After Daoist Qinglong finished speaking, he left with the insect body, leaving Nan Zhi alone in the ruins.
Lately, Shen Luohe had been frequently sending the monastery's personnel out on missions. The vast Demon Suppression Monastery was now as quiet as a tomb.
Despite such a massive commotion, no one had come to investigate.
Nan Zhi could see that Daoist Qinglong had already developed killing intent. If she so much as stepped outside the bounds of the Demon Suppression Monastery, she would likely only further enrage that madman. He wouldn't even wait three days; he would plant the Mayfly Wood in her immediately.
Qinglong had acted perversely, committing outrages that defied the heavens by using human lives for sacrifice to forcibly recall the soul of Immortal Danxia. He had then filled the void with thousands of innocent lives and, for his own selfish gain, harvested human hearts to refine evil pills, indirectly causing the tragic massacre on Yin Yang Road years ago.
Nan Zhi knew clearly that now that she was privy to such a shocking secret, the other party would never let her leave alive if the planting of the Mayfly Wood failed.
The memories of being hunted by Huiyuan were still vivid. Being watched and treated like an easy target to be crushed at will would stir a fire in even the most patient person.
Escape?
Against a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, the world might be vast, but spending her days hiding in fear would be far from satisfying.
Qinglong viewed her as a living human pillar, nothing more than a disposable consumable.
But after today, Nan Zhi viewed him as a thorn in her side. As long as he wasn't removed, she would never have a moment's peace.
Even if others thought a Foundation Establishment cultivator killing a Nascent Soul cultivator was nothing more than a pipe dream—a mantis trying to stop a carriage or mayflies shaking a tree—so what?
If a cultivator only knows how to flee, the spirit burning in their chest will dissipate, and they might never find the courage to fight again in the future.
Even if it were a mountain of blades, she would climb it.
Even if it were a sea of fire, she would charge through it.
Qinglong had to die.
But first, she needed to integrate every resource she could utilize.
Nan Zhi brushed off the non-existent dust on her sleeves, her expression calm.
...
...
For those three days, Nan Zhi was remarkably quiet. She didn't try to escape, nor did she attempt to see Immortal Danxia again. She simply sat cross-legged on the highest pavilion of the monastery, focused on her cultivation.
The storage bag Qinglong had given her was indeed filled with rare spirit herbs and pills that were extremely difficult to find outside: Biyuan Grass, Floating Dream Flower, and Scarlet Flame Fruit.
There were even several types of marrow-cleansing pills, items Nan Zhi had seen on the Demon Suppression Division's military merit exchange list.
Nan Zhi naturally wasn't afraid of Qinglong tampering with them. She found a Marrow-Cleansing Pill suitable for her, placed one under her tongue, and slowly refined its medicinal power.
【Cultivator Nan Zhi consumed Marrow-Cleansing Pill essence and seems to have gained some benefit; Constitution +1】
【Cultivator Nan Zhi consumed Marrow-Cleansing Pill essence and seems to have gained some benefit; Constitution +1】
【Cultivator Nan Zhi consumed Marrow-Cleansing Pill essence and seems to have gained some benefit; Constitution +1】
...
Daoist Qinglong seemed certain that Nan Zhi was isolated and without help. Moreover, with only a Foundation Establishment cultivation, her current behavior suggested she had recognized the reality of her situation.
Therefore, on the night before the planting of the Mayfly Wood, he ordered Shen Luohe to deliver some body-tempering pills.
“Master says that after tomorrow, he will take you as his closed-door disciple. When the Qingjing Sect holds its disciple selection next year, you can return to the sect with him and cultivate in its tranquil grounds.”
A smile still lingered on Shen Luohe's face, but his eyes dared not look up at his friend. His hand gripped his fan so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
“Nan Zhi, I know I've wronged you this time. But for the sake of my sword path and the safety of my fellow disciples in the monastery, I had no choice but to lure you here...”
“I know I should atone with my life, but there are more important things waiting for me right now. Once everything is finished tomorrow, I will surely offer my life in apology.”
“There's no need for apologies. When exactly did you find out that Daoist Qinglong was the culprit behind all of this?”
