Chapter 88 "Tao Tao" Alliance.
Everyone in the room held their breath and looked at Mingguang, waiting for him to continue.
Mingguang's originally clear and logical thinking was thrown into chaos by a single glance from Bitao.
His obvious pause made Yun Chuan, who was standing beside him assisting him, glance at him slightly.
Fortunately, Mingguang had long held sway over the Nine Heavens, and his cold and aloof expression concealed his true thoughts beneath the surface of the snow sculptures and ice carvings, making them difficult to detect.
During his moment of silence, the immortals thought he was deliberately leaving things unsaid to whet their appetites.
Mingguang quickly pulled himself back to his senses and continued, "There is only one possibility that someone who should have returned to the mortal realm under the tribulation of lightning would want to cause such chaos and calamity in the human world. That is, he did not personally crush all the immortal bones back then, but instead returned to the human world under the tribulation of lightning."
Everyone gasped upon hearing this.
Someone exclaimed in astonishment, "Isn't that the same as a fallen immortal?!"
"Heavens! I've only ever seen fallen immortals in ancient books from the celestial realm. The birth of a fallen immortal is often accompanied by widespread suffering and destruction, just like this astral realm."
The crowd erupted in discussion once again.
Mingguang stopped looking in Bitao's direction, his head bowed, appearing like a steady pillar in the ocean tide, silent, majestic, and inspiring faith.
In reality... he was rapidly sorting out his jumbled thoughts and dared not look again at the source of those thoughts.
After everyone exchanged their understanding of the fallen immortals.
Ming Guangcai continued, "A fallen immortal entering the mortal world is like a demon entering the mortal realm; it is an existence that defies the heavens and is without morality. No matter which celestial realm it appears in, it will be immediately warned and instructed by the yin-yang sundial of the Milky Way, and there is nowhere to hide."
"But if you really have to hide, there are ways."
Mingguang looked around at everyone and said, "Immortal positions are divided into five elements and spiritual attributes, and mortals are also born belonging to the five elements. A fallen immortal with immortal bones can only conceal the eyes and ears of the Heavenly Dao and evade the tracking of the celestial rotation and the yin-yang sundial in one way: to plunder the life force of all living beings and use the life force of mortals of the five elements to confuse and cover up the fact that he has immortal bones."
However, the cycle of life is orderly, and the fate of mortals and even all living beings is connected to the sundial. Even birds and ants that exist in the celestial realm will be tracked down by the sundial as the stars turn and they disappear without a trace.
A single leaf falling heralds autumn; those who disrupt order have nowhere to hide.
"So that's how it is!" someone exclaimed, suddenly understanding Mingguang's words. "No wonder he wanted to break the Bridge of Reincarnation and stop all living beings from reincarnating!"
"Only when the Bridge of Reincarnation collapses and order crumbles will those mortals whose life force has been plundered and who have no chance of reincarnation be unable to trace whether they have become ghosts scattered throughout the world or have had their souls and life force absorbed by others to become hidden 'armor'!"
Some people couldn't help but sigh: "The Xuanmen patriarch I know, Yu Junlang, was a virtuous man who benefited all living beings, helped the world and brought peace to the people, and was a role model for all ages."
"He ascended to heaven after achieving perfect merit, seemingly returning to the mortal realm in a carefree manner. However, he harbored remorse and committed treachery during the dispersal of his spirit, leaving behind his immortal bones and thus becoming a fallen immortal. Now, he seeks to devour the people he once protected and helped as 'food.' How pathetic and despicable!"
As Bitao listened to everyone gritting their teeth and clapping their hands in condemnation of Xuanmen Patriarch Yu Junlang, she crossed her arms and seemed lost in thought.
Mingguang's words were all logical and reasonable, with no other possibility or explanation.
Bitao initially thought the same thing.
That handsome young man was arrogant to the core, disdaining the position of immortal, but under the overwhelming power of heaven and thunder, he regretted his actions, secretly keeping his immortal bones, and thus became a fallen immortal. This is only human nature.
Just as only those who have faced death know the coldness and fear of death.
After thousands of years of arduous cultivation to achieve ascension, how can one be content to give up everything in a single day?
But is the Heavenly Dao truly so blind and deaf that it would allow a minor meritorious immortal to secretly preserve immortal bones during its tribulation, and then personally send him to the Star Realm to cause trouble?
