His judgment was absolutely correct, because that azure light was clearly the mother talisman of the Yellow Heaven Fortune Talisman, which could resonate with the child talisman on Wang Xuan's body!
Looking at the entire Water Margin world, the only one capable of placing the Yellow Heaven Fortune Talisman into the Red Dragon of the Great Song Dynasty's national fortune is the current Imperial Advisor.
This person was named Lin Lingsu. When he was young, he served as Su Dongpo's page. Later, he joined the Taoist sect and built the Shenxiao Yuqing Wanshou Palace. He was one of the founders of the Shenxiao sect.
The current emperor of the Song Dynasty, Emperor Huizong Zhao Ji, revered Taoism and called himself "Emperor Daojun, the Master of Taoism." He also bestowed upon Lin Lingsu the title of Master Tongzhen Daling Yuanmiao, who was in charge of all Taoist affairs in the country, and was thus known as the National Preceptor.
Wang Xuan may not have had any impression of Lin Lingsu at first, but after he came to the world of Water Margin, he realized how terrifying this person was.
Putting aside everything else, the Jade Emperor of later generations was created by Lin Lingsu's sect, Shenxiao Dao!
Before the Song Dynasty, there was no Jade Emperor in this world; there was only the Supreme God of Heaven! It was the Shenxiao sect that tricked Emperor Zhenzong of Song into changing the title of the Supreme God of Heaven to Jade Emperor.
"The reason why the Song Dynasty is hated by the whole world is mostly because of this." Thinking of this, Wang Xuan also had some understanding.
Haotian Shangdi, also known as Taiyi Shen, Donghuang Taiyi, Huangtian, or Laotianye, is the supreme deity revered by Chinese civilization for thousands of years and is the embodiment of the Way of Heaven.
Emperor Zhenzong of Song actually dared to change the name of the heavens; he must have had the audacity to do so!
If Wang Xuan were God, he wouldn't tolerate it either, and would definitely bring calamity upon the Song Dynasty.
The ultimate beneficiary of this event was undoubtedly Taoism. Originally, the Jade Emperor was the supreme deity, but after being changed to the Jade Emperor, his rank was lowered by one level. The Three Pure Ones of Taoism became the supreme deities, while the Jade Emperor was ranked below them.
"Speaking of which, this kind of earth-shattering thing sounds so familiar."
How could it not sound familiar? The main world is currently in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, and Zhang Jiao, who shouted "The Blue Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise," has only been dead for a few years.
Zhang Jiao's saying, "The Azure Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise," meant that he wanted to change the heavens and replace the old heavens with the Yellow Heaven of their Way of Peace.
The Divine Firmament Path and the former Great Peace Path both strive for the same goal, and there must be an unknown relationship between the two.
The only difference is that what Zhang Jiao couldn't accomplish despite the bloodshed, the Shenxiao Dao has now achieved, which shows the Shenxiao Dao's capabilities.
"Shenxiao Dao! Lin Lingsu!" Wang Xuan stopped using his Golden Eye of Luck, and his overwhelming killing intent could no longer be concealed.
Previously unaware of the enemy's identity, even with his many tricks up his sleeve, Wang Xuan was unable to use them and could only endure for the time being.
Now that he knew the other party's identity, Wang Xuan had nothing to hesitate about.
Wang Xuan wouldn't be foolish enough to launch a reckless attack and then be besieged by the enemy's army.
Since breaking through to the Innate Realm, he can be said to be invincible in the Water Margin world. If an Innate Realm expert were to set aside his pride and assassinate someone who tries to ambush him, he would never fail to kill the opponent.
Wang Xuan immediately summoned all his disciples and instructed them, "I have recently gained some insights and need to go into seclusion for a few months. Do not disturb me, whether you have something to do or not."
During this period of time, not to mention the original Liangshan leaders such as Shi Jin and Chao Gai, even the newly joined Lin Chong and others have been taught a lesson by Wang Xuan. How could they dare to refute him?
They all nodded repeatedly, like chicks pecking at rice.
After sending his disciples away, Wang Xuan found a secret room, sealed the door completely, and then quietly slipped out of Liangshan.
His claim of going into seclusion was merely a smokescreen to avoid alerting the Shenxiao Dao sect.
After leaving Liangshan, Wang Xuan rushed towards Bianjing without stopping.
He rested during the day and traveled at night, doing his best to conceal his whereabouts.
He arrived in Bianjing City in just over ten days.
Chapter Forty-Eight: Clarifying Doubts
The morning sun had just risen above the horizon, and its warm rays gradually dispelled the dew from the previous night.
While most people in Bianjing were just getting up, the sounds of Taoist priests chanting scriptures could already be heard from a Taoist temple with ornate beams and painted rafters.
This Taoist temple is vast, and its buildings and gardens are all masterpieces. In front of the main hall stands a massive stele inscribed with the "Edict of the Divine Firmament Jade Purity Longevity Palace," a decree personally written by the current Emperor of the Song Dynasty—a truly supreme honor!
