Two Foolish Children from "Landlord Families"

Meanwhile, as Yu Zhao was studying his newly acquired treasures in the ruins, a temple was quietly completed in a small town called Mang Town, thousands of miles away from Zhenbei City.

This place still belongs to the Northern Territory, but it is located on the western border of the Northern Territory. Zhenbei City is a proper northern border city, and further north is the territory of the Demon Court.

However, this town of Mang is located in the inner region of the Northern Region, and the area it is in is not far from the Western Region.

The flourishing of Buddhism in the Western Regions influenced this area, resulting in a significant proportion of Buddhist practitioners.

It can be said that new temples are built in this area every few days, so much so that the construction of a small temple in Mang Town did not attract anyone's attention.

After the temple was completed, it was natural to hold a Dharma assembly. Firstly, it was a tradition, and secondly, it was to demonstrate Buddhism to the people of Mang Town so that they could gain their trust and then accept disciples to pass on the Dharma.

The abbot of this small temple was an old monk with a kind face. The old monk called himself Mingkong and was an ascetic. He said that he had traveled around and was moved by something, so he decided to open a temple in this town and take on disciples.

The old monk Mingkong had been in Mang Town for some time. With his reputation for charity and benevolence, he had made many friends and became a prominent figure in Mang Town, and even had a good reputation in the county town.

Therefore, when his temple was completed, many celebrities and ordinary people came to congratulate him, making it a grand occasion.

The old monk Mingkong warmly welcomed everyone. When almost everyone had arrived, he began to preach. The old monk had a profound understanding of Buddhism and spoke eloquently, captivating everyone.

As he spoke, the old monk Mingkong suddenly paused, his compassionate smile freezing instantly. However, he quickly regained his composure and began to speak:

"Esteemed benefactors, I have suddenly realized something, and I fear that today's Dharma assembly cannot continue. I apologize to all of you."

As he spoke, the old monk Mingkong rose and respectfully bowed to everyone. The crowd was flattered and immediately began to chatter:

"Master, there's no need for that; spiritual practice is naturally more important."

"That's right, Dharma assemblies can be held at any time; one should focus on one's own spiritual practice."

"Master, please attend to your business first. We will come to listen to your teachings another day."

"..."

After the commotion subsided, the crowd gradually dispersed under the guidance of the various scholars. Once everyone had left, the old monk Mingkong closed the temple gates and turned to rush into the secret underground space within the temple.

Upon entering this place, the old monk Mingkong could no longer maintain his image as a high monk; his entire body erupted with murderous aura, and his face became ferocious.

"Damn it! They actually broke through my spell! My opportunity is gone, gone!"

This person was none other than Qingfeng Elder, Yu Zhao's beloved and respected master.

When this old man realized that he could no longer stay in Qingfeng Town, he decisively ran away and transformed himself into a "high monk".

The reason Old Deng didn't take his two most cherished disciples with him was simply because he felt that these two disciples couldn't escape his control. He could reap the rewards after they achieved something.

But to his surprise, just now, he discovered that the spell he had left behind had been broken, which meant that the two little ones were no longer under his control and his opportunity had vanished!

This angered and puzzled Elder Qingfeng, as the spells he left on Yu Zhao's magical artifacts and on Shen Yunshu were a rather strange ancient spell.

Logically speaking, even a Nascent Soul cultivator would have a hard time detecting it, let alone deciphering it. How did the two of them manage to do it?

The reason why Elder Qingfeng was confident that Yu Zhao and Shen Yunshu couldn't escape was because he knew that there were very few Nascent Soul cultivators in the cultivation world today, and the chances of a Qi Refining cultivator encountering a Nascent Soul cultivator were even lower than finding a magic treasure on the street.

Moreover, given their cultivation level, it would be difficult for them to leave the Northern Region. They would most likely find a sect in the Northern Region to join, and would probably choose one of the five major powers in Zhenbei City.

In Zhenbei City, only the King of Zhenbei is a Nascent Soul cultivator. This guy is a body cultivator, so naturally he wouldn't know how to break his own spell.

It can be said that Elder Qingfeng had planned everything before starting his operation. He originally thought that Yu Zhao and Shen Yunshu would never be able to escape his control, but now the impossible has happened.

He was so angry he wanted to vomit blood. One of those two people seemed to have the legendary Glazed Immortal Body, and the other possessed the Azure Dragon Bloodline. If they could refine pills after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, it would be an incredible opportunity.

The opportunity that was within my grasp has vanished in an instant.

"Damn it, it's all the fault of the Purple Extreme Holy Sect!"

Old Man Qingfeng even hated the Purple Extreme Holy Sect. If the Purple Extreme Holy Sect hadn't insisted on sending people to snatch his disciple, he wouldn't have set up the scheme to run away, nor would he have let the opportunity slip away.

"The Purple Extreme Holy Sect, for obstructing my path, I will remember this!"

Old Man Qingfeng gritted his teeth in hatred, his murderous aura surging uncontrollably. After a moment, unable to suppress his killing intent, he rushed out of his secluded cultivation place and swiftly captured two Qi Refining cultivators he had previously set his sights on.

