Longzang

Chapter 743 Deja Vu
Wei Yuan bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, Senior!"

Qing Tong smiled slightly and said, "There's no need for such formalities. We've met before."

Wei Yuan was suddenly startled, recalling the blue-eyed woman he had seen in Xu Shiqi's memories when they were in the fragmented cave. That was Xu Shiqi's memory—could she have been watching him back then?!
She then said, "Lord Wei, please come to my residence to talk."

Wei Yuan gave a wry smile: "Can I not go?"

Qing Tong smiled slightly and said, "I'm afraid that's not possible."

Wei Yuan sighed, and the scenery before him changed; he was now at the Vajra Zen Temple. Seeing a pond of withered merit lotuses, Wei Yuan felt a vague unease rise in his heart for some reason.

The woman with blue eyes led the way, taking Wei Yuan into a side hall. The side hall was lit by a bluish-yellow light, which was slightly warm, but still exuded an eerie atmosphere.

The hall was furnished in an ancient style. A row of chime bells stood against the wall, and an altar sat atop it, but it was empty, without any Buddha or Arhat statues. There were two couches in the hall, and the woman with blue eyes sat on one, gesturing for Wei Yuan to sit on the other.

Wei Yuan sat down opposite Qing Tong as instructed, but a strange feeling suddenly arose in his heart. Could it be that Prince Jin came to the Vajra Zen Temple every day just to see this woman? Could the couch under his own seat have been sat on by Prince Jin as well?

"May I ask your name, senior?"

"You can call me Qing Tong. Lord Wei has extraordinary luck and has encountered many fortuitous events. Recently, he has made many gains and is now qualified to be my guest."

Wei Yuan thought to himself that it was best if she never came. This woman exuded an eerie aura, and Wei Yuan couldn't fathom her cultivation level at all. But one thing was certain: he was no match for her. She led him to the northern mountain gate, and Zhu Yuanjin, who should have been hiding in the shadows, remained completely still. This spoke volumes.

Wei Yuan asked, "I wonder what instructions you have for me, senior?"

The woman with blue eyes smiled slightly and said, "If you are willing to do as I instruct, that would be even better."

Wei Yuan hurriedly replied, "If you have given any instructions, senior, I will do my best."

Qing Tong chuckled and said, "Whether I try my best or not is another matter, but you don't need to touch that cloth anymore, it'll start to pill if you keep touching it."

Wei Yuan's heart skipped a beat. This cloth seemed unremarkable, but it was something connected to Immortal Lord Yan Shi. After participating in the battle of the small world, the Immortal Lord gave this item to Wei Yuan. In times of crisis, rubbing it would allow Yan Shi to sense it and come to his rescue.

This item could only be used once, and Wei Yuan instinctively sensed something was wrong, so he used it immediately. Unexpectedly, Qing Tong saw through it, and there was no sound from the surroundings.

Qing Tong said, "There's no need to be nervous. We are from the same source and should help each other. I have no ill intentions towards you. I just want to ask you for a small favor and, in the process, for a chance encounter with you."

Wei Yuan's spirits lifted, and he said, "Please speak, senior!"

"The greatest opportunity was myself."

Wei Yuan's heart skipped a beat as he inexplicably recalled the scene of procreation with Qing Tong from Xu Shiqi's memories. Now, the memory was remarkably clear, full of detail.

Qing Tong possessed exceptional looks and figure. If one didn't think about it in that way, it would be easy to overlook her as just another part of nature. But once he did, he became completely absorbed in her, almost losing control of himself.

Fortunately, Wei Yuan possessed extraordinary composure and remained calm, asking, "Please explain in detail, senior."

Qing Tong's lips parted slightly, and her voice transformed into golden runes, striking Wei Yuan's heart directly: "The Joyful King Buddha is particularly pleased to see your recent vigorous progress and efforts to approach its true form. He specially invited me here so that I may bear your karma and give birth to a Buddha child in the future, who will inherit the lineage of the Pure Land of Precious Flower and kick out the disciples and grand-disciples of that scoundrel, the Great Sun Tathagata, from the Three Buddha Hall!"

