Seeking immortality, begging for immortality.
To mortals, immortality was the ultimate temptation.
The more prosperous the world, the harder for mortals to let go—their yearning and craving for eternal life burned like wildfire in their hearts, boundless.
The Human Emperor was mortal—a pure mortal.
Unable to cultivate, untouched by immortal fate. Though free from illness, pain, and disaster in life… he could not resist death, could not seek immortality.
Great Xuan Calendar year 161.
Amid worldwide uproar, Human Emperor Dantai He personally drafted the decree in the imperial capital—imperial order sent to Western Regions’ Demon Continent.
The decree’s exact contents—unknown to the world.
Only known: that day, Demon Continent quaked; terrifying auras spread!
“Get lost!”
In vast deserts, a Demon King faced east—roaring. Voice like thunder, stirring oases sinking and rising; whipping desert into heaven-shaking sandstorms—like tornadoes churning earth.
That day.
Beyond Tianhan Pass.
Cultivators stood atop walls, gazing afar.
Westward—sandstorms rolled, slamming Tianhan Pass towers. Endless yellow sand buried half the gates in soil.
“Human race… bully demons too far!”
Low voice exploded—crashing towers, spiderwebbing cracks densely.
“We respect Human Emperor Dantai Xuan—surviving in Western deserts, never encroaching human lands one bit. But don’t think demon race good-tempered!”
Cold voice laced with dreadful killing intent.
“One imperial decree—demanding Demon King carve flesh, bleed, gouge demon crystal? Treat demon race as platter?!”
Terrifying voice struck.
Storm’s Demon King grew angrier.
Yet endured—streaking into light, vanishing in endless desert.
Atop Tianhan Pass.
Soldiers wide-eyed—already drenched in cold sweat.
The Demon King’s aura just now… bred boundless fear.
Demon race… seemed far stronger than before!
Tianhan Pass defending cultivators paled.
Never imagined Emperor ordering gouging a Demon King’s crystal?
Such demand—like digging one’s heart!
“Outrageous!”
Defending cultivator raged—soaring skyward, streaking to imperial capital.
Tianhan Pass half-buried in sand news—spread swiftly through Great Xuan dynasty.
Deep in imperial capital palaces.
Dantai He hands clasped; dragon robes draped. Temples graying; skin lusterless—increasingly aged; deep wrinkles etched face.
He aged.
Like his imperial father—frail in twilight years.
Eunuch rushed in—relaying Tianhan Pass news.
Dantai He sat by brazier—warming fire; calmly hearing eunuch’s report.
As Human Emperor years—immense pressure emanated.
“Oh… demon race refused.”
Dantai He calm—smiling; wrinkles twitching.
“Demons generally longer-lived than humans—surely due to demon crystals; energy within nourishing bodies…”
“Rumors: Western lands—remnants of old Black Dragon Cult and Marton Dynasty—dug demon crystals for cultivation; using them formed another system—called ‘divine grid’ system.”
“Long lives—easily hundreds of years…” Emperor murmured.
Eunuchs knelt—trembling, unmoving.
Dantai He stood.
Barefoot on floorboards—gazing overcast skies.
“Today’s mountains and rivers—how magnificent; people live in peace and work happily; cultivation civilization highly prosperous…”
“This a golden age?”
“One I forged—my achievements no less than imperial father’s…”
Dantai He spread hands; disheveled gray-white hair whipped in wind.
Eunuchs knelt—content as audience.
“With such great deeds—seeking immortality forbidden?”
Dantai He lowered head.
Eyes closed—heart surging.
High position—inner changes inevitable. Once—he wished emulate Dantai Xuan—outstanding Human Emperor.
Labor heart and blood for world peace.
But he found—he couldn’t be as carefree. Nearing death—greater panic.
“This world… countless cultivators—not without immortality. Why denied to me?!”
Eyes snapped open.
Dantai He’s gaze sharp.
As though questioning heaven and earth.
…
Dawn’s light tore earth’s calm; sunlight surged like tides.
Great Xuan imperial capital—daily morning court.
Aged Emperor in dragon robes—imposing; step by step ascending dragon throne.
Hundred officials respectful.
A great scholar detailed Tianhan Pass defender’s report of demon race defiance—court uproar rising and falling.
Scholar advised Emperor abandon gouging Demon King crystal.
