Chapter 38 Returning to Heaven and Beating Up Binglun
After thinking for a while, Bitao remembered something else that needed to be added.
"Oh, by the way, I actually lied. I didn't find your private seal."
"But you didn't actually lose it, did you? I've already found out. There are your informants in Chongchuan City. They put it in a pawn shop, and as soon as they were sold, someone bought it for a high price. It went around in circles and ended up back in your own hands."
"Yet you've kept asking me for this seal so many times, Celestial Immortal Mingguang, wasn't that something you did unfairly?"
Mingguang closed his eyes. Now that things had come to this, he thought he would no longer feel any heart-wrenching emotions because of Xiaotaozhi, but she mentioned the seal again.
That private seal had indeed long ago returned to Mingguang's hands.
The reason Mingguang never told Xiaotaozhi, or even wrote to her asking for it, was simply because he couldn't find a suitable reason to contact her otherwise.
But this matter, once again, became an invisible sword hanging before his eyes.
seal……
"Mingguang, I just returned from Guanghan at the Star Observatory. I stopped by the Imperial Household Department on the way and retrieved your Crown Prince's Seal!"
At this moment, voices could be heard outside. It was clear that this person was extremely familiar with Prince Danxi and did not even observe the proper etiquette between ruler and subject in private.
Before the person even appeared, they were already shouting at the top of their lungs.
The newcomer's voice was clear and bright: "But why did you carve two seals? One of them is even written in the official script! If it falls into the hands of thieves, wouldn't that be..."
Wouldn't this seal allow one to exercise the power of the crown prince, dismissing local officials and appropriating the crown prince's treasury? Even more seriously, it could allow one to use this seal to command all of Qingliao's troops, except for the four border guards stationed at the border!
Money, power, and soldiers—all can be readily available to him.
If that person is so intent, it is not unfounded to say that they would rebel or plot treason.
The monarch's private seal has an expiration date. Mingguang is not a fool. How could he have created such a huge hidden danger and carried it with him?
When Mingguang heard voices coming from the palace, and even heard him shout about the official seal of the Crown Prince, the invisible blade finally pierced him hard.
Why would he make such a seal?
He intended to deceive his superiors and subordinates, using the crown prince's seal to win the favor of one person.
He was always worried that Xiao Taozhi's faith was not strong enough to allow her to return to heaven.
She is kind-hearted and has devoted herself to eradicating cults and doing good deeds for so many years. She has accumulated a great deal of merit, but she may not have enough faith.
This seal, which carries the power of a crown prince, is given to her as a gift, which is equivalent to giving her and You Tian's meritorious immortal position all the resources to help them accelerate the process of acquiring faith power.
If Mingguang's subordinates were to learn of this plan, even if he were the future emperor, they would likely harbor resentment and rebellion against him due to the current conflict between the Ancient Immortal Clan and Youtian regarding merit and immortal positions.
But he couldn't care less.
According to the time conversion between the celestial realm and the human realm, it is now the third day of the competition.
This first competition has a time limit based on the lifespan of mortals.
Ordinary people are born in the morning and die in the evening. This competition is a contest of faith, and it involves experiencing the tribulations of birth, aging, sickness, and death.
Birth and aging are largely predetermined, but illness and calamity, which can alter one's fate, are the most unpredictable.
Very few people can live to be 100 years old. If we really calculate carefully, the competition is already more than halfway through.
There are only thirty years left. What if Xiao Taozhi gets sick?
What if she fails to acquire 100,000 faith points and is unable to pass away peacefully?
If Xiao Taozhi cannot return to heaven... he simply cannot accept it.
One reason he was so eager to ascend to the throne as the Crown Prince and to have the entire Qingliao Kingdom under his control was to lead the immortals of the Ancient Immortal Clan back to heaven.
The other part, and his only selfish desire, was that he had to take Xiao Taozhi with him when he passed away.
That was the one he had sworn to be his only true friend in this life.
He knew she was exceptionally intelligent, and the damage to her Heavenly Soul might not hinder her much. Mingguang gave her three years to plan on her own, but her progress was too slow.
Now, all those calculations and schemes have turned into a shameful joke.
Mingguang even felt like bursting out laughing.
But he endured the stinging sensation in his nose and eyes, and bit his tongue until it bled.
He had lost all his strength with the blood he had lost, and could only lie humiliated in her arms, listening to her tell him how he had blocked her path to victory.
