Longevity Chronicles-Chapter 370 - 264: Demon Buddha Magic, Bai Gu Pagoda; Behind the Saint Heir, There Existed a Master

"Who would have thought that in the quiet room of a seemingly insignificant prodigal son's residence, an Arhat from the Demon Buddha Temple of the Ultimate Happiness Realm would descend?

The Kongchan Arhat held the Bodhi Branch, his gaze fixated on Tao Qian.

It was but a strand of Demon Thought that had materialized, yet it did not hinder his calculative judgement.

'This child sent a Demon to deliver a message, and I secretly predicted his background, only to encounter backlash,' he thought.

'I used to wonder when such a talent emerged in the Cultivation World.'

'Now looking at this child, his time spent in cultivation is indeed short, yet he has mastered the Secret Demon magic remarkably well—his Secret Demon Sacrifice Body Sword Technique carries the unmistakable mark of the Old Ape, without a doubt.'

'Could it be that the old fellow really wasn't killed by Duobao back then but secretly escaped instead?'

'Or could it be that Duobao, that sneaky fellow, has some other calculations and conspiracies?'

'Well, on the day the Secret Demon Sect collapsed, we predicted that these old Demons would surely make a comeback, and the numerous signs over these centuries have also validated this destiny.'

Thinking of this, a sudden realization dawned on the Kongchan Arhat, as if he had caught a glimpse of the truth through the dissipating mist before him.

He looked again at Tao Qian, whose face bore an expression of sincerity, and sneered to himself,

'Heh, little demon of the Secret Demon Sect.'

'All this about considering my well-being, afraid that I would be harmed by that old Lingwa—is clearly because your Secret Demon Sect has set its sights on the "Mountain and River Map" that can aid in the reconstruction of the Mountain Gate. You want to trick me into being your unpaid enforcer.'

'Since Yuan Gong, that old thing, hasn't died, it's likely that Su Old Demon, Old Lady Jiang, and the Evil Demon Daoist also saved their skins, especially Jiang Luan, that wily old lady, the most skilled in prediction and calculation. She's only slightly less adept than Duobao, and Lian Huasheng, the baldy from the Dharma Cakra Temple. The backlash I suffered before must have been her doing.'

'It's just as well. Collaborating with the Secret Demon Sect, after all, is better than fighting alone against Lingwa and his treasured disciple.'

'I was too greedy back then, lured by Duobao into trying to snatch the Heavenly Demon Relics, which entwined my Daoist Transformation Tribulation with Lingwa's. If he doesn't die, then it's my demise,'

'As long as I can hinder his attainment of the Dao, and have this group of old Demons from the Secret Demon Sect owe me a favor, my chances of winning in the future will be much higher.'

After calculation, the Kongchan Arhat had a plan.

His face once again showed a kind smile, and he even praised Tao Qian,

'You, the Secret Demon Child, do have a bit of the young Yuan Gong's presence.'

'You want me to make a move to help you seize the treasure? That's easy. On account of my relationship with your master, I can assist once.'

'But afterward, you must repay me.'

'Of late, I'm refining a Magical Treasure called the "Demon Buddha's Magic White Bone Glaze Tower". I've gathered all the other spiritual materials; I just lack some bones from Cultivators and Demon Alien Species. No need for many, just over nine hundred will do.'

'When the time comes, you needn't lift a finger; I'll personally capture all the Cultivators and Demons making a fuss within the bounds of the Demon City. You just bear the karmic consequences... with the Mountain and River Map in your possession, you should easily be able to assimilate it.'

'How about this deal?'

It's hard to imagine a monk, who looks as kind and benevolent as the Buddha himself, casually discussing trading in lives and bodies with Tao Qian.

In actuality, for the Mortal Human Race, this Kongchan Arhat's terrifying Divine Power could very well be deemed akin to that of the Buddha.

What a pity!

This Arhat did not come from reputable Buddhist temples like the Great Freedom Temple or the Great Reincarnation Temple.

He is from the Demon Buddha Temple.

Despite bearing the words "Buddhist Temple," the Demon Buddha Temple is a much older Great Sect, with more of a Demon Sect's style even than the Secret Demon Sect or the Taishang Demon Sect.

Tao Qian, having heard the transaction proposed by Kongchan, showed no surprise on his face.

The character of the Demon Buddha Temple, he had already experienced through the ordeal with the Beautiful Corpse Bodhisattva when he was in Southern Yue.

Iron Buddha Mountain, Fragrant Meat Collection... they were still fresh in his memory.

Although Tao Qian was tricking Kongchan Arhat, he still had to be tactful and not rashly agree.

If the other party were just an ordinary Cultivator, it might be fine, but facing an Arhat of the Demon Buddha Temple from the Ultimate Happiness Realm, if he made a promise and failed to keep it, the consequences could be grave.

Besides, Tao Qian was not truly a Demon.

What a crappy deal this was!

With a few thoughts flashing through his mind, Tao Qian directly shook his head at Kongchan and said,

'Senior, do not overthink. This time it is not my Secret Demon Sect asking you to assist in seizing the treasure. It is merely a coincidence that we know of some karma related to you here, and we couldn't bear to see you harmed by that Taishang Primordial Demon Manifestation Saint True Monarch's schemes.'

'It's an alliance of cooperation between us, with no transaction involved.'

'If the senior is unwilling, it doesn't matter. I will simply invite another senior. With her level of cultivation and skill, even Lingwa Master would have to give way.'

These words were pretty blunt.

It had been a long time since anyone had dared to speak to Kongchan Arhat in such a manner.

However, after hearing them, he was not angered.

Firstly, the young man in front of him was a disciple of Yuan Gong, a little demon practicing the Secret Demon Body Sword Technique—so it wasn't hard to guess what his temperament would be like.

Secondly, after hearing the words, Kongchan seemed to realize something.

His gaze shifted, falling on Tao Qian's arms.

There, Yunrong was poking out her adorable little Kitten Demon head, with quite a distinctive "spiritual and devilish aura" emanating from her.

Immediately, Kongchan's eyebrows raised, surprised,

'The lineage of Jade Ring Mountain?'

'Kid, don't boast. You think you can actually invite that female fairy?'

'Even if your master Yuan Gong himself were to go, it's not certain he could invite her to make a move.'"

Kongchan Arhat's words took Tao Qian by surprise.

He had feigned the need to request the help of Yunrong's grandmother, the leader of the Jade Ring Mountain lineage, as a deception against Kongchan.

Yet he had not expected the grandmother's status to be so high.

Seeing Kongchan's surprised and shocked expression, Tao Qian could fully imagine that the grandmother Yunrong spoke of likely surpassed Kongchan Arhat in strength.

This suggested she was stronger than Lingwa and, most likely, stronger than Yuan Gong too.

"It seems that among these old monsters, there is a clear hierarchy of strength."

"Kongchan, Lingwa, and Yuan Gong should be in the same tier, with Yuan Gong likely being slightly stronger."

"And Yunrong's grandmother, as well as my foster master, ought to be in another tier—but who is stronger among them?"

While these thoughts flashed through Tao Qian's mind, Yunrong suddenly spoke up, rounding out his lie. freёweɓnovel.com

"The venerable senior of the Demon Buddha Temple, it would be difficult to summon grandmother to help in a fight."

"However, if I were to personally request her, perhaps she could send a Dharma Body with the Haotian treasure mirror to assist a little. That shouldn't be too hard."

"On Jade Ring Mountain, I am grandmother's favorite."

Yunrong spoke the last sentence with pride and arrogance, her head held high in a charmingly adorable manner.

Kongchan, wise as he could be, instantly sensed that Yunrong's words were genuine and straightforward.

"Has the contemporary Secret Demon Child managed to establish a connection with the Jade Ring Mountain lineage?"

"That female fairy has always looked down on those from the Demon Path, so how could she allow her treasured Kitten Demon to become a Daoist couple with a bearer of the Secret Demon True Inheritance?"

"Could there also be some scheme behind this?"

"If that's truly the case, it spells trouble. This time we cannot afford any complications; we must prevent that old thing Lingwa from achieving his Dao."

Tao Qian was also quite adept at reading people. Noticing Kongchan's expressions, he struck while the iron was hot, offering a step down for the Arhat who was already tempted but still eying some benefits, Tao Qian added,

"This affair is an internal matter for our Demon Path, really not something to trouble grandmother with."

"My master and the others are tied up at the moment and due to the entanglement of karma, it seems it must still fall on the Arhat."

"How about this: My Secret Demon Sect only desires that one Mountain and River Map. Any other cultivation secret manuals or treasures, as well as provisions, will all be yours. What do you say?"

"It seems, Arhat, you are unaware that the current Ninth Prince, Zhu Qi, is actually Lingwa's bloodline. For his only son's Dao Path, he not only staked all his possessions in the Prince Zhao Mansion, he also obtained many exotic treasures from within the Taishang Demon Sect... all together, this might actually be worth more than the Mountain and River Map."

These words, accompanied by the sharing of some secret gossip about a sworn enemy, did indeed sway Kongchan Arhat.

He formed a Buddha Seal and silently made some predictions.

Afterward, he revealed a smile reminiscent of Buddha and nodded, "Alright, let's do as you say."

These two!

One seemed to be the Secret Demon Child and the other, a Luohan from the Demon Buddha Temple.

In just a few words, they had agreed on a scheme to thwart the Taishang Demon Saint True Monarch and his son and student's great plan.

After coming to an agreement, Kongchan Arhat had initially intended to say something more, such as extracting plans on the reconstruction of the Secret Demon Sect mountain gate from the newly emerged Secret Demon Child, especially since he was just an avatar of Demon Thought and didn't have to worry about the old demons like Yuan Gong plotting against him.

However, just then, the voice of the master of Zhang Mansion, that prodigal son, warlord second generation Zhang Baisui, echoed from outside the quiet room.

This pretty-boy cad pulled Jin Xiuju along, showing a face full of sincerity befitting an invitation to an expert, and gave a bow, saying,

"Senior Jin Lin, senior Yunrong."

"My father just sent word, dispatching nearly half of his subordinates from the Nine Lamps Mansion to Demon City for business, ostensibly under my command."

"These individuals are all capable people highly valued by my father, with even cultivators from the Cavernous Mystery Realm among them."

"When we were in Xiajing, they disrespected me for my youth."

"Now, being strangers in a foreign land, I'm afraid they won't heed my orders and simply seek to use my residence for shelter and my reputation to carry out their own agendas."

"Would the two seniors be willing to help me save face and prevent these Side Door characters from looking down on me?"

As these words reached the quiet room, Tao Qian was unmoved.

Kongchan Arhat, however, made a few quick calculations in front of Tao Qian.

It seemed he had predicted something and immediately his face broke into a mysterious smile, nodding, "In a world of great strife, it's logical for the Secret Demon Sect friend to arrange such. This child's father is truly a heroic figure—seemingly foolish and unorthodox, yet with a cunning and calculating heart. He preemptively occupied Ancient Qin Province, the land for fostering dragons. Although he may not secure the throne in the future, his chances are far better compared to Prince Lingwa Daoist who used the bodies of the harem concubines to have his son. However, in my predictions, that Zhang Jiudeng is utterly greedy, having formed connections with Alchemists early on. The old friends of the Secret Demon Sect must be careful of his deception."

"It should not be too difficult. Even if Mr. Yuan Daoist and Jiang Daoist are still wounded, dealing with a mundane warlord should be quite easy."

"Two days later, we put our plan into action—I shall take my leave."

With those last words, Kongchan Arhat's body disintegrated once more, returning to ash.

As he left, he completely missed the profound shock that surged through Tao Qian's heart upon hearing his words.

The unease Tao Qian had felt before, along with a question that had remained unanswered, suddenly found their answer in his own mind.

As for someone like Qin Wuxiang, a Alchemist Saint Child entering the world is meant to select a Bright Lord to ascend to the Dragon Court.

Huang Chong!

This Saint Child must also be aiming for that.

But he surreptitiously administered Huangquan poison to the Ninth Prince, Zhu Qi, indicating that Huang Chong's intended was not Zhu Qi.

So, who could it be?