Chapter 659

His voice was light and casual, showing a hint of impatience. Zhou Botong, however, stood frozen in place; it took a while before he came to his senses, and he said

You don't want the Nine Yin True Classic? Have you had a change of heart?

Before he could think much, Lao Huang again indifferently said: "Right, after you leave, don't come back; Peach Blossom Island doesn't welcome you Quanzhen Sect people."

Zhou Botong looked astonished, couldn't help asking: "Huang Yaoshi, you old bastard, are you out of your mind? You actually let me go, really strange."

In his impression, Huang Yaoshi was just an evil sort, his mind full of martial arts manuals. Back then he killed his own sister-in-law, and later killed two disciples, all because of trouble caused by his cultivation method.

He looked at Huang Yaoshi half-believing, half-doubting, and ultimately chose to believe, or rather he had no choice.

Seeing Lao Huang impatient, he hurriedly packed his things and followed Lao Huang out of the cave, preparing to leave this place. Having been imprisoned for decades, Zhou Botong also wanted to return to the Quanzhen Sect to have a look, perhaps even pay respects to his senior brother.

"Alright, take a fishing boat out to sea." Upon reaching the seaside, Lao Huang indifferently waved his hand, also pointing to the fishing boat moored not far away, the meaning couldn't be clearer.

Zhou Botong nodded as if half-understanding, after stepping onto the small boat, seeing Lao Huang do nothing, he relaxed and curiously asked: "Huang Yaoshi, have you discovered your conscience now, wanting to turn from evil to righteousness?"

Huang Yaoshi's behavior made him feel quite abnormal; after imprisoning him for decades with no sign of conscience, suddenly today he changed his nature, making him constantly wonder if this Huang Yaoshi was plotting something.

Lao Huang hearing his words, laughed and cried, saying: "How come, you old brat, you still don't want to leave? If not, stay here, I'll imprison you for another few decades, until death, that's fine."

……

Zhou Botong hurriedly shook his head, like a rattling drum, if he were imprisoned again for decades, his life would be over.

Finally he said: "Go, I'm leaving now. But Huang Yaoshi, you must not play tricks, otherwise I'll be angry with you."

Saying that, he immediately jumped onto the fishing boat, tightly gripping the oars, afraid Lao Huang would take them away.

Huang Yaoshi shrugged, an indifferent look, lightly said: "Alright, hurry up and leave, I don't have time to waste talking nonsense with you. Remember, just don't come back to Peach Blossom Island."

If Lao Wan Tong really came for revenge, next time he wouldn't mind sending him to meet Wang Chongyang. Of course, he felt that given Lao Wan Tong's character, he wouldn't come for revenge, nor could he succeed, even relying on those defeated remnants of the Quanzhen Sect would be useless.

"Perhaps Ye Qin is right; keeping Lao Wan Tong on the island might leak the immortality cultivation method. Although the Nine Grade Dao Technique he gave me can currently only be cultivated to the Unbounded Realm, for ordinary martial artists it is still an extraordinary cultivation method."

Such things should be kept from outsiders as much as possible, unless they are close ones.

Zhou Botong rowed the small boat, gradually drifting away from the shore. Looking at the increasingly distant Lao Huang, he couldn't help ask: "Lao Huang, why did you change your nature? Tell me, Lao Wan Tong."

Anyway, we're leaving soon, listening won't hurt.

Lao Huang gave a strange smile, then suddenly said: "I'm going to cultivate immortality; what are you, Zhou Botong, doing here? Get lost."

His tone was light, as if joking. At least Lao Wan Tong felt that way after hearing it.

Thus Zhou Botong burst out laughing: "Huang Yaoshi, Lao Wan Tong, I think you've gone mad, still cultivating immortality—why don't you just go up to heaven?"

Where in this world are there immortals?

This seemed like the funniest joke he had ever heard; he laughed heartily, the previous gloom lifted completely, and now he felt his mood was open and cheerful.

Of course, he might never know in his lifetime that what Huang Yaoshi said was true. They really intended to cultivate immortality, and precisely for that reason they drove him out of Peach Blossom Island.

After a round of mockery and ridicule, Lao Wan Tong sped away in the fishing boat, fearing Huang Yaoshi would catch up to settle scores. He gathered his true qi, rowed the oars, and the fishing boat shot off like an arrow from a bow, racing across the sea.

Lao Huang indifferently watched the departing Zhou Botong, gave a slight smile: "Finally he's gone. Next, let's recall Chengfeng and the others."

He had taken in six disciples total; after Chen Xuanfeng and Mei Chaofeng died, only four remained: Qu Lingfeng, Lu Chengfeng, Wu Mianfeng, and Feng Mofeng, whose hamstrings had been severed and who were expelled from Peach Blossom Island.

