Urban Undying Lord
Chapter 311 - 311 310 Enfeoffment of the Group of Demons

311: Chapter 310: Enfeoffment of the Group of Demons 311: Chapter 310: Enfeoffment of the Group of Demons Alas, the Jade Emperor did not respond to the Queen Mother’s persuasion; he fell into deep thought, his mind pondering unknown things.

…

Chaos gave birth to all; Heaven and Earth first opened.

In the distant Primordial Land, Hong Jun, the Daoist Ancestor, once expounded the Dao at Zixiao Palace.

He also proclaimed to all spirits of the Primordial Land that there were only seven Saint Positions between Heaven and Earth.

The Three Pure Ones were transformations of Pangu’s Primordial Spirit, later disciples of Hong Jun, listening to the Dao in Zixiao Palace, being granted three strands of Hongmeng Purple Qi, and establishing three doctrines to achieve their Saint Positions through great merit.

Yuanshi Tianzun of the Jade Purity.

Lingbao Tianzun of the High Purity.

Daode Tianzun of the Grand Purity.

As transformations of Pangu’s Primordial Spirit, they were inherently the embodiment of the Dao and were divinely ordained as three Saints, revered by all beings.

Then came Jieyin and Zhunti, shamelessly pleading before Hong Jun at Zixiao Palace, eventually becoming the Daoist Ancestor’s disciples and establishing Western Buddhism to become Saints through their merit.

The sixth Saint was Nuwa of the Demon Race, who mended the Heavens and created humanity; with these two great merits, she attained sainthood and was revered by all spirits as Nuwa.

Yet, as the endless eons passed, only six Saints emerged in Heaven and Earth.

The seventh Saint, spoken of by the Daoist Ancestor, never appeared, and the whereabouts of the last strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi remained unknown.

Daluo Golden Immortals and Quasi-Saints alike searched through the endless eons for that final strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi, all for that last Saint Position in Heaven and Earth.

Seas turned to mulberry fields, Time changed all.

The seventh Saint never appeared, and the Hongmeng Purple Qi vanished without a trace; even the Daoist Ancestor himself merged early into the Dao and transformed into Heavenly Dao to oversee the operation of all under Heaven and Earth.

Ye Xuan, he truly had no immediate desire for a Saint Position because he knew it was beyond his reach for now.

Moreover, as far as Ye Xuan knew, Saints in this world differed in strength.

There were only three methods to become a Saint.

The first method, employed by the likes of the Three Pure Ones, involved becoming a Saint through great merit—only those with immense merit, coupled with Hongmeng Purple Qi, could transmute into Saints.

The second method involved becoming a Saint by Cutting Three Corpses: the Good Corpse, the Evil Corpse, and the Self.

Since the beginning of Sky Opening, only Hong Jun, the Daoist Ancestor, became a Saint by Cutting Three Corpses and ultimately perfected the Heavenly Dao with his being, while the six Saints had also sought to become Saints by this method.

However, they only managed to cut the Good and Evil Corpses, finding themselves unable to sever the Self in the end and thus becoming Saints through merit.

As for the third method, it was the legendary way of becoming a Saint, known as Proving Dao with Power.

This approach was incredibly brutal, also referred to as “ten deaths without life.”

Proving Dao with Power disregarded Heaven and Earth, focusing solely on self-cultivation, breaking through the limits of Heaven and Earth, transcending beyond Heavenly Dao, adhering to the belief that One Power Breaks All Laws.

Legend has it that if someone could become a Saint through this method, they would be the utmost among Saints, even capable of defeating other Saints with ease.

Yet, legends are after all just legends; since the beginning of Heaven and Earth, no one had ever managed to prove the Dao with power alone.

To put it plainly, all sentient beings, any creature with spiritual wisdom, are nurtured by this world.

Even the spiritual energy they absorb comes from Heaven and Earth.

How could one’s own strength surpass the Heavenly Dao?

Of these three methods to achieve sainthood, the simplest is the first: attaining sainthood through merit.

However, this simplicity is relative.

In the eyes of Quasi-Saints and Daluo Golden Immortals, it is still considered an impossible feat.

First, one must possess Hongmeng Purple Qi as well as immense merit.

One’s cultivation must step into the Quasi-Saint Realm.