The person who barged into the house before the person arrived was greeted by the two people's strange posture.
"What are you doing... Mingguang... Mingguang?!"
Upon seeing Bitao clearly, the newcomer's clear voice suddenly turned deep: "It's you!"
"What are you doing here?" He was so shocked that his voice trailed off.
"What did you do to Mingguang?!"
With a clang, Binglun drew his longsword, which he always carried, pointing it directly at Bitao.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Bitao remained completely calm, beckoning to him as if nothing had happened: "It's Immortal Binglun! Luckily you're here! Come here quickly!"
"An assassin just attacked the Prince Danxi's residence! Come here quickly and help Mingguang up. I'll go after the assassin! I saw him run in that direction—"
Bitao was worried about how to escape, but after this sword strike, she estimated that Mingguang would at least be able to sit up and call for help.
Unfortunately, he was so proud that he became so angry that he coughed up blood several times.
He used up all the strength he should have had by vomiting it out.
Bitao hasn't found a way to keep him in place yet. Jianli's heart is too close to his meridians, so he shouldn't move around easily right now.
Just then, the True Immortal Binglun arrived, and Bitao could leave after handing the person over to him.
Bitao looked anxious. Seeing the Ice Wheel Immortal's hostility and suspicion towards her, she urged again, "Hurry up and come here! What are you standing there for? The assassin will be gone in a minute!"
Binglun is a prime example of a rigid figure among the ancient immortals. Apart from being proficient in the ancient immortal theories he is good at and the techniques he uses as a general of the Thunder Department, he is not very good at anything else.
Or perhaps he's just not very smart.
Mingguang was stabbed through the neck and lay bleeding profusely in Bitao's arms.
Reason told him he couldn't judge the situation based on his eyes alone, but he was too worried about Mingguang, and he was extremely arrogant. Like everyone else in the heavens who looked at Bitao through the Milky Way, he thought she loved Mingguang like a madman.
In any case, Bitao would never be the one to hurt Mingguang.
Regardless of whether Binglun thinks Bitao lacks the ability, among all the ancient immortal clans, even including True Immortal Yunchuan, no one can rival Mingguang in terms of skill alone.
And if it really was made of peach thorns, why would the two of them be hugging each other!
Various reasons flashed through Binglun's mind, and she put away her sword and quickly ran to Bitao and Mingguang's side.
At this moment, Mingguang opened his eyes and looked at Bitao, meeting her smiling, shimmering peach blossom eyes.
Bitao gently shook her head at him.
Don't say anything carelessly.
Ming Guangming could see right through Bi Tao with just a few words, and Bi Tao looked at his tightly pursed lips, quite satisfied with his performance.
Commander Binglun Zhenxian said, "You hold him here and don't touch the sword on his body. I'll go after the assassin and call someone to rescue him!"
When Bitao let go, she winked at Mingguang.
She knew that Mingguang, her ally and adversary, was always rational enough and could assess the situation in any circumstance.
Overall, Bitao felt that their "transaction" this time, despite some minor setbacks, was still perfect and perfectly in sync.
Binglun sheathed the sword at her waist and carefully took Mingguang's shoulder.
Bitao escaped and, without saying a word, turned and ran towards the door.
The wind is strong, let's get out of here!
Bitao dared to call Binglun over because she was certain that Mingguang wouldn't expose her.
The two of them had fought before, and in terms of their moves alone, they were evenly matched.
This True Immortal Binglun is Mingguang's subordinate, and Bitao doesn't think he will be her opponent.
Although Bitao has been busy overseeing the main camp and "giving orders" for the past three years, she has not neglected her training.
Even if everyone in the courtyard came out in full force and rushed forward, if Bitao really wanted to escape, they might not be able to stop her, given that Mingguang was seriously injured and unable to stop her personally.
It was this confidence that made her dare to travel thousands of miles to the capital and use this simple, brutal, and primitive method to prevent Mingguang from ascending to the position of crown prince in a short period of time.
She wanted to buy herself, and her brothers who followed her, some time for their faith to grow.
If Mingguang recklessly exposes Bitao, it will only result in more deaths and injuries.
Seeing that she could "escape to safety," Bitao's people were waiting outside the Prince Danxi's mansion to meet her.
All she had to do was go out, raise her arms, and shout, "Prince Danxi has been assassinated and is heading that way right now!" Then she could just point in any direction and run with the crowd.
