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

Chu Mingkong stared blankly at the galloping horse's rump until the snow on his shoulders piled up to his earlobes, at which point he snapped out of his reverie.

"I'm really getting carried away. My current life goal is to kill that damned emperor who wants to harm me, and that old King of Chu who's plotting something. Why think about all this?"

Finding the Moon Goddess and tricking the Heavenly Emperor out of his tortoise shell to kill him is of paramount importance; otherwise, how can we sleep peacefully?

While having a long-term vision and a broad perspective are essential qualities for those who achieve success, the road is walked step by step. What if you mess things up if you don't take the first step well?

The moonlight overhead was still bright; the crescent moon had just ended, and the full moon hung high in the night sky. It was hard to imagine that a lunar eclipse would occur in the next few days.

The long tracks left by the carriage in the snow came to a stop in front of a temple.

We've arrived at the Snow Mountain Tribe—

"Your Highness, when I heard the news from the scouts of Ice Pine City, I thought I had misheard. I didn't expect you to arrive so early." High Priest Baiyue came to welcome him with two accompanying twin girls.

Chu Mingkong shook the snow off his shoulders, got out of the car, and took out several pieces of white tiger totem jade that he possessed. The two girls behind the high priest were surprised when they saw this, not expecting that a stranger could find so many white tiger totem jade.

"We should have come earlier, but actually we weren't much earlier. We were quite careful on the way, afraid of running into some tribes and getting caught up in the fighting, which delayed us quite a bit."

Bahar smiled, the wrinkles on his face smoothing out with joy, and said:

"There will be no more conflicts between tribes in the near future. The Moon Worship Cult has reduced its manpower to ensure that their rituals can proceed smoothly. They are also afraid that our Moon Defeating Cult will not be able to carry out the rituals on its own, so they are trying to harass them in various ways."

The Moon Worship Cult would never have imagined that someone who refused to be used by them would turn around and cooperate with the Moon Worship Cult, even bringing their own mother to perform the ritual.

Chu Mingkong smiled and said, "That's right. We'll give the Moon Worshiping Sect a surprise. If I get the chance, the first person I'll kill is their Divine Child. I hope they'll know who did it!"

The young girl beside the old woman seemed to hold a high position within the Defeat Moon Cult; her voice was so clear it could melt snowflakes. The girl reminded her:

"Our words may be a bit of a downer, but we still hope that Your Highness will remember to prioritize the matters of the Moon River Goddess and the Moon Cloud Goddess, and not let emotions affect the important matters."

The high priestess gently stroked the girl's head, telling Chu Mingkong not to mind, and then anxiously inquired about an important matter:

"Your Highness, the White Tiger Totem Jade is now no less impressive than that of the Moon Worship Cult, but there's the issue of the 'Honoring the Mother' ceremony..."

“I was just about to ask High Priest Bahar about this matter. May we find somewhere to talk first?”

Chu Mingkong lifted the curtain hanging in the carriage, revealing two beautiful women whose beauty was hard to find anywhere else in the world. The two young girls looked at them and couldn't help but sigh at the injustice of time and the passage of years. Some people grow old, while others develop charm.

The two beautiful women had long, flowing black hair, with two soft strands framing their fair, delicate faces. Their cheeks were as white as jade, smooth and flawless, their eyebrows like distant mountains, captivating and alluring. Their figures were voluptuous yet slender at the waist. In terms of physique alone, neither was inferior to the other, but their distinct auras made them like two stunningly beautiful peonies.

One side possesses a noble elegance, a grand beauty that cannot be concealed even by the gentlest temperament; the other side possesses an approachable nature, a tranquil maternal tenderness that cannot be ignored even after witnessing the hustle and bustle of the world.

The two twin sisters blinked. This prince's "preparations" for the ceremony to honor his mother were far too thorough!

Chu Mingkong stretched out a hand into the carriage without much thought, not believing that whoever got off first was more important to him. However, Madam Zhen and Aunt Gu grabbed his hand at the same time, refusing to back down.

He had no choice but to put both hands inside and help them off the bus, one on each side.

After the two young girls led the way to the resting place, Chu Mingkong whispered to the chief priest:

"High Priest Bahar, I'll tell you about my two elders in a moment. You can then decide whose 'qualifications' are more suitable, or if there's a limit to the number of people allowed in this ceremony?"

Chapter 244 The Eve

This high priest of the Defeat Moon Cult is old but his eyesight is still sharp; on the contrary, he becomes more cunning with age.

She could tell at a glance that for Chu Mingkong, this most difficult ceremony of honoring the mother was not a pressure at all; on the contrary, the two elders he brought were both eager and competitive.

Concealing her inner grievances, she carefully examined the two beautiful women, while Bahar did so, and Chu Mingkong introduced them to each other.

Gu Jungui and Madam Zhen wanted to persuade her to go first, but since they were not familiar with the old woman, they didn't want to speak up. It wouldn't be good if she were misunderstood as being anxious in front of outsiders!

