Chapter 8: Explaining the Teachings and Sealing the Gods, Rescuing Daji

  Hongyuan and Nüwa sat high on the cloud bed, looking down at the group of demons below. Nüwa spoke up: "Are the three demons of Xuanyuan Hill present?"

  The three demons were shocked and didn't know why the saint was calling them, so they nervously went forward and bowed down to the ground, saying: "Little demon greets Your Majesty, wishing Your Majesty eternal life!"

  The goddess Nüwa gazed with her divine eyes and immediately knew the true forms of the three demons. One was a thousand-year-old fox spirit, one was a nine-headed pheasant spirit, and one was a jade-stone pipa spirit. They were small demons hiding in the tomb of Xuanyuan who had not yet attained the Taoist way. She said: "King Zhou is benighted, and Shang will soon lose the world! The phoenix sings at Western Qi, and the Western Zhou has already produced a sage ruler. You should descend to the mortal realm and take on human form in the palace, confusing the king's mind. When King Wu of Zhou attacks King Zhou, you should assist him, considering it a meritorious deed. However, do not harm innocent people. On the day of success, I will allow you to attain enlightenment!"

  The three demons were overjoyed and hastily bowed again: "Little demon obeys the holy decree of the princess!"

  But Hong Xuan suddenly said, "Your Majesty said that innocent people should not be harmed, you must remember! If you don't listen, the people will suffer, and at that time, I will personally take action to eliminate you, and even the top of the list is not allowed. Do you understand?"

  The three demons felt a chill in their hearts, although they had never seen Hongyuan before, but humans worshiped the statue of Hongyuan, and the three demons had seen it. They knew that Hongyuan was a saint, so they didn't dare to disobey, and hastily said: "Little demon remembers, definitely does not dare to slaughter innocent people!"

  Hongyuan nodded and said to Nüwa: "In that case, I'll take my leave!"

  Nüwa stood up and said: "In that case, I won't see you off far. Farewell, Master!"

  Hongyuan also stood up and bid farewell, leaving the Houwang Palace. With one step, he had already returned to the Qingxu Heaven. After a moment of silence, he instructed the Qingyu Tongzi: "You go down to the mortal world and head to the East Sea to summon Ao Guang to receive orders."

  Qing Yu Tongzi personally led the order and left, going straight to the East China Sea to pass on the order.

  Kunlun Mountain, Jade Void Palace. The Primordial Heavenly Lord, who was sitting on a cloud bed, suddenly opened his eyes and said to the White Crane Boy below: "There is a noble guest at the door, you go out of the palace and invite the noble guest in!"

  Bai He Tongzi responded with a sound. As he walked, he muttered to himself: Who is this person after all? Can he really bear the title of "noble guest" given by Master? Could it be that some saint has come to visit? If so, then I must not be negligent! He hastily stepped out of the Jade Void Palace and looked up. All he saw was Hong Xuan holding a purple bamboo staff, leisurely admiring the scenery on Mount Kunlun, without any sign of impatience!

  Bai He Tongzi hurried forward and bowed: "Bai He pays respects to the Holy One of Xuan Qing! The old master's decree is to have Bai He lead the Holy One into the palace!"

  Hong Xuan nodded and followed Bai He Tongzi into the Jade Void Palace. At this time, Yuan Shi Tian Zun had already descended from his cloud bed. Hong Xuan bowed his head and paid respects: "I have come uninvited, Second Brother Master, please don't blame me!"

  Yuanshi Tianzun first returned a courtesy, then smiled elegantly and said: "Speaking of which, since the four of us parted ways after the division of the Four Clans, this is actually the first time my fourth junior brother has come to Kunlun. I wonder what brings you here?"

  Hong Xuan said calmly: "Nothing. I heard that the second master found the person who sealed the gods. I wonder if the second master can let me see him?"

  Yuanshi Tianzun's face changed slightly upon hearing the words. He immediately said with a hint of implication, "Fourth junior brother indeed has profound Taoist skills!" It's no wonder he changed color. Since the person who sealed the gods 33 years ago joined his sect, he had been using his magic to cover up the heavenly secrets, not wanting the other saints to know. As for the reason, only he himself was clear! However, he did not expect that Hongyuan would actually calculate that the person who sealed the gods had already defected to the Xuan teachings. Thinking about it, he felt relieved again. With Hongyuan's cultivation level, unless his teacher Hongjun personally took action to cover up the heavenly secrets, there were few people in the three realms who could deceive him.

