Killing Monks

The woman hopped like a frog all the way out of Luoqing County, attracting pointing fingers and constant laughter from passersby.

But she was completely unaware, her eyes vacant and her movements stiff.

As she stepped out of the city gate, she was suddenly jolted, and her eyes cleared instantly.

"What am I doing...?"

She looked around blankly and found herself squatting on a dirt road, her hands still in the position of holding her head.

Behind them stood the city walls of Luoqing County.

"Luoqing County..." she murmured to herself, somewhat bewildered, completely forgetting that she had come from Luoqing County, and only thinking that she had arrived in Luoqing County.

"This is Lu family territory, we need to be careful."

She stood up, dusted off her skirt, tidied her hair, and regained her capable and shrewd appearance before turning and walking toward the city gate.

When she entered Luoqing County again, the soldiers guarding the city glanced at her a few more times.

After all, she was the one who jumped out like the frog just now.

Several women who had set up stalls on the street were whispering to each other and glancing over with strange looks.

The woman felt extremely uncomfortable, as if countless tiny needles were pricking her back.

She quickened her pace, walked through several streets and alleys, and after confirming that no one was following her, she hurriedly left Luoqing County, this time on foot.

Unbeknownst to her, from the moment she entered the city for the second time until she left, two pairs of eyes were watching her from the shadows.

Two people were sitting in a tea stall on the street corner.

One fat and one thin.

Among the people watching her, there were two, one fat and one thin.

The fat man was in his early fifties, with a round face and a slight beard. He wore a slightly worn brown silk shirt, looking like a nouveau riche from a small town.

The thinner man was younger, around forty years old, with a gaunt face but sharp, eagle-like eyes.

The skinny man suddenly asked, "Look, doesn't that look like 'The Eye of God'?"

The fat man said, "Most likely. No doubt about it. The woman's eyes were unfocused, her movements were stiff, and she had no memory of what happened afterward."

"That is precisely the characteristic of being 'dazzled and mesmerized'."

The fat man put down his teacup. "Back when the leader was still in the sect, he used the 'Eye of God' to punish a traitor. He made that traitor bark like a dog all night long at the entrance of the main altar."

The skinny man frowned: "All night?"

"Not bad." A flicker of reminiscence crossed the fat man's eyes. "The dog's barking was terribly loud, keeping everyone for miles around awake."

"Why at the very entrance of the main altar?"

The fat man smiled wryly: "The cult leader said that he should 'bark to those who should listen.'"

The thin man remained silent for a moment, then shook his head and sighed, "The heart of a saint is unfathomable. The old cult leader... his actions are truly unpredictable."

"More than unpredictable," the fat man sighed, his voice filled with melancholy, "If he hadn't suddenly disappeared, how could our Mitian Sect have fallen to this state?"

A hundred years ago, the Mitian Sect was known as the "Heavenly Demon Sect," a behemoth that struck fear into the hearts of the entire martial arts world, its influence sweeping across almost the entire north and south.

However, both successive leaders were "not very reliable".

He was capricious, unpredictable, and capricious, and almost caused the destruction of the demonic sect.

The other one, although not as unpredictable as the previous leader, still managed to weaken the Mitian Sect to the point of near collapse, and even mysteriously disappeared in the end.

The skinny man said, "So the old cult leader... might be in Luoqing County?"

"He's an elusive old man," the fat man shook his head, "he would never act so carelessly."

"That technique just now, while exquisite, lacked a certain seasoned mastery and control; it was more like..."

"A successor?" The skinny man's eyes lit up.

"That's right," the fat man said in a low voice, "He is very likely to be his successor, that is... our future new leader."

The Mitian Sect is currently weak and fragmented, its biggest predicament being the lack of a leader. If a legitimate successor can be brought back and a new leader established, it might truly be able to regain its strength.

"This is an opportunity." A glint of light flashed in the fat man's eyes.

"But Luoqing County isn't that big, nor is it that small," the skinny man frowned. "How do we find a new leader?"

The fat man pondered for a moment: "You and I have both seen the records in the sect's secret manuals. The 'Divine Body' cultivated by the old sect leader is an unparalleled secret technique. Those who master it can be immune to all poisons, have their meridians and acupoints changed, and be protected from all evil spirits."

"But this technique has extremely high requirements for one's physical constitution. Those who master it will gradually develop a 'divine appearance,' becoming neither male nor female, with unparalleled beauty and elegance, unlike ordinary people."

"Divine physiognomy..." the thin man murmured repeatedly.

"Exactly," a near-devout light appeared in the fat man's eyes, "such a person is the leader of the cult, the messenger of the gods on earth."

As followers of the Mitian sect, they were naturally well-versed in the Mitian Sutra.

The scriptures say that all beings have original sin, and only those who follow God's messengers can atone for their sins and return to the heavens after death to enjoy eternal bliss.

The fat man suddenly remembered a passage from the scriptures and recited it softly:

"You think I can't find you just because you're hiding? It's no use."

"A man as outstanding as you, no matter where you hide, is like a firefly in the dark night, shining brightly and dazzlingly."

"Your melancholy eyes, your scruffy beard, and your incredible stick skills have all captivated me. No matter where you hide in the world, I will find you."

This passage records the story of a lost woman a hundred years ago who, guided by the leader, endured many hardships to find him and eventually converted to Christianity.

These words were the woman's heartfelt vow to the cult leader, which was later recorded in the scriptures and became a symbol of believers' pursuit of faith.

After listening, the skinny man seemed thoughtful: "You mean... the new cult leader might be hiding in Luoqing County, and with very obvious characteristics?"

"That's right!" the fat man said. "He's the firefly in the darkness! As long as he's in Luoqing County, we're sure to find him!"

Chu Kuangjun was unaware that he had become a "firefly" and returned to Mingyue Temple.

If we don't count the time he was helped by the woman to regulate his breathing, he gained nothing today.

It wasn't that he was incompetent, but rather that Luoqing County had truly been transformed into an impregnable fortress by the Lu family.

The fear that ordinary people have of the Lu family is ingrained in their very bones.

Because their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers all lived under the shadow of the enormous Lu family.

Anyone who inquires even slightly about the Lu family will likely be told to them immediately.

This is why the Tang family had previously exposed their whereabouts.

"I wonder what you've gained today, monk?" Chu Kuangjun asked, plopping down on Guangyuan.

"The Lu family invited me to their residence to chant sutras in ten days," Guangyuan said.

"Oh?" Chu Kuangjun's eyes lit up. "You can join the Lu family now?"

Guangyuan said with a strange expression, "Ten days from now is the Lu family's big day. Who do you think will be celebrating?"

"The head of the Lu family is so old, yet he still takes a concubine?" Chu Kuangjun was taken aback.

Guangyuan shook his head: "Not necessarily."

Chu Kuangjun said, "It can't be Lu Fei, can it?"

Kidnapping her own son and his friend back to arrange their wedding?

Lu Chengyu is a pretty good person.