Chapter 266: The Great Momentum Rises (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Votes)

Sacrificing oneself for the Greater Good, to put it in layman terms — it means using the life of a Crown Prince and the accumulated primordial imperial air from the "Original Hongmeng Imperial Chart" to synergize and to give back to numerous peerless cultivators in the mortal realm in a special way!
Of course, the bloodline of the Human Emperor can choose not to do this.
There is no ancestral system or regulations that require the execution of self-sacrifice to seal the passage.
However, the reason why the Human Emperor is the ruler of the world and the lord of the human realm is that the responsibilities and moral obligations he carries cannot be evaded throughout generations and lifetimes!
So over the years, whenever the mortal realm faces crises such as talent depletion, decline of the talented, stagnation of cultivators, etc., the successive Human Emperors will make a choice and arrange the "sacrificing oneself to breach the pass" at the three major passes!
To promote the cultivation and advancement of extraordinary practitioners in the mortal realm, paving the way for breakthroughs and ascensions! To compensate for the depletion and decline of the mortal realm, and restore its prestige!
Song Gong understands this principle, but it doesn't mean he can watch Gu Junlin die without intervening. He can't comprehend Gu Junlin's decision to sacrifice himself.
As a matter of fact, even if someone were to "sacrifice themselves for the emperor," it should be the current rightful heir Zhao Yinzhen, not Gu Junlin.
Furthermore, Duke Song knows Zhao Yinzhen's character well and knows that he would never resort to such an act of "sacrificing oneself for the emperor."
If even the current crown prince does not want to do it, why would you, a demoted tenth prince, rush to die?
Lord Song, with tears streaming down his face, immediately voiced his doubts, and even, due to his emotional state, almost seemed to be cursing aloud.
The high priest who came from afar on the Heart-Heart Bridge remained silent.
Facing Master Sung's doubts, Gu Junlin remained calm and smiled, quietly listening to his scolding before slowly responding:
"Master Song, now only I can 'sacrifice myself to close the gate'."
"Why? The princes in Zhongzhou are not weaker than you, and there are many of them! Why do you think you are superior? Why is it you!" Master Song still disapprovingly rebuked.
Gu Junlin said word by word:
"Only I have cultivated the remaining chapters of the Human Emperor's Mountain and Sea Classic."
Song Gong's skeptical words came to a sudden halt.
In theory, all the princes of Zhongzhou who have outstanding talent can cultivate the remaining chapters of the Human Emperor's Mountain and Sea Classic. Although it is not the complete Mountain and Sea Classic, they can still utilize the ancient imperial aura by virtue of their bloodline.
In recent years, there have been rumors within the Central Plains Royal Family that many princes are unable to cultivate the Emperor's Mountain and Sea Scripture.
At that time, including Lord Song, they all regarded it as a joke.
At this moment, it is unimaginable that the rumor has actually come true. Among the current imperial princes of Zhongzhou, only Gu Junlin has truly cultivated the incomplete version of the Human Emperor's Mountain and Sea Manual.
Only the crown prince who has cultivated the Human Emperor's Mountain and Sea Manual can meet the requirements of "sacrificing one's body to close the mountain pass"!
That is to say, the Tenth Prince in front of Duke Song is indeed the worthy "sacrificial pawn" and the only suitable candidate.
"Why is it like this... "
Song Gong's eyes were filled with deep sadness, murmuring and whispering with a sense of helplessness.
Inside the Heart and Soul Bridge, the silent High Priest spoke at this moment:
"Gu Junlin, putting aside whether the 'sacrifice for Guan' can be carried out or not, I ask you, have you recently discovered any secret news that has caused you to change your mind and have such a determination to die?"
Song Gong heard these words, as if he had caught a life-saving straw, and stared at Gu Junlin blankly.
Gu Junlin's face no longer appeared carefree and casual, becoming serious and solemn, and he slowly said:
"High Priest, Song Gong, this mortal realm is already sick, seriously ill. Can't you see it?"
