"I thought it was some demon or ghost! Isn't this just a weak rich man from the old Song Dynasty?"
"No! That's not right either! If you insist, you haven't accomplished anything. Your father, the 'Divine Firmament Longevity Emperor,' doesn't seem to have been born yet!"
Upon hearing the other party's self-introduction, Ji Xiang not only wasn't surprised but chuckled.
King Tianluo paused, his face stiffening and becoming somewhat awkward.
As for the wandering cultivators and the passing fox spirits, they were all in a dazed, foolish state. King Tianluo glanced at them, and these individuals immediately fainted.
"How can the conversations between a demon from the heavens and an emperor from the underworld be overheard by mere rats?"
King Tianluo used his magic to knock them out, then looked back at Ji Xiang: "I, at least, am a monarch from a previous generation."
"Why should I be insulted with such vulgar words by you? It is most improper!"
Ji Xiang sneered, stepping forward, and roared like thunder: "If you truly stood here as a monarch, why would you only invoke divine titles and not imperial ones!"
"You've engaged in petty, dog-like behavior. Can you still maintain the dignity of a monarch? You've appeared here voluntarily today. Do you intend to kill me, or will you be killed by me?"
A monstrous demonic aura surged forth, Ji Xiang's killing intent exposed. King Tianluo's chest heaved slightly, but he maintained a smile:
"Likewise, we are indeed foolish rulers, but the Ming Dynasty also had its share of heroic rulers. The Tumu Crisis will surely be passed down through the ages, and the constant turmoil during the Jiajing era was not much better than ours."
He thought such sarcasm would embarrass Ji Xiang, but to his surprise, Ji Xiang calmly replied: "Indeed, there are few wise rulers in this world. It's more accurate to say that wise rulers are anomalies in the position of emperor."
"Fools mock fools, like dogs biting each other, getting their mouths full of fur."
King Tianluo's purple face showed signs of suppressed anger: "Vulgar words! Do not insult me!"
Ji Xiang laughed heartily: "Whoever gets anxious is being insulted. How many foolish rulers have there been throughout history? Why are you the one getting anxious!"
King Tianluo's brows shot up, but after a long while, he still made no move. The anger on his furious face gradually subsided. King Tianluo took a deep breath, and the surrounding dark energy swirled, gradually calming his mind:
"I, in the past, was not someone who expressed anger easily."
He opened his eyes, as if seeing the humiliation he experienced in his past life.
"But... after being captured and humiliated, that anger gradually took root in my heart."
"Listen to me. I do not wish to be your enemy today. I merely want to tell you that some things can be resolved without mutual animosity. Our two sides can turn enmity into friendship."
King Tianluo's purple face, once filled with anger, gradually turned peaceful. Ji Xiang was also examining the Inner Scenery Divine Tablet.
However... large swathes of black ink obscured the text, causing Ji Xiang's expression to darken slightly.
Yet, there were still some things that could be seen.
By borrowing that dark energy, not only could a second corporeal form be obtained, but it would also lead to the regression of compassion, bestow indestructibility, facilitate enlightenment, influence the wishes of many mortals, and even elevate the very existence of one's life. However, there was also an unseen consequence.
This was the information obtained from devouring a portion of the dark energy from Chen Taichu previously.
And perhaps due to the positive results of that dark energy consumption,
After a brief pause, the Inner Scenery Divine Tablet displayed text, and the black areas began to dissolve, revealing some viewable "content."
[King Tianluo: Posthumous title - Emperor Gongwen Shundé Rénxiào.]
[One of the three manifest divine bodies of the Jade Emperor!]
[Status: Chaos Immortal (Tampered)! His immortal past is unknown, but his origins predate the Qin and Han dynasties (Tampered)! This immortal inverts yin and yang, abandons good and evil, without distinction between right and wrong, good and evil, yin and yang, light and dark. Heavenly punishments cannot befall this body, the poisons inflicted by the wishes of the masses cannot invade this form, and even the power of merit sufficient to attain the Great Dao cannot touch this body.]
[Master of all formless ghosts in the world, possessing one hidden name, five special immortal curses, and three special divine abilities.]
