Black and azure interlocked together as two persons gazed at each other from afar. Shen QingXian spotted Gu JiuYuan, but he could only recall a vague and blurry figure in his memory.
At the end of the Fantastical Ashlandâs Road, a man with snow-white skin and wide shoulders, was wearing a crimson robe. It was similar to the blossoming of the Red Spider Lilies during the night, and he looked like an ostentatious devil who acted as he pleased but differently.
Although they were largely separated, Shen QingXian could discern his eyes: a pair of exceptionally beautiful ruby-like pupils.
He stared at him and the other party was also fixedly contemplating him. The clouds were soft while the breeze was gentle, but he persevered in being leisurely and composed.
Shen QingXian slightly frowned⌠The disciples on his side, the Heavenly Dao, were instantly ready for the fight!
Zeng ZiLiang, Ye Zhan and the rest were monitoring the scene with rapt attention while holding their breath, waiting for the big clash to happen at any moment!
Suddenly, hot steam rose from the sole. Shortly afterward, an indescribable fragrance wafted about. The smell made everyone confused as if it was the most awaited odor in peopleâs most delightful dreams and deepest desires.
It evoked and pulled out their purest naivety in the youth, their deepest yearns in this boundless lifetime and their most profound thoughts, moods and aspirations.
In a moment, several thousand elites of the Heavenly Dao passed into oblivion simultaneously, including the Six Great Sects, whose eyes were vacant, not distinguishing reality from illusion.
Reality⌠IllusionâŚ
What were they?
A low and deep but enchanting voice sounded out: âWhy bother?â
His tone was irreverent and languid, but his words echoed in the bottom of their hearts, stormed in their minds, caged their spirits and reasons, making people lose their way.
Joy, anger, sorrow, hope, fear, love and hate⌠the seven emotions which perturb humanity all became an integral whole. They melted into a perfectly straight cord, engulfing the warm and vigorous blood swarming in the arteries and veinsâŚ
Chilly breeze lacerated affections towards each other into exhaustion.
In the twinkling of an eye, the world transformed. Gentleness and beauty collapsed, dispersing that fabricated warmth as well; chilliness gushed and penetrated into the bones.
Ye Zhan, whose cultivation was the highest, was the very first to recover from the illusion. The man, calm and arrogant in the former days, had cold sweat on the back of his hands!
Magic!
Demon Emperor JiuYuanâs Imperius Curse!
Who would have expected that this Demon Emperor would still be that unbridled in the presence of Lord LianHua!
Although they heard that Demon Emperor JiuYuan was an expert in seizing and controlling the will of people and that the Imperius Curse could muddle the people whether it was reality or illusion, they didnât foresee that he would dare to make such a move exactly here and on a large scale.
Even more dreadful was that everyone fell for it except for Lord LianHua!
One must know that every cultivator practicing the Heavenly Dao present here was used to being alert and focused. Moreover, the majority of them wore ritual implements that warded off magic.
Not to mention the monks in the open sea of cultivators, who stepped in the gate of enlightenment and never feared any kind of magic, they were all toppled in an instant just now.
If it was not for Esteemed Lord LianHua, they would have been entirely destroyed already.
After a burst of chilliness poured in their hearts and minds, nobody dared to look down on that Demon Emperor of the Heart Domain anymore.
And, being able to enjoy equal popularity with the First under Heaven, he⌠he was truly formidable!
After the magic was dissolved, everyone realized that both sides have gotten closer by a lot.
Overseeing from afar, Demon Emperor JiuYuan stood taller in front of the Esteemed Lord. His splendid red pupils were filled with ridicule as he greeted: âShiShu, long time no see.â
Gu JianShen even addressed Shen QingXian according to the seniority of the past sect!
In those years, Shen QingXian was the last disciple of ShiFu, while Gu JianShen was the last disciple of Shen QingXianâs ShiXiong. Despite the two not meeting each other that often and not being close friends, in reality they were fellow disciples in all aspects.
Naturally, the appellation sounded like a provocation in the place where the two parties were standing.
However, Shen QingXianâs expression was motionless: âDemon Emperor is too courteous. No need to regard the ranks, it is indifferent to me.â
Gu JianShen didnât speak as he lowered his eyes to contemplate him, from his chilly and fair forehead, his gaze lastly paused on that red print between the eyebrowsâa bloody lotus on a snowy skin, which added more poignancy to his appearance.
