Becoming a god starts from planting a Bodhi tree.

Chapter 495 Invitation from the Heavenly Court
Behind Ji Jingqiu and his group.

"Lost?"

Luo Xuan's gaze swept over the faces of Xin Zun and Zhang Tiancheng, and he smiled faintly.

"That's interesting. There's only one road, how could we lose track of each other?"

Xin Zun explained in a deep voice: "The original body of the Netherworld is the remnants of many realms collected by the Ancestral Master in the past. Theoretically, the vastness of this place far exceeds that of ordinary realms. In particular, the spacetime here is chaotic. What seems like a step in front may actually be two different worlds."

"You mean, this place is equivalent to... the 'Burial Sea' of the Boundary Sea?" Luo Xuan became interested. "How did that Nether Lord deal with this place?"

“Most of the remnants of the realms should be in a compressed and sealed state.” Xin Zun frowned as he said this.

He sensed something was amiss as soon as he entered the place.

The Heart Lord is no stranger to the Underworld.

He was one of the participants in the reincarnation plan back then, and he was the one who collected some of the broken worlds in the underworld.

Not long ago, the Lord of the Netherworld attempted to establish his Daoist cultivation based on the Netherworld and break through to a new level. However, the Netherworld lineage detected this in advance, suppressed the interaction between the Samsara Palace and that God Lord, and even exacerbated the deterioration of the Netherworld, delaying the Lord of the Netherworld's emergence from seclusion.

but now……

Xin Zun glanced at the companions who had come this time, and his heart sank. The Bitter Vein, who was in charge of guarding the Samsara Palace, had not sent anyone this time. What was going on?
Has something unexpected happened at the Samsara Palace?

Why did large amounts of remains in the underworld unseal and reappear in the world?
"Interesting." Luo Xuan stared ahead and muttered to himself, "The Daoist aura within this broken world is so dense. Is someone spreading the Dao?"

Suddenly, Luo Xuan frowned.

If what Venerable Xin says is true, the vastness of this realm far exceeds that of ordinary realms, and the place where the Scattered Path is located covers the entire Netherworld realm...

The true saint doesn't have that ability!
Even he couldn't have done that.

Only those who transcend the physical level can achieve this!
"How much do you really know about this area?" Luo Xuan asked immediately, and tried to contact Hong Lian at the first opportunity.

Xin Zun hesitated for a moment, then suggested, "Let's go to the central hub first. The reincarnation plan from back then was actually partially successful. The remnants of the myriad realms have already been divided into primary and secondary, with a leader in charge. Otherwise, the patriarch wouldn't have thrown these remnants into the sea of ​​realms before his death."

Luo Xuan suddenly asked, "You mean that when the Lord of the Netherworld threw out these remnants of the Netherworld Palace, his main purpose was to preserve this Netherworld land? The birth of the Netherworld was just an accident?"

“Of course.” Xin Zun nodded, choosing to conceal the existence of the Samsara Palace.

Back then, they didn't just succeed in part; they achieved at least 60-70%, or even more. Success was in sight, otherwise the ancestors wouldn't have joined forces to attack them.

Among them, the Samsara Palace can be called the central hub of the central hub, the ultimate core of the Samsara Project.

No one expected that the birth of the Netherworld would be accompanied by the birth of five great gods, among whom the Lord of the Netherworld was born in the Netherworld.

If they hadn't intervened at the crucial moment, the Lord of the Underworld would have almost become the innate companion deity of the Underworld and directly entered the Samsara Palace!
……

……

Xi Zhu shivered. For the first time in his life, he was being coldly stared at by dozens of saints at the same time. The sense of oppression was indescribable, and the world seemed to have fallen into black and white.

Suddenly, Ji Jingqiu waved to him from ahead.

Xi Zhu almost instinctively rebuked him, asking how a mere Celestial Venerable dared to be summoned at his beck and call.

But upon seeing the saints behind Ji Jingqiu, Xizhu successfully overcame her instincts.

"My Daoist name is Xizhu. May I ask your name, fellow Daoist?" Xizhu stepped forward and cautiously inquired first.

"Where is this place?" Ji Jingqiu asked directly.

Xi Zhu glanced at the saints behind the other party, but before the words "unruly" could even come to mind, she suppressed them.

