Chapter 562: The Primordial Evil Forces of Taibai Palace

This is Tai Bai Jin Xing…

Yang Jian looked up at the familiar figure in the sky, his rapid breathing gradually slowing as his gaze returned to clarity. His dao heart settled into silence, free from the earlier turmoil.

"What is my crime?"

The elder on the clouds, surrounded by golden light, spoke calmly:"Attempting to force entry into the Heavenly Court, destroying the immortal bean soldiers of the Heavenly Court, and brazenly declaring intent to abduct and punish the court's sinful immortals—these are your crimes."

Sinful immortals?

Yang Jian's recently calmed dao heart trembled slightly, but he refused to show any panic before this old immortal on the clouds. He replied coldly:"Right and wrong, merit and fault—all decided by you alone. The rules of heaven and earth spoken by your word alone.Is this the Heavenly Court?"

Li Chang Shou said: "Permitted by the Tian Dao, to guard the rules—this is the Heavenly Court."

"Then what rule did my mother break? What law of the Heavenly Court did my father violate?!"

"Yun Hua Xian Zi holds an immortal registry in the Heavenly Court and descended to the mortal realm without permission from the Tong Ming Hall, which violates heavenly regulations."

"Just for descending privately, she was imprisoned under the immortal mountain! My parents shared true affection, yet they were to be killed!"

Yang Jian's eyes blazed with light as he declared firmly:"Is this judgment from the Heavenly Court, or from you, Tai Bai Jin Xing, and the Yu Di seated high in the Ling Xiao Hall?Is this truly guarding the rules set by the Tian Dao, or merely abusing the Tian Dao and your authority for selfish gain, to save face?"

Clever.

Li Chang Shou smiled inwardly with satisfaction, though his expression remained impassive, his eyes revealing a hint of coldness.As the chief director stepping in personally, he needed to set an example for the other fledgling actors of the Hong Huang era.With just a glance, Li Chang Shou portrayed a villain who had been struck at his weak point and was slightly enraged by humiliation, performing it so vividly that even he almost believed it himself.

"Yang Jian, you should know that with just those words of yours, I could sentence you to death today."

Yang Jian remained silent, suppressing the urge to mock or curse.Such actions would only bring temporary satisfaction, unable to resolve his current predicament or save his mother.From the moment Tai Bai Jin Xing appeared, Yang Jian had felt an indescribable oppression, as if facing the entire sky itself.This pressure came from Tai Bai Jin Xing's own strength, his divine authority, and more so from the order he represented in the Hong Huang Three Realms.

It nearly suffocated him.

In that moment, countless curses flashed through Yang Jian's mind, but he suppressed his fury and anger, refusing to rage helplessly.

"Release my mother."

Li Chang Shou carefully analyzed the character Yang Jian was displaying and said indifferently: "Are you begging?"

"Yes," Yang Jian looked up at Li Chang Shou's figure, "I am begging. Let me take her place in imprisonment. Do with me as you will."

Li Chang Shou frowned slightly.He did not see Yang Jian's deep loyalty as adding any merit; instead, this act of exchanging himself for a hostage slightly diminished his impression.If he were in Yang Jian's position, facing the Heavenly Court, he would have no choice but to fight desperately.But beyond that, there were other options...What about the momentum he had built earlier?Seizing on the fact that the Heavenly Court did not want to provoke major powers, he could leverage his background as a Chan Jiao disciple—or even without that—to make a big issue, play on the theme, and pin the label of "abusing public office for private gain" on the Heavenly Court. He could use it to threaten them into allowing a visit to his mother, then split the mountain to save her. Once the deed was done, he could sway the sympathy of the Heavenly Court's immortals and gods, shifting the conflict to the Yu Di's absolute power of life and death over others, portraying his mother as a victim persecuted by the Yu Di, thus securing an unassailable position!

That would be the perfect response.

But Yang Jian had chosen to endure, suppressing his earlier anger and refusing to leverage any advantages. He was simply acting as a son trying to save his mother...

Well, everyone has a different temperament; he couldn't expect Yang Jian to be like him.

In his view, Yang Jian had failed.

Objectively, though, Yang Jian's actions still passed the threshold.

For a spirited young dao cultivator like him, the hardest thing to discard wasn't life itself, but the pride in his heart.

To save his mother, he had truly managed it.

