CHAPTER 443: CHAPTER 385: THE BLOOD OF GREAT ZHOU, XUANZHEN HEAVENLY MASTER SEAL

Lingzhou Prince Yan Mansion.

Ever since the demon chaos began, the Eighth Prince’s fiefdom suffered devastating damage—cities were annihilated, and lives were plunged into misery.

As Song Lin and Wu Yi traveled along the roads, they frequently encountered heartbreaking scenes of starvation and cannibalism.

Wu Yi glanced at the desolation and felt deeply moved. He said, "Why not relocate them to Ying Country?"

"It’s far too distant. For you and me, Spirit Treasure Sect is only three to four thousand miles away, but for commoners, making such a migration would be impossible. Many would perish along the way,"

Song Lin replied.

"Then let me try another method. What if I send Taoist Soldiers to escort them?"

Wu Yi suggested.

Ying Country, typically referred to as Yinghua by Song Lin, overlapped with the territories of the Donghua Alliance.

Within Yinghua, the mountains were governed by the Mountain God, while the rivers and springs were temporarily managed by Water Masters, often Taoists filling the role.

With favorable rain and weather, the land was prosperous and the people lived in peace.

Moreover, thanks to the Taoists cultivating rice, wheat, and millet varieties yielding a thousand kilograms per acre, coupled with the absence of natural disasters or man-made calamities, Yinghua did not lack food.

It was surprising to see so many people starving to death here.

"All right, I’ll leave this matter to you,"

Song Lin agreed with a nod.

The six counties of Yinghua could easily sustain hundreds of thousands more people. Doing a good deed would be worthwhile.

Shortly after, the group arrived at Prince Yan Mansion.

"What business have you here?"

Inside Prince Yan Mansion, Nan Jing and Xuan Hee, along with Spirit Treasure Sect disciples, were present. Upon Yinghua’s arrival, Nan Jing’s eyes revealed a trace of hostility; upon seeing Wu Yi, this escalated into killing intent.

With Xuan Hee nearby, Nan Jing’s tone became assertively aggressive.

"Donghua Taoist,"

Xuan Hee greeted with a bow.

Xuan Hee’s respectful demeanor took Nan Jing by surprise.

"I have some inquiries that require answers,"

said Song Lin, using the word "please," though his tone brooked no refusal.

"You!"

Nan Jing was about to retort but was silenced by Xuan Hee’s stern gaze. Xuan Hee replied, "Taoist, please ask. Perhaps I can provide clarification."

"What exactly is Wu Yi’s mother Zhou Suxin’s real identity?"

Upon hearing Song Lin’s question, Xuan Hee and the others present were visibly shocked.

Murmurs and hushed conversations spread among them.

"Very well. The elders already possess this knowledge, so sharing it with a fellow Taoist shouldn’t be an issue. Zhou Suxin’s true name is Yangg Suxin, a legitimate descendant of the Great Zhou Dynasty and the sister of King Zhou, Yangg Xiao."

"Yangg Suxin traveled under an alias, fell in love with the then-Prince Emperor, and bore Wu Yi..."

Yangg Suxin was a masterful practitioner of Taoist Skills and possessed an extraordinary sense of righteousness.

During her time in the Capital, she disciplined numerous individuals involved in disreputable and treacherous practices; however, those able to wreak havoc in the Capital were backed by formidable forces.

As a result, she offended many noble families and powerful cultivators.

Included among them was the Nan Family; Nan Jing’s younger brother had perished at Yangg Suxin’s hands.

Upon hearing about his mother’s story, an image of her formed in Wu Yi’s mind.

Daring and heroic, radiant and valiant.

This was another dimension of his mother.

Wu Yi had endured an immense amount of hardship and contempt throughout his life—the only thread of warmth in his childhood was his mother. All the compassion he had ever known stemmed from her.

Wu Yi’s refined and gentlemanly demeanor was largely shaped by his mother’s influence.

"The Great Zhou Royal Family?"

Song Lin paused for a moment, evidently recalling the short-lived dynasty.

In comparison to dynasties spanning thousands of years, the Great Zhou, which lasted only decades, was exceedingly brief.

What left a lasting impression on him, though, was the dynasty’s unparalleled strength.

The Emperor’s mastery of Taoist Skills reached supernatural heights, making him invincible across realms, with an expansive domain that was terrifyingly vast.

To the west was Yujue Demon Country, a formidable demon nation with territories ten times larger than Wu Country; likewise, Moyu Country, occupying the Great Desert and Hanhai, was of similar magnitude.

Yet, during the Great Zhou era, half of these nations fell under its rule.

The East Sea and South Sea also had thousands of miles of coastline.

Under the mandate of the Great Zhou Saint Ancestor, Yangg Xuanchao, the Taoist Alliance guarded the borders, uniting the Human Clan to an unprecedented degree.

As the saying goes, there can be no external foes without internal strife.

Unable to tolerate the Taoist Emperor’s dominance, various Taoist Alliances joined forces to overthrow Yangg Xuanchao’s rule, replacing him with Wu State’s Ancestor via a military coup.

Demons took advantage of the chaos, seizing considerable lands and establishing a situation of uneasy coexistence.

This marked the history of this realm.

"Later, when Yangg Suxin’s identity was exposed, the court was abuzz with debate, and notable figures from the Taoist Alliance voiced their perspectives. The consensus was that the bloodline of the former dynasty should not tarnish the royal lineage. King Zhou, Yangg Xiao, severed ties with her, declaring that she should be left to the court’s discretion."

