Taoist priests in the supernatural world

Chapter 89 The Demon of National Fortune, Huang Shigong's Heavenly Book

clang!

The long, drawn-out chimes echoed throughout heaven and earth.

The originally noisy sacrificial venue fell silent instantly, as if held down by an invisible hand.

All eyes were turned toward the direction from which the bell tolled.

One hundred and eight Taoist priests, dressed in their finest attire and carrying whisks, swords, jade tablets, and precious banners, stood on either side.

Their steps were orderly, their robes fluttering, and they surrounded the emperor and the crown prince beside him, slowly walking towards the nine-zhang-high altar.

Today, Jiajing did not wear his usual yellow robe, but rather a solemn imperial crown.

A black top and a yellow bottom.

The imperial robes are woven with twelve symbols: the sun, moon, stars, mountains, dragons, and more.

With each step, sunlight fell upon the patterns, subtly revealing a luxurious sheen.

Emperor Jiajing's temples were streaked with white, a color that resembled neither hair nor feathers.

He possessed an elegant and noble demeanor, with a calm expression, exuding both imperial majesty and the air of a mysterious and unpredictable Taoist cultivator.

Prince Yu walked beside Jiajing, his expression solemn.

He had already been designated as the crown prince by the Jiajing Emperor.

However, the sacrificial ceremony was too sudden and too grand, and with envoys from all over the world present, even Prince Yu felt a little uneasy.

When the emperor ascended the altar, all the officials bowed their heads in respect.

The envoys from various countries also quieted down.

Emperor Jiajing ascended the high platform, stood still, and slowly looked up at the sky.

He did not look at the officials, nor at the envoys from all nations, but gazed up at the heavens and loudly sang in response:

"We respectfully invite the Great God of the Yellow Heaven!"

The sound came from the high altar and spread out layer by layer through the chanting of the ceremonial officials.

"We respectfully invite the Great God of the Yellow Heaven!"

"We respectfully invite the Great God of the Yellow Heaven!"

The lingering sound echoed in all directions.

The words fell.

Heaven and earth are silent.

Only the sunlight still shines on the high altar, and the wind still blows the yellow banner.

A moment later, subtle movements gradually began to occur in the arena.

On the Ming Dynasty officials' side, many people's expressions had already changed.

In their view, the emperor had probably really gone mad this time.

It's one thing to cultivate immortality and refine elixirs in private, but today he actually invited some so-called Yellow Heaven God in front of envoys from all over the world and the entire court.

If the gods don't come, where will the Ming Dynasty put its face?

Xu Jie and the other senior officials looked ashen-faced.

Several senior officials, having reached their limit, were preparing to rise and step onto the stage to remove the emperor from his seat.

We can't wait any longer. If things continue like this, the Ming Dynasty will become a laughing stock of the world.

The majesty of the Celestial Empire was swept away in an instant.

They could tolerate the emperor's private misconduct, the emperor's long absence from court, and the alchemy and temples in the Western Garden.

But they could not bear to see the emperor lose face in front of so many foreign envoys.

Xu Jie clenched his fingers in his sleeve, about to get up.

Zhang Juzheng, who was standing next to him, suddenly whispered:

"Grand Secretary Xu, please wait a little longer."

Xu Jie frowned and looked at him.

Zhang Juzheng remained calm and composed, his gaze fixed on Jiajing on the high platform.

"Let's see how His Majesty acts."

Xu Jie lowered his voice and said:

"What are you still looking at? If you keep looking, the whole world will laugh at our Great Ming."

Zhang Juzheng did not immediately refute.

He paused for a moment before saying, "His Majesty is an exceptionally intelligent man; he would not do something so uncertain."

"There must be a reason why we have invited envoys from all nations to witness the ceremony today and gathered all the officials together."

"Even if there are no real gods, His Majesty will find a way to deceive them."

Xu Jie's face was grim, but he ultimately did not get up immediately.

He also knew that Jiajing was not a foolish or incompetent ruler.

This emperor may seem absurd, but he is actually extremely shrewd.

What happened today has gone beyond the scope of official power struggles.

If he truly couldn't summon a deity, no matter how clever Jiajing was, he might not be able to silence the criticisms of the world.

boom!!

Just then, thunder suddenly roared in the sky.

The sound was like the beating of a heavenly drum, making everyone's hearts tremble.

In an instant, envoys from all nations looked up.

The next moment, everyone was so shocked by what they saw that they were speechless.

Above, clouds churned and rolled.

A golden light pierced the clear sky, auspicious clouds descended, and thunder roared around.

The gods arrived riding dragon chariots.

The dragon carriage was extremely magnificent, its body seemingly cast from gold and white jade, surrounded by clouds like a curtain and rosy light like a veil.

Wind and thunder cleared the way for the car.

He was attended by thirty-six celestial boys and girls on either side.

A celestial boy holds an incense burner, and a jade maiden carries a precious banner.

The five-colored rays of light flowed endlessly, making the entire sky look like a fairyland.

The immortal in the carriage had the graceful figure of a crane, with white hair and golden eyes.

He was draped in five-colored light, with wings spread behind him, and auspicious energy and thunder swirling around him.

It resembles both a celestial being from the clouds and an ancient winged figure slowly emerging from an ancient painting.

At this moment, it seems that everyone can find the corresponding mythological figure in their mind.

The people of the grasslands thought of the messenger of the Eternal Heaven.

The Korean envoy thought of the immortals who had ascended to heaven in the ancient books of the superior country.

The Europeans imagined angels descending, while the Japanese envoys imagined Amaterasu.

The officials of the Ming Dynasty thought of the winged immortals in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, Biographies of Immortals, and Biographies of Gods and Immortals, who had long since disappeared into the past.

It seems that from ancient times to the present, this deity has always existed in the long river of history, watching over generations of heroes and great men.

"The Eternal Heaven!"

The Mongol envoy's eyes widened, and his lips trembled.

"Lord!"

The European nobles were so shocked that they immediately made the sign of the cross on their chests.

"Is this your messenger?"

The North Korean envoy was so excited that his face turned red and he knelt down on the ground.

"Ha ha!"

"Our great nation is mighty! To be a dog of the Ming Dynasty is truly an honor for us!"

"By the gods!"

"Please accept my bow!"

Soon, the sounds of kneeling and bowing rose and fell.

Even many foreign envoys who had just been secretly mocking the Ming Dynasty couldn't help but lower their heads.

Xu Jie, Yan Song, and other cabinet ministers stood there speechless for a long time.

These cunning old foxes, who are adept at understanding people's hearts, can immediately devise a response to a single glance or gesture from another.

When faced with such mysterious and enigmatic gods and ghosts, they completely lost their composure for a moment.

Yan Song squinted, and the senile look on his face finally disappeared.

His gaze was fixed on the winged figure in the sky, and countless thoughts raced through his mind.

Zhang Juzheng stroked his beard, his eyes unblinking.

It wasn't until he felt a sharp pain in his fingertips that he realized he had actually broken off several strands of his beard.

He glanced down at his broken beard, then looked up at the celestial beings in the sky, his expression extremely complex.

What was most shocking were the barbarian pirates and Japanese pirates who harbored ambitions against the Ming Dynasty.

"Could it be that destiny is clear?"

A sense of despair suddenly arose in the heart of the grassland envoy.

If the Ming Dynasty truly had the protection of ghosts and gods, would they still have a chance of winning?

In an instant, with the appearance of the gods, destiny seemed to truly tilt back towards the Ming Dynasty.

The crowd below was in an uproar, but Huang Bai ignored it.

His display of divine power in front of everyone was not to satisfy Jiajing's vanity, nor to embellish the image of the Ming Dynasty.

It was just to calm people down a little.

To avoid chaos when we're slaying the demon later.

Huang Bai slowly stepped out of the dragon chariot, and clouds rose from beneath his feet.

He landed on a nine-zhang-high altar.

Upon seeing this, Jiajing immediately stepped back half a step.

Prince Yu also bowed his head respectfully, not daring to utter a sound.

Huang Bai held a magic sword, and walked around the altar with his feet in a ritualistic manner.

On the altar, the seal of Yangping Zhidu Gong was placed in the center.

Five Dharma lamps were arranged in the five directions.

Cigarette smoke rises, and talismans rustle softly.

Huang Bai closed his eyes for a moment and began to recite the mantra for deliverance.

The resentment of the dragon vein is still resentment, and the ritual of deliverance should be able to play a certain role.

As the incantation was chanted, golden rays emerged from the altar, transforming into a rain of light that fell upon the land in the direction of the Forbidden City.

Looking down from the sky, the capital city appears as if its earth veins are condensed into a mass.

Beneath the Forbidden City, a somber, dark aura lingered and refused to dissipate.

As the black energy twisted and turned, it vaguely formed the shape of a dragon.

It lies nestled beneath the foundations of the imperial city, seemingly asleep, yet also slowly devouring the fate of the Ming Dynasty.