The position of a Heavenly Court divine official should vary with each era. During the Heavenly Court's founding, he had balanced the forces; during its maintenance, the successor could have more responsibility and less balancing—it wouldn't be bad.

Unlike him, who was always thinking of laying escape routes, preparing to "delete his account and slip away" after the Feng Shen calamity.

Seeing Tai Bai Jin Xing remain silent, Yang Jian gave a self-mocking smile, about to speak.

Li Chang Shou said slowly: "In that case, I'll give you one chance. All troops, withdraw."

The surrounding dozens of heavenly generals responded in unison, and the gray clouds dispersed as the soldiers retreated one by one. The sky became clear and cloudless again.

Yang Jian's gaze flickered as he stared intently at the old immortal on the clouds.

Li Chang Shou said: "Yang Jian, for now, we'll set aside your father's matter. If you wish to save your mother, you must pay a price."

"What price?"

"Serve the Heavenly Court as a battle general."

Yang Jian froze, his eyes nearly exploding with fury.

Make him serve the killers of his father?

Tai Bai Jin Xing, truly a master of psychological torment—he was experiencing it fully!

Charge in, fight to the death, blood splattering five steps, soul shattering three feet!

The anger Yang Jian had barely suppressed surged again. He raised his spear to charge forward, but Li Chang Shou's eyes suddenly opened wide, a divine light flashing in them as his left hand pressed down toward Yang Jian.

Here, it was merely Li Chang Shou's incarnation.

Yang Jian reacted by raising his spear and leaping up, circulating the Ba Jiu Xuan Gong as his body shone with bright golden light. A red glow appeared on his forehead, his form like that of a war god!

A single spear to dominate the heavens and earth, striding across the Qian Kun as he pleased!

Battle...

But Yang Jian's airborne form was effortlessly slapped back onto the clouds!

Li Chang Shou's downward press with his left hand seemed to carry no force, yet when Yang Jian crashed onto the cloud path sealed by immortal power, ripples spread through the Qian Kun, circles of shockwaves rippling across the heavens and earth.

Many Heavenly Court immortals and gods witnessing this felt their hearts skip a beat.

The Yu Di's incarnation, Quan Dong, hiding in secret and observing, showed a look of surprise on his face.

Yu Ding Zhen Ren shook his head, nearly laughing out loud, while Yang Chan at his side almost cried out...

In contrast, a certain little immortal who had sneaked into the Tai Bai Hall was sitting in her senior brother's chair, watching this scene in a copper mirror, her eyes full of admiration.

When had her senior brother become so strong?

She had secretly seen it before—her nephew Yang Jian had charged through, defeating hundreds of thousands of soldiers, nearly turning a part of the East Sea into... well, not quite.

Anyway, Yang Jian's strength was already quite unexpected, but he was subdued so easily by her senior brother now.

Thinking of this, Ling E felt no joy; instead, she raised her hand to her forehead, feeling a wave of frustration.

The greater the gap with her senior brother, the closer he was to Yun Xiao Jie Jie.

Maybe she could ask her senior brother to plan a hundred-year cultivation path for her like Yang Jian's?

But nah, better not. Her senior brother was getting busier, so she'd just cultivate steadily, pass her Jin Xian tribulation peacefully, play some tunes for him, rub his shoulders, and copy scriptures when punished. That would be fine.

Just look—her senior uncle, who first expressed feelings for her senior brother, had been "exiled to the borderlands."

And her senior sister, who had some admiration for him, only dared to visit the Tai Bai Hall once every few years.

Being able to stay with her senior brother every day and play hide-and-seek with his true form was already pretty good.

Hmph, even Yun Xiao Jie Jie only saw him once every few decades...

With these complex thoughts, Ling E's long eyelashes fluttered as she watched Yang Jian slowly rise on the clouds. She casually picked up a plate of dried fruits and started munching.

At the East Heaven Gate, Yang Jian stood up, a hint of shock in his eyes as he looked up at Tai Bai Jin Xing on the clouds.

What startled him was the palm strike just now...

Ba Jiu Xuan Gong!

A perfected Ba Jiu Xuan Gong!

He had been utterly suppressed in terms of physical strength!

"The insights my master gave me—they were written by you!"

Li Chang Shou did not answer, only saying: "Surrender to the Heavenly Court, and I can give you a chance to save your mother."

Yang Jian's forehead glowed red as he stared intently at Li Chang Shou.

"It was you! The one pushing me from behind—it was you?"

