Chapter 223: Chapter 171: Laozi’s Manifestation

The eighth seat, what kind of divine being is it really?

All the seats were shocked; the lord she spoke of had once played chess and stood side-by-side with the Great Celestial Venerate?

In bewilderment, they heard the Celestial Venerate speak in a low voice:

“For the present, it is not yet time for their return—nor even mine.”

Tears welled up in Miss Ming Yue’s eyes as she heavily knocked her head:

“Tao Ancestor, Great Lord, this little child understands…”

The Celestial Venerate chuckled and said:

“You are of unknown age yourself, from the old world until now, your lord has worried much for you, why do you still cry like a little girl of a few thousand years?”

“Even though you are no longer who you originally were.”

Zhang Fusheng cleverly measured his words, and the expressions he uttered were ambiguous, open to interpretation,

while the seats in the Taoist Palace had already been rendered completely speechless at the moment.

No.

What does it mean to be ’like a little girl of a few thousand years’??

They looked in horror towards the mysterious eighth seat, who had already stood up tremblingly, seemed to wipe away tears, and bowed towards the Celestial Venerate:

“Tao Ancestor, Great Lord, this little child understands….”

The Celestial Venerate sighed lightly once more.

A long silence.

Under numerous stiff gazes, Ming Yue composed herself, looked towards the sixth seat, and began to speak in a low voice:

“Where did you hear about Laozi transforming into Buddha?”

Yuan Feidao snapped back to his senses, looking very grave:

“This is my secret… you, do you also know Laozi? Do you know which Buddha this former Tao Leader transformed into?”

Miss Ming Yue gave him a strange look and softly said:

“You may have misunderstood the words of the Tao Ancestor, Great Lord.”

She closed her eyes for a moment, seemingly sifting through chaotic memories, and after a long while:

Ming Yue spoke in a low voice:

“Laozi was the foremost of Taoism—not the leader of that generation of Taoism.”

“It is because of Laozi that there is Taoism.”

’Gulp!’

Shen Baobao swallowed, and Huang Qiuxian stumbled.

The Tao Leader… so this is what it meant to be a Tao Leader!

Miss Ming Yue smoothed her temple, glanced at Shen Baobao, and calmly said:

“Laozi is also connected to your line of Confucianism.”

Shen Baobao licked his dry lips, bowing in respect:

“Please enlighten me, Eighth Seat.”

Ming Yue nodded:

“The First Ancestor of Confucianism, the Great Perfection Master, was once Laozi’s student—Laozi’s transformation into Buddha was not into any Buddha, but into the Buddha Ancestor.”

“That is, the Now Tathagata, whom your Ling Mountain sect reveres most.”

Everyone’s mind was buzzing.

Shen Baobao naturally knew of the Great Perfection Master, venerated by both the Ancient Saint Sect and the Celestial Principle Sect!

The teacher of the Great Perfection Master had once transformed into the Now Tathagata—the true Now Tathagata!

None could find words, Laozi…

They silently noted the revered name, and suddenly the thought struck.

Laozi, and the Celestial Venerate, which is stronger, which is first?

They quietly glanced at the roiling chaotic fog.

Yuan Feidao was the first to recover from the shock, pondering for a long time, finally gritting his teeth, he spoke:

“Is there any possibility… for Laozi to return?”

Combining the anomalies of the Tathagata Celestial Position, he was utterly convinced that Laozi had indeed returned!

Indeed, it was so.

The mysterious eighth seat gently nodded:

“He has already returned.”

Everyone gasped.

Chen Nuanyu felt a slight numbness in his limbs, not daring to interrupt such high-level discussions, listening quietly with perked ears,

Huang Qiuxian was utterly befuddled, Du Mingsheng fell into silence, suddenly realizing that the life-and-death matters he faced seemed… insignificant now.

As for Shi Zhengyuan and Buddha Son?

Each was listening with utmost seriousness.

They might not understand Laozi, but they knew the significance of the Tathagata—Buddha Ancestor.

Yuan Feidao, suppressing his tumultuous emotions, asked in a low voice:

“Do you know… where he is?”

Everyone looked towards the eighth seat.

“I do.” Ming Yue nodded, then, under the gaze of all, turned around and bowed towards the churning chaotic fog.

Yuan Feidao was taken aback.

What does this mean?

Suddenly realizing, as did all the seats, they were horrified to look at the Great Celestial Venerate—He….. is Laozi?

He is the revered teacher of the First Ancestor of Confucianism, the most highly honored founder of Taoism??

