The True Lord has arrived

Chapter 361 The Prefect Arrives
Zhou Yan sent his divine thoughts, messages, and requests to Shi Xuanxing and Nanyue Zhenjun respectively. Then, looking into the distance, he would normally choose to use his divine will to convey the message.

However, this time it's not necessary.

Zhou Yan clenched his fist, swept his sleeves, and took half a step forward.

The power of the earth's veins converged in this body, propelling it into lightning. In an instant, it soared into the air, swept past layers of clouds, and headed straight for Mount Tai.

………………

The True Lord of Mount Heng secretly sent a message to the Lord of Mount Tai. He was uneasy, but after receiving a "know" from the Lord of Mount Tai, he breathed a sigh of relief. However, he soon became even more worried.

What exactly does the Prefect mean?

Sigh, I hope the Lord won't mistake me for an accomplice of Zhongyue and then get rid of me as well.
Nan Yue was tempted to slip away, but now that things had come to this, he was caught in a trap and had nowhere to run or escape. He could only sigh and gather his men to go and meet them.

Beiyue Zhenjun is simply from a desolate northern region and has a poor family background, unlike the other four mountains. Even now, he is still accompanied by the General of Ruoshui. This time, he seems to have come with the intention of "making up the numbers", and there is a bit of unease between his brows.

Zhongyue Zhenjun Zhongtianwang closed his eyes and exhaled in his own temple.

After receiving messages from Nanyue and Beiyue, the expression on Zhongtianwang's face changed several times. If it were before, he would not have wanted to fight with Dongyue anymore, nor would he want to test the Lord of Taishan again and again.

But he had a guilty conscience.

He could give up on the Northern and Southern Mountains, but he could not. He had coveted the power and authority of the head of the Five Mountains since that day, so he collected a large number of fragments of the Dao Fruit of Mount Tai, and then used his own strength to shatter all of these fragments.

It can be said that when he personally turned the Dao Fruit into dust, he had already embarked on the path of hostility towards the [Dongyue Lineage], a path that could be described as a fight to the death.

Moreover, that was his previous thought. Now, he harbors a firm belief, a truth strong enough to support his all-or-nothing gamble—

"Lord of Mount Tai, there was no such god in ancient times."

"He is a fake!"

Zhongyue is absolutely certain of this!

He too has been cultivating diligently for a thousand years. Although he is not as spirited and charismatic as the Golden Heavenly King of the Western Peak, the foundation he has built up over the long years through painstaking effort is not fake.

In his arduous search for a breakthrough, he sought opportunities everywhere. Later, he encountered an ancient deity who took pity on his yearning for the Dao and led him to the second spiritual world.

He traveled far and wide to pay homage to the revered deity, but none of the gods knew the title "Lord of Mount Tai." This meant that the so-called position of Lord of Mount Tai was exactly as he had guessed.

It was during the calamity at the Reclining Buddha Temple that the crazed Li Longji and the young Taoist priest wove an absurd lie together. All the subsequent tests were deceived by the young Taoist priest using the residual divine charm of Mount Tai.

As far as the public is concerned, he and the Taishan lineage are irreconcilable enemies, each destined to destroy the path of cultivation.

In my opinion, the Lord of Mount Tai is nothing but a charlatan.

At this moment, he received a gift from that ancient deity, a wonderful method that could suppress the earth vein power of the entire Mount Tai lineage for a short time. In this way, the imposter would not be able to use the power of Mount Tai.

As long as we truly fight fiercely and confront him head-on, we will surely be able to expose his weakness. At that time, we can seize the Taishan ley line. That revered god once said that by offering the Taishan ley line to Him, one can be granted the power to break through realms.

As an aging spiritual being, the Heavenly King simply could not resist this temptation.

He slowly opened his eyes, suppressing the ambition and ruthlessness in them deep within his heart. He raised his hand to put on the Bagua mirror at his waist, and then picked up the seemingly ordinary cane that actually contained ancient spiritual power.

As he walked out of the temple, his face still held that kind and gentle demeanor of a senior.

