That instant, Hu Ma even felt as though he was trapped in a cage, while outside was a gigantic, primeval beast, desperately trying to get inside.

But it was blocked by the cage, so it could only extend its tentacles in. But the tentacles were also blocked by things inside the cage. They could still affect things inside, but ultimately couldn't truly harm or devour him inside the cage.

So, it finally grew angry, and taking advantage of the grand ceremony one hundred and seventy years ago, it sent down countless showers of light.

At that moment, the cage seemed to have been mostly destroyed, riddled with holes, and the things inside the cage were also being rapidly devoured by that gigantic thing, gradually withering away...

...

...

Almost everything, Hu Ma had already heard of and understood.

But before, in the mortal realm, he could never clearly see this mysterious and vast thing, truly understand these subtle and mystical changes. But now, with the Great Luo Dharma Sect's incense burner, he clearly saw the broken and tattered state of this world, saw endless hardship.

He saw that it was only one step away from utter collapse, beyond repair.

After a long while, he asked in a low voice, "What is that?"

"Of course, it's the Tai Sui."

The National Preceptor sighed softly and said, "Ever since Du Yi sacrificed to the Tai Sui, this grand ceremony has been unstoppable."

"The entire world is a sacrifice. The Tai Sui has been enjoying this sacrifice."

"Heaven and earth are like a cage, and the evil deity has descended, only to encroach upon the mortal realm. But whether it was the former Palace Gods, or the Thirty-Six Ghost Caves, or the Eight Views of the Yellow Springs, they have all been doing everything they can to slow down this process..."

"But you should also be able to see that we are all exhausted and can barely hold on any longer. The collapse of this mortal realm is imminent..."

"..."

"It's that serious already?"

Hu Ma slowly felt everything, that formless terror, and slowly said, "If that thing is really so powerful, then why has the mortal realm been able to last for a hundred and seventy years?"

"Because the mortal realm still has the dynasty's Mandate of Heaven, and a grand order."

The National Preceptor looked at Hu Ma solemnly and said slowly, "This is the only thing that can protect the people, like a Dharma altar of heaven and earth, protecting the lamp within the altar."

"All sources of disaster originate in Du Yi, but with the Du Yi dynasty here, they can barely govern the people under heaven's mandate, which can prevent the loss of this world's essence, at least, from being lost so quickly."

"And what truly destroys this world are those reincarnated people who have descended into the world."

"..."

His gaze was deep as he sighed softly, "You saw, they originally came from the Tai Sui, born in response to the Tai Sui's malevolence."

"They share the same origin as the Tai Sui, so they harvest the essence of heaven and earth, and are driven by the Tai Sui."

"They have powerful principles, but when these principles fall into the world, they only cause chaos and weakness in this world's Mandate of Heaven, making us, the people of this world, lose even the last protection in the face of that Tai Sui malevolence."

"What protects us now, you can understand as the Mandate of Heaven. Heaven and earth are like a prison, trapping the mortal body, but also protecting these people."

"For the past twenty years, the Ten Clans have suppressed the world's turmoil in order to maintain the Mandate of Heaven, to prevent it from collapsing."

"But it can't be suppressed anymore. Those evil beings were originally driven by the Tai Sui. They will think that they are unaffected and retain their complete sanity, but in reality, they have always been driven by the Tai Sui, only without realizing it."

"The Tai Sui cannot enter the mortal realm, but they can. It is they who steal the essence of heaven and earth and disrupt the order of the mortal realm, causing us to gradually lose our last protection."

"..."

The National Preceptor sighed softly and turned to look at Hu Ma, "Now, they have become even stronger, and our world's Mandate of Heaven is already extremely weak."

"The collapse of heaven and earth is only a hair's breadth away."

"So..."

Hu Ma looked at him intently, his eyes flickering, and said in a low voice, "Only by eliminating all the reincarnated people, and creating a new dynasty?"

"Establish rules, determine the Mandate of Heaven, and use this to resist the Tai Sui, to better prolong the life of this world?"

"..."

"More than that."

The National Preceptor shook his head gently and said, "Those reincarnated people came in response to the Tai Sui's malevolence, but they also possess something that we don't, something that can resist the Tai Sui. That's why they can come to our world with complete souls and consciousness."

"They are born with celestial fate. That celestial fate is a source of disaster, but also an opportunity. Before they gradually awaken their divine consciousness and return to the Tai Sui, there is still a chance."

"The opportunity is..."

The National Preceptor paused for a moment and said slowly, "Let them become sacrifices first."

Hearing this, Hu Ma narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "What do you mean?"

"Use their spear to attack their shield."

The National Preceptor looked expressionless, simply narrating, but his voice contained wind and thunder, "These reincarnated people are both the Tai Sui's vanguard and the Tai Sui's inner demons."

"They have their own destiny, but they also have their own struggles. This is what I realized from my conversation with that old friend back then, and I also realized that only in them lies our hope of cutting off this grand ceremony."

"And their weakness is the Twelve Ghost Altars..."

Speaking of this, he looked at Hu Ma intently, "The Twelve Ghost Altars are sacrifices to summon the Tai Sui, and also their lifeline."

