Female Deity Guarding the Central Extreme Cult Master (23)

(One more chapter before midnight, four chapters tomorrow)

Underground.

Zhang Fusheng opened his eyes and slowly woke up.

"Brother Fusheng, did you sleep well?" the dignified middle-aged man asked softly.

Zhang Fusheng glanced sideways at the Emperor Tang, who had already returned to life, and said with a smile:

"Er Feng, now that you've aligned yourself with the Azure Emperor Heavenly Position and become the Azure Emperor, how does it feel?"

Emperor Tang shook his head:

"I myself don't feel anything, I only know that a vast amount of 'power' awaits me, but I don't have the ability to wield it, and besides..."

He asked, puzzled:

"What exactly does 'Er Feng' mean? Why does Brother Fusheng keep addressing me like that?"

Zhang Fusheng chuckled.

"I'm used to calling you that."

Three question marks appeared on the Emperor Tang's forehead, "Is this our first time meeting?"

He asked suspiciously:

"Are you very familiar with me after I passed through the underworld?"

Zhang Fusheng, shrugging his little bear:

"Never seen it before."

"Then why?" The Emperor Tang was even more confused.

Zhang Fusheng didn't know where to begin his explanation, so he simply changed the subject:

"Although the Yellow Springs have lost much of their power and influence after leaving the Nine Netherworlds, they are still the Yellow Springs. I plan to take the entire Yellow Springs away, as for the Human Coffin beneath them..."

The Emperor Tang quickly recounted his vague connection with the primordial evil spirits in the coffins.

Zhang Fusheng understood:

"This is probably something you prepared for yourself in the first place."

The Emperor Tang nodded, standing on the Yellow Springs River —though he possessed no cultivation, his body was quite extraordinary.

Using materials such as the Yin World Wood Marrow, it was able to walk on the Yellow Springs River as if it were flat ground.

Of course, it could also be due to the Azure Emperor Heavenly Position; it's hard to say for sure.

He waved his hand, as if issuing a command in the past, and coffins floated out of the Yellow Springs River.

These Human Coffin opened, and one after another, fierce ghosts of the Innate Realm emerged, then all prostrated themselves before Emperor Tang, uttering cries of—

"His Majesty!!"

The Emperor Tang calmly nodded and whispered:

"A thousand-strong army is enough to conquer cities and seize strongholds. Brother Fusheng, you told me that this is the beginning of Age of Great Strife, and that the so-called Federation is teetering on the brink of collapse."

He turned his head, his eyes shining:

"When should we rise up in rebellion, and which city should we attack first?"

Zhang Fusheng was speechless.

"Er Feng, how come you're already thinking about rebellion the moment you wake up?"

"Rebel?"

The Emperor Tang shook his head and calmly said:

"The unique book has already dominated the world; this is merely another sweep of conquest, a recapture of lost territory—how can this be called a rebellion?"

After pausing for a moment, he spoke seriously:

"The so-called Federation of today is the real traitor!"

Zhang Fusheng was taken aback. It seemed... that was indeed the case?

If we really want to trace back through history, the Emperor Tang was naturally more 'legitimate' than the Federation.

He suddenly paused, deep in thought.

The Golden Province was destined for independence, and conquering the world seemed like a legitimate path. This might be true for others, but not for this Emperor Tang.

Zhang Fusheng had no doubt about the Emperor Tang's military capabilities. Although he was out of touch with the times, as long as he became familiar with the present era, he might actually be able to conquer a large territory!

He pondered quietly for a long time.

Then he said to the Emperor Tang:

"Conquering the world is not urgent for now. There are many gods in this world, but we don't have any on our side yet."

After a pause, he changed the subject:

"But now, I want to verify a guess."

Zhang Fusheng suddenly turned his head and shouted:

"True Person, why have you not descended?"

Emperor Tang looked over in surprise and saw the chaotic mist churning and coalescing into an old man.

The old man bowed to Brother Fusheng beside him.

"Greetings, Little Heavenly Venerate."

"Little Heavenly Venerate?" Emperor Tang asked curiously, "What kind of title is that?"

Zhang Fusheng laughed:

"Didn't I say that I am [Laozi], and [Taiqing] is currently sitting in the infinitely high Dao Palace?"

