Zhu Xian: The way of heaven collapses, and I only have one sword!

Chapter 57: Ghost King? Passing through Xiaochi Town!
"Excuse me for asking one more question, but is Brother Chen a cultivator? Are you from Qingyun Sect, the largest righteous sect today?" Wanren looked Chen Qiye up and down and said with a smile.

Chen Qiye nodded and did not deny it.

Wanrenwang smiled faintly and said, "The Qingyun Sect has long been famous in the world of cultivation. Their profound Taoism is admired by people all over the world. Brother Chen has joined a famous sect at such a young age. His future is limitless!"

Chen Qiye smiled modestly and responded, "Mr. Wan, you are too kind. The road of cultivation is long, and I am only just beginning to explore the path. I still have many shortcomings."

Wanrenwang smiled slightly and said, "Little Brother Chen is too modest. I wonder what unique insights do you have on the righteous and evil sects?"

Chen Qiye's eyes were calm as he gazed at the rolling hills in the distance. He spoke slowly, "In my opinion, the distinction between good and evil shouldn't be a label for a sect, but a reflection of the human heart. Everyone says Qingyun is the leader of the righteous path, but even within the righteous path there are those who behave unethically and will do anything to achieve their goals. Even though the Demon Sect is considered an evil sect, there are also those who are inherently kind."

Wanwanwang narrowed his eyes slightly, a subtle glint of admiration flashing across them. He picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said, "Brother Chen, your perspective is quite unique."

"Goodness isn't exclusive to the righteous, and evil isn't limited to the Demonic Cult." Chen Qiye continued with a serious expression, "I've heard that some members of the Demonic Cult, despite being misunderstood by the world, still secretly help the poor and use their meager efforts to protect local peace. And within my own righteous path, there are also disciples who, in pursuit of advancement in their skills, disregard morality and do despicable things."

Wanrenwang put down his teacup, crossed his arms, and asked with interest, "From what Brother Chen said, isn't it difficult to distinguish between good and evil? Then, in this world of constant conflict, what standards should be used to judge right and wrong?"

Chen Qiye pondered for a moment, his gaze firm as he spoke, "Our actions and our true hearts should be our guiding principles. If a person always considers the welfare of all living beings and harbors compassion, then even if they come from a demonic sect, they are worthy of the word 'righteous'. On the other hand, if they act solely for their own selfish desires and harm innocent people, then even if they claim to be righteous, they are no different from demons."

Ten thousand people gently applauded, with sincere smiles on their faces. "Brother Chen, at such a young age, has such profound insights. I truly admire him. However, people in this world are often deceived by appearances and easily label various sects as good or evil, thus triggering countless conflicts."

Chen Qiye frowned slightly, his eyes revealing worry. "That's right. These unprovoked conflicts not only deplete the vitality of each faction, but also implicate many innocent people. If this continues, both the cultivation world and the secular world will be plunged into an irreparable state."

Wanrenwang was stunned for a moment, then slowly stood up and looked Chen Qiye up and down, as if he had gotten to know him all over again. A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth and he said, "You can actually think of this on your own. It's rare, rare! Just this level of thought is better than most people in the world! You don't know yet, right? The Demon Cult has risen again and recently gathered on Liubo Mountain in the East China Sea. Many people from your Qingyun Sect have gone there to meet up with other sects. I'm afraid there will be a big battle. Why don't you go and see?"

"War...it's really annoying." Chen Qiye slowly stood up, summoned Qiu Shui Wuhen, stepped lightly on the ground with his toes, stepped onto the sword, and flew towards the east.

Not long after Chen Qiye left, Bi Yao slowly walked out from behind the big tree.

"Nine Heavens Divine Weapon Qiu Shui Wuhen is actually Daoxuan's disciple." Wanrenwang put his hands behind his back, looked towards the east, nodded slightly, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He said: "His talent is unparalleled in ancient and modern times. I'm afraid no one in this world can suppress this little fellow."

The tea stall owner standing next to him asked, "Master, why don't you keep this person here?"

"He is not interested in this, or his heart is not in Qingyun. He only cares about the people of the world. Yao'er, what do you think of Chen Qiye?" Wanren turned his head to look at Bi Yao and said gently.

Bi Yao's cheeks flushed slightly when she heard the Ghost King's question, and a hint of panic flashed in her eyes. She lowered her head, unconsciously kicking the stones on the ground with her toes, and whispered, "He...he is naturally different from others."

The Ghost King looked at his daughter's expression and understood. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly as he jokingly said, "Oh? How is it different? Tell me about it."

Bi Yao raised her head, her eyes filled with stubbornness and determination. "His view on good and evil is different from others. He is not bound by the rigid rules of the righteous path and has his own judgment. He also said that good and evil should not be determined by a sect, but by the heart of the people."

The Ghost King nodded thoughtfully. "It seems that Chen Qiye is indeed a young man with ideas. Yao'er, if you really like him, Dad will help you recruit him to the Holy Church."

Bi Yao's face turned red instantly. She stamped her feet and said angrily, "Dad, you are teasing me again! I... I just think he is different from others. It's not like what you said..." Although she said so, the gleam in her eyes betrayed her true thoughts.

The Ghost King looked at his daughter lovingly and sighed softly, "Yao'er, you've reached the age of first falling in love, and Daddy naturally understands your feelings. Chen Qiye is indeed a talent. If he could be used by our Holy Sect, it would be a great help to us. However, he values ​​friendship and loyalty, and is deeply grateful for the kindness of Qingyun Sect. Recruiting him may be difficult."

Bi Yao bit her lower lip, a glint of determination flashing in her eyes. "Father, I know this is difficult, but I still want to give it a try. I believe that as long as I treat him with sincerity, I will be able to impress him one day. Moreover, his views on good and evil are similar to those of our Holy Church. Perhaps deep down, he also longs to break down the barriers between good and evil."

The Ghost King patted Bi Yao's shoulder and said encouragingly, "Alright, since you're determined, I'll support you. However, don't rush into this matter, or you might offend him. Find an opportunity to spend more time with him and get to know him better."

Biyao nodded vigorously, her eyes full of anticipation.

Elsewhere, after about half a day of flying, Chen Qiye arrived at a small, but quite populated, town. A stone tablet beside the road at the entrance to the town was engraved with the words "Xiaochi Town," which presumably was the town's name.

Chen Qiye looked at the town, nodded thoughtfully, then put away his Autumn Water Trace and stepped into Xiaochi Town. The town was bustling with people, the sounds of hawking and talking mixed together. "Ding, ding, ding..."

Just as Chen Qiye was pondering something in his mind, he suddenly heard the sound of a gong not far away. He saw two old men and a young man standing on the stone platform, and the people around them gathered around, whispering and discussing.

Chen Qiye was curious and moved closer.

Seeing that most people had arrived, the oldest man on the stone platform stood up and gestured for silence. When everyone was completely silent, the old man said in a heavy voice, "Fellow villagers, I've summoned you all here today. I'm sure you all know why. Three months ago, that evil spirit took up residence in the Black Stone Cave, ten miles outside of town, and has been harassing our town non-stop ever since. In the past month, it's become even more aggressive..."

There was a sigh from the surrounding townspeople, and a few even cursed out loud.

"So you want to subdue the demon?" Chen Qiye asked.

Upon hearing this, the old man's gaze fell on Chen Qiye, his eyes filled with expectation and helplessness. He nodded hurriedly and said, "That's right, young master, you look like a capable person. I wonder if you could lend a hand?"

The people around also looked at him for help, their eyes full of sincerity.

"I am from Qingyun Sect, and I am Chen Qiye, a disciple of Qingyun Sect. Since there is an evil spirit causing trouble here and endangering the people, I will naturally lend a hand." Chen Qiye nodded and said.

"May I ask if you are confident that you can capture the three-tailed fox?" The old man said hesitantly. After all, Chen Qiye looked only eighteen years old. Could he really do it at such a young age?

Chen Qiye smiled slightly, looked at the large rock several feet high not far away, and said, "Is that rock useful?"

Everyone followed Chen Qiye's gaze and looked at the big rock, their faces full of confusion.

Before anyone could react, Chen Qiye's hand gestures swiftly shifted, and a surge of spiritual energy surged from his body. Like an invisible force, the spiritual energy instantly enveloped the several-foot-tall boulder. In the blink of an eye, the boulder slowly rose, spinning rapidly in mid-air, creating a whirring sound. The surrounding people were stunned and gasped in surprise.

A moment later, Chen Qiye shouted softly, and the big rock shot towards a hill in the distance like a cannonball.

With a loud bang, the hill was hit by the huge rock and collapsed instantly, with smoke and dust everywhere. When the smoke and dust gradually dissipated, a huge gap was found in the original hill.

The old man and the people around him gasped at the scene before them, and the suspicion on their faces instantly turned into surprise and admiration.

"Mr. Chen is truly a god! With Mr. Chen's help, we will not be afraid of the three-tailed fox!" The old man said excitedly, his eyes full of gratitude.

Chen Qiye put away his spiritual power and said calmly, "Don't worry, old man. Since I promised, I will definitely get rid of that evildoer and keep the area peaceful."

"I don't know how to reward Master Chen..."

Before the old man could finish, Chen Qiye interrupted, "Old man, as a disciple of the Qingyun Sect, it is my duty to exorcise demons and protect the people. How could I accept any reward? Restoring peace to the people of this area is the best reward for me."

The old man's eyes were red, and his voice was choked with sobs: "Mr. Chen is so righteous, it is really hard for ordinary people like us to repay him!"

The people around echoed and looked at Chen Qiye with eyes full of admiration and gratitude.

After Chen Qiye comforted everyone, he asked about the details of the three-tailed fox. After understanding the situation, Chen Qiye planned to find a place to rest, after all, he was really too sleepy.

Just as Chen Qiye was about to find a place to rest, he heard an old voice: "Young Master, can I take a look at your face?"

Chen Qiye turned around and saw a thin, white-haired old man standing beside him. He looked like a Taoist immortal, a master of the Dao. Next to the old man was a little girl, who looked to be about eight or nine years old. She was holding a string of candied haws and eating them with great relish.

(End of this chapter)