ccnovels #380 - The Taoist Priest's Decision
#380 - The Taoist Priest's Decision
The grand and artistic exterior of the palace belied a minimalist interior.
The smooth floor was seamless, as if carved from a single piece of rock. Purple jade pillars were etched with auspicious clouds and cranes, and curtains hung from the ceiling, swaying gently in the breeze.
Wang Ji Xuan walked through it.
He felt a strange sense of familiarity, yet had no memory associated with this place.
He looked up and saw a massive character for 'Dao' directly ahead. Natural light streamed from above, casting the lower half of the character into shadow.
A lone prayer mat sat there.
On the mat was a crystal ball, and within the crystal ball was a faint black figure.
Wang Ji Xuan walked forward and stood before the mat.
He had thought it might contain his previous memories, but as he drew closer, he realized it was indeed a fragment of his Great Ascension soul.
However, this fragment held no memories.
Wang Ji Xuan touched the crystal ball. Without any further action, the faint black figure within shattered, turning into specks of azure light that flowed into Wang Ji Xuan's finger.
If he had brought the Great Ascension soul fragment with him, he would likely have gained many benefits.
While the fragment could not be fully restored,
its power could have increased by fifty or sixty percent.
The crystal ball lost its light completely.
The palace seemed to die along with it.
Wang Ji Xuan stood there for a long time.
No one knew what he was thinking or doing.
At the palace door, Nierda Tamon crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, watching Amina, who seemed lost in thought. He asked softly:
"If I remember correctly, Obsidian is your…"
"Besides giving me the original gene, he has no other connection to me."
Amina pursed her lips.
"We've all been played by these guys."
"Starting more than six thousand years ago, they've been entering this place every thousand years, taking away a large amount of technology. The Elysian Canopy is just the tip of the iceberg."
"The creation and loss of control of the Blade Beasts should also involve them."
Nierda Tamon sighed: "I sensed the existence of this force before, but I didn't expect their power to be so great."
Amina asked, "Have you figured out how to fight back?"
"Fight back? Let's consider the problem of survival first."
Nierda Tamon said slowly:
"Arriving here has cleared up many of my doubts, but it has also made me more pessimistic."
"Although in the eyes of Earth's current civilization, or in the eyes of the planets we've herded, we are dictators and standard villains, we also have a sense of belonging to our own civilization."
"It's just a pity that, as it stands now, there's not much hope of saving our civilization, or rather, saving ourselves."
Amina said, "I feel the opposite."
"Why?"
Amina raised her chin towards Wang Ji Xuan's back.
She whispered, "The Source of Spiritual Energy is now our partner."
Nierda Tamon chuckled silently.
He shook his head slightly, saying nothing more.
Wang Ji Xuan stood in the palace for half an hour, facing the character for 'Dao', then slowly sighed and turned to walk out.
The ancient remnant spirit, He Ruli, who had disappeared earlier, reappeared.
She bowed slowly to Wang Ji Xuan: "Great Pioneer, can you negotiate with me now?"
"Negotiate about what?"
Wang Ji Xuan's voice suddenly rose:
"What's there to negotiate? What are you going to use to repay what your civilization owes me?"
"This…"
He Ruli was clearly at a loss.
Wang Ji Xuan said quickly: "Putting aside other things, I contributed so much technology to you, yet you knocked down my statue. Do you know how much that insult hurt me? Did I force you to learn these technologies? My cultivation techniques must have impressed you, and then you begged me to teach them, right? I must have helped you resist foreign enemies and even saved you from life-and-death crises, right? Your civilization suffered heavy damage after my second failed attempt to transcend the Heavenly Tribulation. That in itself says a lot."
Amina's mouth opened slightly, her mind still reeling.
Nierda Tamon, on the other hand, seemed to be seeing Wang Ji Xuan for the first time.
He had thought this guy would put on airs and say a few grand-sounding words.
Unexpectedly,
this guy was practically writing compensation and benefits on his face!
Wang Ji Xuan snorted coldly: "What? No more to say? Do you know you're in the wrong? You even plotted against me. Is that how you treat a great pioneer?"
He Ruli frowned: "I'm from the opposition."
"Heh, you played your civilization to death, and you're proud of it?"
Wang Ji Xuan stared at He Ruli:
"Colluding with foreign enemies and destroying your own civilization, even if you talk until the sky falls, you are still a sinner of civilization!"
He Ruli pursed her lips tightly.
Wang Ji Xuan calmly walked out, saying: "You just said you wanted to negotiate. What qualifications do you have to negotiate? What standing do you have to negotiate? Who can you represent? A mastermind who destroyed a civilization, a villain who betrayed their own people."
