Chapter 273: Amitabha, I am Monk Jue Ming, here to seek someone!

Hearing Lin Jin’s words, Zhou Qing shook his head directly.

“I already said last time—I won’t sell it, and I won’t craft any more. This talisman brings misfortune upon the heavens; crafting too many will taint me with ill omen!”

Lin Jin let out a light laugh and said coolly, “You won’t sell because you haven’t reached the psychological price I offered. Everything in the world has its value—your bargaining chip is simply insufficient.”

“Moreover, your fear of being tainted by ill omen is merely fear of the unknown. If you can trade an appropriate cost for greater gain, what’s wrong with that?”

After hearing this, Zhou Qing was stunned.

This guy, when he starts talking, doesn’t even use inverted syntax anymore?

But since the topic had come up, he suddenly recalled the scene when the Prefect and the Lord of the Mansion arrived with the Grand Eunuch from the Imperial Capital.

Zhong Yao said that during those days of investigation, Gao Xianzhong was extraordinarily unlucky, so they planned to stay a few days at Taiqingmen to try turning their luck.

This was the perfect moment to clear up his doubts.

Gazing at Lin Jin’s back, Zhou Qing spoke up: “Normally, I should call you Lin Jin, right?”

After asking this, Zhou Qing felt no great shock emanating from him.

It seems that night outside the academy’s cave dwelling, when Imperial Consort Chen had chased after him shouting “Lin Jin brother,” he had already noticed him and Third Senior Brother watching the commotion.

“I don’t want to ask what happened between you and Imperial Consort Chen, or how you escaped death from that ruin. I only want to know—why did you use the [Talisman of Misfortune] on Gao Xianzhong?”

Zhou Qing said bluntly.

The white-robed Lin Jin did not respond, but turned and walked away.

Zhou Qing shook his head helplessly—this guy—

He really wanted to ask outright why the two of them had erased the Fifth Imperial Prince, but if he asked that, he’d expose his identity as Number One.

After all, Sikong Yan had told only him about this.

“They’re not the same person, because the annotations differ, but they definitely collaborated—ever since they first approached me at Qingyu Immortal Sect to demand the [Talisman of Misfortune], they were already planning it.”

“But the [Talisman of Misfortune] only brings bad luck for three days—it won’t kill Gao Xianzhong. So what’s their real purpose?”

Zhou Qing frowned deeply, sinking into thought.

“Could it be that the Fifth Imperial Prince’s death was just the beginning, and Grand Eunuch Gao Xianzhong was merely one of their whims? Do they have some other scheme?”

Watching Lin Jin’s figure fade into the distance, Zhou Qing’s heart filled with confusion.

Could it really be because of Imperial Consort Chen?

Lin Jin’s vision isn’t this narrow, and Sikong Yan wouldn’t be so bored as to risk himself—and even drag down the entire Cangyan Dao Palace—for someone else’s sake.

When the white-robed Lin Jin left, Shen Yunzhou came over from the mountain gate and said, “Who is this guy? He didn’t even turn his face once the whole time—how arrogant!”

Zhou Qing replied, “An old acquaintance.”

Shen Yunzhou nodded and asked no further questions.

Just as the two turned to enter the mountain gate, a flying vessel sped in from the northwest, accompanied by excited shouts: “Brother Zhou! Brother Zhou—”

Zhou Qing looked up and, seeing the figure on the vessel’s deck, his eyes lit up: “Jiang Pojun—”

Soon, Jiang Pojun arrived, laughing as he rushed over and gave Zhou Qing a bear hug.

Feeling this long-missed, bold energy, Zhou Qing’s mood lifted considerably.

“Long time no see!” Jiang Pojun said.

Zhou Qing smiled warmly in reply: “Long time no see. You’re not guarding the border—why suddenly come to the interior?”

“Of course I came specially to find you—but… who’s this?” Jiang Pojun was about to continue when he noticed Shen Yunzhou standing nearby and asked.

Zhou Qing quickly introduced the two; they bowed to each other, formally acknowledging one another.

