Yellow Court Daoist-Chapter 790 - 710 Sa Heavenly Master Proclaims the Decree, An Official Appointed by the Heavens?! [Vote for Monthly Pass!]

These two brothers,

One is the Yellow Wind Great Sage, whose Sanmei Divine Wind could slay enemies and protect himself with equal prowess. Summoning gales to hasten travel, he was without peer under the heavens.

The other, Lu Qingfeng, possessed the 'Cloud Summit Steps', an unsurpassed Great Divine Power. Although he had not yet refined his cultivation to the most profound Fire Control, his arcane subtlety was even more profound than the Sanmei Divine Wind, allowing him to match the speed of the Yellow Wind Great Sage.

"What an impressive Divine Skill, Third Brother!" the Yellow Wind Great Sage could not hold back his praise upon seeing Lu Qingfeng keeping pace with him without faltering, his movements shrouded in mystery.

Lu Qingfeng chuckled, replying, "I am nothing compared to Big Brother's Sanmei Divine Wind, which horrifies both immortals and Buddhas."

Indeed. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

His Cloud Summit Steps were great for travel or penetrating formations.

But in terms of combat, even a notch higher in realm couldn't compare to the prowess of Sanmei Divine Wind.

"Haha!"

Seeing his younger brother's modesty, while still boasting for him, the Yellow Wind Great Sage laughed heartily.

Free from the Yellow Wind Ridge after countless years of longing, he now glimpsed a glimmer of hope, feeling unspeakably relaxed and joyful.

As the two chatted,

Before long,

Black Wind Mountain loomed ahead.

...

The Yellow Wind ceased, and auspicious clouds dispersed.

Lu Qingfeng and the Yellow Wind Great Sage landed outside Black Wind Mountain, not daring to act rashly, planning to proceed by foot.

However, they soon saw a figure striding towards them from afar.

Lu Qingfeng caught sight of him.

Clad in a Hundred-Patched Demon-Suppressing Robe and wielding a Five Bright Demon-suppressing Fan, the man approached quickly with a smile on his face.

Recognizing the attire,

Lu Qingfeng deduced the identity of the man.

Just then, his elder brother, the Yellow Wind Great Sage, telepathically confirmed: "This is Feng Daoist Sa Shoujian."

"Sa Shoujian."

"Sa Heavenly Master."

Lu Qingfeng thought to himself, 'Indeed it's him.' While in the Nanhua Realm, he had encountered the Daoist lineage of Master Sa, where the Sect Leader of the Shenxiao Sect donned the Demon-Suppressing Robe and held the Demon-suppressing Fan. But this man before him was the Ancestor Master of the Shenxiao Sect, and both the robe and the fan were genuine articles, their might and mystery far beyond any Sect Leader from the Lower Realm.

"This man—"

Lu Qingfeng observed the approaching Sa Heavenly Master with caution.

Though they had never met face to face, they did share a past marked by grudges.

First, he had eradicated his terrestrial Daoist lineages, and then there had been a conflict with Bin Yuanjun of his lineage, resulting in Bin Yuanjun's demotion to suppress the Evil Dragon Pond for three thousand years.

The grudges were neither particularly grave nor trivial.

If Sa Heavenly Master was the petty sort, this encounter could very well be kicking someone while they were down.

Watching silently,

They saw Sa Heavenly Master draw near and boisterously declared, "I, Sa Shoujian, have awaited the two Great Sages for quite some time."

Lu Qingfeng remained silent.

The Yellow Wind Great Sage, also smiling, said to Sa Heavenly Master, "So it's Master Sa in person. May I inquire as to the reason for your visit? If it were urgent, you should've gone directly to Yellow Wind Ridge."

He found no connection between himself, the Heavenly Court, or Sa Shoujian.

Meeting like this,

He harbored doubts and guardedness, unsure whether to consider him a friend or a foe.

Sa Shoujian seemed to notice the brothers' wariness and picked up on the Yellow Wind Great Sage's biting remark, but he dismissively replied, "His Majesty has heard that the Great Sage has escaped the cage, and so he ordered me to await and invite the two Great Sages to ascend and serve in the Heavenly Court."

"The Jade Emperor?"

"Ascend and serve?"

Both Lu Qingfeng and the Yellow Wind Great Sage exchanged a look of surprise.

First, they were astonished at how quickly the Jade Emperor received news. They had just fended off Ling Ji Bodhisattva and the Venerable Eighteen Arhats, and the Jade Emperor was already informed, sending his Heavenly Master to wait for them.

