Honghuang: Fire De Huaguang, I am the Horse King of Human Education

Jinzha and Muzha were taught by Lady Yin from a young age and were extremely filial; Nezha, though unruly, valued loyalty and affection highly.
Jiang Ziya, observing the expressions on the other's face, continued.

"Master Ran Deng instructed you in this way precisely to eliminate any future troubles. Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles; General, do not fail to appreciate your teacher's painstaking efforts."

The struggle in Li Jing's eyes gradually faded, replaced by an almost insane obsession.

"Master is right, the path to immortality is the most important."

He stood up unsteadily, his eyes filled with ruthlessness.

"I'll go to the backyard now."

After Li Jing left, Ran Deng spoke softly.

"Do you really think I'm going to cover up his secrets?"

Jiang Ziya was taken aback.

"Didn't Master just say..."

"During the Great Calamity, the secrets of Heaven are in chaos, so why bother with this?"

The corners of Ran Deng's lips curled up slightly.

"I just want him to sever his ties to the world himself. Such a selfish person will definitely shift the blame onto me after killing his wife, which will make him easier to control."

A chill suddenly rose from behind Jiang Ziya.

He suddenly remembered Ma, his wife who lived far away in Xiqi and prayed for him every day.

If one day he had to choose between the road and his wife...
"Junior brother seems to have something on his mind?"

The lamp-burning lamp seemed to be smiling in a half-smile.

Jiang Ziya quickly composed himself.

"I just felt that General Li was indeed capable."

He swallowed the word "selfish," but in his heart he had already categorized Ran Deng and Li Jing as the same kind.

Ran Deng gave him a meaningful look.

"Let's wait and see. Once he succeeds, Chentang Pass will be rightfully Xiqi's.

In the bedroom in the backyard, Madam Yin lay on the bed, her magical powers suppressed, except for her eyes, which could still move.

The tears had long since dried, replaced by a profound sense of despair.

She hated Li Jing for being heartless and ungrateful, and even more so for being blind back then, failing to see the evil intentions her husband harbored.

Footsteps suddenly came from outside the window, getting closer and closer, and finally stopped outside the door.

Lady Yin's pupils contracted sharply as she recognized her husband's footsteps.

"lady."

Li Jing's voice came through the door, sounding somewhat hoarse.

"I'll ask you one last time, are you willing to come with me to Xiqi?"

Madam Yin bit her tongue, struggling to break free of the restriction, and hissed.

"Li Jing! If you dare to surrender the pass today, I will haunt you even as a ghost!"

After a moment of silence outside the door, a long sigh was heard.

"In that case, may you have a safe journey, Madam."

The door creaked open. Li Jing stood in the doorway, holding a long sword, the blade reflecting his distorted face.

He approached step by step, the tip of his sword trembling slightly.

Don't blame me.

Li Jing muttered to himself, it was unclear whether he was speaking to his wife or comforting himself.

"When I become an immortal, I will surely guide you to rebirth in the Pure Land."

Madam Yin glared at him, her eyes full of mockery.

She suddenly shouted with her last bit of strength.

"Li Jing! You killed your wife today to surrender the pass, and you will surely be punished by Heaven in the future!"

The sword light flashed past.

Blood splattered onto the gauze curtains, like red plum blossoms blooming in the snow.

Li Jing's hand holding the sword trembled violently, and the sword clattered to the ground.

He staggered backward, bumping into the door frame. Watching his wife gradually lose consciousness on the bed, he suddenly ran outside like a madman.

In the front hall, Randeng and Jiang Ziya looked up simultaneously. Randeng's lips curled into a slight smile.

"It's done."

Jiang Ziya felt a sudden pang of anxiety and instinctively pressed his hand to his chest.

There was a lucky charm hidden close to her body, which was embroidered by Ma herself.

A moment later, Li Jing returned, looking utterly dejected, his clothes stained with blood and his face ashen.

"Master, your disciple has acted as instructed."

Ran Deng nodded.

"Very good. From this moment on, you will be the direct disciple of my Chan Sect. Leave the matter of the tribulation to me."

He changed the subject.

"Now go and order the gates to be opened to welcome the Xiqi army into the city."

Li Jing nodded mechanically, then stumbled as he turned around, nearly falling.

Jiang Ziya instinctively reached out to help, but was stopped by Randeng's gaze.

After Li Jing left, Randeng spoke calmly.

"Let him be. Such a weak-willed person is easy to handle."

