Swing the sword at the future female devil

Chapter 432 Taiqing's Corruption Plan

Taiqing remained in place for a while. Soon after, the people from the imperial army came into view, causing Taiqing's eyes to flash slightly.

Sure enough, there was a tail following me... I just don't know if it came with me or with this kid...

Previously, under the military's surveillance, she changed her route to Zen Buddhism but then abandoned it, which was naturally a smokescreen to mislead them. On the surface, she pretended to abandon the fragments of the Zen Buddhist map and head straight for Kunlun Ruins, with the aim of keeping the military busy and mobilizing their main force to defend Kunlun Ruins, so as to avoid a situation like Longhu Mountain, where she was besieged by so many bronze chariots.

After all, she hadn't fully recovered yet, and she still needed to play it safe when necessary. But unexpectedly, her brilliant maneuver of feigning one way to secretly advance her own did not lure Duan Huaige to Kunlun Ruins, but instead led him to the Zen Sect.

Could it be that this young man's cunning has deepened to the point that he can read my mind?
Duan Huaige: ?

If I told you that I actually came here to solve my dilemma of making choices in a chaotic situation, would you believe me?

When Taiqing first saw Duan Huaige, he wanted to make a move, but after thinking about it, he held back. Putting aside the fact that Duan Huaige had now formed the Mountain and River Dao Core and was no longer the ant that could be easily crushed... the little girl who always followed him and claimed to be his disciple was a troublesome character.

The person who could force me to self-destruct my soul banner and run away... is no ordinary person.

Considering that she didn't have many secondary banners left to explode, Taiqing subtly inquired about the whereabouts of Duan Huaige, the Little Demon King Jiang, and news from the military. In the end, she even hid, fearing that the imperial army would attack her again with their bronze chariots.

As Taiqing watched, he suddenly realized that something was off about the group of military personnel... They didn't seem to be protecting Duan Huaige... because they didn't have the aura of Kunlun Ruins' magical artifacts on them.

If no magical artifact can counter me, isn't that just a free kill? So this is somewhat like... coming to monitor Duan Huaige?

Oh? So... you've encountered this situation too...

Taiqing grinned, his mockery growing stronger. Duan Huaige himself might not have noticed, but his sudden rise to prominence had already attracted attention from others…

Since that's the case, why don't I give it a push? It will not only eliminate Duan Huaige, the biggest threat as a cultivator of the Mountain and River Dao, but also incite their hatred... ultimately making him deserted by everyone and an enemy of the world!

This kid seems to be heading to the Red Dust Inquiry Cliff... which happens to contain the Karmic Treasure—the Red Dust Mirror... If I could implant some hints into his dream world...

Hmm... Taking a disciple who is a successor of the Mountain and River Daoist arts as my apprentice, and watching him respectfully call me master, might be quite an interesting thing...

Hehehehehehehe…

...Miss Yan was unaware that her fiancé was about to suffer a terrible fate. At this moment, all she could think about was rising to power as quickly as possible. She wanted to prove herself, not to show off how great she was, but to ensure that Qin Shuangjiang would never dare to break her legs again!

Accompanied by Duan Huaige, the two quickly arrived at a toll booth. There, they saw many people sitting in front of the Causal Dao Stele, their eyes fixed on the huge, wordless stele in front of them, as if trying to see something interesting out of it.

As far as the eye could see, crowds swarmed like ants around the massive, ancient, and desolate stele that stretched to the heavens and the earth. The meditation area was clearly divided into four concentric circles, each with a distinct aura and atmosphere from the inside out.

At the very heart of the area is the Heavenly Zone, occupying only a few feet in diameter in front of the stele. The ground is paved with warm, lustrous spiritual jade, exuding a faint golden Daoist aura visible to the naked eye. There are very few seats here, and each futon emanates an ancient and powerful aura.

Here, being closest to the stone tablet, one can not only clearly "see" the invisible Dao patterns flowing on it, but also directly observe the illusory images of handwritten notes inscribed by peerless geniuses throughout history with their divine sense or blood essence, floating around the tablet. These images, some like dragons and snakes dancing wildly, others like stars arrayed in formation, contain profound insights into the Dao that point directly to the origin, making them priceless.

One circle outwards is the Earth Zone. It's slightly larger, with smooth bluestone ground. The Daoist aura is fainter, but still strong. There are several times more people there than in the Heaven Zone. The cultivators are all focused, their auras refined. Although they can't see the most crucial "Prodigy's Handbook," they can vaguely discern clearer Daoist patterns flowing on the stone tablet, making their comprehension far more efficient than in the outer areas.

Further out is the Xuan (玄) section. This is where the largest number of people gather, bustling about as cultivators sit cross-legged on ordinary straw cushions, their gazes fixed intently on the massive stele. The outermost section is the Huang (黄) section. A hundred feet away from the stele, the view is expansive, but the details on the stele are almost invisible; one can only feel the immense, ancient pressure emanating from it.

The last two areas are teeming with cultivators of all kinds, many of whom are newcomers or penniless, sitting there hoping to "get a little bit of Daoist inspiration" and try their luck.

Between the four areas, Zen disciples dressed in simple gray robes and exuding a peaceful aura moved about maintaining order. Even more interestingly, a small market had formed on the outer edge of the Xuan and Huang areas. Dozens of young Zen novices had set up simple stalls and were enthusiastically hawking their wares.

"Wisdom Root Porridge! Freshly cooked Wisdom Root Porridge! Made with heart-cleansing rice, supplemented with heart-clearing herbs and mind-calming flowers. After a bowl, your mind will be clear and your understanding will be easier!" A young novice monk called out, striking his wooden fish. In the earthenware pot in front of him, the milky white porridge was bubbling and emitting a refreshing and calming fragrance.

"Mingxin Tea! Mingxin Tea! Picked from the cloud-shrouded spiritual tea leaves in the back mountains, infused with Bodhi leaf dew, it can cleanse distracting thoughts, nourish the soul, and help you capture that elusive thread of cause and effect!" At another stall, the emerald green tea soup rippled in a rough earthenware bowl, steam rising, carrying a unique Zen-like fragrance.

"The Diamond Fruit! It relieves hunger and fatigue, replenishes spiritual energy, and even has a slight effect on strengthening the soul, allowing one to meditate for a long time without getting tired!"

These foods and drinks contain a faint trace of Zen Buddhist spiritual power or special spiritual materials. Although they cannot directly improve cultivation, they can indeed help cultivators calm their minds, eliminate distracting thoughts, and even have a slight enhancement effect on spiritual perception.

In comprehending such profound truths, even the slightest assistance is invaluable. Zen Buddhism combines "wealth" and "Dharma" from the concept of "wealth, companion, Dharma, and land," making the business of comprehending the Dao of cause and effect extremely successful. This not only facilitates the seekers but also accumulates enormous resources for the sect.

"Huaige, the time has come to test our relationship." Yan Qiuxi placed her small hand on Duan Huaige's shoulder, her gaze intense: "Let's not beat around the bush, I want to go check out the top-tier area."

(End of this chapter)