"Jieyin and Zhunti... had defected to Luohu?!"
The news exploded like a thunderclap, making Lu Chen's scalp tingle.
He immediately remembered the two blows he'd landed outside Treasure Distribution Cliff. No wonder the demonic aura lingering at the back of Jieyin's head had been so hard to dispel. It turned out Jieyin's divine ability wasn't anything special—he'd already had a Demonic Seed planted inside him!
"Little friend, don't make this public," Zhen Yuanzi sent telepathically, his expression as grim as iron. "This matter implicates far too many."
Hong Yun gazed outside the temple, his expression complicated. "They specifically asked to see us... I'm afraid they mean us no good."
The Half-Demon Qilin huddled at Lu Chen's feet, trembling. "They... can sense that I'm here... Hide me quickly..."
Without a word, Lu Chen unfurled the Qiankun Diagram and swept the three little qilins into its inner world. He especially made sure to wrap the Half-Demon Qilin in layer upon layer of Sky-Opening Merit, cutting off every trace of its aura.
He had just finished when someone knocked on the temple door.
"Knock, knock, knock."
The knocks were neither heavy nor light, yet carried a peculiar rhythm. Every one seemed to strike at their hearts.
"Come in," Zhen Yuanzi said gravely.
The door opened.
Jieyin and Zhunti entered side by side, their faces still bearing that same sorrowful expression. But deep in their eyes, Lu Chen caught a faint trace of darkness that didn't belong to the orthodox Daoist Tradition.
"Greetings, fellow Daoists," Jieyin said, pressing his palms together. "Please forgive us for arriving unannounced. We have a matter to ask of you."
Zhunti's gaze swept over Lu Chen and Hong Yun, pausing for an instant at Hong Yun's waist. The Nine-Nine Soul Scattering Gourd hung there. It was also one of the treasures Zhunti would try to seize after Hong Yun's future fall.
"What is it?" Zhen Yuanzi asked, betraying nothing.
"We've come to plead on behalf of the people of the West," Jieyin sighed. "The West is barren, its spiritual veins shattered, and its living beings struggle to cultivate. Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, you possess great merit and have gained a fortuitous connection with the violet qi—though it's fake, outsiders don't know that. If you'd be willing to accompany us to the West and use your merit to nourish the land, you'd gain immeasurable merit..."
Were they trying to lure someone to the West?
Lu Chen sneered inwardly.
In the original story, Zhunti had tricked Hong Yun into giving up his seat, forming a karmic connection. Had he now moved on to outright kidnapping?
Hong Yun shook his head. "I'm used to living freely and can't stand being bound. I'd like to help with the affairs of the West, but I'm powerless to do so."
"Fellow Daoist, you're mistaken." Zhunti stepped forward, his eyes alight with eagerness. "Look at my senior brother and me. We toil for the West, laboring day and night without rest. If you'd agree to help, you'd become the benefactor of billions of living beings in the West. Such great merit, such great compassion—"
"Bang!"
Before he could finish, Lu Chen suddenly moved.
He didn't hit anyone. Instead, he smashed a brick against the stone table in the temple.
The table exploded, sending splinters of stone flying.
Everyone froze.
Lu Chen looked "flustered." "Oh no! My hand slipped! This table was so flimsy!"
Jieyin and Zhunti: "..."
The corner of Zhen Yuanzi's mouth twitched, but he played along. "Don't panic, little friend. It's just a stone table."
"But..." Lu Chen changed the subject and looked at Jieyin and Zhunti. "What was it you two seniors were just saying? Oh, right—the West is barren... What a coincidence! I just ran into that scoundrel Kunpeng in Chaos, secretly gathering fragments of the shattered spiritual veins from the West. He said he was going to refine something called the 'Myriad Spirits Return to Origin Formation' and had grand designs!"
At that, Jieyin and Zhunti's expressions changed at the same time.
"Kunpeng? Gathering fragments of the West's spiritual veins?" Zhunti's gaze sharpened. "Is what you say true, little friend?"
"Absolutely!" Lu Chen put on the performance of a lifetime. "I saw it with my own eyes! He was even plotting with Ancestor Minghe, saying things like, 'The Two Sages of the West are nothing to worry about. Once the formation is complete, we'll devour the West first, then make our move against the Primordial World!'"
Half true, half false.
Kunpeng really had been gathering fragments of spiritual veins—Lu Chen had seen it mentioned in the formation diagrams—but his goal was to complete the Great Formation of the Stars. As for coveting the West and conspiring with Minghe, Lu Chen had made all of that up on the spot.
