Chapter 634: Chapter 431: Protector Meng Returns to His Position!_2
Xu Yang frowned slightly.
These changes did indeed exist.
However, the “difference” he was referring to was not what the old man had said… but rather, a special feeling.
As he approached Mount Tai, his heart felt a strange sense of peace, tranquility, and even a sense of familiarity.
As he got closer to Mount Tai.
Faintly, Xu Yang realized that he could sense the “emotions” of the entire Mount Tai, and the plants and trees on it were emitting a joyful “mood.” Moreover, if he was willing, he could mobilize the power of Mount Tai at a single thought!
In an instant, they arrived at the top of Mount Tai.
Xu Yang could see the entire Dai Temple from above the immortal cloud. As expected… the Heavenly Reward Palace, which was originally in the middle of Dai Temple, had disappeared without a trace. The place where it previously stood did not show any signs of damage, as if no building had ever existed there for thousands of years.
The grandfather and grandson entered Dai Temple.
Daoist Taixu hurriedly greeted them and told Xu Yang everything that had happened before in detail.
Xu Yang went to the location of the Heavenly Reward Palace and carefully inspected it. He also activated the power of faith in incense within his body to sense Emperor Dongyue’s golden body, but he found nothing. It wasn’t until he communicated with the power of Mount Tai that he vaguely sensed the existence of Emperor Dongyue’s golden body and the Heavenly Reward Palace.
The feeling was very strange.
Somehow, he sensed that the Heavenly Reward Palace was still in its original place and had not disappeared. However, it was invisible and intangible, as if it had been pulled into a “different space” by some force.
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Only then did Xu Yang heave a sigh of relief. He looked at the anxious Daoist Taixu and comforted him, “Supreme Sage, don’t worry. The Heavenly Reward Palace is still there, it’s just being hidden by some force. Maybe it will reappear after some time.”
Supreme Sage Taixu asked, “What about Emperor Dongyue’s golden body and Meng Mingshan? Are they alright?”
“Emperor Dongyue’s golden body is fine,” Xu Yang replied.
As for Meng Mingshan?
Xu Yang did not sense Meng Mingshan’s presence. It seemed as if an extremely powerful force had pulled Meng Mingshan into a deeper “different space.” Even using the power of Mount Tai, he could not detect it.
However, what Xu Yang didn’t know was that at this moment, Meng Mingshan was in the Heavenly Reward Palace.
He was sitting cross-legged under Emperor Dongyue’s golden body, and the immortal light on his body was growing stronger and stronger. As the power within him awakened, strands of Immortal Daoist rules began to condense within him. In just a short while, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even more Immortal Daoist rules condensed densely inside Meng Mingshan’s body!
And each Immortal Daoist rule was thicker and larger than the ones Xu Yang had condensed, interweaving with immortal light, giving off a powerful oppressive aura.
He didn’t know how much time had passed.
It seemed like countless years, but also like just a few minutes.
The immortal light on Meng Mingshan’s body began to converge, and he slowly opened his eyes. A vicissitudinous, deep gaze emanated from them, which seemed somewhat out of place with his current teenage appearance.
“Protector Meng!”
A voice rang out inside the Heavenly Reward Palace.
Meng Mingshan’s gaze flickered slightly, and he quickly got up and bowed to the empty space before him, saying, “I pay my respects to Your Majesty.”
A figure emerged from the void.
The figure wasn’t tall, but it gave Meng Mingshan an immense sense of grandeur. He wore a green robe and had a smile on his face, and it was none other than Emperor Beiyin of Fengdu, also known as Qingyi.
Qingyi looked Meng Mingshan up and down and chuckled, “Protector Meng, it’s been over six hundred years… welcome back. Your current body is much better looking than before. It seems that your decision to reincarnate was the right one.”
Meng Mingshan’s mouth twitched slightly.
Your Majesty…
Are you saying that I was too ugly before?
Qingyi continued, “Now that you’ve awakened, what do you plan to do next? Will you return to the underworld or stay in the human world?”
Meng Mingshan had already regained his memories and recalled everything from his “past life”.
He was one of the Ten Grand Guardians under Emperor Dongyue, and his position was equivalent to the Ten Halls Yama Kings under the command of Emperor Beiyin of Fengdu. He was originally a benevolent god in the underworld and the “prison officer” in charge of the eighteen layers of hell.
