Chapter 195: Chapter 120: Elder Mu Takes Action, the Peach Opera Garden Approaches

Faced with life and death, he finally felt a sliver of fear.

’If the Observatory finds out about this, knowing Liu Wufeng’s temper, I fear the entire Qingyun Cloud Temple will be wiped out.’

Changbai Temple Master shot to his feet. ’The Wild Taoist Sect probably won’t contact me again. After all, such a perfect opportunity ended in failure.’

The moment the thought surfaced, it began to echo relentlessly in his mind.

The more he thought about it, the more terrified he became, the feeling growing ever more intense.

After a long moment, Changbai Temple Master slowly sat back down, taking several deep breaths.

Then, the violent aura emanating from him was forcibly suppressed.

"Someone!"

Changbai Temple Master shouted.

Before long, a young Daoist entered from outside.

"Temple Master."

Changbai Temple Master waved his hand. "I must leave the temple for a time. Remember, starting today, you are to temporarily manage Qingyun Cloud Temple."

The young Daoist was taken aback. "Temple Master, it is already late. What could be so urgent?"

Changbai Temple Master’s eyes were cold. "Do I need to explain my business to you?"

The young Daoist jumped in fright and hurriedly said, "I wouldn’t dare."

Changbai Temple Master waved his sleeve, dismissing the disciple.

Once the disciple had left, Changbai Temple Master began to pack his bags.

’Run!’

’Running is the only option!’

There was no other way.

’If I stay for even fifteen more minutes, I could be captured and interrogated.’

’Besides, the one in trouble this time is Liu Wufeng’s special recruit. The Observatory’s interrogation methods are anything but ordinary.’

’Why was I in such a hurry?’

Changbai Temple Master wondered as he packed.

Then, the reason suddenly occurred to him.

’Ever since I began my Cultivation of the Wild Daoist Technique, my mind has been warped. If I hadn’t practiced it, I might have realized this plan wasn’t perfect... that I had no escape route.’

’So that’s it. I walked right into their trap. The Wild Taoist Sect never intended for me to live. Even if Shen Bai had died, I wouldn’t have survived.’

’Dominate Fenglin State? What a load of bullshit! They used the Wild Daoist Technique to damage my mind... I’m finished!’

Changbai Temple Master gritted his teeth. "Once I escape Fenglin State, if I get the chance, I will master the Devouring Deceit Skill and come back to settle the score with you!"

Before long, having packed his things, Changbai Temple Master left Qingyun Cloud Temple.

...

The night wind was gentle.

In the dark wilderness, Changbai Temple Master fled at top speed, a pack on his back.

’Even if the Observatory investigates, they won’t find anything right away. By the time they trace it back to me, I’ll be long gone.’

Changbai Temple Master thought, wiping the cold sweat from his brow.

He was now getting closer and closer to the border of Fenglin State.

Just as he was about to cross out of Fenglin State, he suddenly encountered someone.

In a bamboo grove not far away, an old man stood atop the swaying stalks. As the breeze blew, his simple cloth robes billowed around him.

The old man was stooped and looked as if he were at death’s door, yet his eyes were as bright as the moon.

In his right hand, he held a rust-covered Longsword.

The moment the old man appeared before him, Changbai Temple Master came to a halt, his face instantly filled with vigilance.

"Run? Did you think you could get away?"

The old man sighed. "I knew something was wrong the moment Lord Liu returned. They’ll want to investigate, of course. The Observatory’s rules require a full investigation before taking action."

"But I couldn’t wait. I felt that since I had already put the word out that Shen Bai was under my protection in Fenglin State, I couldn’t afford to stand by."

"My original plan was to capture you first. If it turned out to be a misunderstanding, I would have humbled myself and apologized. But you weren’t at Qingyun Cloud Temple. Instead, I found two disciples practicing the Wild Daoist Technique."

"I killed them with little effort and then took the quickest route out of Fenglin State. As it turns out, I was faster than you."

As the old man spoke, the wind around them suddenly died.

The old man ran the index finger of his right hand along the rusty Longsword.

As his finger passed over it, the rust on the Longsword began to disappear at a rate visible to the naked eye.

In the blink of an eye, the Longsword was perfectly smooth and clean.

Changbai Temple Master gritted his teeth. "Mu Jianlin, give me one chance. If you let me go, I swear I will never trouble Shen Bai again. My only enemies will be the Wild Taoist Sect."

"They are the ones who brought me to this point! I will make them die without a place for burial!"

"You are the Sword King of Fenglin State. Why must you make things difficult for a junior like me?"

Elder Mu spun the Longsword in his hand, its tip aimed directly at Changbai Temple Master. "You speak of being a junior? Shen Bai is a junior as well. Why did you go after him?"

Changbai Temple Master said angrily, "He killed a disciple of my Qingyun Cloud Temple! I was merely taking revenge."

Elder Mu shook his head. "Death and injury are unavoidable in the Great Tomb. If Shen Bai had died there, I would not have pursued the matter. That would have been a matter of him being less skilled. That is the rule. But you, a senior bullying a junior—you don’t understand the rules."

Layers of black Qi swirled around Changbai Temple Master, and a giant skull materialized behind him. "So it’s a fight to the death today?"

He understood now. The Sword King of Fenglin State, who hadn’t taken action in many years, was not going to let him go today.

In that case, his only choice was to fight for his life.

Elder Mu glanced over nonchalantly. "So, it’s the Devouring Deceit Skill. In the end, it’s nothing more than a heterodox art."

"Oh, is that so?"

Changbai Temple Master sneered. "Then allow me to show you the power of this ’heterodox art.’"

As soon as he finished speaking, the skull behind him suddenly swelled in size.

In the blink of an eye, it had grown to the size of a small hill and was surging toward Elder Mu.

The surrounding earth was scorched black, the air began to twist, and endless plumes of smoke billowed out in all directions.

Elder Mu glanced over, then thrust his Longsword forward. "Polluting the environment."

It was just a single thrust.

Utterly plain, completely ordinary.