After traversing through flight and teleportation, Tan Ping and his companions finally arrived at Changmen Island on the very day the current Human Emperor, Gao Lan, re-established the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Changmen Island, the largest island in the Yunhai Wujian Realm, boasts twenty-eight peaks, some picturesque and others perilous, aligned with celestial constellations and connected to the depths of Luo Feng. With a population of millions, it is exceptionally prosperous. Now, auspicious lights never fade, and clouds of fortune never dissipate, as immortals and deities arrive continuously—some riding divine beasts, others gliding on radiant clouds—truly transcending the mundane world.
“I’ve never seen so many immortals in my life,” murmured Xia Xiu, a girl fond of wearing pink jackets, standing by the shore and gazing at the grand spectacle of countless immortals gathering.
These were true immortals, capable of roaming the Northern Sea in the morning and resting atop the Cangwu Mountains by dusk, feasting on morning dew and celestial clouds—beings one could hardly hope to meet in ordinary times!
Tan Ping, brimming with ambition, declared, “I hope to have the fortune of being accepted as a disciple by one of these immortals.”
The Yellow Millet Pillow was still recovering and temporarily unusable. Meanwhile, after days and nights of contemplation and experimentation, he had finally grasped the basic usage of the cyan-glowing pearl inscribed with floating talismans. Not only could it invigorate the vitality of both body and soul, but it could also guide the flow of internal energy, optimize cultivation techniques, and even serve as a powerful magical artifact in critical moments. Tan Ping named it the “Eternal Joy Pearl.”
After exchanging sighs and marvels, the group entered a nearby city, hoping to stumble upon an immortal opportunity. Just then, Xia Xiu heard an enthusiastic greeting: “Miss Xia, Brother Tan, you’ve come too?”
Turning their heads, they saw a man clad in white robes, carrying a sword case on his back—an acquaintance from their past travels known as “Cloud-Stepping Vajra” Liu Zubin.
Tan Ping cupped his hands in greeting. “Immortal opportunities are rare—how could we pass up this chance?”
Liu Zubin laughed heartily. “I happen to have a good lead. If any of you are fortunate enough to join an immortal sect, don’t forget about me in the future.”
“What lead?” Xia Xiu asked, both surprised and delighted.
Liu Zubin pointed to a verdant, picturesque peak outside the city. “Fairy Mingxia, Fang Huayin, is hosting a banquet for nearby immortals at Ningbi Peak. Mortals are not barred—anyone can attend. Even if you don’t find an immortal opportunity, a few cups of immortal wine and divine fruits would still be a great boon.”
“Fairy Mingxia, Fang Huayin…” Tan Ping repeated the name silently before chuckling wryly. “I must admit my ignorance—which mountain, island, or grotto-heaven does she hail from?”
The vastness of the Eastern Sea was boundless. Even with teleportation arrays linking major islands across its regions, even a powerhouse at the Exterior Realm could scarcely explore a tenth of it. Naturally, some immortals remained obscure to many.
Liu Zubin cleared his throat and said solemnly, “Fairy Mingxia’s grotto-heaven is on Wanxiang Island in the Little South Sea, separated from the waters you frequent by tens of millions of miles. It’s no surprise you haven’t heard of her. But her background is formidable—on Changmen Island today, aside from the reincarnated Human Emperor, she holds the highest prestige.”
“Formidable background?” Xia Xiu and the others were stunned, their curiosity piqued.
Liu Zubin nodded slightly. “Though Fairy Mingxia endured sixty years of hardship before attaining her Dharmakaya and ascending to immortality, and is currently only an Earth Immortal, her master—the former Jade Void Palace Sect Master of Kunlun Mountain, the Immortal Venerable Yuanhuang—recently transcended the Sea of Bitterness and reached the Other Shore, becoming the new Primordial Heavenly Lord!”
“Now, isn’t that an impressive background?”
Tan Ping was utterly dumbfounded. “The former Jade Void Palace of Kunlun Mountain? Immortal Venerable Yuanhuang reached the Other Shore, becoming impervious to calamities? How come we didn’t know?”
He had never heard of this event. Shouldn’t transcending the Sea of Bitterness and reaching the Other Shore be accompanied by phenomena witnessed across all realms?
Liu Zubin chuckled and shook his head. “Yuanhuang’s ascension was unlike the Green Emperor’s in the past. Several Heavenly Lords and Buddhas intervened, causing the destruction and devastation of the real world. Only a handful of beings survived to witness the phenomena of Heavenly Lord Su’s ascension. We likely perished in that event and were later revived through temporal reversal, missing the crucial scenes. I only learned of this from immortals in the Yunhai Feixiang Realm.”
Tan Ping and the others exchanged bewildered glances, nearly speechless:
So, we died once and were revived?
We didn’t feel a thing! It’s as if nothing happened!
This is utterly incomprehensible!
Considering the gathering of immortals on Changmen Island, Liu Zubin wouldn’t dare fabricate such a tale. They had no choice but to believe him, marveling at the profound mysteries of the Other Shore, which defied all logic and imagination.
