Don't let Yu Ding take on any more disciples.

Chapter 187 This humble Taoist is not familiar with the Heavenly Emperor

The newcomer was a young man dressed in a light gold robe.

Looking up, people would only think that he looked ordinary and unremarkable, with nothing outstanding about him, except for his noble aura that made him hard to ignore.

But after just one glance, when asked to recall what it looked like... they couldn't remember anything at all.

At this moment, such an uninvited guest suddenly appeared in the cave where Yu Ding was located.

Even in the primordial wilderness, one must follow the rules and procedures of an attendant to announce one's arrival.

To suddenly barge into the host's house like this... is extremely impolite behavior. Yu Ding inwardly condemned it, and bowed respectfully, saying, "The Golden Mother Goddess has arrived. This humble Taoist has failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me!"

That's right, this uninvited guest is none other than the Lord of Yaochi, the one who was just issuing a decree summoning him to the Heavenly Court.

The message had barely been delivered when she arrived in person, disguised as a man...

Yu Ding felt a sense of unease and a sense of foreboding. But upon closer reflection, he realized that he had already analyzed the situation. What did the Heavenly Emperor's escape have to do with him, Yu Ding Zhenren?
It's an illusion! Yes, it must be an illusion!

"Mother?!"

Longji was speechless at the arrival of the Queen Mother of the West.

"Long'er, your cultivation level..." The Queen Mother of the West sensed the changes in Longji.

Even with her status, a deep look of astonishment and disbelief appeared in her eyes at this moment!
This is quite inconsistent with her status; given her position and level of understanding, there are few things in the world that could cause her emotional changes.

My daughter's breakthrough in this area... that's truly something!
It should be noted that she had been teaching Longji by word and deed since he was a child, and had also provided him with rare and precious materials. How many people in the prehistoric world had received such treatment?

Unfortunately, Longji's performance was not worthy of her efforts, which led her to gradually lose hope in her daughter.

To be honest, she had already given up all hope for Longji, and then... how long has it been?

It was probably only a month or two. Because she was in the Heavenly Court, she didn't feel that a long time had passed.

"Good, good, good!" The Queen Mother of the West arrived before Longji, her joy overflowing.

Longji looked at her mother, whom she had always both respected and feared since childhood, regarding her as a ferocious beast.

Now, seeing him again, that fear has mostly dissipated, but the humiliation of the past still echoes in my ears...

The most polite thing is that she didn't understand her mother's sarcasm at the time.

"Indeed, Your Highness, His Highness is exceptionally gifted and has now attained immortality. This is truly a cause for celebration!"

Yu Ding smiled approvingly from the side.

Longji glanced at the Queen Mother of the West and smiled at Yu Ding, saying, "Master, you are mistaken. In my opinion, Master is the best teacher. The same disciple will naturally produce different results from different teachers."

Hmm… The Queen Mother of the West's smile froze slightly. She gave her a deep look at her daughter, whose eyes no longer held any fear of her, and then turned to give the jade cauldron a meaningful glance:
“Long’er is right. The saying ‘a good teacher produces a good student’ does have some truth to it.”

"Don't cause me any trouble, you little brat..." Yu Ding glared at Long Ji and smiled, "Hehe, Your Highness's cultivation is only a matter of guidance and assistance from this humble Taoist. Your Highness's breakthrough is mainly due to your good talent, high comprehension, and profound foundation!"

In the end, Yu Ding sighed.

Longji's foundation was so solid that he had never seen anything like it before.

As the saying goes, a tall building starts from the ground up, and the most important part of that is undoubtedly laying a solid foundation, so that the building can be built higher and higher.

Others can reach the Foundation Establishment stage in a few days, like him and Yang Jian, or a hundred days, a hundred months, or a hundred years... But Yu Ding has never seen anyone spend so much effort on the foundation as Long Ji.

That's simply...outrageous!
This may not have been Longji's original intention. She may have wanted to break through, but she was stuck at that level and couldn't get past it no matter what.

