560: Taiqing sends a generous gift!

Lu Jiuyuan, accompanied by Venus, turned and left.

Not until the carriage drove away from Mount Kunlun did Venus whisper, "Your Majesty, did Saint Yuanshi... agree to this?"

"He agreed, but this is only the first step." Lu Jiuyuan toyed with the investiture of the gods list in his hand.

"Taiqing is easy to get past; Tongtian is the real hurdle."

A look of contemplation flashed in his eyes: "Go to the Eight Views Palace."

The carriage turned, heading toward the Eight Views Palace in the Dachi Heaven, outside the Thirty-Three Heavens.

The Eight Views Palace was located deep within the Dachi Heaven. It was not as grand as the Jade Void Palace, nor as noisy as the Biyou Palace; it was merely a simple Daoist temple hidden among the clouds and mists, appearing to be one with heaven and earth, natural and effortless.

As soon as Lu Jiuyuan's carriage arrived outside the Eight Views Palace, the temple gates opened silently.

An old Daoist with a youthful face and white hair, holding a whisk, walked out slowly. He was none other than the only Disciple under Laozi, Grand Revered Master Xuandu.

"I, Xuandu, have been ordered by my Revered Master to welcome the Jade Emperor."

Grand Revered Master Xuandu's voice was calm, his gaze clear, and the Dao rhyme around him was harmonious.

"Sorry to trouble you, little friend Xuandu." Lu Jiuyuan nodded.

"My Revered Master already knows the purpose of Your Majesty's visit and is waiting in the Alchemy room. Please follow me, Your Majesty."

Grand Revered Master Xuandu did not say much more and turned to lead the way.

Lu Jiuyuan and Venus followed him inside.

Inside the Eight Views Palace, there was not much decoration, only the fragrance of pills filling the room, and a mysterious Dao rhyme that seemed to be the Origin of all things flowing within.

In the Alchemy room, a Pill Furnace was burning quietly, its flames pure and blue.

An old Daoist was waiting at the door. The old Daoist had white hair and a beard, eyes filled with a smile, and was wearing a simple gray Daoist robe.

He was the head of the Three Pure Ones, the leader of the Human Teachings, the Saint Taiqing, Laozi.

Inside the Eight Views Palace, the fragrance of pills drifted, and the Dao was formless.

Laozi stood before the Pill Furnace. The furnace fire reflected on his peaceful face. There was no Saint's majesty in his eyes; instead, he seemed as warm as an old neighbor.

The way he looked at Lu Jiuyuan indeed carried an unusual... kindness.

"Your Majesty has graced the Eight Views Palace with your presence; I failed to welcome you properly." Laozi nodded slightly, his voice like the curling blue smoke rising from the Pill Furnace, calm and ethereal.

"I apologize for rashly disturbing Saint Taiqing's cultivation; I hope the Saint will not take offense."

Lu Jiuyuan was very respectful, but in his heart, he felt a trace of strangeness and doubt about that "kindness."

Laozi seemed to see through his thoughts, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth as he raised his hand in a gesture of invitation:

"Your Majesty has come for the investiture of the gods list and the heavenly law of merit and virtue. There is no need to say more; I already know."

He walked slowly to the side of the Pill Furnace, his gaze falling on the pure blue flames dancing in the furnace, as if the profound truths of the Universe's creation and destruction were contained within those flames.

"The heavenly law has been established, rewards and punishments are clearly defined, and good and evil have their consequences. This action aligns with the principles of the Heavenly Dao's operation and is indeed effective in sorting out order and eliminating the aura of calamity. I... have no objections."

He paused, turned his head to look at Lu Jiuyuan, and in those deep eyes, there seemed to be reflections of scenes beyond this world:

"But does Your Majesty know that Karma is easy to accumulate, but the human heart is difficult to fathom."

"Although the heavenly law is impartial, between heaven and earth, Karma is intertwined. Not all 'Karma' stems from evil deeds, nor does all 'Karma' come from a sincere heart."

Lu Jiuyuan's eyes narrowed slightly: "Does the Saint mean... hypocrisy? Or evil committed against one's will?"

"Both exist."

Laozi's tone remained calm. "Heaven and earth are the furnace, creation is the craftsman; Yin and Yang are the charcoal, and all things are the copper."

"Living beings struggle to survive within it, either actively or passively, clearly or ignorantly."

"Actions originate from the heart, yet Karma falls upon the traces. The heavenly law can measure traces, but it cannot necessarily fully perceive the heart."

"But there must be a beginning, a standard."

Lu Jiuyuan said in a deep voice, "The human heart is subtle and cannot be fully measured. However, when traces are manifested outwardly, they can be restrained and guided."

"Even if there are hypocrites who deceive heaven, they can pretend for a while, but it is hard to pretend for a lifetime; even if there are those acting against their will, if their traces are good, heaven and earth should also provide some feedback, giving them a chance to break free."

"Over time, the atmosphere will gradually change, and people's hearts may turn towards goodness."

Hearing this, the look of admiration in Laozi's eyes grew stronger, and that "kindness" was almost overflowing.

He clapped his hands lightly, and the flames in the Pill Furnace swayed, reflecting a phantom image of the myriad worlds and the endless Void Realm.

"What Your Majesty says aligns well with the Dao's 'evolution'."

"'Inaction' does not mean doing nothing; it means not acting recklessly. Acting in accordance with the trend and establishing rules to guide it is the method of supreme goodness."

He changed the subject:

"But Your Majesty... although this method is good, to change the pattern of heaven and earth that has been deeply entrenched with the aura of calamity for so long requires great perseverance and great Divine Ability."

