"It seems this old monk truly underestimated that brat Wuzang! He actually managed to detect the two of us. Not simple at all!"
Having been hiding in the shadows, Da Xing the Mad Monk felt a measure of surprise in his heart upon realizing Warrior Emperor Wuzang had discovered them.
Gu Qingfeng, however, didn't think much of it.
No matter how sophisticated a concealment technique was, absolute disappearance was impossible.
At least, that's what Gu Qingfeng believed.
Concealment primarily relied on hiding within space.
This involved the Great Dao of Space. The deeper one's comprehension of the Spatial Dao, the more profound the concealment and the harder it was for others to detect. Conversely, with only average comprehension, even if one hid, it would be like covering one's ears to steal a bell—utterly obvious to others.
Especially within this Li Palace. The laws of the Li Palace were ever-changing, like laws without rules. Gu Qingfeng had spent a long time contemplating them but had only grasped the surface. Under such circumstances, if one concealed themselves within the Li Palace, those unable to comprehend its mysteries might not detect his presence.
However.
If one's comprehension of the mysteries of the Li Palace's laws was deep enough, they would definitely be able to detect Gu Qingfeng's presence.
"That brat Wuzang not only discovered us but also deduced there are two people. Seems this fellow's insight into the Li Palace is no shallow thing either!"
Changing tack, Da Xing the Mad Monk chuckled darkly. "Damn it all!
The old bastards of the Xuanmiao Abode really seem to have bet on the right horse this time!"
Da Xing continued chatting idly with Gu Qingfeng. Though they had been discovered by Warrior Emperor Wuzang, neither chose to reveal themselves.
They both knew Wuzang had detected them, but he had only discovered that *someone* was hiding there. He didn't know *who* was hiding, nor *where* they were.
"I wonder which esteemed personages you two might be. I humbly request you show yourselves!"
A faint smile hung on Warrior Emperor Wuzang's handsome face, his deep, vast eyes scanning all directions like fiery golden pupils.
In the distance.
The Thirteen Sons of the Great Sun and Suo Sha exchanged glances. They continuously unleashed their divine sense to probe, searching back and forth, but came up with nothing.
Instead, the more they probed, the more fearful they grew inwardly.
From the current situation, although Warrior Emperor Wuzang knew two people were hiding here, he didn't know *who* they were. What did that indicate?
It indicated that the two hiding here were definitely masters, possibly not inferior to Warrior Emperor Wuzang, or perhaps even stronger than him.
Otherwise, given Warrior Emperor Wuzang's status, background, cultivation, and strength, he wouldn't need to speak so cautiously.
Just think—two existences, possibly more terrifying than Warrior Emperor Wuzang, were hiding here, and they had been completely unaware. How dreadful was that? When had the other party hidden here?
Was it before Warrior Emperor Wuzang descended, or after? And what was their purpose in hiding?
Were they targeting Warrior Emperor Wuzang, or were they targeting *them*?
The Thirteen Sons of the Great Sun and Suo Sha grew more terrified the more they thought about it.
They pondered carefully: Warrior Emperor Wuzang had descended in an incarnation, not for them, but for the two mysterious masters hiding here. That was enough to prove the two mysterious masters had been hiding here long before Warrior Emperor Wuzang descended.
If that were truly the case, then the two masters hiding in the shadows weren't targeting Warrior Emperor Wuzang at all, but were targeting *them*?
Why?
What purpose did those two mysterious masters have?
Once this thought arose, the hearts of the Thirteen Sons of the Great Sun couldn't help but pound wildly. Even his mind grew somewhat unstable. He glanced up at Suo Sha, whose eyes were also filled with terror.
In the shadows.
Da Xing the Mad Monk glanced at Gu Qingfeng and asked, "Since we've been discovered by this brat, shall we go out and meet him?"
Gu Qingfeng shook his head, indicating he had no interest.
At that moment.
Warrior Emperor Wuzang spoke again. "If the two of you refuse to grant me this face, then this Emperor will have no choice but to make a fool of myself."
Clearly.
Warrior Emperor Wuzang was preparing to take action, attempting to force Gu Qingfeng and Da Xing the Mad Monk out from hiding. Just as he was about to move, a figure immediately appeared.
Clad in a worn-out gray monk's robe.
Wearing a tattered monk's hat.
A weathered old face, holding a shabby fan in hand, and even a dilapidated gourd hanging from his waist.
Who else could it be but Da Xing the Mad Monk.
Seeing Da Xing the Mad Monk suddenly pop out, the Thirteen Sons of the Great Sun and Suo Sha in the distance were shocked and startled. They truly hadn't expected a master to be hiding here. After the shock passed, the dread in their hearts diminished considerably.
Upon learning that masters were hiding here, the Thirteen Sons of the Great Sun and Suo Sha had been filled with anxiety, not knowing who was hiding or what their purpose was. But once they saw it was Da Xing the Mad Monk, the stone that had been hanging in their hearts immediately fell.
They both knew Da Xing the Mad Monk, having met him before. They even knew his existence was extraordinary, even beyond imagination.
The reason the stone in their hearts fell upon seeing Da Xing the Mad Monk was because they both knew he was a 'good person,' at least not a heinous villain, and certainly not someone who would hide in the shadows to ambush or slaughter them.
The Thirteen Sons of the Great Sun had once heard from his father, the Great Sun Illuminating Emperor, that Da Xing the Mad Monk's existence was terrifying, but there was no need to fear him.
Terrifying because Da Xing the Mad Monk's existence surpassed imagination; no need to fear him because Da Xing the Mad Monk possessed a heart of great compassion and mercy.
Suo Sha had also heard from his father, Old Man Black Mountain, that Da Xing the Mad Monk was the truest Buddha in all the heavens and myriad realms who least resembled a Buddha, and also the only Living Buddha throughout ancient and modern times.
This was the evaluation given by the Great Sun Illuminating Emperor and Old Man Black Mountain regarding Da Xing the Mad Monk.
The Thirteen Sons of the Great Sun and Suo Sha had always kept it in mind.
When Warrior Emperor Wuzang saw Da Xing the Mad Monk, a look of surprise also appeared on his handsome face. Clearly, he too hadn't expected the one hiding in the shadows to be Da Xing the Mad Monk.
"Well, well, Wuzang!
Didn't expect to meet again so soon, did you?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk greeted Warrior Emperor Wuzang with a grinning broadly expression.
"You are quite right. This Emperor truly didn't expect to meet the Sacred Monk again so soon."
Prior to this, Da Xing the Mad Monk and Warrior Emperor Wuzang had met, and not just once. Earlier, when Da Xing was searching for Gu Qingfeng within the Ancient Nine Palaces, he had encountered Warrior Emperor Wuzang in the Qian Palace and the Kan Palace, and it was also Warrior Emperor Wuzang's incarnation.
Not only that, he also knew that Warrior Emperor Wuzang had incarnations in all of the Ancient Nine Palaces. As for where his true form was, that remained unknown.
Besides Warrior Emperor Wuzang, figures like Old Man Black Mountain, the Great Sun Illuminating Emperor, and even the Western Heaven Buddha Emperor Miao Rulai almost all had incarnations distributed across the Ancient Nine Palaces. This method wasn't novel; many Great Dao masters did the same, including Da Xing the Mad Monk himself, who also had incarnations in the Ancient Nine Palaces. Otherwise, he wouldn't have coincidentally run into Gu Qingfeng precisely in the Li Palace.