[One Hidden Name: Hidden within the divine position of the Song Divine Heavenly King, known as Fandu. Reciting this hidden name will cause the reciter's own qi and blood to cease circulation within half an incense stick's time, and those suppressed by the hidden name will have their divine qi dispersed within half an incense stick's time, suffering deafness and inability to hear the flow of Dharma, damaging their realm and cultivation. Shouting its hidden name to the master of the hidden name can cause its form and spirit to be annihilated in the world, unable to condense, and expel it (requires the statue of the Song Divine Heavenly King as a medium).]
[Five Immortal Curses: Mirror Turning Curse; Tianluo Calamity Curse; Tianque Curse; Dispersed Saint Curse; Loss of Heart Curse.]
[Three Divine Abilities: Karma Mirror Platform; Heavenly Yin Cataclysm; Divine Gazing.]
The rest was invisible. The descriptions of the Five Immortal Curses and Three Divine Abilities were also blacked out. Only the Tianluo Calamity Curse was clearly visible, as it was the root immortal curse for creating the Vengeful Ghost, the Human-Faced Fog, and the Soul Shedding method. Ji Xiang had already witnessed it when he was processing the soul of Scholar Feng earlier.
"As for the Divine Firmament Longevity Emperor you mentioned... yes, my father has not yet returned from his gestation. Because of your and Grandmaster Zhang of Longhu Mountain's rituals, the process of Yuanmiao Great Sage taking the Jade Emperor's Divine Tablet was interfered with. This last Divine Firmament Longevity Emperor was meant to be transformed by borrowing the Jade Emperor's shell."
"Three hundred years have passed since the fall of our dynasty. For three hundred years, day and night, billions of people have revered the Heavenly Emperor, generating immense faith that paved the way for our three to return. A portion was also extracted by the Divine Firmament Sect, and another portion..."
"In the past, we sought help from many immortals and sages... but in the end, all we received was a grand deception and transaction."
"Yuanmiao Great Sage entered the court as the Imperial Advisor, the Dragon Lord Jiupancha King predicted the destruction of Bianjing by the Jin army to threaten us, the conflict between Daoism and Buddhism allowed alchemists to exploit the situation, the Six Lords of Luofeng, led by Guo Jing, Yang Shi, and Liu Wuji, deceived us, using the Six Jia Heavenly Soldiers as a lure to open the gates of Bianjing. It's laughable that I was so foolish then..."
"And the Confucian scholars, the Jin and Han gentlemen, established Zhao Gou as emperor, treating us as discarded pawns..."
"The three religions are like parasites on the dynasty, greedily controlling us and draining our blood."
"Therefore, the fall of Bianjing was not our fault. It was due to treacherous individuals misleading the heavenly court. We were puppets of immortals, and you, your descendants, have only read a few historical texts and biographies. What do you truly know?"
"The foundation accumulated over these three hundred years, one-third went to us, one-third was obtained by the immortals and Buddhas of the four directions, and the remaining one-third is all within the Jade Emperor's shell, which your Ming Dynasty has now obtained. Your Ming Dynasty is powerful, and you should be grateful for our gift."
Ji Xiang scoffed: "Isn't that stolen goods? Why should we thank you? Those accumulated foundations can be considered compensation for the disaster in Shuntian City, and even then, it's not enough!"
"Because the cultivators who put in great effort received nothing from you! What belongs to the Ming Dynasty belongs to the Ming Dynasty, and what belongs to us belongs to us! The state benefiting doesn't mean I benefit. What should be taken from you is still owed."
King Tianluo's eyes trembled, and anger surged, but he forcibly suppressed it, praising Ji Xiang: "Good! Well said!"
This ability to suppress anger made Ji Xiang pause, and then he fell silent.
Seeing Ji Xiang's silence, King Tianluo's face, which had been suppressing immense anger, finally showed a slight hint of happiness.
After all, silence represented a slight concession, and where there was room for concession, there was room for negotiation.
Enduring humiliation in exchange for negotiation and dialogue – no one understood this tactic better than himself, especially since the other party wasn't some barbaric brute like the Jin. Your Ming Dynasty is orthodox, and our Song was also orthodox. After three hundred years, why should there be such great animosity?
