Immortal Road.

In the dimly lit hall, the firelight cast its glow upon the two figures.

"Hallmaster."

"It's Ji Guan. I know about your matter."

The gilded throne was carved with black birds, and two strange beasts protruded from the ends of the two armrests. These beasts were being held by a red-faced figure wearing a black gauze hat, who was sitting on the throne. The beasts were polished to a shine over the years, and upon closer inspection, they turned out to be true spirit thunder elephants!
The temple master was calm and composed, speaking slowly and deliberately, as if nothing in the world could move him.

"The Lost Worlds Group of the Lower Realm, numbered Geng 11, just received news from the Ascension Platform that some people have successfully ascended, while others have failed."

"The one who successfully ascended was an alien, who called himself the Northern Star Divine Lord. It is said that he once worked with your reincarnated soul in the mortal realm. Later, he withdrew from the campaign against the evil cult and ascended alone, facing a life-or-death situation. If it weren't for the immortal guards on duty at the ascension platform discovering traces of the Five-Tube Illumination Array and managing to pull him out of the ascension passage after he had been trapped on the verge of death for months, this kid would probably be gone."

"However, an investigation at the Ascension Platform revealed that another person had failed to ascend. It seems they had only just entered the Gate of All Wonders when they died on the road not far away."

Ji Guan's mind raced, hidden inside his helmet, and he immediately guessed the truth.

"The ability to use the Five-Cylinder Illumination Array must mean that someone from within my Golden Palace descended to the mortal realm. I suppose it was my clone. I never expected that my clone's ascension and subsequent fall would unexpectedly help another person in this realm succeed!"

"Yes."

The temple master nodded, his words hitting the nail on the head.

"Your avatar has been isolated in the mortal realm for nearly a thousand years. You only recently reported the latest progress here. It is said that you were about to lead your troops to break through the evil cult and capture the traitor Qinglian Fairy. Who would have thought that you would die on the way to ascension? There must be a villain who murdered you!"

Since they've ascended and returned, it means the mission to the lower realm must have been successful.

But why would they still encounter danger?
Besides Qinglian Fairy, who else in the mortal realm could threaten Pure Lotus Hermit?
As for who this person is who dared to obstruct the ascension of the immortal inspectors, the upper realm currently has no idea, and further investigation is needed.

"Perfect timing. A young prodigy from the Pure Clan will be visiting my Golden Palace soon. He will travel down to the lower realm via the Ascension Platform and head to the Lost World Group Number 11. I will entrust this nobleman from the Heavenly Court to help investigate. Don't worry, just wait for good news."

"Yes."

Ji Guan naturally dared not object to the Palace Master's actions.

"Your killing of Fairy Qinglian has eliminated a malignant tumor that plagues the world, and you deserve a reward. However, this is not a decision I can make. I have already submitted a memorial to the higher authorities, and you will be notified in a few days."

"My subordinate understands."

He understood the implication of the temple master's words.

For the Celestial Guard, the Palace Master could actually make the decision on promotion and wealth, since he was his direct superior. However, because of the identity label of "Pure Clan," the Palace Master did not know what considerations the clan behind him had, so he did not bestow any rewards upon him without authorization. Instead, he presented this merit to the Palace Master as a favor to the Pure Clan.

This kind of exchange of power for money is actually quite common in the government.

It's very likely that you'll need my help today, and I'll need your help tomorrow. For things that don't affect the overall situation, I'll usually make an exception if I can.

Of course, this only applies to those with connections who have powerful backers.

"Sigh, speaking of which, with your dignified True Immortal cultivation, you could easily establish a sect and dominate a continent in any immortal realm, yet you're relegated to a mere immortal guard in Golden Palace. It's truly a waste of your talent."

"What are you saying, Lord Palace Master? Among my subordinates, there are many whose cultivation is more profound than mine, yet they are also content with this profession. Everyone has different choices, pursuits, and ambitions. No matter how carefree one may be outside, one is nothing more than a floating duckweed on the water. Only by relying on the Celestial Court can one truly succeed!"

