538: Chapter 87 Who Can Escape from Cause and Effect?
_2 538: Chapter 87 Who Can Escape from Cause and Effect?
_2 “So be it.”
Prince Jiangning, looking at True Master Jun Shan who was asleep beside him, coldly said, “Regardless, capturing a Taoist True Master in this battle can be considered a merit.
I wonder if this person could be handed over to me for disposal?”
“No.”
Chen Chong shook his head decisively, rejecting the proposal.
“Xie Zhen drank six cups of wine at my place; I promised him to save Jun Shan.”
He spoke in an indifferent and light tone: “So…
you can’t take this person away.”
At that point, it was clear that faces had been torn, and Prince Jiangning realized that the so-called “honored State Preceptor guest” meant nothing in Chen Chong’s eyes.
He laughed out of sheer rage, unable to stop his chilling voice: “It seems that you are deliberately trying to disgust me today.
Very well, I now fully grasp the extent of your tactics…
I will inform Nalan Xuance of today’s events truthfully, and from now on, the cooperation between Jiangning and the Da Li Dynasty will be called into question.”
“As you please.”
Chen Chong waved his hand, utterly unconcerned.
“Before you leave, Prince, I have a word of advice—”
Meng Kejian said with a light laugh: “Xie Zhen has just escaped Qixia Mountain and won’t get far.
If you truly wish to kill him, why not do it yourself?
Always being a mere spectator, though you sit on the fence watching the fire burn, unharmed, what if the fire spreads along the riverbank?
Better take a risk and reach out, even if what you get in the end is nothing but a mirage, at least you will have enjoyed some true joy.”
“…”
Prince Jiangning cast a dismissive glance at Meng Kejian.
He then turned around, mounted his fine horse once again, with Venerable Bai Yu leading the reins.
Both, having realized that their protest was in vain, accepted their loss and left the bamboo grove of Qixia Mountain.
…
…
Soon, the area regained its silence.
The Yuanzhou Iron Cavalry knelt behind Chen Chong.
The bamboo forest rustled in the wind.
Chen Chong sat alone under the night sky, flipping through a book, while Meng Kejian held a lantern to provide light for his master, wearing a slightly complex expression…
After the departure of Prince Jiangning and his servant, the Great General switched to reading a different book—it was the love story of the State Preceptor and the Daoist nun that circulated through the boundaries of the Great Chu.
“Ah Jian.”
Chen Chong affectionately called out and smiled as he spoke: “Do you think…
there will be a next volume to this story?”
Meng Kejian was perplexed: “Great General, what do you mean by this?”
Chen Chong slowly closed the pages in his hand.
“It is rumored that Tang Fengshu is trapped in the Taoist back mountain, but it’s uncertain whether this is true or not…”
Chen Chong spoke with regret: “If she becomes the second ‘Yan Xie’, locked up for ten years, then I suppose this story will end here.”
“That may not necessarily be the case.”
Meng Kejian smiled and said: “Chen Jingxuan is no ordinary person.
He has now officially taken over the Book Tower and is about to assume the role of the Great Chu National Master.
If nothing unexpected happens, he will officially become Nalan Xuance’s rival…
With such a hero, how could he allow his beloved woman to be trapped in a Taoist place?
The new ‘Ten Heroes of the World’ will soon be unveiled, and I guess Chen Jingxuan will definitely be among them.
If he tops the list of the Ten Heroes, he will surely exert pressure on the Taoist sect.”
Great True Master Chong Kan is certainly formidable.
However, even he must give due consideration to the words “Book Tower.”
Speaking of this.
Meng Kejian paused, then leaned in, a hesitant look on his face, as he asked, “Great General…
you really are going to leave Xie Zhen to his fate?”
He had led Xie Zhisu and his servant around in circles within Qixia Mountain earlier, following the military order given by Chen Chong.
That military order had actually taken Meng Kejian by surprise as well.
Such an ambush was supposed to be executed like a thunderbolt, giving the Fan Yin Temple delegation no time to react!
All resisters and fugitives should be killed on sight!
But…
as he scattered the Cage Immortal Array talismans, the Great General suddenly changed his mind, which led to the following scene as spectators, and the subsequent developments.
“I promised him one ‘two-hour period,’ so I’ll give him one ‘two-hour period.'”
Chen Chong smiled and said, “Only half of the time has passed…
Don’t rush, he won’t get too far.”
This statement somewhat reassured Meng Kejian.
It appears the Great General wasn’t truly intent on letting Xie Zhen go.
“…
Does the Great General perhaps harbor admiration for his talent?”
Meng Kejian looked at the shattered porcelain cup on the bamboo table and remarked: “Did Xie Zhen truly drink six cups of ‘Drunken Immortal Brew’?”