Meng Mingshan was renowned in the myths and legends of the human world for his “benevolence, righteousness, filial piety, and compassion.”
He was originally a prison officer in the human world, known for his benevolence, righteousness, filial piety, and bold actions.
One year, as the end of the year approached, the prisoners in the jail missed their families deeply and shed tears. Meng Mingshan felt sympathetic, thinking to himself, “Who doesn’t have parents and relatives? Prisoners are people too; they should also be allowed to see their loved ones.”
So he made a pact with the prisoners: On the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, he would allow them to return home to reunite with their families and celebrate the new year, as long as they returned to the prison by the fifth day of the first lunar month!
The prisoners left with tears of gratitude. By the fifth day of the first lunar month, all the prisoners had returned on time, without a single case of lateness or escape. This agreement continued year after year, becoming a custom.
After some time, Meng Mingshan pondered, “The prisoners are filial as they miss their families, and righteous because they keep their promises. As they possess filial piety, righteousness, and trustworthiness, I can reform them and make them turn over a new leaf.”
So, he asked the prisoners, “If I were to pardon you, could you change for the better?”
The prisoners replied, “We’ve already committed crimes; why would we continue to make mistakes? Who would willingly dedicate their lives to doing evil?”
Meng Mingshan declared, “If you can genuinely change, I will release all of you.”
However, releasing prisoners without authorization was a capital crime. When Meng Mingshan’s superiors found out, they arrested Meng Mingshan and tortured him severely, ordering him to bring back all 800 released prisoners; if even one was missing, he would be executed.
Meng Mingshan, realizing he could not complete this task, committed suicide in prison.
Upon hearing of Meng Mingshan’s ordeal, the Heavenly Emperor granted him the title of Marshal in the underworld. After his soul entered the underworld, he worked under Emperor Dongyue and eventually became one of the Ten Grand Guardians under his command.
Now that he had recovered his memories from his past life, Meng Mingshan said, “Your Majesty, I would like to stay in the human world to protect my lord.”
Qingyi smiled and replied, “Your lord has his own destiny, and there is no need to reveal his identity to him for the time being… When you followed Emperor Dongyue into the netherworld to suppress the spatial-temporal forces of the nine prisons back then, all Ten Grand Guardians perished. Even Emperor Dongyue was severely injured and had to undergo reincarnation… Since you have resumed your position, you should return to the underworld and take over the forces that your lord left behind in preparation for his return.”
Meng Mingshan pondered for a moment and said, “In that case, I will return to the underworld, but I hope Your Majesty will grant me three days to deal with my worldly affairs before I depart.”
“You can return whenever you like. It’s up to you.”
The incarnation of Emperor Beiyin of Fengdu gradually disappeared into the void.
The force enveloping the “Heavenly Reward Palace” receded along with the disappearance of “Qingyi.”
Inside Dai Temple.
The “Heavenly Reward Palace” reappeared.
Daoist Taixu was overjoyed and rushed forward.
At that moment, Meng Mingshan, wearing a Daoist robe, stepped out of the “Heavenly Reward Palace.”
His appearance was exactly the same as before, still a teenager with an innocent face. Perhaps because of the good food he had while staying at Wanshou Palace, Meng Mingshan had gained some weight since the first time Xu Yang met him at Dai Temple, even sporting some baby fat on his cheeks.
However, the aura around him had undergone a drastic change.
His eyes had also become deep and filled with vicissitudes, making him seem like a completely different person.
“Meng Mingshan… my dear disciple!”
Daoist Taixu rushed forward, scolding, “You scared me to death, kid! I thought something went wrong with your cultivation and you were gone for good!”
Although he had regained his memories,
Meng Mingshan still showed great respect to Daoist Taixu. After all, if not for Daoist Taixu taking him in and raising him at Dai Temple, he would have frozen to death as a baby on the streets and would have had to undergo reincarnation again.
While speaking with Supreme Sage Taixu,
Meng Mingshan’s eyes would occasionally sweep over Xu Yang.
Finally, he looked up at Xu Yang and, suppressing the urge to kneel and pay his respects, he folded his hands and said, “Celestial Master Xu, congratulations on becoming an Immortal Daoist. From now on, you will be free from the constraints of the three realms and the five elements, enjoying eternal life.”
Xu Yang smiled and replied, “Thank you… but should I call you Marshal Meng now, or Meng Mingshan?”