Chapter 103: Mingguang's Departure Was All a Scheme, Without a Trace of Emotion.
The other immortals around Yun Chuan were constantly making a racket.
They had accumulated more than half of their merits and still had hope of returning to heaven, but they also discovered that all the obstacles they encountered were related to the Bright Light Mystic Immortal.
Some came to confirm, while others overestimated themselves and came to question.
In short... we spent the whole night huddled by this tiny gate, with wind and snow overhead, and no one dared to knock on the door.
finally.
Mingguang, in a display of "great compassion," opened the door.
He stood at the doorway, not even reaching the gate.
He wore a completely covered mask, and the bearskin he wore would have looked like a ridiculous monster on someone who wasn't tall enough.
However, Mingguang was tall enough to fully support the bear skin's size and strength. Standing there, he looked like a living beast that could tear apart and devour any living creature in front of him at any moment.
Yun Chuan looked up at Ming Guang.
His eyelashes were frozen by frost and snow, and he blinked hard before he could see what Mingguang looked like.
Although there are masks to conceal the truth and bear skins to protect the face, the light of day makes one look very bad; the five signs of decay in a person can quickly change their appearance beyond recognition.
The frost on his temples was so bright that it made one unsure where to look.
But he stood there, still like an insurmountable mountain, silent, majestic, and unyielding to disobey or overthrow.
Yun Chuan couldn't help but wonder, who exactly in the heavens keeps comparing him to Ming Guang?!
He even said he could take over Mingguang's position?
He's really no good.
Yun Chuan was on the verge of a breakdown.
This was also the first time I had ever truly witnessed Mingguang's abilities.
He felt like a tiny insect being toyed with in his palm. Even the lowly soldiers serving him could suddenly say, "I once served General Xuanhui, and he taught me a lot. Your formation is wrong!" Then, in front of a group of generals, they would list several more ingenious formations that left Yun Chuan speechless, completely undermining Yun Chuan's military prestige.
Yun Chuan is always impossible to guard against.
Mingguang was not there, yet he was omnipresent, like a vengeful ghost demanding revenge, like the air that governs life and death. The fact that he was spared was probably out of consideration for the childhood friendship between the two.
When the immortals saw Mingguang emerge, they were chirping amongst themselves, pushing and shoving each other, and no one stepped forward.
Yun Chuan gritted his teeth and did not stand up. Instead, he crawled to the door, like a low-ranking wolf in a pack, turning its belly up to the alpha wolf to show submission.
With his head bowed, bending his most vulnerable yet proud neck, he said to Mingguang, "Immortal Mingguang, I know my mistake and await your judgment."
Yun Chuan is now even feeling fortunate that he and Ming Guang at least have some childhood friendship.
He doesn't need to completely tear off his mask and analyze just how terribly wrong he was. He doesn't need to turn himself into an irreparable joke.
Mingguang looked at Yunchuan from a distance, unmoved.
Soon, some of the immortals around Yun Chuan followed suit, kneeling and kowtowing to Ming Guang.
"Immortal Mingguang, we are willing to serve you again!"
"Yes, yes, yes, Immortal Mingguang is currently suffering from the five signs of decline and needs someone to take care of him. We will certainly obey your orders in the future!"
"We can assist Immortal Mingguang in returning to heaven and attaining his position. Immortal Bitao is already dead. Immortal Mingguang has already burned through millions of merits to reshape her soul. Do not continue to be obsessed!"
...
Everyone started talking at once.
Yun Chuan was speechless.
How dare you speak like that!
It seems I haven't learned enough lessons.
Yun Chuan silently moved his body a little further away from them.
This is a silent way of saying that they are not part of the same group.
When these people "pledged their loyalty" to the point of being willing to "give their lives and die for the Mingguang Xuanxian," it was only when...
Ming Guangcai finally spoke, saying, "Why would I take in a group of treacherous servants again?"
His voice was deep and even hoarse because he had been suffering from a cold for a while.
He spoke in a light tone, and said, "Why should I take some incompetent immortals who have died of their own accord back to the celestial realm?"
