Facing Huang Chao’s gratitude, Zhang Chen said, "No need for courtesies! Focus on calming your breath and relaxing your Essence, Qi, and Spirit. I’ll lend you a helping hand."
Zhang Chen extended a finger, touching the center of Huang Chao’s forehead. As he sensed the divine power in Huang Chao’s brow, he detected the curse origin within Huang Chao’s body. He then deployed the Six-Word Mantra once more, suppressing it.
As the Six-Word True Mantra Seal descended, Huang Chao felt a relief in his Primordial Spirit. In the next instant, mysterious power flowed around Huang Chao, and a previously indescribable heaviness was replaced with a trace of ease.
"Your methods, benefactor, reach the heavens and earth, far beyond the capabilities of ordinary people." Huang Chao made a fist salute to Zhang Chen, his eyes filled with admiration.
Upon hearing Huang Chao’s words, Zhang Chen made no comment, shifting the topic: "How are things in the Northern Land now?"
"I fear it is not far from complete collapse." Huang Chao replied, "Wherever the demon army passes, all nobles surrender in fear, transforming into Human Demons, continuing to revel in the Demon Race’s prosperity. For those nobles, there is utterly no impact."
Zhang Chen remained silent for a moment, then suddenly thought of Chen Sanliang: "Have you heard any news of Chen Sanliang?"
"Chen Sanliang spread the teachings in the Northern Domain. Wherever the demon army passed, all the academies pledged allegiance to Chen Sanliang, becoming his claws. The academies once built by the Human Race have unexpectedly aided that group of beasts, assisting the Demon Race in opening their intelligence," Huang Chao said with deep dissatisfaction.
However, Zhang Chen pondered, "Not exactly, once those demons learn Confucian culture, losing their natural innocence and forming inherent human-like classes, I’m afraid they’re not far from internal chaos. The Human Race’s civilization, its scheming and intrigue, whoever learns it will be unfortunate. Human nobles are naturally better at research than other races. At that time, they may ally with the Demon Race, rising in status within it, and then seize control..."
Years ago, Chen Sanliang had said the Human Race would integrate into the Demon Race and then seize control from within. It seems now this might indeed be feasible.
The Demon Race’s failure to eradicate the Human Race entirely, leaving the Human nobles as a malignant tumor, was the Demon Race’s biggest mistake.
"I heard that the Demon Race is preparing to mobilize their army to plan the crossing of the Yellow River. It won’t be long before the Demon Race crosses into the Jiangnan Territory," Huang Chao said with a note of seriousness.
Zhang Chen pondered over the words but did not respond.
After the two briefly exchanged some light conversation, Huang Chao took his leave. Zhang Chen buried the dozens of corpses in the earth before returning to his room to continue contemplating the Law of Heaven and Earth.
In the following days, without the interference of Zhang Gaoqiu and Shen Ling, Zhang Chen’s life seemed to slow down.
Under the guidance of the Yellow Heaven Dao, order in Jinling City gradually resumed. Although one could not say it was the Yellow Heaven Dao’s Jinling City, it had subtly come under their control, with the city’s nobles entirely within their grasp. Were it not for Zhou Qiucheng keeping the balance, the entire Jinling City might already be firmly in the grasp of the Yellow Heaven Dao.
Furthermore, not only Jinling City but the influence of the Yellow Heaven Dao began spreading and proliferating in the south, radiating from the Yangtze River.
However, the Great Victory Dynasty still stood high above. With three mysterious Twelfth Tier artifacts suppressing the entirety of living beings under the heavens, if not for the demon ancestor’s presence holding them in check in Kyoto, the Yellow Heaven Dao wouldn’t dare to make such a bold move in Jinling City.
With life settling down, Zhang Chen’s estate, spanning more than thirty acres, became livelier with the addition of over a hundred servants displaced by the calamities in Jinling City.
Zhang Chen’s days gradually returned to peace, spent in the study of alchemy and pondering various aspects of the Law of Heaven and Earth. His understanding of these laws deepened ever further.
Yet just as everything was reaching a new peak, his tranquil life was disrupted by distant news.
It was news of the Demon Race. Their massive army had breached the Human Race’s Heroic Pass, the Northern Land had completely fallen, and the Demon Race had already crossed the Yellow River. Other than Prince Pingbian, all seventy-two vassal states had fallen, becoming entirely part of the Demon Country.
Wherever the demon army went, the seventy-two vassal states surrendered without resistance. Chen Sanliang’s grand teachings spread across the Northern Domain, aiming to validate his path to the Eleventh Tier.
Zhang Chen, listening to the merchants’ discussions, was filled with astonishment, not expecting the Demon Race to act so swiftly, truly beyond his expectations.
"Chen Sanliang is on the verge of achieving the Eleventh Tier? He is truly becoming ever more powerful, reaching a significant presence. What he once said, that the Demon Race would destroy the Human Race, then the Human Race would integrate into the Demon Race, ascending to power and seizing control—this goal might actually be achievable for him," Zhang Chen mused.
Now, with Chen Sanliang nearing the Eleventh Tier, after sweeping through Jiangnan, he might not be far from the Twelfth Tier.
