Chapter 458: Traversing to the Near-Ancient Era (10,000 Words)

The towering city held few mortals; armored soldiers wielding sharp weapons stood guard everywhere he looked. Wang Ping took a cursory glance and found, to his astonishment, that they were all Tribulation Transcending cultivators.

The weakest among them were at the Tribulation Transcending First Layer, having cultivated true magical power.

'This is... [Jingyuan Pass].'

Unexpectedly, this was a city he knew well. However, he quickly realized his mistake; this pass city was entirely different from the one in his memory.

The [Jingyuan Pass] in his memory was just a deserted city on the frontier. Although it had formations, they were only at the Tribulation Transcending level, and the city itself was not large—it could hold a hundred thousand people at most. But the one before his eyes was a majestic city capable of housing tens of millions, or even nearly a hundred million people!

'The size of the pass city hasn't changed.'

Wang Ping's eyes filled with marvel as he pondered, 'What changed is the interior. Almost all the buildings have been set up with space-expanding formations. They're equivalent to Grotto-Heavens...'

Take the present, for example.

The place he currently stood was clearly a massive public hall capable of holding ten thousand people. Yet, placed within [Jingyuan Pass], it appeared as just a remote, small hut.

Of course, the actual population wasn't that large. However, one could see flying ships from the Cosmos landing in this pass city every second of every minute. Some were transporting supplies, while others were trading spiritual materials. Only by passing the checkpoint's inspection could these people enter the territory of the Great Rebellion.

'How terrifying.'

Only those who knew the vastness of a True Monarch's profound manifestation and understood the nobility of a Pinnacle Station of Heaven and Earth could see just how much weight this seemingly ordinary scene held.

Wang Ping quickly recalled the trajectory of destiny he had seen earlier:

'On that day, the Fire Qi Dao leader, the [Heavenly Wheel Radiant Qilin Saint King], was slain by the Human Emperor. His corpse was hung over the Imperial Capital, and the myriad demons were terrified into submission. Not a single one dared to offend the heavenly might again.'

This [Heavenly Wheel Radiant Qilin Saint King] was the Fire Qi Dao leader prior to [True Monarch Zhaoxuan Jinming]. He was also the Qilin demon ancestor mentioned previously by [Dao], an ancient existence who had risen alongside the Fire Qi Immortal. Just hearing his title made it clear that this figure could absolutely not be compared to an ordinary True Monarch.

"And there's this Pinnacle Station."

Wang Ping looked up at the sky, gazing at the Pinnacle Station, [Fire-Heaven Great Possession], guarding the Qilin's head. He watched as it continuously circulated its profound mysteries, calling out incessantly.

This scene held a twofold meaning.

First was the cultivation of the [Heavenly Wheel Radiant Qilin Saint King]. After years of refinement, he had evidently claimed the Pinnacle Station of [Fire-Heaven Great Possession] as his own.

So much so that even though he was dead and his corpse hung in the sky, [Fire-Heaven Great Possession] refused to leave. Instead, it constantly circled him, infusing its profound mysteries in an attempt to reawaken him. This showed just how high the Fire Qi Dao leader's merit and cultivation were; even among True Monarchs, he was undoubtedly an outstanding figure.

The most direct comparison was [Supreme Dao Lord Xuangong].

This Dao Lord had previously resonated with several Pinnacle Stations in succession. However, whether it was [Earth-Fire Darkening of the Light] or [Lake-Fire Revolution], both abandoned him like worn-out shoes after his death. Among the stations he saw now, the most profound and grandiose one was located in the dead center of the pass city. It was also the only one Wang Ping couldn't see the depths of, clearly far above his own level.

'At least Breaking Seven Layers...'

Wang Ping weighed it in his heart.

The next second, a streak of escaping light flashed across the sky. It was a Tribulation Transcending cultivator. His expression was respectful yet perfectly courteous. Landing beside Wang Ping, he cupped his hands and said softly, "Senior, Marquis Jingyuan requests your presence."

Hearing this, Wang Ping's gaze flickered slightly, and he nodded.

Following the Tribulation Transcending cultivator leading the way, he soon walked into the city lord's estate in Jingyuan Pass and saw the Great Rebellion's Marquis Jingyuan, the man who wished to meet him.

What entered his sight was an impressive middle-aged man with his back turned, wearing marquis robes and a golden crown. A powerful qi manifestation and Divine Powers surged around his body.

Wang Ping looked up and saw what appeared to be a skylight opening above the man's head, pouring down boundless, majestic light. Faintly, he could seemingly see the profound mysteries of an upper [Kun] and a lower [Qian], a boundless and harmonious peace, descending onto the man. It helped him comb through his magical power, circulate his Divine Powers, and elevate his cultivation...

