Aside from the Jade Emperor, Emperor Jiajing had also set his sights on him.
Ji Xiang remained unfazed.
After delivering souls from the black and white world, he emerged with a soft sigh.
He grasped the Valley God Pill. The inner vision's blank divine tablet provided a description, largely consistent with what Old Man Lei Xuan had said, but the pill itself had been tampered with.
[Valley God Pill: The Valley Spirit is Immortal, this is the Mysterious牝!]
[The so-called Valley Spirit is, in fact, the origin of all life. This pill, within the body, can generate the root of heaven and earth, greatly strengthening the foundation of the physical body.]
[Anyone who is dying or has already died, upon consuming this pill, will be instantly resurrected.]
[Those with insufficient cultivation, upon consuming the Valley God Pill, will experience distorted transformations. The body may become hyperactive, transforming into something indescribable – this is the Manifestation of the Valley Spirit.]
————
[Art of Devotion: Emperor Jiajing's Seed of Desire! After consuming this pill, this art begins to spread. The pill-taker will become the "Dao Child" designated by Emperor Jiajing. Their mind and thoughts will gradually submit to Emperor Jiajing, and they will become Emperor Jiajing's "vessel" for returning to the surface realm!]
[The Valley God Body is the perfect physical form for Emperor Jiajing to return to the surface realm. The Valley God Body can communicate with all the energies of the surface realm and earth. The Yin and Yang within are balanced, and the Five Elements are all present.]
[Destroying the pill's core will reduce its efficacy by twentyfold and eliminate the Art of Devotion.]
Returning to the surface realm? Was the old emperor trapped in the inner realm? It seemed the surface and inner realms could not communicate. Of course, he might not be trapped in the inner realm.
The world held many True Realms, Dharma Realms, Fu Li, or the Nine Heavens spoken of by the Shenxiao Sect.
In any case, if he wasn't in the human world, who was he trying to scare?
"The old emperor has his own agenda. Things given for free are the most expensive. Small gains cannot be greedily sought; one must not take things carelessly."
This old scoundrel had likely given this pill to many people. Judging by the description, Ji Xiang could already guess his strategy: casting a wide net to catch a big fish.
Ji Xiang held the pill and, with a slight exertion of his spiritual power, turned its outer shell into dust. Within, a fiery red pill core was held by Ji Xiang. This core was a vivid crimson, like a glass bead, containing Emperor Jiajing's method of assimilation.
He then channeled his divine abilities, shattering it into powder. The assimilation method flew out and dissipated without a trace.
As for the remaining powder, Ji Xiang decided to take it back and brew tea.
With one-twentieth of its efficacy, he wondered what changes it might bring, but it should be enough to significantly strengthen his physical body.
His current body was too fragile. For cultivators above the Earth Immortal realm, Ji Xiang's body was like paper. He had immense cultivation but couldn't fully utilize it…
Perhaps this was also a form of tempering.
…
Within the Forbidden City, Emperor Wanli felt relieved upon hearing that Old Zhang was coming to his aid, his body feeling as if all strength had drained away.
He felt a little dizzy. A major earthquake in Shuntian Prefecture just now had nearly scared him to death.
"My reign as emperor has been truly unlucky!"
Emperor Wanli, at this moment, thought of his father and involuntarily cursed him in his heart.
If Emperor Longqing hadn't moved the dilapidated Zhenwu statue back then, would so many things have happened?
Lord Huo wouldn't have come, the Dongyue Temple wouldn't have generated Yin spirits, Shuntian wouldn't have experienced a great earthquake, his son wouldn't have been bewitched, and so many people wouldn't have died here.
"Alas, 'pull one hair and the whole body moves,' this is precisely the situation, isn't it?"
Soon, True Man Zhang arrived with the sword, carrying the statue, and entered the gates of the Forbidden City. A little fox followed him, feigning to hold Old Zhang's whisk.
Seeing the familiar city gates, Old Zhang couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.
Seeing this familiar entrance reminded him of his days as a gatekeeper here.
"True Man arrives at last, making me wait!"
Old Zhang, if you had come any later, you could have performed my final rites!
Emperor Wanli personally went to greet him. No one dared to make any inappropriate remarks, as Old Zhang had been instrumental in quelling the unrest in Shuntian. Speaking of improper etiquette at this moment might lead to an invitation for a private talk with Emperor Wanli.
Old Zhang first stated that after breaking his seclusion, his strength had increased. He then casually explained the little fox, saying she was not a demon, and people didn't pay much attention.
Afterward, Old Zhang began to praise Ji Xiang.
However, after this praise, Emperor Wanli's expression became extremely complex.
"I understand."
With only these words, Emperor Wanli's expression was uncertain. Old Zhang understood what Emperor Wanli was thinking and transmitted his voice:
"Your Majesty is perhaps thinking that a cultivator in the Ascension realm can simply enter the Forbidden City, which is utterly treasonous? If Your Majesty thinks so, please blink your eyes."
