Chapter 129 The Secret Realm of Love and Lust (Twenty-Four)
Wei Feng did not answer the Bodhi tree spirit, his gaze fixed on the figure in his heart. However, the tree spirit refused to give up and slowly spoke:
“The Sumeru Heart is a powerful tool used by the Evil Ghost Division to interrogate prisoners, even more cruel than soul searching. Yet you only use it to this extent. Are you afraid of hurting your master’s Dao heart?” He smiled weakly. “I originally thought you were beyond saving, but I didn’t expect that you could still retain a trace of kindness in your heart. Even if it’s for your master’s sake, you should repent in time.”
Wei Feng clenched the Sumeru Heart in his hand and sneered, "For my master? Monk, stop being so self-righteous. I'm just doing this to complete the task assigned to me. They want the whole person, otherwise—"
"Otherwise, what will you do?" A cold voice suddenly rang out from behind him.
Wei Feng stiffened and looked down at the Sumeru Heart in his hand. He had used a soundproof array beforehand to ensure that Jiang Gu would not hear their conversation, but Jiang Gu was no longer inside. A cool breeze blew, carrying a familiar fragrance into his nostrils.
Wei Feng hadn't felt so panicked and helpless in a long time.
He swallowed hard, turned around, and met those cold eyes. He couldn't quite manage a smile. "Master, why did you come out?"
Jiang Gu looked at him calmly, walked closer step by step, and continued to ask in a cold voice: "Do you want to extract the Heart-Shattering Pill, or peel off your skin and refine your bones? How about we refine it directly into a magic weapon?"
Although his eyes were calm and indifferent, Wei Feng could feel his barely suppressed anger. His face turned pale, his knees went weak, and he knelt down with a thud. "This disciple dares not."
"..." The Bodhi tree spirit beside him couldn't help but twitch its lips.
"I think you're quite bold," Jiang Gu said.
Wei Feng didn't dare to look up at him, "Master, I—"
"Where is Hu Jingchen?" Jiang Gu was too lazy to listen to his explanation.
Wei Feng dared to raise his head this time, his eyes wide with anger. "At a time like this, you still care where he is?!"
Jiang Gu looked down at him.
Wei Feng felt guilty under his gaze and gritted his teeth, saying, "Who knows where that kid died? Anyway, he's just a burden to us."
"When did it become your place to lecture me?" Jiang Gu's gaze turned cold.
Wei Feng snorted and turned his head away, but his back unconsciously straightened, and he knelt upright, stubbornly saying, "I didn't."
"I released the Fire Rope and the seal on the Spirit Realm to make things easier and give you more freedom of movement, not to let you do whatever you want." Jiang Gu flipped his wrist, and the other end of the Fire Rope appeared in his palm.
Wei Feng, however, did not take it to heart.
Jiang Gu's Fire Rope mark and the silver chain didn't actually have much binding effect on him; he could easily break free. He hadn't dared to act forcefully before because he was worried about revealing his identity and hurting Jiang Gu. Now that Jiang Gu knew his identity, he no longer needed to hide his strength. He was fully confident he could break free of these broken chains without harming Jiang Gu.
Um?
He mustered all his strength and struggled to break free, but the fire rope and the silver chain on his ankle remained unmoved. Unconvinced, he circulated his spiritual energy through his meridians, but still found no seals or other spiritual energy binding him. His magic power was also fully intact, but he just couldn't break free.
He looked up at Jiang Gu in disbelief, "What did you do to me?!"
He's clearly stronger than Jiang Gu now! The fact that he didn't forcibly imprison Jiang Gu shows he still has a conscience, but in the end, he unknowingly became trapped himself!
Jiang Gu tightened the red rope in his hand, and the crimson rope wrapped around his wrist in circles. Wei Feng, who was tied to the other end of the rope, was forced to slide down the ground and kneel in front of him.
Jiang Gu grabbed his chin and frowned in displeasure. "I don't care what they taught you. As long as you are my disciple, you only need to do what I teach you."
