Following the sound, Zhen Guan turned his head and saw Meng Qi and Zhen Hui. A hint of cold smile appeared on his thin face: "So it's Fellow Disciple Zhen Ding, I didn't expect to meet an old acquaintance in a foreign land, are you well?"

  He walked straight towards Meng Qi, a layer of fine black scales appearing on his face and the back of his hands, like a human-shaped venomous snake, emitting an eerie aura that shocked the soul.

  Meng Qi had long been tempered by the demonic energy within the Sharira, and at this moment, he was not mentally disordered. With a clang, he drew out his precept knife, opened up "Duan Qing Jing" to start, and concentrated his spirit and will inwardly.

  "Amitabha Buddha, anger and poison enter the body, never to return. Please calm down, donor." The young monk Hongnang declared a Buddhist mantra, his clear and melodious voice echoing in the small temple, directly entering the heart, vast and peaceful, as if the evening drum and morning bell, awakening people lost in the sea of suffering.

  Zhen Guan's footsteps came to a halt, and he glanced at Meng Qi, who seemed ordinary but gave off an extremely dangerous aura. He then looked at Hong Nang, whose appearance was detached and compassionate, and silently assessed his own strength before quietly sitting down across from them with his package in hand.

  Meng Qi didn't make a move, but earlier when Zhen Guan fully unleashed his demonic powers, the aura was terrifying. Even if it wasn't as strong as An Guo Xie and Yuan Meng Zhi, it was still close. Judging from the clash of their auras, his strength is probably around 8th rank. However, he doesn't have the limit of risking his life in a thunderstorm.

  So, although Meng Qi really wanted to know how Zhen Guan had colluded with the demons and monsters behind the mountain, the origin of that secret path, and whether he had any relationship with his senior brother Zhen Chang, he still restrained his impulse, lest they both end up losing - with Gu Longqing and Zhen Hui present, Meng Qi felt no fear of being completely drained of energy, but even so, it was not necessarily possible to capture Zhen Guan, and if he were to suffer some serious injury, and then encounter the temporarily still "unenlightened" Ma Fei, the problem would become very big.

  His strength grew so fast... Meng Qi was secretly amazed, he had the strange encounter of the wheel world and exchange, until now he has only opened four apertures, and when he was a young boy, Zhen Guan didn't even have a cultivation method, but now he almost has the strength of eight apertures. Could this be the harvest of transforming into a half-demon body as Master said? However, in that case, there must be great hidden dangers, it's probably not as good as accumulating good deeds and letting the master of the six paths of reincarnation infuse his body with eight apertures at once.

  Zhen Hui kept stealing glances at Zhen Guan, looking very curious but not daring to ask, occasionally looking towards Meng Qi, expecting the "all-knowing" senior brother to speak up.

  "Amitabha, all beings are empty, the donor's karma is entwined with his body, why add more sins?" Hong Neng recited another Buddha's name, his eyes solemn and yet compassionate as he looked at Zhen Guan holding the package.

  Zhen Guan let out a cold snort, his expression slightly dazed as he opened the package, revealing two skulls that had been pickled in lime, their mouths curled up in a seemingly pleased smile: "They killed my parents, annihilated my family, today is merely the cycle of cause and effect, there must be retribution! Seventy-two heads have only taken down eighteen, still fifty-four remain!"

  "Amitabha, when will the cycle of revenge end? The donor has already fallen into the sea of suffering in the underworld. Why not put down your attachment and follow me, a poor monk, to build a Buddhist temple in this desolate land, accumulate some merit, and seek liberation in the next life?" Hongnang sighed and took on the responsibility of explaining.

  Meng Qi slightly furrowed his brow, "He Lian Shan's seventy-two thieves, the Cry of the Old Man and the Lonely Sun 'Yama' still have one more descendant? It turns out that becoming an orphan was all thanks to them. No wonder I would reunite with him in the vast ocean, it was truly inevitable for him to come here."

  Upon hearing Hong Nang's words of advice, Zhen Guan burst out laughing: "These words, Master, should have been spoken to them when they killed my parents. Yesterday's cause is today's effect - this is the Buddha's teaching."

  "The cause of today is the result of tomorrow, entangled in karma, hard to escape, don't you understand?" Hong Nang suddenly shouted, as if a thunderclap, imitating the ancient monks, doing the "head-striking shout", "Don't you quickly put down your butcher's knife, break free from karma, and attain Buddhahood on the spot!"

  When it comes to debating scriptures, Zhen Guan is indeed a worthy opponent for Hong Neng. Qiang Zi argued back and forth for several sentences, but was left speechless by the other's words. He stopped talking altogether, staring blankly at the ground.

  Although he could speak eloquently like a blooming lotus flower, he was unable to attain true enlightenment and repentance. For the time being, he felt somewhat disheartened and closed his eyes to rotate his prayer beads.

  Watching his behavior, Meng Qi couldn't help but laugh secretly. Previously, Hiro's performance had given him a feeling of facing a high-ranking monk, almost neglecting his age. Now it seems that even with a deep Buddhist nature and an out-of-the-world demeanor, the 20-year-old Hiro still lacked the composure of being unruffled by fame or disgrace, and having an air of emptiness towards all things. This sulky and petulant behavior was more fitting for his age!

  He took a light breath, and in front of Hong Nang, he also unconsciously put on an elegant and calm demeanor: "Amitabha, True Contemplation Shixiong, at the back mountain that year, I saw you leave from the secret path, but was momentarily timid and didn't dare to go forward to greet you. Who would have thought that we could reunite here today."

  He started speaking in clichés.

  Zhen Guan coldly smiled and said: "I was expelled from the temple, I no longer have a Dharma name, I've resumed my secular surname. However, you can call me whatever you want. To say it, I also owe it to you, Zhen Ding Shidi. If not for you, how would I have encountered such an opportunity and gained the power of revenge?"

  He did not reveal what his secular name was.

  "Was it on the night you were expelled from the temple that something strange happened?" Meng Qi asked, seemingly nonchalantly.

  "Think I'd tell you?" Zhen Guan smiled slyly and said.

  "What's the so-called strange encounter? It's just a half-demon body, with extremely great hidden dangers. What significance does it have?" Meng Qi didn't feel even the slightest bit of anger, as for the hidden dangers and whatnot, he was just speculating and exaggerating.

  Zhen Guan's face suddenly turned gloomy: "For you cultivable monks, it has no meaning, but for me, it is the only choice for revenge. Even if I fall into hell, even if I suffer day and night, I will not regret it!"

  "The Xiang Liu clan's evil energy has taken hold of your body. Every time it is noon or midnight, you will feel the pain of a thousand poisons biting into your flesh. And in winter, you will be completely powerless, at the mercy of others, and forever lost to the great way of heaven and humanity." Hong Neng opened his eyes again and sincerely advised, "If the donor reconverts to Buddhism with me and builds a Buddhist temple together in this desolate land, I will transmit the dharma to you, help you eliminate the evil energy, and return to the right path."

  Isn't this the nine-headed snake god from the mythological legends of my past life? Meng Qi thought to himself in slight astonishment, but then again, even Da Mo had one, so this wasn't anything special either.

  Zhen Guan said with a smile that was not a smile: "Wait until I have avenged my great enemy, and then come to follow the Dharma Master. By then, it will not be too late to cultivate Buddhism, accumulate virtues, and eliminate sinful karma."

  "Amitabha Buddha, forgive me, forgive me." Hong Nang was after all still young and couldn't utter a word when questioned.

  Zhen Guan no longer paid attention to him and turned his head to look at Meng Qi: "I heard that Zhen Chang Shixiong stole scriptures from the Golden Temple and killed himself, is this true?"

  The Shaolin Temple has informed all major sects, and this matter has been spread far and wide.

  "Do you think I would tell you?" Meng Qi retorted, and the truth was that it had something to do with himself. Seeing Zhen Guan and Zhen Chang seemed to have some connection, but he didn't want to say too much, lest something unexpected happened.

  "I've heard about this near Helian Mountain, what can't be said?" Zhen Guan asked with no expression.

  Meng Qi felt increasingly strange, if you and Zhen Chang have nothing to do with each other, why are you always grasping at this issue? So he deliberated for a moment before saying: "Zhen Yong Shixiong was discovered stealing scriptures, which implicated Zhen Chang Shixiong. Seeing no hope of escape, he took his own life."

  "Suicide..." Zhen Guan repeated this word in a low voice, then closed his eyes and stopped talking.

  "Amitabha Buddha, this place does not ban demonic creatures. The two donors, please enter." Hong Neng spoke again towards the outside of the temple.

  Meng Qi was greatly amazed by Hong Nuo's sensing ability, he himself had opened four apertures but even so, in such a sandstorm, he couldn't sense anything outside, yet Hong Nuo could!

  However, why are there monsters again? Apart from the Sharira Pagoda, I've encountered more monsters today than in my entire life!