Striking from the golden light, the black aura gradually faded.

The black dragon, formed from the resentment of the earth's veins, also began to lose its form.

The dragon's head was twisted, and its body was disintegrating.

It seemed that in just a few more moments, this demon of national destiny would be completely annihilated by Huang Bai.

"Is that all?"

A hint of doubt flashed through Huang Bai's mind.

Logically speaking, the celestial decree pointing to a calamity affecting the nation's destiny should not be so simple.

Boom boom boom!!!

Just then, a muffled rumble suddenly came from underground.

The sound came from deep within, like a giant beast turning over inside the earth.

The ground began to tremble slightly, centered on the black dragon.

The tremors were initially very slight, but they quickly reached the sacrificial site.

The sacrificial vessels jingled.

The crowd in the hall immediately staggered and gasped in surprise.

"Earthquake!"

"Oh no, it's an earthquake!"

"Protect the Emperor!"

The Imperial Guards were in an uproar.

Emperor Jiajing stood on the high platform, and his expression changed slightly.

Huang Bai frowned.

This is a very bad omen.

If the dragon vein were to backfire and trigger a real earthquake, the entire capital city would likely perish.

There must be evil spirits beneath the Forbidden City.

That black dragon was just a facade.

The real root cause is hidden even deeper.

Thinking of this, Huang Bai made a decisive decision.

He swayed and flew into the depths of the dense forest behind the Great Hall.

All that was seen was a flash of white light, and the immortal had vanished.

In the dense forest.

Huang Bai summoned all the Yin soldiers from the Terrace of Soldiers and Horses.

A sudden gust of cold wind arose, black mist billowed, and the twin spirits, the girl in red, the King of Xian, the Yaksha, and other ghostly soldiers appeared one after another.

"You all guard my body; I will be right back."

"yes!"

The ghostly soldiers answered in unison.

The next moment, Huang Bai closed his eyes.

The soul instantly left the body.

His soul transformed into a golden light, following the cracks in the earth's tremors and the places where black energy dissipated, reaching deep underground.

It was pitch black all around.

All I could hear was the rumbling of the earth's veins.

After an unknown amount of time, the area in front of them suddenly became empty.

Suddenly, everything became clear.

The yellow and white figures stood still, and what came into view was a huge underground cavern.

The cave is incredibly high, with deep, damp walls all around.

Every ten steps, a strange talisman is carved.

Some of the talismans looked like dragons, some like snakes, and some like twisted human figures.

The cave ceiling is inlaid with luminous pearls.

The cold white light illuminated the entire cave hall, and also the corpse in the center of the cave.

The body lay flat on the ground.

Its entire body was covered in jet-black hair, its lips bulged out, and it had a blue face and fangs.

With long limbs and hook-like claws, it was a black ape.

The black energy in the earth's veins was being continuously absorbed by this black ape.

It was enveloped in a thick aura of resentment, its chest rising and falling slightly, and with each breath, black energy was inhaled into its mouth and nose.

"Is this the demon that threatens the nation's destiny?"

Upon seeing the black ape, Huang Bai gathered a breath of Five Thunder Qi.

boom!!

A streak of crimson lightning tore through the void and struck the black ape.

Thunder and flames exploded, illuminating the cave hall in a crimson glow.

At the same time, the Five Elements Array Plate was deployed.

The array plate instantly transformed into a fiery formation.

A raging inferno swept out and headed towards refining the black ape.

The flames instantly engulfed the black ape, obscuring its interior.

"The black ape was born from the resentment of the earth's veins. This resentment is afraid of fire, so it should play a role in restraining it."

Roar! !

A roar suddenly came from within the raging flames.

Flames exploded and raged in all directions.

The black ape was completely unharmed.

It suddenly opened its eyes, black energy billowing within them, and roared as it charged toward Huang Bai.

With both feet planted firmly on the ground, and using the force of the ground's recoil, he instantly soared ten feet into the air.

That fist, as hard as steel, slammed down from above.

Huang Bai dodged to the side.

boom!

The black ape slammed its fist into the ground, causing the entire cavern to tremble violently.

Pebbles fell in a flurry, and Huang Bai flicked his whisk out.

The silver-white whisk-like threads shot out and instantly wrapped around the black ape's body.

Boom!

This time, it was two golden lightning bolts.

The Five Elements Array Plate turned golden at the right moment, and the golden light and thunder simultaneously engulfed the black ape.

Thunder echoed through the cave, causing the talismans on the cave walls to flicker continuously.

As Huang Bai had expected, the strange beast formed from the earth's energy only suffered minor external injuries.

Several spots on the black ape's body were charred and cracked, but they were quickly filled with black mist.

Before long, it broke free from the whisk's restraints and, like a madman, pounced on Huang Bai once again.

A man and a beast fought fiercely in an underground cave.

The black ape possessed immense strength; every step it took shook the cave.

Yellow and white thunder magic, whisk, and five elements array plate were used in turn.

The red fire, golden thunder, water vapor, and earthen walls are constantly changing.

The cave walls shook violently, and rocks fell straight down.

Fortunately, Huang Bai was only in spirit form at the moment and was not afraid of the bombardment of rocks.

If they were to actually descend, they would likely be limited by the terrain.

Soon, Huang Bai realized something was wrong.

Fire and lightning failed, metal and lightning were ineffective, and earth magic was more like replenishing the earth's energy for this thing.

The true nature of this black ape is far more complex than it appears on the surface.

With a thought, Huang Bai caused the Five Elements Array Plate to change abruptly.

The blue light shone brightly.

A bolt of blue lightning struck down from the sky, hitting the black ape's right arm.

"roar!!"

The black ape let out a cry of pain for the first time.

Its massive body flew more than ten meters backward and crashed heavily against the cave wall.

The right arm, struck by the lightning, crumbled into pieces and fell off.

A golden light flashed in Huang Bai's eyes, and he suddenly realized: "So he's afraid of wood!"

He was previously misled by the appearance of the black ape.

The true nature of this ape is earth.

It only turned into this black-haired, evil ape because it absorbed too much of the earth's resentment.

Huang Bai no longer hesitated.

The whisk and the array plate activated their magic simultaneously.

Silver-white whisk threads intertwined with green vines, wrapping around the black ape's body layer by layer.

The black ape struggled frantically, roaring repeatedly.

Huang Bai has already grasped the method of restraint.

boom!

boom!

Boom boom boom!

Several wooden lightning bolts fell in succession.

Inside the cave, a bluish light flickered, and the howls of black apes echoed incessantly.

Thick black mist filled the entire cavern, then gradually dissipated into nothingness amidst the blue lightning.

After an unknown amount of time, the black ape's massive body finally disintegrated.

In the end, only a white ape about half the height of a person remained in the center of the cave.

The white ape's entire body was covered with fine cracks, resembling a strange stone about to crumble and break.

It lay on the ground, panting heavily.

With each breath, a faint white vapor escaped from between the mouth and nose.

Huang Bai determined that it was not in immediate danger before slowly descending.

However, the whisk threads remained tightly wrapped around the white ape's body.

The white ape's eyelids twitched slightly, and it slowly opened its eyes.

When it saw the yellow and white creature standing in front of it, its eyes were initially blank, but then gradually regained their clarity.

"Now……"

Its voice was dry, as if it hadn't spoken in a long time.

"How long has it been since the Hongwu era?"

"Two hundred years."

"Two hundred years... I'm sorry to have caused you, our descendants, so much trouble."

The white ape sighed softly, its voice tinged with an indescribable weariness.

It gazed at the yellow and white figure, a hint of approval in its eyes.

"Your skills are impressive; you're a promising young man, almost reaching the level of Liu Bowen back then."

Huang Bai looked at the white ape and already had a guess in his mind.

"Is the senior the white ape who imparted the Heavenly Book to Liu Bowen?"

The white ape nodded.

"That's right, the Yellow Stone Master's Heavenly Book was taught to me."

It looked up at the luminous pearl on the cave ceiling, as if recalling a very distant past.

"Back then, Liu Bowen severed ninety-nine dragon veins, but suffered a backlash from the negative energy."

"He originally intended to sever all the dragon veins in the world, completely isolate humans, gods, and ghosts, so that there would be no more chaos caused by immortals and gods in the human world."

"But once the ninety-nine dragon veins are severed, the backlash from heaven and earth will be imminent."

"He had no strength left to sever the last dragon vein."

"Left with no other choice, they could only spare the last branch of the family and leave me here to suppress their resentment."

The white ape looked down at his cracked hands and gave a bitter smile.

"Unexpectedly, two hundred years later, trouble still arises in the end."

"A stroke of luck amidst misfortune."

It looked at Huang Bai again, its eyes filled with relief: "Among the descendants, at least there are still those who have the ability to turn the tide."

"Senior, where is the last dragon vein?"

"Changbai Mountain!"

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