White Lotus Society

Winter days always seemed to slip by quickly.

When Yang An left the Princess’s Residence, it was still broad daylight.

Yet the moment he passed beyond the inner city, the sun vanished in the blink of an eye, like an office worker rushing off after clocking out.

As dusk deepened, fewer and fewer pedestrians remained on the road.

Yang An quickened his pace, lowering his head as he hurried home.

After leaving the inner city and passing through two narrow lanes, just as nearly all passersby had disappeared from the surrounding streets, he suddenly caught an unusual fragrance in the air—the scent of lotus blossoms.

At the same time, a shadow fell before him.

Yang An looked up to see a handsome young monk, seemingly in his twenties, standing in his path. His skin was fair, and his features were gentle and amiable.

The monk’s robe, however, was neither the yellow nor red that Yang An commonly associated with Buddhist monks. It was pure white, carrying an air of sacred purity.

When the young monk saw Yang An stop, he smiled.

In his left hand, he held a violet censer with incense burning inside. In his right, he carried a golden lotus-shaped ritual implement. Bowing toward Yang An, he said, “The Unborn Venerable Mother; the True Void, our homeland. This humble monk, Yuanxing, greets Benefactor Yang.”

Yang An’s heart tightened.

Ever since the Cui and Lin families had kept him under constant watch, he had always acted with the utmost caution. Though he was not far from home now, with only a short lane left to cross, he was still wearing the Thousand Illusions Mask. How had this monk recognized him?

Suppressing his doubts, Yang An returned the monk’s smile. “Master, you have mistaken me for someone else. My humble name is Qin Guo, not the Yang An you seek.”

With that, he quickened his pace, unwilling to linger.

Monk Yuanxing sighed and tucked the violet censer into his robes. “Why must Benefactor Yang lie to me?”

“This humble monk has come to offer you a great and fated opportunity. The world is filled with suffering; I have come to deliver you and guide you back to the True Void, our homeland.”

Before his words had even faded—

The monk raised his right hand and swung the golden lotus-pod-shaped implement at the back of Yang An’s head!

He struck with a killing blow from the very start, putting immense force behind it.

As he swung, the lotus-shaped implement transformed into a streak of golden light. Sensing the murderous intent rushing toward him, Yang An’s body tensed at once. He spun around and leapt backward, narrowly evading the blow!

With a deafening boom—

The lotus implement in the monk’s hand smashed a round crater the size of a washbasin into the spot where Yang An had been standing.

After striking the ground—

The twelve golden petals on the implement scattered into the air like flakes of snow.

Yang An had initially thought the monk’s weapon had shattered from its fragility. But then the monk formed a Buddhist hand seal and extended a finger toward him.

The twelve golden lotus petals hanging in the air seemed to possess an innate ability to lock onto their target. With shrill, air-rending whistles, they shot toward him one after another.

A magical artifact!

Yang An reacted instantly. Catching sight of a huge boulder beside his feet, he kicked it into the air and sent it hurtling toward the flying lotus petals.

In but an instant—

As the twelve petals flashed past in streaks of golden light, the boulder—over a meter long and half a meter thick—was sliced into fist-sized chunks, which clattered to the ground.

The twelve lotus petals reached Yang An in an instant.

To pierce him clean through.

Yang An arched backward into a bridge, and the twelve petals sliced past the tip of his nose, severing several strands of his long hair.

The moment he rose again—

Monk Yuanxing, clad in a white kasaya, was already charging at him with the lotus artifact in hand!

As the twelve petals flew away,

the artifact, stripped of its petals in his grasp, abruptly transformed into a demon-subduing vajra. Its sharp point shrieked through the air as it thrust toward Yang An’s chest!

There was no time to dodge.

Yang An drew the dagger at his waist and slashed at the vajra, cleaving through the air. With a crisp clang—

a dazzling burst of sparks erupted between them.

The dagger Qin Guo'er had given him was itself a magical artifact, and it did not lose out in the clash against the vajra. Yet Yang An was no match for Monk Yuanxing in sheer strength. As sparks scattered, his wrist went numb from the impact, and he was sent stumbling back fourteen or fifteen paces.

Before Yang An could regain his footing,

a fierce wind howled in from behind. He immediately sank his breath, kicked off the ground, and shot more than ten feet into the air, curling his legs inward and drawing his body into a ball.

