"What kind of technique is this?"
This scroll was a Golden Scripture, extremely difficult to damage. There was not much text on it, and the few scattered words were very brief, such as "Magpie Bridge," "Mysterious Guide," and "Divine Crossing." Their meanings were unclear.
Bān Gōngcuò's gaze fell on the picture on the first page of the Golden Scripture. The picture depicted a brilliant Heavenly Court, magnificent and resplendent. The golden light that had just filled the hall was the radiance emanating from the Heavenly Court in the painting.
Although it was a painting, it was so realistic that it seemed as if a real Heavenly Court was hidden within the book.
In front of the Heavenly Court was a broken bridge, and a godlike figure stood at the end of the broken bridge.
Bān Gōngcuò was slightly stunned. This scene looked somewhat familiar. He immediately looked around the picture and saw the sun, moon, and the Five Luminaries. Finally, he could confirm: "This is the Divine Bridge Divine Treasury! This godlike figure must be the Primordial Spirit! Why did this Golden Scripture paint this picture? Isn't the Divine Bridge in Wuyou Village complete? Why is this picture still broken?"
Besides this picture, there were other pictures. These pictures depicted different circulation routes, how yuan qi circulated in the Spirit Embryo, how to control the Five Qi in the Five Luminaries Divine Treasury, how to determine the Sixfold Harmony to stabilize heaven and earth, how to connect the Seven Stars, how to unify the soul and yuan qi to consolidate the Primordial Spirit, and how to understand life and death to see the Netherworld.
When he reached the eighth picture, it was the Divine Bridge Divine Treasury again. Bān Gōngcuò's heart suddenly beat violently several times. He saw the groundwork laid by the previous seven pictures. By the time yuan qi reached the eighth picture, it had undergone a wondrous transformation. Numerous streams of yuan qi were drawn by an invisible force, like magpies, spreading forward along the broken bridge.
"Magpie Bridge!"
Bān Gōngcuò's heart thumped loudly. This was the cultivation method of the Magpie Bridge. The Magpie Bridge Art recorded in this Golden Scripture—cultivating this art could reconnect the broken bridge!
He hurriedly turned to the next page and saw that in the picture, the Primordial Spirit had already reached the end of the Magpie Bridge, but there was still an insurmountable distance to the Heavenly Court ahead.
At this moment, the circulation route of yuan qi changed wondrously again, resonating inexplicably with the Heavenly Court. The yuan qi was drawn flying toward the direction of the Heavenly Court, and a bridge was slowly forming from the Heavenly Court as well.
"Mysterious Guide Art!"
Bān Gōngcuò was so excited that stars danced before his eyes. He quickly struggled to steady his mind and continued to look at the next page.
This page was the last page of the Golden Scripture. It depicted the Divine Crossing Art. Activating this technique would allow the Primordial Spirit to fly across, stepping from one end of the Divine Bridge to the other, thus entering another profound realm!
"How was such a complex technique created?"
Bān Gōngcuò suppressed the urge to cheer. The methods recorded in this Golden Scripture were too complex. If it were him, he would never have thought of such a complex yet ingenious technique to connect the Divine Bridge. And the people of Wuyou Village had actually created this technique—it was truly inconceivable!
"A single volume of the Golden Scripture surpasses all the accumulation of my previous life. So what if that brat surnamed Qin took away some of my past wealth? With this Golden Scripture, I can break through to the Divine Bridge realm and become a deity!"
Bān Gōngcuò stood up and felt dizzy, knowing that his mind was too agitated, and even his Dao Heart was shaken by this immense good news. Although he was an old monster who had lived for ten thousand years, he was also overwhelmed by this great joy and found it difficult to calm his Dao Heart.
"As long as I cultivate to the Divine Bridge realm and open the Divine Bridge Divine Treasury, becoming a deity will be a piece of cake! I need to quickly improve my cultivation!"
Just then, a shaman came to report outside the Sacred Hall of the Golden Palace, saying, "Great Venerable, the front line is under pressure. Khan Luándí sent a message saying that the State Preceptor of Yankang has arrived at the front line. In the past two days, someone called the Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult has also arrived. His swordsmanship is divine; he showed a move, and his sword light was like a sea, controlling the battlefield within a radius of several hundred li."