"Once he reaches the Twelfth Tier, the only ones who can contend with him would be Hu Li the Immortal and the unnamed demon progenitor. Hu Li the Immortal is already under my control, as for that unnamed progenitor..." As he thought of this, Zhang Chen’s eyes grew brighter: "In other words, as long as the unnamed progenitor is dealt with, the Demon Race will become the Human Race’s Demon Race."
"This matter holds great promise," Zhang Chen mused to himself.
As for the extinction of the Human Race, transforming into Human Demons? Zhang Chen didn’t see much of a problem—it’s just a change of skin, after all, the Human Race remains the Human Race.
With this thought, Zhang Chen set down his wine cup, performed an escape technique, and left swiftly, returning to Chongzheng Academy. At the mountain gate, he revealed his presence and found a carriage parked quietly there, with its curtains drawn tightly, exuding a sense of mystery.
Zhang Chen glanced at the carriage, about to step into the mountain gate, when he heard a familiar voice from within: "Zhang Chen, you see me now and don’t even greet me?"
The carriage’s curtain lifted, revealing a familiar face. Upon seeing it, Zhang Chen was momentarily taken aback: "Sir."
"How about getting in the carriage?" Chen Sanliang asked with a smile.
Upon hearing Chen Sanliang’s words, Zhang Chen didn’t hesitate. After ensuring nobody was around, he boarded Chen Sanliang’s carriage.
Chen Sanliang told the driver, "I’ve got the person," and the driver urged the carriage forward.
Zhang Chen didn’t ask where Chen Sanliang was headed; instead, his eyes examined Chen Sanliang up and down, a hint of intrigue in them: "You, sir, look younger, with divine light faintly flowing in your body, like a celestial descending to the mortal world."
He could feel a terrifying power contained within Chen Sanliang, capable of unleashing world-destroying might if it erupted.
"You have a keen eye, young one. I have forged a Divine Body and stepped into the Eleventh Tier. My Dao is starting to mature, and you sensed some of my aura. Since coming from the Northern Land, passing through various Human cities, no one could see through my depths, yet you detected a trace," Chen Sanliang said with a smile.
Zhang Chen was shocked by these words, exclaiming in surprise, "Eleventh Tier? You’ve entered the Eleventh Tier?"
Previously, Huang Chao said Chen Sanliang was only about to step into the Eleventh Tier. Who would have thought that, in just a few days, Chen Sanliang had already reached the Eleventh Tier?
Hearing Zhang Chen’s exclamation, Chen Sanliang chuckled, unconcerned: "One must always have an ace up their sleeve, right? Many wish for my demise. If I didn’t keep something hidden, and got ambushed by some old Human guys, I would have been defenseless."
Hearing this, Zhang Chen fell silent, thinking that his own ’cheats’ were already outrageous, yet Chen Sanliang was even more so.
Indeed, this path of teaching and cultivation is precisely where the terror of Confucianism lies. Once you understand your own Dao and create your own teachings, you can spread them globally. The more recognition you receive during your teachings, the more you’ll be endowed with a mysterious cosmic fortune, enhancing your terrifying foundation. The Human Dao dominates the Divine Land, almost like the Heavenly Dao, ruling over the operation of the Divine Land. Once you seize this fortune, a cultivator’s cultivation will soar uncontrollably.
This is the terror of Confucianism: ordinary before enlightenment, unstoppable afterward.
However, this cultivation comes with its drawbacks. If your Dao is obstructed and your teachings develop a fatal flaw, your cultivation can collapse in an instant—turning into mere fluff, reducing all accomplishments to nothing.
A thought can lead you to heaven, or to hell—it couldn’t be truer.
"Now that you’ve reached the Eleventh Tier, does that mean... the Demon Race has crossed the Yellow River?" Zhang Chen asked.
Chen Sanliang nodded: "Experts from the Sea Race took action; crossing the Yellow River wasn’t hard for the Demon Race."
"The Jiangnan territory might soon be embroiled in chaos. Who knows how many from the Human Race will survive?" Zhang Chen thought remorsefully.
"All I can say is, do my best to preserve the human flame. Once I prove the Dao of the Twelfth Tier, I’ll carve out a region specifically for humans to live among the Demon Race, with me as their protector, enabling the Human Race to rise again, eventually controlling the entire Demon Race." Chen Sanliang’s gaze was filled with the fire of ambition.
Saying this, Chen Sanliang looked at Zhang Chen, eyes full of delight: "I must say, Zhang Chen, your Dao of Universal Education is incredibly powerful, unmatched. All the great Daos and teachings crumble before it. I not only have hopes of reaching the Twelfth Tier but even hope to achieve existence beyond the Twelfth Tier."
Zhang Chen, hearing this, was speechless. The Dao of Universal Education is the Dao of the Tongtian Sect Leader. How could it not be strong?
It’s been personally tested by the Tongtian Sect Leader. Even the Exoteric Teachings, Human Sect, and Western Teachings shy away from it, let alone this world’s doctrines. In comparison to the teachings of Universal Education, they aren’t even qualified to compete—they’re completely outmatched.