Chapter 1 Japan's Plan

Along the coast of Japan, after experiencing all kinds of unexpected situations, Ieyasu, Terumoto, and Nagamasa finally led their remaining troops back to their homeland. However, Takatora Todo and the others did not return. Ieyasu waited for a period of time along the coast, reorganizing his forces, until a week had passed.

Takatora Todo and Honda, it seemed, were truly dead.

"The divine artifacts were not recovered, what a pity."

Ieyasu was still grateful to Takatora Todo in his heart, after all, he had initially saved him from fire and water. However, in the end, Todo was too confident in his combat power with two divine artifacts, and it was normal for him to be wiped out by the Ming army. The loss of the divine artifacts was all because Takatora Todo didn't listen to his command.

"The Kanpaku hasn't sent anyone to meet us, is it possible that he didn't receive the message?"

Mori Terumoto noticed that seven days had passed, and no one had come from the direction of Kyoto. He couldn't help but feel suspicious. He had previously heard that Osaka had been defeated, could it be that Hideyoshi had actually died, but claimed to still be alive to the outside world?

"Could it be that he's dead."

Kuroda Nagamasa narrowed his eyes, on the verge of defecting on the spot.

If Hideyoshi was really dead, then the world would be like a return to the Warring States period.

"Nonsense."

Just as the rebellious thoughts arose, a burst of laughter came from not far away from them. The three of them suddenly felt horrified, and saw a eunuch-like figure with a face as pale as if painted with powder, with a pointed mouth and monkey cheeks. They thought it was some kind of monkey demon, but upon closer inspection, wasn't that Hideyoshi himself?

None of the three noticed when he had appeared here, but their survival instincts made them rush forward and kneel down to beg for forgiveness.

Before they could even say the clichéd words about committing seppuku to apologize,

Hideyoshi had already comforted the three: "Why do you all speak of sins? The defeat in this battle was due to immortals, not mortals, and due to insufficient national strength, not cowardly generals."

"I already knew that this battle would be lost, so I sent a letter to you all agreeing to withdraw the troops, please rise."

Seeing that Hideyoshi didn't have the gloomy face they had imagined, or was furious, but was instead very amiable, the three of them were confused, but immediately took the opportunity and stood up.

"Everything that could be taken has already been taken, the nation's fortune has already been obtained, and half the life of Korea is in our hands. You have done well enough to be famous throughout the world and recorded in history."

Ieyasu then spoke: "Kanpaku, Takatora Todo covered our retreat, leading three thousand sailors to hold the rear. Now, after seven days without hearing from him, I am afraid he has been killed by the Ming army, and he had two Dragon Ball artifacts in his hand... I am afraid they also..."

"Divine artifacts are nothing. The fact that you are still alive, what do divine artifacts matter? As long as you are not dead, we will still have a chance to fight again."

Hideyoshi smiled.

"Fight... fight again?"

Mori Terumoto's expression changed slightly upon hearing Hideyoshi's words, and he quickly cupped his fists, offering words of dissuasion: "Your Highness, the country's strength has been exhausted, does it really have to come to a point where there is not even a rooster crowing for a thousand miles, and bones are exposed in the wilderness, before this war can be considered over?"

"Hundreds of thousands of our soldiers and civilians have lost their lives in foreign lands. Even the souls of the dead soldiers can return to our Yellow Springs, but people cannot come back to life after death. The dead are really dead, and they will not stand up again. If we continue to fight, I am afraid that the whole world will rebel!"

Although Mori Terumoto also had rebellious intentions, Hideyoshi's words about fighting again really frightened him.

He was lucky enough not to die this time. Next time, wouldn't he have to become the commander-in-chief? That would be like tying his head to the military flag, just waiting for someone to come and take it!

Enough is enough! If we keep fighting, I don't know if I'll even have a life left! If that's the case, I might as well defect now.