After leaving the Prince Danxi's mansion, she also carefully prepared an "escape route" for herself.
After all, even if Mingguang didn't pursue her, his men wouldn't let her go easily.
Before Bitao could even reach the door, she suddenly heard a loud shout from behind her!
You lied to me!
Binglun met Mingguang's bright, crimson-gold eyes and suddenly realized—
If there really was an assassin, wouldn't it be enough to just tell him which direction he ran in?
Moreover, Bitao wasn't injured, so she could have easily called for servants to come over. However, when she arrived, all the servants in the courtyard had been deliberately dismissed.
The only person who can command the servants in the Danxi Prince's mansion is the Danxi Prince himself.
Besides, if it wasn't Bitao who hurt Mingguang, how could she, who had long coveted Mingguang, give up the chance to hug him?
Most importantly, Binglun could only see clearly when she got closer that the sword stuck in Mingguang's chest was Mingguang's own sword!
The tea on the table was still warm, clearly indicating a private meeting.
If an assassin were to seize Mingguang's sword and stab him through the air, the world would likely belong to that person.
Only when betrayed by someone close and trusted will one be wounded by one's own sword!
"Stop right there!"
Then, with a "clang," the longsword was drawn again. Binglun pushed off the ground with her feet and flew over, the tip of her sword pointing directly at Bitao's neck.
"There are only the two of you in this room! You stabbed Mingguang, and you still dare to lie to me?!"
Ice Wheel Immortal was furious and in the blink of an eye, she was already fighting with Bitao.
Bitao ducked back, dodging his earth-shattering, powerful sword strike—which struck the door frame directly, penetrating more than a foot deep into the wood!
This clearly shows how much the Ice Wheel Immortal hated her. If Bitao had focused solely on running away and hadn't been careful to avoid him, her head would have been chopped off!
Tsk!
That kid's got some skills!
But if you use a sword as a knife, won't the blade get dull?
Bitao pushed off the ground with her feet, flipped backward in mid-air, and dodged Binglun's diagonal slash!
"You stabbed me in the kidney?!"
Bitao landed and turned to flee again, circling the antique shelves in the room as she ran away, roaring at the enraged Binglun: "Do you know how important kidneys are to a woman?!"
With a "crack," Binglun cleaved the antique shelf in two with another powerful strike.
The valuable ornaments and many precious ancient books that were displayed on the shelves were all dumped onto the ground.
"Crackling and popping, ding-ding-bang!" It was quite a lively scene.
As Bitao backed away, she smothered the flames, saying, "How come you suddenly have a brain?"
As she spoke, she looked in Mingguang's direction again, worried that the two of them might fight over there and Mingguang might fall to the ground and die!
When Bitao turned her head, she found Mingguang sitting at the table with his back not straight at all, leaning slightly forward.
Although he looked very strained, he was holding onto the edge of the table with both hands to keep himself sitting, and it seemed he wouldn't collapse anytime soon.
Doctor Wu's pills really work!
However, when masters clash, losing focus is a major taboo.
In the short time it took Bitao to turn her head, Binglun, carrying an aura that seemed poised to cleave her in two like a sieve splitting an antique shelf, rushed towards her.
Bitao only had time to grab a bronze incense burner she had touched before before, and rushed towards Binglun's sword.
The sound of weapons clashing was sickening; the bronze incense burner was dented, and Binglun's sword, as expected, became dull.
Moreover, after he discovered that Bitao had blocked his sword, he kicked her in the waist and abdomen.
With both hands holding the incense burner, Bitao couldn't dodge the kick.
He was kicked so hard he grimaced and stumbled back several steps before falling to the ground.
She managed to steady herself by grabbing onto something, and upon closer inspection, she realized she was holding onto Mingguang's taut, trembling thigh.
"Binglun..." Mingguang finally spoke, but his voice, weakened by his severe injuries, lacked any power, "Stop..."
You can't beat her.
Mingguang could tell that Bitao didn't want to hurt anyone and wasn't really going to fight Binglun.
Bitao raised her head, met Mingguang's gaze with her lowered eyes, and revealed a smile that exuded murderous intent.
"You'd better sit still!" she reminded Mingguang.
Then, clutching his stomach, he planted his feet on the ground and thrust his waist against the ground—as if a fully drawn bowstring had been released, and he stood up straight from the ground.
