In less than half a year, the Holy Mother of Tortoise and Wen Zhong returned to the celestial palace dejectedly, having failed in their mission.
As the Ten Celestial Palaces were once a battlefield, the chaotic spiritual fluctuations there led to numerous abandoned buildings that actually hide an astonishing number of ghosts and immortals.
Wen Zhong, accompanied by the gods of thunder, killed ghosts and immortals everywhere, but these guys were well-versed in the essence of guerrilla warfare: when you come, we run; when you leave, we return.
To them, the many celestial treasures brought by the Heavenly Court for constructing the grand formation and heavenly prison were just like fat meat. The ghosts and immortals among themselves had little control over each other, and their main idea was to seize a batch and run away; this one would grab a batch, and that one would do the same.
The cultivation of the ghosts and immortals was generally low, but they were very familiar with the environment. Wen Zhong was thoroughly exhausted after being beaten.
In the original timeline, Wen Zhong led the elite troops of Taishang Dynasty and took fifteen years to suppress Yuan Futong's rebellion in Beihai. This man's military tactics were quite conventional, preferring a straightforward style and going blind when facing guerrilla warfare. The situation was no different now.
After struggling for half a year, the Holy Mother of Tortoise had completed one-third of the Heavenly Prison. After enduring the impact of seven waves of spiritual energy surge, it was utterly destroyed.
In the past, the Holy Mother of Tortoise was a high-level immortal of Jiejiao, and her eyesight was still good. However, all that is in the past. Sitting in the hall and talking about empty theories might be suitable for her. But when it comes to actual operations, her cultivation deficiency became fully exposed.
When it comes to the same age range, without any special circumstances, neither Manjiao, Xuanjiao, or the Western religion before Buddhism nor the current Buddhism is superior to the disciples of Jiejiao.
The reason for this lies in the different methods of cultivation.
The Xuanjiao side was like cultivating martial artists. Besides learning martial arts principles and mastering basic medical knowledge, they had to have a sufficient understanding of yin and yang, five elements, and eight meridians. Blind practice was the most taboo thing.
Disciples of the Jiejiao were akin to soldiers, warriors, and assassins, emphasizing that the realm is supreme. In a life-and-death battle, they could completely overwhelm their counterparts who are martial artists, but they have fewer skills and spend all their time on advancing their realm.
People with extraordinary talents like Duo Bao Dao Ren could later supplement their lacking knowledge, become more advanced in cultivation, and learn quickly. Latercomers can rise to the top, and there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, he even surpassed his peers such as Xuan Dou Da Fa and Jin Luo Da Fa.
From the perspective of Duo Bao Dao Ren, blindly advancing in cultivation and returning to study the arts of immortality after reaching a high realm, this path is completely fine. It saves time and effort, correct to an extent that cannot be corrected.
However, from the perspective of the Holy Mother of Tortoise, the method of teaching by the Jiejiao school is not effective.
They know about array laws, but they are relatively loose. They can predict the future, but their ability is not strong. They can also refine weapons to some extent, and with their high-level immortal realm, they can only refine treasures suitable for the realm of Taixiu Immortals.
If the Holy Mother of Tortoise is like this, then let alone Wen Zhong, who is a watered-down version of her.
Letting Master Wen in the mortal world engage in construction, he is proficient in military strategy, martial arts, medicine, divination, astronomy, and meteorology. He can build not only a prison but also the Tower of Heaven itself. However, building something in the sky is far more difficult than on the ground.
The two of them were defeated utterly.
Wan Tian left no face, scolded the two of them in front of the imperial officials, from ministers to generals. The Holy Mother of Tortoise endured again and again until she was on the verge of losing her temper. Just as she was about to lose control, Wen Zhong held her firmly, preventing her from storming out angrily.
"Uncle, the times have changed!" Wen Zhong reminded her in a very low voice.
