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

Chu Mingkong learned from Rong'er how incomplete the historical records of the Yueqi Empire were, and how much more incomplete they became after the empire collapsed.

Now that Yun Nongyu mentions that she only knew about it from "sporadic records," even if she were to ask further why she strangled the child, it would most likely be fruitless.

"so?"

"The divine essence of the Moon River Goddess has never been passed down to her descendants. Some people have suspected that each generation of Moon Goddess is an incarnation of the Moon River Goddess. Now that the two sects in the New Moon Kingdom are developing so rapidly, the Moon River Goddess may soon be involved. The fact that those two sects are coming to you is most likely related to you and they need Your Highness's help."

When Yun Nongyu saw the two intertwined star formations approaching, although it was the Kunlun Dao Sect that was approaching, its stance should not be related to the Dao Sect. So it could only be Chu Mingkong, who had been active in the New Moon Kingdom a few days ago.

Chu Mingkong pondered for a long time before asking solemnly, "There's a question I really want to know!"

"I will answer anything you know, Your Highness, please ask!" Seeing how serious he was, Yun Nongyu felt that when he wasn't talking nonsense, he could be considered reliable.

"Who was the Moon River Goddess's man? Why wasn't it mentioned at all? Is it possible that she died because her child was too ugly?" Chu Mingkong still had that solemn look on his face.

Upon hearing his apprentice's question, Zuo Qiuchi, who was fast asleep on Chu Mingkong's shoulder, twitched his ears and squinted one eye.

These kinds of gossip topics are much more interesting; what were we even talking about just now?

She said worriedly, "I hope it's not some kind of fertility potion that makes your belly grow big after just one sip; that would be pointless."

Yun Nongyu was utterly speechless. This master and disciple were truly incompatible; they just couldn't get along at all...

"The Goddess of the Moon River was reluctant to leave an heir. After being persuaded by her ministers, she finally hesitated and compromised. She chose a man to have her seed, and then killed the man to prevent the chaos of the imperial court. However, after giving birth, she for some reason erased her own bloodline."

"That's it?"

Zuo Qiuchi gave a disdainful look, closed his eyes, and went straight to sleep.

Chu Mingkong's train of thought jumped back to the present:

"Master Yun, I previously asked you about the various things concerning the Heavenly Emperor. I suddenly have a plan. The things in the palace are complicated and dangerous. Is there a chance for me to take advantage of the appearance of the Moon Goddess to lure the Heavenly Emperor out of the capital and kill him in this foreign land?"

This is no longer a place for stargazing and divination. Yun Nongyu knew that Chu Mingkong needed a "clear-sighted outsider" perspective to help him consider the feasibility of this plan.

“Yes, if the Goddess Yueqi really appears, then the Emperor of Tianji will definitely not be able to gain any advantage on this land. After repeated failures, he may really lose his temper and have the idea of ​​leaving the capital to seize her. But the premise is that Your Highness must really make the Emperor feel that ‘if he does not come in person, someone else will take away the Goddess Yueqi.’”

------------

Tianji Imperial Palace.

As the emperor listened to the series of defeat reports, his gloomy face turned ashen, and veins bulged on his forehead like earthworms.

"Why is this happening! The Crescent Kingdom is such a desolate place, a chaotic mess of warring tribes, with its power so fragmented. Why can't my army even conquer such a place?!"

In terms of military strength, he sent out his entire army. In addition to having ample supplies, he also sent a cunning merchant to procure food in advance. Even if the food he brought was used up, he could still sustain the war effort through war and become even more prosperous than the native tribes of the Crescent Kingdom!

But then a sudden, once-in-a-millennium extreme cold and snowstorm came and stopped everything. Even weaker cultivators had their spiritual energy suppressed during the storm.

The imperial advisor, who was holding a rosary made of white bones, said:

"Your Majesty need not be anxious. I have just received news that the Crown Prince of Xiling was also active in the Crescent Moon Kingdom, but he suffered a great loss and left the place in disgrace. I heard that he attempted to take Princess Yongzhen away under false pretenses, but unfortunately, Your Majesty secretly sent people to deal with her."

"Ha, trash!" The emperor sneered. Hearing that Chu Mingkong had suffered a loss at his hands was, to put it mildly, a piece of good news amidst a sea of ​​bad news.

The Imperial Advisor added, "There is another matter. Lord Void Yaksha is quite interested in the Crescent Moon Kingdom and has recently discovered the hiding place of the Moon River Goddess. He is willing to help Your Majesty."

"This reclusive organization has finally decided to make a move!"

After the emperor finished speaking, he was thinking to himself, what exactly is the purpose of this organization? Even that guy, the Prince of Xiling, has joined it. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have known about the existence of this organization.

Chapter 233 Who are you to teach me how to do things?

Having learned most of what he needed from Yun Nongyu, Chu Mingkong calmed his complicated thoughts and decided to wait patiently for the arrival of the two sects.

Without considering any sudden major breakthroughs he might have made, these two forces within the Crescent Moon Kingdom should be the biggest variables.

