Undying Life

Chapter 765: Chapter 765: The Purpose of the Grand Thousand World Visitors

Underworld, Changjing, Zhong Shan's Study.

"Your Majesty, the front lines are achieving continuous victories. Lin Xiao, Shui Jing, Shui Wuhen, Zhao Suoxiang, and Xiao Wang—all five armies are unstoppable. No strong dynasty can halt our troops' advance anymore!" Yi Yan reported.

"Good. It must be swift. I want the south unified within ten years!" Zhong Shan said firmly.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Yan Chongzhi! How are things on your end?" Zhong Shan asked.

"Your Majesty, the first batch of talents has been selected through this examination. Once you approve them, they will be dispatched to administer the newly conquered cities!" Yan Chongzhi responded solemnly.

"Good," Zhong Shan nodded.

"Your Majesty, may I ask why you summoned us?" Nangong Sheng asked curiously.

Nangong Sheng, the head of the Divination Department, held a largely ceremonial position, with no direct involvement in either governance or military affairs. His summons suggested something significant.

"Something happened in the mortal world yesterday that I need to discuss with you," Zhong Shan said seriously.

"Oh?"

"Yesterday, on the fifteenth day of the first month, the Netherworld Lord Jian Ao underwent the Celestial Tribulation. Ultimately..." Zhong Shan recounted the events.

"Just as I suspected," Nangong Sheng mused.

"Oh?"

"After the ancient magical power of Pangu opened the heavens, according to the information Your Majesty had previously gathered, the Small Thousand World should have been surrounded by many strong cultivators. I had anticipated this and chose to move quietly through the underworld to the Grand Thousand World's underworld. Since Pangu opened the heavens in the mortal realm, the external manifestations were primarily in the mortal realm, not the underworld," Nangong Sheng explained.

"Indeed. The mortal realm displayed the signs of the heavens' opening, attracting countless strong cultivators. This is a well-known fact. The underworld did not have these signs. The Clay Bodhisattva once used a secret method to investigate the underworld's external affairs, but people only focused on the Earth Book swallowed by the Fire Qilin, ignoring the signs of the heavens' opening. The behavior of the Wu Clan last time also supports this. This means that Nie Fancheng and Wu Jiutian also left through the underworld," Zhong Shan nodded in agreement.

"Who would have thought that Netherworld Lord Jian Ao would be so domineering, slaughtering his way up to the heavens, killing countless strong cultivators and entering the Grand Thousand World's mortal realm," Nangong Sheng remarked.

"Li Si mentioned that those scattered strong cultivators would come to visit Great Zheng when we ascend. Do any of you know why?" Zhong Shan asked the group.

Nangong Sheng frowned, shaking his head, unable to discern the reason immediately.

"Your Majesty, I might have some insight," Mr. Corpse suddenly spoke up.

"Oh?" Zhong Shan looked at Mr. Corpse. As someone from the Grand Thousand World, Mr. Corpse would likely understand the mindset of those from there.

"Your Majesty, I only know part of the reason why countless people from the Grand Thousand World are flocking here. They may have other schemes, but I know one reason that drives them mad," Mr. Corpse explained.

"Go on," Zhong Shan urged.

"In the Small Thousand World, it is much easier to obtain the positions of heavenly offices compared to the Grand Thousand World. Collecting luck and merit is much more convenient here. In the Grand Thousand World, securing even a low-tier position is extremely difficult. Mid-tier positions are fiercely contested, often by immortals, and high-tier positions, except for a few special cases, are almost exclusively held by powerful immortals. The qualifications and status required to hold these positions are immense," Mr. Corpse explained.

"They're coming to seize the positions of heavenly offices?" Zhong Shan raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, everyone knows the benefits of heavenly positions. Low positions triple cultivation speed, middle positions increase it tenfold, and high positions increase it by a hundredfold. This allure drives countless people mad. A person who cultivates for a thousand years accumulates a hundred thousand years of progress. Who wouldn't fight for that?" Mr. Corpse explained.

"But what benefit do they gain from attacking Great Zheng?" Zhong Shan asked.

"The mortal realm is already divided into three factions. The land has been mostly partitioned. These strong cultivators can establish an empire easily, but the world is already divided among the three major dynasties. Only if one dynasty collapses, leaving vast territories unclaimed, can they establish their own empire!" Mr. Corpse explained.

"Yes," Zhong Shan nodded.

"On the surface, Great Zheng is just an empire, making it the easiest target. Additionally, in the Grand Thousand World, empires often fail when ascending to heavenly dynasties. If we fail, it would severely weaken us. These Grand Thousand World visitors are waiting for this failure, or perhaps they're planning to cause our failure. If we fail, that will be their chance!" Mr. Corpse explained.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"However, this is not the most critical point. If they can establish an empire and obtain a middle position, they might seize the opportunity to gain a high position when a heavenly dynasty opens the heavens," Mr. Corpse continued.

"Oh? Obtain a high position? Can the fortunes of a Grand Thousand World's opening heavenly dynasty benefit other dynasties?" Zhong Shan asked, surprised.

"No, it's about vassalage," Mr. Corpse clarified.

"Oh?"

"Vassalage forms a subordinate relationship between the vassal and the master dynasty. By choosing to become a vassal, they must contribute half of their fortune freely, and the master dynasty will interfere in their governance. However, if the master dynasty ascends, the vassal dynasty will also rise significantly," Mr. Corpse explained.