This Taoist temple is the ancestral temple of the Shenxiao Taoist sect, the Shenxiao Yuqing Wanshou Palace! Even the famous Xiangguo Temple in Bianjing City is far inferior to this Wanshou Palace.
At this moment, Wang Xuan stepped into the Taoist temple and walked straight into the temple.
Soon, a young Taoist priest stepped forward and stopped Wang Xuan. After performing a Taoist salute, he politely said, "This layman, our Taoist temple is only open to the public in the first ten days of each month. If you wish to come and offer incense, you can come in a few days later."
"You're quite polite, young Taoist priest, much better than the Taoist priests at Zixu Temple," Wang Xuan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. He felt a little embarrassed to make a move when others treated him so politely.
"What? Zixu Temple?" The young Taoist's expression changed immediately. Zixu Temple was also a major Taoist temple in the north, and it had recently been wiped out, causing a huge uproar within Taoism. Shenxiao Tao, which now controls all Taoist affairs, would naturally be aware of this news.
Wang Xuan didn't bother the young Taoist priest. He leaped over the priest's head, his feet stomping across the air, each stomp propelling him forward two or three meters.
This was the Lingxu Step that Wang Xuan had just mastered. He took more than thirty steps in the void, leaping more than a hundred meters before landing back on the ground.
The young Taoist priest stared at Wang Xuan, mouth agape, speechless. After a long while, he finally came to his senses and shouted, "Oh no! Someone is forcibly breaking into the Taoist temple!"
The Taoist priests who were doing their morning prayers at Wanshou Palace were startled by the shouts and were about to arrest Wang Xuan.
Wang Xuan used the Lingxu Step, his movements were mysterious and unpredictable, and no Taoist could even touch the hem of his robe.
"I didn't expect that most of the Taoists of Shenxiao Sect don't have any cultivation. They're just like the Taoists in ordinary Taoist temples." Wang Xuan frowned. These ordinary Taoists were not his targets.
He searched everywhere in the Longevity Palace, quickly turning the entire Taoist temple into chaos.
"Amitabha!" Just then, a soft shout came to Wang Xuan's ear. The voice seemed to contain a trace of spiritual energy, which could calm people's minds.
The Taoist temple, which had been noisy, quickly quieted down.
Wang Xuan looked in the direction the sound came from and saw a middle-aged Taoist priest dressed in a gorgeous purple robe, smiling at him.
The Taoist priest appeared to be quite ordinary, having never practiced any martial arts, but Wang Xuan dared not be careless in the slightest.
Because Wang Xuan's keen innate spiritual sense could detect that the suddenly appearing Taoist priest possessed enormous energy.
"Are you Lin Lingsu from the Divine Firmament Jade Void Longevity Palace?" Wang Xuan asked.
“That’s right, I am Lin Lingsu.” The Taoist priest was not surprised at all by Wang Xuan’s arrival, and sighed softly, “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, visitor from outer space!”
"What?!" Wang Xuan was shocked. He hadn't expected Lin Lingsu to have figured out his background!
According to Wang Xuan's thinking, even a Celestial Realm expert like Lu Bu from the main world would never be able to recognize him as a visitor from another world. However, Lin Lingsu was able to see through the secret in one breath. How could this not shock him?
Could it be that Lin Lingsu's cultivation level is even higher than Lü Bu's, comparable to martial arts supernatural powers, and that she can connect with heaven and earth with her divine sense, thus discovering that Wang Xuan is incompatible with the Water Margin world?
But that's not right. Although Lin Lingsu's body contains a rich spiritual energy, it's at most equivalent to the twelfth level of the Acquired Martial Arts Realm, which is much weaker than Wang Xuan's.
Wang Xuan activated his Golden Eyes of Qi, turning his eyes golden as he looked at Lin Lingsu.
A golden strand of innate fortune stood atop Lin Lingsu's head, surrounded by clouds formed from countless red and white threads of fortune, which Wang Xuan found incredibly enviable.
"Who would have thought that Lin Lingsu's luck could be compared to Song Jiang's!"
Song Jiang is the destined protagonist of the Water Margin world. Even if Lin Lingsu is the Grand Preceptor of the Song Dynasty, her luck can never compare with his. This person is definitely not simple!
Wang Xuan was surprised, little did he know that Lin Lingsu was equally astonished. Wang Xuan's golden eyes seemed to see through all his secrets.
"Fellow Daoist, I know what you've come here for. This isn't the place to talk. Come with me." Lin Lingsu said to Wang Xuan, then turned and left, not even worried that Wang Xuan might ambush her from behind.
Wang Xuan hesitated for a moment, but ultimately followed behind the other person.
Before long, they arrived at a pavilion surrounded by water on all sides. The area within dozens of meters of the pavilion was entirely within the lake, ensuring no one could hear their conversation.
"If you have anything else to say, say it quickly. If you delay even a moment, I won't be able to resist attacking you directly," Wang Xuan said calmly.