'...Damn!'

In an instant, Wang Ping's eyes widened as a hint of marvel surfaced in his mind. Since he knew he was going to traverse into the past, he had naturally done his homework.

'[Light of Earth-Heaven Tai]!'

This light was established in [Earth-Heaven Peace]. It was known for "the intersection of heaven and earth, leading to the smooth flow of all things," and held the wonder of "the path of the gentleman flourishing, while the path of the vile person wanes." Wielding it brought massive benefits to cultivation.

'Incredible!'

After receiving the blessing of this profound light, it was equivalent to falling into the sights of a Pinnacle Station of Heaven and Earth. Cultivation would yield twice the result with half the effort, and even one's Destiny Pattern would become highly noble.

'The Human Emperor stabilized the Cosmos, established the Heavenly Palace, and conferred grand titles on kings and marquises. Among them, thirty-six were titled kings and seventy-two were titled marquises, totaling one hundred and eight, matching the numbers of the thirty-six Heavenly Spirits and seventy-two Earthly Fiends. The various kings and marquises received the Human Emperor's grace to take their seats in the [Heaven-Defying Main Hall] to discuss state affairs. It's said that every single one of them was a pillar of the Great Rebellion.'

Of course, this didn't mean their cultivation was high.

In fact, it was the exact opposite. The cultivation of these Great Rebellion kings and marquises was all at the Entering the Dao level, meaning they were Qi Refining practitioners and qi-ingesting practitioners. Not a single one had cultivated to true immortality.

'But this is only normal.'

Ultimately, how many years of historical foundation did the Great Rebellion have? They were completely incomparable to the Immortal Gate. How could they rise overnight and suddenly produce a batch of True Persons?

That was unrealistic.

'It would be better to say that it's already an absurd exaggeration for the Great Rebellion to have three orthodox True Monarchs. For a newly risen orthodoxy to reach this step is simply a stroke of massive luck.'

'As for those who advanced to True Monarch relying on official authority, that's an entirely different matter and doesn't count. The Human Emperor himself should also be aware that it's a measure of expediency; the flaws are far too fatal to last. That's why he conferred titles upon kings and marquises. In the Human Emperor's eyes, these kings and marquises are probably the true future of the Great Rebellion.'

That was why he conferred the titles of kings and marquises upon them.

By using the titles of kings and marquises, he drew the attention of [Earth-Heaven Peace] to aid their cultivation, hoping that they would cultivate the truth and attain the Dao in the future, perhaps even ascending to the throne of True Monarch.

'This is the difference between kings and marquises.'

'Those titled marquises indicate the Human Emperor believes they have a sliver of hope to become True Persons. Those titled kings indicate the Human Emperor believes they have the potential to ascend to the throne in the future.'

Therefore, do not be fooled by the fact that these Great Rebellion kings and marquises were only at the Qi Refining stage; these were merely nominal titles. If one were to truly discuss status, they definitely couldn't compare to True Persons and Dao Monarchs at present.

But given enough time, once these kings and marquises grew up, cultivated to truth, and ascended to the throne, those titles would turn into substantive domains. They would become the true foundation of the Great Rebellion, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Immortal Gate's Five Phases orthodoxies... Of course, out of the one hundred and eight kings and marquises, those who truly achieved success probably wouldn't even amount to ten percent. Yet, as long as there were some, the Human Emperor would earn a profit.

Unfortunately, human calculations were inferior to heaven's.

No one could have imagined that the Great Rebellion, currently like boiling oil over a fierce fire and blooming flowers on brocade, would be like a shooting star—rising rapidly, only to fall even faster.

"..."

For a time, the grand hall was completely silent.

Seeing that this Qi Refining practitioner of the Fire Qi demonic Dao was actually standing there blankly without speaking, the middle-aged man finally broke the silence. He turned around, a hint of displeasure in his eyes.

The [Heavenly Wheel Radiant Qilin Saint King] had been slain, his corpse hung in the sky, and Fire Qi had submitted and paid tribute as a result. While he didn't expect utmost flattery, the man should at least be entirely respectful to him. Yet this fellow named "Chiming" actually made him speak first. He had no manners; could it be that he still held some resentment in his heart?

Thinking of this, Marquis Jingyuan focused his gaze on Wang Ping.

Then he froze.

Because he discovered that Wang Ping's eyes were slightly vacant at the moment, staring blankly at the [Light of Earth-Heaven Tai] above his head, and his qi manifestation was actually slightly rising.

Holy shit? Is he having an epiphany?