In the past, he wouldn't have wanted something like Wei Feng, who had become disloyal and rebellious. He had many choices, whether it was a spirit pet or a disciple.
But he wanted Wei Feng.
He could only reluctantly try to change the person's mind, and his apprentice naturally had to grow into the shape he wanted.
Wei Feng bared his teeth defiantly, bloodstains still clinging to his lips. Jiang Gu grabbed his chin with one hand and pried his teeth open against his palate with the other. With dozens of powerful magic arrays, Wei Feng uncontrollably revealed his true form. His eyes were bloodshot as he roared at Jiang Gu, his sharp teeth piercing his wrist. But Jiang Gu didn't care. After finding the person, he pulled hard and actually dragged a bloody mass out of the monster's throat.
Wei Feng covered his neck and gagged several times.
Jiang Gu channeled some spiritual energy into the bloody mass, and the creature moved with difficulty, gasped for breath, and cried out in pain, clutching its face. It was none other than Hu Jingchen.
The other person's face was mostly corroded by the monster's saliva, and half of his arm and leg were chewed into a bloody mess. However, his dantian and Dao heart were still intact. As a cultivator, these superficial injuries were not a big deal.
Jiang Gu tossed him several bottles of pills and talismans. Hu Jingchen caught them, and as soon as he looked up, he saw Wei Feng behind him. He screamed in horror, "You man-eating monster—"
Wei Feng had already transformed back into human form. He crossed his arms and tilted his head at him unhappily, looking like he was about to rush up and chew him to pieces, but Jiang Gu slapped his face and pushed him back into the spiritual realm.
Wei Feng stubbornly clung to the edge of the Spirit Realm, refusing to go in. He said earnestly, "Master, I only had this idea on a whim. I happened to run into this Bodhi Tree Spirit, crushed his relic, and discovered that he also had a Sumeru Heart. So I wanted to use the Sumeru Heart to test you. What I said to this tree spirit just now was just to save face. I... I did hide some things from you, Master, but I couldn't break through the restrictions to tell you. But I swear to the Heavenly Dao that I have absolutely no disloyalty to you, Master."
With red eyes, he stared longingly at Jiang Gu. Seeing that Jiang Gu did not continue to push him into the spiritual realm, he continued, "Besides, Master, this Hu Jingchen is a good-for-nothing, and there are traitors from the Eight Pavilions chasing us. This Bodhi Tree Spirit has been rooted here for hundreds of years and must know the whereabouts of the other Sumeru Hearts. It's safer for me to be outside with you than for you to be alone, Master."
He hurriedly placed the Sumeru Heart in Jiang Gu's hand, making no mention of how he had been subdued by Jiang Gu without anyone noticing. He said aggrievedly, "Master, I really know I was wrong. And I know that you don't despise me at all. I will never dare to test you like this again. Master, please forgive me."
His voice was damaged, but his mouth was still very sharp, and he rambled on and on about the spiritual realm.
Jiang Gusheng laughed in exasperation, "You certainly know how to bend and stretch."
Wei Feng licked the blood off his lips. His slightly drooping eyes were clear and innocent, and his eye sockets were red. Even if others knew that he did it on purpose, they couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
But Jiang Gu wouldn't.
He expressionlessly sealed the person into the spiritual realm, glanced at Hu Jingchen on the ground, and threw him into the spirit pet pouch, saying, "Go in and heal your wounds."
Unlike Wei Feng, Hu Jingchen was not delicate and did not object to being put into the spirit pet bag. Jiang Gu then looked at the Bodhi tree spirit tied to the tree, fed him a few life-extending pills, and then untied him.
"Amitabha, thank you, Benefactor Jiang." He bowed to Jiang Gu in a Buddhist gesture.
Jiang Gu did not accept the offer. He said calmly, "Take me to find the two Sumeru Hearts, and I will let you leave. Otherwise, I will kill your entire clan."
He and Hu Jingchen were stopped by a group of Bodhi tree spirits when they were in the north, but those things were kind and did not harm them, so Jiang Gu did not kill them.
