Chapter 2145: The Madman

The vast star river, a single vast expanse of water in between.

An ancient pavilion, suspended above the star river, like a boat rowing on the water.

This is, of course, a simulated image inside the Taixu Illusion Realm, but the true Taixu Pavilion is in the process of having its authority transferred. Compared to other Cave Heaven treasures, the greatness of the Taixu Pavilion lies in the fact that it has already completely merged with the Taixu Illusion Realm. Through the Taixu Illusion Realm, it can descend anywhere in the present world, at any time!

Inside the ancient pavilion, starlight has enclosed a huge round platform. Nine large chairs are arranged in a circle around it. All around is dim, becoming brighter towards the center.

Zhong Xuan, Ju Kui, Jiang Wang, Dou Zhao, Chong Xuan Zun, Cang Ming, Huang Sheli, and Qin Zhizhen each occupy a chair and sit peacefully. The King of Jing Country, Wang Kun, stands in front of the only empty position, feeling a kind of greatly examined unease.

The Taixu Dao Lord did not appear. In the Taixu Illusion Realm, He is everywhere. But no one can clearly say exactly what kind of existence He is now.

Suspended in front of each person is a magatama shaped like a yin-yang fish. From the front, it is pure white, almost translucent, allowing one to see through to the back. From the back, it is pure black, profoundly black, isolating everything.

This is the Taixu Magatama, representing the identity of a Taixu Pavilion member and also the key to opening the true Taixu Pavilion. The "true opening" here refers to summoning the Taixu Pavilion in the present world and controlling it as a treasure.

In principle, any Taixu Pavilion member can summon the Taixu Pavilion at any time and place to fulfill its responsibilities. But there is also a prerequisite—more than half of the members need to agree. Each Taixu Magatama is a key, but only when five or more members agree can it gain complete authority.

However, having the magatama does not mean one is a Taixu Pavilion member. It is only part of the identity marker. To truly use all the authority of a Taixu Pavilion member, one still needs verification from the Taixu Illusion Realm. With the Taixu Dao Lord present, no one under heaven can forge the identity of a Taixu Pavilion member.

Zhong Xuan sits upright and is the first to speak: "This is the first meeting of the Taixu Pavilion. I am Zhong Xuan, and I greet each member. In the future, each meeting will be recorded by me. I will uphold the principles of no praise or blame, no omission, and no distortion, holding my brush straight to write. I welcome everyone's supervision."

"Then just record one line," Ju Kui said matter-of-factly. "The First Taixu Meeting, Li Yi is unreasonably absent. The Taixu Meeting will be held once a month. Members who are in the present world and have no special circumstances for absence will be impeached to the Taixu Dao Lord if they are absent more than three times in a year, requesting a replacement—do you all have any objections?"

The True Person from Diligent Academy has already begun to "record history," and the True Person from Rule Heaven Palace has formally begun to "legislate." It is truly a thunderous and windy start.

Everyone had no objection, and it passed with full vote. Oh, wait.

"That..." Wang Kun raised his hand.

"What do you want to say?" Ju Kui turned his head to look at him. The process of True Person Ju turning his head was like pushing a stone in midwinter, very cold and hard.

"I represent True Person Tai Yu and am fully participating in the meeting. I will not miss any news, so it does not count as absent..." Wang Kun's voice grew lower as he spoke.

"Can you fully represent Li Yi?" Dou Zhao suddenly asked.

Wang Kun thought for a moment and cautiously replied: "Regarding Taixu Pavilion-related affairs, I basically can."

"Then can you represent him in getting beaten?" Dou Zhao continued to ask.

Wang Kun's face changed color: "If Member Dou has this intention, I will inform True Person Tai Yu. But if you want to insult me just because my cultivation is not as high as yours, I will not submit, and Jing Country will certainly not agree!"

Dou Zhao lifted his eyes: "Insult you?" He casually grabbed, and Tianxiao was already in his hand, thick-backed and narrow-edged, chopping down directly!

"What are you? Do you deserve to be called insulted by me?" Tianxiao fell, and the person was already divided into two!

