Chapter 428: The Unswerving Servant of the Three Pure Ones (1)

Chapter 428: Three Pure Ones' Loyal Ministers (Part One)

"Sending the elders when the young ones are beaten—what era is it that they're still playing this cliché trick? The people of Mount Gezao are sure as hell bound by deep affection and righteousness."

Chen Qisheng's face turned grim, and amidst the shock in his heart, he still felt it somewhat unbelievable.

A dignified, official Earth Immortal of the White Jade Capital, even if ranked at the very end past the ninetieth seat, was at least a figure of the Fourth Dao Sequence; not to mention holding immense power within Mount Gezao, they shouldn't personally intervene over the grievances of a few younger disciples.

One had to know that Chen Qisheng was no rogue cultivator without a background; if Mount Gezao acted like this, Mount Longhu would certainly not sit idle and watch, and by then, this trial could very likely escalate into an all-out conflict between the two houses.

The risks involved within this were impossible for Mount Gezao not to know.

A faint premonition arose in Chen Qisheng's heart that the entry of Mount Gezao's Earth Immortal into the territory was likely not as simple as merely seeking vengeance.

Everyone around was shocked at this moment by the news delivered by Zhang Qinglv, and no one noticed Chen Qisheng's unusual expression.

"This doesn't make sense either; this trial of fortune was prepared by the White Jade Capital for our group of Human Immortals, so wouldn't Mount Gezao's move defy the decree of the White Jade Capital?"

Yang Long's brow furrowed tightly as he said in a deep voice, "Furthermore, how could a dignified, official Earth Immortal take a liking to an alternate vacancy? Even if Mount Gezao really disregarded all propriety just to add a seat in the White Jade Capital, would the New Donglin Party let him in so easily?"

"You have a lot of questions."

Sitting cross-legged beside Zhang Qinglv, Yang Ji heard this and let out a disdainful sneer, "Do you need Mount Gezao to come personally and explain it to you before you'll believe it?"

"Shut your mouth, I'm in no mood to waste words with you right now."

The irritated Yang Long gave the other party no face at all, his words carrying a heavy aura of hostility.

"Without that master of yours, what kind of thing are you, Zhao Longyan, to be worthy of representing the 'Formation' Division to fish for fortune here?"

The moment Yang Ji said this, everyone seated couldn't help but frown slightly, revealing profound looks.

One must know that within the Dao Sequence, especially within the 'Four Mountains and One Palace' with their long-flowing histories, directly calling someone by their mundane name from before they received their talismans was an extremely disrespectful act.

Just now, it was fine for Yang Ji to address Chen Qisheng by his mundane name, since the latter was merely an old-style cultivator whose background wasn't even that of a deputy general of the 'Fighting Division', being barely passable at best.

But for him to dare provoke Yang Long like this now was somewhat intriguing.

In today's meeting, Yang Ji was undoubtedly playing the role of a vanguard, with Zhang Qinglv playing the good cop and Yang Ji playing the bad cop. But now that Yang Ji, the 'bad cop', was overplaying his part to this extent, could there be Zhang Qinglv's authorization behind it?

If it really was Zhang Qinglv who had him target Yang Long, could it be that the Celestial Master's Mansion was dissatisfied with the 'Formation Division'?

Beneath the Perfected Martial Great Emperor, a crowd of Dao Sequences from the same sect each harbored their own hidden motives.

Yang Long, who was Zhao Longyan, looked with a half-smile at Zhang Qinglv, who sat upright on the northern futon, staring for a few moments at the red-robed Daoist riding a crane into the sky above the other's visage; seeing that the other party remained silent throughout, he then turned his eyes toward Yang Ji with a cold smile.

"The name Zhao Longyan has truly been away for a long time; if it weren't for your loyal dog mouth uttering human speech today, I would have almost forgotten this mundane name."

Yang Long lamented, his thick eyebrows suddenly pressing down as a bone-chilling coldness flashed in his eyes.

