Honghuang: Creation of the Green Lotus, the beginning of the Three Pure Ones

Chapter 329 Shen Gongbao Encounters Zhunti

Upon hearing Zhen Yuanzi's words, Jiang Ziya felt reluctant, but he also understood that his insistence would not change anything.

So he simply kowtowed three times respectfully to Zhen Yuanzi, his voice choked with emotion.

"I have been taught by my master for over forty years. Now I am about to leave him and go down the mountain. It is really hard for me. But my master has given the order, and I dare not disobey."

Zhen Yuanzi nodded slightly, took out a set of Bagua robes and a peach wood sword, and handed them to Jiang Ziya, who was kneeling in front of him.

"You will inevitably encounter hardships on your journey down the mountain. These are trials for you, tests from Heaven. If you can withstand them, you will be rewarded with high office and great honors."

"Although the Western Zhou Dynasty is about to rise, and the wise ruler you are to assist is in Xiqi, you cannot go directly to Xiqi after you descend the mountain."

"You need to go to Chaoge City to make a name for yourself and build up a network of connections. Only then will you be valued by the ruler of Xiqi when you go there again."

"After you have established yourself in Xiqi, you need to order people to build the Investiture Platform in Qishan. Once the Investiture Platform is completed, you can come to Wanshou Mountain to retrieve the Investiture List and hang it on the Investiture Platform."

Jiang Ziya accepted the two treasures with both hands, solemnly putting them into his robes, and kowtowed to Zhen Yuanzi again, saying, "Disciple will remember Master's teachings."

Zhen Yuanzi then took out a jade talisman: "This is a protective talisman that I crafted. It can save your life three times."

Jiang Ziya took the jade talisman and carefully kept it close to his body. He packed his simple belongings, took one last look at the Wuzhuang Temple where he had lived for forty years, and then turned and walked down the mountain.

Outside the mountain gate, the two attendants, Qingfeng and Mingyue, had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Jiang Ziya approach, they stepped forward and spoke.

"Senior Brother Jiang, Master has ordered us to see you off." As he spoke, he took out a ginseng fruit and presented it directly to Jiang Ziya.

Upon seeing the ginseng fruit, Jiang Ziya couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He had studied Taoism at Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain for over forty years, yet he had never even smelled the ginseng fruit.

Now that I've been kicked out, I'm fortunate enough to have received a ginseng fruit. It really shows how unpredictable life is.

Jiang Ziya carefully accepted the ginseng fruit and put it away, then said to Qingfeng and Mingyue, "Thank you, my two junior brothers."

The gentle breeze and bright moon accompanied Jiang Ziya all the way to the foot of the mountain before reluctantly bidding him farewell.

Jiang Ziya embarked on his journey alone. Looking back, he saw that Wanshou Mountain was shrouded in clouds and mist, and Wuzhuang Temple had disappeared into the sea of ​​clouds.

Meanwhile, Shen Gongbao, who had been expelled from his sect, was being escorted to Jin'ao Island by the White Crane Boy. Along the way, Shen Gongbao's face was grim, and his eyes flashed with resentment.

"Jiang Ziya, it's all because of you. If you hadn't sown discord in front of our master, how could I have ended up like this!"

Hearing his whisper, Baihe Tongzi said coldly, "Shen Gongbao, don't make false accusations. What kind of person is Master? How could he be swayed by the words of others?"

"It was clearly your own wickedness and attachment to your demon race identity that led to your expulsion from the sect. How can you blame it on Uncle-Master Ziya?"

Shen Gongbao snorted coldly and said nothing more, but the resentment in his heart grew even deeper.

Halfway through their journey, a strange fragrance suddenly wafted over, and the White Crane Boy stopped alertly: "Who is this extraordinary person? Please show yourself!"

A soft laugh came from the sky, and a Taoist priest appeared on a cloud, wearing a lotus crown and holding a seven-treasure tree. He was none other than the Western Sect's Zhunti Taoist.

The White Crane Boy quickly bowed and said, "So it is the Sage Zhunti. This junior has been impolite."

Zhunti Daoist waved his hand: "It's alright. I was passing by and saw that this fellow Daoist seemed to have something on his mind. I wonder if we could talk?" Baihe Tongzi hesitated for a moment, but finally spoke up and said to Zhunti Daoist: "My master ordered me to escort Shen Gongbao to Jin'ao Island."

Zhunti Daoist laughed and said, "Fellow Daoist Hongyun and I have a long-standing friendship. How about I do it on your behalf? I also need to go to Jin'ao Island to visit Fellow Daoist Hongyun."

The White Crane Boy pondered for a moment, deciding that a sage would never lie to a junior like himself. So he nodded to the Daoist Zhunti and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Sage."

After saying this, he bowed to the Taoist Zhunti and took his leave. He then transformed into his original form as a white crane, flapped his wings, and flew back to Wuzhuang Temple to report back.

After the White Crane Boy left, the smile on Zhunti Daoist's face gradually faded. He looked at Shen Gongbao and said meaningfully.

"Shen Gongbao, do you know why you've ended up like this?"

Shen Gongbao gritted his teeth and said, "It's all because of Jiang Ziya, who stirred up trouble in front of our master."

Master Zhunti shook his head: "No. The reason you were expelled from the sect is because Zhen Yuanzi dislikes the demon race. As a reincarnation of a demon, you will always be inferior in his eyes."

Shen Gongbao was well aware that Zhen Yuanzi was not a demon. After all, there was not a single demon in the vast Chan Sect.

He simply refused to admit it, wanting to shift all the blame onto Jiang Ziya in order to cover up his own mistakes.

Now that Zhunti Daoist had said it to his face, Shen Gongbao couldn't help but sigh and say, "How could I not know?"

"However, after being a disciple of the Chan Sect for over forty years, I not only failed to learn its profound teachings, but I was also treated as a servant and driven around for over forty years."

"Otherwise, why would I, a junior, abandon my proper human identity to pursue the memories of my past life as a demon?"

"I believe that by regaining my memories of my past life, I can rapidly improve my cultivation. But my master will see this and I will no longer be ignored like that."

"After all, what I have regained is only my memories, not my true identity as a demon. But what I didn't expect is that even so, I am still disliked by my master."

Zhunti Daoist sighed and said, "Why are you so persistent? Just because the Chan Sect doesn't like you doesn't mean that other sects do too."

"At the very least, my Western religion teaches that all beings are equal. Whether human or demon, as long as one has the heart to pursue the Dao, one can join my sect."

"If you are willing, I will take you as my personal disciple today. It would be better than you being handed over to Ancestor Hongyun by Zhen Yuanzi and then suffering the humiliation of the disciples of the Jie Sect."

This inevitably brought a touch of emotion to Shen Gongbao's face. Even though the West was barren, it was overseen by two sages.

He could even become a direct disciple, which was far better than being in the Chan Sect.

Even if I joined the Jie Sect, I wouldn't be ostracized by them because of my relationship with them. However, it's still not comparable to being personally taught by a sage.

Seeing that Shen Gongbao was already somewhat moved, Zhunti Daoist smiled and said, "Zhen Yuanzi and Hongyun Patriarch are close friends, yet you are not well-liked by Zhen Yuanzi. Do you think Hongyun Patriarch will welcome you if you go to the Jie Sect?"

After much deliberation, Shen Gongbao finally made up his mind. He immediately prepared to kneel down and perform the formal ceremony of becoming a disciple of Daoist Zhunti.

However, Zhunti Daoist stopped him and said, "You should come with me to Mount Sumeru in the West. After you have met your senior uncle, it is not too late to perform the ceremony of becoming a disciple."

(End of this chapter)