The next instant, twelve streaks of golden light formed from lotus petals tore past the soles of his shoes. Had his reaction been even a moment slower, he would have been cut in half at the waist!

Yang An thought grimly, This monk is incredibly strong.

The lotus artifact in his hand is formidable as well. I probably can’t defeat him head-on.

With that thought, the instant Yang An’s toes touched the ground,

he decisively turned and fled, vanishing into a deep, shadowy alley beside the road.

“This old monk is sending you to the Land of Ultimate Bliss, to pay homage to the Unborn Venerable Mother. Why do you flee, Benefactor?” Monk Yuanxing asked with a regretful look. He lifted a hand, and the twelve lotus petals flew back into the artifact, transforming the vajra back into a lotus.

Holding the artifact,

he hurried after Yang An into the dark alley.

The alley was deep and dim. After Yang An ran several yards in, his figure blurred into the darkness.

Monk Yuanxing pursued relentlessly.

Yet when he emerged from the alley, he found himself at a three-way intersection. Yang An was nowhere to be seen.

“Does the benefactor truly think he can escape like this? How naive.” Monk Yuanxing spoke to himself as he once more took the purple furnace from his robes. Activating it with his true essence, he watched as smoke gradually rose from within.

But the smoke did not disperse.

Instead, it gathered above his head. Monk Yuanxing froze for a moment, thinking, Could Benefactor Yang still be here?

The thought had barely arisen

when wind suddenly rushed in from behind him. Yang An had been hiding above the mouth of the alley in the darkness all along. Murder in his eyes, he drove his dagger straight at the back of Monk Yuanxing’s head.

Monk Yuanxing was no ordinary man.

Just as the dagger was about to pierce his skull, he twisted around with astonishing speed and swung out an arm, striking Yang An precisely on the wrist and blocking the lethal blow.

But Yang An had long expected that this move would be stopped.

He immediately swung his other hand, which he had kept hidden behind his back. Clutched within it was a green brick he had picked up from somewhere.

He smashed it viciously into Monk Yuanxing’s forehead.

Crack!

The brick shattered on impact.

Monk Yuanxing’s vision swam with stars, and a thin trickle of crimson blood seeped from between his brows.

Taking advantage of his momentary daze—

Yang An pressed his advantage without mercy, instantly activating [Clash with Tai Sui]. His combat strength surged tenfold.

Still in midair as he fell—

He unleashed the military formation fist techniques Li Yan had once taught him through both legs. Like a dragon plunging into the sea, he viciously drove both feet into Monk Yuanxing’s chest.

A thunderous boom erupted!

Where Yang An’s feet struck, Monk Yuanxing’s pristine white kasaya instantly burst apart, exposing his muscular body beneath.

His blow had landed.

Borrowing the force of the impact, Yang An kicked out with both feet again, sending Monk Yuanxing flying. He then flipped through the air, using the momentum to widen the distance between them.

As for Monk Yuanxing—

After letting out a muffled groan, blood seeped from both his nostrils and the corner of his mouth. A pair of dark bruised footprints stood out starkly on his chest.

Though he had gained the upper hand in those exchanges—

Yang An’s expression only grew more grim.

Even his all-out strike had failed to bring Monk Yuanxing down. This monk was undoubtedly a ranked martial expert. Even with [Clash with Tai Sui] activated, Yang An feared he was no match for him!

He did not foolishly entertain thoughts of killing an opponent above his level or breaking through in the midst of battle.

Instead, taking advantage of the distance he had created, Yang An ran for home. His brother-in-law was there, and so was Manman. As long as he made it home, he would be safe!

Watching his fleeing back—

Monk Yuanxing wiped the blood from his face. The gentle look vanished from his features, replaced by utter indifference.

“This humble monk came to bestow a fortuitous opportunity upon you, to deliver you to the Pure Land. Yet not only are you ungrateful, you even tried to kill me. Since you are so unreasonable, do not blame this humble monk for showing no mercy.”

“Divine Aspect: Swift-Eating Ghost, activate!”

At Monk Yuanxing’s soft cry—

A brilliant yellow radiance rose behind Yang An.

Knowing that his opponent had activated a Divine Aspect—

And one of the Yellow grade, just like his brother-in-law Li Yan’s—Yang An did not even dare look back. He only ran faster.

Yet before he could escape the dark alley—

A blue-green whirlwind raced after him from behind.

After activating [Clash with Tai Sui], Yang An’s senses had greatly sharpened. He detected the razor-sharp edge within that azure wind. If he were caught in it, he would die.

He threw himself forward with all his strength.

Leaping out of the alley mouth, his body did not stop moving. Landing on his back, Yang An rolled sharply to the left once more, just as the blue-green whirlwind burst raging from the alley!

Yang An, having narrowly evaded it, looked up.

Wherever the whirlwind passed, the ground and walls looked as though they had been sliced apart by blades, leaving devastation everywhere!

As the blue wind dispersed—

Monk Yuanxing reappeared in Yang An’s field of view.

He had changed completely. Vicious fangs protruded from his formerly benevolent face. Long green hair had sprouted from his bald scalp, and his skin seemed consumed by the night itself, black from head to toe.

But the greatest transformation was in his legs.

His human legs had become two horse-like limbs. Yet instead of smooth hooves, each foot bore five blade-like claws, while two sharp spikes jutted from each knee.

Several streams of blue-green wind, like drifting clouds, coiled around those legs.

Whenever stones on the ground touched the wind, they seemed to be slashed by knives, gouged with several deep marks.

Yang An could not contend with a martial artist who had activated a Divine Aspect.

Now this fellow had blocked his path home once again. With nowhere left to run, Yang An could only hope that Princess Anle truly had people watching over him.

Trying to buy time, Yang An asked Monk Yuanxing, “Who exactly are you? Why are you trying to kill me? What have I ever done to offend you?”

Monk Yuanxing did not answer.

With a cold sneer, he stepped forward on hooves wreathed in azure wind. His speed was several times greater than before; in the blink of an eye, he was upon Yang An!

His left hand swung the demon-subduing pestle in a sweeping arc, the weapon wrapped in green wind.

Yang An used every ounce of strength he had just to duck low enough to narrowly avoid the lightning-fast strike. The wall behind him was merely grazed by the lotus-shaped ritual weapon wreathed in wind, yet it was sliced apart.

With a crash, it collapsed, sending dust billowing into the air!

Veiled by the dust and the night, Yang An seized the chance to flee past Monk Yuanxing. With his speed increased tenfold, even an ordinary martial artist would likely have been unable to match him.

Yet he had barely taken two steps.

Monk Yuanxing’s laughter came from behind him. “Trying to escape from my Swift-Eating Ghost form, Benefactor—aren’t you being a little too naive?”

In an instant, Yuanxing had caught up to him.

Knowing the next attack was coming, Yang An had no time to think. He hurriedly ducked again and leapt to the side.

His instincts were right. He had only just hit the ground.

After rolling several times, Yang An saw the golden lotus in Monk Yuanxing’s hand smash down once more. The azure gale slashed across the ground, leaving a gash nearly two zhang long!

Having dodged two of his killing blows in succession, Monk Yuanxing finally recognized that Yang An was no ordinary man. With a note of approval, he said, “It seems Benefactor Yang truly is not as simple as he appears. No wonder someone was willing to pay such a handsome sum for your life.”

Hearing that someone had put a price on his head, Yang An immediately said, “Master, I’m willing to pay ten times the price to buy my life back. Would that be acceptable?”

Monk Yuanxing shook his head.

He prepared to finish Yang An with his next move.

As true essence surged through him, the azure wind around his body intensified. Its razor-sharp edge was fiercer than before, whipping Yang An’s robes violently about him. “Benefactor Yang, there is no need to struggle further. Rest assured, this little monk will make it quick. When you open your eyes again, you will already be in the True Void Homeland, the Land of Ultimate Bliss.”

In a flash, Monk Yuanxing appeared before Yang An!

Both hands, each coiled with two spiraling gusts, closed in over Yang An’s head!

Azure whirlwinds came at him from every direction!

Yang An had nowhere to evade. If those blade-like winds swept over him, not even his bones would remain.

What should he do?

What should he do?!

Just as Yang An was about to meet disaster, the jade token of Jiang Chunxi in his robes gave off a faint glow. Suddenly, an azure dragon formed from water vapor tore through the curtain of green wind.

A series of sharp clangs rang out.

