【Exquisite Temptation】【Part Two】【Author: Old Guest Listening to Rain】

The recruitment process at the Yuanshan Factory's HR department was slow. Questions, document checks, and background checks took each person ten minutes or more, sometimes over half an hour. The petite female examiner asked questions with a smile, making the interviewees feel comfortable and unconsciously relax, allowing them to show their true selves.
This was the most formal kind of interview!
When no one else went to the Yuanshan Factory HR booth, it was already past eleven o'clock, meaning Jin Qi had been waiting in a corner for over an hour.
Jin Qi had deliberately waited until now. First, he was waiting for a rumor about Ouyang Xue'er! Second, he knew from his roommates that the most important thing in an interview was to leave a lasting impression on the head examiner. Talent was one aspect, but timing was also crucial. You either had to be the first or the last to arrive; otherwise, too many people would cause visual and memory fatigue for the head examiner, and even the most attentive examiner couldn't remember everyone.
Now, he checked his phone again—no text messages, no missed calls—and felt a little hopeless. So, Jin Qi straightened his shirt collar, smiled, and walked towards the Yuanshan Factory HR booth.
This trip made him realize what a ruthless person in the workplace really meant!
He himself? A complete newbie!
Chapter 5009 of the interview: Naked confrontation, utterly ashamed. "Hello, may I sit down?"
Jin Qi handed his resume to the petite and elegant interviewer, asking gently. He knew that being gentle to any woman was never a bad thing.
This was an experience he gained from reading Gu Long's martial arts novels; he wondered if it would work now.
"Of course."
The interviewer took Jin Qi's resume with both hands and placed it on the table. She glanced at it briefly, not in a hurry to look at it, but instead, with a strange smile, she and her assistant, a young woman with acne, scrutinized Jin Qi.
Jin Qi secretly cultivated Taoism, possessing considerable abilities and a robust personality. He had been a student leader in the school's sports department, had a hundred or so cheerleaders when playing basketball, and could shoot and go to the net with ease under the gaze of hundreds of people.
But at this moment, under the gaze of two women, he actually felt nervous: "My goodness, finding a job is indeed harder than cultivating Taoism!"
“This seems different from the previous job interviews. Are they waiting for me to introduce myself? Hmm, that must be it!” Thinking
of this, Jin Qi cleared his throat and, recalling the self-promotion he'd been working on for a job, prepared to present the personal introduction he'd spent an hour crafting.
“My name is Jin Qi, a very simple name. Jin is the abbreviation for Shanxi Province, and Qi is the 'seven' in 'five, six, seven'!”
Jin Qi began slowly.
“I know. It's on your resume!”
the petite and elegant lady smiled.
Jin Qi was taken aback, then realized, “Yes, it is!”
He quickly added, “I'd like to apply for the personnel clerk position in your department. However, I'm a recent graduate!”
“I know. It's on your resume, and that's exactly the personnel clerk position I'm recruiting for!”
the petite and elegant lady smiled again.
“Ah… I…”
Jin Qi was startled; he'd never experienced this kind of conversation before.
“Congratulations… you… you're hired!”
the petite and elegant lady smiled.
“Ah… what?”
Jin Qi secretly pinched his thigh. It really hurt! It was real, not a dream. He quickly looked up and glanced around. He then saw that the petite, elegant lady's name tag read: "Zhao Xiaoyan, Human Resources Manager, Yuanshan Factory." Next to her was a girl with acne named Chen Xiaohong—a very common name, clearly from a rural area in mainland China, but it sounded exceptionally friendly. Chen
Xiaohong giggled and repeated, "Our manager said…congratulations…you've been hired!" "Why? Is it because I'm handsome?"
Jin Qi thought narcissistically, but only uttered the first half of the question. He didn't dare ask the second half!
Zhao Xiaoyan then composed herself and looked at Jin Qi seriously, saying, "I saw your performance in the President's Office, Cultural Publicity Department. You were humble but not obsequious, cautious but with the drive of a young person. Section Chief Ma over there asked you why you left your previous internship company. This question seems simple, but it actually hides a sinister meaning. There are only two reasons for leaving a company: either you did something wrong, or the company was at fault." If you answer all the company's complaints, you'll be rejected by any company. Who can guarantee you won't say the same thing when you leave next time? Saying it's your own fault is even worse; who can guarantee you won't make the same mistake at another company? Refusing to answer is actually… the best answer. It shows you're very clever.”
Jin Qi couldn't help but feel ashamed, thinking to herself, “A lucky break? Do I have such good luck?” She naturally knew Ma Leitao and knew his character; guessing her own thoughts, if it were someone else, would certainly be correct, but she didn't want to work, which is why she left her original internship company—even a god couldn't guess that accurately!
“Human resources work is somewhat similar to the planning profession. Planning requires imaginative and unrestrained thinking; the plans must be both feasible and innovative. The worse the other party's attitude towards you, the more polite and respectful you should be. Comparing the two, their rudeness becomes even worse, and your politeness becomes even more polite.” "Personnel work requires you to always be on top, to maintain a high profile. For others to trust you, you must first remain calm and composed. For example, your polite request for your resume just now was a slap in the face. Compared to him, you're ruthless. Compared to you, he's lost his composure!"
Zhao Xiaoyan continued with a smile.
Jin Qi broke out in a cold sweat again. He had only done it without thinking about why or what the benefits would be! Chen Xiaohong had already given Jin Qi a paper cup of water, which he quickly picked up and drank to hide his shock.
Zhao Xiaoyan also took a sip of water and continued, "As far as I know, only two departments were recruiting for planning positions at the entire job fair. You applied for a position in the president's office around 9:00 AM and came out of the restroom around 10:00 AM, leaving the second company! You must have been very disappointed, but you didn't give up. Instead, you only came to me around 11:00 AM to look for a new position! This proves that you observed us for over an hour, waiting until the very end to arrive, so that we would remember you and you could see our weaknesses to prepare your trump card. Am I right?"
Jin Qi could only nod and say, "...Not bad..." "
HR elites need to be flexible, adaptable, and resilient to change any situation, and you've achieved all of that! Congratulations, you're a natural-born HR professional!"
Zhao Xiaoyan said elegantly.
At this moment, Jin Qi felt completely exposed, like he was being stripped naked and stared at by everyone.
Xiao Hong, standing beside him, laughed, "Actually, our manager secretly told me beforehand that as long as you had the courage to come and sit down, you'd be hired! Including you today, we've only hired two people! Congratulations! So, when you walked over here, you were already hired."
Zhao Xiaoyan nodded, and Jin Qi could only say, "Thank you!"
"Although you recent graduates only start working around August, you've already graduated. Coming to Qilin Company today shows you're ready to start anytime!" Zhao
Xiaoyan lowered her head, wrote something on Jin Qi's resume, and then said, "This is your salary. If you're satisfied, you can report to the company at nine o'clock tomorrow. After completing the onboarding training, you can start working at the Human Resources Department of the Yuanshan factory!"
The figures Zhao Xiaoyan listed on his resume were enough to make Jin Qi's seven roommates incredibly excited. However, Jin Qi, being a cultivator, didn't care about money at all. He was simply deeply moved by the high level of Zhao Xiaoyan's offer, feeling a sense of gratitude for being recognized and valued.
Therefore, Jin Qi nodded repeatedly, extremely satisfied.
"Okay, here's your registration form. See you later! It has the address and phone number of the Yuanshan factory on it. Contact Xiaohong tomorrow; she'll arrange your onboarding training! I'm Zhao Xiaoyan, the HR manager of the Yuanshan factory! Jin Qi, welcome to the company."
Zhao Xiaoyan stood up and extended his hand to Jin Qi, very kindly…
Jin Qi walked out of the first-floor side hall in a daze, holding Zhao Xiaoyan's business card and some registration information given to him by Chen Xiaohong, lost in thought as he walked.
This was incredibly exciting!
Zhao Xiaoyan, the first ruthless person in Qilin Company, had left a deep impression on Jin Qi!
Seeing Jin Qi looking somewhat distracted, the beautiful Shan Shanshan walked past the front desk and hurriedly asked, "Handsome, did the interview not go well?"
Jin Qi snapped out of his reverie and smiled slightly, "Thanks for your concern, it's alright!"
He thought to himself, how wonderful it would be to tell Ouyang Xue'er that he had passed the interview and gotten the job!
This thought then reminded him of Ouyang Xue'er!
Jin Qi quickly sat down in the spacious lobby to wait. He waited until noon, and when the clock in the lobby struck, his phone still hadn't rung. He carefully checked the battery and signal twice—no problem! He
then checked the phone number on his resume—no problem there either. Xue'er, that little rascal, wouldn't lie to me, would she?
But Jin Qi remembered Xue'er's innocent face and shook his head. No, she's a pure girl, she wouldn't lie to me!
Finally, at 12:05, the phone rang. Jin Qi eagerly picked up his phone. It was an unfamiliar number, incredibly impressive—six or seven out of eight digits were 8s! He was about to strike it rich!
Jin Qi answered, "Hello, who is this?" "You
pervert, don't you recognize me? It's Xue'er! Humph!"
It was indeed Xue'er's voice on the other end!
Jin Qi said, feeling wronged, "This number is unfamiliar, how would I know it's you?"
"Haha, this is the company landline, of course I wouldn't use my cell phone! Want to know my cell phone number? Dream on!"
Xue'er laughed…
and then said, "Come to meeting room number 3 on the first floor! Get ready for the interview!"
Before Jin Qi could even say "thank you,"
Xue'er hung up!
Get ready for an interview? Jin Qi smiled bitterly. The two interviews he'd just had were truly unforgettable. He wondered what the next situation would be like.
Not going to the interview? That wasn't his style. Humph, Xue'er had made arrangements; of course, he'd do whatever it took to get in!
Jin Qi hurriedly went to the front desk and asked Shan Shanshan, "Shanshan, where is meeting room number 3?"
"Number 3? Are you sure it's number 3?" Shan Shanshan asked
, somewhat puzzled.
"What's wrong?"
Jin Qi asked hastily.
"Number 3 is for overseas returnees, PhDs who are directly interviewed!"
After Shan Shanshan finished speaking, Jin Qi remembered seeing it on the signboard when he was being looked down upon.
"What's Xue'er up to?"
Jin Qi wondered, but still headed towards meeting room number 3. An interview—would it be easy or brutal?
He roused himself, calculating as he walked: "Damn it, today is the twelfth day of the sixth lunar month, the yin energy is increasing, it's close to the Ghost Festival, a month later the gates of hell open, and dates 3 and 7 are unlucky! Meeting room number 3 is bad!"
It seemed the interview was likely to be disastrous!
Chapter 5011: Assistant to the Director - A Narrow Escape. Before even pushing open the door, Jin Qi, with his keen hearing, heard a woman's voice inside: "Xue'er, these three interviewees this morning were terrible! What overseas returnees, PhDs? We're hiring an assistant to the director of the strategy department—someone with vision, substance, and charisma! They've disappointed us greatly!"
Xue'er's voice rang out: "Yes, I think so too! They sounded quite good on the phone, with some insights. I didn't expect them to be such slackers in the interview!"
She seemed to be asking someone else: "Director Wang, what about that last resume we gave you? Should we interview that person? They're already here..."
The person called Director Wang didn't speak, but the woman's voice continued: "I don't think it's necessary. Just a recent college graduate? He doesn't understand social etiquette at all. How can he be an assistant to the director of the strategy department? Although it says he's been working part-time since his junior year, he's too young and naive!"
In this respect, Jin Qi's resume was different. Indeed, he was a master of profound knowledge; what difficulty was a college exam? He actually started working almost immediately after his junior year of college!
Xue'er saw this and, not knowing if it was true or not, pretended to use Director Wang to expose him? Besides, Director Wang's requirements for her didn't necessarily have an age limit, educational background, or work experience, so she had the guts to do it!
The woman's voice was very authoritative, but then another man's voice rang out: "Has he arrived yet? It's only 12:05, there's still half an hour! Let's interview him! I always feel that this person is a bit special? His name is Jin Qi? What a unique surname, what a strange name! The photo also seems somewhat familiar..."
This voice was slightly familiar to Jin Qi, but all he could think about was how eagerly he wanted to see Xue'er! This wretched girl, he applied for a planning engineer position and had already found a human resources clerk position, but she actually changed her job and applied for the position of assistant director of the strategy department?
Did she think too highly of herself? Or was she deliberately trying to embarrass him?
After hearing the man's voice agree to give him a chance, Jin Qi braced himself and politely knocked on the door three times.
Xue'er seemed to have a sixth sense, knowing Jin Qi was outside the door, and smiled, "Come in!"
Jin Qi pushed open the door and went in. Looking up, he saw three people opposite him. The charming woman was naturally Ouyang Xue'er, the head of the personnel department of the functional department at Sha Yong headquarters. There was also a very authoritative woman in her thirties, the one who had just rejected his resume and refused to give him an interview!
The man who had just spoken was Director Wang of the Strategy Department. Jin Qi's eyes almost went black when he saw him. Damn it, this person... this person... What a small world! It was actually the first prince of Qilin Company—the Qilin Prince—who had ambushed him three times while playing basketball and even smashed his BMW! He was also his biggest rival in love, the Qilin Prince!
The Qilin Prince's surname was Wang!
Director Wang of the Strategy Department also had the surname Wang. How come he hadn't thought of that? And that voice... familiar. He should be able to recognize it!
His momentary confusion and loss of composure were all caused by the beautiful Xue'er!
He was actually applying for the position of assistant to the Marketing Director, the Qilin Prince?
Chapter 5012 of "Passing the Interview": The Four Spirits and Four Greats, the First Question. Prince Lin was also somewhat surprised. He remembered that the young man who had just entered was someone he had met briefly at the basketball court the day before yesterday. However, he couldn't find him anywhere afterward. He had a strange feeling of familiarity in his heart. Were they friends before? Unexpectedly, he was here for a job interview?
Ouyang Xue'er was extremely serious this time. Together with the woman in her thirties from before, she dressed Jin Qi from head to toe. A handsome man, indeed!
Upon seeing Jin Qi, she realized he was different from the others. He was much more pleasing to the eye than the previous interviewees. He was sunny and strong. The woman's voice softened as she said, "Please sit down!"
However, she wondered if someone so young could handle the job.
Jin Qi hurriedly said, "Thank you!"
After sitting down, he saw that the woman appeared to be in her thirties, with a shrewd look, slightly long hair, and a sharp glint in her eyes. Her name tag on her chest read: "Wang Guoxiang, Administrative Manager." "Another one surnamed Wang!"
Jin Qi thought to himself, "It must be related to President Wang. Although it claims to be an international company, it's probably more like a family business!"
Now, Ouyang Xue'er, who was already interested in the mysterious Jin Qi, along with Wang Guoxiang, who had a good impression of him from the first meeting, began interviewing Jin Qi.
"You submitted this resume for the position of Assistant Marketing Director this morning?"
Wang Guoxiang asked first. Although she had a good impression of Jin Qi, she preferred someone with strong work ability. Now, she asked the routine question in a serious interview.
"Yes!"
Jin Qi replied without blushing or skipping a beat. For Xue'er's sake, he obviously couldn't back down. If a man backed down and betrayed a woman, would he still be considered a man?
Ouyang Xue'er secretly smiled. This man had a sense of responsibility; not bad.
Wang Guoxiang nodded and then asked, "What aspects of this position attracted you?"
Jin Qi had no idea about the details of the position, but he was incredibly intelligent. Recalling what he had overheard outside the door, he said, "The market is always changing and unpredictable! Some people's technical skills can be trained, but their observation and insight are innate! Director Wang requires that this position not have age restrictions, educational requirements, or work experience. I only applied after seeing three overseas returnees and PhDs apply for this position! I hope to give myself a challenge and also explore my potential!"
He had already been defined by Zhao Xiaoyan, the HR manager of the Yuanshan factory, as someone with quick wit and a natural talent for HR, naturally possessing a clear mind and the ability to seize opportunities!
The prince was intrigued and laughed, "That's true! Some things are indeed innate; some people just don't have the potential! Alright, the assistant to the marketing director must be erudite. Are you confident in yourself?"
Jin Qi was stunned. He was cultivating Taoism while also engaging in worldly practice, possessing a deep understanding of Chinese history and culture, and was also somewhat fascinated by the currently popular UEFA Champions League, watching the NBA whenever he had time. Would that count as erudition? He really didn't know how to answer.
"Why doesn't Director Wang just ask him questions and interview him directly?"
Ouyang Xue'er quickly came to his rescue, whispering.
"Hmm, not bad!"
The prince said to Jin Qi, "Okay, I'll ask three interview questions. If you answer them correctly... then you can be hired!"
Jin Qi nodded. This prince seemed decisive and efficient at work, not dragging his feet. He knew that the fifth brother's most extreme interview involved answering seventeen questions, with five rounds of written tests and interviews!
Clearly, today was the prince interviewing the assistant, with Wang Guoxiang and Ouyang Xue'er as his assistants, and he as the chief examiner.
"The first question concerns ancient legends! Jin Qi, do you know the relationship between the four ancient mystical elements and the Five Elements of today? What are the four sacred beasts of folk legends?"
the prince asked calmly.
Ouyang Xue'er was a little stunned. What was the meaning of this question? Was it a history test? It didn't seem like one! Was it a cultural test? It didn't seem like one either! Was it related to the market assistant position? Why were the prince's questions so mysterious today?
Wang Guoxiang seemed to know what her cousin's question was, and now she was just looking at Jin Qi with a serious expression, not knowing whether she hoped Jin Qi would answer accurately or not.
Jin Qi was secretly delighted. Damn, he was actually testing me with this question! Wasn't this testing my strength? Haha, those so-called returnees and PhDs were used to eating buttered bread, how could they possibly know about traditional Chinese culture?
But he couldn't show it now, so he slowly said, "Boys all like to read martial arts and fantasy novels, so I know a bit about *Investiture of the Gods*. These four ancient mystical elements are the primordial energy that existed before heaven and earth—earth, wind, water, and fire! Later, it was said that Laozi received the Taiji Bagua diagram from Hongjun Laozu, which stabilized earth, wind, water, and fire, and re-forged the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth! Their relationship is one of succession, strength, and weakness!"
Ouyang Xue'er was a little confused. She was a girl, and that's why she didn't like these things! Now, seeing Jin Qi talking so fluently, she wasn't sure if he was right, so she looked at Wang Zi and Manager Wang Guoxiang for their judgment.
Wang Guoxiang was a little surprised. This young man was so young, yet he knew all this?
She asked again, "What about the four spirits?"
Jin Qi smiled wryly. Was this a large international company recruiting a marketing director assistant? It felt more like a feng shui master. He continued, "The Four Spirits are the Phoenix, Qilin, Dragon, and Turtle—the four sacred beasts!" As
soon as he said this, he suddenly remembered that Qilin Company was named after the Qilin, and its factories were even constructed in the shape of Qilin. Clearly, there was a connection. To please Wang Guoxiang and the Prince, Jin Qi added softly, "Among them, the Qilin is the king of the sacred beasts, the head of the Four Spirits!"
He spoke so concisely, yet without the slightest doubt or hesitation. No further explanation was needed; the Prince and Wang Guoxiang already knew that Jin Qi was at least well-versed in this field. They couldn't help but laugh, "Good! Not bad! The first question is passed. Now, let me ask the second question!"
The first interview question was completely unrelated to the job posting. Was it related to market changes? Clearly, it was just a warm-up. What would the Prince of Qilin's second question be?
Chapter 5013 of Passing the Interview: Learned in Ancient and Modern Times. First, Prince Shenxian smiled and said, "The second question will be asked by Manager Wang Guoxiang of the Administration Department and Section Chief Ouyang Xue'er of the Personnel Department!"
He wasn't entirely autocratic; having Wang Guoxiang and Xue'er accompany him wasn't just for show. They also had a common interview question for him.
"Thank you for your questions, leaders!"
Jin Qi smiled at Wang Guoxiang and Xue'er.
Wang Guoxiang's rank and seniority were clearly several levels higher than Ouyang Xue'er's. Xue'er smiled shyly and said, "Sister Xiang, you ask first!"
Jin Qi almost laughed out loud. Wang Guoxiang clearly had the image of a strong woman, yet she was called "Sister Xiang." Luckily, he didn't work under her; otherwise, how could he concentrate on his work facing a stern, domineering Sister Xiang every day?
This was clearly just his naive idea. Once he joined Qilin Company, wouldn't he still have to respectfully address her as "Sister Xiang"? Sister Xiang was very satisfied that Ouyang Xue'er had given up the first speaking opportunity, and asked, "In this round, we'll continue to rely on your extensive knowledge of both ancient and modern times, because you must know history to do marketing work!"
She took a sip of water and continued, "Do you like reading 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms'?"
Jin Qi almost spat out his water. Damn it, what exactly is this assistant for? Why does he need to be tested on all this random stuff? He had a premonition: "Could it be that the Qilin Prince knows about the company's feng shui problems and is looking for an assistant who understands Taoist magic and isn't an ordinary person? What kind of damn assistant is this? Is it a fake?"
Another thing that bothered him even more was that when discussing history, they were just discussing history, not treating *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* as history!
He smiled bitterly, too lazy to explain the difference between *Records of the Three Kingdoms* and *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* to Sister Xiang. He knew how many people in the world treated *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* as history, misleading countless people!
"I...have read it carefully several times!"
Jin Qi, now under someone else's roof, had no choice but to lower his head and say.
"Alright! Although the Romance of the Three Kingdoms describes various mounted and infantry battles with different characters, whether it's Lu Bu, Guan Yu, or Zhao Yun who is the best is not what I want to ask. I also don't care whether Zhuge Liang, Guo Jia, or Lu Su is the best strategist! What I want to ask is, what do you think of the mystical descriptions of immortals in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms?"
Sister Xiang finally got to the point!
Haha, this is exactly what I wanted to ask Jin Qi. Other students read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and focus on Zhuge Liang and Cao Cao, but Jin Qi has carefully studied the mystical immortals in it. But what's the use of talking about this now that I'm interviewing for a job?
He was a little doubtful: "Sister Xiang, is this useful for work?"
Sister Xiang nodded: "Of course it's useful. To do marketing work, you need to be knowledgeable in astronomy, knowing which city will have rain on which day! You need to be knowledgeable in geography, knowing the fastest way to get to which city! When chatting with clients, you need to be erudite. This 'Three Kingdoms' test is to test your understanding of the Four Great Classical Novels! If you're erudite, you'll have more to talk about with clients."
She was clearly making excuses, but Jin Qi didn't dare to argue. He saw the Qilin Prince looking at him with great interest, while Xue'er was staring at him with wide eyes!
"As long as you can name two that you remember, you'll pass!"
Xue'er whispered a reminder... This was clearly suspected of cheating.
Jin Qi was secretly pleased: "Xue'er still cares about me! Humph, even if I had to name ten, it wouldn't be difficult! Two, a piece of cake!"
He also looked down on those PhDs and returnees who hadn't passed. They were all rigid-minded; how could they know anything about the Three Kingdoms? They only thought it was about martial prowess and fighting. Did they know anything about immortals?
Now, Jin Qi didn't hold back. He stood up and said, "I was just speaking casually! Everyone is probably most familiar with the death of Cao Cao!"
"Didn't Cao Cao die from a headache?"
Xue'er, worried that Jin Qi might be wrong, reminded him, "I also remember that the divine physician Hua Tuo was mistakenly killed by Cao Cao for the same reason!"
Jin Qi nodded, but smiled and said, "That's the effect later, but there was a cause before! It is said that when Cao Cao built the Jian Shi Palace and proclaimed himself King of Wei, he was troubled because the palace lacked a main beam! So he searched everywhere for large trees and fine timber but couldn't find any. Finally, the skilled craftsman Su Yue suggested: 'Your Majesty, do you know that more than thirty miles from the city, there is a large pool called Yuelong Pool? In front of the pool is a shrine called Yuelong Shrine. Next to the shrine is a large pear tree, more than ten zhang tall, which is perfect for the main beam.' Other advisors nearby advised: 'Your Majesty, you must not! Legend has it that immortals live under the pear tree...'" "Go!" Cao Cao was overjoyed and paid no heed to any advice. He ordered his men to cut down the tree. After a day, his men returned and reported that even a sharp saw couldn't cut the large pear tree, let alone a knife or axe. They hoped to borrow the Heaven-Slaying Sword. The Heaven-Slaying Sword was Cao Cao's primary weapon of defense! Cao Cao was skeptical that his Heaven-Slaying Sword would be used. He led several hundred men to the tree and looked up at it. It stood tall and straight like a canopy, reaching into the sky, without any bends. He was overjoyed and thought, "If this tree were to become a palace, its power would be immeasurable, far surpassing that of the King of Wei! It could even become the founding emperor!" So Cao Cao ordered his men to cut it down. The surrounding residents came to persuade him, "Your Majesty, stop! This tree is several..." "For a hundred years, a divine being has lived up there. It cannot be cut down; if it is, a sudden calamity will surely befall you." Cao Cao, bewitched, wouldn't listen. Seeing his soldiers wouldn't act, he personally drew his sword and began hacking wildly. There were only clanging sounds, and instead of sap, blood gushed from the tree, splattering him all over! Only then did Cao Cao realize something was wrong. Without a word, he abandoned his men and fled back."
Ouyang Xue'er listened with great interest and quickly asked, "What does this have to do with Cao Cao's illness?"
Jin Qi didn't answer, but just smiled and continued, "That very night, in Cao Cao's sleep, he suddenly saw a man with disheveled hair, carrying a sword, dressed in black, standing before him, pointing at him and cursing: "Cao Cao, how ignorant you are! I am the Pear Tree God. You're tired of living, daring to touch me, daring to cut me? I see your days are numbered, I've come to send you on your way!" The man in black, without a word, drew his sword and slashed. Cao Cao cried out, "Ouch…!" and awoke from his dream, his head throbbing unbearably! From then on, he consulted countless doctors and spent vast sums of money, but none could cure him. His illness gradually worsened, and then, as you know, he mistakenly killed the last possible lifeline, the divine physician Hua Tuo. The once-powerful Cao Cao hastily rushed towards the King of Hell! This is the legend of Cao Cao and the Pear Tree God!"
After he finished speaking, he still didn't quite understand what this had to do with job interviews. The answer, of course, would come later from the Prince of Qilin!
After passing the interview, in Chapter 5014, a deity solved the mystery. Guo Xiang looked at the prince and, seeing that he did not refute, smiled and said, "This one is not bad! Tell me another one and you will pass. It can be seen that you are very knowledgeable!"
Ouyang Xue'er's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, calmed down. She listened to what Jin Qi had to say.
Jin Qi, intrigued, laughed, "In the Kingdom of Wei, there is a man named Guan Lu, whose divination skills are truly profound!"
The Prince of Qilin deliberately asked, "Diviners are generally considered to be led by Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong, but what abilities does Guan Lu possess?"
"That's what most people know, but how can it be the truth? Although Guan Lu is rough and ugly, lacks manners, is fond of drinking, and speaks unpredictably, people love him but don't respect him. From a young age, he loved gazing at the stars, and when playing games with other children, he would draw astronomical figures on the ground, which people marveled at. As an adult, he became proficient in the Book of Changes, divination, and geomancy, gaining fame far and wide. He was summoned by Cao Cao to perform divination, and his predictions of Shu's offensive, Xiahou Yuan's death at Dingjun Mountain by Huang Zhong, Lu Su's death from illness, and the fire in Xuchang were all remarkably accurate!"
Jin Qi spoke eloquently.
Ouyang Xue'er exclaimed in surprise, "Every time I read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, I never knew when Lu Su, the pillar of Wu after Zhou Yu, would die. So it was the chapter about Guan Lu's divination?"
"More than that? Lu went to see Wang Ji, the prefect of Anping. Ji asked him to cast a divination. Lu said: 'There will be a lowly woman who gives birth to a boy, who will run into the stove and die as soon as he is born. Also, there will be a large snake on the bed carrying a pen, which will be watched by both the young and old, and then it will leave. Also, a crow will come into the room and fight with a swallow. The swallow will die and the crow will leave. These are the three strange occurrences.' Ji was greatly alarmed and asked about the omen. Lu said: 'It is simply because the inn has been old for a long time, and evil spirits are causing the strange occurrences. The child running away immediately after birth is not something he can do on his own; it is simply the demon of Song Wuji who led him into the stove. The large snake carrying the pen is simply an old clerk. The crow fighting with the swallow is simply an old bell. Now, the divination shows the images but not the ominous signs, so it is not a sign of evil or misfortune, and there is nothing to worry about.' Later, he was free from all troubles."
Jin Qi, not yet finished, continued: "At that time, the women in the household of the magistrate of Xindu were terrified and fell ill one after another. They asked Lu to cast a divination. Lu said: 'Your Majesty is to the north...'" At the west end of the hall, there were two dead men, one holding a spear, the other a bow and arrow. Their heads were inside the wall, their feet outside. The one holding the spear was meant to stab the head, hence the heavy pain that prevented him from lifting his head. The one holding the bow and arrow was meant to shoot the abdomen, hence the severe pain in his heart that prevented him from eating. During the day, they floated around, and at night they came to the sick, causing them fear. 'Therefore, Wang Ji, the prefect of Anping, immediately sent the magistrate of Xindu to dig up the room. They dug the bones eight feet into the ground and found two coffins. One coffin contained a spear, and the other contained a horn bow and arrows. The arrows were old, the wood had rotted away, leaving only the iron and horn intact. After moving the bones, they buried them ten li away from the city. The family all recovered and their illnesses disappeared. Wang Ji said, 'I loved reading the Book of Changes when I was young, and I studied it for a long time. I never imagined that the mysteries of the divine were so profound.' He then studied the Book of Changes under Lu, and they deduced astronomical phenomena. Lu always revealed the signs of change and predicted good and bad omens, never failing to be meticulous and thorough in his explanations."
Ouyang Xue'er smiled and said, "So he did take a high-ranking official as his disciple!"
For some reason, the prince said slightly, "It seems this gentleman has an even more fascinating story. Do you know it?"
Jin Qi's heart sank, thinking to himself, "The prince is indeed a peerless master in cultivation. I won't hide it from him!"
So he said loudly, "Of course, there is an even more fascinating anecdote! It is about the legend of 'The Big Dipper has nine stars, seven visible and two hidden, the Big Dipper, the Southern Dipper, and the nine stars that govern fate'!"
Ouyang Xue'er was obviously attracted by Jin Qi's...
conversation and smiled slightly, "'The Big Dipper has nine stars, seven visible and two hidden, the Big Dipper, the Southern Dipper, and the nine stars that govern fate'? What is this story? Can you tell me?"
"This story is about a man named Zhao Yan from the Three Kingdoms period 1,300 years ago. He was destined to die young, only nineteen years old. But one day, he met the fortune teller Guan Lu and begged for a way to prolong his life. Guan Lu instructed him to do this and that..."
Jin Qi said with a smile.
Xue'er asked with a smile, "How can you extend your life? What does it have to do with the Nine Stars of the Big Dipper?"
