Rumble!
Accompanying a loud noise that only a Dao Chaser could hear, the [Sea of Bitterness] opened wide. Lu Yang, bringing Patriarch Nether Whisper and [Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon], returned to reality.
Upon landing, Lu Yang looked up.
It was late at night. In the pitch-black sky, a bright moon hung high, curved like a smile, as if someone was smiling down at him, making him feel a wave of discomfort.
What should he do next?
Although [Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon]'s strength had greatly improved and his own trump card was in place, his situation had become worse and more confusing.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang deployed the [Righteous Dao Banner].
Immediately following, a figure walked out from it, looking at Lu Yang with eyes full of fervor. The next second after appearing, he knelt on the ground with a plop:
"Greetings, My Lord!"
Lu Yang hurriedly reached out to lift him up in the air. "Fellow Daoist Banshan, why perform such a great ceremony? Polite, you're too polite! Please rise quickly; you truly make me feel unworthy."
Before, Banshan would have risen with the flow. However, now he had figured it out. Therefore, not only did he not rise, but he became even more respectful: "Please give your orders, My Lord. Banshan will definitely do his utmost to achieve them. I only beg My Lord to give Banshan a trace of opportunity to Attain the Dao in the future..."
After speaking, he looked at Lu Yang eagerly.
After all, facts speak louder than words. Just now, Wu Daoxuan, a mid-tier Unorthodox perfected lord in the Unorthodox Alliance, whose strength was even inferior to him—
And the result?
He is now a noble Orthodox Lord!
Thinking of this, Banshan was mad with envy. An Orthodox Immortal Lord... He really, really dreamed of being an Orthodox Immortal Lord. He wanted it so badly!
Seeing this, Lu Yang could only wave his hand:
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. If I have a bite of meat to eat, you'll all have a mouthful of soup to drink. Given time, I'll definitely lead everyone to prosperity. Everyone will have an orthodox position!"
Banshan was immediately overjoyed: "Many thanks, my lord!"
If it were someone else, he would still scoff. But Lu Yang had a successful case. Since this big pie was drawn, he believed Lu Yang could make it!
Seeing that morale was high, Lu Yang nodded and continued, "Fellow Daoist was previously the Unorthodox Alliance Leader. I wonder if you have been to the upper layers of the Celestial Court?"
Banshan was stunned upon hearing this, then nodded. "Although not permanent resident... but if I have to say, I have been there. But not me, it was my great-grandfather. He integrated all Unorthodox perfected lords at that time, unified the currency, and issued the Unorthodox Immortal Talisman, thus receiving an audience with the upper layers."
"Is there a record?" Lu Yang asked.
"No." Banshan sighed. "The upper layers do not allow any records to be brought to the lower layers, so information about the upper layers is only passed down by word of mouth in my lineage."
"Then tell me about it."
Lu Yang formed a hand seal. The [Righteous Dao Banner] instantly surged with vast purple qi, which then transformed into objects like a tea pavilion, tables, and chairs. Several people took their seats one by one.
Banshan didn't hide anything either and said straightforwardly, "According to my great-grandfather's description, the upper layers, which are above the sixth layer of the Celestial Court, are essentially one body!"
"In other words, except for the ninth layer, the sixth, seventh, and eighth layers are actually all in one space. Although there are differences in high and low positions, the gap is far less than that between the first and second layers below. Compared to the gap between our fifth and sixth layers, it can be regarded as one continent."
Lu Yang nodded. "Then above the sixth layer, how many immortal lords are there?"
"Not sure."
Banshan shook his head. "There are actually many changes in the upper layers. Immortal lords rise and fall. The immortal lords of my great-grandfather's generation may not necessarily be alive now."
"However..."
Speaking of this, Banshan seemed to think of something and said, "My great-grandfather also said that above the sixth layer, there are only four lords who will never fall."
As soon as these words came out, Lu Yang instantly narrowed his eyes.
Never fall?
Middle Stage Immortal Lord!
"Tell me in detail, which four?"
"They are Immortal Lord Duxuan who holds the [Sun and Moon Realm], Immortal Lord Tianshu who resides in [Pure Heaven], Immortal Lord Yanxiu who possesses the [Dharma Teaching Land], and Immortal Lord Mingtang who founded the [Spiritual Mechanism Hall]."
