The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 382 Xiong Ba Accepts Disciples, by the West Lake

Outside the building, members of the Tianxia Society guarded the area, making it difficult for anyone to get close.

Mud Bodhisattva and Wen Chou Chou entered the place together. He waited outside the door first, and then Wen Chou Chou stepped into the pavilion and came to a screen. He smiled obsequiously at the person behind the bed curtains inside and said, "Chou Chou wishes the gang leader a long and prosperous reign!"

"The person has been brought?" A deep, resonant voice rang out from behind the screen.

Wen Chou Chou lowered his head and said respectfully, "Reporting to the leader, Mud Bodhisattva has arrived."

"You go down first!" The curtains were as thin as cicada wings, letting in a faint light. A figure in purple robes could be vaguely seen lying on a couch behind the curtains. Although the person could not be seen, one could already feel the other's arrogant and domineering aura.

After Wen Chou Chou bowed and withdrew, the curtains suddenly fluttered, and a figure appeared in the hall.

Before long, the clay bodhisattva entered the place alone.

Before Sa even saw the person, he felt an indescribable domineering aura coming towards him. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the person was wearing a purple satin cotton robe, the satin as smooth as a mirror, with gold threads outlining and twisting, embroidering nine golden dragons, their forms bared and claws outstretched, coiling upwards. Just by standing there, he exuded a domineering aura of authority without anger.

In the past, he had glimpsed the secrets of heaven and understood the mysteries of the universe. He had seen many people in the past, but he had never seen anyone with such a naturally domineering and domineering aura as the person in front of him.

Some people, just by looking at them for the first time, you can tell that they are destined for great things. Xiong Ba was such a person.

Xiong Ba sized up the person before him. He was dressed in coarse linen clothes, his whole body shrouded in a wide robe, and his head was covered by a hood, making it impossible to see clearly. "You are the Mud Bodhisattva?"

The clay Buddha nodded slightly. "Exactly."

"Why are you keeping your head down? Does this clay idol look down on me, the gang leader?"

"I suffered a backlash from the Heavenly Secret, which damaged my appearance. I'm worried that it might frighten the gang leader."

"Haha..." Xiong Ba grinned, his arrogant laughter echoing throughout the First Under Heaven Tower. "In this world, nothing can frighten this leader. Raise your head!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of helplessness appeared in the eyes of the clay bodhisattva. When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. He slowly raised his head.

Upon seeing the other's face covered in festering sores and flowing with pus and blood, Xiong Ba's expression stiffened for a moment before regaining his composure. "Sir, you are well-versed in divination and numerology, a rare talent. Would you be willing to join my Tianxia Society as a guest elder? I, the leader of this society, will certainly search far and wide for renowned doctors to cure you."

"Thank you for your concern, Chief. The problem with me is not an illness, but a punishment sent down by heaven. No one can cure it," Mud Bodhisattva said calmly, then looked at Xiong Ba with his eyes.

Only then did he see Xiong Ba's true face. He saw that the other man had black hair that stood up on his head, a full forehead, thick eyebrows and narrow eyes. His eyebrows were straight like two black dragons with their tails flying diagonally and reaching his temples. His face was sharp and sculpted, with a black beard several inches long on his chin and a short mustache on his lips.

Xiong Ba stopped trying to persuade him and instead asked the question he wanted to ask, "Mud Bodhisattva, what do you think of my fate?"

Mud Bodhisattva observed Xiong Ba's face and said in a deep voice, "I see that the gang leader has a full forehead, bright eyes, and a hint of a dragon. He exudes a powerful aura. As long as the time is right, the gang leader will be as powerful as the sun at its zenith, like a dragon emerging from the abyss. At that time, the World Society will be like the blazing sun, dominating the nine provinces, and the gang leader will become the ruler of the world, reigning supreme in the martial arts world."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiong Ba's eyes gleamed, his emotions surged, and his breathing became slightly rapid. Everyone in the world knew the name of Mud Bodhisattva; his divinations were always accurate. "How can I emerge from the abyss like a dragon hidden in the water?"

