“All under heaven, the myriad Dao arts originate from the Dao Sect.”
This saying was widely spread throughout the Nine Provinces. Though exaggerated, it clearly reflected the position of the Dao Sect within the cultivation world of the Nine Provinces. Among the external aids most commonly used by cultivators, there were four categories: pills, spirit treasures, runes, and formations.
The Pill Refining Peak, Artifact Forging Peak, Rune Peak, and Formation Peak of the Dao Sect reigned supreme in these four arts. Anyone wishing to master these paths of external aid had no choice but to pass through the Dao Sect. Jiang Li and the Holy Maiden Jing Xin arrived before the gates of the Artifact Forging Peak.
A little girl, no older than seven or eight, stood there with a few guards beside her. Even though they had restrained their auras, Jiang Li could sense that the strongest of them was at the Union Stage, while the rest were all capable cultivators of the Spirit Transformation Stage. Clearly, they belonged to some great power.
“Uncle, you can’t go in there,” the little girl cried out just as Jiang Li was about to step forward.
“My Father Emperor and Uncle Feng are refining an artifact inside. Father Emperor said that before the refinement is complete, no one is allowed to enter!”
“What an adorable little princess. What’s your name?”
The Holy Maiden Jing Xin, seeing how the little girl’s jade-carved features made her look like a doll, felt her heart warm and reached out to gently pat her head.
“Don’t touch me!”
The little girl shook her head fiercely and escaped from Jing Xin’s hand, putting her hands on her hips.
“Hmph! I am the Nineteenth Princess of the Great Zhou, Ji Kongkong!”
“Oh? Then your father must be Ji Zhi?”
Jiang Li rubbed his fists together, interest lighting up in his eyes. He hadn’t expected to run into Emperor Zhou Ji Zhi here. It was definitely Ji Zhi who had leaked his identity as a fake Dao Sect Walker to Dao Sect Master Bai Hongtu!
“Uncle, you know my father?”
Ji Kongkong looked at Jiang Li, liking him immediately when she saw the Human Emperor mask on his face. She idolized the Human Emperor Jiang Li greatly. Could someone who admired the Human Emperor possibly be a bad person?
That was what little Ji Kongkong thought. Obviously, she knew nothing of what had happened with her Third Brother. The few guards surrounded the trio subtly, clearly intending to protect the princess.
The leading guard asked, “Do the two of you know our Majesty?” They were nervous—these two were unfathomable in cultivation, certainly both Union Stage experts. If they harbored ill intent toward the princess, there was no way the guards could stop them.
“No need to be so tense,” Jiang Li laughed, removing his mask to reveal a face identical to the one on it.
“After all, your Majesty and I are old friends.”
“The Imperial Guards of Emperor Zhou greet the Human Emperor Jiang!”
When the guards recognized him, their tension melted away and they hurriedly bowed. Ji Kongkong’s mouth fell wide open—enough to swallow a whole egg.
“Uncle, you really are the Human Emperor Jiang? Father told me stories about you!”
“Oh? And what did he say?”
“Father said you’re the great hero of the Nine Provinces, a True Immortal reborn in the mortal world! He told me about how you became the Human Emperor, about your hardships, and how you safeguarded the Nine Provinces together with him against the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demons!”
Ji Kongkong waved her arms and spoke excitedly, trying her best to retell the bedtime tales Emperor Zhou had once told her.
“Hahaha! So that’s how Ji Zhi talks about me!”
Jiang Li burst out laughing. He decided that when he gave Ji Zhi his beating later, he would go easy on him for the princess’s sake.
“Does artifact forging not require peace and silence? Ji Zhi doesn’t even know how to forge—what’s he doing in there?”
Jing Xin asked curiously. Jiang Li chuckled.
“You forget—Ji Zhi possesses double pupils. That will be of tremendous help in artifact forging.” …
Inside Artifact Forging Peak, Ji Zhi and the Artifact Forging Peak Master were busy studying the refining process.
“If we increase the firepower by ten percent half an hour later, do you think it’ll work?”
The Peak Master scribbled furiously over a large piece of paper covered with messy diagrams and annotations detailing the steps of the forging process. He would write, erase, change, then write again—it looked chaotic, but thorough. Artifact refining always carried the risk of furnace explosion.
