Chapter 530: Reliving an Old Dream

According to Moli Hong's account, this group of remnant souls numbered over a hundred "people".

Among them, a portion could barely still be identified as who they used to be, while another portion was completely unrecognizable — they could only count as "component parts".

The relatively famous ones, those whose names could be called out, included Iron-Crutch Li of the Eight Immortals, the Star Lord of Water Virtue, the Basket Water Leopard and Sun Horse of the Twenty-Eight Mansions, the Wind Mother, and the Giant Spirit God.

Those Tang Luo was more familiar with included the Yellow-Robed Monster — that is, the Legs Wood Wolf of the Mansions — as well as Thousand-Mile Eye.

Additionally there were numerous celestial officials, daoist attendants, palace maids, and even some idle loose immortals who held nominal titles, whether their names could be recalled or not.

A heap of people's remnant souls mixed together, forming a rather special existence.

It was hard to say these people were their original selves, but neither could it be completely denied.

At the very least they could still recognize Nezha, and soon also recognized Tang Luo and Ao Yulie behind this brat Nezha.

"Holy Monk..."

Layer upon layer of voices rang out again, carrying a trace of chaos, like thousands whispering by one's ear, making one feel irritated.

"Fellows, not seen in many years, have you been well?" Tang Luo smiled holding a flower, like an old friend paying a casual visit.

Nezha, however, did not stop to waste words; riding the Black Lotus he flew straight toward the central grand hall.

The surrounding golden-armored heavenly soldiers did not move a muscle, like puppets, allowing Nezha to proceed inward.

In fact they were puppets — merely flesh-and-blood puppets made from people.

Tang Luo and Ao Yulie walked unhurriedly behind Nezha.

Ao Yulie looked left and right; the surrounding hyper-realistic holographic phantoms and the inhuman golden-armored heavenly soldiers made a chill run through his heart.

Not wanting to die, clinging to a wretched existence — all normal.

Ao Yulie not only understood it, he himself was the same, even self-severing his cultivation to recover sooner.

From a certain angle, it was also a hero cutting off his own wrist — quite determined and bold.

But the Heavenly Court crowd still went and created this magnificent Heavenly Palace — this...

The originally overflowing immortal qi, as they stood motionless, turned gloomy and eerie.

Nezha frowned, and before long arrived at the central grand hall.

Atop it prominently hung the four large characters "Lingxiao Treasure Hall"; Nezha glanced at them, flicked the Sky-Mending Silk, and rather roughly shoved open the tightly shut doors.

Inside the hall, immortal qi naturally swirled; coiled-dragon gold pillars, equal to dwelling atop the clouds — one could not tell it was indoors at all.

Gold-red floor; in the depths a spacious jade chair, upon which sat a middle-aged man in a golden robe, wearing a golden crown, eyes half-open half-closed, brilliant light flashing in them.

He wore a long beard, hands resting on the armrests, exuding indescribable majesty.

The other gods stood in two rows on either side.

The height of the Heavenly Court, the might of the Heavenly Court, the weight of the Heavenly Court — revealed beyond doubt.

The sole one seated was that legendary God-Buddha of the Wasteland, the Yellow-Robed King — Haotian Jade Emperor.

He bore not the slightest resemblance to the true Jade Emperor; his appearance... at first glance one look, at second glance another — impossible to distinguish.

The heavenly gods around him, each motionless like clay or wooden idols, looked just like the fairies and attendants outside.

However they were not phantoms, but truly existent; all wore expressions of displeasure or even anger, yet could not move.

Nezha stared at that so-called Yellow-Robed King, not speaking immediately.

Tang Luo and Ao Yulie entered after a moment.

"Are you Murong Fu?" Tang Luo, entering, was not polite; he mocked aloud, stepping lightly with his foot.

A ripple spread out, expanding in all directions.

The surrounding immortal scenery melted like ice and snow; the magnificent vista vanished, replaced by cold steel ground.

Cold, grim black stone pillars.

Those "heavenly gods" each had a thin tube connected to the back of their heads, linking to the ground, emitting a faint phosphorescent glow.

