The God of Heavens

Chapter 215 The Crusaders Arrive, the Crusaders Kneel

After Ye's parents left, Pang Bo plopped down on the bluestone, took a swig of spirit wine, and began to complain bitterly.

"You wouldn't believe it, I was almost mistaken for a monster when I got home!" He wiped his mouth. "When I opened the door, there was actually a 'Pang Bo' sitting on my sofa, eating a chicken leg and chatting and laughing with my parents!"

Ye Fan paused in his wine glass: "And then?"

"What else could we do?" Pang Bo grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. "We started sparring right there and then. That kid's got some skills. If I hadn't been a step ahead, I would have been kicked out of the house by my parents."

Seeing Ye Fan's curious expression, Pang Bo continued, "Later I found out they were from the Ten Thousand Demon Valley. They had some connection with my ancestors, so I just explained it to them and that was the end of it."

Lin Yu quipped, "What's so strange about that? Back in the primitive ruins, didn't the nineteenth-generation descendant of the Azure Emperor recognize you at first glance?"

Pang Bo scratched his head: "That makes sense, but it still feels strange. But speaking of which, I'm really grateful to him for taking care of my parents these past few years."

Ye Fan couldn't help but chuckle: "Isn't this great? It saves Uncle and Aunt from worrying."

"What's so good about it!" Pang Bo scratched his head in frustration. "Now my mom keeps saying that it's good that both of her sons are real. You guys didn't see how attentive that kid was. He's more attentive to serving tea and water than her own son!"

Lin Yu suddenly became interested, remembering a certain ruthless person who was keen on forming sworn brotherhoods, and couldn't help but chuckle, saying, "I have an idea."

Amid their puzzled gazes, he said leisurely, "Why don't you two become sworn brothers? After all, you'll eventually return to Beidou, and someone has to take care of your parents in your place."

"Pfft—" Ye Fan spat out a mouthful of wine. "That's a brilliant idea!"

Pang Bo's face darkened, and he almost collapsed: "Old Lin, who did you learn this from?"

The three exchanged a smile, and their hearty laughter echoed across the moonlit summit of Mount Tai.

Shortly after, a young Taoist disciple from the Jade Emperor Temple hurried over, respectfully bowing and saying, "Grandmaster, senior Taoist masters from Maoshan, Lingbao, and Longhu Mountain have come to pay their respects and are waiting outside the mountain gate."

Lin Yu nodded slightly: "Lead them to the blessed land in the front mountain."

The small world he created was divided into two layers: the outer layer was "Blessed Land of Mount Tai," where disciples of the Jade Emperor Temple cultivated; the inner layer was a true grotto-heaven, serving as their residence.

This blessed land is like a fairyland.

The mountains rise and fall, not towering, yet shrouded in mist. Taoist temples are scattered among the peaks, appearing and disappearing, while white cranes occasionally soar through the clouds.

The area is dotted with springs and waterfalls, and exotic flowers and plants grow everywhere, filling the air with a faint fragrance.

At this moment, dozens of cultivators had gathered in the blessed land. They were all from various major forces in the cultivation world of the Central Plains, led by a renowned elder and accompanied by several young people.

The young cultivators walked in twos and threes, occasionally letting out exclamations of surprise.

“Every blade of grass and every tree here exudes the Daoist energy, and the essence of heaven and earth is extremely rich. One day of cultivation here is equivalent to more than a month outside!” Someone exclaimed, their face filled with shock.

"The Jade Emperor Temple has finally turned its fortunes around, and its heritage is likely to be revived." His companion nodded repeatedly.

"More than just a revival!"

His fellow disciple beside him lowered his voice: "I've heard that Senior Lin is a very important figure on the ancient star of the Big Dipper. Do you think the Jade Emperor Temple might..."

"Be careful what you say!" the older disciple quickly stopped him, but a look of longing flashed in his eyes.

On the other side, the elders of various factions sat around the Jade Emperor Platform, the atmosphere subtle.

"Congratulations, Brother Xuancheng." The middle-aged Taoist priest from the Maoshan Sect bowed, his gaze lingering on Xuancheng's ruddy face. "Your sect has finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel."

When people mention Maoshan, they often think of Maoshan Taoist priests.

They wield peach wood swords, sprinkle black dog blood, and wave yellow talismans to catch ghosts and demons, thinking it's nothing special. Little do they know, this is a common misconception.

Maoshan, with its undulating mountain range resembling the Chinese character "已" (yǐ), was formerly known as Juqu Mountain, and also as Jinling Difei Mountain. Taoist scriptures record: "Jinling of Juqu is a blessed land for nurturing truth and a spiritual ruin for becoming a god."

