Nightfall

Just a few steps forward to climb up the Bone Mountain and accepted Master Lotus’ mantle, Ning Que would be able to exploit the skills that could tyrant the world and became the world’s strongest warrior. He would be able to inherit the enlightenment from the Divine state through the connection between Tao and the Devil. Yet it could mean that he might need to accept the power of the Devil’s Doctrine.

When Tao and the Devil connected, one could join the Gods. This was such a beautiful saying, yet under this beautiful robe, was the original naked truth that everyone knows — by accepting the transferring of the Devil’s Doctrine’s power, it meant that this power was neither from self-enlightenment nor the state of Psyche Power, but its real presence came from the natural Qi of Heaven and Earth. If this was not considered evil, then what was?

Before one could join the Gods, one got to join the Devil first? In this quiet and secluded room, Master Lotus could peacefully discuss the Devil, but in the real world outside this mountain, diabolism was deemed as evil and its presence was not accepted by the world. To the Central Plains, they were the devils that could destroy the country, the sects and everything.

Ning Que was one of the Headmaster of Academy’s core disciples. Ye Hongyu was the most favorited Tao Addict among the younger disciples in West-Hill Divine Palace. If people with such statues were discovered to have joined the Devils, they would be hated and abandoned by the whole world, just like these quiet ranges of mountains located in the south of the Wilderness.

Just advance a few more steps, he would join the Devil. How could he do that? Yet if he inherited Master Lotus’ mantle, he would become the strongest warrior in the world with unlimited power. The thought of owning such powerful energy and strong skills was truly seducing. Could he miss such a rare opportunity?

Ning Que could feel the heaviness of his legs, as though a thousand worth of pure silver were hung on his legs, making his movement difficult.

The gentle and compassionate voice, like the golden words from Buddha, seemed to reverberate by Ye Hongyu’s ears. Her eyes looked blank and confused. At times, they appeared to be determined and bright. Yet at times, they looked to be struggling with pain.

Similar to Ning Que, she was in a mentally unstable yet extremely relaxed state. Her thoughts were wavering between Master Lotus’ teachings and what she were taught since young.

To be able to inherit Master Lotus’ mantle was a great seduction to any cultivator in the world. Yet, if it was just pure seduction, it would not make someone who was loyal to Taoism like her to be slightly interested in the Devil’s Doctrine’s skills. However, deep within her heart, she could not rebut against God’s viewpoint. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she agreed with his words.

The eyebrows on Ye Hongyu’s pretty face twitched into a frown, making her looked in pain. She stretched out her left hand and placed it on her soft breasts as she sunk her nails deep into them. It was as if she was trying to dig out her unsettled heart from her chest. However, she had used too much strength and this caused the arrow wounds on her left shoulder to tear apart once more as blood gradually flowed out from them.

She mumbled in a soft voice, "Is there really a third path?"

At the same time, Mo Shanshan, who was kneeling on the ground, turned pale. Her lips were tightened into a thin straight line and there was no focus in her beautiful dark eyes. She was in a mess.

Master Lotus did not rush them nor appeared impatient. Instead, he gazed at them peacefully and a gentle yet sorrow smile stretched across his dried and skinny face. Perhaps he was hoping that they could overcome that barrier themselves and made their own choices.

The realization of the differences between Tao and the Devil had caused a mental breakdown to Ning Que and the two ladies, plunging them into the trough of pain and struggles. Such pain had mainly resulted in confusion and mental instability, yet they were combined together with a relaxed and empty feeling within them. This caused the pain and struggling feeling to be gradually gone like streamwater. Warm spring water like aura had filled their minds instead as they slowly settled their hearts and eased their tensions.

As the fear and negative emotions gradually faded within them, the three of them felt secure. Master Lotus was a righteous and pure man who had no reason to cheat them into joining the Devil. He shouldn’t have any bad motives against them as well since he was a powerful man and would not need to waste so many efforts to hurt them.

The real reason that made them more relaxed was still seduction. The seduction of inheriting a strong ancestor’s mantle. The seduction of being able to understand the true logic of the world. The seduction of blending Tao and the Devil together to form the Divine Skill.

This seduction was similar to the grassland, the starry sky, the fragrant taste of the butter cake during childhood, the feeling one got as one stood at the peak of a mountain looking down at the world, and the possibility of getting one’s name passed down from generations by carving it onto the mottled city walls.

The great door of seduction was slowly opening up to them in front of their eyes.

Behind this door was an unfamiliar, yet fertile piece of pasture. As long as they were willing, they could lie on this piece of soft and green pasture, as they enjoyed the beautiful starry sky and everything they owned.

Among the three of them, Ye Hongyu’s state was the highest and her understanding towards cultivation was the deepest. She had seen the power of the real strong warriors, which made her determined and focused in pursuing such strengths. Hence, the seduction she felt was naturally the strongest among all.

Suddenly, she heard the creaking sound of the tattered wooden bed, which reminded her of her weak and thin legs giving way when she was a child, as well as the humiliation and anger she had in the past.

Then she recalled her senior who had a bun on his head and carried a wooden sword on his back. At that time, her senior was an arrogant and lonely young lad. As time passed by, her senior became more and more lonely. Was it because I couldn’t catch up to him no matter how hard I tried? If I have the capability to be by your side and accompany you to enjoy the freezing breeze on the cliff, would you be less lonely then?

