Please call me Dadaozu

Chapter 474 Zhang Yuanzhu: I'm back! (4000)

Inside the hall, all was silent.

Feng Ling lowered her eyes, placed her hand on the armrest, and remained silent.

Time passed by, but the main hall remained quiet.

After an unknown amount of time, the woman couldn't help but look up.

On the golden throne, a crimson figure sat upright, one hand supporting his cheek, his double pupils calm and undisturbed.

Their gazes met in mid-air, and their indifferent whispers echoed in the hall:

"The path to enlightenment is arduous and full of hardships; anyone can fall halfway there."

Zhang Yuanzhu slowly lowered his hand, leaned back on the throne, and a ripple of emotion stirred in the depths of his eyes.

Zhou Zhi and he came from Jiangshui City together and joined the Immortal Soldier Valley together. They had some interaction when they were young at Dao Peak and also traveled side by side in the Beast Taming Secret Realm for a period of time.

He can be considered a friend!
The young man sighed inwardly:

'The opponent's talent is not outstanding; reaching the peak of Qi Refining is already their limit, and breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage would be too difficult.'

He severed the distracting thoughts in his mind, looked down at the woman, his expression solemn, and uttered each word carefully:
"Inform Cang Lei, Han Hai, Zhuo Yang, and the Divine Arresters that I have returned."

"All disciples, no matter where they are, must travel to Jinling within two months."

The woman stood up, her expression brightening.

Bow with hands clasped in greeting:
"As the Emperor commands!"

She knew that Immortal Valley, no, the entire Ancient Cliff Mountain, was about to undergo a dramatic change.

Zhang Yuanzhu raised his hand and waved it gently, signaling him to leave.

Feng Ling stood up and slowly walked away.

She needed to spread the news as quickly as possible.

Daozi of Immortal Soldier Valley, Emperor Ming of the Ming Kingdom, and the future master of the Zhuoyang Dharma Lineage, has returned.

With the woman gone, only Zhang Yuanzhu remained in the palace.

He flipped his palm, and a formation plate and two cyan-gold talismans appeared in his palm.

He lowered his hand and handed the compass and talisman to Da Huang:
"Go to Immortal Weapon Valley for me. Before the mountain gate, tear off a talisman."

"Woof~, Immortal Soldier Valley?"

The big yellow beast looked puzzled, but still stretched out its paw and took the array plate and talisman.

"Master, I'll go right now."

"No rush, you can explore Jinling City for a while before you leave."

Zhang Yuanzhu gently patted the dog's head with his palm, his expression tender.

The news of his return will soon spread throughout Guyashan.

Those creatures need to be shown what power is, lest some ignorant beings seek their own demise.

In the blink of an eye, a giant silver wolf appeared in the hall.

As soon as it appeared, it obediently lay down at the bottom of the steps, indicating its submission.

Ignoring the silver wolf, the young man took the measuring ruler from his waist with his free hand and placed it on the big yellow paw.

"Throughout Immortal Soldier Valley, whoever attacks you..."

"They can all be killed!"

"Woof, Dao Master, I understand."

The large yellow beast's skull twitched slightly, its eyes cold and filled with murderous intent.

It followed the Dao Lord all the way, and having seen mountains of corpses and seas of blood, it would not show any mercy.

and……

It doesn't have much goodwill towards sects that have repeatedly been hostile to or even imprisoned their Dao Masters.

Zhang Yuanzhu nodded, pointing to the silver wolf below the steps:
"Big Yellow, it will go with you."

"Wang~"

The yellow dog glanced at the obedient silver wolf and nodded.

Immediately, Da Huang affectionately rubbed against Chi Ying's robes.

Afterwards, he swallowed the luminous white ruler, led the silver wolf outside, and left the hall.

Zhang Yuanzhu gazed in the direction the yellow dog had gone, his eyes gentle.

Everything has been arranged.

Once the miscellaneous tasks are finished, I should be able to fulfill the promise I made back then, the matter that my lineage ancestors have been pursuing throughout the ages.

