Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
Advance chapters available for patrons on Patreon. And a chapter can be sponsored by buying me a ko-fi.
Under Tan Qing’s control, even the Daoist Scripture Master Treasure could be reversed and used for his own purposes.
As the Daoist Master’s Seal spun, Fang Zhe’s Golden Lock Encirclement Formation collapsed as the red threads snapped into countless pieces. The Daoists’ magic swords and the monks’ staffs broke one by one, leaving them to face the Xuan Leopards bare-handed.
Finally, Shi Changxuan’s peach wood sword shattered into countless dust particles from its blade.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, a Xuan Leopard bit into Shi Changxuan’s right wrist!
“Senior Brother!” Xie Lingya, his eyes red, lunged forward, biting his middle finger— which he hadn’t bitten in a long time— spitting out blood. He then grabbed the Xuan Leopard by the neck with both hands, pinning it to the ground and beating it.
Xie Lingya’s hand pierced through the Xuan Leopard’s chest and abdomen. If it were flesh and blood, it would have been disemboweled, but unfortunately, it wasn’t, so it simply dissipated into the aura of Youdu.
Blood dripped from Shi Changxuan’s right hand as he kicked away a Xuan Leopard that lunged at Xie Lingya’s back.
Tan Qing leaned forward slightly, pointed a finger, and even more black leopards turned to attack Xie Lingya and Shi Changxuan. He himself rode a black leopard closer, hooked Xie Lingya with his plum wood staff, and pulled him over. Tan Qing then jumped off the black leopard and slammed Xie Lingya to the ground.
Xie Lingya felt the world turn upside down, a sharp pain in his back, and then he could only look up and see Tan Qing’s face. This little bast**d was too fast, and he couldn’t use any magic.
Tan Qing coldly glanced around, placed his hand on Xie Lingya’s chest, and muttered to himself, “Senior brother has a star bone in his chest, right? A star-entering bone, what does it look like?”
Xie Lingya’s scalp tingled, and he looked at him and said, “You bast**d…”
“I am not a bast**d,” Tan Qing said innocently, “Don’t be afraid, senior brother, I’ll pull out your star bone and replace it with one made of Netherworld Qi, okay?”
Wasn’t that just turning Xie Lingya into a Netherworld creature?
Xie Lingya cursed inwardly, struggling, but fine grass sprouted from the cracks in the bluestone bricks, wrapping around his hands and feet, rendering him immobile.
Tan Qing clenched his fist, and a short sword condensed from black energy appeared in his palm, its blade pointing downwards.
He pulled open Xie Lingya’s clothes at the chest, pressing the short sword down— he was going to dissect his bone!
Xie Lingya’s eyes widened, refusing to give up until the very last moment, constantly calling out Wang Lingguan’s Dharma name in his heart, “Grandmaster, come quickly to save me! If you don’t come soon, there will truly be no hope! Becoming a ghost might still offer a chance of resurrection, but as a creature of the Netherworld, what can be done?!”
Time seemed to slow down. Tan Qing lifted his wrist and brought the short sword down hard—
“Pfft.”
A soft sound, the sound of the short sword piercing flesh.
Xie Lingya felt no pain, because Shi Changxuan, at some point, broke free from the entanglement of the black leopards, stretched out his arm to block Xie Lingya’s chest, and the short sword pierced through his forearm.
Tan Qing glanced blankly at Shi Changxuan and said indifferently, “Master Shi and Mr. Xie have a good relationship. Then you go first.”
Blackness crept up from Shi Changxuan’s forearm, and he knelt on the ground, utterly exhausted.
Tan Qing pressed down on his forearm, and the sword tip, protruding from the other end, plunged into Xie Lingya’s chest.
But even before the sword pierced his chest, Xie Lingya felt a heart-wrenching pain. His throat was thick with the taste of blood, and every word seemed to be laced with blood, “Senior brother, senior brother…”
Shi Changxuan’s arm pressed against Xie Lingya’s chest, and black energy spread, transforming them both into creatures of the Netherworld.
Xie Lingya faintly heard small cries, the sobs of Liu Lingtong and Phytolacca God, and even, perhaps a hallucination, Sisi’s wailing, his father’s muffled sobs… and Xie Lingya’s own tearful voice.
Only sorrow remained between heaven and earth, yet he was unwilling to accept it. Was he truly powerless, destined to become nothing more than a lifeless being like Tan Qing?
He still wanted to open the largest Taoist temple, burn the thickest incense, and take in the most disciples for his uncle.
He seemed to hear Liu Lingtong’s voice in his ear, repeating those words again: “The Immortal Path values life, and boundless salvation is attained.”
The Immortal Path values life, while the Netherworld fears life. What is life?
Xie Lingya felt life and death intertwining within his body, the deathly aura in his chest growing stronger. He struggled and suddenly opened his eyes.
The form governs death, the spirit governs life!
