Chapter 546: Chapter 11: Upheaval in the 8 Directions, a Dao Fruit Descends Personally
Luoyang, Imperial Palace.
"Mother of Non-Birth, Vacuum Homeland!"
The burly, one-armed man bowed his head in piety.
Enthroned in the void, the Immortal Mother spoke indifferently:
"Dong Zhuo, the Han Dynasty’s fortune is nearly spent, but not quite. You shall use this Celestial Son to command the Dukes of the realm and punish the disloyal. Do you understand?"
"I shall obey the Mother of Non-Birth’s command!"
Dong Zhuo kowtowed heavily, murmuring to himself:
’Use the waning fortune of the Han Dynasty to punish the disloyal, command the realm, command the realm...’
"Good."
The Immortal Mother spoke calmly:
"You shall strike the Taiping Sect to the east, attack the Five-Dou Rice Sect to the south, and revere the White Lotus Sect to the west... Today, all the disloyal have gathered outside Hulao Pass. Go, attack them, and kill them."
A troubled and bitter look appeared on Dong Zhuo’s face.
"This humble one is lowly and incompetent. I fear it will be difficult to attack and defeat all Eighteen Dukes..."
"I bestow upon you a Daoist decree. With it, you can command the Venerable Ones of the Celestial Court to aid you."
"Yes!"
.........
"Today, Dong the Thief has committed treason, seizing control of the court and humiliating the Young Emperor. He seeks to destroy the forty-thousand-year foundation of our Great Han. We now declare to the Nine Celestial Venerable Ones and the Jade Emperor our intent to punish this injustice..."
As the solemn and dignified declaration of the alliance rang out,
the sound of numerous footsteps echoed from outside the hall. The Eighteen Dukes of the Towns, along with some Civil Servants and Military Generals, frowned slightly. The declaration had already begun; who would arrive now?
If it were a servant, how would they dare disturb the declaration at such a moment?
Everyone in the hall immediately stopped their recitation and looked toward the figures entering from outside. It was a strange Daoist wearing a Pearl Jade Crown,
followed by three young men. One had a red face, one a black face, and the one in the middle had a face as fair as jade, with hands that hung past his knees.
’Who are these people...?’
Yuan Shao, in the seat of honor, and Cao Cao and Sun Jian, seated on either side, were slightly puzzled. They felt the young man whose hands hung past his knees looked vaguely familiar, but only just.
Twelve years ago, Liu Bei had only been ten years old and was still growing. One could say his appearance changed every few years...
It was normal that they couldn’t recognize Liu Bei.
At this moment, most of the people in the hall were frowning, sizing up the four newcomers. A General Wuwei, wielding a pair of weapons, shouted loudly:
"Who are you people? How dare you disturb the declaration of the alliance? Fortunately, we have not yet reached the part where we offer rites to the Jade Emperor and the Nine Venerable Ones of the Celestial Court. Otherwise, if you offended them and the Immortal Gods sent down their wrath, what would we do?"
The old Daoist stood there with a gentle smile, saying nothing and simply observing. Liu Bei suppressed the fluttering in his heart, took a step forward, cupped his fist, and said:
"I am Liu—"
Before he could finish, a bleary-eyed Xu You began to curse loudly:
"Well, well, if it isn’t you three louts! Those gate guards are truly brazen. I’ll have them beheaded later!"
A general with an imposing air asked:
"Mr. Xu, you know these three?"
Lifting his wine pot, Xu You arrogantly stood up. He kicked out his left leg, scratched his head with his right hand, and swaggered menacingly to the front of the hall. He cleared his throat and roared:
"Men! Beat these three louts out of here with clubs! For trespassing in the main hall, behead them outside the residence and make an example of them!"
He was brazenly acting as if he were the master of the residence, issuing orders at will. Watching him, Yuan Shao, in the seat of honor, furrowed his brow but ultimately said nothing.
Two rows of soldiers jogged into the hall, each holding a military club raised high. Zhang Fei could no longer hold back. His eyes bulged with fury as he roared:
"Insolence!"
The roar was like thunder, shaking the Cyan Jade residence until dust rained from the ceiling. The two rows of soldiers were so shaken their Divine Souls were thrown into disarray; dizzy and disoriented, they collapsed to the ground!
"Hm??"
Yuan Shao, Cao Mengde, and the others shot to their feet, their expressions shifting. ’What an imposing man!’
’This residence is practically a True Immortal Level Magical Treasure, yet he made it shake uncontrollably. This man...’
The Dukes’ expressions all turned grave. They finally began to scrutinize the three men with seriousness.
Xu You was startled and staggered back a few steps, nearly falling. Some of his crude wine sloshed out, and he was both annoyed and embarrassed.
"Such nerve! To dare roar like that in the main hall before the Eighteen Dukes of the Towns and the most famous scholars of the realm! Truly audacious! Unbelievably audacious!"
He was both shocked and enraged, glancing to the side and saying:
"Brother Ben Chu, act quickly! Cut down these three bandits..."
