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

Chapter 199 Prejudice in people's hearts is a huge...

"help me……"

The Taoist priest made a "ho ho ho" sound, and his already thin face became even thinner, soon turning as pale as paper.

He stretched out a hand to Jiang Shang and the big man, pleading for help with great difficulty.

The general merely stared at him coldly, a look of immense satisfaction on his face, while Jiang Shang's eyes widened in disbelief as he muttered, "A flying sword devouring its master... an evil weapon..."

Those who cultivate the Tao generally refine their flying swords by cultivating their life force together, making them as one with their own being.

However, some unorthodox cultivators, in pursuit of greater power for their flying swords, would use evil methods such as refining them with the essence and blood of living people.

It is obvious that this Qi cultivator's flying sword was refined using this method.

Such evil weapons, once unsheathed, will inevitably draw blood or kill people, but didn't this weapon just draw blood?

Jiang Shang pondered, feeling somewhat puzzled, while the Taoist's figure grew increasingly withered.

"I...I hate it!"

The Taoist roared, and a beam of spiritual light flew out from between his eyebrows, transforming into his own phantom image. He gave Jiang Shang a venomous look before flying away.

The last drop of his essence blood was absorbed by the flying sword and turned him into a dried corpse.

"Yin Shen?"

Jiang Shang shivered, feeling the air grow colder. He kindly reminded him, "Immortal Master, I remember my master saying that the Yin Spirit is extremely fragile; it vanishes in the sun and dissipates in the wind. You must quickly return to your physical body..."

The physical body and the soul are indispensable. A soul without a physical body is like a rootless duckweed, so fragile that it can be blown away by a gust of wind.

A physical body without a soul is nothing but a walking corpse.

Legend has it that only when one's primordial spirit is completely pure in yin and yang, cultivating a pure yang primordial spirit that is not afraid of scorching sun or strong winds, can one shed the physical body and achieve immortality through corpse liberation.

"you shut up!"

The Yin spirit looked at him coldly, his eyes filled with hatred. Did he not know that it was dangerous for the Yin spirit to come out?
However, he was devoured by the flying sword, and all his flesh and essence were consumed by it. Rather than waiting to die inside the body, he decided to take the initiative to come out and find a new body to possess and be reborn.

It's strange, really. He refined this flying sword using unorthodox methods, but after refining it for so many years and claiming complete control, he's never encountered a situation like this before!

"..." Jiang Shang felt uneasy under that gaze and wisely shut his mouth.

At that moment, the Yin spirit's expression shifted, and its gaze fell on the infant in Jiang Shang's arms. Compared to adults, newborn infants with incomplete mental development have the weakest resistance.

The next moment, the Yin spirit viciously pounced on the infant in Jiang Shang's arms.

"Don't come any closer, Immortal Master, watch out for the wind..." Jiang Shang shouted.

"Where is it here..." The Yin God grinned maliciously, but before he could finish speaking, a strong wind suddenly blew in his face.

With a scream that abruptly ended, the Yin spirit was blown away on the spot.

The burly general, whose arm had been chopped off and was bleeding profusely, was now oblivious to the pain and stared in disbelief at everything that was happening!
It feels like a dream!

A powerful cultivator at the Refining God Realm who had caused their country to fall apart and forced him to risk his life for a sliver of hope... just like that, he's gone?

"so close!"

Holding the baby, Jiang Shang stood up, looked at the mummified corpse, and sighed, "Immortal Master, why... wouldn't you listen to advice!"

To be honest, he was genuinely there to mediate the fight.

Because he had only met these two people by chance, he didn't know the cause and effect, nor did he know who was good and who was bad between the two groups.

He really wanted to ask, did these long-lived cultivators ever consider the feelings of mortals with short lifespans?
These people have lifespans far exceeding those of ordinary people and do not need to worry about death.

But every day after birth, mortals are on the path to death.

If someone asks him why he sought a master and pursued the Tao, he will answer that it was for cultivation, and cultivation was for the purpose of becoming an immortal.

Yes, he was afraid of death, very, very afraid.

He wanted to cultivate immortality to achieve longevity and live longer.

This will allow him to go to places he's never been before, meet people he doesn't know, see scenery he's never seen before, and learn things he's never learned before...

But these cultivators have wasted their lives on fighting and killing...

Unfortunately... Jiang Shang shook his head. It seems these immortals haven't grasped the true meaning of life yet.

Life, life—the true meaning of it is simply to live on.

"He's not some immortal being, he's a demonic cultivator!"

The bald general staggered to his feet, gritting his teeth as he said, "You wicked Taoist priest who brings disaster to the country and its people!"

