Chapter 419: The Old Fogeys
"Mu'er, don't go to this interception against the Celestial Realm," Granny Si said in a low voice.
Qin Mu was busy refining spirit pills to feed the flood dragons. Since he was going on a long trip this time, he needed to prepare plenty of pills. He was slightly startled by her words, then laughed, "Grandma, I was the one who invited them. How could I not go?"
Granny Si shook her head. "You're only in the Six Harmonies Realm. If you don't go, they won't gossip. In this battle, the Celestial Realm will likely send out all their forces. The Celestial Realm doesn't just have the Four Lords of the Celestial Realm; there are other deities as well... If we lose, go back to the Great Ruin and never come out again for the rest of your life."
Qin Mu's expression darkened. Just as he was about to speak, the Village Chief's voice came from afar: "Old Lady Si, don't bother with him. Let him come along!"
Granny Si glanced over and saw the Village Chief laughing and chatting with a group of old men and old women. She couldn't help but get angry. "Mu'er's cultivation is still too low. It's useless for him to go!"
"How is it useless?"
The Village Chief turned his head to look back, smiling. "Someone always has to collect the bodies, right, Grandma?"
Granny Si was momentarily stunned and said no more.
Someone always had to collect the bodies, whether they were enemies or their own.
In the distance, the group of old men and old women burst into laughter. The Village Chief was having a great time chatting with his old friends. Earthwalk Peak was recounting their embarrassing moments from back in the day, making everyone laugh heartily, their faces flushed with joy.
They had so many stories to tell—the life-and-death struggles, the battles fought side by side—so many memories worth recalling. Ever since the Village Chief was crippled and his ambition waned, he had become a fixture in the Village of the Disabled, an old cripple who couldn't be moved by thunder or rain. The Human Sovereign had vanished from the world, and his old comrades had also lost their drive, disappearing from the mortal realm and ceasing to interact with one another.
But now, the Village Chief had returned, and they had answered his call. Even though they were old, the reunion of old friends seemed to bring them back to those passionate, fiery years.
Qin Mu watched them. These cheerful old people each had their own personalities. Some weren't naturally outgoing, like Qingyou Shanren, who looked at everyone as if they owed him money, yet now he was beaming with joy.
Each of them held an exalted status. Some were chieftains of underground races, some were lofty immortals, some were great demons worshipped in temples, and others carried their people on their backs as they roamed freely through the seas.
People who would never normally cross paths were gathered together because of the Human Sovereign Seal.
The Village Chief was radiant with energy, saying to the crowd, "Let the blood in our hearts burn! Relive the old days! Let's go and turn the world upside down!"
Qingyou Shanren laughed so hard tears streamed down his face. "Burn my ass! Your lifespan is almost up next year, isn't it? Can you still burn?"
"Do immortals from Little Jade Capital swear? Try saying that in Little Jade Capital! Qingyou, you don't have many years left to burn either. Soon you'll be just as finished as I am!"
The old fogeys laughed heartily, stomping their feet. Willow Immortal laughed so hard her eyes narrowed into slits, gasping for breath. "Remember back then? Whenever there was a fight, Little Qingzi ran the fastest—not to join the fight, but to hide!"
"You weren't much better. You always curled up into a ball!"
The old fogeys burst into laughter again, teasing each other. "Little Qingzi also had a crush on Fairy Xueqi. He chased after her like crazy back then!"
"That's right, that's right, I remember that. That guy had such thick skin! Pfft!"
"The day Fairy Xueqi died in battle, Little Qingzi cried like a baby."
When that was said, no one laughed. Suddenly, Qingyou Shanren burst into loud sobs. Earthwalk Peak, who had made the atmosphere incredibly awkward, scratched his messy hair and sighed. "I remember Daoist Lu Feng. He was my closest friend. He died for me. He took a fatal blow meant for me..."
Everyone fell silent. After a moment, the old fogeys started laughing and chatting again, the earlier awkwardness vanishing as if it had never happened.
Qin Mu shook his head and activated the Dragon Subduing Art. One by one, the flood dragons changed shape, transforming into massive beasts several miles long. Everyone climbed onto the backs of the dragons.
The mountain estate was empty.
They rode the dragons toward the Great Ruin. On the dragon's back, the Butcher tossed out jars of wine. The older generation of experts hugged the jars and drank heartily, their laughter drifting over from time to time. The Butcher raised a jar high and laughed loudly, "Let's drink three hundred cups in one go!"
On another dragon's back, the Cripple was crying his eyes out. "I'm not some grand hero like you all! I'm just a petty thief! Why am I playing the hero with you?"
Old Rulai looked at Ma Ye and said in a low voice, "The Great Thunderclap Monastery still needs you. Go back. I can handle things here."
Ma Ye said calmly, "You are Rulai, and I am Rulai too. You know my heart."
Old Rulai was momentarily stunned, then said, "What if neither of us comes back? What happens to the Great Thunderclap Monastery? What happens to the Dharma?"
Ma Ye pressed his palms together, his face displaying twenty sacred expressions. "I will not betray the Dharma, nor will I betray my heart."
Old Rulai immediately understood his intent. "Well said. Whether Rulai is present or not, the Dharma remains. It does not exist because of Rulai, nor does it vanish because of Rulai. If one comprehends this, one is Rulai. If not, one is just a fake monk."
Qin Mu was on the same dragon as the Village Chief. He kept glancing at the Village Chief and finally couldn't help asking in a low voice, "Chief, has your Divine Bridge been repaired?"
A faint smile appeared on the Village Chief's weathered, wrinkled face. "How could it be that easy? Repairing the Divine Bridge is divided into three steps, each one extremely difficult. The first step is the Magpie Bridge Technique, the second is the Mystic Pull Technique, and the third is the Divine Crossing Technique. I've just reached the Mystic Pull Technique, which is already quite fast. Qingyou, have you repaired your Divine Bridge?"
