Every branch and leaf on the tree was connected to one after another spinning lantern fruit.
But now a storm was brewing, and the distant thunder threatened to arrive at any moment. How could he, then, gather the branches and let the scenery he sheltered be subjected to the storm's destruction?
Xu Qing released Zhang Pingsheng's arm and asked a soul-stirring question:
"Daoist, do you not wish to ascend to immortality?"
"..."
Zhang Pingsheng took a deep breath, his remaining reason steadfastly guarding the last stronghold, preventing him from engaging with the fearsome calamity.
But before he could think further, Xu Qing again said:
"Daoist, didn't you say earlier that your sixty years in the world were filled with joy? Why not endure one more cycle of calamity, purify the demonic aura, and walk the great path once more!"
"..."
Zhang Pingsheng's eyelids twitched, and the hand within his sleeves trembled.
Enter a cycle of calamity, then purge the demons!
Zhang Pingsheng's mind heated up, and his remaining reason vanished completely!
He, Zhang Pingsheng, was never one to peacefully abide by customs. Now that Fellow Daoist Xu and Daoist Fuluan had both entered the calamity, what did he, someone who loved excitement, have to fear?
"Your words, Fellow Daoist, truly resonate with the logic of the great path! I shall accompany you, even if it means risking my life. Even if I never become an immortal and meet an unsightly end, I will achieve a heart of clarity!"
Xu Qing breathed a sigh of relief. After Ascendant Fuluan, he had finally persuaded another suitable ally.
"There's no need for such pessimism, Daoist. Matters of the Yin River have never been borne by just one or two individuals. Aside from you, me, and Ascendant Fuluan, we must also persuade heavenly places and seek more reclusive True Cultivators, united in heart to face the great calamity together!"
Xu Qing had clearly grasped the true doctrine, at least in the matters of tricking others into joining forces, aligning perfectly with the two Saint Temples, and the Demon Pill Temple Master.
"Who does Fellow Daoist plan to persuade first?"
Zhang Pingsheng asked.
"Does Daoist Zhang have any recommendations?"
Xu Qing was intrigued and asked in response.
When plotting mischief, one always finds endless motivation, and upon hearing this, Zhang Pingsheng was immediately invigorated.
"Previously, Emperor Hongcheng had Zen Master Sanga of Gujue Temple and my disciple together searching for a 'Living True Immortal' to inquire about methods of prolonging life."
"I am aware of the location of five Daoists' domains, while Zen Master Sanga knows three, and Sanga's mentor, Xinyuan, is also a highly cultivated Buddhist practitioner."
Xu Qing and Zhang Pingsheng exchanged a glance and had already set their first target.
...
In an unremarkable beggar's den in the Capital City.
A poor monk wearing patched robes, a hat with a draught, and dilapidated monk's shoes was shamelessly squeezing into the beggar's den.
"Make way, make way, give this monk a place to rest."
"Go away! Where did this poor monk come from? Go back to your temple!"
Faced with the beggar driving him away, Xinyuan simply turned around, evaded the other's block, and conveniently lay down in the haystack.
"Comfy! The monk is in a good mood today, not arguing with you. Don't disturb the monk's sleep, or else you might be in big trouble!"
The beggar raised his stick, anger rising, "You smelly monk begging for alms, instead of chanting for others, you run into the beggar's den occupying our territory!"
"If I don't teach you a lesson today, you won't know the fame of me, Lou Zisan!"
People have ranks and status, just as objects have varying ranks and values, and similarly, beggars in the Capital City have a hierarchy.
For instance, little beggars with bowls are the lowest class. Further up, those with baskets who collect offerings have a title, called 'basket head'.
Above the basket head is the 'staff head'. Staff heads don't carry bowls or baskets, often holding a whip, cane, or a dog-beating stick.
As they say, every gang leader has a commanding baton, much like an officer's command arrow.
And above the staff head, there's the 'gang head'.
The gang head orchestrates a sizable beggar organization, similar to a beggar clan, with often no fewer than a hundred members.
If these gang heads could unite all the city's beggars, it would be peaceful. Otherwise, with multiple gang heads, large scale conflicts would erupt frequently, with casualties being commonplace.
Apart from these apparent conflicts, within these circles of beggars all seeking handouts, there exists regional prejudice.