A single failed attempt could ruin most of the expensive materials, so the Peak Master tended to go over every detail repeatedly before starting, including fire intensity, material ratio, structure, and balance. It was an exhausting and meticulous task. Thankfully, he had Emperor Zhou’s help this time, which made things considerably easier.
Ji Zhi’s double pupils grew deep and mysterious, as though he could perceive all things hidden behind reality.
“No, that won’t work. The furnace will explode.”
Ji Zhi could already see the failure in the near future following that method.
“Hmm… then what if we replace the Heaven Mountain Pure Water with Snow Mountain Pure Water?”
“No, that explosion would be even bigger.”
“Then…”
“No…”
“What about…”
“No…”
“And this?”
“Eh, this one should succeed!”
After running countless simulations through Ji Zhi’s double pupils, the two finally fixed upon a successful procedure. Ji Zhi was exhausted, breathing heavily. Even for him, constantly peering through time and space was mentally draining, so he rarely used his double pupils lightly.
“Hm?”
Ji Zhi’s face suddenly darkened.
“What is it?”
The Peak Master looked up.
“I just saw that when I walk out of that door later, someone will beat me up.”
“Who could it be?” the Peak Master asked, intrigued but unconcerned.
After all, if Ji Zhi could foresee it, couldn’t he simply avoid it?
“It’s Jiang Li!”
The Peak Master fell silent for a long moment. Well, that made sense. Ji Zhi was famous for his loose tongue—he must have said something that irritated Jiang Li.
Patting Ji Zhi on the shoulder, the Peak Master said slowly, “Hmm… I’ll go fetch a Great Rejuvenation Pill from the Pill Refining Peak. If that doesn’t work, I have some friends in the Corpse Shepherd Sect.”
Then, without giving Ji Zhi any chance to escape, he pushed the door open and slipped out.
“Your heart is as black as the bottom of a furnace!”
Ji Zhi cursed after him, just in time to see Jiang Li stroll in, smiling, and shut the door behind him. If it had been within Great Zhou territory, Ji Zhi might still have confidence to exchange a few rounds with him. But here, within the Dao Sect…
“Don’t hit the face!”
“Of course.” …
After a completely one-sided “battle,” Jiang Li walked out of the Artifact Forging Peak refreshed and cheerful. Together with the Holy Maiden Jing Xin, he made his way to the Pill Refining Peak to pay a visit to its Peak Master—and to the Artifact Forging Peak Master, who apparently had no intention of refining anything for the moment. …
A few days later, the long-awaited showcase of immortal artifacts from all great powers finally commenced. Although called a “showcase,” it was in truth a stage for duels. Representatives from the Human Emperor Palace, the Six Great Sects, the Nine Great Imperial Dynasties, and the Four Seas all filled the viewing stands.
A few powers, such as the Great Wei Dynasty, were notably absent. Behind the audience, a tall platform had been constructed, and atop it rested a luminous seal. Two fish of yin and yang intertwined and rotated behind it endlessly.
For many present, it was their first time beholding the Yin-Yang Heavenly Seal. They felt as if this seal encompassed heaven and earth itself—boundless, unfathomable, radiating a might that could pierce through the skies.
At the same time, it carried the profound sense of cause and effect—fruits born of causes, causes giving birth to fruits—all karmic threads merged into this single seal. Some even felt a strange affinity, as if fate itself destined them to inherit the seal.
If not for the numerous esteemed figures watching from above, someone might indeed have rushed the stage to seize the Heavenly Seal by force. Such was its power: it could not only enlighten all things but also unleash karmic attacks that no defense could withstand.
Immortal Elder Changcun had once proclaimed that even in the Immortal Realm, the Yin-Yang Heavenly Seal was an extraordinary immortal artifact of tremendous power. The dueling platforms were not built on the ground but suspended in the sky. Since Union Stage cultivators wielding immortal artifacts would unleash far too much destructive power, ground battles were impractical.
High above, the Dao Sect had activated a grand formation to shield the onlookers from the shockwaves of the upcoming duels.
(End of Chapter)