The Emperor Reigns Them All

Chapter 356 Who Writes the Fate

The unity of heaven and earth had been true since ancient times. Mortals worshiped immortals because they wanted the immortal to eliminate their disasters and make them wealth; while the immortal wanted the mortal to offer sacrifices continuously and to contribute their faith to keep the Immortal Court prosperous.

When cultivators reached the Immortal Realm and got the approval of the Immortal Court, they could cultivate in the immortal territory. The immortal territory was vast with tens of millions of meters. But, undoubtedly, every inch of the spiritual land in the immortal territory corresponded to the land in the human world. Ordinary people in the human world believed in the Immortal Court and worshiped the immortal. The power from this continuously reached the immortal territory and became Spiritual Qi in the immortal territory.

It was fundamental for cultivators to cultivate by absorbing Spiritual Qi from heaven and earth. The human world had beautiful rivers and mountains, and Spiritual Qi was endless since ancient times. Through this, the mortal cultivators cultivated and strengthened themselves. But Spiritual Qi was thin in the immortal territory, and there was no Spiritual Qi in most places. The Spiritual Qi in the immortal territory came from the offerings and the power of faith of the mortal.

Therefore, without the support of the mortal, there was no so-called immortal territory and Immortal Court.

Once the offerings in the human world were reduced, the immortal territory would lack Spiritual Qi so that cultivators couldn’t cultivate. That would be a devastating disaster. It would be very difficult to maintain the original realm, to say nothing of improvement. It was easy to understand that no matter how strong a man was, he would lose his strength if he didn’t eat for three days, and he would starve to death if he didn’t eat for a month.

In other words, if people believed that there were immortals in heaven, then there were immortals in heaven. If people didn’t, then there were no immortals in heaven.

That was also very easy to understand. For example, the mortal emperor and officials were the ruling class of the world, but if ordinary people didn’t pay taxes to raise them, they would starve to death and no longer exist.

The imperial court governed the world and sought the welfare for ordinary people, so ordinary people paid taxes. The Immortal Court resisted the invasion of foreign gods for the human world and also did good deeds for ordinary people, so ordinary people believed and worshiped the immortal.

This was a contract.

Once the imperial court didn’t seek the welfare for ordinary people and the Immortal Court was unfavorable to the human world, the contractual relationship would break, and then, the world would be in chaos!

It had been thousands of years since the witch clan and the demon clan were at war, and the Taoist sect flourished in the human world and took charge of the Immortal Court by expelling the demon clan. The Taoist cultivators in the Immortal Realm expanded greatly, but the number of people was still limited, no matter how hard it expended. In thousands of years of history, the Taoist Immortal Court also often suffered disasters, and immortals suffered heavy losses.

Every troubled time was the disaster for heaven and earth yet the opportunity for the renewal of the world, whether for the Immortal Court or the human world.

Doushuai Palace, Lihen Sky, the Taoist Immortal Court.

There was a land of mountains and rivers, surrounded by clouds and mist. A 30-meter waterfall poured down. There was a 10-meter big stone in front of the green clear pond. Before the stone, there was a peach forest with 49 peach trees. Its foliage was luxuriant, and its flowers were in full bloom. There was a thatched cottage in front of the peach trees, and two people were playing chess inside.

They were an old man and a middle-aged man.

Both of them had gray hair and wore white clothes. They had similar appearances and facial features, but their temperaments were totally different. The old man was aloof and detached, seemingly illusory. Although the middle-aged man also had an extraordinary temperament, he was more philistine than detached.

Beside them, a child was sitting on his knees and making tea for them. He had crystal clear features and a jade-like face. Although he was young, his movements were relaxing, gentle, and natural, attracting people to look closely. But once people looked closely, their minds would be distracted and they would be fascinated unconsciously, step by step.

Like walking into a picture.

After playing chess for a long time, the middle-aged man finally admitted defeat. He sighed. Looking at the emotionless old man, he asked curiously, “It’s been six hours. The battle is tense, and the victory and defeat are uncertain. I’m the important military minister of the Immortal Court, but I come to play chess with you, regardless of the battle. Why don’t you ask me why?”