Had it been in the epochs when Heaven and Earth first split, perhaps there might have been some chance, but in the current Heaven, Earth, and Human Three Realms, where could one find such merit to become a Saint?

Therefore, many exceptional individuals, unwilling to resign themselves to a status below that of a Saint, embarked on the path of becoming a Saint by Cutting Three Corpses.

Yet, as endless time passed, those who managed to cut away two corpses could be counted on one’s fingers.

Furthermore, those with resolute Dao hearts sought to cut away their third corpse, their self, but to cut away the self is to erase oneself, leading, in the end, only to the demise of both body and Dao.

Just as Hongjun, the Ancestral Master, had stated, there are only seven great Saint positions in this Heaven and Earth.

As for when this seventh Saint will emerge, it has always been a topic of endless debate in the Three Realms.

Heavenly Court, Thirty-Three Heavens, Weiyang Palace.

Ye Xuan had had some idle days lately.

Zhao Gongming dropped by now and then, even revealing to him that South Sea Guanyin had once come to the Heavenly Court to seek justice, only to be frightened away by two Dharma Decrees.

The issuer of the first Dharma Decree was unknown, while the second came from the Heavenly Sect Master.

This hinted to Ye Xuan that the Heavenly Sect Master held him in high regard.

Should he choose to join the Jie Sect, with his talents, even becoming a direct disciple of the Heavenly Sect Master was not impossible.

However, Ye Xuan gave vague and evasive responses, naturally not agreeing easily, and this filled Zhao Gongming with bitter frustration, although he did not press any further.

One day, Ye Xuan sat cross-legged in the void, with dozens of Demon Kings standing to his left and right.

Below them, a pale-faced Heavenly Immortal Official was holding an Immortal Book, reporting something to Ye Xuan.

“Heavenly Immortal Official, you’re quite bold.

You grant my subordinates empty titles, yet with no real power.

Do you think this Emperor is easily bullied?”

Ye Xuan’s eyes slightly narrowed, his voice icy, and the Heavenly Peng King and others looked fiercely at the Heavenly Immortal Official, their menacing gazes almost enough to frighten the courage out of him.

“Your Highness, please calm your anger.

This humble immortal has unspeakable difficulties,” the Heavenly Immortal Official wailed, nearly crying as he begged Ye Xuan.

“Your Highness, it’s not that this humble immortal wishes to oppose you, but His Majesty has already decreed that although the Demon Kings from the Lower Realm are meritorious, granting them real power upon their initial entry to the Heavenly Court might cause discontent among other Immortals.

Therefore, they are temporarily granted titles, and after some time has passed…”

Before the Heavenly Immortal Official could finish, Ye Xuan coldly interrupted, “The Jade Emperor governs the Three Realms.

He should reward the merits and punish the faults.

If even rewards and punishments are unclear, what use is the Jade Emperor?”

Hearing Ye Xuan’s words, cold sweat drenched the Heavenly Immortal Official, who dared not speak further.

Ye Xuan was Emperor Dongji, free to speak his mind without restraint.

As a mere Immortal Official, if he were to mispeak and word reached the Jade Emperor, his fate would likely be exceedingly miserable.

Looking at the trembling form of the Heavenly Immortal Official below, Ye Xuan knew that this man was merely following orders, and making things difficult for him would serve little purpose.

The root of the problem still needed to be addressed.

“Bring the Immortal Book here,” Ye Xuan said calmly.

The Heavenly Immortal Official did not dare to delay and handed the Immortal Book to Ye Xuan.

As Ye Xuan leafed through the Immortal Book, a hint of a cold smile emerged from the corner of his mouth.

“Were not two of these Nine Luminaries gone after the battle at Huaguo Mountain?

The Lion Elephant King and Snake Demon King can nicely fill their spots.”

“Hmm, six of the Twenty-Eight Constellations perished.

The Green Dragon King and others can take their place.”

Ye Xuan picked up the Jade Pen and began to make changes in the Immortal Book, which turned the Heavenly Immortal Official’s face ghostly white, sweat dripping from his cheeks onto the ground.

“The position of Marshal of the Heavenly Canopy has always been vacant, commanding the Nine Luminaries and one hundred thousand soldiers of the Heavenly River.

This is of vital importance to our Heavenly Court and cannot afford any negligence.

And the Heavenly Peng King, being a Luotian Mystic Immortal, is the most fitting for this role.”