Chapter 63: The Unscrupulous Taoist
A golden thread of light extended from Ye Fan's fingertip, slicing open the rock wall. Immediately, specks of cyan light swirled out, revealing half of a blade handle. He grabbed it with his hand and pulled hard. In an instant, azure radiance filled the area, making him squint.
*Clang*
It was a cyan-green dagger. When fully drawn, it let out a crisp metallic ring. Azure mist coiled around it, razor-sharp. Barely half a foot long, it looked like a pool of clear water—crystal clear, exuding waves of chilling cold.
Ye Fan knew this was no ordinary item. A weapon collected by the Demon Emperor himself could not be anything less than extraordinary.
"Haha..." Just then, a plump Taoist with a ruddy complexion shot over on a divine rainbow. Though he looked bulky, his movements were light and nimble, landing silently like a falling leaf. Chuckling, he said, "Lucky me! I didn't think I'd actually catch a sentient weapon." With that, he reached out a large hand toward the dagger in Ye Fan's grasp, wearing a kindly smile. "Child, this is a weapon of ill omen—a murderous tool. You can't control it. Let me, Taoist, subdue it."
Ye Fan wanted to punch that ruddy, plump face. This fat Taoist was too unscrupulous, treating him like a child to be fooled. He dodged backward. The fat Taoist was very agile; his large hand turned lightly, and with a *whoosh*, he snatched the dagger away. Laughing loudly, he said, "Child, I'll remember this favor. The mountains may shift, but the paths will cross again. Next time we meet, I'll repay you well."
With those words, the fat Taoist patted his rear and left. *Chi!* He shot up on his divine rainbow.
"Damn fatty, I'll remember you!" Ye Fan cursed under his breath, shaking his fist at the sky. Having a sentient weapon snatched away like this was infuriating.
"I'm not that fat, just sturdy," the thirty-something plump Taoist said. His ears were sharp—he had already flown over a hundred meters but still caught Ye Fan's muttering. Turning back, he flashed a set of white teeth and grinned brightly. "Next time we meet, I'll bring you good luck."
Seeing how keen the Taoist's senses were, Ye Fan dared not speak further. He rolled his eyes in that direction and watched the fat Taoist swagger away.
The Demon Emperor's tomb had indeed released many sentient weapons. Rays of light shot in all directions, and cultivators rode divine rainbows in pursuit, filling the sky above the ancient ruins with flickering shadows.
*Chi*
Just half an hour later, another divine rainbow shot toward Ye Fan, startling him so much he quickly dodged. A red glow, like condensed burning clouds, rushed over and embedded itself in the rock wall ahead.
Ye Fan's heart leaped. He felt lucky. Just as he was happy about it—having had a dagger snatched away by that fat Taoist—another weapon appeared before him. He warily looked around. Seeing no one passing by, he used his golden thread to quickly cut open the rock wall and dug out a blood-red bead. Crimson rays burst forth.
"Hahaha..." A loud laugh came from the distance. The fat Taoist's mouth was nearly split to his ears as he rode his divine rainbow toward Ye Fan.
"Damn it!" Ye Fan cursed inwardly. Grabbing the bead wrapped in red light, he turned and ran.
"The poor Taoist is indeed fated to meet you, young friend. I didn't expect to see you again so soon." The fat Taoist grinned widely, delighted. With a *whoosh*, he landed in front of Ye Fan, blocking his path. Stretching out his pudgy hand, he said with a beaming smile, "This treasure is fated to be mine. Lend it to me for a while."
"Taoist, you're too much!" Ye Fan fumed. Clutching the radiant bead, he stepped back. "You've already taken one sentient weapon from me. You can't have this one too."
"This bead is a demonic transformation, young friend. You can't suppress it. I'm doing this for your own good, coming specially to subdue it." The fat Taoist's face was ruddy, his smile kind. With a swift motion, he swiped the red bead away.
Ye Fan's teeth itched with hatred. "Taoist, didn't you say we'd meet again and bring me good luck? That you'd thank me properly? Instead, you're stealing from me again. You already got a dagger—give this bead back."
"Wrong, wrong. Don't you understand yet?" The fat Taoist beamed with joy, shameless and smug, looking like a charlatan. "It's precisely because of the good karma from our first meeting that we've met again. I rushed here to subdue this demonic bead, saving you from misfortune. That's the fruit of the good karma you planted!"
