Chapter 661

Sun Lingtong said unwillingly: "Is it possible that I really have no way to get a divination technique?"

Zeng Jide looked at him deeply and said: "Under normal circumstances, you can entrust someone to divine. Just like this time, the Wangchuan Prefect entrusted the Gray Bone Elder to take action."

"But if you can really get a divination technique, it means..."

Sun Lingtong: "Means what?"

"It means you occupy a fairly important role in Heaven's script. Heaven is about to bestow a great mission upon you, and Heaven and Earth feel you are not strong enough yet, preferring to take the risk of you becoming too big to control in the future, just to strengthen you as much as possible so that you can complete a certain specific mission!"

Sun Lingtong's heart trembled, and for a moment he could not speak.

After a long time, he frowned and said: "Even if the divination technique is not arranged by fate for me, I want to try every possible way to see, to fight with all my might!"

"I want to steal the fate of others so much; it must be wonderful!"

Zeng Jide laughed loudly again, patting Sun Lingtong on the shoulder: "Little ghost, good ambition!"

"Since you want to do this, then do it."

"Perhaps, this is your path. Heaven needs thievery techniques to innovate in terms of fate and has entrusted this heavy responsibility to your shoulders."

Sun Lingtong's heart stirred, and he extracted a keyword: "Path?"

Zeng Jide stroked his beard: "This involves the Soul Transformation level and subsequent cultivation."

"Soul Transformation is after the Nascent Soul stage; the Nascent Soul grows into a Primordial Spirit, and naturally, one must choose a direction for cultivation."

"Just like the Wangchuan Prefect, he is Soul Transformation level; his true body mainly cultivates the Water element, but his split spirit cultivates the Earth element. Water element and Earth element are two different paths."

"You can temporarily understand the path as a cultivation direction. Of course, this is easy for you to understand, but it is not comprehensive."

Sun Lingtong, however, thought of the dispute over the paths between the Gray Bone Elder and the Wangchuan Prefect, and his heart was moved: "Could it be that the path is not just what we cultivate, but also a difference in life philosophy? Some follow Heaven and obey fate, while others want to defy Heaven and change fate?"

Zeng Jide gave an "Eh": "You can comprehend this level; it's unexpected."

He laughed: "Genius like you and me still cannot be measured by common sense."

"Sword cultivators are often unyielding, martial artists are often brave and advancing, demonic cultivators are sometimes true to their nature, sometimes cruel and indifferent, Daoists have those who are inactive and self-transforming, quiet and self-correcting, and also those who are unified, following customs and simplifying rituals, lenient in punishment and simple in administration. Buddhism has the distinction of Mahayana and Hinayana, focusing on saving others or saving oneself."

"Confucianism, although younger in age, has many branches. There is rule by virtue and benevolent government, the people are noble and the ruler is light, human nature is inherently good, human nature is inherently evil, and so on."

"These are all paths."

Sun Lingtong listened as if hearing wonderful music! This kind of high-level discourse was something he could not come into contact with.

If his master had not passed away, perhaps he could also have taught him this way.

Such guidance, every word was worth a thousand gold!

Sun Lingtong pondered carefully, having forgotten that he was in Wangchuan Xiancheng, currently stealing, and asked to himself: "Then Senior, how should I determine my path?"

Zeng Jide did not hide anything and pointed out directly: "First, look at your cultivation talent."

"If you have talent, that is the expectation Heaven has given you. Starting from talent will inevitably be smoother than other directions."

"Secondly, look at your cultivation resources. Do you know the four words: Dharma, Land, Companion, Wealth?"

Sun Lingtong nodded.

Dharma is cultivation methods, magic, etc. Land is the cave heaven and blessed land, the place for cultivation. Companion is the Dao companion, people with similar goals. Wealth is spirit stones and the like.

Zeng Jide saw that Sun Lingtong knew, so he didn't elaborate on the second item, but continued: "Finally, it is personal temperament and ambition."

"The path you want to walk and the path you don't want to walk feel different when you walk them. Those who act according to their nature can often have clear thoughts. At the very least, when cultivating, they won't suffer too much internal friction, or even inner demons."

Sun Lingtong then understood: "So, Senior let me persistently seek fate and divination techniques just because this is my ambition?"

Zeng Jide: "I am your senior from the same sect, skilled in thievery techniques, and naturally also skilled in observing words and colors."

"The way your eyes shone when you just mentioned stealing the fate of others let me know that this is what your heart yearns for."

"This point is actually quite important for you; grasp it well and don't give it up easily!"

"Just like the Wangchuan Prefect this time, for the sake of his path, he planned for a hundred years, knowing clearly how many obstacles he would encounter, yet he remained firm throughout."

"This is grasping his ambition, walking single-mindedly in the direction he wants to go."