Binglun was already blinded by rage and completely ignored Mingguang's words. At this moment, he raised his dulled sword and slashed at Bitao again.
Bitao stood up and casually grabbed the empty scabbard that had been sitting on the table. This time, she went straight to meet Binglun's blade and engaged him in close combat.
The clanging sounds continued, but the situation instantly reversed.
Binglun was forced to retreat step by step by Bitao's lightning-fast and varied moves.
An incredulous look of astonishment flashed in his eyes.
"How do you know Mingguang's moves?!"
Not only does she know them, Bitao uses all of Mingguang's moves!
Ke Mingguang is a metal spirit, so it's normal for him to have a metal weapon.
But Binglun wasn't mistaken; Bitao has always been associated with the wood element...
He had been forced to the front of the antique shelf that he had chopped down himself. When he swung the Peach Blossom Sword Sheath, his wrist rotated to generate a force that shook Binglun's sword off balance—and then struck him hard on the wrist, elbow, and shoulder!
The longsword in Binglun's hand immediately flew out of her grasp!
The hand holding the sword couldn't be raised for a short period of time!
Binglun's astonishment was palpable; he had even forgotten his anger, his mind filled only with bewilderment.
He had always been one of the top performers in the Thunder Department and was always proud of his mastery of the skills.
Besides Mingguang, there is also Yunchuan, who are almost unmatched among the younger generation of immortals in the Heavenly Realm.
But he couldn't beat Bitao!
How could he possibly lose to Bitao?!
He, a key cultivator of the Thunder Department, couldn't even defeat a wild immortal spirit of the Wood attribute!
His shock, anger, and astonishment at this moment were no less than when Mingguang discovered that he had been stabbed by Bitao.
However, while Bitao still held some respect for Mingguang, she had no compassion whatsoever for Binglun Zhenxian, who was said to have thrown something at her and made trouble for her in the mortal realm.
Bitao gave him no chance to recover. After knocking his sword away, she took a step back, pushed off with her feet to gather strength, and twisted her waist in an astonishing arc, delivering a clean and powerful spinning kick that struck Binglun directly in the right ear.
Let me show you what it really means to strike a vital point!
Binglun felt a buzzing in his head for a moment, and then he couldn't hear anything at all.
It felt as if an iron skewer had pierced through his right ear all the way to his left. The excruciating pain made him instinctively touch his ear, only to find his hand covered in sticky substance.
As if everything slowed down, he collapsed to the ground, watching helplessly as Bitao came toward him, unable even to react in time to dodge.
The human body has far too many weaknesses.
Seeing that he had already fallen to the ground, Bitao took two steps back, then stomped her feet hard to gain momentum, leaped up, bent her knees, and directly rammed her knees into Binglun's chest.
With a "crack" sound of bones breaking, followed by a "clang," Binglun's head slammed against the ground. The two sounds were crisp and melodious, like the sound of jade pieces falling to the ground after Mingguang Tianxian's jade belt was torn off.
Binglun lay on his back on the ground, and Bitao, fearing that she might sit on him and kill him, used the scabbard in her hand to firmly support his head.
The momentum ended above him.
The outcome is already decided.
Blood trickled from all of Binglun's seven orifices except for her eyes.
Mingguang closed his eyes, the veins on his forehead bulging.
The peach blossoms fell to the ground, looking down at the icy moon from their height.
He stubbornly kept his eyes open, but the resentment and ferocity that had been there before were gone.
All that remained in his eyes was a bewildered blankness.
His eyes looked incredibly clear and bright.
Binglun has been an immortal for over two hundred years, and is cherished by the Thunder Department, who treats her like a "princess" even more than his own younger sister.
Having lived for over twenty years, he suffered some poverty in the very first few years of his life. After connecting with Mingguang, he became increasingly successful and full of vigor.
He had never suffered such a serious injury in either of his two lifetimes.
The indentation in his sternum was terrifying; lying there, apart from his eyelashes trembling instinctively, he couldn't control the movements of his limbs at all.
He can't even lift one of his little fingers.
Bitao squatted down beside him and first pried open his eyes to take a look.
Then she tore open his waistband, reached inside her clothes, and touched his sunken sternum one by one.
The broken sternum did not pierce any internal organs. Although breathing was a bit rapid, there was no blood or foam coming out of the mouth, and the sternum was relatively intact.
Bitao tugged at the hem of his clothes, and "rip, rip—" she tore off several strips of soft cloth in one go.
