To give or not to give, that is the question.
To die or not to die, that requires no consideration.
Lord Huang was extremely reluctant, but now, whether by rules or by force, he was no match for the person opposite. He held neither the moral high ground nor the intellectual high ground, and even his martial prowess was far inferior. In such a situation, it was a sign of respect that the other party was willing to reason with him.
"Esteemed Saint... Since you wish to see, then... let me see, let you see!"
He couldn't think of any other words for a moment and could only obediently shake out a gust of clear wind from his sleeve. Accompanied by a dazzling light, a divine position, never officially recognized by the Ming Dynasty, appeared in this human world.
"Is it a native god from the Jianzhou region?"
Xingkelī, in the tribal mythology of the Jianzhou Jurchens, was a deity who could welcome and guide the sun's rays, a rat star god eternally facing the sun.
Ji Xiang looked at Lord Huang. This divine position was very special. First and foremost, it was clear that this divine position had not received any official enfeoffment from the Ming Dynasty, lacking the power of the Ming imperial might. Instead, it was imbued with the imperial might of Joseon, but it was very weak, a consequence of the previous seizure of national destiny.
At the same time, the incense offered to it felt no different from that offered to officially recognized gods in temples. The power of incense emanating from this divine position was extremely pure, by no means impure like the sacrifices of the White Lotus Society or those of wild, illicit cults.
Of course, some factions of the White Lotus Society did not operate in secret but disguised themselves as legitimate religious orders, building temples and impersonating folk deities, achieving similar results. This was precisely because some folk deities did not necessarily require imperial enfeoffment; even if the court eventually enfeoffed them, it was merely a formality of recognition.
But the third point...
This was a "Celestial God"!
For a folk deity to be elevated to the status of a Celestial God, it required imperial conferment. Furthermore, it would cause the reigning imperial court to lose a portion of its national destiny. As the saying goes, "sharing the same prosperity and decline with the state," the deity's worship and the state's existence were intertwined. After a portion of the national destiny was shared, the deity would then be obligated to protect the state until the dynasty's demise, ushering in the cycle of the next dynasty.
This divine position, without the enfeoffment of the Ming court, had elevated itself by seizing Joseon's national destiny. Theoretically, this was also impossible, as Joseon had not enfeoffed this Celestial God of unknown origin. They were not even aware of what the demon cultivators of Changbai Mountain were doing here.
"Whether it be a great dynasty, a vassal state, or a foreign land, no deity can ascend to the rank of Celestial God without the bestowal of a nation. Religions were born before the reigning dynasties, but even in the eras when religions were born, they had their own contemporary dynasties."
"And Jianzhou Guard was merely a subordinate garrison of the Ming Dynasty. The faith of the Jurchen tribes was dependent on the Ming Dynasty. Before being officially recognized, you were not even as significant as Joseon. It was absolutely impossible to conjure a Celestial God out of thin air solely through worship!"
"Yet, you now show me a miracle, an existence that can ascend to the rank of Celestial God without the backing of a nation, relying solely on the faith of the populace. This means you can create Celestial Gods without limit, using the faith of the masses, without needing national destiny for celestial-human connection!"
"Lord Huang, this is an act of rebellion. If the Shun天 Prefecture were to find out, they would likely raze Changbai Mountain. They would destroy your nests and exterminate your kind. This is a great disaster of self-destruction."
Lord Huang's face turned pale: "Creating gods ourselves is merely to prepare for the calamity twenty years from now."
"Oh, you also know about events twenty years from now?"
Ji Xiang: "If that's the case, then this is the inner landscape and you..."
"No, no, no! It is my lineage of 'Chu Ma Xian' (spirit medium practitioners). We have ancient cultivators who can divine the future and know of a great calamity in twenty years!"
Lord Huang quickly denied it, but Ji Xiang did not care: "Whether you admit it or not, I will assume you have a connection with the inner landscape."
