Earlier on the bridge, Ning Que’s podao had met the iron staff in the ascetic monks’ hands. There was a loud crash before the staff was thrown into the air. Then, Ning Que killed the man with his blade.
In the monastery, Ning Que’s podao and the staff that had torn through air met. However, there was only a light click that sounded like the burning of a calligraphy brush by the flames of an oil lamp.
This was because the person who wielded the staff had a higher cultivation state than the ascetic monk at the end of the bridge. The metal staff was infused with the Qi of Heaven and Earth and was extremely fast and stable. Compared to that, Ning Que’s way of waving his blade was also sharper. When the two met, the metal staff was not thrown into the air but was cut right in the middle!
There was a light poof and the iron staff was cut into two! The upper half of the staff brushed across Ning Que’s shoulder as it flew by, breaking a large hole through the colored roof of the monastery. The lower half, which was slightly sharp, was wielded by the person who aimed it at Ning Que’s abdomen. There was an angry bellow as the person rushed toward Ning Que!
Ning Que could clearly sense the thick Buddhist aura in the man’s left hand. He had also sensed that the upper half of the iron staff that had broken through the roof was flying back at a high speed. Right now, there was a sharp iron staff heading toward his abdomen and there was a part of the iron staff that was rushing at his back. He was in a very dangerous situation as he was being attacked on all three sides, including the withered old palm.
However, he did not panic at all. Master Yan Se had once described what Sage of Sword, Liu Bai had said, “The sword may fly a dozen miles, but it is not as important as the foot of distance before you.” Ning Que, who had started cultivation late in life was like Ye Hongyu. He knew how to win in a battle against the seemingly powerful cultivators. He knew the meaning of a true battle.
The podao’s stroke had yet to end and could not return to Ning Que’s front. Ning Que did not hesitate to release the hilt from his right hand as the two parts of the staff attacked him from back and front and the withered hand neared. His left hand reached out like a strike of lightning and batted away the staff that was approaching his abdomen. Then, he trampled forward and punched the person in the face.
There were two resounding slaps and Ning Que retreated. His right hand swung in the air and took hold of the podao that had not had the time to descend yet. Closely following that were another two resounding claps. The two parts of the metal staff had fallen on the ground. The person panted miserably, retreating with hands covering her face. Her hand had long been retracted.
No matter how mysterious cultivation was, it still depended on humans to control it. Once his opponent had been attacked, how would they be able to use their cultivation powers?
However, the battle was not over yet.
The thick clothes outside the monastery windows suddenly floated up and fell in pieces. They were torn into several plain flowers. Due to the thickness of the cloth, the petals of these flowers seemed rather thick. However, they felt suffocating and imposing. If these flowers covered one’s face, it would be hard to breathe.
The podao in Ning Que’s right hand vibrated intensely in the air around him like several strikes of lightning. It cut the flowers into tatters without difficulty. Then, he turned and disappeared into the depths of the monastery.
There was a Buddha statue deep inside the monastery. There was an incense pot, a bell, and two futons in front of it. A girl sat on one of the futons, her back facing the monastery doors. On the other futon, sat an old woman who was vomiting blood. She was the person who had tried to stealthily attack Ning Que with an iron staff but was punched by him instead.
The blade rushed through the air and landed softly on the neck of the girl. Ning Que looked at the girl’s back emotionlessly and said, “Ladies, long time no see.”
The old woman pushed herself up from the ground and sat on the futon. She glared at Ning Que venomously and said, “If we had to meet again, why was it not in the underworld?”
The old woman’s face was full of wrinkles and her expression was menacing. Even though her glare was venomous, deep in her eyes, one could vaguely see the desire for death. She was Aunt Quni Madi.
The girl on the futon turned around. Her pale face was just as beautiful as it once was. However, her expression was indifferent and numb. Her hair was covered by a cap and she looked like a nun who was intent on cultivation. She was the Flower Addict, Lu Chenjia.
In the late winter of the 16th year of Tianqi era, there was a large battle at Lanke Temple. The president of Commandment Yard of Xuankong Temple, Master Boshu died. Quni Madi was very upset and she was even more jaded by Daoshi’s death. When she returned to Yuelun Kingdom, she asked to cultivate in the monastery at White Tower Temple and eventually grew indifferent.
The Flower Addict, Lu Chenjia had experienced many things and felt hopeless. She gradually fell out of love and followed Aunt into this monastery and they lived in seclusion, practicing vegetarianism and reciting scripture in front of the Buddha statue.
So, the two most famous and highly regarded women of Yuelun Kingdom left the mortal world. They cared naught of the secular world, and only sought for peace in the monastery. They lived peacefully for a year and did not interact with the world.
They did not know that Ning Que and Sangsang were still alive, and did not know that the two had arrived at Chaoyang City. The two, who were indifferent to the world did not react at all to the ringing of the bells across the city. They only reacted when Ning Que came to the White Tower Temple and crossed the narrow bridge, killing the two Ascetic Monks.
“I didn’t expect you to still be alive and to come to Yuelun.”
Quni Madi wiped the blood off her lips and glared at Ning Que venomously. She suddenly realized what was happening and laughed madly. “It seems like you and the Daughter of Yama have been constantly pursued. What a happy thing it is.”
The Aunt who was highly regarded in the Buddhism Sect had lived placidly over the past year. She had not made any moves. However, hatred was the strongest force in the world. When she saw Ning Que, whom she hated the most, appearing before her, her face livened up, an intense hatred spreading across her features.
Lu Chenjia had not expected Ning Que and Sangsang to still be alive either. She looked at Sangsang, who Ning Que was carrying on his back, and her expression, which was like petals in ice, flickered. The emotions in her eyes grew complicated, and she looked lost.
Ning Que looked at the two and did not speak because there was no need for him to.
The terrifying aura outside the Western city gates had made him turn back. He had nowhere to run since there were cultivation powerhouses from both the Buddhist and Taoist sect as well as residents of Chaoyang city actively pursuing them. That was why he had gone to the monastery to rest and wait for the change he had been waiting for. Quni Madi and Lu Chenjia were just his hostages.
He had secretly studied the surroundings of the temple when they came to study Buddhism in winter. He had noticed some issues with the eyot in the back hall. While he could not get close to it, he noticed an ascetic monk with an iron staff frequenting the eyot. He had also seen the same monk back in the Wilderness and knew that he was Quni Madi and Lu Chenjia’s guard. He observed them several times and was certain that both Quni Madi and Lu Chenjia were in the monastery.
The ugly sounds of crows croaking rang outside the monastery. Ning Que took out two stiff leather ropes and bounded Quni Madi and Lu Chenjia. Then, he walked to the curtains and looked through the petal-shaped holes and saw the black crows circling the air.
At the end of last autumn, when Ning Que and Sangsang moved into the courtyard, a black crow had flown in. It landed on a branch. Following that, a black crow would fly in every day for the next ten days. It was very creepy and made one uneasy. However, nothing happened to the crows or to them, so he eventually forgot about it.
However, who would have guessed that these black crows would become his and Sangsang’s greatest enemies? Back in Chaoyang City, if not for these black crows, he might have been able to hide with Sangsang or even flee the city.
Ning Que did not understand why the black crows would appear in the courtyard and why they were still following him. It was highly possible that it was due to the aura of Yama on Sangsang. But if crows were a symbol of misfortune, then shouldn’t they be helping Sangsang? Why would they use this way to reveal where Sangsang was?
No matter the reason, Ning Que had to kill the black crows. Otherwise, no matter how strong he was, he and Sangsang would die even if they could wait for the change to finally come. He had already wanted to kill the crows while they were fleeing but did not have the time or resources to do so.
His right hand landed on the window as he pried a piece of wood from it without exerting much strength. Then, he crumbled them into dozens of bits and used the Great Spirit to toss them at the black crows in the sky.
The light wood shards were imbued with the Great Spirit, becoming strong pebbles. They flew across the air in an imposing matter. The black crows did not have time to dodge and were struck. They crowed painfully as black feathers fell and the crows fell toward the ground.
Ning Que felt slightly more settled. However, what made him shocked and unease was that moments later, the ugly crowing of crows resonated around the monastery. The black crows appeared in the skies under the clouds once more!
Could the black crows be unkillable?
More and more people gathered in the White Tower Temple. A crowd gathered on the edge of the lake, and some people were even pushed in as more gathered. Several archers appeared on the narrow bridge with their bowstrings stretched. Hundreds of Buddhist disciples and dozens of divine guards watched the monastery on the eyot warily.