Wei Yuan felt as if thunder had struck his head, leaving him utterly stunned. He hurriedly said, "Wait! I am still young, and such a major matter is beyond my ability to participate in. Please, Wang Fo, find someone more capable!"

Qing Tong chuckled and said, "It's alright. Your opportunity is coming soon, and you can't avoid it. In fact, the reason this opportunity is coming so quickly is because of you."

Looking back on his past, Wei Yuan couldn't recall doing anything that would bring him closer to Buddhism. So how did he end up gravitating towards the true form of the Great Joyful King Buddha?

At this point, the only hope was Immortal Lord Yan Shi, but unfortunately, the Immortal Lord remained silent.

Qing Tong said, "Don't count on Yan Shi. If he were here in his true form, I might have to back down a bit, but he's currently engaged in a fierce battle with the Left Wise King and the Little National Preceptor. Even if I did this and that to you several times, he still wouldn't be able to get here in time."

Wei Yuan felt a chill in his heart and said, "Senior, is your behavior unbecoming?"

Qing Tong spat out, "Pah! You dare talk about decorum!"

Her attitude was unpredictable, sometimes strange, sometimes flirtatious, and sometimes incredibly alluring. Then she would occasionally reveal shocking secrets, leaving Wei Yuan fluctuating between excitement and uncertainty, completely baffled as to what she was trying to do.

However, such passivity was not Wei Yuan's style. He suddenly asked, "What is the Prince of Jin doing coming to the Vajra Zen Temple every day?"

"Practice."

How does one cultivate oneself?

"You really want to know? Then you have to do me this little favor."

Wei Yuan said, "I will do my best."

However, in Wei Yuan's dictionary, the standard for doing one's best is different from that of others. It has many prerequisites and restrictions, so as not to cause the oath to backfire.

Qing Tong's expression turned serious, and he said, "When Prince Jin was young, he was a man of great talent and ambition, and he was determined to revitalize the country. He even thought that his posthumous temple name should include the character 'Zu' (ancestor). However, during his thirty years as king, everything went wrong. He basically failed to accomplish anything major, and instead, the country's strength was depleted, the administration was corrupt, and the military was lax."

He couldn't understand why this had happened, and later, by chance, he found me. I spoke to him about the great principles of heaven and earth, explaining that whether it was the path of a human king or the path of immortality, it all fell under the framework of these principles. After a year of this explanation, he realized his mistake and began cultivating under my guidance.

Wei Yuan, curious, asked again, "Where did the Prince of Jin go wrong?" "It's like someone who is terminally ill. How can you save them? You can't save them. The best way is for them to enter the cycle of reincarnation as soon as possible. The Western Jin Dynasty is like a huge beast, but its body is infested with countless parasites. The largest parasites have already replaced organs such as the heart, spleen, liver, and lungs. If you kill them, you will die as well."

The only way is to put yourself in a do-or-die situation; first, push yourself to the brink of death, and some parasites might choose to leave.

Wei Yuan had already read the relevant historical materials of the Western Jin Dynasty. Upon hearing this, he suddenly understood why the King of Jin had changed his temperament drastically in his later years, acting perversely and causing public outrage and suffering.

Wei Yuan already disliked this woman with blue eyes, and now he felt even more disgusted. However, since she was powerful, he had no choice but to feign compliance.

Qing Tong sighed softly and said, "I had already pointed out the way to liberation to him, and his cultivation had been going very smoothly. Several old rivals had fallen into his trap and were no longer a threat. Lu Changhe's schemes could deceive others, but how could they deceive me? I used his own plan to turn the tables and made my move, causing Lu Changhe and Xu Wangu to turn against each other, leaving them no time to pay attention to this side. Thus, Prince Jin was able to cultivate in peace and only wait for liberation."

