My Lady Always Lacks Ambition

Chapter 1287 - 1209: Everyone Shouts "Down with the Demon Path

Qin Liuxi and Teng Zhao first returned to Li City with the others and stayed overnight in the Medicine House, mixing and concocting quite a few elixir pills, before preparing to go out and aid the world.

The myriad forms of beings in the mortal world, especially evident in the aftermath of disasters—observing all beings, observing heaven and earth, only then can one truly observe oneself.

Who says that cultivation must be done in deep mountains and ancient temples to be real? One can cultivate even in the secular world, and after witnessing the myriad forms of beings, one can truly determine what the path in their heart is.

The Dao in the mortal world is also the Dao.

Just before heading out, Qin Liuxi turned her head and looked at Qi Huang, who was holding onto the door frame to see them off, and said: "Qi Huang, it’s time for you to get married."

Qi Huang was startled.

"Invite a matchmaker to consider a marriage proposal for you." Qin Liuxi smiled and gently tapped her chest, saying, "When being considered, the one who makes your heart pound like a drum is your true match."

Qi Huang was dumbfounded and opened her mouth, all her words converging into one: "Alright."

Qin Liuxi waved her hand at her, then led Teng Zhao and the others out, starting from Li City and gradually moving outward, robbing the rich to give to the poor.

Of course, she did not rob every wealthy merchant indiscriminately, but selectively targeted those who were evil, had karma, and especially those with heavy sins—they were her targets for harshness.

How to choose targets was left for Teng Zhao to divine, through Qi Observation or even checking house feng shui, as a test of what he had learned in the years since he attained Enlightenment.

If he made a mistake, Qin Liuxi would promptly correct and educate him, pointing out where he was wrong and guiding him further.

Thus, they journeyed from Li City to the Prefecture City, and then out to the State City, they rescued people and ghosts alike.

With disasters becoming continual, many destitute civilians turned into bandits, while those who didn’t become rioting mobs lived numbly, unable to feel any genuine sadness for people continually dying around them, because they knew their end would also be despair.

At this time, if grain or broken silver suddenly appeared in their home or hands, it became a solace, and perhaps by gritting their teeth again during tough times, they might survive.

This was considered saving people.

Some died with grudges in their hearts, and not leaving, became resentful ghosts, while others didn’t even realize they were dead—these needed to be transcended and sent away.

The work of transcending was left for Teng Zhao, while Qin Liuxi handled the opening of the Ghost Gate; this was considered saving ghosts.

From the heat of summer to the depths of autumn, the master and disciple duo, along with a ginseng and a mouse, had no idea how many people and ghosts they had saved, witnessing the great love of humanity, as well as its ugliness.

Teng Zhao was becoming more stable, and his understanding growing deeper; each day of meditation and cultivation would reveal new Daoist intentions, and encountering evil people and evil ghosts while saving people and ghosts provided constant practical experience, causing his cultivation to rise steadily, deepening his skill in talisman drawing, and strengthening his medical skills.

"Now you’re able to stand on your own." Qin Liuxi was exceedingly gratified, indeed, her fate was good—she had taken in a student with exceptional talent, and like Master Taicheng she could create an unseen aura of extraordinary prestige.

Master Taicheng, laboring tirelessly, sneezed, and with a solemn look, silently offered the Array Flag to face the evil lurking ahead.

Comfortable?

Since Qin Liuxi contacted him, his comfort zone had been inching further away, and now he was practically considered a model worker.

Teng Zhao spoke, "Meals must be eaten bite by bite, paths must be walked step by step, rash actions cannot be taken; only a strict teacher can produce a high disciple, you must not abandon your duties."

Qin Liuxi, with a brotherly friendliness, looped her arm around his neck and said, "In our master, all differences become nurturing, I certainly don’t want to become the first overworked temple master, understand?"

Someone in their early twenties speaking of nurturing?

Teng Zhao was about to say something more.

A commotion arose ahead.

A crowd wielding hoes, sickles, and sticks, dressed in rags, pale and weak yet filled with vicious energy chased after two Taoists wearing Daoist robes, shouting fiercely at them to stop.

Qin Liuxi and Teng Zhao exchanged a glance, and the latter sighed, advancing forward.

During their journey of experiential teaching, they had encountered cases of hostility toward Taoists more than once, facing considerable adversity.

Witnessing the master-apprentice pair ahead, was it not just an enactment of adversity?

Only, they were the ones being persecuted.

Qin Liuxi walked over leisurely, observing the tangled Daoist bun and somewhat disordered Daoist robe of the old Taoist, and sighed: "Chengyangzi, Daoist, although you have one foot in Foundation Establishment, why endure such embarrassment at the hands of several unruly civilians?"

Upon seeing her, Chengyangzi almost cried with relief, and lunged forward, saying: "Fellow Daoist, it’s good you’re here, please, lend a hand."

Qin Liuxi steadied him, "No rush."

She glanced at Teng Zhao, who had already retrieved Chengyangzi’s apprentice, Su Ming, and halted the ferocious villagers, while the Little Ginseng clenched its fists and protested, even announcing its identity.

"No matter what Daoist Temple it’s from, they’re all demons deceiving the people; if it weren’t for these monks, would we be facing such hard times, incessant natural disasters, continual calamities?" The leader, a haggard and thin man, shouted in fury.

Teng Zhao’s face was cold, "How absurd, if it’s a natural disaster, blame heaven, blame idle officialdom, blame benighted sages, why blame Taoists and monks? Did we destroy your homes, rob you of grain, harm your families?"

The man was momentarily speechless, unable to respond.

"If not, then why attack and drive out the monks? Neither Taoists nor Buddhist monks nor Wizards roaming the world nowadays are capable of assisting suffering civilians within their capacities."

Someone shouted: "Bah, there are frauds and scam witches, causing families to fall to ruin."

"In chaotic times, who hasn’t gone astray? Are common folks all innocent good people? There are also gangsters among civilians, malice abounds. Not to mention anyone else, but yourself—there’s been quite a bit of petty thievery lately; you’ve stolen from others." Teng Zhao scornfully eyed the seemingly honest yet notoriously sly man, saying: "Not only are you a thief, but also lascivious, you seduce others."

Qin Liuxi coughed, somewhat awkwardly smiling at the flabbergasted Chengyangzi: "My disciple, always a fan of proclaiming the blunt truth."

Chengyangzi tugged at the corner of his mouth.

The man named by Teng Zhao changed his expression: "You’re talking nonsense; they’re obviously in cahoots with the Demon Path, trying to deceive everyone, beat them to death."

"This auntie, you’re the one who dropped the silver." Teng Zhao looked at an older woman wielding a cleaver, glancing meaningfully at the woman next to her: "Your family invited the wolf in."

The old woman froze, then suddenly turned to the daughter-in-law beside her: "Is it you? I said that I hid that half coin of silver beneath the bathroom stone slab, how could it vanish into thin air? You promiscuous wench, I always knew you weren’t trustworthy—I’ll kill you."

The woman, shocked by Teng Zhao’s words, screamed and ran off in panic.