Exposed After I became an Immortal

Chapter 33: Our Master Is a Cunning Man!

…

“Mr. Liu! What do you mean by this?!”

Although Zhu Xuanji was very surprised in his heart, his expression remained calm. As if nothing in this world could disturb his pure Dao heart. Exactly the demeanor of an Immortal Dao practitioner.

At this moment, Liu Bowen’s disciple Shan Tianxie also knelt down behind Liu Bowen.

Liu Bowen knelt down with a solemn expression and spoke:

“Realized Being! From the age of six, when I inherited Zhuge Wuhou’s legacy, I have been searching for a wise ruler who could lead the people. Later, I was fortunate enough to find the current Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang. Coming from a humble background, he understands the hardships of the people. He possesses ambition, vision, and the means, along with divine abilities, to bring about change. I assisted him in unifying the southern states, driving out the remnants of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty from the southern territories.

“However, my abilities are limited. Now, as I stand at the brink of my own mortality, I realize I can no longer aid Emperor Zhu in unifying all of Zhonghua. Emperor Zhu himself is now sixty-six years old and may not have many years left. Without him, the Ming Dynasty may struggle to expand its territory and achieve the great goal of unifying Zhonghua.

“Yet, beyond the southern states, the remnants of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty still linger. If given the opportunity, they could recover. In a few years, should a strong leader emerge, the Mongol Yuan could rise again, and the demonic path could once more sweep across Zhonghua. This is not an impossibility. The demonic path acts without restraint, and during the Mongol Yuan’s rule over Zhonghua for a hundred years, countless innocent lives were lost to their dark ways. When the demonic path thrives, the Immortal Dao retreats; when the demonic path prospers, the people of Zhonghua suffer.

“Only by reviving the Immortal Dao and supporting a wise ruler to unify Zhonghua can the people be saved from this misery. Realized Being, you possess immense power, profound cultivation, great courage, and a commanding presence. The fact that you were able to erase the Great Heavenly Demon Array set up by Tiemuzhen and the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Demons is proof of your unparalleled cultivation. Though it may be said that there has never been anyone like you, you are undoubtedly one of the most outstanding figures of our time.

“Therefore, I have come to you now to entrust you with Zhuge Wuhou’s legacy and my disciple, Shan Tianxie. With your abilities, inheriting Zhuge Wuhou’s legacy would be like adding wings to a tiger. In the future, you will surely reach the pinnacle of the Immortal Dao in Zhonghua. My disciple, Shan Tianxie, can remain by your side, serving you. When you reach the pinnacle of the Immortal Dao, you can call upon others to restore the prestige of the Immortal Dao in Zhonghua, support a wise ruler, eradicate the Mongol Yuan, and eliminate the demonic path. In doing so, you will bring an end to Zhonghua’s suffering and restore the land to a state of brightness and clarity.”

With a whoosh, Liu Bowen bowed solemnly to Zhu Xuanji. This bow was filled with weight, both figuratively and literally. It took Zhu Xuanji by surprise, and deeply moved him. He never expected such sincerity, such gravity in the gesture—truly, he had not anticipated this. That Liu Bowen would kneel to him, a stranger, for the sake of the people of Zhonghua.

This magnanimity! This courage! It was truly admirable!

At that moment, Zhu Xuanji stepped forward. In almost the blink of an eye, he appeared before Liu Bowen and helped him up.

“Mr. Liu! Please rise quickly! This ceremony is too much—I cannot bear it!”

As Zhu Xuanji lifted Liu Bowen, a gentle yet powerful force flowed from Zhu Xuanji’s hand, revitalizing Liu Bowen’s entire body.

“Realized Being! Please, I beg you!” Liu Bowen, though helped up, still bowed and cupped his fists, earnestly asking Zhu Xuanji to agree to his request.

At this moment, a faint smile appeared on Zhu Xuanji’s face. “Mr. Liu, you don’t even know who I am, yet you entrust such a great matter and your legacy to me! Isn’t that too hasty? Mr. Liu, let’s not discuss whether I can achieve it. Even if I can, how can such a decision be made so quickly? How about this—come with me to the pavilion for a talk. After we discuss the matter in detail, we will decide.”

Hearing this, Liu Bowen agreed. After all, what Zhu Xuanji said was reasonable.

Liu Bowen then asked, “The Realized Being is right! May I know your honorific title?”

As they walked forward, Zhu Xuanji, holding Liu Bowen’s arm, smiled and said, “I am Xuanji Zi. Mr. Liu, please follow me!”

Hearing this, Liu Bowen nodded slightly. “So it’s Realized Being Xuanji!”

Zhu Xuanji smiled faintly, leading Liu Bowen and his disciple towards the Yunmeng Dao Pavilion. Behind them, Da Huang and the monkey Xiao Liuzi followed closely.

Xiao Liuzi, standing on Da Huang’s back, whispered, “Brother Da Huang! This old man can really talk! And he gave our master such a grand salute! He even used the noble principle of the people’s well-being to bind our master! It looks like our master is being fooled by this old Liu! Our master is still young—he’s no match for this cunning old Liu!”

But Da Huang whispered back, “Our master may be young, but he is also full of tricks! Just wait and see, this Liu Bowen will surely lose more than he gains! Our master is not one to suffer losses!”