The Young Swordsman: The Taoist Priest of Qingcheng Has Descended the Mountain

As for why Xiao Se left Tianqi, Xiao Chong naturally knew the answer perfectly well.

However, the phrase "running away from home" was used not out of brotherly affection, but to save face for the old man in front of him, and to give him a way out.

That would make Xiao Chuhe seem rather clueless.

Emperor Mingde was indeed greatly pleased and said, "I did have this suspicion, so I would like to trouble my son to make the trip on my behalf."

If it really is Chu He, then bring him back.

Tell him that as long as he bows his head and admits his mistakes, he will still be the Prince of Yong'an.

Xiao Chong seemed startled and hurriedly stood up: "Father, you flatter me. How could I dare to mention the word 'trouble'?"

If it truly is my sixth brother, I will naturally be willing to find him and bring him back so that he can fulfill his filial duties to Father and allow Father to enjoy the bliss of family life.

Emperor Mingde nodded with great satisfaction and gently patted the seat next to him.

"There's no need to be so formal. Sit down, sit down. I'm very pleased that you think this way."

Of all my children, you are the one who understands my thoughts the most.

With the Flower Festival approaching in Snowmoon City, it is indeed a good time.

"If my son is not seriously ill, please set off as soon as possible."

"My son, I obey."

Yellow sand stretches endlessly, the wind whips at the edge; resilient grasses bow their heads as hills rise in continuous rows. The bright moon shines on the wine that travels a thousand miles; looking up, one sees wild geese flying south and north.

Once you enter the desert, you realize how vast the world is, and how insignificant humans are, like grains of sand.

Fortunately, Zhou was not Lei Wujie; he knew the way.

Even if he doesn't know the way, it doesn't matter, he's fast enough.

But now, he's not in a hurry to get going.

If you walk too fast, you'll easily miss the scenery along the way.

"A friend has come from afar, but this humble monk has no wine to offer in hospitality."

Zhou Huanzhen looked at the Shattering Void Blade King Rensun in front of him—no, he should be called Venerable Faye.

The last time we met, Wang Rensun, the master of the Shattering Void Blade, was utterly devoid of joy, drowning his sorrows in alcohol and living a life of drunken stupor.

The Venerable Dharmakṣa of today is filled with compassion, and even his white eyebrows have turned black.

However, his beard had grown a bit longer than before.

With a rosy complexion and clear eyes, he was clearly free from worldly worries and defilements, resembling a high monk.

Zhou Zhenhuan smiled and bowed: "Congratulations, Master, on resolving your past life's affairs and attaining the state of emptiness. You are truly a great monk in this world."

Venerable Faye laughed heartily, and with a wave of his hand, he appeared much more carefree.

"Speaking of which, I must thank you for your guidance."

Now I can give a clear answer to the question from that day.

I can wield the knife now, but I can also put it down.

Zhou Zhenhuan smiled and nodded: "Excellent! In this world, most people can take things on but can't let them go."

The phrase "letting go" reveals the three natures of Wukong.

I now regret that I shouldn't have accepted the master into my Taoist sect back then; I've needlessly added a high-ranking monk to the Buddhist community."

Venerable Faye shook his head with a wry smile: "Please don't make fun of me, Master. How could this humble monk be worthy of the title of 'high monk'?"

In recent days, I have been following the example of Wangyou, and only then did I realize what Wangyou has endured over the years.

It's a pity that Wangyou didn't meet the real person earlier, otherwise perhaps he wouldn't have had to die.

Venerable Faye seemed to have many feelings about it.

Life is a journey, and no one can accompany you to the end.

All friends are just companions on this journey; we don't know when we'll part ways.

It would be a great blessing to meet again.

If you don't meet them, then you never will.

In the main hall, the Buddha bows his head with boundless compassion.

Master Wangyou's memorial tablet was placed at the feet of Buddha.

Venerable Faye offered incense, and Zhou Zhenhuan simply watched from the side, performing a very formal bow.

The two then sat facing each other in front of the Buddha.

Zhou Zhenhuan pulled out a jar of wine and asked with a smile, "Are you really not going to drink anymore?"

Venerable Faye waved his hand, both amused and exasperated: "Amitabha. This humble monk must admit one thing: in the first few days, it was indeed terribly uncomfortable not to drink alcohol."

But I believe that it was just my inner demons causing trouble. And indeed, I have now subdued them.

Turns out, not drinking isn't that difficult.

"Of course, there are no really difficult things in this world. Most of the time, it just depends on whether you are willing to do it."

"What is the purpose of your actions, Master?"

Zhou Zhen pointed to Buddha, then to the west.

Venerable Faye frowned: "Does the True Man know that the far west is known as the land where Buddhas perished?"

It's not that I don't believe in the real person's strength, it's just that the far west is extremely complex.

Not only did a Buddha perish, but also descendants of the guardian families of the past, descendants of celestial beings who had been lost, and even the legendary celestial demons.

Zhou was quite surprised: "I didn't expect that the Venerable One would know so much."

Venerable Faye chanted a Buddhist prayer and sighed, "The True Man knows well that I once had a close friend. Ye Dingzhi is ultimately the sect leader of the Outer Heavens."