Bān Gōngcuò was surprised and laughed involuntarily: "Has Luándí gone mad? The Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult is that brat surnamed Qin. How could he have such great ability? Sword light controlling several hundred li? Even in my previous life, I didn't have such means! The State Preceptor of Yankang may not have such means either, let alone the State Preceptor of Yankang is still injured. Nonsense, truly nonsense."
The shaman said, "Khan Luándí's intention is to ask the Great Venerable to mobilize the experts of the Golden Palace to assist."
Bān Gōngcuò was in a good mood and laughed: "That kid Luándí is too timid. I have already issued orders to the grasslands, letting a hundred khans assist him. There are hundreds of tribes in the grasslands, hundreds of khans, all going to help him. The cultivation strength of these khans is not weak. Moreover, the Langjuxu Kingdom is also attacking the Cold Iron Pass from the north, diverting Yankang's forces. Yet he still wants to borrow the power of my Golden Palace."
The shaman quickly said, "Great Venerable, how should we reply to Khan Luándí? His description of sword light like a sea does not seem to be false."
Bān Gōngcuò stood up and paced back and forth: "Sword light like a sea, sword light like a sea... I have seen such swordsmanship before! Heh, it seems that person has arrived. The old Human Emperor was not peaceful even before his death."
The shaman shivered: "The old Human Emperor?"
"Now that the old Human Emperor has appeared, it will be much easier to handle."
Bān Gōngcuò smiled: "This is a great opportunity for my Golden Palace to show its face. Go to the Western Earth Sacred Mountain, offer incense and invite the people from the Upper Realm. Tell them that the old Human Emperor has left the Great Ruins. I will take the strong experts of the Golden Palace ahead to assist at the border pass."
The shaman's face changed drastically and he blurted out, "Great Venerable, please reconsider! If the old Human Emperor arrives, his swordsmanship is divine and unfathomable. I'm afraid our Golden Palace..."
Bān Gōngcuò said leisurely, "My Golden Palace is, after all, a sacred land. How could we fear this old immortal? Now the State Preceptor is crippled, Emperor Yanfeng is also crippled, the Daoist Master and the Tathagata are both old, the Daoist Sect and the Great Thunderclap Monastery no longer have anyone capable of leading. The Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult, that brat Qin, is only a child and completely useless. Yankang deserves to be destroyed."
The shaman was slightly stunned and quickly said, "Great Venerable, do not underestimate Yankang."
Bān Gōngcuò tucked the Golden Scripture close to his body and walked out, laughing: "You overestimate them. My Golden Palace is not to be trifled with either. There are more than a dozen experts at the Cult Master level. Add to that over a hundred grassland khans, and we have nothing to fear from Yankang. Actually, once the old Human Emperor appears, the fate of the State of Yankang is already sealed. The Upper Realm will be delighted to help us destroy Yankang. This time, the old Human Emperor has stirred up a huge trouble!"
He laughed heartily, walked out of the Sacred Hall, and summoned all the experts of the Golden Palace at the Celestial Being, Life and Death, and Divine Bridge realms to march toward the border pass.
The shaman dared not delay and immediately set off for the Western Earth.
This time, Bān Gōngcuò brought only experts, individuals who had cultivated the Primordial Spirit. They traveled on treasure ships, with Celestial Being-level shamans transforming into bird wings, flapping their wings to tow the treasure ships, flying with incredible speed.
Even so, it took five or six days to reach the border pass.
Behind the border pass, sheep and cattle herds spread across the mountains and plains. Khans from various parts of the grasslands each brought their tribe's troops, slaughtering cattle and sheep for meat.
The State of Yankang was weak. Following the principle of "kick them while they're down," Bān Gōngcuò personally ordered the various tribes of the grasslands to unite, with Khan Luándí as the leader, to attack Yankang. At the same time, he contacted the Langjuxu Kingdom to invade from the north. After conquering the State of Yankang, they would divide the territory.
The grassland army was blocked at the Qingmen Pass. Both sides sent more and more troops and experts. Reinforcements from the Qingmen Pass side also poured continuously onto the battlefield, bringing the war into a stalemate.