"What do you mean?" Jiang Shang was taken aback.

Only after the general recounted the story did he learn that the Taoist priest was actually an elder of a sect.

Later, he helped their country and was warmly received by the king. The two sides had a very pleasant conversation and felt like they had known each other for a long time. In the end, he was even appointed as the king's advisor.

Little did they know that this act was like inviting a wolf into the house, leading to the subsequent disaster.

After becoming the royal advisor, this sorcerer frequently entered and exited the palace, and over time, he became involved with one of the king's favorite concubines.

In their quest for the throne, they murdered both the queen and the king, and this child was the king's orphan...

"Immortal Master, do you think this evil Taoist deserves to die?" the general asked through gritted teeth.

"So to say……"

After listening, Jiang Shang sighed and didn't say anything more.

This is only one side of the story. Sometimes people only say what is in their own interest and subconsciously ignore what is not in their interest.

But the Taoist priest certainly didn't seem like a kind person, but in any case, he was already dead.

Then, it handed the child back to the general and looked at the small sword.

"This kind of demonic sword that devours its master is a menace if kept; it must be destroyed."

The general gritted his teeth and swung his long sword, slashing fiercely at the flying sword.

hum!
When threatened, the flying sword glowed and automatically revived, suddenly flying up and knocking the greatsword aside with a "clang," hovering in the air like a red serpent ready to devour its prey.

"No, leave quickly!"

Jiang Shang glared at the general with displeasure. "Why do you have to be so impulsive?"

With a hiss, the eerie crimson flying sword emitted a blood-red light, slicing through the void and slashing directly at Jiang Shang.

Jiang Shang was unable to dodge in time and had no choice but to close his eyes.

Just then, two crystalline fingers suddenly appeared, clamping the crimson flying sword as if they had precisely grasped the vital spot of the Crimson Serpent.

"Ok?"

Jiang Shang opened his eyes, his expression momentarily stunned.

A young Taoist priest dressed in a dark blue robe was seen playing with a small crimson sword in his hand.

The crimson sword, which had originally gleamed with ferocity, now obediently allowed that crystal-clear right hand to twirl it between its fingers.

"How are you all? Are you alright?" The Taoist turned around and smiled brightly.

Jiang Ziya shook his head blankly.

"It's good that you're alright, friend. Your injuries are quite serious!"

The Taoist priest glanced at the bleeding general, and upon hearing this, Jiang Shang quickly recounted what had just happened.

"I originally thought he was a tough guy, but I didn't expect him to be such a loyal and brave man."

The young Taoist priest became serious after hearing this. He found the severed arm, placed it on the broken part, crushed a pill into powder and sprinkled it on the wound, then wrapped it up and added several talismans.

"Alright, don't exert yourself for three days, and it will heal completely after that." The Taoist priest finally let out a long sigh.

"Thank you very much, Immortal Master. May I ask your name?" The burly man looked at the Taoist with gratitude.

"No need to be polite, I am Shen Gongbao, a Qi cultivator from Kunlun Mountain!"

The young Taoist priest smiled and drifted away, exuding an indescribable air of elegance and freedom.

The term "Qi Refiner" is actually just a title and does not specifically refer to practitioners within the Qi Refining field.

Some immortals also often call themselves Qi cultivators, after all, they can't openly claim to be immortals from such-and-such place, right?

"Master Shen is truly incredibly powerful!" the burly man exclaimed.

"Yes!"

Jiang Shang's eyes held an indescribable envy.

"By the way, Mr. Jiang just mentioned that he also wants to go to Kunlun Mountain to become a disciple. Immortal Shen is a Qi cultivator from Kunlun Mountain. Why don't you ask Immortal Shen to give you a ride?" the general said suddenly.

"You're right!"

Jiang Shang's eyes lit up with delight as he looked at Shen Gongbao, but his expression immediately darkened.

"It's a pity that Immortal Master Shen has already gone far away. If only we had waited for Mr. Jiang," the burly man said with a regretful expression.

Jiang Shang sighed, "Yes, if only you had waited for me. Never mind, I'll just go by myself!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the burly man pointed ahead and said, "Hey, Mr. Jiang, look! It seems that Immortal Shen has landed."

Jiang Shang looked up and saw Shen Gongbao, for some reason, dancing and falling from the sky.

"Really? Well then, General Qiu, see you later!"

After Jiang Shang clasped his hands in farewell to the general, he shouldered his bag and excitedly headed towards Shen Gongbao's direction.

At this time, it was dozens of miles away.

"Bah bah bah!"

