If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1337 The Taigong Precious Record Appears Again

—This news came from the fish demon again. Could it be that the old ape hired a group of shrimp soldiers and crab generals to help him distribute leaflets?
This method is simple and crude, but it has to be said that it is very effective.

But why spread this message so widely, and specifically target the heroes of this great calamity? What exactly is the Jade Emperor trying to do?
Hu Bing felt a pang of doubt rising in his heart again.

She set her sights on Peng Yue for two reasons: First, and most directly, Peng Yue was an extraordinary man.

Before even seeing his face, only seeing the aura above his head from afar, she brought the old Taoist priest Ziwei over.

Then, upon learning that his name was "Peng Yue," her memories of her past life immediately resurfaced—Peng Yue was a famous guerrilla warfare master and a meat sauce maker.

Yes, he was very good at guerrilla warfare; the phrase "Peng Yue disturbs Chu" has even become an idiom.

He died a gruesome death, chopped up by Empress Lü and turned into mincemeat.

When she traveled around China to "pay homage to her godfathers" earlier, the first tier of godfathers she planned to have were naturally Han Xin and Xiang Yu.

Peng Yue, however, was able to be ranked alongside the renowned figures of the martial arts world, Ying Bu and Huan Chu, as one of the "second-tier godfathers."

It is no coincidence that such a hidden dragon, who had a significant impact on the Qin and Han dynasties, received an "invitation" along with Xi Juan and Liu Ji.

"As for Ape Master, all I know is that he is a famous sword immortal in China, with two precious swords, Qing Shuang and Chi Yan, which can cut through a thousand-foot mountain peak with a single sword."

It seems that this White Cloud Peak was originally in the Cloud Dream Marsh, but he severed its root with a single sword strike and then carried it around everywhere.

Peng Yue thought for a moment and continued, "There are also rumors that the invincible 'swordsman' of Yue Kingdom back then was also related to the Ape King."

The Ziwei Taoist shook his head and said, "The one who trained the 'Great Yue Swordsmen' for King Goujian of Yue back then was 'Zhao the Virgin,' who is also the Goddess of the Nine Heavens."

The white ape, who lived in Yunmeng Marsh, was fortunate enough to see Zhao Chunu practicing swordsmanship and secretly learned a move or two.

Later, when Zhao, the Virgin, fulfilled her destiny and regained her Xuan Nu form, preparing to ascend to the Heavenly Realm, the white ape jumped out of the forest, knelt on the ground, and begged bitterly, finally granting her the extraordinary opportunity to become an immortal.

Later, the white ape achieved success in its cultivation and ascended to the heavens, naturally seeking refuge with its master.

Both the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden and the Eastern Emperor are the chief officials of the Xiuwen Academy of the Supreme Eight Scenery Palace.

It is said that every 360 years, the various sects of the Xuanmen (mystical arts) will conduct a compilation of immortal techniques.

The newly created Taoist practices of the last three hundred years were compiled into a book and sent to the Supreme Eight Views Palace for review by the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady and the Eastern Emperor.

The Ape King then followed his master to the Xiuwen Academy to organize and oversee the immortal techniques.

He pointed to Baiyun Peak and said, "The thirty-six Heavenly Divine Arts and seventy-two Earthly Divine Powers in this Immortal Abode all come from the 'Ruyi Heavenly Book' of the Xiuwen Academy."

The Heavenly Book records 108 secret techniques of the Nine Heavens, which can be used to attain all the fruits of the immortal path.

This includes all types of immortals, whether they are earth immortals, celestial immortals, human immortals, divine immortals, or ghost immortals.

As Peng Yue gazed in wonder, he became increasingly puzzled. "Such a powerful Nine Heavens Secret Technique should not be passed on to outsiders so easily. Why did Ape Master open the door for us so readily?"

The old Taoist priest Ziwei laughed and said, "Didn't you already give the answer? It's that the Ape Lord took the initiative to open the door of convenience for the wandering immortals of the world."

As an extraordinary being, no one understands better than him the difficulties of seeking the Dao and the hardships of cultivation.

Even though he became a disciple of the Goddess of Mystery, he still failed to receive her true teachings.

The true immortal techniques he cultivated were merely ordinary 'sword immortal inner alchemy' techniques, which could not lead to becoming a celestial immortal or a golden immortal.

