Chapter 413: Chapter 59: Years of the Game, The Wrath of the Three Pure Ones

The Ancient Immortal within the Death Tower was so terrified his soul nearly scattered.

"So it really is you."

Brahma Sound and Dao Rhyme played in unison as the enormous face pressed against the thin membrane, speaking word by word:

"Shen Gongbao, after being suppressed in the North Sea Eye for so many years, has your mind gone dull?"

The immense voice stirred great waves in this desolate land. Lu Xuan, holding the Copper Coffin, stood firm on the path piled high with bones. His heart stirred as he mulled over the name ’Duobao’.

’After two hundred years in the Spring and Autumn Period and another hundred in the Qin Dynasty, I have gained a general understanding of the Ancient Immortals and Ancient Buddhas. Duobao...’

’If I recall correctly, he was the first disciple of the Three Masters, which would make him my senior brother. He seemed to have shone brightly during the late Shang Dynasty, but for some unknown reason, he later joined the Buddhist Sect and became Tathagata Duobao, a great and mighty Buddha in his own right.’

’As for this Shen Gongbao, I’ve never really heard of him.’

As he pondered, inside the Ancient Tower, the Ancient Immortal lost his initial high-and-mighty demeanor. Adopting an almost reverent posture, he swallowed hard.

"Gree... Greetings, Senior Brother Duobao!"

"I am not your senior brother."

Beyond the boundary, the ancient Daoist who had abandoned Buddhism to return to the Dao spoke coldly:

"You are a Registered Disciple of the Second Martial Uncle’s lineage, yet you stirred up conflict in the late Shang Dynasty, causing the Jade Void and Biyou lineages to slaughter one another. I wanted to suppress and kill you even back then."

As he spoke, his face pressed further against the membrane, growing clearer. His voice was also frighteningly cold:

"What, and now you want to bring slaughter upon Junior Brother Lu Xuan?"

"Lu Xuan... Junior Brother??"

Shen Gongbao was startled. He whipped his head around to look at the blood-soaked young man holding the Copper Coffin and shook his head frantically.

"A misunderstanding! A misunderstanding! I didn’t recognize one of our own!"

With that, he quickly bowed to Lu Xuan, forcing a smile.

"So it was Junior Brother before me all along. May I ask which lineage Junior Brother belongs to...?"

Before Lu Xuan could answer, the ancient Daoist beyond the boundary snorted.

"The lineage of the First Martial Uncle. Direct Lineage."

Shen Gongbao’s scalp went numb. He felt a chill shoot up from his tailbone and spread throughout his entire body in an instant!

’The Taishang Lineage... and a direct disciple at that!’

’The Jade Void Lineage has the Twelve Immortals. The Biyou Lineage has countless direct disciples. But the Taishang Lineage...’

’Throughout Ancient Times, there have been innumerable Registered Disciples, but as for the Direct Lineage, there was only Emperor Xuandu. Could this unknown young man be the second direct disciple??’

’A direct disciple of the Taishang... Hmm? A direct disciple of the Taishang!’

A light flickered in Shen Gongbao’s eyes. He bowed again and said hurriedly,

"Junior Brother, in Ancient Times, I was trapped in the North Sea Eye for many years and knew nothing of the outside world. After emerging from the Sea Eye, I encountered a great upheaval and fled into the Demon Tomb. I have only just awakened from it!"

Lu Xuan gazed indifferently at Shen Gongbao, who had the bearing of an immortal and the air of a scholar, and asked calmly,

"If that is the case, why did you come here to attack me the moment you awakened?"

Although the figures beyond the boundary could not enter, they were all watching like hungry tigers. This was especially true for Duobao. Though he couldn’t see anything, he could sense Shen Gongbao’s approximate location by his voice.

His pair of eyes bulged against the membrane, casting an icy gaze in Shen Gongbao’s direction.

The latter was internally screaming at the absurdity of it all, but the smile on his face grew even wider.

"Junior Brother, it’s truly because I knew nothing! I had just left the Demon Tomb when I was deceived by two juniors—one a Demon Saint, the other a woman from the Human Race. I believed their words, and that’s why..."

Lu Xuan stroked the Copper Coffin. The Gloomy Lamp upon it burned brightly, its Pure Light spilling over Lu Xiuyuan’s remains like a stretch of silk.

Shen Gongbao noticed the Copper Coffin, and then he saw the Gloomy Lamp. His expression changed once more. ’That lamp...’

’It looks like the Human Lamp of the Lamp Buddha?’

A fawning quality immediately crept into his smile, but his heart sank as he remembered something. He said deferentially,

"Junior Brother Profound Clarity, you can come with me. I will take you to the Demon Tomb and hand over those two slanderous juniors for you to deal with!"

Lu Xuan narrowed his eyes, his mind racing. He guessed that the human woman Shen Gongbao mentioned was Ming Xiangjun. A murderous intent surged within him, but he didn’t respond, lost in thought.

’Something isn’t right.’

’This Shen Gongbao didn’t recognize me a moment ago, yet now he can call me... Profound Clarity?’

He raised his head, looked at Shen Gongbao, and asked calmly,

"You did not recognize me just now. How is it you know my Daoist name? Interesting."

As his words fell, the figures beyond the boundary also froze. Duobao’s face showed even greater anger. He tried to press forward again, but he had already reached the membrane’s limit and could go no further.

Inside the Ancient Tower, Shen Gongbao was visibly stunned, then he suddenly straightened up.

"It seems I was careless. Nevertheless, Junior Brother Profound Clarity, you should still come with me..."

As he spoke, he pointed a finger toward the boundary and said with a grin,

"While I cannot afford to provoke Senior Brother Duobao, I’m afraid they can’t get in right now. Junior Brother Profound Clarity, I do not wish to fight you. So how about you just take a trip with me?"

"Shen Gongbao, what are you trying to do?" Several enraged roars echoed from beyond the boundary, and a few more figures pressed their images onto the membrane, but that was all they could do.

They could not get in.

Shen Gongbao’s eyelid twitched. He was clearly startled by the reactions of these familiar figures. He then bowed.

"Everyone, please calm yourselves. I am also acting under orders."

"Whose orders?" Duobao asked, his voice flat and cold.

Shen Gongbao hesitated. In the end, he didn’t want to offend this person. ’Heaven and earth will revive sooner or later, and they will return sooner or later...’

At once, he bowed again and spoke frankly,

"At the beginning of the Great Zhou Dynasty, after I was suppressed in the Sea Eye, the Demon Ancestor came to find me. He told me that one hundred and seventy thousand years later, after I awaken from the tomb, if I see the Taishang’s direct disciple, Profound Clarity, I am to suppress him for ten years... That was the only thing he said. I know nothing more and can only follow the order."

’Demon Ancestor?’

’The beginning of the Great Zhou?’

Lu Xuan narrowed his eyes and quickly came to a conclusion. ’I’ve heard the name Demon Ancestor many times, often mentioned in the same breath as the Immortal Mother. He must be a Daluo.’