Chapter 182: You

"Good fellow, with such thick ghost qi and demon qi, this can't be a Buddhist temple at all—it's more like a great demon's lair than even the Bliss Tower!"

Li Ge Xiao drew the embroidered Spring Blade at his waist and silently guarded Chu Yang from the front.

Although his strength was inferior to Chu Yang's, he still had to fulfill his duty.

Lu Xiaofeng watched the scene pensively.

Hua Manlou, eyes blind, focused entirely on the faint chanting, whispered, "That's the voice of a temple maiden reciting sutras for her mother; I heard she's Qian Laoda's daughter…"

"Huh?" Li Ge Xiao was startled. "A demon who works for a tiger has such a filial daughter?"

Lu Xiaofeng pointed at him and laughed, "As her father's killer, you have no right to say anything."

Li Ge Xiao smacked his lips, "Kill the father and then go after the daughter—I'm truly ruthless."

Hua Manlou shook his head, "Right and wrong, good and evil are still unclear; Hero Li, you shouldn't jump to conclusions. I've met that maiden once; she doesn't seem like someone from Qian Laoda's circle."

Chu Yang waved his hand, "Let's go in first; whether they're human or ghost, we have to see with our own eyes."

The four slowly entered Yunjian Temple, and as soon as they stepped through the gate, a wave of resentment and ghost qi slammed into them. Seeing this, Li Ge Xiao drew his blade and struck, but a surge of sword qi burst through the resentment and death qi.

"Your technique is novel—using a blade move but triggering sword qi. It's been years; how have your martial skills improved so much?"

Lu Xiaofeng stared at Li Ge Xiao in amazement; in his impression, Li Ge Xiao suffered a hidden illness, his martial skill barely a tenth of his own, far weaker than him.

But the Li before them wielded martial power as if he were a different person.

"You might not believe it, but on the way I met the world's number‑one swordsman Yan Nantian. He saw my extraordinary constitution and handed me all his inner power; it couldn't possibly fail!"

Li Ge Xiao looked at Lu Xiaofeng with smug satisfaction.

"Your bragging has no logic at all; before you boast again, please think it through."

Lu Xiaofeng shook his head in irritation.

"That said, where did the young master learn his skill that he could even defeat a great demon? I recall back then you couldn't even grasp a single set of the Trembling Wave Palm."

Compared with Li Ge Xiao, Lu Xiaofeng found the current Chu Yang even more outrageous; they say a three‑day separation warrants a fresh look, and Chu Yang's change has far exceeded expectations.

"You might not believe it, but on the way I met…"

"Stop, stop, stop! Hold it! Can you be a bit sincere and give a different version to keep bragging?"

Chu Yang pondered for a moment, then said, "Actually, I was a martial arts prodigy since childhood. I originally intended to mingle with you all as an ordinary person, but that only brought distance, so now I'm dropping the act and laying my cards on the table!"

Lu Xiaofeng was taken aback, "That explanation is certainly novel."

Hua Manlou, listening to their banter, let a slight smile lift his lips; being with a group of amusing people always feels entertaining, even as they delve into the tiger's den now.

Li Ge Xiao took the lead, clearing the path; with blade light and sword qi he slashed countless ominous ghost qi. Strangely, although this is a great demon's lair, the ghost qi now outweighs the demon qi.

"If that demon dies, it might turn into a demon‑ghost, with demon qi converting into ghost qi—evil upon evil!"

Lu Xiaofeng, well‑read, instantly explained the source of the sky‑filled ghost qi.

Chu Yang said, "There's more than that."

Lu Xiaofeng looked at him puzzled.

Chu Yang, however, did not explain immediately, saying, "Just keep watching."

The four pressed on and reached the Great Hall at the temple's center, the place where demon qi and ghost qi were most intense; besides that, a faint Buddha light shimmered within the hall.

The three auras intermingled, forming a barrier that firmly protected the hall.

Li Ge Xiao stepped forward, raised his blade high, gathering his knife stance; the Divine Sword Resolve within his body was simultaneously triggered, sword qi and blade intent swirling endlessly, and the void manifested a blade and a sword, their humming like a tsunami.

The blade and sword shot out together like two dazzling auroras, barreling straight toward the solemn Great Hall! The three auras outside the hall descended, clashed with the weapons, spawning bizarre phenomena that emitted eerie howls as if they were living things.

With a thunderous boom, the main gate burst open; the gold‑painted doors fell to either side, revealing the interior of the hall.

Except for Hua Manlou, the other three wore strange expressions.

The dying red‑powder skull lay in the old abbot's arms, the two of them whispering sweetly like a loving couple, while a maiden knelt beside them, tears streaming as she chanted Buddhist sutras.

The scene was absurdly eerie!

"Amitabha, all benefactors, please wait a moment. I, the old monk, will perform a transference for my deceased wife first, then take the dead."

The old abbot's face showed compassion.

"Deceased wife?" Lu Xiaofeng exclaimed in shock. "Is this skull demon your wife?"