The Peach Blossom Goddess flew to the heavens.
Soon, his thoughts were brought back by a clear and melodious voice: "The best way for a fallen immortal to conceal himself is to abandon his physical body and avoid being tracked by the rotation of stars, the yin and yang of the sun, and the heavenly way, so that he can possess other people and walk among humans like an evil ghost."
"And since he needs a constant supply of the five elements' vitality, the person who possesses his body must not be an ordinary mortal. A mortal's body cannot withstand his fallen immortal soul."
Mingguang said, "I have two suspects. One is Zhu Lixing, the leader of Wenxin Pavilion, who personally led the team twice to exorcise evil spirits for us."
"One of them is Wei Xiao, the leader of the Supreme Sword Sect, who fabricated a story about a hunter who lived in seclusion in the mountains of Mengxia Village, using the old story of the Taoist of No Two. He tricked me and the Fairy of Peach Blossom into going to Mengxia Village to find our relatives."
"Gentlemen, is there anyone you suspect? Please feel free to speak your mind."
After Mingguang finished speaking, he took two steps back and withdrew from the "main" position of the speaker. He glanced at Yunchuan, who then stepped forward to take Mingguang's place.
Mingguang stood in the same spot behind and to the side where Yunchuan had been, and then looked up at Bitao again.
He himself was unaware that within his gleaming golden eyes lay a yearning that others could not decipher, yet which Bitao could not conceal.
This yearning stemmed from their childhood cultivation together. Whenever Mingguang surpassed Bitao in some aspect, he would proudly raise his head, waiting for the little peach branch figure's praise and admiration.
If the Peach Branch Man forgets or deliberately doesn't say anything, Mingguang will become silent and practice day and night until he completely "defeats" the Peach Branch Man and hears the words "You're so amazing."
Bitao sensed Mingguang's gaze, but deliberately stopped looking at him and refused to satisfy his "desire".
The crowd discussed the suspects in various ways, but the most frequent discussion focused on the main figure of Wenxin Pavilion.
Everyone suspected him.
"He is really too suspicious. Back then, if it weren't for him proposing to form the Five Elements Exorcising Array, so many cultivators wouldn't have fallen into the evil spirit's illusion and died."
"That's right. He seemed to be doing what was best for the people, but the Soul Refining Array he later activated was meant to melt down all the living souls. Now that I think about it, he might be using us to melt down the souls of the people for his own use! Thinking about it this way, the leader of Taixu Tower is also highly suspicious!"
"Moreover, I have inquired with many people about the Soul-Guiding Incense produced by Wenxin Pavilion. Every sect uses it to worship the Xuanmen Ancestor. Even the elders of various sects usually like to inhale the Soul-Guiding Incense to 'recall the past.' Isn't this a kind of poison?"
"We have all inhaled the Soul-Guiding Incense, but we have not found any residual poison."
"Speaking of this... I once traveled closely with the Meteor Pavilion Master, and after he was injured and bleeding, he smelled of Soul-Attracting Incense. Could it be that he used his own blood to make Soul-Attracting Incense to bewitch people?"
A celestial being dressed in a red robe stepped forward and said, "Perhaps I can explain this."
This immortal position belongs to a cultivator from the Wenxin Pavilion: "Meteor himself also attracts soul incense. His blood has the scent of soul-attracting incense, probably because he has been sending complete ghosts into the Netherworld Reincarnation for many years and repeatedly inhaling it. As for the soul-attracting incense produced by the Wenxin Pavilion... we cultivators of the Wenxin Pavilion also participate in its production."
"The Soul-Guiding Incense is made by grinding the roots of the Resurrection Tree after it has been struck by five lightning bolts. The fields around the town where the Heart-Questioning Pavilion is located are mostly covered with Resurrection Trees, which can be seen everywhere."
Bitao crossed her arms, recalling the records about the Tree of Resurrection.
The Resurrection Tree grows only in the Xuanxing Realm. Records state: "Cut its roots, boil them in a jade cauldron to extract the juice, then simmer it over a low flame until it resembles black maltose, making it suitable for pill formation; this is called 'Spirit-Awakening Fragrance'."①
It can also be called the Resurrection Incense or the Death-Reversing Incense; within hundreds of miles of its fragrance, the dead are said to rise from the dead. ②
The branches and leaves of the Resurrection Tree, when burned, all have hallucinogenic and soul-separating effects.