This mountain is actually the ancestral home of the Shangqing School of Taoism, and is honored as "Shangqing Zongtan". It has enjoyed the reputation of "the most blessed land under heaven" since ancient times.

Although there are hundreds of schools of Taoism, they can be broadly divided into two branches: Quanzhen and Zhengyi.

The Shangqing School, along with the Lingbao and Tianshi schools, is a direct descendant of the Zhengyi sect. This school reveres the Primordial Heavenly Venerable and specializes in the pursuit of longevity and immortality, and has been a leading force in Taoism since ancient times.

The sacredness of its ancestral temple, Maoshan, is not as shallow as commonly believed; it is a true paradise, unmatched in the world.

At this moment, Master Xuancheng no longer had the frail appearance of his past. His white hair had turned black, his wrinkles had disappeared, and his every move exuded a refined aura, making him appear as a highly accomplished Taoist master.

"I'm ashamed," Xuan Cheng stroked his beard and chuckled. "It's all thanks to my nephew's good fortune; this old Daoist has merely basked in a little of it."

Zhang Tianshi of Longhu Mountain suddenly leaned forward: "Brother Xuancheng, this blessed land—" He looked around at the majestic mountains, his voice unconsciously lowering—"was it truly created by your own hands, my nephew?"

Everyone present held their breath. The laws of this world were perfect, and the spiritual energy was so abundant that it was unlike the Dharma-ending Age. What was even more astonishing was the Daoist charm flowing between every blade of grass and every tree, which looked like the work of an ancient master.

Xuan Cheng gave a helpless smile: "You may not believe it, but this old Daoist's nephew—" He paused, "has always been trained by his master, so I really don't know him well."

Seeing the changing expressions on everyone's faces, he added, "Let's wait until he arrives to discuss the specifics."

The group of experienced Taoist priests secretly thought to themselves: This old fox! He clearly doesn't want to reveal a single detail.

Just then, a clear, melodious cry of cranes suddenly came from the horizon. Three pure white cranes pulled a jade chariot through the clouds, and sitting atop the chariot was Lin Yu, with Ye Fan and Pang Bo standing beside him.

As the crane flapped its wings, auspicious clouds swirled around it, and a thousand streams of propitious energy appeared. The jade carriage landed without a speck of dust, and Lin Yu stepped down, her body shimmering with starlight, her ethereal beauty transcending the mundane.

"I am Lin Qingxuan from Maoshan. I have come to pay my respects to you on the orders of the sect's founder." A middle-aged Taoist priest dressed in a blue robe stood up first and respectfully greeted the crowd, observing the proper Taoist etiquette.

"Zhang Zong of Longhu Mountain and Lü Chang of Lingbao Sect greet Fellow Daoist Lin." The other two bowed in greeting.

Lin Yu glanced at everyone, his expression indifferent: "Please, everyone, no need for formalities, please be seated."

Today, almost all the Taoist sects are present. Although these practitioners have no prior dealings with the Jade Emperor Temple, they are ultimately from the same source, so there is still some connection between them.

As for other forces, they are probably still observing from the shadows.

Lin Yu's gaze swept over the assembled luminaries, and he nodded to himself. In this age of declining spiritual energy, their ability to cultivate to such a level was a testament to their extraordinary potential. Had they been born in the Northern Dipper, they would all at least have become powerful sect leaders in the future. These people before him could already represent the Taoism of Earth.

When discussing the origins of Taoism, we must trace it back to the ancient, primordial era.

Although Laozi and Zhuangzi of the pre-Qin period brought together the great achievements of Taoism, the true meaning of Tao has existed since ancient times.

The Yellow Emperor sought guidance from Guangcheng, and Laozi wrote scriptures that have been passed down through generations, thus making the Huang-Lao school of thought famous throughout the world. The classics are vast and profound. Later generations revered the Yellow Emperor and Laozi as the founders of Taoism, which is truly an act of gratitude for the source of our knowledge.

Although Taoism has a long history, its true formation as a religious sect began with the rise of the Celestial Masters sect. The establishment of the ancestral temple at Longhu Mountain is an important symbol of the organization of Taoism.

For thousands of years thereafter, the Taoist lineages diverged, and a hundred schools of thought contended, some relying on each other and others opposing each other, and a unified system was never achieved.

Throughout the rise and fall of Taoism, although there are many branches, they ultimately fall into two main categories: the Quanzhen School in the North, which focuses on cultivating internal alchemy and life essence; and the Zhengyi School in the South, which specializes in talismans and rituals.

Among them, the Zhengyi sect inherited the mantle of the Celestial Masters sect and further integrated the essence of the Lingbao and Shangqing sects, thus becoming the leading force in Taoism.

