The Strange Ran Deng

The armored soldiers mounted their warhorses and galloped away.

The leading armored soldier gave his horse to Gu Changqing, and Gu Changqing did not refuse.

"Amitabha!"

After traveling less than ten li, the group was stopped.

It was no surprise that they had been intercepted. Though the battle had been brief, its aftermath had been considerable.

It would have been strange if no one had noticed.

"Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva?" Gu Changqing recognized an old acquaintance at a glance.

Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva asked, "Junior Brother Changqing, why have you abducted my senior brother?"

Gu Changqing asked, "Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva killed a Great Shang subject and slew a disciple of the Intercepting Sect. As the Imperial Preceptor and a direct disciple of the Intercepting Sect, should I not hold him accountable?"

Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva looked at Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva. "Senior Brother, is that true?"

"It is."

Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva nodded helplessly.

He hoped Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva would retreat in the face of difficulty. Even he could not defeat Gu Changqing, so she stood even less of a chance.

Gu Changqing was traveling on horseback with him in tow. Clearly, he was using him as bait to lure out the Western Sect's experts and capture them all in one sweep.

At this point, he even suspected that Gu Changqing had killed Chong Heihu himself and deliberately framed him for it.

Unfortunately, he had no evidence, nor could he figure out how Gu Changqing had obtained Precious Flower.

If Gu Changqing had used the lives of his own sect disciples and capable subordinates to lure him out, what could he possibly have been after?

Once exposed, Gu Changqing would be utterly ruined.

It was not worth it!

Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva could not understand that either.

Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva frowned slightly and said, "Junior Brother Changqing, the dead cannot be brought back to life. If you release Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva, any conditions can be discussed."

"There is nothing to discuss!" Gu Changqing said coldly. "If the Son of Heaven breaks the law, he is punished like a commoner. Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva openly murdered a citizen of Great Shang, so he should naturally be handed over to the Great King for judgment."

Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva frowned again. "Could it be that a Bodhisattva of our Western Sect is worth less than an Earth Immortal?"

"What a joke!" Gu Changqing replied. "Doesn't your Western Sect preach that all beings are equal? An Earth Immortal is a living being. Is a Bodhisattva not a living being?"

"I..."

Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva was left speechless.

"Junior Sister, go back. Return to Mount Sumeru."

Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva advised, "A man must bear responsibility for his own deeds. Do not concern yourself with me."

Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva knew clearly that if he refused to admit guilt, the consequences would only become more severe.

Gu Changqing had come to the North Sea, so their plans there were doomed to fail.

Gu Changqing was too powerful!

Unless the two sect leaders came in person, no one could do anything to Gu Changqing.

And Gu Changqing possessed countless magical treasures!

"No!" Seeing Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva speak this way, Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva could not possibly let go.

"Senior Brother could never have killed an Earth Immortal. He has been wronged!"

"Wronged?" Gu Changqing sneered. "Senior Brother Lapis Lazuli, are you trying to break a prisoner free?"

"I..."

Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva was stunned. Her senior brother had been wronged, so what prisoner was she supposedly breaking free?

Gu Changqing said coldly, "Anyone who breaks a prisoner free shares the murderer's guilt!"

As he spoke, he reached out and grabbed. A massive azure hand descended toward Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva's head.

How could he be this strong?

Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva could not even last a single exchange before Gu Changqing sealed her primordial spirit.

"Take her away!"

"Yes!"

Seeing that Gu Changqing had caught another big fish, the armored soldiers gleefully tied Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva up tightly.

The Imperial Preceptor truly was the Imperial Preceptor!

After the Grand Preceptor had come to the North Sea, he had fought bitterly for three years without results. Yet the Imperial Preceptor had captured two leaders the moment he acted.

"Junior Sister, you are a fool!"

"I already told you to leave. Why did you refuse?"

"In the Primordial World, strength is supreme. So what if I am innocent? If my strength is inferior, then when the strong say I am guilty, I am guilty."

Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva kept lecturing Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva, while she remained utterly bewildered.