  Yuanshi Tianzun smiled and said, "Let your master see him again, what's the harm?" He then ordered Baihe Tongzi to go and invite Jiang Shang, his master's uncle, to come here.

  Bai He Tongzi led the way and left, soon returning with someone from the peach garden. The person had white temples and was over 70 years old, yet walked steadily and breathed peacefully. The person went to Yuan Shi Tian Zun and bowed: "Disciple Jiang Shang greets his teacher, wishing his teacher eternal life!"

  Yuanshi Tianzun sternly said: "Jiang Shang, this is your fourth uncle, the Holy Man of Profound Purity. Don't you greet him?"

  Jiang Shang heard this and didn't dare to be slow, hastily facing Hongyuan and making a big bow: "Disciple Jiang pays respects to Fourth Master Uncle, wishing Master Uncle eternal longevity!"

  "Hong Xuan calmly said: 'Get down on your hands and knees!'"

  Jiang Shang heard this and bowed again in gratitude before rising to his feet. He stood off to one side, not daring to move, waiting for the instructions of Yuan Shi Tian Zun.

  Yuanshi Tianzun said to Hongyuan: "This is Jiang Shang, also known as Ziyu, a descendant of Shen Nong."

  Hong Xuan nodded and replied, "So that's how it is! I didn't expect Jiang Shang to be a descendant of Shen Nong, now carrying the heavenly mandate. It's also a matter of great merit! But I wonder what Second Master thinks about this matter of sealing the gods?"

  Yuanshi Tianzun closed his eyes and replied: "My disciples will encounter this divine calamity. They must descend the mountain to complete the killing tribulation, only then can they be completely safe!"

  Hong Xuan sighed and said, "Second Master's words are reasonable! At this time of imperial change and the arrival of the killing calamity, Xi Qi should produce a sage ruler. Assisting the sage ruler is indeed a meritorious deed, but please be aware, Second Master, don't fall into someone else's plot, lest your efforts come to naught!"

  Yuanshi Tianzun's heart and spirit moved, and he asked: "Younger brother, why did you say this?"

  Hong Xuan didn't say anything, he just stared at the west.

  Yuanshi Tianzun's eyes flashed, and after a long time, he said: "In any case! The Four Clans are all Pan Gu, from the same origin, although their paths are different, they are brothers! The meaning of Shidi, I have understood!"

  Hongyuan's expression relaxed upon hearing the words, and he said, "I only wish it were so!" He immediately stood up and bid farewell to Yuanshi Tianzun with mutual bows, left the Jade Void Palace, and returned to Fangzhang Xianzhou.

  In the grand and majestic realm of Tai Qing, within the Eight Scenic Palaces. At this time, the Supreme Venerable Sovereign had already ceased to expound the Tao for many years in anticipation of the arrival of the calamity of the gods. He summoned his sole disciple, the Grand Master Xuandu, saying: "Xuandu, take down the Sealing Gods' Chart hung at the palace gate and deliver it to your Second Uncle."

  Xuantu Dafashi bowed and said, "Disciple obeys the teacher's decree!" He immediately went out of the palace gate, took down the Sealing God List, left the Great Red Heaven, and departed from the Primordial Chaos. He rode the clouds all the way to Mount Kunlun.

  When the Great Master of Xuandu left the Great Red Heaven, all the saints already knew.

  The Western Paradise, Zhunti Daoren was delighted: "Expounding the teachings and sealing off the gods will be greatly beneficial to my Western teachings!"

  Jie Dao Ren nodded and said: "Younger brother's words make sense! Among the four teachings, Jie Teaching has the greatest momentum. When a million immortals from Jie Teaching come to pay their respects, even if the two teachings of Zhuan combine, they will still be difficult to defeat. Although Zhuan Teaching holds the Heavenly Seal List and has the heavenly numbers in hand, it is inevitable that I, the Western Teaching, will have to lend a hand to assist. After the sealing of the gods, it will be the day when my Western Teaching rises to greatness!"

  Yu Yu Tian Shang Qing Jing, Jin Ao Island, Bi You Palace. The face of the Tongtian Sect Master was gloomy and silent for a long time. A group of disciples under him saw that their teacher's expression was not good, and none of them dared to speak, except for looking at Duobao Daoist with their eyes.

  Duobao Daoren had no choice but to force himself to bow his head and ask: "Disciple dares to ask the teacher, what matter has troubled the teacher so?"

  The Tongtian Sect Master relaxed and said: "There's nothing else. It's just that the person who sealed the gods has joined the Xuandao Sect, and Second Brother has already obtained the Sealing Gods List!"

