Chapter 249 Conferring Gods and Gathering True Spirits
Yuanshi ignored Laozi's sermon and waited until the end before getting up and saying, "I should go and heal Chang Hao's injuries. Chang Hao has summoned me to discuss something important. Brother, I won't talk to you any longer."
If he were afraid of death, how could he dare to even dream of such a thing?
"Stop right there! At this critical moment, you still dare to go?" Laozi pressed Yuanshi's shoulder, pinning him to the spot. "I'll go, but you're not allowed to go."
"I won't do anything out of line, don't worry," Yuan Shi assured him. How could he bear not to see Chang Hao?
"You're worried, but I'm not," Laozi retorted to Yuanshi's words. "I don't want my brother to die." Although he hadn't experienced it himself, he knew that the emotions in one's eyes and brows were the hardest to hide.
Master may not be able to see it now, but after a few more times, he will definitely be able to understand it. At that time, no one will be able to protect Yuanshi.
Lao Tzu judged others by his own standards. If someone harbored rebellious thoughts and tried to do this or that to Yuanshi, Tongtian, and Changhao, using both soft and hard tactics, he would be so angry that he would want to kill them.
In other words, it was Yuanshi and Changhao who caused this incident. Laozi was helpless and could only watch and let nature take its course. But Master is not him. He would not stand by and watch Yuanshi try to win over Changhao, although he hasn't succeeded yet.
"Since you refuse to accept Fuxi as your disciple, then go into seclusion. You can emerge when your three corpses are united," Yuanshi was being foolish, but Laozi was not. "I know you could have severed your third corpse long ago, but you have been hesitant. What are you afraid of?"
Lao Tzu deeply regrets his past actions. If he had known, he should have followed Yuan Shi and severed all three of his corpses first. Perhaps, he wouldn't be facing this great calamity today.
Yuan Shi remained silent, not because he couldn't kill him, but because he was worried that he was himself, yet he was no longer himself.
"Afraid that you will sever your ego or cut off all your attachments?" Lao Tzu said incisively, "If that's the case, then your feelings are nothing more than that."
"Brother, why provoke me?" Yuan Shi was truly reluctant; what if something happened?
This technique was passed down from his master. It cuts off one's own obsessions. But if he really cuts everything off, wouldn't he have truly abandoned all his emotions? Chang Hao, his elder brother, Tongtian—these are all people he cares about.
"Alright, I won't provoke you, but I'm worried about you..." Laozi knew his two younger brothers' personalities well. Tongtian wouldn't budge if you tried to lead him, and he would back down if you tried to hit him. Yuanshi was impervious to both soft and hard approaches, and it was very difficult to find the right balance. "The Heavenly Dao just warned you today, but there was no follow-up."
"I imagine Master is having some troubles right now. You must be having a lot of bad luck. Don't test Master's patience any further," Laozi took a deep breath, forced a smile, and said earnestly, "Brother will go and see what important matter Chang Hao wants to discuss with you. You stay here and think it over carefully, so as not to worry me."
Before leaving, Laozi turned back and said, "Even if you don't think about us brothers, you should think about Chang Hao. If you die because of him, how will Chang Hao face himself? Will he allow you to do this?"
The worst possible outcome was pointed out by Laozi, sending a chill down Yuanshi's spine. If that were truly the case, Chang Hao would probably refuse to even see him...
"Brother, you should go. Chang Hao is at Taiwei Palace now." Yuanshi closed his eyes, like a jade statue. He was not in a stable state of mind and it was indeed not appropriate for him to see Chang Hao.
……………………
Chang Hao treated Zhen Yuanzi to a lavish feast, and personally escorted him all the way from Yaochi to the South Heavenly Gate, watching him depart...
"Bai Ze, where is Lingbao Tianzun?" Chang Hao suddenly realized that Tongtian hadn't been seen for a long time, and he was with his brothers. He worried that they might burn down the Heavenly Court.
"Your Majesty, please wait a moment." Bai Ze waved his feather fan and hurriedly ordered the demon general behind him to go and ask the spies in various places. They soon found out where they were.
