Inside the Glazed Pure Land.
Within the Moonlight Glazed Hall.
Master Xuan Du sat cross-legged at the dais, flanked by Luo Chen and Qingshuang. Below them sat sixteen monks in bloodstained cassocks, their auras frail and depleted.
Luo Chen could clearly feel the searing hatred in the glares directed at his back, as if they wished to bore holes through him.
In this battle, the Hanging Temple had marched in with crushing momentum, deploying the very best of their elite.
Yet when the dust settled, the majority of their thirty-six eminent monks had fallen to his sword, and the most gifted among them—the First Seat of Prajna Hall—had died at Qingshuang's hands.
To expect them not to feel hatred would be nothing short of delusional.
Yet Luo Chen had no regrets.
Entrusted with a task, he had carried it out faithfully. He owed it to his patron to exert every ounce of his strength, heedless of who was right or wrong.
From the dais, Master Xuan Du spoke serenely. "Fellow junior brothers, as practitioners of our path, how can we harbor hearts laden with hatred and resentment? One must refrain from anger and wrath."
His voice drifted softly, carrying rhythmic Buddhist resonances that gently smoothed the agitation in their minds.
Though Luo Chen could still sense a few lingering glares of enmity, they had notably softened.
He twitched the corner of his lips, paying them no further mind, and looked up at Master Xuan Du.
"Master, have you attained the Soul Formation realm?"
Master Xuan Du first nodded, then shook his head.
Such an ambiguous response left Luo Chen uncertain what to make of it.
Master Xuan Du sighed. "Attained, yet not attained."
Luo Chen frowned slightly. Recalling what Qingshuang had said earlier, he formed a vague guess.
Master Xuan Du's current condition was likely indeed within the Soul Formation realm, but it was doubtful he could maintain it for long.
That Left Hand of the Buddha had truly inflicted severe injuries on him in the very breath before his grand achievement was finalized.
What appeared serene and intact now was merely a castle in the air, a reflection of flowers in a mirror and the moon upon water.
"No matter. My current state is sufficient to provide the power required for what I must do next. Our collaboration may be considered a success."
"This poor monk offers his thanks!"
Qingshuang gave a slight nod.
Luo Chen waved his hand dismissively. "Since it was an agreement between partners, there is no need for profuse thanks. You are far too polite, Master."
Master Xuan Du managed a faint smile. "Next, I shall send the two of you to Fomu Temple. From there, you may activate the teleportation array to depart the Western Desert. As for the events that follow, those are internal matters of our Buddhist sect, and they no longer concern you."
Luo Chen and Qingshuang exchanged a glance, visibly letting out a sigh of relief.
The fact that he had not reneged on their agreement was the best possible outcome.
However, upon hearing these words, some among the surviving monks whose spiritual cultivation was less seasoned could not conceal their discontent.
Master Xuan Du acted as though he had not noticed. Instead, he began to speak of his insights regarding the breakthrough into the Soul Formation realm.
As expected, the moment he brought up this topic, the eminent monks could no longer spare any attention for Luo Chen and Qingshuang; all of them listened with rapt devotion.
Standing in the hall, Luo Chen and Qingshuang felt a touch awkward. Yet since Master Xuan Du made no move to drive them out, they simply thickened their skin and remained, listening with earnest attention.
A Buddhist monk's ascent to Soul Formation was the attainment of buddhahood and the Arhat realm, which differed in many respects from a demon's ascension to ancient demon or a Daoist cultivator's breakthrough to Soul Formation.
Even so, stones from other hills could polish jade. In the end, all paths converged on the transformation of the primordial spirit and mastery over the primal qi of heaven and earth.
Thus, listening attentively proved profoundly rewarding for both Luo Chen and Qingshuang.
Time slipped by unmeasured. In what felt like a trance, Master Xuan Du's sermon drew to a close.
He looked down at his surviving fellow disciples, his eyes filled with tender pity.
"In this breakthrough, this poor monk borrowed the power of the spirit treasure, the Glazed Pure Land. Consequently, there remain considerable imperfections. You may heed these experiences, yet you must not take them as absolute truth. I hope each of you will weigh them carefully against your own circumstances."