High on throne, Human Emperor Dantai He gazed level—authority without anger.
“Demon race—sealed in Demon Continent by late Emperor. Ages passed; late Emperor said well: different clans, different hearts…”
“Today demon race developed century in Demon Continent—grown to what extent? Still obey Great Xuan rule? Threaten dynasty peace and harmony?”
“Demons—beasts gaining wisdom; called demons. Blood flows beast nature—ultimately savage and brutal.”
“Thus, my decree: from today, Demon Continent taxes triple; annual tributes add ten demon crystals.”
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Dantai He declared.
Words fallen.
Court uproar.
Scholars knelt—crying impossible; but Emperor sleeved away.
Full court officials exchanged glances—sensing bloody storm.
Imperial capital news spread swiftly.
Like cold wind blowing into Tianhan Pass’s Demon Continent.
Boom!
In Demon Continent.
Demon King claws crushed decree; cold aura spread.
“Tax hike understandable—why tributes require demon crystals?!”
Demon King raged.
Even old deceased demons’ crystals—touched reverse scale.
“Humans bully demons too far!”
Great Xuan Calendar year 161.
Demon race rejected imperial order; severely wounded messenger cultivator—tossed back to Tianhan Pass.
World commoners heard—fury burned.
Streets everywhere—tales of demon injuries and cannibalism.
Great Xuan dynasty enveloped in demon-extermination storm.
Year 162.
Emperor ordered: Great Xuan iron cavalry exit Tianhan—conquer Demon Continent demons!
Historians recorded: Great Xuan dynasty’s second Demon Continent conquest. First—late Emperor Dantai Xuan led army; crushed demons into submission.
…
When Great Xuan iron cavalry strode through sandstorms.
Demon race raged; beast roars echoed everywhere; auras soared.
Yet Demon Kings suppressed clamor.
Unwilling war with Great Xuan dynasty—sent demon envoy to negotiate.
Yet envoy barely left Demon Continent—pierced by powerful arrow; slain on spot.
Great Xuan dynasty peaceful too long—no wars years; many cultivators itched. Now conquest chance—ennoble and prime here—who not excited?!
No tolerance left—no need tolerate.
Demon Kings coldly ordered; vastly expanded Demon Continent stirred; dark clouds rolled.
Dense demon race mounted beasts—charged from Demon Continent.
Great Xuan iron cavalry and Demon Continent army’s first clash.
Great Xuan dynasty versus demon race war—truly erupted.
When all Great Xuan subjects felt mighty divine Great Xuan iron cavalry surely flatten Demon Continent easily.
Frontline news returned…
Great Xuan iron cavalry routed like avalanche; countless casualties—demons pressed to Tianhan Pass.
News returned.
Entire Great Xuan dynasty quaked like earthquake.
Emperor incredulous—Great Xuan iron cavalry world’s strongest—defeated?
Emperor raged; dispatched Qishi Mansion cultivators to Tianhan Pass.
Nascent Soul, Infant Transformation cultivators joined battlefield.
Shifted tide.
Yet demon race developed century—no longer weak as before; now seemingly stronger beyond imagination.
Battle bloody; many Qishi Mansion cultivators died miserably.
Great Xuan dynasty versus demon race—defeated again.
This news shook not only mortal realm—but cultivation world!
Demon race this strong?!
Great Xuan dynasty—some scholars originally disagreeing with Emperor’s methods—trembled inwardly.
Such powerful demons—if invaded unprepared Great Xuan—casualties dire; consequences unthinkable!
Thus, demon-human war fully unfolded!
Even escalating—pulling cultivation world in.
…
Deep vast ocean.
Massive vortex center—steam soared; dense vapor whipped skies.
Seawater boiled; at vortex heart, giant whale floated—bearing immortal island.
White Jade Pavilion atop.
Yet compared to perilous ocean—island utterly peaceful.
Lu sat upon; eyes flickering scenes—Great Xuan dynasty versus demon race war.
Lu shook head—no surprise.
As though long foreseen war between human and demon race.
“After all—only one Dantai Xuan.”
“Demons hold immense benefits—human and demon ultimately cannot develop peacefully.”
Lu leaned in Thousand-Bladed Chair.
Yet no intent to intervene—collision bred growth.
