548. Chapter 533: Old Acquaintance, Ruins
Tang Song preached three times a day: morning, noon, and evening. The morning lecture was for all living beings in the Thirty-Six Heavens, teaching the most basic Path of Cultivation such as Qi Refining, Meditation, and Pill Refining. He also ordered the three hundred and sixty-five stars to scatter the Essence of Sun and Moon throughout the Thirty-Three Heavens, transforming it into Imperial Ethereal Fluid to help those living beings gain sentience and cultivate. In the future, they would all become the foundation of the Heavenly Court.
Preaching sessions like the one held in the Bull Palace were limited to Primordial Spirit Cultivators who were qualified to attend.
Different from the Daoist Sound that spread throughout the Thirty-Six Heavens, Tang Song's lecture this time spoke of the True Immortal Dao Fruit achieved by refining the Primordial Spirit into a Pure Yang Infant, and the sound did not travel outside the Bull Palace.
Most of those who sat cross-legged on the Square and were qualified to listen to his lecture were Core Members of the Heavenly Court, their names recorded in the Circulatory Heaven Immortal Registry as his own people.
Tang Song's lectures were divided into three tiers. The first tier was about Rule Changes and the Principles of Undying Golden Immortals.
However, this Daoist Technique was inaccessible to those who were not True Immortals; only those who had achieved the True Immortal Dao Fruit were qualified to glimpse the Mysteries of Golden Immortals.
Tang Song cultivated in seclusion for two Jiazi. Under the management of Lane, the Ziwei Emperor, the Heavenly Court had killed and subdued a batch of Hell Lords and Star Zone wild gods.
The number of True Immortals and Sky Fathers in the Heavenly Court had long exceeded twenty, but not everyone was qualified to listen to Tang Song preach the Golden Immortal Dao Fruit.
The moment Tang Song achieved Dao Integration with that Marvel Universe, the Rules of the Universe were completely dissected before his eyes.
It was like an exam paper filled with answers; for Tang Song, that Marvel World held no more secrets.
Tang Song not only thoroughly comprehended the Principles of Rules regarding Strength, Time, Space, Soul, Reality, and Mind, but by Inferring Other Cases from One Instance, he also gradually saw the Heavenly Dao Brand concerning these Six Paths Rules at the Origin of the Jambudvīpa World more clearly and understood them more profoundly.
In the Jambudvīpa World, aside from the Dao Venerables, Buddhas, and those few Hunyuan Sect Leaders, no one dared to claim exclusive mastery of a single Dao. Even the Heavenly Venerable of Dao and Virtue, who controlled Tai Chi, one of the Five Primordial States, did not dare to say he exclusively controlled the two Great Daos of Yin and Yang.
That was the Jambudvīpa World where Great Principle existences were everywhere. Its Rules were billions of times more complex than the Marvel World he integrated with.
The sheer size of the World was there. A single Marvel Universe taken out on its own was nothing significant. However, comprehending the Power of Rules of Strength, Time, Space, Soul, Reality, and Mind, even just one of them, was enough for someone to achieve a Golden Immortal Dao Fruit. For the old Immortals in the Jambudvīpa World who had no path to seek the Dao of True Immortals, this was no less than obtaining a righteous method that would allow them to coexist and perish with the Universe!
If they were willing to spend hundreds of thousands of years to thoroughly comprehend and grasp the power represented by any one Infinity Stone,
they could achieve the status of a Golden Immortal based on this.
However, limited by the Rules of the World, the power of such existences who achieved Golden Immortal status through Heterodox Paths would be greatly reduced once they left the Single Universe Level where the Infinity Stone resided.
Even leaving the Marvel Multiverse, their Cultivation Base would be like a sandcastle built on the beach with sand; once the tide came, it would be washed away. But even so, that was still a Golden Immortal!
Hiding in a small building to form a unified realm, regardless of winter, summer, or spring. In the Jambudvīpa World, there truly was such a group of ancient Immortals who would find a remote Small World, Refine its World Origin, and close their doors to live their own small lives.
The Lifespan of these ancient Immortals was long; theoretically, it was the same as the Lifespan of the World they Refined.
However, while they possessed boundless Magic Power within their own Worlds, their Magic Power was ordinary once they stepped outside their "houses".