The monks seemed to awaken from a dream, chanting Buddhist names in unison to express their gratitude for Master Xuan Du's teachings.
The scene felt remarkably bizarre.
Just moments ago, they had been crying out for blood and slaughter, yet in the blink of an eye, harmony had returned as though nothing had happened.
Perhaps this was the nature of the Buddhist sect.
Or perhaps it was simply because Master Xuan Du had originally hailed from the Hanging Temple himself.
Taking Xuan Du's words to heart, Luo Chen bowed deeply toward him.
"Many thanks for the guidance, Master."
Master Xuan Du smiled faintly. "If Benefactor has gained some insight, that is naturally for the best. Should you achieve great success in the future, you need only offer a single stick of incense to our Buddha."
Luo Chen started, not quite grasping his meaning.
Master Xuan Du offered no further explanation. Instead, he made an effortless sweeping gesture across the void.
Sensing something, Qingshuang turned her head.
Within the Glazed Pure Land, a luminous gateway materialized.
"We have arrived at Fomu Temple."
Luo Chen and Qingshuang rose at the same time and walked toward the hall's exit.
Behind them, more than a dozen complex gazes followed their steps, several of which still smoldered with unabashed hatred.
The two paid them no heed. With matters settled here, what did a little resentment matter?
Their sole purpose had been to spare themselves several years of travel and return to the Eastern Desolation in a single bound.
Watching their receding figures, Master Xuan Du hesitated for a moment before calling after Luo Chen.
"Benefactor Luo Chen."
"Hmm?" Puzzled, Luo Chen turned around.
Master Xuan Du looked at him with an earnest expression. "Your karmic burden of slaughter is too heavy; your path of cultivation is destined to be fraught with relentless tribulations. You would do well to practice the Moonlight Heart-Clearing Incantation frequently."
Luo Chen chuckled heartily. "Thank you for the advice, Master. Luo will certainly cultivate it diligently."
With that, he and Qingshuang stepped through the luminous gateway, departing the pure land that had been stained with blood.
Master Xuan Du sighed softly, uncertain whether the man had truly taken the counsel to heart.
Slowly retracting his gaze, he felt the eyes of his fellow disciples upon him and brought his palms together.
"It is time to go meet my senior brother."
***
Following the return of Great Brahma Heavenly Son and the other high-ranking cultivators to the Southern Desert Royal Court, news of the battle in the Glazed Pure Land gradually spread.
The might of the demoness and Mara left everyone astonished.
Fighting side by side, the two had suppressed the eminent monks of the Hanging Temple.
In particular, Alchemy Grandmaster Luo Chen from the Eastern Desolation had displayed a bloodthirsty nature and demonic ferocity rarely witnessed in the world.
In that single battle, no fewer than twenty eminent monks had died directly at his hands, including the Leader of the Tula Tribe, a renowned powerhouse of the Southern Desert.
In the years to come, the title of "Three-Headed Mara" would slowly spread across this vast land.
At the present moment, however, the reverberations were not quite as widespread, for all eyes were fixed toward the Hanging Temple.
The Glazed Pure Land had descended outside the Verdant Mist Screen!
The newly ascended Arhat, Master Xuan Du, stood against his senior brother Mahakala, intent on locking the gates and sealing off the temple!
***
"Can he succeed?"
Channeling the power of the Peacock Fomu statue to slowly activate the teleportation array, Qingshuang paused slightly upon hearing the question from behind her.
"Do you hope for his success?"
"It is a matter of victory or death," Luo Chen sighed. "If my eyes did not deceive me back then, Xuan Du's realm was unstable, leaving him with only enough strength for a single battle. If he fails, his body will perish and his Dao will disperse."
Qingshuang's eyelashes fluttered lightly. "And so?"
Luo Chen shrugged. "So naturally, I hope he succeeds. After all, you and I indirectly caused Mahakala immense trouble. If Xuan Du fails, Mahakala might very well come looking for us in the future."
Qingshuang replied calmly, "I am not afraid."
With Mount Cangwu at her back—a sacred ground of equal standing—she truly had no reason to fear Mahakala.
Luo Chen was helpless. "You aren't afraid, but I am! He is a Soul Formation mighty figure, after all. If he really comes knocking on my door, what am I supposed to do? Besides, you and I now share life and death. Couldn't you wish a little better for me?"