“No, it’s still Master who taught us well!” Longji glanced at the Queen Mother of the West and said.

“Disciple, do not speak nonsense. A tall building rises from the ground.”

Yu Ding glared and said, "Without someone to build a solid foundation for your immortality, what will you use to climb even higher mountains?"

“Master is right.”

Longji said, "But I still think Master's role is more important..."

This disciple harbors a deep resentment towards her mother... Yu Ding, caught between the mother and daughter, felt a headache coming on: "Disciple! Listen to me!"

"Master, please speak, your disciple is listening!"

Longji's eyes curved into crescents, and he looked obedient and well-behaved: "I remember every word Master said."

Yu Ding: "..."

Beside her, the Queen Mother of the West had no expression on her face, as if she were a wooden figure with no presence.

But Yu Ding clearly saw one of the other person's eyebrows... twitch slightly.

"Longji, you can go out now!"

The Queen Mother of the West said expressionlessly, "I have something to discuss with your master."

"Why should I?" Longji asked.

The Queen Mother of the West asked, "What did you say?"

“I said, this is my master’s monastery, why should I leave?”

As Longji spoke, he glanced at Jinmu and Yuding and said, "Besides, what is it between you that I can't hear?"

"Enough! Don't make Mother angry!"

The Queen Mother of the West frowned, staring at Longji. An invisible aura emanated from her, bringing a powerful pressure to those around her.

From childhood to adulthood, whenever she said that, it meant that Longji had to obey her obediently, and she never broke the rule.

It was that same sentence again, that same sentence again… Overwhelmed by this imposing aura, Longji felt a strong sense of resistance. He looked up and met the gaze of the Queen Mother of the West, saying each word clearly, “I… will not… leave!”

Her mother never hit her when she was little, but she was always very afraid.

Her body was trembling slightly, urging her to go outside. This was an instinct ingrained in her body, but her mental will was suppressing it.

From childhood to adulthood, regardless of right or wrong, once this mother uttered these words, it meant she had no right to argue anymore, only to obediently listen and obey. But this time, she did not want to listen to this mother.

"Oh?"

Only now did the Queen Mother of the West show a look of surprise and astonishment, looking at the jade cauldron and saying with a smile, "The True Man has taught a fine disciple!"

Actually, my disciple, you didn't have to be so brave... Yu Ding nodded awkwardly, puzzled.

Sixteen years old... Could it be that Longji's rebellious phase is only starting now?

"Mother, you don't need to drag Master into everything."

Longji stepped forward, blocking Yuding's path, and said, "Shouldn't you tell me why you want me to leave? Is there something you need to keep from her?"

"Why? There's no why. So you really aren't going out?"

The Queen Mother of the West stood with her hands behind her back, staring at Longji. The tender mother-daughter affection from just moments before vanished, and in an instant, she seemed to have become the Queen Mother of the West again, high above the heavens.

"I'm not leaving until I get an explanation!"

Longji looked at her mother and spoke calmly and serenely.

"How about... this humble Taoist goes out?" Yu Ding tentatively suggested.

"How can we let the Master (Master) go out?"

The Queen Mother of the West and Longji spoke at the same time, and after they finished speaking, the mother and daughter looked at each other again.

As expected of a mother and daughter, their understanding is so good... Yu Ding shook his head and said, "Long Ji, go out!"

“But Master…” Longji said anxiously.

Yu Ding shook his head at her, and Long Ji could only leave the cave helplessly.

The Queen Mother of the West looked at this scene with a thoughtful expression. "Your Majesty, please don't be angry... Please let me explain. His Highness is just a little rebellious, yes, rebellious."

Yu Ding coughed lightly and explained, "This so-called rebellious mentality is a strong sense of resistance that arises when the demands of the objective environment do not match the needs of the individual. It's also a normal mentality that children develop as they grow up. She'll be fine when she gets older!"

