306: See Emperor Tian

Gu Liangyuan was unaware of Jiang Wei's changing expression.

At this moment, he had already arrived before Empyrean Cloud.

Without needing a probing Divine Ability, Gu Liangyuan merely swept his Innate Divine Eyes across Empyrean Cloud and detected that the Empyrean Cloud before him was an Incarnation.

"Empyrean Cloud, oh Empyrean Cloud, you're becoming more cautious as you age."

Empyrean Cloud had long known that his Incarnation couldn't fool Gu Liangyuan, and he hadn't intended to hide it anyway; his main purpose was to deliver a message.

Seeing Empyrean Cloud remain silent, Gu Liangyuan spoke again:

"Speak, what is your purpose in coming to find me this time?"

Empyrean Cloud didn't bother with pleasantries and went straight to the point:

"Taiyi wishes to coexist peacefully with the Dao Alliance."

Gu Liangyuan scrutinized Empyrean Cloud from head to toe. If it weren't for the probing Divine Ability clearly indicating that the person before him was Empyrean Cloud's Incarnation, Gu Liangyuan would have thought Empyrean Cloud was someone else entirely:

"Is this still the Empyrean Cloud I know?"

"The dignified Taiyi Sacred Lord, actually taking the initiative to yield?"

Empyrean Cloud merely offered a forced smile, saying nothing.

Seeing that Empyrean Cloud wasn't angered by his actions, Gu Liangyuan's vigilance increased again.

An anomaly must indicate something strange. The current Empyrean Cloud was completely different from the one in his impression.

Such a Taiyi Sacred Lord, with deep schemes and capable of endure, was far more terrifying than the reckless brute he once was.

Gu Liangyuan had kept Empyrean Cloud alive before because, despite his high position, he couldn't cause any major trouble for him.

Rather than killing him and letting Taiyi Holy Land replace him with a shrewd Sacred Lord, it was better to keep this reckless brute, who was easier to deal with.

But now, events were subtly exceeding his expectations.

This was the first time Gu Liangyuan had felt this way since acquiring the System.

This feeling made Gu Liangyuan very uncomfortable.

Suppressing this uncomfortable feeling, Gu Liangyuan spoke decisively:

"What you say is absolutely impossible."

"Leaving aside our personal grudges, the enmity between Taishang and Taiyi has spanned many generations. If your Taiyi were to rise, would you let Taishang off?"

Empyrean Cloud listened to Gu Liangyuan's words and calmly said:

"Fellow Daoist, it's not too late to draw conclusions after hearing me out."

With that, regardless of whether Gu Liangyuan was listening, Empyrean Cloud recounted everything he had learned from Yan Ancestor to Gu Liangyuan.

Gu Liangyuan didn't interrupt Empyrean Cloud's speech. As he listened, he used the Karma Law to verify the information against what he already knew.

When Empyrean Cloud finished speaking, Gu Liangyuan had also completed his verification.

He found that Empyrean Cloud's words had over ninety percent credibility!

Only the conflict between Taiyi and Taishang, with both sides having their own narratives, made Gu Liangyuan uncertain.

Even so, the news Empyrean Cloud brought still greatly shocked him.

Taishang, Yaochi, Taiyi, Due, and also Rulai Holy Land in West Desert, Hongyun Palace, Kunpeng Holy Land in the Northern Domain, and so on.

Including the Heavenly Feet Sect where Jiang Wei was, their Ancestral Master was also the Barefoot Immortal.

He had already noticed, at the beginning of his Awakening of his past life memories, that these Holy Lands and some Great Divine Power users from legends shared the same names.

He knew there must be an inevitable connection between them, but he had searched through all material and still didn't know what the connection was.

Now, he finally understood everything.

It turned out that this was the next epoch after the demise of the Immortal Court.

So, the question arose: In legends, those ancient mighty figures were beings who could open up heavens and earths at will and coexist with the Dao.

What kind of catastrophe led them to such a fate?

Just then, the long-awaited System notification sound suddenly rang out:

"Ding, sensing the host's thoughts, a main quest has been triggered."

"Quest Name: The Path of the Empire."

"The Great Abyss unifies the Eastern Continent and establishes a Dynasty. System Reward: 800 Mahayana Pills, one Imperial Seal, ten Laws.

