Immortal Father
Chapter 1148: 403: The March Deadline Has Arrived! [Happy Lunar New Year]

Chapter 1148: Chapter 403: The March Deadline Has Arrived! [Happy Lunar New Year]

Numb.

Li Dazhi sat there, listening to Jade Pool’s brief explanation and staring at the sword box and meditation cushion his son had brought out, feeling entirely numb.

“Ping’an, does this count as recognizing a thief as your father—ugh, I mean recognizing a thief as your master?”

Li Ping’an shrugged. “Not my choice. The Three Pure Ones told me to bow to him.”

Feng Qingyang’s expression was equally tangled as he gazed at the meditation cushion, his mouth twitching as though he wanted to say something, but didn’t know where to start.

In his long life, he truly hadn’t seen anything this absurd.

Wasn’t the Transcender supposed to be an enemy?

Why would the Three Pure Ones allow this? Could there be some calculation he couldn’t fathom? Or was this a prelude to the Three Pure Ones abandoning the new Heavenly Emperor?

The atmosphere in the underground chamber grew a touch heavier.

The self-moving immortal soldier infused with the consciousness of the Heavenly Dao’s Faceless One continued to sit motionless in the corner.

Li Ping’an said, “This is a matter of perspective—there are risks, but also benefits. We’ll have a clearer idea in three months.”

“The Transcender will be teaching, with the Three Pure Ones watching closely.”

Feng Qingyang chuckled.

“The most fascinating part of this is the condition the Three Pure Ones put forth—that the resources needed for His Majesty’s cultivation and Dao Realm breakthrough must come from the Transcender himself.

“It’s essentially a reverse robbery targeting the Transcender.”

Li Dazhi frowned and sighed. “For the Transcender to agree to this, it must mean he’s determined to win over Ping’an, thinking this fat piece of meat will eventually end up in his pot. There’s definitely a major scheme at play here!”

Li Ping’an frowned. “Dad, that metaphor…”

“The immediate concern is how the teaching in three months will proceed.”

Jade Pool spoke softly.

“It wouldn’t be wise to make this affair too public or widely known.

“If the Transcender demands that His Majesty go to his personal plane of existence, given his proximity to the Great Daoist Sage’s power, wouldn’t His Majesty be completely at his mercy?”

Feng Qingyang, however, interjected, “Honestly, if the Transcender wanted to obliterate us, the only thing he’d need to consider is the price he’d have to pay. What we must guard against is him using some method of control.”

The self-moving immortal armor where the Heavenly Dao’s Faceless One resided spoke up: “Do not worry about such a thing. This Poor Daoist will continually safeguard His Majesty’s Primordial Spirit.”

“The more I hear, the less reliable this sounds.”

Li Dazhi muttered with visible dissatisfaction.

“Isn’t this equivalent to selling you off? How can Saints act in such a manner?

“Have we not been burning enough incense in our prayers?”

Jade Pool gently reassured him, “The Sect Hierarch Saints’ schemes are beyond our comprehension. Though this situation carries considerable danger, there’s opportunity hidden within as well. So long as the Transcender truly takes His Majesty as his disciple, whatever his future intentions may be, right now it still provides support for His Majesty.”

“Dad,” Li Ping’an also tried to console him, “the biggest issue with this Transcender is that he’s full of lies. Later, I’ll see if I can connect with him on a deeper level and try to glean some information.”

Li Dazhi fell into deep thought.

But there wasn’t much he could do about this.

Though he had been navigating the main realm with notable success, his influence was limited to the Heavenly Court’s borders, and to these titans of power, the New Heavenly Court was just an upstart force.

“Sigh! Be cautious in all things!”

Li Dazhi’s face darkened as he spoke in a low voice.

Li Ping’an grinned. “If it’s a blessing, you can’t avoid it; if it’s a calamity, you can’t escape it. The decision’s been made—we’ll just have to push forward.”

Feng Qingyang pondered for a moment, and a Spiritual Treasure Eight Trigrams Plate appeared in his hand.

Though it wasn’t the ultimate Human Race treasure he had used in his previous life, this Eight Trigrams Plate was imbued with the Heavenly Dao’s support, suffused with heavenly merit, and with the actual Heavenly Dao “sitting” nearby, it was convenient to use.

As Feng Qingyang performed a divination, but before he could speak, the Faceless One’s voice drifted out from the self-moving immortal armor:

“The augury reveals misfortune turning to fortune, dangers that are thrilling but without harm, a twisted path with a bright future ahead.”

Li Dazhi’s expression eased slightly. He pulled his son aside for a long lecture before hurrying off to Dong’an City to prepare a “true disciple-gift” for Li Ping’an’s new teacher.

Li Ping’an, meanwhile, wasn’t idle.

He asked Jade Pool to inform his master Qing Su of the situation, framing everything delicately to explain the circumstances without causing Qing Su undue concern or overthinking.

As for himself, Li Ping’an rode the Roc Bird and personally made his way to the Jade Void Palace.

He needed to clarify the matter of apprenticing under a third master to his teacher Yun Zhongzi;

Additionally, he wanted to invite Yun Zhongzi to temporarily oversee the Misty Realm to assist in the development of the Spiritless Projectile.

If the foremost artifact refiner of the Desolate Era could make a move, it would be an unparalleled boon.

…

In a refined private room of a tea house within Dong’an City.

When Qing Su heard the news that Li Ping’an had become a disciple of the mysterious Transcender, she was visibly stunned for a moment.

She frowned slightly, her eyes thoughtful.

Beside her, Guilingling exclaimed, “Doesn’t this mean, in the future, Eldest Nephew might have the chance to escape the extinction of Heaven and Earth and be taken into transcendence, avoiding death alongside the world?”

Jade Pool, clothed in her palace robes, nodded. “Indeed, this does seem to be the case, but the Transcender’s nature is blurred between good and evil—he is more an enemy than an ally. His Majesty’s actions are akin to feeding oneself to a tiger, though it seems there was little other choice.”

Qing Su mused, “How is his mood?”

Jade Pool smiled. “It’s steady. His Majesty has already accepted this matter in Zixiao Palace and even managed to secure a few treasures through conversation.”

“That’s good,” Qing Su said softly. “I don’t understand whatever schemes might be in play here. As long as he doesn’t feel distressed, that’s all that matters. There’s no need for him to explain it to me.”

Guilingling hummed a few notes. “Didn’t Eldest Nephew say before that he’d bring me wherever he goes?”

She let out a despondent sigh, flopped onto the table with a lifeless look in her eyes.

Guilingling muttered to herself, “What’s this Transcender even up to, wanting to take Eldest Nephew as a disciple? Does that mean I’m now in the same generation as the Transcender…? The Transcender should be in the same generation as Ancestor Hongjun, so if that’s the case, then I’m now the same generation as my master… eh heh heh…”