He knew that the Drunken Immortal Brew, which the Great General was fond of, was also known as Intestine Piercing Powder in the hands of the Hook and Clamp Master.
Those with an unstable Dao Heart, upon drinking it, would find their Divine Sea collapse.
The Great General’s Dao Heart is steadfast as rock, drinking Intestine Piercing Powder and remaining unmoved…
No one else in the military could match him in a drinking bout.
Even myself, delicately pouring and sipping slowly, can only drink two and a half cups at most; one more sip and I would become dead drunk.
“Pity the talent?”
Chen Chong shook his head; there was no hint of compassion in his eyes, he said coldly: “Ah Jian, you’re wrong.
Xie Zhen, such a talent of Chu Country, is exactly the greatest enemy of our Da Li…
Yan Xin and Nalan Xuance have pieced together a ‘Fangyuan Square’ over the years, originally intending it to be a joint development between two countries, but now the gap is widening.
I foresee that soon Fangyuan Square will split, and when that time comes, a battle between Chu and Li is inevitable.
A Sword Dao talent like Xie Zhen, if allowed to rise, will affect the entire course of national warfare and change the tide of fate.
With the decline of Buddhism, Da Sui Sword Palace should also fall alongside.
If Xie Zhen becomes the next ‘Zhao Chunyang’, then Da Sui Sword Palace could continue to survive.”
Meng Kejian was completely dumbstruck upon hearing these words.
He hadn’t expected the Great General to give such a reply.
If that’s the case, why let Xie Zhen go earlier?
“Tsk tsk tsk—”
Just then.
A portal in the void burst into flames.
A towering figure, holding a long spear, stepped out from the portal, his body covered in blood.
It was Du Yunzhong.
“Great General!”
As Du Yunzhong stepped out of the portal, he immediately performed a kneeling salute; his voice deep as thunder, echoing through the bamboo forest: “As you commanded, I did not use my full strength…
Miao Zhen found an opportunity and fled, heading towards Fan Yin Temple!”
Meng Kejian was frozen once more.
“Good.”
Chen Chong only calmly voiced a single word in response, without much reaction.
After Du Yunzhong’s arrival, the two battalions of Iron Cavalry responsible for the battle at Qixia Mountain also arrived at the bamboo grove.
All bloodstained, the squad leaders reported the results of the battle; the Fan Yin Temple convoy was completely destroyed, Qixia Mountain was being sealed off…
So far, twenty-one had been slain, and there were still Buddhist remnants on the run; the warfare and hunt were expected to continue for three days.
“You worked hard today.”
Chen Chong stood up and comfortingly patted Du Yunzhong’s shoulder, speaking softly: “Go now, bathe well, wash the Buddha Blood off your body.”
Du Yunzhong accepted the order and departed.
Meng Kejian with eyes full of confusion, carrying the lantern and following behind Chen Chong, couldn’t help but speak up: “Great General, so you purposely let Miao Zhen and Mi Yun escape?”
The scholar in the green robe gave a light hum.
“Nalan Xuance was not saying…”
Meng Kejian’s voice hoarse, questioned doubtfully: “Destroying Buddha?”
“Yes.”
The scholar in the green robe calmly said: “To settle the chaos within Da Li Dynasty, it’s necessary to sever the Buddhist support for the Ninth Prince…
In fact, Miao Zhen and Mi Yun are not the key.”
The Da Li Dynasty’s conflicts do not only lie within Yuan Province.
Apart from Qian State, a wealthy land,
Due to the struggles for imperial power, the other provinces are quite chaotic…
The strife between the Crown Prince and the Ninth Prince has spread to every corner of this vast dynasty.
In a sense,
It is also the struggle between Nalan Xuance and Buddhism.
“You mean…”
Meng Kejian’s pupils narrowed, tentatively uttering those two words: “…Zen Master?”
Chen Chong nodded his head.
The two words ‘Zen Master’ weighed incredibly heavily.
Meng Kejian continued in a hushed voice, “You’re just one step away from breaking through the threshold of the Yang God, at such a crucial time, why stir up trouble with such an existence…
If the Zen Master is still alive, wouldn’t the karmic retribution fall upon you?”
“Who can escape the words of karma?”
Chen Chong indifferently replied: “If he does seek me out, then so be it.
Someone must stand up…
Sacrificing oneself for the country, quelling disasters, dying for this reason, would be a death well met.”
“I truly cannot see through,”
Meng Kejian murmured worriedly to himself: “The massacre at Qixia Mountain today is indeed declaring war against Fan Yin Temple…
Letting Miao Zhen go, and then Mi Yun, how does the General plan to end this?”
Chen Chong shook his head and dismissed the concern with a smile.