"Alright, let me tell you slowly. Zhao Yan listened to Guan Lu's words, prepared wine and venison, and came to the South Mountain. Just as the fortune teller Guan Lu had predicted, under a large pine tree, there were indeed two people playing chess on a rock. One of them sat facing south, wearing a white robe, and had a very fierce appearance; the other sat facing north, wearing a red robe, and had a very beautiful appearance. The two were only focused on playing chess, and gladly accepted the wine and venison that Zhao Yan brought. They ate and drank heartily, and soon finished everything. After the game, Zhao Yan knelt on the ground crying and begged the two to extend his life. The two were very surprised. The one in the red robe said, 'It must be that fortune teller Guan Lu who is playing tricks. We ate the wine and meat of this person who was destined to die young, so let's give him a helping hand.'" Jin Qi continued.
"Ah, that's really interesting! What happened next?"
Xue'er asked with wide eyes and a smile.
"And then? The one in the white robe took out a book from his side, checked it, and said to Zhao Yan, 'You are nineteen years old this year, and you should have died. I will now add a nine before this cross, and your lifespan will reach ninety-nine. When you go back, tell Guan Lu not to talk nonsense anymore. Be discreet in your dealings with others. Although we possess heaven-reaching, mystical, omnipotent, earth-shattering, and ghost-weeping immortal arts, when have we ever boasted about them to anyone? We just accidentally ate your flesh, and there was really nothing we could do!' After the white robe finished adding the book, a fragrant breeze blew by, and the two of them transformed into two white cranes and soared into the sky."
Jin Qi said with a smile.
"Who were those two people... those two cranes?"
Xue'er asked hurriedly.
"Haha, Section Chief Ouyang is asking the same question as Zhao Yan! After Zhao Yan returned, he asked Guan Lu, 'What kind of deities are these two?' Guan Lu replied, 'The one in red robes is the Southern Dipper; the one in white robes is the Northern Dipper.' Zhao Yan then asked, 'I heard the Northern Dipper has nine stars, how come it's one person?' Guan Lu said, 'When they are scattered, they are nine; when they are combined, they are one. The Northern Dipper governs death, the Southern Dipper governs life. Wealth and honor are determined by Heaven, but life and death are decided by these two. You're lucky, Heaven is vast and far away!' Alright, that's all!"
Jin Qi said softly.
"Wow, that's really exciting! Interesting! I didn't expect that when it comes to the Three Kingdoms, everyone is focused on the martial prowess rankings and the Three Heroes fighting Lü Bu, but I didn't expect there to be these legends and stories!"
Xue'er praised, then turned to look at Prince and Wang Guoxiang, to see what they meant.
Wang Guoxiang sighed, "I've interviewed quite a few people today, but someone as witty and articulate as Jin Qi is truly one of a kind. I guess I've passed this halfway point!"
"Thank you, Sister Xiang!"
Jin Qi thanked her politely.
Wang Zi just looked at Jin Qi. This person was clearly not simple. He probably already had some clues about the feng shui and other issues of Qilin Company. Why did he still come? Knowing there were tigers in the mountains, he still chose to walk into the tiger's den?
"Alright!"
Ouyang Xue'er smiled, "It's time for the second half of my second question!"
Chapter 5015 of Passing the Interview: Different Styles, Bizarre Interviews After Ouyang Xue'er finished asking this question, the atmosphere in the room became much more relaxed. Wang Zi smiled and said, "Xue'er, I wonder what strange and unusual questions you will ask this time?"
"Yes!"
Sister Xiang also smiled, which was rare for her. "You just asked that doctor who was in his thirties how to formulate cosmetics, and which brand of perfume in Paris ranked first in sales this quarter. How could he possibly answer that? I saw his face turn green in the end!"
"Marketing work naturally requires extensive knowledge! Hmph, it doesn't matter if he can't answer the question about perfumes! How come he can't even answer what 'l' stands for?"
Xue'er said with a charming smile. "As assistants to the marketing director, when we go out to face clients and promote products, we not only face male clients, but also a large number of female clients!"
Jin Qi thought to himself, "I'm afraid that Prince, Sister Xiang, and the others are hiding something from Xue'er. Xue'er doesn't know that there's a problem with the feng shui of Qilin Company. Prince Qilin's top priority is to change the feng shui, right? This so-called assistant he's recruiting is probably a bold young man with some cultivation, definitely not an ordinary person!"
Ouyang Xue'er was clearly making excuses, but now Jin Qi could only smile bitterly and think to himself, "Fortunately, I know that 'l' stands for Louis Vuitton." The brand, this person's name is one of the most outstanding fashion designers in French history. He later opened his first trunk shop in Paris under his own name. Now it is said that 'Louis Vuitton' has become the world's number one brand in the field of bags and leather goods, and has become a symbol of high society... But what does all this have to do with me? Besides, that's all I know. If you ask me about lipsticks or clothing, how am I supposed to answer? It's perfectly normal for a grown man like me not to know these things!"
Seeing Jin Qi's face, which was a mixture of laughter and tears, the prince quickly smiled and said, "Jin Qi, you've already answered one and a half questions correctly today, half of the total questions. Even if you don't get this question right, you still have a great chance of passing!"
He was clearly implying to Jin Qi that he had no ill feelings towards him! Jin Qi chuckled to himself, "I wonder if this Prince Qilin will still be so polite to me after he finds out that I took away his three pitches and his BMW?"
However, the prince's words did give him courage, and Jin Qi couldn't help but say, "Section Chief Ouyang, please ask!"
There was a sense of fearlessness in his voice. In front of Sister Xiang and the prince, he dared not show that he was already familiar with Ouyang Xue'er.
Seeing Jin Qi's pained expression, Xue'er chuckled inwardly, "You big rascal, of course I'm going to make things difficult for you! Haha!"
She then feigned seriousness and asked, "Jin Qi, have you ever heard of the term 'Shenzhen-Hong Kong'?"
"Shenzhen-Hong Kong?"
Jin Qi had never heard of it. He had always lived in the north, not in Guangdong. He simply asked, "Is it the combined name of Shenzhen and Hong Kong?"
He was thinking to himself, "Why ask this? In Hong Kong, people might say 'Hong Kong-Shenzhen'! It's like the Shaolin school always says Shaolin-Wudang, while the Wudang school insists on saying Wudang-Shaolin..."
"I know you're probably wondering why I'm asking this... question!"
Xue'er's words startled Jin Qi. He finally understood why Xue'er was a section chief at such a young age; she was quite adept at reading people's minds! She continued, "Our Shenzhen is adjacent to Hong Kong, and our company has countless businesses, all related to Hong Kong. We'll be meeting Hong Kong colleagues even more often in the future, so I want to test your familiarity with Hong Kong."
Jin Qi sighed, "I've only just arrived in Guangdong, how could I possibly know Hong Kong? I might know a little about history, but what if Xue'er asks about other things? Now, I'm like a piece of pork on a chopping board, at Xue'er's mercy! I just hope she can give me a quick death!"
Wang Zi and Xiang Jie knew Xue'er was clever and quick-witted. She'd only graduated from HR a year ago, yet she was already given important responsibilities. Her previous questions had left the returnees and PhDs blushing. And now? They quickly listened.
Xiang Jie knew even more clearly that her cousin had feelings for this beautiful girl. What would the outcome be?
"Have you heard of Taobao?"
Xue'er asked with a smile.
The prince cried out, "Oh dear, boys rarely watch TV soap operas!"
Jin Qi, however, was secretly delighted, but his face remained expressionless. Feigning pain, he slowly said, "Hong Kong's TVB? It's very famous, but I'm a boy, so I rarely watch TV!"
Xue'er, hearing this, assumed Jin Qi was telling the truth and secretly chuckled, "See if you get what you deserve!"
She then asked, "Who is the most legendary person in TVB history?"
Jin Qi was taken aback. This question was too difficult to answer. Was Xue'er asking about the most legendary male actor, the most beautiful female actor, or the boss? But then he suddenly remembered and said, "I'm not sure who they are, but I admire Mr. Run Run Shaw the most!" Xue'er was startled
. Could this kid be pretending to be stupid, but actually knows TVB inside and out? Otherwise, how would he know the name of the legendary boss, Mr. Run Run Shaw?
(Chapter 5016 of "Passing the Interview" - Getting Stranger, Surprising, Is That So?)
Xue'er's eyes lit up as she asked, "How do you know him?" Jin
Qi inwardly cried out in alarm. He had answered too quickly, letting Xue'er see through his act and think he had been feigning ignorance! He quickly resumed his stammering, "I didn't know him at first! But he's passionate about education, and our school has a teaching building called the Yifu Building, so I've heard of him. I also heard that he's over a hundred years old, so kind-hearted, and charitable, which makes me admire him even more. He's my idol!"
Xue'er's eyes were fixed on Jin Qi, but she couldn't tell if he was lying. She just smiled to herself, "I'm so bored watching TV alone. If Jin Qi also likes TVB, he could watch TV with me, wouldn't that be great?"
Prince laughed heartily and said, "Xue'er, what exactly is your question?"
Xue'er bit her lip and said, "I'm asking Jin Qi, who have been the male and female Best Actor winners at the TVB Anniversary Awards in the past 5 years?" "
Sister Xiang was stunned: 'Xue'er, your question... is really too difficult. He occasionally watches TV, and this guy...'
Jin Qi was overjoyed to hear that Xue'er had finally given him a question. In the dormitory, Lao Liu and his girlfriend downloaded TV series to watch every day on the campus FTP server, mostly from Taobao. He had been watching along with them for a month, but Jin Qi was a young man of his age. In that month, he remembered more than an average person would in a year. He had even deeply remembered the Taobao TV King and Queen awards that he had inadvertently learned about in recent years!
'Section Chief Ouyang, is this really related to work?'
Jin Qi calmed his joy and asked this question to cover up his unease.
'Of course it's related! If the account manager is a beautiful client like Sister Xiang, who also likes TV series and is from Hong Kong, wouldn't that give us more in common?'
Xue'er thought she had the upper hand and pressed on.
'It's good that you asked this question, not some other miscellaneous one!'" Jin
Qi was secretly delighted; now was the time to reveal his trump card!
He took a small sip of water and smiled, "From 1998 to 2004, it's been a century to another, actually only a short seven years. But these seven years can be considered a glorious and prosperous period in the history of TVB television. Such an era is perhaps the era that produces many classics! I also grew up during this era, but I always watch the 'TVB Anniversary Awards' for Best Actor and Best Actress every year!"
"You...you cheated..."
Xue'er was annoyed when she heard the words "TVB Anniversary Awards." The "TVB Anniversary Awards" is TVB's biggest gala! Obviously, Jin Qi was an expert; she had asked for five years, but he could say seven! He came prepared!
Xiang Jie was also interested in Jin Qi and smiled, "These seven years have accompanied our growth, given us countless surprises, and brought us so many touching stories. They are the ones who created these stories. Why don't you tell us one by one, Jin Qi?"
"Okay!"
Jin Qichao smiled and began, “1998 was the 31st anniversary of TVB, the year after Hong Kong’s return to China… It was also the first time I truly understood Hong Kong dramas, such an unforgettable year! Whether it was ‘Armed Reaction,’ ‘Forensic Heroes,’ ‘Secret of the Heart,’ or ‘Healing Hands,’ they were all filled with sincere blessings and unforgettable smiles and classic storylines! The Best Actor award went to Gallen Lo, who won for ‘Secret of the Heart’!” “
That’s right, it was Gallen Lo. Some people say that since Gallen Lo left TVB, it’s been difficult for family dramas to have a leading man who can carry the show. And it’s true that Gallen Lo’s portrayal of the leading man in family dramas is natural and spot-on. He can be flamboyant, arrogant, or have a completely different aura. Even when playing a small-time hoodlum, he can be unkempt and unshaven, and he still plays it with ease, portraying the roguishness of the hoodlum and his genuine feelings in a way that makes us both love and hate him…”
Sister Xiang murmured, somewhat admiring Gallen Lo.
“Who is the Best Actress award?” "
Seeing that Jin Qi was right, the prince quickly asked again.
"The Best Actress award goes to Ada Choi, who won it for 'At the Threshold of an Era'! Her characters are like a friend, approachable and down-to-earth. The characters she portrays are all moving and three-dimensional. When she smiles, seeing her is like a cloudy day turning into a sunny one; when she cries, our hearts ache a little..."
Jin Qi, a fan of Ada Choi, said engrossed.
"Hmph, right! What about 1999?" "
Xue'er pouted and asked.
Interview passed Chapter 5017 Things have changed, only regrets remain. The 1999 TV King was Louis Koo, who won for "Detective Investigation Files IV"! He had a cold and unsmiling exterior, but more than that, there was an unfathomable inner world, and even more so, a love that he couldn't bear to let go of! The TV Queen was Jessica Hsuan, who also won for "Detective Investigation Files IV"! "
Jin Qi liked Jessica Hsuan even more, and quickly added: "Heroic beauty is the most fitting description that comes to mind when mentioning Jessica Hsuan. With a touch of tragedy, such a strong woman, even love is so difficult. That's Jessica Hsuan's charm, bringing to life the role of a strong woman.
" "Haha, looking at Xue'er's expression, she's right again, what about 2000?" "
As the son of a president and the marketing director, it's rare for Prince to be happy. Although he rarely has time to watch TV, he still asked,
'In 2001, Bobby Au-yeung won Best Actor for his role in "Witness to a Prosecution." He can only be called a talented actor; he doesn't have Gallen Lo's handsomeness, nor Lawrence Ng's elegance, nor Bowie Lam's coolness. But it must be said, his always-smiling face is a guarantee of high ratings. I like his comedic acting style, even in tragedies and revenge dramas! I enjoy watching his humorous performances; after all, nobody wants to forget their troubles and remember happiness.'"
Jin Qi laughed and continued, "The Best Actress award went to Carol Cheng for 'War of the Genders,' who made a 100-episode drama a hit—that's real talent!"
Xiang Jie had to admit this and asked, "And 2001?" "
2001? That was the year 'A Step into the Past' reigned supreme, and who else but Xiang Shaolong could have won Best Actor?"
Jin Qi laughed. "That year, Huang Yi's novel was adapted into a TV series, and after that, the trend of adapting Huang Yi's novels began, making Huang Yi the top author after Jin Yong and Gu Long! 'A Step into the Past' was fantastic, and we saw Louis Koo and Jessica Hsuan acting together, along with the rising star Raymond Lam! The Best Actress award went to Liza Wang for 'Before and After Marriage,' her acting was superb, beating my favorite Ada Choi!"
At this point, Jin Qi fell silent, and even Xue'er spoke up. Prince, not knowing why, hurriedly asked, "Next, it's 2002, why did you stop? What's wrong?"
"Because this year is an unprecedented year of fierce competition among leading actresses! It's heartbreaking to think about!"
Xue'er said softly, which was also Jin Qi's sorrow.
"Yes, they were the four leading ladies of our generation! This year's TVB Anniversary Awards were unprecedented, from the hosts and emcees to the competition for Best Actor and Actress. I don't want to say it'll be the last time, so that there's some anticipation for the future. The most intense and suspenseful competition this year was for Best Actress. The four leading ladies—Jessica Hsuan, Ada Choi, Flora Chan, and Kenix Kwok—all made it into the final five, which is truly unprecedented. All four of them gave brilliant performances, and there wouldn't be much controversy over who won. Ada Choi's performance in 'Where the Legend Begins' was a one-woman show, while Jessica Hsuan's performance in the big-budget 'Golden Years' was superb. Just when everyone was debating who would win again, Flora Chan from the low-budget comedy 'The Best Dad' pulled off a surprise victory..."
Jin Qi recalled the TVB Anniversary Awards two years ago, feeling a little melancholy. He really admired the four leading ladies, especially Flora Chan's charisma...
Actresses also showed her particular fondness for them, but such competition was heartbreaking for everyone.
"The most painful thing is that we'll hardly see the four leading ladies on the same stage again after that. That's a huge regret! " But what moved me most was when Flora Chan won the award, the other three so sincerely stood up and hugged her, and I saw her choke up several times with emotion. This can be considered Flora Chan's perfect farewell on TVB. From now on, the Four Great Actresses will become history! I just wonder if it's possible for them to get together when someone gets married in the future?"
Xue'er murmured, "Even when Gallen Lo won Best Actor for 'Golden Years,' nobody paid attention!"
Jin Qi was also a little sad, and said in one breath, "In 2003, Roger Kwok finally broke through. With 'Ah Wong,' no one could compete with him. He won Best Actor for 'Square Pegs'! And Maggie Cheung, who lost to Esther Kwan in '97, finally won Best Actress for the low-budget production 'The King of Yesterday and Tomorrow.' It can be said that fate is playing tricks on people!"
Prince was finally able to smile: "This year, I can guess that the palace drama 'War and Beauty' will be a big hit!"
"Ah, why?" "
Jin Qi rarely had a chance to ask a question in return.
"I work in marketing, and lately, all my friends have been watching it. I'm afraid the male and female leads will both be crowned Emperor and Empress!"
Wang Zi laughed.
Jin Qi pressed further: "Two male leads and four female leads, who will be crowned Emperor and Empress? Please predict, Director Wang!"
"Haha, are you testing me?"
Wang Zi lowered his head slightly and laughed: "This play is exquisite in terms of costumes and dialogue, and the actors' performances are superb, but in the end, it will definitely be Lam Bo-yee as Emperor and Gigi Lai as Empress!"
He said with certainty at the end.
"How can you be so sure?"
Xue'er was puzzled. She knew that Wang Zi was always calm!
"Well, I won't say!"
Wang Zi covered up the matter, but Jin Qi already understood that Wang Zi must be a master of physiognomy! He could see the signs that the two would win awards!
"Okay, you've finally finished. Gigi Lai has worked hard for more than ten years, and she is finally going to rise to the top. I like it very much! Congratulations!" "Unless Sheren Tang becomes popular again, Gigi Lai, Maggie Cheung, and Charmaine Sheh will compete with the Four Actresses for the top spot!"
Jin Qi summarized, then smiled and asked, "Section Chief Ouyang, is my answer correct?"
"Hmph, TVB continues, and so does life! Your answer is correct for now!"
Xue'er turned around and giggled.
Jin Qi still felt a little sad: "Looking back at the past 10 years of TVB Anniversary Awards, Jessica Hsuan is undoubtedly the leader of the Four Actresses. Her co-stars Gallen Lo, Louis Koo, and Roger Kwok have all won Best Actor awards. She is the luckiest actress! I feel a little sorry for Kenix Kwok among the Four Actresses. She was nominated every year but never won. She was the only leading actress who didn't win Best Actress, and in the end, she left TVB empty-handed..."
"Okay, only one last question!"
Prince pulled everyone's thoughts back and smiled, "After the last question, I will give you a final comprehensive evaluation. Did you succeed in the interview?"
Jin Qi's spirits lifted, and he thought to himself, "Hmph, in my opinion, Prince, Sister Xiang, and Xue'er are definitely worthy of being named the most difficult interviewers of the year! The questions they ask are all more bizarre than the last. I wonder what the Prince will ask for the last question?" However
, he had already successfully interviewed for a human resources position and was now looking for a better job while still employed, so he wasn't flustered at all. Having witnessed the skill of an interviewer like Zhao Xiaoyan, Jin Qi's workplace skills had skyrocketed!
Chapter 5018 of Passing the Interview: Heart-pounding, the Third Test of Courage Prince Qilin solemnly said, "This third test is the final one, it's a test of your courage!"
Jin Qi was annoyed, but secretly chuckled, "Courage? Being an assistant doesn't require fighting, why test courage? However, what I fear least is courage, haha, my courage..."
But now, he pretended to be very reserved and asked, "Courage? How is it tested?"
Obviously, Sister Xiang already knew the questions Prince Qilin had asked the other interviewees, and interjected, "Just tell a ghost story, and if any of the three of us is scared, you pass!" Ouyang
Xue'er's face paled slightly. Last night's events were like a nightmare, more terrifying than any ghost story!
Jin Qi, seeing the three of them, immediately understood that among them, Prince Qilin was a seasoned veteran, utterly unafraid of ghosts and spirits! Xiang Jie, already over thirty, had likely seen her share of storms!
Haha, only Ouyang Xue'er—if he could scare her, that would be enough!
However, Jin Qi was truly troubled!
Any other problem, no matter how difficult, wouldn't stump him, but this one?
Ghosts would only run away from Jin Qi; how could he be afraid of ghosts? Let alone ghost stories? He had never been frightened by ghost stories before!
Thinking of this, Jin Qi couldn't help but whisper, "Ghost stories, what's so scary about them?"
Xiang Jie misunderstood Jin Qi's meaning and, surprised, whispered, "Jin Qi, only one last hurdle left, good luck! Don't you boys often tell ghost stories in the dorm?"
Jin Qi hesitated, "But they're not scary!"
Xue'er exclaimed in surprise, "Not scary?" "How come it's not scary enough? A male classmate of mine in college once told ghost stories in the dorm, and the girls overheard him. He was so scared that he was afraid to go to the bathroom alone that night!"
Jin Qi, thinking of his roommates, suddenly understood.
He thought to himself, "Yeah, I'm such an idiot! How normal is it if I'm not scared? As long as others are scared! Today, I'll focus on Ouyang Xue'er!" Having made up his mind, he began his story: "One day, a woman… Section Chief Xue'er was getting off her night shift…"
Ouyang Xue'er chuckled beside him, "Why is that my name?"
No one's name is good in a ghost story!
Jin Qi laughed, "To create atmosphere!"
He continued, "One day, Section Chief Xue'er was getting off her night shift, and one of her male fans followed her with malicious intent…"
The Prince of Qilin was secretly taken aback: "Why does it sound like it's about me? Haha, luckily I'm just a male fan, not someone with malicious intent!"
Ouyang Xue'er blushed slightly and said, "That analogy is still bad!"
Jin Qi shook his head helplessly, laughing and saying in a low voice, "It's just a story, not real! I'm not trying to bully you, I just want you to get into character, so just listen!" After
he finished speaking, he seemed to give a sinister look around, then… Then, staring intently behind Ouyang Xue'er, a hint of fear crept into her heart. She dared not speak, only listening to Jin Qi's sinister voice: "One day, Section Chief Xue'er was leaving her night shift when a male fan followed her, plotting something. Terrified, Section Chief Xue'er passed a cemetery and, on a sudden inspiration, said to a grave… 'Dad, I'm home! Open the door!' The male fan was terrified and screamed as he ran away. Section Chief Xue'er felt a little relieved and was about to leave when suddenly a sinister voice came from the grave: 'Daughter, you forgot your keys again!'" Upon hearing this, Ouyang Xue'er screamed in terror!
Jin Qi hurriedly continued, his expression somewhat reassuring, saying, "Section Chief Xue'er was terrified and ran away screaming. Just then, a tomb raider crawled out from beside the grave, saying, 'Damn it, you interrupted my tomb raiding work, scared you to death!'" Sister Xiang was also a little frightened, and now she and Xue'er's expressions returned to normal. Seeing that Prince Qilin was not afraid, Jin Qi had a sudden inspiration and said, "Just as the tomb raider finished speaking, he noticed an old man nearby carving a tombstone with a chisel. Curious, he asked him, and the old man angrily said, 'Damn it, they carved my name wrong...'"
Sister Xiang couldn't help but
exclaim , "Wow, is the old man a ghost?!"
Jin Qi remained noncommittal, merely nodding slightly, and added, "And then! The tomb raiders, terrified, screamed and fled. The old man sneered, 'Damn it, you dare to steal my business? I've been tomb raiding for forty years, you're still too green…'" Ouyang Xue'er reacted, wiping her sweat, and said, "So that's how it is!"
Seeing that only Xue'er screamed, Xiang Jie was slightly flustered, and the Qilin Prince remained fearless, Jin Qi couldn't resist adding fuel to the fire, continuing, "Just as the old man finished speaking, they suddenly heard a muffled, intermittent voice from inside the tomb: 'Hey, you can help me change my name, but could you also write an advertisement for me: Underground document processing 1399999xxxx?'" This time, not only did Ouyang Xue'er and Xiang Jie's expressions change, but the Qilin Prince also felt a chill run down his spine!
Jin Qi remained unfazed and continued laughing, "The old man was so frightened he ran away immediately. The voice muttered to itself, 'Why is it so lively today? Everyone's come here to rob tombs. Luckily I came down early and was already hiding in the tomb.'" Sister Xiang forced a smile, "Truly frightening and interesting..."
Before she could finish, Jin Qi, seeing that the Qilin Prince was still undaunted, continued, "Just as the tomb robber finished speaking and continued searching in the tomb, he suddenly heard a hoarse voice beside him: 'Young man, stop looking. You're the nineteenth person to come and see if I have any burial goods. The last young man who came knocked on my skull and twisted it. Can you help me find it? I... feel... so... uncomfortable... ah...'" Before Jin Qi could finish, he deliberately stretched out his fingers, spreading them wide, pretending to be a ghost. Ouyang Xue'er immediately screamed!
Xiang Jie's face also turned pale: "Today, only you told the scariest ghost story!"
Jin Qi finally gained the approval of the Qilin Prince, who clapped his hands and exclaimed, "What a courageous ghost story! Well done, Jin Qi, you've passed this test of courage!"
Jin Qi and Ouyang Xue'er exchanged a smile, both letting out a sigh of relief, feeling inexplicably happy!
Having passed all three tests smoothly, could Jin Qi become the Qilin Prince's assistant?
Why did the prince ask such strange interview questions?
Chapter 5019 of Passing the Interview: Definitely Not a Kind Person, Convinced and Assured. The interview was finally over, but the Qilin Prince, Xiang Jie, and Ouyang Xue'er fell silent, either looking down in thought or carefully scrutinizing Jin Qi.
Jin Qi knew this was the final test, so he quickly straightened his back, sitting very formally, exuding righteousness and dignified bearing. After all, the title of assistant to the marketing director was obviously good and very attractive! It required a handsome man or beautiful woman who could at least not damage the company's image, and Jin Qi naturally felt that he was qualified in terms of appearance!
"Ah! It's already 12:30!"
For some reason, Ouyang Xue'er wanted to help Chu Jiu break the silence, but she was clearly speaking to Prince Qilin and Sister Xiang.
"Yes!"
Sister Xiang smiled, "It's lunchtime! Xue'er, come on, let's go to the cafeteria. I'm afraid Director Wang wants to have a private chat with Jin Qi!"
As Prince Qilin's cousin and a core member of the Qilin Company family, she knew how important a director's assistant was to the director, hence her considerate words.
Xue'er was also a little hungry, and even though she was somewhat worried about Jin Qi for no apparent reason, she still quietly got up, glanced at Prince Qilin and Jin Qi, and left.
Now, the huge Conference Room No. 3 was left with only Prince Qilin and Jin Qi!
It's the hottest season in Shenzhen, and Shachong, where the Qilin Company headquarters is located, is situated in the Tianxuan position of the Seven Deadly Grounds, making the temperature even higher. Outside, the heat is intense, so the air conditioning in the conference room is set to 25 degrees Celsius, making it exceptionally comfortable. However, for some reason, Jin Qi's back is covered in sweat, which trickles down his back. Yet, being a young man who has achieved some success in cultivation, he manages to barely control the sweat on his forehead.
"Aren't you going to say anything more, Jin Qi?"
the prince asked with a faint smile.
"Say something? Ah, what should I say?"
Jin Qi stammered, somewhat flustered, seemingly repeating something, yet also asking a question.
The prince stood up, slowly walked to Jin Qi's desk, and said softly, "For example, my three successful basketball shots, my BMW..."
"Ah!"
Jin Qi was shocked. He thought he had done something perfectly discreet, but how could the Qilin prince, two years his senior, not know?
Finally, cold sweat appeared on his forehead. Should he deny it? Absolutely not! The prince must have solid evidence! Should he admit it? What's the point of him making me pay compensation then? What should I do?
"Sigh, I'm really sorry, I saw you were the most impressive on the basketball court before, and I just couldn't stand it! I thought you were a spoiled brat, unworthy of riding in a BMW! It's just..."
Jin Qi could only say helplessly, which clearly meant he was admitting something!
"Haha! And now?"
The prince seemed completely unperturbed and pressed on.
Jin Qi said somewhat dejectedly, "You're an expert in Taoism, but you play basketball based on skill, not cheating! You're also the marketing director of a flagship company in the industry, how could you be a spoiled brat?"
Clearly, he had overturned his own assumptions!
The prince looked at Jin Qi and laughed, "Hehe, I actually suspected you were behind this all along, sabotaging my goal and damaging my BMW! But I wasn't sure. Even if you denied it, I couldn't do anything about it. I didn't expect you to be so bold and willing to admit it!"
Damn, who said the prince was always so upright? He can be cunning and deceitful too! Now he's all sly and harmless!
"Hmph!"
Jin Qi thought to himself, "If I didn't have to work for Qilin Company! If I denied it and you gave me an ultimatum, I wouldn't be able to stay in the entire Qilin Company anymore, I wouldn't admit it!"
But what he said aloud was, "A man is born between heaven and earth, daring to do what he says, what is there that I wouldn't dare to admit?"
"Good, I really didn't misjudge you!"
Wang Zi praised, and then said with a smile, "Jin Qi, what do you think of our interview questions?"
"Damn it, this trio of yours, several big questions, they're absolutely insane!"
Jin Qi cursed inwardly, "Those are all kinds of questions, a jumbled mess, they almost stumped me!"
But what he said aloud was, "The interview questions are really all-encompassing and very novel!"
This was something Jin Qi learned from his old friend: ask digressions and answer with side questions, for example, if an extremely ugly person asks if she is beautiful, you should say that you are very unique or that you have a great temperament, or at the very least, that you are very rich.
The prince stared intently at Jin Qi and said solemnly, "Asking you about the four great mysteries of earth, wind, water, and fire, and the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, is to determine if you understand the Dao, and whether you are the culprit who sabotaged my basketball game and smashed my BMW! After confirming that, asking you about the Three Kingdoms is to see what kind of person you are! Asking you about Hong Kong trivia is to see if you have a broad enough knowledge base, and asking you about your courage is to see if you have a calm and composed mindset! These are the essential conditions for the assistant I need!"
In that instant, Jin Qi already knew that the prince was not just looking for an assistant! Instead, he wanted to recruit a comrade-in-arms who could fight alongside him. He was completely impressed by the man two years older than him. Clearly, the prince was much more mature than him. The heavy responsibility of the family business had forced him to mature a few years earlier. Now, Jin Qi could only ask, "Then? What does my answer prove?"
"You messed up my basketball shot and smashed my BMW, and I didn't even notice. Your Taoist magic is unpredictable! It's clear that your cultivation is profound! These days, there are countless cultivators in famous mountains who seek fame and fortune, let alone those who enter the world! After asking about the Four Elements and Five Elements, I concluded that there are very few masters in the world with your level of cultivation!"
The prince spoke eloquently.
Jin Qi remained silent, thinking to himself, "So, the prince admits that he is also a master cultivator!"
He knew the prince was going to answer the second point.
"Secondly, there's a saying, 'Young people shouldn't read *Water Margin*, and old people shouldn't read *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*!' Because the strategies in *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* are unparalleled! Since you're so familiar with even the most easily forgotten myths and legends in *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, how could you not have studied it thoroughly? What I need is someone with strategic skills to assist me! From your answers to the questions—your adherence to outdated ideas, your concealment of your abilities, everything shows that you're not only exceptionally strategic, but also know how to apply strategies! Asking you all sorts of miscellaneous questions was to test your taste. I consider myself to have good qualities, and I don't want to have an assistant with poor taste working with me every day
!" Prince smiled, exceptionally confident, and continued, "Finally, when I asked you to tell a ghost story, Ouyang Xue'er turned pale, and Sister Xiang screamed in alarm, but only you remained calm and composed. This courage is exactly what I need!"
