Free Web NovelChapter 526: Chapter 19: Lu Nian Wreaks Havoc in the Underworld, the 3 Lamps Gather
"Supreme Profound Clarity... he hasn’t yet attained Daluo, yet he already exhibits its characteristics and has even slain Gouchen..."
Beyond the river of time, amidst the Chaos.
Her expression grave, Maitreya Buddha Mother spoke softly,
"We can’t let him go on like this. He wields the power of a Daluo before even attaining the realm. If he truly succeeds, it might cause untold trouble."
Nearby, Taiyi listened in silence. Instead, it was a Great Buddha with a gloomy expression who spoke, his voice cold and detached.
"This matter is simple. To attain Daluo, one must leave their mark across all of Ancient History. From what I’ve seen, that Supreme Profound Clarity has only managed to traverse the Spring and Autumn Period and the Qin and Han eras."
After a pause, the Great Buddha caressed the shattered Western Pure Land in his hand and continued,
"We’ll set up interceptions, arrange great calamities, and prevent that Supreme Profound Clarity from manifesting during the Spring and Autumn Period. If we stop him from leaving his mark on even more ancient eras, he can never truly become a Daluo."
A Brahma Sound vibrated through the void. Maitreya Buddha Mother bowed and said with a solemn expression,
"But if we do this, what will we do if the Three become enraged?"
The assembled Dao Fruits fell silent. Finally, the Demon Ancestor spoke, his words decisive.
"If Supreme doesn’t make a move, Primordial and Spirit Treasure together cannot stop our combined might. And if Supreme interferes too much, he will fall from [Non-action] and revert to [Action]."
The Dao Fruits smiled and nodded.
Nearby, the respectfully listening Immortal Mother also breathed a sigh of relief.
’Indeed, to attain Daluo, one still has to leave one’s mark in the many ages of history outside of The Beginning of Ancient Times.’
’That Supreme Profound Clarity has yet to venture into the eras before the Spring and Autumn Period. Stopping his attainment of Daluo will be simple, so very simple!’
Immediately, two Buddha Lords at the [Enlightened One] level took action. They scoured the Ancient History preceding the Spring and Autumn Period, laying numerous hidden snares.
The Demon Ancestor, Maitreya Buddha Mother, and Taiyi also used their own methods, making sure nothing would go awry.
At that moment, the Ancient Bodhi Buddha gazed into the depths of the Chaos and murmured softly,
"Oh, Three Pristine Ones, Three Pristine Ones... how will you respond?"
.........
「In the depths of the Chaos.」
Supreme let out a yawn and smiled faintly.
"Those guys... they really never give up, do they..."
Beside him, the Lame Daoist’s expression tensed.
"Supreme, this has become rather troublesome. If Nephew Lu is unable to leave his mark on the past before the Spring and Autumn Period, then..."
Before he could finish, the Blind Daoist smiled faintly.
"Spirit Treasure, no need to furrow your brow. You mustn’t forget... Shakyamuni."
The Lame Daoist froze for a moment before realization dawned, a smile spreading across his face.
"Now I remember. Nephew Lu made a pact with that young fellow, Shakyamuni."
"Shakyamuni’s own footprints are already spread throughout all of Ancient History."
.........
「Late Han Dynasty.」
At this point, it could not yet be considered a time of chaos.
"Uncle, you’re so much nicer than my daddy..."
Little Lu Nian took a contented bite from a flatbread, her face breaking into a cheerful grin.
Nearby, the middle-aged man who was playing the zither paused and said with a smile,
"How can you speak of your parents that way?"
He paused, looking at the little girl whose fortune was world-shaking. After a moment’s thought, he added,
"It must be fate that Heaven allowed me to find you in the wilderness. Though you’re only three years old, you seem to have been born with innate knowledge, so it’s probably a good time to start learning a thing or two..."
A wary look appeared on Little Lu Nian’s face.
"Uncle, what’re you planning to do!"
The middle-aged man didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He resumed playing the zither.
"Teach you the four arts of the scholar—zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting—to cultivate a noble bearing..."
As he spoke, his brow furrowed slightly and he glanced to the side.
A knock sounded at the door, and then a decrepit old man slowly walked in.
Little Lu Nian watched with curiosity, sensing that this newcomer also had a certain thread of Cause and Effect connecting them, though it wasn’t as strong as the one with Uncle Zhuge.
At this, the middle-aged man hurriedly rose and performed a formal bow.
"This humble countryman pays his respects, Grand Ancestor."
The decrepit old man nodded slightly.
"No need for such ceremony, Mr. Zhuge. This is my young grandson, who carries the fortune of Heaven. I’ve brought him to meet you."
As he spoke, he gestured, and a young boy of about ten, whose arms were long enough to reach his knees, bowed formally.
