Starting Immortal Cultivation from a White Dog

Two Gods appeared at the same time.

The Azure Dragon coiled above the East Sea, its head held high, looking down upon all living beings. Its voice was deep and resonant, like thunder from ancient times.

"Kunpeng, why get angry?"

The Fire Phoenix hovered atop the southern border, its wings fluttering, flames swirling around it. Her voice was clear and enchanting, like celestial music.

"Let's talk this out."

Kunpeng sneered.

"Speak properly?"

"When they destroyed my lineage and suppressed my eighteen demon lords, did they ever speak properly? They are trying to completely cut off my path forward. I think they clearly want to monopolize the secrets of the Heavenly Emperor."

Jade Void Celestial Venerable frowned slightly.

"Kunpeng, stop talking nonsense."

He spoke, his voice as cold as ice.

"Daoist Da Chi and I have calculated that to obtain the secrets of the ancient Heavenly Emperor, we must follow the path of the Heavenly Emperor. Therefore, I wish to discuss with you the possibility of Daoist Da Chi assuming the position of Heavenly Emperor."

He paused, then looked directly at Kunpeng.

"But what about you, Kunpeng?"

“We have invited you many times, but you have remained in seclusion and ignored us completely.”

He sneered and said bluntly, "Isn't it just selfishness that makes you not want Fellow Daoist Da Chi to become the Heavenly Emperor?"

"how?"

He spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Do you, Kunpeng, want to sit on the throne of the Heavenly Emperor?"

"Why don't you ask the others if they agree?"

Upon hearing this, Kunpeng suddenly burst into laughter.

The laughter was deafening, shaking the heavens and the earth, making the sun, moon and stars tremble.

"Ha ha ha ha--"

After laughing, His gaze turned cold and sharp.

"how?"

"You can sit on this throne of the Heavenly Emperor, but I, Kunpeng, cannot?"

He spoke slowly and deliberately.

"If you were to monopolize the secrets of the Heavenly Emperor, wouldn't all my ten thousand years of life have been wasted?"

"Those words might fool others, but trying to fool me—"

He gave a cold laugh.

"Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Unraveling the secrets of the Heavenly Emperor is possible, but what about the Heavenly Emperor's throne—"

He paused.

"My Kunpeng must have a share!"

Jade Void Celestial Venerable's expression darkened.

"The reason why the Heavenly Emperor is an emperor is precisely because he holds absolute power. If power were dispersed, how could he still be called an emperor?"

Kunpeng chuckled.

"I don't care."

"I'd rather I not get it, and nobody else get it, than let you all take all the benefits."

Upon hearing this, Jade Void Celestial Venerable was so angry that he couldn't speak.

In fact, the reason why Buddhism and Taoism joined forces to eliminate the Demon God Path was, from the perspective of the lower realm, to compete for famous mountains and rivers and expand their influence.

However, for the two Celestial Venerables, it was to force Kunpeng out of seclusion so that they could discuss the Heavenly Emperor's affairs together.

Kunpeng secluded himself beneath the Northwest Earth, remaining there for ten thousand years. No matter how many methods he and the Great Crimson Heavenly Venerable used, the other party ignored them, clearly pretending not to see them.

Therefore, they went with the flow, with Buddhism taking the lead and Taoism supporting them, to attack the northwest. On the one hand, Taoism occupied the central land, and on the other hand, the conflict between Buddhism and Taoism in the central land became increasingly fierce.

The westward expansion of Buddhism, occupying the northwest region, could alleviate conflicts and contradictions.

On the other hand, it was to use the destruction of the Northwest Demon God Sect as an excuse to force Kunpeng to leave the pass.

Unexpectedly, Kunpeng was so reckless, preferring to break up rather than compromise.

Jade Void Celestial Venerable took a deep breath and looked at Azure Dragon and Fire Phoenix.

