Primordial Heavenly Venerate was discussing the Dao with Taishang Laojun.
Suddenly, Primordial Heavenly Venerate's expression changed slightly. He sensed that the fortune of the Chan Sect had sharply declined.
"Th-this... what is going on?"
Primordial Heavenly Venerate was secretly alarmed and hurriedly began calculating.
With that calculation, he traced the matter to True Person Huanglong!
It turned out that although True Person Huanglong had not accepted the position of Dragon Emperor, merely being involved had already provoked the Heavenly Dao.
After all, the dragon race was a race blacklisted by the Heavenly Dao. True Person Huanglong wanted to become the Dragon Emperor of the dragon race—wasn't that openly opposing the Heavenly Dao? How could the Heavenly Dao not detest him?
Thus, the Heavenly Dao had shifted some of the dragon race's invisible karma onto True Person Huanglong!
True Person Huanglong was one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of Chan Sect. Once he was burdened with karma, it would naturally affect the Chan Sect's fortune. That was why the Chan Sect's fortune had declined.
"Bastard..."
Having calculated this far, Primordial Heavenly Venerate's face darkened as he roared.
"Junior Brother, what happened?"
At the side, Taishang Laojun looked blankly at the suddenly enraged Primordial Heavenly Venerate, unable to understand where such anger had come from.
True Person Huanglong Caused Trouble
"Hmph, that Huanglong truly was useless at success and disastrous at failure. How did this humble Taoist ever take such a disciple? As expected of a beast born from dampness and eggs, covered in scales and armor—completely brainless..."
Primordial Heavenly Venerate was so furious that his nose nearly twisted, and he raged.
Taishang Laojun closed his eyes and made a brief calculation. He immediately understood the entire chain of events, and the corners of his mouth twitched.
"Master, your disciple Huanglong requests an audience..."
Just then, True Person Huanglong's voice rang out from outside Jade Void Palace.
Primordial Heavenly Venerate had been about to settle accounts with True Person Huanglong, but instead, True Person Huanglong had delivered himself right to the muzzle. He immediately roared, "Get in here!"
Eh? Why was Master so angry? It couldn't be because of this humble Taoist, could it...? True Person Huanglong felt guilty, and most of his drunkenness instantly vanished. After hesitating for a moment, he gritted his teeth and pushed the door open. Seeing Primordial Heavenly Venerate and Taishang Laojun, he hurriedly bowed. "Greetings, Master. Greetings, Grand Uncle-Master!"
The moment Primordial Heavenly Venerate saw True Person Huanglong, his anger flared. He roared, "Hmph, unfilial disciple, what have you done?"
True Person Huanglong froze and said blankly, "This disciple... this disciple hasn't done anything?"
Primordial Heavenly Venerate's face instantly turned green with rage. Glowering at True Person Huanglong, he gritted his teeth. "Unfilial disciple, you became entangled with the dragon race at the East Sea Dragon Palace, and you still claim you did nothing? You..."
The moment True Person Huanglong heard "Dragon Palace," he understood. He hurriedly cupped his hands toward Primordial Heavenly Venerate. "Master, this is what happened. Candle Dragon and the Four Dragon Kings of the dragon race promised this disciple that as long as this disciple helped the dragon race eliminate their karma of the Heavenly Dao, they would... they would recommend this disciple as Dragon Emperor. At that time, this disciple would command the Four Seas, and the fortune of our Chan Sect would surely surge. This is a great blessing..."
Primordial Heavenly Venerate's heart and liver ached with fury. He glared at True Person Huanglong, grabbed a jade slip from beside him, and smashed it straight at his face as he bellowed, "Bastard! Unfilial disciple! You know that it is karma of the Heavenly Dao, yet you think karma of the Heavenly Dao is so easily broken? You... you damned fool! You... how did this humble Taoist ever take a disciple like you? You..."
When the jade slip came flying over, True Person Huanglong had wanted to dodge, but he did not dare.
Poor True Person Huanglong took the jade slip squarely in the face. It knocked him stumbling backward, and he fell flat on his face.