Interrupted by this, Marquis Jingyuan, who had originally wanted to reprimand him, instantly widened his eyes. All his previous displeasure was thrown to the back of his mind, leaving only a look of marvel.

'Interesting...'

Although the [Light of Earth-Heaven Tai] inherently brought massive benefits to cultivation and easily stimulated a cultivator's comprehension, gaining an epiphany just by looking at it was still outstanding.

Looking at it this way, that group of demonic Daoists from Fire Qi had truly sent a genius of truth-cultivation to participate in the Imperial Guard selection. It showed they were sincere. As for the earlier silence, since it was a sudden epiphany, it could be considered beyond his control. Those who didn't know shouldn't be blamed; Marquis Jingyuan asked himself, and he still had this much tolerance.

Thinking of this, he even waited patiently.

It wasn't until Wang Ping's eyes gradually focused and he snapped back to his senses that he finally smiled and said, "If you become an Imperial Guard, you will naturally also have your share of the light of Tai."

From top to bottom, the Great Rebellion placed extreme importance on this Imperial Guard selection, because this wasn't just about recruiting cultivators—it concerned His Majesty the Human Emperor's merit.

What was [Earth-Heaven Peace]?

'Heaven and earth intersect in peace. Thus, the sovereign shapes the Dao of heaven and earth, assists in the harmony of heaven and earth, and thereby guides the people.'

Wang Ping lowered his eyelids, already gaining comprehension in his heart.

The so-called [Earth-Heaven Peace] meant the small goes and the great comes, seeing the great through the small. To put it simply, this was a Pinnacle Station of Heaven and Earth that heavily valued the method of borrowing the false to cultivate the true. It could elevate oneself by promoting lower cultivators. The Human Emperor Imperial Guard was born precisely because of this, able to help the Human Emperor better wield this Pinnacle Station.

However, this was unlike those kings and marquises.

The Imperial Guard focused more on combat power, and after their cultivation obtained the profound mysteries, it was basically locked in place, making it difficult to progress further. The path for these kings and marquises, however, remained bright.

The next second, Marquis Jingyuan continued, "Do you know what the most important qualification for the Imperial Guard is?"

Wang Ping shook his head.

"It's loyalty."

Marquis Jingyuan's tone was faint, "Absolute loyalty. Loyalty to His Majesty, loyalty to the Great Rebellion. That is the meaning of the Imperial Guard's existence. Can you do it?"

Bullshit, of course he couldn't.

Wang Ping's face turned stern. He immediately stomped his foot and shouted, "Loyalty!"

Marquis Jingyuan's eyes suddenly lit up. "Good~!"

If nothing else, at least this kid was very good at pretending, and that was enough. After all, he was an immortal gate cultivator; he didn't expect genuine loyalty. As long as the attitude was right, it was fine.

'He won't be selected anyway.'

Letting a demonic Daoist of Fire Qi participate in the Imperial Guard selection was, at best, just going through the motions to signify Fire Qi's submission. How could they truly let him become a member of the Imperial Guard?

However, even if it was just a formality, it still had to be done.

Thinking of this, Marquis Jingyuan immediately laughed and said, "Follow me. I will personally take you to [Heaven Defiance Palace]. You are, after all, an immortal gate cultivator. Without an escort, I'm afraid you'd be slain halfway there."

"Many thanks, Senior."

Wang Ping cupped his hands. He then saw Marquis Jingyuan reach into his sleeve and take out a pocket-sized flying ship. After tossing it into the air, it immediately expanded against the wind.

A moment later, the two of them landed inside the flying ship and soared into the sky.

The [Heaven Defiance Palace] of this era was located in the Imperial Capital, which was the highest peak of the [Eight Trigrams Furnace]. Furthermore, it was entirely different from the dilapidated ruin of later generations.

At this time, [Heaven Defiance Palace] was in its most resplendent era. The outermost area was flanked by five thunder manors. Inside the jade pavilions and towers, there were guards every three to five steps. The people coming and going were all soldiers in golden armor. Their physiques and dharma bodies were clearly a head taller than everyone else's, and their combat power was at the very least Breaking Seven Layers of the Qi Refining stage.

"These are the Imperial Guards..."

The flying ship landed on the outskirts of [Heaven Defiance Palace]. At a glance, Wang Ping caught sight of the cultivators responsible for patrolling. Once seen, that appearance was hard to forget.

Clad in golden armor, the intense [Light of Earth-Heaven Tai] almost coalesced into a halo behind their heads. Wielding Divine Powers, they looked like moving human-shaped stars.

"Impressive, right?"

Beside him, Marquis Jingyuan said with clear pride, "Every single Imperial Guard has been put to the test. In terms of combat power, at the Entering the Dao level, the Imperial Guard has absolutely no equal!"