"But of the seven emotions and six desires that obstruct the cultivation of the Dao Sequence, which one have you failed to purge completely? Speak up, and today your senior brother will help you clear these obstacles, sending you directly to ascend in broad daylight to meet the Dao Ancestor!"

With a flip of Yang Long's wrist, a carved printing block talisman as massive as a brick appeared in his palm, tossing it up and down, causing the eyelids of the bystanders to twitch.

Within the strictly solemn Daoist hall, a choking stench of gunpowder grew dense.

Yang Ji stared at the giant talisman in Zhao Longyan's hand, a flash of wariness flitting across the depths of his eyes, yet his aura was not weakened in the slightest.

This was not because Yang Ji possessed the strength to exchange blows with Zhao Longyan, but because he knew clearly in his heart that this place was merely a Yellow Millet Dreamscape; even if he were killed, it would only result in a heavy injury in reality, without endangering his life.

Furthermore, the master who constructed this dreamscape was Zhang Qinglv; unrestrained by the suppression of rules and authority, he had absolutely no need to fear the other party.

"Sure, but I'm just afraid that you, Zhao Longyan, don't have such deep cultivation!"

The curtains hanging in the Daoist hall moved without wind, as gray incense smoke flowed across the clashing eyes of the two men in confrontation.

"A waste flaunting borrowed might, daring to put on airs before me—courting death!"

Yang Long barked low, and the giant talisman in his hand suddenly vanished, reappearing abruptly above Yang Ji's head when it manifested again; the script had expanded to Zhang-sized proportions, its entire form shimmering with a cold, hard metallic luster as it whistled down like a wall crashing down.

"Junior Brother Yang Long..."

A voice echoed faintly, yet a knowing expression of 'I knew you would do this long ago' suddenly surfaced on Yang Long's face; with a flip of his palm, that giant talisman that was originally crashing toward Yang Ji suddenly shifted direction, grinding horizontally toward Zhang Qinglv.

There was no deafening sound; a fair and slender finger poked against the giant talisman, stopping it with effortless ease.

"Senior Brother indeed possesses fine methods!"

Yang Long laughed aloud, his figure sitting cross-legged on the futon remaining entirely immovable, yet that giant talisman suddenly shattered apart; amidst the flashing cold light, sharp Daoist armaments reorganized themselves, their cold gleams pointing directly at Zhang Qinglv.

But what was bizarre was that no matter how Yang Long, situated in the due east position, formed his hand seals, the hundred-plus floating weapons suspended in mid-air remained completely motionless.

One could see Zhang Qinglv's right hand, resting on his leg, slowly lift; the weapons that were originally frozen stiff turned their sharp edges accordingly, soaring into the sky.

Amidst a dense clatter of clanging, the weapons, all piercing into the dome of the grand hall, actually constructed a Ba Gua array diagram identical to the one on the ground.

Yang Long stared blankly at this scene, a dejected expression on his face.

"As expected of the first seat among the Human Immortals of the White Jade Capital, I..."

Before Yang Long could finish his words, he was interrupted by a suppressed groan of pain.

He looked in astonishment toward the source of the sound, only to see Yang Ji open his mouth and spit out a section of his tongue, the lapel of his chest covered in milky-white bionic blood, though the gaze he cast back was incomparably indifferent.

"Yang Ji provoked his fellow senior brother without cause; he deserves punishment."

Yang Long could not help but be moved, a bone-chilling coldness instantly coiling around his heart; the mustache on his lip trembled slightly, and after taking a deep breath a moment later, he cupped his hands toward Zhang Qinglv and said, "I am convinced."

The low voice echoed continuously within the hall, boring into the ears of the others.

To the side, Chen Qisheng remained expressionless, yet his ten fingers hidden within his sleeves clenched into fists for no apparent reason.

