Chapter 329: Boundless Merit, Turning the Tables

Chapter 329: Boundless Merit, Turning the Tables

  The elder with the title of Qianfa, who was more adept at the Dao, had long sensed the turmoil deep within the Ghostly Gorge. He believed that nothing unexpected would happen, after all, this was the domain of Mingxu, and within, the small ancestral patriarch held the authority over the Yin Earth. No one could cause chaos here.

  After much hesitation, he still ventured into the depths.

  As he entered, he witnessed the surging tide of Yin souls engulfing the heavens and earth, and his expression changed drastically:

  "Why has a corner of the Yin Earth been opened? Is it because of the Saint King's lineage?"

  His face grew anxious, "It's just a borrowed path for cultivation, and we are both of the Five Lineages. Why go to such extremes? In the future, we won't be able to see each other, how can you be so reckless in making enemies..."

  Yu Jiu's position in the Mingxu lineage was similar to that of Chi Ji and the Saint King's lineage.

  Speaking of seniority, he was considered a senior member of the Mingxu lineage. Otherwise, how could he have been entrusted by the Mingzhu to shoulder the responsibility of guarding and supporting Yu Jiu in this world?

  Just as he was about to transmit a sound to Yu Jiu, telling him not to act recklessly, countless Buddha lights appeared, and the heavens and earth were filled with golden body illusions.

  The elder's expression changed dramatically, and he exclaimed in shock:

  "Is... is that person here?!"

  The reckless one who dared to scold the Mingzhu back then!

  It was because of this person that the Mingzhu chose to merge with the Dao, suppressing countless Yin souls within the Divine Kingdom, and falling into an eternal slumber akin to death!

  The elder's face suddenly transformed, filled with fear, anger, and indignation...

  Finally, it turned into an unbelievable joy!

  The reappearance of this person meant that the promise made in the past was about to be fulfilled, and the Mingzhu would have a chance to awaken!

  "Arrogant!"

  The familiar voice of anger echoed through the heavens and earth.

  Hearing this voice, the elder's face turned solemn, and even though he was a descendant of the fourth generation of the Mingzhu, he still sternly transmitted a sound:

  "Silence!"

  "You unfilial..."

  ...

  "From now on, your Mingxu lineage owes our Sutian lineage a debt."

  Ji Jingqiu, who had pierced through the truth of the past, spoke earnestly.

  "Arrogant! You..." Yu Jiu was furious, about to say something, when suddenly, the voice of the guardian rang out in anger!

  "Silence! You..."

  Before he could argue with this voice, he turned around abruptly, and his gaze fixed on the Nine Yin Earth, which had closed and then reopened on its own.

  In the deepest part, a will awakened, so vast that it was almost comparable to the will of the great universe that had descended earlier. In an instant, life emerged from death, and the cycle of life and death intertwined, simultaneously possessing feelings of death, annihilation, vigor, vitality, coldness, and heat, all in opposition to each other.

  From the depths of the Yin Earth, a deep and solemn voice reverberated, its words brief yet unrefutable—

  "Yes."

  Yu Jiu stood there, stunned.

  This voice, transmitted from the depths of the Yin Earth, illuminated the various scenes within it. There was the eternal deathly silent sacred city, the death god's realm that had long turned into an ocean of vengeful spirits, and the dilapidated grayish temple...

  Infinite darkness spread like an abyss, with black air swirling and deathly intentions surging. Even a mere glance was enough to oppress one's heart.

  But at this moment, in the once dark and gloomy world, a pure land barrier of Liuli color emerged, like a bridge to the other shore, connecting the heavens and earth.

  "Mingxu lineage, today we accept your kindness."

  "When the end comes, we will bear your karmic debts and endure the tribulation on your behalf, thus clearing both our debts."

  The voice from the depths of the Yin Earth was solemn and grand.

  Ji Jingqiu clasped his hands, neither humble nor arrogant, accepting the Sutian lineage's promise on their behalf. Then, he turned and left, never once looking back at Yu Jiu.

  Yu Jiu seemed to want to say something, but he found that he couldn't speak. He took a deep breath, bowed to the opened Yin Earth, and realized that this matter was already sealed, leaving no room for further discussion.

  This left him puzzled. Clearly, it was the Sutian lineage that had broken their promise in the past, so why was it not mentioned at all today, and all the blame was shifted?

  The elder, who was still at the border of the Ghostly Gorge, received a sound transmission and bowed respectfully.

