My Puqi Shrine Will Collapse Supremely

"That's right, it's your lips!"

Heaven's Eye proclaimed this with such certainty, yet all the monks and cultivators were perplexed.

"Why is it the lips?"

"How can the essence of evil only be on the lips? A Lip Balm Spirit?"

Without thinking, Xie Lian's hands instantly flew to cover his mouth.

He hadn't thought that the essence Hua Cheng had stained upon him after having embraced and kissed an entire night at Qiandeng Temple hadn't yet faded.

Heaven's Eye pointed at him. "Well, well, well, do you all see? He's conscious of his guilt!"

Xie Lian immediately dropped his hands, and forced himself to suppress the urge to turn around and see what expression Hua Cheng wore after having heard; even though his face was covered in bandages and nothing could have been determined anyway.

He explained gently, "Um, my fellow Dao friend, you've mistaken. Actually, it's because my living is a little strained, so each household item is used for various purposes, like this pot."

He raised the clay pot in his hand and said earnestly, "Although I use this to catch ghosts sometimes, normally I use it to pickle vegetables. The pickles pickled in this pot have a unique flavour, once you eat it you'll naturally…if you don't believe me, you can all try it yourself."

…Technically, this wasn't impossible. The monks and cultivators were all somewhat doubtful, but the villagers all covered their mouths, too.

"HUH? Xie Daozhang, do you mean to say that all the pickles you gave us from before were pickled like this too?"

"Then won't our mouths all be full of the essence of evil too?"

Usually when the villagers offered him fruits and vegetables, he would return his gratitude by giving them his pickled vegetables. He quickly waved his hand.

"Don't worry, the jars I use to pickle for everyone else are different!"

Heaven's Eye said angrily, "Are you dumb in the head?! Aren't you afraid eating stuff like this will cut down your lifespan? Stop wasting your breath, there are still people hidden in your shrine, and it's not just one person! Move aside!"

This time, afraid that the village head would stop him again, before he even finished speaking he charged forward. Seeing the situation change so quickly, Xie Lian hurriedly backed into the house.

He picked up the passed-out Quan Yizhen from the ground, madly shook his collar, and cried next to his ear, "Qi Ying! Listen well! I am going to feed you an Incorruptible Chastity Meatball!"

Hearing this, Quan Yizhen's eyes suddenly flashed open. At the same time, Heaven's Eye, who had just charged in, shrieked, covered his forehead, and leapt back out.

"DON'T ANYONE GO IN! THERE'S AN AMBUSH!"

Sure enough, the crowd of monks and cultivators didn't dare to move, and they gathered around to shield him.

"Heaven's Eye-xiong, what did you see?"

Heaven's Eye said, "I didn't see anything, only an immense, blinding white light!"

"Oh no, Dao-xiong! Your heaven's eye is smoking!"

Heaven's Eye felt his forehead, and sure enough, that red mark on his forehead had turned into a black mark, and it was emitting a soft waft of white smoke like that of a blown-out candle.

Shocked and dismayed, he exclaimed, "What…WHAT?!"

Ling Wen lazily put down her half-eaten steamed bun and wondered, "It's so noisy outside, what's going on?"

A monk said, "Heaven's Eye-xiong, look. There are two children and a woman, plus this cultivator, inside that shrine. There are four people. Which one is 'him'?"

Heaven's Eye rubbed hard at his forehead, but he just couldn't reopen his eye. That ball of white light was the spiritual aura of Quan Yizhen. When a heavenly official sensed themselves about to face extreme danger, their lives challenged, the spiritual aura shielding their body would explosively expand. Xie Lian was using that moment of explosively strong light to blind that cultivator Heaven's Eye. It wasn't like Xie Lian had ruined ten years of his cultivation; he just wouldn't be able to open his eye in the next few days, that was all. Then, Xie Lian picked up the plate holding the meatballs.

Quan Yizhen was fully awake now, and he grabbed Xie Lian's hand forcefully, croaking, "I won't eat it."

Xie Lian reversed the hold and held his hand. "Don't be scared, this isn't for you!"

The band of masters heavily surrounding Puqi Shrine all shared looks with each other, and almost uniformly shouted, rushing forward. However, before Xie Lian could meet them, they were bounced away by an invisible barrier.

From the skies above, a deep voice sounded: "You old monks and foul cultivators are like flies, have you all become obsessed with harassment? You dare pursue me all the way here, are you all tired of living?!"