"Enough nonsense."

Yang Jian immediately fell silent, his eyes growing more complex as he gazed at Li Chang Shou, suddenly understanding many of his past doubts.

Behind him, Princess Long Ji approached on clouds, while Ling Zhu Zi, clutching his left shoulder, drew near again.

Yang Jian said lowly: "Fight me."

"Oh?" Li Chang Shou suddenly perked up with interest.

Yang Jian stepped forward: "Fight me. If I lose, do with me as you will—my life belongs to the Heavenly Court!If you lose, release my mother, have the Heavenly Court issue a decree to clear my parents' names, and offer incense at my father's grave as an apology!"

"Yang Jian, how dare you!"

A sudden shout came from behind Li Chang Shou as Ao Yi rushed forward, pointing at Yang Jian and scolding:"Ungrateful and arrogant, even daring to challenge the Star Lord! Do you really think that if you weren't the Yu Di's nephew, the Star Lord would tolerate you this far?Star Lord, please allow me to fight this Yang Jian!"

Li Chang Shou showed a faint smile and said calmly: "Ao Yi, don't be hasty. Stand down."

"Yes!"

Ao Yi bowed his head in obedience, his face reluctant as he glared at Yang Jian before turning to leave.

Such masterful acting, truly worthy of the steady deputy teacher.

On the cloud path, Yang Jian furrowed his brows.

Li Chang Shou said: "Since you want to decide the future with a battle, why not?Yang Jian, today I specially permit you to enter the East Heaven Gate."

As he spoke, Li Chang Shou raised his right hand, and specks of starlight appeared before him, forming the shape of that immortal mountain beside the Yao Pond.

He gestured with his hand, guiding the mountain slowly forward. In an instant, it passed through layers of clouds, as if descending two levels of heaven.

Li Chang Shou said: "Today, I will lower the mountain imprisoning your mother to the sixth level of heaven.After entering the East Heaven Gate, head to the sixth level. I will arrange for three ordinary Heavenly Court warriors to fight you. You don't need to win all three—use schemes, tricks, or any means.As long as you reach the mountain, you win, and I'll give you the chance to save your mother. How about it?"

A hint of disappointment crossed Yang Jian's eyes, but he said firmly: "If I lose to any of them, I'll submit to your judgment."

"Good."

Li Chang Shou's figure slowly retreated, turning into a gentle breeze and vanishing.

Ahead, the East Heaven Gate stood wide open, its divine swords gone and guards absent, leaving only an empty cloud path like a deceptive gateway.

Yang Jian took a deep breath and strode inside.

Behind him, Princess Long Ji looked worried, while Ling Zhu Zi followed on clouds, his expression slightly gloomy.

Ling Zhu Zi hadn't been acting earlier—he had truly given his all...

Though both had great destinies, Ling Zhu Zi was clearly suppressed by Yang Jian's cultivation techniques, encounters, and the essence blood of the Zu Wu. He was defeated in just over a dozen exchanges.

It was truly frustrating.

These years, he had spent too much time playing with the Jade Rabbit, always falling just short of his Jin Xian tribulation.

Ahead, Yang Jian had barely entered the East Heaven Gate when his steps halted, for a small figure had bounced out in front.

Look at this person!

With twin ponytails, clad in silver silk armor, her slender arms and legs seeming frail, yet the two massive copper hammers she wielded exuded a terrifying aura.

It was Xiong Ling Li.

She swallowed the dried meat she had been chewing on and shouted coolly:"Junior warrior from before the Tai Bai Hall, let's exchange pointers!"

Yang Jian dared not underestimate her and bowed in return, sensing a familiar aura.

Another Ba Jiu Xuan Gong...

Indeed, all the benefits he had received and experiences over the years bore the shadow of Tai Bai Jin Xing.

Why?

Because he was the Yu Di's nephew?

Yang Jian cleared his mind of distractions and said calmly: "Please."

Xiong Ling Li exhaled, seeming a bit nervous. She suddenly exclaimed:"Huh? Master Yu Ding Zhen Ren, what are you doing here?"

Yang Jian was startled and turned to look behind him, only to hear a rush of wind from in front. He instinctively dodged sideways while raising his spear.

The spear clashed with the copper hammer, sending Yang Jian flying back!

Xiong Ling Li smirked triumphantly. "Hehe, the Star Lord said tricks are allowed."

With that, she leaped up with her hammers, chasing fiercely!

