When Zhao Heng announced his abdication, the Zhao Clan of Shendu returned to being a prominent family, and the Great Jin submitted to the Northern Zhou, losing its status as an independent nation. Within the Jade Empty Palace on Mount Kunlun, Meng Qi couldn’t possibly claim he wasn’t surprised. Who could have imagined that the Zhao Clan would resist the temptation of luxury, avoid being blinded by power and desire, accurately assess the situation, and decisively relinquish the imperial throne and most of the people’s power, choosing submission so cleanly and decisively.
Since returning from the Middle Ages, witnessing his jocular senior brother’s daily progress in cultivation, and seeing the Heaven-Sundering Sword awaken to the Celestial Immortal level, after unifying the northern grasslands, his own attainment of Celestial Immortality seemed imminent. Thus, he believed that the Southern campaign by the Northern Zhou was only a matter of time. Eventually, the Zhao Clan of Shendu would have to make a decision: whether to perish alongside their family and nation or wisely relinquish power, singing softly, “My homeland, I cannot bear to look back upon beneath the moonlight.”
Without the involvement of their sect, there was no third outcome. The divine formation of Shendu indeed drew upon immense collective power, capable of barely resisting a Celestial Immortal-grade divine weapon. However, with the addition of a Celestial Immortal emperor, there was no other possibility. Since the fall of the “Purple Qi Majestic” era, no new Fa Shen cultivators had emerged among the Great Jin’s aristocratic families. The Zhao Clan couldn’t stop this force, nor could the others, except for the Wang family of Jiangdong.
The issue stemmed from the Wang family’s ancient legacy being nearly squandered by Wang Siyuan, the prodigal heir, who even lost the legendary treasure Luo Shu. The remaining branches, at their strongest, barely reached the peak of Earth Immortal cultivation. Relying on their cave heavens, they could still resist Gao Lan but lacked the strength to sway the balance of power between the North and the South, no longer commanding the might of a truly top-tier force.
Given this situation, Meng Qi didn’t need the Jade Empty Divine Calculation to foresee potential developments. After all, the sect’s pillars, Master Lu and Su Wuming, were both sword cultivators devoted to their path. As the great calamity approached and the crisis intensified, they had long abandoned interest in the conflicts between sects and aristocratic families, and might not necessarily oppose the unification of North and South.
Regarding this matter, Meng Qi was always torn and conflicted. On one side was his sworn elder brother, whose words were cold but who had yet to turn hostile, having shown him much kindness and deep camaraderie. On the other side were close friends with whom he had shared life-and-death experiences. If they were to engage in a deadly conflict, how could he position himself?
Should he forcefully stand with the Great Jin to block his sworn brother’s southern advance, or decisively knock out Old Five Zhao, drag him back to the Jade Empty Palace, wait for the situation to stabilize, and then convince him to accept reality? Meng Qi always struggled with this decision, each thought bringing intense headaches, instinctively avoiding similar questions and escaping from reality.
Now that the Zhao Clan of Shendu had surrendered so swiftly and decisively, Meng Qi felt a strong sense of relief and joy after his initial surprise. He couldn’t help humming a little tune, singing carelessly, “We common folks, today are truly happy…”
Old Five Zhao, with his clear judgment and wise assessment of circumstances, was indeed a remarkable figure. As long as his jocular senior brother didn’t impose restrictions, he would likely rise to even greater heights in the future.
With the unification of North and South and the submission of the grasslands, the Great Zhou ushered in an unprecedented golden age. Within a month, Gao Lan ascended to the level of a Celestial Immortal emperor, his imperial aura soaring into the heavens, enveloping the entire domain, with pale golden clouds visible everywhere.
Then, utilizing his unique abilities as a Celestial Immortal Human Emperor, he spent six months assisting the long-time “half-step” cultivator Sima Shi in attaining the Fa Shen form. He continued to entrust him with overseeing the merged Six Gates, simultaneously elevating the status of martial examinations, subtly pressuring while consolidating the major aristocratic families, establishing imperial majesty unmatched in ten thousand years.