"This place is naturally Taiji Mengyi Jiayitian, which we also call 'Taiji Heaven,' and is the sixteenth heaven of the Heavenly Court."

"The Heavenly Court..." Ji Jingqiu paused for a moment, then said, "Is the Heavenly Court still the Thirty-Six Heavens?"

Upon hearing the World Honored One's question, all the saints' expressions turned slightly serious. Was the ultimate mastermind behind this place really this World Honored One's former fellow Daoist?

“That’s natural,” the spider said matter-of-factly.

"Does the Heavenly Emperor reside in the highest heaven?"

"As the supreme ruler of the Heavenly Court, the Heavenly Emperor commands all gods and saints, and governs all yin and yang fortunes and misfortunes in the Three Realms, Ten Directions, Four Births and Six Paths. He naturally resides in the Miro Palace of the Thirty-Three Heavens, occupying the highest position in the heavens, and wielding the laws and decrees of the heavens!"

Xi Zhu spoke with resounding conviction, his words and expression revealing nothing but reverence for that Heavenly Emperor.

Among the saints, someone frowned. The Thirty-Three Heavens is the highest position in the heavens, so what are the three heavens above that?
In addition, is this Heavenly Emperor the one they know who is on par with Luo Xuan and Hong Lian?
The Holy King, who was half a step behind Ji Jingqiu and ready to protect her at any moment, had an increasingly profound expression and eyes as deep as an ancient pool. Apart from Ji Jingqiu, no one could tell what she was thinking.

Ji Jingqiu knew very well that what this person was thinking about at this moment must be the Thirty-Six Heavens of Da Luo.

"Is anyone currently living in the Upper Three Heavens?" Ji Jingqiu asked again.

Xi Zhu was taken aback and shook her head: "I don't know. Let alone the three heavens, the highest we can reach so far is the sixteenth heaven."

Ji Jingqiu scrutinized the spider in front of him.

A Dao Ancestor... only ascended to the sixteenth heaven, and according to what he just said, he was still the first?
"I wonder where you fellow Daoists come from? I have never heard of such powerful individuals in this world before—"

Despite her doubts, Xi Zhu responded to each question, only asking about the origins of Ji Jingqiu and his group at the very end.

The Holy King suddenly spoke up: "Since you have never been to the Thirty-Three Heavens, what makes you say that the Heavenly Emperor resides at the highest place?"

Xi Zhu looked at him strangely, but still said politely, "Fellow Daoist, it is common knowledge that the Heavenly Emperor resides in the Mi Luo Palace."

The Holy King asked, "Have you all met that Heavenly Emperor?"

Xi Zhu solemnly replied, "How could we possibly meet the Heavenly Emperor? Only those who ascend to sainthood, enter the Heavenly Court, and attain divine status are qualified to be received by the Heavenly Emperor!"

"Since you have never seen him, how dare you say that he resides in the Thirty-Three Heavens?" the Holy King questioned.

Xi Zhu stared wide-eyed. Even though the other party was a saint, he found it somewhat incomprehensible and couldn't communicate with him. He felt that the other party's question was completely inexplicable.

Why would anyone in this world question the existence of the Heavenly Emperor?!
In the eyes of the saints, this person was also trapped in demonic possession.

This person's cultivation is not low even among the Dao Ancestors. He is about to achieve the Dao Fruit and it is only a matter of time before he becomes a True Saint. Why would he be so superstitious about that Heavenly Emperor?

If the latter is a transcendent patriarch, they can fully understand.

The problem is, this person has never even seen that Heavenly Emperor!
at this time.

Suddenly, the entire world was filled with indescribable white light, covering everything inside and out, filling the entire world, illuminating everything in a white haze, and even the void seemed transparent.

Xi Zhu was startled and immediately knelt down, as if paying homage to the emperor.

Everyone looked around in surprise and suspicion, and then investigated the source of the white light.

The white light came quickly and disappeared just as fast; the dazzling white light vanished in no time, and the world returned to darkness.

"What is that?" someone asked in a deep voice.

The saints' expressions were not pleasant; some were solemn, others profound and cold.