"If a hundred-man squad of the Imperial Guard joins forces to form an array and is commanded by a commander, they can even surround and kill Ancient Cultivators at the Daoist level and rival True Person immortal cultivators!"

"Right now, they aren't fully staffed yet. Once ten hundred-man squads are assembled and ten commanders join forces, the Imperial Guard can pour out in full force to construct a supreme immortal array. It's said the array diagram was personally drawn by His Majesty. Drawing on the empowerment of [Earth-Heaven Peace], its power is so strong that it can even hunt and kill True Persons."

Marquis Jingyuan boasted endlessly about this.

However, Wang Ping noticed a spiritual treasure in the hands of an Imperial Guard commander leading a patrol along the way. His gaze immediately flickered, because he recognized that spiritual treasure.

'[Four Great Rivers Dragon-Binding Rope]...'

One of the top ten Heavenly Work spiritual treasures inside the [Eight Trigrams Furnace] of later generations!

"You have a good eye."

Marquis Jingyuan appeared to be talking endlessly, but in reality, he had been observing Wang Ping the whole time. Seeing the change in his gaze, he followed his line of sight and immediately broke into a smile.

"That is the [Four Great Rivers Dragon-Binding Rope]. It's a spiritual treasure that only an Imperial Guard commander is equipped with. There are ten similar spiritual treasures in total, all specially forged. This one is considered ordinary; the most powerful one is a profound saber held by the Grand Commander personally appointed by His Majesty. It is said to be infinitely close to a True Artifact..."

'So that's how it is.'

Wang Ping tacitly understood. The top ten Heavenly Work spiritual treasures were actually the spiritual treasures of the ten Imperial Guard commanders. So the [Heavenly Armory] was actually the equipment armory for the Imperial Guard?

No wonder gathering the marks of the ten great spiritual treasures could open the [Heavenly Armory].

As they walked forward, Wang Ping continuously matched what he saw and heard with the [Heaven Defiance Palace] of later generations. This was all incredibly important intelligence.

However, right at this moment.

"Bawk bawk bawk!"

Suddenly, a familiar chaotic commotion of chickens flying and dogs jumping echoed from a distance. Wang Ping turned to look, only to see a bizarre combination sprinting toward him.

Coincidentally, he recognized this combination. Looking over, it was exactly Tianhou panting heavily, and on Tianhou's head stood the proud and spirited Xuanzhi. Xuanzhi even had the [Great Expansion Deficient-One Disk] hanging around its neck. They sprinted all the way just like this, playfully scuffling with passing cultivators along the road.

"Hm?"

The next second, Tianhou abruptly skidded to a halt and turned to look. The current Tianhou was still very weak. Wang Ping estimated they were about evenly matched.

"Kid, you look unfamiliar."

Tianhou shook its body and came in front of Wang Ping, demanding arrogantly, "You're not from the Great Rebellion, are you? Which path do you run with? Confess honestly."

Wang Ping didn't hesitate. Mimicking the tone of Gu Han, Chu Huaijing, and others in his memory, he cupped his hands and said, "Fire Qi orthodoxy, [Clear Brilliance Immortal Realm], initiated under the [Jiaoduan Lake Heavenly Flood Dharma Lineage], a Chi-generation disciple, Dao name Chiming. Greetings, fellow Daoist."

"From Fire Qi?"

Hearing this, Tianhou blinked, seeming a bit confused. It then thought for a moment before saying strangely, "That's not right. You don't quite look like a Fire Qi cultivator."

"???"

Wang Ping was astonished inwardly, but his face remained impassive. "Fellow Daoist must be joking. How could I not be a Fire Qi cultivator? I'm extremely orthodox, alright?"

After speaking, he immediately displayed a portion of his [Heaven Sky Fire] qi manifestation. He wasn't afraid of being seen through, as this involved the mechanics of the [Outer Heavenly Demon].

In short, this segment of the past he had currently traversed to wasn't actual history, but a history belonging exclusively to True Person Chiming. And the replacement by the [Outer Heavenly Demon] was comprehensive; it included all the profound mysteries he had mastered, which would be regarded as things True Person Chiming inherently possessed.

As long as it didn't deviate too much, it was fine.

Take the present for example: [Heaven Sky Fire] was also of the fire element. Even though it seemed similar yet different from Fire Qi, after the replacement, no one would think there was an issue with it.

Of course, this was merely the skin.

No matter how vivid and lifelike the outer skin was made, the inner core couldn't be replaced. So he still had to do his best to disguise himself with True Person Chiming's character traits.

'Despite that, assuming my identity was truly exposed, what would happen is entirely unknown. Perhaps this historical fragment would shatter directly?'