He leaned against the throne, layers of blue mist rising up, obscuring his figure and blurring the palace, making everything seem unreal.

A barely audible whisper echoed through the hall.

"The Blazing Sun Dao Meridian!"

……

the other side.

After leaving the palace, Feng Ling took out a jade slip from his bosom and sent out the news of Emperor Ming's return.

Cang Lei, Han Hai, Zhuo Yang, and Shenbu Men were all informed and asked to come to Jinling Immortal City as soon as possible.

Such a large-scale transmission of information, along with numerous unusual movements within various lineages, could not be concealed.

In an instant, most of the Dharma lineages and Dao lineages in Immortal Soldier Valley sensed the anomaly.

After delivering the message, Feng Ling returned to her secluded cultivation palace and sat cross-legged in the center.

She took out a jade box from her bosom, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Tap lightly with your fingertips.

Click~
The jade box was opened, revealing a green leaf.

The green leaves are as jade-like as jade, reflecting the mountains, rivers, sun, and moon, like a small world.

"This...this is..."

Feng Ling was stunned and stared blankly at Qing Ye.

Such a treasure, even just one glance is enough to tell that it is of great value and exceptionally precious.

The vitality it fosters is as vast as an ocean, beyond imagination.

The woman raised her head and looked in the direction of the Ming Emperor's Palace.

She underestimated him!

……

Ming Dynasty, Jiangshui City, Zhou Family Mansion.

Inside the cemetery, a gentle breeze blows, autumn leaves flutter, and the air is filled with desolation and sorrow.

In a secluded corner, a solitary grave stands, scattered with fallen leaves. A yellowed jade slip is placed before the tombstone, seemingly waiting for something.

A crimson shadow appeared, silently gazing at the grave and the lifeless figure inside the coffin.

There were no signs of foul play, nor any indication of being assassinated; he had indeed failed in his breakthrough attempt and perished.

Zhang Yuanzhu's hair was disheveled; he remained silent, then whispered:
"Junior sister, it's been a long time. I've returned from the Past River Plain."

He stretched out his palm and gently stroked the tombstone, feeling the uneven texture under his fingertips.

'The Tomb of Zhou Zhi of Daofeng!'

The tombstone bears no inscription of the Zhou family, Immortal Soldier Valley, or Vast Ocean Dharma Lineage; only the words "Dao Peak" are inscribed upon it.

His double pupils were half-closed, making it impossible to see his inner emotions. His fingertips traced the tombstone, sending stone chips flying.

A line of writing appeared on one side of the stone tablet.

Erected by Zhang Yuanzhu at the tomb of his close friend Zhou Zhi!

Each character was brilliant and bright, like stars shining with boundless brilliance, and then one by one they disappeared.

He lowered his hand and picked up the jade slip.

As he rubbed the jade slip between his fingers, sensing the restrictions on it, the calm lake of his heart began to ripple.

A rudimentary method for identifying auras.

In the blink of an eye, a wisp of energy flowed in.

bang~
The jade slip shattered, and a soft female voice echoed from before the tomb:
"Senior brother, it must be you who has arrived!"

“A Qi Refining cultivator like me wouldn’t be disturbed by any senior figures from any lineage, since you’re not dead yet.”

The woman's voice paused slightly, tinged with sorrow and regret.

"Senior brother, I have failed. My talent has reached its limit, and I cannot break through."

Compared to you, my life is too short and boring, like morning dew, fleeting in an instant. All love, hate, and longing will turn into bubbles and eventually vanish.

"I only hope that, a thousand years from now, when we look back, we can still remember the girl named Zhou Zhi, who once met my senior brother on the mountain path of Daofeng."

Zhang Yuanzhu's arms hung naturally at his waist as he listened intently, a deep ripple of emotion stirring within his eyes:
"This is cultivation. There are many corpses by the roadside. The Great Dao is ruthless and selfless. Only the struggle to cross it remains."

As if talking to himself, as if confiding something. He raised his hand, waved his sleeve, and two cups of tea appeared.

One cup is placed before the tombstone, and the other is raised for a slow, gentle sip.