They came to plead sincerely, adopting such a humble posture, yet Mingguang Xuanxian spoke so harshly. Someone couldn't help but retort: "Mingguang Xuanxian, that's not how it works. You were obsessed with Bitao Shenxian back then, while we are all immortals of the Nine Heavens. How could we abandon everything for one person?"
Some tried to appeal to her emotions: "The Fairy Bitao is truly righteous. She did violate the heavenly rules by forcibly summoning her Dharma form to save us. If we are to bear the consequences and repay her kindness in the future, we will certainly do so without hesitation. However, the competition is still ongoing, and we cannot wallow in sorrow and stop moving forward!"
Some tried to reason with her: "Even if the Fairy of the Peach Blossom died to seal the ancestor of this Xuanmen sect, her merits and demerits will be judged by the Heavenly Dao of all realms. But on our path of accumulating merits, there are many obstacles, and each one points to the Fairy of Bright Light."
Someone was clearly indignant: "Mingguang Xuanxian, are you perhaps holding a grudge against us for the death of Bitao Shenxian, and that's why you're interfering?"
Some people were even more audacious... thinking they had the support of the elders of the ancient immortal clan behind them: "Don't forget, you are the 'Emperor' personally chosen by the ancient immortal clan. Without the protection of the ancient immortal clan, do you want to be a lone immortal emperor... ah!"
"Pfft—Aaaaaah!"
"Yun Chuan Celestial Immortal, why did you hit me! Ugh—"
The person who uttered the arrogant words was slammed into the white ground by Yun Chuan with the back of his broadsword, staining it red in a few swift strokes.
Yun Chuan feared that if these fools continued talking, it wouldn't just be a question of whether or not they would return to heaven, but that the ancient immortal clan of the celestial realm would become the next target of Ming Guang Xuan Xian.
Given Mingguang's control over the Nine Heavens Office and his mental fortitude... it's true that the Ancient Immortal Clan protects him, but the Ancient Immortal Clan is also under his protection.
With him gone, the ancient immortal clan has lost its potential to become an emperor. The merit-based immortals have risen to power, so how can the ancient immortal clan not continue to suffer defeat?
After smashing everyone half to death, Yun Chuan knelt down again in the blood-stained snow.
I didn't say anything more; the more I said, the more mistakes I made.
Mingguang, wearing a bearskin, stood at the doorway. After a while, the cold wind seemed to have given him a fever again.
It's unclear how much time passed, but the falling snow covered the bloodstains on the ground once again.
Mingguang then spoke up, "Look at this snow, doesn't it resemble the feathers of the migratory birds that stay here?"
Yun Chuan was taken aback.
He knew that the resident bird was a bird that was somewhat like a chicken, but had a lot of feathers and very little flesh.
There's a folk tale that says when loved ones part ways, the resident bird senses the sorrow and will make a soft, mournful call from the branches. Therefore, this bird is also jokingly called the "family-keeping bird" in folk tradition.
This bird can't fly very high; when it does, it looks like a large cloud drifting in the wind.
After life returned to the area, it could be seen everywhere in the mountains and forests.
But because the meat was too tough and unpalatable, even wolves didn't like to eat it.
Yun Chuan, however, did not know why Ming Guang brought this up at this time.
Mingguang continued, seemingly unrelated, "This kind of bird can lay more than a dozen eggs at a time, and the survival rate is extremely high. It eats everything, is easy to raise, and has its wings clipped to make it easier to confine."
"Feeding them with special growth promoters will make their feathers fluffier and their size bigger."
Mingguang looked at Yunchuan and said, "This year, both Wenchang and the newly split Yueying Kingdom experienced heavy snowfall that blocked the mountains as soon as early winter arrived. The disaster must have been considerable."
Yun Chuan bowed his head and replied, "Yes, a lot of grain was buried by the heavy snow before it could be harvested from the fields. The military rations were barely enough, but the winter cotton-padded clothes had not been issued yet. The soldiers could only make do with reeds, and many of them froze to death."
Mingguang said, "You can go back now. The winter clothes should have already been distributed."
"It will be very warm."
