Immortal Mystery Sequence: I Establish a Divine Duty for Heaven and Earth

Chapter 69 Master and Disciple Kill Each Other in a Covert Operation: The Old Man Also Has His Unspeakable Secrets?

The winter solstice of the 49th year of the Jingtai reign.

On a night in Lonely Goose City, a thin layer of snow covered the land, creating a silver-white landscape and a desolate scene.

In the streets and alleys, a few scattered lights flickered and shone.

South of the city, the Wang family's private residence.

The room was brightly lit, and the sounds of string and wind instruments drifted out, occasionally interspersed with the soft laughter of women and the clinking of cups.

The main hall was warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the quiet snowy night. A beautiful crimson hue filled the space, with gauze curtains half-rolled up, robes scattered on the soft couch, cups and plates strewn about on the table, a wine pot overturned, and the aroma of food filling the air.

Wang Congyun, his clothes half-undone, face flushed, reeking of wine and perfume, squinted and staggered through the hall, chasing after several women of varying shapes and sizes who were playing around. The women ran and jumped around the gauze curtains and screens, calling out sweetly—

"Master Dao, come here! I'm right here~"

"Congyun! Come and get me!"

It seemed like a paradise on earth, but it was just a version of the "Love and Lust Mirror" (a fictionalized version of the novel).

Wang Congyun grinned and reached out to pounce, but deliberately slowed down to let the woman nimbly dodge, adding to the fun. He casually grabbed a wine glass, tilted his head back, and took a swig, his eyebrows and eyes full of unrestrained laughter.

Just then.

suddenly--!

The surrounding soft music stopped at the same time, as if forcibly frozen in time. The many women who were playing and laughing were all frozen in place, unable to move.

Wang Congyun paused, his drunkenness seemingly fading from his face, and he instantly became more sober.

He turned his head, pause after pause—

On the main seat, a figure sat upright, dressed in a gray-blue Taoist robe with white hair and a youthful face. He held a whisk and exuded an air of authority without anger. He sat calmly, his Taoist aura emanating from him, as if he were one with heaven and earth.

Dongdaozi.

Wang Congyun's face instantly showed panic and unease. He opened his mouth as if to say something to defend himself, but in the end he had nothing to say. His face was full of dejection and despair. He quickly ran to the front of Dongdaozi's seat and knelt down on the spot.

thump!

"This unworthy disciple, Wang Congyun, pays respects to my revered master. I had heard from Brother Li that you were going to descend the mountain, but I did not know the exact date. It is my fault that I could not go out of the city to welcome you. Please punish me, my revered master."

Dongdaozi looked down at him with disdain and indifference, his gaze fixed on the man with predatory intent. He scrutinized him carefully for a long time before speaking slowly, his voice possessing a captivating power.

"Reeking of alcohol, intoxicated by wealth and women, what kind of person is he? It's outrageous."

Wang Congyun bowed his head and remained silent.

Before Dong Daozi arrived, he didn't really believe that Wang Congyun, this honest man, was as absurd as Li Xiaobing described, and he also wondered if there was something fishy going on here.

Therefore, just as he was investigating agricultural sciences in all directions, he silently sneaked into the night, concealed all his presence, and observed in the dark for three days.

Over the course of three days, Wang Congyun witnessed everything happening and his outrageous behavior inside the house. He was either frolicking with a group of beautiful wives and concubines in the mansion or going to brothels to seek pleasure, composing poems and listening to music in the bars.

He also continued to drink heavily. Even with his strong constitution, he couldn't withstand being drunk on strong liquor all day long. Once, he even rolled out of an alley at night and slept in the stable next to horse manure for most of the night.

Only when he receives a message from the Taoist sect that he needs to go out on official business will he change back into his Taoist robes and work diligently and conscientiously, never daring to be underestimated.

But once she finished her business, she would plunge back into the world of women, never seeing the light of day again.

Dong Daozi saw all of this and understood the situation, growing increasingly disappointed—this was a useless person! He was rotten to the core!

What deliberate pretense, forbearance and scheming? With such despicable character, does he even deserve it?

He didn't believe that someone would go to such lengths to hide their incompetence and pretend! What would they be after?

"Is this your only sin?" Dongdaozi asked leisurely. "Look at the state you've become! You spend your days indulging in wine and women, oblivious to the world around you! Have you completely forgotten the cultivation that I and the Daoist sect gave you?"

