stjorthotic Chapter 448 The Moon Goddess's Feast! The Empress pours wine! The Primordial Daoist Grandmaster
Chapter 448 The Moon Goddess's Feast! The Empress pours wine! The Primordial Daoist Grandmaster
Chapter 448 The Moon Goddess's Feast! The Empress pours wine! The Primordial Daoist Grandmaster!
The Great Zhou Dynasty, with its capital Luoyang.
The city's streets are laid out in a grid pattern, and for ease of management, a neighborhood is planned for every 5,000 square meters. It already has the authority of future fire protection and urban management. The buildings are elegant and larger in scale than those in the Tang Dynasty in history.
The major markets gathered rare treasures, spices, furs, brocades and silks... if you could imagine it, you could buy it.
The Tang people of this era were open and inclusive. Different races, cultures, and goods from all over the world converged, blended, and spread in Luoyang. Yet, they were also exceptionally proud, preferring to starve rather than accept charity from foreigners, even if they were beggars on the street.
It was this arrogance that made countless alien races yearn for and long to come to this "Golden City".
Today, however, countless people are discussing the matter of the four major lineages being abducted.
Many people also jumped out, claiming that their fictitious relatives, such as uncles or grandfathers, were at the scene, vividly describing the rampage of the stolen aircraft, which caused gasps of surprise.
Although there were many logical flaws, the fact that it was true shocked them.
Among the four major lineages, Huozhai Temple, Ancient Shu Mountain, and Celestial Masters are all top-tier lineages that have produced sages and even supernatural powers. Following their lineages, they may be related to great supernatural abilities.
Furthermore, the Tongtian Talisman lineage is rumored to have been bestowed with teachings by immortals and gods.
Before the cataclysmic changes in the world, while others believed that there were gods three feet above their heads, for them, the ancestral master was the only one they could look up at.
If your opponent is not convinced, just summon the ancestral master to possess you and beat him up.
No matter how invincible you are, unless you don't want to ascend to immortality, you have to give others some face.
In this world with clear class distinctions, spiritual practice is not all about fighting and killing; it also involves human relationships and social interactions!
Even now, the dynasty has surrounded the sect with its military might, cut off the earth's veins, and seized the body of the ancient immortal by threatening the empress.
However, they also indicated that they would provide resources as compensation, which not only avoided a complete falling out but also gave them ample face.
The reason no one suspected that the four major lineages were putting on a show was because the nobles had already received the news that they also wanted to use the power of the ancient immortals to re-establish their connection with the upper realm.
Compared to ancient immortals, the patriarch is more important!
The entry of the four major lineages into the capital is, in effect, sending a signal to the world and to demons.
Rebuild our land!
However, they were unexpectedly robbed on the way, and were all crushed. All four half-step Supremes were instantly killed and had to go to recuperate.
As for taking action...
It turns out to be a clan of thieves who are nobody in the industry!
Only some old lineages have found some records of it in the ancient books. It originated from Mount Li and produced cultivators of the Heavenly Talisman Realm, but it has been in decline for hundreds of years.
I've heard that the strongest person right now is just a guy who's just entered the Law Realm. He's like someone who's been thrown into the capital city; he can't be said to be hidden from the crowd, but he's just a nobody.
But with the sudden emergence of Tenriko...
No one expected that this lineage would quietly unleash a powerful move!
"Tianlizi, what an arrogant title! He actually calls himself 'Heaven'!"
"A sage among men, he naturally deserves this title!"
"I never imagined that there would be such a supreme being hidden in our Central Plains. I wonder if he achieved this before or after the anomaly."
"However, such a powerful figure didn't make a move earlier or later, especially when the Celestial Masters Sect mobilized all their forces to hunt down the Crimson Feather Roc. Why make a move now? Could it be that he's after that person in the palace...?"
"Watch your words! Look, the moon is rising!"
"..."
With a cry of surprise, a bright moon rose in the sky above Luoyang, the capital of the capital. Its silvery moonlight illuminated thousands of miles, dazzling and radiant, vying with the moon in the sky for brilliance.
Two moons in the same sky!
Reflecting the awe-inspiring gazes of countless people, they fell silent, too afraid to utter a word.
Because everyone understands that it wasn't the moon, but...
The Empress's Eyes!
In the magnificent palace.
The clouds and mist swirl around, and the rising vapors create cloud-like futons that resemble celestial palaces.
Tens of thousands of beautiful maids dressed in low-cut brocade gowns are preparing a banquet, bringing out all sorts of delicacies.
