The True Lord has arrived

Chapter 174 Knowing the Sixth Rank, Laying the Foundation for the Dao

Within the jade seal, a brilliant light flowed, subtly connecting with Zhou Yan himself. Zhou Yan was already familiar with the seventh-grade realm deduced by the jade seal, and he had fully utilized it in the battle against the Giant Spirit General of Yuntai.

It can easily employ Buddhist and military techniques, wielding the Earth Soul and Heavenly Collapse weapon. It can directly use this weapon as a foundation and node to connect with the earth's veins, thereby greatly enhancing its own recovery ability.

The seventh-grade foundation simulated back then was different from Zhou Yan's current state, which controls the Xuan Altar and has 48,000 soldiers. It was far less solid and powerful than it is now. Therefore, the sixth-grade foundation simulated based on the current state is...

What kind of Dao Foundation will Zhou Yan have that is unique to him?
Zhou Yan couldn't help but feel anticipation.

The military, Taoism, and Buddhism converged into one.

The first one that appears faintly is a Buddhist-centered figure who also possesses military and Taoist skills. He is vaguely transformed into a "Wanderer," wearing a headband, a wanderer's robe, and holding a long-handled weapon. He is making hand gestures in the Xuanmen (Taoist) style, thus embodying the way of the three schools.

Unhindered by any of the three religions and nine schools of thought, a state of perfect clarity resides within this heart.

Let's talk about metaphysics and philosophy.

Zhou Yan's lips twitched slightly: "The Pilgrim? Is it Sun Wukong or Wu Xingzhe?"

If one follows this path and establishes this foundation, then the three schools of thought will be in balance, and various methods and supernatural powers can be used at will. If one wants to engage in close combat, one can fight with the Xuan Tan Opening Dharma Gate; if one wants to fight with Buddhist methods, one will not be afraid.

Basically, it's a super-enhanced version of Zhou Yan's current state.

With a variety of methods emerging one after another, and the assistance of guardian deities such as Ao Xuantao, Li Pingyang, and Shi Xuanxing, they have the ability to fight back in all kinds of situations. Overcoming the strong with the weak is nothing new.

[The Foundation of the Path for Practitioners of the Three Teachings].

Zhou Yan seemed lost in thought. Having journeyed this far, he had developed his own ideas and understanding of cultivation and lineages. He muttered to himself:
"If that's the case, then it's just like it is now. The three schools are still clearly distinct. Rather than combining the lineages of the three schools and going their own way, it's more accurate to say that they are simply taking into account the three teachings at the same time."

"What foundation? It's just that he's strong."

"However, it is already so difficult for a single lineage to reach the upper three ranks. The time, opportunities, comprehension, and vital energy required for cultivating three different lineages separately are all too great. This time, I almost had a problem when I broke through to the middle three ranks."

"No, no."

"That won't work."

The jade seal slowly rotated, marking another change in the path of the three travelers.

This time, it was no longer simply derived from Zhou Yan's current state, but also incorporated Zhou Yan's own thoughts and understanding of cultivation. This time, it was centered on the [Dao].

He transformed into a Taoist priest, stepping onto the altar, but instead of summoning wind, fire, thunder, and lightning, he cast spells, with countless soldiers and their fierce auras faintly visible behind him, thus demonstrating the way the altar commands a large army.

He treads upon dragons and snakes, emanating yin and yang, and commands all living beings to transform into soldiers and

With a single talisman, beans instantly transform into soldiers!

It vaguely resembles the lineage of Zhang Jiao, the founder of the Way of Peace and the Great Teacher.

By activating the Xuan Tan Dharma Lineage and summoning thousands of soldiers, one can easily defeat an opponent with a dozen or so against one. This is a significant advantage. Zhou Yan pondered for a moment and said, "However, while the killing power is strong, one's own martial arts skills are lacking, and one's physique is insufficient."