Jiang Ziya couldn't help but say.

"Isn't Master afraid of him turning against him in the future?"

"Backlash?"

Ran Deng chuckled softly.

"He kills his wife today, and he'll murder his son tomorrow. Such a despicable person will be the most loyal dog if you give him enough benefits."

Jiang Ziya was startled and dared not say another word.

Meanwhile, outside the general's residence, the guards were surprised to see Li Jing emerge alone. The deputy general stepped forward and asked him what was wrong.

"General, your wife..."

A red light flashed in Li Jing's eyes, and he said sternly.

"Pass down the order: open the gates and welcome the Xiqi army into the city! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

The soldiers were in an uproar. The deputy general was filled with doubt and suspicion.

"General, please reconsider! This action is tantamount to rebellion!"

Before he could finish speaking, Li Jing suddenly sprang up and pierced the deputy general's chest with his sword.

"Who else dares to disobey orders?"

The guards retreated in horror, looking at the general who seemed to have gone mad, and no one dared to say another word.

As the city gates slowly opened, the remnants of the Xiqi army were overjoyed.

Ji Fa, escorted by Yang Jian, was the first to enter the city. Upon seeing Li Jing, whose clothes were stained with blood, he was taken aback.

"General Li, what is this?"

Li Jing knelt down and bowed.

"Your subject Li Jing respectfully welcomes Your Highness to take control of Chentang Pass!"

Ji Fa was overjoyed and quickly helped him up.

"The General is a man of great principle, a true blessing for Xiqi!"

Only Yang Jian frowned slightly, his Heavenly Eye vaguely seeing that Li Jing was surrounded by a bloodthirsty aura.

He secretly transmitted his voice to Nezha.

"Be careful, something's not right with this general."

Nezha replied with a pout.

"What good thing could someone be who surrenders and hands over the pass?"

No one noticed that a faint blue light quietly disappeared outside the window of the bedroom in the backyard of the General's Mansion.

That was transformed from Lady Yin's personal jade pendant, carrying her last lingering attachment, flying towards Chaoge.

Ran Deng stood on high ground overlooking the entire city and said to Jiang Ziya.

"Immediately send a message to Kunlun: the plan is complete. Next..."

Before he finished speaking, auspicious clouds appeared in the sky, and a majestic voice rang out.

"Li Jing! How dare you surrender the pass to the enemy!"

Everyone looked up and saw Wen Zhong leading his army to arrive, his thunderous double whips hanging high in the air, crackling with lightning.

Li Jing's expression changed, and he subconsciously looked at Randeng. Randeng said calmly.

"Go, this is your pledge of allegiance."

Seeing Wen Zhong's heartbroken expression, the last hesitation in Li Jing's eyes completely disappeared.

He leaped into the air and unleashed the golden pagoda.

"Grand Tutor Wen! A wise bird chooses its tree to perch on. Today, I will show you the divine power of the Chan Sect!"

A great war suddenly broke out.

Unbeknownst to anyone, in the secret chamber beneath the General's Mansion, a jade talisman was quietly lighting up—it was the Mother-Child Heart-Connecting Talisman held by Jinzha and Muzha, which was emitting a mournful cry upon sensing the mother's death.

Thousands of miles away, Hua Guang suddenly sensed something, and the Kongtong Seal trembled violently.

He did some quick calculations with his fingers, and his expression suddenly changed.

"Something's wrong! Something's happened at Chentang Pass!"

Li Jing burst into the bedroom with his sword, the blade gleaming coldly in the candlelight.

Lady Yin was bound to the bed by magic, but her eyes were sharp as she asked, word by word.

"Li Jing, have you ever wronged me?"

"Never."

Li Jing answered decisively, but his wrist trembled slightly.

"Have I wronged the Great Shang?"

"Never."

"Have we failed the millions of people in Chentang Pass?"

"Never!"

After three questions and three answers, the final hesitation in Li Jing's eyes turned into ruthlessness.

"But I desire the path to immortality even more! My lady, please don't blame me!"

He held the long sword high, reflecting his distorted face.

Before the light curtain in the front hall, Ran Deng stroked his beard and chuckled.

"Do you see? Such is human nature. For the sake of immortality, one can abandon not only one's wife, but even one's own children."

Jiang Ziya felt a chill run down his spine and subconsciously reached for the peace charm embroidered by Ma in his bosom.

