Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao-Chapter 626 - 344: Hongluan Star Moves_2
The Jade Emperor, seated in the resplendent Lingxiao Palace, caught sight of this scene and revealed a smile as he muttered to himself, "That old slick-head!"
However, he had no intention of pursuing the matter with the Matchmaker God, after all, as long as the objective could be achieved, such a method was relatively easy to justify.
This commotion had also startled Princess Hongluan, who was in secluded cultivation within the Heavenly Court. Like the Matchmaker God, she was in charge of marital affairs. No sooner had the Matchmaker God made his move than she sensed the changes in the bonds of matrimony.
"What's the Matchmaker God up to?" Princess Longji, puzzled by his intentions, did not understand why the old man was meddling with marital ties for no apparent reason.
Just then, a mighty Star Lord strode into the room from outside—it was none other than Princess Longji's husband, Hong Jin.
"What else could it be? As All Saints approach Transcendence and seek to reshape the three Realms, the final key lies with humans. At this moment, some in the Heavenly Court are eyeing that lot of Fortune and Destiny, eager to seize it," he said.
Upon hearing this, Princess Longji laughed and said, "So that's it. I was wondering why that old fellow would stir up the bonds of matrimony. Perhaps he could no longer bear the pressure from all sides and resorted to defusing the situation by pulling the rug out from under it. Well, that's just as well; let me stoke the flames for him."
The Princess's body was enveloped in swirling Star Force, activating the dazzling light of the Hongluan Star in the heavens.
When the Hongluan Star stirred, marital fate naturally followed suit, and the combined power of the two was extraordinary. Those of weak resolve were liable to be disturbed, giving rise to thoughts of the mortal world and thus obstructing their own cultivation.
The Matchmaker God looked at the brilliantly shining Hongluan Star in the Heavenly Court and displayed a bitter smile. This highness truly was capricious. After all, as a Righteous God of noble birth within the Heavenly Court, her actions were beyond reproach, especially since her whimsical nature was well-known.
Yet, this development also significantly reduced the pressure on the Matchmaker God.
As the Hongluan Star moved, those in the world who truly understood the situation all showed knowing smiles, aware that the final battle for merit had begun.
Atop Li Mountain, the Lady of the Mountain gazed at the sky and smiled knowingly before turning to the child servant beside her and asking, "How many years has Bai Suzhen been in cultivation under my tutelage?"
"To report to the revered mother, it has been a thousand years."
"A thousand years is enough time; she should be ascending to immortality. Call her over to me."
Before long, a respectful and beautiful woman dressed in white arrived beside the Lady of the Mountain, addressing her as "Honored Master."
"Bai Suzhen, how long have you been cultivating by my side?"
"To report to my Honored Master, your disciple has been under your guidance since childhood, and it has now been a thousand years," Bai Suzhen replied.
"With a thousand years of cultivation, the time has come for your ascension to immortality. Have you gained anything from your practice during these years?"
"I dare not deceive my Honored Master; I have been diligent in my cultivation every day for the past thousand years. When I practice, I feel as light as a swallow, as though I'm about to ascend, but an unknown force constrains me, preventing my ascension. This has caused my cultivation to stagnate in recent years, and I do not know what to do," Bai Suzhen shared her troubles one by one.
"I implore my Honored Master to enlighten me!"
The Lady of Mount Li looked at Bai Suzhen, who was knelt before her, pleading in agony, and said softly, "I am fully aware of your situation. You have reached the point in your cultivation where you could ascend, but because your worldly attachments are unresolved and the cause and effect are hard to eliminate, calamities arise one after another, and your realm cannot advance."
"Go down the mountain. Your Great Dao is not with me, but within the bustling mortal world." The Lady of Mount Li's words softly resonated in Bai Suzhen's ears, and before she could react, she found the scenery before her eyes flashing. The Cave Heaven where she had cultivated disappeared without a trace. Looking around, she found herself surrounded by lush green mountains with no sign of her sect. With a collected heart, she set off towards the human realm to seek the opportunity to attain her Dao.
Meanwhile, within the Underworld, King Qinguang was perusing the Book of Life and Death in the grand hall when a Judge came to report, "Lord Yama, the Ent imprisoned in Hell has escaped."
