Chapter 1199: Fed Back to the Body

He was a man who had walked out of a great dream—or rather, not walked out, but been forcefully dragged out of it.

He held no hope for this fate of his.

To him, none of this made any sense. But what could he do about it now? He was the prisoner.

That demon had usurped his identity and was walking the world in his place, while he could only shoulder this body burdened with karmic retribution and hide before the world's Reincarnation.

Chen Changsheng could try to explain it.

But in truth, few people would actually believe him.

Zhong Zhengyuan and the others would certainly believe him, but how could the thousands upon thousands of cultivators ever believe it?

The entire world had been corrupted by demonic energy, and this very flesh was that of the demonic cultivator leader. Who would trust the words coming from this mouth?

Chen Changsheng let out a breath. He looked at Manyue and said, "Since I have nothing else to do, why don't you teach me how to harness this demonic energy for my own use?"

Manyue looked somewhat surprised. "You want to cultivate the demonic path?"

"It is no longer a matter of whether I am willing."

Manyue stared blankly for a moment before her expression turned serious. "People say the demonic path is a shortcut, but in truth, it is just like the Mysterious Gate—its profound applications are limitless. In ancient times, there were demonic Divine Abilities unmatched in the world, capable of contending with the Heavenly Dao. If you intend to cultivate it, you must not underestimate this path."

Chen Changsheng pondered for a moment. "This Chen believes every path has its merits. Entering the demonic path is more like an obsession of the mind—the belief that I am the sole existence in the world, completely independent of all else. This is equally a Dao. It is only because most people believe such a Dao drives cultivators into slaughter and sin that they label it demonic. Yet, how is this path not also a fortune that pushes open the gates of the heart?"

Manyue felt astonished hearing this.

She fell silent for a moment before saying, "As expected of the same person. Your attainments in the Mysterious Gate are not too profound, but those words alone prove you are actually far more suited for cultivating the demonic path. Just as you said—you alone in the world."

Chen Changsheng paused. "You draw such a conclusion from a single sentence. Are you deliberately trying to lure me onto the demonic path?"

Manyue shook her head. "It just suits you!"

Chen Changsheng smiled and cupped his hands. "Then please offer me some guidance."

But Manyue refused. "I don't know how."

The demonic path was inherently obsessive. As the ruler of Reincarnation, an obsessive heart was the last thing she should possess. Manyue herself was a Dao; she was Reincarnation. She had no need to look to any other path, and in fact, needed to remain even purer.

Chen Changsheng asked, "Is there anyone in the Underworld who understands it?"

Manyue thought for a moment and said, "You can order around any of the people under his command."

Chen Changsheng shook his head. "It's not easy to ask. I'm afraid it would be too easy to give myself away."

He thought for a while and said, "I'll figure it out on my own for a while first."

Manyue nodded. "Don't delve too deeply. At the end of the day, a demonic cultivator's path always comes with drawbacks."

"This Chen understands. Thank you for the reminder."

...

The fifteenth year of Shunzhi.

Wang Yingying entered the palace as a palace selection maiden.

According to the eunuch who had brought her inside, this identity was nothing more than a smokescreen. His Majesty did not want anyone else to know that he was pursuing the Way of Longevity and Immortality.

The arrangements within the palace had long been made. Wang Yingying smoothly entered the Imperial Harem and became an imperial concubine.

After waiting for half a month, she finally met the Sovereign of the Nine-Five.

When Yan Nantian saw the person before him, he couldn't help but freeze for a moment.

He seemed never to have expected that Daoist Tongjing would be such a beautiful woman upon entering the secular world.

It even left him in a momentary daze, making him wonder if he had come to the wrong place.

Yan Nantian dismissed the servants.

He and Wang Yingying sat down at the table.

Wang Yingying spoke up, "Your Majesty, the immortal path of longevity is not easy to walk. And for you, Your Majesty, it is even more difficult."

Her very first sentence upon meeting made Yan Nantian frown.

Yet, this suited his tastes.

How could Yan Nantian not understand? He had questioned many Daoist cultivators, and the answers he received were largely the same. It showed that Wang Yingying wasn't lying to him, nor was she offering flattery.

"Daoist Tongjing might as well tell me what makes it difficult."

"Your Majesty, I have already withdrawn my Daoist registry and am no longer a cultivator. You may call me directly by my name, Wang Yingying."

"Wang Yingying. Mmm..."

"It depends on what Your Majesty thinks. If Your Majesty can cast aside the throne beneath you, everything would actually be easily resolved."

Yan Nantian calmly replied, "And if I want both?"

"Then it will be difficult."

Wang Yingying said.

Yan Nantian paused and asked, "Just difficult, rather than impossible?"

Wang Yingying looked at him and said, "There is always a way to break a deadlock, Your Majesty. As the saying goes, the Great Dao numbers fifty, yet heaven derives forty-nine. If the Dao is like this, why wouldn't the affairs of the world be?"

Yan Nantian felt moved and asked, "Please..."

He paused and said, "Please, Miss Wang, speak frankly of this method to break the deadlock."

Wang Yingying fell silent for a moment. "If we speak of difficulty, the difficulty lies in Your Majesty's identity. As the Son of Heaven and the Human Sovereign, the Spiritual Energy and fortune between heaven and earth will all pass through Your Majesty to be distributed to the myriad beings of the world. When the myriad beings attain the Dao, it transforms into qi destiny and feeds back into Your Majesty. This is the Emperor's Dao."

Yan Nantian couldn't help but grow curious. "Feeds back?"

Wang Yingying nodded and said, "Exactly so."

She said to Yan Nantian, "Ever since Zhao Zhen unified the world, leaving aside any Human Sovereign who defied the Heavenly Dao, the Lifespans of subsequent emperors have been a level higher than those of the emperors from the preceding century. This is the benefit brought about by the elevation of the nation's dynasty."

Yan Nantian's eyes lit up. He had truly never heard of such a thing before.

He recalled for a moment and said, "But I remember that Zhao Zhen did not live long, and his heirs died in conspiracies and schemes. Emperor Shuncheng was the same. Why do you tell me that the emperors are living longer lives?"

"Your Majesty, I spoke of Lifespan. Dying an unnatural death has nothing to do with Lifespan."

"What is the meaning of Lifespan?"

"Lifespan is the amount of time a person can exist in the world, provided no accidents occur."

"Are you saying that Zhao Zhen and those Human Sovereigns, along with this Emperor Shuncheng, all died unnatural deaths?"

"Correct."

Wang Yingying said bluntly, "Zhao Zhen cleverly exploited the Great Dao and secretly violated the Heavenly Dao. This was a punishment from heaven's will, causing his unnatural death. Emperor Shuncheng was a case of different tunes played with equal skill. For defying the heavens, he lost his life early. Otherwise, based on his Lifespan, sitting on the throne for several more decades would not have been a problem."

Yan Nantian furrowed his brows slightly and fell into thought.

His fingers tapped lightly on the chair.

He suddenly asked, "According to your meaning, as long as I govern the nation well, I can receive the qi destiny that feeds back and increase my Lifespan?"

"Exactly so."

Yan Nantian looked at her and asked, "Under the nation's domain lies the Quanshan Orthodoxy. Its master, Sanyuan, represents the three lights of the sun, moon, and stars in the heavens, and the three essentials of water, fire, and earth below. His Dao Cultivation is profound, yet when I asked him, he could not explain it clearly. If Priest Sanyuan is like this, how can you, a mere girl who has cultivated for little more than a decade, be so certain that what you say is true?"