Yellow Skinned Taoist Master

Chapter 72: Giving Benefits to Family

At this very moment, Golden-Horn and Silver-Horn were terrified.

The two unusual creatures huddled together, trembling as they stared at the cyan mist surrounding the Scripture Pavilion.

During the daytime, an upheaval had struck the Old Temple without warning. Three enormous suns of different colors blazed against one another in the Old Temple's sky — each one born from one of the Three Masters' wills. The entire Old Temple had become a battlefield of another kind. Everything had been thrown into chaos, lifted off the ground by the ceaseless streams of cyan mist pouring up from the earth below.

Golden-Horn and Silver-Horn had wanted to flee.

But chains forged from mountain-top copper were locked around their single horns. There was nowhere to go.

"Elder brother — I'm so scared! I desperately want to go back to the Yin Lands. The mortal world is terrifying."

"You have the nerve to bring that up?"

Golden-Horn opened all eight of its eyes and glared at Silver-Horn: "Back then in the Yin Lands, you got bored and wanted to see the mortal world, so you kept pestering those Daoist priests. When they wanted nothing to do with you, they said the only available position was watching a door — and you heard it as 'doing something great.'"

Silver-Horn said: "Is guarding the Scripture Pavilion not a great thing?"

"Great my backside!"Golden-Horn wrenched furiously at the chain, biting it, ramming it with its horn, until it turned and glared at Silver-Horn again: "It's all your fault. If it weren't for you, I'd still be having fun in the Yin Lands right now — drinking Yellow Springs water, eating souls, stuffing myself, and wandering around the Yin Lands. Drinking my fill and relieving myself wherever I pleased."

"Argh!!!"

"I haven't been able to relieve myself in I-don't-know-how-many years."

"It's all your fault! You're going to be the death of me!"

Hearing this, Silver-Horn got annoyed too.

"Surname-Golden, the way you talk it's like this is all Second Elder's fault?"

Silver-Horn bared its teeth, snarling: "I said one sentence about going to the mortal world — and you had everything packed up already! You'd clearly been wanting to come here for ages. You were just waiting for me to say it first!"

Golden-Horn retorted: "Surname-Silver, what I, Elder, did is called deliberating before acting. Just say it — between the two of us, who contributed more to us getting here?"

With that, Golden-Horn gave a cold laugh: "Those priests stole Yellow Springs soil — back in the underworld that's a serious crime. Who told them the safest place to take it from?"

Silver-Horn said with its head down: "You did."

"When they were leaving — who showed them the shortcut?"

"Also you."

"You only came up with the idea. I was the one who actually did all the work."

Golden-Horn said haughtily: "Without my effort, you'd still be watching that door for at least half a month longer!"

At that, Silver-Horn immediately felt too ashamed to argue, and apologized quickly: "You're right, Elder Brother. I was wrong. So, Elder Brother — do we have any chance of getting back to the Yin Lands?"

It would have been better not to ask.

Asking only made Golden-Horn even angrier.

But before it could begin scolding its younger brother, a voice suddenly rang out from the cyan mist.

"You do. Of course you do!"

Chen Huangpi stepped out from the cyan mist and approached the Scripture Pavilion entrance, his eyes lighting up as he scrutinized Golden-Horn and Silver-Horn.

He had actually arrived a moment ago. But hearing Golden-Horn and Silver-Horn bicker and blame each other, he found it so entertaining he hadn't come forward sooner.

Now — both brothers desperately wanted to return to the Yellow Springs and the Yin Lands. This aligned perfectly with Chen Huangpi's own intentions.

"Three—"

Silver-Horn was about to instinctively blurt out "Three-Inches-Short."

Golden-Horn immediately clapped its hand over its mouth, then said with a hurried smile: "Huangpi-Dad — what brings you all the way here?"

"Huangpi-Dad?"

Chen Huangpi was taken aback. "Are you calling me that?"

Silver-Horn said: "What else would we call you? Three—"

"Shut it, you!"

Golden-Horn pressed down hard on Silver-Horn, and offered a conciliatory laugh: "You are Guanzhu's most treasured disciple, and Guanzhu has done us the great favor of giving us our very existence. It's entirely fitting to call you Huangpi-Dad."

At those words, the brass oil lamp gave a derisive snort: "Definitely because last time Guanzhu took care of Golden-Horn and Silver-Horn on your behalf when settling the score. Otherwise these two would never be this polite."

