The Path of the Martial Arts BOSS
Chapter 323 - 135: The Little Saint Monk of Shusi Prefecture

Chapter 323: Chapter 135: The Little Saint Monk of Shusi Prefecture

"Reluctant?"

"Of course I’m reluctant."

Even though oppressed by the Righteous, the Six Demon Sects are still Great Sects, not like those small Sects that practice Demon Techniques or the Loose Cultivators who are easily killed by passing Swordmen, becoming merely a notation in the record of a Swordman’s acts of chivalry and righteousness.

Just look at the Yin Demon Sect, behind almost every brothel in the world, there are shadows of the Yin Demon Sect. Royals and nobles might very well have a wife or concubine who is a member of the Yin Demon Sect.

And then there’s the Demon Sword Dao, a Sword Dao with inversion at its core. All adversities in the world serve as nourishment for the Swordmen of this arrogant Sect. How could it possibly submit to the Heavenly Demon Palace and be integrated by it?

After all, those from the Demon Path, anyone with even a bit of ambition, wouldn’t possibly take their vast assets to be a running dog under the Heavenly Demon Palace. And what the Demonic People don’t lack is ambitious individuals.

"Also, you tricked the Demon Young Master last time and some pages from the ’Secret Volume of Heaven Calculation’ he took were missing. He definitely remembers that," Yun Wuyue reminded.

"If the Heavenly Demon Palace hadn’t withdrawn from the world right now and the Six Demon Sects stopped their overt compliance and covert resistance, the Azure Dragon Association wouldn’t be having such an easy time right now."

It was quite relaxing indeed. In the beginning, assassins from the Doomed Hall occasionally attacked the bases of the Azure Dragon Association in retaliation, but later, such incidents indeed became less frequent.

Qing Yu found it strange at the time; it seemed that the commotion at the beginning of the period was indeed aimed at pacifying the Heavenly Demon Palace. Qing Yu was also an assassin and knew well how cold an assassin’s blood could be. Since Jue Jian was killed, it meant he wasn’t valuable enough. And the cost of taking revenge on the Azure Dragon Association was too high, so Jue Jian’s grudge was just shelved.

Or rather, for the people of Doomed Hall, this wasn’t considered a grudge at all, so naturally, there was no talk of revenge.

"So, do you want to kill the Demon Young Master this time?" Qing Yu asked with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile.

It would be interesting if he went to kill the Demon Young Master.

Unfortunately, Yun Wuyue wouldn’t let Qing Yu make this interesting decision.

"Although I despise the Demon Young Master, now is not the time," Yun Wuyue frankly expressed his intent to kill the Demon Young Master. "The Heavenly Demon Palace hasn’t officially made its move yet, and it has only dispatched some Demon Envoys to operate outside. What I want you to kill are these people."

"If we’re talking about assassinating the Demon Envoys of the Heavenly Demon Palace, I think the price mentioned before is a bit low."

"After a Demon Envoy dies, breaking off connection with the Heavenly Demon Palace, the Yin Demon Sect will start to purge those who wish to become running dogs for the Heavenly Demon Palace from within. By then, I will take over more power, and the intelligence provided to the Azure Dragon Association will naturally be more extensive," Yun Wuyue upped the ante once more.

Although this was essentially a post-dated check, as long as it could be cashed, the allure of the check was far greater than a bit of cash. Thus, Qing Yu readily agreed.

However, the Heavenly Demon Palace is after all one of the sources of the Demon Path, a top-tier terrifying force. If Qing Yu were to go assassin its Demon Envoys, he would still need to find someone to take the blame.

····················

In Shusi Prefecture, not far from the Divine Capital.

This was where Meng Shanhe, the Confucian Master, first lectured in the early days of Northern Zhou, making it the second most thriving literati hub in Northern Zhou after the Divine Capital. Just by the name of this prefecture, one can understand how prevalent Confucianism is here.

Shusi, Shusi, to bind the miscellaneous thoughts and focus on diligent study.