I heard many things from him, but some of them seemed unreal, like dreams and illusions.

However, he once mentioned that he had actually witnessed the Buddha's death.

Rumors circulated that Ye Dingzhi suddenly succumbed to demonic possession during his eastern expedition because he had practiced the sword techniques of the Southern Sword Immortal, Yu Shengmo. Unable to control them, he became possessed by demons.

But this humble monk has always suspected it because he personally witnessed the Buddha's death.

Many people know that I was responsible for Ye Ding's death back then.

But many people don't know that he told me a secret before he died.

And this secret, I intended to keep forever buried in my heart, until I die.

Chapter 92 Ruthless Sword Maniac

"Hahaha, since you're carrying the secrets from the coffin, why bother revealing them, Master?"

In the main hall, the ever-burning candlelight flickered, as if a shadow had been cast upon it.

The gilded Buddha statue seemed to have a moment of brilliance, but it was quickly suppressed by the shadows.

Zhou Zhenzhen remained unmoved, and Venerable Faye naturally did not move either.

With this person here, even if the sky were to fall today, it seems there's no need for this elderly monk to worry.

After all, this true immortal will surely uphold justice for that day.

Therefore, Venerable Faye remained completely unperturbed, even showing a certain enjoyment in watching the show.

Inside the main hall, a swordsman appeared out of nowhere.

Covered in sand and dust, his clothes were tattered, and his exposed skin was festering, but it would quickly heal, repeating this cycle over and over again.

The vitality and the aura of death within this person seemed to be constantly battling, yet they maintained a remarkably good balance.

A swordsman, naturally, wields a sword.

There was naturally a sword behind him, but this sword had no scabbard.

Zhou Zhenhuan could tell at a glance that this sword was carved from a human thigh bone; it was not pure white like jade, but rather had a slightly yellowish tinge.

A bone sword, wreathed in a chilling aura of death.

This grand hall, though blessed by Buddhist teachings, still could not suppress the deathly aura.

The main hall was gleaming with gold, but the area where Zhou Zhenhuan and Venerable Faye sat remained brightly lit.

"This junior, Zhou Tao, one of the Four Madmen of the Blissful Pavilion and the Sword Madman, greets Senior Immortal Xiaoyao." (Book reader claims the book)

"By some calculation, we were actually from the same clan as our predecessors eight hundred years ago."

Zhou Zhenhuan glanced at him after hearing this, then shook his head with amusement: "You look much older than me, yet you call yourself a junior. You seem to be shameless."

In this world, whenever someone starts to act shamelessly, it means that person must have ulterior motives.

Such people are the most difficult to deal with.

You people from the Paradise Pavilion are quite interesting.

Of the four arrogant individuals, I have already met two of them.

One is a knife-wielding madman positioned in the north, and the other is a zither-wielding madman positioned in the west.

And you? Are you facing east or south?

"Since you knew I was here, you still dared to come alone. Do you think your ghostly sword can save your life?"

Under Zhou Zhenhuan's discerning eye, the state of this sword maniac named Zhou Tao was quite peculiar: half of his body had fallen into the Netherworld, while the other half remained in the present world.

To put it bluntly, it means being in a state of being neither alive nor dead.

Most of the people who come out of the Bliss Pavilion are in a strange state.

That madman Beitang Lieyang is a bit purer, and he can draw upon the power of the Great Sun Tathagata, so he has been thoroughly transformed.

That Qu Kuang was somewhat inferior; his own senior master could kill him with a single sword strike.

The person in front of them was undoubtedly the strongest of the three.

Zhou Zhenhuan even felt that if it were someone else here, they wouldn't be able to kill this guy.

Because his body is only of ordinary substance, and so is his soul, once he dies, he will be resurrected in another place.

Zhou Tao still wore a slightly ingratiating smile, and didn't seem nervous, as if she had something to rely on.

He slowly withdrew from the main hall, sat down on the ground, took the sword from behind him, and placed it on his knees.

"If it were someone else here, I would naturally feel confident that I could escape unscathed with this murderous sword."

But the senior is different. After all, the senior's strength is so high that even my sect leader is quite wary of him.

But this time, I came with great sincerity.

It's not about fighting against a senior.

Since you are a highly accomplished master, you would naturally be too embarrassed to lay a hand on a junior like me.

Upon hearing this, Venerable Faye laughed.

"Master, the younger generation these days is really impressive."

When I was his age, I was also quite arrogant, but not this arrogant.

This shows a complete disregard for this humble monk.

"Could it be that my knife is truly dull?"

Zhou Tao seemed to realize then that there was another person present, and nodded with a smile.

"Having become the high monk's Shattering Void Blade, its edge is naturally not as sharp as before."

It's not that I look down on you, Master, but given your current strength, you truly cannot defeat me.

Upon hearing this, Venerable Faye shook his head, gave a wry smile, and chanted a Buddhist prayer.

Indeed, once he had put down the knife in his heart, it was no longer so terrifying.

Zhou Zhenhuan shook his head as well, but patted the wine in front of him and asked, "Can I drink this?"

Zhou Tao raised an eyebrow: "How could I refuse such a gift from a venerable one? Thank you for the wine, senior."