This daughter listens to her master more than her mother. Yu Ding inexplicably thought of soldiers listening to their generals more than their emperors…

Longji walked far out of Jinxia Cave,
The seriousness on Yaochi Jinmu's face melted away like ice and snow meeting the sun. She bowed to the deity before the jade cauldron and said, "The True Man has taught well!"

"Ah... How could this humble Taoist accept such a great gift from Your Highness?"

Yu Ding was shocked and tried to dodge by shrinking the ground to an inch.

But after the light flashed beneath his feet, Yu Ding realized he had only seen a fleeting glimpse of light, because he... was still in the same spot.

"You are too modest, sir. You deserve this kind of courtesy!"

The Queen Mother of the West sighed, "To be honest, because I was too strict in the past, my son became timid and weak, and had no temper at all..."

Your daughter is quite bold, she's really brave... Yu Ding secretly breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself.

"I also tried to help her change, but to no avail. Now I see that Long'er dares to defy me..."

The Queen Mother of the West smiled and sighed, "I am not only not angry, but also very happy. Looking back now, handing her over to the True Person was probably the best decision I ever made."

Seeing her daughter talk back and resist, she not only wasn't angry, but even seemed happy... Her demands are really strange.

"Your Majesty flatters me. It is my honor to receive Your Majesty's approval," Yu Ding said with a smile.

"By the way, Master, do you know where the Heavenly Emperor has gone?"

The Queen Mother of the West asked the question as if it were a casual remark.

Anyway, he didn't go on "Where Are We Going, Dad?"... Yu Ding's eyes flashed. All that nonchalance was premeditated. She was trying to trick him!
"Ah, the Heavenly Emperor? What happened to him?" Yu Ding asked in surprise.

"He has disappeared. Only a few people in Heaven know this news. I heard that the True Man has a good personal relationship with the Heavenly Emperor, so I came here to ask if I know anything about him," said the Queen Mother of the West.

“They’ve disappeared…” Yu Ding shook his head thoughtfully.

The Queen Mother of the West raised an eyebrow: "Does the True Person mean... that you don't know either?"

Yu Ding's eyes flashed: "No, what I mean is... I'm not familiar with the Heavenly Emperor!"

The Queen Mother of the West glanced at him and said, "The Heavenly Emperor left me a letter saying that... the most beautiful scene in life is when we meet for the first time. I think that makes a lot of sense. I wonder where the Heavenly Emperor heard this from!"

Yu Ding's expression turned solemn: "This humble Taoist has gone fishing with the Heavenly Emperor a few times. He told me that he is very tired, weary, and lacks freedom these days..."

"Then where should we look?" asked the Queen Mother of the West.

Yu Ding spread his hands and said with a wry smile, "How would this humble Taoist know?"

The Queen Mother of the West glanced at the jade cauldron again: "The letter also said that someone told him that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and he wants to try it. Don't think about him. Take care of yourself without him. Don't ask him when he will return home..."

This might be around winter... Yu Ding's lips twitched. He had hummed a couple of lines while fishing, which the Heavenly Emperor found amusing and learned, never expecting to use them to write a short essay.

"You're not just writing it, you're selling him out..." Yu Ding suddenly said seriously, "Ahem, His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor did mention to me the idea of ​​going to the mortal realm to experience tribulations."

"Is there a way to find it?" Yaochi Jinmu asked directly.

Yu Ding chuckled dryly and said, "The Heavenly Emperor has already descended to the mortal realm, how can there be any way to stop him?"

The Queen Mother of the West tossed out a scroll of jade: "See for yourself, True Person."

Yu Ding opened it and glanced at it, raising an eyebrow, but the more he looked, the more unpleasant his expression became.

“Master, I know you have a close relationship with His Majesty and want to protect him, but you should consider the current situation.”

The Queen Mother of the West sighed, "If His Majesty wanted to go normally, we would just let him go, right?"
But things are different now. The great calamity of the gods is about to begin, and the Heavenly Court needs him to take charge. You say the Heavenly Emperor is going to undergo his own tribulation... who will take charge of the Heavenly Court's affairs?

Yu Ding's face showed a thoughtful expression.