Five days later, the warm moments between Ye Qin and Huang Rong were interrupted by Lao Huang's appearance; he lightly coughed and said concisely: "My few disciples have returned; you two come with me to see them."

Ye Qin and Huang Rong were not familiar with Qu Lingfeng and the others, but felt it necessary to get acquainted; thus they nodded in agreement and followed Lao Huang to the martial arts training ground. There, Lao Huang introduced each one to Ye Qin in turn.

After becoming acquainted, Qu Lingfeng and the others wept bitterly, all kneeling before Lao Huang to admit fault and beg for mercy. After Ye Qin spoke a few comforting words, he then urged Lao Huang to reaccept them and teach them well. After all, the path to immortality is long; one cannot personally handle everything.

Next morning, Ye Qin planned to leave alone; this trip was to handle some affairs, and since he didn't know if he could return, he didn't bring Huang Rong. He could have just left, but as a capable and passionate youth, he felt he should resolve the issue on the steppe, even though he was only an innate realm martial artist.

Facing hundreds of thousands, even millions of troops, he deeply knew he couldn't meet them head-on: "I'm not a fool; how could I be stupid enough to go to the steppe and fight one against a hundred, or even one against ten thousand? There are better ways; why choose the most foolish?"

As for seizing military power and wiping out the steppe's enemies in one fell swoop, Ye Qin felt this method might have worked before, but that was merely an experience. There are many ways to solve the problem; why choose the hardest one? "Especially after Lao Huang appeared, he messed up my plans. Although I broke through to the innate realm ahead of time, I also lost the joy of wandering the world and experiencing life."

Amid Huang Rong's reluctant gaze and Lao Huang's sighs, Ye Qin rowed the small boat slowly away; some things ought to have an ending.

"Steppe, I'm coming!" Ye Qin's eyes were firm, his white robe fluttering in the sea breeze. While cultivating and rowing, he muttered to himself: "Just consider it a gift I'm giving to the emperor; after all, his trust gives me a feeling of kindred spirit."

He understood that the Imperial City Guard was merely a tool of the emperor, nominally existing but actually defunct due to the Song dynasty's system of civil officials suppressing military officers. He knew of the Ming dynasty's Embroidered Uniform Guard and Eastern Depot, but knew little about the Imperial City Guard.

"No matter what, this will all end soon. Without the steppe threat, the Song Dynasty can at least be more stable; as for the court, we'll set that aside for now, but the common people will at least suffer less." War is cruel, casualties countless.

Ye Qin hadn't forgotten that when he met Monk Du Zhen at Shaolin on Mount Song, he had invited him to come along. Among the monks of the Du generation, Du Zhen stood out.

Regardless of any past grudges with Du Zhen, their goals are now aligned. After Ye Qin leaves, whether they will meet again is hard to predict, but basically it's unlikely.

"Go and report, just say Ye Qin requests an audience with Monk Du Zhen; he knows." Ye Qin instructed the novice monk Mi, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

The novice monk Mi hesitated a moment, but still went. Monk Du Zhen enjoys great prestige at Shaolin; he didn't want to suffer from a reporting mistake.

Soon after, Du Zhen walked out, glanced lightly at Ye Qin, and said: "Let's go; I'll accompany you on this trip."

Seeing Du Zhen holding only a staff, Ye Qin frowned and asked: "Don't you need to prepare something?" Setting off like this, isn't it too hasty?

Du Zhen shook his head, saying firmly: "No need, it's unnecessary. Our journey to the steppe is solely to end the chaos, not for sightseeing."

Ye Qin was momentarily speechless, then nodded and said calmly: "If that's the case, then let's set out."

He guessed that the person on the steppe was already waiting for them.

In Ye Qin's view, Genghis Khan isn't important; he is already old, his days numbered, and he is not the one who destroyed the Song Dynasty. His son Tolui's son Mongke also seems unsuitable. But Genghis Khan's other grandson Kublai Khan is a formidable figure, comparable to Genghis Khan, and ultimately destroyed the Song Dynasty.

However, before that, there is still someone to deal with, which Ye Qin and Du Zhen both know: the Vajra Dharma King of the Esoteric Sect, a master who has attained the realm of acquired perfection.

Five days later, the two arrived on the steppe. After the fall of the Jin Kingdom, the relationship between Han people and the steppe became delicate. Previously Han people could freely come and go, trading with steppe peoples was commonplace; now it is restricted, only those with deep ties to the steppe or its forces are allowed entry.

Ye Qin and Du Zhen are naturally on the prohibited list, but this poses no problem for them; disguising themselves or using other methods to mix in is not difficult.

