The various immortals and gods were no fools. Was the Heavenly Emperor powerful?
Powerful, indeed. He was the helmsman who had steered the Heavenly Court for many years, a Disciple of the Dao Ancestor, with unfathomable cultivation, and the guardian deity of the Immortal Realm.
They were loyal to the Heavenly Emperor, but Han Xuanji's strength clearly surpassed his.
Di Jiang and the Demon Ancestor were clearly not afraid of the Heavenly Emperor, and the Lord of Ten Thousand Voids was a trouble that even the Heavenly Emperor couldn't resolve.
Yet, Di Jiang was utterly convinced by Han Xuanji, and the Demon Ancestor didn't even dare to show his true form before him.
Especially since Han Xuanji had, in a real fight and before everyone's eyes, subdued the Lord of Ten Thousand Voids like pinching a chick, and had also smoothed out the turbulent Reincarnation in passing.
This was a truly heaven-defying ability!
Seeing the eager expressions of the various immortals and gods, the Heavenly Emperor felt a myriad of emotions in his heart, even a hint of jealousy.
As the focus of the entire scene, Han Xuanji took in everyone's expressions and accepted their flattery with a clear conscience.
He didn't find the Nether Lord's declaration abrupt; to him, all of this was merely the natural result of his strength.
At his current level, looking at the thoughts of these immortals, gods, and emperors was like an adult looking at the petty schemes of children—perfectly clear.
He was more concerned with wrapping things up quickly, returning to properly digest his gains, and thinking about how to arrange those Primordial Beings.
"Alright, there's no need for pleasantries."
Han Xuanji waved his hand, his tone casual.
"Nether Lord, you will remain the master of the Underworld. Cooperate with the Heavenly Court to stabilize Reincarnation as quickly as possible.
If you encounter difficulties, you may come to the Xuantian Dao Palace to find me."
"I respectfully obey the Great One's decree! Your subordinate will do his utmost!"
The Nether Lord hurriedly accepted, his heart settling. With Han Xuanji's words, the future of the Underworld was secure.
Han Xuanji could also sense that the Nether Lord's submission was sincere; Su Ming had spoken many good words about the Nether Lord by his side.
Just as the Nether Lord's heart was surging with emotion, Han Xuanji seemed to think of something. His gaze lingered on him for a moment before glancing indifferently at Su Ming.
"You hold the authority of Reincarnation and manage Yin and Yang, but I fear your strength may be insufficient."
Han Xuanji's tone was calm as he said:
"Today, this deity shall impart a mantra to you, to help you comprehend the foundation of Reincarnation, better manage the Underworld, and maintain order."
After thinking for a moment, Han Xuanji taught the Reincarnation World-Purifying Art to the Nether Lord.
Having spoken, Han Xuanji pointed his fingers like a sword and lightly tapped the Nether Lord's forehead.
This finger tap was casual, yet just as his fingertip was about to touch the Nether Lord's forehead, an indescribably vast dao-rhythm manifested out of thin air.
The Nether Lord felt his Sea of Consciousness shudder violently.
Every character seemed to contain the rhythm of life and death and the true meaning of the Dao of Reincarnation. They were not a jumbled pile but were arranged in a profound and logical sequence.
This method pointed directly to the essence of Reincarnation, and many of its subtleties surpassed his Nether Scripture by an unknown degree.
The Nether Lord stood frozen in place, his eyes glazed over. His body involuntarily emitted wisps of pure Reincarnation dao-rhythm, as if he were seeing the Reincarnation Origin... Countless cultivation bottlenecks that had troubled him for years now had a clear direction.
This was not just bestowing a Cultivation Technique; it was practically opening the doors to a higher hall for him.
"This..."
The Nether Lord's voice was strained, almost unable to form words.
This gift was too heavy!
What was originally a choice to join based on interest instantly transformed into a debt that could never be repaid, leaving only a vow of lifelong loyalty.
On the other side, seeing this scene, Su Ming's tensed nerves finally relaxed completely, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his face.
