At this moment, Wang Ping felt his scalp tingle slightly.
However, before any emotions could fully surface, he suppressed them using his formidable spiritual sense. The expression he finally presented was one of complete bewilderment.
“Good disciple? Me?”
Admittedly, he hadn’t changed before and after his resurrection. But due to the age difference and his deliberate concealment, their appearances weren’t actually that similar.
At least, not to the point of being recognized at a glance.
Furthermore, his previous self died in broad daylight. The corpse was probably buried right there. With such ironclad proof, who would think he had actually resurrected?
There were plenty of people in the world who looked alike.
This old fogey is probably bluffing me… I’ll deny it to the death!
As Wang Ping pondered, Shouchong’s expression on the other side remained completely impassive. He merely chuckled softly, then shut his mouth.
The next second, the voice rang in Wang Ping’s ears again.
“Good disciple, no need to deny it.”
“Others might not recognize you, but I am not among them.”
“Besides, returning from the dead isn’t a rarity in this world. Many Venerables possess this ability. Your Master experienced it once years ago as well.”
Wang Ping felt increasingly surprised. The only thing he felt somewhat thankful for was that Shouchong didn’t speak openly this time, seemingly using a secret sound transmission technique to communicate with him.
Even so, the feeling of his unexpected secret being suddenly exposed made him grit his teeth secretly.
Meanwhile, Shouchong continued speaking:
“Clearly, you, like me, received the compassion of a certain Venerable… But what surprises me is, how did you become a county yamen constable?”
At this point, Shouchong looked at Wang Ping.
His expression was incredibly gentle. Wang Ping couldn’t sense an ounce of malice, only abundant goodwill. He asked just like that, “So? Can you tell me?”
“Which Venerables bestowed compassion upon you?”
“Mine is 【Bodhisattva of Compassion for All Life】.”
Wang Ping didn’t answer right away. Instead, he remained silent, rapidly organizing his thoughts. Finally, he arrived at a conclusion that allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief:
He doesn’t know!
His resurrection after death was based on the mighty power of 【The Taiping Classic】. As for ‘Venerables’ or 【Bodhisattva of Compassion for All Life】, Wang Ping knew absolutely nothing about them.
What the hell is that?
Wang Ping felt something was off. Judging by Shouchong’s words, at least within his understanding, these so-called ‘Venerables’ were capable of bringing people back from the dead.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
Isn’t this wretched place just a simple martial arts world? Why does it sound like the waters are quite deep! Wang Ping’s mind raced, formulating countermeasures.
He couldn’t let this old bastard maintain the initiative any longer.
With this thought, Wang Ping finally spoke up: “Speaking of which, didn’t the White Lotus Cult’s destiny largely dissipate?”
Hearing this, Shouchong’s voice stalled instantly. But he quickly recovered and smiled. “Just a little destiny. It’s not particularly important.”
Wang Ping nodded slightly. “You’re anxious.”
“…….”
Shouchong stopped talking. Only the overwhelming sound of rain and the rumble of thunder rolling across the sky remained, projecting a strong aura of slaughter.
Almost simultaneously, Wang Ping felt a jolt of alarm. His spiritual sense trembled violently, and goosebumps erupted all over his body, signaling an intense life-or-death crisis. At the exact moment he sensed this, Shouchong, who had been over a dozen paces away, arrived right in front of the carriage, his palm reaching out to grab him.
He’s making a move…!
With this grab, Wang Ping clearly saw the changes occurring across Shouchong’s entire body. Power rose from the ground, connected through the spine, and spread to the limbs. His qi and blood exploded everywhere.
It looked like a casual grab, but the force didn’t solely originate from the palm.
It came from his entire person!
Calves, thighs, liver, gallbladder, intestines, stomach, abdominal muscles, waist, back, spine… His whole body’s force loaded into his right hand like a cannonball, finally exploding outward.
Rumble!
Before the palm even connected, Wang Ping’s hair was blown back by a ferocious gale. His vision blurred briefly, and his facial muscles trembled under the wind’s force.
He wasn’t trying to grab him at all; he wanted to obliterate his head with a single palm strike!
Such a berserk smashing blow was \beyond what the current Wang Ping could withstand. All he could do was widen his eyes and clearly observe Shouchong’s movements.
He wanted to learn!
His intuition told him that mastering this method of twisting his entire body’s force into a single strand and unleashing it all at once would greatly benefit his future martial arts training.
Moreover—he didn’t believe Chen Haoyan would truly sit idly by.
After all, if he died just like this, the 【Lotus Blade】 would truly be snatched away. How then could Chen Haoyan play his game of diverting the disaster?
Regarding the outcome, his judgment was correct.
Just as Shouchong’s palm was about to smash Wang Ping to death, Wang Ping suddenly heard a “hissing” sound. Then, his field of vision abruptly zoomed out.
This wasn’t his own doing. In fact, although he clearly saw Shouchong’s force generation and movements using his spiritual sense, he couldn’t react in time at all. After all, he wasn’t a true immortal cultivator; his spiritual sense was too fragile. Furthermore, Shouchong wasn’t an ordinary mundane martial artist in the conventional sense.
