Seeking the Tao in the Mortal World

Chapter 50: When Your Hair Turns Gray

Contrary to Qin Yi’s expectations, there was no strange voodoo arts ahead.

The scope of the dungeon was quite large, but apart from the abnormality of the beastkin refining array in front, the rest is just a place where Dong Huazi’s confidant taoists and beastkin demons secretly cultivate. In other words, it is the place where you live every day, and it is not full of traps.

On the contrary, there were many arrays such as gathering spirits and cultivating, which were used to assist in training.

Along the way, they saw many taoists running away in a panic, then they were chased and killed by Li Qinglin’s squad.

Many of the rooms were empty. Some beastkins, that were lying in the rooms recuperating, they were all killed by the soldiers one by one.

The reason why the little beastkins killed by Ming He’s Seven Stars Array didn’t rise to the sky in black smoke like Ye Ling was because they were all in the dungeon. In fact, almost 90% of the rooms were emptied. All the cause and effect were in line here.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

Li Qinglin caught a high-level taoist and said with a smile, “Brother Qingfeng, how do you do.”

That taoist’s face looked ashen, and he was trembling nonstop. As Dong Huazi’s confidant, he often went against Li Qinglin. This time, the taoist really didn’t know what would his end be.

“Don’t be so nervous.” Li Qinglin said with a smile, “This place is too big, we have trouble searching. Brother Taoist, please lead the way so that we can meet the State Preceptor earlier.”

This taoist obviously wasn’t loyal to State Preceptor to the death. He led the way tremblingly. After a while, they arrived at another hall. The gates of the hall were made of metal, thick and tightly closed. Huge hideous ghost faces were engraved on them. There were small human figures dancing around the ghost faces like some kind of ancient ritual.

The taoist said tremblingly, “The State Preceptor is inside. I, I don’t know how to open the door.”

Qin Yi stepped forward to inspect it, and Liu Su said, “This is neither voodoo art or tao spell, it’s just a mechanism. If you understand the mechanism, it will open at once. If you don’t understand it, it’s no problem to smash it in. It seems that what Dong Huazi learned is really superficial. We have overestimated him.”

“Swoosh“, there seemed to be an arrow shooting inside the hall, and it hit somewhere with a “poof“. Li Qinglin covered his head again outside after the sound occurred.

At this moment, everyone felt that something was wrong. Could it be that there is some kind of voodoo art being done inside to assassinate Li Qinglin in this way?

Qin Yi couldn’t hold back any longer. He slammed his mace heavily on the door.

Everyone worked together to break the door. The heavy metal door couldn’t withstand the impact of so many warriors. After a while, the mechanism was smashed and the door opened.

The first thing they saw was a puppet that looked exactly like Li Qinglin with a lifelike face. Its body and clothing that was exactly the same as Li Qinglin. Arrows had been shot into the puppet’s forehead, throat, heart, and dantian.

Dong Huazi sat cross-legged while chanting.

Everyone was furious. Li Qinglin rushed forward immediately, pierced Dong Huazi’s body, and nailed him viciously to the wall, “You evil dare to use voodoo art to harm me!”

Dong Huazi spat out a mouthful of blood, and he actually burst out laughing when looking at Li Qinglin.

An ominous feeling rose in Qin Yi’s heart.

This voodoo art is obviously not finished, otherwise Li Qinglin can’t be so lively. Theoretically, no matter whether it is voodoo art or tao spell, they can’t bear this kind of fatal interruption. As long as the caster is killed and the puppet is burned, the voodoo art will be useless.

What else is he laughing at?

Li Qinglin was obviously also puzzled by this. This spear did not directly pierce Dong Huazi’s vital point, but just nailed him to the wall. Li Qinglin wanted to question him.

Dong Huazi’s blood kept flowing. Obviously, he couldn’t live long, but on the contrary, he looked a little energetic. His smile was like a spring breeze. With the blood on his mouth, he looked.

He took a few breaths and slowly said, “Actually, this soul-destroying method needs to nail 365 major acupuncture points, and it is far from being completed. I originally planned to take another 5 days to complete, but crown prince is really powerful. Your dispatch is so swift that I was caught off guard. It is too late to complete this.”

