Chapter 1302: Lan Yutian and Xu Shenghua (Second Update)
In the Great Void, the Kai Emperor imparted his own system of the Dao realm to Lan Yutian. The two discussed for a long time, and this discourse greatly benefited both Carefree Haven and the Creator of the Other Shore.
Although the Kai Emperor was teaching Lan Yutian the Dao realm he himself had pioneered, Lan Yutian was able to draw inferences and offer insights in return, leaving the Kai Emperor deeply enriched as well.
The Kai Emperor personally opened the doors to the three rooms at the end of the Void Bridge, sending Lan Yutian and his followers into Yancheng. He said, "Dao brother, we shall meet again if fate allows."
"Dao brother, please stay." Lan Yutian bid him farewell.
The Kai Emperor stood quietly before the door for a long time before turning back.
His Four Celestial Masters and Four Heavenly Kings had already been waiting at the bridgehead for some time. The Woodcutter Sage asked, "Your Majesty, these past days I have also listened to your discourse with Lan Yutian and have gained much. A terrifying thought suddenly occurred to me: even if we overthrow the Heavenly Court in the future, as long as Lan Yutian achieves the Dao, we gods will become the rulers of the old era—old gods of the past, to be overthrown by new gods."
The Kai Emperor nodded and smiled. "Then, Grand Celestial Master, have you already lost the courage and resolve for change?"
The Woodcutter Sage was momentarily stunned, then bowed deeply. "The Celestial Pavilion has been wavering, torn by gains and losses. Thank you for the reminder, Your Majesty. Lan Yutian is already walking the path of a sage. What I cannot achieve, I should not hinder him from doing. Instead, I should hope he succeeds, and even help him accomplish it sooner!"
"In the future, perhaps Lan Yutian will become the first sage."
The Kai Emperor grasped the hilt of the Carefree Sword, his thumb tracing the texture of the scabbard. "The Carefree Sword—back then, it was forged to build a Carefree Haven. But now, after this discourse with him, I suddenly realize that this sword is not Carefree Haven. It is meant for me to wield it, to fight for humanity and all living beings, so that humanity and all beings may live without worry."
He smiled faintly. "After that conversation with him, my thirty-fifth level of the Sword Dao has gradually become clear. Celestial Pavilion, you need not sell yourself short. Your three hundred and sixty types of acquired great Daos were designed with the million-year path of the Kai Emperor Era in mind. The reason you are called a sage is precisely because you planned a million-year road for the Kai Emperor Era. Your ambition is lofty; it is my incompetence that could not protect the Kai Emperor Era for a million years."
"The tide of fate was not on my side; it is not the Kai Emperor's fault."
The Woodcutter Sage said, "The defeat of that time—we will reclaim it today!"
Lan Yutian led his five thousand disciples into Yancheng, looking around and trying to discern the roads. However, the gods following him all knew that no matter how hard their teacher tried to figure out the way, he would still get lost.
"Teacher, where do you plan to go?" a goddess asked.
"I don't know," Lan Yutian said cheerfully.
Everyone fell silent. A few gods quietly slipped away.
Lan Yutian laughed. "Just follow my instincts. I feel someone ahead is waiting for me."
The group was skeptical, but after walking for several days, they saw the Great Thunderclap Monastery in the distance, along with the Reclining Buddha atop it.
That Reclining Buddha radiated boundless Buddha light, deep in slumber. The light connected to the Great Sumeru Mountain of the Twenty Heavens of the Buddha Realm, reaching all the way to the Great Brahma Heaven at the summit.
Thousands of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas sat within the dream of this Reclining Buddha, deeply immersed in meditation. The sound of Buddha chants spread far and wide, and the Brahma tones surged mightily.
The Reclining Buddha was a striking sight. Its physical body was that of a demonic ape, immense in size. In its sleep, it snored, and the black fur on its body vibrated like a dark forest swaying in the wind.
Yet the Reclining Buddha's primordial spirit was utterly holy, sacred and solemn—like a demon, like a human, yet unmistakably a Buddha.
The crowd gazed up at this great Buddha. After a moment, Lan Yutian shook his head. "He's not the one waiting for me. Let's keep going."
They traveled for another ten-plus days, crossing mountains and rivers, until they saw Yancheng's Spirit Energy Transfer Bridge in the distance. Large ships and warships constantly sailed in and out of the bridge.
