...
The response from the Celestial Court was swift, and soon a Daoist Monarch of the Thunder Division led numerous Celestial Soldiers and Divine Generals to arrive.
Seeing that the person coming was the Daoist Monarch of the Thunder Division, Zhang Jian’s deep concerns eased significantly.
The Tongshan Dao Lineage has a good relationship with the Celestial Court’s Thunder Division.
This Celestial Monarch of the Thunder Division is called the Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Emperor, a renowned high-ranking Emperor in the Celestial Court. He first inspected the ninth level of the Eternal Ice Prison and, upon confirming the restrictions on Jiu Feng’s body were forcibly torn, spoke.
"Eternal Celestial Monarch, rest assured, I will report this matter fairly and won’t exaggerate or conceal anything!"
Under the Profound Nether Divine Tree, Zhang Jian heard this and spoke.
"This matter still requires the Emperor to speak favorably for my disciple in the Celestial Court!"
Looking at the black-faced Emperor, Zhang Jian felt a bit worried.
This Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Emperor is known for his toughness in the Celestial Court.
The Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Emperor, expressionless at this time, addressed the Immortal beside him from the Celestial Master’s Mansion.
"Record: the Profound Nether Seal was directly penetrated by Great Magical Power, the Saint Emperor’s Talisman Decree shattered, suspected action by an Immortal Venerable-level figure, and yet the ninth space of the Eternal Immortal Prison remains intact, with no damage. This suspicion is sufficient to corroborate the guess!"
Zhang Jian, listening nearby, felt relieved.
This Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Emperor is definitely one of our own.
If it were another Daoist Monarch from an opposing force, they might note it down, possibly aligning with the Lord of the Immortal Prison using a Divine Artifact to unlock the spatial seal of the Eternal Ice Prison.
Just a small addition, and he’d be in big trouble.
After the Immortals inspected, Zhang Jian seized the moment to invite the Immortals to stay, but did not host a banquet to welcome and cleanse them, and was politely declined by the Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Emperor, as the group soon left the Eternal Immortal Prison.
...
The inside and outside of the Eternal Ice Castle once again returned to tranquility, without the occurrence of the Celestial Monarch facing imminent punishment or the Immortals changing their attitudes.
Actually, since King Yu frequently appeared in the Eternal Ice Castle, all the Immortal Gods were well aware that even if he was not doing well in the Celestial Court, having the Three Emperors and Five Elders Assembly as his backing, he wouldn’t fare poorly elsewhere, far beyond what ordinary Immortal Gods could compare against.
Thirty years later, another edict was issued from the Celestial Court.
The decree only reprimanded Zhang Jian, the Lord of the Eternal Immortal Prison, for not diligently performing his duties and letting Jiu Feng escape, with the additional penalties being a reduction of his stipend by half for three thousand years, extending his term by ten thousand years, with no further punitive measures.
This scene greatly disappointed many Immortal Gods who had been eagerly anticipating.
What kind of punishment was this?
It was completely inconsequential.
In the Nine Luminaries Celestial Realm at the Dongcang Garrison, Celestial Monarch Chongshan and Tianliang Star Lord were drinking sulkily.
Tianliang Star Lord muttered moodily.
"Chongshan, I think we should give up. Even with such opportunities, we can’t overturn him. Continuing this will only bring humiliation upon us!"
Tianliang Star Lord was somewhat dispirited.
Of course, more discouraging was the rumor coming from deep within the Jasper Pool.
According to that rumor, this Eternal Celestial Monarch is truly of the Jade Emperor’s lineage.
Indeed, the Celestial Lord Jade Emperor doesn’t mind the natural death of those ordinary descendants.
But seeing his descendants in trouble or encountering relocation matters, he may secretly add points in his heart.
What if this Great Celestial Venerable simply does not draw any noticeable attention?
After all, it’s a sacred lineage.
Tianliang Star Lord imagined himself in that position and surely wouldn’t let them go easily.
Celestial Monarch Chongshan said nothing.
He’s truly puzzled by the attitude of the Celestial Lord Jade Emperor and doesn’t dare to contemplate.
Within his heart, he also doesn’t hope to continue this.
Matters shouldn’t be repeated again and again.
The stakes are too high.
Just like Tianliang Star Lord, he doesn’t dare to bet that the Celestial Lord Jade Emperor is truly indifferent to this descendant.
What if he remembers them one day?
This follows the same reasoning as heavy ministers of the Emperor.
Despite appearing demoted to rock bottom, the Emperor might recall them anytime and bring them back.
"Let’s just let it go, and we can relax!"
Celestial Monarch Chongshan raised his wine cup.
Tianliang Star Lord felt relieved and also raised his cup.
He laughed: "Since we’ve decided to let it go, let’s send a gift to the Eternal Celestial Monarch instead. I remember he has a small family under him, many of whom are Immortals awaiting official positions, just waiting for placement within the Celestial Court. Conveniently, I have quite a few positions in my Dou Division Legion group!"
