The Plot Begins

Ye Yun felt increasingly sad as he thought about it, and finally burst into tears with a "waaa!" His crying completely flustered Pu Zhi. The composure and tranquility cultivated over hundreds of years shattered with Ye Yun's cry. He quickly put down his bowl and chopsticks and fumbled to comfort Ye Yun. Who would have thought that Master Pu Zhi, who could face dozens of wicked and evil cultivators without batting an eye, would be so flustered by the cries of a small child?

Ye Yun didn't know what was happening. Once he started crying, the tears wouldn't stop. When he saw the panic in Pu Zhi's eyes, he cried even louder. Now was the perfect time to deepen Pu Zhi's guilt towards him, wasn't it? However, he didn't dare to overdo it. If Pu Zhi found him annoying and knocked him out, he'd be finished. So, after crying for a while, Ye Yun gradually stopped his tears under Pu Zhi's comfort. But perhaps he had cried too hard, because even though the crying stopped, his body still instinctively trembled. Coupled with the tear streaks on his face, he looked as pitiful as could be.

"Old Grandpa, please eat. Your food will get cold if you don't," Ye Yun said, sniffling. Seeing Pu Zhi looking at him with concern instead of eating, Ye Yun quickly urged him on. He needed to return to his shelter soon.

Pu Zhi smiled and nodded at his words. He turned, picked up the slightly cool food and chopsticks that had been set aside, and began to eat heartily. Ye Yun could see that Pu Zhi was truly enjoying the current atmosphere, and Ye Yun liked it too. They were like a grandfather and grandson. If only Pu Zhi wouldn't be tempted by the Bloodthirsty Bead and turn into a murderous demon. But he was just a child with little influence. Speaking rashly might backfire and likely get him into trouble.

The rice bowl wasn't large, and Pu Zhi ate quickly. In just two or three minutes, the bowl of rice was finished. Watching Pu Zhi happily eating, Ye Yun wanted to speak several times but held back at the last moment. Pu Zhi was a truly virtuous High Monk, and Ye Yun didn't want such a person to meet such an end. The world of Zhu Xian was, in general, a tragedy. Pu Zhi was, Zhang Xiaofan was, the Ghost King was, and Bi Yao was. In this world destined for tragedy, what could a five or six-year-old child do?

After being sent out of the Grass Temple by a smiling Pu Zhi, Ye Yun walked away, looking back three steps at a time. Pu Zhi, whose mind wasn't clouded by the Bloodthirsty Bead, was a truly, truly, truly kind person. He was like an elder. Although Ye Yun had only spent a short time with him, he had developed a strong liking for him. Unfortunately, he was just a five or six-year-old child, like an ant. Even if it knew a car was heading towards its nest, what could it do with its strength to resist the rolling wheels?

After putting the bowl and chopsticks back in the thatched hut, Ye Yun hurried to the cave before it got completely dark. Although he had left a deep impression on Pu Zhi, he wasn't Zhang Xiaofan or Lin Jingyu. Who knew if Pu Zhi would still remember him after being influenced by the Bloodthirsty Bead? If he didn't, Ye Yun would be done for. So it was better to stay far away. In the original story, even Wang Er, who hid in the outhouse, survived. There was no reason he couldn't. Although that Wang Er had been scared out of his mind.

He had done everything he could. Now, he could only leave it to fate. So, Ye Yun went to the cave, lay down on the straw pile, and stopped thinking about anything else. Perhaps because he had done so much during the day, Ye Yun, lying on the straw pile and lost in thought, soon fell asleep.

As the last ray of sunlight disappeared in the distance, the sky gradually darkened. A gentle evening breeze brought a hint of coolness to the small village. Those who had finished their meals and were too early to sleep sat by their doors with palm-leaf fans, enjoying the cool air, casually discussing tomorrow's work, and bragging a little.

Gradually, night deepened. The people enjoying the cool air returned to their homes to rest. The dark clouds in the sky grew thicker, and thunder began to rumble. Just then, a boy of twelve or thirteen, carrying a lantern, quietly slipped out of his house, a bottle of wound medicine tucked in his embrace.

This person was none other than the protagonist of Zhu Xian, Zhang Xiaofan. Kind-hearted by nature, he had been thinking about the wound on Pu Zhi's hand since he saw it during the day. Now that it was late at night and his parents were asleep, he finally found an opportunity to sneak out, intending to deliver medicine to the old monk. However, to his shock, he saw a man in black inside the Grass Temple confronting the old monk, both looking ready to fight.

Suddenly, a clap of thunder exploded, making his ears ring. At that moment, he saw a dazzling bolt of lightning appear in the sky, striking down from the heavens to the earth and landing on the black-clothed man's sword.

In an instant, the black-clothed man's clothes bulged outward, his eyes wide open as if about to burst. At this moment, illuminated by the intense lightning within the Grass Temple, it was as bright as day.

The lightning that bloomed on the tip of the sword in the night was so beautiful that Zhang Xiaofan held his breath. And in Pu Zhi's eyes, a strange fervor reappeared.

"Is this the great power of the True Daoist Method?"

With a loud shout, the black-clothed man made a sword gesture with his left hand and, with all his might, shook his wrist. Amidst the thunder, electric light shot from the sword towards Pu Zhi. Along its path, grass, trees, bricks, and stones were all violently shaken and scattered, leaving only a deep scorched mark in the middle of the path.

Pu Zhi retreated three steps, withdrew his hand seal, clasped his palms together, his face solemn, radiating a faint golden light. He murmured, "Buddha is Merciful!"

With a "snap," the remaining seven Jade Prayer Beads in front of him shattered completely, transforming into a giant "Buddha" character three feet in front of him, its golden light dazzling and unbearable to look at.

The next moment, the electric light and the Buddhist character collided.

Zhang Xiaofan suddenly felt his heart pound violently, as if all the blood in his body had reversed in an instant. His limbs went weak, he couldn't breathe, and for that single moment, he felt the wind stop, the thunder cease, and the entire world freeze.

Then, he saw a white light and golden brilliance, incomparably dazzling, far surpassing the sun in the sky. The entire Grass Temple split into pieces, flying outwards in all directions from the two fighting figures at the center. He was also involuntarily thrown backward, before he could even feel fear.

His heart felt empty, and he only heard the whistling wind rushing past his ears.

He felt scared and instinctively wanted to curl up, but his body was powerless. He could only let himself drift towards an unknown place before losing consciousness.

The unconscious Zhang Xiaofan did not know that the direct trigger for this battle was his good friend Lin Jingyu. It was also because of Lin Jingyu that Pu Zhi was ambushed by Cang Song, bitten by the Seven-Tailed Centipede, and eventually retreated step by step in the fight. In the end, he only managed to heavily injure Cang Song by exhausting all his strength, but he was also close to death due to the poison in his blood.

Pu Zhi slowly walked over, his steps unsteady, carrying Zhang Xiaofan and Lin Jingyu under his arms. He reached a relatively clean spot and gently put the two children down. A wave of intense pain washed over him, as if his body was about to split apart. Unable to support himself any longer, he slumped down.

Knowing he was doomed, Pu Zhi swallowed the Ghost Doctor's "Three-Day Death Pill." At this moment, the rain finally began to fall from the sky, as if heaven itself was mourning for him. Thinking of his greatest wish at this moment, Pu Zhi sighed helplessly, "It's a pity that True Master Dao Xuan's cultivation far surpasses mine, yet he, like my three senior brothers, cannot let go of sectarian differences or his status. Alas!"