The Truth of It All, Though I Am Thousands Upon Thousands of Years Your Elder

Jiang Shutong, who was being sarcastic just a second ago, immediately fell silent the next.

His cultivation level wasn't high, and even if his self-cultivation skills weren't good enough, he wouldn't be so blinded by Malevolent Energy that he would become a complete fool.

His throat even twitched, and he couldn't help but swallow.

Upper. High Envoy?

Great Grandmaster!!

My own senior brother, who has already broken through to the realm of Martial Arts Master, hadn't even seen this great sect leader's face earlier, yet now he's come out to greet him directly?

Jiang Shutong shrank his neck.

A woman with a vermilion dot between her brows floated in, draped in a thin veil, her eyes misty, her nose high and straight.

She looks like a stunning beauty who stepped out of an ancient painting, rather than a modern person.

Zhang Fusheng's heart tightened; another powerful figure like Old Shi had reached the pinnacle of his career!

This is nothing like the weakened Huang Qiuxian.

He gave a stiff bow:

"I've met the superior."

Before her folded hands could even be lowered in a bow, they were lifted by a delicate, white hand, as smooth as mutton-fat jade, and a soft, elegant voice rang out.

"Non-Self West Cultist, there is no need for such formalities."

That's what she said, but she didn't even glance at Kong Dongyan and Jiang Shutong, who were holding the grand ceremony to the side.

Instead, she took Zhang Fusheng's hand, pulled the bewildered young man to her side, and walked side by side toward the house covered with blood-red threads.

"Although it is late at night, we practitioners do not need to rest at sunset. This is the time when we are most energetic. How about we share a cup of tea?"

A gentle voice reached Zhang Fusheng's ears, and as he felt the delicate touch of the hand holding his, his heart pounded even harder.

Unsolicited kindness is either a sign of malice or theft.

He was a high-ranking sect leader, and one who was even appointed to preside over the Divine Descent!

It's likely that among the Great Grandmaster, this woman, who resembles a figure from a painting, is among the very elite.

"Young Master Zhang, please." The woman spoke in an ancient and elegant voice, took Zhang Fusheng's hand, and led him into the main hall.

Outside the main hall.

Kong Dongyan was alright; he had excellent self-control, and even when his heart was violently agitated, he could still barely maintain a composed expression.

As for Jiang Shutong, his chin was practically stretched out to the ground!

Yu Chengzong and Li Qiuhua looked at each other blankly, their doubts growing stronger.

Who exactly is Little Fusheng?

Is he just Hong Tianbao's apprentice?

But even if Hong Tianbao came in person, how could he possibly High Envoy a second glance from the envoy?

He had at least infiltrated the Western Sect for several years.

Old Yu and Li Qiuhua were relatively familiar with the High Envoy they had met several times.

She was always aloof and unfathomable, and spoke very little, rarely uttering more than a word or two.

We have visited each other several times over the years.

Listening to what this person said, it was even less than what he had just said to Little Fusheng!

"This is truly unbelievable," Yu Chengzong muttered.

Inside the main hall.

This place was originally a sacrificial site in Chaimen, and one of the few places not covered by the blood-red threads.

The room was decorated in an antique style. A tea table and two wooden chairs were placed against the wall. Zhang Fusheng sat on the wooden chair on the left.

Da Zong, whose forehead was marked with a cinnabar dot, gently poured him a cup of tea.

Just then, Old Ghost Chai entered and closed the main door, leaving only three people in the hall.

"Your High Envoy," Old Ghost Chai bowed.

The woman did not respond, but merely nodded slightly, then pushed the teacup towards Zhang Fusheng, her voice calm:

"Try it."

Zhang Fusheng obediently picked up the teacup, took a sip, and the aroma of the tea exploded in his mouth, instantly seeping into the depths of his heart and lungs, and then spreading throughout his entire body.

He was deeply shaken.

Because, with just a sip of tea, the slight Malevolent Energy that had just arisen was dispelled!

"Calming Tea"

The Great Grandmaster spoke softly:

"In today's world, all spiritual practitioners are plagued by Inner Demon Obstruction, acting in extreme, biased, and irrational ways. If they are not careful, they may bring disaster upon themselves because of these Inner Demon Obstruction."

She pointed her slender hand towards the outside of the hall:

"For example, just now, that Confucian Sect disciple at the Sixth Refinement uttered some inappropriate words regardless of the occasion, which shows that his Inner Demon Obstruction was clouded by inner demons."

"If you, Young Master Zhang, were also out of your mind, you might have killed him on the spot in a fit of rage."

A bead of sweat trickled down Zhang Fusheng's forehead.

Indeed.

If he were still in the same state as when he fought with his Eldest Senior Brother, he would have already slapped Jiang Shutong's head to pieces upon hearing his incessant rambling.

That inexplicable Malevolent Energy of hostility,

Buddhist disciples say it's caused by the world being sick, while this mysterious master calls it Inner Demon Obstruction.

"The Calming Tea can temporarily dispel Inner Demon Obstruction, but it is extremely rare. It is usually consumed by many strong individuals when clear thinking and careful decision-making are required."

The light, casual words sent a chill down Zhang Fusheng's spine.

Think clearly and make careful decisions.

He paused for a moment:

"Please High Envoy plainly."

My name is Mingyue.

The woman named Mingyue spoke softly:

"Niu Dali has still not shown up. Has he died at the hands of the young master?"

Zhang Fusheng's eyelids twitched, his mind racing:

"Yes and no."

"Is it so or not?" Mingyue's tone remained unchanged, calm and indifferent, revealing no trace of joy or anger. "Then what is the matter? Please enlighten me, Young Master Zhang."

The more she acted this way, the more uneasy Zhang Fusheng felt. After a brief moment of thought, he decided to speak frankly.

