Undying Life

Chapter 1035: Who is the Divine Emperor?

"Back when the heavenly mandate was defied, I've heard there was also King Zhou You of the Zhou dynasty?" Zhong Shan asked.

"That's right. The Great Zhou Heavenly Court, ruled by King Zhou You, was indeed led by an extraordinary figure. He slaughtered Sages in the underworld, established a heavenly court in the yang realm, and joined us in defying the heavenly mandate. Everything was progressing smoothly, but unfortunately, something went wrong at the last moment," Jieyin said with a sigh.

"What went wrong?" Zhong Shan asked, puzzled.

"I'm not entirely sure, but it seems there was a disagreement between Hongjun and King Zhou You. This was likely the primary reason for the failure in defying the heavenly mandate. After that, Hongjun established another heavenly court in the Four Great Continents, with Haotian as its ruler. This is the heavenly court you saw recently," Jieyin explained.

"This heavenly court was left by Hongjun. What purpose does it serve?" Zhong Shan inquired.

"I don't know. Hongjun's actions are always meticulously planned, leaving no trace behind. Even we Sages don't fully understand his motives. In fact, I suspect that the failure to defy the heavenly mandate might have been intentional on Hongjun's part," Jieyin said with a hint of doubt in his voice.

"Intentional?" Zhong Shan's brows furrowed.

If it was merely a failure, it could be understandable. But why would Hongjun intentionally cause it to fail after having already committed to defying the heavenly mandate? What was Hongjun truly thinking?

"This is just my speculation," Jieyin shook his head, indicating that he wasn't privy to the deepest secrets.

"Hmm, regardless, what you attempted was a monumental achievement—defying the heavenly mandate. It might not be something that will ever be surpassed, but at the very least, it's unprecedented, and the world will remember it," Zhong Shan nodded in acknowledgment.

"No, you're mistaken," Jieyin suddenly shook his head.

"Oh? How so?" Zhong Shan asked, surprised.

"We weren't the first to defy the heavenly mandate," Jieyin said with a wry smile.

"You weren't the first? There were others?" Zhong Shan asked, astonished.

"Yes, there were others. As I mentioned before, the Seven Sages and I came from the small world created by Pangu. But in truth, the Great Thousand World existed long before Pangu created that small world. There had already been several attempts to defy the heavenly mandate. Even after Pangu created the world, there were others who tried to defy the heavenly mandate, but they too ultimately failed," Jieyin explained.

"Even after Pangu created the world, others tried to defy the heavenly mandate?"

"Have you heard of Taiyi and Dijun?" Jieyin asked, his tone serious.

Zhong Shan thought for a moment before replying, "Not long ago in Xianyang Holy City, I heard Kong Xuan mention them. He said he owed a debt of gratitude to Dijun and protected Dijun's descendants, specifically the Shang dynasty's King Zhou. Emperor Xin was the last descendant of Dijun, wasn't he?"

"You're correct. King Zhou was indeed a descendant of Dijun. Back in the day, Dijun was the ruler of the true heavenly court, unlike the current one led by Haotian. At his command, the myriad demons of the world bowed down. His dominance was unmatched, even more so than King Zhou You," Jieyin recalled.

"The myriad demons of the world bowed down?"

"Yes. You know about the Supreme Saint King and the Nine-Tailed Princess, don't you?" Jieyin suddenly asked with a smile.

"Yes," Zhong Shan nodded.

"They are actually the same person. The Nine-Tailed Princess is her fox form, while the Supreme Saint King is her human form. This is a supreme technique of the demon race known as 'dividing the spirit,' which allows one to split into human and beast forms. You know that a beast can't establish a dynasty, but once divided into a human form, it becomes possible," Jieyin explained seriously.

"Are you saying that Taiyi and Dijun are the same?" Zhong Shan asked.

"Exactly. Taiyi was a powerful three-legged golden crow. Unfortunately, he couldn't establish a dynasty in his beast form, but he had the ability to divide his spirit, creating Dijun. Although their personalities differed slightly, they were ultimately the same person. Using his immense strength and determination, he established a vast heavenly court. Dijun became the Heavenly Emperor, while Taiyi was known as the Eastern Emperor," Jieyin said.

"Eastern Emperor Taiyi?" Zhong Shan asked, frowning.

"Yes, Eastern Emperor Taiyi was the name used by Taiyi after he divided his spirit. He was a figure of immense power and ambition, ruling alongside his other self, Dijun, to lead the demon race in defying the heavenly mandate. Unfortunately, their efforts also ended in failure. Despite their strength and the loyalty of the demon race, they could not escape the grasp of the heavenly mandate," Jieyin explained.