After a long pause, the chief priest offered a solution that would offend no one:

"In my humble opinion, and based on my limited experience, Madam Gu and Madam Zhen are more than capable of assisting Your Highness in completing this ceremony. However, there is a problem: I do not know whether the Goddess of the Moon River will be more demanding of strangers. If Your Highness cannot be certain, then both ladies can be brought into the temple together."

Since you've come this far, you've made a very difficult decision; don't hesitate at the last minute.

Madam Zhen and Gu Jungui thought to themselves:

Oh no, if that's the case, then there will really be another woman watching over us, how embarrassing!

The high priest added, "Although the Defeat Moon Cult is relatively new, the Defeat Moon faith has always existed. Based on our past experience here, the mother can take some herbal medicine to fall into a deep sleep to avoid bad memories. So the two ladies don't need to worry too much. As for who His Highness ultimately chose in the temple, let's just consider it a dream and a secret!"

Chu Mingkong and his group arrived under the stars and moon. The night was deep, and the old man did not disturb them for too long before saying that he would leave first, leaving a quiet place for the two beautiful women to rest.

The old ginger is indeed spicier. After the chief priest said this, neither Gu Jun Gui nor Madam Zhen could argue with Chu Ming Kong anymore.

Leave everything to the unknown, and keep everything a secret.

With the elders saying this, they could no longer use "righteousness" or anything like that as a shield, and could only sigh and remain silent.

Because the Snow Mountain Tribe hadn't expected Chu Mingkong to bring two women for the ceremony, the only temporary accommodation they had was a single bed. Due to the snow, the other rooms weren't in very good condition, and they felt embarrassed to use them to accommodate such pampered ladies.

The two beautiful women had no choice but to share a bed with Chu Mingkong.

Fortunately, this bed, which resembles a kang (heated brick bed), is both comfortable and spacious after being covered with plush, high-quality animal hides.

"Aunt Gu, Madam Zhen, how about you sleep on the same bed for now? I just asked Elder Bahar and the others, and they said the other rooms are rather simple, and they can't find a better room for the time being," Chu Mingkong said to them.

"And what about you?" Gu Jun Gui asked. She knew that Chu Mingkong was tough and resilient, but knowing it was one thing, and whether she was willing to let him rest in such a simple place was another. After all, she had watched this lump of flesh grow up.

"Finding a place to meditate is the same as finding a place to meditate. Don't underestimate me." Chu Mingkong pondered whether he should find some stories to enhance Aunt Gu's understanding of cultivators.

For example, cultivators might wait a year or two in advance for the opening of certain secret realms. They can sit anywhere in the wilderness and wait in meditation, without necessarily needing a comfortable place.

Madam Zhen tugged at Chu Mingkong's sleeve:

“If Madam Gu has no objection, I would not mind resting together. There is plenty of space on this couch, and I can make room for Mingkong to rest.”

So my child went to sleep at your place? Now that it's not good to openly compete, you're resorting to tricks like this to get close to Mingkong, huh? No wonder you came from the palace... Gu Jun Gui raised an eyebrow and said:

"Mingkong, do you still remember when you used to cling to me and act all cute on my little couch? You slept with your head on my arm, and the two of us only took up a little space on that couch, so let's make more room for Madam Zhen to rest!"

Although Madam Zhen knew about her relationship with Mingkong and was personally aware of Mingkong's size, she suddenly felt insecure when faced with the mother-son-like bond between Gu Jungui and Mingkong.

“I also know that monk’s meditation and rest method. I’ve tried it before. Mingkong, you have something to do later, so you need to rest well. I’ll give you my seat to sleep in.”

Seeing this scene, Chu Mingkong was truly at a loss for words, unable to laugh or cry. For some reason, he was reminded of the situation between Xiao Zhi's mother and Wan Hua's mother.

Looking at Aunt Gu and Madam Zhen, both of them have gentle and kind personalities, how come they can argue like this? Could it be that all the elders in the family will start arguing in pairs from now on...?

"Alright, it's just lying down and resting for a bit. What's the difference between this and the three of us lying together in the carriage? Let's all go together!"

So Chu Mingkong lay down between the two beautiful women, his left hand intertwined with Madam Zhen's fingers, and his right hand entwined with Aunt Gu's arm.

The three of them were lying down, but their hearts were still not completely at ease.

Chu Mingkong was worried about whether the entire ceremony to enter the Lunar Eclipse Divine Kingdom could proceed normally, and he was also concerned about what unexpected situations might arise after entering the Divine Kingdom.

Meanwhile, the two beautiful women beside him were worried about who Mingkong would be probing and rubbing against. If he had no memory of what happened after he fell into a coma, what would happen if he didn't?

In the Moon River Temple of the Snow Mountain Tribe, the chief priest, accompanied by two young girls he favored, checked whether the preparations for the ceremony were complete.

"Grandma Bahar, I don't recall any record of drinking alcohol during the Mother-Honoring Ceremony, right? Isn't it supposed to require both parties to be of sound mind?"