Before—he wouldn’t allow; after all, Nine Prisons Reincarnation imperfect then—souls scattered to Nine Heavens upon death; energy loss.
Now—with Dantai Xuan guarding Nine Prisons—souls reincarnated upon death.
Energy cycled within Five Phoenixes—so Lu no longer worried loss.
Thus, let them war mutually.
As for genocide risk—as long as Heavenly Human like Overlord abstained—unlikely; Lu ignored.
Withdrew focus.
Lu rolled sleeves—placing pieces on Spiritual Pressure Chessboard; games increasingly profound—black-white pieces crisscrossing like universe turning.
Of course—placing while thinking.
“Ascension Gate?”
“Making Lower Three Heavens cultivators accept and willingly ascend—not easy.”
“These Immortal Transformation and Ascension beings ascend for what? Naturally immortal energies—with them refine five energies; charge five energies toward origin realm.”
“Thus—to make them acknowledge and accept ascension—must craft realm with immortal energies.”
Lu pinched piece.
Immortal energies—what?
Per Gu Mangran: immortal energies—similar to chaos power; slightly weaker.
Thus, Lu could dilute chaos power with spiritual energy to formulate immortal energies.
Thought—done.
No need preaching platform; Lu raised hand—chaos power surfaced in palm.
Milky chaos power—converted from Dao reserves.
One strand—one He chaos power.
Primordial spirit controlled chaos power rapid spin—palm vortex; endless spiritual energy gathered—coiling in palm.
Lake island—anomaly emerged.
Cultivating Nie Changqing—breath increasingly ethereal—slowly opened eyes.
Boom!
Island exploded.
Ni Yu face cat-black; smoke spewing—ran from alchemy pavilion.
Another furnace explosion.
Glancing coiling spiritual energy—long accustomed; these years, Young Master often tinkered.
Each time Young Master tampered spiritual energy—with Nie Changqing and Ni Yu’s strength—clearly sensed odd additions.
Of course—beneficial to cultivation—so asked nothing.
Alchemy continued; comprehension continued.
Ni Yu and Nie Changqing resumed own affairs.
Lake island—countless flowers swayed; lively; Skyfacing Chrysanthemums and Biluo Peaches bloomed ever brilliantly.
Boom!
Finally, palm’s rapid energy exploded abruptly.
Next, strands pure misty immortal energies coiled around him.
“This mature immortal energy—chaos power and spiritual energy mixed precise ratio; purer than Immortal Ascension refined spiritual energy.”
Lu’s eyes lit.
Immortal energies formulated—next… crafting ascension land no longer impossible.
Of course—Lu accepting mission—not purely altruistic.
Ascension land—not merely for Lower Three Heavens cultivators—but Five Phoenixes ones.
Ascension land naturally controlled by Five Phoenixes cultivators.
“Crafting ascension land—besides immortal energies—need reasons convincing Lower Three Heavens cultivators to willingly ascend.”
Lu wreathed in immortal energies; gaze flickered.
Looked to Nihility Heaven.
Eyes like time river flowing.
He saw—ancient Nihility Heaven glory.
“Ascension land—to attract them—perhaps use ancient Nihility Heaven glory as hook.”
Lu smiled.
Ancient Nihility Heaven glory—Lu unknown.
No need know deeply; let ascenders glimpse corner secret—willingly ascend.
Ascension land history—let Lu fabricate.
Lu pinched bronze cup; sipped Heavenly Immortal Brew—liquor down throat; pores relaxed.
Finished.
Mind stirred.
Next—in preaching platform.
Boom!
Eight Trigrams array words surfaced.
Countless array words dropped; heaven’s corner—back-facing all beings figure appeared.
None other than ancient Great Emperor “Hao”—creator Nine Character Array Words.
“Hm—using ancient Great Emperor as spokesperson—most fitting.”
Lu smiled.
Of course—not enough.
Other Great Emperors—Lu unseen; but mind held many mythical figures.
Boom!
Chaos power rolled; collided spiritual energy—heaven and earth chaos.
Stalwart figure tore chaos—one side sank; one rose.
Sinking became Five Phoenixes land—mountains, rivers, lakes, blessed lands.
Rising—ascension land; dense immortal energies shrouded mystery.
This rising—Lu’s crafted ascension land.
Lu flickered—landing within; like above clouds.