This was Dong Huazi’s original plan. The emperor still had about 7 days to live. If Li Qinglin died suddenly at that time… then the fate of the South Li Kingdom was unknown.

Li Qinglin said coldly, “Since this is the case, why are you still hiding here and tirelessly trying to finish it? Is it a dying struggle?”

Dong Huazi didn’t answer. He suddenly said something else, “Does crown prince know that, although I’m indeed sent by the West Savage Kingdom to make trouble, for so many years, I’m trusted by the emperor and loved by the people… My heart is also made of flesh. I never betrayed the interests of South Li Kingdom. On the contrary, over the years, I have been loyal to South Li Kingdom.”

Li Qinglin laughed, “Could it be that you want to say that you are a faithful and upright official, but you were forced to betray because of me?”

“Faithful or not, I don’t dare to say. I was born in the West Savage Kingdom, and I haven’t learned anything, so I don’t know too many great principles.” Dong Huazi said slowly, “Perhaps in the eyes of the crown prince, I’m disturbing the South Li Kingdom. However, in the hearts of the emperor and I, everything we do is for longevity. Under longevity, everything else is vain. The emperor himself thinks so, so why blame me only?”

Qin Yi pursed his lips. He knew that this concept was actually very close to Liu Su’s concept. Maybe Ming He thought the same way.

They didn’t care about things in the world, especially the affairs of a kingdom. Did it matter who was loyal and who was traitorous, and who benefited this small kingdom?

Li Qinglin said with a smile, “You mean you are really helping father to live forever? With your elixir that can kill people?”

“It is indeed recorded in the Taoist scriptures that the solid of lead and the movement of mercury represent yin and yang. I also asked many tao friends, and everyone refines like this. I believe that if this method does not lead to longevity, it must be because of the lack of important inducer. So the collection of beastkin pellets is for this purpose. Does crown prince really think that the emperor does not know I refine beastkin pellets? He knows, but he is also eating.”

Li Qinglin said angrily, “He almost died after eating your pills, and you are still trying to deceive us!”

Dong Huazi said slowly, “Crown prince thinks the emperor is about to die… but how do you know if it’s not the release of soul and attain great freedom?”

Everyone looked at him speechlessly. From Dong Huazi’s expression, he seemed to really think such ridiculous words were true.

Li Qinglin didn’t bother to listen to his nonsense anymore, so he said, “Then you can go and get your great freedom.”

As he spoke, he was about to shatter Dong Huazi’s heart.

But Dong Huazi said, “Crown prince, you know why I’m still performing this voodoo art even though I know that it’s too late?”

Li Qinglin paused.

Dong Huazi grinned, “Because crown prince must be furious when you see this scene. You will kill me with your own hands immediately. The real voodoo is actually cast on me. Whoever kills me will be cursed by my life curse. The puppet is fake. I myself is the real killing move.”

Li Qinglin’s expression slowly changed.

“Crown prince, it doesn’t matter if you are brave and resourceful, because everyone has flaws. For example, crown prince’s martial spirit of taking the lead in everything and doing it himself may be a heroic style, but sometimes it may be fatal. Like now.”

Li Qinglin listened quietly and said lightly, “Thanks for the teaching, State Preceptor.”

Qin Yi listened silently, not to mention that they didn’t understand voodoo art, even if they knew it, they couldn’t prevent it in advance. When Li Qinglin’s spear went through Dong Huazi, they had already fallen into the trap.

He whispered to Liu Su, “Is there a way?”

Liu Su sighed, “It doesn’t seem to be fatal, but…”

Dong Huazi coughed up blood, and his smile became happier and happier, “Crown prince doesn’t believe in longevity… Or even if there is longevity, you don’t care about it. You are full of ambitions and only want to make contributions to your family and the world, because you are still young… I really want to know when you grow old and your hair turns gray, will you still be the same Li Qinglin who doesn’t believe in longevity? Ha… hahahaha…”

With the laughter, he closed his eyes with a smile, and there was no more sound.

Li Qinglin still kept the posture, but everyone could see that his body was trembling slightly. Standing behind Li Qinglin, Qin Yi watched helplessly as his black hair gradually turned gray.

TL: Li Qinglin’s story ends here? Will he let Qin Yi help him?