Longevity Chronicles
Chapter 422 - 292: Eighteen Righteous Armies Excavate the Imperial Mausoleum, the Centipede Dies But Never Falls Stiff_2

"After the event, the National Salvation Congress announced that they would invite the Hidden Sect of Ancient Daoist, which once stood alongside the Taishang Dao and Spirit Treasure Sect, to protect Demon City while also calling for independence in all seventy-two provinces. They invited each to send a representative to Demon City to discuss the great matter of saving the country and the world through Human Dao."

...

"Following closely behind, Qiantang Province declared independence. Its governor, the Great Governor Cheng Arhat, who was appointed by the court, was a great warlord controlling hundreds of thousands of formidable troops, many of whom were trained by the significant Buddhist Sect, Han Mountain Temple, and had remarkable combat capabilities."

"This man, aware of the Yang Sui Uprising, executed twenty-one princes of the current dynasty, King Qiantang Zhu Xian, and expelled thirty-one thousand individuals bearing the surname Zhu from the province."

"Upon declaring the independence of Qiantang, he did not abolish the imperial system but declared he did not recognize the national title and intended to establish a new 'Earthly Buddha Country' where he would rule as king. He planned to govern the millions of people in the province with Sublime Dharma from the Buddhist sects."

"Perhaps for the sake of gaining momentum, Cheng Arhat, besides broadcasting nationwide, also sent messages to large Buddhist Sects such as Great Freedom Temple, Great Reincarnation Temple, and Vajra Temple, requesting their profound monks to come to Qiantang and assist him."

"All the temples refused this man."

"Unexpectedly, on that day, a monk visited, claiming to be a senior monk of the Demon Buddha Temple, Kongchan Arhat, and swiftly persuaded him."

"The Earthly Buddha Country remained established, only the national religion was changed to that of the Demon Buddha Temple."

"Feeling abandoned, Han Mountain Temple attempted to assassinate Cheng Arhat, but Demon Buddha Temple mobilized overnight. Within a few hours, they repelled the monks of Han Mountain, forcing this five hundred-year-old Buddhist Temple to permanently relocate from Qiantang Province."

...

"Bai Yue Province responded to the call of the National Salvation Congress and declared independence."

"Its governor, called Shen Longting, was not a warlord but an official appointed by the court."

"This man, after learning about the shocking events and secrets in both Demon City and Yang Sui, was extremely angry with the actions of the Zhu Dynasty. He declared a revolt on the spot and, under the persuasion of a Hidden Cultivator from the Primordial Sect, joined the National Salvation Congress, requesting the Primordial Sect to send heroes and cultivators to discuss the approach for saving the country and the world."

...

"Southern Yue declared independence, now governed by the Infant Sect."

"Originally trapped outside, part of the 'infant spirits' returned overnight and slaughtered all the devils and ghosts within Southern Yue."

"They also declared unwelcome any member of the Zhu Dynasty or previous imperial families, with trespassers facing death without mercy."

...

"Fumin Province declares independence!"

"This province saw the emergence of three new armies of righteous heroes who swiftly conquered the province, each backed by significant forces such as the Shenxiao Sect, Daughter Country, and Guanyin Temple."

"Each force was immensely powerful. Initially intent on conflict, they decided to unite and co-govern after mediation by Daughter Country."

...

While there were many significant events he was informed of one by one,

The true state of being confined in the sky couldn't be changed by knowing the world's affairs without leaving home.

Fortunately, he had his own source of entertainment—watching his enemies' misfortune.

The heart of Master Tao was never big.

"On the fifth day of hanging the sky lantern, a total of twenty-one provinces had abolished the imperial system and national title."

"The forces under the alchemist such as the Changchun Society, Peddler Sect, and Thousand Tomb Sect, which were all lower-class powers, were almost entirely eradicated."

"Loss of eleven Saint Heirs."

"This feeling is truly indescribable, hehe."

Tao Qian burst into laughter with this thought, and that laughter caused trouble.

The extreme joy led to sorrow, as for the entire next day, no more provinces followed.

Contrarily, the next morning, a shocking piece of bad news suddenly arrived.

Accompanied by a tremendously majestic surge of Human Dao Fortune, what Tao Qian heard wasn't some new province abolishing the imperial system.

It was another matter, quite bizarre but utterly rational upon closer thought.

"Urgent news! Urgent news!"

"A national urgent report, all seventy-two provinces must be informed."

"Just last night, in Fengtian Province, the great warlord Zhang Mazi, in alliance with the Great Governor of Desert North Province, Yelü Lushan, the great warlord of Ancient Yu Province, Song Tiecheng, the warlord of Qilu Province, Wu Shaozu, the Great Governor of Youliao Province, Ma Xiaoning, the warlord of Wujiang Province, Guo Zhanlong, and others totaling eighteen armies, attacked the Imperial City together."

"Despite the terrifying foundation of the Zhu Dynasty, and the horrifying Forbidden Techniques, the defense of the Imperial City was still breached overnight."

"The Eighteen Righteous Armies first captured the entire Zhu Royal Family within the Imperial City and then stormed into the Imperial Mausoleum, encountering a terrifying attack within the Zhu Imperial Mausoleum."