Celestial Monarch Chongshan nodded, his face showing a hint of sentiment.
...
Eternal Ice Castle, three thousand years passed quietly like flowing water.
During these three thousand years, Zhang Jian stayed in the Eternal Ice Castle, going nowhere.
During this period, he kept consolidating his Dao Practice, progressing quickly after severing fate, and also focusing on comprehending and sublimating the Two Dao Fruits of Nine Netherworld and Sheji.
Within these Two Dao Fruits, the Nine Netherworld Dao Fruit was undergoing transformation, with the Nine Nether Ancestral Qi gradually taking form.
Without the burden on his mind, everything went smoothly.
During these three thousand years, the Three Emperors Celestial Realm successfully refined a new Eternal Immortal Treasure.
Unexpectedly, after expending three Heaven and Earth Treasures and fragments of the Profound Nether Bone Staff, the refined Profound Nether Immortal Treasure reached Tier Five.
Tier Five Eternal Immortal Treasure.
It’s already close to a Postnatal Spiritual Treasure.
Even Zhang Jian, upon hearing this, felt quite reluctant.
Filling in such a Supreme Treasure in the Eternal Immortal Prison seemed like a waste.
But for the Profound Nether Divine Position, Zhang Jian could only endure the pain to fill the gap. He just hoped Bai Liying wouldn’t waste his efforts.
This replacement happens silently
Of course, before this, Zhang Jian used the Map of Mountains and Rivers to obscure the perception of the Ice Castle’s Immortals.
Even if the Ice Castle turned upside down, the Immortals wouldn’t notice anything.
After achieving this, good news followed.
Soon, the Tongshan Dao Lineage sent word that Zhang Zhao’s ’resume’ submitted to the Ziwei Emperor’s Mansion was accepted, granting him an interview opportunity.
A year later, Zhang Zhao successfully joined the Ziwei Emperor’s Mansion, becoming one of the Ziwei Assistants under the Ziwei Emperor, a position of a junior Immortal Official.
Though it’s merely a junior Immortal Official knowledge, it is, after all, within the Ziwei Emperor’s Mansion.
The Celestial Emperor’s Mansion, including power differs from other departments’ officials entirely.
For this, Zhang Jian even took a special leave, returning to the Upper Realm’s fifth layer Eternal Celestial Monarch’s Mansion to celebrate with Zhang Zhao.
However, Zhang Jian later learned that Zhang Zhao seemed to have gained the favor of several Ancient Star Lords.
Among them were some Ancient Star Lords he had offended in the Jasper Pool.
Moreover, the Star Lords were hosting a banquet in the Central Celestial Realm, inviting Zhang Jian to visit the Dou Division.
Zhang Jian understood the reason behind this, pondered briefly, and agreed.
These Ancient Star Lords are all ancient gods in the Celestial Court, with countless connections, and despite his strong backing, given that they extended the olive branch, he decided to go along.
Additionally, he was genuinely happy that Zhang Zhao could join the Ziwei Emperor’s Mansion.
Thus, he decided not to hold any grudges.
Having one more friend is better than one more enemy.
...
Shortly after, Zhang Jian returned to the Eternal Ice Castle.
After spending twelve thousand years at the Eternal Ice Castle, Zhang Jian gradually sensed his Nine Nether Ancestral Qi taking form, as the Nine Nether Ancestral Qi Dao Fruit replaced the Nine Nether Ancestral Dao Qi Dao Fruit.
On this day, a vast Nine Nether Divine Light emanated from the Ice Crystal Divine Hall, drawing the attention of the Immortals inside and outside the Ice Castle.
This power was extraordinarily astonishing.
Inside the Eternal Ice Crystal Hall, Zhang Jian’s aura at that time resembled a Nine Nether Abyss, shining with a terrifying power, as if the darker side of Earth was gathering around him, transforming into a dreadful Nine Nether void, devouring all.
Earth can support all life but also devour all beings.
With the Nine Nether Ancestral Qi Dao Fruit formed, Zhang Jian felt he wasn’t suffering any counterforce from the Netherworld’s Heaven and Earth, his eyes rippling slightly.
It seems his efforts over the millennia have been effective.
With the emergence of Nine Nether Ancestral Qi, next is the Sheji Ancestral Qi.
Regarding the Sheji Ancestral Qi, Zhang Jian felt even more assured.
At this moment, he was in good spirits.
Soon he re-focused on his secluded cultivation.
Only three hundred years later was he startled awake by a peculiar cold Divine Power wave beside him.
He saw a vast and peculiar cold Divine Power suddenly emerging from the side hall, starting to sweep across the Eternal Ice Castle, Eternal Forbidden Area, even reaching the Central Celestial Realm, and deep into All Heavens Void.