"If you really encounter the [Celestial Lineage], the [Yinshan Lineage], or a [Dispersed Sect Sorcerer], you might be doomed. Moreover, this is considered [cultivating one's nature but not one's destiny]. Back then, the Great Sage Teacher took this path because of the limitations of the times, in order to improve his strength in a short period of time, and thus died early."

"No, no, this road is not safe."

Zhou Yan shook his head.

The Imperial Seal, representing the lineage of Kunlun, turned slightly and began to deduce again.

This time, the focus is on military strategy.

It evolved into the appearance of a warrior.

Clad in armor, capable of close-quarters combat, supported by guardian deities who erect altars, primarily a military strategist with Buddhist and Taoist elements as secondary support, possessing an invincible, crystal-clear physique, and able to summon water and fire from Taoist altars.

Unrivaled in single combat, overwhelmingly powerful, and serves as a support for both Buddhism and Taoism.

With the blessing of Taoism and the coordination of Buddhist magic, the close-range burst of power can steadily suppress ordinary celestial and human magic lines. In long-range combat, one can cultivate archery skills and combine them with the Buddhist Heavenly Eye and the Taoist Xuan Tan Wind and Thunder Incantation.

With a good bow and arrow, the arrows fired in a burst will be no less powerful than a normal sixth-grade spell.

It possesses both vigorous blood and energy, a carefree spirit, and a soul as clear as crystal.

They will live longer.

Zhou Yan then said, "This is not bad, but there is one shortcoming..."

Zhou Yan sensed the finalized lineage, feeling its power, domineering nature, and weaknesses, and his lips twitched slightly.

This kind of divine general's lineage is powerful and domineering, capable of both attacking and defending, and has explosive power.

Its only weakness.

Blue is lacking.

Zhou Yan almost wanted to roar to the sky.

He was just having a headache. Among the three types of Dao foundations that he deduced, Zhou Yan valued the one that was most lacking in mana the most. However, looking at the slowly rotating Imperial Seal, Zhou Yan realized that the Imperial Seal was deduced based on Zhou Yan's own foundation.

"Foundation..."

Zhou Yan realized that the Imperial Seal of the State still possessed a power that had not been incorporated into the basis of the deduction.

He stretched out his hand and crossed two fingers.

A jade talisman with the character "泰" (Tai) representing the Lord of Mount Tai appeared.

The Imperial Seal of the State is a treasure of Kunlun, representing the lineage of the second ancestor of all mountains after Buzhou Mountain, and the Kunlun Immortal Court; while Zhou Yan currently possesses the status of the Lord of Mount Tai.

"Use the treasures of the Kunlun lineage to deduce the methods of Mount Tai."

"That should work, right?"

"After all, even though this Kunlun treasure is only one-third of the whole thing, I, the Lord of Mount Tai, am also a fake."

The jade talisman with the character "泰" has undergone a transformation.

It has no relation to the Duke of Taishan, but was born purely from Zhou Yan.

At this moment, the jade talisman representing the status of the Lord of Mount Tai is connected with three different forces: one is Ao Xuantao, the Water Lord of the Jing River; another is Li Pingyang, the daughter of Taibai; and the third is the falling of a celestial star, and Mount Tai urgently needs to retrieve General Shi Xuanxing.

When wielding the Tai character jade talisman, Zhou Yan could selectively utilize a portion of its power.

Of course, there is an upper limit.

After all, Zhou Yan's own magical power and cultivation were still insufficient.

Zhou Yan exhaled, channeling his own power and connecting with the three guardian deities. Then, he connected his foundation with the position of the Lord of Mount Tai. The young Taoist's sideburns fluttered slightly, and his black hair, which had just reached his shoulders, naturally broke free of the hairpin and fell peacefully to his waist, with a faint golden tinge at the ends.

Golden patterns derived from the Five Sacred Mountains naturally appeared between his eyebrows.

It was like mountains turning into fire.

Majestic, ancient, and vast.

The Imperial Seal, already difficult to deduce due to the immense weight of its three lineages, came to a complete halt this time. It stopped rotating and changing, and the flowing light seemed to be stuck, struggling within the seal.

