[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t":3,"chapter-living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-360":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Living Among All Heavens, Achieving Immortality Through Merit",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2323928,4545,"Chapter 360: Who Is the Plaintiff Before My Court?","living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-360",360,"\u003Cp>Gu Qing sat with eyes closed, inhaling slowly; his breath entered through the mouth, harmonized, then swallowed, circulating through his body to gather in the dantian. He pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth, silently counting—three or nine times—causing his breath to swirl within his five zang and six fu organs before exhaling a misty vapor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The misty vapor is a blending of light and color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Book of Changes says: “When heaven and earth mingle in mist, all things become refined.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing had long since attained the Dao body, cultivating the Heavenly Book within, with all qi returning to its source; there was no such thing as impure qi left. After forming the Golden Core using the Nine Return Sun Scripture, his circulation became perfectly complete, radiant and brilliant—but the key to this scripture lay in that single character: “return.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This scripture, suspected to originate from the divine, uses “return” to denote the process of reverting from human to sacred status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While cultivating the Nine Return Sun True Scripture, after condensing qi into a core, one must constantly refine the Golden Core. This breath entering Gu Qing’s body, after several cycles of refinement, blended like light and color, exhaling misty vapor; during this refinement, his own Golden Core grew ever more perfectly round, bright, and luminous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But this scripture requires daily combing and regulating the core according to qi numbers—you can’t just leave it on autopilot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing sensed his Golden Core within and infused it with a bit more good merit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since becoming a physician here, Gu Qing received a steady daily influx of good merit—combined with diligent study and merit enhancement, in a modern game, it would be both grinding and paying, making his strengthening perfectly natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At one side of the room stood incense. Gu Qing focused his gaze upon it, not deliberately channeling spiritual power—everything unfolded naturally. The bamboo incense stick gradually emitted blue smoke and began to burn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kind of smells like Amaterasu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing sensed his body again, feeling himself gradually becoming a warm-hearted man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened the door. In late spring, flowers bloomed everywhere; the peonies, begonias, and fragrant orchids in the courtyard displayed extraordinary colors. Gu Qing admired them, watered and tended them, tidied the entire courtyard, then opened the gate—just as Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing arrived, and seeing the neatness of his courtyard, the three exchanged smiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve told you before—household chores are my responsibility.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qing spoke with a hint of reproach: “I may not manage as well as you, but I can still lend a hand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiao Qing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Suzhen smiled from behind: “His yang energy is accumulating—it’s good for him to stay busy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qing stared at Gu Qing in surprise, observing his face like divine jade, naturally radiant—appearing a gentle gentleman, yet beneath, his reckless spirit set him apart from the stagnant mundane. In this gaze, Xiao Qing’s heart suddenly burned hot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A snake is a cold-blooded creature; even a slight rise in temperature is unbearable. Perhaps her heart’s heat was too intense, or perhaps Gu Qing’s body temperature was abnormal—Xiao Qing suddenly felt weak, instinctively extending her tongue to cool herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Suzhen transmitted her true essence to ease Xiao Qing’s condition, then said to Gu Qing: “It’s getting late—go open the front gate. There are already many patients outside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing walked to the front hall, opened the clinic door, and patients surged in—then quietly formed a line. Lately, Gu Qing had repeatedly demonstrated miraculous healing, taught common people medical knowledge and health tips, clarified doubts for fellow physicians, and even some midwives had learned techniques from him; his reputation as a divine physician grew ever louder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your pupils are constricted, pus has accumulated in the anterior chamber. Go home, simmer pig bile into a paste, add a little ice, and drip it into your eyes. As for the medicine…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing treated patients earnestly, prescribing stable formulas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, Xu Xian stood beside Gu Qing, learning. He had been married long enough to enjoy a comfortable life; his family’s cinnamon business thrived. The poor boy had turned his fortune around, yet never forgot his roots—every day he still studied medicine beside Gu Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qing brought a tea bowl to the front hall and called out to Gu Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing took the tea, saw it was lotus seed tea—mainly for clearing heat—and nodded to Xiao Qing, then took a sip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Doctor Gu, your wife is so thoughtful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A patient nearby, seeking Gu Qing’s help, spoke in flattery. Gu Qing exchanged a few words with them. When examining the second patient, he ordered him to remove the plaster, then applied a fresh one: “This is the final application. Don’t come back again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Doctor Gu, your snake venom plaster is truly miraculous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged man gently extended his leg: “My leg’s been healed by just a few applications of your medicine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing smiled again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In recent days, the snake venom plaster had spread widely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unnoticed, most of the patients at the door had been treated. Xu Xian, while learning, heard Xu Jiaorong’s cries outside. As he stepped out to greet her, he saw Xu Jiaorong, tears streaming, running forward and crying: “Brother, hurry—get some wound ointment! Your brother-in-law—he’s dying!