Gu Qingfeng left. He vanished.
Before departing, he not only took the evolving ice crystal from within the Cave Manor Eye but also drained all the Tai Yin Spiritual Qi inside.
It was only a long time after Gu Qingfeng had left that True Person Da Qian and True Being Zi Yun, who had been paralyzed on the ground, gradually managed to get up. They left in a panic, taking Qin Wanli with them.
Monk Bu’er pressed his palms together, chanted a single 'Amitabha Buddha,' and looking at Wei Qing across from him, said, "Benefactor Wei, this old monk takes his leave. Until we meet again."
With that, he pulled out a piece of delicious food, took a bite, and slowly walked away.
Wei Qing watched Monk Bu’er's departing figure, his brow deeply furrowed as if puzzled by something, or perhaps deep in thought. Beside him, Qing Ning was still standing, but that was all she was doing. Her pretty face remained ashen, as if she had suffered a tremendous fright. The scene of Gu Qingfeng obliterating Murong Fei just moments ago filled her mind, impossible to drive away or shake off.
Gazing at the flesh and blood on the ground that had once been Murong Fei, and recalling his ferocious face, crimson eyes, sinister fangs, and the black blood mist that had enveloped him, Qing Ning said in horror, "Brother Wei Qing, Murong Fei's bloodline... how... how could it be a zombie?"
"He can't be considered a bloodline," Wei Qing replied. He did not leave but instead walked straight toward the ice-sculpture-like grand hall, speaking indifferently. "Nor is he a zombie. He's merely a bloodthirsty monster. You've likely read about such things in ancient texts. They are commonly called the Living Dead."
"The Living Dead?"
Qing Ning had indeed seen records about the Living Dead in some ancient texts. It was said to be a very ancient and evil method: one abandons their own soul and then refines a special type of blood, thus becoming a Living Dead.
"When did Murong Fei refine himself into a Living Dead? And how come all the people around him are the same?"
As if realizing something, Qing Ning's face turned even paler. "If Murong Fei is one, then his father..."
"The Alliance has many Living Dead. You just didn't know about it," Wei Qing said as he entered the ice-sculpture hall. He walked slowly around the perimeter of the walls as if searching for something. "This matter is very complicated. Don't speak of it carelessly when you return. Act as if you know nothing."
"But..." Qing Ning wanted to say more, but Wei Qing cut her off.
"Also, regarding everything that happened here, don't mention a single word about it once you leave this cave dwelling. Not even if your father asks."
"Why?" Qing Ning was taken aback. Suddenly, she thought of Gu Qingfeng and asked, "Is it because of Gu... is it because of him?"
For some reason, Qing Ning now didn't even dare to utter the name 'Gu Qingfeng.' A sense of irresistible fear had taken root deep within her heart.
"But... even if I don't say anything, True Person Da Qian and True Being Zi Yun will surely talk..."
Wei Qing walked to the western wall and stopped. He closed his eyes, seemingly sensing something, and responded, "What they say is their business. You absolutely must not speak of it. Not a single word."
"Alright... alright." Qing Ning pressed a hand to her chest; her heart was still pounding wildly. She was beginning to regret entering this cave dwelling. With a tearful expression, she said, "Brother Wei Qing, if I had known it would be like this, I would have listened to your advice and not come along..."
When the cave dwelling first opened, Wei Qing had advised her to stay outside, and not just once. But Qing Ning hadn't listened. She thought it was no big deal. Only now did she realize how serious and terrifying the situation truly was.
"Brother Wei Qing, did you know he was going to kill people when we were outside?"
Wei Qing shook his head. "I advised you not to enter not because I knew he would kill, but because his very existence is terrifying. Whether he kills or not is fundamentally unimportant."
With that, Wei Qing opened his eyes, walked to a corner of the wall, and waved his hand. As light shimmered, a fist-sized pattern appeared on an ice brick in the corner. It looked like the formation diagram of a mechanism array.
"Brother Wei Qing, how did you know there was a mechanism here?"
Wei Qing did not respond. He extended his hand, forming spirit seals. Several spirit seals condensed and scattered onto the formation diagram. A burst of light bloomed, accompanied by a soft hum. The ice brick bearing the diagram gradually protruded outward. Inside was a hollow space containing a crystal book.
"What is this?" Qing Ning exclaimed in surprise, looking at this crystal book that resembled an ice sculpture. It bore no words, nothing at all. At first glance, it was no different from a block of ice.
Gazing at this crystal book, a flicker of complexity passed through Wei Qing's deep and calm eyes—a mix of excitement and reminiscence. After a long while, he carefully stored the crystal book away.
At that moment, the cave dwelling suddenly began to tremble violently, as if on the verge of collapse.
Wei Qing glanced at the Cave Manor Eye in the very center. Knowing that Gu Qingfeng had drained the Tai Yin Spiritual Qi within, the Cave Manor Eye was now depleted. This thing was the very root of the entire cave dwelling. Now that the root was dry, the entire dwelling would soon disintegrate.
