In Zhang Xiaofans eyes, the clouds in the sky, whether white or black, had never been as close to the ground as the dark clouds tonight. The thunder had never been so deafening, and the lightning had never been so dazzling that it was almost impossible for him to look straight at it.

  It seems as if the sky is about to collapse.

  He stood there stupidly, watching the black-clad men and old monks in the grass temple glare at each other, making gestures as if to fight.

  Suddenly, a loud thunderclap shook his ears and made them ring. At that moment, he saw a dazzling flash of lightning appear in the sky, which actually struck the ground and landed on the black-robed mans long sword.

  In an instant, the black-clad mans clothes puffed up all over his body, his eyes wide open as if about to burst. At this moment, inside the thatched hut, under the intense illumination of the lightning, it was like broad daylight.

  That lightning blooming on the sword tip in the night was so beautiful that Zhang Xiaofan held his breath, and in Pu Zhis eyes, a strange frenzy reappeared.

  "Is this the great power and strength of the true method of Taoism?"

  At the loud shout of the man in black, with a left-handed sword move, using all his strength to flick his wrist, a thunderclap sounded, and an electric spark shot out from the sword towards Pu Zhi. Along the way, grass, wood, bricks, and stones were all shaken and flew about, only leaving behind a deep scorch mark on the road in the middle.

  Pu Zhi took three steps back, withdrew his hand seal, clasped his palms together, and revealed a solemn expression. His entire body emitted a faint golden glow as he murmured in a low voice: "May the Buddhas compassion be upon me!"

  With a "crack", the seven remaining beryl prayer beads in front of him shattered, and three feet in front of him, a huge "Buddha" character appeared, shining with golden light that was dazzling to behold.

  The next moment, lightning and the Buddhas words collided together.

  Zhang Xiaofan suddenly felt his heart thumping violently, as if all the blood in his body had flowed backwards in an instant. His limbs went limp and he couldnt breathe, feeling that at that moment, the wind stopped, the thunder ceased, and the entire world came to a standstill.

  Then, he involuntarily flew backward, and before he could even feel afraid, a brilliant white light burst forth, unmatched in its splendor, far surpassing the sun in the sky. The entire thatched hut shattered into four or five pieces, with the two men as the center, flying outward in all directions including upwards.

  In his heart, empty and hollow, he only felt the sharp wind sound, constantly sweeping past his ears.

  He felt afraid and subconsciously wanted to curl up, but he was powerless and could only let himself drift towards an unknown place.

  A thought flashed through his mind: Am I going to die?

  A sudden and intense fear seized his heart, he was covered in cold sweat, and slightly trembling.

  When death stands in front of you, how will you face it?

  He fainted and lost consciousness.

  ※※※

  Pu Zhi slowly walked over, his steps unsteady, with Zhang Xiao Fan and Lin Jing Yu tucked under his arms. He arrived at a slightly cleaner spot, gently put down the two children, and suddenly felt severe pain all over his body, as if he was about to split open. He could no longer support himself and collapsed onto the ground.

  He looked down at his chest, and through the scorched monks robe, he could vaguely see that a black gas had gradually surrounded his chest, leaving only a small area around his heart that had not been invaded.

  He let out a bitter laugh, reached into his pocket and rummaged around. His hand shook violently, and after a while, he slowly pulled out a red pill about the size of a thumb, flat and unremarkable.

  Pu Zhi let out a sigh and said in a low voice, "I didnt think Id still have to take that Three Days Death Pill from Gui Yi after all."

  He hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly and swallowed the pill.

  Then he raised his head and looked towards the distant mountains.

  The sky finally floated down rain.

  The Qingyun Mountain stands tall in the wind and rain, mysterious and hazy.

  "The Taoists art is truly mysterious and can even command the power of the heavenly gods. If it were combined with our Buddhist teachings, taking the strengths of each to compensate for the weaknesses, we would certainly be able to dispel the confusion about longevity and immortality. Alas, Daoxuan Zhenrens cultivation far surpasses mine, but in the end, he is no different from my three senior brothers - unable to let go of his sectarian views and put aside his status and position."

  Pu Zhi let out a long sigh, withdrew his gaze and looked at the two children. At this time, the rain grew heavier, wetting their heads and faces. The grass hut had been torn apart in the previous fight, and there was no place nearby that could completely block the wind and rain.

  His heart suddenly tightened, and he couldnt help but worry about the two children. Just now, he had forcefully mobilized his true yuan with the "Mahavairocana" technique of Tianyin Temple, borrowing the power of the Buddhist treasure "Jade Bead Rosary" to produce a powerful force that could subdue demons, and only then was he able to block the evil mans unparalleled "Divine Sword Thunderbolt Technique". He had even counterattacked and heavily injured him, causing him to flee in shock. However, his severely injured body had also suffered another blow from the Daoists strange technique, leaving him on the verge of death, with no last thread of life left. At present, he was only able to prolong his lifespan by three days thanks to the ghost doctors "Three Days Must Die Pill", barely clinging to life.

