Longevity: Starting from Refining Gu-Chapter 479 - 273: Little Pixiu Accidentally Enters the Gathering of Kings_2

"Here, take this!"

Ji Ru reached into her sleeve and pulled out a copy of the Spring and Autumn Annals, "The cicada-type Gu cannot be stored in jade bottles; they reside within the pages of this book, lingering in every corner of history."

"Of course, this can’t be the original. I couldn’t take the original with me. This one I copied by hand."

"Inside this book, there is a cicada-type Gu."

"Whether you form a contract with it is up to you."

Chen Qing glanced at the Spring and Autumn Annals, exuding a delicate fragrance, and noticed a cicada within it.

A four-year cicada.

It was twice as fast as the one Ji Ru had, but three times slower than the one belonging to Ji Dang.

Still, it was not bad, considering Ji Dang’s was an offshoot of the Withered Glory Cicada.

Offshoots of the Withered Glory Cicada were influenced by it, something Chen Qing wasn’t keen on.

Relatively speaking, this one was the best option.

"I won’t form a contract for now, at least not until I return to the human world."

"Collecting in the Death Realm is still too troublesome."

After waiting a day, the Nine-headed Lion still didn’t see Lu Chen return, "Everyone get on board, we’re leaving."

"The battlefield of a True Monarch is not something we can interfere with."

The three boarded a golden carriage that sped past a brilliant starry river and a massive Black Sun.

Upon passing the Thousand-faced Buddha’s dojo, the Thousand-faced Buddha and Lu Chen were nowhere to be seen.

The entire dojo was shattered, its statues collapsed on the ground, and the dome had a large hole with space splitting open, revealing endless Void beyond.

In the entire dojo, there were mirror-like spaces, each housing various dead versions of the Thousand-faced Buddha.

There was a young Thousand-faced Buddha, an old Thousand-faced Buddha, and a teenage Thousand-faced Buddha.

It was as if, in every stage of life, the Thousand-faced Buddha had a completely different incarnation.

Chen Qing recalled the Authority he saw behind the Void Master, remaining were only the Void River and Black Sun, with no sign of the Thousand-faced Buddha’s power to traverse all realms.

The Void River and Black Sun were still under the joint control of the Void Master and two True Monarchs, while the Thousand-faced Buddha was different, for he had full mastery over realm traversing power.

He was stronger than the other True Monarchs, his Authority more complete.

Fortunately, this wasn’t something he had to worry about now.

Worrying was futile.

If worst came to worst, he would just open the door.

After spending several more days, the Nine-headed Lion brought the three to where they first entered this world. Yu Qingshuang said, "Something’s wrong, why haven’t we found the exit? Could we be trapped here?"

Chen Qing, having collected the Void River, knew some secrets and said, "We arrived here due to the dream. When we awaken, it should be time for us to leave."

Ji Ru added, "We entered the dream here; returning to this spot should allow us to wake up again."

Hearing this, Yu Qingshuang quickly released her Big Dream Gu.

But the three remained in place. Chen Qing said, "It must be because Ji Ru and I are also dreaming. Ji Ru, try waking up."

As Ji Ru prepared to try, they suddenly saw a stream of pink light descend around them. Lu Chen’s right hand was bleeding, "As expected, the Thousand-faced Buddha was still in its prime, having three very powerful incarnations."

"The middle-aged incarnation, the mature incarnation, the old-aged incarnation."

"I forcibly severed the old-aged incarnation, but regrettably, the mature one is too strong. Quickly leave this place!"

"I will cleave this dream for you, the moment it splits open, please open the Void Gate and let me return to the Sword Travel Palace!"

Chen Qing agreed, but the Nine-headed Lion said, "Prince Wen, if you ever get the chance to meet the Peacock King, tell him not to search for his brother anymore."

Chen Qing said, "I will remember."

Lu Chen waved his hand, "A fleeting dream in the mortal world, Sword Slash!"

Chen Qing quickly opened the Void Gate, and the Nine-headed Lion immediately carried Lu Chen, who had boarded the carriage, right into the Void Gate. The dreams of Chen Qing and the other two shattered at this moment.

The three opened their eyes and found themselves back in the extreme northern land.

Chen Qing sighed, "This journey was indeed quite thrilling."

Ji Ru said, "Fortunately, the Thousand-faced Buddha is still just a True Monarch."

"Our Great Sect behind us isn’t afraid of him."

Chen Qing said, "This matter still requires covert investigation."