Although the Soul-Returning Tree is not so magical in this desolate and lifeless realm of the Dharma-ending Age, it is very much in line with the characteristics and function of the Soul-Guiding Incense.
However, the monk said that before making incense from meteorites, they would draw upon the five thunderbolts to form lightning-struck wood, which would then be used to add the power to ward off evil spirits and suppress malevolent forces. It could no longer be used for bewitching or haunting spirits.
This statement immediately undermined any doubts surrounding Meteor, causing the discussion to reach a stalemate.
At this moment, Yun Chuan spoke up: "Everyone, we are currently only suspicious of everyone and are having a reasonable discussion. As for the final decision, it still requires your testing and confirmation, as well as your joint discussion of countermeasures."
"Now that we have confirmed that the one causing trouble here is Yu Junlang, the patriarch of the Xuanmen sect from two thousand years ago, we must investigate to the end."
Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions varied. The merit-based immortals, led by Bitao, remained noncommittal.
They were already at odds, but Mingguang was summoned because he was the "future Immortal Emperor" and a future superior.
Even though the information they received was very helpful to them, it was unlikely that they would obey the orders of the ancient immortals.
How to find the patriarch of the Xuanmen sect is a competition among everyone, each relying on their own abilities. They were forced to cooperate with the ancient immortal clan before, and they have already deeply experienced the harm of "meeting with those they hate". Just thinking about it now makes their blood and qi unstable.
However, Mingguang seemed to have thought of this a long time ago, and he exchanged a glance with Yunchuan during the exchange.
Yun Chuan continued, "Even if it is for the sake of the common people in danger, we, as immortals, cannot stand idly by."
This was moral coercion; even Bitao, one of the many meritorious immortals, slightly furrowed her brow.
But Yun Chuan's next sentence turned the tide.
"We are all currently engaged in a competition. In this battle against the demons, almost all of our immortal positions have been freed from their previous seals. We should also have gained a lot of merit during the battle by slaying the demons."
"However, a single 'eunuch' can accumulate thousands or even tens of thousands of merits. Why don't you all think about what would happen if we all worked together to bring down the Xuanmen Ancestor? He has harmed the human world for over two thousand years, and the cycle of reincarnation has been interrupted because of him. If we all contribute our efforts and share the merits equally, we can return to heaven and attain our positions in an instant."
This is the best way to form an alliance!
Bitao relaxed her brows and raised a slight brow. She was so moved by what she heard that she almost couldn't resist looking at Mingguang.
Everyone who heard this was naturally moved.
Compared to the vague notion of "righteousness binding us together," immediate interests are far more seductive.
Yun Chuan and the others were intrigued and continued to speak on behalf of Ming Guang: "Moreover, you should all have realized that the Chang Gui and Xi E Gui should not have such great power. Obviously, someone is deliberately raising evil ghosts to collect the souls of all living beings."
"Now, we have all regained our memories and broken the lightning-patterned protective seal bestowed upon us by the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms. But this is clearly not a coincidence, but rather someone deliberately forced us into desperate situations time and time again."
"The purpose is to make us lose our life-protecting techniques."
After Yun Chuan finished speaking, everyone fell silent for a moment again.
Then someone frowned and said, "You mean to say that the Xuanmen patriarch who is causing trouble here has already discovered that we immortals have entered this realm, and is forcing us to break the lightning-patterned protective seal of the Heavenly Dao of Myriad Realms, intending to slaughter us all?!"
These words sent chills down everyone's spines.
If that's really the case, wouldn't they be like turtles and tortoises trapped in a jar?
Bitao really wanted to give Mingguang an encouraging kiss.
Yun Chuan had just regained his memories, and before that he had always been a mortal giant, immersed in the "calamity" and unable to extricate himself, so he could not have imagined these things.
Binglun definitely doesn't have that kind of brain.
Most of the other immortals had just regained their memories, and the shock of their near-death experience had not yet faded, so they did not have time to think so deeply.