The moment the sword fell, a sudden change occurred!
A gigantic hand appeared out of thin air, blotting out the entire light barrier. Ran Deng's expression changed drastically, and he swept Jiang Ziya up with his sleeve. "Go!"

The two transformed into streaks of light and vanished into the air.

Almost simultaneously, the backyard of the General's Mansion collapsed with a roar, sending smoke and dust billowing into the sky.

Li Jing's presence vanished instantly, as if he had never existed.

Ran Deng raised the Qiankun Ruler in front of him, hung the coffin lamp above his head, and then grabbed the apricot-yellow flag from Jiang Ziya's hand and unfurled it.

"Set up the formation!"

Three beams of light intertwined to form a net, protecting the two of them completely.

"Who is this master, hiding their true identity!"

With a fierce shout, he swept out a radiant glow with the Qiankun Ruler, but it vanished like a clay ox entering the sea.

As the smoke and dust cleared, a figure could be seen standing on the ruins.

Clad in black robes and with hair as black as ink, he stood with his hands behind his back, a radiant figure who had returned after leaving!

He lightly held the Kongtong Seal with his fingertips, and the black bird pattern on the seal shone brightly.

"Fellow Daoist Ran Deng, how have you been?"

Hua Guang spoke calmly, and the rubble beneath his feet silently turned to dust.

The lamp's pupils contracted sharply.

"It's you? Where is Li Jing?!"

With a flick of his sleeve, Hua Guang sent a golden light flying out from the ruins; it was none other than the unconscious Li Jing.

“A coward who fears death is not fit to command Chentang Pass.”

As he spoke, he glanced at Jiang Ziya.

"Jiang Shang, are you going to get involved in this mess too?"

Before Jiang Ziya could answer, Randeng suddenly sneered.

"You scoundrel Hua Guang! You've ruined my plans. Today I'll show you the power of the Jade Void!"

The flames of the coffin lanterns surged, transforming into nine fire dragons that swooped down.

Hua Guang neither flinched nor dodged, and the Kongtong Seal rose into the air.

The two characters "Kongtong" on the bottom of the seal shone brightly, and the Nine Dragons True Fire was completely absorbed into the seal!
"How can it be!"

Ran Deng was horrified, and the Qiankun Ruler came crashing down on him. But then Hua Guang pointed his fingers like a sword and pointed at the air.

"break!"

With a sharp crack, cracks appeared on the Qiankun Ruler! Ran Deng coughed up blood and flew backward, the apricot-yellow flag trembling wildly.

"Master!"

Jiang Ziya hurriedly activated the God-Slaying Whip to help, its shadows spreading like a dragon emerging from the sea.

Hua Guang didn't even look, and slapped it backhand. The Kongtong Seal pressed down like a mountain, and the God-Slaying Whip flew out of his hand with a mournful cry!

Jiang Ziya's tiger's mouth split open, and he staggered backward.

"The most precious treasure of the Chan Sect is nothing more than this."

Hua Guang's sleeves billowed, and the Kongtong Seal pressed down once more.

In a panic, Ran Deng raised the coffin lamp to try and hold it up, but the flame flickered and clearly the lamp was struggling to stay afloat.

Just then, the sound of a horn suddenly came from afar.

Seeing the unusual activity at the General's Mansion, the Xiqi army swarmed towards it. Yang Jian and Nezha led the charge, heading straight for Huaguang!

"Stop harming my master!"

The three-pointed double-edged sword pierced through the air, while the fire-tipped spear unleashed a raging inferno.

Hua Guang frowned slightly, turned the Kongtong Seal, and the phantom of the black bird soared into the sky.

With a flap of its wings, a fierce wind, sharp as a knife, forced Yang Jian and his companion back several feet.

"Huaguang! Give me back my father!"

Nezha charged forward again on his Wind-Fire Wheels, his Hun Tian Ling coiling around the Kongtong Seal like a dragon.

Hua Guang gave a soft hum and flicked a golden light from his fingertip.

The Hun Tian Ling (a magical ribbon) instantly dimmed and rolled back. Nezha cried out in alarm and retreated, almost getting bound by his own magical weapon.

Ran Deng took the opportunity to swallow the pill and said sternly.

"Form a formation! Traps him!"

The remaining Chan Sect cultivators unleashed their magical treasures, their beams of light weaving into a net.

Hua Guang was finally moved. The Kongtong Seal suddenly enlarged, its inscription flowing like an inverted galaxy.

"Even a grain of rice can shine?"

With a deafening roar, the magical net shattered! More than ten cultivators coughed up blood and flew backward, their magical treasures losing all their brilliance.