Leading the group was a beautiful and elegant female official who was directing and coordinating everything, ensuring that all preparations were carried out in an orderly manner.
Beside him was a charming and noble woman who chuckled and said, "Shangguan Zhaorong, what do you think His Majesty is thinking? The four major lineages have all found places to recuperate and cannot come. Why is the Moon Goddess Banquet still being prepared?"
She even brought out her most precious century-old Golden Laurel Wine, a true daughter's red wine that even the late emperor had never tasted. I asked for it several times, but she refused each time.
At this point, anger and jealousy flashed in the woman's eyes.
Shangguan Zhaorong, who was none other than Shangguan Wan'er, said softly, "Princess, His Majesty has already made his decision!"
Even so, she was still shocked.
The Moon Goddess Banquet was the most famous banquet in the Great Zhou Dynasty, even more famous than the Taoist Luotian Grand Ritual and the Buddhist Water and Land Dharma Assembly.
It's not that the standards are higher or the deities worshipped are stronger, but rather that this golden laurel wine is brewed from laurel blossoms grown on the descendants of the laurel tree that was the empress's companion.
The silver osmanthus blooms only once every three years and has a unique fragrance, but it cannot be picked during this period. It must be exposed to moonlight for three years to mature into a golden osmanthus before naturally falling off. If it falls off even a day earlier, it will turn into mud.
Then, using the sweet spring water from the top of the Great Snow Mountain as a base, and incorporating many precious ingredients, it is sealed underground for ten years to become wine. Drinking it can add ten years to one's lifespan, refine one's magical power, and increase the chance of becoming a Heavenly Talisman Realm cultivator. The longer it is aged, the better the effect.
Moreover, the Golden Laurel Wine can be consumed multiple times, making it essentially a budget-friendly version of the Peach Banquet!
For any major power, it is essentially a machine for creating strong individuals.
It was because the divine tree accompanied her at birth that the empress was considered to be a reincarnation of a deity. She was greatly favored as soon as she entered the palace. Later, she held the Moon Goddess Banquet and cultivated a large number of imperial guards and palace experts, laying the foundation for her later usurpation of the throne!
There is only one bottle of the Hundred-Year Golden Laurel Wine, which the Empress brewed and buried herself when she was a child. She treasured it and never took it out.
Even the two of them felt that the Empress would at most offer twenty-year-old laurel wine, and no more than thirty years, to appease the four major lineages and save face for them.
"I guess it's because of that new supreme being," Shangguan Wan'er said, quite curious.
I heard that the other person looks like a young boy. I don't know if he attained enlightenment at a young age or if he transformed his true self.
Generally speaking, powerful beings prefer a dignified appearance and will choose to maintain a more mature demeanor.
"Tch, nowadays the palace is filled with Plum Blossom Guards and direct descendants of the Wu family, and the human fortune is at its peak. How dare ordinary people come here?" Princess Taiping covered her mouth and laughed.
"What if they really come?" Shangguan Wan'er said with a smile.
"If he really comes, then have His Majesty suppress him and bring him home to be my male concubine..."
Before Princess Taiping could finish speaking, a maid suddenly bumped into her, spilling the tea in her hand onto her expensive long dress.
"Are you blind... wait, who are you?!"
Princess Taiping was furious and was about to reprimand the clumsy palace maid, but she quickly realized there was a problem.
She was just arrogant, not stupid. As a cultivator at the peak of the Supreme Law Realm, with her magic power flowing around her, how could she possibly be bumped into by a mortal?
In other words...
Princess Taiping raised her head and saw a deep red glow spreading in the eyes of the palace maid before her. She tilted her head and smiled, saying:
"Weren't you looking for me?!"
"Die!" Princess Taiping roared, forming a hand seal, and several spells swept out.
boom!
However, the palace maid reached out and flicked her finger, shattering the spell, causing Princess Taiping to vomit blood, collapse to the ground, and faint.
"Enemy attack!" Shangguan Wan'er reacted quickly, calling for the Plum Blossom Guards and the Imperial Guards, but no one responded.
At that moment, she looked around and felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.
All the palace maids and guards stood frozen in place, slowly turning their heads, a terrifying smile spreading across their lips as they repeated the same sentence:
"You are surrounded!"
The bizarre scene sent chills down her spine!
She decisively summoned the moon in the sky, which was the empress's companion—the golden laurel tree!
hum!
The bright moonlight shone down, but was annihilated by the crimson currents in the air. The enormous crimson Corrosion King Tree descended, its countless roots spreading out and forcibly taking root on the moon, quickly staining it.
