Chapter 203: Chapter 200 The Mazer
"Ji Chengye, unwilling to remain in obscurity, with you and I joining hands, there’s a significant chance we can send him to his doom. But the matter of Lu King..."
Gongsun Qingyue’s cold demeanor slightly softened, as she began to ponder the chances of success, "Taking the son to threaten the father could indeed influence his rise, but if Lu King could do such evil deeds, whether he would be affected by the peril of Ji Chengye is truly hard to say."
"Regardless of Lu King’s success or failure, Ji Chengye must die," Jiang Li replied, "Once sworn enemies, we must show no mercy. He is currently the Princely Heir, without significant power, but once he succeeds Lu King, there will be ample ways to make trouble for us."
Furthermore, it could still be inferred that Ji Chengye had dealings with Yun Jiuye. He interfered in the affairs of the Jiang Family right from the start; it might have been at Yun Jiuye’s request. However, the developments later led Ji Chengye to become sworn enemies with Jiang Li, and Yun Jiuye no longer had any involvement.
If Ji Chengye ascended to power and supported Yun Jiuye from the outside, Jiang Li and Gongsun Qingyue would face numerous difficulties in the future.
As for the revenge of Lu King, behind Jiang Li and the others were not without supporters.
"However, on the surface, we must still shift the blame for the murder to avoid giving others a handle," Jiang Li said, while malicious ideas bubbled within him.
Speaking of shifting blame, one couldn’t help but think of the beloved Devil God Sect.
Since others could shift blame, there was no reason Jiang couldn’t.
It was decided, the one to be framed for killing Ji Chengye would be the Devil God Sect. Even the mastermind behind the plan was already considered—Heluo God of the Nineteen Demons.
’Additionally, we need to find more assistance to ensure we can eliminate Ji Chengye with absolute certainty.’
Jiang Li thought so, ready to leave Fengming Mountain with Gongsun Qingyue.
Just then, Jiang Li suddenly had a premonition and laughed out loud.
"Benefactor, please wait."
A sudden call sounded, the voice gentle and soothing like mountain streams, also possessing an invisible magic power that drew them in, making the duo unconsciously turn their heads.
On a high cliff, a stone pavilion appeared out of nowhere, there stood a white-clothed, white-haired figure with a face unmarred by a single flaw, smiling. The figure was surrounded by a miasma of light, and in terms of appearance, even exceeded Jiang Li, who had awakened the Divine Farmer’s appearance.
In the realm of appearance and strength, such attractiveness was a sure sign of no ordinary being.
It seemed Jiang Li had stumbled upon a supernaturally serendipitous encounter with an expert.
But the expert’s opening words were somewhat thrilling—if he had said ’Fellow Daoist’ instead of ’Benefactor,’ it would have been a fatal greeting.
Coupled with the warning from the Blessed Divine Jade Ruyi, almost instantaneously, Jiang Li whispered, "Let’s go."
No more words, just go!
Regardless of whether it’s an expert or a fortunate encounter, it’s not worth the risk if one could just forsake the encounter.
Jiang Li and Gongsun Qingyue, hailing from great sects with backers, have no lack of Dao Fruits, Cultivation Techniques, or resources. What others desperately sought was just icing on the cake for the two of them, not worth the risk.
Gongsun Qingyue sensed Jiang Li’s urgency and immediately summoned her Flying Sword, taking to the skies.
While Jiang Li moved with Wind Control, keeping up with the sword, the speed of the Flying Sword generated a strong wind, which Jiang Li used to propel both himself and the sword, the two forming spiraling afterimages. In the blink of an eye, they covered hundreds of yards.
The scenery of the sky turned into a line, racing past them on both sides rapidly, when suddenly a roar resounded, and a heavy pressure descended upon them—they had broken the sound barrier and now exceeded the speed of sound.
Crimson patterns resembling runes emerged on Gongsun Qingyue’s palms, surrounded by flickering blue flames. Jiang Li was veiled in a mist that formed into dragon shapes around him.
