Chapter 460
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 0
Chapter Title: Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws
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Late at night, in Xu An's cave abode.
At this moment, Xu An was still sitting in meditation, yet he failed to notice the starkly alien presence within his sea of consciousness.
"[Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws]."
Lu Yang looked up, eyeing the sky with keen interest as he recalled in his mind the memories extracted from Dao Court's Prince Who Pacifies the South, Wu Tai'an.
Among the world's four realms, Dao Court was the most unique.
The [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws] connected every individual, yet unlike Pure Land's coercive unity of hearts and minds, it deliberately structured the current order.
The nine ranks of officialdom formed the foundational logic of the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws], with the Six Ministries born from it directly embedding themselves into the lives of Jiangdong's people. These ministries in turn spawned countless positions, all clustering around the four heavenly fruit positions.
[Flat Ground Wood], [Roadside Earth]
[Gold Foil Gold], [Great Relay Earth]
These four fruit positions were divided among Dao Court's Sovereign and the Three Dukes, with the Tianwu imperial clan holding them generation after generation, while the Three Dukes circulated among three factions.
'Similar to [City Wall Earth].'
Lu Yang came to a realization. This method of binding fruit positions resembled Pure Land's unity of hearts and minds, only Pure Land used people, while Dao Court used official ranks.
Did Dao Court learn from the World Honored One?
No, it should be the World Honored One imitating Dao Court!
'And Dao Court has two earth-aspect fruit positions. If you count the previous dynasty's [City Wall Earth], that's a full three earth aspects.'
Not to mention [City Wall Earth] was the supreme of earth aspects!
'Incredible.' Lu Yang pondered deeply, growing alarmed.
By comparison, Dao Court had truly been formidable before. Pure Land's emergence and the World Honored One's rise had weakened Dao Court's power to some extent.
"Hiss!"
At this thought, Lu Yang suddenly drew in a sharp breath: Could this be linked to the World Honored One's rise, his defiance of heaven to prove the Nascent Soul Dao Lord?
Was Dao Court's Dao Lord schemed against?
As an outstanding Primal Saint Sect Perfected Being, Lu Yang was never stingy with conspiracy theories:
'The world has always been a case of too many monks for too little meat. When one rises, another must lose flesh. The World Honored One's ascent back then likely carved off Dao Court's share!'
Yet Dao Court's Dao Lord surely wouldn't accept such slaughter willingly.
In that case, the Primal Saint Sect Ancestor and Sword Pavilion Ancestor must have been involved—perhaps one of them backed the World Honored One!
Who could it be?
'.The Primal Saint Sect Ancestor?'
Lu Yang reasonably suspected as much. After all, Pure Land was once called an evil sect too, fellow travelers on the demonic path. It wasn't impossible for the Primal Saint Sect Ancestor to lend the World Honored One a hand.
But soon Lu Yang spotted the flaw. After going legit, the World Honored One promptly whitewashed himself. Pure Land not only avoided joining the demonic path but transformed into righteous orthodoxy, joining Sword Pavilion and Dao Court against Primal Saint Sect. From this angle, had the Primal Saint Sect Ancestor miscalculated?
'No, not really.'
'The World Honored One inflicted such a huge loss on Dao Court's Dao Lord—how could they easily bury the hatchet? The rift must persist.'
'And the World Honored One is a fence-sitter.'
'The original world balance was likely Sword Pavilion Ancestor and Dao Court Dao Lord ganging up on Primal Saint Sect Ancestor. But after the World Honored One advanced, things changed.'
'At first glance, righteous path gained another Pure Land. But everyone knew the World Honored One played both sides. With the rift against Dao Court, neither side could fully trust him. Instead. the World Honored One likely hoped more than anyone for balance between the two.'
Yes, balance!
The more Lu Yang thought, the more convinced he became that the World Honored One was secretly propped up by Primal Saint Sect Ancestor, using him to flip the disadvantage in one stroke!
From one against two, to four-way stalemate!
Primal Saint Sect Ancestor carved flesh from Dao Court, birthing Pure Land while weakening the righteous side, then sat back securely.
'This can't be just Primal Saint Sect Ancestor's scheme.'
'It might even be the World Honored One's own proposal to Primal Saint Sect Ancestor—aligning with their interests, carving a Nascent Soul path from the cracks!'
At this, Lu Yang couldn't help sighing:
'Back then. the World Honored One's attainment must have shaken the world!'
What a tumultuous era. Just imagining it stirred Lu Yang's blood—multifaceted schemes culminating in attainment under all eyes.
Next, Lu Yang couldn't resist stroking his chin.
Was his speculation accurate? The direction seemed right, but details might not be. After all, the intelligence he had was too limited.
'But. if my reasoning holds, it explains why the World Honored One is the last contemporary Nascent Soul Dao Lord, and why [Soaring Empyrean] didn't try replicating his path but sought [Nether Mansion] instead—the World Honored One's ascension blocked the road for all who followed!'
Four-way stalemate, perfect balance.
A fifth Dao Lord would shatter it, redistributing interests. No Dao Lord would want that.
So [Soaring Empyrean] sought [Nether Mansion].
'This move is much like my flight to [Seven Luminaries Heaven] back then—both leaping off the board, retreating temporarily for a future shot.'
But in Lu Yang's view, [Soaring Empyrean]'s escape seemed incomplete.
To truly escape, one should flee far and vanish entirely from this wretched place. Yet [Soaring Empyrean] lingered, and [Nether Mansion] was too conspicuous.
'Perhaps he has other plans. Or knows intelligence I don't.'
Lu Yang took a deep breath, thinking no more.
'The priority now is the dao attainment needed for [Heavenly Upper Fire]. Dao Court gave me quite the inspiration.'
[Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws]!
'This vast net over Jiangdong can directly grant cultivators knowledge via official ranks. Digesting it converts to dao attainment.'
A shortcut!
Dao attainment normally required long meditation to accumulate, but [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws] offered rapid progress.
'Provided one climbs high in Dao Court!'
Higher the rank, greater the authority in [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws], more knowledge granted, higher the dao attainment!
A month later, Lake Dongting.
Located in Jiangdong's interior, as the name implied, it was a colossal inland lake—calling it a "Mediterranean" wasn't amiss.
"Get ready, everyone."
The leading Commander Liu said gravely, "I'll soon meet Lake Dongting's Dragon King to proclaim His Majesty's decree. Don't shame the court!"
"Yes!"
Xu An swallowed, suppressing his nerves, carefully trailing Commander Liu. The group flew deep into Lake Dongting.
Soon, a majestic island appeared before them.
What met their eyes: skull ridges like mountains, bone forests like woods, flesh rotted to mud and dust, sinews and bones draped on trees—a vista of blood qi surging to the clouds!
True Dragon Clan sounded noble, but they were demons at heart, feral by nature. Devouring bloody food was natural—big fish eat little fish, little fish eat shrimp. Inland human cultivators at least kept up appearances; overseas demons cared little.
This was Jiangdong, so they dared not eat people, settling for kin.
Elsewhere overseas, from Tian Qiu's memories, Lu Yang knew every major sea gate's demon clans had human-livestock farms, great or small.
'Pity, this won't integrate them into Dao Court.'
Seeing this, Lu Yang smiled indifferently. Clearly, this true dragon branch sent into Jiangdong by Dragon Lord still didn't grasp their situation.
Looks like I must step out!