They tore his perfectly good undergarments into half the shape of a bra.
Using whatever materials were available, they picked out a few strips of wood from the shattered antique shelf and roughly used them to fix Ice Wheel True Immortal's limbs and sternum, so that he wouldn't move around and die again later.
Bitao moved very swiftly. After finishing, she stood up from the ground, turned around and said to Mingguang, "Don't worry, he won't die."
It just means I might have to stay in bed for a few months...
Then he tidied his clothes and hair a few more times, and even wiped his face as if he was guessing.
I deliberately wore this bright red dress today so that the bloodstains wouldn't be too noticeable.
Unfortunately, Mingguang's anger caused her to spit blood all over her face, so she certainly doesn't look very presentable now.
But when you're out and about, your dignity is something you earn yourself.
Bitao turned around, picked up the sword sheath from the ground, and strolled leisurely toward the door.
"Greetings from the Heavenly Realm, Celestial Immortal Mingguang."
Bitao smiled and said goodbye to him.
Then, as soon as he stepped outside, he pressed his side and stood there grimacing for a long time.
Binglun, that kid, truly lives up to his reputation as a true immortal.
He certainly has the skill of lightning-fast strikes; that kick was no joke!
However, no bones were broken. After leaving the house, Bitao shouted as planned, "Prince Danxi has been assassinated! Quickly catch the assassin!"
She ran after a group of people, and because she was holding the sword of Prince Danxi, it had the effect of "seeing the sword is like the emperor himself being there," and for a moment no one suspected her.
They slipped out the door, met up with their men who were waiting for them, and left the capital overnight on a ship they had hired at great expense.
The Prince of Danxi's men caught up with them when the ship was halfway across.
Among them, Bitao spotted several familiar young generals from the ancient immortal clan.
For example, Jing Su, who led the team.
Bitao did not order anyone to kill her, and after fighting Jing Su, she discovered that he was also holding back.
Bitao then kicked him into the river and said, "See you in the Heavenly Realm."
After landing, following Bitao's instructions, the group broke up into smaller groups, disguised themselves, and fled among the civilians.
Bitao changed into a linen dress, disguised herself slightly, carried a bow on her back, and went straight into the mountains and forests.
Sufficient daily necessities were prepared in advance in the mountains.
It was prepared by Bitao when she went to Mingguang and stayed in this town.
The man they hired was a random groom they found on the street. The reason given was that wealthy families in the city wanted to go into the mountains to experience a life of leisure and tranquility.
As the saying goes, "the darkest place is under the lamp," with so many subordinates "escaping" from all directions to cover for her, it wouldn't be easy for them to guess that Bitao was hiding in the mountains surrounding the imperial city.
Even when Prince Danxi's men found Bitao's men, it was to no avail.
They are immortals, and immortals cannot indiscriminately kill innocent people.
Moreover, Bitao's subordinates were hired on the way, not brought by her from Dayuan Prefecture.
They take the money and do the job; they really know nothing else.
None of the people in this group even knew that Bitao had gone into the mountains.
Even if she thought of it later, it didn't matter, as Bitao never intended to hide it for long.
However, it wouldn't be good to return to Dayuan Prefecture after assassinating the future crown prince and risk accusing Rong'an, a prince of a different surname, of treason.
Before she came out, she had cut off all the tails over there.
She estimated that by the time the temple fair on the first day of the ninth lunar month was over, her faith would have been stronger than halfway through.
She meticulously calculated the population of each state and estimated the number of people willing to attend for small gifts at the temple fair.
She didn't mold all the statues and attendants into her likeness. Her brothers, and the several meritorious immortals from the Netherworld who would join them later, couldn't fight alongside her for nothing.
The faith power after being divided equally is insufficient, but it's only a matter of time.
She had already arranged for another temple benefit ceremony to be held a month later, after the believers finished their autumn harvest. The ceremony would allow people to sell the rice they harvested from the fields to the Dongji Qinghua Emperor Temple.
You will get a very good price.
Bitao's subordinates would collect the rice and grain from various places, transport it, and sell it to the disaster-stricken areas.
In short, Bitao only needs to wait another month before she passes away.
I can go back before the winter solstice.
After the winter solstice, it gets cold in the mountains and it's no longer suitable to stay there.
That night, Bitao arrived at the small wooden cabin that the coachman had prepared for her, which was fully equipped with all her daily necessities.
