The Spiritual Attainment of Minghe

Heaven and Earth Taoist and Musen, Minghe’s Good and Selfcentric Separation respectively, stared at Jieyin and Zhunti over on the Square Mountain. Heaven and Earth Taoist smiled and said, "With us here, don’t even dream of acting against the Long-Armed Ape Monkey. He’s the key to Liu Er’s actualization. We definitely won’t allow any accidents."

Jieyin wore a bitter smile but Zhunti burst out laughing instead. "Minghe is shrewd indeed, but too bad you seemed to miss something. My Good Separation is also on the Golden Chicken Mountain. Even if Minghe and his Three Separations stopped Laozi, Honored Lord of the Origin, and our brothers, I’m afraid Liu Er still wouldn’t be able to get the Origin of the Long-armed Ape Monkey."

Musen shook his head. "Your every move is within our expectations. We naturally know that your Good Separation is hiding on the Golden Chicken Mountain and that you want to protect your disciples. The reason why we didn’t act against your Good Separation is very simple. Don’t you think your Good Separation will be the best chance for Liu Er to enhance himself before actualizing?"

Jieyin and Zhunti’s shock was no less than Laozi and Honored Lord of the Origin. They were completely gambling with Liu Er’s future. Minghe’s insanity had exceeded their imagination. Zhunti’s Good Separation was nevertheless a Separation of a Sage. Even if he was only at the level of Sage-to-be, he was still far stronger than his peers. Even a Half-Step-to-Origin cultivator would find it difficult to overcome Zhunti’s Good Separation.

......

The disciples of the three religions standing in front of the Golden Chicken Mountain were filled with doubt as they watched the forces of pressure from the Sages and Minghe fall upon an unimpressive Taiyi Golden Immortal. They weren’t the only ones. Even the Almighties in the Untainted Land whose focus on the situation were confused how such an insignificant Taiyi Golden Immortal was capable of forcing the four Sages and Minghe into a fight.

While everyone was still in confusion, they saw Liu Er, Kong Xuan, and Black Tortoise suddenly flying out of the Golden Chicken Mountain and coming to the scene. The disciples of the three religions couldn’t help feeling nervous that the three of them had returned again. They really couldn’t decipher their intentions. Liu Er had said that they wouldn’t intervene earlier so why did they suddenly appear again?

Liu Er looked at Yuan Hong who was being suppressed by the pressure to be still and laughed excitedly. "I’ve been bitterly searching for you. Who would’ve expected you to serve yourself up on a platter today? Seems this is my fated chance to actualize." He hadn’t thought he would be able to find the final one of the Four Monkeys of Destruction so soon, so he couldn’t help his excitement.

When he wanted to reach out and grab Yuan Hong, a golden light suddenly flashed past to stop him. He looked intently at the light and saw a white-bearded Taoist appearing in front of the three religions formation. The light had come from the Taoist and he was none other than Bodhi Taoist, Zhunti’s Good Separation. He smiled at Liu Er, saying, "No matter what, you’re still a half step to Origin master. How can you raise your hand against a mere Taiyi Golden Immortal?"

Liu Er suddenly laughed. "I was wondering who is it! So it’s you, Bodhi Taoist. Your presence really surprised me. It’s true that Yuan Hong is a mere Taiyi Golden Immortal but he just had to be the Long-armed Ape Monkey, one of the four Monkeys of Destruction, hadn’t he? He’s my fated chance to actualize. He can only blame his unfortunate life. What’s wrong, Bodhi? Are you going to save him?"

Fated chance to actualize? The disciples of the three religions were stunned. So were many of the Almighties in the Untainted Land. Unexpectedly, Liu Er not only achieved the half step to Origin cultivation but even found his fated chance to actualize. Didn’t this mean that his actualization was close at hand? Tongtian, Goddess Nvywa, and Houtu also instantly understood what was Liu Er’s fated chance of actualization and why the other four Sages would fight against Minghe for Yuan Hong.

After hearing Liu Er’s words, Bodhi Taoist said, "Liu Er, your guess is correct. Yuan Hong has a unique fate with the Western Religious Sect and I’ll be inviting him to be the Sect Protector. Liu Er, you might be powerful but I’m afraid it won’t be easy for you to take him from under my protection. Your teacher and his Three Separations won’t be able to help you at the moment."

