Chapter 314 - 313: How to Lead a Child Astray

Words : 1534 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

Chapter 314: Chapter 313: How to Lead a Child Astray Qin Liuxi released the ghost of the Liang woman, leaving her somewhat surprised. "You, you’re letting me go?" Mrs. Liang’s eyes widened. Qin Liuxi counter-asked: "What, if I don’t let you go, should I keep you for dinner instead?" "No, you know what I am going to do, and you still let me go?" Mrs. Liang pursed her lips and said, "That Daoist from Chengyang said, to exterminate evil and defend the Dao, aren’t you a Taoist too?" "Do I look like someone willing to do good deeds without receiving silver? Without benefits, why should I waste my time on this? Am I complaining that the bed is not soft enough, or the food not fragrant enough?" Qin Liuxi snorted with a laugh: "Since no one is paying me in silver to take action, what’s wrong with me finding something else to do with my time?" Mrs. Liang caught the implication and prostrated herself on the ground, giving a bow to her. "The humble woman thanks the master for your mercy." "I am not merciful; I am merely shrewd and pragmatic, so you need not place that high hat on my head. I won’t hold it against you for intruding this courtyard, just vanish." Qin Liuxi looked up at the sky: "On this dark and windy night of murder, indeed a fine time it is. I wonder when Master Chengyang will prove his innocence from this unjust accusation." A glint flashed in Mrs. Liang’s eyes. Qin Liuxi’s words were simply a reminder to her that once Master Chengyang proved his innocence, he would inevitably return to deal with her at Jia Gou’s side. Her time was limited. Mrs. Liang bowed once again to Qin Liuxi: "The benefactor’s kindness cannot be repaid. In my next life, I must become a cow or a horse to repay the master." Whoosh. Mrs. Liang vanished. As soon as she left, Teng Tianhan immediately felt the difference in the air, not so cold anymore. Reflecting on Qin Liuxi’s words, his gaze sharpened. "That woman’s vindictive soul has left? She is going to take revenge on the Jia Family’s son." Qin Liuxi’s lips held a smile: "If the official cares about the common people, you must act quickly, perhaps release Master Chengyang, so he can go and save all living things. Otherwise, tomorrow, the city’s folk will have another matter for conversation. The only son of the Jia Family dies tragically, claimed by a vindictive soul." Teng Tianhan’s expression changed: "You won’t stop her!" "What reason do I have to stop her?" Qin Liuxi’s expression was cold. Teng Tianhan was at a loss for words. "She said something true - this world is unfair to me, and no one in the mortal world seeks justice for me, thus I must do it myself." Qin Liuxi looked at him and said, "Sir, if the government can’t protect her, can’t save her, then she must save herself." Teng Tianhan trembled all over. "And regarding that Jia person, does the official think his crimes do not deserve death? If not, since death is inevitable, what difference does it make by whose hand he dies?" Qin Liuxi spoke indifferently, "Does the official really think that because I come from the Taoist Sect, I am truly as Master Chengyang says, pursuing the Righteous Path and expelling all evil and demons? If so, the official is mistaken. I am not that noble." Teng Tianhan pursed his lips, not knowing what to say. "The official might say that this is an unjust case, and that it should be according to Da Feng laws to judge Jia Gou’s crimes. But sometimes, the victims need to settle the score themselves; otherwise, their resentful energy persists, and even in death, they cannot reincarnate. Official, being a human is tough, and being a resentful ghost is not any easier. In the official’s eyes, justice is determined by Da Feng laws, but in my eyes, justice means good deeds bring good fruit, and evil deeds bring retribution." Qin Liuxi raised her head to look at him: "The official and I may have differing viewpoints, but there’s one thing I still have to say, despite our differences, Zhaozhao still has to join my sect." Teng Tianhan: "!" What is with this person. Qin Liuxi lowered her head to look at Teng Zhao, ruffled his hair: "Don’t worry, your father is your father, and you are you. Even if we are not on good terms, you cannot escape being my apprentice." Teng Zhao turned and went back to his room. Qin Liuxi smiled and waved her paw at