Yang Jian snorted coldly, flipped over, and counterattacked without holding back, his spear whistling like a dragon.

At full strength, Yang Jian soon overwhelmed Xiong Ling Li. She roared, her form suddenly expanding to thousands of feet tall. Her enlarged copper hammers suppressed the heavens, forcing Yang Jian into a desperate situation once more.

Bian Zhuang, who was secretly live-streaming via a copper mirror with permission from the Tai Bai Hall, watched and pondered.

This female warrior is impressive...

What principle is behind her armor? It doesn't even break?

In the Tai Bai Hall, Ling E's mouth twitched slightly, suddenly realizing she was the underachiever of Xiao Qiong Peak.

And at that immortal mountain, which had been moved in advance to the sixth level of heaven—Li Chang Shou's earlier gesture was just for show, to build his image as a master.

Li Chang Shou and Quan Dong hid in secret, watching the scene in the cloud mirror, both nodding in approval.

Quan Dong said: "My dear minister, you've put in so much effort, even cultivating such fierce warriors for me."

Li Chang Shou: ...

They're just on loan to the Heavenly Court—this is Xiao Qiong Peak's security captain!

Facing Xiong Ling Li in this state, Yang Jian, who had not yet cultivated Fa Xiang Tian Di, was not without a solution.

He used transformation techniques, turning into a great eagle and engaging in evasive combat around her. After half a shichen of intense fighting, he found her weak point and struck at her heel, finally bringing her down.

Xiong Ling Li teared up, reverting to her normal size and sitting on the ground, hugging her foot and crying out:"How can you fight like that? I didn't even step on your toes!"

Yang Jian felt a bit awkward, bowed, and then flew away with his head down.

But ahead, a voice rang out as Ao Yi appeared with his sword, surrounded by the shadow of a blue dragon.

Yang Jian and Ao Yi locked eyes, then without further words, the two figures vanished in a flash, engaging in a contest of Wu Clan combat skills against dragon techniques.

The battle raged fiercely, darkening the heavens and scattering the clouds.

Ao Yi was narrowly defeated, and Yang Jian passed once more, reaching the final guardian.

From the Feng Clan, child of Yuan Feng—the Golden-Winged Great Peng.

'Hasn't caught up yet?'

Before that solitary immortal mountain, Yang Jian, covered in blood, collapsed on the cloud path with his spear.

His body was riddled with terrifying claw marks, his Ba Jiu Xuan Gong breached for the first time.

From the start, Yang Jian realized this enemy far exceeded his expectations, not on the same level as the previous two opponents.

The Jin Peng bird...

Its strength vastly surpassed his own; they weren't even in the same category.

At first, it used a long spear infused with destructive dao rhymes to exchange a few moves, then casually put it away, smirking with contempt.

In the fierce battle, Yang Jian quickly fell into defeat. His immortal sense couldn't track the Jin Peng's movements at all; the path ahead was pure despair.

At such speed, if his Ba Jiu Xuan Gong were perfected, perhaps he could face it head-on.

But now, he was still far from that.

Yet, just as Yang Jian was about to give up, seeing that immortal mountain, he charged toward it recklessly, letting the Jin Peng attack as it wished. He channeled all his strength into advancing, pushing his Ba Jiu Xuan Gong to its limit.

The first half was a clash between Ba Jiu Xuan Gong and the Jin Peng's claws;

The latter half... seemed a collision of wills, seeing who would break first.

But Yang Jian knew he had lost.

The opponent didn't want to kill him; otherwise, a few exchanges would have torn his dao body apart.

Why...

'If not for being the Yu Di's nephew.'

Yes, it was this background he had been avoiding—this origin that gave him everything yet left him unable to resist.

Because he was the Yu Di's nephew, with great destiny and a Daoist disciple's identity, the Heavenly Court was grooming him, and his master was cooperating.

Every training expedition was arranged flawlessly, his master's jade talisman guiding the way.

Even the long spear in his hand, the little dog turned jade pendant in his embrace, and that mysteriously obtained essence blood of the Zu Wu.

All of it was given by the Heavenly Court.

And now, defying the Heavenly Court's will...

Yang Jian suddenly suspected that every move he made today had been calculated and arranged.

The most despairing thing wasn't facing hardship or death;

It was realizing that every breath was under Tai Bai Jin Xing's control.

All because he was the Yu Di's nephew.

So be it.

