Chapter 167

Everyone felt quite shameless.

In Wu Tie's stone lodge, a group sat around the fireplace, drinking piping hot liquor, none uttering a sound.

Wa Yao, Gongsun Sheng, and the young masters of the great clans who Wa Yao beguiled into attacking Wu Tie.

There are quite a few troubles, but Wa Mu bore them all.

"Not even wanting one's own mother..." After a long silence, Yan Hanlu shook his head and sighed: "Her mother has really been screwed over."

Wu Tie smiled, but said nothing.

Having a daughter like Wa Yao, Wa Xiu truly got screwed over miserably.

Over the years, the Wa clan has also seen several talented clan women mysteriously disappear. Previously we thought they were abducted by some major force's covert operatives, but now it seems there might be another possibility.

One of the birth mothers of those clan women is an Elder of the Wa clan who cultivates in seclusion, high seniority, strong ability, good rapport; moreover her husband also comes from a prestigious clan and is now its head. Their own daughter's mysterious disappearance likely means she was either 'offered as a sacrifice' or 'sold'……

Wa Yao ran away cleanly; one can imagine what fate Wa Xiu now faces.

Especially Wu Tie discovered that his mother was not broad-minded, but rather petty. Originally Wa Mu and Wa Xiu had deep enmity; now Wa Xiu has willingly taken on that huge black pot… hehe.

"Just, why did they flee at that time?" Wu Tie narrowed his eyes: "Wa Yao aside, she hasn't suffered much. But Gongsun Sheng—I saw with my own eyes—he was tortured terribly under harsh punishment."

"Why didn't they flee earlier?" Wu Tie pondered, nodding: "Perhaps their plea for the so-called heavenly divine artifact's power also comes with various limitations; it's not something they can use at will."

"This junior's words make sense." The door of the stone lodge's living room was pushed open; the Six Paths Palace Master, standing nearly three meters tall, stood in the doorway and spoke in a deep, resonant voice.

Tie Dajian, sitting by the fireplace, sprang up abruptly; he stared blankly at the Six Paths Palace Master for a moment, palms together, about to bow and pay respects, when he suddenly recalled that, having violated the precepts by killing someone on the street in Long Dragon City, he had already been expelled from the Six Paths Palace.

He sighed, lowered his hands, stepped back a few paces, and gazed deeply at the Six Paths Palace Master.

"Tie Dajian..." the Six Paths Palace Master also glanced at him: "You broke the precepts; rules are rules... you are no longer my Six Paths Palace disciple, so there's no need for such formalities."

The Six Paths Palace Master stepped in slowly; as he approached, an inexplicable solemn pressure filled the living room.

Yan Hanlu, Shi Fei, Lu Ji, Lao Bai and the others also rose to their feet, each looking at him with a hint of awe.

Wu Tie remained seated in his chair, holding his cup and looking at the Six Paths Palace Master: "Please sit; I have wine here—does the Six Paths Palace not forbid alcohol?"

The Six Paths Palace Master sat down squarely, taking the spot originally occupied by Tie Dajian, directly opposite Wu Tie across the fireplace. He picked up Tie Dajian's metal cup, nodded, and said: "No problem; aside from the absolute ascetic lineage, ordinary Six Paths Palace disciples are not forbidden from drinking."

The Six Paths Palace Master remained bare-chested, wearing only a small pair of pants made of some unknown material. His skin was jade-white all over, except his entire head had turned pitch black, his eyeballs also jet black, like two tiny black holes.

When Wu Tie locked eyes with him, there was a strange feeling as if his soul might be sucked into those sockets, his body involuntarily leaning forward slightly.

Wu Tie exhaled, shifted his gaze, grabbed the large wine jug on the fireplace, and poured a large cup for the Six Paths Palace Master.

The Six Paths Palace Master raised the cup and gulped it down in one hearty swig, then let out a heavy "Ha."

After wiping a few drops of liquor from his chin, the Six Paths Palace Master sincerely praised: "Fine wine... speaking of luxurious living, among the dozens of surrounding regions, none can surpass the Wa clan... this wine has certainly been aged for at least thirty years."

Wu Tie poured another cup for the Six Paths Palace Master, raised his cup, smiled and nodded: "Exactly, it's fine wine. My mother says that each year the great clans allied by marriage with the Wa clan send over many fine things."

"Indeed." The Six Paths Palace Master said solemnly: "Among my Six Paths Palace disciples, some also have marital ties with the Wa clan; each year they also gather many fine things to send over, being even more filial than to their own teachers."

Wu Tie gave a dry laugh.

That's not something nice to say, but he also couldn't say much more.

After all, Wu Tie's father is no different, right? He spends his days accumulating wealth, then sends it all to Wa Valley, doesn't he?

