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

Chapter 1338 Mutual Explosion
"What? That old Taoist priest is Jiang Taigong?!" Ziwei Taoist priest exclaimed in shock. "How is that possible? Jiang Taigong has been dead for a long time."

"Did I say that the old Taoist priest was a living person?" Hu Bing asked.

That gaunt old Taoist was a ghost immortal who had achieved the Taiyin Refinement Technique. His Taoist cultivation was profound, and even ordinary immortals could not see through his origins.

"Not a living person?" The old Taoist priest Ziwei was startled again. "But even if it is Jiang Taigong's ghost, like Emperor Zheng, there has been no news of him for many years after his death."

They seemed to have vanished without a trace. How could they suddenly reappear in Mangdang Mountain?

Hu Bing said, "I don't know, and I can't be sure if he is Jiang Taigong, so I asked you to test him."

The old Taoist priest Ziwei asked in confusion, "How did the ancestor deduce that he was Jiang Taigong?"

I don't know Jiang Taigong, but I don't know how many gods and immortals have lived from the time of the Investiture of the Gods to the present day.

They had all met Jiang Taigong.

If that Taoist priest really is Jiang Ziya, won't he be recognized while wandering around like this?

"Are you a pig-brain? We can change our appearance. Jiang Taigong has mastered the 'Three Hundred Wonders of Taigong,' so turning into a lousy old man is easy for him, isn't it?" Hu Bing mocked.

“But you say he is Jiang Taigong, there must be a reason, right?” said the Ziwei Taoist.

Hu Bing said, "First it was Peng Yue, then Jing Ju, who's next?"

Hehe, these people are not only heroes of China, but also the main characters in this great calamity, and the hidden dragons vying for supremacy.

As far as I know, ten years ago, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang "accidentally" dug up the tomb of the Song Celestial Master of the Qi State under the Jiang clan and "accidentally" obtained a fragment of the "Taigong Baolu".

One accident is an accident, but when many accidents happen in succession, they are no longer accidents.

The hidden dragon who dared to plot this great calamity still used the "Taigong Baolu" as a medium.

Can you think of anyone else besides Jiang Ziya (Jiang Taigong) who could pull off such a feat?

The old Taoist priest Ziwei asked in surprise and doubt, "If it really is Jiang Taigong, what is he after?"

Hu Bing said quietly, "Naturally, he's after what the Jade Emperor desires. The Jade Emperor transmits the Dharma, and he also transmits the Dharma indiscriminately; their purposes are probably about the same."

“The Jade Emperor.” The old Taoist priest Ziwei’s heart stirred. “The Jade Emperor used the Ape Lord’s Immortal Abode to spread the Heavenly Court’s ‘Vajra Zen Evil Method’.”

Needless to say, the Taigong Baolu must also be considered a heretical Vajra Zen practice.

Those who use unorthodox methods and evil practices like Vajra Zen will pay a price and fall into the Fengdu Hell.

But what benefit could Jiang Ziya and the Jade Emperor possibly gain from this?

Hu Bing said, "Stop talking nonsense. That old Taoist priest has already fooled Jingju and is about to disappear again. You should go over there quickly."

"Ancestor, I... I'm scared! If it's true that Jiang Taigong is actively selling the 'Taigong Treasure Record' to the heroes of China, there's probably a huge conspiracy hidden inside."

"If I expose his identity, won't I be met with a thunderous blow?" the old Taoist priest Ziwei cried out, her voice trembling with tears.

Hu Bing coldly said, "Everyone knows that Jiang Ziya has no divine blessings; he is not even a true immortal."

"Now that I'm right beside you, even if he were truly Jiang Ziya, wielding the God-Slaying Whip, he still couldn't harm you in the slightest."

The old Taoist priest Ziwei was still very worried.

Jiang Ziya may not have been blessed with divine fortune, but he was able to compile the "Taigong Baolu" (a book on magic and treasures for killing people), so how could he lack supernatural powers and magical weapons for killing?