What truly saved him was an external force.
The next second, Wang Ping clearly saw his savior—a pitch-black giant snake, its body as thick as a water vat and nearly ten zhang long!
Such a behemoth had silently coiled itself around the carriage, concealing its qi and blood so well that even Wang Ping’s spiritual sense hadn’t detected it beforehand!
Is this a creature that nature could possibly nurture!?
It coiled its towering serpentine body around the carriage, protecting it securely. The part that snatched Wang Ping from the jaws of certain death was the very tip of its tail.
Following that, its cold vertical pupils locked directly onto Shouchong.
An instant later, Shouchong’s palm fell without deviation as planned. Simultaneously, the black snake raised its head and fiercely crashed against it head-on!
Bang!
Bright sparks bloomed in the rainy night, only to vanish instantly. The black snake retreated, its head shaking a few times as if slightly dizzy.
On the other side, Shouchong casually took a few steps back. However, he ignored the black snake right in front of him. Instead, he looked up at the eaves of a tall building in the distance. Following his gaze, Wang Ping also spotted a figure standing on that eave, having appeared at some unknown time.
It was a strikingly handsome Daoist.
Like Shouchong, despite standing in the pouring rain, he remained completely dry. Dressed in a yin-yang Daoist robe with a smile on his lips, every gesture he made exuded composure.
“…… Wandering Spirit Perfected One?”
Shouchong slowly opened his mouth, his tone filled with surprise. “For an imperial Fangshi to voluntarily step out of their branch, the Perfected One has committed a massive taboo this time.”
On the eaves, the handsome Daoist shook his head. “Naive thinking.”
“There have never been any taboos. The reason we don’t leave our branches or step into the mortal world is simply because it isn’t worth it, nor is there any need.”
“Oh?”
Shouchong’s gaze flickered. “In other words, the Perfected One personally treading the mortal world this time means it’s worth it… May I ask, what did Chen Haoyan offer the Perfected One?”
“It couldn’t possibly be my 【Lotus Blade】, or perhaps…”
“You don’t need to trouble yourself with that.”
The Wandering Spirit Perfected One flicked his sleeve, and a jade flute appeared in his hand. His voice gained a murderous edge. “Besides, you talk too much.”
“Hahaha.”
Seeing this, Shouchong laughed heartily instead. “I see, I understand now. Excellent, Chen Haoyan. Relying on the emperor being far away, you dare to risk universal condemnation!”
At this point, Shouchong’s tone brimmed with certainty. “It’s the Longxing County Seal, isn’t it? The symbol of the Imperial Court in Longxing County, the ritual vessel used to gather the incense of the common people. Only a ritual vessel like this could tempt you, Perfected One, to the point of breaking convention and leaving your branch to deal with me personally.”
“……..”
The Wandering Spirit Perfected One didn’t answer; only the murderous intent in his eyes intensified. However, silence was also a form of confirmation. Clearly, Shouchong’s guess hit the mark.
The next second, the sound of the flute rang out.
The Wandering Spirit Perfected One brought the verdant jade flute to his lips and played softly. A melodious tune, like weeping and complaining, echoed through the rain.
Almost simultaneously, the previously still black snake seemed to receive new orders. Its massive serpentine body closed in on Shouchong once more. Opening its gaping maw, it spewed a foul, toxic mist. Its sharp fangs, capable of slicing through iron like mud, seemed intent on swallowing Shouchong whole!
In the nick of time, Shouchong pulled back and evaded. The black snake missed, its head smashing into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Yet its ferocity didn’t diminish as it continued its assault on Shouchong.
Swish, swish!
Under the rain, thunder-like white light flashed and vanished. By the time it was visible, it had already landed on the Wandering Spirit Perfected One. It was Shouchong’s specialty—the throwing knife!
Although he wasn’t using the 【Lotus Blade】, with Shouchong’s skill, even a mere leaf was lethal. The thrown knife exploded the instant it struck the Wandering Spirit Perfected One. The shattered iron fragments, imbued with internal force, bloomed like a lotus.
【A Thought Blooms】!
The Wandering Spirit Perfected One was instantly engulfed. The shockwave even blasted the rain upward. This sight reminded Wang Ping of the rockery shattering that day.
However, he quickly realized something.
No blood…!
The so-called 【A Thought Blooms】 didn’t just describe the throwing knife’s speed and power; it also described the scene after the strike. A drawn blade must draw blood.
But now, Wang Ping saw no blood.
In other words, this strike failed to achieve its merit.
The next second, the churning rainwater finally fell, the dust cleared, and the scene became clear again. As expected, the Wandering Spirit Perfected One stood in place completely unharmed.
“Insignificant tricks…”
The handsome Daoist seemingly sneered with a twist of his lips. He then played the jade flute with greater force, driving the black snake to relentlessly attack Shouchong.
However, right at that moment, a loud bang suddenly interrupted the rainy night battle.
Rumble!
The sound came from afar. Specifically, it came from Wang Ping’s destination, the Shenghua District in the east of the city, originating from that very 【Wandering Spirit Temple】.
