One person above Qing Huang Ting

Chapter 804 Entering the Tushita Palace
The one-horned blue ox recognized Hu Xiuwu at a glance.

The last time the two of them met, Hu Xiuwu left a deep impression on him; he almost became a raw beef slice under Hu Xiuwu's sword.

Who is Hu Xiuwu? He is a wanted criminal in Heaven and Sun Wukong's junior brother.

What did Sun Wukong do last time he came to the Tushita Palace? He stole all the elixirs and wreaked havoc on the Tushita Palace.

Today, the master is not here again, only the palace attendants are here, and Sun Wukong's junior brother has come again.

The big blue ox thought to itself, using the brain of the stupid deer beside it, that Hu Xiuwu would definitely not let this opportunity slip by.

He's a ruthless man who killed the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King and the Lord of Mount Tai in the mortal realm; there's nothing he wouldn't do.

In other words, the Green Ox Demon was unaware of the great deeds Hu Xiuwu had committed at the South Heavenly Gate, otherwise he would have been even more convinced that Hu Xiuwu's intentions were malicious.

The giant blue ox immediately transformed into human form, gripping a steel spear and pulling out the Vajra Bracelet, ready to unleash it at any moment.

"Hu Xiuwu!! This is the Tushita Palace of the Heaven of Separation from Hatred, the execution ground of the Supreme Dao Lord. What are you doing here!"

The two jade lions flanking the vermilion gate of the Tushita Palace moved at the sound of the roar, their eyes flashing with ferocity, their fangs sharp, and they crouched down to charge.

Although the Green Ox Demon was usually lazy and carefree, he was capable of taking responsibility when it came to a critical moment. Even though he knew he couldn't defeat Hu Xiuwu and was afraid, he was still willing to stand guard at the gates of the Tushita Palace.

Otherwise, how could the Green Ox Demon become Laozi's only mount?

Hu Xiuwu leaned on his sword and said, "I have come to pay my respects to Laozi. I am also considered a disciple of Laozi's lineage. I have some questions about the Daoist scriptures that I would like to ask Laozi."

He spoke very politely, but he never put down the Spring Nourishing Divine Sword.

After all, he was Laozi from the Black Myth, and the Crane Immortal under Laozi's command always acted in an ambiguous manner. Hu Xiuwu really didn't know whether Laozi was more benevolent or malevolent.

The Green Ox Demon said warily, "In that case, you wait here while I send someone to inform the master and see if he wants to see you."

Hu Xiuwu extended his hand and said, "Of course, it's just a matter of courtesy."

Upon arriving at the Heaven of Separation, Hu Xiuwu was no longer worried that the Jade Emperor would personally capture him, and he believed that Laozi would most likely meet with him, which is why he was so calm.

This is the Tushita Palace of the Heaven of Separation from Hatred, the Daoist temple of Laozi.

Even the Jade Emperor, however arrogant, must show respect to Laozi, who is also a Great Golden Immortal.

Without Laozi's permission, he wouldn't have cast his gaze here without reason. Even at the height of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's power, they dared not search the Crown Prince's palace without cause.

Ultimately, Laozi (Taishang Laojun) is the Jade Emperor's collaborator, not his subordinate. Laozi's daily bows to the Jade Emperor during court assemblies are merely rituals; anyone who takes them seriously is a fool.

As long as Laozi doesn't say anything, the Jade Emperor won't discover that Hu Xiuwu is already standing in the Tushita Palace.

To this day, Hu Xiuwu has not seen the Jade Emperor's sky-covering hand, and Laozi must be somewhat curious about it.

The Green Ox Demon shook its body, and a few hairs fell off, which turned into a one-horned Green Ox the size of an adult greyhound when they landed on the ground.

The little green ox shook its head, and after getting used to its body, it ran towards the gate of the Tushita Palace in a flash, crashing into the vermilion gate, and passing through it like a wisp of water vapor.

Although Laozi is not present, he can return to the Tushita Palace in an instant, no matter where he is, as long as he wishes.

The Green Ox Demon warily stared at the Heavenly Court's most wanted criminal, traitor, rebel, and the one who had destroyed the foundations of the Four Rivers and Mount Tai.

Hu Xiuwu also leaned on his sword, closed his eyes and concentrated, guarding against the possible Dao Ancestor, the Old Mother of Mending Heaven, the Supreme Moral Heavenly Venerable, the Great Luo Golden Immortal, and the Supreme Lord Laozi.