When no one else is around, the two girls affectionately call the chief priest "Grandma".

"Yes, the ceremony of honoring the mother comes from the ancient customs of the Yueqi Empire. Back then, the prince who ascended the throne could not drug his mother and make her unconscious, and then claim that he was living with her approval. How could anyone believe that? Even the person in the tribe who could drink the most could not be trusted after drinking."

The chief priest smiled helplessly: "Sometimes even a bowl of water can be a secret. In those rituals of the past, those who tried to find the Moon Goddess through the rituals would always have one party pretend to be asleep. Even if you were fully aware of what was happening, as long as you didn't open your eyes, everything could be as if it had never happened."

The girl didn't understand, so she could only pray:

"I hope the Goddess of the Moon River will approve of this prince who brought two elders with him, so that the chaos here can end as soon as possible."

----------

Inside the Moon Worship Temple, a group of people were preparing for the ceremony in an orderly manner.

Although the night of the lunar eclipse has not yet arrived, it is getting closer and closer, and communication with the Moon God Kingdom is becoming clearer and clearer.

Fazan suddenly asked in confusion, "They're also trying to communicate with the Moonlit Divine Kingdom from the Snow Mountain direction. Are they those guys from the Defeat Moon Cult? Could Chu Mingkong be cooperating with them?"

"It's no use. They have too few White Tiger Totem Jade. The ritual will fail in the end. I'm more curious whether the people of this Heavenly Pole Empire can really accept the Mother-Honoring Ritual. If they feel awkward and resistant, the ritual will fail. Perhaps we should send them some comfort in advance so that the Defeat Moon Sect will not waste the precious resources of the Moonlit Land and will return to the orthodox Moon Worship as soon as possible!"

Fazan sneered, "No, I actually hope that Chu Mingkong can successfully enter the Divine Kingdom with the help of that meager White Tiger power, only to find his strength too weak and leave in disgrace. He'll cause us to lose a divine son; we can boast about his 'achievements' after he comes out and see how the people of Xiling will laugh at and despise him!"

Chapter 245 The Sacred Temple, I stormed in.

The night of the lunar eclipse has arrived.

The full moon hanging in the sky was exceptionally large. The moon, which was far away on the horizon, now seemed so close and oppressive. Only the scene of dark clouds pressing down on the city before a storm could evoke such a feeling.

Above the Crescent Moon Kingdom, everyone is gazing up at the moon. The children, sleeping soundly on their mothers' shoulders, seem to be feeling some ancient call, quietly opening their eyes to steal a glance at the pale moonlight.

After an unknown amount of time, just as everyone was forced to hold their breath under the pressure of that invisible force, a shadow appeared in the moon. After it appeared, the shadow began to spread and expand. It was as if a black tide was surging towards the white moon in the sea of ​​stars, devouring the pale moon and swallowing up that pressure.

Gu Jungui and Madam Zhen waited for this moment outside the Moon River Temple, but they were so shocked by the strange phenomenon of the moon being swallowed that they were stunned into silence.

The warmth from his palm pulled them back to reality. They looked down at Chu Mingkong's large hand and heard him say:

"Alright, let's get ready to go in."

The chief priest walked over with a cane, followed by two young girls, each holding a bowl of clear, watery "medicine." The girls handed the bowls of medicine to the two beautiful women with bitter expressions.

"Madam Zhen, Madam Gu, this medicine is colorless, tasteless, and harmless. It will only make you temporarily lose your senses. The effects are mild and the onset is relatively slow. You two ladies don't need to be too nervous. If you relax, the effects will come out naturally. If you are too nervous, it may actually slow down the onset."

The old man's voice was hoarse but clear, and every word was clearly imprinted in the hearts of Gu Jungui and Madam Zhen. The two had their own thoughts, but their thoughts were surprisingly similar!

If you stay focused and tense, the medicine will take effect more slowly? Does that mean there's a way to know who Mingkong will choose?

For a moment, joy welled up in the two beautiful women's hearts, but then their emotions turned complicated, and they returned to their initial worries...

What if Mingkong doesn't choose himself?

"Please give your medicine, ladies."

The girl's clear voice rang out, and Gu Jungui and Madam Zhen could no longer hesitate. With self-reminders to "not relax and stay alert," they drank the "medicine" in one gulp.

Another similar thought arose in their minds: Hmm, why does this medicine taste like water? Is this what they call colorless and odorless?

Chu Mingkong's perception wasn't so bad that he couldn't even tell what the bowl of "medicine" was. He could only marvel at the old man's wisdom, but this difficult problem was still left to him.

If both Madam Zhen and Aunt Gu are conscious, wouldn't they know who died first?

Chu Mingkong took their hands and led them into the temple. Before them was a long but dark corridor, with an ancient and mysterious aura that seemed to be there but not there. In the darkness, one could vaguely see the exquisite ancient patterns carved on the walls, and the guardian statues silently protected the temple's peace.

With a deep, resonant sound, the door behind them slowly closed, and Chu Mingkong led the two beautiful women to the end of the corridor.