Great Zhou Calendar, Seventh Year of Earth Festival.

The San Shan Great Saint fell into demonic possession, the Huang Long Great Saint perished, and Chongming Island fell.

Numerous overseas Great Evil Demons seized the opportunity to attack the coastal areas, but were repelled by 'Nanhua Saint', 'Li Xuan Saint', and 'Fang Lang Great Saint' working together. [Da Gun] was severely injured and fell into a slumber upon returning to Hidden Dragon Court.

Even so, the Great Saints slew many Sea Clan Demons and repelled several Great Evils, yet still had to retreat to the land.

Demons ran rampant above the near seas, and east-west shipping routes were completely cut off.

There were breaches everywhere along the Great Zhou coastline, and demon attacks occurred occasionally.

In response, the Great Zhou Imperial Family acted swiftly, immediately establishing the 'Jinghai Bureau', recruiting cultivators from across the land to patrol and suppress at the coast, slaying demons and exorcising evil.

Still, the coastal populace suffered heavy casualties.

In the royal court, there were even ministers taking the opportunity to propose the notion of 'sea prohibition', advocating for relocating all coastal populace a hundred li inland, forbidding any boats from going to sea.

This marked the beginning of yet another Heavenly Demon invasion, referred to in later historical records as — 'The Chongming Change'!

...

Jinling.

Upon returning to this Great Zhou Imperial Capital, Zhong Shenxiu noticed many changes in the environment.

Not only were there well-equipped soldiers patrolling everywhere, but also mixed among them were Daoist practitioners.

The pleasure boats and painted ships on Qinhuai were all gone, replaced by steam iron warships, with cannons inscribed with numerous Daoist talismans, spiritual light shimmering, emanating a fierce aura.

"They're preparing for war…"

"Indeed, although Jinling is conveniently located for traffic, it's too close to the sea. If demons flow upstream from the river mouth, they can reach the foot of Jinling City in less than a day…"

Upon arriving in Jinling City, Zhong Shenxiu found that the atmosphere was indeed tense, with people bustling about in haste everywhere.

"The 'Shadow of Taichu' stirs, sea demons invade… another battle of Heavenly Demons is about to begin, and it's bound to be an unfair showdown because the Heavenly Demons can lose many times, but humanity… cannot afford to lose even once!"

He, along with Qin Weiyin, came before the gate of a wealthy mansion.

The gatekeeper, initially impatient and about to drive them away, weakened upon recognizing Fang Lang's face and kneeled, "G-great Saint, please wait a moment, I will immediately notify the Commandery Princess."

"Mm."

Zhong Shenxiu waved his hand, and not long after, Princess Tianluo came out to greet them, "Saint Fang's recent triumph over the Great Evil in the East Sea is widely renowned. I offer my congratulations here…"

Her face was full of congratulation, revealing not even a hint of abnormality.

Zhong Shenxiu, on the other hand, sighed, "It's a pity about Huang Long…"

Upon seeing this, a trace of sorrow finally surfaced in Princess Tianluo's eyes.

The Imperial Family had only three Great Saints in total, and now having lost one was like losing an arm.

"Lately, the Heavenly Demon Battlefield is about to reopen, and the Daoist order is issuing talismanic decrees extensively, summoning all fellow Daoists to discuss major affairs… the location is set in Jinling, and I've nothing to do, so I came over to join in the excitement."

Zhong Shenxiu chuckled, "But I have no place to stay, I'll have to inconvenience you."

"Not at all, being able to accommodate Saint Fang is truly a great honor!"

Princess Tianluo's expression momentarily stiffened, but a smile appeared on her face as she respectfully welcomed Zhong Shenxiu into the Commandery Princess Mansion, instructing to have the best room prepared immediately for Zhong Shenxiu's use.

After a round of bustling, she graciously hosted a banquet for Zhong Shenxiu, then took her leave.

"Go, to the Imperial Palace!"

Just after leaving the Commandery Princess Mansion, Princess Tianluo's expression changed slightly, ordering firmly.

She boarded a carriage and drove directly into the vast inner grounds of the Imperial Palace.

Outside a secluded palace hall.

Princess Tianluo raised her hand and conjured several fire lights, striking them onto the portal.

The gate rumbled open, and vague Dao sounds emanated:

"Yin and Yang remain unchanged, vast emptiness and great void, no light no form, no shape no name…"

Just upon hearing this sound, Princess Tianluo's expression changed, her body covered with numerous bloodstains, her abdomen swelling, with countless illusory ghost babies surrounding her in the haze.

"Ancestor!"

She softly called out, the surrounding Dao sounds weakened considerably, and in the dim, lightless hall, a human figure could be vaguely seen.

He stood before a long, yellowed wooden offering table, with sacrificial fruits on the table, wisps of blue smoke rising from a Purple Jade Incense Burner, and a scroll being enshrined in the background.

On it were written only two large characters — 'Taiyi'!

Rumble!

Just seeing these two characters, Princess Tianluo felt her spirit blur, as if about to dissolve into nothingness, reverting to the state of 'no light no form, no shape no name' from before the universe's inception.

So still and tranquil, such is Taiyi!

This royal expert stationed in the Imperial Palace was the 'Great Saint Zhou Yi'!

What he cultivated was indeed a profound Daoist skill from the Fang Xian Dao, thereby achieving his position as a Daoist Great Saint!

The Dao Ancestor of Fang Xian Dao was what legend referred to as — Taiyi Daoist!

Even a Great Saint dare not worship its true form, only able to summarize it in words.

"You're here…"

Great Saint Zhou Yi did not turn around, yet his voice echoed in every part of the great hall, "Our Imperial Family has been uniquely blessed, the founding emperor was also a Daoist disciple, once granted a true inheritance from Fang Xian Dao, much like the branch of Yuan Yin Temple, which allows us to enjoy the national fortune… Descendants of our Imperial Family often study the Xuanmen Orthodox, this cultivation technique is most neutral and harmonious, allowing for the accomplishment of Great Saints… Huang Long, however, took a different path, achieving sanctity through unconventional means, his combat power was indeed the number one in our Imperial Family, now unexpectedly falling in the East Sea, woe betide…"

"Ancestor, don't be too grieved, the fact that Huang Long Ancestor could slay a Great Evil was also for our Imperial Family's glory…" Princess Tianluo consoled.

"Bah! What use is fame and glory if a person is dead?"

Great Saint Zhou Yi spat, his tone exceedingly coarse, "However, Huang Long took the unconventional path, leveraging the strengths of two traditions yet suffering the harms of both, akin to walking a tightrope. In recent years, he has long sent messages via flying sword, mentioning signs of Dao dissolution… This time perishing overseas, I fear dissolution played a significant part as well."

He sighed, revealing another secret.

"So, there were such hidden factors behind Huang Long Ancestor's death…" Princess Tianluo gasped sharply, evidently understanding the severity.

"Although Xuanmen Orthodox's Great Saints are generally weaker than the unconventional ones, they effectively suppress Dao dissolution, allowing for eternal existence… Historically, Great Saints who dissolved mostly belonged to the unconventional paths."

Great Saint Zhou Yi sighed, "The deceased is gone, yet you too follow the path of unconventional means… Although guided by us to study the 'Rashamon Ghost Mother Life Scripture', an anthology merging two great paths to prevent being reaped by Great Evils, still, it's like walking on thin ice, one wrong step and all is lost."

Achieving Great Saint status through the unconventional path is like walking a tightrope, a slight carelessness leads to eternal doom.

Like Zhong Shenxiu's unique path to achieving Dao, completely an exception, others can't envy it.

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