Bitao had previously exchanged some information with Cangling. He and the other meritorious immortals had also thought that the reincarnation bridge in this world was made by humans. However, because they had never experienced the "Heavenly Mace" in their hearts, and were not very concerned about the events of the Heavenly Realm more than two hundred years ago, they could not guess that it was the Xuanmen Ancestor Yu Junlang.
All of this could only have come to Mingguang's attention after he regained his memories and recalled his past experiences of exorcising evil spirits.
When Bitao came out of the Tiger Cave and saw everyone burning the tiger's corpse, she realized that the number of immortal positions during this exorcism was abnormally high.
When asked, Zhan Kui's reasoning was somewhat reasonable.
But she still felt it was too much of a coincidence.
Until Yun Chuan, Bing Jing, and other immortals successively broke the lightning-patterned protective seal due to being trapped in dire straits.
Bitao then suspected that the Xuanmen patriarch had long been aware of the presence of "outsiders" here.
They secretly lured them together and trapped them in a "desperate situation." Their purpose was to strip them of the marks and protection that belonged to the Heavenly Dao of all realms.
Bitao finally slowly raised her peach blossom eyes and looked at Mingguang, gazing into his eyes.
Two people, separated by factions and even by different memories, share the same thoughts and feelings.
This feeling was comparable to the climax when Bitao and Weidanxin were making love.
Bitao's eyes were filled with undisguised admiration, her bright eyes sparkling as if they were flowing and surging along with the runes of the hidden formation.
The two looked at each other for a moment, then looked away, both with a slight smile on their lips.
Just like back then, we learned new techniques together and developed a deep understanding of them.
With Yun Chuan having said this much, the rest was left for everyone to discuss and add to on their own.
Those who participated in the discussion reached a more rational consensus.
"That should be the case, but the guess of that immortal just now is probably inaccurate."
"Even if he wants to wipe us out as 'intruders' in one fell swoop, and needs to force us into a desperate situation to break our protective seals on our own, wouldn't it be better to disperse our strength and defeat us one by one?"
"In my opinion, his goal is not to slaughter us, but... to use us."
Some people are puzzled: "How can it be used?"
After a long period of contemplation, Cang Ling stepped forward and spoke: "Possession, perhaps among you now, there are already those who have been possessed."
This is terrifying. If there really are people who have been possessed, wouldn't they be discussing how to deal with the other person right in front of them?
Binglun was already anxious because she had lost an arm and the opportunity to speak for Mingguang.
Seeing that the people's hearts, which had been so hard to gather, were about to be broken by Cang Ling's words, he immediately rebuked her: "Cang Ling, don't disturb people's hearts!"
Cang Ling raised an eyebrow and looked at him: "Didn't Immortal Mingguang want us to speak freely? I only raised reasonable doubts. I didn't force you to expose your cores to prove yourselves."
Binglun was about to say something more when Guanghan, who had somehow appeared beside Mingguang, grabbed her shoulder.
Binglun turned around and glared at him—Traitor! You dare to come back!
Guanghan sighed inwardly, let go of her hand, and thought to herself, "You really don't know what's good for you."
However, Binglun didn't say anything more.
Because... he inadvertently met Bitao's serious and warning gaze.
He even felt a strange sense of frustration, thinking that she was indeed connected to the Immortal of Merit, and that she was very fierce towards him because of Cang Ling.
Ice Mirror, standing beside Ice Wheel, spoke up: "Or perhaps it's to absorb our life force, just as it absorbs the life force of mortals to conceal itself."
"Is there anyone in this world whose Five Elements power is more abundant than that of a celestial being in the Nine Heavens?"
Upon hearing this, everyone pondered again.
If the promise that "killing the Xuanmen patriarch will grant immediate access to heaven and a new position" is the bait, then what truly binds people together is the "omnipresent and unpredictable" crisis.
Bitao whispered a few words in Zhankui's ear.
Zhan Kui patted his chest, indicating that he would hand it over to her.
He cleared his throat and said, "I'd like to say a few words."
Everyone looked at her.
Zhan Kui said, "There's no need for us to doubt or be wary of each other. That Xuanmen patriarch is probably unable to deal with us for the time being. If he could really possess us, he would have already taken us down after breaking the Thunder Pattern Seal one by one. We wouldn't have had a chance to gather here and discuss how to deal with him."
"The immortal abode is imbued with pure and noble energy; how could it be possessed by just any evil spirit or demon?"
Zhan Kui thought for a moment and used a metaphor: "It means he wants to eat us, he's so hungry he's drooling. He's forcing us to break the protective spell, so he's first removing the thorn."
"Hmm... Our current predicament is like being inside his 'pot,' but the water isn't hot enough to kill us yet. We just need to jump out before he adds fuel to the fire and kill him!"
The metaphor was so vivid that everyone was speechless for a moment.
Bitao silently covered her face.
She and Zhan Kui didn't say that; they only asked her to speak first to dispel the misunderstandings among everyone.
Let her make a contribution, so that she won't be excluded from the group when she tries to do something because she is only half-mortal and makes no contribution.
This time, to deal with the Xuanmen patriarch, they really must cooperate in order to achieve a "win-win" situation.
As a result, once Zhan Kui put his skills to use, everyone was not trapped like turtles in a jar, but rather like frogs in a pot.
Bitao's stomach rumbled at an inopportune moment.
I'm so hungry! Frogs taste good cooked too.
"Shut up already." Bingjing dared not listen closely.
Her eyes were still swollen and red, making her look like a sad, human-shaped frog.
Bitao almost burst out laughing on the spot, but she managed to hold it in by pinching her thigh tightly under her sleeve.
She was holding back, which was very difficult. She was now in the merit-based immortal camp, and she was afraid that if she laughed out loud, it would be interpreted as "mocking".
The precarious "alliance" between the Ancient Immortal Clan and the Merit Immortals is like a bubble in the sunlight, easily burst with a single touch.
She can't laugh at this time.
Since no one wanted to talk about "how well they had been cooked," they started discussing again the "suspicious" candidates in the cultivation world who had been possessed by the Xuanmen Ancestor.
Once everyone was in the same boat, there was an unprecedented calm and openness as everyone shared their doubts and exchanged helpful information without reservation.
Ultimately, it was Mingguang who stepped forward and determined the best strategy to "kill" the Xuanmen patriarch.
It consists of three steps.
First, starting tomorrow, some of the immortals will return to their respective sects to lie low and continue gathering information, maintaining constant contact and exchanging information to further narrow down the range of suspects.
Second, some groups formed teams to find suitable geographical locations for setting up formations.
Third, after determining the location for setting up the formation, they fabricated a wicked ghost that had brought disaster to the world. Under the pretext that "fellow cultivators had fallen into the mouth of the evil ghost," they invited the elders and leaders of various sects, as well as cultivators from the Wenxin Pavilion, to come out of the mountains to "exorcise the evil."
Even if it's impossible to determine who the Xuanmen patriarch is possessing, the formation can still be used to identify him on the spot.
At that time, by pooling the power of the entire cultivation world and borrowing the power of the five elements of this world and the power of the Wei constellation, we will surely be able to bring down the evildoers who have brought disaster upon the people here.
The group discussed the three plans further, adding details and agreeing on secret codes among themselves.
Bitao listened attentively.
Cang Ling and the others gathered around her and whispered their opinions: "Bi Tao, we all think this plan is feasible."
Bitao nodded: "That's certainly feasible."
Even if she were to say "No, let's go it alone" now, I'm afraid Cang Ling and the other meritorious immortals of You Tian might not listen to her and follow her willful path.
It is estimated that each person has tens of thousands of merits in the merit storage bag.
But these merits were earned by risking one's life, led by the nose by the patriarch of the Xuanmen sect in this world.
With Mingguang's plan and the details added by the immortals, the plan was now foolproof.
If they successfully kill the fallen immortal who is causing chaos in the world, they will not have to risk their lives and waste forty years accumulating merit. They can indeed achieve perfect merit in an instant and return to heaven to attain their positions.
Mingguang not only considered the interests and safety of everyone, but also thoroughly understood the nature of these immortals, knowing how to appoint people to their positions and making the best use of everyone's talents.
This collaboration went smoothly, the evil was vanquished and the heavens were restored. Not only did everyone achieve "perfect merit" and ascend to the immortal ranks, but everyone was also overjoyed.
The rift between the merit-based immortals and the ancient immortal race will also be bridged by this cooperation.
Only leaders who truly bring benefits to their teams can have "supporters".
