After Shuiyue Nun left, Da Xing the Mad Monk did not give chase. Instead, he stood in the turbid air, gazing at the Great Compassion Life-and-Death Fan in his hand. After a long while, he shook his head and let out a heavy sigh.
This sigh seemed to vent all the helplessness in his heart, along with the countless grievances and anger that had accumulated there!
Just as he was about to leave, a whistling sound suddenly reached his ears. Da Xing the Mad Monk turned to look and was startled to find a man smiling at him.
The man was dressed in a spotless white robe, his ink-black hair casually draped over his shoulders. He stood there, cracking Red-Leaf Monster Fruits with one hand while tipping a wine gourd into his mouth with the other.
Seeing this man, Da Xing the Mad Monk was greatly astonished and asked in disbelief, "Gu kid, you... when the hell did you get here?"
Gu Qingfeng shrugged and grinned, "Been here for a while."
"Why didn't you make a sound when you arrived?"
Seeing Gu Qingfeng, Da Xing the Mad Monk looked pleasantly surprised and excited. However, upon hearing that Gu Qingfeng had been there for some time, a bad feeling struck him. He asked, "So... you heard everything my junior sister and I just said?"
"That's right, heard it all."
"I say, Gu kid, when did you learn to eavesdrop from behind walls?"
"Learned it long ago."
"You really are... ah, forget it. Can't be bothered to argue with you."
"Da Xing, not bad, eh? When did you get such a pretty junior sister? Why didn't you introduce her to me?" Gu Qingfeng said with a chuckle. "Gotta say, your junior sister's looks are quite something."
"Get lost! That's my junior sister! If you dare lay a finger on her, don't blame me for turning on you!"
"Turn on me then, what do I care? You think I'm afraid of you?"
"Hey! You little..."
Da Xing the Mad Monk, currently needing Gu Qingfeng's help, didn't dare shout at him too much. He said, "Let's talk business. Since you've heard everything, you should know my situation now, right? To be honest, I'm in a real bind this time and need your help..." Just as Da Xing the Mad Monk started speaking, before he could finish, he saw Gu Qingfeng wave his hand to cut him off.
Da Xing the Mad Monk was taken aback, feeling somewhat baffled. He asked suspiciously, "What's this? What do you mean? You're not planning to help?"
"Whether I help or not is one thing. Let me ask you first: did you trick me into coming here just to get my help?"
"Gu kid, what are you talking about? When did I ever trick you here? We have to speak with a clear conscience; you can't just spout nonsense and wrong an innocent man."
"I'll ask you one more time: did you trick me into coming here or not?"
"Even if you ask me ten times, a hundred times, I never tricked you into coming!"
"Da Xing, I'm asking you for the last time: did you trick me or not? If you admit it, I'll let bygones be bygones, and I'll definitely help you with this."
"I..." Da Xing the Mad Monk stared at Gu Qingfeng, his mind racing. Gritting his teeth, he shook his head and replied, "No! I absolutely did not trick you!"
Before the words had fully left his mouth, Gu Qingfeng turned and walked away.
"Gu kid! Don't go!"
"Gu Grandfather! Gu Ancestor! Can we talk this out properly?"
"Alright! Alright! Alright!"
Da Xing the Mad Monk hurriedly chased after him, blocking Gu Qingfeng's path. "Fine, I admit it! I admit I tricked you into coming here, okay?"
"Well done, Da Xing! You've really grown some balls, haven't you?" Gu Qingfeng looked Da Xing the Mad Monk up and down. "Digging pits for me now, eh? Great! You really live up to your Daoist title 'Da Xing'—you're truly something!"
The reason Gu Qingfeng said Da Xing the Mad Monk had tricked him into coming was that he realized Da Xing had been setting a trap for him for years—ever since they met in the First Line Heavenly Forbidden Land, this old bald donkey had been digging a pit for him.
He had mentioned something about a Buddha Dao Prophet appearing in the Thousand Machines Heavenly Domain.
But when Gu Qingfeng arrived here, he discovered that the so-called Buddha Dao Prophet had left decades ago.
Da Xing the Mad Monk must have known about this back then. Not only did he know, but he also definitely knew that the Buddha Dao Prophet was none other than Da Fuzi, whom Gu Qingfeng had been searching for all along.
Knowing full well that Gu Qingfeng had been looking for Da Fuzi, knowing full well that Da Fuzi had long since left the Thousand Machines Heavenly Domain, this old bald donkey Da Xing the Mad Monk deliberately pretended not to know, luring Gu Qingfeng here. It was clearly a premeditated scheme, all to get Gu Qingfeng to come and help him.
"Ah! I'm being wronged to death! When a man's luck runs bad, even cold water gets stuck in his teeth! It's bad enough that my junior sister suspects me of being a Chan Sect traitor, but now even you don't believe me!"
Da Xing the Mad Monk, both anxious and angry, braced himself and explained, "Gu kid, things aren't at all how you think. I didn't dig a pit for you, nor did I deliberately trick you. It's just that one thing led to another and it ended up like this."
"You stubborn old bald donkey, still talking tough." Gu Qingfeng stared at Da Xing the Mad Monk and demanded, "Let me ask you: did you know or not that the Buddha Dao Prophet was Da Fuzi?"
"At the time, I only suspected that the Buddha Dao Prophet might be the reincarnation of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva—the Da Fuzi you mentioned. But it was just a suspicion; I couldn't be sure." Da Xing the Mad Monk said earnestly, "Gu kid, let's be fair. Before actually meeting Da Fuzi, could you be certain that the Buddha Dao Prophet was definitely his reincarnation? You couldn't be sure either, right?"
"So, you've seen Da Fuzi here in the Thousand Machines Heavenly Domain?"
"See him my ass! When I got here, I found out that the Buddha Dao Prophet had disappeared decades ago. As for whether he's really Ksitigarbha's reincarnation, I still don't know to this day."
Gu Qingfeng said nonchalantly, "And then? After arriving at Yunjue Temple in the Thousand Machines Heavenly Domain, you just happened to discover an ancient teleportation formation. This formation just happened to send you to this godforsaken place. And then you just happened to run into your junior sister here. And you just happened to arrive right as your Chan Sect's relic is about to emerge?"
"Even though it sounds a bit far-fetched... that's... that's really how it is, Gu kid. I really didn't trick you, and I really didn't dig a pit for you. All of this is truly just a coincidence."
"Heh!" Gu Qingfeng chuckled without saying another word. Clearly, he didn't believe a word Da Xing the Mad Monk was saying. This old bald donkey had lived who knows how many years; he was practically a spirit by now. Even lies could sound like truth coming from his mouth.
"Of course, I don't blame you for not believing it. Even I think it sounds unbelievable." Da Xing the Mad Monk rubbed his bald head and sighed helplessly. "And besides, ever since we parted ways in the First Line Heavenly Forbidden Land, I've encountered way too many bizarre and eerie things. It's left me completely muddle-headed. To put it plainly, in just these past few years, it feels like a lifetime's worth of bad luck has all come crashing down on me."