"Is this how you descended the mountain to gain experience? Is this how you cultivate yourself in the mortal world?"

Wang Congyun remained silent, his mood extremely depressed.

Swish!

Dongdaozi was quite disappointed in his son's lack of progress, and lightly pushed him forward—

click!

The octagonal table in the center of the room exploded on the spot! All the food, wine, cups and plates on the table were smashed to pieces at the same time, and leftovers and cold food were scattered everywhere. Large clumps of wine were poured over Wang Congyun's head and face, making him look like a drowned rat.

"Before coming here, I thought Li Xiaobing's words were an exaggeration, and that you, Wang Congyun, were still a promising talent, only to be blinded by worldly desires and lust—but I never expected you to be so utterly worthless! So hopeless!"

"I must have been blind to accept you as my disciple and nurture you with such care! How hateful! How shameful! After descending the mountain, you have completely forgotten my teachings and the teachings of the Daoist school. I should truly cripple you today and expel you from the sect!"

Wang Congyun knelt amidst the mess, his face cut by shards of glass, his body a mixture of wine and blood.

He pondered for a long time, then suddenly looked up.

Swish!

His face was flushed red like a pig's liver, dripping with wine and blood, yet he resembled a mad beast, showing no remorse or fear, only an almost ferocious madness!

His eyes were red and swollen, as if emotions suppressed for many years were about to explode at this moment!

"Fine! Master!" he shouted hoarsely, jumping to his feet. "Then cripple me! Expel me from the sect! Or kill me with your own hands today to cleanse the sect!!"

"As long as I live, I, Wang Congyun, will suffer every single day! Life is worse than death; I'd rather be dead!!"

"Go ahead and do it!! That'll end it all!"

Dongdaozi clearly hadn't expected the other party to react this way. His brows furrowed and his lips moved as he stared blankly at this unworthy disciple.

"Master! I have been a disciple of Taoism for over thirty years, yet I have accomplished nothing amidst the vicissitudes of the Daoist path. Now I am approaching fifty! I only wish to ask you, what exactly is Taoism?! What is the lineage of my sect?! What is meant by 'purity and non-action'?!"

"I received the Dao from my master, but what is the purpose of cultivating this body and these Daoist arts?! What is it all for?!"

"Could it be that this is all so that they can act on behalf of the Daoist sect, committing acts of utter disregard for human life?!"

Dong Daozi's brows furrowed suddenly, his eyes flashing with a fierce light: "Truly, you're spouting nonsense and utterly absurd! I think you've completely lost your mind; you need to wake up—"

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Swish!

With a flick of the whisk, a dull and fierce gust of wind instantly swept through.

Bang!

Wang Congyun was sent flying backwards, his back slamming heavily against the door.

He slid down the door and knelt on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood, which splattered crimson across the floor. But he managed to stay upright, supporting himself against the door as he slowly rose to his feet. His face was covered in blood and his eyes were filled with tears, yet he still looked up at the tunnel, roaring sharply and piercingly.

"My esteemed teacher, please know! The reason I, Wang Congyun, joined the Taoist sect was to act on behalf of Heaven! To save all living beings! To wield my sword and sweep away all injustices in my heart!! To exorcise evil spirits and suppress malevolent forces!"

"But what have I done in my decades of youthful vigor?! What have I done for the Daoist sect?! Every mission assigned by the sect has been to kill! To murder the people I vowed to protect!!"

"With each passing day, the sin in my heart deepens! And the blood on my hands stains more!"

"How many people have I killed along the way? How many peasant massacres have I personally participated in, how many innocent souls have I harmed?! I don't know—I fucking can't even count them all!"

"Bearing these sins, I'd rather die today than continue living a wretched life!!"

"I, Wang Congyun, disdain such a Daoist sect! I cannot accept or resist this truth! Today, I will die to atone for my sect's sins!"

boom!

He suddenly raised his palm, creating a gust of wind, his palm gathering profound true energy, emitting a white light, and fiercely slammed it down towards his own forehead!

Dongdaozi's pupils contracted sharply, and a variety of complex emotions flashed across his eyes!

Swish!

With a flick of his whisk, he grabbed Wang Congyun's sleeve at the critical moment. The true energy grazed his left ear and crashed into the wall behind him, creating a large crater and sending rubble flying.

Boom!!

