Stranger Danger

Feng Qingyou answered, “Theoretically, yes. That is all she needs to do to grow stronger. However, no one who practiced the ‘Supreme Demon Subjugation Scripture of Beneficence’ has ever transcended mortality and become a Sage.”

“Why is that?” Ye Qing asked.

“It is because a practitioner of the ‘Supreme Demon Subjugation Scripture of Beneficence’ must always retain an innocent, benevolent heart. They must never be tempted by malice and stray off the right path, and they can only slay those who are truly malice. If the practitioner lost sight of their innocence, if they fell into temptation and succumbed to their malice, or if they misjudged evil and accidentally killed an innocent, then the heavens would punish them by taking away their power. If the practitioner cannot make up for their mistakes, then their cultivation will keep declining until they lose everything. Of course, the greater the practitioner’s malice becomes, and the bigger the sin they commit, the worse their cultivation would decline.”

Feng Qingyou continued, “Theoretically, it is not too difficult to obey these commandments. In reality, all humans are possessed by Seven Emotions and Six Desires, and the red dust is a universal dye that pollutes the entire world. How can a flesh and blood person defend themselves from such elements where even gods, celestials, and Buddhas prove wanting?”

“Is there a human who isn’t afflicted by joy, anger, sorrow, desire, misery, and pain since they are born in this world? Is there a human who can lead a life that is free from greed, anger, foolishness, recklessness, resentment, disgust, spite, and hatred? Is there a human who can always retain a benevolent, innocent heart while never making a mistake, never feeling malice toward others, and never committing an evil act for as long as they live?”

“This is why no one has ever managed to practice the ‘Supreme Demon Subjugation Scripture of Beneficence’ to the adept level, much less becoming a Sage.”

“I see.” Ye Qing nodded in understanding. He was just thinking that such a powerful martial art had to have a catch, and there it was.

“But why on earth did Miss Wen pick this as her main cultivation art? She doesn’t look like the type to underachieve.”

Ye Qing was puzzled for good reason. For a normal person, being able to reach the Trueman stage—much less the Half-Sage stage—was like their wildest dreams coming to fruition. They would not have looked to climb higher. However, Wen Anran was a gifted genius who possessed an unwavering heart and the ambition to reach the ultimate end of the Great Way. Unlike most people, her goal was to reach the pinnacle of the martial way.

There was no way someone like that would be satisfied with reaching the end of their path halfway up the lofty mountain known as the martial way. Once she began her journey, the peak was her one and only destination. With that in mind, why on earth had she chosen to practice the “Supreme Demon Subjugation Scripture of Beneficence”, a martial art that she knew very well that no one had ever reached the pinnacle? It wasn’t like the True Martial Sect was lacking in top-tier martial arts.

“That is a question only she can answer.” Feng Qingyou shook her head.

“Such a shame.” Ye Qing looked at Wen Anran and sighed.

“Is it now?” Feng Qingyou said all of a sudden. “It is true that no one in True Martial Sect’s history had ever successfully practiced the ‘Supreme Demon Subjugation Scripture of Beneficence’ to the adept level and become a Sage. But does that mean such a person cannot exist in the future? Who can say that Anran isn’t the exception to the rule?”

“... Do you know something, Qingyou?” Ye Qing shot her a dubious look. The way Feng Qingyou put it, it was almost as if she was certain that Wen Anran would defy expectations and become a Sage despite history.

Feng Qingyou shrugged and returned an enigmatic smile. “Do I? I’m just making a comment here.”

Ye Qing: “...” Women who flirt but never commit are the worst!

As the duo chatted, the Red Dust Purple Qi Tribulation of Degeneration was growing progressively weaker. By the time the ancient book above Wen Anran’s head finally reached the last page, the tribulation was completely gone. For a time, the sky of the entire region turned as pure and clear as a mirror.

A few breaths later, a profound and inexplicable sound rang from the sky. It was the sound of the Great Way. At the same time, a sweet rain accompanied by all sorts of fantastical phenomena descended.

Since the challenger had overcome the tribulation, it was only right to reward them for their efforts.

The next moment, a wisp of purple qi descended from above. Unlike the sea of red dust and purple qi from before, this one was literally just a wisp. And yet, it was pure, flawless, and tinged with gold within. It was noble, mysterious-looking, and beyond profound.

“Is this what they call the Purple Qi of Beneficence?” Ye Qing murmured to himself.

The Red Dust Purple Qi Tribulation of Degeneration was the twelfth strongest tribulation of the Seventy Two Earthly Fiends Tribulations. Those who overcame it would be rewarded with the Purple Qi of Beneficence.

Those who were beneficent were meritorious and moral, and purple qi represented the will of the world. The Purple Qi of Beneficence was a qi of beneficence that could only be obtained via the acknowledgement of the world, which was why it was exceedingly rare.

Those who obtained the Purple Qi of Beneficence were acknowledged by the Heavenly Way and favored by the world itself. They were immune to all evils and protected from all disasters and tribulations, and anything they set their minds to would always turn out fine somehow. This was why people said that a single wisp of qi of beneficence was equal to an unparalleled opportunity.

Technically speaking, the Purple Qi of Beneficence was not as rare or valuable as the Profound Yellow Mother Qi. Even so, it was priceless and could only be obtained by those who were favored by the heavens.

Ye Qing recognized the Purple Qi of Beneficence, and he wasn’t the only one. He wasn’t the only one who recognized its value either. It was why nearly everyone who saw this immediately felt a surge of greed.

But of course, most of them were also scared shitless by the great war earlier. They also knew that someone who could attract the Red Dust Purple Qi Tribulation of Degeneration could not be ordinary. Restless they might be, their survival instincts were firmly in control of their bodies. They did not dare to move even a muscle.

There was a small minority of people who weren’t afraid to die though. Nail Grandma and Tiger Master Gong were two such examples.

Earlier, Ye Qing had dealt them a moderate blow. After that, Duanmu Longhua was killed, and even the three goddesses were dead. To say that they wanted to get as far away as possible from this place would be an understatement. The reason they didn’t was because Duanmu Longhua had robbed their fortune, and leaving Goddess City in their current state most likely would result in them being smote by the heavens. That was why their original plan was to cower in a hiding spot and wait until the dust had settled.

Later, the goddesses perished, and part of the fortune they lost had returned to them. It was a pitiful amount compared to what they had before, but at least they were no longer in danger of dying a sudden death. It was a small blessing considering everything they had just gone through.

They should have been thankful that they somehow survived the disaster that had killed even the city lord and the three goddesses. The logical thing to do here was to not look a gift horse in the mouth and run like hell while they still could.

But you see, some people were slaves to their greed. They just could not help but stretch their toe past the point of no return despite every warning.

The duo were just about to leave when they accidentally saw Wen Anran overcoming her tribulation. Then, a wisp of Purple Qi of Beneficence descended from the sky, and suddenly, neither of them could find the strength to take another step toward the exit.

Right now, their fortune was in the gutters. Their wounds were nothing to be concerned about, but they had lost at least ninety-nine percent of their original fortunes. While their misfortune wasn’t so bad that it would kill them, they were currently unfortunate to the point where anything they did would somehow result in failure. It was not an ideal state of things to put it mildly.

If they could obtain the Purple Qi of Beneficence though, then everything would change. There was a reason people said that a single wisp of qi of beneficence was equal to an unparalleled opportunity. Forget replenishing their lost fortune, it might even improve to the point where they would enjoy the protection of the world, immunity to all disasters and tribulations, and unparalleled good luck.

Comfort is a drug. Once you get used to it, it becomes addicting. Just like a wealthy man could not stand living like a beggar, neither Nail Grandma nor Tiger Master Gong could stand living without fortune favoring their every turn.

From their perspective, their chances of success were pretty high. Ye Qing was the biggest variable in this situation bar none, but he had just fought a great war against the goddesses earlier. Although he survived, he must be injured and exhausted right now. He could not possibly face them with the same level of prowess he had displayed before.

Besides that, Ye Qing was a body-tempering Grandmaster. Head-on fights were his bread and butter, but there was no way he could compete against them in terms of speed. If they ran off right after they stole the Purple Qi of Beneficence, there was nothing he could do against them.

Wen Anran was another variable, and there was no doubt that she was a gifted genius. However, no matter how genius she was, she had just entered the Trueman stage. There was just no way she was a match for veteran Truemen like them, not to mention that the advantage of surprise was on their side.

The duo didn’t even need to communicate verbally with each other. One look in the eye, and they knew they would be pulling off a heist.

First, Nail Grandma and Tiger Master Gong concealed themselves and slowly approached Wen Anran. When they were ten or so meters away from her, they abruptly burst into action.

A shower of nails exploded from Nali Grandma’s legs and shot toward Wen Anran. On the way, the flesh and blood covering the nails sank into the metal and turned them reddish and evil-looking.

As for Tiger Master Gong, he charged straight for the Purple Qi of Beneficence.

It was clear that the duo had cooperated with each other for many years. Even though they hadn’t exchanged a single word, they knew exactly what their roles were. Nail Grandma would keep Wen Anran busy, while Tiger Master Gong would take the Purple Qi of Beneficence. They also went all out to ensure that the heist would be a success.