The 'Ruyi Heavenly Book' that the Goddess Xuan Nu entrusted to his care happened to contain the Heavenly Immortal Techniques.

He endured for several years, but finally couldn't resist. Taking advantage of the Queen Mother's Peach Banquet, he stole the Ruyi Heavenly Book, escaped the Heavenly Realm, and returned to Baiyun Peak in Yunmeng Marsh.

Knowing that his theft of the scriptures would be discovered sooner or later, he decided to go all the way and made a grand vow to Heaven to obtain a glimpse of the secrets for all seekers of the Dao.

He inscribed 108 secret techniques of the Nine Heavens on the stone wall inside the Immortal Cave of White Cloud Peak, and with the power of his great vow, no one could erase them.

Because Heaven responded to the ape's grand wish, the Heavenly Emperor was magnanimous and only punished him by making him guard the White Cloud Mountain cave day and night and report to the Heavenly Court once a day.

Yes, a day in heaven is equivalent to a year on earth.

The shortest interval between the appearance of the Ape King's Immortal Abode in the mortal world is at least one year.

Peng Yue suddenly realized, "So the real organizer of this grand gathering of immortals is the Lord of Heaven, the Jade Emperor."

He breathed a long sigh of relief, a relaxed smile appearing on his face. He turned to his brothers and said, "Now we don't have to be afraid of the Heavenly Rules and Laws of 'leaking the Heavenly Way' anymore."

It was the Jade Emperor who intercepted a sliver of heavenly secret for us; the laws of heaven cannot govern this place.

If we are fortunate enough to obtain immortal powers, we can simply return home, sacrifice three kinds of animals, and burn offerings to the Heavenly Emperor to express our gratitude.

The old Taoist priest Ziwei was stunned for a moment, and said, "Didn't I make it clear? It was the Ape Lord who made a great vow to intercept a sliver of heavenly secrets for us unorthodox cultivators."

Peng Yue laughed and said, "If the Jade Emperor doesn't approve of such a major event as openly revealing the secrets of Heaven, even if we give Ape a hundred chances, he still won't be able to steal the secret techniques of the 108th and 19th Heavens."

The boy with the flatbread secretly gave him an approving look, and also casually gave the old Taoist priest Ziwei a disdainful glance.

The old Taoist priest Ziwei was a demon in the first place; how could he have any magnanimity?
Upon being rebuked, he immediately flew into a rage and sneered, "Brave Peng, do you even know what the 'Vajra Zen heretical method' is?"

Peng Yue actually knew.

He nodded and said, "The Vajra Zen heresy is a term used by Western Buddhism. They believe that any magic or technique outside of Buddhist teachings is a 'Vajra Zen heresy'."

Our Taiyi Xuanmen is not as petty as them; we simply call Taoist techniques that cannot lead to immortality "illusionary arts."

The Vajra Zen heretical practice is a false method that ultimately leads to no attainment of enlightenment; it is an illusion.

Just as the old Taoist priest Ziwei was about to snort and continue his mockery, a cold snort from "Old Demon" suddenly echoed in his mind.

He was startled, and the mockery and indifference on his face immediately turned into a gentle and kind smile. He even nodded in agreement and said, "Brother Peng is quite knowledgeable. Could it be that you have also studied Taoism with people from the Xuanmen sect?"

Peng Yue shook his head and said, "When I went to Xianyang to build the imperial mausoleum in my early years, I got along very well with the astronomical supervisor who was supervising our work. He told me some common knowledge about cultivating immortality."

The old Taoist priest Ziwei glanced at the young nun Hu Bing out of the corner of her eye again; she still kept her head down and showed no intention of leaving.

“Brave Peng, since you know what Vajra Zen evil method is, don’t you know that the evil supernatural powers and heavenly strange arts of the White Cloud Cave, if you cannot attain the Great Dao after learning them, can also be considered Vajra Zen evil method?”
The Heavenly Emperor strictly forbids the spread of the Vajra Zen heretical teachings in the world.

The Heavenly Court's messengers are flying around in the sky, searching everywhere for cultivators practicing the Vajra Zen heretical method.

If any cultivator is discovered to be using the Vajra Zen heretical method, their name and background will be immediately recorded in the "Book of Good and Evil".

