A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 617 The Temptation Thrown Out Easily

Within Jiufang Mountain lies a high platform, upon which pale white clouds rise and fall like ocean waves.

Countless rare and exotic fruits, held aloft on a jade plate, drifted with the current amidst the clouds.

Several figures sat upright in the sea of ​​clouds, unmoving. Some sat on cloud beds, some on futons, and some on lotus leaves or tortoise shells, each with a unique appearance.

One of the weak scholars, with a pale green face and snow-white hands, looked enviously at the white-robed monk outside Jiufang Mountain.

"How arrogant and high-profile, full of energy! I was just like that when I first fell into the underworld, still carrying some spirit."

The scholar with the blue face spoke with a tone full of regret, and as he spoke, his eyes glazed over, as if he were recalling events from the past.

A burly man with black markings next to him whispered, "The Great Dao Realm that this person created has actually turned into a Heavenly Ghost. It shows that his control over his own realm is not refined enough. With such strength, he dares to act recklessly in Jiufang Mountain. He really doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth."

"Hahaha, they're young after all, it's good that they're a bit flamboyant."

The goat-faced old man, sitting alone on his cloud-shaped bed, stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "His ability to cross the Black Sea is proof of his strength, and he is certainly worthy of being a guest."

As he spoke, the old man with the goat-like face slightly raised his eyes and slowly transmitted his voice to the outside of the mountain.

"Distinguished guests have come from afar, which is an honor to our humble abode. However, I am afraid that our small place cannot withstand the great power of the Heavenly Ghost. I hope that you can restrain yourselves a little."

As he transmitted his voice, layers of characters appeared in the void, with a blue light flowing among them, forming a profound incantation.

This incantation actually describes how the Emperor, after creating the world, meticulously gathered the Great Dao Realm he had created.

In other words, it guides multiverse creators on how to refine the multiverse they have created and carry it with them at will.

Guan Luoyang felt a little amused, but his face clearly showed surprise as he carefully read the manual.

A moment later, he used his magic power, and the blue flames began to rotate, condensing and looping to form a bluish-black halo that encompassed the lizard-headed demon. With each rotation, the demon's size became smaller and smaller.

When Guan Luoyang finally set foot on Jiufang Mountain, the bluish-black halo had already shrunk to a size only slightly larger than his head, hanging behind him.

Inside the halo, a black mist formed from the five turbid energies surged endlessly, and the lizard-headed demon could be vaguely seen slowly swimming within it.

The rear half of the Heavenly Demon's body no longer showed countless branches spreading out, but instead converged together, making this Heavenly Demon now look more like a small dragon without horns.

"Thank you, Lord Mountain."

Guan Luoyang arrived at the high platform amidst the sea of ​​clouds, a hint of joy on his face. "With this technique, even if I am illuminated by the divine sun again, I won't be afraid that it will diminish my cultivation."

"I didn't expect the mountain lord to be so magnanimous. Please forgive my rudeness just now."

The goat-faced Lord Jiufang exchanged a knowing glance with the others.

These foreign emperor-level powerhouses were also invincible figures who dominated their respective regions for a long time. Even when they were in decline, they still retained their pride.

However, as long as you present this level of magic upon first meeting, implying the profound power of Jiufang Mountain, the other party will naturally weigh the pros and cons and exercise restraint. This tactic has proven effective time and again.

Actually, this set of techniques isn't anything particularly precious; it simply serves to gather the remains of the universe and better preserve one's own cultivation.

To be able to cultivate to the level of an Emperor and open up one's own Great Dao Realm, one's comprehension and foundation must be extraordinary.

If one spends a long time in this eighteenth level of the underworld, even if one is always alone, under the constant stimulation of external pressure, one will eventually comprehend this type of technique.

The fact that the Lord of Jiufang Mountain only offered this small favor instantly made the atmosphere between the guests much more harmonious.

He invited Guan Luoyang to sit down and then introduced him to several other people.

The one with the pale, sickly face is Lord Qing, the one with black markings on his face is Lord Mo, and there is another robust man wearing a robe adorned with stars and clouds, known as Lord Xia.

The round-faced old man sitting on the giant tortoise shell is known as Ancestor Ander.

These four people were all good friends of the Lord of Jiufang Mountain, so they arrived before the Lord of Jiufang Mountain's grand banquet.

Guan Luoyang sat atop a blue cloud and, after tasting several pieces of fruit, discovered that these fruits contained a wondrous vital energy that existed between life and death.

If a multiverse creator fails to escape decay in time when the multiverse they created begins to decay, their own power will inevitably be assimilated by the five turbid energies, placing a certain burden on their mind and consciousness.

If this state continues, it's not impossible that the multiverse creators could completely degenerate into a mindless, chaotic celestial demon.

If one wants to alleviate this burden, the only option is to weaken the five turbid energies, but that would be tantamount to weakening one's own cultivation, severing one's own realm and foundation, and causing even more severe damage.

Therefore, for multi-creators trapped in this state, the situation will only worsen, and it is unlikely to improve.

However, when the primordial energy within the fruit of Jiufang Mountain came into contact with the five turbid energies, it neither assimilated nor counteracted them. Instead, it successfully nourished the mind and spirit of the consumer, giving them a brief sense of relaxation.

This glimpse into the nature of the fruit reveals the exceptionally profound understanding of the five turbidities inherent in the people who cultivate it.

"The mountain lord was renowned throughout the world for his skill in cultivating spiritual fruits in ancient times."

Ancestor Ande said, "It's a pity that after falling into the underworld, the sacred land of Jiufang Mountain also fell into decline. The variety of spiritual fruits that the mountain lord painstakingly cultivated is still much worse than it was back then."

The celestial emperors often like to shape the realms they have created into the appearance of a sacred land, upon which many palaces are built for their inhabitants.

Within the Great Dao Realm of the Holy Land, life naturally multiplies and civilizations evolve. Those who cultivate to the Earth Immortal realm can ascend to the Holy Land to live.

However, if the sacred land decays or the emperor suffers a calamity and falls into the underworld, he will often lose the will to maintain the scale of the sacred land and allow the true appearance of the remains of the universe to be exposed.

Among people like Ancestor Ande, only the Lord of Jiufang Mountain still has the leisure to maintain the appearance of the holy land.

This also means that the foundation of the Lord of Jiufang Mountain is the most solid. Even though the period of decay within the Holy Land has lasted for so long, it has not been able to completely plunge him into the state of five turbidities.

Therefore, the Lord of Jiufang Mountain still has the spare power to mobilize the Great Dao of the Holy Land and generate other changes besides the Five Turbid Qi.

Guan Luoyang said, "The Mountain Lord's supernatural powers are indeed the most profound I have ever seen in my life, but with such unfathomable Taoist magic, is it possible that he can only suffer in the eighteen levels of the underworld without finding a way out?"

"Haha, Master Qingdeng is still in a hurry."

After laughing, the Lord of Jiufang Mountain sighed, "No wonder you're in such a hurry. Compared to the environment at the very bottom of the Netherworld, even the boundless chaos outside the realm can be considered a paradise."

Ancestor Ande said, "You must have mistakenly entered this eighteenth level of the underworld before realizing you couldn't escape. Alas, in recent years, there have been quite a few fellow cultivators like you. They all seemed very anxious when they first entered, but as time went on, they realized that being anxious was useless."

"We emperors who have cultivated within this realm are more familiar with the ways than you, but even though we gather every few days from ancient times to the present, we still haven't found a way to escape."

The atmosphere on the platform became somewhat somber for a moment.

"Times change. While there may be no solution from ancient times to the present, there may still be one after today."

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain's eyes flashed, and he uttered a startling statement.

The reactions of Ancestor Ande and the three Divine Lords were even greater than those of Guan Luoyang. They all turned their heads and looked at the Lord of Jiufang Mountain with great surprise.

"What does the mountain lord mean by that?"

"Could it be that the Mountain Lord has made some progress?" Qing Shenjun exclaimed excitedly.

"You have all spent too long in the underworld. This lifeless place has nothing worth calculating, so you have probably forgotten to count your years."

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain solemnly said, "But in order to cultivate spiritual fruits, I occasionally calculate the Heavenly Dao. In recent years, I have always felt that calamity is rampant in the world, and cause and effect are changing drastically, involving all the myriad paths in chaos. It has reached a level no less than the ancient calamity."

Upon hearing about the ancient calamity, Ancestor Ande suddenly shuddered and hissed, "Does the Mountain Lord intend to use this calamity to escape?"

The last great calamity occurred 5.69 billion years ago.

Both the Lord of Jiufang Mountain and Ancestor Ande had personally experienced it, and even before the last great calamity, they were already at the level of an Emperor.

The three divine rulers are relatively young, all under five billion years old. Although they know about the great calamity, they are not clear about the details.

Mo Shenjun immediately asked, "You can escape when the great calamity arrives?! Have there been any previous examples of this? How exactly did they escape?"

Ancestor Ande slowly shook his head: "I don't know if there are any such examples, but during the last great calamity, the Heavenly Emperor's throne was vacant, and the myriad realms fought for it. The number of Heavenly Venerables who fell was close to ten. Those who achieved complete Dao Fruits and possessed the combat power of Heavenly Emperors were more than one."

"In those terrifying times, chaos and turmoil were everywhere. Once there was turmoil, there was naturally a chance to escape, but..."

Ancestor Ande's face turned pale. "If we plan our escape at this time, wouldn't we be deliberately dragging ourselves into this calamity? I'm afraid we won't be able to escape, and we'll die even faster!"

The three gods, however, did not take the latter part of his words to heart, and each showed a look of surprise and delight.

Xia Shenjun laughed and said, "Back then, when I fled into the Underworld, I really didn't want to die like that. But over the years, I've come to understand that it's better to die a glorious death than to eke out a living at the very bottom of the Underworld."

Mo Shenjun also said, "We have experienced countless life-and-death crises in our cultivation so far, so what danger is there to fear? It can't be worse than the lowest level of the Underworld, where we can neither live nor die."

Qing Shenjun glanced at the Mountain Lord of Jiufang and Ancestor Ande, pondering to himself.