Song Gong wanted to speak but stopped herself, but she let out a sigh and silently lowered her head.
The blurry High Priestess in the Heart Blood Bridge made a serene sound:
"Since you can see clearly the deep-rooted problems in the mortal world, you should strive harder and compete for the position of the Human Emperor as soon as possible! How could you talk about death??"
"When you ascend to the throne as the emperor and become the ruler of the mortal realm, you can then pursue your ambitions! Cleanse the human suffering that you speak of and support the prosperity of the world! How can one speak of death?"
"The High Priest's words are resounding and clear in both reason and righteousness."
However, Gu Junlin smiled and gazed at the indistinct figure of the high priest, saying:
"Great-uncle, when my father, Emperor Ying Shang, ascended the throne, did you not say the same words? Now, five hundred years have passed in the blink of an eye, what were the results?"
Once this remark came out, the entire courtyard fell into a terrifying silence.
Song Gong remained motionless, like a wooden statue, bowing his head and not daring to utter a single word.
The figure of the high priest in the bridge of the heart and blood no longer seemed vague, as if there were massive waves and terrifying power hidden within, on the verge of erupting, in an extremely terrifying state of preparation.
Even in the void before Gu Junlin's body, there were faintly countless orderly cracks of "colors" appearing, sometimes disappearing, sometimes suddenly emerging, rising and falling without cease.
Yet Gu Junlin himself was as motionless as a wooden carving, unable to even shift his gaze the slightest bit.
Only the little turtle in the large water tank on the side can move its green bean eyes slightly and glimpse the outside world.
But it is still too timid to come out and can only sneak a peek.
"Wow, this High Priest is so powerful... It seems like Kunkun mentioned that with just a single thought, the Nine Realm Sage King could bring forth the laws of the Great Dao and shatter the barriers of heaven and earth."
"Is this what they call a high priest? Could it be a Ninth Realm Saint King? Sigh, but I have never seen a Saint King, what do they look like..."
"I better pretend not to see... Big Sister Kun warned me, to live long year after year, don't stand out, don't forcefully draw attention to oneself..."
The little tortoise quickly gathered his thoughts and entered a state of oblivion, neither seeing, nor hearing, nor paying attention.
At this very moment.
The high priest inside the heart bridge sighed softly.
As the sigh emerged, Song Gong and Gu Junlin, both being "constrained" by some kind of grand Dao law, eventually came back to their senses, still unable to calm down, as if they had gone through a life-and-death experience.
"In those years..." murmured the High Priest, as if recalling and talking to himself, while also appearing sorrowful, speaking for Gulan Lin to hear.
"Back then, I never expected Yin Shang would end up like this..."
After Gu Junlin's heart palpitations eased, he solemnly bowed and said:
"Uncle, it was you who voluntarily abdicated and assisted the emperor, which enabled the emperor to ascend to the throne and become the emperor."
"But nowadays, this mortal realm is still riddled with problems and plagued for a long time. If we continue to languish like this, we may face the consequences of breaching the three thousand barriers and the collapse of the mortal world."
"Boy also wants to ask the great ancestor, are you satisfied with this outcome?"
The hazy figure of the high priest, at this moment, replied calmly:
"Do you think, with your power, you can change the outcome?"
Gu Junlin shook his head:
"I am just an ordinary man, even if I have the determination to die, what ability do I have to change the situation."
The High Priest said indifferently: "Since you cannot change it, what use is there for you to die?"
Gu Junlin said calmly:
"If I can 'sacrifice myself to benefit the world' and through my own death, create more accomplished practitioners and promote the rise of more terrestrial immortals."
"And these more numerous small sect masters and terrestrial immortals can shake the foundation of those holy kings and holy lords, forcing them to ascend to the heavenly realms!"
"I use a minor force to shake a major force!"
"If the mortal world could be 'cured' because of this, I would have no regrets even in death."
Song Gong could only look at the tenth prince before him, unexpectedly not expecting that the reason behind his decision came from such a thought.