The Central Heavenly King, the Southern Heavenly King, and the Northern Heavenly King met and chatted for a while. After having some tea and snacks, they all rode auspicious clouds and headed towards the location of the Eastern Heavenly King. The Central Heavenly King stroked his beard and said with feigned regret, "Since you two fellow Daoists have come here, we will go together to pay our respects to the Lord of Mount Tai."

"This time, we must see if this Lord of Mount Tai is truly an ancient god."

"It's a pity, but I also once sent a message to the Golden Heavenly King."

"But this Fellow Daoist of Xiyue is as arrogant as ever. My message should have been delivered, but he treated it as nothing and did not receive it. Otherwise, if he had come this time, it could have been a sure thing."

The Northern Mountain and the Southern Mountain should both be the same.

Nanyue Zhenjun smiled and nodded in praise, but in his heart he felt a chill run down his spine. He seemed to see the scenes that had occurred when he had been audacious and reckless in trying to divine the fate of the Lord of Mount Tai.

The Primordial Dragon Turtle, with its boundless energy and blood, the Great Sun Golden Crow, and Gonggong, the Water God.

And then there was the Golden Heavenly King, whose soul was scattered and who perished completely.

The True Lord of Mount Heng couldn't help but think to himself:
"Finding Lao Jin might be a bit difficult."

"However, after today..."

"You might actually be able to see Old Jin."

Looking at the kind-faced and gentle Zhongyue Zhenjun, he couldn't help but inwardly grumble.

Beiyue Zhenjun echoed, but when his gaze swept over Zhongtianwang's confident appearance, and he thought of his own poor family background, a complicated look appeared between his brows.

These three people each had their own thoughts, and since they couldn't really talk about anything in casual conversation, they gradually became quiet and silent.

The auspicious clouds moved swiftly, and the scenery on both sides flashed by.

They soon arrived at the Taishan area.

The three True Lords and their accompanying generals looked on with a solemn expression. True Lord Beiyue sighed and exclaimed in amazement, "It really is different, so different! The first time we came here, all the big and small hills in this Taishan area were occupied by monsters."

"The place used to be filled with demonic energy, but now there are no demons, ghosts, monsters, or evil spirits. Although it can't be called a sacred mountain or treasure land, it is a peaceful place."

"Not bad."

The True Lord of Mount Tai nodded in agreement, while the True Lord of Mount Zhongyue seemed uninterested in listening to this, his gaze fixed on the main peak of Mount Tai, and said:

"Since we're already here, let's go down and take a look."

He then used magic to urge the auspicious clouds to tumble and fall forward, intending to fly directly to the highest point of Mount Tai. Suddenly, a sharp, piercing sound rang out, and the next moment, a blood-red streak of light shot out from under Mount Tai.

In an instant, the arrow pierced through the clouds with overwhelming force. Zhongyue Zhenjun was pondering this decision and how to divide the North and South Mountains and seize control of the Taishan landform when he saw the arrow's rainbow-like light. He stroked his beard and let out a cold snort.

boom! ! !
The profound and boundless fourth-grade realm suddenly spread.

The profound magical power and cultivation transformed into an invisible wall of energy, forcefully intercepting the beam of light. Beyond the layers of energy waves, the light lost its radiance and transformed into an arrow.

"...A fifth-grade arrow?!"

Zhong Yue knew that there was a celestial star named Shi Xuanxing here that had fallen to earth and become spiritually formed. However, the guardian deity of Mount Tai was skilled in pure, brute force, and this arrow filled with bloodthirsty energy could not possibly be his.

"who is it?!"

Zhong Yue's eyes narrowed, and he saw a man wearing ancient Qin and Han armor, holding a bow, standing there calmly. This was none other than King Ben of Qin, who had emerged from the dusty imperial tomb to intercept the Weaver Girl's rebellion!

Zhou Yan used his power over life and death to stabilize their chances of survival.

So Wang Ben led three hundred elite Qin soldiers to Mount Tai and helped train the Mount Tai Guards. The one who made the move at this moment was this Marquis Tongwu of Qin. His eyes were sharp. Although his body after death was not as strong as when he was alive, the murderous aura that he possessed was enough to destroy a country. These incense-offering and divine beings could not ignore it.

