Chapter 659: The Way

Sun Lingtong said reluctantly, "Is there really no way for me to get my hands on the Divination Dao?"

Zeng Jide looked at him deeply and said, "Normally, you could ask someone to perform a divination for you. Just like Lord Wangchuan asked Elder Graybone to act this time."

"But if you could truly acquire the Divination Dao, then it would mean..."

Sun Lingtong: "Mean what?"

"It would mean you hold a significantly important role in Heaven's script. Heaven intends to bestow a great responsibility upon you; the world itself deems you not yet strong enough, and is willing to risk future instability by strengthening you as much as possible, so that you may fulfill a specific mission!"

Sun Lingtong's heart constricted, and for a moment, he was speechless.

After a long pause, he finally frowned and said, "Even if the Divination Dao isn't destined for me, I want to try everything I can, and strive with all my might!"

"I truly want to steal others' fortunes; it must be extraordinary!"

Zeng Jide laughed heartily again, patting Sun Lingtong's shoulder. "Kid, what ambition!"

"Since you want to do this, then do it."

"Perhaps this is your Dao. Heaven needs innovation in the art of theft concerning fortunes, and has entrusted this great responsibility to your shoulders."

Sun Lingtong's heart stirred, and he picked up on a key phrase: "Dao?"

Zeng Jide stroked his beard. "This involves the Spirit Transformation stage, and cultivation beyond that."

"After the Nascent Soul stage comes Spirit Transformation, where the Nascent Soul grows into a Primordial Spirit. Naturally, one must then choose a direction for their cultivation."

"Just like Lord Wangchuan, who is at the Spirit Transformation stage; his main body cultivates the Water Element, but his divine clone cultivates the Earth Element. The Water and Earth Elements are two different Daos."

"For now, you can understand 'Dao' as a cultivation direction. Of course, while this makes it easier for you to grasp, it's not the complete picture."

Sun Lingtong, however, thought of the Dao dispute between Elder Graybone and Lord Wangchuan, and his mind was immediately stirred. "Does this mean that the Dao isn't just about what we cultivate, but also about different life philosophies? Some follow Heaven's will and destiny, while others want to defy Heaven and change their fate?"

Zeng Jide let out a sound of surprise. "It's unexpected that you can comprehend this level."

He chuckled. "Geniuses like you and I cannot be judged by common logic."

"Sword cultivators often prefer to break rather than bend. Martial artists frequently advance with fierce determination. Demonic cultivators can be deeply emotional and true to their nature, or cruel and indifferent. Daoists have those who embody natural spontaneity and inner peace, and also those who seek grand unification, simplifying rituals according to customs, and easing laws and governance. Buddhists have the divisions of Mahayana and Hinayana, focusing on saving others or primarily on self-salvation."

"Although Confucianism is younger, it has many factions. There are those advocating governance by virtue and benevolence, those who believe the common people are more important than the ruler, and those who argue for innate goodness or innate evil in human nature, and so on."

"All of these can be Daos."

Sun Lingtong felt as if he was listening to a divine melody! Such profound and insightful words were beyond his usual reach.

If his master hadn't passed away, perhaps he too could have taught him in this manner.

Every word of such guidance was worth a thousand pieces of gold!

Sun Lingtong pondered carefully, momentarily forgetting he was in Wangchuan Immortal City and currently engaged in theft, and asked, "Then, senior, how should I determine my Dao?"

Zeng Jide did not hold back, directly instructing him: "First, it depends on your cultivation talent."

"If you possess innate talent, that is Heaven's expectation for you. Starting from your innate talent will inevitably lead to a smoother path than other directions."

"Secondly, it depends on your cultivation resources. Are you familiar with the four characters: Dharma, Land, Companion, Wealth?"

Sun Lingtong nodded.

Dharma refers to cultivation techniques, spells, and so on. Land refers to blessed lands and grotto-heavens, places suitable for cultivation. Companion refers to Dao companions, those with shared aspirations. Wealth refers to spirit stones and other resources.

Seeing that Sun Lingtong understood, Zeng Jide did not elaborate on the second point and continued, "Finally, it's about your personal temperament and aspirations."

"The path you wish to take and the path you don't wish to take feel different when walked. Those who act according to their nature often achieve mental clarity. At the very least, when cultivating, they won't suffer too much internal friction, or even inner demons."

Only then did Sun Lingtong understand. "So, senior, you urged me to persistently seek fortunes and the Divination Dao simply because that is my aspiration?"

Zeng Jide: "I am your senior from the same sect, skilled in the art of theft, so naturally I'm also good at observing expressions and discerning intentions."

"Just now, when you spoke of stealing others' fortunes, the way your eyes lit up told me that this is what your heart yearns for."

"This point is actually quite important for you. Seize it well and don't give up easily!"

