Yellow Court Daoist

The Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun saw the look of lingering fear on True Man Zhengqing's face, nodded inwardly, and added more fuel to the fire, saying, "You probably don't know yet, but forty thousand years ago, the Northern Plague Envoy Yang Wenhui, the Central Pox God Yu De, the Gu Chen Star Lord Yu Hua, and the Jiazi Tai Sui Yang Ren—four Honorable Gods—once joined hands to do battle with that Yellow Wind old monster. The latter took full advantage and withdrew at his leisure. It is said that the battle was for none other than his third brother, the Qingjing Child, to seize an opportunity."

Had the Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun been speaking of someone else, True Man Zhengqing would have been clueless as to how formidable they were, and might even have harbored some doubts.

But those four mentioned were renowned True Gods and Star Lords in the Heavenly Court, each with vast Divine Skills, certainly not inferior to his own Ancestor Master.

The four of them joined forces, and still let the Yellow Wind old monster take the upper hand?

"How could there be such a fierce person!"

True Man Zhengqing's mouth went dry, any other thoughts dissipating from his mind.

The Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun waited until True Man Zhengqing became more frightened and his face turned pale before seizing the moment to say, "This Qingjing Child is no easy target, and although I have mediated, it is no guarantee he won't cause trouble down the line. And the Yellow Wind old monster is known to indulge him; if you provoke the younger, the elder might come, leading to disaster. You are bound to join the Thunder Department sooner or later. Why not come to the Primordial Monarch Palace earlier? A position as a Divine General is assured, and wouldn't that be prestigious?"

Ten thousand years ago.

A Demon Dao tyrant attacked without cause, gravely injuring the Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun and nearly reducing her to ashes.

Though she narrowly escaped death, her injuries were difficult to heal. Hidden in the Primordial Monarch Palace, it took her ten thousand years to finally recover.

That unprovoked disaster had depleted her million years of accumulations, leaving her bereft of all possessions.

Even more infuriating was that during those ten thousand years, the six great generals of the Primordial Monarch Palace resigned their posts, wandering away for leisure, some finding brighter futures elsewhere.

After ten thousand years, only two great generals remained in the vast Primordial Monarch Palace, struggling to maintain it.

The Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun was sorely in need of talent.

And True Man Zhengqing was one of her recruitment targets.

For one thing.

True Man Zhengqing hailed from the Shenxiao Sect and belonged to the Sa Heavenly Master lineage. Though the Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun had also practiced under the Sa Heavenly Master without any formal title of master and disciple, in Heavenly Court, she was regarded as the legitimate lineage of the Sa Heavenly Master.

They came from the same sect.

True Man Zhengqing's loyalty was unquestionable, far more trustworthy than any Loose Cultivator in the Immortal Realm.

Secondly.

It might look as though True Man Zhengqing had been beaten by Lu Qingfeng like a punching bag, but that was only because of Lu Qingfeng's overwhelming strength, possessing both Divine Skills and a Spiritual Treasure, which led to such a situation. In reality, True Man Zhengqing's Dao ability and Mana were exceptional, a top-end existence among Earth Immortals, and in the Flying Heaven Realm of the Earth Immortal Fourth Realm, he was considered one of the best.

The position of a Heavenly Court Divine General was tempting, yet top Earth Immortals each had their own valued place. Voluntary recruits with limited Dao ability were not esteemed by the Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun. For the truly top tier, a position as a Divine General was at least not very alluring, if not downright uninspiring.

Like True Man Zhengqing.

As the Sect Leader of the Shenxiao Sect in the Nanhua Realm, he had enormous authority with a mere word carrying great weight. It was for this reason that he was accompanied by no less than five Supreme Treasure Immortal Artifacts.

Such a person, how could he value a mere position as a Divine General in the Primordial Monarch Palace?

The Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun originally only cast a wide net and did not hold much hope for True Man Zhengqing.

But this time, it seemed like a heaven-sent opportunity.

When True Man Zhengqing sent out a call for help, the Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun did not hesitate to descend to the mortal realm.

"Divine General in the Primordial Monarch Palace?"

Upon hearing these words, True Man Zhengqing couldn't help but feel a bit disheartened.

He understood that by accepting the Primordial Monarch's help, he was implicitly agreeing to the invitation.

But at the time, the situation was dire, and he didn't dare disturb his Ancestor Master. His only choice was to call upon the Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun who he had been in frequent contact with for help.

Now that the Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun brought it up, True Man Zhengqing had anticipated this, "It's just—"

True Man Zhengqing looked up at the Primordial Monarch beside him and couldn't help but smile bitterly.

The battle outside the Seven Treasures Mountain had led to the loss or destruction of the treasures in his possession, and even the Hundred-Patched Demon-Suppressing Robe he wore was damaged, with countless years of accumulation of the Golden Tiger and Golden Dragon gone.