Yun Chuan suddenly looked up at Ming Guang, asking him to go back? Did he mean he had forgiven him?!
Mingguang raised his hand and caught a large, soft snowflake, just like the feather of a lily-like bird.
Just then, a bolt of bright sunlight struck down from the sky.
The lightning flashed silently, yet a white rainbow pierced the sun, landing right next to the wooden gate of the courtyard.
This is the lightning that guides one to the immortal throne!
Mingguang—has he already reached 500,000 merits?! So fast?!
The last time Yun Chuan saw Ming Guang was five years ago, when he failed to reshape Bi Tao's soul and burned away all his merits.
Before Yun Chuan could react, Ming Guang was already enveloped in lightning, and his figure faded.
Mingguang raised his hand and, amidst the silent yet intense lightning, removed his mask and took off his bearskin cloak.
It was as if an invisible hand held a brush, erasing the age on Mingguang's face and the frost at his temples with a single stroke. Lei Ling cleansed the filth from his body and straightened the protective bone in his arms.
Lightning enveloped everything, like a mother picking up her child who had fallen and scraped their leg, gently wiping away all of Mingguang's pain.
He stood amidst the lightning, radiant and dazzling like the sun and moon, his presence as serene and imposing as a sculpture of mountains and seas.
As the lightning subsided, Mingguang Xuanxian returned to heaven—attaining his position!
Yun Chuan watched with envy as Ming Guang was guided away by lightning, stood up from the snow, and didn't even glance at the half-dead ancient immortals.
His sense of relief was palpable. If Mingguang hadn't forgiven him today, Yunchuan wouldn't have accumulated enough merit, and even if he passed away, he would have been demoted several ranks.
How could he face his mother who risked her life to give birth to him?
No one had high hopes for him, but Yun Chuan refused to live a humble life.
Yun Chuan stepped across the blood-stained snow and reached the end of the small mountain village, where he saw his personal guards waiting for him.
The guard had stayed overnight at a villager's house in this village. No one knew when he came out, but his face was red from the cold, indicating that he had been standing in the snow for a long time.
But the joy on his face made his two rosy cheeks look even more festive.
"General! General!"
He led his horse excitedly to Yun Chuan and said to him, "The messenger has come to report that the winter clothes for the army have been distributed!"
"And I don't know what material it's filled with, it's as light as a feather, and supposedly incredibly warm!"
Upon hearing this, Yun Chuan suddenly remembered what Ming Guang had just mentioned about the migratory birds.
Then it dawned on me.
Winter clothes filled with resident bird feathers... In recent years, Mingguang has indeed hired farmers everywhere to raise livestock in enclosed mountains.
Yun Chuan had never understood before, but now he finally understood completely.
No wonder the 500,000 merits were accumulated so easily.
This unprecedented snowfall caused severe damage to all three kingdoms.
Ordinary people had limited supplies to keep warm during the winter, and crops like cotton were only affordable for high-ranking officials and nobles.
But resident birds are everywhere, just as Mingguang said, they are easy to raise, grow big, and are mostly covered in downy feathers. They can be picked and used as winter coats, and there is no more exquisite, lighter, or cheaper stuffing material.
Yun Chuan was shaken to his core.
Mingguang's actions amounted to far more than just 500,000 merits.
This is a great deed that will benefit generations to come, ensuring that all people will not have to freeze to death in the cold winter.
From now on, as long as this method of making winter clothes is used here, Mingguang will be able to receive a continuous stream of merit for generations to come.
He was worlds apart from Mingguang.
At this moment, Mingguang Xuanxian was guided back to heaven by the Five Thunders.
Above the clouds, the Thunder King, having laid out a thunder array, retreated.
The image of Mingguang stood majestically amidst the clouds, but compared to the first competition, when the golden crow, with its bared fangs and claws and wings that could blot out the sky, now stood silently behind the image of Mingguang, its wings and neck drooping. It neither raised its head to cry out nor flinched in the slightest.
Mingguang's Dharma image should have been holding two swords, one long and one short, which were his natal swords, but at this moment his hands were empty.
