Qin Yexuan walked in from outside the Taoist temple.
Who is this? How did he get in?
Yang Qingfeng's eyes narrowed in disbelief. "Where are the Sanqing Tongzi guarding the entrance? How did they let a mortal in like this?"
"You mean these trash?" Qin Yexuan waved his hand, and the main door swung open without wind. The six men in black holding guns at the entrance stumbled and fell inside the door.
Bang!
Qin Yexuan waved his hand again, closing the door from a distance.
Silence enveloped the surroundings, even the frenzied music from the nearby club was shut out.
Qin Yexuan kicked at the guns on the ground. They were all standard issue, battlefield weapons of extremely high lethality, unobtainable even by most police or military units, let alone civilians.
"Interesting. The dignified Qingniu Temple of the Taoist sect has Sanqing Tongzi guarding the gate with guns," Qin Yexuan sneered. "You're really keeping up with the times."
Not only were these individuals carrying prohibited weapons, but military-grade explosives were also found on them.
Yang Qingfeng's face turned red with shame. This was a profound humiliation for him.
"These people are..." Before he could finish, Qin Yexuan interrupted, "They are followers of your Qingniu Temple, deceived by your grand plan into becoming what you call the Guardian Sanqing Tongzi. Judging by their equipment and military training, they are likely mercenaries scattered overseas."
Yang Qingfeng smiled, "Judging by your tone, are you perhaps a spy from the Jian Tian Yuan?"
Qin Yexuan also smiled, "Don't worry, I'm not from the Jian Tian Yuan, nor the military, nor the police. I'm just an ordinary student."
Yang Qingfeng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Qin Yexuan directly exposed his thoughts, "Your so-called enlightened masters, who wield various cultivation techniques, are actually most afraid of mortals. Because mortals are your foundation. If it weren't for the hard work of these ordinary people, how would your followers support you useless freeloaders who do no work?"
What?
The other Taoist masters were in an uproar, "We are useless?"
"What are you if not useless? When has Great Xia ever faced hardship or war, and you weren't hiding far away? Either retreating to deep mountains, or feigning death and going into seclusion. Hmph, even more useless than useless."
A Taoist priest stood up in anger, "We are pursuing the highest Dao and do not wish to be entangled in human conflicts."
"What is the highest Dao? Ascension through shattering the void?"
Qin Yexuan walked with his hands behind his back, "The Taoist concepts of 'San Shi Jie,' 'Bing Jie,' and even 'Shen Jie' all ultimately involve abandoning the physical body to ascend and become an immortal, correct? But you fools fundamentally misunderstand. There is no such thing as ascending to become an immortal; 'shattering the void' is the biggest joke."
Yang Qingfeng laughed uproariously, "Where did this child come from, telling us old folks who have been cultivating for hundreds of years such ridiculous things? If what you say is true, have you yourself shattered the void? Have you seen the immortal realm?"
Qin Yexuan chuckled, "I've shattered the void more times than I can count. Each time I fought tooth and nail to retreat, terrified of shattering it."
Yang Qingfeng and the others burst into laughter, "You, you're really killing us with laughter! Ascending to become an immortal and then retreating? And several times?"
Only Sun Qinglu's eyes widened, filled with awe for Qin Yexuan.
He had personally witnessed this dormitory mate simultaneously perform hand seals from both Taoist and Buddhist traditions.
Such power, even a Grand Celestial Master couldn't achieve it, right?
Perhaps, perhaps he had indeed ascended once, but had unhesitatingly retreated.
"Senior Qin Sheng, why is ascending to become an immortal a joke?" Sun Qinglu asked word by word.
"Because it's a trap. When humanity evolves to its limit, these so-called terrestrial immortals, with a casual gesture, can cause irreparable destruction."
"When this planet can no longer withstand their power, a solution naturally must be found. Thus, since ancient times, there has been the lie of 'shattering the void.'"
"The truth is, all superhumans who shatter the void are decomposed in the universe. They absorb the energy of heaven and earth, and after shattering, they return that energy to the universe. This is what humans call the conservation of energy!"
Sun Qinglu's eyes flickered. The Three Thousand Taoist Canons surfaced in his mind.
He suddenly understood something.
The Three Thousand Daos, all paths lead to the same destination.
The Three Thousand Daos, return to simplicity.
The Three Thousand Taoist Canons had long ago recorded this secret. All paths lead to the same destination, return to simplicity - didn't that mean decomposition into dust...
Sun Qinglu had attained enlightenment.
Yang Qingfeng and the others were still laughing, shaking their heads as they did.
"Kid, don't embarrass yourself here. Everyone here, in terms of age, experience, strength, and knowledge, could be your ancestor!" A burly Taoist priest stroked his beard and laughed. "Shattering the void is a trap, you really think you're some peerless master? I don't believe you could have stepped back from that threshold."
"Yes, brother Tao, you speak the truth. Shattering the void, ascending to become an immortal, something we have dreamed of and sought for hundreds of years, has become a joke in his eyes?"
Their eyes and expressions were filled with absolute disdain.
The fiery-tempered woman in red snapped, "Kill him! What right does he have to speak of cultivation before our Senior Brother Yang Qingfeng?"
"Heh, this insignificant brat among humans is not even worth us lifting a finger. He can only deal with a few Sanqing Tongzi who have no cultivation."
Yang Qingfeng also chuckled and gestured for everyone to stop laughing.
He glanced indifferently at Qin Yexuan, "After all, we are people of the Taoist sect. How can we casually kill someone? After we deal with Sun Qinglu, we will gouge out this brat's eyes, cut out his tongue, and destroy his mind..."
"Then, he will become an idiot who cannot speak or see, and be sent directly to a mental hospital. That way, his life will be spared."
Such a vicious Taoist master?
The other Taoist followers nodded in agreement, "Senior Brother is benevolent, actually willing to spare his life. Truly worthy of being our leader."
Those Taoist priests then shouted at Qin Yexuan, "Our Senior Brother Yang is giving you a way to live. Why don't you kneel down and thank him? Hmph, you're incredibly lucky to have met our Senior Brother Yang. Anyone else would have slapped you to death long ago."
Qin Yexuan once again displayed that calm smile.
However, this time, his smile was filled with infinite murderous intent.
The old Taoist priest, holding Sun Qinglu's hand, was filled with anxiety. "He is your classmate? Quickly, quickly beg Yang Qingfeng. Our deaths here are already fated. Your classmate is just a mortal who took this risk for you. He shouldn't create such karma!"
Sun Qinglu, however, gave a bitter smile.
He slowly stood up, his face filled with compassion.
Yang Qingfeng flicked his sleeve and sneered, "Now you know to beg us? Sun Qinglu, it's too late! Even if you kowtow until you die here, the matter cannot be undone. My word is my bond, and I do not easily change it."
Yang Qingfeng spoke with the arrogance of one who controlled everything.
But...
Sun Qinglu didn't even look at him. Instead, he walked towards Qin Yexuan, bowing respectfully.
"Hmm?" Qin Yexuan frowned, "Are you begging for them?"
"No!" Sun Qinglu's eyes were firm. "These so-called people of the Taoist sect are more shameless than demons. I implore you, Senior, to unleash a massacre!"