Nations engage in interest exchange. Problems that can be solved with interests are not problems. It's merely an exchange of the Forbidden City. How many people died in Shuntian Prefecture? So what if they died? In all dynasties, have there ever been disputes over interests without casualties?
"What I mean is! What you took is yours! All of this can be conceded!"
"When the first attempt to exchange the Forbidden City failed... and when the second attempt to retaliate against you failed... the Myriad Longevity Immortal Palace had already shifted its target. We thought the best outcome would be to divide the world with the Ming Dynasty."
"Above us is the Lord of Heavenly Dao. You know who the Lord of Heavenly Dao is. Yuan Huang's subordinate is the Prince of Lu of the Ming Dynasty. Prince Lu is his representative. The sun and moon are divided in half. Prince Lu's territory was where we traded, but Prince Lu wanted to achieve immortality and was unwilling to negotiate with us further."
"However, these are personal ambitions. Having ambitions and wanting to become immortal is a good thing, but such good things cannot be done without discussing with His Majesty Yuan Huang. Therefore, Prince Lu was killed by you. Although Yuan Huang made a rescue attempt, he ultimately could not save him."
"However, we do not resent you because of this, nor do we feel gratitude."
"But we can still coexist."
"Your Ming Dynasty is resisting Lishanhe, isn't it? Coincidentally, we also want to take revenge on Lishanhe. This body, this hatred accumulated over three hundred years, will from now on transform into vengeful spirits, burning like the karmic fire of Avici Hell until those in Lishanhe are completely incinerated."
"And our Lord of Heavenly Dao, His Majesty Yuan Huang, will surely replace the three religions."
Ji Xiang: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Speaking of which, there are indeed common interests. But... is Yuan Huang, a mere Da Luo, enough? Within Lishanhe, among the forces of the three religions, there are probably no less than twenty people who can match him!"
Well said. The script for the Great Sage Equalling Heaven should have been given to your leader. Fighting twenty opponents of the same level, Da Luo versus Da Luo, Wu Cheng'en wouldn't dare to write it like this.
The Shangqing Sect alone had two Heavenly Hearts. Ji Xiang's estimate was rough. Among the immortal paths passed down from ancient times, excluding the seven unknown figures from the Tang Dynasty who had died, most of the immortals and Buddhas in Lishanhe today were likely from the Han, Three Kingdoms, Song, Liao, Jin, Western Xia, Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, and Northern and Southern Dynasties periods... During these periods, how many sects were founded, and how many people ascended to the Heavenly Heart realm?
The Celestial Master Sect definitely had about two, as even the Great Teacher of Peace could produce one. As the first sect to enter Lishanhe, how could the Celestial Master Sect not have at least two Heavenly Hearts?
The Shangqing Sect could have two more, and the Five Yang Emperors of the Quanzhen Sect could have at least one.
Among the alchemists, alchemists of Dongfang Shuo's level were still active in later generations, and they maintained four major forces, so there could be at least three Heavenly Hearts.
Buddhism, the largest force in Lishanhe, likely had four or five.
Although Confucianism is unknown, since it ranked among the four and was extremely mysterious, it must have at least three or four.
Adding two or three unknowns, twenty is a conservative estimate.
King Tianluo laughed heartily: "Twenty is about right! But precisely because of the existence of these Heavenly Hearts, who extensively use methods of deducing heavenly secrets and reversing cause and effect, spreading disciples throughout the human world, they have turned the entire world into such a decadent state!"
"However, Yuan Huang naturally has a way to deal with these Heavenly Hearts. The outer world is a place they cannot interfere with, and there are still twenty years until the period they can interfere with!"
"I am telling you this time limit to express my sincerity, though you may already know some things."
"Let me put it this way."
King Tianluo's tone was resolute: "Sometimes, submitting as a vassal and offering tribute, wagging one's tail, is not a bad way to preserve one's strength, and it has always been effective. Debasing oneself to gain the trust of the enemy has been practiced since the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods."