The old abbot nodded, "It is the transformation of my late wife's remains."

Li Ge Xiao barked coldly, "A monk shouldn't have a wife; I think this demon‑monk has fallen into demonic ways and should be beheaded!"

Having said that, Li Ge Xiao thrust his blade forward, about to kill the old abbot of Yunjian Temple.

"Don't kill my father!"

The chanting abruptly ceased; the maiden, panicked, blocked the old abbot, tears streaming as she pleaded desperately.

"Huh? He's your father? Then who is Qian Laoda?"

Li Ge Xiao's movement froze; a new wave rose before the previous settled, sending his mind into a short‑circuit.

The maiden whispered, "My mother struggled through a difficult birth to bring me into the world; after she passed, my father buried her beneath a locust tree outside the temple, placed me in the care of the Qian shopkeeper, and then I became a monk at Yunjian Temple."

Hua Manlou added, "The locust tree gathers yin energy; your mother's remains thus became a spirit‑possessed demon, but you and your father should know that the red‑powder skull is not your mother at all!"

The maiden cried, "Father loved mother deeply, his heart fell into a demonic obstruction, stubborn and unrepentant."

Hua Manlou sighed, "That's why he aided Zhou in his cruelty…"

Lu Xiaofeng suddenly asked, "Where does all the ghost qi and resentment in Yunjian Temple come from?"

The maiden's frail body kept trembling.

Chu Yang glanced at her and said coldly, "Probably all the high monks of Yunjian Temple were fed into a monster's belly by her father; otherwise, how did those thirty‑six Buddha relics appear?"

The maiden collapsed, her whole demeanor dazed.

Li Ge Xiao shouted angrily, "What a cursed obstacle!"

The old abbot clutched the red‑powder skull's hand bones, as if ignoring them, muttering continuously, "Those relics were never yours; you can't refine them, and you only hinder your cultivation."

"Take me then; I still have a relic here. I'm different from them; I share a heart with you as a couple."

The Red Powder Skeleton, clinging to life, heard the words, suddenly opened its eyes, and a fierce light burst forth in its eyes!

"Not good!" Lu Xiaofeng hurriedly spoke to stop it, "That monster still wants to eat people!"

"Father!"

The girl screamed as she tried to get up, but Hua Manlou grabbed her.

Li Ge Xiao drew his blade to strike, while Chu Yang beside him watched coldly.

Unexpectedly, the Red Powder Skeleton did not strike, but instead took on its former appearance and gently touched the old abbot's face.

His soul fled and his spirit scattered.

In the end, the Red Powder Skeleton did not kill the old abbot, exceeding everyone's expectations; even Chu Yang was somewhat surprised.

"If there remains a trace of kindness in one's heart, why can't it spare others?"

Hua Manlou murmured softly, his eyes full of confusion.

No one could answer his question, for kindness is never simply black and white. Some utterly vicious bandits in the world, after returning home and closing the door, may become good children to their parents, loving spouses to their wives or husbands, and beloved parents to their children.

Their kindness toward family and cruelty toward strangers often form a stark contrast.

As the skeleton great demon died, the thirty-six Buddha bone relics inside her rolled onto the ground.

The old abbot clung to a heap of ashes, blankly staring at these relics.

Actually, from the very beginning, only his relics alone would have sufficed to meet the great demon's cultivation needs.

But she was unwilling.

It was precisely this reluctance that made the old abbot believe the great demon was his wife's illusion.

When the demonic thought arose in his heart, it was already too late to say anything.

"My sins can only be purged by going to Avici Hell; greed, anger, and ignorance arise in a single thought. I hope all benefactors will not fall into the demonic path as I have. Amitabha."

Having spoken these words, the old monk's head drooped, and he instantly lost his breath.

"Father!"

The girl let out a scream, threw herself onto the old monk's body, and cried until she fainted.

After all, the most pitiful is her; the only thing the old monk could do was to use his death to carry away all karmic obstacles, giving his daughter a chance to live a pure and innocent life.

Lu Xiaofeng picked up the thirty-six Buddha bone relics, intending to pocket them, but was stopped by the sharp-eyed and quick-handed Li Ge Xiao.

"When will you fix that nasty habit you learned from Sikong Zhaixing? Is this yours? Are you just going to keep it?"

Li Ge Xiao snatched the Buddha bone relics away in annoyance.

"Don't mention that bastard to me; we were captured together, but only he escaped, with not a shred of righteousness!"

Lu Xiaofeng gritted his teeth and swore that next time he saw Sikong Zhaixing he would give him a good beating.

"I think he went to get reinforcements, but after leaving he couldn't find the way back to Jile Lou, which is hidden by a natural illusionary formation; only someone who has been there once would surely get lost."

Hua Manlou explained from the side.

"Perhaps..."

Lu Xiaofeng nodded, said nothing more, and also hoped that was the case.

