Taiching (A Little Later)

A chill seemed to emanate from the enclosed carriage.

The situation quickly calmed down.

Inside the train carriage.

"Qingfeng, Mingyue, Zhen Yuanzi," the woman murmured, a slightly dazed look on her face, as if she were reminiscing.

Her expression became extremely complicated, and the carriage fell into a deathly silence—a truly deathly silence.

There was no sound of breathing, no heartbeat, and no sound of blood flowing.

Miss Mingyue reached out and touched the small table in the center of the seat, a pot of hot tea and two empty cups appeared.

She poured tea into the empty cup and gently gestured for the cup to be filled.

Zhang Fusheng paused for a moment, then pointed to his empty chest cavity—his body, the body of the plague demon, was nothing more than a skeleton.

Miss Mingyue chuckled, took a sip of tea, and the tea seemed to calm her turbulent emotions.

She asked:

"What kind of person is True Person?"

Zhang Fusheng slightly raised his head, and in his empty eye sockets, two specks of blood slowly flickered.

He gazed at the Miss Mingyue, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke:

"Very mysterious, very powerful, seemingly not very strong, but possessing all sorts of incredible power—that power likely comes from [the Celestial Venerable]."

After pausing for a moment, the skeletal figure clasped his hands together and sighed respectfully, "Heavenly Venerable One above!"

The woman with a vermilion dot between her brows listened quietly, her eyelids trembling slightly, murmuring to herself:

"Who is this old friend?"

She had also witnessed the scene of the old man descending to question the heavens that day, but she did not recognize him and had no recollection of him whatsoever.

Another brief silence followed.

The Miss Mingyue exhaled, her voice soft and gentle:

"Heavenly Venerable, I have heard from the Above High Heaven that among those Person from High Heaven, nothing and no one is off-limits for 'trading'?"

Zhang Fusheng nodded affirmatively:

"That's true. To be honest, Miss Mingyue, I used my lifespan and the years of my cultivation to purchase an extremely extraordinary technique."

He said casually:

"That technique is called the [Great Strength Ox Demon Body]. Upon entering it, one can Unity of Intent and Spirit; once Perfection, one can even attain the [Heaven-Pacifying Great Sage]."

As the words "Heaven-Pacifying Great Sage" were uttered, Zhang Fusheng quietly observed Miss Mingyue's expression—it remained unchanged.

She just said it casually:

"Proving the Great Sage? This sutra certainly has a lot of nerve."

Far away, Zhang Fusheng's true form raised an eyebrow.

The plague demon showed no sign of abnormality, calmly nodded, and continued to probe:

"Yes, but the Dharma Scripture contains a mysterious treasure. I successfully opened it and seem to have glimpsed the past of the master of the Dharma Scripture."

Miss Mingyue seemed slightly lost in thought, and it was unclear whether she was listening attentively.

Zhang Fusheng didn't mind, but said in a tone of emotion:

"In that scene, the banners of the Heaven-Pacifying Great Sage fluttered in the wind, and around him were terrifying beings of many different titles, such as the Great Sage Who Overturns the Seas, the Great Sage Who Confounds Heaven, and the Great Sage Who Knows All."

"And also, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven."

The four characters fell.

Her beautiful features were startled awake, the elegance fading, replaced by a sense of confusion, bewilderment, and furrowed brows as she recalled the past.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths.

Under Zhang Fusheng's empty eye sockets.

Miss Mingyue seemed to realize something:

"The Great Sage Equal to Heaven. I remember now, there is such a person, a lawless and unruly monkey."

A faint look of embarrassment and annoyance gradually appeared on her face, as if she was remembering more and more things.

"The Great Sage Equal to Heaven, the Monkey King, hmph, you do have some merit. You do possess some strength. Since you can be on par with the Heaven-Pacifying Great Sage, your Dharma Scripture is truly remarkable."

The skeletal plague demon emitted a dry laugh, seemingly jubilant.

Zhang Fusheng felt extremely strange.

This Miss Mingyue, is indeed the same Mingyue, but something doesn't quite feel right.

The other party clearly did not recognize the Bull Devil King.

But Old Niu was somewhat famous back then, wasn't he?

And

Miss Mingyue Zhang Fusheng pondered to himself, and even the Great Sage was stunned for a moment before he remembered.

Is it because, since its existence from the old generation, it has undergone some changes that have caused some erosion of its memory, or is there some other reason?

As his thoughts raced through his mind...

The Miss Mingyue smoothed her hair and then asked softly:

Have you ever met that so-called Celestial Venerable?

Zhang Fusheng nodded solemnly.

