Dragon Tiger Peak.
The Old Peach Tree swayed, its precious light growing stronger and more brilliant, yet it remained withered and deathly still.
A look of joy appeared on the Old Celestial Master’s face. Just as he was about to speak, the Old Peach Tree—now appearing slightly larger, its aura heavy with ti yet brimming with life—trembled slightly.
Then, a voice rippled outward.
"What... is it?"
The Old Peach Tree spoke slowly and wearily, as if from an unhealed injury.
The Old Celestial Master suppressed his joy, his expression turning solemn. He bowed and said:
"Ancestor, I was observing the secrets of heaven and discovered that soone has tampered with fate and the celestial phenona, drawing all factions to Dragon Tiger Mountain. I also saw the silhouette of the one responsible."
The solemn look on his face deepened. He let out a heavy breath and continued:
"It was a towering figure with three faces. I suspect it is one of the ancient Immortals and Buddhas, who seems to have forced an early return. I do not know what it is plotting."
The branches of the Old Peach Tree swayed in the wind, its peach blossoms glowing with a hazy, pure light.
After a long mont, the Old Peach Tree spoke with great difficulty:
"In all things... be... careful."
After another mont of silence, it managed to force out a complete sentence:
"Dragon Tiger Mountain and the Immortals and Buddhas have been bitter enemies since ancient tis—mortal foes... Be careful. Be careful. Be careful."
"I understand, Ancestor." The Celestial Master’s expression turned grave. He wanted to say more, but when he saw a hint of withering appear on the Old Peach Tree, he didn’t dare speak further and simply let out a deep sigh.
Bowing once more, the Old Celestial Master slowly withdrew. His gaze was incredibly deep. ’So the ancient Immortals and Buddhas truly hold a great grudge against Dragon Tiger Mountain?’
’This is the first I’ve ever heard of it... It seems the Ancestral Celestial Master was a truly remarkable figure.’
As the Old Celestial Master was lost in thought, down at the foot of the mountain,
several Great Daoists flew down, bringing the noisy and chaotic scene under control.
The True Immortal Daoist at the lead had a solemn and majestic expression. He said flatly:
"If you are all here to attend Dragon Tiger Mountain’s Spring Rite, you are welco. If not, please leave."
His voice rumbled like the striking of a bronze bell, deafening and shaking the hearts of all who heard it.
Everyone quieted down, exchanging glances, but no one retreated or left.
The True Immortal Daoist swept his gaze over the crowd before letting it rest on the five massive warships in the sky. After a brief pause, he spoke again:
"Since you are all here for the Spring Rite, please enter the mountain in an orderly fashion. Do not cause a disturbance, or you will be expelled from Dragon Tiger."
With that, the True Immortal Daoist withdrew and returned up the mountain, leaving several Earth Immortal Daoists sitting cross-legged in mid-air to maintain order and suppress any trouble.
The crowd began to surge toward the mountain gate in an orderly manner. Within the crowd, Wang Zhiyao, her body wrapped in bandages, managed a pained smile.
"Truly worthy of being the number one Daoist Lineage in the world. They can send out a True Immortal so casually..."
She paused for a mont, then continued:
"All five consortiums are here. It seems today’s events will be anything but small... Principal Li, did you say before that the Zhuge Family told you there was a fortuitous opportunity here?"
"Correct." Li Nanguo gave a polite smile to the leading elder of the Langya Wang Family beside them, then looked at Wang Zhiyao.
"Zhiyao, your injuries..."
"They’re not a big deal anymore. Once I finish absorbing this batch of Spiritual dicine, I’ll be fine."
As she spoke, she coughed lightly twice and added:
"That Demon Child has already been executed and beheaded by the Federation, so I don’t have to take revenge myself."
The people around them exchanged glances, their expressions also growing more solemn.
’The incident in Shengjing, that miraculous Daoist Temple pressing down from the sky, completely shattering the peace talks... It seems an age of chaos is upon us...’
’But it’s hard to say whether that’s good or bad.’
