Chapter 2, The True Method of Black Water (4)

Jiao Fei was worried about Su Huan still being on the tower, so he hurried back with large strides. The Great Peng Ming Wang Tower has a total of thirteen levels. Although Jiao Fei had cultivated the Black Water True Method, greatly enhancing his physical strength, going up and down the tower still left him panting. After finally climbing to the twelfth level, Jiao Fei heard a man's voice, which coldly laughed: "Lady Su, you have also cultivated for five hundred years, but you are certainly no match for me. If you surrender, after I take your inner dan, I will still allow your remaining soul a way out. If you insist on resisting, my Hunyuan Banner is still missing a few main souls; once I capture you, I will not be polite."

After all, life lasts but a hundred years; time passes like a fleeting horse. Even an emperor longs for immortality. Jiao Fei has encountered such a tremendous opportunity, and his resolve to pursue the Dao is exceptionally firm. He suppresses his restless thoughts and bids farewell to Su Huan with a raised hand. Su Huan's small face is filled with disappointment, but since she and Jiao Fei are merely strangers, even if she wishes to retain him, she does not know what words to use.

Jiao Fei hurriedly shook his head and said, "Having been out for half a day is already quite rare. If I do not return soon, I fear my master will be worried.

At that moment, a burly man with a long beard leaped onto the high platform. This man unleashed purple lightning from both hands, exuding an unparalleled might, and with a wave of his hand, thunder erupted, resembling a deity in his imposing presence. The old Taoist, fully alert, transformed his whisk into a silver net, and also turned a strand of the whisk's silver thread into a whip-like form, dancing like a dragon, nearly striking the burly man off the high platform several times. The old Taoist, fully alert, transformed his whisk into a silver net, and also turned a strand of the whisk's silver thread into a whip-like form, dancing like a dragon, nearly striking the burly man off the high platform several times.

Moreover, Su Huan's arrival in Chang'an was not for the purpose of witnessing the Water and Land Assembly, but rather to attend to matters of significant importance.

Although this Water and Land Assembly, with its bamboo mat duel, is ten times more exciting than the previous street parade, Jiao Fei also knows that this bamboo mat duel will likely take at least ten days or half a month to conclude, and he cannot just keep watching indefinitely. Although his master, Daoist Lan Li, has not instructed him to return early, Jiao Fei deeply cherishes this opportunity to seek immortality, remaining vigilant at all times, not wanting to anger his master.

After watching this battle of wits, Jiao Fei suddenly thought to himself: "Even I can see that the old Taoist from hetushu.com is far stronger than the Taoist in the yellow robe. Why doesn't the Taoist in the yellow robe realize this? Just now, he was so pleased with himself, as if he had the victory in hand, and it didn't seem like an act. Could it be that he truly cannot perceive the strength of his opponent? Surely, his skills cannot be inferior to mine."

This battle of wits was even more thrilling than the previous one. Jiao Fei was captivated, and when he turned his head, he noticed that Su Huan seemed distracted, her enchanting eyes fixed on the crowd. Following Su Huan's gaze, he happened to see the beggar manipulating the red-scaled snake, and he was slightly taken aback, pondering: "What is so fascinating about this beggar? It seems Su Huan has a grudge against him. However, if this beggar were to take the stage, I fear that even the two combined would not be his match."

Jiao Fei descended from the Dapeng Mingwang Tower, feeling a sense of melancholy. Su Huan, with a pleasing appearance and poised demeanor, made them feel as if they were old friends upon their first meeting. After parting this time, it seemed unlikely they would meet again. Although Jiao Fei was unaware of his master's reasons for coming to Chang'an, it was presumed that he would not linger long in this bustling place. In the future, whether they would meet again in distant lands or secluded ancient caves, the chances seemed exceedingly slim.

In the blink of an eye, thirteen or fourteen individuals were summoned to the imperial palace, and the young eunuchs were bustling in and out, creating quite a lively scene. Those without real abilities, possessing only a few tricks to deceive, were extremely eager but were not called by the Son of Heaven of the Tang Dynasty. It was evident that there were also knowledgeable experts beside the Li family's emperor.

Jiao Fei finally understood that the original contest of bamboo mats did not necessarily require a clear winner or loser. As long as the participant demonstrated their magical abilities, they would be summoned to the palace. Clearly, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty did not care about who won or lost; he only valued those with skills. The more capable individuals there were to help extend his life by a decade, the better.

Jiao Fei thought of this and felt it was unlikely. Clearly, the spells exhibited by the Daoist in the yellow robe were a hundred times more powerful than his own meager abilities, which he had only been cultivating for a little over a month. Unable to resolve this mystery, he decided to return to the temple to ask his master.

Indeed, there are supernatural beings at work. However, why is Miss Su referred to as Su Niang? Could it be that she is a consort of the current emperor?

Jiao Fei happened to glance towards the imperial city and saw a five-clawed golden dragon, swirling like clouds and mist around the eaves, yet he could see nothing clearly. It became evident to him that the tales told by the world were not false; the emperor was indeed a true dragon. However, that five-clawed golden dragon appeared to be on the verge of death, seemingly devoid of spirit, showing signs of old age and weariness.

Jiao Fei's stomach let out a rumble, and he couldn't help but feel a bit hungry. Upon hearing this sound, Su Huan smiled charmingly and said, "In the Minister's residence, there must be plenty of food; they can't possibly eat it all. Why don't we sneak into the kitchen to find something to eat, and then come back to see the wonderful highlights of this water and land conference?"

The old Taoist priest and the burly man with a long beard had only fought for the duration of a joss stick when an edict was issued from the royal palace, ordering both parties to cease their duel and inviting them to the palace for hospitality. The two individuals displayed markedly different reactions as they were led into the palace by a young eunuch, eliciting great envy from those below. Before long, another monk with a colorful aura ascended the high platform. This time, there was no need for anyone to engage in combat, as another edict was issued from the palace, summoning this monk into the inner sanctum as well.

The sun had already passed noon, and a high-ranking eunuch in the imperial city conveyed a message from the emperor, whose grace was vast. He granted a banquet to the masters participating in the Water and Land Assembly. Soon, strongmen from the palace carried over a hundred tables of feast to Zhuque Street, where various extraordinary individuals took their seats one by one. Those dozen or so selected to enter the palace naturally received even better hospitality, surpassing that of those on Zhuque Street.

He was about to find a way to leave the Ministry of Rites when he accidentally turned his head and saw a column of black gas rising from the Great Peng Ming Wang Pagoda, soaring dozens of feet into the sky. He couldn't help but be greatly alarmed and exclaimed, "Just a moment ago, there was no sign of any movement at the pagoda. How could such a high column of black gas suddenly erupt? I heard my master say that the four schools of Xuan Shen Shi have different practices, and the spiritual light on them is also distinctly different. However, this black gas, foul and malevolent, surely does not belong to human cultivators. Only monsters that have devoured countless living beings would release such dark demonic energy."

Jiao Fei was sharp-minded and did not rush forward in one go. Instead, he concealed himself at the stairway, looking up to see a man in a black robe, around fifty years old, holding a long banner measuring about eight feet. The pole of the banner appeared to be forged from fine steel, while the fabric was unknown, dark and dense, adorned with the constellations of the universe. The man in the black robe casually flipped the long banner in his hand, and a mist-like aura, indistinct yet palpable, swirled and intertwined upon the surface of the banner