Mei Qing felt a mix of shock and confusion, his gaze dazed as he looked around the hall. Once the illusion array was destroyed, the real surroundings naturally emerged. He noticed the deities enshrined within the hall looked strangely familiar—he had seen them not long ago. They were the sea goddess, the Lady of the Sea.
This place was indeed the fish-bone temple on Xiangyun Island, where Mei Qing and others had previously followed Liu Ling’er.
So he had actually ended up here through his own teleportation technique.
But who had set up the illusion array here beforehand, and how had they managed to draw his teleportation into it?
If all of this had been planned by the enemy, then their strength must be far superior to his own. To deal with him would be no more than a simple gesture. Why then go through all this elaborate trouble?
Or perhaps he was still trapped within another illusion array, and the scene before him wasn’t real at all.
His thoughts in turmoil, Mei Qing extended his spiritual senses once more, attempting to contact Bi Zhen and the others.
As soon as his thoughts stirred, he sensed Bi Zhen’s anxious emotions, which suddenly turned joyous upon receiving his spiritual signal: “Mei Qing, where are you?”
“Inside the fish-bone temple…” Mei Qing had barely sent these few words when suddenly the surroundings darkened. A massive shadow abruptly engulfed him from head to toe. Instantly, Bi Zhen’s spiritual message cut off.
Alarmed, Mei Qing realized he had fallen into an ambush. He quickly reacted, activating several protective talismans simultaneously to shield his body. However, before he could take further action, a powerful force bound him, pressing heavily toward his golden core.
The nascent soul formed from his newly formed golden core instinctively sensed danger. Brilliant lights of sun and moon erupted forth, while golden liquid surged within his Purple Mansion Cauldron. Thick streams of true energy flowed like storms through his meridians, fiercely resisting the crushing force closing in from all directions.
“Soul-Severing Lightning. Unyielding!” A spell chant rang out. The surrounding pressure surged dramatically, gradually solidifying and compressing, forcing Mei Qing’s true energy to rebound violently within his body. Though he desperately maintained his defenses and pushed his energy to resist, it proved futile.
His true energy was already suppressed, and naturally, he could no longer cast any spells or techniques. At this rate, it would not be long before his golden core was sealed and his nascent soul bound, leaving him with no choice but to surrender.
Greatly alarmed, Mei Qing found himself at a disadvantage, his powerful energy useless. Helplessly, he felt himself being gradually forced inward. With no other choice, he gritted his teeth, instantly withdrawing his spiritual awareness into his golden core and nascent soul. Using the Huayan Visualization Technique to unite internal and external energies, he chanted a spell: “Seal!” He employed a self-sealing method, cutting off all internal and external connections.
As this technique unfolded, the flow of energy inside and outside his body was immediately severed. Although this rendered Mei Qing unable to resist further and trapped his spiritual awareness within, the external force also could not penetrate further. Despite the continuous pressure surrounding him, it could no longer find an opening.
“Hmm?” A voice tinged with slight surprise sounded, and gradually two figures emerged within the hall.
One was a fat monk with a smiling face—the Laughing Maitreya, who had fled without fighting when he encountered the venerable Master Ku at the Shi residence. The other wore an even more insincere smile, exaggerated and artificial, none other than Liu Liu, the second leader of the Fragrant Sect.
“Right Guardian, indeed possesses great abilities,” Liu Liu flattered, his face beaming with exaggerated praise. “I’ve heard this kid has profound cultivation, daring enough to sneak into our sect and steal the sacred cauldron. Now, with the Right Guardian capturing him in one move, it’s truly unstoppable—unstoppable indeed!”
“Hmph!” Although the Laughing Maitreya’s smile remained, his tone carried a hint of impatience. “Liu Liu, where did you get this information? Are you certain the cauldron is in this kid’s possession?”
Liu Liu blinked, his voice firm and confident. “Right Leader, I had people investigate thoroughly at the Shi family’s stronghold. This kid once resided there, and the servants saw him holding a small cauldron, deep in thought. Hence, I was certain.”
The Laughing Maitreya’s smile widened as he chuckled. “So, Master Liu, tonight’s operation was indeed well-planned. But did you also know beforehand that the big monk from the Shi residence was with him, and simply neglected to inform me?”
Upon seeing the monk’s exaggerated grin, Liu Liu’s heart sank. Though the Laughing Maitreya was known for his smile, he was equally infamous for his ruthless nature. Liu had seen his cruelty many times—knowing that the more warmly he smiled, the darker his intentions. Seeing him laugh so joyfully now made Liu’s blood run cold.