Once the cultivator dies and his soul dissipates, it is immediately seized by the Impermanence and taken to the Fengdu Underworld.

The Emperor of Fengdu will judge and punish cultivators based on the number of times they use the Vajra Zen heretical method and the impact of their actions.

They are often a truly horrific sight.

As he finished speaking, a mixture of resentment and pity appeared on his face.

Peng Yue said, "I know several local deities. They all practiced strange arts that did not grant them immortality, but they were granted divine status through their merits."

Although the position of the Earth God is small, it is still a good result.

It is clear that the Heavenly Emperor did not ban the Vajra Zen evil practice, but rather the evil deeds of those who used it to wreak havoc in the region.

Instead of practicing those chaotic and heretical Vajra Zen techniques, it would be better to have all those unorthodox practitioners who haven't joined the Xuanmen (Taoist school) practice the 108 Nine Heavens Secret Techniques.

The old Taoist priest Ziwei wanted to sneer again. "Brave Warrior Peng, look how many rogue cultivators and chivalrous heroes have come to White Cloud Mountain today?"

If they receive a divine opportunity, they will never take on disciples or teach skills until their death.

From the time King Yue destroyed Wu to the present day, how many times has the Ape Lord's Immortal Abode appeared in the world? How many extraordinary individuals and heroes of the martial world have obtained immortal techniques from it, ultimately passing them down to their descendants, becoming the Vajra Zen heretical art that is now circulating in the martial world?

Peng Yue paused for a moment, then asked, "King Goujian of Yue was a hegemon tens of thousands of years ago. Does that mean the Ape King's Immortal Abode appears in the world every year?"

The old Taoist priest Ziwei said, "The last time the Ape Lord's Immortal Abode appeared in Daze Township was a year and a half ago."

The time before that was eight years ago, when it appeared in the Yuyang Marshland. Because it was located on the northern border, many Hu people also came to seek immortal opportunities, resulting in a great battle with the cultivators from the Central Plains, with hundreds killed or injured.

The last time was probably eighty years ago, but the old Taoist priest can't quite remember.

During the Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth, the Ape Lord's Immortal Abode appeared more frequently, while at other times the intervals were relatively long.

Over tens of thousands of years, each time hundreds of people have received the opportunity to become immortals.

Today, not to mention the entire human realm, at least in the Southern Continent, almost all the Vajra Zen heretical practices are related to the Ape King's Immortal Abode.

Peng Yue was at a loss for words to defend the Jade Emperor.

But he quickly thought of another question: "So, even if one lacks the fortune to obtain the complete immortal techniques in Baiyun Cave, it is still possible to gather all thirty-six Heavenly Gang Mystic Arts by searching in the martial world afterwards?"

The old Taoist priest Ziwei curled his lips, "If that's really the case, why would everyone bother trying to find a celestial connection? Why not just get together and exchange cultivation techniques?"

Even among mortals, different people will have different insights when cultivating immortal martial arts.

The immortal techniques are imprinted on the stone walls inside the cave. Depending on one's fortune, the content of the immortal techniques seen will be different; and depending on one's comprehension, the supernatural powers and secret techniques one comprehends will also be different.

Mixing together the insights of dozens of people, it is still the Vajra Zen heresy, or the loosely organized thirty-six Vajra Zen heresy methods.

Only by studying the Thirty-Six Heavenly Methods within the cave can one have the opportunity to comprehend the Heavenly Immortal Method and then attain the Heavenly Immortal status.

Even though they all comprehended the Celestial Immortal Techniques within the White Cloud Cave, their immortal techniques differed.

Peng Yue exclaimed, "No wonder it's a celestial abode left behind by the Jade Emperor; it's truly miraculous."

At this moment, a gaunt, unremarkable old Taoist priest approached.

He first stood two or three steps away, carefully observing Peng Yue's appearance, and the more he looked, the wider the smile on his thin face became.

As Peng Yue became wary, he took two quick steps and whispered, "Hero, have you ever heard of the 'Taigong Baolu'?"

The old Taoist priest Ziwei's expression changed slightly, and he asked in surprise, "You have news about the 'Taigong Baolu'?"

The old Taoist priest glanced at him sideways, his gaze indifferent, as if he were looking at a roadside tree.

