Chapter 543: Chapter 8: 12 Years in the Late Han Dynasty, Three Sect Uprising, Dong Zhuo Enters the Capital (Part 2)
’For now, I can’t sever the bodies of ’Hongjun’ and ’Shakyamuni’...’
’It doesn’t have much of an impact at the moment. I just have to control the external appearances of the other four bodies so that Taiyi and the others don’t discover I’ve already reached the Daluo realm.’
After muttering to himself for a moment, Lu Xuan gently exhaled a breath of turbid air. Taking on the appearance of the Hongjun Daoist, he sat cross-legged in the Daoist temple, his thoughts turning as they drifted into the River of Time.
.........
「Great Chaos.」
"This Hongjun Daoist..."
The Demon Ancestor pondered for a long while, a look of confusion on her face. Finally, she said:
"Although I can’t see through him, he possesses significant Dao Fruit characteristics. I suspect he isn’t far from proving his Dao through strength and using his Great Magical Power to condense half a Dao Fruit. We must do our best to win him over."
The Buddha Mother nodded respectfully, while Taiyi spoke with a grave expression:
"But based on Hongjun’s performance when he fought the Innocent Ancient Buddha in the Late Han Dynasty, aside from being beyond common sense and defying logic, he was still within the scope of an ordinary Daluo."
"You’re saying he hasn’t entered the [Supreme] level?"
The Demon Ancestor seemed lost in thought. She then shook her head and said:
"Perhaps he’s hiding his true strength... Besides, if he truly hasn’t entered the [Supreme] level, or even become an [Artifact Holder], then that’s all the more reason to recruit him. Since the dawn of time, has there ever been an ordinary Daluo who possessed Dao Fruit characteristics?"
"True."
"Yes, so our main approach should be to win him over... But we must also remain vigilant. His origins are truly mysterious, as if he appeared out of thin air. We can’t find any other historical imprints of him."
After setting the tone in just a few words, the Demon Ancestor stretched lazily and changed the subject:
"Taiyi, why don’t you also take a trip to the Late Han Dynasty? Profound Clarity has already appeared there. He established the Taiping Dao under the banner ’The Celestial Realm is dead, the Clear Heaven shall rise,’ but who knows what he’s plotting."
Taiyi smiled and shook his head.
"I have my own plans. The stronger that Lu Xuan becomes, the more it suits my wishes."
With that, he bowed and leisurely took his leave.
The Demon Ancestor gazed at Taiyi’s departing back and snorted coldly, but didn’t say much more. She turned and began giving instructions to the Buddha Mother, Immortal Mother, and the others.
Meanwhile, Taiyi walked alone into the depths of Chaos.
He beckoned with his hand, and Chu Tai’s figure materialized.
Taiyi glanced sideways and said,
"You are to go to the Late Han Dynasty. Change your identity and help that Lu Xuan become a Daluo. If he doesn’t become a Daluo, things will become very troublesome later on."
Chu Tai’s expression remained unchanged. He bowed slightly and inquired,
"But if that Lu Xuan becomes a Daluo, it might cause complications in the struggle for the Six Paths of Reincarnation."
"It doesn’t matter. After the Demon Ancestor obtains the Six Paths of Reincarnation, she’ll either give it to Amitabha Buddha or the Buddha Mother. She won’t give it to me."
Chu Tai nodded, hesitated for a moment, and asked again,
"Your condition seems a bit... off."
"Don’t ask what you shouldn’t. Just go to the Late Han Dynasty."
After waving Chu Tai away, Taiyi sat somewhat wearily amidst the mists of Chaos. His hands toyed with the great chiliocosm, his gaze profound as he murmured to himself,
"Everything is going according to plan."
"Everything... is going according to plan."
.........
「The highest point of the Great Chaos.」
’CLACK!’
Five Enlightened Ones sat around a game board, each placing their stones.
The Lame Daoist yawned and said, "Speaking of which, where has Houtu disappeared to lately? Where’d she run off to?"
Amitabha Buddha offered a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
"She was severely injured and went to recuperate."
"Is that so?" The Lame Daoist chuckled, placed a stone, and asked again, "What are you two plotting now? The Six Paths of Reincarnation?"
Amitabha Buddha’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t deny it. He simply nodded and said frankly,
"My condition is very poor, nearing the verge of falling from my realm. I need the Six Paths of Reincarnation to stabilize myself. If you, Spirit Treasure, would be willing to give me the Six Paths of Reincarnation, in exchange..."
"In your dreams!" The Lame Daoist laughed. "If you fall, that would be perfect! We could then hunt down Bodhi and make him fall too. What a wonderful thing that would be!"