Continued building with Eight Trigrams array words; five elements surged; origin power churned—copying vast continent modeled on Five Phoenixes…
This continent inextricably linked to Five Phoenixes.
Shared world origin.
Lu streaked floating over continent.
Waved—peak rose; pitch-black like ink. Lu struck chaos powers—etching ancient Great Emperor “Hao” figure inside black peak.
Dropped time river—enveloping peak in time power; eerie.
“Ascension land—cannot be ordinary; eerier better.”
Lu smiled.
Rested—awaiting energy recovery.
Resumed building forbidden zones.
One forbidden zone—auras no weaker than ancient Great Emperor “Hao.” In fact—Lu only glimpsed one ancient Great Emperor in time river.
Thus “Hao” Emperor template—building one after another majestic existences with grand pasts.
Such ascension land—surely attract Lower Three Heavens Immortal Transformation and Ascension beings.
Forbidden zones rose—some long extinguished; depths mighty remnants drifted.
Some still mysterious—full of enthralling profound truths.
Of course—ancient Great Emperor “Hao” forbidden zone most prominent.
Additionally—Lu built ruins.
Collapsed immortal gates; shattered plaques; remnant structures—telling former grandeur.
This—Immortal Court ruins.
Lu smiled.
Ascension land rough form—gradually taking shape.
…
Five Phoenixes continent.
Demon-human war—fully pulling century-peaceful Five Phoenixes into clamor.
Warfire swept land—from west to east—all battlefields of demon and human armies.
Initially—after Great Xuan iron cavalry and Qishi Mansion defeats.
Human Emperor Dantai He ordered cultivation world cultivators intervene.
Initially cultivation world ignored.
After all—to cultivators—cultivation paramount.
Yet as some sect juniors brainwashed—hot-blooded joined battlefield; died to demons—many elders moved.
Warfire extended to cultivation world.
Emperor sensed severity; personally visited thatched cottage—invited reclusive Xue Tao.
Xue Tao gazed aged Emperor—somewhat unfamiliar.
He remained youthful; Emperor decrepit.
“Your Majesty… this last thing this old minister does for you.”
“After—this old minister no longer meddles Great Xuan affairs.”
Xue Tao gazed Dantai He.
Dantai He stunned—ultimately agreed.
He craved immortality!
Seeing youthful, vital Xue Tao—craving deepened.
Xue Tao—regret flashed.
Finally acted.
Century bitter cultivation; slaughter in giant mirror—now Xue Tao entered Fortune Venerable level.
Sole Fortune Venerable joining human-demon war—easily turned tide.
Xue Tao speared Yang God demon king; stripped crystal—gave Dantai He.
Boom!
After Xue Tao acted—deep Demon Continent.
Gifted Demon Monkey King acted.
Staff swept—battled Xue Tao in wilderness. Fortune Venerable Xue Tao—blood drenched desert; beaten miserably.
“Demon and human—because you acted—no reconciliation possible!”
Demon Monkey King cold.
Staff swept down.
Earth collapsed.
Unbeknownst when—Lu Jiulian appeared; blocked iron staff.
Xue Tao blood-soaked; knelt desert—guilty deep glance at Demon Monkey King; limped vanishing in sandstorm.
This battle.
Seemed declaring human-demon war ended.
Yet though war ended—cracks between human and demon; Demon Continent split from Great Xuan dynasty.
Great Xuan imperial capital.
Deep palaces.
Dantai He barefoot sat quiet corridor; holding bloodied demon crystal.
Crystal reflected light—enchanting hues; but cracked—Xue Tao’s shattering marks.
Crack crack…
Dantai He clenched fiercely—wanting crush.
Even cracked—he clenched hard.
Finally—crystal shattered.
Whoosh…
Thick liquid dripped—filling golden bowl.
Dantai He hands trembled; lifted bowl—full hope; drank dry.
Golden bowl fell—clear ring.
Dantai He walked steps—to mirror.
Gazing aged, twilight self—wrinkled; unchanged.
Suddenly madly laughed.
Laughing—laughing; abdominal pain twisted; spewed black blood—staining mirror.
“Immortality…”
“To hell with your immortality!”
…
Great Xuan Calendar year 166.
Human-demon war lasted four years—ended; Emperor took Demon King crystal; gravely ill five days.
Same year—Emperor hopeless for immortality; established crown prince.
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