"Hehe, as expected of Eunuch Ji's son, you will be successful sooner or later."

"You flatter me, Your Highness."

"I heard that your father's term of service is coming to an end and he'll soon be promoted to head eunuch. I have some local specialties here; could you please take them over for me and give them your regards?"

The temple master chatted with him briefly about everyday matters, and everything seemed harmonious and pleasant.

When the topic of the Pure Clan's prodigy descending to the mortal realm came up, Ji Guan was clearly quite interested and inquired about the details.

"This time, sending people down to the mortal realm is different from the past. The cost is extremely high. It is said that the higher-ups will use the star power pool that the Observatory has accumulated over the years. They must have made a political exchange with the court. It is not something we can find out."

To put it bluntly, this is a matter for big shots, and the higher-ups are deeply involved. He is just a palace master below him, and there are many palace masters in the Golden Palace.

However, to descend from the Ascension Platform to the Lost World Group No. 11, one must follow the original path of ascension, which means one will definitely pass by the place where the Pure Lotus Hermit died!

We can ask 'Pure Clan Prodigy' to keep an eye out for the details; it's just a convenient favor.

Moreover, Ji Guan is a member of the Jing clan, and people from the same faction are easier to talk to and help with, so the other party probably wouldn't refuse.

"I'm afraid that a nobleman from Heaven might descend to the mortal realm alone, unfamiliar with the place and its inhabitants, unable to adapt quickly to the new environment. Don't let your trivial matters delay the important affairs of the high-ranking officials in the court."

"No problem, Jinque will send people down to the mortal realm to assist at that time."

The temple master waved his hand, telling him not to worry about these things.

"I think that newly ascended alien race, Lord Beichen, is quite good. He must be most familiar with the environment of the lower realm, so he can serve as a guide and go down to the lower realm again to lead the celestial nobles. Why not?"

"In that case, it would be his honor!"

In the State of Lu, we sought out ancient teachings.

Lin Shan returned to his lair and first listened to what major events had happened on the continent while he was away. The most important of these was the ascension of Beichen Shenjun, the patriarch of the Far North Ice and Snow Alliance!

"The Northern Star God-Lord has ascended to heaven?"

He was slightly surprised. After his team was wiped out in the previous faction war, this guy wisely didn't invest any more resources and focused on his own ascension.

I never expected that he would ascend to immortality without any prior notice!

"Whether it succeeded or not is unclear. The Ice and Snow Alliance only released the news recently, electing a new leader of the alien race to succeed the alliance leader. However, according to information leaked to the Kaiyuan Realm by insiders, although the soul fire of the Northern Star Divine Lord has gone through several twists and turns, it has recently become more persistent."

Lü Xiuming analyzed and speculated:

"They must have successfully ascended to the Immortal Realm!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces showed envy. The road to heaven is difficult, but to ascend to the heavens, step into the immortal realm, and become an immortal is the ideal that many cultivators pursue throughout their lives.

Now, some people have already achieved this, and the successful cases are right in front of us. Who wouldn't be excited to hear about them!
At that moment, they suddenly realized that right and wrong, grudges and factional battles were all trivial matters, and that cultivating and ascending to immortality was the only important thing.

The rights and wrongs of the lower realm cannot be carried over to the upper realm.

Only by ascending to immortality can one truly begin the path to immortality, the starting point for the great roc to spread its wings and soar upwards!
Without reaching the realm of immortals, one is forever a frog at the bottom of a well, only able to sit in the well and look at the sky, futilely sighing at the passing years. How is this any different from being a prisoner?
"I really envy Lord Beichen. He is the first successful ascension after the end of the Wanhui year. We should work harder in the future to be like him and strive to open our eyes to see the magnificent Immortal Realm above us as soon as possible!"

Seeing the news uplift and encouraging the members of the Xun Gu Sect, Lin Shan nodded repeatedly, urging them to hurry back to cultivate.

It's too early for a group of underlings who haven't even reached the Nascent Soul stage to be thinking about this.

