Saving people?

"I, Huici, have come to ask just one favor. I hope you will help me, fellow Daoist."

To help, or not to help?

From the moment Mu Suli appeared here, the matter had ceased to be Li Fuchan's to decide.

With the man already blocking his path, escape was impossible, and fear was useless. He could only calm himself first and consider how to respond.

His thoughts raced. I know little about Mu Suli to begin with. He only converted me once before. Compared with the one I met, this man has exactly the same features, but a little less sinister tyranny and a little more... gentleness and serenity that I can't quite put into words. That's hardly strange. After all, he hasn't attained the rank of Wisdom King yet. But why has Li Thunder fallen silent too? Does the current Mu Suli not count as an evil spirit?

Long ago, Sangha Deva had said: "For the past two hundred years, the Great Compassionate Venerable was nowhere to be seen; for eight hundred years hence, his compassion shall shine upon all."

That single verse made it clear that the Great Compassionate Venerable Wisdom King was not a reincarnation cultivating anew, but a newly ascended Wisdom King. Like the Purple Mansion Lords perched high above the clouds on the immortal path, he had fought his way up from the mortal world to claim his station.

That being so, Mu Suli's cultivation now presumably had yet to become as unfathomable as it would later.

That could just barely count as good news.

At least he would not be able to convert Li Fuchan effortlessly.

But there was one thing Li Fuchan could not understand, no matter how he tried.

The Wisdom King's journey north and attainment of the Dao were imminent. Why had Mu Suli come to the Southern Border?

He had no doubt that someone of a Wisdom King's stature could cross from north to south in the flick of a finger. It was not that he could not, but that he should not.

The Six Mountains Immortal Sects of You Province had come one after another, laying who knew how many layers of schemes. The mighty Yang Family of the South of the Yangtze had likewise spent years working on matters concerning the Wisdom King, even going so far as to kill Ning Xiuqing to force the Ning Family into action.

Every one of these things pointed to the same fact: the Wisdom King's journey north was by no means as simple as taking a few steps and making a trip north. It had to involve countless plans, countless hidden moves, and countless struggles that could never be brought into the open.

Everyone went to such lengths, risking their lives to scheme, and you came to the Southern Border?

Seeing that Li Fuchan remained silent for a long time, Huici did not urge him.

This, too, was a way for Li Fuchan to test him.

If Huici waited patiently, it would mean that this Huici differed from the Wisdom King Mu Suli—at least, he was not quite so overbearing.

It would be good if the test succeeded, but there was nothing to lose if it failed. He could simply start over.

"Master Huici, this junior, Li Fuchan, pays his respects."

After an inner struggle.

Li Fuchan chose to bow his head.

Unless he faced certain death, he would not restart. He had to ensure that every simulation yielded the greatest possible benefit.

Huici pressed his palms together. "Thank you, fellow Daoist."

Then he seized Li Fuchan, and with a flicker of his figure, vanished into the crowd.

The mortals seemed to forget their existence as well, drifting away in a daze.

When Huici stopped again, Li Fuchan looked around and discovered that they had actually reached the foot of Filth Mountain.

Li Fuchan's heart jolted.

Then he heard Huici say, "In ancient times, the Southern Border was known as a continent. Buddhist scriptures also record that this place was the gateway where Demons were held at bay. But those Immortal Sects and aristocratic clans pay no heed to the petty fiends and Demons on the outskirts, much less to the lives of mortals scattered throughout the wilderness."

Li Fuchan listened quietly. Feeling that letting Huici speak alone would be somewhat discourteous, he picked up the conversation:

"The Immortal Sects and aristocratic clans must put the greater picture first, after all. Holding back great Demons at the True Person level, or even the Inner Vision level, and preventing them from fleeing south in large numbers—that is what matters in their eyes. Though those mortal lives are innocent, they cannot sway the greater picture, so naturally no one cares about them."

"Yes, the greater picture comes first, the greater picture comes first..." Huici repeated softly twice, his tone betraying neither mockery nor lament.