Zhong Shan remained silent, absorbing the weight of what Jieyin had just revealed. The history of the Great Thousand World was far more complex and filled with struggles against cosmic forces than he had ever imagined. Even the mightiest beings, such as Taiyi and Dijun, had ultimately fallen in their attempts to challenge the heavenly mandate, a reminder of the relentless power that governed the universe.

As Zhong Shan pondered these revelations, a new question formed in his mind. "So, who exactly is the Divine Emperor (神皇) that we keep hearing about? How does he fit into this grand tapestry of power and fate?"

Jieyin's expression grew more serious. "The Divine Emperor is a mysterious figure, one who may have found a way to manipulate or even coexist with the heavenly mandate. He is neither bound by the fate of a Sage nor entirely free from the influence of the heavenly mandate. His identity and true intentions remain shrouded in mystery, even to us."

Zhong Shan's curiosity deepened, realizing that the true nature of the Divine Emperor could be the key to understanding the ongoing cosmic struggle. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together, but the picture they formed was still far from clear.

"Of course, there are no such titles as Western Emperor, Southern Emperor, or Northern Emperor. The Eastern Emperor is the only one, and he holds the supreme title. In feng shui, the 'East' is also called the 'Divine Direction.' The Eastern Emperor is also known as the Divine Emperor (神皇)," Jieyin explained, assuming Zhong Shan might not fully understand.

But how could Zhong Shan not understand? With the guidance of the Mud Buddha, a feng shui master, even if his exposure to feng shui wasn't deep, he grasped these basic concepts well.

(In feng shui, unless referring specifically to directions, 'Divine Direction' usually means 'East.' This isn't a fabrication—it's based on research conducted before writing. The Eastern Emperor, by definition, is the Divine Emperor!)

"The Divine Emperor?" Zhong Shan's heart grew heavier with this realization.

"Did Taiyi and Dijun both perish after defying the heavenly mandate?" Zhong Shan asked seriously.

"They should have perished. Dijun, in particular, was utterly annihilated, both body and soul," Jieyin said after a moment of thought.

"Understood," Zhong Shan nodded, deciding not to pursue the matter further.

At the Great Leiyin Temple, while Zhong Shan and Jieyin discussed the state of the world, Hao Meili and the others were being shown around the temple by Hong Xiao, Randeng, and Maitreya. Randeng and Maitreya stayed behind, hoping to learn more about Zhong Shan, who had left such an enigmatic impression on everyone. How could someone be treated as an honored guest wherever they went?

"This is the Hall of the Eight Heavenly Dragons! Unfortunately, the Eight Heavenly Dragons aren't on Ling Mountain at the moment," Hong Xiao explained.

The group nodded as they observed the surroundings.

"Over there, what's that hall? Didn't you say that no one but the Buddha is allowed to build halls on that mountain?" Hao Meili pointed to a secluded palace on Ling Mountain, curiosity piqued.

Without waiting for an answer, Hao Meili took off into the air, with the others quickly following. Maitreya tried to call them back, but it was too late. He could only smile wryly in resignation.

"You can't enter that hall," Maitreya Buddha warned.

"Why not?"

"That hall is the residence of the Golden-Winged Roc (大鹏金翅鸟). It hasn't returned to Ling Mountain for a long time," Maitreya explained, shaking his head.

"The Golden-Winged Roc? Isn't it a Buddha?" Hao Meili asked, intrigued.

"The Buddha once bestowed the title of 'First-Rank Buddha' upon it, but it renounced the title itself. It is not a Buddha, yet its status is equivalent to one. This place is merely a temporary residence for it. Even I have only met it once, and that meeting was earth-shattering," Maitreya Buddha said, shaking his head again.

"Oh?" The group looked at Maitreya Buddha with interest.

Even Randeng and Hong Xiao turned to Maitreya with curiosity, as it seemed no one had ever seen the Golden-Winged Roc.

"The Golden-Winged Roc, named Jinpeng, wields a weapon known as the Fangtian Halberd. On one occasion, for reasons unknown, Jinpeng wreaked havoc on Ling Mountain. In just one move, it shattered the Five Hundred Arhats Formation. No Bodhisattva or Buddha could stop it as it stormed the Mahavira Hall. If not for the intervention of the Buddha, the Great Leiyin Temple would have been completely overturned by it," Maitreya Buddha recounted with a sigh.

Randeng and Hong Xiao's expressions grew serious, while Hao Meili and the others seemed unimpressed. After all, they had witnessed battles between Sages recently—why would they care about some "broken bird"?

"Why hasn't it returned?" Hao Meili asked, still curious.

"No one knows. It's rumored that it shares some familial connection with the Buddha, but it refuses to accept any gifts from the Great Leiyin Temple, preferring to wander the world freely. It hasn't returned in a very long time," Maitreya Buddha said, shaking his head.

"Then what's the problem? We just want to take a quick look!" Hao Meili urged.

"But..." Maitreya Buddha still seemed hesitant.

To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8