"Let’s go. We’ll head up the mountain and see what’s happening," Zhang Jifeng said, his gaze sweeping around before finally settling on the five massive warships.
The warships slowly descended, and people from the consortiums erged. There were no chairn among them; the leaders were all major directors.
Among the people who erged from Longque Technology, Ao Chengzhong was at the lead. With a calm expression, he looked at the crowded stream of people and said:
"Let’s go straight up the mountain to pay a visit. See if we can get a direct audience with the Celestial Master."
The mbers following behind him nodded quickly. Li Xiaosang was also among them.
.........
"Venerable, are you alright?"
"I am fine." A deep voice sounded as a Three-Faced Demon Buddha spoke calmly. His three faces were all different, showing expressions of fury, hatred, and sorrow.
Around his neck hung a string of Buddhist Beads made of nine skulls, which radiated a baleful energy of grief, resentnt, and indignation, yet were also accompanied by a shimring Buddhist light.
The Three-Faced Demon Buddha stood amidst the turbulent void, not having truly set foot in the [Current World]. The [Current World] was simply unable to bear his terrifying power; if he were to enter, it might trigger a total collapse.
He said:
"The upper limit of Heaven and Earth will soon be raised. I have returned early under a higher decree. Although I am not in grave danger, my injuries are not light."
After a pause, the Three-Faced Demon Buddha glanced sideways at the Little Saint beside him and asked coolly:
"How many years have you followed ?"
"Venerable, from the start of the journey to the West until now, it has been over seventy thousand years."
"Has it been seventy thousand years?" the Three-Faced Demon Buddha mused softly. "The Current World is weak, untouched by Immortals and Buddhas. The incense is free for the taking. My first purpose in coming here is to spread my teachings."
"My second is to suppress Dragon Tiger."
"My third is to carry out a higher order: kill Lu Xuan."
The Little Saint, who had also forced his return alongside the Demon Buddha but had avoided major injury because his Cultivation was only at the Great Grade Immortal realm, asked curiously:
"Who is Lu Xuan?"
"I don’t know." The Three-Faced Evil Buddha shook his head decisively. "The Immortal Mother and the Demon Ancestor did not specify. From the information I received, he is suspected to be one of the Hundred Philosophers from the Spring and Autumn Years, known as Lu Zi."
He paused, then continued coolly:
"I was born after the Qin Dynasty and beca an Immortal after the Qin Dynasty. I don’t know much about the events of the Spring and Autumn Years. But he is just a ’Zi,’ nothing more. He shouldn’t be too much trouble."
As he spoke, all three faces of the Three-Faced Buddha turned to look at the Demon Race Little Saint.
"Ben Bo’Erba, after you go to Dragon Tiger Mountain to deliver the decree and establish our might, find Lu Xuan and kill him. Do you understand?"
Ben Bo’Erba jumped in fright and pointed at himself.
"??"
"Supre Venerable, I am only at the Grand Grade..."
"It is enough," the Three-Faced Evil Buddha said with certainty. "Not to ntion, the [Current World] can only accommodate the Grand Grade. Even if this so-called Lu Zi awakens his Ancient Might, he will be at the level of Sage or Virtue at most. You can do it."
Ben Bo’Erba shrank back, wanting to say sothing, but when he t the six pairs of indifferent eyes of the Three-Faced Evil Buddha, he ultimately didn’t dare to say a word.
He bowed formally, then quietly stepped out of the turbulent void and headed toward the [Current World].
After watching him leave, all three of the Three-Faced Evil Buddha’s heads coughed up blood. It was clear that his forced early return had also left him severely injured.
He leaned on his Crescent Shovel-shaped True Treasure Staff and sat down wearily. Buddhist chants echoed around him, yet they were accompanied by sounds of wailing, shrieking, and crying—the aspects of Buddha, demon, and devil, three in one.
"Master was slain, Eldest Brother was suppressed, and Second Brother has disappeared..."
The Three-Faced Evil Buddha spoke softly.