Setting down the Book of Life and Death in his hands, King Qinguang gently lifted his head and said, "Understood. Have someone monitor the situation discreetly. If she intends to wreak havoc in the city, then let the City God deal with her. If she settles down somewhere to cultivate slowly, then let her be."
The Judge, puzzled, asked, "Is this wise? Even if she hides in the deep mountains, given her nature, she will inevitably harm people, and who knows how many will die innocent deaths."
This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.
"Then warn passersby to be cautious and take care. If they still walk into danger despite this, that is their fate, beyond our control."
Upon hearing this, the Judge bowed and retreated. King Qinguang then rubbed his swelling forehead, muttering to himself, "To make a ghost romance come true is truly troublesome. This ghost has a special destiny; finding her among these countless souls is like looking for a needle in the ocean."
Just then, the Book of Life and Death turned to a new page, and King Qinguang's eyes brightened. There, he saw the name Nie Xiaoqian written in large characters, followed by her birth-time characters. He couldn't help but laugh and clap his hands, saying, "Found her!"
All these changes had little to do with Lu Yu, who was focused on his meditation. Still immersed in his cultivation, the completion of the Treasure Vase World granted him tremendous opportunity. Grasping the direction for Three Flowers Gathering at the Top, he was now polishing his skills, striving to complete his deficiencies and aiming for the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top. Everything else was illusory; only one's own strength was real.
He was thus wholly devoted to cultivation, heedless of worldly matters, even leaving the matter of Great Chu's revival entirely in the hands of his disciples.
At that moment, Lu Xun was facing a challenge. Based on Mountain Luoxia, he had rapidly established a foundation in the north, overlooking the Central Plains from a commanding height, which finally shook the world.
Many heroes were astonished to discover that such a powerful force had emerged in the north, and Lu Xun's strength immediately aroused the wariness of many. They set aside past grievances and joined forces for the first time.
"It appears we have become the target of public criticism, and it won't be long before a massive army comes to attack us," someone in the Government Office said as he shared the intelligence, which ignited apprehension among Lu Xun's generals.
Though Lu Xun's military power had been greatly enhanced after a lengthy period of recuperation, his foundation was still weak compared to those who had been in power for decades. Facing a single opponent was not frightening, but if they united, it could be overwhelming.
"Of course, by raising the banner of Great Chu, we were bound to provoke fear because, in the eyes of legitimacy, they are treacherous rebels. Moreover, after eight hundred years of peace in Great Chu, many still long for it. How could this not arouse their wariness?" Lao Han spoke softly.
In fact, at the very beginning, when deciding whether to raise the banner of Great Chu, he had discussed it with Lu Xun and the generals. After a thorough debate, they decided to continue with the name of Great Chu.
After all, as the rightful Crown Prince of Great Chu, raising its banner was expected, and it helped rally the people and attract talents. Their power had grown so quickly partly because of the banner of Great Chu. Now that the adverse effects had emerged, it was not for them to regret.
"Let them come. What is there to fear? My warriors are already eager for battle, ready to establish their merit on the battlefield and stake claim to more lands," Chen Xiong stated boldly, seemingly not the least bit concerned about the imminent arrival of the enemy army.
His words dispelled the previous sense of despondency, invigorating the sitting generals like a surge of adrenaline, all swearing to fight the enemy to the death.
Seeing this, Lu Xun laughed, calmed the generals' emotions with a gesture, and then said with a smile, "You see the impending storm, but I see it as a godsend opportunity. If we emerge victorious from this battle, then the great trend of the world should be decided by us."
"The enemy may seem fierce, but in reality, they are a paper tiger. First, their armies may be large, but their commands are not unified, leading to disorganization in advance and retreat. Second, the numerous lords are entangled in deep grudges and can hardly cooperate without sabotaging each other. Third, they have traveled long distances, making it hard to maintain their supplies. Fourth, the continuous wars have wearied the soldiers who are reluctant to leave their hometowns. With these four failures, how could they defeat our royal army? They are merely delivering their heads to us," Lu Xun said confidently.