He knew better than anyone the pressure the Nether Lord—whom he regarded as both a teacher and a friend—bore, and his obsession with the Dao of Reincarnation.
Now, Senior Brother Han Xuanji had not only accepted the Underworld but had also bestowed such a Legacy, which was equivalent to pointing out a supreme path for the Nether Lord.
Meanwhile, the surrounding immortals of the Heavenly Court, especially Emperor Dongyue and the others, almost had their eyes pop out of their heads.
Although they didn't know what the specific Legacy was, the Nether Lord's rapidly rising aura and the wild joy on his face could not be faked.
"Holy crap... what did the Great Heavenly Venerable just pass on?"
Emperor Dongyue couldn't help but exclaim via voice transmission, even letting a curse slip.
"Looking at the Nether Lord, he's likely received a fundamental method that points directly to the Limitless Primordial Dao of Reincarnation!"
Emperor Ziwei's heart was also racing, his eyes red with envy.
"If I had known... sigh!"
He wished he were a member of the Underworld or the Xuantian Dao Palace, or that he had someone like Su Ming by Han Xuanji's side to speak for him.
The Heavenly Emperor's pupils also constricted, his heart shaken.
He could naturally see that what Han Xuanji had imparted was no small matter. This magnanimity forced him to be impressed.
It wasn't that he was stingy, but the path to Limitless Primordial often couldn't be taught; he could only vaguely point in a direction. After all, not everyone had as deep an understanding of various Daos as Han Xuanji.
A Limitless Primordial being like Han Xuanji was an extremely rare existence.
The Heavenly Emperor felt he needed to have a good talk with his subordinates in the Heavenly Court, lest they start overthinking things.
A moment later, the phenomena around the Nether Lord slowly receded. He snapped his eyes open, and for a fleeting second, the phantom images of the Six Paths of Reincarnation seemed to flash within them. His aura was now even more profound and vast than before.
Without hesitation, he bowed deeply to Han Xuanji again, his voice even more resolute:
"Your subordinate, Yuan Ming, kowtows in gratitude for the Great One's gift of the Dao! Yuan Ming hereby swears by the Reincarnation Origin that from this day forward, I shall obey only the Great One's commands. If I ever defy them, may my Dao foundation crumble, and may I fall into the Infinite Hell forever!"
This time, his words were more specific and more determined than before. The weight of his oath moved everyone who heard it.
Yet, no one felt too surprised. After all, for the grace of being taught the Dao, no words could be considered excessive.
Han Xuanji accepted the salute and then raised a hand to help him up:
"Rise. Meditate well on it, and do not fail this technique."
"Yes! Your subordinate will certainly not fail the Great One's expectations!"
The Nether Lord rose and respectfully retreated to the side. His posture was even more humble than before, but the light in his eyes was brighter than ever.
He now realized how ignorant he had been before and understood the height at which Han Xuanji stood.
What did the Reincarnation of the Immortal Realm matter?
Han Xuanji had not only taught him this method but had also expanded his horizons, allowing him to see a much broader world.
And everything Han Xuanji did was naturally to soothe people's hearts, preventing those below from having unnecessary thoughts.
He had no interest in thinking about the art of leadership.
All in all, the fates of Su Ming and the Nether Lord were now worlds apart from what they were in the simulation; it could be considered a good ending.
Han Xuanji looked at the Heavenly Emperor again:
"Fellow Daoist Heavenly Emperor, the overall situation of the Immortal Realm still requires you to preside over it. I'll have to trouble you to keep a close watch for the Demon Ancestor's tracks."
"Rest assured, Great Heavenly Venerable, this is the duty of the Heavenly Court!"
The Heavenly Emperor responded solemnly.
The Demon Ancestor's plan had been ruined, and he had long since fled to who knows where.
Now that he had Han Xuanji as a backer, doing things would be much more convenient.
However, the Heavenly Emperor actually had some "happy troubles" now; his side's combat power was too strong, and the opponent likely wouldn't want to come looking for a beating.
Was there any way to force this Demon Venerable's true body to appear?