629 Black Crows and the Priest in Red (1/2)
Chapter 629: Black Crows and the Priest in Red
Translator: TransnEditor: Transn
Earlier on the bridge, Ning Que's podao had met the iron staff in the ascetic monks' hands. There was a loud crash before the staff was thrown into the air. Then, Ning Que killed the man with his blade.
In the monastery, Ning Que's podao and the staff that had torn through air met. However, there was only a light click that sounded like the burning of a calligraphy brush by the flames of an oil lamp.
This was because the person who wielded the staff had a higher cultivation state than the ascetic monk at the end of the bridge. The metal staff was infused with the Qi of Heaven and Earth and was extremely fast and stable. Compared to that, Ning Que's way of waving his blade was also sharper. When the two met, the metal staff was not thrown into the air but was cut right in the middle!
There was a light poof and the iron staff was cut into two! The upper half of the staff brushed across Ning Que's shoulder as it flew by, breaking a large hole through the colored roof of the monastery. The lower half, which was slightly sharp, was wielded by the person who aimed it at Ning Que's abdomen. There was an angry bellow as the person rushed toward Ning Que!
Ning Que could clearly sense the thick Buddhist aura in the man's left hand. He had also sensed that the upper half of the iron staff that had broken through the roof was flying back at a high speed. Right now, there was a sharp iron staff heading toward his abdomen and there was a part of the iron staff that was rushing at his back. He was in a very dangerous situation as he was being attacked on all three sides, including the withered old palm.
However, he did not panic at all. Master Yan Se had once described what Sage of Sword, Liu Bai had said, ”The sword may fly a dozen miles, but it is not as important as the foot of distance before you.” Ning Que, who had started cultivation late in life was like Ye Hongyu. He knew how to win in a battle against the seemingly powerful cultivators. He knew the meaning of a true battle.
The podao's stroke had yet to end and could not return to Ning Que's front. Ning Que did not hesitate to release the hilt from his right hand as the two parts of the staff attacked him from back and front and the withered hand neared. His left hand reached out like a strike of lightning and batted away the staff that was approaching his abdomen. Then, he trampled forward and punched the person in the face.
There were two resounding slaps and Ning Que retreated. His right hand swung in the air and took hold of the podao that had not had the time to descend yet. Closely following that were another two resounding claps. The two parts of the metal staff had fallen on the ground. The person panted miserably, retreating with hands covering her face. Her hand had long been retracted.
No matter how mysterious cultivation was, it still depended on humans to control it. Once his opponent had been attacked, how would they be able to use their cultivation powers?
However, the battle was not over yet.
The thick clothes outside the monastery windows suddenly floated up and fell in pieces. They were torn into several plain flowers. Due to the thickness of the cloth, the petals of these flowers seemed rather thick. However, they felt suffocating and imposing. If these flowers covered one's face, it would be hard to breathe.
The podao in Ning Que's right hand vibrated intensely in the air around him like several strikes of lightning. It cut the flowers into tatters without difficulty. Then, he turned and disappeared into the depths of the monastery.
There was a Buddha statue deep inside the monastery. There was an incense pot, a bell, and two futons in front of it. A girl sat on one of the futons, her back facing the monastery doors. On the other futon, sat an old woman who was vomiting blood. She was the person who had tried to stealthily attack Ning Que with an iron staff but was punched by him instead.
The blade rushed through the air and landed softly on the neck of the girl. Ning Que looked at the girl's back emotionlessly and said, ”Ladies, long time no see.”
The old woman pushed herself up from the ground and sat on the futon. She glared at Ning Que venomously and said, ”If we had to meet again, why was it not in the underworld?”
The old woman's face was full of wrinkles and her expression was menacing. Even though her glare was venomous, deep in her eyes, one could vaguely see the desire for death. She was Aunt Quni Madi.
The girl on the futon turned around. Her pale face was just as beautiful as it once was. However, her expression was indifferent and numb. Her hair was covered by a cap and she looked like a nun who was intent on cultivation. She was the Flower Addict, Lu Chenjia.
In the late winter of the 16th year of Tianqi era, there was a large battle at Lanke Temple. The president of Commandment Yard of Xuankong Temple, Master Boshu died. Quni Madi was very upset and she was even more jaded by Daoshi's death. When she returned to Yuelun Kingdom, she asked to cultivate in the monastery at White Tower Temple and eventually grew indifferent.
The Flower Addict, Lu Chenjia had experienced many things and felt hopeless. She gradually fell out of love and followed Aunt into this monastery and they lived in seclusion, practicing vegetarianism and reciting scripture in front of the Buddha statue.
So, the two most famous and highly regarded women of Yuelun Kingdom left the mortal world. They cared naught of the secular world, and only sought for peace in the monastery. They lived peacefully for a year and did not interact with the world.
They did not know that Ning Que and Sangsang were still alive, and did not know that the two had arrived at Chaoyang City. The two, who were indifferent to the world did not react at all to the ringing of the bells across the city. They only reacted when Ning Que came to the White Tower Temple and crossed the narrow bridge, killing the two Ascetic Monks.
”I didn't expect you to still be alive and to come to Yuelun.”
Quni Madi wiped the blood off her lips and glared at Ning Que venomously. She suddenly realized what was happening and laughed madly. ”It seems like you and the Daughter of Yama have been constantly pursued. What a happy thing it is.”
The Aunt who was highly regarded in the Buddhism Sect had lived placidly over the past year. She had not made any moves. However, hatred was the strongest force in the world. When she saw Ning Que, whom she hated the most, appearing before her, her face livened up, an intense hatred spreading across her features.
Lu Chenjia had not expected Ning Que and Sangsang to still be alive either. She looked at Sangsang, who Ning Que was carrying on his back, and her expression, which was like petals in ice, flickered. The emotions in her eyes grew complicated, and she looked lost.
Ning Que looked at the two and did not speak because there was no need for him to.
The terrifying aura outside the Western city gates had made him turn back. He had nowhere to run since there were cultivation powerhouses from both the Buddhist and Taoist sect as well as residents of Chaoyang city actively pursuing them. That was why he had gone to the monastery to rest and wait for the change he had been waiting for. Quni Madi and Lu Chenjia were just his hostages.
He had secretly studied the surroundings of the temple when they came to study Buddhism in winter. He had noticed some issues with the eyot in the back hall. While he could not get close to it, he noticed an ascetic monk with an iron staff frequenting the eyot. He had also seen the same monk back in the Wilderness and knew that he was Quni Madi and Lu Chenjia's guard. He observed them several times and was certain that both Quni Madi and Lu Chenjia were in the monastery.
The ugly sounds of crows croaking rang outside the monastery. Ning Que took out two stiff leather ropes and bounded Quni Madi and Lu Chenjia. Then, he walked to the curtains and looked through the petal-shaped holes and saw the black crows circling the air.