Teng Tianhan before following, she had to indoctrinate her young disciple with the correct concepts—no, wash his brain. Upon entering, Qin Liuxi kicked off her shoes and sat cross-legged on the Arhat bed, asking, "Did you understand the conversation between your father and me just now?" Teng Zhao didn’t speak; he just stared at her shoes, which were scattered, one here, one there, and even upside down. He felt very uneasy and uncomfortable. Forcing himself to look away, it wasn’t long before he glanced back again. Eventually, he got down, picked up the shoes, and placed them neatly in front of the Arhat bed, so they would be easy to slip into when descending from the bed. Seeing this, Qin Liuxi’s eyes curved, and she tapped the table again: "Do you understand?" Teng Zhao looked at her, fiddling with a chess piece for a long while before slowly nodding his head. "How do you see it?" Qin Liuxi was curious. She picked up a black piece and started to play the game with him. As she took a black piece, Teng Zhao sat upright, taking a white piece, his voice thin and cool as water: "Revenge and resolving hatred." Qin Liuxi said, "A Xuanmen Taoist, with the mission to exterminate evil and uphold the Righteous Path, according to Master Chengyang’s words, the Liang Family matriarch is already dead, turned into a ghost. If she now seeks to create chaos and harm others, as a practicing Taoist of the Mystic Sect, it’s our duty to rectify chaos and suppress evil, which is the Righteous Path." Teng Zhao raised his eyes: "Not you, you didn’t." She had even let that ghost go. Qin Liuxi smiled slowly: "Because in my eyes, there’s no difference between the living and the dead—who says the living must always be esteemed over the dead? Those who commit evil deeds will naturally be loathed. Some evil people are as bad as Evil Ghosts; such people are beyond redemption because saving one such person could mean the death of many more who suffer like Liang’s mother and daughter. So, regardless of whether Liang is a ghost or a person, in my eyes, she is just a suffering individual. Having grievances, one seeks revenge; having resentments, one seeks retribution; it’s all fair. Since it’s fair, I won’t intervene, let him die." Teng Zhao was silent for a moment before making a move, "So what exactly is the Dao?" Qin Liuxi swiftly placed a black piece, saying: "The ’Tao Te Ching’ states: There was something formless yet complete, that existed before heaven and earth; without sound, without substance, dependent on nothing, unchanging, all-pervading, unfailing. I do not know its name and call it the Dao." "Your view." Teng Zhao was clearly dissatisfied with this ornate text; he just glared at her, interested only in her thoughts. Qin Liuxi stretched out her hands and propped her chin, saying, "My view, you ask? The Dao is what I consider it to be." "Yours?" Qin Liuxi nodded: "My Dao is to endure when one should, and if one can’t endure, act! When one should be cautious, be cautious, and when one can’t, also act! When righteous deeds are called for, act righteously. If the world forces me to be evil, then I shall be evil!" Boom, boom. Suddenly, two dull thunders rumbled in the sky. When it comes to leading a child astray, this rebellious disciple truly radiates such knowledge. As Teng Zhao was still in shock, startled by the thunder, he looked out the window. Was it going to rain? Qin Liuxi was a bit embarrassed, rapping her knuckles on the table and saying: "This is just my Dao. What your Dao is, you’ll find out after your cultivation. Ask your heart." Teng Zhao pursed his lips: "How does one cultivate the Dao?" "Choose the good and follow it, be extensively learned, and let rituals confine them. This is cultivating oneself," Qin Liuxi looked at him and said, "As for cultivating the Dao, it lies in doing good deeds and accumulating merit. The good you do will transform into merit and reward you in return. As I told your father, good begets good consequences, and evil reaps evil retribution. Remember that." Teng Zhao tilted his head, lost in thought. Qin Liuxi added another sentence: "What I’ve talked about tonight is all theoretical Daoism. As for the practical, you’ll understand after following me for a while." Later, Teng Zhao came to understand that her actual Dao is about double standards.

Chapter 314 - 313: How to Lead a Child Astray

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