The rank of the Lord of Mount Tai is no less than that of Kunlun Mountain, the ancestral home of immortals and gods.

If the Imperial Seal still possessed a spirit, it might ask questions.

Should I deduce the lineage path of the [Lord of Mount Tai]?

Is it up to me?!
I?
However, this place is, after all, the Shangshan Pond of the Taoist sect, which is the foundation transformed from the water bag of the Supreme Lord in his time. It also has the foundation accumulated by the Louguan Temple of the Supreme Lord over a thousand years. It is by no means ordinary. And this pond is precisely the embodiment of the Supreme Lord's "supreme good is like water".

This place transcends good and evil, yin and yang; all who enter will benefit. The Tao endures, its principles are lofty, encompassing all phenomena of yin and yang.

The Shangshan Pond swirled and changed, with Zhou Yan at its core, transforming into a vortex that surged like thunder and poured into the Imperial Seal of the State, causing the Imperial Seal of the State to transform into boundless light and suddenly push forward!
This is almost as if the Supreme Lord himself had personally helped to deduce the path of Tao!
Thus, the Imperial Seal of the State, the Shangshan Pond, and the Tai Character Jade Talisman were created.

They light up at the same time.

In this region of the Western Peak, it forcibly connected with the earth's veins of Mount Tai with a lofty and vast presence and realm. Within Mount Tai, the primordial energy layer upon layer gathered together, but this time it did not erupt; instead, it remained contained within.

Shi Xuanxing raised his head.

I saw layers of clouds gathering around the majestic Mount Tai.

Centered on Mount Tai, the clouds grew thicker and thicker, layer upon layer, rolling and swirling down. Without a doubt, such an unusual phenomenon could only be caused by Mount Tai itself. If it was not Mount Tai, then it must be something related to Mount Tai.

"It's the Lord!"

Outside the secret realm of Shangshan Pond, the old Taoist priest Xiweizi, who was engrossed in reading Taoist scriptures, first sensed the ripples of Zhou Yan's first breakthrough. Although he did not open his Dharma Eye or use his supernatural powers, he did not know that Zhou Yan's breakthrough was from the eighth to the seventh level.

After all, this commotion was comparable to that of an ordinary Taoist breaking through to the sixth rank.

He smiled and said, "You've broken through so quickly?"

"It seems that even if I don't go, there's no danger."

Stroking his beard, he sensed that the Shangshan Pond remained unchanged, with its water level barely dropping. He smiled and said, "As expected, the Shangshan Pond suffered almost no damage. With natural circulation, it will soon recover."

"Grandmaster Uncle, oh Grandmaster Uncle."

"I know you've had a fortuitous encounter, but among all the cultivators in the world who have reached this point, which one hasn't had a fortuitous encounter? Why worry? How could you possibly exhaust the secret realm of my Louguan Dao?"

Xiweizi stroked his beard and continued reading the Daoist canon.

I had only turned two pages when I suddenly sensed something was wrong.

The old Taoist paused in stroking his beard, his eyes sweeping across the scene. In a single breath, he activated his divine eye, seeing with his naked eye the rapid flow of vital energy. This flow of vital energy resembled the state of some spiritual land before its birth or depletion.

The old Taoist's smile froze slightly, and his always smiling eyes finally widened.

"Won't……"

boom! ! !
The primordial energy gathered and transformed into a torrent. The primordial energy, invisible to the naked eye, eventually coalesced into a gale. The old Taoist's sleeves billowed and were blown about, making a rustling sound. The Taoist scripture in his hand was pulled apart by this gale and completely scattered, flying into the sky.

The sound emanated from within this vortex of primordial energy.

Xiweizi slowly turned her head.

I saw the energy gathering.

"To lay the foundation for the Way."

"But what kind of lineage and foundation do you possess that you could create such a commotion and such a great spectacle..."

The pool of Shangshan Pond was subtly swirling to its fullest extent.

Before Zhou Yan's eyes, the Imperial Seal of the State finally lit up, reaching its peak and evolving into Zhou Yan's sixth-grade Dao Foundation.

