Chapter 124: The Mystery of the Old Taoist Temple and Where Lies the Sword?

Listening to the words of the purple-robed old Daoist priest, Chen Huangpi was instantly filled with confusion. His First Master's words were somewhat incoherent.

It seemed as though he had said a lot, yet at the same time, he had said nothing at all.

Therefore, he could not help but ask, "First Master, what did you go to ask the sun?"

The purple-robed old Daoist replied in a daze, "The sun burned your eyes blind, but the sun is your master's Yang spirit. Your master does not remember any such thing, so I went to ask the sun if your master has gone mad."

Hearing this, Chen Huangpi was stirred with immense excitement: "What did the sun say?"

His master had always refused to admit that he had gone mad.

If he were willing to admit it, it would mean his condition was showing signs of improvement.

For only when people are lucid do they know that they are mad.

The purple-robed old Daoist shook his head and said, "The sun said your eyes were burned blind by the sun in the outside world."

"That sun is too bad!"

"Worse than Second and Third!"

"Yes, First Master, you are the best." Chen Huangpi chimed in.

Earlier, his First Master had said that the sun was transformed from his Yang spirit.

Chen Huangpi had not understood it at the time, assuming the sun in the outside world was also his master's creation.

Now it seemed there were differences even among suns.

"So First Master, the sun in the Hundred Thousand Mountains is your Yang spirit, right?"

"Of course."

The purple-robed old Daoist said proudly, "And there is the moon; the moon is your master's Yin spirit. The sun and moon rotate, day and night alternate."

"Abbot, your old-timer's methods are truly formidable," the bronze oil lamp said with an ingratiating smile. "For your primordial spirit to manifest as the sun and moon, does that not mean you know everything that happens in the Hundred Thousand Mountains day and night like the back of your hand?"

The purple-robed old Daoist ignored the bronze oil lamp.

He simply muttered to himself, "The sun outside is bad, and the moon is bad too. When my sword returns, I must poke them both blind."

Chen Huangpi hurriedly asked, "First Master, when is that sword coming back?"

The Void-Piercing Divine Sword in his hands.

In essence, was merely the reflection of his master's sword flying across the horizon, captured and projected by the Calamity Eye.

Although it was incomparably sharp, it was constrained by the fragile body of the Calamity Eye.

Unless Chen Huangpi decided to stop holding back and unleash that sword projection directly, he could never wield this sword with complete ease.

Sometimes, it was even less handy than a mattock.

Heavy and powerful, gouging a hole with every strike.

Therefore, Chen Huangpi longed too much to obtain his master's personal sword.

Yet the purple-robed old Daoist's gaze grew dazed.

"When is it coming back?"

"That's right, why hasn't your master's sword come back yet?"

"What did I send it to do again?"

"First Master, did it go to the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty?"

"The Great Qian Immortal Dynasty?"

The purple-robed old Daoist looked up toward the north, then tilted his head and said, "Where is any Great Qian Immortal Dynasty?"

"Why doesn't your master see it?"

"Alright then."

Chen Huangpi felt very disappointed.

His master was always like this; whenever they talked, he would relapse into his illness, and it was simply impossible to get a straight answer out of him.

It seemed he would not be getting to play with that sword anytime soon.

However, although Chen Huangpi's mood was written all over his face and he could not see it, the purple-robed old Daoist saw it clearly.

"Huangpi'er, do not be unhappy."

The purple-robed old Daoist said in a fluster, "If that sword is gone, it's gone. Your master still has many treasures kept for you. Many people want to ask your master for them, but your master won't give them to anyone else—I will only give them to you."

Chen Huangpi said, "I don't want those. I want that sword."

"Fine, fine, fine, then you shall have that sword."

The purple-robed old Daoist spun around in agitation, continuously pounding his head with both hands, and said through gritted teeth, " Damn sword, not coming back after all this time—isn't this going to make your poor Daoist lose face?"

"If your poor Daoist loses face, Third will surely poison Huangpi'er's mind against me."

"And Third can carve gourds."

"In the long run, Huangpi'er's heart will turn toward him, and by then he won't give your poor Daoist a proper burial and send me off. This is no good, this is no good!"

Even though Chen Huangpi could not see, listening to the purple-robed old Daoist's words, a wave of self-reproach suddenly surged in his heart.

"First Master, I'm sorry."

