Li Shimin gave Jiang Liu a great deal of face, appointing him as the top scholar in the imperial examination.
Xie Hong's literary talent was not bad, but if he were to rely solely on his own abilities to take the imperial examinations, he would at most become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest level of the imperial examinations). To become the Zhuangyuan (the top scholar in the imperial examinations), he would need to study for at least another ten years.
Xie Hong knew that his success in becoming the top scholar was largely due to Jiang Liu, and being no pedantic scholar, he readily accepted the honor.
When Jiang Liu entered Chang'an, the results of the imperial examinations were just being announced, and the newly appointed scholars were parading through the streets.
On Zhuque Avenue, Xie Hong, adorned with a large flower, mounted his steed, riding with the spring breeze in his step. The street was packed with people; who wouldn't want to witness the brilliance of the top scholar?
In the officialdom of the Tang Dynasty, a new star is rising.
"The Xie family is about to rise again!"
In a quiet garden in Chang'an, several middle-aged men dressed in fine clothes sat facing each other, discussing Xie Hong, the dark horse of the city.
“The Xie family has been in decline for a long time. It will take at least a hundred years for them to rise again!” A middle-aged man with a resolute face and a strong build put down his teacup and said.
"Lord Zheng, don't you know?"
"What do you know?" the middle-aged man asked.
"It's normal that your Zheng family, who have lived on the border for so long, wouldn't know. According to our investigation, Xie Hong..." Before he could finish speaking, he pointed to the sky.
"Immortal?" The middle-aged man named Zheng Gong uttered a single word, his face showing surprise: "So that's how it is!"
"Therefore, our five surnames and seven prominent families may become six surnames and eight prominent families!"
"Then tomorrow, we'll go and pay a visit to this new tycoon!"
...
Ever since that night, Li Shimin had harbored the idea of achieving immortality. However, despite obtaining cultivation manuals and meditating for three days, he accomplished nothing.
Therefore, they placed their hopes on Jiang Liu.
He remembered every word Jiang Liu had said that day. To gain something, you must give something in return. Li Shimin couldn't calculate the price of shortening his lifespan, but he knew that no amount of gold or silver could buy it back.
When Jiang Liu returned to Zhongnan Mountain, Tieguai Li and Han Zhongli appeared in front of the mountain. It seemed they had been waiting for him all along.
Tieguai Li clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, “Fellow Daoist, we have already wasted several months in Chang’an City, and it is time to leave. Now, we have gathered all the materials to refine the Breaking God Pill, and we cannot wait any longer. If the refining of this batch of pills goes smoothly, it will be completed in three years. At that time, I will share some with you. I hope that my three years of secluded alchemy will be successful!”
Han Zhongli, fanning himself with a banana leaf fan, said, "At Fellow Daoist Li's request, I am assisting in alchemy. See you again in three years!"
Jiang Liu took out some Dragon Tooth Rice and said, "I have nothing to give you, so I'll give these spirit grains to you two fellow Daoists. I wish you both success in refining the God-Breaking Pill and reaching the Celestial Immortal realm in one fell swoop... See you in three years!"
Tieguai Li and Han Zhongli accepted the spirit grain without ceremony, saying, "Zhang Guo is now in your care, fellow Daoist. Farewell."
After saying this, the two rode away on the clouds.
As soon as Jiang Liu entered Yuan Tiangang's small cave, Yuan Tiangang looked him up and down, as if he wanted to get to know him again.
"Why do you look at me like that?" Jiang Liu said.
Yuan Tiangang shook his head and said, "I understand you less and less. Three days ago, the Tang Emperor asked me which mountain in Zhongnan Mountain was the best blessed land, and I said Taiyi Mountain. Then, he bestowed Taiyi Mountain upon you. Not just a verbal bestowal, but a decree made in a sacrificial ceremony. For this emperor, as long as the Tang Dynasty survives, the area within a hundred miles of Taiyi Mountain will be the sacred mountain of your Qianlong Temple, and no one, god, immortal, or demon may enter without permission. You should know that throughout history, only a handful of places, such as Longhu Mountain, Maoshan Mountain, and Gezao Mountain, have received such treatment."
"Oh! Then I'll be your neighbor from now on," Jiang Liu said with a smile, but in his heart he was excited: It seems that after that night, Li Shimin had the idea of immortality! Haha, the fish has taken the bait, and the power of my Qianlong Temple is now established.
"Come on, let's go see your cave! I've been asked to go with you!"
The two rode the wind, gazing at the Zhongnan Mountains, where towering ancient trees covered the entire mountainside. The Zhongnan Mountains were originally a blessed land of immortals, with beautiful peaks and secluded valleys. Taiyi Mountain was the most scenic spot in the Zhongnan Mountains, a fairyland within a fairyland.
Although it was already springtime and flowers were blooming at the foot of the mountain, the mountaintop remained cold, and a light snow was falling. Adorned by this snow, the view from the air was a vast expanse of white, a magnificent snowscape. As the two approached, the warm southern climate meant that plum blossoms were abundant in the mountains, their buds unfurling and blossoms opening. Along the cliffs and watersides, they were often seen blooming, defying the cold and vying for beauty, their delicate fragrance filling the air.
