Wet viviparity

Chapter 783 Gathering, All Birds Come
The arrival of the immortal caused quite a stir, with everyone on and off the platform outside the courtyard bowing in respect.

Especially when Qingling Gong led the Huangting Palace group to pay their respects to Qingyang Immortal, Ji Ming was not surprised. He had long understood that his teacher Qingyang was no ordinary wandering immortal.

The fact that Qingyang Xian was able to teach the Taiyi Golden Lamp Refining Method from the secret of the Huangting Palace, the Taiyi Divine Number, during the second lesson of that year already indirectly indicated Qingyang Xian's background in the Huangting Palace.

Unfortunately, the Taiyi Golden Lamp Refining Method was too ethereal and profound. Even with the assistance of the Pupil God, Ji Ming had only just begun to grasp the basics. How could he possibly be expected to be the younger brother of Master Qingyang, the Patriarch of Heshan, to protect his life and enlighten his wisdom?

"teacher!"

Ji Ming stood up and greeted them respectfully.

Qingyang Xian nodded, his gaze lingering on Ji Ming for a moment before sweeping over the old man fishing for dragons to the side.

“He Guan has a deep connection with me, and it is not an exaggeration to say that I am a disciple of a different lineage. Today I have come here to pay my respects and to witness the great prosperity of He Guan from now on.”

Qingyang Xian's tone seemed to be stating a certainty about the future, a prophecy. Instantly, the figures sitting, standing, lying down, or reclining all around the open space had different expressions, but they all quickly returned to calm.

Between the inner and outer courtyard walls, atop a towering ancient pine tree, a strange creature curled up in a hollow in the pine trunk, its pointed snout protruding out, its dark, gleaming eyes fixed intently on the courtyard.

"Indeed, a gathering of immortals and a pilgrimage of all the deities!"

"Come to the court! Come to the court!"

Suddenly, a two-headed raven cried out, startling the monster into quickly casting a sound-avoidance spell to keep the sound from reaching the inner courtyard.

The strange creature nervously bowed to the two-headed spirit raven and said, "I am overjoyed to see the magnificent scenery of Mount Ling for the first time, and I have forgotten my expression. Please forgive me."

"Don't blame me! Don't blame me!"

The two-headed crow stretched its neck and cried out again, attracting many gazes from above and below the ancient pine tree.

"Ignore it."

On a nearby fan-shaped pine branch, within a round, trembling water clump, there was a tadpole-shaped beast the size of a tiger or leopard. It poked its head out of the water clump and said, "This guy has been mentally challenged since he was little. He just likes to repeat what other people say."

The strange beast swished its tail and laughed at the monster, "You're not some immortal's mount, are you, little demon!"

"Little monster! Little monster!"

The two-headed crow cried out again, this time startling the two dragons, one white and one red, coiled atop the ancient pine tree.

Among them, the red-maned dragon swam downwards, suddenly turned around, flicked its tail, and a strong wind swept down, knocking the spirit crow, the water-bomb beast, and the monster off the branch.

"unlucky!"

The beast said something, then returned to the water mass, floated into the dense shade of the pine trees, and fell asleep again, ignoring the little monster.

The little monster was swept to a corner, and realizing that his identity had been discovered, he dared not linger any longer.

He was originally a mountain monster from Liling. He had a deep friendship with Miaoniang, the disciple of the Washing Silk Goddess, because she helped Miaoniang to drill through the mountain rocks and explore the poisonous nests and evil burrows.

Hearing that Master Lingxu was holding a grand event in Heshan, he longed to attend and begged Miaoniang to bring him along as a spirit companion so that he could witness the grand event.

Now that his identity has been exposed, and fearing that it would implicate Miao Niang, he had no choice but to give up this rare opportunity.

The thought that he had spent his entire life rolling in the earth and soil, and that all he had ever encountered were demons and evil spirits, filled him with bitterness and melancholy. He wondered if he would ever have the chance to see the immortals again and fulfill that tiny bit of fantasy.

