This humble Taoist priest, Qianhe, begins his quest for immortality by slaying demons and monsters.

Chapter 269 Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian, Zhong Bai's Warning

"Green Snake and White Snake?"

Zhong Bai's gaze was deep and he could hardly believe his eyes. After all, Xiao Qing and Xiao Bai's flamboyant appearance and soaring demonic aura were simply too conspicuous.

"That's rather interesting..."

Zhong Bai had calmed down. Ever since he started traveling through time and met Lin Fengjiao and Shi Jian, Zhong Bai had long accepted that the world he was in was strange.

Taking a deep breath, Zhong Bai approached the Green Snake and White Snake with a smile on his lips.

Getting closer and closer...

When Zhong Bai arrived at the West Lake, only a few hundred meters away from the Green Snake and White Snake, he looked at the raindrops falling gently, shook his head, and waved his hand. The dark clouds that had covered the sky just a second ago instantly dispersed.

Brush it!
The Green Snake and White Snake's gazes instantly shifted from the small boat on the lake to Zhong Bai.

They stared at each other, hundreds of meters apart!

Zhong Bai's attire was quite ordinary, a white robe, and his black hair was secured with a wooden hairpin, except for the purple-gold crown on his head that made him stand out.

Looking at each other across the distance, we confirmed with our eyes that we were on the same level!
"A white snake in the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm, a green snake in the peak of the Deity Transformation realm, two idiots..."

Zhong Bai commented as follows.

If, as Zhong Bai knew, the arrival of the Green Snake and White Snake was an enlightenment from Guanyin, then he was no different from a fool. They were merely at the Human Immortal realm; why would they need to use themselves to create a nest?

Moreover, they haven't even tried to overcome the tribulation yet, and they already feel that they are facing a calamity... Zhong Bai was speechless, so his gaze towards the Green Snake and White Snake was somewhat mocking.

Bai Suzhen frowned slightly. The Taoist in front of her seemed to have no aura at all, but he broke Xiaoqing's spell with just a wave of his hand. He was definitely not an ordinary person.

Coupled with Zhong Bai's look of disbelief, Bai Suzhen felt both angry and helpless.

He took a deep breath before speaking.

"You have crossed the line!"

Zhong Bai didn't take those words to heart. Instead, he slowly walked towards the Green Snake and the White Snake, hundreds of meters, a hundred meters, fifty meters, ten meters... three meters!
Being so close, Zhong Bai found Bai Suzhen's exquisite face quite pleasing to the eye.

Then he looked at the green snake on one side.

Xiaoqing spat out apricots at Zhong Bai, her cute yet fierce expression making Zhong Bai shake his head and smile.

"I can see that you little green snake are very angry, but you are not stupid after all. You know that I am not easy to deal with, so you only dare to spit out apricots."

"Heaven cherishes life, and I am not like those bald monks who shout for violence. You have no karmic burdens on you, so you will not be easily killed by me. Do you two understand what I mean?"

Xiao Qing felt as if she had been stabbed by a thorn when Zhong Bai directly called her out. Her already fiery temper could no longer be contained.

"You filthy Taoist priest! I'll kill you!"

A green snake sword appeared in Xiaoqing's hand, and just as she was about to stab Zhong Bai, Bai Suzhen grabbed her from the side.

"Xiaoqing, don't be impulsive!"

"Sister, don't stop me! This stinky Taoist priest is just too hateful. Does he really think I wouldn't dare to lay a hand on him? He's so infuriating, how can I let him get away with this!"

After hearing this, Bai Suzhen felt somewhat helpless and remained silent. She simply released her grip on Xiaoqing's right hand, letting Xiaoqing rush forward...

Unfortunately, after running only a meter, Xiaoqing realized something was wrong. Her older sister seemed... seemed to have stopped holding her up.

The sword was only half a meter away from Zhong Bai, but Zhong Bai remained unmoved, even smiling as he looked at the embarrassed Xiao Qing in front of him.