Gu JiuYuan thin lips curved up as he gently chanted: âThe Moon Soft Clouds are Covering, Through the Wind Snowflakes are Fluttering.â
As soon as those words fell, everyone of the Heavenly Dao exploded!
This Demon Emperor⌠had the audacity toâŚ
But he was even more impertinent afterwards. In fact, Gu JianShen questioned with a smile: âEsteemed Lord, is there anyone who admires these overbearing looks of yours?â
âImpudent!â Ye Zhan was driven beyond forbearance and wanted to take the entire Demonic Cultivation down with him!
However, Shen QingXian raised his hand to restrict his actions. But Ye Zhan was about to blow up. Scouting the whole Cultivation Boundary, who would dare to rave at the Esteemed Lord so wildly!
The Demonic Cultivation was truly and extremely abominable in his eyes!
Compared to his discipleâs fury, Shen QingXian appeared serene. He only glanced at Gu JianShen as he softly recited: âFragrance Condensed into Bright Red Dew, Wasted Heart of the Twisted Mount Wu.â
BD: Tried to make the sentences poetic, while not sacrificing the meaning. This verse was written by Li Bai (Tang Dynasty poet). The title is âQing Ping Tiao Ciâ, the text is translated like âA branch of red and bright dew scented Yunyu Wushan intestine, wasting his heartâ aka, a love story between King Chu Xiang and the Dream Goddess who wanted to humanize flowers⌠And Wushan Yunyu whatever represents harvest and prosperity born by the two. Oh, thank you reader and pr Lynn for the research~
Gu JianShen was startled.
Shen QingXian stared at him: âDemon Emperor, your beauty is of an extremely gaudy youth.â
The ones exploding this time were the Four Almsgivers, the Eight Generals and the Sixteen Death Guards of the Heart Domain!
BD: flirting hehe licky licky
This Shen LianHua went as far as to comparing their Demon Emperor to a woman attending upon a sovereign!
Expressed succinctly, the Heavenly Dao and the Heart Domain had already drawn their daggers, wishing to squabble right away!
But after a short pause between the two, they unexpectedly looked and smiled at each other.
Correct⌠Looked and smiled at each other!
The Six Sects of the Heavenly Dao thought they had gone blind.
The cultivators of the Heart Domain believed they had become moronic.
They all predicted that there would be an endless death inarguably! They all expected that once the Demon Emperor enflamed, millions of bodies would fall and blood would shed for a thousand li⌠But the result was that Gu JianShen remarked in a good mood: âBeing able to obtain Esteemed Lordâs commendation, it is my lifeâs fortune.â
The Right Almsgiver of the Heart Domain, Jian Lian, opened his eyes wide: No, no, no! Your Majesty! It wasnât! They werenât words of praise!
The two traipsed shoulder by shoulder. One was walking on the vast Astral Sea, while the other was walking on a limitless Fantastical Ashland Road. Coupled with their slender silhouettes, even an ageless and peerless scenery was formed.
No, no, no! Nonsense!
All the spectators tried to hypnotize themselves as they watched at the scene. Nonsense! What a beautiful picture! This was the most frightful sight under the Heavens!
Both the adherents of the Heavenly Dao and of the Heart Domain have never and ever imagined such a day like this would come!
Ye Zhan and company caught up with them, feeling vexed in their hearts: Everything is our fault! We caused the Esteemed Lord to be wronged!
This was what the Six Sects of the Heavenly Dao were convinced of: as soon as the two met each other, Gu JianShen displayed his strength to the Heavenly Dao, and everyoneâs wit faded because of the Imperius Curse. Although Esteemed Lord wasnât trapped, he was also maltreated.
If they began to fight and that Gu JianShen took the opportunity to manipulate everyone, then the Esteemed Lord would be powerless and would have had to take into consideration the damage he would cause to them, therefore, he endured and intended to consider it at length.
And so, Ye Zhan and the rest loathed that Demon Emperorâs arrogance and presumptuousness as much as they hated their incompetence which hindered their Esteemed Lord!
As for the Heart Domain, they were also reflecting on what happened earlier!