But seeing Primordial Heavenly Venerate so enraged, how could True Person Huanglong dare mention the dragon race again? He hurriedly crawled forward, knelt on the ground, and wailed, "Master, spare me! Master, spare me! This disciple knows his mistake, this disciple knows his mistake..."
If the dragon race submitted to the Chan Sect, that would originally have been a good thing!
But the issue was that the dragon race was continuously affected by the karma of the Heavenly Dao. In that case, the dragon race was a burning hot potato. Taking them in would instead cause the Chan Sect's fortune to plummet.
Even if Primordial Heavenly Venerate possessed the power to temporarily erase the dragon race's karma, he could not erase it for all time!
After all, the karma of the Heavenly Dao descended without end. Even Saints could scarcely bear it. This was why Primordial Heavenly Venerate was so furious.
Primordial Heavenly Venerate blew his beard and glared. Staring fiercely at True Person Huanglong, he gritted his teeth and said, "Bastard, get back and cultivate properly. Do not have any further contact with the dragon race. If you become tainted by that karma of the Heavenly Dao again, do not blame this humble Taoist for showing no mercy!"
At this moment, Primordial Heavenly Venerate truly wanted nothing more than to slap True Person Huanglong to death!
But True Person Huanglong was one of the Twelve Golden Immortals and his disciple. If he really killed True Person Huanglong in a fit of rage, not only would it damage his reputation, but with the Twelve Golden Immortals incomplete, the Chan Sect's fortune would also suffer.
Fortunately, True Person Huanglong had merely verbally agreed to the dragon race's request and had not truly become the Dragon Emperor. As long as he cut ties with the dragon race, the karma of the Heavenly Dao would only be temporary.
Therefore, for the time being, Primordial Heavenly Venerate forbade True Person Huanglong from coming into contact with any members of the dragon race.
"Yes, yes, Master..."
True Person Huanglong was so frightened that he nearly wet himself. Trembling with fear, he did not dare remain in Jade Void Palace any longer. He hurriedly fled the palace and returned to his own dojo, Magu Cave on Two Immortals Mountain.
Meanwhile, at the East Sea Dragon Palace, Candle Dragon and the Four Dragon Kings were all waiting for news from True Person Huanglong.
But once True Person Huanglong left, he never returned, and there was no further news from him.
Candle Dragon and the Four Dragon Kings waited anxiously. In the end, the dragon race decided to visit True Person Huanglong.
Ao Guang personally left the East Sea and rode the clouds all the way to Magu Cave on Two Immortals Mountain.
Upon reaching the foot of Two Immortals Mountain, Ao Guang cupped his hands and called out, "Is Fellow Daoist Huanglong in the mountain?"
Inside Magu Cave, the moment True Person Huanglong heard Ao Guang's voice, he inwardly groaned. Previously, Candle Dragon and the Four Dragon Kings had flattered him until he was floating on cloud nine, and he had agreed to help the dragon race resolve their karma of the Heavenly Dao. Later, Primordial Heavenly Venerate had fiercely scolded him. How could he still dare meet Ao Guang?
Thus, True Person Huanglong pretended not to be there and turned a deaf ear.
"Hm? Could Fellow Daoist Huanglong be absent?"
Ao Guang was suspicious. After hesitating, he called out loudly again, "Fellow Daoist Huanglong, Ao Guang requests an audience!"
True Person Huanglong continued pretending to be deaf and mute, offering no response.
Ao Guang grew even more suspicious and called out several more times, but True Person Huanglong still did not respond.
Ao Guang then assumed that True Person Huanglong was not on Two Immortals Mountain and rode the clouds back to the East Sea.
After some days had passed, Ao Guang again came to visit True Person Huanglong. But no matter how hoarse he shouted, True Person Huanglong still would not come out.
Could it be that True Person Huanglong still was not there?
Ao Guang was utterly baffled and could only return to the East Sea.
After some more time, Ao Guang came to visit True Person Huanglong again. Yet although he shouted until his throat was raw, True Person Huanglong still did not respond.
Once, twice, and then a third time—if True Person Huanglong had ignored him once or twice, it might have been a coincidence or accident. But when he did not respond the third time, Ao Guang sensed that something was wrong.
