Chapter 631: He Is Stupid, You Are Smart?

In the dim room.

Master Zhikong tried hard to make his questioning voice gentler, yet that man, clutching his damp crotch and huddled in the corner, after answering one question, could not help but glance fearfully at the figure in the corner.

The youth in black robes sat quietly on a wooden chair, his gaze drifting, seemingly absent-minded, but every tap of his fingertips on the table made the man tremble all over, then he hurriedly turned his head to stare at Master Zhikong, wishing he could tear out his heart to prove he spoke no lies.

Shen Yi had no interest in the affairs of the Puti Sect.

Mainly because he could not understand them anyway.

He stared silently at the altar within the wall crack, watching the rat-headed deity statue with kind brows and a benevolent face, gradually falling into deep thought.

Master Zhikong was a Walker comparable to a Seventh-Rank Taiyi Zhenxian; if placed in Hongze, his status would equal another Lingyun Shiren, wielding the power of life and death over countless lives, yet his actions and conduct were as childish as a child's.

To Shen Yi's eyes, this instead made him feel slightly terrified.

The reason was simple.

Shen Yi discovered that having been out for just one day, due to what he had seen and heard, he was slowly letting down his guard.

Just like refugees from a war-torn land suddenly flooding into a peaceful era, momentarily unsure whether the fault lay with themselves or with this prosperous age.

He could understand nothing, nor think anything through.

Take this deity statue before him, for instance.

Shen Yi was quite knowledgeable about incense and wish-power, but he truly could not comprehend how a demonic evil that Master Zhikong personally pursued, even if its realm was low, could possibly be below the Dao realm?

Such a powerful existence, coming to the households of Jianyang Prefecture to preach alone?

It was not even as good as the River God he had encountered back when he was in Outside Qingzhou.

What effect could this tiny bit of incense and wish-power possibly have on them?

Or perhaps, what they sought was not incense and wish-power at all... Shen Yi suddenly recalled seeing Master Zhikong earlier, when the other had been begging for food, swallowing the pale yellow mist.

Never mind; once he obtained the cultivation method, he would ask this Puti Sect Walker then.

Seeing that Master Zhikong had finished questioning, Shen Yi stood up, stretched, gently rubbed the ring on his hand, and walked out the door unhurriedly.

Now that he needed someone's help, he finally had the intention to put in some effort.

After all, although he carried over twenty million years of demon lifespan within him, sitting idle and consuming resources was not feasible; looking at the world outside, earning demon lifespan for himself would not be easy.

Of course, he would have to see the specific situation; if it was too dangerous, then he would just forget it.

"Indeed a habitual offender; lying without even blushing."

That female disciple of the Purple Cloud Sect resentfully grabbed the jade token on the table, muttering a few dissatisfied words.

Impersonating an envoy of the Divine Dynasty was something no ordinary person could do, let alone do it with such familiarity; who knew how many times he had done it.

"Say less."

The male disciple sighed; this aura was clearly something they had sought with great hardship, yet now it seemed Master Zhikong's eyes held no trace of the two of them at all; all the credit had been snatched away.

They had not even asked for payment, only hoping to establish a connection... Alas!

Unfortunately, that youth was clearly no good person; it was better not to offend him; just consider it a silent loss.

"All benefactors, please stay."

After soothing the couple, Master Zhikong finally stepped out to chase after them.

First, he clasped his hands to thank the Purple Cloud Sect couple, then quickly approached Shen Yi's side, whispering with a bitter smile: "Thank you, Shen Xianyou; without you, this monk truly would not have known what to do. However, impersonating an envoy is a grave taboo; if this act brings any trouble and the imperial court comes knocking, count it all on this monk."

"..."

Shen Yi glanced at this master with slight surprise.

He had expected the other to scold him a bit, but he turned out not to be inflexible, and was actually quite loyal.

It suddenly reminded him of an old friend he had met in Boyun County.

"Take money, do the job; it is only right." Shen Yi withdrew his gaze and nodded slightly.

"The common people all suffer; they are easily deceived; the fault lies not with them, but with my senior brother." Master Zhikong the Monk sighed, speaking as he walked: "My senior brother attained the Walker position and wished to serve in the Immortal Court, but unfortunately, due to his ugly appearance, he was pushed out by another senior brother..."

"In a fit of rage, he stole the Walker fruit position and secretly slipped down to the mortal world."

Master Zhikong the Monk did not notice that when he mentioned the word "Walker," Shen Yi's fingers, which had been fiddling with the ring, quietly stopped, immediately discarding his earlier plan to put in some effort, pretending as if nothing had ever happened.

He had confirmed the look in the eyes; this was someone he could not afford to offend.

Moreover, judging by the meaning, this was an internal matter of the Puti Sect, so he could not participate even more.

Even if Shen Yi knew nothing about the outside world, he at least knew the Puti Sect was one of the Naishisan Sects; in other words, this was one-third of the Immortal Court.

"May I ask, Master, what is a Walker fruit position?" Since he did not intend to participate in what followed, Shen Yi simply plucked up his courage and asked in advance.

"..."

Master Zhikong was stunned for a moment, then realized the other was a loose immortal without a master.