"It even requires... enduring immense Karma backlash, and even facing the counterattack of 'destiny'. Your Majesty, are you prepared?"

Lu Jiuyuan felt the almost unconcealed concern and warning in Laozi's words. His sense of strangeness deepened, but his expression remained unchanged, and he said calmly:

"Since I occupy this position, I must do this. I will bear the Karma backlash myself. If destiny cannot be changed, then I will set this precedent."

"Good!"

Laozi stroked his beard and laughed, his laughter clear and bright, actually diluting the eternal, ancient Dao rhyme in the Eight Views Palace and bringing a touch of vitality.

"Since Your Majesty has this determination, I have nothing more to say."

"Regarding the investiture of the gods list, just proceed according to Your Majesty's wishes."

"There are few people in the Eight Views Palace, and Xuandu is not tainted by the aura of calamity, so it will not hinder the investiture of the gods."

"Your Majesty, just go ahead and do it."

He flicked his sleeve, and on the cloud bed to the side of the Alchemy room, a Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Linglong Pagoda appeared.

This pagoda had nine levels, was entirely the color of mysterious yellow, and had eight corners. Each corner hung a golden bell that moved without wind but made no sound. Only a vast, heavy, and immortal aura permeated the air, as if it could suppress earth, water, fire, and wind, and stabilize the Universe.

It was the number one Acquired supreme treasure of Karma, the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Linglong Pagoda!

With this pagoda above one's head, one is invincible, immune to all laws, and all evils retreat. It was Laozi's supreme treasure for self-protection, which had accompanied him since the opening of the Prehistoric era and enjoyed boundless Karma from the creation of the world!

"This pagoda has accompanied me for countless epochs. Today, I bestow it upon Your Majesty."

Lu Jiuyuan, even with his firm resolve, could not help but be shocked at this moment, rising in astonishment:

"Saint Taiqing, this item is too precious. It is your treasure for protecting the Dao and suppressing the Luck of the Human Teachings. How can I accept it?"

Laozi shook his head and smiled: "Your Majesty, that is not correct. I am quiet and inactive; for me, this pagoda is mostly symbolic."

"However, Your Majesty is undertaking this act of changing the world and sorting out order, which is exactly the time to use this treasure."

"This pagoda was formed by the Karma of creation. It does not touch Karma, nor does it provoke Karma; it perfectly matches Your Majesty's intention to promote the heavenly law of merit and virtue and clarify good and evil."

"Holding this pagoda can protect yourself, suppress Luck, and better manifest the majesty of the Heavenly Dao's impartiality and Karma's protection of righteousness."

His gaze was deep: "Your Majesty's path ahead will surely have obstacles. The Jie Teachings have ten thousand immortals coming to court, and Junior Brother Tongtian has great Divine Ability... anyway, Your Majesty just needs to remember, holding this pagoda means the great trend is with you."

"As for the Luck of the Human Teachings..."

Laozi smiled slightly, "Your Majesty's Heavenly Court is orderly, and Karma prevails; this is the greatest 'good' for heaven and earth, and it is also the best practice of my Human Teachings' concept of 'governing by inaction and educating living beings'."

"If the Heavenly Court's Luck is prosperous, the Human Teachings' Luck will naturally rise with it. Why is there a need for a pagoda to forcefully suppress it?"

As he spoke, he tapped his fingertip lightly, and the Mysterious Yellow Linglong Pagoda turned into a stream of light, falling into Lu Jiuyuan's hand.

The pagoda felt warm in his hand. Its weight seemed to carry the Prehistoric era, yet it was as light as nothingness. Mysterious yellow Qi fell, shrouding Lu Jiuyuan's whole body. Suddenly, a feeling of immunity to all laws, immunity to Karma, and an incomparably clear spirit emerged spontaneously.

Lu Jiuyuan felt the vast, boundless, and purely upright Karma of creation within the pagoda, as well as Laozi's unreserved support, and was shaken beyond words.

The heavenly law of merit and virtue appeared naturally, and this Mysterious Yellow Pagoda merged directly into it without any hindrance, forming a single entity.

Boundless mysterious yellow Qi communicated with the billions of heavens within his body. When the heavens were opened, the strands of mysterious yellow born naturally gathered.

Within the heavenly law of merit and virtue, a Mysterious Yellow Pagoda condensed again, floating above his head.

He took a deep breath, no longer refusing, and bowed deeply to Laozi: "Fellow Daoist Taiqing, thank you for this generous gift. I, Jade Emperor... will remember this in my heart. This sentiment and this Karma concern the order of heaven and earth, and I will certainly not fail your trust!"

Laozi accepted his bow calmly and stroked his beard, smiling.

He added: "This is one thing. Since Your Majesty is the Heavenly Emperor, managing Yin and Yang and harmonizing all beings, how can the Heavenly Court not have a place for Alchemy? How can it not have a source of the Dao of Alchemy?"

"I have a good corpse who shall be the 'Grand Supreme Elder Lord'. In a few days, he will return to the Heavenly Court with Your Majesty, and in the Lihen Heaven above the Thirty-Three Heavens, he will establish the 'Doushuai Palace'."

"The palace will set up a Bagua Furnace, be in charge of Alchemy in the Heavenly Court, refine Golden Cores for Your Majesty, regulate the Spiritual Qi of the Heavenly Court, and also be the ancestral court of the Dao of Alchemy for the Three Realms."

Laozi said: "From now on, the Grand Supreme Elder Lord will reside in the Heavenly Court forever, obey Your Majesty's orders, and support all of Your Majesty's laws and decrees."