"By the way, His Majesty often laments that it would be great if the Heavenly Emperor were a real person."

Yu Ding was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Does the Heavenly Court still possess the Heavenly Emperor's magical treasures?"

Besides being able to issue orders to continue playing music and dancing, command heavenly soldiers and generals, make all immortals and gods submit and pay homage, and sit on equal footing with beings like the Six Sages under the blessing of the Heavenly Dao, what else is good about this Heavenly Emperor? I'm asking you, what else is good about him?
"His Majesty's Haotian Mirror is in my hands; it is His Majesty's innate spiritual treasure..."

As the Queen Mother of the West spoke, she suddenly looked thoughtful.

……

Qianyuan Mountain is located in the southwest of Dongzhou, adjacent to Nanzhou.

This is the territory of Taiyi Zhenren, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of Jade Void.

"Junior Brother Jinxia, ​​Junior Brother Jinxia, ​​how is Master?!"

There was a curtain of light at the entrance of a cave in the mountains.

Inside the light screen, Lingzhuzi was trapped, while outside was a handsome young Taoist boy.

"This... I don't know, I went into seclusion as soon as I got back!" Jinxia Tong'er shook her head.

Lingzhuzi's eyes darted around, and she said anxiously, "Then why don't you go and take a look right away?"

Jinxia Tong'er glanced at the Golden Light Cave, hesitating and conflicted: "This...isn't that inappropriate? I dare not, what if I disturb the master..."

"Go if you can, otherwise open it and let me see. Stop dawdling!"

Lingzhuzi said irritably, "I noticed that Master didn't look too good the day he came back. How can I feel at ease if I don't even glance at him?"

Jin Xia Tong'er glanced at the barrier and said speechlessly, "Senior brother, don't waste your time. Master told you to meditate and cultivate in peace inside, and he also told me to keep an eye on you. I'm not letting you out."

"Junior brother, hehe, good junior brother, please help me out and let me go!"

Lingzhuzi smiled and pleaded, "Master told me to cultivate diligently and that he would release me when he returned. Now that he's back, it's time!"

“But the master hasn’t given any orders.” Jinxia Tong’er shook her head.

"Aaaaah, you little old fogey..." Lingzhuzi spun around wildly behind the light screen, finally slamming his fists against the stone wall with a series of bangs, sending dust flying as he vented his frustration.

"Senior brother, just stay put!" Jinxia Tongzi advised.

"You're ruthless, kid! God, how much longer do I have to stay here?"

Lingzhuzi circled around a corner in the cave and came out: "What's the point of living like this? I might as well die."

"Save your breath, senior brother. You've already tried to kill yourself eight times in the last three days," Jinxia Tongzi said calmly.

Lingzhuzi raised her hand and took off the bracelet from her wrist, which quickly enlarged into a metal ring. She then gave Jinxia Tong'er a cold look before slamming her hand down on his head.

"Senior brother, your clone technique won't fool anyone..."

Jinxia Tongzi laughed, and suddenly, the spirit pearl in front of him was bleeding from its head and fell to the ground.

"Senior brother, senior brother?!" Jinxia Tongzi was shocked. He saw a pool of blood on the ground, quickly took out a whisk, swept it in front of the light screen, rushed in and came to Lingzhuzi's side to help him up.

"Junior brother, I have to admit that it's getting harder and harder to lie to you."

At this moment, a voice came from behind Jinxia Tong'er. Turning around, she saw Lingzhuzi standing at the entrance, fiddling with the whisk.

The spirit pearl in his arms turned into a crayfish with a "bang".

Just as Jinxia Tongzi was about to rush out, Lingzhuzi swept his whisk, and a barrier rose up, trapping Jinxia inside.

"Junior brother, when Master comes out, tell him I'll be right back after a short walk!"

Lingzhuzi laughed, tossed aside his whisk, and skipped away, leaving Jinxia Tong'er with her hands on her head, looking utterly annoyed: "I've been tricked again!"

(End of this chapter)