"And this man is Zhong Shan, a servant of Taiqing—you wouldn't be unaware of the relationship between Laozi and Taiqing, would you, Er Feng?"

The Emperor Tang suddenly realized, and then sighed softly:

"Brother Fusheng, we have arrived at the same destination by different paths. I seem to be the reincarnation of the Great Emperor Ziwei, but you are not your true self either."

Zhang Fusheng smiled, didn't say anything more, but nodded to 'Zhong Shan'.

The old man, formed from chaotic mist, immediately looked at the Emperor Tang and nodded, saying:

"I have met Your Majesty—I only wish to say that if I were to use worldly wealth to buy off the karmic connection between Your Majesty and the Great Emperor Ziwei, I wonder if Your Majesty would be willing or not?"

The Emperor Tang was stunned for a moment:

"Of course I would!"

"Good."

Zhang Fusheng manipulated Zhong Shan to reach out and stroke it, subtly activating the Contract Book —and it actually worked!

Within the Ancestral Aperture between the eyebrows, the complete text of the Contract Book emerged: a single copper coin exchanged for the karma between the Great Emperor Ziwei and the Emperor Tang.

Zhang Fusheng's breathing became slightly rapid.

At this moment, 'Zhong Shan' sketched light and shadow in his hand, and asked again:

"Is Your Majesty willing?"

The Emperor Tang's eyes shone brightly.

"Of course, I'm willing!"

The words were finished.

A copper coin was tossed towards the Emperor Tang, and a resounding, heavenly voice boomed—"The contract is established."

The next instant.

Using the Contract Book, Zhang Fusheng could see a deep purple, extremely thick line of cause and effect slowly peeling away from the Emperor Tang!

It actually happened.

It was actually possible to trade away the karmic connection between a mythical emperor and this ancient Human King.

Now.

Was the Emperor Tang still the 'reincarnation' or 'descended body' of the Great Emperor Ziwei?

Zhang Fusheng noticed that the Contract Book's cooldown had reached a century, and he reluctantly gnawed on the few remaining pieces of level 3 Star Beast Meat.

While using the Taiyi Chapter, fine star lines appeared in his eyes as he carefully observed the Emperor Tang.

His expression changed.

For a long time.

The Contract Book's cooldown was reset, and the Level 3 Star Beast Meat was also reset. Zhang Fusheng sighed softly:

"It failed."

Emperor Tang was taken aback:

"What does Brother Fusheng mean?"

Zhang Fusheng looked at this ancient Human King with some pity and said softly:

"I see that new causes and effects have come from the unknown and have descended upon you."

"You were only yourself for a short time, but you immediately became the incarnation of the Great Emperor Ziwei once again."

The Emperor Tang remained silent and closed his eyes.

Zhang Fusheng sighed softly, intending to let the Emperor Tang calm down. He then reached out and gestured, causing the ten-mile-long Yellow Springs River to suddenly tremble violently.

He pulled up the Yellow Springs River and guided it into his own divine realm, his thoughts also sinking into that realm.

In the divine realm.

A small section of the real Yellow Springs River emerges, quietly sinking beside the Other Shore Flower, and then the Helplessness Bridge is re-placed upon it.

As for this...

Mount Luofeng, Helplessness Bridge, Yellow Springs River, and the Other Shore Flower.

His own divine realm had actually taken on a resemblance to the Nine Netherworlds.

With a thought, Zhang Fusheng controlled the body of the Central Extreme Cult Master to rise from the imperial throne and go to check on the hundred-mile-long whale-like roc.

My true self then walked to the banks of the Yellow Springs River, to the Other Shore Flower on the other side of the river, where there was a line of short, faint writing on the ground.

[Huang Quan has calmed down considerably.]

It was written by the future Little Spirit Bamboo.

Zhang Fusheng sat down cross-legged and lowered his fingers.

Are you there?

Time passed little by little.

For a long time.

Zhang Fusheng sat cross-legged among the Other Shore Flower. When he opened his eyes, a new line of characters had appeared on the ground.

[Master, I'm here]

[This time, in my memory, after a shocking incident occurred on the Double Ninth Festival, you disappeared.]