"Liu Bei, I pay my respects to Mr. Zhuge."
The middle-aged man returned the bow with a frown. After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"According to the dictates of fate, we should not be meeting now. You are three hundred and sixty years early."
A look of confusion appeared on the young boy’s face.
The decrepit old man, however, simply smiled.
"Fate... Fate can no longer be considered certain. This grandson of mine shares a great destiny with you, Mr. Zhuge. What’s the harm in meeting a little early...?"
He paused, then sighed softly.
"To be honest, I’ve sensed that this grandson of mine, however many generations removed, bears the fortune of Heaven. The fate of the Han Dynasty is also nearing its end. With Yin and Yang in chaos, Heaven and Earth in conflict, and far too many variables at play, I thought it best for my grandson to meet you early."
A solemn expression came over the middle-aged man’s face.
"I have peered into the secrets of Heaven, and fate has indeed changed. I seem to see... hm?"
He suddenly glanced aside, toward the little girl who was sneaking away like a wisp of smoke, and shouted,
"And where do you think you’re going?"
"Listening to you two talk is so boring! I’m going out to play!"
The words had barely left her mouth when Little Lu Nian casually ripped open the void, jumped in, and disappeared.
"Wh-???" The decrepit old man’s eyes widened in disbelief. The ten-year-old Liu Bei was also startled and exclaimed, "An Immortal!!"
The middle-aged man’s expression, however, changed drastically.
’That girl... how did she jump into the Nine Nether?’
He quickly performed a Divination, peering into her fate, but saw that all signs indicated [Great Auspice]. He was completely baffled.
’How on earth could a place like the Nine Nether be associated with "Great Auspice"??’
「Meanwhile, in the Underworld.」
The Little Peach Spirit rested her chin in her hands, sighing.
"Grandpa Fengdu, I really don’t want to be some Lord of the Underworld..."
She paused, her face clouded with worry.
"Speaking of which, have you really not been able to find where Uncle Yan and Brother Zheng went?"
"I can’t find them."
Emperor Fengdu threw up his hands.
"Back then, I only sensed that you’d been swept away by a great, illusory tide of time. The tide’s point of origin wasn’t far from this present moment, which is how I was able to detect your aura. I exhausted all my power, and was only able to pull you, and you alone, out of the current..."
Pausing, Emperor Fengdu ruffled the Little Peach Spirit’s hair and said with a smile,
"Stay by my side for now. I can feel that the great tide still wants to sweep you away again. That tide of time is truly bizarre..."
"REPORT!"
A Yin Official came running over in a panic.
"A living creature has broken into the Underworld and is running rampant! The Ten Halls Yama have all been captured by this creature!"
"Hm?"
Emperor Fengdu was taken aback.
"I’ll go and see. You wait here, little one."
With a single step, Emperor Fengdu arrived in the Underworld, where he saw a small toddler charging left and right, wailing and sobbing,
"GHOSTS! SO MANY GHOSTS! SO, SO MANY!!"
Xiaodouding smashed through the City of Unjust Death, sent King Yama flying, and rammed into the Eighteen Layers of Hell so hard they were on the verge of collapse.
And with every layer of Hell she crashed into, Xiaodouding let out a strange cry, apparently terrified by the hideous Fierce Ghosts being punished inside.
’A juggernaut?’
Emperor Fengdu frowned. His palm descended, Covering the Sky and Sun, intending to suppress her within Hell.
But Xiaodouding wasn’t having it. Her little face wrinkled up, and she pulled out a Jade Ruyi.
"Eat this, you old geezer!"
BONK!!
......
「Emperor Fengdu’s Manor.」
"It’s terrible, terrible!"
The Yin Official reported in a panic.
"Princess, this is a disaster! That creature causing all the trouble is riding on the Great Emperor’s head, wielding a strange and wondrous Supreme Treasure! The Great Emperor has been injured!"
He said, panting and horrified,
"That creature is completely lawless! It’s declared that it has conquered the Underworld and is ordering the Yama Judges and Yin Messenger Ghost Soldiers to go search for Innate Chestnuts for it!"
The Little Peach Spirit’s eyes widened.
"Even Grandpa Fengdu can’t defeat it?"
"Well, not exactly..." The Yin Official scratched his head. "It’s more like... he doesn’t dare to fight. He’s not even hitting back."
The Little Peach Spirit shot up, furious.
"This is unacceptable! Take me there!"
"You can’t go! Even the Great Emperor can’t subdue that creature..."
"But I can’t just stand by and watch Grandpa Fengdu get beaten up!"
Without another word, the Little Peach Spirit left Emperor Fengdu’s manor and flew away.
Meanwhile,
「Inside Yama Hall.」
Lu Nian sat proudly perched on Emperor Fengdu’s neck, issuing commands.
