Chapter 579 The Choice of All Living Beings (5000)

"I'd rather not be one of the Jiu Xuan Realm people!"

With a low shout, Li Zhentang's spiritual power erupted at this moment, and his aura rose steadily. Invisible spiritual energy condensed into qi, attaching to his body and transforming into armor, turning this white-haired scholar from a seemingly weak intellectual into a celestial god who commanded the natural world in an instant!

"Supreme tranquility, operating in accordance with nature!"

The three-eyed Jiu Xuan person didn't understand what was happening for a moment, but he was not weak. Seeing Li Zhentang step out and strike a qi palm towards him that was as big as a house, he knew that he couldn't avoid it in a hurry. He immediately roared, raising all four arms to meet it with a faint sound of wind and thunder.

Unfortunately, he couldn't withstand it.

Li Zhentang's cultivation method was the 'Tao Te Ching' of the Moral Celestial Venerable, one of the Three Dao Venerables of the past. It was a true Great Celestial Venerable-level cultivation method, one of the most supreme cultivation methods whether on Earth or in the Jiu Xuan Realm. What he used was the fundamental supernatural power 'Supreme Miraculous Unsurpassed Tranquility Righteous Method'.

In terms of power, this supernatural power wasn't earth-shattering. Its destructive power was inferior to even the instinctive supernatural powers of ordinary divine beasts of the same level.

However, although its destructive power was not strong, it could weaken others!

As long as the Tranquility Righteous Method was used, all other supernatural powers in the world, whether based on supernatural powers or blood qi, or other talismans and grand formations, would have their power reduced by more than 90%. The magic body would be shattered, the true body would be beaten back to its origin, and when it was pushed to the extreme, it could even use the heart as a substitute for the Dao, ordering all things in the world to beat the enemy into a spiritless wasteland, while the user's every move would be blessed by endless spiritual energy.

On the other hand, although the three-eyed Jiu Xuan person's cultivation of the 'Wind Thunder Extinguishing Form True Body' could be considered a rather powerful celestial cultivation method, he was clearly inferior to Li Zhentang in terms of realm and strength. Therefore, the offensive and killing technique, which should have triggered the thunder of heaven and earth, and could split mountains and shatter earth with a single punch, became just an ordinary uppercut with a pitiful arc of electricity wrapped around his hand.

With the waxing and waning of power, almost immediately, without any accident, the three-eyed Jiu Xuan person was directly beaten into the earth by Li Zhentang with one palm, leaving only his head exposed.

And this exchange, which should have been a grand affair, was silent because of the Tranquility Righteous Method, without even a trace of spiritual energy fluctuation.

"You, you will regret it... When His Majesty the Xuan Emperor restarts the Celestial Venerable Palace and reopens the Celestial Road..."

At this moment, the three-eyed Jiu Xuan person, named Gao Kai, who had not completely lost consciousness, already understood Li Zhentang's choice. He roared in a low voice, "When we find the traces of the Celestial Venerables' departure in the past and retrieve our ancestors..."

"...The Celestial Venerables will not return, Gao Kai."

Li Zhentang, who had already taken out a sealing magic tool like a water bottle—originally, the refining material for this magic tool should have been a gourd—shook his head slightly when he heard Gao Kai's roar.

Although he had made up his mind to sever ties with the Jiu Xuan Realm, he did not intend to kill the other party.

Aiming the sealing magic tool at Gao Kai, the young professor murmured, "Originally, I also felt that if the Jiu Xuan people, as descendants of the Celestial Venerables, found the beacon and traces, whether they followed the traces to catch up with the divine court fleet that left in the past, or sent information to allow the Celestial Venerables to return, the future would be extremely promising."

"However, the more I cultivate, the more I comprehend, and the more I understand the immortals and gods of the past, the more I understand that neither the Celestial Venerables nor the immortals and gods will return. They can be caught up, but they will never turn back."

"Moreover, Earth's civilization does not need to beg the immortals and gods to return."

"We have our own path and can walk a Great Dao that is different from the divine court—this is something that you, who are chasing after the glory of the past, probably cannot understand."