But the old demon was right next to him, so he didn't dare to refuse outright and could only grit his teeth and keep going.

"Hurry up, the old Taoist priest has reached an agreement with Jingju," Hu Bing urged.

The old Taoist priest quickened his pace, brushing past him amidst the indifferent gaze of the gaunt old Taoist priest.

Before passing by, he left behind a secret message: "I know you are Jiang Taigong."

The gaunt old Taoist priest was taken aback for a moment, then stopped and chuckled, "How shall I address you, fellow Daoist?"

—He actually reacted and even talked to me. What does that mean?
The old Taoist priest Ziwei was nervous, apprehensive, and somewhat bewildered, unsure of how to respond.

He subconsciously tried to glance at the boy who made sesame cakes out of the corner of his eye.

The young Taoist priest turned around and respectfully said, "Reporting to the Taoist master, my master is the Purple-Haired Demon Lord of Dongyang City in Dongsheng Divine Continent. He is the personal disciple of the 'Bewitching Heart Venerable,' one of the Ten Great Demon Ancestors of the South."

The old Taoist priest Ziwei was taken aback.

The gaunt old Taoist priest first let out an "Oh," and then immediately felt slightly unwell.

He frowned and looked around. There were many people around, and he couldn't figure out the source of his "fleeting discomfort," but he didn't think much of it.

"Purple-haired Fellow Daoist, what did you mean just now?"

The old Taoist priest Ziwei wanted to jump up and shout: "Old Demon, what do you mean by revealing my identity on your own initiative?"
He dared not, so he could only feign mystery with a blank face, "First Peng Yue, then Jing Ju, who's next? Hehe, these people are not only heroes of the land, but also the protagonists of this great calamity, the hidden dragons vying for supremacy."

He perfectly imitated the old demon's words, expression, and tone.

He had previously felt that the old demon's words were quite profound and unfathomable.

At this moment, I imitated her and acted all high and mighty. At the same time, I felt scared but also very excited.

The gaunt old Taoist smiled faintly, "Fellow Daoist is right. More than ten years ago, King Chen Sheng was favored by Heaven and unexpectedly discovered half of the 'Taigong Baolu'."

Today, the generals under King Chen Sheng are able to be invincible in the Central Plains, capturing dozens of cities of the Qin Dynasty one after another. It must be said that the half of the "Taigong Baolu" has made a great contribution.

However, even if one keeps half of the "Taigong Baolu" at home and cherishes it like a worn-out broom, it will always remain just half of the "Taigong Baolu".

If it were shared with heroes across the land, it might be possible to add "Seventy-Two Divine Powers of the Earthly Fiends," "Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Gang," and "Miscellaneous Chapters on Qimen Dunjia" to the half of "Taigong Baolu."

The Purple Star Demon exclaimed in surprise, "Fellow Daoist, are you one of King Chen Sheng's men, and are you collecting fragments of the 'Nine Heavens Secret Technique' for King Chen Sheng?"

The wariness deep in the gaunt old Taoist's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a faint contempt in his gaze towards the Purple Star Demon.

"Fellow Daoist with purple hair, we shall meet again someday." He cupped his hands in greeting and swaggered toward another group of heroes from the Divine Land.

The old demon Ziwei was left alone, his expression changing several times, filled with shame, indignation, and confusion.

"We were talking so well, why are you suddenly ignoring me?"

The boy with the flatbread led him a distance away, away from everyone's gaze, before cursing, "You're just a stupid pig!"

The Purple Star Demon was both aggrieved and confused, "Why did you scold me, Ancestor?"

“I sent you to test him, but he managed to find out your true colors with just one sentence. Who else should I scold if not you?” Hu Bing said.

Ziwei Old Demon recalled the conversation just now, especially the attitude of the gaunt old Taoist towards him, and realized what had happened.

“It was my fault. If I had truly seen through his true nature, I wouldn’t have asked such a stupid question as ‘You are one of King Chen Sheng’s men.’”

Sigh, I should have kept up the act and given him a cold, mocking laugh.