The old man looked as usual. “I’ll listen if you tell me, and I won’t if you don’t. Even if you tell me, I may not respond, and even if you don’t, I may respond.”

The middle-aged man laughed at himself. He no longer hid it and said bitterly, “72 Earth Devils down to the human world this time is to assist Zhu Wen, expel Buddhism monks, suppress the demon clan, take over the Central Plains, and unify the world. This was a shoo-in. Recently, I tried to figure out the Luck of heaven but found it chaotic. I don’t know what the future holds. May you give me instruction?”

The old man took the tea bowl from the child and motioned the middle-aged man to taste the tea. Then, he said slowly, “72 Earth Devils are powerful enough to wipe out the world at ordinary times. But I heard that Buddhism sent Feihong Bodhisattva down to the human world this time.”

The middle-aged man nodded heavily. He was restless. “Exactly! It’s far beyond my expectations! Feihong Bodhisattva is one of the famous Great Powers in the Land Buddhism and takes an important role. She went down the human world so rashly that she might not have the chance to come back. How dared they?”

The old man smiled calmly. “Taibai, you’re too quick-tempered.”

Taibai said regretfully, “Lord Lao Zi, I’m in the game and busy handling everything everywhere. I cannot be detached and free like you.”

The old man didn’t comment. “Among 72 Earth Devils, Chen Jizhen and Huang Jingyuan are not bad. Although Feihong Bodhisattva is powerful, they won’t be defeated with the help of the Immortal Court in our territory.”

Taibai was excited to hear this. Full of surprises, he said a little loudly, “Do you mean that even though Feihong Bodhisattva is down to the human world this time, 72 Earth Devils will still be sure to win?”

He couldn’t help feeling overjoyed. Once 72 Earth Devils won, while Feihong Bodhisattva was defeated this time, then the Land Buddhism would retreat from Jiuzhou without needing to support Li Keyong. Then, no one could stop 72 Earth Devils from assisting Zhu Wen to unify the world.

In that case, although many accidents happened in the chaotic world this time, the Taoist sect was still in charge of Jiuzhou in the end.

The old man tasted the tea leisurely. Hearing Taibai’s words, he laughed and said, “Have you forgotten that there is still a person who can’t be underestimated in the competition for the Luck of heaven in Hedong this time?”

Taibai was a little stunned. After thinking for a while, he said uncertainly, “Do you mean Li Ye? But he’s just a mortal.”

Lord Lao Zi sneered. “Just a mortal?”

Taibai was stunned again. He said doubtfully, “Fu Su and Liu Xie, who were doomed to be killed for his country and couldn’t change their fate, were Li Ye’s last lives. This is fate. How much trouble can he make? Inheriting the title of Prince An, taking charge of the army, conquering Hedong, and defeating Li Keyong. Even though he made great achievements, it’s just a flash in the pan. He is doomed to be destroyed. This is fate, and he can’t violate it!”

Lord Lao Zi took another sip of tea and glanced at Taibai. “Who wrote the fate?”

Taibai said, “The Immortal Court!”

Lord Lao Zi said, “It’s the Immortal Emperor.”

Taibai opened his mouth.

There was indeed a difference between the Immortal Emperor and the Immortal Court.

Although the Immortal Emperor took charge of the Immortal Court, there were so many different factions in the Immortal Court that some people might not be subject to him.

Taibai thought of Guanghan Fairy.

Guanghan Fairy was reincarnated, and now she was on Li Ye’s side.

And God of Giant Spirit, Wei Xiaozhuang.

Taibai gnashed his teeth and said, “Those people are just minor forces. They are not threatening.”

The old man smiled and said, “What if Li Ye joins hands with Feihong Bodhisattva?”

Taibai stood stunned.

A while later, feeling shocked, he said, “How is that possible? Li Ye and Buddhism...”

He shut up in the middle of his sentence.

Because he knew that the old man wouldn’t say anything meaningless.

God Taibai knew that this old man, Lord Lao Zi, was terribly powerful.