After finding the medicine, Bitao first rubbed her lower back.
Then they found pig's trotters in the food!
She specifically instructed me to make it! And it had to be the good kind of smoked and braised meat.
This is truly something to be happy about.
Ignoring the horrifying bruises on her waist, Bitao, with her somewhat paralyzed body, lit the small stove and began roasting pig's trotters with a sizzling sound.
He even brewed a pot of wine all by himself.
The extremely strong liquor in folk remedies is so pungent that it feels like swallowing a knife when you go down your throat.
It was as if swallowing it would burn holes in her stomach.
Bitao felt that the taste was somewhat familiar... but in her life after descending to the mortal realm, she had never drunk such strong liquor.
Does she have such unusual tastes in the Heavenly Realm?
In short, strong liquor goes well with pig's trotters.
That night, Bitao got drunk all by herself and devoured a pig's trotter with such gusto that she felt like she was in heaven.
After extinguishing the fire, we sat on the ground, leaning against a large tree in the woods, and looked up at the sky.
In early autumn, the night sky was as dark as ink, with countless stars twinkling endlessly.
According to Zhan Kui and the others, each of these stars is a star realm.
A different kind of world.
Bitao began to yearn for the celestial realm. What was the celestial realm like?
What kind of person is she?
The Five Thunder Tribulation that leads to her death will restore her immortal essence, and then she will be able to remember everything about her life as an immortal.
The night was filled with fine, silent flashes of lightning, like dewdrops spreading across the sky.
As Bitao was pouring herself wine, suddenly the dew and lightning in the sky grew as thick as giant whips, stretching across the sky.
This long whip, crackling with blinding lightning, descended from the sky like a meteor, directly engulfing the small patch of forest where Bitao was located.
The wine glass in my hand was suddenly illuminated by a light as bright as day.
Bitao even saw her own ruddy face reflected in the wine glass.
She tilted her head back, but it felt as if she were flying, not tilting her head back.
She soon realized that she wasn't hallucinating; she really was flying.
A whip formed of solidified lightning was wrapped around her waist, pulling her swiftly towards the horizon—
Bitao exclaimed, "Huh?"
Is this ascension?
However, the ascension in the book is not accompanied by celestial music or auspicious birds circling around.
At the very least, make a rainbow!
And why?
According to Bitao's calculations, as the attendant of the Eastern Qinghua Emperor, she should have been able to reach a faith power of around 100,000 after collecting the people's rice and grain following the autumn harvest.
You arrived so quickly?
Then all that effort she put into traveling all the way to the capital and stabbing Mingguang Tianxian in the back would have been for nothing!
Little did she know that what she was calculating about people's hearts was the bottom of the abyss of human nature.
But no one expected that the temples of the Eastern Qinghua Emperor could be spread throughout the country in just over three years, and that it was not due to the depths of human nature.
Ordinary people, born in the morning and dying at night, are physically fragile, and a single illness can take their lives.
However, they are the only beings among the nine realms respectively governed by the Jade Purity Realm, the Upper Purity Realm, and the Supreme Purity Realm whose bodies contain a mixture of pure and turbid energies.
They are a race that contains two opposing energies, yet can still live for hundreds of years and reproduce.
Human nature is utterly evil.
Human nature is inherently good.
Human nature tends to turn from evil to good.
If a peach tree is given as a good gift, how could it not yield a good result?
Profound merit inevitably brings with it countless beliefs.
Even after receiving money and eggs and reaping the benefits, this kind of belief leads them to go back to the fields and work.
After working hard until evening, when it was time for dinner, I saw boiled eggs or food bought with money.
Naturally, they would put their hands together and, with their whole family, thank the "god" who had given them food and hope once more.
He planned to travel to the surrounding villages during the off-season to spread the teachings, so that all the villagers could benefit from this "real good".
This is the mutual cherishing and generation among all things and the five elements.
This is the true power of faith.
This is humanity, the power of all living beings.
In the blink of an eye, Bitao was lifted to the clouds.
Lightning darted through the clouds like snakes, illuminating them as if it were daytime.
The smell of alcohol on Bitao completely dissipated. Following the long whip of lightning attached to her intervertebral disc, she looked at the human figure formed by lightning not far away.
A tall, slender woman with long hair tied up high, surrounded by five-colored lightning, was stunningly beautiful yet exuded an air of majesty. She held a whip made of condensed five thunderbolts and gazed at Bitao from afar.
