Devour

Bei Tingjun said jokingly, "Well, your Majesty said that I should just bring a maid to serve me, hehe!"

Cheng Bai suddenly sensed something was wrong. He looked up and saw Ning Xianglian approaching with light lotus steps. He quickly covered up and said, "The trip to Jingtao Sect might not be simple. Especially with the addition of the strange anomaly Wang Xiongwu, the situation will be very complicated. Perhaps the Master needs our help!"

Ningxiang heard it all. She walked slowly to Cheng Bai and stopped. With graceful movements, she adjusted his clothes and armor. Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she said tenderly, "It would be nice to have a maid to take care of you. The journey is long. If you don't eat or drink to your heart's content, or if you can't rest well, I'll be worried!"

The white-collar worker saw the deep meaning in the conversation and was secretly shocked: "This is to make the status of each other clear. How decisive and courageous!"

"Your Majesty, please have a rest." Bei Tingjun covered his mouth and chuckled, then tactfully left the hall with the others.

Ningxiang said calmly, "Queen Yao and I hit it off right away, like sisters. I've decided to accompany them back to Yinsheng City tomorrow morning to discuss the future."

Cheng Bai agreed repeatedly: "Oh... OK..."

Ningxiang's clear voice couldn't conceal her pride and satisfaction: "Wantong Xuanmen has a Sky-Splitting Spirit Boat that's even bigger and more advanced than the Sky-Splitting Spirit Boat I use. Once it's completed, it will be mine. That's amazing!"

Cheng Bai cheered along: "Really? That's great!"

Seeing no one else around, Ningxiang grabbed Cheng Bai's ear and snorted coldly, "You sound so perfunctory to me. You even dared to let a beautiful elder pretend to be a maid to serve you? Look how cocky you are!"

"Ouch!" Cheng Bai feigned pain and cried out in injustice, "My cultivation is still rudimentary, and my abilities are limited. Elder Bei is so loyal, and I couldn't have gone deep into the dangerous terrain of Jing'ao Island without her hard work and care!"

Ningxiang reluctantly believed it and released her hand, saying, "You have some conscience. The Master is well-versed in history and present affairs, and he is fair in his dealings. With him here, I can rest assured."

Cheng Bai smiled and said, "That's right. It's clearly a great thing. Let's go north to the Immortal Assembly, and the three of us will travel together to gain true knowledge."

After a while of conversation, Ningxiang gradually turned to personal matters: "Ah Huang and I have been apart for a long time, so it's inevitable that we've become estranged. I plan to take him with me on this trip to Yinsheng City. Xiaohuan promised that he would be yours."

Cheng Bai agreed without hesitation: "It's a small matter, don't worry."

The delicate fragrance of osmanthus filled his nose, refreshing his heart. Ningxiang leaned close to Cheng Bai's ear and gently bit his earlobe, which made his heart flutter.

She whispered in his ear, "The Immortal Fate Elegant Gathering will be a grand gathering of geniuses from outside the realm. I want to attend too. We'll meet at Taowu Academy."

Cheng Bai smiled and said, "The academy is a world-renowned treasure trove of humanities, embracing the wisdom of hundreds of schools of thought and passing on literary spirit for generations to come. Wouldn't it be a great regret in life if you didn't visit it in person, strolling its corridors and experiencing the splendor of calligraphy?"

The next day, everyone went their separate ways as planned. Only two people and one demon remained on the Black Blade Flying Armor, speeding north and slightly east.

Master Li looked out at the beautiful scenery passing by like the wind and exclaimed in admiration, "This flying armor is exquisite and its functions are excellent. Is it truly your work?"

Cheng Bai said humbly, "Master, you are too kind. I have gone through many twists and turns to complete this work, and I always feel that there are some omissions. I hope you will be able to correct me."

"I'm not good at refining weapons. However, the skill comes with practice. Other people's judgments are often subjective. You just need to follow your heart."

Master Li waved his hand and exchanged a few polite words. He then walked around the observation deck, gazing into the distance. His words were filled with vicissitudes of life: "Among the Five Continents, Mo Gui of Xixin is currently the most accomplished weapon refiner, but he is not the most outstanding figure known to scholars."

Cheng Bai asked curiously, "Mo Gui's level is barely high enough to be called a profound master of weapon refining. Has a great master ever appeared in the area around Mount Xumi?"

A Xuanzong master is capable of refining immortal artifacts and has made remarkable achievements. And a Taizong master has reached the pinnacle of his skills and can even refine divine artifacts!

Master Li stroked his beard and said, "This man is incredibly talented. His achievements in weapon refining surpass those of Grand Master, reaching the level of Divine Master. He once achieved the glorious feat of refining a divine ancestral weapon!"

Cheng Bai asked, "Who is this senior master with such extraordinary skills?"

Master Li's eyes showed a far-reaching yearning as he whispered, "He is the founder of Taowu Academy—Reverend Bailian. He has long since ascended to heaven and left the mortal world."

