Taiyi Dao Fruit-Chapter 1136 - 360: Daoist Lord Takes Action

Liangzhou, Wushan, Taihao Hall.

The giant bright mirror still hung midair, reflecting the scenery of Jingyang Land. The avatar of the Great Venerable, clad in a green robe, reached towards the mirror, and with a faint stroke, the scene within the mirror immediately changed.

It transformed from the imagery of Jingyang Land into a miniature map of the Nine Provinces, with clouds of various colors appearing in each region.

Yangzhou, Xuzhou, and Qingzhou were already covered by a patch of yellow cloud, with the border of Yangzhou and Jingzhou seething with Soldier Evil. Meanwhile, Yu State, Jizhou, and Yan State were overshadowed by hints of Disaster Qi, clearly about to be affected.

Such was the current state of Qi Fortune across the Nine Provinces.

Just by looking at this map, it truly seemed like a scene on the brink of collapse. If the Heavenly Monarch could defeat Jiang Li, the world of the Great Zhou might change once more.

"The final battle is imminent." The Great Venerable murmured.

Although he hadn't personally witnessed it and couldn't do a Divination on Jiang Li and the Heavenly Monarch, just by relying on the overall situation of Qi Fortune, the Great Venerable could infer their circumstances indirectly.

Being a Supreme himself, now set to decide the fate of the world, every move he made could determine the life and death of countless individuals. Unless one could conceal the changes in Qi Shu across the entire world, it was indeed difficult to hide the situation.

"So, we...," the Heavenly Charm pondered for a moment nearby, then asked, "what should we do?"

The Great Venerable still had a large number of demons, ghosts, and monsters at his command, and that Evil Summoning Banner was not just for show.

But to involve oneself in such a grand battle required a Supreme.

The Great Venerable's true form was suppressed by Jiang Li; without a Supreme, if they entered the fray, no matter how many soldiers they had, they would all become cannon fodder.

Thinking of this, the Great Venerable also felt deeply helpless.

Jiang Li's previous move was truly a godsend, seizing the Great Venerable's vital point and pinning down this troublemaker tightly. All plans came to a halt because the true form was suppressed.

Earlier, there was even a thought of stabbing a good brother in the back, but it ended up getting nipped in the bud.

He gazed at the mirror in silent contemplation for a moment, before replying, "The initiative is lost, and the room for maneuver is limited. Although it is desired for Emperor Jiang to approach his limits, if a single misstep allows the Heavenly Monarch to truly ascend, that would be the real disaster."

In this matter, the Great Venerable still had principles; the Heavenly Monarch must fail.

His intent against Jiang Li was his own, yet he absolutely could not genuinely assist the Heavenly Monarch's successful ascent.

If Jiang Li ultimately couldn't stop the Heavenly Monarch, the Great Venerable feared he would have to aid Jiang Li diligently, ensuring the Heavenly Monarch remained in the third grade.

"Let Tianpeng and the others wait quietly," the Great Venerable eventually said, "Inform the sect members in Liangzhou to either stay put quietly or stay in Nether City without causing trouble in the near future."

This was, of course, not an act of kindness from the Great Venerable, intending to protect a bunch of undercover members within the Devil God Sect, but rather to convey his stance and ease some people's worries.

Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Charm immediately went to carry out the order, refining the Great Venerable's instructions a bit, and spreading them throughout Nether City beyond Wushan in the quickest time.

······

······

The news quickly reached the members of the Devil God Sect within Nether City, including the Holy Infant King and Ashuren, who were drinking in the city.

These two, as members of the Nineteen Demons, should have been the ones capable of causing the most trouble below the fourth rank, yet due to the recent changes and turmoil, they'd been hiding out in Nether City. Each day, they either visited Li Qinglian or found a tavern in the city to drink.

The Holy Infant King, though small, had quite a capacity for alcohol, and when drinking with the towering Ashuren, he was not at a disadvantage in the slightest.

However, when they heard the notification from Wushan, the two simultaneously put down their bowls of wine.

"I just remembered that I haven't been home for many days and suddenly feel homesick, wanting to go back and have a look," the Holy Infant King said, wiping the wine from the corner of his mouth, his flushed face showing a deliberately nostalgic expression.

On the other side, the ugly-faced Ashuren expressed disinterest upon hearing this and said, "Without a drinking buddy like you, staying in Nether City isn't enjoyable for me either. Never mind, I'll go seek out my old friend for some fun."

"So, should we...call it a day?" the Holy Infant King suggested tentatively.

"Let's end it here then."

After exchanging a glance, it was confirmed—they were both undercover.

With that, the two stood up simultaneously, slapped the money for their drinks on the table, and swiftly left the tavern, heading straight out of the city.

Upon leaving Nether City, they promptly went their separate ways; Ashuren headed west of Liangzhou, while the Holy Infant King transformed into a Flame Light, using the Fire Escape Technique to go straight towards Jizhou.

However, before the Holy Infant King could leave Liangzhou, he unexpectedly encountered an unexpected figure outside the Three Mountains at Broken Sky Gorge.

Suddenly, a streak of purple aura appeared in the sky, and a leisurely figure approached, seemingly slow but swift.

A Green Bull carried a Daoist, treading on an auspicious cloud, crossing hundreds of miles in mere moments, and landed on a mountain not far ahead.

