Mang Shusheng's Ink Painting Practice

Chapter 318 The Eight Immortals' Fall from Grace Plan
The agreement with Patriarch Chunyang gave Zhao Yifu at least some insight. He then chose to remain calm and await the changes that would occur in the Three Realms.

He felt that his aimless wandering around wouldn't cause any real harm to the Heavenly Court.

To truly achieve Lao Zhang's goal, we'll probably need some more efficient measures.

However, just as Zhao Yifu was pondering, he finally welcomed a guest who had been waiting for a long time.

It was none other than Youquan's chief disciple, Li Wenqing!

As usual, Zhao Yifu met Li Wenqing at the Guest Pavilion at the foot of Baiyun Mountain.

"Brother Yunzheng, how have you been?"

Li Wenqing shook his head and smiled wryly, "Your demeanor is even more impressive than before, but it has made your teacher feel uneasy for quite some time."

Zhao Yifu asked, "What's wrong? Is Venerable Youquan still angry?"

Li Wenqing was speechless. Was this some kind of matter of being angry or not? He just snatched the kidney right away!
He said, "Brother, I'm afraid my master won't be showing up anytime soon..."

Zhao Yifu asked, "Then what brings you here this time, elder brother? Has the Venerable One given me another task?"

His eagerness to serve Venerable Youquan was truly moving.

But Li Wenqing felt he dared not move at all. He thought his little brother must be a bit crazy, really believing that what he had done could be easily put aside.

but……

He sighed deeply and said, "I have come here on behalf of my master to renew our alliance."

At this moment, Li Wenqing felt as if his cerebellum was about to atrophy.

Youquan, who had his kidneys twisted, was like this, and Zhao Yifu, who personally performed the surgery, was also like this. Why do I always feel that Zhao Yifu and Youquan, who should be enemies or even irreconcilable foes, can so quickly put aside their grudges and accept each other?
Li Wenqing always felt that he couldn't quite understand this state of mind.

But Zhao Yifu was very certain.

He smiled and said, "Then please convey my honor to the Venerable One, elder brother."

Li Wenqing was filled with melancholy.

He originally thought he would definitely fail to complete this mission, but who knew he would actually succeed!

He couldn't help but ask, "Brother, what are you really thinking?"

Zhao Yifu asked curiously, "What do you mean, what are you thinking?"

Li Wenqing said, "How can you be so...so..."

He seemed to suddenly find himself at a loss for words.

Zhao Yifu tried to find a word for him: "Silky smooth?"

Li Wenqing found it strange, but still nodded and said, "That's right, reconciling with my master so smoothly..."

Zhao Yifu said, "That's because you don't understand, brother. The Venerable One is a great being who has existed in the void since ancient times, and his existence is even longer than that of the Three Realms."

"Therefore, the physical body is completely dispensable to Him. I was just curious and asked the Venerable One for some flesh and blood to study. How could there be any conflict?"

Li Wenqing felt like laughing when he heard this, but considering that the two people involved seemed to think the same way, he immediately stopped laughing.

He felt that Zhao Yifu understood Youquan better than he did.

In this world, sages might fight to the death over matters of face, but the problem is that Youquan might not have that kind of understanding.

The Nether Spring, which has just descended from the void, is probably exceptionally pragmatic and indifferent to empty fame.

What is empty fame?
How many people in this world know of the existence of the Hidden Spring?
As an ancestral god-level being outside the Three Realms, He truly doesn't care how the beings of the Three Realms view Him. He only cares about whether He can obtain the authority of the world and whether He can advance His own existence to a higher level.

He had no concept of 'cultivation' at all; all he knew was the most basic use of various energies.

This is also a terrifying thing, because it means that Youquan is actually standing at the very top of this world, but he is just not familiar with the rules of the Three Realms and is therefore feeling constrained.

Once He becomes familiar with it, His boundless power will likely be revealed, leaving the world in awe.

However, unlike the sages of heaven and earth who care about the people's livelihood, Youquan does not care about the beings of the three realms. What He cares about is what He can gain from the three realms.

Undoubtedly, it would be extremely dangerous for such a powerful being to enter the Three Realms, but what Zhao Yifu is about to do is to "pull chestnuts out of the fire".

Seeing that Li Wenqing hesitated to speak, Zhao Yifu simply asked first, "I wonder what Your Excellency wants me to do by coming here to form an alliance with you?"

Now, because he gave Youquan a beating, Zhao Yifu has suddenly turned from a 'subordinate' into an 'ally'... It can only be said that Youquan is quite the troublemaker.

Upon hearing this, Li Wenqing sighed slightly and then said, "My teacher wants me to cooperate with you to prepare to take action against the Eight Immortals."

Zhao Yifu was not surprised by this, after all, Li Wenqing's side had been preparing for this all along.

He asked, "Taking action against the Eight Immortals is fine, but to what extent does Your Excellency intend to go?"

This issue was also beyond Li Wenqing's expectations... Shouldn't we be discussing terms now?