What can relieve worries? Only delicious food!

The two unlucky souls he captured were a brother and sister, both rogue cultivators at the Qi Refining Realm. Naturally, they had no means to deal with Qingfeng Laodeng, this incredibly wicked demonic cultivator.

Soon, the two of them were absorbed into the alchemy furnace and turned into warm pills.

After swallowing the two pills, Elder Qingfeng began to meditate and digest the spiritual energy of the pills. As the pills were digested, the baleful aura on his body gradually weakened and eventually disappeared.

the next day,

He transformed back into the appearance of an enlightened monk and continued the Dharma assembly. Two hours later, the assembly ended, and Elder Qingfeng entertained two fellow Daoists he had only known for a short time.

These two could be considered local tyrants in this small town. Their cultivation level was not high, only at the ninth level of the Qi Refining Realm.

However, both of them came from unusual family backgrounds.

One of them was dressed as a young scholar, while the other was a valiant young woman disguised as a man.

The young scholar's surname was Lu, and his family was a family of immortals. Although he was not from the direct line, his father was the prime minister of the Dayan Empire, and his grandfather was a Nascent Soul cultivator.

This family is so powerful that while they might not be able to do anything wrong, no one would dare to offend them for no reason.

As for the origin of the valiant young woman disguised as a man, it is even more frightening. The girl's name is Xuanyuan Youning, and she is a direct descendant of the imperial Xuanyuan clan.

What is an imperial family?

Although the passage between the Immortal Realm and the Cultivation Realm has been severed, no one dares to easily provoke the members of the Imperial Clan, for who knows if the Immortal Emperor has the ability to forcibly resume the Immortal Path and cross the realm to kill them.

Moreover, even if the Immortal Emperor can't kill them, the Imperial Clan's foundation is extremely terrifying. Even the five great holy lands of the world, with their powerful forces, are unwilling to easily provoke the Imperial Clan.

As for why these two influential people from such formidable backgrounds would come to a small place like Mangzhen and become friends with Qingfeng Laodeng, that's just fate.

The two already knew each other and made a pact to travel the world with swords, eliminate evil and bring peace to the people. They traveled to the Northern Region and happened to meet Qingfeng Laodeng.

The three got along very well and became close friends. It can only be said that these two were simple-minded and had been too well protected by their families, so they could not see the true nature of Qingfeng Laodeng.

They even thought that Lao Deng was a highly virtuous monk with profound knowledge of Buddhism.

They came today for two reasons: first, to congratulate Old Deng on establishing his temple; and second, to bid him farewell.

After the three took their seats, Xuan Yuan You Ning took the lead:

"Master Mingkong, we have stayed here for some time and are planning to continue our travels. Would you be willing to join us?"

"No, this old monk is too old, and the hope of forming a golden core in this lifetime is slim. I don't want to travel anymore, so I will stay here and devote myself to studying Buddhism."

Qingfeng Laodeng appeared calm, but his smile revealed a hint of bitterness, perfectly portraying the image of a miserable old man who was disappointed but had to accept reality.

Seeing that he had made up his mind, Xuan Yuan You Ning didn't say anything more. At this moment, the scholar surnamed Lu added a sentence from the side:

"With the wisdom of a master, one can surely go even further."

"Then this old monk will take advantage of Benefactor Lu's auspicious words."

Qingfeng Laodeng stood up and clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect. To be honest, his humble demeanor was quite deceptive.

The scholar surnamed Lu and Xuanyuan Youning also stood up to return the greeting. Both of them were well-educated by their families. The scholar surnamed Lu was humble and elegant, and although Xuanyuan Youning was straightforward, he could also be considered a good person.

These are two complete naive and innocent people.

After the three of them sat down again, Xuan Yuan You Ning suddenly remembered something and reminded Lao Deng, "Master, after you went into seclusion yesterday, something happened in the town. Two cultivators were kidnapped, and the county magistrate has already taken notice of this matter."

"It might be a demonic cultivator. Master, there are many people coming and going here, so be careful."

"Thank you for the reminder, Benefactor Xuanyuan. However, this is the Buddha's sacred ground, protected by the Buddha's light, so demonic cultivators dare not enter."

This isn't entirely nonsense. Buddha statues did have a deterrent effect on demonic cultivators, but that was in the past. A thousand years ago, that effect was practically nonexistent.

Nowadays, demonic cultivators dislike entering temples simply because the atmosphere inside makes them uncomfortable, but this discomfort is not unbearable.

However, most people in the cultivation world today are unaware of this situation. The Buddhist sect's restraint of demonic cultivators has become a subconscious consensus among everyone.

Therefore, when Qingfeng Laodeng said that, Xuanyuan Youning didn't think much of it. She would never have imagined that quite a few demonic cultivators had already hidden in temples and were hiding there.

The three then chatted about trivial matters, including the scholar surnamed Lu and Xuanyuan Youning's next travel destination. When they learned that they hadn't decided where to go yet, Qingfeng Laodeng pointed them in a direction:

"Since you two haven't decided where to go, why not visit Zhenbei City and see the frontier scenery? It would be excellent."

"Is it Zhenbei City, the first pass of my human race?" Upon hearing the words Zhenbei City, Xuan Yuan You Ning's eyes lit up, and she became interested.

"Of course, it's worth a visit there. However, you two should be careful. It's a place where all sorts of people mingle, the locals are fierce, and various forces gather. It's best if you don't reveal your identities."

Qingfeng Laodeng clearly has ill intentions, sending these two naive and innocent people to Zhenbei City, and even having them hide their identities. They might just run into trouble in Zhenbei City.

If something happens to them there, given their status, no one will have a good time. But that has nothing to do with him. He would even be happy if the two of them caused some trouble there.

For demonic cultivators, the more chaotic the world, the better for their survival. Using the lives of these two fools to incite the world's affairs is simply too exciting.

As for whether he would be exposed to the watchful eyes of the two powerful families?

Qingfeng Laodeng wasn't worried at all. He had already planned to fake his death and escape, and then just change his identity.

At worst, I'll just abandon this physical body and be reborn by possessing another's body!

The secrets of heaven are in chaos now, and even a Mahayana cultivator cannot calculate everything, so there is no panic at all.

The two naive girls were so easily fooled that they lost their bearings and immediately decided to go to Zhenbei City to take a look.

These two acted swiftly and decisively, setting off immediately after noon that day. They were so wealthy and powerful that they didn't even use flying; they simply used teleportation talismans to travel there.

Teleportation talismans can only be crafted by cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage or above. Under normal circumstances, not to mention Qi Refining stage cultivators, even Golden Core stage cultivators might not have them. Whoever obtains one will keep it as a trump card and will never use it except in life-or-death situations.

These two naive and innocent girls were used directly to speed up the journey.

When they arrived at the territory of Zhenbei City, they learned that a historical site in Zhenbei City had been opened to the public. They immediately became interested and went to Wutong County.

Their arrival instantly attracted the attention of the Golden Core and Nascent Soul experts, mainly because their clothes were too luxurious and their aura was clearly extraordinary.

"Their clothes are actually top-grade spiritual treasures! Who are these two children's descendants?"

One of the Golden Core cultivators exclaimed in surprise. Upon hearing this, the Prince of Zhenbei glanced at him and said:

"That young man should be a member of the Lu family, as he carries the aura of Old Man Lu's unique martial arts techniques. As for the girl, I can't tell."

Upon hearing that they were from the Lu family, the Golden Core cultivators from several major forces in Zhenbei City were intrigued. If they could form a karmic connection with this descendant of the Lu family, then... you must know that the Lu clan behind the Lu family is an immortal family!

Having ideas is one thing, but with the Prince of Zhenbei around, no one dares to act rashly for the time being. Trying to curry favor with the Lu family's descendants on the Prince of Zhenbei's territory is probably just a way to test the Prince of Zhenbei's sharpness.

The Nascent Soul expert from Sword Pavilion sat and watched the show silently. The Lu family was not worth Sword Pavilion's attention. The Lu family was an immortal family, and Sword Pavilion was an immortal lineage. Who was more noble than whom?

Thus, all the powerful figures remained on the sidelines as observers. At this moment, the simple and honest girl, Xuan Yuan You Ning, spoke up loudly:

"Esteemed seniors in the air, we two have traveled here and heard of the remnants that have appeared in the world. We would like to enter the remnants to broaden our horizons. Is this permissible?"

"Sure, but you know the rules, right?"

The Prince of Zhenbei spoke, and the rules he mentioned were a consensus in the cultivation world.

If a low-level cultivator is fortunate enough to enter the ruins, all the spiritual herbs and rare treasures they obtain there must be handed over to a high-level cultivator.

Those from sects should give the gift to their sect elders, but those who are not from sects are in trouble, because giving it to anyone means offending other high-ranking cultivators present.

The situation is better in the Northern Region, where the forces are relatively more united. The Sword Pavilion is also quite fair; generally, low-level rogue cultivators will give the Sword Pavilion the spiritual herbs and rare treasures they obtain, and the Sword Pavilion will then step in to protect them.

It can be said that the cultivation world is extremely hierarchical. Low-level cultivators are just employees; the only difference is whether these employees are qualified enough for high-level cultivators to invest in them.

If not, then take advantage of everything.

As for whether you can eat the spiritual medicine directly in the ruins? Of course you can, as long as you're not afraid of dying from it. The power contained in spiritual medicine is something that low-level cultivators cannot withstand.

Yes, low-level cultivators are really pathetic.

Xuanyuan Youning and the scholar surnamed Lu naturally knew the so-called rules, but they had never followed them. Hearing the Prince of Zhenbei say this, they were naturally somewhat dissatisfied, but when they thought that they were just traveling and should follow local customs, they did not express their dissatisfaction.

They immediately expressed their willingness to abide by the rules, since they didn't care about anything in the ruins left by a mere Nascent Soul cultivator, and they just planned to take a stroll inside.

For some reason, after the two entered the ruins, the Prince of Zhenbei felt a sudden unease, as if something terrible was about to happen...