The clouds beneath his feet did not churn with even a ripple, silently supporting the immortal standing upon them, who showed no trace of pride.
Under the thunderous roar.
Mingguang and the golden crow behind him, which resembled a small mountain, lowered their necks and even closed their eyes.
Like a criminal who has committed a crime and is willing to accept punishment, he has no intention of resisting the onslaught of five thunderbolts.
Only in his tightly clenched right hand was a small barrier constructed by the Golden Spirit, which he protected flawlessly, preventing the Five Thunders from striking or probing him.
Five thunderbolts poured into his body, cleansing all the scars in his meridians, and Mingguang opened his eyes in astonishment.
Because the excruciating pain I had imagined did not come.
Because he did not resist, the Five Thunderbolts around him were like a pair of gentle hands, soothing his pain and stiffness, and tempering his natal weapon.
Although Mingguang was in a hurry to return, he only managed to gather 500,000 merits and didn't wait even a moment longer, so his position as a Xuanxian was not promoted.
However, under the Five Thunders, he infused the Xuanxian realm into a state of perfect harmony and stability, and his natal magic weapon, which was connected to his mind and spirit, also became even sharper.
Even after the lightning tribulation dissipated, Mingguang's expression had not yet recovered from his surprise.
However, he didn't have time to investigate why this lightning strike hadn't killed him.
Instead, after descending from the clouds, he ignored the generals who came to receive him and transformed into a golden spirit, heading straight for Xuanhui Palace.
The nine underground generals reacted differently upon seeing this.
Their disciples and followers have thoroughly offended this future Immortal Emperor in the lower realms, and this time... they will all likely fail in the competition.
Even if he survives the sentencing, given Mingguang's temperament, he would naturally betray him once and never hire him again.
In the future, in the Heavenly Realm, he could only live a muddled life as a Supreme Immortal or a Spirit Immortal at the very bottom.
These people risked their reputations to show Mingguang that their stance would not change because of a few words from those ignorant and arrogant juniors.
It's a pity that this future Immortal Emperor, who had been exemplary in his conduct and suppression of personal desires for so many years, revealed his "youthful impetuosity" for the first time, showing such a lack of tact.
They weren't even given a chance to speak.
You Tian, who was on his way to the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao, happened to pass by Zhu Ming, the Immortal Supervisor, and upon seeing this, said in a sarcastic tone, "It's over..."
"The donkey has broken free from the millstone, so it certainly won't have to pull the mill anymore, but there's no one to feed it hay either, haha!"
Those old generals of the ancient immortal clans couldn't possibly engage in a verbal battle with these brats from Youtian, but that didn't stop them from turning pale with anger.
They lost all face and dignity.
Zhu Ming smiled like a fox who had stolen a chicken.
However, having moved out of the range of those veterans' hearing, he still smiled and said to the immortals beside him, "You should think carefully about how to apologize to Bitao after you pass away."
"Mingguang, in a fit of pique, simply trapped those people in the lower realm. You know Bitao's temperament, right?"
Upon hearing this, everyone's gloating smiles vanished.
They truly understood Bitao's personality.
She wouldn't resort to cruel methods like Mingguang, but those who offended her never had a good ending.
They had already experienced the power of merit and virtue in the mortal realm.
Bitao's merits on the Nine Heavens Silver Net have already exceeded ten million. She even brought that useless Koi Fairy with her, whose merits have also exceeded five million.
Yet they were left out. After surviving a life-or-death battle, they didn't even receive a single merit firefly.
He had to painstakingly accumulate his resources in the lower realms and constantly avoid the Bright Light Mystic Immortal.
They finally returned to heaven and attained their positions, but not two of them ascended to the Immortal Rank. Five hundred thousand merits were merely the basic requirement for returning to heaven, and could not be exchanged for much immortal spirit infusion.
It's like going down there for a life-or-death competition, only to have it all for nothing.
Unfortunately, Zhu Ming, the superior official, was eager to stir up trouble: "I told you all long ago that after descending to the mortal realm, you would all listen to Bi Tao. Who told you to disobey me?"
