Free Web NovelChapter 298: Chapter 297: An Unwelcome Guest at the Welcome Banquet
"Welcome, welcome!"
Several old Daoists were at Daluo Palace to welcome the newcomers. Taoist Yi Hong of White Cloud Temple, the foremost monastery of the Quanzhen Dao, had even returned from Daluo Temple in Changping Prefecture to show how seriously they were taking this.
"Thank you, thank you!" the few new Daoists returned the courtesy.
Taoist Xu Ning pulled Jingyi forward to introduce her to everyone, worried the other old Daoists would be displeased with her disciple’s age. "This is my disciple. Though she is young, she has excellent talent and temperament. She will not disgrace the Taoist Sect."
"Hahaha! Senior Sister, you worry too much. Jingyi is hardly the first young person in Daluo Palace." Taoist Yi Hong took Taoist Xu Ning by the arm. "Yunyang of the Eight Immortals Palace, Changyi of the Celestial Master’s Mansion, and Yangshuo of the Pure Yang Sect are all young people, too."
"Senior Brother Jing Feng is holding down the fort at Daluo Temple in Qianshan Prefecture and specifically sent me back to welcome you all," Taoist Jing Chun said, stepping forward with a bow.
By this time, Daluo Palace had also taken Qianshan Prefecture. Taoist Jing Feng served as the Observatory Master of the Daluo Temple in the prefecture city. With three fully-formed Taoist Divine Prisons and dozens of Divine Generals, he was an army unto himself as he stood guard over Qianshan Prefecture.
The few newly arrived old Daoists were dazzled, feeling that Daluo Palace was truly a grand assembly of the Taoist Sect. Not only were there members from the Dragon Gate Sect and Celestial Master’s Mansion, both of which were at the height of their power, but even the Pure Yang Sect and the Fengyue Sect—which were rumored to have long since declined, their lineages perhaps even broken—were represented.
While the many old Daoists were catching up and chatting, Taoist Yan Song brought two people over to Gu Zhao.
One was a tall, sturdy man who looked simple and honest; the other was a short woman with a sharp, intelligent glint in her eyes.
"This is the couple Liu Han and Chu Yurong. They are two Spirit Monarchs we met in Qianshan Prefecture. They were in Wasp Valley at the time, and we happened to run into them," Taoist Yan Song explained.
"Daoist, there’s no need to flatter us." Liu Han quickly waved his hand. "We’d already been captured by the Queen Bee. She just saw that our cultivation wasn’t bad, so she kept us as emergency rations and hadn’t killed us yet."
Chu Yurong, however, bowed to Gu Zhao. "My husband and I are indebted to the Daoists of Daluo Palace for saving our lives. We wish to join Daluo Palace and serve you. Please, Palace Master, grant us this boon and allow us to repay this debt."
Gu Zhao looked at Taoist Yan Song, who sent a voice transmission, "I saw that this couple is kind-hearted and has high Dao Practice. They also happen to be a good fit for the Twenty-Eight Star Constellations, so I brought them back for you to see."
Liu Han’s true form was an old yellow ox, while Chu Yurong’s was a Golden Thread Rat. Their union was rather similar to the Rat and the Ox in a certain version of the twelve zodiacs on Blue Star.
’Are oxen and rats really that compatible?’
Gu Zhao looked at the two of them, and with a stir of his Divine Sense, he ascertained their origins.
Liu Han and Chu Yurong both had about four hundred years of Dao Practice. Their talent was average. Without some heaven-sent opportunity, they would be stuck at this level for the rest of their lives. When their lifespans ran out, they would just turn into a pile of dust.
At this moment, Liu Han’s demeanor was calm, but Chu Yurong seemed a bit anxious, which made Gu Zhao smile.
It was obvious that Liu Han was indeed simple, honest, and steady, but Chu Yurong had other thoughts. Besides wanting to repay their debt, she was also clearly hoping to latch onto a powerful backer and seek another breakthrough.
But this was only human nature, and Gu Zhao didn’t mind. Besides, the fact that Chu Yurong had no Evil Qi on her was the best proof of her character.
Furthermore, Daluo Palace was growing stronger and stronger—more than enough to be considered a powerful backer.
"Then I welcome you both to Daluo Palace. The Guardian Star Official positions of Niu Jinniu and the Void Sun Rat await you." Gu Zhao nodded, and with a light raise of his hand, he helped them straighten up from their bow.
Chu Yurong’s heart settled, and gratitude showed in her eyes. She and Liu Han bowed again. "Greetings, Sect Leader!"