It seemed fitting indeed.

Everyone bowed their heads in awe.

Then heard the eighth seat croaking voice:

“Laozi was once an incarnation of the Tao Ancestor, Great Lord, of bygone days.”

???

What nonsense is this??

Everyone’s heads buzzed as this thought surfaced.

Incarnation…?

Yuan Feidao, Buddha Son, and Shi Zhengyuan all incredulously raised their heads, suddenly feeling a collapse of their faith.

If Laozi were an incarnation of the Great Celestial Venerate.

Then…

The present Tathagata would be an incarnation of an incarnation of the Great Celestial Venerate?

Minds were dizzy, emotions like stormy waves.

Incapable of calming.

The chaotic fog quietly flowed, the Celestial Venerate did not speak, simply sat there, transcending all.

Zhang Fusheng silently gave Miss Ming Yue a thumbs up.

He simultaneously confirmed that the so-called old world was entirely composed of those mythological stories he knew.

Laozi’s transformation into Hu, west out of Hangu Pass.

Supreme Tao Ancestor.

Five Mansions Temple…..

And so on, all are thus.

In the deathly quiet.

Ming Yue stood up, curiously looked at the newcomer sixth seat:

“Since I’ve said so much, should you tell me how you came to know of Laozi’s transformation into Buddha?”

Yuan Feidao murmured:

“Just this morning, the Tathagata Celestial Position told me—only Laozi can become the Tathagata.”

Buddha Son glanced sideways, Shi Zhengyuan widened his eyes.

The sixth seat, could actually communicate with the Tathagata Celestial Position??

Standing in the corner, Chen Nuanyu felt a sense of disconnection, as if being left behind.

The positions of these seats are too high.

Inconceivably high.

Yuan Feidao’s eyes refocused, murmuring:

“But I don’t understand, according to the Tathagata Celestial Position, Laozi clearly appeared just this morning…”

This morning?

Zhang Fusheng was startled.

This morning, wasn’t it exactly when I cast down the nine divination cups, deciding to assume the [Taiqing] position?

I must say something.

From the side, a True Man opened his mouth plainly:

“This morning, one of the Celestial Venerate’s incarnations descended among humanity—not emerged.”

“But unified within a certain person.”

Yuan Feidao prostrated, croakily asking:

“I am willing to pay the price to exchange for that person’s true name!”

The True Man just shook his head.

Zhang Fusheng was still uncertain what the ancestor kneeling before him wanted to do, so naturally, he couldn’t say the words ’Zhang Fusheng’.

He had already made his plan.

Sitting in the Eight Sceneries Palace as Taiqing.

How could the Zhang Fusheng walking among the people not be the incarnation of Taiqing, and how could he not be Laozi?

In this way, many things, many phenomena, could make sense!

But, the Tathagata Celestial Position?

Zhang Fusheng licked his lips, feeling somewhat tempted, a vast and boundless celestial position…

Taiqing transformed into Laozi, and Laozi sits on the lotus platform.

It was reasonable and logical.

This was once the true past…

Suddenly, Zhang Fusheng shuddered.

The True Man timely spoke:

“Do you still wish to exchange mutual desires?”

All attendees saluted the Celestial Venerate, and Du Mingsheng gritted his teeth and said:

“I wonder if the Eight Seats can come to my rescue? I am willing to pay any price.”

Miss Mingyue shook her head:

“I am currently sitting among the stars and cannot descend, but…”

She changed the topic:

“I might let a friend of mine save you in passing. It may not succeed, but it is an opportunity. However, I must remind you, my friend’s cultivation is not as advanced as mine.”

Du Mingsheng was overjoyed, repeatedly expressing thanks,

and the other attendees began exchanging information and intelligence. The gathering in the High Heaven was nearing its end.

At the end.

Shi Zhengyuan from the fourth seat bowed to the True Man:

“I have already gathered some great sects and wish to interchange with them. They are also willing to pay the price according to the rules in exchange for the ability to interchange.”

The True Man nodded faintly:

“After leaving the Taoist Palace, I will come to see you.”

The Buddha Son also spoke at this time:

“I also brought someone, a Walking Under God from my Mandala Lineage, who is willing to pay the price in exchange for the ability to interchange.”

The True Man nodded again:

“Later, I will also descend there.”

The remaining three ’elders’ had not made any progress, Chen Nuanyu was hiding in Chongyang City in distress,

Huang Qiuxian had just returned to the Eastern Sect not long ago, as for Du Mingsheng?

He was in a worse situation.

