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

When Chu Mingkong saw Shangguan Rong, he wanted to explain the reasons for his decision, but he simply shook his head and said, "No need to explain, I'll listen to Rong'er."

With such a dismissive attitude towards cooperation, is this what cooperation looks like? Chu Mingkong refused to believe that the Defeat Moon Church, which could rival them, was so incompetent.

“Mingkong, you used to say ‘I’ll listen to Yongzhen,’ right? Now that you’ve changed girls, you’re saying something completely different?” Yongzhen appeared and went into the room after the conversation ended, since she had officially died of poisoning in the Moon Palace.

At this moment, the princess stared at the ashamed man with her bright eyes slightly narrowed.

"Ahem, what I mean is, regarding the cooperation with the Moon Worship Cult, I will leave it to Rong'er's decision." Chu Mingkong felt a chill run down his spine.

Shangguan Rong also challenged her, saying calmly, "Well, you don't need to listen to me on other matters. Just ignore what I'm saying."

Chu Mingkong: "..."

Chapter 234 Entering the Divine Kingdom Requires Meeting the Mother...

Seeing the friendly interaction between Yongzhen and Shangguan Rong, Chu Mingkong was afraid that after returning to Xiling, the group would become even more lively with Jinyu joining them.

Now that Jin Yu has been won over by her mother Pei Mi, she has no scruples and even considers her own mother as one of her own. She'll probably stop giving Yong Zhen any leeway and try to take her by force.

Chu Mingkong pulled the two aside, deciding to use serious matters to quell the temporary friction. He had just said he didn't want to delve into the reasons for abandoning the Moon Worship Cult, but now he had to talk about it.

"Rong'er, Yongzhen, what do you think of the Moon Worship Cult?"

Since Chu Mingkong so openly changed the subject, they couldn't say anything. If they tried to force the topic back to the little argument they had just had, it would seem like they were being unreasonable and making a fuss.

Seeing that Yongzhen didn't seem inclined to speak, Shangguan Rong spoke first:

"In my opinion, the 'orthodoxy' that the Moon Worship Cult claims to uphold is just a high-sounding excuse to eliminate dissidents. Take the eldest prince, for example. He seems to be wary of the Heavenly Pole Empire, not just wanting reinforcements, but having no other choice but to seek solutions from outside."

If the Moon Worship Cult truly wanted to win them over, and had simply demonstrated their divine protection to the eldest prince as they did just now, there wouldn't have been so much trouble. The eldest prince might have already joined forces with the Moon Worship Cult.

Although Yongzhen had just been arguing with Shangguan Rong, she wouldn't argue about serious matters to prove she was right. She agreed:

"That's right. Such an exclusive sect, with its own 'orthodox' choice, still came to cooperate with Mingkong. There must be something fishy about this. Although the woman just emphasized that Mingkong is a better choice, this statement does not fit their previous style of doing things."

This is not a partner we can cooperate with.

Chu Mingkong also felt uncomfortable with the Moon Worship Cult. This feeling came from Fazan's tough attitude just now, as well as from the death of the eldest prince. Poisoning someone is something a human would do.

Now, after hearing his daughter's explanation, Chu Mingkong was even more certain that his feeling was correct.

"Speaking of the Moon Worship Cult and the Moon Defeating Cult, which force is stronger?"

Yongzhen had indeed inquired about this from Taoist disciples:

"The Moon Worship Cult has absorbed more tribes and has a relatively larger influence because it supports the Moon River Goddess in the historical orthodox tradition."

The forces absorbed by the Defeat Moon Cult are distributed in places like the Snow Mountain and Wildflower Village. These places are mostly the areas where the Moon River Goddess first rose to power in history. However, the Defeat Moon Cult seems to worship... a Moon River Goddess similar to those in unofficial histories, so it has gained relatively less support.

The extreme cold and snow have prevented many conflicts, resulting in the two forces being roughly equal in strength. However, barring other influencing factors, in the long run, the orthodox Moon Worship Cult will likely have a slight advantage.

This is quite strange; supporting the same goddess can cause so many problems.

"Now we can only wait for the Defeat Moon Cult to come knocking. Hopefully, their attitude will be better. Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to go and snatch the method to enter the Lunar Eclipse Divine Kingdom. Do they really think I, Chu, am a civilized person?" Chu Mingkong chuckled, hoping to find an opportunity to make that Fazan suffer a setback.

She acted all high and mighty just because she was the legitimate Moon River Goddess. Anyone who didn't know better would think that the Moon River Goddess had actually descended to the past. If that were the case, there wouldn't be so much trouble.

Although Chu Mingkong didn't quite understand these terms like the Moon River Goddess and the Moon Goddess, he was certain of one thing from their conversation—

Only by entering the so-called Lunar Eclipse Kingdom can one find the Moon Goddess.

Only by truly obtaining the Moon Goddess can we have a chance to lure the Emperor out.

"By the way, do you think the Moon Worship Church might seek cooperation with the Emperor?" Chu Mingkong suddenly had this worry.

