The True Lord has arrived

Chapter 142 Three Promises with You, Returning to the Palace to Meet the Emperor

Ignoring Li Sanlang, Zhou Yan casually opened the document and glanced at it, his face blank with disbelief:

"what?"

"The Louguan Dao lineage assigns its seniority based on..."

"Grandmaster???"

Louguan Dao was the foremost leader of the Daoist school during the Tang Dynasty.

Li Longji assigned him the same seniority as the leader of Louguan Taoism.

Looking at the handwritten imperial edict, Zhou Yan wanted to say, "I was just a fake Taoist priest in a Taoist robe. In the blink of an eye, I became the number one Taoist patriarch in the world."
Li Longji said calmly, "Although Louguan Dao is said to be the foremost among Daoist sects..."

"But it was also someone I supported."

"I want to add a seat for you, and they are not allowed to refuse."

His demeanor was composed and dignified; after all, he was a sage emperor who had ruled a peaceful and prosperous world for fifty years.

The fake Taoist priest Zhou Yan—no, now the real Taoist priest—pondered for a moment.

He kicked Li Longji straight in the face.

For some reason, this guy's tone and the seemingly unhurried manner he still exuded seemed utterly infuriating to Zhou Yan.

Whose fault does this guy think it is that things have come to this?
I lost half my life!
It even turned into a hairstyle with white highlights.

Li Sanlang swayed, grabbed Zhou's ankle, and laughed triumphantly: "Hahaha, little Taoist, still going? I too once rode a horse with a spear and drew a strong bow, and you still use the same trick..."

Zhou Yan used his waist strength and kicked straight with his second foot.

A desperate strike!
Right on target.

The emperor was furious.

Xuan Zhuzi, who was grinding medicine powder outside, was stunned when he heard a loud crashing noise inside. He rushed to open the door and saw a half-dead patient fighting with an emperor who had lost his purple aura.

That young Taoist priest was extremely fierce!
He was already severely depleted of both qi and blood, seemingly after a fierce battle with a demon that nearly killed him. However, after taking a pill from Li Longji, he managed to catch his breath. Now, he was grabbing Li Longji by the collar and pointing it at his left eye socket.

Clench your right fist.

Bang bang bang, three punches to the Emperor.

Li Sanlang embraced the Taoist priest and struck him in the side with his elbow.

The Taoist priest's mouth twitched from the beating.

The people outside were stunned. They all stepped forward. Gao Lishi hugged Li Sanlang and said, "Sage, forget it, forget it..." The little Taoist priest and the monk Kongkong pulled the swaggering Zhou Yan from behind and said, "Taoist priest, Taoist priest, there's no need, there's really no need."

Li Sanlang and Zhou Yan ended in a draw.

Mr. Zhou was almost knocked unconscious by this old guy's elbow.

Li Sanlang's eyes were also somewhat dark.

It was like an old tiger and a young lynx breathing on each other.

Xuan Zhuzi outwardly comforted them, saying that the two were not feeling well and needed to rest and recuperate, urging them not to get angry at this time. In reality, however, he was full of admiration.

I am the supreme one!

You have to be down at the foot of the mountain.

Where else can you see such exciting scenes while practicing meditation in the mountains?
As he brewed the medicine, he introduced himself: "This humble Taoist is Xuanzhuzi, the grandson of my grandmaster, the Medicine King Miaoying Zhenren, whose given name is Simiao. I am temporarily staying at Louguan Taoist Temple. And this fellow Taoist is..."

Zhou Yan saw that the young Taoist priest had a pure and refreshing aura about him.

He vaguely possessed a level of skill around the seventh rank, which was practically genius for a Daoist at his age. He replied, "My name is Zhou Yan."

Li Longji said, "They are also from the Louguan sect."

Gao Lishi applied a hot compress to Li Longji's eyes and said with a wry smile, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please stop talking."

Li Longji snorted.

Xuan Zhuzi explained the current situation: On that day, some monster uprooted a mountain near Wuyin Peak, and he took advantage of the shock and dazed state of the Louguan Daoists to secretly descend the mountain.

I remember my master's notes, which said that in the Ancient Locust Village, there was a girl who had received a pill from my master. So she came here and met the monk Kongkong. After he helped her treat her, she came to Wugong Town to help fight against the insect demon.

After that, Shen Cangming and the others brought Zhou Yan back and treated his injuries with acupuncture.

Xuan Zhuzi said, "Brother Dao, you are now severely injured, and your foundation has been damaged. The sage gave you a Nine-Turn Purple Extreme Pill from Longhu Mountain, but as the saying goes, illness comes like a landslide, but recovery is like pulling silk."

"When vitality is depleted, even great rivers can be swept away with a single blow."

"But fixing it is a slow and meticulous process that requires taking it one step at a time."

