Chapter 203 Mingguang Awakens Little Peach Branch... Thank you.
After the immortals dispersed, Bitao took the small bottle and went to the Thunder Department to find the Myriad Realms Heavenly Dao Kunyi.
She knew that Kunyi, being a person of strict adherence to the Heavenly Dao, would never preserve Qingming's immortal spirit for her own selfish desires. Moreover, given her cold and unyielding nature, even if she cared deeply for Qingming, she would not offer him any assistance if he were unable to ascend and return to his rightful place after reincarnation.
Even Bitao, an outsider, could see that the two of them clearly had feelings for each other, but because they were both too strong-willed, neither of them was willing to back down even a little bit.
Sometimes Bitao was shocked. How could they, who were exactly the same stubborn and aloof, have stayed together for so many years in this way?
In Bitao's view, love should be spoken out loud and expressed repeatedly. Life is short, but immortality is long and unpredictable. Keeping everything buried in your heart will only leave regrets.
As expected, Kunyi showed no emotion when she saw Bitao take out a wisp of Qingming's immortal spirit.
A person's loveliness can never be hidden.
Her eyes, which had been frost-covered for years, melted and crumbled when she saw the golden bottle gleaming in Bitao's hand.
She pursed her lips and asked Bitao, "What do you intend to do by stealing the Immortal Emperor's immortal spirit?"
Bitao smiled slyly: "What do you mean by stealing? The Emperor cares for all living beings and uses the sundial to restore their spirits. I am also one of the living beings, so it is only right and proper for me to receive this share."
"With this wisp of immortal spirit, when the Emperor is reincarnated in the future, I will seek out the spirit to appoint the generals and make the Immortal Emperor my attendant. After that, I can roam freely in the Nine Heavens like the Red Spirit Crab in the Boundless Sea. What do you say, Immortal Master? Isn't it wonderful?"
Kunyi's expression twitched slightly, a rare occurrence.
Reaching out to Bitao, she said, "Give it to me, and I will cast it into the star dial, returning it to all realms. The cycle of all things has its own destiny..."
Ouch!
Bitao interrupted Kunyi: "As the Heavenly Dao of all realms, Immortal Master, you carry the consciousness of the Heavenly Dao and travel through all realms. Your job is to eliminate heresies and correct the order of reincarnation."
"Does the Immortal Master not know that there are always exceptions? What if something happens to the Azure Nether Emperor and he can never return to heaven?"
Kunyi: "That's... the way of nature."
"But heaven and earth were created because of humans, and the immortal positions were also created by the human race. Humans have seven emotions and six desires, and countless delusions, which are why everything in the world is born. How come you, Immortal Master, think that the way of heaven is natural?"
"The way of Heaven is never natural."
"Anyway, I'm going to recruit the Emperor's generals and make them my own!"
After saying that, Bitao turned and ran away.
As expected, Kunyi stopped her at the door.
"Give it to me." Kunyi subconsciously unleashed his spiritual pressure, causing Bitao's knees to buckle, but she hid the bottle behind her back: "Why did you stop me, Immortal Master? If the Emperor becomes my servant, then it is the natural order of things!"
"Give it to me." Kunyi seemed unable to say anything else or make up any other reason; she could only repeat these two words.
In this respect, she is truly less agile than Mingguang.
Mingguang always manages to come up with a perfectly legitimate reason for whatever he wants.
Bitao refused to give it to her, and Kunyi just blocked the door, too embarrassed to take it from her, but she wouldn't let her go either.
Finally, Bitao said, "Alright, alright, it's fine to give it to the Immortal Master. Anyway, the Immortal Master is the Heavenly Dao of all realms, and I can't beat you in the end."
"However, I have two conditions."
Kunyi looked at Bitao and raised her eyebrows slightly.
There really isn't anyone in this world who would negotiate with her.
Even though the Southeast Heavenly Venerable had been secretly plotting to overthrow the Heavenly Realm for so many years, he didn't dare to directly threaten Kunyi with the lives of the immortals to negotiate any terms.
Bitao can be considered the first person to create something out of this world.
Kunyi chuckled absurdly after a moment.
For the first time ever, he conceded: "You tell me."
Bitao first extended a finger and said, "First of all, this wisp of spiritual thread cannot be sent to the star dial; it can only be used to trace the reincarnation of the Azure Nether Emperor."
Kunyi frowned again.