It shattered the green whirlwinds around Monk Yuanxing’s arms!

As true essence swept outward, even Monk Yuanxing—who had activated his divine idol form—was blasted several zhang away.

Having narrowly escaped death, Yang An gasped for breath.

The jade token in his robes fell silent once more.

He noticed a pitch-black spear embedded in the ground beside him. Turning toward the direction from which it had flown, he saw a youth about his own age.

The young man stood with his eyes lowered.

Clad in coarse black cloth, he was not as strikingly handsome as Yang An, yet he possessed a quiet, refined air of his own. Unfortunately, a vicious scar, like a burn mark, marred his temple.

The youth in black strode steadily toward them.

Could he be one of the princess’s people? Yang An wondered.

Seeing that this intruding youth had blocked his attack, Monk Yuanxing called out warily, “May I ask who you are, Benefactor?”

The youth in black said nothing.

Monk Yuanxing asked again, “Do you know Benefactor Yang?”

The youth remained silent.

Growing impatient, Monk Yuanxing snapped, “Who exactly are you? Why are you interfering?”

Still, the youth gave no reply.

He merely gripped his spear.

“If you refuse to speak, then this Buddha will send you along with him to return to the Void!” Ignored three times in a row, Monk Yuanxing flew into a rage. With a howl of wind, he leapt into the air, both hands gathering two green whirlwinds that tore down toward the youth.

The youth in black pulled the spear from the ground.

He clenched it tightly.

As true essence flowed through it, mist surged from the spear, coiling into the shape of a water dragon. It swept fiercely toward Monk Yuanxing’s twin green whirlwinds!

Water vapor roared forth, scattering in every direction!

In an instant, the pitch-black spear shredded the green whirlwinds surrounding Monk Yuanxing and cleaved toward his face!

Suspended in midair, he had no way to evade.

Monk Yuanxing hurriedly crossed his arms in front of himself. With a sharp crack, Yang An saw both of the monk’s arms split open, blood and flesh mangled, as he fell from the air.

He hit the ground and plowed a furrow several yards long.

Only after smashing through a stretch of old wall did he finally collapse amid the dust!

Yuanxing’s divine manifestation had already crumbled.

He reverted to his original form, his face twisted in agony. Knowing he was no match for the youth in black, he ignored his injuries, leapt onto the wall amid spraying blood, and fled into the distance.

How could they let a tiger return to the mountain?

“Don’t let him get away!” Yang An shouted. “We can’t spare him!”

Yet the youth in black did not give chase.

Instead, he leveled his spear across Yang An’s path, stopping him from pursuing. “He is a White Lotus sect member. Kill him, and you will invite endless retaliation.”

“The White Lotus Sect?”

Yang An was taken aback. Whether in this world or in the world before his rebirth, the White Lotus Sect was infamous. Wherever there was rebellion, they were never far behind.

How had he drawn the attention of such a troublesome cult?

Yang An frowned.

Once the White Lotus sect member had fled far away, the youth in black twisted his spear apart into two sections, slung them across his back, and turned to leave without another word.

Yang An had initially assumed the youth in black was from the princess’s residence, but now it did not seem likely.

After all, everyone from the princess’s residence had been quite courteous toward him.

Yang An called out to stop the youth, cupping his hands in salute. “Thank you for saving my life, sir. But I don’t believe we have ever met. May I ask why you helped me?”

The youth in black did not slow his pace. “Passing by.”

Yang An: ...

Damn. This guy was really putting on airs.

Seeing that he was about to disappear into the distance, Yang An called out again, “May I ask your name? Mine is Yang An. Perhaps one day I may have the chance to repay your kindness!”

Upon hearing the name “Yang An”—

The black-clad youth halted mid-step. For the first time, emotion flickered in his eyes. He turned back to glance at Yang An, faint surprise showing on his face—yet the very next moment, his expression returned to that of a stagnant, lifeless pool.

With his gaze lowered, he said, “Lin Nu.”

…

…

…

Thanks to:

The Grand Year God of the Mortal Realm

Cycles Without End

Pulling Off a Hakimi Combo in Actual Combat

The Unblinking Gui Wuqing

Thank you to these four patrons for their gifts. May you enjoy blissful nights, every single one.

P.S. I really couldn’t manage another update today. I’ll post an extra chapter tomorrow.

T_T