Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 284 293 Prelude to the Storm, Breaking Through the Barrier

"Zhu Quanzhong, have you gone mad?!"

"We are both traitors, and Gao Pian will not tolerate us. What good will it do you to kill me!"

"When you first rose up in rebellion, you were one of my generals. Now you've turned against me and betrayed my trust. With such behavior, who will want to serve you in the future?!"

A venomous and frenzied roar exploded in the sky, like rolling muffled thunder.

A middle-aged man with unusual features stood amidst the thick clouds.

He wore golden armor underneath and a yellow robe on top, and was tall and imposing.

With a dark red face, triangular eyes, and thick whiskers under his chin, he looked like some kind of ferocious beast transformed into a human.

The hysterical voice came from a magnificently beautiful bag in his hands.

The bag appears to be woven from gold thread and decorated with agate and coral, featuring reliefs of the Five Buddhas of the Five Directions.

However, these Buddha statues all have sinister appearances, and their solemnity is tinged with blasphemy.

The increasingly fading curses seemed all the more unusual.

"After seven days of refining, it seems Huang Chao can't hold on any longer."

Another voice sounded from behind, and a person dressed in white robes and a black hat, resembling a monk, appeared.

Zhu Quanzhong's triangular eyes almost instantly followed the twist of his neck, presenting a terrifying angle.

In his eyes, he saw the Mingzun's seemingly ordinary face, yet it was as ever-changing as a thousand different faces.

Neither of them spoke for a moment, but golden light began to shine through the surrounding dark clouds, and lightning flickered faintly, as if some invisible battle was taking place.

After a dozen or so breaths of stalemate, the Mingzun in white robes and a black hat finally took the first step back.

“King Liang is so heartless. The divine skill you cultivate, the Secret Dharma Treasury Scripture, comes from my sect, and the acquired bag in your hand also comes from my sect.”

"How can you turn your back on us before the important matter is even accomplished?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Quanzhong's expression remained unchanged, but the strange phenomena of golden light and thunder around him subsided.

Dark clouds rolled in, and the wailing from inside the bag grew even more piercing in the eerie silence.

"In order to spread his teachings, the Venerable One has developed a silver tongue, but there are some things that need to be made clear."

“The Ming Cult was originally an evil cult from outside the region. If it weren’t for the female protagonist Wu, you would not have had the opportunity to change your allegiance and secretly grow stronger.”

"If Emperor Wuzong had not persecuted Buddhism and the Pure Land School had not faced difficulties, you would not have been able to obtain your divine skills and spiritual treasures."

"Now, the building is about to collapse, and without me, you would have no chance to enter."

As Zhu Quanzhong spoke, a hint of expression finally appeared on his dark red face, whether it was coldness or arrogance was hard to tell.

"Repairing the acquired bag requires the blood sacrifice of the army. I get the spiritual treasure, you get the demon army, it's a win-win situation."

"Cooperation is cooperation, but Your Majesty must be clear about who is the master and who is the servant."

The Mingzun's face froze, revealing the face of an old woman, who let out a hoarse, dry laugh upon hearing this.

“What King Liang said is true. I came here to tell you that Huang Chao’s 100,000 troops have trained 5,000 demon soldiers.”

"With this elite force, Gao Pian's Shence Army is no longer a threat."

Zhu Quanzhong frowned upon hearing this, but before he could speak, a sharp roar burst forth from the bag:

"Five thousand?! My army of one hundred thousand! My army of one hundred thousand! You, you bunch of lunatics!"

"That's an army of 100,000!"

"What army? Three or four out of ten are refugees, useless trash that looks good but is not useful at all."

Zhu Quanzhong's tone was sarcastic, and his furrowed brows relaxed somewhat.

"Enough. The quality of an army is more important than its quantity. If you could understand this principle, you wouldn't be like a stray dog, being chased around by the court."

"But now, even if we understand this, it's too late!"

After saying that, Zhu Quanzhong's expression suddenly turned fierce, and his powerful and domineering aura spread through the sky like the sun.

A colossal image of Buddha rose from behind him, obscuring his true form. Only a large, moon-colored hand could be seen supporting the back of the bag, which swelled in the wind and instantly grew to the size of a house.

The gold-woven bag turned from dark to transparent, revealing two figures struggling inside.

One of them was wearing an imperial crown, but his hair was disheveled. He was holding a large black seal with the four seal characters "Yanluo Tianzi" engraved on its surface.
The other person, however, had been reduced to a skeleton, with only a patch of intact flesh remaining on his sunken face. The stone pillar he held in his hand was severely damaged, and the inscriptions on it were now illegible.

"King Liang, I... I am willing to surrender. I am willing to serve King Liang by holding his horse and putting him in his stirrups."

Qin Fengquan grasped at a straw, his words urgent and humble. Mingzun, standing nearby, shook his head inwardly.

When Qin Fengquan led his army to feign an attack on Songzhou, it was originally a minor matter. However, due to the twists of fate, the secret realm happened to appear.