"Hua, Hua, Hua…"

He stuttered "Hua" several times, but in the end, Heaven's Eye still succumbed to Hua Cheng's might and didn't dare call him by his full name.

Instead, he stammered, "…HUA CHENGZHU! Stop, stop bluffing. We all know that you've been affected by the imminent opening of Mount Tong'lu and sealed away your powers. You can't possibly be as insolent as you usually are right now. Sur, sur, surrender yourself…"

The more he spoke, the less strength there was in his words. Xie Lian could sense Hua Cheng was really angry now, and immediately, he rushed back inside to pick him up.

He whispered, "Don't say any more! Stop wasting your powers, store your strength. Leave everything to me!"

Hua Cheng's body was tense at first, but after he was picked up, he seemed to calm down slowly. He replied with a low voice, "Alright."

Holding him, Xie Lian could sense that Hua Cheng's age seemed to have regressed again; he was probably no more than a child of twelve or thirteen. Xie Lian couldn't help but be worried. With one arm holding Hua Cheng, and the other hand clutching Fangxin, he walked out.

"Did none of you ever consider that the Green Ghost Qi Rong was deceiving you?"

Yet unexpectedly, when they heard him, the monks and cultivators all looked confused.

Heaven's Eye asked, "Green Ghost Qi Rong? Deceive us what? Why would he deceive us?"

Xie Lian frowned slightly. "Wasn't it him who told you all to come here?"

Heaven's Eye clicked his tongue. "Who do you think we are; that we need a Savage to pass us information? Why would we float on the same boat as him?!"

It wasn't Qi Rong? Then how did information leak?

Before he could think about it more, the monks and cultivators had already started their attacks.

With a swing of his sword, Xie Lian warded off a number of swords and several staffs.

A monk questioned, "Amitabha Buddha, why must this Dao friend protect this creature of evil?"

Xie Lian wouldn't back down an inch, and replied, "Master, no matter what, it's not nice to ambush people when they're down."

Heaven's Eye shouted, "He's a ghost, not a person! Don't twist rotten logic, you immature young'un!"

Spiritual staffs and treasured swords and blades all came attacking at once. If Xie Lian used Fangxin, he might hurt mortals. By the creed of justice, mortals could hit heavenly officials, but heavenly officials could not hit mortals; heavenly officials must be tolerant, generous, compassionate, and loving towards mortals, not clashing with them. If one dared hit a mortal, then merits would be taken. Xie Lian wasn't as unrestrained and wealthy as Quan Yizhen; he didn't have many merits in the first place. If more were taken away, he'd be in the negatives.

Thus, he put away his sword and shouted, "RUOYE, COME! QI YING, WATCH LING WEN!"

When Ruoye bound men, it was always aggrieved, but when it bound women it'd change face. Xie Lian had to call for it twice before it reluctantly peeled itself off of Ling Wen's hands. The next second, a white flash whipped past the hands of tens of people; when their strength became unsteady, they could no longer hold on to their spiritual tools.

Bewildered, they all wondered, "What spiritual tool is that?"

"Was that a spiritual tool? …How come it looks like a white cloth for hanging to me? It reeks of evil…"

"Whaddayaknow, this brat actually has a couple moves!"

Unexpectedly, just as Xie Lian was in the midst of fending off those masters, Ling Wen shook her head, cleaned her sleeves and rose to her feet.

"Thank you for your warm hospitality. I will take my leave now."

Xie Lian was taken aback. "Ling Wen, the day's not over yet! Where are you going? Are you going to break your vow?"

"That's right. I'm going to break my vow," Ling Wen said.

Her voice was confident and determined, like she was saying she was about to slay evil by heaven's will. Xie Lian couldn't retaliate.

A brief moment later, he stated, "The one who leaked information wasn't Qi Rong, it was you."

Ling Wen smiled. "I may not be a martial god, and was bound by Ruoye, but one can accomplish much with just the communication array."

He knew it! But, how did Ling Wen know that bandaged boy was Hua Cheng? She barely spoke to him, barely saw him. Even Xie Lian hadn't figured it out as fast as she did!

Seeing that she was about to take her stately leave but Xie Lian still couldn't get away, he shouted, "QI YING! DON'T LET HER GET AWAY!"

Although he ate an Incorruptible Chastity Meatball earlier, Quan Yizhen could move himself off the ground now, his strength returning. Besides, Ling Wen was a civil god; she was powerless, and Quan Yizhen could stop her without even using a single finger. Hearing Quan Yizhen acknowledge "OKAY!" from afar, Xie Lian relaxed and went back to fighting the crowd. A moment later, there was a sudden rumble, and the roof of Puqi Shrine was punched through; a silhouette of a figure was blown high into the air.

