Translator: Ninetales Editor: DarkGem
In the sky above the sacrificial altar on the divine mountain in West Earth, flowing light poured forth. After a moment, the eyes of Jing Yan and Yu Liu lighted up when they saw an exquisite looking youth walking out. His expression was slightly cold, but when his gaze landed on the two maidens, they became secretly bashful.
"Young Master Xu, Star Sovereign Qiao has ordered us sisters to assist Young Master in getting rid of the new human emperor. Yao Hua and Qing Ying have gone to Rolan's Golden Palace to scout out news of the human emperor."
Yu Liu said softly, "Young Master, let us go meet up with them now…"
Xu Shenghua nodded gently and said, "We should settle this matter as soon as possible, since I want to return to High Heavens. This mortal world provokes dispute and is not a good place for a long stay."
Jing Yan smiled. "Young Master, there are some extraordinary and unusual people in this mortal world and they can't be underestimated. The human emperor is the enemy of our High Heavens and has been against us for many years, so he won't be eliminated that easily."
Xu Shenghua walked down the mountain in his white clothing that was untainted by even a speck of dust. "There are some abnormalities in the mortal world, like Little Jade Capital, Great Thunderclap Monastery, Dao Sect, Heavenly Saint Cult, Middle Earth. Among these sacred grounds, there are experts that are no weaker than West Earth. I won't underestimate them nor will I underestimate the human emperor. I would like to take a look at the places that scare these existences, but the mortal world doesn't match with my nature, so it's best to return as soon as possible."
The two girls immediately caught up to him.
"Since I've already come down, I will have to visit all the sacred grounds in Middle Earth," Xu Shenghua said. "I want to see how their divine arts, paths, and skills have developed. Also, the reform of Eternal Peace Empire is like a wildfire, so I will also have to take a look. My master, Jade Sovereign, had sent a disaster on an order and was injured by the saint that appears once every five hundred years. I would very much like to see how this saint that appears once every five hundred years looks."
The two girls looked at each other, worried slightly.
In River Prefecture City, an official said in a fluster, "When His Highness learned that Cult Master Qin wasn't in any danger, he left to settle affairs in other prefectures."
"Which prefecture is he at now?" Ling Yuxiu asked.
"His Highness left for Snivel Prefecture, but it was quite some time ago, so I do not know in which prefecture he is at now."
Qin Mu nodded and said, "I'll let my cult's disciple scout out news, and I should know where they are soon."
After resting in River Prefecture and eating some food to fill their stomachs, Heavenly Devil Cult i came to report. "His Highness has reached Bent Prefecture."
Qin Mu opened up the geographic map of Eternal Peace and glanced at it. "In that case, the crown prince's next destination should be Peaceful Prefecture; his speed is quite fast."
Ling Yushu had headed south first and reached River Tomb before going west along Gold River. This should have been to manage the irrigation works along the way.
Even though Ling Yushu didn't have the bold and decisive spirit of Emperor Yanfeng, he was quite a professional at handling the irrigation works and transportations in all parts of the empire. With the help of the people from Ministry of Works, his speed was very fast. Furthermore, he was different from the previous Crown Prince Ling Yuxia. He didn't want to snatch authority and this made Emperor Yanfeng very reassured.
With the help of Fan Yunxiao, Ling Yushu's speed was unmatched. When Qin Mu took the two girls to catch up to them, they took half a month to reach it, and Ling Yushu had long left Peaceful Prefecture and reached Mill Prefecture in the west.
Mill Prefecture was not far from Great Thunderclap Monastery, some thousand miles away.
When they reached that place, Ling Yuxiu finally saw her brother, and her eyes turned red. It was obvious that he had been very exhausted these days and had become much thinner.
"Beast Qin didn't do anything to you, right?" Ling Yushu asked her secretly.
Ling Yuxiu was embarrassed and angry as she said while fuming, "Brother, what are you thinking? Saintess Xiang was also around!"
Ling Yushu laughed dryly. "Aren't I just worried about your safety? Beast Qin…"
Ling Yuxiu gave him a stare. "He's the sacred cult master of Heavenly Devil Cult and you only took the position of the previous crown prince after he killed him. Be careful of him hearing you call him a beast and killing you off as well, leaving me to be the crown prince."