“I’ve heard that the former Jade Void Palace of Kunlun Mountain was once a top-tier immortal sanctuary, tragically destroyed by the Old Mother of No-Birth, its disciples scattered. Who would have thought it would rise again—and not just rise, but soar to prominence, standing alongside the Tushita Palace, the Demon Emperor’s Hall, the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, the Bodhi Pure Land, the Hometown of True Emptiness, and the ancient realm of the Fusang Divine Tree?” Tan Ping exhaled deeply, his gaze shifting toward Ningbi Peak outside the city, his mind swirling with thoughts.
If only Fairy Mingxia would take notice and accept them as disciples—they’d ascend to the heavens in a single step!
This thought echoed in everyone’s minds, spurring them to rush eagerly toward Ningbi Peak. Along the way, crowds bustled, and lush vegetation thrived, with beams of radiant light and mist frequently streaking toward the summit.
On the mountain, winding streams carried cups of immortal wine and platters of divine delicacies, free for the taking. Tan Ping, Liu Zubin, and the others dared not approach the peak too closely, fearing to offend the immortals, so they found a quiet spot to sit and ponder how to attract attention.
Looking toward the summit, they saw exotic flowers in full bloom and luminous clouds coalescing into a radiant canopy overhead. At the center sat a poised and resolute woman of simple elegance.
“That’s Fairy Mingxia, Fang Huayin,” Liu Zubin introduced.
Tan Ping and the others nodded, their emotions complex.
Fang Huayin raised a jade cup toward the gathered immortals and deities. “This toast is to the current Human Emperor’s re-establishment of the Great Zhou Dynasty and the revival of human order.”
Immortals like the Scarlet Dragon True Immortal raised their cups in response, taking a sip with smiles. Just as they were about to speak, a golden light suddenly pierced the sky, filling the heavens with crystalline radiance as an ancient Buddha descended, surrounded by five hundred arhats, heavenly dragons, asuras, and guardian bodhisattvas, occupying an entire peak.
“The World-Freedom King Buddha!” the Scarlet Dragon True Immortal exclaimed in shock.
Even he had come to offer congratulations? This likely boded ill.
The Human Emperor’s re-establishment of the Great Zhou Dynasty directly opposed the Earthly Buddhist Kingdom and the Hometown of True Emptiness. The Earthly Buddhist Kingdom was backed by Amitabha, the master of the Western Pure Land, while the World-Freedom King Buddha was an ancient Buddha of great renown, a perfected Creation powerhouse who had mastered the Dao of Time and possessed profound Buddhist wisdom, ranking among the mightiest below the Other Shore.
The arrival of this ancient Buddha cast a shadow over the Human Emperor’s ceremony, dampening the previously joyous atmosphere.
Would the Human Emperor’s side also send a powerhouse of equal stature to offer congratulations?
The Mysterious Tortoise Taoist pondered for a moment before turning to Fang Huayin. “Fairy Mingxia, do you know if any other perfected Creation powerhouses will attend? Will the Heavenly Lord Guangcheng or the Heavenly Lord Manjushri descend in person?”
Fang Huayin offered a faint, helpless smile. “How could I possibly know the arrangements of my martial uncles…”
Just then, the crystalline sky darkened abruptly, engulfed by boundless gloom and an eerie stillness. A procession of divine beings resembling wrathful kings, golden boys, jade maidens, and celestial officials escorted a veiled emissary holding a jade tablet.
“The Scepter-Bearing Divine Emissary! The Hometown of True Emptiness has also sent a powerhouse!” the Mysterious Tortoise Taoist said gravely.
This emissary ranked second among the Twelve Divine Emissaries, surpassed only by Zhen Yuanzi. Shrouded in mystery, his origins unknown, he had attained perfected Creation over thirty years ago and was one of the Luo Sect’s foremost experts!
The immortals exchanged uneasy glances, sensing undercurrents of danger—human order’s revival was never without trials.
They hoped the factions supporting the Human Emperor would swiftly dispatch powerhouses to maintain balance and dispel their growing unease.
The tensions between the Earthly Buddhist Kingdom, the Hometown of True Emptiness, and the Great Zhou Dynasty were common knowledge. Tan Ping, Liu Zubin, Xia Xiu, and the others grew increasingly anxious, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire of a clash between powerhouses—a scenario where no Other Shore existence might bother to reverse time and revive them again!
Instinctively, Tan Ping touched the “Eternal Joy Pearl” in his robe and the “Yellow Millet Pillow” in his storage bag, hoping these treasures would protect him.
Fang Huayin, noticing the unease in the eyes of some immortals, steadied herself and smiled reassuringly. “The Human Emperor chose today to re-establish the Great Zhou Dynasty because he is confident. Everyone, please—”
Before she could finish, her expression shifted suddenly. She stood abruptly, her face alight with joy.
“My master is about to descend upon us to congratulate the Human Emperor!”
What? The Scarlet Dragon True Immortal, the Mysterious Tortoise Taoist, and the others rose in unison, their eyes wide with shock as they looked skyward.
The Primordial Heavenly Lord, Su Meng, was coming?
An Other Shore existence would personally congratulate the current Human Emperor?
Suppressing her excitement, Fang Huayin declared solemnly, “Please, everyone, join me in welcoming my master!”
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