For the Ci Hang Jing Zhai, meddling in the affairs of the world was one of their goals, but there was an even more important objective: pursuing what they called the "Heavenly Path," which was the realm of shattering the void.
In truth, the Ci Hang Jing Zhai's involvement in worldly affairs, under the guise of compassion and saving the people, was only a small part of their agenda. The majority of their actions were driven by their own interests and the pursuit of shattering the void.
It was somewhat ironic. For those who had reached the level of grandmasters, dedicating their lives to shattering the void was perfectly normal. Take, for example, the current three great grandmasters: Ning Daoqi, Bi Xuan, and Fu Cailin. For them, shattering the void was their primary goal, and they were willing to sacrifice everything for it.
Ning Daoqi, for instance, was willing to bear the stigma of betraying the Taoist sect to study the Ci Hang Sword Codex, all in the hope of achieving shattering the void. However, it was laughable that after studying the codex, not only did his strength not improve, but he was also injured.
Similarly, Bi Xuan and Fu Cailin, despite their roles as protectors of their respective nations, would not hesitate to leave everything behind if an opportunity to shatter the void presented itself.
In contrast, Song Que, while also aiming to shatter the void, had his own principles and would not stoop to Ning Daoqi's level of shamelessness. Back in the day, Fan Qinghui had tried to lure Song Que with the Ci Hang Sword Codex, but Song Que didn't fall for it. Only Ning Daoqi, desperate to shatter the void, fell into the trap.
"Pursuing the Heavenly Path? What a joke. You've cut off your own path to becoming grandmasters, yet you still dream of shattering the void. How utterly ridiculous."
Throughout the generations of the Ci Hang Jing Zhai, aside from the founder Di Ni and later Qin Mengyao, who reached the stage of closed-door cultivation, the highest achievement anyone else reached was the "Sword Heart Transparency."
Qin Mengyao's success was largely due to the dual cultivation with the "Demon Seed in the Heart" technique. Without it, she wouldn't have had a chance. Even so, her chances of successfully shattering the void through closed-door cultivation were not high.
"So that's how it is. Greetings, Senior Sister." Wan Wan smiled sweetly and bowed to Shi Feixuan, but Shi Feixuan was in no mood to respond.
Daniel Davis's earlier words had struck a deeper blow to Shi Feixuan than any physical attack. After stripping away the Ci Hang Jing Zhai's facade of saving the world and showing compassion, Daniel Davis had now targeted their martial path.
This was a direct attack on their very purpose. For the Ci Hang Jing Zhai and people like Ning Daoqi, who sought to shatter the void, there was no greater enmity than blocking their path. In comparison, even the failure of their plan to select the emperor on behalf of Heaven was insignificant.
For ordinary people, the death of one's parents was an unforgivable sin, but for cultivators, even that paled in comparison to having their path to enlightenment severed.
Even though the Ci Hang Jing Zhai's problems were of their own making, they had not realized it before. There had always been a glimmer of hope, but now that Daniel Davis had pointed it out, that hope was gone.
Wan Wan's joy stemmed from this. Even if she hadn't consumed the Blood Bodhi or the Immortal Gathering Pill that Daniel Davis had given her, Shi Feixuan was no longer a match for her. Shi Feixuan's state of mind was in turmoil.
Similarly, if Zhu Yuyan were to face Fan Qinghui now, Zhu Yuyan would undoubtedly emerge victorious.
If Ning Daoqi were to learn of this, his state of mind would likely deteriorate further, and his strength would wane even more.
"Claiming to be detached from worldly affairs while meddling in the selection of emperors on behalf of Heaven. How can you even dream of shattering the void? It's utterly laughable."
As Daniel Davis spoke, he glanced at Shi Feixuan's long, soft black hair. In a flash, he appeared beside her.
"Stop!"
Seeing Daniel Davis suddenly appear beside Shi Feixuan, Hou Xibai thought he was about to harm her and immediately shouted, his fan transforming into a flurry of shadows as he struck at Daniel Davis. It had to be said that Shi Feixuan's charm was so great that Hou Xibai even forgot his master's teachings.
"Get lost!"
Just as Wan Wan, Dugu Feng, and the Twin Dragons were about to intervene, Daniel Davis kicked Hou Xibai in the chest, sending him flying. The force of the kick sent Hou Xibai crashing through a wooden wall and into the courtyard below. The sudden turn of events shocked everyone present.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you."
After kicking Hou Xibai away, Daniel Davis used his left hand to stop Shi Feixuan from drawing her Sekong Sword. Despite being deeply affected by Daniel Davis's words, Shi Feixuan was still a top-tier grandmaster. She wouldn't be caught off guard so easily.