When Qin Mu and the others arrived, it was during a critical period of contention for the Duck Tongue area. In the end, the Village Chief's single move, "Sword Treading Through Mountains and Rivers," pacified the situation.
When Khan Luándí heard that Bān Gōngcuò was leading the experts of the Golden Palace to arrive, he quickly led many grassland khans to personally welcome him. Although Bān Gōngcuò was nominally his son, his true identity was the Great Venerable. This made him both sad but more delighted.
After Bān Gōngcuò's body was possessed by the Great Venerable, the Golden Palace's attitude toward him had become much better, and they began to fully support him in becoming the overlord of the grasslands.
"Pay respects to the Great Venerable!" Khan Luándí led the crowd in bowing and shouted.
Bān Gōngcuò quickly stepped forward to help them up, laughing: "You are my father in this life. There is no need for such formality. I already know about the sword light like a sea you mentioned. I came this time to put your mind at ease."
Khan Luándí bowed respectfully, recalling the overwhelming sword light that was like a vast ocean, and couldn't help but shiver: "The Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult has extraordinary abilities and invincible swordsmanship. With him in the Qingmen Pass, it's enough to make our grassland elite unable to advance an inch! Great Venerable..."
"The Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult?"
Bān Gōngcuò laughed heartily, stomping his feet repeatedly before stopping his laughter: "The Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult is just a sixteen-year-old brat! His abilities are very shallow. What virtue or ability does he have to deserve such importance from you? Don't worry about him. Since he is on the opposite side, I will go meet him to put your mind at ease."
Khan Luándí heaved a sigh of relief: "If we can get the help of the Great Venerable and all the shamans, we will surely win at the first battle and pacify the Central Plains!"
Bān Gōngcuò led the crowd into the pass. Then the city gate in front of the pass opened wide, and he led the crowd out of the mighty pass, walking toward the Duck Tongue area. When they reached the center between the two mighty passes, Bān Gōngcuò ordered someone to call out: "Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult, Qin Mu! The Great Venerable has come to speak with you. Do you dare to come out of the city for a meeting?"
The one who called out was a shaman at the Cult Master level. His voice was loud and resounding, reaching every corner of the Qingmen Pass.
Qin Mu was refining the Divine Firmament Rings with everyone when he heard this voice and said in surprise: "That guy Bān Gōngcuò still dares to show up? As long as we kill him, his Soul-Worshipping Shaman Art will be cut off! It's a pity Grandpa Tu isn't here, otherwise he would be happy to kill him."
The State Preceptor of Yankang had already come to Qin Mu's side, along with the Cripple, the Village Chief, and many great generals of the Yankang army. Qin Mu took out the Soul-Worshipping Picture of Bān Gōngcuò that he had drawn. The divine demon in the picture was lifelike.
"Never seen it before," the Village Chief shook his head.
The Cripple also shook his head, and the generals in the army also shook their heads one after another: "This divine demon is strange. I haven't seen this kind before."
Qin Mu looked at the State Preceptor of Yankang. The State Preceptor of Yankang looked thoughtful: "When my wife and I were invited to visit the Small Jade Capital, I saw a similar divine demon sculpture there, but I didn't inquire in detail."
Outside, the shouting came again.
Qin Mu put away the drawing, stood up, and laughed: "If we kill Bān Gōngcuò, there will be no need to go to the Small Jade Capital! Village Chief Grandpa, you come too. If things don't go well, just kill him!"
The Village Chief shook his head: "I am the Human Emperor. I cannot interfere in worldly struggles, otherwise no one will listen to the Human Emperor's words."
"Then what's the use of this Human Emperor Seal?"
Qin Mu wished he could throw away the Human Emperor Seal. It was really useless and had so many restrictions. But if he threw it away, the Village Chief would be sad. Moreover, he had not yet defeated the Village Chief at the same realm, so according to his promise, he could only keep it.
"That beast Bān Gōngcuò actually dared to steal something from my Qin family and then炫耀 it in front of me. Isn't that like dancing on his own ancestral grave?"
Qin Mu was filled with闷气 and said viciously: "Grandpa Cripple, come with me! Steal him blind!"
The Cripple's eyes lit up and he chuckled: "Let's the two of us go and see who is the real divine thief!"