However...
The two people beside him did not immediately agree.
The old Man and the other Man exchanged a look.
As their gazes met,
they both saw a sliver of deep-seated ruthlessness in each other's eyes.
Retreat?
How could they possibly retreat?
Inside this Great Tang Imperial Family, there was a heaven-sent Opportunity hidden. If they left just like this, this trip would be for nothing.
It was true that Thirteen Wu was strong; even if the three of them joined forces, they might not be able to gain an advantage over him... but no matter how strong he was, he was still just one person.
But they couldn't keep watching this Great Tang Imperial Family forever, could they?
A sharp light flashed in the old Man's eyes, and his originally clenched palm slowly relaxed.
A stiff smile appeared on his face.
He cupped his hands toward Thirteen Wu.
"The Immortal Master is right to lecture us."
"We failed to recognize your greatness. Since the Immortal Master has spoken, we will withdraw immediately, withdraw immediately..."
With that said,
he tugged at the other person's sleeve, turned around, and prepared to leave the hall.
"?"
The Black-Robed Person stood frozen on the spot.
His mouth hung wide open, his face full of disbelief.
Just like that... they chickened out?
Why did you two treat this Old Daoist Priest's words like they were sacred imperial edicts?
"You guys..."
He pointed at their backs, about to burst into a torrent of abuse.
But then he saw the old Man pause slightly and glance back at him.
With just that one look,
the words the Black-Robed Person was about to scream were forced back down his throat.
As a fellow Loose Cultivator making a living in the Eastern Region, he naturally understood the meaning in that old thing's eyes.
These two... were planning to play dirty?
The Black-Robed Person's heart settled. A smirk was about to curl on his lips, but he quickly pulled it back.
He put on an act of being indignant yet helpless.
"Fine, fine, fine!"
"Since you're all leaving, what's the point of me staying here?!"
With that said,
he also turned around and followed them out, cursing and swearing.
The three of them walked with heavy steps toward the outside of the hall.
Until their three figures completely vanished from sight.
"Phew..."
Only then did Cheng Buxiu exhale a long breath of stale air. He looked as if he had just been fished out of water, his back already drenched in cold sweat.
Without stopping to wipe the sweat from his forehead, he hurriedly helped the pale-faced High Ancestor to sit down.
Then, leading the remnants of the defeated forces in the hall, he gave the sloppy old Daoist a deep bow.
"Thank you, Immortal Master, for saving our lives. If the Immortal Master hadn't arrived in time, today my Great Tang Imperial Family... would likely have..."
"Enough, enough."
Thirteen Wu waved his hand somewhat impatiently. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a piece of oil cake that had been sitting there for who knows how long. He didn't mind the dirt, stuffed it into his mouth, and said indistinctly, "After all, this is a place where I once stayed. If I truly watched this vast territory being ruined by those bastards, I wouldn't feel right in my heart."
He spoke these words with complete indifference.
But to the ears of those present, they carried a different weight.
The young Emperor struggled to stand up from the Dragon throne and walked quickly to the old Daoist's side.
"The Immortal Master's high righteousness, I... am deeply grateful from the bottom of my heart."
Thirteen Wu's chewing paused. He turned sideways to accept half a bow and said irritably, "I already told you not to thank me so much. Can you not understand me, kid?"
"..."
The Emperor did not rise, remaining in his bowed posture.
A long silence followed.
Finally, he grit his teeth and looked up. "However, Immortal Master, I still have one thing I do not understand. I boldly ask the Immortal Master to clear my confusion."
Thirteen Wu's eyelids drooped, as if he had already expected this question.
"If it's about this brewing storm in the city, you'd better not ask."
"But I am the sovereign of a nation!"
The Emperor's voice suddenly rose, but then instantly softened, carrying a hint of pleading.
"I can die, but my Imperial Younger Sister... must never come to harm. In their words just now, those people mentioned Lonely Moon; that was certainly no coincidence."
"I only beg the Immortal Master to tell me, why is this happening?! Why are all the Cultivators in the world keeping their eyes fixed on my Great Tang? Why are they all targeting Lonely Moon?!"
In fact, he had asked several times over the past few days.
But every time, this Old Daoist Priest would evade the question, acting all enigmatic.
Normally, he would have endured it.
But today, they had already stormed the palace hall, specifically naming Lonely Moon to be captured.
As her brother, if he didn't even know the reason, what kind of Emperor was he?
If his sister had truly caused some monstrous disaster outside... "..."
Thirteen Wu stared into the other's bloodshot eyes.
His mouth finally stopped chewing.
He sighed.
He helplessly rolled his eyes.
"You two siblings... your tempers are really similar... both as stubborn as donkeys."
The Old Daoist Priest found a clean spot and sat down without any regard for his image.
Originally, the matter of the Great Tang Ancestor Founder attempting to attain the imperial position Dao Lineage as a Human Sovereign was considered top secret.
Aside from a few Grotto-heavens that were involved back then, only a few small powers that were affected knew about it.
After all, this matter was too shocking.
If it had succeeded, a Twenty-five Luminaries Dao Lineage would have been added to this world, a behemoth that would even faintly surpass the other five luminaries and four positions.
But who knows which damned person leaked the news.
And the rumors were spread with vivid detail.
Saying things like the Great Tang Ancestor Founder didn't actually die, but instead borrowed a corpse to return his soul and had already returned through Reincarnation, seeking to reforge his golden body and ascend the Great Dao once more.
Reincarnation?
Pah!
Thirteen Wu spat in his heart.
If that person had truly succeeded in Reincarnation, would the Great Tang still be in this pathetic state today?
The entire nation would have likely achieved Ascension long ago, and even the guard dogs would have become Lamp-lighting Realm Cultivators.
Would these clowns still be allowed to run wild in Chang'an City?
He would have slapped them to death long ago and used them to fertilize the soil.
But the problem was... it didn't matter that he knew it was false.
Even if most people knew, it was still useless.
The Cultivators of this world are the greediest; they would rather believe it to be true than not.
What if?
What if they actually caught that person of Reincarnation and seized the dao foundation?
That would be soaring to the heavens in a single bound!
And for those Dao Lineages that were already high and mighty,
how could they allow another to sleep soundly beside their own beds?
No one wanted to see a new behemoth rise.
So.
The Great Tang is currently in a dead end.
Thirteen Wu picked his ear, feeling somewhat frustrated.
Furthermore, by rights, he wasn't supposed to speak of these messy affairs.
A Dao Lineage has its own rules.
But looking at the mess on the ground and the despair in everyone's eyes,
the Old Daoist Priest's heart softened after all.
"Fine."
"There are some things I cannot explain too clearly; if I do, it might not be a good thing for you."
"But since you've asked to this point..."
He looked up at everyone, his voice becoming unusually serious.
"Then I will tell you a story."
"This story... it starts from a long, long time ago..."