After his secret meeting with Yuan Mingzhen and uncovering a major secret, Tao Qian's considerations immediately expanded from just Qiantang Province to the whole world, encompassing the Seventy-two Provinces.
This perspective was sufficient to resolve his current predicament and, more importantly, might allow the several billion members of the Human Clan, who had been suffering under the erosion of Evil Cultivators, to catch a much-needed breath. It was an opportunity he could not afford to miss.
However, before taking action, he still needed to deal with the Tiannan Gao Family and the Demon Buddha sub-temple.
Tao Qian communicated with Zheng Yin, Zhao Gongda, Meng Shoudao, Guo Huchen, and a few others without revealing his emotions, continuing to push forward the original plan.
At the same time, the strategy he had already agreed upon with Duobao was also timely launched.
Brutishly simple!
Master Tao acted as a double agent, deceiving both parties into betraying each other.
The first step was to have Gao Buxi act as a guide, personally leading two Arhats from the Demon Buddha Temple to Tiannan Province, the Gao Family ancestral lands, inadvertently delivering a heavy blow to both the Gao Family and the old Alchemist monster, Gao Huan.
...
Early this day, within Steamed Buddha City, Gao Buxi, the most favored descendant of True Lord of a Hundred Demons Gao Yang went to seek Gao Yang, suddenly bringing along his newly-wed wife, Duan Yuhong.
He claimed his wife was pregnant and that he would not participate in the upcoming battle in Qiantang Province City. He planned to take his wife back to Tiannan Province, to the ancestral lands, hoping to benefit from the ancestors' blessings so their child could have an exceptional Talent and Spirit Root.
"Already pregnant? Haven't you two just gotten married?"
"Did you use some Alien Species method?"
"My wise ancestor, I was eager to have a child, and luckily my wife hails from the South Sea Territory. She had a fortuitous encounter when paying respects at the Heavenly Consort Temple and received a blessing from the Heavenly Consort. Once the time came, we would be assured of a child with extraordinary talent, and now it has come to pass."
Gao Yang was astonished, turning his gaze to his granddaughter-in-law.
His eyes Flashing red not only quickly laid bare Duan Yuhong's background but also directly perceived the fetus within her womb.
He then immediately exclaimed:
"South Sea Heavenly Consort! Your wife actually has such a great Blessing?"
"Indeed, it is a child with exceptional roots, naturally spirited, truly capable of inheriting my Hundred Demons Magic."
"I approve!"
"Anyways, you lad have no significant combat Power. If you can spread our Gao Family's Descendants and bear more offspring, that in itself would be your great contribution. Hurry and take your wife back to the ancestral lands to nourish the fetus."
Suddenly blessed with a descendant of extraordinary talent, Gao Yang was very Joyous.
He specifically sent some Demon Soldiers to escort the couple covertly back to the most secret Gao Family Ancestral Land in Tiannan Province.
Unfortunately, content as Gao Yang was, he still had his heart set on the meaty prize within Qiantang Province City.
He was completely unaware that following behind his obedient grandson and his wife, there was a large number of Monk Soldiers and Buddhist Practitioners trailing them.
A total of two massive forces of Monk Soldiers, along with two incredibly powerful Arhats, were concealed within something known as the Great Sumeru Formless Treasure Banner, merging with the sky, following the pregnancy party, heading to the most central domain of the Gao Family.
Inside the treasure banner, Kongchan Liansha, the two Arhats, watched Gao Buxi and Duan Yuhong from afar.
With a look of eager Joy on their faces, they spoke to each other:
"Qingjing, your methods are impressive. You were able to deceive the True Lord of a Hundred Demons so effortlessly. Once we reveal the Gao Family Ancestral Land, Tiannan Province will belong to our Demon Buddha Temple."
"The disciple Wu Gou also has not an insignificant technique. That woman named Duan Yuhong must be one of his subordinates, I wonder what methods he used to train the Gao Family lad so well."
"These master and disciple, outwardly they seem more upright than those from Great Freedom Temple, but their methods are sneakier than ours, fitting to join our Demon Buddha Temple."
"Once this mission succeeds, our lineage's status within the temple will rise once more. Brother Shipi need not mention, the Daoist Transformation Tribulation won't affect him, and with such a great merit we have collected, the temple will have to aid us in overcoming our tribulations somehow. Brother, allow me to congratulate you in advance."
"Let's rejoice together!"
...
When it comes to Divine Power, Gao Yang and even Kongchan Liansha—the two Arhats—are top-notch.
Ordinary Ultimate Happiness Realm Cultivators simply cannot outwit them.
Unfortunately, it was precisely Duobao whom they failed to detect even the slightest clue.
While they were each rejoicing, within Qiantang Province City, the Buddha's Birthday celebration was still underway, with an atmosphere of great zeal.
Moreover, the excitement was not confined to just Qiantang Province.
In other surrounding provinces and even in far-off super cities like Demon City and Imperial City, a multitude of eyes were turned towards the celebration.
This had been made possible by a novelty in this realm.
It was none other than the Divine Ear Sect, Ting Di Sect, and Ten Thousand Miles Sect, along with a dozen other special sects dedicated to the pursuit of secrets and knowledge.
They had joined forces and installed countless Spirit Mirrors, Spirit Crystals, and similar objects in important municipalities within each major province, or within city walls.
Under the enhancement of Forbidden Techniques and Secret Skills like the Ten Thousand Miles Light Capturing Projection Technique, Sky Shrinking and Light Separation Skill, Little All Heavens Crystal Ball Shadowing Great Method, etc., they could broadcast scenes from tens of thousands of miles away to almost every province.
Though there was some delay, it was intriguing and fun nonetheless.
Such devices had appeared during the intense integration of the Cultivation World and the Mortal World.
But to have a widespread setup allowing simultaneous viewing in the Seventy-two Provinces, combined with the explanations provided by Cultivators from these aligned sects, was unprecedented.
The Buddha's Birthday festival, with a projection covering tens of thousands of miles and the combination of elements such as the warlord representatives of the Northern Land, Demon Buddha Temple, Free Temple, Devil Empress... and others, was also a rare first-time occurrence.
Inside the Province City, people were not yet aware of the tremendous stir that this spectacle had caused across the provinces.
Of course, Mortals still couldn't see it.
The reason was simple: they could not withstand the contamination within.
However, the presence of Transcendent beings such as Cultivators, Demons, Alien Species, and so forth, their numbers were also surging.