Prior to this, Gao Lan had already appointed four heirs, fully displaying the magnanimity of a Human Emperor, not bound by the Gaoshi clan of Changle. They were: the Imperial Younger Brother Su Meng, the King of Jin, Zhao Heng; the King of Changle, Gao Teng; and the Princess Wuwang, Cao E, ranked in order.
Upon hearing this news, Meng Qi had only one thought in his heart:
Grass, he really did it!
His senior brother was indeed a seasoned mental case… Feeling the tide of collective power surging towards him and encircling his body, Meng Qi could only reluctantly gather it, planning to later use it for Old Five Zhao or to substitute for merits in forging treasures.
Quickly calming his mind, Meng Qi intended to re-enter deep cultivation when suddenly his heart stirred, a flash of insight illuminating his mind. In an instant, nine “Ten Thousand World Universal Recognition Talismans” shimmering with metallic luster appeared in his hand.
“I can’t waste the time spent in cultivation…” he murmured, flicking each of the nine talismans one by one, sending them flying toward different universes where sentient beings gathered.
It would take at least three or four years to open the remaining acupoints, and another one or two years to attempt feedback on the internal organs. During this long period, he couldn’t be everywhere at once, but he could use the “Ten Thousand World Universal Recognition Talismans” to leave sufficient traces across different universes, facilitating future adjustments, imprinting them, laying a solid foundation for legends.
If his current divine consciousness wasn’t temporarily limited to focusing on nine universes at once, he would have already crafted a few boxes of “Ten Thousand World Universal Recognition Talismans” and thrown them out.
Watching the talismans pierce through time and space, waiting for those destined to encounter them, Meng Qi lowered his eyelids, exhaling streams of chaotic breath through his nostrils.
…
Across the vast universe, galaxies composed of several billion or even trillions of stars and nebulae were everywhere, adding color to the darkness that dominated most of space.
One such galaxy had six magnificent, spiraling arms, each filled with countless radiant stars, comparable to grains of sand at the bottom of a river. Near one unremarkable star orbited a dozen or so dark planets.
From the inside out, the seventh planet was at just the right distance, its surface mostly covered by vast blue oceans, with a polar magnetic field and layers of clouds. Thus arose expansive continents, green vegetation, and the spirits of all living things.
City upon city lined the land, with rail transit and high-flying aircraft coexisting. In one of the most prosperous cities on the eastern coastline, within a small alley, a thin, bespectacled student was curled on the ground, being mercilessly kicked by a gang of thugs wearing the same school uniform, his mouth emitting continuous pained groans.
“Motherf***er! You dare not give me the answers!”
“Think you’re so great with your good grades? Try getting into the top fifty of the grade!”
“You’re asking for it! You’re just plain asking for it!”
Painful thuds echoed as they vented their aggression, then left behind the warning, “Behave yourself from now on!” The frail student remained curled for a long time until the pain subsided, slowly rising to his feet. On his chest, his student ID read: “Wuhua No. 2 High School, Grade Three, Class Six, Fei Zhengtao.”
He wiped his mouth, noticing some blood at the corner, a loose tooth, and numerous bruises and internal injuries.
After a few rapid breaths, Fei Zhengtao suppressed his violent emotions, his face filled with frustration and pain. Did these thugs really think he looked like an easy target?
He had always been quiet, reserved, and never caused trouble. He had always been submissive and obedient, handing over most of his pocket money, yet any slight displeasure from them resulted in immediate beatings…
Just four months left until graduation. “Hold on, hold on,” Fei Zhengtao consoled himself, “they wouldn’t make it to university anyway!”
It wasn’t until now that he noticed his blurred vision, realizing he had cleverly thrown his glasses far away earlier to avoid breaking them, which would only earn him more scolding from his parents.
Squinting, he searched around and finally spotted his glasses. Beside them lay a thin metallic plate, shaped similarly to the ultra-thin mobile phones that had once been popular, but without a screen, covered instead with mysterious yet elegant patterns and strange buttons.
Putting on his glasses, Fei Zhengtao examined it for a while, curious, and picked it up. It felt smooth, not metallic.
