Chapter 458 : Entering the Dao Court!

Chapter 458: Entering the Dao Court!

Although he planned to head for the Dao Court, Lü Yang would not foolishly rush over in a hurry.

After all, the Dao Court practiced closed-door isolation and extreme xenophobia—ordinary cultivators couldn't even get close, and trespassers in Jiangdong would be killed on the spot as invaders.

Especially Foundation Establishment cultivators.

‘According to Wu Taian’s memories, the Dao Court is suppressed by the 【Immortal Nation Dao Law】. Any Foundation Establishment cultivator entering its borders would be instantly locked onto by the Dao Court.’

Therefore, Lü Yang did not rush to restore his Foundation Establishment cultivation.

Since the Myriad Spirits Banner had no shortage of Foundation Establishment cultivators to guard him, there was nothing to worry about. After entering Yu Suzhen’s body via the 【Reincarnated Spirit Child】, he simply waited patiently.

Very soon, Yu Suzhen awoke.

“What is this…”

Yu Suzhen looked around, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion, but as Lü Yang activated 【String-Pulled Puppet】, she quickly “remembered” the past.

“That poor new disciple has already been eliminated by me, and I’ve smoothly broken through to the first layer of Qi Refinement.”

“This makes perfect sense.”

Stepping down from the bed, Yu Suzhen changed her clothes, and just then a knock came from outside the door. Upon opening it, it was none other than Liu Xin, who had been waiting for a long time.

What followed was something Lü Yang was already very familiar with.

Liu Xin wanted to refine Yu Suzhen, but she sensed something wrong in advance, used her beauty to deceive him, and eventually poisoned him to death.

Then came Yu Suzhen’s series of ‘Sea King’ maneuvers.

During this process, Lü Yang quietly switched the host of the 【Reincarnated Spirit Child】 and transferred into Zhao Xuhe.

‘Yu Suzhen is quite the talent, but sadly lacks any background. She can only develop slowly within the Holy Sect. I’ll just monitor her progress using 【String-Pulled Puppet】. Since I’m going to the Dao Court, I need someone among the Holy Sect disciples with a certain status, someone who can leave the sect at any time.’

Zhao Xuhe was a perfect fit for that condition.

Lü Yang executed his maneuver smoothly: possession through 【Reincarnated Spirit Child】, manipulation via 【String-Pulled Puppet】—until one morning, Zhao Xuhe suddenly realized:

“Yi! I must go to Jiangdong.”

Jiangdong held great opportunity!

Driven by this powerful thought, Zhao Xuhe, who was originally headed for the Northern Frontier, turned around and charged straight towards Jiangdong.

Northern Jiang, 【Qing Nation】.

This place lay at the easternmost tip of Northern Jiang. Beyond 【Qing Nation】 was the 【Great Dragon River】—a place that even Qi Refinement cultivators could not approach.

Although the Four Realms of the world—East, West, South, and North—were technically non-interfering, in reality there was secret trade going on. Back in the Sword Pavilion, Lü Yang recalled that the Sea-Chasing Li Clan had built their massive fortune through smuggling across Northern Jiang, even producing a Foundation Establishment True Person.

Naturally, Jiangdong and Northern Jiang were no exception.

【Qing Nation】 was the transit hub for both sides.

Especially now, as Chong Guang had not yet targeted 【Qing Nation】 for golden core pursuits, 【Qing Nation】 still maintained friendly relations with Northern Jiang.

“Demonic Sect disciple, you're defecting to Jiangdong.”

Faced with Zhao Xuhe's blunt declaration, the cultivators of 【Qing Nation】 were not surprised. After all, every year, a batch of talents from the Holy Sect tried to defect.

“Go queue over there.”

Lü Yang: “.”

Looking at the bustling crowd indicated by the cultivator of 【Qing Nation】, Lü Yang felt heartbroken. Was the Holy Sect truly so unloved?

What? Qi Refinement doesn't count as a person?

Then never mind!

Under Lü Yang’s manipulation, Zhao Xuhe stood in line without hesitation, and after filling out forms and passing screening, he stepped onto the teleportation array of 【Qing Nation】.

