I have a Taoist temple that connects me to other worlds

"This is the corpse of the former Crown Prince," Rain Master Concubine said, staring intently at the body.

Why would the former Crown Prince's body be in this underground palace? Why would someone encase it in a crystal coffin? Everyone was filled with doubts.

At this moment, the Elder's voice came faintly from behind.

"Enough, enough. Now that things have come to this, you might as well see it clearly."

He bit his fingertip, and a drop of blood fell into the coffin. The dragon-shaped black shadow suddenly opened its eyes, its pupils a murky gold.

The crystal coffin lid slowly slid open, and the black shadow emitted a hoarse human voice: "You... also want a piece of the pie?"

Just as everyone was wondering what this black shadow was, it suddenly attacked them.

It transformed into millions of black threads, attacking everyone from all directions.

Rain Master Concubine tossed out her Water Ruyi, and the Xuan Water transformed into a barrier, blocking the incoming black mist.

Jiang Wen activated the Tai Xuan Mirror, and the mirror light revealed a horrifying truth—the black shadow was surrounded by countless wailing infant souls, and the other end of the black threads actually led to the direction of the Purple Firmament Hall.

"Twenty years ago, Yinghuo guarded the heart, and the Emperor Star was covered in dust," the Fourth Elder's voice carried a strange echo. "His Majesty had to use some extraordinary means to continue the destiny of the human race."

Su Mu originally wanted to cast a spell, but he seemed to have seen something incredible, staring at the jade pendant on the black shadow's waist: "This is... the token of the chief disciple of the Taishin Palace Discipline Hall!"

Upon hearing this, the black shadow let out a maniacal laugh, and tears of blood flowed from its golden pupils: "Master, didn't you say that sacrificing oneself for the sake of the common people is the supreme glory? Why, why have I become like this, neither human nor ghost!"

Only now did Jiang Wen finally see clearly that the black threads contained not only the aura of a true dragon but also the unique magic power of the Taishin Palace.

The so-called destiny transfer created by the God Worshipping Society was actually to melt the wishes of all living beings and the cultivation of cultivators into a new "vessel."

The underground palace suddenly shook violently, and the dragon-shaped black shadow began to expand. The Fourth Elder revealed a look of horror: "Not good, the sacrifice is going to backfire..."

Before he could finish speaking, the black shadow's sharp claws had already pierced through his chest. The Elder's life fire had just escaped from his Qi Sea when it was torn into pieces by the countless infant souls in the black mist.

"We cannot stay here for long," Jiang Wen said solemnly.

When everyone retreated to the ground, the entire Eastern Palace had already begun to collapse. After Jiang Wen and the others left, a figure appeared above the ruins of the Eastern Palace.

"There is not much time left," the person said, gazing at the ruins, his voice devoid of emotion.

… …

The next day, inside You Zhai's house.

Jiang Wen immersed the gilded dagger in the spiritual spring, and complete incantations gradually appeared on the blade. Bai Jing suddenly pointed to a certain rune: "This is very similar to the 'Dragon Slaying Platform' totem recorded in the ancient books of the Taiping Dao."

Rain Master Concubine dipped vermilion ink and restored the incomplete text: "...Heavenly Mandate has flaws, it should be washed with the blood of the Human Emperor."

She suddenly paused, "Do you still remember the 'Imperial Capital Blood Moon Change' twenty years ago?"

Su Mu, who was adjusting his breathing, suddenly opened his eyes upon hearing this: "That year, a blood moon suddenly appeared in the sky above the Imperial Capital, causing the immortal cultivators to suddenly go mad and slaughter each other. Could it be..."

A piece of charred paper ash floated in from the window, on which the words "Yinghuo" and "Eastern Palace" were vaguely visible. Jiang Wen opened the window and found that the streets were full of people scattering paper money.

"I heard that the Eastern Palace caught fire," the waiter downstairs shouted, "The heavens are angry, and thunder and fire have burned for a day and a night. Now the Eastern Palace has become ruins."

Rain Master Concubine looked at the paper money and suddenly looked at Jiang Wen with a chuckle: "What do you think, is the current Son of Heaven still human?"

The candlelight crackled, casting distorted shadows on the wall. Jiang Wen looked towards the direction of the Imperial City, where a strange purple smoke was rising, shaped like a struggling dragon.

