met free Chapter 30 The Path to Death
Chapter 30 The Path to Death
All three parties want him; how should one choose?
The thought flashed through Zhong Xuan's mind, but his face showed no sign of panic.
His gaze swept over them, and his mind reflected their various schemes.
The Mind Lake Illumination Method is a supernatural power, its essence lies in a stable and unwavering Daoist mind.
Otherwise, if the mind is moved, all things will be moved, and the energy that is perceived will be nothing but illusory and demonic shadows.
Rather than possessing supernatural powers, one must recognize the fundamentals to achieve lasting strength.
What Zhong Xuan saw was the diverse aspects of human life.
Buddhist sects seek his innate talent and potential.
The Master of Longhu Mountain wanted him to submit.
The fat woman and the Taoist disciple wanted to kill him to vent their anger and hatred.
Everyone has their own ulterior motives, and it seems that everything hinges on him.
But in reality, they are merely reflecting their own inner desires!
Therefore, the various deeds these people actually engage in are none of his business.
Zhong Xuan sighed inwardly. He had loved and sought the Dao since childhood, which had honed his mind to a state of joy and contentment.
Whether it's Taoism, Buddhism, or the various schools of thought from the Hundred Schools of Thought, they all have some research findings, but they are not attached to any particular school.
Moreover, compared to the reactions of these people, he was only concerned about the monkey at the moment.
Meanwhile, the little trick that Abbess Jingyuan had just secretly used to transmit her voice could not ultimately escape the notice of Head Abbot Jingchen.
Well done, Jingyuan! Why do you insist on going against this old monk and trying to snatch people away?
Abbot Jingchen pondered inwardly, his expression remaining calm and composed. However, the prayer beads he was twirling between his fingers suddenly stopped. He was about to order someone to bring out the temple's most treasured Buddhist artifact, or to arrest the person directly as a prince.
But while he was still preparing, a majestic voice broke the deathly silence of the long street.
"In my humble opinion!"
Zhang Chengming finally stepped forward.
He walked slowly with his hands behind his back, step by step towards the center of the long street, his green robe fluttering in the night wind.
His calm and disdainful demeanor made it seem as if he were strolling not on the main street of Jisaguo, but in the ancestral temple of Longhu Mountain.
The situation, already on the verge of exploding like a pressure cooker, was completely ignited by his move, adding the final spark to the fire.
He stopped three steps in front of Zhong Xuan, looking down at the young man with a condescending admiration in his eyes.
Just like a wealthy old man examining a collectible in excellent condition.
"Young friend, I know you are a smart person."
He spoke slowly, his voice low but clear, each word reaching the ears of everyone present.
"A wise person will make the right choice."
After saying this, he raised his right hand and gently placed it on the monkey's head.
The monkey was firmly suppressed by the immobilization talisman, unable to move, only its pair of crimson eyes visible.
The hatred in its eyes surged so intensely that it almost solidified and burned through the person before it.
Zhang Chengming, however, seemed completely unconcerned, even a faint smile playing on his lips, as he continued:
"For if you are not wise enough to understand my meaning,"
He paused, then gently patted the monkey's head twice with his right hand, the movement slow and gentle, as if patting a stubborn wild dog.
"There is no one worthy of my taking them."
He spoke with a smile, his arrogance, as if looking down on ants, was completely undisguised.
His eyes held no warmth whatsoever, only the cold arrogance and certainty of someone in a position of power who controls everything.
It was as if everything in the world was under his control.
This person is too arrogant.
Among the nearby practitioners, Abbess Jingyuan frowned slightly.
She looked at Zhang Chengming's hand pressing on the monkey's head, then at Zhong Xuan, her eyes swirling with complex and unreadable emotions.
The expression on the face of the head monk Jingchen gradually became solemn.
The two leaders of nearby Buddhist sects instantly understood the crux of the matter.
If the boy had previously chosen to stay and take the blame, it was to protect the monkey demon.
Now, Master Zhang of Longhu Mountain is actually threatening the monkey demon's life...
Can they still win this young man's allegiance?
Or perhaps, this young man, for the sake of his future path to immortality, will resolutely slay demons and surrender to Longhu Mountain?
