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

Chapter 1373 Doumu Collects Debts

"Of course, she should die—"

Taibai Xingjun subconsciously wanted Yu Taishi to die and disappear, so as to relieve the pent-up frustration and humiliation in the hearts of His Majesty and the gods of Heaven.

But then he immediately realized that the reason he was looking for Fu Yuanxian was to take revenge on Yu Fengxian for Xi Juan's marriage.

It wasn't for the earlier "Dragon Conquest of the Heavens".

It wasn't for the imperial plaque above the gate of the Lingxiao Palace.

The cause and effect must be limited to the event of "Xi Juan's marriage"; otherwise, he himself will have to bear the additional karmic consequences.

He can't afford it, and he's even less willing to take it on.

After conquering the heavens with the dragon, even the Jade Emperor repented, realizing he shouldn't have gotten too involved in the karma of the mortal dynasties.

After Xi Juan's marriage, the Queen Mother even advised the Jade Emperor to sever his own earth spirit.

—Forget it, I'm just a servant, a gofer, a messenger. I shouldn't have too strong a sense of ownership.

Taibai Xingjun calmed down and immediately changed his words, saying, "I do not ask for her to die or have her Dao destroyed, as long as her Dao heart is shattered because of the tribulation of love."

Yu Fengxian's attempt to have the "Jade Emperor's Earth Soul" marry the Jade Emperor's daughter is uncertain. If this succeeds, it's hard to say whether the Jade Emperor's heart will be broken, but his face and reputation will certainly be shattered.

Now, instead of taking her life, she's only shattered her Dao heart; it's a case of repaying kindness with kindness.

Fu Yuanxian shook his head and said, "It's not that you can get whatever you want. It also depends on how big Grand Tutor Yu's own weaknesses are."

The danger could be so great as to take her life; a love tribulation arranged for her could take her life, or it could not, in which case the harm of the love tribulation would be slightly reduced.

If the flaw is so small that it can't even cause her unbearable pain, then your attempt to take her life through a love tribulation is nothing but wishful thinking.

Taibai Jinxing glared and said, "Didn't you just say that I could choose whatever I wanted?"

Fu Yuanxian said solemnly, "You can still choose for yourself, but you must first find the flaw in her destiny's marriage line."

Whatever outcome you desire, as long as you find the corresponding flaw, I can help you manipulate the threads of fate, ensuring her doom.

But if you can't find it, then I'll be like a skilled cook without rice to cook.

Taibai Xingjun sensed Xiaoyu's red thread of fate again and frowned, saying, "Although I understand the will of Heaven, I am ultimately not as knowledgeable about the Great Dao of Marriage as you are."

"Looking at her now, her Dao heart seems as hard as iron, without any flaws!"

Fu Yuanxian nodded slightly and said, "This is why I refused you before."

Grand Tutor Yu is not the Princess Longji of yesteryear; Princess Longji's Taoist skills and supernatural powers may have surpassed hers.

However, in terms of spiritual realm, Princess Longji is far inferior.

Someone like Grand Tutor Yu shouldn't have used a love tribulation against her.

When Zhuangzi was cultivating the Dao, he was extremely talented and his cultivation speed was very fast. Soon he had a dispute with several old immortals over the Great Dao.

Some people have also come to me, wanting to perform a ritual for Zhuangzi.

I carefully selected a woman for him who was of noble status, exceptionally beautiful, and of excellent character.

As a result, Zhuangzi's test of his wife led him to prematurely see through worldly desires and attain enlightenment.

Taibai Xingjun said, "Today, we must arrange a love tribulation for Yu Fengxian that will shatter her Dao heart and stagnate her cultivation!"

—This is a mission. If I can't complete it, I won't be able to go back and report to the Jade Emperor.

"Please, Immortal Elder, lend me your strength. Let us work together to find the flaw in fate and weave another love tribulation for her." His eyes were firm, and his tone left no room for doubt.

Fu Yuanxian had no choice but to search with him.

He reached out and pointed, and Xiaoyu's illusory marriage line suddenly magnified a million times, turning into a long river of destiny.

The two of them plunged their heads directly into the pink river, letting all sorts of amazing sights flash before their eyes.

Of course, sticking your head in to look is just the surface.

Essentially, they are using their hearts to capture every pulse of the threads of fate in order to find disharmony.

Disharmony is a flaw.

Time passed quietly, and just as they were watching intently, a ray of magical light appeared out of nowhere.

Quietly, in the pink river of destiny, illusory demonic shadows appeared.

The demonic shadows clung to various wondrous sights, were captured by the two people's spiritual eyes, entered their minds, and settled deep within their hearts.

Let's talk about Grand Tutor Yu in the mortal realm.

After respectfully sending the Old Man of the Moon to heaven, she revealed her true form as "Grand Tutor Yu of the Great Qin Dynasty," and lit three incense sticks for the statue of the Old Man of the Moon amidst the astonished gazes of the temple keeper and believers.

The common people didn't actually know Grand Tutor Yu, since no one dared to spread his image everywhere.