How was he so strong?

How long had he even cultivated?

How was this possible?

The cavalry continued onward, constantly encountering experts from the Western Sect.

At first, Gu Changqing still exchanged a few words with them. Later, he simply suppressed them on sight.

This kept several armored soldiers extremely busy.

Their horses could no longer carry so many prisoners.

They then chopped down wood and made several carts, while also sending men back for reinforcements.

There were too many prisoners for them to handle.

The carts were crammed with all kinds of Bodhisattvas, Arhats, Vajras...

They were exhausted, but happy!

It was not that they had never captured prisoners before. They had simply never captured immortal prisoners.

It could be said that this was the proudest moment of their lives.

All this glory had been brought by the Imperial Preceptor alone.

Watching the gathered Western Sect experts, Gu Changqing thought, This time, I should be able to sell them for a good price. Chong Heihu deserves the greatest credit for this.

When the Western Sect's Sangharama Honored One saw Gu Changqing's invincible bearing, his liver trembled in terror.

He was too monstrous!

Where had Tong Tian found such a disciple?

Gu Changqing had merely taken a stroll through the North Sea, and the Western Sect was nearly wiped out.

There was no justice in this!

Sangharama Honored One fled in terror. Rather than returning to the Western Sect, he went to Vulture Peak Cave.

"Sangharama requests an audience with Uncle-Master Ran Deng."

"Come in."

Ran Deng's voice came from within Vulture Peak Cave.

"Uncle-Master Ran Deng, please save our Western Sect."

The moment Sangharama Honored One entered Vulture Peak Cave, he hurriedly cried out, "Gu Changqing has captured many experts of our Western Sect. Our forces in the North Sea are about to be completely wiped out."

Ran Deng was startled. "Who did you say?"

"Gu Changqing!" Sangharama Honored One added, "Gu Changqing, the youngest disciple under Saint Tong Tian."

"Oh."

Ran Deng nodded, then backhandedly suppressed Sangharama Honored One.

"W-Why?"

Sangharama Honored One looked completely bewildered.

But we are allies, aren't we?

Why was he suppressing him? They were on the same side. Gu Changqing was the enemy!

The thoughts of great figures were truly difficult to fathom.

Sangharama Honored One was not merely bitter inside; he was utterly despairing.

After suppressing Sangharama Honored One, Ran Deng immediately sent a flying sword message to Yuanshi:

Senior Brother, Gu Changqing has arrived at the North Sea and has captured all the Western Sect's experts. Please come to the North Sea at once. Do not let Tong Tian seize the initiative.

After sending the message, Ran Deng carried Sangharama Honored One and chased after Gu Changqing.

In the blink of an eye, he found Gu Changqing and the others, along with the numerous captured Western Sect experts.

The Western Sect experts were delighted upon seeing Ran Deng, but when they saw Sangharama Honored One in his hand, they became utterly bewildered again.

What was going on?

Should Ran Deng not have directly suppressed Gu Changqing?

Why had he suppressed Sangharama Honored One instead?

"Uncle-Master Ran Deng?"

Gu Changqing looked at Ran Deng curiously.

What was this fellow trying to do?

Ran Deng tossed Sangharama Honored One toward Gu Changqing and smiled. "Nephew Changqing, now that you have come to Vulture Peak Mountain, why not visit Vulture Peak Cave for some tea?"

Tea?

Gu Changqing was completely baffled. Was this man not colluding with the Western Sect?

Why was he inviting him for tea instead of trying to kill him?

Ran Deng continued, "This Sangharama Honored One should be the last Western Sect expert in the North Sea. Nephew Changqing, you may not know this, but ever since these people came to the North Sea, there has not been a peaceful day here."

"This time, Nephew Changqing has captured the Western Sect in one fell swoop and restored clear skies to the North Sea. It is a blessing for the North Sea and a fortune for the world."

Gu Changqing: Could this be a fake Ran Deng?

Western Sect: This was not how the story was supposed to go!