"Tsk tsk, I've heard that dragons have fiery tempers, but I never imagined that you, little green snake, would be the same. Your sister didn't hold you back; I'm standing right in front of you. Are you angry?"

If your sword were pointed a little further forward, it could pierce this humble Taoist priest. Would you like to give it a try?

However, you'd better kill me with one sword, otherwise your sister won't be able to stop me from taking revenge. She'll skin you alive, or, since you look alright, she'll seal your cultivation and keep you as a pet...

"Your words have even tempted this humble Taoist priest!"

Zhong Bai remained as playful and unrestrained as ever. Xiao Qing, at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, was no match for Zhong Bai, who was already at the peak of the Primordial Spirit stage. Even if he remained motionless, his physical body, at the sixth level of the Shangqing Dragon Elephant Technique, would allow her to wield her sword at will.

However, it's clear that while she does have a bad temper, she's not actually stupid.

Zhong Bai can tease the Green Snake and the White Snake, but if the Green Snake dares to draw her sword against him, Zhong Bai will definitely kill her with swift and decisive action!

Bai Suzhen sighed heavily, knowing that her sister was in an awkward position, so she simply stepped forward to face Zhong Bai.

"Where did the Taoist priest come from?"

"I am Bai Suzhen, a disciple of the Old Mother of Lishan on Mount Qingcheng."

"Hehe, I don't believe you. How powerful is the Old Mother of Lishan? You only heard the Old Mother of Lishan preach at Qingcheng Mountain, yet you call yourself a disciple."

If you were truly a disciple of the Old Mother of Lishan, would she allow you to undergo tribulation on your own?

Even gilding one's ego depends on the recipient. I am Zhong Bai, a disciple of the Shangqing Maoshan Taoist sect!

Zhong Bai paused for a moment.

"This city of Suzhou and Hangzhou is a city on earth. Is it inappropriate for the two of you to use your supernatural powers to bring rain in West Lake?"

"Tsk, are they trying to get the man in that small boat to come ashore?"

As Zhong Bai spoke, his gaze shifted to the lake.

On West Lake, in a small boat, a man dressed in thin clothes was wiping his forehead. The weather was fine, and Xu Xian was planning to treat the people on the other side of West Lake. However, as soon as he arrived on the lake, the weather changed and rain began to fall.

In the blink of an eye, the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, leaving one to marvel at the unpredictable nature of the heavens.

Bai Suzhen's expression turned somewhat cold at this moment. When Zhong Bai arrived, Bai Suzhen had initially thought that it was better to avoid trouble and not to offend him.

But now Zhong Bai's gaze is fixed on Xu Xian, clearly indicating that he knows something about her affairs.

His eyes darkened as he lowered his voice.

"Who exactly are you?!"
What is your purpose in coming here?

Seeing Bai Suzhen's vigilance, Zhong Bai's smile gradually faded.

He raised his hand and pointed to Xu Xian in the lake.

"Is that your benefactor from a thousand years ago?"

Am I correct in what I have said?

Bai Suzhen's expression grew even colder.

"Correct!"

"I have heard that some beings have been enlightened by Guanyin to overcome their tribulations of love, and I am quite curious."

I don't know if this is repaying a debt of gratitude or seeking revenge..."

"Tsk tsk, it's funny to say. Xu Xian was just an ordinary man. Although he came from a poor family, he was quite skilled in medicine, and his life in Suzhou and Hangzhou was getting better and better."

You could easily rely on your good reputation to find a wealthy family's daughter and live a peaceful and comfortable life, but because you want to repay a debt of gratitude, you have to let him be with you.

The union of a human and a demon is quite interesting. If Xu Xian were a cultivator, it wouldn't matter, but he was just a mortal. After a few decades, he would eventually turn into a handful of dust, while you would ascend to become an immortal.

This is a good ending, even if it's somewhat cruel to Xu Xian, since it was deception after all...

