Un hombre barbudo vio cómo su carne era arrancada por el oponente desarmado, antes de ser empujado hacia atrás por el monje Chóngmiào y su discípulo con armadura de cobre.As for her sister and brother, Chen Guangyan found out that despite already leaving the city safely, they returned to their father's home along with their teacher after speaking in the study.
The family seemed to have encountered something unusual and uncertain, good or bad.
Regardless of the outcome, her parents did not want their daughter Liu Gaoping to be involved.
She was busy helping others and had no time for this.Another child from Zhao Family was also taken care of by Chen Guangyan.
The girl and the boy she lived with were now staying in the governor's mansion.As Chen Guangyan approached the main hall, he noticed a somber atmosphere and hurried inside.
He found the room filled with blood, a frail old Daoist sitting on a chair, his face covered in blood, hair disheveled, and bleeding from the heart.
His injuries were numerous, making it impossible to bandage him.
The governor, Xu Yuexia, an elderly man with a long beard, and Zhang Shafaong, carrying a brush, surrounded the old Daoist.
An elder who had saved the girl earlier shook his head, expressing regret and shame.The dying Daoist turned out to be Senior Daoist Chóngmiào, whose first impression was of someone arrogant and mercenary.With his last breath, he managed to speak: "Governor Liu, if this time the Spiritual Acumen Sect sages saved Crimson Lip City from demonic disturbances and removed all kinds of demons, my entire family will depend on your good offices for protection.
Please take care."Governor Liu nodded solemnly: "Senior Daoist Chóngmiào, don't worry.
Even after I am no longer in office here, the new governor will be informed about today's battle and remember Senior Daoist Chóngmiào's contributions to Crimson Lip City.
In any case, your family won't suffer."The old Daoist, barely able to hold his head up, said: "My dear disciples, you looked down on me as a opportunist who took advantage of the situation.
But in business, there's nothing wrong with talking about money.
As mountain cultivators, we can't be ashamed to discuss it.
We have no family tree to rely on and no ancestral protection.
So, we must earn our own living to secure any chance for us.
How else could I do it?"The old Daoist fell silent again, his expression clouded as he seemed to recall his life's journey.After a long time, he said: "We have to make a deal in the business world.
But cultivators also need to be human.
Isn't that right?" He laughed dryly and coughed repeatedly, leaving everyone concerned about him.Xu Yuexia asked softly: "Senior Daoist, should we call your family here?"The old man nodded weakly.Governor Liu ordered his servants to inform the old Daoist's relatives in the city.Taking advantage of this momentary clarity, the old man silently calculated how long it would take for his descendants to arrive.
After a brief rest, he looked at everyone and said: "I knew from the beginning that you all had contempt for me as an opportunist.
But business is business.
Cultivators can't be so pure and naive.
True mountain cultivators wouldn't care about money or worldly affairs."The old man looked toward the entrance, searching for familiar faces.
He muttered: "Being called Chóngmiào Daoren my whole life, but never a true title.
A great regret!"After saying this, his energy seemed to drain away.
His eyes grew hazy, and his breathing became weak."Where is he still not here?"He passed away without closing his eyes or with them half-closed, as if in a daze, looking into the distance, trying to see something but failing.There was silence in the room.Chen Guangyan helped clean the old man's face of blood.Shortly after, numerous relatives and descendants of Senior Daoist Chóngmiào arrived.
Among them were men and women of all ages.
Governor Liu recounted the events and the promise he had made to the old man.
His eldest son was grateful, while his wife wept softly.But a ten-year-old boy suddenly burst out angrily: "Why did only my grandpa die?Why not me?"The hateful and angry boy stared fiercely at everyone, yelling: "Answer me!"Xu Yuexia frowned.Zhang Shafaong looked at the deceased old Daoist and sighed.
If the old man had told the truth now, it would have been painful for him to hear.
The old man had initially planned to take all the credit for himself but was overpowered by his fate in the end.Governor Liu remained composed, praising the boy's innocent words and saying they didn't matter.
He even apologized to the man, saying that this was due to his neglect of duty as a governor, harming their family and promising to visit them later with an apology.But who knew how sincere these words were?The ancestral blessings and fortune could still vary from person to person.
Some grabbed onto them, while others slipped through their fingers.
It often took a moment for the consequences to be clear, leaving people to act based on their own hearts.---In a dim alley of Crimson Lip City, a young man sat against a wall, his simple clothing concealing a strikingly beautiful face.
He held a dying man in his arms, while another guard kept watch nearby.
They were all rice shop apprentices and disciples of Old Demon Master Mi.
The young man was from Crimson Lip City, and Old Demon Master Mi had taken him as an apprentice only last year.The dying man in the young man's arms was the demon who had exchanged lives with Senior Daoist Chóngmiào.
He smiled before dying: "Little brother, which of my two brothers do you like better?"With gentle hands, the young man supported his fellow student's chin and said emotionally: "Of course, it's you."The man reached into his chest and handed over a worn-out book to the handsome youth.After taking the book, he died.
The young man clutched the secret manuscript high up, called out his senior brother and turned around.All of the man’s attention was on the book.Suddenly, the young man sped up, held the book in one hand, and rapidly stabbed at his senior brother's neck with a concealed dagger.He repeated this three times.
The man's entire neck was disfigured by the stabs, and the youth’s handsome face was splattered with blood, which he wore with a smile.The man clutched his throat, slumped against the wall, wide-eyed as he stared at the young man who had committed murder.After finishing with the book, the young man wiped his face on the man's clothes.
Then, from his chest, he took another book and said playfully: "Senior Brother, I tricked Senior Master earlier.
In truth, I like you more than him.
But let’s just say I like myself best.
Senior Master often says that people must prioritize themselves or face their own destruction.
Our odd master always mocks him for not reading, but I think he understands it well enough.
Anyway, we are from the dark side, so don't blame me.
You can think of this as accompanying Senior Master on his journey to the underworld.