Chapter 541: Chapter 7: Haotian Enters the Late Han Dynasty, The Showdown, Transcendent Traits
「Luoyang.」
"Mengde is back?"
Cao Song breathed a sigh of relief and said,
"No one expected the White Lotus Sect to be so ferocious. Even though you were defeated in the campaign to suppress the rebellion, it wasn’t your fault. It’s good that you’re back. It’s just good that you’re back..."
Cao Cao looked around blankly. One moment he was on that barren mountain, so how was he back in Luoyang, back in his home, the next?
He opened his mouth, bowed to his father—who already held a position among the Nine Ministers—and said wearily,
"Father, I am tired. I wish to rest for a while..."
So much had happened in just one day.
"After a great battle and a long, arduous journey, you should indeed get a good rest. Go on, go on!"
Back in his room, a maidservant, Xiaoqian, sidled up to him, her eyes full of seductive charm.
"Young Master, I’ve missed you so terribly..."
Cao Cao was in no mood for such things and waved his hand in annoyance.
"Leave. I don’t need you to attend to me."
Xiaoqian persisted, pressing her soft body against Cao Cao’s. She exhaled a faint fragrance and said coquettishly,
"Young Master, a day without you feels like three years. Qian’er hasn’t been able to warm your bed or wait on you for over a month. My heart can hardly bear it..."
"Aren’t you and the second steward getting along quite well? What is there to bear?"
Xiaoqian’s face turned pale with shock. She staggered, nearly falling to the ground, and stammered,
"You... how did you know...?"
Cao Cao sneered. He had known for a long time. Otherwise, with so many stunningly beautiful maids in the residence, why would he have ever taken notice of the relatively plain Xiaoqian?
Wearily, Cao Cao waved his hand again, sending the frightened Xiaoqian out of the room. He sat alone on his bed, lost in a daze.
The many events of the day replayed in his mind.
Swearing brotherhood, marching to his death, the Yellow Springs Path, the Ten Halls Yama...
And finally, the Immortal Gods worshiped by the White Lotus Sect personally descending to the mortal realm, as well as that terrifying Temple Master of the Daoist Temple, who held heaven and earth in his palm...
The moment he thought of that terrifying Temple Master, Cao Cao was struck by a sudden trance. His vision blurred, and the figure of that very Temple Master actually appeared before him!
A chill shot through his heart. He tried to bow, but the ethereal, illusory Old Temple Master stopped him.
"You have traveled to the Netherworld, witnessed the roiling Yellow Springs, and nearly stepped upon the Bridge of Helplessness. You have returned from death to life, but in doing so, you have been stained with the aura of death. I bestow upon you a Dharma Scripture. Cultivate it diligently and do not be lax."
As his words fell, the ethereal Old Temple Master reached out and tapped a finger. A massive, complex flood of knowledge and Profound Mysteries crashed into Cao Cao’s mind, making his head split with pain!
An unknown amount of time passed before Cao Cao managed to fully comprehend the new knowledge and Profound Mysteries in his mind. He murmured to himself,
"The Northern Yin Fate Casting Technique? A Cultivation Scripture..."
He subconsciously looked up, but the phantom-like Old Temple Master had already vanished. Only a hollow, ethereal voice drifted slowly toward him.
"In the years to come, if you become the ruler of the North, you must erect the ’Copper Sparrow Platform’."
A similar scene played out in turn for Yuan Shao, Liu Bei, and Sun Jian. Each was granted a Dharma Aspect and received an edict.
"’Copper Sparrow Platform’..." Cao Cao muttered to himself.
"’Langya Platform’?" Sun Jian paced back and forth.
"What is the ’Golden Platform’?" Yuan Shao fell into deep thought.
Liu Bei, who had returned to the common world, bowed toward the spot where the illusion had vanished.
"Thank you for your gift, Elder. I will surely build that ’Profound Bird Platform’!"
......
"I was wrong!"
Lu Nian knelt obediently on the floor, pinching her earlobes with both hands, her head bowed in a picture of compliance.
"Will you dare to do it again?" Yan Jiangxue asked fiercely, grinding her canine teeth.
"I won’t, I won’t!" Little Lu Nian answered sullenly, but her lowered face was full of defiance.
’My old man doesn’t play fair!’
’My teeth ache. I calculated a thousand times, but I never calculated that this old scoundrel of a Daoist was also my father. Is he using an alternate account here?’