On the day you disappeared, a divine chariot appeared in the sky, and a mysterious being shot an arrow at the deity, causing the deity's blood to fall like rain.

Zhang Fusheng casually wrote down -- "[That's me.]"

He continued to use his fingers as a pen.

Will the Double Ninth Festival still see a decline?

[Yes] New characters appeared on the ground.

Zhang Fusheng frowned. It seemed that, so far, his actions hadn't significantly impacted the future.

The Double Ninth Festival still falls—of course, it falls without a future of its own.

He thought for a moment, then wrote a question with his finger.

Do you remember the details of the Double Ninth Festival's fall?

After a while.

[The time was too long ago, ten thousand years have passed, and I can no longer remember clearly.]

Only a few things left a deep impression on me.

[After being separated from the Golden Province, Chongyang World appeared on the World Plateau, and then a great upheaval occurred.]

Zhang Fusheng stared at the words on the ground, a look of astonishment on his face.

What's the meaning?

Chongyang was separated from the Golden Province?

He did know about the World Plateau, which was similar to Waiting Area, except that the World Plateau was a 'transfer hub' for forty-nine provinces.

Why does the Double Ninth Festival fall there?

He was puzzled, but then he saw words continuing to appear on the ground.

[I don't know the specific reason either. Ten thousand years ago, I was still very weak and had no ability to get involved in that great struggle.]

All I know is that after the Double Ninth Festival, a city called Chang'an appeared on the World Plateau; it was Forbidden Zone for life.

[Until I was banished to the Netherworld, Chang'an remained sealed off, impossible to explore, and no living being that entered ever came out again.]

Zhang Fusheng frowned even deeper and wrote down some words.

Is there anything else special?

[Have]

Ten thousand years later, the ancient sage, submerged in the deepest hell, painstakingly wrote down his words.

[There was a deity who wandered outside the city of Chang'an, waiting and searching year after year for a deity called the Central Extreme Cult Master.]

[However, since your disappearance, the Central Extreme Cult Master has also vanished like a fleeting flower.]

A female deity?

Search for me?

Zhang Fusheng became increasingly confused and perplexed.

He wanted to ask for more details, but the ancient sage stopped answering, seemingly being swept back into the Yellow Springs and suffering torment.

Zhang Fusheng sighed softly.

Chang'an Town.

Cui Baihua, carrying the ancestral tablet, wandered down the long street.

She finally stood before a dilapidated mansion, raised her head, and gazed at the plaque.

Martial Arts Manor.

"Ancestor," Cui Baihua gently stroked the [Cui Jue's memorial tablet] covered with a black cloth and asked softly, "Is that Divine Emissary inside?"

The memorial tablet vibrated slightly—meaning 'yes'.

Cui Baihua, who had just arrived here through Teleportation Array, looked around the Martial Arts Manor and raised her eyebrows slightly.

Thoughts couldn't even permeate or be perceived within it!

This was the first time he had encountered a place that could not be explored since he broke through to the next level and became a powerful being.

This mansion gave Him a feeling of both intimacy and grandeur.

"It seems that the divine chariot did indeed eventually arrive at this dilapidated mansion."

Cui Baihua's eyes were bright, but then she suddenly became uneasy.

How should I present myself to the divine Divine Emissary of the great Lord of the Nine Nether?

That Divine Emissary mysterious abilities, but he was not a deity.

If I directly reveal my powerful true form, will I gain their trust? Will I be taken to meet the great Lord of the Nine Nether?

Disaster.

Cui Baihua silently carried the ancestral tablet on her back.

Then he plopped down outside the Martial Arts Manor.

Wait quietly.

She saw an old woman walking unsteadily towards her, glancing at her sideways before entering the mansion.

Cui Baihua raised an eyebrow and whispered silently:

"A Celestial Person? Could this be the 'residence' of the great Lord of the Nine Nether, a sect in the mortal realm?"

Having lived for over two thousand years, hailed as one of the youngest [deities], and the 'de facto ruler' of Qinghe Province, she actually became somewhat nervous.

"By the Nine Netherworlds above."

Cui Baihua murmured softly.