Chapter 144: Trouble Magnet

This explosive shout resonated like a great bell and booming heavenly thunder, brimming with a majestic and righteous aura.

It left the giant python's mind entirely blank, while dispelling the terror gripping the mortal hearts.

"A mere clay idol, how dare you put on airs!"

The giant python roared with a blustering, hollow bravado, hardening its heart as it lunged once more to swallow the man before it, intending to use his flesh and blood to heal its own injuries and thereby force back the so-called clay idol.

The next instant, however, the True Monarch's clay idol burst into golden radiance, instantly turning the surrounding world as bright as day.

The clay idol transformed as if donning a golden body, rising straight up from the ground to manifest before the fiend, determined to block its murderous act and save a life from the jaws of peril.

With every inch this golden body drew closer, the panic in the giant python's heart multiplied. In the span of a mere breath, the clay idol's golden avatar stood right between it and Zhang Rong.

The blazing golden light pierced it with terror and unease, making it feel like a solitary ghost exposed beneath the scorching sun, about to be scorched until both its form and spirit were utterly annihilated.

"Ah, ah, ah—!"

The fiend shrieked in terror, venting its panic.

As the golden body advanced, the giant python retreated. Amidst this advance and retreat, the demonic miura enveloping the python melted away like snow meeting boiling broth, dissipating strand by strand.

At the very end, a blinding and sacred ball of light erupted amidst a deafening roar.

Boom—

Dust and mist billowed everywhere. When the mist finally cleared, the crowd cautiously lifted their gaze to find the fiend gone, leaving in its place only the statue of the Benevolent True Monarch Who Rescues from Calamity.

Only, the True Monarch's divine statue was covered from top to bottom in cracks like a piece of fine porcelain, yet miraculously remained intact without shattering.

Zhang Rong and the others looked at each other, still lingering in a state of shock.

Regaining their senses one by one, they rushed over to the True Monarch's rescue statue, kowtowing repeatedly. Among them, the young man who had previously doubted the True Monarch knocked his head the hardest.

"The True Monarch is merciful! The True Monarch is truly merciful!"

"We kowtow in gratitude to the True Monarch! Thank you, True Monarch, for saving our lives!"

After an unknown passage of time, the crowd stood up, their faith in the Benevolent True Monarch Who Rescues from Calamity reaching its absolute zenith.

Then, they carefully hoisted the True Monarch's statue back onto the niche, offering incense and fruits with the utmost devotion.

"To protect us, the True Monarch allowed his golden body to crack," Zhang Rong said, his gaze mixed with piety, guilt, and deep emotion.

The others nodded, gazing anxiously at the road ahead. If the True Monarch's statue were to shatter entirely, they would likely lose their lives should they encounter any more demons or spirits.

Over the next few days, the merchants continued their journey. Whenever night fell and they had to camp in the mountains and forests, they would toss and turn in insomnia, finding peace only upon gazing at the True Monarch's statue on the shrine.

Another five or six days passed, and they finally reached the city. The very moment they stepped through the city gates, the True Monarch's statue fractured inch by inch and shattered completely upon the shrine.

The merchants were all startled, but Zhang Rong ignored the bustling crowd and kowtowed deeply toward the shrine.

When asked why, Zhang Rong replied: "The True Monarch is compassionate. Knowing that we would encounter demons and spirits and harbor fear, he used his divine power to guard us all the way. Now that our mission is accomplished, the True Monarch has retired his form. This grace is as vast as the heavens."

The others all agreed, and together they bowed to it.

People of the time did not understand and asked for the reason. Zhang Rong therefore recounted everything they had witnessed along the way. The townspeople were astonished, deeply moved by the True Monarch's benevolence, and spread the tale throughout the city as a wondrous legend.

Thus, the incense and worldly devotion for the True Monarch Who Rescues from Calamity flourished all the more.

***

On the very day the giant python bowed its head.

In the Qindao Kingdom, the True Monarch Who Rescues from Calamity felt the slight diminution of the incense wish-power within his body and pondered inwardly:

*'The Dao of Deities is truly wondrous, especially when practiced using Master's method. One can answer prayers by heeding voices, manifesting divine might through clay idols to suppress demons and evil spirits. However, the consumption is by no means trivial.'*

This casting of spells could be described as operating at a loss.

The True Monarch Who Rescues from Calamity merely gave a carefree smile. The Dao of Deities was not a business; one could not haggle over every ounce. Protecting his "all living beings" was a deity's responsibility.

Yet he thought to himself that he would need to economize where possible in the future, so as to save up some foundation for those little foxes.