"Your Majesty, the Sage left the Heavenly Court long ago and went to the East Sea," Bai Ze replied softly.
Chang Hao recalled that Tongtian had kept insisting on taking his brothers on a trip. Well, let Tongtian have his fun. His brothers had it pretty tough. With a saint accompanying them the whole time, there would definitely be no problems. Chang Hao could rest assured about that.
"Back to the palace..." Chang Hao carried the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd back to Taiwei Palace, intending to deal with Hongyun's matter first. After all, she might become a disciple of the Three Pure Ones in the future, and she was bound by the great karma of the two Western Saints. He couldn't let those two get away with it too easily.
Since Tongtian was not present, Chang Hao pointed to the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi at his waist, intending to summon Yuanshi to refine a body for Hongyun. In order to ensure that Zhenyuanzi would do his best, he could not allow Hongyun's cultivation to stagnate in this life.
While waiting for Yuanshi, Chang Hao switched back to his original form. While waiting for Yuanshi, he unfolded the Investiture of the Gods and studied this mysterious heavenly book. He discovered that the fragments of primordial purple energy collected by Hongjun were perfectly integrated into this heavenly book, and the two were completely integrated.
Immortal and indestructible… Chang Hao murmured these four words to himself. Those on the list were nothing less than puppets of the Heavenly Dao, puppets from which they could never resist. However, it had other wondrous uses…
Laozi made no attempt to conceal himself and quietly appeared at Taiwei Palace. Chang Hao looked up and was quite surprised.
"Studying the Investiture of the Gods?" Laozi asked, looking at the jade ruyi at Chang Hao's waist. He almost couldn't suppress his kind and benevolent expression. Others might not be able to tell, but how could he not?
You, Yuanshi, have already given away the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi, why don't you just give yourself away too? What's the point of going back to Kunlun?
"Yes, would you like to take a look, brother?" Chang Hao glanced at the jade ruyi at his waist without making it obvious, and called out to Yuanshi, "Come here, Laozi," which was clearly unusual.
“Good,” Laozi accepted the Investiture of the Gods, his expression growing more solemn as he read it. “This Investiture of the Gods is also a tool for maintaining the operation of the Heavenly Dao. You must use it with caution. The decisions of the Heavenly Dao are not always entirely correct. Although you must obey the will of Heaven, you should also do your best.”
"I understand, and I will use it with caution." Chang Hao will not make the same mistake as Haotian. So what if he holds the Investiture of the Gods and the God-Slaying Whip? In the end, who will listen to him? He's good at going through the motions but not putting in the effort, and he's good at disobeying orders.
"Brother, Yuanshi..." Chang Hao wanted to ask if something had happened.
"Yuanshi is fine, you don't need to worry. I told him to calm down. He and Tongtian have been having some trouble lately." Laozi downplayed the issue. Chang Hao also needs to calm down and recuperate, whether it's a mental or physical injury. It's best for him to handle this mess himself.
Chang Hao believed Lao Tzu's words; indeed, Yuan Shi deserved a lesson.
"Brother, please look, this is the remnant true spirit of Hongyun..." Chang Hao released Hongyun's true spirit from the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd and casually wrote down Hongyun's true name.
Without further ado, Laozi took direct action, separating the red clouds and the primordial purple energy. The true spirits that should have been scattered were instead drawn by the Investiture of the Gods and condensed into form on the unfolded Investiture of the Gods. Furthermore, guided by the power of the Heavenly Dao, the broken true spirits that had not been collected were guided and spontaneously gathered on the Investiture of the Gods from the Three Realms and the Ten Directions...
"Brother Lao helped Hongyun refine a physical body. For the sake of the two Western Saints, Hongyun Fusheng can't be timid after all," Chang Hao said without changing his expression.
Laozi gave Chang Hao a meaningful look. "Are you afraid those two are having too easy a time? Originally, debts should be settled when people die, but Chang Hao has helped those two get their biggest creditor back. He's harming others for his own benefit."
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