Struggling to Survive with Regression Power in the Primordial Saint Sect

Tianwu ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍City, within the residence of the Junior Mentor.

Li Taian stumbled and staggered all the way back. As soon as he landed, he lifted his head and looked toward the current Junior Mentor, gritting his teeth: “My lord, we can’t hesitate any longer!”

“We must find a way to disband the Royal Guard Division.”

As soon as those words were spoken, the Junior Mentor immediately revealed a troubled expression: “What happened? The Royal Guard Division was established by His Majesty himself. What can we possibly do?”

“Moreover, the incident of His Majesty’s attempted assassination hasn’t even been fully investigated yet—”

“It mustn’t be investigated any further!”

Li Taian gritted his teeth: “He’s not investigating the assassins or the spies of the Demonic Sect at all. He’s just using this chance to eliminate dissent. If you ask me, he’s the one who looks more like a Demonic Sect infiltrator.”

As he spoke, he looked around, then lowered his voice:

“Even... I suspect that he’s the same ‘Master’ from Jiangxi, up to his old tricks again, secretly coming to our Dao Court to fish for backdoor gains! My lord, we must be on guard!”

“That ‘Master’ from Jiangxi!?” Upon hearing this, the Junior Mentor was also startled. A moment later, his face clouded with worry: “But now he already controls the Five Capital Garrison Commanders, and has gained the support of Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince. So many officials in the Royal Guard Division follow him—it’s already become a force to reckon with...”

“That【One Heart Society】is the biggest problem!”

Li Taian said solemnly, “His Majesty was deceived by that demon dragon, and the Crown Prince and Her Majesty the Empress were also misled. We must find a way to set things right!”

“...What do you intend to do?” the Junior Mentor asked.

Li Taian took a deep breath and revealed his plan: “Summon King Zhen’nan, Wu Taian, to the capital! He’s His Majesty’s own brother, and his status is no lower than the Crown Prince.”

“So long as he stands with us, we’ll have legitimate footing.”

“But before that, someone must restrain that demon dragon’s movements—to intimidate him. We can’t let him run wild like this any longer.”

After saying that, Li Taian turned his body: “Pingyi, I’ll leave this matter to you.”

As these words fell, the current Junior Mentor, Zheng Pingyi, finally raised his head, shaking it calmly: “Sorry. I don’t wish to get involved in this political struggle.”

“This is not a political struggle!”

Li Taian suddenly raised his voice: “Can’t you see? That demon dragon might be the hidden hand of the World-Honored One. If we’re not careful, it could overturn everything!”

“Have you forgotten what happened to the previous dynasty!?”

“This...”

Seeing Zheng Pingyi’s expression soften, Li Taian stepped forward again and directly grabbed his hand: “If things continue like this, the nation will be lost.”

“The Dao Court is facing a crisis. I alone can’t... can’t do anything.”

As he said this, Li Taian even choked up a bit. In a low voice, he said at last: “Pingyi, you only need to watch that demon dragon. Don’t worry about anything else.”

As a direct disciple of the Three Dukes, among the three of them, the Junior Mentor was the most unique—completely disinterested in political power struggles, focusing all his energy on Daoist duels. Thus, his combat power was the strongest. At least in Li Taian’s eyes, the current Junior Mentor Zheng Pingyi was the number one in Foundation Establishment within the Dao Court.

With him keeping an eye on that demon dragon, he could feel at ease.

Immediately after, he looked toward the Junior Mentor again: “The Royal Guard Division is just a mob. As long as Pingyi can restrain that demon dragon, there’s still hope!”

“Besides that, we also need to persuade Her Majesty the Empress to understand that demon dragon’s ambition.”

“As long as Her Majesty and the Crown Prince stop supporting him, he’ll be isolated. The higher he climbed before, the harder the fall.”

“In short, that demon dragon has already gained the loyalty of the Five Capital Garrison Commanders. We absolutely cannot let him obtain the Imperial Authority Token. If he gets it, and combines it with control over the five armies, he’ll hold the rank of【As If His Majesty Were Present】—then all hope will be lost, and no one can stop him.”

“We all understand this.”

The Junior Mentor sighed: “But how? The Imperial Authority Token is in the Empress’s hands, and the Empress is in the Tianwu Hall, which is now sealed off by the Royal Guard Division...”

“That’s simple.”

