Chapter 778: Riding a Donkey on the Fragrant Grass Path

The Primordial Realm was unsealed, and Yan Kang was also affected. Yan Kang's mountains and rivers, its entire geography, unfolded like a fan, extending in all directions.

All previous inter-city transportation ceased. Cities became thousands of miles apart, with numerous ancient ruins, full of danger, lying between them. Even deities had to proceed with extreme caution to travel from one city to another.

The Primordial Spirit Council was also suspended for a time. This was due to the immense dangers in the Primordial Realm, where many ruins were filled with residual divine abilities from ancient times. A Primordial Spirit could be harmed by these remnants if not careful, risking complete annihilation.

Land and air transportation were cut off. Now, even the Primordial Spirit Council couldn't be convened. As the Martial Arts Heavenly Master had predicted, Emperor Yanfeng's control over the empire had plummeted to a new low.

The capital was in chaos. Emperor Yanfeng made a decisive move, ordering all Yan Kang deities to go to the major cities to first stabilize the populace.

Meanwhile, in the capital, a mysterious man in a black cloak arrived at Khan Luandi's residence.

"Khan Luandi, 'the eagle of the grasslands,' now a deity, are you truly willing to remain a subject of Yan Kang?" the man asked him.

Khan Luandi looked at the man and replied, "The grasslands are already Yan Kang's territory. I was defeated by the Yan Kang Imperial Advisor, and I submitted willingly. As long as the Yan Kang Imperial Advisor lives, I will not rebel."

The man threw back his cloak and chuckled, "The Yan Kang Imperial Advisor cannot escape death. The people of the grasslands are demigods, descendants of Great Black Heaven. What right does Emperor Yanfeng have to make you his subject? The grasslands belong to Great Black Heaven. Now that the Primordial Realm is unsealed, Great Black Heaven is sure to return. Why bother being a subject? Ascending to power, perhaps even the imperial throne, is within your grasp!"

Khan Luandi stared at the man's face, dumbfounded. As the man removed his cloak, a black sun appeared behind his head, yet his skin was a radiant golden color!

The deity smiled and said, "Khan Luandi, will you remain a subject in Yan Kang, or return to the grasslands and continue to be an eagle soaring with wings spread, contending with other heroes?"

Khan Luandi's spirits lifted, and he gravely said, "My wife and children are in the capital. If I return to the grasslands to rebuild my empire, my family will surely suffer a terrible fate!"

The black-sun deity chuckled, "As long as you live, won't you have all the wives and children you desire? If you cling to your family, you will lose this opportunity. I will find someone else!"

Khan Luandi finally made his decision and resolutely stated, "Then let's leave the capital now!"

The black-sun deity covered his head with his cloak and exited the Khan's residence with Luandi. As they walked towards the city gates, they saw a young man approaching them.

The young man saw the two, stopped, and looked. Suddenly, he asked, "Luandi, where are you going?"

The young man was accompanied by several three-headed, six-armed gods and devils whose aura was incredibly powerful.

Khan Luandi felt a chill in his heart when he saw the three-headed, six-armed gods and devils. He did not hide his intention and said, "I plan to return to the grasslands."

"The grasslands' momentum is gone," the young man said. "Today, the world is undergoing drastic changes, with demigods appearing everywhere. Various ruins and all sorts of gods and devils are stirring. It would be difficult for you to accomplish anything by returning to the grasslands. Instead, you would put the people of the grasslands in danger, risking the annihilation of your tribe. You gave birth to me, which is why I'm warning you."

Khan Luandi sneered, "You almost poisoned all the grassland people to death back then; do you have the nerve to talk about putting them in danger now? Any ties between us were severed long ago. If you still value our blood relation, then don't stand in my way!"

The young man frowned slightly, stepped aside to let him pass, and said, "Don't forget, it was the First Ancestor who rescued our ancestors."

Khan Luandi hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and walked past him.

The black-sun deity looked back at the young man and whispered, "Who was that? I sensed Great Black Heaven's bloodline in him as well."

"That's the Great Venerable of the Loulan Golden Palace, who possessed my son, Ban Gongcuo," Khan Luandi continued. "He has now reached the Divine Bridge realm. Although he's related by blood and is, in a sense, my son, he has sided with the remnants of the Crimson Brightness Clan and won't come back to help me. Let's leave quickly. There are many powerful experts in the city, including several terrifying gods and devils!"

After leaving the capital, they immediately flew away.

Ban Gongcuo and the three-headed, six-armed deities continued their journey. They arrived at the imperial city within the capital, where they saw a small black tiger, nimble as a civet cat, scaling rooftops and walls. A white fox was leaping along the palace walls, following the little black tiger.