"We are all fellow senior and junior brothers; there is no question of being convinced or not. Today, I merely took advantage of constructing the dreamscape; if it were changed to your dreamscape, Junior Brother, I'm afraid I wouldn't be an opponent either."

"Senior Brother, you need say no more; how wide the gap between us is, I know clearly in my heart. From here on, all my actions will follow your arrangements."

Yang Long waved his hand, speaking no further, looking as if he had entered meditation.

"Junior Brother Yang Long is indeed a man of true character, but we should still make clear what needs to be said. There are indeed quite a few strange things about this matter, so at first, I didn't dare believe it either. Not until I verified a piece of news after inquiring through various channels."

Zhang Qinglv said calmly, "The people from Mount Gezao who entered the Yamato District to contend for fortune this time have all already died and their Dao has vanished."

"What?!"

Different tones, yet the same astonishment.

Everyone's faces were filled with shock as they looked toward Zhang Qinglv in disbelief.

The four words 'died and Dao vanished' held more than one layer of meaning within the Dao Sequence.

For Zhang Qinglv to use this phrase meant that the people of Mount Gezao had not only suffered bodily death, but even their spiritual liberation through weapon-corpse transformation had failed.

Capable of representing the nine divisions of Mount Longhu, the people present were not reckless fledglings either; with Zhao Longyan's precedent before them, they did not rashly speak up to press with questions, but instead suppressed the restlessness in their hearts, quietly awaiting Zhang Qinglv's subsequent words.

"Regarding this matter, I also only know a result; as for the specific details, let Junior Brother Yangxuan tell everyone."

After going around such a large circle, it really was aimed at me after all!

Chen Qisheng sneered repeatedly in his heart, while appearing calm on his face as he said, "What is there to say about this? Others wanted to kill me, so I killed them—it's that simple."

"Did you kill them, or did the Jinyiwei of Inuyama Castle kill them? Yangxuan, you had better make things clear to all the senior and junior brothers."

The one speaking at this moment was precisely Yang Ji, who had just severed his own tongue; his lips did not move, his voice emerging from within his body.

The moment Yang Ji said this, the shock in everyone's eyes receded like a tide, replaced by a thick wave of ill intent.

So he had latched onto someone else's thigh; no wonder he could kill the people of Mount Gezao.

But if he relied on external strength, then there was nothing left to be wary of; could he possibly dare to have the Yamato District Jinyiwei deal with his own people?

Yang Xuan doesn’t have the guts to do that!

“After entering the Woku region, Brother Yang Xuan joined the Kenzan Castle Imperial Guards and became a special guest minister. This time, when the entire Gobaoshan Daozu was annihilated, Brother Yang Xuan’s contribution was something that none of us could compare to.”

Zhang Qinglü spoke lightly, but the expressions of the others as they looked at Chen Qisheng changed again and again.

True, the greatest opportunity in the Woku region is the 'Takamagahara', but killing or expelling other forces' Daozu is also a great achievement for the Taoist sect, which values the law of the survival of the fittest.

Now that Chen Qisheng has relied on the Imperial Guards to annihilate the entire Gobaoshan, just this alone makes him a Taoist of the fifth rank without a doubt, and even his seat among the immortals of Baimujing can move forward quite a bit.

But you, Chen Qisheng, are well-fed and well-watered, but we here have not yet eaten a single grain!

This competition for opportunity was already fraught with difficulties, but now that a terrestrial immortal has entered the realm, it has become almost hopeless.

Suddenly, Chen Qisheng felt like he was sitting on a needle, with a huge sense of oppression pressing in from all directions.

“Brother Yang Xuan, don’t you think you should give us an explanation?”

“It’s true. You caused trouble on your own, and now it’s going to affect all of us. What kind of logic is that?”

“I’ve heard that people from Yongle Palace also fell in Osaka Castle at the hands of the Kenzan Castle Imperial Guards. Your achievements are not just limited to Gobaoshan, Brother. Don’t you think you should share some of the profits with us?”