It was only because of her extraordinary beauty, remarkable demeanor, and seemingly sudden appearance that she attracted attention.

She lit three incense sticks, bowed once, and then took out a piece of silver from her sleeve as incense money, thus completing the "normal procedure of a person offering incense at the Temple of the Matchmaker." Then she drifted away.

Just as the Old Man Under the Moon said, ordinary people can go to the Temple of the Old Man Under the Moon to pray for marriage or for their children to marry, so why can't Grand Tutor Yu?

The more just the procedure, the less likely anyone will find fault with it, regardless of the outcome.

However, Grand Tutor Yu did not completely trust the Old Man of the Moon. Or rather, he dared not completely trust the Heavenly Court.

Xi Juan gained some inspiration from the Vajra Zen heretical practitioner, which led her to speculate about his origins.

She decided to first deduce N versions of the "Meeting God's Killing Method".

A single moon goddess cannot keep the Great Destroyer in operation for long.

Old Daoist Yuehe cultivates ancient immortal techniques, but his own strength is not strong, roughly equivalent to that of an ordinary celestial immortal. However, he possesses a primordial spiritual treasure—the Red Thread of Fate—and an acquired divine artifact—the Red Embroidered Ball.

The Great Destroyer cannot directly break the red thread of fate because it is not a weapon.

The only way is to try indirect methods, using various forms of forceful or assassination tactics, to indirectly break the magical effect of the Marriage Treasure.

This process is somewhat similar to how, in the underworld, Xiaoyu used King Qin Guang's method of annihilation to break the "underworld authority" of the innate spiritual treasure "Book of Life and Death" in his possession.

Only by mastering the power to untie the red rope and break the red rope bond could the old Taoist Wu Yazi tie the red rope to Xi Juan's wrist.

Grand Tutor Yu devoted 20% of his energy to deducing "N ways to kill the Old Man of the Moon," while focusing the remaining energy on the Heavenly Demon Curse and the "method of annihilation by the Heavenless."

She didn't linger in Boyang City; the Lantern Festival was tomorrow. Tomorrow at noon, she, having accepted the order from "God," was going to the Extreme Profound Great Yuan Heaven to act as the Heavenly Demon of the Dan Tribulation.

Now she should reunite with her "Heavenly Demon companions".

However, before going to Kuaiji County, she had to return to her old ways: worship the Three Pure Ones, cast divination blocks, and seek the emperor's will.

She had already decided to "break her vow" in the Central Plains and "devour" other people's primordial spirits, so of course she had to inform the Three Pure Ones.

After all, she had made a heavenly oath when she practiced the "Demon Eye Technique." To worship the Three Pure Ones, one should find a Three Pure Ones Temple with a long history and a virtuous and profound abbot.

The statues of the Three Pure Ones in these Three Pure Ones temples are considered to be more spiritual and easier to communicate with.

Back when Xiaoyu was worshipping the Three Pure Ones in Western Shu, he borrowed the Three Pure Ones Hall of Xianyun Temple.

Mount Tai happens to be near Boyang City, and the area around Mount Tai is full of historical Taoist sites.

Grand Tutor Yu seemed to have forgotten his old grudges with the Taishan Divine Palace, and strolled to the foot of Taishan.

The Dai Temple, which was originally in ruins and overgrown with weeds, has now become a construction site.

On the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, many laborers were already busy at work.

Some people were compacting the foundation, some were burning lime, and some were transporting bricks and tiles.
"Who told you that Mount Tai would be peaceful from now on?" Grand Tutor Yu muttered, and followed the mountain path, climbing straight up the mountain.

She did not use any magic to pay homage to the Three Pure Ones.

Along the way, we passed many temples and shrines, including Qingdi Palace, Doumu Yuanjun Palace, Bixia Yuanjun Palace, Jade Emperor Temple, and Queen Mother Temple. If you weren't a "Great Emperor" or "Yuanjun", you wouldn't be qualified to plant your flag on Mount Tai.

Each shrine is magnificent and grand, with soaring eaves, each embracing its own terrain, and interlocking with each other. Long bridges span the water, and covered walkways traverse the sky. Clouds rise and fall, and divine light shines brightly, making it seem like a celestial palace.

Even Qiushan Yuanjun felt envious, thinking, "When will my 'Qiushan Palace' also be able to occupy a place on the mountain?"

Then she thought, "If I turn Mount Tai into an earthquake mountain, wouldn't the gods on the mountain be angry with me? Rather than joining in and sharing the glory, I'd rather destroy Mount Tai and turn it into a desolate place, transforming it from the richest and most prosperous place in the hearts of all people into the most dangerous place."

Hehehe, I can't sit down to eat, but I can smash the pot so that no one can eat.

"If everyone's like me, wouldn't I be happy?"

As the saying goes, a single thought in life is known to all under heaven.

The more important something is, the more likely it is to disturb the spirits.

Grand Tutor Yu was walking leisurely on the mountain path, not deliberately blocking out his thoughts.

Her idea was extraordinary; it could truly change the fate of Mount Tai and its gods.