Second, they were stupefied by the offer—

"To serve as an official?"

"What position?"

The Yellow Wind Great Sage shook his head, telling Sa Shoujian, "Please extend my gratitude for the Jade Emperor's kind offer, but I possess neither significant Merit nor Divine Skills, and I am truly unfit for any significant post."

This was a firm rejection.

After all,

The Yellow Wind Great Sage had spent innumerable years trapped in the Yellow Wind Ridge. Now free, he intended to join the Heavenly Daoist and live freely. How could he consider ascending to Heaven, only to be bound by constraints?

At his level,

Neither the position of a Heavenly Official nor a Star Lord, let alone that of a True God, held much appeal.

Sa Shoujian turned to the Yellow Wind Great Sage, "Is the Great Sage not even curious about the rank offered?"

"I have no interest in officialdom; I thank the Jade Emperor for his kind consideration."

The Yellow Wind Great Sage stood firm.

Sa Shoujian furrowed his brow slightly, then looked towards Lu Qingfeng.

Lu Qingfeng also waved his hands in dismissal, adding, "I too am not interested in holding office."

"Oh?"

"But wasn't the Qingjing Saint previously serving as a general in the Heavenly Observation Marshal Mansion?"

Sa Shoujian feigned surprise.

"..."

Lu Qingfeng was momentarily taken aback, cursing the Sa Heavenly Master under his breath for bringing that up.

He had nearly forgotten about that chapter.

Even so,

His previous position was both a means to further his Cultivation and to search for the Immortal Qin Realm and find Ao Le.

Now that he had achieved Immortality and reunited with Ao Le,

The Divine Positions of the Heavenly Court were immaterial and easily dismissed.

Moreover,

Even though he now possessed the Dao ability of a Golden Immortal, overwhelming in might,

He knew his own circumstances best.

His current cultivation was a mere façade, threatened to vanish at any moment. Being offered a high position now, minuscule compared to the embarrassment of losing it later if his cultivation fell and virtue could no longer support his status, was the least of his worries.

The real peril would be if trouble arose while suppressing demons and protecting the Dao.

Lu Qingfeng valued his life, unwilling to take such a risk.

"Times have changed," said Qingjing Saint with a smirk.

"Now that I have a clear path in my cultivation, my whole heart is dedicated to the practice, leaving no room for distraction."

Seeing Sa Shoujian mock him, Lu Qingfeng had no reservation and bluntly refused.

"In that case," said Sa Shoujian, "I will ascend to the heavens and report to His Majesty."

With a nod of approval, Sa Shoujian didn't press further and promptly took his leave.

In truth, he had little desire for these two to ascend to the heavens,

Especially the Qingjing Saint.

With his profound Divine Skills, should he ascend, he would undoubtedly take a leading position.

Why invite such trouble?

It was a routine inquiry.

Since both were steadfast and reluctant to take official positions, it was all for the best.

Lu Qingfeng and the Qingjing Saint watched Sa Shoujian return to the Heavenly Court.

The latter chuckled, "There are countless great beings in the Heavenly Court, yet few heed the Jade Emperor's commands. Since King Li defected to the Buddhist Sect and was executed on the Immortal Slaying Stage, and since Third Prince reverted to his true form, and Erlang Little Saint only responds to orders but does not present himself, who is left for the Jade Emperor to utilize? He is forced to scout in the Three Realms."

The Qingjing Saint shook his head.

Lu Qingfeng also came to a realization.

The Jade Emperor must have been watching Big Brother for some time now, but due to concerns about the Buddhist Sect, he hesitated to recruit him.

As soon as he saw Big Brother dispute with Lingji Bodhisattva and deduced his inevitable escape, the Emperor sent Sa Shoujian to watch over, ready to invite him to the Heavenly Court if he escaped. If not, then all would be dropped, with no offense given to either party.

As for Lu Qingfeng,

Perhaps he was just an afterthought.

Lu Qingfeng chuckled and said to the Qingjing Saint, "If Big Brother ascends, he will undoubtedly be offered a Heavenly King's position."

With Big Brother's Divine Skills and the mighty Sanmei Divine Wind at his disposal, if he were supported by Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, his formidable presence could very well rival that of King Tota Li of yesteryears.

Furthermore,

The Qingjing Saint, a lone figure with no background, would be easiest for the Jade Emperor to control. With a bit of grooming, he could become part of the loyal lineage.

If one were to be conferred office, how could it be anything but significant?