"The Lord has given an order."

"Visitors are not permitted to enter on clouds!"

"Do not recklessly take up arms!"

"Now that you have come here, please descend from the clouds and climb these stone steps of Mount Tai. Place your weapons here in front of the mountain, and they will be returned to their rightful owners when you leave!"

Wang Ben, a seasoned general, spoke in a cold, commanding voice. Nan Yue trembled slightly upon hearing him, while Zhong Yue, having glimpsed the second spiritual world, knew that the deity of Mount Tai did not exist. He immediately scoffed, "Oh?"

Looking around, he smiled and said, "There's a saying in the world: it's easier to deal with the King of Hell than with his underlings. I'm acquainted with your lord, and when he sees me, he'll have to call me 'senior.' Since you're under his command, how can you stop me?!"

"Why aren't you backing down at once?"

Wang Ben ignored his words and simply raised his hand indifferently. The Taishan Guards, who had been personally trained by this famous general at the peak of the Great Qin Dynasty, appeared from the clouds. They were all wearing armor, holding long poles, and their imposing aura was like a rainbow. They stepped forward with a thunderous roar.

Wang Ben spoke again, his tone completely flat: "Get down."

Zhongyue Zhenjun came this time with the intention of completely humiliating this kid, but before he even arrived, he was given a huge rude awakening. He immediately burst out laughing and said, "Good, good, good!"

"Is this how Mount Tai taught his subordinates?"

"Go, teach them a lesson."

His generals, also at the fifth rank, immediately accepted the order, riding auspicious clouds and charging towards Wang Ben. Wang Ben remained indifferent, mobilizing six thousand Taishan Guards, connecting the great formation to the earth's veins, and engaging the fifth-rank mountain god.

All that could be seen was a surging aura of menace, with sharp spearheads. The Taishan Guards, who had previously been mere figureheads when sweeping away demons, now displayed a terrifying sharpness, exhibiting the distinct style of the Qin Dynasty's peak-era troops.

Cold and efficient, like a war machine devoid of emotion.

Long spears, heavy crossbows, and swords flew in an endless stream.

Centered on Wang Ben, a general capable of destroying entire kingdoms, the aura surged like a tidal wave, constantly shifting and changing. The Mountain God, a general under the command of the Central Peak True Lord, was defeated by Wang Ben in just over a dozen breaths, and captured by the Mount Tai Guard in just over thirty breaths.

Wang Ben said coldly, "Take him away."

Even Zhongyue Zhenjun's face looked rather unpleasant.

"Good, good, good!"

"You scoundrel!"

"Let me test your skills!"

Having said that, he no longer concealed himself and threw the seemingly ordinary cane in his hand downwards. In ancient times, there was a great man named Kuafu, who chased the sun. Before he died, Kuafu threw out a cane, which landed on the ground and turned into a peach forest.

This walking stick is the very one that Kuafu used back then.

At this moment, the True Lord of Zhongyue emerged in anger, parting layers of clouds. Strands of primordial energy gathered behind this enormous walking stick, transforming into a giant. Zhongyue activated his Dharma form, gripping the Kuafu Peach Wood Staff, and slammed it down fiercely towards the people of Mount Tai.

This Dharma image was almost the size of the entire Mount Tai, which was enough to show that the Zhongyue Zhenjun had gone all out. Wang Ben, Shi Xuanxing and others led three hundred Qin elite soldiers and six thousand Mount Tai guards to form a formation to resist, and their vital energy was transformed into a heavy shield in the style of military strategists.

However, this is the full power of a top-tier True Monarch.

This was no ordinary matter, especially since the Taishan Guards hadn't had enough training time. Gradually, cracks appeared on the giant shield, and it began to emit shockwaves. At this moment, the suppressed anger and resentment in Zhong Yue's heart surged, and he shouted coldly.

“I have come on behalf of the Lord of Mount Tai to teach you the rules.”