Wang Ji Xuan's eyes were incredibly sharp, his whole person seeming to suppress a kind of anger, and this anger seemed like it would erupt like a volcano in the next second.
He Ruli frowned tightly, subconsciously taking two steps back.
Wang Ji Xuan's expression softened slightly, and he said in a low voice: "The past is in the past, and I don't want to put on the airs of a pioneer. Tell me, what do you want to do."
He Ruli said: "I want to try to revive the civilization."
"Method?"
"Gao Huating has awakened. She can become the main body of the civilization."
He Ruli said:
"The spiritual cultivator named Obsidian, and his partners, have already betrayed me."
"Their motives were impure from the start, but I had no other choice before."
"Now, I can give you all the wealth and treasures here, in exchange for a promise or an action."
"What promise?"
"You combine with Gao Huating, allow her to become a cultivator, and bear two or more children."
He Ruli said:
"Our civilization has been developing for too long, individual lifespans have been constantly lengthened, and procreation has become increasingly difficult. This is the way of natural balance."
"But Gao Huating and you have no restrictions."
"I know you have the ability to refine your own reproductive cells, so women won't get pregnant."
"Wait a minute?"
Wang Ji Xuan stared at He Ruli:
"You want me to be your civilization's breeding pig?"
He Ruli smiled wryly: "Please don't be so crude, but the bloodline of the pioneer and leader is the only one qualified to become the individual who revives our civilization… I'm really about to collapse. Even if I use the soul power of other intelligent life forms to prolong my life, I might fall into chaos."
"This doesn't seem to have a direct relationship with me. Do I owe you anything?"
A sneer appeared on the corner of Wang Ji Xuan's mouth:
"You have been doing evil and scheming. We just want to save some of the weak."
"Why are you acting like a victim now?"
"Where is Gao Huating?"
"She is resting in the hall next door," He Ruli seemed to want to retort verbally.
Wang Ji Xuan didn't give her a chance at all: "Take me to see her. First, make sure she's not dead and hasn't been controlled by you, and then we'll continue to talk about what comes next."
He Ruli pursed her lips tightly.
She seemed to want to say something, but the words reached her lips and she just sighed and turned to lead the way.
Wang Ji Xuan winked at Amina.
Amina blinked gently in response.
If she understood Wang Ji Xuan's code correctly, it seemed to say, 'Act when the opportunity arises, don't force it.'
In fact, what Wang Ji Xuan wanted to express was just…
'You can't be soft when dealing with this kind of person. Just confront them first.'
Nierda Tamon silently followed behind the two, watching Wang Ji Xuan's back, constantly thinking.
… …
Gao Huating was lying on a gorgeous bed.
She was still wearing that combat uniform, her face was rosy, her breath was steady, and there were no traces of injury.
However, He Ruli did not unlock the formation that enveloped the hall.
Wang Ji Xuan raised his chin: "The seal is released."
"This, I'm sorry."
He Ruli said in a low voice:
"I need you to agree to my conditions first."
"I can't give you that promise," Wang Ji Xuan said calmly, "and you don't have the qualifications or standing to ask me for a promise."
He Ruli smiled wryly: "I have reached this point. Dignity and face no longer matter. I just want to make up for the mistakes of the past."
"Everyone will have many regrets. I think you should learn to accept regrets."
Wang Ji Xuan didn't give in at all:
"I'm not interested in your dignity and face."
"Using me as a breeding pig to mate is something I will definitely not agree to. It will affect my Dao heart."
"In addition, if you want to revive your civilization, there are other options. Look at the spiritual cultivators over there. The core circuits in their bodies are your masterpiece."
"Isn't that what you've been pursuing all along?"
"The number of core circuits is ultimately limited," He Ruli said, "We want to create universally applicable cultivation methods, so that every individual has a similar lower limit."
"That's even more impossible. There's not enough spiritual energy to go around."
Wang Ji Xuan sneered:
"If you want to threaten me, you might as well be straightforward. Don't be so coy."
"Gao Huating is my friend, so I care about her life. Besides that, what other bargaining chips do you have?"
Wang Ji Xuan flicked his finger lightly, and the crystal ball in the hall he had entered before, placed on the prayer mat, exploded directly.
He Ruli frowned and asked: "Aren't you afraid that I will completely side with the Blade Beast civilization or Obsidian and his group of spiritual cultivators?"
"Not afraid, do as you please."
Wang Ji Xuan said calmly:
“You should know my abilities. Although I am not strong enough now, and have not yet completed the Heavenly Bridge Realm, as long as I form a Nascent Soul, I will be invincible.
“Solving them is only a matter of time.”
He Ruli suddenly laughed, “Then don’t you want to retrieve the memory of the Carefree Wanderer of the Three Realms?”