The corners of Qingshuang's lips curved slightly into an appealing arc. "Once I rescue my elder sister, I will have her remove the Shared Life and Death Gu for me."
Luo Chen feigned indifference. "You're welcome to let her try! Though it is only a Rank 4 Shared Life and Death Gu, once bound, it cannot be undone unless you and I attain the Soul Formation realm."
Faced with these words, Qingshuang fell silent.
The already desolate temple grew even quieter, with only the slow, grinding turn of the Peacock Buddha statue echoing through the air.
Suddenly, she asked, "Are you very afraid of my sister?"
Luo Chen let out a scoffing chuckle. "Listen to yourself. Who in this world does not fear Monarch Qixia?"
Qingshuang placed a hand over her chest and said coldly, "Back in the cavern of Sinking Sand Valley, it seemed like a mutual destruction scenario, but in truth, I could only have severely injured you, whereas you had the power to destroy my heart. Sustained by the power of my physical body, the Nether Soul Bead was all that protected my soul; once my body perished, my soul would have been like a candle in the wind. Under those circumstances, you could easily have killed me. Yet you didn't, proposing instead all manner of seemingly harsh terms for mutual preservation. You were terrified of my sister!"
This time, it was Luo Chen's turn to fall silent.
Because Qingshuang was not mistaken.
Given that Monarch Qixia had been willing to brave peril alone and storm Broken Soul Cliff just to save Qingshuang, it was clear that Qingshuang was of paramount importance to her—far more than a matter of mere reputation.
Without knowing whether Monarch Qixia was still alive, he had simply not dared to kill Qingshuang.
Having witnessed Monarch Qixia destroy the Mingyuan Sect with his own eyes, Luo Chen had long since formed the deep impression that this demon was an adversary one could not possibly contend against.
He had no desire to provoke such an enemy.
Yet at that time, a near-frenzied Qingshuang had sought his death at every turn.
Only by establishing a pact of shared life and death under conditions of mutual destruction could he secure his safety. In that way, even if Monarch Qixia were still alive, she would not slaughter him over his defection on Broken Soul Cliff.
Seeing Luo Chen's silence, Qingshuang said nothing more.
She merely gave him a profound look, then activated the teleportation array.
The shifting light trembled, and the two silhouettes stepped silently into the glow, vanishing in an instant.
***
The Eastern Desolation!
Mount Cangwu!
Once the sacred ground of the feathered tribes, it was now the sole demon sacred ground in the Million Mountains.
Yet contrary to the bustling vitality one might expect, it had grown increasingly desolate and lonely over the past ten years.
No longer were flocks of birds seen soaring through the skies.
Amidst the mountain ridges, withered and yellowed foliage stretched endlessly, as though the very life force of the vegetation had been drained away alive.
Even so, the three towering, magnificent palaces still loomed high upon the peaks.
Suddenly!
From the location of Zhoukong Hall, a pillar of light shot straight into the heavens.
Sensing it, several powerful auras cast their divine senses over.
"Has Hall Master Zhoukong returned?"
Silhouettes emerged from their respective cave dwellings and flew toward Zhoukong Hall. Yet upon arriving before it, they were kept out by a formidable grand array and could only wait quietly.
Deep beneath the earth.
A wisp of blue smoke drifted above the massive teleportation array.
Luo Chen looked down at the floor in confusion. "Why did you destroy this corner?"
Descending from the platform, Qingshuang explained as she walked, "When Xuan Du sent us away, the teleportation node at Fomu Temple was already exposed. To prevent complications, it was best to sever the connection between both arrays."
At this point, she looked back and fixed her gaze on Luo Chen.
"I learned this tactic from you, after all."
Luo Chen was at a loss for words. She was plainly referring to what he had done at the Northern Sea teleportation point.
Even now, a corner piece of the Northern Sea teleportation array was still tucked away in his storage bag.
Judging by Monarch Qixia's subsequent return to Mount Cangwu, however, that Northern Sea teleportation array had likely already been repaired.
He had not expected her to still remember that grudge.
Offering an awkward smile, he stepped down from the platform and walked outward.