When the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he will face a mess: the Liao people in the north have invaded the capital, the Zhao state in the south has invaded, the bureaucracy is corrupt, and the national treasury is empty. If Lü Changhe can turn the situation around, it will take at least several hundred years of his cultivation to recover. At that time, he will naturally submit and will no longer hinder the Prince of Jin from breaking through the borders.

Such a perfect plan, yet at the final step, he suddenly refused to continue.

"And what is the final step?"

"Open the northern gateway wide and let the Liao people move south."

At this point, Qing Tong sighed, "Tens of millions of people have been displaced because of him, and he has done so much, yet at the very end, he suddenly starts to love the people? Saying he can't bear to see so many lives lost, and would rather give up his own path. Hah!"

Wei Yuan said solemnly, "Senior, my attitude towards the common people can be seen in the Azure Netherworld. If you also want me to let the alien races enter the pass and slaughter the human race, then let's not talk about anything! If you insist on forcing me, I will have no choice but to accompany you to the end, even if it means death!"

Qingqing chuckled and said, "Were you so exhausted from dealing with that vixen Yuanfei that you've lost your mind? Shouldn't you pretend to agree first, and then turn your back on her after you've gotten away?"

Wei Yuan was taken aback, then felt deep regret.

Qing Tong said, "The matter I need your help with is very simple. You have control over the five prefectures. After one year, the population of the five prefectures can only decrease and cannot increase. This matter concerns the life of the Prince of Jin. The more the population decreases, the better the effect."

Wei Yuan was taken aback: "Why is that?"

Qing Tong said, "This matter concerns a key point of destiny. As for why it is so, it is a secret technique of my lineage and cannot be told to you."

"that's it?"

Qing Tong nodded.

Wei Yuan asked, "What are my benefits?"

Qing Tong sighed helplessly, "You shameless scoundrel! I could kill you with a single palm strike right now, and you're still trying to bargain with me?"

Wei Yuan said earnestly, "Without sufficient benefits, there's not enough motivation to work!"

"You don't even care about the life of the Prince of Jin?"

"Isn't Your Majesty still alive because of the elixir of immortality I offered? So I have no guilt whatsoever. Besides, who knows if what you're saying is true?"

Qing Tong was both amused and annoyed, and said, "Of course you know I'm telling the truth."

Wei Yuan said earnestly, "I don't know!"

Qing Tong pulled a copper coin from her chest, placed it in Wei Yuan's hand, and said irritably, "Here's the copper coin, that's all! Take it or leave it!"

"I want it!" Wei Yuan immediately put it away without even asking what it was for. The moment he touched the copper coin, a sense of unease surged within him, as if he were being watched by a natural enemy, and goosebumps rose on his skin.

"If Lord Wei has nothing else to attend to, you may leave. After you have seen the King tomorrow, come to the Vajra Zen Temple again in the evening, and I will introduce you to someone."

Wei Yuan was taken aback: "How did you know I would be seeing the King tomorrow?" This was what he had just thought of, and how did Qing Tong know?

Qing Tong said calmly, "What's so difficult about that? I was the one who added that idea to your head in the first place."

Wei Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly, then regained his composure and said, "Thank you for informing me, senior. But who am I to meet tomorrow night? Could you please let me know in advance?"

"The Silver Moon Khan of Northern Liao".

"The Silver Moon Khan? He dares to come to the capital? Is he courting death?"

Qing Tong said, "Yin Yue is now a half-immortal, and no one in this capital can take his life."

"Okay, I will definitely keep my appointment tomorrow."

Qing Tong nodded and said, "Please make yourself at home, Lord Wei. I won't see you off."

Before leaving the hall, Wei Yuan suddenly turned back and asked, "Have we really met?"

Qing Tong smiled slightly and said, "My tens of thousands of worthless descendants have been risking their lives for you and have fought so many battles. How could you have forgotten me?"

(End of this chapter)