Hideyoshi was stunned by the words, but then he laughed instead of getting angry. While laughing loudly, he comforted Mori Terumoto:

"There is no need to be so afraid. The next great war will still take a long time, and we also need to prepare carefully. Now, the poison left over from the Warring States period has already been scattered in Korea, and only the essence accumulated over the years remains on our homeland."

"Everyone, feel this new Japan! Although it is now scarred and devastated, in the near future, both Korea and the Ming Dynasty will crawl at our feet!"

The three of them were still at a loss, but the Tokugawa Ieyasu, who knew more information, suddenly showed a shocked expression, and after a few moments of silence, tentatively asked:

"Could it be that the Divine Kingdom... is complete?"

Hideyoshi smiled: "Although the Ming Dynasty's immortals crossed the sea and destroyed many important places, and also sacrificed many fake immortals to maintain the operation of the Divine Kingdom, fortunately, Korea's national fortune has filled these potholes in time, and the disasters that have existed since ancient times have also been eliminated with the help of the Ming Dynasty's immortals."

"Emperor Jimmu has already made all the preparations."

The destruction of Peach Blossom Spring, the place of origin of the gods, returned to the Divine Kingdom, but instead became the most important puzzle piece. Ji Xiang's actions allowed Japan to turn misfortune into blessing, and what it suffered was only temporary pain.

The war was not going to end so quickly, it was merely a temporary truce.

"The fortune of one country cannot complete the Divine Kingdom, so the fortune of a second country needs to be integrated. It was originally difficult to seize the fortune of the Ming Dynasty, so we plundered the fortune of Korea to make up for ourselves. Next, we will attack Ryukyu. Although it is a small island nation, if it is attached to the Ming Dynasty, seizing it will also be a powerful help."

"The fortunes of three countries, combined into one, can achieve the true goal of the Divine Kingdom's ascension."

"Once the Divine Kingdom is completed, we will no longer need to pursue the Dao of Heaven."

"We will replace the Dao of Heaven! And then, govern the world on behalf of Heaven! All that we do will be like the decree of Heaven, and the world must not disobey!"

————

In the northern mountains of Korea, the Heavenly Gate opened, and Ji Xiang returned to the human world from the Upper Realm.

"It should have been a relatively long time..."

Time is unknown in the heavens. Ji Xiang spent a lot of time refining the Shidao Heavenly Demon army, so that nearly half of the time of the Solar Transformation had passed. Now there are still more than 160 days left, and his own realm has been raised to a very high level!

Boom!

The surging blood energy turned into a storm, and the mountains and rivers shook for a moment. All the sand and dust settled, and all the clouds in the sky were driven away for hundreds of miles.

In terms of realm, he has been promoted to the Xiantian realm.

During the three hundred days of the Solar Transformation, those who have not reached the level of Pure Yang will have their realm slowly increase from the moment the Solar Transformation begins. After breaking through from Yuanshen to Huangting, entering Xiantian from Huangting, twelve years of time are suppressed to thirty-six days, and these thirty-six days are also extremely dangerous "death days".

Death and Dao annihilation are at this time.

But Ji Xiang had already taken the Seven Treasures Yellow Lotus, not only safely passing the "Thirty-Six Days of Death", but even successfully compressing the advancement time of the thirty-six days, and even relying on the power of the Buddha Sword, he merged several types of powerful auras, and gave birth to the marrow of the Heaven and Earth Heavenly Root.

Having crossed the threshold from Huangting to the Xiantian realm, there is nothing to be restrained by afterwards! The aura of Xiantian continues to rise, and he will soon break through the Refinement God realm, and then enter the Pure Yang realm at the peak of the human world!

Ji Xiang sensed the surrounding mountains and rivers, and the aura of living beings on hundreds of miles of land could be discovered at will.

A special aura, like a demon but not a demon, like a cultivator but not a cultivator, appeared very clearly in Ji Xiang's perception.

"Who is it?"