“An artwork someone dropped?” Fei Zhengtao mused. He waited a while, tidied himself up, and seeing no one coming to claim it, decided to take it home, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and hurried toward the bus stop, planning to hand it to the police the next day.
Everything went smoothly. After a painful shower, Fei Zhengtao locked himself in his room, pretending to finish homework, avoiding his parents’ expectations regarding his grades.
After locking the door, he took out the metal plate, examined it from all angles, and pressed some buttons, but nothing happened. He tossed it aside and turned on his computer, intending to search for what it was.
As the computer screen lit up, about to display the desktop, suddenly Fei Zhengtao heard a buzzing sound. The screen blurred, as if rainbows flickered, and the metal plate beside him emitted a faint, cool glow.
Before Fei Zhengtao could react, a voice without emotion sounded in his ear: “The Ten Thousand World Universal Recognition Sphere responds. Code activated.”
“Detecting local cosmic rules, matching local language and habits. Please wait patiently.”
“Matching complete, connection with computer established. User may now operate freely.”
Fei Zhengtao couldn’t comprehend the first two sentences at all, feeling as though he was listening to a dialect. However, by the third sentence, the voice suddenly shifted into a standard, crisp news broadcast.
“What the… what’s going on here…” Fei Zhengtao muttered in confusion, instinctively adjusting his glasses as he stared at the unfamiliar desktop. The browser had automatically opened to a page titled “Ten Thousand World Navigation.” It looked somewhat similar to his usual browser interface, but was divided into numerous sections such as forums, live streams, and shops. Among them were sections like “Sword Cultivation Studio,” “Martial Arts Teahouse,” “Pure Land,” “Daoist Nature,” and “Martial Arts Posthouse.” There were also live stream categories like “Southern Wilderness Education,” “Martial Arts Competitions,” “Singing and Dancing,” and shopping platforms such as “Ten Thousand World Mall” and “Ten Thousand World Search.”
Fei Zhengtao grew increasingly confused, feeling as if he were dreaming. What kind of websites were these?
Instinctively, he clicked on “Sword Cultivation Studio,” suddenly realizing his mistake and trying to close it—what if it was a virus?!
At that moment, the page had already opened, and on the “Sword Cultivation Studio” featured section was a very eye-catching post:
《The Complete Process of the Supreme Sword Hero Cultivating to Fa Shen》
No virus? At this moment, Fei Zhengtao felt as if he had stumbled into another world, experiencing the thrill of voyeurism. Curiosity surged within him, and he clicked on the post, wanting to see what was happening—had he been hacked?
As the post opened, a video automatically played. At the beginning, a voice announced: “Four years ago, the Supreme Sword Heroine Jiang, communicating with her counterparts across worlds, slashed through heavenly tribulations with a single sword strike, attaining the ‘Supreme Sword Lord’ Fa Shen form. Her accumulation and legendary traits surpassed even those of the legendary ‘Heavenly Sword’ of old. Now, she is on the verge of Earth Immortality. Let us revisit that moment to inspire every sword cultivator.”
A towering peak appeared, surrounded by dark clouds clinging to its summit, with colorful lightning flickering between them. Just seeing it evoked a sense of awe-inspiring might.
At that moment, a clear sword light flew from the peak, slicing through the clouds, dispersing the thunder, revealing a bright yellow figure. Around her, countless vortexes like black holes appeared, each revealing different universes. The perspective shrank, focusing on various figures, who remained unaware of any anomaly—some practicing swordplay, some learning the zither, some playing, some weaving, showing no signs of enlightenment.
The golden figure opened her bright eyes, revealing her Dharma form, her gaze brimming with compassion and oneness, encompassing all those figures behind her.
With a single step, the Dharma Form merged into her body. High above, multicolored heavenly lightning struck down—dazzling yet terrifying.
Transforming into sword light, she charged upward, cleaving through the colorful celestial lightning, shattering it into countless streams of radiant light falling like rain.
Fei Zhengtao watched, eyes wide, finally muttering to himself: “The special effects are really, really good! Must have cost hundreds of millions, right?”
Could this be an internal website for some movie? His mood suddenly lifted, and he began browsing the posts in “Sword Cultivation Studio.” There were serious discussions on sword techniques, as well as controversial topics like: “Disputing the Six Gates’ Heavenly List ranking—re-rank it if you dare!”