And on the original chair, there was no longer the awe-inspiring Yellow-Robed King, but a transparent cylinder.

Inside it was filled with an unknown semi-transparent yellow liquid, in which floated a "thing".

This "thing" overall resembled a person wearing a wide robe, hands and feet hidden beneath the sleeves, wearing a hood that likewise concealed the face.

But it was not human, nor did it wear clothes.

It was entirely composed of "flesh" — a lump of flesh "pinched" into this shape.

And not exquisite at all, like something made by an eight-year-old mischievous child; the half-hidden head even had a sunken-in piece.

At the "sleeves", flesh buds extended, forming tentacle-like things.

This was the Yellow-Robed King — Haotian Supreme Emperor!

Also the body created by the gathering and fusion of numerous remnant souls to serve as a vessel.

"... Hmm, my bad. Quick, you guys put the scene back the way it was." Tang Luo pondered a moment, then spoke.

Do not look at what is improper.

Mainly because it's fucking ugly!

"..." Nezha gave Tang Luo a speechless look; you barge in all high-and-mighty and flip the table, result is you disgust everyone.

"Insolence!"

"Impudence!"

"Audacious demon, daring to stir up trouble and offend superiors!"

Before Tang Luo could say anything, those "heavenly gods" with tubes at the back of their heads shouted in anger one by one.

Some even stepped forward a few paces, eyeing Tang Luo like a tiger watching its prey, hands loosely gripping as if holding weapons.

With Tang Luo breaking the immortal realm, these people momentarily regained their freedom.

Nezha glanced at one of the attendants, nearly flinging out the Sky-Mending Silk; this attendant's attire bore an uncanny resemblance to him.

The two standing beside him also looked extremely like his elder brothers Jinzha and Muzha.

Not only that, among those people there were also impostors of Li Jing, Taibai Jinxing, and others.

Previously the immortal mist swirled and coiled, with some intent to conceal; Nezha's mind wasn't on these clay puppets and wooden idols at all. Now that he took a look, his heart instantly filled with revulsion.

"Scram!"

Nezha shouted sternly, and that group of people immediately retreated several steps; quite a few were tripped by the tubes behind their heads and fell to the ground, still wearing blank, helpless expressions.

However these people soon froze in motion again, stiffening in place.

Ao Yulie shook his head slightly; others did not understand what Murong Fu meant by this, but he had read the novel and watched the TV drama.

Wasn't the final fate of that Southern Murong going mad, his maidservants gathering a group of young children to play his ministers, satisfying his dream of being an emperor restoring his fallen kingdom?

How similar to the situation before his eyes.

"Third Prince, Holy Monk..." layered, overlapping voices rang out again, making one frown deeply, "Old friends meeting should be a joyous occasion; why are the two of you so irritable?"

As for Ao Yulie, he was directly ignored.

After the Heavenly Court was established, the Four Seas Dragon Clan all submitted, counting as the Heavenly Court's "vassal state".

The people of the Heavenly Court likewise would not regard so-called true dragons with any regard, worshipping them as totems.

Ao Yulie was also half a dragon clan rebel; gods and Buddhas all knew it. This rebel even carried some meaning of having betrayed the Heavenly Court.

Speaking of it, rather it was his status as one of the Eight Legions' Dragon-Horse that could still make the Heavenly Court people look at him squarely.

Now with Tang Luo this master in front, Ao Yulie and the rest were equivalent to "guards" and such roles; they would not participate in decision-making talks, and naturally would not be mentioned in the conversation.

If it were Sun Wukong instead, perhaps the "Great Sage" would even come before the "Holy Monk".

"You... what are you lot up to?" Nezha asked. He also found it hard to tell whether the one speaking to them was a single person or a group of people.

"To maintain the Heavenly Court's glory undiminished." the Yellow-Robed King replied.

Nezha grew somewhat angry: "Look at this scene, what fucking glory! What's the difference between this place and a tomb?"

To put it harshly, it's making figurines as burial companions.

