"This Book of Changes contains the eight trigrams of heaven, earth, wind, thunder, water, fire, mountain, and lake, as well as the eternal moment, the supreme Taiji, and various hexagrams, ancient supernatural powers for predicting the future. Every word is profound, and one must savor each one as one reads it, for there are endless variations within it..."
"...The important thing is not these words, but to comprehend the Dao within them, or rather, to draw the Dao closer to oneself. This era, this vast world, belongs to Hong Yi. Even if I were to write these words first, I would not gain the Dao's approval, and would instead be rejected by it..."
"Now that Hong Yi has been compiled and the Dao of Change has been revealed, if I comprehend it further, the Heavenly Dao will no longer pay attention to me. Otherwise, I will be hunted down again like last time!"
“Yuan means the chief of goodness.”
“A gathering of the prosperous and auspicious.”
"Profit is the harmony of righteousness."
“Zhen is the core of affairs.”
"The changes in the main road are contained in these four words..."
After a long while, Jiang Liu put down what he was holding, turned around and looked back. Yujing City was already in sight in the distance.
"Hong Xuanji, Yang Pan, I'm here again! Are you ready?"
Chapter 459 Hong Xuanji and Yang Pan
The Great Empire of Zhongzhou, with its capital at Yujing.
The ultimate boss, Yang Pan, and the son of the Great Thousand Worlds, Hong Xuanji, still firmly control the country, and their power is at its peak. With the Ark of Creation in hand and having comprehended the ultimate principles of the I Ching, Yang Pan has reached the strength of a Creator who has undergone seven tribulations of lightning. He has also mastered the Vacuum Great Handprint to perfection, and holds the true copy of the Future Unborn Scripture, thus condensing the Lord of the Future.
In this vast world, apart from the Supreme Dao Sect Master Meng Shenji and the Epoch Son Hong Yi, this pair of ruler and minister are the strongest.
The Marquis of Wuwen's mansion, still as magnificent as ever, lies in the southeast of Yujing City, covering a hundred acres with an open and expansive terrain. At the main gate stand a pair of red-lacquered stone-carved Qilin, each three people tall, and the vermilion gate is adorned with gleaming copper nails and rings. It can be said that this is the most powerful family in the Great Gan Empire besides the royal family.
However, the young man who used to quietly study was no longer in the Marquis's mansion. Upon its release, the book became a bestseller, with everyone from commoners to high-ranking officials considering it an honor to own a copy. Yet, not a single page of the Book of Changes could be found in the Marquis's mansion.
Jiang Liu stepped into the city once more, transforming himself and entering the Wu Wenhou Mansion. For Jiang Liu, who possessed the "Thousand Transformations" physical body, this vast world was already invincible. However, he knew that the true powerhouses were all in the Tomb of the Philosophers, including the Longevity Emperor, the Daoist of Creation, and other ancient sage emperors. If he could escape, he could easily defeat several experts who had undergone nine tribulations of lightning in the blink of an eye.
That night, the Marquis's residence was peaceful. At dawn, Hong Xuanji stepped out of the residence and went straight into the palace.
In the Imperial Study of Yujing City.
Emperor Yang sat cross-legged on the dragon throne, while Grand Tutor Hong Xuanji stood beside the desk, which was several meters long and wide, on which was placed an enormous map.
This map is a large map of everything that can be explored, including Da Gan, Yun Meng, Yuan Tu, the Western Regions, Shen Feng, hundreds of overseas countries, and the Wilderness.
It is a unique and vast map in the world today.
No one knows how big the world really is. Even the philosophers of the Middle Ages and the ancient sage emperors could not figure it out. However, many people have explored it and left behind huge maps.
"Recently, according to intelligence reports from the sea, it seems that someone has begun to establish a country on this continent, hundreds of thousands of miles away! Xuanji, who do you think it is? Are they people who fled from beyond the heavens, or are they invading from the Central World? Or are they the extraterrestrial demons collecting faith... We must be wary of all of this. I want to send an expert to investigate, but I haven't found anyone I can trust." Emperor Gan, Yang Pan, suddenly pointed to a desolate landmass beyond the East Sea on the map.
