Chapter 271

Kong Xuan looked at Nezha, unconcerned.

"You are no match for me."

Nezha was equally unimpressed, "You have merely lived many more years than us; what is there to be proud of?"

As they were talking, Kong Xuan felt as if a knife had been very suddenly plunged into his heart.

"You!"

A faint, dark, smug smile played on the corners of Nezha's mouth. He was someone who had walked all the way with Tang An. Not liking to talk and not being influenced by those around him were two different things.

"What are you two doing?" Tang An ran over to join the fun.

Kong Xuan looked at Tang An and suddenly changed his mind. "What you said just now, does it still count?"

"Hmm?" Tang An didn't understand for a moment which sentence Kong Xuan was referring to.

As for whether it counted or not, it entirely depended on her mood.

"You asked me if I was interested in standing on the same side as you and playing that game."

"Now I have decided; this matter is very interesting, and I am willing to stand on the same side as you, Fellow Daoist."

Tang An didn't understand; she had spent so much effort, and Kong Xuan hadn't agreed. Now that she had given up, Kong Xuan had figured it out on his own?

"Nezha, what did you say to him just now?" Could it be that Nezha had provoked him?

Before Nezha could speak, Kong Xuan flashed to Tang An's side.

He grabbed Tang An's shoulder with his hand, "But if you want me to join your camp, there are conditions."

Tang An crossed her arms over her chest, "Selling a kidney is fine, selling myself is not."

Kong Xuan shook his head speechlessly and said to Sun Wukong and Yang Jian, "I will not harm her; I will return shortly."

Saying this, he took Tang An away.

Where he took her, no one knew.

Nezha wanted to chase after them but was stopped by Yang Jian. "Third Brother. Master gave us a look before she left, telling us to wait here."

"Don't be impatient. Come, have some tea to cool your temper."

Yang Jian thought this was also quite good; a little stimulation, and who knows, maybe the kid would figure things out on his own one day.

Nezha felt stifled in his heart; he unhappily put down his Fire-Tipped Spear and drank several cups of tea in a row.

At the peak of a certain cliff.

Here, flowers were everywhere, spring was in full bloom, and looking out, the cliff connected to the sky, and one could see the majestic and rolling mountain ranges; it was truly a breathtaking view.

Tang An sat down in the sea of flowers; clearly, her temperament and the atmosphere here were a bit out of place.

"Fellow Daoist Kong Xuan, are you about to spread your tail?"

Very good, the first peacock in heaven and earth to spread its tail must be even more beautiful than any mortal peacock.

Kong Xuan didn't argue with Tang An and instead sat down beside her.

Seeing him sit down, Tang An simply bit on a small pink flower and lay down in the sea of flowers.

Her ankles dangled carelessly, as if she were admiring the scenery, or as if she were treating Kong Xuan as invisible.

"I once had a close friend."

Tang An didn't speak, but closed her eyes, treating Kong Xuan's words as a bedtime story.

Kong Xuan glanced at Tang An and continued to himself, "When the Investiture of the Gods Great Tribulation began, she couldn't escape her destined tribulation, and from then on, her body perished and her Dao vanished; within the Three Realms, her traces could no longer be found."

"When I learned of the Western Heaven's conspiracy, I wanted to swallow Rulai into my belly to vent the evil in my heart. But by a twist of fate, I swallowed the Black Lotus instead."

"Rulai was no match for me, but he took advantage of the Black Lotus taking root in my body to break out of my belly."

"I was seriously injured and no match for him; he wanted to kill me, but hindered by the Heavenly Dao's fixed numbers, he was stopped by the Burning Lamp Ancient Buddha. From then on, he forcibly converted me into one of Lingshan's followers and titled me the Peacock Great Wisdom King Bodhisattva."

"I know my grudge against Lingshan and my grudge against Rulai. So for so many years, I have fed the Black Lotus with my own heart demons, attempting to urge the Great Tribulation to arrive a day earlier."

"Even if it costs me my life and Dao, I am willing."

Tang An opened her eyes, her gaze exceptionally clear.

"You won't die."

Kong Xuan turned his head excitedly to meet Tang An's gaze, but that gaze seemed like her yet not her, making him feel both excited and disappointed, very contradictory.

"Fellow Daoist Kong Xuan, there is no need to play 'substitute literature' with me."

"My name is Tang An, Tang from Tang Zhenzhu, An from peace and safety."

"Whoever Fellow Daoist Kong Xuan mistakes me for, that is your business. But I, Tang An, am just Tang An."

Kong Xuan turned away and smiled bitterly in helplessness.

"It seems you know everything."

"I just know my own origins; it doesn't mean I know everything."

Tang An stood up and looked at the sunset illuminating the mountain peak; the beautiful scenery before her was like a painting, making one linger, and also stirring up a sense of melancholy.

"I don't know how many people's schemes are still on me."

"I don't know why a life that should have perished has returned to this world."

"I don't know how far I can go, nor do I know how many enemies and tribulations lie on the road ahead."

"It's just that I am unwilling to be a pawn, and I always want to try to be the one who plays the game."

Saying this, Tang An stood up and looked at the clouds.

"Fellow Daoist Kong Xuan, if you are willing to help, Tang An is deeply grateful."

"If you wish to stay out of it and be free and unfettered, Tang An also wishes you success in achieving your wish."

She faced Kong Xuan, "It's just that I have to keep moving forward, even if it's a cliff, even if there is no path to the sky and no boat to cross the sea."

"I am willing to open a path when I see a mountain, build a ladder when I see the sky, and use bitterness as a boat when I see the sea. Although the road ahead is long and unknown, with perseverance and firm belief, there will always be a day when I reach the end."

"Isn't that so?"

Kong Xuan also looked at the mountains, rivers, and sea of clouds. The waves in his heart were no different from the wind and clouds before him.

"Good."

"Good?"

"She once asked me if I was willing to join the Jie Sect. I didn't agree, or rather, I hadn't made up my mind, and so I forever owed her an answer."

"I know your purpose; you came with the intention of winning me over."

"Let's just say that I am belatedly answering her, willing to join the Jie Sect and help you start your cause."

Tang An and Kong Xuan looked into each other's eyes; the thoughts and emotions within were all complex.

"I am not her; if you agree, I will only use you."

Kong Xuan laughed, "Will you harm me?"

"..." Tang An was silent for a moment and said, "No."

Kong Xuan produced a wine flask, tilted his head, and drank wildly. "Then, that is enough."

"Even if you are not her, even if you are just Tang An."

"For me, standing with someone who won't harm me is safer than standing with a group of hypocritical Buddhas."

"Isn't that so?"

Tang An was speechless.

Five-colored light appeared in Kong Xuan's hand, and a fan made of peacock feathers appeared, with beautiful five-colored clouds flowing on it.

"Keep it; it can be used for self-defense, and it can also be a lethal weapon."

"If you are in trouble, I will definitely appear to help."

After saying this, without waiting for Tang An to agree or refuse, he directly waved his hand and sent Tang An and the fan away together.

This time, he would never watch her get into trouble again.

Even if she wasn't her, Kong Xuan knew she was still her.

Whether in the past or now, for him, it was just a change of skin.

She, in fact, had never changed.