Of course, for Tang Song, he would naturally not choose this Path. For him, Golden Immortal was merely the starting point; his Target was the true Great Sea of Chaos.
As for the evening lecture, it was naturally a special session Tang Song held for his Confidants. He directly imparted his insights through Empowerment to Lane, Kane, and others.
With Tang Song's generous transmission of the essence of Daoist Techniques, the Dao Cultivation Realm of his several Confidant Subordinates soared like a rocket.
Of course, the fastest Cultivation speed was not Lane and the others, but the group of 'madam generals' who had Divine Soul dual Cultivation with Tang Song. Tang Song's vast Magic Power, even if only one-thousandth or one-hundredth of it was shared with them, was enough for them to digest for several thousand years.
Frank saying that Zhang Xiaofan and Lu Xueqi being able to come here to listen to the Dao was an Opportunity was not wrong. The two originally had no qualification to listen. If he hadn't brought them, let alone the Bull Palace, they wouldn't even be able to enter the South Heavenly Gate.
However, the two were only at the Nascent Soul Stage and had not even Refined their Primordial Spirit. Listening to Tang Song speak about the True Immortal Dao of Refining the Primordial Spirit into a Pure Yang Infant, they inevitably felt somewhat lost and confused.
The two could only rely on rote memorization, trying to commit the content of the Daoist Sound to memory.
In terms of Aptitude and Comprehension, Lu Xueqi was far superior to Zhang Xiaofan. On her usually cold face, a smile bloomed like a flower upon hearing the Daoist Sound.
As the ancients said: If one hears the Dao in the morning, one can die in the evening.
Lu Xueqi listened to the Dao, and couldn't help but reveal an expression of overwhelming joy. It was no wonder!
However, amidst the lingering Daoist Sound, she could only understand a little. Most of the time, her Eyebrows were tightly furrowed.
Zhang Xiaofan sat cross-legged beside her, listening to the lingering Daoist Sound. He only felt that it was extremely profound. His Nascent Soul occasionally leaped with joy, subtly showing signs of a Breakthrough to the late stage.
After a long time, as the evening clouds dissipated, a melodious Jade Chime sounded. That clear, Concentrating Spirit sound awakened the entranced listeners.
Outside the Great Hall, on the Square, the Cultivators, Immortals and Gods, and Star Lords who had been listening to the Dao all bowed in salute and exited the Bull Palace.
In the blink of an eye, the vast Square was left only with the Heavenly Generals on duty and a group of White-Robed Heavenly Maidens. Zhang Xiaofan and Lu Xueqi stood on the Square, looking quite conspicuous.
Just as Zhang Xiaofan and Lu Xueqi stood quietly in place, performing Breathing Exercise and Meditation, while absorbing the Spiritual Energy that was hundreds of times denser than on their mountain peak, and waiting for Frank and Wade Wilson from inside the Great Hall.
A Breeze swept past them, passing by their sides in an instant. Because the Speed was too fast, Zhang Xiaofan and Lu Xueqi didn't feel anything.
"Hmm?"
A Figure in the Breeze stopped, turning back to look at Lu Xueqi: "Little Girl, why are you here?"
Lu Xueqi and Zhang Xiaofan looked at the Woman who seemed to have walked out of the Void Space. The Woman's hands were empty, she wore a black off-the-shoulder long dress, and stepped on a pair of Silver Sky-High Heels. Her attire was completely out of place among the Heavenly Maidens wearing Feather Robes and the Heavenly Generals in Armor.
One must know that over the past hundred years, due to the Heavenly Court's Aesthetic, the Heavenly Court and its many subordinate Cycle Worlds all considered ancient attire beautiful, especially the Daoist Robes of the Taoist School, which were very popular among the Gods of the Heavenly Court.
Even Crane Cloaks woven by Heavenly Maidens were once sold out. Such a retro outfit like the Woman's was rare.
Lu Xueqi looked at the Woman with a strong Mature Woman Style before her. She stared at the familiar Face, somewhat unsure: "You're Acha!?"
"I didn't expect you to still remember me. It wasn't in vain that I saved your Life in the City of the Wrongfully Dead!"