Numerous doubts flashed through Lu Nian’s mind, but she dared not show much, simply continuing to kneel obediently.
Lu Xuan watched this scene with a smile. He glanced sideways at Zhuge Kongming, who was waiting respectfully nearby, and said,
"You must be Mr. Zhuge, I presume?"
"I do not deserve to be called ’Mister’ by an Elder like you." Zhuge Kongming bowed, his tone neither servile nor overbearing.
Lu Xuan smiled thoughtfully.
"Your great name, Mr. Zhuge, has resounded through the ages..."
After a pause, he continued,
"Mr. Zhuge, you should be able to glimpse the trends of heaven, correct?"
Zhuge Kongming hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"I, Liang, was born with a minor Divine Technique that allows me to see a corner of the future. I am also proficient in Divination. Of the world’s grand trends, I can see ninety percent. But..."
He gave a bitter smile.
"Now, the trends of heaven are in complete chaos."
"It will return to the right track." Lu Xuan gave a meaningful smile and waved his hand. "For now, this girl will follow you, Mr. Zhuge. She will learn propriety and the Dao."
Zhuge Kongming bowed again.
"As you command, Elder."
"You must discipline her well, Mr. Zhuge. If this girl is truly disobedient, you may feel free to use the ruler on her."
As he spoke, an Ancient Tree Branch stained with Emperor’s Blood appeared in Lu Xuan’s hand. He transformed it into the shape of a ruler and handed it to Zhuge Kongming.
Immediately after, he gave Lu Nian another series of instructions—mostly about cultivating well and being obedient—before letting Zhuge Kongming lead her away.
"If I find out you’ve disobeyed Mr. Zhuge, I’ll have your mother come find you herself."
Before she left, Lu Xuan added this one last remark, causing Little Lu Nian’s expression to become even more resentful as she mumbled a response.
Only after watching the two of them leave the Daoist Temple did he turn his head and say with a smile,
"That was hard on you."
"It was nothing." Yan Jiangxue grinned, her eyes sparkling. "But... how did you become an old man?"
"It’s just an appearance," Lu Xuan laughed heartily.
Xiaoyan, now dressed in a Phoenix Crown and Brocade Robe, watched the small, distant figure as if reluctant to see her go. She asked,
"Is that... my future child? She seems very mischievous..."
"Her? She’s been spoiled rotten. I can’t bring myself to hit or scold her. That Zhuge Kongming is one of the few truly wise men of antiquity, so handing her over to him for some discipline is perfect."
Lu Xuan sighed, stroking Xiaoyan’s soft cheek. He said gently,
"I’ll send you back."
This Xiaoyan was not the same Xiaoyan. Lu Xuan had pulled a trick. The Xiaoyan from the [current time node] was in the Kongtong Immortal Realm and couldn’t be found at all.
The one he had brought here was the Xiaoyan from the moment she had just finished dressing in her Phoenix Crown and Brocade Robe, preparing for their wedding.
After personally sending Yan Jiangxue back to her original time, Lu Xuan’s consciousness also shifted back to the version of himself who was preparing for the wedding. His gaze grew profound as he muttered to himself,
"There’s quite a bit of trouble ahead..."
The Late Han Dynasty had arrived. The matter of the Human Dao Dominating Celestial Realm and the mortal world would begin to move forward. It wasn’t difficult, but the tricky part was preventing the Demon Ancestor and others from detecting any clues.
The matter of replacing Heaven with myself must also be put on the agenda. And then there is the Nine Nether, which will become a battlefield where even Dao Fruit-level beings will personally intervene!
The Six Paths of Reincarnation...
Frowning, Lu Xuan gazed at the Ancient Kongtong Mountain of a past era, thinking quietly.
After some thought, he glanced at the guests arriving one by one at the Kongtong Mountain Range for the wedding banquet. He offered his apologies to Uncle Yan, then silently walked to the Heaven-Reaching Stele and stepped beneath it.
He passed through the blazing fire and stepped into a desolate world. Haotian glanced over, the Goddess looked up, and the Ancient Lamp Buddha cast his gaze upon him.
"Child, you’ve come."
The stunningly beautiful woman said with a smile.
Lu Xuan, dressed in bright red robes, bowed respectfully and said softly,
"Lady, I have come to see you to ask for a favor."
"You wish to ask where the Three Emperors are during the time of the Late Han Dynasty, don’t you?"
