Confronted with Zhao Chengkun’s interrogation, I was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond.
Had Lu Chenglun died?
When I left, he was still breathing!
If he had died, how did Zhao Chengkun find out?
If not, what did Zhao Chengkun mean by asking?
I was frantic with worry!
But there was a silver lining.
Zhao Chengkun hadn’t come straight up and killed me!
Perhaps he had his reservations?
What was he thinking right now?
My mind was racing.
Only by figuring out Zhao Chengkun’s thoughts could I have a chance to survive!
Put myself in his shoes!
If I were Zhao Chengkun…
If I were Zhao Chengkun, like my senior brother Lu Chenglun, I would be secretly in love with our junior sister, Zhang Li.
Junior sister is unwell and needs to consume five Golden Elixirs to survive!
Years ago, my senior brother and I made a pact that whoever found three or more Golden Elixirs first could confess to junior sister.
I found two.
Senior brother also found two.
The difference is, I am still an elder of Longhu Mountain!
Over the years, senior brother did many atrocious things to obtain the Golden Elixirs and was expelled from the sect!
Senior brother cannot set foot on Longhu Mountain.
Every time he got a Golden Elixir, he had to pass it to junior sister through me.
Junior sister doesn’t know about the pact between me and senior brother!
She only knows that I gave her four life-extending Golden Elixirs!
It’s been several years since there’s been any news of senior brother.
Perhaps he’s dead somewhere?
The last Golden Elixir doesn’t matter anymore.
Because the four Golden Elixirs have already moved junior sister!
I confessed.
Junior sister agreed.
Once I marry junior sister, I will be Longhu Mountain’s son-in-law!
Even the next sect leader!
The wedding is soon.
But three days before the wedding, the last Golden Elixir suddenly appeared!
The bearer of the Golden Elixir is coming from Green Vine City, about to reach Longhu Mountain!
It’s said that senior brother was last seen around Green Vine City!
Could it be…
This Golden Elixir was given by senior brother?
What else does he know?
If he meets junior sister, the image I’ve worked so hard to fabricate will collapse!
No!
They must not meet!
This man must die!
But before killing him, I need to confirm one last thing!
Is senior brother really dead or not?
Imagining myself as Zhao Chengkun, I posed a soul-searching question to myself: “I, Zhao Chengkun, have heard that before senior brother’s death, he entrusted you with the last Golden Elixir?”
When I repeated this sentence, everything suddenly became clear!
Whether Lu Chenglun is dead or not, Zhao Chengkun doesn’t know.
He thinks I know, so he’s trying to trick me!
As long as Lu Chenglun is alive, he wouldn’t dare to harm me!
Understanding this, I slowly calmed down and said, “Why does uncle master ask this?”
“Uncle master?”
Zhao Chengkun frowned and said, “Why do you address me this way?”
I replied, “Master Lu has taken me as his disciple, and since you are his junior brother, I naturally call you uncle master!”
Zhao Chengkun asked, “Where is your master now?”
I answered, “Master is at the foot of the mountain!”
“Why didn’t he come up himself?” he asked.
I said, “Master feels he has done too many wrongs and has been expelled from Longhu Mountain, so he dares not come rashly.”
“I see!”
Zhao Chengkun sighed, “Regardless, your master is still my senior brother! In that case, lead me down the mountain, and we’ll meet him together!”
“Alright!”
I was overjoyed inside and quickly agreed.
With more people at the foot of the mountain, he surely wouldn’t dare to kill me!
Then I could look for a chance to escape!
I turned to leave.
Just then, Zhao Chengkun suddenly reached out to grab me!
He didn’t hurt me but tore my shirt open!
“Cross Banishment!”
Zhao Chengkun looked at my back, his voice suddenly turning ferocious, “What’s the meaning of this Cross Banishment?”
Caught off guard by his sudden change of face, I hastily explained, “I’ve been targeted by a female ghost, so master drew this Cross Banishment for me!”
Hearing this, Zhao Chengkun burst into wild laughter, unrestrained and loud.
Trembling, I asked, “Uncle master, shall we go down the mountain?”