Sun Lingtong's attention was immediately attracted: "Listening to your words, Senior, it seems you are very familiar with the Wangchuan Prefect's purpose this time?"

Zeng Jide: "In order to steal the Wangchuan Vortex Eye, I naturally had to do enough work in advance; the price paid for intelligence alone in the early stages is worth more than half of the vault before your eyes."

"Therefore, I am quite familiar with the Wangchuan Prefect's movements and situation."

"He possesses the talent of 'drowning and forgetting,' able to soak in the Wangchuan river water, reading various memories, and appreciating endless emotions."

"However, this talent is only of the upper grade, not immortal grade. Therefore, it has a major drawback, which is—forgetting to return."

"Once he indulges in these various memories and emotions, forgetting to return in time, he will drown in the Wangchuan, dying from excess."

"Therefore, he tried every possible way, bitter and planning for a hundred years, just to obtain a talent from the skull of a Heavenly Ghost, used to make up for his own defects."

"Talent, talent, is Heaven's assistance, bestowed upon you."

"Any talent increased artificially after birth is almost defying Heaven. Therefore, the Wangchuan Prefect faces huge difficulties, having to accumulate

for a hundred years, painstakingly preparing, only then having the strength for this one fight."

Sun Lingtong listened until his mouth was dry and his heart was racing.

There was such a moment when he wanted to follow the current topic and directly explain to Zeng Jide the purpose of his trip—which was to cause destruction in Wangchuan Xiancheng, cooperating with his brother on the other path, to stop the Wangchuan Prefect!

But Sun Lingtong finally held back.

Because, through the exchange with Zeng Jide just now, he already understood: the latter seems flashy, but is actually very cautious. He chose the timing very well and also did a lot of exploration in advance. He uses Buddhist techniques to promote thievery techniques. Although risky, his cultivation and resources will be greatly improved, which is a big profit!

Zeng Jide's purpose was only for his own cultivation.

If he were asked to help himself deal with the Wangchuan Prefect, that would be hindering the Prefect's path, which is a completely different concept.

Even if Zeng Jide steals some Wangchuan Vortex Eyes and other things, it is at most pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth. The tiger has so many teeth, losing one or two is of no consequence.

But if Zeng Jide helped Sun Lingtong, that would be forging a deadly feud with the Wangchuan Prefect. This level of severity is not just pulling teeth, but trying to kill the tiger!

Would Zeng Jide help?

Sun Lingtong thought the hope was extremely slim.

Would you risk your life to help someone you met for the first time, offending a Prefect for yourself? Offending a cultivation kingdom in the Underworld?

Zeng Jide being able to point out Sun Lingtong was because he saw the latter as a junior from the same sect and had a heart of appreciation. To really let Zeng Jide help like this would instead be

offending this senior of the Thievery Gate, ruining this opportunity; it would be too lacking in sense of proportion.

"Let nature take its course, let nature take its course." Sun Lingtong kept the instructions of the Buddhist doctor Meng Yaoyin firmly in his heart. In the end, he did not mention his demands in this regard, not at all.

After Zeng Jide took the three precious materials from the secret room, his expression suddenly changed.

"Careful!" The next instant, his aura erupted, and regardless of exposure, he released his life-bound magic treasure.

It was a monkey-faced Buddha statue, the monkey colored in gold, making faces, draped in a layer of pitch-black cassock.

From the opening of the cassock on the chest, a furry monkey hand reached out. But clearly, the left and right hands of the monkey statue extended from the two sides of the cassock, gathering at the lower dantian.

This was a three-handed Buddha monkey statue!

Once the Buddha statue was released, it immediately pierced through the roof, rose into the high sky, turning from dead to alive, from solid to virtual. In an instant, it turned into a Buddha monkey phantom several zhang high.

The phantom's hands were pressed together, while the third hand on its chest stretched upward with force.

It stretched longer and longer, the palm becoming larger and larger, like dark clouds covering the top, casting a large shadow inside the City Lord's Mansion.

Boom!

A loud noise, exploding like thunder.

Following it was a hurricane-like air wave, sweeping the surroundings, blowing countless buildings to light up defensive formations.

A black light shot back, being re-absorbed by Zeng Jide into his dantian.

He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, then swept his hand to collect the blood, his face pale, and he pulled Sun Lingtong and left.

Thievery Technique—Shadow Escape!

The two turned back into a mass of black shadow, stepped over the threshold, and moved quickly along the door crack.

Not long after, countless patrolling cultivators swarmed in.

"Over here!"

"Didn't expect the Painted Skin Luo Sha to have an accomplice!!"

"The C-grade vault is empty, there are no precious materials left inside!"

"I know, it's that wicked thing Zeng Jide!"

