Upon seeing Chu Qingxue and the people from the Mysterious Sword Sect, Li Muyang’s gaze suddenly intensified, and his pupils slightly constricted.
This damned… I actively wanted to find them before, but couldn’t find them no matter what.
Now, when I don’t want to run into them, I bump into them right in front of the big BOSS.
Is this the effect of the ostensible curse buff?
After stepping into the grand hall, Li Muyang felt somewhat nervous, fearing that the Sword Cultivators from the Mysterious Sword Sect would recognize him and attract the attention of the Heavenly Eye Earth Monarch, leading to evil forces afflicting him.
After killing the Nightmare Spirit, Li Muyang is now under special care by the Heavenly Eye Earth Monarch, and also suffers from an ostensible curse buff of -98% fortune.
Once there is any sign of his identity being exposed, he would vanish in an instant.
Fortunately, his current changed appearance and demeanor meant that even the exceedingly astute Chu Qingxue could not possibly recognize him at a glance.
However, when Li Muyang, accompanied by the driver Ding Liang, walked into the grand hall, the Liu Li Fairy glanced at him, then looked away.
The Sword Cultivators from the Mysterious Sword Sect were also guests of the grand Buddha figure.
In the palace, where the dragon throne should be, sat the grand Buddha figure with a dignified aura.
With his left hand holding a flower and his right hand performing a palm salute, he greeted Li Muyang and another person entering the palace with a smile.
“Welcome, welcome, distinguished guests have traveled from afar, and we are honored by Master Jie Zijiu’s presence in the Great Zhou imperial capital.”
This was Li Muyang’s first time seeing the grand Buddha figure, he examined him from head to toe, unsure if this was the genuine figure or a counterfeit.
He cautiously returned a bow and said, “I have seen the grand Buddha figure.”
The Princess of the Defunct Country, following behind Li Muyang, had shown faint excitement before entering the imperial palace, as if memories of her previous life had been stirred.
But after entering the imperial palace, for some reason, she calmed down.
Now, the Princess of the Defunct Country quietly stood behind Li Muyang, her expression lifeless and her gaze hollow, completely resembling an inert and numb puppet.
The grand Buddha figure laughed heartily and said, “The return of the princess is indeed a joyous occasion for Great Zhou, one that should be celebrated by everyone.”
“Pu Zhi, Pu Mou, you two go down and prepare, arrange the celebrations for the princess’s return.”
After finishing his instructions regarding the celebration, the two monks who had led Li Muyang and the others into the grand hall respectfully took their leave upon the order.
In this imperial palace, aside from soldiers, there were monks and friars everywhere.
It looked less like the palace of a dynasty and more like a vast temple.
After discussing the preparations for the celebration, the grand Buddha figure then turned to Li Muyang’s group and said, “I didn’t expect to see Nightwalker here as well. You have been trapped in the Red Mountain Academic Palace for many years, and now you follow Master Jie Zijiu… This must be your first encounter with the Nightwalker clan, right?”
The apprehensive Nightwalker in the clay jar tentatively asked, “You know me?”
This timid and fearful creature was clearly startled, given that the reputation of the grand Buddha figure was too intimidating.
Yet the grand Buddha figure seated at the shrine, with a smile and playing with a flower, said, “The feud between Nightwalker and the Jiang Family is indeed a secret, but I have been fortunate enough to have heard some minor details and have some understanding of it.”
The grand Buddha figure’s smile was benevolent, his tone humble, but his words added even more pressure to the frightened Nightwalker.
This scared and timid creature cried out directly, “I was coerced this time! The Jiang Family forced me to help, I had no choice but to assist, I’m not on the same side as this Jie Zijiu.”
“If you have any grievances, please don’t count me in, I am absolutely neutral!”
In front of a bunch of people, the Nightwalker outright clamored to sit on the fence.
Li Muyang was laughed out of sheer exasperation.
And the shameless ranting of that earthen jar attracted the attention of the group of Sword Cultivators from the Mysterious Sword Sect.
The Sword Cultivators all turned their eyes to the jar in Li Muyang’s hands, filled with surprise.
The Great Brightness Buddha on the shrine laughed and said: “Your Excellency has misunderstood, I am not the enemy of Master Jie Zijiu. Far from being enemies, Master Jie Zijiu welcoming back Princess Pingyao to Great Zhou is a great benefactor of Great Zhou, how could I repay kindness with enmity?”
The Great Brightness Buddha continued with a smile: “Master Jie Zijiu has had a long and tiring journey, you must be weary. Pu Shan, Pu Zhen, take Master Jie Zijiu down to rest.”
The two monks standing by respectfully stepped forward to escort Li Muyang and his companions away.
Li Muyang glanced at the Sword Cultivators from the Mysterious Sword Sect not far away and then left the grand hall.
Before leaving, he could faintly hear the conversation between the Mysterious Sword Sect’s Sword Cultivators and the Great Brightness Buddha coming from behind, inside the palace.
What they were discussing was how to chase down the “otherworldly evil” that had hidden itself in this place.
If Li Muyang wasn’t wrong, that otherworldly evil referred to mortals like General Zhong who, after being contaminated by the Evil Spirit, fled into the Ancient Resentment Well.
After General Zhong died, had the Evil Spirit within him scattered and fled, eventually reaching the capital of Great Zhou?
Sitting inside the luxurious lodging arranged by the monks, which was comparable to a sleeping chamber… or rather, it was indeed a sleeping chamber, Li Muyang contemplated the current situation.
The courtyard was deserted, and although there were many monks in the palace, wherever the Princess of the Defunct Country went, the monks were all very cautious and seemed quite afraid of Princess Pingyao standing behind Li Muyang.
Therefore, in the luxurious palace where Li Muyang and his companions were staying, there was not a single attendant.
The monks all waited far outside the palace gates, ready to come in only when Li Muyang needed something and called for them.
The Old Black within the earthen jar said: “Boy, what are you planning to do? Are you going to wage war against the Great Brightness Buddha? I feel that you’re no match for him.”
The Old Black analyzed anxiously: “If I’m not mistaken, this guy isn’t a fake but the real deal, truly a powerful Buddha with high Cultivation.”
“You and your Princess Pingyao are strong, but you’re still a whisker away from the True Immortal level. And that whisker makes a world of difference.”
“For a True Immortal Level being, crushing you would be as easy as crushing an ant.”
The Old Black’s fear of death was fully exposed without any disguise.
Li Muyang was amused and retorted: “Who said I was going to wage war against the Great Brightness Buddha? Aren’t we on good terms with him right now?”
But the Old Black in the jar retorted: “Stop pretending. The moment you saw the golden statue of the Great Brightness Buddha at the city gate, your eyes were off.”
“Running around with you for so long, do you think I lack such perceptiveness? You clearly want to have a fight with the Great Brightness Buddha.”
“I advise you to give up that thought; you can’t win, the difference in power is too great.”
The Old Black advised earnestly and with good intent.
However, Li Muyang, squinting his eyes, said: “It’s not certain that I can’t win…”
Since the system has issued this mission, there must be a way to defeat the Great Brightness Buddha.
Moreover, earlier in the hall, Li Muyang had noticed something – the Great Brightness Buddha seemed to be confined to that shrine, unable to move at all.
Apart from speaking, the Buddha’s predicament was no different from the statues enshrined within the temples.
Both were fixed in their shrine, immovable.
“But the most important thing now is Princess Pingyao…”
As he spoke, Li Muyang turned his gaze to the Puppet quietly standing beside him.
“Does anyone know the story of Princess Pingyao?”