"The Great Peach Wood of Juntian, imbued with the spirit of the Immortal, is the first prize in the selection competition for immortals."
"Merits of 276,455, faith power of 107,324."
"By order of the Nine Heavens Celestial Emperor and in accordance with the responsibility of following the immortals, I will guide you back to your rightful place in Heaven. Are you ready to step into the Five Thunder Array to draw your spirit into your body?"
Bitao was overjoyed when she heard the words "first place".
"Ready!"
Above the Milky Way, beneath the rolling thunder and lightning, she laughed freely and unrestrainedly, arrogant and invincible.
Little did they know that some of the immortals who were looking at the Silver River's shrines were already contorted with jealousy.
"I wasn't ready! I wasn't prepared! Why! Why isn't she considered to be leeching faith power!"
"Why was she able to return to heaven after slaughtering fellow immortals?!"
"...I only care about why she's so powerful. When she stabbed Mingguang, I thought she was a villain who attacked from behind! But when she beat Binglun Zhenxian like that...my heart is breaking too, sob sob sob."
"Why can't she return to heaven? There are more than sixty immortals from both the celestial and underworld realms who will judge the merits and demerits of the participants. Yin Han Gu's failure to warn her is a victory in accordance with the competition rules! Jealous little people, don't be so ugly!"
"That's right. And the Great Emperor Qinghua of the Eastern Pole does not have any attendants, but that's because he is an ancient immortal, and his attendants all use sundials! He used to have them, okay? You should read more books!"
"If she really broke the rules, how could General Kunyi possibly personally escort her to her final resting place and perform a ritual to guide her spirit?"
"To be honest... when I saw General Kunyi go to pick her up, I thought..."
Everyone fell silent for a moment, understanding each other without saying a word.
They all assumed that General Kunyi had rushed back from the myriad realms to pick up people without stopping, in order to avenge her son, the Celestial Immortal Mingguang.
Now, Bitao sits gracefully in the clouds, and five-colored lightning transforms into celestial energy that pours into her from above. Yet, she seems to be bathed in divine light, showing no sign of pain whatsoever.
This gentle Five Thunder Formation is completely different from General Kunyi's style of doing things!
"No, I still can't accept that she's using the faith power of the Eastern Azure Emperor!"
"That's right, that's cheating! Although the immortals who accompanied the competition and Yin Han Gu haven't been punished yet, this is still cheating!"
"Although the rules for the first round did not state that participants could not trip each other up, she clearly slaughtered her fellow immortals. She was so ruthless. Now, in the entire Silver River Gu, the reason why she is ranked among the top in the Merit Immortals is because she stabbed the Bright Light Celestial Immortal with a sword!"
"Stop arguing, okay? Are you blind? She just finished stabbing someone, and those merit-based immortals have already taken over the front row. Bitao would have won even if she hadn't stabbed anyone!"
"But she's trying to ride on the faith of the Eastern Azure Emperor. How can one become an immortal through such opportunistic means?!"
The discussions on the Milky Way continued, but it was alright that Bitao had not yet returned to heaven.
But she had just pierced through Mingguang Tianxian and then beaten up Binglun Zhenxian. Under these circumstances, she was personally escorted by Kunyi Zuo General and won the first place!
It was so painful that it made the very bones of all the ancient immortals ache!
Zhu Ming sat in the seat of the Eastern King, unable to suppress the smile on his face.
He thought that Bitao had used all sorts of tricks and opportunistic tactics this time, and in order to win, she stabbed Mingguang, beat Binglun half to death, and rubbed Lei Bu's face into the ground. Even if she died, she would still be judged or punished.
But when General Kunyi personally came back to escort him, he knew everything was settled!
Upon closer examination, Bitao did not violate any rules. While it's said that she was exploiting the faith of the Eastern Qinghua Emperor, many people do recognize Fairy Bitao.
Without Fairy Bitao restoring order in this star realm, and without those meritorious immortals working tirelessly for the benefit of the people, where would the tens of thousands of followers of the Eastern Azure Emperor come from?
What happened to her stabbing Mingguang?
That means they weren't killed!
So what if she beat up Binglun?
That means they didn't kill him!
If no one actually dies, it doesn't count as a massacre of immortals; at most, it's just a necessary struggle during the competition.
Besides, didn't she already call for help to rescue them?