In the next second, a flash of white light erupted.

When Lü Yang looked again, the scene before his eyes had completely changed—he and a group of Northern Jiang cultivators had arrived in a vast and majestic square.

At the center of the square stood a middle-aged man in official robes, handsome as jade, holding a register in hand with a solemn expression. A radiant light burst from his crown, coalescing into an official rank above his head, forming a canopy that enshrouded him.

【Dutian Division Thousand-Household Commander】

Fifth-rank official, equivalent to Foundation Establishment!

Lü Yang secretly calculated and learned that this official was surnamed Liu. Years ago, due to his remarkable talents, he gained the favor of the Dutian Division Suppression Commissioner and was recruited into the division.

In just a few years, he had been promoted to Thousand-Household Commander.

Consider that the Dao Court had existed for so many years, with countless examination candidates annually, yet so few official posts—bureaucratic bloat and redundancy were rampant. Yet this Liu rose so swiftly that many suspected he was the illegitimate son of the Suppression Commissioner.

Next, Liu Thousand-Household spoke:

“You all possess cultivation and have turned to the light. You should be valued. I am here under imperial decree to recruit talent for the Immortal Nation. Today, I shall bestow upon you the rank of 力士.”

As his words fell—

The official aura of the 【Dutian Division Thousand-Household Commander】 above his head flared brilliantly, then split into countless strands and descended upon everyone present.

Immediately after, official titles appeared above everyone's heads:

【Dutian Division Strongman】

Hidden within Zhao Xuhe, Lü Yang raised his eyebrows. These people once held their own cultivation, and all divine powers should have resided in them.

But now it was different.

Bound by the official post, Lü Yang could clearly feel Zhao Xuhe’s cultivation being stripped away bit by bit by the position above his head!

For now, it might still be fine, but within ten days to half a month, Zhao Xuhe would become a full Dao Court cultivator—his entire mana entrusted to the official post above him. With just a single thought, Liu Thousand-Household could render him a powerless mortal!

‘How insidious…’

Although the Dao Court wasn’t as collective-minded as the Pure Land, its control over its cultivators was utterly stifling—offering no escape.

‘And this "Strongman" post... Others may not know, but I certainly do.’

If one were a bona fide Dao Court cultivator, the title bestowed should have been “Child Scholar” or “Xiucai”—positions within the regular Dao Court system.

But the Dutian Division?

‘According to Wu Taian’s memory, the Dutian Division is directly subordinate to the Dao Court Emperor. Despite its high standing, entering the Dutian Division meant the end of one's official career.’

The standard official path could go up to First Rank, even the Three Dukes, equal to a True Lord.

But in the Dutian Division, even the highest Commander was only Third Rank—late-stage Foundation Establishment, not even a damn Grand True Person.

What future was there?

‘And the 【Strongman】 position is the lowest rank within the Dutian Division—not even a banner officer. Frankly, it's just cannon fodder they recruit externally.’

Clearly, the Dao Court didn’t value these Northern Jiang cultivators at all.

The rhetoric sounded noble—recruiting talents for the nation. But in truth, it was just “recruiting material,” expecting them to die for the country and feel grateful!

At this thought, Lü Yang suddenly felt a resonance.

He looked up at the sky.

Though he had no cultivation in this life, the 【Xuandu Blessed Land】 still existed. Borrowing its special vision, Lü Yang quickly observed the scenery of Jiangdong.

‘It’s unlike any other place…’

It was a vast net.

A sky-covering, boundless, omnipresent web enveloped all of Jiangdong, linking every blade of grass, every living being.

‘The heavens here… are different from the outside!’

Among the Four Realms of the world, only the Dao Court did not require refining Heavenly Gang and Earth Fiend, nor the mastery of divine abilities. Its cultivation system was fundamentally different.

The reason lay precisely here.

The entire cultivation system of the Dao Court—the ranks, positions, mana, divine abilities—all originated from this vast net: the 【Immortal Nation Dao Law】!