The Jiuzhou Boundary Protective Formation was an early concept of Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu.
The extraterrestrial demons came from other worlds, and the location of their appearance was always random. While Jiang Li could easily defeat them, he first needed to know when and where the extraterrestrial demons would arrive. During this time, the demons could ravage extensively, causing the deaths of millions.
To minimize casualties and buy time, the Jiuzhou Boundary Protective Formation was born. In the two men's concept, this formation enveloped Jiuzhou. When an extraterrestrial demon arrived, it would take a quarter of an hour to break through the formation. At that moment, Jiang Li would receive the demon's attack information and rush to the breaking point to kill the demon.
However, there were two difficulties with this formation.
One was the continuous maintenance of the formation, which required a vast amount of spiritual energy. Jiang Li therefore called for the rotation of six cultivators in the six major sects and nine imperial dynasties to provide continuous support for the formation, totaling eight cultivators in the combined stage. The Imperial Palace also provided two cultivators in the combined stage, bringing the total to eight cultivators to maintain the formation. Although the six major sects and nine imperial dynasties were powerful in Jiuzhou, only the Holy Ground of Purification had confidence in resisting the extraterrestrial demons. Other forces had no way to deal with the demons and were unwilling to be killed by a sudden attack. Therefore, they agreed to Jiang Li's proposal.
The second difficulty was the enormous size of the formation. No formation had ever covered Jiuzhou, and enlarging the formation was not simply a matter of expanding it. It also involved issues such as terrain, spiritual power transport, and transfer, making the design extremely challenging. Even if the combined-stage cultivators were to design it, they would have to exhaust themselves to do so.
For this reason, Bai Hongtu only began designing it after breaking through the Nirvana period.
"Use an immortal artifact as the formation's eye?" Jiang Li was not surprised by this, despite not knowing in advance.
The formation had an enormous impact and naturally required an artifact that could bear the massive consequences to serve as its eye.
"Well, I asked Master Chang Cun, and he said that the Yin Yang Heavenly Seal communicates with heaven and earth and possesses the power of enlightenment. It's the most suitable for serving as the formation's eye."
"Is Master Chang Cun still alive?" Jiang Li asked with a little movement.
"Are you asking to see him too?"
"I have some questions for him."
"Can I go with you to see Master Changcun?" Jingxin, the Holy Lady nodded towards herself. She had only heard of the name Changcun, but had never seen the old man.
"Sure, Master Changcun likes a lively atmosphere. He loves it when there are more people around," Bai Hongtu nodded.
"I still need to make preparations for the Immortal Weapon Appreciation Conference. You can go by yourselves. He's still in the Sealing Self Cave," Bai Hongtu said, then quickly left.
Dong Zhongren, upon hearing that Jiang Li already knew about his situation from Wang Bian, felt it was embarrassing to stay, so he hurriedly left, as if fleeing.
Wuzhi, the Buddhist disciple, was very interested in the Immortal Weapon Appreciation Conference. Although it was not yet time for it to begin, many cultivators had already arrived to showcase their weapons. He also bid farewell to Jiang Li and Jingxin, then wandered around eagerly.
...
"Is Master Changcun really the oldest person on the continent and a true immortal?" Jingxin asked on the way to the Sealing Self Cave.
"He is indeed an immortal. As for his age, that depends on how old your Red Dust Ancestor really is. Except for the uncertain Red Dust Fairy, he really is the oldest person," Jiang Li replied.
"I suspect he is a disciple of the Dao Ancestor, but he has never admitted it."
Before becoming the Emperor, Jiang Li had consulted Master Changcun many times and held him in great respect.
Jingxin was slightly surprised. If he was indeed a disciple of the Dao Ancestor, then Master Changcun truly lived up to his name—eternally present and immortal.
As a disciple of the Dao Ancestor, he would have lived at least fifty thousand years ago.
A cultivator in the Fusing stage could live for two or three thousand years, witnessing the rise and fall of countless powers throughout their long lives.
But Master Changcun could witness the growth and passing of countless cultivators in the Fusing stage.
When there were still connections between the Nine Provinces and the Immortal Realm, many immortals had visited the Nine Provinces, but they only stayed for a few hundred years before returning to the Immortal Realm. Only Master Changcun, a native of the Nine Provinces, found the Immortal Realm less congenial than the Nine Provinces after ascending, so he returned to the Nine Provinces and never left again.
Jiang Li thought he was planning to retire in the Nine Provinces.
But it was thanks to this old man that many doubts were cleared up, such as the existence of the Immortal Realm, the process of becoming an immortal, and the fact that above the Tribulation Crossing stage, it was not just becoming an immortal. The Red Dust Fairy was the "beauty" of the Heavenly Way, and so on.
Moreover, when the various Emperors of the generations were unable to stop the invasion of the Outer Domain Demons, Master Changcun also lent a helping hand and killed the Demon.
But Master Changcun did not intervene frequently.
After becoming an immortal, all of one's spiritual energy would be transformed into immortal power, which sustained the immortal body. Immortal power only existed in the Immortal Realm. When an immortal descended to the mortal realm, the immortal power within their body would diminish each time they used it.
However, when Master Changcun descended, he planned to replenish his immortal power in the Immortal Realm once it was insufficient. After all, he could freely travel between the Immortal Realm and the mortal realm. Who would have thought that the Ascension Ladder had a problem and he couldn't return to the Immortal Realm.
That was troublesome.
Once he exhausted his immortal power, his body would collapse and undergo the five stages of decay before dying!
So he tried not to intervene as much as possible.
"Master Changcun, are you there? I've come with some questions again," Jiang Li shouted in front of the stone door of the Sealing Self Cave, and the door opened automatically.
The two entered the cave and found that it was filled with various ancient books, some neatly arranged on bookshelves, and some scattered on the ground. Of course, "ancient" was a relative term; for Master Changcun, these were just recently published.
"You always come with questions every time you return. Can't you just come to see me old man?" Master Changcun pretended to be very indignant, but Jingxin could see he was very pleased with Jiang Li's arrival.
"Hmm, and you've even brought someone else with you this time. That's quite unusual," Master Changcun looked like an old man found everywhere in the countryside--thin, hunched, with age spots, calluses on his hands, and dressed in ordinary, coarse hemp garments.
This was the epitome of subdued vitality.
As Master Changcun looked at Jiang Li, who was revered as the Emperor, he couldn't help but feel moved. Who could have imagined that the little child from the Nascent Soul stage had become so inscrutable.
As an immortal, he could not discern just how powerful Jiang Li truly was.
"This little girl looks quite pretty. Which family does she come from?"
"In reply, Jingxin comes from the Red Dust Pureland, she is a descendant of the Red Dust Ancestor."
"The Red Dust Fairy, now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time." Master Changcun chuckled and warmly welcomed the two, serving them with the finest spirit tea and pastries.
Although the three were refraining from eating, it didn't mean they couldn't enjoy delicacies.
Whether it was an illusion or not, Jingxin felt that as soon as she mentioned being a descendant of the Red Dust Ancestor, Master Changcun became much warmer, and his gaze towards her also changed.
It was like, how should she put it, it was like the doting gaze of a family elder.
"This is someone who has seen the Red Dust Fairy in person," Jiang Li transmitted to Jingxin.
Jingxin understood; this was because he still had thoughts about their Ancestor.