Eight Scenery Chariot Sits in the Emperor of Jade, wonderful appearance and solemn law is unsurpassed.
Chen Yun looked at the Emperor of Jade descending, appearing somewhat surprised.
He never expected that the East King invited himself over, and yet it turned out to be for the purpose of meeting this legendary sacred figure in Taoism.
After Song and Yuan dynasties, Daoism recognized the Emperor of Jade as the supreme god among all gods, with a very high status in the God's hierarchy.
The Taoist classics describe the Jade Emperor as residing in the Hao Tian Jin Que Mile Tian Palace, with a wonderful and solemn appearance, embodying the highest of all laws, governing all heavens, leading all the saints, ruling over the universe, enlightening myriad heavens, practicing the ways of heaven, bestowing divine virtues, creating all things, benefiting myriad beings, weighing the three realms, governing all spirits, endlessly guiding people to salvation. He is considered the supreme deity in heaven and the emperor of myriad heavens.
In short, the Jade Emperor oversees all heavens and the ten thousand worlds, including all living beings and the six paths of reincarnation, bringing about both positive and negative fortunes.
Today's Jade Emperor, though not yet the supreme god, merely one of the six supreme officers, his status is still infinitely honored and extraordinary.
The important Taoist classic "Gao Shang Yu Huang Ben Xing Ji Jing," written during the Tang and Song dynasties, provides a detailed account of the origin and background of the Jade Emperor: Long ago, there was a country called Guang Yan Miao Le, where the King Jing De and the Queen Bao Yue Guang were childless in their old age. They ordered Taoists to hold prayers, and later the Queen dreamt that the Supreme Taoist Lord held a baby and bestowed it upon her. After waking from the dream, she became pregnant. After one year of pregnancy, on the ninth day of the first lunar month during the Bing Wu year, she gave birth to a son at noon in the royal palace. The prince grew up to inherit the throne and soon abandoned his kingdom to cultivate Taoism in Pu Ming Xiang Yan Mountain. After accomplishing his cultivation, he transcended to become a celestial immortal. After going through thirty thousand cycles of rebirths, he finally proved himself as a celestial emperor. He then surpassed one billion cycles before attaining the position of Jade Emperor.
Here, "jinxian" does not refer to a Buddha, but refers to a celestial immortal who has attained the ultimate state of cultivation and is invincible due to the inherent gold nature.
Sacred beings who usually reach this level are almost one step away from Da Luo, the ultimate state.
Additionally, the 1,750 eons that Chen Yun remembers are not the total number of calamities endured by the Jade Emperor in reality, but rather derived from the adapted version of "Journey to the West."
Including the poem that he remembered earlier, which was also derived from "Journey to the West."
In fact, the Jade Emperor has undergone 3,000 cycles of trials and tribulations to reach the halfway point of Da Luo, and then surpassed one billion cycles to attain the position of the Heavenly Emperor.
It can be said that, besides the three treasures of the Taoist pantheon (Sanying), the Jade Emperor is probably one of the most long-lived sacred beings since the creation of this world.
One calamity lasts for 129,600 years, and the Jade Emperor has experienced over one billion calamities, translating to more than 129,600 billion years. It is easy to imagine that his power is boundless.
Indeed, at this moment, Chen Yun stands before the Jade Emperor and feels like an ant seeing a dragon, as if he himself is so small, unworthy, and weak.
He just looks at the Jade Emperor and cannot help but want to bow and prostrate himself.
As if he is the embodiment of Dao in the world, he inspires awe and reverence.
Chen Yun did not feel this way when facing the Purple Emperor.
This is an instinctive reaction of "lower life forms" facing "higher deities".
It made him instinctively want to kneel down and pay homage.
As Chen Yun's knee bent.
The Jade Emperor, sitting in the chariot of Eight Scenery, his expression slightly changed. He hurriedly reached out and lifted his hand with a smile, "Mr. Chen doesn't need to be polite. We, practitioners of Daoism, are all equal. Why should you kneel before me?"
When the Jade Emperor showed a smile as warm as spring breeze, his majesty faded away completely.