"What? How can that be..." Lord Huang cried out in protest.
"Do you think Nurhaci said nothing when he was killed?"
"It was you!"
Lord Huang, in his momentary tension, forgot about this. At that instant, a chill spread from the deepest part of his body to the outside. Then, Lord Huang, with a grim expression, responded: "So, the Dao Master himself has arrived!"
They were certainly aware of the newly appointed Dao Master of the Ming court. This Dao Master was one of the two "Town-Guarding Immortals," a powerful being providing support on the Joseon battlefield. Now, Lord Huang had no way to evade any longer; he had been caught red-handed by a celestial official.
He smiled bitterly: "With the Dao Master here, and a true immortal before me, I will speak, I will tell you everything."
"But why did the Esteemed Saint not reveal his identity from the beginning?"
Ji Xiang's expression remained calm, and he simply replied: "I am merely telling you that if I want to pressure you with authority, I can. If I don't pressure you with authority, I can also do so. I have both reason and strength. As for whether my identity is important, does it matter?"
"If it does, then it means you have something to hide."
Lord Huang twitched the corner of his mouth. He noticed that Ji Xiang's blockade on his vital energy had weakened. This was the other party voluntarily releasing his control, allowing him to explain in detail. Thus, he dared not conceal anything further:
"It is the request of Emperor Kaitian Hongsheng... However, we have not colluded with the Tatars. What was said before, about preparing for the great disaster in twenty years, is also the truth... Does the Esteemed Saint not believe this old man?"
Ji Xiang merely stared at him, a half-smile on his face, a smile filled with mockery.
It was as if he were saying, whether it's truth, lies, or nonsense, it's all up to you to say.
"If you speak of rebellion and establishing a new king, we did indeed have such thoughts in the past. However, the problem arose two years ago."
Lord Huang covered his forehead: "The Esteemed Saint was only enfeoffed as a national immortal two years ago. Since you killed Nurhaci, the Esteemed Saint should also know that Jianzhou Guard lost its leader, and some surrounding factions began to stir, gradually causing trouble."
Ji Xiang: "Although Shurhaci did not hold the title of Dragon Tiger General, he is also the new Commander of Jianzhou Guard. Anyone who dares to disobey can be directly suppressed. After all, isn't that what you have always done?"
"I believe that with the lessons of the past, Shurhaci will temporarily not think of such superfluous matters. Expanding his military power under the guise of quelling rebels is a path to death."
Lord Huang: "No, not just those tribes."
"It is, 'some people'."
Meeting Ji Xiang's probing gaze, Lord Huang's old eyes seemed to flicker with many unpleasant memories.
"Emperor Kaitian Hongsheng indeed has connections with the inner landscape, but I only know some vague details. Elder Fox and Old Madam Bai know more about this matter. All I can tell the Esteemed Saint is the name of that Heavenly Palace."
"However, if I speak it, the Heavenly Palace will notice... Please, Esteemed Saint, protect this old man."
Ji Xiang snapped his fingers: "Easily done."
Immediately, the environment of the entire world underwent a tremendous change!
Mountains and rivers vanished, replaced by a vast, bitter sea. Everyone was suspended over the sea, surrounded by floating crimson mist that surged like clouds to form the land of the sky.
The younger disciples of the Chu Ma Xian family were momentarily dazzled. When they regained their senses, their faces had completely changed; they had entered a different world!
Lord Huang was also stunned by this move, and Ji Xiang's voice echoed in his ears:
"This is my bitter sea, my world."
"In heaven and on earth, no one can hear what you say, not even the Heavenly Heart."
Ji Xiang's assurance and the display of this great divine ability were all manifestations of his power, intended to reassure Lord Huang and serve as a subtle warning.
As expected, Lord Huang's speech quickened considerably, and his expression, after surprise, turned to one of fear:
"The name of the Heavenly Palace is... Tongbai."
Tongbai Heavenly Palace?