Emperor Wanli sighed. He and Old Zhang had been companions for thirteen years, and they understood each other deeply. Their thoughts could not be hidden, so he blinked his eyes.
Old Zhang explained, "My senior brother has been wandering in Fu Li for a long time and only recently descended to the mortal realm. He has returned to his original form, which is truly a cause for celebration!"
"He is new to the human world, and the world has already changed for fourteen hundred years. He is not familiar with many things. Your Majesty, my senior brother can be entrusted with the important task of protecting the nation! There are very few Ascension realm experts in the surface realm. Since the end of the Yuan dynasty until now, there are only the two of us."
Old Zhang wanted Emperor Wanli to express his attitude, to not overthink things, and, more importantly, to tell Emperor Wanli that he was alive today and not manipulated by Zhao Xuanlang thanks to Ji Xiang's selfless intervention.
Therefore, at this moment, he should be granted a title and rewarded to win him over. His faction was currently neutral and friendly. If he could be brought into the Great Ming faction, the imperial court would be impregnable.
Moreover, even to prevent the Yin realm Song Dynasty from returning, it was imperative to win over an Ascension realm expert.
"My senior brother has a great vow to deliver all wicked people in the world. Your Majesty is the Emperor of the Great Ming, the father and ruler of the world. His protection of Your Majesty and his slaying of Zhao Xuanlang are in accordance with heaven's will and serve to punish the wicked."
"Those with great vows will not easily betray their oaths, lest their Dao heart collapses, their cultivation is lost, and their future is hopeless."
"Furthermore, although my senior brother's entry into the Forbidden City is strange, his origins are extraordinary. If we consider it now, he is like an ancient immortal with various divine powers, which is normal."
Old Zhang earnestly persuaded him.
Emperor Wanli put away his astonishment and nodded. After all, he was the ruler of the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers. With Old Zhang's endorsement, he felt much more at ease. Moreover, Ji Xiang had saved his life from dire straits several times.
Emperor Wanli walked towards Old Zhang, and the two conversed privately:
"I must grant you a great title this time. Old Zhang, you should also be promoted to Celestial Master. You have not accepted the title of Celestial Master because you entered officialdom. How can this be? I will make the decision for you and confer you the title of Celestial Master!"
"As for Ji Xiang, you call him senior brother… so, should he be a Vice Celestial Master?"
Emperor Wanli felt this title was acceptable; you are the elder, he is the younger. However, Old Zhang stated this was inappropriate!
"A Vice Celestial Master, subordinate to me, could easily cause dissatisfaction. High-level cultivators should be treated with sincerity."
Emperor Wanli expressed his displeasure, "Are you suggesting we grant him the Three Dukes! That would be another Tao Zhongwen! I cannot do what Emperor Shizong did. That would be too outrageous, and these old men would surely drown me with their spittle when they return."
"No, please Your Majesty grant my senior brother the title of 'Grand Master'!"
Since ancient times, the leaders of various schools in transmitting the Dao were called Grand Masters.
And "Grand Master" is taken from Zhuangzi's writings, meaning "one who has attained the Great Dao"!
Emperor Wanli pondered for a moment and then had an idea.
"Grant the title of 'Grand Master of the Orthodox Unity, Benevolent Might of the North Star,' who shall oversee all affairs of the Directorate of Dao Records."
After the two discussed the rewards, Old Zhang was now someone Emperor Wanli relied upon. Their friendship was deep, and the rewards had to be appropriate.
Only then did Emperor Wanli inquire about the sword and the statue of the Jade Emperor.
Old Zhang explained the entire sequence of events. Emperor Wanli's worries immediately turned to joy, and he took the Jingzhen Divine Sword, examining it from top to bottom.
Old Zhang also informed Wanli of most of the information he had obtained while interrogating the Yin spirits:
"This sword is miraculous, Your Majesty must guard it well. This sword essentially serves the function of the original Zhen hexagram. As for how this sword came to be, it is not yet known. However, the divine sword was brought by Tao Zhongwen, and he locked it in the Supreme Pavilion. Today, the divine sword reappears and returns to Your Majesty's hands, perfectly aligning with the destiny of the Great Ming."
"If you encounter Yin spirits entering the palace again, you can use this sword to slay them. The power of this sword repels all evil. More importantly, this sword can absolve spirits and ghosts without any ritual."
"Within the sword's body is hidden the form of Tai Yi, the power of the origin of all gods, and it also contains the imagery of the sun and moon, capable of merging Yin and Yang energies into one. It was originally a matching item with the 'Mirror of Containing Heaven and Earth Imagery'."
"Zhao Xuanlang seized this sword to save the Jade Emperor. This sword is the key that allows the immortal officials of the Wanshou Palace to descend to the mortal realm after Yin and Yang are merged."
"The Song Dynasty will certainly come again to seize this sword! And if this sword is lost again, falling into the hands of the Song Dynasty…"
Old Zhang's expression was extremely serious as he voiced his concern:
"I fear that the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers will truly change hands!"