He can bridge the gap once, and then completely mold the two groups into a single scepter in his hand.
It is foreseeable that after his passing, he will reverse all the "negative" effects that Bitao brought him.
Despite being betrayed in love and humiliated, he still "forgave past grievances," showing great love and kindness, and leading the ancient immortal clan and the meritorious immortals of Youtian to set things right and save the common people.
Having experienced the pain of separation from loved ones and the inability to obtain what one desires, and having also personally experienced the pain of being with those one hates, all the immortals will see their strength and mental state steadily improve after returning to heaven.
Even Bitao had to admire him; Mingguang was truly a master strategist, adept at maneuvering and wielding power.
Even if she considered the worst-case scenario—if the power of this world, the power of the stars, and the power of the cultivation world were all combined, they still couldn't kill the Xuanmen Ancestor, then the "crisis" of this world was beyond the ability of immortals like them to resolve.
At that time, the immortal who accompanied the race will definitely take action.
Since the immortals chose this star realm as their arena and assigned each of them a "calamity," it naturally means that this place has not "gone out of control" and has always been in the hands of the elders.
The immortals wouldn't stand by and watch these juniors be wiped out by a competition. Mingguang even thought of using the identities of the immortals, including his own.
After all, they are "children loved by their mothers," and everyone in the lower realm has a lightning-patterned protective seal to save their lives.
Even though they were ultimately "incompetent" in their immortal positions and were saved by the immortals who accompanied them in the competition, they lost the competition, lost all face, and their immortal positions were demoted instead of promoted upon their return to heaven.
They have already raised the banner and fought desperately for the common people, and have no regrets towards heaven and earth.
Failure together is even more effective in bridging the rift between the Ancient Immortal Clan and You Tian than success together.
With such meticulous attention to detail, if Mingguang is not the Celestial Emperor, then who is?
To avoid arousing suspicion, the group devised a plan and dispersed one after another.
With a shared "goal" and no longer any factional barriers, everyone spontaneously discussed returning to their sect together, as a way of looking after each other.
Bitao mingled in the crowd and walked side by side with Zhan Kui. Zhan Kui asked Bitao, "Everyone is discussing going straight back to the sect, so are you still going to Wenxin Pavilion?"
Zhan Kui was a little disappointed: "That bastard Guang Han runs away from me faster than a mouse sees a cat. Wasn't Ming Guang always annoyed by him? How come he accepted him back?"
Bitao smiled to herself, thinking that at this moment, Mingguang would not only be "generous" in accepting Guanghan, but he would also treat her, the scoundrel who had "deceived and coerced" him, with sincerity.
However, Mingguang's personality is by no means easy to get along with.
He has plenty of patience. Once he has everyone under his control, he will naturally have a way to slowly settle scores and bring them to their knees.
Just look at the nine heavenly immortal positions that now protect him. These young and vigorous individuals dare not provoke him to his face, and you will know what his true abilities are.
Without any means, could he possibly make the entire ancient immortal race submit and secure his current position as "Regent Crown Prince" simply because he is the son of the Immortal Emperor?
Bitao didn't care about what was going on with Guanghan, and only replied to Zhankui, "I'll go ask Xinge."
There are still some things that need to be confirmed with Bitao.
When Zhan Kui heard that Bi Tao was still going with her, he happily talked to her about how they would eat, drink and have fun when they got back.
At this moment, Mingguang, who had gone ahead, came out from behind the wall of a farmhouse.
It subtly blocked their path.
Zhan Kui's scales bristled at the sight of Ming Guang. He inwardly complained that Bi Tao would definitely not go back to Wenxin Pavilion with her, but dared not glare angrily at Ming Guang.
As a lucky koi fairy, her intuition often works better than her brain.
She has always been afraid of bright light; it's an instinctive form of self-protection.
"Well...you guys chat, I'm leaving now!" Zhan Kui slipped away smoothly.
Mingguang didn't look at Zhankui; his golden eyes became the only vibrant color in the darkness before dawn.
He spoke, calling out to Bitao, "Taotao."
Bitao gasped for breath; that was how Wei Danxin addressed her.
She looked at Mingguang.
His tone shifted from extremely gentle to slightly resentful because she "didn't come home," mirroring the "know-nothing" Wei Danxin perfectly.
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