"Fellow Daoist Qingtian, Fellow Daoist Huangtian—"

He spoke, his tone tinged with a hint of probing.

What do you say?

The Azure Dragon remained silent.

Fire Phoenix also fell silent.

They remained silent and made no statement.

But that silence itself is an attitude.

Although they were unwilling to offend the leaders of Buddhism and Taoism, they were also unwilling to give up the authority of the Heavenly Emperor and the secrets of the ancient Heavenly Emperor that they might discover.

The situation reached a stalemate.

Just then, the Great Crimson Heavenly Venerable spoke.

His voice was old yet gentle, like a spring breeze.

"Never mind."

He sighed softly.

"Since you fellow cultivators insist, then perhaps—"

He paused.

"How about we divide the Heavenly Emperor's power among ourselves?"

Upon hearing this, Jade Void Celestial Venerable frowned.

"Friend Da Equator?"

He looked at the Great Crimson Heavenly Venerable, his eyes filled with incomprehension.

The Great Crimson Heavenly Venerable shook his head almost imperceptibly, his gaze sweeping over the Kunpeng, the Azure Dragon, and the Fire Phoenix.

"The position of the Heavenly Emperor is supreme and noble. Once the power is divided, then he can no longer be called the Heavenly Emperor."

He paused.

"But now, if any one of us six were to become the Heavenly Emperor, I'm afraid the other fellow Daoists would not agree."

He smiled slightly.

"Since that's the case, I have a solution. Why don't we jointly refine a Heavenly Emperor's treasure, incorporating all the laws of the Three Realms and the authority of the Heavenly Court into it? Then, with the positions of the 365 Righteous Gods, we can govern the laws and authority of Heaven and Earth, and balance the operation of Heaven and Earth."

"The six of us have jointly refined this treasure, and each of us will be able to control its power and each control a portion of its divine position."

"Then, we will jointly select one of the Three Realms to assume the position of Heavenly Emperor, wield the Imperial Weapon, and command the three hundred and sixty-five righteous gods, thus becoming the rightful ruler of the Three Realms."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

"Because he wields the imperial weapon and commands all the gods of the three realms, he is the true Heavenly Emperor, wielding absolute power, and his word can be the law of the world."

"But they will be subject to our control."

"After all, this Investiture of the Gods was jointly created by us. If the six of us join forces, we can cut off the foundation of heaven and earth."

"In this way, we can use the Heavenly Emperor to pursue the wonders of the ancient emperors. If anything goes wrong, we can suppress it at any time."

He smiled slightly.

What do you all think of this proposal?

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.

It must be said that the Great Crimson Celestial Venerable is indeed a man of profound cunning. Moreover, it is quite obvious that he had prepared in advance, which is why he was able to come up with such a solution that could be accepted by all parties.

Jade Void Celestial Venerable gripped the sword hilt tightly with his right hand. He had a deep connection with Great Crimson Celestial Venerable, so he was willing to support Great Crimson Celestial Venerable's ascension to the throne only after the latter promised him great benefits.

However, choosing a new Heavenly Emperor in this way would undoubtedly be more advantageous for him.

After all, who wouldn't be tempted by the secrets of the ancient Heavenly Emperor?
As powerful Golden Immortals, these six individuals were undoubtedly invincible in this realm, capable of suppressing the world.

However, in the Heavenly Realm, even a Golden Immortal who opens up a Celestial Heaven is merely a powerful being, far from being a hegemon.

The beings in myths and legends who were able to create the heavens, and even the Heavenly Emperor in myths and legends who created the Thirty-Three Heavens by himself, were the true overlords of the heavens.

He single-handedly swept through the heavens, earning the respect of all the immortals and Buddhas.

Who dares to disobey? Who dares not to fear?
If they could obtain the Heavenly Emperor's secret, they could return to the Heavenly Realm and go further on their own path.

Why bother carving out a small world in this remote corner, closing the door to rule and dominate?