He didn't get the treasure, but was instead severely injured by the demon Yang Ying, which greatly damaged his vitality. Even after a long time of recuperation, he was unable to recover to his peak condition.

So much so that Zhu Quanzhong led his troops there, and a "Hongmen Banquet" disguised as a peace talk directly imprisoned the two men in Lingbao.

Several days later, Huang Chao still had the strength to curse, but Qin Fengquan was already exhausted and barely had the strength to beg for mercy.

His 100,000 troops were captured by the Ming Cult using their unique methods. They were either turned into madmen or became puppets, a demonic army that only knew how to obey orders and kill.

'However, it is precisely this ruthlessness and decisiveness that allows one to overwhelm all rivals and become the ruler of the world.'

Mingzun watched silently as Zhu Quanzhong refined the two grandmasters, remaining unmoved.

We were all originally bandits, and it was common for us to surrender and then rebel again.

Zhu Quanzhong himself was recruited by Huang Chao and then established himself in Henan Province, gradually rising from a military governor to the Prince of Liang. He was well aware of this.

Moreover, Huang Chao established his capital in Luoyang and proclaimed himself emperor. He had already been the pseudo-Qi emperor for several months before his army pressed in.

Once a person sits on the dragon throne and tastes the supreme power in the world, can he still bow down and submit to others?
Others may not know, but Zhu Quanzhong knows he can't do it, otherwise he wouldn't have gotten to where he is today.

Ignoring the advice of his general Yang Shihou, he simply put the two men into the Acquired Bag to refine them.

At this moment, as Huang Chao's roar gradually turned into a scream, a trace of pure energy condensed in the Acquired Bag.

A quarter of an hour passed, and when there was no sound from the bag, the image behind Zhu Quanzhong also disappeared.

A large, rough hand grasped the gold-threaded bag, turned it upside down, and shook it, revealing two translucent, milky-white fruits tinged with pink.

There was also a large black seal and a stone pillar that flew towards the Venerable One.

"Removing acquired impurities and restoring innate purity, it is truly a precious treasure."

"If one could comprehend the mystery of reincarnation, wouldn't one be able to maintain eternal youth and live forever?"

Zhu Quanzhong stared at the fruit in his hand, revealing greed and ecstasy, then swallowed it in one gulp, his aura subtly changing.

However, after looking at the two divine weapons, the Mingzun took the initiative to leave behind the broken stone pillar and presented the large black seal instead.

"Grand Preceptor, why are you declining?"

Zhu Quanzhong smiled with satisfaction, but then asked a question. "Because this is the Seal of the King of Hell, it is more appropriate for the true Son of Heaven to use it."

The Emperor spoke calmly, as if stating an objective fact, but Zhu Quanzhong burst into laughter.

His laughter grew louder and louder until it was like a tornado, with deafening thunder echoing across the sky above Hongnong, and a streak of blood-red light shooting straight into the heavens.

The horrifying scene caused the warhorses in the camp to panic, but the brothers Zhu Youzhen and Zhu Yougui, who rushed out of the gate, and some military officers showed signs of fanatical joy.

Only when the black and white lights rose in response from the direction of Huayin County in the distance did Zhu Quanzhong finally suppress his smile.

With a wave of his hand, he swallowed the Day After Tomorrow Bag and the Yama Emperor's Seal.

It is said that divine weapons possess spirits, but in his hands, the black seal that had just lost its master, Huang Chao, did not struggle at all.

"Congratulations, Father, on your great mastery of divine skills!"

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, on mastering your divine skill!"

As Zhu Quanzhong and the Mingzun descended from the clouds, the Zhu brothers and a group of military generals rushed forward to offer their congratulations. However, the former merely nodded and then began issuing orders:
"Let Yang Shihou lead 10,000 troops across Huayin and station them in Xiayang and Baishui to keep an eye on that one-eyed dragon in the north."

"Send someone to report the victory to the court. The false emperor Qi, the rebel Huang Chao, and the traitorous general Qin Fengquan have been executed, and the crisis in Luoyang has been resolved."

"Xijing has been ravaged by war many times. I have heard that grain prices have been soaring recently. I request that the officials of the court consider the livelihood of the people and return to Luoyang with the Emperor to have a meal."

"Finally, send a message to Carpenter Ma, telling him that if he still wants to be a Taiping General, he should immediately send 10,000 troops to garrison Shangzhou."

Three orders were issued in the blink of an eye. Some people were still confused, but some of the confidants were already showing signs of excitement.

But the excitement didn't linger on the Zhu brothers' faces for long. Zhu Quanzhong, while loosening his robes, walked towards the central command tent and naturally gave the order:

"Have Wang and Zhang come over."

Zhu Youzhen and Zhu Yougui's faces stiffened simultaneously, and the surrounding generals lowered their heads in unison, pretending not to have heard.

Not long after, two alluring young women entered the central command tent, and soon a series of heavy breathing could be heard from inside.

Before long, the frenzied chorus of men and women was drowned out by the sounds of armor and footsteps clashing, and the dust, like a raging dragon, swept towards Huayin.