"#￥%￥#..." Ye Fan really wanted to beat him up, to leave a shoe print on that fat face. But considering the Taoist's unfathomable cultivation, he held back.
"Boundless Heavenly Venerable. Young friend, fate will bring us together again. I'm off!" The fat Taoist twisted his rear, shot up on his divine rainbow, and *swish*—vanished.
"Damn fatty, may we never meet again!" Ye Fan felt thoroughly unlucky. He was furious. This unscrupulous Taoist was utterly despicable.
*Boom*
In the distance, five major figures struck again fiercely. With their powerful weapons, they knocked off another corner of the Demon Emperor's tomb. Rays of light burst forth, and even more sentient weapons shot out. Even with their overwhelming might, the five experts couldn't block all the divine rays. Many weapons escaped. The surrounding cultivators all showed joy, riding divine rainbows in all directions to intercept the light.
Ye Fan sat gloomily on a stone mountain, watching the distant rays. Helpless, he muttered to himself, "That damn fatty, that unscrupulous evil Taoist. I curse him to be robbed, stripped of even his robe!"
*Chi*
From the distance, a purple ray shot over like flowing light, quickly embedding itself in the rock wall ahead. Ye Fan's eyes widened in disbelief. A third sentient weapon flying to this spot? That was too strange.
"This place..." He felt there was something wrong with this rock wall. There must be something peculiar about it. Otherwise, how could such coincidences happen—weapons repeatedly embedding themselves in the same cliff?
This time, Ye Fan didn't act rashly. He waited a long time, making sure no one else was around, before slowly approaching. "This time, that fat Taoist won't show up, right..."
He carefully dug into the rock wall. Immediately, intoxicating purple light flowed out, making his palm look crystalline. Purple mist spread, feeling very pleasant. It was a purple thumb ring, radiating countless auspicious rays. It was instantly likable.
"Boundless damn fatty! He swiped two treasures from me. Otherwise, I'd have three by now." Ye Fan grumbled indignantly. "At least he didn't find this one."
"The poor Taoist has arrived!" No sooner had Ye Fan finished muttering than a plump figure appeared again, his face full of joy, wrinkles forming on his forehead, his mouth split to his ears, back teeth showing. He laughed heartily. "I am indeed fated with you, young friend."
"I #￥%￥#..." Ye Fan's face turned green. He never expected this fat Taoist to stick to him like a plaster. "Who the hell is fated with you!"
"We truly are fated." The fat Taoist's face didn't redden, nor did his heart race. He looked serious, counting on his fingers. "See? In just a short while, we've met three times. How can you say we're not fated? It's heaven's will!"
"Heaven's will, my foot!" Ye Fan lifted his foot, wanting to kick that fat rear. But considering the gap in their strength, he held back his anger and walked aside, shouting into the distance, "Sentient weapon..."
He threw the thumb ring with all his might. He'd rather someone else take it than let this unscrupulous Taoist get it again, or he'd be furious enough to spit blood. The purple light streaked across the sky.
The fat Taoist's reaction speed was utterly mismatched with his build. With a *whoosh*, he shot out. The purple jade ring hadn't even flown a hundred meters before he snatched it into his hand. Then, grinning from ear to ear, he landed. "Heaven's will! Such is heaven's will!"
Ye Fan felt like vomiting blood. This damn fatty was too shameless and despicable, deliberately infuriating him.
"Taoist, don't you think you've gone too far?" Ye Fan's forehead veins bulged. "Can't you have some integrity as a monk? Don't be so greedy."
"The poor Taoist is always disciplined. External things don't move my fundamental heart. I constantly polish it, making it shine like the divine moon in the sky."
Seeing his charlatan act, Ye Fan's forehead was covered in black lines. "Since you're so disciplined, give me back my things!"
"A monk is compassionate. It's only because of our good karma that I've gone to the trouble of resolving three calamities for you, reluctantly using my stinking mortal shell to suppress three great demons." The fat Taoist looked compassionate and honest, reciting "Boundless Heavenly Venerable" and putting on the air of a transcendent master.
"You charlatan... damn it!" Ye Fan ground his teeth. "Taoist, what's your surname?"
"Free of charge, my surname is Duan, given name De. Call me Duan De."
"No wonder you're so lacking in virtue. Duan De—'Broken Virtue'—clearly means you've broken all virtue!"