  "That wicked man was seriously injured, but not fatally. After I leave, he will definitely return to kill and silence them. At that time, it wont just be these two children, the lives of everyone in this village will be in danger. What... what... how can this be good?"

  Pu Zhishens mind was in disarray, his cultivation and moral integrity were extremely high, but first, knowing that he would inevitably die, his spirit had already become somewhat disordered; secondly, worrying about the innocent lives of the common people, it just so happened that the demon seemed to be a person with a very high status within the Qingyun Gate, if he rashly went up the mountain to seek help, he feared that nothing would come of it, and instead, disaster would ensue.

  But what he regretted most was that his lifelong wish could not be fulfilled. As one of the four great divine monks of Tianyin Temple, he was admired and respected by the world, but for him, it was more important to break through the mystery of life and death and untie the knot of longevity. However, he had already realized 50 years ago that no matter how hard he practiced Buddhist Dharma, he could only strengthen his powers and cultivation, but not break through the mystery of life and death.

  He racked his brains, and after decades, he finally came up with an unprecedented method. Today, the three religions of Buddhism, Taoism, and Demon are at their peak, with the highest and deepest attainments in magic. The Demon Sect is notorious for its evil reputation, cruel and unorthodox techniques, which people do not accept; while the Taoist sects extraordinary skills are profound and mysterious, each having its own strengths and weaknesses. If they can join forces to study together, they will surely break through the deadlock.

  He never thought that the three brothers, who were always open-minded, would unanimously oppose him, thinking he was talking nonsense and advising him repeatedly. He felt resentful and visited several famous Taoist families many times, including Qingyun Mountain, but was rejected by Daoxuan Zhenren, the leader of Qingyun Gate.

  He couldnt help but smile wryly, with a hint of self-mockery, thinking to himself: With only three days left to live, yet still thinking about eternal life - isnt that just the foolish worries of an ordinary person?

  He had opened his heart, but seeing the two children lying on the ground, he really couldnt put his mind at ease. For a moment, he couldnt think of any good strategy, so he looked around and saw that there was still a pine tree in the distance that could block the wind and rain, which was better than nothing. He mustered up his spirit, picked up the two children, and struggled to walk towards it.

  After much difficulty, they finally reached the tree and carefully laid down the two people. Pu Zhi was already exhausted, and as soon as he sat down on the ground with his back against the trunk, he began to pant incessantly.

  Heaven and earth are not benevolent, regarding all things as straw dogs!

  This famous Taoist saying was spoken with a hint of sorrow and indignation, slowly recited from Pu Zhis mouth.

  The sky is as black as ink, covering the entire earth. Endless dark clouds press down on us, rain threads fall from the sky, fine and dense, cold wind blows in, drop by drop, hitting our faces, chilling to the heart.

  He gazed up at the sky for a moment, then slowly withdrew his gaze and looked at the two children in front of him. In a low voice, he said: "Two young masters, I have a heart to save you, but unfortunately, I have no power. The matter was caused by me, but it has harmed you instead, what a sin! Alas, if you two were disciples of Qingyun, on Mount Qingyun, among the crowd, perhaps you would still be safe, but now..."

  Suddenly, Puzhis whole body shook, and he muttered to himself: "Qingyun disciple, Qingyun disciple" His mind was racing, as if he had grasped something, but it was about to slip away in the blink of an eye. In an instant, he had broken out in a cold sweat.

  Then, for some reason, that inexplicable fervor reappeared in his eyes.

  He looked up at the sky and burst out laughing, but his laughter was tinged with a hint of madness!

  "Wonderful, wonderful! Although my life is not long, if I can pass on the Buddhist divine art to one person and let him enter the Qingyun Gate to practice Taoist techniques, wouldnt it be a double gain? Not only can I save their two lives, but also fulfill my wish!"

  "The Buddhist and Taoist sects have been at odds since ancient times, never interacting with each other. Who would have thought that a young youth, living under the Qingyun Mountains from childhood, would possess the skills of both schools? If someone can master both teachings, they will surely break through the mystery of immortality that has lasted for ten thousand years. Hehe, if so, what regrets would I have in death?"

  He made up his mind in an instant, and his whole body was extremely excited, with red cheeks, bloodshot eyes, and he unconsciously looked at Lin Jingyus body, stretching out his hand. But when it reached halfway, he stopped again, thinking to himself: This matter is of great importance, the various sects of today are extremely particular about their gates, and they are extremely taboo against stealing masters. If people find out, the matter will be exposed, and there will be no doubt that he will die. Lin Jingyus talent is excellent, if he is recruited by Qingyun Gate, he will definitely receive attention from his teachers. At such a young age, he cant keep this huge secret hidden!