"Thank you very much for your answer, Master Yun."

"It's nothing... Please take the sword immortal back and take care of him. Thank you, Your Highness!" Yun Nongyu was slightly apprehensive when she saw that Chu Mingkong intended to let go of Zuo Qiuchi and continue to torment her. Even the best-natured person was afraid of being tormented by Zuo Qiuchi.

Chu Mingkong smiled as he looked at the blindfolded female Taoist. Her conservative dress could not hide her proud figure, and her fair skin was revealed through the fabric. Her elegant and otherworldly appearance was enhanced by the blindfold, giving her a mysterious and forbidden air of dignity.

"Let go, I'm going to find a pillow." Zuo Qiuchi pretended to get off Chu Mingkong and go find the fragrant and soft beauty opposite him.

Chu Mingkong didn't bow, but said "Farewell," then placed his hands on his master's perfect peach-shaped buttocks to adjust his position, picked up his master, and ran away. If it weren't for his dignified appearance and handsome demeanor, his running away might have resembled that of a dog thief.

As soon as Chu Mingkong left, Yun Nongyu immediately went into seclusion. The female disciple guarding the gate looked at Chu Mingkong carrying her away and then at the heavily guarded cave entrance, looking completely bewildered.

Although Zuo Qiuchi could force his way in if he really wanted to, Yun Nongyu still had to maintain a closed-off attitude towards the mountain.

As Zuo Qiuchi watched Yun Nongyu's cave dwelling recede further and further away, he sighed helplessly:

"Hey, what are you doing?!"

"You've shown your chicken feet too?" Chu Mingkong was surprised.

"What do you mean?" Zuo Qiuchi was stunned.

"Never mind what I said. Look how much Master Yun dislikes you. He immediately closed the mountain. Isn't that enough for you to come with me?" Chu Mingkong gestured with his lips behind him, though Yun Nongyu's cave was no longer visible.

Zuo Qiuchi pinched his traitor's cheek and retorted, "What do you know... Move your fingers a little, or if you dare to sneak in again, I'll break your penis."

Chu Mingkong sheepishly moved his fingers slightly away from the Peach Blossom Spring Secret Realm, but his large hand still rested on that round spot, and he obediently said, "Master, please continue."

“Yun Nongyu is just shy. If I were to knock on her gate, she would immediately open the barrier and invite me in.”

That's true, but the situation is slightly different from what she described.

Yun Nongyu was afraid that Zuo Qiuchi would tear down her mountain gate, just like the Taoist temple outside the capital. If Zuo Qiuchi sensed that she wasn't just tentatively approaching the gate, but genuinely wanted to come in and find her, then Yun Nongyu would have no choice but to open the gate and let her in.

However, Zuo Qiuchi's fondness for embracing Yun Nongyu was not truly driven by lust for her soft and feminine touch. Chu Mingkong was surrounded by women, and there were countless voluptuous beauties around him; embracing any one of them would be a great pleasure.

However, Yun Nongyu's cultivation level was profound, and she had comprehended some principles of the universe's fortune. Her body glowed, and her temperament was otherworldly, giving the impression that she was about to ascend to immortality at any moment. Having her by one's side had the wonderful effect of purifying the soul. Although she did not provide any substantial help to Zuo Qiuchi, holding her did indeed give him a different feeling.

"Hugging me is the same. I have many fellow Daoists who are no less skilled than others in terms of Dao cultivation and comprehension. You previously complained that my aura was cold and gloomy, but this time you can exude a majestic and righteous aura."

"Your extreme yang energy keeps emitting light; I thought I was holding a lantern. But now that it's fluctuating between hot and cold, it's barely enough to keep you warm in winter and cool in summer..."

Chu Mingkong carried Zuo Qiuchi back to his room. The two of them lay crookedly together. Chu Mingkong cleared his mind and pondered how to improve himself.

As he pondered this, the sun set and the moon rose, and the Moon Worship Cult arrived.

Hearing that the Moon Worship Cult had arrived, Chu Mingkong had already learned of it from Yun Nongyu and wasn't particularly surprised.

The woman from the Moon Worship Cult was a beautiful woman named Fazan. The women of the Crescent Moon Kingdom truly possess a unique beauty, wild, fiery, and alluringly sexy. This woman was slender, with an exceptionally thin waist that made her otherwise average-sized hips appear larger. Her body was covered in mysterious and enigmatic totem tattoos, and a small crescent moon was painted between her brows.

A divine power, unlike anything he had ever seen before, swirled around his body, like the gentle glow of moonlight bestowing blessings upon him. If this was also a form of willpower, then Chu Mingkong wondered if this might be the divine power bestowed upon believers by the legendary Moon River Goddess?

Upon seeing Fazan, Chu Mingkong sensed arrogance in the beautiful woman's brows—an arrogance that stemmed from her affiliation with her own camp.

"Hello, my name is Chu Mingkong." Chu Mingkong pulled Shangguan Rong to sit down opposite Fazan. Because of the woman's attitude, Chu Mingkong's attitude was also very cold.