The Miss Mingyue seemed lost in thought:

"Celestial Venerable, are you someone who obtained what was left over from the old world? Where did He learn of Zhen Yuanzi's name? Did He unearth an ancient relic?"

Zhang Fusheng's heart skipped a beat; this Miss Mingyue, seemed to have no belief that people from ancient times could still exist today.

Even if the Zhen Yuanzi of the Qingfeng Mingyue sect) is mentioned, one still firmly believes that the [Celestial Venerable] is a lucky individual who obtained relics from the ancient world?

Why are you so certain?

Thankfully, we didn't summon this guy directly to the Above High Heaven.

We have no choice but to use our ultimate move.

The thought had barely formed in his mind when Miss Mingyue, whose thoughts perfectly aligned with Zhang Fusheng's, casually asked:

"What does that Heavenly Venerable look like?"

Zhang Fusheng pondered for a moment, then said:

"He sat upright on a high prayer cushion, like a deity enthroned in the world, surrounded by a dark and gloomy aura, echoing with profound and silent sounds, shrouded in a deep and chaotic mist."

The Miss Mingyue frowned:

"You've never seen his true face?"

"I've seen it before!"

"That chaotic mist once revealed a glimmer of beauty before me!"

Zhang Fusheng exhaled Yin Qi, his face expressionless, but his voice became even more solemn and dignified, almost like an aria!

"He is an old man."

"He appeared upright and serene, dressed in a Daoist robe with a Daoist hairpin in his hair. The robe was a pale white color, and a yin-yang-eyed evil fish floated behind him."

Zhang Fusheng described the scene he had witnessed, word by word.

From the old man's eyebrows, facial features, and clothing.

The expression on Miss Mingyue's face gradually changed as Zhang Fusheng narrated.

His eyelashes trembled slightly, his pupils contracted, and his breathing became rapid!

Zhang Fusheng became increasingly agitated as he spoke:

"When I saw Him, He was blurry, but I could still see His facial features."

"At that time, a huge blue ox lay beside Him, but later the blue ox disappeared, as if following His will to go to some unspeakable place."

Zhang Fusheng gave a detailed account of everything about [Celestial Venerable].

As for the object of reference...

It was naturally the old man sitting serenely in the Eight Sceneries Palace I saw when I anchored there!

When Zhang Fusheng finally said:

"After the chaotic mist closed up again, I inquired about the title of the Heavenly Venerable."

"The Celestial Venerable said, 'People once called Him...'"

"Taiqing."

'Boom!!'

In the boundless starry sky outside the carriage, a thunderous roar seemed to erupt—how could there be thunder in the starry sky?

But there really was thunder!

The carriage jolted, Miss Mingyue seemed to lose her balance, her body swaying as she swept her arm, knocking over the tea on the table.

Far, far away.

Zhang Fusheng's pupils suddenly contracted.

Holy crap!

Your Excellency, I meant no offense. Uh, I meant no offense. Please forgive me, my magnanimity.

The thunder rumbled in Zhang Fusheng's ears three, four, or five times before gradually subsiding.

He was drenched in sweat without realizing it.

It's done?

Zhang Fusheng swallowed hard. The "Six Pure Ones" were the prevailing belief in the world.

The East Cult venerates the Supreme Moral Heavenly Venerable, the Primordial Heavenly Venerate of Fuli, and the Jade Emperor Lingbao Heavenly Venerate;

The Western Sect worships the Taishang Cult Master, the Primordial Cult Master, and the Tongtian Cult Master.

However, people only know that these things can be called 'Qing', but they do not know the specifics, and the term '[Taiqing]' has never been passed down.

Zhang Fusheng then misused those two characters.

"Those who usurp the throne have all taken it for granted; you can't hold a grudge against a nobody like me."

Even so, he was still terrified. Only after confirming that there was no further development did he turn his attention back to the plague demon.

At this time.

The Miss Mingyue sat there lost in thought, her hair clinging tightly to her jade-like skin—sweat.

After a while, things returned to normal.

She didn't dare utter the word "too," and it took her a long time before her eyes finally refocused.

The Miss Mingyue muttered to herself in a daze:

"How could it be His own mark?"

Or perhaps, like me?

"Miss Mingyue?" Zhang Fusheng asked tentatively, "Branded?"

What does "like her" mean?

I'm fine.

The Miss Mingyue looked at the plague demon before her again, her pupils trembling slightly:

"Just now, there seemed to be thunder?"

"Have!"

Zhang Fusheng nodded.

After a moment of silence, the Miss Mingyue, suddenly became somewhat nervous:

"Now that you have met Him, could you take me to see Him?"