"The Jade Emperor has certainly calculated this well."

"However, I've grown weary of staying at Yellow Wind Ridge and have no desire to be confined to the Heavenly Court so soon after leaving."

The Qingjing Saint gave a small laugh, avoiding the topic and looking towards Black Wind Mountain, then said to Lu Qingfeng, "Let us proceed to pay homage to the mountain."

Immediately,

Lu Qingfeng and the Qingjing Saint continued on their way, covering about ten miles to the foot of the mountain. There they saw a towering gate with the words 'Black Wind Mountain' inscribed, marking the entrance.

Upon their arrival,

The gate was flanked by Mountain Guardian Generals, all of whom were towering figures with extraordinary presence.

Seeing Lu Qingfeng and his companion, one of the generals stepped forward to question them, "Who goes there? State your names!"

Black Wind Mountain was once the Daoist Field of a Saint.

Even after calamities and the Saint's disappearance, this Daoist Field remained a secluded and prestigious place for cultivation by the Little Sect Leader of the Heavenly Daoist Sect, thus entry was not permitted to just anybody.

With Lu Qingfeng usually deferring to the Qingjing Saint, he turned towards his elder brother for the response.

Stepping forward, the Qingjing Saint greeted the generals with a clasped hand, "I am Feng Daoist from Yellow Wind Ridge, and this is my junior brother Qingjing Daoist, a Qingjing Method Bamboo from within Black Wind Mountain who has achieved Dao. Having made some progress in our cultivation, we have come to meet the Little Sect Leader."

At the entrance to Black Wind Mountain,

Even the Qingjing Saint refrained from using the title of Great Saint, humbly referring to himself simply as a Daoist.

An uninvited visit

must be justified.

Thus, he found a connection through Lu Qingfeng's origin to avoid being turned away from the gate.

That was the Qingjing Saint's intention all along.

Lu Qingfeng stood beside him, watching the imposing Qingjing Saint treat the Mountain Guardian Generals with great respect, he sighed inwardly and remained silent.

However, upon hearing this, the generals both turned their gaze on Lu Qingfeng, "Qingjing Method Bamboo achieved Dao? Indeed, there is a bamboo forest within Black Wind Mountain, where many Qingjing Method Bamboos grow. Yet for eons, there has been no talk of any achieving Dao. Are you deceiving us?"

The Qingjing Saint looked towards Lu Qingfeng.

Lu Qingfeng simply said, "Generals, if you would observe."

At that moment,

He transformed, revealing his true form—a verdant green bamboo, rustling with leaves.

The generals, having long resided on the mountain, were familiar with the Qingjing Method Bamboo.

Once they saw it,

Their doubts vanished.

Surprise appeared on their faces as they muttered incredulously, "Can such a thing truly attain spiritual enlightenment and cultivate?"

With his true form now revealed, Lu Qingfeng heard their remarks and couldn't help but curl his lip briefly, pressing, "Could you trouble the generals to pass along a message?"

The two generals finally relented.

After exchanging a glance, the White-faced General said, "Since you're a Qingjing Method Bamboo who has achieved Dao, there's no problem. You two wait here; I will go and report to the Ancestor Master."

With that,

He entered the mountain gate, heading straight for the heart of the mountain.

A smile blossomed on the Qingjing Saint's face, but as he turned to Lu Qingfeng, his expression was tinged with embarrassment. "Junior brother, I—"

Lu Qingfeng looked at his 'big brother.'

By now,

He had clearly understood why the Qingjing Saint, a being of such stature, had offered to become sworn brothers with him, a mere True Immortal.

Consider,

For a being like the Qingjing Saint,

Even a True Immortal Little Bamboo Immortal, let alone Lu Qingfeng's Seven Treasures Gourd, was hardly worth noting.

A Golden Immortal Great Power

would hardly regard a Heavenly Immortal more than a slightly larger ant; only those of equal standing would be treated as peers.

Neither the Qingjing Method Bamboo nor the Seven Treasures Gourd achieving Dao were likely to reach the level of a Golden Immortal, a daunting task indeed.

To Earth Immortals and Heavenly Immortals, that was outstanding.

But to a Golden Immortal,

It hardly mattered.

Yet the Qingjing Saint had sought kinship with Lu Qingfeng, who was only of True Immortal status, and since then had gone out of his way to offer assistance.

Is there ever uncaused love in this world?

But then again—

"Big brother has been generous to me; why speak of it?" Lu Qingfeng said to the Qingjing Saint with a smile, completely unfazed.