Chapter 604 - 84: Like a Fishbone in the Throat

Upon hearing Monk Mingxin, Zi Luan retorted with a laugh, "In all of Vajra Temple’s records concerning the Taiyan Sect, is there a single good word to be found?"

Monk Mingxin considered this with all seriousness, then formed a mudra with one hand and said, "Actually, no. And that’s because your Taiyan Sect’s founding ancestor never did a single good deed. He actually wanted to turn every living creature in the world into a puppet! Could any sane person even conceive of such a thing?"

"But the ones who prevented that disaster were still Taiyan Cultivators!" Zi Luan shot back, now fully engaged in the argument with Monk Mingxin.

"That may be so, but at what cost? The entirety of Zhongzhou was left devastated. And wasn’t that when the founder of the Earth Cave Sect used his immense magical power to tear the Eastern Continent away from the Zhongzhou Continent? That indirectly caused the Earth Cave Sect’s internal strife, which continues to this day. And on top of that, all history from before that time was wiped completely clean!"

"Then please allow me to apologize on behalf of my Taiyan Sect ancestors!" Zi Luan said, making an exaggerated cupped-fist salute. Judging by his expression and gestures, this was clearly a familiar argument between him and Monk Mingxin.

"I wouldn’t dare accept!"

Monk Mingxin turned his head away, looking for all the world like he was done talking to Zi Luan.

After a long moment of silence, Yu Lian’s forked tongue flickered as she spoke in a human voice, "Why did you say they were driven to the Southeast Sea Region?"

"..."

Wang Ping, amused, reached out to pat Yu Lian’s head, but she dodged away. She kept her curious gaze fixed on Monk Mingxin, hoping for an answer.

The Fire Swift on Ruan Chunzi’s shoulder spat a puff of flame, as if settling in to watch a good show.

"I’ve read about this in some of the True Yang Sect’s records as well..."

Ruan Chunzi gently smoothed his collar and said, "Didn’t I mention it earlier? They had an ancestor who perished after cursing a powerful expert from the Demon Race. This should have been a great, meritorious deed. Unfortunately, with their ancestor’s death, the disciples lost their protector and were ultimately forced to flee to the Southeast Sea Region. By the way, that ancestor was at the Fourth Realm. I hear their branch has never produced another Fourth Realm Cultivator since."

Monk Mingxin added, "The Southeast Sea Region back then was nothing like it is today. We had just won the war against the Demon Race, and everyone was busy getting *out* of the Southeast Islands. To go back... putting it nicely, it was ’guarding the ancestral home.’ Putting it bluntly, it was exile!"

Yu Lian rose into the air on a cloud and gazed southeast. "So that’s how it was..."

Ruan Chunzi cautioned her, "Don’t you go feeling sorry for them. Now that they’ve emerged, they’re undoubtedly making a play for the Fourth Realm!"

Yu Lian landed on Wang Ping’s shoulder and tilted her head. "Sympathy? Do you think I’m the sympathetic type?"

Just then, Mengxin glanced at Gan Qi, took two steps forward, and cupped her fists toward Wang Ping and Zi Luan. "You two True Men, what should we do now? Do we continue the pursuit?"

She had successfully brought the conversation back on track.

Zi Luan said nothing, merely looking over at Wang Ping. After all, no matter how you looked at it, their target was clearly Wang Ping.

Wang Ping’s gaze swept across the nameless little island. "Let’s head back for now," he said. "This requires careful consideration..."

That was his official stance, but the moment they had settled into the Mozhou Road Daoist Palace, he sought out Zi Luan.

"Is there a way to take out Chengxi directly?"

He got straight to the point.

"You of all people should know how difficult it is to kill a Taiyan Cultivator who has mastered Transfer Talismans, right? Let alone confronting him on his own turf!" Zi Luan shook his head.

"No way at all?"

"The odds are slim. Are you dead set on killing him?"

"He’s like a fishbone stuck in my throat!"

"This is something that truly requires careful consideration."

Hearing this, Wang Ping said no more. As he walked out of Zi Luan’s room, Yu Lian communicated with him through his Spirit Sea. ’Zi Luan seems a little distracted.’

’Is that so?’

Wang Ping replied, realizing he hadn’t noticed.

’He is,’ Yu Lian said with certainty. ’He usually feels so steady, but just now... he felt just like you did during your Qi Cultivation days, eagerly awaiting your master’s bowl of chicken soup every morning.’

"..."

Wang Ping turned and looked back at the building he had just left.

It was a wooden building. The Mozhou Road Daoist Palace had been converted from the old Daoist Scripture Hall, and there were many such wooden structures.

The building, of course, revealed nothing out of the ordinary. He had only turned back out of curiosity. He then walked toward the main gate, and as he passed through, he scattered a few weed seeds by the entrance.

’Will that do any good?’ Yu Lian asked.

’None at all!’

’Then why did you do it?’

’Just to let Zi Luan know that I scattered some seeds by his door!’

’Oh...’

Wang Ping and Yu Lian chatted idly, and by the time he returned to his own wooden building, most of the frustration in his heart had dissipated.

He went to the top floor of the building, pushed open a window, and gazed out at Changwen Prefecture City. He had witnessed this city’s many ups and downs; at one point, it had even been reduced to ruins.

He watched the common people coming and going in the city below, then formed a hand seal and sent out his Primordial Spirit Consciousness. It wasn’t long before he located Hu Qianqian in the back courtyard of the Daoist Palace, discussing campaigns against various sects with a group of cultivators.

’Come to me!’

He sent the message to Hu Qianqian telepathically.

A short while later, Hu Qianqian appeared before Wang Ping.

"Leave the rest of the operation to others. There’s no need for us to participate any further," Wang Ping instructed.

"Yes!" Hu Qianqian’s fluffy tail swayed gently.

"Once you’ve made the arrangements, have Ruan Chunzi and Yuan Zheng come see me."

"Yes!"

After Hu Qianqian left the room, the sound of light, quick footsteps echoed from the stairwell. She must have been running, though the sound lasted for less than two breaths’ time.

Yu Lian, draped over the windowsill, waited until Hu Qianqian’s figure appeared in the courtyard below before speaking. "Members of the Demon Race can cultivate a human-like disposition, but their innate nature always remains. Won’t she run into problems if she keeps suppressing it like this?"

"How do you know she’s suppressing it?" Wang Ping countered.

Yu Lian tilted her head, her gaze following Hu Qianqian out of the courtyard. She watched the constant sway of Hu Qianqian’s tail as she receded into the distance, and fell into thought.

Hu Qianqian must have found Yuan Zheng and Ruan Chunzi first, as the two of them soon appeared in the small courtyard of the wooden building. Dongcan had come as well, but he stopped at the courtyard gate, standing guard dutifully at the entrance.

"Why is he being so subservient?"

Yu Lian asked, her eyes fixed on Dongcan.

Yuan Zheng, who had flown straight up from the courtyard, heard her and followed her gaze. "There’s no place left for him in the outside world," he said. "If he were to leave Qianmu Temple, not only would he be hunted by the Kongshan Association, but the Artifact Cultivators of Shanwu Road wouldn’t spare a traitor like him either."

"But surely there are plenty of other places in the world he could go?"

"But can any of them compare to Qianmu Temple?"

Ruan Chunzi habitually smoothed his collar and said, "What happened in Shangjing City crushed his ambitions. The years he was imprisoned by Xiu Yu blunted his fighting spirit. Then, after studying the Dao at Qianmu Temple for over one hundred and fifty years, he now understands which path he ought to take."

Yuan Zheng nodded. "I can’t even imagine what he must have gone through in Shangjing City and during his imprisonment by Xiu Yu."

"Enough about him,"

Wang Ping said, gesturing with his hand. A tea set materialized on a nearby table. "This business with Chengxi is like a fishbone stuck in my throat. What do you think? With Qianmu Temple’s current strength, do we have the power to eliminate him?"