Emperor Huang Feihu of Mount Tai immediately sensed something.

And it just so happened to be the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, when Doumu Yuanjun descended to the Doumu Palace on Mount Tai to receive offerings, as if she had directly heard the thoughts of Grand Tutor Yu.

"What a shameless and vicious Yu Fengxian! For a whole year, she has turned Mount Tai into an 'earthquake mountain,' and my incense offerings have decreased by 99%. This fellow still won't stop; she's determined to ruin Mount Tai."

"He crippled Mount Tai, not because he was targeting Huang Feihu, but because he couldn't stand how magnificent my palace was; he was just jealous and resentful."

Doumu Yuanjun was furious, and remembering the previous cause and effect, she immediately decided to teach Yu Taishi a lesson.

Two minutes later, Grand Tutor Yu was leisurely enjoying the scenery and steadily climbing up the mountain when suddenly a north wind blew, and snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

Even in the dead of winter, Grand Tutor Yu paid no attention.

But after walking a few steps up the mountain, he caught sight of an old woman wearing only a brown linen dress, leaning on a cane, her back bent, struggling to climb the mountain path. With each step, she would shiver from the cold.

"Grandma, at your age, who are you going to worship all by yourself on the mountain? Why don't you wear more clothes?"

Grand Tutor Yu was genuinely concerned at first. When he asked the question, he had already reached into his sleeve, preparing to take out a cloak to give to his wife.

"Oh, my dear girl, where did you come from? This old woman is going to the mountaintop to worship the Jade Emperor."

The old woman stopped, leaning on her cane, and looked down, tugging at the hem of her clothes, saying, "I used to have a nice dress, a dress my second son sewed for me."

My poor son, being kind-hearted, lent his clothes to a friend for two days, but his friend offended an official of the imperial court, who confiscated the clothes. What are we going to do now?

The old woman responded and acknowledged the "old lady," but this did not trigger the Great Destruction of Father.

He could perceive the appearances of all beings through his mind-reading ability, yet he heard not a single whisper.

Grand Tutor Yu immediately became alert. Thinking further about the old woman's words, her heart skipped a beat: Oh no, they'd run into the mother of the Ziwei Emperor! Could it be that Doumu Yuanjun was enjoying a sacrificial ceremony at the Doumu Palace and they'd just happened to bump into each other?

Her mind raced, but she remained outwardly calm, using the Mingxin Hall to protect her mind and prevent others from prying into her thoughts.

At the same time, it activated a secret technique to tightly lock the Zhou Tian Xing Chen Robe on his body.

It is the reverse deduction of the secret technique of forcibly removing the Zhou Tian Star Robe in the original deduction of the "method of forcibly killing Huang An".

“I have a cloak here, ma’am, you can take it and wear it.” She casually pulled a dark red cloak from her sleeve.

The cloak is a precious item from the immortals, woven from the glow of autumn sunsets, and is especially warm.

It wasn't that he had guessed the old woman's identity and was deliberately trying to please her.

Grand Tutor Yu carried absolutely no worldly possessions.

She could produce some gold and silver, but anything else she carried with her was a precious treasure.

But the old woman only glanced at the cloak before shaking her head with a look of disgust, saying, "This fabric is not good, not as good as mine."

Grand Tutor Yu almost couldn't hold back, flicked his sleeves, and turned to leave.

She held back.

It wasn't that I had much respect for the old woman, but rather that she was steadfast in her Daoist beliefs, always guarding her mind, without desires or thoughts. She had agreed to "Auntie" several times but had never triggered the Great Destruction of Father.

"Auntie, are you a local?" Grand Tutor Yu asked with a smile.

"Yes, the official who stole my clothes is nearby!" the old woman said.

Grand Tutor Yu said, "Auntie, I may be offended by what I say, but please bear with me. There are so many filial sons and kind mothers in the world, why would an official want to take your clothes?"
Have you ever considered that it might be your own problem?
Your son may be filial, but he may be poor at judging people, making bad friends and associating with scoundrels.

It is only right and proper for officers and soldiers to catch thieves.

"The fact that they only confiscated that garment as stolen goods, without following the trail to arrest your son and leave you destitute in your old age, is already a testament to the benevolence of the current Grand Tutor Yu, who has implemented ten years of benevolent policies and reduced punishments."

The old woman thought for a moment and said, "What you said makes some sense. But my son was just being unreasonable. Even if he was wrong, he should only be punished with a shirt. Why should we strip his mother of her burial clothes?"

Grand Tutor Yu almost lost his composure.

“Confiscation of property is different from buying and selling in a market; there is no accurate valuation or fair trade.”

It's like a thief who kills someone for three coins, gets caught by the officials, and is beheaded as a warning to others.

Was his life only worth three coins?

He was killed, a life for a life.

Your son's friend is going to kill someone! You can't just calculate the amount based on the three coins of stolen goods.

To the person who was almost killed, let alone your son's clothes, your son's and your own life wouldn't be as important as a single hair on her head.

Now it was Doumu Yuanjun's turn to lose her composure.

(End of this chapter)