The Empress's First Running Dog

Chapter 682 The Birth of a Human Immortal
"When does it begin?"

Zhao Du'an gripped the blank golden scripture tightly and looked calmly at Old Xu.

Now that things have come to this, all the confusion has been resolved, and it is time to advance to the level of a human immortal.

Emperor Taizu of Xu said earnestly:
"Hurry up, we don't have much time left. I can sense that Ksitigarbha is not far from success. You have already wasted a lot of time here, and your advancement will also take time."

Xu Zhenguan finally snapped out of his reverie, paused for a moment, and said:
"How long will it take? Although the situation outside is not good, there should still be plenty of time."

Xu Taizu shook his head and gave a reply that surprised everyone:
"I don't know. Furthermore, because the spatial rift in the forest has been opened, time in the entire Mubei Forest has been distorted. One day here for you may be several days outside."

What? Zhao Du'an's expression changed slightly, a surge of anxiety rising within him. His face darkened.
"Why didn't you say something so important earlier? And why waste time having Pei Niannu bring us here?"

He was referring to the fact that Pei Niannu had led them by boat to this place, which had taken several days.

Emperor Taizu of Xu smiled enigmatically.

"How can you be sure that we've reached the center of the forest?"

What does this mean? The emperor and his minister were once again perplexed.

Emperor Taizu of Xu shook his head and said:
"This forbidden zone is indeed mysterious, and there is a different flow of time, but neither Maya of the past nor I have ever truly become gods. How can we maintain our physical existence for hundreds of years?"

Zhang Yan suddenly realized what was happening and said:
So this isn't reality?

Pei Niannu finally spoke, looking at Zhao Du'an and the Empress, and calmly said:
"Aren't you curious about what the last of those stone tablets and murals in the palace is?"

In the past, Old Xu left five stone tablets in the palace of the Yu Kingdom, each corresponding to one of the five cultivation realms, which were also five scrolls:
"The Martial God Diagram", "The Six Chapters Sutra", "The Great Dream Scroll", and "The Human World".

The last stone wall was completely blank.

Xu Zhenguan was taken aback. As intelligent as she was, she suddenly realized what was happening and blurted out:
"Could it be that we are actually inside the fifth mural now?"

Zhao Du'an also understood.

No wonder there are villages in this forest, including this small town. There are so many discordant elements. They are clearly not connected to the outside world, yet they are self-sufficient and maintain a civilized appearance.

Pei Niannu said calmly:
"We cannot survive for so long with our physical bodies alone, so we can only survive in the painting as our souls."

"The night you encountered the monster, I pulled you into my dream. Everything that followed was a journey within a painting, so naturally, it didn't waste much time."

Emperor Taizu of Xu said calmly:

"This last painting, which corresponds to the realm of immortals, is called 'Ascension'."

A vast panorama...enveloping the core area of ​​the Mubei Forest.

Zhao Du'an exchanged a glance with the Empress, then took a deep breath and looked at Old Xu:

"Let's get them out of here first. If that's the case, there's no need to waste time. Let's begin immediately."

"Alright." Emperor Taizu turned his head and looked at the Empress with kindness.

The latter's nose tingled with emotion: "Ancestors..."

Emperor Taizu smiled and said:

"Go, as a descendant of the Xu family and the emperor of the Yu Kingdom, you should do what you are supposed to do."

Xu Zhenguan took a deep breath and bowed solemnly:

"The unworthy descendants will not fail the trust of their ancestors."

Emperor Taizu then looked at Tuoba Weizhi and said calmly:

"Your mission is to protect Zhao Du'an until he breaks through the barrier."

Tuoba Weizhi knelt on one knee: "Yes!"

Xu Taizu then looked at Pei Niannu. The female sorcerer covered in silver armor nodded and waved her hand. Pei Niannu, the Empress, and Tuoba Weizhi transformed into beams of light and flew into the sky.

Once only three people remained under the banyan tree, Xu Taizu walked towards the well under the tree and said:

"This place is the core of the entire forest formation."

Zhao Du'an and Zhang Yan walked to the well and looked down.

The ancient well was deep and dark, and within it were shattered spatial rifts, like a broken mirror, with fierce winds constantly tearing at the edges of the cracks.

Through the crack, one can clearly see a modern city, frozen in time, buried deep at the bottom of the "well".

"I see. I'll take my leave now."

At that moment, Zhang Yan's eyes lit up with understanding. He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards the two men, and finally looked at Zhao Du'an, his narrow eyes softening slightly. He said:

"After I die, I will only leave behind a few disciples. I hope you will take care of them."

Zhao Du'an solemnly returned the greeting: "I dare not forget the Celestial Master's entrustment."

When they looked up again, they saw Zhang Yanyi smiling as he leaped into the well. The celestial being's soul was torn apart by the rift, turning into countless beams of blue light. In an instant, the immense magical power covered the entire Mubei Forest with blue clouds.