Jin Qi couldn't help but feel the same way he did when facing Zhao Xiaoyan, feeling completely exposed! Prince's analysis was practically a comprehensive dissection of him. Although he had only met him once, the half-hour interview had penetrated his very soul!
Chapter 5020 of Passing the Interview: A Ruthless Person Born, Revealing the Truth! "
Prince sighed again, 'Jin Qi, in the past two years, to find an assistant like you—no, actually, a friend—who suits my requirements, I've traveled to countless famous mountains and rivers, Taoist temples and ancient shrines, visiting them all! I've recruited from within the company's 100,000 employees countless times, and posted recruitment quotas to the public countless times, all without success. I never expected that you would meet my requirements!'
He finished speaking, stepped forward, and extended his right hand.
Jin Qi quickly stepped forward and firmly grasped Prince's hand, hearing Prince say, 'Jin Qi, congratulations! You will officially become the assistant to the Marketing Director of Qilin Company!'
The heart that had been pounding since Jin Qi entered the room finally settled down. He thought of Ouyang Xue'er, thinking, 'If she knew I had passed all my interviews, she wouldn't look down on me, would she?'
'Actually, Prince, there's something else I haven't told you!'
Jin Qi asked somewhat hesitantly.
'Hidden from me?'
Prince smiled, 'Hehe, what is it? '" “
I already had an interview before coming here, and I even got an offer!”
Jin Qi said apologetically, “Looks like I’ll have to turn that one down first!”
“An offer? You’re really talented. Those side offices usually only hire people with work experience. How did you get an offer? Let me guess, is it the Cultural and Publicity Department of the President’s Office, or the Planning Department of the Third Department? Or the HR Department of the Yuanshan Branch Factory?”
Wang Zi laughed.
Jin Qi was even more impressed and said, “Hey! I can’t hide anything from you. It’s Manager Zhao Xiaoyan’s HR department!”
“Haha, it’s her?”
Wang Zi laughed loudly, “We’re very familiar with each other. She’s a very capable senior HR manager. She was originally the HR manager at headquarters, and later she took on the important task of expanding the Yuanshan factory! I’ll put in a good word for you, and you’ll be fine!”
“There’s one more thing!”
Jin Qi asked solemnly, “Director Wang…”
“Don’t call me Director Wang. For outsiders, just call me Wang Zi!”
Wang Zi interrupted him.
“Okay!” "Prince, since you've been so frank, I won't hide it anymore! I think you know that the land where our Qilin Company is located is a Seven Deadly Land!"
"A Seven Deadly Land!"
the prince shouted. "Good! Your judgment is excellent! Indeed, this place is one of the thirty-six acupoints, ranking second among the ten major Yin energy gathering places—a Seven Deadly Land!"
Jin Qi asked, puzzled, "Why did you build the factory here even though you already knew it was a Seven Deadly Land?"
The prince resolutely replied, "A man should live for the heavens! This place used to be a chaotic graveyard! The Yin energy was oppressive, and ghosts and monsters haunted it! Therefore, my father built the company here to suppress the evil spirits with all the Yang energy, preventing them from harming the people!"
"Wow! What a noble idea! I understand now, the factory is built in the shape of the benevolent beast Qilin, that's why!"
Jin Qi instantly understood!
"That's right, but in the past two years, people in our company have still died mysteriously! I suspect..."
the prince hesitated, somewhat doubtful.
"Suspect what?" "
Jin Qi knew this was the most crucial point, and hurriedly asked.
"After our thorough investigation in secret, I suspect that someone has placed a seal on Qilin Company. This... seal is a world-destroying 'Heaven-Defying Cataclysm'!"
the prince said worriedly.
"A world-destroying 'Heaven-Defying Annihilation Tribulation'?"
Jin Qi exclaimed in shock. "Heavens! Is this the legendary 'Heaven-Defying Annihilation Tribulation' that even Buddha, Laozi, and Yuanshi Tianzun fear with trepidation?"
Even Jin Qi, a young cultivator renowned in the field, was greatly astonished!
Heavens! A world-destroying 'Heaven-Defying Annihilation Tribulation'! "That's right! Who, what demon, what monster planted such an unparalleled seal? I've been secretly investigating, but I have no clue. I need your help!"
Jin Qi's blood boiled. "Alright! It's rare for a man to encounter such a rare 'Heaven-Defying Annihilation Tribulation' in his lifetime! Since we've encountered it, we should be willing to die for it. How can we refuse?"
After saying this, the two laughed heartily, finally finding the feeling of being companions on the same path.
As the two were laughing, suddenly urgent footsteps came from outside. Then, Sister Xiang flung open the door and cried, "Prince, something terrible has happened! A major crisis has occurred with President Wang!"
Only after she finished speaking did she notice Jin Qi was still there. Undeterred, she saw the expressions on their faces; clearly, Prince had decided to hire Jin Qi!
"Ah!"
Prince exclaimed in surprise, "A major crisis with the president?"
He quickly said to Jin Qi, "We'll talk about it later!"
With that, he and Sister Xiang rushed out in a flurry!
Chapter 5021: Surprising Turn of Events, Keeping the Promise for Three Years. That evening, Xue'er, in her rented room, personally prepared a few dishes and laughed, "Jin Qi, tomorrow I'm moving back to the company's single apartment! It's really not safe here… I didn't expect you to be so amazing, passing the interview! And two offers today alone, you're practically an interview master!"
Jin Qi laughed, "All of this is for you! But please don't call me an interview master, I hate interview masters the most, monopolizing other classmates' interview opportunities!"
In Jin Qi's dorm, the second oldest student was the best academically, but became an interview master when looking for a job. Every time a good company announced interviews, his name was on it, and every time he came back from an interview, he wouldn't sign a contract, making everyone resentful. Although Jin Qi didn't look for a job, he also disliked such ostentatious interview masters!
Xue'er didn't believe it: "You're a rogue! Humph, after you join the company, I wonder how many girls will suffer!"
"Then, won't you be the first to suffer..."
Jin Qi laughed. Although they had a good relationship, firstly, they had only known each other for two days, and secondly, he was now a subordinate of Prince Qilin. Prince Qilin had feelings for Xue'er, and if he were to compete, it would be fair competition, no more underhanded tricks!
Now, he couldn't be as unrestrained as he was this morning!
Today, the prince's integrity and wisdom had undoubtedly taught Jin Qi a good lesson!
"Jin Qi, last night... those... two bad guys..."
Ouyang Xue'er asked with lingering fear.
Jin Qi was also a little puzzled, but he would definitely be able to find out later! But he absolutely couldn't tell Xue'er, and only said, "Don't worry, it's all over!"
"The deeper my love for you, the more my heart aches. I can keep your body, but I can't keep your heart..."
Jin Qi's phone suddenly rang. It was his ringtone, interrupting the ambiguous moment between Jin Qi and Ouyang Xue'er!
"Hello!"
Jin Qi had no choice but to answer the phone. It was an unfamiliar number.
"Good evening, Jin Qi! This is Prince!"
Prince's deep voice came from the other end. He had clearly obtained Jin Qi's number from his resume.
Jin Qi found it strange; why call at night when he could contact him during the day? It must be something important and urgent! He quickly focused his attention: "Good evening, Prince! What's up?" "
I... I have to tell you some very regrettable news. I will be leaving the company for a while, and your position as assistant marketing director will be temporarily revoked!"
Prince's voice sounded forlorn, but despite his fatigue, it remained as crisp and sharp as ever.
"Ah! What happened?"
Jin Qi asked, somewhat annoyed.
"Yes! Something very important has happened to me! I'll definitely have a chance to tell you later! However, I'll be leaving for a while! But I don't want you to leave Qilin Company. Can you promise me that you'll stay at the personnel department of the Yuanshan factory and wait for me? When I return, we'll deal with the Seven Deadly Lands and the world-destroying 'Heaven-Defying World-Destroying Calamity' together?"
Prince asked earnestly on the phone.
"This..."
Jin Qi hesitated for a moment upon hearing this, then suddenly sighed and said, "Alright! Good! A scholar will die for one who understands him! Prince... I'll work at Yuanshan and wait for you!"
"Hmph, it's a promise then! Jin Qi, take care!"
Prince knew that a promise between two men didn't need grand vows; this was enough! His words carried an unspeakable sense of vicissitude! After
hanging up, Jin Qi smiled bitterly and quickly told Ouyang Xue'er everything!
Xue'er knew that Jin Qi had made a promise, and she knew that persuasion would be useless. This was the true nature of a hero!
She could only force a smile and say, "The Yuanshan factory has only been established for a short time, there's a lot of room for advancement, and it's very promising! Besides, Manager Zhao Xiaoyan is famous throughout the company, and he's also my senior. You can learn a lot there! It's promising and you can learn new skills, so go!"
With the addition of the prince who had suddenly made a mysterious decision to disappear, a slight distance seemed to have formed between them.
However, could they forget such an awkward incident that happened on their first meeting?
So, a few days later, after Jin Qi returned to Shenyang and treated all seven of his roommates to a week-long feast, he returned to the Yuanshan factory of Qilin Company.
This was in the summer of 2004, Jin Qi had just graduated from university.
(Chapter 5022: The Cycle of Life, Bitterly Waiting) However, a few days later, after saying goodbye to Ouyang Xue'er and going to the Yuanshan factory for onboarding training, Jin Qi saw the company announcement: the position of Marketing Director had changed hands, and the prince, like a shooting star, had disappeared into the vast sea of people! Never to be seen again!
Without a trace!
Later, during training and onboarding at the Yuanshan branch factory, he met Ximen Bingbing, and the sentimental young man Jin Qi truly fell in love!
For two years, Jin Qi rejected countless high-salary offers from headhunters in Shenzhen. He had only one thought: to uphold his empty promise to the prince and work together to fight the Seven Deadly Lands and the world-destroying "Heaven-Defying World-Destroying Tribulation." For a young cultivator, this was undoubtedly a temptation!
A man's word carries immense weight!
Not only could he eliminate demons and protect the righteous path, but he could also cultivate and level up—truly a good way to improve his cultivation!
However, he occasionally thought of Ouyang Xue'er! Xue'er, are you alright?
Jin Qi gradually matured, no longer the somewhat impulsive young man he once was, but he felt a pang of guilt for peeping at Xue'er while she bathed!
Then came the summer of 2006, the 2006 graduates joined the company, and a series of events involving Ye Chongsheng occurred. The following year, during the Qingming Festival, everything was resolved satisfactorily.
It's summer 2007 now, summer has arrived again!
The promise with the prince is almost three years old!
Now, Jin Qi is sleeping soundly in the comfortable double bed, embracing the pure and beautiful Ximen Bingbing. Bingbing is fast asleep, while Jin Qi tosses and turns, unable to sleep, memories flooding his mind!
The promise with the prince seems weak and powerless, but Jin Qi has always kept his word. A true man, born between heaven and earth, keeps his promises!
He's already settled things at the Yuanshan factory; next up is the strange feng shui of the Qilin headquarters in Shayong! The Seven Deadly Grounds and the world-destroying "Heaven-Defying World-Destroying Calamity"—the Qilin Company must be hiding a shocking secret!
Indeed, the reappearance of the Qilin Prince has opened the prelude to the "Heaven-Defying World-Destroying Calamity"!
Chapter 6001: A Twist of Fate, Returning to the Scene. A month has passed, and work is going well.
Although Jin Qi was a born cultivator with profound Taoist skills, making a job unnecessary, he deeply understood the importance of good character. His philosophy was "to love what you do." While waiting for the prince to return to the world, doing his job well was his duty, worthy of his 9k salary and worthy of Zhao Xiaoyan's guidance and promotion.
However, his naturally warm-hearted nature meant he frequently traveled to various parts of southern Guangdong to subdue demons, still living in his own world of chivalrous fantasies. That day, at 4:00 PM, with an hour left before he was about to leave work, he suddenly received a call from Bingbing: "Seventh Young Master, I have something to discuss with you tonight."
"Something? What is it? Hehe, can't we talk on the phone now?"
Jin Qi asked with a smile; there was obviously no need for such formality between boyfriend and girlfriend.
"No!"
Bingbing replied in a somewhat tired voice, "I have things to take care of here. Let's talk at home tonight."
With that, she hung up the phone.
Jin Qi pondered, "Hmm, what is it?"
He was a renowned expert in the cultivation world, knowledgeable in astronomy and geography, with advanced Daoist power and some knowledge of divination, yet he still couldn't guess what Bingbing was talking about.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile bitterly: "They say a woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea! Even Confucius knew 'Women and petty men are difficult to deal with,' why should I even think about this? Just asking for trouble! Anyway, Bingbing won't hide anything from me."
At this moment, the clerk Xiao Wu walked over with a smile and said, "Seventh Young Master, General Manager Zhao is looking for you!"
"General Manager Zhao? Which General Manager Zhao?"
Jin Qi asked, startled.
"It's the former Manager Zhao Xiaoyan, who was just promoted to Deputy Director of Human Resources at the entire Qilin Company!"
Xiao Wu smiled: "The company already issued a notice the day before yesterday! Haha, didn't you notice, Seventh Young Master, what are you thinking about? Were you absent-minded just now? Did Sister Bingbing bully you?"
They were familiar with each other, so they could joke around endlessly!
Jin Qi hurriedly laughed, "No! It's just that I used to call her Manager Zhao, and I'm used to calling her Sister Xiaoyan. I'm not used to calling her President Zhao yet!"
Zhao Xiaoyan was originally the personnel manager of the Yuanshan factory. Later, the Yuanshan factory's human resources department was established, and she became the director. Last week, she also took on the role of deputy director of the entire Qilin company's human resources department. She is currently the most favored person in charge of the company's four vice presidents.
Strangely enough, President Wang hardly seemed to hear any news. However, Jin Qi didn't care. Anyway, these vice presidents who were worth billions were completely different from the president and someone like him who was penniless.
Hmph, when he goes to the Qilin company headquarters in the future, he will definitely see what kind of person this legendary president who never shows his face is!
He also remembered Sister Xiang's exclamation that day, "The president has undergone a major change!" Oh, Prince, President Wang...
"In Sister Xiaoyan's office?"
Jin Qi hurriedly got up, grabbed his notebook and ballpoint pen, and walked towards the door.
"Hmph!"
Xiao Wu replied, watching Jin Qi's figure disappear through the door. Then
she turned to Liu Yijing and the others and laughed, "Looks like Seventh Young Master is going to treat us to dinner again, haha! Everyone get ready tonight!"
"Why?" Liu Yijing
asked with a smile.
"Because, President Zhao has always been the best to Seventh Young Master, personally guiding him in his work! He's promoted him the fastest! President Zhao is a favorite of the four vice presidents, and Seventh Young Master is also a favorite of President Zhao! It's all about connections! Obviously, President Zhao is calling Seventh Young Master over now to promote him as well!"
Xiao Wu laughed, "As the saying goes, 'When one person attains enlightenment, the whole family ascends to heaven!'"
Everyone laughed, knowing that Xiao Wu originally wanted to say "When one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven," but it didn't feel right when applied to their section chief, so she had to quickly change it.
On his way to Zhao Xiaoyan's office, Jin Qi wasn't thinking much. He thought to himself, "Today is the twelfth day of the sixth lunar month again! It's been exactly three years since Sister Xiaoyan interviewed me and I joined the company! For most jobs, she just calls or emails me, and it's perfectly fine! Why is she so insistent on calling me over now? But I know it's definitely not something simple!"
He then thought about his girlfriend Ximen Bingbing's unexplained phone call earlier, and frowned. "Hmph, today's unlucky. Two inexplicable things have happened. I've only ever heard of people having bad luck in their birth year, but I've never heard of anyone having bad luck on their factory anniversary!" But now he could only deal with whatever came his way.
Chapter 6002 Unraveling the Mystery: An Unexpected Joy, Eager to See. Xiao Yan's office, the Human Resources Director's office at the Yuanshan factory, was in a comprehensive building 300 meters away from Jin Qi's office. Along the way, Jin Qi had considered countless possibilities, none of which were certain, so he simply stopped guessing. Fortunately, it wasn't far; in about five minutes, Jin Qi stood outside the Human Resources Director's office on the third floor of the Yuanshan branch factory's comprehensive building.
Inside the large Human Resources Director's office, only Zhao Xiaoyan and Chen Xiaohong, who had been promoted to Human Resources Director's secretary, sat one behind the other. Chen Xiaohong, seeing Jin Qi's arrival through the glass, turned to Zhao Xiaoyan and smiled, "Sister Xiaoyan, Jin Qi is here!"
Zhao Xiaoyan nodded, and Chen Xiaohong quickly got up and left the office, smiling, "Young Master Qi, you can go in now!"
She was naturally familiar with Jin Qi and Xiao Wu; over the past three years, they had become friends. She had also become increasingly beautiful and knew that Jin Qi was Zhao Xiaoyan's most valued disciple. Privately, they also cooperated very well at work!
"Okay, thank you!"
Jin Qi smiled and went inside. Chen Xiaohong, however, pretended to have some things to do and said with a smile, "I'm going to get a document over there!"
and headed towards an office outside.
Jin Qi nodded inwardly. A clerk with only a vocational school diploma, thanks to Sister Xiaoyan's guidance over the past few years, had already shown considerable skill. She knew that what Sister Xiaoyan wanted to discuss with her was probably important, so she voluntarily left! Clearly, in the process of rising from department manager clerk to director's secretary, Chen Xiaohong had not only become more beautiful and mature, but her professional skills had also improved dramatically! Moreover, last year, she had completed her self-study in Secretarial English and obtained a diploma, and was continuing her self-study for a bachelor's degree in Secretarial English. Now, Xiaohong's English level was no less than Jin Qi's, who had passed the College English Test Band 6.
This was the charm of Zhao Xiaoyan!
Jin Qi was also someone she had personally mentored! Because of this, Xiao Wu, whom Jin Qi had been training, was constantly improving in his work. Jin Qi had secretly envisioned a series of career plans, new skills, and new positions for Xiao Wu.
To ensure subordinates work with peace of mind, a leader has a lot to do!
"President Zhao, did you need something?"
Jin Qi asked with a slight smile as he entered.
"Haha, you, what am I saying about you?"
Zhao Xiaoyan stood up, looked at Jin Qi, and laughed, "Come sit on the sofa over there! Why were you calling me 'Sister Xiaoyan' last week? Today you're calling me 'President Zhao'? It sounds really awkward, you should just call me 'Sister Xiaoyan'!"
Jin Qi quickly nodded, "Yes! I wasn't used to it either, but I only dared not call you that without Sister Xiaoyan's personal permission, haha!"
He sat down on the sofa, and Zhao Xiaoyan came over and poured him a glass of water. Jin Qi quickly thanked her, "Thank you, Sister Xiaoyan!"
Zhao Xiaoyan also sat down on the sofa. Three years had passed, and she had become increasingly spirited, capable, and wise! This personnel system at Yuanshan Factory was her brainchild, created single-handedly. What she was most proud of was cultivating two or three capable individuals like Jin Qi. Performance-based pay, recruitment, employee relations, attendance, event management—she learned everything quickly and easily. She was shrewd in her work, reliable in her character…
and already capable of handling things independently!
“Jin Qi!”
Zhao Xiaoyan exclaimed, “Time flies! It’s been three whole years since you joined Qilin Company!”
“It’s kind of you to remember, Sister Xiaoyan! I thought I was the only one who remembered!”
Jin Qi laughed. “I still remember the first day Sister Xiaoyan interviewed me. I was a fresh graduate, practically a newborn calf!”
"Haha, of course I remember how you got your resume back from the president's office!"
Zhao Xiaoyan laughed. "Of course I remember... but it's precisely because I admire your fearless courage! These past three years, you've excelled in everything, and I haven't had to worry about a thing. I'm truly gratified! You're a mature HR elite! But now I ask you, do you still have that fearless courage you had back then?"
Jin Qi was slightly taken aback: "Could it be that she wants me to go out and expand on my own? Develop new business?"
He was momentarily stunned, but then he thought, "It's rare for Sister Xiaoyan to trust me so much; a man should act the same way. " "I wish I hadn't left Qilin Company! Sister Xiaoyan has been incredibly kind to me, why would I refuse?"
So, he nodded vigorously and solemnly said, "I'm still young, even if I'm worldly-wise, my heart still wants to strive and fight! Sister Xiaoyan, just assign me any tasks you have!"
Zhao Xiaoyan wasn't disappointed at all, and smiled, "It's not worldliness, it's maturity! Sigh, I knew you still had this drive, and that's what I admire most about you, it hasn't changed in three years! Now that's good..."
She looked down at her watch, and suddenly, inexplicably, laughed, "It's agreed... it's time!"
"It's time..."
Jin Qi was a little confused, not understanding what she meant. When? Zhao Xiaoyan was acting strangely today.
But, at that moment, the screen of Jin Qi's phone on the coffee table lit up. His professional skills had already reached the elite level, and he had set his phone to meeting mode on his way to Zhao Xiaoyan's office. The phone didn't make any sound, but the phone number was still displayed.
Jin Qi glanced at the phone number and was immediately taken aback—perhaps surprised, perhaps expectant, perhaps overjoyed!
The caller ID showed it was the phone number of the last mysterious call from the Prince of Qilin!
"Prince Qilin!"
Jin Qi had saved it in his phone that day, and for the past three years, he had waited day and night for this number to ring, but it had never rung. He had tried searching for the number himself, but the China Mobile customer service representatives always spoke in standard Mandarin, their voices cold and indifferent: "Sorry, this number is no longer in service!"
He hurriedly picked up the phone, gave Zhao Xiaoyan a slight apology, and before he could speak, he heard Zhao Xiaoyan laugh: "I know you've been waiting for this call for a long time! Answer it! The Prince is indeed punctual, calling precisely at 5:00 PM!"
Clearly, it was pre-arranged!
It was the Prince!
After three whole years, Jin Qi had finally received another call from the Prince of Qilin.
(Chapter 6003: Unraveling the Mystery - Unexpected Pain, Back to the Beginning - Jin Qi, It's Me!) "
On the other end of the phone, the prince's voice was deep, just as it had been three years ago.
'I know!'
Jin Qi said briefly. He knew Zhao Xiaoyan was right beside him, smiling. Clearly, Zhao Xiaoyan knew the prince; they were both high-ranking executives, the elite of the elite. It would be strange if they didn't!
He actually had a thousand words in his heart, wanting to ask the prince what had happened in the past three years… But why should men be so long-winded? Especially between the handsome Jin Qi and the prince?
But in Jin Qi's heart, he suddenly felt relieved, his whole body relaxed! Hearing the prince's words, his promise had finally been kept! Three years—three years of dedicated cultivation—finally, he had something to look forward to showing his skills!
'Tomorrow morning, please meet me in Conference Room 3 at the Qilin Company headquarters, where we had our first interview!'" "
The prince smiled slightly, a rare occurrence. Although Jin Qi couldn't see it, he could imagine the confident, domineering look on the prince's face .
Thinking of this, he remembered Ouyang Xue'er again. He had deliberately avoided her for three years, and now he finally had to face her.
"This time, you won't disappear again, will you?"
Jin Qi asked softly.
A resolute voice came from the prince's end: "Absolutely not!"
"Okay! See you tomorrow!"
Jin Qi, never one to waste words, hung up.
Zhao Xiaoyan looked at Jin Qi and sighed, "You must be wondering why he called you? It was this morning. The prince, whom I haven't seen for three years, suddenly called me, saying he wants you to come help him! He knows you're doing very well at the Yuanshan factory! He needs my permission first! Among the direct descendants of the president and the four vice presidents of our Qilin Company, only the prince is the most astute candidate. He's the only one with the ability to lead Qilin Company's future development! Naturally, I'll help him! Even though I don't know him at all, I've only heard about him from Manager Wang Guoxiang!" "
Sister Xiang, it's been a long time," Jin Qi said with a wry smile. "The Abbess Miejue, haha!
" "Then, Sister Xiaoyan, do you know what Prince has been doing all these years?"
Jin Qi asked cautiously, genuinely wanting to know where Prince had been for the past three years.
"Well, I don't know either! Sister Xiang only mentions him three years ago!"
Zhao Xiaoyan laughed. "But tomorrow, won't you find out? Hand over your work today and go tomorrow! Congratulations, Seventh Young Master, the new Assistant Director of Marketing at Qilin Company! Congratulations on carving out a new chapter in your life!"
Clearly, Prince had told her about Jin Qi's position! However, it seemed Prince hadn't revealed that this position wasn't actually in marketing, but rather involved helping him eliminate evil and uphold justice!
Jin Qi smiled, not worried at all about the handover. Liu Yijing had improved her work skills in the year since graduation, and could be given the position of acting section chief for now, with a permanent position after six months. With Xiao Wu's help, the department's work would be worry-free!
However, he was troubled about how to tell Bingbing that he was leaving Yuanshan for Shayong. After all, he was no longer alone!
But how could he forget that Bingbing had also given him a puzzling phone call?
That night, it was practically... a life-or-death separation between the two of them?
ng!
Chapter 6004 Unraveling the Mystery: Separation, East and West. Thinking of all this, Jin Qi hung his head, absent-minded, and somewhat depressed. When he returned to his dormitory, it was already 7:00 PM, and the sky in Shenzhen, the southern country, was still not dark!
But Jin Qi's heart sank.
Back in their little love nest, a two-bedroom apartment with a monthly mortgage, he was surprised to find that Bingbing, who usually came home later than him, was already back early tonight. Most remarkably, Bingbing had already personally cooked several of Jin Qi's favorite dishes: scrambled eggs with tomatoes, cucumber salad with lean pork, and bok choy and meatball soup. Though simple, they were incredibly sweet.
As soon as he opened the door, a faint aroma of scallions wafted up, and a thin wisp of steam rose from the air. He exclaimed with delight, "Wow, Bingbing, you cooked! It smells so good!"
Bingbing emerged from the kitchen smiling, saying, "You little glutton!"
Her expression showed none of the melancholy he had felt on the phone that afternoon. Jin Qi was puzzled but didn't ask anything. He felt a little more at ease; Bingbing's normal demeanor made him happy. He was just wondering how to bring up the topic of leaving Bingbing and going to headquarters in Shayong.
During dinner, the two tried their best to avoid work-related matters and ate with great enjoyment. Bingbing's cooking skills were already quite good, and after two years of honing them, coupled with her natural beauty, her cooking was increasingly resembling that of a high-end hotel chef.
After dinner, Jin Qi, as usual, went to wash the dishes, but Bingbing stopped him, smiling and saying, "Seventh Young Master, no need! I'll wash them tonight."
A pang of sadness struck her, and she thought to herself, "I wonder when I'll be able to wash dishes again..."
Jin Qi was surprised, but he still let go, though he clung to Bingbing's back, not leaving.
After everything was tidied up, the two returned to the living room sofa, turned on the TV out of boredom, and ate watermelon. The most popular drama on Jade Channel was airing, but tonight, neither of them was interested in watching it, and they were somewhat silent.
"Bingbing, I have something to discuss with you!"
"Seventh Young Master, I have something to discuss with you..."
They looked up inadvertently and said at the same time, then smiled at each other again.
"Hehe, you have something to say! Bingbing, you go first!"
Jin Qi said, holding Bingbing's delicate, fair hand. This was their usual habit; when they had something to say, Jin Qi always gave way to Bingbing. After all, Jin Qi was the boy, and Bingbing was the girl. A boy should be more responsible!
Bingbing nodded and said softly, "Young Master Qi, there's an opportunity in the finance department to work at the US branch..."
Jin Qi said "Oh," realizing that Bingbing's call that afternoon meant this. Still not understanding, he asked, "Working in America? It's a rare opportunity, isn't it?"
The Jin Qi of today was no longer the Jin Qi who angrily smashed Prince BMW! He knew about the comprehensive analysis of going to America for work and then returning.
Bingbing chuckled, "You, how can you not care! Of course, the department manager gave me this opportunity! It's related to me, that's why I mentioned it... Such an opportunity is truly rare..."
Whether others had the opportunity to go to America before was irrelevant to Jin Qi, but now that Bingbing was going abroad, it was related to him.
"It's rare for you to have the opportunity to work in America, but... I'm reluctant to let you go..."
Jin Qi was at a loss. He hadn't even left yet, and Bingbing was already suggesting leaving? He even stammered a little, speaking from the bottom of his heart.
He was very depressed. His little home with Bingbing here, their warm love nest, if Bingbing flew to America and he went to the Shayong headquarters, wouldn't that be gone?
Good heavens, when things were peaceful, nothing happened, but now, he received two pieces of news on the same day. How frustrating!
Chapter 6005 Unraveling the Mystery: The Most Mundane, Two Reasons Seventh Young Master, there are two advantages to going to America! "
How could Bingbing not know this? She was clearly tempted by going to America. Fearing that Jin Qi didn't understand her thoughts, she explained.
"Two advantages, what two?"
Jin Qi asked softly.
"First, the finance department there has just been established. After I go there, I will be responsible for all aspects of the work, accounts receivable and payable, collection and repayment, etc. This will be a great opportunity to improve my work ability and English skills!" "
Bingbing smiled and said, 'Don't you like that I'm ambitious at work?'
'I do like that you're ambitious, but I like it even more when you're by my side!'
Jin Qi gently stroked Bingbing's hair and smiled slightly, 'Bingbing, what's the second thing?'
'The second thing? I'm just an ordinary person. If I work in America, I can get a lot of travel and housing allowances every month, all in US dollars. I can save them, and convert them to RMB, which will be even more, so we can pay off the mortgage on this house sooner!'
Bingbing said happily.
Jin Qi couldn't help but feel touched. Everything Bingbing did was for his own good, not wanting him to have any burden.
In his heart, having cultivated Taoism since childhood, he had never had any concept of money. In fact, with his Taoist skills, simple Taoist techniques like the 'Five Ghosts Moving Money Technique' were a piece of cake. Wouldn't he have endless money? But he had never used it. A gentleman loves money, but he acquires it in a proper way!
'Bingbing...you're so good to me!'" " I can't bear to see you just saving money. You must take good care of yourself in America and not be stingy at all. I will work hard to pay off the mortgage on this house..."
He said, gently pulling Bingbing into his arms.
"Seventh Master, so you agree to let me go to America?"
Bingbing was a little happy. Her boyfriend understood her. What could be happier than this? She asked cautiously.
Jin Qi nodded and smiled, "Actually, why do you need to ask me anymore? I support everything you decide! When are you going abroad?"
"Because it's a last-minute opportunity, it's very urgent! My flight is tomorrow night! I'll go to the airport tomorrow noon!"
Bingbing felt a sweet warmth in her heart and said again.
"Oh my god, so urgent?"
Jin Qi was annoyed: "Is the visa ready?"
He and Bingbing had obtained their passports and Hong Kong and Macau travel permits together for their previous trips to Hong Kong and Macau, but to go to the United States, they needed to apply for an extremely difficult-to-obtain visa.
"I only found out about this today. Last month, Manager Li from the finance department obtained a work visa for me, valid for two years." "
Bingbing said.
"Manager Li, is that the little bespectacled manager from last time?"
Jin Qi said, a little annoyed. No matter who it is, guys will be unhappy if their girlfriends are overly concerned!