  Not far away, Ji Jingqiu crossed the void with his ability, 【Unreachable】, and took a few steps to exit the Ghostly Gorge.

  At the same time.

  "What do you mean by bearing our karmic debts and enduring the tribulation on our behalf? What agreement did you and that Mingzhu reach?" Hela asked, filled with doubt and uncertainty.

  "I'm not sure."

  Ji Jingqiu was straightforward and didn't turn back. He quickened his pace and walked away, thinking to himself,

  "I only saw a glimpse of the past, and it wasn't complete. I estimate that Mu Shi and that person had an agreement, and I'll ask Mu Shi about the specifics when I return."

  "Then what did you agree to just now?"

  "It's better to lose a battle than to lose face," Ji Jingqiu said bluntly. "The atmosphere has been built up to this point, and now it's embarrassing for Yu Jiu. If I keep asking, it'll be me who looks bad, and that person might not even answer."

  "Also..."

  "Showing that 'I don't know anything' isn't a good thing."

  Ji Jingqiu paused and spoke softly,

  "In short, it's best to run away quickly. In the past, Mu Shi cursed quite vulgarly."

  Hela snorted lightly, "That bastard sure knows how to curse people."

  "Ji Jingqiu, is it not a pity to lose such a profound report body? Even I couldn't see through the foundation of this report body, and it's definitely not inferior to the Supreme True Buddha." Hela spoke with a hint of regret, "In the future, he might even become the foundation for your third divided body in 【One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones】."

  Ji Jingqiu said, "This is the law of fate, and it is also where He attained the Dao. There is nothing to be regretted. It's just a matter of fate, and there will be opportunities to meet again in the future."

  "Ah, the workings of fate and chance?" Hela recalled the conversation she had with Ji Jingqiu about the path of cause and effect, and she couldn't help but chuckle, "What's this? Have you seen through the workings of fate and chance within the Sutian Lineage?"

Unexpectedly, Ji Jingqiu nodded.

"I have indeed had an epiphany."

Hela's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Where did this guy get his confidence from?

Ji Jingqiu's spiritual sight swept through the Inner Realm of Heaven and Earth. Compared to before, there was one familiar figure missing outside the Pure Land, making it feel somewhat empty.

However, he could always sense the presence of "Dizang," who had departed for the boundless Yin Earth, establishing a Pure Land, assimilating the Nine Yin Earth, and saving countless Yin souls.

"This time..." Ji Jingqiu murmured.

It was hard to say who was at a disadvantage.

Just as Hela was about to say something, a drop of water suddenly fell from the Bodhi tree branch into the pool.

Her expression changed instantly.

Was this... the water of merit?

This scene seemed familiar, reminding her of a similar one on the Ancient Road.

In the past, when Ji Jingqiu was refining his heart demon, he had also condensed a drop of water of merit, which fell into the lotus pond.

But compared to now, the amount and purity of that drop of water of merit were incomparable.

And this drop seemed to be just the beginning.

As she saw the second drop of water of merit slowly forming between the branches and leaves of the Bodhi tree, Hela's face paled slightly.

Was this... the merit gained from saving countless Yin souls?

Was it all attributed to Ji Jingqiu?!

Thinking of the countless Yin souls in the Yin Earth of Mingxu, Hela took a deep breath. This time, it was truly a long-lasting stream of merit, an endless source.

This lotus pond might truly become a pool of merit.

Speaking of which, since refining heart demons could produce water of merit, there was no reason why Wu Zhou, as the ancestor and source of all heart demons, couldn't do the same.

Hela raised her eyebrows and reached out to grab the weakened Wu Zhou, who was suppressed under the mountain of delusion. She ordered Little Wu Zhou to dig a hole under the Bodhi tree and then threw the "skin and bones" Wu Zhou into it. She then instructed Little Wu Zhou to fill the hole with soil.

The latter was furious. How dare this guy use them as fertilizer for his Bodhi tree?! If he didn't stop, she would uproot this Bodhi tree!

"Be quick about it, or I'll bury you too," a cold voice commanded.

Little Wu Zhou hurriedly lowered his head and dug a hole under the Bodhi tree, just the right size to fit another Wu Zhou.

...

"Brother Wanfa, my master has instructed me to send you out," said the elder, bowing to Ji Jingqiu as he emerged from the black mist.

"Brother Qianfa, you're too kind," Ji Jingqiu replied.

This time, the elder showed no surprise and smiled, "I thought you were from the lineage of the Holy King, but I never expected you to be a disciple of that master."

