Immortal souls ascended, and the hundreds of immortal auras surged overwhelmingly. These hundreds of immortal souls of Qin and Han immortals were enough to protect a great dynasty for several more centuries. However, in the late Han Dynasty, no one found Emperor Wu's secret letter, or perhaps out of respect for their ancestors or some rule, they dared not and would not seek it, thus missing these immortal souls.
Ji Xiang's expression was only flustered for a moment. The next moment, as those immortal souls surged forward, a giant heavenly gate appeared behind Ji Xiang, and his form transformed into the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Salvation of the Drowning!
Then, the Heavenly Venerable's form enlarged, transforming into the image of the Black Emperor of the Confucian Dao!
The Black Emperor Zhi Guang Ji of the North, one of the Five Heavenly Emperors in Confucianism, his image originated from Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang.
Therefore, as soon as the Black Emperor's image appeared, these immortal souls froze in mid-air, unable to take another step forward. However, their hostility did not diminish, and the immortal auras on their bodies churned even more violently.
"You are angry? You blame me wrongly. I am not the killer who destroyed the Han Dynasty. This Black Emperor image was elevated from the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Salvation of the Drowning, and it did not steal your Han dynasty's destiny!"
"Heavenly Gate, open!"
The Heavenly Gate of Fuli opened, and three hundred and sixty thousand heavenly soldiers poured out. The immortal auras on the immortal souls churned to the point of madness, until the Divine Platform began to shake, and the incense offerings on it shot straight into the sky, accompanied by the sound of chains shattering.
Kings of different surnames!
Kings of different surnames!
Those immortal souls let out roars. At this moment, the gilded bamboo slip reappeared on the Divine Platform, along with the second imperial decree like that of a Heavenly Emperor. The immortal souls broke free from their shackles, no longer suppressed by the Black Emperor's image!
Ji Xiang naturally knew that these immortal souls must have means to resist suppression. However, suppressing them with the Black Emperor's image was not part of his plan. He manifested the Heavenly Venerable's form and then the Black Emperor's form simply because the Black Emperor's form had higher authority now, was backward compatible, and possessed the ability to open the Heavenly Gate.
Considering that the Heavenly Venerable of Taoism might not be able to suppress these immortal souls, and they were not affected by Netherworld techniques, the Heavenly Venerable's form was less useful than the recently acquired Black Emperor.
Ji Xiang fled into the Heavenly Gate. The immortal souls were surrounded by heavenly soldiers but showed no fear. They each unleashed their divine powers. With a sweep of their immortal light and immortal energy, thousands of heavenly soldiers were melted. These hundreds of immortal souls rampaged through the three hundred and sixty thousand heavenly soldiers, unstoppable like tigers entering a flock of sheep. Ji Xiang looked back from within the Heavenly Gate and finally understood why the cultivators of the Inner Mountains and Rivers were so wary of people from the Qin and Han Dynasties!
The immortals of Qin and Han, though few in number, were all exceptionally talented and powerful. Killing enemies beyond their level was merely basic. Tens of millions of soldiers and generals were like mere ants and straw dogs. The techniques of later generations of immortals were difficult to resist these Qin and Han divine beings!
"It is precisely because the ancient path was difficult to cultivate that the Golden Core Great Dao emerged. The new path allowed more people to cultivate, leading to the rise of myriad cultivators and an increasing number of immortals in the world, with varying quality. However, the end of the Golden Core path is bound to be easier to reach the ultimate of the mortal world than the Qin and Han path."
Ji Xiang could not help but sigh.
The Golden Core Great Dao had a low threshold but a high ceiling, and was relatively easier to cultivate. The Qin and Han path was fraught with difficulties, equivalent to hacking through thorns and brambles, reaching the immortal path in ignorance. Of course, it was difficult. Those who could walk this path were bound to be far superior to ordinary Golden Core Dao cultivators.
Each of these ancient cultivators was exceptionally talented. In the era without the path of Golden Core Earth Immortals, cultivation was something only geniuses could do. Only divinely gifted individuals could sense the power of heaven and nature and embark on the path of cultivation. To be ranked among the immortals in such a difficult environment, their aptitude and strength could be imagined!
The immortal souls pursued into the Heavenly Gate, tearing a huge gap in the battle formation of the three hundred and sixty thousand heavenly soldiers. Upon entering Fuli, Ji Xiang, who was in front of them, waved from afar.
RUMBLE!!!
In the Great Fuli, pure qi floated up to the Primordial Azure Heaven. Amidst the flowing, dense clouds, thunder and lightning appeared, accompanied by the emergence of a towering, boundless giant city!
The Thunder City!
Ji Xiang used the Divine Driving technique to summon the soldiers of the Thunder Department. The Thunder City responded to the call. Then, he discarded some of his power and used the Divine Driving technique again. On the other side, demonic roars filled the sky, and the shadows of eighty thousand heavenly demons arrived riding the clouds of Fuli. The divine tablets shook, and dozens of tall, dark figures looked down!
The Demonic Heavenly Court!