The Daoist Lord who had been in Jingzhou had now run to Liangzhou.

As the Flame Light folded and descended straight onto the mountain's summit, it revealed the Holy Infant King, childlike in appearance, who bowed his head: "Greetings, Grandmaster."

"No need for such formalities before this old Daoist."

The Daoist Lord smiled warmly and extended a hand in a welcoming gesture, allowing the Holy Infant King to rise, then asked, "Holy Infant, are you accustomed to staying at the Devil God Sect?"

"Very well, although there are plenty of demons, ghosts, and monsters within the Devil God Sect, it all seems quite interesting," the Holy Infant King grinned, "And that Ashuren, he's always thought I was the disciple of the Yuxu Temple's Dragon Slayer Daoist, never realizing I hail from the Daode Sect."

The Holy Infant King excels at wielding the Samadhi True Fire, also using the Fire-tipped Spear, and most notably, like Yin Tulong, he has the physique of a child. With so many common traits, it's no wonder others have made such associations.

However, the Holy Infant King does not believe this matter can be hidden from the Great Venerable; he assumes the Great Venerable has long been aware of his identity.

This very belief allows the Holy Infant King to comfortably remain in the Nether City.

Currently, Yuxu Temple has allied with Emperor Jiang, and the Great Venerable seems at odds with Emperor Jiang. If he were of Yuxu Temple, he would not dare to linger under the Great Venerable's watchful gaze.

"By the way, there is one more matter."

Recalling the announcement he heard earlier, the Holy Infant quickly conveyed it to the Daoist Lord.

After listening, the Daoist Lord showed no sign of emotion, his expression calm, and instead of inquiring about matters related to the Great Venerable, he spoke of other things.

"Holy Infant, this time I come, mainly to find you a renowned master," said the Daoist Lord.

"A renowned master?"

The Holy Infant King looked utterly puzzled.

"Yes indeed, he is a contemporary powerhouse, whose cultivation techniques are also compatible with yours. He cares greatly for his disciples. If you can apprentice with him, a future as third grade is within reach," the Daoist Lord spoke slowly.

The more the Daoist Lord spoke, the brighter the Holy Infant King's eyes became.

Everyone knows that the Daode Sect has only two at third grade, one of whom, Taibai True Monarch, practices the Gold Element, which is completely unrelated to the Fire Cultivation of the Holy Infant King. So who else could it be?

The Holy Infant King felt a stroke of fortune, immediately preparing to bow.

"Greeting······"

"He is Yin Tulong of Yuxu Temple," the Daoist Lord said.

Holy Infant King: "Huh?"

Having spoken only two words, he abruptly stopped.

"Grandmaster, I'm from the Daode Sect, correct?" the Holy Infant King asked gloomily.

"Indeed, but the old Daoist made a divination and found that your future lies not in the Dao De, but in Yuxu," the Daoist Lord nodded, "Yuxu Temple has twelve third-grade Dao Fruit legacies. You completely lack suitable Dao Fruits, and Yin Tulong practices the True Fire Technique, enough to guide you to achieve third grade."

"But Yin Tulong doesn't seem to be third grade yet?" The Holy Infant King grew more and more dejected.

"He's on the verge," The Daoist Lord chuckled lightly, "One condition of the Yuxu Temple's Taiyi True Man Dao Fruit Promotion Ceremony is to complete a killing tribulation. Yin Tulong has long reached Fourth Grade Perfection and initiated the promotion ceremony but remains hindered by the Dragon Palace's precautions, unable to complete the killing tribulation, thus preventing promotion. But this tribulation has alternative methods; as long as you take on his tribulation, with his years of accumulation and preparation, he can directly advance to third grade. You would acquire a third-grade master."

"Killing tribulation?" Upon hearing these words, the Holy Infant King sensed its complexity, his face turned bitter, "It sounds difficult."

It is indeed part of the third-grade promotion ceremony.

"No worries, Yin Tulong will assist you with this, and if not for taking on this cause and effect, why would he accept you as a disciple and connect his Qi Fortune with you?"

The Daoist Lord's voice softened, "But this matter ultimately depends on your decision, whether or not to apprentice under Yin Tulong. I will not force you."

If apprenticing, the Holy Infant King would gain a third-grade master, and the connection between Daode Sect and Yuxu Temple would be established, enhancing ties with Emperor Jiang.

Though previously there were many conflicts, the future may hold reconciliation.

As for Yuxu Temple's opinion, the Daoist Lord was confident they would agree.

This is a mutually beneficial situation which none would oppose.

For the Holy Infant King, Yin Tulong is indeed an excellent choice, a great fit in all aspects, definitely rewarding.

"Disciple, is willing to heed the Grandmaster's advice." The Holy Infant King ultimately made his choice.

"Good, then I shall first aid you in your promotion to fourth grade. You've been a fifth-rank for many years, your Dao Fruit is already perfected, now only lacking the final step. Only by achieving fourth grade can you take on Yin Tulong's killing tribulation."

The Daoist Lord nodded slightly, then his gaze drifted toward the direction of Wushan.

"Little Bull, have you sensed it?"

The green bull beneath him snorted out two streams of breath through its nostrils, speaking in a gravelly voice, "No mistake, it should be in Wushan."