"A mystery? A mystery..."
Emperor Yang asked a question, but did not hear Hong Xuanji speak. He raised his head and saw that Hong Xuanji's eyes were fixed on the "Ninety-Nine Provinces of the Great Qian" map, as if he was lost in thought.
For a celestial being to lose focus is extremely abnormal.
You should know that even a martial arts master has a very high level of concentration.
After being called several times, Hong Xuanji seemed to finally come to his senses and quickly bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I was just lost in thought. Please forgive me."
"Have you encountered some problems in your cultivation recently?" Emperor Yang Pan asked with concern, then frowned. "You are my closest confidant. If something happens to you, how can I defeat the Central World? How can I expel the extraterrestrial demons? How can I establish an everlasting dynasty?"
"I am fine, but I have encountered a bottleneck after reaching the essence of the fist. I have been pondering it every day, but I am finding it difficult to break through. I have become a little impatient." Hong Xuanji straightened up and lowered his eyelids as he said, "We have had many contacts with the Outer Heavens and the Central World. Although expelling the extraterrestrial demons is the primary goal, the leader of the Central World, Xu Yi, wants to destroy our Great Thousand World. We must be on guard... After all, the demons have already fled, and more and more forces from the Outer Heavens have descended."
Emperor Yang Pan smiled, his hand stroking the "Imperial Jade Seal," an aura of absolute control naturally emanating from him: "The people of the Outer Heavens, I will eventually control them all. I have been studying diligently for many days, and have already broken through. Moreover, my immortal primordial spirit has truly merged into my soul, and the 'Scripture of No Future' has truly reached its peak, allowing me to condense the Lord of the Future. Once the Lord of the Future is complete, the Ark of Creation can truly be restored. With the Lord of the Future and the Ark of Creation, sooner or later I will launch a counterattack on the Central World, reclaiming the Panxing that Xu Yi has painstakingly cultivated, as well as the Minister of Peace and the Minister of Shennong—I can appoint them all as Grand Secretaries of the Inner Cabinet..."
"Your Majesty's magnanimity is truly that of a sage emperor who can unify the universe." Hong Xuanji exclaimed, "Although there are many powerful beings in the Outer Heavens, only the Central World poses a threat. If Your Majesty and I were to repel this invasion of the Central World, no one in heaven or earth would be able to stop our progress in reforming the empire, not even my wicked son Hong Yi."
"Now I have reached the realm of Creator. Throughout history, countless people have been stuck outside the Gate of Creation, unable to enter. Once you enter the Gate of Creation, you become a saint or an immortal." Emperor Gan Yang Pan placed his broad palm on the map, as if to encompass the entire world and make it his personal possession: "Unfortunately, my attainment of the Creator was inspired by the Book of Changes. That Quasi-Saint, if he cannot be used by me, I will have no choice but to kill him..."
“Perhaps we can take advantage of this… The Outer Heavens are about to invade the Great Thousand Worlds, and this wicked son will definitely be the vanguard of resistance. Your Majesty can let him lead the charge, deplete his strength, and then capture and kill him in one fell swoop!” Hong Xuanji said in a deep voice.
"He can't be that stupid, can he?" Emperor Yang Pan asked.
"No one understands his character better than I do. He is very likely to cooperate with the court. This wicked son follows the way of the gentleman, doing everything uprightly. Moreover, he wants to gain a great reputation from resisting the Heavenly Outer Heaven. The way of the gentleman in the Book of Changes has earned him the approval of the Great Dao, but it has also bound him to it." A hint of sarcasm appeared on Hong Xuanji's face.
Yang Pan's brows relaxed slightly. He opened the small world within the Imperial Jade Seal and said, "This can indeed be put to use. However, one's own strength still needs to be enhanced. The Creation Ship needs to be thoroughly repaired, and the armor needs to be forged. These are urgent matters. The leader of the Central World possesses the strength of nine tribulations and has the Yang God thought of Emperor Pan. I am under great pressure! Now that Yuan Qi God has been fattened up and can be killed! My dear minister, prepare well and kill him in one fell swoop..."