"I shouldn't have thrown a childish temper tantrum. I don't want that sword anymore."

Chen Huangpi hugged the purple-robed old Daoist and said softly, "First Master, in my heart you have always been omnipotent. You will never lose face."

"Your master doesn't believe it."

"What must I do for you to believe me, First Master?"

"Swear an oath. A toxic oath. Say that the one you respect most forever is your First Master, not your Third Master."

"Alright, I swear!"

Chen Huangpi immediately swore, "The one I respect most forever is my First Master, not my Third Master, and certainly not my Second Master! If I violate this oath, may I never grow up again!"

"Alright, your master believes you!"

When the purple-robed old Daoist said this, he could not help but reveal a triumphant smile.

Huangpi'er was still too young.

Although he had learned bad habits by following Second and Third.

He still wasn't malicious enough.

With just a few words, he had tricked Huangpi'er into swearing such a toxic oath. Later, if Second and Third dared to act arrogant again, he would use Huangpi'er's own words to thoroughly humiliate them.

Yet... what on earth had he sent that sword to do again?

The purple-robed old Daoist stroked Chen Huangpi's head and muttered softly, "Third was trapped in the Old Taoist Temple for so many years; he surely doesn't know. Second sometimes comes out when your poor Daoist is sleeping—perhaps he knows more."

"Your poor Daoist remembers there seems to be a set of sword techniques as well... what was it called?"

"The Life-Slaying Sword Technique?" Chen Huangpi tentatively asked.

Back in the Old Taoist Temple earlier.

The aberrations formed by Xu Qingshan's severed arms were able to use the techniques he had mastered in life.

Among them was the Life-Slaying Sword Technique.

However, the aberration formed by the severed arms only used a starting stance—the Soul-Slaying Technique.

Although Chen Huangpi had memorized it, he could never manage to execute it.

"The Life-Slaying Sword Technique?" The purple-robed old Daoist said with a bewildered expression, "This is a sword technique too, and that is a sword technique too... then it must be this sword technique, right?"

Chen Huangpi asked, "Master, does the Life-Slaying Sword Technique have anything to do with that sword?"

The purple-robed old Daoist said as a matter of course, "That sword technique was created by your master's sword itself. Once you master the sword technique, you will have the qualification to draw it; otherwise, you will be injured by the sword qi."

"Does anyone in the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty know the Life-Slaying Sword Technique?"

The purple-robed old Daoist shook his head and said proudly, "Your master's techniques were all left here, not in the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty. That technique is something only you can learn."

Chen Huangpi's heart leaped with joy.

He instantly felt the urge to charge into the Old Taoist Temple right now, find the aberration made of severed arms, and learn the complete Life-Slaying Sword Technique.

He was very strong now.

He could definitely hold on until the aberration finished demonstrating the entirety of the Life-Slaying Sword Technique.

Yet the purple-robed old Daoist seemed to see right through Chen Huangpi's thoughts.

He frowned and said, "The Old Taoist Temple is not a good place; you must not go there often."

Chen Huangpi said, "Then First Master, if you impart the Life-Slaying Sword Technique to me, I won't go."

The purple-robed old Daoist said anxiously, "Your master has already imparted the Five Viscera Refining Spirit Method to you—what more do you want with the Life-Slaying Sword Technique? Once you master that, you will be invincible in the world, far more powerful than the Yin-Yang Harmony Spirit-Transforming Art Second taught you."

Chen Huangpi smiled with relief.

He knew that his First Master simply could not remember the full text of the Life-Slaying Sword Technique.

Unable to teach him, he was deliberately changing the subject.

And at the end, he even took a jab at his Second Master.

"Alright, I won't go to the Old Taoist Temple."

"That's right, don't go."

The purple-robed old Daoist said earnestly, "After the sun and moon in the Hundred Thousand Mountains set, they both successively return to the Old Taoist Temple. Something is suppressed inside there, and even your master can do nothing about it."

"If it comes out, your master, along with Second and Third, will all vanish."

"Something must be used to suppress it."

"The Nine-Leaving Bell is inside, the Book of Earth is inside, the Great Grinding Mill is inside, and Huang Er is outside... Oh, your master seems to remember what he sent that sword to do."

The purple-robed old Daoist said in sudden enlightenment, "Your master didn't send it to the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty—your master sent it to find Huang Yi!"