There was no need to say more. Li Zhentang aimed the sealing magic tool at Gao Kai and chanted a spell. In a flash of spiritual light, he took in his opponent, who had no resistance, into the tool.

Then, he stood silently in place, lost in thought.

And in the Spirit Realm.

Li Yeyu stared in shock at the quick and brief exchange and conversation.

"Eeeeh—what just happened?!"

When Li Zhentang chose to take action, not only Gao Kai, but even she was surprised—it was indeed difficult for the girl, who had not heard the cause and effect, to understand the sudden betrayal of someone she thought was a spy.

But on second thought, Li Zhentang's choice was not strange.

"After all, Professor Su's advancement to Celestial Immortal was known even in the Jiu Xuan Realm through secret methods."

Nodding slightly in the Spirit Realm, Li Yeyu actually understood why the three-eyed Jiu Xuan person refused to believe this point—or rather, who would believe it?

If the people of Earth hadn't already been surprised and shocked for four or five years, no one would believe it even if they heard the news. Whoever believed it was a fool.

"It seems that Professor Li chose to be a good person... But the intelligent life of the Jiu Xuan Realm actually covets our Earth..."

Now, the girl finally understood what had happened. Li Yeyu couldn't help but be a little speechless, "They... where did they get the courage?"

"Although I don't know what the current situation in the Jiu Xuan Realm is like, even if we don't talk about Professor Su, our Earth is considered to be a top-notch spiritual energy civilization in the entire Milky Way!"

Since the in-depth exchange of various technologies with the Tarrens, the Krohnen, and the Sernos Tyr, Earth is still weak in terms of cosmic engineering, but because the foundation is very good, it is now an interstellar civilization with a cosmic fleet, a lunar base, and a large space city under construction... The Jiu Xuan people may not be able to beat Zheng Guo in a one-on-one fight, let alone the fact that there are many forces on Earth.

"Although Professor Li's choice is very touching... but this kind of thing is still not possible."

Thinking so, Li Yeyu quietly transformed into a shadow and left through the Spirit Realm.

As for Li Zhentang, he was now deeply remorseful.

"Ah, if I had known that Earth would open up national cultivation and that the inheritance of immortals and gods could be exchanged at will, how could I have been tempted... Well, I can't say that."

Fifteen years ago, when the spiritual energy recovery was initially launched, an underage young man encountered the temptation of being able to cultivate and having a Celestial Venerable-level cultivation method attached to it, it was basically impossible to resist.

Up to now, Li Zhentang also believes that the choice at that time brought him great benefits and opportunities. He can have his current achievements, and the Jiu Xuan Realm's training is absolutely inseparable from it, which is why he believes that the Jiu Xuan Realm does have a debt of gratitude to him.

Because of this debt of gratitude, he desperately used his authority to transmit Earth's real information back, trying to change the Jiu Xuan Realm's decision so that the two worlds would not have conflict and war.

Caught in the middle, it was also difficult for him to do, even if he said he had a clear conscience, that he was not a Jiu Xuan person... but how could he just pretend that nothing had happened?

"Alas."

Letting out a long sigh, Li Zhentang clenched his fist. The young white-haired professor murmured, "After returning to Earth, I will report my identity and hand Gao Kai over to the official. Even if I am punished, I cannot sit idly by and watch the war happen."

"Moreover."

Lowering his head with some worry, Li Zhentang stared at the ground beneath his feet, his tone worried, "I still know what kind of person the King is. Even if he doesn't believe that Minister Su has advanced to Celestial Immortal, he should know that Minister Su's strength is at least at the peak of the Earth Immortal stage—with such a human immortal god in charge, and still insisting on launching a war, it doesn't seem like the King's style."

"If there are no accidents, the war should not be the King's wish... but the wish of all living beings in the Jiu Xuan Realm."

Thinking so.

Li Zhentang originally intended to turn around, leave this secret realm in the forest, and return to his team, pretending that nothing had happened.

As the team leader, he naturally had the authority to act alone, and he had already made preparations a few days ago. He had his own reasons to explain the reasons and gains of this solo outing.

However, just as he took a step, Li Zhentang stopped.

"Wait, this feeling..."

He swallowed and turned back to look behind him.

