CHAPTER 656: CHAPTER 487: FORTY THOUSAND YEARS LATER, 2 PALACES AND 10 IMMORTALS!

In the future, with every additional True Immortal in the two palaces, there will be one more to guide Shi Ze.

To this day,

only he remains without having proven the Dao in the Dongqi and East River palaces, already surrounded by eight True Immortals.

Shi Ze sometimes mocks himself, that throughout history, no other fourth-order cultivator has received such treatment.

But the Great Dao is elusive, and even with the help of eight True Immortals, Shi Ze still hasn’t grasped that thread of spiritual light and has yet to prove the Dao. He is two thousand one hundred eighty years older than Chen Jichuan and is now forty-five thousand five hundred years old, with not much time before his ultimate limit.

Up high,

the eight True Immortals’ Dharma Domains flourish, intermingling brilliantly.

Shi Ze sits solemnly among them.

"Consuming the essence of the sun and moon, capturing the mystery of the two luminaries, the treasure of wonders, the highest of treasures, births the Divine Pill, combining three into Virtue, I have cautiously received the command."

"Is the Dao to end here?"

Chen Jichuan speaks eloquently, expounding the Great Dao.

Shi Ze becomes absorbed, intoxicated as if in a trance.

The commotion outside the immortal palace arises, and the East River Palace Master, Meng Qing, Liu Hechuan, Bo Yin, Xuee Gu, Jiang Qingxing, Shen Qingyi, and Meng Yan all show a change in expression, looking towards the direction of Pantian Palace, both surprised and joyful.

"Pantian Palace!"

"It’s Liu Jue from Pantian Palace!"

Xuee Gu is somewhat surprised.

She achieved the Dao after Meng Qing and Liu Hechuan, becoming the fifth True Immortal of the East River lineage.

It has been over twenty thousand years since, and now she is also powerful in Divine Skills. Without leaving the hall, she already knows who in the sect has proven the Dao.

Speaking of which, she shares some connection with this ’Liu Jue.’ His father ’Liu Xing’ once toppled Xuee Gu, who had just ascended to Daoist Chief and had not yet warmed the seat, driving her to frustration.

Calculating by fingers, this happened over forty thousand years ago.

Many years have passed.

The former Liu Xing has passed away, as have the contemporaries of Chen Jichuan who were Chief.

But Liu Xing had married and had children early on, with Liu Jue as his only son.

Like father, like son.

Liu Xing once was the Daoist Chief.

Liu Jue, at twenty thousand years, is also the Daoist Chief. And at the time, Liu Xing had not yet reached thirty-six thousand years, nor retired. Father and son sat together as Chiefs, creating a celebrated story within the Dao sect.

Times have changed.

Liu Xing never proved the Dao and eventually grew old.

Liu Jue is no longer young, now at the venerable age of forty-seven thousand years.

Who would have thought, as his lifespan neared its end, he could withstand the pressure, remaining modest and composed, to successfully prove the Dao today.

It is indeed a cause for celebration.

All past events have become smoke and clouds, and today, seeing the child of an old acquaintance prove the Dao, becoming a Daoist True Immortal as well, Xuee Gu feels quite reflective.

"Liu Jue!"

"This one surpasses the master, more accomplished than his father, a rare True Immortal seed in our Dao sect, his proving the Dao is not surprising."

Young disciple Jiang Qingxing from the East River Palace remarks from the side.

She, alongside Shen Qingyi, Meng Yan, and even Shi Ze in the hall below, are considered part of the same generation of Daoist Upper Immortals as Liu Jue. They even once were Daoist Chiefs alongside father and son Liu Xing and Liu Jue, and have a deeper understanding of Liu Jue than Xuee Gu who proved the Dao earlier. Having practiced together on Enlightenment Peak, there is also camaraderie between them.

Today, Liu Jue’s success brings Jiang Qingxing joy.

Not only Jiang Qingxing,

but also Shen Qingyi and Meng Yan beside her feel the same way.

Liu Hechuan laughs and says, "That’s good, now that Liu Jue has proven the Dao, no one can say that the Dao sect’s fortune is entirely occupied by our East River and Dongqi palaces."

Hearing this, everyone finds it hard not to smile.

Indeed.

In forty thousand years, the two palaces have eight True Immortals proving the Dao, attracting envy and admiration and eliciting some teasing.

They claimed the One Origin Dao Sect’s fortune belonged entirely to Dongqi Palace and East River Palace, as the two palaces frequently produced True Immortals, while other palace sects saw none proving the Dao.

Now that Liu Jue has proven the Dao, those words do not hold.

Even without counting the seven True Immortals who proved the Dao after Meng Qing and Liu Hechuan, just considering Chen Jichuan alone. Within four thousand years after Chen Jichuan, Liu Jue proves the Dao, something quite comparable to previous eras, worth the Daoist True Immortals’ joyful commendation.

In truth.

If not for the fact that many proved the Dao within the Dongqi Palace and East River Palace over four thousand years, strengthening confidence and morale, Liu Jue may not have been able to succeed in proving the Dao.

