Chapter 326 – The Affairs of Life are no Different from Chess (1/2)

Just as the school leaders were about to strike, Altar Lord Black Lotus said, “School leaders, do you only look right in front of you and never behind you?”

“What do you mean?” Liu Zhangqing asked.

“This is both my designated end, as well as the Academy of the Hundred Schools’ designated end.”

“You can’t talk yourself out of this. Are you just trying to make time? The academy is protected by a great formation. Even if the White Lotus Mother comes in person, she won’t be able to break through it so easily.” As Liu Zhangqing said that, his expression suddenly changed.

He took out a formation disc coiled with dragons and snakes. The glow it had originally shone with had actually vanished. The various school leaders all knew what this meant. The Formation of Dragons and Snakes that guarded the academy had fallen!

Qian Rongzhi watched as a white lotus grew in the formation. It swayed about, pure and beautiful.

The stream of spiritual qi that constantly gushed into the air was immediately severed. The formation was powerful, but it required great precision too. It was like a machine. As long as a single component became defective, the entirety would be affected.

The sky twisted. It remained just as blue as before, but the mist that surrounded the various islands of the academy gradually dispersed under the winter sun.

A few fishermen who happened to be on the lake gazed at the islands before them in surprise. They had already heard about how immortals occupied this place, but this was the first time they had seen it in person.

“What’s going on!?” Disciples of the various schools all emerged from the buildings and gazed at the sky, discussing among themselves. They had even thought that the formation had encountered some sort of difficulty in its operation.

Hua Chengzan was the first to sense that something was off. He said in surprise and fury, “Qian Rongzhi, what are you doing!

?” Then he spotted the resplendent white lotus. His surprise and fury turned into disbelief, as well as a sliver of fear.

He already knew that Qian Rongzhi was a spy in the White Lotus cult, but he never expected her to actually become carried away with it. The White Lotus cult had become an existence hated and loathed by all a long time ago, only growing worse as time went on. Their members were always in precarious situations. With how clever she was, why would she become so devoted to their cause?

Qian Rongzhi said, “Commander Hua, I’m just an insignificant soldier carrying out orders, so why must you make things difficult for a mere woman like me?”

Why would Hua Chengzan listen to her? He lunged over straight away. Before anything else, he had to destroy the white lotus so that the formation could begin operating again. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.

It was an old woman with grey hair. Although her face was covered in wrinkles, she seemed extremely benevolent. Her deep creases from smiling made her seem like she was constantly smiling. She held a white lotus in her hand, but it was close to withering away. Her gaze towards Hua Chengzan was so gentle too, like she was looking at her own son or grandson.

However, Hua Chengzan experienced an almost suffocating pressure. He turned mid-air and leapt backwards. A few people appeared beside him before he knew it. There were men and women, old and young, but they all smiled.

They were not sneering or smiling sinisterly, nor were they faking their smiles. Instead, it possessed joy from the bottom of their heart, as if everything in the world, no matter how insignificant, brought them delight.

A cold sensation filled his head, running all the way to the soles of his feet. He was familiar with all of these people apart from the old woman, having heard about them many times. The bounties on their heads were astronomical. The remaining Altar Lords of the White Lotus cult had all gathered here.

Qian Rongzhi bowed politely, “Disciple Qian Rongzhi welcomes the holy mother’s esteemed presence, the various Altar Lord’s presence.”

Hua Chengzan was shocked. Sure enough, the old woman was the White Lotus Mother, but wasn’t she rumored to be a middle-aged woman?

“Get up. There’s no need to dwell on these empty gestures. I still need to thank you for opening the door for me. I’ve made you take on quite the risk.”

“To share the holy mother’s burden is my responsibility.”

“Who’s this?”

“His name is Hua Chengzan. He’s a Scarlet Wolf commander, and he’s a trusted subordinate of Gu Yanying.”

Only when she heard Gu Yanying’s name did the White Lotus Mother look at Hua Chengzan carefully. “You really are quite a rare handsome man. If I were a little younger, even I’d probably be interested. It truly is a waste for you to serve below that Gu Yanying who doesn’t know the wondrous essence of life.”

Hua Chengzan knew that he was probably done for this time. He smiled. “It’s just a pity that I don’t like old women.”

“Oh? Then what do you think about this?” The White Lotus Mother was not bothered by that. She underwent an alarming transformation. The wrinkles on her face smoothed out bit by bit as her withered lips gradually reddened. Even her grey hair had turned black, and her skin had become snow-white. In the blink of an eye, she had become a beautiful young woman. The white lotus in her hand seemed to rejuvenate too, returning to a state before it had bloomed.

The White Lotus Mother said with a clear voice that sounded like an oriole’s song, “Although I seem a little old sometimes, I’m still a person after all. Is he on the list too?”

Qian Rongzhi said, “Yes!”

“Then take him back. Enlighten him to the righteous cause and turn him into a member of the White Lotus cult!”

Before he could even see what the White Lotus Mother had done, Hua Chengzan collapsed on the ground helplessly. Although he was still conscious, he could not even move a single finger or mobilise a single shred of true qi.

A thought filled his head for no reason. Is this the difference that exists between me and her?

The White Lotus Mother left behind an Altar Lord to watch over the formation and directly made her way over to Contention island. The other Altar Lords ventured to the other schools and islands with their various cultists to gather resources and find people on the “list”.

This list had originated from Qian Rongzhi. It recorded all the talented disciples of the various schools.