This time, Gu Zhao readily accepted their bow. He then called over Yang Chi and Lu Yue and had them arrange a courtyard residence for Liu Han and his wife. "Let me first get the other sect members who’ve just arrived settled. Tonight, we will hold a welcome banquet for you two. Tomorrow, my Martial Uncle will pass on the Dharma Gates for the Daluo Palace Star Officials to you."
After sending off the two new Star Officials, Gu Zhao turned to Taoist Yu Zhang, who was walking toward him. "Congratulations, Martial Uncle!"
Taoist Yu Zhang laughed heartily. "I had a stroke of good luck and killed a powerful figure, which is why my progress has been so rapid recently. From now on, it’ll be slow and steady."
Previously, five defeated remnants had arrived from Shide Prefecture. One of them had the misfortune of running right into Taoist Yu Zhang and was taken out directly with a single Celestial Pig Great Curse. Truly unlucky.
Thus, among the four old Daoists who had joined Daluo Palace at the same time, Taoist Yu Zhang was the second to achieve a breakthrough. Although Taoist Jing Hong and Taoist Jing Fa had deep foundations and worked hard enough, they were still a step behind him.
"Winter has already set in. I hope we can find some targets with a lot of Evil Qi before the New Year," Taoist Jing Hong said as he walked over. Taoist Jing Fa, beside him, remained silent but couldn’t resist reaching out to touch the hilt of the longsword at his waist.
Gu Zhao nodded and looked up at the sky. There was already a hint of a chill in the air. Winter had come.
...
That evening, Daluo Palace held a banquet to welcome the five new Elders and two new Star Officials, and also to celebrate the victorious return of the many other Daoists.
Not only were the members of Daluo Palace present at the banquet, but Purple Cloud Monarch, who was still a guest at Daluo Palace and had not yet left, was also seated in a place of honor.
Zhuo Qingyan sat at Gu Zhao’s side. Although Silk Embroideress, Bai Ke, Bi Yingying, Chen Zhi, Xu Sirou, and the others were seated elsewhere, they would occasionally come over to chat and laugh with them, causing the newly arrived Daoists to glance over in surprise.
Jingyi, in particular, looked at Gu Zhao with a strangely surprised expression. The meaning in her eyes conveyed even more astonishment than when she had seen Gu Zhao pull fruit out of his gourd.
Gu Zhao, however, didn’t notice her expression. He was currently in his Sea of Consciousness, communicating with Yunyang through the Five Thunders Order.
"You went to Shide Prefecture again?" Gu Zhao asked.
"That’s right. There’s a lot of construction going on in Shide Prefecture right now. It seems the last great battle affected the prefecture, killing a lot of people and destroying many buildings."
Yunyang was in Shide Prefecture at that moment. "The city is full of Nether Fire Sect disciples. They’re building a branch hall for the Nether Fire Sect in Shide Prefecture."
Gu Zhao wasn’t surprised. "The Nether Fire Sect drove the other three factions out of Shide Prefecture. It’s only natural they would want to occupy it."
Yunyang gazed at a Divine Statue in the Shide Prefecture branch hall. It stood ten zhang tall, its face ugly and its expression ferocious. It had a single eye and four arms, each wielding a different weapon. No matter how he looked at it, it did not seem like a benevolent deity.
Just looking at the Divine Statue, Yunyang felt a wave of revulsion, even stronger than what he felt when encountering evil ghosts and fairies.
"This Nether Fire Sect really isn’t on a righteous path. When are we coming over to uproot them?" Yunyang asked.
"The Netherfire Sect Leader is quite powerful. If I don’t make a move, you all won’t be able to beat him." Gu Zhao ate a peach. "But if I do make a move, how will you all get much Evil Qi?"
Yunyang was speechless.
A subtle flex is the most lethal.
Although Gu Zhao rarely took action himself, every time a Daoist went out Exorcising Demons and Evil Spirits, a portion of the Evil Qi was shared with him. Just how powerful Gu Zhao had become, not even Taoist Yan Song could say for sure.
Meanwhile, Taoist Yan Song’s combat prowess alone was already on par with that of the White Bone God Monarch, who had previously been the number one expert in Bai Shi Prefecture.
At that very moment, an aura that was scorching hot, yet incomparably sinister, suddenly appeared at the foot of Daluo Palace’s mountain. Then, a voice was carried in from a great distance.
"Red Flame Venerable of the Nether Fire Sect has come to call! I request an audience with the Daluo Palace Master!"
