The Path of the Martial Arts BOSS
Chapter 362 - 174: Liu Encounters an Old Friend When the Dark Trees Brighten with Flowers

Chapter 362: Chapter 174: Liu Encounters an Old Friend When the Dark Trees Brighten with Flowers

Zhang Yangping’s feet stirred the wind as he sped along, gliding over the forest like a celestial being riding the clouds.

While the Great Zen Temple had agreed not to pursue him, there was no guarantee they weren’t playing word games. If not the monks from the Great Zen Temple, what of the people from Northern Zhou? Never underestimate them, thinking the monastic order wouldn’t lie; the Buddhist art of honeyed tongues can speak false truths with genuine words.

It is said there are two kinds of men whose words cannot be trusted: unfaithful men and monks.

Zhang Yangping deeply agreed with this sentiment, being a Taoist himself, he had experienced the prowess of numerous monks.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, his pace quickened even more.

However, unbeknownst to him, he found himself straying first into isolation, and then into an unnamed valley.

The first half of the valley was desolate, but after a turn, there appeared a quiet and vibrant green space.

It was a place where the mountains shone brightly and the clear water sparkled, surrounded by the valley which held a small blue lake, reflecting the azure sky - truly a pleasing sight.

This surely was a case of "finding a secluded retreat beyond the isolated mountains and another village where the flowers bloom even brighter amid the dark willows."

And on a large rock in front of the small lake, sat a figure clad in black robes, facing away from Zhang Yangping, taking in the beautiful interplay of mountain and water.

Upon seeing this figure, Zhang Yangping felt an intense sense of familiarity, yet he couldn’t place where the feeling originated from. He questioned himself, as he had no acquaintances in the Divine Capital, and since arriving he had been secluded, not venturing out. If there was someone he knew, he wouldn’t have forgotten.

"Daoist friend, it has been a while," came a leisurely voice, which for some reason sent a shiver down Zhang Yangping’s spine. But then, he remembered who this person was.

"Zhang Jiao," Zhang Yangping said the name.

Not long after arriving in the Divine Capital, while out to inquire about Gong Ziyu’s situation in Northern Zhou, he had chanced upon this person; though dressed like a scholar, he was a practitioner of Taoist Mysterious Skill. They had conversed.

Well... although this so-called "conversation" was guided by Zhang Yangping’s spiritual power.

Even though Zhang Jiao was skilled in Taoist Mysterious Skill, his temperament was poor, cowering before Gong Ziyu’s might, and was unlikely to achieve greatness. Afterward, Zhang Yangping didn’t give him another thought.

"Why are you here?"

Anyone would be suspicious when running into a familiar face on the escape path, especially...

Zhang Jiao, having merely a single encounter with him, and not a powerful one, had confidently identified him without even turning around.

Such a demeanor deepened the suspicions in Zhang Yangping’s heart.

"I am here," the black-clad figure stood and slowly turned around, "waiting... for you, Daoist friend."

The last four words came out in an odd, sonorous tone, as if several people were speaking at once, their voices overlapping.

And that turning figure, revealing a bronze mask, disclosed his identity.

"Gong Ziyu!"

No one could comprehend the complexity of Zhang Yangping’s emotions at that moment. He never imagined that a person he had casually encountered on the street would turn out to be his arch-enemy, Gong Ziyu.

Had he known that Zhang Jiao was Gong Ziyu, he would have called upon his uncle Zhang Yuanfeng, who was nearby at the time, to kill this enemy on the spot.

Thus, there would have been no need for Qiao Baixuan to divine Gong Ziyu’s whereabouts and no subsequent pursuit from the monks of the Great Zen Temple.

If Zhang Yangping had been able to see through Zhang Jiao’s concealed identity at that time, none of this would have occurred.

However, such is the unpredictability of life, full of endless changes, with absolutely no room for "if onlys". Had Qing Yu not revealed himself today, Zhang Yangping would have never suspected the person he had randomly picked out in the streets of the Divine Capital to be Gong Ziyu, who caused great losses to Dragon Tiger Mountain.

After a wave of frustration and regret, Zhang Yangping suddenly bulged his eyes with a startle expressed on his face. Even when he had just realized Zhang Jiao’s true identity, he hadn’t shown such a sense of alarm, but now, he felt it.

"Was all this within your control?" Zhang Yangping asked, his voice tinged with bitterness.

"Control?"

"Ha ha," laughed Qing Yu, "You think all of this was orchestrated by me? Qiao Baixuan’s divination, the backlash of the Dragon Vein, even the actions of the Great Zen Temple monks and your arrival here, you think I directed it all?"

"You really have an active imagination. Ha ha ha..."

Qing Yu laughed heartily, "You overestimate me. Although my proficiency in Yi Skill is beyond Qiao Baixuan, Elder Shiming’s Direct Disciple, to guide the behavior of the monks of the Great Zen Temple, especially strong warriors like Xinyuan Abbot, is far beyond my qualifications."

"I was merely going with the flow."

Indeed, going with the flow was all Qing Yu had done, simply taking advantage of his extremely clear state of mind to see through how events would unfold.

In this concluded battle of the Heavenly Mechanism, what Qing Yu had done was really nothing more than ensuring his own safety, while conveniently placing blame on Dragon Tiger Mountain and others.

He had not expected that besides the Spirit Sect, the Great Zen Temple had two other Divinity Realm warriors in the Divine Capital. His Realm was far from being able to track such strong warriors.

He also could not have predicted that Xinyuan Abbot would take action, and when he did, it was a thunderous strike aiming at the lives of all from Dragon Tiger Mountain who had come to Northern Zhou.

Zhang Yangping finding himself here unconsciously was not Qing Yu’s doing. Someone else was leading him here.

Qing Yu glanced sideways, subtly observing his index finger. Under the effects of "Heavenly Son’s Qi Observation Skill," he could clearly see a slender, multicolored thread wrapped around his fingertip.

This thread seemed illusory, having form but no substance, invisible to ordinary people. Only those with a certain level of attainment in the arts of Heavenly Mechanism Divination could perceive these Karma Threads.

At the other end of the thread was Zhang Yangping. It was leading him, not Qing Yu.

As for the one who had woven this scheme, their identity was now clear. The person secretly targeting Zhang Yangping was none other than the Great Zen Temple’s Xinyuan Abbot.

After Qing Yu affected the Dragon Vein Qi and alerted Xinyuan Abbot, the abbot had discreetly contacted Qing Yu. The purpose of the contact was nothing other than to plot Zhang Yangping’s elimination.

Qing Yu, wrapped in the Karma Threads, was stealthily guided by Xinyuan to this place, leaving Zhang Yangping’s fate in Qing Yu’s hands.

’As expected, without venom there’s no baldness, and without baldness, there’s no venom. With Shi Jue as a disciple who goes his own way, his teacher Xinyuan is no better.’ Qing Yu denigrated inwardly while dissolving the multicolored thread around his finger.

With Qing Yu’s skill, erasing the Karma Thread and avoiding Xinyuan’s notice was still feasible.

Others would never guess that Xinyuan, one of the strongest on the Heavenly List, would stoop to secretly plot against a junior like Zhang Yangping. It was a casual act, yet if Zhang Yangping knew he was being schemed against by such a powerful warrior, he might feel honored.

But this also led Qing Yu to realize one truth: one should never overestimate the integrity of the strong.

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