Chapter 362: Chapter 29: One Call of Uncle Zhong Shocks the World, Old Yan’s Social Death, Converting Profound Yellow

"What scoundrel is meddling..."

Before he could finish, Duke Mu of Qin fell into a trance. He saw a Daoist, shrouded in shadow, enthroned at an infinite height and holding a Jade Ruyi.

The Daoist was one-eyed, and within that eye lay all the Cause and Effect of All Realms.

In the next moment, the chaotic Cause and Effect was smoothed over. Duke Mu of Qin awoke with a start and tried to perform his divination again, but he found nothing. Everything was normal, as if the prior chaos had been nothing more than an illusion.

"Just now, that was..." he murmured, alarmed and uncertain.

「On Taishan.」

A dead silence fell, followed by an uproar among the Immortal and Divine Officials in the clouds.

"Uncle Zhong?" Venus was taken aback. He tried to divine the man’s origins but was blocked by the dense Human Dao Fortune. Confused, he asked,

"Since when did the First Emperor have an Uncle Zhong?"

Li Jing frowned and summoned Thousand-Mile Eye and Shunfeng Ear. "Do you know anything about this?" he asked.

The two Immortals exchanged wry smiles before Thousand-Mile Eye bowed respectfully.

"To answer Li Celestial King, the First Emperor’s Human Dao Fortune is so immense that only the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors of old can compare. Both my eyes and Shunfeng Ear’s ears are obscured by it. We can only catch fleeting glimpses, so we know nothing of this Profound Yellow’s origins."

Nearby, an Ancient Buddha—his form pure, his body like lapis lazuli—opened his eyes and spoke faintly.

"’A bit interesting,’ he mused. ’But he’s no game-changer. This Profound Yellow bears no Human Dao Fortune, making him insignificant. And yet, the First Emperor seems to hold him in high regard...’"

As he spoke, a slight smile touched his lips.

"’In that case,’ he thought, ’I believe I have an idea.’"

While the Immortals and Buddhas deliberated, back on Taishan...

Zhang Jifeng and Wang Zhiyao stood dumbfounded. The pupils of Liu Bang and Xiang Yu constricted.

The breaths of the hundred thousand Black Armor guards grew ragged. The Wu’an Monarch shot to his feet. Yan Huang simply stumbled, his mouth hanging open in a stupor.

’What?’

’Uncle... Uncle Zhong??’

’Who’s Uncle Zhong? Who is whose Uncle Zhong?!’

Countless people looked around in confusion. Only the old man in the simple carriage beside the Emperor Chariot seemed to guess the truth, his eyes widening.

Just then, the young man in the Bronze Mask spoke with a smile.

"Indeed. I have lived in seclusion on Taishan for many years. It is my own failing that I could not witness you conquering the world."

Lu Xuan decided to go along with it, adding,

"But to be able to personally watch you perform the sealing ritual here is wonderful in its own right."

"Uncle Zhong..."

The eyes of this peerless Emperor, who had extinguished all the Dukes States in a single campaign, grew red.

His lips trembled.

"Uncle Zhong, you..."

"I’ve been on Taishan for long enough; it’s time I got out to see the world again," Lu Xuan said with a grin. "Go do what you must. I’ll find you in Xianyang after the sealing ritual."

Ying Zheng’s eyes lit up, his heart rate quickening. He didn’t understand why his foster father was acting this way, but he knew there must be a reason. He was also keenly aware that the Immortals and Buddhas were watching from the heavens, so they couldn’t afford to reveal anything amiss.

At once, Ying Zheng took a deep breath and bowed again.

"I, Zheng, implore Uncle Zhong to accompany me to the Sealing Platform!"

"Very well." Lu Xuan smiled and nodded. He then began walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Ying Zheng toward the Emperor Chariot.

As they passed Yan Huang and the others, Lu Xuan paused. A mischievous impulse took hold, and he looked at the stupefied Old Yan, smiling as he spoke.

"I must thank Immortal Yan for guiding my cultivation these past days."

’Guiding... his cultivation??’

Ying Zheng’s head snapped to the side. He stared at Yan Huang, his gaze filled with alarm and suspicion.

The latter’s face flushed beet-red. He had no idea what kind of hallowed figure this "Profound Yellow" truly was, or how he’d suddenly transformed into the First Emperor’s Uncle Zhong.

But when he recalled his own words and actions over the past few days—boasting about opening the path of cultivation, bestowing immortal opportunities, offering a glimpse into the Longevity Sect...

His toes curled so tightly in his shoes that a tiny crack spiderwebbed across the ground beneath his feet.

Lu Xuan’s expression grew strange. ’This is Taishan, one of the foremost Divine Mountains in the world. Its very earth and stone are said to be harder than Immortal Gold Divine Iron...’

’Old Yan, you never cease to amaze!’

Suppressing a chuckle, Lu Xuan glanced aside and said,

"This Immortal Yan is an old acquaintance of mine."

Ying Zheng snapped out of his daze. After a moment’s thought, he smiled.

"In that case, it seems I misunderstood earlier. Immortal, would you be willing to accept a position in my court?"

Old Yan’s eyelid twitched. He was simultaneously overjoyed and mortified enough to wish the ground would swallow him whole. He forced a smile that looked more pained than a grimace.

"Since Your Majesty has invited me, how could I possibly refuse?"

With that, he turned to the mysterious young man in the Bronze Mask and gave a dry laugh.

"I have caused much offense previously. I hope, Senior..."

Lu Xuan quickly waved his hand. ’This is my future father-in-law, after all,’ he thought, smiling.

"Immortal Yan, there is no need for such formalities. We can discuss this further in Xianyang after the sealing ritual."

"Yes." Yan Huang quickly bowed.

Lu Xuan nodded. As he continued walking beside Ying Zheng, he declined the invitation to ride in the Emperor Chariot.

"Isn’t there another carriage right there?" he said with a smile.

Nearby, the dazed Wu’an Monarch came to his senses. He shot the masked young man a strange look before saying,

"In that carriage is His Majesty’s honor—"

"Since you are His Majesty’s Uncle Zhong, it would be my greatest honor to share this ride." A hoarse voice came from within the carriage. In the heavens, some of the Immortals and Buddhas who had turned their gaze toward it now let out sounds of surprise.

"Who is in that carriage?" Taibai frowned. "I cannot see through it."

"It must be one of Ying Zheng’s hidden cards," Li Jing said, his expression serious. "He must have known today wouldn’t be simple. He would have certainly come prepared."

While the Immortals and Buddhas conversed, Lu Xuan smiled and boarded the simple carriage.

Then, the Emperor Chariot and the carriage began their slow procession once more. The hundred thousand Black Armor guards resumed their march, heading for the Sealing Platform at the summit under the dumbfounded gazes of Yan Huang and the others.

Long after the Emperor Chariot and the hundred thousand Black Armor guards had disappeared into the distance,

Wang Zhiyao and Zhang Jifeng belatedly exchanged a look, still somewhat stunned. Wang Zhiyao swallowed hard and said blankly, 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Is this what they call ’failing to recognize a true master’?"