Ji Xiang did not go there openly, but concealed his aura. However, due to the great movement of the Heavenly Gate descending to the world, including the Xiantian realm aura released just now, it seemed to have alarmed these inexplicable existences. Their aura remained in place without any movement, as if they were dead. Only the vigorous vitality was still telling Ji Xiang that those who exuded these strange auras were not wooden or clay sculptures of gods.

Ji Xiang turned into a shadow, hidden in the mountains and rivers, and not discovered by anyone.

.........

"What was that feeling just now? Xiantian realm? Does Korea have such a powerful existence?"

"What is the Xiantian realm? We are all at the Xiantian level. In this battle between Korea and Japan, three capitals were lost and eight provinces fell in less than a month. Those Hwarangdo cultivators who used to rely on the national power and protection of the Great Ming in Korea, were like chickens and dogs in front of those fake immortals in Japan, and they were defeated at the first touch. Now even their corpses have been turned to ashes."

"That's right... even if the Xiantian enters the battlefield, it won't be able to save the situation. It is said that the true immortals of Wudang Mountain entered Korea and killed those fake immortals? That's really amazing. Wudang Mountain hides so deeply. Fortunately, they didn't fall out with the imperial court..."

"It's that Daoist Master. He made a lot of noise in the area east of Mount Tai before. Nurhaci was killed by him. I wonder if it has anything to do with Zhou Sheng, who broke into the mountain last time."

"I don't think so. What is Zhou Sheng? He is a monster of heaven and earth transformed from black qi. In ancient times, he belonged to a fierce monster that was naturally born and transformed, and was destined by heaven to add disasters to the human world. People who become immortals are afraid of this kind of thing and avoid it, so how can they take the initiative to get involved?"

"By the way, speaking of the Hwarangdo of Korea, those who have cultivated to a high level should have entered the Inner Mountains and Rivers and belong to a part of the Taoist sect, right?"

"That's right. During the Tang Dynasty, Taoism brought the land of Korea under its control, spreading its teachings. There is even a legend that the first ancestor of the immortals of Eastern Korea, True Man Hwanin, was a disciple of Immortal Mingyou, a disciple's grandson of Guangchengzi. The Hwarangdo is also called the Immortal Dao, but there have not been many immortals in the past dynasties. In addition to the Eastern Patriarch Hwanin, there are also the Three Immortals of Silla, Choi Seung-koo, Kim Keo-gi, and Monk Ja-hye, and Kim Iwam, the ancestor of the Dungeon Yuan Stream. However, it is said that he later ran to Japan and opened the Dungeon Method Stream, and ninjas emerged..."

"The Buddhist sect also fought in Korea for a period of time. Although it converted a few princes, it did not have much influence on the Andong Protectorate. Who can those Silla princes look up to? So, seeing that Korea was difficult to obtain benefits from, and with the existence of the Andong Protectorate at that time, and the Li Tang's advocacy of Taoism, they could only continue to advance eastward and spread their teachings to Japan. Although it is now impacted by other religions, it can be regarded as deeply rooted in Buddhism, and has been integrated into Japanese culture."

"Later immortals also include the First Lord of the Sea East. It is said that the daughter of an emperor of the Song Dynasty died and her soul wandered to Korea and became the Peach Mountain God. I don't know how the souls of the people of Bianliang can run to Korea."

"There is also Xue Rengui. It is said that he was too fierce in attacking Goguryeo, and the people of Goguryeo even went to worship him. And this attack on Goguryeo was a request from Silla to Emperor Taizong of Tang, so the people of Silla also enshrined him as a evil spirit, which has been passed down to the present Korea."

"Oh... Master Huang... is very clear about these things?"

"That's right, it's not that I, the old man, am bragging to you... I can know everything about the world without leaving my house."

"Speaking of not leaving your house, didn't you come to Korea now? Did you come with Shuerhazi?"

"The old master isn't here to borrow the national fortune! Haha! The kind that has no return!"

