Chapter 276: Wanting to Kill

（The author, Cottage Pig, forgot to mention, the previous previous chapter had a typo? The character '乱' (luan) was mistyped as a question mark in the Qidian library and couldn't be displayed. It will be replaced with a homophone later. The pronunciation is 'luan', 'di'.）

"Ban Gong Cuo ordered his grand shaman to use sorcery to kill me last night, and yet he dares to invite me to a banquet today?" Qin Mu was slightly taken aback. "Could it be that he believes, as fellow sacred grounds, the Loulan Golden Palace can still suppress the Heavenly Saint Cult? Or does he have other plans?"

Ba Shan Si Jiu approached and asked, "Would you like me to accompany you?"

Qin Mu shook his head. "It's not necessary. If Ban Gong Cuo intended to kill me openly and honestly, he wouldn't have resorted to witchcraft last night. I will go alone to meet with him."

The Jade Fragrance Building was the largest restaurant in the capital city, built in a garden style with courtyards within courtyards. Each courtyard boasted rockeries, flowing water, and fountains, accompanied by the sounds of zither music and the graceful movements of maidservants. Each courtyard was secluded, offering an air of elegance and tranquility. People came here not merely to eat and drink, but to seek a place where they could converse in peace.

Before the year of disaster, the business here was incredibly prosperous. Even high officials and nobles needed to book banquets in advance. However, with the outbreak of heavenly disaster and the Emperor's personal involvement in relief efforts, high officials and nobles in the capital city were compelled to donate funds, causing a decline in the Jade Fragrance Building's business.

It was expected that once the impact of the heavenly disaster had subsided, the restaurant's business would undoubtedly flourish once more.

In the Green Bamboo Garden of the Jade Fragrance Building, Ban Gong Cuo greeted Qin Mu, saying, "Cult Master Qin, those followers of mine have caused you much offense. Now they are dead, and with their passing, everything is settled. I implore Cult Master to be magnanimous."

Qin Mu stepped into the Green Bamboo Garden, surveying his surroundings. He replied, "The Prince is too kind."

This courtyard was indeed called the Green Bamboo Garden. A circular moon gate marked the entrance, and upon stepping through, one was enveloped by the shade of slender bamboo lining both sides of the path. The gentle murmur of flowing water could be heard. After turning two bends, a clear stream was visible, cascading down from a rockery meticulously crafted from strange stones. Though merely a thin stream, it evoked the feeling of a rushing waterfall.

The water flowed into a jade bottle held in the hand of a Buddha statue. As the jade bottle tilted, the water swirled within before flowing out again, falling into the pool on the south side.

Qin Mu glanced at the pool on the south side. It contained several sandy islands, resembling islands in the sea, scattered like stars. It was quite intriguing. Characters inscribed near the pool read: "South Sea Guanyin, great vows deep as the sea."

The Buddha statue was carved into the rockery, and it seemed some minor magical technique was employed to allow the water to flow continuously. Although the pool was not large, it was crafted with meticulous care. Looking closely, it truly gave one the feeling of standing above the South Sea and overlooking the vast ocean.

"Cult Master Qin, please." Ban Gong Cuo gestured, inviting Qin Mu to walk along a long corridor and come to an elegant room by the pool. The windows were already open, and sitting by the window offered a perfect view of the garden scenery.

Beside the banquet table stood two great shamans in yellow robes, their faces devoid of expression, positioned inside the doorway on either side.

Ban Gong Cuo waved his hand and said, "You may leave. Instruct them to bring the dishes and wine."

The two great shamans from the Loulan Golden Palace left the room. A moment later, maidservants brought in dishes and wine. In the courtyard, several graceful girls appeared, dressed in foreign attire, playing instruments such as ox horns, yangqins, and dama drums. The music had a distinct, exotic flavor.

"Last evening, it was not I who instructed someone to kill you." Ban Gong Cuo looked deeply at Qin Mu and said, "If I wish to kill someone, I do not need to borrow another's hand. Last night's matter was merely my follower, seeing you kill too many Golden Palace disciples, becoming exceedingly indignant, and thus entering your dream to cast sorcery."

Qin Mu was somewhat surprised to hear him bring up this matter. He had expected Ban Gong Cuo to avoid discussing it, but unexpectedly, the first thing Ban Gong Cuo did upon sitting down was to mention it.