  Although it is said that there are many great demons hidden in the depths of the ocean, and some dangerous places are even inhabited by demon tribes, but this is not the depths, wait, the terrain of the Greedy River is complex, and it is said that there is a dangerous place?

  Zhen Hui looked towards the door with a sharp gaze and said in a low voice, "Shixiong, could it be the Fox Demon? Gu Dage, Hongxiu Tianxiang is quite suitable for you to read at night."

  He himself had no lustful thoughts, purely a child's curiosity.

  I'm afraid I've already started telling him the story of Zhuo's chat? Meng Qi thought vaguely.

  The temple door creaked open, and a man and woman walked in. Regardless of age or sex, almost everyone's gaze was drawn to the girl. She was sixteen or seventeen years old, with a natural beauty that rivaled the heavens. Her lips were slightly pouted, red and luscious, exuding an innocent charm that was both pure and alluring. In terms of looks, Meng Qi had only seen Jiang Zhiwei and Gu Xiaosang who could compare to her. But if it came to charming people with words, even the straightforward and refreshing Jiang Zhiwei and the eccentric and clever Gu Xiaosang would be half a notch below her. Of course, everyone has their own tastes, and Meng Qi wasn't particularly fond of this type.

  It's really a fox demon... Meng Qi's mouth twitched slightly.

  "Human?" The old man was white-haired and had a scholarly air about him, but when he saw Meng Qi and the others, his expression turned savage.

  "Wen Bo, Master Fa allows us to temporarily avoid the sandstorm, so we should act as guests." The girl said in a clear voice.

  Wen Bo nodded and turned his head to look at Zhen Guan: "Which respected elder of the Xiang Liu clan performed the body infusion for you?"

  "It's Jiuyuan Yaozun." Facing the orthodox demon clan, Zhen Guan's demonic aura was suppressed, and he looked quite respectful.

  "Jiuyuan Yaozun? Isn't he being suppressed in the back mountain of Shaolin? Are you from Shaolin?" The girl asked curiously, her eyes shining like stars.

  Zhen Guan replied honestly: "Yes, are you from Tianhaiyuan?"

  "Are you prepared to go to Tianhaiyuan and rely on us?" The girl smiled mischievously without answering, instead asking back.

  "Wen Bo coughed and said: 'Too many people, too much noise, let's talk about it another time.'"

  Even if the sound is transmitted secretly, there is still a risk of being eavesdropped, especially that young and inexperienced monk who doesn't see things clearly.

  The girl let out a sound, sat down to one side, after a while, she became lively again, sizing up Meng Qi and others, asking Zhen Guan: "There are also monks among them, aren't they also from Shaolin?"

  Zhen Guan naturally wouldn't hide it from Meng Qi and Zhen Hui, pointing at the two: "These two are authentic Shaolin descendants."

  Having heard the news about Zhen Chang, he also heard that Xuan Bei brought two legitimate heirs to question Jin Gang Temple.

  "Shaolin Orthodox?" The girl's pearly whites slightly exposed, her enchanting smile gazed at Meng Qi, "You carry a knife and hold a sword, are you learning Ah Nan's Broken Blade Technique and Bodhidharma's Swordsmanship?"

  "This guy's guess is unreasonable! Meng Qi muttered to himself, although the Shaolin-style knife method only has one move, the Arhat Breaking Precept Knife Method, there are still many other knife methods that can be used during the enlightenment period, not to mention sword methods. Why did he directly guess the Arhat Breaking Precept Knife Method and the Dharmatara Sword Method? Do I look like a very formidable person?"

  For this kind of question, Meng Qi naturally wouldn't answer, but suddenly forgot about Zhen Hui beside him, who honestly replied: "Shixiong hasn't learned swordsmanship, the long sword is just a war trophy, Ah Nan's broken knife method can be used."

  Monks do not speak deceitfully.

  The girl's face changed instantly, and she stood up straight, shouting loudly:

  "The Demon Saint's Last Will: Those who practice the difficult-to-break-knife-technique of Ah Nan shall be slain by the demons!"

  I'm going, who did I provoke? Meng Qi is full of grievances.

  For some reason, the scene of getting the true meaning of Anan's broken knife method suddenly flashed in his mind. At that time, under "Emotion, righteousness, benevolence and kindness, do not enter this door", there was a small hole that was too deep to reach, inside which seemed to be an unnamable flame burning. Next to it, tiny characters were engraved:

  "Kill those who are ungrateful and treacherous!"