Li Taian said in a deep voice: “This time, the Royal Guard Division’s city-wide raids have provoked the wrath of Heaven and the people. I intend to gather all the court officials and go to Xuanwu Gate together to remonstrate.”

The Junior Mentor’s face changed at once: “Don’t say such things!”

“That Du Huan is a ruthless man. If he gets vicious, he could purge every official who comes to remonstrate. People could die...”

“We need people to die!”

Li Taian barked harshly: “Without deaths, how can we make the Empress and Crown Prince see the demon dragon’s ambition, and understand he is not a loyal subject?”

Under the rules of the Dao Court, the royal family and the officials had always been mutually reliant. Thus, Li Taian was confident that even if Empress Xiao wanted to suppress them, she couldn’t truly start a massacre. So if the officials made a scene, at the very least, Empress Xiao and the Crown Prince would have to appear.

That way, Lü Yang would be put on the spot.

If he didn’t intervene, they could openly advise Empress Xiao and expose Lü Yang’s ambitions—not necessarily sow discord, but at least raise her suspicions.

But if he tried to stop it, and prevented the Empress from meeting the officials?

Then they wouldn’t even need to speak—Empress Xiao herself would grow wary of Lü Yang. Therefore, Li Taian’s move was an upright stratagem in broad daylight.

The only downside... was that it might lead to deaths.

But whether a thousand die, or ten thousand—it’s just a number. Death is death. What they carried in their hearts was the fate of all under Heaven.

“Anyway, official posts can be conferred again. The more who die, the better!” Li Taian said sternly: “The Imperial Dynasty has nurtured its scholars for fifteen thousand years—for this very moment to die with honor!”

──

■ Five Capital Garrison Commanders’ Headquarters.

Lü Yang sat upright in a grand teacher’s chair, eyes half-closed. His hands formed a spell seal. On his once fair skin, a black-gold hue gradually emerged.

On that hand, the black-gold hue gathered and finally transformed into lines and engravings, like cuts from blade and axe, etched between Lü Yang’s five fingers. If examined closely, one could clearly see that these radiant rune patterns assembled to form names of divine arts:

【Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique】, 【Heartless Severing Slash】.

【Without Law, Without Thought】, 【Dust Severance Separation】.

【One Thought Divine Blade】.

These were the original life-bound divine arts of the Five Capital Garrison Commanders, but now all had been stripped and taken by Lü Yang using【Sovereign’s Command】, fused into the【Inlaid Gold Command Talisman】.

‘Unbelievable.’

Feeling the inlaid gold command talisman floating in his palm, Lü Yang’s eyes lit with delight: ‘This Dao art... its power might exceed even my expectations!’

Empress Xiao’s contribution was immense.

The five commanders’ life-bound divine arts complemented each other. Once unified by the【Inlaid Gold Command Talisman】, their power grew exponentially—almost like an order-of-magnitude increase.

‘And that’s just part of it.’

‘The most crucial point is, I also have【Tribulation Wave】. Combine that with Sword Intent, and enhance it with the【Inlaid Gold Command Talisman】—the resulting power will surely reach its peak!’

Besides all this, Lü Yang also had an unexpected delight.

Because he had successively mastered three Dao arts, his understanding of【Heavenly Fire】 had deepened immensely. Coupled with his recent seizure of power in the Dao Court drawing the attention of【Heavenly Fire】, a long-standing bottleneck since he achieved Foundation Establishment Perfection finally began to loosen.

‘【Heavenly Fire】has Yin and Yang, Sun and Moon aspects.’

‘The Sun is firm and radiant, shining upon the skies; the Moon is soft and gentle, illuminating the seas. When Sun and Moon share the sky, there is warmth across the mountains and seas, and light fills the universe...’

A torrent of knowledge flowed within Lü Yang’s heart.

These were his Dao attainments—his comprehension of【Heavenly Fire】. As his insights filled him, Lü Yang felt his very soul hardening.

Under the pressure of Dao cultivation, his solidified soul surged violently, like climbing a perilous peak. Several times he nearly fell, yet persevered until he stood upon the summit. Then, all the accumulated Dao insights mixed with his divine sense and finally erupted like a bursting dam.

“Ah!”

In the next second, Lü Yang opened his eyes and let out a long, resounding cry. Simultaneously, within his soul, a strand of golden light slowly emerged:

‘The first thread of Gold Essence... a Gold Essence that belongs to me alone... has been refined!’