He was merely lacking experience, not completely ignorant of worldly affairs; hearing this sentence, he understood what Shen Xianyou sought.

For loose immortals, this knowledge required spending many years, traveling to many places, doing some hard labor for the immortals, and only then could it be exchanged for.

Master Zhikong shook his head, turned, and handed a paper envelope to the two from the Purple Cloud Sect: "This is what that couple just gave this monk; through this object, one can find that person's whereabouts; I trouble you both."

The couple forced a smile and nodded; seeing the Walker and the loose immortal so familiar with each other, they now only hoped to earn some credit for their hard work.

After settling the main business, Master Zhikong the Monk turned back, trying to explain seriously in easier-to-understand words: "The so-called Walker fruit position is roughly the same meaning as an Immortal's Taiyi Dao Fruit; judging solely by strength, it is comparable to a Fifth-Rank Immortal Official."

"Within the Puti Sect, to obtain a Walker fruit position, one must first enter a Venerable's discipleship, pass the trial, and after successfully obtaining it, become a Walker under the Venerable's seat... In our sect, there is another name for such seated Walkers."

"It is called Luo Han."

Shen Yi listened carefully and said softly: "How does one obtain the fruit position?"

On the Shenzhou continent, casually inquiring about the secrets of the three sects was considered extremely presumptuous.

But since Master Zhikong the Monk had decided to speak, he had no intention of hiding anything: "Read the scriptures thoroughly, calm the mind and undergo tribulations; according to different Walker fruit positions, the number of tribulations required varies."

"Seventy-two types of fruit positions; the Dragon-Tiger Scripture my senior brother stole, ranked thirty-first, even with the best character, requires undergoing at least eighty-one tribulations; the higher the level, the more tribulations are needed."

"What is a tribulation?" Shen Yi acted like a child who understood nothing, completely unconcerned about losing face.

"One tribulation equals one hundred twenty-nine thousand years."

Monk Zhikong's face showed emotion: "To enter the world with a mortal body, there's no need to ask what a tribulation is. When the time comes, the fruition position will naturally be achieved."

"So…" Shen Yi's eyelid twitched as he reassessed the monk before him: "You can live for tens of millions of years?"

"Impossible." Master Zhikong opened up, no longer putting on the solemn bearing from before, even rolling his eyes: "Going through a mortal-body tribulation — that's old news. According to the elders in the sect, in the past, cultivation required finding all sorts of methods to extend one's lifespan, even to the point of constant reincarnation, just to accumulate enough tribulations."

"As for now, though."

Master Zhikong took out a dirty cold steamed bun from his robes, chewing in big bites: "Mortal-world things gather the wish-power of all beings. If we are willing to take on suffering on behalf of the common folk in prayer, the wish-power will cling to us, and we can undergo a heart tribulation."

"The heart is an insubstantial thing — a snap of the fingers, and ten thousand years pass."

When the words fell, Shen Yi finally felt a sudden sense of clarity.

Many things he hadn't understood were suddenly explained.

No matter how mystically Master Zhikong put it, once you stripped the words bare, it was simply that this bunch of cultivators, dissatisfied with grinding through time the hard way, had racked their brains to come up with a shortcut.

Isn't it just undergoing tribulation? Me alone, enduring a hundred twenty-nine thousand years counts as one tribulation.

But I'm capable — if I suffer a bit more, take on the suffering of those mortals all at once, at five hundred years per person, just two hundred or so people would equal one tribulation.

No wonder... these immortals are willing to stay obedient, possessing the power to overturn mountains and seas, yet contentedly serving as Rain-Inviting Envoys in the Divine Dynasty, teaching children immortality.

What they call wish-power — isn't it precisely this overwhelming imperial qi blanketing the Divine Dynasty!

It's just that some rely on begging, others on deception.

Even after witnessing the matter of Hongze firsthand, seeing with his own eyes how Lady Qinghua gathered so much merit, Shen Yi could still think of a third, more convenient — and far more inhuman — method.

He refused to believe other cultivators couldn't think of it.

"…"

Shen Yi gradually slowed his pace, a question suddenly surging up in his mind.

This imperial qi… can it never be finished?

If too many Wanderers and immorts appear and eat up all this imperial qi, can Shenzhou under the Human Sovereign's rule still possess the ruling power it has now?

Damn it.

Shen Yi patted his forehead — he could barely protect himself, yet here he was with the leisure to ponder such things.

Still, if he could get his hands on that Dragon Tiger Scripture and attain the Dragon Tiger Luo Han fruition, putting aside the Immortal Court, wouldn't there be a chance to resolve Princess Ziling's matter?

Shen Yi turned his gaze back to Master Zhikong.

Tch, no wonder everyone wants to get close to disciples of the Three Teachings — this is simply a colossal, boundless treasure trove.

"Master Zhikong, we're here."

Just then, the two Purple Cloud Sect dao-companions stopped at a desolate stretch outside the city. Under the shroud of imperial qi, their qi-seeking arts were suppressed terribly — that man had even taken a pill to boost them before finally tracking the way here.

Monk Zhikong glanced around and noticed that quite a few common folk had already gathered in the area, all wearing wary expressions.

