From a martial arts disciple to a god through countless trials and tribulations

Chapter 383 The Benevolent Emperor Ji
The sky trembled, a great battle broke out, and both sides used all sorts of powerful methods, turning the world upside down, as if a natural disaster had struck.

"The Dao traces cannot last long; they will become increasingly thin and eventually wither away!"

"Everyone, quickly summon your ancestors and Daohen Nian to come and assist in the battle!"

In the Great Void, a Dao Lord-level True Monarch roared anxiously, "Whose ancestors didn't include ancient immortals and sages? The Ji family did, and so did other forces!"
Of the nine True Lords, seven are Dao Lord-level True Lords, and behind them, in the Daoist lineage, there exist these ancient protective objects.

"boom!"

Within the Great Ruins, all was a vast expanse of white, filled with light. From the ascension sites of True Lords, ancient lights and shadows flew out. Other True Lords unleashed mysterious treasures, connecting with Daoist temples billions of miles away, opening a gate of light from which dazzling ancient figures walked out…

"The Ōrei-hime family? This is a bit troublesome..."

"Let's flatten it..."

As soon as those ancient Dao traces arrived, they immediately took action, engaging in battle with the Ji family's Dao traces. Various immortal techniques and supreme laws were used to create this battle scene, which was as if it had returned to ancient times.

The Great Dao has sifted through heroes, and these Dao Lord-level True Monarchs who have arrived today to present this grand ceremony are the true protagonists of the world, and they hold all the best things in the world in their hands.

"Emperor Ji, if you continue to resist stubbornly, don't blame us for turning Dali into ashes!" A gentle demon lord shouted sternly.

Although they are enemies, the nine True Lords are not all bloodthirsty demons. If a war of this magnitude were to break out, the mortal world would collapse, billions of lives would be lost, and the blood would stain the earth red for a thousand years to come.

The path to immortality is littered with withered bones, and it is the masses who suffer.

This is a battle of lineages on the path to immortality, a war that will destroy heaven and earth. If this battle is not stopped in time, everything will be reduced to ashes. It is too tragic.

"boom!"

Faced with all this, Emperor Ji simply raised his hand in silence, and boundless divine light burst forth from his palm, countless threads disappearing into the earth.

"Activate the formation!" In an instant, golden lotuses sprang from the ground, celestial maidens scattered flowers, and countless wondrous scenes appeared. The [Mysterious Yellow Earth and State Grand Formation] was activated, and the mysterious formation burst forth with dazzling auspicious clouds, protecting the entire Great Li Dynasty.

This is one of the three supreme formations of the Earth element, with the strongest defense, covering millions of miles of land. The light of the Earth element blocks all attacks, is extremely sacred, and protects all living beings on the earth.

"Xuanji, how long can a mere True Lord maintain this great formation?" a Great True Lord roared. They were constantly bombarding the mortal world within the Great Ruins, consuming the power of the great formation.

But even now, they have not rashly entered the capital to wage war. They have only launched attacks from afar in Taixu. If Emperor Ji does not admit defeat, they can continue this stalemate until they wear down the other party.

In any case, Emperor Ji will not have the opportunity to become an immortal.

On the land, people felt a sense of powerlessness. No matter how the Ji family fought, they could not see a glimmer of hope. The enemies were too many and too strong, which made people despair.

"It's not even dawn yet, but I still want to give it a try."

Emperor Ji, suspended above the imperial palace, spoke calmly. Even when facing the nine True Lords alone, he did not show any weakness and maintained his imperial dignity.

But everyone knew in their hearts that Emperor Ji was powerless to reverse the situation, and that the current resistance was nothing more than a slow death.

"Rumble..."

On the golden Earth Array, terrifying ripples of divine power rippled, obscuring the entire sky with brilliant light, so bright that even Shenyou couldn't open his eyes.

"I'm truly disappointed, Emperor Ji. Have you reached your limit? You've reached the end of your road, and your path to immortality is severed." At that moment, accompanied by a cold voice, a figure in a Taoist robe shrouded in the misty Qi of the earth appeared in the Great Ruins.