However, even in such a place where the literary style thrives, there is still a Buddhist Temple erected.

Just a short distance outside Shusi Prefecture, there was a temple that flourished with the burning of incense - Kongmu Temple. The divination sticks of this temple were famously accurate, and the monks within were versed in Buddhist law, thus pilgrims often visited for worship.

Especially after the recent arrival of a certain "Little Saint Monk," even more pilgrims began seeking his counsel.

One night, after the Little Saint Monk had interpreted the fortune for a pilgrim, the grateful visitor handed him a slip of paper.

Over the recent days, the Little Saint Monk had received many such slips of paper; after all, with his clear brows and handsome features, coupled with his profound understanding of Buddhism, dubbing him the "Jade-faced Monk" was not an exaggeration. However, this was the first time a male pilgrim had given him a slip.

Of course, what drove the Little Saint Monk to open the slip was not because it came from a male pilgrim, but because there was a hint of a familiar aura on the slip.

Immediately, the Little Saint Monk chanted a Buddhist invocation, apologized, and left. Among the reluctant voices of other pilgrims, he quietly made his way to a dense forest not far from Kongmu Temple.

In this secluded forest, a black-clothed man wearing a bronze mask had been waiting for a long time.

"Monk Shi Jue, you really made me search high and low for you," Qing Yu said, sighing at the monk who stood with bowed head.

Who would have thought that these monks, upon arriving in Northern Zhou, would not trouble the Esoteric Sect but instead comfortably settle in a local temple to interpret fortunes?

Monk Shi Jue did not visit brothels, and even with the help of Yun Wuyue, Qing Yu had struggled to find him. It was only after a patron at a brothel in Shusi Prefecture complained about his wife favoring the fair-faced monk from Kongmu Temple and mentioned the monk’s profound Buddhist knowledge, that Qing Yu had a clue that led him to Shi Jue now.

"Monk Shi Jue," Qing Yu curiously asked, "I heard that in six days at the aquatic and land dharma assembly, the Emperor of Northern Zhou intends to designate the Esoteric Sect as the state religion of Northern Zhou. Isn’t your Great Zen Temple worried?"

"Amitabha, in this world, everything has its causes and conditions. They arise and cease, not controlled by us; I only recite sutras and venerate Buddha, with no intent to interfere nor any feeling of urgency."

It sounded quite profound, but in reality, it was all empty talk.

"You might as well say you won’t tell me, instead of being all cryptic," Qing Yu scoffed.

"Amitabha," Shi Jue said, "Then I’ll speak frankly—I do not wish to tell you."

’Tch, Monk Shi Jue is truly as unconventional as ever. To say he won’t tell me is pretty much saying that the Great Zen Temple is up to something,’ Qing Yu thought secretly.

However, as the dispute between the Great Zen Temple and the Esoteric Sect was not his to resolve, Qing Yu naturally didn’t bother with it.

"So, do you have the intention to vanquish demons and eliminate the Demon Envoys of the Heavenly Demon Palace?"

"Is it that origin of the Demon Path, the Heavenly Demon Palace?" Shi Jue suddenly widened his eyes in surprise at Qing Yu; evidently, this was a shocking matter for him.

"Exactly," Qing Yu nodded.

Unexpectedly, after his initial surprise, Shi Jue returned to his demure demeanor, "The Heavenly Demon Palace is a source of the Demon Path; although I possess a mind to suppress demons, I lack the power to do so."

Monk Shi Jue sounded quite regretful, yet his face showed no sign of it. Unlike those monks who would exorcise demons at the drop of a hat, this monk had no intention of combating evil unless it hindered his Buddhist practice. As for the rest, Shi Jue couldn’t care less.

"Monk, don’t forget that you still owe me a favor. If you help me kill the Demon Envoy of the Heavenly Demon Technique this time, that favor will be repaid, and I will owe you one in return," Qing Yu said.

"Amitabha," Shi Jue chanted, "Since there’s already a cause and effect, it seems I must act."

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