Chapter 644: A Vastly Different Nine Provinces
The Old Human Sovereign flew across the Eight Desolations continent, spending a full three days to compile a list containing the names and identity information of those who deserved death.
During these three days, Jiang Li brought everyone to witness various scenes across the Eight Desolations, which were truly shocking and appalling.
“If they don’t collide with other worlds for plunder, the Eight Desolations would probably descend into internal chaos themselves, until only a few powerful individuals remain alive.”
“The law of the jungle, one of the fundamental laws of nature, is truly displayed here in its most extreme form.”
Jiang Li held the list given by the Old Human Sovereign and asked, “All the people who need to be killed are listed here. Who will take responsibility for carrying out the executions?”
Everyone looked puzzled. “Is it really important who does it? Human Sovereign Jiang, you could kill all these people with just a single thought, right?”
Jiang Li rolled his eyes. “Merit power. Killing will generate merit power, and merit power can be converted into immortal power, then used to achieve immortality. If I kill people to obtain merit power, then convert that merit power into Merit Gold Bricks to give to you, this process would waste two-thirds of the merit power.”
Originally, Jiang Li had worried that telling everyone about the Heavenly Dao gaining sentience might give them improper ideas, but now it seemed they hadn’t taken the matter seriously at all.
“So now, whoever takes responsibility for the killing will be the one who achieves immortality?”
Jiang Li nodded, then fixed his gaze on Ji Zhi. “Judging from the cultivation levels and numbers of those who deserve death, there’s enough to allow three people to achieve immortality, with some left over.”
Ji Zhi immediately guessed Jiang Li’s intention. “You don’t plan to use the merit power to raise me from the Unity Stage to the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, then help me achieve immortality, after which I use the Dao of Time to send you into the River of Time?”
“That’s one idea I had.” Jiang Li missed Emperor Shun deeply.
Ji Zhi smiled slightly. “I have two pieces of news for you – one good, one bad. Which would you like to hear first?”
“Let’s start with the good news then.”
“The good news is that two days ago, our ancestor Ji Shun appeared to me in a dream. This is the first time in tens of thousands of years that our Ji family has received a dream visitation from our ancestor.”
“Congratulations, congratulations. And the bad news?”
“The bad news is that Ancestor Ji Shun only said one sentence to me.”
“What did he say?” Jiang Li asked curiously.
Ji Zhi said expressionlessly, “He advised you to calm down. The River of Time hasn’t recovered yet, so don’t be in such a hurry to come over. The River of Time can’t handle it.”
Everyone secretly felt astonished. Human Sovereign Jiang truly had mastered the Dao of Time to such an extent that even the River of Time had to act according to his wishes.
Bai Hongtu suppressed his laughter until his stomach hurt.
Even the corners of Yu Yin’s mouth showed a clearly upward curve.
Jiang Li pretended not to hear Ji Zhi’s words and asked the other Tribulation Transcendence Stage cultivators if they needed to achieve immortality now.
Those at the Unity Stage weren’t even considered. Actually, what Supreme Immortal Baoyi had said wasn’t wrong – a massive upgrade only raised the level while one’s perspective and thinking remained at the previous stage. The same principle applied to advancing directly from Unity Stage to immortality.
If one hadn’t even grasped the concepts of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, what was the point of achieving immortality?
Bai Hongtu and Yu Yin directly refused. They still wanted to reach the Mahayana Stage. If achieving immortality prevented them from reaching the Mahayana Stage, that would be a huge loss.
Moreover, their strongest state came with the enhancement of the Spirit Plant Formation, which had little to do with whether they achieved immortality or not.
“I’ll pass. I just reached the Tribulation Transcendence Stage and need time to immerse myself in it. Rushing to advance too quickly isn’t good.”
The Old Dragon King temporarily had no thoughts of achieving immortality. He suggested, “Why not let Fellow Daoist Li Er and the Sword Sovereign achieve immortality, with the remaining merit power also left to them? This way, after they achieve immortality, they can still take action.”
Jiang Li nodded – this was a good idea. He looked toward Li Er and the Sword Sovereign.
“Fine, I have no problem with that. I was planning to undergo my second Ascension Tribulation soon anyway, so I might as well take this opportunity to get through it.”
