Chapter 79 Sacred Vihara

ZHANG WEI THOUGHT it over. Zhao Qiaochen also made a tacit agreement about the matter of the awakening of that ‘beast’.

“No matter what, the Death Purge will still commence by then,” Zhao Qiaochen said as he flew away with his sword. “Come on, let’s go to the Western Territory’s Sacred City. You said you wanted to negotiate with that guy, right?”

Only then did Zhang Wei recall his plan about meeting that monk. “Shen Zui is a bit principled. Perhaps we can convince him to our side by using his principles to our advantage.”

“That’d be easy for you. You handle it. I only have brute in my mind,” Zhao Qiaochen said, indirectly dodging the responsibility of doing the plan to persuade the other party.

Zhang Wei’s face twitched. ‘This old fox really thought I am stupid enough to believe he isn’t sly. He even used his half-bred descendant, Xiao Yue, to observe me from afar. If he thought I wasn’t paying attention to that second supreme instructor disguised as a human, then he’s damn wrong.’

As though gods looking down on the people below them, the two continued their travel toward Sacred City. Arriving after a week, due to the difference in distance from the Hundred Deaths Gorge River to their destined city, it took them long enough to arrive despite their high cultivation levels.

Watching and feeling the Sacred City’s aura that was filled with light, Zhao Qiaochen could not help but take a step backward. Although the aura was inferior to him, he would not deny the fact that something holy was really their race’s nemesis.

This was one of the reasons why they slaughtered the Dragon Race, which already annoyed them a lot of times.

In Sacred City, due to the holiness of the place, everyone could freely enter. Monks never liked to scheme nor did they encourage the idea of turmoil. In all of Da Sishen’s five territories, this one was incomparably the most peaceful. Only the Spirit Race would not pale in comparison in terms of its serenity.

Such a city was also pretty big, although it was slightly inferior compared to Diabolos City.

Bouncing his gaze from establishments and people to another, Zhao Qiaochen only harrumphed. His ideal world was never like this one. Wherever there was dark or demonic, their Echinemon Race would go for it.

Strolling around for some time, Zhang Wei had already found some of those spies from the Central Domain and even from the Southern Territory. It seemed like the Southern Territory and the Central Domain had always been in cahoots with each other.

Who would not know the fact that the Former City Lord, Bai Qian of Blue Winter City from the Southern Territory and the City Palace Lord Xia Zhiguang were close friends? Not to mention, Bai Qian and that Wang Ruyi from the Eastern Territory were also close friends.

If they had three on the other party, Zhang Wei felt it was necessary to bring all the cards possible to his side and his advantage. He had the Diabolos City backing him, the Echinemon Race, and finally while remaining hopeful until then, the Western Territory.

“Zhang Wei, you better not mess up. Although I am not afraid of your so-called Central Domain’s Xia Zhiguang, I don’t want any member of my race to be implicated. Otherwise, I really won’t hold back.”

Zhang Wei only shook his head when Zhao Qiaochen suddenly asked, “Hey, Zhang Wei, if that man was really taking on the Divination Path, wouldn’t he be able to predict our movements?”

“Do not worry,” Zhang Wei replied calmly. “He couldn’t do it to his fellow Saints. He would only foresee or divine glimpses of things like warnings. Everything else would be vague if he use this power on us and those under our rule.

“Probably, he was anxious now. This is why we need to hurry while they’re supervising the Valley of Gods’ participants.”

“So, you’ve already thought it through, huh,” Zhao Qiaochen said, a hint of praise tangled with it. “But how are you going to convince Shen Zui?”

“I thought you won’t meddle with it already and let me do the thing?” Zhang Wei mocked.

Embarrassingly, Zhao Qiaochen coughed. “I was just asking, you old fart.”

Walking up to the City Lord Shen Zui’s Sacred Vihara, the two of them stopped in their tracks when they were blocked by two young monks. “You two, who are you? City Lord Shen Zui told us not to accept guests or anyone unless something significant has happened.”

“Let them in,” a majestic voice echoed in the monks’ minds.

The two monks were taken aback. Backing off, they cleared the way for the two guests. “Amitabha, we are sorry for the insolence we have shown the two lords earlier. City Lord Shen Zui is on the topmost floor of the Sacred Vihara.”

“Hmph!” Zhao Qiaochen marched arrogantly after hearing the two monks talk.

“Zhao Qiaochen, be careful not to release your aura. Spies are here everywhere,” Zhang Wei warned when they finally entered the courtyard of the Sacred Vihara.

Zhao Qiaochen hurriedly retracted his aura and observed his surroundings. Fortunately, there were only meditating monk disciples.

Zhang Wei only sighed at Zhao Qiaochen’s behavior. No matter, this old fox was never simple.

When they arrived before the stairs to the main door of the Sacred Vihara, they momentarily stopped. Three statues of creatures with one horn protruding on their heads, their face akin to lions, and their body resembling a deer, with their butts bearing the features of an ox’s tail, sat on three cubic stones at the bottom of the stairs.

The three of them were like the guardians of the Sacred Vihara. The Sacred Vihara’s people call them qilins.

It shocked Zhao Qiaochen when he tried to probe into these statues. Never had he thought he would almost receive a backlash from it.

Zhang Wei was, however, different. He had been here before. Hence, he already knew the power of these statues. Although they looked seem to normal to anyone, they actually possessed immense power.

Moreover, Shen Zui never told him ‘this,’ but he knew that these three qilins were part of a large array formation arranged by the founders of this Sacred Vihara.

This Sacred Vihara had once a fight with Diabolos City. In the end, the latter retreated because of the large array formation.

As for what exactly this array formation was, he didn’t know.

No sooner than later, they arrived before a gargantuan hall. In the middle was the known City Lord Shen Zui, wearing his usual burnished cowl and saffron yellow robes underneath, whilst rubbing the seed-like beads on one hand.

“What do these two guests want by visiting this weak old monk?” Shen Zui smiled amiably. “Amitabha…”

Zhao Qiaochen’s face jerked when he listened to this old monk’s voice. As ethereal as it might have rung into anyone’s ears, it didn’t sound pleasant to his own. Instead, the displeasure he felt since entering the city intensified.

“City Lord Shen Zui, we are only here to talk about the brewing storm in Da Sishen. I suppose you’re not totally unaware of this fact?” Zhang Wei said, setting an earnest atmospheric tone.

Shen Zui’s eyes flashed with an unknown glint, his smile disappearing from his kind-looking face. Going back to his meditating position, he replied, “I know that there’s something going on.

“Headmaster Zhang Wei, Echinemon Ancestor Zhao Qiaochen, what do you want me to do? I only want peace. War isn’t our thing in the Sacred Vihara. If you aspire for war, I won’t be able to help you.”

Zhang Wei just smiled at this reply.