"Talking about not ceding land or paying reparations. If you cannot even preserve yourself, what use are land and money? Can qi and energy be eaten as food, or used to govern a nation?"
"Now, without our help, with only the immortals in your outer world, in twenty years, you will merely become a harvesting ground for Lishanhe. The world will undergo a great change, and joining hands with us is the best choice. You don't even have other options."
"If we cooperate, we will provide you with dark energy. This ancient power, originating from before the Heavenly Dao was known in ancient times, will strengthen your power and grant you the might to contend with Lishanhe!"
"The Heavenly Dao of the outer world is not manifest. Now we have another Dao extending a helping hand to you. You should accept it with gratitude. This is the best way to save the world."
"And once we succeed in resisting Lishanhe, our desired outcome will be different from yours. At that time, the world will be ruled by you, the heavens by His Majesty Yuan Huang, and the underworld, reincarnation, the rise and fall of all sentient beings, will be managed by us. You will build temples and offer sacrifices to us, as you would to your ancestors in heaven. Only a little incense and fire are needed."
"I believe the dynasty will remain the same dynasty, and without the control of various forces, the dynasty will not split further. This time, it is likely to continue for over a thousand years. I believe no monarch can resist such temptation. Even if he can, his descendants cannot."
"However, we are out of time now. A decision must be made within twenty years, and our respective strengths must be honed."
At this point, King Tianluo's tone suddenly became lighter:
"And this is the only way you can kill those disgusting things. If you disagree, we will not force it. We will continue to be the lords of the underworld, and once again submit as vassals; there is no shame in that."
"Cooperating with you now is merely due to past grievances."
Ji Xiang rubbed his chin, lost in thought. King Tianluo thought Ji Xiang was seriously considering and thus advised: "Go back now and tell your king... I believe he will make the right decision..."
"Wait a moment, you weak rich man."
Ji Xiang used a disrespectful address and, as if he had understood something, reminded him:
"I have listened to everything you said, but there is one point that puzzles me."
"I don't know if I misheard."
"Submitting as a vassal is a good strategy for survival and to live better. And Yuan Huang is considered an enemy by the three religions... Although, I did learn some news from Prince Lu, it seems Yuan Huang has some lingering connections with some factions within the three religions, and there are internal divisions within the Shangqing Sect. Peeking through a tube, one can conclude that the three religions themselves have internal conflicts."
"So, can I interpret this as you are always ready to betray Yuan Huang and establish your own faction?"
"I believe you still have ambitions, don't you? Because of the continuous humiliation by the Jin Dynasty three hundred years ago, now that you have gained power, you naturally want revenge, right?"
"Can you, or rather, can your several Song emperors, still tolerate the feeling of being stepped on with shoes?"
After speaking, there was a moment of silence in the temple. King Tianluo clasped his hands behind his back and muttered: "We have endured three hundred years, what's wrong with enduring another moment."
Ji Xiang laughed heartily: "Well said."
King Tianluo looked up. Unbeknownst to him, Ji Xiang had already walked to the statue of the Song Divine Heavenly King and stood before the incense burner.
Ji Xiang's tone was peculiar: "Speaking of which, Emperor Qinzong was also a master of advocating for peace at the time. Going alone into the Jin army's camp was truly heroic."
"I will tell your words to the current Son of Heaven. Please make your exit now."
The statue of the Song Divine Heavenly King and the incense smoke from the burner were all enveloped and consumed by the towering bright smoke that erupted from behind Ji Xiang!
"You?!"
King Tianluo was startled, not knowing what Ji Xiang was doing, while Ji Xiang smiled slightly.
"Doing business without capital is my favorite thing to do. If you have anything good, please share it generously."
"And regarding your examination, I did not sense any demonic energy from you. Remember to find me for a makeup test later."
"And also, one last thing. Whether you are actively cooperating or looking for trouble in the human world, it's best not to think of the cultivators in the world as too weak. Honestly, arrogance is not a good personality trait. I suggest you restrain it."
Ji Xiang's lips moved:
"Fandu!"
In his shock, King Tianluo's ears erupted with a deafening roar! His form and spirit collapsed and scattered in an instant, and along with it, this peaceful ancient town vanished without a trace!