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

As for the cat, he still has the confidence to tell the little girl that he will find her again in the future.

Chu Mingkong suddenly remembered something puzzling...

He seemed to have explained the word "romance" to Yuehe before. It meant creating a beautiful and happy atmosphere for everyone around you, something like that.

"But did I ever say that word to Fengying?"

......

After resting for a few days, Xianzhen Pavilion set sail again, stopping at the Kunlun Dao Sect.

The elders and disciples inside the gate all came out to greet him.

Ignoring the men and the old, the internal branches and factions of the Taoist sect are clear at a glance. Beautiful female Taoist priests with bare feet and exposed legs gather in one group, while mysterious female Taoist priests with covered eyes and veils gather in another group. Their styles are not only neat, but also very pleasing to the eye!

Chu Mingkong had never seen such a spectacle even in his own Xiling, but the problem was more that he himself didn't want to mobilize a large force and waste resources.

Chu Mingkong gently patted the two female Taoist priests leading the way and said:

"This is thanks to Yuehe's fame. Nongyu and Elder Jiu, go and talk to them and tell them to go about their own business. I'm a little flattered."

Elder Jiu hesitated, "Your Highness, they're just doing their own thing right now, they haven't specifically asked anyone to come..."

It seems I was just being presumptuous... Chu Mingkong cleared his throat:

"Let's go then, let's go and take a look at the place where the Queen Mother of the West is in seclusion. Just look at the gate, she shouldn't mind outsiders getting close, right?"

Yun Nongyu said softly:

“I used to mind, but now if it were Your Highness, no one in the Daoist sect would mind.”

Chapter 450 First Exploration of the Heavenly Gate

Chu Mingkong was indeed a little apprehensive. His favorite thing in life was to develop in a low-key manner, from being low-key in the Abyss to being low-key in the capital. Except for being a little arrogant when he was trying to seize the empress, he generally acted in a low-key manner.

The Taoist sect's hospitality felt like they were placing all their respect for Yuehe on him; this reputation was too great for him to handle.

"Your Highness, some elders are only concerned about Empress Yueqi and the matter of the gods and Buddhas Yunying..." Yun Nongyu asked him.

They learned many secrets from Chu Mingkong, a firsthand witness, some of which were not even recorded in the Yueqi Empire. Those ancient people probably never imagined that their empress could be so fierce.

However, it's best to consult his opinion before sharing these secrets.

Chu Mingkong still trusted Yun Nongyu, and he nodded, saying:

"Don't worry too much about it. Nongyu can pass on my message to you. You'll be able to handle the balance in your words."

But what can saying anything change? From the perspective of these Taoist cultivators, Chu Mingkong probably only realized that he couldn't do anything about it.

The more one talks, the more likely it is to cause some cultivators to lose their inner balance, and they might even go astray.

What I fear most is not the long and arduous road ahead, but the fear that what I have cultivated for many years and devoted my whole life to will turn out to be a joke controlled by fate. In that case, it would be better to just live a carefree life in the mortal world.

Therefore, Chu Mingkong was hesitant to take on the role of spokesperson. On the one hand, he did not want to accept Yuehe's somewhat intimidating prestige, and on the other hand, he was afraid that his unintentional words might cause some bad consequences.

Yun Nongyu understood these things better than he did.

"Alright, Your Highness, please wait a moment. I will go and discuss with some of the elders in the sect. It is not convenient to go to the Queen Mother of the West's secluded cultivation place at will."

"I do follow these rules. I understand that you should lead the way."

Chu Mingkong smiled gently, ignoring the barefoot female Taoists—he completely disregarded the men.

He pondered to himself that changing the Taoist sect to the Barefoot Female Immortal Sect would be quite fitting...

Wait a minute, if we name it like that, what if we encounter a sect in the future where women don't wear silk trousers? Could we call them...?

Equatorial Gate?

Chu Mingkong quickly composed himself. This was, after all, the "old lair" of the Daoist sect, and also the place where the Queen Mother of the West was in seclusion. It was better not to let his mind wander.

