Chapter 696: Chapter 76: The Yellow Emperor’s Wife, Twelve Transformations (Part 2)
Before long, Luo Suyi arranged for someone to set up a banquet and brought Lu Tongtong over to propose a toast to the Red Dog. The Red Dog naturally dared not accept since Luo Suyi was the reincarnation of his master, and he had always shown respect, so how could he accept such a great courtesy from his master?
Luo Suyi knew that if she stayed here, it would make Red Dog uncomfortable. So after apologizing with Lu Tongtong, she left, leaving only Lu Chengfeng with him to drink and talk.
The two drank while discussing the events that had occurred over the years, including many changes in the Three Realms.
"Since Brother Daoist Red Dog went into seclusion, the various Celestial Venerates have successively stepped in, exhibiting their presence in the Three Realms and meddling in human affairs."
"In order to ensure my survival, I schemed to seize Shenxiao Palace, slaying the previous Great Sun Celestial Patrol Divine Venerate and Earth Mother Dragon Venerate who occupied it, thus securing a foothold."
"Though it’s only been three hundred years since you went into seclusion, the situation in the Three Realms has been turned upside down compared to before."
Lu Chengfeng toyed with the Jade Rhinoceros Moon Gazing Cup in his hands. It was part of a whole set of Great Tao Spiritual Treasures, along with the Laurel Cloud Dew Pot, capable of channeling moonlight to brew the Laurel Cloud Dew Immortal Brew.
This immortal brew was an extremely rare Immortal Treasure, and upon consumption, it could cleanse the Dharma Form of the flesh, clearing the mind and body, with effects not inferior to immortal pills specifically used for enlightenment and cultivation.
Along with seven Jade Rhinoceros Moon Gazing Cups, it made a complete set of drinking vessels. If one drank heartily, the taste was unique, as if one’s soul was bathing in moonlight in the Moon Palace, extremely wondrous.
Although this treasure held no power in battle, its preciousness was not inferior to an Innate Spiritual Treasure.
After discovering it in the Empress’s treasury, Lu Chengfeng couldn’t part with it, frequently enjoying it with his many wives and concubines. Every time they finished, it would be followed by an invigorating battle.
At this moment, to celebrate for Red Dog, he took out this entire set of precious wine utensils.
He raised the Jade Rhinoceros Moon Gazing Cup in his hand, slowly sipping the immortal brew, feeling his mind and spirit drifting into ecstasy, nourished by the endless moonlight, as if a slight move could directly ascend to the Nine Heavens to seize the moon.
"In these few centuries, the Purple Mansion Celestial Venerate and Sumeru Celestial Venerate have joined forces to drive the Peacock Great Saint to the Netherworld."
"The Yellow Heaven Taoist Lord submitted to the Purple Mansion Celestial Venerate, no longer claiming to be the Human Emperor, but only referring to himself as the Son of Heaven. In just a few hundred years, he swept across the Divine Continent, re-establishing the unified Profound Yellow Celestial Dynasty, revered as the Yellow Emperor."
"The ’Profound’ in Profound Yellow Celestial Dynasty refers to the Profound Sect, with the Profound Sect as the national religion of the Profound Yellow Celestial Dynasty, and the Purple Mansion Celestial Venerate being bestowed the title of Profound Capital Tao Ancestor."
"The Profound Capital Tao Ancestor is in heaven, while the Yellow Emperor is below, jointly ruling the Human Realm, forming the Profound Yellow Celestial Dynasty."
Upon hearing this, the Red Dog couldn’t help but chuckle, "Previously, Yellow Heaven was a grand Taoist Lord of the Nine States, even revered as the foremost among the Nine Tao Ancestors, of great repute. Now he’s become the Purple Mansion Celestial Venerate’s lapdog, it’s truly ridiculous."
Lu Chengfeng sighed, setting down the wine cup in his hand, "It’s not that simple. When the Empress was still around, the three Celestial Venerates only wandered the Three Realms in incarnations, keeping a low profile."
"Once the Empress fell, they began to reveal their fangs; even the Divine Venerate Taoist Lords were not their match."
"That Yellow Heaven could stoop so low shows the depth of his scheming. He and the Purple Mansion Celestial Venerate are not of the same mind; there will surely be twists and turns in the future, and he might yet overturn his fate."
"If he hadn’t bowed and submitted initially, the Purple Mansion Celestial Venerate wouldn’t have spared him. Yellow Heaven’s cultivation and Tao cultivation were closely tied to the fortune of the Human Dynasty. As long as he wished to further his cultivation, he couldn’t escape."
"Now, the Profound Yellow Celestial Dynasty suppresses the Divine Continent, and Profound Sect disciples are spread across the Four Seas and Eight Desolates, becoming the ancestral court of the Immortal Path with ever-growing momentum."
"Instead, the Yellow Emperor, in the Human Realm, is almost unheard of, with ordinary beings only knowing the Profound Sect and the Profound Capital Tao Ancestor, but not the Yellow Emperor."
He shook his head, refraining from saying more, and his tone shifted, "Besides, Sumeru Celestial Venerate converted the Divine Kingdom, guiding the Ancient River Divine King to seek refuge, becoming a Buddhist Sect Guardian, respected as the Ancient Buddha of Dharma Ocean."
"Sumeru Celestial Venerate, rooting himself on the Sumeru Continent, refined the original Divine Kingdom and established the Western Paradise, suppressing the Buddha Country with Mount Sumeru. Over the years, he continually waged war on the Netherworld, converting demons and monsters, and his power has surged."
"The Profound Sect and the Buddhist Sect, one ruling the Human Realm, the other establishing the Buddha Country, jointly governing the Three Realms, suppressing the Netherworld, have already gained the upper hand."
"Over the years, other Immortals, Buddhas, Gods, and Demons either submitted or were slaughtered, unwilling to bow bending their knee. Some fled to the Netherworld, others to Chaos Heaven."
"Presently, the only overt enemy daring to oppose the Profound Sect and Buddhism is the Netherworld."
"The Peacock Great Saint and the Ten Halls Yama have joined forces, relying on the Netherworld’s natural advantages to barely contend with the two Celestial Venerates, but these years have also seen continual setbacks, and the outlook is not promising."
Red Dog frowned upon hearing this,"If that’s the case, if we don’t want to bow down and submit, can’t we only hide in this Chaos Heaven?"
Lu Chengfeng’s gaze remained calm, his tone a coolness, "For now, that’s naturally the case, but the Profound Sect and Buddhism are not purely united. If there’s an external enemy, they will naturally join hands."
"But once the Netherworld is defeated, it should be their turn to struggle against each other."
"After all, the Three Realms are only so large, and fortunes of creation are limited. If the two want to prove their Dao and become Emperors, they both have their own paths to take. The Profound Sect and Buddhism will inevitably have a battle eventually."
Red Dog muttered somewhat sullenly, "Then we just keep waiting?" After being in seclusion for so long, he was already itching to go out and enjoy some carefree freedom.
But now that the Three Realms have fallen into the control of the Profound Sect and Buddhism, if he were to be targeted by those two old antiques, where would he find freedom?
Lu Chengfeng’s gaze dimmed with a faint smile, "No need to hurry. It won’t be long before I can take a crucial step, and then the opportunity will naturally arise."
After a brief consideration, he divulged some information, "In at most another hundred years, there will be a decisive battle between the Profound Sect, Buddhism, and the Netherworld, and then we can seize the opportunity to descend to the lower realms and lay out plans in the Human Realm."
"A hundred years?!" Red Dog’s face immediately broke into a smile, "Well, that’s good! I just broke through to Dharma Form, and this period is perfect for rapid advancement in cultivation, just in time to consolidate my cultivation for a hundred years."
"By then, I will follow you to the lower realms."
Lu Chengfeng nodded, not saying more.
According to his calculations, after a hundred years of the Netherworld War, the Profound Sect and Buddhism will surely be victorious.
The Profound Sect would subjugate the Ten Halls Yama, while the Buddhist Sect would subdue the Peacock Great Saint, and the two sects would share the Netherworld, after which a remarkably long period of peace would begin.
About eight hundred years later, the Yellow Emperor dreams of golden figures in the West imparting the law, hence wishing to send someone to the Western Paradise to seek the True Scripture.
It’s undoubtedly that the Yellow Emperor, with Sumeru Celestial Venerate’s support, began to seek rebellion, intending to prove his Dao Celestial Venerate and contend with the Profound Capital Tao Ancestor.
Sumeru Celestial Venerate counterbalances the Profound Capital Tao Ancestor. If the Yellow Emperor converts the Path to Buddhism, causing Buddhist Dharma to flourish in the Human Realm, overshadowing the Profound Sect, then he will gradually gain control of the Three Realms, advancing further.
Lu Chengfeng knew well that the contest between the Profound Sect and Buddhism was essentially a conflict between two Celestial Venerates over their paths to the Great Emperor; it’s a struggle of the Great Tao, unceasing and unending.
If one’s path to cultivate the Three Realms becomes mainstream, they can receive the Heavenly Dao’s fortune, with authority descending from creation, thereby hoping to step out half a step and achieve the Great Emperor.
The Yellow Emperor was just a pawn in the process, but he naturally wasn’t content to remain just a pawn; he wished to find a glimmer of life between the Profound Sect and Buddhism, for only by breaking through to Celestial Venerate could he reach another realm.
"It’s just a pity that no one anticipated that this Western journey would end in such a conclusion."
During the years in closed-door in Shenxiao Palace, Lu Chengfeng consumed the Immortal Path, enjoying all kinds of Heavenly and Earthly Treasures. With a place of creation such as Shenxiao Palace, his cultivation rapidly advanced, having already mastered the Golden Cicada Transformation, Celestial Spider Transformation to the Twelfth Layer.
Apart from that, he also fully cultivated Su Hongxiu’s Path of Heaven-Burning, the White Tiger Divine Venerate’s Path of Heaven-Tearing.
Thus, he had already mastered transformations such as the Peacock Transformation, White Ape Transformation, Golden Cicada Transformation, Celestial Spider Transformation, Heaven-Encompassing Transformation, Heaven-Burning Transformation, Heaven-Tearing Transformation, and Taotie Transformation, along with the preordained Chaos Transformation, Qiongqi Transformation, Taowu Transformation, and the White Tiger Taoist Lord’s Heaven-Suppressing Transformation.
In total, twelve Heaven-Reaching Transformations, four of which are Ancient Fierce Beast Transformations, four are Heavenly Dao Transformations, and four are Demon God Transformations.
Once cultivated, Lu Chengfeng could reach the Twelfth Layer.
For him, the path to Celestial Venerate had no bottleneck.
Once cultivated to the Twelfth Layer, he could directly refine the Path of Guanyin practiced by Guanzizai, accomplishing the Celestial Venerate Transformation, leaping into the Celestial Venerable Realm.
The key was that the White Tiger Taoist Lord was now the wife of the Yellow Emperor, and the other three Ancient Fierce Beasts were suppressed by the two Celestial Venerates.
Lu Chengfeng had always been waiting for the opportunity.
