Chapter 53: Monks Do Not Speak Falsehoods

Outside Cui Xian, at Little Yan Mountain, the scent of roast goose wafts from outside the Green Lotus Temple.

A dirty monk's robe sweeps away years of green moss, polishing the bluestone into a bright mirror.

A ragged old monk gnaws on half a roast goose, his foot still trampling a person—none other than the unlucky Wei Changsheng.

Wei Changsheng felt his life had reached its end, and all of this was because of that damned little demon.

If he hadn't met Chen Ye, how could he have fallen into such a plight?

Chen Ye and Su Chunyi chased with sword lights until they flew past Cui Xian, yet they didn't know Wei Changsheng hadn't run far at all; the two had simply chased too far.

He still remembered the sect's mission, which ordered him to obtain that Heavenly Book secret technique; how could he just run away?

After his temper cooled somewhat, Wei Changsheng also realized that the little demon who had brought him such shame was the one who held the Heavenly Book secret technique. With both sides having broken off relations, how could they exchange the secret technique?

Even if that little demon were willing to exchange it, he would likely demand an exorbitant price.

As Wei Changsheng still ached over his lost magical treasures and pills, his mood grew even more irritable.

He had originally sought a place to rest first, carefully considering a countermeasure, and thus arrived at this Little Yan Mountain's Green Lotus Temple, preparing to clear his mind.

Who would have thought that, just after landing and taking a few steps, he would meet a strange old monk on this mountain path?

Wei Changsheng immediately felt disgust.

In the present Buddhist world, there are only two branches: the Niepan Sect and the Cixin Temple. The Niepan Sect is thoroughly a demonic path, yet it has already been beaten into a turtle hiding its head by Zhang Qi, the sect master of the Qinghe Sword Sect. The Cixin Temple, meanwhile, is a heterodox path; they usually shut their doors to cultivate in solitude, so outsiders almost never see monks from the Cixin Temple.

However, the monk before his eyes did not seem to be from either of these two sects.

One must shave one's head completely to join the Niepan Sect; from the sect master down to a newly entered little novice, not a single hair is allowed. Yet the monk before him had a head of messy hair like thatch, clumped and tangled as if unwashed for ten years.

Nor was he a monk of the Cixin Temple, for the Cixin Temple emphasizes purity; from body to mind, one must remain unstained by dust. No matter how poor one is, one's body cannot be dirty. Moreover, this monk's robe was covered in various stains, making its original color impossible to discern.

Wei Changsheng drew only one conclusion: this was a fake monk.

Judging by his aura, he seemed to be a cultivator, but he was likely one who had stumbled upon a chance encounter with immortality, picked up some fragmented texts, and cultivated in solitude as a rogue cultivator; thus he had become such a mongrel monk.

This ragged monk, reeking of strange odors, grinned upon seeing Wei Changsheng, revealing a mouth full of yellow teeth.

Although this monk smiled welcomingly, Wei Changsheng's face was full of disgust; he was already unhappy, and encountering such a heterodox path made him even less inclined to pay attention. He opened his mouth and cursed: "A good dog does not block the path."

Hearing these words, that ragged monk not only did not get angry; instead, he smiled even more brilliantly.

But do not think that because his face was full of joy, his words were any less irritating than Wei Changsheng's.

"Amitabha. This poor monk originally only wished to ask for directions, but unexpectedly, benefactor, your harsh words have hurt me. One look reveals you need discipline. This poor monk has not yet performed good deeds today; it is just right to guide you, benefactor, onto the right path, which would also count as immeasurable merit."

Wei Changsheng was instantly enraged.

"Heterodox path! How dare you act wildly before the incense-burning gate of my sect? I see you do not know life or death."

Wei Changsheng summoned the Five Immortals Furnace and smashed it down upon this monk's head; if it struck true, it would likely smash him directly into meat paste.

The ragged monk laughed: "Tsk tsk, what a formidable magical treasure; truly ruthless and merciless."

Though his words spoke of ruthlessness, this monk did not avoid it at all, allowing the huge alchemical furnace to strike his head.

Wei Changsheng had originally intended to frighten him, never expecting that this monk would simply ram his head into the alchemical furnace; it was too late to withdraw the attack.