The empty mountains are quiet and spotless, with kingfishers chirping and birds bathing in the snow, their five colors shimmering, braving the cold to come and go, flying and leaping among the flowering trees, their colorful feathers and shimmering light reflecting off each other.
"What do you think of this scene?" Yuan Tiangang asked with a smile.
Jiang Liu looked around. The spiritual energy here was abundant, more than ten times better than that of Qianlong Mountain, and the scenery was like a fairyland. He nodded and said, "A fairyland on earth!"
"Haha, I'm glad you're satisfied. Now, mountain gods and local deities, show yourselves!"
Yuan Tiangang stomped his foot on the ground and let out a sharp shout.
Then, Jiang Liu saw an old man with a white beard emerge from the ground, leaning on a cane, his face ruddy. He looked at Yuan Tiangang, then at Jiang Liu, and immediately bowed, saying, "This old man is the local earth god of Zhongnan Mountain, paying respects to the two immortal masters. Could this immortal master be the master of Taiyi Mountain?!"
"Oh, the master of Mount Taiyi? You recognize me?" Jiang Liu asked, somewhat puzzled.
“Three days ago, the Human Emperor offered sacrifices to Heaven and bestowed this mountain upon the immortals. As a minor deity, I have received Heaven’s will and naturally know it.”
Just then, a burly man appeared in the void and bowed, saying, "Mountain God of Taiyi Mountain greets the Immortal Master!"
Yuan Tiangang waved his hand, and the mountain god and the local earth god disappeared again.
Jiang Liu immediately realized that the mountain god and the land god had not returned to Mount Taiyi, but had left directly.
"The mountain god and the earth god have left, so this Mount Taiyi now belongs to you, fellow Daoist. It would be best if you set up a protective barrier array to prevent demons from spying on it. My task is complete, and my junior brother has been waiting for me to deduce the changes in the human world for quite some time. I must take my leave now..." Yuan Tiangang laughed loudly and left cleanly and decisively.
As Jiang Liu strolled through the fairy mountains, he felt the scenery was increasingly beautiful and otherworldly.
As we ventured deeper into Mount Taiyi, a precipitous cliff suddenly appeared before us. A waterfall cascaded down its summit, the upper tier frozen, while the lower section roared with the sound of flowing water, like the tinkling of jade pendants. Before the cliff stood a lone plum tree, its blossoms a deep crimson. Its roots were gnarled and intertwined, its branches sprawling and majestic—a tree hundreds of years old, lying alone in the desolate mountains, appreciating its own solitary beauty.
"Such a beautiful scene, truly a blessed land indeed. Li Shimin, Li Shimin! You're trying to bribe me! However, while other immortals fear karma and stay away from the mortal world, I am not!"
Jiang Liu looked at the fairy mountain and felt genuine joy.
"Buzz..."
Suddenly, a buzzing sound filled Jiang Liu's mind, causing him to frown deeply!
Chapter 279 The World of Wizards
"Who are you?"
An image of a Taoist priest appeared in Jiang Liu's mind. He tried to see him clearly, but found him to be blurry. His face resembled his own, yet it was not quite like his own.
"We have existed in six worlds, don't you recognize me? Only by accumulating merit can I temporarily manifest!"
"You are the one who disappeared! You have finally appeared!" Jiang Liu exclaimed in shock. After so long, he had finally made contact with him again.
"The Great Dao is fifty, the Heavenly Evolution is forty-nine, therefore one is left. The Dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, three gives birth to all things; all things have birth and death, birth or death, death or birth, all are creation. The mortal world is three thousand feet deep, with greed or killing, sorrow or joy, there are causes and effects, intertwined with each other, forming countless eons, one eon after another, which is the immeasurable eon. Under the immeasurable eon, the cultivators of the Divine Land either live in seclusion, accumulate merit, or take other paths, their methods are limitless! Therefore, the Heavenly Dao is ruthless, regarding all living beings as ants; yet the Heavenly Dao is also compassionate, leaving a glimmer of hope for all living beings."
The Taoist priest uttered a few words and then gradually disappeared, but his voice echoed in Jiang Liu's mind: "The immeasurable calamity is approaching, and a great war among the heavens is about to begin. With your current strength, your true body must not enter the other world again. If you do, you will immediately suffer a backlash from the heavenly Dao of that other world. You must be careful!"
Jiang Liu immediately thought of the "Yang Shen" world. The final attack he suffered must have been the result of the backlash from the Heavenly Dao of the "Yang Shen" world.
"If even a wisp of your divine consciousness escapes into another world, you will be safe under my protection! I have two suggestions: first, seize a body in that other world; second, cultivate the techniques of that other world, and you will not suffer the backlash from its heavenly laws. In the great war of the heavens, let your reincarnated avatar be the vanguard..."
The sound faded into the distance until it disappeared completely.