Yet, no matter how frightened he was inside, he couldn’t let it show. Liu Liu forced himself to remain calm, maintaining a respectful and cautious expression as he earnestly replied, “Right Guardian, my men were only tasked with tracking down the three individuals: the old Daoist, this kid, and a thin man. Once we obtained their movements, we worked tirelessly to investigate further, eventually discovering two of them at the Shi residence in the harbor, while the thin one’s whereabouts remained unknown. Upon receiving this information, I wasted no time informing you, Guardian. As for the monk at the Shi residence, due to the urgency of the situation, we indeed failed to confirm his presence. I beg you, Guardian, to see the truth.”
“Is that so?” The Laughing Maitreya continued smiling, his eyes narrowing as he fixed Liu Liu with a piercing stare. Though his face bore a smile, his eyes were cold as ice. Liu Liu felt a chill run through him, as if a venomous snake had locked onto its prey, his limbs going numb, nearly prompting him to flee.
Yet, after years in the sect and knowing the monk’s brutal ways, Liu Liu managed to remain rooted to the spot, steadying his breath and forcing a sincere expression onto his face, before lowering his head in silence.
The Laughing Maitreya’s gaze lingered on Liu Liu’s face and body, mulling over his words. He began to believe Liu Liu’s account.
After all, Liu Liu wouldn’t have known of Master Ku’s reputation.
In truth, the Laughing Maitreya had never truly suspected Liu Liu of deliberately setting them up to clash with Master Ku. But his nature was suspicious; even the impossible required scrutiny to avoid surprises.
Seeing Liu Liu’s demeanor seemed genuine, the monk inwardly nodded, though his expression remained neutral. He gave another “Ha ha” and said, “You did well indeed. Capturing this kid is no small feat. However—” His cold, piercing gaze swept over Liu Liu once more. “Why, during tonight’s assault on the Shi residence, didn’t you stay to command the nightmare spirits and engage the enemy, but instead fled here at the first sign of trouble?”
Liu Liu inwardly cursed, thinking, *If you weren’t a coward, why did you come here too?* But such thoughts could only remain unspoken. After all, he had indeed fled the battlefield. One wrong word might provoke the monk’s wrath, and one slap from him could kill him instantly.
Terrified, Liu Liu’s mind raced for an explanation, but none came. As the Laughing Maitreya’s smile widened, Liu Liu trembled, his legs giving way as he knelt with a loud *thud*, stammering, “Mercy, Guardian! It was truly out of fear—I was so scared when that black giant smashed the nightmare spirit into pieces. I panicked and fled here for safety. Not that I value my life, but even if I had stayed, it wouldn’t have changed anything. I kept my life only to continue serving you!”
Mei Qing’s heart was filled with doubt and confusion as he gazed around the temple in a daze. After the illusion array was dispelled, the actual surroundings naturally revealed themselves. The deity enshrined in the temple looked quite familiar; it was none other than the Sea Goddess, whom he had seen not long ago.
This place was none other than the Fishbone Temple on Xiangyun Island, where Mei Qing and his companions had followed the spirit Liu Ling’er earlier.
So, his escape technique had brought him here after all.
But who had set up the illusion array here beforehand, and how had they managed to divert his escape technique into the array?
If all of this had indeed been premeditated by the other party, their strength must far surpass his own. Dealing with him would have been as easy as lifting a hand, so why go through all this trouble?
Or perhaps, he was still trapped within another illusion array, and the scene before him was not real?
Mei Qing’s thoughts were in turmoil as he extended his spiritual sense once more, trying to see if he could contact Bi Zhen and the others.
As soon as his thoughts stirred, he sensed Bi Zhen’s anxious emotions, which suddenly turned to joy upon receiving Mei Qing’s spiritual message: “A Qing, where are you?”
“In the Fishbone Temple…” Mei Qing had barely sent these words when suddenly, the surroundings darkened, and a massive shadow enveloped him from head to toe. Immediately, Bi Zhen’s spiritual communication was abruptly cut off.
Mei Qing was shocked, realizing he had fallen into a trap. He quickly activated several protective talismans to shield his body. However, before he could take any further action, he felt an overwhelmingly powerful force binding him, pressing directly toward his golden core.
The nascent infant within his golden core seemed to instinctively sense the danger, as the radiance of the sun and moon burst forth simultaneously. The golden liquid within his Purple Mansion Cauldron surged violently, and his robust true essence flowed like a tempest through his meridians, fiercely resisting the oppressive force closing in from all sides.