Now that Yuehe is no longer protecting us, we have to keep a low profile and be more discreet in our actions and dealings with others.

He touched the white silk cloth hidden in his sleeve and whispered:

"Bai Niang, you saw Yuehe and those gods and Buddhas back then, right? What did you think of those guys? Were they strong or weak?"

Chu Mingkong would prefer Bai Niang to stand beside him now, walking side by side with him, but Bai Niang seemed to feel that being wrapped in her snake body would make them closer. If she transformed into a human, they could only hold hands most of the time, and she was too lazy to even control the black python when they went out.

If they only hold hands, the distance between mother and child is too great!

At that moment, Bai Niang wandered over his muscular body and emerged from his collar.

"It should still be strong, but I should be able to deal with the cloud shadows in the sky. The exact difficulty will only be known after I actually take action. But even if I take action, I cannot make Yin Shi last forever."

However, those guys seem to specialize in cultivating extremely yang energy, which is a bit annoying.

Hearing Bai Niang say this, Chu Mingkong concluded that her strength should be above Yuehe's and below the remains of Empress Yueqi.

But what Bai Niang said makes sense. The exact difficulty can only be known by trying it out. If the opponent does not have a way to completely suppress the power of extreme yin, then they will most likely encounter some problems.

"Bai Niang, have you sensed any aura here? The aura of a powerful being? The Queen Mother of the West must be extremely powerful."

Bai Niang shook her head:

"I didn't notice anything special; the atmosphere was much more ordinary than that of the Buddhist temples."

"All right......"

Chu Mingkong recalled how Yun Nongyu and Elder Jiu had been worried for so long about the situation coming from the Daoist sect a few days ago, and he figured there must be something unusual about it.

Something must have happened.

The wait was quite long, and only Yun Nongyu returned first. She apologized, saying:

"Your Highness, we apologize for the delay. This is an extraordinary situation. The elders have been pressing us with questions, and Elder Jiu has been kept there to continue explaining."

Chu Mingkong smiled, recalling how Elder Jiu had previously accompanied Yun Nongyu as a party animal, sneaking off to drink with others whenever he had a spare moment. Now, asking her to explain the situation was truly difficult.

"It's alright. Should we ask any elders or something for permission before we can approach the secluded cultivation site?"

"No need. With Nongyu as my guarantor, Your Highness can rest assured. Please come with me!" Yun Nongyu also expressed great doubt and worry about what had happened in her sect.

Her steps were not easy; she led Chu Mingkong straight through numerous obstacles, across mountain ranges, through ethereal clouds, and finally arrived at a mountain peak.

The summit appears as if a smooth piece of ground has been cut by a knife. Stepping into it is like entering a celestial palace. The waterfall roars and splashes, and the water droplets turn into a damp mist.

If there were birds and insects, it might really feel like a paradise on earth, but there is not much activity here. Apart from the loud sound of water, there is only silence.

The sound of voices echoing in the empty mountains—that's probably what they mean by this kind of place.

The most striking feature is a huge gate on the edge of the cliff, like a heavenly gate, standing there all alone without any other buildings to accompany it.

The aura was so ordinary that it stood out from the surroundings. Even the small waterfall was formed from a spring full of spiritual energy, and the plants and trees were all extraordinary. Only this door was so ordinary that no aura could be detected.

Based on Chu Mingkong's experience, this door must have something special about it; for example, once the door is opened, it might reveal a hidden world.

"Is this where the Queen Mother of the West and Yao Ji entered into seclusion one after the other?" Chu Mingkong reached out his hand, hovering above the giant gate, but didn't dare to actually touch it.

As a member of the Daoist sect, Yun Nongyu naturally wouldn't touch it carelessly. This sect held extraordinary significance, and any frivolous or disrespectful behavior needed to be restrained. She explained:

"Indeed, before the Queen Mother of the West entered the pass, she set up a platform in front of this Heavenly Gate every day, with Yao Ji serving her on both sides. The Queen Mother of the West was a dignified person, but at that time, birds sang and flowers bloomed naturally, and this place was much more beautiful than it is now."