"Yang Shihou is gone?"

"They left, leaving only five hundred soldiers to garrison ten miles outside Huayin City."

"You scoundrel! You're so arrogant, thinking we won't dare to make a move?"

"What, Sect Leader Changsun wants to spar with Zhu Quanzhong?"

"Don't forget the strange phenomena from a few days ago. He made no attempt to hide it; he wanted the whole world to know that he had become a terrestrial immortal."

"Alright, no need for further words. If Zhu Quanzhong wants to make a move, he'll have to ask the Two Elements Banner in my hand first."

"Junior Brother Qin, what's the movement of that army?"

"The troops split into two groups, one in the east and one in the north, in Xiayang and Baishui, probably to keep an eye on Li Yisheng's forces."

"Not only that, but eight thousand troops have also gathered in Shangzhou from Shannan East Circuit. It's quite close to the capital from here."

After Qin Li, the leader of the White Tiger Sect, finished speaking, the Sanqing Hall fell into silence. Even Changsun Chi couldn't care less about cursing Ma the carpenter as a traitor who had betrayed the court.

The situation is already very serious.

The east and south sides of Gyeonggi Province were blocked by troops, and Zhu Quanzhong's intentions were self-evident.

Not to mention that they also received news yesterday that the King of Liang had submitted a memorial stating that Huang Chao and the bandit general Qin Fengquan had been executed, and the crisis in Luoyang had been resolved.

While reporting the victory, he also mentioned the high price of grain in Xijing, implying that the powerful and wealthy were heartless and embezzled the people's hard-earned money.

We implore the Emperor to return to Luoyang for food, so that the people may live in peace. The Tongji Canal here transports grain, which should be enough to resolve the current crisis.

It is said that on the day the memorial was delivered, two great suns shone brightly in the sky above the Hall of State Affairs.

Although it was late autumn in November, with frost already forming on the houses, the imperial city felt as if it had returned to the sweltering heat of midsummer.

He is clearly the biggest traitor of the day, yet he acts as if he is a loyal subject of the court.

Yan Daotong could easily guess that Gao Pian would be furious upon seeing that memorial, to the point that his mind would shake the heavens and earth, causing extraordinary phenomena.

While he was pondering, Changsun Chi and Qin Sixing started arguing again, with Yuchi Mu trying to smooth things over, while Taiyi Zhenren kept his eyes closed, acting as if it were none of his business.

After the fruitless argument ended and everyone else left the Sanqing Hall, the old Taoist priest opened his eyes and looked at Yan Daotong with schadenfreude:
"Luckily, I didn't listen to my master and joined the Azure Dragon lineage. If I were to become the sect leader, I'm afraid I would have beaten Changsun Chi and the others to a pulp long ago!"

"You can't beat me, so I'll become the sect leader."

Yan Daotong rubbed his temples helplessly, got up and walked towards the back mountain, with Taiyi Zhenren following behind.

“Junior Brother Changsun is devoted to the court and despises the regional military governors; he is willing to fight.”

"Junior Brother Qin also cares about the imperial court, but he wants to form alliances and delay."

"As for Junior Brother Yuchi, he is probably concerned about his family and hasn't made up his mind yet."

The leader of the Louguan sect couldn't help but sigh and exchange a glance with Taiyi Zhenren.

Their positions are self-evident.

"How are the preparations for Cunxiao going?"

"According to him, it's already 99% complete."

Yan Daotong looked at the Ancestral Hall so close at hand, and a genuine smile finally appeared on his face.

"Thanks to the ancestral master, such a talented person exists. In any case, at least the lineage of my Louguan sect will not be cut off."

"What will happen to Tianyun if Cunxiao becomes the sect leader?"

Taiyi Zhenren stepped into the hall first, and Li Cunxiao quickly stepped forward to pay his respects.

"Don't put all your eggs in one basket. What is united will eventually divide, and what is divided will eventually unite. As long as we can survive the coming chaos, what harm is there in having two leaders?"

Yan Daotong murmured to himself, but the other two could not hear him clearly.

To maintain secrecy surrounding the dragon boat race, even Xue Tianyun was unaware of what was happening at this time and place.

"If you are ready, then go."

Li Cunxiao, unaware of the two old men's thoughts, bowed respectfully and offered incense in worship.

Ripples like water spread and in the blink of an eye, we arrived at the plaque of the Three Realms Ultimate Cave Heaven.

This time, however, Li Cunxiao did not step out of the sea of ​​clouds and ascend to heaven, but instead sat cross-legged on the spot.

Between his brows, the crimson dragon pattern glowed and shone, and a "pearl" was spat out and sent into his dantian by the crimson dragon—this was the Taiqing Xuan Qi that had been accumulated last time.

As the true forms of the Azure Dragon and the Bodhi Tree manifested, the True Essence, nourished by the Supreme Purity Qi, became increasingly clear, flowing along the twenty-four vertebrae of the Heavenly Bone and into the Mysterious Pass—

Open the mud pill!

(End of this chapter)