Wang Kun, who was sent by Jing Country to be Li Yi's deputy, and who was in fact handling Taixu Pavilion affairs, originated from Chengtian Prefecture and cultivated on Penglai Island, was no ordinary talent! Initially, on the Xingyue Plain battlefield, he was one of the leading prodigies of Jing Country, directly confronting the prodigies of Qi Country. In the vast central domain, within the forty-nine prefectures of Jing Country, he also enjoyed a long-standing reputation. He was not inferior to Pei Hongjiu, Xu San, and others.

But in front of the Tianxiao blade, he had not an inch of room to resist. Snap.

Dou Zhao truly is Dou Zhao! He entered the pavilion one foot and killed a person the next. When the strong of Derivation Dao surrounded him, he still only argued a few sentences. With the True Monarch of Derivation Dao not present, he was simply lawless.

He said he would chop Wang Kun, who represented Jing Country and Li Yi here, and he just chopped!

The scene was silent for a moment. Jiang Wang supported his forehead without speaking. Even True Person Ju Kui, who enforced the law very strictly and took the law as his absolute ideal, opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. Qin Zhizhen was as quiet as a rock, Chong Xuan Zun seemed to be smiling but not smiling, Huang Sheli casually crossed his legs, and Cang Ming's expression was hidden behind his cloak.

Only Zhong Xuan, with a bamboo slip in one hand and a book knife in the other, silently recorded. The book knife carved the slip, not regretting a single word.

With one knife splitting Wang Kun vertically in two, Dou Zhao seemed as if nothing had happened. He swaggered from his seat towards the crowd beside Zhong Xuan: "Let me see how you record, whether you distort the facts?"

Zhong Xuan directly held up the bamboo slip, opening it for everyone to see: "Zhong will naturally hold his brush straight to write, deserving the world's review."

The title was written, "Taixu Pavilion Chronicles." The subtitle was "First Taixu Meeting." Below were the specific contents. First column: Li Yi is absent. Second column: Dou Zhao and Wang Kun are in discord and draw knives to chop.

"How is it that I and Wang Kun are in discord?" Dou Zhao said, dissatisfied: "Mister Zhong, you are not holding your brush straight, you have added speculation!"

Zhong Xuan said: "Do you mean that you and Wang Kun are not in discord?"

"Does he match?" Dou Zhao counter-asked.

Zhong Xuan had naturally heard of Dou Zhao's reputation for a long time. But this was the first time he had come into contact with Dou Zhao personally, and he had never so intuitively felt the character of this prodigy. After a moment of silence, he said: "Then why did you chop him?"

"Where is the 'why'?" Dou Zhao waved a big hand: "Just write 'Dou Zhao kills Wang Kun'! I am not afraid of others speculating on my reasons!"

Ju Kui's face was expressionless, but the lightning pattern on his brow twitched slightly. He already had a premonition that the thirty-year term as a Taixu Pavilion member would probably not be easy to get through. These "colleagues" were probably not easy to get along with. Currently, only True Person Jiang seemed a bit honest and dutiful.

In the Taixu Pavilion, it is impossible to truly kill Wang Kun. Although they are all true bodies summoned to this place by the Taixu Dao Lord, the entire Taixu Illusion Realm is under the Taixu Dao Lord's control. Without His permission, it is absolutely impossible to truly kill someone—not that there will be any serious consequences, but it is impossible to do.

While speaking, the lingering fearful Wang Kun reappeared in front of that empty chair. Before that knife fell, he did not know if he would die. So he had already truly faced the terror of death!

He looked at Dou Zhao, his face flushed red from anger: "Dou Zhao! Do you want to provoke a war between Jing and Chu?!"

Dou Zhao turned back somewhat surprised, looking at him. He didn't know if he was surprised that he was still alive, or surprised that he would say such stupid words.

"What does this have to do with Chu Country? I have already detached from Chu Country. Such a big matter, didn't you pay attention?" Dou Zhao lifted the Tianxiao knife again: "What does this have to do with Jing Country? Aren't all of you people... already left your countries!?"

As the voice fell, the knife fell. This time Wang Kun was fully prepared, but he still swept empty with one knife. There was not a bit of suspense; his resistance was almost invisible.

The authority of the Taixu Pavilion is extremely heavy, and when it operates, affairs will be very busy. It is impossible for the members themselves to handle everything piece by piece. The various sides send their most talented young people to the Taixu Pavilion. One is to occupy a position in the torrent of the rolling forward human path, and the other is to hope that they will have more opportunities to reach a higher place. If they are tired by mundane affairs and their cultivation is affected, it is undoubtedly the opposite of the intended outcome. Handling mundane affairs can also be considered cultivation, but that is the path of the national system. None of these young people truly chose this path.