"Innate Chestnuts, and the more the better! Also, roasted sweet potatoes, and griddle cakes. Find some Peaches of Immortality, too. They’re good for juicing. And I also want..."
The Ten Halls Yama waited below while a Judge tremblingly recorded the foods Xiaodouding was demanding.
Emperor Fengdu, who was being ridden, had a face as black as a pot and four or five large bumps on his head. He wanted to get angry,
but when he looked up and saw the Three-Bejeweled Ruyi being waved around in Xiaodouding’s hand, he thought better of it.
’That was the Three-Bejeweled Ruyi of the master of the Jade Void Palace!’
’Where on earth did this little ancestor come from...’
Emperor Fengdu complained bitterly in his heart, and at the same time felt a chill run down his spine. Only now did he realize,
this little girl was terrifying to an absurd degree. She appeared to be only three or four years old, yet she was already a juggernaut, and an Innate Divine Demon on top of that!
Just as Emperor Fengdu’s expression grew grim, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside Yama Hall.
Riding on Emperor Fengdu’s head, Lu Nian shouted,
"Who’s outside the hall? Announce yourself at once..."
The next second, the Little Peach Spirit stormed in menacingly. Emperor Fengdu’s expression changed, and he inwardly cursed.
’This girl on my neck is completely lawless. If she hurts the Little Peach Spirit...’
The expressions of all the Yamas in the hall also changed. They all doted on the Little Peach Spirit and, terrified she might get hurt, were about to step forward and hold her back.
Suddenly.
Emperor Fengdu felt the weight on his neck suddenly lighten, only to see that little ancestor from who-knows-where drop to the ground in a lightning-fast slide-and-kneel.
Lu Nian obediently grabbed both of her ears and bowed her little head.
"Mom, I was wrong!"
The entire Yama Hall fell silent for a moment. Even the menacing Little Peach Spirit looked around, bewildered.
’Mo...m?’
.........
「The Current World. Taishan.」
Lu Xuan poured three cups of Earth Tea, pushed them forward, and smiled gently.
"To meet is fate. After thirteen years, I never expected we would meet again."
Father and Mother Zhong wore fixed smiles, not daring to move.
Zhong Xiaoyu, however, boldly took the tea and couldn’t help but ask,
"Brother Lu... Elder Lu, where is Sister Yan?"
Zhong Muhua frantically shot glances at Zhong Xiaoyu, signaling for her to not speak out of turn.
But Lu Xuan just smiled serenely.
"She is well, it’s just that it is difficult for us to meet for now... Please, drink the tea. This tea is quite exceptional, with marvelous effects."
The family of three all took a sip of the tea. A profound, earthy power nourished their Physiques, and they sensed their bodies rapidly transforming.
Zhong Hongshan, who had been stuck at the Celestial Human Peak, was astonished to find his Cultivation soaring. In an instant, he stepped into the Earth Immortal level.
Furthermore, several Earth Immortal Tribulations had just begun to form before they naturally dissipated, as if...
...they were afraid of the man before them.
In the blink of an eye, both Zhong Hongshan and Zhong Muhua reached the level of Earth Immortal Peak, and Zhong Xiaoyu stepped into the Earth Immortal Realm!
"You... you..."
"It’s nothing. No need to thank me."
Lu Xuan said with a smile,
"The three of you may stay here for the time being. If Xiaoyu wishes to learn a craft, she may go to Taishan, Dragon Tiger Mountain, or Wudang Mountain. She can choose for herself."
As he spoke, he looked at Zhong Xiaoyu, a sense of wistfulness washing over him, a feeling of the profound passage of time.
’The little girl he’d met by chance all those years ago was now a graceful young woman.’
He made small talk with the three for a while longer, but seeing how restrained they were, Lu Xuan didn’t keep them. He nodded and saw them out.
Not long after the three had left the meditation room, Zhuge Shang came in, bowed, and said,
"Lu Zi, the ritual is complete. The Eight Sceneries Palace Lamp... has emerged."
Lu Xuan raised his eyelids slightly and let out a wistful sigh.
’It’s time to go to the Late Han Dynasty. I wonder how Xiaonian is doing over there... Hopefully, she hasn’t caused any trouble.’
With that thought, he nodded.
"Bring it here. Let me have a look."
Zhuge Shang nodded respectfully and exited the meditation room. A moment later, he returned, carrying a large, ancient, and heavy lamp whose light flickered unsteadily.
Lu Xuan reached out to take it and suddenly felt a whim. With a single thought, the Cyan Lamp and the Gloomy Lamp appeared at once.
The Three Lamps stood side-by-side, erupting in a brilliant display of light!
"This is..." A look of astonishment appeared on Lu Xuan’s face, and then he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
"To think I’d get it without even trying..."