Bitao added, "Don't worry, Immortal Master, I won't ask the Emperor to be my servant. It's just that after Mingguang woke up, his father suddenly passed away. He was so heartbroken, and I have to comfort him."
Kunyi remained noncommittal, simply blocking the doorway without moving.
Bitao then extended her second finger and said, "The second condition is... when Mingguang wakes up, regardless of whether the Immortal Master is in Juntian at that time, you must rush back to see him and preferably praise him a few words."
Kunyi asked, "Praise?"
"What should we praise? Should we praise him for overestimating his abilities and trying to catch the sundial, thus wasting his immortal essence, or should we praise him for his cunning schemes that led him to fall into the clutches of the Southeast Heavenly Venerable?"
Bitao: "Oh! Then we have no choice!"
"Furthermore, the Southeast Good Life Salvation Celestial Venerable holds the souls of so many living beings in his hands. Even the Immortal Master and the Azure Nether Emperor are helpless against him, which is why it has been delayed until the Great Battle of the Immortals. Mingguang is only a little over two hundred years old. It is already very impressive that he was able to scheme to lead the immortals back to heaven to help."
Kunyi looked at Bitao and said with a forced smile, "Qingming and I originally planned for you to delay for a while, then reset your Nine Heavens Immortal Body, and secretly summon the immortals back to heaven, and take the opportunity to deal with the traitors in Shangqing Realm. We were only halfway through when the great war in the Heavenly Realm started."
"The Southeast Good Life Deity Heavenly Venerable was forced to take a desperate gamble by you. Mingguang should have stayed in the lower realm and planned his ascension step by step, but because he received the Guixu Order and was worried about you, he accelerated the harvest of merits, which ultimately forced him to forcibly accept the star sundial and cut off the offerings from the star gods, resulting in serious injuries."
Kunyi said, "He's so emotional, what can I praise him for?"
When Kunyi mentioned this, a sharp glint appeared in her eyes.
Bitao's face turned red under the gaze of Kunyi's cold, deep eyes.
But she didn't think she had done anything wrong, and defended herself: "In that situation, if we didn't bring out the traitors who were willing to help the Southeast Celestial Venerable behind the scenes, even if we reset the immortals, there would still be endless hidden dangers."
“I know that the Immortal Master wants to say that by resetting the immortal positions and subduing the leader, the Southeast Heavenly Venerable, we can slowly deal with the immortal positions in the Nine Heavens. But sinful immortals deserve to die! Should we allow them to continue to live on, mingling in the Heavenly Realm as parasites, silently harming all living beings?”
"If they were to emulate the Southeast Celestial Venerable and secretly absorb the life force of their own star realm, and since the Heavenly Dao consciousness cannot interfere with this natural offering and nurturing, it is impossible to estimate how many more people would be harmed."
Bitao was about to say something more when Kunyi raised her hand to stop her, sighed, and said, "I didn't say you did anything wrong."
"You have taken on the destiny of the people and become an immortal. What you have done is what the people desire. We immortals should follow the will of Heaven."
From the very first competition, it wasn't a matter of immortals choosing gods, but rather the common people choosing gods.
The two stared at each other, as if they were locked in a fierce confrontation, and after a moment each took a step back.
Bitao said, "Alright, there's no need for you to praise Mingguang, Immortal Master, but when the sun rises, you must come to see him."
His father lost his mother and ignored him; how heartbroken he must be.
Kunyi reached out her hand, and Bitao handed her the bottle containing a wisp of Qingming's spiritual thread. Only then did she say, "Okay."
Bitao smiled contentedly.
Kunyi then said, "Then let's go now."
"What?"
Kunyi had anticipated this, saying, "Qingming dotes on his youngest son excessively. When he performs the ritual of offering sacrifices to the sundial, he will surely try to heal Mingguang. Judging from the time, Mingguang should have already awakened."
Bitao's eyes widened immediately, and she happily hummed in agreement before following Kunyi to the place beneath the star gauge!
On the way, Kunyi was probably overjoyed to receive the "little bottle" from Bitao, and even gave Bitao a few pointers.
“Mingguang’s temperament is very similar to Qingming’s. He appears to be upright and dignified, but in reality, he is naturally extreme, deep-seated, insecure and sensitive. In addition, he comes from a high-ranking family, so he is arrogant, proud and stubborn. You must not spoil him too much, or you will suffer the consequences in the future.”