Wang Jixuan also laughed, “Do you think I’m a fool?”
He Ruli didn't know how to answer for a moment.
Wang Jixuan walked past her, holding the corridor railing, admiring the beautiful scenery before him.
He smiled and said:
“I can probably guess what you’re thinking. You want to reveal everything openly and then negotiate terms with us with all your cards on the table.
“But in doing so, you also expose the fact that you don’t have many trump cards.
“This place can trap me temporarily, but it is also a good place for cultivation. Can you trap me for a lifetime?”
He Ruli said in a low voice, “According to historical records, the Pioneer’s personality was extremely gentle…”
“You forced me to become a demon, have you forgotten?”
Wang Jixuan said indifferently:
“I have never had a feeling like this before, so happy, so free, so unrestrained.
“But remember, if I want to pluck the flower that is Gao Huating, it can only be because I am interested in plucking it, not to breed for your civilization.
“You really are enough.
“Has the mind of your spirit body been soaked in feces? You can actually say such a terrible idea so brazenly.
“You just mentioned the memory of the Carefree Wanderer of the Three Realms.
“That memory corresponds to my second Mahayana remnant soul, but he is not here at the moment, is he? What can you give me?
“The one who escaped back then was the complete me, but I chose to let myself forget the experience of the Carefree Wanderer of the Three Realms.
“This seems to indirectly indicate that the bad things you did to me back then were far more than you said.”
From He Ruli’s eyes, it could be judged that he was right again.
Wang Jixuan was truly speechless.
He used to be a playboy, and it seemed he had suffered for it.
He Ruli said directly: “In that case, let’s talk about your conditions, Wang Jixuan.”
“First, open the planetary barrier.”
“Okay, this is a bonus to our transaction.”
“Return Gao Huating.”
“Only when Gao Huating is pregnant and gives birth to your offspring will I let her leave.”
“Then I’ll just snatch her myself later,” Wang Jixuan said, “Then you can satisfy the conditions of my two little partners.”
Amina immediately said, “I need the technology of this civilization, technology that can restrain the Blade Beast Civilization and the technology obtained by Obsidian and the others!”
He Ruli directly offered a price: “I need the Spirit Cultivation Civilization and the Human Civilization to provide enough respect.”
“What does respect mean?”
Nielda Tamon was confused: “It means disguised allegiance.”
Amina said, “I can only represent the Starry Night lineage. The Ina Civilization is our source and mother. Expressing respect is not a problem.”
He Ruli asked, “What about the surface Human Civilization?”
They both looked at Wang Jixuan.
Daoist Wang shrugged: “You know, I’m just an advisor. I wouldn’t dare to make decisions for them. However, I think your mechanical technology here should also be of interest to humans. If you can fully respect human rights and the survival rights of low-level civilizations, I might be able to help you as a lobbyist.”
He Ruli said: “I only have these conditions.”
Wang Jixuan said indifferently: “Then… happy cooperation?”
He Ruli shook her head: “Your reproduction of offspring with Gao Huating is the premise of everything being established, otherwise my civilization will not have a carrier.”
Wang Jixuan pointed to Amina and Nielda Tamon: “Aren’t they good enough? Look at Amina, a peerless beauty, intelligent and unparalleled. Nielda Tamon is also a first-class brave general.”
Both Spirit Cultivators smiled.
He Ruli continued to shake her head: “Their bloodlines are not pure, they are essentially just humans.”
The two Spirit Cultivators instantly stopped smiling.
“Then let’s not talk about it!”
Wang Jixuan suddenly raised his hand and punched the sealing barrier of the main hall.
Then he was gently pushed away by a gentle force.
He Ruli’s figure instantly faded, and her sigh sounded: “In that case, I can only take violent measures… to subdue a few of you first…”
Nielda Tamon immediately reminded: “Be careful.”
The entire palace area began to vibrate constantly, and spiritual energy was gathering towards several points.
Six powerful auras quickly awakened…
Puppets?
Wang Jixuan blinked and whispered, “Don’t resist too hard. Surrender if you can’t win later.”
Amina couldn’t help but mutter, “Then why were you so tough just now?”
“Wasn’t I just trying to test her bottom line?”
The Daoist smiled sheepishly, a glint of cunning flashing in his eyes.
Now that he was here, he couldn’t return empty-handed. He would stir things up first and then see how things developed.
There was something he had to figure out.
If there really was a second tribulation of ascension, then the remaining Mahayana remnant soul must have a higher cultivation level and strength than the Mahayana remnant soul after the first failed tribulation of ascension.
Where did ‘he’ go?
If he could be found and brought back to himself, the Great Dao could be expected.