But Jieyin and Zhunti believed him, because the West's spiritual veins really were slowly draining away. They'd long suspected someone was behind it!
"No wonder..." A cold glint flashed in Jieyin's eyes. "No wonder the earth energy of the West has been weakening day by day. So a thief has been secretly stealing from us!"
Zhunti was even angrier. "You old scoundrel Kunpeng! How dare you!"
Lu Chen pressed the advantage. "Seniors, we must act quickly. Kunpeng was just rescued by Taiyi, so he's surely healing right now, with his defenses at their weakest. If you strike now—"
"We'll root him out once and for all!" Zhunti finished, murderous intent surging.
Jieyin pressed his palms together. "Amitabha... To protect the people of the West, it seems we'll have to take up arms."
The two exchanged a glance, then said to Lu Chen and the others, "Thank you for informing us, little friend. This matter concerns the survival of the West. My junior brother and I will go find Kunpeng and demand an explanation!"
With that, they turned and left.
Only after they were gone did Hong Yun frown. "Little friend, this scheme to frame him... It's too obvious. Jieyin and Zhunti aren't fools. A little investigation will show them it's false."
"So what if it's false?" Lu Chen smiled. "I don't need them to believe it. I only need them to be willing to believe it."
"What do you mean?"
"The West's spiritual veins really are draining away, and Kunpeng really is gathering the fragments. Jieyin and Zhunti were already looking for an excuse to go after him—they want something Kunpeng has," Lu Chen said calmly.
Zhen Yuanzi looked thoughtful. "You mean..."
"The River Diagram and Luo Book," Lu Chen said, enunciating each word.
In the original story, Kunpeng would later steal the River Diagram and Luo Book and flee the Demon Clan. The River Diagram and Luo Book contained the principles of Heaven and Earth, and would be immensely useful to the Western Sect in perfecting its doctrine. Jieyin and Zhunti had been coveting them for a long time.
Now Lu Chen had handed them a knife. Whether or not Kunpeng was plotting against the West, they could attack him first and ask questions later. If they killed him, they could seize his treasure.
"Three birds with one stone." Lu Chen counted on his fingers. "First, it shifts Jieyin and Zhunti's attention away from us. Second, it turns them against Kunpeng and even the Demon Clan. Third, if they really do kill Kunpeng, the Demon Clan will fall into chaos—and we'll be happy to see that happen."
Hong Yun drew in a sharp breath. "Little friend, you've got... quite the devious mind."
Zhen Yuanzi gave Lu Chen a long look. "It's a risky plan, but it should work. Even if Jieyin and Zhunti see through it, they'll go along with it. They need an excuse."
"Exactly." Lu Chen nodded. "Now we need to prepare for the next step."
"What next step?"
"Going to the Demon Abyss." Lu Chen took out the Demon Abyss Token, which was growing hot. "Luohu said he wanted to give me a gift, didn't he? I want to see what kind of 'grand gift' he has in mind."
"Absolutely not!" Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi objected at the same time.
"The Demon Abyss is Luohu's lair, full of danger. Going there now would be like walking into a trap," Zhen Yuanzi said sternly.
But Lu Chen shook his head. "Senior, if Luohu wanted to harm me, he could have done it in Chaos just now. Why go to all this trouble? He kept me alive because he has a bigger plan. Besides..."
He looked toward the West. "Jieyin and Zhunti have already defected to Luohu. That means the Devil Dao has infiltrated the Primordial World far more deeply than we imagined. Rather than wait passively, we should make contact on our own terms. At the very least, we can find out what's really going on."
Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi fell silent.
After a long while, Zhen Yuanzi sighed. "Little friend, since you've made up your mind, I won't try to dissuade you. But remember: the Devil Dao is full of deceit. Don't lose sight of who you are."
"I'll remember your words, senior." Lu Chen bowed. "I shouldn't linger on this trip. Senior, I'll have to ask you to look after the three little qilins."
"Don't worry."
Lu Chen turned to Hong Yun. "Senior, you've just broken through to the Quasi-Saint realm and need to consolidate your cultivation. Wuzhuang Temple is safe. You can meditate here in seclusion."
Hong Yun nodded. "Be careful in everything you do."
After taking care of everything, Lu Chen left Wuzhuang Temple and flew toward the West.
He didn't head straight for Mount Sumeru, the entrance to the Demon Abyss. Instead, he detoured to the Eastern Sea first.
—Some preparations had to be made.
Before you continue