“It’s unlikely. The Moon Worship Cult rejects the Heavenly Pole Empire, but if they really approached the Heavenly Pole Empire, it means there’s something fishy about the cooperation, and they have other motives. In that case, we should be even less likely to cooperate with them.” Shangguan Rong smoothed her hair and slowly analyzed for Chu Mingkong.

"Makes sense!"

Chu Mingkong nodded with a sigh, his thoughts drifting elsewhere. He recalled Rong'er's description of the Moon River Goddess on the way to the Crescent Moon Kingdom. She seemed to be a particularly charming and domineering woman. He wondered if he would have the chance to meet her on this trip.

After a moment of distraction, Shangguan Rong suddenly said:

“Mingkong, you tell me to listen to me, but you tell Yongzhen to listen to Yongzhen. If we were both there and had conflicting opinions, whose opinion would you listen to?”

"I might be judging the issue, not the person. I'll listen to whoever makes the most sense!" Chu Mingkong swallowed awkwardly, feeling that his answer showed high emotional intelligence, offending neither side and remaining quite neutral.

A truly rational person!

Yongzhen looked at him quietly and said, "So what you're saying is that you don't listen to anyone, you only listen to yourself. If someone has a different idea from what you think, you just say you'll listen to them?"

Chu Mingkong had no answer. He felt that he really couldn't let these two girls get together in the future; it would be a bit difficult!

Fortunately, our savior arrived.

A female Taoist disciple came to inform him that people from the Baiyue Sect had come to see him and needed to meet to discuss important matters.

--------

As the priest of the Moon Worship Ceremony walked out of Kunlun Mountain, another male priest from the sect was waiting. Upon seeing the priest appear, the male priest took the initiative to go up to him and inquire about the outcome of the consultation.

Unfortunately, all he got was a shake of the head from Fazan and a disdainful snort.

Fazan said, "It is a real pity that we were unable to get the Prince of Xiling to work for my Moon Worship Cult this time. It is such a pity that such a talented divine child was lost in the Moon Eclipse Divine Kingdom."

The priest gazed at Mount Kunlun, the crescent moon just rising. He reverently prostrated himself before rising and speaking:

"Many things are beyond our control, and it's impossible to consider both sides. Although it's a pity about the Divine Child, being able to bring back the Moon Goddess and have her protection makes the Divine Child's sacrifice worthwhile..."

"That Prince Xiling refused to cooperate even when he was on the verge of defeat. How foolish! In the near future, we'll see him regretting his actions when facing the Emperor's attack." Fazan gritted his teeth. "Since we couldn't persuade the Prince Xiling to cooperate, let's go back and prepare to enter the Lunar Eclipse Kingdom."

"Yes, we can begin now. Although we can't start earlier, preparation is essential. We must not make any mistakes on the night of the lunar eclipse without a way to fix them. If we miss this opportunity, we'll have to wait a long time!"

Fazan, recalling Chu Mingkong's earlier mention of the Defeat Moon Sect, asked warily, "Should we send some men to keep an eye on the Defeat Moon Sect's situation?"

The male priest pondered, "No need. The Defeat Moon Cult lacks the resources to meet the conditions for opening the Lunar Eclipse Divine Kingdom passage. We should reduce our manpower and focus all our efforts on ensuring the smooth progress of our ritual!"

----------

The envoy sent by the Defeat Moon Cult was an old woman with white hair.

Her black and white gown had an inexplicable vibrancy to it, and her hairpins were exquisite and intricate, making one worry that her aging neck might not be able to support the weight of the headdress. A white blindfold passed through the hairpins on both sides of her hair.

Chu Mingkong thought that after discussing the flat-chested woman, they should have met someone of similar appearance, but it turned out to be an old lady.

Moreover, it's quite subtle. This old woman still has plenty of energy and hasn't aged to the point where she can't maintain her youthful beauty. In other words, she's deliberately presenting herself in this way.

"The Crown Prince of Xiling, Chu Mingkong."

"The Chief Priest of the Defeat Moon Cult, Bahar." The old woman's voice was hoarse, but she was full of energy.

"High Priest Bahar, does the Defeat Moon Cult want to discuss with me the matter of bringing back the Moon Goddess, and is it related to entering the Moon Eclipse Divine Kingdom?" Chu Mingkong stopped keeping him in suspense. He already knew the general situation from Fazan, but he had no idea how to do it specifically or what he would face upon entering the Divine Kingdom.

"Indeed, Your Highness would ask such a question. It seems I've arrived too late; the Moon Worship Cult has already come?"

"Yes, but I refused them. It was Priest Fazan who came, and he was so arrogant."

Chu Mingkong shrugged, while Shangguan Rong, who was accompanying him, poured him and the old woman Bahar a cup of tea and gestured for them to drink.

The white-haired old woman said slowly:

"In my humble opinion, Your Highness should not agree to their cooperation proposal. The Moon Worship Cult wants to win Your Highness over for cooperation, but their real purpose is to exploit you, not to cooperate for mutual benefit."

