A master of comedy!

That night, the army set off westward to conquer Chang'an!

Under the cover of night, the massive army surged out of Hangu Pass and marched along the Xiaohan Road.

Commander Yang Ying, the Asura General, took the lead and charged into battle. With his long spear, he was the only one who could kill enemy generals. He was invincible and his bravery inspired his troops to fight with great morale.

She was also holding a grudge because of Uncle Bao's death, and when she took action, she was fierce and ruthless, showing no mercy.

"Wang Wei, the garrison commander of Tongguan, is dead. Why don't you all surrender now!"

When she lifted the corpse of the fierce general Wang Wei with one arm and spear, the morale of the Da Xuan garrison collapsed, and they began to surrender and flee.

The army was defeated like a mountain.

On one side is a newly emerging dynasty, having prepared its troops and nurtured its strength for many years, rising like the sun; on the other side is a decadent dynasty, already corrupt and fading into the west.

China's military forces were conquering cities and seizing territories with overwhelming force.

Breaking through Tongguan, attacking Huazhou, and fighting across Weinan...

Especially after capturing Tongguan, Yang Ying followed the example of Huo Qubing, leading 8,000 light cavalry to raid 1,000 miles overnight, breaking through Da Xuan's defenses like lightning and catching the enemy off guard.

Good news kept coming in like snowflakes.

But Zhou Sheng didn't see it, because he had already gone ahead and arrived in Chang'an.

The key to this great battle was him and the Golden-Winged Roc. If he lost, the army would have to retreat in disgrace, no matter how glorious its victory.

The soldiers are fighting with all their might, winning battle after battle, and advancing with unstoppable momentum, so he cannot afford to lose.

In Chang'an, soldiers and armored officers stood ready on the tall and sturdy city walls, and patrols of soldiers and officials were frequent.

Every face showed tension.

They had received news of a major offensive by China, and the entire city was on high alert, ready to face the impending war.

As Zhou Sheng walked the streets of Chang'an, no one could see him. Even powerful cultivators would only feel as if a gentle breeze was blowing past them.

And so he walked into the palace.

The palace was brightly lit, especially the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the emperor and his ministers seemed to be discussing matters all night long and had not yet dispersed.

But when Zhou Sheng arrived outside the hall, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly.

Not right.

Why is there no sound inside the hall?

He walked straight through the wall and entered, smelling a faint scent of blood. A strange light flashed in his eyes.

The old emperor sat on the dragon throne, but unlike the rumors that he had turned his white hair black and regained his youth, he looked old, his white hair was as messy as wild grass, dull and lifeless, and he exuded a strong sense of old age.

He had his eyes closed, as if he were asleep.

The ministers, dressed in crimson and purple robes, all looked as if their life force had been drained, and they were fast asleep with their eyes closed.

Zhou Sheng stepped forward and gently touched the old emperor.

The next moment, the emperor sitting on the dragon throne collapsed with a thud, and a large hole appeared in his back. There was no flesh and blood left inside, only a skin.

With a gentle whistle, Zhou Sheng unleashed a long wind, causing the ministers to collapse one after another, all resembling the old emperor—mere bloated human skins, their flesh and vitality completely drained.

A reigning emperor, with his many noblemen, had all his wealth drained away?

Zhou Sheng understood that the Golden-Winged Roc had sensed impending doom, so it squeezed out the last bit of value from the Great Xuan and then fled.

The fortune of a minister may be enough to make up for the national fortune that the other side has not yet devoured.

The Golden-Winged Roc wanted to avoid battle first, find a secluded place to refine this fortune, and then come back to fight him after breaking through to the Ninth Tribulation Realm.

The idea is wonderful, but...

A cold smile appeared on Zhou Sheng's face. He directly used the Luo Shu (a magical book). "If I can't calculate the last dragon vein, surely I can calculate where you ran off to?"

Before long, Zhou Sheng got the answer he wanted.

The next moment, his figure vanished instantly.

Fengzhou, Pengyou Mountain.

This mountain is named for its resemblance to a golden-winged bird pouncing on dragons and snakes. There is also a Pengyou Temple built during the Tang Dynasty on the mountain, which houses a mural of the "Great Golden-Winged Bird Sutra Transformation Picture", which is said to be the work of a famous artist and fully shows the charm of the roc.

Ripples spread through the void, and Zhou Sheng's figure appeared silently in front of the famous mural.

The roc in the painting has golden feathers like armor, majestic and awe-inspiring, its whole body radiating Buddhist light. In particular, its eyes are sharp as lightning, bright and piercing, as if it is about to fly out of the painting at any moment to pounce on dragons and snakes.

When Zhou Sheng appeared, the roc's eyes twitched slightly.

"Amitabha, may I ask who you are, Your Excellency? This mural is a treasure of our temple. It was painted by Wu Daozi, the Sage of Painting in the Tang Dynasty, after witnessing the descent of the Peng bird. It has been enshrined by our temple for a thousand years. The Peng bird in the painting has a spirit and should not be offended. I hope Your Excellency will view it with care."

Just as Zhou Sheng was admiring the painting, the abbot of Pengyou Temple seemed to sense something, appeared in the hall with his hands clasped together, his gaze solemn, and uttered a prayer.

Zhou Sheng was slightly surprised, not expecting that this small Pengyou Temple was indeed a place where hidden talents resided.

This abbot is actually an earth immortal who has survived five heavenly tribulations!

He can be considered a highly accomplished person who lives in seclusion despite his lack of fame.

No wonder the Golden-Winged Roc would deliberately hide here; this place was probably a base he had been secretly building for unforeseen circumstances.

"I am born next week."

He immediately gave his name.

The abbot fell silent. He naturally understood what this name meant; there were very few people in the world who hadn't heard of it.

Just a name was enough to rob him of all desire to fight.

"You have a quarter of an hour. Take all the disciples of Pengyou Temple and go down the mountain to seek refuge."

Zhou Sheng had already calculated that this master was not a bad person. On the contrary, he was a virtuous and upright monk who, despite being a mortal immortal, still practiced asceticism year after year and was compassionate and helped the world.

Since that's the case, he's willing to give them a chance.

"Amitabha Buddha, thank you, Heavenly Venerable."

The abbot looked at the murals, then at Zhou Sheng, and finally sighed deeply before bowing and leaving.

It's not that I'm cowardly, it's that I really can't beat them.

Before this Celestial Venerable, he, a dignified Earth Immortal, didn't even have the slightest thought of fighting. He felt as if he were facing not a person, but a mountain, a sea, or even the sky.

If he doesn't agree, the entire temple will likely face annihilation.

A quarter of an hour later, Zhou Sheng finally spoke again.

"At this moment, I am giving this to him, and also to you."

"Wu Daozi's paintings are very rare. This 'Golden-Winged Bird Sutra Transformation' painting is very precious. It preserves your appearance when you were most admired. If you don't come out soon, it will be a pity to waste this painting."

As soon as he finished speaking, the golden-winged roc in the mural suddenly let out a loud cry, then flapped its wings and flew out of the stone wall, transforming into the appearance of an old eunuch.

His white hair had almost turned black, with only a few strands remaining. He exuded an extremely domineering aura, as if he could swallow the sun and moon whole.

Those golden eyes were fixed on Zhou Sheng, with bloodshot veins in their pupils.

"What a Celestial Venerable! What a Zhou Sheng! I never expected that you could find me even though I was hiding here!"

"Having just passed the eighth tribulation, are you already eager to die?"

...(End of this chapter)