It transformed into a bizarre scene of half silver moon and half blood moon!
"What happened?"
"Help!"
"A blood moon in the sky foretells calamity!"
"..."
The entire capital city of Luoyang was plunged into chaos, with noise spreading everywhere.
"Is this how my distinguished guests respond to my lavish banquet?"
As the clear, cold female voice rang out, a vast, silvery ribbon surged from the depths of the palace, like the Milky Way cascading down to earth, washing over the deep red Corrosion King Tree and shaking it back.
The golden laurel tree seized the opportunity to revive, its leaves rustling as it showered down a moonlit rain, cleansing the earth.
Taiyin Dharma - The Moon of Purification!
The Crimson King Demon Seeds on all the palace maids and guards were briefly suppressed, restoring their clarity, but the next second, they were once again engulfed by the crimson aura.
It's almost impossible to dispel it!
The only solution is to kill them all.
All of our own people have become enemies; it's even more bizarre than a demon.
This discovery caused the woman in the palace to exclaim in surprise. Just as she was about to continue her attempts, the roots of the Crimson Corrosion King Tree intertwined and transformed into steps that fell down.
Tap! Tap, tap!
A handsome young man dressed in a black Taoist robe was riding on Red Hare and slowly dismounting.
On each of his shoulders stood a mouse and a little spider. Egg shrank in size and became a little fat dragon flying beside him. Behind him was a paper knight holding a Bible of salvation, studying talismans and preparing to add a new research direction to the origami civilization.
In the future, we can give our enemies more options for redemption!
The immense pressure caused even the dragon shadow, the embodiment of the dynasty's fortune, to roar incessantly, which annoyed Egg, who responded with a roar that repelled it.
Legends of dragons are legends everywhere!
Shangguan Wan'er stared blankly at the young man, four words flashing through her mind.
A force to be reckoned with in a nation!
Lu Yu bowed respectfully and said in a refined and amiable manner, "Tianlizi, a descendant of the Thief of Secrets lineage, greets Your Majesty."
After playing the role many times, the last trace of rejection from the world finally disappeared!
At this moment, on the dragon throne deep within the palace, a stunningly beautiful woman of noble bearing appeared out of nowhere. She was dressed in imperial robes, with a crescent-shaped mark between her eyebrows, and her phoenix eyes exuded an imposing aura.
She said calmly, "You don't seem to be here to see me; you're more like you've come to my door to cause trouble!"
"I've never felt safe, especially after hearing people say this place is dangerous, so I had no choice but to resort to moral blackmail."
Do you separate morality and blackmail in your family?
Shangguan Wan'er was dumbfounded. She recognized each of the individual characters, but when put together, it just didn't feel right...
Don't you understand?
The Empress remained silent, only glancing at the century-old golden laurel wine before her. "However, I believe that harmony is paramount," Lu Yu said with a smile, glancing at the mouse out of the corner of his eye. The mouse instantly understood and waved its paw.
Click click click!
One by one, the Crimson King Demon Seeds emerged from the bodies of all the parasitized beings, transforming into tiny hamsters. They carried their packs, waved goodbye, and turned into a stream of crimson energy, returning to the tree and breaking free from control.
"What's going on?!"
They looked at the Taoist riding a Qilin in the distance with fear on their faces, hesitating whether or not to make a move.
But the memories of being parasitized still linger, making them quite fearful, afraid that they will once again lose control of their own lives.
"Step down!"
The Empress's order was like a pardon to them, and they quickly retreated, leaving only the palace maids to serve them.
At this moment, Li Shan and Li Quan, who were the true inheritors of the secret technique, also came down the steps. They looked at Lu Yu's back with complicated expressions, and had an impulse to change their names to Li Da Gou and Li Er Gou.
The other side showed them with their actions what it means to be able to sweep across the world and intimidate the empress even with a dog on a leash!
"A true man should be like this!" Li Quan murmured.
The four major lineages were all defeated in an instant.
Even a mighty empress has to bow her head.
This is the true demeanor of a great cultivator!
"It's a pity that this person doesn't belong to the lineage of those who steal machines..." Li Quan sighed inwardly.
Seeing his thoughts, Li Shan muttered softly, "Don't envy others. As long as you focus on cultivating your own lineage, you'll eventually become a master of supernatural powers, even great supernatural powers!"
Li Quan took it as a consolation from his teacher and didn't take it to heart.