After finishing the tea in his cup, he turned around and strode forward.

As the leaves fall and the figure recedes into the distance, only a whisper drifts on the wind.

"If you are strong enough, you can shatter all tragedies."

……

As time passed, news of the return of the seventh member of Immortal Soldier Valley spread far and wide.

Within the Immortal Soldier Valley, numerous Dharma veins and Dao veins trembled, streams of energy rose up, and streaks of light crisscrossed the heavens and earth, whistling past.

On the main mountain of the Zhuoyang lineage, a young man in a white robe with an ordinary face sat cross-legged atop the mountain.

When Chen Zijing received news of his disciple's return, he stood up and laughed heartily.

Zhang Yuanzhu returned alive after all, just as the righteous path could not stop him during his journey to the Demon Realm.

From now on, where will our lineage go?

Amidst laughter, his body transformed into a rainbow of light, leaving the Great Mountain and traversing the heavens.

The Dharma lineage of the Azure Heaven resides above a deep yellow pool.

A thin figure draped in a green robe sat cross-legged, gazing at his daughter, who was filled with joy.

The master of Biluo Mountain had a complex expression.

Ten years ago, the Biluo lineage, the Shiling lineage, and the Qian Kingdom joined forces to launch a northern expedition against the Yan Kingdom, but suffered a crushing defeat.

For the sake of preserving the lineage, he went into seclusion to break through the Qi Condensation stage, thereby avoiding the undercurrents within the sect and missing the opportunity to cooperate with that person.

Unexpectedly, ten years have passed, and he is still at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. That young prodigy, however, has already shaken the world with his mere name, causing unease among many Dharma lineages and Dao lineages.

Did I make the wrong choice?

The Lord of Biluo Mountain shifted his gaze from his daughter to the direction of Jinling.

Yi Xing Dao Lineage, at the summit of Shen Yue.

Three elderly men dressed in Taoist robes and wearing star-shaped crowns surrounded a bronze compass, their hands forming hand seals.

Click~
The compass cracked and shattered with a crash.

In an instant, the three old men trembled, and blood trickled from the corners of their mouths.

"How is this possible? The three of us at the peak of the Qi Condensation stage combined, yet we were unable to deduce that person."

An old man exclaimed in surprise, his cloudy eyes filled with horror.

Suddenly, the shouts stopped, and the space seemed to freeze. The three old men looked up at the sky at the same time.

In the darkness, a pair of double pupils looked down.

What kind of eyes were those? More radiant than the starry sea, more dazzling than the sun, as if they could see through cause and effect and see into the future.

“Zhang…Zhang Yuan…”

As his gaze swept over them, the three old men were struck dumb, and their trembling voices abruptly stopped.

"This will never happen again!"

Wow wow wow~
The three elderly men coughed up blood, staggered back, and collapsed to the ground.

……

All living beings are diverse, with different thoughts and feelings.

Some went to Nanjing in the Ming Dynasty, some gathered with other cultivators of the Dharma lineage to talk, and some tried their best to recall whether they had made things difficult for the Ming Dynasty over the past few years...

At the same time, a yellow dog the size of a calf sat cross-legged on the back of a silver wolf, approaching the Valley of Immortal Soldiers.

"Wang~"

"Silver Wolf, it is a great fortune that you can follow the Dao Lord. Do not harbor any improper thoughts."

The silver wolf nodded, a hint of human flattery appearing on its wolfish face:

"Of course not. Having pulled the cart from Raize all the way here, how could I not know about the power of the Lord? However..."

"Master Huang, is it alright for the two of us to head to Immortal Weapon Valley like this? I've heard that there are Golden Core True Monarchs hidden within the sect's lineage."

Big Yellow's paws rested on Silver Wolf's head, its mouth open, revealing its cold, sharp teeth.

"It's alright, the Dao Lord is never wrong."

Upon hearing this, the silver wolf fell silent and sped forward.

Several hours later, Immortal Soldier Valley came into view.

The mountains and rivers are vast, the vegetation is lush and green, and the sacred mountains stand tall in the four directions, like pillars of heaven and earth.