"Just like Lord Wangchuan this time, he planned for a hundred years for his Dao, knowing full well how many obstacles he would encounter, yet he remained unwavering throughout."

"This is what it means to grasp one's aspirations and wholeheartedly walk the path one desires."

Sun Lingtong's attention was immediately caught. "From your words, senior, it seems you are very knowledgeable about Lord Wangchuan's purpose this time?"

Zeng Jide: "To steal the Wangchuan Vortex Eye, I naturally prepared thoroughly in advance. The cost I paid for intelligence alone in the initial stages already exceeds more than half of the treasures in your current vault."

"Therefore, I am quite knowledgeable about Lord Wangchuan's movements and situation."

"He possesses the innate talent of 'Lingering Drowning Without Return,' which allows him to immerse himself in the waters of the Wangchuan River, perusing various memories and experiencing endless emotions."

"However, this innate talent is merely of superior grade, not on par with immortal talent. Therefore, it has a major drawback: 'forgetting to return.'"

"Once he indulges in these memories and emotions, forgetting to return in time, he will drown in the Wangchuan River and perish from overindulgence."

"That is why he has gone to great lengths, painstakingly planning for a century, all to acquire an innate talent from the Heavenly Ghost's skull to compensate for his own flaw."

"Innate talents, innate talents, are Heaven's aid, bestowed upon you."

"But any innate talent acquired or enhanced artificially is almost always defying Heaven. Therefore, Lord Wangchuan faces immense difficulties; he had to accumulate for a century and painstakingly prepare to have the strength for this one struggle."

Sun Lingtong listened, his mouth dry and his heart pounding.

For a moment, he wanted to follow the current topic and directly explain his purpose to Zeng Jide: to wreak havoc in Wangchuan Immortal City and coordinate with his comrades on another path to stop Lord Wangchuan!

But Sun Lingtong ultimately held back.

Because, through his recent conversation with Zeng Jide, he had already understood that the latter, though seemingly flamboyant, was in fact very cautious. The timing he chose was excellent, and he had conducted extensive reconnaissance beforehand. He was elevating the art of theft through Buddhist cultivation methods. Although it involved risk, his cultivation and resources would greatly increase, making it a highly profitable endeavor!

Zeng Jide's sole purpose was for his own cultivation.

If he were to ask Zeng Jide to help him deal with Lord Wangchuan, that would be obstructing the Lord's Dao, a matter of completely different magnitude.

Even if Zeng Jide stole some Wangchuan Vortex Eyes or similar items, it would at most be like pulling a tooth from a tiger's mouth. A tiger has many teeth; losing one or two wouldn't cause much harm.

But if Zeng Jide were to help Sun Lingtong, he would be forming a mortal enmity with Lord Wangchuan. The severity of such an act would not merely be pulling a tooth; it would be killing the tiger!

Would Zeng Jide help?

Sun Lingtong believed the hope was extremely slim.

Would you risk your life to help someone you just met, offending a Lord, and by extension, a cultivation nation of the Underworld?

Zeng Jide offered guidance to Sun Lingtong out of appreciation for him as a junior from the same sect. To truly ask Zeng Jide for such assistance would instead displease this senior of the art of theft, ruining this opportunity, showing a complete lack of judgment and understanding of boundaries.

"Go with the flow, go with the flow." Sun Lingtong firmly remembered the advice of Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin. Ultimately, he did not mention this request at all.

After Zeng Jide took the three precious materials from the secret chamber, his expression suddenly changed.

"Careful!" The next instant, his aura erupted, and disregarding exposure, he unleashed his destined magic treasure.

It was a monkey-faced Buddha statue, golden in color, with a mischievous expression, draped in a pitch-black kasaya.

From an opening in the kasaya at its chest, a furry monkey hand extended. Yet, the statue's primary left and right hands clearly extended from the sides of the kasaya, converging at its lower Dantian.

This was a three-handed Buddha-monkey statue!

As soon as the Buddha statue was released, it immediately pierced through the roof, ascended into the sky, transforming from inanimate to alive, from solid to ethereal. In an instant, it became a phantom Buddha-monkey several zhang tall.

The phantom's two hands were pressed together in prayer, while its third hand at the chest forcefully stretched upwards.

It stretched longer and longer, its palm growing larger and larger, like a dark cloud covering the sky, casting a vast shadow over the Lord's Mansion.

A colossal roar, like thunder, burst forth.

Following it was a hurricane-like blast of air, sweeping through the surroundings, causing countless buildings to activate their defensive spell formations.

A streak of black light shot back and was reabsorbed by Zeng Jide into his Dantian.

He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, then swept his hand to collect it all, his face pale. He grabbed Sun Lingtong and quickly left.

Art of Theft — Shadow Escape!

The two transformed back into a mass of black shadow, glided over the threshold, and rapidly moved along the door crack.