Wei Changsheng thought: "I have already slowed my movement; if you seek death yourself, then do not blame me."

A dull boom rang out, like an ancient temple bell tolling.

The ragged monk did not have his head smashed; instead, the Five Immortals Furnace gained crack after crack.

Wei Changsheng stood with mouth agape; his magical treasure was the most sturdy, how could it possibly be shattered by a mortal flesh-and-blood body?

But the fact was so; the Five Immortals Furnace was already covered in cracks, and amidst the monk's laughter, it completely shattered.

At the moment of shattering, bronze fragments poured down like a rainstorm. Wei Changsheng's eardrums were shaken into a buzzing hum; he watched with wide eyes as the cloud-pattern talismans engraved upon it vanished inch by inch, and the core's Li Fire Essence Spirit scattered like flowing fireflies.

The backlash of qi energy slithered into his meridians like a venomous snake; before the bloodiness in his throat could surge forth, the old monk's withered claw had already gripped his crown, pressing him directly to the ground, then stepping on him with that mud-stained black foot.

The ragged old monk's withered sole was wrapped in layers of filthy cloth; through the holes at his toes, dark yellow toenails peeked out, now deeply embedded in Wei Changsheng's left cheek.

The coarse hemp texture pressed blood marks into his cheekbones; the sticky stench of sweat mixed with an odor like rotting flesh constantly drilled into his nostrils.

Wei Changsheng could clearly feel the gravel stuck to the soles of the other's feet moving within his flesh and skin under the crushing force, as if a thousand poisonous ants were gnawing; his face was being trampled until it was nearly deformed.

He had already refined his body with the Gang Sha, so this flesh could be called copper head and iron bones; not only was his strength immense, but ordinary spells could not harm him in the slightest. Yet he had just encountered Chen Ye, who was unreasonable, whose spells targeted the soul directly, and now he had encountered this unreasonable monk, whose cultivation was inconceivably high.

If he had known this earlier, he should have turned and left immediately.

But now it was too late; that ragged monk, grinding Wei Changsheng's head, advised earnestly: "Benefactor, you are full of murderous qi, acting willfully and arrogantly. It would be better to chant scriptures with this poor monk to subdue the demons in your heart."

Wei Changsheng, using all his strength, squeezed out a sentence from his mouth: "I am a disciple of the Incense-Burning Gate! If you dare kill me, you will surely die in ten thousand kalpas!"

"Amitabha. Does benefactor not know that in the Buddha's eyes, all beings are equal? Whether you are a disciple of the Incense-Burning Gate or a stray dog by the roadside, this poor monk treats all with the same regard."

This monk seemed truly unconcerned with Wei Changsheng's sect; that big black foot applied even more force, pressing Wei Changsheng's head directly into the mud, occasionally grinding it a few times.

Wei Changsheng felt his skin had been ground raw; the filth on the soles of the monk's feet seemed to merge from his wounds into his flesh and blood, making his whole body weak and soft, so that even the spiritual energy within his body could not be mobilized.

"Come, benefactor, chant with me: Amitabha. Life and death burn fiercely, suffering is immeasurable; awaken the Great Vehicle mind, universally save all beings. Wish to substitute for all beings, enduring immeasurable suffering; causing all beings to ultimately attain great bliss..."

The monk chanted happily, then sat on the ground; he did not know from where he produced strong wine and roast goose, and ate heartily.

While eating meat and drinking wine, he did not forget to chant scriptures; this monk seemed truly intent on resolving Wei Changsheng's murderous qi, until he submitted.

Although Wei Changsheng had been captured through a mistake, he still gritted his teeth and persisted.

His thought was: since this monk did not kill him, he must surely fear the might of the Incense-Burning Gate.

If that were the case, he should grit his teeth and persist even more, not losing his sect's face. Wait until his sect's elders came to rescue him, then carve this monk into a thousand pieces, venting the hatred in his heart.

The two remained in this stalemate for a long time, until a sword light swept across the sky.

Only then did the ragged monk stop speaking and look up.