Of course, discussing this has no significance.

Liu Jue has proven the Dao.

The sect is abuzz.

True Immortals in the True Knowledge Hall congregate, intending to go to Pantian Palace to offer congratulations. In the past, it was always other Palace Masters, True Immortals coming to Dongqi Palace, East River Palace to offer congratulations. Now that Pantian Palace has someone proving the Dao, naturally, they should go as well.

But when they turn to look at Chen Jichuan, they see the Dongqi Palace Master unmoved—

"What one hears is not to be transmitted to non-humans. Three are wise; five are shrewd. The three wise ones know heaven, know earth, know man. Knowing man follows the earth, quietness as the foundation; knowing earth follows heaven, harmony as the base; knowing heaven follows the Dao, movement does not burden silence. Silence is perpetually clear and present, movement should benefit all life, benefiting everything, without fame or pride, effortlessly, without weariness or complaints, this understanding is clear..."

His resounding voice like a bell continues to expound the profound mysteries of the Great Dao to Shi Ze.

Shi Ze, listening in the hall, is absorbed, oblivious to the noise and excitement outside.

"No rush."

"First, send an avatar over, ensure no breach of etiquette."

The seven immortals seeing this, did not disturb.

Only secretly did they send an avatar to Pantian Palace to offer congratulations.

And at that moment.

"Huh?"

The expressions of the Seven Immortals in the hall changed dramatically, they suddenly stood up, their faces filled with excitement and joy beyond measure!

All eyes were drawn to Shi Ze within the hall.

"Brother Shi!"

"Brother Shi!"

"Uncle Shi!"

Liu Hechuan, Jiang Qingxing, Shen Qingyi and others were both surprised and delighted, while the East River Palace Master beamed with joy, his demeanor soaring.

Woo woo woo~

The True Knowledge Hall was witnessing tumultuous changes.

But lo, this twenty-fourth Direct Transmission of the East River Palace, Shi Ze Immortal, awaited eagerly by the One Origin Dao Sect and the entirety of Shenzhou, remained seated motionless, eyes closed tight, surrounded by a wind and fire aura.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

The wind and fire ground on, stirring the four directions, ceaselessly roaring.

In that instant.

The Great Dao descended.

...

In the year 8240056 of Shenzhou Immortal History, on August 15.

On this day.

Liu Jue of Pantian Palace and Shi Ze of East River Palace, after Zhou Yan, Meng Qing, Liu Hechuan, Xuee Gu, Bo Yin, Shen Qingyi, Meng Yan, and Jiang Qingxing, both proved the Dao.

Thus.

The Daoist True Immortals in One Origin Dao Sect increased to eighty-five!

...

Outside the Eastern Continent.

East Coast.

Dongjun Venerable and Shitong Venerable were idle.

Thinking back in the day.

They were ordered by the Vermilion Blood Palace’s Vice Palace Master ’Red Flower Ancestor’ to covertly assassinate the newly ascended Daoist True Immortal ’Zhou Yan’.

They initially thought it would be a swift operation, either achieve or leave without concern.

But who would have thought, they would loiter on this East Coast for forty thousand years, merely ending up with loneliness till now.

Over the forty thousand years.

Ku and Rong had also tried various means to entice Zhou Yan out.

But all proved futile.

Zhou Yan cared not for profit, was unmoved by unclaimed Secret Realms. Secondly, he had few friends, only acquainted with a few from the Daoist True Immortals and a handful of Direct Transmissions from East River Palace alongside two disciples from Dongqi Palace.

Yet as Ku and Rong failed to entice, and having found Duann Donghe without results, they shifted tactics intending to approach the Daoist Upper Immortals who were yet not True Immortals to lure Zhou Yan out, but Liu Hechuan, Xuee Gu, and others rarely ventured outside, and soon after, even they proved the Dao in succession.

Shi Ze, Shen Qingyi, and others, although occasionally ventured for practice, kept their movements well hidden, merely relying on the ’Immortal Slaying Department’ was hard to take action.

Especially with Liu Hechuan, Xuee Gu, and others proving the Dao successively, their tracks became even more concealed.

If a True Immortal were to act, there might be hope.

But in such a case, it might not necessarily draw out Zhou Yan, rather likely infuriate the Dao Sect.

Truly a dilemma.

Zhou Yan himself stayed hidden.

His friends, schoolmates, disciples were few, those walking outside even fewer.

Ku and Rong truly were stuck, can only wait aimlessly.

This wait lasted forty thousand years.

During these forty thousand years.

The two moved from initial torment to seeing Zhou Yan’s fellow disciples and juniors become True Immortals one after another, they have long become completely numb.

"Hidden for forty thousand years."

"Respect!"

Ku and Rong deeply respect Zhou Yan, indeed he is a complete turtle.

Not outgoing before proving the Dao, and stays hidden after proving.

What’s the solution?

They are merely going through the motions now, no longer hoping to act against Zhou Yan, just awaiting for the ’Red Flower Ancestor’ to have a change of heart and recall them soon.

On this day.

...