The Six Paths Palace Master finished the cup, set it down, crossed his legs on the big chair, rested his hands on his knees, and stared solemnly at Wu Tie: "Well, let's talk business. This time I brought the Eighteen Temples' Heavenly Kings to Wa Valley to settle accounts with you."

A flicker of deep, obscure light flashed in his eyes, and the Six Paths Palace Master said solemnly: "Besides, I have promised the people of the Three-Linked City-States to help them capture alive their prince who fled the country in rebellion, Gomorrah."

Mozhang Wang standing nearby began to tremble violently, his face twitching, his eyes blazing as he stared at the Six Paths Palace Master.

A last trace of lucidity remained in his mind... he knew that even if Wu Tie, Shi Fei, Yan Hanlu and the others were all lumped together, they could not possibly match the Six Paths Palace Master.

This is Wa Valley; he also could not provoke such a formidable enemy as the Six Paths Palace Master for Wu Tie's sake or the Wa clan's.

Thus he forcibly suppressed his urge, refraining from charging forward to attack the Six Paths Palace Master.

In his mind, over and over, flashed the scene of the leader of the Drifting Troupe being slain before him by the court mages of the Three-Linked City-States...

Stream after stream of light fell from the heavens; the leader, within those beams, was smashed outright into fragments, mingling with the mud and blood on the ground.

He still remembers those children, the elderly, women and children of the troupe—they were like drifting leaves, struck down, crushed, and finally merged into the earth.

Looking at the solemn Six Paths Palace Master, Mozhang Wang suddenly broke into a grin.

The corners of his mouth were pulled wide, stretching all the way down to his ears on either side, making his grin especially terrifying.

"Is the Palace Master intending to strike at me here in Wa Valley?" Wu Tie lightly tapped the armrest of the chair, his tone odd: "Although saying this sounds a bit unmanly, I really enjoy this feeling... that is... having a mother is wonderful."

"The Palace Master has suffered before, beaten up... terribly, terribly, terribly." Wu Tie gave a smirk that didn't reach his eyes, looking at the Six Paths Palace Master: "In Wa Valley, threatening the son of the current matriarch of the Wa clan—how should I respond?"

The shamaness who had been lying on Wu Tie's shoulder sat up quietly, slipped the storm-and-cloud banner into her collar, fiddled with her small hands, picked up the specially crafted miniature double-barreled hunting rifle made for her by Lu Ji, loaded two deadly cloud-burst explosive rounds into the barrel, and impolitely aimed at the Six Paths Palace Master's forehead.

The Six Paths Palace Master watched the shamaness's swift, practiced motions, and his complexion grew even darker.

Not only did his face darken, the blackness spread down his neck, nearly reaching his shoulders.

The atmosphere in the living room grew more grim and uncanny; the Six Paths Palace Master gave the impression that a demon within him was roaring, ready to tear his body apart and rush out on a killing spree at any moment.

The Six Paths Palace Master drew a deep, deep, deep breath; as he inhaled, the blackness rapidly creeping up his shoulders slowly retracted toward his head, gradually receding to the vicinity of his chin.

"Thanks to the matriarch... otherwise I might have sunk into darkness, unable to transcend." The Six Paths Palace Master said solemnly: "This time I came to find you, junior, indeed for Li Rang and the matter of the Three-Linked City-States."

"Of course, I didn't come to settle scores with you, junior."

"When I came to Wa Valley, I indeed intended to settle scores with you, junior, and even prepared to resolve things by force."

"But the Wa clan's methods are truly marvelous; the darkness within me was beaten down by Wa Mu in a thorough thrashing, forcibly suppressed, whereupon I regained my nature, perceived my true heart, and barely managed to repress the darkness within."

The Six Paths Palace Master exhaled, and a thread of extremely fine white light appeared in his eyes.

That fine white light cut across his jet-black eyeball, making his expression look even more uncanny.

"Having acceded to the Three-Linked City-States' request to let them hunt Gomorrah on Long Dragon City's turf... I have already broken the Six Paths Palace's rules." The Six Paths Palace Master said calmly: "When I return... I will relinquish the palace master's position and enter closed-door seclusion to seek transcendence."

After a deep breath, the Six Paths Palace Master said solemnly: "As for Li Rang's death, the root lies with me; it was my Six Paths Palace that first broke the rules, so you cannot be blamed... therefore, let this matter rest."

Mozhang Wang suddenly let out an earsplitting shriek, fiercely pointed at the Six Paths Palace Master; his right index finger snapped out, extending several meters, the tip nearly jabbing the Six Paths Palace Master's nose.

"Just let it rest? So many people, so many lives... so many lives!" Mozhang Wang wailed hoarsely: "So many people, so many lives..."

