“The Reincarnated Empress is already in the ancestral land, reinforcing the formations. Gong Lianyue’s consciousness was awakened earlier and is also there,” Wei Mengrou said softly.

However, this wasn’t enough.

The Southern Wilderness and the Western Regions had obstructed the Jade Empress’s Dao Integration before. They wouldn’t just watch her ascend to the Transcendence Realm.

Even those who didn’t have any grudges against her wouldn’t want to see her ascend.

Even if they didn’t interfere, the Jade Empress’s chances of successfully ascending wouldn’t exceed seventy percent… No one wanted to gamble.

Mu Zhian communicated with the Primordial Witch in his mind. “If you possess my body, how long can you maintain it?”

The Primordial Witch’s pleasant voice echoed in his mind. “At most two hours, at least half an hour.”

Ever since he learned that Yao Meng was using the wedding as a cover for her tribulation, Mu Zhian had been communicating with the Primordial Witch. He knew that even if Yao Meng had set up formations in advance, it was only a matter of time before the other experts noticed.

Seemingly guessing his thoughts, the Primordial Witch reminded him, “A battle between Dao Integration experts might last for days. Even if I possess your body temporarily, it won’t be enough time.”

“But Yao Meng’s tribulation will end within half a day, right?” Mu Zhian asked.

“If nothing unexpected happens, half a day is enough. But it’s not just the Southern Wilderness and the Western Regions who don’t want her to ascend. Even if your letters reach the Demon Realm and Yu State, they might not be effective. And there are other regions like Yun State that are also watching.”

“At least five Dao Integration experts will try to stop her. Even with my help, it will be difficult for her to ascend… The best outcome is for her to give up,” the Primordial Witch said.

“Besides, the rules set by the Heavenly Dao don’t include transcending the shackles of heaven and earth. Even if she stops the other experts, she still has to face the Heavenly Dao’s punishment.”

The Primordial Witch paused, then said softly, “No, to be precise… the fact that the Jade Empress is being prevented from ascending by these experts is already part of the Heavenly Dao’s punishment.”

Unlike a cultivator’s lightning tribulation, which was a test from the Heavenly Dao, the tribulation the Jade Empress faced was a punishment.

Siding with Yao Meng meant going against the Heavenly Dao.

Mu Zhian was silent for a moment, then sighed. “So many Dao Integration experts… Even if Ruoxi awakens her other consciousness, it won’t be enough.”

“Unless there’s a power that can deter everyone in a short time.”

“Even with Gong Lianyue and you, it’s still not enough.”

Mu Zhian paused, then said softly, “Unless… there’s a power that surpasses Dao Integration, an absolute crushing force.”

“Above Dao Integration is Transcendence, and above that is Immortal Ascension. But an Immortal Ascension cultivator… is probably long gone. How could—”

The Primordial Witch’s voice trailed off, as if realizing something. She whispered, “Are you going to use that blood essence?”

Mu Zhian opened his personal interface, found the Primordial Witch’s ability, and selected the save button.

“Even if I don’t look for them, they’ll come looking for me.”

“Because once those Dao Integration experts realize they can’t break through the Jade Pool’s ancestral land, they’ll target those close to Yao Meng.”

“As for the reason…” Mu Zhian chuckled softly. “I’m the one getting married to Yao Meng today. Who in the Nine Provinces doesn’t know me? Since they can’t break through Yao Meng’s formations and want to stop her tribulation, disrupting her Dao Heart is the best method.”

“So they will definitely come looking for me.”

“Instead of waiting for them, we’ll take the initiative.”

“I’m the one who wrote the rules of the Heavenly Court. All cultivators in the Nine Provinces must abide by the rules set by the Heavenly Dao. Defying the rules of heaven and earth is defying the Heavenly Dao, and those who defy the Heavenly Dao will be punished…”

“But I’m the one who wrote the rules of the Heavenly Court.”

Mu Zhian shook his head softly. “No, I am the Lord of the Heavenly Court, so I only abide by the rules I set.”

“This wasn’t part of the original plan,” the Primordial Witch said softly.

She had initially intended for him to be able to protect himself by awakening her in critical moments, but now, things had escalated.

“Plans never survive contact with the enemy,” Mu Zhian said softly.

Wei Mengrou’s eyes flickered as she stared at Mu Zhian.

The spiritual energy within him was becoming incredibly turbulent, and the blood essence was transforming his cauldron.

“Since it’s your decision, I’ll help,” the Primordial Witch said with a gentle smile.

Her consciousness left Mu Zhian’s Innate Celestial Furnace, and the moment it met Wei Mengrou’s, the two merged within the same body.

Regina stared at Mu Zhian in surprise. The Immortal Ascension blood essence had completely fused with his body, becoming his.

Then, a beam of light pierced through the dark sky, and a staircase, emitting a captivating glow, slowly materialized.

Mu Zhian walked up the staircase, the bloodstains on his body fading, replaced by a holy golden light.

The black in his eyes gradually disappeared, replaced by dark golden patterns.

…

At that moment, outside the Jade Pool’s ancestral land, the turbulent aura caused the spiritual energy of the entire world to become chaotic.

The Ocean God had returned to the Dao Integration realm in a short time. He punched out, his fist striking the formations around the ancestral land.

However, four Emperor-grade herbs served as the formation’s core, and although they were withered, they steadfastly protected the ancestral land.