Bingbing giggled, "Are you jealous? Manager Li is already a middle-aged man with a wife and children, and he's been living in the country all this time! You're still jealous? That's not right."
She then hugged Jin Qi tightly and asked, "Young Master Qi, I'm flying away tomorrow night! Will you miss me?"
"Of course, I'll miss you day and night!"
Jin Qi said affectionately, the hidden meaning in his words only understood by the loving couple.
Bingbing blushed, knowing Jin Qi's playful meaning. A surge of sweet love welled up in her heart, but remembering Jin Qi's words, she quickly asked, "Young Master Qi, you said you had something to discuss with me. What is it?"
(Chapter 6006: Reluctant to Part, Joining Hands to Eliminate Demons) Bingbing, I didn't expect we two to be so in sync! "
Jin Qi just smiled.
Bingbing smiled playfully, "Who gave you such a tacit understanding? You're going abroad too?"
"No, not abroad,"
Jin Qi shook his head, "It's just that I'm leaving the Yuanshan factory tomorrow."
"Oh?" "That's interesting!"
Bingbing lifted her head from Jin Qi's embrace and asked, "Where are you going?"
She knew that Jin Qi was always composed and reliable in front of others, but incredibly mischievous in front of her, and he would never lie about important matters!
Jin Qi smiled: "I'm going to Shayong, the headquarters of Qilin Company. Manager Wang... Manager Zhao Xiaoyan instructed me to have other important matters to attend to."
He didn't intend to deceive Bingbing, but his heart skipped a beat. Telling Bingbing would only increase her worries, so he stopped abruptly when he said "Prince." In fact, it was true that Zhao Xiaoyan had called him over that afternoon!
"I told you, when I went to your office at 5 pm after work, Xiao Wu said you went to Sister Xiaoyan's meeting, so I didn't bother you! You, haha, have you been promoted?"
Bingbing asked with a smile.
"I guess you could say I've been promoted! I'm now the assistant to the marketing director!" "
Jin Qi thought for a moment and replied. From the powerful personnel manager to the prestigious assistant marketing director, it should be considered a promotion!
"Wow! It's truly a double celebration!"
Bingbing said coquettishly, "Assistant marketing director! But, Seventh Young Master, I need you to promise me that you can only promote our products in the market, and you're not allowed to promote yourself in the market anymore!"
Jin Qi nodded. Bingbing's coquettishness melted his heart. Even the most hardened steel would be melted into tenderness!
He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Only you are willing to buy me! I want to promote myself, but no one wants me!"
This was clearly a humble statement. After three years of experience, Jin Qi's charm had increased exponentially compared to when he first joined Qilin Company! Although time had washed away some of his rough edges, he had gained a mature and charming demeanor.
"You've been promoted!"
Bingbing was finally relieved. In fact, she had always trusted Jin Qi. She then playfully said, "Seventh Young Master, shouldn't you treat us to a meal?"
"Treat us to a meal?" "
Jin Qi chuckled softly, "How about I treat you to a sumptuous human flesh feast? Me as the male lead, and you as the female lead?"
"You!"
Bingbing blushed, "You're so bad!"
"Haha..."
Jin Qi laughed happily, "My money is yours, I'm yours, everything is yours, isn't my badness just because you're bad..."
Under the dim light, the two young lovers heated up, their lips parted slightly, expressing endless tenderness!
This night, needless to say, was an extremely romantic one.
Jin Qi temporarily forgot about meeting the prince tomorrow. A night of pleasure ensued. Bingbing was naturally beautiful, her smile captivating, her skin smoothed by the hot spring water, her hair adorned with flowers and golden hairpins, they spent a warm summer night in the boudoir, the summer night seeming too short. He rose high, waiting for Jin Qi to rise early.
This night, he didn't ask for a predestined fate; this night, he didn't ask for this lifetime; only for this night!
Unraveling the mystery, Chapter 6007: Opening a New Chapter, Passionate Youth. Two days later, at noon, Bingbing and Jin Qi had packed their belongings—just two clean and tidy medium-sized slippers. Bingbing was going to California, where the sunshine was similar to Shenzhen, so winter clothes were unnecessary.
Jin Qi hugged Bingbing tightly. Bingbing smiled, "Silly Seventh Young Master, it's not like I'm not coming back, why are you hugging me so tightly?"
Jin Qi didn't speak, just held Bingbing tightly, as if afraid she would fly away and never return.
"Seventh Young Master, let's keep this little nest here. When we come back, this will still be our happy little nest, okay?"
Bingbing asked with a smile.
Jin Qi could only nod, "I absolutely won't touch anything in the house. I'll clean it once a week, and I'll definitely wait for you to come back!" "
This was a promise made by lovesick lovers, but what happened next?
Life has always been ruthless, this sorrow has nothing to do with the wind or the moon.
Sadly, in the end, Bingbing boarded the business car to the airport, reluctantly parting ways with Jin Qi.
Jin Qi himself, dragging a simple suitcase, went to the Qilin Company's headquarters in Shachong. ———————————————— Now, three years have passed, and Jin Qi is back to square one.
Just like three years ago in 2004, when Jin Qi had just graduated, he was still young and handsome.
But could he go back to the past?
Regardless, being able to see the Qilin Prince again made Jin Qi's three-year wait worthwhile.
Thinking of the secrets of the Seven Deadly Lands!
The bloody secrets hidden within the 'Heaven-Defying World-Destroying Calamity' filled Jin Qi with surging emotions!"
***, the hot-blooded Seventh Young Master can finally show his skills!
Unraveling the mystery Chapter 6008 Keeping the promise, Qilin sees you again. I can keep your person, but I can't keep your heart... "
Jin Qi's phone rang again. In the past three years, he has changed his phone three times, from a no-name brand to a big brand, from a black and white screen to a color screen, from a 1.0-inch LCD screen to a 2.4-inch screen, but the ringtone remains the same. For an empty promise, Jin Qi can wait for three years! Let alone a song he likes? Liking a song is like liking a person, it is a lifelong, unforgettable liking!
Besides, back then, the Chinese and Cantonese songs of Alan Tam, Leslie Cheung, Roman Tam, Danny Chan, and Jacky Cheung were all timeless classics. Now singers? They become popular through talent shows and hype! Now songs? Their pronunciation is like constipation, their Mandarin pronunciation is not standard, how can they sing? Obviously, it is impossible for Jin Qi to set it as a ringtone.
Jin Qi glanced down and saw it was Prince Qilin calling. He quickly answered, "Prince, I've arrived at the headquarters!"
"Good! Come in!"
Prince chuckled, "I'm still waiting for you in Conference Room Three! We're back in Conference Room Three, just like three years ago!"
His voice finally carried a hint of amusement.
Jin Qi entered the magnificent office building. Due to Qilin Company's rapid expansion over the past three years, the building had undergone a major renovation in 2006, becoming incredibly opulent!
Although it was a government building far surpassing those of famous wealthy states and cities in the United States, its level of prosperity was far inferior to the government buildings of many impoverished counties in China—a knock-off version of the "White House," Tiananmen Square, and so on!
The young, beautiful receptionists had changed batch after batch, yet remained youthful and radiant! Jin Qi wondered where Shan Shanshan was now. Back then, she was just a budding flower; now, she was probably a mature woman with abundant fruit!
Jin Qi was very grateful to Shan Shanshan for first explaining the location of the recruitment office to him, and secondly for her gentle words of comfort when she thought he hadn't succeeded in the interview. This was what gave him a very good first impression of Qilin Company! Therefore, even the smallest details of a receptionist can influence the entire company!
Arriving at conference room number three, Jin Qi knocked three times as usual. Hearing a familiar yet unfamiliar voice inside, "Come in!"
he pushed the door open. Wang Zi stood with his back to him, his back sturdy. He only turned around when he heard Jin Qi's footsteps.
Jin Qi smiled slightly. The prince still possessed piercing eyes, arched eyebrows, and a towering, silvery physique. He was imposing and awe-inspiring, his bearing like that of a god. His loyalty and righteousness shone like the sun, his ambition soaring to the clouds. He truly possessed a magnificent presence, especially his incredibly deep eyes, which seemed to penetrate to the very core of one's being! However, after three years, his complexion was somewhat haggard, revealing a hidden, unspeakable weariness. His original dark jade complexion had turned a wheatish-copper yellow.
This prince was clearly no longer the carefree, joyful prince who played on the basketball court; he was now a prince shouldering the future and destiny of the entire Qilin Company!
Jin Qi knew he had matured considerably, but seeing the prince still left him somewhat frustrated. How could this man possess such an innate, powerful aura? The prince was born with the charisma of a leader!
He himself feared he wasn't even worthy of being called a prime minister!
The prince strode forward silently and embraced
Jin Qi tightly, whispering, "Good brother, I'm sorry to have wronged you!"
He didn't say anything more, but just that one "good brother" greatly brought the two closer, and Jin Qi's immense grievances and doubts vanished!
In fact, this was only their third meeting! They spoke even less, but Tian Sheng secretly admired and respected him!
Jin Qi could only think to himself, "So be it! Some people you see every day but never become close friends, while others you only meet once but think of day and night! This is what it means to find a true friend!"
Clearly, to have a fine young man like the Qilin Prince, the future heir of a listed company, recognized as a brother, what more could Jin Qi ask for!
"It's nothing! Sister Xiao Yan is very good to me! Work is going well too..."
Seeing the atmosphere becoming somewhat heavy, Jin Qi couldn't help but soften the tone, saying, "But you, Prince, you've matured a lot in three years!"
He originally wanted to say that he had become much more weathered, but the words stuck in his throat, so he changed it to "mature. "
"Haha! It's been three whole years, after all! And you haven't changed your habits! You knock three times before coming in! Seventh Young Master, you know what? I was worried you weren't at the company anymore, but when I came back, I was overjoyed to find you were still there! Now, we brothers can join forces and make a big splash!"
Prince Qilin said excitedly. He had naturally asked others, and they, like Zhao Xiaoyan, mostly called Jin Qi "Seventh Young Master," so he knew that.
"Prince? Why did you choose me?"
Jin Qi asked softly.
"Because the moment I saw you on the edge of the playground, I felt you stood out from the crowd, unlike anyone else! Even I couldn't sense any Dao power within you. There are only two possibilities in this situation! The first is that you have no Dao power at all, which is already ruled out! So it can be confirmed that it's the second possibility: your Dao power is so profound that it's unfathomable! Even I can't detect it! Today, you look like just an ordinary young man, without any magical power at all! It's obvious that you've made great progress in these three years!"
Prince laughed. Yes, he had also cultivated his Dao for twenty years, and when Jin Qi came in, he couldn't sense any Dao power from him!
"Alas! Aren't you the same?"
Jin Qi also sighed, "I also can't tell your sect, your Dao power origins, or even whether you belong to Buddhism or Daoism. I don't know!"
Then, Jin Qi finally couldn't help but say, "Prince, three years ago..."
Unraveling the Mystery Chapter 6009 Nine-Section Calamus, Six Jia Wind and Thunder Three years ago... "
Prince said seriously, "Seventh Young Master! I won't hide it from you anymore!" Three years ago, the 'Celestial Tribulation of Reversing the World' was about to be unleashed, threatening to devastate the world in an instant! When the great demon was about to strike, my father single-handedly fought him for seven days and seven nights, enduring the attack! Therefore, the next calamity was postponed by a few years, but it was also because of this that my father was severely injured. I had to send him back to the summit of Mount Shu to find the 'Nine-Jointed Calamus Grass' to heal him…”
“Your father? President Wang? President Wang is actually a master of the Xuanmen…”
Jin Qi was shocked and asked with concern, “Did you find the 'Nine-Jointed Calamus Grass'? Legend has it that this grass only grows on the summit of Mount Shu, a wondrous thing! It is said to flower once every nine years, bear fruit once every nine years, and grow one segment after maturing once every nine years! To grow to nine segments and become the 'Nine-Jointed Calamus Grass,' it must take twenty-seven years multiplied by nine years, which is two hundred and forty-three years!”
The prince nodded: “Indeed, you are knowledgeable in both ancient and modern times, a master of both the mountains and the halls! Talking to you is truly refreshing!” Fortunately, after overcoming numerous difficulties, we found the 'Nine-Jointed Calamus Grass' on the cliffs of the Golden Summit of Mount Emei. However, it was only 240 years old at the time and not yet mature! We had to wait another three years! A few days ago, my father finally used the 'Nine-Jointed Calamus Grass' to heal his injuries! He and I were both worried about the Qilin Company, so I rushed back on my sword ahead of time. My father is still recovering on the summit of Mount Emei!"
Jin Qi's heart finally settled down, and he asked again, "Then, President Wang and Prince, do you have any clues about which demon is manipulating this 'Rebellious World Annihilation Tribulation'?"
Prince shook his head and said, "The demon who injured my father that day was hiding in the thick fog, not revealing its true form, and had already cultivated seven-tenths of its power! My father couldn't see it clearly at all, but he didn't know how many heads or how many hands it had. It was extremely messy, foul-smelling, and incredibly powerful!" "If my father hadn't used the 'Six Jia Wind and Thunder Technique' with a death-defying spirit, fighting to the death to take him down with him, thus instilling fear in the demon and severely injuring him, the world would have been awash in blood long ago. Where would the Qilin Company even exist?"
"What? The 'Six Jia Wind and Thunder Technique'?"
Jin Qi exclaimed in surprise. "Prince, are you saying that President Wang wields the 'Six Jia Wind and Thunder Technique'? Heavens! This is the ultimate technique of all the successive leaders of the Shu Mountain Sect! Could it be that President Wang is the current leader of the Shu Mountain Sect, the Three Beginnings True Man? Truly a compassionate and empathetic leader!"
He then muttered to himself, "Ah, I should understand! The character '王' (Wang) is a combination of the uppercase 3 and the lowercase 1! The world is mysterious; the beginning is 1, the end is 9. 1 is the beginning, and the Three Beginnings is the character '王'!"
Heavens! The most mysterious leader of the Shu Mountain Sect, personally descending to earth to deal with the "Rebellious World Annihilation Tribulation"—how perilous this calamity will be!
"Haha!" "
I wonder if the prince is right? He just let something slip and Jin Qi noticed. Now, however, he smiled and changed the subject, saying, 'Seventh Young Master, during my three years at Mount Shu, I also invited three talented young men. They're out there; you should meet them! We'll be working together to accomplish our first major task!'
'The first major task? What is it?'
Jin Qi asked, secretly thinking to himself, 'If that's the case, isn't the Prince Qilin the young master of the Mount Shu sect?'"
"What we urgently need to do is accurately calculate the activation time of the next 'World-Defying Calamity'! My father said the demon's serious injuries have probably healed, and the activation time is definitely not far off! We must find it accurately to prevent problems before they occur!"
"Alright! Let's find the time together!"
Jin Qi's heart was still churning, and he casually nodded in reply.
The prince lightly tapped the green dial button on his phone, then immediately dropped it without waiting for the call to connect. Jin Qi knew this was a signal to the people outside.
Sure enough, just as the prince finished and put his hand down, a series of footsteps came from the corridor outside the No. 3 conference room. Jin Qi frowned; it was the sound of four people's footsteps!
"Why are there four people?"
Jin Qi asked, "Weren't you supposed to invite three assistants?"
"Good cultivation!"
The prince smiled, "You can accurately follow four people! Because, well, one of them is an old friend of ours!"
Jin Qi didn't have time to guess. What frustrated him most was that only one person's footsteps were solid and heavy, with a normal sound, while the other three's footsteps were light and fleeting!
Clearly, these three were no ordinary people! They were cultivators, and to be invited by the prince, they must be top experts of the younger generation!
Jin Qi was filled with anticipation, eager to see who the prince had found as his helpers.
Chapter 6010: Reuniting with Xue'er, Things Have Changed. The first person leading the way pushed open the door to Conference Room Number Three, a smile on her face. Although she moved quietly, Jin Qi could still clearly hear her footsteps, because she was not a cultivator!
However, the moment Jin Qi saw her, his eyes widened, and his heart ached.
Because this woman was Ouyang Xue'er, whom he had kept deeply hidden in his heart!
Three years had passed, and Jin Qi had deliberately tried not to think about her, rarely coming to the Qilin Company headquarters, thus rarely seeing her.
But he couldn't avoid it; now he had seen her again. Jin Qi still had the same thought: a beauty in the making, absolutely a beauty in the making! Naturally beautiful! Completely unchanging with the passage of time! Just like Zhao Yazhi, who remains elegant even at 50!
Ouyang Xueer, in three years, hasn't changed at all. Time seems to have flowed by like water, leaving no trace on her.
She still has a full, round bottom, mysterious, full breasts, and sexy, alluring long legs visible through her trousers. Her white, fitted top reveals a captivating wasp waist.
Jin Qi even felt a little dizzy; why did Ouyang Xueer's jeans look so familiar? They were faded from washing, but it was clear they used to be a slightly bluish-green!
She pushed open the door, and her large, watery eyes no longer held the reserved smile of three years ago, no longer like luminous pearls rolling in clear water. Instead, they held a faint indifference. But why? Back then, those sweet dimples were beautiful and charming! Three
years hadn't diminished her youth at all! Time seemed to have stood still for her!
Ouyang Xue'er possessed well-proportioned features, a fresh and natural beauty, snow-white, neatly aligned teeth, and her ever-flowing, glossy black hair reaching her chest. Her tall, slender figure was graceful and elegant, her delicate temperament alluring. Her radiant smile was captivating; when not smiling, she was like an ice queen, but when warmed, she was playful and mischievous.
All of this had deeply attracted Jin Qi. However, he knew the prince was in love with her, and he was his assistant. Should he back down? Should he
run away? Or was he afraid? Or was he simply unable to face this burning affection?
And then there was Ximen Bingbing…
Even though Jin Qi had deliberately hidden his feelings for three years, the moment he saw Ouyang Xue'er, his eyes involuntarily lit up. Ouyang Xue'er's aloof, cold gaze held no seductive charm, yet its power to captivate Jin Qi was irresistible. One glance was enough to steal his soul; another, and he was completely mesmerized.
Men are all like that!
Jin Qi, still somewhat dazed, suddenly felt a light pat on his shoulder. It was Prince. He smiled and said, "Young Master Qi, look at our three new friends. They're quite famous in the industry!"
Jin Qi snapped out of his daze, feeling incredibly ashamed.
Hearing Prince's words, Ouyang Xue'er finally opened her mouth slightly and said, "Prince, they've all come in!"
Prince Qilin nodded and said, "Xue'er, you stay here too! You'll be part of our work from now on! We need your support for many HR and logistics matters!"
Seeing Jin Qi's dazed expression, he smiled and said, "Young Master Qi… Xue'er is now the manager of the Human Resources Department! She's in charge of HR and general affairs for the President's Office, Finance Department, Logistics Department, and so on! We need her help!"
Clearly, just like in filmmaking, even good directors and actors need the help of production assistants and prop masters!
"Hehe, congratulations, congratulations!"
Jin Qi managed to squeeze out those two words with great difficulty!
Only now did he realize that behind Xue'er were two boys and one girl!
Prince Qilin laughed, "No need for introductions, everyone. What Marketing Director? It's all just a title! You can call me Prince in public and in private!" After
he finished speaking, he pulled Jin Qi over and laughed, "This is my good brother, Jin Qi, the nominal assistant to the director. You can call him Seventh Young Master!"
Jin Qi smiled slightly at everyone, knowing that these three were all highly skilled masters, and was therefore very polite.
Ouyang Xue'er, on the other hand, smiled at the three of them and said, "Introduce yourselves!"
She was also a little puzzled. These three people were all acting very reserved, and had barely spoken a word along the way. Although they were all invited by the Prince, they probably didn't know each other before!
Chapter 6011 Unraveling the Mystery Jiuhua Putuo, the two disciples nodded slightly. Among them, a small boy stepped forward. He had ordinary eyes, ordinary eyebrows, a buzz cut, small earlobes, slightly square lips, a broad and slightly flat forehead, and looked to be about twenty-three or twenty-four years old. Only his eyes had a bright light in them.
Jin Qi nodded inwardly. This young man had already entered the inner sanctum of cultivation, but his innate wisdom and spiritual light were not strong enough. Even with the highest talent, he would not transcend the ordinary and become a saint. He was not afraid!
He had recently been studying the art of physiognomy deeply. Seeing that this young man was not of any extraordinary appearance, yet he had cultivated to a high level, it was obviously due to his diligence and hard work!
It is said that diligence can make up for lack of talent, and this must be true!
He heard the young man say with a smile, "I originally did not have a name. I was picked up by my fellow disciples on the mountain when I was young. I practiced Buddhism on Mount Jiuhua and was named Xingke by my master. It is a simple name, Xing as in a traveler and Ke as in a guest!"
Jin Qi nodded. Xingke was indeed a very special name. Coming from Mount Jiuhua, a major Buddhist sect, he was obviously not to be underestimated!
"Xingke?"
He chuckled inwardly. He was actually of the same generation as Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
Xue'er had already heard Prince Yu talk about these strange things before. She was a regular college graduate and didn't believe it at first, thinking that Prince Yu was joking and wanted to find some Taoist masters to work for Qilin Company!
But recalling the night she first met Jin Qi three years ago, she couldn't help but sigh, only then beginning to believe him to some extent. Now, seeing that the traveler still had hair, she couldn't help but smile and ask, "Traveler, I've long heard of the beautiful scenery of Mount Jiuhua. You grew up on the mountain, so you must be used to such magnificent views?"
"I'm just cultivating on the mountain. Although I have no interest in the scenery, everywhere is beautiful!"
the traveler replied.
"Cultivating? You don't have a bald head, and you're not a monk. What kind of practice do you cultivate?"
Xue'er was still puzzled and asked, "Also, you don't mention Amitabha Buddha at all in your speech. How can you be a disciple of a Buddhist temple?"
The traveler laughed and said, "We are the Jiuhua Mountain Sect, a cultivation sect, and have nothing to do with the ordinary Buddhist temples and monasteries on Mount Jiuhua! They earn their incense fees and donations, while we are simply meditating on the creation of heaven and earth on Furong Peak, a unique peak of Mount Jiuhua, and spreading the Buddha's light to all people!"
How could Jin Qi and the prince not know this?
Mount Jiuhua, along with Mount Wutai, Mount Putuo, and Mount Emei, is known as one of the four sacred Buddhist mountains. Mount Jiuhua is the sacred site of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who vowed, "I will not become a Buddha until hell is empty, and I will not attain enlightenment until all sentient beings are liberated ." The lineage of cultivation on Mount Jiuhua has naturally endured for millennia, making it a renowned and prestigious sect!
The prince had finally managed to secure the approval of the Mount Jiuhua sect leader to send a disciple to assist him, but it wasn't the third disciple the prince had requested, but rather the fourth disciple, Xingke.
"I've heard so much about you!"
Jin Qi smiled and bowed in greeting. He could actually tell from Xingke's gait and breathing that he was a master of Buddhist cultivation, confirming that he was indeed from the Mount Jiuhua sect.
So, what about the remaining two?
Jin Qi looked at them carefully again.
Xingke, the disciple of the Mount Jiuhua sect, nodded, smiled, and withdrew.
He had made a good impression on Jin Qi, at least with his smile. He also had a good influence on Jin Qi, as he smiled as well.
The traveler stepped back, and the tall,
incredibly strong young man behind him nodded slightly, as if to introduce himself.
Jin Qi looked over; this young man was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, around 1.8 meters tall, with eyes like an eagle, sharp and piercing, eyebrows like green mountains, and a vaguely distinguished air about him. His face was cold and aloof, giving him a cool vibe.
However, Jin Qi noticed a slight bulge at the man's waist, clearly indicating the concealment of a celestial sword from his cultivation sect. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself, "This young man bears a resemblance to Fen Yu
, whom I haven't seen in a long time. Could he be a disciple of a powerful expert from the South China Sea Putuo Sect?" Sure enough, the man said coldly, "My Daoist name is Bing Shuang (Frost). I haven't used my real name for over a decade, and I've forgotten it myself. You can just call me Bing Shuang from now on! I come from the South China Sea Putuo Sect!"
Wang Zixiao added with a smile, "Bing Shuang is the eldest disciple of the South China Sea Putuo Sect's leader, possessing extremely high cultivation. It was a great honor to have him invited here!" The
eldest disciple of a renowned sect from the South China Sea naturally held a different status!
"Brother Bing Shuang! Hello!"
Jin Qi smiled slightly: "May I ask how you address Fen Yu?"
"Fen Yu?"
Bing Shuang was slightly taken aback: "He is my eighth junior brother! Seventh Young Master, do you know him?"
"That's right, I've met him several times."
Seeing Bing Shuang's surprise, Jin Qi didn't say anything, but he naturally understood that only his master and the current head of the South China Sea Putuo Sect knew that Fen Yu had brought him here three years ago; Bing Shuang didn't know either! In the three years since he came to Qilin Company, Fen Yu had come alone a few times, without seeing anyone else.
"Frost, are you from the magical, sacred, and mysterious Putuo Mountain, a renowned tourist destination both at home and abroad? The Bodhisattva Guanyin's sacred site? Wow, another cultivator?"
Xue'er exclaimed in surprise, murmuring, "Why do you all come from such beautiful and sacred places? I only visited Nanputuo Temple during my travels!"
Frost, with her high self-regard, was indifferent to princes and travelers, and even more so to Jin Qi. However, upon hearing Xue'er's question, she smiled and said, "That's right. The front of Putuo Mountain is a scenic tourist destination, but the Guanyin Cave on the back is off-limits to the general public; only cultivators from the South China Sea Putuo Sect practice there!"
Jin Qi sighed, thinking to himself, "Xue'er is so incredibly intelligent." "Everyone loves her, so naturally, besides him blindly avoiding her, there are bound to be people who recognize her beauty!"
He didn't know what was going on, whether Xue'er was deliberately trying to annoy him or not, Xue'er rarely smiled and said, "Okay, okay! I'm a devout follower of Guanyin! How about this, when we have time later, let's go to Guanyin's temple and casually visit the South China Sea Putuo Sect of your Guanyin Cave!"
If it were anyone else, Bing Shuang would have refused outright, but since Xue'er asked, he still rarely smiled and said, "Okay! As long as you're willing to go, Xue'er, you can go anytime!"
Jin Qi sighed inwardly, knowing that Xue'er was indirectly mocking him, so he looked elsewhere, and what he saw revealed a completely different scene!
Unraveling the Mystery Chapter 6012 Slender Willow in the Breeze, Delicate and Elegant It was only now that Jin Qi noticed the woman behind the traveler and Bing Shuang that he noticed her. She was always at the very back, always with her head down, seemingly very quiet!
"Besides inviting Brother Xingke and Brother Bingshuang, I've also invited a beautiful lady! What an honor!"
the prince said with a smile.
Only then did the woman behind him take two small steps forward. While others took a large step, she took two small steps, displaying remarkable composure. She slowly raised her head, and Jin Qi's eyes lit up, his heart refreshing. This woman possessed a naturally beautiful and elegant face!
Even Xingke, who had been watching her silently with her head down, hadn't really seen her face clearly. Now, seeing her face clearly, he was greatly surprised. This young lady had delicate, arched eyebrows, bright, clear eyes, naturally red lips, and naturally dark eyebrows. Her face was like the moon, her eyes like water droplets. Her features were delicate and exquisite, and a hint of fragility stirred Xingke's heart, making him want to protect her!
He couldn't help but be slightly surprised; he hadn't noticed such a stunningly beautiful woman with a classical air before. He exclaimed in surprise!
Jin Qi nodded in agreement.
The woman's beautiful face, coupled with her slender shoulders, narrow waist, and tall, graceful figure, almost made her stand out. Upon first glance around, Bing Shuang exclaimed in surprise, "Ah! I hadn't noticed she was such a beauty!"
However, turning to look at Ouyang Xue'er, he sighed again, realizing that this capable woman, seemingly cold yet mature, was more suitable for him.
Jin Qi sighed even more, "If my lewd fourth roommate from university were here, I wonder how lewd he would become!"
But Jin Qi was naturally not like his lewd fourth roommate. He felt almost no lustful thoughts towards this stunningly beautiful girl. He just chuckled to himself, "As the saying goes, 'Men and women working together makes the work easier'! Obviously, the prince invited this girl for that reason! However, since she's going to face a great demon capable of setting up a 'World-Defying Calamity,' she must also be a Xuanhuang cultivator."
Ouyang Xue'er was incomparably sexy, and Ximen Bingbing was pure and pitiful, but this woman was pale and frail, almost too weak to withstand a breeze!
Then, Jin Qi and Ouyang Xue'er heard the woman say gracefully, "Hello everyone, my name is Dongshui Yuecang!"
She uttered only a few simple words, then said nothing more, offering no greeting to Jin Qi, Xingke, or Leng Shuang. Yet, the three youths felt as sweet as if they had eaten candy, secretly marveling, "What a gentle voice, what a quiet woman! If I could protect her, even death would be worthwhile!"
Jin Qi, a learned scholar of the Daoist sect, was somewhat speechless. Her name, Dongshui, was one of the most mysterious compound surnames of ancient times, now almost unheard of.
Yuecang, though she hadn't explained, was undoubtedly "Yue" from "moon" and "Cang" from "Langcang." Could there really be such a strange surname and name under the heavens?
Dongshui Yuecang naturally knew there was no one with the surname Yue, and fearing further questioning about her surname, she even directly stated her own surname, Dongshui.
This was truly
the most exquisite name Jin Qi, Bing Shuang, and… Xingke had ever heard. A girl with such an elegant name and unparalleled beauty must be a peerless beauty! At least she wouldn't be born with a wicked heart!
Clearly, Dong Shui Yue Cang was serene and gentle, her skin as white as jade; unlike Ouyang Xue'er, who was initially like an iceberg, exuding sensuality and as beautiful as a peach blossom; and unlike Lingling, who was pitiful and pure!
Ouyang Xue'er, being a woman herself, was also surprised; she absolutely hadn't expected that the previously unremarkable Dong Shui Yue Cang's expression when she looked up was completely different from when she looked down. This sudden change in confidence completely altered the aura around her!
She thought to herself, "Xingke and Bing Shuang are both cultivators; clearly, Dong Shui Yue Cang is one too!"
She then looked Dong Shui Yue Cang up and down, but couldn't find anything that made her significantly different from herself!
Chapter 6013 Unraveling the Mystery: Two Beauties, Equally Striking. In the hearts of Jin Qi, Xingke, and Bing Shuang, it was obvious at a glance that Dong Shui Yue Cang was no ordinary person!
Although she was dressed simply in plain white clothes, with light eyebrows and no makeup, her hair, as long as a cloud, was three inches longer than Ouyang Xue'er's, each strand a jet of jet black, spotless and reaching her waist. Combined with her almond-shaped face, peach-blossom cheeks, eyebrows like light spring mountains, and eyes like autumn waves, she was more beautiful than a begonia in the sun or a pear blossom in the rain. Occasionally, a gentle breeze would blow in from the doorway of meeting room number three, carrying a delicate fragrance that was refreshing and invigorating.
Dong Shui Yue Cang was completely unadorned, except for a black belt around her waist and a light-colored ribbon at the back of her hair, loosely binding it. What intrigued Jin Qi, the prince, and Ouyang Xue'er most was the exquisite coral hairpin that held her hair in place—an antique and elegant piece, likely either historically significant or priceless!