Seeing that the Little Girl in front of her remembered her, Acha walked over to Lu Xueqi with a click-clack sound from her High Heels, and playfully pinched her chin.
"Acha, why are you here? Did you also come to listen to His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor preach the Dao? It's a pity, you came late, the lecture just finished!"
Lu Xueqi was a person with an extremely cold personality, but even the coldest personality needs a few Friends. When she was on Small Bamboo Peak before, she had Wen Min and several other senior and junior sisters for company.
But after arriving in this Upper Realm, she didn't even have anyone to talk to, and the person she liked was a blockhead who didn't understand anything.
Although she didn't know why the friend she knew in the Cycle World would appear here, she couldn't help but feel the joy of meeting an Acquaintance. At the same time, she felt a little regretful for her friend.
She had missed a Heavenly Emperor's Lecture on the Dao.
"If it's over, it's over. I don't care to listen to what he preaches anyway!" Acha said with an indifferent expression. How could a verbal lecture compare to the directness of Divine Soul interaction? Comparing the two was like the difference between speaking and writing by hand versus copying and printing.
It was no wonder that among those who came to listen to the Dao, the Figures of Skye and the other Heavenly Consorts were never seen.
On the contrary, Lu Xueqi, who heard her words, quickly pulled Acha's sleeve and glanced to the side. Seeing that the Heavenly Generals were all looking straight ahead, seemingly completely unaware of them, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Speak softer, this is the Heavenly Palace!" Lu Xueqi quietly advised Acha.
"Of course I know this is the Heavenly Palace. How did you get here?" Acha didn't care, she raised an Eyebrow, looking at the stunned Zhang Xiaofan beside her: "He's the one you've been thinking about, your beloved!"
Acha's bluntness instantly caused Lu Xueqi's Face to turn bright red. She glanced at Zhang Xiaofan, but could only stammer, unable to speak.
"What are you shy about? I've seen plenty of lovesick men and women. In this Life, one can never escape the word 'love'!" Acha sighed with an air of maturity, looking as if she had seen through the mortal world.
Well, that was true. As the Lord of the Underworld, she had seen countless Resentful Ghosts who had loved to death.
"Did Wade Wilson bring you guys!?"
"Acha, you know High Immortal Wade Wilson? Who exactly are you?"
After hearing Acha's tone, the intelligent Lu Xueqi immediately realized that this girl, who had traveled with her for a period in the Cycle World, clearly had another Identity.
Lu Xueqi subtly released Acha's hand and took half a step back. At the same time, she quickly recalled every little detail of her encounters with Acha.
Back then, she had accepted a Mission from the Samsara Palace to hunt for the Demon Core of a Thousand-Year Ancient Tree Great Demon and went to a Cycle World called A Chinese Ghost Story.
She met Acha, who claimed to be a Reincarnator, in a Ruined Temple. The two then traveled together, slaying a group of Yin Souls and Female Ghosts that occupied the Ruined Temple, which led to the Thousand-Year Tree Demon appearing.
The Thousand-Year Tree Demon's demonic techniques were rather ordinary. Furthermore, she had purchased some White Phosphorus Incendiary Bombs from the Samsara Palace that could Restrain the Tree Demon's Main Body.
With the Tianya Divine Sword and the High-Tech Weapons from the Samsara Palace, it only took a few Bouts to beat the Tree Demon to the brink of death.
However, Lu Xueqi didn't expect that behind this Thousand-Year Tree Demon, there was an even stronger Demon Monster, a Ghost King who occupied the City of the Wrongfully Dead—the Old Black Mountain Demon.
Caught off guard, Lu Xueqi almost died under their combined attack. At that time, she was forced to directly use the Divine Sword Thunder Control True Art.
Originally, she thought that with her Cultivation Base now ten times that of Martial Uncle Cang Song, the Heavenly Thunder unleashed with her full power would at least allow her to perish together with those two Demon Monsters.
Unexpectedly, Acha, whom she had always thought was just tagging along, took out an Arhat's Relic Treasure, forcing back the Ghost King and saving her Life.
Although Lu Xueqi felt that Acha was not simple, she only thought that Acha came from a wealthy family and had some powerful Sect Leader behind her. She never expected that their first meeting after leaving the Cycle World would be in the Heavenly Court.
And in this kind of scene.
