Ji Xiang looked towards Dingjia City, but in his eyes, the city's existence began to gradually disappear, and along with the city's vanishing, a part of the memories of this city was also being lost.
Shangqing Daozi seemed to have never appeared.
He was reflected in the Shangqing Sect.
Ghost Immortals never obtained the power of the underworld.
He remained a lonely ghost in the mass grave.
Everything was as it originally was.
Reality was distorting, undergoing indescribable changes, but just as Ji Xiang was greatly astonished, the Xuantianguan beside him suddenly let out a resounding clang.
At the same time, the Inner Scenery Divine Tablet automatically displayed text, and these texts were extremely familiar to Ji Xiang...
[Chant the seventh chapter of "Sitting and Forgetting Theory" in your heart to stabilize your form, spirit, nature, and life, so as not to be usurped by the spells of Siming Zhenjun!]
[Enter the "Xuantianguan" to avoid the Art of Wish Projection! (If you do not evade, the Lord of Incense will return to the Fu Li World, and the physical body will fall into the underworld!) ]
...
The five Dharma Lords, at their respective main altars, sacrificed the lives of tens of thousands of people, and finally could no longer sense Ji Xiang's movements.
They looked exhausted, having poured all their efforts into a grand sacrifice.
Sacrifice, in itself, originated from shamanism, and the Dharma teachings also incorporated some shamanistic elements, as shamanism was the most primitive of sects, and many religions evolved from it.
Within it were many spells that were baffling yet miraculously effective.
"This calamity seems to have finally been resolved. Exchanging life for life, this is the first time. I never expected to use so many people..."
"The Six Rens are turning at lightning speed, making my heart feel like it's about to burst. This sacrifice has cost me at least thirty years of cultivation... Ultimately, we have to rely on sacrifice to alter fate and project this new world."
"Alright, the calamity is resolved. There's no need to say more! Facing the calamity or crossing the calamity is insignificant. If there's a better option, there's indeed no need to confront this person directly."
The Dharma Lords were greatly relieved. This disaster was the consequence of their allegiance to Biyou Palace. One's life is filled with many choices, and any choice can lead to calamity.
Facing the calamity or crossing the calamity were forceful struggles, but for the Dharma Lords, they only needed to spend a portion of their lives to use the method of "averting calamity" to perfectly resolve this disaster. It was a hundred benefits and no harm to the lineage. As for the deceased commoners, averting one calamity meant the next would arrive at least several decades later, enough for a new generation to grow.
Originally, it was they who protected them, allowing these people to survive in this world rampant with demons, in this terrifying world where cultivators, demons, and the imperial court fought. Ordinary commoners, unable to deal with a mere minor ghost, would face separation and reunion. If it weren't for them, these Dharma teaching lineages, where would the commoners have any way to survive?
This was doing good deeds. If their six sects were gone, who would protect the lives of those commoners?
"It is merely sacrificing the lives of some people to exchange for the eternal existence of our lineage and the survival of more lives. This is of course worth it."
"These imperial court sorcerers, these cultivators from the Three Mountains, are all scoundrels!"
One Dharma Lord complained through the flames, cursing loudly:
"We joined Biyou Palace for the sake of preserving our lineage! The Three Mountains are aloof, and the Shangqing Sect acts arrogantly. At that time, the imperial court did not intervene. Now that half of the Shangqing Dharma Realm is lost, the Shangqing Sect is complaining and has found experts from the imperial court! To carry out their mission by imperial decree!"
"They killed us, thinking this is acting on behalf of Heaven, eradicating evil, and punishing evil and rewarding good?"
The other Dharma Lords burst into laughter:
"Indeed, it's all bullshit! If we die, the commoners here will soon become food for those ghosts and demons. The south has many demon gods. The commoners will either seek refuge with cultivators or demons. Even the imperial court officials are no exception!"
"They killed us, and then they preach the principle that Heaven rewards good and punishes evil? They should really ask the commoners in Dingjia City, who does not revere the compassion of the Six Sects!"
"We die, they leave, leaving the commoners here like lambs to the slaughter!"
One Dharma Lord sarcastically remarked, "Those in the imperial court only carry out their duties; how could they understand the principles of killing or harming life!"
"In any case, this matter has passed. Dingjia City will no longer appear in that person's memory. We borrowed the lives of the populace to apply the Wish Projection to the world of hearts, to twist the heavens and earth, so that this calamity is eliminated and never happened."
"Everything has returned to its original state. Those outside Dingjia City will remember this as a great plague, that the plague took many lives."
Guanyin Dharma Lord looked into the flames and said, "Daxian Huaguang Dharma Lord, why isn't he coming out?"
The other four Dharma Lords were stunned and called out to the flames, "Daxian Huaguang Dharma Lord, there is nothing wrong outside. You can manifest from the fire escape. Everything has returned to its original appearance."
But from within the flames, Daxian Huaguang Dharma Lord's voice was heard asking:
"Before, someone among you notified Biyou Palace."
The gazes of the five Dharma Lords converged on the flames. Guangze Dharma Lord said, "It was I who notified them... What's wrong? Are you afraid Biyou Palace will come here to hold you accountable for not coming out of the flames? You're overthinking it; they won't."
Daxian Huaguang Dharma Lord's voice came through the flames: "I will wait for the people from Biyou Palace to arrive before coming out."
Guangze Dharma Lord said, "It seems you are not angry with me."
Daxian Huaguang Dharma Lord: "Of course I am not angry with you. Since you were afraid of problems, notifying Biyou Palace is normal. But how do you plan to explain this to Biyou Palace now?"
Guangze Dharma Lord smiled, "Just say we took care of that imperial court sorcerer. If the Palace Master is pleased, he should reward us."
"This is eliminating a great enemy, and doing so silently."
Daxian Huaguang Dharma Lord's voice expressed doubt:
"Are you really sure you eliminated that imperial court sorcerer?"
Guanyin Dharma Lord frowned, "His life has been exchanged by us. How could he still be alive? The exchange sacrifice has been established, and Siming Tianzun will collect his life. Even those plague gods have completed the superficial work of spreading the great plague. Everything is proceeding logically, without any errors."
Daxian Huaguang Dharma Lord: "But I am uneasy. My vital energy is still present, and the Little Six Rens are operating within me, never stopping. I met him and fought him, so my perception of him is more acute than yours."
The five Dharma Lords fell silent for a moment.
Heisha Dharma Lord said, "Daxian Huaguang, you might be too suspicious."
The firelight in front of him illuminated the surroundings, the flames flickering. Behind him stood a statue of Zhenwu. At this moment, the eyes of the statue began to move, and gradually, its facial features also changed slightly, as if it had become the White-faced Zhenwu.