"Bah! You little fellow of the Gray Clan, don't talk nonsense, your voice is too loud! This can't be said! If Shuerhazi hears it and reports it to Shuntian, I'm afraid we will all suffer! Emperor Kaitian Hongsheng can't stop the true immortals of Longhu Mountain!"

Dong dong, the crutch tapped lightly on the stone, and the surrounding laughter instantly subsided. To outsiders, the conversation just now was nothing more than the sounds of foxes, snakes, and mice. The words of wild animals in the mountains will not be known to the human race.

"Shamanism can't support the sky of Changbai Mountain, let alone the Eternal Heaven of the Tatars. Those old wizards should be buried in the ground. From the prairie to the White Mountains and Black Waters, it has been like this for thousands of years. It is time to change. Only by changing can we protect ourselves in the coming turmoil."

"We want to start a great religion! The national fortune of the Great Ming cannot be borrowed or dare not be borrowed. Taking advantage of Japan's attack on Korea, and coming here openly with Shuerhazi to help, we can borrow a little national fortune and make our divine positions the orthodoxy of Korea, and then slowly turn them into the gods of the Great Ming."

The old man, wearing earth-yellow clothes and with a long beard, had white spots in his pupils and looked skinny. At this time, he was standing in the mountains, with a small earthen mound in front of him, built of stones, looking strangely like a formation, with fire seeming to spew out of it, as if it was burning something.

A group of demon cultivators wearing robes gathered around him, but due to years of consuming incense, they were half-demon and half-god, so that their aura was mixed and could not be clearly distinguished.

"I have lived from the Balhae Kingdom to the present. What haven't I seen?"

"Don't say that, the old man has really never seen the great event twenty years from now! If we can't resist it, we will all be skinned and boned and used as medicinal materials for people to refine pills! As for relying on the imperial court, it is better to rely on ourselves. Guanwai is a tributary area. Killing Nurhaci to deter Shuerhazi is a good move by the imperial court, but for us, it is not a good thing."

"That Zhou Sheng is working for the Eternal Heaven Palace, he is a member of the Taoist sect. When the righteous path is not declining, we cannot rise. That's the truth. Now, borrowing the national fortune of Korea to protect ourselves, and waiting for the righteous path to decline and fight to the death with those old thieves in the Inner Mountains and Rivers, the era of our rise will come."

Master Huang shook his head, then looked at the heat, reached out and took out a divine position from the grave-like thing. The incense on this divine position was brilliant, illuminating all directions, and he covered it with his long sleeves, suppressing the brilliance.

"You little things, you haven't seen the scene of the earth shattering. How prosperous was the Great Tang, and in the end, didn't the capital fall six times and the emperor flee nine times? Now you are laughing and treating these things as stories."

"Is that so? Then tell this seat some of these stories?"

The sudden voice instantly made all the laughter in the mountains disappear.

Master Huang turned his head in an instant, and a great demonic aura erupted from him, accompanied by bursts of divine power and the might of incense!

However, the next moment,

A monstrous demonic energy shattered all his demonic, divine, and incense power! Like a vast ocean, it enveloped him!

Master Huang instantly broke out in a cold sweat!

He was locked in the whirlpool of demonic energy, unable to move as if falling into an abyss. Looking at the man in black standing not far away, he was the greatest "Demon King" in the world at this moment!

"Xiantian... no, you are a Pure Yang level demon!"

The Xiantian realm has a deceptive nature, but this vast demonic energy is definitely not something that Xiantian can bear. Therefore, the level comparable to Pure Yang emerged in his mind, but Master Huang's exclamation made Ji Xiang laugh:

"What is a demon?"

"I am a Heavenly Demon!"

Then, with a wave of his hand, a large rock nearby was taken and turned into a stone chair in the air, falling behind Master Huang.

Ji Xiang waved his hand again, and a voice like a thunderbolt from the Nine Heavens shook the world!

"Sit!"

Bang! Master Huang's crutch fell to the ground, and his body was out of control, and he suddenly sat on the stone chair!