"Hahahaha!!!!"

"Your master remembers!"

"Find Huang Yi! Once you find Huang Yi and bring him back, you can light the heavenly lanterns for Huangpi'er!"

The purple-robed old Daoist laughed madly, stumbling as he ran out of the alchemy room.

As he ran, he kept shouting the three words "light the heavenly lanterns."

"Once the heavenly lanterns are lit, Huangpi'er's meat will taste even better!"

"Hehehe, your poor Daoist is going to beat Second and Third to the punch and claim first taste of Huangpi'er!"

Inside the alchemy room.

The Fox Mountain God stared dumbfounded at this scene.

Although it had been in this Pure Immortals Temple for quite some time.

Most of the time, it had been cowering and clinging to life in the guest rooms.

Therefore, it had never imagined that the relationship between the Abbot and Chen Huangpi would take this kind of form.

Gulp...

The Fox Mountain God swallowed a mouthful of saliva and cautiously asked, "Chen Huangpi, aren't you afraid?"

"Afraid of what?"

"The Abbot seems like he wants to eat you..."

"First Master would never eat me."

Chen Huangpi frowned and said, "First Master only wants to refine me into medicine; the one who wants to eat me is Second Master, and the one who wants to kill me is Third Master. If you mix that up, you're disrupting the order of seniority and respect, and Master will get angry!"

"No..."

The Fox Mountain God said in terror, "You clearly know, why don't you run?"

"Why should I run?"

Chen Huangpi said matter-of-factly, "First Master's alchemy furnace is very warm, Second Master's stomach is very warm too, and although Third Master wants to kill me, if I agree with his logic, he goes and kills others first."

"Besides, Master has only gone mad. Once I cure him, he will go back to the way he used to be."

As he spoke, Chen Huangpi directed the bronze oil lamp to help him mix that batch of Clear-Sight Restoring Powder.

He had already made up his mind.

He needed to cure his eyes quickly.

Then, he would go to the Old Taoist Temple to learn the Life-Slaying Sword Technique, and by the way, go pay a visit to his Second Master.

Moreover, the sun and moon were transformed from his master's primordial spirit split into two.

And both would return to the Old Taoist Temple.

Then he definitely had to go take a look; perhaps his master's Yin and Yang spirits hadn't gone mad.

The Fox Mountain God did not know Chen Huangpi's intentions.

It only felt that the Abbot was mad.

But wasn't this Chen Huangpi equally abnormal?

At this moment, the bronze oil lamp cast a deep look at the Fox Mountain God and secretly transmitted its voice: "Chen Huangpi has been with the Abbot since he was an egg. Their master-disciple bond is profound. Even if you talked until your tongue fell out, he wouldn't listen to you."

"This lamp tried to persuade him to leave thousands of years ago, and it was useless."

"Before you and Ah Gui came, the most normal one in this Pure Immortals Temple was this lamp."

Having said that, the bronze oil lamp turned back to Chen Huangpi and said, "Second Abbot loves eating deities the most. If you go to see his old-timer, you surely can't go empty-handed, right?"

Chen Huangpi said with displeasure, "Huang Er, deities are all made of mud and carved from wood—eating them will give you a stomachache! However, I still have Lord Mangshan in my Soul-Hooking Register; he is a calamity, and he has many heads. Just right to crack open a monkey brain for Second Master to nourish himself."

"Right, do you want a tonic?"

"Do you?"

"I don't need a tonic."

"Then I don't need one either."

Listening to the conversation between this human and this lamp.

The Fox Mountain God smiled with relief.

The bronze oil lamp's words were untrustworthy; talking about how it had always tried to persuade Chen Huangpi to leave the Hundred Thousand Mountains was sheer nonsense.

Could someone who communicated this smoothly with Chen Huangpi be normal?

The only normal one in this Pure Immortals Temple was clearly itself...

At this moment, Chen Huangpi suddenly turned his head and asked, "Fox Mountain God, do you want a tonic?"

The Fox Mountain God's eyes lit up: "I do, I do! I'm practically hollowed out right now, I definitely need a good tonic!"

Once it was nourished, it would beg Chen Huangpi to leave the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

It couldn't stay another single day in this ghost place.

The Underworld Yin Earth arc was over.

The plot for the past two days would basically just be daily life routines with the Master.

(End of this chapter)