Then, he saw Li Yeyu at the head, with the other eight colleagues from the exploration team, emerging from the Spirit Realm with strange expressions, silently watching him.

—Li Zhentang stopped thinking.

And just as Li Zhentang gave up resistance and confessed.

Jiu Xuan Realm, underground.

Jiu Xuan Thirty-Three Domains, Jun Tian Domain, Jiu Xuan Royal Court.

Located between the mantle and crust of the Jiu Xuan Realm, the underground fortress cities fixed by the power of the formation are all called domains. Among them, the twenty-four domains are ruled by twenty-four conferred kings, while the central seven domains are personally led by the Xuan Emperor himself.

And the core of the Xuan Emperor's seven domains, the deepest part of the palace of the Jun Tian Domain, which is the central hub of the entire Jiu Xuan Realm, a figure covered in light, unable to see its form and face clearly, is silently sitting on his throne, listening to the intelligence coming from afar.

"...Is that so, Gao Kai's negotiation failed, and Li Zhentang has also given up?"

His voice was like that of an old man, a child, a woman, and a man. It was impossible to tell his identity and age. Apart from the dazzling spiritual light that proved that his strength was indeed extremely powerful and had entered the realm of 'immortal gods', no information could be seen from him.

No, or rather, because there was too much information that could be seen, it was impossible to distinguish.

The true and only ruler of the Jiu Xuan Realm, the Xuan Emperor, was speaking in a low voice with a indifferent tone, "It seems that no matter how unbelievable the information is, the result is already like this, so I can only believe that a born Son of Heaven has really appeared on the Immortal Heaven side. In just five years, he has advanced to the Celestial Immortal stage."

Speaking of this, he was silent for a while, then sighed, "Plans can't keep up with changes... but I never thought the changes would be so great."

"However, defeat may not be a bad thing."

The Xuan Emperor's tone was not joking at all as he lightly spoke words that other Jiu Xuan people would find unbelievable if they heard them.

The Jiu Xuan people are a race that almost went extinct due to the ecological changes caused by the depletion of spiritual energy.

As descendants of the Celestial Venerables and Great Celestial Venerables of the past, the Jiu Xuan people were a proud and self-assured group in the era of the Central Divine Court. Their hearts were burning with the desire to seek the Dao, and more of them achieved immortality than ordinary people in other realms. This was not because of the Celestial Venerables' promotion, but because of their own efforts.

In the distant past, the Jiu Xuan Realm was even regarded as another Immortal Heaven. Many Celestial Venerables of the Central Divine Court would not hold secret meetings in the Immortal Heaven Realm of other Earth god systems most of the time, but would come to the Jiu Xuan Realm to discuss them.

The Jiu Xuan people of that time were indeed proud of their place of origin.

But when the spiritual energy was cut off, the Jiu Xuan Realm, whose entire ecological environment was completely supported by spiritual energy, almost fell into hell.

The stars and moon dimmed, the sun went out, the Celestial Venerables' palaces stopped moving, and the extremely cold winter killed many creatures. Even the highly resilient modified spiritual plants could survive, but there was no room for food.

Without spiritual energy, they naturally could not cultivate. The Jiu Xuan people's proud talent and desire to seek the Dao were useless. They struggled to survive in this eternal winter night, but their population continued to decline.

Until the first existence to be called the Xuan Emperor by later generations appeared, leading all living beings to the warm underground, relying on the formations of the Celestial Venerables who had established the earth's bloodline in the past, giving the Jiu Xuan people's civilization a chance to survive.

Now... the Jiu Xuan people's civilization has returned to prosperity.

Relying on the abundant energy underground, the Jiu Xuan civilization, which has developed many underground fortress cities, has once again picked up the glory of the past. After the spiritual energy recovered, a large number of cultivators emerged, and various spiritual weapons and spiritual machines were constantly being manufactured in the underground forging pools, arming almost all Jiu Xuan people.

The Jiu Xuan people are now in their most prosperous era in thousands of years.

But is that the truth?

It is not.

As the ruler of the Jiu Xuan Realm, the Xuan Emperor, this generation of Xuan Emperor, can see the truth that is now covering his civilization and his people.