The first magic array in history, which covers the entire forbidden zone, has begun to activate.

Xu Taizu strode over to the well, at which point Zhao Du'an suddenly asked:
"I'm reminded of something else. I made arrangements for myself in Buddhism, at the Celestial Master's Mansion, and in the royal family. What would happen if I were to be reincarnated into the martial arts world and become a disciple of the Green Mountain Sect?"

Xu Taizu stepped halfway into the spatial rift, and upon hearing this, said calmly without turning his head:

"Then, you will represent Qingshan and challenge the royal family of Yu Kingdom to a duel. If you win, you will have the opportunity to comprehend the royal family's inherited murals."

At this moment, Zhao Du'an was stunned.

A realization dawned on him; he finally understood why Wu Xiankui was so obsessed with comprehending the path to becoming a "Martial God."

Even until his death, Wu Xiankui did not understand the true meaning of the Green Mountain Sect's historical duels with the royal family.

"I see."

Xu Taizu disappeared at the mouth of the well, and the setting sun, which had been sinking, rose again, its golden rays illuminating the earth.

Zhao Du'an looked up and saw the small town begin to disappear, followed by villages.

In the end, all that remained in this world was that fiery red banyan tree, its countless branches stretching out like countless silk ribbons.

A swirling blue lotus rose from between his brows.

The dragon's soul on the tree and the blue clouds above his head converged on him.

Three flowers gather at the top, and five energies converge at the origin.

……

……

Its daybreak.

The outskirts of Mubei Forest.

A lone tent was pitched on the ground.

The campfire outside the tent had gone out.

Inside the tent, Empress Xu Zhenguan and Tuoba Weizhi opened their eyes at the same time, looked at each other, and were momentarily unsure whether what had just happened was real or an illusion.

Beside him, Zhao Du'an and Zhang Yan sat cross-legged with their eyes closed, motionless.

As if asleep.

"We really didn't leave this place at all."

Xu Zhenguan stood up in a daze, then lifted the tent flap. There were no ferocious beasts attacking outside, no shattered battlefield; the night had dissipated, and the sun was rising.

Dressed in a wedding gown and wearing a dark gold mask, Pei Niannu floated calmly through the forest, gazing into its depths, and said serenely:
"Xu Manzi is gone."

The empress was stunned for a moment, then tears streamed down her face.

At this moment, Tuoba Weizhi exclaimed softly from inside the tent, poked his head out, and said to the two women, "Master Zhang is also dead."

A profound sense of grief washed over her. That day, Xu Zhenguan didn't utter another word; she simply found a spot and buried Zhang Yanyi's body.

Then they found a clean, large blue stone and placed Zhao Du, who was sitting cross-legged, on it.

A long wait began.

One day passed.

Three days passed.

Five days passed.

Within the Mubei Forest, the world seems to stand still, eternally frozen in winter.

Xu Zhenguan stood guard under the large blue stone, looking up at Zhao Du'an, who sat upright like a god, every day, only to lower his head in disappointment time and time again.

After an unknown amount of time, Xu Zhenguan could no longer maintain her composure. She sensed that, with the passage of time, this part of her soul that could not return to her original body was gradually dissipating.

Another morning.

Xu Zhenguan leaned against a large rock, her face extremely haggard. She took one last look at Zhao Du'an and saw that he was still motionless. She propped herself up and, with her last remaining strength, brushed a fallen leaf off his shoulder.

Then, she sat down again under the bluestone, turned to Pei Niannu and said, "I have to go now."

Pei Niannu replied calmly and coldly, "Fine."

Xu Zhenguan then looked at Tuoba Weizhi and said, "Remember to tell him that I'll be waiting for him to come back outside."

Tuoba Weizhi tilted his head and said, "Okay."

Xu Zhenguan let out a long breath, leaned against the bluestone, and murmured something in a low voice. The last remnant soul within the puppet's body vanished into thin air.

Thus, only one person and one soul remained guarding Zhao Du'an.

Pei Niannu spent her days floating on the tree branches, as if she felt that as long as she sat high enough, she could see six hundred years of history.

Tuoba Weizhi made a broom and swept away the snow and fallen leaves again and again, just like in the many years in the La Garden, when she, as a priestess, guarded the gods behind her.

In the blink of an eye, another year has passed.

One morning, as the sun rose, Tuoba Weizhi once again picked up her broom, walked to the bluestone, and when she looked up, the broom in her hand fell to the ground with a "bang".

She knelt on the ground, trembling and prostrating herself, as if she had seen a being above gods.

High up in the tree, Pei Niannu finally withdrew her gaze. Behind her mask, a pair of unreal eyes stared blankly at the blue stone.

Zhao Du'an opened his eyes, his gaze pure and clear like that of a newborn child.

It also seems to contain the entire world.

"How long have I slept?" he asked.

