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Chapter 139 Zhu Ganglie's Background
The old man of the South Pole said in a calm voice, "Logically speaking, that's how it means," but it revealed a lot of information.

Chen Guangrui's gaze sharpened slightly, and he felt a chill run down his spine.

Out of the corner of her eye, she subtly glanced at Yuan Shoucheng beside her, only to see that the old Taoist priest also paused for a moment before looking at Chen Guangrui.

They both saw the same thought in each other's eyes:
This was no ordinary friendship; the relationship between Penglai Island and Zhu Ganglie was far deeper than expected.

However, even more intriguing than the silent shock of the two men was the reaction of the disciples in the Five Villages. Although most of them wore expressions of shock, this shock was not entirely unexpected.

The disciple who was sent to invite the Antarctic Immortal during the day was now keeping his head down, as if he already knew about this matter.

"He is most likely the accountant of Gao Laozhuang."

Chen Guangrui's thoughts flashed through his mind, but his identity was no longer so important.

The Antarctic Immortal seemed unwilling to dwell on the topic. He gently stroked his long, snow-white beard that hung down his chest, shifting his gaze from his ninth senior brother's face.

“That Pigsy caused trouble by damaging the spiritual roots and immortal plants of Wuzhuang Temple. Penglai Island has an inescapable responsibility for this matter and will not stand idly by.”

He spoke slowly, each word clear and carrying an undeniable weight: "When Fellow Daoist Zhenyuan returns, I will certainly discuss the matter with him. This ginseng fruit tree is the foundation of the ancestral home of earth immortals and a treasure of the Daoist sect. Penglai will do its utmost to find a way to remedy it."

He paused slightly, subtly raising the whisk in his hand, and subtly adjusted his posture, revealing his intention to leave.

"However, this matter is of great importance and requires careful consideration. I must return to Penglai immediately to report to my master before making a decision."

After saying this, he was about to get up and leave his seat.

Just then, Ninth Senior Brother suddenly turned to Chen Guangrui and Yuan Shoucheng, who were in the shadows of the palace gate.

His expression changed drastically, and he glared fiercely at the two disciples who were following and guarding him. The meaning was clear: why were they brought here?

Following his ninth senior brother's abrupt movement, the Antarctic Immortal looked over, a hint of doubt appearing perfectly on his rosy, baby-like face. "Who are these two?"

Before his ninth senior brother could explain, Chen Guangrui stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said frankly, "Disciple of the Tushita Palace, Chen Guangrui."

"Doushuai Palace?" The Antarctic Immortal raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly, his gaze lingering on Chen Guangrui for a moment like a probe before turning to his Ninth Senior Brother, whose expression instantly froze.

His originally kind tone was now calm and even, yet it seemed to contain a thousand pounds of weight.

"There are immortals in the Tushita Palace? I've never heard the Master mention it before. May I ask what brings Laozi's esteemed disciple to Wuzhuang Temple?"

Although the Old Man of the South Pole said this with a smile, the implication was clear: Didn't you know there were outsiders around when you just said that? Or were you doing it on purpose?

This calm question struck the Ninth Senior Brother of Wuzhuang Temple like a hammer blow. Fine beads of sweat instantly appeared on his forehead, and he hastily forced a smile to explain, his speech unconsciously quickening.
"Immortal Elder, please forgive me, these two are indeed distinguished guests from the Tushita Palace. They have come to request a few ginseng fruits. However..." He took a deep breath, trying to conceal his true feelings.
"There are some unusual things happening in the orchard, so we are asking you to stay for a while while we wait for my master to return and make a decision."

"Oh? Something's amiss?" The Antarctic Immortal's gaze swept over Chen Guangrui and Yuan Shoucheng almost imperceptibly.
"I see. The way Wuzhuang Temple treats its guests is quite unique. However, since there is something unusual in the garden, and it concerns a valuable treasure, we should be even more cautious and thorough."

The last sentence was spoken at a slower pace, with the word "thorough" being emphasized almost imperceptibly. His gaze swept intentionally or unintentionally over the two Taoist guards at the entrance of the hall.

The Old Man of the South Pole then turned to Chen Guangrui, his tone softening slightly.

"I was originally a disciple of Laozi. My apologies for my disrespect. The situation here is complicated and it is not convenient to discuss this further. Please convey my regards to Laozi."

After speaking, he nodded in acknowledgment, then led his celestial deer attendant, lightly flicked his whisk, and with a faint flash of auspicious light, drifted away.

As the God of Longevity departed, the air in the hall seemed to freeze instantly, becoming so heavy it felt like water could drip from it.

Ninth Senior Brother suddenly turned to Chen Guangrui, his face ashen, his eyes blazing with fury, his voice deliberately lowered yet all the more chilling.

"Immortal Chen, you're certainly having a leisurely time! Why aren't you resting peacefully in the west wing? What are you doing here?"

Chen Guangrui met his fiery gaze, but her expression remained calm.

"Ninth Senior Brother, you are mistaken. You just personally identified Zhu Bajie as the culprit who knocked down the ginseng fruit tree and stole the immortal fruit. And the Immortal Elder of Penglai has not denied any connection. The truth seems clear." He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the tense disciples of Wuzhuang Temple in the hall, finally settling on his Ninth Senior Brother's face, his expression suggestive.
“My attendant from the Tushita Palace, Yinlu, has been searching for Zhu Ganglie and has not yet returned. We are extremely worried and have come to inquire about the progress. What is wrong with that? Could it be…”

He shifted his tone slightly, his voice carrying a hint of probing coldness.

"Although Wuzhuang Temple has identified the real culprit, why is it still protecting someone from Doushuai Palace like this? Does it intend to treat every guest without any leniency, and only turn around and hold Doushuai Palace accountable after clarifying the involvement of Penglai?"

Ninth Senior Brother's face turned from pale to red. He opened his mouth, but couldn't find a rebuttal.

Chen Guangrui, however, gave him no chance to catch his breath, and said calmly,

"Since the Immortal Elder has stated that a conclusion can only be reached upon the return of the Great Immortal Zhenyuan, the two of us will remain at our lodgings. We will not disturb you any longer in dealing with the anomalies in the garden."

He then turned to the two Taoist priests standing guard inside the temple gate, their expressions a mixture of embarrassment and wariness.
"I would be grateful if you two could escort us back to the west wing. Thank you."

West Wing Guest Room

The door closed behind him, blocking the watchful gaze of the guards. From the neighboring courtyard, Qingfeng and Mingyue's suppressed cries of pain and curses drifted in intermittently, like background noise.

"Ouch, that hurts so much, that damned plague pig."

"That's too ruthless. They're trying to sever my path to immortality!"

Yuan Shoucheng listened intently, a hint of sympathy on his face, and he shrank back.

"Listen to the noise. Those two kids really learned their lesson."

As soon as he finished speaking, his body stiffened abruptly, as if struck by an invisible electric current. He subconsciously rubbed his arms, waist, and legs, his face first showing confusion, then turning into unbelievable surprise.

Yuan Shoucheng's voice trembled slightly, "It's strange, the potency of this ginseng fruit... It's like my body is soaking in a hot spring, and all the ailments I've accumulated over the years have suddenly felt better."

He hurriedly pulled out greasy copper coins, his fingers twirling them as if to divine, but his movements froze mid-air, his eyes suddenly shining with astonishing brilliance. "How strange! While I'm divining, I'm inexplicably sensing something? It seems I can vaguely feel whether this divination will bring good or bad fortune? Although it's still too vague to fully believe, this feeling..."

He was so excited that he was speechless.

Upon hearing Yuan Shoucheng's words, Chen Guangrui closed his eyes and focused his mind, carefully observing the surging changes within his body.

Sure enough, he also felt the abundant pure energy and vitality, which silently tempered his muscles and bones.

The meridians are like widened and reinforced river channels, with a purer power flowing within them. Beneath the muscles, bones, and skin, a powerful force lies dormant and quietly surges. The bones seem to be imbued with some kind of jade, making them more resilient than ever before.

He was like a reforged sword, his sharpness restrained and profound. When he opened his eyes, a glint of light flashed in them like lightning, then vanished.

“Indeed extraordinary.” Chen Guangrui nodded, confirming Yuan Shoucheng’s feeling. Then, he looked at the old Taoist priest, still immersed in his strange sensations, and cut to the chase.
"Master Yuan, you have a wide circle of friends and extensive knowledge. What is the relationship between the Antarctic Immortal and Pigsy? Why would they be willing to take responsibility for such a huge disaster as destroying the Earth Immortal's spiritual root?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shoucheng's face turned solemn.

He glanced around, leaned closer to Chen Guangrui, and lowered his voice to an extremely low hue, each word carrying the weight of secrets from the Three Realms.
"Does Scholar Chen know what blessed land Penglai Island possesses? It is the supreme Daoist temple of the Eastern Emperor. This Antarctic Immortal is a trusted confidant of the Emperor and is no ordinary person."

He paused, trying to recall deeper information, his expression becoming solemn.
"Do you know about the Heavenly Peace Assembly of yesteryear? It was the assembly held by the Jade Emperor after the Buddha subdued the monkey demon. At that time, immortals and Buddhas gathered, and the event was unprecedented. Although I have not ascended to heaven, I have heard all the stories of the world. It is said that at that time, it was this Antarctic Immortal who was the first to step forward, giving face to the Buddhist sect."

Yuan Shoucheng's eyes became meaningful, with a wise glint in his eyes, "I think this matter is definitely not his intention alone."

When Zhu Bajie was mentioned, Yuan Shoucheng's voice became even lower.

"As for that pig demon, although no one in the community has explicitly stated his background, it is only known that he once served as Marshal Tianpeng in the Heavenly Court. However, the attitude of the Antarctic Immortal today, recognizing the trouble caused by that Pig Ganglie so naturally, as if it were his duty, is something we really need to be careful about."

"I have a bold guess," Yuan Shoucheng said confidently, his eyes gleaming with a keen insight, before suddenly slapping his thigh.
"Zhu Ganglie is very likely a disciple of Emperor Donghua, but even so, it is not enough to explain his relationship with Penglai."

Yuan Shoucheng looked at Chen Guangrui and said, "He must be the kind of disciple that the Emperor favors. Otherwise, who would dare to take on such a huge disaster for him?"

(End of this chapter)