Instantly, the previously composed Wandering Spirit Perfected One’s expression drastically changed. Ignoring even Shouchong, he immediately turned to look at the 【Wandering Spirit Temple】. Upon seeing the fire and smoke billowing from it, his expression almost froze. It took him a moment to force out a sound:
“……Chen Haoyan?”
For the first time, his voice carried anger, along with a hint of unbelievable shock. Conversely, Shouchong maintained his ‘just as I expected’ expression.
“Just as I thought.”
“Since he even dared to gamble with the Longxing County Seal, trespassing into a Fangshi branch is hardly surprising. Perfected One, you’ve been played by him this time!”
The Wandering Spirit Perfected One ignored him, no longer caring about the Longxing County Seal in the carriage. He immediately turned to rush back, but Shouchong blocked his path.
Their roles abruptly reversed.
“Are you accomplices?” The Wandering Spirit Perfected One’s tone was icy.
“Not really.”
Shouchong shook his head and said faintly, “We just happened to think the same thing. So I can’t let you, Perfected One, go back now and ruin the good show.”
“The long night is fleeting. Perfected One, please stay here and have a good chat with me. I am very interested in Fangshi. Going back tomorrow morning won’t be too late.”
“You’re courting death!”
Under the rain, Shouchong, the Wandering Spirit Perfected One, and the towering black snake clashed once more. The sound of their collision even eclipsed the thunder in the sky, rumbling loudly.
During the battle, their figures tangled and rapidly moved further away.
Chen Haoyan, Shouchong, the Wandering Spirit Perfected One.
Every single one of them had grand schemes, but because of this, they all forgot that there was a nobody inside the carriage at this very moment.
…………
Wang Ping opened his eyes.
“So that’s it.”
Only now did he truly understand Chen Haoyan’s plot.
Diverting the disaster to deal with Shouchong was just the surface of the plan. It was deliberately spoken and acted out for outsiders to see. A smokescreen.
The Longxing County Seal served this purpose. The incense of the common people? The Wandering Spirit Perfected One needs this desperately. Chen Haoyan used it to tempt him into action… However, this is the true ‘luring the snake out of its hole’. It’s just that the target wasn’t Shouchong; it was the Wandering Spirit Perfected One!
And the result was flawless.
The Wandering Spirit Perfected One was lured out and entangled with Shouchong, leaving the 【Wandering Spirit Temple】 empty and allowing Chen Haoyan to seize the opportunity to break in.
“…..Hmph.”
Thinking of this, Wang Ping sneered. Obviously, since Chen Haoyan laid out this plan, he treated Wang Ping as an utter, disposable pawn.
A slim chance of survival?
In his plan, Wang Ping’s death was a certainty from beginning to end!
The only reason I’m still alive is because his plan had a flaw… Shouchong, that old bastard seemed to have thought of the same thing.
Therefore, Shouchong, who should have been determined to get the 【Lotus Blade】, didn’t even attempt to take it since the Wandering Spirit Perfected One had voluntarily abandoned it. Instead, he raced against time to stop the Wandering Spirit Perfected One from returning, creating a window of opportunity that allowed Wang Ping to survive.
Because, I’m not worth mentioning.
Irrelevant to the big picture. Whether it was Chen Haoyan, Shouchong, or the Wandering Spirit Perfected One, they could squash him anytime they pleased.
“These animals…”
Wang Ping gritted his teeth. Looking at the 【Lotus Blade】 and the Longxing County Seal inside the hollow stand before him, he gained a clearer understanding of Chen Haoyan’s thoughts.
“That guy probably never intended to truly give away the Longxing County Seal from the start. He knew that the moment something went wrong at the 【Wandering Spirit Temple】, the Wandering Spirit Perfected One would definitely abandon everything to rush back. And Shouchong’s target was the 【Lotus Blade】; he didn’t even know the Longxing County Seal was hidden in the carriage.”
Therefore, the Longxing County Seal would ultimately return safely to his hands.
And as long as this item wasn’t lost in the end, even if it was handed over midway or nearly lost, it would just be a trivial matter resulting in a slap on the wrist.
As for the death in the line of duty of a young constable, it wouldn’t even count as an incident.
If I run now, I might survive.
Despite saying this, Wang Ping didn’t move. He didn’t even leave the carriage. He just sat there silently, then let out a long breath.
He couldn’t swallow this anger.
Transmigrating for twenty years, joining the White Lotus Cult for survival, acting as an undercover agent for the county yamen, walking on thin ice at every step, only to be betrayed and have the bridge burned.
Before getting a cheat, I swallowed this anger.
After getting a cheat, do I still have to swallow it?
Then didn’t I transmigrate for nothing!??
At this thought, Wang Ping suddenly reached out. One hand grabbed the 【Lotus Blade】, and the other smashed the saber stand, retrieving the Longxing County Seal.
He then looked around.
“No one wants these? Then I’ll be taking them.”
The surroundings were dead silent.
The next second, Wang Ping finally stopped hiding. Activating 【The Taiping Classic】, he grabbed both treasures and instantly sacrificed them, making them vanish without a trace.
“They’re mine!”