Zhang Fusheng scratched his head:

"I've only met the True Person once, so I need to ask True Person about this. Shall I take you to meet True Person first?"

The Miss Mingyue, shook her head and said bitterly:

"I cannot leave here for the time being."

Zhang Fusheng paused, then glanced at the starry sky outside the carriage:

"Miss Mingyue, have you encountered some trouble?"

The woman raised her eyebrows, gazed at the plague demon, and after a moment of contemplation, said:

"For some reason, I've been placed under certain constraints and need to stay in the starry sky for a while, but..."

She changed the subject:

"If Young Master Zhang is willing to help, that constraint might be removed immediately, but I have one question to ask."

Zhang Fusheng nodded, his spine cracking.

"Please speak, Miss Mingyue."

The Miss Mingyue gently bit her lip:

"When you saw the Celestial Venerable, where was He?"

Where is He?

Zhang Fusheng was puzzled, but he didn't hesitate and answered decisively:

"He resides in a Dao Palace that is difficult to describe."

"That Dao Palace transcends thought, but I am blessed with the ability to remember it—it is called the Eight Sceneries Palace."

The Miss Mingyue's tense body suddenly relaxed.

"It really is Him!"

The woman lowered her head, seemingly in awe, then said softly:

"I have something I left behind in the Golden Province. If Young Master Zhang could retrieve it for me and bring it to the [Eight Sceneries Palace], my shackles would immediately disappear."

Zhang Fusheng's heart skipped a beat:

"What is it?"

"A scroll painting."

The Miss Mingyue spoke softly:

"The scroll is in a lower-level city, but if Young Master Zhang wishes to go there, he must be careful, for a little fellow—a Celestial Person —is hiding there."

Zhang Fusheng asked again:

"Celestial Person, what is the name of the city depicted in the scroll?"

Chongshan City.

Chongshan?

Zhang Fusheng understood.

He knew this place; it was the city he had heard about when he was pressing for the whereabouts of the [Miro Heavenly Palace] plaque in the Waiting Area.

According to the account given by the three little ones at the time,

On Mangtou Mountain outside Chongshan City, I once stumbled upon a strange place, where the words "South Heaven Gate" and "Miro Heavenly Palace" hung askew.

There is also a powerful being lurking and slumbering there.

The Miss Mingyue carefully described the exact location, and sure enough, it was Mangtou Mountain.

"But, Miss Mingyue..."

Zhang Fusheng said cautiously:

"A Celestial Person —no matter how careful I am, I'm afraid..."

"Rest assured."

Miss Mingyue nodded and said:

"That Celestial Person was indeed extraordinary; he possessed a Supreme Treasure called the [South Heaven Gate], but I crippled him to the brink of death, and he is now hiding under the protection of the South Heaven Gate."

After a moment's hesitation, Miss Mingyue continued:

"The painting I spoke of is right there, in his hands. He is badly injured and nearly dead. You can send a clone to steal it without putting yourself in danger."

Zhang Fusheng instantly understood: the plague demon?

It seems that it was because of her status as a plague demon that Miss Mingyue asked me for help; after all, even if something unexpected happened, it wouldn't endanger her life.

And

That painting must be extremely important to Miss Mingyue, otherwise she would have already sent a large number of followers to seize it.

She didn't want too many people to know about the painting.

Zhang Fusheng nodded readily:

"Perfect timing. I'm going to a lower-level city soon, and I'll be taking the Plague Demon with me."

After pausing for a moment, he apologized and simultaneously manipulated his physical body in Chongyang City to bow towards the void, requesting permission from the True Person.

If you're going to put on a show, you have to go all the way.

After the original body informed the True Person, it closed its eyes and remained still. After a moment, its thoughts returned to the body of the Plague Demon.

The plague demon made a prayer gesture and solemnly said:

"I have told the True Person about your matter, and the True Person said that the Heavenly Venerable has nodded in agreement."

"You are permitted, Miss Mingyue, to leave your name in the Above High Heaven."

The Miss Mingyue opened her eyes wide.

The plague demon prostrated itself, seemingly praying silently to some mysterious and enigmatic being in the distant future.

He spoke in a deep, solemn voice.

"Please inform me."

"Too! Clear!"

After silently apologizing a thousand times over, Zhang Fusheng recited the name once more.

"Above High Heaven, the Heavenly Venerable One is merciful!"

"Now, by the mandate of Heaven, I beseech the Heavenly Venerable to bestow this!"

"Blessings! Celebrations! Heaven and Earth!"

A vast Sea of Consciousness suddenly surged up behind him, giving rise to his own hazy divine realm!

'Squeak!'

In a daze.

The Miss Mingyue heard the sound of the gate opening wide.