Yang Jian's legs gave way, and he collapsed on the clouds, just a hundred zhang from the mountain's edge.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng had already vanished, and distant shadows of immortals and gods appeared, all watching Yang Jian.

Was this the end?

Not yet.

Yang Jian's body trembled as he slowly, firmly, rose again. His wounds had scabbed over, with Ba Jiu Xuan Gong desperately maintaining his flesh unharmed.

He looked at the mountain before him, took a deep breath, and poured his last strength into the three-pointed, double-edged spear. He charged forward, spear raised, ready to split the mountain and...

"Jian Er!"

A sobbing call made Yang Jian freeze.

He turned toward the sound and saw a cave at the front of the mountain. A gentle figure stood there, tears in her eyes, blocked by a light barrier.

"Mother..."

Yang Jian's pale lips trembled in disbelief, and he dropped his spear, smashing through the light barrier with ease.

He lunged toward the cave entrance but fell into a cloud of mist. Scenes flashed before his eyes, rapidly unfolding and imprinting on his heart...

In the Ling Xiao Hall, Tai Bai Jin Xing reported on Yun Hua Xian Zi's descent, and the Yu Di ordered her arrest and trial.

The scene shifted: In the Yang residence, Yun Hua Xian Zi was taken away submissively, but two heavenly soldiers suddenly attacked. In a flash, that familiar figure appeared before Yun Hua Xian Zi and her children, blocking the assault.

It was still Tai Bai Jin Xing, but here he shattered two paper figures.

The scene changed again: In the Ling Xiao Hall, Tai Bai Jin Xing coldly requested to imprison Yun Hua Xian Zi at the Yao Pond, then turned to an immortal elder and said:'You've gone too far, Shibo.'

The elder sneered and, without warning, turned into a pool of black water. The Yu Di on the throne raged.

Interwoven with these were unrelated scenes:

A sneaky figure entering the Yin Yuan Hall;At a banquet, an immortal elder spreading rumors about the Yu Di's sister descending and bearing children;In a lavish immortal palace, his mother's back at a dressing table, with a black mist beside her...

Scheming, maneuvering, choices...

The images in Yang Jian's eyes froze on a desolate mountain, where Yun Hua Xian Zi stood blankly under a jade tree, as if soulless...

Shibo... Shibo? Shibo!

Yang Jian clenched his fists tightly. The mist before his eyes dissipated, revealing that face he had dreamed of countless times.

"Jian Er!"

Yun Hua Xian Zi rushed forward, nearly knocking him over, hugging him tightly and channeling strands of immortal energy into his depleted body.

"You foolish child, why put yourself through this? Mother is fine... Mother has always been fine."

Yang Jian opened his mouth but couldn't speak, a tear sliding from the corner of his eye as his clenched fists relaxed, hanging limply at his sides.

A moment later, he said: "Mother, please let go of me for now."

Yun Hua Xian Zi subconsciously released the now unfamiliar young man, immediately realizing something, and pleaded:"Jian Er, don't do anything rash. The schemes in this world are too many..."

Yang Jian pressed his lips together, silent, bowed before Yun Hua Xian Zi, then stood and looked around.

"Tai Bai Jin Xing, you arranged for me to come here, and I came! You arranged for me to cultivate Ba Jiu Xuan Gong, and I did! Now I'm standing here—what exactly do you want me to do?"

A soft sigh came from the clouds, and Li Chang Shou's voice echoed as two streams of light—one red, one gold—flew toward Yang Jian and landed before him.

"Previously, your cultivation path was entirely in my control because I was following the Yu Di's orders to protect you, with no ulterior motives.Your origin is just your origin—don't blame it.From now on, your path is yours to choose.The gold one is a Nine-Turn Golden Pill to heal your wounds and replenish your losses. Take it, become a Heavenly Court battle general, and don't inquire further into these schemes—they're beyond your reach.The red one is the essence blood of Di Jiang Zu Wu... Do as you wish, but the Heavenly Court won't cover for you."

Without hesitation, Yang Jian reached for the red essence blood, popped it into his mouth, and bursts of bloody flames erupted from his body, blood qi soaring like smoke!

He glanced toward the west, gripped his spear to move forward, but paused, looking up at where the pill and blood had come from.

Thank you.

Yang Jian's voice caught slightly, then he dove downward, blood light surging through his body, blood patterns appearing on his face.

Ling Shan!

Western Cult!