He dug a hole in the soil with his claws, then shrank into the hole and was about to close the entrance when he suddenly saw a figure loitering outside the courtyard.

The person appeared and disappeared like a ghost. The mountain monster couldn't suppress its curiosity and watched for a while. It noticed that the person seemed to have difficulty walking, but the person was trying to control this abnormality, so at first glance, the person's legs and feet seemed normal.

Suddenly, a whooshing sound approached, and the ghostly figure vanished.

"The immortal has arrived, I can't imagine who else can make a grand finale appearance," the Pangolin thought excitedly.

All around the open space, the crowd looked on, curious to see who would appear after Qingyang Immortal. Then, a white rainbow, accompanied by two beams of light each about ten feet long, descended from the sky with a whooshing cry.

The person in the lead was dressed in a white linen Taoist robe, with long arms that reached past his knees, and a whisk tucked behind his waist. He was none other than the Hundred Birds Immortal. Seeing the crowd of guests gathered outside the courtyard, he was about to show off his power and pay his respects to the Crying Ancestor and the Horse King Little God. However, when he saw the Qingling Duke in the center of the platform, his heart trembled.

Immediately afterwards, the sound of the little god Ma Wang, who had just fled from behind and was still howling, came from behind, as if sitting on a wax candle.

“Old monster, you didn’t say there were immortals or that Qingling Gong was present.”

"Ok!"

Bai Qin Shang Zhen quickly regained his composure, only nodding slightly to Ma Wang Xiao Shen without saying a word.

He hadn't obtained the guest list, so how could he know the details? Even the Hundred Birds Inspiration Minor Derivation couldn't pinpoint these two. The Crying Ancestor was more composed, showing no unusual expression from beginning to end, remaining calm as still water. Like the Hundred Birds True Man, he was skilled in divination, and to some extent, the Ancestor considered himself more proficient.

Kuma, speaking through the secret voice of telepathy, said, "Rest assured, those with great supernatural powers all have their own stance and concerns. At this time, they will be cautious in every action. Moreover, immortals are bound by heavenly rules, so how can they arbitrarily interfere in the calamity?"

"That's true."

Ma Wang Xiaoshen was relieved.

This wasn't because he was easily persuaded, but rather because that's just how the world is.

The Great Calamity of Tiannan is confined to the southern region. Anyone who is not part of the calamity but wants to intervene must consider the outward spread of the calamity's energy, the karmic entanglements, and the resulting endless evil consequences of the Great Calamity.

In fact, from this perspective, the great calamity is actually quite advantageous for the unruly and unorthodox practitioners, such as the Ma Wang Xiao Shen, who has his own unique sect. These people don't need to worry about the complicated matter of spreading the calamity's energy outwards.

Even though that local master was as close as a mother to Master Lingxu, he would not intervene unless Master Lingxu was facing a fatal calamity.

Once this master makes a move and drags the Great Pure Yang Palace into the fray, and then the Great Pure Yang Palace's rival demonic sect seizes the opportunity to enter the fray, it will not only be a minor calamity, but a catastrophe.

As for the Dragon-Fishing Elder on the platform, the calamity in the southern sky is just beginning to emerge, and the intensity of the battle is being restrained and maintained at the level of the third and fourth realms. The competition is about the sect's foundation, such as its disciples and followers. It is far from the time for the Dragon-Fishing Elder, who is at the fifth realm of the Fetal Spirit stage, to make a move. Otherwise, do you think there are no gods, ghosts, demons and monsters in the Cloud and Rain Temple who can contend with the fifth realm?

As for Fei Zhangxian, the same principle applies as long as he still wants to return to the sect.

Sitting in the lotus seat at the head of the table, Ji Ming saw that the Hundred Birds Immortal had indeed arrived with Ku Ma and Ma Wang Xiaoshen. He already knew the other party's choice, but still asked, "I wonder if you have come here this time as the leader of Hundred Birds Mountain, Jing Hai Ke, or the rogue cultivator Hundred Birds Immortal from Dangerous Bird Mountain?"

