The Imperial Guards came over and pulled Gun Juan off Di Xin's legs. No matter how she cried out, they dragged her away by force.
The remaining two hundred or so Imperial Guards, led by Fang Bi, guarded Di Xin on both sides.
With the Imperial Guards there, Di Xin seemed to feel more confident. He looked up at the people in the sky. "Your fists are stronger, so you can bully ordinary people as you please. I'll swallow this insult. Back to the palace..."
With that, Di Xin waved his hand and prepared to leave in a huff with the Imperial Guards.
"Your Majesty King Zhou, please wait!"
Zhao Gongming called out to stop him.
King Zhou turned around, his brow furrowing slightly. "Are you people ever going to be done?"
Zhao Gongming smiled. "Your Majesty King Zhou, it was purely a misunderstanding when we accidentally sent you into a magic treasure earlier. We share a bond as fellow disciples with Grand Tutor Wen Zhong, so we would never deliberately target you."
"Oh, you're fellow disciples of Grand Tutor Wen?"
Di Xin naturally had no intention of pursuing the matter. He only wanted to leave as quickly as possible. But when Zhao Gongming mentioned Grand Tutor Wen, a new thought occurred to him.
"Immortal, since you're Grand Tutor Wen's fellow disciple, could you teach me some cultivation methods as compensation? I ask only to live forever and enjoy worldly riches for all eternity."
Di Xin asked, his gaze burning with eagerness.
He knew very well that after what had happened today, he absolutely couldn't reveal that he had Magic Power. That would be tantamount to admitting that he had stolen the treasure.
But if he ever faced a life-or-death crisis, he couldn't avoid using his Magic Power. So he needed a pretext that would explain how he had cultivated it.
That was why he had said those things.
Zhao Gongming exchanged a glance with Lady Yunxiao and her sisters, then chuckled softly. "What happened earlier was a misunderstanding, and Your Majesty suffered for it. It's only right to offer some compensation. But cultivation depends on fate and aptitude. I see that Your Majesty, as the Human Emperor, has no affinity with the Daoist Sect. Forcing yourself to cultivate would do more harm than good. You should put the idea out of your mind."
That was only Zhao Gongming's excuse. The truth was, there were other reasons behind it.
Back then, Old Ancestor Hongjun had summoned the Human Sect's leader, Laozi; the Chan Sect's leader, Primordial Lord of Heaven; and the Interception Sect's leader, Lord Tongtian, to sign the Investiture of the Gods together. King Zhou of Shang and the Ji Clan of Xi Qi were destined to fight, a conflict that would draw in cultivators from both the Interception Sect and the Chan Sect. Heaven's will did not favor Yin Shang, and it was easy to see that its fortunes were running out and defeat was inevitable.
Some Interception Sect disciples were unlikely to attain true enlightenment, so Lord Tongtian let them enjoy worldly riches. Many of them served as officials in Yin Shang. In truth, they had already been abandoned by the Interception Sect.
But Lord Tongtian still cared deeply about the important disciples of his sect. To keep them from being drawn into the great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods, he left a couplet before Biyou Palace: "Shut tight the cave doors, recite two or three scrolls of the Yellow Court; venture to the Western Lands, and your name will be on the Investiture of the Gods."
It was a warning to his disciples to stay within their mountain gates and not go out to take part in the War of the Investiture of the Gods, lest they become entangled in karmic cause and effect and be granted godhood after death, serving the Heavenly Court.
For Qi Cultivators, being granted godhood was a great calamity. If they survived, they might attain true enlightenment and become immortals.
But once they were listed in the Investiture of the Gods, they would lose their freedom. Becoming a god would be the peak of their lives.
Immortals stood far above gods. They possessed eternal life, were not bound by the Heavenly Court's rules, and could roam freely.
Just look at how the Curtain-Rolling General was cast down to the mortal realm for breaking the Glazed Lamp, and Marshal Tianpeng for merely flirting with Chang'e. That showed just how miserable the lives of Heavenly Court officials could be.
As a disciple of Lord Tongtian, Zhao Gongming didn't know all the hidden details, but he understood this much. So he wasn't going to leave Di Xin any cultivation methods.
If he left Di Xin any methods, that would amount to accepting him as a disciple. He would surely become entangled in karmic cause and effect and might be dragged into the War of the Investiture of the Gods for no reason.
If Lady Yunxiao hadn't lost the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors, and Zhao Gongming hadn't happened to be visiting Three Immortal Island at the time, he wouldn't have come to Chaoge at all.
Zhao Gongming naturally spoke for the Three Ladies of the Auspicious Clouds. There was no chance of getting help from the Interception Sect.
Di Xin wasn't discouraged. Instead, he turned to the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden and the Nine Nether Pure Maiden.
These two disciples of Goddess Nuwa had never thought well of Di Xin. After seeing what he had done with Gun Juan today, they despised him even more.
They didn't even bother to humor him with polite excuses. They simply turned away and ignored him.
Di Xin's expression darkened. He looked at Yang Jian next.
Yang Jian already knew that he would join Xi Qi in the future and help the Ji Clan overthrow King Zhou—in other words, he would fight the man standing before him. How could he leave Di Xin any cultivation methods?
Besides, it was Lady Bixiao who had captured Di Xin with the Soul Origin Golden Dou. What did that have to do with Yang Jian? Why should he offer compensation?
If it weren't for the need to make King Zhou lose the mandate of Heaven and the people's support, so the Ji Clan could gain Heaven's favor, strengthen its fortunes, and produce a sage ruler, Yang Jian might have attacked Di Xin right then and there.
And beyond the Chan Sect and the Interception Sect, there was also the Human Sect. Laozi, Old Ancestor Hongjun's eldest disciple, was its leader.
The Human Sect governed humanity. Unless Di Xin offended the Qi Cultivators too grievously, no one wanted to attack him before the War of the Investiture of the Gods began and incur Laozi's displeasure.
Although Laozi also favored the Ji Clan of Xi Qi, he intended for the Ji Clan to lead the campaign against King Zhou and bring about a change of dynasties.
For all these reasons, when Yang Jian saw that Di Xin was trying to win him over, he sneered. "King Zhou, your character is questionable. I can't leave you any cultivation methods. Forget about it."
"Hmph, as if I wanted them!"
Having run into a wall at every turn, Di Xin gave a cold snort and swept away.
He had asked everyone he could. He didn't want to stay there any longer. Though he hadn't gotten what he wanted, his performance had seemed reasonable enough and dispelled the others' suspicions.
The many Qi Cultivators present made no further attempt to block Di Xin. They let him return to the Royal Palace, with the Imperial Guards surrounding him in front and behind.
Once through the palace gates, Di Xin dismissed the Imperial Guards and headed straight for Shouxian Palace.
"Beloved Consort, Beloved Consort, I saw Hu Ximei on the street!"
As soon as he entered the palace, Di Xin shouted excitedly.
"Hadn't she left Chaoge? Why was she still on the street?" Su Daji asked, puzzled.
"Ah, it's a long story. In any case, if she comes looking for you again, be sure to tell me."
After saying that, Di Xin went straight to his bedroom. He knew Hu Ximei's identity, but the many Qi Cultivators on the street hadn't spelled it out.
As for the Nine-headed Pheasant Demon, Di Xin hadn't known about her, since he had been trapped inside the Soul Origin Golden Dou at the time.
[Option One: Consume the Spirit Pill immediately. Task reward: Immortal Beast Azure Ox.] [Option Two: Do not consume the Spirit Pill for now. Task reward: High-grade Acquired Spiritual Treasure, Primordial Gold Dou.]
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