The murderous intent in his eyes seemed genuine, and the Bodhi Tree Spirit had no doubts. After all, Jiang Gu possessed such a filthy and evil object as Wei Feng. However, he did not expect that Jiang Gu, who appeared kind-hearted, was actually a ruthless person.
"This humble monk has now inquired about his conscience." The Bodhi tree spirit sealed the wound in front of his chest and walked forward unsteadily. "Please follow me, benefactor."
Jiang Gu didn't believe him. Suddenly, a familiar hoarse voice came from beside him: "What kind of lousy name is Hou Wenxin? He's definitely not a good person. Master, why don't we kill him?"
Jiang Gu felt a chill behind his ear.
Hou Wenxin must have heard Wei Feng's voice too, and said with a smile, "This name was given to me when I established my path. I practice the path of compassion, and I chose this name to remind myself at all times that when I encounter something, I should first look at the situation and then examine my own heart, and always remain humble and compassionate."
"Hypocritical," Wei Feng scoffed.
Jiang Gu raised his hand to touch behind his ear, but only felt a damp mist.
Wei Feng's voice rang in his other ear, "Master, I didn't come out, I just released a little ghost mark. You have to let me get some fresh air, otherwise I'll go crazy from suffocation."
After he finished speaking, before Jiang Gu could grab it again, the tiny wisp of mist affectionately nuzzled his cheek and whispered, "Please, Master."
"..." Jiang Gu was too lazy to pay him any more attention.
Later, Wenxin was extremely familiar with the Tomb of Ten Thousand Buddhas and was very trustworthy. He took Jiang Gu to the tomb of the Bodhi Tree Spirit and took out two still warm Sumeru Hearts.
"These two fellow cultivators have only recently passed away, and their Sumeru Hearts are still fresh. Please rest assured, Benefactor Jiang, although they have perished, the efficacy of these Sumeru Hearts will not be greatly diminished. You can still complete the mission by handing them over to the White Bone Palace." Hou Wenxin was quite thoughtful.
Jiang Gu accepted the two Sumeru Hearts. "You seem to be very familiar with things outside."
“Indeed, benefactor, you may not know this, but our Bodhi clan attained wisdom by relying on the Buddhist cultivators who perished in the Ten Thousand Buddha Tomb. Those with good aptitude can cultivate by relying on the relics of Buddhist cultivators, while those with poor aptitude will attain the Sumeru Heart. It is only because I, a spirit, was fortunate enough to obtain both relics and the Sumeru Heart that I was able to cultivate into a human body. Having a human body, I naturally want to travel outside.” Hou Wenxin smiled and said, “I also often take on some missions to support my clan.”
Wei Feng, a wisp of mist, sat on Jiang Gu's shoulder, transforming into a small human figure. He lazily crossed his legs and said, "In that case, why don't you find another Sumeru Heart so we can return yours to you?"
Hou Wenxin shook his head. “The path of cultivation is in the heart, yet it is also not in the heart. My loss of the relics and the Sumeru Heart may well be my own destiny. There is no need to force it. I ask that you two keep your promise and spare the lives of my entire clan.”
Wei Feng wasn't very happy. He preferred to eliminate problems by any means necessary. Jiang Gu would also eliminate problems, but he had his own set of principles. Seeing that Jiang Gu had nodded, he could only sullenly bump his head, which was covered in mist, against Jiang Gu's chin, leaving the chin red.
"..." Jiang Gu, with a blank expression, stuck out his index finger and pressed it against his forehead.
The little fog head this guy made is quite sturdy.
"There's no guarantee he won't turn around and launch a surprise attack," Wei Feng said hoarsely. "Master, you're just too kind—"
"Say one more word and you're going back," Jiang Gu warned coldly.
The little figure of mist snorted angrily, crossed its arms, and shut its mouth in a huff.
Jiang Gu clicked his tongue.
This was the first time in his life he had heard someone describe him as too kind, almost... He couldn't think of a suitable description, and his displeasure deepened.
Those scoundrels really corrupted his apprentice.
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