Chen Yun felt as if he were in the spring sun and light breeze, both his body and mind became comfortable, and he no longer had the urge to kneel.
He turned to make a bow and say, "Chen Piao greets the High and Most Esteemed Jade Emperor."
Dongwanggong Wang Xuanyu also bowed and said, "Wang Xuanyu greets the Jade Emperor."
"You all may go now."
The Jade Emperor spoke casually, and he was already mysteriously appearing in front of Chen Yun and Dong Wanggong.
The divine chariot and the celestial maiden vanished without a trace.
Only the celestial maiden carrying the golden sword stood there still.
Chen Yun didn't notice how the Jade Emperor appeared in front of him, let alone where the divine chariot and celestial maiden had gone.
Wang Xuanyu seemed to have noticed the confusion of his apprentice and softly reminded him, "The Jade Emperor possesses the ability to create and open up the heavens and earth. Within his body, he has the existence of all heavenly realms. Even a single strand of hair from him contains infinite vast worlds that are constantly mentioned in Buddhism as Ten Thousand Realms."
Chen Yun finally understood where the divine chariot and celestial maiden had gone.
He couldn't help but exclaim, "The realm of the Jade Emperor is beyond my wildest imagination."
The Jade Emperor had his hands clasped behind his back, showing no trace of royal demeanor at all.
On the contrary, he appeared very amiable, with a smile on his face, saying, "One day, you can also reach this level, and even higher."
Speaking of this, the Jade Emperor asked, "Chen Piao, do you know why I do not accept your worship?"
Chen Yun was puzzled by this as well. "I don't know, please enlighten me."
The Jade Emperor sighed and said, "I cannot accept it. It would shorten my lifespan and blessings. If the Purple Emperor accepted your worship, his position as the Heavenly Emperor would be taken over. If I accepted your worship, I might never be able to attain the status of a celestial immortal. As for your teachers and ancestors, they are all seniors and are not affected by these matters."
Ah?
Do I really have that kind of misfortune?
Chen Yun was slightly stunned. From the words of the Jade Emperor, he faintly heard an important message.
That means that his previous life on Earth was indeed one of the countless beings, but in the few lives or dozens of lives before that, he was likely a sacred being of great status.
The Jade Emperor seemed to resonate with this, adding, "Your previous life was Chen Piao, and before that, you had no noble status at all."
I was Chen Piao in my previous life?
Isn't it that this is my first time being Chen Piao in this life?
Chen Yun was becoming increasingly confused, not understanding what was going on.
The Jade Emperor deliberately changed the subject and said, "As for my previous life, my status and position were indeed very high, even higher than now."
Wang Xuanyu smiled and introduced, "Jade Emperor's previous life was the highly regarded Heavenly Emperor in Confucian mythology, but that was during his ninth thousand nine hundred ninety-nine million nine hundred ninety-nineth calamity. He has now undergone billions of calamities and is due to attain the ultimate realm of completion, returning to his position as the Heavenly Emperor."
It was just a brief remark that finally made Chen Yun understand why the full title of the Jade Emperor, "The Supreme Daoist Emperor, Emperor of the Golden Chrysanthemum Palace in the Nine-Covered Supreme Paradise of Dao, Creator of All Things, Embodiment of Truth and Dao, Emperor with Supremacy in the Sky and Earth and All Worlds", would include the word "Hao Tian" (Great Heaven).
Previously, the Jade Emperor was none other than Hao Tian Shangdi, the supreme god in Confucianism.
Chen Yun looked even more respectful, and he bowed again, saying, "It's my fault for not showing proper respect. I didn't know you were the Supreme God."
The Jade Emperor seemed to be deliberately revealing this information.
He winked and said, "In fact, Hao Tian Shangdi is not my most prestigious identity. Do you want to know what my most prestigious identity should be?"
Wang Xuanyu was startled and said in a low voice, "Jade Emperor, this matter should not be spoken of."
"It's okay. I have already communicated with him." The Jade Emperor waved his hand, looking at Chen Yun with seriousness, "Do you want to know?"
