Primordial Era: I rule the great sect and command all immortals.

Liu Ji was overjoyed to see this.

At least these people can serve as cannon fodder to shield the disciples of the Jie Sect from calamity.

Little did he know that this was Zhu Yuanzhang's move to guard against the Jiejiao sect, preparing to cultivate another force to oppose it.

Zhu Yuanzhang was a cold-hearted and ungrateful man. He first used Liu Ji to eliminate some of his former comrades and brothers, and now he was preparing to use external forces to eliminate the influence of the Jie Sect.

The ruthlessness of this scheme was beyond anything Liu Bowen could have imagined.

In the "Boundless Chaos Heaven", the Chaos Dao Lord saw this scene, sneered, and ignored it.

He knew what kind of person this was.

It would be a good opportunity to use Zhu Yuanzhang's influence to hone his disciples.

In recent years, the Jie Sect has shown a worrying trend.

That is, after the second revival of the Jie Sect, the sect's strength was unparalleled in the primordial world.

The disciples began to show signs of arrogance and complacency, and many of them looked down on other sects.

It's as if they're the number one authority, and the heavens are second to none.

This is a major taboo in cultivation.

This is different from other things, and even Chaos Daojun has no way to change it. Should he be forced to suppress the disciples' ideas?

How is that possible!

Disciples are not puppets without their own consciousness.

Chaos Daojun encourages his disciples to have their own ideas, but this is on the premise that it is within the framework of the Jie Sect's rules.

As long as one is loyal to the Jie Sect, respects one's teachers and elders, and loves one's fellow disciples, Chaos Daojun cannot interfere in other matters.

Do the disciples believe that the Jie Sect is now the best in the world and invincible?

Did the Chaos Dao Lord tell them otherwise?

Isn't that utter nonsense?

That's the truth. The Jie Sect is the strongest sect, without exception.

Therefore, even Chaos Daojun could not change the mindset of his disciples.

Everyone here is a sage; deceiving and brainwashing people isn't an easy thing.

Moreover, a person without independent thinking is useless; they have no future and cannot reach a higher level.

The Jie Sect did not have strict control over the ideological aspects; otherwise, there would not have been the golden age of the Hundred Schools of Thought, where a hundred schools of thought flourished.

Now things are looking up. Zhu Yuanzhang is cunning and resourceful, and he can teach the disciples of the Jie Sect a profound lesson.

This person is extremely ambitious, but lacks the peak martial prowess to match it.

The harm done to the Jie Sect is limited; it will not damage its fundamental nature.

And this is exactly what Chaos Dao Lord wants.

At present, Chaos Daojun has not yet calculated the seriousness of the matter.

He never imagined that his small acts of leniency would actually bring such big trouble to the Jie Sect...

In the Southern Continent, a new standoff has emerged between the Yuan Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty had a significant advantage, but made little progress.

This made Zhu Yuanzhang even angrier and more and more dissatisfied with the Jie Sect.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang remained outwardly calm, but instead showed even more enthusiasm for the Jie Sect.

Privately, Zhu Yuanzhang sent his trusted confidants to recruit more skilled individuals through royal tributes.

Everything is proceeding smoothly.

Zhu Yuanzhang's ambition even led him to infiltrate other countries with his Jinyiwei (Imperial Bodyguard).

He was looking for an opportunity to unify the entire Southern Continent.

Within the territory of the Jie Sect, an internal war is brewing.

At that moment, no one knew that Zhu Yuanzhang's ambition was so great.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Continent, the Qin Empire, having received aid from various parties, finally felt that the time was right.

The Qin cavalry once again set out on an expedition and engaged in battle with the defending forces of the Tang Empire.

This time, it's different from the usual small-scale skirmishes.

This is the real moment of decisive battle.

Soldiers against soldiers, generals against generals, the Witch Clan, the Buddhist Sect, the Demonic Sect, and various smaller forces allied to issue a challenge to the Human Sect.

"Sigh! Since the Witch Clan is so eager, let's go and meet them!"

Upon receiving the challenge, the Human Sect naturally could not back down. They quickly gathered their immortals and followed Confucius out to fight against the Witch Clan, the Buddhist Sect, and the Demonic Sect.

The Human Cult also knew that the most dangerous moment had arrived. If they lost this battle, the consequences would be unimaginable. They came to the front of the battle and immediately set up the "Two Elements Dust Array" to prepare for a decisive battle with the Witch Clan.

The Witch Clan, the Buddhist Clan, and the Demonic Clan were speechless upon seeing this scene. Shouldn't they have fought each other, soldiers against soldiers, generals against generals, and then formed battle formations against each other?

Before the fight even started, the Human Sect chickened out and set up a large formation to wait for them?

Everyone knows that formations greatly enhance combat power; whoever sets up the formation gains the advantage.

In this situation, the alliance members are not on the same page, each with their own traditions, and cannot unite their forces. If they were to break the formation, wouldn't they suffer heavy losses?

This was precisely the plan of Confucius and others.

