Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Even after a full day had passed, the impact of Huangji Fo’s death news was still not watered down.
He was a master who had walked on this world for centuries, and yet he did not die at the hands of his nemesis, Hong Yangzi. He gave it his best and ended up getting his spirit exterminated effortlessly by a teenage Daoist. He died instantly and might not even have a chance to be reincarnated.
Some had recognized the teenage Daoist to be Zhenren Shen from Qing Xuan.
Apparently, rumor had it that his actual age was less than fifty years old, and even by mortal standards, he was still in his prime. To cultivators, someone of his age was as good as a child.
However, this teenage Daoist managed to cultivate at an incredible speed that was comparable to that of the reincarnation of a celestial.
He was already the chief of one of the four main Daoist sects at such young age, and he got to where he was because of his capabilities.
Everyone would agree that no one below the state of immortality could rival Zhenren Shen, and he was likely to have entered into the celestial state that countless cultivators were chasing after.
The fact that he was young gave the other cultivators mixed feelings.
Although attaining Dao was not a race, it was difficult to remain calm when faced with someone who proceeded at such monstrous speed.
Even in the past five thousand years, there was only one person who could rival his progress – Lu Jiuyuan.
However, even when Lu Jiuyuan attained Dao and immortality, he was more than fifty years old. At that rate that Zhenren Shen was going, it was likely that he could achieve the unexpected and cultivate his Primordial Spirit before he was fifty, and attain Dao and immortality from there on.
Even compared to ancient times when the world was filled with talented individuals, this speed of cultivation would still be scary.
Shen Lian killed Huangji Fo with his Deity Vanquishing Sword. In spite of the side effects, this was the best option that could ensure that he was eradicated completely so as to avoid any possible complications.
After attaining the state of Huandan, there were plenty of occult techniques for cultivators to work on. Even if a person was exterminated, it would not be surprising for the person to come back from the dead. This was due to the development of the realm of cultivation over the years. Although people in this era might not enjoy the cultivation conditions that the ancients enjoyed during their times, the current techniques, albeit not as powerful, might have more wondrous uses in comparison. This was due to generations of research and development, leading to the birth of countless occult techniques.
Thus, Shen Lian thought that the safest way would be to utilize a technique that attacked one’s spirit, such as the Deity Vanquishing Sword. This would maximize his chance of completely eliminating his opponent.
It was not that he lacked empathy and did not take pity on the difficulties that his opponent had gone through during the cultivation process, but he knew that Huangji Fo was not someone who had grace and class. Moreover, his Dharma was powerful. Hence, he could not risk giving him a chance to rise again. He had to take the extreme measure in order to protect the people around him from harm.
Huangji Fo captured Qixiu mercilessly in order to attain Dao. What he was cultivating had a hint of evilness to it, and it was not a pure Buddhist Dharma. Moreover, he ended up straying to the wrong path, cultivated the eight dragons, and had invited foreign deity to enter his body. Despite the rise in his mana and strength, his foundation was messed up. Even if he could unveil his nature and heart, there was no way that he could attain the state of Golden-Bodied Arhat.
On the other hand, the Dao formula of Zizai Temple focused on entering Dao from the Buddhist perspective. It was extremely pure and pointed to the fundamental Dharma of Dao. There were plenty of holy deities that came from the sect.
Huangji Fo thought about it and wanted to look into the Dharma of Dao; with that, he wanted to make up for his own deficiencies.
Moreover, so happened that it was the time of Daluo Devotion Ceremony. He wanted to take advantage of the chaotic Qi dynamic of Jimo Peak and hide from Daoist Liuqing. Moreover, he was aware that trial was about to befall upon Qixiu. Hence, he wanted to ride on the tide. Unfortunately, he ended up getting caught in the current and rendering his several hundred years of hard work into nothing.
Regardless of Huangji Fo’s plan, everything was meaningless due to his lack of capabilities.
Shen Lian did not feel beaten, he was merely recognizing the essence of the world and the law of survival of the fittest. This was not something that he could change.
Even if he had just killed someone of a master’s level, he did not feel any ripple in his heart. It was as though he had just done something small and insignificant.
After killing Huangji Fo, he sat on a rock at the waist of the mountain. He remained silent as he watched the misty mountains and observed the sky.
Song Qingyi and Qixiu did not want to bother him, but it did not feel right for them to leave either. Hence, they ended up waiting at the back.
Song Qingyi noticed that there was something unique about Shen Lian that he could not pinpoint. It was not because that he had killed Huangji Fo and overwhelmed the world with his power. The essence of the way of Dao could be seen in him now.
Despite the drastic difference between Shen Lian and his teacher, Lu Jiuyuan, but somehow he could connect these two together. He could not explain why. Perhaps, after the experts in the world had reached the pinnacle, they were similar to each other to a certain extent.
Although Shen Lian was far from being at the pinnacle of the human realm, he could definitely reach the pinnacle with time.
At this point, it was unlikely that anyone would doubt that.
The sun rose again, and it was at this moment that Shen Lian stood up and smiled at Song Qingyi. “What are you both doing here?” He asked.
“We are worried about you,” Qixiu spoke.
Shen Lian’s calm gaze fell on Qixiu, and he noticed how pure her Qi of Dao was. The Saintess who served under Huangji Fo was frightened by Shen Lian and abandoned the bamboo basket out of panic. Hence, the instrument was back in Qixiu’s possession again.
She carried the bamboo basket, and she did look like a Guanyin who was carrying the bamboo basket – kind and wise.
“I am fine. Both of you should leave now, it would be best if we do not cross paths again,” Shen Lian replied.
“Shen Lian, do you see us as a burden?” Song Qingyi queried.
“Senior Apprentice-Brother Song, let’s leave. Brother Shen is right,” Qixiu replied dejectedly.
Both of them left after Qixiu offered her advice to Song Qingyi.
Shen Lian sighed. The misfortune that took place at the Flying Celestials Island had happened partially due to Shen Lian. Nothing good would come from this ill-fated relationship. With his current level of cultivation, he still could not predict the actual impact yet. However, it was something that would happen sooner or later.
The human relationships were complicated and messy, he still could not break apart from all of these yet. The least he could do was to avoid complicating matters.
Under the setting sun at Jimo Peak, there was a Daoist temple called Zhengyang Temple. It had always been a property of Hongyang Sect.
Jimo Peak was the home to Luo Order, and there were countless Buddhist and Daoist temples built atop of it. These were the strongholds of the various branches of Luo Order.
Hong Yangzi had spent quite a significant amount of time at Zhengyang Temple. Ever since his clash against Huangji Fo, he realized a deficiency in his technique and had gone into solitary retreat to work on it.
It was only after he came out from his solitary retreat that he found out that his apprentice, Cang Yingzi was captured by Huangji Fo.
However, he could not revenge against Huangji Fo anymore; this nemesis of his was dead.
When his followers reported the news to him, Hong Yangzi was incredibly shocked. Even the joy of having overcome his deficiency was watered down. He was not as worried for Cang Yingzi anymore.
It did not take long for his initial shock to turn into worries.
He received a letter – each of the strokes seemed to be drawn by iron and silver; the sword aura oozed through from the strokes.
“I heard that you have the Pure Yang Technique, and that it is wondrous. Midnight tonight, where Taiyin is complete, and Yin and Yang are one, I will be coming for it.”
The sender did not sign off on the letter.