The other treasures were a lesser concern.

Like the Curse Dates, the Five Bright Demon-Suppressing Fan, and the Sa Ancestor Iron Can; all were artifacts he had collected and asked Upper Realm Ancestors to refine. Even if he relinquished the position of Shenxiao Sect Leader in the Nanhua Realm, these three treasures would still belong to him.

But the Hundred-Patched Demon-Suppressing Robe and the Shenxiao Magic Sword were bestowed by the Sa Ancestor and symbolized the office of the Shenxiao Sect Leader of this realm. Originally ordinary Immortal Artifacts, they had gained extraordinary power after being consecrated by successive Sect Leaders over numerous years.

If he were to ascend, he would have to pass these two Supreme Treasures to the next Sect Leader.

And now.

The damage to the Hundred-Patched Demon-Suppressing Robe, though severe, could still be repaired, requiring only endless years to do so. However, the Shenxiao Magic Sword was completely destroyed. Even if he wanted to follow the Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun to the Primordial Monarch Palace, he feared he couldn't extricate himself from his responsibilities.

"Primordial Monarch—"

True Man Zhengqing's face wore a look of sorrow as he turned to the Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun.

The Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun's thoughts shifted, and she quickly understood.

"This is indeed a troublesome matter."

She frowned slightly and, after deliberating for a moment, causing True Man Zhengqing to grow anxious, spoke up, "Once I return to the Heavenly Court, I will visit the Tongming Palace to explain this matter on your behalf to the True Man. With my plea, it should be no issue. Once you join the Primordial Monarch Palace, what rare treasures can't be found? You can simply obtain new ones in the future. As soon as you establish some achievements, I will certainly not be stingy with Immortal Artifacts."

To the Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun, Immortal Artifacts were equally precious and rare. She did not want to bestow them lightly unless True Man Zhengqing had proven his worth.

Upon hearing this, True Man Zhengqing felt some disappointment.

He had wanted the Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun to get back his Five Bright Demon-Suppressing Fan and Sa Ancestor Iron Can from either Lu Qingfeng or the Jiyuan Daoist. With that, the Sa Ancestor Iron Can could compensate for the lost Shenxiao Magic Sword, and the Five Bright Demon-Suppressing Fan would ensure he wasn't empty-handed upon joining the Primordial Monarch Palace.

Unfortunately.

Whether the Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun failed to grasp his request or deliberately ignored it, she preferred going to the Tongming Palace to make amends rather than seeking to recover his treasures.

In his current situation, True Man Zhengqing had no leverage to negotiate and could only forcefully smile, "Then, I'll first thank the Primordial Monarch. As soon as the Sa Ancestor's Order arrives, I'll head to the Primordial Monarch Palace to await my duties."

Without a word from the Sa Ancestor, he would not dare abandon the mess of the Nanhua Realm.

"Give it three to five years, maybe a hundred and ten at most, news will surely come."

"You should focus on recuperating in seclusion these days. Hand over all affairs to your successor."

This was out of concern that if True Man Zhengqing stayed in the public eye, he might draw the attention of the Qingjing Child, which was definitively not a good thing.

True Man Zhengqing silently nodded.

He was seriously injured and naturally did not dare to provoke further trouble. As he was about to step down, he was not concerned about the sect's affairs, so there was no problem.

Upon realizing this, Primordial Monarch Bing Yuanjun from the Four Bright felt relieved and reminded True Man Zhengqing to return the disciple of the Qingjing Child as soon as possible to avoid complications.

Then he promptly returned to the Immortal Realm.

...

Seven Treasures Mountain.

With the departure of Primordial Monarch Bing Yuanjun from the Four Bright and the Three Paths of Shenxiao, the Mao Mountain Daoist School Master Jiyuan descended from the clouds and landed outside Seven Treasures Mountain. He respectfully cupped his hands towards Lu Qingfeng and said loudly, "Mao Mountain Jiyuan greets General Capturing God."

At a distance, Daoist Nun Cheng Jin and Yuan Shan Daoist also came back to their senses. They positioned themselves beside Ancestor Master Jiyuan and also bowed to Lu Qingfeng, calling him 'General' in respect.

"The three Fellow Daoists are most courteous."

"Lin Ye was just telling me how these years Su Bao Mountain's fellow practitioners have protected us, allowing us to remain safe and sound. Allow me to express my gratitude in advance."

A smile appeared on Lu Qingfeng's handsome face as he saw the three of them.

"Lin Ye?"

Hearing this, the Three Paths practitioners turned their attention to the Seven Treasures Immortal standing behind Lu Qingfeng, suddenly realizing, "So it's the Seven Treasures Immortal."