"As mentioned in the Yang Sui Uprising, Emperor Zhu Shizong, also known as Zhu Rizhao, had Mutated into a Demon God-like existence, devouring hundreds of thousands of troops and killing tens of thousands of Daoist and Buddhist Practitioners. Only after the selfless battle waged by the rebel soldiers was the Fallen Demon Zhu Rizhao finally eradicated."

"From this, the truth emerged."

"After all, everything was due to Zhu Rizhao."

"In his early years, he obtained a Demon from the Outer Realm called 'All Techniques Dharma True Demon Devouring Fortune Treasure Pearl.' By relying on this treasure, Zhu Rizhao was able to murder the Founding Emperor of the Zhu Dynasty and then leech off the blood of all the people in the Longevity Heavenly Dynasty from that day on, thereby continuously experiencing prosperity and longevity."

"The so-called Alchemist was also an organization established under his command, intentionally taking the name of the organization founded by the Ancestor Emperor in ancient times."

"At its root, this disaster was caused by the ambition of Zhu Rizhao and that Demon, irrelevant to the dynasty name or the imperial system."

Tao Qian only learned of these reports, which had spread throughout the seventy-two provinces, thanks to the convenience afforded by the Human Dao Destiny."

"And within these seventy-two provinces, the billions of people received even more direct information."

"The so-called Eighteen Righteous Armies, their process of attacking the Imperial City, the Imperial Mausoleum, the truths they unearthed, and the horrific scenes of battling 'Demon God Zhu Rizhao,' were meticulously recorded and then spread to each province, each city through various transcendental means."

"It was divided into nine chapters and eighty-one episodes, being broadcast repeatedly everywhere."

"The foundation of the Alchemist Organization was thus revealed unmistakably."

"Shaken?"

"Yes, at least half, that is, two to three billion people, were compelled to waver in the face of 'irrefutable evidence.'"

"Originally, public sentiment had been boiling in rage."

"But it oddly cooled down."

"Even from his high position in the sky, Tao Qian was able to faintly hear discussions and arguments from various provinces, cities, taverns, or high council chambers due to the mysteries of the fortune within him."

" 'So, that's the truth, how abominable Zhu Rizhao is. He deserves to die.'"

" 'This lines up, that Heavenly Destiny Emperor Zhu Yong must have been deceived by his own ancestors. To really believe, as he did, that previous emperors didn't die and could achieve everlasting life and prosperity by leeching off of all people under the name of the Longevity Heavenly Dynasty? That's quite an astonishing and incredible assumption.'"

" 'Hmm, if it was just Zhu Rizhao's lone monstrous ambition, that would make much more sense.'"

" 'If that's the case, then our insistence on abolishing the dynasty name and the imperial system is baseless. These two structures have sustained our nation for over two thousand years, left by the Ancestor Emperor. How could they be dismissed as trivial, to be easily abolished?'"

" 'That makes sense, that makes sense. Those twenty-one provinces are being ridiculous, we [Dingzhou Province] should not follow.'"

" 'But, gentlemen, don't forget, what if what Zhu Yong said is true? To continue upholding the dynasty name and imperial system carries risks.'"

" 'The evidence is as firm as a mountain. What more is there to say? When that Demon Pearl was excavated, it immediately transformed into a mountainous form, fleeing into the heavens, only to be shattered by eighteen Immortals. That night, a [Demon Corpse Rain] fell over the Imperial City, and those ferocious eunuchs, palace maids, and soldiers were all proven to be people from the Taizong Dynasty.'"

" 'In my view, since the chief culprit has died, all is well. The ancestral legal system absolutely cannot be altered, lest we ruin the fortune of our Shen Zhou Holy Land.'"

" 'Since it was merely Zhu Rizhao's scheming alone, unrelated to the dynasty name or the imperial system, we [Qingyun Province] will still follow the ancestral legal system. If not the Zhu's, then appointing the Qin's would be suitable, as currently our province's Great Governor, Qin Lianshan, belongs to the Qin Clan, whose noble lineage traces back to the thousand-year-old Qin Dynasty, making him rightly qualified as the new emperor.'"

" 'We [Fengcang Province] will follow the talented clan leader of the Li, Li Siming, to start a new dynasty. The Li Family also once founded a prosperous royal dynasty.'"

" 'Most excellent!'"

" 'Excellent. Aside from the Zhu's not being eligible, trying new dynasties for the remaining families is feasible, to continue the Longevity Heavenly Dynasty, upholding the legal dignity of the Shen Zhou Holy Land.'"

...

" 'Ha, such an old bunch, actually using such a clumsy method.'"

Above the sky, Tao Qian suddenly spoke.

Though his tone was full of scorn, he knew well that the method employed by the Alchemist Organization was effective.

Let alone others, the sudden cessation of the Human Dao Fortune infusion was clear evidence.

Fortunately, Tao Qian did not expect his strike to completely obliterate the Alchemist Organization; that would be unrealistic.

Inflicting severe damage on the Alchemist was already not an easy feat.