Thunder Department divine generals and a host of demon kings came to block them. The Qin and Han immortal souls looked up and met the gaze of those divine tablets. At this moment, ancient divine beings confronted later heavenly gods. The Thunder City emitted rumbling thunder, and the demonic clouds contained various flames. For a time, heavenly thunder and demonic fire roared, trapping all the immortal souls!
Ji Xiang himself used the great divine ability of Heaven and Earth Manifestation, transforming into a sky-supporting size. However, these immortal souls showed no fear, not even significant emotional fluctuations. Within the wishes entwined around them, there was only the thought of killing the king of a different surname!
In Ji Xiang's eyes, the immortal souls simultaneously formed a gesture that did not exist in later Taoist techniques. It was a divine immortal art unique to the Qin and Han periods!
This brought Ji Xiang's thoughts back to his previous battle with Xu Fu.
At that time, Xu Fu also used an ancient immortal art that Ji Xiang did not know. From its name, it could be inferred that it was a technique of the Penglai divine immortals, which used the Nine Heavenly True Qi to kill enemies.
The legend of Penglai began with the Five Divine Mountains of the Warring States period. The mountains were thirty thousand li high, and the distance between them was seventy thousand li. Each mountain peak had nine thousand li of flat ground. Currently, Penglai Island and the other three divine mountains had entered the Inner Mountains and Rivers, no longer in the Outer Mountains and Rivers. The cultivators on them... might be those Qin and Han immortals.
The thought turned in an instant. In this fleeting moment, the immortal souls' gestures suddenly changed. Several streams of azure qi shot straight into the sky, transforming into a giant azure dragon!
This azure dragon broke free from the control of the Thunder City and spewed brilliant, luminous flames from its mouth, pushing back the immense thunder. Another group of immortal souls changed their gestures, pointing to the sky. Within Fuli, the stars shifted, and the constellations descended, transforming into streaks of starlight, emitting an ancient, primeval aura!
This primeval aura was immensely powerful, forcing back the Demonic Heavenly Court. The phantom images of the Five Heavens and Eight Emperors and Demon Kings were obscured by the primeval aura. Another group of immortal souls, using ancient immortal arts again, with the radiance instantly filling their bodies, their forms became blurred. Simultaneously, the entire Fuli began to shake!
In Ji Xiang's eyes, the names of three immortal arts appeared:
[Responding to Objects and Transforming]: Qin and Han divine immortal scholars, their forms dissolving with a breath, transforming myriad things with exhalations according to Mozi's methods!
[Shifting Stars and Changing Constellations]: Qin and Han divine immortal scholars, cultivating astrology, shifting the stars in the sky to create primeval auras to obscure heavenly might!
[Unity of Heaven and Man]: Qin and Han divine immortal scholars, their spirits merging with heaven and earth, borrowing the power of heaven and earth and all things!
"Not good."
Ji Xiang was truly startled. He could no longer remain calm at this moment.
The Unity of Heaven and Man was not merely a spiritual state.
It could mobilize the power of the four directions of heaven and earth, meaning "I am heaven and earth, heaven and earth are me, all things are me, I am all things." At this moment, he was the embodiment of heaven or earth, borrowing the power of heaven and earth. The power of Fuli was not something he could contend with!
Hum! The Sea of Suffering world unfolded within Fuli, isolating the great immortal art of the Unity of Heaven and Man. At the same time, over a hundred thousand lost demons poked their heads out of the Sea of Suffering and roared. The commotion within the Sea of Suffering also alerted the three individuals, Wu Zang. Three pure Yang auras watched menacingly from afar, but upon sensing the appearance of a group of immortal auras, the three of them withdrew their power in shock.
The young swordsman, the old monk, and the Flame Demon were all alarmed by the sudden arrival of hundreds of enemies at the immortal level. The scale of the event was so immense that they now believed Ji Xiang might have broken into the immortal path and entered the Inner Mountains and Rivers!
"I originally intended to use the gods of Fuli to suppress you all, but I didn't expect you to be able to communicate with Fuli and borrow its great power. This truly leaves me at a loss."
"However, since you all possess such good immortal arts, why not teach me a few tricks? That way, I can help you find successors in the Han Dynasty?"
Ji Xiang was making a futile effort, merely coveting the three techniques just displayed. The immortal souls' vacant gazes fixed on Ji Xiang. After a long pause, one voice suddenly said:
"We have nothing to say to kings of different surnames!"
Ji Xiang also fell silent for a moment, then took out the True Non-Dual Scripture.
"Since that is the case, I shall have to forcibly convert you all!"
"After mastering the induction of heaven and man, my control over this world has also increased. Don't you all feel it? Although it is far inferior to the Great Han, this is also a realm."
"Welcome to—my Demonic Kingdom!"
Within the Sea of Suffering, a vast wish rolled up. The hundreds of immortal souls, once again practicing the Unity of Heaven and Man, attempted to contend with Ji Xiang for the power of this world.
The waves of the Sea of Suffering surged ten thousand zhang high into the sky!