"Your Majesty, I am ready..."
Hong Xuanji followed Yang Pan into the minor world within the Imperial Jade Seal, a strange smile appearing on his lips.
Chapter 460 The Wheel of Life and Death in the Heavens
"If you are not Xuanji, then who are you?"
Yang Pan narrowed his eyes, his gaze as deep as the starry sky.
"Vacuum Great Handprint! Boundless past, immortal future, immortal primordial spirit, Void Seal, freeze space! Seal!"
Hong Xuanji raised his eyelids and saw eighty-one main divine thoughts appear behind Yang Pan's head. Each main divine thought was ten times stronger than the other thoughts. They were grouped into nine groups to form a strange symbol, and the nine symbols intertwined to form a strange array, like the nine stars of the sky, giving people a feeling of "chaotic world".
At that instant, after slightly sensing an anomaly, Yang Pan immediately unleashed the Vacuum Great Handprint.
A giant hand appeared in the air, instantly emitting golden light and chanting, freezing the space. It formed the "Empty Hand Seal," causing the entire space to tremble and ripple endlessly before calming down, completely sealed off and frozen.
With the release of the Vacuum Handprint, the space was amplified a thousandfold, like a cage that tightly imprisoned Hong Xuanji.
"Your Majesty, what's wrong with Brother Hong?"
A tall, imposing Taoist priest, wearing a crown and a demonic robe, emerged from the small world. He appeared to be in his early twenties, but beneath the crown was an undeniable air of authority, especially his eyes, whose pupils were pitch black, filled with boundless hatred.
"Yang Lie, even you didn't see his flaw?"
Yang Lie, the Secret Prince and Emperor Lietian, was the number one demonic cultivator a thousand years ago. Now he has appeared in the small world of the Imperial Jade Seal, which clearly means he has pledged allegiance to Yang Pan.
"Flawless, Yang Chan, have you seen through it?"
“No, but since His Majesty has confirmed that this is not Grand Tutor Hong, then it really might not be…” Yang Chan, the incarnation of the dragon soul of Mount Taishi, appeared.
"Hehe... If I hadn't spent so many years with Xuanji and been so familiar with his every word and action, I really wouldn't have noticed his abnormality. However, now that he's imprisoned by my Vacuum Great Handprint, I'll have to see who is impersonating Xuanji!"
"Your Majesty, I am naturally Hong Xuanji..."
Hong Xuanji slowly raised his head. His pupils were completely dark, as if they could swallow the universe, encompassing and obliterating everything in the world. Darkness enveloped the void, swallowing even the Vacuum Handprint. There was no light in this world, only darkness remained!
"Demonic path, this is pure demonic divine power!"
Emperor Lietian cried out in shock. He was the number one demonic cultivator a thousand years ago, and now that he had witnessed true demonic supernatural powers, how could he not be shocked?
This is the demonic path of the terrifying god king. Jiang Liu invaded Hong Xuanji's soul with the method of "planting demons in the heart of the Dao". He also merged into Hong Xuanji's body with his ever-changing physical body. Although Hong Xuanji's soul was not destroyed, it was completely controlled by Jiang Liu.
Yang Pan's Vacuum Great Handprint, though possessing the power of a Creator, was unable to suppress Jiang Liu and was shattered in an instant.
"Attack together... Eternal Hatred Demon Palace! Eternal hatred, endless and without end! Heaven-Splitting Profound Art, annihilate the Ancestral God! Kill ...
"Nine Thousand Zen Kings, Shattering Zen Fist!" Instantly, an boundless and violent aura enveloped the entire Lesser Thousand Worlds.
"Xuanji, you've fallen into demonic possession? The void of heaven and earth, all the possibilities of the future, Immortal Primordial Spirit, take it away!"