*'That giant python, though, appeared quite bizarre. The route Zhang Rong and the others took is a commercial highway pioneered by the Seven Lions through years of trade, and the harmful beasts along the path had long since been slain.*

*As for other demons and beasts, most hide away in their deep mountain forests and do not roam about lightly.'*

Pondering thus without finding a solution, the True Monarch returned to his temple to study the Dao of Deities.

Time flew swiftly, and unconsciously more than a month passed.

Cao Kong cultivated in seclusion within the Hidden Mist Mountain. His Daoist magic, cultivation realm, and divine powers all made significant progress.

The Earth Escape technique within the [Great Escapism of the Five Elements] quietly and silently stepped into the realm of minor accomplishment, leaving only the Metal and Fire escapes before all five elements achieved minor accomplishment.

[The Transformations of Celestial Gang and Earthly Fiend] gained over a dozen new transformations, stepping into minor accomplishment as well.

His own primordial essence continued to grow steadily; in another ten or twenty years, he would achieve the Water Convergence.

[Roaming Spirit and Controlling Qi] opened up an entirely new portal for Cao Kong regarding the application of the Yang Spirit and the manipulation of Daoist breath.

In terms of the primordial spirit, he could roam the great void and display all sorts of wondrous feats, such as gathering into a form when united or dispersing into breath when scattered, concealing and manifesting at will.

However, the primordial spirit was of paramount importance, so Cao Kong only cultivated it without using it to show off.

As for controlling breath, it was exceptionally extraordinary. Currently, Cao Kong could practice the Three Controls: first, controlling the breath of heaven and earth for his own use; second, controlling the blood qi within his body to cultivate his physical form; and third, controlling his own Daoist breath to explore various inherent traits.

As for the Eight Winds divine power, after experiencing a flash of insight during his recent search overseas, his progress had recently stagnated. Therefore, he did not obsess over it or delve too deeply, choosing instead to focus on refining the Primordial Sword.

On the third and ninth days of every month, he would enter the Azure Splendor and Everlasting Realm to study various scriptures.

On this day, as soon as he entered the realm, he found the Nine-Spirited Sacred Saint waiting there.

The Nine-Spirited Sacred Saint said:

*"Junior Brother, two monsters have descended from the upper realm and have been acting as demons in the mortal world for over a decade. They are named Wind Peach and Fire Peach, and now style themselves the Wind and Fire Judges.*

*"They are committing evils and devouring humans in the mortal world. The Heavenly Court is about to send someone to capture them, and the Master says you should go and lend a helping hand."*

Hearing these two names, Cao Kong felt a slight ripple in his heart and asked out of curiosity: "Senior Brother, why would two monsters stray from the heavens?"

The Nine-Spirited Sacred Saint did not keep him in suspense and replied:

*"It is because of a troublemaker named Lingguang, also called Three-Eyed Lingyao, who entered the Numinous Void Palace of the Emperor of the Purple Polaris, stole his golden spear used for subduing demons and subduing ghosts, and let loose the two ghosts suppressed by the spear.*

*"The one sent next to capture the two demons is also him. If you handle this matter brilliantly, you are bound to leave a fine impression with the Emperor of the Purple Polaris."*

*"That troublemaker stole the treasure of the Emperor of the Purple Polaris and yet remained completely unharmed?"*

The Nine-Spirited Sacred Saint sighed softly: *"How could that troublemaker have remained completely unharmed? In his first lifetime, he was 'Sudhana', a disciple of the Tathagata Buddha. He once caused a disaster.*

*"Because he exterminated the Poison Fire Ghost King, he was reincarnated as the little prince of Mount Ma'er, slew the Dragon King, and stole the treasure of the Emperor of the Purple Polaris, resulting in his physical body being obliterated by the Emperor.*

*"Yet he turned misfortune into a blessing; a shred of his soul's spiritual light happened to encounter the wondrously joyous Heavenly Venerate and took him as master. He is now in his third incarnation."*

Hearing this much, Cao Kong already knew who that person was—none other than the future Emperor Huaguang, later referred to by posterity as King Ma.

Recalling the legends surrounding Emperor Huaguang, he sighed with emotion: *"So that is how it was. That so-called disaster was perhaps no disaster at all."*

The Nine-Spirited Sacred Saint smiled without speaking, and Cao Kong likewise smiled without speaking. Everything was understood without the need for words.

He then asked: "Senior Brother, how should I go about finding those Wind and Fire Judges?"

*"Just head straight towards the southeast."*

Apologies, apologies.