Shen Gongbao spat out the dry grass from his mouth, some of it also getting on his clothes, making him look rather disheveled, completely lacking the ethereal and extraordinary aura that Jiang Shang had just seen.

At the same time, his eyes quickly scanned the surroundings to see if anyone was nearby, especially acquaintances.

If someone he knew saw him fall from the sky, Shen Gongbao would be utterly humiliated.

Just imagine, he was a true immortal, having just performed a good deed, in a good mood, riding a cloud, humming a song, and preparing to return to his mountain. Suddenly, inexplicably, he fell from the sky…

Fortunately, he didn't see anyone he knew, which gave him a sigh of relief.

"Damn it, what the hell? Why can't I suddenly get my magic power back?"

Shen Gongbao frowned and pondered, "Could it be because the previous injuries haven't healed yet? But that doesn't make sense. My magic power isn't flowing smoothly right now; there's no blockage at all. Hmm, something's weird..."

After much deliberation and reaching no conclusion, he could only sigh and meditate on the spot.

His injury is actually not a big problem, but we are now close to Kunlun.

If he were to fall from the sky again in front of his fellow disciples, Shen Gongbao would lose all face in the Jade Void Palace.

Three hours later.

"Immortal Master, Immortal Master!"

Shen Gongbao, who was meditating, was startled by the sound. He opened his eyes and, upon seeing who it was, exclaimed, "It's you!"

The person who arrived was none other than Jiang Shang!

Although he didn't learn any special skills, he was physically strong and healthy, and his physical strength far surpassed that of ordinary people.

Even so, he was now panting heavily, and chuckled, "Yes, Immortal Master Shen... I... just now... saw..."

"What did you see?"

Shen Gongbao's expression tightened, and he looked at the guy with some hostility.

Jiang Shang said breathlessly, "You have descended from the sky, and I happen to be going to Kunlun Mountain, so I would like to ask if you could give me a ride."

"Your wording is quite accurate..." Shen Gongbao's eyes flashed: "What are you going to Kunlun Mountain for?"

Jiang Shang said, "Naturally, I should go to the Jade Void Palace to become a disciple and seek the Dao!"

"You? Jade Void Palace?"

Shen Gongbao glanced at Jiang Shang, paused for a moment, and shook his head, saying, "Your aptitude is average, but in that place it's considered poor, so I advise you to go back!"

When he spoke, his eyes were full of seriousness, without the slightest hint of mockery.

"Why, just because... I have poor aptitude?" Jiang Shang fell silent.

"Don't misunderstand, I didn't mean to mock you, but it's true that you have average physical attributes."

Shen Gongbao chuckled self-deprecatingly and stood up, saying, "There, if you have a bad background or poor aptitude, others will laugh at you, bully you, ridicule you, and mock you. When you are stronger than them, they will be afraid of you..."

But they will never be your friend. No matter how hard you try to fit in, or how much you do for them, they will exclude you and never treat you as one of their own or a friend.

Jiang Shang stared blankly at the figure standing in front of him with his hands behind his back, his back to him.

These words had a strange power to move him; he could almost feel the helplessness and sadness in them, and the sight of that figure made him feel lonely.

“If they won’t be your friends, I will!” Jiang Shang suddenly said.

"You?" Shen Gongbao turned his head with a mocking expression.

Jiang Shang forced a smile and said, "I know I might not be qualified right now, but when I've cultivated enough, I'll be qualified..."

What if... I'm not human?

Shen Gongbao suddenly spoke, interrupting Jiang Shang, and turned his head to reveal a leopard's face.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Shang was stunned and seemed speechless.

Shen Gongbao seemed completely unsurprised by Jiang Shang's reaction, but inwardly he cursed himself for suddenly opening up to a stranger.

After wandering around for a long time, he suddenly stopped liking the Jade Void Palace.

Because his friends outside didn't care about his identity, but after arriving at Yuxu Palace, he suddenly began to feel inferior about his background.

He didn't know what was going on today, but it seemed like he and this young man were destined to meet, and he suddenly shared so many of his innermost thoughts.

It should be noted that, apart from Senior Brother Yu Ding, he had almost never opened his heart to a second person like this.

To say that the other party wasn't disappointed by their reaction would be a lie.

However, he also understood that when people are at odds with each other, and given differences in race, friendship becomes even more precious, and prejudice in people's hearts is like a huge...

Jiang Shang suddenly said, "I am willing!"

"Huh?" Shen Gongbao suddenly froze.

Jiang Shang repeated, "I am willing to be your friend, regardless of your background or anything else."

This immortal had just saved his life and had also helped others. Judging from the details, this person was definitely not a bad person.

