Seeing this, Li Qingshan no longer said anything more. Suddenly, he felt like he was being watched, which made him look around. All he saw was the glow of the setting sun and the rustling bamboo forest.
There was probably no one in the Salvation temple right now that would disobey his orders.
He remembered something and made his way over to the motionless turtle he had cast aside. He kicked the shell. “Come out!”
The colossal turtle refused to budge.
Li Qingshan bellowed, “If you still don’t come out, I’ll shatter your shell and turn you into soup!”
A huge head extended out of the shell, dignified like a dragon’s head. It gazed at Li Qingshan carefully with a pair of inky-green eyes.
“You can understand our language?”
Only after hesitating did the turtle nod.
“In other words, you heard everything we talked about earlier? Looks like I need to silence you with death. I wonder how you taste.” Li Qingshan licked his lips.
The turtle shrank back inside out of fright.
“I’m kidding. You seem to possess the bloodline of a spiritual beast, so it is no wonder you’re so intelligent. That’s quite rare in this world. Whatever, I’ll spare your life. You can run around and do some errands for me!”
Li Qingshan returned to the Rock of Slaughter’s side again. Leaning against the rock, he sat down, refining the spiritual qi in his body as he absorbed the spiritual qi from the rock.
Three days later, as the sun reached its zenith, the morning bells and evening drums both rang out throughout the Salvation temple. All of the monks assembled together. They were no longer receiving an enemy nervously. Instead, it was a reluctant farewell.
A delicate little house moved through the crowd. Li Qingshan sat at the entrance and waved to the monks. “Thanks for all the help.”
His cultivation had progressed even further, and he seemed even more like a monkey. He was covered in thick, dark-golden fur. As he crouched there without any regard for his image, a tail swayed about. He basically seemed even more like a monkey than the White Ape King back then.
Now, even without the Divine Talisman of Great Creation and the Frenzy Flower Blade of Path’s End, he could put up a fight against the White Ape King.
There was no longer anything in the world that could still threaten him!
“Anything for the hero king!”
The monks were determined and fervent. They did not care about Li Qingshan’s appearance at all.
Li Qingshan patted the foundation of the house. “Old Patience, a little faster!”
The giant turtle immediately sped up.
As it turned out, the house was built on the back of the giant turtle. Li Qingshan had unleashed his great talents of coming up with names again, calling the giant turtle “Old Patience” because he had managed to remain in the back courtyard of the Salvation temple for so long without being discovered. He was truly extremely patient.
However, probably only Li Qingshan knew whether he had been influenced by the memories of his past life or not.
Perhaps because it had heard the conversation between Li Qingshan and Rāhu Xiaoming, Old Patience seemed extremely obedient, and it would bear the burden of all sorts of hard work. Its footsteps were steady and powerful as it squeezed through the gates, crawling off the mountain.
Watching Li Qingshan vanish on the mountain path, the Suffering Subduing monk felt lost. He felt like he had done something wrong, yet he had no idea where he had gone wrong.
Tie Xiong said, “Master, we should set off too.”
As a result, the Suffering Subduing monk ordered the monks, “Let the world know that the Salvation temple is now the Salvation hall. Set off immediately for Pegasus city in the northern region to report to society leader Gu.”
The turtle climbed down the mountain and passed through the mountain gate, taking off at full speed. Despite so many things on its back, it actually moved even faster than a galloping horse, and it remained as steady as before too.
“You really are a spiritual beast. Without your help, taking away so many items really might be difficult.”
The turtle let out a growl in response.
Li Qingshan returned to his walking residence. Not only were there the most beautiful women in the world in there, but there was also the wealth that the Salvation temple had accumulated across the years.
Hu Xian’er picked through it in interest. “These monks sure know how to extort and plunder people, my king!”
“Even monks need to eat! Do you know where that faithless and fickle father of yours is?”
Li Qingshan did not hate his current appearance. As a matter of fact, he found it to be extremely interesting. However, if the opportunity to regain his human appearance presented itself, he would not let it slip by.
