Chapter 482: Chapter 482: Gratitude and Grudges

"Dharma Protector She... he’s mastered the Mountain-Passing Divine Technique?"

After testing it a few times, Bai Mo emerged from the cliff face and asked, his heart still pounding.

A Divine Technique taught so hastily couldn’t perfectly replicate the full extent of its power.

Just now, while walking through the rock, he had nearly lost his way.

This place was Divine Ability Mountain, a strange and mystical place through and through. Divine Thought was restricted here, but fortunately, he still managed to find his way out.

Yuan Chu shook his head.

"Dharma Protector She holds several Divine Techniques, both for combat and support."

"This Mountain-Passing Divine Technique, along with another one called Turtle’s Breath, are the ones he passes down to the disciples who first make offerings to him."

"But the Mountain-Passing Divine Technique is rarely seen."

’This is likely why he wants to make peace with Kunwu True Monarch.’

The two waited by the pool for quite some time. Seeing no further movement from within, Bai Mo gave a deep bow and turned to leave.

As they walked down the winding mountain path, the surrounding mist grew thicker. The feeling of being watched returned, accompanied by the teasing whispers of furtive voices.

The two men paid them no mind, but Ah Er was clearly frightened.

"I was only able to obtain this Divine Technique so smoothly thanks to Senior Brother’s efforts. I will be sure to remember this kindness..."

Bai Mo said to Yuan Chu.

The latter waved it off.

"It’s actually because the one I make offerings to had some dealings with Dharma Protector She in their early years. And I hear Dharma Protector She is also quite fond of that monkey wine."

"Otherwise, with that old fellow’s temper, it would be a toss-up whether he’d even listen to me."

"Of course, it might also be that he’s truly wary of Kunwu True Monarch and is looking for a way out..."

As they spoke, they heard several whistling sounds zip through the dense fog, after which the whispering voices vanished once more.

Bai Mo asked, "What are those things in the mist?"

"Spirits born of heaven and earth."

Yuan Chu pursed his lips. "They’re quite cowardly, but they have some unique skills. The mountain keeps many of them."

As they were talking, they suddenly saw a blurry figure on the mountain path ahead.

They assumed it was a disciple of Divine Dao Mountain, but for some reason, they couldn’t make out any clear features.

Suspicion grew in their hearts. Yuan Chu thought it was the spirits playing tricks again.

As they drew closer, they saw a figure in a long, gray-white robe. From his posture alone—as imposing as a still abyss or a towering mountain—they knew he was an exceptional individual.

But his face and head were constantly shifting.

It morphed between beastly heads—some with ferocious horns, others with sharp fangs and tusks—making it impossible to see his true face.

The two men froze, and Ah Er pressed itself against Bai Mo’s leg, trembling uncontrollably.

Bai Mo took a deep breath. Knowing who stood before them, he clasped his hands in a salute and said:

"Greetings, Kunwu True Monarch. Congratulations on attaining your rightful place!"

Bai Mo had heard the disciples of Divine Dao Mountain whispering among themselves. They referred to the enshrined Dharma Protectors as having "attained their rightful place."

Only an offering-holder who had been completely accepted and integrated by Divine Dao Mountain was worthy of such an assessment.

The fact that Kunwu True Monarch could openly contend with someone like Nai Daoist—a being with a pure and proper pedigree here—was proof that he had been fully assimilated.

Kunwu True Monarch stared at him in silence.

After a long moment, he finally spoke. "A young prodigy. To fall at your hands... it is no great shame."

Standing beside them, Yuan Chu’s mouth felt dry.

As a disciple of Divine Dao Mountain, he knew exactly how formidable this enshrined being was.

Gritting his teeth, he managed to speak up:

"The Demon Dao is not the righteous path. True Monarch, by joining our Divine Dao Mountain, you have set foot upon a wide and open road. Your future on this path is bright."

Just as Kunwu True Monarch was about to reply, he seemed to sense something. He slowly raised his head and snorted coldly.

"Demon Dao, Divine Dao... now that I have died and my cause is lost, what is there left to argue about?"

With a flick of his sleeve, he turned to leave.