"Be my friend? Ha!"

Shen Gongbao's tone was sarcastic, but a smile appeared on his lips: "You'd better prove yourself as a disciple of the Jade Void Palace first!"

"Of course, I definitely can."

Jiang Shang stood up and laughed, "Besides, I also believe that Jade Void Palace is so large that it's impossible for everyone to be like you."

"You're right about that, although those bastards can make you feel chilled to the bone."

Shen Gongbao smiled as he recalled Yu Ding's appearance: "But there are still some very, very good senior brothers, approachable and making you feel like you're basking in the sunshine..."

Actually, I also met a very good immortal master... Jiang Shang thought to himself.

“Let’s go. Since you’ve made up your mind, I’ll give you a ride. By the way, what’s your name?” Shen Gongbao asked with a smile.

"Jiang Shang!"

Jiang Shang smiled brightly: "Of course, you can also call me Jiang Ziya."

……

At this moment, a large group of gods and immortals had gathered outside the Taibai Palace in the Heavenly Court.

"Venus, come out here!"

"You usually have the closest relationship with the Heavenly Emperor. If we have urgent business to discuss with him, wouldn't we have to come to you?"

"..."

After a long while, the vermilion gate finally opened.

Venus walked out expressionlessly and saw that all gathered in front of the gate were gods and immortals.

"Fellow immortals!"

Venus glanced at the gods and said directly, "I have some bad news for you all."

The gods were taken aback; they hadn't expected that Venus, who had been acting furtively before, would suddenly act so decisively today.
"The Heavenly Emperor has gone to undergo tribulation!"

Taibai then took out an imperial edict and said, "This is an edict left by the Heavenly Emperor. You may all examine it yourselves."

He took them one by one and looked them over, and sure enough, they were all just as Li Bai had said.

"The Heavenly Emperor has gone to undergo tribulation. Even a country cannot be without a ruler for a single day, let alone the Heavenly Court. What should we do?"

A deity expressed concern, and of course, these words immediately ignited anxiety.

All the gods and immortals suddenly became anxious.

"There's no need for anyone to worry about that."

Venus said calmly, "Didn't the Heavenly Emperor's decree say that the position of Heavenly Emperor should be held by someone who is both capable and virtuous? Therefore, the most urgent task is to find a new Heavenly Emperor."

"So what do we do before we find the new Heavenly Emperor? What do we do if something happens?"

A god appeared in the crowd and asked, "Whom should we consult?"

"Do what needs to be done, everything as usual, and everyone in Heaven should perform their duties."

A Taoist priest came over and said, "If anything really happens, I, Kongxuzi, guarantee that the Sage of the Chan Sect will not stand idly by."

Empty child?
The legendary last disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun?
As soon as the Taoist priest arrived, the gods looked at each other in bewilderment, and then fell silent.

The title "closed-door disciple" carries enough weight!

……

On Qilin Cliff in the Kunlun Mountains.

Yu Ding sat quietly, waiting for Jiang Shang's arrival, while stealing a moment from his busy schedule to continue his cultivation.

Although he was very busy, time for cultivation was like a sponge; if you squeeze it, there will always be some left.

According to his estimation, it would take Jiang Ziya at least six months to a year to come to Kunlun Mountain.

Meanwhile, he has sent multiple clones down from Kunlun Mountain to search for that guy named Zhang Youren.

The Investiture of the Gods begins with King Di Xin of the Shang Dynasty offering sacrifices to Nuwa. After dealing with Jiang Ziya, he should go to the Southern Continent for an on-site investigation!

Lingzhuzi isn't in a hurry!
But this kid has now become sworn brothers with his future father, and has even been sent to his Jade Spring Mountain to learn martial arts...

It's true... my uncle really doesn't like it when he does things on his own initiative.

The problems with Yuan Hong, Yang Jian, and Xiao Fei aren't too big. As for the Little Flood Dragon, Bodhi is trying to persuade him—cough cough, to be precise, he's undergoing training.

Longji was the one he was least worried about.

I remember it was during the beginning of the Investiture of the Gods, when the Shang Dynasty attacked Xiqi, that a pretty boy named Hong Jin appeared... It's still a long way off now.

Oh right... Suddenly Yu Ding opened his eyes wide.

Recently, he has been in less contact with his friends from the Three Immortals Island and Zhao Gongming, and their intimacy has declined somewhat, which is unacceptable.

P.S.: Xiao Jiang's character design... seems alright.

I had writer's block a while ago, and my sleep and physical condition were also poor, so I apologize for the lack of updates.

Everything is much better now. Time for bed. I'll get up and continue writing tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)