Thinking of this, Wang Ping felt a bit curious, but he had no interest in courting death. Therefore, he naturally couldn't admit to Tianhou's accusation. However, considering that the Fire Qi orthodoxy was currently in a disadvantaged position, a Fire Qi cultivator like himself couldn't be too arrogant. Thus, after speaking, he smiled amiably.

As a result of this smile, Tianhou grew even more agitated.

"Yes, yes, yes, exactly that smile!"

Tianhou barked wildly, "I wouldn't mistake it! You're a water qi cultivator, right? Why are you masquerading as a Fire Qi cultivator? Could it be you're here to spy and gather intelligence?"

"..."

Looking at the highly suspicious Marquis Jingyuan, Wang Ping felt truly helpless. "A misunderstanding, this is a pure misunderstanding. Where do I look like a water qi cultivator? Can't I even smile?"

"Your sophistry is exactly the same!"

Tianhou's face was full of certainty, seemingly recalling some unbearable past event. "I definitely wouldn't remember wrong. That guy named Shuofang was exactly like this..."

Oh? Wang Ping's thoughts flickered.

Shuofang... [True Person Shuofang Hanyou]? Tianhou actually had dealings with him too. What happened to make this guy hold a grudge until now?

At the same time, Tianhou was still grumbling, "That guy Shuofang, last time he even lied to me, saying there were incredibly delicious things inside the [Hundred Treasures Great Abundance Granary]. He duped me into letting him use my doghouse as a reference to invent a Divine Power, to open a backdoor into the [Hundred Treasures Great Abundance Granary], and then take me inside to eat well and drink heartily."

"In the end, it was all a lie!"

Speaking of this, Tianhou suddenly flew into a rage. "Once inside the [Hundred Treasures Great Abundance Granary], he grabbed the good stuff and immediately ran off, leaving me alone to take the blame!"

'...What?'

Wang Ping was somewhat surprised inwardly. That didn't make sense. As far as he knew, [True Person Shuofang Hanyou] became the [Master of Secret Traces] when the Living Buddha was still alive.

And his theft of the [Hundred Treasures Great Abundance Granary]'s imagery happened even before he became the [Master of Secret Traces], a hundred and eight thousand miles away from the Great Rebellion era where Tianhou was.

With that being the case, how could they possibly have bumped into each other?

Unless—

'The profound mysteries of time...'

In a flash, the changes regarding the [Hundred Treasures Great Abundance Granary] surfaced in Wang Ping's mind. Rapidly deducing the changes, the [Light of Myriad Treasures] encompassed the past, present, and future.

'That's it, I should have realized sooner. How could the imagery of the [Hundred Treasures Great Abundance Granary] be so easily stolen? For [True Person Shuofang Hanyou] to be able to steal it back then, he probably didn't just target the [Present], but struck at the three time periods of [Present], [Past], and [Future] simultaneously!'

Only by combining all three could he steal it away.

Otherwise, it would just be like scooping the moon out of the water, visible but out of reach... And Tianhou, to the [True Person Shuofang Hanyou] of that time, was probably the future.

That was why there was this kind of temporal conflict!

Wang Ping's mind raced. In truth, if he hadn't similarly comprehended the temporal mysteries of the [Light of Myriad Treasures], there was a high probability he wouldn't have been able to calculate this layer of change.

On the other side, Marquis Jingyuan was already so shocked that his mouth hung slightly open.

'Motherfucker... did he have an epiphany again?'

If he could still understand Wang Ping having an epiphany upon seeing the [Light of Earth-Heaven Tai] earlier, then this current epiphany left him completely baffled.

Was the comprehension of this Fire Qi cultivator really this high? He could inexplicably attain an epiphany just from casually chatting with someone. When did Fire Qi produce such a heaven-defying prodigy?

He felt that this kid couldn't be allowed to live long!

Meanwhile, Tianhou was still complaining and cursing angrily.

"That bitch-born..."

Suddenly, Xuanzhi—who had been standing on Tianhou's head with its eyes closed for some unknown reason, not saying a word—opened its eyes and spoke with a somewhat rushed tone, "Doggy, forget it, forget it!"

Tianhou's voice came to a screeching halt.

Immediately after, Xuanzhi let out a sheepish laugh and said, "Sorry about that, Lord Marquis Jingyuan. Doggy was just talking nonsense and caused you trouble. We'll be leaving now."

"...Hm?"

Only then did Wang Ping snap back to his senses, but he found that the figures of Xuanzhi and Tianhou had already gone far into the distance. He couldn't help but mutter in his heart, 'What did it just deduce?'