At the very moment the white light shone upon the world, their spirits and minds seemed to be frozen, and their thoughts stopped for a split second—it was simply unimaginable!
Such supernatural power is absolutely beyond measure!
The Spider, having risen again, glanced at the assembled saints with a puzzled look, but still explained to his fellow Daoists:
“That is the gaze of the Heavenly Emperor. Every so often, the Heavenly Emperor, who reigns high in the heavens, will briefly awaken, open his eyes, and survey this world—did the Heavenly Emperor not survey the place where you all previously resided?”

Only now did everyone understand why this Dao Ancestor so firmly believed in the existence of the Heavenly Emperor, and why he held him in such high esteem—

"Is this guy... a 'local'?"

"So, this place is the inner world of some being?"

"An inner world capable of giving birth to a Dao Ancestor, and even not far from becoming a True Saint, is at least an inner world at the Ancestral Master level!"

"Could this be a remnant of the Netherworld Lord's inner realm?" "Wait—an inspection?!"

"Could it be that this person has already discovered us?"

The saints, who had secretly established channels of communication, were now in an uproar, all their eyes turning to Ji Jingqiu.

Ji Jingqiu is currently having a telepathic conversation with the Holy King.

"How did you learn about the affairs of the Heavenly Court?" the Holy King asked.

"It has been mentioned to some extent in the Federal Daoist Canon," Ji Jingqiu replied simply, then asked, "Who proposed the idea of ​​building the Great Luo Heaven among the five of you?"

"If you're referring to the overall structure of the Thirty-Six Heavens, that was proposed jointly by Taiyou and Mingxu," the Holy King said in a deep voice.

"It seems there really is a problem among the five gods," Ji Jingqiu murmured.

The Holy King did not deny it, but silently gazed at the golden staircase in front of him, which seemed to lead to an unknown destination.

Among the saints, Kongming and Fengming stepped forward as representatives to ask Ji Jingqiu if there was any possibility that they had been discovered.

"If one truly achieves complete transcendence, is it necessary to survey the world with one's gaze? It's a matter of a single thought," Ji Jingqiu said calmly. "Deliberately surveying the world with one's gaze—what do you think that's doing? Do I need to tell you?"

The saints were startled. Was this a way of intimidating the world and constantly reminding all living beings of their own existence?
“If the other party is following the path of the gods, then it makes sense,” someone whispered.

The others instantly understood his subtext.

The purest form of the divine path requires believers to offer their devotion and faith at all times.

Especially when an injury has not yet healed.

Although they had never seen anyone from this world, just seeing Xi Zhu alone was enough.

The dignified Dao Ancestor, though he had never seen that Heavenly Emperor, firmly believed in his existence and held him in the utmost reverence. He would bow his head in homage at the mere glance of his gaze…

Tsk.

The saints did not underestimate it; on the contrary, they became even more vigilant.

Because the Heavenly Emperor hidden behind the scenes is very likely a transcendent being from the past, a contemporary of this World Honored One.

"Venerable One, is the person behind this realm your fellow Daoist from back then?" Mieyu asked tentatively. "If they are an acquaintance, wouldn't that save us from a conflict?"

After a while.

Ji Jingqiu slowly said, "I hope it's not what I think."

The saints were all awed; even this one found it extremely troublesome?

Ji Jingqiu turned around and said, "If you want to leave, you can separate here. Those who wish to come with me can choose to stay."

The saints fell silent for a moment, exchanging bewildered glances.

To be honest, some of them did have second thoughts of retreating. The reason they followed was because of the existence of the World Honored One, but now they had to confront another old monster on the same level as the World Honored One.

But the question is, where can they retreat to now?

After receiving Ji Jingqiu's instructions, the Holy King suddenly asked, "World Honored One, in your opinion, is this place ahead a blessing or a curse?"

"It could be a blessing or a curse, but it's hard to say whose blessing and whose curse it is." Ji Jingqiu looked into the distance and said, "But if we continue to drag this out until this person fully recovers, it will most likely be a disaster for the Boundary Sea."

The saints felt a chill run down their spines.

Someone immediately looked at the spider and asked how many years this world had been passed down.

The spider hesitated for a moment, then replied that the oldest known history dates back 1.07 million years.

The saints looked solemn.

Although the World Honored One has returned, he is currently only at the Heavenly Venerable realm.

But the master of this place is most likely to be on the path of gods, restoring his spiritual cultivation with the help of the faith of all living beings... His speed must be far ahead of that of the reincarnated Buddha!