Before he could finish, Zhang Fei pulled an Eight Zhang Serpent Spear from the void and slammed its butt on the floor with a THUD. The cyan jade tiles cracked!
He glared and cursed angrily:
"My elder brother brought the two of us here to help you lot break through Hulao Pass and slay that scoundrel Dong Zhuo, and this is how you treat us? So-called Dukes? I spit on you!"
Zhang Fei spat at Xu You, and the void itself trembled. With lightning speed, Cao Cao threw the wine cup from his table. It collided with the glob of spit, creating a deafening boom as both shattered into dust!
The expressions of the Dukes and generals changed once again.
And who was Cao Cao?
He had single-handedly fought through Dong the Thief’s army in Luoyang City, cleaved the sky with a single strike to repel Lü Bu—the so-called number one general under heaven—and cut off Dong the Thief’s arm amidst a horde of ten thousand soldiers, all while escaping unscathed!
’But now, it seemed this black-faced man was evenly matched with Cao Mengde?’
Sweat beaded on Xu You’s forehead. His legs went weak with fear, and he sobered up a fair bit. But seeing Cao Cao protecting him, his courage returned.
He jumped behind Cao Cao, craned his neck, and shouted:
"Cao Aman, kill him! Kill him!"
Cao Cao frowned and shot Xu You an indifferent glance.
"Ziyuan, why must you be like this? These three gentlemen are clearly extraordinary, powerful experts rarely seen in this world. Now that they have come to help us punish Dong the Thief, is this not our great fortune?"
After a pause, he laughed heartily and glanced to the side.
"Might I ask the names of you three righteous warriors and this Daoist master?"
Zhang Fei curled his lip in displeasure, but Liu Bei hurried forward, clasped his hands in a slight bow, and said with a smile:
"I am Liu Bei, style name Profound Virtue. These are my two..."
"Liu Bei?"
Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Sun Jian’s eyes suddenly flew wide open.
Yuan Shao leaped down directly from the seat of honor, striding closer and looking Liu Bei up and down.
"You’re... Ah Bei?"
The Dukes and generals in the hall were dumbfounded, exchanging confused glances. Xu You’s eyes widened, his face a mask of shock and doubt.
"Brother Ben Chu," Liu Bei said, performing a salute. "It has been twelve years. Your bearing is even more impressive than before..."
"It really is you?!"
Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Sun Jian exclaimed in unison, their faces breaking into broad, laughing smiles.
"Wonderful!"
Cao Mengde strode forward, placed his hands on Liu Bei’s shoulders, and looked him over carefully, sighing in endless admiration.
"Excellent, excellent! Just last night, I was lamenting to Brother Ben Chu and Sun Jian that of us four brothers, only you were missing. And speak of Liu Bei, and he appears! To be reunited today is wonderful, truly wonderful!!"
Cao Cao’s hearty laughter echoed through the great hall, leaving everyone else dumbstruck.
’Four... four brothers??’
They had heard rumors that Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Sun Jian had become sworn brothers in their youth, but they never thought it was true. And not just three of them, but four!
’This Liu Bei...’
Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were also looking at each other, their faces a picture of utter disbelief.
Although they had long known that their fourth brother had three older, sworn brothers whom they had never met,
they never could have imagined that those three brothers were the leaders of the current Eighteen Dukes of the Towns!
And they were the most prestigious and powerful among all the Dukes!
Yuan Shao, whose family had produced the Three Dukes for four generations; Sun Jian, who held dominion over Jiangdong; and Cao Cao, who had single-handedly fought Dong Zhuo’s army of ten thousand and severed his arm!
Xu You’s head was spinning. ’That lout... is the sworn brother of Yuan Benchu and Cao Aman??’
Though he was arrogant about his talents and had low emotional intelligence, he was not a complete idiot. The corner of his eye twitched, and he quickly stepped forward, bowing to apologize with a sycophantic smile plastered on his face.
Liu Bei’s anxious heart finally settled. ’My three big brothers still recognize me...’
He gave Xu You a slight nod, then turned and cupped his fist to Yuan Shao and the other two.
"My three elder brothers, allow me to introduce my two younger brothers, with whom I became sworn brothers in the peach garden. This is Guan Yu, Guan Yunchang, and this is Zhang Fei, Zhang Yide..."
"Your brothers are our brothers!"
Cao Cao chuckled, then glanced sideways at the old Daoist who was looking around, and asked casually:
"And who is this Daoist master?"
Liu Bei’s expression froze. Before he could speak, the vexed and annoyed Xu You barked:
"You there, Daoist! Brother Mengde is asking you a question, why don’t you answer? You’re not with these three lou—these three gentlemen, are you? Where did you come from, and what do you want?!"
Lu Xuan leisurely glanced over and spoke with a smile:
"I am but a humble wanderer between heaven and earth. On a whim, I entered the mortal world to observe, and my travels have brought me here."
"A wanderer?"
Xu You breathed a sigh of relief. ’This one I can afford to provoke,’ he thought, and his arrogance immediately swelled.
