Chapter 105: The Black-Clad Being

“The Imperial Decree of the Jade Emperor is here.”

Yuan Wuji understood what the two young Taoist disciples feared, so he directly presented the Jade Emperor’s decree.

Even if they had never seen the imperial decree before, under Yuan Wuji’s overwhelming presence, they could not hold out much longer. This also gave them the opportunity to return to the Wuzhuang Temple and summon the Great Immortal Zhenyuan. Regardless of whether it was true or false, it was not something the two disciples could question.

“Please wait a moment, we will report this to our master.”

Yuan Wuji saw through their hesitation but chose not to expose it; after all, this was the territory of the Great Immortal Zhenyuan, and a measure of respect was due.

Not long after, an elderly Taoist robed in yellow appeared before Yuan Wuji, accompanied by the two young disciples from before.

Yuan Wuji had already sensed a powerful aura within the Wuzhuang Temple, identical to that radiating from the elderly yellow-robed Taoist. Could he be the Great Immortal Zhenyuan?

Although the aura of the yellow-robed Taoist was somewhat stronger than Yuan Wuji’s, Zhenyuanzi, as the progenitor of Earth Immortals and the master of the Earth Scripture, should not possess merely this level of cultivation.

The yellow-robed Taoist’s cultivation was only at the Taiyi Transcendent Immortal stage.

“So it really is the Jade Emperor’s decree.”

Yuan Wuji did not retract the decree. Apart from glancing at him a few more times, the yellow-robed old Taoist had already noticed the presence of the decree.

“Of course. Are you the Great Immortal Zhenyuan?”

Even if he did not believe the yellow-robed Taoist was truly Zhenyuan, he still asked politely.

“The Great Immortal Zhenyuan is my master, but he has already made the arrangements clear,” the yellow-robed Taoist denied, dispelling Yuan Wuji’s concerns.

Their visit to the Wuzhuang Temple was originally just to casually seek a local earth god. If the Great Immortal Zhenyuan were actually present, Yuan Wuji would feel uneasy. Now that the matter had been entrusted to his disciple, Yuan Wuji was relieved.

“They are all within the temple. Dao friend, please follow me.”

The yellow-robed Taoist gestured politely toward the Wuzhuang Temple. Not knowing Yuan Wuji’s actual name, he addressed him as “dao friend,” a common respectful term. Yuan Wuji did not demur and proceeded into the temple.

The yellow-robed Taoist followed closely behind, while the two young disciples remained to guard the gate.

“Dao friend, don’t worry. Everything you need is here.”

The yellow-robed Taoist called out to Yuan Wuji, showing him a token in his hand.

“What do you mean?”

“This was left by my master. Simply give commands with this token, and it will obey.”

Though the token showed no visible flow of magical power, it had undergone special transformations through Zhenyuanzi’s influence.

Yuan Wuji and the yellow-robed Taoist arrived at an open area, where the old Taoist cast a unique seal on the token.

“Boom, boom!”

The sound of the earth splitting rang out as dozens of local earth gods suddenly emerged from the ground—the source of the earlier commotion.

Their cultivation was low; even their underground movements caused a loud ruckus. The more powerful earth gods move silently, while the weaker ones create more noise. Typically, such mediocre earth gods were assigned to desolate, uninhabited regions.

“Their cultivation is quite poor.”

“Heh,” the yellow-robed Taoist stood smiling quietly.

Yuan Wuji had expected that Zhenyuanzi would assign him a fairly strong earth god, given his status and knowledge of the Journey to the West. But the earth gods arranged seemed quite ordinary—almost casual.

Could it be that Zhenyuanzi did not value the Peaches of Immortality? That made no sense; with his insight, he should understand the benefits of the nine-thousand-year-old peaches, Yuan Wuji thought silently.

“Let this one be!”

Yuan Wuji randomly pointed to one of the weaker earth gods. The chosen earth god, aware of his fate, excitedly ran up to Yuan Wuji.

“Great Immortal, is it really me?”

“Yes, it’s you.”

Yuan Wuji turned to the yellow-robed Taoist and said,

“Dao friend, I have found him. I shall take my leave now.”

“So soon returning to the Heavenly Court? My master asked me to extend our hospitality to you.”

“Next time, if there is a chance.”

When the earth gods appeared, Yuan Wuji felt the Wuzhuang Temple grow strange and was reluctant to stay even a moment longer.

Originally, Yuan Wuji had hoped to see the Ginseng Fruit tree, but now he abandoned the idea—Zhenyuanzi was no ordinary figure.

Grasping the earth god by the collar, Yuan Wuji unleashed the Golden Light Earth Piercing Technique, transforming into a golden beam shooting straight into the clouds.

“I will take you to report in first.”

“All right, all right,” the earth god nodded repeatedly, as if Yuan Wuji’s words were the most precious treasure.

“You know where you are going, right?”

“Yes, yes.”

When Zhenyuanzi summoned them to the Wuzhuang Temple, he had already explained their task. They did not expect such a good opportunity to fall upon them and were stunned for a long time before regaining composure.

Even knowing the slim chance of what lay ahead, their excitement was uncontrollable, and they had dreamed of it.

“Good, as long as you understand.”

This also spared Yuan Wuji from having to explain further. For earth gods of his rank, the very opportunity to breathe in the immortal aura of the Peaches of Immortality was a rare treasure.

After Yuan Wuji took the earth god to report in and received a jade token belonging to the Peach Garden’s earth gods, he led the earth god into the Peach Garden.

“Sure enough, it’s gone.”

Previously, whenever Yuan Wuji approached the Peach Garden, an overwhelming sense of fatal threat would linger in his heart, preventing him from coming closer.

Now, it had vanished, leaving only the fragrant aroma and dense wood-element aura emanating from the Peach Garden.

This was Yuan Wuji’s first step into the Peach Garden. The thick wood-element aura stirred excitement within the fire seed of his Samadhi True Fire.

Wood generates fire; for the Samadhi True Fire, the Peaches of Immortality, as a wood-elemental natural treasure of such caliber, would undoubtedly be a precious tonic.

It seemed inevitable that he would have to come to the Peach Garden in the future.

“No, something’s wrong.”

A sudden, intense sense of danger enveloped Yuan Wuji’s heart. He immediately raised his aura to its peak.

“General, no need to be nervous.”

A figure clad entirely in black stood behind Yuan Wuji, speaking calmly.

“I am a former earth god, now summoned by the Queen Mother to oversee the current earth gods guarding the Peach Garden.”

Though the black-clad being’s emotions were unreadable, any creature capable of causing such a sense of crisis in Yuan Wuji’s heart must have extraordinary cultivation. It seemed the Queen Mother still did not trust the Peach Garden.

They would have to wait for Sun Wukong to arrive at the Peach Garden; otherwise, the peaches could not be stolen.

Yuan Wuji had originally intended to tamper with the earth god, but with this black-clad being present, that was impossible. Given the Queen Mother’s cunning, she likely anticipated such an attempt.

“Very well, I take my leave.”

Yuan Wuji spoke and quickly departed the Peach Garden. The terrifying aura of the black-clad being left him unwilling to stay even longer.

Fortunately, on the way to the Heavenly Court, he left a mark within the earth god’s primordial spirit. With the special nature of the Heavenly Gang Golden Core, the black-clad being could not detect it.

While direct tampering would be discovered, the mark would remain undetected.