The beautiful woman chuckled, propping up her nation-toppling, city-ruining face with her hands. She said with a smile,
"Xuanyuan should be on an island in the East Sea. Shennong is currently reincarnating and undergoing various tribulations. As for Fu Xi..."
She frowned.
"It’s very strange. I cannot see his specific location. Unless I can lay my eyes upon something directly related to him, he cannot be found."
The Emperor Corpse, who at this point in time was still nailed to the cliff, showed a slight change in expression. Lu Xuan, for his part, was taken aback for a moment, then also became thoughtful.
’This person, Fu Xi... he inherited Wa Huang’s Merit and also possesses unknown Transcendent Traits...’
After some thought, he gave the beautiful woman a solemn bow and then asked curiously,
"Lady, in the [current time node], where is Kongtong? If I return to the Current World, how should I find you all?"
This was the advantage of being able to traverse the Years. He couldn’t find Kongtong in the Current World, but he could look for it in the past...
The beautiful woman shook her head and said,
"Finding Kongtong in the Current World is very troublesome. I was ambushed by the Demon Ancestor, and my injuries have not yet healed. For now, I am no match for her. Therefore, Kongtong cannot yet reveal its presence in the Current World."
After a pause, she reached out and gently stroked Lu Xuan’s forehead.
"You don’t need to be too anxious. Take your time. You are walking on the correct path. The road ahead is smooth."
Lu Xuan’s expression flickered. He bowed solemnly again, and just as he was about to take his leave, the Emperor Corpse spoke up.
"Lu the Kid, let me go with you to the Late Han Dynasty."
The beautiful woman glanced over in surprise, and the Ancient Lamp Buddha also cast a curious gaze, only to see the Emperor Corpse say with a smile,
"An Ancient One will personally enter the fray in the Late Han Dynasty. We must guard against this. I can help you."
Lu Xuan didn’t refuse. He offered his solemn thanks, then bid farewell to the beautiful woman. He returned to the Kongtong Mountain Range, back to the wedding banquet.
His consciousness quietly withdrew from this historical imprint and returned to his true body in the Late Han Dynasty.
When he opened his eyes, the Emperor Corpse was already before him.
"Elder." Lu Xuan bowed and asked softly, "You haven’t come here just to help me, have you?"
The Emperor Corpse waved his hand.
"There is something else I need to discuss with you."
"What is it?"
"The matter of Wa Huang." The Emperor Corpse transformed into the likeness of a Daoist, created a meditation cushion out of thin air, and slowly sat down cross-legged, his expression solemn.
"Wa Huang... she has probably sought you out as well, hasn’t she?"
Lu Xuan’s expression also grew grave. He waved his hand, and the Cyan Lamp, Gloomy Lamp, and Cyan Lamp appeared in unison, shining brightly and isolating the Daoist Temple from the Human World, ensuring all prying eyes were blocked.
He also nodded.
"Wa Huang did come to me. There was also a Sea of Transcendence that crashed into me... She came to you as well?"
"A Sea of Transcendence? I didn’t encounter that. She merely manifested a spiritual avatar abruptly within my Spiritual World."
Haotian, in the form of a middle-aged Daoist, spoke calmly,
"I suspect that Wa Huang didn’t just seek out you and me. She has likely said the same thing to everyone—to every single person who has received her gift and possesses Transcendent Traits."
Lu Xuan’s eyes suddenly sharpened.
Just then, Haotian abruptly changed the subject.
"Before we continue, let me ask you: have you entered the Daluo realm?"
Lu Xuan hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly.
"I have already attained Daluo."
This body of the Hongjun Daoist had already displayed the might of a Daluo. Since Elder Haotian knew it was him, there was no need to hide it.
Haotian nodded, his expression solemn.
"Since you have already entered the Daluo realm, why not try to gather all the other Transcendent Traits?"
"What do you mean?" Lu Xuan was somewhat taken aback.
But he saw Haotian continue,
"You have stepped into the Daluo realm and can roam the past and future of the Years. With my help, aside from those belonging to the Demon Ancestor, Taiyi, and the Goddess, you might be able to gather all other Transcendent Traits unto yourself."
Lu Xuan’s expression turned solemn. He stared at the Emperor Corpse, who had taken the form of a middle-aged Daoist, and pondered for a long time before saying calmly,
"Elder Haotian, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but... I need a reason. A reason for you to do this."
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