Chapter 37

"Among us, the most important principles are loyalty, filial piety, integrity, caution, tolerance, generosity, forbearance, and patience. We must never lose our temper," Daoist Master Jiandu said with a smile from the cloud, "Like your junior brother Shenhu, who is always quick to anger, but our Master says he has a passionate heart, so he has not been punished. You must not follow his example..."

Before the junior brothers could respond, Daoist Master Shenhu suddenly fell to the ground. "Eh, Junior Brother Shenhu, he must have been injured in his true essence!"

The intense battle between Daoist Master Shenhu and Xuan Kong had almost moved from the foot of Laoshan Mountain all the way to the capital of the Song Dynasty. Along the way, they had alarmed countless immortals, Buddhas, and demons. The other True Lords of the Jingming Dao watched the spectacle from the ground, and seeing that neither side was using lethal force, they were content to watch the show.

It was only when the Buddha's light shone over Bianjing that they feared their junior brother might be at a disadvantage and hurriedly flew up to help.

Without hesitation, two beams of light shot out, catching Daoist Master Shenhu. These were the only two junior brothers of Daoist Master Shenhu in the Jingming Dao, Daoist Masters Hongshi and Zhengte. Daoist Master Hongshi supported Daoist Master Shenhu and frowned at the giant vulture Mingwang in the sky.

"Senior Brother Shenhu, what happened? Who did you offend to be injured so severely?"

Daoist Master Shenhu was like a mute eating a bitter herb, unable to speak of his suffering. He had only intended to stand up for his disciple against a small fox spirit, but unexpectedly ended up in a fierce battle with Xuan Kong and was attacked by this Buddhist Mingwang.

If he had known, he would have brought all the secret treasures of the sect and would not have ended up in such a dire situation.

Daoist Master Zhengte, who had entered the Jingming Dao the latest and had the shortest cultivation time, was always indulged by his senior brothers. Seeing his senior brother severely injured, he sneered and said, "No matter who they are, the Twelve True Lords of the Jingming Dao have never feared anyone!"

The giant vulture transformed into the Mingwang Dharma Body, towering a hundred zhang tall with three heads and eight arms, clearly seeing the scene.

The various True Lords of the Jingming Dao each held their dusters, with Daoist Masters Puhui and Weidao protecting Xuan Kong behind them, while the other True Lords took their positions, surrounding themselves with extremely unfriendly gazes. The giant vulture was completely unafraid, sitting calmly on the cloud and looking coldly at them.

He was a great sage of the ancient demon race, not someone these later cultivators could contend with.

Daoist Master Jiandu, who had some insight, knew that the giant vulture was far stronger than himself and his companions. He stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Shuguo Guo Pu of the Jingming Dao greets the senior." The giant vulture "hmm"ed but did not respond, knowing that if he could not take the lives of the two Taoists, he would ruin the Buddha's grand plan and bear a great fault.

Daoist Master Jiandu said, "My senior brothers and I are disciples of the Divine Skill and Marvelous Salvation True Lord. Junior Brother Shenhu is impulsive. If he has offended the senior, please spare him for the sake of our Master Xu Tian Shi."

The giant vulture cackled, "You don't need to scare me with Xu Jingyang. These two little Taoists have learned one of my secrets, and they must die!"

This statement not only shocked Daoist Master Jiandu but also secretly alarmed the other junior brothers. "What secret could it be that just hearing a bit of it warrants taking a life?" a voice asked from the heavens.

Everyone was delighted, knowing that their senior brother had arrived, and looked up.

Sure enough, it was Wu Meng, the head of the Twelve True Lords of the Jingming Dao, the Great Cave True Lord Shenlie. He always served Xu Tian Shi and was the only one among the True Lords of the Jingming Dao to have achieved the rank of Celestial Immortal and was a genuine Celestial General.

Seeing him, the giant vulture's expression softened slightly and he asked, "Are you Wu Meng?"

The newcomer was indeed Wu Meng, the protagonist of the "Twenty-Four Filial Piety" stories, who allowed mosquitoes to feed on his blood to protect his father. In his youth, Wu Meng's mother had died early, and he lived with his father. Before he became a cultivator, due to poverty, they could not afford a mosquito net. Every summer night, his father often could not sleep well due to mosquito bites.

At that time, though young, Wu Meng had a filial heart. To let his father sleep well, he would expose his upper body to the mosquitoes, hoping they would drink his blood and leave his father alone.

After his father's death, he mourned for three years, burning paper offerings and making sacrifices morning and night. After the three-year mourning period, he followed his Master Xu Jingyang to the mountains to learn the Dao, eventually ascending to immortality and being enshrined as the Great Cave True Lord.

His filial piety moved heaven and earth, and even the Buddha behind the giant vulture often praised Wu Meng's loyalty and filial piety, showing great respect.

For thousands of years, the "Twenty-Four Filial Piety" stories have been widely known. Even if ordinary people do not worship the Buddha or respect immortals and demons, when they hear the stories of the "Twenty-Four Filial Piety," even the most unruly would not hesitate to give a thumbs up and praise them as "good."

The Great Cave True Lord bowed and said, "It is indeed I."

The giant vulture Mingwang praised, "You are very good! For your sake, I will spare you and your junior brothers, but these two Taoists are involved in a major event in the Three Realms, and I cannot let them go."

The Great Cave True Lord repeatedly said, "Dare not," and placed his hand on Xuan Kong's back, channeling gentle Taiqing True Qi, "Today, my two junior brothers saw nothing and heard nothing. There will be no rumors in the Three Realms that Mingwang fears."

The giant vulture shook his head, "If it were any other matter, I would let it go, but this one I cannot."

The Mingwang of the Original Seat was determined to take the lives of Xuan Kong and Daoist Master Shenhu. Daoist Master Yongwu angrily said, "We, the Twelve True Lords of the Jingming Dao, are all gathered here. How can you just say you will kill us?"

The giant vulture laughed loudly, dispelled the Mingwang Dharma Body, and drew a golden staff from the Buddha light behind his head, striking at Daoist Master Shenhu: "In heaven and earth, no one I say I will kill can escape!"

Seeing the giant vulture take action, the various True Lords of the Jingming Dao quickly waved their dusters to protect Daoist Master Shenhu. The giant vulture Mingwang sneered, "Pity your hundred years of hard cultivation will be destroyed in an instant. Hand over those two Taoists, and I will spare your lives!"

Daoist Master Jiandu threw a bamboo scroll from his sleeve to protect himself. This was the "Funeral Classic" he had written, which laid the foundation for later feng shui studies.

Thus, this scroll had a bit of post-natal merit, and after Daoist Master Jiandu refined it into a magical weapon, it could protect him from all attacks. However, the golden staff in the giant vulture Mingwang's hand was exceptionally heavy, striking the "Funeral Classic" and causing yellow light to ripple continuously.

"Senior Brother, form the Twelve Celestial Stems Formation!" Daoist Master Jiandu and the Great Cave True Lord exchanged glances and understood each other. The Great Cave True Lord chanted, "Jingming, illuminating the dark, pure and spotless, revered by the wise and foolish alike as the gate of enlightenment and the path to truth." This was the key to the Twelve Celestial Stems Formation, which all the True Lords understood, but Daoist Master Shenhu was severely injured and could not hold his position.

Xuan Kong let out a long whistle, slapped his forehead, and revealed his Jade Dragon spirit, jumping to stand between the dragon's horns. "Xuan Kong of Laoshan Sect, here to assist!" The Great Cave True Lord saw his spirit was lively and not at all like someone who was severely injured, and nodded, "Stay by Junior Brother Shenhu and together guard the position of the Rooster."

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