“Come on, come on—you’ve probably never been to Taiqingmen before, let’s go inside and talk!” Zhou Qing invited warmly.

Jiang Pojun nodded eagerly; truth be told, he’d been rushing nonstop and was truly exhausted.

After entering the mountain gate, upon hearing that the familiar Jiang Pojun had arrived, Yan Xiaohu rushed over immediately.

Yan Xiaohu always greatly admired these blood-hot border guards.

It reminded him of the days when Fourth Brother fought five deputy generals in succession, and he and those great marshals placed bets and won supreme spirit stones.

So many years had passed—time really flew!

“Brother Yan!” Jiang Pojun greeted Yan Xiaohu with a smile.

After sitting down, they briefly caught up on old times before Jiang Pojun got to the point.

“By the way, that time I was patrolling the border and spotted a flying vessel—I never expected you and Miss Lu would be on it!”

Jiang Pojun smiled, intrigued. “I was even ready to reason with you, but the vessel just flew right past.”

Zhou Qing glanced subtly at Shen Yunzhou, then explained: “At the time, an elder had taken me along to assist.”

“I understand, I understand. Prince said he worried you might’ve been cursed by that silver-haired Zhanling cultivator, so he came to Taiqingmen specifically to investigate.”

“After all, he’s friends with your master—he had to help. Didn’t expect it’d cause you to misunderstand.” Jiang Pojun hurried to say.

Hearing this, Zhou Qing’s expression darkened, his face clouded with displeasure.

He seemed to sense something, pressing: “Did Master Xuan Yuan send you to find me?”

Beside them, Shen Yunzhou listened to their words and felt a sudden stir within.

He guessed the silver-haired Zhanling cultivator must be his elder sister.

Did his elder sister force Brother Zhou to help?

That doesn’t sound like her.

Though she’s a Zhanling cultivator, she never uses her power to bully others.

Yan Xiaohu glanced between Jiang Pojun and Zhou Qing, whose expression was clearly displeased.

Recalling that Xuan Yuan Shuo had come to Taiqingmen twice already, and that something unpleasant had clearly happened between them during that time.

What exactly happened?

Fourth Brother never told us anything.

Facing Zhou Qing’s question, Jiang Pojun felt awkward—he didn’t fully understand the details.

But these words were specifically instructed by the Prince before he left.

He could only nod and say: “Yes, recently the border has been chaotic—the Spider Emperor perished on the Jiao Emperor’s territory, and a radius of thousands of li is now shrouded in negative emotions.”

“For the next few centuries, sunlight will be absent year-round; many low-level beasts instantly became tomb guardians.”

“Helpless, the Jiao Emperor hastily led some surviving beasts to attack the Spider Emperor’s domain.”

“But before they could even solidify their hold, two more Emperor-level beasts—the Wei Lun and Qing Luo—came to exploit the chaos.”

“Fortunately, the Prince learned of this and led major armies to intervene, barely stabilizing the situation.”

Here, Jiang Pojun sighed deeply, exhaustion evident on his face.

Zhou Qing said nothing—this matter had already been explained when Xuan Yuan Shuo came before.

Moreover, rumors said another Emperor-level beast, whose territory bordered theirs, had also joined in.

But Yan Xiaohu was utterly stunned.

The Spider Emperor perished?

When did this happen?

The three demon mountains bordering the Shengwu Imperial Court were only the Peng Emperor’s Taiyao Mountain, the Jiao Emperor’s Xueyu Mountain, and the Spider Emperor’s Qianhuan Miku.

Now two Emperor-level beasts had perished—it was too sudden.

Jiang Pojun continued: “Previously, the Prince could still deter them slightly with his mid-Zhanling cultivation, but that’s not a lasting solution.”

“Especially recently, the Jiao Emperor has repeatedly requested aid from the Peng Emperor on Taiyao Mountain—but the Peng Emperor has been in seclusion and ignored him.”

“Yet the entire Taiyao Mountain is restless; some beasts there want to seize a share of the spoils, but without the Peng Emperor’s word, they can only fume in frustration.”

