Died of Excessive Joy

Shoushan Town wasn't large, but it had everything it needed.

All trades and professions were represented.

Even the entertainment districts, typically found only in large cities, were present here.

Jinglan Street was the place where such fleeting pleasures gathered.

As it happened, there was a gambling house on this street called Guangyuan.

It operated day and night without rest.

Around the time the sun was high in the sky today, a rare sight appeared: a Daoist priest, barely out of his teens.

This Daoist priest was incredibly handsome, with fair skin and a noble aura. His simple blue robe only enhanced his appearance, making him look like a true master.

Unfortunately, coming to such a corrupt place only tarnished the reputation of the Three Pure Ones.

The gamblers in the house, seeing someone so unusual, couldn't help but stare.

Upon closer inspection, they noticed that this Daoist priest's luck had hit rock bottom.

After sitting down, he lost every single bet.

In the time it took for an incense stick to burn, he had already lost a string of copper coins.

"Oh dear, the little Daoist is having a really bad day!"

"Little Daoist, you shouldn't gamble anymore. Once luck turns, it's like a mountain collapsing; you can't turn the tide."

The onlookers murmured amongst themselves. Seeing the Daoist priest's delicate features, several gamblers felt a surge of sympathy and urged him to stop.

"You don't know anything! The worse your luck gets, the more you should gamble. This is called 'when misfortune reaches its extreme, good fortune comes'!"

As everyone was chattering, a fierce voice cut through the noise.

Following the sound, they saw the notorious Chai family's three brothers had arrived.

The one leading the group had a broad back and a burly waist, looking as imposing as a clay Vajra in a dilapidated temple, inspiring immense awe.

—It was Old Biaozi of the Chai family!

He slammed his hand on the table, driving away the gamblers who were playing with the Daoist priest. "Go on, go on. You've been playing for so long, it's time to let us have a turn."

Those three gamblers were on a winning streak and naturally unwilling to leave.

But seeing that it was the Chai family's three brothers, they felt a pang of fear. They had to console themselves by thinking it was best to quit while they were ahead and got up to leave.

Speaking of the Chai family's three brothers, they were quite the notorious troublemakers in Shoushan Town!

They were skilled in everything from stealing chickens to picking pockets.

If you offended them, your household would never know peace.

Stolen chickens and ducks were a minor issue; the real fear was them appearing by your window in the middle of the night, scaring you to death.

"Little Daoist, as the saying goes, 'behind every dark cloud is a silver lining.' No one is lucky forever, and no one is unlucky forever. How about the three of us play a few rounds with you?"

Old Biaozi asked, but his hands were already cupping the dice cup.

"Certainly, it's a good time for a change of luck."

The little Daoist priest chuckled, completely unfazed by the string of copper coins he had lost.

"That makes sense!"

Old Biaozi's third brother grinned, winking at his two brothers, looking as if he had this unlucky fellow completely figured out.

The four men seated at the Eight Immortals table conferred briefly before placing their bets, shaking their cups, and revealing the dice simultaneously.

"Eleven! Nine! Three! Three! Oh, the little Daoist rolled high!"

"The little Daoist won!"

"Wow, has the little Daoist's luck turned?"

Some of the onlookers, eager for excitement, counted the dice. Once they finished, a wave of astonishment swept through the crowd!

The little Daoist, who had been losing for over a dozen rounds, had actually turned his luck around!

The Chai family's three brothers' faces darkened. They exchanged glances and shouted, "Again! Again!"

The little Daoist smiled faintly, paid the gambling house's commission, and placed another bet.

"Eight! Five! Five! Four! Oh, the little Daoist rolled high again!"

"Tsk tsk, his luck has truly turned."

The clamor erupted, and the shouts of "luck has turned" made the Chai family's three brothers' eyes turn red.

"Again, again!"

"..."

"Wow! The little Daoist won again!"

"What round is this?"

"I'm counting, it's the eighth round."

"Lost on this table, won on this one. Could it be that changing players actually changes luck?"

"This is what they mean by 'when luck arrives, it cannot be stopped; it can help you slay tigers and become an official'!"

Countless people in the large gambling house gathered around to witness this rare sight of consecutive losses and wins.

"Do you three want to play more?"

After the eighth round, the young Daoist priest asked the Chai family's three brothers with a smile.

"Play!"

"What? You think you can leave after winning money? No way!"

"Let's go again, again!"

The Chai family's three brothers were enraged, their eyes bloodshot, their expressions so ferocious they looked like they could devour someone!

"Very well, very well, let's go again."

The young Daoist priest nodded repeatedly.

The four placed their bets and shook the dice cups again. The moment the cups were opened, the entire place fell silent.

Spectators on the outside craned their necks, stood on tiptoe, and pushed past the shoulders of those in front of them, trying desperately to get a look.

