Above the Great Dao-Chapter 1448 - 673: Loyalty

The Star Shuttle finally arrived at the last stop of the Heavenly River Crossing. This humble ferry was receiving so many Star Shuttles for the first time that they had to queue to enter the crossing.

Heavenly Soldiers and Generals guarded the crossing, and seeing so many Heavenly Soldiers and Generals disembarking from the Star Shuttles, they couldn't help but stare.

"So many Heavenly Soldiers and Generals sent from above, are they going to wage war on Golden Turtle Island?"

They began to speculate.

Golden Turtle Island, once a land polluted by the Outer Dao, has regained its status as a Holy Land, with Yuqing Dao Spring restored to clarity, causing quite a stir. The Heavenly Soldiers and Generals guarding Penglai West were alerted, besieged Golden Turtle Island, and captured all Taiyi Golden Immortals from Cloud Mist Cave Heaven. A Daluo Golden Immortal took action, leading to a series of lively events.

Now, with so many Heavenly Soldiers and Generals arriving, they naturally believed the Heavenly Court was dispatching forces.

"Isn't the Heavenly Court's relationship with Cloud Mist Cave Heaven not that close?"

They were puzzled, "Why is the Heavenly Court supporting Cloud Mist Cave Heaven then?"

At this point, a young man in yellow clothes with a high crown and wide belt approached Chen Shi, smilingly saying, "Daoist Chen, Gongsun Xuanyuan of the Xuanyuan Clan greets you."

Upon hearing this name, Chen Shi's heart pounded violently, and he saluted, saying, "Junior Chen Shi, pays respect to Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor!"

The man in yellow was Gongsun Xuanyuan of the Xuanyuan Clan, head of the Five Directions Five Elders of the Heavenly Court, who once wielded his sword by the Heavenly River, forcing the retreat of some of the strongest Immortals and rescuing King Li, leaving a lasting impression.

He is Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor, one of the oldest Divine beings of Huaxia Divine Continent, having become a God even before the Jade Emperor Great Heavenly Venerate became an emperor, hence called elder.

Gongsun Xuanyuan smiled and said, "No need for such formalities. Daoist Chen comes from the Dark Sea, possesses the Outer Dao, while also being in harmony with the Heavenly Dao, thus greatly valued by the Great Heavenly Venerate, who entrusted the Heavenly Mechanism Strategy to you. This act both protects the Heavenly Dao and fulfills you. The Great Heavenly Venerate initially intended to make you a Heavenly Dao Divine person, to wield the Heavenly Mechanism Strategy, becoming a major support for the Heavenly Court. However, the Great Heavenly Venerate also cherishes talent, thus has not taken action. Even at this moment, even if Daoist Chen were to take away all the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, the Great Heavenly Venerate would just let you go."

Chen Shi smiled and said, "The Great Heavenly Venerate's broad mind is truly admirable."

Gongsun Xuanyuan said, "The Heavenly Soldiers and Generals you are taking away are just a fraction of those under the Heavenly Court's control. The Heavenly Court has forty-nine Heavenly Palaces spread across, commanding millions of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals. Twenty thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals are not many."

Despite this, Chen Shi dared not relax, saying, "The Great Heavenly Venerate's magnanimity is indeed admirable. If it were me, I wouldn't have such tolerance."

Gongsun Xuanyuan said, "Daoist Chen's actions, though not causing significant harm to the Heavenly Court, do have quite an impact on the Great Heavenly Venerate. King Li is the Great Marshal of the World's forces for the Heavenly Court, and the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals he commands are, in fact, the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals of the Jade Emperor Great Heavenly Venerate. Daoist Chen this time, has taken away all of the Great Heavenly Venerate's named Heavenly Soldiers."

Chen Shi felt a pang in his heart, asking, "We signed a ten-year agreement with the Heavenly Court, after which we are free. Has Your Majesty come to kill us?"

Xuanyuan Clan shook his head, saying, "Your agreement with the Heavenly Court means an agreement with the Great Heavenly Venerate. How could Your Majesty go against his word? It was Your Majesty who pushed against opposition, letting you leave."

Chen Shi slightly relaxed and asked, "Then, for what reason has Your Majesty come?"

