Chapter 172: Monk Kongse's Thoughts

A bright golden light burst forth from beneath the collapsed rubble. Struck by the impact, bricks and debris from the courtyard walls scattered wildly, raining down across the entire courtyard and into the withered woods outside. The clamor rustled the crows and birds resting on the dry branches, startling them into flight.

A blue brick, dislodged by the golden surge, struck the head of the Heaven-Scourging Hound standing near Jiang Yan.

With a yelp, the Hound tossed its head and let out a furious roar. A deafening, soul-shaking sonic wave instantly enveloped the entire area. The invisible ripple brushed past the disheveled Sun Leng and Liang Peng, razor-close, tearing open their black robes, and hurtling directly toward the slowly collapsing building. It crashed head-on into the golden light erupting from beneath the falling eaves.

The sonic wave and the surging golden light collided with a loud explosion. Breaking through the golden radiance, the sound wave hurtled straight toward the two gray-robed figures who were awkwardly supporting each other as they struggled up from the rubble. Covered in dust, their dark garments stained nearly gray, the pair staggered out from beneath the collapsing eaves only to be met face-to-face with the oncoming spindle-shaped sonic wave.

Supported by his companion, Xun Ri's eyes were filled with sheer terror. He could only stare wide-eyed as the sound wave rushed toward him, unable even to lift a little finger.

From Jiang Yan's earlier strike, both men's spiritual energy had been completely scattered, and their merciless killing technique thoroughly broken. The resulting backlash of spiritual energy had severely damaged their meridians. Facing the incoming sonic wave, they could do nothing more than stare wide-eyed, stripped of the slightest capacity for resistance.

A sharp gale swept past, and the imposing sonic wave abruptly vanished into nothingness. A figure clad in gray monk's robes stood quietly before Xun Ri and Yun Fei, the fabric fluttering in the wind. That slender figure completely blocked the overwhelming attack without kicking up so much as a puff of dust, as if the space before Kongse was nothing more than calm, undisturbed air. With one palm held vertically before his chest, the monk Kongse slightly lowered his head in a bow toward Jiang Yan.

"Amitabha. Esteemed patron, I wonder how these two disciples of my temple have offended you so greatly that you sought their lives?"

The newcomer was none other than the monk Kongse. Having been forced to return to the temple to receive an elder from the nearby fifth-grade Sword Sect, he had managed to decline the visitor's request before rushing straight back to continue monitoring the young lords. Upon entering the courtyard, Kongse had caught sight of the spindle-shaped sonic wave. Though he held little fondness for Xun Ri and his companions, faced with the hound's fierce attack, he had stepped in to intercept it. Kongse felt a trace of displeasure; since Jiang Yan was already aware these men were disciples of Huisheng Temple, how could he order his spiritual beast to execute them?

Jiang Yan furrowed his brow, just as he was about to speak, when Yunying piped up brightly from his arms, "Little Monk Kongse, why are you speaking to my Senior Brother like that? It was they who killed Little San's entire family first! Hmph, I'm going to tell Zisu never to pay attention to you again!"

Outraged, Yunying's delicate, doll-like face flushed crimson. She puffed out her cheeks and glared angrily at the monk.

"They're talking nonsense! Little San struck first and killed Young Master Liang, which is why I retaliated!" Xun Ri's angry roar echoed across the area. Supported by Yun Fei, he limped out from behind Kongse. The earlier sonic wave had scared him out of his wits, but with Kongse's arrival, his courage had instantly returned. Though Xun Ri looked down on Kongse to some extent, the monk's status as one of the temple's top ten disciples was undeniable. With him here, Xun Ri no longer needed to fear Jiang Yan.

Kongse abruptly turned his head. Upon seeing the naked youth lying amidst the rubble, his tranquil brow furrowed slightly. Judging by the manner of Liang's death, he had clearly tried to violate the disheveled young girl nearby. Such bullying of the weak matched the reputation of these bastards, but while dying was easy, the consequences were bound to be troublesome.

Jiang Yan stopped Little San, who had been trying to stand up and speak. His warm face was etched with unyielding determination. In the present situation, although Little San had taken a life, it was entirely justifiable. Furthermore, Jiang Yan himself would never spare scoundrels who violated the innocence of women; he would never let Little San bear this burden alone, not to mention the fact that he had already claimed the task reward issued by the Sect Master System.

Kongse reached into his robe, extracted several medicinal pills, and tossed them to Yun Fei, instructing him and Xun Ri to consume one each to heal their internal injuries.

