Chapter 1100: Dongfang Yao and Master Jingkong

"Yingying, a fellow Daoist from the East will be arriving shortly. Please bring him here and make sure he is treated with utmost respect." Wang Mingren instructed earnestly. After his recent setback, Wang Mingren had a complete awakening and dedicated himself fully to helping the family. Lately, he had been busy entertaining friends, cultivating a wide circle of acquaintances, including rogue cultivators, members of immortal cultivation sects, and even a few demonic cultivators.

"Yes, Elder Ancestor," Wang Yingying replied immediately. She had personally witnessed Wang Mingren's impressive networking skills lately. Things she couldn't accomplish despite much effort and offering many benefits, Wang Mingren managed to resolve in just a few words. Many merchants began partnering with the Wang family's shops, significantly increasing the family's income.

Returning to the fifth floor, Wang Mingren and Ximen Feng began to chat idly. Ximen Feng's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if she felt unwell.

"What's wrong, Feng'er? Are you feeling unwell?" Wang Mingren asked with concern, holding Ximen Feng's hand.

"I don't know why, but lately I've been feeling nauseous all the time."

"Feng'er, could you be pregnant?" Wang Mingren's face lit up with joy. He and Ximen Feng had been married for many years without children. The higher a cultivator's cultivation level, the more difficult it became to conceive offspring. For this reason, both immortal cultivation sects and families strongly encouraged procreation. Wang Mingren and Chen Xianger had also been married for many years without children, but that wasn't due to his inability. Rather, their relationship had been strained, leading to very infrequent intimacy. In contrast, his relationship with Ximen Feng was excellent, and intimacy was frequent.

"I suspect the same. I wonder if my husband would prefer a boy or a girl." Ximen Feng's face glowed with a happy smile. After his recent failure, Wang Mingren seemed to have gained a new perspective, and he had been meticulously attentive to her.

"As long as it's our child, I will love them regardless," he replied.

"Oh? Lady Wang is expecting? What wonderful news!" A cheerful voice suddenly rang out as a middle-aged man in dark robes walked in, accompanied by a clean-faced monk. The middle-aged man had a fair complexion and carried a black flying sword on his back, emitting a faint aura of malevolence. This was Dongfang Yao, an eighth-level Core Formation cultivator. He was a rogue cultivator by origin and and had received kindness from Wang Mingren in his early years, maintaining a good personal relationship with him. The monk wore a golden kasaya, with a string of golden Buddhist beads on each hand. He showed no trace of spiritual energy fluctuations, appearing just like a mortal. It was Wang Mingren's first time seeing a Buddhist cultivator; he had always thought they practiced asceticism exclusively in the Western Desert.

"Fellow Daoist Dongfang, who is this master?" Wang Mingren asked, looking at the monk with curiosity.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, Lady Wang, allow me to introduce you. This is Master Jingkong. If it weren't for Master Jingkong saving me, I might not have been able to meet you again," Dongfang Yao said, a lingering look of trepidation on his face, as if he had encountered something terrifying.

"Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda. Since this humble monk encountered the situation, it was only natural not to stand idly by. May the Buddha be merciful," Master Jingkong said softly, with his palms pressed together.

"Not only did you stop them from killing me, but you also forbade me from retaliating. Master Jingkong, does your Buddhist sect have no stance of its own?" Dongfang Yao said with a chuckle as he sat down in a chair.

"This humble monk saved Fellow Daoist Dongfang hoping you would accumulate virtue and do good deeds, not to seek revenge through killing. When will retribution end? It is better to resolve enmity than to let it fester."

"I disagree with that. Cultivators inherently contend with heaven and with others. Your Buddhist sect claims to be detached from worldly struggles, yet don't you occupy the Western Desert? Without cultivation resources, Master Jingkong, you might not have smoothly cultivated to your current realm. If I don't kill them today, they will continue to try and kill me tomorrow. I can promise not to kill them, but can you guarantee they won't kill me?" Master Jingkong shook his head directly, saying, "Fellow Daoist Dongfang, that is a fallacy. There is always a cause for every effect. Your killing them is the cause, and their retaliation against you is the effect. Without the cause, there naturally is no effect."