Tongbai...
Tongbai Mountain? No.
The second Tongbai...
It is the Tongbai Palace on Mount Tiantai!
Ji Xiang was first stunned, then his expression changed!
The ancestral court of the Southern School of Taoism!
Meanwhile, Lord Huang was speaking while observing this world. He felt that no one was scrutinizing him from all sides, and the feeling of being under a curse, difficult to break, had vanished without a trace here.
He couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
Thus, he couldn't help but think that those who could stand in the human world, in the outer landscape, and challenge the flying immortals and Heavenly Hearts of the inner landscape, indeed possessed extraordinary abilities.
In the current human world, to achieve immortality here was a synonym for being remarkable, possessing unique methods.
"Although Emperor Kaitian Hongsheng has the Heavenly Palace as his backing, there are still Heavenly Palaces that have targeted this Changbai Mountain region. The one who acted is named Zhou Sheng, an agent of the Longevity Heavenly Palace."
"And we were previously affiliated with the Longevity Heavenly Palace, though we had been estranged for a long time..."
"And if we calculate the time, it was shortly after the Esteemed Saint killed Nurhaci that Zhou Sheng appeared within the Jianzhou Guard's territory, breached the garrison, and abducted many of Nurhaci's offspring. We naturally knew why..."
"The dragon qi does not cease. Whenever the era is about to shift, destiny will transfer, and in some strange places, so-called dragon qi will be born. Those who possess this dragon qi have the possibility of competing for the next era, establishing a dynasty, and becoming the lord of the world."
"The lord of the world is not a single person, nor is the dragon qi concentrated in one person. Although some dragon qi is dense and some is thin, whoever laughs last will be the lord of the world."
Ji Xiang listened and nodded slowly.
"Although the names are not as ethereal as Zixu, Taiqing, or Lihen, I didn't expect it to be a great Heavenly Palace. This is definitely a great Heavenly Palace. No wonder you look down on the Longevity Heavenly Palace. I remember the Longevity Heavenly Palace is just a small Heavenly Palace."
Ji Xiang's words greatly surprised Lord Huang.
So, the matter of the Longevity Heavenly Palace was also heard of in the outer landscape?
"I have only heard a little. Do you know who the Palace Master is?"
The situation in the outer landscape and the inner landscape is different. Shangqing was also forcibly controlled by fellow disciples from the inner landscape. Of course, the situation of Tongbai Palace is a bit different. Although it is one of the ancestral courts of the Southern School, by the Five Dynasties period, it was still just a small Taoist temple.
It is not the mountain that suppressed the water demon in legends, but a palace and temple on Mount Tiantai. Although there is also a small Tongbai here, its fame cannot compare to the water demon beaten by Yu the Great.
In the early Five Dynasties, it was elevated from a small temple to a great palace.
This is a force from the Five Dynasties period!
A force that has never appeared in the outer landscape!
Up until now, those who have achieved immortality have all been Han Immortals. The conflicts began in the Wei and Jin dynasties, and the earth-shattering events were all caused by the Jin and Song dynasties. The Tang dynasty perished, and the Five Dynasties period is the closest to the Tang dynasty. The emergence of power from this era is of unknown significance!
The Tongbai Heavenly Palace must be doing something significant, and it is unknown who the current Palace Master is.
Theoretically, ancient immortals from any era could appear.
"This old man does not know who the Palace Master of Tongbai Heavenly Palace is. I only know that an immortal from the Heavenly Palace attempted to descend into the depths of Changbai Mountain. I don't know if he has truly arrived in this human world."
Lord Huang shook his head, indicating that this was beyond his knowledge.
"Is that so... Alright, continue."
Ji Xiang no longer pressed further upon hearing this, signaling Lord Huang to not stop and to continue his confession from where he left off.
"...Alright."