Chen Yun looked on with seriousness, "Please inform me, God. Chen Piao wants to know."
The Jade Emperor nodded slightly, "My most prestigious identity should be the Creator of this world, known as the Primordial Venerable. The countless realms and heavens in this world were all opened by me."
Chen Yun felt dizzy, "Ah? Yellow Spring Sage?"
Even though he felt a bit dizzy, he also understood why the Jade Emperor's full title would include phrases like "Supreme Creator of the Heavens."
So it turns out that this world was opened by the Jade Emperor.
Alternatively, it was the original identity of "Yuanshi Tianzun" that the Jade Emperor had been credited with opening.
However, the reason why the Jade Emperor changed from "Yuanshi Tianzun" to "Jade Emperor" is unknown.
The Jade Emperor sighed, "Yes, there were some twists and turns. My position as Yuanshi Tianzun was taken from me, but fortunately, he promised me that my future achievements would be even greater. Otherwise, I would certainly feel discontent."
Future achievements that are higher than the status of Yuanshi Tianzun?
The most crucial point is that this was promised by someone else, not something you have achieved through trials and tribulations.
Chen Yun was puzzled and suspicious, "Which sacred being would dare to make such a promise?"
He was not necessarily without doubt about his future successor, Fang Yi.
However, he carefully pondered and thought that Fang Yi's cultivation realm was probably similar to the Three Eternal Deities and the Realm of Three Realms and Three Treasures, which seems not enough to make such a promise.
This time, the Jade Emperor did not speak directly but kept the suspense, saying, "Do you want to know? You will naturally understand all things when you reach the realm of Great Celestial Immortal. Oh, I can remind you of one thing: in the multiverse we are in now, Yuanshi Tianzun is actually a manifestation of a great powerhouse."
My heavens!
Yuanshi Tianzun, who has already reached the realm of Great Celestial Immortals, is actually just a manifestation of some great powerhouse?
Chen Yun truly couldn't imagine the extent of the cultivation and realm of the great powerhouse in question.
Although the Jade Emperor had told him that the current Yuanshi Tianzun in this world was just a manifestation of a great power, Chen Yun knew in his heart that an incarnation was an entity with its own independent personality.
Therefore, Yuanshi Tianzun is Yuanshi Tianzun, and that great powerhouse remains that great powerhouse, and the two cannot be equated.
It's like Laozi being an incarnation of Tai Shang Laojun. You can say that Tai Shang Laojun is Laozi, but you cannot say that Laozi is Tai Shang Laojun.
Although Chen Yun was very shocked in his heart, he really didn't know why the Jade Emperor would reveal so much important information.
The next moment, he finally knew why.
"The reason I told you so much," the Jade Emperor pondered for a moment before continuing, "is because that great powerhouse has promised me that I need to return to the position of the Heavenly Emperor in the identity of the Supreme God of Taoism, then I can attain true unity with the Tao and transcend the cultivation realm of Yuanshi Tianzun, reaching an unimaginable and inconceivable state."
Chen Yun began to gradually understand.
Wang Xuanyu seized the opportunity to speak up, "The present Jingong Zhan is a preparation for Jade Emperor's return to the position of the Heavenly Emperor. However, this destiny is not predestined but must be obtained through one's own efforts. As it stands, the Heavenly Emperor is Zi Wei Shangdi. If Jade Emperor's achievements in this Jingong Zhan are not as great as his, he will not be able to return to his position as the Heavenly Emperor."
The Jade Emperor's gaze was profound as he said, "The Tao of Heaven has its own rules. Without attaining the Great Celestial Immortal realm, one cannot use supernatural abilities to foresee too distant changes in the great trends. Therefore, I also do not know which one is the true Dragon Emperor of the future Human Emperor, and since you are a future visitor, you must know which one it is."
Chen Yun opened his mouth to speak.
The Jade Emperor interrupted and said, "It cannot be said, it cannot leak the heavenly secret, otherwise the great trend of history will change."
Chen Yun quickly swallowed the words he wanted to say and kept them to himself.