"How does the patron propose this matter be handled?" Kongse's gaze swept past the body of Young Master Liang lying in the distance, a trace of awkwardness rising across his serene face. Behind Liang Cong stood his immensely powerful father, Liang Dapeng, the Lord of the Profound Merchant Realm. Mount Hua simply lacked the strength to contend with him at present.

"A debt must be repaid in coin, and a life for a life. A father must bear the consequences of his son's actions. Since my disciple has killed, I, as his master, will naturally shoulder this responsibility," Jiang Yan said calmly, glancing at the agitated Little San and motioning for him to remain still.

"The death of Liang Cong was deserved. He insulted innocence and took lives; Little San was entirely justified in killing him. As for the Lord of the Profound Merchant Realm—though I, Jiang Yan, am untalented, I possess the means to contend with him. Should we prove no match, it will simply be the fate of Mount Hua, and Master Kongse need not fret on our behalf. As for your temple's other two disciples, they spoke arrogantly, held no regard for others, and sought to murder. What just occurred was merely a minor punishment; their lives were spared. Out of respect for you, Master Kongse, I have exercised restraint."

"You call that a minor punishment? The punishment the patron speaks of seems rather severe."

Although Jiang Yan explained the rationale, Kongse stood backed by Huisheng Temple; mere words from Jiang Yan could not resolve these issues. Moreover, while Huisheng Temple's higher-ups—who believed deeply in karma—would likely ignore Liang Cong's deserved fate, his father, Liang Dapeng, the Lord of the Profound Merchant Realm, would undoubtedly fly into a rage upon learning his son had died in this desolate corner of the Tianyue Realm, shaking the four realms with his fury.

Jiang Yan met Kongse's gaze head-on, finally detecting a flicker of determination in the monk's expression. This suggested that the simple description of Liang Dapeng in the Sect Master System was likely far from straightforward. Since first crossing paths with Kongse, this was the first time Jiang Yan had ever seen hesitation on the monk's face.

"The fault does not lie with Mount Hua. Those who violate innocence must die. For those who assist evil, my principle remains the same: minor offenses are punished, major ones met with death. If not for your sake, these two would already be corpses."

A shadow crossed Jiang Yan's brow as he spoke in a steady tone.

Yunying wrapped her small arms around Jiang Yan's neck, her eyes full of curiosity as she turned her head back and forth between him and Kongse, wondering why the monk would stick up for the scoundrels who had tried to bully her and her Senior Brother.

"This matter originated from my Huisheng. Whichever way we look at it, both our sects will suffer heavy losses. What does the patron think of this: I will take a step back, and I will do my utmost to stall the Lord of the Profound Merchant Realm. Within three years, if the patron can form your core and birth your infant, you must throw the full force of Mount Hua behind me to assist me at our temple's upcoming Ullalambana Festival. Should you later reach the Deity Transformation stage, you must help me ascend to the pinnacle during our temple's Thousand Realms Grand Ceremony. What say you, patron?"

The young monk's expression shifted several times, solemnity etched into his brows. As a young white-robed figure flashed through his mind and he carefully weighed the matter, a stubborn resolve settled over his features, and he finally spoke with absolute finality.

Wukong, Wusheng, Wude, and the young lords Xun Ri and Yun Fei standing nearby all changed color, staring at Kongse in sheer astonishment.

Three years? If Jiang Yan truly could reach the Nascent Soul realm and mobilize an entire sect's strength, he could indeed help Kongse advance further at the festival. But the problem was that Mount Hua was currently only a fourth-grade minor sect at the Great Circle of Foundation Establishment. Was there truly any hope of leaping two entire grades to reach the sixth grade within three years?

As for a Deity Transformation expert, with such a cultivator's backing, Kongse would become invincible within Huisheng Temple. While he might not secure the position of Sect Master, the lordship of a sixth-grade minor realm would be firmly within his grasp.

What shocked Huisheng Temple's disciples was that Kongse held Mount Hua in such high regard. Could an obscure, declining little sect born from these remote badlands really rise to a sixth-grade—or even seventh-grade Deity Transformation—standing in three years?

Any cultivator with basic common sense would consider it impossible. Wukong and the others could not understand why the usually calm and steady Kongse had grown so unhinged today.

Kongse stared intently, awaiting Jiang Yan's reply. In truth, he didn't hold high expectations for a favorable answer. To shoulder the towering wrath of a sixth-grade realm lord single-handedly was no easy task; Kongse knew he would have to exhaust countless connections and squander the resources and networks he had spent years accumulating to make it work.

As for Mount Hua advancing to a sixth-grade sect in three years, though he hoped for it, he did not view it as likely. Regardless of whether Jiang Yan agreed or not, Kongse intended to stall the realm lord and take the blame upon himself. Why was he so willingly shielding Mount Hua from all this? For no other reason than a pair of eyes.