When they arrived beneath the Spirit Energy Transfer Bridge, a group of people were arguing. A young Daoist tugged at the sleeve of a handsome god, shouting, "Xu Shenghua, you can't leave! We've only just started refining that treasure, and you want to go? Leaving us to toil while you take it easy!"
The handsome man named Xu Shenghua tried to break free, saying helplessly, "I've already organized the blueprints that Sect Leader Qin gave us. You can refine them yourselves according to the diagrams. The remaining tasks are just trivial matters. How could I possibly stay here for fifty years? I still need to go to the Ancestral Court—the Sect Leader told me long ago there are good things there!"
Lan Yutian recognized the Daoist as Lin Xuan, the leader of the Dao Sect, though he didn't know why he was arguing with Xu Shenghua.
"If you leave, who knows how many years you'll be gone? Your daughter, Xu Mengqing, will probably be old enough to marry by then. By the time you come back, you might even be holding a grandchild!"
The speaker was someone Lan Yutian also knew—an immortal from Little Jade Capital named Wang Muran, known as Immortal Wang, who was also extremely skilled.
Xu Shenghua said, "Immortal Wang, stop scheming about my daughter."
Immortal Wang laughed. "You should worry about Sect Leader Qin! Watch out—while you're away, he might steal your daughter's heart!"
"He's old and past his prime; I've never worried about that. Fellow Daoists, I must go to the Ancestral Court. The Sect Leader has long called me there! I've always had a feeling that it's the key to my achieving the Dao."
Xu Shenghua broke free from Lin Xuan and bowed. "Everyone, I understand your good intentions, but are you going to block my path to the Dao? Besides, you can't beat me."
The group had no choice but to stop blocking him. "Fine, fine. You go off and have fun while we suffer here. Whatever—we can't beat you anyway. Go on, then."
Xu Shenghua straightened up and then noticed Lan Yutian. Surprised, he said, "Brother Lan, are you lost again?"
Lan Yutian nodded repeatedly, smiling. "Last time I met Brother Xu, you pointed me in the right direction. This time, I'll have to trouble you again."
Xu Shenghua thought for a moment and said, "I'm going to the Ancestral Court. Do you want to come?"
"Yes!"
"Then come with me."
Xu Shenghua waved his hand and said seriously, "Everyone, if you try to stop me again, I really will start hitting people."
The crowd scattered.
Xu Shenghua led Lan Yutian toward the Spirit Energy Transfer Bridge. Glancing at the five thousand gods behind him, he felt curious but didn't ask. He said, "These past days, I've been held up by all sorts of trivial matters, unable to set out for the Ancestral Court. Now I realize it wasn't those trivial things holding me back—it was that I was waiting for you. It seems both our paths to the Dao lie in the Ancestral Court."
Lan Yutian said, "I feel the same way. I sense you were waiting for me. This should be a very wondrous journey."
The five thousand gods surged with them into the Spirit Energy Transfer Bridge. After a long time, they emerged from the altar at the other end, immediately facing the seal of the Ten Celestial Venerables.
"Teacher, there's a seal here, and a hole over there without one!" someone shouted.
That hole in the Ancestral Court had been blasted open by Qin Mu when he activated the power of the Primordial Ore Vein.
Xu Shenghua and Lan Yutian glanced at it. Xu Shenghua shook his head. "Too far. Who knows how long it would take to reach that hole. This crack is closer—we can just walk in from here."
"There are eleven layers of seals here. One of them was left by my brother."
Lan Yutian examined them and said, "Breaking his seal isn't hard."
Xu Shenghua also looked them over and nodded. "Breaking his indeed isn't hard. Let's go."
The two led the five thousand gods as they surged forward, entering the seal left by Qin Mu.
In the Ancestral Court, Qin Mu arrived at the Seventeenth Void and asked, puzzled, "Pi, what are you afraid of?"
"Sect Leader, the Grand Emperor is coming!" Dragon Qilin said, trembling.
—I've been busy lately and forgot to ask for monthly votes and recommendations. Now that I'm back home and have some leisure time, I suddenly noticed that The God of Words has gained a Silver Alliance Patron. I'm embarrassed—I've been too busy to thank them properly! Thank you, Nineteen Doesn't Sell Wine, and thank you, Dao brother, for the Silver reward!