… …

The morning bell of the Taishin Palace's back mountain shattered the mist, and Jiang Wen walked alone to the front of "Wuxiang Cliff."

Since the Eastern Palace incident, the atmosphere in the Imperial Capital has become increasingly strange. The God Worshipping Society has become increasingly arrogant, and the Taishin Palace turns a deaf ear.

Jiang Wen discussed with Su Mu and Rain Master Concubine and decided to first go to the Taishin Palace to retrieve the Imperial Palace map. After all, the Son of Heaven has not been seen for a long time, and it is probably related to Li Yunshang. And Li Yunshang disappeared in the Black Mountain, so we must find the place through the Imperial Palace map.

This matter can only be done quickly and not slowly.

Stepping onto the top of the mountain, Jiang Wen saw the clouds clear and the mist dissipate.

On the distant bluestone wall, cloud patterns rippled, and three copper coins were embedded in the grooves. The cliff wall opened with a rumble.

Su Mu's voice came from behind: "Nine Levels of Hidden Treasure, the first three levels test the heart."

Before he could finish speaking, the star vortex had already swallowed Jiang Wen.

… …

"Don't be afraid," Jiang Wen touched the bleeding needle tip to the child's brow. "This is the method of using blood to draw out the poison."

Three days later, twenty pottery urns were placed under an old locust tree at the entrance of the village. Jiang Wen taught the villagers how to identify detoxification herbs, and his fingertips were stained green and black by the medicinal juice. When the last patient staggered away, he leaned against the medicine cabinet and fell into a deep sleep, still clutching the three washed copper coins in his arms.

… …

When the awakening thunder of Jingzhe shook Jiang Wen awake, he had become a lame teacher in a private school. Outside the window, a torrential rain was pouring down, and the roar of a mountain flood was approaching from afar.

"Teacher, run quickly!" The book boy tugged at his sleeve.

But Jiang Wen ran in the opposite direction. The old injury made every step feel like stepping on the tip of a knife, and he knocked on doors from house to house: "The back mountain is going to collapse! Take your valuables and run to Donggang!"

When the mud flooded over his ankles, the last hunter was still packing animal skins. Jiang Wen snatched the bundle and threw it out of the door, carrying the old man out. The roof beam collapsed behind him, and broken wood scratched his cheeks, blood mixing with rain blurring his vision.

Seven days later, a new private school was built on the ridge. The children tied mountain flowers with red strings and placed them on the desk, and Jiang Wen opened the "Mencius" and saw a piece of dried hemostatic grass clipped between the pages.

… …

On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, Jiang Wen curled up under the shrine of a broken temple. This body was a sixteen-year-old beggar with a festering sore on his left leg, but he was tightly wrapped in a swaddling clothes.

"What are you crying about!" The temple door was kicked open, and three hooligans approached with sticks, "Hand over the little brat, the human trafficker will reward you with two coins!"

Jiang Wen felt half a piece of broken tile, but saw the baby in his arms grin at him. In this trance, the shadow of the stick had already reached his eyes. He suddenly turned over and protected the baby under him, and the tile accurately pierced the ankle of the leader.

Amidst the screams, the other two fled in panic. When Jiang Wen tore open his clothes with his teeth to bandage the wound, he caught a glimpse of a dark compartment behind the Bodhisattva statue—inside was actually a bag of silver coins and a land deed.

The candlelight flickered on the offering table, and Jiang Wen's hand hovered above the land deed. If he took the money to treat his injuries, it would be enough to buy a shop to settle down; if he kept his promise and waited for the owner, he was afraid that he would not survive this winter.

When the five watch rooster crowed, a lame peddler came outside the temple. Jiang Wen tied the bundle back to the beam as it was and curled up in the haystack with the baby in his arms. The dawn sunlight leaked in, and he was surprised to find that a layer of golden scab had formed on the festering sore on his leg.

… …

When the clouds and mist reunited, Jiang Wen had three tokens lying in his palm—copper coins with the scent of medicine, dried hemostatic grass, and half a piece of golden scab.

"For those who seek the Dao, the Dao is in the human world," the illusory figure of the Taishin Patriarch swept across the clouds. "What you see today is the true Taishin Secret Treasure."

Outside the cliff, the morning mist was still hazy, as if only a moment had passed.