"Congratulations, Donghua True Monarch, for returning in triumph," the Fourth Prince and Lord Qingyuan greeted Zhong Shenxiu as they saw him approaching and immediately came forward to congratulate him.

"It was but a trifle," Zhong Shenxiu replied, sitting back down in the chariot of the Dharma yet feeling somewhat melancholic.

Having revealed his strength this time, he thought the outside world might truly regard him as half a person of the Dharma Body Realm, and no longer would anyone question his title of True Monarch.

He could barely say that he stepped out of the chessboard and became half a chess player.

"Alas... just half," he mused. "On this small chessboard of selecting a new emperor, one might make moves, but when considering the grand chessboard of Heaven and Earth, one is still just a piece... Only by attaining Dao and becoming an Immortal can one truly become a chess player..."

"No..." Upon considering the might of the Western True Gods, Shenxiu felt that even becoming an Immortal might not suffice!

"I have come to this world by fate, and when I achieve a state comparable to that of the Ancient Immortals, akin to a True God, then I shall let my clan truly stand at the pinnacle of the Seven Luminaries Heaven..." He set a small goal for himself in his heart and immediately shifted his attention to his own cultivation.

"The Primordial Spirit's three tribulations have already been passed, and according to the plan, that other-world version of myself will completely become a working drone, suppressing one realm of Heaven and Earth until a critical moment arrives..."

"Thus... the passage through the 'Gate of Ten Thousand Gates' should be usable again."

"And moreover, I can go to new worlds!"

"At this time... it seems there is no necessity, after all, the last tribulation of the Primordial Spirit's four tribulations must be undertaken by the original body..."

Zhong Shenxiu began recalling various Cultivation Techniques, the new methods of the Dharma Body, the ancient Immortal techniques, various secret techniques... integrating and comprehending, absorbing ideas from various schools, and deducing his own Dharma Body Realm.

A Secret Technique emerged in his mind, becoming clearer and clearer.

"The Buddhist Sect's Reincarnation Technique for transmigration has its significant flaws—let's not start with the mystery of the womb—the True Spirit and the body undergoing immortal transformation, existing in the same realm, are too easily influenced... A single lapse in vigilance can lead to contamination and failure, and even with three chances, the masters who truly attain the Arhat Fruit Position by this means are still few..."

"But if... it spanned Three Thousand Worlds?"

"Thus, most of the influence from the body undergoing immortal transformation could be isolated, allowing the True Spirit to transmigrate, grow up smoothly, and then return to take over the immortal-transformed body. Perhaps this is a shortcut to overcome the bodily trial and achieve the Dharma Body..."

"After my modifications, this Secret Technique has already departed from the realm of the Buddhist Sect; perhaps it should be named—Ghost Immortal Reincarnation Skill? Seems like a grand title... Reincarnation Technique? Great Reincarnation Secret Skill?"

"Nevertheless... I still haven't passed my Primordial Spirit's Fourth Tribulation..."

"Although during the Primordial Pill stage, I relied on the Outer Elixir Method to avoid contamination, my Primordial Spirit was the unity of Yin and Yang, equipped with both rationality and madness, with consciousness in between... Once the Dharma Body is achieved, the original balance will definitely be disrupted. Great achievements in immortal transformation and the contamination of Heaven and Earth are not so easily resolved."

"Ji Daoling is indeed a prodigy, achieving the Dharma Image but hesitating for a long time to cross that Dharma Body barrier—it's quite telling!"

Dharma Body level!

In the East, also known as True Monarch, head of a sect...

Absolutely an overlord of a domain, who, with a mere wave of the hand, could cause Heaven and Earth to change color, with no Immortal emerging to contend.

But in reality, they too are influenced by their own selves.

The shadow of the double barrier has never dissipated.

Even after resolving the hidden issues of body and mind, it is only temporary.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be those who later become Corpses Disintegration Immortals!

As someone who emerged from the new method, studied extensively both Eastern and Western philosophies, and accommodated both ancient and modern, Zhong Shenxiu's understanding of the new method was extremely thorough.