However, although this patriarch was fake, he allowed Li Quan to condense a Dao seed using a wisp of energy from the Ancient Immortal's Finger, which was eventually fixed at the second rank, comparable to a Dao Child of a top-tier Dao lineage.
This was a pleasant surprise!
"Sir, please follow me!"
Shangguan Wan'er recovered from her shock and took the initiative to lead the mysterious Taoist to a seat.
Lu Yu sat down on the cloud-shaped cushion without any ceremony and said bluntly, "You're about to die."
The people around shuddered. Was this person cursing someone to death right from the start? Was he going to turn hostile?
The Empress did not become angry, but calmly asked, "Why?"
Lu Yu did not answer directly, but said:
"The balance of this world has been broken since my arrival, and you, the one who stood out, were the first to suffer."
The Empress remained silent, but she had already given her answer.
Lu Yu smiled happily. Through the exploration over the past two days, he discovered that although this Tang Dynasty sick domain was sick, the symptoms were actually not that serious.
Most of the strange realms were contained, and basic order was maintained. Mortals could still eke out a living in the cities, and even immortals and gods could respond and allow the lineage to continue.
But... if it's only this bad, is it necessary for Heng'e, with her great supernatural powers, to risk everything to escape the realm of sickness?
In other words, this is not what the real world of disease looks like!
Rather, someone deliberately maintained this order, using various means to keep it in the early stages of cancer, preventing it from worsening.
After a long pause, she spoke, "It seems that my desire to escape stemmed from meeting you."
Lu Yu's familiar attitude suggests that he has seen him before, and since he has not seen him among the great supernatural beings, he can only be an extraterrestrial demon.
"Your Highness Heng'e is indeed intelligent," Lu Yu exclaimed, not surprised at all.
The realm of illness, the moon, the cassia tree that accompanies it, and the excitement shown by Heng'e's evil arm before entering the realm gate are basically all obvious clues.
There are only a few guys in the Moon Palace.
If it's not Heng'e, could it be Wu Gang?
Almost forgot, there's also a rabbit up there, but it spends all day pounding medicine and isn't qualified to swing the laurel tree, which symbolizes some authority.
Moreover, as beings of great supernatural power, they would not only retain one method; for them, reincarnation is not difficult.
The Empress, or rather, the reincarnation of Heng'e, calmly asked, "Then how can we save ourselves?"
She didn't mention her own thoughts at all.
Lu Yu didn't speak, but looked at the empty wine glass in front of him. Just as he was about to sigh, a pair of slender hands reached out and held the Hundred-Year Golden Laurel Wine.
The liquid, as golden as gold, fell and filled the cups. The moonlight shone through, and the fragrance wafted through Luoyang, making countless drunkards drool.
However, Shangguan Wan'er, standing to the side, nearly popped her eyes out of their sockets, wondering if she was dreaming, and in a very disrespectful way at that, to actually see...
This Taoist priest has the most noble empress in the world pouring his wine?
This moon goddess banquet is worthy of being recorded in history!
"The wine poured by the Great Divine Power is indeed unique!" Lu Yu laughed and drank it all in one gulp. Even his physique could feel the slight intoxication, which strengthened his spiritual energy and body, and increased his lifespan by a full hundred years.
Unfortunately, only one cup is effective for a period of time; drinking more would be a waste.
So the Empress continued to look at the wine cup and poured more wine, distributing it to her pet beast.
"Eek!"
The little spider took a sip, stuck out its tongue, and felt a bit of spiciness; a blush rose to its fair cheeks.
"Xiu Ren...hehe...I'll just give in to Shu Shu...I want to ride a big horse..."
The mouse, on the other hand, passed out after just one drink, rolling around on the table and acting crazy while drunk!
"Hoo!" Egg smacked its lips, indicating that it wanted to drink some more.
"Hmph!" Red Hare raised its head, looking down on it with disdain, feeling that it was inferior to engine oil.
"Excellent wine!"
As for the paper knight, after drinking it, he felt that such a wonderful treasure should be taken back to its master for redemption.
Even Li Quan and Li Shan received a cup, their expressions excited as they carefully drank it.
"Actually, I have partners..."
Lu Yu, believing that it would be foolish not to take advantage of a good deal, wanted to call out his rat clones to have a taste, but seeing the Empress's increasingly profound gaze, he stopped this suicidal act.
He coughed lightly and said righteously, "Give me the body of the ancient immortal, and let me bear the calamity."
He looked like he was bravely going to his death!
The Empress stared intently at him and calmly said, "Fine, but what will I get in return?"
Since it's a transaction, it must be fair!