The clay bodhisattva took out a compass from his bundle; this was his treasure, the compass of destiny.

Then he added, "Please place your hands on it, Chief!"

Since it concerned his future, Xiong Ba did not hesitate at all and immediately placed his hands on the compass.

In an instant, the previously dull and still golden compass suddenly shone with golden light, soaring into the sky. The compass began to spin, and the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, the Four Symbols, the Five Elements, and the Eight Trigrams all changed, with countless traces flickering on and off.

Within that piercing golden light, specks of golden light converged to form characters, like stars twinkling and fading, a truly divine sight.

Xiong Ba gazed at the scene before him, his eyes gleaming with wonder. "A golden carp is no ordinary fish; it will transform into a dragon once it encounters wind and clouds!"

"What do you mean?"

At this moment, with his knowledge, Xiong Ba naturally wouldn't think that what he was seeing was fake, because he also felt a kind of guidance from the darkness, and this sentence was very important to him!
Mud Bodhisattva said in a deep voice, "As long as the gang leader encounters favorable winds and clouds, he can transform into a dragon soaring through the heavens. At that time, the world will be at the gang leader's feet."

Xiong Ba's eyes narrowed as he stared intently at the Mud Bodhisattva. "Where can one find wind and clouds? Wind is formless and shapeless, never still for a moment, and clouds are ever-changing and unpredictable. But even so, I will investigate what wind and clouds are. In this way, my lifelong ambition will be fulfilled, and I will have no regrets."

A smile appeared on the clay bodhisattva's face, but it looked particularly ferocious on his face. "Not one lifetime, but the first half of one lifetime."

"The first half of my life, what about the second half?"

"The time is not yet ripe, so we cannot know."

Xiong Ba then pressed on, "When will the time be right?"

The Mud Bodhisattva shook his head. "The will of Heaven is unpredictable and unfathomable. When the time comes, the leader will understand. Right now, the leader's first half of life has not even begun, so how can he presume to explore the second half?"

Upon hearing this, Xiong Ba temporarily suppressed his desire to explore the rest of his life, asking, "Mud Bodhisattva, what exactly does this 'wind and cloud' mean?"

Mud Bodhisattva shook his head again, "I don't know. I can only tell fortunes, but I can't investigate everything. Fate is constant. Encountering the winds and clouds is the leader's destiny. It's just a matter of time."

"However, throughout history, those who have achieved great things have always been surrounded by many stars, and one person alone cannot create a powerful force. Although the World Society has many members, the only one who can support the overall situation is the leader. The leader is still lacking a right-hand man and a capable subordinate. If he could gain the support of Fengyun, he would be like a tiger with wings, soaring into the sky. In my opinion, Fengyun should be two people."

Upon hearing this, Xiong Ba's eyes gleamed with excitement, and his face lit up with joy. "You're right," he said, "Our Tianxia Society's power is growing day by day, but I've built it all up myself. I have to handle all the big and small matters within the society, and very few people can share the burden with me. The Northern Wushuang City is watching us closely, holding us back and restricting our actions. If we had capable assistants, our Tianxia Society would surely be able to grow rapidly!"

"Wind and Cloud! Wind and Cloud! Where exactly are we?"

Xiong Ba sat in the chair, muttering to himself, repeatedly repeating the two words, as if they had become his obsession.

The Mud Bodhisattva was also quite sensible and immediately cupped his hands, saying, "Chief, in that case, the Mud Bodhisattva will take his leave."

Xiong Ba snapped out of his daze, his voice echoing from the pavilion, "Alright, Chou Chou, take the master down to rest, and do not neglect him."

Wen Chou Chou, who was guarding outside the door, rushed in like a whirlwind, his fawning smile never changing. "Mud Bodhisattva, please come with me."

Mud Bodhisattva nodded. As Wen Chou Chou left, only Xiong Ba remained sitting in the chair, constantly muttering the words "wind and cloud".