For example, beggars living in the gate towers look down upon those on the Four Streets, those on Four Streets disdain the ones outside the city gates, and those outside the gates look down on the smelly outsiders.
Currently, Lou Zisan, whom Xinyuan encountered, happened to be the beggar leader of West Gate Tower.
"Brothers, beat him up hard! Let this outsider monk know who's the boss here in the Capital City!"
They say an outsider monk can chant good sutras, but they don't know that even an outsider monk can get bullied.
Xin Yuan squinted at Lou Zisan, who was acting all high and mighty in front of him, and instead of panicking, he smiled and said:
"It's true I'm a monk who's come to the Capital City to seek alms, but seeking alms is also begging. You see, you beg, and I, as a monk, also beg, so we're in the same trade. Since we're in the same trade, why do you still want to beat me up?"
"We're beating you because you're a competitor! Damn it, I've already fallen to the point of begging, and you monks still come and snatch our food!"
"Beat him! Beat him to death!"
"..."
Xin Yuan shook his head and sighed.
Seeing the punches coming his way, Monk Xin Yuan simply covered his head with his broken fan and lay down in the straw pile, snoring away.
Meanwhile, just five steps away.
Lou Zisan, who was leading the others in the assault, suddenly began to clutch his head and cry out in pain.
All the punches and kicks meant for Xin Yuan landed on Lou Zisan!
"Stop it! Stop it!"
The beggars heard their leader calling for a halt, so they stopped.
But one beggar couldn't resist giving the monk a kick before stopping and spat viciously at him.
However, when seven or eight beggars turned to find their leader, they saw him with a beaten and bruised face, sobbing on the ground.
"Which bastard kicked me just now? If I catch my breath, I won't let you off..."
The beggars looked at each other in confusion, and the one who kicked Xin Yuan suddenly picked up a stick, raised it high in front of everyone, and then brought it down hard on Lou Zisan!
In the straw pile, Monk Xin Yuan suddenly lifted the broken fan, and upon seeing Lou Zisan foaming at the mouth and barely breathing, the Mad Monk exclaimed in anguish:
"What a sin!"
...
At the west gate tower, Xu Qing and Zhang Pingsheng had just approached when they saw a still-warm corpse lying on the ground.
Eh? What kind of luck is this today, going out and finding a free corpse?
Xu Qing chuckled inside, thinking the heavens were being kind and bringing business to him!
After smoothly sending off Lou Zisan's soul, Xu Qing saw his reward: a shiny golden whip.
Xu Qing looked at the golden whip, feeling a sense of familiarity with it.
Taking advantage of Zhang Pingsheng and Monk Xin Yuan exchanging greetings, Xu Qing slid his hand to his waist and pulled out an identical dog-beating stick.
Strangely enough, as soon as Xu Qing took out the dog-beating stick, the golden whip transformed into a streak of light and attached itself to his dog-beating stick.
The place where the whip attached happened to divide the dog-beating stick into eighteen sections, with different patterns and textures appearing on each section.
A myriad of sharp blades, boundless sea of fire, Nine Netherworld icy depths...
Additionally, there were iron trees, tongue-pulling, steam baskets, bronze pillars, and other eighteen eerie images.
Xu Qing put away the self-fusing, now newly-styled 'dog-beating whip,' though his expression remained displeased.
No, I had such a straight stick, who asked you to turn it into this fancy-looking thing?
——————
The place where the whip attached happened to divide the dog-beating stick into eighteen sections, with different patterns and textures appearing on each section.
A myriad of sharp blades, boundless sea of fire, Nine Netherworld icy depths...
Additionally, there were iron trees, tongue-pulling, steam baskets, bronze pillars, and other eighteen eerie images.
Xu Qing put away the self-fusing, now newly-styled 'dog-beating whip,' though his expression remained displeased.
No, I had such a straight stick, who asked you to turn it into this fancy-looking thing?
The place where the whip attached happened to divide the dog-beating stick into eighteen sections, with different patterns and textures appearing on each section.
A myriad of sharp blades, boundless sea of fire, Nine Netherworld icy depths...
Additionally, there were iron trees, tongue-pulling, steam baskets, bronze pillars, and other eighteen eerie images.
Xu Qing put away the self-fusing, now newly-styled 'dog-beating whip,' though his expression remained displeased.
No, I had such a straight stick, who asked you to turn it into this fancy-looking thing?