Although Gu JianShen gained the initiative by striking first by applying the Imperius Curse to probe Heavenly Daoâs useless cultivators, when Ye Zhan and company were unconscious, the Heart Domainâs followers were intimidated too.
The moment the Imperius Curse was almost undone, Shen QingXianâs tremendous Divine Knowledge spread through the sky and the earth, instantly enveloping the Heart Domainâs cultivators.
The âWeiXinâ was an essential factor in their practice. However, Shen QingXianâs Divine Knowledge was too powerful, and this kind of âsuppressing the mountains and sinking the skyâ caused them to feel reverence.
WeiXin: Idealistic, Idealism; Moon explained it better
And yet, the terms reverence and WeiXin repelled one another. Supposing Shen QingXian kept on suppressing them, those followers of the Heart Domain would have yielded and switched to the Heavenly Daon already!
Of course, Gu JianShen created a barrier in time, obstructing Shen QingXian. However, that huge pressure left them an indelible trauma to their spirits.
Thus, they also felt that their Demon Emperor has received an enormous grievance! He must have feigned civility and became a yesman of that Heavenly Dao in order to protect their hundred-years cultivations.
Even though they thought too much, the outcome wasnât bad either. Everybody didnât only not battled with each other, but also sat down together peacefully and started to discuss about the Dao!
Actually, there wasnât much to discuss.
The Honored Heavenly Dao conformed to the Heavens, integrating the Heavenly Laws in their blood, flesh and heart.
The Faithful Heart Domain had both the Heavenly Laws and WeiXin in their heart.
If they really had to exchange opinions about the Dao, then they would very likely fight at any minute.
Their beliefs differ too greatly. And, explaining it boorishly, nobody was fond of mooting about feces.
Shen QingXian didnât want to talk over the Dao with Gu JianShen. Instead, he checked the Jade Scroll and noticed that â1. Meet with Gu JianShenâ turned light gray, meaning that the task has been accomplished. At the same time, a little piece of the Heavenly Staircase appeared on the artificial image in his mind.
*Moon Flower slides in* this feels like where in some games thereâs an event where u have to complete certain tasks to gain a piece of the jigsaw puzzle and when u complete the puzzle u get the event item. iâm starting to think that the gods in heaven are feeling bored so they thought of this clever âgameâ to get rid of their boredom and also start a trending way to ascend
BD: âŚ
Despite those tasks being trifling, it looked like that by complying with the Jade Scrollâs words, it could really restore the Heavenly Staircase.
The result was evident, so Shen QingXian continued with more enthusiasm.
â2. Get drunk together with Gu JianShenâ
Drink wine? Even though he never touched those stuff for several thousand years, it was a mundane matter which couldnât stump Esteemed Lord LianHua.
OnlyâŚâŚ.how could he put forward this kind of proposal?
Ye Zhan and the company were right about something though; Shen QingXian was undeniably worried about them, but not because they would get lost under the Imperius Curse, but that they would be suspicious about him.
For example, an ancestor who never touched a drop of alcohol suddenly asked to drinkâŚ
While Esteemed Lord LianHua was afflicted, Demon Emperor JiuYuan sent him âa cushionâ.
Gu JianShen suggested: âIn order to debate about the Dao, the Heart Domain has prepared a small gift of mine. I wonder if Esteemed Lord would do me the favor to test it?â
After his words fell, some apostles of the Heart Domain entered in a line. Their appearance and posture were lithe and graceful, they were wearing long gauzes and their slim jade hands were moving while holding brilliant jade jars containing excellent wine.
After opening the jar corks, a strong aroma of wine quickly suffused throughout the Palace Hall.
Who knew how the taste was, but the fragrance has made people ecstatic already.
An apostle was about to pour wine for Shen QingXian when Gu JianShen snatched the jade pot while commanding: âLet me do it.â
The apostle was astonished, but didnât dare to disobey and only retreated properly.
In the hall, the hearts of the Heavenly Daoâs members began to ache thoroughly.
Alcohol⌠Alcohol⌠Alcohol!
Who wasnât aware that Esteemed Lord was detached from the world and hadnât touched such an earthling product since long ago. But now, for their sake, he unexpectedly⌠unexpectedlyâŚ
Ye Zhan clenched his fists while gnashing his teeth with hatred.