After an hour, the two finally entered the steppe after much effort. Given the current delicate relationship between Han people and the steppe, this balance likely cannot last long. Originally they had a common enemy, the Jin people, but now the Jin are gone.

Although the balance between the two sides has not been broken, the key point maintaining it no longer exists. One can tell even with a toe that the Great Khan on the steppe may not invade the Song Dynasty in the short term, but expansion is inevitable.

The Mongol tribes, the Western Regions—once the lands of the thirty-six states—and so on are all his targets of conquest.

！

"Let's go, the situation is getting worse and worse. The only thing worth celebrating is that the Great Khan is already old, his days numbered." Ye Qin said to Du Zhen beside him.

Although the monk harbors compassion, Du Zhen is not so. He nodded and said: "But we also need to guard against the Great Khan's descendants. With a foothold on the steppe, they are likely to invade or move south."

This possibility is extremely high.

Ye Qin nodded in agreement: "Exactly. But do you have any plan? We two can't just rush in like that. With our strength, trying to carve out a bloody path is probably impossible."

On the grassland, there are many people; each tribal leader has plenty of guards, all elite, and there are also highly skilled martial artists protecting them.

A gleam flashed in Duzhen's eyes as he slowly told Ye Qin a plan.

"Speaking of plans, I indeed have one." The monk Duzhen stared at Ye Qin and said solemnly.

He seemed to have already started pondering this problem.

"Oh?" Ye Qin's heart skipped a beat; he muttered to himself, "I was just asking casually—you really have a plan?"

The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, then he calmed down and said lightly, "Master Duzhen, why don't you lay it out? If it's feasible, I won't object."

As long as it's reasonable, he'll consider it.

Hearing this, Duzhen showed slight surprise, then nodded and said: "After entering the Grassland Royal Court, I'll go find the Vajra Dharma King and take the opportunity to eliminate him. If there's a chance, I'll then strike at Tie Muzhen."

And you will eliminate his descendants—whether by assassination, poisoning, or any other means—you must succeed; I will buy you time!

Duzhen fully understood; Ye Qin was right earlier—Tie Muzhen is old, this Grassland Great Khan won't live many more years, but his descendants are the greatest threat to the Great Song.

If he acted alone, he might not solve the problem, since the other side also has support. But with Ye Qin present, it's different.

"Can you defeat the Vajra, even kill him?" Ye Qin asked curiously, then added, "Moreover, Tie Muzhen is the Great Khan of the grassland; his prestige is second only to their god. Isn't it too dangerous for you to go after him?"

Never mind whether we can kill him; once exposed, we probably couldn't even retreat intact.

Duzhen shrugged, looking helpless, and said: "It's unavoidable—you are in the Innate Realm, while I am only at Acquired Perfection. If we switched places, I'd probably struggle to slay those grassland heirs in a short time."

With that explanation, Ye Qin understood; it was still a matter of strength.

Monk Duzhen's strength is inferior to his—at least not as strong as his Innate Realm. Considering the efficiency and effectiveness of the task, Duzhen proposed this plan.

After figuring it out, he nodded and said: "In that case, this plan is actually feasible. But you must eliminate the Vajra Dharma King no matter what—this person is no small fry. Once he lives, even if I slaughter those heirs, he could still support a regional lord, and the danger would remain."

One who can sit on the National Teacher's throne is second only to the Grassland Great Khan and the priest; such an existence cannot be ignored—it would be best to kill him.

Duzhen also responded solemnly: "Rest assured, I understand the importance; you needn't worry—I will give it my all."

He knew Ye Qin was worried he would slack off, but now he could only give a verbal promise; he truly couldn't do anything else. As for whether Ye Qin believes him, he doesn't know.

After careful thought, Ye Qin agreed to Duzhen's proposal and said lightly: "All right, then let's decide this way. You go eliminate the Vajra, and try to eliminate Tie Muzhen the Great Khan as well. I will eliminate his descendants."

Of course, the means of resolution are not limited to charging in and slaughtering.

After all, there are many ways to kill a person.

After settling on a time, the two ate something quickly and then headed toward the Grassland Royal Court. This grassland had long been occupied by the Xiongnu, but now the Xiongnu have disappeared.

"Let's go, eliminate them—whether we live or die, we have no regrets." Ye Qin patted Duzhen's shoulder to comfort him.

This journey is fraught with danger.

After all, the area around the Royal Court Main Tent is garrisoned with grassland armies and tribes, including light and heavy cavalry; the grassland mainly relies on these two types of cavalry. Once they are surrounded, they will fall into a desperate situation.

Unless Ye Qin urgently leaves this world, but then his promise to Huang Rong would truly be impossible to fulfill. (End of chapter)