The two Buddhist masters' minds raced, their gazes shifting back and forth between the boy and the monkey demon, a growing sense of vigilance creeping into their hearts!
If this young man truly values his future, why would he kill his companions?
Taking such a cold-hearted person as a disciple might actually be a disaster!
As the thoughts of the two eminent Buddhist monks and nuns shifted, so too did the feelings of others become complicated.
In the shadows, the Rakshasa woman quietly gripped the short sword she had drawn from her waist.
She bit her pink lips with her pearly white teeth, but ultimately refrained from moving.
A voice inside me kept urging me: He should be intelligent...
We should first feign compliance to appease the other party and then plan our next move later. It's just a matter of temporary restraint...
The Rakshasa woman warned herself that she must not act impulsively.
However, her gaze was fixed on Zhang Chengming's hand covering the monkey's head, as if it harbored a malice that could kill the monkey at any moment... This made her heart pound even faster.
From the moment they met, she disliked the monkey's mischievous and murderous acts.
But at this moment, I don't want it to die even a little bit!
Because deep down, I didn't want the young man to suffer the torment of a torn heart afterward, no matter what choice he made at that time.
Just thinking about it made Rakshasa feel that the feeling was too excruciating and painful.
But her gaze suddenly sharpened, and she saw—
One of the focal points of the street, Zhang Chengming, his smile undiminished, subtly held a talisman between his right fingertips.
The talisman was entirely gilded, with subtle mountain patterns flowing within it, and its power far surpassed the previous two immobilization talismans.
He slowly moved his two fingers upwards and gently pushed them together.
Snapped!
The third talisman was firmly affixed to the back of the monkey's head.
The monkey shuddered violently, its golden fur trembling, as it sensed a terrifying crisis!
However, its entire strength was instantly suppressed by an even stronger, mountain-like talismanic force, making it extremely difficult for it to even move its eyes.
"Hmph! You beast, you dare waste one of my mountain-suppressing talismans?"
As Zhang Chengming spoke, he turned his head and looked at the young Taoist priest again, his gaze growing increasingly cold.
The smile on his lips slowly turned into mockery, the change so slow and profound, as if he were silently counting down the days to life and death for the other person.
At this moment, the monkey, suppressed and threatened by the new talisman, struggled even more fiercely.
It desperately wanted to break free and run to its brother's side!
Because it saw the painful predicament that Brother Ren was currently in!
No one knows what makes this naturally born and raised intelligent stone monkey so extraordinary.
It was never a talent that allowed him to easily comprehend new supernatural abilities, nor was it an indestructible body nurtured by immortal stones.
Instead, from the moment of its birth, it possesses an almost supernatural keen insight into the emotions and true nature of all living beings!
Therefore, at this moment, the monkey clearly sensed the emotions emanating from everyone nearby.
They are sympathizing with the poor man!
How could this be! My brother doesn't need the sympathy of these disgusting people!
Thinking of this, the monkey struggled more frantically than ever before, its bloodshot eyes blazing with fury!
A powerful restraint so pure it almost burned through layers of immobilization charms.
At this moment, its thoughts were burning with pure intensity, and only this one obsession could shine even brighter!
We absolutely cannot put my brother in such a difficult position!
I must never let my brother suffer even the slightest injustice because of my own sake!
It then clenched its teeth, which were as white and menacing as cold iron, even tighter and struggled even more fiercely!
This caused the two immobilization charms on the back of the neck to lose their luster rapidly.
The edges of the first talisman's patterns had already developed fine cracks, and it was on the verge of collapse.
But at that moment, as if he had expected it, Zhang Chengming casually drew out a fourth talisman with the tip of his right finger.
It's still a magic spell, and I'll give it to you again.
Snapped.
The fourth symbol, layer upon layer, rises upwards!
Just then, Zhong Xuan quietly watched Zhang Chengming's actions. In his gentle eyes, it seemed as if the future Five Finger Mountain was reflected.
With just four fingers, the future Monkey King, the decorated monkey, was already pinned down and unable to move.
The raging fire in the monkey's eyes, almost burning to the heavens, was forcibly suppressed.
Despite its violent trembling, it remained motionless, its gaze fixed intently on its brother's back.