“But we also asked her if it was feasible to cooperate with the Ancient Immortal Clan…” Cang Ling’s expression was not good, but she couldn’t help but argue.
Zhu Ming turned to look at him, his head full of gold and jade, so dazzling it was almost blinding.
She raised an eyebrow at him and said, "Are you asking her opinion, or have you already made a decision and are just waiting for her to nod?"
Cang Ling fell silent, looking somewhat annoyed.
He wasn't regretful because he couldn't benefit from Bitao's scheme; he regretted that he had addressed Bitao as "brother" and "sister" during the first competition.
When Bitao passes away, she will definitely not acknowledge him as her brother.
Seeing that his regret was genuine, Zhu Ming surprisingly offered a few words of comfort, saying, "Don't think too much about it. No matter what, we've won a great victory this time, haven't we?"
"Didn't Bitao leave you a way to return to heaven?"
Unlike Mingguang Xuanxian, who abandoned the ancient immortal clan, he only kept a few kittens and taels of his own.
They were all high-ranking immortals who had followed him for many years.
Moreover, the Ice Wheel Celestial was released by Mingguang not out of consideration for their relationship, but so that he could be sent back to heaven to face judgment. The Ice Wheel Celestial had just attained his position and descended from the clouds when he was personally arrested by the Earthly Official of Pardon with his men.
Because his attempt to interfere with the Heavenly Soul of the Peach Blossom with the Ice Wheel Seal was exposed, to put it bluntly, he was the source of this upheaval that caused panic throughout the Nine Heavens.
Given the current situation, he probably won't get a lenient sentence.
In the end, Mingguang only showed some leniency to Bingjing Zhenxian, but in Zhu Ming's view, this leniency was not because Bingjing was a woman, nor because Bingjing and Bitao were close.
Rather, Bingjing was, after all, a disciple personally trained by his mother, the Heavenly Dao of Myriad Realms. Mingguang's gesture of respect was for his own mother.
As for Yun Chuan... he knelt in the snow all night, seemingly unharmed, but his prestige in the Nine Heavens, and the momentum that could have subtly replaced Ming Guang, will probably be completely gone from now on.
After all, who would protect an "emperor" who kneels and begs for mercy in order to die?
Yin Han Gu started arguing the night before last, when Yun Chuan from the lower realm knelt down. At first, they were arguing that Ming Guang Xuan Xian's methods were too cruel.
Now... everyone is on Mingguang's side. Even some of the younger members of the Ancient Immortal Clan who usually have difficulty getting ahead and can't even get to serve Mingguang are complaining about their clan elders for sending a bunch of stupid donkeys to follow Mingguang down the steps.
Not only did he fail to achieve good results and return to heaven to bring glory to the ancient immortal clan, he also dared to "betray the emperor" for his own selfish desires.
The excitement surrounding the Immortal Position of Merit was so intense that it caused a huge uproar within the Ancient Immortal Clan itself.
On the Silver River Net, everyone is posting messages saying they want to become a servant of the Bright Light Immortal.
They were all declaring to their own generals: "I can do it! Let me do it!"
Meanwhile, Mingguang Xuanxian, who was at the center of the storm, landed at the entrance of his palace. Before the fairy maidens and immortal lords of Xuanhui Palace could even bow to greet him, the palace maids and immortal lords were already waiting.
He then went straight into the house, where heavy barriers were erected, isolating him from everything outside.
Mingguang couldn't wait any longer and summoned his Silver Net to check where Xiaotaozhi was in the Underworld.
They're about to fabricate another public official position to descend to the underworld and rescue someone.
This matter is urgent, because staying in the underworld for too long will erase all past memories. It's not just the seal of the Thunder Pattern Curse, but a complete erasure.
But when he saw the millions of merits behind the Peach Blossom Immortal on the Silver Han Net, which had turned crimson due to the speed of the rider... even Mingguang was stunned for a moment.
In an instant, countless thoughts flooded Mingguang's mind.
In the blink of an eye, he had already guessed a truth that no one wanted to admit.
But he didn't give up.
With a slight tremor of his fingers, he touched the Silver Net of the Peach Blossom Immortal and began to track her.