Ji Jingqiu's eyes widened in surprise, "Have you met my master before?"

The elder replied vaguely, "A brief encounter, but his brilliance was captivating and admirable."

Ji Jingqiu was moved. Could this elder have lived for three thousand kalpas?

But wasn't it said that even the masters of the Heavenly King Realm had a limited lifespan?

Could this elder be a fallen Heavenly Lord?

No, it didn't seem like it. If he were a fallen Heavenly Lord, his strength wouldn't be so "weak."

Becoming a Heavenly Lord, forgetting the self, refining the true Great Dao, and merging with Heaven and Earth—even if one fell from such heights, their experiences, knowledge, and spiritual insights would far surpass those of ordinary people.

"You're flattering me," Ji Jingqiu said modestly.

The elder laughed, "Brother Wanfa is too kind. Do you know about the 'Tidal Day' that will happen in a year?"

"Are you referring to the turmoil of the lower-level rules?"

"You could say that," the elder replied, "In our eyes, it's like the tide rising and falling. At that time, the Macroverse will gradually relax its restrictions, and the Heavenly Kings and Heavenly Lords will enter one after another."

Ji Jingqiu nodded.

The elder's smile faded, and he spoke solemnly, "Soon, the legacy of the Five Lineages will gradually manifest, and they won't allow the warriors of the Three Thousand Yanfu Ti to dominate the Macroverse."

"If you have time, you can come to the 'Divine Law Assembly.' The location and time are not yet fixed, but if it is held, it will be known throughout the world. At that time, the Mingxu Lineage will treat you as an honored guest."

"The Divine Law Assembly?" Ji Jingqiu nodded slightly, "Ji has taken note."

The elder's smile returned, and he handed over a map engraved with various patterns.

"The Mingxu Lineage is grateful, but currently, our disciples are scarce, and many powerful cultivators have yet to return. We don't have much to offer, so we present you with this treasure map. If you need anything, you can go and take it."

"Oh?" Ji Jingqiu became interested and took the treasure map. He noticed that it was marked with numerous special locations.

The resources recorded on this map far surpassed those on the star map given to him by the Ancient Road's will, likely due to the difference between paid and free.

"In that case, I won't be polite," Ji Jingqiu's smile became more sincere, "By the way, I heard that the Taiyin Shrine follows the Mingxu Lineage. What is the specific relationship between the two?"

The elder nodded, "That's true. The Taiyin Lord worshipped by the Taiyin Shrine is the third person of the Mingxu Divine System in ancient times. After our master fell into slumber, he took on the responsibility of maintaining the order of the lineage."

"When we return in the future, the Taiyin Shrine will become the new dojo of the Mingxu Lineage."

"Brother, if you ever pass by the Taiyin Divine Palace and require assistance, you can use this token. It's a token of offering from the Mingxu lineage."

Ji Jingqiu didn't rush to take the token but pondered for a moment before asking, "With this token, can I command the Palace Lord or the Divine Maiden of the Taiyin Divine Palace?"

"This..." The elder hesitated. The Taiyin Divine Palace was one of the foundations of the Mingxu lineage, and throughout the generations, the Divine Maidens had been the inheritors of the Supreme Law, the very core of the core.

As for the Palace Lord, there was no need to even mention it. In the future, within the Mingxu Divine System, they would always be among the highest-ranked.

Although the position of the offering was not low, the elder was still an outsider. How could he possibly compare himself to the direct lineage of the sect?

But then he remembered the manifestation of the Buddha's light and the scene of entering the Yintu. He gritted his teeth, took back the offering token, and handed over another one.

"This is the token of the highest-ranked 'Elder from an External Lineage' in the Mingxu lineage. Although it can't command the Palace Lord of the Taiyin Divine Palace, once they see it, they will naturally understand and do their best to assist you."

Ji Jingqiu's smile lit up as he accepted the jade token. "The Mingxu lineage is truly too polite. Ji will remember this."

The elder warmly said, "Brother, you've just endured the wind calamity. It's best to find a place to rest and quickly complete your rebirth. Don't delay the establishment of your foundation."

"Then I shall take my leave today."

Ji Jingqiu put away the jade token and departed gracefully.

He indeed needed to find a place to rest and complete his post-calamity reconstruction and rebirth.

As he watched Ji Jingqiu leave, Qianfa Daoren suddenly remembered something and quickly sent a secret message to him.

Ji Jingqiu paused, turned around, and bowed in gratitude to the person who had reminded him.

After Ji Jingqiu left, the elder hurried back to the plains. By this time, the Yintu had already been sealed, and even the Youjiu couldn't open it.

He stopped the approaching Youjiu and sternly warned, "That person has already left."

"The events of that year were so mysterious that even I haven't figured them out yet. There were several people involved, and some went against the flow. Don't bring it up again. Everything should be based on the Divine Lord's instructions!"

...

...

In a meteor cluster.

Wu Qianjing sat uneasily beside him, fearing that the meteor he was sitting on might collide with others.

Ji Jingqiu sat at the front end of a meteor.

He needed some time to complete his post-calamity rebirth but didn't want to waste time traveling. So, he found this meteor cluster and forcibly changed its direction, heading towards a hopeful destination.

It was like hitching a ride on a favorable wind.

At this moment, he was activating the Zhenling Pool, irrigating the heavens and earth, while dispersing the remnants of the dark wind between them.

After a great calamity, there must be a new beginning.

The arrival of the wind calamity also caused certain heavenly laws to be engraved and permeate every corner of this world, solidifying the "foundation" of the world.

Following Hela's suggestion, Ji Jingqiu tried to mix the water from the lotus pond in the inner heaven and earth with the rain clouds in the inner heaven and earth, causing a rainfall.

"This water, imbued with merit, greatly benefits the reconstruction of the heavens and earth."

Ji Jingqiu hadn't expected that the Guardian Deity would guide the vengeful spirits to rebirth, and there would be an endless stream of merit, all of which would be credited to him.

"Truly, good deeds are rewarded," Ji Jingqiu muttered to himself.

With the help of the water of merit, the rebirth of this heaven and earth was significantly enhanced.

After enduring the wind calamity, the "No-Heavenly Path Man" completed his rebirth in a month, with the help of the Wuxing Dazhen and various resources from Tiansheng Hu.

With only the Zhenling Pool and the water of merit, he estimated that it would take just over a month.

Half a month later...

Ji Jingqiu opened his eyes. The meteor cluster was now approaching a life planet, a blend of emerald green and azure blue.

The rebirth of the inner heaven and earth was halfway complete, and it no longer affected his performance, with his strength even surpassing that of before.

"Indeed, after a calamity, the inner heaven and earth will undergo a qualitative transformation. The more thoroughly the inner heaven and earth is destroyed, the greater the metamorphosis, and the deeper the imprint of heavenly laws."

"With my foundation, I must increase the difficulty myself. Otherwise, ordinary calamities will be like a gentle breeze."

Ji Jingqiu stood up from the meteor and took out the VIP star map he had obtained from Qianfa Daoyou. He confirmed his current location.

"Senior Wanfa, what are you doing on Huangyou Star?" Wu Qianjing finally saw Ji Jingqiu waking up from his closed-door cultivation and breathed a sigh of relief.

As far as he knew, this place was within the territory of the Tianmu Dynasty, just a tourist star.

"To meet the other party." Ji Jingqiu's smile was radiant, and he paused, "No, it's hard to say who is the other party now."

With the Guardian Deity entering the Yintu and assisting the Divine Lord in guiding the endless vengeful spirits, the relationship between their lineage and the Mingxu Divine System had undergone a reversal.

The final change in attitude from the Qianfa Daoren was precisely because he had realized this.

Wu Qianjing was a bit confused but still couldn't help asking, "Senior Wanfa, can you make these meteors change direction? Otherwise, I fear Huangyou Star won't be able to withstand the impact of this meteor cluster."

Ji Jingqiu nodded, "Rest assured, I have it under control."

...

...

Huangyou Star.

The ground was covered in fallen leaves, their dry crunch echoing with each step.

A man wearing a Taoist crown stood idly, waiting impatiently.

"Brother, are you sure this is the right place? Are we in the right spot? Could our sect be playing tricks on us?"

A man sitting cross-legged under a tree, meditating, opened his eyes and spoke calmly, "Our sect wouldn't play tricks on us, but that arrogant one might not be punctual."

Lin Yunxia, the man with the Taoist crown, clicked his tongue, "After all, he's one of the divine prohibitions of this era. I heard that the Southern Emperor has some 'history' with our Taiyin Shenggong. How did our sect manage to invite him?"

"They probably used the Nine Palaces' method."