"Tiger Venerable, Miss Ling."

Ban Gongcuo stopped and asked, "Are the Woodcutter Saint and Cult Master Qin present?"

The small, cat-like black tiger stopped, sat on the palace wall, and said, "Ban Gongcuo? And a few fellow Taoists from the South Sea. With the world in chaos, aren't you taking advantage of Yan Kang's weakness to seize territory?"

The white fox also stopped, transforming into a little girl of seven or eight years old, unable to hide her seven tails. She said, "Our young master isn't here. Did the Crimson Brightness Divine Son project himself, or did his true body descend upon the South Sea? Great Venerable, your words don't seem entirely truthful."

Ban Gongcuo merely smiled, not responding.

"Old Master Woodcutter, the Imperial Advisor, and the Emperor are building a grand teleportation array to connect various regions," the small black tiger's body shifted, transforming into a black tiger a zhang (about 3.3 meters) long, and said, "Follow me!"

The little girl jumped onto the tiger's back. The black tiger leaped away. Ban Gongcuo followed them to the imperial palace. The black tiger stopped, revealing many artisans, led by Mute, constructing a massive gate. The Woodcutter, the Imperial Advisor, and the Emperor were also there, calculating various formulas.

"Ban Gongcuo, by the command of the Crimson Brightness Divine Son, has come to pay his respects."

Ban Gongcuo and the other deities bowed, then straightened up and said, "This grand teleportation array is distributed among various cities, allowing military personnel and civilians to travel between them. However, the daily expenditure of medicines and minerals is countless. Furthermore, if there were any rebellious intentions, simply closing the grand teleportation array would render His Majesty helpless. Why should His Majesty engage in such a futile endeavor?"

Emperor Yanfeng wiped the sweat from his face, looked at him, and asked, "What is your esteemed opinion, Great Venerable?"

"I have no profound insights, but the Crimson Brightness Divine Son does," Ban Gongcuo chuckled. "The Divine Son has already projected himself to the South Sea and invites everyone to discuss matters there."

The Yan Kang Imperial Advisor's gaze swept over him, and he said, "Does the Crimson Brightness Divine Son want to take advantage of our current difficulties? If he intends to do so, it wouldn't be a mere projection; his true body would descend."

Ban Gongcuo burst into laughter, "Yan Kang is now fragmented; it must rely on the Crimson Brightness Divine Clan to survive this turbulent era. This isn't taking advantage of difficulties; it's adapting to circumstances."

"If the Crimson Brightness Divine Son wants to talk, I'll go speak with him."

Suddenly, a profound voice resounded from the sky. Everyone looked up to see an old ox carrying an old farmer descending from the heavens.

The Woodcutter Saint was both surprised and delighted and was about to speak. The old farmer glanced at him and clenched his fist. The Woodcutter Saint immediately fell silent.

The old farmer cast a glance at the Great Venerable and said, "Let's go to Hainan and meet this Crimson Brightness Divine Son!"

Ban Gongcuo chuckled, "Old man, can you even make such decisions?"

The old farmer became furious, and rumbling explosions filled the air. Behind the old man, his divine treasures of Spirit Embryo, Five Elements, Six Directions, Seven Stars, Celestial Being, and Life and Death all unfurled. Only the Divine Bridge divine treasure was missing.

Above these six divine treasures, a Celestial Palace emerged. A path stretched from the Southern Heavenly Gate, past the Jade Pool, through the Jade Sea, over the God-Slaying Platform, through the Jade Capital City, and finally reached the Lingxiao Temple.

The gates of the Lingxiao Imperial Palace swung wide open. A Primordial Spirit suddenly rose from the imperial throne, radiating heavenly might, and roared, "Do you think I can make decisions?"

Ban Gongcuo was terrified, and with a "bang," he dissolved into a puff of black smoke. He vanished outside the capital. After a moment, he cautiously returned and bowed, saying, "Senior, please!"

At the Great Thunderclap Monastery, on the Golden Summit of Mount Meru, Patriarch Ma Rulai and the monks were seated solemnly when he suddenly rose and said, "A Buddha is arriving; follow me to welcome him."

The monks hurried down the mountain. They saw a young Buddha approaching, barefoot.

Patriarch Ma Rulai greeted him, "Greetings, Senior Brother Sakra-Devanam-Indra Buddha."

The monks all bowed and said, "Buddha!"

"In the Buddhist sect, there's no need for such formalities," the young Buddha said. "I was also a Rulai of the Great Thunderclap Monastery back then; just call me Senior Brother."