Chu Mingkong had already circled the gate once, but found no clues.

Naturally, there were no strange noises or signs of the Queen Mother of the West mentioned in the previous internal communication among the elders.

"The aura and movement mentioned earlier, is it that I can't sense them, or have they disappeared?"

The female Taoist priest, whose beautiful eyes were covered by a white blindfold, released her senses again, using her divination and observation skills, but to no avail.

She could only shake her head:

"No... When I went to explain the situation to the elders just now, I asked the disciples who discovered the situation at the time. They mentioned that after the Yin time ended, the noise inside also disappeared."

Chu Mingkong then thought of the nested, doll-like Gate of Yin Time and the Moon River, and asked with a whimsical idea:

"Could it be... that Yin Shi brought out the Queen Mother of the West from the past? Or that the indigenous people who were active here before the establishment of the Taoist sect have reappeared?"

Yun Nongyu remained silent: "..."

The probability of such a thing is not high. This Heavenly Gate can be said to be the most sacred place in the Taoist sect. The "ordinary" feeling we have about this gate now is actually a manifestation of its extraordinary nature.

Even if we take a step back and assume that the Yin people really did reappear in the Heavenly Gate, then the problem becomes quite serious!

The Queen Mother of the West and Yao Ji are merely in seclusion, not dead. They should be able to suppress these creatures created in the Yin era with ease. How could they be allowed to run rampant and disturb their peaceful cultivation?

The best explanation is that the Queen Mother of the West and Yao Ji were in seclusion, and the mental trials and illusions that arose from them caused those disturbances.

As for the end of Yin time and the disappearance of activity in the Heavenly Gate, it's best to say it was just a coincidence.

"Nongyu, is Yaochi inside too?" Chu Mingkong temporarily gave up exploring the Heavenly Gate.

"Yes." Yun Nongyu nodded.

She, who rarely showed her emotions, was inevitably somewhat confused and depressed at this moment.

Chu Mingkong looked around, and taking advantage of the fact that no one was around and the Queen Mother of the West was not showing herself, he quietly took Yun Nongyu's soft and gentle hand.

This is a solemn place for every Taoist disciple. Yun Nongyu felt a little guilty and apprehensive. It was already disrespectful to be intimate with her lover in front of the sect leader's secluded place. If Chu Mingkong had any further reckless thoughts, it would break the sect rules!

"I'm just holding your hand, nothing else!" Chu Mingkong solemnly defended himself, and sighed, "I really want to push this door open and see what's inside, and maybe even get a glimpse of Yaochi."

Of course, what I really wanted was to witness the power of the "Jade Pool Immortal Bathing Technique" up close in the Jade Pool.

As soon as he uttered his thought, Yun Nongyu immediately sensed it. Her delicate body, wrapped in a Taoist robe, trembled, and she silently prayed for the forgiveness of the Queen Mother of the West.

Chu Mingkong observed for a long time and then suggested:

“Nongyu, let’s rest here for a few days and observe whether the Tianmen has any of the abnormal situations mentioned earlier.”

If nothing else happens, then we'll have to leave.

"Yes, Your Highness's arrangement..." Yun Nongyu nodded, but her gaze seemed to still be fixed on the Heavenly Gate, filled with worry, yet unable to do anything.

The two left temporarily and waited in the Taoist temple for five days.

In the past few days, many elders have come to Chu Mingkong seeking guidance and enlightenment, mostly regarding him as a highly skilled person who can enlighten cultivators with just a few words.

Unfortunately, they misjudged him. Chu Mingkong couldn't unravel the mystery; he only knew how to undress women.

In the past few days, Tianmen has indeed returned to its usual calm, with no further disturbances.

Chu Mingkong pondered many things, such as why Empress Yueying chose this location for the coffin to land.

This gate may seem to be in decline, but it has managed to hold out against Buddhism for so long, so there must be something extraordinary about it.