Ji Ru replied, "Yes, I know."

Three days later, Prince Wen’s chariot began returning to Quantai City. Late at night, Chen Qing awaited the approached midnight.

He reached out and opened the carriage curtain, seeing Ji Ru on another carriage already preparing.

Bathing and burning incense, in utmost reverence.

And three days prior, at the foot of the mountain of the Heavenly Master’s outer mansion, a Little Pixiu rolled around in front of the mountain gate, eventually rolling into a dense forest nearby before burrowing into its own dug-out hole.

Its stomach was uncomfortable because it swallowed something it shouldn’t have before being taken to the Heavenly Master Mansion.

The uncomfortable Pixiu could only induce vomiting.

It retched for over a quarter of an hour until the little cave was almost full, finally feeling a bit better.

It looked down at the thing that made it uncomfortable, a bronze ghost mask.

As a dragon species and Sea Clan demon, it had heard about this thing even back when it was in the North Sea.

"A token of the Jiguang Sect?"

"Whose possession did I swallow in the North Sea?"

"Can’t remember."

The Little Pixiu was about to hand the bronze ghost mask over to a disciple of the Heavenly Master Mansion when the iron chain around its neck clanged as it moved.

For it, a righteous dragon species, not acknowledged by the dragons as a true dragon, but still a tyrant of the Sea Clan.

Yet now, it had fallen to the role of a mountain-guarding spirit beast.

And tied up with this humiliating chain, used like a dog!

The bronze ghost mask seemed to be the lowest of status tokens in the Jiguang Sect, likely not of high rank.

Once inside, it could establish its standing there. Given its identity as a dragon species, it was sure to awe the Jiguang Sect disciples at the gathering and have them under its sway, eventually leading to its own rescue and return to freedom!

The Little Pixiu couldn’t help but admire its own cleverness, thinking, "I’m so smart!"

It sat on the ground with its legs spread and looked around; no disciple from the Heavenly Master Mansion paid attention to a small demon not yet in the Foundation Establishment stage.

It withdrew back into its hole and put on the bronze ghost mask.

Its form appeared on the Cloud Platform, and it looked around—no one else was there.

"What is going on, wasn’t there supposed to be a gathering?"

"Oh, right, gatherings have set times, it must not be time yet!"

"Hmph, I’ll give you some face for now. Once the gathering truly starts and you recognize my noble identity as a Pixiu, won’t you just bow in worship?"

The Little Pixiu removed the mask, continuing to play cute in front of the mountain gate for food and returning to its little cave, occasionally donning the bronze ghost mask to see if anyone came for the gathering.

One day, after rolling over and showing its belly for a female disciple of the Heavenly Master Mansion to pet, and seeing her satisfied with its antics, she laughed joyfully and rewarded it with a Spirit Fruit.

"So obedient!"

After playing for a while, it went up the mountain.

The Little Pixiu waited for the female disciple to leave before angrily saying, "Hmph, after playing around and showing off for so long, you only gave me one Spirit Fruit. How can that be enough?"

Then, it saw another disciple of the Heavenly Master Mansion passing by and eagerly ran over wagging its tail to ingratiate itself.

After ending a day of playing cute and still not full, the Little Pixiu returned to its den and put on the bronze ghost mask again.

Thinking this time would still yield nothing, it saw someone appear in the second seat opposite just before midnight—a woman in red.

A red lotus bloomed between her eyebrows.

Just as the Little Pixiu was about to speak and intimidate her with its noble status as an exotic dragon, it felt the overwhelming True Dragon aura from her, stronger than any true dragon it had ever encountered!

Oh dear!

Is this really a lowest-tier Jiguang Sect gathering?

The very first guest was a True Dragon?

Then, it sensed the subtle King-level aura exuding from her.

Though faint, to it, it was like a surging tidal wave!

Under the daunting presence of the Red Lotus, it sat obediently with its little rump on the chair, hooves neatly on the table, tail still, seated with utmost propriety.

Dragon King!

This must be a Dragon King!

Surely they can’t all be this powerful; it’s just a lowest-tier gathering after all.

Probably a Dragon King hiding his identity, infiltrating the Jiguang Sect!

Then, it saw the second person appear. Clad in a Confucian robe, wielding a paper fan, gently waving it.

Likewise, a sliver of King’s Power emanated from him, daunting like heavenly thunder.

The Little Pixiu suddenly felt uneasy: Am I inadvertently crashing a gathering of kings?