He could obviously tell that Xuanzhi must have deduced something just now to flee so impatiently. But he hadn't planned on doing anything to them. What on earth had it deduced to scare Xuanzhi like this? Or could it be that the person who made Xuanzhi flee was someone else entirely?

Right at this moment, a laugh suddenly drifted over.

"Sorry to trouble you, Lord Marquis."

Wang Ping raised his eyes to look and froze once again—because the one walking toward him this time was a youth with an amiable, unhurried smile on his face.

This person, he had never seen before.

However, his voice was exceedingly familiar to him. After all, once upon a time, this was the voice he dreaded the most, one that had made him curse inwardly on multiple occasions for lacking immortal morals.

The next second, the youth spoke, "Fellow Daoist, just ahead is the [Imperial Guard Garrison Headquarters]. I'm responsible for taking you inside and simultaneously explaining the Imperial Guard's examination procedures to you."

After speaking, the youth cupped his hands and bowed. "I am Hanguang."

"..."

For a moment, Wang Ping could hardly describe his feelings. He just felt that a certain True Person... oh, wait, a certain True Monarch was truly lingering like a haunting ghost.

Why is it you again, [True Monarch Hanguang Danyang]!

It was as if ten thousand alpacas were galloping through Wang Ping's heart, leaving him with endless doubts. That's not right. Was Hanguang actually still just at the Qi Refining stage during the time of the Great Rebellion?

'Wait, there's a problem.'

Wang Ping fixed his eyes on the amiable youth before him and sensed his qi manifestation. Then he suddenly realized, 'It's not Earth Qi. This Hanguang is a wood qi cultivator.'

It was an avatar!

'I understand. [True Monarch Hanguang Danyang]'s true body has already become a True Person at this time and is plotting for [Mountain-Wind Decay]. So he refined a wood qi avatar, intending to seek verification of the [Xun Trigram]. Looking at it this way, his avatar became a [Xun Trigram] True Person right around the Great Rebellion era...'

In other words:

'At that time, he was probably already plotting against the Great Rebellion. But he actually holds a position within the Great Rebellion, and is even connected to the Human Emperor Imperial Guard?'

Wang Ping found it somewhat inconceivable.

He didn't believe a True Person's avatar could deceive the Human Emperor. The Great Rebellion must have been well aware of this, yet Hanguang had still joined them. Wasn't that too casual?

Or could it be—

'The Great Rebellion at this moment has ties with Earth Qi?'

Thinking carefully, the Human Emperor himself cultivated Human Yang Earth, certified [Earth-Heaven Peace], and reportedly obtained the inheritance of the [North Palace], all of which were related to Earth Qi.

'If water qi and wood qi could both secretly cooperate with the Great Rebellion and eventually produce a [Cavern Abyss Pure Profound Dragon Thunder Water Directorate Divine Position], why couldn't Earth Qi?'

The more Wang Ping thought about it, the more absurd it seemed.

Add to that Fire Qi bowing in submission. That meant, aside from metal qi, four of the Immortal Gate's Five Phases orthodoxies had more or less some connection with the Great Rebellion back in those years!

Even metal qi—could one truly say they had absolutely zero connection?

Not necessarily!

Who in the Immortal Gate wasn't conspiring with the Great Rebellion?

'Looking at it this way, at least in the very beginning, there actually wasn't any conflict between the Great Rebellion and the Immortal Gate. There was actually a brief, stable honeymoon period between the two.'

Wang Ping continuously sorted through the intelligence in his mind.

On the other side, Marquis Jingyuan smiled and said, "Since that's the case, I'll leave him to you, Fellow Daoist Hanguang. I am busy with affairs and won't linger here any longer."

"Take care, Lord Marquis."

Hearing this, the youth smiled slightly. "Some other day, I will visit [Jingyuan Pass] and seek out the Lord Marquis for a drink."

"Hahaha, then I will await your esteemed presence."

Marquis Jingyuan floated gracefully away.

Only Wang Ping was left standing there, trying hard to maintain his expression. However, before he could properly adjust his emotions, a soft chuckle suddenly rang in his ear.

"Fellow Daoist Chiming, you recognize me."

It wasn't a question, nor was it a probe, but an absolute certainty. That familiar feeling almost made Wang Ping's heart jump out of his chest, and his expression almost broke.

Yet this statement couldn't go unanswered, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "The Dao child of Earth Qi. I've heard the elders in my family mention you before."

"Oh?"

Hanguang gave Wang Ping a look that was a smile yet not quite a smile and said, "It seems Fellow Daoist Chiming's status in the [Radiant Clarity Realm] isn't low at all, to actually be able to hear my name."

"You praise me too much."