These days, very few girls wear jade hairpins. Moreover, Jin Qi and the Prince discovered that although the hairpin was currently silent, there were actually wisps of mysterious wind swirling around Dong Shui Yue Cang's head—truly enigmatic!
Only experts of Jin Qi and the Prince's level could see this wind. They wondered if Bing Shuang could see it, but it seemed unlikely that Xing Ke could!
Jin Qi thought to himself, "I was able to determine which sect Xing Ke and Bing Shuang belonged to, but why couldn't I determine Dong Shui Yue Cang's sect?" Xing
Ke and Bing Shuang, who had come with him, had also been secretly guessing this. Although the three were strangers, the two had been speaking in hushed tones, while Yue Cang remained almost completely silent. If she hadn't spoken her name earlier, Xing Ke and Bing Shuang would have thought she was mute!
Xing Ke laughed, "So Miss Yue Cang can speak!"
He estimated Dong Shui Yue Cang to be the youngest, only about nineteen years old, and addressed her directly as "Miss."
"That's good! From now on, let's just call her Yue Cang!"
Prince smiled. Since everyone calls Ouyang Xue'er "Xue'er," simplifying it to Yue Cang would bring everyone closer. It's better to be closer when fighting side-by-side.
Bing Shuang coldly asked, "I wonder if Brother Xingke can guess which sect Yue Cang belongs to?"
Xingke was stunned; he couldn't guess and blushed slightly. Jin Qi smiled and said, "Brother Bing Shuang, what sect do you think Yue Cang comes from?"
"Hmph!"
Bing Shuang coldly replied, "Yue Cang's steps are light, clearly indicating a high level of sword control! Her breathing technique is completely different from my South Sea Putuo Sect and Brother Xingke's Jiuhua Mountain Sect. Clearly, she comes from a Daoist cultivation sect!"
Jin Qi was delighted. Previously, Bing Shuang and Xingke were from the four major Buddhist cultivation sects; now, hearing that Yue Cang was from a Daoist sect, it was truly excellent!
"A Taoist cultivation sect?"
Ouyang Xue'er laughed. "Although I am not a Taoist, I have heard that Taoism has seventy-two grotto-heavens and thirty-six blessed lands! Could it be that Yue Cang comes from the Zhongnan Mountain Sect, which owns Louguantai, also known as the 'Number One Blessed Land Under Heaven'?"
Jin Qi shook his head slightly, secretly denying it. The Zhongnan Mountain Sect is not a major Taoist sect now, so Yue Cang should not be one!
"It's already quite impressive that Xue'er knows about the Zhongnan Mountain Sect!"
Prince praised. "Zhongnan Mountain boasts beautiful scenery, nestled against the mountains and beside the water, with lush forests and bamboo groves, their green shade reaching the sky! Louguantai is indeed the 'Number One Blessed Land of Taoism'! Even ancient books praise it, saying, 'Of the hundred and twenty rivers and mountains in Guanzhong, Zhongnan is the most beautiful; of the thousand peaks of Zhongnan, Louguantai is the most famous.'" Jin Qi chimed in, "That's right, the Zhongnan Mountain Sect's fame doesn't stem from Louguantai, the 'Number One Blessed Land of Taoism,' but rather from the legend that about two thousand years ago, Yin Xi, the Grand Master of Hangu Pass during the Western Zhou Dynasty, built a thatched tower. Observing the celestial phenomena at night, he saw purple clouds coming from the east, knowing that a true immortal would pass through. Later, Laozi indeed traveled west to Guanzhong and was welcomed by Yin Xi to the thatched tower. Laozi wrote the five thousand words of the Tao Te Ching on Zhongnan Mountain and built a platform on a high hill south of Louguantai to teach the scriptures, leaving behind the name Louguantai. In later generations, many Taoist Quanzhen practitioners cultivated Taoism and helped the world on Zhongnan Mountain, a tradition that has lasted for thousands of years!"
"Then, Miss Yue Cang, are you really from the Zhongnan Mountain Sect, the 'Crown of Cave Heavens'?"
the traveler hurriedly asked.
Dongshui Yue Cang simply shook her head and said softly, "No!"
Chapter 6014 Unraveling the Mystery: Calculating the Great Calamity, First Task. Among the cultivation sects in the world today, there are at least a dozen, if not dozens. How could we possibly guess?
The traveler couldn't help but feel frustrated; he clearly didn't intend to guess.
Bing Shuang had suspicions about which Daoist cultivation sects she belonged to, but to be cautious and afraid of being wrong, she remained silent, having already discerned that Dongshui Yue Cang's cultivation was not weak, no less than her own.
Jin Qi thought, "Yuecang possesses a faint aura of an immortal; could it be related to the legendary Twelve Immortals of Jade Void Palace? Then she's from Guang Chengzi's Kongtong Sect? Or perhaps from the orthodox Kunlun Sect of Jade Void Palace!" He wasn't sure either .
The prince was smiling slightly; he knew it, but he wouldn't reveal it, so he couldn't know for sure. He could only find out later!
Ouyang Xue'er was already a high-ranking manager, skilled in the workplace. She greeted them with a smile, "Prince, Seventh Young Master, Yue Cang, Bing Shuang, Xing Ke, please have a seat!"
Clearly, her personality was cold to outsiders, but once you got to know her, she was incredibly warm!
However, there was a sadness in Ouyang Xue'er's eyes that others couldn't see. As she turned to pour water for the five seated people, a tear fell, landing in Jin Qi's cup. Unfortunately, Jin Qi didn't notice.
Did he taste bitterness in his water? It was the taste of Xue'er's broken heart.
"Prince, why did you summon us all here today?"
Bing Shuang asked.
"Ah!"
The prince sighed and said, "Since things have come to this, I won't hide it from you all anymore! Fellow Daoists, you must have seen from the sky that the Qilin Company's factory is modeled after the Qilin!"
The traveler suddenly realized and said, "Oh! So it's modeled after the benevolent beast Qilin? I was wondering why it looked so familiar, yet so righteous!"
Xue'er was depressed. She was supposed to live in the 21st century, but now it sounded like she was in the ancient era of the Investiture of the Gods?
Bing Shuang, Yue Cang, and Jin Qi remained silent. Their cultivation levels were clearly much higher, and they should have known earlier that the factory's design was based on the Qilin!
Bing Shuang asked, "I not only know that Qilin Company wants to use the power of the Qilin benevolent beast to avert disaster, but also wants to change the feng shui of the Seven Deadly Lands. Prince, what's the situation now?" "
Wait a minute!"
Xingke was taken aback, surprised, "Bing Shuang, do you think the location of Qilin Company is the Seven Deadly Lands?"
Clearly, he had only heard of the Seven Deadly Lands, but hadn't immediately recognized it!
Before he finished speaking, he flicked his finger, and a colorless beam of light shot towards the power outlet on the wall of conference room number three. With a "snap," the power indicator changed from red to green; he had turned off the power.
Ouyang Xue'er couldn't see the dark light, only the power being cut off, and exclaimed, "Is this the legendary Finger Flicking Skill? But Xingke doesn't have any small stones or anything like that!"
Jin Qi smiled. This was "Soaring Sword Qi," ten times more profound than the Finger Flicking Skill in martial arts worlds. However, how could he explain it clearly to Ouyang Xue'er?
He also enjoyed reading the Condor Trilogy, particularly the descriptions of martial arts.
Bing Shuang remained silent, watching the traveler. When the temperature inside the room…
was almost 31 degrees Celsius, the same as outside, the traveler extended his right hand, beams of mysterious light protecting his body, arrayed before his chest. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he struck out into the air. Xue'er was quite puzzled, murmuring, "What is he doing?"
"He's using Xuan Divination!"
Yue Cang said softly.
However, to the traveler's utter disappointment, just like Jin Qi who had just arrived, there was almost no movement in the air! There was no flow of air whatsoever!
"Alas!"
He couldn't help but sigh, "It really is the Seven Deadly Grounds! When I first arrived, I did feel that the temperature here was strange, but I thought it was normal for the South China Sea. Plus, I've been staying in air-conditioned hotels and offices, so I overlooked this point. Alas! I'm ashamed, Brother Bing Shuang is still cautious and knowledgeable."
Bing Shuang was a little proud, and then asked, "But, Prince, the Qilin's aura shouldn't be at a disadvantage against the Seven Deadly Grounds, so why are you so surprised, astonished, and anxious? Why did you keep inviting us here? Just to change the feng shui?"
Prince and Jin Qi exchanged a glance, and just as they were about to speak, Yue Cang, who had been silent all along, whispered, "The Seven Deadly Grounds are not necessarily a death trap! But what if we plant the 'Rebellious World-Destroying Tribulation' in the Seven Deadly Grounds?"
"Ah? What?"
This time, Bing Shuang, the head of Mount Putuo in the South China Sea, was greatly surprised: "You mean the 'Rebellious World-Destroying Tribulation' that has been lost for thousands of years?"
"Yes!"
The traveler was so shocked that he knocked over his water cup, spilling water everywhere. "This is impossible! The 'Rebellious Heaven-Destroying Tribulation' has been activated for over a thousand years since the Investiture of the Gods, when the Tongtian Sect Leader attempted to make a comeback!" Clearly,
these were all legends of the Innate Daoist Sect, which Ouyang Xue'er didn't understand at all!
What Seven Deadly Grounds? What "Rebellious Heaven-Destroying Tribulation"?
Chapter 6015: Luring the Snake Out of its Hole, A Net of Heaven and Earth. Seven said in a deep voice, "Yuecang, you have good eyesight. These Seven Deadly Grounds are shrouded in yin energy, especially at night, as if shrouded in ten thousand wronged souls! Now it's the prelude to the opening of the gates of hell, with yin energy swirling around, and the most malevolent of these is the 'Rebellious Heaven-Destroying Tribulation'!"
With him supporting Yuecang, Yuecang felt relieved and turned around with a rare smile: "Thank you!"
This smile was like a white lotus blooming, with countless ghostly blue stars appearing in the sky, its charm boundless!
"According to the thousand-year-old legends of our sect, if a demon has planted a world-destroying calamity in the Seven Deadly Lands, devouring the essence and blood of ten thousand people, its demonic power will increase a hundredfold, its murderous aura will soar to the heavens, causing widespread devastation!"
Frost murmured to herself, "Whether this is a 'world-destroying calamity' or not is extremely important! Prince, are you sure someone has already planted a 'world-destroying calamity' in the Seven Deadly Lands?"
In his heart, he was implicitly challenging Jin Qi, not acknowledging Yue Cang and Jin Qi's judgment, and directly questioning the prince!
He knew that the prince was the young master of the Shu Mountain sect, and naturally possessed profound Dao power!
But he didn't consider, personally? The prince was the marketing director, and had specifically hired a director's assistant. Jin Qi had made a three-year agreement with him without going back on his word, and they became like old friends upon meeting, calling each other brothers. Would the prince trust his own judgment and treat his assistant, who was like a brother, or would he trust others, bound by duty, and not trust his assistant? Publicly? Jin Qi and Yue Cang were naturally correct in their judgment!
"That's right!"
the prince said briefly but decisively.
At this, both Bing Shuang and Xing Ke trembled. The "Rebellious Heaven-Destroying Tribulation" was something even their sect leader and past patriarchs feared greatly. How could the two of them possibly deal with it? Even with six of them, how confident could they be?
Bing Shuang was still displeased. Yue Cang and Jin Qi both knew this. He couldn't help but ask, "Seventh Young Master, may I ask which sect you belong to?"
Jin Qi quickly replied modestly, "I am merely from a small sect. I cannot compare with the thousand-year-old orthodox sects of you two fellow Daoists. Let's not mention it!"
Only then did Bing Shuang stop pursuing the matter, his face showing joy!
Unfortunately, he forgot a truth: some sects, though small, are incredibly powerful...
"Prince, what are we going to do?"
Yue Cang asked, somewhat trying to help Jin Qi out of his predicament.
"That's right, we are about to do something!"
The prince nodded resolutely.
Jin Qi and the others all looked over, only to hear the prince continue, "This 'Rebellious Heaven-Destroying Tribulation' requires devouring human essence and blood. Therefore, that demon's injuries have probably healed by now, and once he emerges, he will devour essence and blood again! We must use this as a pretext to lure him out and eliminate him!"
"How do we lure him out?"
the traveler eagerly asked.
Jin Qi thought to himself, "It must be on a purely Yin night, using the essence and souls of the dead to lure the demon out, absorbing the three souls and seven spirits of these spirits, and then we can seize the opportunity to eliminate him! But where can we find dead spirits?"
Sure enough, the prince said, "A month from now, on the fourteenth day of the seventh lunar month, at midnight, is the day with the strongest Yin energy of the year. That demon will definitely make a move, coming to the Seven Deadly Lands to devour essence and souls. We must... set up defenses on that day and eliminate him in one fell swoop!"
Yue Cang quietly asked, "But we need dead spirits, where can we find them?"
Clearly, her cultivation was similar to Jin Qi's, and she also knew this problem!
"You don't need to worry about that!"
The prince confidently replied, "Of course! We are people who eliminate demons and protect the righteous, so naturally we won't sacrifice the innocent. However, some people have filthy bodies and filthy souls, so we can do a little good for them! It's also a way to accumulate some good karma for them!"
As soon as he mentioned this, Jin Qi inexplicably thought of the two rapists, Wang Dadan and Zhang Gan, who had come to their deaths three years ago. He couldn't help but sigh slightly. Inadvertently, he glanced sideways and met Ouyang Xue'er's mournful eyes!
Chapter 6016 Unraveling the Mystery: The Lantern Festival in the Human Realm, the Ghost Festival in the Underworld. For the remaining month, on the surface, Jin Qi was the most prestigious assistant to the marketing director of the Qilin Company. In reality, he, along with the prince, Bing Shuang, Xing Ke, Dong Shui Yue Cang, and Ouyang Xue'er, were secretly laying a trap, waiting for the arrival of the 14th day of the seventh lunar month!
Although Ouyang Xue'er still didn't quite understand the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, with Jin Qi and the Prince by her side, working together, she was only responsible for finding and distributing the necessary materials. It was tiring, but she didn't mind. What was remarkable was that she quickly became close friends with Yue Cang!
Jin Qi secretly thought, "I haven't used many of the ancient Taoist techniques of Shu Mountain, like the 'Five-Colored Divine Travel Shield,' in a long time. I need to brush up on it!"
Clearly, he also needed to quickly refine his "Splitting Light and Receiving Shadow, Linked Double Rings," "Eight-Sided Ruyi Xuanyuan Mirror," and "Three-Foot Bell That Creates Waves Without Wind" to their best condition!
Before they knew it, it was the fourteenth day of the seventh lunar month. Everyone at Qilin Company felt that this year's fourteenth was exceptionally cold. Wherever Jin Qi and Ouyang Xue'er went, they could hear complaints: "Damn it, why is it so cold today!"
"Yeah, it's still summer, and it's already this cold. The wind is chilling, and I'm afraid we won't dare to go out tonight!"
Jin Qi smiled slightly and said, "The living celebrate the Lantern Festival, and the dead celebrate the Ghost Festival! Today, all the ghosts are out and about, how can it not be cold?"
He was currently on his way to the Prince's office with Ouyang Xue'er. The Prince had excitedly announced that morning, "The demon has appeared, a great battle tonight!"
"Seventh Young Master, according to what you and the Prince said, it is said that every year from the first day of the seventh lunar month, Yama, the King of Hell, orders the gates of hell to be opened wide, allowing the wronged souls and vengeful ghosts who have suffered and been imprisoned in hell all year round to leave and roam for a short time, enjoying food and drink in the human world. Therefore, the seventh month is called the Ghost Month. People consider this an unlucky month, neither marrying nor moving, and it is also called the Ghost Festival! It lasts until midnight on the fifteenth of the seventh lunar month, when the gates of hell will close! Therefore, midnight is the time when the yin energy is at its deepest! Is that true?"
Ouyang Xue'er asked, puzzled, "We all..." "Graduates from top universities shouldn't believe in these seemingly superstitious things, but, Seventh Young Master, tell me, is this true or false?"
Jin Qi sighed and said, "Ah, Xue'er! Since the prince invited you to participate in our operation, I think you'll gradually understand many things. These things are naturally true in the eyes of cultivators!" After
he finished speaking, he murmured again, "Tonight, especially at midnight, ghosts dance wildly and without restraint! Xue'er, be careful, don't leave me or the prince by more than two meters!"
Ouyang Xue'er sighed inwardly. Alas, does Jin Qi still care about her? Because of the prince, she didn't know whether there was love or no love between them. Like a deep pool of water, whether it was murky or turbid, she couldn't see clearly; whether it was deep or shallow, she couldn't know.
Who could tell her?
But what about her own heart? On the day she saw Jin Qi again three years later, she specially changed into the old jeans she wore on the day she first met Jin Qi three years ago. She wondered if Jin Qi would find them familiar? She wondered if Jin Qi would notice this?
The two of them arrived at the Prince's Marketing Director's office. Yue Cang, Bing Shuang, and Xing Ke had just arrived, but the Prince hadn't yet. Seeing their solemn expressions, Ouyang Xue'er smiled and said, "Brother Bing Shuang, we were just talking about the Ghost Festival on the 15th of the seventh lunar month!"
Bing Shuang patiently explained, "That's just a folk saying about the Ghost Festival! In our Buddhist sect, tomorrow, the 15th of the seventh lunar month, is also the Ullambana Festival."
"Eh, the Ullambana Festival?"
Ouyang Xue'er was intrigued and asked with a smile, "How did it come about?"
(Chapter 6017: Buddhist Ullambana, Taoist Zhongyuan Buddha has three incarnations: the past, present, and future Buddhas. The past Buddha is Dipankara Buddha, the present Buddha is Shakyamuni Buddha, and the future Buddha is Maitreya Buddha. The present Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, had ten disciples, one of whom was a practitioner named Maudgalyayana…")
Bing Shuang explained patiently.
"Wow, I've got a story to tell! Okay!" "
Ouyang Xue'er smiled, and Jin Qi was listening attentively.
Bing Shuang nodded and continued, "Although Mulian's mother was young and beautiful, she had no good words or deeds, was stingy and greedy, and especially hated monks. After her death, she was cast into the ranks of evil spirits. Mulian missed his deceased mother very much, so he used his divine eye to see how his mother was living in the underworld. It turned out that they had become hungry ghosts, with nothing to eat or drink, and their situation was pitiful." Maudgalyayana was heartbroken upon seeing this, so he used his magic to bring some food to his mother. Unfortunately, the food turned to flames the moment it touched her lips. Maudgalyayana was deeply distressed by this and told Shakyamuni Buddha about it. The Buddha instructed him that his mother had committed many sins in her lifetime, and therefore, after death, she had fallen into the realm of hungry ghosts, from which there was no escape. This karmic burden could not be resolved by him alone; it required the combined efforts of many. The Buddha instructed Maudgalyayana to join with a group of eminent monks in a large-scale sacrificial ceremony to liberate the souls of the deceased. This involved burning incense and offering sacrifices to the hungry ghosts emerging from the underworld to appease their resentment and prevent them from harming the human world. Following the Buddha's guidance, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the holy monk Maudgalyayana prepared a hundred kinds of food, five kinds of fruits, and various utensils, placing them in a basin and offering them to monks from all directions. Only then did his mother escape the realm of hungry ghosts and ascend to heaven. In light of this, the Buddha extended this practice, requiring all Buddhist disciples to diligently practice filial piety! Therefore, every year on the fifteenth of the seventh lunar month, people perform the Ullambana Festival, offering alms to Buddha and monks to repay the kindness of their parents. The meaning of the Buddhist Ullambana Festival aligns with Confucian filial piety, and it was introduced to China, thus this day became the Ghost Festival for people to commemorate their deceased parents and ancestors. "
Ouyang Xue'er smiled: "Oh, so this custom of commemorating deceased parents and ancestors on this day originated from Buddhism!"
Yue Cang whispered from the side: "Tomorrow, the fifteenth of the seventh lunar month, is also the Taoist Zhongyuan Festival!"
"Ah?"
Ouyang Xue'er asked deliberately: "The Taoist Zhongyuan Festival? Both are on the same day, haha! In folk tradition, the yin energy is heaviest at midnight on the fourteenth of the seventh lunar month, and the fifteenth is both a Buddhist and a Taoist festival? It really coincides!"
"That's right!" "
For some reason, Jin Qi seemed to favor Yue Cang. It was as if all handsome men liked beautiful women, even ordinary boys! Besides, Xingke and Bing Shuang were from the four major sects of Buddhism, while Yue Cang and he were from the Taoist sect, so of course he would favor her.
He continued, "The three streams of Buddhism, Taoism, and secular life were unified in ancient times. Taoism has the so-called Heavenly Official, Earthly Official, and Water Official, collectively known as the Three Officials. These three are nominally representatives of the Jade Emperor, the supreme leader of the Heavenly Court of Buddhism, Taoism, and humanity, sent to the human world. Every year, they examine the good and evil of humankind and report to Heaven. The Three Officials celebrate their birthdays on the fifteenth of the first, seventh, and tenth months respectively, and these three days are also called the Three Yuan. The fifteenth of the seventh month is called Zhongyuan, which is the time when the Earthly Official reviews the registers and grants pardons. On this day, he takes out a thick register of names and marks the names of gods, mortals, and animals, granting pardons and exemptions from punishment." The folk rituals performed on the Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan Festival) to save wandering ghosts are likely related to the Earth God's pardoning of sins. Therefore, the fifteenth of the seventh lunar month is the Taoist Ghost Festival!
Bing Shuang raised an eyelid and smiled, "So, Seventh Young Master is also a master of Taoism. I understand now. I've heard so much about you!"
Jin Qi snorted inwardly, thinking, "You've never even heard of me, what's so great about me? Humph! Just putting on an act, so fake!"
However, he smiled and said, "Brother Bing Shuang flatters me!"
Just then, the prince pushed open the door and entered, his expression solemn. "Everyone, are you ready?"
Jin Qi, a veteran of countless battles, was naturally fearless and nodded slightly. Three years of waiting had finally come to this day.
Bing Shuang also had a cold and arrogant expression, seemingly confident as well. Only the traveler looked slightly nervous.
Ouyang Xue'er was trembling beside Yue Cang, while Yue Cang, despite his young age, remained completely calm!
However, tonight, on the eve of the Ghost Festival, the eve of the Hungry Ghost Festival and the Zhongyuan Festival, the young cultivator Jin Qi, the Qilin Prince, Ouyang Xue'er, and Dongshui Yue Cang, all brimming with yang energy, were about to begin their campaign to eliminate demons and protect the righteous path!
A bloody battle was inevitable!
Jin Qi was the most excited. The thought of finally being able to bring down the demon that even the Shushan Sect Leader, the Three Beginnings True Man, had severely injured and was no match for—how exhilarating!
But he didn't consider that their combined age was only a little over a hundred years old. How could they possibly compete with the peerless demon king, the "Rebellious Heaven-Destroying Tribulation"?
Chapter 6018: Each Displaying Their Unique Abilities, Jing Tianwei. With another wave of his hand, Jing Tianwei turned and said loudly, "Let's go!"
Bing Shuang, Xing Ke, and Dong Shui Yue Cang strode after the prince. Jin Qi sighed inwardly, walking behind Ouyang Xue'er. Xue'er felt a slight warmth in her heart; Jin Qi knew she was timid and was protecting her.
The prince naturally knew that having Jin Qi protect Xue'er was the best thing.
Now, the sky was slowly darkening. They went straight out of the back gate of the Qilin Company and headed towards the back mountain, about 200 meters away.
Jin Qi had never been to the back mountain before, but Ouyang Xue'er had climbed it several times. She murmured, "Why are we going to the back mountain?"
The prince, without turning his head, said, "We're going to the top of the back mountain."
"The top of the back mountain...is there anything special about it?"
Ouyang Xue'er asked in surprise.
Jin Qi hurriedly asked in a low voice, "What does the top of the back mountain look like?"
"The top of the back mountain?"
Ouyang Xue'er had already remembered and said, "It's strange, the path up the back mountain is very steep, but the top is a flat area, about a hundred feet in circumference. I was quite surprised that day! Also, the back mountain is almost entirely covered with trees, but the top is just soil and rocks, without any trees. Not to mention trees, even wildflowers and weeds are very rare!"
Jin Qi nodded at this point. Now, the path up the mountain on both sides is surrounded by shrubs, and in the distance, there are even tall trees. The night wind blows, making it look eerie!
The back mountain seems to be five or six hundred meters high. In Shenzhen, this is already considered a high peak. Jin Qi saw that Xue'er was panting heavily when she climbed a hundred meters, while the others were fine!
Just as he was about to speak, he saw the prince turn around, holding an object in his hand. The pointer spun incessantly, gleaming brightly, and the prince was examining it. Jin Qi was taken aback and then laughed, "Prince, could this be the 'Jadeite Instrument of Heaven and Earth' from Mount Shu?"
The prince nodded and said, "Good eye! This is indeed the 'Jadeite Instrument of Heaven and Earth,' one of the nine treasures of Mount Shu, cast in jadeite. It can clearly discern the timing of events, geography, feng shui, yin and yang, and even the aura of ghosts and demons!"
Ordinary people know that jadeite is mainly green, jasper, or purple, but the most beautiful colors are green and red. This "Jadeite Instrument of Heaven and Earth" from Mount Shu is red and green, so the prince appreciated Jin Qi's appraisal skills.
"What's it for now?"
Xue'er asked.
"The most eerie time tonight is midnight on the mountaintop. Now, the hour of Xu is almost over, and the hour of Hai is approaching."
The prince laughed, "We must arrange everything properly by the hour of Hai!"
This was clearly the "Jadeite Instrument of Heaven and Earth" being used to determine the time and observe feng shui.
Jin Qi nodded, and he and the others looked up. Flames flickered on the mountaintop, accompanied by occasional crackling sounds, as if something was burning. He couldn't help but ask, "Prince, who's setting this fire on the mountaintop?"
"It's my martial uncle!"
the prince replied.
A master from the Shu Mountain Sect? Also from the Qilin Company? Jin Qi didn't recognize them, and the others were puzzled, but they didn't ask further.
They would find out once they reached the top. Seeing that they were still far from the summit—it would take at least twenty minutes to climb—the prince stopped and smiled, "Seventh Young Master, you stay behind and climb up slowly with Xue'er. I'll go up first with Brother Bing Shuang, Brother Xing Ke… and Yue Cang!"
"Yes, no problem!"
Jin Qi nodded without hesitation. Clearly, with their abilities, why would they need to climb?
"How are you going to get up?"
Xue'er asked, puzzled.
Prince and Traveler smiled silently, as did Yue Cang, whose expression remained indifferent. Bing Shuang laughed, "Xue'er, just watch closely!"
Jin Qi was a little annoyed; the smile of this senior disciple of the South China Sea Putuo Mountain Sect was truly reserved only for Xue'er!
Prince's expression was resolute as he chanted incantations. Suddenly, a divine light appeared beneath his feet, taking the shape of a longsword. Clearly, the Shu Mountain Sect revered swords, and Prince possessed a celestial sword for protection.
Bing Shuang and Traveler did the same, casting spells to prepare for sword flight.
Yue Cang waved her hands, and a moon-blue curved blade appeared in her right hand. She whispered, "This blade can take me to ascension!"
Jin Qi was surprised, not recognizing the blade, but he still praised it. Ancient legends speak of "the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each displaying their unique abilities," and now the four of them were also riding their swords, wielding their blades, up the mountain!
Thus, amidst Ouyang Xue'er's exclamation, Prince, Bing Shuang, Traveler, and Yue Cang simultaneously took to the air on their swords, soaring towards the mountaintop.
"Ah, them..."
Xue'er stammered, then said, "I'm so sorry, I've dragged you into this! Making you stay and walk with me!"
She was an incredibly stubborn woman, and Jin Qi seemed to have forgotten her. She was already feeling down, and now, alone with Jin Qi, all the grievances of the past three years poured out in tears.
Seeing her turn away, Jin Qi felt a pang of sadness. Did he even have Xue'er in his heart?
That was a pointless question; of course he did!
The two remained silent, continuing their ascent, pushing the prisoner another hundred meters.
For Jin Qi, it was a piece of cake, but seeing Xue'er struggling, he felt a pang of heartache. He could carry a prisoner through the air on his sword, though heavy, but the worst thing would be if Xue'er was afraid!
He was speechless, just about to offer words of comfort and encouragement, when four people rushed down the mountain at top speed, their shouts echoing from afar. He looked up and recognized their uniforms—they were four security guards from the company's office building. He recognized them all, especially one: Manager Fan Shang, the company's security manager.
He immediately saw the problem. The other three guards were genuinely running, panting heavily, their faces flushed, while Fan Shang seemed to be strolling leisurely, keeping pace with them with effortless strides. He didn't appear much faster, but he was perfectly matched—clearly, he knew the art of shrinking the earth to an inch using the Qimen Dunjia technique!
Nearly two thousand years ago, Zhuge Liang used this technique to evade Sima Yi's countless pursuers; now he was witnessing it again.
This technique was mastered by the experts of the Shu Mountain Sect, but Jin Qi didn't know it, which frustrated him somewhat!
Clearly, Manager Fan and his men had followed orders to set fire to the mountain earlier. What were they up to?
The security manager was actually a master of Taoist magic, one of the prince's men!
Jin Qi had already recognized that Fan Shang's movements were accompanied by swirling winds, displaying a style reminiscent of the prince, indicating
he was a practitioner of Shu Mountain Taoist magic! Could he be the uncle the prince had mentioned, the one who had been preparing on the mountaintop?
What were they burning?
But then, a thought flashed through Jin Qi's mind: tonight, they needed the spirits of the dead. Could there be corpses on the mountaintop?
Chapter 6019 Unraveling the Mystery: Security Guards Recognize Him, Reason for Setting Fire. With this thought in mind, he quickly stood by the mountain path with Xue'er. The three security guards who had been running ahead were startled when they saw people on the path. Tonight was Ghost Festival; why would anyone go up the eerie back mountain?
The three of them slowed down, panting, and exclaimed, "In the dead of night, how could someone be going up the mountain?"
"Yeah, could it be..."
Jin Qi laughed loudly, "Are we ghosts? Haha! The moon is fuller on the 14th than the 15th! Tonight's moon-viewing isn't bad!"
Only he could think of moon-viewing on Ghost Festival night! Ouyang Xue'er glared at him resentfully!
Indeed, now that they were halfway up the mountain, unlike down below where the moon was invisible, the cold moonlight, veiled by a thin mist, shone through, somewhat eerily, though it was as large as a plate, almost perfectly round.
One of the security guards was the security captain, Li Gang. Standing about two zhang away, his eyes lit up; he recognized the two people in front of him!
Ouyang Xue'er was the young and promising Human Resources Manager of Qilin Company, 25 years old, beautiful as a flower, and still single. Based on these two points alone, she was the dream girl of countless male employees at Qilin Company; her popularity was overwhelming!
It's likely that these hot-blooded, robust security guards haven't missed a chance to think about her at night!
And Jin Qi, in particular, has recently become incredibly famous! Previously, with the president absent and the four vice presidents each in charge of their respective areas, now the president's son has returned, resuming his position as marketing director—a role he held three years ago—holding a high position and wielding great power, renowned throughout Qilin Company. Thus, Jin Qi, the newly appointed assistant marketing director, has also become famous in the process.