So, regarding the matter of the Taixu Pavilion, the forces on all sides had prepared direct subordinates for the true people who entered the pavilion early. There was no need to mention the six great hegemonic countries. Those people under Chong Xuan Zun, whom Jiang Wang slightly scanned in the Eight Trigrams Platform, were all familiar faces... they were completely warriors of the Autumn Kill Army who had changed their clothes!

Even Zhong Xuan's side had a bunch of people who looked clever and smart. Ju Kui's side was an entire team of expressionless enforcers. Only True Person Jiang had empty sleeves, alone suspending a sword. He had not made any preparations in advance—all his preparations were about how to discuss swords.

Who would have thought that everyone in the Taixu Pavilion would talk about background? One by one, they even brought armies, making him, the first pure one in the Taixu, quite lonely.

The Taixu Pavilion is an organization with a neutral nature. The nine great members are all free true persons with no identity and no belonging. The various kinds of people who assist them in handling mundane affairs are, of course, all free individuals. The Taixu Pavilion is neutral! In the past, present, and future, this point is the foundation of the Taixu Pavilion's standing.

It is impossible to be absolutely neutral, but at least it should be beyond reproach. And the Taixu Dao Lord will also supervise the affairs of the Taixu Pavilion.

So, what Wang Kun said now, that Dou Zhao wanted to provoke a war between Jing and Chu, was indeed unreasonable. What did the internal contradictions of the Taixu Pavilion have to do with other countries?

Wang Kun reappeared, already expressionless with anger: "Dou Zhao! We still have to work together for thirty years, looking down and not seeing, lifting our heads and seeing! Don't do things too absolutely!"

"Looking down and not seeing, lifting our heads and seeing..." Dou Zhao looked at his face: "That's too disgusting." Tianxiao swiped across, as if to wipe away the filth he was unwilling to see, and Wang Kun was indeed wiped away just like this.

Huang Sheli watched the play with relish, not even privately transmitting messages to flirt with Immortal Jiang. Jiang Wang continued to support his forehead; his fingers and forehead seemed to have a very long story to tell.

Wang Kun, who returned to the Taixu Pavilion again, already looked like he was going crazy: "What exactly do you want?! You lunatic! If you have the ability, get out of the Taixu Illusion Realm, and truly kill me!"

Dou Zhao said faintly: "Report your address." It was like a basin of cold water poured over his head. Wang Kun was stunned for a moment, then angrily scolded: "You are simply unreasonable! We have no grudge or enmity—"

Tianxiao slashed horizontally, and his head flew up! Shattering his remaining words.

"I don't know why, but as long as this person speaks more than two sentences, I get very irritable." Dou Zhao looked around at the crowd: "Do you have this feeling?"

"Indeed a bit of an eyesore." Chong Xuan Zun laughed. He always disliked Dou Zhao for being too troublesome, fighting heaven and earth, making people hate him and ghosts dislike him, and dogs not caring. But how to say... when this person is not targeting you, having a mouth substitute and a knife substitute feels quite comfortable.

Wang Kun returned to the Taixu Pavilion again, his voice squeezed out from between his teeth: "I am not as good as you, I admit, but are you, Dou Zhao, just stronger than everyone, just invincible in the world? Do you want to bully everyone who is not as good as you? I want to know why you are targeting me like this?!"

Dou Zhao only asked: "Are you a Taixu Pavilion member? What qualifications do you have to sit here?"

Wang Kun angrily shouted: "I am not sitting, I am standing!"

"I can't understand why Li Yi would let you be his representative. Is it because you are indeed stupid enough to represent his brain?" Dou Zhao shook his head, his eyes chilling down: "What qualifications do you have to enter this door? Your standing here is just offending me, you fool!"

Tianxiao killed the prodigy, and the edge of the knife left a field of emptiness. Wang Kun, this unqualified person, standing in the Taixu Pavilion itself was an offense to the other members. It was the "willfulness" of Jing Country, the world's first empire. No one would feel comfortable.