"If someone can bear the Twelve Ghost Altars, then they can expel or imprison all these evil beings, or even refine them into fierce weapons in our hands, to severely damage the Tai Sui..."

"It's just a pity that I can't bear the Twelve Ghost Altars."

"To do this, one must be born in response to the Twelve Ghost Altars, possess celestial fate, and be rooted in heaven and earth, able to draw strength from them. And among these three conditions, you were born with two of them, lacking only the connection with this world..."

"Therefore, I had people transmit to you the methods of cultivation!"

"Just like the Meng family bearing that old ancestor, as long as you bear the Twelve Ghost Altars with your Nine Pillars of Dao cultivation, then the life and death of these reincarnated evil beings will be in your hands."

"..."

"..."

"Indeed!"

A look of realization appeared on Hu Ma's face, but in his eyes, there was only the calmness of finally understanding the last mystery: "I knew it. You used all sorts of methods to turn me into this ghostly state, there must be a purpose."

The National Preceptor looked at him quietly and said, "I know about your modifying the Book of Life and Death, and I am also gratified that you did so."

"Those who cross the bridge may seem to have greater abilities, but in reality, they are further away from this world. And you have not crossed the bridge, but you have cultivated the Nine Pillars of Dao, the weight of your fate is almost the same as this world."

"Therefore, you will be the high priest."

"Now, you are more like the high priest of the Great Luo Dharma Sect than I, the National Preceptor, and also the one who will end this sacrifice."

"..."

Hu Ma nodded and suddenly asked, "Then, how many people do you plan to save?"

The National Preceptor was slightly startled and said slowly, "Heaven and earth have become a calamity, and the world has collapsed. Naturally, saving one is one."

Hu Ma nodded and said softly, "There is a story of Noah's Ark in that world. When the great flood comes, someone will naturally build a large ship. Those who board the ship can be saved. Listen, isn't that somewhat similar to what the National Preceptor just said?"

The National Preceptor was silent, casting a questioning gaze, but did not respond.

"The only problem is that in their world, a person called God decides who gets saved."

Hu Ma said, "What about here? Is it you? Or the Ten Clans?"

The National Preceptor had already understood Hu Ma's meaning, and sighed softly, knowing that answering was meaningless.

Hu Ma, on the other hand, felt more and more enlightened as he spoke, and smiled, "Coming back this time, I also found this Shangjing City to be quite interesting. Such a large city has actually stopped having deaths. Even those who have already died will come back to life."

"The weight of this world is getting lighter and lighter, but only this Shangjing City is getting heavier and heavier. Tell me, when the Tai Sui descends and the world collapses, what will this Shangjing City become like?"

"It will continue to exist."

Only when Hu Ma asked this question did the National Preceptor slowly say, "Shangjing City will escape this sacrifice and will not be affected by the chaos of the evil spirits of heaven and earth."

"In fact, by that time, Shangjing City will be renamed..."

"White Jade City!"

"..."

When he said this name, Hu Ma was not surprised at all, only felt that everything had suddenly become clear.

The legendary immortal city, White Jade City.

Since it is an immortal city, naturally there is no death, no disease, no aging, no destruction. Since it is an immortal city, of course countless people want to squeeze into this city, including his own relatives, who want to gain a foothold here before this White Jade City truly becomes the legendary immortal city.

He smiled silently, looked at the National Preceptor seriously, and said softly, "Laojun Mei sent me a very precious gift, so I know the legend of Noah."

"It's just a pity that I understand it a little deeper than you, just like, Laojun Mei actually doesn't approve of Noah, and even despises this way of running away in silence from the bottom of his heart..."

"He only believes that man will conquer nature, move mountains and fill seas, slay the Tai Sui, and fight for the Mandate of Heaven."

"..."

"That doesn't surprise me."

The National Preceptor looked over calmly and said, "It is because of this difference that your Hu family ancestors tricked me, ostensibly talking with me and setting the Stone Pavilion Plan, but secretly colluding with that reincarnated person, leaving you with a life of freedom."

"The world only knows that the Hu family is ruthless, but in my opinion, that is not ruthlessness, but stupidity."

"Stupid enough to give up wealth and glory, give up the opportunity to enter the White Jade City, but to believe in the fanciful words of that evil spirit."

"You are the same."

"..."

He said slowly, and at some point, the smoke from the incense had completely dissipated, and only his faint figure seemed to become taller and taller in this night.

His two large sleeves swayed, as if the entire Shangjing City had become one with him, and the formless pressure rolled toward Hu Ma.

"Little Master Hu, you shouldn't have returned to Shangjing City to see me after discovering your true fate."

"After all, you still believed me and cultivated these Nine Pillars of Dao. With this foundation, it will be enough to bear the Twelve Ghost Altars. Whether you are willing or unwilling is actually not important."

"In the Panshan Army, I failed to change your fate, but there are many other ways."

"..."

"Interesting!"

Facing the National Preceptor's vast and indifferent expression, Hu Ma suddenly smiled, gnashing his teeth, his face full of ferocity, "Finally, I can truly represent the Hu family and say hello to you."

"Old thing, come!"

(End of this chapter)