Wang Ping still understood the principle that talking too much leads to mistakes. Thus, he tried not to speak, pretending to be an expert, while simultaneously memorizing the surrounding environment and the safe travel routes.

For his true body to explore [Heaven Defiance Palace] in the future, this was all vital intelligence.

However, right at this moment, he suddenly noticed a bright light appear. He could see it, yet the people around him—including Hanguang—were surprisingly completely oblivious to it.

Quickly, the light condensed into text:

[Side quest anchored!]

[Hanguang's Curiosity]

[You have successfully attracted the attention of "True Person Hanguang Danyang". He suspects that you, like him, are also a True Person's avatar, here to hinder his cultivation.]

[Please find a way to dispel his suspicions before the Imperial Guard examination.]

[Task Reward: Chiming Fragment *1]

[Failure Penalty: Main quest difficulty will drastically increase.]

"..."

Looking at the suddenly refreshed guidance from the [Taiping Sutra], Wang Ping grew increasingly wary. His intuition told him that something was amiss.

'Speaking of which, in the original trajectory of destiny, Chiming should have failed the Imperial Guard selection and then returned to the [Radiant Clarity Realm]. But since this point in time could become the key to his return from history, it must be an extremely important fragment for him, perhaps even one involving his merit.'

In other words:

'Behind the seemingly mundane failure of the Imperial Guard selection, there must be extremely deep inner workings. His ultimate failure wasn't a true failure, but a successful escape...'

Just like his own successful escape inside the [Eight Trigrams Furnace] back then, True Person Chiming must have also accomplished something similar, allowing him to retreat in one piece.

Wang Ping quickly sorted out his thoughts. At the same time, he also realized where the difficulty of the main quest lay. 'The main quest wants me to become a Human Emperor Imperial Guard. This is to change Chiming's past, and it's also making me face the difficulties head-on, not allowing me to escape like Chiming did... Goddammit, why does this feel like a huge trap?'

Then came the problem.

'Are the inner workings of the Imperial Guard selection connected to Hanguang?'

'If not, there's no explaining why failing to complete this side quest and leaving Hanguang suspicious of me would drastically increase the difficulty of the main quest.'

Wang Ping felt a bit of a headache.

To tell the truth, up until now he had dealt with quite a few True Persons and True Monarchs. However, among them, the hardest one to deal with was undoubtedly [True Person Hanguang Danyang].

This former True Person, now a True Monarch, could completely be described as calculating without omission. That battle in the [Eight Trigrams Furnace] had left an incredibly deep impression on him.

One had to know, back then his own Yuanjun had personally taken action to lay out the board, and she was even striking downward at lower cultivators. As a result, [True Person Xuanxiao Yingyuan] lost so much he didn't even have his pants left, thoroughly manipulated by Xianfu. But what about [True Person Hanguang Danyang]? By the end of the game, not only did he not lose, he even made a small profit!

One had to know, this was a downward strike!

As Wang Ping's understanding of his own Yuanjun grew deeper, he understood more and more just how much weight there was in [True Person Hanguang Danyang] being able to make a small profit back then.

Being targeted by this kind of person was undoubtedly extremely troublesome.

'What should I do?'

Wang Ping pondered in his heart. In truth, he actually had a speed-run method to instantly dispel Hanguang's suspicions, but the price was too great. He estimated he could only use it once.

Therefore, unless it was a last resort, he didn't intend to use it.

'Forget it, I'll stall for now.'

As he thought, Hanguang had already led Wang Ping to the front gates of an estate as towering as a mountain. A plaque hung high above the gates, bearing five talismanic characters:

[Imperial Guard Garrison Headquarters].

"Follow me."

Hanguang cast a spell to push open the gates, leading Wang Ping into the estate. He smiled. "There are three trials in the Imperial Guard examination in total. Since Fellow Daoist just arrived, go ahead and rest for a day."

"I'll take Fellow Daoist to the examination tomorrow."

"However, Fellow Daoist's combat power is still too low. Even if you pass the examination, you will likely have to cultivate bitterly inside the Imperial Guard's Grotto-Heaven for a period of time before formally enlisting."

"Many thanks for the reminder."

Wang Ping cupped his hands in acknowledgment. He then saw Hanguang lead him all the way to a courtyard filled with the fragrance of flowers and the chirping of birds, before taking a Token out of his sleeve.

"This is Fellow Daoist's identity Token, number nine-five-two-seven."

Hanguang explained, "With the Token in hand, you can enter and exit the outer courtyards of the [Imperial Guard Garrison Headquarters] freely. But only the outer courtyards. If you trespass into the inner courtyards, you will be directly executed."