Soon after, countless patrolling cultivators swarmed in.

"They're here!"

"I can't believe the Painted Skin Rakshasa has an accomplice!!"

"Vault C is empty; all the precious materials are gone!"

"I know who it is! It's that immoral Zeng Jide!"

"He had previously sent out a challenge, announcing his intention to steal the Wangchuan Vortex Eye. I can't believe he actually succeeded."

"Quick, pursue them! They couldn't have gotten far."

Instantly, a dazzling array of detection spells were continuously activated, and various defensive spell formations were successively brought online. The entire Lord's Mansion was like a startled lion, revealing the true might of a nation's capital!

Zeng Jide's spiritual sense swept across, and seeing the various spells and formations, he couldn't help but feel his heart pound with fear.

With the Lord's Mansion fully activated, the difficulty of infiltration soared by dozens of times. It was completely on a different level compared to before, a vast difference.

If Zeng Jide were alone, it would be somewhat easier, but with Sun Lingtong, it was a bit difficult.

He did not abandon this junior from his sect. Taking Sun Lingtong with him, he fully activated the Shadow Escape technique, while simultaneously employing over a dozen different methods one after another to counter various detection spells and defensive formations.

Many defensive formations were like fortresses, preventing him from moving freely, forcing him to temporarily avoid their sharp edge.

Zeng Jide led Sun Lingtong through a winding path, found a vulnerability, and slipped inside.

This was a sandwiched layer within a formation space.

Zeng Jide lost his shadowy form, half-knelt on the ground, gasping for breath. He was almost completely drenched in sweat.

He was utterly exhausted, a stark contrast to how he was just moments ago when guiding his junior.

Sun Lingtong, on the other hand, was in excellent condition. He had been dragged along by Zeng Jide the entire way, barely expending any physical strength, let alone spiritual power.

Sun Lingtong carefully surveyed his surroundings. Behind him was a verdant green light barrier, through which figures occasionally hurried past. In front of him was a mass of mist.

From within the mist, sounds of fierce combat and the sharp cries of a female cultivator occasionally emerged.

Several voices suddenly came from behind them.

"We can't find that immoral Zeng anywhere!"

"Do you think he might have hidden in here?"

"This is the Jūlán Formation that traps the Painted Skin Rakshasa. If those two were to meet up, it would be somewhat dangerous."

"Indeed, cultivators of the Empty Gate are most skilled at breaking formations and infiltration. If that immoral Zeng helps the Painted Skin Rakshasa escape, it will be difficult to trap that demonic cultivator again!"

Sun Lingtong looked back and saw a team of cultivators pressing directly towards them from outside the verdant green light barrier.

Ripples spread across the green barrier as the team of cultivators drew closer, their figures and faces becoming increasingly clear.

Sun Lingtong's hair stood on end, and his heart leaped into his throat.

Zeng Jide remained seated with his eyes closed, seemingly unable to concern himself with external matters, while the team of cultivators was about to discover them.

What should they do?

Sun Lingtong gritted his teeth, just about to use a theft art to conceal himself, when he received a spiritual message from Zeng Jide, telling him to calm down and not act recklessly.

"Kid, if you rashly use those theft arts, you'll only make them discover us!"

Sun Lingtong immediately stopped.

The team of cultivators passed right by him. Even at such close proximity, a layer of green barrier always separated the two sides.

The cultivators filed into the mist.

Soon, the sounds of fierce combat in the mist intensified, and the Painted Skin Rakshasa let out a charming laugh: "Hehehe, so many people coming to 'care' for me? Come then, let me show some 'love' to you big brothers!"

Screams followed one after another.

Clearly, the newly arrived cultivators had suffered heavy losses.

Some of them roared angrily, "That demoness is full of tricks; she won't die a good death!"

The Painted Skin Rakshasa chuckled, "Whether I die or not, I don't know, but several of you are already dead!"

One of the cultivators, suppressing his anger, retorted fiercely, "You won't gloat for long! Struggle all you want in this Jūlán Formation until your stamina and spiritual power are completely depleted. We will capture you alive, tear off your tendons and skin, and avenge our fallen comrades!"

The Painted Skin Rakshasa: "That's hard to say. Perhaps your Lord is already dead outside. You should know that this time, I'm not the only one dealing with him. Just Lord Yin Jiuzhu alone would be difficult enough for your Lord to handle, let alone Silent Ghost Monk and Lady Tragic Bone."

The cultivators: "You vile demoness, stop spouting such evil nonsense! We'll see about that!"

They retreated in disarray, once again passing by Sun Lingtong, still completely unaware of the old man and the young one from the Empty Gate.

"Go with the flow, go with the flow... Brother's mom is amazing!" Sun Lingtong gazed at the mist before him, filled with boundless emotion.