"I am the Guest of the Still Sea, and I am also the True One of the Hundred Birds."

Ji Ming nodded, saying nothing more, only a faint regret, and then raised his hand to invite him to sit on the cloud platform.

At the same time, Xiao Shougu, who was sitting among the Taoist priests of Taiping Mountain and talking with Mo Yazi, Xu Yanzi, and Baicaozi, had a slight change in expression.

In that instant, Xiao Shougu felt a gaze—no, it should be a spiritual thought. Without even looking, she knew it was the thought of the blind nun with the withered lamp, and understood that it was a reminder for her to adjust her state and prepare to handle that matter as it came.

"Five Goddesses of Blessings, what exactly is Yingzhou like?"

Xue Tongzi, Mo Ya Zi's disciple, looked at Xiao Shou Gu with admiration and asked.

"There, there is a city stretching for a thousand miles, twelve jade towers, and even more magnificent palaces, halls of radiant green, nine-story mysterious chambers, and purple and green cinnabar rooms."

To its left lies a jade pool, and to its right, emerald waters encircle it. Beneath the Heavenly Mountains, where the heavens reside, lies the Ninefold Weak Water, its surging waves reaching ten thousand feet high; only swift chariots and feathered wheels can reach it.

As she spoke, countless ears turned to listen. As a young woman who often traveled to Yingzhou, a land of immortals, she was definitely one of the main characters in the eyes of all the immortals and gods, and a model of those who ascended to heaven in one step.

However, it was the monk on the lotus platform who brought all of this to fruition.

"That's great!"

Xue Tongzi sighed longingly and said to Xu Yanzi's two disciples, "If only we could ask our master to pull some strings so we could stay in Yingzhou for a while."

Xu Yanzi's two disciples were at a loss after hearing what Xue Tongzi said, and they looked at their master in a panic.

Xu Yanzi's eyes darkened, and he sighed inwardly. He wished that his two beloved disciples would not have to be so cautious, but since his junior brother Yang Qian died in the battle of Xiaofudi, their lineage of Diaolongweng had become completely estranged from Heguan and no longer shone in the mountain gate.

Those who cultivate themselves have no sense of honor or disgrace. Xu Yanzi himself was quite content with this, but his two disciples had not yet experienced the warmth of human kindness and were instead subjected to cold treatment, causing their master much distress.

Logically speaking, with the ancestor Fishing Dragon Elder at Jia Peak, the situation shouldn't have deteriorated to this extent.

Unfortunately, the incident at Xiaofudi caused his master to suffer a humiliation at the hands of Qingyang Xian, which greatly disappointed him. He blamed his master, Taihe Zhenren, for his poor teaching, unclear actions, and inability to break through his own stubbornness. From then on, he rarely inquired about him.

Only he knew that his master, Taihe Wankong, was about to be destroyed.

Xu Yanzi looked at his two disciples and smiled gently, "Don't be afraid, your Uncle Lingxu will find you good jobs soon."

The two disciples' eyes lit up, but they still said very sensibly, "We disciples don't want to take on any jobs. We can also take up a position in heaven by practicing our skills diligently, and we won't let our master and grandmaster down."

"Haha, Grandmaster has changed, he will definitely not be disappointed."

Xu Yanzi laughed.

On Xue Tongzi's side, Master Moya patted the top of his head and then rubbed it, causing Xue Tongzi to roll his eyes wildly, but he dared not say anything more. His heart was pounding, and he thought to himself, "Coming to He Guan used to feel like coming home, but today the atmosphere is too strange, making me feel uneasy."

"Why is he here?"

The Hundred Birds Immortal, who had already taken his seat on the cloud platform, was slightly surprised when he saw the Golden Lion Ape sitting on a cloud mat.

(End of this chapter)