He paused before continuing:

“Besides, he’s just an ancient Great Virtue. Let’s not even discuss if he’s real or not. Even if he is, so what? Those who do not achieve Immortality are but ants.”

The figure shimmering with Buddha-light smiled.

“That may be so, but I’ve received news. A great tomb has been unearthed in the Human World, recording some events from before the gap in the annals of the Years. A certain Celestial Son of the Zhou Dynasty once said that Lu Zi righted the heavens when they were on the verge of collapse and saved the Human World.”

“Oh? And so what?” the Master of the Upper Palace spoke languidly. “Within these next twenty years, the Immortal Gods will return, history will repeat itself, and the Emperor will also descend upon the Human World once more…”

“No.”

The figure shimmering with Buddha-light cut in, analyzing, “Think about it carefully. The Zhou Dynasty… wasn’t that precisely the era when your Emperor lost his position in the Celestial Court? Lu Zi righted the collapsing heavens and saved the Human World. Could this be related to that matter?”

The Master of the Upper Palace looked startled for a moment before laughing in spite of himself.

“How could that be possible?”

“But what if?”

After a moment of silence, the Master of the Upper Palace smiled again.

“I will attempt to communicate with the Emperor and ask him about it… Is there anything else?”

“Yes.” The gaze of the figure shimmering with Buddha-light grew profound as they spoke softly, “As things stand now, the return of the Immortals and Buddhas and the reappearance of the emperors are inevitable. The only variable is that Lu Zi.”

“And so?”

“So, I have reached a consensus with another Tower Master. We of the Life Tower are preparing to enter the world and intervene, to strangle this variable and prevent any surprises… What about you, the Upper Palace?”

The Master of the Upper Palace narrowed his eyes slightly, pondering for a long while before saying:

“You and I are Immortal, and we cannot enter the world ourselves. Relying on just a few Grand Grades, what can they possibly do?”

“First, we’ll send the Grand Grades to test the waters. If that doesn’t work, we’ll guide the Demon Race past the borders. With demons throwing the world into chaos, we both stand to gain. How about it?”

Hearing this, the Master of the Upper Palace gave a silent laugh.

“So that was your plan all along? Who doesn’t know that the Buddha of your Buddhist Sect is also the ancestor of all demons? What, you want to seize every advantage for yourself?”

After saying this, he pondered for a moment before finally nodding.

“But you are right. Any variable must be eliminated in advance… Let’s do as you’ve said, then.”

“Mercy, mercy!” A broad smile appeared on the face of the figure shimmering with Buddha-light, who bowed again. “Then I shall take my leave. I still need to make a trip to the [Earth Palace] and the [Death Tower].”

“Very well.” The Master of the Upper Palace nodded calmly in response.

……

「On the outskirts of a city, before a mountain town.」

Yang Jian, holding Zhou Xiaotong—all six of his senses sealed—accompanied Li Changgeng. They cautiously navigated the crowded throng to enter the newly-built [Lu Temple].

Carried along by the surging crowd, the two incognito Ancient Immortals raised their heads and looked toward the bronze statue inside the temple.

“How can it be him!”

“How can this be!”

The two Ancient Immortals were horrified, a chill running down their spines and freezing their very souls. The shock made their hearts skip a beat.

Inside the temple, upon the grand platform, the bronze statue of the young man was both majestic and imposing.

“Lu… Lu Xuan?” Li Changgeng was dazed, recalling the magnificent scene from over a hundred thousand years ago, recalling the old man wearing a Daoist Robe and Hat. His expression was one of utter shock.

Yang Erlang glanced over, a dazed look on his face, and asked blankly:

“Elder Li, Lu Zi… did he look like this?”

“No.”

Li Changgeng said drily, though he was even more dazed. A clap of thunder seemed to explode in their minds, leaving their bodies numb. Suddenly, it was as if a thread had connected everything.

That Lu Xuan was the Blessed Life Celestial Venerable of the Jade Void Lineage, yet his face was bizarrely identical to that of the Supreme Emperor Profound Yellow of the Shangqing Lineage.

And now, the bronze statue of Supreme Profound Clarity of the Taishang Lineage, whose name shook the Ancient Times, had been cast in the present day in a form that was also identical to Lu Xuan!

‘The three major disciples of The Three Pristine Ones… No way…?!’

The two of them subconsciously denied the conjecture. It was too absurd. Although there had always been a saying that the Sanqing Daoist Ancestor were one entity, for them to all have the same disciple?