"If you ask me, why bother spending money to invite him? With the Tian Shu Dynasty, even if we face the Tian Di Xuan Men and the Holy Temple at the same time, our Taiyin Shenggong would still have the upper hand." Lin Yunxia shook his head.

"Don't be careless." The Taoist under the tree opened his eyes, "Things are different now. These true sacred Taoist grounds have been accumulating for millions of years, and their foundation is immeasurable. Although these two sects don't have divine prohibitions, they already have disciples who have broken through the Heavenly Human realm and returned to inherit the Supreme Law. In terms of combat power at the Heavenly Human level, they might not lose to those divine prohibitions."

The Taoist paused, "Based on this alone, we're at a disadvantage. We must act quickly and decisively, not giving that person time to improve their cultivation realm or comprehend the Supreme Law."

"The Supreme Law..." Lin Yunxia sighed, "Why did I have to be born a man?"

Their Taiyin Shenggong had inherited three Supreme Laws from the Mingxu lineage.

Currently, two of the laws had found their masters, and one had already chosen a female infant not yet three years old.

The Taoist glanced at his mischievous junior brother and said indifferently, "That's not a problem. With martial arts reaching the Heavenly Human realm, changing gender is not difficult."

Lin Yunxia smirked but didn't respond.

After a while, he suddenly rubbed his hands together, his voice filled with excitement, "Hey, Brother, can we command that person to 'work' for us this time?"

The Taoist responded with a noncommittal 'hmm' to appease him, "You can try when the time comes."

"Tsk." Lin Yunxia showed his teeth, "I heard that some of the higher-ups have strange attitudes towards the Yan Huang Federation. If we let that person down, our ratings will surely rise when we return."

A Taoist named Yang Li sighed, "Do you have to risk your life for an uncertain future?"

Indeed, some of the higher-ups did view Ji Jingqiu with disfavor, mainly due to his master.

However, he had also heard that some of the higher-ups had ambiguous attitudes, which was why they had agreed to cooperate with the Nine Palaces this time.

In such a situation, it was best to do nothing.

"Just be well-behaved this time and don't provoke him." Yang Li instructed, "Let him deal with the Tian Di Xuan Men and the Holy Temple's martial artists. Huangting Star is already being unsealed, and we must quickly expel those two sects and take the lead. Everything else can wait..."

Suddenly, both men looked up.

They sensed some movement from beyond the stars.

"A meteor shower? Why didn't we receive any prior notice?" Yang Li frowned.

Lin Yunxia spoke up, "Brother, something's not right. There's someone up there!"

The meteor shower, which was approaching the planet's orbit, suddenly came to a halt. A figure looked down, observing the planet like examining a palm print.

The next moment, the two brothers' faces changed, and they instinctively split up, one going left and the other right, but they couldn't escape. Two hands grabbed their shoulders and brought them outside the planet.

Ji Jingqiu used the power of the Heavenly Dao Field to control the meteor shower and accelerated towards Huangting Star.

"But Brother Ji?" Yang Li saw Ji Jingqiu's face and felt slightly relieved. He cupped his hands and said, "We are disciples of the Taiyin Shenggong, sent to invite Brother Ji."

Lin Yunxia, standing next to him, quickly nodded and said, "That's right. Please follow us to Huangting Star, Brother Ji, to suppress the martial artists of Tian Di Xuan Men and the Holy Temple."

Suddenly, a jade plaque appeared in front of Yang Li.

Yang Li was stunned. As he looked closely, he recognized the characters 'Mingxu' on the plaque and his expression changed abruptly.

"Do you recognize this?"

Yang Li nodded absentmindedly and then hesitated, shaking his head.

He did recognize it but dared not admit it.

As members of the Taiyin lineage, and with the location being the former site of the Mingxu lineage, their sect had briefed them on the various rules and tokens of the Mingxu lineage before their departure, in case they encountered their own people.

If his memory served him right...

The holder of this jade plaque held a position equivalent to an outsider of the Supreme Elder, one of the most honored guests of the Mingxu lineage!

Where did Ji Jingqiu get this jade plaque?

From the ruins?

Or had he met the predecessors of the Mingxu lineage before them?

"As long as you recognize it." Ji Jingqiu nodded and smiled, "Gather the disciples and followers of your Taiyin Shenggong and have them help me search for something."

Yang Li smiled bitterly, "Disciple obeys."

Lin Yunxia, standing beside him, stared at the jade plaque, unable to hold back a murmur, "But this is like turning the tables on the host, isn't it?"

"This is a bit too fast..."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end