Both sides have reservations, so they can only remain in a silent standoff.

crunch~
The sound of a large, vermilion gate opening shattered the tense silence. The gates of the Tushita Palace had opened.

Hu Xiuwu opened his eyes,
Inside the Tushita Palace, the halls were ancient and the decorations were simple, unlike the Lingxiao Palace, which was paved with gold and jade, had dragons coiled around pillars, phoenixes blowing wind, fairies playing music, and rare flowers that would last for ten thousand years as mere embellishments. A seamless fairy carpet woven from flowing clouds and rainbows was casually trodden upon.

There are no lesser immortals with less than a thousand years of cultivation coming and going, and the guardian deity of Taoism, the Great Spirit Official of the Capital, is on duty.

The Tushita Palace is very down-to-earth. Along the palace walls, there are stacks of chopped firewood to light the alchemy furnaces. In the courtyard, which is laid out with the Bagua and Jiugong grid, there are several five-tiered drying racks for processing Chinese herbal medicines. There are also children and cranes with crane heads and human bodies processing medicinal materials with pestles and stone mills in the pharmacy.

The boy had a youthful face, bulging muscles, and half-naked body. He was swinging a large hammer, hammering Kun steel and divine iron.

The atmosphere was bustling and vibrant, just like a martial arts sect in the mortal world, brimming with energy.

The Tushita Palace looked much simpler than the Lingxiao Palace, but upon closer inspection, Hu Xiuwu saw that the palace was shrouded in mist and radiant with precious light.

The pile of wood in the corner, with its golden patterns, could serve as an emperor's coffin in the mortal world. The peach wood with its dark outer layer would be refined by Taoist priests into lightning-struck peach wood swords in the mortal world. The wood that exudes a faint sandalwood fragrance might be carved into Buddha statues and deity statues.

No matter what, it won't be burned as firewood.

In the mortal world, this would certainly be considered a waste of resources, like burning a zither and boiling a crane.

The herbs the children were processing and the metals they were forging were all treasures coveted by immortals and gods. The divine iron the children were forging, also known as the Heavenly River Bottom-Fixing Divine Iron, was the material used by Laozi (Taishang Laojun) when he forged the Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel).

In the Tushita Palace, the children handled these precious treasures as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, and none of them thought their actions were extravagant.

The Tushita Palace may be unassuming, but it is by no means simple.

The entire Tushita Palace is like the highest academy in the Three Realms. Don't be fooled by the fact that these people who are processing materials all look like thirteen or fourteen-year-old Daoist children with rosy lips and white teeth and clear eyes. In reality, those who can enter the Tushita Palace are all old monsters who have cultivated for many years.

The two boys who guarded the cattle could become the Golden Horned King and the Silver Horned King respectively when they descended to the mortal realm, causing Sun Wukong considerable trouble.

Hu Xiuwu carefully observed the environment of the Tushita Palace, hoping to figure out the temperament and disposition of Laozi.

Currently, the outlook remains optimistic.

The fact that the Tushita Palace could have the atmosphere of an ivory tower school shows that Laozi was not like the Jade Emperor, who was arrogant and cold-hearted, full of class consciousness, and viewed all living beings as ants and the immortals as tools.

The Three Realms are merely food on a plate, and the gods are nothing more than servants at the table.

The fact that Laozi was willing to teach children shows that He still had a kind and compassionate heart.

Those who can truly be good teachers still possess some humanity.

After learning the truth about his origins, Red Boy discovered that he was the last descendant of the Yaksha royal family and planned to wreak havoc in the Heavenly Palace like Sun Wukong. Princess Iron Fan, worried that her son would get hurt, sought help everywhere in the Three Realms.

From the South China Sea to Mount Wutai, from Tianchi Lake to Penglai Island, those virtuous and learned individuals who knew the complex details of the matter all closed their doors to visitors.

In the end, it was Princess Iron Fan's master who gave her a hint.

Although that hint wasn't what Princess Iron Fan wanted, in fact, only the Tushita Palace was willing to give her advice and get involved in the mess.

'Laozi, unlike the Jade Emperor, still possesses some humanity.'

Hu Xiuwu pondered in his heart,

'I just don't know how strong this sense of human kindness really is.'

(End of this chapter)