The Six Paths Palace Master gazed grimly at Mozhang Wang: "But even if I refused them... they would still strike."

Six Paths Palace Master said solemnly: "My mistake is that I broke the rules and precepts of the Six Paths Palace for profit, agreeing to let the Three Linked City-States act against you in Great Dragon City."

"This is my mistake; I admit it, I will also punish myself, I will relinquish the position of Palace Master, and go into closed-door seclusion."

"But the people of the Three Linked City-States will act against you; if not in Great Dragon City, then elsewhere… In Great Dragon City, there's also Little Friend Wu Tie who saved you, letting you escape pursuit smoothly, even wiping out the Three Linked City-States' pursuers."

"If it weren't in Great Dragon City but elsewhere… perhaps you are now on your way back to the Three Linked City-States?" Six Paths Palace Master shook his head, he sighed: "No, not on the way back. The main force of the Three Linked City-States will be on the road, and you might already be in the Three Linked City."

"If we were to talk about the greatest mistake… although this shouldn't be said so harshly… but the greatest mistake lies with you." Six Paths Palace Master said in a deep voice: "You should understand what you bear… you shouldn't be with them."

Countless colorful rings flashed rapidly beneath Mo Zhang Wang's skin.

His body swayed, then a mouthful of blood spurted out, and he fainted outright.

Yes, the greatest mistake is that he shouldn't be with the people of the Drifting Troupe. They are a pitiful bunch, yet they live tenaciously and strongly.

It was he who brought them the catastrophe of annihilation.

He really shouldn't stay in the Drifting Troupe. No matter how many reasons he has, he ought not to remain in the Drifting Troupe.

The troupe leader, those children, those elders, those women and children, those people familiar and friendly to Mo Zhang Wang—all died because of him.

"Excessive." Wu Tie looked at the Six Paths Palace Master: "He's already suffering greatly."

The Six Paths Palace Master looked at Wu Tie and nodded slowly: "But it's better to speak it out. It's my fault, I'll bear it; if it's not my fault, I won't admit it."

"In this world, it's either black or white, either right or wrong, black and white distinct, right and wrong distinct, absolute black and white, absolute right and wrong." Six Paths Palace Master said in a deep voice: "This is my Dao, so I must make it clear."

Wu Tie shook his head, he had Yan Han Lu and Lao Bai lift the Demon Chapter King out.

"So, Palace Master, you came to see me this time to say… that the past is settled?" Wu Tie seriously looked at the Six Paths Palace Master: "Good, to be honest, I also don't want to have another enemy like you; being able to coexist peacefully with the Six Paths Palace is the best."

"Good." The Six Paths Palace Master nodded, then he clapped his hands; when his palms parted, his left palm held a golden statue that was entirely gold-colored and over a foot tall.

That is an extremely mighty statue of a bald man, his left foot stepping on a giant dragon's head, left hand gripping the dragon's horn, right hand clenched in a fist, posing a heavy punch strike. The statue exudes mighty domineering aura, continuously emitting a scorching oppressive pressure.

"Then let me tell you the true purpose of my visit." Six Paths Palace Master looked at Wu Tie and said in a deep voice: "This is the Divine Power Relic of the 'Great Power Subduing Dragon Hand' secret technique condensed by the Six Paths Palace; upon fusion, one can directly comprehend a powerful divine ability… I want to use it to exchange for something…"

Wu Tie's heart stirred.

"Do you think I obtained something else besides the Arhat Subduing Demon Blade?" Wu Tie asked the Six Paths Palace Master directly.

"Yes… if it truly is relics of ancient Buddhist cultivators, then it couldn't be just one Arhat Subduing Demon Blade." Six Paths Palace Master stared at Wu Tie without blinking: "Or even if there truly is only one Arhat Subduing Demon Blade, I would rather believe that you have obtained even more."

"For example?" Wu Tie also stared at the Six Paths Palace Master without blinking: "Divine weapons? Miraculous medicines? Or perhaps some other peerless treasure?"

"I don't want any of them." Six Paths Palace Master bluntly said: "Those things hold no attraction for me given my status."

"What I want is scriptures, inheritance, the wisdom of Buddhist predecessors…" Six Paths Palace Master's pitch-black face showed a hint of indescribable sorrow: "The Six Paths Palace is a lineage of Buddhist cultivators… but we… have lost too much, too much… our path forward has been completely cut off."

The Six Paths Palace Master looked at Wu Tie and said softly: "What I practice is the Withering-Prosperity Zen Method… but look at my appearance, the Withering-Prosperity Zen Method has been cultivated by me into the Black-White Demonic Skill… I, all disciples of the Six Paths Palace, we now have no way forward."