Chapter 56: Having the God You Worship Kill You, Are You Happy?

"Death is hardly a pity?"

"Is it because you didn't even wash your feet before dying, so you find it such a pity?"

Suddenly, a voice rang out.

The leaders of the Hundred Schools of Thought, and even Eastern Emperor Taiyi, all furrowed their brows.

Who on earth taught you to interpret it that way?

Everyone turned their eyes simultaneously toward the source of the sound.

There stood a youth in green robes atop the distant royal palace, looking over at them with a beaming smile.

"Master Lu?"

"Grand Patriarch?"

"You're not dead?"

Exclamations broke out one after another.

Everyone stared at Lu Ge in absolute astonishment.

The most shocked of all was undoubtedly Eastern Emperor Taiyi.

Back then, he had seen with his own eyes how Lu Ge had been pierced through by the divine light blooming from the eyes of the deity.

"You... You..."

"Weren't you pierced through the heart by the deity's True Fire of the Sun?"

Eastern Emperor Taiyi looked as though he had seen a ghost.

Lu Ge nodded and said, "That's right."

"I was indeed pierced through the heart."

"It's just fortunate that when I witnessed the majesty of the deity back then, my heart suddenly leapt straight into my throat."

"That's how I managed to dodge that fatal blow."

There was an air of complete relief in Lu Ge's tone.

Listening to this, everyone wore strange expressions. Such sheer, brazen nonsense was something only Master Lu could possibly pull off.

After all, among the Confucianists, the Lu faction that practiced the "Analects of Fist" was known to all.

"Utter nonsense!"

Faced with the leaders of the Hundred Schools of Thought, Eastern Emperor Taiyi could still stand proudly.

But seeing Lu Ge now, his composure was thoroughly shattered.

Lu Ge spread his hands and said, "Call it utter nonsense if you like."

"It doesn't matter."

"Right now, let's settle our personal grievance first."

"Our battle from last time is not yet over."

A sense of retreat stirred within Eastern Emperor Taiyi's heart.

Ten years of vitality was truly no small amount.

"Master Lu, any grievances between us can be sat down and discussed properly."

"Why must it be a fight to the death?"

"You were fortunate enough to survive the deity's hands last time, you should cherish it even more."

"Could it be that you wish to be killed by the deity a second time?"

Eastern Emperor Taiyi tried to persuade him with earnest words.

Lu Ge raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Now that you mention it, I actually do."

"Come, come, hurry and invite your deity down here."

"Let him come and kill me."

"I am standing right here."

"Begging for death!!!"

A bitter taste filled Eastern Emperor Taiyi's mouth, and ruthlessness welled up in his eyes.

"Fine, fine, fine."

"Since you insist on this, I shall grant your wish."

"It's just ten years of vitality, I can afford to burn it."

Gritting his teeth and stamping his foot, Eastern Emperor Taiyi once again formed hand seals and chanted incantations, attempting to summon the physical avatar of Deity Taiyi to descend into the mortal world.

Only a gentle breeze swept past, and white clouds drifted lazily.

The incantation was finished, and the hand seals were complete.

This time, not the slightest anomaly appeared.

The deity had read his message and left him on "seen."

"Yo, where is the deity you invited?"

"Why hasn't he appeared yet?"

"Could it be that he's not home?"

Lu Ge's eyes were filled with amusement.

Joking aside, that Deity Taiyi had been beaten up by old Li, his true form shattered, and his Great Dao left flawed.

If he dared to come again now, Lu Ge would genuinely admire him as a real man.

To speak from the heart, Lu Ge truly hoped Deity Taiyi would descend.

The first time, you could claim ignorance, an accident.

What about the second time?

Would you still dare claim it wasn't intentional?

When the time came, old Li could use this excuse to visit once more, directly plunging the heavens' suns into silence and causing Deity Taiyi to completely perish in body and soul.

None of the other Hundun beings would utter a single extra word about it.

Eastern Emperor Taiyi's expression grew flustered, cold sweat faintly beading on his forehead.

What is going on?

Why is the deity not responding to me?

Unreconciled, Eastern Emperor Taiyi formed the seals and chanted the incantation once more.

Yet still, nothing happened.

The deity remained on "read" without replying.