If even the Jade Void Celestial Venerable was so moved, one can only imagine how much more the other Celestial Lords must have been moved.

The gaze of the Lord of the Azure Sky deepened. The Lord of the Yellow Sky, who had been shrouded in firelight from beginning to end, making him difficult to see clearly, now had his wings fluttering, and the firelight was becoming increasingly dazzling, clearly indicating that his heart was not at peace.

Kunpeng stared intently at the Great Crimson Heavenly Venerable, at that gentle smiling face, yet felt an indescribable apprehension in his heart.

Upon seeing this, the Great Crimson Heavenly Venerable smiled slightly.

"It seems that none of you have any objections."

He paused.

"Then let us head to the Lingxiao Palace."

He glanced at the crowd, then looked down at the devastated land below, and sighed softly.

"The chaos has been big enough; it's time to calm things down."

"As for the throne of the Heavenly Emperor—"

He paused.

"Let's come up with some rules and then see how to elect the candidates."

As soon as he finished speaking, all the gods turned their gazes to Kunpeng.

Kunpeng felt a chill run down his spine as he sensed the gazes of the five Heavenly Lords. Clearly, even the Lord of the Yellow Heaven and the Lord of the Azure Heaven had been persuaded by the Lord of the Great Crimson Heaven, and the five Heavenly Lords had reached a consensus.

If he refuses again, he will face the combined suppression of five Gods.

He snorted coldly, "I will never give up the Northwest Demon God Path."

He spoke, but his voice remained cold.

"You are not to interfere in the struggle between the Buddha and me in the Northwest. I hereby agree to this matter."

Before anyone else could speak, Shakyamuni spoke.

His voice was calm and resonant.

"I can grant you this request."

"I created the Great Free Heaven and attained enlightenment in the northwest. There will inevitably be a battle between you and me."

Kunpeng sneered.

"Without anyone else to help—"

He spoke slowly and deliberately.

"I'll twist your head off sooner or later, ancestor."

Seeing that the two had reached an agreement, the other Catholics said no more.

The Great Crimson Heavenly Lord nodded. "In that case, Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, please withdraw your true form. Let us proceed to the Lingxiao Palace for our meeting!"

The gazes of the six gods met in the void.

Kunpeng remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a cold snort.

"Never mind."

He spoke, his voice still cold, but less menacing and more helpless.

"Since you have all agreed, I, your ancestor, will grant you this favor."

As soon as the words were spoken, the colossal, sky-covering behemoth began to move.

The enormous wings that, when spread out, blotted out the sky and covered the northern desert and western mountains, began to slowly fold. The left wing retracted from the north, and the right wing retracted from the west. As the wings closed, the storm gradually subsided, and the void slowly healed.

Then there is the spine that supports the entire northwestern continent.

On its spine, countless mountains, rivers, cities, kingdoms, sacred mountains, blessed lands, forbidden lands, and demon caves trembled slightly.

Those creatures living on the northwestern continent, those survivors who had narrowly escaped death, all knelt on the ground, gazing up at the sky, watching that majestic figure gradually shrink.

The spine slumps.

The northwestern continent began to fall.

It wasn't a freefall, but a slow, steady fall, as if an invisible hand was supporting the entire continent and gently placing it back in its place.

Rumble!
The moment the continent touched the earth, a dull rumble was heard.

The roar was deep and long, echoing throughout every inch of the Three Realms.

The edge of the northwestern continent rejoined the previously torn land. At the point of rejoining, the earth trembled violently, countless rocks tumbled down, and plumes of dust rose into the air.

However, the tremor was much milder than the cataclysmic upheaval that occurred when Kunpeng was enraged.

The seawater also began to flow backwards.

The towering waves swept away by the tsunami, the raging torrents that submerged countless coastal cities, are now slowly receding. The seawater is flowing back from the submerged land, leaving behind devastated ruins, countless corpses, and endless cries of despair.