The old Taoist priest Ziwei was very unhappy.

What annoyed him even more was that the old Taoist priest only glanced at him indifferently and ignored him completely before turning his head and continuing to smile at Peng Yue, saying, "Taigong is naturally Jiang Taigong from the Investiture of the Gods period. In addition to the 'Taigong's Art of War,' his treasured records also include the 'Taigong's Three Hundred Extraordinary Techniques' and the 'Taigong's One Hundred and Eight Treasured Soldiers.'"

The entire *Taigong Baolu* is all-encompassing, containing all human military strategies, as well as all the wondrous arts and magical treasures from the Investiture of the Gods era.

The old Taoist priest Ziwei was both angry and shocked.

Peng Yue, who had initially been somewhat wary, now had a look of longing in his eyes and face.

"Daoist Master, do you have any information about the 'Taigong Baolu'?"

He asked the same question as the old Taoist priest Ziwei, but received a completely different response.

The old Taoist priest smiled kindly and spoke gently. He took Peng Yue's hand and said, "There are too many irrelevant people here. Let's go to the side to talk."

Peng Yue hesitated for only a moment before bowing to the pale-faced old Taoist priest Ziwei and obediently letting the gaunt old Taoist priest pull him away.

His brothers followed him, leaving only the old Taoist Ziwei and the young Taoist Hubing behind.

"Ancestor, did you leave any marks on them? This Peng Yue has extraordinary insights; he's likely to gain immortality in the cave. We must catch up with them later, slaughter them all, and interrogate their souls."

"That old Taoist priest actually knows about the 'Taigong Baolu,' so we should interrogate him thoroughly." He said, his voice filled with murderous intent.

Hu Bing stared at the old Taoist's back, a look of doubt flashing in his eyes. "That old Taoist is a bit strange. Go up and test him later."

The old Taoist priest Ziwei's expression froze. "Ancestor, what's wrong with him?"

—Damn it, you said he's weird, and you still want me to test him? Doesn't my life matter?

Hu Bing said, "Let's go and take a look."

She couldn't gleam a glimpse of the gaunt old Taoist's thoughts, nor could she fathom the depth of his cultivation, nor could she discern even a fraction of his identity or origin, nor could she fathom his aura.

There was absolutely no weather above his head.

Peng Yue and his group were a big target, and Hu Bing and the old Taoist priest Ziwei easily followed behind them.

They were only a hundred feet apart.

The gaunt old Taoist used a secret method to communicate with Peng Yue, but Hu Bing still couldn't hear a word from him.

However, Hu Bing can use his spiritual eye to detect Peng Yue's mental fluctuations.

Throughout the conversation, Peng Yue was extremely excited. One could even say he was overly excited, even more so than when he first heard about the Thirty-Six Heavenly Techniques of Baiyun Cave.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the gaunt old Taoist priest burrowed into the ground and disappeared, leaving Peng Yue with a look of anticipation on his face.

"Ancestor, how is it?" asked the old Taoist Ziwei.

Hu Bing looked around, pointed in one direction, and said, "Let's go over there and see if we can still see that old Taoist priest."

Following her guidance, the old Taoist priest Ziwei soon encountered another group of mortal heroes.

The group was even larger than Peng Yue's, with more than three hundred people. The leader was dressed in fine clothes, with an imposing and noble air.

"What a fine air this person has!" the old Taoist priest Ziwei exclaimed in surprise.

Hu Bing smiled faintly and said, "This is Jing Ju, the prodigy of the Jing family in Dang County, who possesses the potential to become an emperor."

"Ah, so it was him. No wonder." A glint of greed flashed in the old Taoist's eyes, but he quickly concealed it, saying regretfully, "He has too many guards around him; it's difficult to make a move!"

Hu Bing said irritably, "Are we here to see Jingju?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the old Taoist priest reappeared.

As before, he whispered a few words to Jingju, who was overjoyed. Then the two communicated secretly using a secret method.

Hu Bing squinted and said, "Ziwei, it's your turn to make a move. Go and test him."

"How should we test him?" The old Taoist priest Ziwei was very resistant, and a look of tension appeared on her face.

“You quietly walk over to him, whisper to him, ‘I know you are Jiang Taigong,’ and then leave without looking back,” Hu Bing said.

(End of this chapter)