"Kneel down!"

boom! ! !
The shockwave exploded, but the smile on Zhong Yue's face froze before it could fully bloom. His gaze shifted, and he saw a hand calmly pressing on his arm. The hand wasn't particularly strong, but it was enough to easily grab his arm.

!!!

Zhongyue Zhenjun saw that this person's face was shrouded in a dark cloud, making it difficult to see clearly. He wore a dark robe and had a profound aura. So he used his supernatural powers, gathering and dispersing like clouds, to break free from the man's grasp. Looking at the man, he said sternly:

"Who are you?!"

"who am I?"

Zhou Yan concealed his face and simply said:

"How long has it been? Don't you remember me? Zhongyue..."

Zhongyue Zhenjun's expression tightened slightly, while Shi Xuanxing and the others had already recognized the aura of the person before them. That aura resonated faintly with the earth's veins throughout Mount Tai, so they couldn't be mistaken. Thus—

boom! ! !
With a unified voice, the six thousand Taishan Guards took half a step forward, causing a faint tremor in the earth.

They had undergone a new tempering, shedding their former chaos. Now, chests out and heads held high, their gazes sharp, they raised their arms in unison and slammed them heavily against their chests with a thunderous roar, saying in unison:
"Greetings, Lord!!"

This greeting to the Prefect was shouted three times in succession, the sound echoing through the mountains and valleys, layer upon layer. Each time it echoed, the Taishan Guards would shout it again. The sound gathered like a torrent, eventually soaring into the sky, making the heavens and earth roar.

"Greetings, Lord Lord!"

The other Yue Zhenjun were merely incense-offering deities, and had never seen an army trained in such a war machine style before. They were momentarily stunned. Zhongyue, however, looked at Zhou Yan and said, "...The Lord of the Prefecture has come here. What a magnificent sight."

"Isn't it impressive?"

Zhou Yan calmly released Zhongyue Zhenjun's hand and said indifferently, "This is not the first time you have come here suddenly. You should give me a reason."

Zhong Yue scrutinized Zhou Yan before him and said, "The reason is..."

His voice was ethereal, and suddenly, something was thrown out, turning into a stream of light. It forcibly caused the Taishan ley lines to enter a state of chaos, making them difficult to manipulate. At the same time, Zhongyue made his move, his peach wood staff turning into light and striking Zhou Yan directly.

"this!!!"

Zhong Yue used all his strength in this move.

His cultivation, accumulated over a thousand years, and his long-standing timidity were all unleashed, transforming into a powerful and domineering torrent. He felt a sense of exhilaration and unbridled joy, realizing that his past caution and prudence might have been the very danger to his Dao heart.

If he had possessed the same sharpness as the Golden Heavenly King earlier, perhaps he would have had the opportunity to break through much sooner.

His heart was filled with the joy of a breakthrough.

But this attack, which should have been domineering and arrogant, was instead struck hard and then caught steadily.

He caught it?!
The smile of the True Lord of Zhongyue froze.

He saw the Lord of Mount Tai calmly lower his eyes, and saw that the Lord of Mount Tai did not move at all after his attack. A sense of absurdity arose in his heart, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared.

"What?!!"

"Is this your answer, Zhongyue?"

Zhou Yan said in a low voice, and then suddenly swept his sleeves. His fifth-grade Dao foundation, in harmony with the luck of the human path and the purple aura of merit, instantly rose to the peak of the fourth grade. Strands of spiritual energy gathered behind him and transformed into a Dharma image in the form of the Lord of Mount Tai.

Then, it suddenly pulled backward.

[Devouring Heaven and Earth]!!!
boom! ! !
Zhongyue Zhenjun's body was swept away as if by a raging dragon and snake. He had no power to resist this peak third-grade divine power and was swept away and sucked in. His Dharma form was still struggling to hold on.

Zhou Yan raised his left hand and grasped Di Jun's golden bell.

He slammed his fist forward.

It struck the head of the image of the True Lord of Mount Zhongyue.

boom! ! !
In an instant, the majestic head of the Central Peak True Lord appeared.

It was shattered instantly!
utter silence.

(End of this chapter)