‘Impossible. That’s absolutely impossible!’

‘But… but then how could they explain what was right before their eyes?’

Li Changgeng and Yang Jian stared at each other, seeing the profound shock mirrored in the other’s eyes.

Just then, the din in the temple suddenly grew louder. Someone exclaimed in a voice full of doubt and surprise:

“Hey, look at the news! It says they’ve unearthed some more great tombs, supposedly the tomb of one of the Celestial Sons of Zhou!”

“What the heck is a Celestial Son of Zhou?”

“You don’t even know that? He was the king during the Zhou Dynasty, of course!”

“Oh. Then what’s all the fuss about?”

“Just look at the news and you’ll get it! It says there were some historical texts in the Celestial Son of Zhou’s tomb. They’re mostly in tatters, but some of the content was preserved!”

As he spoke, the person began to read from his phone:

“It says here…”

Before the Celestial Son’s death, he smiled and said: In this time when the heavens are collapsing, the Master has saved our Human World!

Henceforth, let future generations remember: upon hearing the name of Lu Zi, you must bow and kowtow!

After he read it out, the countless people in the temple who had come to worship the statue of Lu Zi exchanged confused glances. What did any of that mean?

After a long moment, someone swallowed hard, their eyes wide as they spoke:

“A time when the heavens were collapsing, saved the Human World… Don’t tell me Lu Zi did something else world-shattering back in Ancient Times?”

The crowd was baffled. Only Li Changgeng and Yang Jian exchanged a look, a dry smile appearing on their faces.

‘A world-shattering deed?’

‘It was far beyond merely world-shattering!’

‘First, he dethroned an entire Celestial Court, and then…’

An involuntary chill ran down the two Ancient Immortals’ spines once more.

……

「Ancient Spring and Autumn.」

The clouds of the nine heavens hung so low they seemed to touch the earth, and the waters of the Four Seas had not yet been calmed. A great tide was rising, its thunderous waves crashing against the shores and lashing at the very heavens.

「Qin Kingdom. Yong City.」

Venus and Li Jing both held their breath, staring at the Celestial Vault in the west as it gradually lost its luster, shuddering with fear.

‘He… He was really dethroned.’

The two high-ranking ministers of the Celestial Court flinched in unison.

At that very moment, cheers erupted throughout Yong City. The masses beat gongs and drums, hanging lanterns and colorful banners. The soldiers guarding the high platform in ceremonial formation raised their weapons and cheered, brandishing their arms.

All of them were chanting the name of Lu Zi.

Duke Mu of Qin and Shang Yang stood rooted to the spot in a daze, overcome by a sense of unreality. Zhao Zheng, however, had joined in the cheers of the soldiers and civilians, following the soldiers and commoners to loudly chant the name of the old man on the high platform.

Meanwhile, Lu Xuan stood atop the Sacrificial Altar, gazing at the Celestial Vault in the west. Only after the Human Dao Fortune that had temporarily gathered around him had dispersed did he return to his senses.

“Hmm?”

He was slightly puzzled. The vast majority of the Human Dao Fortune had returned to its source, but three hundred portions of it had nowhere to go and remained peacefully by his side.

“This is…” Lu Xuan focused his mind, his Divine Sense stirred, and he immediately understood. He glanced toward Ancient Luoyang with a touch of emotion and murmured to himself:

“Born in this age of decline, you, as the Celestial Son, were diligent and conscientious. You truly did your best. If you go to Reincarnation, you may enter my tutelage in your next life.”

Though it was a whisper, it sounded more like a proclamation. Empowered by the residual Human Dao Fortune and the Daoist Robe and Hat he wore, his voice reached the Nine Netherworld.

The Ghost Gods of the Nine Nether and Yellow Springs bowed and accepted the decree, respectfully and solemnly guiding the Soul of the Celestial Son of Zhou into Reincarnation.

Immediately after, Lu Xuan withdrew his gaze and swept it across the cheering populace of Yong City. A faint smile blossomed on his face as he said softly:

“I have come to this place to spread the Dao.”

The cheers in the city abruptly ceased. Everyone looked up with the utmost reverence at the elderly man who was clearly standing beneath the Celestial Vault, yet seemed to be standing upon it.

The old man then slowly sat cross-legged in the void, stroking the bamboo slips in his hand. He slowly unfurled them and said in a melodious, serene voice:

“Now, listen as I expound upon the Dharma.”

High above, a purple qi came from the east, stretching thirty thousand li, once again shocking the Immortal Gods and stirring the Human World.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep