Chapter 1014 - 1013: Entering the Moon Viewing Pavilion
It’s still very quiet, not a single shadow in sight. If it weren’t for the words "Moon Viewing Pavilion" at the entrance, Chen Tianlong would have thought he had exited the place.
"Ahem, Chen Tianlong, what do you want with me?" Suddenly, a voice rang in Chen Tianlong’s mind, causing him to freeze instinctively for a moment before realizing it was Yue Xiaoyao.
"Old Yue, why are you only coming now? It was so dangerous earlier, I was about to ask for your help." Chen Tianlong communicated with him using his thoughts.
"Oh? I didn’t hear you call me. I’ve been cultivating all this time, you know. Last time, I used up all my strength upgrading for you, and now I’ve only recovered about sixty percent, most of which was due to your help." Yue Xiaoyao chuckled bitterly, feeling that this guy didn’t really need him.
However, there are many unknown secrets in the Primordial Dragon Realm, and Yue Xiaoyao felt the timing was not mature, so he hadn’t informed Chen Tianlong.
"Alright." Chen Tianlong smiled bitterly, knowing it was surely due to the Ice and Snow Realm earlier.
"Old man, do you know what kind of place this is? I keep feeling something is off." Chen Tianlong asked.
Yue Xiaoyao remained silent but quietly sensed something. Suddenly, he frowned; this place was outside the Three Realms, not controlled by the Six Paths of Reincarnation. To be precise, this was the Demon Exorcist Race territory.
"Chen Tianlong, everything is destined. I, Old Yue, am powerless. Alright, I’ll go back to cultivating." Yue Xiaoyao seemed to have realized something and just slipped away.
"Ah? Old Yue, don’t run, wait...."
However, as soon as he spoke, there was no more response from Yue Xiaoyao.
Chen Tianlong felt helpless and could only lead the group forward. But the more they walked, the more they felt uneasy; it was gloomy and desolate, not a single shadow in sight.
After walking like this for half an hour, this place felt like a bottomless pit, pulling them deeper and deeper.
Moreover, Chen Tianlong had noticed that they had been walking for a long time, yet the scene remained the same, indicating they were lost in this place.
"Chen Tianlong, why do I feel like we’ve walked back to where we started?" Wu Mengting finally voiced her doubt, and Chen Tianlong smiled bitterly.
"I don’t know either." Chen Tianlong thought for a moment and said to everyone, "How about this, everyone rest here for a while, and I’ll go and see if there’s anyone around."
Everyone nodded, as continuously walking without finding a way out wasn’t a solution.
With his Flying Shoes, Chen Tianlong moved quickly, running back and forth throughout the courtyard several times, but no matter where he went or how fast he moved, the scene remained unchanged.
Just like Sun Wukong betting with the Tathagata, unable to escape the Five Finger Mountain.
"Damn it, this is definitely some kind of array, what kind of world is this, it’s always these chaotic things." Chen Tianlong felt a bit discouraged; he thought after escaping the Zombie King, he would be safe at the Moon Viewing Pavilion, but unexpectedly, he was trapped here.
"Young man, you must remain calm. Inner tranquility is crucial. Being able to stay calm and unaffected by external influences is the path to defeat the demon. According to the ancients, to conquer demons, one must first become a demon. To be a demon doesn’t necessarily mean being ruthless or losing one’s mind. As long as the mind is pure and calm, one can still possess supreme magic power used for the right path."
An unexpected voice arose, filling Chen Tianlong’s mind.
"Who are you?" Chen Tianlong asked in surprise. He had been searching hard for someone, yet at this moment, there was movement.
"Who I am is not important. What matters is that you must recognize yourself, know who you are. If your heart is with the righteous path, you won’t fear accidentally falling into the Demon Dao." That voice spoke again, and this time, Chen Tianlong finally realized it belonged to an old man.
"What is the righteous path? What is the Demon Dao?"
Chen Tianlong questioned.
"The path is divided into righteous and evil. One who understands oneself is righteous. One who goes astray is a demon. The distinction between right and wrong is often just a thought away. At its core, it’s the persistence within one’s heart, unwilling to admit mistakes, blinded by love and hatred, like Zombie King Kong Fan. He was originally an honest businessman, motivated by his heart full of struggle, but as greed grew in his heart, he slowly went astray."
The old man replied.
"Why is greed so terrifying?" Chen Tianlong took a deep breath.
"Greed itself is not terrifying. What’s terrifying is being greedy without admitting it, meaning not seeing oneself clearly. He doesn’t even realize his greed, only keeps covering up his actions, like using his supposed love for Xue’Er as a tool to satisfy his greed. Of course, I don’t deny they have genuine feelings, but true feelings can’t overcome the greed."
The old man’s words once again jolted Chen Tianlong, making him feel a bit lost.
"So, old man, am I greedy?" Chen Tianlong asked weakly.
"Greedy!" The old man bluntly replied.
"But you understand why you are greedy and know when to stop, which is why you haven’t become a demon." The old man added.
"Hiss~"
Chen Tianlong felt awkward; this old man was too straightforward, not giving any face.
"Everyone has private desires, but as long as one can face them, regardless of whether you fall into the demon path or not, you can come out of it." The old man continued, then suddenly shifted his tone, "Young man, you don’t have much time left. Once you leave the Moon Viewing Pavilion, death awaits you. If you wish for your friends and yourself to return alive to your world, there is only one way."
"What do you mean?" Chen Tianlong was puzzled, thinking it was unrelated, wasn’t he supposed to find Master Wufa at the Moon Viewing Pavilion to defeat the Zombie King?
"The Zombie King has already transformed, which was always fated. Xue’Er’s departure has caused the Zombie King’s Demon Heart to explode completely. Now, except for the Moon Viewing Pavilion where I’ve set up a boundary realm to keep safe, other places have almost become a zombie world." The old man explained, and suddenly a white light appeared in the sky, and an old Daoist in a white robe descended from the heavens.
With a duster in hand.
Seeing this, Chen Tianlong was startled; where did this person come from, how so formidable, and completely undetectable?
"Young man, don’t be surprised. I am the Master Wufa you’ve been searching for. We’ve met before." The old man smiled gently, stroking his beard.
Upon hearing this, Chen Tianlong scrutinized him and suddenly exclaimed in astonishment, "You... you’re the old man on the street?"
"Haha, indeed, it is I!" Master Wufa laughed heartily.
"Oh, so it really is you! Come, Master, let’s go out and deal with that Zombie King, this guy has killed so many people, he should’ve been turned to ashes ages ago." Chen Tianlong felt a bit excited; the person he had been tirelessly searching for finally appeared.
Master Wufa waved his sleeve, putting his smile away, "I can’t deal with him, even though he can’t harm me. If you want to return to your world, you must eliminate him."