Xie Lian looked back around, shocked, and shouted to the interior of the shrine, "QI YING! DON'T FIGHT LIKE THAT!"

It was nothing for martial gods to get tossed around; martial gods all grew up getting beaten. But no matter how you looked at it, Ling Wen was a lady heavenly official, and a civil god at that; if Quan Yizhen fought so ruthlessly, she'd be pulverized!

Yet, the figure who walked out leisurely said, "Bai Jing, don't fight like that."

That voice was cold and crisp, very obviously belonging to Ling Wen. Yet in the moment she walked out, Xie Lian felt he saw a fleeting illusion—like the one who came out wasn't Ling Wen, but an extremely tall young man, his aura of vengeance roaring to the heavens. However, when Xie Lian focused his eyes, it was still the lone figure of Ling Wen.

Ling Wen was a civil god, that was for certain. If she had hidden her strength intentionally in the past, she still couldn't deceive Xie Lian, so how could she suddenly blow Quan Yizhen into the sky???

Hua Cheng whispered, "Gege be careful, she's put on that robe."

So that was it! Although on the surface it looked like Ling Wen was still clad in black, a simmering black aura was shielding her, seeming like she had changed into a completely different person. The killing intent was running wild, but her blanched face was extremely calm, and this formed a peculiar contrast. Xie Lian tried testing the waters by lunging at her with his sword, and Ling Wen deflected the blow with a wave of her sleeve. Coincidentally, Quan Yizhen came crashing down from above, and fell to the ground with a bang just in time to witness this scene. Instantly, his eyes lit up.

"Beautiful!"

Xie Lian's eyes lit up too, and also exclaimed, "Beautiful!"

Ling Wen's move just now was truly a beautiful one. No, it should be said, what was beautiful was the move the Brocade Immortal used to help Ling Wen block the attack!

When that Brocade Immortal was donned by others, either they lost their minds or their blood was sucked dry. However, when donned by Ling Wen, not a single weapon could pierce through. She could even attack aggressively, instantly allowing a civil god to blow the Martial God of the West away. No one had ever heard that the Brocade Immortal had this incredible ability. Who would've thought that, after she chopped off the head and limbs of that Brocade Immortal, it would still allow itself to be used by her?

Now, not only were the villagers of Puqi shocked, even the band of monks and cultivators were stunned.

Heaven's Eye exclaimed, "What, beautiful?! Is it so good to be hit? Is there anyone normal inside that shrine? I think not a single soul there is human!"

Quan Yizhen was itching to spar, and he leapt to his feet to attack once more.

Ling Wen said in a low voice, "I said, don't linger around!"

Those words were directed at the Brocade Immortal, but her body wouldn't listen to her, and her elbow blocked Quan Yizhen's punch before they proceeded to start an all-out brawl. Fighting and parrying, parrying and fighting, the blows of fists and palms shocked the old walls of Puqi Shrine, and it shook like it was ready to collapse. As expected of the Brocade Immortal with the potential to ascend, even Quan Yizhen was falling behind.

Xie Lian couldn't help but cry, "Um…excuse me, can you both fight further away? Further away please!"

But before he finished his sentence, those monks and cultivators came surrounding him again, some forty to fifty blades, swords, axes, staffs, all crashing forward, and Xie Lian's face dropped, raising his hands.

"WAIT, DON'T! NOOO!!!"

And amidst that tragic wail, Puqi Shrine, having withstood countless battering but still remaining standing, finally, truly, completely, collapsed.

Xie Lian was dumbfounded, desolation filled his heart. "I just knew none of my houses would last for over half a year. Now I really need to beg for donations for reconstruction…"

"Gege, don't be sad. It's just a house, there's plenty around," Hua Cheng comforted.

Xie Lian tried to make himself stay strong, but then Heaven's Eye came stumbling over, his hand covering his forehead, and he pointed at him.

"You young'un with nothing but tricks! You dare ruin my cultivation! Who's your master? What generation do you belong to? Which temple are you registered under? What sort of god do you worship?!"

Xie Lian whipped his head over, and a biting chill flashed before his face. He straightened and stated solemnly:

"You ask who I am? LISTEN WELL! ——I, AM THE EMINENT HIGHNESS THE CROWN PRINCE! You riotous radicals, BOW DOWN BEFORE ME!"

His voice boomed like thunder in clear skies. There were actually a few who almost dropped to their knees, and didn't snap out of it until their companions pulled them up.

"What are you doing? Are you actually kneeling?"

"Th-that's weird, I did it before I realized it…"

Xie Lian proclaimed sharply:

"I, AM OVER EIGHT HUNDRED. OLDER THAN ALL OF YOU COMBINED. I'VE CROSSED MORE BRIDGES THAN ALL THE ROADS YOU'VE WALKED.

"I, POSSESS SHRINES AND TEMPLES ACROSS THIS LAND; MY DEVOTEES AND WORSHIPPERS ARE SPREAD TO ALL FOUR SEAS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW MY NAME, IT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE IGNORANT AND UNLEARNED OF THE WORLD!

"I, DO NOT WORSHIP GODS.

"I, AM GOD!"

When the mob heard this speech, that was so shameless yet spoken with an incomparably impressive air, they were all stunned, and dropped their jaws.

"…HUH???"

Xie Lian made up all that nonsense because he was waiting for this very moment. He flung that plate in his hand, and all those little white meatballs shot out through the air like iron pellets, scattering in all directions. Without any misses, they were hurled right into the open mouths of all those people in shock. Then he wiped away his sweat.

"Will everyone please forget everything I just said? I'm actually only just a scrap collector!"

Everyone who ate a meatball instantly dropped their expressions.

"HUH?! WE, WE'VE BEEN HAD!"

A few who were quicker on their feet had stopped the meatball with their swords, but when they brought the swords up, those meatballs were actually still spinning rapidly, creating sparks with the blades from the friction. The mob was terrified.

"WHAT…WHAT IS THIS HIDDEN WEAPON?!?! Incomparably solid with a peculiar shine, could this be? The legendary…"

"That's right!" Xie Lian claimed. "They're the legendary Incorruptible Chastity Pellets! Exceedingly poisonous, and if eighty-one cups of clean water aren't drunken within a day to detox, then they will explode in your stomach!"

Although no one had ever heard of such a thing before, the mob grew even more horrified.

"OI! IS IT REALLY THAT POISONOUS?"

"Either way we gotta go drink water! The antidote is only water! Let's get outta here! GO FIND WATER!!!"

In an instant, a large portion of the crowd who had fallen for the trick fled.

On the other side, Ling Wen was fighting more and more aggressively, and she actually had both her hands strangling Quan Yizhen as she picked him up.

Despite obviously having the upper hand, Ling Wen didn't look pleased at all, and she barked with a low voice, "Bai Jing! Are you going to kill him? There's no need to fight anymore, let's just go!!!"

Fortunately, Xie Lian had one meatball left, and just as Ling Wen said the word "go", with his swift hands he lobbed a meatball into her mouth.

Instantly, the light in Ling Wen's eyes was extinguished, like it had been sucked out by the thing she swallowed, and the black aura surrounding her person also lightened a shade.

With an expression like she was forcing back the urge to vomit, she glanced at Xie Lian, her lips soundlessly quivering. After enduring for a while, she threw Quan Yizhen onto the ground, and left with her hand supporting her temple.

Quan Yizhen jumped to his feet, chasing after her. Xie Lian had wanted to follow after them too, but that mob of monks and cultivators blocked his way.

They shouted, "EVERYONE, HANG ON! MORE REINFORCEMENTS ARE ON THEIR WAY!"

More?! He couldn't stay in Puqi Village any longer; he best leave first and think later. In hot pursuit of Ling Wen, Quan Yizhen soon disappeared.

Xie Lian cradled Hua Cheng in his arms and said, "Hold on tight to me!"

Then, tipping his feet to bolt, he outpaced the mob and fled.

Hua Cheng followed his instruction, and embraced him tightly. For some reason, this scene felt familiar to Xie Lian, but he had no time to reminisce about the past; this affair needed to be reported to court as soon as possible. Without thinking, he sent a message to the private communication array:

"Ling Wen, something's happened! I…"

Ling Wen: "…I know."

Xie Lian: "…So sorry to bother you."

An instant later, it was Ling Wen who cut off the communication first.

Xie Lian was speechless, too. In the past, he had always communicated with Ling Wen directly. Now that it was Ling Wen herself who was the problem, he hadn't yet had the time to wrap his head around it, and actually reported the incident to her; he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Xie Lian entered the public communication array and yelled as he dashed with Hua Cheng in his arms.

"EVERYONE! PLEASE ALERT THE WHOLE COURT! LING WEN'S RUN AWAY WEARING THE BROCADE IMMORTAL!!!"