The wall collapsed violently, falling into pieces, showing that this move was made with all the strength he had mustered, and was truly intended to end his own life!

"Master! Let me go—! I will die today to atone for the deaths of those hundreds and thousands of innocent souls!!"

Dongdaozi did not loosen his grip even slightly, and the whisk remained as still as a mountain.

He stared at Wang Congyun's hysterical face, and in a daze, he recalled his younger self, when he was utterly despondent and only hoped to kill himself on the spot to quell the resentment in his heart. How similar was this scene to his own?

After a long while, Wang Congyun slowly released his mouth and removed his whisk.

Wang Congyun seemed to have all his strength drained away, collapsing to the ground like a limp rag doll, gasping for breath and sobbing uncontrollably. But in his heart, he knew he had passed this ordeal—

This tactic is called "retreating to advance," using more and more realistic details to weave lies for oneself, portraying oneself as an absolute victim, an innocent disciple oppressed by the Taoist sect but powerless to resist.

Now, more than 30 years later, he is different from when he first entered the Taoist sect. He has become deeply involved with the sect and has done far too many unsavory things for it.

He knew in his heart that his master most likely wouldn't kill him at this time. The Taoist sect prioritized control and suppression. If every disciple who had been trained in the sect were killed for dissent, the sect wouldn't have reached its current size.

Therefore, he wouldn't die as long as he remained in absolute control, which is why he took such a risky move.

Now he has won. With his acting skills honed over thirty years and the ingrained principles of cunning, he has successfully deceived everyone!

Dong Daozi remained silent for a long time, his sharp gaze gradually fading, replaced by a sense of helplessness and regret, even self-deprecation: "Fine—you fool."

"Why can't you speak frankly to your teacher about the immense suffering you are carrying in your heart? I never imagined that such a trivial matter would cause you to be stuck for so many years without any ambition, and to be so distressed that you even considered taking your own life on the spot."

His gaze drifted into the distance, as if looking back at the vicissitudes of centuries.

"Back when I first entered the Taoist sect, I was also full of enthusiasm. When I encountered the so-called injustice between the Tao and man, I even thought, why not just push down the gate of Taoism in one fell swoop? But why should I tell you about these past events? Hundreds of years have passed in the blink of an eye. I am no longer the mortal I once was. I am a true man, sharing weal and woe with the Taoist sect, and going through life and death together."

"You are the same. You are a disciple of my Daoist sect, receiving the Daoist teachings, and your life and death are entirely in harmony with the Daoist sect!"

Wang Congyun lay prostrate on the ground, remaining silent, but his heart was in turmoil.

Hundreds of years ago? Was Dongdaozi like him?

Why did this person become so indifferent to life and death?

Could it be that this person also has some unspeakable secret?

No, no matter how many unspeakable difficulties there are, it is not a reason to pave the way for the Daoist sect with the mountains of corpses and seas of blood behind it. The old man is unforgivable—but perhaps he can be used in the future?

"My disciple, I have come here today not to kill you and cleanse the sect, but only to awaken you—you foolish child, in this journey through the mortal world, not only have you failed to successfully undergo your tribulations, but you have also accumulated so much karmic retribution and those foolish thoughts that should not belong to you."

"You have served my Taoist sect for many years, with utmost sincerity and diligence. How could I not know this? You are different from those who have fallen into worldly desires; your heart is still with my Taoist sect—if I didn't see you as a promising and useful person, why would I have said so much to you?"

Wang Congyun's eyes were red as he questioned, "A trivial matter? Master! Those are hundreds of lives! Living, breathing human lives!"

Dong Daozi smiled faintly: "That's why I said you're too tainted by worldly affairs, lacking even a trace of the pure heart of my Daoist sect, and your Daoist heart is unstable."

"I ask you, even without the intervention of my Daoist sect, how long could these farmers, these ordinary mortals, live? Could they attain immortality?"

"You lowly person, with such a lowly body, what is there to regret in dying? You should feel honored to dedicate your body and blood to the long-term plan of our Daoist sect. You have endured so many tribulations yet you still do not know that the path of humanity is different from that of the common people, and you do not know that in the eyes of the Daoist sect, the common people are no different from pigs and dogs."

Would you feel guilty because a worldly butcher slaughters millions of pigs and sheep?

"If one does not understand this point, how can one inquire about immortality and attain the Great Dao?!"

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