“So I’ve come here on the Prince’s orders to ask for your help—but he didn’t specify what kind of help. He said you’d know.”

After speaking, Jiang Pojun looked curiously at Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing frowned tightly, silent, lost in thought.

Beside him, Yan Xiaohu scratched his head.

The Peng Emperor in seclusion?

Wasn’t the Peng Emperor dead in Linggu Mountain? That guy nearly killed him and Fourth Brother.

What the hell is going on?

What are you two even talking about?

What could a Zhanling cultivator possibly need from Fourth Brother? To impersonate the Peng Emperor?

As Yan Xiaohu thought this, his eyes suddenly lit up—he seemed to guess something, and turned sharply to Zhou Qing.

Is this even possible?

Those Zhanling Emperor-level beasts aren’t fools—would they believe it?

After a brief pause, Zhou Qing looked up at Jiang Pojun, and suddenly a smile appeared on his face.

“Brother Jiang, I’m truly sorry—you’ve come all this way for nothing. Please tell Master Xuan Yuan I’ve recently had a spiritual insight and plan to enter seclusion for several years—I simply have no time to assist on the border!”

Zhou Qing spoke calmly.

Hearing this, Jiang Pojun was stunned—he clearly hadn’t expected Zhou Qing to refuse the Prince’s invitation.

Wait, didn’t we get along well when we left the border?

What happened?

“Brother Zhou, the Prince said the reward is doubled, and this time…”

“Brother Jiang, you misunderstand—it’s not about money. I truly have urgent matters!” Zhou Qing cut him off directly.

“You’ve traveled far—you’re exhausted. Third Senior Brother, please go to Yushan Hall and bring Brother Jiang some food.”

Zhou Qing stood up with a smile and added, “After you eat, Third Senior Brother will show you to the guest quarters—rest well.”

After speaking, Zhou Qing gave a slight nod and turned to leave.

Seeing this, Shen Yunzhou hurried after him.

Jiang Pojun, however, frowned slightly, his expression thoughtful.

After all, with words spoken this plainly, anyone could see something was amiss.

“Brother Jiang, wait here a moment—I’ll be right back!” Yan Xiaohu said politely, then quickly chased after them.

At that moment, Zhou Qing’s face darkened instantly as he stepped out of the hall.

What a clever scheme.

When you need me, you summon me at will; when you don’t, you resort to brute force to extract memories.

You show no regard for Second Uncle’s face, nor do you acknowledge my efforts in repairing the Four-Color Border Array.

Know this: any form of memory extraction inflicts irreversible harm on a cultivator; if applied to a mortal, they might well become an idiot.

“Brother Zhou, if you need any help, just say the word—if all else fails, I’ll call my elder sister!” Shen Yunzhou said upon catching up.

Zhou Qing looked at him and forced a faint smile onto his gloomy face. “Really, it’s nothing. I do plan to enter seclusion in a few days.”

After all, the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree is continuously producing ethereal qi—soon enough, he’ll attain another awakening.

Soon, Yan Xiaohu also emerged.

“Fourth Brother, what happened?” Yan Xiaohu asked.

Zhou Qing said, “This is between me and Xuan Yuan Shuo—it has nothing to do with you. Don’t worry; for Second Uncle’s sake, he won’t harm me. Go get Brother Jiang something to eat.”

Yan Xiaohu stared at Zhou Qing, a wave of helplessness surging within him.

As his senior, his cultivation base lagged far behind Fourth Brother’s, and now he couldn’t even lend a hand.

He nodded, then flew toward Shenyue Peak on his sword.

Unexpectedly, the next day Jiang Pojun came to take his leave and prepare to return and report.

“Watch your safety on the road,” Zhou Qing simply warned.

Jiang Pojun sighed deeply, hesitated, then said, “Brother Zhou, what conditions would it take for you to help? I believe if the terms are reasonable, no problem is unsolvable.”

Seeing Jiang Pojun’s distress, Zhou Qing suddenly had an idea. “The truth is, I truly need to enter seclusion—but—”

Hearing Zhou Qing’s hesitation, Jiang Pojun’s eyes lit up instantly.