Pei Niannu floated down, her illusory soul trembling uncontrollably: "I don't know."

Zhao Du'an was somewhat distracted.

Tuoba Weizhi said, "The mistress said she is waiting for you to return outside."

Zhao Du'an said, "I understand."

Then, he stood up, and at that moment, boundless mysteries arose between heaven and earth.

"You wait here, I'll be right back."

After saying this, Zhao Du'an took a step south and disappeared from sight.

……

……

Refuse to enter the northern city.

As the largest military stronghold of the entire Yu Kingdom along the northern iron pass, the city walls should have been patrolled day and night by elite armored soldiers.

However, in today's Jubei City, the once-mighty northern border army is nowhere to be seen, only a group of wounded and defeated soldiers remain.

About a year ago, following an imperial decree from Her Majesty the Empress, Luo Kedi led the northern border troops to reinforce Xiping Road.

In the ensuing long and brutal war, wounded soldiers were constantly forced to leave the battlefield and were transported to the rear.

On the city wall, Lang Shiba stood alone, leaning against a banner, quietly holding a jar of the strongest liquor from the north.

He still had long, flowing hair, but his stubble was more disheveled, and he looked haggard and aged, as if he had aged ten years.

The long sword that was always with him was thrown on the ground like scrap metal, used as a footrest for the chair leg under Lang Shiba.

Like a ghost, Ji Yue walked up to the city wall, came to his side, and, seeing his drunken state, calmly said:
"You should go back. If you stay here drinking, you'll freeze to death in the night sooner or later."

Lang Shiba, clutching the wine jar, didn't look at her. Drunk and self-deprecating, he said:

"Where can I go back to? I'm a cripple now, where else can I go but here?"

As he spoke, he patted his legs, which had lost sensation and atrophied.

He no longer possessed any martial spirit.

Back then, Lang Shiba was seriously injured and recuperating at the Huai'an Prince's Mansion. Later, one day, Prajna Bodhisattva appeared in Jingchuan County and used magic to heal Lang Shiba, but his cultivation level ultimately fell irreversibly into the Divine Realm.

Afterwards, Prajna Bodhisattva wanted to go to Xiping to participate in the war, and Lang Shiba chose to follow him, but was wounded again in the later fierce war.

This time, the injuries were too severe to be reversed, and Lang Shiba could only be sent to the rear as a wounded soldier. Originally, he was to be sent back to the capital, but Lang Shiba took the initiative to return to Jubei City, back to the place where he first lived.

Then, a drunken "guardian" appeared on the city wall. However, the King of Yanshan had already been executed. Day after day, facing the snowy plains in the north, what was he guarding?
Ji Yue paused for a moment, then suddenly said:
"If the master were to return, he would surely not want to see such self-destructive behavior."

Lang Shiba turned his head, stared at her, and murmured:
"It's been a year. The lord has been missing for a year. Why have you disobeyed orders and come here from the capital, wandering around the city walls all day long?"
I know, you know the Master went north, right? But it's been a year. Do you really think that if the Master truly entered that forbidden zone, which even celestial beings cannot tread, he can come back?"

Ji Yue suddenly snatched the wine jar from his hand and stared coldly into his eyes:

"If you don't believe the master will eventually return, why are you guarding this place? Does this city wall really need a crippled sentry?"

Lang Shiba, still tipsy, reached for the wine jar again, cursing:

"What I do is none of your business, you lonely ghost!"

Ji Yue was furious. He picked up the wine jar and threw it off the city wall.

The heavy wine jar broke through the cold wind, whistling as it fell towards the high city wall.

Lang Shiba stretched out his arms and helplessly collapsed onto the city wall. In despair, he reached out and grabbed nothing. Then, he suddenly froze, motionless.

Ji Yue sneered, "What's wrong with you now? Speak!"

Lang Shiba remained motionless, struggling as he clung desperately to the city wall with his arms, staring blankly at the snow-covered plains to the north.

At that moment, the drunkenness in his hazy eyes quickly dissipated, and he murmured:
"Someone."

people?
Ji Yue frowned and turned her head to look with some doubt. Behind her black hair, in her white pupils, was reflected an endless snowfield that was shrouded in wind and snow all year round.

At that moment, a human-shaped black figure suddenly appeared in the storm, and in the blink of an eye, it went from a tiny black dot to atop the city wall.

Zhao Du'an looked at them in surprise and said:
"Why are you here?"

Ji Yue was struck dumb. She trembled all over, rubbing her eyes in disbelief, then suddenly covered her mouth and let out a wail.

Lang Shiba almost fell off his chair, then tilted his head back and uttered, "My lord..."

A dignified warrior, tears welled up in his eyes.

Zhao Du'an was taken aback, and in that instant, he understood everything.

He opened his arms to support the two of them and said softly, "I'm back. You've been waiting for me."

(End of this chapter)