Zhongnan Mountain.

Two figures walked along the serene trail cloaked in the mountain mist, the damp air soaking their garments.

The one in front dressed in white, exuding a carefree and charismatic aura. The one trailing behind wore tattered clothes and leaned on an iron crutch, appearing astonishingly old.

The two chatted while traveling.

"You've already grasped the basics of the Taiyi Jinhua Chapter, and you have a deep understanding of divine souls. Have you considered swapping to a different body?"

Song Lin asked.

Ann Qi was indeed a genius. His Taoist Realm was stable, yet he still contemplated cultivating his physical body and soul separately.

However, focusing solely on virtue while neglecting life force propagation would inevitably lead to the first affliction in cultivation. Most cultivators of Taiyin Refining suffered conflicts between soul and body.

Song Lin taught him the Taiyi Golden Flower Method to better harmonize his soul and body.

"Forget it. Appearance doesn't matter. I'm used to this body,"

Iron Crutch Li replied with indifference, perhaps accepting it as fate.

He thought perhaps this was the body destined for him.

For over a decade, the two roamed the mortal world, drawing their swords to help those in need. Whenever they encountered promising cultivators, they would guide them to Zhongnan Mountain, eventually forming a sect there.

Not only at Zhongnan Mountain but also in other mountains and blessed lands, their Taoist teachings took root.

Song Lin was not fixated on creating the world's foremost sect; instead, he spread his cultivation techniques freely and let them evolve independently.

He was curious to see how far others could refine his unparalleled skills and what innovations they might create.

This cultivation system, focused on the heart, demanded an unwavering resolve: as long as the heart remained steadfast, Taoist Skills would remain immutable through the ages. Even amidst the Upper Pure Demon Tribulation, the core foundation would never waver.

It was a fundamental Secret Technique, and Song Lin eagerly anticipated whether there could truly exist an eternal cultivation method—one immune to falling to the Demon Path across millions of years.

Rather than adapting to the environment, it was better for the heart to remain unchanging.

While chatting, a cloud descended from the sky.

A man with crane-white hair, youthful in demeanor, stood upon the cloud holding the Jade Emperor's Imperial Decree.

"Lvu Dongbin, receive the decree. By order of the Heavenly Emperor, the East Sea Dragon King has accused you of indiscriminate slaughter. Lvu Dongbin is to ascend to Heaven immediately to explain the matter and await judgment."

"Huh?" Iron Crutch Li exclaimed, alarmed, exchanging glances with Song Lin. Could it be they had uncovered the Grandmaster's true identity?

Song Lin shook his head subtly.

His appearance was different, and he had hidden the essence of his Divine Soul. Not even a Demon Mirror would reveal him.

Of course, he purposely left a flaw—a faint trace of his previous aura. Without it, his disguise might seem suspiciously perfect.

This flaw was designed to hint at ties to the Donghua Tao lineage.

Song Lin shook his head slightly again, signaling Iron Crutch Li to remain calm.

He transmitted his thoughts secretly, urging him to deepen his cultivation of the Taiyi Jinhua Scripture and, in time, help consolidate the Eight Gods' legacy when the Eight Immortals united.

Song Lin followed the angel to the Heavenly Court.

Passing through the South Heavenly Gate guarded by Wang Lingguan, whose third eye scanned him repeatedly, they entered towering immortal pavilions and celestial corridors. Between Heaven and Earth, the immense dharma image of Erlang God sat in majesty, demons unable to escape detection.

As Song Lin passed by, the gazes of both deity guards fell upon him. However, neither identified him.

It was now clear to Song Lin that the Jade Emperor's summons likely harbored ulterior motives—to deduce whether or not he was the Pure Yang Venerate.

The charges brought by the East Sea Dragon King weren't a major concern; Song Lin had merely slain an insignificant dragon. The Jade Emperor wouldn't intervene on behalf of such a trivial creature.

The Palace of the Polestar.

On either side stood mighty dharma images of Immortal Gods hundreds of feet tall, their appearances oscillating between menacingly fierce and gracefully divine.

Hundreds of Immortal Gods stared intently at Song Lin as he entered, among them the Four Great Celestial Masters, Princess Iron Fan, and Sun Monkey.

Seated at the high throne, obscured by celestial mist, was the Jade Emperor.

All their gazes fell on him, but Song Lin maintained a composed smile, confident that no one could recognize him.

"Loyal servant Lvu Yan greets the Jade Emperor,"

Song Lin bowed deeply.