These men, in their spare time, occasionally gossip, and their gossip is no less than that of women!
"So it's Young Master Qi and Manager Ouyang!"
Li Gang stopped, beaming. Their primary skill as security guards was recognizing their superiors. Although Jin Qi was a leader, his youth made a good impression on them. Having heard the prince call Jin Qi "Young Master Qi," Li Gang also addressed him as such—a friendly and familiar way of addressing him.
Jin Qi remembered speaking with Section Chief Li Gang, and seeing his mischievous grin, he knew Li Gang had misunderstood. He quickly explained, "Section Chief Li! We went up the mountain with Director Wang, but they went ahead, and the two of us climbed up slowly!"
He didn't want the story to spread that he had eloped with the beautiful Ouyang Xue'er on Ghost Festival in the middle of the night!
Li Gang was startled. He had just seen the four of them descend from the sky, with glowing objects under their feet or in their hands, which seemed to be longswords, like immortals! He wasn't a cultivator, so he found it very strange, but now he instantly knew that Jin Qi must also be a cultivator, a favorite of the prince, and certainly not a criminal, possessing considerable strength! As for Ouyang Xue'er, he knew that such a delicate beauty was powerless!
"What are you burning on the mountain?"
Jin Qi quickly asked, knowing that they were the ones who had set the fire.
"Nothing!"
Li Gang, seeing his manager Fan Shang approaching, quickly whispered, "It's about the two corpses that fell from the sky into the security booth three years ago, in the middle of the night. We've been keeping them in the underground freezer. Today, the manager... had us carry them up the mountain and even brought firewood to set them up next to the corpses..."
He saw Fan Shang was already about two zhang away when he stopped talking, smiled at Jin Qi and Ouyang Xue'er, and then followed the two security guards down the mountain.
"Ah..."
Ouyang Xue'er couldn't help but scream, startled by the sight of the corpses.
Jin Qi smiled bitterly; he had already guessed why he had used magic to throw Zhang Gan and Wang Dadan's corpses into the security booth years ago, and the guards hadn't reacted—they had been hidden and were being used today!
The person who hid them must be the security manager Fan Shang, who possessed extraordinary abilities!
Fan Shang, all smiles, had already approached. He was around forty years old, with a kind face, a well-proportioned figure, and a steady, unhurried gait. However, he seemed to have a hidden agenda behind his smile. Needless to say, he recognized Jin Qi and Ouyang Xue'er, the second and third most popular people in the entire company, attracting the most attention!
The first was Prince!
"Manager Fan, hello!"
Ouyang Xue'er could only force a greeting.
Jin Qi quickly raised his right hand to his chest, his index, middle, and thumb bent together, his ring and little fingers pointing upwards, a spiritual light flickering within. He respectfully nodded to Fan Shang and said, "Junior greets Senior. May I ask where your temple is?"
Fan Shang was startled. He was quite surprised to see that Jin Qi's greeting was the Daoist greeting "Zhang Liang's Inquiry Form." It turned out that Jin Qi was a master in the Daoist sect.
He hadn't even realized that the young sect leader's assistant was also a master! Clearly, Jin Qi's cultivation had reached a level that even he himself couldn't perceive!
Chapter 6020 Unraveling the Mystery: The hour of Hai (9-11 PM) has arrived, and the demon has come to attack. He couldn't help but smile bitterly: "How foolish I was! How could the young sect leader's assistant be an ordinary person! He must be looking for the most outstanding young disciple from all the cultivation sects in the world! Most likely the sect leader's eldest disciple! Such as Dong Shui Yue Cang, Bing Shuang!"
He then stopped, his smile vanishing, and stood respectfully, saying, "This humble Daoist is Fan Shang from the Shu Mountain Sect! I wonder if Seventh Young Master..."
His right hand also formed the "Zhang Liang's Inquiry" gesture. This shows that there is a sequence to enlightenment, not age as a determining factor! Clearly, he is also a highly accomplished Daoist, showing no sign of abusing his age or taking advantage of his seniority!
Jin Qi suddenly realized: "Manager Fan Shang? Fan Shang? Fan Shang? Master Fan Shang, one of the seven protectors of the Shu Mountain Sect? Haha, I finally understand!"
He exerted his power, and nine shimmering halos appeared on his ring finger, like a ring. He laughed and said, "Jin Qi is a junior, I will thank you for your guidance in the future!"
However, Master Fan Shang was greatly surprised when he saw these nine halos. This was the "Nine Stars Piercing the Moon Ring." Only the leaders of famous sects in the world could possess such profound skills. The formation of the "Nine Stars Piercing the Moon Ring" indicated that he was at least the leader of a sect. Jin Qi was truly extraordinary! Who exactly was he? It seemed that he had a deep connection with the Shu Mountain Sect!
He knew Jin Qi was unwilling to reveal his sect or origins, and couldn't ask, so he simply smiled bitterly, "The prince ordered me to leave because your generation of disciples is truly rising above the rest! I understand now!"
Jin Qi then asked, "Senior, why did you leave those two villains' corpses there to be burned?"
"You mean we're going to burn them?"
Fan Shang Dao Ren laughed, "It must have been Li Gang who said that, haha! How could he understand? We're not actually burning them! It's just a show. Once the corpse energy travels far with the wind and firelight, that demon will surely be attracted! He wants to absorb the three souls and seven spirits of the corpses, and he'll fall into our trap! We've laid a net!"
Jin Qi couldn't help but nod, "Old foxes are indeed shrewd! It's quite an achievement that you've kept these two corpses for three years, haha!"
"Ah!"
Fan Shang Daoren instantly understood everything and laughed loudly, "Seventh Young Master, so it was you who did this three years ago? But these two corpses looked so ferocious, clearly the victims were extremely vicious! They were found lying in front of the security booth in the middle of the night three years ago. This humble Daoist and Prince were at the company waiting for the outcome of the battle between our sect leader and the demon. As soon as we saw the corpses, we rushed over. This humble Daoist was just about to dispose of them as ashes when Prince stopped me. He used the Daoist technique 'Seeking the Cry to Rescue Suffering, Boundless Daoist Magic' to lock their three souls and seven spirits, preserving their bodies. He calculated that this day would come when they would be useful, and it did! A few days later, this humble Daoist investigated the Qilin Company headquarters to find out who did it, but couldn't find out. It turned out to be you, Seventh Young Master, hahaha!"
Clearly, he had cultivated Daoism in the Emei Sect of Shu Mountain for decades, but as the security manager of Qilin Company, he had become unconventional and influenced by worldly affairs. Therefore, his words were a mix of ancient and modern, but fortunately, Jin Qi and Ouyang Xue'er could still understand them!
Jin Qi smiled bitterly: "It's because three years ago, two days after that incident, I went to the Yuanshan Factory! That's why you couldn't find me, senior!"
"Oh! I see. I was wondering why the Yuanshan Factory... used to be so gloomy. Why has it been sunny for the past three years? Haha, it's all thanks to you! Very good! I didn't have time to go there, so I didn't investigate!"
Daoist Fan Shang sighed again: "Tonight is the time for you young talents to show your skills. I'll take my leave and guard the Qilin Company at the foot of the mountain!"
After saying that, he swayed and shrank the ground to an inch, then floated away!
Jin Qi bid farewell, knowing that guarding the Qilin Company was also very important! Daoist Fan Shang had to go back to his post to prevent demons from taking advantage of the situation!
"The two corpses you mentioned..."
Ouyang Xue'er only reacted after Daoist Fan Shang had gone far away: "Could it be..."
She was shocked, remembering Zhang Gan and Wang Dadan, the two rapists and hooligans, and trembled all over, her legs almost giving way, unable to walk!
Jin Qi helped her up and comforted her, "It's alright, it's alright!"
He knew Xue'er didn't want to see the two corpses and was deliberately taking her time going up the mountain. After all, Prince, Yue Cang, Bing Shuang, and Xing Ke were on
the mountain! Sure enough, it was now Hai Shi (9-11 PM), and the demons had arrived at the mountaintop!
Chapter 6021 Unraveling the Mystery: The Enchanting Demoness, Full of Momentum. As soon as Jin Qi, Bing Shuang, Xing Ke, and Dong Shui Yue Cang reached the mountaintop, they saw that Fan Shang Dao Ren had already prepared Zhang Gan and Wang Da Dan's corpses and lit a fire. They instantly understood that Prince wanted to use the sealed three souls and seven spirits of these corpses to attract demons.
"Uncle-Master, thank you for your hard work!"
Prince bowed. When he saw the pointer on the "Jing Tian Wei Di Jade Instrument," he said, "Uncle-Master, it's almost Hai Shi! You need to go down and guard the mouth of the Qilin wind, so that tonight, demons and ghosts will not be able to invade the Qilin Company! We will have no worries!"
Fan Shang Dao Ren nodded and waved his hand, signaling his three subordinates, Li Gang and the other two, to go down the mountain to guard the area.
With Dong Shuiyue Cang and Bing Shuang's abilities, it was clear that the seal on the Qilin Company's entrance was actually the company's main gate. As long as the first-generation master of the Shu Mountain Sect, Fan Shang Daoren, guarded the gate, it would be an impregnable fortress! They could hold out for at least an hour and a half.
Then, the prince swept a gust of wind into the fire, causing the flames to soar even higher, reaching two zhang away. A flash of light appeared on his finger, and the Daoist technique "Seeking Cry for Suffering, Boundless Daoist Ring" was retrieved from the corpses of Zhang Gan and Wang Dadan. Thus, their three souls and seven spirits were unsealed, making them even more vulnerable to demons!
"The hour of Hai has arrived!"
the prince suddenly shouted softly, "Let's ambush!"
The four dispersed. Xingke, the fourth disciple and a high-ranking disciple of the head of Jiuhua Mountain in the east, turned and hid three zhang to the east.
Bing Shuang, from Putuo Mountain in the South China Sea and the head disciple, naturally hid three zhang to the west.
Prince, being the young master of the Shu Mountain sect in Western Shu, naturally commands respect in the west.
Meanwhile, Yue Cang of the East, without leaving a trace, has already secured the northern key to the formation!
"Hmph, Yue Cang guards the north? Sure enough, he's either from the Kunlun or Kongtong sect!"
Bing Shuang thought to herself!
Thus, the four of them, unknowingly and skillfully, set up the Four Symbols Formation—Eastern Azure Dragon, Northern Black Tortoise, Western White Tiger, and Southern Vermilion Bird—within a radius of thirty feet!
Clearly, this was something they had meticulously practiced beforehand!
Of the four, Prince and Yue Cang are currently using Wood Escape Technique; at first glance, they appear like withered trees, blending into the loose sand on the mountaintop, making them indistinguishable!
Bing Shuang, on the other hand, uses Fire Escape Technique, appearing slightly red, which, reflected by the intense flames of the mountaintop fire, can also confuse the enemy.
The Traveler uses Earth Escape Technique, half his body buried underground, with only his head and eyes visible.
"Be careful, they're coming!"
the prince whispered. Suddenly, a malevolent aura filled the sky, and a fierce wind whipped up the flames on the mountaintop, making the moon on the fourteenth night of the lunar calendar appear even colder!
Jin Qi looked up at the sky and, seeing the unusual celestial phenomena, knew that demons were approaching. He quickly pulled Ouyang Xue'er and hid in the tall grass by the roadside, watching the road ahead to see what kind of demons they were and how they would get up the mountain.
Ouyang Xue'er wanted to ask, but seeing Jin Qi's solemn expression, she quickly swallowed her words.
"Haha! Tonight, the gates of hell are wide open, and the yin energy is at its heaviest! I didn't expect there to be spirits on the mountaintop who had just died and were about to be buried, their three souls and seven spirits still intact, perfect for training and enhancing their cultivation! Perfect, perfect!"
In an instant,
a delicate laugh came from the road, emanating from a woman.
Before long, the sound of wind whistling and the rustling of tall grass falling to the ground could be heard along the way.
Jin Qi was puzzled: "How could the person's footsteps be so large? They could trample down about ten feet of mountain grass?"
Fortunately, he was prepared and he and Ouyang Xue'er had retreated to a distance of three feet from the roadside.
"Hmph!"
A deep voice came: "Be careful, it might be a trap! We must obtain the three souls and seven spirits before tonight, otherwise..."
How to describe this voice? It was extremely hoarse, a completely uncivilized voice, as if someone had been buried alive and was suffocating. It was indescribably irritating to the ear, like swallowing a fly.
Ouyang Xue'er couldn't help but feel a wave of nausea, almost vomiting. Jin Qi quickly grabbed her small hand, silently channeling his inner energy to send a warm current through her, helping her calm down.
Xue'er's face flushed, and she suddenly remembered the misunderstanding with Jin Qi three years ago. Her heart pounded like a deer, and she stopped thinking about what it was, what kind of monster's voice it was.
The four people on the mountaintop remained completely hidden, not daring to utter a sound, and secretly peered down the mountain. What they saw was utterly absurd!
It was a true version of Beauty and the Beast!
A woman gracefully appeared on the mountainside path. This woman, dressed in a white fur coat, was exquisitely beautiful from afar, almost bewitching, captivating and mesmerizing; yet, even without it, she was slender and graceful. Her hair was styled in a neat, bird-and-beast bun, perfectly styled. Her smiling, misty eyes possessed a foxy, spirited charm, unparalleled allure. Her face was like peach blossom petals, her hair piled high with golden threads, her slender figure like a bamboo shoot, adorned with jeweled hairpins that shone brightly. Her willow-like waist swayed slightly, her jade-like limbs moving lightly with lotus-like steps. Even from her palace attire alone, it was clear she was not an ordinary mortal.
Now, this enchantress was not walking up the mountain, but rather, with a swaying gait, she was sitting, riding on a chariot!
Because beneath her feet was a monster!
"Huh? Why do I smell living beings?"
That uncomfortable, hoarse voice came again, startling everyone. It was the monster beneath the demoness's feet, a creature that had cultivated to the point of being able to speak.
"This is the human world, how could there be no smell of living beings!"
the demoness laughed. "I only smelled the scent of three souls and seven spirits. Our mission is to quickly capture them before the ghost messengers arrive, don't worry about anything else!"
Jin Qi breathed a sigh of relief. He had been completely focused, concealing his aura, so the monster couldn't detect him. But how could Xue'er's living aura escape him?
"I'm sure there are living beings nearby!"
the monster said again as it crawled.
"I said, don't worry about living beings!"
the demoness said angrily. "If they are cultivators, their auras won't be detected! If they are innocent people, what good will finding them do? Let's not cause trouble, let's go up the mountain!"
Her analysis was surprisingly concise and insightful!
The monster then fell silent and simply continued crawling upwards!
Jin Qi thought to himself, "This monster has cultivated to the point of speaking human language, clearly with hundreds of years of cultivation. The demoness can transform into human form, so her cultivation is even higher. But to say that they are the great demons who laid down the 'World-Defying Calamity' seems a bit..."
Now the monster had already climbed dozens of feet past the bushes where Jin Qi and Ouyang Xue'er were hiding. Jin Qi finally said softly, "Alright! The two monsters are going up the mountain! Let's follow them quietly!"
"That monster is a monster? How come the woman on the monster's back is also a monster?"
Xue'er took a deep breath and asked. She had also secretly peeked at the demoness and the monster from afar.
Unraveling the Mystery Chapter 6022 The Dragon Has Nine Sons, the Sixth is Baxia Look at the monster's appearance, what does it resemble? Jin
Qi and Ouyang Xue'er quietly went up the mountain, and he asked again, already having a plan in mind.
Xue'er thought for a moment, then said, "That demoness wasn't actually sitting on the monster's back, but rather standing on the monster's back. The monster seemed to be over ten feet in diameter, its length and width almost the same, and it ran quite fast, strong and powerful. However, its shell looked just like a tortoise!" "That's right, it's very similar to a tortoise!"
Jin Qi said with a smile, "But, is it a dragon's offspring?"
"A dragon's offspring? How could that be?"
Ouyang Xue'er exclaimed in surprise, "Legendary dragons are divine creatures that can ascend to the heavens and dive into the sea. I've seen many sculptures and paintings of them riding the clouds and mist, unlike this monster!"
Jin Qi laughed, "I said it's a dragon's offspring, but I didn't say it's a dragon!"
"A dragon's offspring, yet not a dragon?"
Ouyang Xue'er was clearly a little confused, "Then, what is it?"
"Xue'er, have you ever heard of 'the dragon has nine offspring, each different'?" "
Jin Qi asked.
Xue'er thought for a moment and said, "When I was little, I remembered reading 'Journey to the West' and there was something about the Jing River Dragon King having nine sons, each different. Could it be these nine?"
"Haha, somewhat similar, but not the same! I'll tell you the details about the nine sons of the dragon later!"
Jin Qi smiled and said, "However, didn't you see that turtle-like monster that came up the mountain just now? Its feet were as long as a tiger or leopard's, and its claws were like an eagle's. How could it be a turtle? It is the sixth son of the dragon, Baxia!"
"Are you so sure?"
Xue'er murmured, "Baxia? I don't know!"
Jin Qi quietly climbed up the mountain. When he was still fifty or sixty feet away from the top, he said, "The sixth son of the dragon is named Baxia, also known as Bixi. He is shaped like a turtle, loves to carry heavy loads, and has immense strength." Legend has it that Baxia and turtles are very similar, but upon closer inspection, there are differences. Baxia has a row of sword-shaped teeth, while turtles do not. The number and shape of the scutes on their carapaces also differ. Therefore, the benevolent Baxia, also known as the stone turtle, is a symbol of longevity and good fortune. Its image is often seen on the tortoise-shaped bases of ancient steles; it always struggles to move forward, its four legs desperately trying to support itself, but never quite managing to move. The bases of some historically significant steles are supported by Baxia, which can be seen in stele forests and other ancient sites. "
Ah! I knew it looked familiar! It's on many ancient tombstones! I remember seeing some when I traveled to Wuyishan!"
Xue'er exclaimed excitedly; she was quite adept at organizing trips.
"Hehe, it's good that you remember!" "
Jin Qi smiled and said, recalling tonight, even the prince and Jin Qi were on high alert, fearing a fierce battle. She then asked, "Seventh Young Master! Do you think that Baxia is a benevolent or malevolent beast?"
Jin Qi pondered for a moment and said, "Legend has it that Baxia was inherently unruly. In ancient times, it often carried the Three Mountains and Five Peaks, stirring up storms in rivers, lakes, and seas. Later, when Yu the Great controlled the floods, he subdued it. It obeyed Yu the Great's commands, pushing mountains, digging ditches, and dredging waterways, contributing to flood control. After the floods were controlled, Yu the Great worried that Baxia would run wild again, so he brought a colossal stone tablet, inscribed with Baxia's achievements in flood control, and made Baxia carry it. The heavy tablet prevented it from moving freely. Therefore, in terms of its nature, it's hard to say whether it's a benevolent or malevolent beast!"
"And what about the Baxia monster tonight?" "
Xue'er was still puzzled and asked.
"That Baxia from earlier has already cultivated to the point of being able to speak, it must have cultivated for several hundred years!"
Jin Qi slowly said, "It appeared on the night of the Ghost Festival, which is extremely Yin, and led a female demon to go up the mountain to collect the three souls and seven spirits of the dead. Even if it is not the perpetrator of the 'Reversing the World and Destroying Heaven Tribulation,' it is still aiding and abetting evil! The prince is so wary of it, it is obviously a vicious beast!"
Xue'er was a little scared and asked again, "Seventh Young Master, you always say that woman is a monster, but have you figured out what kind of monster she is?"
"This..."
Jin Qi was stunned. He didn't know either!
Chapter 6023 Toad's Hole, Top-Grade Lowland Hmph, you can't figure it out either, so you wrongly accuse her of being a demoness or a female demon. Isn't that unfair to her?"
Xue'er pouted. She wasn't defending the female demon. She had already confirmed in her heart that it wasn't fake. She just couldn't stand Jin Qi's words and deliberately went against him! Did she really hate Jin Qi? Absolutely not!
Jin Qi could only smile helplessly. He was powerless against a girl's coquettishness, especially the alluring Xue'er. Did he feel guilty towards her?
And so, Jin Qi and Ouyang Xue'er followed the two demons at a distance of forty or fifty feet, watching Baxia and the female demon slowly climb the mountain.
He was a little worried: "Prince, I wonder if they're ready? These two demons are definitely not ordinary!"
Within a radius of thirty feet at the mountaintop, the prince, Dong Shui Yue Cang, Bing Shuang, and Xing Ke were lying in ambush on all four sides. They held their breath, motionless, facing each other with the Four Symbols Formation and concealing themselves with the Five Elements Escape Technique. Now, seeing the female demon ascend the mountain, they were even more cautious. When
they saw the Baxia demon beast, they were truly astonished. What kind of demon beast was this? They had never seen such a beast before! They had already discerned that this demon beast could cultivate and speak, clearly indicating its profound cultivation!
The prince, having not seen any fighting on the mountain, and knowing that Jin Qi and Ouyang Xue'er were unharmed, was relieved: "I wonder how Jin Qi and Xue'er managed to hide from these two demons!"
In their minds, they all assumed that if a great demon were to arrive, it would descend from the sky on a cloud, never expecting that a crawling demon and a female demon would arrive so gracefully from the foot of the mountain.
Baxia carried the female demon to the summit, passing between the prince and Dongshui Yuecang. Fortunately, these two were the most powerful, and Baxia's sensitive nose failed to detect their presence.
"Xiaoqian!"
the Baxia demon said again, "You didn't notice how strange it is!"
After saying this, he stopped, remaining about two zhang away from the central firelight—not the best position for the prince and the other three to attack.
"What's strange?"
The female demon's name was Xiaoqian. She saw that although the two corpses were covered by cloth, they were indeed dead, their three souls and seven spirits still intact—exactly what she was looking for.
"Why are there two undead spirits on the mountaintop tonight? There are torches all around, yet no one is seen?"
the Baxia beast questioned again.
Xiaoqian, of course, understood the strange phenomenon, but she frowned and said, "Why bother with all that? Maybe they're just resting down the mountain and will come back up to burn the corpses?"
She knew this reason was really bad, so she added, "Don't worry about it. As long as we complete the Heavenly Venerable's order and take away the three souls and seven spirits of these two dead spirits, we've completed our mission! I also don't want to stay here any longer! Although this is a Seven Deadly Lands, the Qilin Company below uses Qilin tendons and bones as a protective barrier, so there's obviously a powerful figure here. This place is clearly not a place to stay for long."
"Hmph, I knew you wanted to slack off!"
Baxia said disdainfully, "Every time we go out to kill people and collect the three souls and seven spirits, you never lift a finger! I'm the one who kills and takes the three souls and seven spirits! If I hadn't covered up for you in front of the Heavenly Venerable that you've never killed anyone, do you think the Heavenly Venerable would still be so good to you? Hmph... We've been demons for generations, we're born demons! Why are you so aloof!" "
I didn't compete with you for the Heavenly Venerable's remaining soul and spirit energy either, and I still took it all, didn't I?"
Xiaoqian said softly, also returning the favor.
Clearly, these two demons weren't entirely of one mind.
Yue Cang nodded: "So this female demon Xiaoqian never killed anyone!"
"Hmph, if the Heavenly Venerable had fully laid out the 'Rebellious World Annihilation Tribulation,' why would he be afraid of those Taoists from the Shu Mountain Sect?"
Baxia, with its head as large as a washbasin, said disdainfully again.
The prince thought to himself: "Why do these two demons call them the Heavenly Venerable? They really have no shame!"
"So they aren't the great demons who laid out the 'Rebellious World Annihilation Tribulation'!"
Bing Shuang thought with contempt: "We've been guarding for half the night for nothing!"
But Dongshui Yue Cang remained extremely cautious; she knew that those who came were not friendly, and those who were friendly would not come.
"Xiaoqian, I think we should still be careful!"
Baxia said again: "These people placed the two undead spirits on the toad's hole, and the three souls and seven spirits of the undead spirits will be magnified twenty-one times to attract people. They must have an ulterior motive for attracting us here! I think it must be the Three Beginnings Taoists of the Shu Mountain Sect who are behind this!"
The prince sighed again inwardly, and had to be even more cautious about these two demons!
"Hmph, how could I not know?"
Xiaoqian said, "The classics say that the earth has four directions, and the energy comes from eight directions. Therefore, in burial, the left is the Azure Dragon, the right is the White Tiger, the front is the Vermilion Bird, and the back is the Black Tortoise. The Black Tortoise lowers its head, the Vermilion Bird soars and dances, the Azure Dragon meanders, and the White Tiger is docile. If the situation is reversed, it is considered a sign of death. Therefore, a crouching tiger is called 'carrying a corpse,' a crouching dragon is called 'jealous of the master,' a Black Tortoise that does not lower its head is considered to reject the corpse, and a Vermilion Bird that does not dance is considered to fly away. Use a gnomon to measure its position and a jade ruler to measure its distance. If the branches are used as the dragon and tiger, their tracks should be on the hills and mounds, like elbows and arms, which is called 'embracing.' If water is used as the Vermilion Bird, its strength and weakness are related to..." "The form should be in accordance with the turbulent flow, for it is called weeping! But if we go first into this depression at the top of the mountain, it is the lair of a top-grade toad. The Azure Dragon and White Tiger are mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining, and can gather Yin energy here. In the middle, we can place the three souls and seven spirits of the dead that the Heavenly Venerable needs. I can't care about anything else! If the Heavenly Venerable doesn't get this dead spirit before midnight tonight, we will all be unable to complete our mission! I don't care, I'm going to go forward and take this dead spirit first!"
After saying that, Xiaoqian lightly stepped forward and flew diagonally towards Zhang Gan and Wang Dadan, who had been dead for three years.
The prince was overjoyed. As long as this female demon fell into the center of the Four Symbols Yin-Yang Array formed by the four of them, it would be the moment the array would be activated. As long as the four of them worked together, this female demon would definitely be forced back to her original form in a short time.
But then, Bing Shuang snorted coldly and suddenly straightened up from the fire escape, shouting, "Wait, you demoness!"
His appearance clearly disrupted the Four Symbols Yin-Yang Array that the prince had carefully set up!
Chapter 6024 Unraveling the Mystery: The Two Appear, Each Engaging in a One-on-One Battle. Qian, suspended in mid-air, was startled to see something that had previously seemed insignificant, like a piece of wood, spring up. She no longer dared to covet Zhang Gan and Wang Dadan's four spirits, three souls, and seven spirits beside the flames. With a nimble turn in mid-air, she landed once more beneath the shell of the Baxia demon beast!
She knew that anyone capable of using the Five Elements Escape Technique to bewitch others must possess extremely high Taoist cultivation! This person was using Fire Escape!
That thing was a cultivator!
"Who are you?"
she roared angrily, standing on the Baxia shell, facing the wind.
Frost coldly replied, "I remain true to my name and surname, I am Frost, the eldest disciple of Cihangzhai of Mount Putuo in the South China Sea!"
"Cihangzhai of Mount Putuo in the South China Sea… Frost?"
Before Xiaoqian could speak, the Baxia demon beast snorted coldly, "So you are the eldest disciple of the Cihangzhai's leader
, Abbot Baobing! Hmph, what's so great about that?" Clearly, it had heard of Cihangzhai of Mount Putuo in the South China Sea and knew that Frost's master was Abbot Baobing!
Upon hearing this, Xiaoqian's expression changed drastically: "The eldest disciple of the leader of one of the four great Buddhist sects? You righteous people always claim to be upright and honorable! Why are you lying in ambush here tonight? Sneaking around like ghosts!"
"Is that even a question? Xiaoqian, I already said that they could put the Four Spirits into the top-grade toad's lair; it's clearly a trap! Let me see who else is lying in ambush."
After the Baxia demon beast finished speaking, it opened its mouth, and a two-zhang-long raging fire silently shot towards Frost!
Bing Shuang was startled, instinctively dodging. He dared not block its attack, quickly sidestepping a zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) to avoid it!
The Baxia demon beast's fire-breathing wasn't aimed at Bing Shuang, but rather, it turned its head and continuously spewed flames
in all directions. Those two zhang of flames were clearly its cultivated true fire, not ordinary fire; how could an ordinary person withstand it? Sure enough, under the Earth Escape technique, Xing Ke saw that the flames spewed by Baxia were already raging fiercely two meters away, causing him great discomfort. If he didn't dodge, he feared he would be roasted like a duck! Therefore, he quickly leaped up, rising a zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) into the air, his body covered in ash, landing beside Bing Shuang: "Dare you, demon beast!"
The Prince and Dong Shui Yue Cang, however, were completely unafraid. Hidden under the Wood Escape technique, they remained motionless, letting Baxia's flames pass by without any reaction! Clearly, their fire-avoidance techniques had reached a very high level!
At this point, the traveler couldn't help but feel a little ashamed. His cultivation was clearly inferior to Dong Shui Yue Cang and the prince, and he probably had to admit that he was inferior to the frost!
Jin Qi, halfway up the mountain, suddenly looked up and saw flames rising from the mountaintop in the distance. Knowing it was the work of a demon beast, he quickly whispered, "Xue'er, let's go up quickly! A great battle is about to begin!"
"Okay, okay!"
Ouyang Xue'er was naturally excited.
"However, I need to seal your aura first, lest the two demons discover you!"
Jin Qi added.
Ouyang Xue'er pouted, "Whatever you want!"
So, Jin Qi silently recited the mantra in his heart: "Heaven and earth are natural, the foul air disperses.
The cave is mysterious and vast, the primordial energy shines brightly!
Cold and yin energy, do not...
face me!"
At the same time, he formed a hand seal with his right hand, focused his mind, and gently tapped between Xue'er's eyes and brows, transferring the spiritual power of the "Purifying Heaven and Earth Divine Mantra" to the three flames on Ouyang Xue'er's forehead, thus sealing her forehead's fiery seal. In this way, neither the Baxia demon beast nor the demoness would discover Xue'er's aura.
Xue'er gazed at the solemn Jin Qi with a somewhat dazed expression. Was this the resolute man she had been waiting for?
Jin Qi pulled Xue'er up again, his feet moving rapidly. What difficulty was there for him on the mountain slope? Xue'er only felt the wind whistling past her ears, the wild grass swaying beneath her feet without her touching the ground. She dared not ask a question, only feeling that in an instant, she had stopped, only three zhang away from the summit.
She was at a loss, bewildered and helpless, when she saw Jin Qi put his right index finger forward, signaling her to be quiet. The two climbed down into the grass, and now they could hear the people on the summit, the demons talking!
"So there are still helpers! Another one has come out!"
Xiaoqian exclaimed in surprise, and hurriedly asked, "Baxia, look again, are there any more helpers?"
Baxia opened its mouth, suddenly sticking out its tongue, a scarlet forked tongue that then retracted with lightning speed, like a long snake sniffing the air for its prey, and then said, "No more! Even the human aura I sensed earlier is gone!"
The traveler heard Xiaoqian call the demon beast Baxia! Startled, she asked, "Baxia? You monster, could you be the sixth of the nine sons of the dragon, Baxia?" Baxia
roared, "Haha! If you knew my power, you'd better get out of my way!"
"Hmph!"
Frost sneered, "If you had a thousand years of cultivation, you could surely have attained human form. You monster, all you can do is speak, what are you afraid of? Brother Traveler, don't be afraid! It's laughable that a dragon seed has become a demon, a lackey of a great demon!" Baxia was
furious. Xiaoqian then asked Traveler, "Who are you, you rat who came out later?"