"He issued a visiting card before, saying he was coming to steal the Wangchuan Vortex Eye; didn't expect he really succeeded."

"Chase quickly, they must not have escaped far."

For a time, various detection magic were triggered one after another, each defensive formation was activated one after another, and the entire City Lord's Mansion was like a lion awakened, revealing the true majesty of a kingdom's capital!

Zeng Jide scanned with his spiritual sense, seeing all kinds of magic and formations, and could not help but feel his heart jump.

The City Lord's Mansion, fully activated, had its infiltration difficulty soar dozens of times, simply being two different levels from before, with a huge difference.

If Zeng Jide were alone, it would be better, but bringing Sun Lingtong made it somewhat difficult.

He did not give up on this junior from the same sect, and with Sun Lingtong, he exerted his full strength

to drive the Shadow Escape technique, while simultaneously employing over a dozen different means to resist various detection magic and defensive formations.

Many defensive formations were like fortresses, making him unable to move forward freely, and he could only temporarily avoid the sharp edge.

Zeng Jide took Sun Lingtong through many twists and turns, discovered a flaw, and slipped in.

This was an interlayer of a formation space.

Zeng Jide lost his shadow state, knelt halfway on the ground, panting heavily; his whole body was almost soaked with sweat.

The whole person was exhausted, completely different from when he was pointing out things to his junior just now.

Sun Lingtong also returned to human form, first showing concern for Zeng Jide, and after the latter waved his hand at him twice, he sat cross-legged on the spot, closing his eyes to regulate his breath.

Sun Lingtong was in quite good condition; he had been dragged by Zeng Jide all the way, not consuming much strength, let alone magic power.

Sun Lingtong looked around carefully and discovered there was a green light film behind him, with figures walking and passing by in a hurry from time to time. And in front of him was a mass of mist.

From the mist, sounds of fierce fighting and the delicate shouts of female cultivators came from time to time.

Several voices suddenly came from behind.

"How come we can't find that wicked Zeng!"

"Do you think he might be hiding here?"

"This is the Ju-Lan Formation that traps the Painted Skin Luo Sha; if they really let the two of them join up, that would be a bit dangerous."

"Yes, the cultivators of the Un-Empty Gate are best at breaking formations and infiltrating."

If this lets wicked Zeng help the Painted Skin Luo Sha escape, it would be difficult to trap this demonic cultivator again!"

Sun Lingtong looked back and saw a team of cultivators pressing over outside the green light film.

The green film rippled, and this team of cultivators got closer and closer, their figures and appearances becoming clearer.

Sun Lingtong's hair stood on end, his heart rising to his throat.

Zeng Jide was closing his eyes to recuperate, seemingly unable to attend to anything outside, yet this team of cultivators was about to discover them.

What should be done?

Sun Lingtong gritted his teeth, just about to employ thievery techniques to cover himself, but received Zeng Jide's spiritual sense transmission, telling him to stay calm and not act rashly.

"Kid, if you rashly employ these thievery techniques, that's what will make them discover us!"

Sun Lingtong immediately stopped.

This team of cultivators brushed past him; even though they were so close, the two sides were always separated by a layer of green film.

The cultivators filed in, entering the mist.

Soon, the sounds of fierce fighting in the mist increased a bit, and the Painted Skin Luo Sha giggled: "Hee hee hee, so many people coming to take care of me? Then come on, let me cherish you brothers well!"

Screams came out one after another.

Clearly, the cultivators who had just entered had suffered a big loss.

Some of them roared angrily: "The demoness is full of tricks, may she die a horrible death!"

The Painted Skin Luo Sha laughed: "I don't know if I'll die, but several of you have already died first!"

Someone among the cultivators suppressed their anger and made a harsh threat: "You won't be proud for long! Struggle in this Ju-Lan Formation, struggle until your physical strength and magic power are all exhausted, we will capture you alive, pull your tendons and peel your skin, to avenge our fallen comrades!"

Painted Skin Luo Sha: "That's hard to say. Perhaps your Prefect has already died outside. You must know that this time, it's not just me dealing with him. Just Lord Yin Jiuzhu alone is difficult for your Prefect to deal with. Not to mention there is also the Soundless Ghost Monk and the Sorrowful Bone Lady."

Cultivators: "Good demoness, stop spreading rumors, we'll see!"

They retreated in a sorry state, brushing past Sun Lingtong again, never discovering the old man and the young boy from the Un-Empty Gate.

"Let nature take its course, let nature take its course... My brother's mother is awesome!" Sun Lingtong looked at the mist before him, infinite sighs arising in his heart.

Then, he took the opportunity to transmit his voice through spiritual sense to Zeng Jide: "Senior, I have a good idea!"

"Why don't we release the Painted Skin Luo Sha to attract attention for us, making it convenient for us to escape."