Ju Kui suggested that Zhong Xuan record Li Yi's absence, and Zhong Xuan did indeed record it as such, but they were all dissatisfied. Only Dou Zhao expressed it more directly, and more intensely.

"Record how many times I chopped this fellow?" Dou Zhao asked Zhong Xuan.

Zhong Xuan, as usual, lifted the bamboo slip, and the words on it said—"Chopped it several times."

"Mister Zhong is too lazy... why didn't you write down the process of me chopping him?" Dou Zhao casually complained once, then said again: "The reason can also be written."

"What?" Zhong Xuan asked.

Dou Zhao said: "Dou has never tolerated lunatics in his life!" Zhong Xuan was silent. Does Chu Country not sell mirrors?

Wang Kun, who appeared in the pavilion again, obviously had a floating qi momentum. Although under the gaze of the Taixu Dao Lord, he would not truly die. But every knife of Dou Zhao's was a knife that could truly kill him. He did not die, but he had already experienced the taste of death several times—that was absolutely not a pleasant feeling.

But he would certainly not be cowardly on this occasion, so he still straightened his body and viciously said: "My presence here is the result that Chu Country has recognized. You also cannot change it! What do you want? What can you do? Here, you cannot truly kill me! Forever cannot!"

"The things I want to do are very simple—" Dou Zhao leisurely dragged his knife over: "Either let Li Yi come, or you don't appear here again. You come once, I chop you once. I heard that True Person Jiang died several tens of thousands of times in the demon realm, relying on the spring of immortality to live on, only then forging today's dao body. I will also help you practice and see what your heart will become, and how many points you can catch up to him!"

This time the knife edge was directly at his waist. Before Wang Kun disappeared, he saw his own fresh blood spraying from his lower body. His anger, pain, and terror were all squeezed onto his face, and they all disappeared together.

Suddenly being mentioned by name, Jiang Wang coughed: "Stop talking nonsense! True Person Dou, don't believe rumors. What dying several tens of thousands of times? During the demon realm journey, I deeply entered the enemy's rear, calmly laid out my plans, and played with the crowd of demons in my palm. I completely relied on my own power to fight intensely with that dog Ying Yang, not falling behind, and finally killed it strongly!"

Dou Zhao sneered: "Killing a true demon descended by God, you also..." He originally wanted to say, you also look in the mirror. But he suddenly thought, the guy in front of his eyes was indeed a person who had completed the feat of regicide. For a moment, he hated him so much his teeth itched, and he brushed his sleeve: "Then you come! Everyone is dissatisfied, all only looking at Lord me, where is there such a good thing!"

He sat back on his butt, truly no longer doing anything. Wang Kun, who returned to the Taixu Pavilion again, had already assumed a defensive posture, yet he did not welcome Dou Zhao's knife. For a moment, he was also a bit confused, not knowing whether to continue provoking, or pretend that nothing had happened.

Jiang Wang originally wanted to continue supporting his forehead, but the other members all looked at him.

"Cough!" Jiang Wang put down the hand supporting his forehead, and said warmly: "Wang Kun, we have met before a long time ago."

Wang Kun looked at him vigilantly and did not speak. Jiang Wang lifted a hand, and a sundial appeared in the void, time being moved by light and shadow. He said to Wang Kun: "We are old acquaintances. I personally have no opinion of you, and I cannot bear to see certain people torment you like this..."

Hearing this, Wang Kun, who had been gritting his teeth and holding on, determined not to leave, unexpectedly felt a sourness in his nose. His inner grievance... was seen!

It wasn't that he himself wanted to come to the Taixu Pavilion, nor did he provoke any of them. Why did everyone look at him displeased? Why did they just stare at him and bully him? If they had the ability, when they were at the Taixu mountain gate, they should have opposed the South Heavenly Master! Shameless! Fierce! Extremely rude!

Jiang Wang continued: "How about this, you go back and pass a message to Li Yi. This is our first Taixu Pavilion meeting. We will still be colleagues for thirty years, and we will continue to have differences but still move forward because of the same goal."

"We respect him very much, and we also hope he can respect this matter—we will wait for him for fifteen minutes. If he comes, the meeting will continue. If he doesn't come, the meeting will also continue."

"But no matter what, it is impossible for you to participate in this meeting. I say this, I don't know if you can understand?"