"One day, you will be proud of having as your father."
The woman... no, Luo Mingtang said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing burst into laughter, then fiercely hurled the fake Jade Seal in her hand toward him.
Thud—
The fake Jade Seal pierced through his head, red and white splattering everywhere.
The woman’s body slowly collapsed.
But almost imdiately, a shadow of a demon resembling a lizard appeared within the room.
"Killed this Divine Soul of yours, how many do you have left?"
Luo Wanqing counted on her delicate fingers.
"There are eight left."
Luo Mingtang answered for her.
"Oh," Luo Wanqing responded lightly, and a golden lotus flower sprouted in her palm:
"I originally wanted that little brat Jiang Mo to kill you, but that bastard only knows how to flirt with won all day and doesn’t get anything done. Forget it, I’ll clean up the ss myself as your daughter."
"I can achieve immortality; I’ve already gained insight into the ’Yin Yang Divine Thistle Register.’
Luo Mingtang said seriously, "Once I complete these rituals, I’ll obtain eternal life. And since you have my bloodline, you’ll also gain immortality."
Luo Wanqing sneered coldly: "I’ll ascend and attain the sa immortality."
Upon hearing this, Luo Mingtang’s smile grew sinister and cold:
"Girl, do you really think there are actual Immortals in this world? You saw Zhao Wuxiu open the Heavenly Gate with your own eyes, right? And yet, you still believe in that farce of ascension to beco an Immortal?"
Luo Wanqing narrowed her phoenix-like eyes and fell silent.
Though the two were mortal enemies disguised as father and daughter, Luo Wanqing sowhat had a mix of reservations and admiration for this father.
She once told Jiang Shouzhong that despite Luo Mingtang being unable to cultivate due to his unique constitution, his understanding of martial arts was unparalleled in the world.
He was stronger than luminaries like Yan Changqing and Zhao Wuxiu.
Where others required the complete text of a cultivation technique manual to practice,
he only needed half of the text to not only deduce and complete the content himself, but even if he misunderstood the direction, the effect often far exceeded the original.
For years, Luo Mingtang tirelessly researched the Path of Immortality.
Especially after the resurgence of demon qi, he delved even deeper into his studies.
Ultimately, he transford himself into a strange lizard-like demon form, and independently developed ’Yin Yang Divine Thistle Register,’ an advanced dual cultivation skill.
And he was among the earliest skeptics of ascension theories.
Long ago, Luo Mingtang said to his daughter:
"The world cultivates to ascend, ascends to beco Immortal, and becos Immortal to attain eternal life. But all of this exists only in legends and has never been confird.
So is it possible that so-called Immortals are rely cultivators of higher realms, that true eternal life doesn’t even exist? That eternal life is just a ruse?"
Back then, Luo Wanqing scoffed at such rhetoric.
Yet now, having personally seen Zhao Wuxiu open the Heavenly Gate, Jiang Wan sunder the Heavenly Gate with the Sword of the Masses, and ’Immortals’ being gravely injured... she couldn’t help but start doubting.
Still, even if she acknowledged Luo Mingtang’s viewpoint, her repugnance for this sick, depraved man was etched deep into her bones.
No matter what, this person deserved to die.
Perhaps understanding that Luo Wanqing would inevitably make her move, Luo Mingtang said: "This Divine Soul of mine can disappear, but could you spare Zhou Zhifan? He’s still useful to ."
"What? You want not only immortality but also to be the Emperor?"
Luo Wanqing sneered coldly: "I thought your rebel army was brewing in Minzhou. Unexpectedly, you’ve stirred trouble in Xianghai City, right under Zhou Chang’s nose. Impressive."
Luo Mingtang chuckled: "What I did in Minzhou was to divert everyone’s attention, letting Zhou Chang trust even more. If I remained totally inconspicuous, your husband would grow suspicious of .
Besides, even if I don’t stir chaos, Minzhou has others to disrupt—this Yin Yang Sect’s Heaven Master Chou is far more unstable than . Pity that Heaven Master Chou is so shortsighted, thinking only to use dual cultivation to ascend."
Saying this, Luo Mingtang’s gaze softened considerably:
"Girl, you’re Father’s only relative in this world. Immortality and control over the entire world, whatever you want, your Father can give it to you."
"I only want your death."
Luo Wanqing spread her slender, jade-like fingers, and the golden lotus blossod.
Luo Mingtang sighed: "Then let’s make a deal. The Red Lotus Temple captured two won recently; they seem to have so connection with Jiang Mo.
You can go look for them—they should still be alive. Trading their lives for Zhou Zhifan’s would be a good bargain."