Next, he took out the Star Palace, and Yu Xing Shenjun and Xing Jinshu were invited out again. These two had been moved around several times, and their eyes couldn't help but show some resentment.

Lin Shan told the two to hurry up and copy down his star magic abilities so that they could be free sooner. Otherwise, he had no other choice.

What if it gets lost if I don't keep it with me?
As for the other person in the Star Palace, how to deal with him is a bit intriguing.

"Master Lin, I underestimated you."

The moment Youmeiji stepped out of the Star Palace, she saw the long-awaited sunlight in the sky, raised her hand to look at the distant mountains, and was slightly lost in thought.

She presided over the sacrificial ceremony at Blackwater Cliff. After being abandoned by the old demon, she was captured by the avatar of Nirvana and taken back to the Ancient Seeking Sect. In the end, she ended up in Lin Shan's hands after many twists and turns. "Holy Maiden, we meet again."

Lin Shan's face was now warm and approachable, showing none of the arrogance and sharpness he displayed in the Black Lotus Sect.

Now that everything has settled, with Fairy Qinglian executed and Hermit Jinglian fallen, the factional war has come to a complete end, and Youmeiji has lost her backer. There is really nothing left for him to be moved by.

Without the support of Fairy Qinglian, this woman was like a rootless duckweed, nothing more than an ordinary Nascent Soul stage cultivator in his eyes, someone he could crush at will.

"Tell me, what do you want to do to me?"

You Meiji seemed to have resigned herself to her fate. The moment Protector Feng and the others abandoned her, she lost all hope and no longer expected anyone to save her. She no longer cared about who would win or lose between the two great immortals from beyond the heavens, and she didn't even bother to ask.

"Do you think there's any need to say more given our relationship?"

Lin Shan calmly extended his hand, making a gesture of invitation.

"I'll give you face and won't do it myself."

The Void-Breaking Seal flickered, the Primordial Fiend Domain opened, and a portal filled with billowing gray mist stood before them, from which the faint sounds of ghosts wailing and howling could be heard.

Youmei Ji smiled sadly, turned back for one last lingering look at this world, and walked in, never to come out again.

After a while.

Only after sensing the addition of a Nascent Soul stage puppet within the Yuan Sha Domain did Lin Shan feel at ease enough to withdraw his divine power; this was the safest approach.

You don't want to get your hands dirty, nor do you want to give the other person a chance to be reincarnated.

Since he chose to go against himself in the first place, he should be prepared for this outcome; showing mercy to women is not his concern.

After counting the Earth Spirit Pills in his hand, he was spurred on by the Northern Star Divine Lord and wished he could cultivate to the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm as soon as possible to try to ascend!

However, the situation is not yet stable. The problem of Penglai in the East Sea has not been resolved, and the matter of the Sword Sect in the Outer Heavens has not been dealt with. It would be best to deal with everything cleanly.

We received news from the front lines.

The great demon Qu Gong has led his men to the cultivation world of the Southern Song Kingdom, and has calmly recaptured the bridgehead while Penglai was severely weakened.

Hao'er Qianbu also sent a message back, saying that he had taken back the Ghost Valley Holy Land, and that the rhinoceros demon had fled a few days ago, with almost no contact throughout the entire process.

After suffering a major defeat at Tianfu Mountain, Penglai has completely withdrawn its external influence, seemingly intending to hold onto its base in the East China Sea and abandon all external interests.

Now that the die is cast, let's deal with Penglai first.

However, since his true form was stationed at the Xun Gu Sect, he decided to send the Yuan Nian avatar, which carried the Po Xu Sha Seal, to conquer the East Sea!

After all, the opponent was severely weakened, so there was no need for him to personally risk his life. The presence of the Yuan Sha Domain was enough. He wasn't a reckless man who insisted on doing everything himself.

"Master, the hermit of Xiongshan requests an audience outside the mountain gate."

An elder came to his cave and reported that the monk from Xiongshan had come to the State of Lu to pay homage to him, accompanied by two followers.

Bear Mountain Man?