The lamp's eyes were practically popping out of their sockets.

How dare you!

Before he could finish speaking, Hua Guang suddenly turned and looked eastward.

"Wen Zhong arrived quickly."

As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves and lifted the unconscious Li Jing.

“I’m taking this man with me. Randeng, tell Yuanshi that Chentang Pass is not a place he can touch.”

With a flicker, he transformed into a golden rainbow and vanished.

Just as Ran Deng was about to give chase, he suddenly saw thunderclouds rolling in the sky, and Wen Zhong had led the main force of the Shang army to attack!
"Uncle-Master, let's go!"

Jiang Ziya hurriedly pulled up the sleeve of the lamp-burning robe.

"What we're about to do is impossible!"

Ran Deng gritted his teeth and stared in the direction where Hua Guang had disappeared, finally stamping his foot in anger.

"withdraw!"

The apricot-yellow flag swept up the crowd, who fled in disarray.

A moment later, Hua Guang appeared on a barren mountain a hundred miles away from Chentang Pass.

Li Jing was thrown to the ground, and a golden light shone down from Kongtong Mountain.

Li Jing slowly woke up and was immediately horrified when he saw Hua Guang.

"you!"

"Clean up your wife's house."

Hua Guang's tone was icy.

"Tell me, what benefits will Ran Deng offer you?"

Li Jing's eyes flickered.

"Immortal Master, you are wise to see that it was all due to Ran Deng's coercion and enticement."

The Kongtong Seal suddenly pressed down, and Li Jing screamed in agony as blood spilled from his seven orifices.

"If you try anything funny again, you will be destroyed, body and soul."

Hua Guang's gaze was sharp as a knife.

Li Jing finally broke down.

He said he would help me transcend my tribulation and become an immortal, and even promised me the position of Grand Preceptor of Xiqi.

"So you killed your wife to offer up the pass?"

Hua Yin spoke with a mocking tone.

"Did you know that before your wife died, she hoped you would turn back to the right path?"

Li Jing trembled violently and suddenly burst into maniacal laughter.

"Turning back? What are you talking about! I've cultivated myself for a hundred years only for immortality, what's wrong with that!"

Hua Guang shook his head.

"Stubborn."

The Kongtong Seal turned again, and Li Jing was immediately struck as if by a heavy blow, his cultivation level declining.

"No! My cultivation level!"

Li Jing watched in horror as the skin on his hands gradually withered away.

"You've destroyed my cultivation!"

"I'll spare your life for a reason."

Hua Guang grabbed the limp Li Jing and transformed into golden light, heading towards Chaoge.

When passing through Chentang Pass, we saw that Wen Zhong had already reorganized the garrison, and merchant flags were fluttering on the pass walls.

Hua Guang nodded slightly, then sped up by three points.

Before long, he arrived outside Chaoge City, his radiant light descending from the clouds. The garrison commander, seeing him arrive, hurriedly opened the gates to welcome him.

Inside the palace, King Zhou was communicating telepathically with Wen Zhong. He was startled when he saw Hua Guang carrying Li Jing in.

"What is this, Immortal Master?"

"Gifts."

Hua Guang threw Li Jing to the ground.

"The traitors of Chentang Pass are here; they are at your disposal."

King Zhou was furious.

"Well done, Li Jing! I have treated you well, yet you dare to rebel!"

He immediately ordered that he be imprisoned in the imperial prison.

Hua Guang replied.

"Wait a minute. This person is still useful."

As he spoke, he took out a bronze mirror.

"This is the Mirror of Illusion, which can reveal the obsessions in one's heart. Your Majesty may wish to take a look."

Under the mirror's light, Li Jing suddenly began to dance wildly and shout in a hoarse voice.

"Master! Your disciple has already surrendered! Please grant me an elixir!"

The face of the lamp appeared in the mirror, and he sneered.

"Fool! There's no such thing as a magic pill; they're just trying to trick you into risking your life!"

Li Jing was struck dumb, frozen in place. The mirror then shifted, revealing Lady Yin bathed in blood.

"Husband, you are so cruel."

"No! It's not true!"

Li Jing clutched his head and screamed in agony, his Daoist heart shattered completely.

Hua Guang put away the bronze mirror.

“Such a piece of trash is useless to kill. It’s better to keep him as a witness to expose the true nature of the Chan Sect.”

King Zhou clapped his hands in approval. (End of Chapter)