"So that's how it was." Qin Mu laughed. "It's fortunate that I am unharmed, and furthermore, those individuals are already dead. Everything is settled after death. I believe the young prince has no connection to this matter."

Ban Gong Cuo shook his head. "You still do not know. I knew he intended to kill you, but I did not stop him. Cult Master Qin, do you wish to know the reason?"

Qin Mu was again somewhat surprised. He humbly said, "The young prince truly exceeds expectations. Qin is willing to hear the details."

Ban Gong Cuo poured him some wine and said, "The reason I did not stop him was because I knew you would undoubtedly have Ba Shan Si Jiu stay in your room to guard against me using sorcery to kill you at midnight. He might not kill you, but he could delay your time."

Qin Mu raised his eyebrows, picked up his wine cup, and the two exchanged toasts, drinking to the bottom.

Ban Gong Cuo continued, "You and I both simultaneously broke through the wall and entered the Six Harmonies realm. At that time, I did not accept your challenge because I saw that your fighting strength was indeed extraordinary, and I was not fully confident of defeating you. But after one day's time, it became different. Just one day, only one day."

He revealed a hint of a smile. "For experts facing each other, one day is enough to determine victory or defeat. You met with the Crown Prince in the afternoon and had no leisure to consolidate your Six Harmonies realm and discover its mysteries. In the evening, you had to guard against my follower's witchcraft attack, again having no leisure to research the Six Harmonies realm. While I had this one day to consolidate the Six Harmonies and elevate my cultivation. Merely one day is enough to ensure you have no chance of winning."

Qin Mu was again surprised. He sized up Ban Gong Cuo's face, seeing that it still held some youthful air, but his gaze was deep, possessing a profoundness not typically found in young people. He praised, "The young prince of the grasslands is truly extraordinary. It's no wonder even the Heavenly Knife is wary of you. You are only fourteen years old, are you not?"

Ban Gong Cuo poured him more wine and said, "Thirteen years old. People of the grasslands are exposed to the wind and sun, making their bodies relatively robust and appearing a bit older. Thirteen years old is my age in this life. If Cult Master is asking about the lifespan of my soul, I am already eleven thousand years old."

Qin Mu laughed heartily. "The young prince surprises me more and more. I didn't expect you to so easily speak of such matters."

"I have no need to conceal it from you." Ban Gong Cuo said, "Cult Master Qin is also extremely admirable. You are a disciple of the Heavenly Knife, are you not? At such a young age, to possess this level of cultivation, I am endlessly impressed. If it were the day you broke through to the Six Harmonies realm, facing you, I would only have an eighty percent chance of winning."

"Oh?" Qin Mu contained his smile and remained silent, playing with his wine cup.

Ban Gong Cuo was serious. "Including this life, I have already lived nineteen lives. In my long lifespan, I have seen many heaven-blessed talents, many world-shaking heroes, and many instances of life and death, joy and sorrow. Sometimes I feel like a reef standing in time, with countless outstanding figures flowing past me like a rapidly moving painting. Even supreme emperors are but casual strokes, and even individuals like Heavenly Horizontal Knife and Heavenly Knife are merely hurried passersby. I remember in my sixth life, I felt my Dao law and divine abilities could not advance further, so I entered the Central Plains and joined the Dao Sect, learning the Innate Taixuan Gong and the Dao Sword. At that time, the Dao Master of the Dao Sect had extremely high hopes for me, allowing me to be their Dao Child, even expecting me to become the Dao Master in the future and lead the Dao Sect."

Qin Mu's eyelids subtly twitched. This old monster had once entered the Dao Sect and even served as their Dao Child? He had also learned the Dao Sect's ultimate arts, the Innate Taixuan Gong and the Fourteen Chapters of the Dao Sword?

"The Dao Sword is extremely difficult to comprehend. In that life, I learned the thirteenth sword, but the fourteenth sword I could never thoroughly comprehend." Ban Gong Cuo sighed. "The Dao Sword is truly too difficult. Even with the strength of the Innate Taixuan Gong, it is hard to comprehend thoroughly. It requires terrifying comprehension of techniques and numbers. I could not learn the fourteenth sword until I died of old age. In my seventh life, I entered the Dao Sect again, but still could not learn the fourteenth sword, only practicing half a move. Then in my eighth life, I joined the Great Thunder Sound Temple of the Buddha Gate."