They had known each other for over ten thousand years, but it was only today that they learned the real name of this immortal lady.

Seeing the relief especially in the expressions of those two Fellow Daoists, Lu Qingfeng grinned and suggested, "It's not convenient to talk here. If the three of you are not too busy, why not come inside for a chat?"

Cheng Jin and Yuan Shan looked towards Jiyuan Daoist, who laughed and clapped his hands, saying, "I was just thinking the same thing."

Thus, the group of five people entered the mountain one after another.

Lu Qingfeng and Jiyuan Daoist walked side by side in the front, while Lin Ye, Cheng Jin, and Yuan Shan followed behind. As for Qi Zhou, Cui Fengnian, and Zhong Lihu, the three of them stayed outside Two Qi Peak to take care of those cultivators who had come to help their teacher.

The crisis had passed.

Seven Treasures Mountain welcomed a peerless figure, one that even the Sect Leader of Shenxiao was no match for, hinting at a rising prominence. The cultivators also sought to build connections, with many Loose Cultivators even wishing to join the sect.

The atmosphere turned lively.

Two Qi Peak.

Inside the Two Extremes Palace, as soon as they entered, Jiyuan Daoist took out a mottled Iron Can from his sleeve and presented it to Lu Qingfeng, saying, "This is the 'Sa Ancestor Iron Can' that flew off into the sky during your intense fight with Daoist Brother Zhengqing. Fortune had it I picked it up, and now it is returned to its rightful owner."

Cheng Jin and Yuan Shan were staring at the Iron Can, eyes gleaming. Even though they were Immortal Masters, they were relatively new with a short cultivation history and limited assets; they didn't have an Immortal Artifact of their own until now.

And this 'Sa Ancestor Iron Can' was a Supreme Treasure that the Sect Leader of Shenxiao had sought an Upper Realm Ancestor to refine.

Not only was it an Immortal Artifact, it was also much more sophisticated than ordinary ones. Crafted over long years of sacrifice, its power was unimaginable.

Seeing the Ancestor Master presenting it so freely, both felt a painful twist inside their hearts.

They were both hurting internally but dared not harbor even the slightest covetous thought.

After all, the young Daoist before them had almost killed the imposing Sect Leader of Shenxiao just moments before. Treasures may be valuable, but clearly, they do not compare to one's life.

"Returning to its rightful owner?"

Lu Qingfeng glanced at the mottled Iron Can and then back at Jiyuan Daoist. The Mao Mountain Sect Leader was quite a character. But a gift given is not to be taken back; so, Lu Qingfeng pushed the Sa Ancestor Iron Can back, shaking his head, "Once it flew off into the sky, it became an ownerless treasure, surely the one with the fate to possess it should keep it."

Regardless of anything else.

After all, Lin Ye had survived all these years under the protection of Mao Mountain Dao. Although her contributions and hard work were there, compared to the safety of one's life, it was still lacking.

The thing cultivators fear the most is karma.

Now that Lu Qingfeng was bestowing the 'Sa Ancestor Iron Can', repaying Lin Ye's karmic debts was more than sufficient.

"This—"

Jiyuan Daoist looked at Lu Qingfeng.

Not long ago, he was puzzled by Lu Qingfeng's motive for giving him the Sa Ancestor Iron Can and wondered if it was ill-intended. Only after seeing that even the Thunder Department God had to be wary of this young Daoist did he realize his misunderstanding.

Since it wasn't about driving tigers and chasing wolves, then—

"Does this Daoist actually care so much for his disciple?"

Jiyuan Daoist glanced at the Seven Treasures Immortal without any change in expression.

Cheng Jin and Yuan Shan also understood the intention behind Lu Qingfeng's actions. For a moment, they looked at Lin Ye with a gleam of admiration in their eyes.

For a disciple who might not even live a hundred years, to willingly part with a sect's Immortal Artifact Supreme Treasure, how could they not feel envy?

As Jiyuan Daoist's thoughts flowed, seeing the firm attitude from the Capturing God General, he couldn't bear to refuse, and with clenched teeth, said, "If that is so, then this old Daoist will accept with some shame."

After finishing his words and seeing Lu Qingfeng nod with a smile, Jiyuan Daoist also felt reassured. He put away the Sa Ancestor Iron Can, unable to hide his joy.

After all, the Sa Ancestor Iron Can was a great treasure, and if it were obtained by an ordinary person, one would have to worry about retribution from the Shenxiao Sect. But as the Mao Mountain Daoist School Master, he had no fear.

Getting a Supreme Treasure for nothing, Jiyuan Daoist couldn't help but beam with delight, and immediately became even more animated.

After chatting with Lu Qingfeng for a while, he took Cheng Jin and Yuan Shan and left.

...