Expand territory and promote to an Imperial Dynasty. System Reward: 800 Fire Disaster Pills, ten thousand beast essence blood, ten Origins, Incense Divine Dao.

Unify the world and advance to an Empire. System Reward: 800 human immortal pills, a jianmu sapling, part of the will of heaven, Hunyuan Grand Array.

Advance to a Heavenly Dynasty and achieve universal Ascension. System Reward: 800 Heavenly Immortal Pills, a Golden Immortal Peak experience card, an Ascension Platform.

Advance to the Immortal Court. System Reward: 800 True Immortal Pills, Three Thousand Dao Fruits.

Unify the Major Thousand Worlds and advance to the Heavenly Court. System Reward: 800 Golden Immortal Pills, will of the Dao."

"Does the host accept?"

Gu Liangyuan looked at the increasingly exaggerated System rewards and immediately clicked to accept.

According to Empyrean Cloud, even if they ascended to the Upper Realm, they would face endless pursuit from the Eastern Immortal Emperor.

Universal Ascension, fighting their way into the Immortal Realm, was the only path.

Gu Liangyuan suddenly thought that the structure of the ancient Heavenly Court was: the Heavenly Court honored the Three Teachings, and the Three Teachings supported the Heavenly Court.

How similar was this to Taishang supporting the Great Abyss, and the Great Abyss honoring Taishang?

Was there also some inevitable connection between them?

Gu Liangyuan's thoughts were myriad, but he also knew that all of this was still too far away for him; he could only proceed step by step.

Seeing Gu Liangyuan remain silent for a long time, Empyrean Cloud asked again:

"Fellow Daoist, what do you think of my suggestion?"

Gu Liangyuan looked at Empyrean Cloud, and a thought suddenly stirred within him:

"What you say is not entirely out of the question, as long as you give me the golden gong you mentioned, and have all of Taiyi's Personal Disciples and Elders temporarily seal their cultivation and hand them over for my Taishang to take charge."

Empyrean Cloud instantly saw through Gu Liangyuan's calculation:

"To kill them all?"

Gu Liangyuan looked at Empyrean Cloud in surprise again. When did this kid get so smart?

Gu Liangyuan might accept those from Due, but he would not accept Taiyi, because the resentment between Taiyi and Taishang had lasted too long, and conflict would inevitably arise if the two families were together.

Time was of the essence, and Gu Liangyuan didn't have the time to slowly mediate, so he could only use the most direct method, which was to slaughter all of Taiyi's core personnel.

Then, he would incorporate Taiyi's Legacy into the Enlightenment Tower, weaken the Disciples' concept of Taiyi, and strengthen the idea of the Dao Alliance.

Most of these non-Personal Disciple Elders were like the Heavenly Cripple Duo, who joined Taiyi to rely on a powerful backer. Naturally, they wouldn't have too much sense of belonging to Taiyi and could be easily subjugated by appealing to their self-interest.

Seeing Gu Liangyuan remain silent again, Empyrean Cloud also said nothing further.

He had already understood Gu Liangyuan's thoughts.

It seemed he should pack up his money and run away.

But before that, he had a question he wanted to ask.

If he didn't get an answer to this question, he would truly be unwilling.

"Gu Liangyuan, I am now only at the Void Refining cultivation level. Besides the identity of Taiyi Sacred Lord, which is still worth a second glance, I am nothing before you."

"I just want to know, did you really not kill my son?"

Hearing this question, Gu Liangyuan looked at Empyrean Cloud, his expression exceptionally serious:

"I, Gu Liangyuan, swear to the Heavenly Dao that I have never seen Empyrean Cloud, let alone killed Empyrean Cloud."

"If I really killed Empyrean Cloud..."

"No, if I, or if I ordered someone to kill Empyrean Cloud, then let destructive divine lightning strike me immediately, and three calamities and six disasters descend, causing my body to perish and my Dao to vanish!"

Hearing Gu Liangyuan make such a grand oath, and with the Heavenly Dao showing no reaction, Empyrean Cloud trembled all over, swaying as if about to fall.

His Dao Heart wavered at this moment.

Thinking of his previous sacrifices, Empyrean Cloud felt it was a joke.

It turned out that he had been wishful thinking, treating Gu Liangyuan as an imaginary enemy.

Empyrean Cloud said nothing more. Without even saying goodbye, he walked away in a daze.