The High Priest also gazed at Gu Junlin for a long time, and after a while, sighed:
"So you believe that the root cause of the world's illness lies in the reluctance of the various sects' Holy Kings and Holy Lords to ascend..."
Gu Junlin's eyes were firm, although he didn't speak, his determination was clear.
The high priest suddenly smiled.
"Growing old without dying is the mark of a thief..."
"Kid, aren't you also scolding me!"
Gu Junlin smiled slightly, indicating his consent to this meaning.
Song Gong almost broke out in a cold sweat, burying his head and not listening, not getting involved in this terrifying conversation between grandfather and grandson...
The Great Priest, was the biggest rival of Emperor Yin Shang before he ascended to the throne five hundred years ago. He was both Yin Shang's elder brother and the crown prince at that time.
That is why Emperor Gu Lin called him "Great Uncle".
Five hundred years ago, it was because of the retreat of the high priest and even his active assistance to Emperor Yinshang's succession, that a legendary story was created.
Since Emperor Yinshang ascended to the throne, the high priest has been stationed at the Three Passes, becoming the backbone of the Elder Council of the Five Great Divine Capitals. Rarely has he ever left the passes in the past five hundred years.
"Forget it, forget it..." The high priest laughed and shook his head, sighing:
"You called me old and immortal like a thief, so what dignity do I have left? I mistook Yinshang for Xiwang, and I hope this time, I won't mistake you!"
"Speak up, kid. What are your plans and how can I assist you?"
When Gu Junlin heard this, he was overjoyed and bowed deeply again, saying, "I am willing to die. I hope you can overlook my rebellious and disrespectful words."
The Great Priest also laughed and said casually, "You don't even care about your life. As your great-uncle, what can I blame you for..."
Gu Junlin calmed his mind and slowly said,
"The lad has already arranged a trip to Shanhaiguan, with me being the main sacrificial offering for this Winter Festival. I will declare in advance to the world 'Sacrifice Yourself to the Pass', attracting more human practitioners to visit the three great passes."
The high priest nodded and said,
"Since the reign of Yin Chong, it has been five hundred years since the 'sacrifice to close the gate' has been performed in the mortal realm. This will surely cause a sensation throughout the world and stir up the emotions of the people... If it weren't for you finding me and me, an old ancestor, willing to help you, I'm afraid you would have collapsed halfway before you could implement it."
Gu Junlin smiled and said, "Indeed, that's why the kid must gain the approval of his great-uncle before daring to take action."
Song Gong, who remained silent and unmoved beside him, also felt the same way.
For the past five hundred years, there has not been a grand occasion of "sacrificing oneself to transcendence" in the human realm. This has led to a depletion of cultivation among human practitioners, making it difficult to advance in their realms.
But conversely, because the ancient imperial aura has persisted for so long, this "sacrifice of oneself to transcendence" is bound to be the most powerful and immeasurable event in thousands of years!
There are countless practitioners in the world who will achieve a breakthrough and promotion that they have long desired by sacrificing themselves in this "sacrifice of life for the pass".
It can be imagined that when the three great passes are opened, there will be an unstoppable surge of practitioners who have heard the news...
Similarly, at that time, it is unknown how many hidden troublemakers will take advantage of the situation to cause chaos. It is also unknown how many beneficiaries will be harmed, resulting in the breeding of resentment and the disruption of affairs.
Sacrificing oneself to close the gate is not just an earthly matter, it also involves the underworld and the heavenly realm, it is inevitable. After all, the balance of power among the three realms must be maintained, and no one wants the other party to suddenly gain an advantage and disrupt the balance.
So Gu Junlin's move of sacrificing himself for Guan Jiang is his own small power, with the strength of an ordinary person, but it has effectively stirred up the overall situation of the Three Realms!
No one can only seek personal interests in such a great situation!
Only because of this consequence, such unpredictable reactions, did the High Priest agree to what Gu Junlin did. And only with the strong assistance of the High Priest, can Gu Junlin take any action.