Big Yellow leaped off the silver wolf's back and spat out.

A long, shimmering white ruler appeared, hovering above his head, radiating an aura of astonishment.

Boom~
A beam of radiant white light burst forth, covering five thousand miles of sky, tearing through the clouds to reveal the deep starry sky.

"I have come in place of the Lord of the Dao."

A deep, resounding roar, accompanied by a burst of light, echoed across the vast land.

In that instant, powerful auras rose from within the mountain gate, and countless gazes were directed towards it, staring blankly at the celestial light in the sky.

Finally, everyone looked at Big Yellow, or rather, at the gleaming white ruler on Big Yellow's head.

Whether it's a Golden Core True Monarch or a Qi Refining cultivator, they are no exception.

clap~
Big Yellow put its paws on the ground and walked forward, its beastly eyes indifferent.

Greetings to all fellow Daoists.

Before the words had even finished, a lapis lazuli talisman floated out from the fur.

hum~
As the talisman burned, an inexplicable aura surged forth, permeating every corner of the mountains and rivers.

In the next instant, azure light burst forth, spreading rapidly, twisting and transforming into a gigantic hand that blotted out the sky, covering seven thousand miles of sky.

Five fingers, like divine mountains, gently bent to grasp the shimmering white river in the sky.

Under the watchful eyes of countless living beings in the entire Immortal Soldier Valley, it swept down.

"Zhang Yuanzhu, you've gone mad!"

"What do you want to do?"

"Run! Run away!!"

……

A series of sharp shouts echoed through the sky, as if they wanted to escape.

But many more cultivators stood there, bewildered, watching the scene unfold as if the sky had collapsed.

With such attacks, where can they possibly escape to?

Just as many cultivators closed their eyes and awaited their death, a long, shimmering white river flowed over the mountain gate and crashed a thousand miles away.

boom!
Boom! !
Boom! ! !
With an indescribable roar, it was as if hundreds of suns were blooming, radiating boundless light and heat.

The earth surged and rolled like waves, rising into the sky and raising clouds of dust, only to be swept away by the radiance.

After an unknown amount of time, the radiance slowly dissipated, the dust settled, revealing ravines stretching for thousands of miles.

All living beings and cultivators collapsed to the ground, their schemes and plots vanishing at that moment.

Dahuang stood in front of the gate of Immortal Soldier Valley, its beastly eyes cold. It opened its mouth and inhaled, swallowing the Measuring Ruler.

"The Daoist Master's greetings are delivered. Fellow disciples, please do not stray from the right path."

The yellow dog leaped onto the silver wolf's back, sitting cross-legged like a human, and lightly touched the wolf's head with its paw.

"gone!"

"Ow~"

The giant silver wolf howled, its body transforming into a streak of light as it swept across the sky.

From the moment Dahuang appeared until its departure, only a dozen or so breaths passed, yet the shock it brought was unprecedented.

All the cultivators from the Daoist and Dharma lineages turned their gazes toward the long, sprawling pit.

They knew that the world was about to change!
Deep within Immortal Soldier Valley, two figures stood side by side, gazing solemnly at the direction where Big Yellow and Silver Wolf had departed.

A figure draped in a blood-red robe stood with his hands behind his back, muttering to himself:
"The words coming from the Boundless Palace are correct. That sect's prodigy is indeed capable of fighting against us at the Condensation Realm."

As the second side gate of Ancient Cliff Mountain, Immortal Soldier Valley naturally has special channels to obtain some information about the Passing River Plain.

However, some of the information was so bizarre that even the Golden Core True Monarchs of the Refining Weapon and Blood Sea lineages could not believe it.

However, when that one foot was swung down, ravines spread for thousands of miles.

They believed it!
There really are people who can achieve this, condensing the Golden Core of the Demonic Cultivation Realm.

Such deeds are not recorded in ancient books and exceed the limits of imagination.

If the Qi Condensation Realm is this powerful, then what about the Golden Core Realm?
If handled well, Immortal Soldier Valley may reach unprecedented heights.

(End of this chapter)