Chapter 461: The Daoist Robe With Nothing Underneath! The Cold, Overbearing Young Expert! The Buddhist Heaven’s Eye!

Actually, there was one thing Cuihua hadn’t mentioned: by transforming, she had basically undergone a rebirth, breaking past her bloodline shackles and lengthening her lifespan. In other words, her ceiling was now higher, her lifespan had been reset, and her cultivation talent and speed had increased as well. And the early stages wouldn’t even be true cultivation, they would basically be “recovering her old strength.”

She simply chose not to say any of that yet. She wanted to save it for a dramatic reveal later.

A great demon who had cultivated deep in the mountains, never meddling in mortal affairs... A powerful mother who had seized the title of Mountain God, and a mysterious father. Now, after living in the Daoist temple for a while, she had developed a love for showing off. No one knew if it was the feng shui or simply the people rubbing off on her.

Qingyun Temple didn’t have women’s clothing, how could a Daoist temple possibly have such things?

Cuihua wearing a Daoist robe didn’t make her look like a female Daoist at all, it looked like cosplay. Who would wear a Daoist robe with

nothing

underneath...?

So Li Yanchu had no choice but to go down to the city and buy her two sets of clothes.

If I’d known, I wouldn’t have given her the Bodhi Pill,

Li Yanchu thought helplessly.

After settling everything, Zuo Qian arrived, and beside him was a burly young monk.

𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

“Master Zhiqing, this is Daoist Master Li of Qingyun Temple. He has agreed to assist us at the Liu family ancestral hall.”

The young monk’s eyes gleamed with spiritual light, and his appearance was imposing. He pressed his palms together and greeted Li Yanchu.

Zuo Qian introduced them, and the two were now considered acquainted. Daoists and Buddhists had never gotten along throughout history, but this monk, Zhiqing, showed no hostility. He came from a small, insignificant monastery in Beifeng Prefecture, hardly a renowned temple.

The reason he was taken so seriously was simple: he could fight, and he could fight

very

well. He had risen to fame in the Beifeng cultivation world by slaying demons and exorcising spirits, gaining a fearsome reputation.

“Daoist Master Li, there’s another real expert who’s willing to join us at the Liu ancestral hall. He’s on his way now,” Zuo Qian said.

Giving credit where it was due, Zuo Qian really had the ability to gather people.

Li Yanchu glanced toward him just as a young nobleman rushed over. The young man was decent-looking, though he seemed a bit frail.

“Hey! Holy crap!” the young lord shouted in surprise. He dashed forward, excitement etched on his face. “Daoist Cao Cao! I finally found you!”

The corner of Li Yanchu’s mouth twitched. Wasn’t this Zhang Wei, that idiot!?

He

was considered an expert?

“Daoist Master Li, you two know each other?” Zuo Qian asked in surprise.

This Young Master Zhang seemed to have quite a background. Even the cultivators of the Court of Judicial Review spoke of him with caution.

Once they heard Zhang Wei was coming this time, they directly refused to send anyone over.

And Zhang Wei’s cold, aloof demeanor made him look exactly like one of those proud young experts with “status.”

Li Yanchu nodded. “We’ve met before.”

“More than met! I am willing to become your loyal dog, Senior!” Zhang Wei said excitedly.

Being a sword-bearing attendant for a big-shot like this was already a blessing.

However, Li Yanchu only smiled silently. This guy’s personality was

really

out there, a bit like Hongtu. Thinking of Hongtu made him nostalgic for the days they bragged together.

Zhang Wei had no idea that the revered “Senior Cao Cao” in his mind was thinking about someone entirely different. And even if he knew, Zhang Wei wouldn’t care.

As long as Senior is pleased, anything is fine.

“Senior Cao Cao... I invited you to visit my home last time, remember?” Zhang Wei asked cautiously.

“Next time for sure,” Li Yanchu replied.

Zhang Wei had originally wanted to introduce his second sister, but with so many outsiders here, it didn’t feel appropriate. So he simply nodded.

“Cao Cao[1]...?” Zuo Qian blinked. Was Daoist Master Li’s Daoist name actually “Cao Cao”!? For some reason, the name gave Zuo Qian a strange sense of domineering power.

Master Zhiqing also shot Li Yanchu a surprised glance. Though Zhang Wei was young and looked frail, his magic power was thick and surging, and he was clearly someone from a big, powerful clan. People like that always had their noses in the air, looking down on everyone. Yet now he was acting like he’d gladly be Li Yanchu’s lapdog.

“Who exactly

is

this Daoist Master Li...?” Master Zhiqing was puzzled.

His own sect was an obscure little temple, meaning he had no real social circle. News from the cultivation world reached him slowly and incompletely.

The four of them rode in a wide carriage and soon arrived at the Liu family ancestral hall. Even in broad daylight, the place radiated a chilling, sinister aura that made one’s skin crawl.

“This is the haunted ancestral hall. Three cultivators have already gone missing here. If possible, I hope the three of you can bring them back,” Zuo Qian said with genuine concern. While it sounded somewhat soft-hearted, it didn’t make anyone uncomfortable.

“Rest assured, Lord Zuo. This humble monk will do everything in his power,” Master Zhiqing replied firmly.

His voice was sharp and forceful, completely straightforward. This was the same young monk who could infiltrate a brothel in disguise, yet now he looked like a man carrying heavy grief and burning with righteous fury. He was truly a ferocious man.

Li Yanchu gave Zuo Qian a look, and Zuo Qian tactfully excused himself. He might be a martial master capable of sending out blade qi and striking from a distance, but when it came to ghosts and sinister entities, martial artists were at a disadvantage, especially against strange, deceptive powers.

Master Zhiqing strode boldly into the decrepit ancestral hall, with Li Yanchu and Zhang Wei following right behind him.

Inside the ancestral hall, a rotten stench lingered in the air. The three of them entered through the front gate, but all the way in, they didn’t sense any movement.

Master Zhiqing’s eyes shimmered with golden light as he repeatedly scanned the surroundings. The Buddhist Heaven’s Eye he possessed was extremely powerful, so it didn’t take long before he found clues.

“No wonder so many people have gone missing inside the Liu ancestral hall. This place is clearly a catastrophic site where yin and yang clash,” Master Zhiqing said.

“Yin... yang clash?” Zhang Wei hadn’t been taking this seriously at first, but hearing those four words, he suddenly grew alert.

Master Zhiqing nodded. “I believe this place is the entrance to a ghost realm. The missing monks and Daoists are likely trapped inside the ghost abyss.”

He took a wooden fish from his robes and said softly, “Unless one has a special method, the entrance to a ghost domain cannot be found. One can only wait passively... until the ghost realm devours us.”

Obviously, the second option was the foolish one. If they delayed too long, the three demon hunters trapped inside were likely to be truly dead.

Bang, bang, bang!

Master Zhiqing lowered his head and began tapping the wooden fish. Invisible ripples of clear energy spread outward, layer after layer.

The burly young monk began chanting scripture, his voice booming. Gradually, his eyes shone brighter, and faint golden radiance gathered within them. It was as if golden light was flowing from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

Suddenly, Master Zhiqing stared toward a particular direction and shouted, “Right here! Boundless Buddha’s Dharma!”

A beam of Buddhist light shot out from his eyes, and...

Boom!!

It sounded like lightning crashing from the heavens. After the tremendous explosion, the surrounding scenery began to warp and distort.

1. Cao Cao, courtesy name Mengde, was a Chinese statesman, warlord, and poet who rose to power during the end of the Han dynasty, ultimately taking effective control of the Han central government. ☜