"The Emperor convicted Yangg Suxin of deceiving the sovereign and imprisoned her in the Heavenly Prison. Just prior to sentencing, Yangg Suxin abruptly succumbed to illness. With her death, the court dropped the matter."

"My mother’s bloodline is noble—how dare they deem it a stain on the lineage!"

Wu Yi’s face flushed with anger, his fists clenched as he lashed out.

Only now did he understand the reasons behind his mother’s ostracism; he loathed the Emperor for betraying her and scorned the duplicity of the Taoist Alliance and ministers—he even abhorred his absent, unhelpful uncle, King Zhou.

"Hah! The remnants of a former dynasty, someone bearing the blood of a tyrant, could never be a Prince. The Emperor has shown you great mercy by not punishing you further! How dare you feel indignant!"

Nan Jing sneered mockingly.

"Insult my mother, and I will not rest until one of us is dead!"

Wu Yi’s eyes burned crimson.

Whoosh!

The night sky split apart—an arc of red light illuminated the earth, scaldingly hot as it streaked toward Nan Jing’s vital points.

This was a technique derived from the fourth tier of the Qiankun Treasure: the red rainbow breaking mountain.

Nan Jing’s pupils contracted—what formidable power!

Screech!

Out of thin air, a White Crane emerged, blocking the fiery beam. The intense energy completely disintegrated the crane.

Everyone present was stunned—Wu Yi, merely in Core Formation, could counteract a Thunder Tribulation Master’s spell.

"Everyone, cease hostilities! Let’s not harm our camaraderie,"

Song Lin intervened to diffuse the situation before it escalated into full-blown conflict.

However, Song Lin still stood firmly with his ally.

"You’re right. Indeed, I agree with the sentiment regarding polluted bloodlines."

Wu Yi gazed at Song Lin in disbelief.

Song Lin shifted his tone and continued, "But a Wu Country buried within a mere corner’s safety—how could it compare to the Great Zhou lineage? This lands’ foundation was stolen, pilfered, and even so, much of it was lost. How could anyone dare claim others remnants? Hah! Let’s go!"

Whoosh!

Before anyone could respond, the two ascended into a golden chariot and vanished into the distance.

Inside the carriage, Wu Yi burst into laughter, tears streaming as he laughed.

Knowing his mother’s true identity brought him enlightenment and clarity.

From now on, he vowed to uphold the legacy of his ancestors.

"Palace Master, your disciple has decided; I will endure quietly, focus on cultivation, and someday seize the opportunity to soar like a hidden dragon rising from the depths."

If Qiankun Treasure’s tenth tier was achieved and he realized his unique techniques, that would be his moment to shine.

"Hmm. You should also take a wife. I know of an Immortal Embryo that could prove beneficial to you,"

Song Lin decisively chose Wu Yi.

Two dynasties’ Dragon Qi and the Nine Heavens Immortal Body.

The Treasure Servant’s future accomplishments would be unparalleled.

The tenth tier of Qiankun Treasure corresponded to a Primordial Spirit realm. For Wu Yi, achieving this might be improbable, but the Treasure Servant could very well rival such greatness.

Thus, Song Lin revealed the matter of the Treasure Servant and altered the Heavenly Court’s plans to accompany Wu Yi toward a mysterious Grotto Heaven.

Later, he brought Wu Yi to the World in the Pot to meet the Treasure Servant.

"Daughter pays respects to Father,"

the Treasure Servant greeted with a sweet smile.

Seeing the exquisitely sculpted girl, Wu Yi’s heart melted; he held the girl’s hand and said emotionally:

"If you become my daughter, all I have will belong to you!"

After this, Wu Yi began preparing to marry.

Eventually, he chose Miss Zhang from the Five Qi Jungle, granddaughter of Guu Ling Taoist—a promising figure with extraordinary potential.

The two sides settled on an auspicious date for the wedding.

The Treasure Servant successfully reincarnated.

Mortal unions and childbirth always progressed swiftly.

Song Lin vaguely sensed that a peerless Divine Embryo was on the brink of being born.

...

Donghua Jungle.

Following the restructuring of the Alliance, construction projects were enthusiastically underway.

In contrast to the bustling activity, Song Lin found himself with newfound leisure.

"In fifteen years, the duel with Tianhe awaits. During this time, I must at least surpass the Fire Tribulation to become a Thunder Tribulation Cultivator or even transcend the Thunder Tribulation to achieve Great Perfection."

As for the even higher Primordial Spirit realm, Song Lin had yet to devise a plan.

The Heavenly Master Seal must be acquired to prevent others from shackling him.

Alternatively, he might discover another Heavenly Master Seal.

There were numerous lost Heavenly Master Seals from the remnants of ancient Taoist Schools.

Each seal embodied a distinct Great Dao; perhaps superior seals lay hidden, waiting to be found.

This required investigating—a preparation on two fronts.

After all, in fifteen years, his usefulness might wane. Should he prevail, there was no guarantee that the Spirit Treasure Celestial Master and Tianhe would honor their agreement and relinquish the seal.

The Spirit Treasure Celestial Master had shielded Tianhe once before.

"Wait, isn’t there a ready-made solution?"

Song Lin suddenly recalled something.

The Eight Sceneries World!

The ruins of Xuanzhen Palace—a site tied to the mysterious Heavenly Venerate.

He still possessed the key to unlock the Eight Sceneries World!