Qingyou Shanren shook his head. "Still stuck on the Mystic Pull Technique."
The Village Chief's face lit up as he teased, "This interception against the Celestial Realm might get us killed!"
Qingyou Shanren cursed angrily, "You old bastard, you're always jinxing me!"
The Village Chief laughed heartily. "That old Demon Sect Patriarch is still on his way here!" Everyone burst into laughter again, full of cheer.
The sun set in the west, and the sky gradually darkened.
In the Celestial Realm, an obscure and difficult-to-pronounce voice came from above the altar. It was divine language, its intonation rising and falling, unlike anything a human could produce. Lord Qiao, Lord Hua, and Lord Yan listened respectfully. When the divine language ceased, the three lords each stepped back a few paces, bowed respectfully, and said in unison, "We obey the divine decree."
All was calm on the altar.
Below the altar, the three lords looked grim and remained silent. After a moment, Lord Yan couldn't help asking, "Do we really have to do this? If we do, how many people in the entire Yan'guang Kingdom will survive..."
"We have no choice."
Lord Qiao said solemnly, "The Yan'guang Kingdom has grown too powerful. Emperor Yanfeng forged divine weapons to kill Lord Yu. The Human Sovereign has changed, the laws are changing, and the Dao is transforming. This has already angered those above. If we don't act, we won't be able to protect ourselves. Compared to those lowly mortals below, our own lives are the most important!"
Lord Hua said, "But that's countless lives..."
"Say no more."
Lord Qiao's expression was cold as he raised his hand. "We only need to fulfill our own duties. We don't ask about right, wrong, cause, or effect. Awaken the gods of the Celestial Realm. There will be a battle in the lower realm."
Lord Yan and Lord Hua looked grim. Lord Yan went to the horn beside the altar and blew into it. Instantly, a deep, long horn sound spread throughout the Celestial Realm.
Hoo— hoo—
In the Celestial Realm, the mountains were majestic, filled with rare beasts roaming among the peaks. But the most eye-catching were the massive, towering statues.
These were statues of deities, all kinds of strange shapes. As the horn sound echoed, the surfaces of the statues began to crack. The stone rapidly deteriorated, some turning into dead skin that peeled off, while others transformed into flesh, skin, and texture.
Suddenly, one stone statue crouched on one knee, its massive fist slamming into the ground as it slowly stood up.
Then, among the towering mountains, one stone statue after another awakened, opening their eyes one by one. Divine light shot straight into the sky from their eyes.
Lord Qiao's gaze was like lightning as he swept his eyes around and shouted, "Reception Officer, lay the bridge!"
In the sky of the Celestial Realm, on a golden long bridge, the Reception Divine Officer stood there, turning the golden compass in front of him. The compass grew brighter and brighter, and suddenly a beam of golden light shot out from its center, transforming into a golden rainbow bridge that pierced through the barrier between the Celestial Realm and the lower world.
Lord Qiao's eyelids twitched. He gritted his teeth and roared, "All deities, hear my command! Descend to the lower realm!"
One by one, divine beings soared into the air, turning into streaks of light that flew out of the Celestial Realm along the light bridge. Instantly, in the sky of the Western Lands, bright, dazzling stars streaked across the heavens.
That night, eighteen shooting stars, dragging long trails of light, broke through the sky and flew eastward.
In the Great Ruin, snow fell heavily that night. The Young Patriarch and the Law Enforcement Elder sat among some ruins, a campfire burning, its light illuminating the surrounding darkness.
"It's snowing."
The Law Enforcement Elder looked up and saw snowflakes drifting in from the darkness, falling around them. "This winter seems especially long."
The Young Patriarch used a fire poker to stir the fire, making it burn brighter. The campfire crackled, and sparks rose with the smoke.
"It's not too bad. It's already past New Year's, isn't it?"
The Young Patriarch smiled. "After New Year's, it will gradually warm up."
Just then, a voice suddenly came, laughing, "Make the fire a bit brighter. I'll come warm myself too."
The two turned to look. A man in a bamboo hat walked out of the darkness and came into the ruins. This man had only nine fingers. Puffs of mist came from under his hat.
"Fellow Daoist Lingjing." The Young Patriarch quickly stood up to greet him.
Daoist Lingjing returned the greeting, took off his bamboo hat, and reached out to warm his hands by the fire. His eyes flickered. "Fellow Daoist Demon Sect, are you also answering the call of the Human Sovereign Seal to go to the meeting?"
The Young Patriarch shook his head. "I'm not going to meet them. I already know what's happening, so I'm waiting here. Even if I can't wait for them, I can at least hold off the gods of the Celestial Realm for a while. Fellow Daoist Lingjing, what about you?"
Daoist Lingjing revealed a smile. "I hesitated for a long time. I don't get along with many people, especially the old Sword God. See this finger? He cut it off. But later, I figured it out. The promise made by our human ancestors—if I don't keep it, I would be ashamed to be human. So I decided to go to the meeting."
"Then you don't need to."
The Young Patriarch smiled. "Just wait here with me. If they can't make it in time, we can buy them some time."
Daoist Lingjing nodded. The three of them fell silent.
By midnight, the snow stopped. Suddenly, a series of brilliant starlight appeared in the sky, moving from west to east.
The Young Patriarch said to the Law Enforcement Elder with a smile, "Take my ashes and Daoist Lingjing's ashes back. That is, if you can still find our remains."
The Law Enforcement Elder knelt down. "Farewell to you both!"
He raised his head. The Young Patriarch and Daoist Lingjing had vanished. Two streaks of light appeared in the sky, rising diagonally to intercept the eighteen moving stars.