No one knows a child better than their mother. Having inherited the consciousness of the Heavenly Way for many years, Kunyi possesses the wisdom to see through the true nature of all things. Her "neglect" and "suppression" of Mingguang over the years were all to temper his weakness and fickleness, unlike his brother's pure and simple heart.
Those who are wise and resourceful are often extreme in temperament. If such temperament is not suppressed and restrained, when they become emperors, all the immortals in the heavens will become puppets to be manipulated at will. They will cause great disasters because they control the sky and act arbitrarily.
However, Bitao's teeth ached from listening to Kunyi list so many of Mingguang's "shortcomings" in one breath.
Bitao wanted to defend Mingguang, but after thinking about it carefully, she couldn't help but marvel at the might of Heaven.
Mingguang does indeed have all of these flaws.
But so what?
Everyone has flaws, and she has these problems too.
Mingguang also has many advantages: he is very intelligent, diligent and self-disciplined, kind-hearted, has a large bust and long legs, is incredibly handsome, and is also skilled in political maneuvering and winning battles from afar!
Kunyi could tell from Bitao's expression that although she didn't say it, she was actually refuting it in her heart.
Kunyi still doesn't understand why, given that Bitao carries the will of all living beings, the first deity she chose was Mingguang.
She naturally loves her child, but... love shouldn't be blind to one's own feelings, right?
Could it be that... the common people hope that the immortals can clearly understand their true will, and also prefer the immortals who have strong human desires?
Wouldn't it be a joke if these ancient immortal clans, who were so self-disciplined and dared not make a single mistake, and who regarded the prohibition against selfish desires in their immortal positions, were to live such lives?
Kunyi even thought that once all the realms were at peace, she would be among the first batch of immortals to descend to the mortal realm to undergo tribulations and listen to the voices of all living beings. She wanted to thoroughly understand what all living beings truly wanted.
The two soon arrived at the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao.
After the Azure Emperor performed the ritual with the sundial, the Eastern Azure Emperor was once again forcibly summoned back to the Heavenly Realm by the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms to oversee the rotation of the Yin-Yang sundial in the Star River.
If he were truly capable of sitting still, he wouldn't have split himself into "eight hundred" and wandered aimlessly across the entire star realm.
So he only sat there for half a day before he started to feel like worms were crawling under his buttocks and got off the sundial.
However, Qingming was no longer there. He had the responsibility of guarding the Heavenly Realm, and his true self could not leave the Heavenly Realm. So he had to temporarily create an avatar to "guard" the Heavenly Realm, while he himself wandered around the Six Departments of the Nine Heavens.
The Azure Emperor, with his vast and pure aura, managed to save the world from collapse, but the aftereffects of the calamity still linger far and wide.
Therefore, the celestial beings wept a little above the clouds, but had no time to continue their grief, and went back to their heavy official duties.
The arrival of the Eastern Azure Emperor at the Six Departments initially caused some ripples, but the immortals were indeed busy with their official duties and had no time to chat idly with him.
Since no one paid him any attention, he had no choice but to return to the sundial in frustration and spread his divine sense throughout the myriad realms to monitor any anomalies.
When Bitao and Kunyi arrived, Dongji also sensed movement within the Yin-Yang sundial as the stars rotated.
When his consciousness returned to his body, he saw that Mingguang had just recovered from his serious injury. His shattered soul and immortal essence were only just beginning to be repaired, and even his five senses had not fully recovered. He stumbled out of there.
Overwhelmed with grief and fear, he coughed up a mouthful of blood before he could even stand up straight, soaking his front.
Then, supporting himself on the ground, he began to dry heave uncontrollably.
As soon as Bitao landed, she rushed towards Mingguang.
The moment his hand touched Mingguang's shoulder and back, Mingguang immediately recognized who it was.
He trembled all over, hugged Bitao tightly, and said in a hoarse voice, "Little Peach Branch, I... my father is gone."
He fainted during the stardial event, but he was still aware of everything around him.
He could sense that Little Peach Blossom came to see him every day, spoke to him, and kissed him.
He waited patiently, desperately trying to repair himself by drawing on the life force within the sundial.
However, he was too badly injured. His wings were shattered, his meridians were torn, and his immortal essence was almost gone. He simply couldn't wake up and couldn't even give Xiao Taozhi a hug.
He was tormented every moment in his own "endless darkness".
After waiting and waiting, what came was not a hug and caress from Xiaotaozhi, but... the spirit of the father, and the father's demise.
