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"You are..."

Princess Chang had never been so cautious. She had heard of these so-called ultimate ancients. Rumor had it that these major forces had controlled the world for billions of years. Such forces surely housed individuals of profound power, and she had never underestimated them.

But now, even a person appearing so casually was this formidable?

If this were the case... could Great Jin... or the Human Race even have a chance of winning?

"Princess Chang..." The other party also bowed slightly to acknowledge her...

The manner of the bow was unique. Princess Chang recognized it. She had heard that wandering Taoist priests often used this form of obeisance. It was said to have been prevalent long ago among the Taoist sects as a traditional greeting.

However, Taoist teachings were seldom popular in any country, unlike the Buddhist Sect. Buddhists spoke of the afterlife; Taoists focused on cultivating the present self.

If one couldn’t cultivate successfully, it was deemed a result of insufficient aptitude.

Meanwhile, those who could succeed were said to be predestined.

Such outcomes were brutally unfair, though undeniably true.

In this world, those with talent were the minority, while the majority lacked that brilliance.

To ask the masses to accept their ordinary existence—to concede that no amount of effort could alter their fate—was a painful reality.

How could such doctrines attract followers?

Truthfully, she had long been curious about how the Taoist sects, with beliefs so elusive, had managed not to vanish entirely. No matter the era, there always seemed to be wandering Taoists who trusted in the nebulous legends of the Taoist Sect.

"How should I address you?"

"This humble Taoist is named Yun Yue..." The taoist nun smiled faintly.

"You resemble Ziyue exactly, yet you are called Yun Yue. Is this coincidence, or something more?" Princess Chang asked directly.

"It is, naturally, no coincidence..." The other responded with a smile. "Ziyue is me, and Yun Yue is also me. The Taoist Sect practices a Dharma... which Your Highness may not have heard of..."

"Sever the Three Corpses!"

Beside her, King Qin coldly interjected.

"Judging by His Highness King Qin’s words, he’s absorbed quite a bit of knowledge.

.." Yun Yue looked at him, her gaze gentle and serene. Her demeanor contrasted sharply with Ziyue’s aloofness.

Though they shared identical appearances, Yun Yue’s aura radiated elegance, akin to the moon lingering on the edge of a cloud. ..

"Sever the Three Corpses?" Princess Chang frowned slightly. "Is this akin to Kagura’s method?"

She had heard King Xiang mention this before. They had encountered something claiming to be Kagura, yet it was not the genuine Kagura—merely Kagura’s demonic intent, a creation of the Demon Buddha Kagura, which was Kagura’s heart demon given form.

"There are similarities, but also significant differences," Yun Yue said softly.

"The Buddhist Sect’s divine skill purges desires and evil thoughts entirely, transforming oneself into a true Buddha untouched by want.

Meanwhile, the demonic body represents pure desire.

Ultimately, the Buddha and the demon shall face off in a battle of fate—whether the Buddha redeems the demon or the demon swallows the Buddha depends on their respective fortunes. "

"And yours? How does yours differ?" Princess Chang smiled as she asked.

"The Taoist Sect’s ’Sever the Three Corpses’ involves expelling one’s evil and good thoughts separately, leaving the original self to focus solely on cultivation. The good and evil manifestations then cultivate independently. Only when all three bodies reunite can one achieve the highest Tao!"

"Fascinating..." Princess Chang chuckled lightly. "It seems Taoists are quite skilled at veiling their motives. Isn’t this essentially the same as the Buddhist goal? Ultimately, isn’t it still about seeing which side devours the other?"

"Not quite..." Yun Yue shook her head. "Though the Three Pure Ones separate, they remain one entity. No one devours the other. Even when united, they preserve their individuality, though the one whose Tao is strongest ultimately becomes the dominant aspect."

"Is such a thing possible?" Princess Chang’s eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Wouldn’t that mean splitting into three distinct entities, simultaneously gaining the power of three experts?"

If this were true, it would indeed be an excellent Dharma. What did Great Jin lack at present?

What it lacked was King-level experts. If this Dharma could make her and the Emperor divide into three, and if they managed to cultivate two additional near-breakthrough talents, then in a short time, Great Jin would boast ten King-level experts!

"Indeed, it does have that effect..." Yun Yue smiled.

"The Taoist Sect is known as the sect of hermits. When vying for worldly resources, it has always been at a disadvantage. In the past, it lacked ample manpower to sustain its influence. Compared to the Buddhist Sect, Heaven’s Court, and the Demon Realm—the three major powers—Taoists had no external influx of resources and adherents.

Without employing this technique, it would have been exceedingly difficult to compete with the three. "

"Oh? Is that so?" Princess Chang stepped forward, her gaze sharp. "Given that, would the Taoist Sect be willing to share this Dharma? You should know what we lack now. As allies, we provide forces; you ought to demonstrate sincerity as well."

"The logic is sound..." Yun Yue smiled. "We wouldn’t hesitate to share this Dharma if it could aid Great Jin. However, under the present circumstances, neither Your Highness nor His Majesty in the Capital would be able to use this technique for now."

"Why?" Princess Chang narrowed her eyes. If this technique were genuine, it would be the perfect solution to Great Jin’s current deficit of elite fighters. She needed to obtain it, no matter the cost!

"Because Great Jin cannot afford to lose the two of you now!"

"What do you mean?"

"The method of Severing the Three Corpses involves extracting one’s Good Corpse, Evil Corpse.

.. and the Original Self. Many believe the Original Self to be the primary aspect, but that’s actually incorrect.

.." Yun Yue spoke somberly. "The Good and Evil incarnations inherit the essence of the body’s power, while the Original Self.

.. would undergo reincarnation, starting life anew! "

Princess Chang: "..."

What kind of absurd Dharma was this?

The Original Self reincarnates? The incarnations inherit the power?

Preposterous!

"What is the purpose of this technique?" King Qin asked, his brows furrowed.

"Seizing opportunities amidst extreme risks.

.." Yun Yue said softly. "If the Original Self possesses equal power, it holds absolute control—but must start from scratch.

Meanwhile, the Good and Evil incarnations remain fragile and counterbalance one another.

If the Original Self grows and returns, it can immediately transform a single person into three experts of equivalent strength.

Thus lies the benefit of this Dharma. As for the drawback.

.. once the delicate balance is disrupted—if the Evil Corpse dominates the Good Corpse, or vice-versa—the situation would once again take a dangerous turn! "

"This technique is truly..." Princess Chang suddenly felt stifled. Truth be told, had this technique emerged twenty years ago, she would have used it without hesitation.

But now, Great Jin was entirely propped up by her and her brother. How could the two of them dare gamble on reincarnation?

"I see..." King Qin nodded. "May I ask whether you are Ziyue’s Good Corpse or Evil Corpse?"

"Red Moon, the Evil Corpse, awakened and has gone seeking the Original Self.

.." At these words, a trace of darkness crossed Yun Yue’s face.

"Once she devours the Original Self, disrupts the balance between Good and Evil, the consequences might prove disastrous.

Ziyue is one of the core pillars of the Taoist Sect—a Venerable One! "

King Qin: "..."

-------------------------------------

"Who are you?"

Within the Capital City, Chen Qing and the Emperor had returned to the Imperial Palace, only to encounter yet another figure.

Clad in plain white robes, she bore a simple yet stunning beauty. Even though she shared identical features to Ziyue, the disparity between them was like heaven and earth!

"Your Majesty... His Highness King Qin?" The woman saluted both Chen Qing and the Emperor simultaneously. "I am Yun Yue..."