Xuanyuan Clan smiled and said, "The Heavenly Court cannot be without Heavenly Soldiers and Generals. Each Heavenly God has their Divine Office to maintain the mortal world's operation, Earth Gods also have their responsibilities, maintaining the Mortal World and the underworld. But the Heavenly Court also needs to ensure no chaos arises in the Earth Immortal Realm and suppress demons everywhere, thus requiring Immortals to become Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, handling mundane matters for the Earth Immortal Realm. You've taken away twenty thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, leaving the Great Heavenly Venerate without forces to use, which will cause his control over the Earth Immortal Realm to drop to a freezing point."

He paused slightly, then continued, "Currently, the Immortal Court's infiltration into the Earth Immortal Realm has reached unprecedented levels, even the Heavenly Soldier Camp and the Heavenly Court have been infiltrated by the Immortal Court. If the Great Heavenly Venerate has no Heavenly Soldiers and Generals to mobilize, it would be akin to handing over the world."

Chen Shi cautiously asked, "What does Your Majesty mean?"

Xuanyuan Clan said, "Heavenly Soldiers and Generals can gain their freedom, and the Heavenly Soldier Camp doesn't need to be under King Li's control. But, in the hands of the Great Heavenly Venerate, there must be usable Heavenly Soldiers and Generals."

He smiled, saying, "These twenty thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals can leave the Heavenly Court and reside in Penglai West; the Great Heavenly Venerate can even grant Penglai West to Golden Turtle Island, and even the monthly salary can still be issued by the Heavenly Court. But these twenty thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals must heed the Great Heavenly Venerate's commands! This is the bottom line."

Chen Shi's eyes flickered as he asked, "If I do not agree…"

Xuanyuan Clan solemnly replied, "The Great Marshal of the Heavenly Soldier Camp's forces doesn't have to be King Li; it doesn't have to be Chen Shi either. After your death, you could become a Heavenly Dao Divine person, which would reassure the Great Heavenly Venerate…"

"I agree!" Chen Shi said decisively.

Xuanyuan Clan smiled, "Daoist Chen wouldn't consider more?"

Chen Shi shook his head, saying, "My loyalty to the Great Heavenly Venerate is as clear as the Sun and Moon, beyond consideration. Your Majesty can tell the Great Heavenly Venerate that the Heavenly Soldier Camp in Penglai West is no different than in Western Heaven Swing! At the Great Heavenly Venerate's command, I will certainly lead twenty thousand loyal ministers and righteous soldiers to march forward!"

Xuanyuan Clan smiled, saying, "Daoist Chen is indeed loyal."

Chen Shi stood taller.

"Does Daoist Chen need an assistant for training the soldiers?"

Xuanyuan Clan said, "It's not that there is a lack of trust in Daoist Chen, but having an assistant skilled in military affairs means Daoist Chen need not personally attend to everything, delegating many trivial matters to the assistant."

Chen Shi blinked, "Is this assistant perhaps King Li?"

Xuanyuan Clan smiled, "He is a trusted minister of the Great Heavenly Venerate."

"No."

Chen Shi laughed, "He's my enemy."

Xuanyuan Clan did not insist, saying, "In that case, I shall return to the Heavenly Court and inform the Great Heavenly Venerate of this matter. Farewell."

After sending off the Gongsun Xuanyuan Family, Chen Shi finally breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself: "The Great Heavenly Venerate invited one of the Five Elders, Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor, here with impure intentions. If I don't agree, Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor will certainly take action and kill me. However, agreeing to the Great Heavenly Venerate is not bad at all as the Great Heavenly Venerate will provide money and provisions to help me raise soldiers."

He led the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals into Penglai West.

Penglai West, Golden Turtle Island.

Jiao Quezi was no longer limping at this moment; only the Golden Needle in his left eye remained, deeply embedded in his pupil. The needle seemed alive; whenever he touched its tail, it trembled uncontrollably as if trying to pinch the Golden Needle would make it drill into his brain along his eyeball!

Chen Shi helped him resolve the Outer Dao of the Harmonization Land, healing his old injury, but the Golden Needle was the Immortal Artifact of his enemy.

Recently, Jiao Quezi's cultivation had surged, making astounding progress with considerable growth in strength. Golden Turtle Island was also flourishing; Jing Mei and Jiang Guo were advancing rapidly, achieving remarkable feats. Yet, all this gave Jiao Quezi a sense of disbelief.