Qin Mu's heart was greatly shaken. He looked at him deeply and said softly, "You felt that the Dao Sword could no longer allow you to break through, so you went to the Great Thunder Sound Temple to learn the Tathagata Great Vehicle Sutra?"

"Incorrect." Ban Gong Cuo was solemn. "I went to comprehend Buddha law. The Buddha law of the Great Thunder Sound Temple has extremely high comprehension in cultivating the heart nature. The Tathagata Great Vehicle Sutra is a collection for cultivating the heart nature, so naturally I wanted to learn it. However, I first started as a young monk, reading and comprehending all the Buddhist scriptures of the Great Thunder Sound Temple, and only then did I learn the Tathagata Great Vehicle Sutra."

Qin Mu asked, "The Tathagata of that generation must also have had extremely high hopes for you, correct?"

"He said my aptitude and comprehension were the highest of my generation, and my attainment in Buddha law even surpassed his, my eloquence unimpeded." Ban Gong Cuo said, "I cultivated the Tathagata Great Vehicle Sutra for a full twenty heavens, but I still left the Great Thunder Sound Temple. The Buddha law of the Great Thunder Sound Temple could not allow me to break through the final realm. In my next life, I reincarnated as a female and went to the Parting Emotion Palace. In another life, I went to Little Jade Capital. I stayed in Little Jade Capital for several lives, and only then did I fully learn their ultimate arts. It is indeed a sacred ground above the three great sacred grounds."

He sighed, as if recalling his days in Little Jade Capital. He paused and said, "Then I went to the Heavenly Saint Cult."

Qin Mu's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He said, "The Heavenly Saint Cult? You learned the Great Nurturing Heavenly Devil Scripture? What did you comprehend from it?"

Ban Gong Cuo smiled. "The Great Nurturing Heavenly Devil Scripture is very strong, but compared to the Tathagata Great Vehicle Sutra and the Dao Sword, it is somewhat inferior. I originally planned to leave, but later I heard that the Great Nurturing Heavenly Devil Scripture had a chapter called the Great Unification Gong, which is only transmitted from Cult Master to Cult Master. I desperately wanted to obtain it, so I stayed in the Heavenly Saint Cult. It's a pity that the Heavenly Devil Cult Master of that generation was very strong, and his disciple was also very strong. This disciple was praised as a saint born once every five hundred years. I lost to him and had no fate with the Cult Master position."

Qin Mu breathed a sigh of relief. Ban Gong Cuo continued, "Thus, I rebelled against the Heavenly Saint Cult, bringing together experts from the Dao Sect and gathering all righteous men to attack the Heavenly Saint Cult, killing this saint who appeared once every five hundred years."

The wine in Qin Mu's cup trembled slightly, and a drop spilled onto the table.

"This saint was indeed rare. He fought the Dao Master to the death. Even after I succeeded in a sneak attack, he could still heavily wound me, but he was eventually exhausted and killed by countless righteous men." Ban Gong Cuo spoke leisurely. "Before his death, he transmitted the Cult Master position and the Great Unification Gong to the Green Heaven King. I was heavily wounded, but I thought I was only one step away from taking down the Heavenly Saint Cult. How could I abandon my efforts at the final moment? So I continued to lead the crowd in attack, not expecting this Green Cult Master to transmit the Great Unification Gong to the Saintess, who then led the cult crowd in a fierce battle against me. I had to retreat back to the grasslands with my injuries."

He sighed. "Later I heard that this Green Cult Master was also dead, having died in Bi Bo Tan. The Saintess succeeded as Cult Master and eventually killed the Dao Sect and the righteous path of the world until their hearts turned cold. In the end, she also became exhausted and died after passing on her position. What did the Heavenly Saint Cult call these three Cult Masters?"

Qin Mu's expression was indifferent. "The Three Kings."

"The Three Kings?" Ban Gong Cuo praised, "They indeed deserve to be called the Three Kings. Now you should know the origin of my relationship with your Heavenly Saint Cult, correct? You should also know where my eighty percent chance of winning came from, correct? However, that was one day ago. Facing you now, I have a hundred percent chance of winning. You have not even one percent."

Qin Mu stood up, stretched his body slightly, and said, "Let's go. I now feel a little like killing someone."

Ban Gong Cuo stood up, and the two walked side by side towards the outside.

Ban Gong Cuo turned his head to instruct the two great shamans, saying, "Leave the food and drink. Keep them warm. I will be back in a moment."