She needs the body of an ancient immortal in order to break the limitations of this world, travel to the deeper realm of sickness, and reclaim everything that belongs to her.
Then Lu Yu also needs to provide something in return.
Whoohoo!
Lu Yu stretched out his hand, flicked his finger, and sent the answer into the wind, brushing against the Empress's delicate earlobe.
The content is brief, consisting of only two words, but it cannot be uttered for the time being, lest it cause a commotion.
hum!
"I agree!"
The Empress's expression shifted slightly. With a flick of her hand, the golden laurel tree in the sky gradually dimmed its radiance, revealing a large number of moonlight roots that were extremely ferocious, resembling the hands of giant toads.
At this moment, it slowly loosened, revealing a scene of the Moon Palace. In the depths of that palace, countless Moonlight Incantation artifacts appeared as coffins, suppressing a small, limbless corpse.
Although it looks eerie, it evokes longing in countless people.
The Corpse of an Ancient Immortal!
Legend has it that it can help people comprehend the Dao and understand the principles of immortals and gods. Even the orthodox teachings passed down by great supernatural powers can be further perfected, giving rise to all sorts of miraculous abilities.
Even the most dull-witted person can use it to make great progress on the path of enlightenment and hope to attain supernatural powers and attain enlightenment.
Seeing this, Lu Yu gently nudged the little spider who was still hiccuping from drinking.
"Waaah!"
The little spider came to its senses, its face flushed red. It tore through the void, released the four limbs it had collected, and broke their respective seals.
Buzz!
After the suppression was lifted, the ancient immortal's limbs burst forth with a vast aura, and mysterious and obscure scriptures emerged, constantly swirling around his body, causing even the real moon in the sky to shine.
As one of the three main worlds, the moon in the Realm of Disease, like those in the main worlds, is also an ancient moon.
It shines in a way that defies logic, yet its power remains undiminished.
boom!
The ancient immortal's five limbs resonated, swallowing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, forcibly forming a huge funnel-shaped phenomenon.
Amidst the horrified gazes of countless people, Gu Xian's limbs transformed into streams of light, flying back into his ailing body and easily reassembling, leaving no trace of the tearing that had once been visible.
It's as if it has always been this way, and has never changed.
"Legs regenerated, immortal and indestructible, truly a body fit for a god!" Li Quan exclaimed drunkenly, earning a satisfied nod from Li Shan beside him.
The next second, accompanied by dazzling spiritual light, the illusory images of a white jade tortoise platform, a divine throne, and nine golden lotuses...
It's like a true deity descending to earth!
However, it suddenly stopped halfway through, all the strange phenomena disappeared, and the sickness in the whole world accelerated. The moon suddenly became chaotic and dark, demons reveled, and the world became dark.
Zhang Kui and other powerful figures could sense the rapid escalation of the changes in the world, the spreading chaos, and their expressions were filled with shock.
boom!
Within the body of the ancient immortal, a large number of strange spells began to spread, causing cultivators throughout the world to feel a sense of inexplicable panic and a strange inducement.
"What's going on?"
This scene shocked Shangguan Wan'er.
Li Shan spoke up, "Could it be because you're missing a finger?"
"I almost forgot!" Lu Yu suddenly realized, took out the swallowed finger from the Void Treasure Chest, and tossed it into the air.
hum!
Mysterious spells erupted from his fingers, triggering a resonance that halted the strange changes in the ancient immortal's body, restoring its previous dazzling and sacred appearance.
"fine……"
The others also breathed a sigh of relief; it turned out that a section was missing, and they could simply replace it.
"The Spear of Heavenly Justice!"
Then, they watched as the severed finger, which had just taken flight, was pierced by a black tree spear. It struggled in the air for a moment, but was powerless to resist, and turned into ashes and scattered.
"What!?"
As everyone looked, they saw the true spirit of the Hundred-Armed Azure Sky Demon God appear, overlooking all living beings with overwhelming power.
The Azure Heaven Realm has descended!
Lu Yu crossed his arms, nodded, and said:
"Great, it popped up and disappeared instantly!"
"What are you doing!?" Everyone was stunned. Could this guy really be the Demon of Annihilation?
Now they've shown their true colors?
The Empress remained calm and showed no reaction.
Lu Yu did not answer. The hundred-armed demon god behind him moved, grabbing the ancient immortal body that was still undergoing changes, ignoring its mutations, and sneered:
"Should I call you Ancient Immortal, or...?"
"The Primordial Daoist Mother Celestial Venerable!"
(End of this chapter)