The Jade Emperor nodded with satisfaction, "I reveal so much information to you because I want you to know one thing. By the time this Jingong Zhan reaches this point, you have not yet moved, and my subordinates and I are really in a dilemma about which camp to stand on. Therefore, after discussing with your Master Ancestor, we decided to entrust all the power we have in our hands to you and dispose of it at your discretion. You... will be our military advisor."
Oh, so it's an announcement that I am to become the "military advisor."
Chen Yun finally understands why the Jade Emperor wanted to meet him personally.
He frowned slightly and said, "Jade Emperor, I am only a land spirit. I'm afraid I don't have the ability to undertake such an important position."
The Jade Emperor smiled mockingly, "I say you can, then you can certainly handle it. Tell me, how do you plan to lead our camp to win this Jingong Zhan?"
Wang Xuanyu said, "To save your Master, we must win this Jingong Zhan. Once the Jade Emperor returns to the position of the Heavenly Emperor, even if you have no achievements, he can still pardon any sins or sacred beings through the laws of heaven."
Speaking of this, he seemed to have thought of something, looked at the Jade Emperor, and then supplemented: "As long as you can lead our camp to win the Jingong Zhan, at that time, the Jade Emperor will pardon Zhong Lixing through the laws of heaven. And your merits can still be used to make deities."
The Jade Emperor gave a very confident answer, "As long as you can help me return to the position of the Heavenly Emperor, I can pardon Zhong Lixing through the laws of heaven. Is that enough to put your mind at ease?"
This is promising me benefits.
Chen Yun naturally understood the meaning behind what the Jade Emperor and his master had said.
He originally thought that the merits he earned in this Jingong Zhan would be used entirely to atone for his teacher's sins.
He never expected that it could actually fall on himself.
The premise is that the Jade Emperor can return to the position of the Heavenly Emperor, enact laws of heaven, and pardon his teacher.
"Relax."
Chen Yun originally participated in the Jingong Zhan to save his teacher.
Now that both the Jade Emperor and the Eastern Grand Duke had promised him, how could he refuse?
The Jade Emperor was very satisfied with Chen Yun's attitude. "Since that's the case, what are your thoughts in your heart? How should we proceed next?"
Wang Xuanyu also raised his ears.
Chen Yun said, "Just now, you had words that some things I cannot say out loud. Therefore, the final course of action that I do not mention for now. As for how to proceed next, I have an idea in my heart. I observed that the Qin Dynasty's destiny is coming to an end, but it has been protected by Zi Wei Shangdi. Therefore, its qi hasn't scattered yet. If you want to return to the position of the Heavenly Emperor, I think the first thing we should do is completely destroy Later Jin. In order to eliminate Later Jin, it would be difficult for me alone with my own strength and power to achieve this. Therefore, it is necessary for you to dispatch a series of sacred beings to participate in the battle, and even when necessary, you should descend from heaven and participate in the battle yourself, such as when Zi Wei Shangdi makes a move."
The Jade Emperor agreed almost without hesitation and said in one breath, "Good. I promise you that when you call upon the sky, the sky will respond, and when you call upon the earth, the earth will be spiritual. If you encounter any sacred beings that you cannot withstand on the battlefield, simply dispatch your disciples to various sacred places to invite them, and they will immediately rush over. Additionally, some sacred beings reside in the immortal realm, and you currently have only reached the realm of land spirits with a relatively low divine position; it may be quite troublesome for you to ascend to heaven or descend into hell. I will give you some divine talismans. You only need to write down the name of any deity that you want to descend from heaven to assist in battle and burn it; I can sense it. At that time, I will dispatch that deity down to the world. Of course, not all deities are on my side; later I will give you a list. You can only invite deities on this list. Do not seek help from other forces."
Chen Yun hurriedly said, "I solemnly receive the command of the Jade Emperor."
The Jade Emperor nodded and said, "Since I want you to help me return to the position of the Heavenly Emperor, naturally, I cannot give you any protective devices."