Sakra-Devanam-Indra Buddha ascended Mount Meru and looked up. He saw the Twenty Heavens of Buddhism built against Mount Meru. Mount Meru was now immeasurably tall. Each of the heavens stood high above, still separated by world barriers, not fully connected to the Primordial Realm.

"The Old Buddha still doesn't want the Buddhist Realm to enter the mundane world," he said quietly. "Unfortunately, the Heavenly Court can no longer tolerate him."

Sakra-Devanam-Indra Buddha asked, "The world is about to descend into chaos, Rulai, do you have a plan?"

Patriarch Ma Rulai replied, "If we can win, we fight; if not, we flee."

"Exactly!" Sakra-Devanam-Indra Buddha clapped his hands and laughed heartily. "I was worried you'd be prepared to fight to the bitter end. Now that I've heard you say this, I'm relieved."

As they spoke, light flowed within the Twenty Heavens of Buddhism. A man like a black pagoda and another young monk descended from the sky. Their cultivation was profound, surpassing that of the other monks. They were none other than the Demonic Ape Zhan Kong and Monk Ming Xin.

"Rulai, we have obtained the True Sutras," Monk Ming Xin said, bowing.

Sakra-Devanam-Indra Buddha looked up at the Twenty Heavens of Buddhism and whispered, "You've returned, which means the Old Buddha has awakened and knows what's happening here."

His expression turned grave. The Old Buddha's awakening indicated the severity of the situation.

At the Great Brahma Heaven Realm, the Buddhas arrived one after another, seeking an audience with the Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha. They came to the dilapidated temple but found no trace of the Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha. Only a young novice monk remained.

The young novice monk said, "The Old Buddha left as soon as he awoke, saying he was going to seek out an old friend."

"Brother, this elixir tastes good!"

In the Primordial Realm, Yu Tianzun tasted the elixir Qin Mu had refined for the Water Qilin. It tasted surprisingly good, so he couldn't help but eat a few more, praising, "It's delicious!"

Qin Mu was so exasperated he laughed, "That's not for you to eat! This elixir is for demigods, to help them grow their bodies. Although human physiques can also consume elixirs, it can cause an imbalance in the vital qi attributes within the body, which is very dangerous!"

Yu Tianzun immediately stopped eating.

Qin Mu shook his head, thinking to himself, "Yu Tianzun can't control his desires; sooner or later, he'll eat himself into a little chubby boy. A big chubby Water Qilin with a little chubby Yu Tianzun on its back... it's quite something to imagine."

He taught Yu Tianzun how to refine elixirs. Yu Tianzun learned quickly. However, his control over vital qi was insufficient. He blew up the furnace several times, getting himself charred black. Qin Mu didn't mind. When he had studied alchemy with the Apothecary, he had also blown up the furnace countless times.

Demigods kept arriving from various parts of the Primordial Realm. They sensed the call of Earth Mother Primordial Lord and headed straight in one direction. Qin Mu's expression grew increasingly solemn. The number of demigods in the Primordial Realm was vast. Clearly, not just Earth Mother Primordial Lord had been buried and sealed with the Primordial Realm back then.

"The High Emperor Era was the longest era besides the Dragon Han Era. Its mysteries are no less than those of the Dragon Han Era."

Finally, they arrived at a vast, ancient battlefield. Before Qin Mu could take a closer look, the braying of a donkey, quite piercing, came from behind them.

"There's a donkey demigod too?"

Qin Mu was surprised and turned to look in the direction of the sound. He saw a long-eared, greenish-grey donkey slowly swaying towards them, carrying a young scholar.

The young scholar, with a feather fan and silk scarf, appeared rather dashing. He sat sideways on the donkey's back. In his other hand, he held a fishing rod with a carrot tied to the line, dangling in front of the donkey. The donkey stared at the carrot, not looking at the path ahead. It stumbled forward unevenly, braying loudly, clearly frustrated at not being able to reach the carrot.

"Ten ailments in one spring, nine caused by wine; not two clear days in three months. Tomorrow morning, riding a donkey on a path of fragrant grass, listening to the orioles sing deep within the green willows."

The scholar recited his poem, singing. The donkey swayed unsteadily as they passed Qin Mu and his companions.

Qin Mu looked at the scholar. He saw a man with refined eyebrows and eyes like swirling stars. He possessed a compelling heroic spirit, yet there was also a hint of melancholy about him.

"Brother."

Qin Mu cupped his hands and chuckled, "Brother, where are you headed?"