“Go down my foot!”
Zhao Chengkun said, “You rascal, you almost fooled me!”
Unsure where I had slipped up and unwilling to admit it, I swore earnestly, “Uncle master, I’m telling the truth, I didn’t deceive you!”
Zhao Chengkun sneered, “Didn’t your master tell you that each Taoist from Longhu Mountain can only draw the Cross Banishment once in their lifetime? After drawing it, they lose all their powers and wither away!”
“Ah?”
I was genuinely stunned by this revelation.
Judging by Zhao Chengkun’s smug expression, he clearly wasn’t lying.
“Give me the Golden Elixir!”
Zhao Chengkun extended his hand.
I suddenly turned and pointed behind me, shouting, “Master!”
Zhao Chengkun hesitated for a moment.
I seized the opportunity to run!
“Nice try, thinking you can deceive me a second time!”
Zhao Chengkun soared into the air, aiming a palm strike at me!
Before the strike even hit, I felt an overwhelming pressure!
The massive surge of air was like a raging wave, threatening to engulf me mercilessly!
I thought I was done for.
But at this critical juncture!
Two enormous talismans flew over from midair, one on each side!
I had never seen such large talismans!
As they flew overhead, they nearly blotted out the sky!
Even more astonishing, these two talismans emitted sounds, faintly resonating with the majesty of a tiger’s roar and a dragon’s chant!
“Dragon and Tiger Talismans?”
Seeing these two talismans, Zhao Chengkun’s expression changed drastically, and he yelled towards the distance, “Senior brother, junior sister, don’t kill me! Let me explain!”
Before he could finish, the two talismans suddenly accelerated and wrapped Zhao Chengkun tightly!
Zhao Chengkun struggled desperately!
But the more he struggled, the tighter the wrap became!
Soon, Zhao Chengkun was bundled into a spherical shape, with screams emanating from within.
The screams grew weaker and, after about half a minute, vanished.
The talismans then unfolded.
Zhao Chengkun was gone, leaving only a pile of bones falling to the ground…
“Zhang Yuan!”
Wen Rou appeared from nowhere, ran up to me, and hugged me tightly.
I asked, “What happened?”
Wen Rou said, “I saw you being taken away by a young Taoist and was very anxious! By the time I got to the top, you were gone, but I waited and met Taoist Zhang Li!”
As she finished, a man and a woman, both Taoists, approached.
The man was nearly fifty, handsome and elegant, likely a heartthrob in his youth, just like me!
The woman, in her early thirties, dressed in white, exuded an ethereal charm and was breathtakingly beautiful!
Wen Rou quietly introduced the female Taoist, “This is Taoist Zhang Li, the daughter of Longhu Mountain’s sect leader!”
I glanced at her, struck by her celestial beauty!
No wonder Lu Chenglun and Zhao Chengkun were so deeply in love with her, even to the point of losing their lives!
Such a junior sister, anyone would find irresistible!
“And who is the other Taoist?” I casually inquired.
Wen Rou said, “The other is Taoist Zhang Chenglong, Taoist Zhang Li’s brother!”
I said, “Zhang Li has a brother?”
“Yes!”
Wen Rou said, “The sect leader has been in seclusion for many years, and now Longhu Mountain is managed by Taoist Zhang Chenglong.”
Soon, the two were close by.
I greeted them with folded hands, “Thank you both for your timely rescue!”
Taoist Zhang Li replied, “I should be thanking you! If it weren’t for you and this Miss Wen Rou, I would still be in the dark!”
I said, “It was the least I could do, merely my duty!” With that, I quickly handed over the golden gourd.
Taoist Zhang Li took the gourd, but her expression was not as joyful as expected.
Taoist Zhang Chenglong said, “Young man, I heard your conversation with Zhao Chengkun. You handled the situation well, or else my sister and I might not have been able to save you in time!”
“Thank you for the compliment, Taoist!”
Looking at Taoist Zhang Chenglong and Taoist Zhang Li, I thought to myself how approachable these reclusive experts were, speaking without any pretentious airs.