Three years ago, outside the eastern gates of Linqing Prefecture, the Purple Garment Sect and the Tianshan Sect had clashed, and that flash of purple had imprinted itself upon his heart.

A year ago, on Mount Dongmu, the image of a white-robed maiden with fluttering sleeves had carved itself deep into his soul, indelible as a seal.

As time passed, Kongse's adoration for Zisu had grown entirely beyond his control. Through countless nights waking from meditation, her slightly chilly, pretty face and the barely perceptible smile at the corner of her lips would invariably rise before his eyes.

Kongse knew that if Mount Hua perished, Zisu would certainly not join another faction as she had when the Purple Garment Sect fell. The most likely outcome was that she would perish atop the peak of Mount Hua, living and dying alongside her sect.

He dimly remembered that after the total annihilation of the Tianshan Sect, he had encountered Zisu by chance beneath the Five-Finger Peaks. Before the grave of the late Purple Garment Sect master, the young woman's poignant yet gentle words still echoed in his ears.

"Master above, your disciple Zisu pays her respects once more. The Tianshan Sect has been destroyed by Master; your great vengeance is finally achieved. Your disciple enters the gates of Mount Hua anew. Though I have avenged you, I am no longer pure of body. Yet for the sake of the fifty-eight members of our Purple Garment Sect who fell to Tianshan swords, I harbor no regrets for what I did that day. Now that your vengeance is fulfilled, I beg your forgiveness for my inability to keep vigil at your side. As the Senior Sister of Mount Hua, my future actions will be constrained by duty, and I pray you do not fault me should I lack in ritual. Mount Hua's master did not despise me for carrying my past techniques when I entered the sect, and has treated me with boundless grace. Su'er desires only to serve by the Master's side for the rest of her days, with no other thought..."

Though many days had passed, her voice and appearance remained lodged in Kongse's mind. In countless midnight dreams, he had longed to ascend Mount Hua and propose marriage, but recalling Zisu's resolute gaze immediately calmed his blazing heart. He preferred to watch from afar, seeing her clad in white, quietly cultivating in peace, free from disturbance.

Now, her junior brother had slain Liang Cong, and the resulting fallout could very well be the destruction of Mount Hua. For the sake of that single trace of white robes in his mind's eye, Kongse made his offer to Jiang Yan without a second thought.

If Mount Hua truly advanced to become a sixth or seventh-grade sect, it would be a joyous outcome; Mount Hua survived, and the maiden remained whole.

If Mount Hua failed to advance, a tiny sect could never hope to block Liang Dapeng's path. Within half a month, the Tianyue Realm would be crushed to powder by a Nascent Soul expert, leaving not even a dog or chicken alive. If Mount Hua died, the maiden died with it; and if she died, Kongse's life would lose all meaning. What use would a mountain of influence and connections be to him then?

"Patron, do you agree to my proposal?"

Kongse asked politely. Though it smacked of patronage and conditional cooperation, his demeanor remained impeccably courteous.

A warm smile touched the corners of Jiang Yan's lips. Kongse's affection for Zisu defied description; the sacrifices he was willing to make for Mount Hua were enough to move even Jiang Yan. Three years of steady development—without the Sect Master System, such a timespan would barely be enough to save Jiang Yan's life. Of course, for any ordinary sect lacking the system's aid, three years was far too short; no fourth-grade sect could possibly jump to the sixth grade in that timeframe.

"I refuse."

Jiang Yan's steady voice rang out across the clearing, stunning Kongse, who had steeled himself with resolve, and leaving Xun Ri, Yun Fei, and the other young lords gaping in disbelief.

*This fellow's brain must be fried!*

The thought flashed briefly through the minds of the young lords, and they inwardly cursed him as a fool. Yet more than that, cold, murderous light flickered in their eyes. Without Kongse's mediation, barring any accidents, the Lord of the Profound Merchant Realm would step in and wipe Mount Hua from existence. When that time came, they would gladly enjoy watching Mount Hua's tragic end.

Wukong, Wude, and Wusheng simultaneously felt a weight lift from their chests. Jiang Yan's refusal proved him to be a person of lofty integrity, truly worthy of the title of a Buddhist lay practitioner...

Kongse furrowed his brow. "Patron, you must consider this carefully. The retaliation of a sixth-grade faction—the retaliation of an entire realm—is not something a fourth-grade sect can withstand. Even I have no confidence that I can—"

"Master Kongse's intentions are appreciated. As for the Lord of the Profound Merchant Realm..." Jiang Yan looked up toward the horizon, his tone resolute.

"This lord naturally has his own ways."