"Qinghe Sword Technique. Tsk tsk, what virtue does this Cui Xian possess to attract disciples from so many noble orthodox sects?"

Hearing the monk speak thus, Wei Changsheng quickly shouted loudly: "That is my junior sister Su! The Qinghe Sword Sect and the Incense-Burning Gate are generations of friends; I and junior sister Su traveled side by side. She must be looking for me. Release me quickly, or you will have provoked both the Incense-Burning Gate and the Qinghe Sword Sect!"

This monk had not cared when he heard the name Incense-Burning Gate earlier; now, hearing Wei Changsheng mention the Qinghe Sword Sect, the foot grinding his head relaxed its force slightly.

"The Qinghe Sword Sect... that sect master is indeed not someone to trifle with."

However, after the old monk sighed, he once again pressed Wei Changsheng's head three inches into the earth.

"However, this poor monk is not provoking the Qinghe Sword Sect. This poor monk is doing a good deed daily, dispelling disaster and calamity for you. Quickly follow this poor monk in chanting the sutras; once you finish, I have more questions for you."

Wei Changsheng suddenly grew tough, roaring, "A disciple of the Incense-Burning Gate would rather die than yield to you, this demon! Ask if you must, but I will absolutely not chant your demonic sutras!"

The Monk laughed, "You slippery fellow, shouldn't you be saying, 'Kill me if you dare'?"

Wei Changsheng would never take that bait; he was a disciple of the Incense-Burning Gate with a bright future ahead, and who would want to die just like that?

The Monk did not argue with him, simply adding a bit more force to his foot, nearly crushing his head down.

Wei Changsheng finally could not help but scream loudly; he felt his neck was about to be crushed, as if this Monk truly wanted his life.

This was not the time to be tough; Wei Changsheng hurriedly said, "I will chant, I will chant right now. Amitabha, Amitabha!"

"Haha, that's more like it. This poor monk is doing a good deed daily; you just accept it properly."

The Monk laughed triumphantly, forcing Wei Changsheng to chant a passage of scripture, yet he did not lift that large black foot, only reducing the force slightly.

Once Wei Changsheng had a chance to catch his breath, the Monk asked, "When did you arrive here? Have you seen another Monk with the Dharma name Ku'e?"

Wei Changsheng hurriedly said, "Monk Ku'e? No, I just arrived here, not even a day, and have never seen any Monk!"

"Then you... hmm?" The scruffy Monk suddenly frowned, his right hand forming a gesture of holding a flower and waving it lightly.

The movement was gentle, yet as if striking upon waves, it caused ripples to oscillate layer upon layer in the empty air.

After making this gesture, the Monk spoke again, "To calculate onto this poor monk's head, it seems the disciple of the Qinghe Sword Sect truly came to find you. You say you just arrived in Cui Xian, but I have heard that Cui Xian and the Qinghe Sword Sect have some entanglements that have persisted for quite some time."

"I don't know, I know nothing. I truly just arrived in Cui Xian and have never seen any Monk Ku'e."

Wei Changsheng assumed this scruffy Monk had come to seek revenge; after all, Monks were never good things. If Su Chunyi had truly met another Monk, they had likely fought.

This was an elder of his sect coming to avenge a junior disciple; he was definitely being collateral damage, and the Qinghe Sword Sect was truly no good.

If that were truly the case, he certainly could not block disaster for her. Wei Changsheng hurriedly said, "I have heard of the matter in Cui Xian; someone impersonated the Qinghe Sword Sect to collect young boys and girls in Cui Xian. The Qinghe Sword Sect sent Su Chunyi to investigate; she has already come to Cui Xian several times. If that Monk Ku'e was truly in Cui Xian, she must have seen him."

The Monk put down the roasted goose in his hand and sighed, "If he truly encountered a disciple of the Qinghe Sword Sect, he likely already lost his life."

"Yes, yes, yes! The Qinghe Sword Sect has always been ruthless and merciless; it is most likely that Su Chunyi killed Monk Ku'e!"

Just now, that Monk had nearly crushed his neck; with life and death hanging in the balance, Wei Changsheng no longer cared about the relationship between the Qinghe Sword Sect and the Incense-Burning Gate.