The boy kept his lips pursed, and everyone watching his movements thought he was struggling.
But when the people around him looked up and carefully examined his eyes, they were all suddenly taken aback.
Those eyes, gentle and clear as a mirror, showed no trace of entanglement or hesitation.
They were stunned, as if they were seeing themselves reflected in those eyes.
The boy stood quietly in place, like a clear ancient mirror, reflecting everyone's self-righteous anxiety and scheming.
Did they think that the anxious, conflicted, and hesitant one was the boy, or themselves?
Suddenly,
"My life..."
The boy's clear voice suddenly opened his mouth, instantly capturing everyone's attention.
After all, this is the true epicenter of this storm.
Zhong Xuan raised his head and looked up at the night sky, gazing at the lonely moon and drifting clouds. His gaze was distant, as if he could pierce through the heavens.
In mid-air, the Golden Horned Boy, who had been hiding and spying, felt his heart pound wildly.
For a moment, he almost thought he had been discovered!
The boy's gaze seemed to pierce through the invisibility technique personally taught by Laozi, fixing directly on him.
But then he spat angrily, realizing he had scared himself.
How could a mere rogue cultivator who hasn't even reached the Human Immortal realm possibly see through my invisibility technique!
While Jinjiao was feeling triumphant, he was still unaware that the azure energy that had been quietly following him down to the mortal realm was already nearby.
At the end of the long street, in the shadow of the city gate, stood a blue ox.
The blue ox hid quietly here, escaping the eyes of the heavens, gazing at the center of the long street from afar, its eyes brimming with curiosity and amusement.
It is also curious how the boy will choose, or rather, how he will break the deadlock.
The bull's ears suddenly twitched slightly, and it heard the boy, who was being stared at by everyone on the street, finally speak again:
"I've made many important choices."
Zhong Xuan withdrew his gaze and spoke slowly.
He put his hands behind his back, turned around, and looked around the entire venue.
His gaze wasn't limited to Buddhist masters and the immortals of Longhu Mountain.
He didn't just look at the Rakshasa woman in the shadows.
Instead, it scanned everyone present.
Even the hundreds of ordinary people felt that the young man was looking at them with the same respect as everyone else.
The boy's gentle gaze was like a clear mirror, questioning them and reaching deep into their hearts.
"You don't need to guess, and you don't need to care, about what I will choose next."
The boy's voice was clear and resonant, each word spoken with conviction.
"Everyone here can be a teacher to one another."
The predicament I face today can also become a question posed in your hearts.
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.
Each face was reflected on the lake of his heart.
The fat woman's hatred stemmed from the loss of her husband and the loss of her lucrative source of income, leaving her with nowhere to hide her resentment.
The Taoists' anger stemmed from the loss of their master and livelihood, and from the anger of losing their Taoist teacher.
The curiosity of ordinary people is the age-old, bewildered bystander mentality of onlookers.
Zhong Xuan's heart lake is calm and still, reflecting the myriad aspects of all living beings, neither increasing nor decreasing.
Then a thought suddenly occurred to me: If I were to die here today, how many of these people would remember tonight?
How many people can glean even a fraction of the wisdom from this conflict?
The answer was naturally unknown, but he thought to himself that he was still willing to give it a try.
The Tao is not about self-cultivation; it should be able to illuminate the true nature of all beings and serve as a guiding light for them.
Zhong Xuan naturally followed up by saying:
"If you were in this situation, what would you choose?"
These words were like a stone thrown into a still lake, creating ripples in everyone's hearts.
"This is the fruit you should reap by standing here and wasting your time."
The boy finished speaking, his voice tinged with a sense of leisurely reflection.
These words elicited varying reactions from the thousands of people around.
Most of the onlookers were confused and looked bewildered.
What is this person saying? What commander? What choice?
For example, the plump woman in the fancy clothes opened her mouth, her eyes filled with confusion.
Several Taoist priests and wandering monks appeared, some deep in thought, others with furrowed brows.
Some people lowered their heads in thought, while others looked up at the boy with a hint of inexplicable awe in their eyes.
Even more so are those of high status here, such as the two leaders of the Buddhist community.