"By coming here to gather the world’s incense, subjugate Dragon Tiger, and kill Lu Zi, I will accumulate enough rit to surely exchange it for Second Brother’s whereabouts. I might even be able to rescue Eldest Brother..."
With that, the Three-Faced Evil Buddha wearily lowered his eyelids to rest for a mont.
.........
Spiritual World.
Lu Xuan carefully studied the Heaven and Earth Chessboard and the [Human Lamp], his eyes filled with curiosity.
For now, the Heaven and Earth Chessboard was inscrutable. It was woven from ancient wood and consisted only of a board, with no pieces to be seen.
Upon closer examination, he could feel a surging, imnse power, but nothing else.
The [Human Lamp], however, was extraordinary. It shared a subtle connection with the Jade Void Glazed Lamp.
Of the two lamps, one was pure and the other gloomy. When the Cyan Lamp and the Gloomy Lamp were placed side by side, they resonated together, producing a profoundly mysterious light.
Their flas spiraled, converging, tangling, and weaving together, illuminating the Celestial Realms and reflecting the phantoms of all living beings.
’I should go to the [Origin] later and ask Third Senior-Uncle. While I’m at it... I’ll ask about the Lady, too.’
’To this day, I still can’t figure out what happened to the Lady. I want to investigate, but I don’t know where to start, so my only option is to ask my Three Masters.’
’And since I can’t let my Teacher see the Cyan Lamp, asking the Three Masters is the best option.’
As Lu Xuan was thinking, his Divine Thought slowly withdrew from his Spiritual World.
Outside, Zhu Wuneng yawned.
"We’re at Dragon Tiger Mountain... Why are there so many people?"
The Sanqing Temple floated in the void, dark and obscure, draped in thirty-six colors of light that swirled around it in unending wisps.
Several Ancient Immortals peered through the main gate of the Daoist Temple, gazing into the distance. They all saw a large crowd gathered at the foot of the mountain, proceeding uphill in an orderly fashion.
Xiaoyan looked around for a mont and said in surprise:
"Xiaolu, Xiaolu, I see Uncle Ao!"
Lu Xuan raised his eyes, and with a single glance, took in the entire scene at the foot of the mountain. He smiled.
"It’s not just Uncle Ao. There are quite a few familiar faces."
As he spoke, he narrowed his eyes slightly.
"The other consortiums are here too. Has sothing happened at Dragon Tiger Mountain?"
As his voice fell, a profoundly mysterious light flashed in Lu Xuan’s eyes. He activated Dao Generating One, looking down upon the countless fine starlines to perceive Cause and Effect.
"A fortuitous opportunity?" He was slightly surprised. "So kind of monuntal opportunity at Dragon Tiger Mountain... No, that’s not right. Fate and the celestial phenona have both been faked. Interesting."
With that, Lu Xuan rose gracefully to his feet.
"Let’s go, we’ll check it out together."
As he spoke, he temporarily separated the [Human Saint Position] and entrusted it to his illusory self. The Big Black Bull ca over at the right mont and prostrated itself.
"MOO!"
The black bull was extrely respectful.
Lu Xuan swung himself onto its back, and Xiaoyan did the sa. The black bull carried the two of them as it slowly walked out of the Daoist Temple, with the four Ancient Immortals following closely behind.
The portly old man chuckled good-naturedly.
"Supre Venerable, if you show yourself like this, I’m afraid you’ll cause a huge commotion..."
Lu Xuan’s gaze shifted, and he smiled.
"Sothing seems fishy at Dragon Tiger Mountain. I’ll just conceal my face for now and see what’s really going on."
As he spoke, a wisp of Chaos Qi flowed from his pupils, transforming into a thin mist that enveloped both him and Xiaoyan. Their figures and faces beca indistinct and chaotic, yet it added a certain great majesty to their presence.
"Let’s go, let’s go."
The group walked out of the Daoist Temple’s main gate and slowly proceeded toward Dragon Tiger Mountain.
With each step the black bull took, lotus flowers blood, forming a path that extended all the way to the foot of the mountain.
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