Seeing that he was stunned, Zhao Yifu said, "Brother Yunzheng, do you need me to kill the Eight Immortals? Or what?"

In fact, he was perfectly clear about his need for Youquan, but he needed to make it clear now to avoid any disputes later.

Li Wenqing hesitated for a moment before saying, "What you ask of your teacher is that the Eight Immortals be reduced to the Eight Demons."

"Because the Eight Immortals are the foundation of the Heavenly Court, if only the Eight Immortals die, the Heavenly Court can easily cultivate replacements. But if the Eight Immortals collectively fall into the demonic path, then the foundation of the Heavenly Court will be completely shaken, making people doubt the legitimacy of the Heavenly Court."

Zhao Yifu thought to himself, "This is truly filial piety."

However, he remained calm and said, "I understand. So, how does my brother need my cooperation?"

"Your father is among the Eight Immortals, so should we start with him?"

Li Wenqing shook his head and said, "No, my relationship with that person can be used, but not at this time."

“Ningyangzi is an exceptionally cold-blooded person. If I were to simply go to his door like this, I'm afraid it wouldn't move him at all.”

"We can start by targeting the other members of the Eight Immortals who have weaker cultivation levels. Once Ningyangzi realizes something is wrong, I will reveal myself as the mastermind behind the scenes, which will be enough to shake his resolve!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yifu found Li Wenqing's idea quite interesting. It was truly a scheme to get revenge on his father for abandoning his wife and children years ago, and he had even managed to trap himself in the trap.

but……

Zhao Yifu asked curiously, "Brother Yunzheng, I wonder if the Venerable One could revive your mother?"

Li Wenqing paused upon hearing this, then said with a wistful gaze, "So what if she's resurrected? My mother has already gone through six reincarnations, and everything has changed."

Zhao Yifu listened and remained silent.

With Youquan's abilities, it would be easy for him to create and reshape a physical body remotely, but what use would an empty shell be?

Li Wenqing's mother had died many years ago, and he had not preserved her soul beforehand, which meant that the respectable woman who had raised Li Wenqing with such care could only remain a memory.

Zhao Yifu made a mental note of this and then said, "I'm sorry for bringing up something that saddened my brother."

"Since you have already made plans for the Eight Immortals, how exactly should they be carried out?"

He paused for a moment and then said, "The flower demon here is probably intended for Patriarch Chunyang. Shall we activate it now?" He wasn't worried about that at all.

Li Wenqing shook his head and said, "No, Chunyangzi has the highest cultivation level and is also the leader of the Eight Immortals. Such methods may not be effective against him."

"I thought we should start with the simple things, like Cao Jingxiu, who was ranked lower among the Eight Immortals."

Zhao Yifu agreed, saying, "This Patriarch Cao was once the emperor's brother-in-law in the mortal realm. Although he is kind-hearted, he is actually used to a life of luxury. In terms of his desire to pursue the Dao, he is probably the most weak among the Eight Immortals."

Li Wenqing nodded and said, "That's right. I plan to seek the help of the Demon Lord, and then I need you to devise a plan that can touch Cao Jingxiu's heart. By doing this two-pronged approach, we will surely be able to force him into demonic possession."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yifu felt that although it was effective, it was a bit too troublesome. However, he still asked calmly, "What's next?"

Li Wenqing felt that Zhao Yifu was being too hasty; was the next step of the plan already being discussed?

However, considering how quickly Zhao Yifu had completed his previous tasks, he felt that he might have been too cautious.

So he said, "There are also He Xiangu and Lan Caihe, these two can also be the next targets."

"Perhaps we could add Han Xiangzi as well."

"However, Han Xiangzi, who is proficient in both Confucianism and Taoism, should be quite remarkable, which might make things a bit more difficult."

Zhao Yifu nodded and said, "Alright, in that case, let's start with these four patriarchs."

"Brother Yunzheng, just wait for the good news."

Li Wenqing felt a chill run down his spine. Zhao Yifu spoke of the Eight Immortals with great respect, calling them patriarchs, yet he was casually discussing how to lure these patriarchs into demonic possession... This kind of mentality was truly chilling.

However, he still braced himself and said, "By the way, my dear brother, I will stay here as my master's messenger. Please arrange a place for me to stay."

After a moment's thought, Zhao Yifu said, "Alright, Brother Yunzheng, come up the mountain with me."

Li Wenqing's heart stirred.

He was unable to go to Baiyun Mountain at some point.

He was very curious about what exactly was on Baiyun Mountain now.

With a sense of curiosity, he went up Baiyun Mountain and smelled the aroma of wine and food.

He spotted a well-off-looking man in his fifties drinking and eating by a pond on the mountain, while also feeding the koi in the pond.

Li Wenqing never expected to run into anyone here.

Who is this person?

Zhao Yifu said, "Brother Yunzheng, this senior is called Master Zhang. He is a reclusive elder and also my strategist when facing the coercion of the Heavenly Court."