If this person truly recovers to a state of complete transcendence, and the ancestors have not yet returned, who in the Sea of ​​Boundaries can subdue him?
If this person harbors malicious intent and exterminates all families and clans, as well as the various traces of the Dao and anchors of existence left by the ancestors, the ancestors will be trapped in a predicament from which they can never return!
"In the lower realms, are there any beings whose cultivation surpasses yours?" Kong Ming suddenly asked.

Xi Zhu shook her head: "I am the first person in the human world to step into the sixteenth heaven, and also the one with the highest cultivation."

Are there no saints in the world?

"The saints are all ranked among the heavenly beings, appointed by the Heavenly Emperor, and given their positions in the Heavenly Court—"

"Do you know how many saints have been born in the past 1.07 million years?"

Xi Zhu was taken aback, then slowly shook her head: "I have never heard of such a thing. Only when someone comes from heaven can we see the demeanor of a sage. Are you not from heaven?"

The saints' gazes met, signifying that there has been no true Christmas in the world yet.
Kongming asked again, "How many living beings are there in the world today?"

The spider pondered for a moment and said, "If we count intelligent beings, there are probably eight hundred billion—"

The saints breathed a sigh of relief, and some even showed faint smiles.

This number is far from enough to support even one transcendent god, even if it were a hundred times or a thousand times more, it would still be far from enough!
"After 1.07 million years of development and reproduction, you only have 80 billion living beings?" Kong Ming said in a deep voice, "Didn't the Heavenly Emperor issue an order for you to rest, recuperate, and reproduce properly?"

Xi Zhu smiled bitterly, "The land in the lower realm is limited. In addition, every once in a while, there are heavenly fires, mysterious winds, yin thunders, and blood rains that destroy the world. The fact that there are 80 billion is only because we have to exhaust our own cultivation to protect it."

The saints seemed to be deep in thought.

The Holy King then transmitted his voice to Ji Jingqiu, saying, "This point in time is probably when the five of us failed to break through and are trapped in the illusion of transcendence, unable to extricate ourselves."

Ji Jingqiu nodded, glanced at the solemn-looking saints, and added fuel to the fire:

"If my guess is correct, the higher you go in this world, the stronger the true essence of returning to the origin becomes—this is the place where he dispersed his cultivation back then."

The saints were invigorated and, without further hesitation, responded one after another, willing to join the World-Honored One in eradicating the remnants of the past.

Ji Jingqiu glanced behind him. These guys were quite pragmatic and very cunning. Before there were any benefits, many of them had already shown signs of backing down. Now that they had discovered they could seize a great opportunity, even if unpredictable crises arose, they were all more courageous and daring than the last.

Ji Jingqiu couldn't help but sigh, realizing that they were no match for their ancestor.

Even though the ancestors on the path to enlightenment knew that the road ahead was a dead end, none of them gave up.

However, Ji Jingqiu thought about it again.

Of course, it's also possible that those guys on the path to returning to the true self lived for too long, and entered into clones, so even if they died, it wouldn't be a big deal.

The true nature of our ancestors might be found in their disciples and followers...

at this time.

Above the clouds, a swirling, auspicious energy filled the air. As the clouds parted, a line of divine generals stood at the end of the golden steps, their countenances solemn and dignified, exuding an imposing aura. Clad in golden armor, they were majestic and sacred, and at this moment, they solemnly proclaimed:

"Your Excellency is a spider in the mortal realm. The Heavenly Emperor has decreed that you have rendered meritorious service in guiding the foreign guests and are hereby granted entry into the Heavenly Court to serve as a deity in the Thunder Department."

"Gentlemen, the Heavenly Emperor already knows your purpose. This way, please."

The saints raised their eyebrows; the golden-armored general who was proclaiming the decree in the sky was none other than a true saint!
There really is a Heavenly Court, and even divine generals of the True Saint level!
The Heavenly Emperor had already foreseen their arrival; he had specially sent someone to invite them.
The spider was overjoyed and immediately kowtowed to thank the heavens for their grace. Guided by another guide, it ascended the golden staircase.

Some of the saints secretly cast spells, but they couldn't stop it. They felt as if their magic and supernatural powers had been thrown into a deep sea without splashing a single drop of water.

Ji Jingqiu suddenly said, "Let's go. There's no reason not to go and see them since they've invited us so warmly."

(End of this chapter)