The two sects, all originating from the same school, set up the "Two Elements Micro Dust Array." When everyone's strength is combined, with one adding and one subtracting, they become much stronger than the opponent.

If the Witch-Buddha-Demon Alliance cannot break the formation, it will be unable to take over the Tang Empire, and Confucius and his group will have achieved their goal.

With the great formation blocking their way, the Witch-Buddha-Demon Alliance had no choice but to remain locked in a stalemate.

At this moment, a mysterious person arrived at the Ming Dynasty palace.

He was shrouded in a black robe, making it impossible to tell where he came from or what he looked like.

They couldn't even tell the difference between men, women, the elderly, and children.

Inside the enormous palace, besides the man in black robes, only Zhu Yuanzhang was present.

"Sir, can this elixir truly extend my life by ten thousand years?"

Looking at the bright red pill in his hand, Zhu Yuanzhang hesitated.

"Your Majesty, this pill is certainly effective. If you don't believe me, just throw it away!"

The voice of the man in black was peculiar, neither male nor female, neither old nor young, and it even possessed a Daoist charm.

It was as if this sound was the sound that emerged at the beginning of time.

"this……"

Zhu Yuanzhang was speechless. How could he possibly throw it away?

Although he also practices Qi cultivation and health preservation, coupled with the fact that the acquired spiritual energy in the Earthly Immortal Realm is not bad, he can live for five or six hundred years.

But one can't live forever!

A lifespan of ten thousand years is not a small amount; it was not an irresistible temptation for Zhu Yuanzhang.

As someone who aspires to become the Human Emperor, how can he not achieve immortality?

"Hehe! Your Majesty, how is your Humanity Emperor Qi Cultivation progressing?"

The man in black robes chuckled: "If you achieve success in this cultivation technique, you will have the hope of becoming immortal, like the ancient human emperor, and overlooking the changes of the primordial era."

"Well... it seems my talent for cultivation isn't very high..."

Zhu Yuanzhang hesitated and felt somewhat embarrassed, as he admitted that he was not very good at cultivation.

On the contrary, governing a country and bringing peace to the world are things that can be learned and understood very quickly.

"Hehe! Your Majesty, this is the most suitable cultivation method for you!"

The man in black robes smiled meaningfully: "If you unify the Southern Continent, you can use the imperial aura of humanity to ascend to the realm of immortals. From then on, you will live forever."

"Immortality..."

Zhu Yuanzhang muttered to himself, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, this Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic is also a top-tier cultivation method. Legend has it that it originated from the ancient human emperor, Xuanyuan Huangdi!"

The man in the black robe took out a silk scroll from his sleeve.

"Your Majesty, you should learn more about this! With three thousand beauties in the harem, we can't let them go to waste..."

As they spoke, the man in black robes handed the scroll of dual cultivation secrets to Zhu Yuanzhang.

"The Legacy of the Yellow Emperor!"

Zhu Yuanzhang took the scroll and couldn't resist opening it for a glance.

But the next moment, his face turned red.

The pictures on it were truly unbearable to look at.

He was still the same thug, beggar, and fake monk he used to be, so naturally he was in high spirits.

Now, he is a wise and benevolent ruler.

When there are outsiders present, it is natural to consider the impact.

At the very least, you can't show any signs of being impatient or lustful.

"Your Majesty! I take my leave! You may use this technique to increase your cultivation."

The man in black chuckled and stepped back. Before Zhu Yuanzhang could say anything, he had already turned and left the palace.

"Sigh...who exactly is this person?"

As he watched the departing man in black robes, Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened.

Over the years, more and more people have come to rely on him, and their backgrounds have become increasingly diverse.

The man in black robes is the most mysterious one.

Of course, it is also the most powerful one.

He did the most for him, and the man in black robes can be said to be Zhu Yuanzhang's most capable assistant in secret.

Unfortunately, this person is too mysterious and cannot be trusted.

"Hey! Time to try out this 'Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic' in the harem."

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and turned to head towards the inner palace.

For the next few millennia, battlefields everywhere remained fiercely contested, with everyone waiting for this final opportunity.

Finally, the day they had been waiting for arrived.

Hongjun Daozu issued a decree, dispatching his disciples to summon the six saints and two Hunyuan for the third time, instructing them to prepare to complete the signing of the Investiture of the Gods.

This time, without the Demon Ancestor Rahu's intervention, the Demonic Sect is destined to suffer some losses.

In the Purple Cloud Palace, after all the saints had gathered, Hongjun Daozu appeared on the cloud bed and said to the eight supreme beings, "This is the third time we have discussed this matter. As the saying goes, things don't happen more than three times. This time we must finalize the matter of the Investiture of the Gods."

As before, after giving his instructions, Hongjun Daozu disappeared.

All the saints and Hunyuan sat with their eyes closed, silent and still.

No one wanted to speak first, lest they be suppressed by the combined forces of other sages and primordial beings.

Three years passed in this state. Finally, the Buddha Mother Zhunti could no longer contain herself and spoke up: "Everyone, the Dao Ancestor has decided that we should complete the signing of the 'Investiture of the Gods' list. Let's all share our thoughts!"

Faced with someone like the Cundi Buddha Mother, it was naturally Chaos Dao Lord who spoke up. He sneered and said, "I have said that your Buddhist sect, demonic sect, and witch clan can select some outstanding individuals to be included on the list."

"Hmph! It seems your Jie Sect truly intends to become enemies with my Witch Clan!"

Houtu Niangniang's face was ugly, and her gaze toward Chaos Daojun was extremely unfriendly. If this were not "Zixiao Palace" and there was no precedent of Demon Ancestor Luohou, she would have been prepared to fight Chaos Daojun to see what abilities he had that dared to put the Wu Clan on the list.

When Houtu Niangniang stepped forward, Zhunti Buddha Mother immediately chimed in, saying, "What Niangniang says is very true! The Jie Sect is arrogant and domineering, just like during the Investiture of the Gods. Naturally, more people from the Jie Sect should be on the list."

Upon hearing this, the Tongtian Sect Leader glared angrily at the Cundi Buddha Mother and said, "My disciples are all people with profound roots and should not be on the list."

After a pause, the Master of Heaven continued, "Furthermore, my disciples have just escaped the 'Investiture of the Gods' list and have made great contributions to the operation of the Heavenly Dao. Naturally, they cannot be included on the list this time!"

Houtu Niangniang snorted coldly and said, "Fellow Daoist Tongtian, are you saying that your Jie Sect has nothing to do with this great calamity? Not a single disciple should be on the list?"

The Grand Master of Heaven nodded and said, "Exactly!"

"Shameless scoundrel! He's utterly unfit to be a son!"

Houtu was furious, her face turning red with anger. She had never seen the saints so shameless.

In the past, when the saints fought each other, there were bound to be verbal disputes. After the ancestral witches like the Earth Goddess attained enlightenment, they used to fight and kill each other at the slightest disagreement. She could not stand the shameless appearance of the Tongtian Sect Leader.

Upon hearing this, the Tongtian Sect Leader chuckled, closed his eyes, and remained silent, thinking to himself, "You woman, you have long hair but short wits. If you saw Laozi, Yuanshi Tianzun, or Jieyin Daoist, you would know what shamelessness truly means! I am far inferior to them!"

Even the fiercely competitive Tongtian Sect Leader had to admit defeat, which shows how shameless these three were!

"Sage Taiqing, what do you say?"

Seeing that Houtu Niangniang was not good at verbal disputes, Amitabha Buddha stepped in to resolve the situation.

The Supreme Lord Laozi slowly said, "My disciples Xuandu, Confucius, and Zhuangzi are so profound in their understanding that they are rare in the Three Realms and should not be on the list. The Eight Immortals of the Upper Cave, who subdue demons and save the common people, should also not be on the list."

Lao Tzu was an honest man, and he did not choose to protect all members of the Ren Sect.

These words softened the expressions of Amitabha Buddha, Cundi Buddha, and Houtu.

Before anyone could ask a question, Yuanshi Tianzun spoke directly: "All my disciples have withdrawn from the Earthly Immortal Realm. Apart from a few Daoist temples on Kunlun Mountain, we have no other disciples. My Chan Sect has nothing to do with this great calamity and should not even be on the list!"

This leader of the Chan Sect didn't know anything about politeness and directly told the Chan Sect not to participate!

Upon hearing this, the expressions of Amitabha Buddha, Cundi Buddha, and Houtu Goddess, which had just eased, turned ugly again.

The Buddha Mother Cundi said angrily, "Your Xuanmen only has a few peripheral figures on the list, and none of the core members are included. How will the Heavenly Court function in the future? How will the 365 Zhou Tian Zheng Shen (righteous gods of the heavens) fill the gaps?"

"Excellent! In any case, half of your Xuanmen sect must send personnel!"

Houtu Niangniang was furious and said directly.

"Hmph! The orthodox Xuanmen sect is descended from the Dao Ancestor! The Human Sect, the Chan Sect, the Jie Sect, and the Demon Sect have made great contributions to maintaining the operation of the primordial world!"

The sage Nuwa, who had remained silent until now, spoke: "You Buddhist sect, the demonic sect, and the witch clan have disrupted the stability of the primordial world. All those great calamities in the primordial world were caused by you! This time, naturally, it will be the three of you who will fill the Investiture of the Gods!"

Nuwa had no choice but to speak. Houtu demanded that half of the Xuanmen sect be added, but the Three Pure Ones would certainly not agree. So who would fill the rest?

They still need to find a substitute from the demonic sect to complete the Investiture of the Gods!

This time, her words appeared to be in defense of the orthodox Xuanmen sect, but in reality, they were a desperate attempt to fight for the survival of the demon sect.

She and the Three Pure Ones were both true disciples of Hongjun Daozu, belonging to the orthodox lineage of Xuanmen.

The Demon Sect was far weaker than the Human Sect, the Chan Sect, and the Jie Sect; she could not allow her disciples to suffer any more heavy losses. (End of Chapter)