Especially after spotting a big bald head approaching, many of them looked over with hostility, then got up and scattered in all directions.

Monk Zhikong didn't get angry either, quietly sitting down on the ground.

When night fell and torchlight flared on all sides, the four figures were gradually swallowed by the sea of people.

A breeze carrying a hint of warmth swept down from the small hill, driving the chill from everyone's bodies.

"Spirit-light shines upon all."

With a low murmur, every torch instantly went out, yet the surroundings became all the brighter.

The crowd gradually rose to their feet. The mountain breeze blew through in waves, carrying specks of spirit-light that lingered on everyone's clothing.

"Master…"

The faces of the two Purple Cloud Sect dao-companions instantly grew solemn.

They looked toward Monk Zhikong with uncertainty and suspicion.

This was clearly an authentic Puti Sect technique — what kind of demon or evil was this?!

What a joke — with their Purple Cloud Sect's foundation, did they dare come pursuing a great figure of the Puti Sect?

"The two of you can rest assured. This little monk swears on his life that this matter will absolutely not implicate you."

"Now that the person has been found, please, the two Shen Xianyou, depart swiftly — don't suffer any harm."

Master Zhikong sat cross-legged. As he spoke, the tattered robes on his body began to ripple faintly, a layer of golden light slowly welling up through his skin, and his entire countenance became one of majestic dignity without anger.

"Once this little monk has dealt with this matter, I will certainly thank the two of you properly."

In the faint glow beneath the shroud of night, that thin, gaunt frame shone like a blazing great sun, startling everyone around into stumbling backward.

Hearing this, the two Purple Cloud Sect dao-companions actually felt a bit embarrassed: "We didn't mean it that way… sigh, we hope the Master will understand."

They truly couldn't possibly, for the sake of one Puti Sect disciple, offend another Puti Sect disciple.

Moreover, when it involved a dispute among Wanderers, it was absolutely not something they could join in on. To put it bluntly, one slap from those people could crush them.

"Master, farewell." The two didn't hesitate in the slightest, turning and leaving at once.

They even felt a bit of relief in their hearts — thankfully, that repeat offender had stepped out earlier to steal the spotlight. This kind of merit… better left to that loose-immortal senior.

"Shen Xianyou."

Zhikong stood up, drew a creased, wrinkled manuscript copy from his robes, and handed it to Shen Yi: "You go as well. Many thanks for your efforts on this trip."

"…"

Shen Yi took the manuscript without much ceremony.

Just as that Earth Temple Boy had said, for a cultivator at the loose-immortal realm, pursuing demons and evil in the Divine Dynasty was indeed a bit inadequate.

Given Master Zhikong's temperament, a cultivator of such a realm staying here would actually be a burden to him.

Rather than dawdling here, better to find a place early and study this cultivation method first.

Just for pretending to be a Constable, he'd traded for a method to break through to seventh rank — such an outrageous deal, he might never encounter a second one in his life.

"Master, take care."

Shen Yi nodded lightly, turned, and departed.

Once the three had walked far away, Monk Zhikong finally set his mind at ease. He extended his palm, shielding the local common folk with spiritual light, then leapt into the air, transforming into a golden streak of light that whistled toward the mountain peak!

When he landed, he was already standing at the doorway of a dilapidated mountain temple.

The monk casually extended his palm, and a perfectly round long staff fell into his grip.

He raised his left palm and bowed toward the interior of the temple. The boyishness he had shown among the commoners vanished in an instant, and his entire being resembled a divine Buddha: "Zhikong asks Zhu Shixiong for the third time to return with me to the sect to receive punishment. This time, there truly is no next time."

The temple interior was silent. No one knew how long passed before a hunched, wretched figure finally emerged.

Dressed in the same monk's robes, except topped with an ugly rat's head, with very long whiskers, looking somewhat disgusting.

It ambled slowly up to Zhikong, raised its head, and sighed: "Look at this skin of yours, so beautiful, yet you won't go to the Immortal Court to be an official. What a fool."

"Zhu Shixiong Lingguang," Monk Zhikong gripped the long staff tightly and took a deep breath.

In an instant, the staff came down like Lei Ting, smashing through the air, but stopped the very moment it touched the rat demon's forehead.

It was not that the monk was soft-hearted; rather, the rat demon had casually sat down on the ground, showing not the slightest intention of resisting, and even placed its five fingers over its forehead.

"My roots are too poor; I truly cannot defeat you."

"And there truly is no next time."

"Because every time you chase me again, I'll make you feel guilty once more. I'd like to see just how many lives your shoulders can bear."

The rat demon pulled at the corners of its mouth, revealing a mouthful of rotten teeth, and stared at Monk Zhikong with a smile, silently mouthing: "Stupid dog."

As the words fell, its five fingers suddenly clenched with force, and it actually crushed its own skull.

Its entire body instantly transformed into clay, scattering across the ground with clattering sounds.

"..."

Monk Zhikong stared fixedly at the pile of rubble at his feet, then suddenly turned his head. Without a single wasted word, his entire being went mad-like as he sprinted down the mountain!

(End of this chapter)