Track all her actions and experiences after she descended to the mortal realm.
Mingguang stared intently at Bitao's perspective on the Silver Han Net, and everything that flashed rapidly made him feel as if he were there.
In the blink of an eye, I had read about all of Bitao's experiences.
They also understood why, despite having only been in the mortal realm for twenty-five years and having had her soul scattered by five thunderbolts twenty-five years prior, she now possessed merits exceeding ten million.
She used her body as a bridge to seal away the ancestor of the Xuanmen sect.
From this day forward, all living beings in this world will have a share of her merit in their life and death.
What's a mere ten million?
But Mingguang stared at the retracement image for a long time, frozen in place.
Little Peach Branch is so clever.
Little Peach Branch is so clever!
Mingguang stared at the frozen silver net, where the scene was the flickering of the hearts of all living beings on the bridge surface where peach branches twisted.
Everything she planned was so perfect.
The meteor's lifelong wish was to continue the bridge of reincarnation, and the peach blossom fulfilled his wish. His will, which was attached to the hearts of all living beings, will gradually dissipate.
She even converted that heart to her own use.
They schemed and plotted, resorting to any means necessary, disregarding their own lives, taking risky moves, and walking on the edge of a precipice.
They will eventually achieve a great victory.
But……
But what about him?
After a moment, Mingguang chuckled softly.
The laughter was full of sarcasm, but it was mocking himself.
Who is he? He's just one link in Xiao Taozhi's elaborate scheme.
It was all scheming; there wasn't a single trace of affection for him.
He was like a useless tool that had been played with until someone got tired of him, was no longer fun to be had, and was only used casually. At a crucial moment, he acted on emotion and almost ruined her grand plan.
He actually thought she died to save him...
Because of this dense, chilling scheme, he mistakenly believed that she was truly in love with him. Even after realizing that he was also unable to resist her, he still fantasized about marrying her and becoming a pair of inseparable birds.
For twenty years, the pain of "loss" lingered like a malignant tumor, a wound that was covered but continued to fester. It caused him constant suffering, confusion, and loss of reason, leaving him unable to distinguish between day and night.
He was even grateful that Xiao Taozhi loved him, whether she loved his shamelessness or his feigned gentleness.
He could fake it all; he'd been accustomed to it since birth. As long as Xiao Taozhi could die with him and never be separated from him again, what did it matter if he pretended to be "Wei Danxin" to make her happy?
But now he realizes that it was all just wishful thinking on his part, and that he was nothing but a shameful and pathetic joke.
No wonder Xiao Taozhi refused to marry him.
She must have had a hard time coming up with so many high-sounding reasons.
Mingguang was too clever; even when he followed Bitao's perspective, he didn't see Bitao's complete plan.
But he automatically filled in everything that the peach blossoms had never shown to the silver net.
From the very beginning, she had no intention of cooperating with the ancient immortal clan.
Or rather, from the very beginning, she intended to use the great array that sealed the meteors to transform herself into the Bridge of Reincarnation.
It was just wishful thinking on his part; when the formation was being set up, he got up to save her, causing the sealing formation to break.
Mingguang now understood why Bitao looked so shocked when she woke up in the formation.
Shocked and... He had been trembling and walking alone for more than twenty years, finally succeeding in shaping her soul and pulling her consciousness out of the cycle of reincarnation. In that brief moment, she looked at him with the same eyes.
She was shocked by how stupid he could be.
Mingguang raised his hands, held his forehead, lowered his head, and couldn't help but laugh again.
"Hahahaha...hahahaha..."
His laughter was extremely clear and pleasant to hear, as if something wonderful had made him incredibly happy. It was his youthful voice, free from the signs of decay, and a youthful clarity that he would never possess when he was suppressing himself.
Mingguang stood beneath the frozen silver net, facing the reincarnation bridge formed by the little peach branch, and couldn't stop laughing.
But as the sound continued for a while, upon closer listening, it inexplicably reminded people of that night when the soul was being shaped in the lower realm, of the owl howling outside the window of that cold Buddhist temple.
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