"After all, that is a place only Imperial Guards who have formally enlisted can go. It's a critical military location, so it's a bit stricter. I believe Fellow Daoist can certainly understand."

Wang Ping immediately expressed his understanding and took the Token, pleasantly surprised in his heart. 'So there's this kind of thing... If I can gather the Chiming Fragments this time around and bring one item back, I'll bring this Token. If I can use it to pass through the [Imperial Guard Garrison Headquarters], the benefits will definitely be limitless!'

"Then Fellow Daoist can rest here."

Hanguang took a step back and smiled, "I still have to go receive other cultivators participating in the examination, so I'll take my leave for now. Tomorrow at the hour of Chen, I'll come pick up Fellow Daoist again."

"Take care, Fellow Daoist." Wang Ping watched as Hanguang gracefully departed.

Throughout the entire process, Hanguang appeared impeccably polite. If not for the side quest's reminder, he probably wouldn't have been able to tell that this bitch-born was already suspicious of him.

'Where exactly is the problem?'

Wang Ping walked into the small courtyard and pushed open the door, his mind still pondering where the crisis lay this time, what the inner workings of the examination were, and how he should respond.

However, the next second.

"...!?"

Wang Ping's movements came to a screeching halt. He stood blankly at the doorway, as if petrified, and looked with a stiff expression toward the room assigned to him.

What met his eyes was a standard cultivation meditation room. A Meditation Mat, a tea table, an incense burner—it had everything one could need, and they were all top-tier items overflowing with spiritual energy. Placed in the outside world, this was an excellent cultivation spot that could only be chanced upon, not sought after... But there was just one problem, a problem that made Wang Ping instantly feel as if he had plunged into an ice cave.

There was already someone in the room.

It was a youth wearing profound robes. He didn't reveal any qi manifestation at all and didn't even seem like a living person, which was why Wang Ping hadn't sensed him beforehand.

However, Wang Ping didn't dare show the slightest negligence.

The reason was very simple. The other party was clearly sitting right there in the room. He wasn't wearing a mask, nor was he concealing his appearance. Wang Ping was even looking straight at his face.

Yet, he couldn't see it clearly.

Or rather, he saw it clearly, but couldn't remember it. What he saw and what presented itself in his mind were completely different things. All that remained in his memory was a blank space.

'Supreme True Monarch!'

At this moment, Wang Ping, who had been trying hard to hold it together ever since meeting Hanguang, finally broke. His thoughts surfaced on his face, and his pupils contracted sharply for a second.

Immediately after, he saw the youth inside the room raise his head and look toward him.

Wang Ping could sense that he seemed to make eye contact with him. As their gazes met, it was as if purple, gold, cyan, profound black, and pure white—five colors of thunder—intertwined to form a halo of light.

He had seen this phenomenon before.

On that jade disc at the [Directorate of Water Works], the five colors of thunder gathered on a single body, condensing into a round halo accompanying his sides. This was exactly that [Heavenly Banner Pardoning True Monarch]!

At this moment, Wang Ping only had one question in his heart.

'Why?'

Why would this Supreme True Monarch, one of only three in the Great Rebellion, suddenly appear here, right in front of him? Had he done something wrong?

Wang Ping was completely baffled.

Even though this was only an avatar, and the time period he was currently in wasn't real, the impact of facing a Supreme True Monarch face-to-face still made him involuntarily hold his breath.

Was this unforeseen event a butterfly effect caused by him replacing True Person Chiming's identity, or was it something True Person Chiming was meant to experience in history anyway?

He couldn't figure it out.

The next second, giving Wang Ping no more time to think, the youth sitting in the room spoke. His tone was gentle and warm, like a teacher in a private school, "May I ask, little friend, your name?"

Wang Ping didn't dare delay. He hurriedly replied, "Fire Qi orthodoxy, [Clear Brilliance Immortal Realm], initiated under the [Jiaoduan Lake Heavenly Flood Dharma Lineage], a Chi-generation disciple..."

"Not that one."

On the Meditation Mat, the youth shook his head. He lacked the majesty of a Supreme True Monarch, instead appearing rather casual. Toward the end, a hint of a smile even entered his voice:

"Of course I know of Chiming. Tianlun's grand-disciple. After His Majesty shattered the [Jiarui Realm], he should have been relocated to the [Radiant Clarity Realm] for refuge now, right? The next Dao leader of Fire Qi should be Zhaoxuan. That guy looks grief-stricken, but in reality, he's probably overjoyed in his heart."

"I am not asking about that."

At this point, the youth suddenly brushed his sleeve and stood up. His face remained a blank slate, but Wang Ping could feel the other party's gaze locking onto him as he asked, "What I am asking is, what is your name on the [outside], little friend?"