At least—

The sea has receded.

The waves have stopped.

The ground is stable.

The sky fell silent.

The northwestern continent fell back onto the earth.

But that land is no longer the same as it used to be.

Countless mountains collapsed, countless rivers changed course, countless cities turned into ruins, and countless lives were lost in the abyss.

The once lush forests have been turned into scorched earth; the once bustling villages have become dead zones; and the once prosperous temples and monasteries have become ruins.

The corpses were piled up like mountains.

Blood flowed into a river.

Resentment soared to the sky.

High above, the true form of the Kunpeng continued to shrink.

That indescribably enormous body shrank at a visible rate. Ten thousand feet, a thousand feet, a hundred feet, ten feet—

Finally, it transformed into a human form.

It was an old man.

He was tall and imposing, exuding an aura of dominance. He had two wings on his back, as black as ink, with countless ancient runes flowing across them. With a slight flutter of his wings, a storm would rage around him.

His face was aged and dignified, his gaze sharp as a hawk's and cold as frost; a single glance from him could send one tumbling into an ice cave.

He stood there, surrounded by a chaotic aura. This chaotic aura sometimes transformed into a raging wind, sometimes into thunder, and sometimes into a dark abyss, devouring everything.

Kunpeng's gaze swept across the ravaged northwestern land below, over the mountains of corpses, and over the rivers of blood.

There was no pity, no emotion in his eyes.

It was as if those dead creatures were nothing more than ants; as if that shattered earth was nothing more than a chessboard that had been casually overturned.

He glanced at it coldly, then looked away and gazed in the direction of the Lingxiao Palace.

The Great Crimson Celestial Venerable glanced at the lower realm and sighed softly.

"Let's go."

He took the lead and walked towards the Lingxiao Palace.

Jade Void Celestial Venerable followed closely behind. He snorted coldly, and his sword energy soared into the sky, cleaving through the void. He too transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into the horizon.

The towering azure dragon, amidst the surging waves and storm, transformed into a human form.

He was a middle-aged man.

Standing nine feet tall, with an imposing presence.

He had a pair of dragon horns on his head, crystal clear, with a faint blue light flowing around them. His face was like jade, his eyes like bright stars, and his nose like a hanging gall bladder. Standing there, wind and clouds followed him. With each breath, mist rose and thunder appeared.

The Lord of the Azure Sky looked across and saw the phoenix from the Southern Frontier, which blotted out the sky, flap its wings and the flames around it subsided. Within the flames, its form gradually changed, eventually transforming into a woman.

She was a beautiful woman.

She has a graceful figure, is dignified and elegant, and exudes nobility.

Five golden rings rotate behind him, representing the five virtues of the fire element.

"Fellow Daoist, let's travel together."

The Lord of the Azure Heaven spoke, for he and the Lord of the Yellow Heaven had a tacit understanding and could be considered allies, working together to cope with the pressure from Buddhism and Taoism.

However, in recent years, the Taoist sect has been trying to win over the Yellow Heaven Lord, while the Azure Heaven Lord has been moving closer to the Buddhist sect, which has led to a subtle change in the relationship between the two sides.

Upon hearing this, the Lord of Yellow Heaven said, "Very well, let's go!"

As they talked, they walked side by side toward Lingxiao Palace.

Kunpeng glanced at Shakyamuni, its gaze cold and sharp, and without saying another word, it flapped its wings and disappeared from the spot.

Shakyamuni sat in the Great Thunderclap Temple, his hands clasped together, gazing upon the ravaged northwest land with a look of compassion in his eyes.

"Amitabha Buddha, what have all living beings done to deserve this!"

After chanting a Buddhist prayer, his figure gradually faded away, and Mount Ling and the Great Thunder Temple gradually shrank until they finally disappeared completely from the Northwest land.

The six gods entered the Lingxiao Palace together.

The door slowly closed behind them. (End of Chapter)