She looked at this Woman who, in her Memory, had dressed and acted like a Little Girl, but now had a Mature Woman Style. They were like two different people. If Acha hadn't greeted her first, she wouldn't even have recognized her.
"Me!" Acha said with a Smile, using her fair, slender Finger to point at her Face: "I am Acha! The one and only Acha!"
"Right, you still haven't told me, how did you two get here?" Acha grabbed Lu Xueqi's hand and asked, kneading it.
Lu Xueqi's Expression stiffened at Acha's Action. She pulled her hand away forcefully: "High Immortal Wade Wilson told us that the Heavenly Consorts wanted to see us!"
"Heavenly Consorts? Are you sure it's Skye and the others who want to see you two, and not the Surname Tang!?" Acha's Expression froze slightly. Her Phoenix Eyes narrowed slightly, as if a thousand-year-old Fox demon was calculating something, and also as if an Empress had descended, possessing authority without needing to be angry.
Seeing her expression, Lu Xueqi even felt a sense of unease.
"Surname Tang?" Lu Xueqi clearly didn't know who Acha was referring to as Surname Tang. She shook her head: "High Immortal Frank told us that several Heavenly Consort Goddesses wanted to see us!"
"Tsk tsk, with your pretty looks, I thought you were being targeted by that pervert Surname Tang!"
Boom!
A Dry Thunder suddenly exploded in the clear Sky... Lu Xueqi and Zhang Xiaofan were startled by the sudden thunder. They looked up at the Sky full of Auspicious Clouds: "Does it rain in the Heavenly Palace too?"
"How petty, I just said one little thing about you!" Acha naturally knew what was going on. She pouted.
Then her ears twitched, as if she heard something.
"Lu Xueqi, I still have some Matters to attend to. You and your little Man wait here. After I'm done, I'll take you to the back hall of the Bull Palace!"
With that, Acha turned and left. Lu Xueqi and Zhang Xiaofan only felt a blur before their eyes, and Acha's Figure disappeared.
"Lu Xueqi, is she the friend you mentioned?" Zhang Xiaofan's Complexion was pale. He used the Blood Refining Method to Refine the Soul Devouring Rod, so his Divine Soul was connected to the Soul Devouring Rod.
But just now, he felt his Soul Devouring Rod trembling uncontrollably. It was afraid; it was a kind of instinctive spiritual awareness.
If the Soul Devouring Rod's spiritual awareness when encountering the Tianya Divine Sword was that of destined rivalry, then facing the Woman just now, the Soul Devouring Rod was like a Lamb encountering a Wolf, or a Toad meeting a Viper.
"She is Acha, a friend I met in the Cycle World!" Lu Xueqi furrowed her Eyebrows: "It's just that she seems different from the last time I saw her!"
Inside the High Heavens Hall, seeing Acha enter, Tang Song, who was seated on the Throne, twitched his Face and glared fiercely at her.
"A dignified Heavenly Emperor, Great Heavenly Venerable, do you have to be so petty? I just said one little thing about you!"
Acha walked into the High Heavens Hall and sat directly below Frank. She gave Tang Song a Provocation in her Gaze.
"What's going on with you and Hela? Blood Daoist told me you fought through three layers of Hell!"
Acha spread her hands, looking at her beautiful Fingernails on her ten fingers, and said indifferently: "We just had a little spar! Right, Big Sis!" Acha smiled and looked across.
Hela, sitting opposite Acha, smiled sweetly at Acha and said leisurely: "I wouldn't dare accept the title of Great Emperor of Fengdu's 'Big Sis'. If I remember correctly, we should be about the same Age. Perhaps I should call you 'Big Sis'!"
Inside the High Heaven Treasure Palace, everyone except Tang Song kept their eyes down, as if they were listening to a Verbal Exchange between two Women, or more accurately, two Empresses.
Lane, who was sitting below Tang Song on his left, even showed a schadenfreude Smile, and then he was glared at fiercely by Tang Song.
"Alright, we'll talk about your matters later! Acha, have you found out about the Ancient Heavenly Court Ruins in that World?"
(Taking medicine, taking medicine, feeling too unwell. I'll resume 6000 words after my cold gets better, feeling too unwell.)
(end of chapter)