Even that old stubborn Li Jing wouldn't do such a thing. You should know, if it weren't for Jinzha, Li Jing certainly wouldn't have created such a false world.

Among those remnant souls, there were certainly no few carefree people, with no obsession toward this.

But they couldn't withstand the numbers — you contribute a bit, I contribute a bit, fused together, they formed the present appearance.

Even...

Not merely maintaining the Heavenly Court's glory, but also harboring other thoughts — for instance, establishing a brand new Heavenly Court in the current era.

"This seat's ability is slightly insufficient." the Yellow-Robed King said, "For now it's only taken a single step; Third Prince need not be anxious."

"I'm not fucking anxious!" Nezha snorted coldly.

He had no intention of restoring any Heavenly Court glory in this world, creating a fake Heavenly Court to deceive himself and others.

With this idle effort, better to recover strength early, find a way to leave this world, and seek out old friends of the past.

This is not groundless talk.

Outsiders are not non-existent, and moreover... Tang Luo's sudden appearance further proves this is feasible.

"I have no such interest." Nezha said, "But you — have you ever thought of leaving this world?"

"Over the years, outsiders occasionally enter this place." As he spoke, the Yellow-Robed King, who clearly had no eyes, "looked" toward Tang Luo, "The Holy Monk should be clearer on this matter than us; I wonder if you've made it clear to the Third Prince?"

This "us" did not refer to this group of remnant souls.

It referred to the immortals and Buddhas who have survived in this world, including Nezha.

Nezha showed not the slightest reaction.

Regarding his own appearance, Tang Luo had said so long ago, and directly stated that some things cannot be spoken.

Nezha didn't ask; now the Yellow-Robed King insinuates a line like this, the provocation is very obvious.

How could Nezha be easily taken in?

"Ulterior motives, seeking death?" Ao Yulie stepped forward half a pace and spoke.

Such clumsy provocation, anyone can see through it.

It seems this Yellow-Robed King truly "comes with ill intent", although the ones coming are Tang Luo and company.

"Hehe." the Yellow-Robed King chuckled twice, did not take up that line, but said to Nezha, "Now that we've met, Third Prince might as well return to the Heavenly Court and help this seat recreate the glory of old?"

"What if I say no?" Nezha countered.

"The Third Prince is also a person of the Heavenly Court; why would he say 'no'?" One couldn't tell whether the Yellow-Robed King's question was genuine puzzlement or feigned irony.

Nezha said: "Why? Because this young master doesn't like you lot!"

"A pity." the Yellow-Robed King said, "It shouldn't have been this way; as long as the Third Prince agrees to help, the matter of the Mo Family Four Brothers can be let slide."

He had already guessed the Four Heavenly Kings' fate.

They were originally dispatched to search for outsiders; the Heavenly Court's location is extremely secretive — aside from the Mo brothers, no one could know it.

The Mo brothers didn't return, yet Nezha, Tang Luo and them arrived.

What happened, the Yellow-Robed King could naturally guess.

"You're threatening me?" Nezha's Huntian Ling stirred and fluttered.

Also a hot-tempered brat; at the slightest disagreement there's a tendency to move to violence.

In this respect, Tang Luo, Sun Wukong, Yang Jian, and he are almost cast from the same mold.

Fight first, talk later.

Many things, if talks fail, a fight makes them talkable.

"Hahahaha..." layered, overlapping laughter kept ringing out; the Yellow-Robed King said, "Never mind. If the Third Prince refuses, so be it. Only, this seat still wants to ask the Third Prince to lend an item for use."

"What thing?"

"Your body." the Yellow-Robed King said.

The ground beneath the three people's feet vanished in an instant, revealing a black, bottomless abyss. At this moment, whether it was the cloud-riding and household arts, or Tang Luo's lotus-step and flight talismans, all lost their effect.

The three fell together, unable to stop themselves.

Ao Yulie transformed into a dragon form, actively coming to Tang Luo's feet, seemingly wanting to carry him, but he simply couldn't manage it, unable to take flight.

In the flipping motion, the dragon's roar seized hearts and souls.