Banshan said in a deep voice, "It is said that they have all reached the realm where they view immortal talismans as dirt..."
[Financial Freedom]!
Lu Yang stroked his chin upon hearing this. If he would have been bluffed by these words before, now he had a deeper understanding of them.
The Celestial Court's Middle Stage Immortal Lords and Early Stage Immortal Lords are probably not the same concept.
Early Stage Immortal Lords were essentially similar to Unorthodox cultivators like Banshan, all relying on the [Money] concept to buy and sell dao fruits. Their cultivation was like rootless water.
However, Middle Stage Immortal Lords were different.
Immortal talismans themselves are just waste paper. It is the means of production behind them that endow them with value... This is the true meaning of [Financial Freedom].
Simply put:
The Celestial Court's Middle Stage Immortal Lords didn't achieve the Middle Stage because of [Financial Freedom], but because they were Middle Stage Immortal Lords themselves, mastering massive amounts of means of production, which allowed them to achieve [Financial Freedom]... So they are definitely not straw bags like the Early Stage Immortal Lords!
Lu Yang quickly clarified his thoughts:
Initially, or rather during the Thousand-Year Great Tribulation five thousand years ago, the [Money] dao fruit should not have appeared yet. The Celestial Court was still like the Immortal Nexus.
However, after the Thousand-Year Great Tribulation, everything changed.
The Supreme Dao Fruit Immortal Lord of the Celestial Court, that Taiyang Immortal Lord, was slain. Then Immortal Venerable Taiyin turned out to rule the Celestial Court with the [Money] dao fruit.
At that time, the Celestial Court should still have had some Middle Stage Immortal Lords who achieved success through the normal path.
But after that, Immortal Venerable Taiyin ruled the world. During this period, some inevitably fell, some surrendered, and finally, the current pattern of the nine layers of the Celestial Court was formed.
And those ancient Middle Stage Immortal Lords also transformed one after another, packaging their realm with [Financial Freedom].
This is a pit!
Lu Yang sighed in his heart:
Those Early Stage Immortal Lords are still foolishly earning money, thinking that having more money can achieve [Financial Freedom]. In fact, it is simply impossible!
Because immortal talismans would depreciate, and the fluctuation of the exchange rate was just a word from those Middle Stage Immortal Lords. The current rules of the Celestial Court were set by them.
Under their rules, how could anyone surpass them?
This set of methods... is simply the Saint Sect's three-step approach. Forcibly turning the Celestial Court into this state, the path to the Middle Stage is blocked, almost completely abolished!
Middle Stage Immortal Lords sit high above, making rules.
But so what?
The foundation of immortal talismans lay solely with Immortal Venerable Taiyin. To put it bluntly, this Saint Sect Senior Sister turned the entire Celestial Court Great World into her pasture!
Harming all living beings to supplement one person.
Very much like a Saint Sect!
Lu Yang shook his head, then flicked his sleeves and stood up, putting away the [Righteous Dao Banner], and said solemnly, "Fellow Daoist, prepare yourself. I'll take you to the upper layers."
He decided.
He was going to this ninth layer of the Celestial Court!
Hiding is unavoidable. Might as well face the difficulties head-on. In this life, master as much intelligence as possible. Even if I die, it will definitely be useful for the next life.
The [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] was Lu Yang's greatest confidence.
With this thought, Lu Yang looked up at the layers above the sixth layer of the Celestial Court. Suddenly, he frowned slightly... Before seeing the [Sea of Bitterness], he didn't feel anything wrong.
However, after seeing the [Sea of Bitterness], the originally ordinary sixth layer suddenly underwent an inexplicable change in his eyes. It was like brushing away a layer of thin gauze, allowing him to re-examine the upper layers of the Celestial Court from a more "real" angle... Gradually, Lu Yang's expression changed.
Why does this sixth layer look like a face?
Yes! A face!
The more Lu Yang looked, the more it resembled one. That was a broad face, overlooking below the sixth layer of the Celestial Court just like that, carrying a chilling sense of treacherousness.
Whose face?
Dao Lord!
After the nameless Dao Lord died, his corpse opened up the Celestial Court... Therefore, above the sixth layer of the Celestial Court—up to the ninth layer—was probably formed by the head of the nameless Dao Lord!
(End of Chapter)