Helpless, Ao Guang returned to the East Sea and recounted the entire matter to Candle Dragon.
Candle Dragon assumed that True Person Huanglong cared about saving face, so he personally made a trip to Magu Cave on Two Immortals Mountain. Yet he was still turned away.
Candle Dragon could only return to the East Sea Dragon Palace in low spirits.
"Ancestor, how did it go?"
The Four Dragon Kings had been waiting for news. When they saw Candle Dragon, their eyes lit up, and Ao Guang hurriedly stepped forward to ask.
Candle Dragon slowly shook his head without speaking.
At once, the Four Dragon Kings understood.
Ao Qin trembled with rage and snapped, "Hmph, that Huanglong truly is unreliable. A thing like him wants to become the emperor of our dragon race? What a joke!"
"Hmph, bastard! He's infuriated this king to death..."
Ao Shun also began cursing.
Everyone cursed True Person Huanglong's ancestors for eighteen generations, but there was nothing they could do.
After all, True Person Huanglong was one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of Chan Sect and Primordial Heavenly Venerate's disciple. The dragon race could not afford to provoke him, nor did they dare.
The path of having True Person Huanglong resolve the karma of the Heavenly Dao for the dragon race was now completely cut off...
Isn't It Just Merit? I Can Get It in Minutes
Golden Ao Island, Biyou Palace.
Tongtian Cult Master sat gloomily on his cloud bed because he could sense the fortune of the Jie Sect declining.
It was declining in a straight line!
There was no other reason—it was all because Tongtian Cult Master had brought it upon himself.
Among the great sects of the prehistoric world, all possessed treasures to suppress their fortune. Only the Jie Sect had no treasure to suppress its fortune!
The Immortal Slaying Sword Formation could temporarily suppress fortune, but once it was activated, it could no longer suppress fortune.
Previously, in order to force back Primordial Heavenly Venerate and the other Saints, Tongtian Cult Master had activated the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation time and again. The result of this reckless behavior was the rapid loss of the Jie Sect's fortune.
"Do any of you have a method to resolve the loss of fortune from my Jie Sect? Or... perhaps some great deed of merit that can restore the fortune of my Jie Sect?"
Tongtian Cult Master looked at the Immortals of the Jie Sect and asked hopefully.
Tongtian Cult Master had truly been driven out of options, which was why he had gathered his many disciples to ask them.
The Immortals of the Jie Sect exchanged looks, but not a single one answered.
Everyone knew that fortune and merit were difficult to obtain!
If they knew how to gain fortune, they would have long since sought it out. Why would they still be sitting here?
Seeing that no one spoke for a long while, Tongtian Cult Master's mood worsened to the extreme. His gaze unconsciously shifted to the fifth seat in the front row.
That seat belonged to none other than Li Xiao!
But at this moment, the seat was empty. No one was sitting there, meaning Li Xiao had not come at all.
"Where is Li Xiao? Where is Li Xiao?"
Tongtian Cult Master asked.
"Um... Master, Senior Brother Li Xiao sent word that he has reached a crucial bottleneck in cultivation and is currently in seclusion. That is why he did not come to Golden Ao Island. He asks Master for forgiveness!"
At that moment, Yunxiao cupped her hands toward Tongtian Cult Master.
That brat actually knows how to work hard now... Tongtian Cult Master felt slightly comforted, but after hesitating for a moment, he swept his divine sense toward Penglai Immortal Island.
The next moment, Tongtian Cult Master saw Li Xiao lounging comfortably on the beach of Penglai Immortal Island, basking in the sun. Before him, Ao Li was holding pieces of fruit and feeding them to Li Xiao with a smile.
Li Xiao even smacked Ao Li on the butt, making the Dragon Maiden blush shyly...
Damn it, this is what you call cultivating in seclusion... Tongtian Cult Master exploded with anger at the sight. His old face instantly darkened to the extreme. He impatiently looked toward the Immortals of the Jie Sect and waved his hand. "Dismissed, all of you..."
The Immortals of the Jie Sect had no idea why Tongtian Cult Master had suddenly become so angry. They hurriedly left Biyou Palace.
"Yunxiao, stay behind!"
Before you continue