Speaking of this, he looked at the fairy beside him and said, "Jinyu, lend Chen Mr. your sword to use for two days."
The fairy said respectfully, "Yes."
After saying that, she walked in front of Chen Yun, offering him the golden sword with both hands.
At this time, the Jade Emperor introduced: "This sword is my personal sword from my previous life, called 'Tian Heaven Sword'. It symbolizes that I have never been destroyed in nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine lifetimes, invincible to all laws, eternal existence, if you encounter an enemy that cannot be resisted, it will save your life. In addition, because the power of the Tian Heaven Sword can almost tear apart all realms and worlds, I added a seal to it so that it can only kill one person alone. Furthermore, you can only use it three times. Before each use, you need to bathe yourself and dress properly, burn incense and report to me. After obtaining my permission, you can use it for worship. Whether the opponent is a celestial or a divine being, as soon as this sword appears, they will certainly be defeated. It is ineffective against those who have not yet reached the realm of semi-cosmic immortality."
Tian Heaven Sword is so powerful?
Chen Yun's heart was trembling as he listened. He had received many magical treasures, but none were as powerful as the Tian Heaven Sword, which could definitely slay celestial beings and divine beings.
He knew that the Jade Emperor's words were as good as gold, and what he said would certainly come true.
Therefore, with excitement in his heart, Chen Yun carefully accepted the divine sword and gratefully said, "Thank you, Jade Emperor, for gifting me the Tian Heaven Sword."
The Jade Emperor chuckled and said, "It's a loan, not a gift. After the Jingong Zhan is over, you must return the Tian Heaven Sword to me. Don't think of keeping it for yourself."
Chen Yun sweat a little, he indeed coveted the Tian Heaven Sword.
But he knew very well in his heart that it was the sword of Wu Tian Di, the previous life of the Jade Emperor, so he could only admire it in his eyes, as it was impossible for him to get it.
However, to have the right to use the Tian Heaven Sword in the Jingong Zhan was enough to satisfy him.
The Jade Emperor had said it clearly earlier, the sacred sword can be used as his protective treasure, basically as long as half-step of cosmic immortality does not come out, his life will be in no danger.
The only thing that Chen Yun found regrettable was that the divine sword could only be used actively three times, and each time before using it, he had to burn incense and make prayers, receiving permission before he could invoke it.
In fact, this seems very normal. After all, some sacred beings bear the responsibility for certain laws of heaven and earth.
If he killed innocents with the Tian Heaven Sword, it might affect the operation of the myriad realms and worlds.
Therefore, it is indeed necessary to ask the Jade Emperor in advance if one wants to use the Tian Heaven Sword to slay a sacred being.
No matter how, Chen Yun knew that he had gained abundant rewards on this visit to Penglai.
Not only did he learn some confidential information from the Jade Emperor's mouth, but also received a promise that when he calls upon the sky, the sky will respond, and when he calls upon the earth, the earth will be spiritual. Additionally, he obtained the right to use the Tian Heaven Sword in the Jingong Zhan, as well as from the Jade Emperor that if he returns to the position of the Heavenly Emperor, he can pardon his teacher's sins through heavenly laws and retain his merits earned in this battle.
It can be said that Chen Yun felt today's gains were even more rewarding than his achievement of reaching the realm of land spirits during his journey in the Sun and Moon Pond Cavern.
After all, he had no assurance that he wouldn't perish in the Jingong Zhan.
Now with the Tian Heaven Sword, that situation will not occur.
Great!
Finally be able to save his life and pursue the path of immortality with peace of mind.
Although Chen Yun knew that beings at the half-step of cosmic immortality could still threaten his life, with the Tian Heaven Sword, at least celestial beings and divine beings would not be able to take his life. His chance of survival had been greatly increased.
The number of celestial beings and divine beings at the half-step of cosmic immortality is not many, and they are all those with positions so high that it is unbelievable.
Chen Yun felt that people at this realm would not put down their dignity and personally kill him unless they truly had no face.
Therefore, having the Tian Heaven Sword means that there is no danger to his life in the Jingong Zhan!