Luo Wanqing furrowed her elegant brows and sneered: "Jiang Mo’s won got captured—what does it have to do with ?!"
With a flick of her delicate wrist, the golden lotus spun and flew, its sharp edges unstoppable, heading straight for Luo Mingtang’s Divine Soul.
In that instant, where the lotus petals passed, it was as though the air was slashed apart, emitting faint ripping sounds. Luo Mingtang’s Divine Soul was shredded into powder and dissipated without a trace.
——
The Red Lotus Temple was a nunnery located in Xianghai City.
On the surface, it was a place of Buddhist tranquility, yet secretly it operated like a demon or cult sect, forcing nurous won to shave their heads and beco nuns, worshiping the Esoteric Sect’s Goddess—the Great Bodhi Mother.
It resembled a form of religious baptism.
But the Great Bodhi Mother never acknowledged the legitimacy of the Red Lotus Temple.
Still, the Temple Master of the Red Lotus Temple paid no heed, continuing to flatter and associate herself with the Goddess. Even when ignored, she would shalessly declare herself a devoted follower.
Her hallmark was shaless persistence.
Currently, the underground prison of the Red Lotus Temple held two rather peculiar won captive.
Recently, the Temple Master learned that the Great Bodhi Mother appeared in Nanjin Country, and personally, along with other protectors and elders, brought a newly acquired treasure attempting to offer it to the Goddess, hoping to be formally accepted as her Bodhi follower.
Unfortunately, after searching for days, they failed to locate the Goddess.
Instead, on their return, they accidentally discovered the two young won.
The two were seriously injured and unconscious at the ti.
Their bodies radiated intense spiritual energy, a clear sign of profound fortune.
The Temple Master imdiately took a liking to them, believing they were blessed with Buddhist fate and a gift from heaven, deciding to bring them back to the Red Lotus Temple as disciples.
After waking, the two vehently refused, so she simply locked them in the dungeon, attempting to convert them.
The conversion thods were straightforward.
Reciting scriptures non-stop for twelve two-hour cycles was routine, leaving them hungry or thirsty was minor discipline, and the real conversion technique was... spiritual hypnosis.
Many of the Red Lotus Temple’s nuns accepted their fate under such hypnosis.
More accurately, it was a secret technique.
Now, in the deep of night, the prison was brightly lit.
A nun dressed in a simple monastic robe sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, with an antiquated bronze bell and a yellowed scripture placed before her.
The nun’s face was serene and dignified, embodying compassion.
She gazed at the two won in the cell, then withdrew a delicate little incense burner from her sleeve, igniting a specially made calming incense within.
Wisps of blue smoke gracefully rose, adding an entrancing ambiance.
Though progress in hypnotizing the two was slow, she believed they would eventually succumb and beco disciples of the Red Lotus Temple.
"So, it’s the Soul Capturing and Mysterious Heart Technique, huh."
Just as she was about to shake the bell, an abrupt mocking voice rang out in the cell.
The Temple Master’s expression shifted drastically; before she could turn her head, she was brutally slamd to the ground, blood spilling from the corners of her mouth. An unseen pressure pinned her, leaving her breathless.
Luo Wanqing walked to the prison door, examining the two young won inside.
When her gaze fell upon the rounded-face, curvy girl among them, she was taken aback: "I rember... aren’t you a servant beside Ran Qingchen, nad Jinxiu?"
Indeed, the captured won were Jinxiu and the usual cactus-clutching Lengjing.
Only now, Lengjing’s prized cactus was gone.
The two won appeared ntally hazy; days of brainwashing had clearly taken their toll.
Faced with Luo Wanqing’s questioning, they seed dazed, unable to respond imdiately.
With a flick of her hand, Luo Wanqing opened the dungeon door and cast a magic spell lightly against Jinxiu’s forehead, asking: "How were you captured? Who were you with before this?"
"Jiang Yi... Madam..."
Jinxiu’s expression turned painful as she murmured.
Jiang Yi?
Luo Wanqing’s eyes narrowed: "Where is she?"
"N... Nanjin Country... wounded..."
Jinxiu replied.
Luo Wanqing was taken aback: "Wasn’t that woman heading to Zhenxuan Mountain? Why is she in Nanjin Country?"
Jinxiu suddenly fainted.
It seed she had sustained severe injuries earlier.
Luo Wanqing glanced at the silent Lengjing, frowned in thought for a mont, then sighed:
"Fine, out of respect for her sister, I... no, this Empress will reluctantly save that wretched woman. It just so happens that I lack handmaidens by my side; you two can serve along the way."
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