Of course, the high priest is not without pressure, considering the magnitude of this matter. It can be almost certain that it is undermining the foundations of the various factions' holy kings and holy lords. Therefore, the various unforeseen events and dangers that come with it are not something that the high priest can bear alone.
"Who else knows that you are going to do this?" the high priest couldn't help but ask.
Gu Junlin whispered, "The twenty-fifth, twenty-ninth, forty-seventh, and fifty-ninth ancestors of the Soul Palace will all accompany me to Shanhaiguan."
The high priest couldn't help but laugh and shook his head:
"The Soul Temple has been bewitched by you... Is the mortal realm really so rotten that even they can't bear to see it anymore?"
Randomly, the High Priest glanced deeply at Gu Junlin and sighed:
"Actually, you are quite similar to Yin Shang. He was also stirred up by the Spirit Temple to assist him. Without it, he would have had a hard time pacifying Central Province…”
"However, you boy are going to Shanhaiguan to die, but you are also dragging along these few royal lost souls and wild ghosts to be buried with you... If things go well, it can be considered a fitting death, but if things go wrong..."
The high priest immediately fell silent and shook his head.
Gu Junlin understood the meaning behind this, but if "sacrificing oneself to appease Guan" did not achieve the desired effect, then the imperial family of Central Plains would undoubtedly suffer severe damage to their vitality.
“伯祖，有些事，终究需要有人去做。如今，也只有我可以先做这一步。”顾君临淡然说道。
“好！”大祭司沉声道：
"If you have such determination, I will lend you a helping hand!"
......
......
Floating Life Spirit Mountain.
After returning to the Spirit Mountain, Chen Fusheng once again gathered his courage and, with the help of his previous insights during his stay at the "Fosterage Land" and the assistance of a few arrows from Bing Zhui, he began preaching consecutively.
The True Dragon's Way, "Reverse Scale Method," succeeded at once!
The Qilin's Way, "Sky-turning Seal," succeeds again!
On the Floating Life Spiritual Mountain, astonishing and earth-shaking supernatural powers appear in succession, making the practitioners who come to pay homage feel envious and amazed.
Of course, Chen Fusheng also understands the principle of hiding one's abilities. After all, these two preaching methods are not the inheritance of the Ten Great Sects, but the Lingrui inheritance. If they are publicized to the world, it will inevitably attract covetousness and troubles.
Therefore, Chen Fusheng used the unique characteristics of his self-created Lingshan to conceal the truth of his teachings. He only showcased his extraordinary divine powers, but did not fully demonstrate the true dragon and qilin methods.
But even so, in such a short period of time, the Floating Life Ling Shan has continuously preached and achieved great success, which is enough to astonish people from all directions. Therefore, there is a constant stream of people coming to pay tribute, and for a while, the Ling Shan becomes prosperous and flourishing, and the name of Floating Life spreads widely.
On this day, it was the ninth day since Chen Fusheng returned to Ling Mountain.
Suddenly, Chen Fusheng, who was in closed-door meditation in the cave, sensed a commotion and clamor on the top of Ling Mountain outside.
He swiftly emerged from the cave and looked around in astonishment.
Because on the top of Ling Mountain, a decree from the Central Plains Royal Family had descended.
The decree from the Central Plains Royal Family appeared like a bright yellow scroll, with neatly written characters that could be visually observed and echoed in the heart and ears of every cultivator.
"Offering oneself as a sacrifice to close a pass?"
Chen Fusheng was both shocked and delighted after understanding the content of the imperial edict.
Before he could fully digest this shocking news that shook the world, suddenly a figure rushed over and landed in front of him.
正是瀛靈福地圣子雍昼。
“浮生，可否收到中州皇室诏书？”雍昼一来，见面就是一句追问。
陈浮生笑了笑，指向半空：“你看，雍师兄早来一步，或许正好碰见。”
Afternoon, Yong just found out that the edict came along with himself synchronously, couldn't help shaking his head. But his face was still serious, and he said earnestly:
"To sacrifice oneself for the sake of the gate, it is both a blessing and a danger!"
......