Chapter 29

Chapter 28: The Divine Illumination Sutra

"Of course not." Although the concept of ghosts and spirits was vague and elusive, Ling Shuanghua would never believe that her mother would enter the lower realms.

"Then isn't that settled?" Song Qing shu spread his hands. "Miss Ling, you don't have to worry about that poison vow anymore."

"Many thanks for your guidance, Master Song." After being enlightened by him, Ling Shuanghua felt a sudden clarity in her heart, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. She had been so deeply involved in the situation that she hadn't realized this before. Ding Dian, being more of a rough man of the world, lacked the细腻的心思 to see it, which led to the two of them being entangled by a nonexistent poison vow for years.

"Miss Ling, rest assured. I have a way to help you and Hero Ding become a couple." Song Qing shu finally understood the problem between the two and felt confident. Thinking he had gained enough from this visit, he got up to take his leave.

"Thank you for your efforts, Master Song." Ling Shuanghua stood up and returned a bow. Even though her face was disfigured, her every move exuded a refined and extraordinary aura. Song Qing shu smiled kindly and turned to leave.

"Did you see Shuanghua?" In the prison, Ding Dian stood up excitedly, staring at Song Qing shu and asking, "How is she recently?"

Song Qing shu shook his head in annoyance: "You two, the first thing you ask is the same. She's fine, but she's a bit thinner from excessive worry."

"That's good, that's good..." Ding Dian seemed to be in a trance, chuckling foolishly.

"Don't act cute," Song Qing shu coughed lightly. "Let's talk about the Divine Illumination Sutra."

Ding Dian immediately became wary. "After we leave Jingzhou City, I will naturally hand over the Divine Illumination Sutra to you."

Song Qing shu smiled slyly. "I'm so weak, what if you renege on the deal?"

"Same to you," Ding Dian crossed his arms and snorted. "Teaching you now is also out of the question."

"Alright, even if you are trustworthy, I don't know if your Divine Illumination Sutra can really heal my meridians," Song Qing shu said with a doubtful look. "If I take a great risk to help you and then find out that the Divine Illumination Sutra is useless for my injuries, who will I cry to?"

"My tendons were severed by Ling Tuisi's men, and now I'm as lively as ever," Ding Dian stretched out his foot to indicate.

"It's all your words, and I don't know if they're true. No, no," Song Qing shu frowned and paced back and forth. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands. "How about this: you first pass on the first half of the Divine Illumination Sutra to me. After I help you and Miss Ling, you can give me the rest. Hero Ding, this is already a sign of my trust in your and Miss Ling's character..."

Ding Dian hesitated for a moment, knowing that empty promises wouldn't make this cunning person work hard. "Alright, Shuanghua is the love of my life. What's a single Divine Illumination Sutra? Listen carefully."

Diyun, who was standing nearby, saw him about to teach martial arts and felt utterly disinterested. To avoid being hit, he covered his ears and缩到了墙角.

Ding Dian looked at him guiltily. "Hey, that Diyin, listen too."

Diyun shook his head like a rattle drum, and Ding Dian glared at him fiercely. "Do you want to get beaten again?"

Diyun, frightened, quickly released his ears and listened nervously.

"I see you seem quite anxious, but I still have to remind you," seeing Song Qing shu's expectant look, Ding Dian hesitated for a moment and said, "Practicing martial arts requires diligence, which is very important. But haste makes waste, and you must proceed step by step. When practicing the Divine Illumination Sutra, you must be calm and free of any杂念."

"Of course." Although he said this, Song Qing shu sighed inwardly. He couldn't help but be anxious, as he could be hunted down at any moment...

Seeing his insincerity, Ding Dian smiled coldly and began reciting the Divine Illumination Sutra: "Since ancient times, the creation of the universe has been based on the principles of yin and yang. Between heaven and earth, the qi of the nine regions, nine orifices, five organs, and twelve joints all connect with the heavenly qi..."

"The qi of the heavens, when clear, brings peace to the mind. Following it, the yang qi will be solid. Therefore, the sages transmit their spirit, adapt to the heavenly qi, and achieve divine illumination..."

For some reason, whether it was due to the穿越 causing his soul to be exceptionally strong or something else, Song Qing shu found his memory to be excellent, reaching the point of photographic recall. He silently recited the last few lines of the first half of the Divine Illumination Sutra, confirming that he had memorized it all.

After carefully pondering the content of the sutra, the core of the Divine Illumination Sutra lay in absorbing the qi of the heavens. Its cultivation method differed from ordinary martial arts, which required channeling qi through the meridians. Once mastered, it could nourish and regenerate the meridians, truly a remarkable skill in the world.