Ling Yushu became resentful. "Protecting a man that isn't even yours yet, and being fierce even to your brother. That's right, Great Thunderclap Monastery is nearby and I've sent orders to retrieve the land of Great Thunderclap Monastery back to the empire. Since we are close to the monastery, you have to be careful. There have been eminent monks coming to find me to beg."
Ling Yuxiu's gaze flickered. "They are asking for the land back?"
Ling Yushu nodded/ "The lands of Great Thunderclap Monastery are the best agricultural lands nearby, and since Great Thunderclap Monastery rebelled and plotted to kill the emperor to appoint another emperor, I took back their lands. I didn't eradicate them ruthlessly, yet they keep coming to beg again and again, heh… I'm only out this time to manage the irrigation works and people, but this place will delay me for some time."
Just as he was saying that, a clear voice came from outside. "Poor monk is here to beg!"
Ling Yushu didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he walked out. Qin Mu also followed him and saw a thin monk with a wax yellow face holding onto a devil subduing alms bowl sitting before them. A few soldiers wanted to carry him away, but couldn't lift him up no matter what.
"Poor monk will only beg for an alms bowl size of land, may Crown Prince give alms." The monk saw the crown prince coming out and lowered his eyelids.
"Your alms bowl should be the Devil Subduing Alms Bowl of the previous Rulai in Great Thunderclap Monastery, right?" Ling Yushu sneered. "This would be a cult legacy treasure if placed in other sects, and an alms bowl size of land would probably be equal to the territory of Great Thunderclap Monastery, some several hundred miles of land. Monk, you are not ordinary; otherwise, you wouldn't have a cult legacy level treasure with you."
At that moment, the monk suddenly saw Qin Mu and raised his eyebrows. "Heavenly Devil Cult Master!"
Qin Mu smiled and acknowledged him, but the monk didn't have a pleasant expression. In the battle at Imperial City's Temple of Heaven, many experts of Great Thunderclap Monastery and Dao Sect had died or been severely injured. Many of the top-notch experts were slaughtered by Heavenly Devil Cult, and there were numerous eminent monks and old Daoists of Divine Bridge Realm that had lost their lives, so there was a great loss in power for the monks.
If not for this, how could Ling Yushu have retrieved the lands of Great Thunderclap Monastery?
That yellow-faced monk didn't say much and hurried away.
Ling Yushu looked at QIn Mu and said in a low voice, "The monk left without even begging, so he must be going back to call reinforcements to find trouble with you. You have to be careful."
Qin Mu shook his head. "Don't worry, Rulai won't pay attention to him."
The yellow-faced monk was as fast as lightning as he hurried back to Great Thunderclap Monastery. When he reached the golden peak, he saw that the place was solemn and respectful. All the abbots of the various cloisters were gathered at the moment. Some abbots were in sorrow and there were even Teacher Poor and the rest observing the ceremony.
Old Rulai was currently hosting a huge ceremony and had taken off his kasaya and grass shoes. All the various treasures on his body were also taken off, and his body was relaxed.
Monk Jing Ming stood behind him, quiet.
"This…"
The heart of the yellow-faced monk trembled violently, and Old Rulai turned around to look at him with a smile. "Junior Brother Nan Ye, my time is near and I am now resigning from the position of Rulai. With my body free, I plan to go out for a walk, to quietly wait for the great awakening and nirvana. After I achieve perfect awakening, Jing Ming will bring my corporeal body back and allow it to continue protecting Great Thunderclap Monastery and promote buddhism."
The heart of the yellow-faced monk was in grief, but it wasn't good for him to show it. "Rulai is a realm, it can not be pushed away nor returned."
Old Rulai smiled. "What I return is the Revered One of the World of Great Thunderclap Monastery."
"Then who will succeed as Rulai?" the yellow-faced Monk Nan Ye asked.
Old Rulai pointed at the seat of Revered One of the World and smiled. "Whoever will become a rulai will take this seat. Those that are not rulai won't be able to sit there. Don't you worry, there will be a rulai that will sit there. My Dao friend is here, I'm off!"
Nan Ye still wanted to ask questions, but Old Rulai walked away and went down the mountain.
Nan Ye was stunned as he looked at the seat of Revered One of the World.
Below the mountain, an old and a young Daoist were resting their legs next to the mountain gate.
"Dao Master, Daozi." Old Rulai and Monk Jing Ming went forward to greet the two travelers.