If you're unlucky enough to encounter a cultivator like myself targeting you two, Xu Xian is just a nobody. His life or death isn't important; your act of repaying a debt of gratitude might very well bring him trouble. Wouldn't it be better to let him live a peaceful and healthy life? Why make things so complicated…

This humble Taoist priest truly cannot understand it.

Zhong Bai's tone remained calm, but Bai Suzhen was already finding it difficult to remain composed.

Zhong Bai's words were spoken from Xu Xian's perspective. A mortal who gets involved with gods and demons might achieve great success if he's lucky, but if he's unlucky, he'll suffer the destruction of his family!

Who can guarantee that the final outcome will be good?
Even though Zhong Bai had heard the story of the White Snake and knew the ending, he dared not say that the story would remain unchanged when faced with a real world.

There's a saying that lies don't hurt, but the truth is the sharpest knife. Bai Suzhen was clearly moved.

"This is my own business, what's it to you!"

Taking a deep breath, Bai Suzhen was on the verge of exploding with rage.

But Zhong Bai remained calm.

Yes, what Bai Suzhen said makes sense, but if the flooding of Jinshan Temple doesn't happen, that's one thing, but if it does happen, how many of the millions of people in Suzhou and Hangzhou will die?

Is this all it takes to achieve perfect merit?

Imprisoned under Leifeng Pagoda for decades, one's merits and demerits can be offset, and one can even be listed among the immortals.
Zhong Bai looked down on Buddhism in this respect, and didn't care about the lives of ordinary people.

If you, Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian, want to cause trouble in the Buddhist world, please find a secluded mountain forest where no one will care about your antics. But in Suzhou and Hangzhou, that won't do!

If they didn't know, fine, but now that they do, how can Zhong Bai let these people run wild?
"Hmph! Stubborn and unyielding!"
Let me put it this way: you can repay my kindness if you want, and you can be with this mortal if you want, but please take him away from Suzhou and Hangzhou, back to your Qingcheng Mountain, or find some remote mountain forest.

The people of Suzhou and Hangzhou cannot afford further disruption!

"If you dare to act recklessly, I don't care who's backing you; I'll kill you all!"

Bai Suzhen frowned as she listened. Zhong Bai's aura was incredibly powerful at that moment, and the aura of a peak primordial spirit made the surrounding air feel heavy. The green snake was also sweating profusely.

"You're threatening me..."

"Take it or leave it. I'm giving you a chance, don't be ungrateful!"

After saying that, Zhong Bai transformed into a beam of divine light and disappeared from the spot. Zhong Bai's purpose in coming to Dongsheng Shenzhou was not to argue with Bai Suzhen. He had already given the warning, and Zhong Bai still needed to collect demon-slaying points.

If Bai Suzhen was sensible, fine; but if she wasn't, Zhong Bai wouldn't care and would just kill her.

Seeing Zhong Bai leave so directly, Bai Suzhen took a deep breath, disregarding Xu Xian in the lake, and also chose to leave with the Green Snake. She needed to process what had happened today.

After leaving West Lake, Zhong Bai's peak primordial spirit sense swept across the surroundings.

Zhong Bai quickly found his target.

............................................................

In an abandoned mansion outside Suzhou and Hangzhou, a streak of fire descended from the sky and engulfed the entire mansion in flames. The mansion, which had never been set foot in for years, was suddenly consumed by flames.

A series of shrill screams echoed throughout the abandoned house, but unfortunately, it was all in vain.

In a short while, the abandoned house turned to ashes, and in the sky, Zhong Bai's eyes were indifferent. After sweeping through with his divine sense, no evil spirits or demons burdened by karma could escape his search.

Even though these evil spirits are not actually of a high level.

Even a small mosquito is still meat, and Zhong Bai wouldn't complain about it. Accumulating demon-slaying points is a long and arduous task.

Time passed slowly, and three days later...

Inside an inn in Suzhou and Hangzhou, Zhong Bai looked at the countdown to the upgrade of the demon-slaying panel in front of him and couldn't help but feel happy.

"The upgrade is finally complete."