“Evil Light Thunder. Dispel, Ha Ha!!” A spell chant echoed, and the pressure around him suddenly intensified, gradually solidifying and compressing his true essence, forcing it to recoil. Despite Mei Qing’s desperate efforts to maintain and push his true essence against the pressure, it was to no avail.
His true essence had been forced back, and naturally, none of his spells or talismans could be activated. If this continued, it wouldn’t be long before his golden core was sealed, his nascent infant bound, and he would be left with no choice but to surrender.
Mei Qing was frantic, but having lost the initiative, his abundant true essence was now utterly useless. He could only watch helplessly as the pressure slowly forced his true essence back into his body. Seeing the situation was critical, Mei Qing gritted his teeth and instantly retracted all his spiritual sense into his golden core and nascent infant. He chanted a spell: “Seal!” Using a self-sealing technique, he cut off all communication between his inner and outer self.
As soon as Mei Qing’s technique took effect, it severed the flow of energy between his body and the outside world. Although he could no longer resist, and even his spiritual sense was confined within his body, the external true essence could no longer penetrate. Despite the continuous pressure, it circled around Mei Qing, finding no way to breach his defenses.
“Hmm?” A slightly surprised voice sounded, and two figures gradually materialized in the temple.
One was a stout monk with a beaming smile—none other than the Laughing Maitreya, who had fled without a fight at the Shi residence. The other’s smile was even more forced and insincere than the Laughing Maitreya’s—it was Liu Liu, the Second Leader of the Incense Sect.
“Vice Leader, your divine powers are truly vast. I heard that this young man’s cultivation is quite profound, which is why he dared to risk stealing the precious cauldron from our sect. Now that Vice Leader has captured him in one move, it’s truly unstoppable. Unstoppable indeed!” Liu Liu fawned, his face full of flattery.
“Humph!” Although the Laughing Maitreya’s smile remained, his tone carried a hint of impatience: “Liu Liu, where did you get the information that this kid took the cauldron?”
Liu Liu blinked, his voice firm: “Vice Leader, I sent people to investigate thoroughly at the Shi village. This kid stayed at the Shi residence for a while, and the servants there saw him holding a small cauldron, deep in thought. That’s how I knew.”
The Laughing Maitreya’s smile widened, and he laughed heartily: “So, Leader Liu, you must have planned this meticulously tonight! Did you also know about the big monk from the Shi residence who was with this kid, but didn’t tell me?”
Seeing the Laughing Maitreya’s smile grow even broader, Liu Liu was terrified. Although the Laughing Maitreya was known for his smile, he was also infamous for his ruthless nature. Liu Liu had seen his methods before and knew that the more he smiled, the more sinister his intentions. Seeing him smile so broadly now, Liu Liu was petrified.
Despite his fear, Liu Liu couldn’t let it show. He forced himself to remain calm, his face a mask of respect and caution, and spoke with utmost sincerity: “Vice Leader, I only sent people to track the three of them—the old Taoist, this kid, and a skinny man. My subordinates only focused on these three. After getting information on their whereabouts, they worked tirelessly to investigate, and that’s how we found out that two of them appeared at the Shi residence in the harbor, while the skinny man’s whereabouts were unknown. Once I had this information, I didn’t dare to delay for a moment and immediately informed you. As for the monk at the Shi residence, due to the urgency of the situation, I didn’t have time to investigate thoroughly. I hope you can understand.”
“Is that so?” The Laughing Maitreya’s smile remained, but his eyes, filled with icy light, fixed intently on Liu Liu. Liu Liu felt a chill run through his body, as if he had been stared down by a venomous snake. His limbs turned cold, and he almost bolted.
But having spent years in the sect and knowing the Laughing Maitreya’s methods well, Liu Liu managed to stand his ground, controlling his breathing and maintaining a composed expression. He lowered his head and remained silent.
The Laughing Maitreya’s eyes roamed over Liu Liu’s face and body, pondering his words. He began to believe that Liu Liu was telling the truth.
After all, given Liu Liu’s limited knowledge, it was unlikely he would have known about the reputation of the Great Master Ku.
In fact, the Laughing Maitreya hadn’t really suspected Liu Liu of deliberately setting them up to face the Great Master Ku. However, being inherently suspicious, he always liked to test even the impossible to ensure there were no surprises.
Seeing that Liu Liu didn’t seem to be lying, the Laughing Maitreya nodded inwardly, though his expression remained unchanged. He laughed again: “You did well this time. Capturing this kid is indeed a merit. However—” His cold gaze swept over Liu Liu once more: “Why didn’t you stay and command the nightmare spirit during the attack on the Shi residence tonight? Instead, you fled here at the first sign of trouble, like a coward?”