"That sounds good, but I am a rogue cultivator and make my living by hunting demonic beasts. They, relying on their sect background, wanted to snatch my prey. Should I have just given it to them? Speaking of karma, Fellow Daoist Wang rarely holds grudges against anyone. Master Jingkong, why don't you examine him and see what karma he possesses?"

Master Jingkong scrutinized Wang Mingren from head to toe, his expression turning solemn. He said, "Amitabha. Everything has its destiny, and this humble monk cannot peer into the heavenly secrets. However, I have a message for Fellow Daoist Wang: there is always a cause for every effect. What kind of seed you sow, that kind of fruit you shall reap. When will retribution ever end? It is better to forgive where one can forgive."

Wang Mingren's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he asked, "Master Jingkong, what do you mean by that? Could you please elaborate?"

"Medicine cures illnesses, but Buddha saves those who are destined. Those who are destined will naturally understand; those who are not will naturally not. This humble monk can say no more. I shall take my leave," Master Jingkong said, turning to depart.

Wang Mingren and Ximen Feng exchanged glances, completely bewildered. They felt as though they had understood, yet also hadn't. Dongfang Yao dismissed it with a laugh. "Fellow Daoist Wang, Lady Wang, don't mind him. That old monk is full of empty rhetoric; I can barely make sense of what he says. If everyone were benevolent, there probably wouldn't be any Buddhas, after all. The Buddhist doctrine encourages people to do good, so if everyone is already good, what need would there be for Buddhas?"

"You can't quite put it that way," Ximen Feng said with a slight smile, trying to smooth things over. "I think Master Jingkong's words do hold some truth. There is always a cause for every effect. Fellow Daoist Dongfang, you just mentioned someone was pursuing you? Who would be so reckless?"

"It was someone from Beiming Palace. It's all Huang Mazi's fault; if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have provoked the Nine Nether Sect," Dongfang Yao said, his face full of resentment. Beiming Palace was one of the ten great sects of the Northern Frontier, and although it had declined in recent years, it was still not an entity he could afford to offend.

"Beiming Palace? Fellow Daoist Dongfang, do you need my assistance in mediating? Uncle-Master Meng greatly appreciates you," Wang Mingren said sincerely. Dongfang Yao possessed extraordinary strength. Meng Tianzheng had previously wanted to recruit Dongfang Yao to work for the Grand Unity Immortal Sect and had tasked Wang Mingren with contacting Dongfang Yao to discuss the matter, but Dongfang Yao had declined.

"No need. I'm accustomed to my freedom and dislike restrictions. By the way, Fellow Daoist Wang, did you manage to get what I asked for?" Ximen Feng smiled charmingly and took out a cyan jade box, handing it to Dongfang Yao. Dongfang Yao opened it to reveal a crystalline stone as black as ink, from which chilling wails emanated. Dongfang Yao suppressed his excitement and said, "Fellow Daoist Wang, name your price!"

"It's just a Profound Yin Crystal, nothing major. Since you've provoked Beiming Palace, it's best you leave the Northern Frontier and lay low for a while. I'll do my best to help mediate for you. As for the cost, we can discuss that later," Wang Mingren said heartily. High-level rogue cultivators were sought after by various powers. As Xu Zihua would say, "It doesn't matter if you take a loss befriending a hundred cultivators; as long as one of them repays you, you've profited."

Having provoked Beiming Palace, Dongfang Yao could no longer stay in the Northern Frontier, and his expenses elsewhere would surely be considerable. "Fellow Daoist Dongfang, our family has a small territory in the South Sea. If you don't mind, we can write you a letter of introduction. Take it to the South Sea, and our clansmen will certainly treat you well," Ximen Feng said considerately. Dongfang Yao was already an eighth-level Core Formation cultivator; attracting an eighth-level Core Formation cultivator to the Wang family would undoubtedly strengthen their power.

"Thank you both for your kindness. I appreciate it deeply. If you ever need my assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to ask; I will go through fire and water without hesitation. I won't stay much longer. Until we meet again," Dongfang Yao said, politely declining their offer before bidding farewell and leaving.