  Thinking of this, he was moved in his heart, and his eyes fell on Zhang Xiaofans body. He remembered the strong personality of the day when he was dying but not yielding, nodded, and said: "The talent is a bit worse, it doesnt matter, from now on it depends on your own luck."

  After finishing speaking, he didnt hesitate any longer, stretched out his hand and patted Zhang Xiaofans body a few times, using the remaining Buddha power to revive him.

  ※※※

  Zhang Xiaofan slowly woke up, his eyes blurry, and his ears buzzing. After a while, he recovered normally, saw the things in front of him clearly, and was suddenly frightened, with his mouth wide open and unable to close it.

  He only saw the old monk covered in scars all over his body, sitting in front of him. The left side of his body seemed to have been burned by something and was dry and ugly. His face was dark and had a look of death on it. However, for some reason, the old monks expression was excited and his eyes were full of laughter. In addition, he also saw his playmate Lin Xingyu lying beside him, unconscious.

  "What are you doing?" Zhang Xiaofan was stunned for a while before asking in a daze.

  Pu Zhizhi didnt answer, but instead carefully examined him and asked in return: "Little donor, its windy and rainy, youre just a young child from a good family, why have you come to this remote place?"

  Zhang Xiaofan was taken aback for a moment, then said: "I saw you standing in the temple at dusk, and later I saw that it was going to rain. This place is very dilapidated and I thought it would be very cold, so I brought some food for you."

  Pu Zhis mouth moved slightly, and he joined his palms together: "Good, good. All things are destined, predetermined by fate, the Buddha is compassionate."

  "What did you say?"

  Pu Zhi smiled and said: "Im saying that the young donor has a fate with me. Since so, I have a set of cultivation methods, is the young donor willing to learn?"

  Zhang Xiaofan said: "What is the law?"

  Pu Zhi was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing, stretched out his thin palm and patted his little head, saying: "Its nothing, just teaching you some breathing exercises. After you learn it, promise me a few things, okay?"

  Zhang Xiaofan seemed to understand and yet not understand, but still said: "Youre right."

  Pu Zhidao said: "You must not mention this matter to anyone else, even if it is a close relative. Can you do that?"

  Zhang Xiaofan nodded and said, "I know, Id rather die than say."

  Pu Zhis heart skipped a beat as he saw the young boy, his face set in determination, amidst the rain that was like knives and swords, wetting his small face, with a hint of weariness.

  Pu Zhi suddenly took a deep breath, lowered his eyelids and stopped looking at him. However, he continued to say: "Also, you must practice this technique once a day, but you cannot do it in front of people. You can only do it when the night is quiet. Finally, unless its a matter of life and death, you absolutely cannot use this technique. Otherwise, there will be great disaster."

  He opened his eyes again and stared at Zhang Xiaofan, saying: "Did you make it?"

  Zhang Xiaofan hesitated for a moment, tilted his head, scratched his head again, and looked puzzled, but ultimately nodded heavily.

  Pu Zhi smiled slightly and began to pass on a set of passwords to him without saying much more.

  This set of rhymes is only about a thousand words, but its dry and profound. Zhang Xiaofan used all his might and spent three hours before he could recite them all from memory.

  Pu Zhi let out a sigh of relief, his expression extremely tired. He looked at Zhang Xiao Fan, and couldnt help but have a loving look in his eyes, saying: "Ive spent my whole life cultivating, never having the intention to take on a disciple. Who would have thought that at the moment of my death, Id end up having a master-disciple relationship with you? You should know my name." He paused for a moment, then said: "My Dharma name is Pu Zhi, and Im a monk from Tianyin Temple. Hmm, child, do you know about Tianyin Temple?"

  Zhang Xiaofan thought for a moment and shook his head.

  Pu Zhi was taken aback and lost his smile, saying: "Youre really just a child." Then he thought of something again, reached into his bosom to search out a deep purple pearl, examined it carefully for several moments, and handed it to Zhang Xiaofan, saying: "You should take good care of this pearl, dont let outsiders see it. When the time is right in the future, find a deep valley cliff and throw it down, thats all. Also, the name I told you earlier, you absolutely must not mention it to outsiders."

  Zhang Xiaofan took the pearl and said, "I understand."

  Pu Zhi stroked his head and said, "You and I have such a deep affinity, who knows if well meet again in the next life? Kid, kneel down and kowtow to me three times, call me Master!"

  Zhang Xiaofan looked at Pu Zhi, but saw that he had already put away his smile and his face was serious. He nodded in agreement and called out "Master". Then he knelt down on the ground and knocked his head three times heavily. Just as he finished knocking his head, he raised it to hear Pu Zhi laugh softly, but there was a hint of sadness and determination in his laughter.

  Zhang Xiaofan was just about to look up at him when he suddenly felt a pat on his back, and instantly everything went black, and once again he lost consciousness.