Currently in a large prison.

As the meeting was about to conclude, Mingyue pondered and still warned all attendees:

“A chaotic world is coming. Meeting you here and receiving the grace of the Tao Ancestor is not easy… You should all be more careful.”

Chaotic world?

Huang Qiuxian licked his lips:

“Eighth Seat, about this chaotic world, where did it originate from?”

Mingyue shook her head:

“It’s unclear, impossible to explain, and I can’t fathom it either. However, the signs are clear.”

Everyone felt a chill in their hearts and bowed to the Eighth Seat from the old world, possibly all deities.

The True Man sang:

“Today’s discussion ends here.”

One by one, members fell out from the Taoist Palace, descending to the mortal world—except for the Eighth Seat.

She had stayed behind.

Or rather, she had voluntarily requested to stay.

The Taoist Palace soon became empty, and Miss Mingyue prostrated herself on the ground:

“Tao Ancestor, I have something to report…”

The old man, upgraded from Great Celestial Venerate to Great Tao Ancestor, opened his eyes, chaotic fog billowing unceasingly.

He silently gazed at the prostrated elegant woman, slightly nodding.

Mingyue took a deep breath, her voice trembling:

“After I walked out of the painting that the old master personally made, I met a person with a very special eye.”

Hmm?

Zhang Fusheng became interested.

Mingyue continued:

“I discovered that in his eye, there is a very mysterious quality, as if…”

“Related to the Tai Chi Diagram of the Tao Ancestor.”

The Celestial Venerate silently gazed at her, calmly nodding:

“I have long known about this.”

“The person you speak of… originally had both eyes.”

The sound of the Tao echoed, and a piece of forgotten history opened to Mingyue.

She acquired a new memory—a memory of when Black Eye still had both eyes.

She trembled, kowtowed, her figure like a falling leaf, drifting out of the Taoist Palace.

The great door of the Taoist Palace closed with a bang.

“The Tai Chi… Diagram?”

The Great Celestial Venerate muttered deeply, rising, turning to gaze at the white jade wall behind the meditation mat.

Back when the Eight Sceneries Palace was anchored, it was the remnant scene of a corner of the Eight Sceneries Palace that was seen.

On this wall, there was originally a Tai Chi Diagram hanging.

But now, it was empty and desolate.

“So, Black Eye’s eyes are related to the Tai Chi Diagram? No wonder he can observe the Eight Sceneries Palace….”

Zhang Fusheng plopped down on the meditation mat again, becoming excited, muttering to himself:

“I now have more than a thousand years of mental accumulation… Miss Mingyue is truly generous!”

He was not in a hurry to use the mental accumulation, planning to put it aside for now.

The reason was simple.

“If I want to make the ultimate leap, I must first sell off my spirit realm, return to the Minor Perfection level…”

“At that time, my millennium of mental accumulation would naturally disperse like smoke.”

Zhang Fusheng’s eyes shone brightly:

“I have to wait until I ignite four furnace fires, reach the extreme limit of the Grandmaster level, sell my spirit realm, and then use these spiritual cultivation!”

He licked his lips:

“That way, I can ascend to the heavens in one step, leap over the Grandmaster Realm, and achieve the Innate Realm!”

Without resorting to the hands of deities from different dimensions, without becoming a ’Favored One’ of a deity from a different dimension,

the only way is to enter the Innate Realm by way of an ultimate leap!

Accumulate a thousand years of spiritual cultivation as a Grandmaster,

for others, it is as hard as ascending to heaven, almost impossible, but for himself?

Easily achieved.

Now, everything is ready, only the three remaining furnace fires need to be lit.

“In this way, I need to buy some physical cultivation first.”

Zhang Fusheng quietly pondered, Tai Chi Diagram, Chongshan City…

He murmured to himself:

“Chongshan City seems a bit dangerous… so be it.”

Zhang Fusheng stood up from the meditation mat.

He was no longer who he was before; he had no need to risk himself alone in Chongshan City.

Behind him, in his hands, was the entire Chongyang.

“More and more Cultists are coming to Chongyang… all for the Stabilizing Needle Iron.”

Zhang Fusheng lowered his eyelids, muttering to himself:

“I still have time to make Chongyang as solid as a fortress—this is my city.”

He licked his lips, temporarily casting aside his many thoughts.

The immediate priorities are only two things.

One is to acquire the ’price,’ or ’offering,’ prepared by Shi Zhengyuan and the Buddha Son.

The other…

Handle the matter with Black Eye.

“First, go see Black Eye.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep