Minglong

Chapter 294 The mantis stalks the cicada
The majestic mountains and rivers are located on the northern side of the Daqian territory, with Shanhe Pass hidden within them, and beyond that lies the ancient battlefield where the north and south fought against each other for thousands of years.

In the depths of winter, the mountains are utterly silent, save for the occasional sight of a snow eagle soaring across the starry sky, its cry echoing through the heavens.
"Chong-"

Wei Wuyi, dressed in black martial arts attire with two swords hanging at his waist, stood atop a snow-covered mountain peak, gazing at the plains beyond the pass.

Directly ahead, Lu Wuzhen hovered above the mountains, pressing down on the border between the North and South, using his body as an insurmountable barrier, blocking all progress. His gaze fell upon his childhood friend, his eyes filled with pity, but even more so with a sigh of regret for what he had known all along.

"The Imperial Secret Manual is fake, and you can't take the King's Decree with you either. If you want to run away, why bother taking these with you?"

Wei Wuyi breathed softly, gesturing towards the Danluo Plain behind him:
"Didn't you realize I was using a diversionary tactic?"

“I see. But His Majesty has just ascended the throne. Even if he were assassinated, the righteous path wouldn’t be seriously damaged. But you have the opportunity to step into the Six Realms. If you release a tiger back into the mountains, there could be millions of corpses in the future. So even if the sky falls over the capital, we have to keep you here first.”

"Aren't you afraid that someone might take advantage of the situation and dig up the Tomb of the Corpse Ancestor?"

"I'm afraid, but since the Corpse Ancestor's Mausoleum Commander didn't entrust it to me, I only need to do my job and don't need to worry about things I shouldn't be concerned with."

Wei Wuyi nodded slightly, finding the idea reasonable, and then asked:
"Do you think you've done a good job of classifying things as assigned by your teachers over the years?"

Lu Wuzhen shook his head and sighed softly:
"Over the years, the evil forces have sent wave after wave of agents to instigate and infiltrate, turning the North and South into chaos. They seem to have a flawless plan and are advancing step by step."

"But Master Ye taught us back then, 'A scholar must be resolute and persevering, for his burden is heavy and his journey is long.'"

"Those who can be turned to the side are inherently weak-willed; those who can be corrupted are all morally corrupt; and those who can be schemed against by demonic forces are even less worthy of shouldering great responsibilities."

"True gold fears no fire. Only those who can withstand wave after wave of attacks and remain true to their original aspirations will ultimately be the ones who truly uphold the righteous path."

"I may not have done my job well, but you're wrong to think that the righteous path has become a sieve, manipulated at will by the evil path."

"Heaven is ruthless, and so is the righteous path. The true pillars of the righteous path have a lifespan of a hundred years, unparalleled cultivation, and a rock-solid mind. They can spend a lifetime choosing their next successor."

"During this period, all the chaos is just a test. If the emperor dies, a new emperor will be established. If the country falls, a new dynasty will be established. If all the cultivators of a generation die out, we can just wait for the next generation."

"As long as you can't kill the one who can shoulder the responsibility, the righteous path will remain the same. Even if only one person achieves greatness in a hundred years, the righteous path will still flow eternally."

"You think the evil path treats human life like dirt, but the righteous path is even more ruthless. They only care about the survival of the people and will not have the slightest tolerance or pity for the weak and the incompetent. And you, you were eliminated twenty years ago."

Wei Wuyi did not deny this statement, but instead said:
“I betrayed the righteous path and stole the King’s Decree. Ye Sheng should have shown his face. He knows my background. You chased after me alone, risking your life. It’s not easy to cultivate a successor like you.”

Lu Wuzhen laughed upon hearing this:
"First of all, Ye Sheng did not regard me as his successor. Even if he had this idea before, after the Jian'an Rebellion and the matter of the late emperor, I lost my qualification. Ye Sheng may care about me, but the righteous path never cares about whether I am wronged or not, only whether I have done well or not, because Heaven does not care whether Ye Sheng is wronged or not. I still have a chance to correct my mistakes, while he will be doomed if he makes a mistake once."

"Secondly, just because I can't become Ye Sheng doesn't mean I can't suppress evil spirits. Do you think I don't know what you're up to by destroying the Eight Directions Bright Pagoda and coming to this desolate border region?"

Having said this, Lu Wuzhen shifted his gaze from Wei Wuyi and looked towards the endless mountains:
"Old man Sikong? City Lord Shang? Or Sect Leader Yang? Since you're already here, why not show yourself and have a chat?"

A loud voice echoed among the mountains!
Wei Wuyi frowned and carefully examined Lu Wuzhen.

Lu Wuzhen waited a moment, and seeing no response from either country, looked at Wei Wuyi:
"Look, this is the difference between the right path and the wrong path. If you want someone to attain enlightenment, you cannot take any risks."

“I received the inheritance from Master Qixia and have been cultivating for 120 years. If I say that I am half a step into the seventh realm, do they dare to bet that I am bluffing? Even if I am bluffing, do they dare to bet that I have no one behind me?”

"They don't dare to gamble, but I'm certain that no matter who's behind you, if you dare to step forward today, you won't see the sun rise tomorrow. Do you believe me or not?"

"..."

Faced with these incredibly oppressive words, Wei Wuyi's unwavering composure wavered slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and sneered:
"I didn't expect you, you bookworm, to be able to joke. If you were at the half-step seventh realm, I would admit that I used to sell hooks in Xirong."

"Maybe you really have sold them."

"Then you can't possibly reach the seventh level of cultivation."

"Ha ha……"

After a few light laughs, like old friends joking with each other, the mountains gradually quieted down!
Huhu~
Lu Wuzhen's black and white Daoist robes fluttered in the wind, and the smile on his face gradually faded, slowly transforming into the emotionless and desireless demeanor befitting a Daoist cultivator.

Then, a stream of light appeared around him, and three orbs of light appeared behind his Taoist robe. They were blue, red, and yellow, and trailed behind them like the tails of a yin-yang fish, just as if three great suns were descending on the mountains, illuminating the entire night sky with three colors of light and shadow.

Wei Wuyi drew two famous swords, one gold and one black, with both hands, and said in surprise:

"How could you possess three of the Five Divine Gifts?"

Lu Wuzhen had three great suns hanging on his back, his eyes indifferent:

"The Taiyin Palace has a thousand-year history, and I've spent half my life as the Supervisor suppressing evil spirits. I must have some resources. It's a pity you gave your opportunity to your disciple; otherwise, I would have been just one step away from 'Five Qi Converging at the Origin'."

"Ah……"

Faced with a setup comparable to that of a celestial being, Wei Wuyi finally understood why his old classmate dared to come here alone.

Wood and fire are yang, and earth is the middle of the five elements. Therefore, obtaining these three elements means that one has already occupied the extreme yang of heaven and earth.

The Yin-Yang Ruler, a celestial artifact, can forcibly 'suppress Yin,' making it impossible for Lu Wuzhen to be suppressed by anyone; only those of equal strength or those who can suppress others can achieve this. However, Wei Wuyi is a martial artist who follows the path of balance, emphasizing his physical strength and inner power. He disregards the Yin-Yang Ruler and does not rely on the power of heaven and earth to cast spells. Therefore, he has no reservations. Currently, he is on the mountaintop, his feet gliding apart, his body visibly surging and expanding, his eyes turning brown like tiger eyes, and his face gradually showing the features of a tiger.

clack clack...

Amidst the sound of tearing robes, Wei Wuyi's body grew larger and larger. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a giant over ten feet tall. The two famous weapons in his hands also emitted streams of light that extended along the arc, gradually matching his enormous size. He looked like a tiger god dominating a mountain peak. His form was distorted but not ugly. Instead, he exuded a pure beauty of power.

"call……"

Wei Wuyi's tiger-like eyes were fixed on Lu Wuzhen, his gaze filled with intense fighting spirit and excitement.
"This is the body that the Corpse Ancestor created for me. I know how powerful I am, but for hundreds of years I have never dared to show my true face. I can only suppress my fighting spirit and fight with others. In the end, I am neither good enough for high positions nor good enough for low positions, and I have become the weakest of the four classmates."

"I admit that it was my own belligerence that led me down this evil path. I couldn't suppress my thirst for power and I couldn't bring myself to hate the Corpse Ancestor. So I really hope you can let me die at Snow Eagle Ridge."

"I died to repay the debt of being given a second chance at life, and I have no regrets; I have lived a life of chivalry for a hundred years, and I have not committed any great evil in my old age, so I cannot be said to have failed the righteous path!"

Lu Wuzhen looked at the unprecedented, century-old half-demon body atop the mountain and nodded slightly.
"I'll grant your wish. After all, if you really get out alive, you might become the new Demon Ancestor."

"Roar--!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a long howl that resounded for miles echoed through the mountains.

Boom——

The mountaintop crumbled, and two dazzling blades of light shot towards the three suspended suns!

The Yin-Yang Ruler shot into the sky, transforming into an invisible protective shield that enveloped an area spanning dozens of miles.

Then, blazing true fire descended from the sky, turning the earth into a sea of ​​fire and a purgatory. The supreme yang divine thunder intertwined to form a thunder pool, covering the entire sky. Several towering earthen walls bearing Taoist incantations rose up from all sides, completely transforming the Yin-Yang Ruler into a place of divine punishment where all living beings were forbidden!
Rumble…

A great wind and thunder roared among the mountains.

And dozens of miles away, atop a snow-capped peak.

The old monk, draped in a kasaya, leaned on a nine-dragon staff. His eyes reflected the raging lightning, his expression as serene as ever. He simply turned his prayer beads and softly uttered a phrase:
"Idiot."

The junior monk Mingxin stood to the side, his eyes filled with shock. After observing from afar for a moment, he exclaimed:
"Wei Wuyi and Lu Wuzhen are both more capable than I imagined. It's a pity that no one has stepped forward."

The monk Wuxin should have been in the Northwest. The reason he was here was simply because the imperial court sent him back to the Northwest for internal investigation. The first person he investigated was naturally his junior brother Mingxin, who was involved in the matter of Duan Yuechou's granddaughter!

There's no way Mingxin Monk could be guilty. He was framed by a mastermind. Why didn't he look for Xueyingling or Liuhetang, which were nearby, but instead chose the monks of Tiantai Temple, who were unlikely to succeed? It's highly likely that he wanted to establish a Chan meditation sect.

The person behind the scenes secretly sabotaged Duan Yuechou's most beloved granddaughter, with the aim of coercing Duan Yuechou.

They want to scheme against the righteous martial arts master, and they also want to slander the Zen Meditation Sect's power. There are really few like them in the Great Qian Dynasty.

He continued his investigation and discovered that the day afterward, Wei Jili said he had important business at home and left Fengshan almost one after the other with Xie Jinhuan.

While investigating the whereabouts of the group from Xueyingling, they learned from Wei Lu that Wei Jili had visited a friend and left alone on the day he left Fengshan.

Then the monk Wuxin returned, arriving in the capital even before Xie Jinhuan, who had spent the night in Danyang. He found that Wei Wuyi seemed normal, while Xie Jinhuan and Lu Wuzhen began to flee and investigate, creating a scene reminiscent of an impending storm.

Then, for the first time in so many years, the monk Wuxin went to bother Ye Sheng.

After all, Wei Wuyi was brought back by Ye Sheng. Among the four classmates, only Wei Wuyi was an orphan and a die-hard fan of Ye Sheng's works. Ye Sheng cared for him the most when he was young. Out of respect for Ye Sheng, he couldn't just kill him without asking questions.

But this was just a formality. What Ye Sheng said had nothing to do with what he should do. Ye Sheng didn't teach him how to do it either. He only said that the Corpse Ancestor's Tomb was being looked after and that he didn't need to worry about it.

After the monk Wuxin returned, he began to clean house.

However, Wei Wuyi lacked confidence in defeating Lu Wuzhen and would only flee if the incident occurred; while Lu Wuzhen was stubborn and arrogant and would definitely pursue him deeply, which the demonic cultivator might have foreseen.

Responding to Wei Wuyi and eliminating Lu Wuzhen in the process is a major event involving the ebb and flow of power between the righteous and evil sides. Therefore, the person who comes must be at least at the fifth realm, and it is even possible that the leader will personally take action.

If the righteous path loses a sect leader, the other side must pay double the price. As long as it is confirmed that the Corpse Ancestor's Mausoleum is unharmed, all other losses are acceptable sacrifices, even if Xie Jinhuan, the only remaining member, dies on the way.

After all, what the righteous path needs is a successor who can solve problems in dire situations, not create them. People who rely on the protection of their elders to survive are unlikely to embark on this path. All four of them were young and went through this. Ye Sheng would regret their deaths, but the righteous path never cares.

That's why the monk Wuxin came here.

But perhaps Lu Wuzhen was too arrogant, spouting things like "half-step to the seventh realm, with connections above him," which scared the other side, and so far there has been no movement on the border between the two countries.

However, Monk Wuxin was not in a hurry. After all, the evil path had gone through so many twists and turns, both overt and covert, but gained nothing and even lost a bunch of key members. In the end, Wei Wuyi, who had grown up for a hundred years, and the divine weapon Xiang Wangling, which was created with the power of the whole country, were delivered to their doorstep. Instead of taking them, they had a sudden idea to kill the newly enthroned emperor. Wasn't that just plain stupid?

Is it better to be disgusted by the righteous path and to be disgusted by the evil path?
If the heretical sects were to truly exchange high-level combat forces like this, then it wouldn't be impossible for the emperors of the Great Qian Dynasty to rotate, with the Xie family taking over next year...

Therefore, there must be someone secretly helping them, but they haven't figured out Lu Wuzhen's true strength yet, so they haven't rashly shown themselves.

While Lu Wuzhen was arrogant, he was clearly there to maximize his gains. He was feigning weakness to wait for the person behind the scenes to appear. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made such a boast and then been beaten into a corner by Wei Wuyi in just three moves...

(End of this chapter)