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Xu Xian panicked. Even Gu Qing rose instantly, hurrying to Xu Jiaorong’s side to ask how Li Gongfu had suddenly been attacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your brother-in-law despises evil and cannot tolerate bullying—he’s made many enemies. Today, he was chased and retaliated against.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xu Jiaorong spoke, tears flowed endlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing immediately called Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing, informed them of the situation, and asked them to watch the clinic. He and Xu Xian took the ointment and rushed toward Li Gongfu’s home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entering the gate and passing through the main hall, Gu Qing saw Li Gongfu lying on the bed, covered in blood, half-conscious. He tore open Li Gongfu’s clothes, inspected the wounds, disinfected them, stitched them with needles, and applied golden wound medicine. When finished, Li Gongfu barely opened his eyes and thanked Gu Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s March—how dare anyone attack you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>March in Lin’an was different: the imperial examinations, appointments through hereditary privilege, spring military drills—all these converged, requiring absolute stability in Lin’an. If trouble erupted in the capital during March, the punishment would be severe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remnants of the Liang Prince’s mansion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Gongfu gritted his teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the Liang Prince’s elite guards, one attendant served Liang Lian; his younger brother became a bandit. Li Gongfu captured him, defied the Liang Prince’s pressure, and exiled him—thus earning their enmity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today on the street, they met. After recognizing each other’s hatred, Li Gongfu was ambushed and slashed by several men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s how it is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing nodded: “The Liang Prince’s descendants have caused much harm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Gu Qing’s knowledge, the Liang Prince’s people had been active lately, and Liang Lian showed signs of escaping punishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Gongfu lay on the bed, breathing carefully. His martial skills were strong enough to escape the ambush, but thinking of the Liang Prince’s men’s cruelty, he inwardly cursed himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Xian stood nearby, watching Li Gongfu’s grave injuries, frantic and helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are the Liang Prince’s remnants so brazen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Xiao Qing shouted angrily. The Liang Prince’s people had been imprisoned—yet they still dared to be so arrogant, even drawing blades to wound Li Gongfu. Xiao Qing felt insulted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Xiao Qing had played a part in sending the Liang Prince to prison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Suzhen lightly pinched her fingers: “Li Gongfu should not have suffered this calamity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, can you calculate where they are?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qing looked at Bai Suzhen. This woman, who cultivated beside the Old Mother of Lishan, had vast experience and profound arts. Whenever Xiao Qing faced trouble, she sought her counsel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Suzhen’s fingers moved, about to speak—when Gu Qing stopped her: “Don’t do that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Xu Xian faced trouble, Bai Suzhen wished to repay her debt—so her intervention was natural. But Fa Hai was nearby, and Fa Hai had murky ties to the Liang Prince. If they acted suddenly, it might provoke chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t use Daoist methods.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Divine methods entangled with mortal affairs—if someone died, complications would arise. But if Gu Qing acted, without Daoist arts, matters would be far simpler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know where they’re hiding?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qing asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nine out of ten.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing had a guess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside Chongxin Gate—Changming Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing, Xiao Qing, and Bai Suzhen arrived at the temple. Its halls gleamed gold and jade, a solemn sacred site. Not long ago, a grand Dharma assembly had been held here, banners and standards displayed. Gu Qing had once observed it from afar, but, upholding his Daoist identity, never entered—though he’d heard the Liang Prince often came here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“While healing Mingzhu, I heard the Liang Prince’s people were active. I observed—they gather here occasionally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Suzhen’s gaze shifted to Gu Qing, then to Changming Temple: “Without divine methods, how do we enter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing smiled—he knew a bit of martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Changming Temple’s walls were high. Gu Qing, relying solely on physical strength, seized Bai Niangzi and Xiao Qing in both hands, leaped effortlessly over the wall, then moved lightly along the rooftops, arriving at the rear courtyard in moments. He saw guards posted outside a hall, crept closer, tilted his ear—and heard every word inside clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re useless—how did you get only this much silver?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency, our Master Chen is an upright official—he doesn’t extort the people’s wealth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Filthy scum!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silver coins clattered to the floor. Then came a loud curse: “Don’t pretend to be virtuous! My father got Chen Lun appointed to Suzhou—yet when trouble came, he was useless!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency, he’s useless—but isn’t there still me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, voices whispered. Outside, Gu Qing, Bai Suzhen, and Xiao Qing heard every word clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So Liang Lian came out too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the conspiracy inside, Gu Qing grew impatient. He told Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing to wait outside, then leaped toward the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guards at the door drew swords and axes, slashing at Gu Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Liang Prince’s mansion housed many experts—even Daoists who neglected martial arts would suffer here. But Gu Qing had fought his way up through the White Snake world; seeing these martial skills, he found them laughable. He seized the blades bare-handed, snatched a long sword, swung twice—and five men lay gutted on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The temple’s occupants heard the commotion and rushed over—chaos erupted throughout the temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing held the long sword, indifferent. He slashed left and right, no flashy moves—just chopping and hacking. Heads rolled in the temple. Around the hall, over a dozen men were cut down in moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This slaughter filled the crowd with terror. They all retreated, none daring to challenge Gu Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crash!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing kicked open the hall door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, a group clustered around a black-clad young lord, strikingly handsome, his expression arrogant and wild. Seeing Gu Qing kill and decapitate men, he shrank back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great hero, we’ve done nothing to offend you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one facing Gu Qing was Chen Lun’s private secretary. He served Suzhou Prefect Chen Lun, who was incorruptible, leaving the secretary with no profit. Now, seizing the Liang Prince’s letter, he hoped to cling to their power—but the god of slaughter had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Liang Lian!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing stared at the young lord and roared: “I thought you’d rot in prison and this matter was over. But you escaped justice—then don’t blame me for meting out heavenly retribution.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing classified this as vengeance—acting on heaven’s behalf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Lian dared not meet Gu Qing’s gaze, only whispered, asking where he had offended him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you remember Mingzhu from Old Zhang’s house?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing asked coldly, stepping forward with his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A secretary nearby tried to move aside—Gu Qing swung his blade, slicing him to the ground. Before Liang Lian, many guards scattered—none dared to block him. Instead, Liang Lian drew his sword and lunged at Gu Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Swish!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After one slash, Liang Lian lay on the ground, seeing the great beam of Changming Temple, and beside him, a half-body still standing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One slash, two halves!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Lian glared at Gu Qing, his eyes filled with bitter resentment, shouting: “What’s your name!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Lian could not accept such an end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t change my name when I walk, nor alter my surname when I sit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing looked at Liang Lian and gave his name: “I am Gu Qing of the Tongren Hall in Hangzhou. Go tell the King of Hell about me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Lian stared fixedly at Gu Qing for a long while. He had terrorized Lin’an City for years, never imagining he would meet such an end—and even more hateful was that he was cut in half by the blade of an unknown man... Worse still, after that slash, Liang Lian did not die cleanly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing held his blade, scanning left and right. Liang Lian’s guards had been cut down almost entirely. Upon learning from Li Gongfu that the mastermind was dead, he considered a moment, then decided to kill them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing entered from outside, watching Gu Qing unleash his killing rage, heads rolling everywhere, both filled with concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing reassured them, then closed his eyes briefly within the Changming Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the Changming Hall, the vengeful spirits wailed incessantly, staring at the corpses on the ground and the standing Gu Qing, each filled with resentment. Amid their cries, the Black and White Impermanence, Ox-Head and Horse-Face, entered from outside, seizing each soul and dragging them toward the Chenghuang Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Lian’s spirit stared, watching Gu Qing follow closely behind, also arriving at the Chenghuang Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Gu, what brings you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Chenghuang Temple, the City God hurried forward to greet him, bowing deeply before Gu Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since that day of Qingming, when Gu Qing had risen in status with Marshal Ma, everything had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Liang Lian’s face turned utterly pale. In life, he had bullied others with power and committed evil deeds—never expecting to meet someone who wielded power even in the underworld.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2384,"2026-06-20T17:04:27.745Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","119a7e7c2cb87e49f23aa1cf9ba9e44680f4eb62afaf6cb67c2add6ec101c12f","living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-361","living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-359",449,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fliving-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-cover.jpg"]