"Three points, nine points, seventeen points, fourteen points!"

"Oh no, the little Daoist priest lost!"

"The Chai family's three brothers are about to turn their luck around!"

The onlookers inside were the first to report the results, and the crowd immediately erupted.

The Chai family's three brothers, after looking and then reading the results again, slapped their thighs excitedly and grinned wildly:

"Haha, we won!"

"It's about time our luck turned around!"

As they spoke, amidst their laughter, their expressions suddenly froze, and they slumped to the side. Upon closer inspection, their teeth were clenched, and their faces were ashen.

"Hey, hey, hey, what, what happened?"

Someone reached out to check their breathing and immediately retracted their hand as if shocked by electricity, shouting in terror.

"They're dead! The Chai, the Chai family's three brothers are dead!"

"Did they die of excessive joy?"

Hearing this, the gamblers immediately descended into chaos. Those in front recoiled in fear, while those behind crowded in excitedly. The collision sent people and horses tumbling.

Some even took the opportunity to snatch the copper coins on the table.

No one saw that the moment the Chai family's three brothers died suddenly, the young Daoist priest's smile vanished. He scooped up the money on the table and quietly left the gambling house.

Stepping outside, a cool breeze brushed his face, and the killing intent instantly receded.

It was as the saying goes: Why must one use swords and blades to kill? A sliver of bone can send one to the spring of death.

For the Chai family's three brothers, dying at the gambling table could be considered a fitting end.

"Pity, I didn't get to pocket anything."

Mo Chuan strolled along the street, a hint of regret on his lips, but a faint joy blooming in his heart.

Killing was not the source of his joy; his joy stemmed from his successful enlightenment.

He had merely tried it out casually, never expecting that the Art of Ascending and Copying could actually amplify the ethereal concept of luck.

It was truly an unexpected delight!

"In that case, the saying about luck and destiny isn't just an empty phrase, is it?"

Mo Chuan mused, his footsteps unwavering as he headed towards Eagle Strike Cliff in Shoushan.

As for the matter of killing three people with a flick of his finger just moments ago, it felt as insignificant as brushing away dust with a whisk, hardly worth a second thought.

Speaking of Eagle Strike Cliff, it was located in the far west of Shoushan and could be reached via a small path on Lone Cloud Peak. However, this place was considered one of Shoushan's rare forbidden zones.

The reason was none other than the ferocity of the hawks and falcons.

They would tuck their wings and dive, fast as arrows, skimming close to the ground. Their sharp talons could shatter a skull and bring about death.

Therefore, stone quarry workers rarely ventured here to search for unusual stones.

Mo Chuan walked along the mountain path, seeing that it was rarely frequented. He decided to drop his concealment and, using the Art of Ascending and Copying, moved as lightly as a swallow, traversing the rugged mountain path as if walking on level ground.

In just an hour, he reached Eagle Strike Cliff.

What was called a cliff looked more like a massive rift valley!

However, the rocks on the opposite bank sloped upwards, covered in a lush growth of flowers and trees. The verdant foliage, in turn, made Eagle Strike Cliff appear even more steep and terrifying.

Mo Chuan's eyesight was astonishing.

With the intention of searching, he circled the base of the cliff and quickly pinpointed his target.

The fruit tree was rooted on the sheer cliff face. Perhaps due to the lack of competition for sunlight, it had grown in a peculiar and striking manner. Through its sparse branches and leaves, a few unripe fruits could be faintly seen, hidden among the lush green foliage.

"It doesn't look ripe yet?"

"Ah well, if it ripens, it won't be able to enter this Daoist priest's belly."

Mo Chuan took a breath, slightly bent his knees, and leaped up fiercely. With the Art of Ascending and Copying, he shot up like an arrow, soaring straight into the sky!

Looking down, he had already leaped ten feet high.

When he started to descend, he lightly tapped his toes on the cliff face, and his body immediately rose again like a soaring swan, drifting up as if riding the wind.

The hundred-foot sheer cliff was like walking on level ground for him!

In just a few breaths, he neared the fruit tree. As he reached out to pick it, a thought crossed his mind, and his gaze swept across the sky.

He saw a gray streak flash across the sky, attacking like a swooping eagle!

Mo Chuan, who was prepared, calmly brought his hands together. A pair of bronze nabo suddenly appeared from his palms.

"Clang—"

A sound that pierced the clouds and split the rocks erupted!

Blinding golden malevolent energy blazed from his palms, trying to rival the sun!

For a moment, the sky was clear, and the mountains and wilderness fell silent.

The hunting falcon, which had been like lightning and an arrow guarding the tree, lost its stealthy, wind-chasing posture and fell directly from the sky.

"A god... a deity..."

At the same time, in the lush green mountain forest, a team of stone quarry workers heard the sound and looked up. What they saw made their eyes widen in astonishment, and they cried out in disbelief.