Chu Mingkong remained noncommittal, saying, "At present, High Priest Bahar is much more sincere in his attitude. I hope our conversation can be relaxed and concise. What is High Priest Bahar's intention to cooperate? And how does the Moon Worship Cult intend to use me?"

The old man's attitude remained consistently calm.

“If Your Highness accepts their invitation, you will be left in the Lunar Eclipse Kingdom forever when the Moon Goddess is brought out, or even die there. The Moon Worship Cult does have other candidates to enter the Lunar Eclipse Kingdom, but they are the divine children they have nurtured. They do not want to suffer this loss and want Your Highness to make up for this necessary ‘expenditure’.”

Shangguan Rong nudged Chu Mingkong under the table, indicating that she wanted to speak. This was a way of protecting Chu Mingkong's right to speak and his status in front of outsiders, but Chu Mingkong didn't care about such things.

"Rong'er, just say it directly."

Shangguan Rong then spoke up, her attitude somewhat forceful, simply because the matter was of great importance:

"From what High Priest Bahar is saying, this 'expenditure' is necessary, which means it's related to entering that so-called Lunar Eclipse Kingdom? I'd like to know, in your church's cooperation with His Highness, are you also asking him to bear this risk?"

The blindfolded old woman's attitude remained unchanged: "Then I'll first present what Your Highness needs to cooperate with. The conclusion the Defeat Moon Sect can give Your Highness is that Your Highness will not be in mortal danger. The assistance Your Highness needs includes..."

The old man paused, his covered eyes glancing towards Shangguan Rong to see if Chu Mingkong wanted him to leave. This was something that might not be convenient to tell outsiders. Shangguan Rong didn't say anything and simply left, knowing that Chu Mingkong would consult her later.

The old man continued, "We can provide some fragments of the White Tiger Totem Jade. For the ritual of 'steaming the elders,' a definite elder relationship is required, preferably maternal; otherwise, entry into the Lunar Eclipse Divine Kingdom is impossible."

"Wait, wait, wait! What are you steaming? Did High Priest Bahar mean what I understand? Sexual intercourse with the mother?!"

"Yes, Your Highness, have you heard of the tradition of ascending the throne with one's mother during the ancient Yueqi Empire? This ceremony is indeed a major taboo in terms of human relations for the Tianji Empire, which is why I asked that girl to avoid it."

Chapter 235 This old woman is not incapable either

The leader of the Defeat Moon Cult repeated himself, speaking more clearly:

"The White Tiger Totem Jade is an essential item. Your Highness can be regarded as a token recognized by the Lunar Eclipse Divine Kingdom. The Mother-Steaming Ceremony needs to be carried out on the night of the Lunar Eclipse. With the help of the Defeat Moon Cult's preparations, Your Highness can enter the Lunar Eclipse Divine Kingdom."

It has to be said that Chu Mingkong understood it much better this time, but the complaints and shock in his heart were not diminished at all... This is really strange!

This little guy, who's only a few days old and has been an adult for a long time, has a lot of questions, but I've decided to ask them all later. Right now, I'd better find out what else needs to be done and listen to what he has to say.

"Besides this strange ritual, what else is there for me to do?"

The white-haired old man shook his head:

"The biggest sacrifice Your Highness needs to make is this: the Defeat Moon Sect cannot provide Your Highness with such a role. If Your Highness wants to cooperate with the Defeat Moon Sect, you may have to offend one of your elders... We have also collected quite a few White Tiger Totem Jade. It would be even better if Your Highness had collected some as well. We should try to minimize the difference between our totem jade and that of the Moon Worship Sect. In this way, when we enter the Lunar Eclipse Divine Kingdom, Your Highness will not be in trouble due to a lack of totem jade."

"And then what? Why might I be exploited and lose my life if I follow the path of the Moon Worship Cult, but not if I follow your Moon Defeating Cult?" Chu Mingkong became even more focused. He had a general understanding of the ceremony, but entering the divine kingdom was the main event!

Just now, this old man Bahar said that the Moon Worship Cult was using him to fill his own life.

"After entering the divine kingdom, Your Highness will need to contact the Moon River Goddess of our faith, gain her approval, and then receive revelation about the Moon Goddess."

Your Highness must be very curious about what the Divine Kingdom is. The Lunar Eclipse Divine Kingdom can be understood as a 'dream' that records the life of the Moon River Goddess. Although it is a dream, what Your Highness experienced in it was by no means unreal; perhaps it can be described as a divine journey through the void.

Chu Mingkong offered another explanation:

"A world that only the soul, consciousness, and spirit can enter?"

"That's one way to understand it!"

The white-haired old man showed a rare hint of surprise. Chu Mingkong, someone who had never been exposed to the Divine Kingdom, could understand its concept so quickly. Although his description was very ordinary and simple, ignoring the sacred, vast, and mysterious nature of the Divine Kingdom, it was indeed understandable in his words.

This in itself can be seen as a kind of fate or talent.