The departure of Tongtian Lord from the Void, which had the greatest impact on these former Jiejiao Immortals, caused them to feel the most uncomfortable. In Beiyou Palace in Jiaoyu Island, Jiejiao Immortals cannot afford to offend the Heavenly King, so they have to avoid it. But they can avoid it. If they cannot go to the Heavenly Court, there is nothing else they can do. However, for these Jiejiao Immortals who serve in the Heavenly Court, where can they hide?
The Holy Mother of Tortoise felt as if her head was going to explode with anger. She was utterly disgusted by the Heavenly King's method of deterring others by killing chickens to scare monkeys, and she gritted her teeth and endured for half an hour.
The result of her endurance was a penalty of three years of official position.
Wan Tian paid no heed to the anger of the Holy Mother of Tortoise. He cared only about his own Dao and dignity. With his abilities, if he personally took on the task, he could build this heavenly prison, but would it be fitting for the supreme ruler of the Three Realms to do such a task? Would it not damage his dignity?
Ten days later, the Star of Tai Bai arrived at the Taiyuan Cave again.
Twenty-eight thousand heavenly achievements? The Heavenly Court is vast and generous, they will agree to it!
It doesn't matter how much heavenly achievements you make in this process. The imperial decree of Wan Tian is clear: the Heavenly Prison must be completed within three years.
"Three years? Haha." Deng ChanYu calculated the time and smiled; her father-in-law still gave her a warning at the last moment.
What time is three years later? That's when the phoenix is reborn.
Regardless of how profound their mental connection, at the moment, they were two people.
For someone like Deng ChanYu, who is as carefree and aloof as a wandering immortal, a little compensation after the construction of the Heavenly Prison would suffice to send her away. But if the phoenix took over the project, then promotions and ennoblement would be necessary. The phoenix has already reached the peak of her position; how else can one promote her?
The Heavenly King and Deng ChanYu had a telepathic conversation. I could see that the time of the phoenix's rebirth was deliberate, as if it had been planned for this task.
Deng ChanYu didn't have high hopes for the promotion of the phoenix as decreed by Wan Tian, but this time she intended to make a profit from the opportunity.
Twenty-eight thousand heavenly achievements, if fully accepted, would be roughly equivalent to one-tenth of her peak merit and one-fifth of her current merit. It's not a small number.
For such an enormous construction project, she couldn't possibly handle it alone. Assigning the task and guiding her occasionally would make the work go smoothly.
To her, in the realm of Hongwu, the distance from Emei Mountain to the Tenth Heaven wouldn't be much farther than the distance from her bedroom to the courtyard.
"Since the Great Celestial Master holds me in such high regard, I cannot decline. This task, I must reluctantly accept with a face-saving gesture!"
The Star of Tai Bai quickly nodded: "This is excellent, excellent! Please, senior immortal, follow me! There are still some heavenly soldiers and generals at the Tenth Heaven. You can take charge immediately."
Deng ChanYu couldn't just leave immediately. She had to make sure her family affairs were in order first.
Actually, there isn't much to do. From top to bottom, the Taiyuan Cave revolves around this little thing, Xiao Wu.
Dai Ji was away from home during this time.
Su Hu, Su's grandfather, has been slightly ill recently. The old man is ninety-nine years old, and Dai Ji, along with her maids Red Xiao and Ping'er, returned home to take care of her father. In plain terms, she wanted to ask her father directly: do you want to die immediately or live for another two years?
Dai Ji was somewhat exasperated by her father's draggy behavior over the past few years. Su Hu was better when he was younger, but as he got older, he became indecisive, hesitating and looking back, wanting to enjoy the wealth and luxury of the present while not wanting his own abnormalities to be discovered.
In the Han Dynasty's court, a large number of generals and great officials have died in recent years. Men like Fei Zhong and You Hun, who are evil and corrupt, are over ninety years old.
Su Hu, the respected feudal lord of Jì Zhou, is older than Zhòu Wáng by several years. However, he dare not reveal his true age. When asked by others, "How old is the general?" he would say, "Eighty, eighty!"
Eighty ghosts!