Within the ancestral land, the Reincarnated Empress and Bai Ruoxi, who had just arrived, also guarded two locations, blocking the attacks of the Dao Integration experts.

The aftershocks of these attacks alone were enough to obliterate any cultivator who approached. If they weren’t Dao Integration experts themselves, those within the ancestral land would have already perished.

“Four Emperor-grade herbs, plus two Dao Integration experts helping her… The Jade Empress has used all her resources. Do you have any solutions?” the Sky God asked, his expression unchanged.

He glanced at the ocean-blue evil god beside him, then at the golden Dharma Idol in the sky and the two Bodhisattvas sitting on lotuses beside it.

There were two Buddhas in the Western Regions, one from the Great Thunderclap Temple and the other from the Small Thunderclap Temple. The golden Dharma Idol was a technique of the Buddha from the Small Thunderclap Temple.

Besides the Buddhas, there were also many Bodhisattvas in the Western Regions. The two who had accompanied the Buddha were the Bodhisattvas of Pure Giving and Pure Affinity.

“As long as the Emperor-grade herbs remain, the formations cannot be broken. I heard that the Southern Wilderness has secret techniques that can destroy anything, yet you can’t even break a few formations?”

Not far from the powerful beings, a figure in black robes stood in mid-air, its voice indifferent.

It had used some method to conceal its identity, making it impossible to determine its gender.

“We don’t necessarily have to break the formations. Our goal is to prevent the Jade Empress from ascending, and there are other ways to achieve that besides breaking the ancestral land’s formations,” the Ocean God suddenly said with a sinister tone.

“The Jade Empress is in the ancestral land, trying to safely undergo her tribulation. What about her Dao Companion?”

“Amitabha, if we attack a disciple of the Two Polarities Sect, I’m afraid they won’t stand idly by.”

“No one is allowed to reach the Transcendence Realm. This is the rule of heaven and earth. If the Two Polarities Sect interferes, they will be defying the Heavenly Dao. That Shang Yanfei is cunning and has calculated everything,” the Sky God scoffed.

“In that case, we should follow the Earth God’s suggestion and find Mu Zhian,” the figure in black robes said.

“The Eastern Continent is vast. Finding a specific person will take a lot of effort,” the Bodhisattva of Pure Affinity sighed, clasping its hands together.

“Then we’ll have to ask the Sky God for help,” the Earth God said slowly.

The Sky God closed his eyes and chuckled coldly. “I’ll help you locate him, but capturing him is your responsibility.”

“Let’s capture him first. If the Jade Empress and those two women in the ancestral land have any feelings for Mu Zhian, they’ll be anxious…” the figure in black robes said coldly.

Within the ancestral land, Gong Lianyue’s eyes were filled with coldness as she heard their conversation, but she couldn’t leave.

After being awakened by the aura of Dao Integration, she had agreed to Bai Ruoxi’s request to protect the Jade Empress. But she hadn’t expected these old monsters, who had lived for tens of thousands of years, to target even Mu Zhian to prevent the Jade Empress from ascending.

The Sky God slowly opened his eyes.

At that moment, it was as if hundreds of eyes opened simultaneously on his body. He whispered, “He’s nearby.”

The Earth God’s eyes lit up. “Where is he? I’ll bring him to the ancestral land—”

“Are you looking for me?”

Who’s there…?

The sudden voice made the heavy atmosphere outside the ancestral land freeze.

No one expected the prey to walk towards the hunters, not even the powerful beings present.

They all looked towards the source of the voice and saw a young man in luxurious white robes walking leisurely towards the ancestral land.

“Leave Mu Zhian to the Southern Wilderness. He’s of great use to us,” the Earth God said slowly.

He knew this young man had many secrets. If they brought him back to the Southern Wilderness, he might be very useful in the future.

The Buddha said slowly, “Please, fellow cultivators, but leave him alive. Otherwise, we won’t be able to threaten the Jade Empress.”

The figure in black robes looked at Mu Zhian with great interest. “I heard that he used some special method to refine a unique pill during the alchemy competition. I want him.”

The powerful beings stared at Mu Zhian like predators eyeing their prey.

“Wait. He dared to come alone. He might be setting a trap,” the Sky God said slowly.

“It’s not too late to act after I see through his true nature.”

The Earth God chuckled. “You’ve always been cautious, but there’s no need to be so wary of a mere Core Formation cultivator.”

A Core Formation cultivator, no matter how cunning, couldn’t threaten a Dao Integration expert.

To them, Mu Zhian was like an ant, easily crushed.

But the Sky God had already activated a secret technique, his body enveloped in black mist, his countless eyes fixated on Mu Zhian.

Within the ancestral land, Gong Lianyue transmitted her voice angrily, “You can’t help here! Why did you come back to die?!”

Before she could finish, a scream echoed through the air.

The Sky God clutched his forehead, blood oozing from one of his eyes and splattering on the ground.

Gong Lianyue was stunned, and the Reincarnated Empress within the ancestral land also looked up abruptly, shock flickering in her usually emotionless eyes.

“Run… Run! Get… Get me out of here!” the Sky God stammered through gritted teeth, clutching his forehead, his voice filled with terror.

Thump! Thump!

Everyone’s hearts raced uncontrollably. The two evil gods of the Southern Wilderness paled, and the Buddha and the figure in black robes also stared at Mu Zhian in disbelief.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay