Who is spreading rumors that my filial piety towards them has changed?

"Ah, yes, yes, bad luck~" Gu Jun Gui said in a mocking tone, exposing him expressionlessly: "I've been secretly asking your master, Miss Zuo, these past few days. She said that when you were having sex with Ke Qing, you used your essence to cultivate! So you secretly cultivated to make sure your child was born and left an heir! I haven't even urged you to decide on your future queen consort yet!"

The pressure from elders to get married and have children is truly terrifying...

Chu Mingkong had a terrible headache, and suddenly said, "Aunt Gu, do you want a child of your own?"

Gu Jun Gui was thrown into a panic, her beautiful eyes widening as she scolded, "What...what are you saying? What do you mean by my child...you really are something else, I'm a widow...!"

Chu Mingkong chuckled: "What I mean is, I'll shrink down so you can take care of me and have fun. Doesn't Aunt Gu consider me family?"

Gu Jungui glared at him irritably, unsure of what to say.

But in her heart, she thought to herself:

...My child.

Chapter 231 Observing the General Trend of the World

Chu Mingkong lay down with Aunt Gu for a while, still feeling energetic, but Aunt Gu fell asleep first.

It is true that monks have difficulty sleeping due to their physical and mental constitution, but after a long period of tension, they will still unconsciously close their eyes and take a nap, just like the drowsiness that arises from the heat on a summer afternoon when there is no time for a midday rest.

Aunt Gu is in this state right now. If Chu Mingkong calls her now, she will wake up immediately, but it will be difficult for her to enter this half-asleep state again afterward.

Chu Mingkong gazed at Aunt Gu's mature and beautiful sleeping face, so delicate and sweet, her quiet feminine fragrance captivating him.

He did want to give Aunt Gu a kiss like he had stolen a kiss from Madam Zhen before, to widen the gap between them, but he decided against it for now. He was finally able to fall asleep, and he couldn't let himself be disturbed so easily.

Reluctantly leaving that soft, voluptuous embrace, Chu Mingkong quietly withdrew from the room.

......

During his few days of rest in the Kunlun Mountains, Chu Mingkong wasn't really idle. He reported his "work status" to the two chief consorts of Xiling, and they scolded him for not looking for women indiscriminately in the Crescent Moon Kingdom.

Then, by using the intelligence network of the Taoist disciples, they kept abreast of the movements of the Crescent Moon Kingdom.

As expected, the Moonlit Royal Family quickly disintegrated after losing the eldest prince, a moderate yet crucial figure. With the second prince gone, the remaining members defected to the third prince, but the third prince couldn't withstand the pressure from all sides and is now rumored to be in contact with two emerging religious sects; it remains to be seen which side he will ultimately choose.

However, it is certain that from now on, the name of the Yueqi royal family will belong to either the Baiyue Cult or the Baiyue Cult, and will no longer be a fallen but independent force of a former empire.

As for the future of these two sects and how to deal with the Heavenly Pole Empire, that's beyond Chu Mingkong's judgment.

As expected, the dog emperor also stumbled in this godforsaken place, the Crescent Kingdom. His advance troops had their supplies plundered by the tribesmen on the snowy highlands during a snowstorm, and now he wanted to start by taking down the tribesmen on the snowy mountains.

First, eliminate those obstacles capable of fighting in the snowstorm. Once he has dealt with the enemies on the snow mountain, the tribes in other parts of the Crescent Kingdom should also be exhausted by this natural disaster. At that time, it will be much easier to go down the mountain and clear out these remnants.

As a result, when the emperor's army looted the temple on the snow mountain halfway, they accidentally triggered a giant mechanical robot left behind by the Moonlit Empire from the Iron Dynasty. In other words, it was like a "Gundam." The fact that such a thing existed in their own temple was something that the snow mountain tribes did not know.

The emperor's army suffered heavy losses in the conquest of the snowy mountains as a result.

Chu Mingkong felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing all this news. Fortunately, he ran away quickly and put aside his ambition to conquer the Crescent Moon Kingdom in advance.

......

"Your Highness, are you here to find Elder Yun, or perhaps to find the Sword Immortal?" asked a female disciple guarding the cave at the Yun Nongyu Mountain gate. This was the same one who had helped Chu Mingkong search his soul.

Incidentally, this female disciple also covered her eyes with a cloth strip. In the Taoist sect, those who intend to cultivate the way of star observation and divination must cover their eyes, while those who mainly cultivate the way of alchemy must cover their mouths.

The mistress of Xiaoxiang Qin Academy wears black stockings, while those of Wenqing Pavilion wear white stockings. This doorway doesn't seem to have a consistent system. If there's anything consistent about it, it's probably the fact that everyone walks barefoot...

After staying for a few days, Chu Mingkong had already learned some basic Kunlun Daoist etiquette. He bowed and politely asked:

"I'm looking for Elder Yun. I have some questions I'd like to ask her. Is she in her cave?"

"Elder Yun is currently in seclusion, studying talismans, and will not emerge for another five days." After answering, the female disciple smiled and became curious about the affairs of the Crescent Moon Kingdom: "Why did Your Highness use 'Cao' as a pseudonym back then? I heard that when Your Highness returned to Xiling to participate in the Tianya City martial arts competition, you also used 'Cao' as a pseudonym. Was there any significance to that?"

"It's not about any particular custom. One of my ancestors, Cao, had a heart full of care for married women, and I take him as an example. Since Master Yun is in seclusion, I'll come again next time."

"I see, I've never heard of this person before."

"I'm definitely not a celebrity here, haha..."

Just as Chu Mingkong was about to leave, Yun Nongyu's voice came from the cave, her tone as if she had seen a savior.

"Quickly invite His Highness the Crown Prince in."

The female disciple was puzzled, but she still opened the door and let Chu Mingkong in.

Chu Mingkong walked all the way to the end and saw his master holding Yun Nongyu like an octopus. He finally understood why she had spoken in that tone earlier.

After greeting Yun Nongyu, Chu Mingkong said irritably, "I was wondering why I couldn't find you these past two days. Turns out you've been hiding in Master Yun's cave."

Zuo Qiuchi, who was sleeping comfortably, opened one eye: "Hey~ want to hug me too?"

I'm here to curry favor with someone powerful.

Chu Mingkong pulled Zuo Qiuchi off Yun Nongyu and hugged her himself. Although Zuo Qiuchi always complained about his chubby body, she didn't say anything this time. She hugged him without caring about her image, slumped her head on his shoulder and fell asleep. You could smell the smell of alcohol in her breath, so she probably scoured a lot of immortal wine from the Taoist sect to taste.

"What brings Your Highness here?" Yun Nongyu was immediately filled with gratitude.

Chu Mingkong's thoughts were disrupted by Zuo Qiuchi. He looked down and recalled what he wanted to ask when he came over. Yun Nongyu's spotless white bare feet came into view.

"Look at my memory, I've been distracted by my master. The situation in the Crescent Moon Kingdom is still developing, and I'd like to try and find some clues from Master Yun. I wonder if Master Yun can observe the stars and see the future of the Crescent Moon Kingdom?"

Yun Nongyu knew what was troubling Chu Mingkong. Although it was called the Crescent Moon Kingdom, it was actually still the emperor's business.

Although the emperor suffered a loss in the Crescent Moon Kingdom, Chu Mingkong's original plans also failed.

His previous plan for the Crescent Moon Kingdom, besides providing a way out for Xiling, was also to gain the means to deal with the emperor and the many trump cards the emperor possessed, including the dragon aura.

"Everything in the Crescent Moon Kingdom changes very quickly. The constellations there are clear, but they are different every now and then. Right now, two stars, one bright and one dim, are the most dazzling."

That must refer to the two new sects now. But it's not surprising. Even Fengying, who has witnessed the changes in the Crescent Moon Kingdom, is paying special attention to these two forces, which means that these two forces will definitely not be the kind of forces that disappear as soon as they appear.

"What will happen between them and the Heavenly Pole Empire? Although the emperor now possesses the power of extreme yin, making him difficult to observe, it shouldn't be the case that the entire empire is covered by his yin energy alone."

"Your Highness is right. I can see many celestial phenomena related to the Celestial Empire, but one particular celestial phenomenon seems clearer to me. The future Celestial Empire will likely be fragmented, somewhat like the current Crescent Kingdom, but with some differences."

What does "broken" mean?

"The dragon veins no longer converge, and the whole has turned into a sky full of shattered stars, just like Xiling, which was the first to break apart. However, this is only my own detoxification."

Chu Mingkong pondered her words. She must have meant that the Tianji Empire would cease to exist in the future, and that numerous warlords would emerge, turning the unified empire into a series of small kingdoms.

If this is indeed the case in the future, then the prerequisite must be that the emperor is dead.

However, there are many possible scenarios for an emperor's demise. The two most prominent ones are either that Chu Mingkong kills the emperor or that the emperor is killed by the backlash of the dragon vein. There are also many other unforeseen circumstances that could lead to the emperor's death.

"Now that I am also blessed with extreme Yang energy, can Master Yun see the trajectory of my destiny? What will be the outcome between me and the Emperor?"

“It’s not clear. Your Highness has the power of extreme Yang, but the influence of extreme Yin power is still there. Moreover, I have tried to observe Your Highness and the Heavenly Emperor. Your Highness’s extreme Yin power is ‘concealed’ more thoroughly. Perhaps it is because Your Highness’s extreme Yin power is attached to Your Highness’s body through injuries and merged into one, while the Heavenly Emperor controls extreme Yin power through other tricks.”

Fearing he might be confused, Yun Nongyu further explained the principles of astrological divination:

"The celestial phenomena are ever-changing, even more so than the changes in the Crescent Moon Kingdom. Observing the future is extremely difficult, and what can be seen in the future through the stars is often something that has already become the general trend of the world."