"Let the fellow Daoist die, not this poor Daoist"; this was not just something demonic cultivators would think.

At the critical moment of life and death, very few could truly achieve selflessness.

Moreover, Wei Changsheng felt he had not lied; he truly did not know who that Monk Ku'e was. As for whether Su Chunyi was truly the culprit, let this Monk ask her himself.

Su Chunyi's cultivation was higher than his; perhaps she could defeat this Monk?

Thinking in his heart that it had nothing to do with him, Wei Changsheng only hoped this Monk would lift his heavy foot and grant him a path to life.

"You speak with reason; the concept of 'fate' is truly mysterious. This poor monk asked casually and found a clue; truly, it is the Buddha's blessing. Amitabha, well done, well done."

The large black foot on his head moved away; Wei Changsheng hurriedly climbed up, rubbing his bruised neck, and carefully observed the scruffy Monk's expression.

The foot was lifted, but could he truly leave?

Seeing Wei Changsheng's timid and shrinking appearance, the Monk laughed, "Do not panic; this poor monk is not some demon who extracts souls and refines spirits. Just now you chanted the sutras; did you feel the violent qi resolve significantly?"

"Yes, thank you, Great Master, for your guidance. In the future, I will certainly... certainly..."

Wei Changsheng had intended to feign flattery, saying that in the future he would surely keep it in mind and dare not act recklessly again. But when the words reached his lips, he simply could not say them.

That Monk just grinned, as if waiting for Wei Changsheng to continue speaking.

Wei Changsheng used all his strength to continue speaking, "In the future... I will certainly... certainly... slice you into a thousand pieces, flay your skin and pull out your tendons, letting your soul be roasted by the calamity fire for eternity!"

The moment the words were spoken, Wei Changsheng covered his mouth.

Oh no, how did I say what was in my heart?!

This Monk's methods were cruel; saying such a thing, wasn't that asking for death?

He originally thought he would suffer torture again, but instead heard the Monk laugh heartily, "This is truly what you think, isn't it? Before this poor monk, you may choose not to speak, but you cannot lie to me."

Wei Changsheng was shocked, "You, what spell did you cast on me?!"

The Monk pressed his palms together, speaking with utmost sincerity, "This is not a spell, but a rule. Since you chanted the sutras with me, you count as a person of the religious order; persons of the religious order do not speak falsehoods. If you wish to lie again, you must first return to lay life."

Wei Changsheng never expected that merely chanting a few lines of scripture with him would result in such a vicious prohibition being placed upon him, and he had felt not the slightest bit of it.

This Monk's cultivation was inconceivably high; it was absolutely not as simple as 'Penetrating Mystery', but a higher realm!

Knowing that this Monk was as different from him as cloud and mud, Wei Changsheng hurriedly said, "Great Master, please let me go. Since I cannot lie, you should know I am speaking the truth; I have never seen any Monk Ku'e."

"I believe you; you indeed have not seen Ku'e, but what you said is also correct; a disciple of the Qinghe Sword Sect should have seen him. This poor monk is not skilled in divination arts and can only trouble you to lead the way."

Wei Changsheng was at a loss between laughter and tears, hurriedly declining, "Great Master, I also do not know where Su Chunyi is. You just saw; her sword light was so fast, I simply could not catch up."

"It matters not; this poor monk is not asking you to chase her personally."

Hearing these words, Wei Changsheng thought he could escape this calamity, but the Monk then reached out, grabbed his shoulder, and threw him into the sky.

Wei Changsheng felt the world spin, then crashed heavily onto the ground.

The Monk looked at Wei Changsheng's prone posture; his left hand happened to be flung forward, his finger pointing north.

The Monk sighed, "Pity; it seems your entanglement with that disciple of the Qinghe Sword Sect is not deep, so you can only point out a general direction."

Having said this, the Monk grabbed the dazed Wei Changsheng and flew northward.

Several li later, Wei Changsheng was thrown into the air again, spinning as he landed on the ground.

The Monk frowned in confusion, "Eh, why did the direction change? This side is... the Incense-Burning Gate? Did the disciple of the Qinghe Sword Sect run to the Incense-Burning Gate to deliver a message?"