Traveler roared, "What do you care who I am? Tonight, you monsters dare to dream of capturing the three souls and seven spirits of the dead during the Ghost Festival when the yin energy is at its strongest. You're dreaming!"
"How is that dreaming? Tonight we've come to capture these four spirits, three souls, and seven spirits, we're determined to take them!"
Xiaoqian asked.
"Hmph, if you want to increase your master's cultivation with your three souls and seven spirits, you'll have to get past me first! Demoness, let's see who's stronger!"
The traveler then called out to Frost, "Brother Frost, that Baxia demon beast is yours!"
Clearly, he was somewhat afraid of the dragon-type demon beast! Ironically, he didn't know that this demoness might be even more powerful!
Xiaoqian sneered, "Let's fight! Who's afraid of who?"
The two leaped into the air; now, they were about to clash!
Frost and Baxia were also about to engage in a fierce battle!
One-on-one, a one-on-one duel!
Chapter 6025 Unraveling the Mystery: Jiuhua's Strength is Not to Be Underestimated. Qian shouted fiercely in the air, "Ignorant youth! Hmph, if I had known you had some ability, who are you, bragging about your name? What is your master? I don't harm nameless nobodies!"
The traveler retorted angrily, "Such arrogance! My master's lineage would probably scare you to death! But I only know that you look like a girl in her teens. In terms of seniority, perhaps you are my grand-disciple!"
Jin Qi, Wang Zi, and Dong Shui Yue Cang all sighed inwardly upon hearing this. This traveler was truly ungrateful. Even the three of them couldn't immediately discern what kind of demon Xiaoqian was, but to be valued by the Great Demon Lord, and to come to the Seven Deadly Lands in the gloomy moonlight with the dragon-breeding Baxia demon beast, to extract the four spirits, three souls, and seven spirits from the Toad Cave, she was clearly not an ordinary person, but a demon. How could the traveler think Xiaoqian was just a teenage girl?
"Haha!"
Xiaoqian landed, her clothes fluttering without wind. She stood two zhang away from the Baxia demon beast, facing the traveler, and snorted, "Overestimating yourself, trying to break a rock with an egg! I'll grant your wish!"
The traveler then asked, "I come from a prestigious sect and never fight ordinary people. Quickly state your name and origin! Confess who the number one demon behind you is!"
"You dare ask? If you can't even defeat me, do you deserve to know who my Celestial Venerable is? The Celestial Venerable who planted the 'Rebellious Heaven-Destroying Tribulation' in the Seven Deadly Lands, do you think you deserve to know his name?"
The traveler was furious and roared, "Hmph, do you think I won't know if you don't tell me? Let me teach you a lesson!"
Bing Shuang had remained silent. Seeing the traveler about to fight Xiaoqian, he didn't stop him, only keeping a watchful eye on the Baxia demon beast. Suddenly, he said, "Miss Xiaoqian, how about we make a bet?"
"A bet?"
Xiaoqian was stunned. "What kind of bet?"
"If we can guess your origins, then tell us who planted the 'World-Defying Calamity' in the Seven Deadly Lands, and who your Heavenly Venerable is!"
Frost said. "If you can guess my fellow Daoist's sect, you can leave on your own! To be honest, tonight our experts are lying in ambush all around us. Whether you can escape unscathed is truly unknown!"
This was clearly a blatant threat! Xiaoqian snorted coldly and said, "If I win, I will also take away the three souls and seven spirits of the undead!"
"This..."
Frost was stunned: "Then if you get past us later, you can naturally take them away..."
He played a trick, making Xiaoqian think that the "we" he mentioned only referred to him and the traveler, but she didn't know that he included the prince, Dongshui Yuecang, Jin Qi, and others.
Xiaoqian, however, exclaimed happily, "Alright, let's fight then! Who's afraid of who? As soon as you make a move, I don't believe I can't guess which sect you come from. As for my origins, hmph, do you think you can guess them?"
The traveler snorted coldly, thinking to himself, "Now, from my weapon to my cultivation level, I will completely disguise myself so that you won't be able to see through me! My sect, the Nine Hua Mountain Sect, one of the Four Great Buddhist Mountains, the first sacred site of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, a disciple of the sect leader, how dare you underestimate me?"
Therefore, he stretched out his hand, and a pair of gleaming silver short spears appeared in mid-air in his hand! ...
Baxia, after all, hadn't shed its animal skin, and was somewhat surprised that its weapon was concealed on its person. Judging by its cultivation level alone, it was no ordinary young cultivator. Moreover,
in this day and age, there are very few cultivation sects in the world that use short spears to fight! "Xiaoqian, can you tell his cultivation level and sect origin from this pair of short silver spears?"
the Baxia demon beast asked again.
Seeing Baxia's confusion, Xiaoqian, however, was quite clear-headed. She chuckled softly, "Baxia, these short staffs and silver spears are quite ordinary. Anyone, whether from a martial arts school or a cultivation sect, would use them! Of course, you wouldn't recognize a cultivation sect, but wouldn't they at least conceal their techniques?"
Baxia then realized that the traveler's short staffs and silver spears might just be a decoy; his true Daoist cultivation might be hidden behind them, waiting for Xiaoqian to uncover it!
Xiaoqian laughed, "The spear is the king of weapons, possessing countless variations, divided into eighty-one techniques: thrusting, stabbing, striking, picking, sweeping, blocking, jabbing, parrying, and closing. It's said to be impossible to defend against. But that's referring to long spears. What wonders can your short spear possibly have?"
The traveler, finding Xiaoqian's words reasonable, nodded repeatedly, yet coldly retorted, "Hmph, short spears also have their merits. 'An inch longer, an inch stronger; an inch shorter, an inch more dangerous.' Haven't you heard that? Enough nonsense, are you guessing..." "To my sect? What weapon do you use?"
Xiaoqian sneered, "Hmph, guess later! My weapon... I'm afraid you'll tremble with fear and lose your will to fight once you see it! Why would I need my sect's weapon against you! Since you're using a short staff and silver spear, to make you admit defeat, I'll also use a short staff!"
She finished speaking, glanced down, and saw a withered branch in the sand at her feet, about two feet long and no more than two inches thick—neither thick nor thin, but perfectly straight!
So, Xiaoqian bent down and picked it up! She said, "I'll use this short staff as my weapon!"
The traveler was furious; Xiaoqian clearly looked down on him! He wanted a quick victory so he could demonstrate his cultivation to Bing Shuang, Wang Zi, and Dong Shui Yue Cang!
Seeing Xiaoqian's disdain, the traveler became enraged and said, "Words are useless, take this...spear..."
He crouched down and lunged forward, his two short spears thrusting out from the center of his body, aiming straight for Xiaoqian's right shoulder!
Clearly, he knew that Xiaoqian was not human, but a demon, and showed no mercy whatsoever!
"Is this what a righteous sect is? Bah!"
the Baxia demon beast sneered. "They have no manners whatsoever towards women!"
Xiaoqian was clever and quick-witted. The great demon had already taught her the eighteen weapons and martial arts techniques. When she saw the traveler wield a short staff and silver spear, she recognized the move. Suddenly, she saw the most authentic starting move in the orthodox spear technique, "Immortal Points the Way," and her spirits lifted. She exclaimed, "Well done!"
Then, Xiaoqian's short staff quietly deflected the traveler's right-hand spear. Ignoring the traveler's feint with his left hand, she extended her arm, turned the short staff 180 degrees, and with the tail as the head, the withered branch tip of the staff was aimed at the traveler's face!
Seeing this, Dong Shuiyue Cang sighed inwardly, "Alas, I originally thought they would finish quickly, but it seems it will be a protracted battle! However, I believe they will definitely be able to decide the winner within twenty moves!"
The Frost and the Baxia Beast remained silent, but they were also wondering who would win in this fight.
They were also looking for an opportunity to strike!
Chapter 6026 Unraveling the Mystery: Fist and Staff Techniques, Real Combat. Seeing Xiaoqian finally make her move, the guest recognized her staff technique and exclaimed in a low voice, "Good move!"
This move, "Parting the Clouds to See the Sun, Pulling Up the Grass to Drive Away the Snake," is one of the most widely circulated staff techniques in the world. Xiaoqian now uses a withered branch as a staff, yet she wields it with ease, demonstrating over ten years of skill!
Using a staff to counter a spear, the movements are continuous and intertwined; truly, while similar, there are many differences, making it wonderfully subtle.
But the traveler thought to himself, "Hmph, you bastard, trying to teach a fish to swim! If I were using a staff, this move would be at least three times more powerful! But I'm using a double short spear right now..."
Since he recognized it, he could naturally counter it as well. Prince, Yue Cang saw the traveler suddenly retreat straight back, incredibly fast. Facing Xiaoqian, his retreat was even three times faster than Xiaoqian's attack with the dry branch and short staff!
He dodged Xiaoqian's counterattack, a smug look in his eyes. Xiaoqian, however, was indifferent, thinking, "If I were wielding my true weapon, its blade a three-foot-long blade, how could he possibly dodge it? The outcome would likely be decided in a single move! Hmph, but if I do that, they might see through my disguise, which wouldn't be good!"
Having cultivated for hundreds of years and taken female form, Xiaoqian hated killing above all else. Being ordered to absorb the three souls and seven spirits of the dead was a last resort. Now, seeing that although the traveler's words were infuriating, his martial arts were solid, his actions clean, and he was a disciple of a prestigious cultivation sect—not a bad person—she was even more determined to conceal her strength and not use any ruthless moves to harm him!
However, Xiaoqian also thought, in the Xuanhuang cultivation world, experts always rush to use their magical weapons to injure their enemies. Between equally skilled individuals, whoever uses their weapon first will have the last laugh! Later, I still need to use my magical weapon to subdue him!
But now, a traveler has come to loosen up his muscles and test his fist and staff skills, and perhaps guess which cultivation sect he belongs to—it's quite fun! Clearly, Xiaoqian is still a playful young girl; even female demons can be mischievous!
Therefore, Xiaoqian decided to see how her martial arts skills had progressed, so she temporarily withheld her magic weapons. She didn't use any of her major magical artifacts, but instead used her short, withered stick to launch a preemptive strike. With a loud shout, she swept the stick across the ground!
Although she was a small female demon, her figure delicate and frail, her attack was as fierce as a god descending to earth, majestic and awe-inspiring. She strode through the Hong Palace, entering through the central gate. The traveler's powerful shout blocked the sweeping force of the short stick, but Xiaoqian twisted her wrist, transforming the short stick into a spear-like thrust, slashing and parrying. This move, seizing the advantage, was relentless and exquisitely skillful!
Even Prince Lian and Dong Shuiyue Cang secretly praised her, saying, "The demonic aura is overwhelming, yet she possesses fist and staff techniques. Xiaoqian appears weak, but while this move is inferior to spear techniques, it's still a good staff technique!"
They then watched to see how the traveler would respond.
The traveler avoided her sharp edge, coldly snorting, and retreated three steps, dodging the sharpness of the short, withered staff in Xiaoqian's hand. He held a pair of silver spears for protection, and asked in surprise, "You demoness, your staff technique is erratic! The first part is a famous staff technique, but the second part is Shaolin staff technique—how can you transform it like that?"
Xiaoqian laughed, "How could I know any famous or not-so-famous masters? Shaolin is no different! I've only heard that the Buddhist Zen sect and Shaolin are outdated for a thousand years. I only take the essence of Shaolin staff techniques and use it, the meaning of transformation. What business is it of yours how I change my moves? You recognize… Shaolin staff techniques? Are you a lay disciple of the Buddhist Shaolin sect?"
The traveler neither admitted nor denied it! He merely sneered, "Shaolin is only famous for its martial arts over the past few hundred years, but my Jiuhua Mountain is a cultivation sect that produces many sword immortals. How can our strength be compared to Shaolin's?"
Seeing that Xiaoqian became even more valiant after speaking, pressing closer with her staff, he secretly calculated that his disguised spear technique was no match for her.
Xiaoqian thought the traveler was about to retreat again, but to her surprise, the traveler thought angrily, "I initially thought you were a disciple of Shaolin or Buddhism, and out of consideration for Jiuhua Mountain being one of the four great Buddhist mountains, I showed you some mercy! How could your staff not have any flaws? But now, listening to your words, it turns out
you're not a Buddhist. All my leniency is gone; how can I show you any more mercy?" He then cursed himself inwardly, "If I had known you, a demoness, came with the Baxia beast, you must be some kind of evil spirit. How could I have harbored any illusions that she wasn't a demon?"
Suddenly, the traveler changed his strategy, not retreating an inch, but instead lunging forward, closing in within three feet of Xiaoqian's arms. His silver spears flashed, a short, sharp thrust aimed at Xiaoqian's shoulder and face.
Originally, the spears were intended to pierce Xiaoqian's breasts, but the traveler, being a promising young Buddhist practitioner, was not a scoundrel and dodged them!
Xiaoqian was quite surprised to see him suddenly become so energetic, but she was not afraid at all. With quick eyes and hands, she used her short stick to block the attack. In a small fight, she had already deflected the traveler's short gun.
Jin Qi heard the sounds from the grass on the mountaintop. Although he couldn't see, he could easily guess what a fight was about to unfold. He thought to himself, "Sigh, they're righteous cultivators and seductive demonesses! Entangled together, no class at all. Luckily, they're using short spears and clubs. If they were using long swords and spears, how could they use them like this?"
The two then engaged in close combat. In these dozen or so moves, the traveler's short spear techniques were exquisitely refined. Thrusting, stabbing, striking, attacking, entangling, circling, blocking, seizing, pouncing, pointing, deflecting, and flourishing were all involved. However, unlike long spears, they possessed feints and real attacks, both orthodox and unorthodox; their advances were sharp, their retreats swift; their moves dangerous, their techniques concise; immovable as a mountain, moving like thunder.
Prince and Dong Shui Yue Cang, observing from the sidelines, saw that the situation was truly 'every inch shorter, every inch more dangerous,' extremely dangerous! Every move the traveler made was a display of both feints and real attacks, unstoppable in advance and unmatched in speed!
The Baxia demon beast, Xiaoqian thought to herself, "In this day and age, when cultivators are obsessed with forging magical treasures, to have such solid martial arts skills, this young man must have trained diligently for over a decade. He's definitely a disciple of a prestigious sect. I wonder which sect he belongs to? The fact that he can appear alongside Bing Shuang, the eldest disciple of the South Sea Putuo Mountain Sect, clearly means he's a disciple of one of the Four Great Buddhist Mountains!"
Although the Baxia demon beast was outside, its expression changed rapidly, secretly applauding the
spectacle, sweat pouring down its face! The prince thought that Bing Shuang, who hadn't spoken yet, must be tense, her expression changing with the two's moves, even though he couldn't see the changes in her expression.
Suddenly, Xiaoqian's short staff met the attack, while the traveler's twin spears were astonishing, and they clashed. The man was like a startled dragon, his movements agile and unpredictable, his weapons fluid and shimmering, silver light flashing, interspersed with the flickering of the Xuanxu spear tip, speckled with red light—it was a fierce battle, dazzling to the eye!
Chapter 6027 Unraveling the Mystery: Stepping forward like the wind, stealthy as nails, the demoness Xiaoqian only had one short stick, and it was without a sharp point, just a withered branch. She dared not directly clash with the traveler's double short spears, clearly at a slight disadvantage. She angrily thought to herself, "He really knows how to exploit loopholes, taking advantage of my weapon. He seems quite clever!"
Dongshui Yuecang saw the traveler's spear tip trembling, and his use of techniques such as striking, pointing, piercing, chopping, circling, picking, and deflecting was incredibly skillful. She couldn't help but admire him. She knew that using the spear required winding and turning, appropriate force, and correct application of power! However, her sect specialized in swordsmanship, and she didn't quite understand the essentials of spear techniques.
Prince, however, is the young master of the Shu Mountain Sect, versed in all eighteen weapons. Now, experiencing it firsthand, he has a deeper understanding. He knows that wielding a spear in combat requires agile and varied movements, a wide range of motion, light, fast, and stable footwork, and the power of the waist, legs, arms, and wrists must be integrated with the spear, with the force penetrating to the spear tip. Hence the saying, "Opening steps are like the wind, stealthy steps are like nails." He knows that spear techniques are among the most difficult to learn in the eighteen martial arts, and it is definitely not easy to master them to become a master. There is no shortcut to mastery. As the saying goes, "Practice fists for years, sticks for months, and spears for a long time." Now, the traveler is clearly aiming to reach the pinnacle of pure martial arts in the application of spear techniques! Yet, Prince still knows that this spear is definitely not the traveler's preferred weapon?
What is his true weapon then?
It is probably even more powerful!
The watching prince, Yue Cang, Bing Shuang, Baxia the demon beast, and even Jin Qi and Ouyang Xue'er secretly below were all filled with both tension and anticipation: "The Jiuhua Mountain Sect is renowned throughout the cultivation world. I wonder what Xingke's most skilled weapon is? It will definitely be revealed later. I can't wait!"
"Also, what is the true protective artifact of the demoness Xiaoqian? What kind of demon is she?"
Jin Qi was even more excited: "If we could defeat Xiaoqian and find out who the great demon who planted the 'World-Defying Calamity' in the Seven Deadly Lands is, how wonderful that would be!" (
Chapter 7001: The Mandarin Ducks and the Illusory Weapons) However, neither Zi nor Dongshui Yue Cang knew that the fight between the two was not only surprising to others for Xingke's unorthodox yet highly skilled spear technique, but Xingke himself was also deeply shocked! Of course, he wasn't shocked by himself, but by the demoness Xiaoqian!
He knew that powerful wooden staffs included the eyebrow-length staff, the three-section staff, and the two-section staff. According to the saying "staff should be chest-length, club-length," the staff in Xiaoqian's hand wasn't the optimal length, making it difficult to handle. It was also made of dry branches, not sturdy at all, and should have been the lowest quality weapon, easily defeated. However, after a dozen or so moves, Xiaoqian had perfectly demonstrated the characteristics of staff fighting – fierceness, speed, and versatility – and he couldn't achieve a quick victory!
However, the traveler wasn't worried. He simply wondered how the demoness's staff skills compared to his own.
The biggest secret was that the disciples of Jiuhua Mountain were even more proficient in staff fighting. Buddhism, being compassionate, didn't glorify bloodshed in its techniques; fortunately, they had the staff!
The staff, the ancestor of all weapons! With the longest history, it was further developed and popularized by the compassionate Buddhism, making its fame even more widespread! The martial arts school was Shaolin, but the cultivation school was Jiuhua Mountain!
The traveler observed carefully, recognizing each of Xiaoqian's moves. He noticed that her first three moves were offensive, using a staff-like technique, while the following seven were a combination of offensive and defensive techniques, employing various techniques such as chopping, striking, swinging, sweeping, entangling, circling, twisting, clouding, blocking, pointing, deflecting,
picking, flicking, hanging, and thrusting with perfect precision. Now, in close combat, Xiaoqian had transformed into a staff-like technique, using chopping, blocking, picking, hanging, thrusting, pointing, deflecting, flicking, and twisting—all skillful moves!
Having recognized her techniques, the traveler was almost prescient, responding quickly and holding his own. However, he knew that since he hadn't used his original weapon, the demoness Xiaoqian was clearly hiding something!
If she were to switch weapons, the outcome might be different.
That wouldn't be good!
He, the prince, Bing Shuang, and Dong Shui Yue Cang all hoped that the demoness Xiaoqian would use her true abilities! That way, they could guess what kind of demon she was!
Because their feelings were the same as Jin Qi's, which he couldn't hide: the most important thing was to figure out Xiaoqian's true form and then find out who possessed such extraordinary abilities to plant the "World-Defying Calamity" in the Seven Deadly Lands—what kind of despicable demon was this?
The more the fight went on, the more the traveler saw the signs, realizing how wrong his previous view that Xiaoqian was just an ordinary woman had been! But he still said, "This demoness is nothing special!"
He himself was already flushed and sweating, but Xiaoqian was becoming more and more energetic, her eyes, like autumn water, constantly darting around—truly not human!
The fire in the Toad Cave was deliberately lit by the Taoist Priest, using the most durable burning steel carbon, not ordinary wood, so it showed no signs of going out even after a long time! Now it was half past Chen Shi (7-9 AM), the night was deep, the cold wind was rampant, and there was no one spying around the mountaintop—thankfully! The traveler and the demoness Xiaoqian could concentrate on their fight!
On the Ghost Festival, when the air is thick with yin energy, who would dare to wander out recklessly?
A chilling wind swept through, and Ouyang Xue'er, lying in the grass, shivered slightly, her body swaying. Jin Qi saw this and felt a pang of pain in his heart, cursing inwardly, "I'm such an idiot! Prince, Yue Cang, Bing Shuang, and I are naturally unafraid of the yin wind, but how could Xue'er not be?"
So, Jin Qi quietly took off his coat and draped it over Ouyang Xue'er.
Normally, Ouyang Xue'er would have refused unconditionally, but tonight, it was bitterly cold. Knowing the mountaintop monsters were cautious, she dared not speak loudly, only bowing her head slightly and whispering, "Thank you!"
Then, Xue'er, as docile as a lamb, draped Jin Qi's tracksuit over herself. The warmth she felt, the deep body heat of Jin Qi, and the rich, masculine scent wafting from him—a steady, mature masculinity! She became even more unsettled, her heart pounding like a deer's!
Jin Qi's attention was also slightly distracted as he looked at Xue'er's rare shyness...
Her expression betrayed her uncontrollable emotions, and she almost failed to notice the fight on the mountaintop!
At that moment, the battle on the mountaintop had taken a dramatic turn!
It turned out that the traveler, seeing that no matter how skillful his short spear was, he couldn't win, suddenly shouted, "Witch! Be careful!"
With that, he retreated two meters away from Xiaoqian, his face flashing with a mysterious light. His twin spears suddenly pointed, and in the flashing light, the spearhead on his left hand disappeared, becoming a shorter wooden stick! The spearhead on his right hand, however, transformed into a longer wooden stick!
Thus, the two short silver spears he had previously held had instantly become a pair of linked sticks, one long and one short!
It turned out that the traveler's preferred weapon was also a stick, but the difference was that he used two sticks of different lengths!
Xiaoqian was stunned; this young man's Taoist cultivation was indeed impressive! He could instantly change his weapon, dazzlingly so!
The traveler remained silent, only charging forward with his staff. The long staff aimed directly at Xiaoqian, while the short staff provided ample defense. How could Xiaoqian possibly adapt to such a change?
Bing Shuang smiled and nodded, "What a remarkable transformation!"
The traveler's twin spears had transformed into twin staffs, seemingly with even greater ease. Each move was exquisite, and within three exchanges, a gust of wind swept across the back of Xiaoqian's hand, nearly striking her!
The Shu Mountain Sect's martial arts hall displayed all eighteen weapons, all of which the prince had seen and studied in his own right. He couldn't help but smile, thinking to himself, "So the Jiuhua Mountain Sect also has exquisite staff techniques! I didn't realize the traveler was such a master!" If
he could see that, how could Xiaoqian not after a few moves?
"Hmph! So you were hiding your strength, transforming your double staffs into a pair of short silver spears! Now that you've used them, how could I not see it? The Meridian Mandarin Duck Staff, you are the most proficient staff-wielding disciple of Mount Jiuhua among the four great Buddhist sects!"
Xiaoqian said sharply, "But even your sect leader wouldn't dare offend my Heavenly Venerable. Don't you know what's good for you? How dare you!"
This was clearly a blatant threat!
The traveler was now filled with supreme confidence in his Meridian Mandarin Duck Staff. This staff, with one long and one short, was designed to defeat long weapons and cold weapons. The long staff was used to strike the opponent's head, chest, ribs, and sweeping kicks, attacking from the upper, middle, and lower body. The short staff was used to deliver sudden, unexpected blows, making it impossible for the opponent to defend against. This was the characteristic of the double staff's rapid-fire attacks.
The prince saw that the traveler's Meridian Mandarin Duck Staff was short, concise, and versatile. It could be extended and graceful when released, and compact and restrained when withdrawn. It was easy to use and skillful. When combined with his footwork, the staff moved with his body and his body moved with his steps. When turning, it was like a snake or a dragon. He could twist his body and adjust his arms, and move forward and backward freely. It was really the skill that the prince had mastered for more than ten years.
He turned to look at Dong Shui Yue Cang, who was also nodding in agreement, thinking to himself, "Holding two sticks, spirits soar; slashing and spinning, it's hard to hold back; quick steps and striking are swift as arrows; the stick's agility and footwork are so skillful, even ghosts and gods are afraid! The stick technique is profound, coupled with the deep Buddhist mysticism, in this way, the Traveler doesn't disgrace the Jiuhua Mountain Sect!"
As the Traveler was making his move, he heard the words of the female demon Xiaoqian and was stunned. If it were just one person being scolded by Xiaoqian, it wouldn't be a problem, but the senior brother of the Putuo Mountain Sect, Bing Shuang, was not far away. He couldn't afford to embarrass the Jiuhua Mountain Sect and let word spread that he was afraid of the female demon, so he angrily said, "That's right! I am the fourth disciple of the head of the Furong Peak of the Jiuhua Mountain Sect, Master Jing Lei. I never change my name or surname, my Dharma name is Traveler!"
Jin Qi nodded. He knew that Master Jing Lei was the current head of the Jiuhua Mountain Sect!
As the traveler spoke, his hands didn't stop; he continued wielding the Mandarin Duck Staff in rapid succession. Sometimes the staffs attacked and defended individually, sometimes they linked together, employing techniques like chopping, blocking, hooking, swinging, twisting, circling, pointing, and deflecting—all clearly techniques from Xiaoqian's withered wooden staff!
After withstanding more than ten moves, Xiaoqian smiled helplessly and said, "It seems your staff technique comes from the Jiuhua Mountain School, which specializes in staff techniques, surpassing mine! Very well, I concede defeat in staff technique. However, since I've seen through your identity, do you concede defeat?"
"Concede defeat?"
The traveler shook his head. "Indeed, you recognized me first! But our contest isn't over! I'll definitely be able to guess your background later... unless I can no longer fight, then I'll concede!"
"Fine, you're a scoundrel! You brought this on yourself!"
Xiaoqian said angrily.
The Baxia demon beast, also standing nearby, roared furiously, "Xiaoqian, why waste any more breath on him? Kill him!"
Its ferocious beastly nature meant it didn't care about such things!
Xiaoqian nodded slightly, and the traveler's face turned solemn. He knew that the demoness Xiaoqian was about to unleash her ultimate move, but he refused to admit defeat, saying, "Hmph, demoness, bring it on!"
He wielded the Mandarin Duck Staff with impenetrable skill, secretly thinking, "Even if I am defeated by Xiaoqian, I can still see the demoness's true form, which is a meritorious deed!"
Thus, on Jin Qi's side, the Jiuhua Mountain disciple, the traveler, had revealed his weapon trump card: the Buddhist Mandarin Duck Staff!
So, what was the demoness Xiaoqian's weapon trump card?
Chapter 7002 of Baxia's Death: Innate Spirituality Can Be Cultivated. In truth, the demoness Xiaoqian felt a little flustered. She had never killed anyone herself. Every time she came out, the Baxia demon beast would kill people on her behalf, and she would absorb the three souls and seven spirits of the dead! Although she was threatened and held hostage by the Baxia demon beast at other times, she had no complaints.
However, the demonic beast Baxia was now lurking nearby, threatening to confront Bing Shuang. If she didn't do her best to deal with Xingke again, and Baxia had to fight two against one, and it went back to the Great Celestial Venerable to complain, she herself would be in danger!
Who is inherently cruel? Even demons!
Now, she could only take it one step at a time. Even if she didn't act, how could the righteous Buddhist and Taoist disciples, who prided themselves on their noble sects, let her go?
Being human is truly difficult, even more difficult than being a demon!
The female demon Xiaoqian already had a plan in mind. She stepped forward and clashed the withered branch in her hand with the Ziwu Mandarin Duck Staff. Within a few moves, the branch had broken into pieces.
She had no choice but to change. In the heat of the battle, suddenly, Jin Qi heard Xiao Qian shout, "Rise!"
The prince, Dong Shui Yue Cang, and the others on the mountaintop were immediately struck by Xiao Qian's sudden billowing, her clothes billowing backwards without wind, perfectly straight. A hidden mystic wind protected her; this was her circulating Xuanhuang cultivation! However, the prince knew she was not a Daoist or Buddhist practitioner. This mystic wind was filled with demonic energy, completely lacking the righteous and pure power of his, Dong Shui Yue Cang, and Jin Qi's attacks!
Hearing this, Jin Qi thought to himself, "In the beginning of chaos, within the primordial void, the Western Kunlun Mountains rose powerfully, towering above all. The workings of destiny began, unleashing countless boundless divine powers. All things with spirit could be created, thus giving rise to life! What kind of bird, beast, plant, or tree did this Xiaoqian transform into into a demon?"
Bing Shuang, puzzled, also asked softly from the mountaintop, "Ah, demoness, what are you doing?"
Naturally, no one answered him. The traveler didn't know either, and the prince, Dong Shui Yue Cang, and Jin Qi, who did know, couldn't speak. Their hiding place was still intact, so concealment was best.
As for Ouyang Xue'er, she could be temporarily ignored during the war between humans and demons!
However, Jin Qi, Wang Zi, and Yue Cang already understood, thinking to themselves: "Hmph! The female demon Xiaoqian is going to lay down a magical seal around herself to freeze and block the traveler's Meridian Mandarin Duck Staff! If we can block the attack of the two staffs, we will naturally not be at a disadvantage! Then we need to think of a way not only to block the Meridian Mandarin Duck Staff, but also to defeat him!"
Dong Shui Yue Cang thought to himself, "Although she's a female demon, she's still clever enough to understand immediately! Since one side is a being imbued with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, cultivating into a demon; and the other is a disciple of the Jiuhua Mountain Sect, one of the four great Buddhist mountains, with considerable Taoist knowledge, why start by competing with pure martial arts at full strength? It's the right way to compete using Taoist cultivation and magic power. Wouldn't it be better and more exciting if they started by using magical artifacts and magic power?"
The prince nodded. He was the young master of the Shu Mountain Sect and had mastered the Five Elements Escape Technique since his youth. Now, seeing the female demon Xiaoqian using her escape technique in mid-air, with a strong wind rising between her palms, suddenly splitting into Yin and Yang, Yin transforming into Yang, and generating the Five Elements, and within the Five Elements Qi, a gleaming ethereal curved blade appeared!
Upon seeing this blade, the traveler's expression changed, and he shouted, "Female demon, you can actually generate the Five Elements Qi?"
"Ah!"
Bing Shuang was clearly caught off guard and exclaimed in surprise.
"Hmph, what's so special about that?"
Xiaoqian said disdainfully, "The five elements interact and restrain each other, embodying the nature of the world. I was able to create a human, so naturally I can cultivate! The Great Heavenly Venerable's power is boundless; of course he would teach me this insignificant skill!"
It turns out that this was taught to her by the great demon who laid down the "Rebellious World-Destroying Tribulation"! One can imagine that this Five Elements Escape Technique was worthless in the eyes of the great demon; how profound was the demon's cultivation?