……

Upon realizing that Feng and Yun were two people, Xiong Ba immediately thought of his own Tianxia Society. So he ordered his men to collect the names of the members of the Tianxia Society and search for those whose names contained the characters for "wind" and "cloud".

In the end, he set his sights on two people: his second disciple Bu Jingyun and Nie Feng, the son of the former Snow Drinking Mad Saber Nie Renwang.

As Bu Jingyun's master, Xiong Ba knew his martial arts talent and temperament well, and had long ago regarded him as a trusted confidant to be cultivated.

Nie Feng was Nie Renwang's disciple, and after observing him secretly for many days, he discovered that Nie Feng's talent was just as outstanding. This further confirmed to him that the "wind and clouds" in the Mud Bodhisattva's prophecy referred to Nie Feng and Bu Jingyun.

A month later, at the headquarters of the World Alliance, Xiong Ba summoned the leaders of various branch sects and held a grand apprenticeship ceremony.

On the high platform, Xiong Ba sat on his throne. He simply sat there, yet those around him felt an unspeakable, terrifying pressure, like a dragon coiled and a tiger crouching, making people shudder.

Since learning of Fengyun's whereabouts, his aura has grown increasingly powerful and unfathomable.

Xiong Ba fiddled with his cloak, listening to Wen Chou Chou's flattering words, a smile constantly spreading across his face. Today, he would bring Feng Yun under his command and achieve his wish.

Are the golden scales just a thing in the pond? They turn into dragons when encountering wind and clouds.

This apprenticeship ceremony marked the beginning of his rise to power and transformation into a dragon.

On the spacious training ground, members of the World Society demonstrated their martial arts skills with great momentum. Under the leadership of the branch hall masters below, thousands of people gathered here, their fists and palms pounding fiercely.

"Our leader is accomplished in both literature and martial arts, and will unite the people for eternity."

Looking down at the members of the World Society, Xiong Ba stood up, his brows furrowed with domineering arrogance. "I, Xiong Ba, will surely be blessed by Heaven and unify the world in the future. Today, I will accept another disciple into my inner circle."

Immediately afterwards, he turned his gaze to young Nie Feng not far away, "Nie Feng, come up here!"

Nie Feng had no idea what was about to happen. He had only recently joined the World Society and was not even a core member. Just then, a cold-faced young man grabbed him and brought him in front of Xiong Ba.

Upon seeing the bright and intelligent child before him, Xiong Ba's voice was unusually gentle and kind, "Nie Feng, would you be willing to become my disciple?"

Looking at the many people around him, Nie Feng felt a little scared, but he silently recited the family's Ice Heart Technique in his heart, which restored his clarity. Although he was young, he was precocious and immediately said, "Nie Feng is willing."

Xiong Ba's face broke into a wide smile. "Haha, good! You are now my third disciple, and also my personal disciple. I possess the three arts of fist, palm, and leg. Since your name contains the character 'wind,' I will teach you the Wind God Leg technique. How about it?"

A deep laugh echoed across the open space, reaching everyone's ears.

"Thank you, Master."

"Come here." Xiong Ba then beckoned, and two figures with different temperaments walked over, pointing at them and saying, "They are your senior brothers. From now on, you are family."

Dressed in white, Qin Shuang bowed respectfully, "Qin Shuang greets Master!"

Dressed in a black robe, Bu Jingyun's face was cold. "Bu Jingyun greets Master."

Nie Feng was taken aback for a moment, then bowed and said, "Nie Feng greets Master!"

Seeing this, Xiong Ba smiled. Feng and Yun were now trapped in his trap, and his great plan was accomplished.

Others, unaware of the intricacies, simply assumed Nie Feng was a lucky one chosen by Xiong Ba, secretly wishing they could replace him. No one knew what it meant to become the leader's personal disciple.

……

After reading the Heavenly Cry Scripture, Su Ming decided to postpone his trip to the World Society and instead search for a divine weapon. After careful consideration, he chose the Divine Stone. As the foremost of the four wondrous stones used by Nuwa to mend the sky, the Divine Stone is the most magical and powerful stone. Now, it has been crafted into the divine artifact Meng Bo, which can transform into various weapons according to its master's will and possesses extremely strong power.