"As a nun, you should act like one. Always flaunting your beauty is truly disgusting."
As he spoke, Daniel Davis placed his right hand on Shi Feixuan's soft black hair. Being so close to her, the faint fragrance emanating from her made Daniel Davis's heart waver slightly.
However, this didn't stop him from doing what he intended. He was simply going to give Shi Feixuan a haircut. With a wave of his hand, Shi Feixuan's long black hair fell away, turning to ash in mid-air. In moments, a bald Shi Feixuan stood before them.
"Her charm has definitely diminished."
Looking at the bald Shi Feixuan, Daniel Davis couldn't help but laugh. The saying "clothes make the man, and gold makes the Buddha" was indeed true. Without her beautiful black hair, Shi Feixuan was immediately overshadowed by Wan Wan and the others. Dressed in male attire, Shi Feixuan now looked like a delicate young monk.
"Shi Feixuan, I hope you take this to heart. Let's go."
After giving Shi Feixuan a free haircut, Daniel Davis prepared to leave. The only thing worth appreciating at the Man Qing Tower was Shang Xiufang's performance. The other programs were not worth his attention, and as for seeking the company of courtesans, there was no need for that.
With beauties like Daniel Davis, Dugu Feng, and Wan Wan by his side, why would he need anyone else?
As for Shi Feixuan, Daniel Davis had only given her a haircut, not a permanent change. If Shi Feixuan wished, her hair could grow back. As for Hou Xibai, he was also unharmed. Daniel Davis had held back when he kicked him.
"Haha, nothing happened today, Ling Shao. It seems our brothel luck has changed." As they left the Man Qing Tower, Kou Zhong was in high spirits.
"Who said nothing happened? There's a huge hole in the wall." Daniel Davis glanced back at the Man Qing Tower, a mysterious smile playing on his lips.
Earlier, in the Man Qing Tower, it wasn't just Shi Zhixuan who had been present. Liaokong was also there, seemingly acting as Shi Feixuan's hidden bodyguard.
"The Demon Path Musings? I really don't know where it is."
Back at the estate, Wan Wan eagerly pressed Daniel Davis for information about the Demon Path Musings. Such a treasure of the Demon Sect, if obtained, would undoubtedly elevate the sect's strength to new heights.
"However, while I don't know where the Demon Path Musings is, I do know a thing or two about the War God Pictorial. In fact, the so-called Four Great Mystic Arts is a misnomer. Strictly speaking, the War God Pictorial is the source of everything. Both the Everlasting Life Skill and the Demon Path Musings were derived from it."
The Twin Dragons knew a bit about the War God Pictorial, but Wan Wan was unaware.
"Then where is the War God Pictorial?"
"It's in the Palace of Eternal Slumber. Don't ask me where that is. If I knew, I would have gone looking for it already. I suspect the Palace of Eternal Slumber is currently buried underground somewhere, not yet revealed to the world. I plan to search for clues after unifying the world."
"Feixuan, rest well. Don't think too much."
Inside the Pure Mind Monastery, Liaokong, who had taken a vow of silence, placed a piece of paper in front of the despondent, bald Shi Feixuan. Unable to speak due to his vow, Liaokong could only communicate through writing.
He had also heard Daniel Davis's words and was shocked by the connection between the Ci Hang Jing Zhai and the Demon Sect. At the same time, he began to question the Pure Mind Monastery's martial arts. Since Di Ni and Tian Seng were siblings, and Di Ni and Xie Bo were also siblings, it was possible that Tian Seng and Xie Bo were also siblings.
If that were the case, the Pure Mind Monastery's martial arts might also have originated from the Demon Path Musings. Subsequent leaders of the Pure Mind Monastery might have done the same as the Ci Hang Jing Zhai, which would explain why the monastery hadn't produced a grandmaster in so many years.
Liaokong's strength was formidable, almost at the level of a grandmaster, but unfortunately, "almost" was still a world away from actually being one.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
"Miss Shang, you're too kind."
A few days later, Daniel Davis met Shang Xiufang again. She was staying with Shi Qingxuan at the time. In fact, after her performance at the Man Qing Tower, Shang Xiufang had moved in with Shi Qingxuan. Both were music enthusiasts, and although they had never met before, they had long admired each other's reputations.
Now that they were in the same place, their discussions about music became so engrossing that Shang Xiufang seemed unlikely to leave anytime soon. Daniel Davis had given Shi Qingxuan a wealth of musical knowledge, from ancient pieces like "High Mountains and Flowing Water" to modern instruments like the piano and violin.