Daozi Lin Xuan and Old Dao Master hurriedly got up to return the greeting. Old Dao Master smiled. "You're free?"
Old Rulai nodded and smiled. "I'm free. Let us go."
The two sect masters of the two biggest righteous sacred grounds looked at each other and smiled while saying in unison, "You have also aged!"
Old Dao Master sighed. "I want to take a look at Little Jade Capital. I heard there are immortals there that live freely and without worry. They are then people who have truly achieved the Dao."
"I will like to go to Great Ruins first," said Old Rulai.
Old Dao Master took a glance at him. "Even though you aren't Revered One of the World anymore, you still can't let Great Thunderclap Monastery go."
"Aren't you the same as well?" Old Rulai smiled. "Since you've already resigned from the position of Dao Master, why are you still bringing Little Dao Master along? Aren't you trying to groom him more before you leave to become an immortal?"
Old Dao Master sighed and said, "We'll go to Great Ruins first."
The four people walked toward Great Ruins.
Not long after they left, a young master brought four maidens who were all wearing different colored dresses. They were also carrying different items, like a jade vase, a guqin, a sword, and a pipa, as they came to the mountain gate. They looked at the monk receiving them at the gate and said, "Young Master Xu Shenghua from High Heavens has come forth to visit."
"High Heavens?"
The heart of the monk receiving them trembled, and he immediately went up the mountain to report. When he reached the top of the mountain, the expression of Monk Nan Ye and the rest changed drastically. They were all slightly flustered.
"What should we do now that people from High Heavens have come? Rulai's position is now vacant so who has the qualifications to receive the esteemed guests from High Heavens?"
"Don't panic first," Monk Nan Ye said. "Let's invite this Young Master Xu Shenghua up first. No, we should all go and welcome him, don't forget your etiquette!"
All of the monks went down the mountain and saw a young master with four beauties standing at the mountain gate, all of whom looked extraordinary. Nan Ye went forth and said,
Amitabha…"
"You are not Rulai?" Xu Shenghua's gaze was like lightning when it landed on the monk's face while he shook his head. "Rulai have no need to chant the names of buddha. Where's Rulai?"
"This…" Monk Nan Ye said. "Revered One of the World has just resigned and there's no Rulai in Great Thunderclap Monastery today…"
Xu Shenghua turned around and left, leaving the crowd of monks behind him. The four maidens immediately went up, and Yu Liu in green asked, "Why does Young Master not want to go to Great Thunderclap Monastery?"
Xu Shenghua shook his head. "Old Rulai resigned yet there's no new rulai, which means that he felt that none of the monks on the entire mountain were worth to be rulai, so he just left like this. Since Rulai is not satisfied with the monks on his mountain, why should I go and see their abilities?"
Qing Ying smiled. "So Young Master despises them. Young Master, we saw the shamans of Rolan's Golden Palace when we went there yet we didn't see any figures worth seeing. Even their Grandmaster was merely so, avoiding to meet Young Master and being cowardly before even fighting. This time, there also isn't any worthy person to meet in Great Thunderclap Monastery, so should we go to Dao Sect now?"
Xu Shenghua nodded and said, "Dao Sect has fourteen Dao Swords, and my master said that Dao Swords are very extraordinary. It's worth to take a look."
They came to Mill Prefecture and went upstream Gold River. They found a ship and prepared to head down the river when they saw a youth measuring the depth of the river at its heart.
The youth used his vital qi as a ruler. With a wave of his hand, trails of vital qi went straight into the river, and he would report the depth each time he did that. Beside him was an official recording the measurements with a brush.
Xu Shenghua stopped the boat and looked at that youth as he stood quietly.
The youth seemed to notice this and looked over at him, giving off a radiant smile that revealed his white teeth. This gave a pleasant feeling.
Xu Shenghua felt his emotions influenced and smiled back in greeting.
The hearts of the four girls beside him melted when they saw his smile.
"Young Master actually smiled!"
Xu Shenghua saluted the youth in the river and asked, "This senior brother, could we have a small chat on the ship?"
"Please wait a moment, Senior Brother, let me finish handling the hydrographic surveys."
Xu Shenghua waited for a moment, and when the youth had finished handling the hydrographic surveys, he boarded the ship and the two of them greeted each other before sitting down.