He clapped his hands in frustration, then quickly changed the subject, asking, "Ancestor, is he really collecting the 108 Heavenly and Earthly Divine Powers for Chen Sheng, or is he deliberately bluffing me to cover up the fact that he is Jiang Taigong?"

"I don't know," Hu Bing sighed. "I suppose only if you die tragically within half a month can I be sure that he is at least related to Jiang Ziya."

If you continue to live well, this matter will probably just fade away.

"Alas, it's just a guess anyway. Whether he is Jiang Ziya or not, it's none of my business." The old Taoist priest Ziwei grew anxious. "Why would I possibly die a tragic death within half a month?"

Hu Bing said, "In the 'Taigong Baolu', there is a strange technique called 'Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book'. Have you heard of it?"
I told him your real name, and he talked to you for a long time. He must have grasped your 'qi' (vital energy).

Having a real name and possessing your 'qi' is enough to unleash the most powerful Nightmare Suppression Technique in the Three Realms.

If he uses the Seven Arrows of Nailhead Spell to kill you, it means he has a guilty conscience. Why does he have a guilty conscience?

"Ancestor, you've ruined me?!"

The old Taoist priest Ziwei didn't care why the skinny old Taoist priest was feeling guilty; he was furious.

Hu Bing remained silent, only releasing the "aura of the Demon Ancestor" and looking at him with indifferent eyes.

He immediately deflated like a punctured balloon, shrinking back and saying aggrievedly, "Grandpa, I lost my composure."

"Our ancestor possesses unparalleled supernatural powers and boundless magical abilities. With him here, that scoundrel will certainly not be allowed to harm my disciple."

Hu Bing said calmly, "Enough with the nonsense. This time, I will definitely gather all 108 Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends' divine powers."

The old Taoist priest who deliberately spread the "Taigong Baolu" was just an accident.

"I cannot allow a small accident to delay my important business."

Ziwei Daoist cursed "Old Demon" countless times in his heart, but could only force a smile and play the role of a kind and gentle Xuanmen Daoist to continue "welcoming the newcomers".

But after walking for a while at the foot of Baiyun Peak, they sensed that something was amiss.

Some heroes and cultivators who had previously been acquainted with them and had spoken with them, such as Peng Yuezhong, were now staring at the two of them with wary and scrutinizing eyes.

The main focus was on the old Taoist priest Ziwei; the young Taoist priest Hubing was too ordinary and unremarkable, attracting little attention.

"Oh no, we've been betrayed by that Taoist priest."

While the old demon Ziwei was still confused, Hu Bing immediately picked up on his thoughts and understood the truth.

"What did he betray? Did he reveal my identity as the 'Purple-Haired Demon Lord'?" The old demon Ziwei was stunned for a moment, but he was neither anxious nor angry.

After all, he revealed his true self and identity from the very beginning.

Hu Bing, however, was unwilling to swallow this loss.

She wants revenge.

She immediately transmitted her thoughts telepathically: "Pretend you don't know what happened, and try to befriend Peng Yuepan. Then feign fury."

She explained in detail, and the old demon Ziwei had no choice but to walk up to Peng Yue. A few steps away, she called out, "Brave warrior Peng, why are you looking at me with such hostility and vigilance?"

"What have I done to offend you?"

Old Demon blurted it out, which made Peng Yue a little embarrassed.

He stammered a few times, unable to speak.

His brother Luan Bu, standing beside him, came to his rescue, saying, "Daoist, some people say you are a disciple of the Southern Demon Ancestor, and also a Demon Lord."

The old demon Ziwei roared in fury, "Is it that old Taoist priest who calls himself 'Jiang Taigong' who is sowing discord?"

"What, Jiang Taigong?!" This statement immediately drew a chorus of surprised and doubtful voices.

Peng Yue, disregarding his embarrassment, quickly asked, "Taoist Master, which Jiang Taigong are you referring to?"