Especially the Yuqing Dao Spring, it always made him uneasy, guarding it daily and worrying that someone might come to steal the spring water.

He knew that his cultivation was lacking. If someone came to seize the spring water, they would surely be a very formidable expert, possibly a Daluo Golden Immortal, and he would certainly lose his life. Yet, he was reluctant to give up the Yuqing Dao Spring.

Fortunately, he hadn't encountered such bandits lately.

"There're still too few people on Golden Turtle Island."

He silently thought to himself, "Indeed, Golden Turtle Island is left with only cats and dogs. Qiao Gu often goes out, and after Jing Mei recovered, he frequently went out. The island often only had me or both me and Jiang Guo. Jiang Guo wasn't often on the island either…"

At this moment, the barking of the gourd dog rang out, startling him. Jiao Quezi felt weird: "Strange, these days people still come through the mountain gate? Shouldn't they just kill their way up the mountain and seize the Spiritual Spring?"

He stood up and looked toward the mountain gate, and the first sight that entered his view was tens of thousands of Immortals, neatly lined up, already arriving outside the mountain gate.

This was the first time he'd seen so many Immortals.

"Back when the ancestor set up the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, it was just such an army," he thought to himself.

Just as he thought of this, Jiao Quezi was shocked: "Immortal Soldiers and Immortal Generals of the Three Pure Ones Lineage! They've come to attack the mountain and break the temple!"

Now, only he was left on the mountain, together with the gourd dog.

With just him and a dog, it was utterly impossible to guard the Yuqing Dao Spring!

At this moment, a voice came: "Master Jiao, I've brought some people to our Penglai West."

"Chen Shi?"

Following the voice, Jiao Quezi looked over, seeing Chen Shi walking his way, unable to help but feel a bit lost, "What are these people coming to Penglai West for? Isn't it that the Heavenly Court wants to destroy my Golden Turtle Island?"

Chen Shi walked to his side and suddenly shouted: "Sword Ritual!"

"Swish——"

The sound of Sword Qi piercing the air came, as two hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers each activated the Sword Qi in their sword box, Sword Qi piercing the sky, countless sword shadows swayed, performing the Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture techniques, in perfect unison!

Jiao Quezi watched, feeling bewildered: "The swordsmanship of my sect, Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture… Yet, who are they? Why do they know the Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture?"

Chen Shi came to his side, smiled, and said, "Master, these are our twenty thousand outer disciples of Golden Turtle Island."

Jiao Quezi jumped in fright; earlier, he was still lamenting the scarcity of people on Golden Turtle Island, unexpectedly now there were twenty thousand more people!

He hurriedly grabbed Chen Shi: "Chen Shi, where did you invite these people from?"

Chen Shi smiled, "They are the soldiers of the Heavenly Soldier Camp; now their contract term has expired, and they've regained their freedom, so they've come with me to Penglai West."

"Heavenly Soldiers and Generals of the Heavenly Soldier Camp?"

Jiao Quezi's face turned ashen, exclaiming, "Would the Jade Emperor and the Great Heavenly Venerate let you off? You're rebelling!"

"Rebelling? What rebellion?"

Chen Shi was greatly surprised, saying, "I'm just bringing them to seek refuge in Penglai West, to make a living. It's much better than them drifting outside. Master, you're overthinking! The Jade Emperor and the Great Heavenly Venerate not only let me off but also promised to duly pay the monthly salary of these Heavenly Soldiers and Generals!"

Jiao Quezi was stunned, murmuring, "You're really not rebelling?"

Chen Shi shook his head: "I am absolutely loyal to the Great Heavenly Venerate, otherwise, the Great Heavenly Venerate wouldn't have entrusted these two hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals to me."

Jiao Quezi suddenly thought of someone and hurriedly asked: "What about King Li?"

Chen Shi thought for a moment and said: "Perhaps the Great Heavenly Venerate finds him lacking in loyalty. He's always flirting with Western Heaven, and probably the Great Heavenly Venerate had long wanted to deal with him."

——Too tired, nodding off, can't write anymore, let's leave this chapter at three thousand words.