Although Ancestor Ande spoke in a terrifying way, weren't there actually two emperors present who had survived the ancient calamity?

Back when he was still in the Heavenly Realm, Qing Shenjun had heard that there were more than just one or two ancient emperors who were still living carefree lives in the Heavenly Realm.

It is evident that although the great calamity was perilous, as long as one acted according to the circumstances, the chances of survival were still quite high.

When Ancestor Ande saw the three of them like this, he knew that it would be useless to persuade them. He had a change of heart, and his expression gradually returned to normal.

"Now that we have a solution..."

Guan Luoyang hurriedly said, "Please, Mountain Lord, don't hesitate to give us your guidance! After we escape, I will do my utmost to fulfill any orders you may have!"

Seeing this, the master of Jiufang Mountain stopped keeping him in suspense.

"The Taiqing Chiming has evolved to its current state of extreme prosperity. During the Great Tribulation, although the calamity is intense, it is also a time when all paths are flourishing. If a Heavenly Venerable-level expert can lead the Great Tribulation, there will be a greater chance of achieving complete enlightenment and cultivating a complete Dao Fruit."

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain said, "I was fortunate enough to make contact with a senior who was most likely to lead this calamity when I was divination the Heavenly Dao a while ago."

"Once the great calamity begins, the Heavenly Realm will undergo tremendous changes. At that time, we will gather our like-minded companions, storm the Underworld, and seize the opportunity to return to the mortal realm!"

Guan Luoyang asked in bewilderment, "Why return to the mortal realm? Although I am new here, I can see that this realm has profound depths. If I return to the mortal realm, I will be more deeply involved in the great calamity, and I may suffer the consequences. Why not take advantage of the great changes in the celestial realm, gather like-minded people, and break out of the underworld directly? At that time, we can roam freely and happily in the boundless chaos."

The Three Gods clearly shared this sentiment.

"The underworld is actually the same as the netherworld. If we want to break through the netherworld, we will inevitably have to clash with the underworld."

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain patiently and earnestly said, "Now we are all in the state of five turbidities, unable to escape the decaying remains of the universe. After fighting against the Underworld, we will inevitably slide further into the state of Heavenly Ghosts."

"Even if we manage to escape into chaos, how long can we maintain our clarity? If we completely transform into mindless, delirious celestial demons, what difference is there between us and death?"

Guan Luoyang then asked, "What use is it to break into the human world?"

"Master Qingdeng, you may not know this, but in our Taiqing Chiming, although there are many powerful beings in the Heavenly Realm and the Underworld, and any emperor who possesses a sacred land can regard the mortal world as a mere speck of dust, the mortal world is the true hub connecting all the heavens and myriad realms."

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain said, "The Heavenly Court has vast laws, the Underworld has reincarnation, and all the immortals and gods of the myriad realms must pass through the human world before ascending to heaven."

"Through the maintenance of the Heavenly Court over the generations, the connection between the human world and all the heavens and realms has been kept hidden. Even the Heavenly Venerables and Emperors cannot interfere at will; they can only observe from above and cause some influence as it may."

"But during a great calamity, when cause and effect change drastically, this connection becomes more obvious and easier to detect."

"As long as we can bring the remains of the universe into the human world, the connections between the myriad realms and the human world can be transferred to our remains of the universe."

As he finished speaking, even Mo Shenjun, who had been the most expectant, showed a hint of doubt.

"What's the use of connecting with the heavens? If we use our five turbid energies to assimilate other realms, the more we assimilate, the easier it will be for us to transform into the state of celestial demons. Wouldn't that be courting death?"

If an emperor whose own holy land is still at its peak, there might be some benefits after connecting with all realms.

However, for these emperors who have already fallen into the state of defilement, even the remains of the worlds they created have become a burden. If they were to devour other worlds, their burden would only become heavier.

Their best course of action would be to escape the hellish underworld, find a normal multiverse, cultivate a successor who is extremely similar to themselves, and then use that successor as a substitute for their own calamity, letting them sink into oblivion along with the remains of the universe, while they themselves take the opportunity to escape their own calamity.

As for cultivating successors, there's no need to deliberately provoke those worlds connected to Taiqing Chiming. Who knows how many other powerful beings' legacies might be left there? Cultivating them would only cause trouble.

"Because that senior bestowed upon this old man a wonderful method."

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain said, "As long as we connect with all the heavens and myriad realms, and cultivate that wondrous method, we can restore our cosmic remains to their former glory."

His voice was still old and deep, but it gradually revealed his inner thoughts, which were full of longing: "There is no need to gamble on whether I can cultivate a suitable substitute before I become a celestial ghost."

"There's no need to go through a long period of hiding and recuperation after successfully escaping the tribulation, to reopen the world and slowly build up a holy land."

"Once we enter the mortal realm, we can quickly restore the Holy Land to its former glory and once again possess the power to rival ordinary Celestial Venerables!"

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain raised his hand, and a circle of fine light patterns appeared above his palm.

"It is precisely because of the existence of such a wondrous method that I can be certain that senior will be the one with the greatest chance of achieving the Dao Fruit in this great calamity!"

(End of this chapter)