Jin Qi listened with great understanding. With his cultivation, he naturally knew the meaning of the five elements' mutual restraint in the nature of heaven and earth: the many overcome the few, hence water overcomes fire; the refined overcomes the hard, hence fire overcomes metal; the rigid overcomes the soft, hence metal overcomes wood; the focused overcomes the scattered, hence wood overcomes earth; the substantial overcomes the insubstantial, hence earth overcomes water. These principles, when used in cultivation, can also help Taoist, Buddhist…
true cultivators advance their cultivation!
Xiaoqian, seemingly confident of victory, smugly declared from the air, "Traveler, you are a disciple of the Buddhist Jiuhua Mountain sect, so naturally you know the Five Elements' mutual generation and restraint! Now, according to the principle that metal thrives with fire to become a vessel, and wood thrives with metal to become a pillar, metal can restrain wood, but too much wood depletes metal; weak wood encountering metal will surely be cut down! Let's see how you are defeated by me!"
She was, of course, correct. The traveler trembled, his vision blurred, and even with a nearby fire, cold sweat instantly poured down his back!
Now, a chilling wind rose, making the night even more oppressive! The Xuan Qi above the Toad Cave was cold and eerie, and a light drizzle began to fall! This
was naturally the demoness Xiaoqian using her Five Elements mutual generation and restraint illusion technique, setting up a seal, and employing a heaven-defying cultivation method. The demonic sect's divine scriptures were profound and subtle; once activated, the heavens and earth sensed it, and rain began to fall!
However, how could the traveler be frightened into submission? For the sake of the Jiuhua Mountain Sect's reputation, he couldn't!
He forced a bitter smile and said, "There is such a thing as using softness to overcome hardness! Before I am defeated, I will be defeated!"
Then, without stopping, he gathered all his magical power and launched his attack. He felt that as soon as his Mandarin Duck Staffs were thrown out, they encountered layers of resistance. Half of the power was dissipated before it even reached Xiaoqian; the remaining half of the power was directly imprisoned when it reached Xiaoqian, and the mystical light on the staffs was dissipated by demonic energy!
Meanwhile, the shimmering illusory curved blade that Xiaoqian had conjured had quietly transformed into a full crescent moon blade. With a swift movement, the blade fell like lightning. Now, the demoness was going to take the initiative and attack with her sword!
Indeed, metal overcomes wood!
The moment the ethereal scimitar clashed with the Mandarin Duck Staff,
a muffled clang rang out, and the outer part of the Mandarin Duck Staff in the traveler's hand was instantly severed by the scimitar!
The outcome was decided!
The traveler's face turned ashen, his heart filled with resentment. He said, "Hmph, wielding a golden scimitar that embodies the five elements' mutual restraint, relying on the advantage of your weapon to break my wooden staff—what kind of hero are you? What kind of man are you?"
Xiao Qiang smiled charmingly and replied, "When you used your Mandarin Duck Staff against my single withered branch, didn't you also have the advantage of your weapon? Besides, I'm just a woman; what do I care about being a man?"
The traveler was speechless. In terms of arguing and eloquence, he was far inferior to this female demon, Xiao Qian!
Arguing was a woman's natural strength, whether human or demon!
Dong Shui Yue Cang and Ouyang Xue'er almost laughed; they were women too!
With the traveler defeated, how will the battle on the mountaintop unfold?
Will the prince, Dongshui Yuecang, and Jin Qi need to intervene?
Or can Bing Shuang, the eldest disciple of the South China Sea Putuo Mountain Sect, handle it?
(Chapter 7003 of Baxia's Death: The Golden Bowl of the South China Sea, A Pity Xiaoqian Was Not Fully Driven Away!) Kill him! "
The Baxia demon beast roared!
It was a ferocious dragon-type demon beast. Seeing that Xiaoqian had broken the traveler's weapon, the Mandarin Duck Staff, it knew that the traveler was now powerless to fight back. It showed no mercy and roared fiercely!
Xiaoqian was stunned. Ah, she was to kill the traveler?
She couldn't bring herself to do it!
Just as she was confused, a figure in green robes flashed before her eyes. Prince and Dongshui Yuecang had already seen it clearly. It was Bing Shuang, who was standing by to provide support. She slipped and flew out, grabbing and pulling the traveler down!
They both secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It didn't matter that the Xuanxu Mandarin Duck Staff they had conjured was broken; it could be forged again. But if the traveler was injured, it would be very bad!
If they lost a helper before they even got started, it would definitely not be a good omen! Bing Shuang was obviously more powerful, and her reaction was much faster than the traveler's.
Xiaoqian couldn't bear it and said, "You two are no match for us. Go quickly!" "We won't hurt you..."
Knowing that the prince and Yue Cang were behind him, Frost was not afraid at all.
He raised his head and said coldly, "Evil cannot prevail over good! I am not very talented, but I would like to ask for your guidance!" As soon as he finished speaking, he reached out his hand, and in an instant, a golden bowl appeared in his palm. It was less than a foot in diameter, a foot tall and a foot wide, and it shone brightly. The golden light was so dazzling that it was hard to open one's eyes. There was a faint sound of Sanskrit chanting in the middle, Buddhist beads and images of gods and Buddhas hidden in it!
Xiaoqian, the Baxia demon beast heard it and it seemed that the Sanskrit chanting was from Putuo Mountain in the South China Sea!
"Hmph, if it were a wandering ghost, it would naturally be afraid of your Sanskrit chanting!"
the Baxia demon beast said disdainfully, "But we have cultivated for hundreds of years and have been taught by the Great Heavenly Venerable. What are we afraid of your interference?" "
Having said that, it stepped forward, clearly itching to teach Bing Shuang a lesson!
Jin Qi sighed inwardly, thinking, 'This Sanskrit chant is from the Heart Sutra: "When Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva was practicing the profound Prajnaparamita, he perceived that the five aggregates are empty, and thus transcended all suffering and distress...' If an ordinary demon heard this, it would definitely be paralyzed! The Baxia demon beast is not afraid at all, truly a testament to the lingering power of the dragon lineage!'
Bing Shuang was startled, and murmured, proclaiming the Buddha's name: 'All dharmas are empty in nature, neither arising nor ceasing; neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing; therefore, in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, no perception, no volition, no consciousness.'
Its face instantly became solemn and magnificent, clearly activating the boundless power of Buddhism. Suddenly, a beam of golden light shot out from the mouth of the purple-gold alms bowl, a vast expanse of light! Like the radiance of the sun, it shot towards Xiao Qian and the Baxia demon beast!
If Ouyang Xue'er saw this, she would naturally recall the scene in 'The Legend of the White Snake' where the White Snake was taken away by Fahai!
'Hmph!'" "
The Baxia demon beast remained unfazed, its body motionless, and coldly snorted, "We are not burdened by mortal emotions, destroying a thousand years of cultivation, yet we are no match for the white snake of the bald monk Fahai! What use is this golden bowl, this bullshit golden light, to me?"
Its words were entirely true. Not only it, but even Xiaoqian felt nothing amiss, letting the golden light of the bowl shine upon them. This demon under the great demon's command must have mastered extraordinary powers; its magic was indeed superb!
Prince, Dongshui Yuecang, and Jin Qi were all greatly shocked. The effectiveness of the South Sea magic treasure's chanting and golden light against ordinary demons was now instantly confirmed, rendering them helpless!
The Baxia demon beast sneered, "Ignorant youth! You've shone enough! Hmph!"
Then it swung its right palm forward, a gust of wind rising, carrying a stench of blood, instantly shattering the golden light. The demonic energy could actually overcome the golden light; naturally, this was because its magic was profound, having been enlightened by the great demon! Secondly, it was clear that Frost could no longer fully unleash the maximum magical power of the Purple Gold Bowl!
"Baxia!"
Xiaoqian seemed reluctant to let Baxia fight Frost, and also seemed to know that Baxia would inevitably win, so she shouted loudly, "Our mission tonight is only to collect the three souls and seven spirits of the Four Spirits. Let's take them and leave!"
Baxia, driven by bestial instincts, shook his head and said, "I don't care! Since they came out to disrupt our plans first, I will make them pay a bloody price!"
"But the important matter is… urgent!"
Xiaoqian said, biting her lip. She remembered the bloody, blurred aftermath of every time Baxia killed someone, and couldn't help but shudder! Although the three souls and seven spirits were the only things the Great Heavenly Venerable needed, Baxia, being bloodthirsty, wouldn't even spare them…
“Hmph, no need for further words! You must have been tempted by their handsome youths, truly a lewd demon!”
This time, Baxia even cursed Xiaoqian: “You can't change your nature! When we get back, I won't cover for you anymore, hmph!”
Xiaoqian's eyes were filled with tears; she knew she could no longer dissuade Baxia and had only offended him, which made her extremely frustrated.
Baxia's body, about ten feet in diameter, swayed and cautiously yet arrogantly crawled two meters away from the frost. Its four legs were powerful and strong, far from the body of a tortoise; they were clearly stronger than a tiger or leopard!
Now, because the prince and Dongshui Yuecang were further away from Baxia, they could see it much more clearly!
The Baxia demon beast's head was enormous, as large as a washbasin, with angular features like a tortoise's head. Its eyes were fiery red, and its skull was covered in scales. Now crouching on the ground, it extended one forepaw, its ten claws resembling an eagle's, covered in sharp, long spikes!
Frost felt a chill run down his spine. Although he had been accompanied by his masters in the South Sea and had slain many powerful demons, this was the first time he had faced a dragon-like demon beast that had cultivated for hundreds of years. Did he have confidence in himself?
The golden bowl in his hand was a renowned treasure of the South Sea, avoided even by wandering ghosts! Its chanting was most potent in calming the soul, and its golden light was even more effective at subduing demons!
Now, seeing Baxia unharmed after encountering the chanting and golden light of the purple-gold bowl, advancing instead of retreating, his confidence was instantly shattered!
Baxia raised its head and roared at the sky, then said, "Ignorant brat, look at the garbage of your magic weapon! I think not only is your magic weapon garbage, but your cultivation is garbage too!"
With that, it kicked back with its hind legs, arched its front legs, and curled into a ball, its scales trembling slightly—clearly, this was an attack stance!
Then, the Baxia beast roared and shot towards Bing Shuang and Xing Ke like a sharp arrow. While still in the air, it extended its two front legs, one towards Xing Ke and the other towards Bing Shuang!
"Not good, dodge quickly!"
Bing Shuang cried out upon seeing the danger.
The two were startled and dared not take the attack head-on. They quickly dodged its attack, one to the left and one to the right, flashing two zhang away to temporarily escape danger!
"Brother Bing Shuang, I have long heard of a rare treasure in the South China Sea, the Purple Bamboo Ruyi Golden Bowl? It seems to be the treasure in your possession! I've heard it's incredibly powerful and is one of the Seven Treasures of Putuo Mountain in the South China Sea! Even my master highly praises it! But if you have such a treasure, why are you afraid of this Baxia demon beast?"
After dodging, the traveler wiped away his cold sweat, quite puzzled, and asked in bewilderment.
Bing Shuang smiled bitterly, "To be honest, the Purple Bamboo Ruyi Golden Bowl is indeed incredibly powerful, but my master only taught it to me a few days ago when I left the South Sea! I can only use two or three-tenths of its power now! If I had five or six-tenths, what would I fear from any dragon-type or non-dragon-type demon beasts?"
Upon hearing this, the Baxia demon beast burst into laughter, "So that's how it is! In that case, tonight, on the night of the Ghost Festival, will be your death anniversary! This day next year will be your death anniversary! I can even obtain the three souls and seven spirits of two more young cultivators to offer to the Great Heavenly Venerable. It's truly heaven's help!"
Xiaoqian still couldn't help but urge, "Baxia, let's hurry up and collect the souls and leave! It's almost midnight! If we miss midnight, the Heavenly Venerable will be angry!"
Clearly, she still didn't want Bing Shuang and the traveler to die here, using the Great Heavenly Venerable's orders to persuade her!
"Hmph! Truly a lewd fox, so soft-hearted for pretty boys!"
The Baxia demon beast sneered again, then tilted its head, opened its mouth, and growled, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth. Its canines, several inches long, gleamed with a sinister white light.
It then leaped forward, its body shooting upwards with even greater ferocity, its claws outstretched, fierce and invincible! Even
with her youthful, flower-like beauty, Xiaoqian
was furious and frustrated, tears welling in her bright eyes. Bing Shuang and Xing Ke had already drawn their immortal
swords. Xing Ke's sword was mostly for flying, but Bing Shuang's sword possessed considerable power. Clouds swirled around the sword, white clouds drifting like the waters of the South China Sea, a pure, deep blue. The two hurriedly twirled three large sword flowers to protect themselves and repel their enemies while retreating!
Jin Qi thought to himself, "With Bing Shuang's magical cultivation, even without magic weapons, she should be able to hold out for half an hour. How could she..."
He was unaware that Bing Shuang had lost all confidence and dared not fight, only seeking reinforcements. He couldn't help but shout sharply, "Baxia Beast, you're quite bold! How dare you be so insolent!"
"Hmph, what's there to be afraid of?"
Baxia roared, its claws already only three feet away from Bing Shuang and Xingke!
"Don't you know that the most prominent sect in the world of cultivation, the young master of the Shu Mountain Sect, is here now? How dare you be so insolent?"
Bing Shuang shouted urgently.
Upon hearing this, Prince Dong Shui Yue Cang couldn't help but smile bitterly. Having been exposed by Bing Shuang's invitation, Prince now had no choice but to appear and rescue them!
Jin Qi, however, was overjoyed. He had never understood the depth of Prince's cultivation!
Now, he finally had the opportunity to witness the true extent of the Shu Mountain Sect's young master's magical cultivation.
He had finally gotten his wish!
Chapter 7004 of Baxia's Death: The Prince and the Demon Beast, Each Using Their Own Abilities.
Qian and the Baxia demon beast were both stunned. They hadn't sensed anyone else on the mountaintop at all! How could someone be lying in ambush? The Baxia demon beast sneered disdainfully, "Haha! The Heavenly Venerable said that of all things in the world, humans are the most cunning. It's truly true! Where are there any experts lurking nearby who could come to your rescue? Yet you insist on deceiving yourself with wishful thinking!"
Xiaoqian looked around suspiciously, but couldn't see anyone hiding there!
"Haha! Who said no one's here?"
The prince laughed, his body trembling as he floated straight up. He left the western area he was guarding, flipped in the air, and landed beside Bing Shuang and Xing Ke! With a flick of his right hand, a stream of profound spiritual energy forced the Baxia demon beast's claws back!
"Brother Prince, I'm so sorry!"
Bing Shuang, usually arrogant, was also very embarrassed this time. According to the plan, the four of them could easily win if they set up the formation! But he was the one who destroyed the Yin-Yang Four Symbols Formation, he was the one who spoke arrogantly to the Baxia demon beast, and he was the one who was powerless to use the Purple Bamboo Ruyi Golden Bowl magic weapon. Now he could only call for help, and of course, he felt extremely guilty!
The prince laughed heartily, "Brother Bing Shuang, why say such things? We are all friends on the same path, why be so formal? Besides, the fight isn't over yet, so we can't draw any conclusions!"
Clearly, he was very mature and knew that blaming others would be useless.
Upon seeing more people emerge, the Baxia demon beast roared to the sky, furious, "Even righteous people are sneaking around! Despicable and shameless!"
Enraged, it leaped to the west, stomping furiously on the ground in all directions, as if afraid someone might still be hiding in the sand and stones! Within a two-zhang radius, the ground was instantly dug three feet deep, filled with a foul, murky atmosphere!
The prince remained unmoved, waiting until the Baxia demon beast had finished stomping the west and south before deliberately laughing, "Demons are all about brute strength. Want to stomp on the east and west too? You have plenty of strength, go ahead and stomp!"
The traveler was startled. The prince clearly knew that Dong Shuiyuecang was hiding in the west, so why was he telling the Baxia demon beast to stomp there?
Bing Shuang, however, knew that this was a feint by the prince, a deceptive tactic, like the Empty City Stratagem!
"Hmph!"
Baxia roared, "I know the location!"
It then walked eastward, carefully observing but finding nothing unusual. When it looked back westward, there was still no movement. Only then did it return to the middle of the mountaintop and roar, "Now you have no one to ambush you!"
Dongshui Yuecang had been hiding in the west using wood magic, so of course he wouldn't reply. The prince laughed, "If you have the ability, find it yourself. If you don't, we naturally won't tell you!"
Jin Qi finally breathed a sigh of relief. Yuecang and he were still in the shadows! He admired the prince even more; he was mature and resourceful! Only Ouyang Xue'er was surprised, thinking to herself, "Yuecang is clearly on the mountain, how could he not be seen?"
Xiaoqian saw the prince's resolute expression and her heart trembled. Looking closely, she saw that today, to make casting spells easier, the prince had secretly conjured an apricot-yellow Taoist robe on his body. He had a star-studded crown with jade leaves and a crane-feather cloak embroidered with golden clouds. He had no beard and broad cheeks, having cultivated to the point of no leakage; his black eyes were bright, having consumed elixirs to achieve the realm of longevity. His dantian was filled with qi, his veins green and his brain purple; his name had reached the Xuan Realm, his kidneys blue and his liver green. It was truly a scene of a phoenix's cry echoing far under the moon at midnight, a crane soaring high on the clouds for ten thousand miles, the Shu Mountain having produced yin and yang for a thousand years, a Qilin transforming
into a prince! If Jin Qi or Ouyang Xue'er saw this, they would be astonished. The prince's current appearance was that of a renowned Daoist master, no longer the suit-wearing, ambitious young man in the company!
"Xiaoqian, what
are you looking at!" The Baxia demon beast, seeing Xiaoqian's expression, roared angrily, "They are respectable Daoist cultivators, how could they possibly be interested in a lewd fox like you? Calm down! Once I kill this so-called young master of the Shu Mountain Sect, you'll look at me differently!"
Only now did Jin Qi, the prince, and Dongshui Yuecang realize that this ugly Baxia demon beast actually harbored feelings for the beautiful female demon Xiaoqian!
"Haha! If Miss Xiaoqian were with you, it would truly be a toad lusting after a swan!"
The prince, shrewd and calculating
, immediately employed a counter-espionage tactic: "If you hadn't always seized upon Miss Xiaoqian's weaknesses to threaten her before the Great Celestial Venerable, how could Xiaoqian have listened to you? You are truly a despicable monster!"
Tears welled up in Xiaoqian's eyes. Since she had attained human form, no one had ever called her "Miss," only the prince! Only the prince truly understood her painstaking efforts!
The Baxia demon beast roared, "Shut up! You're talking nonsense! Hmph, three years ago, even the head of the Shu Mountain Sect, the Three Beginnings True Man, was defeated by the Great Celestial Venerable. He was probably too badly injured to recover and has already passed away! Haha, you're just a greenhorn, what kind of cultivation could you possibly have?"
"Haha!"
the prince laughed loudly, "Too badly injured? I think you're talking about the great demon who injured my father's 'Six Jia Wind and Thunder Technique'! My father has already recovered and is preparing to annihilate the great demon in one fell swoop!"
The Baxia demon beast was a little scared. The Great Celestial Venerable was injured by the Three Beginnings True Man's "Six Jia Wind and Thunder Technique," and it had only fully recovered in the past three years. Even the Great Celestial Venerable was wary of the Shu Mountain Sect's cultivation techniques, so it dared not underestimate its opponent! "However, because it was ridiculed by the prince earlier, who mocked it for being a toad trying to eat swan meat with Xiaoqian, it couldn't hold back. Suddenly, the Baxia demon beast's cold teeth gleamed, and it pounced on the prince like lightning!
"Be careful!" "
Frost and Traveler shouted loudly.
Jin Qi below thought to himself, "In the era of Journey to the West and Investiture of the Gods, in the battles between gods and immortals in cultivation, whoever used their divine artifacts first gained the upper hand and even won! I wonder if the prince will use his artifacts to defeat the Baxia demon beast!"
The prince had already made a plan, thinking to himself, "If I use one of the Nine Treasures of Shu Mountain... the sword, I'm afraid I'll win in one round; if I use the defensive artifacts of the Nine Treasures of Shu Mountain, no matter how it attacks, it will be in vain! Oh well, today I'll let it attack while I defend, showing the hospitality of my Qilin Company for over ten years, a grand style, and not letting Dong Shui Yue Cang and Jin Qi look down on my Shu Mountain lineage! It will also let Frost and Traveler know the power of the Daoist sect! The world is not the exclusive domain of the four great Buddhist sects and famous mountains; their reputation is simply too great!" "
Xiaoqian, Bing Shuang suddenly sensed something amiss in the sky. Looking up, she saw a gray cloud sweeping in from nowhere. Just moments before, there had been a light drizzle, but now her expression changed, knowing there must be another celestial event. Sure enough, the light rain turned into drifting snowflakes, covering an area of only a few feet, enveloping the fighting prince and the Baxia demon beast—it was incredibly eerie. She couldn't help but whisper, 'Be careful!'
This 'be careful,' it was unclear whether it was a warning to the Baxia demon beast or a warning to the prince!
Bing Shuang, being clever, understood the prince's attempt to sow discord and smiled, 'Miss Xiaoqian, it's rare for the prince to comfort you. I feel sorry for you, so that's why! Thank you for your concern for the prince!'
The prince readily obliged, smiling, and said, 'Thank you!' " "
The Baxia demon beast, having fallen for the trap, roared repeatedly. Its hard shell made it impervious to any sharp weapon in the world! It knew this cloud of gray hadn't been summoned by itself; it must have been summoned by the prince!
In its rage, it opened its mouth wide and spewed out a mouthful of raging fire!
But the prince wasn't afraid of the Baxia's fire. He simply tightened his defenses, immediately setting up Daoist seals all around him. The snowflakes and gray cloud were casually summoned, countering the ghostly winds of the Ghost Festival, effectively immobilizing and slowing Baxia's movements by more than half!
The prince then formed Daoist hand seals, rapidly conjuring them, summoning his magic power. He proclaimed: 'Azure Dragon, White Tiger, in harmonious opposition.
Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, guard my true self.
The Daoist mysteries of Mount Shu, hasten as the law commands!
Rise!'"
In mid-air, snowflakes and gray clouds slowly rotated, and a halo appeared out of thin air. It was clearly visible amidst the darkness, firelight, and snowflakes. Dong Shui Yue Cang and Bing Shuang recognized it as the Daoist technique, "Seeking the Cry to Rescue from Suffering, Boundless Daoist Ring." "What a magnificent 'Seeking the Cry to Rescue from Suffering, Boundless Daoist Ring'! It can... conceal the Five Elements Mystic Qi! What fear is there of demonic fire?"
Bing Shuang sighed.
This seal, which shook the cultivation world of the Shu Mountain Daoist sect! The prince's attack was even more powerful than Jin Qi's previous application!
Although Jin Qi couldn't see it, he could sense its power and couldn't help but admire it!
Clearly, Jin Qi also had a deep connection with the Shu Mountain sect, but he wasn't a member! The fact
that Jin Qi, with his soaring Yang energy, came from which sect was undoubtedly a huge secret!
Chapter 7005 of "The Death of Baxia": Shu Mountain Never Ends, Ten Thousand Years of Origin. The Shu Mountain Daoist techniques truly lived up to their reputation! "
The traveler saw the prince, who, upon hearing the cries of distress, used his boundless magical power to extinguish the demonic flames of the Baxia beast. He couldn't help but sigh. Jin Qi, hearing this below, chuckled to himself, 'Of course! In terms of history, the Shu Mountain lineage far surpasses all other sects! The Shu Mountain sect takes slaying demons and monsters, cultivating immortality and practicing the Dao as its great mission. Ten thousand years ago, the earth's energy in the divine realm underwent a strange change, and the divine tree grew to ten thousand feet tall, its roots like clouds hanging from the sky, penetrating deep into the heart of the deceased Pangu. Pangu's heart gathered the surrounding earth and rocks, gradually expanding to form a suspended mountain, which became Shu Mountain.'" While hiding, Dong Shuiyue Cang thought to himself, "
After Pangu created the world and died, not only was Kunlun Mountain the immortal mountain of Hongjun Laozu, Yuanshi Tianzun, and Xi Wangmu, but Shu Mountain was also transformed from Pangu's heart vein. Yuanshi Tianzun couldn't bear to see him sad, so he sent Puxian Zhenren, one of the twelve immortal disciples, to guard Shu Mountain. On the surface, he didn't value Shu Mountain as much as he valued Kunlun Mountain! In reality, Yuanshi Tianzun gave one of the four swords of Zhuxian to Puxian Zhenren, which shows that he valued Shu Mountain very much!"
Thinking of this, she sighed inwardly! Little
did she know that the Venerable Samantabhadra would later have a karmic connection with the Western Buddhist community. After arriving at Mount Shu, the Western Buddha took the opportunity to approach him and instructed him on ten vast vows: to pay homage to all Buddhas, praise the Great Sun Tathagata, make extensive offerings, repent of karmic obstacles, rejoice in merits, request the turning of the Dharma wheel, request the Buddha to remain in the world, constantly follow the Buddha's teachings, always be in harmony with sentient beings, and universally dedicate merits. These vows revealed their immeasurable merits. Later, guided by this virtuous conduct, the Venerable Samantabhadra moved the already joyful Buddha and was reborn in Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
The Buddha knew of this... The Ten Great Vows are the hallmark of all Bodhisattva practices and vows, hence also known as the Ocean of Vows of Samantabhadra. Therefore, considering his previous status as the True Man Samantabhadra, this Bodhisattva was bestowed the title of Great Practice Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, with his sacred site still located on Mount Emei!
Thus, the True Man Samantabhadra of Taoism disappeared, transformed into the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra of Buddhism!
The Buddha's scheme was brilliant; he cleverly lured one of the twelve great disciples of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable into Buddhism! He even managed to seize Mount Emei, the main peak of Mount Shu!
As for whether the Primordial Heavenly Venerable harbored any resentment towards the Buddha for poaching his disciple, who... Who knows!
Later, the Buddha became even bolder, further converting three of the twelve disciples of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable into Buddhahood. Julu Sun was converted to Buddhahood, Cihang Zhenren became Guanyin Bodhisattva, and Manjushri Zhenren was guided to become Manjushri Bodhisattva! The
pitiful Chan Sect never recovered from this!
The Primordial Heavenly Venerable could only watch as the Jade Emperor of Heaven and the Buddha of Mount Ling grew in power, his resentment understandable! If it weren't for the many vows the Primordial Heavenly Venerable made when inviting the Western Sect Leader to join him during the Investiture of the Gods war in order to bring down Tongtian Daoist... If he were restrained and controlled by the Buddha, he would have turned against him long ago!
Jin Qi, who was below, was also excited: "Therefore, when the Spiritual Stone Monkey Sun Wukong made a ruckus in Heaven two thousand years ago, the Primordial Heavenly Lord disdained to take action and forbade eight of his remaining twelve disciples from intervening. You should know that, not to mention others, even if it were Taiyi Zhenren, who was then the Eastern Qinghua Emperor, the Qingwei Sect Master, and the Taiyi Jiuku Heavenly Lord's teacher, or the Nine-Headed Lion under the Taiyi Jiuku Heavenly Lord, the Spiritual Stone Monkey would have no choice but to obediently surrender!" "
The Heavenly Venerable Taiyi, who hears the cries of suffering and saves from all directions, is a Taoist deity established by the Primordial Heavenly Venerable to counter the Great Compassionate and Merciful Guanyin Bodhisattva, who saves people from suffering and distress. In the future, when Buddhism and Taoism face a great calamity, a great battle will ensue. Who will prevail?
That's a story for later, not to be mentioned here!"
Dongshui Yuecang sighed, recalling these thoughts. Both Kunlun and Shushan belonged to the Taoist sect, so she felt a sense of shared fate.
She came from the ancient Kunlun, unknown to anyone, not even Prince Jin Qi!
Jin Qi knew that the four great Bodhisattvas of Buddhism were Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, all Mahayana saints possessing immeasurable vows and virtues, appearing in all Buddha-lands. Furthermore, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva and Manjushri Bodhisattva were the attendants of Shakyamuni Buddha. Manjushri rode a lion on the left side of the Buddha, and Samantabhadra rode a white elephant on the right. If these two attendants were to represent... The Dharma, manifested by Manjushri in wisdom, insight, and realization, and by Samantabhadra in principle, concentration, and practice…
together they interpret the complete and perfect wisdom, concentration, and practice of the Tathagata. Therefore, Manjushri and Samantabhadra are the foremost of all Bodhisattvas, constantly assisting in propagating the Tathagata's teachings and guiding all beings.
Unfortunately, these Bodhisattvas—Samantabhadra, Avalokiteshvara, and Manjushri—can never return to the Chan (elucidating) school of Taoism!
Thinking of this, Jin Qi couldn't help but sigh. It is precisely because of this that Mount Emei is now one of the four great Buddhist mountains!
Completely different from Mount Shu of Taoism!
However, the Taoist lineage of Mount Shu is also incredibly prosperous! Since ancient times, countless people of great wisdom have devoted their lives to cultivating the path to immortality, the so-called "cultivation of truth." Through cultivating immortal arts, they comprehend the eternal mysteries of heaven and earth, achieving a state of unity with the universe. Legend has it that on the summit of a certain peak among the eighty-one peaks of Mount Emei in Sichuan… There lies a path to a mysterious cultivation world—Mount Shu.
Around three thousand years ago, the land near Mount Shu possessed unusual energy, with occasional bursts of powerful spiritual energy breaking free from the seals of immortals. Discovered by some alchemists, Mount Shu became a legendary immortal mountain in the mortal realm, attracting cultivators who built huts there. However, no established sects existed at this time, and each cultivator's methods varied, relying entirely on self-realization. A few achieved immortality, mostly through "corpse liberation," a highly accidental process. Two thousand years ago, the number of cultivators on Mount Shu reached unprecedented heights, numbering in the thousands, divided into hundreds of small sects, each with its own unique cultivation methods. While the sects differed in their aims, most were connected to Taoist principles. Simultaneously, the cultivation activities of demons on Mount Shu were frequent, leading humanity to truly understand the existence of a race called "demons." Mount Shu possessed a considerable... Some cultivators took it upon themselves to slay demons and monsters, believing that this would accumulate merit and lead to ascension to immortality. The
swordsmen of Mount Shu gradually appeared in folk legends. The White Snake cultivated for 1800 years in the Qingfeng Cave of Mount Shu! In the centuries that followed, the Mount Shu lineage became increasingly mysterious, practicing alchemy and consuming elixirs, secluded valleys for spiritual nourishment, and worshipping immortal swords. Their internal energy cultivation was increasingly revered as the orthodox path of Taoism. However, they sought to accumulate merit rather than ascend to immortality, actively engaging in worldly matters to slay demons. Thus, their legends in the martial world continued, and their prestige far surpassed that of all other martial arts sects!
At the summit of Mount Shu, the Demon-Locking Tower was a sacred place!
However, like the Nine Nether Valley of Kunlun Mountain, it was little known to cultivators, who dreamed of its location. Where exactly was it?
The Demon-Locking Tower of Mount Shu and the Nine Nether Valley of Kunlun were the most mysterious places in the legends of millennia, and naturally, they would later become associated with Jin Qi, Dong Shui Yue Cang, and the Prince!

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【Exquisite Temptation】【Part Two】【Author: Old Guest Listening to Rain】

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