As a soldier, he had personally assured the Prince he would bring Zhou Qing back.

With things turning this way, he had to find a way to salvage the situation.

“Name your terms—I’ll agree to anything!” Jiang Pojun said quickly.

Zhou Qing said, “Ten supreme wood-element spirit stones. I’ll give up this rare awakening opportunity.”

You did something you shouldn’t have—now pay the price. It’s up to you whether you’re willing.

At these words, Jiang Pojun’s smile froze instantly.

Zhou Qing smiled faintly, then bowed. “Wish you a safe journey.”

Jiang Pojun snapped back to himself, sighed, returned the bow, and departed aboard his flying vessel.

Zhou Qing watched the vessel shrink into a distant black dot, then exhaled slowly.

Xuan Yuan Shuo, a mid-stage Soul Severing expert, would never willingly pay ten wood-element supreme spirit stones for one failed memory extraction.

This demand was nearly outrageous—but it was deliberately left as an opening.

Yet he couldn’t shut the door completely, for the man was still a mid-stage Soul Severing expert.

Even if he didn’t care for himself, he had to consider Taiqingmen.

Moreover, when he left the border, he had personally promised to assist Xuan Yuan Shuo with matters in the Demon Realm.

But who made the first move to overstep?

These wood-element supreme spirit stones are the ladder he’s offering—let’s see how sincere he is.

Of course, after last night’s deep reflection, he had another concern: Grand Eunuch Gao Xianzhong was still here.

If Xuan Yuan Shuo so much as hinted, it would become another headache for Taiqingmen.

He had just returned when he saw Lu Yaoyao arrive.

She looked worried and rushed forward. “Brother Zhou, what happened between you and Xuan Yuan Shuo?”

She hadn’t known at first, but Yan Xiaohu had come to her, anxious, asking if she knew anything.

After all, she spent the most time with Zhou Qing—perhaps she knew something.

Zhou Qing forced a smile. “You’re all so dramatic—it’s nothing, really. Don’t worry.”

He paused, then added, “By the way, I plan to enter seclusion again for over a month. I’ll leave the hospitality duties to you.”

Seeing Zhou Qing wouldn’t elaborate, Lu Yaoyao didn’t press further, only nodded dejectedly.

Thus, as the seventh day arrived, the ethereal qi spilling from the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree grew denser, and Zhou Qing, filled with excitement, began his seclusion.

It seems the border trip is unavoidable—whether facing Xuan Yuan Shuo or other Demon Kings, he must prepare more survival tools.

This time, he would awaken the second Phoenix Dao Mark—a decisive weapon in critical moments.

Meanwhile, upon learning Zhou Qing had entered seclusion, Shen Yunzhou did not leave.

He felt this matter was tied to his elder sister—or perhaps sparked by his search for the shape-shifting divine herb.

A man must stand by his brother. Now that trouble had arisen, he couldn’t just stand idle.

“So what if he’s mid-stage Soul Severing?” he muttered under his breath, his finger brushing the secret treasure left by his sister, a ruthless glint in his eyes. “I’ll just fight to the death.”

…

Meanwhile, beyond the majestic gates of Jin Leizong, amid swirling clouds, two figures slowly walked up from the mountain base.

The elder monk wore a worn but clean gray robe, his gaze deep and calm, radiating compassion and serenity.

The young monk wore a robe too large for him, his face still youthful, his eyes bright with curiosity and liveliness.

“Amitabha. This humble monk is Jue Ming. This is my disciple Kong Chan. We come uninvited to pay our respects to your sect!”

The elder monk clasped his hands, smiling, his voice rich and resonant as he faced the gates of Jin Leizong.

At that moment, Elder Gong Zhen stepped out to guard the gate, staring at the two monks in confusion.

“May I ask, Venerable Master, what brings you here?” Elder Gong Zhen frowned slightly.

He was a Soul Transformation cultivator, yet he could not perceive the elder monk’s cultivation base at all—his expression turned wary.

The monk calling himself Jue Ming nodded slightly, his smile unwavering, his gaze gentle as he looked at Gong Zhen.