The faces of the two Great Buddhas darkened.
At this moment, Supreme also placed a stone and said nonchalantly,
"The Demon Ancestor is a huge problem. Her cultivation is Infinite, she possesses Transcendent Traits, and scheming with her is no different from asking a tiger for its skin. You two Fellow Daoists had better know your limits."
Amitabha Buddha sneered.
"If even Spirit Treasure is saying so, then there’s nothing we can do..."
’THUD!’
Supreme smashed his furnace over, his head lowered.
"If you’re going to speak, then speak properly. What’s with the sneering? I won’t put up with you."
Amitabha Buddha’s head cracked open. His expression flickered between anger and fear, but in the end, he didn’t dare say a word.
’This Supreme... why has he been so hot-tempered lately?’
.........
「Late Han Dynasty.」
[In the 140th year of Emperor Spirit’s reign, a Supreme Being fought, holding heaven and earth in their palm.]
[In the 143rd year of Emperor Spirit’s reign, Zhang Jiao of the Taiping Sect, using the slogan ’The Celestial Realm is dead, the Clear Heaven shall rise,’ deluded the common people and launched a rebellion.]
[In the same year, the Western White Lotus Sect and the Southern Five-Dou Rice Sect also launched rebellions, plunging the world into turmoil.]
[In the 149th year of Emperor Spirit’s reign, the rebellions of the Three Sects had not ceased and only grew more intense. Emperor Spirit passed away, and the Young Emperor ascended the throne.]
[In the third year of the Young Emperor’s reign, the rebellions of the Three Sects still had not ceased. Dong Zhuo entered the capital.]
"Twelve years have passed in a flash."
In the deserted mountain Daoist temple, Lu Xuan glanced at Lu Nian, who was now fifteen and gracefully elegant, and asked with a smile,
"Have you disobeyed Mr. Zhuge’s words this past year?"
"No! I! Haven’t!"
Lu Nian, full of vigor, rolled her pretty eyes and muttered,
"I come here three times every year, and you ask me the same question every single time. In twelve years, you’ve asked me thirty-six times! Thirty-six!"
"And whose fault is that? You never listen, you little rascal."
Lu Xuan said with a scolding laugh,
"At the end of last year, you ran off to the Celestial Court and caused a Great Turmoil in Heaven, pulling out three strands of Venus’s beard—one of the Nine Celestial Venerable Ones."
"The year before that, you went to the East Sea, plundered the East Sea Dragon Palace, and made off with ten thousand treasures! Ten thousand!"
"The year before that, when the Young Emperor ascended the throne, you went to the Imperial Palace to reveal your divinity, made people worship you as the National Preceptor, and even killed three of the Ten Eunuchs..."
Lu Nian covered her ears in agony.
’Every time I come, I have to listen to this lecture for half the day!’
Seeing her like this, Lu Xuan felt helpless but also a little gratified. At least she was much better than twelve years ago. She was now proficient in zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting, and she also understood etiquette.
’Although she still acts like a little hellion some of the time...’
’Zhuge Kongming is worthy of his reputation, indeed.’
He lectured her a bit more. At first, Lu Nian listened obediently, but she eventually couldn’t stand the nagging any longer and leaped three feet into the air.
"Aiyah, I know, I know! That guy Liu Bei said he was going to some ’Coalition against Dong Zhuo’ meeting today. I’m going to watch the fun, so I’m leaving now, Dad!"
"Slow down! And don’t cause any more trouble!"
Lu Xuan pressed a hand to his forehead in exasperation and called out,
"Next time you come, don’t be so conspicuous! Your father is Supreme Profound Clarity, not Hongjun!"
"I know, I know! You’re the one with so many alternate identities!" Lu Nian transformed into a wisp of clear air and vanished from the Daoist temple.
"This child..."
Lu Xuan shook his head helplessly. His gaze grew profound as he muttered in frustration,
"Twelve years in the Late Han Dynasty, over a thousand years roaming the River of Time, and I still haven’t found the opportunity to forge a [Dao Artifact]..."
After pondering for a moment, he lowered his head and muttered to himself again,
"Forget it. I should first find out who that mysterious person I saw at the very moment of my birth was."
As his voice fell, Lu Xuan calmly closed his eyes. His thoughts traveled through his own historical imprints, not rushing to the moment of his birth, but returning to the body of his younger self.
The young Lu Xuan was not yet nine years old, and Qianlong City had not yet been destroyed.
The sun was shining brightly.
(More to come later)
Comments