Lin Lingsu didn't waste any words and went straight to the point: "I believe you have already guessed that our Shenxiao Dao is related to the Taiping Dao of the late Eastern Han Dynasty."
"That's right, the Divine Firmament Path and the Great Peace Path are of the same lineage, and the origin of our lineage can be traced back to the time of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors!"
"In ancient times, our world was once full of spiritual energy. There were not only countless human experts who cultivated Qi, but also strange beasts that roamed the world. It was not until Emperor Zhuanxu severed the connection between heaven and earth that the world level dropped, and it gradually became a world in the end times with depleted spiritual energy."
"Our lineage is the legacy left behind by the Great Emperor Zhuanxu!"
"You are actually descendants of Emperor Zhuanxu?" Wang Xuan asked, both surprised and curious, "What exactly did Emperor Zhuanxu do back then that caused the entire world's ranking to drop?"
In mythology, Emperor Zhuanxu severed the connection between heaven and earth, preventing gods from easily descending to the mortal realm to influence humankind.
However, although the world of Water Margin was a world of high martial arts in ancient times, it was still inferior to the main world and it was absolutely impossible for it to give birth to the Heavenly Realm.
"The truth will probably shock you. Emperor Zhuanxu severed the connection between heaven and earth by gathering the will of all living beings to challenge the will of the world, thus severing a corner of the world's will and sealing it away to cultivate and refine it." Lin Lingsu's words were shocking: "The emperor's idea back then was very simple: he wanted to cultivate a Heavenly Dao that belonged to him!"
Wang Xuan: "!!!"
Chapter Forty-Nine: The Embryonic Form of the Heavenly Dao!
No matter how many guesses Wang Xuan had, he never expected the truth to be like this.
Emperor Zhuanxu was incredibly powerful; he actually started a Heavenly Dao cultivation plan.
If Emperor Zhuanxu had truly cultivated a Heavenly Dao, the world of Water Margin would likely have undergone a transformation, becoming a world of gods and demons comparable to the main world. Zhuanxu could then have ascended to godhood and achieved immortality!
Unfortunately, the Water Margin world has not only failed to evolve, but has actually fallen in level. It's clear that it was ruined by Zhuanxu!
Lin Lingsu continued, "The Great Emperor succeeded back then, but he also failed. He did manage to extract a wisp of the world's will, seal it away, and nurture it, but the time required to nurture the Heavenly Dao far exceeded his expectations."
"Even when the Great Emperor's lifespan was exhausted, he still had not cultivated the Heavenly Dao, so he had to pass it on to his successor."
"Our lineage upholds the will of Emperor Zhuanxu and is determined to cultivate a Heavenly Way that belongs to us, replacing the old Heaven with the Heaven of our lineage!"
“Throughout history, there have been people of our lineage who sacrificed their lives for the cause. Zhang Jiao of the Way of Peace at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty was one of them. Now it’s my turn.”
After saying all this, Lin Lingsu stared intently at Wang Xuan and extended an invitation to him: "The reason I'm telling you all this is because you come from another world. Your aura is incompatible with this world, and you are rejected by the will of the entire world."
“You and I are both enemies of this world! You have reached such a level of cultivation in this environment where spiritual energy is depleted, which is the limit that the world’s will can tolerate.”
"If you don't want your cultivation to be stuck at this point for the rest of your life, joining our Divine Firmament Path is the best choice! Let's change this fate together, and we might even become gods or saints in the future!"
It has to be said that Lin Lingsu's proposal was very tempting. If Wang Xuan were just an ordinary transmigrator, destined to live his entire life in the Water Margin world, he would most likely have agreed.
However, Wang Xuan possesses the Eternal Tower of Heaven and Earth, a supreme treasure that allows him to traverse countless worlds. How could his cultivation be limited by the power ceiling of the Water Margin world?
However, Wang Xuan was still very interested in the Heavenly Dao cultivation plan that Lin Lingsu mentioned. He drew his sword and coldly shouted, "Where is the Heavenly Dao you're cultivating? Hand it over, and I might spare your life!"
"What a pity, good advice is useless against a damned ghost!" Lin Lingsu looked at Wang Xuan with the eyes of someone looking at a dead man, when suddenly a blue jade talisman appeared above his head.
This jade talisman is the mother talisman of the Yellow Heaven Fortune Talisman, and it was also the treasure that Emperor Zhuanxu used to seal a wisp of the world's will!
Wang Xuan sensed an extremely terrifying aura emanating from the Yellow Heaven Fortune Talisman, as if a primordial beast were slumbering within it. The mere presence of this aura caused Wang Xuan's entire body to tremble!
"Is this the nascent form of the Heavenly Dao that Emperor Zhuanxu cultivated back then?" Wang Xuan dared not be negligent and took the initiative to strike first. He unleashed the full power of his sword, which was the first move of the Burial Sword Technique - Azure Sky Collapse!
But before his sword could strike, Lin Lingsu slapped him with her palm.
A bolt of purple lightning actually shot out from Lin Lingsu's palm!