—A civilization that is war-mongering, pinning all its hopes on plundering other civilizations, and is on the verge of destruction.

The food source for the Jiu Xuan Thirty-Three Domains is a heat-loving moss-like plant that can survive in high temperatures and grows quickly, barely meeting the needs of the Jiu Xuan people and storing some food to cope with disasters.

Moss-grain is obviously not a nutritious food. In the Jiu Xuan Realm, where the ecology is almost destroyed, there are no spiritual beasts that can be herded, and naturally there is no highly nutritious spiritual food. If it is an ordinary person, it may not be a problem. The modified moss-grain can still meet a person's healthy life.

But for cultivators, it is far from enough.

The recovery of spiritual energy is not a bell of good news for the Jiu Xuan Realm, which was already standing on the edge of a cliff, but a horn of destruction.

The Xuan Emperor closed his eyes. In his mind, the various data of the Jiu Xuan civilization's thirty-three domains in recent years emerged.

Because of thousands of years of survival of the fittest, most of the Jiu Xuan people who can survive have excellent physical fitness and cultivation talent.

In five years, the various cultivators who have emerged due to their excellent talent have occupied more than 74% of the total resource production of the entire civilization.

Who would not want to become a cultivator, who would not want to cultivate into an immortal? Even the old farmer in the mountains would fantasize about it, let alone the Jiu Xuan people who were originally descendants of the Celestial Venerables, direct descendants of the immortals and gods? No one will give up and give their resources to others.

Cultivators can occupy more resources, resulting in less resources for ordinary people, and less resources for ordinary people, making more ordinary people desperately want to become cultivators.

The staff who should be engaged in infrastructure construction and resource production are now also showing large-scale unrest. The people's hearts are fluctuating. Everyone wants to regain the glory of their ancestors and become a cultivator who can fly into the sky and escape from the earth in this era of spiritual energy recovery that has been separated for thousands of years... Now, this situation has begun to snowball. The more cultivators there are, the fewer people there are to produce resources.

In order to support the appearance of the entire civilization, the Jiu Xuan Royal Court has levied countless taxes and misappropriated various funds used to repair formations, develop cities, and carry out infrastructure construction.

But even so, if there are no other changes, the entire Jiu Xuan civilization will completely collapse in a few years.

The riddled social order, the extremely fierce conflict between cultivators and ordinary mortals, the impending food crisis, the severely insufficient truth of resource scarcity, the Jiu Xuan Realm is almost completely destroyed, and the surface ecology that is almost impossible to restore in a few decades...

The Xuan Emperor can see that under his rule, cultivators can eat their fill and cultivate in peace every day, improve their strength, and then obtain more resources.

Ordinary people can only work hard, have no time to cultivate, so they are always weak, always exploited.

Because the strong are the meaning of everything, no one wants to be weak.

So, the Jiu Xuan Realm, which was just struggling to support itself, has now become a hell for the weak.

Everyone yearns to escape this hellish world and go to the core of the former Central Divine Court, the space-time realm called 'Immortal Heaven'—or other places, in short, they cannot stay where they are.

The strong want to find opportunities and resources that can make them stronger, while the weak want to find a chance to breathe.

The final collapse of civilization is coming, and only the last ray of hope is supporting all the crazy people with bloodshot eyes, so as not to lose their last sanity.

And in order to delay the arrival of the collapse as much as possible, so that the entire Jiu Xuan Realm can barely survive, even the Xuan Emperor can only guide everyone's thoughts and transfer the contradiction to the outside.

Yes, on the surface, everyone thinks that this is just an action to find their ancestors and the Celestial Venerables, a glorious battle, but only the Xuan Emperor knows that this war can be replaced with countless names, but what remains unchanged is the fact that the war must begin.

Internal consumption will only cause the self-destruction of the Jiu Xuan civilization. Only by expanding outwards can they obtain enough resources.

Without a war, a victory, or a complete defeat.

The current Jiu Xuan Realm cannot stop.

Even he, the Xuan Emperor, has no way.

"The war is about to begin."

Speaking in a low voice, the Xuan Emperor's voice became firm on the throne, "The war can only begin."

"Even if we face the Celestial Immortal and are destined to fail, we can only do so."