Hu Xian’er’s expression changed slightly. Hu Ling’er raised her head as well.
“What, you regret it?”
“No, I’ve waited far too long for this day.”
“As you wish.”
Around dusk the next day, the giant turtle arrived before a splendid estate that was surrounded by wonderful scenery.
There was no lurking killing intent like he had been expecting. Instead, it was an atmosphere of peace.
Before Li Qingshan could even knock on the door, the door opened by a crack. “Is the hero king outside?”
“It is!”
The crack grew a little larger, and a boy with delicate facial features walked out, carefully offering up a letter.
“My master has gone out to travel. He said that if you came to visit, we were to give you everything here. This is the letter he’s left for you.”
Li Qingshan opened the letter, which was covered in elegant handwriting. He glanced at Hu Xian’er and read it aloud. “It is an absolute honour of my humble abode to welcome a visit from the king. I’ve heard much about the hero king’s name since a very long time ago, such that I’m tempted to have a fine drink together and get drunk together. Unfortunately, I recalled some matters of the past recently, which has caused me trouble sleeping from the painful regret I feel. I only wish to travel the jianghu alone now, with my identity no more. I offer up all that I have, whether it be maidservants or boy pages, fine clothes or fine steeds, as dowry. I hope that you can treat my two daughters well. Regards, Dongfang Yu.”
He asked Hu Xian’er, “How’s that?”
Hu Xian’er was conflicted, unable to make a decision.
Yang Miaozhen said, “He’s truly the Gentleman of Fine Jade. In just such a short letter, not only did he compliment the king, expressing how he did not want you as an enemy, but he also expressed his regrets and apologies, while wandering the jianghu with his identity no more can be regarded as atonement. In the end, he even cast aside everything that others can covet. What a clever and attentive man. No wonder he even managed to steal the Daemon Maiden of Illusionary Dance’s heart.”
Li Qingshan said in disdain, “Tsk, what clever and attentive? It all just comes down to looks! If he looked like me, it’d be useless no matter how clever or attentive he was.”
“The king sure is self-aware.” Yang Miaozhen smiled, but her eyes were filled with tender feelings.
“I’m all about that strength! C’mon, let’s go in and take a look first. We can find him if there isn’t Transformation grass.”
Sure enough, the Transformation grass was within the goods. The Gentleman of Fine Jade did not leave behind any reason to antagonise him. Hu Xian’er gazed at it blankly as if she refused to simply let the matter be, yet it was also like she refused to take the matter any further.
“Think about it properly! Since I’ve promised you, it’s useless even if he escapes to the ends of the world.”
Li Qingshan had seen plenty of spiritual herbs in the nine provinces, so he did not find it to be particularly special. He directly shoved it into his mouth, chewed away, and made his way into a room.
Half a day later, when he emerged from the room again, even the women waiting for him outside were stunned. A different light flashed through their eyes.
Li Qingshan had recovered his appearance as Northmoon again, but due to the other transformations being suppressed, there were still many changes. His scarlet hair had become dark-golden, and his round eyes were the same colour. His arms had become slightly longer too, but not so much that it seemed excessive.
All of a sudden, he had gone from a wild monkey to a lady killer.
“Hehe, now I’m all about that strength and looks!” Li Qingshan smiled. A monkey’s tail swayed around behind him. That was a memento he had kept behind specially. Then he asked Hu Xian’er, “Have you thought it through?”
Hu Xian’er was gloomy. She said nothing.
“Forget about it then. Just wait here.”
Li Qingshan bounded off. He only returned a few days later, tossing a human head before Hu Xian’er. It was the head of a man. Despite his face being twisted, it was still possible to make out his handsome looks from when he was still alive.
Hu Xian’er took a step back. Her face was filled with both joy and sorrow, “My king!”
“I’m the one who wanted to kill him. It’s got nothing to do with you.” Li Qingshan smiled in a self-deprecating manner. “Faithless people are simply abominable!”