His face was withered and bluish, and he held a scroll of immortal decrees in his hand. His earth-yellow robes fluttered, transforming into a giant tree that reached the sky, carrying with it a decaying Daoist aura and immortal energy.

"The Earth Virtue True Lord of the Celestial Palace!" Within the Great Ruins, several True Lords were taken aback and halted their attacks. A person from the Celestial Palace had descended to the mortal realm? This was an Earth Virtue True Lord who had never appeared in the mortal world before!

Could it be that the Celestial Palace is impatient and wants to quickly end the turmoil brought about by Emperor Ji?!

"Keng!"

A soft whistle rang out from the Great Void, and a black lightning bolt streaked across the sky with dazzling brilliance, crashing into the [Xuanhuang Sheji Grand Array] with a thunderous roar.

This is a heaven-opening axe, overflowing with plague energy. The axe handle is coiled around a flying bull, and plague demons and insect gods dance around it, captivating the soul.

A bull-shaped True Lord descended, his body robust and exuding murderous intent. He gripped the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe, like a demon god from the Nine Netherworlds who had broken free from its seal.

"A True Lord under the command of the Plague Gods!"

Many people were horrified. This True Lord, who had never appeared in the mortal world before, possessed an aura that was no less powerful than that of Great True Lords like Wei Tianjun and Emperor Ji, who were close to immortals.

"How boring. Ze Long is about to give up. Fellow Daoist Xuan Ji, why do you insist on resisting?" A cold sneer came from the Tai Xu. Lightning flashed and thunder roared, and a purple-gold dragon swam out from the depths of the Tai Xu.

Many people were astonished. The Little Dragon Palace had arrived? The purple-gold dragon revealed its demonic form, exposing its terrifying identity and background.

"The Ninth-Generation Dragon—True Lord Yanlong, he is still alive!" In the capital city, some people exclaimed in surprise. This was a near-immortal dragon that had roamed the Eastern Emperor Land for tens of thousands of years.

He is one of the oldest beings in the mortal world, having been a True Lord in all nine of his previous lives. Moreover, during his eight previous lives as a True Lord, he was the master of the Little Dragon Palace... Legend has it that the True Lord Yanlong of the Little Dragon Palace may even have been a firsthand witness to the divine calamity that occurred 100,000 years ago.

The foundation of the dojo? This old dragon is the very foundation that keeps the Little Dragon Palace alive!
In the capital city, the human cultivators were all despondent. What else could Emperor Ji do? Even such an old monster had appeared; one could only imagine just how powerful the three True Monarchs who had arrived were.

Suddenly, from the other side of the Great Ruins, a giant pillar-like black gold bronze staff floated over like a boat. At the end of the staff, a graceful fighting stone monkey with golden eyes and a white face sat crouching.

"By order of the Battle Immortal Lord, after dawn, the lineage of the Human Emperors shall be wiped out!"

The fighting stone monkey opened its mouth, its golden eyes blazing like fire breaking through the chaos, its spiritual aperture shining brightly towards the heavens, and the fur on the Thunder God's face shone brightly, like a fighting god. The fighting spirit on its body was more concentrated than that of Wei Tianjun.

The moment he appeared, all the other True Lords in Taixu were moved and involuntarily took a step back, clearly realizing his identity.

"The demon-fighting immortals of the Celestial Palace come from the lineage of the Spiritual Stone Monkey, the leader of the Four Great Mischievous and Unruly Ones!"

Someone exclaimed in surprise, unable to suppress their fear. There are still six or seven ape demon clans in the mortal world that are famous to this day. Previously, many people had been guessing which clan produced the last Dou Lie Xian of the near ancient times. Now, the truth has finally come out!

Within the Great Void, thirteen terrifying True Monarch beings rose and fell, their auras clashing as if even the Great Dao and the Azure Heaven were about to collapse.