Upon hearing this, Li Wenqing immediately straightened his posture and said, "So it's Master Zhang. I apologize for disturbing you."

Old Zhang glanced at him and said with great interest, "This kid is not bad. It seems that your rebellious cause has gained a powerful ally. Haha, you have indeed not disappointed me."

He then tilted his head back and downed another large glass, appearing to be in a good mood.

Seeing this, Li Wenqing couldn't help but sigh, realizing that Zhao Yifu had unknowingly built up his own team.

At the same time, he also felt regretful. If only his master could have completely controlled such a force... No matter how you look at it, Zhao Yifu's forces seemed more organized and more capable of accomplishing things.

Zhao Yifu then said to Old Zhang, "Master Zhang, my brother Yunzheng has proposed to take action against the Eight Immortals, intending to lure them into demonic possession. What are your thoughts on this?"

Old Zhang was surprised to hear this, then said with a smile, "That's a good idea, but I suggest that when you have time, you can also lure that little rascal Nezha into becoming a demon."

Li Wenqing was astonished; it seemed that the target after the Eight Immortals had appeared!

Then Old Zhang's eyes lit up slightly and he said, "By the way, isn't Ao Jia also in the mountains?"

Zhao Yifu nodded.

Then Old Zhang said, "In that case, the East Sea Dragon Clan will most likely not be so obedient. I suggest you find a way to reshape the physical body of the Huagai Star Lord and bring him over. Then the East Sea Dragon Clan will no longer be subject to the control of the heavens!"

"The East Sea Dragon Clan is the largest branch of the Dragon Clan. If the East Sea Dragon Clan is out of control, then all the Dragon Clans of the Four Seas will be out of control, and the Heavenly Court will completely lose control over the Four Seas. Since most of the Dragon Clan are righteous gods who bring clouds and rain, the loss of control over the Dragon Clan also means that the circulation of water elements in the world will be out of the control of the Heavenly Court. This is a major piece of evidence that shakes the foundation of the Heavenly Court!"

Old Zhang got more and more excited as he talked, and then he came up with a very feasible solution.

Li Wenqing's eyes lit up as he listened, realizing that it was indeed true that Zhao Yifu regarded "Master Zhang" as a strategist.

He quickly replied, "Thank you for your guidance, senior. However, you mentioned Marshal Zhongtan. If the Bed God can regain his physical body, could you perhaps win over Marshal Zhongtan?"

Zhao Yifu waved his hand and said first, "No, don't do such unnecessary things. Unless we can make Madam Yin's will prevail, it will only completely enrage Marshal Zhongtan and make us fight to the death."

Li Wenqing listened in silence for a while, then sighed and said, "So this is what it's like to become a god?"

Zhao Yifu smiled slightly, then said with a firm and profound gaze, "This is the meaning of our cultivation."

Old Zhang waved his hand wearily and said, "Let's leave it at that for now. Once you've managed to make the Eight Immortals go mad and the four seas rebel against Heaven, then we can discuss other matters."

Upon hearing this, Li Wenqing quickly bowed and agreed, showing great respect for Master Zhang.

After finishing his speech, Master Zhang picked up a peanut from the plate, drank the last sip of wine, and then quietly disappeared from the scene.

Li Wenqing sighed, "This senior must have suffered greatly from the oppression of the Heavenly Court."

Zhao Yifu coughed lightly and said, "Brother, you can just find a place to stay outside this courtyard. I often have guests coming to my mountain, so please don't disturb them."

Upon hearing this, Li Wenqing said solemnly, "I see. It seems that you have been secretly contacting the powerful senior who defied Heaven all along."

Zhao Yifu humbly replied, "I was also lucky to have the favor of some elders, which allowed me to have a smooth journey."

Li Wenqing seemed to understand why Zhao Yifu was able to work so efficiently; he felt it was all thanks to the connections Zhao Yifu had.

But now that he's also on Baiyun Mountain, he's wondering if he can also make use of these connections...

However, he quickly abandoned the idea.

To be honest, many of Youquan's actions were disappointing, and even Li Wenqing's were.

After learning that his mother might never return, the only motivation that kept him going was to take revenge on his father who had abandoned his wife and children.

others……

He doesn't care much anymore.

After seeing Li Wenqing settle down, Zhao Yifu began to think about how to operate the Eight Immortals.

It wasn't impossible for the Eight Immortals to be possessed by demons using the "Pure Yang Demon Scripture," but he ultimately felt it wasn't safe.

What if those with weaker Dao hearts really fall into demonic possession and can't get out?
Therefore, Zhao Yifu wanted to both let them try to become demonic and ensure that he could rescue them at any time.

He looked up at the sky, passing over the heavens and entering Bo Xun's demonic realm directly.

There, he also has an avatar wandering in the Demon Realm.

Perhaps the solution lies within the Demon Realm?
Alright then... First, we need to capture a few Heavenly Demons to study them...

(End of this chapter)