It is still an illusion, a figure formed by the convergence of divine essence.

He wore a dark black armor, which was majestic and imposing, but not bulky. He had turned his Taoist robe into a battle robe, with the dark blue hem embroidered with the Big Dipper pattern. He held a long-handled, three-pointed, double-edged sword, and his body was surrounded by the Eight Heavenly Dragon Fire.

With Mount Tai as a reference.

Across Buddhism, Taoism, and military!
Presented as a divine general.

The unity of the three religions!

Unlike before, when Zhou Yan made his move, the Buddhist methods were Buddhist methods, the military methods were military methods, and the Taoist altar was only recently acquired and could only be used as an auxiliary tool, with clear distinctions between the two.

At this moment, the three lineages seemed to be intertwining and converging, merging the three teachings into one. Thus, Zhou Yan vaguely understood the power of his sixth-grade Dao foundation.

He was able to command the imperial edicts of the Xuan Altar using the fires of military strategists!

The Buddha's light and dragon fire purify the evil spirits, and the Taoist altar blesses the mountain god's position!

All the various lineages converged into one, perfectly matching Zhou Yan himself!
This divine general, clad in armor and draped in a Taoist robe, exuding divinity, merged with Zhou Yan in an instant. The flowing light of the Shangshan Pool converged, forging a false foundation of Dao. However, even if it was false, it was still a foundation of Dao.

Once the foundation of the Dao is revealed, one reaches the sixth rank.

Zhou Yan slowly opened his eyes, clenched his fist, and felt his own transformation.

The Imperial Seal of the State has reached its zenith with its dazzling brilliance.

"It seems that only one-third of the Imperial Seal remains. The Kunlun lineage still possesses the ability to [deduce], but it is incomplete. The ability to deduce the lineage has its limitations and requires the blessing of a treasure land like Shangshan Pond."

Zhou Yan stretched out his hand, and the Imperial Seal of the State slowly spun and landed in his hand.

"Hopefully, this commotion isn't too big..."

As soon as the seal was stored inside his body, the gate to Shangshan Pond suddenly opened.

Xiweizi practically rushed in, his gaze fixed on the Shangshan Pond, its waters crystal clear.

Xiweizi fell silent and murmured:

"Empty...empty?"

"Not a single drop of this vital energy is left?"

The Shangshan Pond, which had been like a deep, still pool, was now so clear that the bottom was visible to the naked eye. It wasn't exactly empty, but it was practically empty. Zhou Yan was a little embarrassed and said, "This, cough cough, um..."

He chuckled dryly and said, "Hopefully I haven't failed in my mission?"

Xiweizi stretched out his hand, pointing at him repeatedly, then at Shangshanchi. He wasn't angry, but suddenly burst into laughter, helpless yet naturally carefree: "Hahaha, you really have eaten me up."

"Living a long life definitely has its advantages."

Zhou Yan was stunned: "Aren't you angry?"

Xiweizi laughed heartily, draped his whisk over his arm, and said, "Why are you angry?"

Zhou Yan said, "Have I exhausted all your treasures?"

Xiweizi stroked his beard and said, “What do you mean ‘ours’? This thing is just like all living beings, born and nurtured by nature, left behind by the Dao Ancestor. We are destined to travel with it, but all things eventually come to an end.”

"Walking together on the same path is a joy, and so is parting."

"Don't be attached to things. This applies to people, and it should also apply to things, shouldn't it?"

Xiweizi was carefree.

Zhou Yan could sense that this Master Xiweizi truly possessed the demeanor of a high-ranking Taoist, so he exclaimed, "Master, what a fine state of mind you have!"

Hippiezi swept his sleeve and closed the door.

He smiled and said, "But it's not as good as Your Excellency's methods."

Zhou Yan was stunned, but then he saw the old Taoist priest smile and say, "Should I call you Grandmaster Uncle, or should I address you as such?"

"【Lord of Mount Tai】".

(End of this chapter)