"How many Jiang Taigongs are there in the world? That old Taoist priest has ulterior motives, searching everywhere for hidden dragons and peddling his 'Taigong Precious Record'. I had my doubts, so I went up and asked him a few questions. He called himself 'Jiang Taigong'."

I don't know if it's true or not.

But since he could readily produce the complete "Taigong Baolu," he must have had a close relationship with Jiang Taigong.

Jingju, who was some distance away, took a few steps closer and asked in surprise, "If he is Jiang Taigong, why would he take out the 'Taigong Precious Record' to exchange for the Heavenly Gang Mystic Arts with us?"

The Purple Star Demon was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "You have the Heavenly Gang Technique? Oh, so he made a deal with you that if you obtained the Heavenly Gang Technique, he would exchange it for the 'Taigong Treasure Record,' right?"

Jingju opened his mouth as if to speak, but was pulled back by his advisor, so he closed his mouth again, and his eyes became more wary as he looked at the old demon.

The old demon roared, "You call yourself an emperor with the looks of a great emperor, yet you have no insight and no magnanimity."

"I'm risking offending Jiang Ziya by reminding you not to be fooled. Isn't that for your own good?"

Peng Yue, standing a dozen paces away, cupped his hands and asked, "Daoist Master, what does Jiang Taigong want from us?"

The old demon Ziwei sneered, "When I ask you questions, you all stammer and treat me like a thief."

Now that I have crucial information that could cost you your lives, you're all trying to come over and take advantage of me.

Who exactly is the evil cultivator of the demonic path?

Peng Yue's younger brother was indignant and shouted, "My elder brother has always treated you with great courtesy, but you concealed your identity and plotted something wicked. Shouldn't we be on guard?"

"Yes, you old devil, you disguised yourself and befriended us. It's clearly a case of a weasel offering New Year's greetings to a chicken, you had no good intentions. Now that your identity has been exposed, you're acting all wronged?" the surrounding people said.

The Purple Star Demon pointed at the "Hero of Juye" and said, "So what if I'm a demonic cultivator? Aren't you all just murderers and bandits? And you—"

He then pointed to Jingju and the others not far away, "Aren't you traitors who have rebelled?"

As a demonic cultivator, I felt embarrassed, so I concealed my identity.

You've killed more people than I have, yet you do it as if it's your right, openly and without any concealment. Aren't you even more like demons than I am?

Peng Yue's many underlings became increasingly resentful, while Peng Yue himself became increasingly embarrassed.

A cultivator on Jingju's side shouted angrily, "Purple-haired old demon, my young master is a dragon destined for heaven."

You, a member of the demonic path, dare to be compared to him?

The old demon Ziwei sneered, "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand. How many people will you have to kill to achieve your goal?"
The so-called "hidden dragon" is essentially the same as "demonic cultivator" or "evil cultivator".

You are the rebels among humans, and I am the rebel among monks.

Ultimately, the difference in reputation boils down to the simple truth: "Killing one person is a crime, slaughtering ten thousand makes one a hero."

Jingju shouted, "Old Demon, don't try to argue. There are so many unorthodox cultivators and heroes here; who wouldn't kill someone?"
But what we care about is that you kill people in your daily life?
You disguised your identity and approached us so that you could later kill us, steal our treasure, and torture us to extract our divine powers.

That's why we fear you and despise you.

The Purple Star Demon laughed loudly, "Are you out of your mind? How many unorthodox Daoist friends and martial arts masters have I met today?"
With so many people, how am I supposed to take them all? Take Peng Zhuangshi for example, he has hundreds of men, how am I supposed to take them all?
Every time the Ape Lord's Immortal Abode closes, cultivators who have gained immortal opportunities exchange Daoist techniques with each other.

I'm merely making connections with those I believe in beforehand, preparing for the later exchange of Daoist teachings.

Although there was some truth to what he said, everyone still looked at him with wary eyes.

Even Peng Yue didn't go over to apologize or rekindle their old relationship.

This made the Old Demon Ziwei very depressed.

(End of this chapter)