She raised her head abruptly and realized that Master Lotus was looking at her with his sorrow eyes. It was as if his eyes could see through her pretense. She suddenly felt a chill down her spine. She was fearful, for she felt that the door was going to close on her soon.

"This is not joining the Devil...not joining the Devil..."

She mumbled to herself. Her eyes became brighter as she stepped forward and towards the Bone Mountain.

"Yes."

"No."

She stopped in front of the Divine Lord Lotus and kneeled down on both knees. A few white bones were crushed under her knees as she humbly lowered her head and sincerely put down all the biasness she had for the world. She had opened up her mind to the world.

...

...

At the same time, Ning Que had also perceived the scene of him lying on the green pasture and enjoying the starry sky. His heart was serene and peaceful. Though this picture was filled with beautiful and pure seduction, something was lacking that prevented him from advancing. As he had stopped in front of the door for too long, lots of thoughts started to appear in his mind, making him felt that something was wrong with the situation.

A bright light flashed in his mind. It wasn’t a lightning, but it was more like a spring rain that had truly cooled him down in an instance. As his mind got rid of the confused status, he recalled the doubts that were on his mind previously.

If he volunteered to atone his sins, then why would he need to chain himself up? Would someone with such a high state like Master Lotus put himself through senseless physical tortures just to atone his sins? Such legendary man would have great determination and perseverance. He would have a wide knowledge regarding this world lives and deaths. Hence, why would he, for no reason, go against Buddhism just because the Youngest Uncle had fought his way into the Front Gate and killed numerous devil cultivators?

Even upon seeing such cruel acts, he himself would still be able to uphold his own stand firmly. Then why couldn’t someone, who was much stronger than him, do so?

These doubts kept hitting his mind like rain droplets and in the end, they gathered to form a possibility. This old monk did not isolate himself to atone his sins, but was locked up by someone to make him suffer and reflect on his sins!

With such a thought, Ning Que suddenly woke up. He realized the warm spring water that surrounded him and the peaceful yet sorrow aura had all disappeared. Instead, he found himself in a dry and severely cold environment. He then discovered that all the emotions and feeling which he felt previously were actually controlled by the old monk’s power!

He gazed outside the Bone Mountain in awe. All he saw was Tao Addict kneeling on the stack of white bones in front of the old monk. The old monk’s hand was already on the top of her head. A strong feeling of fear and panic overtook his body all of a sudden!

Mo Shanshan disconcertedly walked to the edge of the Bone Mountain. Ning Que immediately shouted and stretched his arm to pull her back. He then quickly took the metal bow on his back, placed an arrow and aimed directly at the once buddha-looking yet now cunning and dark-looking old monk who sat deep within the Bone Mountain.

...

...

The frail-looking boney palm covered with thin skin gradually landed on the young lady’s head. As it gently touched the lady’s silky black hair, a slight sense of painfulness from his struggle with lust had suddenly appeared in the old monk’s gentle-looking eyes.

The struggle was only for a moment before the old man’s gentle expression on his dried skinny face was torn apart in an instance to reveal his craziness within. In the end, his expression became extremely cold and quiet, like the stars on a silent night. There was no emotion on his face.

A thick and pure but not powerful aura was forced out from the bottom of the old monk’s palm.

Ye Hongyu suddenly opened her eyes. Seeing the old monk’s pale face being right in front of her, she could feel her Psyche Power gushed out from her sense of perception. Her body became very weak and she immediately knew what was going on.

Her bright eyes turned cold, her body started to wriggle like a fish as she screamed with anger. Both her hands swung in the air as she consecutively changed four types of Sword Formulas and gathered the surrounding Qi of Heaven and Earth to form a mock sword. She then pierced the sword into the old monk’s chest.

She was indeed a strong Tao Addict, for she was still able to make the fastest move that every cultivator could make despite being in an unexpected situation where she was facing the Divine Lord Lotus, a man well-respected by many cultivators. It was also the most correct move she should make. Her move was simple, direct and cold. It was a cruel Taoism move that could kill both the enemy and herself.

However, this move which made use of her years of devoted cultivation, or should it be said, the strongest Taoist Sword she had ever use in her life, had gone down the drain. This was because...when she consecutively switched between four Sword Formulas, she had failed to gather any Qi of Heaven and Earth.

The primordial Qi should be everywhere and as long as there was primordial Qi, Psyche Power could be used to sense and control it. Ye Hongyu, the Tao Addict, was an expert in such skills. Even if she was at the brim of death, she wouldn’t make any mistake in her Taoism skills. Yet now she was unable to gather any Qi of Heaven and Earth. There could only be one possibility: There was no presence of Qi of Heaven and Earth surrounding the old monk!

There were many methods of blocking the Qi of Heaven and Earth. However, in order to make a space with no Qi of Heaven and Earth at all, according to Ye Hongyu’s knowledge, there could only be one method —— by creating a real confinement area!

Ye Hongyu was very familiar with Judicial Department’s confinement. She was even one of the few who had seen the Great Divine Priest of Judgment setting up a confinement space with her own eyes. Yet the confinement space that had locked up the Great Divine Priest of Light for decades was not as powerful as the one before her right now!

As she felt her psyche power being drained out and her body getting weaker, she lowered her head and strengthlessly kneeled on the stack of white bones. Looking at the mountain of white bones beneath her with her gradually blurred vision, she revealed a look of despair and hopelessness.

White bones as the fence, and dried bodies as the barrier. What a powerful and horrible confinement area it was.