The four most powerful near-immortal True Lords are all related to the Immortal Palace. They arrived in place of immortals and are positioned in the four directions, overlooking the imperial capital.

Earth Virtue True Lord, Plague Department Ox True Lord, Thunder Attribute Dragon Old True Lord, Dipper Department Spiritual Stone Monkey True Lord...

At this moment, the greatest enemy of the Ōrei family finally revealed his true colors and came to clean up the mess.

"This..." In the capital city, everyone felt suffocated. With such a group of enemies joining forces to deal with Da Li, who could possibly stand against them? The difference in strength was too great!

At this moment, everyone directly felt just how powerful the Celestial Palace truly was.

The Celestial Palace may not be able to deal with all the Daoist lineages at once, but if it only needs to deal with a specific Daoist lineage, it will definitely have an overwhelming advantage.

"Emperor Chen, we've reached a dead end." In the capital, a group of Ji family members around Chen Xuan looked ashen-faced and felt bitter.

The power of the Celestial Palace is irreversible. As the first True Lord in the mortal world to step onto the path of ascension to immortality, Emperor Ji was the first to face that irresistible power of heaven.

"The Immortal Palace is still powerful..." Chen Xuan thought to himself. When he escaped from the Mountain and Sea Banquet, he decisively abandoned the [Heart Fasting], otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. After all, the Immortal Palace had already flown above his head at that time.

“We need to leave immediately.” In the courtyard, Qi Lian, the Nine-Turn Divine Traveler, spoke solemnly to Chen Xuan, Su Fuyao, Yan Yushu, and the others.

Given the current situation, it is no longer appropriate for them to remain in the capital. The battlefield is escalating time and time again, and if they continue to linger, they may not be able to protect themselves.

In the Great Void, the Old True Monarch Yanlong, his body wreathed in purple lightning, said coldly, “Xuanji, do not continue to force things. Just dissolve your own body. For the sake of the Emperor’s lineage, I will allow your clan to retain one or two mortal bloodlines.”

Upon hearing this, everyone understood the Celestial Palace's decision regarding the Ji family: this lineage would never shine again and would be reduced to the mortal realm.

However, as the night wind blew, Emperor Ji, his imperial robes fluttering, hovered silently above the imperial palace, facing thirteen opposing True Lords alone, yet his expression remained utterly fearless.

On the distant land, a faint ray of dawn appears in the sky; the dark night will pass, and the bright day will soon arrive.

"I still believe that what we are doing now is the safest way to end this chaotic world," Emperor Ji said.

"Ji Xuanji, you've colluded with the extraterrestrials, trying to profit from the chaos. Do you really think the Immortal Palace doesn't know what you're up to?!" The Fighting Stone Monkey True Lord, perched on the bronze staff, had golden eyes as bright as the sun.

"You mortals, defying the heavens, will drag the entire Five Directions into the abyss!" On the other side, the Plague Department's True Lord Niu roared, shaking his Heaven-Opening Axe and unleashing terrifying demonic energy.

On the city wall of the imperial palace, the woman wearing a qilin mask let out a mocking laugh upon hearing the sound.

"Colluding with extraterrestrials? You underestimate Emperor Ji too much. All my protectors were ruthlessly devoured by him." She sneered inwardly.

Otherwise, how could Emperor Ji have gathered enough Dao principles and immortal energy to take the first step towards immortality while the Earth Virtue True Lord was still in the Celestial Palace? ... On the Five Directions Earth, it was no longer possible to prove oneself as an immortal.

In the void, Emperor Ji sighed to himself, "Will things not happen if we just try to escape? The Mountain and Sea Banquet has been held nine times already."

The nine banquets of mountains and seas meant that there were at least nine ancient sages who had disappeared from the heavens... but something unexpected happened.

"There's still a quarter of an hour until dawn. Why don't you all call some more people over?" Emperor Ji gazed at the horizon and, after a long while, said to the True Lords in the Great Ruins.

His words were soft, yet they were earth-shattering, leaving everyone's ears ringing.

