Walk the Same Path as Me

Bai Xuanling's remark about being "overjoyed" was clearly just a passing comment.

She waved her hand slightly, signaling the Tianyan Sect elders on either side to halt their movements. The elder on the left seemed about to speak but was silenced by a single glance from Bai Xuanling.

Taking a deep breath, Bai Xuanling suppressed the spiritual energy swirling around her and asked,

"How is the situation at Zhengyin Temple? Was it a demon sealed beneath the Buddha statue?"

Xu Jin shook his head slightly. "Most likely, it was the defeated party from the ancient Buddhist debate—suppressed by the orthodox Buddhist sect. Whether there was anything problematic about it is impossible to verify now. It has already escaped. The vast reservoir of devotional energy there could only be used to suppress that Buddha."

Bai Xuanling's gaze shifted, but she didn’t press the question of why the two of them couldn’t stop a Buddha who had been sealed for a thousand years. Instead, she asked,

"Any other gains? With such an immense amount of devotional energy, surely it must have nurtured some lesser demons?"

"Of course there were," Chu Xingchen answered first, then pulled out a pill from his sleeve and handed it to Bai Xuanling. "This is a Serenity Pill I refined—quite effective. Care to try it?"

This pill was one of many experimental products Chu Xingchen had concocted. Originally, he intended to use the calming effects of the Serenity Pill to suppress the peculiar side effects of his other elixirs.

However, according to Yuan Kong, the designated pill tester, consuming it felt like "dousing the brain in alcohol," accompanied by the frustration of taking an aphrodisiac only to find it ineffective—leaving one desperate yet powerless.

The intense repulsion it induced made a person oscillate between despair and rage, only to be soothed again by the pill’s effects.

This cycle repeated endlessly—plunging one into despair, then restoring a forced tranquility.

It was the kind of pill Yuan Kong would rather die than take again.

This wasn’t just torment for the body and consciousness; it was a supreme trial for the spirit.

Chu Xingchen had deliberated carefully before deciding to offer this pill. Given Bai Xuanling’s cultivation level, he assumed she could handle such minor side effects.

After all, bitter medicine was known to be the most effective.

Bai Xuanling instinctively glanced at the pill in Chu Xingchen’s hand, then accepted it with perfect composure—though she didn’t swallow it. Instead, she tucked it away into her spatial ring.

As a master alchemist herself, she had once tried refining pills to temper her mental state, though the results had been lackluster. With just a brief mental review, she could tell this was no ordinary Chu Xingchen concoction.

This was undoubtedly a new-generation masterpiece of torment. She’d find someone to test it later. If the effects proved remarkable, she might even replace the Tenfold Replenishment Pills with this Serenity Pill.

Besides, Serenity Pills were foundational elixirs, requiring much cheaper materials.

Truly, only Chu Xingchen could casually refine such a pinnacle of suffering with random ingredients.

Maintaining her calm demeanor, Bai Xuanling showed no trace of awkwardness as she said,

"I appreciate the gesture. Now, tell me about these ‘gains’ you mentioned."

Chu Xingchen: "..."

Faced with Bai Xuanling’s poker face—rivaling his own—Chu Xingchen could only get back to business, nudging Yuan Kong, who had been glancing around idly.

Yuan Kong stumbled slightly. He knew exactly what Chu Xingchen was referring to and silently retrieved a golden relic from his robes.

Bai Xuanling narrowed her eyes. "Did you demolish the pagoda of Wanfo Temple? Whose relic is this? Aren’t you worried about bad luck?"

"Only the Great Buddha Hall remains there. The rest has long been reduced to scorched earth," Xu Jin explained. "This was hidden beneath the hall—likely left behind by the suppressed Buddha."

Bai Xuanling beckoned with a finger, using her spiritual energy to levitate the relic without touching it directly. She scrutinized it carefully, channeling a trace of spiritual power into it.

After a moment, she tossed it back to Yuan Kong.

Now at the Foundation Establishment stage, Yuan Kong reacted swiftly, catching it deftly.

Bai Xuanling explained coolly, "It likely contains the Mahayana teachings of that Buddha. Probably left behind in case he never escaped, hoping someone worthy would inherit them."

"But for a suppressed Buddha to hide this undetected wouldn’t have been easy—especially in Zhengyin Temple, a direct subsidiary of the orthodox Buddhist sect."

"While Buddhists aren’t the brightest, they’re not that foolish. At least one high-ranking monk in Zhengyin Temple must have helped conceal it."

"From him, we might learn whether the ancient Buddhist debate was purely doctrinal or if it involved… unspeakable elements."

Xu Jin nodded slightly. The world labeled Bai Xuanling a mindless butcher, but firsthand experience had taught him how unreliable rumors could be.

Far from being reckless, Bai Xuanling had sharp insights and meticulous planning.

When first assigned this mission, Xu Jin had worried she might simply raise her sword and declare—"Forget plans! Follow me to Zhengyin Temple and interrogate every bald monk at blade-point."

Now, he realized how shallow that assumption had been. Her reputation as a brute was likely just a facade to mislead others.

Xu Jin said, "Then we can follow this lead. Though Zhengyin Temple is now ashes, if the Buddhists relocate—"

Bai Xuanling shook her head. "They won’t. Retreating would mean admitting defeat. For us in the Daoist sects, face is optional—but for Buddhists, it’s foundational. They’ll rebuild Zhengyin Temple on the same site."

Chu Xingchen hadn’t kept up with recent developments, neither seeking nor avoiding news. For now, his focus lay elsewhere.

His gaze shifted to Yuan Kong, who seemed conflicted, as if hesitating to speak.

Chu Xingchen prompted, "If you have something to say, say it."

Yuan Kong glanced at him, then at the others, before sighing. "If we’re investigating… we could always ask the abbot of Zhengyin Temple."

Under their puzzled stares, he briefly recounted his first encounter with the abbot—what the man had said and revealed.

Bai Xuanling made an immediate decision. "We’ll question him. However, the Tianyan Sect will send replacements for the next phase. I must return to the sect first."

Xu Jin didn’t press further. Bai Xuanling’s current state was clearly unusual. He simply said,

"If there’s any news, I’ll inform you at once, Senior Bai."

Bai Xuanling gave a slight nod, instructing the remaining Tianyan Sect members to halt operations until reinforcements arrived. Then she turned to Chu Xingchen.

"Will you stay to assist, or return to your own affairs?"

"I should head back," Chu Xingchen replied.

Bai Xuanling strode forward without hesitation. "Then we leave together."

Chu Xingchen tugged Yuan Kong along, following her out.

Bai Xuanling had always been fiercely independent and preferred solitude, yet she had actually taken the initiative to suggest traveling together—a gesture that, in essence, amounted to an escort.

Her current condition was likely far worse than even Chu Xingchen had imagined.

The former King of the Underworld had, after all, lost the imposing aura of her prime.

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching for the author instead—it might just have been renamed!