Liu Liu cursed inwardly, thinking, “If you’re not a coward, why did you come to this temple too?” But such words could only remain in his thoughts. Besides, he had indeed fled the battlefield. If he didn’t handle this carefully, the Laughing Maitreya might lose his temper and kill him on the spot.
Terrified, Liu Liu’s mind raced for a suitable excuse, but nothing came to mind. Seeing the Laughing Maitreya’s smile grow broader, he trembled uncontrollably, his legs giving way as he fell to his knees, kowtowing and stammering: “Vice Leader, spare my life! I—I’m just a coward. When I saw that big black guy smash the nightmare spirit to pieces, I was scared out of my wits and fled here to hide. It’s not that I value my life, but at that moment, even if I had sacrificed myself, it wouldn’t have made a difference. I kept this dog’s life so I could continue to serve you!”
As he spoke, Liu Liu felt both aggrieved and terrified. Tears and snot streamed down his face uncontrollably, but he didn’t dare to wipe them away, only sobbing quietly, his face a mess.
Unexpectedly, his honest confession dispelled the Laughing Maitreya’s suspicions. The monk thought to himself: “This guy is useless. Seeing such a scene, of course he would be scared out of his wits. He even admitted his cowardice, so he must be too scared to lie. But the nightmare spirit was passed down from a master, and I’ve tested it with various methods without success. How could a big black guy smash it to pieces? There must be something unusual here, and I need to investigate it thoroughly later.”
Seeing the Laughing Maitreya’s smile remain unchanged and his thoughtful expression, Liu Liu was even more terrified, thinking he was doomed. Although he had acted on the instructions of the celestial being, the instructions didn’t include dealing with this evil monk. Now that he had run into the Laughing Maitreya, the celestial being probably wouldn’t help him, and he was surely going to die.
Overcome with despair, Liu Liu’s wailing grew louder. He crawled forward on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly: “Vice Leader, I, Liu Liu, may be a coward, but I’ve always been loyal to you! From now on, I’ll be your dog, doing whatever you ask. Please, have mercy and spare my dog’s life…”
Seeing Liu Liu crying with snot and tears, the Laughing Maitreya found it somewhat amusing and decided not to scare him further. He snorted: “Enough of this act. I already know your nature. Since you’ve been honest, I’ll spare your dog’s life for now! If you mess up again, I won’t let you off so easily.”
Liu Liu, who had been in despair, suddenly felt a surge of joy upon hearing the Laughing Maitreya’s words. He kowtowed like a pestle, swearing and vowing endlessly. Only when the Laughing Maitreya grew impatient, cursed him, and kicked him a couple of times did Liu Liu finally calm down, wiping his eyes and falling silent.
The Laughing Maitreya’s gaze shifted to Mei Qing, who was restrained nearby, but he felt a slight sense of confusion and difficulty.
Unexpectedly, this honest confession eased the monk’s suspicions. He thought, *This kid is useless—seeing such a scene, of course he’d be scared out of his wits. He even admitted his cowardice, likely out of fear of me, so there’s no deception here. But that nightmare spirit was passed down from a master, and I’ve tested it against many techniques without success. How could a black giant destroy it so easily? There must be something behind this—I must investigate later.*
Seeing the monk’s smile unchanged and his expression pensive, Liu Liu grew even more terrified, convinced he was doomed. Though he had followed the immortal’s instructions, there had been no mention of dealing with this vicious monk. Now caught by him, the immortal would likely not intervene, and Liu Liu feared for his life.
Overcome with despair, Liu Liu’s wailing intensified. Crawling forward on his knees, he repeatedly kowtowed, crying, “Guardian, though I may be a coward, I’ve always been loyal to you! From now on, I’ll be your loyal dog, obeying every command—just spare my life, great Guardian!”
Seeing Liu Liu sobbing uncontrollably, the monk couldn’t help but feel amused. He decided to stop intimidating him and grunted, “Enough with the act. I already know your nature. For now, I’ll spare your life, seeing that you were honest. But if you repeat this, I’ll punish you doubly.”
Liu Liu, who had already given up hope, was overjoyed at the monk’s words. He kowtowed furiously, swearing oaths of loyalty. The monk, growing impatient, cursed and kicked him twice before Liu Liu finally stopped, his face showing a mix of relief and fear.
The Laughing Maitreya then turned his gaze to the restrained Mei Qing, his expression slightly puzzled and conflicted.
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