Bai Mo felt a wisp of hot wind behind him. Without time to look, he called out to Kunwu True Monarch’s fading back:

"Dharma Protector She is blunt and tactless, and has offended you, True Monarch."

"If this junior apologizes on his behalf, would the True Monarch be willing to let this matter go?"

Kunwu True Monarch didn’t turn back.

"A mere old turtle!"

The hot wind behind Bai Mo swept past him, and carried within it was the hearty laughter of Nai Daoist.

"Well, well, Kunwu! To think you’re so petty! You’ll make others look down on you..."

The hot wind passed, and Kunwu True Monarch was gone. It was as if Nai Daoist had never been there either.

Yuan Chu sighed, tugged on Bai Mo’s sleeve, and led him down the mountain.

Bai Mo picked up the rigid Ah Er by his feet and carried it down the path.

They reached the foot of the mountain a short time later, and only then did Yuan Chu let out a breath of relief.

"Those two... they have a small squabble every three days and a big fight every five..."

Bai Mo asked curiously:

"How did their feud start?"

Yuan Chu thought back. He wasn’t entirely clear on the details himself.

"I heard it was about incense offerings."

"When Kunwu True Monarch first arrived, his incense offerings weren’t plentiful. And Senior Nai Daoist has never been particularly famous, though he has old friends and their descendants who promote him."

"In any case, they are both enshrined beings who don’t receive a lot of incense. And it just so happened that new disciples recently arrived at Divine Dao Mountain."

"The dispute over incense, coupled with their temperaments, led to the situation today. But it’s not a true grudge..."

Yuan Chu chattered on, walking Bai Mo a long way.

Based on his understanding of Kunwu True Monarch, with Bai Mo’s words and Nai Daoist’s taunts, the matter with Sheqingshan should be considered settled.

Bai Mo felt relieved. He took Ah Er and headed back toward Mi Mountain.

After being buffeted by the wind for half the journey on the Flying Ship, Ah Er finally recovered from the shock of meeting Kunwu True Monarch.

Its body had been completely stiff until then.

"Why were you so frightened?"

Bai Mo asked casually.

Ah Er immediately lowered its head, looking rather ashamed.

But it wasn’t really its fault. Kunwu True Monarch’s demonic arts fundamentally usurped the power of creation, and he had progressed extremely far along the path of beasts.

He had refined his own body into that monstrous form, and the benefits he gained from it were naturally immense.

They returned all the way to Mi Mountain.

The purple-black mountain lay sprawled across the land.

Before he even entered the gate, an idea suddenly occurred to Bai Mo.

He circulated the cool stream of energy flowing within him. As a strange sensation spread through his body, Bai Mo recaptured the feeling he’d had when using the Mountain-Passing Divine Technique.

He took a step and walked toward the mountain wall next to the gate.

THUD!

The dull sound of his forehead hitting the rock wall echoed.

"Hiss... As expected, it didn’t work."

Mi Mountain was the site of the Black Prison, after all. It was covered in restrictive formations; the Divine Technique granted by Sheqingshan was completely useless here.

’I wonder what would happen if the Dharma Protector himself came here and used the technique personally.’

With this thought, Bai Mo opened the gate and went inside with Ah Er.

Inside, Li Wuji had just finished his inspection of the Black Prison and came out to meet Bai Mo.

He seemed to notice a change in Bai Mo and said:

"Junior Brother, did you receive some sort of benefit?"

Bai Mo looked at him, confused.

"I did indeed obtain a Divine Technique from Divine Dao Mountain, though my understanding of it is still shallow."

"How could you tell, Senior Brother?"

Li Wuji pointed to his own arm.

"Many Divine Techniques reside within the body. They have marvelous effects and can even change a person’s appearance."

"You look different today, Junior Brother. Your skin has a faint, fluorescent glow and is almost transparent. It’s clear you’ve obtained a special kind of benefit."

Bai Mo was impressed.

"I had no idea. It seems my own knowledge is too shallow."

Li Wuji smiled as he walked away.

"Your knowledge isn’t shallow at all, Junior Brother. You are an Alchemy Dao Grandmaster, after all. It’s just that there are some things you happen not to know."

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries before parting ways.

Ah Er gathered its tools and headed up the mountain, while Bai Mo closed the door to his stone house.

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