“Agreed, though my cultivation level is still a few years away from attracting the Ascension Tribulation. When Fellow Daoist Li Er undergoes his Ascension Tribulation, I’ll need to take advantage of it.”
Li Er thought he had misheard and quickly said, “Sword Sovereign, the more people involved in the Ascension Tribulation, the more powerful it becomes. I’m not like Human Sovereign Jiang, who treats undergoing the Ascension Tribulation like child’s play. At most, I can only handle my second Ascension Tribulation now. If it becomes more powerful, I won’t be able to withstand it, and you wouldn’t be able to either, right?”
The Sword Sovereign looked completely calm. “Don’t worry. After I attract the Ascension Tribulation, we’ll separate. Then the Ascension Tribulation will lock onto each of us separately, so you’ll face the power of your second Ascension Tribulation, while I’ll face the power of my first Ascension Tribulation.”
Jiang Li’s expression turned strange. This method didn’t seem like something the Sword Sovereign could have come up with. “Who thought of this method?”
“Immortal Elder told me.”
“…”
Jiang Li handed the list to the two of them to divide between themselves.
Killing wasn’t a simple matter – the entire process would take about three days. Li Er and the Sword Sovereign couldn’t be like Jiang Li, able to kill everyone with just a single thought.
After confirming who would achieve immortality, Jiang Li brought up another issue.
“Changing the culture of the Eight Desolations can’t be accomplished in a single day. The sects don’t have enough manpower to spare resources to help the Eight Desolations. How about having the various imperial dynasties and major nations each select a region in the Eight Desolations to provide targeted assistance?”
Taking over the Eight Desolations would also allow them to obtain the resources left behind by the cultivators, which would benefit the nations of the Nine Provinces as well.
“There’s one problem. After the Eight Desolations became a continent, it remains extremely vast. Currently, there are no spatial passages connecting us, making it very inconvenient for our people to travel to the Eight Desolations,” said the Baize Emperor.
The Entropy Increase Ruler laughed. “There’s no need to worry about that. We and the Buddhist Sect have already developed a low-cost method for building spatial passages. Once we fully promote this, whether within the Nine Provinces Continent itself or between the Nine Provinces and Eight Desolations, free movement will be possible. Distance will no longer be a problem.”
This was an unexpected pleasant surprise. Jiang Li hadn’t expected the three Rulers and the Buddhist Sect to act so quickly.
The Old Human Sovereign quietly watched as Jiang Li assigned various tasks during casual conversation, handling everything in an orderly manner. Those powers and factions didn’t make endless excuses like they had during his reign. He felt emotional – that child from back then had now grown up.
After using the Book of Life and Death, the Old Human Sovereign didn’t leave but chose to wander around the Nine Provinces. When Jiang Li wanted to accompany him, he refused.
He wanted to walk alone.
The Nine Provinces after more than three hundred years was vastly different from before.
Mortals had started a wave of learning the Five Elements Qi Refinement Art (Upper Volume), diligently studying and striving to improve their cultivation levels.
Products combining cultivation and technology had become popular throughout the Nine Provinces. Automated production made low-level talismans inexpensive, and Five Senses Reception Mirrors had entered every household, allowing people to watch their favorite programs.
Cultivators had more cultivation techniques to choose from, and Unity Stage techniques were no longer rare treasures worth risking one’s life to obtain. Through mutual exchange, cultivators discovered shortcomings in their techniques and worked together to supplement those deficiencies.
Praise for Jiang Li could be heard everywhere. Although Jiang Li wasn’t accompanying him, his influence could be seen in every corner.
Finally, he came to the Mermen Tribe in the South Sea. Standing beside the former chieftain Yu Jue for a long time, he opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.
Yu Jue lay dozing in a rocking chair, unaware of the Old Human Sovereign’s arrival.
At that moment, two thunderclaps came from the horizon. The Old Human Sovereign knew this was Li Er and the Sword Sovereign undergoing their Ascension Tribulation.
“Time to go. I’ll have quite a story to tell when I return.”
The Old Human Sovereign utilized the Dao of Life, Death, and Reincarnation to return to the Underworld.
Yu Jue woke abruptly from her dream, looking around in confusion, not knowing why she had awakened, only feeling sorrow welling up in her heart as she shed turbid tears.