179: Longhu Mountain underwent changes

Both of them heard a voice appear out of thin air in their minds.

“Hehe, this girl has some acquaintance with this old man. If you know what’s good for you, release her and get lost now. Otherwise, this old man will make sure you die without a complete corpse.”

“This is! Divine Sense Transmission! A Heaven Rank Master’s technique!”

Both of them gasped in cold air, never expecting to encounter someone of Martial Uncle Zhang Bing’s level in such a place. They no longer had any thought of resisting, and Zhao Qiankun was so scared his legs went soft, and he immediately knelt down.

“Senior, we two are merely acting on orders. We hope Senior will not blame us,” Zhao Qiankun kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy.

“Hehe, you two little brats from Dragon Tiger Mountain, when this old man fought three hundred rounds with your Martial Uncle Zhang Bing, that old Daoist bull-nose, you weren’t even born yet. Today, you dare to lay hands on someone this old man fancies? You’re simply looking for death.”

Seeing this, Qin Shou’s lips curved into a smile, thinking, it really worked.

Zhang Yue heard Qin Shou’s voice grow colder, and his body shivered as he said, “We beg Senior’s forgiveness; we will leave immediately.”

“Hmph, consider yourselves smart. Killing two juniors like you would tarnish this old man’s reputation as the Joyful Old Man. Now get out of here.”

Qin Shou also knew that if he really made a move and couldn't kill them in one blow, then his pretense of being a Heaven Rank Master using a magical artifact would be exposed. That would be counterproductive, so at this moment, he only wanted to quickly scare these two idiots away.

“Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, Senior, for sparing our lives; we will leave immediately.”

Upon hearing this, the two felt as if they had received a great pardon and quickly got up, intending to flee.

“Wait!”

As soon as the two stood up, Qin Shou suddenly had another idea.

Their bodies froze in place, not daring to move an inch, fearing they might anger the Joyful Old Man.

“Senior, is there anything else?” Zhao Qiankun asked cautiously.

“Leave that bell in your hand; this old man is very interested.”

“This—! Senior, if we lose this item, it will be difficult to explain to Martial Uncle Zhang Bing when we return.”

Zhao Qiankun looked troubled. This soul-capturing bell was a precious treasure of Dragon Tiger Mountain, capable of capturing people's souls, and it was many times more potent than a hypnosis talisman or Joyful Monk's medicine. Qin Shou was naturally tempted.

“Hehe, leave the bell, or leave your lives. You choose.”

Qin Shou sneered, and while transmitting his divine sense, he controlled the golden needle, which was still suspended in mid-air, to shake a few times.

Seeing the golden needle swaying in mid-air, the two dared not haggle any further. They immediately placed the soul-capturing bell on the ground and cautiously said, “Senior, we’ve placed the soul-capturing bell here. May we leave now?”

“Hmph, very good, you may scram.”

Upon hearing Qin Shou speak, the two didn't hesitate for a moment and turned to run wildly into the depths of the dense forest.

The two ran wildly for a long distance before stopping, panting heavily.

Zhang Yue caught his breath after a few gasps and said with a frustrated look, “Senior Brother Zhao, this time we came down the mountain, we didn’t catch Li Miaomiao, and we lost the soul-capturing bell. If Martial Uncle Zhang Bing blames us, it won’t be easy to explain!”

Zhao Qiankun looked nonchalant and snorted, “Idiot, didn’t you hear the other party just now call himself the Joyful Old Man, and that he once fought three hundred rounds with Martial Uncle Zhang Bing when he was young? Martial Uncle Zhang Bing surely knows of such a figure. When the time comes, we just need to tell him everything clearly, and Martial Uncle Zhang Bing will naturally understand. As for the soul-capturing bell, Martial Uncle Zhang Bing will have to retrieve it himself then.”

“Hehe, that’s true. After all, the other party is a Heaven Rank Master, so we couldn’t do anything.”

After Zhao Qiankun and Zhang Yue left, Qin Shou hid in the shadows and waited for a long time, only coming out after confirming that the two would not return.