"Oh? Vassalage?"

"For instance, if the ancient Luo Heavenly Dynasty opened the heavens, and the Great Li chose to become its vassal, half of the Great Li's fortune would converge with the Luo Heavenly Dynasty. After the opening, the Grand Thousand World would still grant a lot of fortune to the Great Li due to its relationship with the Luo Heavenly Dynasty. Regardless of how much fortune is granted, half will be forcibly taken by the Luo Heavenly Dynasty. This establishes a hierarchical relationship," Mr. Corpse explained.

"What about the heavenly positions?" Zhong Shan asked.

"The positions remain, but their effectiveness is halved. For example, a hundredfold cultivation speed becomes fiftyfold," Mr. Corpse said.

"These visitors from the Grand Thousand World want to establish an empire, enjoy middle positions, and then become vassals to a heavenly dynasty they believe will open the heavens. Although the chances are slim, it could elevate their empire to a heavenly dynasty after the celestial event, granting them high positions but at half effectiveness, or fifty times cultivation speed!" Yi Yan pondered.

"This is one of the reasons why countless strong cultivators want to enter the Small Thousand World now!" Mr. Corpse concluded.

"But why are so many people waiting outside? What are they waiting for if they can't enter the Small Thousand World?" Zhong Shan asked, frowning.

"Your Majesty, do you remember the Primordial Sacred Court?" Mr. Corpse asked.

"Yes."

"Last time, Sima Ce's 'Discussion of the Heavens' was aimed at making us a vassal of the Primordial Sacred Court after we open the heavens. If Your Majesty opens the heavens and gains a 'living position,' resulting in a thousandfold cultivation speed, becoming their vassal would reduce it to five hundredfold, while the Primordial Sacred Court's Saint King would gain an additional two hundred and fiftyfold cultivation speed. Sacred courts with similar ambitions must be waiting outside!" Mr. Corpse explained.

"Indeed. But what about the others?" Zhong Shan asked.

"The others, they're here for us ministers," Mr. Corpse explained.

"Oh?"

"When the Small Thousand World opens the heavens, it's a unique process. Heavenly blessings descend upon the dynasty, benefiting not only the newly established Holy King but also all the ministers. As long as the Holy King remains alive, his ministers will experience battles and slaughters shortly after the heavens open. This is known as a 'battle for positions.' If Your Majesty opens the heavens and gains the 'Living Position,' we ministers will be promoted to 'High Positions.' During the short time after the heavens open, if someone kills me, they will take my 'High Position.' Moreover, this kind of heaven-granted 'heavenly position' cannot be revoked, not even by Your Majesty. Therefore, opening the heavens is extremely perilous. When the ancient magical power of Pangu opened the heavens, it was manageable because people didn't understand the situation then, and there weren't as many strong cultivators around. Once the heavens are stable, this 'battle for positions' no longer occurs because everything has already been settled. However, for us, if Your Majesty opens the heavens, we will face this danger!" Mr. Corpse explained.

"Competing for heavenly positions?" Zhong Shan's eyes narrowed.

Mr. Corpse stepped back after his explanation, leaving the room silent with the weight of his words.

This second opening of the heavens would be far more dangerous than the first. The outside world was teeming with strong cultivators, ready to pounce. How vast was the Grand Thousand World? Zhong Shan didn't know the exact size, but he knew that every moment of delay could bring more strong cultivators.

If they were to open the heavens, it had to be done as soon as possible.

A vassal state? The Primordial Sacred Court had made their calculations well!

"Yi Yan, expedite our preparations. In ten years, we will ascend to a heavenly dynasty!" Zhong Shan ordered.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Mortal Realm, Great Qin Heavenly Dynasty, Xianyang Holy Capital.

In the court of the Great Qin Heavenly Dynasty, Li Si knelt before Ying.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have delivered the Absolute Immortal Sword to Zhong Shan as a gift for Great Zheng's ascension," Li Si said.

"Well done," Ying nodded.

"At this moment, more and more strong cultivators are gathering outside the Small Thousand World. Should we take any action?" Li Si asked with a frown.

"Do you know how vast the Grand Thousand World is? There is no need to worry. The opening of the heavens by the ancient magical power of Pangu was recent relative to the endless territories of the Grand Thousand World," Ying said calmly.

"Understood!" Li Si acknowledged.

Ten Years Later.

The southern region of the underworld was now unified under Great Zheng. The Great Zheng Empire reached its largest territorial extent in history, dominating the southern endless territories—a feat that even previous heavenly dynasties had not accomplished.

Underworld, Tian Family.

Patriarch Tian Xiaozi had fully recovered and stood in the Tian Pulse Hall, looking towards the south. He took a deep breath, a flash of resentment crossing his eyes, but he managed to suppress it.

The battle at the Black Sea over a decade ago had taught Tian Xiaozi many lessons, and he had matured significantly, now fully understanding the importance of patience.

"Patriarch, Great Zheng is about to ascend to a heavenly dynasty. Should we...?" asked Lady Tian Lao.

"The rise and fall of the world are like the tides. Great Zheng is currently at its peak, with the military, the people, and their fighting spirit at their strongest. It is not wise to confront them now. We should wait until the tide recedes; that will be the right time to strike. Zhong Shan is a wise leader. Going against him now would be futile. From the Black Sea battle, I learned one crucial thing: never act without absolute certainty. When we strike, we must ensure the enemy's demise," Tian Xiaozi explained.