He spoke slowly: “Elder, please don’t misunderstand. My disciple and I have come seeking someone. We humbly ask your assistance.”

With that, Jue Ming clasped his hands again, bowed slightly, his demeanor deeply respectful.

Beside him, the young monk Kong Chan opened his clear eyes and nodded earnestly with every word his master spoke.

Gong Zhen was puzzled but dared not be careless. He returned the bow. “May I ask, Venerable Master, what is the name of the person you seek? Is he or she within Jin Leizong?”

Jue Ming clasped his hands, his fingers lightly turning prayer beads beneath his robe: “I do not know his name, nor even whether he is male or female.”

Gong Zhen: “...”

Are you mocking me?

“Elder, please don’t misinterpret,” Jue Ming said. A flash of white light appeared in his sleeve, and a plain white paper unfolded in his palm.

With a thread of golden light Ningju at his fingertip, spiritual power flowed like ink, and in moments, three lines of cinnabar script appeared.

“Might I ask you to present this note to your Sect Master? If anyone can answer these three questions, I shall reward you generously.”

Gong Zhen, puzzled, took the paper and glanced at it.

【Attachment is a lock—how to unlock it?】

【Where is the other shore?】

【All beings suffer—how to save them?】

“Please, Elder, help us!” Jue Ming turned his palm, and a perfectly transparent supreme spirit stone appeared, which he offered forward.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Gong Zhen stepped back sharply, stunned.

What had he just seen? A monk bribing him?

This shattered his entire understanding of Buddhist cultivators.

When did alms-giving reverse itself?

Jue Ming smiled. “I am asking you for a favor—isn’t that only natural?”

Gong Zhen: “...”

“Isn’t this how ordinary cultivators operate?” Kong Chan chimed in brightly, his round face earnest. “We understand the rules.”

Jue Ming smiled, stepped forward, and slipped the supreme spirit stone into Gong Zhen’s hand.

“Amitabha. We beg your help!” Jue Ming said.

Gong Zhen’s face flushed awkwardly—he felt strangely uneasy.

But he still took the spirit stone. After all, no one turns down such things.

“Wait here a moment—I’ll report this immediately!” Gong Zhen bowed and hurried off.

Seeing this, the young monk Kong Chan grinned happily. “Master, it really works! Otherwise, we’d have been turned away.”

Jue Ming smiled. “Indeed. There’s a saying among mortals: money can make a ghost turn a millstone. If we didn’t offer anything, they’d just go through the motions—we’d have wasted our trip.”

Kong Chan nodded eagerly, then looked forward with anticipation. “I wonder if the Buddha Child is here?”

“We don’t know. We can only rely on luck. After all, in the Eastern Domain of Lingyun Prefecture, these five sects accept the most disciples—we have the best chance here,” Jue Ming mused.

Then the master and disciple stood quietly by the gate, clouds swirling around them—yet naturally parted three feet away, strangely so.

Soon, a young man with sharp brows and starlit eyes strode out, followed by two elder elders with white hair hanging to their chests.

The young man bowed. “I am Lei Lie. I greet you, Venerable Master. My master is currently in seclusion; I am temporarily overseeing Jin Leizong’s affairs.”

Jue Ming was slightly surprised, but when he saw Lei Lie’s expression, his face changed instantly; Kong Chan beside him also widened his eyes and blurted out: “Grievance energy...”

Before he could finish, Jue Ming lightly elbowed him, forcing him to swallow the rest of his words.

Jue Ming immediately suppressed his odd expression, clasped his hands together, and said: “Greetings, Master Lei. Might I trouble you for a few days to assist this monk in finding the one who can solve the riddle in this note?”

“Please, Master!” Lei Lie stepped aside to grant passage, his manners impeccable.

The two Grand Elders, however, wore grave expressions; as veteran Nascent Soul realm peak cultivators, they had just now been unable to sense even the faintest trace of Jue Ming’s cultivation base—he was unfathomable.

“Thank you, Master Lei!” Jue Ming expressed his gratitude, and the group entered together.

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(End of Chapter)