These ancient immortals are just stubborn and refuse to admit it.
But what's the point?
Even if a person passes away, their 270,000 merits, combined with their faith, will be multiplied by at least one and a half times!
Hahahahaha—
With one of his heads floating in mid-air, Dongwanggong said, "Are you relieved now?"
Zhu Ming worked very hard just to barely make himself appear less like a petty person who had achieved success.
However, the noise on the Silver River became increasingly louder, to the point that it alarmed the immortal overseeing the competition on the high platform.
The three officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water remained unmoved, while the King Father of the East and the Queen Mother of the West offered no opinion.
However, at this moment, lightning filled the sky above the Silver River Net, and the Immortal Emperor, who had been keeping his eyes closed, was startled and opened them, looking at General Kunyi Zuo, who was drawing lightning for Bitao.
But he never spoke.
The crowd below continued to argue and bicker.
Until next to the Immortal Emperor, the Eastern Azure Emperor, who had been like a puppet, opened his eyes at some point when his soul returned to its place.
He looked at Yin Han Gu, and in an instant, the immortal power that allowed him to understand all the worlds had helped him comprehend all the causes and consequences.
He looked at the little immortal who calmly opened his spiritual platform to receive the five thunderbolts during the tribulation, and suddenly burst out laughing.
This little fairy is certainly arrogant enough.
He truly deserves to be called the infamous madman of the Nine Heavens.
The immortal's spiritual platform is a vital point, just as sensitive as the soul of an ordinary person.
A mortal can be reincarnated after death, but a damaged soul cannot enter the cycle of reincarnation.
The immortal essence within a celestial being's spiritual platform is just like the soul of a mortal; once damaged, it is extremely difficult to heal.
It is precisely because even immortals cannot completely trust another person or the world.
The more self-protective one is, the more one regards immortal essence as everything, and once one enters the Five Thunder Formation, one will instinctively resist the tempering of the Five Thunders.
The Five Thunders are the celestial rules and consciousness, the origin of all things. When they are resisted by the "little things" they have raised, they will naturally unleash their power, severing the tendons and flesh, and pulverizing the bones and spirit.
It causes the person inside unbearable pain, a state of being unable to live or die, until that "little thing" has no more power to resist.
However, if there were immortals like this little fairy, arrogantly allowing the Five Thunders to traverse her body, disregarding life and death and even herself, and even entrusting the condensation and tracing of meridians to the Five Thunders.
As the embodiment of the Heavenly Rules, the Five Thunders would naturally embrace it gently, like "patting a sensible cat," shaping its bones and opening its meridians.
The immortals did not know when they began to regard the Five Thunders as punishment.
However, being struck by five thunderbolts is never a form of punishment.
That's why the Great Emperor Qinghua of the Eastern Pole couldn't help but laugh.
Throughout the entire Nine Heavens, the one who truly understood this unspeakable rule was actually such a small-time madman.
And look at what she did in the mortal realm and the methods she used.
Although it is indeed unconventional... but who says that immortals cannot take unconventional paths and must always be upright and righteous?
In the celestial realm where he once resided, there were even immortals who were actually demon gods who ascended to heaven.
These children, who are now derived from the sundial, really need to broaden their horizons.
He had thought that this so-called competition was just a boring exercise of children following the rules and returning to their astrological charts.
Then they can rightfully obtain the celestial positions that were originally theirs, continuing the old "rules" that appeared out of nowhere.
Now that such an arrogant person has emerged, it can make these law-abiding immortals understand that they regard tangible rules as the ultimate standard, and although they seem to be keeping to themselves and not overstepping the boundaries, they are actually inflexible.
Those who can become immortals have no need to adhere to many "rules".
Everything is simply about following the will of Heaven, the will of Earth, the will of people, and the will of one's own heart.
The Great Emperor of the Eastern Azure Flower looked at the Silver Han Net and, seeing the endless waves of opposition against this little immortal, said, "Interesting."
"Qingming, I'll take this little servant. After she's been tempered by the Five Thunders, you must give her a good palace."
"It has been a long time since anyone has preached for me."
The voice of the Eastern Azure Emperor was not loud, but it spread throughout the nine heavens in an instant.
Upon hearing this, the Celestial Emperor also glanced at the small figure who was content amidst the Five Thunderbolts.
He did not respond to the words of the Eastern Azure Emperor, but instead closed his eyes as if in tacit agreement.
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