Qin Shou picked up the soul-capturing bell from the ground and fumbled with it for a long time, but he couldn't figure out how to use it. However, Li Miaomiao still had a vacant look in her eyes, appearing dazed, which gave Qin Shou a headache.

“Ling'er, how do I use this thing?”

Qin Shou couldn't help but ask Ling'er.

Ling'er shrugged and said, “This isn't an ancient magical artifact, and there's no instruction manual on it, so how would I know! But it's a bell, so you should be able to use it by shaking it, right? Give it a try.”

“It seems that’s the only way.”

Qin Shou took the soul-capturing bell, approached Li Miaomiao, and shook it a few times, but he didn't notice any reaction from Li Miaomiao.

In desperation, Qin Shou remembered how Zhao Qiankun had shaken the bell while controlling Li Miaomiao. Qin Shou imitated him and said, “Follow me.”

Indeed, as soon as Qin Shou finished speaking, Li Miaomiao followed closely behind him, step by step.

Seeing this, Qin Shou sighed helplessly and muttered to himself, “It seems I can only take her back first and then figure out how to undo the effect of this thing.”

In the back mountain of Dragon Tiger Mountain, a Daoist with a youthful face and white hair, possessing an otherworldly demeanor, stood with his hands behind his back at the entrance of a cave dwelling. This Daoist was none other than Zhang Bing.

At the entrance of this cave dwelling was a heavy stone door weighing several thousand catties. On the stone door was an ancient-looking bronze lock. Not only that, but the stone door was also covered with talismans, seemingly to prevent whatever was behind it from escaping.

“Zhang Bing, you ambushed and severely injured Senior Brother Sect Master, and then used the dragon-severing stone and dragon-binding lock to imprison me and many elders behind this stone door. What exactly do you intend to do? Do you want to destroy the hundred-year foundation of my Dragon Tiger Mountain?”

A powerful and angry voice came from behind the stone door.

“Hahaha!”

Zhang Bing laughed uproariously upon hearing this and angrily said, “What a hundred-year foundation of Dragon Tiger Mountain! Li Zhengyang, stop trying to pin such a big label on me. For the hundred-year foundation of Dragon Tiger Mountain?

Then tell me, what has Zhang Ruchang done in his position as Heavenly Master all these years?

He has been in this position as Sect Master for so many years, not seeking advancement. As the leader of Daoism, my Dragon Tiger Mountain has been inactive all these years, causing my Daoist religion to gradually decline. Look at the Central Plains; how many Buddhist disciples are there now? And how many Daoist disciples? Even the Buddhism in Tibet now has more lay disciples in the Central Plains than my Daoist sect. Does Zhang Ruchang bear no responsibility at all?”

Li Zhengyang snorted coldly and said, “Zhang Bing, I think you are blinded by greed, wanting to become the leader of Daoism yourself, pursuing fame and fortune, yet you repeatedly claim it is for Daoism.

Our Daoist Patriarch long ago left ancestral teachings: govern by non-action, conform to nature, and only seek liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Spreading teachings in the secular world is not our Daoist way of doing things. If there is a need, our Daoist people will naturally descend the mountain with swords to save the common people from suffering, but the world is peaceful now. Wouldn’t it be Joyful for us fellow disciples to cultivate in seclusion here at Dragon Tiger Mountain, seeking longevity?”

“Hahaha, what a fine phrase, ‘liberation from the cycle of birth and death’! In this Age of Dharma Decline, tell me, how many years has it been since my Daoist sect produced a figure like Ancestor Lü?

The times have long changed. Those with the talent to cultivate the supreme Great Dao are truly rare. Precisely because of this, we should further promote Daoist teachings and bring universal salvation to the common people. Only then can my Daoist sect possibly produce another figure like Ancestor Lü or Patriarch Zhang Daoling.

If we continue to be complacent, my Daoist sect will only be forever suppressed by Buddhism, or even have its lineage severed. At that time, how will you have the face to meet the Patriarch?”