If everything could be predicted in advance, then everything would lose its meaning.

Chu Mingkong could tell that Yun Nongyu really wanted him to understand, and even had the implication that she wanted him to join the Taoist sect after he understood what astrology and divination were all about. Unfortunately, he was dull-witted and still couldn't understand what she meant.

He has a "take-it-as-it-is" mentality when it comes to stargazing—since I already know someone who knows how to stargaze, why should I learn it myself? Isn't it better to just ask for the answer?

If even Yun Nongyu couldn't see it, how could he, a junior student, possibly see it?

However, the core concept of stargazing seems quite contradictory. All stargazers try to predict the future, seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, and change the timing of the weather. But if the timing of the weather can be changed at will, can we still observe a definite future?

However, we cannot conclude that astrology and divination in this world are unreliable simply because Chu Mingkong has such doubts; it only means that he is not destined for this path.

To ease the embarrassment of not understanding anything, Chu Mingkong joked, "Speaking of which, Master Yun just said that only the established trends of the world can be clearly seen. Am I not part of the trends of the world?"

However, seeing Yun Nongyu's somewhat confused and puzzled attitude, Chu Mingkong realized that this person was not someone who could casually make lewd remarks.

Yun Nongyu didn't understand his meaning, so she subconsciously performed a divination. Then, she had a feeling that guided her to look at Chu Mingkong's lower abdomen, and then some scenes that had already happened flashed through her mind.

However, she was no longer a naive young girl, and she didn't show any shyness. Instead, she said calmly but with a hint of complexity:

"Your Highness's ability to damage the cast steel belt is indeed a sign of the great 'trend' of the world... Your Highness might consider looking into knowledge about pregnancy care recently."

Didn't you say you couldn't see my affairs? Extreme Yin Power, have you gone on strike?!

"I'm sorry, the art of astrology and divination is indeed remarkable. I was just being rude!" Chu Mingkong honestly admitted his mistake. He was stunned for a moment: "Wait a minute, Master Yun said to take care of the pregnancy? Whose advice?!"

"I don't know. Also, recently the two intertwined star formations of the Crescent Moon Kingdom seem to be moving closer to Kunlun. I think they might be looking for Your Highness."

Chapter 232 The Scheming Goddess

puff!

Although Yun Nongyu threw out another piece of information, Chu Mingkong's attention was completely drawn to the matter of "pregnancy protection" that she had just mentioned.

He just returned a couple of days ago and talked to Aunt Gu about having children. How come we're hearing about "pregnancy safety" now?!

"Wait a minute, Master Yun, please elaborate on what you just said about ensuring a safe pregnancy!" Chu Mingkong asked anxiously. Since she had divined the possibility of his belt breaking, Chu Mingkong's trust in her had greatly increased.

"I cannot go into details. It was not a detailed image, but a feeling. Your Highness will encounter something related to the fetus, and it will be quite troublesome. Therefore, I suggest that Your Highness prepare some knowledge about pregnancy care."

Yun Nongyu explained calmly, her eyes, though covered by blindfolds, seemed to see through Chu Mingkong's heart and understood his deeper doubts.

"Your Highness must be wondering why I can suddenly divine about you again. This can only mean that the power involved in the matter of 'fetus' is extraordinary, and may even overshadow the influence of extreme Yin power on the aura."

"Does this mean there's a power even higher than the power of extreme Yin?" Chu Mingkong felt uneasy.

This is no longer a matter of whether the fetus is safe or not; it involves a level of power that can surpass the power of extreme yin, and the trouble is no longer limited to the fetus itself!

"Not entirely. I don't think there is any power stronger than these two extreme Yin and Yang. It's just that some beings have brought their power to its limit. Your Highness is not yet a true master of using extreme Yin power."

"Alright." Chu Mingkong pressed on, "If Daoist Yun is guessing, where does this power come from, and what is its connection to the fetus?"

"Considering that the two forces in the Crescent Moon Kingdom have already gained considerable influence..."

Yun Nongyu felt very awkward. She felt that Chu Mingkong had ruined the meaning of the word "general trend" in her mind, and she swallowed back the words "the general trend has been formed" that she was about to say.

The culprit, Chu Mingkong, felt he had drawn wisdom from this beautiful Taoist nun, discerning her thoughts, and reassured her:

"It's alright, it's already a trend, I understand what you mean... I'm sorry, I won't interrupt anymore, Master Yun, please continue."

Yun Nongyu composed herself and continued:

"It's probably related to the Goddess Yueyun. The founding empress of the Yueyun Empire, the Goddess Yuehe, is revered as the divine mother in the history of this ancient country. A mother should logically have a kind and maternal nature, but from the scattered records, the Goddess Yuehe strangled her only bloodline after birth."

This resulted in the Moon River Goddess not leaving behind her own legitimate bloodline; the subsequent royal family consisted only of descendants of the high priests chosen by the Moon River Goddess at that time.