"Who would care about mortal lives?"

Before his words had faded, Huici suddenly turned back. His round eyes stared straight at Li Fuchan, his gaze burning. "This humble monk would like to ask you to save the mortals on Filth Mountain."

Li Fuchan's heart skipped a beat.

Never mind saving mortals—as long as you don't turn on me, I'd have no problem even killing mortals for you. Though Li Thunder might be unhappy about that.

His expression remained unchanged, but his thoughts spun rapidly. He had not the slightest inkling of what Huici truly intended, yet being wielded as someone else's blade was hardly a pleasant feeling.

After a little consideration, he adopted the humblest possible posture and spoke cautiously. "Please do not take offense, Master. I am merely curious—what exactly do you wish to do? I had thought myself no more than a lowly cultivator, mediocre for half my life, incapable of accomplishing anything. Now that I have the good fortune to accompany you, Master, I can only humbly receive your instruction."

At that, Huici actually smiled, looking rather forlorn. "This humble monk is also incapable. Whether what I wish to do has any meaning at all, even I cannot say."

He paused, his gaze resting on the hazy outlines of the distant mountains. "I only ask that you help me this once, so this humble monk may be certain of what lies in his heart."

With matters having reached this point, Li Fuchan knew he could not refuse, no matter what. He drew a deep breath and stopped beating around the bush. "There is a Demon named Flying Light on Filth Mountain. It has attained a nature root and possesses some rather extraordinary abilities. If we wish to kill it, I fear Li Thunder will not be enough."

Huici nodded. "That is hardly difficult. I need only seal its extraordinary abilities."

As he spoke, he bit through his fingertip, took Li Fuchan's hand, and wrote two characters on his palm.

They read: immovable.

An extremely faint golden light flashed between the strokes and vanished, sinking into his skin. When he looked again, there was no trace of them, only a faint heat in his palm.

Huici withdrew his hand and explained, "This is a little rudimentary art I comprehended while reading the Immovable Wisdom King Mantra, borrowing the Wisdom King's method. Strictly speaking, I should have written the character for 'seal.' But the Immovable Wisdom King was once a cultivator of the immortal path, an embodiment of pure yang. Now that I have reached Inner Vision, I can sense many things. If I wrote 'seal' directly, I fear it might provoke a misunderstanding, making him think this humble monk was using it to mock him. I am afraid he would grow angry with me."

Li Fuchan listened, inwardly marveling. Had Huici not casually mentioned it, where could he ever have heard such secrets?

He maintained a respectful expression, but could not help thinking, It seems this Immovable Wisdom King is a petty fellow.

Huici naturally knew nothing of his private grumbling and merely said, "When you see Flying Light, fellow Daoist, strike without fear. With these two characters present, it will not dare form a thought, cannot give rise to an intent, and cannot unleash even the slightest extraordinary power."

Li Fuchan nodded.

Then he turned and headed up the mountain.

He seemed to believe Huici's words without reservation.

But what could he do even if he did not believe them?

Under the pressure of his present circumstances, he had no choice but to follow Huici's arrangements.

It would be better if this proved useless. While fighting Flying Light, I could seize the chance to get away.

As Li Fuchan climbed the mountain, he made no attempt to conceal his aura. He had taken barely two or three steps when demonic energy erupted from the mountain, shooting into the sky and pressing the trees halfway up the slope flat.

Immediately afterward, an enraged roar rolled toward him, shaking loose a shower of stones from the mountain. "Li Fuchan, you actually dare come courting death again!"

Li Fuchan halted, his hand already on his sword hilt. Suddenly, his movement faltered. He raised his eyes toward the summit, his brows drawing together slightly.

The demonic energy, wrapped in billowing black winds, was not charging toward him at all. Instead, it was fleeing into the distance as swiftly as flight.

Li Fuchan stood where he was, gripping his sword hilt, unsure whether to draw or let go. His expression was indescribably strange.

It had actually fled.