After the path of the Ancient Immortals was severed, the new method became the reluctant act of accommodating the essence of various schools and the hierarchy of the West.

Hence, even though one might become an Immortal through Corpse Disintegration, within the Great Emperor Heaven, one might only be called a 'Half Immortal'.

Without obtaining the Roots of Heaven and Earth, the Mysterious Door, or what is known as—the Primordial Purple Qi!

Only the ability to make up for one's foundation and acquire a higher-grade Dao Fruit.

Thus...

"The idiots in the West don't know how attractive they are. They initiated the war themselves, simply providing the East with an excuse... Had there not been a war, I fear the Corpse Disintegration Immortals would have declared war themselves after some time..."

"Even now, it's just a temporary cease-fire. In another ten or twenty years, once those Eastern Corpse Disintegration Immortals heal their wounds, they will likely continue to head West, fighting for the 'Moist Bone Forest', 'Lost Paradise', 'Utopia', and other unique divine objects. Time waits for no one."

Zhong Shenxiu also undoubtedly wanted to become an Immortal, and a highly-graded one at that!

Therefore, he would not let go of the West's supreme divinity, unique divinity, and magnificent Divine Power.

And for this, strength was needed!

Not even a Dharma Body was quite enough; only Corpse Disintegration Immortals were qualified to contend!

"In the shortest ten years, at the latest twenty, I must become an Immortal before the next great East-West battle, to join in the competition?"

Zhong Shenxiu carefully contemplated his Dao Heart.

"For this, I am willing to sacrifice some things..."

Even for Zhong Shenxiu, feeling the pressure to become an Immortal within ten years was considerable.

"First off, I must trigger the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation to attempt the Body Transcendence, to refine a Dharma Body..."

"But how can I proceed if the fourth tribulation, though it has a primer, has yet to erupt?"

"In fact, according to the wondrous scriptures that suppress tribulations, there is a way, which is to use the primer to prematurely detonate the disaster..."

At this moment, the primer Zhong Shenxiu could calculate was the marital affair with Lord Qingyuan.

"One could first agree to it, to detonate the emotional tribulation..."

"As long as the tribulation count is stimulated, everything else becomes negotiable. Then, using the technique for transforming tribulations, I can turn the emotional tribulation into a Heavenly Tribulation and pass through it all at once..."

"As for why not directly detonate it into a Heavenly Tribulation? There's no primer... The lure of emotional tribulation cannot initiate a Heavenly Tribulation..."

Zhong Shenxiu pondered once more and deemed the strategy viable.

At the same time, this could also acquire a portion of the Imperial Family's resources leaning in his favor. It might not be much, but every bit of help was good.

Although marriage alliances and such were not really anything to a scheming politician.

But the gesture of agreeing or not making it in itself could also reveal some issues.

If one isn't even willing to make the gesture, can they still expect more?

"Mm... First, set up the marriage. If the tribulation count can't be fully triggered, then get married as soon as possible..."

"This feels a bit off... If I get married and have children, wouldn't some of the Imperial Family's secret techniques become available again?"

Zhong Shenxiu touched his face: "Although I'm not likely to do that, the gateway of the Dharma Body is extremely difficult, and if the reincarnation technique fails to be completed or leaves some side effects, it might just be a fallback..."

"Creating a lineage, how come it feels more and more like some Evil Gods... It seems the higher the level of new techniques, the greater the latent risks..."

"Fortunately, I do not exclusively follow the path of new techniques..."

While musing, the Dharma vehicle came to a stop.

From outside came the Fourth Prince's voice: "True Monarch, we've arrived at the palace."

"Mm!"

Zhong Shenxiu stepped out of the Dharma vehicle and looked at the Fourth Prince, then suddenly spoke: "I've agreed to your earlier request."

"Eh?" The Fourth Prince's eyes widened, slightly slow on the uptake.

On the other hand, Lord Qingyuan's cheeks suddenly flushed with a tinge of crimson…

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