A pang of despair rose in Eastern Emperor Taiyi's heart.

Could it be that the deity has abandoned me?

Seeing his two attempts at summoning the deity fail, Lu Ge rubbed his chin and said, "It seems you're not quite up to the task."

"How about this, let me try."

"Perhaps it will actually work."

"And then you can have your deity kill me."

"How about it?"

Eastern Emperor Taiyi was stunned. What does that mean?

You're going to invite *my* deity?

I couldn't succeed, and you think *you* can?

If you actually manage to summon him, I'll stand on my head and eat three pounds of dirt.

The next moment, imitating Eastern Emperor Taiyi, Lu Ge began to form hand seals and chant incantations.

The path of faith was instantly cleared and connected.

In the depths of the boundless universe, Taiyi, who was painstakingly repairing his true form, furrowed his brows.

"Really? Does this guy ever quit?"

"I ignored him twice, doesn't he get the hint?"

"He keeps summoning, keeps summoning—if he keeps going, I'm going to block him."

Feeling utterly helpless, Taiyi looked down along the Dao of Faith.

Yet just this single glance made his entire body tremble.

Wait...

Taiyi rubbed his eyes.

Who is summoning me?

Isn't it my follower?

How did it become *him*?

Taiyi's gaze spanned across the myriad realms and fell upon Lu Ge.

"Tsk."

"He's inviting me to descend, should I go or not?"

Taiyi hesitated for a moment, but then his peripheral vision caught sight of his shattered true form.

"Forget it, I might as well go take a look."

"This kid has a massive backing, he's not someone I can afford to provoke."

Taiyi sighed softly, a wisp of his consciousness casting downward, plunging into the myriad realms.

The State of Chu, Royal Palace.

Lu Ge finished forming the seals and concluded the incantation.

The scene mirrored Eastern Emperor Taiyi's earlier attempt, with no supernatural phenomena manifesting whatsoever.

"Hahahahaha."

"You actually thought you could summon a deity to descend, what kind of daydream..."

*Hum~~~*

Before he could finish speaking, the heavens and earth violently trembled.

The void abruptly shattered, and an imposing figure slowly stepped forth from within.

A multitude of brilliant divine lights swirled around him, obscuring his true countenance and form.

Down below, the leaders of the Hundred Schools of Thought felt a crushing pressure akin to the sky collapsing descend upon them, leaving every one of them unable to even raise their heads.

Lu Ge furrowed his brow slightly and said, "Put away your divine posturing."

"Who are you showing off for?"

The imposing figure paused; the overwhelming pressure vanished instantly, and the divine light surrounding him dissipated into nothingness.

This was the first time Deity Taiyi revealed his true appearance before mortals.

The leaders of the Hundred Schools of Thought finally felt the pressure lift, and all of them snapped their heads up to look.

To see a living god for the very first time—they simply had to get a good look.

This was a rare sight indeed.

Eastern Emperor Taiyi, along with Lord Yunzhong and others who had been trapped in the separation of heaven and humanity, also looked up in unison.

Was this the deity they had worshipped day and night?

"You summoned me here, for what purpose?"

Deity Taiyi looked toward Lu Ge and asked.

Lu Ge pointed at Eastern Emperor Taiyi.

"He summoned you twice, yet you never responded."

"So I decided to help him out."

With that, he looked back at Eastern Emperor Taiyi.

"There, your deity has been summoned by me."

"Hurry up and let him make his move to kill me."

Deity Taiyi's expression shifted.

Seriously, buddy?

I merely accepted some benefits and killed you once.

What on earth are you trying to pull here?

Before Eastern Emperor Taiyi could speak, Deity Taiyi hurriedly waved his hands and said, "Hey now, let's not talk about killing and such."

"I have always advocated harmony above all."

"Acts of slaughter are far too bloody and brutal, not good, not good at all."

Lu Ge tilted his head and looked at Deity Taiyi.

"So, you're unwilling to help him kill me?"

Deity Taiyi nodded and said, "Of course."

Lu Ge nodded in return, then pointed a finger at Eastern Emperor Taiyi.

"Then help me kill him instead."

To die at the hands of the very deity you worshipped—that should feel quite blissful, shouldn't it?

Ah, I really am too merciful.