Cheng Bai was surprised and asked, "Was Taowu Academy actually founded by the Buddha's teachings?"

Master Li shook his head in denial, "That's not true. The academy was built solely with the funds of Venerable Bai Lian after he abandoned the Buddha's teachings. Therefore, it has no direct connection to the Buddha's teachings."

Cheng Bai said thoughtfully, "It seems that Venerable Bai Lian is not only knowledgeable, but also very progressive in his thinking."

Master Li explained, "The original purpose of the academy was to preserve monastic texts and cultural heritage. Pilgrims who came to consult the collection had to donate a secret manual or scripture that had not yet been stored. After the manual was assessed for quality, they were allowed to enter the corresponding pavilion to delve into the knowledge they needed."

Cheng Bai's thoughts suddenly became clear, and he sighed, "Tian Chang Di Jiu is a grand academy. It can be said that it has gathered the essence of various sects and schools in the Greater Xumi Mountain area. The disciples in the academy are able to master the martial arts techniques of many schools."

Master Li nodded slightly and said, "The academy even collects rare and miscellaneous knowledge lost from foreign lands. The major sects, considering the long-term mutual assistance and mutual benefit, have tacitly understood the significance of its existence and tacitly agreed to it."

Cheng Bai couldn't help but admire: "By eliminating the barriers between different schools, the influence of Taowu Academy is beyond the imagination of ordinary people!"

Master Li smiled and said, "The origins of all sects, large and small, across the five continents can all be traced back to the evolution and development of the essence of the three religions: the World Honored One, the Immortal Master, and the Non-Heavenly Sect. They still expect to receive something, so even if you treasure your possessions, it depends on who you are dealing with. If you could donate a scroll of secret manual in exchange for a more useful technique, why not?"

Cheng Bai agreed deeply: "The sect and the academy have formed a mutually dependent relationship from now on. As long as the operating rules and regulations are not easily disseminated and confidentiality is properly maintained, the academy is actually more strict than the major sects themselves and is not likely to leak to outsiders."

"This is what is called a conflict of interest." Master Li agreed with this view.

Cheng Bai continued, "Venerable Bai Lian is able to discern the key points and skillfully balance the needs of human nature. He is truly a hero of his generation. But why is the academy named 'Taowu'?"

Master Li said leisurely, "In addition to his unrivaled scholarship, Venerable Bai Lian also achieved the remarkable feat of subduing the great demon sage, Taowu Ancient Emperor. He must have been named after this to commemorate his lifelong rival."

"Ancient Emperor Taowu?" Cheng Bai secretly speculated: "Could it be that he is similar to Ancient Emperor Qiongqi, also a son of an ancient god?"

Master Li spoke with a well-reasoned manner, "Historical records show that the Ancient Emperor Taowu was also a brilliant and talented man, but he was also arrogant and ruthless, and difficult to discipline. He once suppressed all the geniuses of the human race. In the final duel between the two, Venerable Bailian emerged victorious with superior skills!"

"I'm grateful for your advice." Cheng Bai gradually gained a deeper understanding of the past events, and after deducing the details, he asked, "Could the cause of the Five Remnant Mountains mentioned last night be closely related to the Ancient Emperor Taowu?"

"Wu Can Mountain is actually the place where the ancient emperor Taowu fell."

Master Li, seeing he couldn't avoid the topic, had to admit it. He paused and continued, "Legend has it that this mountain, shaped like five fingers, was formed when Venerable Bai Lian transformed a large formation from one of his palms to suppress a demonic spirit. Over time, this formation eliminated all of the vicious energy. He then ordered the descendants of the Tu and Min tribes stationed here to close themselves off from the outside world for a long time, and over time, it developed into the Tu Min Society."

Betting Jun pouted, covered his ears, and walked straight to the lower room, muttering softly, "Huh! You accomplished such a great feat by stepping on the corpse of a demon god. I really can't stand it."

Master Li simply dismissed the idea as a demonic outburst, saying, "The Tumin Society believes itself to be under the Buddha's protection. On the one hand, they're spreading rumors that they're being blessed for generations, and on the other hand, they're trying to cover up the killer system that's been evolving and growing stronger in Tianning Village over the years. Confucian scholars inherit the legacy of their predecessors and occasionally provide some support."

Cheng Bai stood quietly listening to Master Li's speech, feeling an inexplicable strangeness throughout. He pondered the strangeness of the situation: "Abandoning a collateral branch of the family like this, allowing them to become assassins and gangsters is nothing. Just letting the next dean clean up the mess as the situation warrants, how can this be considered a broken pot attitude?"

Master Li, looking solemn, said to himself, "After experiencing this battle, Venerable Bai Lian's temperament changed drastically, and he resolutely left the sect. Not only did he establish the Taowu Academy, he also devoted himself to building the Ladder of All Things in the Five Continents, and even the ladders beyond the heavens. His achievements are unparalleled, his prestige and virtue are unmatched, and neither the World Honored One's Sect nor the major sects can restrain him."