Nurhaci himself possessed dragon qi, in other words, he was the chosen one of the next era. His sons were originally supposed to rely on him to rebel and later ascend to the throne of the Qing dynasty. The next Qing... no, the first emperor of the former "Later Jin," the first emperor of the Qing dynasty, was Hong Taiji.
"So, one of his sons had particularly strong dragon qi, meaning he had a high probability of becoming the destined ruler of the next dynasty. That's why this person named Zhou Sheng came to your side and took away this child?"
"Yes."
Lord Huang admitted the fact and continued to explain: "Originally, creating Celestial Gods out of thin air was to assist Nurhaci, but now he has been killed, and his offspring have been abducted. The heavenly mandate has also shifted, and the Ming Dynasty's national destiny has begun to rise. All of this happened inexplicably. Then, we learned of the great calamity twenty years later, which was revealed to us by the Heavenly Palace, telling us that the creation of Celestial Gods cannot stop, and in fact, the faster, the better."
"Because, Celestial Gods can serve as vessels for the immortals of the inner landscape to actively descend!"
Lord Huang revealed a new method from the inner landscape, causing Ji Xiang's eyes to widen slightly.
"Celestial Gods in the human world can establish a connection with cultivators from the inner landscape? Realizing the crossing between the two realms through the existence of gods?"
"Yes, this method is called 'Descent'! Lord Huang nodded. 'Immortals reside in the Heavenly Court and descend to the human world. The inner landscape is filled with numerous Heavenly Palaces, large and small. It is difficult for immortals to descend normally, much like in folk tales where gods are bound by heavenly rules and only descend when they make mistakes, their cultivation regresses, and they are banished from the celestial registry. However, there are also those who descend according to heavenly will. With the power of Celestial Gods, they can even reincarnate into the bodies of living people. Thus, this child can grow against the wind, speak in three days, run in five days, and fly around the heavens in ten days. This is the descent of an immortal, also known as 'Star God's Descent'!"
Lord Huang's tone carried a hint of fear.
To mortals, the descent of immortals is a good thing, but to these people, it is a great disaster!
"Hahaha, interesting, too interesting! Although it's a method I haven't seen before, it at least sounds familiar in folk novels... No, perhaps the authors of those folk novels are themselves from the inner landscape!"
Speaking of which, in this Ming Dynasty filled with gods, ghosts, and immortals, authors like Wu Cheng'en and Xu Zhonglin, despite being popular, were elusive. Although "Journey to the West" was completed during the Jiajing era, which was too early, "Investiture of the Gods" was revised during the Wanli era, a contemporary work to "Compendium of Materia Medica"!
Ji Xiang, however, was not surprised at all. Instead, he burst into unrestrained laughter!
The world was far more lively than it appeared on the surface! In the future, there would be more and more instances of mortals manifesting divine power!
"Descent? There are people from overseas who shape beings born as Celestial Gods, wanting to forge immortal myths of ascending divine kingdoms; there are people from the Heavenly Realm who shape beings born as Celestial Gods, wanting to enact dramas of Celestial Gods descending; there are gods from the underworld who wish to shape beings born as ghosts and gods, in order to return to the mortal world and rule the world again!"
"Some want to come down, some want to go up, some want to devour heaven and earth!"
"Do they truly consider us like dead people!"
After laughing, Ji Xiang cursed. Although the outer landscape seemed to have a great calamity twenty years later, the disaster had never truly left. What was the point of twenty years!
Once the Taoist methods manifested and the true realm of the Heavenly Dao descended, there would be bloodshed and widespread suffering, and even immortals and gods themselves would be unable to protect themselves. At that time, it would truly be a live-action version of "Investiture of the Gods," where everyone would be like Tongtian Sect Master wanting to overturn the chessboard and reforge the elements of water, fire, earth, and wind!
"This intelligence is good, but next, I need you to tell me something more important, something I believe you know."
Ji Xiang raised a finger:
"Hand over the method for shaping Celestial Gods."