As the ancient figure approached the Imperial City, from a distance, he saw a stunning woman in white standing by the city gate.
Her figure was slender, yet her eyes were like the bright moon in the sky.
Upon seeing this figure, the elderly Daoist's face showed surprise, as he felt a strong sense of threat emanating from her.
"They say parting for three days warrants a fresh look; I did not expect that in just over ten years, Fellow Daoist Taiyin's Dao practice would reach such a level. It is truly astonishing!"
The Taiyin Immortal's enchanting eyes fell on the elderly Daoist, a hint of surprise in their depths.
The figure before her was actually the Dong Shen Ancestor.
However, unlike the energetic scene from over ten years ago, the Dong Shen Ancestor now felt old and frail to her, his aura still grand but fading like the setting sun.
Yet, to have survived the joint assault of so many strong practitioners from various cultivation sects, and still escape with his life, speaks volumes of this ancestor's abilities.
"I did not expect to see Fellow Daoist Dong Shen again; it is truly a happy occasion!"
The Taiyin Fairy's lips curved into a faint smile, and she promptly said,
"His Majesty said that distinguished guests would arrive today, so I came to welcome them. Since Fellow Daoist Dong Shen has arrived, please follow me. His Majesty is currently in seclusion, and he will summon the ancestor after he emerges."
The Dong Shen Ancestor was slightly surprised but quickly nodded and said,
"Very well!"
...
Almost at the same moment the Dong Shen Ancestor appeared in the Imperial City, Jingming Daoist, meditating on the West Mountain, quickly received the news and rushed from the direction of the Dong Shen Temple.
In the West Garden, Jingming Daoist traversed through gardens filled with exotic flowers and plants and saw, from afar, the Dong Shen Ancestor dressed in purple, with a grey beard and white hair in the palace.
The Dong Shen Ancestor was sitting in meditation. Sensing the gaze, he immediately noticed Jingming Daoist in the distance.
Jingming Daoist still looked as he did in his memories, with a fresh and elegant face, but now there was an extra measure of handsomeness and vigor.
His eyes were more authoritative, his entire being filled with the aura of a superior.
The most surprising thing to the Dong Shen Ancestor was that Jingming Daoist had overcome the deficiency in his Dao Heart and astonishingly attained the Primordial Spirit against the tide!
"Master!"
After a moment of daze, Jingming Daoist couldn't contain his joy and spoke out, stepping forward to the Dong Shen Ancestor, bowing deeply several times.
"Jingming, rise!"
The Dong Shen Ancestor hastily rose to support Jingming Daoist, the eyes of both master and disciple filled with joy.
The Dong Shen Ancestor then led Jingming Daoist aside and inquired about his experiences over the years, especially how Jingming Daoist managed to prove his Primordial Spirit against the collapse of Daqian, which indeed surprised him.
Jingming Daoist smiled and said,
"I owe it all to the Emperor. Without the Dao poem gifted by the Emperor, I might not have been able to achieve a perfect Dao Heart, let alone withstand the backlash of destiny brought by the collapse of Daqian!"
Jingming Daoist then outlined the changes at the Dong Shen Temple over these years.
He then showed signs of embarrassment and said, "I took it upon myself to lead the Dong Shen Temple to join the Great Xia Dynasty. Please, Master, forgive me!"
Saying this, Jingming Daoist knelt down again, bowing his head.
The Dong Shen Ancestor laughed heartily, lifting Jingming Daoist, and said with a smile,
"Good disciple, you did very well. In such a situation, even as your master, I would have sought refuge with the Great Xia Emperor. At the very least, you preserved many disciples of the Dong Shen Temple!"
Jingming Daoist's expression had a tinge of embarrassment.
Then the Dong Shen Ancestor said,
"In fact, your choice was correct. Since the founding of Great Xia, countless people are well-fed and clothed. As your master came all the way from the old land of Beichu, everywhere was a scene of harvest and prosperity, and the hopeful smiles on people's faces were more than enough!"
Upon hearing this, Jingming Daoist's expression also bore a hint of a smile.
Jingming Daoist then asked,
"Master, where have you been these past ten years?
Over the years, I personally went to the Two Realms Region to search, but I found no trace of you at any of the separate mansions of the Dong Shen Temple..."
The Dong Shen Ancestor gently smiled, shaking his head, and said,
"During this time, I've been suppressing the destiny backlash in the Barbaric Region, also using the abundant Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects there to recover from injuries!"
Jingming Daoist looked worriedly at the Dong Shen Ancestor.
"Master, was the destiny backlash successfully suppressed?"
The Dong Shen Ancestor's aura changed slightly, giving him a sense that the situation might not be very good.
From what he knew, at the peak, the Dong Shen Ancestor was close to the True Immortal Realm.
A half-immortal body.
The Dong Shen Ancestor glanced at Jingming Daoist, smiling slightly.
"Don't worry, isn't your master standing right in front of you?"
Though he said that, there was a slight ripple deep in the Dong Shen Ancestor's eyes.
...
On the Observatory Platform, a strong fluctuation of the Heaven and Earth Dao Laws was present.
Ripples appeared in the void, as a figure slowly materialized from virtual to real, like a true deity emerging from the void.
Thick purple-yellow divine light emerged from behind this figure, as if this figure was born from the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth.
"This is Returning to Void and Merging with Dao!"
Zhang Jian opened his eyes, a sense of awe in his eyes. At this moment, he felt an intimate fusion with the Sheji Dao Laws, becoming a part of the Heaven and Earth Dao Laws, greatly enhancing his ability to wield the laws of heaven and earth.
Born a divine spirit, such is the clarity.
A Harmonization Level Primordial Spirit True Monarch constantly resonates with the Heaven and Earth Laws, capable of invoking the power of the Heaven and Earth Laws, vastly stronger than a Creation Realm Primordial Spirit Grand Master.