This post was authored by a user with the handle “Silver Moon Lord,” who stated:
“‘Yuan Emperor’ Su Meng, having newly attained the Fa Shen realm, was already capable of defeating an Earth Immortal-level Soul Devourer. At the Earth Immortal stage, he could rival a Celestial Immortal. Now, having forged the unprecedented Ten Thousand World Universal Recognition Sphere and undergoing five years of secluded cultivation, his ascension to Celestial Immortality is imminent. Who in the present era could possibly oppose him?”
“Divine Sect Left Minister” replied: “Han Guang, the ‘Demon Sage,’ has united parts of the Nine Demon Sects—Destroy Heaven Sect, Asura Temple, Joyful Temple, Blood Robe Sect—and formed the Demon Sect, reviving the great cause of the Supreme Demon God. He himself is a seasoned Celestial Immortal, mastering time-cutting sword techniques. Yuan Emperor still lags behind and is no match!”
“Fatherless Old Dad” said: “With the Human Emperor’s rise, uniting North and South, blessed by the collective power of the people, he fears no Celestial Immortal!”
Another user, “Black Emperor,” remarked: “I’m not looking down on them. First, defeat Master Lu and the Heavenly Sword, then we’ll talk. The former has already made progress, while the latter recently achieved a breakthrough. Don’t underestimate them just because they’ve been absent from the martial world for years. Remember when Master Lu guarded a tomb for ages, forgotten by the martial world, yet upon his return, he shook the world?”
…
“I’m rooting for the Mix Yuan Fairy of the Overseas Immortal Realm. Have you forgotten the might of the Mix Yuan Golden Vessel? When a powerful Celestial Immortal descended from the Star Immortal Realm, he couldn’t last even a second before being reduced to an ordinary mortal. Now that she has finally attained Celestial Immortality, her strength is beyond imagination.”
“I support Yuan Emperor. If I forward this post to five forums, can I get Yuan Emperor Coins?”
Reading these replies and discussions, Fei Zhengtao gradually furrowed his brows. Why did they sound so serious? Had the metal plate connected him to a cultivation world?
Who was this “Yuan Emperor” Su Meng? He sounded really impressive…
The more Fei Zhengtao thought about it, the more something felt off. Panicked, he exited the forum and clicked on the Ten Thousand World Mall to see what was being sold.
As the store opened, a row of goods dazzled his eyes, leaving him stunned:
“Pure Yang Evil-Repelling Blade on sale, only ten left, just 198 Yuan Emperor Coins!”
“The Wind God Steps, an Earth Immortal cultivation technique obtained from a southern province tomb. Interested parties, private message.”
“Permanently supplying Sun Stones and Celestial Lightning Essence, bulk orders preferred. Payment only in Yuan Emperor Coins.”
These were all artifacts and techniques from martial arts and cultivation novels! Fei Zhengtao’s eyes nearly popped out. The next two listings startled him even more:
“Large warship from the Far Reaching Star, fully equipped with all weapons—your honest friend among the stars.”
“Life is hard, so I must harm myself. The purest essence of plants and trees—the humble offering of the ancient Great Green Root.”
Was there even this kind of thing? Fei Zhengtao quickly closed the store, calming his wildly beating heart. Carefully recalling everything he had just experienced, the more he thought, the more he felt that the metal plate had brought him an extraordinary encounter.
Was it real?
Could he really purchase divine techniques and cultivate to strengthen his body?
He reopened the mall, randomly selecting a technique to try purchasing, when a prompt popped up:
“You do not have Yuan Emperor Coins.”
Yuan Emperor Coins—named after the “Yuan Emperor” Su Meng’s own title. Truly impressive! He must be an extremely important figure… Fei Zhengtao took a deep breath, filled with curiosity about “Yuan Emperor” Su Meng.
Thus, he opened the Ten Thousand World Search and typed in “Yuan Emperor Su Meng,” waiting for results. Then he saw a line of large text:
“According to relevant laws and regulations, some search results are not displayed.”
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