"Insolence — how dare a lamp like you call out our names?!"

"Exactly — take a good look at yourself before you speak. Wait! Elder Brother — why does it look like that? It looks so familiar!"

Golden-Horn opened all eight eyes and stared the brass oil lamp up and down.

The lamp gave a cold laugh in return.

Last time it had come as a dog following its master, and these two had called it a wild mongrel. Now it appeared in its true form — they'd probably be shocked speechless.

But Golden-Horn only said with contempt: "Where did this broken old lamp come from, daring to look exactly like the esteemed Golden-Top Heavenly Lamp? Trying to pass yourself off as something you're not — truly laughable."

Silver-Horn said viciously: "What is your caliber, exactly — how dare you take on the appearance of the esteemed Golden-Top Heavenly Lamp?"

"Chen Huangpi — I cannot endure this humiliation!"

"You really don't need to — truly, you don't."

Chen Huangpi wrapped his arms tightly around the brass oil lamp.

He could feel exactly how furious it was in that moment.

Golden-Horn and Silver-Horn had each said one sentence — and together they had lanced the lamp's most tender wound with perfect precision. If it had been him, he'd want to massacre them both too.

"Chen Huangpi — stop holding me back!"

The brass oil lamp's eyes were shooting sparks: "You two stupid dogs — what do you mean 'the lamp looks like Huang Yi?' I am the Nine Nether God Lantern. He is the Golden-Top Heavenly Lamp. Different colors entirely — how could we possibly look the same?"

"And what do you mean 'what caliber?' I — the Nine Nether God Lantern — you're calling me what caliber?!"

"The Nine Nether God Lantern?"

Golden-Horn and Silver-Horn's combined sixteen eyes looked at each other, then simultaneously shook their heads.

"Elder Brother, have you heard of it?"

"Never."

"What?!"

The brass oil lamp was beside itself: "You've been watching this door for more than a day or two — surely the Daoist priests mentioned me when they came here?"

Yes, the Nine Nether God Lantern had no particular standing within the Pure Immortal Temple. But it had still been made by Guanzhu himself. Surely it had some small reputation.

Chen Huangpi hurried to intervene: "Huang Er — calm down. Don't forget why we're here."

"Huang Er?"

Golden-Horn had a moment of recognition and said loudly: "Oh, it's you! I know you."

Silver-Horn said: "Elder Brother, you know it?"

Golden-Horn said: "Yes. The one made in the same forge as the esteemed Golden-Top Heavenly Lamp — made from the leftover scraps by Guanzhu. Named Huang Er."

"Ah — now I remember too."

Silver-Horn said with dawning recognition: "The Golden-Top Heavenly Lamp felt sorry for it and took it as a younger brother."

At that, Golden-Horn and Silver-Horn spoke in perfect unison: "Hey — why didn't you just say you were Huang Er in the first place? Going around calling yourself the Nine Nether God Lantern — who on earth would know who that is?"

The brass oil lamp was silent for a moment.

Then abruptly broke into a laugh — the kind that carries a certain lightness of release.

As if it had made some kind of decision, it immediately turned to Chen Huangpi: "Chen Huangpi — I know you have a kind heart and couldn't bear to see these two brothers suffering here. You've come all this way specifically to get them something good. But these two brothers clearly have no gratitude in them. I think we'd better just leave."

"What good thing?"

Golden-Horn and Silver-Horn's eyes went wide.

The brass oil lamp said with a cold laugh: "What else could it be? Naturally, to take you to the Yin Lands and the Yellow Spr—"

And then it immediately clapped a hand over its own mouth.

While Golden-Horn and Silver-Horn nearly had their souls fly out.

"Yin Lands and Yellow Springs!"

"You said the Yin Lands and Yellow Springs, didn't you?!"

The brass oil lamp said in self-reproach: "Ah, this terrible mouth of mine — how did I let that slip. No, no — Chen Huangpi, let's just go."

Chen Huangpi let a brief flicker of expression pass across his face — before deliberately schooling it into one of reluctance.

"But Huang Er — they are still part of the Pure Immortal Temple. Same as you — they're my family."

"Family? Ridiculous!"

The brass oil lamp said furiously: "You've only known them for a day — just because they let you into the Scripture Pavilion that one time you feel an obligation to them? I am the one who has been with you day and night. I am your family!"

"But—"

"No buts. We're leaving right now."