Jiang Liu remained silent for a long time, then thought to himself: So, it seems my true body can't enter other worlds. To plunder cultivation resources, I can only possess another body and start cultivating from scratch. However, martial arts are unaffected by any world. Moreover, with the cycle of reincarnation from world to world, as long as I can return, I'll gain numerous clones…
Since his true form cannot enter the other world, Jiang Liu needs to seize the time to improve his cultivation level.
The Nine Cauldrons were used to suppress Mount Taiyi, causing evil spirits to flee. A sword formation was also set up to protect the entire Mount Taiyi, leaving only one passage into the mountain.
Outside the mountain gate, a grand hall is also under construction.
After settling his disciples in, Jiang Liu also went into seclusion. He was about to begin cultivating the seventh-grade Yin-Yang Nine Revolutions Pill he had obtained.
Yin and Yang, Nine Revolutions! Nine Revolutions, Returning to Emptiness!
According to Jiang Liu's estimation, as long as he absorbs the "Origin Seed," reaching the Void Reversal Realm after nine revolutions will not be a problem.
However, absorbing the "seed of origin" takes a lot of time.
What Jiang Liu lacks is time, especially since he cannot travel through time in his true form!
The Journey to the West is about to begin, and the great war of the heavens and the immeasurable calamity mentioned by "the one who has escaped" are like a mountain pressing down on Jiang Liu.
"The true body absorbs the seed of origin, and then a wisp of divine consciousness is separated to enter another world..."
In the newly opened cave on the main peak of Mount Taiyi, Jiang Liu sat cross-legged and began to contact "the one who has escaped". Looking at the many worlds, Jiang Liu did not know how to choose for a moment.
"The Calabash Brothers? But there's only one Seven-Star Pill. Its effects are unknown, but it's certain that it won't surpass the pills bestowed by Shennong. I won't go..."
"Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, Storm Riders, Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty... are far inferior to Journey to the West!"
"What remains are only some Great Thousand Worlds! The Great Thousand Worlds that have vanished are not revealed; it all depends on luck... Fine! Then you decide!"
With this thought in mind, Jiang Liu separated a wisp of his divine consciousness and threw it into the giant bronze gate.
The true body absorbed the "seed of origin," while that wisp of divine consciousness passed through the spatial barrier and the obstruction of time and space, falling into an unknown world.
Jiang Liu woke up with a terrible headache. Fortunately, his mental fortitude was strong enough that he didn't faint. Moreover, he discovered that his physical body wasn't very strong, at most only slightly stronger than an ordinary person.
"What world is this? Damn it, my mind is completely blank... Has this body suffered a soul attack? My memories are so fragmented!"
After a long while, Jiang Liu finally opened his eyes and looked around at his surroundings.
This is a huge laboratory, which appears to have been the site of a violent explosion; it is now a complete mess.
Jiang Liu looked at his chest stained with blood, sat up, and began to read the fragmented memories in his mind.
"I have arrived in a world ruled by wizards!"
"The world of wizards! I am a first-level wizard, this wizard tower, and the master of this body is a third-circle wizard! What an amazing world, there is no faith or gods, and the paths of cultivation are so different!"
"What am I studying? Why can't I find my memories? Oh! Here I am, is this studying the soul? Grafting the soul of one life into the body of another! Isn't this possession? Unfortunately, it has backfired and caused an energy explosion!"
Jiang Liu slowly absorbed the memories, gaining a general understanding of this wizarding world.
In the wizarding world, there are no such things as faith or gods.
Jiang Liu was certain that if his origins were exposed, those terrifying ancient wizards who had lived for countless eons would go mad, using all their power to capture him and then slice him into pieces for study.
Then, they prepared to invade the Journey to the West world. In the memories of this body, the power of those ancient wizards was earth-shattering, capable of slaying gods as easily as cutting melons.
Jiang Liu wasn't sure if it was true, but he was certain of the strength of a third-ring wizard. In comparison, Jiang Liu's combat power was no less than that of a beginner-level Earth Immortal.
Moreover, in my memory, this wizarding civilization had conquered countless worlds and killed some self-proclaimed gods. The wizards killed them all without hesitation and sliced them into pieces. Those powerful gods, although they had nothing to do with the gods in mythology who created the world and created the stars and the moon, how many could have created the world? Throughout history, in the Journey to the West world, there was only one Pangu.
"This is a vast and boundless world! Countless civilizations have submitted to the wizards..."
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door.
The heavy wooden door to the laboratory was pushed open, and a thin person shrouded in a black robe walked in.
A pair of scarlet eyes stared at Jiang Liu for a long time. Beneath the wide robe, the newcomer's skin was covered with hideous bumps. He said in a hoarse voice, "Green, my good apprentice, you didn't become an idiot despite the backlash of your soul! If you had become an idiot, I would have had good material to make into a combat puppet!"
"How about I give you a ride?" The cheap master of this body walked over with a sinister grin.
"Master, I succeeded! I succeeded in transferring my soul!" Jiang Liu shouted immediately. With his current strength, he was no match for this old monster and could only feign compliance.
Who made me possess the body of a cruel dark wizard's disciple?