The beautiful woman stood tall and straight; if her breasts were larger, this posture might have possessed a unique beauty. Fazan introduced himself with a resounding voice:

“Servant of the Moon River Goddess, attendant of the orthodox Lord of the Moonlit Realm, priest of the Moon Worship Cult, Fazan.”

You're reciting the menu from across the table...

Shangguan Rong remained silent, but her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Chu Mingkong said frankly and directly, "What is your purpose in coming here?"

Fazan said, "Cooperation is necessary. His Highness the Crown Prince of Xiling needs an ally. Since we are both enemies of the Emperor of Tianji, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The Baiyue Sect hopes to cooperate sincerely with His Highness the Crown Prince."

"You want Xiling to send troops to help you?"

"No, no, no, the Moon Worship Cult needs Your Highness's cooperation. The specifics cannot be discussed in detail before a definite answer is received, but once the matter is accomplished, Xiling will gain the goodwill of the Moon Goddess and become an ally with the great power of the first Empress!"

Shangguan Rong couldn't stand it anymore, mainly because she was afraid that Chu Mingkong would agree so abruptly:

"If you don't understand the details of the cooperation, how can we cooperate? Since you've come seeking cooperation, it means you have a need for His Highness. If you refuse to explain the details of the cooperation, we can't feel your sincerity."

Upon hearing Shangguan Rong speak, Fazan finally looked at the young woman properly and took a few deep breaths to compose himself.

"The young lady has a temperament that is compatible with my Moon Worship Cult. As for what you just said, His Highness the Crown Prince is indeed the best collaborator our Moon Worship Cult has found, but he is not the only choice. We also cultivate our own Divine Sons, who may indeed be a little inferior to His Highness the Crown Prince, but they are not unacceptable."

Since we're on the topic, let me explain in more detail. We need Your Highness to welcome the Goddess Yueqi, which requires entering the Lunar Eclipse Kingdom left behind by the Goddess of the Moon River. Entering the Lunar Eclipse Kingdom requires a lot of preparation, and the Moon Worship Cult is the most well-prepared. Only we can help Your Highness find the entrance!

"After that, Your Highness will gain an ally to help you deal with the Heavenly Emperor."

Chu Mingkong pondered: what did the Moon Worshiping Cult want from him that they wanted to find him?

Being at odds with the Heavenly Emperor on the political front? That might be a factor, but I don't think it's the key. Is it fighting ability?

Seeing that Chu Mingkong was still hesitating and hadn't immediately agreed, the beautiful priestess remained calm and confidently said:

“If Your Highness doesn’t care about Xiling and wants to leave with your female relatives, then that’s fine, but since Your Highness has set foot on Yueqi’s land, you must have something to ask for. Only we can help you.”

Chu Mingkong didn't really like the feeling of being forced to cooperate and being taught how to do things.

The last person who dared to teach him how to do things was his master's wife, Shen Xuejun, but she gave him milk and his original spiritual energy!

Who is this Fazan?

"The Defeat Moon Cult is also preparing to come after me," he said simply.

The implication is that while you say your Moon Worship Cult has a fallback option, I, Chu Mingkong, also have the option of defeating the Moon Worship Cult.

No matter how powerful your Moon Worship Cult is, isn't it just one of the two forces in the Crescent Moon Kingdom right now? If it were really that powerful, the Moon Defeated Cult would have been gone long ago.

Upon hearing the name "Defeated Moon Cult," Fazan sneered dismissively:

"The Moon Worship Cult has too shallow a foundation. They are just a group of false believers who violate and distort the true meaning of the Moon River Goddess. They even try to refute the orthodoxy of the Moon Worship Cult's belief in the goddess. They are ignorant and arrogant!"

I must reiterate to Your Highness that the Moon Worship Cult has backup options, and Your Highness is not the only one. I hope you will not use false believers like the Moon Worship Cult as a threat in negotiations; that is extremely... naive.”

Chu Mingkong felt that what she really meant to say was ignorance and stupidity, but she was being tactful and forgiving.

"Alright, I have a question for you. Why did you attack the eldest prince?"

"It's very simple. He's trying to let outsiders into the house, to taint the orthodoxy here, and to defile the land of his homeland. Although he does want to restore the glory of Yueqi, if outsiders are brought in, will this place still be called the land of Yueqi in the future?"

In the Moonlit Empire, everyone wears the clothing of the Celestial Empire and follows its customs, forgetting the memories flowing in the blood of the Moon People. Can this still be called the Moonlit Empire?!

The eldest prince is merely using the name of Yueqi's legitimacy to commit acts that tarnish Yueqi's purity; he deserves to die!

Chu Mingkong glanced at Shangguan Rong, who answered for him: "No cooperation, please leave."

Fazan paused for a moment, wanting to use a thousand words to analyze for Chu Mingkong how foolish this decision was, but in the end he only said one sentence:

"I hope that Your Highness will not regret your isolation and helplessness when facing the Emperor of Tianji in the future."

After leaving his words, Fazan departed.