"Just as they were about to kill him, a handsome young man appeared out of nowhere, stuffed the Eldest Senior Brother into a jar, peeled off his scalp, and poured in some mysterious mercury."

He tried to make his tone sound calm, as if he were simply stating a statement:

"The handsome young man was wearing a robe made of bone fragments, and a Withered Woman was crawling on his back. It was very strange and also very powerful."

Mingyue's expression remained unchanged. She simply said "Oh," and then added:

"She is from the Mandala lineage; the Withered Woman must be that devoted and Calm Wrath Buddha Son."

Old Ghost Chai was astonished:

"Calm Wrath Buddha Son, why would he attack Niu Dali? Lord Hei, what's your opinion?"

Zhang Fusheng suddenly turned his head to the side.

From behind the hall, a person wearing an eye patch and with the other eye as black as ink slowly walked out.

The bartender, Number 19, Black Eyes.

Zhang Fusheng suddenly realized.

The four leaders of the Western Sect in Jiangzhou were Uncle Yu, Aunt Li, Old Ghost Chai, and the remaining one was shrouded in mystery and had never appeared.

It's Black Eyes.

No wonder he was so insightful about the Western Sect!

I see.

"Niu Dali"

Black Eyes glanced at Zhang Fusheng, frowned, and said:

"He was ambitious beyond measure, single-mindedly thinking of devouring the God of Plague, believing it was all his own scheme, but it was we who were pushing him down this path."

"His death is undoubtedly a devastating blow to us—or perhaps he is truly dead, and may have been taken away by that Calm Wrath Buddha Son."

Black Eyes sighed:

"It was also my fault. I had already anticipated that he would be no match for Mr. Zhang, but I still didn't stop him. The main reason was that I really didn't expect the Calm Wrath Buddha Son to appear in Jiangzhou."

Mingyue spoke softly:

"Your mistake has become a grave error; now, who will devour the God of Plague?"

Three question marks appeared on Zhang Fusheng's forehead.

Ha?

What is it?

Who will it swallow?

His eyelids twitched. Wasn't the God of Plague deity worshipped and venerated in the Western Sect?

Zhang Fusheng's forehead was covered in even more sweat as he realized he was about to hear some earth-shattering secret.

He saw Black Eyes kneeling on the ground and heard the Great Grandmaster beside him sigh:

"They deserve to be punished."

The Mingyue reaches out its hand, and points at the void.

His Black Eyes seemed to have been struck by lightning, and cracks appeared all over his body, from which blood seeped out.

He held his breath, unable to utter a single scream, his face contorted in agony, clearly enduring immense pain.

Only after being soaked in blood and becoming a blood-soaked figure did he finally catch his breath:

"It's not that there's no way to make amends. I can still see four blurry, towering figures in Mr. Zhang, chanting the name of the Boundless Heavenly Venerate."

"Since Mr. Zhang is destined to Becoming a God, sending him to deal with the God of Plague might very well lead to success!"

Zhang Fusheng nearly jumped up from his chair.

Who?

I??

Who do you want me to deal with???

He desperately wanted to reveal his true form and slap that bastard to death!

What you're seeing is a load of rubbish about a future of Becoming a God!

I was just kidding!

And

That's all in the past.

Fortunately.

"Nonsense!"

Mingyue said coldly:

"I have told you many times that the past is not unchangeable, and the future is not predetermined. My punishment for you is that you have thought improperly, failed to see further, and failed to think deeper."

"I'll ask you again."

The woman spoke coldly:

"Why did the Calm Wrath Buddha Son attack Niu Dali?"

"This subordinate is indeed not..." Black Eyes gave a wry smile, then suddenly a thought flashed through his mind, "Could it be... the Living Buddha??"

He was astonished:

"But, but I didn't let Niu Dali swallow the Living Buddha! And that Living Buddha has clearly already left Jiangzhou!"

Zhang Fusheng silently took a sip of the Calming Tea.

He needs some peace and quiet.

What does it mean that Niu Dali did not swallow the Living Buddha?

If he's not Living Buddha, then who is?

Black Eyes' words immediately cleared up his doubts.

"I've repeatedly told Niu Dali that he shouldn't consume too much of Lin Dongxi's blood each time, and he shouldn't directly devour a large portion of her life force."

He coughed up blood and slapped his forehead:

"That Niu Dali probably didn't listen to me!"

Mingyue snorted coldly:

"Only now do you realize? How utterly foolish! Lin Dongxi probably already sensed the arrival of the Calm Wrath Buddha Son, which is why he fled Jiangzhou overnight."

"If I'm not mistaken, before this Living Buddha left, he probably deliberately fed Niu Dali a large amount of blood and life essence, setting him up and making him a scapegoat."

Zhang Fusheng sat upright, completely bewildered by the news. Was that Little Bean the real Living Buddha?

Cunning and treacherous!

His lips trembled slightly. His master was truly blessed to have taken in four disciples: one related to Taotie, one Living Buddha, and himself.

Well, only the Second Senior Sister is truly unremarkable; her soul is still frozen in her own divine realm.

Mingyue stopped looking at Black Eyes and turned her head, her gaze falling on Zhang Fusheng, her voice softening again:

"Young Master Zhang, I have a question today, and I hope you can answer it for me."

Zhang Fusheng's heart tightened. Although he didn't know what the question was, he knew that if he didn't answer it well, he would be in trouble.

He picked up his teacup and took a sip without changing his expression.

"Please High Envoy your question, Your Excellency."

"I told you, there's no need to call me 'High Envoy.' Although I am thousands of years older than you, Young Master Zhang, please just call me Miss Mingyue."

I almost spat out a mouthful of Calming Tea.

Seize the young?

Millions of years?