Song Qing shu was overjoyed. "The Divine Illumination Sutra is indeed extraordinary. Hero Ding, rest assured. Although I disregard formalities, I always keep my promises. I will do my utmost to help you and Miss Ling escape."

"Really?" Ding Dian looked at him in surprise. Without guiding him in cultivation, he had already generated the most important qi sensation of the Divine Illumination Sutra just by listening to the sutra once! The remaining cultivation only required time and the refinement of the heavenly qi... Looking at Diyin, who was still confused, he was filled with doubt. Could this person be a rare martial arts genius?

Song Qing shu also noticed the changes in his body and was startled. It felt like in his previous life, when he picked up a secret manual in a game and immediately reached the maximum level by clicking to cultivate. Could he really be a legendary genius?

"Master Song, Lord Ling has sent someone to invite you to his residence for a discussion," a constable called from a distance.

"I know, I'll be there soon," Song Qing shu shouted back, then turned to Ding Dian. "Hero Ding, to help you and Miss Ling, we need to start with Ling Tuisi. I'll deal with him first."

"Alright!" Ding Dian nodded indifferently, turned around, and stared at the nearby...

Diyin, thinking that he shouldn't put all his eggs in one basket. Although this simple-minded boy was a bit foolish, he was loyal and honest. If anything happened in the future, he might have to rely on him to bury him and Shuanghua together...

"Why did Lord Ling urgently summon me? What's the matter?" As he walked, Song Qing shu felt a faint qi vortex slowly circulating in his body. Wherever the vortex passed, a cool and soothing sensation spread through his meridians and acupoints, replacing the previous soreness and pain. Although many meridians and acupoints still seemed blocked, he believed it was due to the incomplete Divine Illumination Sutra. Once he obtained the complete sutra, his recovery would be a matter of course...

"Seeing the smile on your face, did you find something?" Ling Tuisi held a teacup, blew on it lightly, and asked with a stern expression.

Song Qing shu's heart tightened, and he quickly gathered his wits to respond, "I have some leads."

"Really? Tell me about it." Ling Tuisi put down the teacup and stared at his eyes. "I heard that Master Song has been running back and forth between my daughter's room and the prison to chat with Ding Dian. What are you up to?"

As a high-ranking official, Ling Tuisi exuded a faint aura of authority and pressure, making Song Qing shu feel uneasy. He thought to himself: I'm a穿越者, and even if I can't emit a tiger-like aura, you're trying to dominate me.

Of course, he wouldn't dare say that out loud. He explained in a slightly humble tone, "To be honest, I saw that years of severe torture by Lord Ling were ineffective, so I decided to change my approach. I learned by chance that Ding Dian has long coveted your daughter, so I decided to use this angle. I used Miss Ling as bait, pretending to help them escape, and Ding Dian fell for it, showing some signs of loosening up..."

"Such audacity, to joke with my daughter's reputation." Ling Tuisi slammed his hand on the table, startling Song Qing shu. He thought to himself: You were willing to kill your own daughter for the treasure, and now you're putting up a facade.

"Did he say anything?" Ling Tuisi's tone changed, and he asked calmly.

"He promised to reveal the secret of the Liancheng Scroll after the deed is done," Song Qing shu said, observing the other's expression.

Ling Tuisi said angrily, "Are you suggesting I give my daughter to her to get the Liancheng Scroll?"

"Of course not," Song Qing shu smiled apologetically. "Lord Ling has a powerful army and many skilled subordinates. Once he reveals the secret, whether to kill or release him is entirely up to you."

"That's true." Ling Tuisi smiled at him, but inwardly sneered, planning to eliminate him as well.

Hiding in the shadows, Ding Dian was furious, wishing he could immediately rush out and kill Song Qing shu, this despicable person. Having experienced the dangers of the world, he no longer easily trusted others. Now that his martial arts were complete, sneaking out of the prison was not difficult. When he saw Ling Tuisi summon Song Qing shu, he secretly followed, only to overhear their "plot."

Suddenly, he frowned and looked into the distance. A skilled person had arrived. At this moment, he only wanted to escape with Ling Shuanghua and avoid further trouble. He glared at the two men inside and then turned to leave.

"Lord, the messenger from Xiangyang has arrived in Jingzhou and is waiting outside," a constable rushed to the door to report.

"I'll take my leave first." Song Qing shu, realizing they had important military matters to discuss, prepared to leave.

Watching Song Qing shu's back, Ling Tuisi had a thought. "Why don't you stay and meet the messenger with me? Master Song, young as you are, your talents are being wasted.