A sudden and enduring silence greeted the royal study.
Ji Chengtian’s right hand held a brush made of snow wolf’s hair frozen in mid-air, not even caring if the ink dripped off the tip and stained the memo.
“If you get rid of Qing Yu, then your next target will be me.”
Finally, the brush fell, and Ji Chengtian said in a cold voice.
“But you are still moved. Haha ——,” the old man of time and fate laughed as if he was sneering or mocking.
With his experience, how could he not see that Ji Chengtian was moved.
In fact, there was no need to look at it, as it had already represented Ji Chengtian’s hostility towards Qing Yu back when he had joined forces with him.
The world was so big that the cake of profit had long since been shared, and those who came later had to take it from those who came first if they wanted a piece of it.
Qing Yu, a latecomer, had reached his current position in just a few years and had taken more cakes than he could count. If he had been in his prime, the might of the True Martial Monarch would not have been overwhelming, but except for a few, no one would have dared to mess with him.
However, if Qing Yu showed his weakness, then those hyenas who had hidden their claws and teeth would quietly fix their greedy eyes on Qing Yu and wait for the time to strike.
“You can go out now.” Ji Chengtian closed his zhengzhi and frowned.
“Then let’s hope – Qing Yu is really what I expected ——”
Old Man Tokio pulled up the hood of his cloak and with a sly smile, disappeared from the imperial study.
He had gotten the answer he wanted, but it would take further trial and error to expect it to come true.
————————
Early May.
Due to the change in the puja of the Great Zen Monastery, the Taoist Sect has been on the offensive for some time now, attacking the Buddhist monasteries moment by moment.
Although Heart’s Edge has left a backhand, and is not really trapped in the Pure Land, Shi Jue’s own power is not enough for Heart’s Edge, the most powerful man in the world, to use his full strength.
Therefore, although the Buddhists have been actively counter-attacking for some time, they have kept an extremely low profile above the God-Realm and have not taken the initiative to start a war against the God-Realm.
All this is like a verification of the rumour that Abbot Xin Yuan of the Great Zen Monastery has really entered the Pure Land and is finding it difficult to break away, and that this is a time of unprecedented weakness for the Buddhist Sect.
Although there is a supreme power in Wu Lai, but don’t we also have the True Martial Monarch on the Daoist side?
At a time when the battle between Buddhism and Daoism is intensifying, another Daoist hermit has come out of the world and joined the mundane turmoil.
But this Daoist hermit did not get involved in the Buddhist-Daoist dispute, instead he came straight to the True Martial Sect.
“Daoist Hua Yang, the ‘Immortal Hermit’ of the Five Rings Mountain, who has been a hermit for a hundred years, has come to pay a visit, saying that he has come for the bitter tea that is under house arrest by the True Martial Sect.”
By the Taiyuan Pond, Xuan Zhen said as she combed Qing Yu’s long snow-white hair.
“Bitter Tea is also a secluded cultivator who avoids the world, so it is only natural that he has some dealings with Huayang.” Qing Yu said.
“But Bitter Tea and Huayang only have dealings, there is another person who has a closer relationship with Huayang and can be called a daoist couple.”
“Who?”
“Daoist Feng Yun.”
“Daoist Wind and Cloud ——,” Qing Yu narrowed his eyes slightly.
Daoist Feng Yun was Zhang Tian Shi’s own brother, but was not involved in the affairs of Mount Longhu and had taken refuge in seclusion many years ago. But for the sake of Mount Longhu, this hermit had still decided to enter the world and become involved in the feud between Mount Longhu and Qing Yu.
After the battle at Tianmiao Peak, Daoist Feng Yun was killed after he struck out at Qing Yu in order to allow the defeated Zhang Tian Shi to escape.
So it seems that Daoist Hua Yang’s visit was certainly not just for the bitter tea.
‘And, not coming early and coming late, but at this time, could there be something fishy about it?’ Qing Yu thought as he lightly stroked his hair.
“Let Xuan Feng come out to entertain Hua Yang, give him some deterrence, and keep him for a few days to see what happens.” Qing Yu said.
“Good.”
————————
“Does Sect Leader really say that?” Xuanfeng looked at the female crown in front of him, a deep thoughtfulness flashing in his eyes.
“According to Senior Sister Xuan Zhen, Sect Leader said so.” The female crown from Su Maiden Peak replied back with certainty.
“Good.”
Xuan Feng nodded his head, and then greeted the figure that was travelling down the mountain path.
“Is it fellow Daoist Hua Yang? Poor Daoist Xuanfeng, I salute you.” Xuanfeng greeted the visitor with a bow.
“Daoist friend Xuanfeng, Hua Yang has a salute.” Daoist Hua Yang similarly bowed his head and said.
In fact, according to his generation, Daoist Hua Yang should be one generation higher than Xuan Feng, the same generation as his master who had died from a fire. Not to mention that Daoist Hua Yang was at the Tong Shen realm, while Xuan Feng was only at the True Dan realm.
But who told him that he had a nephew who was a powerful Daoist monarch? If Huayang were not a strong man at the God Realm, he would not even be qualified to be a peer of Xuanfeng.
Otherwise, many people in the Daoist sect would have to bend down in front of Qing Yu Daojun.
“Fellow Daoist Hua Yang, this way please, poor Daoist will first take you and fellow Daoist Bitter Tea to meet.” Xuanfeng raised his hand and led it in an imaginary manner.
“Thank you.”
The two walked side by side, and after a few steps, Hua Yang asked, as if inadvertently, “Daoist monarch is in seclusion?”
“Exactly,” Xuanfeng nodded, “Daoist monarch has always ignored mundane things and is dedicated to the path of the Tao. Although we are uncles, we are far less dedicated to the Way. Hahahaha!”
With that, Xuan Feng laughed long and bitterly, but the laughter was full of complacency.
After all, who would not be pleased to have a Daoist monarch in their family?
Hua Yang likewise laughed a few big laughs along with it, but his smile, then, was a bit of a leathery smile.
Ignoring mundane things and concentrating on the path of the Dao? So who was it that unified the Dao with a strong hand and ordered all the Daoists to disobey?
Hua Yang sighed in his heart as he walked with Xuan Feng to the Taiji Square.
Afterwards, he saw a stone statue in a kneeling position with its head bowed. The stone statue was so lifelike that it looked like a living person, and even the little side of his face showed his utmost hatred and despair.
It was almost as if a living person had been sealed into a stone statue.
And indeed, it is.
“This is Xuan Guang, the traitor of our sect, who was punished by the Taoist monarch. He betrayed the Daoist Master back then, causing the tragic death of his brother Xuan Fa, and later defected to the Southern Border as a traitor. His crimes were so heinous that he was sentenced by the Taoist monarch to kneel here for eternity until his body was reduced to dust.”
Xuanfeng pointed to the stone statue and introduced it with a smile.
“The Daoist monarch has said that if such sinners who have committed unforgivable sins appear again in the future, they will be punished with this punishment. If you, Daoist, come back in the future, you will surely see more stone statues.”
Xuan Feng’s face was full of smiles, as if he was introducing a famous attraction, but in Hua Yang’s eyes, it was an uncompromising deterrent.