Wei Qing looked at this violently shaking ice-sculpture hall, gazing at it earnestly as if with some reluctance. Then he let out a soft sigh. "Let's go."
Boom! Crash!
All the mechanism arrays within the cave dwelling began to collapse, emitting crackling sounds. The entire dwelling, which had initially been shaking, now began to grow indistinct.
Meanwhile, Monk Bu’er continued walking leisurely, seemingly in no hurry. He looked up, took another bite of his delicious food, and muttered, "That fellow surnamed Wei doesn't seem like an ordinary person either. He seems connected to this matter as well... He probably knows quite a bit. This old monk could tell, and that Lord likely could see it too."
"Just don't know if that Lord is actually connected to this matter or not... If he is, then things are going to be a real mess..."
"That Lord's heart is like still water, possessing the Great Buddha's Unmoving Heart. Eighty percent chance he's also been stained by the mortal world's blood and severed his bonds of affection..."
"And he damn well follows the Dao of Three Lives and Three Deaths of Slaughter, returned to his original self after falling into demonhood..."
"Who the hell knows what kind of existence this Lord really is."
Monk Bu’er muttered to himself, tearing off a large piece of roasted meat from his food and chewing on it. He stopped, looked up at the sky, and asked, "Buddha above, can you please tell this humble monk clearly whether this matter has anything to do with that Lord or not? If it does, this humble monk is going to kick up a fuss and quit! You can find someone else to do your bidding... This humble monk is scared..."
"The first time this humble monk laid eyes on that Lord, I knew he wasn't someone to be trifled with. The second time I saw him, fear started creeping into my heart..."
"And this was only the second time meeting that Lord. If there are a few more encounters..."
He sighed, speaking helplessly to himself. "When I received the Buddha's Edict, I knew this matter couldn't be simple. Now it seems that's exactly the case... If it were really that simple, you lot damn well wouldn't have bestowed a Buddha's Edict upon a sinner like me..."
"Saying that before the Calamity, a woman secretly opened the Reincarnation channel... To prevent changes in karma, you sent this humble monk to investigate..."
"Who that woman is, you wouldn't say. How exactly the Reincarnation channel was opened, you didn't mention a word, just said it was opened 'by chance'... Do you damn well think I'm an idiot? Opened by chance? Can the Reincarnation channel be opened by damn chance? And opened without you all, the gods, knowing? How formidable must one be to pull that off? Probably had long since calculated against the Heavenly Dao, laid down a heaven-encompassing net..."
"Originally, I'm a sinner. You didn't pass judgment on me, spared my life. Doing things for you is only right. Who told me I can't outplay you? I accept my fate. I'm willing to help. Even if that woman is a formidable figure, I accept that too..."
"But... but what's going on now? How did such a terrifying Lord suddenly appear out of nowhere?"
"Before, you only mentioned a woman. You never said there'd be such a terrifying Lord too."
"If this matter has nothing to do with this Lord, fine. But if it really is connected... then I'm definitely going to be finished by him. That Lord probably saw through my identity long ago. If that's the case, it'd be a miracle if I don't get played to death by him..."
As he spoke, Monk Bu’er rubbed his bald head, as if realizing something. He looked up at the sky, grinning, and asked, "Could it be that you all also knew this Lord was not to be provoked, and that's why you sent me to test the waters? You damn lot aren't using me as cannon fodder, are you?"
"It better not be like that. Otherwise, even if it costs me my skin, I'll drag every last one of you down with me!"
"Don't damn well think planting a curse on me can control me!"
Monk Bu’er pointed at the heavens and launched into a tirade of curses. After finishing his rant, he sighed again.
"Thinking about it makes me regret it so much! When the judgment came down during the Great Calamity of the Heavens, I admitted defeat on the spot... Scared out of my wits, I ran straight for the Gate of Reincarnation. And just as I got there, I jumped right into your trap..."
"Sigh... It's also my own fault for being cowardly. Can't compare to those Patriarchs, can't compare to those Imperial Supremes, can't compare to those few Great Emperors either... How damn impressive they all were, fighting you lot even while bearing the judgment..."
The scene from the time of the Great Calamity of the Heavens remained fresh in his memory. Especially when he had run to the Gate of Reincarnation, he had personally witnessed an utterly insane scene—the most insane, most blood-boiling (passionate), most domineering scene he had ever seen in his two lifetimes, bar none.
That man, that Great Emperor... how majestic he was! Facing the endless judgment descended by the Heavenly Dao, he was clad in billions of rays of light. When his eyes opened, they were scorching suns, countless immortal radiance, like the Great God of Light. When his eyes closed, they were dark moons, sky-burning demonic energy, like the Great Demon of Darkness. With a single step, sun and moon reversed. With a single roar, the heavens trembled. His hands blotted out the sky, his feet trod upon the earth. Wielding a slaughtering blade, he severed that endless judgment...