Zhou Yan didn't care about himself, and simply said:

"Does the Taoist priest have a way to reattach Uncle Shen's arm?"

Xuan Zhuzi paused for a moment, then said, "That Master Shen's arm is still active, and his cultivation is extremely high. My lineage has a master who passed down the 'Taiyi Golden Needle Crossing Acupoint Method,' so it's not too late."

Zhou Yan breathed a sigh of relief.

Xuan Zhuzi thought for a moment and then said, "However, the injury is too severe, and this hero's strength has been weakened. However, with my cultivation level, it would be quite difficult to use the Golden Needle to open his acupoints. Returning to the mountain would be more reliable."

At this moment, Zhou Yan finally felt relieved and said, "That's great. Louguandao? Excellent, we were just about to go there."

Zhou Yan felt a very heavy weight pressing on his shoulders, which was finally lifted. When he relaxed, he felt dizzy and stumbled backward, but was pushed back by a hand.

Zhou Yan turned to the side and saw that it was an extremely aloof woman with pale skin, large phoenix eyes, dressed in green, and carrying two swords. It was the demon Bihen. Xuan Zhuzi said, "This sister Bihen also helped to deal with the insect demon."

"You've been guarding me closely, Brother Dao, not giving an inch."

"Really..."

The young Taoist priest murmured, "How enviable!"

Why are there no beautiful women on our mountain?

Bihen looked at Zhou Yan, her pearly teeth clasped together, and said, "Come home with me and be my father. You promised."

Zhou Yan overheard the conversation of those people below the Reclining Buddha Temple and learned about Bihen's background. In fact, Bihen was a "chess piece" just like the giant golden cicada of the Reclining Buddha Temple. The golden cicada belonged to the Buddhist sect, while Bihen belonged to the Taoist sect.

Zhou Yan said, "You've fought against all the insect demons your godmother sent."

"You still want to help her?"

Bihen said, "My goal is simply to take you back."

Zhou Yan looked at the woman's face before him; she was beautiful and aloof, but perhaps a little too cold, giving off an air of detachment from worldly affairs. Staring into her untainted eyes, Zhou Daoye suddenly said:

"...Did your godmother say when she'll take me back?"

Bihen was stunned, and said, "...No."

Zhou Yan said, "Did they say immediately?"

Bihen remained silent.

Zhou Yan clapped his hands and laughed, but this aggravated his lung injury, causing him to cough. He said, "So, whether it's a year or a hundred years, I'll take you back. How about this: you stay with me for now, and when the time is right, I'll take you back?" "How about that?"

Bihen stared at him: "You're not lying to me?"

Zhou Yan patted his chest and said seriously, "I'm a Taoist priest, do you think I would lie? Of course not!"

Li Longji sneered, about to speak out.

Gao Lishi, who had a headache, stuffed his mouth with snacks.

Bihen's origins were, after all, the mayfly mentioned in the Taoist classic "Huainanzi," which was alive but not dead. She had a natural sense of trust in Taoists, so she remained silent for a moment, nodded, and turned to leave.

Zhou Yan breathed a sigh of relief, watching Bihen's retreating figure. When Zhou Yan personally participated in the calamity at Wofo Temple, he was sharp and ruthless, but after the incident, he still felt a little uneasy and fearful.

This calamity is so severe that even losing just one person would make a difference, and it would require an even greater price to resolve.

Even so, there were still many deaths and injuries.

The most direct cost was that Li Longji's purple aura was completely exhausted.

Zhou Yan suffered a severe blow.

If Bihen were to be used by the Weaver Girl afterward, creating a calamity for a certain Taoist temple, and then using Bihen as a foundation to distort the Taoist canon, thus giving rise to some kind of Heavenly Venerable or something similar.

There won't be another Li Longji to give him the purple aura next time.

The Lord of Mount Tai is indeed powerful, but each transformation consumes the humanistic purple energy of a Xuanzong-level cultivator, causing Zhou Yan's vital energy to be severely damaged. The price is simply too high.

Rather than waiting for a calamity to occur before trying to put out the fire, it's better to control the variables around us first. Zhou Yan has the ability to see clearly and has the power to detect changes in Bihen quickly.

Just then, he noticed footsteps approaching, followed by a cool, refreshing fragrance, like the scent of snow-covered pines at sunrise in winter. A woman with a blue robe rolled up stood almost in front of him, her nose close to his, their breaths mingling.

A pair of enormous eyes reflected the Taoist priest.

Zhou Yan subconsciously took a half step back: "What?"

Bihen stretched out her hand, holding a pen in one hand and a piece of paper in the other.

Bihen's voice was clear and cold:

"You should write a written agreement."

Zhou Yan said, "Huh?"

The woman in green said, "You said you'd let me come with you, and when the time came, you'd come back with me to find my godmother. I don't believe you. You come and write a contract."

Zhou Yan wanted to say that even if a written agreement was drawn up, it would probably be useless; if she wanted to run away, why would she be afraid of not being able to? But looking into Bihen's calm eyes, he knew she was of a gentle and simple nature, and called out, "Scholar!"

Yin Zichuan came running over excitedly.

Zhou Yan handed the paper and pen to the scholar ghost, gestured with his lip, and said, "You write it."

The woman in green remained silent, pondered for a long time, and then spoke:

"Write a document."

"Three o'clock."

"You won't leave me, you won't lie to me, and in the end, you'll come with me."

Yin Zichuan was stunned: "Huh?"

Is this right? This isn't right, sir.

He glanced at Bihen, then at Zhou Yan. Zhou Yan looked at the woman in green before him, knowing her background and origins, and knowing that not keeping an eye on events that could potentially ignite them. He grinned and gritted his teeth, saying, "Write."

Yin Zichuan said, "Young Master Dele, I'll write it!"

Yin Zichuan quickly wrote down the agreement, making two copies, one for each of them. Zhou Yan carried one copy and kept it safe, while Bihen took the agreement from the scholar with both hands and held it in her hands. However, looking at this agreement that was related to her, Bihen was somewhat dazed.

'Mayfly, mayfly…'

She seemed to hear laughter and conversation, and the figures of eight Taoist priests and a man flashed before her eyes. They were laughing and talking, writing down words with their pens. At that time, she had not yet shed her mortal body and was just watching their figures.

Zhou Yan looked at the woman in front of him. Although he was only a half-baked Xuan Guan (a type of Taoist priest), he at least knew the name of Huainanzi, the King of Huainan Liu An who wrote Huainanzi, and the creator of tofu.

And there's also a legend...

Liu An, the King of Huainan during the Western Han Dynasty, was fond of alchemy and alchemy. He had many guests, among whom eight were exceptionally talented and were known as the Eight Masters. Later, when Liu An rebelled, Emperor Wu sent the Imperial Clan Court to arrest him. Liu An swallowed the elixir and ascended to heaven with the Eight Masters. The remaining elixir was eaten by chickens and dogs, who also ascended to heaven.

This is because when one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.

Just like the Heavenly Ladder in Shaanxi, it is the method of longevity in Bagong Mountain in Anhui.

The mountain spider corresponds to the Wofo Temple and the legend of the ladder to heaven in the Guanzhong region of Shaanxi.

The green mark probably corresponds to the ascension technique of Bagong Mountain in Huizhou, where one person attains enlightenment and even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.

Bihen was momentarily dazed, her eyes darting around. She vaguely sensed a place far away that was connected to her, but it seemed to be just her imagination.

When one person attains the Tao, the chicken and the dog ascend to heaven.

Even the chickens and dogs in the house have all passed away. Why? Because of that mayfly back then.

Have you not attained enlightenment?

[It is said that when the Eight Immortals and An Lin departed, they left behind some medicinal utensils in the courtyard. The chickens and dogs licked and pecked at them, and all of them ascended to heaven. Hence, the rooster crows in the heavens and the dog barks in the clouds.] — Ge Hong, *Biographies of Immortals*

………………

The Yin Zichuan family was now packed to the brim with the retired emperor, the general, the successor of the Medicine King, and the true form of the Daoist Canon. Zhou Yan could only say that all the wise men had gathered. But suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves came from outside.

Zhou Yan was about to open the door when he heard a loud bang.

The gate to Yin Zichuan and Lian Niang's courtyard was smashed open, and an extremely heavy, dark-colored lance was thrown out and hit the ground. The courtyard immediately became tense and deadly. Li Longji, who was chewing on dried radish, narrowed his eyes slightly, and Gao Lishi looked grim.

The newcomers are cavalry from Fengxiang.

After the extermination of the demons, an even greater conflict finally arose. In front of the Fengxiang cavalry stood a middle-aged eunuch with a pale face and no beard, who was extremely ugly. Gao Lishi said slowly, "Li Fuguo."

Li Heng's trusted eunuch.

Li Fuguo dismounted and said, "Your Majesty pays your respects to the Emperor Emeritus. Your Majesty has long been concerned about the Emperor Emeritus. Please return to Chang'an."

Gao Lishi was about to speak when Li Longji raised his hand to stop him, and said leisurely:

“My son is filial, and it is time for me to leave.”

Li Fuguo looked at the young Taoist priest over there and said:

"This must be the Taoist priest who shone so brightly this time?"

"By order of the sage."

The Fengxiang cavalrymen behind them raised their lances, their sharp edges pointing slightly forward. Although they weren't in a battle stance, a chilling killing intent began to emanate from them.

"Let's invite the Taoist priest back to Chang'an City."

"To meet the Emperor!"

(End of this chapter)