Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 276 - Xie Zhi (1)

Under the gaze of everyone, the young man appeared dazed, as if lost in thought, with an unusual awkwardness on his face.

Pu Tao’s eyes were fixed on him, her expression somewhat distraught.

Seeing that he remained silent, Zanxing asked again, “Gu Baiying?”

As if jolted awake by her call, Gu Baiying looked deeply at Zanxing and suddenly said, “We’ll come.”

The Demon Extermination Army behind him was not pleased. Someone shouted, “Why should we enter the pagoda? There could be traps inside, and this group might be conspiring to ensnare us all!”

“Exactly, there’s a demon inside, a bunch of demons outside, and a monk with dubious ties to the demons—who knows what they’re up to? I’m not going!”

“Neither am I! Anyone who wants to be the fool can go, but I’m not going!”

Zanxing sighed inwardly. It seemed that Daoist Lingxin really hoped Gu Baiying would go to his death. With this group, they would be a nuisance even if they encountered normal people, let alone Gui Yansheng. One person dragging everyone down was bad enough, a whole group doing so would make even the demons feel sorry for him.

“Those who don’t want to go can stay behind,” Gu Baiying sneered. “As if your staying behind makes any difference.”

“You!”

“What did my Martial Uncle say wrong?” Tian Fangfang nodded in agreement. “What else do you know how to do besides complaining when things go wrong? What do we need you for, to just be a hindrance?”

Seeing the Demon Extermination Army begin to quarrel among themselves, the demons immediately became excited. Earth-Eater clapped his hands and cheered, “Fight, fight!”

Mountain Spider laughed so hard that he bent over. “Look at this group—they’re like a mess of pig bristles mixed with rotten hemp, just a total disaster!”

Zanxing shot them a glance, and they quickly fell silent.

Meng Ying also said, “We’re going to enter the pagoda. Those who don’t want to go can return to their sect or wait outside the pagoda. But if you’re leaving, do it quickly and decisively. Don’t come crawling back later claiming credit or seeking recognition.”

Meng Ying’s tone was cold and impassive, but the more she spoke like this, the more mocking it sounded. The troublemakers glared at them, gritted their teeth, and muttered, “Then go and get yourselves killed!” Before storming off with a dozen or so people.

The remaining members, unsure if they genuinely wanted to enter the pagoda or had other motives, did not leave the group. With both sides having made their decisions, Master Mingjing gave some final instructions to his disciples and set off with the group.

The Five Wheels Pagoda seemed not far from the mountain, but walking there still required some effort. The terrain was unusual, making it inconvenient to use flying swords. Qiong Niang and You Lang escorted them to this point before returning, as they were scheduled to lead their people in planting trees later. It was no wonder they took tree planting so seriously. As one moved up the mountain towards the Five Wheels Pagoda, the surroundings grew increasingly desolate.

At first, there were scattered shrubs and grass, but eventually, only rugged rocks and sparse, withered branches could be seen. It was somewhat reminiscent of Heishi City.

Zanxing looked at Master Mingjing walking beside her and couldn’t help but ask, “Master, the mountain seems quite desolate. Has it always been like this?” The area outside Yue Mountain was lush with trees and fragrant with flowers.

Mingjing replied softly, “The spiritual energy in the mountain has gradually diminished in recent years. It wasn’t always this desolate.”

Zanxing nodded, thinking quietly to herself, wondering if the depletion of spiritual energy on Yue Mountain was related to the withering of the spiritual veins in Heishi City.

As she pondered, she heard Mingjing’s soft voice again, “How is your mother…?”

Zanxing was taken aback and turned to look at Mingjing.

The monk had a refined appearance, with a serene and detached expression. Dressed in gray robes, he seemed to embody purity and tranquility. Yet, as he spoke these words, his eyes lowered, as if to hide his true feelings from view.

The Demon Queen Bu Jiang had countless lovers both above and below the heavens. Before entering Yue Mountain, Zanxing had speculated that this ‘old friend’ might have been one of Bu Jiang’s past lovers. However, seeing such a clear and unworldly Buddhist cultivator who had once been involved with Bu Jiang made her unable to suppress a sigh.

Why is it that others’ lives seem so rich and colorful? It was quite eye-opening.

She replied as politely as possible, “She is well.”

With that, Mingjing fell silent. Zanxing looked at him and felt an inexplicable sense of pity.

To the others, the whispered conversation between the two seemed quite different. A disciple from the Yinfeng Sect—the one who had earlier complained about Zanxing planning to capture and torture him—couldn’t help but express his distress. “Look at that female demon. She must have taken a fancy to that handsome Buddhist cultivator and plans to lure him away to torment him. That monk looks so naive, he probably doesn’t realize he’s already fallen into the clutches of a demon.”

The disciple beside him nodded repeatedly. “Yes, yes, after all, she has seven male lovers. Surely, she wouldn’t mind adding another.”

Hearing this, Gu Baiying’s face darkened, and he said coldly, “Be quiet.”

The area fell silent.

After about an hour of walking, the path ahead became increasingly open. The surrounding area was devoid of any underbrush. In the distance, at the edge of the mountain peak, stood a majestic white tower. The white tower was perched close to the cliff edge, as if it might topple and fall at any moment. White clouds and dense mist enveloped it, and the sun’s rays cast a golden hue over the mountain, giving it a serene, Zen-like atmosphere.

Master Mingjing stopped and said, “We’ve arrived.”

“This is the Five Wheels Pagoda?” Men Dong looked at the white tower in the distance in astonishment. “Why is it so massive?”

Zanxing was also surprised. For a pagoda, this white tower seemed exceedingly large.

Xiao Shuang explained, “I heard that several hundred years ago, a giant beast caused havoc here. Master Jingshan of Liuxuan Temple subdued the beast, and after its death, its body decayed, leaving behind a giant skeletal frame. Master Jingshan then used this skeleton to construct the pagoda.” He smiled and added, “Seeing is believing. As expected, the Five Wheels Pagoda has a grand presence.”

Zanxing gazed at the pagoda before her. It looked like a small mountain at first glance, and with such a massive skeleton, one could only imagine how ferocious the giant beast must have been. The Master Jingshan who managed to subdue it must have had profound cultivation.

Zanxing was not the only one thinking this. Tian Fangfang smiled and said, “A giant beast of this size would be hard to find a match for even in the entire Duzhou. Where is Master Jingshan now? Is he still at Liuxuan Temple?”

Mingjing lowered his head slightly and replied, “Master passed away and ascended to the heavens a hundred years ago.”

“Ascended, huh…” Tian Fangfang said with some disappointment, “What a pity.”

“There’s no need to feel pity,” Mingjing said softly. “He transcended the troubles of life and death and achieved supreme enlightenment. To be born in the world, to grow in the world, and to attain Buddhahood in the world was Master’s lifelong wish.”

With Mingjing’s words, the group fell silent. Mingjing clasped his hands together and continued walking toward the Five Wheels Pagoda. “Let’s go.”

He led the way toward the pagoda.