"A nameless Daoist from the wilds, how dare you trespass here? Men, beat him out of my sight!"
Liu Bei gasped. Lu Xuan, looking rather speechless, said flatly:
"You are Xu You?"
"Oh? So even a mountain Daoist like you has heard of my great name?" Xu You chuckled.
Lu Xuan nodded slightly.
"You speak without any restraint. No wonder you get beheaded."
Xu You froze for a moment, then flew into a rage.
"What nerve, Daoist, to dare curse me! Yuan Benchu treats me as an honored guest! Cao Aman is a dear friend of mine! They all welcome me with open arms whenever they see me..."
"It is not a Curse."
Lu Xuan patiently explained:
"It is the fate I just ordained for you."
’The fate he just... ordained?’
The Dukes and generals were all stunned. Then, to their horror, they saw the headless body of Xu Ziyuan twitching, while his head, which had fallen to the floor, was still cursing loudly.
But as he cursed, Xu You suddenly felt that something was wrong.
He wanted to look around but couldn’t turn his neck. He raised his eyelids and saw a familiar body.
"Hey, hey??"
Xu You’s eyes widened, and then his vision went dark.
A dead silence fell over the hall, which then erupted into chaos. One after another, fierce generals and strategists shot to their feet. The Dukes stared wide-eyed, their hands gripping the hilts of their swords.
Seeing the situation about to spiral out of control, Liu Bei was shocked back to his senses and exclaimed in a low voice:
"That’s the Temple Master!"
"Temple Master? The master of which Daoist Temple?" Cao Cao asked, confused, before his expression froze.
’Which other Daoist Temple’s master could it be?’
Yuan Shao and Sun Jian both turned their heads stiffly, their hearts pounding furiously. ’No... it can’t be, right??’
Lu Xuan paid no mind to their astonishment and terror, nor did he look at the Dukes and generals glaring at him like tigers. He simply looked around, slightly puzzled.
’Where is that girl, Lu Nian?’
’Didn’t she say she was coming here today?’
’Where has she run off to now?’
.........
"Let me go right now, or you’ll be sorry!"
Lu Nian was on high alert, holding the Golden Bell, wielding the Jade Void Palace and Jade Ruyi, and standing upon the Primordial Qingyun.
The woman smiled faintly.
"You are the daughter of Supreme Profound Clarity?"
"Who in the world are you?"
"An old acquaintance of your father."
As she spoke, the woman pointed a finger, and a meditation cushion materialized out of the void. She said calmly:
"Please, have a seat. I bear no enmity toward your father. In fact, I have nothing but gratitude for him."
Lu Nian hesitated for a long time before cautiously taking a seat, her eyes fixed on the woman before her.
Meanwhile, inside the Jade Void Palace, a hidden Daoist narrowed his eyes slightly.
’Interesting...’
.........
「Giant Deer City.」
The winds howled and the clouds roiled. A massive bolt of lightning fell from the sky, striking the great banner on the city wall that read, "The Celestial Realm is dead, the Clear Heaven shall rise."
"Hm?"
Zhang Jiao’s expression changed. He walked out of the main residence in the city and looked up.
"Profound Clarity, would you care to join me for a talk?"
In the sky, an Ancient One lowered his gaze, his voice as gentle as jade.
「Elsewhere, on Dragon Tiger Mountain.」
The same heavenly thunder boomed as the river of stars poured backward, and a great, magnificent sound rolled across the heavens!
"Fellow Daoist Profound Yellow, would you care for a talk?"
With a soft call, an old man at the Daluo Level took a single step to arrive, a smile on his face.
"Today is an auspicious day. I wish to discuss the Dao with Fellow Daoist Profound Yellow for the entire day."
「In the East Sea, an Ancient Buddha strolled as tens of millions of White Lotus flowers bloomed.」
"Ancestral Dragon, come and discuss the Dao with me. We shall debate until this day is done!"
The Innocent Ancient Buddha bellowed, his might as vast as the firmament!
「The Nine Nether.」
"Emperor Fengdu, it has been a long time."
Cyan Lotus flowers bloomed one after another as a Daluo being arrived, blocking the way before the Ghost Gate.
"Shall we catch up on old times today?"
Shocking events unfolded in all corners of the world. 「Atop a certain Divine Mountain.」
The Immortal Mother performed a salute and spoke respectfully:
"The arrangements have been made. Supreme Profound Clarity, Profound Yellow, the Ancestral Dragon, and Fengdu will all be tied down today. There will be no obstructions."
"Merciful," the Buddha Mother nodded. "My ominous premonition grows ever stronger. We must win this quickly. Sweep away those Qi Fortune Takers... and pay special attention to Supreme Profound Clarity."
"Rest assured, Buddha Mother. Taiyi will be there in person."
"Merciful, merciful."
The Maitreya Buddha Mother lowered her gaze slightly.
"I shall also go and reminisce with Shakyamuni."
The Immortal Mother was slightly startled.
"You don’t trust that one?"
"It is not a matter of trust, but of taking precautions."
Comments