The head monk Jingchen paused again, his prayer beads fluttering as he gazed at the young man, a strange light flashing in his eyes.
These words, though seemingly simple, contain profound Zen wisdom!
He couldn't help but think: If this boy were to enter my Golden Light Temple, ten years later, the Kingdom of Jisa would surely produce a highly eloquent monk.
But if one enters the White Cloud Nunnery...
The turning of the prayer beads abruptly stopped. Abbot Jingchen stopped thinking about it and thought to himself: This boy is definitely mine.
Beside him, Abbess Jingyuan's bright eyes flickered, her lips parted slightly, and she silently chanted a Buddhist prayer:
"By Guanyin Bodhisattva, my encounter with this child today must be a great karmic connection?"
She suppressed the undue eagerness in her heart and tried her best to keep her mind calm.
However, due to external factors, Master Jingyuan's clear and beautiful eyes looked over and stared at the dignified and imposing figure.
Zhang Chengming, standing on the long street, seemed to be worth a hundred people, and his imposing presence could not be ignored.
At this moment, his brows were slightly furrowed, and although he felt something, it was neither too much nor too heavy.
He never cared about much else, only about what he wanted in the moment, so he just stared intently at the boy, waiting for the final answer.
However, this wasn't just happening on the streets at that moment.
Just a few dozen steps away in the alley, in the deep shadows under the eaves, lived a virtuous Jurchen.
The Rakshasa woman, hidden in the darkness, quietly loosened her grip on the short sword.
Her bright eyes were filled with bewilderment as she gazed at the figure in the middle of the long street, a complex mix of emotions churning within her.
Since bidding farewell to her revered teacher, she has cultivated herself for a hundred years, living a solitary life, with no one ever offering her guidance.
Even now, trapped in a desperate situation, this young man still yearns to enlighten all living beings...
She even felt a little envious of those ordinary people.
At least for this moment, their true nature was seen by the boy, and he was willing to invest in kindness.
And yet, having once received gentle help, I can only hide in the shadows now, afraid to face the light?
The Rakshasa woman unconsciously looked to the other side, towards the demonic figure with whom the boy had always had a deep relationship.
The monkey was unable to move, but its eyes were fixed on the man's back.
"Brother..." it called out anxiously in its heart, and its wish was indeed granted.
Zhong Xuan turned around quietly and looked over. Their eyes met, and in an instant, they understood each other.
They both recalled that day on the back mountain of Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, where they supported each other as they climbed the long, steep ladder.
When confronted by the patriarch, the monkey offered to take him to seek immortality, and the patriarch offered to let the monkey stay and seek immortality.
Could the pressure of this decision tonight be heavier than the pressure of seeking immortality back then?
Zhong Xuan chuckled inwardly. Of course not, but it wasn't light either.
It was only because this Master Zhang was so aggressive and domineering that the Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain became so arrogant and domineering, teaching people...
There was nowhere to retreat.
The thought became completely clear at that moment, and an incredibly profound and firm decision was made.
Zhong Xuan smiled at the monkey, nodded slightly, and then looked away.
The next instant, he suddenly took a step forward!
His aura underwent a dramatic change!
Those gentle, mirror-like eyes suddenly became sharp as a knife, shattering all restraint!
"Give me a gun!"
The young man shouted, his right hand shooting out into the air, his magical power surging, summoning from afar!
brush!
The guard beside him felt a sudden lightness in his hand, and before he could react, his red-tasseled spear had flown out of his grasp.
Whoosh—the straight spear pierced the night sky and landed steadily in Zhong Xuan's palm!
Zhong Xuan held the gun in one hand, his wrist and arm trembling slightly. The tip of the gun reflected the moonlight, and a cold glint appeared.
The cold, gleaming spearhead was pointed straight at Zhang Chengming, who was a dozen steps away!
In an instant, the silent action was like a thunderclap.
The scene was so shocking that everyone on the street held their breath, their eyes glued to the viewer.
Is this a desperate fight? Such fierce determination in a young man?
At that very moment,
The smile on Zhang Chengming's face instantly froze.
"Old dog Zhang".
The boy spoke, his clear voice carrying a sharp edge that seemed to break through all predicaments, echoing throughout the long street.