Nezha frowned slightly and coldly laughed: "You must have injured your brain, foolishly trying to deal with me using this illusion?"

Illusionary arts target the soul, not the flesh.

But Nezha is different; after reshaping his flesh with lotus root in the past, he has become soul and flesh as one, indistinguishable.

Known as "Lotus Incarnation," it can be described as "invulnerable to all laws."

Those arts and divine abilities that shake the soul are, for Nezha, as difficult as shaking his flesh.

For example, Tang Luo's soul-degree has no effect on Nezha.

Directly attacking is of the same nature as soul-degree.

Of course, this does not mean that any soul art is completely ineffective against Nezha; total immunity is impossible, but at least eighty percent of its power is gone.

What the King in Yellow favored was precisely Nezha's Lotus Incarnation.

He is a gathering of remnants, barely creating a fleshly abode within, yet unable to leave; if he could take Nezha's Lotus Incarnation and fuse with it,

he would become another soul-flesh unity, from then on free of shackles, able to go wherever he wished in the vast world.

The King in Yellow's fighting style is only one: "illusionary arts," combined with the illusionary realm formed by the "Heavenly Court," indistinguishable from reality.

"This seat merely wishes to trap the Third Prince; once I take the power of the demon monk and his useless disciple, the Third Prince will only be able to submit to this seat's slaughter." The King in Yellow said.

"..."

Nezha fell silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "So that's how it is. Originally I still thought everyone could peacefully coexist, after all, we are old acquaintances. I never expected that in the end, what I encountered was merely a heap of desire-aggregates, trash without even brains."

"Taking Tang Xuanzang's power?"

"Just who gave you the courage and confidence?"

Wrong ideas can still be corrected.

But if the "brain" was broken from the start, then there truly is no remedy.

The King in Yellow did not answer, focusing his attention on Tang Luo and Ao Yulie.

As for illusionary arts, they have no such terrifying immunity as Nezha's; now they obediently fell into the trap, already thoroughly trapped in the illusionary realm.

The Kingdom of Precious Elephants.

Inside the palace hall, a handsome man in fine robes glared angrily at Tang Luo, awe-inspiring and stern.

The seated King of the Kingdom of Precious Elephants looked panicked and uneasy, opening his mouth to say: "Son-in-law, this... and monk is truly a demon transformed?"

"Father, this demon came disguised as a monk to deceive you; you must absolutely not believe it." That handsome man, also the Son-in-Law of the Kingdom of Precious Elephants, said: "I will now let him reveal his true form, so the truth may be made clear!"

Speaking, he pointed at Tang Luo.

Tang Luo straightened his body and flung himself to the ground; in an instant he transformed into a huge, striped fierce tiger, letting out earth-shaking tiger roars from his mouth.

The fishy smell assailed the face, making people feel chilled to the bone.

The palace maid nearby let out a sound like; the soldiers immediately drew their swords, and the seated king was even more unable to bear it, wanting to flee but lacking even the strength to stand up.

The Son-in-Law stood before the tiger that Tang Luo had become, shouting loudly: "Demon, hurry and bind yourself!"

The hall doors were opened, several strongmen carrying a huge iron cage walked in.

"Enter the cage obediently, today I will spare your life."

The Son-in-Law in yellow robes, also the Kui Wood Wolf among the Twenty-Eight Mansions, said.

Heavenly might awe-inspiring, leaving people no choice but to obey.

The tiger that Tang Luo had become stood up, opened its mouth, not roaring but more like a yawn, then turned and entered the cage.

Clearly a striped tiger, yet as obedient as a little cat.

After the cage was locked, the king finally let out a long sigh, everyone could hear his panting: "Son-in-Law today..."

Kind words were thrown out as if they cost nothing.

Tang Luo inside the cage lay lazily.

This illusion is not bad, incredibly real, yet no matter how real, it is useless.

Tang Luo held to his original heart, clearly remembering that he is not on the journey for scriptures now, merely revisiting an old dream of the past.

As long as he finds the Little White Dragon, then locates the crucial point, wanting to break free will be easy as turning over one's hand.