northernbook Chapter 419
Chapter 419
The old Taoist priest nodded with satisfaction.
It's getting harder and harder to pretend to be a master these days... it's not an easy job anymore.
Zhong Ming listened respectfully from the side. He was naturally overjoyed that the old Taoist priest had come to his camp. He hoped that his master would stay here for a few more days. As a half-host, he had to treat his master well.
The problem is... my wallet is empty.
"Master, how long will you be staying this time? Shall I show you around our specialty restaurant? Cliff City has many interesting places too, their fish can fly! Fishing is like flying a kite..."
“My disciple, you should take good care of your health. My journey here is not for the sake of worldly pleasures or rare and precious things. Remember, cultivation begins with cultivating the mind. Acting freely yet in harmony with the Great Dao is the true path of cultivation.”
"Disciple has remembered."
Both of them breathed a sigh of relief. One was secretly pleased that he had saved his empty wallet, while the other was secretly pleased that his well-placed lecture had bought him time to go back and stop Miss Bai.
After chatting for a while, the old Taoist priest asked Zhong Ming if he still listened to him.
Zhong Ming said he always kept his enemy in mind and worked hard to cultivate his skills.
The old Taoist priest said that was not the case.
“My disciple, take good care of your injuries. The path to enlightenment is not something to rush. Hatred is a power that can be trusted, but do not let it blind you.”
He spoke earnestly, and the "entrustment" he referred to was, "Occasionally, go and listen to storytelling."
Zhong Ming then realized that he had come to Cliff City but had not yet met a storyteller.
The old Taoist priest gave a meaningful smile, then prepared to go back and stop Miss Bai's raging fury.
"My disciple, my visit this time was brought about by a series of coincidences, and I was not well prepared. I will bring you some gifts next time I come to see you. You can save this one for now."
The old Taoist priest forcibly pressed Zhong Ming to the spot, preventing him from getting up to see him off.
"I'll be leaving now. If... you're not happy staying here, just go back to the Taoist temple. I'll handle things with the Chen family dynasty."
The old Taoist priest closed the door and strolled through the ruined castle.
His gaze pierced through the drafty stone wall and fell upon Zhang Youcai meditating in the room, his internal energy flowing smoothly. He nodded slightly.
His footsteps pierced through the stone bricks, as if melting into the wall. He carefully sensed the barely perceptible cracks, deducing the ferocity of the previous battle. His hands plunged into the shadows, swaying slightly. The darkness, like a pebble dropped into a calm lake, also rippled slightly.
Zhong Ming sat in the quiet room, pondering what his master had said about the storyteller. He wondered if he had encountered a storyteller with a special identity on the way to Jueya City, and if seeking him out might bring him some good fortune.
Then they heard the old Taoist priest's voice coming from inside the wall.
"There's still a lot of sand left here."
"Ah, Master, I heard that the attacking enemy is good at using sand, so it must have been embedded in the sand during the fight."
"Hmm, this sand is quite interesting. There's a wisp of divine soul residing on it. I wonder if it's for eavesdropping or has some other purpose."
After saying this, the old Taoist waved his hand, and sand and stones flew up from the shadows like a sandstorm. But they didn't last long; they all obediently gathered in the old Taoist's hand, forming a ball of sand.
Zhong Ming pushed open the door and saw that the old Taoist priest was holding a clump of sand in his hand. The clump of sand was not well-behaved and kept trying to stick out a point to resist.
The old Taoist priest pondered for a moment, then took out a tattered cloth bag from his sleeve and covered it with the cloth. He then said to Zhong Ming, "Disciple, let your superiors worry about this. Oh, and remember to bring the cloth bag back. Consider it a gift to wish you success in your Foundation Establishment."
The old Taoist priest smiled, then said with a serious expression, "It's time to run."
Zhong Ming: "Run? What is that...?"
In an instant, he felt the earth shake and the entire castle tremble, with countless cracks appearing on every stone brick.
The next moment, the Foundation Establishment cultivators who had just dispersed saw the distant castle... collapse.
This time, the collapse was exceptionally clean. There were no pillars or "rubble" that stood firm. The entire castle was reduced to rubble, mixed with countless pieces of furniture and stored supplies, turning it into a complete pile of stones.
The old Taoist priest, with a bell in his left hand and a wealth symbol in his right, stood on a pile of stones, quite proud.
"Hmph, you inexperienced brat, trying to teach me a lesson with your crude methods? You dare to defy me?"
“Master… my family is gone.” After Zhong Ming finished speaking, the old Taoist suddenly gave an awkward laugh. “Disciple, your master is leaving. Don’t worry about me.”
After saying that, he took off running like a madman.
"Damn it, we can't delay any longer, or my house will be gone too." The old Taoist priest was heartbroken; the renovation of Maoshan Taoist Temple was going to cost a fortune.
Several Foundation Establishment cultivators were about to stop them when they saw Zhong Ming wave goodbye... and beckon them over.
“There has been a major discovery, made by my master.”
......
Ten minutes later, in the central command tent.
The battalion commander was certain of one thing: he could keep Tuan Shazi under control, but pulling him out of the entire castle was out of the question.
At this moment, recalling his earlier act of arresting the old Taoist priest as a thief, he broke out in a cold sweat.
"Captain Cuihong, your master... seems to enjoy a carefree, playful lifestyle."
"My master advocates following one's heart and cultivating in accordance with one's desires." Zhong Ming put what he had just learned into practice. He didn't understand it himself, so he told the battalion commander to see his reaction.
The battalion commander's forehead was covered in sweat.
“Your master said this cloth bag is a gift for you. Take it back. We have to hand over this clump of sand.” He took out a jar and forcibly stuffed the clump of sand into it. The Foundation Establishment stage cultivator’s use of divine sense was still a bit weak, so they had to ask a Golden Core stage cultivator to thoroughly examine it.
“Speaking of which, shouldn’t we collect the wreckage from the exploded shells?” Suddenly, a cultivator raised a question.
"A single grain of sand stuck inside a spirit rune can cause this situation."
"But it was blown up before that old scoundrel Sha even came knocking on our door."
"Perhaps, who knows? That old thief Sha came to fight us with such fanfare, could it be to cover up his own sand? Could there be someone else's sand, or something even more mysterious and strange, that has infiltrated our ranks beforehand? Is the old thief just here to provide cover?"
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. The battalion commander made a decisive decision to seal off the entire camp and summon a Golden Core cultivator!
"Master Cuihong, we owe a great debt to your master's help this time. Please convey my gratitude to him. The Yanlang Army is grateful for any kindness shown to them."
Zhong Ming: Hmm, you weren't so polite when you thought the old Taoist was in the Qi Refining stage.