After muttering to himself, Zhong Bai looked at the brand-new demon-slaying panel.

[Current version updated (full version). Next update time: Golden Immortal Realm!]

[Exorcism Points: 100]

[Currently available cultivation techniques for adding points: Divine Firmament Five Thunder Technique, Supreme Clarity Dragon Elephant Technique, Golden Light Divine Mantra, Eight-Nine Profound Technique, Supreme Clarity Sword Control Technique...]

[Number of draws: 0]

[Beginner Lottery: 10000 Demon Exorcism Points per draw]

[Intermediate-level lottery: 10 prizes per draw]

[A chance to win a 100 million prize in a high-level lucky draw]

[Top-tier lottery with a chance to win 1000 million]

Note: Killing evil spirits below the Nascent Soul Realm yields no exorcism points. The exorcism points are: Nascent Soul Realm 1 point, Deity Transformation Realm 10 points, Divine Spirit Realm 100 points, Human Immortal Realm 1000 points, Earth Immortal Realm 10000 points, Celestial Immortal Realm 10 points, Profound Immortal Realm 100 points, Golden Immortal Realm 1000 points…

Zhong Bai wasn't surprised at all when he looked at the description on the Demon Extermination Panel. After all, it wasn't the first time he had upgraded. Of course, more importantly, he only had 100 Demon Extermination Points on him, so thinking about anything else was useless.

"Add some points to the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts!"

Zhong Bai was just about to see how effective the Eight-Nine Arcane Technique was, but he immediately looked embarrassed.

[The first level of the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts requires 1000 Demon Extermination Points, and current balance is insufficient...]

"Insufficient funds, really..."

Just as he thought of this, Zhong Bai keenly sensed something was wrong: the first layer was inadequate?
Previously, points were added and converted into training time, but now they have become a fixed amount of demon-slaying points required for each level. It's hard to say whether it's good or bad. Zhong Bai has never tried it before, so he can only give up.

"Alas, it seems that I will not have the opportunity to cultivate the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts for the time being. Oh well, the demons and evil spirits in Suzhou and Hangzhou have been wiped out, but there are other places where evil spirits are also hiding. These are all places to exorcise demons, so we cannot be lazy."

Shaking his head, Zhong Bai continued his search.

During this time, Zhong Bai did not let go of any evil spirits that were not at the Nascent Soul stage and could not be obtained through exorcism points. After all, as a disciple of Maoshan, one cannot only think about obtaining exorcism points to improve oneself. One should help others when one is successful. Zhong Bai would not shirk his responsibilities within his capabilities.

In a house in Suzhou and Hangzhou.

The words "Bai Mansion" are written above the gate of the house. This house is not an illusion created by Bai Suzhen. For a great demon in the Yuan Shen realm, building a house is extremely simple.

Inside the room, Bai Suzhen looked solemn.

Zhong Bai's words flashed through her mind again and again; they would appear whenever she closed her eyes.

Outside, Xiaoqing looked displeased and was fuming. She was clearly still bothered by Zhong Bai's disdainful look, but unfortunately, she had limited abilities.

Aside from pacing back and forth in a huff, it did absolutely nothing.

"elder sister!
That wretched Taoist priest is truly despicable. Do we sisters need his permission to do anything?

Xiaoqing started complaining.

Inside the house, Bai Suzhen felt a terrible headache. She knew all these things, but was Zhong Bai wrong? It didn't seem so. From Xu Xian's perspective, did he really need her to repay this debt of gratitude?
Bai Suzhen began to doubt herself, and even doubt Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Of course, such a thought only flashed through my mind.

"Ugh!"

With a heavy sigh, Bai Suzhen was somewhat at a loss. Zhong Bai's words were very clear: if she insisted on repaying the debt of gratitude in this way, she would have no choice but to take Xu Xian to a desolate place, otherwise Zhong Bai would definitely not show any mercy.

The key issue is that Bai Suzhen feels she is no match for Zhong Bai... which makes things difficult!

(End of this chapter)