Li Ge Xiao handed all the Buddha bone relics to Chu Yang, asking softly, "Young master, how should we handle the old monk's relics?"

Chu Yang shook his head, "Leave them to this young lady; she surely wishes to bury her parents together."

Upon hearing this, the girl lifted her head, tears in her eyes, and said, "Thank you, sir, for your righteousness."

Hua Manlou walked toward the girl following the sound and said softly, "Let me help you, but I don't know whether to call you Miss Qian or..."

The girl replied, "My father never gave me a name; Qian Shu-shu usually calls me Xia'er. My surname is Yue, and my father's true name is Yue Qing, a successor of the Lu Ban Divine Axe Sect."

"Miss Xia'er..." Hua Manlou nodded, reached out to help Yue Qing up, then kicked Lu Xiaofeng with his foot.

"Got it!" Lu Xiaofeng glared at him, then suddenly realized the other was blind and couldn't see, so he fumed while shouldering the old monk's corpse.

"This pile of ash... uh, no, shouldn't we find something to contain your mother's remains?"

Lu Xiaofeng was a bit troubled.

"Please wait a moment." Xia'er silently left the hall, went to the rear courtyard meditation room, and soon returned with an urn for ashes.

"This is what my father prepared for himself; he originally wanted to burn himself, give the relics to my mother, hoping she would walk the righteous path, but he couldn't bear to leave me, spending his life in anguish..."

Xia'er wept as she bent down to gather the ashes into the urn; just then, a sudden wind swept through the hall, wrapping up all the ashes and drawing them into the altar.

Xia'er, feeling grateful, nodded at Chu Yang.

"Huh?" Lu Xiaofeng stared in shock at Chu Yang and asked curiously, "This wind-controlling technique is a Daoist method; where did you learn it?"

Chu Yang replied calmly, "I originally intended to associate with you as an ordinary person..."

"Oh, shut up! Your words give me a headache."

Lu Xiaofeng hurriedly shouldered the corpse and ran out of the hall, while Xia'er hugged the urn and followed Hua Manlou.

After a while.

Everyone came to a spot under a locust tree.

This is the place where Xia'er's mother is buried; now they wish to bury her father here as well, but first they need to cut down the tree.

The locust tree gathers yin energy, showing signs of becoming psychic; given time, the old monk might even turn into a demon.

A monk or Daoist with some cultivation who undergoes corpse transformation is terribly frightening; even if it doesn't become a demon, it will likely become a drought demon like a hanba.

While Wangcai dug a grave for the old monk's body, Li Ge Xiao drew his embroidered spring sword and cut down the locust tree.

At the moment the locust tree was felled, a strong yin wind surged, blowing so hard that everyone could barely open their ears, the sound of the wailing yin wind like bitter crying.

"All things have spirits; to erase its spirituality in this way—how is it not tantamount to killing?"

Hua Manlou shook his head and sighed.

Chu Yang said, "If not for this incident, letting it grow like that outside the temple would be fine, but now that it has caused harm, it cannot be allowed to live."

Hua Manlou seemed to disagree with Chu Yang's view, countering, "The transformation of Lady Yue's remains into a demon is not the fault of this locust tree; it was merely an accident. Humans and demons coexist in heaven and earth, and neither side has the right to deprive the other of living space."

Chu Yang's expression gradually turned indifferent. "Your idea may be correct, but now the Human Race is declining; a moment's carelessness could bring about its downfall, so in all our actions we must put people first."

"If one day the demons have no foothold in the human world, I might consider giving them what little goodwill I have."

"Before that, whether great demon or demon monster, I will only see one and kill one."

Wang Cai, who was digging a hole, shivered violently, his movements instantly becoming much more vigorous, almost digging out a two-bedroom, one-living-room tomb for the old monk.

Hua Manlou listened to Chu Yang's words, filled with killing intent, and for a long time could not think of a rebuttal, because what he said was the righteousness of the Human Race, and it was fundamentally correct.

If not for the demon monster turmoil, the great war between humans and demons would be inevitable, ending only when one side has no chance of a comeback.

Against this backdrop, anyone with a shred of conscience would not empathize with the Demon Race.

"I misspoke."

Hua Manlou let out a heavy sigh.

The atmosphere became extremely oppressive due to their argument.

Both sides were friends; Lu Xiaofeng, caught in the middle, rolled his eyes and chuckled, saying, "Chu Eldest Young Master, back when we drank flower wine in the brothel, I never saw you so concerned for the country and the people—how come you now seem like a completely different person?"

"Even if you really are a prince, you're not the emperor—what does the world's populace have to do with you? If the sky falls, the emperor will still be holding it up!"

"Could it be that you still want to rebel…"

Lu Xiaofeng finished speaking and burst out laughing, but no one echoed him for a long time.

He stopped, embarrassed, and discovered that Li Ge Xiao was staring at him with a very strange expression.

Lu Xiaofeng swallowed hard.

Damn it.

Surely I didn't just hit the mark, did I?

(End of chapter)