In the past, the three schools each had their own revered figures: the Celestial Masters sect worshipped Laozi, the Lingbao sect revered Lingbao Tianzun, and the Shangqing sect worshipped Yuanshi Tianzun. The later veneration of the "Three Pure Ones" evolved from this.

Lin Yu possesses profound knowledge and lineage in the Daoist scriptures such as the Dao Jing and the Tao Te Ching, and feels a natural affinity for Daoist practitioners.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, your return from beyond the realms has spread far and wide. Not only did you return with fellow Daoists, but you also brought back cultivators from beyond the realms. Now, the Western powers are eyeing you covetously, and our sect has specifically instructed us to remind you to be extremely careful!"

Lin Qingxuan and the others looked on with concern, for these words truly came from the heart of the Daoist community. After all, news from beyond the realms always sparked imaginations, and many people longed to leave Earth, this land of declining Dharma.

Lin Yu and his companions have been present for several days, and the related rumors have intensified. Earth cultivators in the Dharma-ending Age are naturally curious about matters beyond the realms, and the Eastern sects, upholding their kinship ties, are willing to treat them with courtesy.

However, Western powers have always looked down on the East. Even if they obtain intelligence, they would probably treat it as nonsense. Lin Yu's rise is far beyond common sense, and it is difficult for them to believe it.

"No need to be on guard, because the person has already arrived."

With a flick of his sleeves, Lin Yu conjured a clear water mirror in the void, reflecting the strange phenomena in the distance.

Black mist surged, and the clanging of chains echoed, as if someone had emerged from hell. The grinding sound of metal objects was chilling and piercing.

A dozen or so people emerged from the darkness, stepping through the void. The thick black mist and the aura of death made them appear exceptionally eerie and chilling. They were clad in black armor, like zombies, and bound by black iron chains.

In the depths of darkness, an old man stood silently, holding a skull staff, chanting ancient incantations and manipulating these artificially controlled "puppets."

The old man was withered and aged, and his age was unknown. He held a white staff with a human head on it.

Behind him, there were countless ancient soldiers in black armor, like ghosts, lifeless.

Another group of people was exceptionally holy, dressed in dazzling battle armor, like waves of blazing suns breaking through the sky.

They were the Crusaders who marched eastward.

This is a group of proud individuals, each with a distinguished background and esteemed status, coming from different ancient families, with noble bloodlines and illustrious lineages.

The group consisted mostly of vigorous middle-aged men with great strength, as well as a few young men and women who were surrounded by others due to their extraordinary status.

They all had long, golden hair; the men were heroic and imposing, like the sun god descended to earth; the women were radiant and beautiful, like the moon goddess descended to earth, surrounded by a holy light.

A god and a demon arrive together.

Lin Qingxuan's expression was solemn: "It is these people. This time, in addition to targeting Fellow Daoist Lin, they also want to test the strength of the Central Plains. Back then, they robbed the remnants of the Mount Tai altar, which contained half of the Heavenly Book, and they still covet the remaining treasures."

Lu Chang added, "The five hundred paladins leading the team all come from top ancient Western families, and there are also three unfathomable knight leaders in charge."

“Back then, during the Crusades, our ancestral artifacts were plundered extensively, and now they’ve returned!” someone sighed indignantly.

Lin Yu sneered, "They're nothing but descendants of an ancient race. In my eyes, I could kill them countless times with a mere thought. I truly don't know how you've allowed yourselves to be bullied like this all these years?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qingxuan and the others were all ashamed and lowered their heads.

"Forget it, I'm too lazy to waste my breath on these barbarians. They don't deserve to listen."

As Lin Yu thought of it, those Crossroads who were still dreaming of plundering the Central Plains and suppressing the Great Demon fell from the sky like kites with broken strings.

"My God!"

"How did my holy power disappear?"

"Help me!"

The paladins' arrogance vanished, their faces ashen. Their magnificent armor gleamed in the sunlight, becoming the most glaring irony.

These warriors, who called themselves apostles of God, were now like a flock of birds with broken wings, falling miserably to the ground.

"It's that Eastern devil! He must have cast the evil curse!" the Crusader knight roared as he came to his senses.

In an instant, various sacred spells and incantations rose and fell:

"May the holy ancestors descend upon me; glory is my life!"

"By divine grace, the physical body is eternal!"

"Lightning of Order, break the curse!"

Some people had holy runes blooming between their brows, attempting to draw upon divine power; others were bathed in holy light, preparing for a desperate fight; still others wielded ancient scepters, unleashing secret techniques passed down from antiquity.

However, all this resistance was in vain.

"Bang! Boom! Boom!"

A series of dull thuds rang out as these arrogant Crusader knights knelt in neat rows at the foot of the Jade Emperor Peak of Mount Tai, facing the sacred mountain as if performing the most devout act of worship.

(End of this chapter)