  The disciples were shocked to hear this, and just as they were about to speak again, they saw the Tianxian Sect Master wave his hand, stopping them. He said: "You only need to remember my instructions, close the doors tightly, focus on reciting the Huangting Scripture, and you will naturally have a day of carefree immortality. If you don't listen, then death and destruction will be your own fault! It has nothing to do with others! Do you understand?"

  The disciples were shocked in their hearts and stood up together to say: "Disciples obey the teacher's orders!"

  The master of Tongtian nodded and dismissed the disciples, leaving only a lone figure standing in the Biyou Palace, looking tall and distant. Even if fate is not in my hands, for the sake of our sect's plan, I must do what needs to be done! A sigh echoed through the great hall, filled with helplessness, reluctance, and determination.

  Now, King Zhou of Shang had returned from his worship. Day by day, he thought about the noble appearance of Nüwa, so much that he lost interest in state affairs. His favorite minister, Fei Zhong, understood King Zhou's intention and proposed an idea to him: to issue a decree to select beautiful women from all over the country to enter the palace. King Zhou was delighted and issued the decree. Unexpectedly, his prime minister, Shang Rong, presented a straightforward remonstrance, and King Zhou accepted his advice, no longer widely selecting women from all over the world. However, he again followed the plan of his favorite ministers, Fei Zhong and You Hun, and ordered Hou Su Hu of Jizhou to present his daughter as a concubine.

  He did not think that Su Hu was a straightforward person, who not only scolded the monarch in court but also wrote a counter-poem at the Wu Gate, which read: "You have ruined the minister's rules and destroyed the five constants. The governor of Jizhou, Su Hu, will never pay homage to you again!" He then rebelled against the Zhou dynasty and returned to Jizhou to mobilize his troops for a major battle with the powerful army of King Zhou of Shang, who was in a state of great rage. Although he won the battle, he eventually surrendered under the advice of Xi Bo Hou Ji Chang and personally escorted his daughter Daji to the Zhou capital.

  That day, everyone arrived at Enzhou Station. Su Hu saw that the sky was already late and ordered the troops to temporarily stay in the station for a night and set off again the next day.

  At the third watch of the night, a sudden wail of ghosts and wolves suddenly rang out, Su Hu rushed in surprise! He hastily picked up the sable-tailed whip on the table and hurried to Taizi's room, asking urgently: "My child, are you still safe?"

  Daji replied: "Nothing has happened, Father, don't be anxious!"

  Su Hu let out a sigh of relief and said: "As long as you're fine, that's all that matters! My child should rest first. I'll be keeping watch in the front hall tonight."

  "Daguai replied: 'Thank you, Father!'"

  Su Hu nodded and went out of the house, calling a few family members to guard together in the front hall.

  When Su Hu had gone out of the door, a figure suddenly appeared in the house. Taizi hastily got up and bowed, saying: "The little demon pays homage to the Holy Man Xuanqing, wishing the holy man eternal life!"

  Hong Xuan's expressionless face said: "From today on, you will be Daji. I will lend a hand to help you dispel the demonic energy. The real Daji will be taken back to Fangzhang Island. Can you remember my teachings?"

  The fox spirit hastily said: "Little demon must remember the sacred decree of the saint, and dare not disobey!"

  Hong Xuan nodded and disappeared under the astonished gaze of the fox spirit.

  In the Eastern Sea, Fangzhang Xianzhou, Hongyuan shook his sleeve robe, and a figure fell out of it. Upon closer inspection, it was Daji, Su Hu's daughter. Daji was dazed and disoriented. Hongyuan let out a soft shout, like a morning bell or an evening drum, which struck her heart, causing her body to tremble. Daji woke up with a start, saw Hongyuan's true form, and was shocked. She hastily bowed and said: "Daji pays respects to the Holy Father, may the Holy Father be safe!"

  Hong Xuan reached out and helped her up, sighing: "Taizi, you are also a person with a bitter fate. From today on, stay on Fangzhang Island to cultivate with me! In the future, there will be a chance for you to meet your parents again!"

  Daji wept with joy and bowed: "Daji thanks the Holy Father for his kindness!"

  Hong Xuan nodded, gazing at the distant Chao Ge, a sigh in his heart, for a storm was about to unfold there.

  Red flowers and white lotus roots, green lotus leaves, four clearness originally come from one vein.

  The Investiture of the Gods appears in the Jade Void Palace, Daji enters the island to avoid disaster!