Then, Su Ming traveled north along the Yangtze River and arrived at West Lake in Hangzhou.

After dusk, the sun sets in the west.

The scenery on West Lake is breathtaking. Along the lakeside, painted boats stand in rows, and the faint sounds of drunken singing and dancing can be heard, like weeping and lamenting. Pedestrians come and go in an endless stream on both banks.

The lake reflects the shimmering lights of countless homes.

Su Ming, dressed in a blue robe, stood on a small boat. There was no one else on the boat except him. However, the boat slowly drifted with the current to a place in the middle of the lake where the current was very gentle before it came to rest.

As night deepens, the vast expanse of stars, like rivers, is reflected on the lake's surface, as if countless brilliant stars have fallen to earth, making one feel as if they are immersed in the Milky Way, swimming freely within it.

The scenery is magnificent and dreamlike.

Upon closer inspection, one can vaguely see countless fish swaying their tails and rippling the water.

Su Ming lay on the boat, looking up at the starry sky, feeling incredibly peaceful. Under the seemingly calm waters, undercurrents were already surging, and the shores of West Lake were not as tranquil as they seemed.

The legend of Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian is widely circulated, and everyone tells the story of their tragic love, yet no one knows that there was a real Bai Suzhen in this world.

This woman is also a top expert in the world of Fengyun, known as the Demon Lord.

Bu Bai Suzhen was born into a noble family. After leaving home due to differences in ideals, she encountered the genius "Eternal God" of the Bu clan (who looks and has the same name as Bu Jingyun).

Among the hundreds of surnames in the world, the Bu surname is unique because this family produces many geniuses. Therefore, it also has another name: the Bu Clan of Gods.

Over the past five hundred years, the most dazzling stars in the martial arts world all share the surname "Bu".

Five hundred years ago, there was a swordsman who was unparalleled in the martial arts world, whose cultivation was extraordinary and invincible. However, the world did not know his origin or identity, but was amazed by his unparalleled swordsmanship and called him "Sword God".

Four hundred years ago, a peerless master reappeared in the martial arts world. Before he even reached adulthood, his swordsmanship was already invincible in the world—the "Sword God".

Three hundred years ago, another person once again ascended to the pinnacle of the martial arts world with his bare fists, becoming invincible under heaven—the "God of Fists".

Two hundred years ago, another god appeared in the world—the "God of Immortality".

In the future, another "Uncrying Death God" will appear in the martial arts world.

Whether Bu Bai Suzhen was born into the Bu clan of gods is still unknown, but both of them were exceptionally talented. They married in the palace and studied martial arts. The immortal god created the "Heaven-Shifting Divine Technique" to seek immortality, while Bu Bai Suzhen independently comprehended the "World-Destroying Demon Body" of the same level and passed this skill on to her husband.

However, the god never passed on the Heaven-Shifting Divine Technique to his wife, foreshadowing their betrayal. The two once joined forces to fight against fifty major sects and even studied the "Yuanji Maha Wuliang" in the Shaolin Wooden Dummy Alley together, creating "Tianji Maha Wuliang" (God) and "Diji Maha Wuliang" (Demon Lord) respectively, their martial arts skills being roughly equal.

Later, Bu Bai Suzhen was poisoned and frozen by a god, losing all her martial arts skills. However, she did not die. Instead, she found a new path in her desperate situation and created the Six Great Demon Crossings. Among them, the "He Sheng Crossing" can transfer memories to achieve rebirth by using a dying body. The "Death Crossing" and "Snow Crossing" were passed on to her disciples Hei Tong and Xue Damo, forming a unique "alien immortality" system.

After that, she shed her identity as "God's Wife" and called herself "Demon Lord," vowing "If Buddha and Heaven cannot save, only I, the Demon, can," and used the Demonic Path to fulfill her wish to save the world.

(End of this chapter)