Nan Zhi stared intently at Shen Luohe, refusing to miss a single flicker of expression on his face.
“Where did Fellow Daoist Hua go? Was she silenced after finding out, or is she imprisoned in this monastery like me?”
“You don't need to worry about my junior sister. She isn't in the monastery right now. A Nascent Soul cultivator's divine sense is vast, covering every corner of this Demon Suppression Monastery. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have found the opportunity to send her away.”
Shen Luohe bowed solemnly to Nan Zhi. When he stood up again, a trace of sorrow flashed in his eyes.
“When my junior sister and I were investigating, tracing everything back to its source, we discovered that the origin of the white tiger disaster lay within the Southwest Circuit Demon Suppression Division.”
“Junior sister is blunt and outspoken, so she took the evidence to confront Master. Like you, we originally thought it was Master Mo who was harboring evil intentions and plotting in secret. We never imagined...”
“You never imagined the mastermind was Daoist Qinglong, the master of the Demon Suppression Monastery—your kind master who was like a father to you. Not only did he frankly admit it, but he also made you use your family to lure me into his trap.”
Hearing that Hua Xijian was safe, Nan Zhi continued:
“These past few days, you've been using the excuse of demon hunting to send all the demon suppressors out. You're afraid the planting of the Mayfly Wood will be exposed, aren't you?”
“With Qinglong acting like this, isn't he afraid the Qingjing Sect will find out, or that he'll trigger a heavenly lightning tribulation and fail at the last moment?”
Shen Luohe indeed knew quite a bit. Hearing this, he only shook his head.
“This Demon Suppression Monastery beneath your feet is built upon Master's natal spirit treasure, the ‘Three-Fire Candle Turtle Ruler.’ The entire monastery moves according to Master's will.”
“That ‘Three-Fire Candle Turtle Ruler’ was refined from the horn of the ancient beast Kui Ox and the spirit of a Candle Turtle. It is a secret treasure capable of obscuring heavenly secrets. Over the years, it is this treasure that has helped Master hide from heaven and deceive the celestial omens.”
“Furthermore, the monastery has the formations Master Mo laid out based on the Demon Suppression Tower. They can repel demons and prevent outside investigation. Unless a higher-level cultivator is here to break the formation and send a message...”
“Otherwise, let alone a call for help, not even a mosquito within the Great Song could fly into the mortal realm.”
It was no wonder this Demon Suppression Monastery was far from any town, built in a desolate wilderness where no soul could be seen for miles.
It turned out Qinglong had prepared this for his plan long ago.
It was no wonder Qinglong wasn't afraid of the Demon Suppression Division finding out.
The communication channel between the mortal realm and the cultivation world was blocked. Miaoyun and the others were being held back by the monk Huiyuan and couldn't spare any attention.
Cultivation knows no years; time is measured in centuries or millennia. The recent hundred-year history of a mortal nation is something no one would think of unless they specifically went looking for it.
Even if the Qingjing Sect eventually noticed something was wrong and sent someone to investigate, by then, the Great Song would be in ruins, and Qinglong would have completed his great technique. He would have vanished into the mortal world with Immortal Danxia, and no one would be able to find them.
Qinglong acted without fear because he was certain that no high-level cultivator would be constantly watching a single mortal nation.
Below the Nascent Soul stage, he was confident no one in the world was his match.
“There is great terror between life and death. Master has punishments in his hands far more chilling and heart-trembling than any worldly torture you can imagine.”
Shen Luohe's face turned pale as if remembering something. He forced himself to advise her, “Tomorrow, you must not be disrespectful to Master again. As long as you endure tomorrow, perhaps... there might still be a sliver of hope.”
Nan Zhi suddenly caught the hidden meaning in his words and looked at him sharply. However, Shen Luohe acted as if he were merely performing a routine task, leaving the items behind and turning to depart on his flying boat.
——What kind of play was this?
Master and disciple turning against each other?
Nan Zhi was confused, but she silently noted the interaction.
The moonlight was brilliant tonight, without a single dark cloud in the sky. Sitting on the roof tiles of the highest pavilion and looking down, everything in the Demon Suppression Monastery was in full view.
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