What? Emperor Ji complained that not enough True Lords had come? Where did he get his confidence?
Everyone was stunned, and Qi Lian, Su Fuyao, Chen Xuan, and the others who were preparing to leave through Taixu stopped what they were doing.

"You overestimate yourself! Do you think you're some kind of immortal? Since that's how it is, I'll grant your wish!" A True Lord in the Great Void roared in anger.

The four near-immortal Great True Lords associated with the Celestial Palace, after observing Emperor Ji's methods clearly, chose to appear in the mortal world. There was no reason for anything unexpected to happen!
"Pacify the capital!" True Lord Tu De of the Immortal Palace declared, unleashing the immortal decree in his hand. Boundless immortal power surged forth as he led a group of True Lords out of the Great Ruins.

This time, they no longer stayed in the Great Ruins, but stepped directly into the mortal world, and the most dangerous battle broke out.

Many people were filled with fear. The thirteen True Monarchs, each with the strength of their own forces, were attacking together. How could Emperor Ji, alone and even with the backing of the Imperial Palace, possibly stand against them?

"Buzz!" At that moment, Chen Xuan suddenly felt a tremor in his heart, and in a daze, a blazing firelight danced before his eyes.

Fire rose from the furnace, and the ancient furnace obtained from the Mountain and Sea Banquet resonated with it!

"This is..." Chen Xuan was stunned, his eyes looking around. Su Fuyao, Ji Youbing and the others around him were all frozen in a strange state, like clay sculptures, motionless.

He quickly looked up at the Emperor Ji in the sky.

"Wow!"

Emperor Ji stood in mid-air, a small apricot-yellow flag appearing in front of him. He gently waved it, and wisps of dark yellow energy descended, swirling around him like dragon veins.

High above the nine heavens, the four near-immortal True Lords who had stepped into the void all frowned, vaguely sensing an unusual atmosphere.

"A mark of the [Wuji Flag]?"

"Hmph, which household doesn't have something like that? Kill him!"

The Xuanhuang Sheji Grand Array is frequently triggered, and many people know that within that array lies the mark of the supreme weapon, the Xuji Flag, whose power is no less than that of the remnant of the White Emperor Sword from the Mountain and Sea Banquet.

Although very powerful, there is still an upper limit; it cannot reach the level of a true immortal.

"This is..." Chen Xuan opened his mouth.

A vast expanse of primordial yellow energy swirled and sparkled, resembling the earth's dragon veins or the celestial constellations in motion, making Emperor Ji appear as a supreme being of humanity.

"I'll go first!"

In the sky, a demon lord holding relics of immortals roared and charged forward.

"puff!"

His body exploded, turning into a rain of blood that stained the sky red. The relics of the immortals also shattered into pieces, falling like streaks of light, a scene of extraordinary tragedy.

"What's going on? This power..." another demon lord roared, rushing forward, but he couldn't break free. With a "poof," he too turned into a rain of blood, his soul dissipating.

In an instant, the two Great True Lords perished and vanished into thin air.

"This is... the real [Wuji Flag]." Chen Xuan finally uttered the words he had been wanting to say.

The supreme Yellow Emperor, one of the Five Emperors of Humanity, once wielded weapons to conquer mountains and seas.

It was born.

"puff!"

Another Great True Lord who had set foot in the mortal world was shattered. His vivid blood floated in the sky before being dispersed by the Xuanhuang Qi that surged into the clouds.

The third True Lord has fallen!
At this moment, all directions were silent.

Everyone felt a chill run through their bodies, because both the mortal world and the Great Ruins were shrouded in unparalleled killing intent, and the supreme power permeated the nine heavens and ten earths.

"I have indeed invited a helper, but it is not Fellow Daoist Wei."

Emperor Ji's gaze swept over the area where Chen Xuan was located. He paused for a moment, then continued, "Therefore, I do not wish for Fellow Daoist Wei to die and perish as a result."

He was not forced to leave the palace.

Instead, he voluntarily gave up the matter of ascending to immortality.

(End of this chapter)