Ning Que could see that there were hundreds of people on the shore from the monastery window. He knew that there were more people and that there were thousands, or even ten-thousand people behind. These people wanted to rush into the monastery and bite the flesh and blood off him and Sangsang. Then, they would burn them without even batting an eyelid.
“I don’t understand, why would you be so stupid to hide here.” Quni Madi looked at his back with a menacing and sarcastic expression. She continued, with an ugly hoarse voice, “Could it be that you were thinking of using us as hostages so that they would let the Daughter of Yama leave? You’re too naive.”
Ning Que did not turn around, but said, “Your voice is so ugly, it sounds like the crows in the sky. If you wish to see how Sangsang and I will be torn into shreds by those people, then I suggest you keep your mouth shut now.”
Quni Madi smiled happily. She wanted to see how Ning Que and Sangsang would die, so she chose to shut up.
In the palace not far away from White Tower Temple.
The king of Yuelun Kingdom looked at the man covered in blood before him who was lying on a stretcher. He waved his arm and said shrilly, “Commander, do you understand what your decision means? My two closest relatives are in the monastery. If you want to attack them by force, they might die from it!”
Commander Luo Kedi of the West-Hill Divine Palace divine guards laid on the stretcher weakly. His throat was covered by a thick layer of gauze and he could not speak at all. However, his eyes were still steeled and cold.
Master Qi Mei stood beside the stretcher. He placed his hands together and bowed at the king and said, “Your Majesty, please understand the current situation and why the Buddhist and Taoist sect would pay such a huge price for it. Since Ning Que had brought the Daughter of Yama into the deathtrap, we should make use of this opportunity.”
Luo Kedi could not say anything, so he grunted from his nose.
Qi Mei said softly, “I don’t think that anyone would refuse to sacrifice their life to save the world. The residents of Chaoyang City are all so brave, why would Aunt and Princess Chen Jia be afraid of death?”
The king of Yuelun Kingdom’s face dulled and he clenched his fists tightly. However, his eyes glowed with unease, and he seemed as if he was in an extreme struggle and hesitant. Yuelun Kingdom was a Buddhist country and was affected and even controlled by the Buddhism Sect. The West-Hill Divine Palace was no doubt the scariest existence there was. Both the Taoist and Buddhist Sect had both made their stance clear. No matter how insistent he was, he did not have the power to stop the terrifying incident from happening.
The king of Yuelun Kingdom breathed in deeply and said softly, “Since that is the case…”
“Why don’t we wait a while more?”
All was silent in the palace. Suddenly, someone said something.
Nobody would have thought that this person would suddenly speak up to prevent the king from making a decision immediately. It wasn’t the prime minister of Yuelun Kingdom, or the Queen who loved her daughter. It was the old priest in red. This man was one of the three priests in red who had left the palace earlier but had returned without anyone noticing.
The priest in red said serenely, “The Heavens love all life. Ning Que and… the Daughter of Yama have already entered the deathtrap, so why do we need to hurry?”
Luo Kedi, who was lying on the stretcher, was enraged when he heard that. He pointed at the priest in red and trembled in anger. However, he could not say anything.
The other two priests in red from West-Hill walked up and ignored Luo Kedi’s suspicious gaze. They looked at the crowd and said expressionlessly, “We agree. The Heavens love all lives.”
Qi Mei’s expression changed wildly. He did not understand why the priests from West-Hill Divine Palace would say that. The Heavens love all life? When had Haotian Taoism become so gentle and compassionate?
The priests in red from West-Hill Divine Palace had rushed to the Peach Mountain several days earlier with the notice from the Hierarch Lord and Great Divine Priest of Revelation. As such, no one suspected them. It was said that the three priests in red were all versed in Divine Skill, and the West-Hill Divine Palace had sent them specially because they were worried that many civilians in Chaoyang City would be injured and die.
Luo Kedi’s pupils suddenly shrunk as he thought of a certain possibility. Qi Mei thought of it almost at the same time and he frowned slightly. He looked at the three priests in red and asked, “Which Divine Hall are you from?”
The leading priest in red said serenely, “The Divine Hall of Light.”