The vitality of those sacrificial sundials flowed past him, but Mingguang could not move, speak, or even open his eyes to see his father off.
Despair and pain enveloped him, permeated him, and directly overwhelmed him.
Mingguang held Bitao tightly. He valued his family and cherished his feelings the most. Even though his parents had neglected him a lot since he was a child, and even though he met his brother Dongjun in the mortal world and realized that his parents loved his brother more, he had indeed hated and resented him.
But later he accepted everything, accepted the fact that his mother and father were not good at expressing themselves and were not as kind as the other elders in the celestial realm. He always hoped, even fantasized, that his family would have a chance to reunite.
But now that Qingming has suddenly sacrificed himself to the sundial, his hopes and his home have been shattered.
Awakening amidst the nurturing spirit of his father, he felt only unspeakable grief.
Bitao hugged him, comforted him, and kissed his neck and cheek gently, coaxing him, "It's okay, it's okay. Emperor Qingming is still reincarnated. I left a wisp of his immortal spirit, and I have a way to find him! Really, don't be too sad."
Bitao stared directly at the laws of heaven and earth, seeing Mingguang overcome with grief, and fine cracks appearing in his heart again. She cupped his face, nose to nose, and said to him, "Don't cry, my darling..."
The Great Emperor of the Eastern Pole, Qinghua, had lived a solitary life and witnessed the vast and complexities of the mortal world, but he had never seen any junior immortals in the celestial realm so affectionate.
He turned his head away, his expression strange.
Little Fairy Bitao... Is she trying to coax a child?
And isn't this a bit too oblivious to others? How could someone utter those three words, "my darling," like that?!
These days, young women are far too emotionally expressive!
Is Mingguang, this little golden crow, really a descendant of Qingming? How can he be so fragile? His heart is about to collapse when he's sad!
He was facing Kunyi's expressionless face, which was beginning to harden and turn frosty. He knew he was in trouble.
But the next moment, Kunyi stepped forward, raised her hand, and activated her immortal spirit to press against Mingguang's back.
He said, "Mingguang, calm your mind and focus your spirit."
Mingguang's memories of being disciplined and oppressed for many years suddenly returned.
He heard his mother's voice, and before he could turn around, his trembling body, resting on Bitao's shoulder, immediately stopped.
He straightened his back and, as his mother had instructed, "calmed himself up and focused his mind."
The pure immortal energy flowed into his body, mending the cracks that had just appeared in his heart meridian.
"Mother……"
Kunyi's divine spirit not only healed the cracks in Mingguang's heart meridian, but also restored all five of his senses.
Mingguang stood up, turned to face Kunyi, and lowered his head in shame, pursing his lips.
The atmosphere has gotten so tense, it would be a shame not to give each other a hug.
Seeing an opportunity, Bitao suddenly struck, pushing Mingguang towards Kunyi, causing Mingguang to stumble forward...
Kunyi raised her hand and pressed it against Mingguang's shoulder, immobilizing him.
She did not embrace Mingguang. In her entire life, Kunyi had never used a soft embrace to convey any emotion.
After she stopped Mingguang, she raised her hand and slowly patted Mingguang's shoulder twice.
Mingguang's body suddenly trembled.
He looked up at Kunyi in astonishment, his golden eyes turning red in an instant, as if he were about to cry.
However... Kunyi has reached her limit.
She felt awkward and uncomfortable, as if insects were crawling all over her body. She was always strict with herself and others.
If Mingguang cries later, she's afraid she won't be able to resist taking out the thunder whip and lashing him.
Finally, Kunyi said to Mingguang, "Take good care of your injuries."
Then the spirit disappeared.
Bitao walked to Mingguang's side. Mingguang stood quietly, gazing in the direction where Kunyi had disappeared, his expression wistful.
A moment later, he looked at Bitao, curled his lips slightly, and said, "This is the first time Mother hasn't scolded or complained about me..."
He knew very well what kind of person his mother was.
It must have taken a lot of effort for Xiao Taozhi to get his mother to come over in person and show him affection.
Mingguang's eyes were filled with tears, his eyes were red-rimmed, and his eyes were as brilliant and beautiful as the setting sun melting gold.
He said to Bitao, "Little Peach Branch... thank you."
He hugged his little peach branch tightly again.
A small peach branch that belongs only to him.
No one can take the little peach branch from him.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