Lin Shan's eyes narrowed; he had almost forgotten about this guy!
This child was the only disciple of Layman Jinglian before his death. Could it be that he left behind some truth before he died?

A murderous intent surged within him. After all, it involved the patrolling celestial envoy. If a flaw were to be exposed in the future and he were discovered by the celestial nobles who descended to the mortal realm, wouldn't that be another troublesome matter?
However, he did have some connection with Xiong Shan, and he wasn't an unfeeling person. Since the other party had come to his door in person, he would see what Xiong Shan had to say.

“Bring him to my cave.”

"Yes."

Soon.

The servants led Master Xiongshan to the back of Tianfu Mountain, where they met Linshan, who was brewing tea in the courtyard of his cave dwelling.

Upon seeing Linshan, Xiongshan immediately burst into tears.

puff~
He immediately knelt down!

Behind him were two other people, Dai Budong and Zhu Duiyou.

Bare-chested and carrying thorny branches, they actually traveled a long distance to Lin Shan to perform the ritual of "bearing thorns to apologize."

"Master Lin, please forgive me for my petty mistake!"

"."

Lin Shan was at a loss for words and couldn't understand what they were up to.

Seeing that he remained silent, the three of them did not dare to raise their heads and remained kneeling on the ground, quietly awaiting their fate.

After half a cup of tea.

"Alright, tell me, why did you call me here?"

Only then did the man from Xiongshan dare to get up. He hugged his leg and cried bitterly, becoming more and more aggrieved as he spoke.

After Lin Shan poured out his grievances, he finally understood.

So they've reached a dead end!

It turns out that ever since the Penglai Holy Land suffered a great defeat in the State of Lu, the news of this battle quickly spread throughout the entire continent, and even the various sea creatures in the East China Sea and Northwest China heard about it.

The Xun Gu Sect single-handedly dealt a heavy blow to the East China Sea Allied Forces, thus becoming famous throughout the world!

Seeing that things were not going well, the Spring and Autumn Sword Sect, which had previously been secretly causing trouble, immediately abandoned the Northern Ghost Valley Holy Land, which it had supported, and announced a break in diplomatic relations and a clear separation. They even expelled these people and ordered them to leave Liang Kingdom within a specified period.

Venerable Tanmu, Master Liang, and others were immediately dumbfounded!

Not long ago, they were helping us establish the orthodox Northern Ghost Valley. How could they turn their backs on us so easily? They have no sense of responsibility as a holy land of swordsmanship.
Without the protection of the Spring and Autumn Sword Sect, these traitors immediately incurred the wrath of Qianbu from the Southern Ghost Valley Holy Land. This scoundrel was no pushover; his ruthlessness and vengefulness far surpassed that of others.

Taking advantage of the lull before any conflict with Penglai, he personally joined forces with Mu Yan to send troops to capture the people!
Venerable Tanmu, Master Liang, and others made a clean getaway, leaving the simple-minded Xiongshan monks to guard their home, while they themselves quietly led their men away.

After the defeat of Master Xiongshan and the destruction of the Northern Ghost Valley Holy Land, the Spring and Autumn Sword Sect stood idly by. He fled all the way, but was finally driven to desperation. Remembering his past friendship with Linshan, he had no choice but to come here to apologize.
"That's all the trivial stuff?"

Lin Shan was speechless after hearing this. So, the man from Xiongshan was destined to be a vagrant!

He had been worried that the Pure Lotus Hermit might have left some message, but it turns out that his cheap master was so busy wiping out the Black Lotus Cult that he had completely forgotten about his cheap disciple!
“Alright, it’s nothing serious. The main culprits are Venerable Tanmu, Master Liang, and other traitors. I’ll talk to Qianbu later and ask him to drop the pursuit of you.”

"Thank you, Master Lin, for your mercy!"

Xiong Shan pounded the floor again, and Dai Budong and Zhu Duiyou behind him hurriedly thanked him. It seemed that they had been pushed too hard these days, so they were overjoyed to be rescued.

"Master Lin, we know a secret and are willing to atone for our crimes by performing meritorious service!" (End of Chapter)