These things were incredibly enticing to Shang Xiufang. Previously, Shi Qingxuan had been studying them alone, but now, with another music master to collaborate with, she was more than happy to share.
Since the two were so deeply engrossed, Daniel Davis didn't disturb them.
"Garuda King, one of the Eight Heavenly Dragons, a demon who devours humans."
Outside the gates of Champion City, Daniel Davis stood alone, looking at the desolate city and the corpses scattered everywhere—men, women, and children alike. His hatred for Zhu Jie deepened, and his disdain for the Ci Hang Jing Zhai grew stronger. He couldn't believe they were unaware of Zhu Jie's atrocities.
Zhu Jie now called himself the Emperor of Chu. After Daniel Davis officially declared himself the Tang King, others quickly followed suit, proclaiming themselves kings or emperors. Even Li Yuan of the Li Clan couldn't resist the temptation and hastily orchestrated a so-called abdication, establishing the Li Tang Dynasty and declaring himself emperor.
With these self-proclaimed kings and emperors, the Sui Dynasty, ruled by the Yang family, was completely destroyed.
"Who goes there? Halt!"
At the northern gate of Champion City, in front of Zhu Jie's palace, Daniel Davis was immediately surrounded by guards as soon as he approached. Although this was Zhu Jie's palace, it was essentially a military camp. Given Zhu Jie's brutal behavior, there were countless people who wanted him dead, so the defenses were extremely tight.
"Your executioner."
With a single sweep of his bamboo spear, Daniel Davis obliterated the dozen or so guards surrounding him. They didn't even have time to scream.
The soldiers on the palace walls, seeing the commotion below, immediately sounded the alarm. However, in the next moment, a deafening explosion rang out, and the palace gates vanished without a trace.
"Who dares? How audacious!"
The sudden attack threw Zhu Jie's forces into chaos, thinking they were under a full-scale assault. However, upon seeing that the attacker was alone, they quickly grew bold.
But moments later, they wished their parents had given them an extra pair of legs to escape from the terrifying figure before them. The enemy was too horrifying. With each strike, at least a hundred of Zhu Jie's soldiers fell. Faced with such a foe, even Li Shimin's elite Xuanjia troops would likely lose their fighting spirit.
As for Zhu Jie's soldiers, especially those stationed in the palace, they all deserved to die a thousand deaths. It was safe to say that everyone here had partaken in cannibalism.
Zhu Jie once said, "There is no food more delicious than human flesh. As long as there are people, there is no need to worry about food." Such a man deserved to be torn to pieces.
"Wood Release: Wooden Spikes."
Seeing Zhu Jie's soldiers scattering in all directions, Daniel Davis clasped his hands together, activating his Wood Release. Instantly, countless wooden spikes, several meters high, erupted from the ground, impaling most of Zhu Jie's soldiers in the palace. Only a few skilled individuals managed to dodge the spikes at the last moment.
This technique was inspired by Kimimaro's Dance of the Seedling Fern, but while Kimimaro's spikes were made of bone, Daniel Davis's were wooden.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
After annihilating the majority of Zhu Jie's soldiers, Daniel Davis's right hand continuously produced bamboo spears, each one piercing through the skilled experts under Zhu Jie's command.
"Zhu Jie, where do you think you're going?"
At the palace's rear gate, Daniel Davis blocked Zhu Jie and his daughter, the "Poisonous Beauty" Zhu Mei, who were attempting to flee with a handful of guards.
"Who are you?" Zhu Jie, who had always been fearless, was now trembling with terror. He was a top-tier grandmaster himself and believed that even if Ning Daoqi came to kill him, with thousands of soldiers by his side, it would be impossible.
But the man before him had wiped out thousands of his soldiers in an instant. Such terrifying strength was beyond comprehension.
"Sir, may we—"
Seeing their escape route blocked, Zhu Mei, confident in her beauty, struck a seductive pose. In terms of appearance, Zhu Mei was indeed a rare beauty, with a voluptuous figure that many men would dream of.
Unfortunately, Daniel Davis found her utterly repulsive. With a flash of green light, Zhu Mei let out a blood-curdling scream, clutching her right eye. Daniel Davis had just stabbed her right eye with a bamboo spear.
"You—"
Before Zhu Jie could say anything, Daniel Davis gave him the same treatment, blinding his right eye.
"Don't worry, I won't let you die so easily."
Given Zhu Jie and his daughter's actions, killing them outright would be too merciful. Daniel Davis planned to hand them over to the people they had oppressed and let them decide their fate.
"They're yours."
Daniel Davis found a slum in Champion City and threw the crippled and powerless Zhu Jie and Zhu Mei to the people there.
(End of Chapter)
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