The two walked out one after the other. The scene was remarkably reminiscent of when Qingshuang had "invited" Luo Chen back to Mount Cangwu all those years ago.
Yet the present circumstances were vastly different from that past day.
Before long, they arrived at the upper level of Zhoukong Hall.
The hall's formation parted, and a figure flew straight inside.
"Qingshuang, I knew you were still alive!"
Hearing that voice, Qingshuang showed a rare, faint smile.
"Youquan..."
Before she could finish her greeting, Youquan caught sight of the man standing at her side and blurted out, "Luo Chen!"
In the next instant, Youquan flew into a violent rage.
"Apprehend him!"
A figure transformed into a streak of thunder, tearing through the air from outside the hall.
Luo Chen knitted his brows and raised a palm. In an instant, a colossal palm seal formed, pushing outward with deceptive slowness that was astonishingly swift in truth.
Without a sound, as fast as the streak of thunder had arrived, it was hurled back just as rapidly.
Youquan froze, staring at Luo Chen in disbelief.
Only then did Qingshuang finish what she had been saying. "Youquan, hold your hand."
Youquan said with venom, "A treacherous turncoat like him! Even if he hadn't shown up at Mount Cangwu, I would have found a chance to go out and slaughter him. To think he dares stand before us now!"
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. "A treacherous turncoat? Where does such an accusation come from?"
Youquan sneered, "On Broken Soul Cliff, you turned coat at the critical moment to attack Lady Monarch and Qingshuang! Do you think the world doesn't know?"
"Where did this news come from?"
The one asking this question was not Luo Chen, but Qingshuang.
Meeting Qingshuang's expectant gaze, Youquan took a deep breath and said, "It was stated personally by the mighty Liancheng of the Central Plains' Tianyuan Dao Sect. The news has already spread across the entire Eastern Desolation."
At these words, Qingshuang's face instantly went deathly pale.
If Liancheng was still alive, then her elder sister...
Yet before her thoughts could run wild, Youquan hurriedly delivered good news.
"Lady Monarch returned several years ago. You need not worry."
Qingshuang's grief turned instantly to joy. Without the slightest hesitation, she dashed out of Zhoukong Hall, flying straight toward Tongxuan Hall.
Inside the hall, upon hearing that Monarch Qixia had already returned, Luo Chen's expression shifted slightly.
Seeing Youquan still glaring at him like a tiger eyeing its prey, Luo Chen gave a helpless, bitter smile. "The circumstances behind that matter are rather convoluted and cannot be fully explained in a few words. In short, I had my hardships, and there are misunderstandings. Why must Hall Master Youquan be so aggressive?"
"Hardships? Misunderstandings? Aggressive!" Youquan sneered. "Since it cannot be fully explained in a few words, then you shall remain right here and explain it thoroughly!"
As he spoke, several figures appeared one after another at the main entrance of Zhoukong Hall.
Among them was the familiar Heqingzi, alongside several unfamiliar Nascent Soul demon cultivators.
Accompanied by heavy footsteps, an enraged Leiyu also strode inside.
He had been the one Luo Chen had just knocked away with a single palm.
Leiyu had never imagined that his sudden, violent strike would prove so utterly vulnerable. For someone as proud as him, this was completely unacceptable.
And to Luo Chen, of all people!
Leiyu glared fixedly at Luo Chen. His aura surged violently, lightning crackling across his entire frame as if he were ready to devour a man alive.
Surrounded by formidable foes, Luo Chen showed little sign of tension. He sighed softly and said, "If things were truly as you imagine, how could I have returned alongside Hall Master Qingshuang?"
Youquan was stunned.
Right at that moment, an immense divine sense descended across the distance.
The gathered demon cultivators dropped to their knees in unison.
"We pay our respects to the Monarch!"
Luo Chen's expression shifted, and he bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Monarch."
That divine sense fixed upon Luo Chen. Only after a long moment did it vanish.
Yet in that brief span, cold sweat had already beaded on Luo Chen's forehead.
For someone who had achieved great mastery in body refinement, this was practically unthinkable—a testament to the terrifying pressure Monarch Qixia exerted.
After Qixia's divine sense receded, Youquan seemed to receive an instruction. Looking at Luo Chen with a conflicted expression, he said, "Follow me!"
Chapter 993