Chapter 54

After delivering the baby to the Guoshi Mansion, Yang Zhen took Kuimulang and flew towards the Heavenly Palace. This time, the two of them encountered no unexpected incidents and smoothly arrived at the South Gate of Heaven.

"Brother Yang, in a while, you should use the Transformation Technique to turn into Jiaomujiao of the Twenty-Eight Constellations and follow me in. Currently, among the Twenty-Eight Constellations, only Jiaomujiao and I are not in the Heavenly Palace. If you transform into Jiaomujiao and enter the South Gate with me, they won't suspect anything," Kuimulang said to Yang Zhen, looking at the heavily guarded South Gate.

"No need!" Yang Zhen smiled slightly and said, "I have my own way to get in, don't worry about it."

With that, Yang Zhen used the 'Stealth Technique' to hide his form and disappeared from Kuimulang's side.

Seeing this, Kuimulang was clearly startled, as he could no longer sense Yang Zhen's presence at all. It was as if no one had ever been there, even the scent had vanished. Unlike the Invisibility Technique, Yang Zhen's 'Stealth Technique' was more thorough, and even Kuimulang, whose cultivation was higher than Yang Zhen's, could not detect any trace of him.

"Brother Yang, are you still there?" Kuimulang tried to call out, to see if Yang Zhen was still around.

"There's no need to call. If I had left, could you still fly on the cloud?" Yang Zhen's voice echoed from the void.

Hearing this, Kuimulang carefully observed the surroundings again but found no trace. As Yang Zhen said, if Kuimulang were not still flying in the clouds, he would not have believed that Yang Zhen was still by his side.

Although Kuimulang could not detect Yang Zhen, he was still a bit uneasy: "Brother Yang, although I can't sense your presence, there is a Demon-Detecting Mirror outside the South Gate. Aren't you afraid of being detected by the Demon-Detecting Mirror?"

"Don't worry, this isn't my first time coming to the Heavenly Palace. The last time I came, you didn't detect me either," Yang Zhen said with a smile.

Kuimulang was stunned for a moment, then sighed, "Brother Yang is indeed extraordinary. You can come and go freely in the Heavenly Palace; there are probably few places in the world you can't reach."

"Let's go!" Yang Zhen said and led Kuimulang towards the South Gate.

Sure enough, just like the last time Yang Zhen came to the Heavenly Palace, neither the guards at the South Gate nor the Demon-Detecting Mirror detected Yang Zhen's presence. Yang Zhen and Kuimulang almost effortlessly entered the Heavenly Palace through the South Gate.

"Brother Yang, you are extraordinary and powerful. How did you end up with Sun Wukong?" Thinking of the great battle a hundred years ago, Kuimulang asked his question.

"Sun Wukong and I knew each other before we attained the Dao. Later, we followed different masters and thus separated. One day, I heard that Sun Wukong had returned from his studies, so I went to Huaguo Mountain to see him. Unexpectedly, I encountered the Heavenly Palace's attack on Huaguo Mountain, and that led to the subsequent battle," Yang Zhen explained.

Recalling that when Sun Wukong was expelled from his master's door, Subhuti Patriarch had told him not to reveal his master's identity to outsiders, Yang Zhen told a small lie. This way, he did not expose Sun Wukong's master and could explain his presence at Huaguo Mountain.

"Is that so." Kuimulang nodded and said, "Sun Wukong first disrupted the Peach Blossom Banquet and then caused chaos in the Heavenly Palace, truly bold. And you, Brother Yang, treat the Heavenly Palace as if it were nothing, coming and going as you please. Your personalities are quite similar."

While chatting, Yang Zhen followed Kuimulang's instructions and arrived at the entrance of the Doulüe Palace. After placing Kuimulang on the ground, Yang Zhen said, "I'll see you off here. Although Laozi is just a manifestation, his status is still significant, and I dare not meet him lightly. You should go in yourself."

Kuimulang understood Yang Zhen's dilemma, nodded, thanked him, and then dragged his feet into the Doulüe Palace.

Just as Yang Zhen was about to leave, he suddenly heard a voice in his ear: "Since you're here, why not come in and take a look?"

"Lao... Laozi?" Yang Zhen asked in a trembling voice.

Although the voice did not speak again, Yang Zhen was certain that the one who transmitted the voice was Laozi, the manifestation of the Supreme Sage in the Heavenly Palace.

Unlike Subhuti Patriarch, whose identity Yang Zhen could only guess, he was almost certain that this Laozi was indeed the manifestation of the Supreme Sage, no doubt about it.

This is a Sage, Yang Zhen was a bit nervous. Who knows what the Sage wants to do? If Laozi is that kind of person, wouldn't I be in danger?

However, since the Sage had spoken, Yang Zhen had no choice but to go in. With a determined heart, he entered the Doulüe Palace, thinking that if things got too bad, he could always run away. After all, Laozi was just a manifestation and not highly cultivated, so escaping should be possible.

After entering the Doulüe Palace, Yang Zhen felt as if he was being guided and did not enter the central alchemy room. Instead, he turned left and right and arrived at the back courtyard of the Doulüe Palace, stopping in front of a house.

Knowing this was the power of a Sage, Yang Zhen was quite shocked. Even with his state of mind and cultivation, he was still influenced by it. This Laozi was truly not an ordinary cultivator, even as a manifestation, he was far beyond Yang Zhen's current capabilities.

Pushing open the door, Yang Zhen first saw a figure sitting cross-legged under a huge 'Dao' character.

It was Laozi.

Although he was curious why Laozi did not meet Kuimulang but was waiting for him here, Yang Zhen knew it was not the time to ask questions.

"Meeting Laozi!" Yang Zhen bowed.

From any perspective, Laozi deserved this bow. In fact, even a prostration would not be excessive, but Yang Zhen did not want to do that.

"You, little cat, are quite bold!" Laozi suddenly looked up at Yang Zhen and said in a calm tone.

"What do you mean, Laozi?" Yang Zhen, not knowing Laozi's intention, could only follow his lead: "Although I am a demon, I did not come to the Heavenly Palace to do anything bad, but to bring Kuimulang to the Doulüe Palace for healing."

At this point, Yang Zhen directly changed the subject: "Laozi, Kuimulang is seriously injured. Please, Laozi..."

Laozi gently waved his hand and said, "I have already sent my attendant to take care of Kuimulang. Now, I am more interested in you, this little demon."

What? Interested in me?

Yang Zhen was startled. With Laozi's status as a Sage, if he was interested in him, did that mean he was one of the greatest geniuses in the three realms, so much so that even a Sage could not resist wanting to obtain him?

However, Yang Zhen also knew that if Laozi said this, it meant trouble was coming.

But since he had already made it clear that he was a disciple of Subhuti Patriarch, what could Laozi do? Stealing a disciple was not his style, and there was no reason to kill him. The only possibility was that Laozi wanted him to do something for him.

With this answer, Yang Zhen felt much more at ease. If he was to help a Sage, the benefits would certainly be substantial.