Liu Er suddenly burst into laughter at Bodhi Taoist’s self-confidence. "You’re really similar to Zhunti, thinking you know it all. Do you think I’d need my teacher’s help to deal with you? Do you know how my teacher sees Zhunti? A good-for-nothing. To him, even a Sage is a good-for-nothing. Now tell me this, how great do you think a good-for-nothing’s Separation be?"

A good-for-nothing? The Almighties in the Untainted Land were all shocked. Zhunti was a good-for-nothing? The dignified Sage, the highest existence in the Untainted Land, was just someone useless in Minghe’s eyes? And for Liu Er to say this publicly, he had truly disgraced Zhunti. It wouldn’t be difficult to imagine how Zhunti would be feeling at the moment.

Zhunti felt rage, a boundless rage that burned so wild that heaven and earth changed. With an infuriated expression, he stared at Musen who was standing before him. If stares could kill, Musen would long be hacked to death a million times over. An honorable Sage like him was actually considered a good-for-nothing by a junior. Few people could understand the extent of his rage.

Zhunti looked as if he was a volcano about to erupt. Musen comforted him, saying, "Don’t be mad, Zhunti. He’s just an insensible child. When I return, I’ll definitely give him a lecture. Minghe was also joking around but he actually accepted it at face value. How can you be a good-for-nothing? You’re too powerful for that." His words sounded like they would be words of consolation, but they felt odd and out of place.

Musen was better off not saying anything. Once he spoke, however, his words seemed to be fanning the fire. Zhunti instantly exploded. Just as Musen wanted to say something else, Jieyin went to Zhunti and their eyes met. No one knew what went on in their spiritual communication, but Zhunti suddenly calmed down. Only a shred of anger remained in his eyes.

Though he had temporarily quelled his anger, his Good Separation hadn’t. As a part of Zhunti, how could Bodhi Taoist not be mad to see Liu Er looking down on Zhunti? Though his cultivation was only at the peak level of Sage-to-be, he was a Separation of the Sage after all. There was some of the Sage’s power fueling his every move.

In the sky over the Golden Chicken Mountain, Bodhi Taoist suddenly unleashed a powerful killing intent. He only wanted to take away Yuan Hong at first, but he now wanted to kill Liu Er. He locked Liu Er with his aura and said resentfully, "I’ll let you know the difference between heaven and earth. In your next life, don’t be so arrogant. No, that’s not right. You wouldn’t have the next life, would you?"

Facing Bodhi Taoist’s great killing intent, Liu Er laughed. "Next Life? I’m pursuing the Supreme Great Way in this life. Why do I need a second life? It’s you who needs it. Though the Sages are powerful, you’re not one of them after all. If you want to kill me, you still have a long way to go. But I’m very interested in killing you. Since Teacher had killed your true body and the Evil Separation, I’ll kill you the Good Separation today. That way, we can consider it as having killed a Sage whole."

Slaughtering a Sage? Liu Er’s madness shocked everyone. Even if Bodhi Taoist was only a Separation, he wouldn’t be that easily killed. Could Liu Er be hiding some trick up his sleeve? If Liu Er really wiped out Bodhi Taoist, the perception of Zhunti being a good-for-nothing would come true. How embarrassing and disgraceful it would be if a Sage’s body, Good Separation, and Evil Separation were continuously slaughtered.

Bodhi Taoist was greatly shocked as well. This was Zhunti’s regret and pain of a lifetime. In the Untainted Land, there were two instances of slaughter and both times happened to him. Though one of them was his Evil Separation, it was enough to disgrace Zhunti. Now, Liu Er was trying to make him suffer humiliation a third time. It was impossible for Bodhi Taoist to stay calm after hearing this. Only Liu Er’s death could offset the shame he suffered today.

Liu Er wasn’t afraid even in the face of Bodhi Taoist’s increasingly strong killing intent. He looked majestic with the Rod of Origin in his hand, the Phoenix-feathered Cap on his head, the Golden Chain Mail Shirt protecting his torso, the Cloud-walking Boots fastened at his feet, and the Cloudy Brocade Red Robe hanging over his shoulders. Coupled with a strong fighting desire, he didn’t look any inferior to his opponent. The war had yet to begin, but the battle had already started.