Yang Pan unleashed the Vacuum Great Handprint once more, instantly freezing space. Chanting filled the air as the powerful and domineering Vacuum Great Handprint condensed and flew out, forming a perfect seal that slammed fiercely towards Hong Xuanji.
"I am naturally Hong Xuanji, and Hong Xuanji is also me!"
Faced with the attacks of the three masters, Jiang Liu controlled Hong Xuanji and grinned maliciously. A golden light overflowed, and a faint phantom of a crimson-gold divine dragon appeared between his brows and throughout the entire "Heavenly Court" area.
In this way, his body, which originally seemed to be the king of all gods who ruled over heaven and earth, gained an even more immeasurable aura of mystery.
With a slight thought, palm-sized scales, resembling dragon scales, immediately surged up all over his body. At the same time, horns and whiskers appeared on his head, and a dragon-head-like helmet was placed directly on his head.
Scales also surged up on his palms, and his two palms completely transformed into powerful dragon claws with long, sharp nails that could pierce through any hard substance in the world.
The Imperial Dragon Armor enveloped his physical body.
Then, his body detached from the ground, hovering silently and motionless, as majestic as a mountain.
Despite the onslaught of attacks, they remained completely unharmed.
In that instant, Emperor Yangpan raised his hand, and a vast surge of true energy rushed in, which was the "Central Wuji Void Great True Energy"!
"Hehe... Although I completely suppressed Hong Xuanji's physical body, even the Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique couldn't suppress his martial arts. His control over this body wasn't smooth enough... The fist intent of the Wheel of Life and Death is truly terrifying. I barely managed to suppress it with my Xuanxian Dao Fruit, and it couldn't even be eradicated..."
After a brief moment of restraint, the void around Hong Xuanji collapsed, and a vast fist intent blasted through the air. This fist intent was none other than the aura of the Wheel of Life and Death!
An overbearing aura that commanded all living beings filled the entire small world; this was the unique power of the "Wheel of Life and Death of the Heavens".
Hong Xuanji grinned with his dragon head, raised his arm high again, exhaled and uttered a mantra "Hum" from his mouth, causing waves of air to surge around him, and the sound almost solidified into a tangible form.
At the same time, his raised arm, like a **, smashed down from the center line, ignoring any attack, and his entire body covered in grotesque bone spurs, smashed to the bottom.
Among all the ultimate techniques in the cycle of life and death, one of the most powerful is the "Round Heaven Wheel"!
The target is none other than the Heavenly Emperor.
The Great Emperor of Rending Heaven immediately felt a suffocating sensation rising from the depths of his heart. Facing Hong Xuanji's attack, his arm slashed down like a wheel, and he tried to move, but he couldn't muster any strength.
The number one demonic cultivator a thousand years ago couldn't even withstand a single move.
"Oops!"
He immediately realized that his mind had been captivated by Hong Xuanji, causing him to lose control of his body for a brief period of time.
"Wheel...turns..."
In an instant, the Great Emperor of Rending Heaven exploded, and every drop of blood that fell was in a spinning state.
With a single move, "The Wheel of Life and Death of All Heavens," the Great Emperor of the Rending Heaven was reduced to pure essence. Hong Xuanji's physical body now is not the physical manifestation of his fist intent, but rather the result of Jiang Liu merging his physical body into it, reaching a state of endless transformation.
Hong Xuanji turned his head, his eyes fixed on Prince Yang Chan: "I spared your life back then, but since you didn't cherish it, then I have no choice but to take you away!"
"You...you are..." Yang Chan was the reincarnation of the dragon soul of Mount Taishi. Upon hearing Hong Xuanji's words, he immediately thought of the mysterious person whose Buddha's robe was stolen from the underground of the Great Zen Temple.
A mysterious figure known as an extraterrestrial demon.
Just as he was about to speak, Hong Xuanji turned his hand and used the Cycle of Life and Death to transform it into earth vein dragon energy, which he then devoured.
In just a few seconds, the two masters were completely killed, leaving only a deeply shocked Yang Pan behind.
Chapter 461 The Lord of the Future