Both revealed their Cultivation Techniques under the pressure of the sound barrier, with Drought God Palm and Yinglong Transformation manifesting anomalies to stabilize their physical bodies.
However...
Ahead in the sky appeared five colossal fingers resembling pillars of heaven. The surrounding space changed as the fingers closed together, as if the heavens were capsizing and the world was collapsing.
’This is not right; I didn’t even get a chance to leave my mark, yet you’re already closing your hand?’
Jiang Li was about to activate his last resort to flee but, just as the thought emerged, the fingers had already closed, the world seemed to turn upside down, space twisted, and an endless darkness threatened to engulf them both into an abyss.
In the next moment, however, space solidified once more, the scenery of Fengming Mountain returned, and there stood Jiang Li and Gongsun Qingyue in mid-air outside the high cliff, as if they hadn’t even started to fly at high speed.
Were the events that just transpired real or an illusion?
"Was that an illusion?" Jiang Li whispered.
"Is it so or is it not?"
The white-clothed figure smiled and said, "All forms are without form, whether it is or isn’t—does it matter?"
"Indeed, it doesn’t matter."
Jiang Li nodded, and alongside Gongsun Qingyue, they descended back onto the high cliff, saying, "The juniors have learned their lesson."
Whether it was an illusion or not was irrelevant; what mattered was that they could not defeat the figure.
The recent display was beyond Jiang Li’s Emperor’s Qi Observation Skill, undetectable, inscrutable. Observing the figure covertly also yielded no clues. There was neither a sense of unfathomable depth nor a feeling of return to simplicity. Overall, the skill was pointless due to the vast gap between them.
In short, the gap was too wide, and there was no chance of being an opponent.
If Jiang Li could have won, he would have been able to beat his opponent into oblivion, but since he couldn’t, of course, what you said was right.
"Benefactor speaks insincerely."
The White-clothed Buddhist laughed and shook his head, but then he nodded, "However, this temperament has always been consistent, very open-minded, self-aware, one could say that he has seen through his own nature. With such a mindset, he has already surpassed ninety-nine percent of the people in the world. Even the Mazer in his younger years did not compare to the Benefactor."
"We are disciples of Gongsun Qingyue and Jiang Li, under Elder Tianxuan of the Dinghu Sect," Gongsun Qingyue bowed and said, "May I ask for the Master’s Dharma name?"
This was to declare their affiliation, hoping to make the other party be wary, and at the same time, to ascertain the other’s identity.
This Buddhist in front of them was unfathomable, and that ability he showed just now was very similar to the legendary Palm Buddha Country. Gongsun Qingyue even suspected that this was the Awakened from the Buddha Country.
If it was him, there would be no need for too much concern.
The Awakened of the Buddha Country, being greatly enlightened individuals, would definitely not commit the act of harming the younger generation. Although he holds a seat of high authority within the Buddha Country, he is even more importantly an Awakened, and would not act against his conscience for the sake of interest.
"The female Benefactor is sharp-witted, but too scheming, which is indeed a mistake in cultivation."
The White-clothed Buddhist chuckled, "It seems I have to disappoint you two. The Mazer is merely one who is lost in delusion, no different from the countless living creatures, not the Awakened you imagine. The Mazer’s Dharma name is Zhen Ru, nothing more than a lay Buddhist in the secular world."
He seemed to see through people’s hearts, pinpointing Gongsun Qingyue’s thoughts and then bluntly said, "The Mazer stopped you two Benefactors because it seems that Yong Province is about to witness the calamity of war, with living creatures about to suffer. Moved by compassion, I wish to help the departed souls attain liberation in hopes of bringing peace to the world."
With that, he extended his hand and a one-foot-long piece of golden paper appeared in his palm, "This Great Brightness Mantra can Suppress Ten Thousand Ghosts, and if used to stabilize oneself, it can also solidify the acupoints. The Benefactor’s Essence Element is powerful, but your physical body lacks the Cultivation necessary to further the transformation of your Cultivation Body. If this mantra is used to stabilize, it can solidify the Essence Element internally and facilitate the metamorphosis into a Dragon Body."
Jiang Li inwardly shivered upon hearing this.
The appearance of the words "Dragon Body" indicated that this Buddhist Zhen Ru had seen through the Yinglong Transformation Technique that Jiang Li practiced.
The Yinglong Transformation was the technique of using talismans to mold the body and laws to construct the form. Jiang Li himself had a balanced Three Elements, with his Essence Element not inferior to his Qi Element and Divine Essence. Cultivating this technique should indeed feel like divine assistance.
However, since he had not cultivated any techniques that specifically conditioned the physical body, such powerful Essence was entirely dependent on the power of his Dao Fruit Ability. Consequently, his physical body, unrefined and untempered, had merely reached the initial stage of the Yinglong Transformation. His transformations were still detached from within; the talismanic seed could not completely merge with the body’s acupoints for further metamorphosis.
If this golden paper could truly stabilize the acupoints as Buddhist Zhen Ru claimed, it would definitely allow Jiang Li’s physical body to be truly tempered, advancing his Yinglong Transformation.
With this in mind, Jiang Li bowed and said, "The Buddhist’s compassion is boundless, and Jiang Li will certainly assist."
That said, if he couldn’t win, whatever he said was correct.
Regardless of whether the golden paper could truly Suppress Ten Thousand Ghosts or indeed help Jiang Li stabilize his acupoints, he would have to accept this paper.
As for whether to use it to stabilize the acupoints, that would be a matter for later.
Of course, accepting it meant accepting it – but the necessary caution still had to be maintained.
Jiang Li extended his hands as if to take it, but did not approach, instead maintaining a two-zhang distance from the Stone Pavilion.
The Buddhist Zhen Ru had appeared alongside the Stone Pavilion and had not stepped out even once, indicating that there was a mystery within. If Jiang Li were to approach and physically take the golden paper, only to be caught by Buddhist Zhen Ru who then cackled and said "Come inside," what would he do then?
To avoid this kind of scenario typically found in novels, Jiang Li decided to accept the paper from a distance.
"Ha," Buddhist Zhen Ru laughed, "Cunning."
With a flick of his hand, the strip of golden paper flew through the air like a living thing, circling twice before landing in Jiang Li’s hands.
The moment his palm touched the golden paper, Jiang Li felt a sudden heaviness in his body, and a strange sensation emerged.
It felt like turning from liquid to solid, stepping from the clouds onto solid ground, with a tangible feeling sweeping across his entire being. The acupoints that had once drawn the energy of Yinglong Dragon shimmered with light, those that had formed talismanic seeds even more so, developing a sensation as if they were flesh and blood.
The talismanic seeds merged with the acupoints, as if seeds were planted in the earth, then taking root and sprouting.
Jiang Li’s skin cast a faint glow, and a substance akin to a stratum corneum appeared on the surface, spreading a feeling of tightness yet relief.
Just this contact had initiated such a change, making the golden paper’s function more significant than imagined.
Jiang Li’s eyes turned to the golden paper and saw six dazzling golden characters shimmering atop it, which were respectively pronounced "Om," "Ma," "Ni," "Pad," "Me," "Hum"—the Six-character Great Brightness Mantra.
These six characters were branded onto the golden paper, containing an elusive Buddhist charm, profound and everlasting.
Seeing this, Jiang Li smiled, "Now, I believe what Yang Ji said earlier."
Where the path is righteous, there is plenty of assistance; where the path is unrighteous, assistance is scarce.
It was not certain if Jiang Li was on a path with plenty of assistance, but King Lu was definitely on a path with scarce support.
Previously, the Upper Pure Sect, Huqi Mountain, even the Daode Sect and the court, were all implicitly assisting the Taiping Sect because they shared a common goal.
Now the situation has changed, but the various parties can still work together with the same resolve, for the same purpose.
Only this time, the shift was from aiding the Taiping Sect to targeting King Lu.
The change in stance can sometimes be quite amusing; past enemies might still be enemies, but friends may not necessarily remain friends. After all is said and done, it all comes down to interests.