Chen Huangpi let out a sigh, then turned to Golden-Horn and Silver-Horn and offered them a look full of apologetic regret.

That single look melted both their hearts entirely.

"How dare you!!!"

Golden-Horn erupted: "Huangpi-Dad — Huang Er is terrible! My brother and I have been guarding the Scripture Pavilion since before the Heaven and Earth Mutation. We may have only known each other for a day — but who says one day can't be enough to become family?"

"Elder Brother is absolutely right!"

Silver-Horn said with righteous indignation: "The Pure Immortal Temple is a prestigious lineage — its traditions are deep and orderly! My elder brother and I may appear to be guarding Guanzhu's Scripture Pavilion, but in truth we've been guarding it for you, Huangpi-Dad!"

"Exactly!"

"Huangpi-Dad — we are your family too. You can't listen to Huang Er!"

"You came here to bring your family benefits — we will remember your kindness always!"

"You two — Huang Er — I—"

Chen Huangpi let out a helpless sigh and said: "Huang Er, they're right. I promised to bring benefits to them, and I can't go back on my word halfway through. If I did — when I one day inherit the Pure Immortal Temple, what will my disciples think of me?"

"I must set the example. Only then will our traditions be passed on in proper order!"

Hearing this, the brass oil lamp paused. Then it gave a complicated shake of its head. "All right. When you put it that way — how can I not support you? Only I can see that these two brothers have extremely poor talent — who knows if they'll even be able to learn your celestial technique..."

"Huh? Celestial technique?"

All sixteen of Golden-Horn and Silver-Horn's combined eyes were filled with confusion.

The brass oil lamp gave a cold sniff: "The Old Temple is treacherous — and before dawn you cannot leave. You can forget leaving for the rest of your lives. Chen Huangpi took pity on you and begged Guanzhu to transmit this celestial technique specifically so that once you cultivate it, you can be reborn entirely — otherwise how would you ever get out?"

"A technique transmitted by Guanzhu?"

Silver-Horn raised its head and glanced up at the cyan mist above — as if it could see those three enormous suns beyond it.

The Pure Immortal Temple had a technique like that? It had been guarding this Scripture Pavilion for years — how had it never heard anyone mention it?

Gold-Horn immediately pressed Silver-Horn's head back down, scolding: "Are you tired of living? Dare you keep looking up? Get your head down!"

"Wait a moment."

Chen Huangpi suddenly frowned: "Is my master above us?"

"We don't know!"

Golden-Horn and Silver-Horn shook their heads frantically.

"Huangpi-Dad — please don't ask. We dare not say."

"All right. I won't ask."

Chen Huangpi nodded in understanding — and in that instant knew that Third Master was somewhere above.

He looked up, and saw only the dense, impenetrable cyan mist.

Earlier — the Nine Separation Bell's sound had pierced through everything, ringing from above. First Master's purple true fire had come from there too. Even Second Master — who had somehow produced the Evil Buddha sarira through unknown means — was likely the same.

Chen Huangpi didn't understand why. He only knew: all three of his masters meeting in one place meant they were absolutely going at each other's throats.

The Hundred Thousand Mountains had mist — purple and white. Now the Old Temple had cyan mist too. Clearly each stood for one master. And now, with the cyan mist inside the Old Temple overwhelmingly thick and dominant — Third Master had clearly gained the upper hand.

With that thought, Chen Huangpi felt burning urgency — he wanted nothing more than to take one of Golden-Horn or Silver-Horn right now, descend to the Yellow Springs, enter the Yin Lands, and climb Luobo Mountain.

"Huangpi-Dad — you seem like you're in quite a hurry."

Golden-Horn tilted its large head toward Chen Huangpi and said with a wary look: "I can smell it — you are carrying a great deal of things on your mind."

"Yes — and they are all urgent."

Chen Huangpi immediately smiled: "But no matter how great the matter, it is not greater than family. And no matter how urgent my heart feels, it is not as urgent as my desire to bring you benefits."

Silver-Horn was genuinely moved: "Huangpi-Dad — the truth is that our natural talent isn't bad at all. It's just that after we became unusual creatures, our minds have never been quite as sharp as before. Please pass us the celestial technique — we'll definitely cultivate it through and not disappoint you."

Hearing this, Golden-Horn was immediately swept along.

Terrified of being left out, it hastened to make the same pledge: "Me too — me too!"