Chapter 171 – With Generosity comes with Ties of Friendship (2/2)
Hao Pingyang extended his hand. “Then let’s work together and get him!” Several hands stacked on top of him as everyone looked at one another with smiles. They all felt much closer with one another. They no longer treated Li Qingshan as an outsider anymore. It was as if they had not just met a moment ago, but were old acquaintances.
Xiao An leaned on her hand as she sat on the roof of the morgue. When Li Qingshan fell back down, he left her up there to keep an eye out. He also told her to avoid using her powers unless she had to, so she just watched as the Zombie Daoist fled from the morgue. Her eyes were not particularly special, but they could see through all illusions and truths. Concealing techniques were a form of illusions, so they were completely useless against her. She wanted to go down and warn Li Qingshan, but in the blink of an eye, the Zombie Daoist had fled already, so she could only give up on that idea.
If she had pursued earlier, there probably would have been a very great chance for her to taste fresh flesh and blood! However, as long as Li Qingshan told her to do something, she would always oblige obediently.
The desolate moonlight fell on her emotionless face as she listened in on the conversation below. She seemed rather cold.
As her cultivation of the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty deepened, her mind seemed to gradually return to when she was a spirit. However, that previous state was the numbness that came from losing a sense of individuality from all the torture, but now, it was indifference that came with clearly understanding everything.
When she controlled the fire and swallowed everyone one by one, it was not as simple as absorbing the essence within their flesh and blood. It was unlike what regular evil or demonic cultivators did, sacrificing living people to forge artifacts and treasures, who would then be denounced and hunted down by humanity.
Whether it be the blood flames or the pale flames, they were all a part of her. As she fused with the flesh and blood, especially when it came from living people or people who had just died, she could clearly sense their resentment, fury, pain, fear…
The barrage of all of these negative emotions was enough to make a regular person collapse in a single instant. Even cultivators with sturdy wills would be shaken up by that, developing doubt about their own actions and existences. They would be haunted by these dead souls for the rest of their lives. This was the most difficult psychological test of the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty.
However, she did not feel troubled at all. Just like reading a buddhist scripture, she read the wails of pain and anguish of the deceased, without any pity or sympathy at all, just like gods and buddhas who sat up high on the lotus throne, taking in the suffering of all life with a clear, indifferent mind. It was not that these emotions were suppressed, but rather they were unable to develop these emotions.
She could neither be moved by friendship and hot-bloodedness, nor would she be troubled by the curse of resentment. There was no difference between the red and black ants. All living creatures were equal. All of them could be killed, apart from him.
Within the morgue, they discussed the plan as the sky in the east gradually lit up.
Suddenly, Xiao An stood up and cast her gaze into the distance. Looking past the wilderness, she saw a group of people rapidly drawing closer. She leapt down from the roof and arrived beside Li Qingshan.
Just from making eye contact once, Li Qingshan understood that Zhuo Zhibo was finally here. He said to the mohist disciples, “Please go first. I have some personal matters to settle. I’ll catch up to you later.”
Hao Pingyang said, “Just what is there that is more important than hunting down the Zombie Daoist?”
Li Qingshan only smiled, while Hao Pingyang did not ask him any more questions. Seeing how determined he was, Hao Pingyang said, “Alright then. We’ll set off first and wait for you at the entrance of the Zombie Cave.”