Black energy had already spread to Xie Lingya’s chin, yet his eyes remained clear and bright, staring intently at Tan Qing.
The usually fearless Tan Qing was actually startled by his gaze, yet remained bewildered.
Xie Lingya felt three kinds of energy gathering in his chest: the energy of Shi Changxuan, his own energy, and the energy of the Netherworld, which was Tan Qing’s energy.
The human spirit is life; guarding the heart in accordance with the Dao is the root of all gods. Deeply rooted and still, death has no way out!
Xie Lingya closed his eyes and meditated, his lips slightly parted as he murmured, “Heaven and earth are born together with me, all things are one with me!”
Countless things begin with one, countless things cannot defeat one.
The black energy suddenly spread throughout Xie Lingya and Shi Changxuan’s bodies, then instantly contracted into a point on Xie Lingya’s chest. It then flowed back along the blade of the short sword, sending him flying in Tan Qing’s utterly astonished gaze!
At the critical moment of life and death, Xie Lingya comprehended “oneness.” Taoism has the saying, “Embracing the oneness of body and soul, can one not be separated?” and “I guard the oneness, and I can dwell in harmony.” When he became one with all things, the energy of Youdu was merely a part of it, unable to cause harm or change him.
Xie Lingya rolled over and got up, a look of understanding on his face. He then removed Liu Lingtong from his shoulder. “Little darling, are you afraid of pain?”
Liu Lingtong flinched slightly, then bravely replied, “…No!”
Xie Lingya walked to Tan Qing, who had fallen to the ground, and with a soft “Ouch!” plucked the willow bud brimming with life from Liu Lingtong’s head. Liu Lingtong was originally a spirit, yet it had grown a willow bud representing life— its hope for reincarnation.
Xie Lingya placed the willow bud on Tan Qing’s forehead, using it as a medium for his spell.
Tan Qing looked at him, his eyes filled with incomprehension: “Impossible, you’re just a human.”
“We cultivators observe the Way of Heaven and act in accordance with Heaven’s will!” Xie Lingya looked down at him, curling his other four fingers, except for his middle finger, which he held high. “Finally, on behalf of all my compatriots, I offer you a Lingguan Jue.”
His middle finger touched a willow leaf, which clung to Tan Qing’s body. The two merged into one, a flash of blue light, transforming into hundreds of soft willow leaves. In this warm spring, they swirled and scattered like flying blossoms, and wherever they went, all the energy of Youdu transformed into life!
The darkness turned into willows, and the world returned to its bustling state. The square dancing continued, but the small courtyard felt like another world.
Everyone looked up at the willow leaves dancing in the sky, speechless for a moment.
Xie Lingya helped Shi Changxuan up and said softly, “All things are one, and one begets all things. Perhaps he will reappear thousands of years later. But for now, we can rest assured.”
Shi Changxuan’s arm was still bleeding. But he hugged Xie Lingya and said, “Yes.”
….
Xie Lingya was covered in blood and mud. Together with Shi Changxuan, he opened the back door. The courtyard was still full of wounded and disabled practitioners. The old monk had lost his ears. They had called for an ambulance, but they still had to go to the clinic to call Hai Guanchao as soon as possible.
“Lingya!” Father Xie rushed out of the small building. Seeing the two wounded and disabled people supporting each other, he stepped forward and helped Xie Lingya up, saying, “I’ll go!”
The two of them were already relatively lightly injured, but Father Xie had not participated in the battle and was unharmed.
Xie Lingya, supporting himself against the door, said, “Okay…”
Shi Changxuan nearly stumbled and fell. Father Xie reached out and caught him. The two exchanged a glance. Shi Changxuan remained silent, but Father Xie sighed after a moment and said softly, “Good boy, are you alright?”
A faint smile appeared on Shi Changxuan’s lips. Despite still bleeding, he shook his head and said, “I’m fine.”
Outside the Taoist temple, no one knew what had happened inside. But just then, a local police officer passed by the back door and looked at the scene in horror. “Xiao Xie, Xiao Shi, what happened? Did some kind of crime occur?”
His hand was on his phone, ready to report at any moment.
Xie Lingya was stunned and quickly said, “It’s nothing, it’s nothing!”
The police officer peered into the half-open door. “Impossible, you’re covered in blood! Let me see what happened!”
Xie Lingya blocked the man’s way, then pointing at his father and grimacing, he said, “It’s really nothing, we are gay, and my dad beat us up when he found out!!”
The police officer: “…………”
Father Xie: “………………”
Guys, ads are my only source of revenue, so please do not turn on the AdBlock when you are accessing this website…. Thank you, this would be a great help…
You can buy me a ko-fi and sponsor a chapter on: https://ko-fi.com/midnightrambles
Or become a Patron or access advance chapters on: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=45665005
If you support me, I would be able to provide more chapters….
Previous • Table of Contents• Next