This Jade Emperor was similar yet carried a more palpable aura of authority, validating the Queen Mother of the West's claim that he had gained profound insights.

After all, being an Innate Divine Being, his cultivation wouldn't take long. However, his vindictive nature had likely not changed.

A dragon-headed figure with crimson whiskers glared at Song Lin, its Taoist Realm seeming to rival that of a celestial harmonization.

"You've slain beings of my Dragon Clan! Why don't you immediately take your own life in penance?"

The East Sea Dragon King stepped forward toward the Jade Emperor, his tone laden with indignation.

"Heavenly Emperor, you must uphold justice for me!"

Though his words sounded pleading, his demeanor was aggressively assertive. As a Dragon King affiliated with the Buddhist Sect and a Guardian of the mortal waters, the Four Sea Dragon Kings held considerable sway.

The Jade Emperor furrowed his brow and glanced at the nearby White Dragon Guanyin.

Guanyin nodded, signaling she would abide by the Jade Emperor's decision.

Song Lin was surprised to note Guanyin bore a striking resemblance to White Peony.

Could it be… he and Guanyin once…?

"The evidence of dragon slaying is irrefutable. Do you admit to the charges?"

The Jade Emperor stared at Song Lin.

His aim was to worsen relations between the Acquired Immortals and the Dragon Clan, thus forcing their dependence upon his protection.

What followed was a tedious exchange of false rhetoric. Given his Buddhist Sect backing and dominion over the realm's waters, the East Sea Dragon King relentlessly pressured for Song Lin's punishment.

In the end, the Jade Emperor issued his decree: stripping Song Lin of all positions in the Heavenly Court and banishing him back to the mortal world, prohibiting him from further antagonizing the Dragon Clan.

This punishment was a mere slap on the wrist. Song Lin held no real power to begin with, so the stripping of his title amounted to nothing.

Without support from Guanyin, the East Sea Dragon King stalked off with burning resentment toward Song Lin.

He swore to target the Pure Yang lineage relentlessly.

Having once been thwarted by Guanyin in his apocalyptic ambitions, and now unable to vanquish even Lvu Chunyang, he felt utterly humiliated.

"Enough. You will descend to the mortal world tomorrow. For today, wander freely in Heaven,"

The Jade Emperor waved dismissively, signaling the assembly's end.

In the rear garden, the Jade Emperor instructed Gold Star Taibai, "Keep an eye on him."

For half a day, Song Lin roamed Heaven's sights, encountering numerous Acquired Immortals.

He engaged in normal social interactions, neither drawing too close nor revealing his true identity.

The Acquired Immortals marveled at Song Lin's Taoist Realm. Could such a prodigy truly exist, capable of ascending to the Earth Immortal Peak within mere years?

Ultimately, he was deemed not to be the Pure Yang Venerate, and the disappointed crowd dispersed.

Only then did the Heavenly Emperor put his suspicions to rest.

Song Lin returned to the mortal world, resuming his itinerant preaching while searching for paths to transcend into Immortal.

The Dragon Head Master Seal continued to reflect on its insights. In this new world, it had lost its connection to the Great Dao.

Even so, this Magic Artifact served as a simplified means of confronting the Great Dao directly. Understanding its principles and using them to perceive insights remained feasible.

Time passed swiftly. The Tang Dynasty fell, giving way to chaos, and eventually, the Song Dynasty emerged.

...

In the Real World, Yujue Demon Country.

In the Demon Emperor's grand hall, the towering Demon Emperor, whose ankles alone stretched a thousand feet high, suddenly spoke.

"Mobilize all forces and obliterate the Xuanzong Shangqing Dao Alliance. The time has come to sweep away obstacles."

"Yes!!"

Simultaneously, at the Demon Islands, the Dragon Abyss Conference finally concluded, solidifying inter-clan hierarchies and concentrating power even further.

The Green Lion, Nine-tailed Sword Dragon, and Sea Rakshasa clans dispatched their entire army.

Their objective was to seize the land and, after annihilating the Human Clan, compete with the other two realms for dominance.

With the Demon Tribulation approaching, it was crucial to amass strength in advance.

The Moyu Qilin, ruler of Moyu Country and overlord of demons, also issued orders for an all-out offensive.

All three entities aimed their sights on the Human Clan, their real focus locked on annihilating the demons.

To them, humanity was but a minor obstacle on their path to conquest.

With their triple-pronged assault, humanity faced its darkest hour.

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